In addition, the full-color digital comic series has today introduced issue No. 11, which is available for immediate download on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad via iVerse Media, a digital distribution partner of Ape Entertainment. The new issue features 20 pages of all new content starring the pygmies of Pocket God on their adventures to understand their world and to just stay alive as long as possible. Fans can follow Ooga, Booga, Klik, Klak, Nooby & Dooby as they get eaten by piranhas, hit by meteors, menaced by Sharks-with-Frickin-Lasers, and face even more horrible dangers.

“What makes Pocket God such a breakout hit is its attention to original characters and stories that play off the sadistic, episodic-based app that allows users to control the lives of a group of energetic pygmy islanders,” said Brent E. Erwin, Ape Co-Publisher. “We’re extremely pleased to see how well fans of Pocket God and fans of comic books have taken to the series.”

Created by Dave Castelnuovo and Allan Dye, founders of Bolt Creative, Pocket God has consistently maintained a spot in the “Top 25″ games in the iTunes App Store for two and a half years running. With total sales of 7 million downloads since release, the success of Pocket God comes from a combination of endearing characters, unique art style and an incredibly fanatical community of followers.

“We have always had fun developing Pocket God and its many updates, but creating the personalities behind the pygmies and the stories behind them has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of our work,” said Dave Castelnuovo, founder and CEO of Bolt Creative. “The way the Pocket God community has embraced the comic series has been incredible to see and we look forward to continuing to create more quality Pocket God content.”

Pocket God No. 11 – Part two of the ‘A QUEST CALLED TRIBE’ story arc:
Sun, the mysterious new female pygmy, has convinced the tribe to help her on her quest to find the rest of her missing tribe mates (more pygmies?!) and save them from the maleficent Newbie. Will this be the issue that gives us even more new pygmy characters? Who are the bubble breathing people? And where has Nooby disappeared to? The action and mystery continue to pile up.

With the addition of app enhancements included in the digital downloads of the comics to assist consumers in locating their nearest comic book retailer, Ape hopes that Pocket God will inspire new readers to discover the exciting world of comics through their local comic book shops.

Arthur Christmas is an interactive storybook app that at last reveals the incredible, never-before-seen answer to every child’s question: “So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?” The answer: Santa’s exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero: Santa’s youngest son, Arthur. When this amazing operation misses one child out of hundreds of millions, Arthur, the least capable Claus, embarks on a hilarious, exciting rogue mission against the clock with his politically incorrect grandfather Grandsanta and a giftwrapping-obsessed elf named Bryony, to deliver the last present before Christmas morning dawns.

Available in the Apple App Store for $3.99, the storybook features original content from the feature film, including images and character voices and parents and their children can experience the adventure before or after seeing the movie in the box office.

Kima Labs has launched TapBuy, a new way for iPhone users to shop online. Orders can be completed in seconds — with just a few taps.

TapBuy securely stores a shopper’s credit card and shipping preferences, so they only need to be entered once.  Then, shoppers can place an order simply by touching the TapBuy button and confirming their PIN.  The whole process takes 10 seconds or less, and works the same way whether a customer is buying a Groupon deal or a pair of Gap jeans.  TapBuy uses cloud technology to securely forward the order and payment information to the merchant.

The first app to incorporate TapBuy technology is TapBuy Deals, a free app for shopping online sales and local daily deals from more than 100 brands.

TapBuy Deals is also the first app to save customers the hassle of searching for coupons or discount codes: TapBuy automatically tracks promotions and applies the best available coupons to each order.

According to ABI Research, shoppers spend more than $3.5B annually through their mobile devices, even though more than four out of five people have had a problem trying to checkout on their phones.

“Mobile phones ought to offer the most convenient shopping experience,” says Blake Scholl, CEO, Kima Labs. “But conventional mobile checkout is incredibly frustrating. When it works, it’s sluggish and requires tedious typing.  TapBuy is a vastly easier way to order—so you can spend your time shopping, not filling out forms.”

