I’ve discussed unofficial methods to tether your iPhone’s 3G data connection to your laptop or tablet for free before. One prime example is MyWi (Our article on it can be found here). Recently, AT&T has been cracking down on people who have used this method, and have told them to stop or they will automatically add a tethering plan onto their existing plan. How unfair is it to pay an addition $25 a month to use internet that you already have accessible? Well, PDANet For iPhone has been updated to allow you to tether and hide this tethering usage from AT&T. Keep on reading for the full scoop.

Sure, the user interface isn’t quite as snazzy as MyWi, but who needs that? Don’t you simply enable tethering on your iPhone (which takes seconds), then hop onto your laptop or tablet and connect to it and browse the web on there? The latest update for PDANet is the sole reason I have switched to this over MyWi. I’m one of the lucky ones who hasn’t been caught yet, even though I use it to a considerable extent.

In fact, I went on a road trip for a few days several weeks ago, and used over a gigabyte of data through MyWi during the trip. That aside, PDANet is now my main application for tethering. There are two methods of hiding usage – level I and level II. When you enable “Hide Usage,” you are greeted by a little pop up that asks if you want to use level I or level II if you believe level I isn’t secure enough. You may as well use level II for the extra protection. After all, better safe than sorry, right?

There are two versions to PDANet. A free, trial based version, and a paid version. The paid option will run you a solid $16 (limited time only, go grab your copy now!). I think this is a much better option, as it is a $16 one time fee, compared to AT&T’s $25 monthly option. There are several ways to tether internet to your laptop, USB and WiFi.

WiFi simply creates a new WiFi hotspot using the 3G data connection on your iPhone. Your laptop can then connect to this WiFi network when it in fact is actually your iPhone’s internet. I really like the customization that is available for your hotspot. You can change the SSID, WEP key, signal strength, and check which devices are currently connected to your network.

The USB option requires a tad bit more setup, although it is fairly simple as well. You have to connect your iPhone via USB, and install the software (available here). One thing to note is that is provides a faster and more secure internet connect since it is not over the air, but through a cable. It also consumes significantly less battery life than the WiFi option to tether.

Overall, PDANet For iPhone is a solid jailbreak application, and is one of the main reasons I jailbreak my iPhone. It’s a superb and much safer alternative to MyWi, and does a great job of sharing your iPhone’s internet connection with your laptop.

Our RatingL 5/5

Download PDANet in Cydia Store

Different can be scary. This seems especially true in the world of iOS Apps. We have tons of Twitter, news and weather applications released on what seems like a daily basis. The quantity of iPhone Apps has multiplied over the years. Now, there’s pretty much an app for everything, so it’s hard to come across something truly new and fresh. If you want to get a little outside the box though, the Charles Santoso iPhone App may be just the thing for you. Charles Santoso is a Australian illustrator and concept artist who makes some really cool art that is perfect for your iPhone’s homescreen, at the price of $2.99.

The Charles Santoso app is a digital sketchbook. The idea is simple – you browse through pages upon pages of Charles’ gorgeous art and when you get to something you like you can either zoom in or choose to save it for use a wallpaper. The problem is, almost all of Santoso’s art is brilliant. Charles has a great way to create characters that are whimsical, yet believable.

I know that at this point you are probably not completely sold on this app and that is fine. Some are very happy with the stock wallpapers, but I want to be a little more unique and different than others. This app really helps make my iPhone stand out. Not only are the sketches different but they are also so well done that people will be sure to notice your unique wallpapers. Santoso spends lots of time sketching so you know there always something new to look. At the end of the day, the ability to have the choice of how your iPhone/iPad looks shows off your personality unlike stock wallpapers that lose their luster in weeks, even days.

Charles Santoso is a nice break from the norm for those of us who like to switch things up when it comes to our iPhone lock screen while also delivering a daily dose of inspiration for anyone who likes to sketch or pretend to sketch like me. Check out in the App store today for $2.99.

