Toodledo is a service that’s been around for a while, that lets you manage tasks, notes, collaborate with friends and provides a huge set of features. So does their iPhone app, so let’s take a look at what it can do for you.

Getting Started

Tapping on Add Task will take you to a very simple form, where you can enter the task’s details and hit Add Task again to save it. For simple tasks, this is all you’ll probably need, but there are a lot more options if you feel like customizing it. Simply tap on Edit Details and you’ll get a lot more to change. For example, you can set the due date, add an alarm, change the task’s priority or even set a repeating pattern.

Adding a task, and setting a due date.

Tapping on Edit Details kind of automatically saves the task, so if you regret adding it, you’ll have to go to All Tasks and delete it from there.

Viewing Your Tasks

There are many ways to look at what you need to do. In All Tasks you’re literally viewing all your tasks. They’re sorted by importance by default, although you can change that by tapping right below the Add Task button. You can choose to sort alphabetically, by due date, even by distance from a specific location (which is kinda cool). The great thing about these options is that you can sort by, say, importance, then alphabetically and then by distance, for example. You can also choose different filters, where you can show tasks that are already done, hide them or just show the recent ones.

Different task views, and sorted by importance.

There are many other views, like the Folders option, where tasks are sorted by folders you specify when you create a task. One of my favourites is Locations, where you can actually view tasks on a map. If you specify locations for your tasks, you can see which ones are closer so you know where to go to get things done.

View your tasks on a map — take that Reminders app!

Location Based Reminders

This is worth mentioning and has its own section because it’s a great feature, but is a little hard to configure. First, go to the Settings pane and tap on Fields & Defaults. There, scroll to the bottom and under Unused Fields you’ll find one named Location. Drag it to the top so it sits under Fields Used. Go back, and you’ll see two more options under the Tasks category: Location Alarms and Locations. Tap on Location Alarms and turn the Get Alerts switch to ON. Customize the other options to your heart’s desire, but be sure to leave the Auto option selected, since this tells Toodledo to use your device’s location services.

Drag the Location field to the top, then enable Get Alerts.

Now, when adding a task, edit its details, and tap on Location. There, add a new one. Type a recognizable name like Home or Work, and set the location using the map. This way, when you get close to the location you set, Toodledo will remind you.

Customizing Your Experience

Toodledo has got to be one of the most customizable apps out there. The bad part is that it’s kinda hard to discover all of its features. Like the location based reminders I talked about in the previous section, there are many other features and task views you can unlock simply by diving into the settings. For example, go to the Settings pane, hit Fields & Defaults and slide the Tag option to the top. This will allow you to add tags to your tasks, and view them on the start page accordingly. You can do the same with contexts, for example, and even the reverse. Not really using the Starred Tasks feature? Simply slide that field to the bottom and it will disappear. That’s customization, alright.

Set up syncing to back up your tasks and notes.

Apart from the latter, you can set up syncing so all your tasks are backed up with Toodledo’s site. You can create an account right from within the app and sync everything. This is great since you can then use Toodledo from your browser if you’re on your desktop. You can also choose to use app badges and change the app’s start page, so you’re right where you want to when you fire up the app.

Final Thoughts

The app’s design seems a little weird at first, mostly because the icons don’t look like iPhone material. Appigo’s Todo app comes to mind here, where it has beautiful icons that go perfectly with iOS’ UI. Another thing that bothered me is the fact that you have to set a due date (and a due time) to set an alarm for a task. I prefer the way Apple’s Reminders app works, where you simply set an alarm and that’s it.

The thing I really liked is that you can customize the app to fit your needs very precisely. If you don’t need to star your tasks, simply remove that feature. Less clutter means less to worry about and more tasks getting done.

If you need more power than Apple’s Reminders, give Toodledo a shot, you will probably not regret it.

Hop in and get your game on!

Blot

Blot is a clone. It’s a strange, artsy clone of the very famous Jetpack Joyride from Halfbrick Studios, and somehow that doesn’t detract from its charm or fun.

You’ll control a blob of ink called Blot, and using the one-touch controls you will struggle to keep him safe as he speeds through gorgeous hand-sketched landscapes, avoiding floating pencils, pins and all sorts of obstacles. Collecting coins is a good way to work toward purchasing cool costumes and tools in the shop, and there are also “boost buddies” to keep an eye out for — they’ll help you achieve an invincible, Mario-style ultra mode where you can breeze along without fear.

