12th - APP STORE vs ANDROID MARKET - Article Review

Apple App Store VS Android Market

http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/google-android/articles/74976.aspx


This is a very interesting article that discusses the pros and cons of the app stores of the worlds two most popular mobile device operating systems. After reading through the article, one of the most interesting things I noticed is that Google's approach to apps (Android) and Apple's approach are completely different. Where the Android marketplace is more open and allows for more freedom, the Apple app store is much more controlled. 

I noticed that Apple goes to great lengths to control the content available on their app store. To even begin developing an app for Apple, there is a $99 fee. Until then, no SDKs, or instructions can be found. Android however, only charges a $25 fee to become a developer but SDKs and instructions are completely free. This higher fee on the App store makes sure that only more serious developers would create content and that there would be less unfinished / buggy content. Apple also reserves the right to reject any app for anything. Whether the reason is minor bugs or even bad words, Apple can reject an app. However, This "control" may also turn away many third party developers because they may feel as if they are being limited.

Another interesting point that was brought up in the article is that the apps developed for the iPhone / iPod Touch all work perfectly across all devices. However, the same cannot be said about Android apps. This is because there are over 60 devices that use the Android operating system (They also vary in versions of android: 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, etc.) These devices are extremely varied in terms of hardware. Some have QWERTY keyboards, others have touch screens, and others have much higher resolutions than others. This makes developing for Android much harder as there are many more factors to consider. This may be one of the biggest reasons that despite the closed system, the App store (Apple) still has over four times more apps than the Android Marketplace does.

Accesibility is also a major plus for the iPhone's app store. Not only does it have a mobile app store, the app store can be accessed through iTunes on a desktop computer. This makes things much more user friendly.


Based on this article, I think that although  the iPhone's app store is more controlled, it is still better. This is because most of the apps are checked for quality by Apple.The user experience is much easier with the app store as well. With both a mobile interface and a PC interface it is very easy to navigate the vast ocean that is the iPhone app store. The iPhone app store is better, and the numbers agree. Every year, the iPhone app store has over $1Billion revenue where the Android marketplace makes less than $100 million.

What do you think is better? the iPhone app store or the Android marketplace?

11th - Interviews!

So I was interviewing a few of my friends about their iPhones/iPod Touches to find out about what kind of apps they like. I asked a few simple questions:


1. What kind of device do you have? iPhone or iPod Touch?

2. What is your main use for your device?

 3. Are you an app person? If so, what kind of app is your favorite?

4. If you could have an app that does anything, what would you have it do?


Here are a few results:


Rajan Singh

Sakib: What device do you have? iPod touch or iPhone?
Rajan: I have an iPod Touch (3rd generation)
Sakib: Very nice! What do you use it for the most?
Rajan: I use my iTouch mainly for listening to music, especially at the gym or really boring classes!
Sakib: Haha. Are you an app person? what kind of apps do you like the most?
Rajan: No I am not really an app person. However, I have to say that the "The Weather Channel" app is my favorite. It is much better than the default weather app and has many more features! Plus it helps me decide what to wear in the morning.
Sakib: I use TWC too! Last question: If you could have an app that does anything, what would you have it do?
Rajan: I really want an Express app, an app that would tell me sales at express because I am an avid shopper at express.
Sakib: Yeah that would be helpful! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with me!
Rajan: No problem.


Armaan Khawaja

Sakib: What device do you have? iPod touch or iPhone?
Armaan: I have an iPhone

Sakib: Very nice! What do you use it for the most?
Armaan: I occasionally use it to listen to music but I spend most of my hours on the various apps I have.
Sakib: I see you are an app person! What is your favorite kind of app?

Armaan: I love playing games on my iPhone. At first, I didn't think that my phone could be such an adequate gaming device. My favorite game is Fruit Ninja. It's helped me pass many hours during my long commute to school. I also like "Safari."

Sakib: Haha Safari is definitely one of the best apps! I haven't played Fruit Ninja yet but I have noticed that its very popular. I'll definitely check it out! Last question: If you could have an app that does anything, what would you have it do?
Armaan: I want an app that tells me the identity of blocked numbers. I get many calls a day from different blocked numbers and I always get confused about who it might be!

Sakib: Yeah that would be great! I could use something like that too on my droid! Anyways, thanks for taking part in my interview
Armaan: My pleasure.



Tahmim Akbor




Sakib: What device do you have? iPod touch or iPhone?
Tahmim: I have an iPod touch.
Sakib: Awesome! What do you use it for the most?
Tahmim: I use it mostly for music. I love taking strolls at night and my iPod makes for a great companion!
Sakib: Yeah it can be very useful in those situations! I love having it with me during my nightly runs! Are you an app person? What kind of apps do you like the most?
Tahmim: I used to be an app person. I had over one hundred apps at one point. However, now I am mostly a music person. I still love using the AIM app though.
Sakib: The AIM app is really great! I sometimes use it to chat before I go to bed and my computer is already turned off! Last question: If you could have an app that does anything, what would you have it do?
Tahmim: I would have an app that can do video chatting through any IM client. I know facetime already exists on the newer iPhones/iPod Touchs but being able to video chat with others on non-iphones would be great. Especially if it worked 1-way as well (only one person needs to have a camera for it to work.)
Sakib: That really would be amazing! There might actually be an app for that for jail broken iPhones! Thanks for being a part of this interview.
Tahmim: No probs, let me know if you find out more about that video chatting app.
Sakib: Of course!



