Sausage used as capacitive touchscreen stylus for iPhone

A number of enterprising South Korean residents have started using meaty snacks to interface with their iPhones. The news comes after it was discovered that a certain brand of sausages, created by the CJ Corporation, possess the correct electrostatic charge to allow for the iPhone’s capacitive screen to register them.

It may seem a little odd to use a sausage as a prosthetic finger, but the main motivation behind the switch has been the cold weather, which leaves people wearing gloves unable to use the iPhone unless they first remove their unwieldy but warming hand-wear.

At the moment there is no real way in which to use the iPhone, or indeed any other mobile that has a capacitive touch screen interface, without getting your fingers out. However, both Apple and Taiwanese manufacturer HTC are in the process of patenting special styli that will allow for precision input on capacitive screens.

According to reports, the sale of the snack sausages in question has risen markedly since their iPhone compatibility was discovered, leading many western media outlets to label them as the ‘meat stylus’. It is certainly a low-fi way of getting around the iPhone’s capacitive interface.

Sadly the sausages are not sold over here in the UK and it looks as though you will have to wait for some brave souls to spend a few hours smearing their iPhone’s with local sausages to see if there is any brand available over here that can achieve the same results.

The hygiene factors at play here are, of course, another matter entirely!

Next-gen iPhone could be a monolith

Apple could be set to launch the largest iPhone yet if new online shots of what appears to be the casing for the device are to be believed.

iResQ, which is an iPhone website focused exclusively on providing repairs for the popular smartphone, has published pictures of what it claims to be a side by side comparison of the existing iPhone case and the upcoming iPhone 4G case.

The original size and shape of the iPhone has remained relatively unchanged ever since it was launched in 2007, but the new case appears to be both taller and wider than its precursor, towering half a centimetre above.

Little more can be gleaned from the snaps, although it is clear that Apple may well be keeping the general look and feel of the new iPhone consistent despite adding to the size.

Over the next few months many more details about the fourth iteration of the iPhone will be made available and with a firmware update on the way, the specifics about the software will enter the public domain soon.

The site that first published the snaps of the cases said that there was a chance they were dealing with a prototype rather than the finished article, which means ultimately there could be little similarity between the current iPhone 3Gs and its impending replacement. There are just a few more months of waiting to endure before Apple launches the iPhone 4G.

Photogene Iphone App Micro Review

Although the iPhone is nowhere near as capable as a digital camera as some of the more dedicated mobiles on the market, it can make up for its technical shortcomings with excellent software like Photogene. It is a simple and intuitive photo editing suite that does not require you to transfer your photos over to your laptop before you can polish them up a bit. Whilst it does not have the same tools as you would expect from a professional package, it is perfect for keen amateurs.

Add your comments and thoughts on this app below.

Sonos Iphone And Ipod App Review

The Sonos wireless music system is one our favourite gadgets at the moment but the one thing that puts many people off is the price. Well Sonos have designed a free app that works on either the Apple iphone or iPod touch, this eliminates the need for the Sonos controller which is quite expensive to buy.

We have been putting the app through its paces to see if it can measure up to stand alone controller available from Sonos.

Sonos iPhone App Review

Once you have located and installed the app you will have to set the app up to work with your system. Thankfully the process is amazingly simple, once you open the app for the first time you will be given two options. You can add it to your set up system or use the app to set up your system for the first time. Both options work equally well but I would suggest you set up the system using your pc and then add the app as this was quicker.

The home screen of the app gives you a number of options including music Library, playlists, radio (including internet radio), line in and settings. The most popular options will be your music library, radio and external services.

Your music library follows a similar format to your standard iTunes library. You can access your music from a range of options including artists, imported music, genres, albums, tracks and imported playlists. The system is very simple to navigate and actually easier to use than the dedicated Sonos controller because there are a lot less buttons to fiddle with. God bless touch screen!
The radio feature allows you to listen to a choice on over 25,000 radio stations from around the world. You can select different sources for different rooms, so you can be listening to the radio in one room while someone in the other room can listen to their mp3’s.

