App Review: Golfshot: Golf GPS by Shotzoom Software

Golfshot: Golf GPS by Shotzoom Software is an amazing app for all golfers.  At first I was worried about getting this app since I have an iPod Touch which doesn’t have a GPS.  Now that I have the app and have tested it out, I am pleased to report that it works great on the iPod Touch, and I didn’t really miss any of the added features that the GPS allows you to have.

To start out, Golfshot will show up with all of the golf courses that are nearest to your location.  You get to select which course you will be playing on and which tee box you will tee off from.  For those of you with an iPod Touch, you will need to download the information for the course that you are playing on a Wi-Fi network before you go golfing.  After that, you get to add any other golfers that will be playing in that round with you.

When you get to the golf course, you can pull up an aerial view of the hole you are on.  By holding one finger on the screen, you can move a target on the screen to map out your approach to the hole.  The app will give you the distance from your tee box to the target, as well as the distance from the target to the green.  Those with a GPS enabled iPhone can get distances measured using their GPS location, specify distance to the front, center, or back of the green, and see professionally mapped targets for each hole.  Those without GPS (iPod Touch and iPhone first gen.) can view distances based on predetermined measurements of the course, which can still be very helpful.

After you have finished a hole, you can input the scores for each person.  To enter scores, just tap on each golfer’s name and put in their score. Following that, you can put in which club you used at the tee off, how good of a shot it was, whether or not you hit into a sand bunker, and whether or not you got any penalties.  After all the information is entered, the app will display your score.  You repeat this process for all of the golfers in your group.  By turning your device to landscape mode, you can see the scorecard that looks like the ones that are supplied by most golf courses.

The other major feature of this app is statistics.  After you play a round of golf, you can view your stats from that round. Some of the stats are Driving Accuracy, Greens in Regulation, Recovery Performance, Putting Averages, Scores by Par, and Scoring. These stats are great for helping you see patterns, good or bad, in your golf game.  For me, they helped me to realize that my drives usually veered off to the left.  Now the next time I play I will be able to adjust my swing so that my drives will go straight.

Golfshot is a rather expensive app.  However, if you are looking for an app that has all of the same features as this one, your only alternative is a $300 plus GPS.  This lower price point makes Golfshot well worth the money.  It works seamlessly, and it can really help you to improve your golf game.  If you are an avid golfer, this app is a must have.

Developer’s Website: http://golfshot.com/

App Review: Baseball Slugger: Home Run Race 3D by Com2uS Corp.

Baseball Slugger: Home Run Race 3D by Com2uS Corp. is a great game that is loaded with cool features. The object of the game is to win gold balls so that you can buy new things. You can buy things like new shirts, bats, and gloves. These things will help you to become a better player by increasing your power and contact with the ball. These items are available at the player shop.

There are several different modes that you can play in to win gold balls. The first is called Match-up. In this mode, you will match-up head-to-head against other players from around the world. If you get a better score than the person you are playing against, you will get more gold balls. The next mode is called Classic. This mode will allow you to try and hit home runs until you fail 9 times. The number of  home runs you get determines the number of gold balls you receive at the end of the game. The last mode is Arcade Mode. This mode is the same as Classic Mode except that the number of home runs you hit doesn’t effect the number of gold balls you receive. A gold ball will be pitched once in a while. If you hit a home run with this gold ball, it will be added to your stash of gold balls that you can use to buy new gear.

The controls on the game are extremely simple. To move your swing area, just tilt your device. To swing, just tap anywhere on the screen.  Baseball Slugger is an awesome game. It has super amazing 3D graphics and very easy controls. This game is an essential.

Developer’s Website: http://iphone.com2us.com/game/overview.asp?gcode=slugger

App Review: MotionX GPS by MotionX

Once in a while we have an opportunity to spend some time with a really cool app and for the past few day’s I’ve been checking out MotionX-GPS by MotionX.  Like every other tech or gadget junkie out there, GPS falls right in, and so does this app.  However, you definitely don’t need to be a techy person to use MotionX GPS, in fact the app is developed with the active, outdoorsman in mind.  So, if you are a biker, walker, jogger, hiker, sailor or do pretty much anything outdoors, then keep reading.

