“My name is Trump, I’m a jazzman, and this is my story.”

I love apps that are new and different. Whether in style or mechanics, the new innovations of these things we call apps is simply intriguing. Especially when it comes to games. So when the I hear of a platform game that mixes jazz, New Orleans and the name Louis Armstrong, I am definitely curious. That story comes to life in JAZZ: Trump’s Journey from BulkyPix.

JAZZ: Trump’s Journey is set in the early 20th century, where Trump has decided to follow his dreams of becoming a famous jazz musician in New Orleans. With a rich story telling that parallels with that of Louis Armstrong and 1920′s vibe it is definitely unlike any app out there. Help Trump on his musical journey to form his group of musicians, battle against injustice and get the girl. Toting a time stopping trumpet and guidance from his grandmother Trump is off, collecting memories as he re-tells the story on his journey.

Right away JAZZ sucks you in. From the stylish main menu you can control Trump to take you places such as the options section and selecting levels. Very different from other menus but also very creative. Some might not like having to navigate their character up ladders to get to such places but I was very impressed. Along with GameCenter integration they have also added Facebook and Twitter to share achievements made in the game. Passed the menu and into the game you are immediately presented with a silent movie type story telling complete with text boxes in place of speech. It depicts Trump imagining his future as a jazz musician and his grandmother guiding him to get his head out of the clouds and go out and do it. Trump takes this advice and he is on his way. There are quite a few of story sequences in this app, all which add to the character and style, but also takes time. There is no skip button but I found if I tapped the narrators icon I was able to quicken some of the sequences up, which was helpful when I would replay a level and the story would have to begin all over again.

Trump is a great platform character. He has really great controls and accuracy about him. The standard forward and back buttons appear at the bottom of the screen but have a really great transparency on them so it makes the screen not quite as small, which is a big problem for a lot of games these days. There are also action buttons that will appear, but only when those actions are available, so they are hidden and also not taking up screen space. Trump has a lot of obstacles in front of him that makes this more like a puzzle game but with a platform feel. His unique trumpet that stops time is an added bonus but also an added obstacle as there is timing involved on when it is needed and used. He is great at jumping, climbing and swinging from a rope for sure, but lacks any actual fighting skills. There are dangers including moving platforms, spikes and bosses. But any bad guys you encounter are easily defeated by the Super Mario method of jumping on their heads. Though the levels are mostly focused on completing the story and collecting Trump’s memories more than combating any major enemy.

The soundtrack is lovely and fitting for sure, composed by jazz musicians especially for the app. It adds to the overall effect and completes the 20′s theme. As you guide Trump through his journey the music progresses and becomes richer as the story deepens.

JAZZ: Trump’s Journey is a joy to play and BulkyPix and developer Egg Ball have something to more than be proud of. It may not be as much of a challenge as some players would like, but the overall experience and story are the real gems to highlight. JAZZ is a universal app and available now in the App Store for $2.99.

4.5/5

You can also find reviews by Brihanna at tumblr and thesmartphoneappreview.com

It is said those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, but remembering everything is quite a chore these days. Luckily for most of us, there’s an app for that!

Today In History from Down-Shift Inc. is an app that gives history buffs an easy, high tech way to access historical information. Facts and trivia nuggets are spoon fed in a day to day format. Each calendar day will show you events of that date in past years, beginning with the most recent and spanning backward. It literally is an encyclopedia of historical information for each day of the year. To find out more about a certain event on the list, simply touch it to reveal a page with further insight and external links with more data. Customize the events by logging in with Facebook or create and account to add comments to the event page. Favorite those you want to keep track of or add your own events and create a personal timeline. Of course make sure you keep it social by sharing with friends on Facebook, Twitter or email.

There are over 100,000 notable events listed within the app, along with famous births and deaths of that date, plus holidays and observances. There is no internet connection required to view the information and Wikipedia links enable users to discover even more about dates and events they are interested in. Registered users can even stay connected through the accompanying website, todayhistory.net. It is a great learning tool for budding history fans as an interactive way to learn about the world and its past while also relating it to the person by allowing them to share significant history of themselves.

The interface is set up like a mini directory and navigation is simple, clean and makes sense. The background image of old parchment like paper and colors in the app are very complimentary and fit with the theme. Though there are also settings that will enable users to switch to a lighter or darker theme if they desire.

Overall Today In History is a great tool for anyone who is interested in learning something new about the past or just interested in keeping track of their own. It is available in the app store for $1.99.

Rating: 87%

Read more from App Junkie at TheSmartphoneAppReview.com

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Junkies, the app world peaks my interest so naturally because I am a gamer at heart. Maybe this dates me, but Nintendo and Sega Genesis were popular babysitters at my house. Sega being my favorite console because it had such great games. They were challenging and looked better than any other games I had played. I especially loved the arcade turned console games where there wasn’t as much skill involved as it was button mashing fun. Sega has definitely translated some of this genre to the app store and one that kept me reminiscing was Virtua Fighter 2.