Sonos gives users the opportunity to access web based services like Napster, last.fm, Pandora, Rhapsody and SIRIUS satellite radio. Sonos have managed to swing a 30 day free trial for Napster so you can try it out, a lot of the other providers offer similar offers.
The system settings option allows you to change or add things to your system. For example you can switch music sources, make or add playlists, update your system or contact the help desk.

The best thing about having the app over the dedicated controller is that you can carry it around in your pocket and it is free. There really is no feasible reason to purchase the controller so long as you have an iphone or itouch.

Read our sonos 250 bundle review

Zagg Invisible Shield For Iphone Review

The iPhone set a new benchmark in terms of smartphone design and more than two years after it first hit the market it is one of the sexiest mobiles around. However, these good looks come at a price and a single scratch to any of its glossy surfaces can spoil the look of the thing and irritate for years. Most people resort to cases or covers which protect the whole body of the phone. Whether you pick leather or silicone you will be able to reduce the risk of scratching the iPhone, but you will also have to add to the bulk and weight of the device, ultimately spoiling the look. There are alternatives, in the shape of self-adhesive film coatings which you have to apply to the body of the iPhone. Though there are several different products in this category, we shall examine just one in depth, the Zagg Invisible Shield.

The Purpose
The Zagg Invisible Shield is designed to protect your iPhone or iPod Touch against dust, scratches and scrapes and the thin film covering is supposed to blend into the design of the device completely to allow for the standard look and feel of the phone to be retained whilst protection is improved. Zagg claims you should only ever need a single Invisible Shield to last you throughout the lifespan of the iPhone and if their product is ever damaged they will you provide you with a free replacement. The lifetime guarantee should at least persuade you that Zagg has confidence in its products.

In The Box
The Zagg Invisible Shield is one of the more expensive film coatings available for the iPhone, but you do get a decent selection of items inside each kit. As well as the protective films for the front and rear of your iPhone, there is a small rubber squeegee to help you apply the film, as well as a spray containing the water-based adhesive solution to allow for firm application.

Applying the Invisible Shield
You should set aside a bit of your spare time to make sure you can carefully install the Invisible Shield on your iPhone. Rushing things will result in a poor finish and will mean you will only have to start the process over again. First you need to clean up your iPhone, making sure to remove any dust, dirt and greasy fingerprints from the outside surface. If you miss any they will stay lodged under the film until such time as you choose to remove the Invisible Shield. Make sure you clean the iPhone carefully and with a soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface of the screen or the rear case.

The film sections of the Invisible Shield are attached to paper backing and you need to peel them off to apply them. Once you have peeled them off, it is a case of spraying on the adhesive solution to coat the film and then pressing them both down onto the surface of your iPhone, making sure you are placing the correct film on the correct area. To smooth out the film once it is in place and to remove any air bubbles or remaining adhesive solution, you will need to use the included squeegee. The film that covers the screen is simple to install as it is simply a flat section, but for the rear there are flaps which cosy up to the curved sides and corners. For this you need to apply the rear film to the flat portion of the back of the iPhone, leave the solution to dry and then return later to finish off the corners. This can be rather fiddly to perform and obviously makes the task more time consuming. It also requires a degree of dexterity and patience and if you are looking for a quick fix to the problem of scratches then the Invisible Shield is not the product for you.

Interaction after Installation
If you are worried that the iPhone would be less responsive after the Invisible Shield was installed then allay your fears, as the film coating does not dampen the capabilities of the touch screen interface whatsoever. The one thing that does change is the way that the iPhone feels; the plastic film coats over the glass screen, which may take a little getting used to even if it does not actually alter the performance of the phone.

The Invisible Shield is extremely thin, so the iPhone still looks and weighs exactly the same as it did before. The film is also very, very strong. Scratching it in day to day use will be impossible and after a long period of protection using the Invisible Shield it will be easy to see why Zagg were so confident in their product.

