Ironic, that it came the day after Apple sued Google´s Nexus One manufacturer, but this is not a Google made application but rather a third party´s offering.

For the avid Buzz user, if such a thing exists following Google´s privacy complaints following its release, it really is a fine streamlined app, that offers a way to become familiar with Google Buzz, without jeopardizing your privacy or even logging in. We have written on this site about not only Google Buzz but the recent lawsuit here.

The app is available at the App Store for $1.99 for the next week followed by an anticapated rise to $2.99 following the launch week.

As expected, the app allows you to:

Twitter, Brightkite, Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook and Google Buzz are all the rage, allowing users to keep their adoring fans, or at least their mother informed of their latest position and activities.  A new site has popped up, highlighting the dangers of being so informative.  Please Rob Me is taking updates directly from foursquare and is doing this to highlight the dangers inherent in letting everyone and his dog know exactly where you are at any given time.

Here is the website’s why:

“Hey, do you have a Twitter account? Have you ever noticed those messages in which people tell you where they are? Pretty annoying, eh. Well, they’re actually also potentially pretty dangerous. We’re about to tell you why.

Don’t get us wrong, we love the whole location-aware thing. The information is very interesting and can be used to create some pretty awesome applications. However, the way in which people are stimulated to participate in sharing this information, is less awesome. Services like Foresquare allow you to fulfill some primeval urge to colonize the planet. A part of that is letting everyone know you own that specific spot. You get to tell where you are and if you’re there first, it’s yours. O, and of course there’s badges..

Foursquare

The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves one place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the internet we’re not home. It gets even worse if you have “friends” who want to colonize your house. That means they have to enter your address, to tell everyone where they are. Your address.. on the internet.. Now you know what to do when people reach for their phone as soon as they enter your home. That’s right, slap them across the face.

The goal of this website is to raise some awareness on this issue and have people think about how they use services like Foursquare, Brightkite, Google Buzz etc. Because all this site is, is a dressed up Twitter search page. Everybody can get this information.”

Suddenly it doesn’t seem like a great idea to be broadcasting the fact you have vacated your house.  At least one possible Twitter-enabled robbery has been reported on when a holidaying video podcaster’s house was burglarized last year in Mesa Arizona.  While many commenters don’t feel that the criminal element is smart enough to make this connection, the economic downturn is now creating desperate times and resulting in desperate measures for everyone.  An unoccupied home stashed with a treasure trove of pawn-worthy electronic goodies can present quite a temptation to someone who has not had a paycheque since Michael Jackson was busting out his moon walk.

Anyone with kids in the digital age has already thought through the potential dangers of having their family or home targetted for nefarious purposes.  Children, teens and adults really should scale back the specific nature of their tweets, posts and updates.  Best possible scenario is to report on holidays and away from home activities after you have returned.  Don’t be posting your macarena lessons in real time….wait til you have returned to your disco palace to wow your followers with your amazing moves!

This is an iPhone Home Safety article by The Apps Machine.

While similar apps that aggregate all your IM accounts exist,  few are quicker and to the best of my knowledge,  allow for Push Notifications as Meebo does.  With push notifications,  you don’t need to be running the app in order to use it.  With Meebo servers pushing messages to your iPhone or iPad Touch, you are only a touch away from responding to your IM 24/7.

There are over 20 services you can log into with a single touch. The main network screen displays the big eight: AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, MySpace IM, ICQ, Jabber, and Facebook

This program simply has three tabs.   Buddies, Chat, and Accounts.

Buddies tab allows you to see an aggregate contact list.  This list is grouped by the group name you’ve set up on each of the individual services.

The chat tab opens your chats.  Surprisingly, Meebo app will save all of your chat history on this tab.  Unless you delete the chat, you can always go back to it and respond to the message.  What’s better, you can even access the chat history on the web at meebo.com.  All of your undeleted chat will appear.

The Accounts tab allows you to toggle your status for each service.  Choose your availability:  Available, Away, or Invisible.  You can also sign in or add IM accounts on this page.

It’ s nice sometimes to have something so simple.

Additional Features:

• Push Notifications (Yes, it’s been mentioned but it is that important)
• Know when your friends are typing
• Landscape Mode
• Ability to copy messages
• Built in browser

Drawbacks:

• No support for Skype
• No file sharing

All in all a great program that can be downloaded here.

This is a Meebo iPhone app article by The Apps Machine.

It is finally here.  Slingplayer Mobile on the iPhone has been updated to stream live or recorded TV via AT&T’s 3G connection.  That means you can start watching TV anywhere that has 3G or WiFi connection right on your iPhone, effectively turning your iPhone into a mobile TV device.

