NHL 2K11 A Must Have For iPhone Users
Aug 25th
Hockey lovers who have been waiting for a solid, affordable NHL game for the iPhone can finally rejoice. NHL 2K11 is an incredibly entertaining game of hockey with enough bells and whistles to keep you playing all throughout the season. Perhaps the best part about it is the price - only $1.99 right now in the App Store. There is also a free “Lite” version, however it only allows you to play for 1 period, as either the Chicago Blackhawks or the Philadelphia Flyers.
The full version provides you with a surprisingly vast experience. You are able to play a Quick Game - jumping straight into an exhibition match as any of the 30 NHL teams with fairly updated rosters. You can also choose Shootout Mode, which is fairly straight forward. Free Skate mode, which is essentially a practice allowing your 5 players to skate around and try to score without any defensive opposition aside from the goalie. Lastly, there is Season mode, which is almost shockingly extensive. As you guide a team through the journey towards the Stanley Cup, you can adjust lines, change strategies and even trade players. There is a trade deadline and salary cap as well to give this the feel of a full console title.
Of course you can toggle almost any setting as you would in a normal game from penalties and offsides, to period length and difficulty. The menus flow naturally and the loading time is surprisingly quick. It definitely has the feel of a console hockey game from roughly 2-3 years ago which is certainly impressive for a mobile device.
To go along with the positives, there are some negatives. The graphics aren’t the smoothest to be seen on the iPhone, and the game has not yet been optimized for the retina display of the iPhone 4. The ice surface looks fantastic, but the players feel a little blocky and the crowd is very flat.
The controls are simple to pick up, with players being controlled by an on-screen joystick on the left side, with passing, shooting and speed boost in the right. After a couple of games it starts to feel “normal” like a console controller, however passing can be a bit tricky at times.
NHL 2K11 does work with multitasking, however there is no auto-pause when switching out of the app, so make sure to pause the game manually otherwise you may return to see the game completed. The game description boldly states that this is not compatible with 1st Gen iPhones, iPhone 3G’s, or original iPod Touch. So unfortunately if you don’t have an iPhone 3GS, 4, or a newer model iPod Touch you will not be able to play this game.
For the $1.99 price tag, NHL2K11 is literally worth every penny. All the teams, all the players, and a bevy of options will surely keep players on the ice as the NHL season rolls around.
Rogers unveils its first Pay as you go BlackBerry
Aug 25th
Remember not long ago when we reported that Rogers had launched prepaid BlackBerry data, a first of its kind for Canada? Well, it seems as though they are following up on this promo by introducing the soon to be discontinued Curve 8520 on prepaid. Pricing is a bit high at $349.99, but comes with the standard $50 credit and a free Bluetooth headset on activation.
For more information check out Rogers.com
[via Mobile Syrup]
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Telus Turns On HSPA+ Network in Saskatchewan!
Aug 25th
Finally! SaskTel customers are still waiting, but if you’re a Telus customer (or wanted to be), you’ve been waiting for this day a long, long time.
Small portions of Saskatchewan have had their HPSA+ network turned on, and others (the light green areas) will follow in Q4 of this year. Nothing else to say here except WOOT!
(thanks @Dan_L, via HowardForums)
Android 1.6-powered LG Loop Arrives At Rogers
Aug 24th
Does Rogers need another low-end, old-software Android device? Like I need a hole in the head. Which isn’t very much (though, reading press releases sometimes…). Perhaps what they need to do is take the devices they already sell, like the Samsung Galaxy Spica, HTC Magic+, Motorola QUENCH et al, and UPGRADE THEM INSTEAD.
Uhem. On a lighter note, Rogers has released the very attractive-looking LG Loop for a low $29.99 on a three-year term, and $249.99 outright. What you get is a brushed aluminum frame with a 3″ 320x480px screen, GPS, WiFi, 3MP camera, and Android 1.6.
Would I recommend the equally-cheap Acer Liquid e over this device? In a heartbeat. But will you listen to me?
You’d better.
(via IntoMobile)
PingChat! for BlackBerry now in App World
Aug 23rd
PingChat! for BlackBerry is now in App World under the ‘Newest Apps’ section. If you haven’t given this app a look as of yet, I suggest you do now.
PingChat! Is a cross platform instant messaging application that works between iOS, Android & BlackBerry platforms. It supports group messaging as well. The UI is clean and it has a 1up on text messaging because a check mark pops up next to your messages when they have been read by the recipient.
PingChat! is fairly new and still needs some work, but it’s coming along very nicely and all platforms will be seeing frequent updates with a bunch of new features in the near future. I have a pretty good feeling PingChat! Is going to be in App World’s top 25 downloaded apps fairly soon.
You can find PingChat! for BlackBerry here in App World.
Texting World Record Broken with Samsung Galaxy S
Aug 23rd
These days, the topic of keyboards on mobile devices is a hot one. Some prefer the Cadillac ride of a BlackBerry keyboard, while others prefer the on screen touch goodness that is found in the iPhone 4.
One recently crowned world record holder though, prefers the keyboard found on the Samsung Galaxy S which makes use of SWYPE. 25.94 seconds is all the time it took Melissa Thompson of Salford, England, to capture the Guinness World Record for fastest typing on a mobile phone. After being invited by Samsung to compete for the record, Melissa’s winning sentence as determined by Guinness was the following:
“The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.”