Conclusion
If you are not a particularly practical person then avoid the Zagg Invisible Shield. The installation can be a little frustrating if you are not in the right frame of mind. However, if you want to cushion the iPhone from the wear and tear of frequent use and you have steady hands, then the Invisible Shield is the least obtrusive form of protection on the market. It is available from the mobile fun website.

Call Of Duty Zombies Iphone Game Review

The name of this game is a little bit of a mouthful if you decide to give it its full title, but we’ll give it a go:
Call of Duty: World At War: Zombies
Right, now that is out of the way we will stick to referring to the first iPhone-based game in the immensely successful series as CoD Zombies. It is based on the special zombie-slaying mode that you may have unlocked if you played through 2008’s World At War and the emphasis is on slaughtering the reanimated corpses of Nazi soldiers. Since various computer games throughout the ages (most significantly the Wolfenstein series) have established the Nazi’s proclivity for dabbling in the occult, it is fairly easy to accept the existence of Nazi zombies in the CoD universe, if you allow its creators a bit of artistic license.

Gameplay
The iPhone version of CoD Zombies retains exactly the same gameplay mechanics as the original, but since not that many people bought World At War it is worth going over the basics. You start off trapped in a single room in a house and from the first moment you are bombarded by wave after wave of zombie soldiers all trying to climb in and relieve you of your delicious brains. You will need to use a variety of WW2 weapons to dispatch the undead fiends and you can also board up the window in order to earn money. The more money you earn, the more rooms in the house you can unlock. Unlocking more rooms of course means that there are more windows to protect and board up, but it also allows you to purchase much better weapons and of course earn a higher score.

As the game progresses and the zombies become more numerous and aggressive, the tension is ratcheted right up as you struggle for your life against seemingly overwhelming odds. Despite this feeling of helplessness, CoD Zombies is actually perfectly balanced so that you are kept constantly on the tipping point of failure but always able to regain control when you feel that you are about to breath your last.

There are several different control schemes available in CoD Zombies. You can use the motion sensitive controls to tile the iPhone and move your character about and this is probably the best setting if you are relatively new to first person shooters. Alternatively you can use your finger to swipe across the touch screen to turn and this at least means that you can keep the screen pointing directly at you at all times. However, the best control scheme of them all is ‘dual stick’. This allows you to use two virtual touch screen analogue sticks and if you are familiar with the home console versions of the CoD games then this should be the control setup of choice. You can control your motion through 360 degrees as well as your aim with far better accuracy and it is the only way you will be able to survive for an extended period.

Graphics
The iPhone is known for its powerful hardware which puts to shame standalone handheld consoles like the Sony PSP. As such the CoD Zombies graphics are really rather impressive. You shouldn’t expect to get the same level of detail and fidelity as you would from a home console version, but considering that the action is taking place on a small screen everything looks sharp and highly defined. Most importantly the frame rate never gets choppy even when there are many shambling corpses on screen and it looks authentically scary at times. If you are a fan of headshots the results are pleasingly graphic and this is not exactly a kid-friendly game. However, since most iPhone owners are around 30 this should not really be an issue.

One area in which the slight limitations of the iPhone’s hardware are revealed is the length of time for which dead zombie bodies hang around. You will not find them piling up to litter the floor, as they will disappear quite sharpish. As such the CoD Zombies maps can feel a bit empty after you have just killed off hundreds of foes, slightly detracting from the feel.

Multiplayer
If you want to take on CoD Zombies with some mates then you have two options. You can either jump into a match with a random group of four other players from around the world using a Wi-Fi connection. Alternatively you can connect using Bluetooth for a local match. This is a multiplayer game where working together is important, though it is still about getting the highest score. There is built in support for leaderboards, displaying the top scores from players worldwide. It is necessary to verify your copy of CoD Zombies and register with a username and password before you can upload your own scores.

