via MacStories: 50 Must Have iPhone and iPad Apps

MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci is known for his “must-have” app and software lists for all things Mac and iOS. I’m not a Mac user but I see some interesting and usable choices in his latest lists for both iPhone, My Must-Have iPhone Apps, 2014 Edition, and iPad, My Must-Have iPad Apps, 2014 Edition. He breaks them down into seven categories:

  • Work Essentials
  • Social
  • Audio and Music
  • Photos and Screenshots
  • News
  • Health
  • Utilities

Some of the apps are Mac-centric, meaning you have to also be a Mac user to get the benefits he touts, but most are not tied to working along with a desktop computer. If you got a new iPhone or iPad recently, check out his lists.

Uncharted 4 wallpaper via Forbes.com

Nathan Drake Will Make Me Get a PS4

I like to play a few video games. I’m not terribly good at console games what with being almost a half century old and a little thing called Cerebral Palsy, but I like to play anyway. Online shooters are almost an utter waste of time for me. There’s no way I can compete. My son could waste me in most games by the time he hit 6 or 7. So, I do mostly solo or co-op games where either ridiculous dexterity is not needed or the difficulty can be dialed down. If it’s an adventure game, I love good stories and cinematics. The best series for fun, story, acting, and visuals I’ve ever played is the Uncharted series.

Three years ago, I bought a PS3 just so I could play DC Universe Online and Uncharted 2. After a few hours of playing treasure hunter Nathan Drake in Uncharted 2, DCUO was pretty much forgotten. If you’ve never played, Drake is a modern day cross between Lara Croft and Indiana Jones, although a bit more violent at times than either of them. Developers Naughty Dog have created a series of games with wonderful characters and dialog, beautiful locations, and awesome action but easily accessible to even casual thumb stick jockeys. I was totally sucked in to Uncharted 2 and immediately bought its predecessor upon completion. A year later, Uncharted 3 came out and I tore through it as well. At the end of “U3,” the character of Drake was going to settle down and quit trying to get himself killed chasing his fortune. And Naughty Dog said they were done making Uncharted games as well so they could work on other things. There has been persistent talk of an Uncharted movie with Matt Damon attached, although fanboys really want Nathan Fillion instead or the real Drake voice actor, Nolan North. But, to date, nothing has come of the movie rumors. I figured I was done with Drake for good, sadly.

And, then, a few months ago, a reveal video came out depicting Drake waking up in a jungle a bit worse for wear, as usual. The video is accompanied by a voice over conversation between Drake and his mentor/sidekick Sully. Drake is asking Sully to help him get “back in the game” because he has “no choice.” Check it out:

I showed it to my son and we were overjoyed!

And then, today, I spotted articles about the Playstation Experience convention in Las Vegas and how Sony showed 15 minutes of actual gameplay video of Uncharted 4 from a PS4. The audience was so jazzed by it, that everything that followed in the presentation paled in comparison. It was like going on stage after Led Zeppelin. It is absolutely gorgeous! The game play and combat are reminiscent of The Last of Us, also by Naughty Dog. And, just like the other 3 games in the series, Drake is still just as acrobatic and sarcastic as ever as he jumps, swings, shoots, and punches. It looks fantastic!

One problem: I don’t own a PS4. I’ve always said I won’t get a next-gen console until there’s a game I absolutely want that only appears on one. Neither Xbox One, Wii U, or the PS4 have had that game. But, come later in 2015, Nathan Drake will be back. And, Daddy’s going to need a PS4.

Honey, don’t blame me. It’s Drake’s fault!

via IO9: On Agents Of SHIELD, Revenge Is A Dish That Only Tastes Good To Psychos

IO9 has a nice spoiler filled review of last night’s Agents of SHIELD episode. We had to DVR last week’s episode and didn’t get to watch it until last night. So we got to watch both episodes as a sort of 2-part movie.

The Ward brothers have a chat (via IO9.com)

The Ward brothers have a chat (via IO9.com)

I agree with IO9 that the episodes this season are far superior to season 1. The story arcs are better. Ward’s creep factor is off the charts. Kyle MacLachlan is a delightful combination of psycho and funny. (Why doesn’t this guy get more work?) And, Director Coulson is hitting his stride again. (“You want pain? Come and get some.”) Awesome.

