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To go along with my obsession with software, games, and all things iPhone-related, I also have a healthy(?) obsession for basketball. March Madness is over, but there's still the NBA playoffs coming up on April 19. A few teams are still in the playoff race, even with only a few games to go in the regular season. While my team didn't even come close to making the playoffs (Hint: We Believed), I will still be watching a few of the playoff matchups and can't wait to see who makes the NBA Finals.
This week's apps include a brand-new app to keep track of the NBA playoff race and a golf game that might be the best yet in its genre.
Use the schedule tab to find the day's matchups and find out on what channel you can watch the game
(Credit: CNET)NBA Game Time (free) gives you a no-frills approach to getting your NBA basketball info quickly and easily. Simply launch NBA Game Time and quickly find out scores and game times for games played yesterday, today, or tomorrow (and more if you dig a little deeper). Three tabs across the bottom of the interface let you quickly find out the latest live scores, a schedule for all teams, and current standings (with highlighted playoff clinching teams) to see who still has a chance to squeeze into the playoffs. Pick a matchup in the scores tab to get a complete box score with all the important stats for each player. Check out game times and where to find games on TV using the Schedule tab, and you can even go back in time to the beginning of the season to get box scores for your favorite games.
This app will be useful for quickly finding out when and on what channel to watch playoff games, but I really think it will come in handy more next year. I guess that might be because my team didn't make it, but I know there are plenty of people (whose teams are in the playoffs) who will find this app useful immediately.
Check the wind speed and make sure you have the club you want for the perfect shot.
(Credit: CNET)Let's Golf ($5.99) is an excellent golf game for iPhone which is a lot like the hit platform game from recent years, Hot Shots Golf. Using crisp, 3D, cartoonlike graphics, Let's Golf lets you play on your choice of four complete 18-hole courses--and you can choose to play the front nine, back nine, or all 18 holes. There are three skill levels and four characters to choose from with varying abilities in different areas (some can drive well, while others recover from bad shots well). Winning a round in tournament mode opens up clothing options for your characters with items that boost specific abilities. That means that along with having player customization, you'll have to choose the gear that makes your character better.
Let's Golf offers three game types including Instant Play, a random assortment of three holes pulled from the collection of courses; Tournament play, to win trophies, open up more courses, and unlock new clothing options; and Multiplayer so you can play with friends on the same Wi-Fi network. Overall, I think golf fans and really any game fan will be amazed at how well this game looks and plays on the iPhone. If you like golf, this game is easily worth the $5.99 price tag.
What's your favorite iPhone app of the moment? Do you have a better NBA stats program I should check out? Have you gotten a hole in one (I've tried, but no luck yet)? Let me know in the comments!
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Last week I asked readers if they had the same iPhone app update problem I have, and it's good to hear I'm not the only one. I found one method in the comments that seems to work, but it forces you to make a tough decision. Of course, you should only try this if all other update attempts through the usual methods have been unsuccessful.
To get rid of a stubborn program's update notification, you need to delete the app from your iPhone and download it again using the app store on your iPhone or from the iTunes Store on your computer. It's clearly not an ideal method because you will lose all your previous settings in the app (good-bye high scores), but it does get rid of the annoying number on your home screen.
While we wait for a fix from Apple that doesn't include deleting the apps, here are my latest iPhone finds. This week I have two new games on my iPhone.
Your blue team starts off scattered peacefully around the globe, but before long you must attack.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Lux Touch lets you play a fun version of the classic strategy board game Risk. Apparently this is SillySoft Games' first iteration of this game for iPhone (there's a popular shareware version for Mac here), so it doesn't come with anything more than the single world layout and a single challenging difficulty level. Even with only one map, Lux Touch manages to be a great time-waster. Armies are randomly distributed across a map of the world, and your job is to conquer the entire map. Tap on or slide your finger to countries you want to attack. Conquer at least one country during a turn to get a card. Once you have three of the same type of card, you'll get bonus armies. I gave this game a 3-star review for its lack of extra maps and options, but SillySoft promises a future deluxe version for iPhone that will have much more. I think the gameplay is definitely 5 stars.
Slide your finger sideways to select the trajectory of your shot, then take your swing.
