Apple picker It's Saturday and with it your regular dose of information from the world of applications. Interesting news, lots of new apps, some updates, tip of the week and lots of discounts await you.
News from the world of applications
Zynga is preparing a unified game platform for playing online (June 27)
Zynga, the company behind popular flash games such as Mafia Wars and FarmVille, announced that it is going to build a game-social network that will allow you to play with each other online across multiple platforms. iOS, Android and Facebook users will be able to compete in various games. The project that Zynga wants to deal with in the near future is quite revolutionary, and until today, probably only a few individuals could imagine that it would be possible to play their favorite game, for example, in the Facebook window and compete with their friend who controls the game with his iPhone.
In addition to game functions, Zynga will also offer, for example, a group chat or the ability to challenge any opponent to a game. The described service for online gaming should be available in March next year, and so far the question is how the company's engineers will be able to fulfill such an ambitious plan. What is certain, however, is that providing cross-platform game multiplayer on such a scale is extremely technically demanding. After all, Zynga has as many active players as the population of Paris.
Source: MacWorld.com
Infinity Blade is Epic Games' top-grossing game (27/6)
Although Epic Games doesn't only release games for iOS, but their titles also include the very successful Gears of War series on consoles, it is Infinity Blade from iOS that is the highest-grossing Epic Games game of all time. The popular game, where you fight with a sword in your hand and which was shown several times at Apple's keynote, earned 30 million dollars (about 620 million crowns) in a year and a half of its existence.
"The highest grossing game we've ever made is the ratio of years invested in development versus the revenue of Infinity Blade," confirmed Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. "It's more profitable than Gears of War." Everything is said by the second part of the Infinity Blade series, which earned 5 million dollars in the first month of sales alone. Since January of this year, revenues have exceeded 23 million dollars.
Source: CultOfMac.com
Facebook is to introduce a significantly faster iOS client (June 27)
We don't even need to talk about the fact that Facebook for iOS is one of the slowest apps. However, according to the latest reports, this could change during the summer. Two unnamed engineers from Menlo Park claim that Facebook is preparing a completely redesigned client that will be significantly faster. One Facebook engineer said the new app is primarily built using Objective-C, the programming language used to create iOS apps.
Many elements of the current version of the Facebook app are built using HTML5, the web programming language. The current version is actually an Objective-C shell with a web browser inside. When we talk about speed, it's like putting an engine from a small Smart in a Ferrari. Applications that are built on HTML5 render most elements as a web page, so they download images and content into the application directly from the web.
Objective-C takes a different approach by taking full advantage of the iPhone's hardware and creating most of the functionality right in the app, so it doesn't need to download as much data from the web. I had a chance to see the yet-to-be-released iPhone app, and it's fast. Super fast. Two developers I spoke with said the new app is currently being tested by Facebook developers and is expected to arrive in the summer.
In other words, this means that instead of using HTML5, the new Facebook client will be built on Objective-C, which means that data will be sent directly to the iPhone in Objective-C format, without having to use the UIWebView browser inside the app to display HTML.
Source: CultOfMac.com
Rovio Releases More Information About Upcoming Amazing Alex Game (28/6)
In May we they found out, that the Rovio development team behind the successful Angry Birds is preparing a new game called Amazing Alex, however no further details were provided. Now Rovio has released a short trailer, but we don't know much from it either. All that is known is that the main character will be a "curious boy who enjoys building" and each level will contain certain elements from which the task will be to assemble various working mechanisms. Amazing Alex will have over 100 levels, and after completing them you will be able to build your own level from more than 35 interactive objects.
According to the trailer, the game should be available on iOS and Android in July this year.
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Source: CultOfAndroid.com
Call of Duty: Black Ops arrives in the Mac App Store (June 28)
Fans of the Call of Duty action series can look forward to this fall. Aspyr plans to launch Call of Duty: Black Ops in the Mac App Store at that time. Further information such as price or a more precise release date is not yet available. However, the wait can be shortened by downloading one of the previous titles that are already available in the Mac App Store, as they are all discounted. Call of Duty costs 7,99 euros, Call of Duty 2 you can buy for 11,99 euros and also the latest 4 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare it is on sale for 15,99 euros.
Source: CultOfMac.com
Hero Academy will also be available to Mac players (June 29)
The developer studio Robot Entertainment has decided to bring the popular iOS game to Mac Hero Academy. This is a fun turn-based strategy game where you have to destroy all of your opponent's fighters or crystals with your assembled team. It is the creation of teams that is the big currency of Hero Academy, because it is possible to choose from a variety of characters with different characteristics. In addition, new ones are constantly being added. On August 8, Hero Academy will also arrive on Mac, where it will be distributed via Steam. If you download the game via Steam, Valve will provide you with characters from the famous Team Fortress 2 shooter, both for Mac and for iPad and iPhone.