After taking these interviews, I learned that most people use their iPhone/iTouch for music purposes, but apps still play a big role in their usage. However, everyone uses different types of apps. Some love to play games while others completely avoid games and only use utility type apps like weather, etc. Others love to use the social apps like AIM and Facebook to stay in touch with their friends. This truly shows that the iPhones vast app store has something for everyone!

10th - Books!

Ever wanted to read a book but didn't want to carry it around? Don't want to lug around a bulky Kindle? Don't worry, the iPhone is a very good device for reading. Now, most of us already know that the iPhone supports ebooks, but that's not what I'm going to talk about in this post.

A while ago, I downloaded an app called "Classics." This app included many classic books in very nice formatting all in one app. The pages were very high resolution and the animations of the pages also added a very nice touch. Classics, at the time came with around 15 books, including The Iliad, Art of War and Frankenstein.

Classics uses a Library type interface (pictured above.) Here, the user can pick which book he or she wants to read (in my case, my first book was Art of War by Sun Tzu.) The reader can read multiple books at once as the app keeps bookmarks in the last page read in every book opened by the app.

High School Library is another great book collection app. It's interface is not as polished as Classics' but the books are just as readable. Its book collection is also much larger. High School Library contains many of the same books as Classics' but also has many other famous novels that are not considered "classics."

 For their prices, both of these apps are huge bargains since buying the ebooks of each of these books individually would cost much more. So if you're a book lover and love reading, these apps are for you!

9th - FREE APPS! and more

Some interesting links:

http://freeappaday.com/

This is one of the most useful sites for ANY iPhone or iPod Touch user. This site lists PAID apps which become FREE for a limited time. Every day, one paid app becomes free for 24 hours. FAAD keeps users upto date on the latest app store bargains. I have been using this site for a long time and it has helped me find many awesome apps (Including Bird Strike which was discussed earlier.) Try it out!!

http://appoftheday.com/

This is also a very helpful site! Appoftheday.com features helpful apps for both the iPhone AND the iPad! Looking through old featured apps is very useful because it helps users find the best apps for their tasks. With thousands and thousands of apps to choose for, it is helpful to have a site which points out the best of a certain kind of app (for example, maps.)


http://www.slidetoplay.com/

This site covers lots and lots of iPhone games. It has news, reviews, previews, top 10 lists and many other features. If gaming is a big part of your iPhone activities, then this is the site for you!

http://www.ign.com/

Another site that covers iPhone games. There is a video series called "IGN.com iPhone App of the Day" which has mini video reviews on some of the most exciting apps in the market.

http://www.iphoneappreviews.net/

Another app review site. This one covers all types of apps: games, utility, etc. However, one of the interesting points of this site is that it gives out codes which allow readers to download paid apps for free.


I'll add more as I discover more! If you guys have any interesting sites please let me know in the comments section!

8th - Some interesting blogs

I've been looking through some of the blogs and I found these particularly interesting:

Technation
Nathan's blog. This covers a wide range of technology (not just the iPhone like this one =P.) Nathan's blog is very relevant to mine because both of ours discuss technology, except his covers a much wider variety. If you're ever wondering about the newest happenings of technology, Nathan's blog is the place to be!

The Unknown Universe 
This is Rez's blog. The Unknown Universe covers a lot of information about Space including a lot of the technology used in space research. I feel that this blog is relevant to mine because both of our blogs deal with technology.


Soundtrack of my Life
This is Suzie's blog. She updates this blog with all things music, and we know that the iPod is all about music. 

7th - Uses

Hey guys! I'm just wondering, what do you use your iPhone/iPod touch for the most? I'll leave calling  / texting / music out since they are so obvious!

- Games
- Social networks (Facebook, etc)
- Browsing the web (Non-Social network: google, etc)
- Movies
- Youtube
- Other

Leave a comment with your answer!

"FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: The War of the Lions" for iPhone E3 Trailer

 The trailer for FFT: War of the Lions

6th - The War of the Lions

Final Fantasy Tactics, is definitely one of my top 5 games of all time. It originally came out in 1997 for the PS1. Since its original release, I have owned every version of it, including the original PS1 version, PSP version and even the PSP downloadable version. This is why I was excited to hear that Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions was also coming out for the iPhone.

Original PS1 Cover

PSP Cove

Final Fantasy Tactics not only has a brilliant story (one of the best in any game I've ever played,) but also extremely deep game play which keeps bringing the player back for more. What starts off as a simple "save the princess" story quickly becomes much deeper, exploring themes, of love, betrayal, war and even religion. Unlike the Final Fantasy Tactics advance series found on the Nintendo systems, War of the Lions opts to tell a much darker tale.