Slingplayer Mobile could be very useful for many people.  You won’t miss your favorite NBA basketball game if you are unable to get home to your favorite HDTV.  It is also a great way to spend that spare time at the airport.

With the imminent launch of the 3G enabled iPad, watching TV via 3G may get even better with the bigger screens.  And since most iPhone apps should work well with the iPad, watching live TV outside the home may become popular sooner than most people think.

Watching live TV on the iPhone not only requires the Slingplay Mobile app, but users must also purchase a Slingbox hardware.   Slingbox connects to your DVR, digital cable set-top box, or satellite receiver, and broadcasts these digital contents to your laptop, desktop, and of course, your iPhone.  Users can use the Slingbox as a universal hub to fully control your TV and DVR.  Better yet, Slingbox’s setup allows your iPhone to control your TV and DVR like a remote via the Slingplayer Mobile app.

Slingbox comes in two models.  Slingbox Solo and Slingbox Pro-HD. Both models allow users to watch and control live or recorded TV from any PC, Mac desktop, laptop computer, or compatible mobile phones  They both connect to any Standard Definintion (SD) or High Definition (HD) television device – cable/satellite set-top box, DVR, DVD player or Media Center.  Both models also stream Standard Definition.

However, only the Slingbox Pro-HD can stream in High Definition.  The Pro-HD has built-in analog & HD digital (Clear QAM) cable tuner and built-in analog & HD digital (ATSC) antenna tuner. Pro-HD model also connects and controls multiple audio / video sources instead of single source.

SlingPlayer Mobile’s new iPhone update is really revolutionary.  It brings the world closer to your living room.  Anywhere that you have an 3G, WiFi, or a landline connection, users can access the contents of from their existing cable network right to their favorite digital device.

SlingPlayer Mobile (iTunes Link) is currently $29.99 in the Apps Store.

Slingbox Solo (Amazon Link) is currently selling for $158 at Amazon.com.

Slingbox Pro-HD (Amazon Link) is currently selling for $264 At Amazon.com.

This is a Watching Live TV on iPhone article by The Apps Machine.

I know there are a number of people out there who are still hesitant to purchase an iPhone because of the dropped calls on AT&T´s exclusive carrier arrangement. While it is AT&T´s problem, Apple certainly has to share some of the blame and adding TV streaming over 3G can´t help.

But imagine the possibilities, an iPad that Dad can use for emailing, but while driving the kids to school that same iPad will have full access to the home television and allow the kids to watch their favorite cartoons on a substantial screen. Anywhere in the country the whole family will have access to its DVR. Or, the ability to attend live sporting events yet have access to the halftime show, commentary, and instant replay. The possibilities are staggering. I was able to watch the Super Bowl last night but rather than Spanish commentary provided in Buenos Aires a SlingBox brought us the game as it was aired in the states with the proper commercials in my local bar. Now the idea that I could have this in my lap, or pocket is wonderful.

Presumably, The 3G iPads, and there is much talk over subsidized iPads with a two year Verizon contract, will make this a must have application. Might Apple hold off on its release so they can include this app as a possible selling point for the iPad and to soften the additional $130 expected to accompany the WiFi and 3G model?

Slingplayer Mobile, which allows access to a Slingbox over the iPhone has been available since  last year, but solely, for use over WiFi networks. Unless of course you have a jailbroken iPhone with Tricker3G installed. Tricker3G has been fooling AT&T serviced iPhones into believing they were running on WiFi rather than 3G for nearly a year. It only works for Skype, Fring, and SlingPlayer Mobile but it works and it´s free.

The app itself is available for $29.99 (App Store) but of course requires the $179 Slingbox Solo installed at home, or even better if you don´t live alone, the $299 Slingbox PRO-HD which not only broadcasts in HD, and from multiple video inputs but does not make you a slave to the choices being made by someone watching the same TV. Sling, Inc. is promising free upgrades for present owners of the WiFi only app the moment Apple approves it.

This is an article by the App Machine.

A new personal assistant app is now available in the iTunes store in the US only, called Siri.  This app is being touted as a “do engine” instead of a search engine.  Reminders of Star Trek and 2001 A Space Odyssey abound as this app is able to use voice commands to search up information you are seeking and then, in some cases, perform actions with that information.  “Computer!  Earl Grey Tea, hot!”  No it is not quite there yet but it seems like a great start.  You can ask it to find a romantic Italian restaurant in your current location and it will generate a list of options using several sources such as Google Maps, restaurant reviews and the like.  You can then even ask Siri to make you a reservation at the restaurant of your choice at the time you request using Open Table. Pretty slick.

