“There’s an app for that…”

Who can forget Apple’s iconic line, right? And it’s totally true! There’s practically an app for everything imaginable these days. There’s apps for productivity, news, finance, work, school and so much more so it’s not so surprising that the Apple App store even has loads of sex-related apps for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Seriously, a search in the app store for “sex apps” will provide you with pages and pages of results of various sex topic apps. Here’s a few of the most interesting ones. A few are free, but many are only $0.99, so that you don’t have to break the bank to have some fun with these sex apps.

15. Guide to Sex Toys

You’ve seen them in adult shops and have probably heard about them, but do you know how to use them. The Guide to Sexy Toys helps your quest for sexy toy knowledge and includes toys for both men and women. The free app will enlighten toy mentalities.

14. Sex Secrets

Increase your sexual knowledge with the Sex Secrets app that’ll act like a wingman in your pocket! You’ll get steamy tips on how to seduce women and more. For $0.99, you’ll have be seducing in no time.

13. Sex-Facts

Interested in facts? What about sexual facts? Well the Sex-Facts app provides hundreds of fun and interesting facts about sex that will entertain you for hours. The free app allows you to email the facts to friends who you’d like to share them with, too.

12. Sex Bible

Be the best of the best with this handy Sexy Bible app for only $0.99. The iOS app will turn you into the expert at sex!

11. Female Orgasm Ideas

Learn the facts on what really turns her on with the Female Orgasm Ideas app that will teach you the ways to make her have that ultimate “Oooooo.” The free app will teach you valuable techniques and more.

10. Adult Sex Game HD

Entertain yourself and your gal pal with some sizzling fun with the Adult Sex Game HD iOS app. From sweet to spicy and totally risky, you’ll find a something new every time you use the app. And for $0.99, it’s a steal for all the steamy fun you’ll have.

9. Sex Jokes !!!

Get the largest collection of adult sex jokes with this free app that’ll have you rolling for days. With new jokes everyday, you’ll have enough material for some dirty standup.

8. Sex Mistakes Men Must Avoid

Know what you’re doing in bed with this Sex Mistakes app for only $0.99. Learn the dos and don’ts of great lovers using your iPad or iPhone.

7. Super Kamasutra HD

Learn about all the Kama Sutra positions in HD with this Super Kamasutra HD  that you can score in the app store for $4.99. Intended for 21+, the app sorts all the sex positions by categories and you can even create a “favorites” list.

6. Foreplay Techniques

Learn the best way to “get the oven burning” with the Foreplay Technique app that will teach you the ways of foreplay for only $0.99.

5. Ultimate Sex Dice

Heighten the atmosphere a party with the Ultimate Sex Dice app that’s $0.99. Add players’ names and then play and see what steamy fun arises.

4. Sexulator Calculator and Calendar

Keep track of your sex life and habits with this handy Sexulator Calculator and Calendar app you can score in the App store for only $1.99. With a discrete icon that’s protected with a password, no one ever has to know about your sex life adventures.

3. 101 Places To Have Sex Before You Die

Do it EVERYWHERE cool and have the 101 Places To Have Sex Before You Die app to guide you. For only $0.99, you’ll want to try it EVERYWHERE.

2. SexyBooth+

This whimsical app sort of allows you to “see” what people would look like naked. The SexyBooth+ allows you to point your iPhone at someone and then scan them and “see” what’s underneath.

1. Sexy Poker 2009

Boost your poker skills and check out hot anime chicks with the Sexy Poker 2009 app. For $0.99, you’ll have hours of sexy poker fun at your fingertips.

Cool App alert! iPhone photographers and wannabes will want to download the Mattebox Camera App by Ben Syverson, which is the only one out there that immediately displays ISO, shutter speed and focal distance. Labeled as the “Photographer’s mobile camera,” the app sells for $3.99. However, it be warned that it doesn’t allow you to manually control ISO, shutter speed and focal distance (it’s impossible), but it does allow indirect control via its locking system. With outstanding reviews, the app features a variety of cool functions, including one-touch white balance; six image adjustments that are built-in; 32-bit per channel, linear light rendering, for photographically accurate results; dual-stage shutter release for a built-in exposure and focus lock; and its exposure adjustment features automatic highlight recovery.

The Mattebox app also has a fantastic viewfinder with unobtrusive brightlines and its images render really fast, even at full resolution. Features that will be included soon include sharing via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Dropbox and more; real-time image adjustment in the viewfinder; and help bubbles.

Mustek Systems Inc. has created what’s supposed to be the world’s first integrated “Made for iPad” Scanner with its DockingScan S400 that’s compatible with both the iPad and iPad 2. Available in either glossy black or white to match the color of you iPad, the DockingScan S400 works with the i-Scan App that’s available on the App store for free. Users can scan photos and documents (up to legal-sized documents (8.5” x 14”) and there’s even a real-time preview of the photo/document while you’re still scanning so that you can see if you like the way it’s coming out or not. The convenient scanner is easy to use; all you have to do is connect the iPad’s USB plug into the scanner, download the i-Scan app and begin scanning. But it’s also more than a scanner and functions as both a docking cradle for hands-free viewing and reading and a charging station.

When Steve Jobs introduced iTunes ten years ago, it changed the world. But not without having to drag the record labels kicking and screaming to it. But a decade later, the music industry has been reborn and downloads are common place. And, as Steve Jobs predicted, people who want their music “ala carte,” are more than happy to pay for it. But they also want to be able to use the music they buy with all their devices. And that’s how iTunes Match was born.  For $24.99 a year, iTunes Match allows users to store their music in the cloud and access it from up to 10 different devices. So, finally, not only can music fans finally just buy the songs they like, they can listen to them anywhere on just about any platform. And it couldn’t be easier to set up. Here’s what you need …

1. Be up to date

First, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes (vs. 10.5.1). It should automatically ask for your approval to update it when you go into iTunes, but if not, then PC users can select About iTunes from the help menu that then Check for Updates. If you’re a Mac user, go directly to Check for Updates from the iTunes menu. Download and install.

This is also a good opportunity to make sure you have all the songs in your iTunes library you want to match initially. You can always add later, but remember that iTunes will store purchased song from the iTunes Store for free in the Cloud, but ripped songs will count against your iCloud storage allotment.

2. Lay down the plastic

Once iTunes is updated, then open and look under the “Store” category. Your second choice will be iTunes Match. Once you click on that, iTunes will give you one last spiel (including reminding you will have millions of songs with which to match, and listen to at 256kbps) and then ask you to subscribe for $24.99. Click on the button and iTunes will ask you to login into your Apple account, where upon the charge will go onto your stored credit card.