Anyway, if you’re all caught up on Agents of SHIELD, read the IO9 recap and make sure to read the very lengthy analysis by commenter “Cool Breeze.” It’s a nice pick apart of details and possible tie-ins to Avengers 2. (Anyone else notice Ward’s name drop of “Strucker?”) And, I agree with Cool Breeze: I’m not convinced that Simmons isn’t brainwashed. I think she may turn out to be “happy to comply.”

And, I don’t trust Bobbi either.

Why I’m Getting an Apple Watch: Because I Fail Dex Checks

The Verge has a nice summary of 11 ways the Apple Watch works and what developers may be able to do with it. I am getting an Apple Watch. It is a foregone conclusion. I upgraded my iPhone 4S to a 6 Plus because the 4S will not work with the Apple Watch. (I also wanted the bigger screen for my old man eyes.) But, I’m not getting the Watch because I’m an Apple fanboy per se. I don’t own a Mac and I love my Microsoft Surface Pro 2. It’s because I’ll be able to answer the damn phone with the Watch. If any of the Android watches or the Pebble Smartwatch had let me just answer the phone, I’d have switched back to Android last year.

Apple Watch photo (via qz.com)

Apple Watch photo (via qz.com)

I have Cerebral Palsy and holding any phone to my ear is possible but I have a good 30% chance of dropping the phone if I fail my Dex check. There’s a 45% chance I’ll accidentally cancel an incoming call as I grab my phone and 55% chance I’ll simply not get the phone wrangled in time to catch the call. Happens all the time. (No, I can’t show you the stats that produce the percentage chances above. Your brain would melt.)

For years, I have tried various straps and contraptions to attach a phone to my wrist. I’ve done it with flip phones and smart phones. It looked dorky, but it worked. However, the straps were invariably difficult for me to put on and they were uncomfortable. And, with a smart phone, I have to unstrap it to pick it up to take photos. With the Apple Watch, I’ll be able to answer the phone without fear of dropping the phone and the iPhone itself remains physical free for photos, etc.

There’s another benefit, although this one could be attained with one of the other smart watches on the market for Android or the Pebble. When I drive my modified van, my phone is not just my phone, as with most people and smartphones, it’s also my media center via bluetooth stereo playing music, feeding my podcast addiction, or one of dozens of audio books I’ve listened to on commutes over the years. But, I have to hold onto the phone as I transfer into my rotating powered driver’s seat from my scooter. While doing the transfer, I have to be careful so I do not drop the iPhone. I then place it in something secure to hold it. (I do not talk or text while driving. It’s dumb for everyone. Plus, I use hand controls.) Did I mention how often I fail my Dex checks? A phone connected to a wrist device means I can leave the phone in my scooter but still have it available for running my entertainment (while stopped at traffic lights/stop signs). If I can make calls from the Watch, then I have my phone on me in case of vehicle trouble.

Apple leads in mobile device accessibility to users with vision impairments and other issues. For example, Apple’s Voice Over screen reader blows Android’s Talkback away. I know they may not have intended it, but by making the Apple Watch able to answer the iPhone, Apple solved one of my personal accessibility hurdles I’ve been wanting to fix for almost a decade. Thanks, Apple.

And, I want to be this guy:

Dick Tracy and wrist TV phone

Dick Tracy and Wrist Phone. Copyright Tribune Syndication.

Via IO9: Vice Magazine Just Started Publishing Science Fiction Online

One of my daily visits online for SF, comic and general geek-pop news is IO9.com from Gawker media. (Yes, I know. Gawker’s not all evil. I think.) Amidst the usual news on movies, TV shows, comics and the danger of cats getting telekinetic powers, today I spotted an intriguing article about the online site VICE publishing SF stories online in a new magazine called Terraform. I won’t reiterate the whole article here, but I want to point out the unusual way VICE is going about it. They are purposely publishing stories that they hope will sort of go viral and get shares along in the various social media feeds we all have. They’ll try to do this by, well, being topical to whatever the big topics are of the day. As the IO9 article says:

“How are they going to do this? By “seiz[ing] upon and play[ing] off the zeitgeist” — so if everybody is already freaking out about drones, they’ll publish a story that has to do with drones, and become part of the conversation. This is a tremendously ambitious idea, one which would presumably require having a lot of stories in inventory waiting for the right news cycle — but if it works, it could make science fiction part of our discussion of technology and science in a new way.”