(Credit: CNET Networks)GL Golf Lite is an excellent 3D golf game for iPhone, and like Lux Touch, is the mobile version of the already popular GL Golf for Mac. Though the graphics aren't as crisp as they could be, GL Golf Lite offers four holes to play, realistic physics, backspin and punch shots, and plenty of hazards to avoid as you try for your best score. You can play the game with up to four players (by passing the iPhone for each shot), and adjust difficulty level, ball color, and time of day. The game is ad-supported with small banners across the bottom of your screen, but they never get in your way as you play the game. The full version of the game offers five complete 18-hole courses ($7.99). Though the price seems a bit steep to me, once you play through the 4-hole course, you might find it's worth the money.
What are your favorite iPhone apps? Got a better golf or strategy game? Let me know in the comments!
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It appears that sometimes wishes really do come true. Last week I talked about iGolf, hoping that Version 2.0 would include some sort of course to play through. Apparently this was already in the works. With Version 2.0 you can now play through three holes in addition to hitting for distance at the driving range. It still needs some work (putting requires you to perform a full swing making it less-than-ideal), but adding the three playable holes is a nice touch. I should point out that if you don't have a good grip while playing you may throw your iPhone across the room. Comments for this app at the iTunes Store include the sad tale of an iPhone owner who let his daughter take a whack at a golf ball only to watch as his iPhone flew out his third-story window. So make sure you have a good grip!
Hold down the Bowl button and start your armswing.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Perhaps the better news, however, is while searching for iGolf to get the update I found SGN's other new free iPhone game, iBowl. Like iGolf, iBowl uses the iPhone's accelerometer to play the game. How it works is you hold the Bowl button and start your armswing motion, then release the button (but not your iPhone!) at the end of your swing to send the ball down the alley. You can also adjust which side of the lane you want to start your swing which makes picking up spares much easier. The game offers some nice audio for hitting the pins, but you get no sound for the ball rolling down the alley, and hitting a single pin has the same sound as hitting a strike. A two-player option would be a nice addition, with the ability to pass the iPhone back and forth with a friend, but overall iBowl still manages to be a great time waster.
Try tilting your iPhone from side to side and watch the flame sway back and forth.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Another iPhone app that has been quickly moving to the top of the iTunes Store's most popular list is Moderati's Virtual Zippo Lighter. I happen to be a big fan of useless, funny apps, but this one, while adequate for a lighter simulator, could probably be better. You get to choose between several different Zippo lighter designs by finger scrolling before moving to the main lighter screen. Flip open the lighter using your finger or by physically flicking your wrist using the accelerometer. Flick the flint wheel to produce the flame. While lit, you can turn the iPhone and watch as the flame sways upward and turning it upside down causes your iPhone to vibrate. While it's a fairly good lighter simulator, the flame graphics are not as smooth as they could be, often lagging behind when you turn your iPhone. Still, with the well-known Zippo name attached to this app and the ability to choose different lighter styles, it's no wonder this simple, free iPhone App is rising up the most popular list.
What iPhone Apps do you like? If you have a favorite game or interesting app you use, let me know in the comments so I can check it out!
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I was on the bus yesterday during my commute home and I decided to check out one of my latest iPhone apps to see if it worked as advertised. There was a loud-talking person yammering away on his cell phone (why must people do this?) and to get away from the racket, I stuck in my ear buds and launched WhiteNoise.
Simply touch the sound you want, adjust the volume, and relax.
(Credit: CNET Networks)WhiteNoise offers several neutral sounds that are perfect for blocking out annoying sounds and also can be quite relaxing. The interface offers eight buttons of soothing sounds you can start up immediately with a timer if you'd like to listen while you nod off to sleep. A small arrow in the lower-right corner of the screen lets you choose from 22 different sounds that you can move into your top eight for easy access. There are a few variations of rain and thunder storms, droning noises like fans and hair dryers, ticking grandfather clocks and wind chimes, and some sounds that offer ambiance like Amazon jungle sounds and deep city sounds. Almost all of the sounds are fairly good representations of what they're trying to emulate, and the rainstorm sounds are excellent. If you want to block the sounds of the outside world to help you concentrate or drown out those annoying bus passengers, this affordable iPhone App is a great choice ($0.99).
