Art of the iPhone

12 Best Free iPhone Calorie Counters (Diet Apps)

The fact that the iPhone is always with you makes it an ideal way to track your calories consumed and burned on a daily basis. And the best calorie tracker apps below make it easy to not only find and add up your daily calories, but to track your progress over time. And probably the best thing about using these apps is that, even if you stop tracking your calories after a while, the time you do manage to spend tracking helps you learn about those little habits that sabotage your weight loss—who knew that morning bagel had over 350 calories? Using these apps, even for a short while, will help you learn the right habits to help manage your weight over time.

The list below is of are 12 iPhone Calorie Trackers. My top pick (and the one I personally use), is MyFitnessPal, but Lose It! is another great app that many enjoy (and I’ll admit, it’s a little better looking). MyFitnessPal has an accompanying website where you can enter your calories and have it sync back to the app. There is also a community message board where people trying to lose weight can share their triumphs and struggles.

Free iPhone Calorie Counter Apps

1. MyFitnessPal 4.5 stars. Quick and easy tracking of calories. Database with over 525,000 foods. At-a-glance daily calorie count, including calories burned from exercise. Save favorite meals for quick tracking in the future. No Internet connection required. Track daily protein, carbs, sugar, etc. Syncs and backs up with MyFitnessPal.com website. Free account you can create within the app. Community forums with over 1,000,000 users. .
2. Lose It! 4 stars. Features a fast and good-looking interface. Large database of foods and exercises to quickly add calories and calories burned. Sync and backup with LostIt.com website. Export data to Excel. Save favorite meals for quick and easy tracking in the future. Track nutrients like protein, fat, carbs, etc.
3. DailyBurn 4 stars. Food database with over 350,000 entries, featuring food pictures, nutrition info, and macronutrient breakdown. Track calories, protein, fat, carbs, fiber, sodium, etc. Set personalized weight-loss goals based on fitness, age, weight, gender, and activity level. Get customized diet plans for weight loss, low-carb diets, low-fat diets, and bodybuilding. .
4. Calorie Counter
by MyNetDiary 		3.5 stars. Database features over 225,000 foods. Search as you type. Set up desired weight-loss pace based on your age, gender, activity level, etc. Built-in barcode scanner. Water tracking. 500 exercises. Internet connection required. Download.
5.Diet & Food Tracker by SparkPeople 3.5 stars. Features over 1 million foods in its database. Offers a quick-glance view of calories consumed and burned. Tracks exercises and calories burned. Charts show weight loss over time. Syncs with SparkPeople.com account. Free account. Access to articles on health and dieting.
6. Calorie Counter by CalorieCount.com 3.5 stars. Search and log nutritional data from a database of over 100,000 foods. Easy-to-use dashboard to navigate the app and visualize your progress. Compare daily calorie intake vs calories burned. Includes over 150 healthy recipes in-app selected by registered dietician. Record and chart your daily weight. Sync with CalorieCounter.com account. Supports limited offline logging.
7. Calorie Counter by ShapeUp Club 3 stars. Has over 400,000 foods in its database. Create your own entries for foods, meals, and exercises. Track calories, water intakes, and nutrition. See your dieting progress in charts. Write daily comments in a diary. Take “before and after” photos. Protect your entries with a password.
8. Calorie Counter by FatSecret 3 stars. Quickly find the calorie and nutrition info of your favorite foods, brands, and restaurants. Features a barcode scanner for quick entry of foods. Food diary helps plan and keep track of what you’re eating. Exercise diary for your calories burned. Track your weight.
9. Eat What? 3 stars. Set healthy eating objects like weight control, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Establish a daily calorie budget. Record your calories from foods and those burned from exercises. Simple, intuitive interface.
10. Weight Watchers Mobile 3 stars.Uses Weight Watchers brand new PointsPlus program to help you diet. Must be a Weight Watchers Online member to use the points system tracker, otherwise there are basic features like accessing healthy recipes and shopping lists.
11. Nutrition Genius FREE 2.5 stars. Features beautiful user interface. Everything-at-a-glance calendar view. 75,000+ foods in its database. 540+ restaurant menus. 160+ exercises. No internet required, even for access to the foods database.
12. Calorie Master Free 2 stars. Track calories consumed and calories burned in a calendar view. Create a daily goal. Add custom foods and favorites. Includes over 100 exercises for tracking calories burned. Log your weight over time and view in charts. Password protection for privacy.

