Free Online Music

People always love good music and love it more when "musica gratis en internet" i.e., free online music. But good music is pricey, and it is not affordable for all to buy songs off the music stores at almost a dollar for each song. With the advent of high speed internet connection, music is available as easily on the internet as on our local stores minus the expensive cost and the hard effort to find. Due to the numerous facilities offered by the internet music has become much cheaper and people find the music of their choice in a much shorter time.
"Musica gratis en internet" is available in various forms. They are as follows.

Free online radio: These are 24 hour radio channels. The websites present a variety of ads. One can listen to the music free of cost as long as they can keep up to those. The music quality depends on both the transmitting station as well as the bandwidth of the person listening to it. Normally the songs are offered at 56 kbps and 128 kbps quality but better quality may be available. Many radio stations also offer to listen to specific songs from a list of their collections.

Music search engines: Some search engines are built dedicated to music on the internet only. These keep a track of all the most popular categories of songs.

Free web music stores: There are many free music stores available on the internet. These websites also depend on ads for support to keep the stores going and as long as the listener visits the ads they have free access to the music store. Almost all popular music is available at these websites. The quality of the music is much better than the online radios and the songs are mostly available in mp3 format though other formats are not unexpected.

Blog sites: Another thing that has become popular with the popularising of internet is "blogging". Many independent musicians and music lovers post free music on their blog regularly.

Reference:Saarthak Choudhury

Musica Popular Brasileira - A Concise History

MPB, which stands for Musica Popular Brasileira, and translates from Portuguese as "Brazilian Popular Music," represents the broad body of work began by one of the most creative generations of musicians 20th century music has seen. Some of the classic representatives of the movement, which arose out of Brazil in the late 1960s and is often referred to as Tropicalia, are Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Tom Ze, Jorge Ben Jor, Maria Bethania, Os Mutantes, Rita Lee, and Chico Buarque.

The music made by these and other such artists does not constitute a specific genre so much a shared spirit of experimentation, especially with the integration of American and British popular music influence (Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, et al) into Brazilian styles such as bossa nova and samba. This experimentation resulted in a wide variety of musical expression, from the psychedelic music of Os Mutantes, the samba-funk of Jorge Ben Jor, and the highly versatile work of Caetano Veloso who incorporated folk, rock, pop, psychedelica, and even disco into his albums. Veloso continues to release vital albums to this day, in fact, and is considered by many to be the iconic example of an MPB artist.

More recent MPB artists of note include Marisa Monte, Otto, Lenine, Chico Cesar, Bebel Gilberto, Moreno Veloso, MoMo, and Carlinhos Brown. Also worth noting are the contributions of American experimental/No Wave musician Arto Lindsay as producer of recording artists such as Caetano Veloso and Marisa Monte.
In the 1990s, English-speaking audiences began to become aware of MPB thanks to the "Brazil Classics" series of records released by David Byrne on his Luaka Bop label, particularly the albums "Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical" (1989), and a volume dedicated to the idiosyncratic pop-composer and Avant-Tropicalist Tom Ze ("Brazil Classics 4: The Best of Tom Ze," 1990).

Many current American musicians have professed to have been influenced by Tropicalia, including Beck, Devendra Banhart, andDan Wallace (two songs by whom are available for free download here:www.danwallacemusic.com/download).


Reference:C. Vincent Powell

How To Use Technology To Accelerate Your Piano Learning

Some people might get turned off by technology when it comes to learning to play the piano. Nothing could be further from the truth. Technology can help you play faster and better in all areas of music.

o Perfect Your Pitch Pro - Perfect Your Pitch Pro is a simple but powerful game that you can play on your computer. It is for all levels. You will start off with the notes A, B, C, and D and are played various notes in which you must decide what was just played, using a multiple choice answer board. You get 10 points if you answer correctly first time, 6 points if it takes 2 guesses, 3 points if it takes 3 guesses, and 0 points if it takes 4 guesses. You can only progress from level to level if you score enough points. As you progress, the game gets gradually more difficult. You'll be amazed at how quickly, just by playing this game, you'll train your ear via self-correction without much effort and eventually you'll clock the game and be able to recognize all 36 notes on the chromatic scale (across the 3 center octaves).

o Jayde Musica Pro - learning to read music can be boring and monotonous. Jayde Musica Pro helps to bring the fun back to learning to read music. Watch as musical notes fly across the screen and do your best to identify them! This game goes from beginner to advanced levels, complete with high scores. You will find this to be the easiest, most effective way to learn how to read music. You will be amazed at how quickly you will enjoy using Jayde Musica.

o KeyCellerator - Keycellerator is fantastic for learning how to read music to an intermediate level. KeyCellerator takes over from where Jayde Musica leaves off so that you can take your music reading to a new level, while having incredible amounts of fun in the process! Soon you'll be sight reading even the most complex chord shapes with the same ease that you read a book. Who would have ever thought what a brilliant all round musician you'd be?

These are some of the tools that can help you learn to play piano faster and better. Use any or all of them whenever you have a chance. You'll see yourself ahead of those who don't.

Reference:Alex Nguyen

Piano Lessons - Games to Keep it Fun While You Learn

My wife is a piano teacher and has been for quite some time. Her students are mostly children, though some of them are much older (such as myself), so she tries to make learning to play the piano as fun as possible. Her main focus is trying to incorporate into her piano lessons games that will keep her students in practice and still keep them excited.

Learning the piano isn't like it used to be in the old days. To be honest, the idea of sitting in a room with nothing but a metronome, a song book, and a piano sounds terribly boring. But with the computer age in full swing there are more and more "piano lessons" games and software packages offering ways to improve your skills while keeping you entertained and having fun.

My favorite games, and the ones we share with our students right from the start, are the ones where you can try and beat your own high-score. I've never been a big fan of competition; it becomes too easy to give up because someone else is consistently doing better than you, but trying to beat my own best record really got me practicing. Nothing pushes a student to keep going like beating their old score and knowing that they can beat the new one too with just a little more playing.

There are two games that I call my favorites.

• Jayde Musica Pro - This game is awesome for those of us who think reading music is complicated and boring. When talking about piano lessons, games like this just make it too easy. Notes fly across the screen and you do your best to identify them. The more you identify the higher your score (and within no time you know ALL the notes like the back of your hand!)
•  
• Chordinator - A multiple choice game that leads you along through the complicated mess of Chord notation. This game is great and, once again, lets your beat your own personal best.