3. Scanning commences

Once you’ve finalized paying for your iTunes Match subscription, iTunes will begin to scan your library and match it with the higher 256kbsp versions in the cloud. Any songs you may have that iTunes cannot match will then be uploaded along with matching artwork. Once this three step process is finished, you can then proceed to adding up to 10 iOS devices or computers to your iTunes Match list.

4. Add your computer

To add your computer to your iTunes Match list, go back to the iTunes Match option under Store and iTunes will depict a splash screen with a blue radial button which says “Add this computer.” Select it and your computer, iTunes Match will repeat the process of scanning, matching and uploading any available songs. Only do one library at a time, since iTunes Match will not allow for simultaneous matching. Once matched, your computer is ready to listen. Songs that have been matched will have a familiar cloud and arrow head. Click on the Cloud and you can download those songs to enjoy.

5.  Add Your Mobile Devices

Now it’s time to add your mobile iOS devices (i.e. iPhone, iPad or iPod). But before you take the plunge, make sure you’ve backed up your device to iTunes (before you match would be ideal). The reason is that when you match your iOS device, it will replace your music library with the matched library. This is a good thing as iTunes will be replacing them with higher quality 256kbps versions.

Next, access Settings in your iOS device and then Music. There will be a new menu item at the very top for iTunes Match. You’ll want to turn that on. Then, Match will request your Apple ID password. Once entered, select Enable. The your iOS device will proceed to match your music found on your device.

Once matched, there will now be another item in your Settings menu … Music screen: Show All Music. When you enable, all the songs that iTunes has matched will be shown in your iOS library. They will be the songs with the little cloud icon to the right. When you choose the song to play, iTunes will download it to your device to play and the cloud will disappear. If you leave the Show All Music option off, you won’t see any of the songs from the cloud in your library. Each song in the cloud will be listed with a cloud/arrow head and you can select as many songs as you would like to queue up and download. And here’s a neat thing, the song will play as it downloads.

6. Wrap Up

And that’s it. Now you have access to all your songs in the Cloud. But understand that while iTunes has access to millions of songs in it’s master library, not everything is up there. So if you have an eclectic ear, or love to listen to obscure and older artists, you may have to wait a short interim until iTunes acquires those songs. But that’s the price for being eclectic, isn’t it?

How do you draw eyeballs and attention to your clothing catalog that is already delivered to a 1000s of subscribers?  If you’re like Moosejaw, you think outside the box and create something called the Moosejaw X-Ray App.

First, download the app to your iOS device from the iTunes store.  Next, with the app running, point the camera at their latest catalog.  In a second or two the app’s viewer will literally undress the models as if it were an x-ray machine.  Don’t get any lurid ideas, though, as it only shows the models in their under garments, which as it happens can also be purchased from Moosejaw.

We don’t know how many pages of the catalog it will work with, but Moosejaw says that it also compatible with their in store signage and the digital version of their catalog, though the latter seems to defeat the purpose.  No matter, hit the above video if you wanna be impressed.

Brilliant Moosejaw, just brilliant!

Those of the absent minded ilk will surely take solace in the BiKN.  It’s an iPhone case that can not only keep tabs on your gear, but helps you locate it in the event that you misplace the item in between a seat cushion or leave a set of keys in a coat pocket.

It works by wirelessly connecting with a set of tags which can be strapped onto anything that has a belt loop sized hole.  So think keys, a bag or even a mischievous child.  The accompanying app lets you page one tag at a time or a group of tags.  It can also assign a proximity alert, so if the associated tag leaves a selected area the iPhone case will sound an alert.  Lastly, it can track down your stuff using a find feature, which provides a visual meter as well as an audio signal.

The case contains its own battery so it won’t draw juice from the iPhone’s already taxed power source. However, each tag, which charges via micro-USB, will need to be recharged periodically.  So as you’ve probably already deduced, a major caveat to this product is that if the tag goes dead the device is rendered useless.  But, on a positive note, you can pair the tags together and use one of them to page any tags that are paired or joined to it.  So in other words, you don’t absolutely need an iPhone to be present for the system to help you find your stuff, though 5 tags ringing simultaneously might defeat its purpose.

The BiKN will arrive this December.  They haven’t released pricing, but $40-50 for the case and some tags seems reasonable.  We’re a bit concerned about the usability since the tags can’t be easily attached to a computer or other portable devices, unless they have some sort of loop built into them.

The natives are restless in the Internet universe with complaints that the huge splash made by the iPhone 4S and Siri is being sullied by complaints that Apple’s new smartphone can’t last the day without recharging. For experienced iPhone users, this is nothing new. Both the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 experienced battery issues after OS updates which prompted Apple to hunt down several bugs causing the issue and fix them fast.

iPhone users employing the new 4S should remember that it’s far more powerful thanks to it’s dual core processor and a bevy of new features. But with these new features there may be a bug that’s guilty of skimming battery power, or new features like SIRI and location based reminders are simply causing a new paradigm that users have to get used to.

Additionally, when activate your new iPhone, it is usually set with everything active by default. That means location services, bluetooth, notification center, and a host of other features which aren’t really vital to the iPhone experience and contribute to draining your battery throughout the day.

As such, here’s a list of 10 services that can be disabled to extend your battery life:

Disable Bluetooth

Unless you use a bluetooth headset, or type with a bluetooth enabled keyboard, you really don’t need this turned on.  So head over to settings > general > Bluetooth  and disable it.

Disable Location Services

Location Services is essentially the GPS of your phone that interacts with your various apps. Some, like your maps are important while others – like the camera – are not and are even wise to turn off. So by going into your location services, you can pick and choose what apps need to have access to the GPS and what doesn’t. Additionally, users which have location based reminders enabled will get a reminder any time they are near a particular location. That’s a great idea, but unfortunately, it keeps your GPS pinging all the time looking for a location and that will kill your battery. So head back into Settings, choose Location Services, and disable everything you don’t need. Then choose “System Services” and Location based iAds.

And since you’re in System Services, there’s a few other things that contribute to the drain including Diagnostics and Usage, Setting Time Zone automatically, and traffic.

Disable Time Zone Adjustment

If you don’t do a lot of traveling, then this one’s a no brainer.  Settings > Location Services > System Services > Setting Time Zone to OFF

Disable Diagnostic & Usage Reports

These reports are used by the iPhone when it “calls home” every night and helps Apple to refine the OS and improve performance.  But you really don’t need to opt into it if you’re concerned about privacy or want to save your battery.  So, in addition to turning this feature off in System Services above, another place to disable is in Settings > General > About > Diagnostic & Usage > Don’t Send.

