Iron Ink Media: Inked Up

Ok everyone, listen up. If you haven’t played Assassin’s Creed II for PS3 or XBox 360 or whatever, it’s probably a good idea for you to do so. Forget having a life or whatever, just go get it.

So we were just perusing some iPhone news and saw that Assassin’s Creed II: Multiplayer launched today for iPhone. And it’s free for the first 48 hours! After that, it jumps to $2.99. That’s not insanely expensive, but hell, it’s more than free. So go download it and check out the iPhone version of this sweet game.

Then urinate away the next four hours of your life playing it.

We’ve heard people crying for a while now. “Why can’t I get Flash on my iPhone?!” And Adobe said that Apple is being stupid about it and Apple said that Flash is lazy and unstable and on and on. But, MacDailyNews.com posts some interesting comments from Morgan Adams, an interactive developer.

So why isn’t Flash good for mobile devices?

It’s because of the hover or mouseover problem.

Many (if not most) current Flash games, menus, and even video players require a visible mouse pointer. They are coded to rely on the difference between hovering over something (mouseover) vs. actually clicking. This distinction is not rare. It’s pervasive, fundamental to interactive design, and vital to the basic use of Flash content. New Flash content designed just for touchscreens can be done, but people want existing Flash sites to work. All of them—not just some here and there—and in a usable manner. That’s impossible no matter what.

It seems like there is a reason that iBoobs got kicked out of the Apple app store. It would seem that Apple has some new rules that are really clamping down on anything remotely adult oriented. The app store is family friendly and that’s the way it’s going to stay apparently.

So, here are the new rules that the developer of iBoobs got directly from Apple:

1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)
2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn’t ask about Ice Skating tights for men)
3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)
4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble “overtly sexual!)
7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)

The research firm IDC predicts that by the end of 2010, the iPhone and iTouch will about 300,000 apps available for download. Certainly not a crazy prediction considering how many apps come out on a daily basis.

Our question is this: How many apps will be out by then that are worth a damn? Now that is a much better question.

Here is a good article from ZDNet.com on their top business apps for the iPhone.

While the Google Voice app is being held up by Apple’s review process, Vonage got theirs approved. Today, the VoIP company is releasing an app that allows users to make low-cost international calls, with rates varying from country to country.

“Given the penetration of smartphones and the global increase of phones that can access broadband networks, the time is now for a company like Vonage to take advantage of the market,” said Marc Lefar, Vonage’s chief executive.

With the voice over WiFi stuff out there, how long is it before cellular service gets changed completely? If we have the technology to speak over WiFi, why would I continue to pay for minutes and crap like this? What a racket!

Usually, when we like an iPhone app, we tell our friends on Facebook or whatever. But now, Yappler Sync lets you connect with your friends to share and find new iPhone apps. According to the company’s website, you can:

* Create a list of all your iPhone apps
* Send your list to a friend with a new iPhone
* Show your friends which apps you like best
* Share your list on Twitter, Facebook, Email, etc.
* Embed your list in your MySpace, blog & more
* Automatically keep your list updated

This site is great. It’s called FreeAppAlert.com and it lets you know about newly free apps. It’s easy to go check out all the free apps in your app store on the iPhone, but this site lets you know which formerly paid apps have just become free to the masses.

Definitely check it out. We think we’ll add it to our blogroll.

Photographer Louis Psihoyos is slamming Apple with a $2 million iPhone lawsuit, claiming that Apple used his image of “1000 TV’s” in promotional materials for i.TV without his consent.

“Version 1.0 of i.TV directly infringed on Mr. Psihoyos’ copyright by incorporating the 1000 TVs image without permission,” attorneys for the photographer claim in court papers filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The lawyers say that “by commercially exploiting the plaintiff’s copyrighted image in the i.TV application” without the photographer’s consent, Apple has benefited while hurting Psihoyos.

“1000 TV’s” is an image of a person surrounded by….a bunch of TV’s. Apple apparently liked it but didn’t officially put a ring on it.

PCWorld.com lists 10 must-have iPhone apps to get ready to go back to school.

