The assembled figure could take on the form of a building or a vehicle or a robot or a whole city complex. The pieces could be taken out again to re-do or even make a different object should you wish to.  This toy is so popular that it has its own supportive subculture such as themed parks, movies, contests and games (video and otherwise). To date there are cool iPhone applications that LEGO fans will love.

LEGO Harry Potter

Years 1-4 has a rating of 4/5.m The LEGO Harry Potter is the complete PlayStation portable game tweaked for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The LEGO Harry Potter takes you through the first 4 years of Harry’s stay at Hogwarts.  The iPhone game has 40 varied scenes that touch on both major and minor events in Harry’s life at Hogwarts- from Quidditch games to the serpent in the Chamber of Secrets.  Get ready for LEGO stud collecting and unlocking of characters. There are close to 100 characters in the game. It costs $4.99.

LEGO Batman For iPhone

Gotham City Games is not like the Batman version played in consoles. This pack is more like a series of mini games that could be played in two modes: Story Mode and Free Play Mode. The Story Mode will find you all over crime-ridden Gotham City where you’ll encounter various villains through mini-games. The Free Play Mode gives you an isometric view of the city thereby giving you the option to choose which mini-game you prefer. LEGO Batman has shortcomings but for $0.99, it’s not so bad.

LEGO Creationary is a great iPhone game for kids

The object of the game is to guess what is being built with the LEGO bricks. There are four categories to choose from-vehicles, nature, things or buildings. You have to “roll” the LEGO dice to find out what category you are guessing. There are four possible answers and to choose, tap the illustration of the one which you think is being built. The less time spent guessing, the more points you earn. The game progresses to a more challenging level. Guess wrong and the game ends. Cost: $0.99

LEGO Step by Step

Is actually a tutorial for putting together simple Lego construction toys. This iPhone tool is helpful for those who lost their LEGO instructions manual. There are 10 schemes or digital instructions included in this application. They are:  Hen and Chicken; Blue Bus; Adventurer Car; Thunder Blazer; Doctor’s Car; Coast Guard Helicopter; Island Racer; Quard Bike; Tractor and Scorpion Buggy. This is a free iPhone application.

LEGO Photo

Is a fun iPod Touch & iPhone application as it wills “legolize” your face.  This iPhone application affords users to convert their photos into realistic-looking LEGO mosaics. This free application software makes use of the iPhone’s built-in camera to snap the photo and LEGO photo app will do the rest. The mosaics come in varied color groupings. The mosaic can be saved and share through the iPhone.Bricasso is an app that deals with actual LEGO building. A 3D interface lets the user build simple models using virtual bricks. The constructed object becomes more interesting because of the swappable backgrounds.  The graphics are not as authentic-looking as they look cartoony. However, user rating for this LEGO iPhone app is 4/5. Its cost is only 99 cents.

iRate LEGO Pro

Is a LEGO application for the iPod Touch & iPhone but it is not actually a game but sort of a LEGO community online. Users of the application can browse on the creations of other users. They can also create their own actual LEGO project, take photos and upload them for others to see.  To date, there are around 250,000 downloads of this application.

Life of George

This iPhone app is unique as it’s a combination of iPhone application and actual LEGO bricks for a fun experience. The object of the game is for you to build LEGO bricks patterned after the illustrations given by the iPhone app before time runs out. The illustrations are “photos” taken by George in his travels.

Tapping the blank photo album brings out the LEGO design that you have to build using the colored plastic bricks.  Assemble the bricks, lay it on the play mat then use the iPhone’s camera to scan the finished brick creation.  You will then get rewards based on how fast you built the bricks and how accurate your creation is. The price is $29.99.

There are other LEGO applications for the iPhone that we have not tried. If you have any recommendations, we’d be glad to hear about them.

We are now very lucky that our generation’s technology has been paving ways to make music accessible, portable and easier to organize depending on our taste. With our media players such as iTunes, it is easier to play tracks, create playlists and organize our prized music collection.

When we first started using these media players, we only had a couple of songs in it, probably 10s or 20s. As time passes, our collection has continually grown, and if you are not obsessive-compulsive enough, it will grow out of proportion and become disorganized. Instead of relaxing while listening to your music, you become frustrated and haunted by the growing chaos inside your media players.

Here are some tools to save you and help you clean out your music

MusicBrainz Picard

MusicBrainz is an open-source non-profit corporation which basically means it is a freely available database of CD information or metadata. Picard utilized this database and applied fingerprinting technology by sorting the tracks via an acoustic scan instead of just using the file sizes, or names. Picard can automatically download and save album arts as long as they are available on the database.  MusicBrainz is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

iTunes Store File Validator

This open source tool has a special feature called Reverse Scrobble which functions to clean empty folders automatically, incorporate album art in tracks, and set EQ based on the genre. It scans your music library and determines if your songs are of iTunes Store quality and creates a report using important indicators it has gathered.