Reviews are coming in from users putting it to the test and it ranges from “scary good” to “buggy but I want to see the next version” so apparently it is working well for American iPhone 3Gs users.  Alot of partners are going to have to get on board to make this available worldwide, which will will hopefully happen soon, but don’t hold your breath.  According to an interview written up on Mashable CEO and co-founder of Siri, Dag Kittlaus:

Siri was born from SRI’s CALO Project. The CALO Project (or Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes) is the largest Artificial Intelligence project in U.S. History. DARPA invested $150 million into CALO over the course of five years. What was learned from CALO has been implemented into Siri.

Whether that information can be extrapolated to use around the world is still unknown.  Siri has engaged the services or domains the likes of OpenTable, MovieTickets, StubHub, CitySearch and TaxiMagic.  This list is to be expanded and once it is, our lives may be made much easier without having to jump through the hoops the internet currently demands of us.  While some detractors are saying this app will essentially dumb down the population by allowing machines to do our work, I say there are many tasks machines can do for us to help us free up time for more important things like spending time with our families and working for volunteer agencies to improve our communities.  Making dinner reservations, ordering tickets, finding movie schedules all are on my pet peeve list.  This app has incredible potential and the more mundane tasks it can take on the better!

This is a cool app article by The Apps Machine.

Months ago, while using an older MacBook I managed to spill a cup of tea on the right side of my computer´s keyboard. This unfortunately rendered my keyboard nearly useless. Well, perhaps not totally useless if you don´t need either the enter, return, right shift, or question mark keys. Most do.

While at the time, in order to finish the piece I was writing, I simply downloaded an on-screen keyboard called Mouse Strokes. But after a 10 day trial, it only ran for 30 minutes at a time. This was not working for me and I paid $2.99 for the Mobile Air Mouse application a program nearly identical to Logitech´s.

Identical in that both share a wifi connection in order to facilitate a connection between a laptop and the iPhone. Both require the downloading of software on both devices, and both work without a hiccup. Or rather they did, and only one was free.

I have yet to have a single problem with Logitech´s app, the same can not be said of the Mobile Air Mouse where I have had connectivity issues.

Many people will say, ” I don´t spill tea on my computer, so I don´t need this app. What´s the point?, etc.”

The point is, that older MacBook is now permanently attached to my TV and this app gives me a remote control and easy access from anywhere in the house. I use my TV to show video podcasts know because of this app. In the past I had watched on my phone so I didnt need to get up every 5 minutes, no longer.

For those who don´t have a computer with a remote, this app is a great addition when running PowerPoint or slideshows through a projector. A single touch brings the next slide.

Additional features include, but are not limited to:

Features
- Multi-touch trackpad with option for two or three buttons
- Two-finger scrolling
- Keyboard with modifier keys
- On-screen text display while typing
- Show or hide the keyboard at any time
- Trackpad and keyboard are available in landscape and portrait modes
This is an article by The Apps Machine.

iStunt – Extreme 2D Snowboard

iStunt Extreme 2D Snowboard $1.99->FREE Offer expired.  Now $0.99.  Follow us on Twitter so you won’t miss it next time! (App Store) is a 2D snowboard game with jumps, tricks, and even gravity inversion.  Use your tilt control to do back flips and forward flips.  A flick of a finger upwards will make your snowboard jump higher.  But the best part of iStunt is snowboarding in a crazy course requiring you to land upside down and flip your iPhone 180 degrees after hitting the gravity inversion zone.  Just watch this amazing video.

Why is it Great?  This mesmerizing 2D snowboarding game is unlike anything you’ve played before.

Please check to price of the app before downloading. Prices can change at any time. Sometimes apps are even just free for a few hours before they get a new price.

The is a get free paid iPhone apps article on the App Machine.

iCall

In a bit of chest-thumping, the iPhone app developers of iCall issued a press release today announcing that Apple has lifted the restriction on using voice over internet protocol calls on the iPhone for 3G networks and iPod Touch for wi-fi only.  Apparently Apple has updated the iPhone developer kit to allow voIP over cellular networks.  Rumor has it that the 3G restriction wasn’t anything to do with the software itself, but instead a server-side block, coming from the carrier (AT&T etc.)  Perhaps this is some of the fallout from the clogged network issues AT&T customers have been enduring, but from our point of view this may only add to the amount of data, thus making it worse.