Our Rating: 4/5

Download Link

Gaming is quite popular on the iPhone, especially with thousands to choose from! With so many apps to go through, it’s difficult to fully sort out the amazing games from the garbage games. This article will let you know our opinions on some of the best games you can purchase for your beloved device.

1. Fruit Ninja

Fruit Ninja for iPhone is a very cheap, simple, and addictive game, and probably one of the best deals in the App Store! You are supposed to slice all the fruit on the screen, and are given three lives. Let any fruit fall without being sliced, and you lose a life. If you think that it’s way too easy, there are also bombs that fly up along with the fruit. Slice one of those and the game is over! You can pick up Fruit Ninja for a mere 99 cents.

Our Review

Download Link

2. Doodle Jump

Doodle Jump for iPhone is probably one of the most popular games for the iOS platform. After all, they’ve literally sold millions of copies! In this game, you control a little doodle who is trying to get higher and higher, by jumping on each platform. You have to tilt your device for your doodle to move left, or right to jump onto the platform. Miss one, or jump onto a broken one, and the game is over! That’s not all – there are little monsters that are trying to keep you from going higher, and to stop them, you have to make your doodle throw a coconut at them, by tapping the screen. Overall, Doodle Jump is a great way to pass some time quickly, for 99 cents.

Our Review

Download Link

3. Cut The Rope

Cut The Rope is one of the latest sensations on the iOS platform. It’s been in the Top 25 paid apps for as long as I can remember, and there’s definitely enough reason for it to stay there. You’re given candy held on several ropes, and are expected to cut the correct rope so the candy will swing and pick up stars. There are three stars on every level, and once you collect as many as you can, you have to finish up the level by feeding the candy to the little monster at the bottom of the screen. This is a physics game, and can be purchased for 99 cents.

Our Review

Download Link

4. Tilt To Live

Tilt to live is an amazingly addictive game, like the rest of the applications being featured in this article. You control an arrow in the middle of a bunch of red cells, and the objective of the game is to keep the arrow away from the red cells, or you die! To control the arrow, you use the iPhone’s accelerometer, by tilting your device (hence the name Tilt to Live). Tilt to live is a bit more expensive than the other applications in this article, at $2.99

Our Review

Download Link

5. Monster Dash

Monster Dash is made by the developers of Fruit Ninja, so you know right off the bat that it’s a great game. You control a character named Barry Steakfries, and are trying to outrun a bunch of zombies. You have a weapon that can be activated by tapping right side of the screen, and you can jump from platform to platform by tapping the left side of the screen. To get a different weapon, you simply run through a box containing a random weapon that will then become yours. All the weapons vary greatly, and have a limited amount of ammo. You can buy this game for 99 cents.

Our Review

Download Link

These are the Top 5 Games available for the iPhone, in my opinion. Be sure to check out the full review for each, and purchase it if you think that you will like it! Feel free to drop a comment below and let us know how you liked our list of sweet iPhone games, and maybe even let us know what your favorites are!

How awesome would it be to own a 58″ table that shows your jailbroken iPhone’s screen on it? Did I mention that you can actually control your device, since the table has a built in multi touch display? Even the iPad’s screen is tiny compared to this humongous beast. Keep on reading for the full details!

Although the device is currently not available for purchase on the market yet, it definitely is close. They currently have an alpha version up and running, and a video of it can be found at the bottom of this article. It looks superb so far for something that’s just being alpha tested.

No details on the pricing have been announced yet, but you can probably expect this baby to run several hundred dollars, considering its large size (almost 6 times bigger than the iPad screen size). Imagine playing a game on the table, like chess, checkers, monopoly, Life, etc!

The one drawback to using this table is that  your iDevice needs to be jailbroken. Once jailbroken, you have to open up the application, and connect your iPhone to the table via the thirty pin dock connector. This will display the device’s 3.5″ display on a gorgeous 58″ one, and I’m sure it’ll look even better if you are a lucky owner of an iPhone 4! You can use the device on the table just like you normally would. Swiping left will scroll through your homescreens, you can pinch and zoom to if you want to view photos, etc.