Source: CultOfMac.com
New applications
The Amazing Spider-Man returns
Gameloft's long-awaited title The Amazing Spider-Man has finally arrived in the App Store, accompanying the new movie about one of the most famous characters in the Marvel comic world. Gameloft already has one under its belt with Spider-Man, but this effort should surpass it in every way, especially the graphics side is at a much higher level. A total of 25 missions, a number of side tasks and other bonuses await you in the game. You can look forward to a lot of combat action, where we will knock out our opponents both up close and from a distance thanks to the special abilities of the main character, which you can improve during the game. The Amazing Spider-man is available in the App Store at a higher price of €5,49.
[button color=red link=http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=211219&a=2126478&url=http://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/the-amazing-spider-man/id524359189?mt =8 target=”“]The Amazing Spider-Man – €5,49[/button]
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BlueStacks will allow Android apps to run on Mac
If you want to be able to try Android apps on your Mac, it's not impossible. An application called BlueStacks is used for this very purpose. A year ago, this piece of software was released for Windows, and its mutation to the Mac platform is very similar.
For now, this is an alpha version that is not yet finished and is limited to only seventeen applications. However, they are said to be working hard on wider support. In the application window, the user has the option to download new applications and try the ones he has already downloaded.
[button color=red link=http://bluestacks.com/bstks_mac.html target=““]BlueStacks[/button]
Dead Trigger – another gem from Czech developers
Czech Madfingers, creators of the Samurai and Shadowgun series, released a new game for iOS and Android, which could already be seen on E3. This time it's a first-person action game where you have to use a wide variety of weapons to kill the hordes of zombies that are coming at you from all sides. The game will run on Unity, which belongs to the best engine for the mobile platform, after all, we can see it on the previous game Shadowgun, which in terms of graphics is one of the best you can see on iOS.
Dead Trigger should offer great physics, where zombies can also shoot off their limbs, the characters' motor skills were also created using motion sensing technology, so it looks much more realistic. The game will offer a graphically rich environment with elaborate effects and details, such as flowing water. You can buy Dead Trigger for a mere €0,79 in the App Store.
[button color=red link=http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=211219&a=2126478&url=http://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/dead-trigger/id533079551?mt=8 target= ""]Dead Trigger - €0,79[/button]
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The Act – interactive animated film
Another game that we could see a preview of at E3 is The Act. It is an interactive animated film in the style of Dragons' Lair, where you do not control the character directly, but with touch gestures you can influence actions that have a direct impact on the plot. The story revolves around window washer Edgar, who tries to save his perpetually tired brother, avoid being fired from his job, and win the girl of his dreams. To succeed, he must pretend to be a doctor and fit into the hospital environment. The game is now available in the App Store for €2,39.
[button color=red link=http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=211219&a=2126478&url=http://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/the-act/id485689567?mt=8 target= ""]The Act - €2,39[/button]
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Important update
Instagram 2.5.0
Instagram came with a relatively significant update, which Facebook is already behind. Version 2.5 focuses primarily on users, so the news also looks like this:
- redesigned profile,
- searching for users and tags in the Explore panel,
- improvements in comments,
- when searching, autocomplete works based on the people you follow,
- visual improvements and speed optimization,
- optional sharing of "likes" on Facebook (Profile > Sharing Settings > Facebook).
Instagram 2.5.0 is available for download free in the App Store.
Facebook Messenger 1.8
Another update also concerns Facebook, this time directly to its Messenger app. Version 1.8 brings:
- quick switching between conversations using notifications inside the application,
- adding friends of your friends to conversations,
- swipe gesture to delete individual messages from conversations,
- signaling who is online when starting a conversation,
- sharing larger photos (tap to view full screen, drag fingers apart to zoom in),
- faster application loading, navigation and messaging,
- more reliable push notifications,
- error correction.
Blogsy 4.0 – new platforms, services and features
The editor for blogging on most popular platforms has received another major update to version 4.0. New platforms (Squarespace, MetaWeblog, and newer versions of Joomla) and the possibility of adding photos from Instagram have been added. The application can now also work with image captions and the default multimedia size can be preselected. Bloggers on WordPress will certainly appreciate the possibility to enter a Brief Summary or view a preview of the post directly in the browser. In addition to other minor corrections and improvements, six new languages have been added, however, Czech has been available for some time, the translation was taken care of by our editors. You can find blogs in the App Store for 3,99 €.