According to the iCall press release:

“With the latest revisions Apple has made to the iPhone developer agreement and Software Development Kit, iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch now enabled unrestricted free local and long distance calling over 3G data networks.  iCall with support for VoIP over 3G networks is now available in the App Store for download.  iCall is the first and only VoIP application available for the iPhone platform that allows use over 3G networks.  iCall for the iPhone and iPod Touch may now be downloaded from the App Store here.

If you are to believe this press release it would now seem that you can make free and unlimited phone calls.  But hold on.  A visit to the iCall website shows the rate plans they have in place.  Granted their calling is cheaper than Skype, reviews are not too positive on the app store.  The application is buggy and offering no support even to those who invest in the unlimited calling plan for $9.95 a month.

This all being said, Apple and the carriers have opened the door, and other apps will soon follow, hopefully better quality apps.  For now Skype and Truphone are still the go to alternatives.  The phone calling landscape is about to change.

This is a post by The Apps Machine.

I really tried to love Rate My Puppy, but for the life of me I could not.  Ok I admit it, I’m a cat lover.  So I was eagerly awaiting Pistol Shrimp to release this app Rate My Kitten (App Store Link).  Now I can while away the hours swiping through hordes of cute furry kittens!  So I admit it, I am biased.  Therefore, in the name of journalistic integrity I got my 12 year old daughter to write the review:

“This app will have cat lovers purring. Rate My Kitten is a neat new app, much like Rate My Puppy, that enables you to rate other cat owners’ cats pictures. I found the layout very simple and effective, even non-tech savvy cat lovers could use it with ease.

If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your day, just open this app and it will have you smiling and aww-ing in seconds. There are contests that the app creators have produced.  If your cat picture gets a high rating you will receive a prize! I think that by providing some incentive the creators will get a higher amount of buyers.

But the fun doesn’t stop there, anyone can add their own cute-as-a-button kitty pictures, too. I, personally, love cats and I think this app will be a good way for cat lovers, owners and everyone in between to showcase their cats. Basically, it’s a cat show for people who can’t or don’t want to go to one!”

Ooops, I forgot to mention she is a cat lover too, actually our whole family is, so there is no way this review can be unbiased!

One irritation should be noted with this app.  When my daughter downloaded it she got an ad-free version.  My app includes banner ads which really detracts from the whole cuteness thing.  Even an ad for Rate My Kitten…really?  Pretty hard to concentrate on cute when you are being bombarded with stupid ads.  I would gladly pay $1.99 for this app to forgo the ads.  Are you listening Pistol Shrimp?  K thx lolz.

App Review Score:  4/5

Rate My Kitten is now available for free download in the App Store.

This is an app review by The Apps Machine.

No, the folks at the App Store, didnt wake up this morning and change their minds. Google, rather, has shown there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Apple, as most know of you know, rejected the app that Google had submitted six weeks prior on July 27, 2009. Whether on their own or in conjunction with AT&T is anyone´s guess, but since in the U.S. (the only country presently to have Google Voice) you would still be using AT&T to connect with your Google number, it would make sense that this was primarily Apple´s decision.

Consequently, following this decision, one that Apple still maintains was not a rejection but rather an “an ongoing review process” both GVdialer, and GVmobile were indeed removed from the App Store.

GV Mobile was later released to Cydia. Cydia allows those with jailbroken iPhones to download a number of programs Apple has no interest in you owning, including all the software needed to break free of your supported carrier, for most AT&T.

Starting today Google has launched their website using HTML5 that allows you to access Google Voice through your Safari browser.

Simply point your phone´s browser to http://m.google.com/voice

The site itself is explained better here by Google as well as featuring video on its use. I love how the only major mobile not shown is the iPhone, despite being the reason for this site´s development.

The site works quite well but like many with a jailbroken phone I will continue to use GV Mobile. Obviously the App is preferable to having to use your browser, and while Google has seemingly done a good job, there is no integration yet for your Iphone contacts and you will spend a good deal of time, unlike with GV Mobile that can access them, building a Google contact list.

All the features of Google Voice are too numerous to list here but as the service expands, expect people to be sharing their GV numbers more frequently. For me it is a bit of an oxymoron, that a company that frightens many over privacy concerns is essentially giving you a little more by controlling who can reach you when and where.

I love the idea of having one number I can share then later block calls to if needed, send straight to voice mail, or ring all my phones rather than freely giving out my mobile, home, or work numbers. This type of flexibility is a huge nod towards personal privacy while giving up even more to Google at the same time.

