GeekwithEnvy

Mobile

CES only a Few Days Away

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Yes, it’s the world’s largest annual innovation event and one of my favorite things about starting the new year! The International Consumer Electronics Show will feature thousands of new gadgets to check out and of course we will do our part to bring you updates.

The International CES will be held in Las Vegas on January 8th – 11th. It truly is a major geek out and I can’t wait to see what comes out of this years event. You can get all the event info on the official CES website.

Here’s a look back at CES 2012.

Mobile Gaming Has Come Along Way but the TV is Getting Lonely

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Gaming on mobile has never been better and it has inspired many small time developers around the world. The mobile app market is unique in that it’s probably one of the easiest ways to get your game in front of millions of users. iOS and Android are exploding with millions of apps and many of them were created by the average joe without any major support from a large corporation. With the rise is mobile gaming popularity, thanks in part to better mobile performance, many of us desire a bit more from our favorite mobile games.

Can we do any better? Well, it turns out that we can. Let’s bring this uber, developer friendly environment to the big screen. That’s exactly what  Julie Uhrman was thinking when she started OUYA, a company that’s creating a console that’s mission is to “open up the last closed gaming platform- the TV”. OUYA got major support through Kickstarter and became one of the most successful Kickstarter projects to date.

Main Kickstarter OUYA

OUYA Console
OUYA Console

This console brings the Android OS to the television and it will open the doors for developers to begin creating content for the big screen on an open platform. It’s very affordable at just $99 and all of the games will be free-to-try. OUYA is compact and elegant, it also comes with a nice looking controller. Another cool feature of the OUYA console is that it can be easily hacked, in fact it’s encouraged. Not a hardware guy ? Maybe you’re looking to develop? You can start now, the OUYA  software development kit is already available for download.

 

Specifications:

  • Tegra3 quad-core processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB of internal flash storage
  • HDMI connection to the TV, with support for up to 1080p HD
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth LE 4.0
  • USB 2.0 (one)
  • Wireless controller with standard controls (two analog sticks, d-pad, eight action buttons, a system button), a touchpad
  • Android Jelly Bean
  • Ethernet

 

Cycloramic Brings a Unique “Twist” to the iPhone

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Cycloramic is a cool little app that records video while it actually rotates your iPhone by using vibration. Seems like it could be pretty useful, but it would make me a little nervous to use this app in certain locations where the phone could become damaged. Another issue I have with this app is that it doesn’t take panoramic photos, which would be a nice addition. Overall, I like the idea, it’s a pretty clever little trick and it’s sure to get you some attention at a party, but I just wonder how useful it actually is.

 

Featured App: GifBoom

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Animated GIF’s were one of the best things about the internet in 90’s and now it seems that they’re making a strong comeback. Websites like Tumblr frequently use animated GIF files for content and simply put, they look awesome. So how can you join in on the fun and create your own animated GIF files? There’s a simple solution and it’s GifBoom.

GifBoom ScreenShot

GifBoom is an app that helps you easily create your own unique animated GIF files by using your built-in camera or saved photos from your library. After you have chosen the photos you want to use you can then create your animated GIF, it’s really that simple. Once you make your new GIF you can then easily share it with your friends via Email, MMS or Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. This app is really fun to use and your only limit is your own creativity. GifBoom is available for Free on the App Store and Google Play.

GifBoom Features:

  •  Create animated GIFs that you can share to anywhere from your camera or photos.
  •  Auto and Manual mode: Change speed of your auto timer in camera shooting or use “Manual” mode. You can control whatever speed you want to take photos.
  •  Import from Videos and Photos in Gallery
  •  One Tap Instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Email and MMS
  •  Save GIFs to camera gallery
  •  Change the speed of your GIF with live preview
  •  Rotate the GIFs with live preview
  •  Add Text to Your Gifs!

 

Featured App: Angry Birds Star Wars

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Angry-Bird-Star-Wars-Nerd-Style.com_

Everyone knows the original Angry Birds was a huge hit back in 2009. Since then, they have released many different versions and add-ons for this game, and has become a great franchise.

Ever since the original though, I have not been interested. It’s all been pretty much the same game to me, but this year they announced and released Angry Birds Star Wars, and being the Star Wars geek that I am, I had to try it out. To my surprise, I was hooked pretty much instantly. Yes, it is still the classic Angry Birds game-play, but the additions made are amazing. The birds are dressed up as all the characters from Luke Skywalker to R2-D2. As you go through the levels you can unlock new characters. Each one has a unique ability (e.g. Han Solo will shoot his gun, Luke has a lightsaber, and Chewbacca just plows right into everything).

angry-birds-star-wars-review

The game also has nice cut scenes, which are very short, but still a great addition. The artwork and music are fantastic, and I love the way each level is designed. Everything about it has the look and feel of Star Wars. You will fight your way through stormtrooper pigs and go up against Darth Vader pig. It’s like playing through scenes of the movie.

If you are a Star Wars fan this is a must try. Check it out!

Available for download here: Angry Birds