Mobile Friday: Apple Arcade - Star Trek: Legends - A Lacklustre First Hour

For the next few videos, Mobile Friday will become Mobile Friday: Apple Arcade. I forgot that with my phone upgrade i also got some months free with Apple Arcade. So i'll use them to explore what the service offers on my phone, as i don't have an Apple TV or Mac.

The first game i chose to play was a selfish choice, much like my Star Trek: Lower Decks video https://youtu.be/5rA9Fb4SVhI, because i really enjoy watching Star Trek and i'm on the lookout for a game to equally enjoy.

This however isn't it. It's possible my expectations going in were too high, because it's something i enjoy, but you'll hear me compare it to other mobile games i've played in this series throughout and constantly find issues or areas where it's lacking features, clarity, or just "common sense."

There is a lot to this game and i wouldn't dismiss it immediately. if the game's story isn't captivating you then there's always the online features. admittedly i didn't try them out in this video. The game's tutorial isn't too long and there's no extra download when you start it for the first time, or if there is it wasn't revealed to the player that it's happening.

Have a watch of this video and judge it for yourself.

Apple Reveal The New iMac, No Disc Drive, Fusion Drive, 8GB RAM And 1TB HDD

Apple have announced a refresh to the iMac Line-up. the iMac no longer has a disc drive but this does mean Apple have managed to reduce the volume of the iMac by as much as 40%. at it's thinnest, the iMac is only 5mm. other hardware features include:

Quad Core 15, with upgrade to Core i7
8GB RAM
1TB HDD
2 Tunderbolt Ports
4 USB 3.0 Ports
Fusion Drive

The Fusion Drive feature combined an HDD and Flash Memory. the entire Apple OS is on the Flash drive with the remaining flash space being used for intelligently managed files with the aim of faster performance and quicker access.

21.5 Inch iMac with 2.7GHz Quad Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640m $1,299
21.5 Inch iMac with 2.9 GHz Quad Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 6450M $1,499
27 Inch iMac with 2.7 GHz Quad Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce GT660M $1,799
27 Inch iMac with 3.2 GHz Quad Core 15 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX $1,999

Press Release

Apple Reveal The 13 Inch MacBook With A Retina Display And Flash Storage

Apple have announced a new 13 inch MacBook Pro. this new model comes with the Retina Display, 227 pixels per inch which is around 4x more than the current model. other features include:

2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processors (option to choose faster 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 processors)

Intel HD Graphics 4000, 

8GB of 1600 MHz memory, 

Up to 768GB of flash storage. 

Two Thunderbolt

Two USB 3.0 ports

HDMI port 

Apple also say the battery should last around 7 hours and it will ship with OS X Mountain Lion. prices start at $1,699 for 128GB and $1.999 for 256GB.

Press Release

Apple Unveil The New iPad Mini, 7.9 Inch with 10 Hours Battery, And New 4th Gen iPad

Apple have revealed the new iPad Mini, Comes out 2nd November in the USA. the mini features a 7.9 Multi Touch Screen, that is not a Retina Display, FaceTime HD and iSight. Apple also boast that the iPad Mini would have a battery life of 10 hours. all apps designed for the iPad and iPad 2 will run on the iPad Mini. the chip in the iPad Mini is the A5 Chip, it's only 7.2mm thin and 0.68 pounds and supports 802.11n. 

iPad Mini + Wifi (Black+Slate or White+Silver): 16gb $329/£269, 32gb $429/£349, 65gb $529/£429.
iPad Mini + Wifi + 3G (Black+Slate or White+Silver): 16gb $459/£369, 32gb $559/£449, 65gb $659/£529.

Apple have also announced a new iPad. this forth generation iPad still features a 9.7 inch Retina display but now features the A6X Chip, which gives it twice the CPU performance and twice the graphics performance of the A5X Chip in the previous iPad.

iPad 4: 16gb $499, 32gb $599, 64gb $699
iPad 4 + Cellular: 16gb $629, 32gb $729, 64gb $829

Press Release

Apple Reveal The New iPod Touch And iPod Nano, Pre-Orders Start 14th September With Both Coming Out October

Apple have revealed the new iPod Touch and iPod Nano. The iPod Touch features the new 4inch Retina display, it is just 6mm thin and weighs 8 grams. it features the dual core A5 chip which fives the new iPod Touch 7x faster graphics and 2x the processing power of the previous 4th gen iPod Touch. battery on the iPod Touch supports up to 40 hours of music playback or 8 hours of video playback.