Disable Traffic

In Location Services under System Services, you will see an obtuse option called “traffic.” Apple employs “Crowd Sourcing” here by taking a user’s location data and incorporating it into in their Maps feature to determine traffic flow. The more people who use it, the more accurate the traffic map is. But it also means you’re being followed and it’s draining your battery. So turn it off.

Disable Notifications & Apps in Notification Center

Notifications Center is nice, in that you get notified of emails, calls, messages, etc. as they happen. But it also drags down your battery life. So if you really don’t care about it, you can shut it off.  Head back to Settings > Notifications > and choose all or none.

Disable Ping

If you have no idea what PING is, you’re not alone.  It’s a social network for music which Apple hoped would take iTunes to the next level, but it’s gone over like a lead balloon.  iPhone and frankly, it’s a drag on your services and you’re battery life. There are plenty of other options including chatting via Facebook app, Facetime, etc.  So, go to Settings > General > Restrictions > Enable Restrictions > Ping > OFF

Manually check your email

If anything spelled convenience more on an iPhone other than push data for email, I don’t know what it is. And having to check your email automatically every few minutes not only drains your battery, but it also leaches off your data caps. This can be pricey if you’re traveling out of the country. Checking your email manually when you have the mind to is a far more frugal to get your mail. So, back to Settings> Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data > Push> Off.  Notice that you can also refine your search to check every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or hourly.

Lay off Siri

If you’re noticed that your battery is dying, it may be because you’re having way too much fun with the iPhone’s favorite toy – SIRI. Siri is a great voice activated digital assistant that can read you your email, set reminders and appointments, and even search the internet for you. But most just love to query Siri with silly requests like “open the podbay doors, Siri” just to see how it will respond. Granted, as time goes on, Siri won’t have to deal with such tedious and juvenile requests in favor of real queries. But in the meantime, we suggest you only use Siri when you really need to. That’ll save you data and battery life.

Disable iCloud

Next to SIRI, iCloud is THE killer app and one you may want to keep on. Why? iCloud gives you a reliable backup of all media, apps, and data. So if something goes awry, your contacts, calendars and other data are safe.  It also gives you Find My iPhone if the phone gets lost or stolen. And it’s ability to push photographs recently taken up to the cloud and to your other devices is a very clever backup utility for those Kodak moments.

But if you’re in earnest to eek out every minute of battery life, go to Settings > General > iCloud > Turn everything to OFF. Additionally, some users have reported that iCloud can get stuck, constantly trying to sync even though it can’t really connect to do so. And that kills the battery fast. If you suspect that is the case, deactivating iCloud. If your battery life gets dramatically longer, then that may be a sign it’s time to reset your iCloud account from scratch.

Going Forward

The only thing culprit that can be left as a battery life vampire is a bug in the OS.  And the good news is that according to recent reports, Apple has an update planned to iOS 5 which will fix whatever is draining the battery.  The update will be out in a few weeks.  Until then, these steps should get you at through the day.

Garmin is the undisputed king of fitness tracking.  Their Garmin Connect service lets you post your times, speed, route and more to the web and share it with other fitness fanatics.  But you’ll need one of their many Forerunner devices to take advantage of the services, that is until today.

The company has finally introduced their very own iPhone app.  You can pick it up from the app store for $0.99.  It’s capable of tracking pace, calories burned, route and all the other info that you’ve come to expect from Garmin.  If you’re looking to keep tabs on your heart rate, you’ll need to throw down an extra $50, which will score you the ANT+ adapter for the iPhone. It works with not only their heart rate monitor, but their footpod sensor, enabling you to track your pace and speed if you so happen to prefer to run on a treadmill.  It should also be compatible with any other ANT+ devices on the market, which includes treadmills and those alike.

And unlike Garmin’s other devices, which require you to sync the device to your computer which subsequently uploads it to their Garmin Connect website, the iPhone can send the data directly and automatically.  So now your workouts can be displayed to all of your friends and competitors as soon as you finish a triathlon, or you can download virtual partners and competing times any where you have a 3G connection.

Garmin has taken into account telephone calls and music.  Calls or text messages won’t interrupt data collection and music can be controlled directly from the app, though it’s not clear if it will work with services like Spotify or RDIO.

After much conjecture, hype and a leak, Facebook for the iPad has finally arrived.

In this case, the good old “took them long enough” hardly suffices.  The first iPad has already been on the market for just shy of two years and many sources point to the fallout between Apple and Facebook over the tablet manufactuer’s Ping service as the reason behind the delay.  However, Facebook employees have chalked it up to development delays.  Would it be too soon to suggest that perhaps the passing of Steve Jobs was enough motive to finally get the world’s largest social network to move forward?

Facebook for iPad allows users to view photos and videos in full screen as well as capture content using the iPad’s camera and post them to their news feed.  Games can also be played in full screen.  In terms of navigation, you can pinch, slide or tap from one screen to the next.  Ultimately, Facebook for the iPad should be a breath of fresh air for those that have long used the iPhone app in 2x mode.

Facebook for the iPad is available now from iTunes for $0.

Digital pens that can capture your strokes and transfer them to a computer are nothing new.  They’re great if you want to instantly takes your notes from the morning’s meeting and distribute them to the team. But how many of them are designed to work directly with the iPad?  None of them, at least to our knowledge…until now.

E FUN today introduced the APEN A4.  It works just like your typical digital pen and included is a 30-pin USB connector allowing you to transcribe your notes instantly to your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.  Alternatively, the receiver can store up to 100 pages of data and be uploaded to a computer or iOS device at a later time.  E FUN says that the APEN A4 works like a standard ink pen, which means you can write as you would normally, though when the battery runs dry (80 hours) it will just be, well, just a standard pen.

In addition to a free iOS app, E FUN includes the following software: Photo Sketcher, Note Taker and OCR Software.  The latter one will convert your notes, assuming your penmanship isn’t too wacky, into a standard type face allowing your coworkers to benefit from your attention to detail without having to whip out a decoder.

The APEN A4 is available today for $129.99.

So what is iCloud?  Well, it used to be called Mobile Me, but it wasn’t automatic and it cost $100 a year.   But starting next month, iCloud is Free.  And simply put, it’s your archive online.  It stores everything you want and syncs it to every device you need, whether your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac, or PC.  You take a picture at Disneyland of the kids with Mickey?  iCloud will automatically sync it to you Desktop at home.  Get a new client’s information with a fist bump to your iPhone?  It’s automatically synced to both your iPad and Desktop.  Download a great song you heard at Starbucks?  It’s on your iPod almost immediately.   And with a simple login, you can transfer all your apps and media to your new iPad from your iPhone.