Here’s a mock up of the device from not too long ago:

Looks pretty sweet, doesn’t it? Keep on checking back here at Appboy blog for more updates on this interesting new upcoming device!

Quick Demo of the Table:

If you’re a jailbreaking fan, like me, you’ll be delighted to know that the latest software to jailbreak firmware 4.1 was just released not too long ago. It jailbreaks firmwares 4.0, 4.1, and beyond. Yes, your precious device is now “pwned for life,” thanks to the latest exploit by comex (well-known iPhone hacker). Keep on reading for the full scoop!

The latest jailbreak was actually supposed to come out on Sunday, called Greenpoison. However, ex-retired hacker, Geohot, suddenly decided to release his own software, using a different exploit which was being saved to jailbreak the next generation of devices. This made pretty much all of the other iPhone hackers very angry, since he released early just for the donations and publicity (no other reason). Now, the software due to arrive on Sunday has been delayed by several weeks to utilize Geohot’s exploit instead of wasting one.

If you didn’t know, every time these hackers use an exploit, Apple tends to block the exploit in either their next firmware, or their next generation of devices. There were two different exploits, and Geohot used one different than the one in Greenpoison, by the Chronic Dev Team, set to release this past Sunday.

Now thankfully, for us, the Chronic Dev Team has the community in mind, and has delayed their launch just to use Geohot’s exploit and not waste one.

LimeRa1n Supports:

• iPhone 4 on 4.1 Firmware
• iPhone 3GS on 4.1 Firmware
• iPod Touch 3G on 4.1 Firmware
• iPod Touch 4G on 4.1 Firmware
• iPad on 3.2.2 Firmware

Now, how can you jailbreak your device (on 4.0/4.1)?

1. Go to http://limera1n.com

2. Download the application

3. Connect your iPhone

4. Press the button in the software you downloaded

5. Hold the Home+Power Button

6. Release the power button when it tells you to

7. Your iPhone will reboot, and you’ll have LimeRa1n installed, which will allow you to install Cydia

That’s it, it’s really that simple! If you don’t know what jailbreaking is, you can read up on our article giving the details on it here. If you’re looking for a sweet jailbroken app, you should try out WiFi Sync, which allows you to wirelessly sync your iPhone/iPod Touch! You can find our review on it here. Another neat application called MyWi allows you to tether your iPhone to another device, for a price of $20, which will cover you for a lifetime! If you feel hesitant towards making the plunge, our impression on it can be found here.

In case you need further help, or have any thoughts you’d like to share, please drop a comment below! You can also refer to my video tutorial (below) for detailed instructions on Jailbreaking your beloved iPhone/iPod Touch. Be sure to check out our main website, Appboy.com to check out some awesome apps, for any platform!

Ever wondered what Jailbreaking is? Or how it affects your iPhone/iPod Touch? This article should help inform you what jailbreaking is, and how to do it. There are quite a few things you should know before doing it, and this guide should cover everything you’ll need to know. Keep on reading for the low-down.

What is jailbreaking?

Jailbreaking is, simply put, the hacking of your beloved device to allow unofficial 3rd party add-ons, ones that Apple would not approve of.

Why do people jailbreak their device?

Millions of people jailbreak their devices to open it up more, to get more out of it. However, this can sometimes be risky. Jailbreaking opens up your device, quite frankly. If you jailbreak, you can unlock it to use it on a different carrier. You can install themes to customize the look and feel of the device. I’ll admit it, I’ve started to get bored of the iOS platform UI, being a user of it since 2007. Back on 3.1.3, I made my iPhone 3GS look like a Nexus One, like this:

Then came iOS 4, which introduced background wallpapers. However, there is a drawback, the fact that only 3rd generation and above devices can utilize this new feature. Hence, users of the older generation devices may jailbreak to unlock this feature. The same goes for multitasking. Some people with 3rd generation and above devices may want to take customization a step further than just the background, so they jailbreak to be able to change their icons as well.