One interesting aspect that differentiates Blot is the inclusion of ink colours. Dipping Blot in various colours will grant him certain abilities that help make progress easier against certain obstacles. This, combined with the tools you can buy are what makes Blot feel special, and with any luck the developers at Majestic Software will focus on these distinguishing elements for their future updates. Blot remains a very fun, if familiar, game.

Price: $0.99
Developer: Majestic Software
Download: App Store

Paper Monsters

Paper Monsters is one of the rare ones, folks. Somewhere between LittleBigPlanet and Paper Mario, this new title from Crescent Moon Games is an impeccably crafted side scroller with incredible visuals, charismatic characters, secretsand strong music.

The responsive controls will allow you to make your way through the game’s four worlds, and besides the usual running and jumping, you occasionally find yourself controlling vehicles, which add some diversity to the experience. Perhaps the coolest part is that, alongside the main game, there’s a separate mode called Dash that turns the game into an endless runner for some extra excitement.

Though it plays like an homage to the Mario series through and through, Paper Monsters is overwhelmingly beautiful and has emerged from its long development period as a perfectly tuned example of the genre, one that no one should miss out on.

Price: $0.99
Developer: Crescent Moon Games
Download: App Store

My Army

What happens when you mix a war game with social gaming? Well, something like My Army.

At its core, it’s a game where you use a clever combination of tilt and swipe/tap controls to guide your squadron through hostile territory, but what makes it special is the fact that your squad is made up of friends that you recruit yourself — from Facebook. As you tilt to steer your men through the action, you’ll have to tap on incoming mortar shells to detonate them before they strike you, and you must swipe at bombs to direct them away from your people.

Objectives help keep you busy as you make your way through the levels, and the fact that you’re playing with friends as avatars makes the action feel more intense. There are various points and ranks to be achieved, and you’ll also have a variety of Game Center achievements to work toward earning. Overall, a fun and straightforward combat game that’s easy to get into and socially savvy.

Price: $0.99
Developer: Bad Puppet
Download: App Store

Zombie Bunnies

Zombies we’ve seen, evil scientists we’ve seen … but zombie bunnies? Now we’re talking. Lavafish Studios brings us this quirky combination in order to tell the story of Good Dr. Bunny, whose experiments go awry and morph him into the evil Dr. Hare.

As you fly through the levels in his Bunny Ship (of Evil), you will use Dr. Hare’s zombie bunny minions to sow destruction and collect points. Citizens, structures, animals and anything else that gets in your way is just another target for your vicious zombie bunnies. Gameplay revolves around the completion of specific objectives that allow you to unlock upgrades to the Bunny Ship, as well as four different kinds of zombie bunnies.

The levels in the game are procedurally generated, and there are many levels of difficulty, so it’s nearly impossible to run out of things to keep you entertained in this strange little destruction simulator. Highly recommended and very addictive!

Price: $0.99
Developer: Lavafish Studios
Download: App Store

Dungeon Crawlers

As the title suggests, Dungeon Crawlers borrows many concepts from RPGs of old, though it presents them in a turn-based system that shifts the focus from mindless hacking and slashing to smart tactics that maximize your equipment and skills.

A sense of humour helps draw you into the story, and the distinct characters make it easy to get immersed in the game’s 3D world. Frequent references to popular fantasy classics bring in a healthy dose of laughter, but the self-referential humour is easy-going and well placed so that you won’t often find yourself distracted by it.

It goes without saying that there is a good amount of content in the game, but the best part is that the developers, Drowning Monkeys, have promised extensive and frequent content updates to help keep the game fresh and captivating. Any fan of the fantasy genre will find Dungeon Crawlers worthy of their attention, especially if you like your games with a bit of strategy built in.

Price: $1.99
Developer: Drowning Monkeys LLC
Download: App Store

What Have You Been Playing?

We hope you enjoy playing through some of these titles, but if you have your hands full with other games that we haven’t mentioned, we welcome your suggestions in the comments!

ImGame is a revolutionary idea which attracts gamers of all crowds! The app behaves as a check-in social network where you can share what game(s) you’re playing. Check-ins are performed in real time and you can even accept push notifications for when your friends are online too. Find out more after the jump.

Getting Started

When you first open the app you’re introduced with two options: you can either log in with an existing username or register a new account. It’s unlikely you already have an ImGame account, so hit the new account button and you’re brought to a fairly complex sign-up view.

ImGame signup registration form

All of the fields are required except for uploading a custom avatar. You’ll to have to enter a unique username, your first and last name, e-mail address, along with a secure password.