Review: TripIt Travel Organizer App for iPhone

Keeping track of important travel info like flight times, addresses, check-in dates, etc, can be a huge hassle when traveling. TripIt – Travel Organizer (free) simplifies things by bringing all your travel info together in one place. It does this by stripping information from travel confirmation emails that you forward to the service. It’s like having a secretary who creates a travel itinerary for you. Quick and simple with additional information like flight status and Google Maps, TripIt is a killer time-saving app for travelers.

TripIt has been around as a website for a while now, but like many such services, its usefulness really blossoms when brought to a mobile platform like the iPhone. TripIt offers a free account, which you can sign up for in the app and which I’m reviewing here. They also offer a Pro account that costs money but offers more features.

The way TripIt works is simple: whenever you receive an email confirming reservations for airline tickets, hotel rooms, Priceline.com, etc, just forward the email to plans@tripit.com (you’ll need to forward from the email address you assigned to the TripIt account). TripIt takes over from there, stripping out the important data and compiling it into a travel itinerary accessible in the app.
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Review: AutoStitch Panorama (Best of iPhone Apps)

A common problem with the iPhone’s camera is that, due to its small lens, you can’t fit enough of a scene you’re trying to capture into a single photograph. That’s where AutoStitch Panorama ($2.99) comes in. As the name implies, the app stitches together multiple photographs to create panorama photographs. But panorama means more than just those long, rectangular landscape photos you’d normally associate with the word. It also means capturing tall buildings or any scenes too wide and tall for the iPhone’s lens. Essentially, AutoStitch is the wide-angle lens for the iPhone that lets you capture these scenes, and overall, it’s an indispensable tool for anyone who takes photos with the iPhone.

What I found most impressive about AutoStitch is how simple it is to use. The only real work you do is selecting the photos to stitch together, everything else is automated by the app. After taking the photos (which you must do outside of the app), you simply launch AutoStitch and select the photos you took. Then tap the Stitch button. The photos don’t have to be selected in any order. You can even make a mistake by including a wrong photo, and AutoStitch will ignore it.

A panorama I made of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The resulting photographs are usually detailed and blemish free—the app does a great job of blending photographs seamlessly. It helps if you use proper technique for a panorama, which is to keep the iPhone in one place but rotate it as if on a pivot for each photo.

After stitching, the resulting photos are often oddly shaped, with curving corners and bulging sides. AutoStitch includes a nice auto-cropping feature that can automatically cut the picture into a perfect rectangle suitable for framing. If you’re not satisified with results, you can take over the cropping and cut as you please.
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Review: Speck CandyShell Case for iPhone 4

The Speck CandyShell ($16) is a glossy, dual-layer case for the iPhone 4 whose surface we found to be so easily scratched and scuffed, it took on a look of several years of wear in just one week of our testing. The case’s durability issues are a shame too, because the case provides otherwise excellent protection for the iPhone 4. But in the end, we can’t recommend this case, even at a bargain price.

The CandyShell had major durability issues.

The CandyShell is the type of case that greatly benefits from glammed-up marketing photos, with its glossy surface and smooth curves. But in real-life usage, we found the case too easily became scratched and scuffed from basic actions like laying it on a table or storing it in pockets. In fact, as if foreshadowing its durability issues, our CandyShell case came “pre-installed” with numerous lines of scratches on its glossy black exterior, right out of the packaging.

If the case could stand up to regular wear and tear, it’d be a good-looking case. Its exterior matches the iPhone 4’s gloss note for note, and the case has stylish trim made of silicone rubber. The silicone rubber also lines the interior of the case to prevent the hard plastic exterior from scratching the iPhone. The silicone peaks through the hard plastic exterior on the corners of the iPhone as well as sticking up a millimeter above the edges iPhone’s screen, adding some protection for the front glass should the iPhone land on that side.