TuneUp Companion

TuneUp uses a similar fingerprinting technology as MusicBrainz called “FileID”. It fingerprints the track via accurate metadata even if it does not have a proper filename. Scanning and fixing an album usually consumes a little less than 30 seconds to fix. One of its edges against other music organizing tools is that it utilizes a specific database called Gracenote CDDB which is by far one of the most comprehensive online CD music database internationally.

Additional features include downloading of high-resolution album art and it also connects with YouTube to give you video recommendations related to the songs you have. It also supports music fanatics by providing concert dates so you will “never miss another show”, as what their tab says. TuneUp is available for Mac and Windows.

Mp3Tag

Mp3Tag is a non-open source free tool. It uses FreeDB database which is not at par with MusicBrainz. Nevertheless, it collaborates with Amazon archive containing a huge collection and high quality album art. There is nothing to lose since it is absolutely free. It automatically renames files according to tags which are quite a nifty feature. Mp3Tag is only available for Windows.

Of course, you always have the choice to manually fix your music library if your music catalog is not that huge. If you have gathered all the necessary song information such as the title, artist, album, and track number, then you can manually enter these into the song. Do these by right-clicking on the song then click “Properties”. Select the “Details” tab then enter the information into their corresponding spaces. Finally, click “Apply” to save the changes you have made.

Conclusion

Whether you wish to manually fix your music library or use the tools mentioned above, finally taking the step to organize your music library will save you all the inconvenience and annoyances. These tools will help you be in control of your current music collection as well as those you will get in future. You will never have to worry about misplaced and misidentified songs. Going through your own music archive will now be a breeze.

If you have any experiences regarding music organizing software tools or if you think this article missed some significant information, feel free to write your insights below.

Here are some of the benefits of installing Google apps and extensions to your Chrome

Easy Access

Once you’ve installed the apps or extensions, it is easily accessible whenever you log in to Chrome. Some apps and extensions such as Google Mail Checker, Google Voice extensions, the Google Reader extension, and the Google Calendar even create small icons right beside your Chrome’s address bar.  Some of these icons also notify you if there are unread items and allow you to access the service without even leaving the current web page you are in. Apps also appear as huge icons when you open a “New Tab” and you will never have to worry about forgetting where you have saved them. Google Calendar extensions display how long until your next event.

Maximizes your Chrome experience by increased functionality

Some extensions will help improve your Chrome and make it more functional. It helps you maximize your Chrome experience and provides useful features to make your browsing activity pleasurable. For instance, the Dictionary application enables you to double click any unknown word or jargon and a small box will appear providing its definition. Another is the Google Share button which allows you to share a webpage you are currently viewing to several networking sites. The RSS Subscription extension lets you subscribe to available RSS feeds right from your browser. It automatically detects RSS feeds on any website.

It keeps you in touch with your Google Account

The icons in your Chrome browser constantly notify you on new messages and increase your accessibility to your Google Account.  You can manage your Google Account and make changes without leaving your current web page by using Google Apps in Chrome. For example, installing Google Voice notifies you on your current inbox messages in a small box. You can access your inbox, send messages, and listen to your voicemail without even opening a new page.

Apps are reliable and supported by Google

Since Chrome Apps are designed by Google, it can be trusted and compatibility issues with Chrome will not be a burden.  To make sure that an application or an extension is developed by Google, check if there is a “Verified Author: Google.com.” statement below its name in the Web Store. These apps and extensions will remain compatible with Chrome even if Chrome updates. If you are encountering problems with your Google Apps, Google has built comprehensive support system via help pages which is made up of simple and easy to understand guide.

Google Apps for Business

Google Apps has substantially helped in the business field. Google’s messaging and collaboration apps do not require intensive administration and does not need any hardware or software thus it has been saving businesses a significant amount of cost and time.  Since Google Apps help people access their mails without leaving their current webpage, more time is saved which leads to more productivity and efficiency.

Employees can also be constantly notified when there are new messages therefore improving communication lines in businesses. Information also remains secure since Google has been strengthening its information security team for years. Highly sensitive corporate data are being entrusted to Google by many customers worldwide.  Administrators can also customize Google Apps extensively to fit their technical and business needs.

It’s never too late to discover Chrome’s Google apps and extensions. They are easily accessible and most are free of charge. The benefits mentioned above are only part and parcel of what Google Apps can offer so there is absolutely nothing to lose.

