Review: Dash & Bash – An Exhilarating New Physics Game for iPhone

305a7 DashBash main  Review: Dash & Bash – An Exhilarating New Physics Game for iPhone

Finding a fun, engaging game for iPhone that is easy enough to understand, yet difficult enough to make you want to keep playing can sometimes be difficult, the right amount of challenge mixed with the right objective makes a perfect game. Finally, there is a new game on the market that hits the nail on the head! Step aside Angry Birds, there is a new, addicting bird game in town: Dash & Bash, only $ 0.99 in the App Store!

Overview

Dash & Bash is an extremely fun, yet highly addicting game. I am not one who generally uses my iPhone for games, unless I am trying to kill time, but I think I may have found a game that I will want to play, just for fun. When Angry Birds first hit the scene, I was a fan, like most people, however I grew tired of their constant releases and remakes of the same game. I have since pretty much quit playing Angry Birds altogether. I have been eagerly awaiting a new game that could fill that void.

The objective of Dash & Bash is simple; get to the finish line as fast as possible. The catch? With each level come new obstacles. The game itself is simple enough at first, however, the difficulty mounts as the levels go on. Users play a few levels on the same track, with an increasing amount of obstacles being added every time. As levels go on, gamers enter new rounds, where the tracks change; they each have their own theme, sort of like Angry Birds, but in my mind, better. I really enjoy that the objective in Dash & Bash is to race to the finish line.

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When I first opened Dash & Bash I wasn’t sure what to expect, I also had no clue how to play. Luckily Dash & Bash provides little tidbits of information as new obstacles, challenges and game boosters are introduced, providing enough information for the gamer, without taking too much time to explain. There is also a short comic strip between rounds that depicts the feud between Dash, the duck that gamers race with, and Bash, his arch nemesis, of sorts. Simply start a level, and if there is something new being added to the level, a short description and image of the new item are shown to the user, requiring a click to proceed, boom, done, onto playing.

The tracks in Dash & Bash are fun and provide a nice change of scenery as gamers advance to the next rounds. The introductory round is a river setting, then onto a spooky, graveyard setting, followed by a gooey, gumdrop round, reminiscent of Candy Land, the excitement just keeps on coming. So far, Dash & Bash has 5 rounds, with the promise of round 6, coming soon. For me, I love a game that introduces new rounds as time goes on, it keeps gamers engaged and excited about playing.

 305a7 DashBash beavs  Review: Dash & Bash – An Exhilarating New Physics Game for iPhone

The gaming character, Dash is capable of flying and diving, with the simple placement of a finger, either above the water for flying, or below the water for diving. Flying and diving are important, they keep Dash from banging into obstacles that slow him down. A series of new obstacles are introduced at every level, but enhancements are also added, like fruit boosters that help Dash transform into Super Dash, where he races at super sonic speed, and Duckeenies, which surround Dash with a forcefield, protecting him from obstacles.

Verdict
Rating: 5/5

Overall, Dash & Bash is one of the more exciting games to hit the App Store. A simple objective with the perfect degree of difficulty keeps users entertained and wanting more. If you were/are an Angry Birds lover, you need to give Dash & Bash a shot, its worth the $ 0.99!

Download Dash & Bash now for iPhone, only $ 0.99 in the App Store!

Pros:

  • Aesthetically appealing imagery
  • Fun, engaging levels and rounds
  • Extremely fun to play
  • Simple objective, perfect amount of difficulty

Cons:

  • Only 5 rounds, can’t wait for round 6!

c729e 9WEOY7ky6I8  Review: Dash & Bash – An Exhilarating New Physics Game for iPhone

Review: Present Perfect – Post-PC Era Presentations

8d075 PresentPerfectIcon  Review: Present Perfect – Post-PC Era Presentations

How many times have you walked into a room, and seen a projected setup, throwing a computer screen up on to a screen 30+ feet away.  We’ve all been there before, and the experience is always the same; text is hard to read, there is never a good way to provide quality feedback, and there is inevitably that awkward moment when the presenter tries to share a video and something goes wrong.  Present Perfect is a new, Post-PC era take on improving and personalizing presentations.