When you launch the application it will immediately start to try and get a lock on GPS satellites.  Now, remember this, MotionX GPS is a GPS application that utilizes the iPhones location services and as such requires the ability to lock onto the necessary satellite signals.  So if you are indoors you may find that the GPS satellite signal is weak or even non-existent, so go outside.  We never once had a problem getting a good satellite lock indoors or out, even on rainy days, but your mileage may vary based on obstructions in your area.

MotionX GPS has many functions that you would find in a typical handheld GPS unit.  Some of these functions include GPS readout, Stopwatch, Track Record, Waypoints, Compass and Navigation.  Your typical GPS readout screen is just that, it shows you your latitude and longitude as well as altitude.  This screen is also where you can see your GPS signal strength and if you’ve previously set a waypoint, then it shows distance and bearing to the waypoint.

Stopwatch, one of the more useful functions, is for when you are about to start your run, or hike or walk and want to track various aspects of it, such as plotting it on a map, measuing your time and distance and more.   To get started, touch Start then as you go MotionX GPS will track where you go, distance travelled, max speed, average speed and elapsed time.  This is useful for runners or bikers during training or for anyone wanting to know how long it takes and speed measurements to travel some distance and then also to see it plotted on a map.

Waypoints is the ability to find a distant point (waypoint) on a map, then allows you to mark that point on the map.  Now, using the GPS unit, you can navigate your way to that point.  Using the Compass it will show you the direction to the waypoint and you can also see the distance to it.  This function is usefull for Geocaching or finding your way to a distant point where roads and other obvious markers wouldn’t help.  You can enter a waypoint by double tapping on a map, entering lat and long, or entering range and bearing.

Our one complaint with MotionX GPS is that it does require a cellular signal in order to download maps from either MotionX or Google. In short, there is no offline maps for those looking to go into the backcountry where cell signals are non-existent.  So if this is you then you’ll want to pass on this version of the app, hopefully a future version will have the ability to download maps to the device and remove this limitation. UPDATE:  Thanks to MM in the comments we were put on to the fact that MotionX GPS allows for map caching.  Using this feature you can, theoretically, pre-cache maps into the app for use when no cell signal is available.  We didn’t fully test this but I did play with it for a few minutes and it does appear to cache maps locally.  However, the one major problem I have with this method is that you must pre-navigate the area in which you want cached maps for (a similar shortcoming to oMaps that we reviewed earlier).  If you don’t pre-browse the area then there will be no maps for it.  Also, Google maps are not available offline since their T&C’s do not permit caching.

In all I found that the app worked extremely well.  In fact, I was a little hesitant based on some of the bad reviews in the App Store, most of which complained about no GPS signal (see warning above).  We did not experience any such issues while runnig this app on an iPhone 3GS either sitting in my living room our outside on rainy days.  It simply just worked.  Something else to be aware of when running this app: you’re running it on a phone - not a true GPS device.  So some of the built-in features of a phone can also limit the functionality of the app, specifically auto-lock.  Once your phone locks this app is suspended by the iPhone OS and will stop tracking.  To overcome this limitation MotionX added their own application lock.  Enabling this disables the auto-lock of the phone and allows you to keep the app running for longer periods.  However, beware, the app is a bit of a battery hog.

If your the outdoorsy type and stay within a cell signal then this app is a must.  If you’re just like me and must own everything that is techy, then the $2.99 is also an easy spend for such a usefull application.  The rest of you that are just looking to play with GPS may find the lite version is sufficient.

The lite version is free.

MotionX GPS Website. Checkout several videos here.

App Review: MLB.com At Bat 2009 by MLB.com

MLB.com At Bat 2009 by MLB.com is an awesome way to keep track of all your favorite baseball teams on the go. There are so many features in this app that it is hard to cover all of them. You can view stats, play by plays, and even watch live games.

Live games allows you to watch up to two baseball games per day. Each of these games will be streamed live to your iPhone/iPod Touch, but you must have the 3.0 software update. These games look great.  That app displays the video in the highest quality possible over your connection.

Another great feature is the Gameday Audio. This allows you to listen on to the radio coverage of the game of your choice. You can listen to either the Home or the Visiting team’s radio station. While you listen to the Gameday Audio, you can also watch Gameday. Gameday will allow you to see where each and every pitch goes. It will also supply a summary for every single play that happens on the field. If you want to see one of the plays in action after it happens, you can go to the Video Highlights section. This will allow you to watch any of the significant plays that happened during the game.