Although the original version of Tactics (released for the PS1) was flawed by terrible translation, War of the Lions, for the PSP had a script that was completely redone to not only be more correct, but also more appropriate for the setting of the story. War of the Lions also used voiced cutscenes to improve the presentation of the game. The iPhone version will be a port of the PSP version (War of the Lions) so players will be able to enjoy all the new features that the PSP game brought--without worrying about carrying a bulky PSP.

Final Fantasy Tactics is one of the best games I have ever played. In the last 9 years, I have beaten it over 6 times totaling at over 250 hours of game play. The PS1 and PSP version were both amazing, and the iPhone version will be no different.

5th - Bird Strike

Bird Strike, I've had this game for a very long time and it is one of my favorite games on the iPhone. Its an extremely simple, yet addictive game. As a matter of fact, everyone that I introduced the game to became addicted to it too.

The point of the game is extremely simple. You are Gerald, a bird. Your mission: to fly as high as possible! This is done by grabbing rockets and other items to help propel you upwards. However, it is not as easy as it seems. There are many obstacles in the way. Balloons, buildings, clouds, airplanes and even alien ships get in the way of your need for flight. Once Gerald gets hit, he slowly starts falling, and unless you can grab a rocket quick enough, its mission failed and you must start the level all over again. Although this may sound very tedious, it is very addictive because you are always trying to beat your high score. There is also a mode called Endless flight, which basically goes on forever. The graphics of Bird Strike are also amazing. The backgrounds are very well done and are also very varied. Backgrounds can range from buildings, to the sky, and even space. Although there are other games of this genre on the iPhone, Bird Strike is definitely the best.

Bird Strike is one of the best games I have played on the iPhone. It was one of the ways my friends and I passed time in our boring calculus class last year. Constantly trying to beat each other's high score never got tiring. Whether you want to pass time by yourself on the bus, or compete with your friends to get the highest score, Bird Strike is a must buy! A definite 5/5.

4th - Jailbreaking

Jail breaking one's iPhone used to be a touchy subject. However, after the court decided that jail breaking is completely legal, the question that remains in most people's mind is whether it is worth it or not.

 Now before you guys think that breaking out of prison with your iPhone (don't know how that would happen in the first place!) is legal, let me explain what jail breaking is. Jail breaking basically means to hack the iPhone / iPod touch's operating system to allow the usage of 3rd party apps. However, there are a few pros and cons to Jail breaking.

Pros:
As mentioned earlier, the ability to use 3rd party apps that Apple rejects is a very helpful feature. One of the most useful of these apps is GVMobile. This app allows the user to access Google Voice, which was originally rejected by apple's app store. Customization is also a big feature for jail broken iPhones. a jail broken iPhone's UI can be completely customized. It is not limited to just wallpapers. Pictured to the left is an Iron man themed iPhone interface. My colleague at work actually uses this theme. These jail broken themes can be much more exciting than the normal, "boring" interface. Jail broken iPhones also have the ability to access the official app store, allowing users to experience the best of both worlds.

Cons:
So with so many pros, why doesn't everyone get their iPhone jail broken? The biggest reason is because it nullifies the warranty. This means that if anything was to happen to the device, the user would receive no support from Apple. This is especially dangerous because another con of jail broken iPhones is the increased instability. Jail broken iPhones are known to freeze more often and sometimes even become "bricked."  Bricking is when a device becomes completely useless, or "as useful as a brick."

I personally have not jail broken my iPhone because I mostly use it for music and most of my app needs are covered by the free apps found in the official app store. I don't really care much about the warranty but would hate having to deal with freezes or crashes when all I want to do is listen to my music. However, for those of you who want to get more bang for your buck, jail breaking is a good option!

3rd - Angry Birds

If you've checked the app store in the last few months, you would know that the game "Angry Birds" is the top paid app. Its sold over 2,000,000 copies and is one of the most successful apps ever.

The game follows a rather simple story. A group of evil pigs has stolen all the eggs and the birds have to go retrieve them.The game play is simple too, but extremely addictive! The levels in Angry Birds consist of a slingshot, some birds (which act like ammunition), pigs and a structure. The structure can be made of many different materials such as ice, wood, etc. These materials all fall and break in different ways. The goal is to shoot the birds with the slingshot in order to topple the structure in such a way that it falls on top of the pigs. The less ammunition you use, the more points you get. Each unused bird gives you an additional 10,000 points. The birds also all have different effects. For example, Blue birds split mid air into three smaller birds, and white birds drop egg shaped bombs.

Originally, I was very skeptical because I am not a big fan of spending money on iPhone games. This is because I would find that I always get bored of my purchases rather quickly. However, when I played the demo, I was really hooked. Later on, I decided to get the full version and I have never regretted it. One of the best features about the full version of the game is that the company constantly updates the game with new maps and features. This really increases the longevity of the game and for $.99 it's given me over 5 hours of enjoyment. Whether you want to just get through the story or redo past levels to get the best score possible, Angry Birds is never boring! For $.99 This one is a steal!

Angry Birds gets a 5/5