iPhone Daily News Digest

The iPhone offers a couple of different options when it comes to viewing media. You can search video using the YouTube app, download and sync your own movies using iTunes or browse for video on compatible websites with Safari. A new app called FirstClip is aiming to integrate each of those three options into one app to enable video searching, streaming and downloading of internet video straight to your iPhone.

Searching for video on FirstClip is like any other search engine. Enter the keywords of your search and FirstClip will scan the web for iPhone compatible video encoded in MPEG or H.264 format. By default, the search engine will look through YouTube and Google Videos for media but you have the option of adding your own compatible websites in the settings tab. Searched videos can then be streamed and viewed immediately or downloaded straight to the app for offline viewing.

The app works fairly well and having the ability to save videos for viewing any time is a nice convenience, especially if you have an iPod Touch or find yourself in an area with limited data service.

FirstClip is priced at $4.99 which may be a costly amount for some to have the ability of being able to download short internet clips. The developers do offer a Lite version to give you a chance to see how the app works but it does come with some limitations. For instance, the search engine will only scan from two sources at a time and you’ll only be able to download 10 total videos for offline viewing.

If you’re looking for a fast and simple way to take internet video with you without having to convert video files or sync your device to a computer, FirstClip does the job as advertised. It’ll just be a matter if you can justify the $4.99 asking price.

FirstClip and FirstClip lite are available now on the App Store.

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In Fox vs. Duck, you are the duck, and you need to survive constant attacks by fox and fish alike. Like the best iPhone games, it’s simple but addictive.

Your ducks get dropped down from the sky onto a pond populated by a hungry fish and watched over by a fox on the side. You tilt the iPhone to move the duck and get it off the pond and away from the fox. As the levels advance your enemies get faster and more objects show up on the pond, making life harder for your duck. There are also Xbox-style achievements and a global leaderboard.

It’s available now for $0.99 from the App Store. [iTunes Link via Fox vs. Duck]

There is a lot of buzz around magazines coming to the iPad, what about the iPhone? GQ Magazine already has an app for that and it’s rather slick. The app is free and you can buy issues with in-app purchasing for $1.99 a piece. Once the app is installed you have a store to buy your issue. The issues are quite large, so you will want to likely download them over Wi-Fi to easy your viewing pleasure.

Once you downloaded and opened an issue, you are presented with a table of contents. Tap the section you want to read. Depending on the section there are links to pictures, video and font size. Rotate your device to landscape and you are given a virtual representation of the print issue. You can use the slider on the bottom to navigate. I really like this feature, you get the best of both worlds; portrait for an optimized iPhone view and rotate for magazine view.

I am impressed with this effort on the iPhone and I am looking forward to an iPad version. Check after the break for more pics!

Quick App: GQ Magazine is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

There is a lot of buzz around magazines coming to the iPad, what about the iPhone? GQ Magazine already has an app for that and it’s rather slick. The app is free and you can buy issues with in-app purchasing for $1.99 a piece. Once the app is installed you have a store to buy your issue. The issues are quite large, so you will want to likely download them over Wi-Fi to easy your viewing pleasure.

Once you downloaded and opened an issue, you are presented with a table of contents. Tap the section you want to read. Depending on the section there are links to pictures, video and font size. Rotate your device to landscape and you are given a virtual representation of the print issue. You can use the slider on the bottom to navigate. I really like this feature, you get the best of both worlds; portrait for an optimized iPhone view and rotate for magazine view.

I am impressed with this effort on the iPhone and I am looking forward to an iPad version. Check after the break for more pics!

Quick App: GQ Magazine is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

BBC News

Simplify Media yanks iPhone apps Macworld Simplify Media's iPhone apps allowed users to access their media remotely. Both Simplify and its follow-up Simplify Music let you access your iTunes library … Price comparison website launches iPhone appBizReport Bing App for iPhone Disappears From App Stores Around The WorldErictric Mobile application sales to reach '$17.5bn by 2012'BBC News Softpedia -ElectricPig.co.uk -Huffington Post (blog) all 98 news articles »

Live from GDC 2010, Rene talks to Baudoin Corman and Sanette Chao from Gameloft about Nova [$4.99 - iTunes link], Rayman 2 [$6.99 - iTunes link], GT Racing [$4.99 - iTunes link], Avatar [$6.99 - iTunes link] and many more [iTunes link] for iPhone and iPod touch… and soon for iPad!