That’s iCloud.  More than just a hard drive, it’s a syncing service.  And the best part is, it’s free.  Well, up to 5GBs worth that is.  But here’s the kicker on that – your purchased music, apps, books, photos and TV Shows don’t impact your 5GB space.  Just documents you share and CDs you rip.  After that, you need to pay a nominal fee (between $20-100 a year) for more space.  And here’s the awesome thing – with an upgraded plan, you can also just list the CDs you own and iCloud will automatically go get them.  No ripping required.  Man, that’s completely worth the upgrade price!

Although Apple’s iCloud won’t officially launch until Apple releases iOS 5 next month, there are several features which iPhone and iPad fans can enjoy right now. Here’s how …

Finding previously purchased Apps on your iOS device

If you want to re-download an App you’ve purchased before on your iPhone , iPod Touch, or iPad

1. Go into the app store and navigate to the “updates tab.”
2. There, you will see a new button called “purchased apps.”
3. Touch that and it’ll take you to another screen that will list every app you have purchased and downloaded.
4. There are two tabs – all apps and then apps not on this phone. Find the app you want and then click on the download icon.
5. The app will begin to download.

Finding previously purchased music on your iOS device

The huge development that iCloud is bringing is that users can now re-download music that they’ve purchased.

1. Just go to iTunes on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad and click on the new “purchased” tab. You will see a listing of all the media you have bought divided up between music, movies, and TV shows. Select.
2. You will then see two tabs, “All” and again, “Not on this iPhone (or iPad)”. You’ll also see stats on how many you’ve purchased and how recent to break it down further. You will also note your songs broken down by artist and how many purchased.
3. Select an artist and you will get menu that shows the number of songs and each one listed with a download icon. If it’s on the iPhone or iPad already, it’ll be grayed out with “Downloaded.”
4. If not, you will see an iCloud icon to redownload it. Or, you can select the “Download All” option at the top of the screen.

Finding previously purchased music/apps in iTunes on your Mac or PC

1. Enter iTunes and log in.
2. On the main iTunes page you will see a option on the right that says “Purchased.” Click on it.
3. You will then see your media broken out into All Media, and Not in my Library. Then, it’ll further be broken out by Music, TV Shows and Movies, Apps and Books. You will then see it further organized, like in your mobile device, by artist and the number of each per artist.
4. Select your artist and you’ll get a separate page with each song or media broken down and a button to either download or you’ll see you’ve already downloaded. Then you can re-download whatever you’re missing, or turn on automatic downloads and they’ll download immediately without further action.
5. And in the lower right hand corner you’ll also see a download all button to download anything you’re missing off your desktop. This is advantageous if you’ve bought apps or music directly from your phone and you need to get them onto your desktop as a backup and to enjoy in iTunes directly.

In addition, downloading is complete, the song or app will also be automatically synced to all of the other devices using the same iTunes account via iCloud, for up to 10 devices.

Automatic downloading of previously purchased App/Music

To sync purchases to all your iOS devices and your Desktop, you’ll need to enable Automatic Downloading, and here’s how …

1. For the iPhone or iPad, go into Settings.
2. Then, scroll to the Store menu and tap.
3. There, you can enable automatic downloads and decide if you want to use Cellular as an option to download them over 3G. If this is disabled, you will only be able to download via WiFi.

What to expect in October

And coming in October, users will be able to sync up to 1,000 pictures and videos up to iCloud and share them with those same devices through an app called PhotoStream. Documents, emails, calendars and contacts will also be synced to the cloud through iCloud.

Users will be given 5GB of iCloud storage for free, with additional space charged as follows:

10GB – $20/year
20GB – $40/year
50GB – $100/year

Additionally, users can buy iTunes Match for about $25 a year, with unlimited iCloud storage space and the ability to sync all music, not just purchased but also ripped music from CDs or purchased from other stores like Amazon. And users won’t have to upload them. iCloud will merely scan your iTunes account and add whatever is missing to other iCloud devices – up to 25,000 songs per account. Brilliant!

And the best part is, you don’t have to enable anything except automatic downloads. Starting with iOS 4.3, iCloud functions became available.

Tomorrow, Apple will unveil the next iPhone, presumably the iPhone 4GS or iPhone 5.  Not only will it be faster and have an upgraded camera, but it will be powered by iOS 5.  Here are the top 30 new and improved features that users are going to love.

1. Wireless Sync and activation

Literally right out of the box, new iOS devices will be able to activate without a PC with wireless activation.  That’s something that Apple customers have been screaming for as some don’t want a computer, they just want an iPad.  This new feature fills that need.  And iOS devices don’t have to sync through a USB connection to iTunes.  Using a WiFi connection, users can backup to iCloud, as well as sync to iTunes on their PC.  And with new over the air (OTA) updating, users won’t have to sync to iTunes to get the latest iOS updates, something Android users have enjoyed since day one.  And any time you plug your iPhone into an AC outlet to charge, the iPhone will automatically sync to the Cloud via WiFi and look for a software upgrade.

2. Notification Center

The next new feature is another that isn’t really new to Android users, but that iOS 5 does quite elegantly … it’s the new Notification Center.  When users receive a message, whether text or email, iOS 5 will drop down a notification bar in the upper edge of the screen without kicking users out of the app they’re using at the moment.  Users can then swipe down to pull down the bar for more details. If there’s multiple messages, users can simply swipe to reply to messages.  For messages that come in when the iOS device isn’t being used, the Notification Center has lock screen notification, and a simple swipe will reveal and swipe to reply.

3. Greater Accessibility

This is so high on the list because Apple has always made accessibility to iOS a priority.  And these tweaks really help those who are hard of hearing or blind to further use their devices.  Features include LED Flash and vibration activation for incoming calls, improved voiceover support, a hearing aid mode for altering voice and voiceover, and custom gestures to perform key tasks.  Other improvements include a  larger text option, New speak selection, New assistive touch settings, and the ability to Set Mono Audio left or right.

4. Twitter Integration

With iOS 5, Twitter comes built in.  All users need to do is go into settings, select to install the official Twitter app and sign in.  New users can register within iOS 5 without having to launch the browser and go to Twitter to sign up. Once installed and activated, users will find Tweet options in several places from the Safari browser, the camera app, maps, and contact information where Twitter handles can be added.  Additionally, the keyboard has been redesigned for more prominent #(hash-tag) and @ (mention) keys.  Location services can also be added to any Tweet, making Tweet ups easier to create.