Oddly enough Melissa claims, since moving in with her boyfriend, her texting speed capabilities have actually decreased since she no longer sends as many daily messages. In any event, the previous record holder held a time of 35.54 seconds for the exact same sentence. Looks like Mellisa’s texting skills are doing just fine. How fast can you type?
[via Mashable]
Windows Phone 7 Developer Tools Finalized on September 16th, App Submissions Begin in Early October
Aug 23rd
Just over six months after the introduction of Microsoft’s Window Phone 7 mobile phone operating system, the Windows Phone Developer Blog has announced that the gold release of the Windows Phone Developer Tools will be available on September 16th. Along with that news, we have also been informed that application submissions to the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace will begin sometime in early October. There still isn’t a set hardware launch date, at least nothing more than the “ready for the holidays” line that we have seen before, but with the Marketplace ramping up in early October we’re going to set our sights on a late October or November launch date.
[Via Windows Phone Developer Blog]
What does Toronto think of the BlackBerry Torch 9800? [Video]
Aug 23rd
TheCellularGuru.com and SeanWard.net have developed quite the creative relationship lately and we use it to our viewers’ advantage.
Many know the talk in the BlackBerry world has been about the recently launched (in the US) Torch 9800 slider, but those in the know also want the chance to play with it before they take the plunge. That being said we decided to take our review unit to the streets of Toronto and give our loyal viewers the chance at their own hands-on experience.
The reaction was mixed, but definitely weighed in positively, have a look:
[Click here for mobile friendly viewing]
So, you have read the review and seen what some of your peers have to say, but what are your thoughts? Still on the fence? Leave a comment letting us know the verdict!
Hijacking for the Right Reasons: A Phone Guide
Aug 23rd
If you’re paranoid and neurotic then the following is a must read.
I know you thought about it – getting your hands on his/her phone to check text messages, passwords, contacts, pictures and anything else that will get you answers about the inner workings of the opposite sex.
Yet, why waste your time with those details? What you really want to know is cell phone behaviour – this will provide the answers you seek.
Cell phone behaviour is defined by the sound profile. Yes, dear readers – that is all. Now, I know you thought it started and ended with the phone skin – but that was based on personality – now we must go deeper and analyze motivations and intentions, hence behaviour. When you hijack his/her phone (I will leave the hijack plan to you), check their sound profile – is it normal, custom or silent? Check out the following personality types and see if you’re crazy or sane.
The Silent Predator
This person is the most dangerous yet also the most vulnerable. You will never really hear his/her phone although it will be frequently seen placed casually on the dinner table or surgically attached to the hand. Basically, the blinking light or vibrating phone indicates to them there is a message and they drop everything to check it.
How you know you are crazy or sane: If he/she answers your messages/texts/calls in a timely fashion but then one day suddenly stops, then there is a definite problem.
The Loud Killer
This person wants the whole world to hear their phone whether it be their loud message chimes, glass tingling vibrations or “I am bringing sexy back” ringtones. Of course, said person could also be too lazy to change their sound profile.
How you know you are crazy or sane: Does he/she have a custom ringtone for you? This could be sweet or disturbing – in any case – it may be prudent to check who else on his/her phone has a custom ringtone. Furthermore, the crazy/sane test is similar to that of the silent predator.
The Multiple Personality
By far the most cunning of the three – this person has silent and loud profiles for different occasions, moments and people. It will be hard to determine the true personality and will take further investigation over a span of a week or two.
How you know you are crazy or sane: Call/message said person everyday at the same time to see if he/she will answer. Track timing, if erratic then decide if you can put up with it, in most cases I would suggest moving on to the next one.
In all seriousness, it is difficult to pin down cell phone behaviour when it comes to you, since he/she is not messaging or talking to you on the phone when with you in person. My advice is to learn about their sound profile as soon as you have invested interest – this will alleviate and answer a lot of burning questions about timeliness of receiving messages and calls.
This Week In BlackBerry 8/15-8/21
Aug 22nd
Just last week we had the release of the official BlackBerry Podcast app, BBM 5.0.1 and Desktop Manager 6.0. RIM did not slow down this weeek, as they released Facebook for BlackBerry v1.8 and App World 2.0 to the public. Isn’t it great when you load apps/updates that give you a sense of renewed appreciation for your device? I sure do but let’s face it, that appreciation fades pretty damn fast. Especially after seeing BB6 run like butter on the 9700. Hit the jump to see what you may have missed this week in BlackBerry>>
News, rumors & leaks
Video: BlackBerry6 running on the Bold 9700
BlackBerry Bold R020 To Replace 9700
BlackBerry Oxford 9670 housing for sale online [Pics]
BlackBerry 9670 Clamshell Not Exclusive to Verizon, Headed to Sprint Soon?
Half off the BlackBerry Torch 9800?
Rogers Introduces Pay As You Go BlackBerry Data
apps
Are you experiencing notification issues with Facebook v1.8 for BlackBerry? Here’s the fix..
Facebook for BlackBerry v1.8.0.49 available in App World!
BlackBerry App World v2.0.0.36 Rolling Out Now – Full Details
Third Dropbox Beta Released For BlackBerry
Good Video Browser for BlackBerry
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