What other benefits did you get from Google Apps? Share your experiences and insights by commenting below.

Here are the top 15 websites and apps for TV show streaming for your iPhone

1. B Movies is a free application downloadable on your iPhone so you can surf the Internet Archive’s Moving Images Library of free videos and movies. Browsing the movie archive is possible through 3G but you need internet connection to watch a movie.

2. ABC Player affords you to watch shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Modern Family and other ABC shows for free at ABC.com.

3. CBS is optimized for both the iPad and iPhone so you can actually watch full episodes and clips using Mobile Safari.

4. TBS apps for iPhone brings The Office, Family Gut and Meet the Browns on your mobile phone. Browse photo galleries and video clips. Check on schedules and more.

5. Sony Pictures offers access to the latest movie tidbits and trailers get US show schedules and source for movie tickets through Fandango and get info on available TV shows and films on iTunes.

6. Joost is a free application for the iPhone for watching all types of videos – music, movie and TV shows.

7. Food Network Nighttime brings the whole gamut of popular chefs of Food Network on your iPhone.

8. Yahoo Entertainment has an interactive program guide so you can even plan your TV viewing; watch news and entertainment on your iPhone.

9. History Channel affords you to watch full episodes of shows such as American Pickers, Food Tech, American Restoration and more using your iPhone.

10. Tap TV is where you can stream TV shows, movies, cartoons, documentaries and more. There is something for everyone with their wide range of TV channels.

11. Justin.tv offers live video service globally using WiFi or 3G. You’ll get push notifications when a video in your watch list comes on.

12. AMCTV.com offers favorites such as the Walking Dead, Mad Men and Rubicon. AMC is highly optimized for the iPhone. Videos for AMC news covering movie premieres and film festivals are also available.

13. TNT.tv is accessible through your iPhone’s Safari browser. You can view TV shows such as The Closer, Las Vegas, Law and Order anywhere, anytime. Though access is basically free you need to login with your television provider user ID and password.

14. Daily Motion is basically a free app sourced in iTunes Apps store. It’s actually a video-sharing site where you can watch and share movies, TV episodes, music videos, trailers and more. You can also subscribe to channels, add videos by signing up for a free account.

15. Spreety TV iPhone allows access, albeit to a limited category, to full episodes of TC shows using 3G or Wi-Fi on your iPhone. Open your iPhone’s Safari browser to iphone.spreety.com and access TV shows from CW, NBC, CBS and more.

An internet connection is needed to access the TV shows streaming on your iPhone.

Do you know of other sites that offer free TV shows streaming? We’d like to hear from you.

iLike is Myspace Music, a social music site that lets members find and explore new music online through fellow members. Myspace is home to the largest collection of FREE streaming music on the internet. You can use it to listen to 42mm songs, search for music, create playlists, share music plays, watch videos, listen to radio and connect with your social networks like Facebook.

2.    Altsounds

This site has plenty of streaming content and some MP3 downloads of really good quality. The down side here could be the (annoying) pop-up Ads, but if you like the music selection enough, it wouldn’t matter much to you.

3.    Free Music Archive

Launched in April 2009, the Free Music Archive site was launched by WFMU in Jersey City. The music archive is actually maintained by “curators” or personnel from other radio stations and music labels. The site is described as “a social music website built around a curated library of free, legal audio”. At present the site maintains over 22,000 songs. The archive’s creation was financially supported in part by The New York State Music Fund which also provides the means by which donations can be received to compensate participating artists.

4.    ccMixter

ccMixter is another social music site that promotes remixing of music samples in order to create new musical content. To be able to encourage this, they have made available a huge collection of some 10,000 music samples available for download. Sources are musicians, music producers and content writers or creators who have licensed their work under Creative Commons. The site also provides tools that users can use to listen, sample, mash-up or interact with the music to create their own entirely new musical compositions. The site encourages re-mixers to upload their versions back to ccMixter. Other users can then make comments or offer constructive feedback.

5.    Jamendo

Jamendo was introduced on the net back in 2005. It provides links to legal sources of digital music, at no cost! This site offers music-only downloads with over 32,000 albums. The music available in Jamendo covers a wide range of musical genres from independent artists. These artists have made their work available to the public through the (CCL) Creative Commons License. Users can offer their own review of the albums. In addition to offering 50% of site revenues to participating artists itself, Jamendo has also provided a means for users to make donations to their favorite artists

6.    Legit Torrents

Legit Torrents’ music downloads include formats like MP3, Flac and Ogg. It has some 1,800 LEGAL links for music, movies, games, books, software apps and anime’. The software apps available not only cover Windows, but Mac and Linux as well. They also include a forum where comments or questions regarding the downloaded files or non-download related stuff can be posted for discussion.