An hour after the game is over, you can watch video highlights and recaps of the game. Every game, even those not featured for live coverage, have video highlights and game recaps.

MLB.com at bat 2009 is a must have for any sports fan. Whether you like to watch the game or listen to the radio, this is a great app. I only wish that there were an app like this for all the other sports. MLB.com at Bat 2009 is definitely worth the $9.99, and makes great use of the 3.0 OS capabilities.

MLB.com at bat 2009 is $9.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/iphone/

10 Last Minute iPhone Apps for Father’s Day

With Father’s Day fast approaching, I am sure there are many out there wracking their brains trying to figure out what to get for Dad.  Here are a few ideas sure to please him that you can buy without ever having to leave your house.

App Review: Real Soccer 2009 by Gameloft

Real Soccer 2009 by Gameloft is an awesome game that uses all the iPhones great features. The game’s main menu has several different game modes that you can play in. The first is Exhibition Mode. This mode allows you to play just a single match rather than many at once. The next is Cup Mode. Here you can choose to play for either the World Cup, the European Cup, the Asian Cup, the American Cup, or the African Cup. The next option is League Mode. This mode allows you to compete in the league of your choice. The next mode, Multiplayer, allows you to compete against you friends in head to head matches. The last two modes are Training and Penalty Kicks. Training Mode teaches you the Basic and Advanced game play. Penalty Kicks allows you to practice your penalty kicks against another team.

The controls on Real Soccer are awesome. You can move your player by using the pad in the bottom left of the screen. If you tap the pad twice and then hold it, your player will sprint. You can perform fancy tricks by simply taping in different ways on an empty part of the screen while your player has the ball. When the ball goes out of bounds, you can tilt your device to aim where you want to throw and then shake your device to throw the ball in. To pass to an opponent, all you need to do is press the B button. The longer you hold B, the more powerful your kick will be. If you wish to shoot the ball, all you need to do is tap the A button. The longer you hold A, the more powerful your shot will be. When you are on Defense, you steal the ball by simply tapping the B button when you are close to the opponent who has the ball.

Real Soccer 2009 is an awesome game with many cool game play features. It also offers over 12 stadiums to play in and over 198 teams to play on or against. This game also has great 3D graphics. This game is sure to be one that you will love.

Real Soccer 2009 is on sale for $2.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.gameloft.com/iphone-games/real-soccer-2009/?to=us

App Review: iSoccer Backstreet by Artificial Life, Inc.

iSoccer Backstreet by Artificial Life, Inc. is an awesome game that will allow you to try and become the best street soccer player the world has ever seen. You start off by choosing the character that you would like to play as in the game. Then you begin your training to become the top soccer player. You start off with very simple challenges to complete, but as you go farther they become harder and take longer to complete. Some of these challenges are: juggle the ball for as long as possible, make a goal, and destroy objects by kicking a soccer ball at them.

As you complete the challenges, you will unlock items that you can use to customize your player. These things include soccer balls, shirts, pants, and shoes. You can go onto the customization screen where you can change what your player is wearing. You can also unlock different tricks. After these are unlocked, you will be able to apply them during a challenge.

If you feel like you need to practice your skills, but you don’t want to do it in Story Mode, you can use the Quick Play Mode. This mode allows you to play any of the challenges that you have already unlocked in Story Mode. The difference is that you don’t have to have a time limit in Quick Play. You can set the time to unlimited and then you can go and practice at your own speed.

iSoccer Backstreet is an awesome way to go freestyle and try out your soccer skills. The controls differ with each and every challenge. They are always very easy to use and to figure out. This is one of the best freestyle games to ever touch the App Store.

iSoccer Backstreet is $1.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.artificial-life.com/alife/index.php

App Review: World Cup Ping Pong by Skyworks

It appears as if Skyworks has another great app out.  World Cup Ping Pong is currently coming it at #8 in the iTunes App Store.  So, I decided to take a look and see what all the fuss was about.  I wasn’t disappointed.  This app falls in line with many of their other sports apps.  It is well-written and fun to play, especially if you happen to like ping pong.

The game is simple and easy to play.  Simply place your finger on the screen and slide it around to move your paddle.  The direction and speed that the paddle is moving when it hits the ball determines the speed and direction the ball takes.  You can also put spin on the ball by moving the paddle quickly in the direction you wish it to spin as you hit the ball.  Being that the name of the app is World Cup Ping Pong, in each game that you play, you get to choose which country you want to play for from the eight country flags displayed.