Gameloft really wants to offer highly polished games and the highest quality gaming experience in every genre and to every type of gamer. for 2010 they’re, already showing off Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction, Fisher Kings, Zombie Infection, and no doubt much more — including iPad specific versions of some of their titles that better make use of the bigger screen. (As seen during Apple’s iPad event).

For a large company, Gameloft has proven time and again they can react quickly to take advantage of new developments in the iPhone OS and whole new platforms like the iPad. It will be interesting to see what else they have planned for us in 2010. Fun too.

Watch along after the break!

YouTube link

TiPb Apps 5.3: Gameloft (GDC 2010) is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Pop quiz: you’re a successful independent iPhone developer who’s personal management apps are beloved by critics and users alike, but you just really need a break, a way to recharge the batteries and have some non-managed fun, what do you do?

If you’re App Cubby’s David Bernard, you grab Polar Bear Farm’s Layton Duncan and Made by Rocket’s Dave Keller and you produce KaleidoVid [$0.99 - iTunes link], a colorful, eye-full of childlike wonder for the iPhone. And you make it as simple as it is elegant.

Point your iPhone camera at, well, anything you like (the more varied and vivid the better in our tests) and KaleidoVid instantly transforms the live view into a dazzling, multi-reflected kaleidoscope of lines and blobs, hues and shades, and with a click of a button saves them to your camera roll or lets you share them with friends over the ever-social Facebook or Twitter, or good old email. (Yeah, it’s pretty much instant wallpaper awesome in a bottle if you think the way we do).

Whether you want the same kind of refresh and recharge the developers were after, or you just want to give your child something light and fun to distract them, KaleidoVid is definitely something to check out.

More screenshots after the break!

KaleidoVid Video Kaleidoscope for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

For those who can’t be at this year’s SXSW, Slacker Radio and FILTER Magazine have just announced they will be releasing a free radio station featuring music from the Cedar Street Courtyard. Just click here:

Spite and Malice, Castle Conflict and Monkey Flight are all free for a limited time.

App of the Day: Michelle –  This tantilizing app provides you with your very own virtual girlfriend right on your iPhone. Michelle’s voluptuous body can be dressed up or dressed down. check it out now in the App Store for $.99, or subscribe to us on YouTube and leave a comment for your chance to win one of five promo codes. Good Luck!!

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From the Forums is a great way to see what all of the current hot topics are on the TiPb forums. In order to create any new threads of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is a simple process that will only take a few minutes out of your day, so if you have not already already done so, head on over and register now!

• For your chance to win a $10 iTunes gift card simply post your top 5 most wanted iPad applications in this thread right here. It’s that simple and you have until Sunday to get your post in for your chance to win!

• The iPhone 3G vs iPhone 3GS – what are your thoughts? Was the upgrade worth it for you?

• The iPhone 4.0 software is only a few short months away, feel free to discuss and speculate all you’d like about 4.0 in the following thread: Discuss the iPhone OS 4.0 software here.

• In search of some wallpapers for your soon to be released iPad? If so be sure to visit the thread: iPad Wallpapers Collection. Also feel free to post wallpapers you may have for the new device!

• Lastly for today, if you were creating the next generation of iPhone what is the one hardware feature you’d like to see added?

See you in the forums!

From the Forums: Top 5 iPad Apps, iPhone 3G vs 3GS, 4.0 Software, iPad Wallpaper, 4th Gen iPhone Feature is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Overview

The Street Fighter franchise is one of Capcom’s most popular franchises, and in a surprise announcement the franchise will be coming to the App Store. True to their word, it’s out for the iPhone and iPod Touch. With such a massive fanbase, I don’t doubt the game will succeed. However, does this mobile version provide a good enough experience, or does it fall flat on its feet? Read on to find out.

Features

Street Fighter IV has a roster of eight different characters including Abel, Blanka, Chun Li, Ryu, M. Bison, Guile, Dhalsim, and Ken. The game also includes seven different environments to fight in.

There are tons of moves in Street Fighter IV, with Focus Attacks, Super Combos, Ultra Combos, and more. The controls can also be moved around, tweaked in terms of transparency, and you can also unleash special moves with the “SP” button, or manually enter the combo.

