This is the app Star Wars fans are looking for...

All Star Wars, all the time, anywhere? There's an app for that.

The Star Wars app is your official mobile connection to a galaxy far, far away. With a dynamic interface, the Star Wars app immerses you in breaking news, rich media, social updates, special events, and interactive features.



The new app is available for Android and iOS devices. Download now.

Dive into the world of Rapture in BioShock for iOS

2K China bypasses PS Vita to bring Irrational Games' dark deco dystopia BioShock to iOS later this summer at a premium price! This is the studio's followup to its excellent XCom port, which comes highly recommended.

"BioShock was such a huge game back when it released," production assistant Ben Holschuh said. "With more and more people having iPads and iPhones and using that as their core gaming device, there has been a lot more demand lately for some more core experiences.

"BioShock seemed to make a lot of sense."

Would you prefer to play BioShock on PS Vita? Let me know in the comments below.

LEGO Star Wars: Microfighters for iOS

My desktop is a docking bay to new LEGO Star Wars Microfighters following a birthday bonanza! Now iOS owners can play on the go.

"Get ready to step into the LEGO Star Wars: Microfighters’ digital universe for fun, blasting action! Playing with your Microfighters toys just became more fun as you can wield them on the go with your mobile device. Pilot up to six iconic LEGO Star Wars ships like TIE fighters and X-wings as you destroy enemies, collect studs, and control the galaxy!"

Star Wars: Tiny Death Star launches first in Oz

Disney has begun rolling out its first Star Wars game since acquiring Lucasfilm.

Tiny Death Star, by Tiny Tower developer Nimblebit, is available for Android and iOS devices in Australia. The game is similar to Tiny Tower in that you must earn coins (free-to-play with divisive, but optional, in-app purchases) in order to construct your very own Death Star as Darth Vader.

Hopefully it won't be too long before Tiny Death Star is launched internationally.

OS X Mountain Lion arrives on the App Store

Alas, my iMac (Late 2006) is too old to play nicely with OS X Mountain Lion! Let me know what you think of the latest iteration of OS X in comments. Apple's press release follows...

CUPERTINO, California—July 25, 2012— Apple® today announced that OS X® Mountain Lion, the ninth major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available as a download from the Mac® App Store℠. With more than 200 innovative new features, Mountain Lion includes iCloud® integration, the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, Facebook integration*, Dictation, AirPlay® Mirroring and Game Center. Mountain Lion is available as an upgrade from Lion or Snow Leopard for $19.99.

“People are going to love the new features in Mountain Lion and how easy it is to download and install from the Mac App Store,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With iCloud integration, Mountain Lion is even easier to set up, and your important information stays up to date across all your devices so you can keep editing documents, taking notes, creating reminders, and continue conversations whether you started on a Mac, iPhone or iPad.”

With more than 200 innovative new features, Mountain Lion includes:

*iCloud integration, for easy set up of your Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Reminders and Notes, and keeping everything, including iWork® documents, up to date across all your devices; the all new 
*Messages app, which replaces iChat® and brings iMessage™ to the Mac, so you can send messages to anyone with an iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® or another Mac;
*Notification Center, which streamlines the presentation of notifications and provides easy access to alerts from Mail, Calendar, Messages, Reminders, system updates and third party apps; system-wide *Sharing, to make it easy to share links, photos, videos and other files quickly without having to switch to another app, and you just need to sign in once to use third-party services like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Vimeo; 
*Facebook integration, so you can post photos, links and comments with locations right from your apps, automatically add your Facebook friends to your Contacts, and even update your Facebook status from within Notification Center;
*Dictation, which allows you to dictate text anywhere you can type, whether you’re using an app from Apple or a third party developer;
*AirPlay Mirroring, an easy way to wirelessly send an up-to-1080p secure stream of what’s on your Mac to an HDTV using Apple TV®, or send audio to a receiver or speakers that use AirPlay; and
*Game Center, which brings the popular social gaming network from iOS to the Mac so you can enjoy live, multiplayer games with friends whether they’re on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

Additional features in Mountain Lion include the revolutionary new Gatekeeper, which makes downloading software from the Internet safer; Power Nap, which automatically updates your apps and system while your Mac is asleep; and a faster Safari® browser. New features for China include significantly improved text input, a new Chinese Dictionary, easy setup with popular email providers, Baidu search in Safari, and built-in sharing to Sina Weibo and popular video websites Youku and Tudou.