Virtua Figher 2 for iPhone is a throw back to the original. You won’t find too many changes here as it seems Sega’s approach is to be completely classic. While I like this about the app, some may not. No elevated graphics or additional levels, just a true game to app conversion. 2D graphics, 8 classic fighter characters and 8 themed stages are what you get. It transports me to another time where I could do battle with my brothers in my living room, and win!

The game is quick to load with Play, Options and Help buttons available on the home screen. The Help will give you instructions on how to play and control settings. Unfortunately the controls can not be changed. When beginning the fight you can play alone with a new game or continue your previous one as your progress is saved. The one new innovative feature to this app is the ability to play a multiplayer game through Bluetooth, which allows you to play against another iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch opponent.

The game is played in the classic arcade mode. The controls are a familiar directional pad and A, B and C buttons to kick, punch and block. Before your game has begun you can also configure options such as setting your enemy level at Easy, Normal or Hard. You can even change the time limits and size of the life gauge. Once the fight is set as you like you will choose your fighter. Then punch and kick your way to victory to challenge the perfect fighter, Dural. Each fighter has over 25 unique moves and if you unlock the final boss Dural, you can play him in future challenges.

Virtua Fighter 2 is definitely a fun to play button masher for the iPhone. At least with this version, it won’t leave your thumbs sore! At a bargain price of $1.99 it is sure to bring back memories that are priceless. Now all you have to ask yourself is – “Do you have what it takes to become champion?”  

Rating: 4/5

Brihanna has been a tech fanatic and computer nerd nearly all her life. When she isn’t chasing around kids or glued to her iPhone, she is updating app junkies like herself on where to find the latest go-to apps. Brihanna is the creator of the App Junkie column at The Smartphone App Review. You can also follow her on Twitter & Tumblr @brihannajoi

Gogo Navigator USA & CAN
By: EnGIS Communications, Inc.
Price: $29.99 

Now all of us iPhone user’s know that the iPhone comes equipped with a Google Maps app.Very convenient and works very well. Until… it sends you to the WRONG place! Say, the other side of town! What an inconvenience. What you have to realize is the maps aren’t always updated and the app is free after all. If you are a constant traveler, a good navigation system is a must. But why carry around another clunky GPS device when you can use your phone? Well there’s an app for that!

Gogo Navigator USA & CAN by EnGIS Communications, Inc. is a GPS turn-by-turn navigation app for iPhone. It’s fully featured, including Real 3D map with latest cutting-edge OpenGL graphics technology, turn-by-turn voice navigation, and built-in menu for custom searches and more. The menu gives you a plethora of options, enabling searching by address, look for points of interests (POI), route to contact addresses, save favorites, etc, etc… Gogo Navigator is very customizable. From changing between walking and driving modes to routing and guidance settings to language options: US English, Latin Amer. Spanish, CA. French and Korean. The list of custom options is SO long, I’m just going to list the rest of them for you here:

FEATURES:

• Live Traffic*
• Text-To-Speech (speaks street names)
• Real Signpost display
• Lane Guidance
• Auto re-routing
• Pedestrian Mode
• Multiple routing options; faster time, shorter distance
• Intelligent POI searching: search by phone number, Address, Category, POI name, partial word
• Ability to save and edit favorites
• Recent destinations stored
• Quick POI features (Home, Office, and Emergency POIs)
• Auto zooming (at intersection & on speed)
• Route Planning: create and save route itineraries
• Fuel cost calculator (customizable)
• Route summary for trip information
• Speed Limit warning: adjustable audio/visual warning
• Map data from Tele Atlas onboard (offline maps): covers USA, Canada, Hawaii and Puerto Rico
• iPod Sound Control
• Automatic day/night mode
• Multiple Day and Night modes
• Multiple vehicle symbols
• Control safety alerts

Whew! That’s a lot of features! I must mention that the Live Traffic feature is an in-app purchase of $8.99 that can be added, though everything else comes standard with the app. Gogo has over 12 years of navigation and digital mapping experience and is updated regularly for free. Considering other GPS units require subscriptions, this is a great asset. It is a bit pricey at $29.99 in the app store and will take up quite a bit of space at 1.83 GB. Even so, compared to a separate GPS unit plus subscription services, this is a steal. I would also recommend the Live Traffic feature, even at its added price point mostly because it would optimize the routing options and save time by working around the traffic. For those who travel, time is priceless.

My only criticism would be that it is a bit overwhelming. The options are fantastic, but it takes getting used to figuring out where everything is, and what everything does. Though once set up to your preference, it works flawlessly. I used it on several trips and was very happy with the amount of time it gave for warnings on upcoming turns and changes. I was also very impressed with the speed limit warnings as I drove. I also used the POI option to locate a nearby gas station. The map was very accurate and I had no issues with my routes. Gogo Navigator USA & CAN is a great find and very reasonably priced for the many advantages it brings.