Google Mobile App

If you still can’t summon the info you need, time for the experts. The free Google Mobile App ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice ) taps into the world’s most famous search engine–all you have to do is talk to it. The app’s easy-to-use voice search feature locates what you are looking for in no time. Google Mobile App also gives you one-stop access to all of Google’s major players, including Gmail, Calendar and Docs–handy functions on their own.

Stanza

Whether it’s in paper form, on a Kindle, or even via an iPhone, you’re going to to do a lot of reading in the coming school year. Try Stanza ( Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice ), which offers more than 50,000 books available to download for free, and more for purchase. Brush up on The Art of War, get spiritual with Siddartha, or explore your Machiavellian side with The Prince. With a list like this, you’re sure to find something you can read for English class.

Amazon Mobile

Textbooks are a reality for students. But why pay what the college bookstore is asking if you can find a better price somewhere else. Look for your books with the free Amazon Mobile ( Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice ), the mobile companion to the Amazon.com Web site. You might just find whatever textbook you’re looking for, and for a lot less. The app’s search feature is quick, and Amazon has virtually everything. Even after shipping, you might still get a better deal and get your books in time for the first day of class.

Wordbook English Dictionary and Thesaurus

When reading or writing, having a good dictionary is essential. The App Store offers a number of possibilities, both high-end and inexpensive. The $2 Wordbook English Dictionary and Thesaurus ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice ) is debatably the best in the latter category, with more than 150,000 entries, a built-in Thesaurus, Web links and even spoken pronunciations; it even does a passable job as a spell checker. This wealth of information is indispensable to the student, and even fun to use. No one ever said that about their dusty old dictionary.

Documents To Go Go

While working on anything from an AP History essay to a Masters’ thesis, Documents To Go allows you to bring your .doc or .docx files along for the ride, storing them on your iPhone or iPod touch in full formatted glory. At $5 for the Microsoft Word version, Docs To Go is inexpensive, allowing you to do real work instead of settling for a watered down “text only” version. Format, cut and paste, and find and replace to your heart’s content. Now you can feel free to jab out that research paper late into the night, and worry about getting the style right on the bus. APA formatting never looked so good.

Mobile calculators

The iPhone’s built-in calendar is nice enough, particularly if you turn the device on its side to access more advanced functions. Still, today’s math courses require some serious number crunching. And the beast most professors are looking for is the Ti83, faithfully recreated by PigLit as the PI83 Graphing Calculator. Tally statistics, algebraic functions, trigonometry and other fun stuff all without spending a fortune–the app costs $1–or carrying a giant, geeky calculator. Graphing not your thing? Try the $5 FIN 12-C Financial Calculator or the $15 SCI 11-C Scientific Calculator, both from Thomas Fors, for great apps representing two other popular devices.

Mint.com

Not all of these school materials are free. To keep from getting in over your heard, turn to Mint.com ( Macworld rated 3.5 out of 5 mice ), a free app that helps you keep track of your financial situation on the go. Set up your account on your computer, then sync your financials direct to your iPhone. Check balances, maintain a budget and see your spending before you ask mom and dad for a loan.

Pandora Radio

School isn’t all work and no play–there’s nothing wrong with some entertainment while studying. Pandora Radio ( Macworld rated 3.5 out of 5 mice ) serves as your instant music collection on your iPhone. Just build playlists based on your favorite songs or artists, and listen as Pandora fills your ears with the songs that keep you going for those long nights of cramming.

myHomework

This whole school scenario can be a mess of classes, lectures, concerts, and dates. myHomework ( Macworld rated 3 out of 5 mice ) helps students stay on top of their busy schedule. Get your assignments organized by list or calendar, edit details, and track your class schedule, all with an interface that might make keeping up with your homework fun.

iFlipr Flashcards

You’re going to need all the help you can get studying for that big exam. Don’t discount the power of flashcards when it comes to drilling and memorization. iFlipr Flashcards ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice ) offers extensive customization, especially when compared to some of the other flashcard-creation tools on the App Store. And it uses an algorithm specifically designed to boost both memory and retention–just the kind of study aide that pays off come test time.