5. Greater phone support

You remember that the iPhone is actually a PHONE right?  It can make and receive calls!  That’s what my wife likes to joke about.  Well with iOS 5, users have greater phone support including deleting of individual phone calls with a wipe, unsecured call warnings, location notifications for calls not in contacts, and users can now edit their phone number in settings.

6. Enhanced email features

With iOS 5, users can now add a little more flair to their emails with rich text editing of italics, bold, underline, and even indenting.  And to make addressing an email even easier, users can now drag email addresses to address fields.  Email also will have the ability to organize messages easier with the addition of custom folders. And users can now select & mark multiple emails as read.

7. Enhanced contact features

iOS 5 brings a few extra fields for contact management.  Users can now add family relations, as well as social media links

8. iMessage between iOS devices

Users can also send unlimited messages directly to users of other iOS devices with iMessage.  iMessage allows you to send pictures, video, text messages, group messages, and contacts to any other iOS device – iPhones, iPads, and the iPod Touch.  Users can set up to receive delivery notification and receipts.  iMessage works on both 3G and WiFi, and messages are encrypted.  And just for fun, users can now use animated GIF images in iMessage (only).

9. Airplay wireless mirroring

Airplay mirroring comes to iOS 5, allowing users to use their iOS device through AppleTV on their TV set.  Suddenly, that iPhone or iPad screen is 50″, making it ideal for meetings or even game play.  And the image will also rotate on the TV as it does on the iOS device as you alter it.

10. Enhanced camera control

Users have been screaming for this feature and now they have it.  In iOS 5, users will be able to take capture those instant moments with a Lockscreen camera control, meaning that they don’t have to go into the camera app to snap a picture.  Additionally, users can use the up volume button to snap photo.  And users have greater control over what the iPhone focuses on with one tap auto focus.  In camera editing features are also added including with red eye reduction, rotating, and cropping.   Users can also organize their photos in camera roll with the addition of albums. And here’s a great additional option – users can use their iPhone earbuds as a remote trigger by using the Volume UP button.

11. Photostream

Through Photostream, users can now automatically upload images and videos to the Cloud and directly to all iOS devices and their Desktop PCs.   Additionally, iCloud stores every photo for 30 days and every iOS device will store the last 1000 snapshots.  Your Desktop, however, can store them all.

12. Improved Facetime features

Apple has also finally freed Facetime from the confines of WiFi.  Users can now video conference over 3G.  And they don’t need a SIM to initiate a call either as calls can be made via phone number or email address.  And what could be better?  How about airplay support?  Facetime now enjoys airplay mirroring for video conferencing over your TV set through AppleTV.  And video quality is improved.

13. iCloud

Here’s the biggie.  Users can take advantage of the Cloud with wireless backup and restore.  Users can also schedule daily over the air backup or disable iCloud syn via 3G to save bandwidth.   As previously mentioned, iOS 5 will also automatically sync and backup to iCloud every time users plug in their phone to recharge and look for updates.   Images, videos and files are also backed up to the Cloud and synced down to other iOS devices as well as your PC via iTunes.  And speaking of iTunes, users have the option of a free 256kb upgrade of songs if backing up to iCloud, with any apps or music purchased not counting towards their monthly cap.  Users get 5GB free, with additional storage options ranging from $20-100 annually.  And  Find My iPhone is also available as a part of iCloud integration with an option to disable it.

14. Calendar enhancements

Calendars become more useful with a tap to add event option, tap and drag to adjust time and duration of an event, swipe left or right to view a different day, and viewing of event attachments.

15. Location based Task manager

iOS 5 makes people more productive now with the Reminder Task Manager.   Tasks can be created and checked off, as well as syncd w/ iCal and Outlook.  Reminders can also be location based, meaning when your iOS device sees where you’re in the vicinity of a task, it’ll remind you to do it. reminders. Reminders — Instead of taking notes on your iPhone’s notepad app or putting a reminder in your calendar, you can now use Reminders in iOS to create a digital to-do list right on your iPhone. The geo-location abilities will trigger surrounding events for you to choose from.

16. Storage usage and clean-up

Here’s a nice feature for housekeeping of your iOS device.  iOS 5 brings Storage Usage Clean Up so that we not only see what files have taken up space but also the option to empty that space of Apps, Game saved data, Music, Videos etc. with single wipe.

17. The Assistant

iOS 5 brings a Voice activated assistant feature.   With a long press of the home button, your iOS device will interact and respond to voice commands. Users will be able to drive hands free and tell the phone to send email, texts, get maps, tweet, and even make phone calls.  Based on the popular Siri app, which Apple recently purchased.

18. Split keyboard for iPad

If you’ve ever used an iPad, you know how hard it is to thumb type.  So iOS 5 adds a split keyboard option to make it easier to type in portrait mode.

19. Video and music now separate apps

With iOS 5, the iPod app is retired in exchange for separate video and music apps.  Seems kind of odd, but it was actually done with the iPod Touch, so this change makes it consistent across all iOS platforms.  Users can also move between tracks with a swipe to the left or right (iPad only) and a slide will delete a song right away.

20. Custom Tones

To make the iOS experience more personal, users can now add custom tones for Calendar events, send/receive mail, voice mail, week view on calendar, year view on calendar (iPad) and more.  And of course, that means a new TONES App store!

21. Dictionary

Not an earth shattering feature, but it’s nice that dictionary has been added and is available in every app.

22. News stand subscriptions

Available through iBooks, users can now subscribe to magazines and newspapers.  Searching by popularity of subscriptions is also a plus.

23. Cellular Network for App Store

If users want to be stingy with their bandwidth and only download apps over WiFi, they now have the option to Enable or Disable App Store downloads via GPRS and 3G.

24. Faster Safari

Safari has become streamlined and is faster to load.  Users can also save web pages in reader mode which eliminates all ads to make them easier to read.  They can also be saved off line to read later.  And in the iPad, Safari also offers Tabbed Browsing support.

25. Alternate Routes in Google Maps

Ever frustrated when Maps gives you a route that’s longer or goes out of the way?  In iOS 5, users can choose alternate routes that are more to their liking.  For those who prefer things old school, users can now print directions from their iOS device.

26. HD YouTube

Users now have the option to stream HD/HQ videos through YouTube over 3G.  For those concerned about bandwidth, the ability to disable HQ video playback is also available in settings.  Nice.

