Finally there is a good space adventure/trading game on the iPhone and iPad. Warpgate for the iPhone and Warpgate HD for the iPad offer deep playing experience and great graphics. Travel around in space trading goods, performing missions and destroying enemy ships.
Some clipart collections and sites now provide images as PDF files. These work fine in Pages and other places, but often you need to convert the image to a JPEG or other format to use on Web sites or to adjust colors. You can perform this conversion with only Preview. Just open the PDF in Preview and select File, Save As. You now have the option to choose a format such as JPEG or the more versatile PNG.
Many are still complaining about iPhone 4 reception problems, and Apple has called a special press conference for Friday morning. Speculation about the announcement ranges from free bumper cases for all iPhone 4 users to Apple simply presenting evidence to dismiss complaints.
Meanwhile, developers have received version 4.1 of iOS for testing. The update increases the accuracy of how reception strength is reported on the phone.
This week Consumer Reports declined to recommend the iPhone 4 based on the reception issue, despite giving it the highest rating among smartphones. Others have criticized the magazine’s testing methods, and many of the testing methods used by other media sources.
MacMost’s own unscientific field testing shows that the iPhone 4 without a case does seem to lose “bars” when held tightly. A protective case seems to fix the problem. Call drops have been experienced, but at no greater rate than with previous iPhone models.
In other news, Apple has set up a program for replacing some defective Time Capsule units sold between February and June of 2008. These defective models sometimes shut down unexpectedly or have trouble starting up. Those with the problem should take it to an Apple Store or authorized retailer to be checked out.
It has been a while since I recommended one of my own iPhone games. Something Fishy is another port of a game that has been wildly successful on the Web. With the iPhone, you get to use the accelerometers to move Walter the fish around. I’ve also added some bonus games and music.
When you download a file in Safari, it is added to the Downloads window where you can see the progress of the download. Use Window, Downloads to open it. To find the location of a file, click on the magnifying glass to the right of the file name. The Finder window with the folder containing the download will open. Even if you move the file from its original location, or rename it, you can use this to find the location of the file.
This week attention remained on iPhone 4 reception issues. A software update is on the way, but some reports say that this update merely changes how signal strength is reported on the phone in “bars” rather than changing actual reception. Other reports indicate that bars are indeed the issue, and that holding an iPhone 4 the wrong way won’t necessarily cause calls or the Internet connection to drop. Many iPhone 4 owners make this a non-issue by simply getting a protective case for the iPhone.
Meanwhile, AT&T said that upload speeds for some iPhone 4 users may not be as fast as they should be, due to a software problem on the AT&T side that should be fixed soon.
Apple continues to update its MobileMe service. After just completing an update of web-based email, there is now a beta test of a new web-based calendar interface. You can see the new interface by going to your MobileMe calendar on the Web, and clicking on a link to request to be part of the beta. Apple has posted a FAQ with details about the new calendar.
Rumors this week include talk of a new Apple TV that may more closely resemble the iPod Touch than a Mac running Front Row. There may even be an app store. Also, fresh rumors point to a new iPod Touch with cameras and support for FaceTime video calls.
I found out the hard way that if you are going to do video outside, you should have a wind screen on your microphone. I use a lavalier mic, which often come with small windscreens. But if you need one, I found the Audio Technica Miniature Foam Windscreen works well. Just a little piece of foam can make huge difference.
Funny how point-and-click adventure games built for 1980s computers seem to be made for touch-screen devices. Now we have the re-release of the classic Monkey Island 2 for the iPhone (and the iPad). Whether you played this years ago and want to re-discover it, or you just want a fun and funny game to play, you can’t go wrong with this classic. The graphics are all new and look gorgeous. And as a bonus you can switch to the original bitmap graphics for nostalgia.
The default keyboard shortcut for capturing a selection is Shift+Command+4. Then you can select an area. But if you press spacebar after Shift+Command+4, you can simply select a window to capture instead. Shift+Command+Option+4 and then spacebar will capture to the clipboard instead of a file.
Apple moved 1.7 million iPhone 4s in the first three days of sales to five countries. Steve Jobs called it the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. iPhones ordered online now aren’t scheduled to ship for three weeks. Apple and AT&T stores often receive a small number of new phones each day, but sell out quickly, making the iPhone hard to find anywhere.
Some of those who have been able to get the new iPhone are complaining about a reception issue that occurs when the iPhone is cupped tightly in hand. This same problem occurs on other phones, including older iPhone models, but is reportedly more pronounced on the iPhone 4, which uses its external metal band as an antenna. Using an Apple “bumper” case or any other case seems to eliminate the problem.
One lawsuit over the issue has already been filed against Apple, and others have threatened to sue. There have also been rumors of a coming software fix from Apple that will alleviate the problem.
Other rumors this week also pertain to the iPhone. One has Apple coming out with the iPad iWork apps for the iPhone 4. iOS 4 does support the use of Bluetooth keyboards, which makes using something like Pages more plausible. There are also more rumors this week of a Verizon version of the iPhone coming later this year or early next.
Between playing games and messaging your friends, you can actually use the iPhone and iPad to learn something. It helps when the information is presented in a stunning way. The Elements for iPhone 4 uses the high resolution screen for great graphics. Though if you have an iPad, the iPad version is worth getting. What you get is a semester’s worth of knowledge in an app.