Pricing & Availability OS X Mountain Lion is available from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). Mountain Lion requires Lion or Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6.8 or later), 2GB of memory and 8GB of available space. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit: apple.com/osx/specs. OS X Server requires Mountain Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). The OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge from the Mac App Store to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 11, 2012.

Download OS X Mountain Lion from the App Store

My Xbox LIVE updated for iPad

A couple of weeks ago Microsoft updated its free iOS companion app with media control functionality. At the time I bemoaned lack of support for iPad…

This Tuesday that complaint was rendered moot! This is a welcome addition, but will leave users clamouring for more! For example you can't switch on the Xbox 360 or purchase games in-app. Presumably the good stuff will arrive in the form of SmartGlass later this year.

Download My Xbox LIVE (iTunes)

Control Xbox 360 with iPhone

For the past few weeks I've been considering a Microsoft Media Remote purchase! Yesterday the Redmond-based company updated My Xbox LIVE (iTunes) with media playback controls! The app is free, but requires an Xbox LIVE Gold membership.

What’s New in Version 1.5

iPhone:
• Use your iPhone with your Xbox to connect, control and discover content on your console. Connect your iPhone for access to a quick list of your most recent console activity. Control your content with play, pause, fast forward and rewind media controls. Find fresh entertainment to play in the new Discover section.
• Improved Authentication to make it more stable

iPad:
• Improved Authentication to make it more stable
• iPad high-resolution images

This is the perfect excuse to dust off my iPod touch, which had been consigned to the drawer since I took delivery of a new iPad last month. The latter will become invaluable when the Xbox SmartGlass app is released, for smart phones and tablets, later this year.

Game of Thrones soundboard on the App Store

Winter is Coming! HBO's Game of Thrones is television gold and was my favourite new drama series of 2011!

Immerse yourself in the sounds of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and relive your favourite sound bites from the first season of HBO’s epic depiction of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy novels.

Featuring classic moments from key characters, this official HBO application allows you to browse quotes by character and by episode, playing them back over-and-over.

The Game of Thrones soundboard includes quotes from:

* Ned Stark (Sean Bean)
* Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley)
* Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
* Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy)
* Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage)
* Jon Snow (Kit Harington)
* Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)

... and many more!

Game of Thrones S1 is available on Blu-ray and DVD from March 5.

Download Game of Thrones (iTunes)

Microsoft Kinectimals bound onto the App Store

After bringing the excellent My Xbox LIVE and Halo Waypoint to the App Store. Microsoft has launched Kinectimals, its Tamagotchi-like sim, which ties-in with the company's Xbox 360 game!

How long before Sony brings its IP to iOS?

Kinectimals (iTunes)

A Charlie Brown Christmas on the App Store

"Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?!"

Help Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the entire Peanuts gang as they struggle to find the true meaning of Christmas. Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown, narrates the rebirth of the 1965 animated classic as an interactive storybook complete with original scenes and dialog and digitally remastered illustrations, animation, and music optimized for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Play Schroeder's piano, finger paint with the gang, go carolling with the Peanuts choir, and participate in the Spectacular Super-Colossal Neighborhood Christmas Lights and Display Contest to unlock decorations for your very own Charlie Brown Christmas Tree! With something to discover on every page, this is one interactive Peanuts adventure you won't want to miss this holiday season!!

Features:
* Original dialogue from the 1965 animated classic
* Captivating narration by Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown
* Charming soundtrack featuring music and sound effects from the original show
* Decorate your own Charlie Brown Christmas Tree
* Participate in the Lights and Display Contest to unlock rewards
* Educational features such as word and note highlighting to help improve reading and musical skills
* Hear individual words spoken with the tap of a finger
* Touch and drag objects to make them “spring” to life or tilt to watch them slide and move
* Objects that literally pop out of the page to delight you and your family!