Rating: 4/5

You can also find me at thesmartphoneappreview.com and brihannajoi.tumblr.com

Google+ for iPhone
By: Google
Price: FREE!

In case you have been living under a rock, Google’s new social media venture Google+ came upon the internet scene last month, launching with an invite only member program. It’s been the buzz of the social media community and the hype is good. All it needed to seal the deal was an app. Well Tuesday, it came to iOS.

Google+ for mobile is the compliment to it’s web counterpart. The design is very uniform, sticking to the Google color scheme on a white background. The new black bar is also present, as a notification bar. This bar is on the home page along with the Stream, Huddle, Photos, Profile and Circles options. Simply choose an icon to take you to the option. The Stream is much like
the familiar Facebook news feed, consisting of all the updates from your Circles. Swiping right or left gives you two more options, Nearby and Incoming Messages. Nearby displays updates and check-ins near your location and Incoming Messages will store exactly that.

The newest and most talked about inventions of Google+ is its organization feature Circles and messaging system Huddle.  Circles allow you to assign people you add to categories, making your updates available to only those circles you choose. What is so revolutionary about this is that it essentially brings the formats of Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr all in one. There is no restriction on characters for posts, and by giving the user the power to choose who sees it makes the message into whatever that user wants it to be, whether personal message, or blog post. Categories given are; Acquaintances, Family, Following and Friends. Circles can also be added and renamed to the user’s specifications.

The Huddle is a new way to text groups of people and individuals. When a new message is received in Huddle, a push notification is sent to your phone. It is definitely a big improvement on the chat services of the past and I love how you can message a group of people at one time.  You can also access your Profile from the home screen, but this will just show you how your profile is displayed to everyone else. You can’t change your profile information from the mobile app as of yet. The one thing that is missing from the app that is included on the web is the Hangout feature which allows you to use live video chat with your friends in one room.  Not sure if we will see this added in the future.

So to sum it all up, Google+ has a lot of things going for it, and the app compliments what is already there perfectly. It is super simple, which is just as it needs to be. Will it take over the popular social media empire? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure, having access to your network of choice on the go is essential, and a well working app is a step in the right direction. (Hint, hint, Facebook…). Only one suggestion for now, share button please? Google+ app plus iPhone user equals one great experience.

Rating: 4/5

You can also find me at:
brihannajoi.tumblr.com
thesmartphoneappreview.com

Video Time Machine for iPhone
By: Original Victories, Inc.
Price: $0.99

Lately I have been perusing the Entertainment section of the app store. It is filled with wonder and yet asinine concepts. There are some true time killers among the selection, and some true wastes of time. After finding the highly stimulating Songify earlier this week, I went back looking to find some more entertainment gold. And then, eureka!

Video Time Machine. (Is there a more intriguing title?) Literally travel through time with this awesome video app that has been loaded with over 10,ooo hand picked clips spanning the years from 1860 to 2011! Simply launch the app as it takes you to a video viewer and dial. Pick a year from the dial and then a category – either Movies, Music, TV, News, Sports, Games, or Ads. You can even choose All if you’d like to see every category from that year. Once selected a spontaneous video from the category and year will be there to play for your enjoyment. There are usually several to choose from and you can click the arrow keys to scroll through. If you can’t decide on what you’d like to see, you can tap the button with the dice for a random selection. This feature proves to be hours of fun.

The videos play through YouTube and load very quickly. It’s Airplay enabled and universal on iOS. It does require an internet connection to run, but that isn’t any different than the YouTube or other video apps. In fact, I found it to be faster loading than any video app I have. The clips chosen range from the informative, bizarre and just plain fascinating! And of course who doesn’t love to reminisce by selecting the years of their youth and watching the ads for toys and movies. As any good video app should, you can also share via Facebook and Twitter.

Video Time Machine is one of the most fun apps I’ve seen in a while, and definitely worth adding to your collection. It is a steal at $0.99 cents and will surely take it’s place on the coveted first page of your iPhone. Here’s to reminiscing!

Rating: 5/5

You can also find me at:
brihannajoi.tumblr.com
thesmartphoneappreview.com

Falling Stars by Trident Vitality Gum for iPhone
By: Kraft New Services, Inc.
Price: FREE

Now sponsored apps are sprinkled around the App Store, whether trying a new “hip” way to raise awareness of their brand or just think it’s good advertising to have their hand in a little bit of everything. Not really sure a free app could really change what flavor soda I drink or clothes I wear, but I get the agenda. There have been very few that interested me, until this one.

Falling Stars from Trident Vitality peaked my interest when I saw the amount of five star ratings it received. For one, it was a featured new title in the App Store, and two, people seemed to love it. Reviews are raving about its uniqueness and simple enjoyment factor. For a free app, and a sponsored one at that, it seemed like a people pleaser. I had to try it out, and Junkies, I am here to tell you they were right.

Falling Stars from Trident Vitality lets you create a world of music in seconds. On the first screen opens an advertisement for Trident Vitality gum and two options. One is to view the tutorial, the other to play. The tutorial shows how to access the toolbar, draw and delete vines, control stars, erase composition, save and load compositions, share and choose vine types.