27. Disable In-app Purchases

As a dad, I really appreciate this option.  With iOS 5, users now have the option of disabling in-app purchases.  No longer will I have to pay for things I didn’t want to buy because the purchase was done in-app without our knowledge or consent.

28. Game Center Enhancements

By contrast, Game Center now allows in app purchases of games.  Users can also further personalize their account with photos, and decide if your profile is private or public.

29. Weather updates

The iOS weather app becomes more useful with hourly updates, local weather, and the ability to swipe the weather widget in Notification Center to see a 5 day forecast.

30. MultiTasking

Users can now do gesture based multi tasking (iPad only).  With a swipe of 4 fingers, the app switcher appears.  Pinch will return to home screen.  And a swipe left and right to switch between  any actve apps

There are over 200 new features to iOS, and depending on which iOS device you use, some or all are available to enjoy.  But it’s certainly a well thought out and welcome update which will only get better with the addition of the new iPhone!

We’ve all done it.  Opened the garage and drove out only to forget to close it.  Go back and you’ll be late for work, but alternatively you’ll spend your day consumed by images of the neighbor’s kid and his degenerate friends dismantling your home at the screws with your very own power tools.  However, chances are you didn’t leave the garage open, but wouldn’t you like the piece of mind to know you didn’t?

The Craftsman Assurelink Garage Door Openers does that and more.  It connects to your home’s Internet (hopefully wirelessly) and allows you to access its controls on your iPhone or Android device.  So provided you’ve got an Internet connection, you can open/close your garage from just about anywhere and check to see if you left it wide open.

While it might seem like a pricey prospect for opening your car’s hanger bay, Craftsman also includes a motion detector that automatically turns on the lights, a wireless key entry keypad, a timer function to automatically close the door and an energy efficient sleep mode to save on energy.

For some added scratch, $310+, you can pick up a version that includes a backup battery in case a rolling blackout is deployed, otherwise expect to drop $275.

Coming this fall, Apple will offer a cloud storage system for all your files.  However, the Cupertino company will require a monthly or yearly subscription to access the service, that is assuming 5GB isn’t enough to satiate your ever expanding library of photos, documents, email and more.  It’s ideal in many aspects, especially if you’re an iPhone owner since the integration should be seamless and as we already alluded to, 5GB is free to all users.   However, a major caveat is that there is a reoccuring fee if you exceed the allotted amount of space and your files are stored on a server located in the nether regions of the webosphere.

Pogoplug, one of the first entrants into consumer based cloud storage, is now pitching a new version of their device, and unlike previous iterations this one ditches the yearly fee.  It’s called the Pogoplug Mobile and despite the name, it’s designed to remain at home, wired to your router via an Ethernet connection.  Truth be told, the Mobile part really refers to their target audience – in other words smartphone users.

Much like Apple’s iCloud service, Pogoplug is promising to automatically back up all of your photos, music and more.  They say this action happens in the background, but since we haven’t got a hands on and our skeptical sensor is tingling, something tells us it won’t be as seamless as they promise.  Our skepticism is largely derived from that fact that Apple doesn’t allow apps, such as iTunes or the camera, to interact with 3rd party devices, so we’re really not sure how the backup can happen automatically if you snap a new photo or download a song on your handset. Unless of course their smartphone app can some how suck these from your device’s storage. We reread the press release more thoroughly, and the auto backup feature seems to be only compatible with Android handsets.  Sorry iPhone users.

Backup concerns aside, the hardware is a small black box that installs in a few minutes time.  Just connect it to your router via Ethernet cord, head to a designated web address and you can access any content (docs, music, movies, etc) connected to it.  There is a built-in SD card slot, which is a nice feature for those who want to share their photos with friends, and a USB port for adding a hard drive.  With a USB hub you could add additional USB devices, though it’s a bit difficult to tell how well it will play with the Pogoplug Mobile, but our assumptions are it should be a none issue.

At the end of the day the PogoPlug Mobile isn’t a massive evolutionary step over their previous products.  Clearly the winners here are Android users since they can automatically backup all of their content acquired on their smartphone, while iPhone users are better off waiting for Apple’s iCloud service to release later this fall.

You can preorder the PogoPlug Mobile for $79.99.

To say we’re down with Spotify might be an understatement.  We gave the service high marks for its sound quality, easy of use and overall speed (read our full Spotify Review).  However, one of the major drawbacks of the music service, which offers over 13 million songs streaming on the iPhone for $10/month, is the music discovery component or lack there of.  The computer app offer related artist info, while the mobile app, at least on the iPhone will only show what is new and popular in terms of tracks and artists.  As a result we’ve heavily relied on apps such as Pandora and SoundHound to discover new tunes.  The latter app listens to a track playing over a speaker and identifies it. However, there was no way to automatically find those tunes in Spotify, that is until.

Starting yesterday, SoundHound began including links to Spotify tracks after the service had identified a track.  Users commence playing.  This works for those that subscribe to Spotify’s premium service, but for those that don’t, they’ll be asked to purchase Spotify before proceeding to the track.

But here in lies the rub: this is currently ONLY available in Europe at the time of this posting.  But it’s safe to assume SoundHound US will soon provide the same update, though users on a mobile device that don’t subscribe to the Premium service won’t be able to stream tunes on their mobile device unless they make the $10/month investment.

For the record, SoundHound provides free, unlimited “music recognition, sing and hum recognition, lyric search and voice-recognition for music search, as well as rich features including lyrics, ‘Underplayed’ charts, song previews, YouTube videos, seamless links to iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Twitter, Facebook and more.”

“Glee” is hitting the big screen with the release of Glee the 3D Concert Movie, and for all the “Gleeks” out there, we’ve prepared some cool stuff to inspire your musical talents and get you moving and grooving like some of your favorite “Glee” characters.

Sing-A-Long Tongs

Bust out a note and pretend you’re on “Glee” while you cook with these cool Sing-A-Long Tongs that feature a locking handle that this faux mic in place as you get ready for dinner and a show!

iDuck Wireless Waterproof Speaker

We’re sure many of you Gleeks like to sing in the shower, which is where the iDuck Wireless Water Proof Speaker comes in handy! Not only is it the perfect bath companion, but the duck is fully waterproof with a built-in speaker so that you can listen to your favorite tunes and sing along (also great for drowning out the sound of your bathroom performance if you prefer no one to hear).

iPod Toilet Paper Holder

Here’s another great way to practice your Glee-inspired singing in the bathroom, this time while you’re “handling business” with the iPod Toilet Paper Holder. It’s both a speaker set for you iPod and a fully functional bath tissue holder!

iKaraoke Microphone for iPod

Practice your favorite “Glee” moments as you bust some karaoke using the iKaraoke Microphone that’s designed to interface between iPods (with dock connectors) and your home stereo system. It’s great for parties or right after you watch “Glee” when you’re most inspired! The iKaraoke mic also features cool built-in reverb effects, so that you can transform your voice like a pro!

