Feral Interactive announced Friday it was bringing ROME: Total War to the iPad! This classic game mixes turn-based play and real-time strategy battles in a way that kept me glued to my Mac for ages. Your cities matter, and commanders count. They have different strengths and weaknesses, and not only affect your economy, they can make or break a battle. Even the way you deploy your troops matters. It will be released this fall and pricing hadn’t been announced. Two of the games expansions have been pre-announced for iPad, too: ROME: Total War – Barbarian Invasion and ROME: Total War – Alexander. Check out the trailer.
Bryan Chaffin
Bryan Chaffin is the cofounder of The Mac Observer and currently serves as Afternoon Editor. He has contributed to MacAddict and MacFormat magazines, and co-authored the last two updates of iPad and iPad Pro for Dummies with Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus and Ed Baig. You can find out more about Bryan at his personal site, GeekTells, or find his Twitter link below.
Articles by Bryan Chaffin
Universal 3-in-1 Lens Kit for Smartphones and Tablets: $11.99
Check out this clever idea, a clip-on Universal 3-in-1 Lens Kit for Smartphones and Tablets. Because it’s held on with an adjustable clip, it will fit just about any iPhone, iPad, or Android device. It comes with three lenses, a 180 degree fish eye, a wide-angle, or a macro lens. You can get this lens kit for $11.99 through our deal.
A Backyard 360-Degree Swing (Video)
Youtuber colinfurze has a new crazy contraption, a 360-degree swing. And it’s just way too cool. Oh, and it’s in his back yard and lacks even a semblance of safety. I love people who can make things and who aren’t afraid to shoot for awesome. This swing is certainly awesome. Check out the bit at 1:55 when he talks about the pallets and how it used to be taller. At 2:02 there’s a couple of seconds of one of the arms bending while he was testing. Crazy. Watch and admire!
Leawo Professional Media for Mac: $19
We have a deal for you today on Leawo Professional Media for Mac. This software converts multiple video formats, and it can read and rip DVDs and Blu-ray, and it has a 2D/3d converter. This software retails for $119, but you can get it through our deal for $19.
ACM 372: Samsung Pay’s Security Failure, the Story Behind Apple’s Public Betas
Bryan and Jeff dig into Samsung shenanigans, including reports of a way to hack magnetic stripe reader transactions, and the mysterious case of Apple Watch drawings in a Samsung patent. They also discuss the interesting story of how the flawed Apple Maps rollout led to public beta programs for OS X and iOS.
Zus Smart Car Charger and Locator: $29.99
Check out this handy gadget, the Zus Smart Car Charger and Locator. Plug it into your car’s A/C outlet and it will charge your devices through USB ports. It’s a smart charger, too, in that it sends the current each device needs. But, it also serves as a locator by communicating with an app on your iPhone so you can find your car. You can get this device through our deal for $29.99
1010! for iOS is Fun, Addictive, and Just Enough Like Tetris to Love
Tetris lovers, I have a game for you called 1010! (The bang is part of the name.) 1010! is clearly rooted in the tradition of Tetris, but it changes some things around. It’s fun, challenging, and has that just-one-more call.
Dashlane Premium/Hotspot Shield Elite VPN 3-Yr Subscription Bundle: $69.99
We have a deal for you today on a three year subscription to both Dashlane Premium—a password manager—and Hotspot Shield Elite VPN. You can get both of these services bundled together for three years for $69.99.
Google Photos Commercial Aims at iPhone Owners Who Need Storage
Google has a new spot poking at an issue affecting million of iPhone owners—not enough storage for photos and videos. Related: new 16GB iPhones shouldn’t be a thing in 2016. Oh, and I specify iPhone owners because the popup window at the heart of the ad’s gag is iOS. Besides, Google knows the best customers use iPhones. Anyhoo, Google has a solution for this problem, the Google Photos app. With this app, your photos and videos are uploaded to Google’s cloud storage (where Google then pilfers them for information it can sell to advertisers). The company left that parenthetical bit out of the ad, but the ad is really good.
NightStand for Apple Watch: $19.95
Check out Nightstand for Apple Watch, a charging stand that puts your Apple Watch in nightstand mode. It features a suction cup so that it sticks where you put it, making it easy to pull your Apple Watch off the stand. You can get it through our deal for $19.95.
Apple Gets Approval to Sell Wholesale Energy as Tech Giants Blaze Renewable Trail
Apple Energy LLC, the Apple subsidiary that develops and maintains Apple’s U.S. energy generation projects, received regulatory approval to sell electricity into the wholesale market. This will give Apple flexibility in developing electricity generation for its own use. It also demonstrates how technology giants have developed renewable energy traditional utilities have been slow to build.