There is no end to what a jailbroken device can do. Here’s a couple more major ones:

• Access to your device’s filesystem (SSH)
• SBSettings: Faster way to manage iPhone settings from anywhere
• 3rd Party Apps Apple would not allow (Such as an application to sync your device wirelessly)
• FaceTime over 3G
• UnOfficial Tethering

This is just a sample of what the jailbreaking community offers, we have not even scratched the surface of the potential of jailbreaking.

Is it legal? Does Apple allow this?

Apple had filed for jailbreaking to be declared illegal quite some time ago. A new law was recently passed that allows jailbreaking to be legal. However, Apple still frowns upon users with jailbroken devices, and will not service a jailbroken iPhone/iPod/iPad. This is easily fixed with a quick restore through iTunes.

If it’s so great, why doesn’t everybody do it?

Although jailbreaking seems quite exciting and sounds like heaven for your device, there are downsides to it as well. First of all, jailbreaking will void your warranty. This is easily fixed by a quick restore in iTunes, which will restore your device to factory settings (meaning it will not be jailbroken any longer). You can go to an Apple Store and get your device fixed or repaired, without worrying whether the technician will ever find any evidence of jailbreaking or not.

Second, you may notice lag. This can happen if you have quite a few plugins installed, or too many applications running in the background (if you’re using an unofficial method to multitask). You may also notice a reduction in battery life. Personally, I have noticed several of these over the years, on my iPod Touch 2G as well as my iPhone 3GS. However, after jailbreaking my iPhone 4, I have noticed no speed or battery loss, which is incredible. In fact, speed decrease on my 3GS was the reason I restored to the stock Apple OS not once, but several times.

These are several reasons most of the iDevice owners stay clear of jailbreaking, just so they don’t have to mess around with it. I suggest only jailbreaking if you are somewhat proficient in the use of your iPhone. In other words, if you are not somewhat good with technology, I recommend that you do not jailbreak.

I understand the concepts of jailbreaking. How do I get started?

You’re in luck! One of the easiest jailbreak methods in history was just released last Sunday, by Comex (iPhone hacker). It’s so simple, a baby can do it. Literally. You do not even need to use your computer (you did have to in the 3.0 firmwares), the entire process is web-based. This method supports these devices:

• iPod 1G on 3.1.2
• iPod 1G on 3.1.3
• iPod 2G on 3.1.2
• iPod 2G on 3.1.3
• iPod 2G on 4.0
• iPod 3G on 3.1.2
• iPod 3G on 3.1.3
• iPod 3G on 4.0
• iPad on 3.2
• iPad on 3.2.1
• iPhone 3G on 3.1.2
• iPhone 3G on 3.1.3
• iPhone 3G on 4.0
• iPhone 3G on 4.0.1
• iPhone 3G[S] on 3.1.2
• iPhone 3G[S] on 3.1.3
• iPhone 3G[S] on 4.0
• iPhone 3G[S] on 4.0.1
• iPhone 4 on 4.0
• iPhone 4 on 4.0.1

1. Go to http://jailbreakme.com on your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad (Supports all 3.0 and 4.0 firmwares)

2. Be sure you have a backup of your device and everything is synced back to iTunes

3. Slide the slider to jailbreak

4. It will download the necessary items, then install it.

5. Be patient. In a minute or two, it will tell you whether it was successful or not.

6. That’s it! You’ll notice the Cydia icon on your homescreen.

If you need video instructions, here is my tutorial:

I noticed an App called Cydia on my iPhone after jailbreaking. What is it?

Cydia is similar to the App Store, but is available to jailbroken users only. It is where you can download everything, from ringtones, to plugins, to 3rd party applications, like Wi-Fi Sync, which allows you to sync your iPhone over your wireless network.

Help! I have a question!

Go ahead and drop a comment down below and I’ll be glad to assist you with your issue. Alternatively, you can email me at: Aaron@Appboy.com

Thanks, it worked great!