Where's My Water? has gained new levels
Fans of Where's My Water and its main protagonist, the cute crocodile Swampy, have received another free update. So everyone can play twenty new levels for free from the new box, which again comes with a new and unusual theme.
However, the developers from Disney do not stop with new hideouts, and in addition to them, the update also brings the possibility of earning "Mystery Duck Story", which can now be purchased using the well-known "in-app purchase".
It is a parallel game based on the same principle, but with a completely new story and especially new ducks. While playing “Mystery Duck Story”, we will encounter giant “Mega Ducks” that require much more water to capture, cute “Ducklings” and finally mysterious “Mystery Ducks” that move around the game environment.
Currently, this expansion contains 100 levels and another 100 are on the way. Where's My Water is available in a universal version for both iPhone and iPad and is now available on the App Store for just 0,79 €.
Tip of the Week
Death Rally - a classic in a new jacket
Death Rally is one of the classic racing games that we know from the days of DOS. Bird's-eye racing where you move up the leaderboard as you race, using mines, machine guns or sabotaging your opponent to win. The iOS version, although it bears the name of the original game, took only the necessary minimum from its predecessor. It's still bird's-eye racing, and you're still knocking out opponents with weapons and impacts.
However, the new version is completely in 3D, the weapon system has changed beyond recognition, and you can upgrade the cars from the bumpers to the skeleton. Instead of classic races, there are various thematic challenges. Sometimes you just need to be the first to cross the finish line to finish, other times you have to destroy as many opponents as possible. Online multiplayer is also available once you tire of the single-player game. Death Rally also features characters from other games, such as Duke Nukem or John Gore. Fans of the original iOS game may be disappointed by the Death Rally version, but aside from the unforgettable legend, it's a great action race, albeit with a slightly clumsy touch control.
[button color=red link=http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=211219&a=2126478&url=http://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/death-rally/id422020153?mt=8 target= ""]Death Rally - €0,79[/button]
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Current discounts
- Infinity Blade (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Bang! HD (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Bang! (App Store) – Free
- Tetris for iPad (App Store) – 2,39 €
- Tetris (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Notes Plus (App Store) – 2,99 €
- Tower Defense (App Store) – Free
- Palm Kingdoms 2 Deluxe (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Street Fighter IV Volt (App Store) – 0,79 €
- PhotoForge 2 (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Mega Man X (App Store) – 0,79 €
- 1Password for iPhone (App Store)- 5,49 €
- 1Password for iPad (App Store) – 5,49 €
- 1Password Pro (App Store) – 7,99 €
- Prince of Persia Classic (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Prince of Persia Classic HD (App Store) – 0,79 €
- Need for Speed Hot Pursuit for iPad (App Store) – 3,99 €
- Need for Speed Shift for iPad (App Store) – 2,39 €
- Reeder (Mac App Store) – 3,99 €
- 1Password (Mac App Store) – 27,99 €
You can always find current discounts in the right panel on the main page.
:-)
Even though they have already corrected it, the exchange rate still seems rather high to me... If one USD was 20,66 CZK, the koruna has weakened a lot...
20,53 was on the heels of CSOB...
There will be something to it, I thought to myself, why did they rip off my Kickstarter campaign with a brutal exchange rate :D
" that the data will be sent directly to the iPhone in Objective-C format without having to use the UIWebView browser inside the app to display the HTML" - what kind of nonsense is this??? How will data be sent to iPhone in objective-c format?? And the iPhone will then compile them and run what? That's the biggest piece of crap I've ever read. Moreover, if this were possible, the entire Apple approval process is useless. On the contrary, it should be correct that the application will be written natively in Objective-C and instead of sending data to iOS App Facebook "like a web page", only JSON or XML data will probably be sent, which are much smaller and the less data intensive, and the rest of the data rendering will be taken care of by the application, graphics will be in the application (except for photos) and data, especially text, will be downloaded and interpreted faster. It's a wonder that Facebook doesn't do this from the beginning and screw it up with its own process... Other apps have been working this way forever...
I already know where the problem is, the person who translated it probably did not fully understand what is written in the source on cult of mac, it says "would see Facebook data sent directly to the iPhone in an Objective C compliant format" where "Objective-C COMPLIANT format" does not mean that the data will be in Objective-C format, but that it will be in a format that Objective-C understands, as I already mentioned, for example JSON (natively from iOS5) or XML. (Compliant format = compatible format) i.e. compatible with OBJ-C.