Google Voice is still an invitation only service. Click here to request yours.

This is an article by The App Machine.

BarMax CA

We have a newly announced contender for the most expensive  (and possibly the most disappointing)  Apple app!  BarMax CA (just California, however other states are being readied) has just been released at a cost of $999 in the iTunes store.  This bar exam study app promises aspiring lawyers a wonderful learning experience, packing “50 pounds of books” into the palm of your hand, whether it be your iPhone or iTouch.  They proudly announce:

“We offer all of this for one fourth of the price of current packages on the market.  We are using the revolutionary technology behind the iPhone to enable bar prep at a much better price, and to teach students in a much better way.”

Horrible grammar aside, how this company thinks an app can take the place of a full blown bar exam study course is beyond me.  Studying for the bar exam not only involves going over material, it also entails learning the tricks of the exam itself, and the strategies one will require to pass the exam.  That kind of information would be tricky to convey in an app.   Commenters have remarked that this would be self-directed study and as such would require incredible self motivation.

Traditional class based courses get your bum in the seat and actually doing the work on a scheduled basis.  Plus I think I would go blind reading 50 pounds of books on my iPhone!  I can barely read my Facebook updates in one sitting!  That said, perhaps reading study guides on an app machine will change once the Apple Tablet has arrived.

The white elephant in the room that BarMax seems to conveniently ignore is that the bottom has fallen out of the job market for lawyers, new and old.  The New York Times article from last week entitled “No Longer Their Golden Ticket” claims that the profession is lurching through its worst slump in decades, with jobs and bonuses cut and internal pressures to perform rising.

A law blog called the Adjunct Law Professor adds “student loan debt is up and job expectations are down according to a year-end, informal snapshot of several sources”.  These articles both portray a bleak and indeed scary landscape for newly minted lawyers.

So I guess the only thing this app has going for it is that it is relatively cheap.  If a law student has indeed made it all the way through law school and is worried about failing the pass or fail bar exam, adding a c note to their debt load for this app would be a mere drop in the bucket at this point.

This is an article by The App Machine.

What a difference an administration makes. Sure we have double digit unemployment in many areas throughout the country, two foreign wars, and and uncertain future…But in a nod towards transparency we also have a White House application for the iPhone (App Store Link).

And it is a good app. There is no question Fox News will jump on this app and suggest most in the country can´t afford an iPhone, but if that´s the case what are they doing with cable? And why has the US seen a marked upturn in app sales? The app itself is quick, simple, and well thought out.

It could be argued that this is unnecessary and it shows a willful disregard for keeping government spending in check. Those who believe that will always find something to criticize. Available for free at The App Store, whitehouse.gov is worth the moments it takes to download. Features include:

• Updates from the whitehouse.gov blog
• Archived as well as live video
• “Behind the scenes¨ photos
• Real time coverage of press releases

While many compare Obama to Lincoln this hearkens back to the days when FDR used the radio to open governmental proceedings to the masses. Fireside Chats 2.0 if you will.

For those unable to get in front of a television for Obama’s first State of The Union Address, have no fear this app will stream it to you next week.

Press briefings and public events are all too often reduced to a sound bite these days on both network and cable news, this app will allow you to listen and view these in their entirety. While there certainly exists a number of ways to find all the White House’s dealings on any given day on the Internet or CSPAN this app puts it, quite literally, at your fingertips.

Whatever your thoughts on the current administration, this offering will keep both critics and supporters well informed.

This is an article on The Apps Machine.

Depending on use acrobat.com offers pricing plans from free to quite expensive. Though a free account does offer unlimited sharing and downloading, you will need to do your own .pdf conversions or be prepared to pay. This is really quite simple through OpenOffice, or Pages.

It is a nice service, once you have everything uploaded.

This new mobile accompaniment is free but if used regularly can get quite expensive. It is a solid access point to your acrobat.com account BUT it is, right now, shockingly slow.

This is not to say it is not a good program. If you are using a 3GS, utilizing your camera, you can essentially turn your phone into a scanner. Additionally, and perhaps its greatest feature is the ability to fax any documents or photos from either your acrobat.com account or from your phone. The drawback being, that the free program only allows 5 scans and 2 faxes before you are asked to pay.

For many this program will offer more than marginal utility and is a great addition to mobile business solutions. For others, especially, those interested in speed Evernote may still remain the better option.

This is an article by The Apps Machine.