Conclusion
Call of Duty: World At War: Zombies is quite an expensive iPhone game. But you get your money’s worth with excellent visuals, quality controls and extensive multiplayer options which bulk out the package and provide incentive for repeat plays.

Imobsters for the iphone strategy guide

IMobsters is the latest in a string of mafia themed text-based RPGs for the iPhone and arguably the least original, but it still has some interesting features which makes it stand out from the crowd (which includes iMafia, Mafia Live, Undead Live and Rockstar Live!). Unlike many of its competitors, IMobsters is actually pretty tricky and you have to be on the ball from the start to really give yourself a chance at becoming the biggest Don!

A handy tutorial is provided to all new players once you start and can be found at the very top of the iMobster display. In this box there should be a list of certain actions you can try, with six steps to follow in total. Completing this tutorial is essential and will really help you get the feel of the game and what to do, fast.
The six steps of the tutorial includes basic information on the Missions, Equipment, Attacking and Levelling Up. It doesn’t take long to complete these and once you’ve finished you should be rewarded with five thousand dollars and the disconcerting message that one of your mafia relatives has tried to have you “whacked”! Time for revenge, I feel, so give yourself a proper mafia name and select a class for your character so we can teach him a lesson.

 

Classes
Choose your class carefully, as once you have made your choice you can only change if via loyalty points or resetting your character! Current classes include:
Tycoon – Allows you to gain cash faster
Muscle – Lets you heal faster
Operative – Allows you to gain energy faster.
Each of these classes has their benefits, but arguably Tycoon is the best as it will let you earn money much faster. Money is very important in the iMobsters world and you will need to get a lot of it, fast, to buy your first piece of profitable real estate! Although you can earn some money by fighting in the attack mode, or performing missions, this will not be enough to sustain yourself effectively. Once you’ve levelled up you can buy bigger and better properties and weapons – but these come at a high price tag!

The Basics

Character Status
The current condition of your character can always be seen on your main screen. These should include:
Cash – How much cash you are carrying
Experience – How experienced you are (in points) and how many more points you will need to level up.
Level – The current level of your character
Energy – You need energy to complete missions, which slowly regenerates on a timer.
Stamina – Each time you attack another player you will use one stamina point. This also regenerates on a timer.

Time
Even if you are not playing iMobsters, the game continues without you. As time passes, your character will regain health, stamina and energy until they reach the maximum. You will also receive cash from your Real Estate on a set timer.

Level
Each time you level up, your character will gain skill points and a full recharge of all your energy, health and stamina points. Levelling up also will unlock more Missions, Equipment and Real Estate. You level up by earning Experience points from attacking other players, successfully defending an attack from another player and completing Missions.

Skills
There are five types of skill available in iMobster. These include:
Attack – Makes you stronger when attacking other players.
Defence – Allows you to successfully defend more attacks.
Max Energy – Increases your maximum Energy points.
Max Stamina – Increases your maximum Stamina points.
Max Health – Increases your maximum Health points.

Each time you level up you will be awarded with three skills points, which can be spent increasing any of the above skills.

Money
When you first start playing, even if you did complete the tutorial, you will have a very small amount of money. As mentioned above, money really does ‘make the world go round’ in iMobsters, so you will have to perform some simple missions just to get some cash. Try and earn an extra two or three thousand dollars by performing some Muggings or Petty Thefts. Of course, you can try some of the harder missions right away, but this will require you to buy a weapon and will mean you have less cash to buy your first valuable piece of real estate.
As soon and you have your first couple of grand, buy a New Stand. Although the $50 an hour return may not seem like much, it’s a good first step. Keep buying News Stands until you have about four of them – you may notice their price rising each time and after four they’re no longer the best option.