I used to have some serious problems reading sheet music and it seemed that no matter how often my wife would remind me of what meant what, I still couldn't seem to remember it. The problem was that I spent too much time beating myself up for not understanding and that took all the fun out of it for me. The above games really fixed that.

Of course, now that I can read the sheet music all I really have to do is work on my timing. I looked all around the internet for a "metronome trainer" or something like it and finally found it in an online course called Rocket Piano. I was surprised to find that Rocket Piano offered Jayde Musica Pro and Chordinator. I told my wife about it right away and now we recommend the Rocket Piano course to all of our students so that they can practice at home. They've all said the same thing...it's so much fun! These piano lessons games are the absolute best, whether you're a student or even a teacher.

Calgary based Infinite Simplicity provides Web Design and Online Marketing services to entrepreneurs and small to medium business. Establish a presence, boost current traffic, dominate Google. Web Design made simple.

Reference:Raymond Remi Rheault

Gadget World Review - Apple iMac

We already had a review on this year's iPhone 3Gs, and iTouch, but what about their big brother iMac? Read up to see what Apple has in store for us with its 2009 iMac! Let's say you decided to get an iMac and show off to your friends. If you were to go to the store with these thoughts in mind, you might get very surprised, and even spend a little more time looking for the new iMac where the old one used to be.

To everyone's disbelief, Apple hasn't changed the appearance of the new iMac at all. It's still the same white case with a silver touch, plain white wired keyboard, and same old wired mighty mouse! What did change - is the price. A $300 price reduction has been at the top of Apples priority lists. Better hardware at a cheaper price. We've been looking at this exterior since August 2007, but how about we get a closer look at what comes at the heart of this new price.

A look inside the mighty iMac

This year's iMac comes in 4 different models, which can be customized a little to your liking right at the store. Starting at $1199 iMac has a 20" screen, 2.66Ghz Intel's Core 2 Duo (last year's iMac came with 2.4Ghz kick to it), 2GB of ram, 320GB Hard Drive, and nVidia 9400M video card. It is definitely cheapest at $1200, but doesn't really have the VALUE tag attached to it.

Next in line, and probably best positioned, is the 24" iMac with the same 2.66Ghz chip and nVidia 9400M video card, but with 4GB of RAM, and hard disk space at 640GB. This model is priced at $1499. At $200 more expensive than the 20" model, it surely screams "value!" with double the ram and twice the hard disk space and most importantly 24" masterpiece. The drawback is that $1500 is not exactly on everyone's budget, and $1200 is not exactly a value pick here. But let's see how well the top models fair.

Next in line is also a 24" iMac, with 2.93Ghz Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB of RAM, 640GB HD, and nVidia GeForce GT 120 (256MB), priced at $1799. Slightly better CPU and video card do not exactly justify a $300 price increase in today's market.

At the top of the food chain however is 24" 3.06 GHz, 4GB RAM, and 1TB HD iMac. It comes with either GeForce GT130 (512MB) or ATI RADEON 4850HD (512MB) [+$50] but probably for people who know what they are doing. If you need a machine optimized for graphics or gaming, iMac would do the job well, however if you require an upgrade to 8GB of RAM, it will cost you another $1000. Otherwise stick to the $1500, 24"! Its nVidia 9400M is more than capable of handling current apps and games!
Final Words on iMac

So. If you wanted to buy an iMac last year and didn't, this year it's the same thing but a little faster and $300 cheaper. But watch out, keyboard comes without a Num Keypad (they will however include it for free if you buy an iMac at Apple store). Best value is the $1500 model, comes with a huge screen and a powerful hardware. The only drawback is the glare that comes off this glossy screen, and can get really annoying in well lit places! Apple could have at least tried to make it a little dull. Maybe next year they will come up with a better design, for now enjoy better price and beefier system.

 Reference:Alexei Budco

Apple iMac - 21.5 and 27 - Inch iMac - Better Picture and Superior Graphics

The new Apple iMac 21.5-inch, 1920-by-1080 display has 17 percent more pixels than the previous 20-inch iMac. The new Apple iMac 27-inch, 2560-by-1440 display features a whopping 78 percent more pixels than the 21.5-inch Apple iMac desktop computer. And what's more, a 1000:1 contrast ratio assures you more vibrant colors and blacker blacks; all that in a widescreen display with a 16:9 aspect ratio - the same as an HD TV.

With quad-core processors and superior graphics, the new iMac is the fastest and most powerful iMac up till now. The new fastest ever Apple iMac comes with high-performance graphics that make games run smoother, load photos quicker, and make applications work better. If you want even faster graphics, there is also an option to choose an iMac with a more advanced ATI graphics processor.

The 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac models offer fast Intel Core 2 Duo processors up to 3.33GHz. The 27-inch iMac features Quad-core power with a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 processor or 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor. The new iMac has 4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 memory standard, with room in its four SO-DIMM slots for up to 16GB, so you can run more applications at the same time. And with a Serial ATA hard drive up to 2TB, feel free to add up more photos, videos, and music.

The new iMac is quicker at importing photos and performing basic editing tasks such as red-eye removal and to erase small blemishes in iPhoto. If you're a photo fanatic who is keen on the power and precision of more professional applications, the 2.8GHz quad-core iMac gives you up to 2x quicker performance with Aperture.

London iMac Repair - Innovative IT, based in Central London, provides professional, same day  iMac G4 Repair , iMac G5 Repair and Intel based iMac Repair in London, UK for all Apple iMac desktop models.

Reference:Stephen Dingwall

How to Manage V-Cards With Your Blackberry

The BlackBerry is perfect for sharing contact information, having very useful devices that allow the user to manage contact names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and even vCards. A vCard (Virtual business card) is a contact information from your BlackBerry's Address book, that you send someone as an attachment to your e-mail, very much alike the e-mail professional signature. If the receiver also has a BlackBerry device, he will be informed that he has the option of saving the information from the received vCard.

Sending the vCard is very simple: 

- Select Messages from your BlackBerry Home screen, press the trackwheel, then select Compose mail from the menu and select the recipients of your e-mail.