Alternate forms for new users

On the second page you’re offered the chance to fill out additional profile information. None of these fields are required, but they help your profile stand out a bit more in the community. If you connect with a Twitter or Facebook account, you can also choose to share each of your check-ins with those services. Adding game network accounts doesn’t affect your profile itself, but it does give other users options to contact you via alternate means.

Managing your Check-ins

From the main view you’ll notice three tab icons. The first is your activity feed set by default and it displays a list of all your friends’ check-ins. You will also appear in this feed, and if you tap on individual check-ins you can leave comments. It’s a great way to interact with your fellow gamers!

Now if you tap on the middle button, this brings up the check-in screen. On this view you can search for a specific game title or choose from a list of your most recent check-ins. Each game is displayed with box artwork and a tag referencing a specific console system. This is very useful when you are searching through popular titles that have been released on more than one console (Wii, PC, PS3, Xbox).

Live friend's activity list

Tap to select your game and this brings up the check-in screen. Similar to Foursquare, you are given a small space to enter some additional comments. If you choose to share your check-in on Twitter or Facebook, this comment is also appended. But notice this is an entirely optional process and you can check-in without any additional comment.

I really like this feature and how familiar the controls are. It works splendid as a check-in mobile app with a unique twist. Plus the more you check-in the more tokens you can discover!

Unlocking Points & Tokens

For each check-in you receive a set number of points added to your account total. Over time this builds up reputation and you can even unlock small tokens to display on your profile. Granted, this isn’t the only way to unlock tokens, but possibly the easiest.

The creators of ImGame were crafty to implement such a accessible token system. This mimics the rewards system of Foursquare where you can unlock badges as you go from place-to-place. It’s a brilliant strategy of game mechanics which keeps players interested in checking into more diverse titles.

Profile tokens listing

It’s definitely possible that the developers will release new tokens as time goes on. I’ve seen some really brilliant ideas including retro tokens, FPS, and I even unlocked one as a beta tester for the app. The game is always ongoing and it’s a blast to follow along with your friends.

Connecting with Others

In the final tab view is your personal profile. This includes your total number of check-ins, points, tokens and friends list. A fun feature, “pwnerships,” tallies the total number of games you are pwning right now. This list is calculated to include the games you’ve checked into the most, and other players can easily take away your pwnership with enough check-ins. It’s almost like a mayorship status for video games.

User profile view display

Also towards the bottom of each profile you can find a list of popular game network IDs such as PSN, Xbox Live, iOS Game Center, etc. This is possibly one of my favorite features added into ImGame. It lets players connect outside of the app who would have likely never met each other before.

But another alternative to finding friends is to use the search page. This can be accessed from the top right button found on your profile view. The network isn’t large at all, so there aren’t a whole lot of players currently active. But it’s still very easy to locate your friends search by username and by digging through other profiles.

Conclusion

I am really impressed with the progress coming out from ImGame. The two founders, Joshua Corliss and James Hall, have been working tirelessly to pump out bug fixes and updates. The service has come a long way since beta testing and there is still plenty of room for improvement. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch and really enjoy gaming I highly recommend trying out this new social network. It’s 100-percent free to download and boasts some very impressive features.

DuckDuckGo Search is a very simple engine which borrows a lot of traits from Google’s UI. Their search functionality is easy to use and also includes extra features for custom searches — in this way you can limit to specific domain names or even search in alternate places such as Wikipedia. Their web app is certainly fantastic, but the company has done an even better job for their iOS app, which we’ll delve into after the break.

Launching the App

On first startup, the app runs very clean with almost no distractions. The layout is created from a tab bar with four icons labeled Search, Bang, Bookmarks and About.

Initially launching DuckDuckGo

In the search view, you have easy access to entering keywords located in the top bar. If you’ve used the app previously, then all your history of recent searches will display in the background view. You can tap any cell in the table to immediately display search results related to those keywords, which is great functionality for a search engine to adopt! You can alternatively choose not to record your history in the app’s settings.

On the results page each link is split up with a larger site description. I feel this can actually be very annoying and difficult to sort through. These descriptions don’t always provide context for the website, so it’s difficult to gauge how useful the website will be.

Mobile Search Results

As you move through search links, the HTML page will render into a mobile browser window. The top toolbar appends some handy function icons to go forward/back in page history, reload the current page or access a more detailed sub-menu.

You can also easily bookmark specific websites or share links with your Instapaper or Twitter account. DuckDuckGo boasts a whole slew of unique functionality. There is even a button used to re-open the current page in Mobile Safari if you prefer.