TapBuy Deals lets consumers shop sale items from brands such as Target and Banana Republic as well as local offers from deal sites like Groupon, all in one app. Algorithms feature the most compelling offers and unusual discounts, and people can personalize TapBuy to their own tastes, including only the brands and deals that interest them.

Consumers only have to enter their credit card once — the first time they order. TapBuy “scans” their card using the iPhone’s built in camera, and then stores the information securely.  When the user touches TapBuy, the app verifies their PIN and the order is sent. Items ordered from the same store are grouped to help save on shipping.

Tier-1 online merchants currently supported include Target, Banana Republic, Groupon, Gap, and Old Navy; new merchants are added regularly.

TapBuy Deals is available for the iPhone and iPod Touch in the App Store.  Additional information and images are available at www.tapbuy.net.  A demonstration of TapBuy Deals in action can be seen below:

Now, thanks to Ape Entertainment signing with ZeptoLabs, we’re on the verge of getting the answer to that very question. That’s right, Ape Entertainment is currently developing a full-color digital comic book series for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad 2).

The comic series will explore the yet untold backstory of the game’s endearing hero, Om Nom, building upon his adventures in the uber-popular mobile game (iOS and Android).

“Its an amazing opportunity to work with ZeptoLab on one of the app world’s most addictive and successful games,” said David Hedgecock, CEO of Ape Entertainment. “The comic book series is shaping up beautifully and we are making something that we know fans of Cut The Rope and fans of good entertainment everywhere are going to absolutely love!”

Of course, in the game, users encounter new characters and unusual obstacles that keep the game entertaining, addictive and most of all – fun to play.

 Ape Entertainment plans to release the full-color comic book series digitally through a standalone Cut the Rope Comics App in the iTunes App Store in late August.

“Om Nom has become a fan favorite and he has an amazing backstory. This new comic book series will tell that story and introduce fans to a cast of characters and storylines that will unfold in future iterations of the game,” said Misha Laylin, Chairman of ZeptoLab. “As we develop new channels outside of mobile gaming for consumers to engage with Cut The Rope and Om Nom, we’re thrilled to be working with Ape Entertainment. They have done a great job of not only capturing Om Nom’s story, but maintaining the high level of artistic integrity fans of the game have come to expect.”

ZeptoLab has also announced that we’ll soon be able to get our hands on plush Om Noms soon too. I smell another Angry Birds-style success.

We’ll be sure to keep you informed on Ape Entertainment’s Cut the Rope comic book series so check back regularly.

I’ve been testing out Banjo, the new social discovery app, over the past week. I must say, I’m quite impressed. In a nutshell, the free iPhone app allows you to “discover what you’re missing.” For example, open Banjo and see what’s happening with your friends or others in your local area… or Paris.

The beauty of it, you can check Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Gowalla all from one app thanks to Banjo’s CEO Damien Patton. I recently interviewed Patton and because I’d rather cut all of my boring questions out, I’ve only uploaded his answers directly to the AppyHour.tv YouTube channel.

Of course, you can read my full review on AppCraver. Also, don’t forget to give Banjo some Facebook and Twitter love.

Press Release: Banjo, a Palo Alto-based company that empowers social networking users with the ability to find what matters most to them, today launched a new social discovery service.

Banjo helps users explore social and local conversations across social networks and zero in on the most relevant updates happening nearby. Best of all, Banjo allows for social exploration no matter where the user is located, regardless of social network and without the need for an update or check-in.

Bringing Calm to Social Network ChaosWith so many social networks to choose from, mobile users are finding it impossible to keep up with the all the opportunities to connect with people. Banjo combines updates across social networks to create a single, integrated service that reveals real-time social connections nearby.

Whether it’s finding and connecting with local friends, making new connections with people who have similar interests or prospecting for new business opportunities, Banjo gives users control of the possibilities around them. With Banjo, users can decide if, when and how to connect, or to just browse and explore what’s happening in the world around them.