- Scroll the track-wheel and select the contact you want to send your vCard, then press the trackwheel, type the subject and the message to the recipient, then press the track-wheel again, choose the Attach Address from the menu, pick the contact info you want to attach to the e-mail. 

- Press the track-wheel and select Send from the menu.

If you just received a vCard and you would like to save it in your BlacBerry, this is how you do it: 

- Select Messages from the Home screen and press the track-wheel, select the message that containing the vCard and press Enter 

- Select the attachment that appears and choose View attachment 

- Press the track-wheel and choose Add to address book. Now the vCard is saved to your BlackBerry's Address book and you can search for it anytime you want.

Reference: Adrian Alexa

Customize Your BlackBerry's Address Book

The BlackBerry's address book serves the same purpose as any other address book does - manages the contact information about people. This tool helps you effectively store the contact information so as to easily get it every time you need it, meaning very often. The BlackBerry address book is specially designed so as to help you access it from various applications, like Messages or Calendar. If you have already managed a customized contact list on your Personal Computer, it is very easy to import it in your BlackBerry. You can also synchronize other features like e-mail, memos, appointments and so on.

Adding contacts on your BlackBerry is not a difficult task, just scroll the track-wheel to select Address Book on the Home screen. Scroll again the track-wheel and click to select New Address. Then, you can enter the contact information you like - mobile number, home number, e-mail address, job or address and save all changes. You can also add new fields if you feel it's appropriate, through the User field.

You can always rename a user field by scrolling the track-wheel to navigate through User fields. Press the track-wheel and select Change Field Name, enter a new User field name by typing the keyboard, save all changes by pressing the track wheel or typing the Enter key. You can also add contact from other BlackBerry applications. For example, when receiving e-mails, you may want to save the e-mail address of the sender, or you received a phone call from a number which is not listed in your address book. You already have this information stored in Messages or Phone from your BlackBerry. In this case, simply cut and paste the text to Address Book.

Reference:Adrian Alexa

Apple iPod Touch 4 (4G) - 4th Generation Gadget

The all new Apple iPod touch 4G released yesterday. Since weeks, much has been rumoured about its release date and its features. To everyone's surprise, this new iPod was suspected to have front and back facing camera for retina purpose. This is seriously the same iPod with the same front and back facing camera. The new jewel on Apple's crown is obviously this new 4rth generation iPod touch that has been released yesterday.

iPod touch 4th Generation design

Starting with the specification that all new iPod provides you, the first comes is the iPod 4G designs. It has great stainless body design that is sleek. There is complete 15% off on thickness and weight of the body. The stainless steel back design has been retained from the older model. When you keep it in palm of your hand, you will find it thinner and sleeker. Earlier it was expected that the device will have boxier design but now it has come up with its retained look and stylish sleeker image. The main benefits we are getting in its design is for all the companies that were present when this Apple product has been launched yesterday. So, do not be very shocked to have the cases and everything being out in market for this great iPod venture.

iPod touch 4th Generation specs

This Apple iPod touch 4 is the first iPod from Apple that has front facing camera feature with it. You are going to enjoy facetime video calls along with your family and friends. The camera allows you to have 720p HD video recording. You have also got instant messaging and video calling facilities. This iPod must be of interested to teens and kids. With the help of camera, you can surely get the Apple apps downloaded in your iPod. There are good photo manipulation functions and you can make zombies, ghouls, avatars etc. If you are a music lover then this is surely for your taste of music. This new iPod 4 is not only latest generation from Apple but also iPod Nano 6 generation device. Designers have also suggested that this new iPod Nano 6 will be having 30-pin dock connector. The new iPod will be having touch screen display unit and it will have a screen of 2 inch.

Since the time it has been released, Apple iPod 4G is receiving good review. Apple new iPod touch 4G would be available in pre order and you will get an improved battery life in this iPod. New iPod 4G price has been quoted as $229 for 8GB with rear camera capable of HD video, while it is $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB.

New iPod touch 4th Generation models

Finally, you have this iPod in your market and you have all the upgrades that you have been thinking about. So get yourself updated with new features in this new iPod 4G models.

Reference: Phyza Phaeem

Apple iPod Touch 4 (4G) - 4th Generation Gadget

The all new Apple iPod touch 4G released yesterday. Since weeks, much has been rumoured about its release date and its features. To everyone's surprise, this new iPod was suspected to have front and back facing camera for retina purpose. This is seriously the same iPod with the same front and back facing camera. The new jewel on Apple's crown is obviously this new 4rth generation iPod touch that has been released yesterday.

iPod touch 4th Generation design

Starting with the specification that all new iPod provides you, the first comes is the iPod 4G designs. It has great stainless body design that is sleek. There is complete 15% off on thickness and weight of the body. The stainless steel back design has been retained from the older model. When you keep it in palm of your hand, you will find it thinner and sleeker. Earlier it was expected that the device will have boxier design but now it has come up with its retained look and stylish sleeker image. The main benefits we are getting in its design is for all the companies that were present when this Apple product has been launched yesterday. So, do not be very shocked to have the cases and everything being out in market for this great iPod venture.

iPod touch 4th Generation specs

This Apple iPod touch 4 is the first iPod from Apple that has front facing camera feature with it. You are going to enjoy facetime video calls along with your family and friends. The camera allows you to have 720p HD video recording. You have also got instant messaging and video calling facilities. This iPod must be of interested to teens and kids. With the help of camera, you can surely get the Apple apps downloaded in your iPod. There are good photo manipulation functions and you can make zombies, ghouls, avatars etc. If you are a music lover then this is surely for your taste of music. This new iPod 4 is not only latest generation from Apple but also iPod Nano 6 generation device. Designers have also suggested that this new iPod Nano 6 will be having 30-pin dock connector. The new iPod will be having touch screen display unit and it will have a screen of 2 inch.

Since the time it has been released, Apple iPod 4G is receiving good review. Apple new iPod touch 4G would be available in pre order and you will get an improved battery life in this iPod. New iPod 4G price has been quoted as $229 for 8GB with rear camera capable of HD video, while it is $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB.

New iPod touch 4th Generation models

Finally, you have this iPod in your market and you have all the upgrades that you have been thinking about. So get yourself updated with new features in this new iPod 4G models.

