Josh Bancroft's Linkblog

Twitter for iPad review

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:23:32 GMT

Shared by Josh Bancroft
It's no secret that Twitter for iPhone (née Tweetie) is often regarded as the gold standard for mobile apps -- it blends functionality, performance, and usability together with a dash of playful quirkiness that works so well Twitter just bought the app and hired developer Loren Brichter in back in April. That ...

Twitter for iPad: Sharing content in Tweets

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:06:18 GMT

Twitter Blog

Shared by Josh Bancroft
People are increasingly sharing different types of information on Twitter. For example, Tweets point to web pages, photos, videos, hashtags, people, check-ins, and more. Exploring Tweets is a great way to discover new and interesting information. And with devices of all shapes and sizes connecting to the Internet, we’re constantly looking for...

ReadWriteHack: Our Latest Channel Launches

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:55:07 GMT

ReadWriteWeb

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Sponsored by the Intel Atom Developer Program. Check it out.

Today we're launching our fifth channel, ReadWriteHack. Sponsored by the Intel Atom Developer Program, ReadWriteHack is a resource and guide for developers. In this channel we will outline best practices for designing and developing applications. We will also provide examples of hacks and how they work, to...

Unboxing and First Impressions With the Parrot AR.Drone

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:39:14 GMT

Touch Arcade

Shared by Josh Bancroft
WANT. Definitely on my wish list. :-)

There is nothing worse than getting a FedEx tracking number late on a Thursday, knowing full well that your package will not arrive until Monday. Even as an adult, I'll still obsessively refresh tracking information, even when I know something won't be delivered for days. Still, that didn't stop me from tracking the Parrot...

Fullscreen and more!

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:25:47 GMT

Official Google Reader Blog

Shared by Josh Bancroft
As Google Reader is all about reading, we thought we should give our users a chance to maximize their screen space whenever possible... thus fullscreen mode was born. You can toggle the fullscreen mode through the 'f' key. Additionally, you can use 'shift + u' to show and hide the navigation panel so you can easily...

QuickAdvice: Expand Your Daily Vocabulary With Terminology Ph

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:12:04 GMT

App Advice

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Great for word nerds. Love it on the iPad.

Terminology Ph ($0.99) by Agile Tortoise is a dictionary/thesaurus that helps to expand on your vocabulary on a daily basis.

The premise of Terminology Ph is simple – start the app up, and start looking up words. The first word that you’ll see on the screen is ‘Terminology.’ This will be the ‘browser’ section of the app...

RIP Breaking News Online App: You Were the Best Way to Get News Fast

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:44:53 GMT

ReadWriteWeb - Web Apps, Web Technology Trends, Social Networking ...

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Sad. Sold out.

One year ago this month, the best iPhone app for finding out what's happening around the world, fast, launched to the public. Breaking News Online (BNO), the incredible team lead by Dutch then-teenager Michael van Poppel and funded by revenue from van Poppel's bizzarre sale of an Osama Bin Laden video to mainstream media outlets, built the...

The Weather for iPhone, iPad adds customizable pages

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:15:57 GMT

Macworld

Shared by Josh Bancroft
It's gorgeous, and uses data from Weather Underground. Love it.

A major upgrade to this weather app for iPhone and iPad brings a fresh, clean new interface, optional background updating, and an emphasis on customizability.

Make Your Run For Distinctive’s Dead Runner, Now Available In The App Store

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:57:15 GMT

App Advice

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Looks great. Downloading now.

Distinctive Development’s Dead Runner has arrived in the App Store, giving distance game fans an eerie and invigorating experience that differs from the normally bright and more arcade-like games that currently dominate the genre.

Dead Runner is an endless distance game that places you in a horror movie environment. The game’s perspective i...

The greatest photo news site now has an iPad app

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:55:10 GMT

Smoking Apples

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Boston.com's Big Picture. Been waiting for this one!

The greatest photo news site now has an iPad app →

You’ve so far been amused by The Guardian Eyewitness iPad app in the way it provides you with amazing photography and news, every day. But we all know where the real photo news lies — Big Picture from Boston.com. Since day one I’ve been waiting for the Big Picture on ...