Overview:

Present Perfect for iOS (free in the App Store) is a simple, yet unique presentation App.  Designed with both sides of a presentation in mind, it’s unique presentation sharing function makes sharing a presentation a more intimate, Post-PC experience.

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The first thing you’ll notice about Present Perfect is the lack of presentation creation in the app.  Present Perfect is all about the presenting your presentation – not creating.  Using the traditional iTunes file transfer, or linking up with your DropBox account, you can import files to your Present Perfect library to share.  Once you have all your documents imported, you can build your Presentation, comprised of any variety of files.

Unlike many other presentation apps, Present Perfect doesn’t support traditional PowerPoint or Keynote files, but instead encourages you to use PDFs of the presentation, eliminating those lengthy and typically unnecessary “fancy” animations.  The focus in Present Perfect is making the presentation simple, elegant, and intimate – and it does that well.

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With your iDevice connected to WiFi, any other person on the network can download the free Present Perfect app and view your presentation.  Imagine, everyone in the room watching your presentation from the iPad in front of them – no more bad viewing angles, fuzzy text, or shutting out the lights.

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Present Perfect also understand the need to keep some presentations more private, allowing you to assign a passcode lock to your presentation.  Now, only those with the 4 digit pin can access and follow along.  Even better, when you’re presenting, it’s simple to get real-time yes/no feed back with the built-in voting option.  Just tap the thumbs up/thumbs down icon on the screen, and your viewers can quickly provide anonymous feedback to whatever you ask.

Verdict:
Rating: 4/5

Present Perfect offers a unique, intimate take on giving presentations.  Eliminating the need for a PC at the front of the room or the excess of current presentation options, Present Perfect simplifies the process into something far more elegant and user friendly.  The lack of support for traditional presentation file formats is disappointing, but the perk of losing those 30 second animations makes up for the nuisance.  Present Perfect is superb for a free app, and definitely worth giving a chance if you find yourself frequently presenting in front of a room of iPad users (App Store Link).

Pros:

  • Simple user interface
  • Dropbox integration
  • Passcode security for presentations
  • Real-time feedback

Cons:

  • Lack of support for PowerPoint or Keynote files

Review: Safecard – Securely Save Passwords, Cards, and Private Information on IOS

b6223 Safecard icon  Review: Safecard – Securely Save Passwords, Cards, and Private Information on IOS

Safety and security in the form of things like passwords, credentials, and credit cards is an everyday issue. It can get overwhelming trying to keep track of and remember important personal information such as usernames, business cards, and account or credit card numbers. Even if you were able to manage a number of different accounts individually, to keep it more organized you would want something that may be more safe and time-saving.

Safecard (Free, App Store Link) from Werasoft does all this and more efficiently and securely by allowing the user to archive and search personal and sensitive data such as credit cards and passwords to more simpler items like coupons and notes.

Overview

Safecard is an innovative app with a great interface that helps you remember all your password and accounts with a great deal of security. To make sure nobody can easily log into the app and steal your info and data from your device, the app uses Military-Grade 256-bit AES encryption. Furthermore, if you fail to enter your five-digit password 10 times, the app will immediately delete all your credentials, info, and data for security purposes. Even though all your information is backed up to iCloud, the developer, Werasoft doesn’t back any data on their servers.

b6223 Safecard images  Review: Safecard – Securely Save Passwords, Cards, and Private Information on IOS

 

Adding any kind of card is pretty simple. You first take a photo of the front and back of the card, and then enter the account information. For things such as passwords, you can just upload a photo such as a Facebook logo or you can also choose a color. After that, you input your basic account information such as your username, password, name of the site, and notes if you so choose.