The new iPod Touch features a 5MP camera that supports 1080p Video recording, face detection, LED Flash and the new Panorama feature the iPhone 5 has. it will come with iOS 6 and Siri, Facebook integration and other iOS 6 features like iMessage, FaceTime, Mail and Game Center. The new iPod Touch is set to cost $299 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB version.
Apple have also revealed the new iPod Nano. its just 5mm thick and features the largest display a Nano has ever had. the 2.5inch screen features multitouch and a home button. other features include Bluetooth, FM Radio, a Pedometer for Nike+ and a battery life of 30 hours. Apple have revealed the USA prices for the iPod Nano, with the 2GB Model priced at $49 and the 16GB model $149 .

Press Release

Apple Reveal The iPhone 5, 4 Inch Retina Screen, A6 Chip, iOS 6. Out 21st September From $199

Apple have revealed the new iPhone. the iPhone 5 is set to come out from 21st September in both Black and White, with pre-orders starting on 14th September. Apple have revealed the USA prices, the 16GB has suggested retail price of $199, the 32GB is $299 and the 64GB model is $399. The iPhone 5 will ship with iOS 6 which has over 200 new features over the previous iOS.

The iPhone 5 will come with a 4inch Retina display, the phone itself is taller than previous iPhone models and yet when compared to the iPhone 4s, the iPhone 5 is 18% thinner and 20% lighter. the iPhone 5 supports LTE and DC-HSDPA, which is essentially really fast wireless mobile internet. it also supports 802.11n Wi-Fi for fast wireless internet.

The main chip in the iPhone 5 is the A6, a whole new chip that provides 2x CPU and Graphics performance over the 4s whilst offering a better battery life. the camera is 8 megapixels and 25% smaller than the 4s 8MP camera. it has a new lens cover that is more durable and also takes a picture quicker. there is new Panorama software which creates a 28MP picture by moving the camera across a scene. recording Video has also been improved and the front facing camera can record in 720p HD.

A New big feature of the phone is the connector. Apple had been using the 30pin connector for nearly a decade and have decided to change it and modernise it. this means the connector for the iPhone 5 is now called Lightning, can be used anyway up, and is significantly smaller than before. Apple will release an adaptor to connect the iPhone 5 to older equipment that uses the old 30pin Connector.

Press Release

Apple Announce A New Apple TV Will Come Out 16th March For $99

Apple have announced a new Apple TV is coming out on 16th March. this new Apple TV will support feature 1080p programs from iTunes, Netflix, Vimeo, and photographs. there are over 15,000 movies and 90,000 tv episodes on the iTunes store as well as live sports from MLB, NBA, and NHL. Apple TV supports itunes in the Cloud, which means that if you buy a tv show from iTunes on your PC, you can watch on your Apple TV. With AirPlay support, you can stream or mirror content from iPads and iPhones to your Apple TV.

The picture above shows off the new Icon Based interface. this new interface will be coming to new Apple TV's as well as second generation Apple TV Users. only the new, third generation, Apple TV's can play the 1080p content.

Press Release

Apple Announce The iPad 3, Out 16th March In Black And White From $399/£399

Apple have introduced the new iPad 3. Its powered by a A5X Chip with Quad Core Graphics, it has a 5 Mega pixel iSight rear Camera, that can take 1080p HD video. The camera is also back lit which means it can take great photo's, even in low light conditions. The iPad 3 screen is a Retina Display that has a resolution of 2048 x 1536, which is 1 Million Pixels more than a 1080p TV. Colours on the iPad 3 screen are also 44% better than the iPad 2. the iPad 3 will be available in Wifi and Wifi+4G versions. Apple say the battery life is still around 10 hours. The Pricing is:

Wifi
Black/White 16GB $499 / £399
Black/White 32GB $599 / £479
Black/White 64GB $699 / £559

Wifi+4G (Verizon Or AT&T In The USA)
Black/White 16GB $629 / £499
Black/White 32GB $729 / £579
Black/White 64GB $829 / £659

Apple have also announced the iPad 2 will stay on sale but at a cheaper price of $399/£329 for the 16GB Wifi model or $529/£429 for the Wifi and 3G 16 GB Model.
Apple have also introduced the new iPhoto App. like many of the standard apps, it has been updated to support Retina Graphics. it has also been updated to support multi touch gestures and you have the ability to enhance and retouch your images.


A new feature, unique to the iPad 3, is the dictation function. when you are typing you can tap the microphone icon on the keyboard and dictate to the iPad 3. when you are done, what you said then appears on the screen. the Dictation can be used to write messages, take notes, search the web and more. Third Party apps like Facebook and Instagram also work with the Dictation Function.

Press Release

Sony Online Entertainment Announce Free Realms Is Out Now On Macs

Sony Online Entertainment have announced that Free Realms is now out for Macs. just head to www.FreeRealms.com. and sign up for free. Mac users will have full access to the marketplace and forums.

Press Release

WHAT: Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), in collaboration with TransGaming, Inc. (TSX-V: TNG), today released Free Realms for the Macintosh® Platform. Mac® users can now enjoy the family-friendly online world, integrated into synchronous gameplay on the same game servers as PC players. Free Realmsplayers on the Mac platform will experience consistent controls and functionality and will have full access to the existing Marketplace and community forums.

Free Realms is a free-to-play, online game that has more than fourteen million registered players engaged in its expansive virtual world. In Free Realms, players can customize their characters and play a wide variety of mini games in a safe, online environment, packed with stunning visuals, distinctive environments, and social networking capabilities.

WHEN: Free Realms is now available for the Macintosh platform. To play, visit: www.FreeRealms.com.Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold LegendsTM, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars GalaxiesTM, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Tucson, AZ and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.

About TransGaming, Inc.
TransGaming, Inc. (TSX-V: TNG), is a leader in the development of unique software products that facilitate the deployment and distribution of games across multiple platforms. TransGaming's portability technologies significantly reduce the time-to-market for and costs associated with multi-platform releases of games. TransGaming works with many of the industry's leading developers and publishers to enable and distribute their games for the Mac and Linux/CE platforms, and currently markets products under: Cider (Mac Gaming), GameTree (Game Publishing & Distribution Platforms), Cedega (Linux Gaming), and SwiftShader (Graphics Rendering). TransGaming is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, maintains an R&D center in Ottawa, Canada, and has a new subsidiary – TransGaming Digital Home in Atlanta, GA. To learn more about TransGaming visit www.transgaming.com.

Apple Announce 2 Million iPads Have Been Sold In Less Than 60 Days

Apple have annoucned that the iPad has now sold over 2 Million Units. this has been achieved in less than 60 days, since its launch on 3rd April. the iPad is out now in over 10 countries, with a further 9 countries releasing it in July. Apple have also revealed that over 5,000 new Apps have been made for the ipad.

Press Release

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple® today announced that iPad™ sales have topped two million in less than 60 days since its launch on April 3. Apple began shipping iPad in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK this past weekend. iPad will be available in nine more countries in July and additional countries later this year.

"Customers around the world are experiencing the magic of iPad, and seem to be loving it as much as we do," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We appreciate their patience, and are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone."

iPad allows users to connect with their apps, content and the Internet in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. Users can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad's revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad is 0.5 inches thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds—thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook—and delivers up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Developers have created over 5,000 exciting new apps for iPad that take advantage of its Multi-Touch user interface, large screen and high-quality graphics. iPad will run almost all of the more than 200,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

© 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iPad, Multi-Touch, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Apple Announce 300,000 iPads Were Sold In The USA By 4th April

Apple has announced that the iPad has sold over 300,000 Units by the start of 4th April. Apple have also announced that iPad users have downloaded over 1 Million apps, and over 250,000 eBooks from the iBookstore during the first day.