Banjo harnesses publicly-available social and local information and gives users the ability to filter that content based on their interest and location. While the possibilities of engaging with new connections are endless, here are a few ways users can take advantage of the serendipity created with Banjo:

• Meet up with Friends and Colleagues: Say you’re at SFO airport and didn’t check in, tweet or make a social post, but your friend tweets about his flight being delayed. With Banjo, you can quickly discover that your friend is only a few gates away. With these real-time updates, Banjo allows you to never miss an opportunity to connect.
• Discover Hidden Gems: Perhaps you’re on a summer trip, visiting NYC, and wondering where to eat, but you’re not familiar with the area. A quick check of Banjo reveals someone raving about a hip, new restaurant, and while you’re enjoying lunch there, you also discover a fabulous shoe sale going on just a few blocks away. Thanks to Banjo, you got a great meal and two new pairs of shoes and your NYC experience is a off to a great start. Now you can tap into the collective intelligence and insight of the people around you,  making relevant choices for your local expeditions – whatever they may be.
• Explore Beyond Your Boundaries: Do you live, work, or travel in a small town without a lot of activity? Even if none of your friends or people nearby are updating their social networks, Banjo still allows for exploration of what’s happening elsewhere. No longer are you limited to the boundaries of your local networks; Banjo is “elastic” and allows you to check out what’s going on three, 30 – or even 3,000 – miles away. Pick your favorite spots and take a peek; because with Banjo, the ripple effect is what you make of it.

Photo Credit: Chris Dag

The iPad has revolutionized my mobile office experience. The key to my success was quickly identifying the top office apps in a sea of hundreds of thousands of apps. I looked for versatility, compatibility and ease-of-use.

Of course, to setup my ultimate mobile office I had to look beyond the Apple App Store and see what accessories would also allow me to be as product as the last three years mobile computing with my laptop.

So things like keyboards, covers, WiFi, card readers and carrying cases come into play when cutting the cord, tossing the laptop out and turning your iPad into one tough mobile office computing power. Basically, you want to go rogue, but you also want to have the tools to succeed.

If you want to skip all the juicy details, buy the ZAGGmate (iPador iPad 2) and then download Documents To Go, Dragon Dictation and HootSuite and you’ll be able to read, write, talk and socialize up a business storm. If you want a bit more details on the top office apps, more productivity and want go beyond the basics and explore your mobile office options, read on.

Read full article on AppyHour.tv.

Original images and audio featured in the movie storybook.

Thanks to iStoryTime, a library of kids storybooks, fans of the Jack Black-voiced film “Kung Fu Panda 2″ can now swipe a sneak peek of images and audio from the original film set to debut on May 26. The movie storybook Kung Fu Panda 2 follows the original storyline and is now available in the Apple App Store for $2.99.

Who doesn’t love the skadoosh epicness of Jack Black and what better to entertain your kids than with the lyrical skat cat himself along with fellow actress superstar Angelina Jolie as their characters Po and Tigress, respectively, join the rest of the Furious Five – Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey to defeat the villain trying to conquer China and rid the world of kung fu.

The Kung Fu Panda 2 movie storybook also contains a bonus feature entitled “Create-A-Scene” which is a digital sticker book with your favorite characters from Kung Fu Panda 2. This is also the first time Create-A-Scene is available on the iPhone.

The storybook is universal and brings the entertaining story to kids on the convenience of the iPhone, iPad and iPod® touch. iStoryTime books are illustrated and narrated, so children can enjoy the book even when parents are busy. Pages can be turned automatically or manually depending on the age and preference of the user. And readers can choose the style of narration — an adult voice, child voice or none at all.