After viewing the tutorial you are taken to a serene outdoor scene with a starry sky and blue green theme. To begin simply select a type of vine from the toolbar and draw across the background. Put as many different vines as you would like and touch the stars to make them rain droplets onto the vines to create sounds. Each vine makes a different type of sound, some being rhythmic and others booming with bass. The vines wiggle with every drop, changing the beats and notes as they go. The tempo can even be sped up by touching the stars to increase the number of droplets. And if you love your new rhythmic song you can save it to listen to again later, or share to Facebook, Twitter or even email.

It’s a creative app for sure and one that will keep one busy for hours. And as an app for advertising, well, there are no banners, no annoying pop-ups or loud audio files to deal with. Just an opening screen and a small logo in the corner. With over 150,000 downloads so far, it’s definitely grabbed people’s attention.

Rating: 4/5

You can also find me at:
thesmartphoneappreview.com
brihannajoi.tumblr.com

Tiny Tower for iPhone
By: NimbleBit
Price: Free!

Games, games, games. Since the immense success of Angry Birds, the App Store is flooded with games. Some good, some bad. It has turned this little gadget we call a phone into a portable gaming system. And with most at .99, or even free, it’s a great alternative to buying a system for on the go. NimbleBit is the creator of some great games on the iPhone, and they just keep getting better. Their newest is Tiny Tower.

Tiny Tower is a Sims like game that lets you manage – wait for it – a tiny tower! You are the manager and must run the building, tenants and businesses alike. That means keeping tenants happy, stocking shelves and employing those tenants to run your businesses. Starting with a tutorial level, you are given a lobby and shown how to build a new floor level, the first being a residence. You can speed up the building process by paying extra Towerbux, tips you earn for bonuses. Once built you will have citizens, referred to as “Blitzens”, come to the building to rent out your residences. You control the elevator that helps the Blitzens get to their destinations in the tower. The key here is to keep these little guys busy so your tower runs smoothly.

I really like how each Blitzen has a personality. They are given a rating system on their perfect job. Put them in a lower rated occupation and that Blitzen will not be very productive. Since the businesses rely on your Blitzen’s stocking and service abilities, placement is vital. Their preferences and demand of business type make you the one to balance those decisions of what other type of floor to add and who you put there. You can also see what is on your Blitzen’s minds by reading their status updates in the BitBook. There are some hilarious things in there and their insights really help.

The graphics have a fun old school feel. Very simple and 8-bit like. The little characters are similar but just enough color and accessory differences to tell them apart. You earn money pretty simply which keeps game play interesting and easy to continue to upgrade. The tower will also get VIP visitors that can increase business or even speed up construction. Playing the game will definitely earn you more bonuses and keep your tower running, but putting it down doesn’t hurt either. The tower will continue to run and notify you when to restock items.

Tiny Tower is definitely a fun time waster and the maintenance and options keep you engaged. Like NimbleBit’s Pocket Frogs, the changing environment keeps you coming back for more. At the intro price of free, it’s definitely not to be passed up.

Rating: 5/5

BackStab for iPhone
By: Gameloft
Price: $6.99

In Gameloft’s BackStab, the gamer becomes Henry Blake, an officer in the Royal Navy currently battling the Spaniards. Immediately thrust into battle, the beginning of the game gives a good tutorial in moving and battling with your new found hero. Armed with only a sword at first you thrust and slash your way through enemies, even sparring sword to sword with them in defense. You are tutored through your companion Kane, who you follow throughout the beginning levels. The missions involve multiple weapons including cannons and pistols, all which allow for a slow reloading time, giving it more of the period feel. You can aim at targets at a distance and are even challanged with adjusting for moving enemies.

The controls are very well done, giving you the feel of a console version, complete with analog stick control and attack buttons. I especially liked that that the analog button was able to be moved depending on your thumb’s placement. This made for less mistakes when moving the character around the world. The graphics are definitely Gameloft’s best, with the opening sequence a beautiful scene to watch. The world is 3D and as you move Blake you are able to adjust the camera. Though this is a nice touch, sometimes the camera angle would would cause you to fall if it wasn’t placed right. The option of an automatic follow for the camera, or at least a way to center it behind the character would have been helpful. There are a few other gliches with the geometry of the levels and some characters floating in air, but nothing that messed with the actual gameplay.

As the storyline progresses Blake finds out his buddy Kane has flipped sides, thus the name BackStab, and Blake is captured and imprisoned. On his day of his execution he is rescued by a busty heiress and escapes. Once back in his hometown, Blake changes his appearance and becomes a rogue killer seeking revenge. The story is basic but a good one to layer gameplay on. Once in the town the world is open and Blake is free to roam around, buying goods, weapons, houses – or even getting frisky with the ladies of the night. Though be careful, not all characters are as they seem and will rob you at the drop of a hat! The open world is very familiar bringing back all the enjoyment of a Grand Theft Auto type game with the freshness of a new time period and storyline. It makes for excellent replay value as there is always more to discover. At the price of just $6.99, BackStab is a great value and is sure to keep you coming back for more.