No problem, glad it worked out for you. Feel free to leave a comment down below if you need anything else. Thanks for taking the time to read and understand what jailbreaking is all about, look out for app reviews from Cydia!

Flicktweets, launched in 2009 and was said to be the first site of it’s kind to cleverly organize and filter tweets based on movie titles. They’re also powered by MRQE ( Movie Review Query Engine) , the monstrous online movie database.

What it does:

The App:  FlickTweets

The newly released iPhone app from Flicktweets has now brought their service to the mobile platform –and its pretty sweet for movie fans.

Let’s say you’re standing outside a theatre and your friend wants to see the newest Alvin and the Chipmunks movie– you really need to quickly show them how bad it is. Just fire up the Flicktweets app and let Twitter break the bad news.

I would have loved to have posted a snapshot of people griping about how awful the chipmunks movie was. Unfortunately everyone loved it.  Seriously Twitter?

It keeps you up on the latest flicks, those coming soon as well as older releases gone to DVD. Movies are categorized for easy navigation; in theatres, on dvd, coming soon. Flicks are displayed in interactive lists giving the users a blurb prior to selecting; title, showbox image, director, cast, rating and year.

Searching for a movie is possible but failed me numerous times in my attempt to find obscure flicks. They do have the main-stream flicks and blockbusters but the hard-core movie buff may take offense to the lack of rarities; Garbage Pail Kids, Swimming with Fishes and Lady Frankenstein (1971).

The Flicktweets site is smarter than the app. For some reason the app wasn’t able to locate the movie “Joe Versus The Volcano”. In disbelief I checked it on the website –it was there after all.

On this point, obviously this app isn’t the de facto mobile movie app and won’t replace your IMDB app which also offers reviews– at times, labourious to read reviews. This is what makes Flicktweets useful, by viewing reviews in micro format it’s a speedier way to get the overall picture from numerous sources on Twitter in seconds.

The most important feature:

To hear what people are saying about a particular title just tap once on a movie to attain a thread of relevant tweets –it’s bang on. Upon searching for the movie “The Losers” I found it has an uncanny way of finding relevant tweets, not random people calling each other “losers”, as I had expected.

For a synopsis of the flick, just tap the movie again from the micro review screen. There’s additionally a link to view showtimes and buy tickets through Fandango, a service not available in my country (Canada).

Although you don’t need Twitter to use this app, sadly you can’t log in to Twitter either. It surprises me that an app aggregating tweets based on common interests (movies) wouldn’t allow the user to interact with tweet-reviews. Flicktweets apparently realizes this is important and didn’t overlook the feature on the FlickTweets website. Reply links to movie tweets are available should you want to connect with fellow movie-goers.

Verdict:

Sure, we could search for a movie ourselves on twitter but with the added built in movie database for synopsis’ it makes for a great combination for a movie-goer mobile app.

Available on the iPhone, iPod touch & iPad ( Free )  Get it!

In the middle of DJ’ing a house party you’re called away from your desktop forgetting to cue up some tracks.  To your amazement, iTunes cues up your live version of “Like a Virgin” after a kicking Beastie Boys track — your guests recoil in horror.

This tragedy could have been avoided with an app like Djay Remote.

Djay Remote is a sleek fully-functional remote for Algoriddim’s music mixing software, DJay 3.   Using the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad users can mix, scratch, loop and sync tracks from their Mac’s iTunes collection– no importing required.

The app’s user friendly interface displays the tracks on two virtual turntables, album art included.   After cueing up two tracks users can sync the beats per minute or tap automix  for quick and seamless blending . Both songs can be manipulated on-the-fly by flipping back and forth between track 1 and 2 screens.

Djay Remote includes audio FX favourites like pitch, echo and reverb to change the acoustic environment of the song.   Mixing the audio levels and EQ is easy as there’s a built-in digital mixing board –just like a pro DJ would use.