Unfortunately for the CandyShell, it has another disastorous design flaw beyond its durability issues: the case makes the iPhone’s ringer switch nearly impossible to access. I had to jam my fingernail into the narrow opening the case provides to access the switch. And despite my effort (and some pain), I could still just barely flip the switch. When we experience a design element like this, we wonder if some of these manufacturers ever actually use their own cases.

The CandyShell does excel in at least one area: protection. It’s a dual-layer case that combes an interior silicone layer with an exterior hard-plastic layer. We think Speck has achieved the perfect thickness for the necessary compromise between protection and maintaining the iPhone 4’s thinness. Overall, the case offers exellent shock absorption. And, the case has a silicone rubber rim that sticks up a quarter of an inch above the iPhone’s screen, taking on some impact should the iPhone drop on that side.

Conclusion

The Speck CandyShell‘s ($16) glossy hard-plastic exterior is simply the most scratchable surface we’ve seen in an iPhone case. After just a few days of use, the case looked like it had been dragged down the highyway—the amount of scratches and scuffs it gathered from storing it in pockets and on tables was astonishing. Combine that with a major design flaw that limits access to the iPhone’s ringer switch, and even the case’s excellent dual-layer protection can’t lead us to recommend this case. We rate the CandyShell a 4.0 out of 10.

Review: Otterbox Impact iPhone 4 Case

The Otterbox Impact iPhone 4 case ($12) is one of the thickest silicone rubber cases we’ve reviewed, and while all that rubber may not give it stylish looks, it does offer superb protection and shock absorption. Overall, we found the Impact to be a solid all-around case, and one of the better protective choices for the iPhone.

The Impact is one of the thicker silicone cases we’ve seen for the iPhone 4, but that thickness is partly deceiving due to some clever design on the inside of the case. The case has two layers of silicone. The outer layer is solid rubber, but the inside layer is honeycombed. With less material, the case weighs less while retaining some of the shock absorption of a double-layer case.

The biggest benefit of all that rubber is impressive protection, particularly in the area of shock absorption. Otterbox has become known for its protective cases (see our reviews for their Defender and the Commuter cases), and the Impact maintains the reputation, offering some of the best protection we’ve seen out of a silicone case. The impact points of the iPhone (the four corners) are well padded, and a rim around the front screen sticks up about a quarter of an inch and should absorb some shock should the iPhone fall on that side. Overall, the case gives your iPhone an excellent chance of survival if you accidentally drop it.

In the area of accessibility, the Impact scores well, with all ports and buttons accessible and working as expected. The case leaves openings for the headphone and docking port as well as the ringer switch, back camera and LED flash, front camera, and light sensor. The case covers up the iPhone’s volume, sleep, and home buttons with its own simulated rubber buttons, but all work accurately when pressed. The buttons also have a nice soft feel that I’ve always appreciated when silicone buttons are done right.

The Impact offers a much improved grip over what you’d get with a naked iPhone. Besides the inherent grippiness of silicone, that case’s sides are textured to offer provide friction for your fingertips. The only downside in this area is the case’s thickness that small hands may find difficult to wrap around.

Otterbox’s protection-focused cases aren’t particular known for their looks, and the Impact is no different. But I wouldn’t call it ugly either. It’s a functional design, with a matte black color, textured sides, and a tasteful Otterbox logo stamped into the rubber on the back. The only aesthetic feature I disliked is the big round porthole on the back that shows off the iPhone’s Apple logo.

There is one minor flaw worth mentioning: a loose fit for the narrow strips of rubber that frame the right and left sides of the iPhone’s screen. These areas tend to bend and stretch with the slightest pressure. It’s a minor flaw that doesn’t affect use of the iPhone, but it gives the case a strange feel at times.

Conclusion

The Otterbox Impact for iPhone 4 ($12) is one of the thickest silicone cases we’ve reviewed and also one of the best designed and most protective. While it may not win points for style, the case is a highly functional case that won’t stand in the way of using the iPhone. We rate the Impact an 8.9 out of 10, highly recommended.