Rating: 4/5

Splashtop Remote Desktop for iPhone
By: Splashtop Inc
Price: $1.99

Junkies, the land of iOS is a vast and beautiful one, we can all agree. It definitely has quite a lot of strengths. But like anything else, there are some weaknesses. For one, the lack of Flash ability. Now I know, or I keep hearing, that Flash is on it’s way out, but there are still so many that use it. Much of the sites that do are still very popular. There’s nothing I hate more than to click a link for a video on my iPhone only for the error that it is not compatible. Now there have been a few apps that have tackled this problem in the form of a browser, but my favorite multi-function app that tackles this problem and several others is Splashtop Remote Desktop.

The Splashtop Remote Desktop app works with Splashtop Remote software to give you access to your computer remotely. This allows you to access your computer from a totally different location, whether it be for a file you left for work or to watch Hulu from your computer’s browser. You can also listen to music and run your programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. Work on anything right from your phone! The best part is that it will do this on not only WiFi, but 3G and 4G as well! Just sign in with a GMail account to use the internet to discover your computer.

The setup is minimal and super easy. Download the software for your version of Windows or Mac and then the app from the app store. Once the software is running and app is configured you are off and running. Now the software must be running and your computer be on for you to gain access, but when you do, it works really well. There are built in touch control shortcuts for scrolling, drag and drop and right click. There is also a little button in the bottom right corner to bring up the keyboard. It is so simple and works exactly as advertised. I also think it works great if you’re one of those that use your computer as and entertainment center. It gives you a true universal remote to play your internet videos and music.

Now the description for this app does say that it streams “smooth, high-res video and audio”. I had no trouble hearing and understanding any audio for sure, and I could type in Hulu and definitely watch a video. Was it smooth? Not exactly. Now maybe if you have movies stored on your computer, running them would be easiest as you would be using the computer to process, but the buffering made the online videos lag. Of course this all depends on your network and process speed of your computer and Splashtop does recommend a computer with dual-core CPU for best performance. With the right hardware this app could definitely make the iPad a definite multimedia dream.

Overall Splashtop Remote Desktop is a great multi-task app that anyone could find useful for a number of reasons. Get it now as they celebrate their #1 app status in 49+ countries and have knocked the price from $4.99 to $1.99! Splashtop also comes in iPad and Android versions, all which are also on sale. Junkies, add it to your collection and never be more than a click away from your home PC.

Rating: 4/5

TweetDeck for iPhone
By: TweetDeck, Inc
Price: FREE!

Hello again Junkies! Now if you didn’t already know this about me, I’m not only a self proclaimed App Junkie, but a total social media addict. Twitter has begun to consume my life, and if you are an avid user, you know what I’m talking about. (Follow me @brihannajoi btw). I am always on the search for the perfect Twitter app. Previously, I have recommended HootSuite. While it is abundantly adequate, I find it is better for business than for personal. And though I use several apps just for Twitter, my most used is definitely TweetDeck.

TweetDeck was acquired by Twitter in late May of this year. Right before this there was a major update. The new update rebuilt TweetDeck from the ground up. You can set up TweetDeck with an existing account or simply sign in with Facebook or Twitter and get started. The sleek dark colored dashboard has all features supported by Twitter including: Update, Retweet –both styles, Favorites, Mentions, Direct Messaging and Searching. You can add multiple Twitter accounts and update them simultaneously and switch between them easily.

The thing that differentiates TweetDeck from the competitors for me is the personalized navigation. TweetDeck allows you to create columns of content, any content, whether it be within your Twitter profile or someone else’s that you frequently visit. You can have as many or few columns as you like, and if you have multiple accounts, this makes checking them all so much simpler. Just pinch columns to change settings, and to add to that simplicity, you can also add your Facebook stream. The Home column stitches the two together where you can check all your updates in one place. Before TweetDeck I had only one app that did this, and I won’t mention it because it didn’t do it well. I especially love that you can retweet updates to your Facebook profile. I always hated having to link the two accounts and this makes things much easier.

One feature I have seen complaints on was swiping from left to right to see additional information. I happen to love this design.  It may be a bit of a hassle to swipe all the way back after digging into someone’s profile, but it’s no worse than Twitter’s classic app and having to button click in and out of everything. TweetDeck also includes Deck.ly support for longer tweets, autocomplete for @mentions and link shortening using j.mp.

TweetDeck is all about the Twitter user experience, that means customization, organization and personalization. It is truly a super powered mobile app that compliments its desktop counterpart and I am sure with it being a new addition to the Twitter organization, it can only get better from here.

RATING: 5/5

To-Fu: The Trials of Chi for iPhone
By: HotGen Ltd.
Price: 0.99 – Intro Price!