Choose your club, press the hit button, and perform your swing.
(Credit: CNET Networks)iGolf is another recent download for me. When I first saw this free game I was hoping for a real golf game in which I could play a course, but the actual game is pretty fun--if a bit limited. iGolf lets you use the iPhone's accelerometer to hit golf balls for distance like a portable driving range. Choose from three different clubs, get into your stance, touch the Hit button, and start your swing. It takes some getting used to with the timing of your swing (I heard the club hit the ball on my back swing more than a few times), but once you get the hang of it, you'll get some good hits. After the initial contact, you get to watch your ball travel past yardage markers like a driving range, and iGolf will save your best distances. I like iGolf, but it would be even better if you could actually play through a course using the same system (maybe we can all hope for an iGolf 2). Until then, it's fun knowing that I can bring a driving range anywhere on my iPhone.
Got a favorite new iPhone app? Let me know about your latest finds in the comments!
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If you didn't already know that football season was under way, you would after glancing at Yahoo's audacious purple booth at CTIA Wireless in San Francisco, where oversize posters and computer monitors advertise Yahoo's fantasy football leagues, and where complementary gelato is scooped into small, plastic football helmets. Across the convention center aisle, mobile widgets company Plusmo has also made a nod to the pigskin with a quiet demo of the beta iPhone app, Pro Football Live.
Released Monday to the iPhone App Store, Pro Football Live beta is a thicket of teams, schedules, seasonal stats, photos, and news. During live games, Plusmo cranks up the social networking features by adding chat, voting elements, play information, and the position of the ball in a virtual stadium. The free app has received mixed user reviews because of known stability issues that hang a screen or crash the app, but Plusmo's team hinted that it wanted to kick out Pro Live Football before the season really took off. Plusmo also expects its college football and pro baseball apps to hit the App Store within the following week, despite the baseball season drawing to a close.
At this stage, Plusmo's battle for sports tracking dominance on the iPhone will be against the free Sportacular, which houses its stats and news in a much neater interface. Sportacular, in Version 1.1, also efficiently shows stats for pro baseball, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, and pro soccer within one app, compared with Plusmo's multiple applications, each specific to its own sport. However, there are enough multimedia extras in Plusmo's football app to keep sports lovers checking back in for improvements. Golf fans can check out the free Plusmo Golf, which debuted in August, and cricket followers should keep an eye out for Cricinfo MobiCast, also forthcoming.
Start screen for Golf.com Course Finder
(Credit: CNET Networks)When it comes to mobile applications, simple can be good. Golf.com's new one for select Windows Mobile 5 and 6 phones makes it easy for links-lovers to find all the course location and details they could want while on the move--except for directions and hours of operation. They also won't be able to add personal course ratings or send a new favorite link to a friend from the application.
But never mind all that. Golf.com's free Course Finder beta, which heavily promotes its partnership with Microsoft, does what it needs to by providing a golf-themed interface with clear options to search for a course by name, location, or a customized preference. The returned results include a short list of entries with the course's name, address, rating, and price. The details page also lists amenities, has a click-to-call functionality, and can add the phone number to your contacts list.
You can get Golf.com Course Finder by texting "GOLF" to 58585, or by visiting http://www.golf.actionengine.com/provision with the phone's mobile browser.
Who needs a pencil to track a golf game when you've got a finger? Seasoned swingers will benefit from a finger-friendly iPhone app that stores course, par, and game information. The free iGolfScorecard lays it all out in an attractive interface.
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Like many mobile apps, the simplicity here is refreshing. Bookmarking the site and creating an account are the hardest parts. Once that's ingested, you can immediately start entering course names and scores for 9-hole and 18-hole greens. iGolfScorecard tracks the par and stroke count for up to four players per game.
After the last swing, iGolfScorecard shows your overall scorecard and game statistics, including the total par and average. Once saved, you can in theory review statistics from a previous game. The scorecard I saved for my 9-hole game didn't immediately show up, which is disappointing, since the user experience up to this point had been blissfully smooth.... Read more
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