Reference: Phyza Phaeem Article Source:

Review of Apple iPod Touch

The iPod is a brand of miniature ultra light hard-drive based audio players. It is designed and marketed by Apple Computers. It is a touch-sensitive media player that has slim design, large storage capacity and much else beside. iPod Touch is not a cell phone or a smart phone, but it is a tiny digital gadget that performs nearly all of the other functions of a smart phone. The iPod is similar to the iPhone without the phone. In other words, the iPod has almost all of the iPhone's features but the connection to network. Use it to listen songs, watch movies, play games, check email, or browse the web. Except for making phone calls, it can do just about all a smart phone can do, excluding monthly fees to your phone service provider. It is like having a tiny computer in your pocket.

The iPod has three main functions: it is a music and video player, a web browser and emailer, and it can run applications downloaded from Apple's App Store.

The iPod Touch comes in 3 versions: 8GB, 32GB, and 64GB. The new 64GB model can store a giant music collection. The 64GB storage gives more than enough space for your music, games and photos, application requirements - 64 GB capacity can be used to store 14,000 songs, 90,000 photos, or 80 hours of video. For video, the Touch's screen is impressive. Videos purchased from iTunes look outstanding and the on-screen controls worked well. There are many free applications, games, and music products from Apple that you can placed on your iPod. The email tool is straightforward but worked well enough.

When you buy ipod you will get a small "Start Here" guide, a dock adapter, the customary headphones and a white USB charging cable.

The iPod Touch has a sharp and clear 3.5" multi-touch screen at a resolution of 480x320 pixels. You just place your finger on the arrow and slide your finger across the device to unlock the iPod. You operate the iPod Touch by tapping and dragging on the screen with your fingers, same as you do on the iPhone The iPod Touch has just a few buttons and ports including. Apple proprietary USB charging port and a regular 3.5 mm stereo earphone jack.

The iPod comes with OS 3.1 preinstalled, but it can very easily be upgraded to iOS 4. Just attach your iPod to the computer, start iTunes, and perform the update. All of the iPod touch 3rd generation models get the capability to make folders to store your apps. This is a very good organizational tool when you downloading apps from the iTunes store which offering more than100,000 apps. You can download additional apps directly from the iTunes store or you can download them to your PC or Mac and then sync the iPod Touch with the computer. The iPod Touch comes with built-in apps that contain a calendar, contacts, notes, stocks, weather, and a calculator.

The Apple iPod gives amazing entertainment for all ages. All of the models in the iPod family are designed to be user friendly, and can easily be used by little kids.

The iPod Touch is more than just a music player. It is an incredibly impressive and handy gadget.

Reference: Sini Saja

IPod Touch Games - From Classic IPod Touch Games to the Latest IPod Touch Games Review

So you have just bought yourself a nice new shiny iPhone or iPod Touch and you want to download some cool games? To save you hours of surfing I have chosen the top ten games for iPod touch to bring you the very best of the bunch and a list of the most well loved games you can download and play in your ipod touch. Here you will find a comprehensive list of iPod Touch games. I have scoured the internet for the best iPod touch games and have listed them in their respective categories.

Latest ipod touch games:

Scramboni is a multiplayer online game that requires you to unscramble words by clicking on tiles that appear on the screen. You earn points for guessing the words correctly with an additional bonus for being the quickest one to submit the correct answer.

Stunt Car 3d Game : The objective is to stay on the ramp and drive as fast as you can.

Features:

- Smooth customizable real-time 3D vector graphics
- Time based physics simulation
- Two spectacular tracks (more to come)
- Easy and Hard difficulty levels
- Accurate timers and lap counter
- Hall of Fame (saved in Safari)
- Optional Frame rate display

Hammer Tap Game :

An infuriating and addictive game. You have 60 seconds to tap as many moles as you can. Imagine your fingers are hammers. Moles popping up from their holes and teasing you.

Columns Game :

A combination of Tetris and Bejeweled games for iPhone and iPod Touch. Columns of colored jewel drop onto the field. Use the buttons to shift the column or rotate the colors to form a set of three jewels of the same color either horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Asteroids Game:

Fight your way through waves of asteroids using only gravity mines to steer your starship. Pick up power ups to help you, survive waves of non stop shooting action and save your score online in the global leader board. Relax and enjoy beautiful patterns in the bonus playground mode.

Penguin Attack:

Help penguins to protect their home iceberg from the invasion of aliens.

Blackjack iPod Touch Game:

Play against the house. Complete with Vegas rules including double downs, splits, and surrender. This is the best Blackjack game for iPhone and iPod Touch I've come across.

Soduko Game:

The classic Sudoku game for your iPhone & iPod Touch. You can play more than 15,000 Sudoku games. Surprisingly easy to use if you are already familiar with Sudoku.

The Top Ten iPod Touch Games:

Mind dojo -

This game by dBelement is their first game/puzzle and as introductions to the world of gaming go they have made a good start. The game/puzzle gives you a variety of questions to test your intelligence. It is timed and keeps score so you can track your progress.

Smash -

This is a quick moving arcade style game a bit like, does anyone remember breakout? The objective of the game is to remove all the blocks on the screen by hitting them with the ball without loosing it.

Omega Ball:

Peg solitaire comes to the iPod touch and that just about sums this game up. A good modern version of a classic continuing the latest trend for relaunching old classics. Good fun but is however nothing original.

Fat Free Poker:

Fat free poker is an adaptation of poker for the iPhone and iPod touch. It has a good recreation of a poker set up (table etc) with the ability to talk to other people using the game through the messaging system at the bottom of the screen.

iPhone / iPod Touch Reversi:

The goal of the game is to finish with more black tokens than white tokens on the board. Be careful your opponent is tricky.

iMinesweeper:

Minesweeper, it is as old as the hills. There is even a theory that the game was invented before the actual boat, but that is just a bit silly.

iPod touch Chess:

If you are in the mood for a little intellectual challenge then download the ipod touch chess, choose the appropriate level for your opponent, and let the mind battles begin.

Bejeweled:

Now you can play Pop Cap 2001 classic, Bejeweled, on the ipod touch. The game that has spawned countless three in a row clones works well on it is latest platform.

Battle at the sea:

Battleship for the ipod touch, what a treat? Well the old plastic toy with little model boats has been upgraded to an electronic version for everyone.