Comprehensive Drone Tour Shows Major Progress on Apple's Spaceship HQ
Apple Campus 2.0—nicknamed the Spaceship HQ—has seen a lot of progress, as shown in a new comprehensive drone tour of the building. This is the most detailed drone video of the construction site I’ve seen to date, as it looks at at the main, circular building, side buildings, the tunnels leading to underground parking, and more. It’s a 4K video, too, meaning the clarity is outstanding. Apple Campus 2.0 is scheduled for completion in 2017.
Flexible Tripod for Smartphones and Cameras: $8.99
We have a deal for you today on a flexible tripod for iPhones, Android smartphones, and cameras. Each leg is made of rotating balls, allowing you to adjust it for just about any surface. You can get this device through our deal for just $8.99.
PDFpen 8 All-Purpose PDF Editor for Mac: $37
Hey, cool. We get to offer you a deal on PDFpen 8 for Mac from Smile Software. This software is an all-purpose PDF reader and editor. You can edit text, add images, redact information, export to Microsoft Word format, and a lot more. PDFpen 8 is priced at $74.95, but you can get it through our deal for just $37.
ACM 371: iPad Pro (Surface) Ad, Siri's Shortcomings, Apple's Big Developer Payout
Bryan and Jeff discuss Apple’s commercial that embraces many of the things Microsoft has used to tout Surface Pro. They also talk about Apple’s remarkable success with the App Store, as well as some of Siri’s shortcomings.
Special 2-for-1 Offer on Extra Long MFi-Certified Lightning Cable:$14.99
We have a great deal for you today on not one, but two 10-foot MFi-certified Lightning cables. And the price? $14.99. Like I said, it’s a great deal. The image shows just one cable, but this deal is for a two-pack. Check out the details on the deal listing.
Tim Cook Tweets: Record July for App Store; Developers Have Earned $50 Billion
Tim Cook announced on Twitter Wednesday that July was a record month for the App Store, and that Apple has now paid more than $50 billion to developers. Both represent massive accomplishments, and the $50 billion paid out to developers would make the reputation of any other company for decades to come.
FBI Still Wants Encryption Compromise Where None is Possible
FBI Director Comey is still searching for a so-called compromise on encryption, even though no such compromise is possible. Mr. Comey wants America to discuss the issue before a terror or criminal event involving encryption makes rational discussion impossible.
The Complete iOS 10 Developer Course: $25
We have a deal for you today on the Complete iOS 10 Developer Course. It features 30 hours of content, including 217 lectures. You’ll learn SiriKit, Messages, Maps—all with new features for developers in iOS 10, as well as an in-depth look at the rest of the operating system. You can get this course through our deal for just $25.
Apple Launches Surface Pro Spot Starring iPad Pro
Check out Apple’s new iPad Pro commercial, titled “iPad Pro — What’s a Computer?” It’s like a Microsoft Surface Pro spot, with a prettier star, better lighting, better graphics, and better direction. It pitches iPad Pro as a computer, only one you can touch, type on, and write on using a stylus. It features iPad Pro (9.7-inch), Smart Keyboard, and Apple Pencil. It’s almost like Apple is saying this combination of devices is kind of like a toasterfridge that can do it all. I’d love to hear some thoughts from our readers on this.
Apple Adding More than 100 Diverse Emoji to iOS 10
Apple announced Monday that it will add more than 100 diverse emoji to iOS 10. The new emojis are part of the Unicode Consortium’s ongoing efforts to expand emojis, and Apple said it’s working with the Consortium to include diverse options.
The Ultra-Efficient File Management Bundle for Mac: $19.99
We have a deal for today on four Mac utilities for managing your files: Yes, Leap, Deep, and Fresh. They’re designed to help you keep track of your documents, make more of tags, match images, and more. You can get all four apps through our deal for $19.99. Check out the details in the deal listing.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency Trailer (from Comic-Con)
Douglas Adams’s Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency is coming to BBC America! The first trailer for the series was released this week at Comic-Con, and it looks amazing. It stars Samuel Barnett in the title role, with Elijah Wood as his assistant Todd. I enjoyed the Dirk Gently novels, and I’m looking forward to this eight-episode series. Enjoy the new trailer!
Revogi 'Smart Meter' Bluetooth Outlet: $24.99
Check out the Revogi Smart Meter Bluetooth Outlet. Combined with a companion app for Android and iOS, this device will let you control and monitor electricity going through it. Schedule on and off times, see your usage, and stop devices from using electricity even when they’re turned “off.” You can get this device through our deal for $24.99.
