iPhone Apps and Games for Kids

From learning ABCs to counting 123s, going back in time to looking to the stars, the iTunes App Store has something for pretty much everyone. Here’s a sampling of great iPhone and iPod touch apps and games for kids.

MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition [$4.99 - iTunes link] – Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the MONOPOLY brand as the game you know and love goes global.

Doodle Jump [$0.99 - iTunes link] – insanely addictive game that’s currently #1 on the App Store Top Paid list.

Dinosaurs: The American Museum of Natural History Collections (free - iTunes link] – most kids LOVE dinosaurs and this amazing app let’s kids explore the museums collection.

Pickin’ Time [$1.99 - iTunes link] – another game to keep kids of all ages engaged. While teaching them about vegetables!

Math Cards [$0.99 - iTunes link] – Sorry kids, it’s not all games. This app uses quick quizzes to improve basic math kill.

ABC Animals [$1.99 - iTunes link] – really engaging way to help teach preschoolers letters, phonics and handwriting.

Preschool Music [$0.99 - iTunes link] – includes four fun musical activities for preschoolers to jam along with. Perhaps not one for the back of the mini-van.

Elmo’s Monster Maker [$3.99 - iTunes link] – super fun app that lets kids design their own monster friend to play with Elmo.

Jelly Car 2 [$0.99 - iTunes link] – this game has become a real favorite on the App Store and this version lets you use your own much in the game.

Word Magic [$0.99 - iTunes link] – great way to help kids 3-6 have fun with words and spelling.

NASA App [free - iTunes link] – educate and entertain with this official app from NASA. Includes a ton of fantastic information about space missions past and present.

Wheels on the Bus [$0.99 - iTunes link] – the classic. Brilliantly updated for iPhone and iPod touch.

Any other great apps for kids that you would recommend? Let us know!

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Google and Microsoft Vie for iPhone Search Presence

In a pair of reports yesterday, Reuters noted that rumors of Apple dumping Google in favor of Microsoft's Bing for the iPhone's search functionality have hung in the air at this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. According to the first repor...

HTC unveils update to Nexus One and HTC Legend

HTC unveiled its two newest Android smartphones. The HTC Desire is similar to Nexus One, while the HTC Legend boasts an aluminum casing.

TiPb Give-Away: 10 FREE SmrtCase Glide Cases for iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS

The SmrtCase Glide for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS is a hard case shell that will protect your phone from scrapes, bumps, and even small to medium falls (depending on the angle of impact). It includes a screen protector, but the really innovative part of the case is that it has a small slot on the side where you can store a credit card, bus passe, ID, business cards, or even appropriately sized pictures.

Oh, and did I mention SmrtCase is giving away ten (10) FREE SmrtCase Glide cases to our TiPb readers? Follow on after the break for details!

I have to let you know how excited I was to try out the SmrtCase Glide and I was not disappointed. So how does it work? The small groove in the back makes it easy to place cards inside and the hole on the back means you can use one hand to slide the card out to swipe or remove.

If you’re worried about the card falling out, well, I was too but a combination of the curvature of the case and the iPhone provide a snug fit for the card (and I gave the case a good shake to make sure — see the video below!).

Of course, how many cards you can fit inside the Glide depends on the exact thickness of each card. SmrtCase states that the case can hold 2 plastic cards comfortably, one credit and one ID, however I found this combination was too snug if I wanted to easily slide one of them out to swipe.

To really put it to the test, I asked my husband, (who has a great disdain for cases in general) to try out one of the sample cases and give me his impressions. I have not seen the case since. He loves that he can put his metro passes (5 in all) in the case and not have to take out his wallet to get to them.

And, oh yes, the contest:

Head on over to the TiPb forums and tell us how a SmrtCase Glide would come in handy for you. We’ll pick 10 of you at random, and each person picked will get a FREE SmrtCase Glide. The give-away starts now and ends Thursday, February 18, at 12pm PT

TiPb Give-Away: 10 FREE SmrtCase Glide Cases for iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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BlackBerry maker frets about bandwidth crunch

RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis warns that bandwidth-hungry smartphones will bring about a bandwidth crisis unless manufacturers take control of their data usage. But, of course, he has his own axe to grind.

