If possible, IM+ just got even better. The updated version, released today, includes the following new features:

- new inbox view with message preview

- new bubbles in chat dialogs

- ability to send video on iPhone 3G S- new Twitter features: On/Off Push for Friends Timeline, link shrinking, and Retweet options

- Yahoo Japan support

These are all in addition to the ability to chat over every major social networking/messaging service all at once, send geo-location, pictures, and voice recordings, browse while chatting, set wallpapers for chat dialogs, and a host of other cool features. IM+ is definitely the best social networking app out there, and these updates made it even better, so check it out!!!

(plus, it’s still on sale for $4.99)

Food is essential to life (physically and socially), so it seems logical that many iPhone apps are devoted to it. Short of actually preparing food, it seems apps cater to just about every food need. An increasing amount of fast food restaurants are coming out with apps that allow you to order straight from the application (e.g. Pizza Hut), and there are endless apps devoted to everything from determining expiration dates (e.g. iExpiry) to making grocery lists (e.g. Grocery iQ) to saving your own recipes and learning new ones (e.g. MiMeals) to finding the best grocery deals around (e.g. ShopALot). However, the one thing that seems to be missing from this food frenzy is an app that allows you to order from a grocery store, similar to an online grocery shopping service. It seems logical that, especially for grocery list apps, there would be an option to order and have the item(s) delivered to your door, but for whatever reason, such features or applications have not surfaced. I hope this is the next step for grocery app developers, and I think it would be embraced (and appreciated) by busy food-lovers everywhere.

Have you ever wished the movies you have on your computer could be easily transferred to your iPhone? Well, you wish has been granted by Mobiola Video Studio. In a very simple and user-friendly interface, it allows you to convert any video files you have on your Mac or Windows computer and then drag them to your iPhone (no need to re-purchase videos on iTunes). Literally that is all it takes, and you have your whole video collection in your hand. Visit www.mobiola.com for more details, to try it for free, or to buy Mobiola for just $24.95.

In a society that facilitates self-absorption, it is nice to see people reach out every once in a while. A noble example is currently being set by PocketMac, who is teaming up with the charity One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) to ensure that all members of future generations have the best tools to further their knowledge. PocketMac will raise funds for OLPC by donating $10 to the foundation every time a copy of RingtoneStudio 2.0 for iPhone  sells during the months of August and September. Read the rest of this entry »

Clickgamer.com teamed up with Neko and Tetraedge to develop a kid’s game, released just a few days ago. The term “game,” however, does not seem to be a sufficient term for what the app offers; Cocoto Kit for Kids is truly an educational experience while offering boundless fun to kids, especially those in the 3 to 6 age range. Considering these three years are crucial to development, Cocoto will be an invaluable tool for helping kids discover abilities and learn skills that will be very important in the years to come. However, the kids don’t see it as learning; the app, which has been designed, tested, and approved by kids, involves fun graphics, colors, and games (and a notable absence of text) that make the kids eager to play. Hidden parental settings can help control the amount of time a child spends with the app, so that the homework, chores, and typical activities are attended to. With games and apps like these that encourage the young to learn life skills as well as become technologically savvy, the future generations will be forces to reckon with.

For the umpteenth time, Apple’s policy of not allowing third party applications to run in the background has a tangible effect on the practicality of an individual title. Tower Bloxx Deluxe 3D gets hit particularly hard because it’s a ‘casual’ game, i.e. one in which absolutely no brain power is required – the sort of game you’d like to pick up and while away a minute or two while waiting in a queue. Sadly, a 30 second plus start up time gets in the way of such casual play and, ultimately, there’s not enough here to sustain the more hard core gamer. Read the rest of this entry »

We all know how apps have changed what we do with our life, but what about the fact that they can change how we feel in our lives? Many psychologists are beginning to realize the potential that apps have and the weight they carry in the lives of their users, and are thus beginning to make apps to effectively improve quality of life. One such focus is on apps and how they can affect happiness. Recently, apps, such as “Live Happy,” have begun to emerge with the claim that they can help you lead a happier life.

While I applaud the noble developers, I wonder if an app specifically designed to make you happy is actually necessary to accomplish said goal. First, acknowledging that you need an app to make you happy seems like it would be a blow to the ego more than anything. Second, after pondering the idea of apps and happiness for a while, I realized that many apps out there actually indirectly function to make you happier. There is no need to spend more money (and potential embarassment) on a happiness app when the apps you might already have carry the same potential to improve your outlook on life. Here are some common ways this could be true: Read the rest of this entry »