7.    bt.etree.org

This site can very well be called the haven for “trade friendly” artists whose own recordings of live concerts are featured. The site encourages users to support these new artists by sharing their work to friends, by buying their CDs or actually going to see them perform live. Lossless Flac is the file format of choice to assure excellent quality and pure listening pleasure. Flac means the downloaded files are huge but users who appreciate the quality don’t mind.

8.    YouTorrent

YouTorrent is one of the more popular legal torrent download sites. It offers various files for download with strict reminders to users not to indiscriminately share files unless they are certain the materials are okay to download and share. From the site itself, all music, books, movies, anime’ games, TV shows, software and pictures available for download are free and legal.

9.    Fenopy

Fenopy is fully integrated with IMDB and Last.fm. It is able to offer some really good links for exploring new music and movies on the net. It features a “fake finder” to help users avoid bad files. Fenopy has available downloads for music, games, books, anime’, software apps, videos, TV shows and movies.

10.     Panda.cd

Panda.cd is a free and legal music-only sharing site whose primary goal is to provide an online showcase of the works of independent artists who might one day become famous. There is a growing community of fans who like original music. Anyone can register as a recording artist (or not) and upload original material that other users can download. Non-artists are asked to support the artists by making donations. Their music genres cover a wide range from country to blues all the way to hip-hop.

11.     ClearBits

LegalTorrents was the original name for Clearbits. It is a good source for all types of media downloads that are all LEGAL. The user-interface is straightforward for fast and easy searching. Users may opt to use the search box or simply browse by category. The media files available are for videos, music, movies, audio books, TV shows and games.

12.     burnbit.com

Burnbit downloads are safe and legal. Burnbit offers automated creation and management of torrent metadata. Torrents only contain the metadata information and are not copyrighted themselves, but the files that are downloaded could be. Burnbit only sources from websites that use legal files and stay away from those with malware, pornography and other bad content.

13.     Vuze Network

The Vuze network offers an all legal selection of P2P source websites. These websites allow download of various media by using the Vuze client, offered free. This Vuze software client has a simple interface with filtering system to let users sort their search results. You can get access to an entire portfolio of media like videos, music, audio books and TV shows via the Vuze Network.

14.     ExtraTorrent

ExtraTorrent’s goal is to provide a simple search engine for all kinds of torrent files. The site has a very busy website in terms of design, with plenty of colorful photos that may not necessarily be what you’re looking for. They do have a good variety of movies, music, TV, software, games, anime’, books and pictures. You might want to control who uses this download site at home as they have plenty of links to porn sites.

15.     Stereogum

Stereogum has been offering free and legal MP3s since 2006 and remains to be one of the leading online communities for independent music, news and video downloads. They regularly feature amateur artists who are hoping to become famous, and some have, like Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Vampire Weekend. They have received various citations including best Music Blog from Plug Award, Most Influential people in Online Music from Blender’s and Best Music Website from Entertainment Weekly.

16.     Unsigned Band Web

Unsigned bands share their music here. This online venue helps them get noticed. They offer music from almost all genres, even using charts to track which ones are hot. Downloads are available in MP3 format.

17.     Soundclick

SoundClick was established in 1997 as an originator of the social media format. They continue to be one of the leading free music communities that features signed and unsigned bands. MP3s, audio and video streaming, music charts, custom radio stations and lyrics are offered free for download. At present the site has 3.4 million members. It is a good site for original music artists to showcase their work.

18.     Indie Rock Cafe

This site’s mission is to provide a venue for talented but unknown musicians to showcase their music for people all over the world to enjoy. They hope to encourage creativity and promote independent music. Downloads are only by clicking on the links for the particular music you are looking at, as there is no main download page.

19.     DMusic

DMusic began in 1998, and is another venue for independent musicians to launch their music.  This site maintains a Top 20 chart for each of the genres available. There are 20+ genres with sub-categories.

20.     iCompositions

iCompositions is an internet community for aspiring musicians. It focuses artists using Mac, specifically Apple’s GarageBand. Member artists are encouraged to upload their songs to be played and commented on by other community members. Constructive criticism is encouraged to help the new artists hear their work through other people’s ears, and make improvements as maybe needed. The site has been featured in major publications including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. It has users from all over the world.

21.     Peoplesound

Peoplesound is similar to Jamendo but with some offerings from major label artists as well. Users must register to be able download. There are plenty of MP3 files but you need to do some looking from within the genres and artists.