Battle Fleet:

The game that Bill and Ted used to challenge the Grim Reaper, escape the depths of hell and go on to create world peace is now bought to your iPhone and iPod touch courtesy of some chap called Roger.

Carmadillo:

Like frogger but with a different species of road-kill, Carmadillo is a brilliant time waster and must-have bookmark.

Tetris:

Tetris on the iPod touch. What more is there to say?

Connect 4 Touch:

This game is very simple and is just like Connect 4. It works just the same as Connect 4 and is very basic in design. It is however very nice to use and allows you to play against the computer or another person.

Hangman for ipod touch:

Despite the title it is not just for the iPhone but for iPod touch too and even works on the PC. Well what can I say about this? It is Hangman for the iPhone/iPod touch, nothing more, nothing less.

Reference: Peter Ville

Google's Android Phones Challenge Apple iPhone For Smartphone Market Share

At a media forum on Thursday July 8, 2010 at the Allen & Co's Sun Valley conference, Google executives Larry Page and Sergey Brin informed Journalists that Steve Jobs was re-writing Android's history to align with Apple's interests. They argued that contrary to Steve Jobs claims Google had been working on Android long before the iPhone was launched in 2007.

According to Mr. Page: "We had been working on Android for a very long time, with the notion of producing phones that are internet enabled and have good browsers and all that because that did not exist in the market place. I think that the characterization of us as entering after the iPhone was introduced is not really reasonable. " Google co-founder Larry Page opined that that Mr. Jobs claim that Google went into the phone business in order to challenge Apple iPhone was false.

However, a review of smartphone history will show that Google acquired Android in 2005 and began making phone prototypes soon afterward. Informed sources say the model of the Android phones that Mr. Jobs saw at that time looked more like the Blackberry. This suggests that Google's initial idea may not have been to make phones that look like the iPhone.

Now the question most industry watchers are asking is if Google had been working on an Android powered phone why they did wait until September 2008 a year after the iPhone was launched to introduce the G1 phone? In addition, the facts suggest that it was because of tensions over Google's entry into the phone business that may contributed to the exit of Mr. Eric Schmidt from the Apple board. Analysts believe that Google may have been working on an android powered phone before the iPhone was introduced but the iPhone seemed to have given them better insights as to how to perfect their own smartphone. This is especially true given the resemblance of the Nexus one to the iPhone.

A further confirmation of Google's motive for launching the Android phones could be gleaned from comments they made at the Google I/O conference held last May. At the event, Google explained that they introduced Android to consumers so that Apple would not acquire enormous influence that could become draconian.
In addition, the facts seem to suggest that Google went into the phone business following the realization that future of computing would be in portable devices like phones and tablet computers. As a result, they went into the phone business with the goal of dominating web search on that platform just like they had done on the desktop. This notion is supported by Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google in published comments he made in an interview with the UK Guardian newspaper on June 25th 2010. In that interview Mr. Schmidt suggested that he wants Android to be the Windows of Mobile.

Also in that same interview Mr. Schmidt made critical comments about Microsoft Windows and said: "You have to ask how on earth Windows Phone - which will have a paid-for licence - is ever going to attract any handset makers, but it must be loudest for developers considering whether the shrinking, forwards-incompatible pool of Windows Mobile phones is really worth bothering with".

In contrast, Apple appears to have gone into the phone business as a re-positioning strategy and with a goal to make huge revenue from the sale of the smart phone hardware itself. Also with the advent of the smart phones, Apple realized that there was a huge potential in the area of mobile Advertising. This was why they sought to acquire Admob. While Apple was negotiating to buy Admob which is a mobile Advertising company Google quickly stepped in and acquired Admob. As a result Apple went ahead to acquire Quatro wireless which is Admob's biggest competitor. In reaction to Google's acquisition of Admob Apple has re-written the rules of its mobile Advertising platform called the iAd therefore shutting out Admob, which had been acquired by Google.

As the smart phone war rages on Bloomberg, news reports that Apple has sold more than 50 million iPhones since its introduction. According to Apple CEO, Steve Jobs the latest version, iPhone 4 has sold more than 3 million units since its June 24, 2010 debut. Analysts believe iPhones account for nearly 35 percent of Apples $42. 9 billion revenue. Also, the iPhone has over 200, 000 applications with over 5 billion downloads till date.
The rapid growth of applications on Apple's ecosystem could be traced to the initial incentive the company offered to developers. For example at the beginning, in order to encourage Applications that will run on the iPhone, Apple made an indirect investment by virtue of a $100 million venture-capital fund set up by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Today Apple has paid over one billion dollars to developers since inception.
Apple's success has spurred other players in the smartphone market like HP, LG, RIM, Google, Palm, Nokia, and Microsoft to develop mobile stores where customers with mobile platforms can pay and download applications.

Just like Apple, Google has been, achieving success with its Android powered smartphones as sales have continued to rise dramatically. A confirmation of Android's growth could be gleaned from the positive comments made by Google's Senior VP of Product Management, Jonathan Rosenberg in July 2010. According to Mr. Rosenberg there are 160, 000 Android-based devices being activated daily. He stated that Android search grew by 300 percent in the first half of 2010, with strong growth expected to continue in the second half.

Mr. Rosenberg added that overall revenue jumped by 24 percent year-on-year and profit increased by 19 percent, as well. Informed reports show that as at May 2010, there were 50, 000 Android Apps but today they are over 70, 000 and by the end of the year they should reach 100, 000. In addition, Google has tried to encourage developers of applications for the Android operating system through a contest. Also according to data made available by Andro Lib, Android users have downloaded more than one billion application till date.
Interestingly, another measure of the success of Google Android phone could be seen from positive figures posted by HTC the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer in the second quarter of 2010. The company in July 2010 announced that its net income rose by 33 percent for the second quarter, and total revenue was 58 percent more than last years figures. According to the Wall Street Journal for the second quarter of 2010, HTC made a profit of $268 million.

The rise in the profit of HTC is a reflection of the success of Google because analysts believe that it is Android phones that are driving the company's growth. The wide acceptance HTC's Google Android powered phones like Evo 4G, the Droid Incredible, the Google Nexus One, and T-Mobile-My Touch 3 are helping to position HTC as a leading smartphone manufacturer.