"web design" keyword search

The rendering engine is pristine and appears similar to Opera Mobile. Page transitions are very snappy — a big +1 in my book. I can’t stand slow applications and especially slow animation in search engines.

Down at the very bottom of each search result page is a small button to load more results. By default, DuckDuckGo limits the amount of links pulled out. This helps to reduce load time and gives you more accurate results to choose from. Notice, you can always tap the back button in the top-right corner to select a new set of keywords.

Using !Bang Filters

The terminology comes off as a bit silly, but the inner-workings of their search filter is profound. By quickly scrolling through the list of suggested websites you can perform a !bang search limited to another website URL. There are practically hundreds of different choices, even options including foreign websites like Amazon Germany.

There are plenty of practical uses for these filters. You may quickly pull results out from a number of infamous websites, and there are new domains added frequently. The developers have spent a long time building up this system and I really enjoy it!

Say you want to look up dog bowls on Amazon. Simply type: !amazon dog bowls and you’ll be taken to Amazon’s website, where you’ll get search results for dog bowls. This has to be one of the coolest features available in DuckDuckGo.

Accessing More Data

If you are confused about all these different !bang concepts, don’t worry. The developers have made things a bit easier so you don’t need to jump online and research this yourself.

special !bang searches

On the About tab you’ll find another small table view of links. These are mostly attached to pages on their website which actually load optimized for mobile settings. The first and second links read Goodies and Bang, respectively. Just going through these two pages should give you a much better idea about how their search engine functions.

Additionally, you’ll find a whole set of other handy links below. Their About and FAQ pages are an absolute must-read for newbies. This holds especially true for those interested in search engines who have never even heard of DDG before.

Keeping Things Simple

My favorite point to make about this application is within its simplicity. There is nothing too difficult to understand about searching with DuckDuckGo. The developers have documented custom bang searches making them super easy for anybody to use.

Additionally, the main search page features such a minimalist layout. There is plenty of room to fit the keyboard and search bar. Since the results are loaded within another view, the history of search keywords is a nice extra page effect.

extra web browsing features

Notably, the Bookmarks feature isn’t exactly the most handy. If you are a big fan of DuckDuckGo then you’ll likely find yourself within the app more than anywhere else. In this scenario you may be hitting the bookmarks menu more often than not!

Conclusion

Whether you’ve heard about this search engine before or are just being introduced, DuckDuckGo is a fantastic iOS application. It’s completely free to download and you will not regret giving it a shot. I am still a huge fan of Google — it’s set as the default home page on all my computers — but on your iPhone you’re in a completely different world.

Having an alternate search app can come in very handy at certain times. Not to mention that Mobile Safari, while great, can be very limiting in it’s own regard. I have to highly recommend that new users give DuckDuckGo a fair shot. You may discover some really cool features and develop a bond with this wonderful piece of modern search engine technology.

They are all great. Heck, even if somebody created a list of 500 great games, there would still be a ton of phenomenal games left out. That said, we have compiled a list of cool games spanning a variety of categories to have some fun. If you also have an iPad, or are intrigued by the prospect of gaming on one, take a look at our most recent roundup!

Head over to iPad.AppStorm and check it out!

What if you can’t do that but still want some focus? What do you think of? That last beach vacation with the waves gently rolling to the shore — or maybe that summer day with the birds singing and the gras rustling in a light breeze?

Everyone will think of something different and yet everyone yearns for that perfect moment of serenity. Now you can have that anytime, whether you’re in your crowded office or in your living room at home. With Serenity for iPhone, sounds and beautiful videos will take your mind on a vacation far far away.

Serenity For Your Senses

The new app from the makers of Camera+ and other successful applications strives to bring you ease of mind. The developers not only want you to listen to something pleasant — there are enough white noise apps on the App Store — but they combine nature sounds and synthesized music with stunning HD video footage or animated movies to appeal to two of your most important senses.

To that end, you need to bring some patience to the table before you can get started. At 241 MB, the app is rather big and will take some time to download. But once that’s done, it’s quite rewarding.

The sounds and videos are spread across five screens, each one symbolizing a different mood setting, ranging from romantic over a fresh spring/summer day to space and galaxies hurtling through space.

Choose out of 30 different moods

The preview images give an idea of what to expect and the loading time for both music and video are quite quick regarding the large file size. The quality of the video files is outstanding as well, making the use of the app in full screen a joy.