The original Boxed In (App Store) was a smash hit in the App Store last year.  Many of us have downloaded it while it was free.   We here at The Apps Machine have also covered this popular box pushing puzzle game extensively with our review and walkthrough.  Boxed In’s developer  Dennis Mengelt  has since launched Boxed In 2 at $0.99 (App Store) in late October of last year to give gamers more head scratching levels with improved graphics and sound effects.  The orginal Boxed In also had its priced raised to $0.99.   However, today, both Boxed In 2 and the original Boxed In are being offered by the developer free for a limited time!

the original Boxed In

Boxed In series is a logic based puzzle game in which you guide a box pushing robot through 50 increasingly difficult levels.  The goal of each level is to successfully exit a level through a wormhole by deactivating forcefields, activating gears, and making sure boxes won’t get in your way while you push them around.  While players can push boxes forward, they cannot pull boxes.  Thus it’s not a rare occasion to have players reset the level when they get stuck by their own boxes.

Boxed In 2

Boxed In 2 has exactly what the original Box In fans want.  Its levels are tougher than the original.  In many levels, players have to move boxes in such numerous and complex patterns, it would take a genius to solve them without failing at least once.  Players really need to think way ahead to successful complete each level with minimal number of attempts.  Other wise, they will be left constantly scratching your head, wondering what had gone wrong.  Boxed In 2 kept the same control scheme for moving your robot.  Just swipe your finger anywhere on screen at the direction you want your robot to move, and it will obey your command.  The improved graphics and additional sound effects are also added to the sequel to make Box In 2’s robot livelier than its predecessor.

Many Boxed In fans who got the original Boxed In for free may have missed Boxed In 2 since it has always been a paid app.  But with Boxed In 2 now priced at FREE, it’s time to start tapping that box pushing robot again and help it advance to the next level.  If you haven’t yet enjoyed the original logic based box pushing puzzle sensation, you can also pick up the original Boxed In along with its sequel.  But get it quick, this offer may only be free for a limited time.

Boxed In 2 (App Store) and the original Boxed In (App Store) are currently free in the App Store for a limited time.

This is a Special Paid Apps Gone Free article on The Apps Machine.  Follow us on twitter for instant notification of our daily column on Great Apps that are Now Free for a limited time.

New Years Resolution 2010 time!  Who is with me??  I suspect more than a few!  Luckily we have the wonderful world of apps to draw from in order to help us keep our butt going to the gym and the donuts out of our guts!  I have been making a ritual of going through the app store and trying out every fitness/nutrition app and website that comes along.  Let’s just say my little internet addiction is not enhancing my girlish figure! After many trials and errors I have discovered the Daily Burn app (App Store) , and the FoodScanner app (App Store) which are part and parcel of the dailyburn.com website.  I suspect it will have some staying power!

Daily Burn has been around for a while, having had it’s first incarnation as Gyminee.  Yes I checked it out back then, and found it lacking.  However in May of 2009 Gyminee became Daily Burn and gleefully announced that $525K in seed money had been invested in the site, and presumably the apps.  Tim Ferriss, the 4 hour work week guy, among others, put alot of money and talent into the site and really gave it that six pack ab look.  Weak sand in the face Gyminee became muscle bound Daily Burn!  This feature-rich site and the accompanying apps give the user a great GUI and one stop fitness and nutrition tracking social network!  While you can get a free account on Daily Burn you will probably want to upgrade to the Pro or even Elite accounts to unlock even more features.

This is a great video of Daily Burn CEO Andy Smith describing their site.

Daily Burn is first and foremost a tracker  and goal setter for each user.  You track your weight, nutrition intake, and fitness activities for each day on your Locker Room page.  Finding out exactly how many calories, protein, fat, fibre, etc. you have consumed each day can be a real eye-opener!

I discovered I was not eating nearly enough protein to reach my weight loss goal.  Rather ironic that you need to eat to lose weight but it is a well known fact that protein helps build muscle and muscle helps boost metabolism and high metabolism burns fat!  I have found this nutrition tracking interface to be very easy compared to others.

The list of pre-loaded foods is constantly increasing and they pop up quickly as you search for your food.  Daily Burn’s food scanner app will allow you to scan UPC codes using your mobile iPhone and seamlessly import that information into your daily counts even when you are out and about.  Unfortunately it does not seem to work on foods outside of the USA yet.  Hopefully that will be corrected.

The Daily Burn app gives you a neat on the go summary of your activities, as well as a simple interface to enter food, exercise and weight.  The workout information is helpful for those of you who need reminders at the gym, to keep your workout on track.

You can plan your meals, generate shopping lists and add your own recipes and calculate exact intakes.  Fitness can be tracked easily as well.  Select either a program or minutes of exercises, create your own workouts, or follow a workout posted by another user.

