The Online Magazine Focused on App Design, Branding & Marketing

The App: Tentacles

The Device: iPad

The Price: $1.99 on iPad, 99 cents on the iPhone

The Basics: The basic concept of the game is this — you play as a little creature who gets trapped inside the body of an evil doctor. The game finds you journeying across his body (the heart, the brain, etc) trying to escape, using your tentacles to propel you through the course. Of course, there are obstacles along the way: chainsaw-like environments, deadly organisms and so forth. There are usually three categories of rewards per level, so while you can complete a level and move on, you can always return and try to do it perfectly (Angry Birds style!). Like so many mobile games, going back and trying to better your score is incredibly addicting.

The Review:  I’ve completed the game, but I keep coming back.

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It’s happened more times than I’d care to admit. Sometimes, it happens while I’m doing chores around the house. Sometimes, it happens when I’m at the gym. Sometimes, it happens when my cat gets excited and swipes at me. If I had nickel for every time my headphones got pulled out of my iPhone or iPod, I’d probably have an extra grand lying around. It’s a first world problem, but it’s certainly an annoying one, especially if you’re watching a movie or listening to a podcast. I only bring this up because this was the first thing I thought of when I heard the news that Apple was pursuing Bluetooth-enabled headphones that can become wireless in a moment’s notice. I’m clumsy enough for this to be the most exciting news of the day.

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A new twist in the Apple v. Samsung case! Now Samsung is saying that jury misconduct led to the trial’s outcome. The company claims that the jury foreman was biased since he was once involved in a lawsuit with a former employer, who has a “strategic partnership” with Samsung. Huh.

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At Fantastic Fest, I was able to speak with Mo Shafeek, general manager of Mondo, an Austin-based art boutique that creates original art and t-shirts based on all kinds of geek-friendly movies and TV shows. They’re enormously popular, often dealing with massive lines of people wanting to buy their merchandise, but they handle all of their sales with an iPad and the Square mobile payment app. I stole a few minutes of Mo’s time to ask about Square and why they use it in their gallery instead of a more traditional system.

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We’ve spent the past week or so bemoaning the many failures of Apple Maps and to be fair, it had it coming. When you abruptly remove the greatest mapping app ever made (we miss you, Google Maps) and replace it with something so hilariously subpar, you have to be prepared to accept whatever scorn is bound to come your way. Surely Apple knew that they’d have problems straight out of the gate with this thing and surely they knew that people weren’t going to be happy with it. So why? Why go cold turkey on Google Maps and put themselves out there like this? This Gigaom piece says it better than we ever could, but here’s it in a nutshell: Android/Google has gotten too good to be a partner in any way shape or form. Apple’s Maps may be messy, but it’s the first step on the road to an ecosystem that is entirely defined by apps created by, well, Apple. It’s a first draft of an app and hopefully, it’s a first draft that they’ll fix before Google has their own maps app ready for disappointed iPhone 5 users.

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(Anden is six years old and growing up in a world where mobile apps are omnipresent. In this column, his mother explores apps that are up his alley.)

The App: A Story Before Bed

The Device: iPad or iPhone

Price: Free to Download, in App Purchase Plans

The Review: A Story Before Bed is an app that lets you record a children’s book online with audio and video turning bedtime stories into treasured memories. You will get the opportunity to read and record several books for free, but you can also purchase a subscription where you can choose from their growing library and share and watch the recordings from multiple devices (iPad, iPhone, Mac & PC).

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(Every week, Kyle St. Romain will talk about the business and legal side of the app world. While his opinions don’t always reflect those of Rocksauce Studios, you should hear him out…the guy knows his stuff!)

Last week, the jury gave its verdict on the Apple v. Samsung case. To recap, Apple sued Samsung over various patent infringements related to its popular iPhone and iPad devices, claiming that Samsung copied various design aspects from these devices and used them its own Galaxy line of mobile devices. During the trial, Apple had to reveal closely help secrets about its marketing strategy and design process. If you want to read more about the case including the secrets Apple had to reveal, check out my post titled Patent Lawsuit Reveals the Inner Machinations of Apple.

Back to last week’s news: the jury found Samsung guilty of willfully infringing a number of Apple’s patents, and awarded Apple damages in the amount of $1 billion dollars – half of the $2 billion Apple initially set out for. If the award stands, it will be one of the largest verdicts in patent history. Willful patent infringement can also be subject to treble damages (3xs) at the discretion of Judge Koh.

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The new announcement from Apple at this years WWDC has come and gone. Yes there’s a lot to be excited about, but now is the time to take a deep breath and look a little more closely at the new developments.

What might have been a little disappointing to some was the revelation that iOS 6 will not be released until the Fall. It’s important not to forget the company’s history and remember that this new iOS announcement mirrors the calendar release of last year when the iPhone 4S was released.

Having another 3-4 months with your current iOS isn’t a terrible thing though. If you’ve still got an iPad 2, or an iPhone 4 or 3GS, there are a number of features that won’t work for your device. Some of the more highly anticipated features even.

Macrumors has posted a handy list for you to check and see if your device will still do what you want it once iOS 6 is released. Check it out after the jump.

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(Every week, Rocksauce Studios CEO Q Manning will answer your questions about app design, app development and the mobile industry.)

What do you think about integrating phones with game systems and televisions, particularly with technology like Microsoft’s Smart Glass?

Integration with television and apps has already started to happen. Apple has Air Play, which allows you go go right from your iPad to your Apple TV, so you can play Angry Birds on your television, which is kind of awesome. We’ve also seen some of this with Nintendo’s Wii U, where this kind of technology will be allowing you to get information about the game as you play it. In a game of Madden football, you’ll be able to see your plays on your tablet instead of the typical set-up, where you see and select your plays on the screen. As far as games being on both, it shows how mobile games are going to become more and more prevalent.

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The Game: Death Worm

The Device: Droid X

The Price: $0.99 for Android or iOS

The Basics: Tremors: The Game. That’s pretty much all Death Worm is, an arcade-style game that sees you sending a giant worm hurtling through the ground only to pop out and devour unsuspecting people in bloody fashion. This is the mobile version of the popular internet game and its visceral fun should be immediately obvious, but the lasting appeal of it is questionable.

The Review: YOU ARE THE DEATH WORM.

There’s an on-screen joystick that you use to maneuver the giant beast through the ground, trying to angle up and come flying out of the ground to take down the unwary humans, animals, cars and planes living on the surface. Each level you’re given an objective that’s simple stuff like “Get 30 Kills” or “Get 50 Kills in 60 seconds” or “Get 10 Kills without getting hurt” and- well actually, those are the only objectives you’ll ever have. Just keep killing, you graboid!
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