It’s an interesting idea that I hope catches on. I love seeing new venues for authors to get their work read that don’t rely on “old media.” Let’s see how this little experiment goes.
The firs issue includes stories by Cory Doctorow, Bruce Sterling, and Claire L. Evans. They plan to publish a new story a week and are seeking submissions. They want 2,000 words or less and pay $0.20 per word. And, stories can be in many types of style, but they prefer stories topical to issues today. In other words, more “believable” sci-fi than epic space opera. Try Terraform here and maybe whip up some stories to submit. I know I’m thinking of some…

Gaming Company News: Asmodee Merges With Fantasy Flight Games

Just announced today, game publishers Asmodee and Fantasy Flight Games are merging. This follows a merger earlier in the year of Asmodee and Days of Wonder.

Fantasy Flight Games, Asmodee Games, and Days of Wonder logos

Fantasy Flight Games, Asmodee Games, and Days of Wonder logos

 

As with the previous merger, today’s announcement states that the previously separate companies’ game studios will continue developing games independently. FFG gains access to Asmodee’s contacts and distribution in Europe and Asmodee gains access to FFG’s game development experience and titles like Netrunner, X-wing, Star Wars Edge of the Empire, Talisman, Battlestar Galactica board game, Battlelore, Elder Sign, and dozens more board, role playing and card games.

The previous merger with Days of Wonder gave Asmodee access to the Memoir ’44, Small World, and the Ticket to Ride game lines as well as Days of Wonder’s expertise in mobile game development. (DoW’s Small World and Ticket to Ride mobile games are exceptionally good.)

Asmodee is known for making a variety of games for both “gamers” and more casual/family players such as the Timeline series, 7 Wonders, Dixit, Seasons and many others.

All three of the previously separate companies were very successful in their own rights with large followings of players in several of their “cornerstone” games. I have a number of each company’s games in our home library including Timeline, Memoir ’44, X-wing, Mag Blast, and just about every variation of Ticket to Ride. Each had large exhibit areas at Gen Con last year and together would be the largest single exhibitor in terms of square footage at next year’s Gen Con should they keep the same “booth” size and demo areas. The combined companies are still dwarfed by mega toy and game makers like Hasbro, but have a combined library and distribution network much larger than other game con stalwarts like Mayfair, Steve Jackson Games, and Paizo.

The question is: Is Asmodee done merging and growing? If not, who do you think is next?

Holiday Shopping Time: the Web Is My Co-pilot

Shopping online is nothing new and millions of people do it daily. But, for someone like me with a significant mobility disability, online shopping and home delivery is one of the biggest personal benefits to me of the Internet. It is even more of a boon to me during the holiday shopping season when the weather in the Midwest is generally not friendly to someone using a scooter to get around. Scooters, Cerebral Palsy, cold weather, ice and snow are not a fun mixture nor conducive to going from store to store shopping for gifts. Home delivery of whatever I purchase is another benefit because if, I shop at brick-and-mortar stores, I am limited to carrying only what I can fit in my scooter’s basket or bags I can strategically hook on my scooter’s various bits and protrusions. I can’t buy large items or high number of items, at least not without running back to my car to unload and go back in to shop more. (This is also why I prefer a close hotel at Gen Con so when my scooter basket gets full of con swag/games, I can run and unload in the hotel room.)

So, with Thanksgiving only a matter of days away I start to go into “Holiday Bargain Hunter Mode.” I consult Amazon Wish Lists, what I know  about my friends and family, and anything I recall hearing a gift recipient say they wanted and put together a sort of “mental shopping list.” Then, I go to what I call my “Deal Feeds.” These are a collection of RSS feeds from various deal and shopping websites that I scroll through multiple times per day watching for deals on items my gift recipients might want. Here are my favorites:

  • Woot! (http://www.woot.com/) is a sort of collection of daily deals. They have sections for electronics, computers, shirts, accessories, home, kids, tools, sport, and even wine. Most of the deals change daily and they have large selections in every category. The site and its daily newsletter have a quirky sense of humor and the community forum is great for finding out information about items you might be interested in.
  • 1 Sale A Day (http://www.1sale.com/) is similar to Woot! but is even more focused on one-day sales. Their deals are all over the board including clothes, electronics, jewelry, home decor, tools and hardware, and much more. But, most of the items really are only on sale for one day. So, you have to hurry to do your research on items to make those buying decisions.
  • Techbargains (http://www.techbargains.com/) is one of many deal aggregators and it focuses on technology items. This is where I go when I need computer parts or peripherals, A/V equipments, video games and consoles, DVDs, cell phone related items, and storage media. Other aggregators have similar listings, but Techbargains is one of the most well maintained with fewer expired deals not marked as such in its listings.
  • AntiRebate (http://www.antirebate.com/) is a deal aggregator but they espouse the opinion that “Mail-in rebates are a thing of the past.” The site’s goal is to find deals on just about every type of product but with the hassle of filling out rebate forms and hoping you actually get the money someday.