22.     BearShare

BearShare v6 and later offer free P2P MP3s and paid WMAs. The site now also includes some social networking features like MySpace. It has a staggering 20 million music files in its store. The P2P music files are offered free as they are shared by users and are automatically verified by BearShare for copyright infringement. This verification is done by acoustic fingering. BearShare is excellent at protecting users from virus threats.

BearShare is fully compatible with iPod and other MP3 devices. It also has a Discover tool that will find and play music genres according to your mood, and find new artists and bands you previously didn’t know about. Other cool features include the personal profile page, a contact list and a messaging system. LimeWire (already shutdown) users can import their music library into BearShare. All file sharing are legal and free.

23.     Epitonic

Epitonic has a long and rather bumpy history in the world of music discovery. Originally launched in 1999, it went dormant in 2004, had a few not so successful revival attempts until finally making a good comeback in 2011, exactly 12 years from its original launch. Epitonic recaptured the spirit of the original site by curating and filtering underground music with cutting edge technology and features not available a decade ago.

24.     3hive

For nothing but MP3s, 3hive is a self-proclaimed jukebox. They link directly with official labels and artists and assure users that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will not come running after them. The reasoning behind this is that these record labels and artists make their full-length MP3s available online, for FREE, so that they get downloaded, listened to and enjoyed. They consider this a form of advertising, to titillate the public enough that they seek out the CDs and the concerts and the souvenir items etc.

25.     itsfreedownloads

Every week, the iTunes store offers free songs or shows that you can download and play in your iPod or computer. It’s all very nice if you have nothing else to do but sit there watching out for the freebies, so this website does it for you. It keeps track of all the recent iTunes freebies and makes them available for you at your most convenient time.

26.     Purevolume.com

Purevolume was launched in 2003 as a social music site dedicated to the discovery and promotion of emerging artists and their music. There is a profile for each of the artists containing basic info, photos, schedule of shows and their music for streaming. They themselves can choose which of their songs are made available for download, so you can be sure whatever you’re downloading, it’s because the artist allowed it. PureVolume has received recognition and praise from The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, L.A. Times, The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek.

27.     iMesh

iMesh is the first P2P music file sharing site approved by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and the longest running in the world. They introduced many of the P2P technologies in use today including what is now called “swarming”.  The site offers a 14-day FREE trial so new users can check out their features and the massive collection of 11 million tracks. Users can also get access to iMesh’ collection of non-copyrighted music and video and download them for free.

28.     Musopen.org

Musopen is like an online library of music that promotes better access and exposure to music by offering music sources for free. No copyright restrictions are imposed on textbooks, recordings and sheet music. Musopen has a huge selection of public domain classical music, sheet music and MP3 music. The collection is categorized by period, composer, performer and instrument. Other available downloads are classical instrumentals and vocals, also in MP3 format.

29.     Archive.org

Practically all forms of audio which includes book readings, poetry readings, alternative news, old time radio shows and original music uploaded by their own creators can be found in this online audio archive. Many of these files are available for download completely free. There are approximately 1 million digital recordings already and it keeps growing. Music choices include jazz, electronic, classical, rock and other kinds for use on video and multimedia productions.

30.     Classical Archives

For classical music enthusiasts, this site is for you. Classical Archive has the largest collection of classical music MIDI files, all FREE. They have over 600,000 files you can listen to (be streaming) or purchase in DRM-free MP3. That is equivalent to 15,000 composers and 60,000 artists.

31.     Mutopiaproject.org

Public domain classical sheet music is available for download at Mutopia. Search by instrument, composer or by latest addition. They are able to offer the works free since they are in the public domain. The collection includes Chopin, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, etc. The music files may be downloaded freely, modified, recorded and shared. The music sheets are in PDF format.

32.     imslp.org

The IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project) makes available some 100,000 muscial scores sitting in the public domain. Search categories are either name or period of the composer.

33.     mp3rocket.me

MP3 Rocket is one of the largest music websites in the world that offer free and legal downloads. Their free MP3 music selection alone is 12 billion strong, plus another 30,000 free movies, videos, radio stations and games. The songs you can download are of top quality. MP3 Rocket is free from spyware and adware and provides state of the art protection against harmful content. Its powerful YouTube download conversion to MP3 is perhaps its best feature.

34.     we7

This is a really cool site for discovering music you never even knew about but are made along the same musical lines as your old favorites. It will be like your very own radio station with your personal DJ playing only the kind of music that you like. Beat that! Their music library is some 8 million big, so they are sure to have your kind of music. You listen for free, but the Ads you’ll have to live with. Still, you don’t have to waste precious time looking at hundreds of sites just to compile your very own collection. Just type-in a favorite song and you will get all the songs that match your favorite’s category. If you type-in an artist’s name, the site comes back with all of that artist’s songs and all similar to it in genre! This site is great!