Free Game Alert – 'Fastar!' from Cat in a Box Games

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:50:17 GMT

Touch Arcade

Shared by Josh Bancroft
A no-brainer. Get it while it's free.

Last month, we were treated to the fun and fast-paced Fastar! from developer John Kooistra and Cat in a Box Games. Fastar! is a sarcastic take on action-RPGs that has you blazing through side-scrolling levels as fast as possible, all while collecting coins and upgrading your character as you defeat the game's many square enemies. ...

Hands-On: Simplenote 3 Stays Simple, Gets Powerful

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:52:13 GMT

Wired Gadget Lab

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Great update, though I'm dallying with Elements for my notes.

Simplenote, our favorite note-taking application for the iPhone, iPad, Android, the web and PC or Mac, has just seen a rather important update. Simplenote version 3 adds a treasure-trove of new features, but don’t worry about that: If you don’t want them, you won’t even notice them.

Simplenote’s strength is i...

Entire Rock Band 3 Setlist “Confirmed”

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:27:29 GMT

RBDLC News

Shared by Josh Bancroft
At least 25 songs in there that I love. Can't wait.

A video from Harmonix at Gamescon 2010 shows them *accidentally* revealing the entire setlist. Clever bastards, aren’t they? Here’s your entire setlist from Amy to Yes.

Amy Winehouse – Rehab
Anthrax – Caught in a Mosh
At the Drive-In – One Armed Scissor
Avenged Seven Fold – Beast and the Harlot
B-52s – Rock Lobster
Beach...

TripIt Adds Automatic Itinerary Importing from Your Gmail Inbox [Travel]

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Lifehacker

Signing up for free travel planner TripIt has a magic feeling to it, as the service instantly understands and organizes your flight, car rental, and hotel confirmation emails. Now TripIt can monitor your Gmail and automatically compile itinerary information for upcoming trips.

That's right—TripIt will check your incoming email for messages from JetBlue, Expedia, Hertz, Marriott, and other...

How to use your iPhone's volume buttons for shutter control in Camera+

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:20:40 GMT

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

Shared by Josh Bancroft
If you use Camera+ -- and you should; we love it -- you might have been excited by the recent talk of using the volume control buttons on the side of your iPhone to take pictures with. We've all found fumbling with the touchscreen button a little fiddly from time to time, right? I've come worryingly close to dropping my iPhone on...

Pulse News Mini And Pulse News Reader 50% Off Today Only

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:24:08 GMT

App Advice

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Yin to Flipboard's Yang.

Calling all news reader fans! Today and today only, Alphonso Labs’ two extremely popular visual news reader apps for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, Pulse News Mini and Pulse News Reader, are available for 50 percent off. Now you can have all of your news feeds in one place without breaking the bank.

Pulse News Mini, the iPhone version, allows...

'Tunnel Shoot' for iPhone, iPad – Free Today Only

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:42:12 GMT

Touch Arcade

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Get it.

Backflip Studios' CEO Julian Farrior let us know that his studio is handing out the neon glow of Tunnel Shoot [App Store] for free, today only. The game is a universal application that renders at full screen resolution on all iOS devices. We took a close look at the title when it went live in late June.

Tunnel Shoot is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a tunnel shooter...

Who does Google know that you know?

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:36:54 GMT

Boing Boing

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Impressive. And a little creepy.

This link will show you who Google knows that you know.

[It] is the network of connections Google uses to identify relevant social search results. It is based on a combination of the following:
• Direct connections from your Google chat buddies and contacts
• Direct connections from links that appear on your Google profile
• Secondary...

$299.99 Parrot AR.Drone Now Available for Pre-Order – Shipping September 3rd

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:13:57 GMT

Touch Arcade

We got word this afternoon that the Parrot AR.Drone Quadricopter is going to be sold exclusively through Brookstone and is available for pre-order right now for $299.99. Brookstone plans on shipping orders on September 3rd, and the first 300 orders get a free flight bag. (Tempting, I know.) Currently, Brookstone is only willing to ship the Parrot AR.Drone to customers inside of the USA, and...