Press Release

CUPERTINO, California—April 5, 2010—Apple® today announced that it sold over 300,000 iPads in the US as of midnight Saturday, April 3. These sales included deliveries of pre-ordered iPads to customers, deliveries to channel partners and sales at Apple Retail Stores. Apple also announced that iPad users downloaded over one million apps from Apple’s App Store and over 250,000 ebooks from its iBookstore during the first day.
“It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world—it’s going to be a game changer,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.”
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Telltale Games Announce The Penal Zone App for iPad Is Out Now

Telltale have announced that The Penal Zone App is out now for the iPad on the App Store. this is the first game from the Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse that has been designed specifically for the iPad. The game is priced at $9.99, whilst the next 4 episodes in this 5 episode story will also be priced at $9.99 when they are released monthly.

Press Release

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Apr 02, 2010 Pioneering digital publisher, Telltale Games today announced The Penal Zone App for iPad is now available on the App Store. The app is the first game in a new Sam & Max: The Devil’sPlayhouse series and has been specifically developed for iPad.

“We are tremendous fans of Apple and are extremely excited to have our longest running game series available for the launch of iPad,” said Dan Connors, CEO and co-founder of Telltale Games. “The iPad is an outstanding device for gaming and we’re excited to bring the first of many of our games to the App Store starting today.”

Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse is the biggest, and most epic Sam & Max series to date. As the game begins, an otherworldly power for controlling matter and space calls to the strongest and strangest who might wield it - intergalactic warlords and eldritch gods, under-dwellers and scholars of the arcane. The epic comedy saga, with five episodes releasing monthly, showcases Telltale’s unique expertise in storytelling and cinematic production to present an experience on par with animated feature theatrical releases.

“Sam & Max just feels right on iPad,” said Kevin Bruner, CTO, Telltale Games. “The gameplay experience is incredibly intimate and tactile. Playing the game on iPad truly feels different to anything else.”

In addition to all the comic mayhem and sleuthing that comes with Sam & Max games, the development team has added a number of Multi-Touch features to take advantage of the unique experience available on iPad.

The Penal Zone App for iPad is available for $9.99 from the App Store on iPad or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

The Sam & Max saga plays out in five episodes of mayhem that will be released on a monthly schedule for $9.99 per episode.

For more information please visit http://www.telltalegames.com.

About Sam & Max
Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is based on the indie comics by Steve Purcell. Sam is a six-foot dog in a baggy suit sporting a trombone-sized .44 hand-cannon. Max is three feet of pure unleashed id with a saw blade grin and the impulsive nature of the average piranha. Together they patrol the sticky streets of a fantastical New York City, righting wrongs, pummeling perps, and ridding the urban landscape of the shifty legions of "self-propelled gutter trash" that litter their streets. Sam & Max is Telltale's longest running episodic game series to date.

About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is a leading independent digital publisher of interactive stories playable on every major gaming platform. Telltale is also the pioneer of episodic delivery of content developing games as series and successfully releasing on a schedule to create a longer consumer engagement for each release. Founded in 2004 by LucasArts veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for downloadable game seasons and releasing more than 30 games to date. Telltale’s reputation for quality extends has been established across more than 25 published releases that have an cumulatively earned an average Metacritic score above 80%. Telltale's titles have won numerous awards including, "Adventure Game of the Year" accolades from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers, and have been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times to Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes episodic series on iPad, PlayStation(R) 3, Mac, PC, Wii (TM), and Xbox 360 (TM).

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Is Coming To Mac's Fall 2009, A Beta Now Available.

Mythic Entertainment have announced that their MMORPG, Warhammer Online: Age Of Reckoning is being developed for the Mac computer platform. the full release is currently set for fall 2009, with a Beta currently being available.
Current players can download the Beta client and play with their Warhammer Online characters, Whilst Mac users who are not signed up to the game can download the client and get a 10 day free trial.
Those who take part in the Beta will get a a exclusive title and trophy for their characters.