35.     MTV

Of course, MTV music downloads! The freebies here will not compete with most download sites for sheer volume (or lack of it), but MTV after all is THE place for the latest and the greatest, and if it’s free who are we to complain? The hottest downloads are good for your iPod or MP3 player.

36.     freekidsmusic.com

We have sites for everybody else, so why not one for the kids? Children’s music, especially educational tracks can be expensive, so this is a welcome respite for moms who like enriching their children’s days with good, wholesome music. The independent music artists who are featured on the site are a league of their own. They allow their music to be downloaded for free, to be enjoyed by children and parents alike on their computers, on road trips etc. Parents in turn are expected to return the favor by perhaps watching the artists’ live, going to their shows, buying their CDs and spreading the word.

37.     Classic Cat

This site indexes classical “free-to-download-only” MP3s. They keep users from having to do their own searching. It saves them plenty of time that they can otherwise devote to listening. Their index is some  6000 classical performances. They encourage support through donations or by making your own collections available.

38.     Honc.biz

HONC was created in 2006 for emerging artists to launch their music online. The music has to be in MP3 format. The site allows for each artist to receive votes and comments from the user community. Users can download as many songs as they want completely free and totally legal, but they are asked to vote to help out the artists whose work they get access to.

39.     thefreemusicdirectory.com

The Free Music Directory serves as a guide to free and legal MP3 downloads on the internet. Their directory will help you find what you’re looking for. In return they ask that if you have a site of your own with at least 1 free MP3 available for download, get it listed on this site to help them grow their directory some more.

40.     eardrumspop.com

Beautiful site, this! They release digital-only albums, singles, music compilations and showcase them with really nice artworks.  Everything on the site is free as all downloads have been approved by the artists and the labels that own them.

If you just take the time to look around, you will find a wealth of information about sites that offer totally free and legal music downloads. You need not make do with sites of questionable integrity. All it takes is a little personal commitment to never again participate in the use and spread of copyrighted music without paying a cent. If we want good music for free, they are out there.

The 40 sites featured here should be a good starting point for you. Visit any one or a few of them and be delighted at what you find.

Aside from these exotic automotive beauties, players can also burn some rubber on locations likeNassau,Cape Town,Havana, and Charmonix.

About the Game

There are plenty of racing games for all the consoles out there, but they are quite rare when it comes to touchscreen mobile devices. This is because there are plenty of game developers that find it difficult to design a iOS game that packs in the unique experience of racing games. Gameloft seems to have bucked the odds—it has packed a lot of things into Asphalt 6. Exciting challenges are infused with breathtakingly detailed locations and intuitive race controls (using the device’s accelerometer), allowing for a console-like racing experience in a mobile device.

Gameplay

Controls for this game are relatively easy—you will use your iPhone’s (or iPod Touch or iPad) accelerometer to control the car. Tap on the left side of the screen to access the brakes, and tap the right side to give your car a speed boost. As you progress through the game, you will be able to earn cash that will allow you to unlock and purchase additional cars and locations.

Asphalt 6 has a Career  or basic mode, where competing the series of races around the world is the main task. You can choose to play a Free Race, where you will be allowed to choose the race location and how you want to race. There are also “Normal” races, where you will need to outrun six other vehicles, and Elimination and Beat ‘Em All races, where you will need to destroy your opponents’ vehicles by causing them to crash. Collector races will have you running your car into various obstacles to gain money, while Duel races will require you to defeat a single opponent. Plus, there is an option within the game that will allow you to race against other players online.

User Interface

The controls are remarkably intuitive and easy to use. Gameloft chose not to complicate the interface with the usual console controls, allowing iOS gamers to enjoy the experience and immerse themselves in the gameplay.

Graphics and Sound Effects

The intro video to the game is visually impressive, but there are a couple of instances when the cars appear a little pixilated during the races. However, considering that there are a few games of this caliber for the iOS platform, we tend to be more forgiving with this minor flaw.

Sound effects are great as well, and the overall audio-visual experience with the Asphalt 6 is quite enjoyable.

The Drawback

While there is no question that Asphalt 6 is a great racing title for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and the iPad, there are still a couple of things that the developers can improve. You will begin the game with a couple of cars: the Mini Copper, the Abarth 500 SS, and the Nissan Z, but they are not very different from one another in terms of handling. The pixilated graphics is another issue, although we can overlook it because of the limited processor power of a mobile device.

Conclusion

Asphalt 6 is a great racing title for iPhone gamers, and although there are a couple of issues that we are not completely happy with, we still think that players who love the racing genre should never miss out on this game. What with the luxury cars, numerous game options, and the online gaming function, you are sure that you are getting your money’s worth.