Patience is a virtue in iMobsters, so kick back, relax and wait for your News Stands to make you some cash. After some time, you should have enough to buy a Shack and you should buy three of four of these the same way as you did with the News Stands. Next up is Convenience Stores! This strategy should earn you a fantastic base of real estate with little risk – which means you can save up for those fantastic-looking weapons you’ve had you eye on! With a Tycoon character and this method of play, you shouldn’t need to do many of those low-level missions and by level 4 or 5 you should have an enviable portfolio.

Part of The Family
It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and to ensure you don’t get whacked too often, you’ll need a strong family. iMobsters allows you to group up with other iMobster players and become stronger and more protected – and less of a target for more experienced players. To be added to a Mob or add members to your Mob, you’ll need your Mob Code.

Mob Codes
Mob Codes are a 5 digit code that are used to add people to your mob and it is essential you use these as much as possible. Don’t be shy, add as many people as possible! Be aware, however, that as soon as you begin posting your Mob Code you will get a huge amount of requests in return. At present, it’s impossible to accept all of these requests in one go, like you can in other iPhone mafia games such as iMob Online or Mafia Wars. Each request must be dealt with individually and this can take a long time to do, so be prepared to suffer for a huge and powerful mob! To deal with this, I recommend that new users keep a close eye on their iMobsters game and check it frequently – so you can accept a manageable amount of requests bit by bit rather than having to deal with several hundred at once after an absence!

Starting Your Mob
Adding to a mob can be tricky, so here is a step-by-step guide on quickly bringing your gang together. Start on the Home tab which is on the bottom task bar. From there, go to ‘My Mob’, which can be found in the middle of the Home display at the very top of the column on the right side. Once My Mob is selected, you should be given some options on how to add people to your mob. The easiest way is by the Mob Code, of course, so use the top option to invite someone using their 5 digit Mob Code.

Each Mob Code is completely unique, making it ideal to post and share wherever you can to get the biggest mob possible. Try and post your code on plenty of iMobster forums and encourage your friends to do the same to ensure you get plenty of invites.

Equipment
Although equipment is very important in iMobsters, all your early money should mostly go towards buying Real Estate (See ‘Money’ section). A good strategy is to buy just enough good equipment to perform some Missions and win fights, but keep a good chunk for your investments. Although it may seem tempting to blow all your cash on cool equipment to do those tempting missions, later on in the iMobster game the money you will receive from Missions will seem petty in comparison to the huge cash that can be made with Real Estate!

Bank
iMobsters isn’t a sweet, sedate game where all players get along and you will quickly become a target for other players to try and destroy! Players can earn money, credit and experience for fighting other players, so financially you will always be at risk. Bigger and better players will often target new players and you will often lose a huge chunk of your hard-earned cash this way. Help is at hand, however, in the form of the iMobsters bank.

The bank can be found by going to the main Home page and selecting the left-hand column – under Godfather and above Hospital. Once inside, you’ll see your current balance in the bank displayed at the very top of the screen, with a text box just below prompting you deposit. In this box you can enter an amount of iMobster money to deposit – by default the game will often have the complete contents of your wallet.

Although you may rush to deposit all of your cash into the safe space of the bank, hold on a second. A ten percent fee is applied on all of the money that you deposit, which can often be a fair chunk of cash. Think carefully if you can hold onto your money without sacrificing your fee – an early player is often a target for thieves, but a more advanced player may not need to use the bank at all.

Apps of the Month October 2009

Postage ~ Postcards
Though this is described as a postcard maker it is essentially a fully featured image editor that expands on the standard offering from Apple. This app allows you to edit all of the photos you’ve taken with your iPhone, or any which you have transferred to its gargantuan storage space. You can then add frames and cut-outs overlaid on top to create something that looks unique or quirky. For example you can place a bear costume over the top of a picture of yourself or add a speech bubble with some witty quip to a picture of your cat. You can also jazz up any of your photos with animations, graphics and additional effects. Once you’re happy with the results, you can email the finished product to friends and family for a personalised greeting.