Shazam Encore LyricPlay

Not sure of some lyrics? Don’t fret because Shazam Encore LyricPlay lets you sing along to every song! It’s a new update for Shazam’s Encore app ((Encore is the premium version of Shazam where you have to pay $3.99/year or a one-time fee of $5.99), that will definitely come in handy when you need to rehearsal that song you just heard on “Glee” and don’t know the words to. It’s available for Android, iPhone, iPad, iPo, Nokia and BlackBerry devices.

Just Dance 3

Learn to move and groove to all the latest songs that are often performed on “Glee” on your favorite gaming station with the game Just Dance 3! Made for all platforms, including Wii, Kinect for Xbox 360 and Playstation Move, the game will have busting new moves in no time.

The paper loyalty card business has long existed.  Pile that on top of the loyalty cards offered by the mainstream super markets and pharmacy and your wallet or purse is exploding. So what’s a consumer to do?

Well, there does some to be one solution, in terms of the paper loyalty cards.  And when we say paper loyalty cards, we’re referring to the coffee shops and other retailers that offer a punch card.  For example, if you get 10 punches, otherwise known as a coffee purchase, you’ll receive a free cup of coffee.  But more often than not you lose the cards and don’t have them on your person at the time of purchase.  Enter Stampt.

Stampt is an iOS app which replaces all of your paper loyalty cards.  The service is currently available in New York, Cincinnati, Chicago, and San Francisco at what the company says are hundreds of locations.  However, there is a slight catch.  The store needs to sign up, although it’s free for them to join as it is for the consumer.  To receive a stamp, you simply launch the application and using the built-in bar code scanner, scan the retailer’s Stampt loyalty card (we’re not sure if this is a physical card or a bar code on the iPhone).   We’re assuming that stores are provided a window sticker of some sort to let consumers know that they’re participating.

The Stampt app requires that you, the consumer, sign up.  Once you’ve done so it will ask to use your location and scan the area within 100 miles for retailers that are part of the program.  Since the service is free, we can only assume that Stampt will later utilize your info to market to you and show you ads.  That’s a caveat we’re willing to accept (it’s actually a brilliant idea), especially since this cuts back on paper waste and simplifies our lives.  If you want you can connect the app to your Facebook and Twitter account so your friends can see where and what you’re saving.

As of right now the Stampt app is limited to the iOS store, though you can expect a version for Android devices to roll out later this year.

The EDC Experience gives viewers a chance to go behind the scenes of what it’s like to attend the festival, which just might inspire you to become a DJ after you finish watching the movie. We’ve got you covered and have some cool gadgets to help you on your musical journey!

Phone Apps: Beatronik’s DJStudio for Android and DeeJay for iPhone

Start practicing your DJ skills on your phone with Beatronik’s DJ-oriented apps. For those that have Android devices, DJStudio features a variety of cool functions, such as: crossfading, cueing, looping, twin decks on the same screen and an automatic crossfade called Automix. For iPhone users, DeeJay Remix is a unique virtual turntabl,e which combines a classic disc deck and a built-in sound sequencer (soundMatrix). In a party, your sofa or your bed, have a turntable at your fingertips and let express your creativity with both apps!

Plastinkuzz DJ Scratch Card

Every DJ needs a business card, so why not one that puts vinyl in your pocket! The Plastinkuzz DJ Scratch Card is a plastic business card with a turntable on the back that allows you to make scratching noises when you rub your fingernail on it. Cool and musical, the Plastinkuzz DJ Scratch Card will help you spread the word about your newfound DJ skills!

Numark iDJ Live

Once you’ve gotten perfected your DJ skills on your phone, it’s time to move on to something a bit more realistic, like Numark’s iDJ Live. The DJ software controller for your iPad (or even iPhone or iPod) enables you to DJ parties, events and even clubs, using the music that is already on your iPod via Algoriddim’s djay or other Core MIDI-enabled apps. Even if you’ve never tired the real thing, iDJ Live makes the entire process simple.

Gemini DJ FirstMix

Employing the popular tried-and-true setup of two decks and a mixer, the Gemini DJ FirstMix is a very comprehensive DJ too that allows you to take your DJ’ing skills to new heights. Whether you’re an aspiring DJ or just a music lover, FirstMix allows you to discover your talents in a fun and easy way! Boasting many of the best features from Gemini’s professional DJ products, FirstMix interfaces with your PC or Mac via a standard USB connection, so you can easily use the included MixVibes Cross LE software to choose songs and sound files from your existing collections, even your iTunes libraries.

Numark DJ In A Box

Once you’ve mastered your talent on all the other, it’s time to up the ante with Numark’s DJ In A Box which has everything you need to perform and record with vinyl and an iPod! You can also perform with tracks from your iPod, connect optional gear like CD players, mics, and preview your mix in HF125 DJ headphones. Once you’re able to flawlessly mix on these babies, you just might be ready to take your skills and showcase your talents to the rest of the world…who knows, if you’re really good, you might be in the next EDC movie!

3.5 out of 5 stars

I have a very old first generation iHome by my bedside – it’s not pretty, and it doesn’t charge my iPhone, but it hasn’t failed me as a bedside radio. I knew though that the time would come that it would finally quit, and I would need to get something newer, something better; enter Stem’s TimeCommand.

I was instantly intrigued by the TimeCommand; not only was it an iPhone/iPad/iPod dock (which means I’d finally have another way to charge my iPhone), but through an app you could download for free, it could “talk” to your iPhone or iPad (or iPod; let’s just use the term iDevice to mean all three from here on out, ok?).  Set an alarm on one, and it would also set the other.  If you don’t feel like messing around with setting the time, no worries – just plug in your iDevice and it automatically sets it off of that.

The app turns the screen of your iDevice into a giant clock (well, giant if it’s an iPad – not quite so giant for an iPhone) that looks nice – albeit mildly useless considering that you also have a clock a few inches lower on the face of the TimeCommand as well.  Unfortunately, that seems to be the theme of the TimeCommand; nifty features, that end up being useless bullet points on the back of the box.