Links:

Official website for Otterbox Impact for iPhone 4

Amazon.com: Otterbox Impact $12

Review: Gym Buddy, Weight Lifting Tracker (Best of iPhone Apps)

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  • November 2, 2010
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There are many iPhones apps that let you track your weight lifting routines, including popular apps like iFitness and FitnessBuilder, but none treat the ability as a primary feature. That’s why I was glad to discover Gym Buddy ($2.99, download) an app specifically designed to help you record your weight training stats in the gym.

Using Gym Buddy. The basics of using Gym Buddy are that, as you rest in between sets in the gym, you take out your iPhone, tap in your reps and weight in the designated fields, and tap a green checkmark to record them (the app will automatically add the date and time). Then, as you move from exercise to exercise in the gym, you follow along in the app by tapping an arrow and moving through a list of exercises you’ve previously set up. Reps/weights from your previous workouts are displayed at the bottom of the screen, so you’ll know how much weight to use or how many reps you’ll need to do to best yourself.

The app’s interface is simple and easy to use: a few taps and you’re in and out of the app and ready to go on to the next set. The biggest bother was taking the iPhone in and out of my pocket between each set , but since I don’t usually do anything between sets anyways, it wasn’t that big of a deal, and I quickly got used to it. I felt using the app was still more convenient than carrying around a clipboard and pen.

Add your own exercises to the app.

Rest Timer. There is one other sweet feature: a rest timer that will let you know when it’s time to start your next set. You can start the rest timer countdown by tapping one of three buttons along the top, or you change the app’s settings so that the timer automatically starts after recording in your reps/weight. The automatic rest timer is one of my favorite features of the app.
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Review: Otterbox Commuter Case for iPhone 4

Otterbox has become known for its rugged, protective iPhone cases, and the Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 4 ($19), a dual-layer case made of silicone and hard plastic, continues the tradition. A superbly designed case and some of the best protection you can get for the iPhone, the Commuter’s only flaws are its bulk and less convenient access to the iPhone’s headphone and docking ports.

The Commuter is a slightly slimmer version of the Otterbox Defender (review), a tank of a case we reviewed recently and found to be the gold standard for protective iPhone cases. The Commuter does away with the Defender’s built-in screen protector, but the overall design is much the same. It’s composed of two separate sections: a soft silicone rubber interior sleeve that you wrap around the iPhone, and a hard-plastic shell you place over it. The case requires some effort to put together and is not ideal for those who frequently take their case off and on. But once together, the case offers impressive protection, much better, even, than similar dual-layer cases.

Most of the case’s protection comes from the thick silicone rubber layer that makes up the bulk of the case. The rubber is exposed at the impact points (the four corners of the iPhone) and offers superb shock absorption for accidental drops. The silicone also supplies a thick rim that sticks up a quarter of an inch around the iPhone’s front screen and protects it should the iPhone land on that side. The outer hard plastic layer is much thinner than the silicone layer and seems mostly there for rigidity and dirt restistance, as hard plastic doesn’t attract dirt and grim the way some silicone materials can.

The case has a few drawbacks in the area of accessibility to its features. Silicone plugs that fit into the iPhone headphone and docking ports make accessing those areas more of a hassle. If you want to use headphones, you must first remove the plug, then replace it when finished. We found this process slightly annoying, but not a dealbreaker. And these plugs do have a purpose: preventing dirt and other potentially harmful substances from entering those sensitive areas.

The case covers the iPhone’s volume and sleep buttons with raised areas of silicone that simulate buttons. We tend to like this approach when the buttons work accurately, which they do with the Commuter. The home button is uncovered, as is the ringer switch, offering normal access.

The Commuter’s main flaw is its bulky size. I could still fit it in my pocket, but those with tighter pockets or smaller hands might not like the increased girth the case adds to the iPhone.

In terms of style, the case has a basic, utilitarian look to it. Lines are visible where the silicone and hard plastic layers meet and add a function-focused design element that we found neither ugly nor attractive. The case is only available in matte black, so anyone looking to match their case with their outfit will have to look elsewhere. The hard plastic back has a slight rough texture to it to help improve grip, and the case generally feels nice to hold—if you can get your hands around it. And there is a porthole on the back to display the iPhone’s Apple logo through, a design touch I’ve never really liked in iPhone cases in general, but some may find it useful to show off their fancy Apple product.

