“Games are not one thing – they are many things. Games are not interactive stories; they are not formal systems of rules; they are not the personal expression of the designer – they are all of these things simultaneously and many more. A challenge for game designers is to appreciate that games are math, psychology, culture, aesthetics, narrative, politics, and any number of other things – all at the same time. Every frame we might put around games is useful at some moment in the design process. Designers need to learn when a particular frame of understanding can help them solve a problem and when it can be a problem.”
Best apps for… My recommendation list
For reason I can't understand people tend to think about me as an Apple fan and heavy user. I'm not sure why. Just because I can't stop talking about Apple, or the fact that I now own almost all the products they make (except for the new iPad Air and mini, and Mac Pro and retina, so you still have enough stuff to buy me for my birthday), doesn't say I'm a fan or anything... Sheesh.
So, anyways, as they do think so, people also ask me about apps I recommend and I always say I'll write something and send them and I always forget.
Well, today I worked enough as to not feel totally crappy about writing something that is not work related. So here it is, my recommended list of apps for all sorts of usages and users.
Writing Apps
Most of my work is writing related so to me, this makes sense as a top priority.
- Pages - my favorite writing app and its just got better with the last update. I love using it for writing and for page layouts.
- Deadalus - for note taking, drafting and most of my blogging and tidbits of information this little app is my favorite. It is the mobile part of the fantastic Ulysses writing app for the mac.
iA Writer - I know, why the hell do I need three apps for writing, well I have more and I use them according to my mood. iA Writer is great because it's simple and clean.
Work
This category is tricky. People my skip over it, and I hope they don't. These are apps that I use for my work and I can't really place them in some other category other than general... And they are not general. Each is very powerful and unique
- OmniOutline2 - The BEST outliner app out there. If I need to write, take notes, make a plan, build a project, draft headlines for a major writing undertaking, this app is my go to app. The new version is even more amazing. Get it.
- Goodreader (iPad) - This app reads every file you can think about. I can open zip files with it, I can connect it to every single type of online hosting service (box, dropbox, whatever), it can play movies, music, pdfs. It can annotated pdfs, it can protect files and folders with password, it is an amazing app that looks really horrible and the fact that I'm using it says a lot (I hate ugly apps).
- Keynote - Apple created the first and only app I ever use for creating presentations. I hated building those before I came to the mac and after discovering keynote I started loving the presentation creation process. Much of what I know today about design, color theory and more is due to the fact that I wanted to create better and better presentations.
- 1password - This is the only way to work with passwords, and to protect your credit card information etc. It has a desktop version as well (it came first) and it's brilliant. The desktop version can also hold serial numbers for app and has tons of other features.
Omnigraffle (iPad) - The Omni Group has amazing apps, really I own and I love all of them. Omnigraffle is a great tool for... Well, many many things. Need a mind map? You got it, want to create a logic flow chart? No problem, want to design your nee apartment? Ok, want to get people to understand your point better? Fine! It's brilliant.
Reading
Well, there is enough stuff to read on the web, and the iPad is the best ay to read it. You do, however, need a good app to do so.
- Flipboard (iPad) - the best reading experience for RSS feeds, or web sites feed.
Instapaper - Flipboard is fun to read and share articles, but for serious reading and archiving you need instapaper.
Photography
One of my favorite usage for the iPhone (especially the new 5s) is for taking photos. I have a DSLR (Sony Alpha 77) but the iPhone is fantastic and is always with me.
- Camera + - this app has an iPhone version and an iPad version. I love shooting with it on my iPhone and editing on my iPad. It synch images you shoot with it between app versions so it's great fun. Very cool editing tools, great frames and other nice features
- Snapseed - Great universal editing tool and one of the few apps that were purchased by a big company (specifically google) and not killed. Very easy to use exigent tools, very powerful if you know what you are doing.
iPhoto - I love the new version. Great tool for working with images. Too bad it can't add some of the effects to has.
Racing Games
I love racing games. It's a thing and the iOS got some of the best games out there in general and some amazing racing games
- Real Racing 3 - fantastic gameplay, great physics, gorgeous cars.
Asphalt 8 - less realizing than RR3, but very fun and has a wonderful multiplayer option.
Board Games
Yes, iOS (well, iPad) has some brilliant board games adaptation and board game-like original games for it.
SOON
Kids Games
Soon
Drawing
I'm not and artist, but the iPad (and the iPhone if you have to use it) offer some great drawing apps
Paper - my go to app for sketching, brainstorming, illustrating a point or just passing my time doodling. Get all the in-app options!