By the way, there’s no need to jump from screen to screen to check out the available moods; simply use the swipe gesture to go back and forth between them. Also, the app behaves similar to the Music app. As long as you don’t close it, you can lock your iPhone by pressing the power button for a moment and still enjoy the music (and save some power due to the screen being turned off).

Since there are 30 different moods I can’t go into every one in detail, but some are really striking. For example, the one with the mountain range in the thunderstorm, complete with lightning illuminating dark clouds. Or the one where you think you’re sitting on a spring lawn, the birds singing around you and a the bees buzzing back and forth. Not to mention the cute video of animal babies with soothing piano music or the galactic animation with synth sounds hurling you from nebula to nebula.

Enjoy stunning HD videos accompanying the sounds

Apart from the iPhone, you could also get the app for iPad to enjoy it on a big screen (unfortunately, Serenity is not a universal app) — but there’s no need if you are the proud owner of an Apple TV. Simply utilize AirPlay and put the stunning videos on your HDTV, then play the sounds through your stereo system.

Set a Timer For Your Break

No matter if you are intending to take a quick break from work or lull yourself to sleep, a handy timer within the app allows you to specify a time when your iPhone will fall asleep, or rouse your from your refreshing break.

Set the timer for a lunch break or an entire night

Simply select one of the moods and then use the scroll wheel selector to set a time. Anything from a short lunch break to a multi-hour sleep relaxation works.

If you use Serenity for a specific purpose, you can also just set the timer from the overview (at the bottom of your screen) and have it applied every time you start a mood.

Fun Stuff

One tidbit I came across rather by accident is a “hidden” screen before the one that appears when you open the app. If you slide your finger to the right, you will reveal a yin-yang symbol with three black stones.

While you can’t rake the sand the symbol is made of (wouldn’t that be a nice touch?), you can place the stones in different spots and even put them on top of each other. Nothing really mindblowing, but a nice playful touch nonetheless.

Push around some stones

Verdict

Serenity for iPhone takes you on a vacation every time you start the app. You can chose many different destinations, but most, if not all, will help you forget what’s around you and focus on what matters — may that be a task at hand or simply your pleasure.

While the video and audio are of very high quality, I wish there were some more nature sounds, especially with some of the beautiful videos of flowery fields, for example. I’d just expect something other than synthesized sounds with visuals like that; even piano music would be better here.

But then again, taste is something that differs greatly and Serenity has some wonderful video/audio combinations. Add to that the AirPlay support, and you have an app that can help to set the mood for whatever you have in mind.

What are your experiences with apps like this? Do you use them regularly or do you have other methods to relax? Let us know in the comments.

Not too long ago, I stumbled upon Flava, which is a journaling application for the iPhone. But as I started to get into it and use it, I realized there is so much more to it. There are some great features that make it stand out and it could potentially be a great way to capture those special moments in your life.

Navigating My Way Through

When it comes to using Flava, you can log things using a wide variety of features that are integrated very nicely into the app. There are seven different ways that you can add to your journal, all of them being pretty self explanatory, but Flava has added a few extra features to spice them up a bit. For example, you can add an entry by just writing down text or by capturing a photo, but you can also change the color of the text as well and add different stickers to your photos to make them stand out.

Adding photos and texts

Next, let’s say you find a great restaurant and you want to make sure you log that into Flava. You have some great ways to make this happen, starting with marking that location. You can either search an address of the restaurant, or, if you are already there, Flava uses the GPS location so that you can bookmark it. But let’s say you are in a hurry and would rather just quickly enter in the info of the restaurant — you can use the Record function, which lets you record your voice and enter in a caption of what the recording is about.

Adding a Location

Then let’s say you decide to go to a coffee shop after dinner to relax and you get there, love the book you are reading and you want to share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook. Flava has a vast library of books (they are connected with Google Books) that you can search and share with your social networks.

Adding Books

While you are at the coffee shop, you decide to listen to the music on your iPhone and there is a song that comes on that reminds you of something, so you decide to add it to Flava as well. Once you post the song you are listening to, you can actually listen to the song in its entirety from inside of the app, plus you can click on a You Tube button that takes you to the site and gives you search results for the artist.

Adding Music & Music Video on You Tube

Then, last, and very not least, you can also add links to your journal. If there is an important or special link that you want to remember for later, it can be added here. When you add it, a thumbnail image is also put on your post as well. When it is in your journal, you can go back, click on it, and you are taken to the site within Flava, without opening Safari.