Some of the more advanced functionality of Djay Remote includes the ability to loop and cue.  Set up multiple cue points to quickly jump to different parts of the track or use the nifty looping feature which will record and playback specific segments or riffs.

Since the app requires you to have the Djay 3 desktop software running on your Mac you will need to grab the free trial or purchase the licensed version for $49.99.  The $4.99 price point is a bit high for a mobile app that companions paid software but it’s cool none the less.

This may not be a solution for a professional DJ but it’s a fantastic app for those who love music.  I promise it offers lots of time wasting fun.  Just try mixing Snoop with Tom Jones.

Djay Remote works on a WIFI connection (two-way-synchronous).
Compatible with the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Djay3 software is available on Mac.

By: @Hilzfuld

As a person who spends a lot of his time on Twitter (follow me here), I read about all the latest rumors circulating the Web. However,  while there are always rumors about the next big thing, since the beginning of the new decade, things are really starting to heat up. Where do I start? The Apple Tablet, Microsoft’s iPhone killer, the iPhone 4.0, Google’s plans for Android, the list doesn’t end. I tried to make a little sense of the endless rumors and see if they all fall under certain categories. Seems like there are some very clear trends forming and a lot is going to change in 2010.

The following is a list of the top eight trends we should expect to see in 2010:

1. Apps, apps, apps: I don’t think there is a single person out there who has not noticed the shift in the mobile market. No  more “who can make the thinnest phone?” It is now “How many apps does this phone’s App Store have again?” Numbers have become increasingly significant, and from what anyone can tell, that is not going to change anytime soon. Want proof? Just watch Apple’s iPhone commercials. No mention of the hardware, nothing about the UI, all they focus on are apps, apps, and more apps.
2. Location-Based Services: They are all over the place. Foursquare, GoWalla, Yelp, and many more. I have to be honest, I have not yet caught on to this viral trend, but anyone who is anyone in the tech space is predicting that these services are in for a big year. If you are not yet familiar, these are apps on various mobile platforms that update your followers/friends about your current location. As soon as you “check in” to the local grocery store, your Twitter followers will know about it. Of course, if you check in to that store enough times, you become the Mayor (sounds silly, huh? I can’t make this stuff up). If I am judging by the number of tweets I see like this on a daily basis, this trend is taking off.
3. Augmented Reality: This is one of the cooler technologies out there. How we will actually use it is a different story. Right now, with apps like Layar, it is nothing more than a nice and very futuristic toy. I am not exactly sure how this is going to be implemented in 2010 to make it a practical tool. What I do know however, is that Augmented Reality is on the lips of all mobile developers, and we can expect to see a lot of it in the coming year.
4. 3D: Since CES or better yet, since Avatar, everyone is talking about it as the next big thing. There are those that claim that 3D has no future, and then there are those that claim that it IS the future. Whatever the case, there is no one that debates that all the big companies in the consumer electronics industry are trying to make use of this hot trend by introducing 3D products. Whether it is a TV, a camcorder, or a mobile app, 3D is huge right now, and we most definitely have not seen or heard the end of it for 2010.
5. Android Dominance: While we just said apps are the determining factor for consumers, Android is the fastest growing mobile OS on the planet, and its numbers do not seem to be slowing down either. Almost all the major phone companies have been jumping on the Android bandwagon and more are jumping in the ring every day. I am not sure what Google’s strategy is by releasing the Nexus One, which in theory, competes with other Android phones, but what is for sure, we are going to be seeing and hearing a lot more about Google’s mobile OS in 2010.
6. Tablets Galore: I do not recall so much hype surrounding the announcement of a product in a long time. When I say a “Long time”, I of course mean since Apple’s last major product release, the iPhone. There are of course many different variations of what this mysterious tablet will be called, what size screen it will have. and what features it will support. Then there are of course the rumors about the competing companies releasing their own tablet. What is for sure (well not for sure, but assuming there is some basis to the millions of rumors), we will be reading our magazines and books on tablets by the end of 2010.
7. Mobile Clouds: While cloud computing might scare some, since we are essentially trusting one of the world’s largest corporations with our most personal information (sounds like a Will Smith movie, which does NOT end well for us consumers), there is no ignoring the trend. Google was the pioneer in this space when they offered pretty much all services you once used natively, a replacement in the cloud. So, Google knows what you are reading (Google Reader), what you are doing every day (Google Calendar), what you are doing every minute (Google Tasks), where you are located every second (Google Turn by Turn Navigation), and even what you , your friends, and family look like (Picasa). However, Google is not alone now. Apple seems to be working on some cloud based solutions themselves, something that became apparent when they acquired Lala. Let’s just say that by the end of 2010, in addition to everything I just mentioned, there is a good chance your iTunes music will be stored in the cloud as well.
8. Interesting Alliances: Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? Who is on whose team? Well that depends on the day. The latest developments are that Apple and Microsoft are holding hands (who would have ever believed such a thing could happen?) in order to beat their joined arch enemy, Google. Google started off as a small search engine, and became a company whose hand can be seen in almost any industry in one way or another. That did not bother Apple and Google until Google started stepping on their feet. This pretty much started with Google entering the mobile space with Android, and has not stopped with Chrome, Chrome OS, and the Nexus One. Basically, any product (software or hardware) offered by Microsoft or Apple has a competitor by Google. The latest rumors are that Apple is in advanced negotiations with Microsoft to make Bing the default search engine on the iPhone. However, as important as such a development might be to the consumer, the big question is what it means about the patterns and trends of these three tech giants in the coming year.