125-piece puzzle in 6 different metals with hidden "Golden Gun"

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:18:54 GMT

MAKE Magazine

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Want.

Michigan machinist GarE Maxton makes many different types of interlocking solid puzzles of this type, but this one, which he calls The Intimidator, is his masterpiece. Starting the disassembly process requires a special key. Once diassembled, about 20 of the pieces can be recombined to make a functioning single-shot pistol. Other parts of the puzzle...

Check In While Checking Out: CardStar Adds Foursquare Integration

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:12:30 GMT

ReadWriteWeb - Web Apps, Web Technology Trends, Social Networking ...

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Nice. I use CardStar all the time.

Mobile loyalty card application CardStar is today announcing integration with popular location-based service Foursquare in its newly updated iPhone application, CardStar 3.0. Now, as CardStar users present their mobile phones to merchants for scanning, they can also be automatically "checked in" to that business on Foursquare.

The...

Dragon Dictation Updated with Social Features, iOS 4 Support

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:53:54 GMT

MacStories

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Nice! Handy for the car.

I’ve reviewed Dragon Dictation (the iPad version) before on MacStories, and it’s really spectacular for patients dealing with RSI injuries and arthritis. TUAW reports that the latest update brings a pop-up toolbar that allows you speak a status update and send those messages to Facebook, Twitter, the iPhone SMS client, or the clipboard. Also...

Office Heroes – We’ve Now Checked Out Completely

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:22:27 GMT

148Apps - iPhone App Reviews, iPhone Game Reviews, and iPhone News

Oh the office. 15 years ago people went to the office to work. They went in, did their jobs, went home, and the world was a great place. Remember how great the late 90’s were? I’m pretty sure that it had something to do with the internet just being in infancy.

Now we’re in the midst of a recession and people have clearly checked out for good. Computers are now just Facebook cesspools, with all o...

'Office Heroes' – Gentlemen, Start Your Tweeting

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:17:59 GMT

Touch Arcade

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Awesome, fun, free app. :-)

When we first posted about Office Heroes [Free] earlier this month, I admit I was more than a little surprised with the overwhelmingly positive response the game saw both in article comments and on our forums. It seems that social gaming is a guilty pleasure for many, and as I mentioned in the preview, Office Heroes has an incredibly clever ...

Camera+ 1.2 Available: Brings Touch Exposure, “Drag to Focus” and Flashlight

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:20:33 GMT

MacStories

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Great app, big update.

When we say “one hell of an update”, this is what we mean: we reviewed Camera+ for iPhone a few days ago, and now it feels like a brand new app. The new 1.2 update, which has just been released in the App Store, brings support for touch exposure, touch focus and Photo Flashlight.

It’s available here.

Touch exposure allows you to set exposure...

Map Your Foursquare Check-Ins to Google Maps [Location]

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:40:00 GMT

Lifehacker

We've previously suggested that social check-in service Foursquare can be more than just annoyingly self-involved, including its use as a self-tracker. Turns out it's seriously simple to track of your wanderings, for expense sheets or other means, with Google Maps.

Foursquare offers a nice selection of feeds to its users, including a map-friendly KML link. With that, it's dead simple to make an ...

An App Wall for Mac OS X [Video]

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:00:25 GMT

MacStories

The App Wall at Moscone Center was impressive. The Appstream app, based on that concept, is cool, too. It turns out, the App Wall can work as a screensaver for Mac as well.

The developers over at iapp.pl created a very simple screensaver that simulates the App Wall already seen at the WWDC. I don’t know whether this constantly pulls data from iTunes or not, but no doubt it is cool. And it’s...

How-To: Gorillapod Doubles as Awesome iPad Stand

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:58:11 GMT

Wired Gadget Lab

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Nice! Gotta try this.

After publicly declaring a search for the perfect iPad stand yesterday, Gadget Lab’s benevolent dictator Dylan Tweney put this question out over Twitter: “@mistercharlie Think you could use a Gorillapod as an iPad stand?” I rushed to grab my trusty Joby Gorilla Mobile, pausing only to set down a bottle of cold German beer. Blinking as I moved out ...