Games are plentiful and come in a wide variety in the app store these days. Every week a more creative one emerges. With all the new features mentioned for the forth coming iOS update, it makes me wonder whether Apple will join the gaming console forces. There are several apps I wouldn’t mind seeing on the big screen, and I’d have to say this one would make my list.

To-Fu is not just a vegan treat, but a small malleable martial artist as well. With 100 challenging levels to master, he needs your help to become the “Master of Chi”.

To do this you stretch To-Fu with your finger, aiming for the spot you’d like him to land. Sounds simple enough, but add challenging obstacles, booby traps and a variety of surface types to the equation and you have quite the task on your hands.

To-Fu: The Trials of Chi is very simplistic, which is what I like most. It is challenging enough to keep me entertained but easy enough for my 4 year old to understand. It is truly a game everyone can enjoy. The retina display graphics compliment the design of the game and create a hero that is very likable, even for a block of to-fu.

Add To-Fu to your game list today for the sweet intro price of 0.99. Junkies, To-fu may not be great to eat, but it’s sure fun to play with!

Rating: 5/5

Viddy for iPhone
By: Viddy, Inc.
Price: Free!

How creative are you? Think you can make a stylized, interesting video in 15 seconds? This is the question asked by Viddy.

Viddy is a video sharing app from Viddy, Inc. Much like Instagram, it is all about creating and sharing with the world, but instead of a still picture, you get 15 seconds of video.

After creating an account, you are ready to record. You can record straight from the app or choose a piece of video that has already been recorded. Once you’ve filmed your 15 second masterpiece you can begin adding effects. There are tints, vintage looks and junked and scratched film cells. Each effect also comes with a music track. You can adjust the volume on the music including turning it completely down. You can also customize the opacity of the added effect. Once completed it’s time to share.

Aside from submitting your video for the Viddy community, you can add Facebook, Twitter and other social accounts. Even your location can be added once linked to Foursquare.

Shared videos can be liked and commented on like a mini YouTube. You can follow other users which will show in your stream and see the most popular and trending videos. The interface is very user friendly, especially if you are an Instagram fan.

I really like the concept of Viddy. It is definitely not as complex and feature rich as the Vimeo app, but it’s not trying to be. It’s a simple shoot and share idea that gives you an instant gratification and encourages you to create. And it does all this without bogging down your phone. There has already been an update of improvements with more to come. I expect to see more effect packs along the way, and I cannot wait.

Junkies, get Viddy and your phone will thank you.

Rating: 4/5

Slacker Radio for iPhone
By: Slacker, Inc.
Price: FREE!

Junkies, apps for music seem to be everywhere these days. Some far exceed others. Some crash incessantly and are more trouble than they are worth! But there are a few rare gems out there. One of these gems is Slacker Radio.

Slacker Radio is available for iPhone, iPod Touch and, more recently, iPad. Now, I am a longtime fan of Slacker Radio, my favorite feature over other apps being not the music, but the comedy stations. And not just censored comedy collections, but explicit as well. Their selection is varied and rarely do I hear repeats. Slacker Radio allows you to listen to their over 150 expert-programmed radio stations or create your own. This app gives you access to the entire Slacker music library featuring millions of songs from thousands of artists. And now there are brand new features added just this week.

You can now browse the songs and artists on Slacker stations and make your own custom stations within the application. Search or simply browse station and artist pages for new music. Slacker also offers subscriptions with additional features. A Slacker Premium Radio subscription, gives users the ability to create playlists as well as play songs, albums and artists on demand, a feature I would gladly pay for! In addition to being able to stream on-demand content, Slacker Premium Radio subscribers can also cache stations, playlists and albums to their device to listen without a network connection! No Wi-Fi or wireless needed. Enhanced music discovery featuring artist bios, album reviews & lyrics is also included with paid subscriptions.

With all these features, there’s no need to bog down your phone with a huge iPod library. Get Slacker Radio, and get your stations with custom personalization and on demand!

Rating: 5/5

Magic Piano for iPhone
By: Smule
Price: FREE!

“Inspired by international piano superstar Lang Lang, Magic Piano makes you a piano prodigy. Play your favorite songs with your own spin and sound great every time. You control the notes, rhythm and tempo of each piece while Magic Piano serves as your guide.” – iTunes

Today’s review is for Smule’s Magic Piano. Now those of you that have used other Smule apps like Ocarina and I Am T-Pain know what Smule is capable of. Not that I play my ocarina on a daily basis, but it was an amazing concept for an app, and one of the most original. Magic Piano is no exception.

Magic Piano is a unique lighted instrument. There is a huge song catalog to choose from ranging from Lady Gaga to Mozart. To play you simply strike the beams of light with your fingers as they show up on the screen. You can choose a song from the songbook or free play. There are three creative keyboards to choose from: circular, spiral and traditional. You can switch back and forth from each format and adjust the size of the keys by pinching your screen.