More apps

Top Ten Iphone Apps For September 2009

The iPhone is still winning hearts and minds around the world and with the latest version, the 3Gs, it’s now more powerful than ever. Thousands of Apps are available, produced by big companies as well as entrepreneurial individuals looking to be the next thing and they range from incredibly useful down to the downright bizarre. Some great apps are available completely free of charge, whilst others are priced reasonably and can be downloaded quickly via 3G or Wi-Fi. Here’s a brief rundown, in ascending order of the top 10 iPhone Apps available in September 2009. These apps are certainly great, but they might not be useful to everyone and if you’ve got a favourite app that you think has been missed off then join in the debate let everyone else know what you think. The only way apps can improve is through community input and voting with your wallets. Read more

iPhone 3G Desktop Dual Charging Dock and Battery Charger review

Since its release, the iPhone has been one of the few truely ‘must have’ gadgets that has seen mainstream acceptance and that has revolutionised the way people use hand-held devices. However, there is still one major issue that iPhone users all agree holds back their full enjoyment of the phone: the iPhone’s sleek design and high functionality betrays a battery life that would have been unacceptable on phones a few years old, let alone the current generation of smart phones. Users of the iPhone 3GS have even reported the battery not lasting a full working day, even on low use. This is a particular problem for iPhone users, as the whole idea of the phone is that it should be used as an MP3 and video player, as well as for a myriad of games and web apps. Unfortunately, the iPhone does not leave itself open to one of the possible solutions of other phones and MP3 players, which is to buy a spare battery that you can swap in the back of the unit as necessary. The iPhone, like other Apple portable devices, has a sealed battery that is not designed to be removed or replaced by the user.

For this reason, two major options have been developed to allow users to get more usage out of their iPhone when out and about. The first type are those solutions that allow the unit to be charged easily when away from the home and the second is to have a portable external power supply. Now the iPhone 3GS – 3G Desktop Dual Charging Dock + Battery Charger unit, available from mobilefun.co.uk has managed to combine both solutions into one stylish package. The set comes with a two in one docking unit. The iPhone can be easily placed into the front dock of this unit, to work like an ordinary dock offered by a range of manufacturers, i.e. it sits on your desk and allows the iPhone to charge throughout the day. The unit can be put in place neatly on your desk, without having wires dangling around, which look messy and can easily be lost. Placing the iPhone into a dock in this way also makes it easy to monitor your phone, meaning that you don’t even have to move to pick up the phone to see who is calling or texting you. However, the innovative aspect of this product comes from the secondary dock within the unit, which connects to a purpose built battery charger for the iPhone 3G and 3GS.

The battery charger is the same width as the iPhone itself and is designed in the same curved glossy finish as the phone. This unit is simply put into the secondary slot to charge and removed at attached to the iPhone when necessary, extending the length of the iPhone by less than two centimetres and also fitting snugly along the back of the phone. The two in one charging unit means that you are able to have your iPhone on charge in one port and the battery charger in the other – effectively giving you the power of two batteries. What’s more is that some users have reported the battery charger may be able to provide more than one full charge to an iPhone, giving you further backup if needed. The dual charging dock can also be a great ‘communal’ option for the home or for the workplace. This is because both ports can be used to charge phones at the same time, so that one dock can charge just a phone and the other can charge a phone connected to the portable battery charger. There is also no need to disconnect the iPhone from the charger and reconnecting when transferring data from iTunes, as the front port also offers a data hot sync feature, acting as a full replacement for your standard data cable.

One of the best things about the innovate solution offered by this item is the fact that, if you’re leaving home or the office and want to take your iPhone somewhere that you don’t want the extra size of the battery charger, it can simply be removed as necessary. It simply needs to have been attached for long enough to have transferred some of its charge to the iPhone. It is also arguably better than having an actual replacement battery – even if this were possible – as the portable charger can simply be snapped on and snapped off when not needed, without having to open up the phone. For this reason, a dual dock makes a great option that doesn’t compromise the iPhone’s style, or its portability.

This great product is available from mobile fun.

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