More SOON
References
I got a few dictionaries and tools for writing, editing, word searching etc. These are the best ones
Wordflex (iPad) - wow, this is how a dictionary should look like. Type a word and see it and all the connected words that it has. Find meaning, find other words that mean the same, or the opposite. It's beautiful, useful, fun to use and you can actually play with it and improve your vocabulary. It is ingenious.
More soon
Video Editing
SOON
Cooking
Soon
Social Apps
SOON
Health Apps
Interactive books SOON
SOON
Land of the Little People, Micro Trailer won at the IMTF
I have the pleasure of being the executive producer of the upcoming film "The Land of the Little People".
A week ago we shot the Kickstarter trailer, and we are working now on the various aspects of running a Kickstarter campaign for it. However, we already started the production and one of the things that we already done is create a micro trailer that just won the 2013 International Movie Trailer Festival award.
This is not a regular type of project for me, and I am glad I was talked into doing it.
Congratulation to the whole team.
Kickstarter weekly roundup, Sounds Great
Every week I try to bring you the best projects I find on Kickstarter. This week I'm having a real problem narrowing down the list. Kickstarter has high and low tides and we are entering a high one now.
Note: I don't back every project that I recommend. I wish I could, but I can't. maybe I should create a kickstarter to get funds so I'll be able to back more projects...
The simplest most advanced wireless Multi Speaker for iPhone, iPad + Android ever in compact form. Touch the cap to elevate your sound!
As the name suggests, this is the second version of this product. The first one was born on Kickstarter (Goal: $125k, Pledge $938,771) and received well enough reviews. Some backers complained about sound quality, charging issues and pairing issues, but overall it looks like these are not the majority.
We can deduce that people like this product because this new version was backed within 4.5 hours (Goal: $90k, Pledge so far $425,344), and they have 25 more days to go at the time of this post being written.
What is it?
A blutooth speaker that can pair with your mobile device (iOS and Android) and be used to listen to music, podcasts, movies, and also to take calls. The design is compact and beautiful and the mechanism that reveals the speakers looks like it works really nice.
Why do I like it?
Mobile speakers are not new obviously, but this one gives me a few things I'm looking for:
- Compact and great looking Design (in form and factor)
- High Sound Quality
- Easy pairing with my iPhone
- The ability to sync it around the house while I move from room to room
- The ability to take it with me to lectures when I need to play Music/Videos
- additional smart functionalities (smart as in clever, not "connected to the web and thus called smart like every other device coming out from CES for the past 3 years")
Some other speakers give many of these functions but cost a lot, or they are cheap but give only some of the functionality. Anyways, I'm in and I think you should back it as well.
The ultimate iPhone protective case with a secure and hidden wallet at the at the touch of a button. iPhone 5S, 5C, 5.
iPhone covers are a million, if not a billion, dollar industry and as the years progressed we saw companies trying to do more with those cases. Some just make the case more durable and protective (to the extent of making your phone look like a tank or a stealth bomber), others create a battery pack that also works as a cover (like the really well designed Mophies). Yet other try to add simpler functionalities, like adding a wallet to your iPhone.
What is it?
So Push is basically a smart and compact wallet that allow you to store your credit cards with your phone, and with a simple push, to take out the credit card that you need (or grab some cash).
Why I like it?
They really gave some thought to the way people use their phones and wallets. The whole design is great and looks like it was created to be used with a phone, while keeping the basic functionality of the wallet - protecting your money and make it easier to carry around.
Theu already blow through their goal ($15l, Pledge so far $46,287) and unlocked the Android stretch goal. In a nut shell:
- Looks and feels good
- really protects your cards
- Keeps your cards safe from prying eyes
- easy to use
- also, protects your phone (bonus?)
This party will end in 5 days, so if you are looking for something like this, go and grab it.
Murder Mill
Bloody, brutal, psychological terror is our goal. With your help, we can make "MURDER MILL" an unstoppable force of horror.
What is it?
Well, the synopsis reads: Four teens break into a local abandoned mill for a night of partying. They get more than they bargained for when they discover the truth behind the legend of "Murder Mill" and its connection to the recent town suicides.
Why I like it?
I love horror, and I love the short form. Kickstarter is a great place for ideas to come to fruition and these types of projects have good potential. I like the simplicity of the location and from what Im reading and seeing on the project page, these guys know what they are doing.
The goal ($1500) was past and (pledge $1,576 so far) and they do have 20 more days. They aren't asking for much and for that some you will probably get a good piece of content and also propel the idea of the "new patrons of the art". Kickstarter and sites like it are a situated correctly to reshape the way we look at and treat the arts.
2013 on Kickstarter, what a year
I love Kickstarter, and by now I backed over 40 projects.
Kickstarter made an inspiring and informing presentation, I urge you to take a look