To find different accounts easier, you can organize them into categories so you would have a category for credit cards, business cards, passwords, etc. It helps navigating the app a lot easier, but even more so, it gives the app a great user experience.

When I first opened Safecard, I noticed how much it resembled Apple’s iOS native app, Passbook. There are a lot of visual similarities so I think of Safecard somewhat as Passbook but for passwords. When you first launch Safecard, you’re presented with a brief tutorial describing how to add info to the app and inputting your master password. Navigating Safecard is very simple since there are only a few screens to navigate in-between. If you don’t feel comfortable saving your info, passwords, and data to iCloud, it can easily be turned off from the settings in the app. You can also turn off ‘auto-destroy’, the feature in Safecard that deletes all your data after 10 failed logins.

Conclusion

Safecard is a simple and handy security app with tons of great features. For the amount of time I used Safecard, what stood out to me the most was the user interface, which seems like a major part of the app. All the animations and gestures are really well done and they feel natural or familiar in the sense that if you’re familiar with a lot of the gestures on iOS and native Apple apps, you would easily be able to work your way around Safecard.

In the newest update for Safecard, there is now an unlimited amount of cards you can save and create whereas in the previous version you were limited and if you wanted even more cars, you would have to buy them through IAPs. If you’re in need of a productive way to manage your passwords, notes, and accounts; check out Safecard on iOS.

Price: ($ 5.99, App Store Link)

Rating: 4.5/5
Rating: 4.5/5

Pros: 

  • Great interface, animations, and gestures
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • iCloud support, which can also be turned off if you aren’t comfortable sharing data between devices

Cons:

  • Not as many options or features as other password and card managers

b6223 LUDGy8FSqio  Review: Safecard – Securely Save Passwords, Cards, and Private Information on IOS

Review: Bluelounge MiniDock – Your Favorite Charging Dock, Now for iPhone 5

0851d MD desc 18  Review: Bluelounge MiniDock – Your Favorite Charging Dock, Now for iPhone 5

When it comes to my desk, and keeping my work space organized, I tend to be fairly orderly. I prefer to keep my documents in digital format, and always use my bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad instead of a wired keyboard and mouse. One of my biggest annoyances is when I have to charge one of my iDevices and end up with the charging cable stretched across my desk to keep my phone off the floor. Thankfully, the folks over at Bluelounge felt my pain (obviously), and upgraded their MiniDock to support my iPhone 5 and other (small) lightning equipped iOS devices.

Overview:

Bluelounge’s MiniDock for iPhone 5 (available now for $ 39.95) is the refreshed, lightning equipped variant of their original MiniDock (see our review). Designed to help eliminate cable clutter and keep your iPhone up and accessible where ever you are, if features a fantastically simple design that could easily come straight out of Cupertino.

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Made of a hard, durable plastic, the MiniDock pairs perfectly with your iDevice’s provided charging block via USB, and holds your iPhone or iPod at the perfect angle, suspended from the wall outlet. Simply plug the MiniDock into the 5W Apple charging block (also works with the 10W variant), and plug it into the wall. Drop your iPhone or iPod onto the lightning plug, and your phone is securely situated up on the wall, with no need to worry about cables or the surface your iPhone is getting set on.

Because of the setup of my desk, I am able to dock my phone right next to my display, and keep and eye on incoming calls, texts, and other notifications, without needing to pull my phone from my pocket or prop it up against my coffee mug, only to have it fall every time it vibrates. Knowing that when I walk out for lunch or head home at the end of the day, I have a plenty of juice in my iPhone is also very reassuring, especially if I’ve spent the afternoon streaming my favorite college radio station.

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A Dock Away From Home

When traveling, the MiniDock can be the perfect hotel companion. Instead of needing to unplug the alarm clock or lamp to find an outlet close to the nightstand, you can plug your iPhone in anywhere, without the risk of stepping on it in your morning trip to the can. The MiniDock is also small enough to fit in most briefcases, backpacks, messenger bags, etc, so you can always have it on hand.