Conclusion

The Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 4 ($19) is a rugged, well-designed dual-layer case that offers superb protection for the iPhone 4. With its only drawback being added bulk, we nevertheless find it one of the best iPhone 4 cases available. We rate it a 9.0 out of 10, highly recommend.

Helpful links:

Official site for the Otterbox Commuter iPhone 4 Case

Amazon.com: Otterbox Commuter iPhone 4 Case $19

Review: Monaco Flip Style Case for iPhone 4

There are a few compelling reasons to use a flip-style iPhone case, and chief among them are privacy and protection. The cover can hide your iPhone’s screen and any pop-ups or caller IDs that appear. And a flip case’s cover also provides protection to the iPhone’s front screen when stored in a bag or pockets. But there are downsides as well, chief among them added bulk.

The Monaco Flip Style Case ($25) is a good example of both the good and bad of flip-style cases. It’s a well-constructed black leather flip case for the iPhone 4 that impressed up with its professional looks and comfortable feel. But its bulky size also means you’re going to need some type of bag (or really big pockets) to carry the iPhone around in.

For those looking for a flip-style case, the Monaco is a success mostly due to its quality construction. We enjoyed testing the Monaco thanks to a leather exterior that had a pleasant, soft, buttery feel. The case also has a good amount of padding, and generally feels much more comfortable to hold in the hand than a naked iPhone.


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The 150 Best iPhone Games of All Time

With close to 40,000 games available in the App Store, it can be difficult to find not just the good games, but the best of the best. We’ve compiled a list of the 150 best-reviewed iPhone games of all-time.

1-25:

Screenshot Description, Avg Review, Price
1. Cut the Rope (5 stars, $0.99) is a casual puzzle physics game where the object is to cut ropes so that a piece of candy falls into the On Nom’s mouth. Your task is complicated by candy-eating spiders, floating bubbles, and other challenging obstacles. Beautiful graphics, and clever, not-too-easy, not-too-hard puzzle designs make this one of the best casual iPhone games ever.
Bastion on iPhone 5 2. Bastion (5 stars, $4.99) may be 2012’s Game of the Year for iOS. It is a stunningly beautiful action RPG that has received critical acclaim on other gaming platforms as well as iOS. The game’s controls have been adjusted perfectly for the iPhone—there are no compromises or clunky control schemes. This is a game that gets every element of game design right: fun combat, a good story, and great voice acting, and it maintains challenging and surprising gameplay through the end.
3. Plants vs. Zombies (5 stars, $2.99) is a tower-defense/strategy game where you use plants to protect your home from invading zombies. Use the various plant types and their unique powers to kill zombies and gather energy to build even more plants for protection. Features 50 levels in Adventure mode.
The Room Great iPhone Games 4. The Room (5 stars, free, $0.99 IAP to unlock full game) may be the best puzzle game ever for the iPhone. The premise starts out simple enough: a box in a dark room with a few items. But the smallest details become the biggest clues that let you open the box, layer after layer. Beautiful graphics, stunning surprises….this game has it all. Who knew a game about a box can be so thrilling?
5. Where’s My Water? (5 stars, $0.99) is a whimsical puzzle game from Disney. The object is to direct water down to Swampy the Alligator so he can take a shower. Too bad the other alligators have sabotaged Swampy’s plumbing. You must build paths with your finger, remove obstacles, and use various objects to direct the flow of water so there’s enough water for a nice clean shower. With over 200 puzzles to solve, lots of humor, and tons of collectibles, Where’s My Water is one of those casual gaming bargains that makes the iPhone a great casual gaming device.
6. Fieldrunners 2 (5 stars, $2.99) is a sequel to the best-selling tower defense iPhone game. Few thought the developers could improve on the game, but they have, with beautiful graphics and sharpened gameplay. Place weapons strategically on a map so that they efficiently destroy waves of enemies that march on screen. Call in airstrikes, set traps, and conquer the new maps. Likely 2012’s game of the year, just about every professional iPhone game critic gave it a perfect score.
7. Infinity Blade (5 stars, $0.99) features some of the most stunning graphics and sound effects of any game on the iPhone and iPad. Infinity Blade is a fighting game where you take on warriors one-on-one, using swipes and taps to attack and dodge. Collect treasures to update your equipment. Brilliant all-around game design makes this one of the best iPhone games ever.
Rayman Jungle Run game 8. Rayman Jungle Run (5 stars, $2.99) is a 2012 Game of the Year and a beautiful game where you run, jump, and helicopter through dozens of perfectly designed levels. There is plenty of replay value for each level as well. The game also comes with iCloud support, so pick up where you left off on the iPhone and iPad. A quirky mood keeps the game light, but it also can be challenging at times. Another personal favorite, and a game that only gets better the deeper into the game you get. Highly recommended for those who don’t want to get too serious with a game.
Bejeweled iPhone game screenshot 9. Bejeweled (5 stars, $0.99) is the classic match 3 game, and there’s a reason it has long remained one of the most popular iPhone games and survived the ages. This is polished match 3 play. Match 3 or more jewels of the same color to remove them from the board. It’s easy, sure, but there are also subtle strategies that reveal themselves over time. Bejeweled is a casual game that can be played anywhere for any length of time. Features 5 game modes to keep things interesting.
Walking Dead Assault Best iPhone Game 10. Walking Dead Assault (5 stars, $1.99) is a squad-based tactical game based on the now famous comic book (and now TV show). Control Rick, Shane, Carl, Lori, and the others, each with their own abilities and strengths (ranged, melee, etc) as they fight their way through 11 levels of zombies. Walking Dead Assault utilizes an iPhone-friendly control system—no direction pads here. The developers have promised more episodes in the future.
11. Tiny Wings (5 stars, $0.99) is a fun casual game where you fly a little bird as far as you can before the sun goes down. Ride down slopes of hills and launch yourself into the air. Develop perfect timing to keep yourself aloft as long as possible. Beautiful graphics and a play-anywhere casual style make this one a winner.
Plague Inc Best iPhone Games List 12. Plague Inc. (5 stars, $0.99) is a strategy game where your goal is to destroy the world by developing and spreading a plague. Evil, huh? Fun and challenging, too! Choose a country of origin, then begin to strategically develop the plague’s characteristics. Do you want your victims to spread the disease by sneezing and coughing, or simply by touching each other? Earn “DNA points” that allow you to upgrade and mutate your disease. Just make sure you dance around the annoying good-hearted doctors trying to find a cure.
13. Peggle (5 stars, $2.99) is the classic, time-tested casual game that is well-suited for the iPhone. Launch pinballs and try to clear all the orange pegs from the screen. Part strategy, part luck, the game features 55 levels of play. Colorful graphics and fun music make the game a pleasurable experience.
14. Ski Safari (4.5 stars, $0.99) is a lighthearted gamed that puts you in control of a skier who has just been pushed out of his bed by an avalanche and sent careening down a mountain. Your goal is to keep up enough speed to outrun the avalanche. What’s so special about this game is the beautiful and detailed design that has gone into not only the artwork but also gameplay and animations. Especially fun are the animals and items you come across during your unexpected journey, like Abominable Snowmen, penguins, eagles, and snowmobiles. Sure, Ski Safari borrows (steals) its basic gameplay style from the popular Tiny Wings, but Ski Safari takes things up a notch to not only be better, but one of the best iPhone games ever.
15. Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery (4.5 stars, $4.99) is one of the most unique games on the iOS platform. The developer describes it as “an exploratory action adventure with an emphasis on audiovisual style.” It really is a beautiful game visually, and it comes with a soundtrack of completely original music. Some say you either love this game or you hate it, but professional app reviews show that most love it. A truly revolutionary game.
16. Angry Birds (4.5 stars, $0.99) is a challenging physics puzzler with deep gameplay. Launch birds and knock down the pigs’ protective barriers. Utilize various powers (split birds into three, accelerate their speed mid-air) to reach and destroy the pigs. A fun combination of logic, skill, and trial and error. Features over 195 levels—dozens of hours of casual gameplay for $0.99. And it has a rare 5-star average review rating in the App Store.
17. Fruit Ninja (4.5 stars, $0.99) is a unique, fast-paced swipe game where your finger becomes a ninja sword, slicing up fruit and avoiding other obstacles like bombs. Chop all the fruit and please your sensei.
Angry Birds Star Wars 18. Angry Birds Star Wars (4.5 stars, $0.99) takes the casual puzzle game and adds a Star Wars theme to it. Over a 100 levels to solve with more being added periodically. Use the force, wield a lightsaber, and fight against Darth Vader (who’s now a pig, of course).
19. Space Miner (4.5 stars, $1.99) takes the basic elements of the classic arcade Asteroids and adds in a money system, upgradeable ships, and a funny storyline. Blast away at asteroids and enemies in 48 unique sectors of space while taking on monsters and special side missions to earn extra cash.
20. Trainyard (5 stars, $0.99) is a puzzle game that make look somewhat plain graphics wise, but is still one of the most clever casual games I’ve played on the iPhone. The goal is to get trains to the end station by creating tracks with your finger. Red trains go to red stations, blue to blue, etc. The game starts off easy enough, but soon you are splitting trains, combing colors to create a third, and other wicked gameplay twists. A perfect casual game for the iPhone
21. Monster Dash (4.5 stars, $0.99) is a survival platformer where the object is to jump over gaps, navigate obstacles, and blow away enemies as you constantly run left to right on the screen. Features a fun cartoon monster theme, large collection of weapons, and lots of humor. From the creators of Fruit Ninja.
22. Solipskier (4.5 stars, $2.99) is a unique skiing game where you draw a path for your skier to navigate a course. Create jumps and slopes for your skier using your finger all the while guiding him through gates and tunnels. The longer you survive, the faster your skier moves.
23. Sally’s Spa (4.5 stars, $1.99) is a time management game that puts you in charge of a running a beauty spa. Manage customers as they arrive, and move them along through the various stations while making sure they never wait too long. Buy new equipment to assist you in the task and use strategy to make sure the impatient customers get moved along the quickest. Fun and quirky.
24. Crosswords (4.5 stars, $9.99) gathers daily crossword puzzles from the top newspapers, including the Washington Post, New York Times classics, Wall Street Journal, and many others. Nearly unlimited crossword puzzles to solive, and constantly updated. Perfect app for crossword addicts.
25. Mushroom Age (4.5 stars, $2.99) is a hidden-object game that pulls you along with a great mystery and sci-fi story. Travel through time as you try to find hidden objects and solve puzzles. A nice healthy dose of humor as well.