Review: Dictator Defense for iPhone

There are really only two things any prospective buyer needs to know about Digital Chocolate’s latest game for the iPhone and iPod touch. First: Dictator Defense is a simple, easy-to-learn variation on the fortress defense game. Second: Dictator Defense is extremely addictive.

Analysis: Mobile operators versus the App Store

PC World's Jeff Bertolucci wonders if two dozen global carriers can work together to actually build an open marketplace for apps that challenges Apple's App Store.

Aperture 3 Reportedly Causing Hangs and Memory Leak Issues for Some Users

Softpedia and Computerworld have noted a significant number of complaints from users of Apple's new Aperture 3 professional-level photo editing and management application released last week. The complaints, which have been flooding Apple's discussio...

Ballmer on Bing as iPhone Default, Google and Apple Still “Stable”

Given the rumors surrounding Apple and Google lately, and the iPhone and Microsoft Bing, it’s no wonder Mobile World Congress 2010 has raised both topics again, earning a smile from Steve Ballmer, and yet another “stable” comment from Google.

First up, Reuters has comments from Vic Gundotra, Google mobile engineering lead:

“Apple is a very close and valuable partner and we’re very excited about the relationship we have with them today. We have no reason to believe that’s going to change.” [...] “We don’t want to comment on those rumours. We think that relationship is stable.”

“Stable” being the same word repeated twice by Google CEO, Eric Schmidt recently when he was similarly asked about the state of the Apple/Google relationship.

Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer played things more coyly according to Reuters:

When asked about the reports, Ballmer said “I wouldn’t comment either way,” but smiled, and repeated the phrase when the reporter remarked that Ballmer looked happy.

This once again highlights the broad but internally conflicted scope of Microsoft and Google’s businesses. Ballmer and Schmidt no doubt want WinPho7s and Android to compete well against the iPhone, but they both also want the revenue from iPhone search traffic — something Google reportedly pays $100 million a year for already.

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In Stock: iSkin solo FX SE for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G

In Stock: iSkin solo FX SE for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G

The iSkin solo FX SE [$29.95 - TiPb Store link] is the perfect solution for the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G user that wants great protection while keeping a slim and stylish look to their device.

On the front of the iSkin solo FX SE there is a Mirror Film that doubles as compact mirror when your iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G is asleep. The BodyGuard that covers the backside of the device features a special chic matte finish edged with a glossy designer pattern.

Check out full specs at the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store!

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Apple bans hackers from App Store

Filed under: Apple Corporate, iPhone, App Store, Jailbreak/pwnage

"Banned" might not be the right word, but that's what user serif_hashim is saying.

He says he's been denied access to the App Store from their iPhones by Apple. When sherif_hashim tried to connect, he was greeted with the image at right, which he explained via Twitter:

"Your Apple ID was banned for security reasons", that's what i get when i try to go to the app store, they must be really angry :) )))) and guess what my apple ID was, "sherif_hashim@yahoo.com", what a fool was me not to notice :) )), can't help laughing, they are babies :) ))"

Sherif Hashim recently found an exploit in iPhone OS 3.1.3 to unlock 05.12.01 Baseband for iPhone 3G and 3GS, which was later confirmed by the iPhone Dev-Team.

Hacker iH8sn0w was the second to report the issue, saying on Twitter:

"@sherif_hashim lol, they did that to my ih8sn0wyday[@t]googmail.com too. (right after I posted XEMN)..."

iH8sn0w is the user behind Sn0wbreeze, the jailbreaking tool for Windows. It should be noted that these users aren't typical jailbreakers. One has publicized an exploit and the other maintains a jailbreaking tool. Plus, they used their handles in the account emails, which wasn't the best choice. We'll see if the issue becomes more widespread.