A pointer to the rapid growth of Google's Android could be discerned from the fact that Comscore reported on July 8 2010 that Google's Android platform grew by 44 percent from February to May. According Comscore in the three three-month time frame from December to February, Android had a mean market share of about 9 percent of smartphone's in the United States. However, in the following three-month time frame, from March to May, Android market share grew to about 13 percent.

Remarkably inspite of the increase in Android's market share Comscore report showed that as at July, 2010 that RIM was number one with 41. 7 percent share of U. S. smartphone subscribers, followed by Apple with 24.4 percent share. Microsoft was 3rd with a 13.2 percent share; Google's Android was 4th with 13 percent and Palm was 5th with 4.8 percent market share. Market analysts say a review of the totality of the Market will tend to suggest that Android is growing at a rate that will see it outpace all its competitors.

The Google -Apple face off in the smart phone market is turning out to be like Apple -Microsoft war of the 80's and 90's. In the Apple-Microsoft war of the 90's Microsoft gained competitive advantage over Apple because while Microsoft was forming partnerships with PC vendors, Apple kept its operating system closed for use in only its own computer systems. In that kind of arrangement Microsoft Windows soared in market share while Apple stagnated.

In the present case Google's Android platform is growing rapidly because it is free so many handset manufacturers are showing a preference for it. Also and is available on multiple-carriers like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile. However, the Apple iPhone Os runs only on a single device -the Apple iPhone and on one carrier ATT. Experts believe if this trend continues it that may lead to slow growth for the iPhone in future.

Industry sources say, it may only be fair to make comparisons between Apple iPhone and other smartphones running on Android on an individual basis to determine how well each one stacks up against the iPhone. Experts believe that collectively the smartphones running on Android may eventually have more market share than the Apple iPhone smartphone which is a single device, but individually none of the Android phones would likely outsell the iPhone which is regarded as the fastest selling smart phone in history.

A pointer to what the future of the smartphone market will look like is contained in recent report published by IDC, a Market intelligence company. According to IDC's analysis by 2013 Symbian will be number one mobile OS worldwide, while Android will be the No. 2. IDC predicts that Android may likely achieve the fastest growth of any mobile operating system ever.

 Reference:Henry Aladiume

Must-Have Apple iPhone Accessories

Thousands of people have joined the Apple iPhone craze. Regardless of how expensive this revolutionary phone is, more and more people are buying iPhones and are continually anticipating more from the device. Call it greed but these people have their reasons behind their craving for the latest from Apple Macintosh's iPhone. This device's technology extraordinaire and sleek design are the top reasons why many patronize it.


If you are one of the thousands who hit the Apple iPhone stores once you hear something new, you have things you can do to keep your investment in top notch condition. Indeed your Apple iPhone is an investment; just think of the large amount of money you spent for your phone. Since you invested on it, you should think of using it at its full potential and keeping it from being damaged or scratched. Luckily, Apple iPhone accessories are available in the market to help you do that.

Slider Case
An Apple iPhone case is a must have for your phone's protection. One of the best iPhone cases in the market today is the ultra-slim slider case. It offers a wall thickness of 1mm and is made of plastic. Its interior rubber guardrails gives shock absorption and scratch protection. Pick the color that works best with your style, there are many to choose from.

Screen Cover
Try anti-glare films available in the market. These static cling films can provide protection from scratches, dust, and dirt; not to mention fingerprints and smudges. They are easy to apply and are good LCD screen protectors for your iPhone.

Bluetooth Headset
You may be one of those people who love to multitask. While talking on the phone, you need both your hands to do something else aside from holding your phone to your ears. The Bluetooth headset is the ultimate answer to your need. It has a single button that allows you to make or receive calls wirelessly. A Bluetooth headset is a practical choice.

Stereo Headset
Stereo headsets are the answer for your earphone and microphone need. Keep in your bag, pocket, or car and use it anywhere. It has a microphone capsule that can serve as a Send/End button for answering and ending calls. Use it to control music playbacks as well.

Car Charger
You do not have to worry about your iPhone running low on battery while you are on the road. With an iPhone car charger, your phone is fully charged while you travel. You can rest assured that you can use your phone any time you need, battery power is no problem.

Make full use of your iPhone and at the same time keep it unscratched with the use of these accessories. Your Apple iPhone is an investment worth protecting.

Reference: Prinzel Campaner

The Apple iPhone 4 is an Instant Success

Recently released, the Apple iPhone 4 is already Apple's greatest sales achievement. Throughout the UK and US they are currently selling fast, but what about the iPhone 4 makes it so special? Let's take a look at what this phone has over the competition.

Features
In addition to the newly released iOS 4 software which adds many great features including multitasking, the new iPhone 4 also offers many new features as well.

First there is the new "retina" display, boasting an eye popping 960x640 resolution screen with 326ppi (pixels per inch). This new screen shows sharper text and the clearest video of any phone out there. The new display also enables great angle viewing and is able to display 720p high definition video.

In addition to showing great video, the new iPhone 4 also takes great videos as well. While the new 5mp camera may not have the highest megapixel count out there, the software is what enables crystal clear pictures and video. Also with the addition of an LED flash your videos and pictures in low light come out clear as day
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The other great addition to the video capabilities of the new Apple iPhone 4 is a front facing camera. This addition allows video calls using a new feature called FaceTime. While it's now only available for iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 calls it is a very cool feature that over the coming months will surely expand to include other phones and features in the future.

Internal Hardware
Now that we've looked at the new features you can see on the outside let's look at what makes this phone outperform its competitors, the internal hardware. The new Apple iPhone 4 offers some of the most advanced hardware of any phone on the market.

The greatest hardware advancement in the new iPhone 4 is the processor, featuring Apple's A4 chip it boasts speeds of 1ghz which is 400mhz faster than the iPhone 3GS. Also helping speed up the new iPhone is 512mb of ram compared to the iPhone 3GS's 256mb. Just using the phone for a few minutes you can tell the amazing speed of the new handset.

One of the biggest complaints about most phones is the battery, and the Apple iPhone 4 features a battery that lasts 40% longer than the previous iPhone 3GS. While making the battery bigger and more powerful Apple also made the phone thinner, 24% thinner than the iPhone 3GS.

What helped enable the new iPhone 4 to be thinner than previous models was the new antenna design that integrated the phones antenna into the stainless steel band that runs along the edges of the phone. In addition to the glass front and back panels this new phone looks futuristic compared to other handsets.