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Review: iLuv Fusion iPhone 4 Case and Stand

The iLuv Fusion for the iPhone 4 ($15) is a great idea, in theory, at least. It’s an integrated stand built into an iPhone case so that, wherever you go, you can conveniently prop up the iPhone. But while we found the Fusion makes for a great stand, its awkward shape and design flaws make it a less than ideal everyday iPhone case.

The iLuv Fusion case is made of two sections (featuring two different materials) that snap together to give you the case/stand combo. The first section is a soft rubber silicone casing that fits around the iPhone, giving it protection and shock absorption, and which can be used on its own without the stand. The second section is a hard-plastic stand that snaps into grooves built into the silicone case.

iLuv Fusion in landscape.

iLuv Fusion in portrait.

iLuv Fusion's second landscape orientation.

The stand section of the case features a hinge that allows the stand to unfold and prop up the iPhone in both landscape and portrait orientation. In portrait, the stand offers only 1 viewing angle. But in landscape, it supports a much wider range. One important feature we discovered is that the case can be turned “upside down,” with the stand’s hinge supplying enough friction to hold up the iPhone for another set of angles. As a stand, we enjoyed the Fusion’s versatility and portability. Who knows when you’ll want to prop up the iPhone, and it was nice to always have the ability to do so.

But the iLuv Fusion’s flaws become evident when used as an everyday case. One annoyance is that the stand along with its hinge sticks out from the rest of the case, creating an awkward, uneven shape. When laid flat on a table, the iPhone will wobble and sit at a slight angle. When held in the hand, the hinge digs into the palm and generally feels awkward.


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