Adding a Link

Social and Other Apps

As I briefly mentioned earlier, most of your posts can be shared out to Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. The only thing that you cannot share is when you make a link — I’m not sure why that is, as I could see it being useful.

Sharing Services

Different services to export to

Speaking of export, Flava has integrated both Dropbox and Evernote as main exporting options. If you have an Evernote account, you can sync your posts to it so that you always have a copy. Dropbox integration can be used as a backup as well, but the nice thing is that you can also restore your posts from it if you needed to.

Evernote Sync and Dropbox Backup/Restore

This Has Got Potential

Flava has definitely flown under the radar as far as I can tell. With all of the features and the integration with so many other apps, I really think that it has potential to do well. Granted, there are some great apps out there that do the similar things and are more popular — Path and Day One to name a few — but I really think with some work, Flava could challenge them.

Some things I would like to see are being able to take video, as well as an iPad app, both of which they say are coming in future updates. I am not the hugest fan of the UI and that could be a deal breaker for some, so it would be nice to see more polished visuals. Other than that, I definitely like Flava and I can see myself using it full time. Go download it from the App Store for free and let us know what you think.

Find out exactly what My Xbox LIVE brings to your iPhone experience after the jump.

The Xbox Experience

If you’re hip to the new Metro UI that was released for the Xbox in December, the overall experience of My Xbox LIVE should feel quite familiar to you. The first thing you’ll need to do sign in by using your Windows Live ID, which is the same login you would use on the Windows or Xbox website. The app’s interface is spread out into three different pages: Home, Social and Games.

If you don't have a Windows Live ID connected to your Xbox LIVE account, you'll need to sign up for one.

Home

Home features videos about games, news and Xbox tutorials. In addition, if you’re a fan of checking out the Gamer Spotlight, this page has you covered. On the Verizon Wireless network, these video streamed extremely well with no lag present.

Videos don't stream in HD quality, but they're still sharp.

Social

Social offer a lot of different features, the first being an animated version of your Xbox LIVE avatar. By tapping on your avatar, it will perform a series of different animations, ranging from happy to sad. To the left of your avatar is a list of your information, including gamer tag, first name (if provided in your bio), gamer score and your current Xbox LIVE membership type (Gold or Silver).

The Social page allows you to access the most features of the app.

To the right of your avatar is a list of different features, including Friends, Messages and Beacons. The Friends page shows which of your LIVE friends are online. Tapping on a friend will bring up their profile (which includes their animated avatar), and you can also view their recent games, compare games you’ve both played and check out their bio.

My Xbox LIVE allows you to see which friends have (or don't have, in case of my example) similar taste in games.

The Messages page allows you to view/respond and write message to friends. I hate having to enter text via the Xbox because it’s so painfully slow, so when I’m interacting with friends on LIVE, I’ll send messages on my iPhone because it’s so much faster. The only downside to this feature is that the app does not send you a notification when you receive a message.

Sending a message is super fast with My Xbox LIVE.

Beacons, a new feature that came with the recent dashboard update, allows you to passively inform friends that you’re interested in playing a game or watching a move via Netflix together. My Xbox LIVE allows you to set beacons, and will notify you when a friends responds.

Setting Beacons on the go is really convenient if you know you want to play at a later time.

Social also includes options to edit your profile and avatar. When editing your avatar, you can change your style or features, and even choose a brand spanking new avatar. Another nice features is the ability to turn your avatar 360 degrees by dragging it left or right on the screen. My only annoyance is the inability to purchase clothing from the Marketplace, but more on that later.

Changing your avatar via your phone is cool, as long as you don't want to buy clothes from the Marketplace.

Games

From the Games page, you can view your most recently played titles, including disc based and downloaded games. From the main screen, the number of achievements and gamer score points are displayed for each game, and tapping on a game will take you to a secondary page that displays each achievement you’ve earned (you can tap on an achievement to see what actions were performed to earn it).

Achievement junkies will really love that deep level of information provided.

A Visual Treat

One of my favorite things about this app is the overall look and feel. As a fan of Microsoft’s Metro UI, it’s nice to get a taste of what Windows Phone 7 users see every day. The clean interface is extremely simple to navigate and the Xbox sound effects used when toggling in and out of different pages is a subtle but very enjoyable touch.

The Metro UI used in My Xbox LIVE is a visual treat.

What’s Missing

While there are a lot of nice core features available in My Xbox LIVE, there are a number of features that are sorely lacking — the most obvious of which is the ability to access the Marketplace (including the ability to add Microsoft Points).