Overall
Overall the Apple iPhone 4 is the greatest handset Apple has ever produced and their best selling product ever. With sales already in the 2 million range and stores struggling to keep them in stock worldwide, it will be a while before this phone is readily available everywhere.

With the new features and hardware the new iPhone is capable of more than ever at much faster speeds. The new antenna design also has shown to get better reception and the integrated Wireless N technology enables the fastest Wi-Fi speeds yet.

So if you can find one snap it up, there's no telling how demand will affect availability and this is not a phone you'll want to miss out on.

Reference:Chris Westley

Troubleshooting Your IPhone - Recharge, Restart, Reset, Remove, and Restore

There are many reasons that you might be experiencing problems with your iPhone. But before doing something to correct what is wrong, you need to find out first what caused the problems. Troubleshooting your iPhone is not as difficult as you would think. In fact, you might be surprised that you can troubleshoot your own iPhone even if you are not a tech savvy person.

A frozen iPhone is one of the most common problems of the Apple iPhone. This means that your iPhone is not operating as expected or totally not working. Here are some of the tips and tricks for fixing your iPhone when it freezes or when other problems arise.

Recharge. Make sure to charge your iPhone with a high-powered USB port, not on a low powered one. Your keyboard USB port (if you have one) is low powered, therefore you cannot charge your iPhone with that port. Only a high-powered USB port will charge your iPhone or you can also use your iPhone AC adapter. You can easily determine if your iPhone is not receiving a power to charge by just looking at the battery image. If you see the red part of the battery image flash three times and then the screen goes black... this is an indication that the iPhone is not charging.

If recharging your iPhone doesn't solve your problem try this one.

Restart. Try restarting your iPhone but if your iPhone is locked up or an application was frozen, you need to cancel the frozen application first before you can restart. To cancel the frozen app, press the home button and hold for about 6 seconds. You should be able to cancel the program that is locked up. Then restart your iPhone. To do this hold the sleep/wake button and wait for a red colored slider to appear. Slide your finger across the slider to turn off your iPhone. Before you turn it back on, wait for at least 10 seconds. To turn your iPhone on, hold the sleep/wake button until you see the Apple logo.

If recharging or restarting your iPhone doesn't solve your problem try another solution.

Reset. To do this, hold the sleep/wake button and Home buttons simultaneously for a few seconds. The display will quickly wipe itself and you should see the black background and white Apple logo. Just ignore any other symbols that may appear. It is important that you wait for the Apple Logo before releasing the two buttons. The Apple logo signifies that a reset is well done.

But then again, if recharging or restarting or resetting your iPhone doesn't solve the problem, you may also try another way.

Remove. More often than not, your iPhone will not work as you expect, if there is content that is not properly synced. This will require more than a restart... you may need to totally remove the problematic content. You may try to remove certain content such as contacts, calendars, songs, photos, videos, or podcasts. Such content may be causing your iPhone not to sync properly. To do this, connect your iPhone to your computer and go to the iTunes site. Change your sync options for each of the following categories: contacts, podcasts, calendars, etc. Click on the iPhone in the Source list, then select each tab to change what content is synced, and then click apply.

But if recharging,restarting, resetting or removing content from your iPhone still doesn't solve the problem, try another one.

Reset Settings. There are two ways to reset the settings of your iPhone. First go to settings and then general, then reset, then reset all settings. This will reset everything but no data or media will be deleted. Second, go to settings, select general, select reset and choose erase all contents and settings. This will unfortunately remove all of your saved files, folders, and content, so do this with caution. You may want to backup all of your content before attempting this. The second way will put your iPhone back to the state when you first bought it. Again, use the second option with care
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If all the tips mentioned above didn't work... you may try this option.

Restore. Try restoring iPhone using the latest version of iTunes. Connect iPhone. When it appears in the Source list, click on Restore in the Summary tab. This will also wipe the iPhone and all your information on it.
There are many ways to troubleshoot your iPhone. If you are still have problems the best advice I can give you now is to go to Apple.com The iPhone troubleshooting section of Apple's main iPhone support site contains a walkthrough for situations like this. They have an enormous amount of information out there for you. This may be the best way for troubleshooting your iPhone.

Reference:David Chan

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Top Business Mobile Blackberry 9500 Price

The BlackBerry devices are giving good competition to other branded devices in mobile phone market.
 Among all BlackBerry devices Blackberry 9500 Price is very much appreciated by many handset users for its gorgeous looks and interactive features. Besides its fascinating features, this BlackBerry 9500 Storm comes on contract deal which also attracts handset lovers very much. It's been nearly two years since Steve Jobs first demonstrated the IPHONE, a move that shocked the mobile phone industry. The IPHONE wasn't just a "bit better" but a completely different approach. In the 18 months that the IPHONE, and then the IPHONE 3G have been on sale we honestly couldn't even consider another phone; now we have two to look at. The first is this one, RIM Vodafone (the second is the T-Mobile G1 or Google phone as its better known).

Is it us or has the smart-phone market just got a little bit crowded? Of course, competition is a great thing because it means more choice for us all, and with more choice you're more likely to get the sort of features you want. It's also more likely to put the pressure on everybody to continuously improve, rather than stagnate... so we welcome the Blackberry 9700 Price  with open arms. This is the first mobile phone we've seen that we would seriously consider buying instead of an IPHONE 3G. What's great about the BlackBerry Storm 9500 (and to an extent the T-Mobile G1) is that it's not an "iClone." Although it sports a large touch-screen display, and it's clearly RIM answer to the IPHONE (not to mention the phone that RIM hopes will claw back market share), it hasn't simply copied the IPHONE blueprint. Instead, RIM has taken everything that's good about previous BlackBerry phones, and made a full-on touch-screen model.