Honorable Mentions

Use these sites for your deal hunting and you’ll find about everything you’re looking for. Oh, and if I get hungry while I’m shopping, Grub Hub can hook me up with all sorts of delivered food options. E-commerce can be a wonderful thing for a Gimpy Geek!

Yet Again, Neil deGrasse Tyson Rocks (via MarySue)

Science icon and host of Cosmos Neil deGrasse Tyson has got to be the coolest scientist around. He’s right up there with Bill Nye and Don “Mr. Wizard” Herbert. In speeches, TV shows, public appearances, and in his writings he he makes science fun and accessible to the average person while also advocating for good scientific study and policies.

Geek pop site The MarySue posted a wonderful video of Mr. Tyson at an appearance at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. In a gymnasium packed with spectators, he brought a 6-year-old girl out in the coolest Einstein shirt ever, to ask him a question. Her question, “how can first graders help the earth?” is both simple and wonderful. His response is fantastic. He urges her to explore everything: banging pots, jumping in puddles, etc., even if it annoys her parents.

The whole exchange is awesome and made me wonder how many times I told my son to stop banging, splashing, or whatever. I will definitely think about my response to him doing “experiments” later on. We need to explore. We need to experiment. We need to challenge conventional wisdom. And, we desperately need our kids to ask, “How can I help the Earth?”

 

Dogs Playing D&D = Epic

So, it’s been a stressful, busy week. Perhaps, it has been for you too. So, instead of a long blog post today about something meaningful, I give you something I spotted on IO9 today

Dogs Playing Dungeons and Dragons!

Dogs Playing D&D painting for sale on Redbubble.net.

Dogs Playing D&D painting for sale on Redbubble.net.

Painting, for sale at Redbubble, complete with PHB, DM Screen, dice, minis, map, character sheet, Cheetos and Mountain Dew.

You’re welcome.

A Kickstarter Documentary: WoW MoM

There has been a lot of news in the last couple of months about GamerGate. It’s proponents say their “movement” is about ethics in journalism. However, there’s a large component of misogyny, bigotry, hate, and outright harassment of women gamers coming from nut job  GamerGaters. One upshot of all of this, of course, is giving a bad name to people who play games, especially video or online games. I’ve always been of the firm belief that games and gamer communities can be and are a force for good and are of benefit to people. For example, the local game con I help organize and do the website for, FlatCon, donates all profits yearly to Relay For Life. We play games and we do some good.

So, I think it’s important you know about how a game and its fans are helping in another way and a Kickstarter documentary wanting to tell the story. WoW MoM is a film in production about Terry Bolt, a grandmother who is coping with cancer by playing World of Warcraft. Terry was diagnosed in 2010 with Neuroendocrine Tumors (NET)/Carcinoids,  a rare and often misdiagnosed form of cancer that was responsible for the death of Steve Jobs. And, she was given 6 months to live. Four years on, she’s still with us. And WoW has helped.

Terry and Andie Bolt (via Kickstarter)

Terry and Andie Bolt (via Kickstarter)

While undergoing treatments and dealing with all of the side effects and despair, Terry was turned on to playing World of Warcraft as a means to cope. What she found in the WoW community and the game itself was not just an escape, but a new “family” who supported her and gave her an outlet for her pain and frustrations. As she says in the video on the Kickstarter campaign for WoW Mom, she can tell things to the WoW community she does not dare tell her family due to the stress and worry it would cause. Her daughter, comedian and voice over actor Andie Bolt, felt they should make a movie showing all of the positive effects WoW has had on her mom. In the process of making the documentary, going to Blizzcon, and being on shows like The Nerdist, they discovered many other WoW players in similar situations who have found love and support in their community.

Over 150 hours of footage are shot. Now, they need funding to get the rough cut done. Lots of cool perks have been donated by WoW and geek luminaries. I am kicking in a few bucks. I hope you can too.

Games can be good for you.

Gamers also can be.