Asphalt 6

Category: Games
Price: $0.99
Developed By: Gameloft
Requirements: Requires iOS 3.1.3 or later
Compatible With: iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad
Other OS:
Our Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Gameplay Video

There are several dating apps for singles that are looking for some nice chat with charming and interesting available ladies or gents, who are searching for their soul mates, and who are ready to commit on a relationship. If approach, tips, advice, dating terms, and finding the right date are your worries, Android is a good rescue on the go.

Here are our selected best 5 free dating Android apps available:

1.    LetMeCU

This social and dating app is location-based that finds your date near your place. Its latest version enables users to trade photos by uploading the images from phone stored gallery or by taking real-time photos and being able to share these images while on the chat room. Users can create their own groups or simply join on existing public or private crowd, can send messages, and search for love match and potential life partners in the dating service.

One of the good features of this app is its filter function that prohibits morally unacceptable words and photos that are sexually explicit.

2.    OkCupid

This still remains as a popular and fast growing online dating site. Once you have this installed to your Android, you’ll enjoy more the extensive functions of the dating service. Wherever you are, you can easily edit your profile information and look through potential match for a date.

Aside from chatting with singles and meeting new friends, other unique features of this app include status broadcasting, message sending, photo uploading, and match search customization. From the information you provided through OkCupid, this app will find your match hassle-free and will search according to your preferences.

3.     Dates-Near-Me

You can find singles around your area through this App’s advanced GPS technology. This Dates Near Me app upholds a strict focus on Privacy and Security where you can block some abusive users, choose who you would want to show your photos and where you can feel assured that nothing else can access this app except through mobile devices. This app connects you to your right match in your local area.

4.    Pickup Lines

Are you having a hard time figuring out how to approach your crush or secret love? This app shares the best pickup lines, which you can view and rate. You get inspiring lines that you can use when you become ready to approach and start up a conversation to a woman on your first date. Because these pickup lines are rated by other Android users, you can rely on the effective outcome in winning over the girl’s heart.

5.    Wertago

Wertago is a recommended mobile app for nightlife goers and is created for mature users who are 18 years old and beyond. The unique best features of this app include finding the hottest nightlife in your area, finding those who are in parties, coordinating, flirting and meeting interesting Android users. You can also tweet, flirt and see your date. This is ideal for group date.

Worry no more in your pursuit to finally find the woman or man in your life with the latest free mobile social and dating apps through your Android. If you are lonely and single, these apps are the best tools that lead you to the right path in finding your love match. All you need to do is direct yourself to Android Market. Search for the name of Android app, type it in and you should be ready to install the selected dating apps.

Have you tried any of the listed mobile dating apps? Feel free to share how a specific dating mobile app helped you and how your romantic story goes after the first meet up and dating.      

The War Against Online Piracy

However, in recent years, the RIAA has focused its attention on one particular issue: online piracy. Its first major encounter was with Napster, a file sharing website that garnered mainstream attention in the early 2000s when it became involved in legal battles against the popular band, Metallica. Though Napster was eventually shut down, it didn’t signal the end of the problem. Instead, it inspired the rise of hundreds of similar music download sites and services that allowed people to download music without paying the royalties due to the artists.

Fact and Figures

• Since 1999, sales of music in theUnited Stateshave decreased by 53 percent, dropping from $14.6 billion to only $6.9 billion in 2010.
• In the period between 2004 and 2009, an estimated 30 billion songs were illegally shared and downloaded.
• Illegal downloads take up huge amounts of bandwidth; 17.5% in theUSand 24% around the world.

The SOPA Controversy and the Megaupload Shutdown

Earlier this year, the Internet exploded with outrage over aUnited Statesbill called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Opponents of the bill stated that it not only posed a threat to the freedom of speech, but it severely curtailed innovation as well. Numerous websites such as Reddit and Wikipedia initiated a service blackout in protest of the bill, raising greater awareness of the issue.

Another development that caused a lot of furor was the shutdown of Megaupload, a well-known file hosting service that allowed users to download copyrighted content for free. In retaliation, the hacker group Anonymous targeted the websites of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Justice Department, the RIAA and several others with a denial of service attack.

New Developments in the Market

Though the RIAA is quick to highlight the negative consequences of piracy on the music industry, there are those who are not so sympathetic to its cause. Most detractors proclaim that the group is more concerned about the finances of its members, which are the major music companies, than about the plight of the artists and various individuals who are involved in the creation of music.