When I’m hanging out with my fellow gamer friends, I’m often informed of LIVE games and add-ons they highly recommend, but I tend to forget about their recommendations when I’ve eventually made my way back to my Xbox. If the ability was present in My Xbox LIVE, I’d be more apt to download the game or add-on from my phone.

Additionally, the Xbox Companion app available on Windows Phone 7 offers the ability to browse videos and music from the Zune Marketplace, which can then be activated from your phone and played on your Xbox 360 (similar to AirPlay between the iPad 2 and Apple TV). While this lack of functionality is to be expected in order to give Windows Phone 7 an advantage over its iOS counterpart, it’d be nice to see Microsoft share the love to those who aren’t ready to make the jump to their mobile platform.

Closing Comments

My Xbox LIVE is a definitely a very nice and sleek companion app that the most hardcore of Xbox 360 users will enjoy. The social features are particularly handy if you don’t own a ChatPad and get tired of taking over a minute just to write out a sentence. Additionally, it’s really nice to see which of my friends are online without having to boot up the system.

The lack of the Marketplace, though, really limits the amount of time I’ll really spend using the app. But, at the price of free, it’s definitely a good app to keep on your iPhone for when you need it.

They say that the best camera you have is the one that’s always with you, which is probably why I take more photos with my iPhone than with my other options. There have always been lens systems for the iPhone, but after reading about the iPro, I started wondering if I would ever buy a set for my iPhone. Is it worth the price?

Well, you tell me. The poll is right there, go for it!

But pirating isn’t the problem. No, the reason why we aren’t buying your music, movies and TV shows is dangerously simple, yet no one is willing to do anything about it — with the rare exceptions like Apple being ignored by Hollywood. See, it all comes down to friction.

Dear Hollywood,

Hi there, my name is Kevin Whipps, and I consume your media. No really, I love watching movies, TV shows and the like. Whatever you do, I usually watch it, even the crappy stuff that no one likes to admit like reality shows and HSN. Thing is, it’s just not as convenient for me to do anymore, and you’re the reason why.

Let’s take the movies, for example. I used to go to 20 movies a year, at least one a month, because it was a great way to be entertained and was relatively affordable. Back then, $7 or $8 for a movie ticket wasn’t too bad, and if I hit a matinee, I was good at $5. Buy some popcorn and a drink, and I was in for under $20 a night. Not too bad when you’re a kid on a date.

But today, I can’t leave a movie theatre without paying $50. My wife and I both need to get in, and now tickets are over $10. Popcorn prices have been going up for years as has drinks, so now I’m paying even more for the same thing. I get into the theatre, and it’s the same experience I had 20 years ago — which would be fine, but my 1080P TV at home sure does look a lot better, and I don’t have to deal with Smokey McTextingpants in the next row live tweeting the event from his BlackBerry. Plus I’ve got to get a babysitter (and I understand that it’s not your fault that I decided to procreate), deal with that whole nonsense and in the end, it’s just not worth the cash. Too much friction.

Want Another Example?

Well how about TV shows? I have DirecTV, so if I want to watch a show, I do so. It was annoying enough when everyone decided to put their corporate logos in the corners of the screen, but I was watching Gold Rush on Discovery the other night, and an ad pops up on the bottom of the screen for Maker’s Mark, and it looks just like those annoying ads on YouTube. Seriously, let me be entertained for a bit.

But it gets worse when it comes time to buy a DVD. First I have to buy the thing, which involves a trip to the store, hunting down what I’m looking for and then plunking down the cash. Now try to find something rare (like the complete set of the best TV show ever, Fastlane), and you’re spending a few days pecking through the local Craigslist ads just to find something. Ridiculous.

And when we finally get the DVDs, we have to sit through five minutes of warnings, promos for new stuff that may be outdated by the time we bought the DVD and multiple FBI warnings just in case we want to steal it. And most of that stuff isn’t skippable, so you’re just stuck on the couch wasting your life away.

That’s Why Pirating Caught On.

Think about it like this: We all want to remove friction from our lives. Whether it’s an annoying aunt who always tries to poke her nose in your business or DVD intros, we don’t want to have to deal with the stuff that wastes our time. Going to the store and buying the movie? Well if it’s 2:30 am on a Tuesday, most places aren’t open so you’re left with dealing with the unwashed masses at Wal-Mart and hoping they have what you want. It’s just not convenient anymore.

