Toughest App to Get Right – Tweetbot for iPad Review
Arguably (one of) the toughest app on any device to get right is the application for Twitter. There are many reasons why it is so difficult to get it right: people being the biggest reason of all. Everyone uses Twitter in such a myriad of ways that it is difficult to find the client that suits how you use twitter. Speaking from experience I think I have downloaded nearly every notable Twitter client for the iPad and still I find them (the clients) lacking in one way or another.
Of all the Twitter clients I’ve tried Tweetbot is at the top of a very long list of Twitter clients. Tweetbot ranks among the top of all Twitter clients because it easy to use while still being robust enough to handle the most demanding of Twitter users. Among the more useful features are sliding a tweet right to view replies and sliding left for more detailed view of the tweet (scroll up for replies, if any exist). Most timelines include the ability to search the downloaded tweets (use search on the left navigation bar for a more powerful search).
What Tweetbot doesn’t do for you is make you fit into how the developer envisioned the application being used as the only way it can be used. Tweetbot offers quite a few options to help customize it to suit you. You can change the font size (tiny to huge), display name ( full name, user name or both), date format, navigation (hiding or displaying favorites, search, profile, lists, re-tweets and mute filters), streaming, quote format and much more.
Beyond the left and right sliding of tweets Tweetbot makes use of another gesture: triple tap. Triple tapping can cause one of the following user configurable actions: reply, re-tweet, favorite, translate, or view in Favstar. Translation occurs in the app in the form of a dialog box. In the few tweets I tried translating, it translated quick enough to be useful. Presumably translation translates tweets to the default language of the iPad, as this is one of the few features without any user customization. Given that the developer’s domain has DNS entries for Google Apps, translation is likely handled by Google. Having never heard of Favstar I found it to be an odd choice for the triple tap gesture however, users of the site might like it. Favstar allows users to get more detailed information about tweets; think analytics for tweets.
One feature I especially liked is the ability to import and export Twitter accounts into Twitter’s iOS application. This meant I didn’t have to re-type all my Twitter account information to start using Tweetbot. People with multiple Twitter accounts will particularly like the easy transition.
Tip: Leave your Twitter account setup in iOS and uninstall the Twitter app to retain Twitter integration in other applications yet save the space; this will also stop double data and Twitter polls from both Twitter applications.
Alerts in Tweetbot work as they should except for one simple oversight. Tweetbot doesn’t have the ability to run in the background and poll for new tweets in your Twitter stream. Tweetbot alerts for mentions and direct messages any time but the lack of background updating for Twitter stream as a whole feels like an oversight; for users that want or need such a feature. Tweetbot does allow for “streaming” of your Twitter stream but only when open and the active application.
Flipboard for Android Review (Leaked Version)
Although Flipboard is exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S III, that doesn’t stop the Android community from getting it out there to the masses. We’ve installed it and gave it a run through and so far we like what we see. While there are many other visually oriented news readers out there, Flipboard is gesture heavy and focuses on discovery. Hit the read more link to see how Flipboard for Android stacks up against the other news readers.
Is Tower of Fortune Worth Spinning the Wheels and Taking a Chance?
With a simple push of the button, Game Stew Studio hopes to show you a “Reel” good time with its latest release, Tower of Fortune, out now for iOS ($.99). Can a monochrome, slot machine RPG really hope to hold its own amongst some of the heavy hitters currently making the rounds in the iOS App Store? Only The Gadget Gurus can say for sure!
Gameplay
Tower of Fortune attempts to take one of the most complex styles of gameplay and reduce it down to one that takes little-to-no effort. Tower of Fortune is an RPG, set long after the adventurer in the story has retired. His daughter has been taken from him, and there’s nobody left but he to rescue her. That’s about all of the story we’re given and, more or less, all of the direction we’re given for gameplay. You’ll spend the first few minutes trying to figure out what to do, and end up spending a few hundred gold coins in the tavern.
It’s in this tavern that you’ll learn the two basic parts of Gameplay: “Spin” and “Stop”. That’s it. Sure, there’s a few other parts such as assigning weapons and armor and buying goods from the market, but at its heart, Tower of Fortune is a slot machine game.
Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a lot more fun than it sounds. Each wheel of the slot can have attack, be attacked, earn XP or earn money, with the first wheel dictating the actual turn of play. If more than one wheel matches up, the action is multiplied. This can be good or bad; imagine getting attacked with each wheel matching! Subsequent actions result in combos that amplify the effect of the action.
Unfortunately, none of this is explained to you anywhere, and you’re forced to find it all out on your own. This game would really benefit form some sort of tutorial or manual, and it loses a point or two for its lack. The game will often find players starting out by wasting all of their money at the tavern before they learn how to earn more. You haven’t figured it out, yet, have you?
To make more money, we go back to the main screen and select any portion of the tower (hence, TOWER of Fortune). From here you’ll battle enemies and bosses in an attempt to win back your daughter. The gameplay, while a bit repetitive, is still fun and I’ve found myself coming back to it while doing various tasks throughout the day. With simple, one-handed gameplay, it can be played waiting in line at the supermarket, sitting on the bus on the way to work, or on the couch while you watch TV. Once you’ve figured out HOW to play, it’s a fun little game with a great gameplay style.
Graphics/Design
Tower of Fortune’s unique, monochrome design is actually quite refreshing. It’s very 8-bit and retro and feels much like the Gameboy games of old. Detail isn’t applied so much to the graphics, but rather to a gameplay style unique to the app store. In a world full of “HD” and “Retina Display”, having a throw-back to simpler times is pleasing to the eyes and well worth the purchase. The lighter design also makes it easier to see in the dark, so if you’re concerned about waking your significant other while you play in bed, you can turn down the brightness and still see the game.
Enemy units are all unique and follow themes based on your location in the tower. Bosses are bigger than the average enemy, and all characters animate in a retro-style that fits in well with the rest of the game. The only issue with the animation and graphic style is the fact that animations happen every time and there’s no way to skip them. After you’ve been bonked on the head with a bottle for the 100th time, you’ll wish something else would animate.
Sound
In line with the graphic style, the sound design is 100% retro. It’s a lot of chiptune-type, 8-bit digital music and it really fits with the overall style of the game. At maximum volume, it can get a bit loud, but is pleasing to the ears at lower volumes. Each move of each character makes noise, and Big Stew has stated that they have plans to increase the amount of background music and make improvements there. Much like games of yore, the sound and background music can get repetitious, which seems to fall in line with the rest of the game.
Overall
With a retro feel in both sight and sound, and a simple style of gameplay, Tower of Fortune has the chance to provide a decent amount of fun. Players who find time consuming games a bit too…time consuming, will enjoy the quick-hit style of one-click play, and players looking for a bit more under the hood will enjoy the RPG elements. Neither style really overpowers the other, which may deter users who would prefer one over the other, but this game is certainly playable by players of any skill level. While sound and animation can be a bit repetitious, it shouldn’t drive players away from enjoying this game. At $.99, this game is perfectly priced and certainly prepared to give you a dollar’s worth of entertainment.
Guru Review Score:
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics/Design 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
The Gadget Gurus Podcast Ep 160 – S Podcast
The Gurus are back with another week of tech news goodness. This week we talk BlackBerry 10, Galaxy S III, Kindle in Target, and our NYC correspondant Craig, gives us a review of the AT&T HTC One X. And of course we also talked A LOT about The Avengers! Enjoy the show!!
Help Support or Sponsor The Gurus
Hit the details for show notes and to subscribe/download.
The Avengers Movie Review
Back in 2008 when Iron Man was released and we saw Nick Fury first approach Tony Stark about the Avengers, it was a pipe dream. The idea was cool, but it could never really happen. Could it? Movie after movie, post credit scene after post credit scene, it was becoming more real. Finally May 4th , 2012 audiences get to see The Avengers assembled for what could have been a disaster, destroyed by the epicness of itself. Fortunately Marvel’s Avengers doesn’t just “not suck”, it kicks ass!