But perhaps instead of fully concentrating all its efforts against piracy, the organization should also consider other means by which it can ensure the protection of intellectual property rights while still making money for the labels and musicians. For instance, the increasing popularity of subscription services such as Spotify and Rhapsody is introducing a new business model of distributing music. Furthermore, though people aren’t buying as many albums as they used to, downloads of music singles are steadily increasing in number through vendors like iTunes and Amazon.

How are you getting your music fix these days? What do you think will eventually happen to the industry if piracy isn’t contained?

Android phone users were not able to experience portability and convenience when it comes to their iTunes playlist. Fortunately, several people provided solutions to this problem by creating applications to serve as a medium for iTunes-Android syncing.

Android is not really iTunes’ best friend and you may need a couple of applications to make the two of them work together. doubleTwist is an application “to cure iTunes withdrawal”, as New York Times stated, for Android users.

This step-by-step tutorial will help sync your iTunes with your Android device using doubleTwist.

Follow these easy steps to finally enjoy your iTunes library anytime and anywhere with your Android device.

This will cover doubleTwist for Windows.

Step 1: Download doubleTwist for Windows and doubleTwist for Android and launch the program.

Step 2: Link your Android device to your computer using the USB cable and enable USB file storage mode.

Step 3: After installing the program, start running it.

Step 4: Once you opened doubleTwist, click your Android device located on the left pane under “Devices.”

Step 5: After clicking your device, a bar will appear on the right pane displaying some information about available free space on your device. Check or uncheck the boxes corresponding to which files you want to sync or un-sync.

Step 6a: To transfer your music, select “Music” on the left pane under “Library”. You can transfer tracks or albums one by one by selecting them from the library. Drag the files from the library and drop them to your Android device on the left pane.

Step 6b: To transfer your photos, select “Photos” on the left pane under “Library”. Transfer photos through the same drag-and-drop technique like in Step 6a.

Step 6c: To transfer your videos, select “Videos” on the left pane under “Library”. Transfer videos by drag-and-drop technique.

Step 7: You can also add files by clicking “Library” to “Add files to the library”, “Add folders to the library”, “Import iTunes Playlist”, or Import WMP Playlist”.

doubleTwist is a great application not only for your iTunes music but for your iTunes videos and photos as well. It also allows you to create playlists and rate your songs and videos. It is an all-in-one movie, music, radio, podcast player and syncing application just like iTunes. It is basically an iTunes for your Android device. Save yourself from that “iPhone envy” and maximize your iTunes experience using doubleTwist.

Were you able to successfully sync your iTunes to your Android phone? Share your comments, stories, and suggestions below.

The popularity of the web browser could be attributed to its speed and the wide range of free and paid apps available in the Chrome Web Store. There are tons of Google Chrome Apps available. Choosing which the best are is subjective.

At any rate here are 5 cool Google Chrome Apps for Teens.

#1 Google Books

Google Books app is a cool and easy way to read books. You don’t need any new gadget to store books that you sourced at the Google eBookstore. There are millions of books downloadable for a fee but there are also more than 3 million titles which are free to download.  Though your Google Library is stored in the cloud, you will still be able to do offline reading using your browser. Googe eBooks will sync automatically all pages across compatible devices.

#2 Tweetdeck

Tweetdeck has been tweaked! The new edition is a Chrome web app version which basically means you can run the application from your browser. It has all the functions of the Tweetdeck desktop version and features such as keyword filtering, post scheduling and syncing on across all compatible devices are assured.

#3 Numerics Calculator And Converter

Numerics Calculator and Converter is an easy way to make fast calculations on both complex and simple number problems. The interface is simple and intuitive. It keeps history of all your calculations with the option to add comments.  You can even work offline so you can download the app in your laptop and use the app even without 3G or Wi-Fi. It is also a converter and is capable to handle 140 currencies.

#4 Angry Birds

Angry Birds is a definite must for a cool Google Chrome App. This game is not just a computer game as you have to meet challenging tasks that need basic knowledge of physics and math. You need to have a cunning and devious mind in answer to cunning and devious challenges too. Each level needs skill, logic and even physical strength to crush your nemesis. This app has close to 200 levels, free to play.  Included in this new version are 3 episodes of the classic Angry Birds game.

#5 Evernote

Evernote Web affords you to write down and save all your experiences and ideas in this app then access them from every smartphone and computer that you use.  How convenient it will be for you to be able to access all your documents and files anywhere and anytime.  You can create a to-do list, clip webpages, and attach document, audio, video, photos, PDF and other file types using Evernote browser plugins and extensions. Organizing all your files is easy and fast as you can use notebooks and tags.

These cool and fun Google Chrome apps are not reserved for teens. Anyone can enjoy these apps. Have you downloaded any one of these lately?