Now the songs do cost money. You have to buy “Smoola” and each song costs so much Smoola. They will post free songs weekly, which is a great idea. This really entices users to check the app more often. And the free songs are pretty entertaining. So far I have gotten, “The Happy Birthday Song”, “Legend of Zelda Theme”, and “Super Mario Bros. Theme,” just to name a few.  All of these are right up my alley.

Like the Ocarina, the Smule Globe is built into the app so you can listen to other players’ songs and share yours as well. You are also able to share via Facebook, Twitter and email.

Smule has done it again with Magic Piano, mystifying and involving our creative minds musically with our technological devices. And of course the sticker price of free doesn’t hurt.

*For this week only, Smule is giving away a different free song every day!

Follow Smule on Facebook and Twitter

RATING: 5/5

THE SUPER 8™
By: Paramount Digital Entertainment
Price: FREE! (For a Limited Time)

 Bad Robot and QMx present: Super 8™

Sorry for the late post, but you won’t be sorry when you read the review I have for you.

By now you have no doubt seen the promos and previews for Super 8™ the movie on either TV, the web, or right here on The Noob News. The film is due out June 10^th of this year, and has had positive hype around the collaboration of JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg. It will no doubt be a must see for this year, and to add to the hype there is now Super 8™ the app.

“Super 8™ turns your iPhone into a vintage Super 8 film camera!  You can make your own vintage movies and add lens, filter and shake effects, arrange clips and scenes the way you want them; you can even add your own credits.

When you’re done, send your Super 8 movie off to be developed. Your masterpiece will appear in your personal movie library where, with the tap of a finger, you can view your movie in the built-in Super 8 projector room, export it to a computer or email it to friends.

Super 8™ offers seven lens effects, three animated filters, a scratch-and-dirt overlay and frame shake effect that you can mix-and-match to create a wide variety of looks for your movies.” -iTunes

The description is just the tip of the iceberg here. I have tried many video effect apps, but this one is not only innovative but beautiful! There are so many variables you can add to the film. Overlays, filters, lens effects, frame shakes – and the cameras sound effects complete a Super 8 camera experience.

What I really love are all the little details that were added to the screens. On entering the app the inside of the camera case is cleverly used as the main menu. There you can select the Camera to record, your Cassette Library with all of your clips and movies or even the Instruction Manual. (And believe me, you need the instruction manual!) 

Once you’ve recorded a movie and finalized in the cartridge with all your finishing touches – including titles, you can “develop” your film and watch. The app transitions you to a projection room where you have your own pull down screen to watch your new Super 8 movie! Your projector comes complete with Reverse, Pause/Play and Forward playback controls. And of course you can share your new masterpiece via email or save them to a computer with iTunes.  And there is even a special treat with special footage hidden for the movie that can be unlocked.

Super 8 is not only a great promotional tool for this movie, but an app that just oozes with cool. It’s just what I would expect from a Abrams/Spielberg collaboration. Get it while it’s free junkies!

Rating: 5/5

blip.me for iPhone
By Camino Real, Inc.
Price: FREE!

Now junkies, I think you would agree that texting is now a way of life. It is simply a revolutionary invention.  And don’t get me wrong, I love to text, but sometimes it would be faster to send a voice message. Some apps have tried to solve this problem, but most have only made it more complicated. Either you had to get all of your friends to install the app and add you as a friend or it would send it to your email, which seems pointless, especially if not everyone on your list has a smart phone. blip.me makes this process of communication so much simpler.

Now the iTunes description states,”blip.me is a fun, useful, and free way to turn your mobile phone into a push-to-talk walkie-talkie.” I wouldn’t go so far calling it a walkie-talkie feature, but it is close. blip.me is like a message managing system. It allows you to send a blip.me voice note to any friend on your contact list – it works even if your friend doesn’t have the app installed and even if your friend doesn’t have an iPhone. Just select one of your contacts and record a message by holding down the button while you talk and letting it go when you are finished – like a walkie-talkie. It will text them a link they can click that will play the message. Now mind you, the message you send will be no cost except for data usage, but those on the receiving end, regular texting rates may apply. It also comes up under a different phone number that your friend may not recognize, so you might want to give them a heads up before sending anything.

The real beauty in the app is when you both have the app installed. You can send messages back and forth, text or voice, and they are all stored in the app. And it really updates quickly. I received my notifications for replies in no time. It’s great for those simple questions like reminders when you’ve arrived at the store and you can’t remember what you went there to get. Send a quick message and receive a quick one back. No need for a phone call and long conversation, or blocking the grocery isle while you spell out and fix your auto corrects in a text.

blip.me is also simplistic in design. There are literally only three main screens. Your home screen, that stores your messages, your contact list, and the recording screen. And I love the old time radio look they gave it. Simple and stylish.

So get blip.me and keep in touch with those you love, with the sound of your voice!