Which is the big deal with pirating. It’s easy. You go online, look for what you want, and then download it — and yet, it still has some friction behind it. What if you’re downloading a virus? What if it’s a faked movie put there by the feds? What if you get busted? There’s enough to worry about there that I don’t do it, but I have friends who do, and they put in work to get this stuff for free. Again, friction.

There Is an Answer.

It’s funny, because the answer is right in front of you, and you’re screwing it up.

I haven’t bought a retail version of a DVD in years because if I don’t get it via Netflix, I download it from iTunes. Why? Again, friction. I pay $20 for an HD version of a movie and it’s in my living room within 20 minutes. That’s better than the pizza guy, and I don’t have to deal with his BO or debate whether or not to give him a tip or a handful of anti-bac soap.

And yes, I am paying for the movie. That’s fine! Contrary to popular belief, I don’t want to steal money from you guys. I understand that even though the actors and producers in movies may be wildly overpaid, there are thousands of people behind the scenes who aren’t — and they deserve their cut. I’m good with paying $10 for a movie from iTunes, because it’s often competitively priced. Even though technically it should be cheaper because I’m not getting anything physical that costs money to produce, I’m OK with that. Convenience equals less friction.

But You’re Still Screwing That Up.

Go ahead and look for a TV show on iTunes. Then look for the DVD pack at Amazon or something.Here’s what the pricing difference looks like.

If I buy it on iTunes:

$39.99 for Season 4 of 30 Rock

And the same thing on Amazon:

$25.49 for the discs.

Now, why would this be, when there is no physical product for the iTunes version, and yet there’s the cost of printing, packaging, stamping, etc. on the DVD version? Shouldn’t this example be flip flopped?

Of course, but you don’t want Apple doing to Hollywood what it did to music. People in that industry don’t have as much control over their income anymore, and since they were making fat stacks of cash, you don’t want to end up in their tax bracket. After all, you have payments on that home in the Hamptons to make.

So How Do You Fix It?

This one is pretty easy: Continue to sell things on iTunes and other online markets.

Now wait, you’re probably freaking out but listen to what I’m suggesting. With Apple, everything you sell gets you 70%. Now I know there’s contracts to work with and exclusive deals here and there, so maybe your numbers are different. But if you put everything you have into iTunes, then there’s more stuff for people to choose from, it will make you more money.

Think about it like this. Remember when VHS came out? Then LaserDisc? Then DVDs? Everyone bought their entire collection over again because of the new standard. This is the same thing. People will continue to buy their stuff all over again, but this time, you don’t have the production costs of stamping and making DVDs. Now it’s all servers and file storage, something you can handle in your sleep.

Besides, Apple sold 1.4 million AppleTVs this quarter, and are rumored to make a full-size television as well. Don’t you want to be in on that ride?

But don’t worry, there’s still money to be made in this arena. HD is the big thing now, but soon it’ll be 4K or 8K, and our puny HD movies won’t look so good on those fancy Samsung TV sets. Guess what? We’ll have to upgrade again. And in the process, you’ll make more money.

The way I see it, this is as win-win as you can get. The consumer gets the product easily and with minimal friction, you get paid for selling the product but save money on production and Apple gets an iTunes store packed with quality content. Who loses here? Not me, I’d be buying stuff left and right.

Look, I Know This Isn’t Going to be Easy.

You’ve got to deal with the studio execs who are notorious for being sticklers, and you’re essentially upheaving 100 years of standards. But if you don’t do something, the entire system is going to collapse on itself like a dying star. Every year, less and less good movies are coming out that have any kind of substance. For every Inception, there are three more Transformers movies following it up with their racist stereotypes and low-brow humor. We want to be entertained, not pandered to. And although I love most of the comic book movies that Marvel has done recently, I think we’ve done an awful lot with that genre at this point. There’s no need to remake Spider-Man.

But if you take away the friction from consumers, then we will buy your product. No one wants to go to jail because they pirated a copy of Glitter from a website, right? So let us buy your products and make it as clean and simple as possible. Remove the friction

There are lots of options: Amazon, Google, iTunes and so on — hit all of them as hard as you can. Flood the market with all of the movies you’ve done the past 100 years or so and make it awesome. Give us no reason not to buy your stuff, and don’t worry about DRM and all that crap — you’ll be adding friction because we can’t watch a movie on our BlackBerry Playbook and our iPad (OK, I can’t even type that without laughing. Who actually would buy a Playbook?). Make. It. Simple.

In the end, if you remove all the friction from our movie purchases, then you will make more money and we’ll all be happier.

Isn’t that what we all want?