OK, these are the top eight trends as I see them for 2010. Almost all of them apply to the mobile industry as well as the entire tech space. Let’s meet back here at the end of the year and see how many of my predictions were accurate. For better or worse, I have a strong feeling almost all, if not all of them are spot on.

What do you think will be some other mobile trends of 2010? Please let us know in the comments.

By: @Hilzfuld

The iPhone App Store is overflowing with games. There are endless types of games, such as puzzles, arcade, mind games, shooting games, etc. However, out of the many games I have tried, there are really a few that stick out in their level of entertainment they provide. Unblock Me for iPhone is one such game.

Like I have said on endless occasions, developers have to understand that there is no correlation between the advanced nature of an iPhone game and its downloads. On the contrary, I am more hesitant to download a game that has a steeper learning curve. If a game is simple natured and seems fun, there are more chances I will download it and keep it around.

Unblock Me is the ultimate game in its simplicity. Yet, it is also one of my all time favorite games on the iPhone. So, how do you play? Did you ever play the board game Traffic Jam? You know the game in which you need to get a car out of a certain space but it is blocked by a traffic jam? Well, it was one of my favorite games as a kid, which might explain the hours upon hours I have spent playing Unblock Me. It is essentially the same concept minus the cars.

You have a screen full of blocks and you need to get the one red block out of a whole in the wall on the right side. However, the red block lays behind other blocks. Your goal is to get the red block free in as few moves as possible. Seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? I dare you to do it in less than 20 moves. My wife tried the game once and passed the first level after over one hundred moves. It is far from simple, yet completely addictive.

Unblock Me is the sort of game you can give someone and be sure they will be occupied for at least the next half an hour. There is also a free version of the app with limited levels and options, but to try it out, it is more than sufficient.

In terms of the interface, the initial screen has four options. Play, Levels, Options, and Buy Full Version (obviously this option is not there in the paid version). The Levels screen in the free version includes Beginner, Intermediate, and Bonus, but good luck getting passed the Beginner level in less than 40 moves.

The Options screen includes the ability to turn off the sound, select the theme, a Help section, credits, and a reset statistics button. Pretty simple and straight forward, just like the game itself.

In conclusion, I would go as far as to say that Unblock Me is one of my top ten favorite games on the iPhone platform, and would highly recommend you check it out. Just don’t complain to me when you are addicted, I warned you.

Our Rating: 5/5

Download Link

Developer: Kira Games