Follow on Twitter @blipme

Rating: 4/5

Robot Wants Kitty for iPhone
By: Raptisoft
Price: $ .99 (Free This week only)

Personally, I am not big on adding games to my iPhone. To me, my phone is more about productivity and communication. But every once in a while a game comes a long that does make my phone. I mean, who doesn’t have Angry Birds?! Robot Wants Kitty has made this list and is my new platformer game obsession. I had heard about it through the app grapevine, but I’m always hesitant to pay for anything. So once I saw it was free, I had to jump on the chance to try it out. And junkies, it was well worth it! 

Robot Wants Kitty is a challenging platform game where you play a Jetson’s-esque type robot who longs for a kitty companion. Of course this kitty is locked up and you must navigate through a factory like maze, battling strange creatures to gather key cards that will eventually unlock the kitty’s gate. What is really unique about this game is that you start off with only the ability to go back and forth. You must find upgrades to enhance your abilites to successfully complete the level; jump, weapons, helmets, etc. I really like the design. The levels, though complicated, are very appealing and fun to navigate. The graphics are simple without going to old school, though the music and button controls definitely take me back to the original GameBoy games. The levels are very long, taking me sometimes thirty minutes to complete. So definitely a good time waster, but make sure you do have the time. The only thing I had difficulty with was sometimes I felt like I was going in circles and couldn’t figure out which way I was suppose to be going. The newest update has added a much needed Map feature so you can now evaluate where you are going and where you have been.

Robot Wants Kitty is super fun and brings you back to a time when the only hand held device anyone had was made by Nintendo. So get it while it’s on sale and as they say App Junkies, GO GET KITTY!

*Robot wants Kitty is OpenFeint’s Free Game of the Day! Download the Game Channel app to get a FREE game every day!*

Rating: 5/5

ToonPAINT

By: Toon-FX

Price: $1.99

Ok, App Junkies, here’s an app for all you artistic types out there. The quite unique thing about this contraption called the iPhone is that the artistic abilities are endless. With the power of photography combined with capable software, you have a recipe for some potentially phenomenal results. ToonPAINT is one app that can turn your average photography into comic-book style masterpieces.

ToonPAINT is allows you to make cartoon-like paintings with your own photos. You can import photos already on your phone or take a snapshot from the app. The MagiSketch image processing imputs your image to create a customizable sketch automatically. You can adjust the settings to perfect your photo by using the sliders to increase or decrease your inklines and darken or lighten the blacks and greys. Once it is to your liking you can paint away! Select colors and change your brush size to get it just perfect. You can even zoom in and pan around your image to get those small spots. And if you don’t have time to finish it up, don’t worry. The app saves every image as a session that you can continue at a later time.

So far, this is the best app I have seen as far as converting a photo into a pretty descent high contrast sketch image. I have used several before it that did an okay job but didn’t have near the customization. Most times I don’t even have to adjust the settings it does such a great job on the first process. The cons here, are in the painting. If you take your time, you can get these tools to work for you, but it takes a lot of patience. One feature I don’t see that would be great is an opacity. It takes quite a bit of trial and error to get just the color you are looking for. Another great idea for this app would be for the sketch image to actually be like a bottom layer that you can color over similar to PhotoShop, so when you adjust or erase, it is only effecting your top layer. As it is now there is an eraser, but it will actually erase the sketch as you go! Thank goodness for Undo!

The other great features this app has is “Auto Color” and “Alpha Brush”. “Auto Color” will automatically color your toon, and “Alpha Brush” will allow you to paint directly from the source photograph. Both seem like great features, until you find out they are in-app purchases for .99 cents each. Now apparently this didn’t always used to be, and has only started charging for these features in the last update. Seems to have caused quite the uproar among the app store reviewers, but only time will tell if Toon-FX will change it back. All in all, still a descent app. So cartoon yourself junkies, and stay away from the DIP!

Rating: 3/5

Springpad for iPhone

By: Spring Partners

Price: FREE!

Springpad, simply put, is a note taking app. Oh, your iPhone came with a notepad app? Not like this one. Springpad takes note taking to the next level. Whether it be a short shopping list of things you need to pick up, or a new recipe you found online, Springpad does it. The key word here is organization. Springpad automatically organizes all your information into categories. You can use it like a browser to search what you are looking for, say a restaurant in your area, then save it for later. It saves not only the initial search information but adds useful snippets like directions and links.

I was already cluttering up my iPhone notes with various things from lists of movies I wanted to see and music I wanted to look up, to bills I needed to keep track of. Springpad lets me organize these thoughts and saves more than just the name of the music artist I’m interested in, but links to their websites and concert dates. Your information can be personalized with photos and even bar codes of products to save for later.

Springad also synchronizes to their website Springpadit.com, where you can see all of your saved material and add to it without the app. All data is available online or off and you can even set email or text reminders at the website. And of course share all of your interests with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Just call it the DropBox of note taking.

With its simplistic design and interface, Springpad is a great addition to anyone’s iPhone and is sure to keep even the messiest of us App Junkies organized!

Rating: 5/5

www.springpadit.com
www.twitter.com/springpad
www.facebook.com/springpad