A Charlie Brown Christmas (iTunes)

Spielberg: The Man, The Movies

He's the most famous director in movie history, whose creations have poured out of the cinemas into popular culture. But what goes on inside his head? What drives him? What is the key to Steven Spielberg? Covering his career, his movies, his relationships, and his extraordinary gift, Empire Magazine celebrates - with dazzling photographic evidence - Hollywood's most beloved director in this unique special edition.

Updated for 2012, this new iPad edition of Empire’s Spielberg celebration features:

– Original trailers from every single title in the director’s filmography.
– In-depth critical appraisals of all of his films, from 1971’s Duel, right up to the present day.
– Detailed features covering topics from Spielberg’s early Super 8 movies to his experiences in TV, making the Indiana Jones saga and more.
– Behind-the-scenes ‘making of’ features on some of the director’s biggest films.
– Interviews with key Spielberg collaborators.
– A special Q&A session with the director himself answering questions from some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
– Exclusive video interview with Spielberg and director JJ Abrams.
– Selected clips from classic Spielberg movies.
– Exclusive photography

Spielberg: The Man, The Movies (iTunes)

Store Wars: Apple vs Android

This made me smile. Apple and Android locked in a deadly lightsabre duel for dominance of the mobile space. Darth Mac! Surely a mistake?

Hat tip @HokusBloke.

LOVEFiLM Player for iPad

Not content with being available for PlayStation 3, BRAVIA Internet Video or Mac and PC. LOVEFiLM joins the portable fray with its all-new LOVEFiLM Player for iPad. LOVEFiLM already has a presence on the App Store, but nothing like this...

“LOVEFiLM’s debut on iPad is a huge win for our customers as the latest platform to support the service. This is a huge leap in movie watching for the 21st Century – making LOVEFiLM more portable than ever before”, said Simon Calver, CEO of LOVEFiLM. “LOVEFiLM on iPad is the latest step in giving film fans total control over their viewing schedule and our commitment to expanding the ways in which members can stream movies and TV series on a range of devices.”

Hopefully an iPhone/iPod touch version won't be too far behind.

LOVEFiLM Player for iPad (iTunes)

Another World on the App Store

Beautifully cinematic, impressively coherent, challenging and elegant; Another World (known as Out of this World in North America) is a stellar example of Nineties game design and was the brainchild of one Eric Chahi and his team at Delphine Software.

You play Lester, the young physics professor, who suddenly finds himself in a strange alien world after a lightning striked his particle experiment.

In 1991 Another World became the poster child of Gallic gaming and adoring magazine editorials in C&VG and the official Nintendo magazine elevated it to blockbuster status. I first played this on the Super Nintendo (SNES), which was, somewhat astonishingly, eclipsed by Sega's Mega Drive console port. Too late, I'd already sold the latter to a College friend who was trying to kick the console habit to no avail.

Another World's stylistic cousin, Flashback, arrived in 1992, but never distilled the mood of its predecessor nor its downbeat ending.

The look and feel of Another World is unique to this day. Oddworld's developers clearly derived insperation from Delphine.

The iOS edition has been given an HD makeover, but purists can switch to the original Amiga graphics. This is, arguably, the new touchstone in retro reboots for the touch generation.

Another World - 20th Anniversary (iTunes)

OnLive to bring cloud-based gaming to the UK

Registered for OnLive yet? The cloud-based video game platform, which is not tethered to proprietary hardware like PlayStation or Xbox, goes live in the UK this Thursday.

OnLive has been available in the US since June 2010 where it has received positive press coverage. The MicroConsole has been praised for its minimalist packaging, build quality and included accessories. If you already own an HDMI-enabled HDTV; you're good to go.

Gamers will be able to play AAA titles including Deus Ex: Human Revolution on their living room TV and resume where they left off on a Mac or PC. The service will also become available for mobile devices including iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

I can see myself investing in an OnLive MicroConsole and playing games both at home and on the road! The caveat being you will need an always-on high speed broadband connection.

4oD now available on all iOS devices

Following the re-launch of 4oD on Channel4.com, Channel 4 launches a free to download, bespoke 4oD iPhone app and updates its existing iPad app. 