Information abounds on exercises for each body part and type of goal whether that be losing fat or increasing strength or both!  Your weight is tracked in a nice big graph, showing your progress over the week, the month or the year.  Daily Burn sends you a weekly report of your progress, showing each day you meet your goals as a little fire, the more little fires, the better!

All of this self-tracking can get a bit self-indulgent however and the fun part of Daily Burn is the social network component.  You can pull your own friends into the site and make them your “motivators”, or you can find and friend people who are already burning daily and learn from their progress as inspiration for your own journey.  There are forums, groups, and challenges, all of which provide information and motivation, something that can be lacking with other sites.  All these are fully searchable so you can find just the right motivation you are looking for.

So all in all I would have to say I am sold.  I signed on to a $74.95 per year Pro account which is much cheaper than a personal trainer and yet it allows you to become self-motivated to record all of your information, which is really what a lifestyle change is all about.  I highly recommend this tool to all internet addicts everywhere, let the power of Daily Burn fire up your life in a tangible way in 2010!

Daily Burn is free to download in the App Store (iTunes Link).

Food Scanner is currently available in the App Store for $0.99 (iTunes Link).

I don’t play video games. Occasionally, I drink too much, wish I could quit smoking and definitely wish i could stop chasing the wrong women. Nothing is wrong with wanting to make these things stop, but as Samuel Clemens said, “Everyone could live to be one hundred years old if they gave up all the reasons that made them want to live to be one hundred. Despite my use of quotation marks, I’ve got it wrong.  I can’t be bothered to look it up, I’m playing N.O.V.A. I’m hooked.

The problem is the more I play N.O.V.A, Gameloft’s newest first person shooter for the iPhone and iPod Touch, the more I drink, smoke, and get further from my recently contrived New Year’s resolutions and my quest for the century mark.

Look at the above picture, it’s a Halo rip-off. But I dare Microsoft to create something as innovative as the iPhone much less something that really works on the iPhone.

Truly, I can’t be asked to remember the name of the press-ganged, retired, forced into action space marine this game insists you are, but I loved it every time I had to kill an overly boxy alien from Xeno. The reason I loved killing poor enemies?  Wonderfully rendered worlds, 13 of them, that they inhabit and…

6 weapons.

1. The pistol with unlimited ammo.  Boo.

2 and 3, I forget… no like always.. automatic rifle and shotgun.

4… my favorite, in all games that I’ve become addicted to… the sniper rifle. The only better than sniping is sneaking up to cut throats Metal Gear style.

5. The rocket launcher. (make sure it’s full for a boss fight or two).

6. The plasma gun, which makes game play far to easy. (Gameloft is a French company and you can clearly see how they view Aliens/Germans in a need to win, when we know they just surrender).

It just gets Frenchier, the aliens look horrible yet the countryside or beautifully rendered backgrounds are flawless. A grand indictment of the French way of getting invaded and losing.

Game play itself flows and is really only slowed by the controls. Touchscreen first person shooters make seeing what you are doing difficult. In the case of N.O.V.A you have a virtual joystick in the lower left hand corner to control movement, a fire button in the lower left, and the need to aim and look around somewhere in between. Often I found myself playing a level twice just to see what I missed by changing the default controller options.

The enemies or aliens in N.O.V.A are stupid. Once you are seen, they will chase you down making it far to easy to retire to a safe place and await their arrival where they stand no chance. Though we do play these games to kill things, an easy kill is an easy kill.

One of the more interesting features, however, is the logic problems that exist through in each level in order to unlock doors, start generators, etc…You are given a small logic puzzle that puts your brain to the test every so often. A welcome addition given the limited intelligence of the enemies blocking your progress.

And while this game loses in many respects, it is still a winner and why McDonalds calls France the second most profitable country they serve.

Review Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. $6.99 (iTunes Link), worth it.

Great stuff:

• The ability to skip over a less than worked out narrative
• Access, and the ability to put your iPod library in the background as you play
• Wonderfully derived backgrounds

Not so Great:

• Touch screen controls (a review you will see here shortly)
• Boxy, dumb aliens
• Weapons far too powerful.

3 out of 5 stars is a damn fine effort.

Wait, wait…There is a multiplayer option that really changes things up and should be a springboard toward further additions to N.O.V.A . No more silly enemies but rather a 2 player game by Bluetooth and a four player game by network with an international leaderboard accessed through the game itself. Good Stuff. 4 stars out of 5. Well Done GameLoft.