Press Release

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Business Wire)-- Jul 30, 2009 Mythic Entertainment™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) studio, today announced that the critically acclaimed MMORPG, Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning® (WAR), is being developed for the Mac® computer platform and is currently being offered in beta version. The Mac version of WAR is scheduled for official release in the fall of 2009, when players on both platforms will be able to battle and quest together on the same servers.
The beta of the Mac version of Warhammer Online will allow current players to download a client to their Mac computers and play with their live game accounts. Players who do not have an existing live account, but are interested in playing WAR on the Mac, will be able to participate in the beta version of WAR on Mac by downloading a 10-day beta trial account. As part of the WAR Mac beta event, players who participate will receive an exclusive title and trophy reward for their characters within the game.

“The MMORPG audience continues to expand, and that means gamers eager to experience WAR aren’t all playing on a PC,” said Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. “We want as many players as possible to experience the glory of Realm vs. Realm combat, and bringing WAR to the Mac makes this an exciting reality.”

WAR for the Mac is made possible using the CiderTM Portability Engine from TransGaming (TSX-V: TNG) that acts as a "wrapper" around the game software, enabling it to run seamlessly on Intel-based Macs. TransGaming’s Cider technology allows Mythic Entertainment to rapidly enable and deploy WAR for the Mac, providing a new high quality gaming experience to the ever-growing Mac gaming community.
“The availability of WAR on Mac is an outstanding example of the caliber of games being deployed for the Mac gaming community,” commented Vikas Gupta, CEO & President of TransGaming. “Mythic Entertainment has created an incredible game and TransGaming is thrilled they have chosen our advanced Cider technology to launch WAR for the Mac.”

To download the beta version of WAR for Mac or the 10-day beta trial, please visit: www.warhammeronline.com/mac.

Based on the popular tabletop war game from Games Workshop, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features revolutionary Realm vs. Realm™ conflict that will provide players with an engaging battleground for years to come. Available now for PC and rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB, WAR will be available for the Mac in the fall of 2009. For more information or to download the 10-day free trial, visit http://www.warhammeronline.com/.

About Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning®
Experience the glory of Realm vs. Realm! Declare your allegiance and join hundreds of thousands of mighty heroes on the battlefields of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, the new MMORPG from Mythic Entertainment, the creators of Dark Age of Camelot™. Enter a grim fantasy world of perpetual conflict to fight for the Realms of Order (Dwarfs, High Elves, and Empire) or Destruction (Greenskins, Dark Elves, and Chaos). Invade enemy lands, besiege imposing fortresses, and sack sprawling capital cities for the glory of your Realm. Wield devastating magic and deadly weapons, battle monstrous creatures, and join your brothers-in-arms in epic Public Quests™. Climb the Bastion Stair, carry your Guild Banner into battle, and unlock the infinite secrets of the Tome of Knowledge as you travel the world. So sharpen your blade and unleash your inner mutation. The Age of Reckoning has begun and WAR IS EVERYWHERE!

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA Mobile TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

About TransGaming, Inc.
TransGaming, Inc. (TSX-V: TNG), is the leading developer of innovative enablement products for the $60B video games industry. Content creators around the world have embraced the company’s products to increase revenues, enhance profit margins, and gain market share. TransGaming’s continued success is fueled by: Cider, a product that enables PC games on the exploding Mac market; Cedega, a product that enables PC games for the Linux market; GameTree, TransGaming’s comprehensive suite of Mac gaming products and services for retail and online game releases; SwiftShader, a proprietary ultra high-speed software 3D rendering product which exploits the move to multi-core CPUs and the convergence of CPU and GPU technologies; and TransGaming’s Development Studio, creating original video game content. TransGaming is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and maintains a research and development center in Ottawa, Canada. To learn more about TransGaming’s products visit www.transgaming.com"

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, Dark Age of Camelot, Mythic Entertainment, Public Quests, and Realm vs. Realm are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Games Workshop, Warhammer, Warhammer Online, Age of Reckoning, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations, units, illustrations and images from the Warhammer world are either ®, ™ and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2009. Used under license by Electronic Arts Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective licensors.