The BlackBerry Storm is something of a departure for RIM, and not just because it's the first touch-screen Blackberry 8520 It's also a handset that has been jointly designed by its customers - the mobile phone operators Verizon and Vodafone. Unlike most other mobile phones, which launch initially on one mobile phone network but are later rolled out and offered by several, the BlackBerry Storm is completely tied in to these two carriers. In this sense it is more like Apple's IPHONE model, which is only available from O2 in the UK and AT&T in the U.S. The Blackberry Thunder 9500 is sure to be one of the best Touch-screen phones offered by Verizon. Combining the good looks of an IPHONE with the business capabilities of Blackberry, the 9500 may just offer the best of both worlds. No release date has been announced. There are many websites from where one can get more information about the BlackBerry 9500 Storm that comes on contract deals. One can purchase this contractual device either through the mobile phone shops or some online retailers who offer this device at very much reasonable price. Apart from these contract deals, the BlackBerry 9500 Storm is also equipped with many interactive features.

Reference:Joanne

How to Build an iPhone App

Do you really want to build an iPhone app?
This might sound like a daft question at first. But I want to make sure that you have fully explored your target audience and considered whether it would be more suitable to launch an app on the Blackberry or Android platform.

If you have your mind set on an iPhone app, then I urge you to also consider what happens when it is a success? Yes, I am assuming that your iPhone application will be a success because they are growing so rapidly. Will the agency you use be able to launch a similar app on the other platforms so as not to alienate consumers? Will you choose to combine your iPhone app with perhaps a mobile website that would allow all other smartphone users to access your content?

Search out the iPhone apps you like!
I have managed many website and iPhone application projects and one of the mistakes I regularly come across is managers that are too reliant on the designers. I suggest that as part of your initial brief you really look into all the different types of iPhone apps that are within your market. If there are no iPhone apps then simply look at what you like. Consider why one flows better than another, what elements frustrate you and what ideas could you use to build your iPhone app
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Understanding Apple Connect for your iPhone Application
Apple Connect is a website used by your iPhone application developer. It is basically a website that holds the details of your app and is used to send your iPhone app binary code to Apple for them to approve... if you are lucky (I'll get to that in a moment)

It is also the place where everything you see on iTunes is managed. So those screen shots you see for each app, you guessed it, they are uploaded through connect. You may want to go through connect with your iPhone app developer just to get used to what you can and cannot do.

Pricing your iPhone Application
Apple operates a tiered pricing structure so all you have to do is select a pricing tier from 1-10 to set your price around the world i.e if it is 59p in the UK then it will automatically be 99 cents in the US. Again, you can access this with your iPhone developer by visiting Apple Connect.

Planning your iPhone app layout
Bespoke apps will be much less expensive if you do the ground work. By this I mean work out exactly what you want and create a 'work flow' diagram. Basically start with a blank picture of an iPhone and sketch in your iPhone app splash screen and homepage. Work out what buttons will go along the bottom of your iPhone app to create the menu - you can have five buttons.

Next, using lots of blank iPhone images, create a hierarchical structure of your iPhone application. By doing this, you can literally show your designer how you want it all to work i.e. click here and it shows this screen or searches this item. Don't worry too much about whether it is technically possible as your iPhone app designer will undoubtedly suggest some options for improvement. Once the iPhone app workflow is complete then you and your designer know exactly how the app should work.

Bespoke iPhone Apps V's Online App Builders
Only about 12 months ago, if you wanted to build an iPhone app then you had to look for a bespoke answer. Today things are rapidly changing and there are a number of US based companies and one UK company offering a build your app online service.

The fundamental difference between bespoke iPhone application development and online app builders is cost and flexibility. So it all comes down to 'what do you want your iPhone app to do?' and how much do you want to pay?

With bespoke iPhone applications you really can create just about anything and there are companies or individuals very skilled in this area. So ask yourself what you are trying to achieve. Is it brand building through clever entertainment or are you trying to get content to your customers in order to a) interact with them and build your brand or b) help them through to the final purchase of your product or service?

Think back a few years to the use of flash in website design. I was lucky enough to be part of a website pitch to Disney and guess what; we went over the top with flash. Incidentally we won the contract, however soon there were full flash websites everywhere. Today it is very much a different story, for most websites the number one objective is to get content across quickly and efficiently and in a manner that customers are used to, so for example, having the menu on the top or the left hand side of your webpage. Flash is now used predominantly in other areas to add to the overall user experience.

So for what might be classed as 'utility iPhone apps' stick to the rules and always think about the content you are trying to deliver.

Online iPhone App Builder
The main thing that you need to consider when using an online app builder is will it deliver what your customer needs? Can an online iPhone app builder offer your customer everything that they require without you having to spend anywhere between £3000 and £20000 plus, building a bespoke iPhone application!
Most online app builders allow you try them for free for either a set time or until you publish your app.
iPhone App Download Restraints

Your iPhone application needs to be less than 10mb's if you want users to be able to download it from their phone via a standard connection i.e. not wi-fi.

If you are developing an iPhone game application of sorts then you are likely to go over this limit, however for an iPhone business application, then ideally try to keep it under 10mb's

iPhone Content
If you read only one piece of text in this whole document, make sure you read this next part which looks at iPhone app content and the importance it has in getting your iPhone application signed off by Apple.
When you set about building your iPhone application the first thing you need to realise is that content is vital. Let's take entertainment and games out of the equation for a moment because by their very nature they are highly likely to get signed off. So let's concentrate on building a utility or business iPhone application.

Whatever you do, don't build it just because everyone else is. Build it with your customer in mind. Do your customers already view your products online, are they interested in your news, do they visit your website to access content that is not available elsewhere, can you help your customers with a problem, do you want to find out what your customers think? These are just some of the questions you should consider when building your iPhone application.

Like any marketing or communication tool...building an iPhone application only works as an entertainment gimmick on rare occasions. For 99% of us, it has to serve a real purpose.

What we do know however is that your customers want information, news, products or promotions in the palm of their hand and with an iPhone app you have the perfect marketing tool from them to access your content and interact with your company.

The Cost to build an iPhone Application
A bespoke app can cost anywhere from £3000 to £20000 upwards. The price of bespoke iPhone application development is decreasing as more and more as iPhone application developers enter the market.
Building an iPhone app online costs anywhere from between $10 -$100 per month rental in the US an around £45 per month in the UK.

Submitting your iPhone App
When your iPhone app is submitted to Apple for approval you can expect to hear whether it has been approved or rejected after 1 or 2 weeks. If it has been rejected than Apple will give you some indication as to what needs to be improved before you can submit your app again.

You will have to work with your developer to asses and fix the problem.

I hope that you find some of the information useful and good luck.

Reference;James Scott