Head-to-head fighting via a Bluetooth connection has also been included. In addition, a new “Dojo” mode teaches you how to play the game and become a good Street Fighter by giving you tips and a set of objectives with restrictions or requirements that you have to complete against an opponent. Both casual and hardcore gamers can play this alike, since there are four varying levels of difficulty.

The Good

The gameplay mimics arcade machine controls, since you’ll have the joystick on the left, with various punch, kick, focus attack, and special attack buttons on the right. You can choose to fight in a Tournament, Free Sparring, Dojo, or Training, and for the first two modes you can select the number of rounds (one, three, five, or seven) in each fight and whether special move assist (the SP button) and Auto Block are enabled or not.

You’ll fight against various characters with diverse attack styles. Street Fighter IV is definitely a Street Fighter game here: it’s not a mini-game like other big name games, but nor is it a revolutionary new interpretation. If you’ve played a Street Fighter game before, you’ll know how it works.

The graphics are sprite based, and they’re quite good-looking. The screenshots in iTunes don’t represent what you really see in game, since sprites caught in a still screenshot normally look out of place. I can assure you that the in-game graphics are better than what you see.

The “Dojo” mode is a worthwhile addition for new players, teaching them how to effectively use moves, specials and ultra attacks, as well as create combos with each of the eight characters. You can also unlock a survival mode called “An Endless Battle Royale” mode after completing all of the Dojo missions. The Dojo also gives ratings for how well you do on each exercise, and you’ll have to spend some time to get the highest rank, “S,” on every single one.

The fast loading times and numerous moves and combos are something that I must praise Capcom for. At the most, it takes around 15 seconds for me to select a character and stage, load everything, and start fighting (on a 2nd gen iPod Touch). The list of moves has not diminished either, and doubtless veterans will find their favorite moves in this game, and newcomers will marvel at the choices that they can select from.

The Bad

More characters and environments should definitely be added, since this game currently doesn’t have enough content to warrant the premium $10 price point. At the most, I’d value this game at around $5 for the included content, and another $5 just for the “Street Fighter” namesake alone, just like the Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies game that Activision released. In analyzing the value for your money, Street Fighter IV is vastly overpriced for what it currently has.

A control scheme utilizing the iPhone and iPod Touch’s strengths would also be nice. Gesture-based control schemes are innovative and fit the iPhone and iPod Touch’s screen, so they’d work just as well, if not better, than the standard d-pad and button combo.

In addition, the screen seems much too cluttered with such a big d-pad in one corner and four big buttons on the other side. Granted, the d-pad allows near-perfect execution of moves, but it’s aesthetically ugly and seems ripped straight out of the arcade machines. There’s so much innovation possible with a touch screen, but it seems Capcom didn’t take the time to add the extra things in.

Another thing is that the fighting mechanic is cheap – you can totally abuse some moves and just spam the same combo over and over and you’ll be able to win a round. This eliminates a lot of the fun and skill necessary when you hit upon a difficult opponent or challenge.

Also, Street Fighter IV’s save system is broken. Since this is a mobile game, a working save system is a must since you never know when you’ll have to close the game and do something else. Street Fighter IV has a save system, but it doesn’t work. If you’re in the middle of a tournament and quit the game, it will not save your progress. This is a major flaw and something Capcom should take a serious look at.

Lastly, the lack of online multiplayer is extremely disappointing. I was kind of expecting it to be included since this is at the top tier of iPhone and iPod Touch gaming pricing. Online multiplayer is all the rage for Street Fighter games, and it’s what the iPhone can excel at. Including it in this one would make up for some of the other missing or broken components of the game.

The Verdict

If you are a hardcore Street Fighter fan, you probably have already purchased this game. For casual fighting gamers and action game fans Street Fighter IV is something you should consider buying if you have $9.99 that you can spare, but the game is far from perfect.

Street Fighter IV is a worthwhile purchase and one that has the possibility to capture your attention for a good amount of time. On the other hand, there are many more fun, unique, and innovative games at more affordable price points on the App Store that give much better value for you money. Like stated earlier the game seems to have a larger price for the street fighter name, and not the quality of the game.

Keep in mind that the controls seem somewhat awkward at first for new players and that the save game system does not function. If you don’t like arcade fighters, then the game will seem like a repetitive button masher. On the whole however, Street Fighter IV is a good attempt by Capcom at a serious foray into the iPhone and iPod Touch gaming market, but there is so much more that it could have been, and many places it can improve on now.

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