P.S Stop changing my weapon to a pistol when they are at close range Frenchie, it was my mistake and I should be meant to pay for it. not just hit a button and score an auto head shot.

Review Score: 4/5

N.O.V.A. is currently available in the App Store for $6.99 (App Store Link).

Watch the Trailer below to experience this great game.

This is a N.O.V.A review article by The Apps Machine.

At first glance this application (iTunes Link) just screamed useless. People with far and away too much free time continue to develop apps that seemingly have no function or utility at all. But with that, often we fail to recognize that one crawls then walks, then runs.

What this will lead to who knows. Easier hookups to projectors? No doubt. While pocket sized projectors that use LEDs rather than halide bulbs are still in their infancy, an application like FatTag’s iPhone based tagging application might send the race for a functional pocket projector into hyper-drive. As an iPhone user I still remember my first mobile phone fondly, an 8 pound Motorola that came with a carrying bag and 2 hours of battery life.

For that matter the steam engine was first developed to pump water out of mine shafts, and people failed to see how it affected them despite giving birth to electricity. The typewriter gave birth to the electric typewriter, followed by the word processor, then the home desktop to the laptops many will be using to read this.

Applications like this will force the hardware to improve. It’s only a matter of time before the aforementioned pocket projectors will also be blue-tooth equipped, thanks to apps like these.

For now this app still requires, AV cables, a projector (click here for the detailed setup instructions) and the willingness to give up your phone for as long as you are using it to paint buildings, but think of the possibilities. Sure at its base it is simply a drawing application, cables and a projector, but it is a new way of thinking as well.

This is an Fat Tag Graffiti article by The Apps Machine

There are some apps that you just have to try. At $.99 Pocket Heat (App Store), a new app by Help, Appreciate, Live, may be the most trite offering that 2010 has seen this week. Pocket Heat is just that… a heater for your pocket.

Pocket Heat overloads your iPhones system and warms your hands. I for one use my iPhone for, wait, phone calls so the idea of having no battery is a little disconcerting. This app will burn through your battery in just under an hour if fully charged.´

While the developers claim that your iPod touch or iPhone will suffer no damage, are you willing to try? Fortunately, or unfortunately I live outside of the US and have consequently been forced to jailbreak my phone negating the warranty. The idea of purposely melting the internal components of my phone is just not going to happen with the exception of having to write this review.

In Pocket Heat´s defense the graphics are great, it looks like a space heater and is rendered very well. Addtionally, there are sound effects that do add to the overall effect.

If you have a girlfriend who gets cold hands $.99 is a small price to pay for showing that you care when you reach into your pocket and activate this app.

This is a cool apps story by The Apps Machine

A new app is on the horizon promising you better sleep and easier waking.  Wakemate is set to launch at the end of January and many people are plunking down their $50 and pre-ordering, hoping this will be the solution to their sleep problems.  According to Wakemate , “after multiple nights’ data have been collected, we can identify trends in your sleeping patterns and give personalized instruction on how to improve your sleep. Based on your body’s natural sleeping patterns we can tell you when and how long to sleep to get the most efficient and restful sleep possible”.  Wow that sounds wonderful, but will it work?

This app is unusual in that it runs using a separate device, a wrist cuff, to detect information about your sleeping patterns.  The WakeMate is a  smart alarm clock that will analyze your sleep to find the optimal time for you to wake up, so you will feel refreshed and energized every time you wake.  TechCrunch got the lowdown from the developers on how it works:

“The WakeMate wristband collects data throughout the night and stores it on internal Flash storage. When it’s time to wake you up WakeMate doesn’t necessarily sound an alarm at exactly the time you set. Instead, it monitors your sleep patterns for the 20 minute window prior to that and sounds your alarm when you’re in the lightest sleep mode, which can help eliminate that groggy feeling you sometimes wake up with. The alarm doesn’t come from the wristband though – instead, the wristband uses Bluetooth to trigger your cell phone’s alarm. It then transmits your sleep data to your phone, which in turn uses its cellular data connection to upload it to the WakeMate servers. You can then browse through your sleep history from the WakeMate website.”

Definitely sounds promising.  However the whole concept is based on actigraphy, which is the measurement of the motions you make while you sleep, to determine your sleep stages.  Actigraphy has long been used in the study of sleep patterns but there is some conjecture about it’s overall effectiveness.

For $50 this is an app that better deliver!  Before you try this you should definitely check out SleepCycle, a much cheaper and already available app which is getting good reviews from customers for helping you get a better sleep!