Mac News: Reviews

'Duke Nukem 3D': Too Hot to Handle?
August 20, 2009

When "Duke Nukem 3D" was first released for the PC in 1996, the "3D" in the title was perhaps there to emphasize that this was not the sort of flat-world first-person shooter experience you'd find in a game like "Doom 2." Rather than just pivoting side to side, you could actually use the mouse to look up and down, setting your sights on an object far below you or flying above you.

Documents To Go: Not a Corner Office but a Decent Cubicle
August 13, 2009

Perhaps it's a little shortsighted of me to review an iPhone app built to let you view, sync and edit Microsoft Office files. After all, a patent judge in Texas this week ordered an injunction against selling MS Word, and without a basic word-processing app, the whole suite goes down the tubes. Surely we'll all be back to slate boards and nails by Halloween. OK, fine, not likely.

Mailplane Gives Gmail a Landing Pad on the Mac Desktop
August 11, 2009

For a long time, Web-based email programs were poor relatives of their desktop counterparts, but that's not the case anymore. Cloud-based applications like Google's offering, Gmail, boast a rich array of features that give premise-based competitors a run for their money. Nevertheless, two problems persist with Web mail apps.

Camera Zoom for iPhone Is Close Enough
August 06, 2009

Using an iPhone for just a little over a year now has changed my behavior in a few subtle ways. I almost never check personal email at my desktop, I have less fear of the DMV, and my peripheral vision while walking has improved greatly thanks to a few notable, non-fatal incidents. I also tend to take certain attributes of the iPhone's touchscreen for granted.

iConcertCal: Find Your Live Music Fix Without the Fuss
July 30, 2009

It's not always easy to find quality live entertainment. The problem isn't necessarily a lack of venues or a shortage of musical acts willing to play in front of a live audience. The hard part, from a music fan's perspective, is knowing who's playing, where, and when. There are zillions of Web sites out there that do event roundups.

B&N eReader: A Knack for the Short Story
July 23, 2009

The only way for me to fairly review an e-reader application for the iPhone is to start right out by saying that reading a full book on anything other than a bound volume filled with pages does not exactly appeal to me. I once borrowed a Sony Reader; it languished in disuse as I sat on the couch and read a real book.

'Phil Hellmuth Poker': Worth the Gamble
July 16, 2009

For people who gamble a bit but don't have a seriously problematic compulsion about it, the money on the line is essentially what makes most casino games fun. Imagine playing roulette or slots if zero cash, not even a few cents, was riding on the outcome. It's about as fun as flipping a coin and guessing heads or tails.

AT&T Navigator: Many Potholes in This Road
July 09, 2009

A good GPS car navigation system can be a time saver, a money saver, and sometimes possibly even a car-and-people saver. I know that for some, they're incredibly annoying at best and untrustworthy at worst. For me, though, a good GPS unit is great for driving around in unfamiliar territory.

Photo Mechanic Cuts Photogs' Greasy Grunt Work
July 07, 2009

While programs like Picasa and iPhoto can meet the image organizing needs of many digital photographers, professional and prosumer shooters demand more muscle from their wares. Over the years, they've sought that muscle from applications like Photo Mechanic. The robust image organizer, published by Camera Bits, recently celebrated two milestones.

iPhone OS 3.0: The Delight Is in the Details
June 30, 2009

As most iPhone owners already know, the iPhone rocks. More importantly, what makes it come alive isn't so much the svelte touchscreen form factor but the software. The great thing about the iPhone is Apple's dedication to improving it, and Apple's third major version of its iPhone operating system is definitely an improvement.

'Star Defense' Brings New Dimension to Classic Strategy Game
June 18, 2009

Just about every "tower defense"-style game ever made can be described like this: You've got a base you need to protect. Wave after wave of bad guys keep on attacking it, running down a long and winding path before, I don't know, running face-first into the front door, or something. Point is, when they reach the gate, they do damage, and it's your job to strategically set up a bunch of defensive towers along that path.

TwitterFon Pro: Tweet Harder, Tweet Smarter
June 11, 2009

Twitter was made for the mobile device. If it was confined to a desktop browser, the question "What are you doing right now?" wouldn't have much of an answer, other than something like "Looking at this Web page -- here's a link." Access Twitter on your cellphone, though, and you can tweet from almost anywhere and probably say something at least marginally more interesting.

'The Sims 3' for iPhone: How Large Can You Live on a Small Screen?
June 04, 2009

"SimCity," originally released by Maxis 20 years ago, was the matriarch of a gaming dynasty, giving rise to an impressive sprawl of spinoffs and sequels. The main series hit its true stride with "SimCity 3000," and related "Sim" titles like "SimAnt," "SimEarth," and "SimTower" achieved varying degrees of success.

FreeShipping.org App: I Shopped, but I Soon Dropped
May 21, 2009

Two things that online shopping has going for it: You can probably find just about anything for sale online, and you don't even have to get dressed to buy it. Working against it are having to wait for it to get shipped to you, and the fact that shipping sometimes adds a few bucks to the price you pay.

Chordmaster Gets Pickers Grinnin', Strummers Smilin'
May 14, 2009

Learning to play the guitar can be extremely easy if all you really want to do is knock out power chords and make some loud noise. There's nothing wrong with that -- some musicians really have won fame and glory with little more than three working fingers and an overpowered amp.

Multiple Choice Makes 'Trivial Pursuit' for iPhone Easy as Pie
May 07, 2009

Depending on who you're playing with -- and what deck of questions you're playing with -- a game of real, in-the-flesh "Trivial Pursuit" can be many things: a relaxing way to spend a night in with friends, perhaps, or an abject lesson in intellectual humility. It can also be a fine way to drift into a coma if you're playing with someone who clearly doesn't know the answer but just won't give up pondering the question.