Available to download from the app store on Friday 2 September the 4oD catch up app will allow viewers to catch up with Channel 4 programmes from the last 30 days wherever they are, on whichever iOS device they own.

Both the 4oD iPad and 4oD iPhone applications can now be browsed in 3G, with video playback only available when a Wi-Fi signal is accessible to ensure the quality of the viewing experience isn't affected.

A search functionality has been included in the 4oD iPhone app and added to the 4oD iPad app, enabling users to find their favourite programmes by typing in the name of the show in the new search menu. 

For the first time, there will also be a direct link to Channel 4's content on iTunes, offering users the chance to download to own Channel 4 shows. Costs will apply for this service.

Helen Walker, 4oD Product Manager comments: "We're delighted to bring 4oD to our viewers with iPhones and iPod Touches, and to offer our existing iPad users an update to their app, with a new carousel and ability to now browse the app over 3G".

The app was designed by Nice Agency - specialists in the design and development of innovative cross-platform applications - who were also responsible for the 4oD Catch Up app for iPad.

Download 4oD Catch Up (iTunes)

Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access

This is an awesome announcement from San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC)! Unlike similar iOS marketing initiatives, this should be worth checking out.



Before you bring the Saga home, get an exclusive first look at some of the special features from STAR WARS™: THE COMPLETE SAGA - coming to you on Blu-ray September 16th! The Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access highlights a varied sampling of bonus materials featured in the collection, including never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm Archives! Begin to explore the farthest corners of that distant galaxy, and dive deeper into the creation of the Star Wars universe.

Witness the evolution of the wild concepts that became pop culture icons. Celebrate the spirit of innovation that pushed the boundaries of special effects - as described by the men and women who pioneered the new methods that made Star Wars possible. And pull back the curtain on the Lucasfilm Archives to reveal never-before-told stories about the making of the Saga. Offering an insightful cross-section of what the THE COMPLETE SAGA has in store, Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access is your first look at the most anticipated Blu-ray collection - of all time!

Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access (iTunes)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits the App Store!

Transformers fans should get a kick out of this official tie-in even if Michael Bay's latest movie collapses into migraine-inducing nihilism! Read the review on Film4 here.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (iTunes)

Celebrate 20 years of Sonic on the App Store

Has it really been 20 years since Sega first unleashed Sonic the Hedgehog onto the Genesis/Mega Drive and started a videogame war with Nintendo that would rival Coca-Cola vs Pepsi!

The cool kids only had eyes for the hedgehog...

Sonic was a brash, slicker, upstart and upended Mario within the space of a year with uncredited assistance from Michael Jackson both musically and in the design of Sonic's footwear, which was inspired by the Bad video.

Sega bundled every Mega Drive with a Sonic the Hedgehog game pack-in from day one! A business decision that would be anathema in today's market. With the console's reduced price point, the company was giving away its killer application in an effort to overthrow Nintendo.

Sega - with Sonic as its mascot - dominated the early 1990s and had to do nothing to maintain an unassailable industry lead. Instead the company imploded as told here.

Nowadays Sega is fair weather friends with the likes of Nintendo and Sony. This is all to the good and gamers everywhere can play the Sonic franchise on their platform(s) of choice.

What better way to mark this anniversary then with these Sonic titles on the App Store!

Sonic the Hedgehog (iTunes)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (iTunes)
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I (iTunes)
Sonic and Sega All-Star Racing (iTunes)

If you buy only one Sonic game from the Mega Drive era; choose Sonic the Hedgehog 2!

Final Cut Pro X on the Mac App Store

For years I've used iMovie and wanted to upgrade to Final Cut Pro, but couldn't justify the hefty price tag - Final Cut Express has been an excellent stopgap. Today that's all changed with the arrival of Final Cut Pro X on the Mac App Store!

£179.99 is a compelling argument to switch to Final Cut Pro; combined with Motion 5 and Compressor for £29.99 each. Like the upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, Final Cut Pro X is only available from the Mac App Store!

Final Cut Pro X (Mac App Store)
Motion 5 (Mac App Store)
Compressor (Mac App Store)

Is Mac App Store exclusivity good or bad?