The variation in the game comes in the four different types of games that the app has to offer.  There are options for one player, two player, and tournament games.  In Tournament Mode you are entered in a tournament consisting of three rounds (quarter finals, semi finals, and finals).  The winner in each round game goes on to play the winner of the other games in the round until there is a winner.  Of course, you are the only real player and the other 8 in the tournament are played by the app.  It is still fun to see if you can come out on top.

In Arcade mode you play without an opponent.  The ping pong table is folded up so that the other half of the table forms a wall for you to hit the ball off of.  As you play, colored circles appear on the wall.  If you hit the circles, you get extra points.  The goal is to keep the ball in play as long as you can and to get the highest score you can.

Practice mode allows you to practice your ping pong against a computer generated opponent.  The first player to reach 11 points wins.  This mode is a great place to get used to the controls and learn how to play the game.

The last mode is Head to Head.  In this game mode, you can play against another person on the same device.  The view of the game in this mode switches to an aerial view of the table and each person plays on one half of the screen. World Cup Ping Pong is a well-designed game that provides hours of fun for all ages.

World Cup Ping Pong $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Developer’s Website: http://www.skyworks.com/iphone/

App Review: Baseball Superstars by GAMEVIL Inc.

Baseball Superstars ‘09 by GAMEVIL Inc. is the best baseball game in the App Store. The game’s controls are simple and work just like a game system controller. In the basic game mode, you play just like you are in a real game. You control each batter that comes up to bat and the way they run the bases. To advance to each base, select the arrow pointing towards the base you would like. You can return to bases and also steal them the same way. To swing you press the O button and to bunt you press the square button. You can change the location of the batter’s swing by using the arrows on the right side of the screen to move him around in the batter’s box. When you are pitching, you select the type of pitch you want using the arrows. Then, you can select the location of the pitch, and by pressing the O button release the pitch. To switch pitchers or batters you can press the time button at the top and select the replacement.

Another type of game play is called My League. You can play as either a batter or a pitcher. In this mode, you play only as your customized player. You can help your player train and buy items by getting popularity and G Points. The better you do, the higher your popularity will become.

You can also play in Season Mode. In this mode, you can pick a team and try to win the championship game after completing a season. You can see the league standings and look at your team’s stats from the Season Mode menu. The next mode is called Homerun Mode. From here you try and hit as many homeruns as you can within the time limit using your customized player from the My League mode. The last mode is called Mission Mode. In Mission Mode, you select one of your customized players and try and complete the mission. If you successfully complete a mission, you will be rewarded a set amount of G Points.

The first time you play Baseball Superstars, the game play is super fast making it hard to control what you are doing. If you wish to slow the game play down, you can go to the options menu and slow it down.

In my opinion, Baseball Superstars has great controls and is the only good baseball game in the App Store.

Baseball Superstars is available in the iTunes App Store for $2.99.

Developer’s Website: www.gamevil.com

App Review: Crazy Snowboard by ezone.com

Crazy Snowboard by ezone.com is one of the first great snowboarding games out there. The goal of this game is to complete several different missions and perform a variety of awesome tricks. There are three modes of game play.

The first is free play. In this mode, you get to roll down an endless slope and improve your skills flying off jumps and evading trees. Tilt your device left and right to steer using the accelerometer. Tap and hold to crouch, and release to jump. Once you are airborne, touch one of the four corners to do a great stunt. Hold tricks longer for multipliers and do multiple tricks in each jump to maximize your multiplier.

The next mode is missions.  There are thirty levels with individual tasks that need to be completed. They can range anywhere from gaining a certain amount of style points to jumping through rings to knocking down snowmen. On each level you need to gain a certain number of points to earn a gold medal for that level.

The last mode is bonus items.  In this mode you exchange points earned in missions for boards, riders, and extra stunts. To use each of these items just select “Use This.”  Only four stunts can be used at a time.  The options menu gives you the ability to turn off game music and sound effects.  One unique feature that I really like is the grab camera. This causes the camera to circle around the boarder while you are doing a stunt.  It is fun to see what you are doing from all angles.

Crazy Snowboard is an awesome game with great controls and graphics.  Who says you can’t have fun in the snow when it’s warm outside?

Crazy Snowboard is available in the iTunes App Store for $0.99

Developer Website: www.ezone.com/iphone