One such is the claim that with the TimeCommand you can listen to “internet radio”.  Now, this claim is true because the TimeCommand does have the option to connect to “basic” internet radio streams (nothing like Pandora), however (and here’s the kicker) you can’t fall asleep or wake to them. Yes, this is a clock radio that features a “sleep timer” feature, but you can’t listen to music to fall asleep to.  Oh it has a good number of white noise sounds that will play, and you can use them on the sleep times (things like rainfall and the like), but I want to fall asleep to music.  “Well,” you might say, “you can play music that’s on your iDevice and fall asleep to that.” – and you’d be right.  the problem with that is that I only keep podcasts on my iPhone because when I want to listen to music on it, I use internet radio – like Pandora.

Maybe I’m making way too much out of a little thing – a mountain out of a mole hill if you will, but it’s irritating as hell.  Using the TimeCommand means that I have to also leave my iHome plugged in to use as a standard radio with a sleep function, which is just ridiculously redundant.  I’m just not sure why when you have a feature included, that you wouldn’t do what you could to make that feature work in every situation that it could.

One of the features that the TimeCommand has that does work really nicely, is the bedside lamp dimmer.  When you plug your bedside lamp into it, you can control the brightness from either the app, or the clock itself.  I’m a person that like to read a few chapters before settling in, and it’s nice to be able to keep my lamp dim so my girlfriend can sleep and I can still read.  The TimeCommand also features a mini weather report; while it’s not as in depth as running WeatherBug or the like, it’s nice to be able to wake up and look at the screen to see what the day’s weather will being.

One thing that worked for my girlfriend (but not for me) was the TimeCommand’s docking mechanism.  I say it didn’t work for me, because it’s mounted on a swivel, and designed so that you don’t have to remove your iDevice’s case to plug it in.  My case is unnaturally bulky at the bottom though, so I still had to remove it.  Bear in mind that’s not the fault of the TimeCommand – but rather my fault for having outdated hardware.  My girlfriend never had to remove the case from her iPhone 4 to make it work.

Another really nice thing about the TimeCommand (and this is what makes me really irritated at the aforementioned internet radio issues) is the sound that comes from it.  The app gives you access to a very nice graphic equalizer, but in order to have superb sound you really don’t even need to mess with it much (unless you’re a big time audiophile).  The speakers deliver a better experience than I’ve found with clock radios before, so it would have been really nice if the music features would have worked a bit better.

I have to give the TimeCommand from Stem a rating of three and a half stars out of five.  I would think the main issue I had could be fixed through a software update on the app (rather than a whole hardware revision) – and if it happens I’ll be sure to revisit this review and update it accordingly, however for now the good parts about it are being overshadowed by the negatives.  Since stem is headed by the former CEO of XtremeMac though, I expect good things from them, and that this may just be a bump in the road.

Pros:

• The speakers produce amazing sound
• Bedside lamp dimmer is very useful (at least to me)
• Having your iDevice and the TimCommand synch up is effortless

Cons:

• Can’t fall asleep to the internet radio streams it plays
• Can’t wake up to the internet radio streams it plays
• Why change your iDevice screen into a clock when there’s a clock below??

You can grab the Stem TimeCommand from an Apple retail store (and only from Apple retail stores) for $99.95

4.5 out of 5 stars

There’s something I’d like to talk to you about. Have a seat. Are you ready? You Don’t Know Jack is back. Yes, you heard me right. You Don’t Know Jack is back. For iOS. I can die happy now.

You Don’t Know Jack (YDKJ) is a beloved gameshow-style trivia game with a history of splitting sides with over a dozen titles and a failed TV show. Its popularity stems from non-stop witty banter and insulting monologues by the hosts, and the hilariously random questions that stretch players’ imaginations with questions on pop culture and interesting facts. And the questions are rarely a simple choice…nearly every is a riddle designed to make you sweat.

There is no other trivia game that will make anyone nerd out at the pop culture references from the last 30 years. Everyone can play YDKJ and have a good time because the array of questions spans farther than host Cookie Masterson’s giant ego, from Baywatch to lolcats to Red Faction. And I love him for it.

The iPhone and iPad versions – identical yet priced differently, meaning if you buy one you don’t get the other – currently feature 22 “episodes with 11 questions each. Episodes tend to last between 15-20 minutes individually, which makes the full game 6-8 hours of fun.

Gameplay follows a simple process: every episode opens with Cookie welcoming players with an insult, then a brief, witty or catchy animation before Cookie reads the question out loud. Then four answers appear on screen and a 20 second timer counts down, and players have to choose an answer before time runs out. Money is earned (and lost) based on how quickly questions are answered…16 seconds left earns or loses $1600.

What makes YDKJ the best trivia game franchise is how everything is win-win. Answering incorrectly can be funnier than actually being right because then Cookie will insult, berate, belittle and verbally molest players into a hysterical stupor. I absolutely love it. It’s fun to lose because being told about how wrong, dumb, and pathetic you are in so many colorful ways is ridiculously entertaining. Think of it like sitting in the front of a comedy show waiting for the comic to pick on you, without the public embarrassment.

Then there’s the trivia, which is outrageously funny. Questions may be straightforward, or word riddles with hilarious connotations or ridiculous references. They may even be read aloud in such a way that players can’t help but chuckle along. From how the question is worded to how it’s said, to just how ludicrous the question is…every little thing in YDKJ has been handled by comic geniuses.

There are only two things that limit the experience. First, YDKJ does not feature multiplayer, which has made  the famed trivia series so loved over the years. I myself got hooked on the franchise at a party years back, and playing with friends is one of the most fun experiences known to man. There are plenty of options for how to make this mobile YDKJ work well on the iPhone and iPad, but none are currently available, and it’s a damn shame. According to Jellyvision however (Update: And according to Jellyvision CEO Harry Gottlieb), at least one multiplayer mode is in the works.

Good luck answering this one

The second is bugginess, which attacks without warning. The app doesn’t crash, but occasional graphical errors do occur. Once a quarter of the screen went black; another time textures just shot out painting my screen like a spider web. Fortunately there is an autosave function after every new question, so even if the battery dies once YDKJ is started, a “continue” button lights up that starts players right back at that question.

Buying You Don’t Know Jack, for me, was an emotional decision. I came in expecting it to be funny and exciting, and 22 episodes later I am thoroughly entertained, and even a tad educated. The price is high at $4.99 on the iPad ($2.99 for iPhone for the same game), though Jellyvision will support the game with new episodes free in future updates. I couldn’t ask for anything more, except multiplayer. Give me multiplayer and the world will be whole, Jellyvision.