We question serif_hashim's used of "banned" because this message can be triggered by entering a bad password several times across any service that uses your Apple ID, like the App Store, iTunes, Apple Photo Services and MobileMe. It's not likely that he entered a bad password enough times, but it's possible. Users in this situation can use iForgot to regain access.

[Via 9 to 5 Mac]

Apple bans hackers from App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple bans hackers from App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire = Nexus One + Sense UI — The Competition

While yesterday’s Mobile World Congress news was all about Windows Phone 7 Series (henceforth WinPho7s), the Android invasion has returned with news of the HTC Desire, which looks to be Nexus One-style hardware running a new version of Sense UI, and the HTC Legend, a unibody update to the Hero.

Android Central has your details and your HTC Desire hands-on.

In terms of competition to the iPhone, it’s probably not too different than the Nexus One either. The specs remain over the top but the polish in terms of capacitance sensitivity isn’t likely improved. The big question will be whether or not Sense UI on the HTC Desire is more consistent and if multitouch is in the keyboard’s future.

There’s also a new, uber-version of the Hero called the Legend, so check out details and an HTC Legend hands-on over at Android Central as well.

Overall, the main contrast to Apple’s steady, once a year pace with extreme fit and finish is Google/HTC/Android’s release fast, fix later, polish never strategy. The sheer amount of “superphone” class devices they’re putting out, however, should keep the pressure on Apple as we round the corner towards a 4th generation iPhone.

Also, unlike Apple’s one, global iPhone, HTC is — as is all too often the case — releasing the Desire and the Legend without any support for US 3G bands. (Yeahbuwhy?)

Check them out and then come back and let us know what you think Apple has to do, if anything, to compete in the newer, hotter 2010!

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iPhone app aims to help track global app success

PositionApp promises to give developers a valuable insight into the performance of their iPhone and iPod touch applications.

Review: AutoPark for iPhone

If you park in timed spots with any frequency, know this: AutoPark looks great, works elegantly, and incorporates enough clever extra niceties to deserve a spot on your mobile device.

Revenue Sharing, Subscriber Data Disagreements Holding Back iPad Newspapers, Magazines?

Financial Times is reporting that disagreements between Apple and major newspapers and magazine publishers over key issues such as revenue sharing and subscriber data are holding back that content from the upcoming iPad and its iBook app.

Publishers have spent decades collecting information about subscribers that influence marketing plans and, in some cases, the content of the publication itself. Apple’s policy would separate them from their most valuable asset, publishing executives said. “We must keep the relationship with our readers,” says Sara Öhrvall, senior vice-president of research at Swedish publisher Bonnier . “That’s the only way to make a good magazine.”

Some publishers are also griping about Apple’s compensation model. Although Apple won plaudits from the book publishing industry for offering it more control over pricing and a richer split of sales – publishers retain 70 per cent of sales and have control over the customer pricing of books – the revenue sharing plan makes less sense for recurring charges such as subscriptions, publishers said.

Talks continue, so here’s hoping deals get made and iMagazines and iNewspapers get woven into Apple’s content services by the iPad’s March launch window.

[Financial Times via MacRumors]

Revenue Sharing, Subscriber Data Disagreements Holding Back iPad Newspapers, Magazines? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Quick App: iTopple Theme for Jailbreak

iMuggle Productions has released their first theme for Jailbroken iPhones — iTopple. It is available in Rock and Cydia for $1.99, and boasts of being “sleek, clean, and simple”. Included with iTopple are:

• beautiful gradient wallpapers
• 350+ icons (and growing)
• complete SMS chatkit
• iPod controls
• battery meters (charging and status bar)
• status bar
• custom wifi bars

iMuggle productions recommends that for the best look, use iTopple with Reflective Dock (free) and icon labels turned off. If you pick this one up, let us know what you think!

More screenshots after the break!

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Expo Notes: iPhoneAppQuotes.com finds designers for your app

iPhoneAppQuotes.com, which exhibited at last week's Macworld Expo, finds qualified developers to work on projects for individuals or businesses who want to build an iPhone app.

Apple To Copy Protect iBookstore eBooks With FairPlay DRM