AnandTech on Apple’s iOS 4.0.1 signal-strength meter...

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:14:59 GMT

Marco.org

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Best explanation I've seen yet.

AnandTech on Apple’s iOS 4.0.1 signal-strength meter adjustment. Seems sensible. Click through for more great explanations and illustrations.

Old Spice Guy has competition

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:25:14 GMT

Boing Boing

Shared by Josh Bancroft
And so i begins... :-)

The internets are abuzz with praise, wonder, and hearty LOLs over a very clever online marketing campaign for Old Spice by ad firm Wieden+Kennedy.

Old Spice Guy appears in a number of YouTube videos, and creates response videos to high-profile bloggers, Twitterers, and "internet influencers." Like my friend Susannah Breslin, who'd written...

How the Old Spice Videos Are Being Made

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:42:00 GMT

ReadWriteWeb

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Great peek behind the curtain by @marshallk.

How do you take the social web by storm in a day, winning over even the coldest of hearts and gaining international aclaim - with commercials?

A team of creatives, tech geeks, marketers and writers gathered in an undisclosed location in Portland, Oregon yesterday and produced 87 short comedic YouTube videos about Old...

Mathematical Beauty: Calcbot for iPhone and iPad

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:57:31 GMT

Smoking Apples

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Agreed - go get it.

Calcbot started off as an iPad only app in the beginning. It made sense to build a simple, but beautiful calculator for the iPad since there wasn’t one included with Apple’s software. While the app is great on iPad, it’s the iPhone version that really shines. There have been plenty of calculator’s so far in the App Store, but the...

(Image)

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:17:49 GMT

(Image)

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:17:25 GMT

Add PDFs to Your iBooks Collection Using Dropbox [IBooks]

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:29:01 GMT

Lifehacker

Shared by Josh Bancroft
iTunes update, PDF files can be added to your iBooks reading collection through an iTunes sync. As the Simple Help blog points out, though, you can also just drop PDFs into your Dropbox space and add them from there. More »

Dropbox - PDF - IPad

Adobe Audition coming to the Mac

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:51:56 GMT

Macworld

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Finally. :-)

Adobe is launching it's Audition audio software package for the Mac platform this winter.

Why Angry Birds is so much fun

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:59:48 GMT

Scripting News

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Insight from Dave. I agree.

On a recent RBTN podcast I asked Jay if he remembered how, when the iPad first came out, we said we'd have to see what its killer app is. Well I think we now know. It's Angry Birds. ";->"

You could hum the Angry Birds theme song in the subway and someone would look up and smile at you. It's become that popular.

The game is very...

'Galcon Fusion' for iPad On Sale – 75% Off for a Week

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:45:27 GMT

Touch Arcade

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Well worth it. Get it now.

iOS developer Phil Hassey is running an 75%-off sale on Galcon Fusion [App Store], the iPad take on his popular fast-paced space strategy game, Galcon [App Store], winner of the IGF Mobile 2009 Innovation in Mobile Game Design award. Normally $7.99, the game is available for just $1.99 for the next seven days. The sale coincides with a...

Dog With A Box On His Head - Parry Gripp

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:01:26 GMT

jabancroft's YouTube Activity

I favorited a YouTube video: http://parrygripp.com/ Thank you to all of the people who sent me videos of their dogs with boxes on their heads, and thank you to Amy for the idea. Artwork at the end by the amazing Nathan Mazur http://scaredofbees.com/

Parrot AR.Drone to attack this September, for $300

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:06:25 GMT

Ars Technica Subscriber Only Full Text Feed

Shared by Josh Bancroft
Insta-add to my wish list. :-)

The Parrot AR.Drone made waves when it was shown off CES earlier this year. The WiFi quadricopter that uses an iPhone as its remote control will launch in the US this September, for $299.99. You can control the device using an iPhone, iPod touch, or an iPad, and the drone has both a downward- and frontward-facing...