As an added perk, if you use a 12V USB charger in your car (the kind with the USB ports for whatever USB cable you have), the MiniDock will also work with that charging base to support and charge your iDevice while you’re on the road (obiously depending on the make/model and design of your car’s interior). For me, being able to dock my iPhone in the car is a huge perk, as it keeps me from getting the chord wrapped around the shiter. Because the MiniDock keeps the iPhone in place, I’m also a lot less tempted to unplug it to read or attempt to respond to texts while driving, which makes an extra safe driver.

Verdict:
Rating: 4.5/5

When Bluelounge releases a new product, people take note. They are always looking to provide beautifully crafted, Apple inspired solutions for even the tiniest of problems. Sure, you use the provided lightning cable that came with your iPhone, but doesn’t it look so much cleaner and nicer sitting on the Bluelounge MiniDock? Absolutely. Having the MiniDock for charging my iPhone without the clutter of a charging cable across my desk or dash makes life a little simpler. The only thing missing with the MiniDock is a way to plug it into a stand to use on a desk without power (or maybe with a miniUSB port? *hint*) The beauty, simplicity, and ease of the MiniDock make it well worth the price and a must-have accessory for your iPhone 5, iPod Touch (5th Generation), or 7th Generation iPod Nano!

Pros:

  • Simple, Apple-inspired design
  • Use of Apple’s factory charging block assures accurate power delivery
  • Convenient, compact size

Cons:

  • No way to (easily) use unplugged as a stand or away from a wall

If you’re looking for a gorgeous, compact, cable-free way to charge your iPhone 5 (or lightning-equipped iPod), look no further than the Bluelounge MiniDock, available now for $ 39.95

0851d 2lbE6CQGfiI  Review: Bluelounge MiniDock – Your Favorite Charging Dock, Now for iPhone 5

Galaxy S4 Exynos Octa-Core Review: Overall Speed The Same?

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will reach the hands of consumers in a couple of days and the buzz surrounding the handsets are starting to grow to fever pitch. Samsung’s new flagship phone will arrive in four flavors and the company was quick to point out that regardless of what model a consumer gets, whether it comes with an 8-core Exynos chip or the Snapdragon 600, it will all be good.

c2793 samsung galaxy s4 1  Galaxy S4 Exynos Octa-Core Review: Overall Speed The Same?

The four models of the Galaxy S4 can be basically broken down into the GT-I9500, the I9502 and the SHV-E300 which are all powered by the Exynos 5 Octa 5410 chip. The last one, the I9505, runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600. But Samsung is focusing more on the GT-I9505 these days, which makes sense since this is the model that will arrive in the American, Australian and UK markets. The handset will be carrying the reliable Qualcomm chipset that can hit speeds of 1.9GHz.

Even though three of the four are running on Exynos, they do have some differences. The GT-19500 and the GT-I9502 are both powered by the Exynos at a maximum speed of 1.6GHz but with a slight twist, the latter is dual-SIM capable to satisfy China’s huge market. On the other hand, the SHV-E300 is the faster of the Exynos-powered trio at 1.8GHz and is geared exclusively for the Korean market. The GT-I9500 is Samsung’s international model, which means this is the device that will hit most markets and the one with the capability to access most LTE networks around the world with its Exynos 5410 LTE radio chip.

I guess the question that begs to be asked is how do the two chips stack up against each other? Based on Samsung’s explanation, the bottom line is there’s no discernible difference. At no time will the Exynos Octa-core really use all its 8 cores at the same time since it’s simply not designed to run that way.

Whatever model is available in your country, rest assured that your Galaxy S4 will still have the 5-inch Super AMOLED screen, a 13mp camera and a powerful 2600mAh battery. With regards to the price tag, the GT-I9500 will cost around $ 790 for the 16GB model, $ 850 for the 32GB and $ 890 for the 64GB. The I9505 will probably cost around $ 10 more.

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