JamPick

JamPick - Think you have rhythm? Then test it out with JamPick, the handheld jam session. Pick your groove, set the mood and turn your iPhone into a music making machine. It’s like being your own producer. Don’t like a certain beat? Change it with the flick of a finger. Think your drummer’s clothes are a bit too retro? Change him in for a different drummer. But it’s not all about the flashy fashion. You have to synchronize your band to make sweet, sweet music. Seriously. It’s pretty cool. All music loops of drums, bass and guitars are high quality stereo audio sounds produced using Logic Pro composed by the app developer himself, David Oliver. He even created all the illustrations, imagery and animation. Talk about a one-man band. Download from the app store for $.99.

uPackingList

uPackingList - Socks, check. Camera, check. iPad check. Let’s be honest, packing is the worst part about traveling. The good news is it can be simplified with the uPackingList app, which helps creating your checklist easy as pie even if you’re just going over to grandma’s house. Easily create and update lists with the click of a button. The possibilities are endless just like the number of lists you can maintain within the app and they’re reusable. Plus, there are already 300 pre-loaded items and you can collapse or expand any of the customizable categories. Also, keep track of your list by simply tapping to check the box complete. And make sure to utilize the email function for checking the list later or sending to a forgetful friend. Download from the app store for $1.99.

iRewardChart

iRewardChart - Have kids or an unruly spouse? Utilize iRewardChart to make an easy good behavior reward system and keep said person motivated to repeat those behaviors. Setup of the app is very simple by entering a name, selecting a few tasks from the suggested list and then rewarding their accomplishments with a single tap in the weekly chart. As stars accumulate, said person can pick from a default list of awards or an easily customizable rewards list such as “get a cookie” and “free dinner” or my favorite “free foot massage.” Download from the app store for $3.99.

Funny Emoticon

Funny Emoticon - Making funny faces has always been a fun thing to do whether it be of a friend, a neighbor or anything really. Better yet, making them on your iPhone 4 is easier and makes sharing them a lot more fun as well. Check out the Funny Emoticon avatar creator that includes several mouth, eye, accessory and background styles that can combine to make some very funny emoticons. Make sure to push the preview button and then hold the lock button and press the home button at the same time to save to your picture library. Download from the app store for free.

Mooniz is now available at the Apple App Store.

Publisher: Mooniz Interactive Ltd
Platform(s): iPhone, iPod touch
Genre: Connect-three puzzler
Rating: 4+
Players: One
Official site: http://www.amonki.com/mooniz/
Purchase at: Apple App Store
Cost: $.99

The connect-three style puzzle is one of the most over saturated game categories in the iTunes store. In fact, it’s a bit disheartening when I see another developer jump on the bandwagon. Don’t get me wrong, if I were a developer, I’d probably think about entering into this category for the sheer amount of people that play these types of games. But as you can imagine, there are a lot of sub par games within the market. Thanks in large part to a bunch of “cute but cheeky critters,” I’m happy to report that Mooniz is anything but a boring connect-three puzzler.

The Scoop: Fun, addictive and entertaining are three such descriptors I’d use when referring to the Mooniz and may I be so bold as to say it is probably one of the best in this category that I’ve played. In fact, after I was done with the review, I kept playing. That’s how much fun I’m having with the app.

The Setup: The point of the Mooniz is simple at first. Connect colors in groups of three or more and they are blown off the screen. Connect enough colors and stars are earned toward the star counter in the top right of the screen. As players tap and connect like-colored moon monsters, more pour in from the top. However, to make things more interesting, players have to beat a time limit in each level of the classic mode. In the beginning rounds, this is very easy. Around level four is when it starts to get hairy.

And around this time is when players need to understand the importance of the killer power-ups as mindless tapping of critters will only allow them to cruise through the first few levels. Once the star counter increases, so does the importance of utilizing the killer power-ups such as the splash critter that explodes and dyes everything around it the same color enabling players to remove several of the Mooniz at one time for an even bigger star bonus. This will prove integral to progressing through the harder levels. However, after you run out there is only one way to gather more and that’s with coins. Players can earn more coins through regular gameplay or pay for them via in-app purchases.

What’s Hot:

• It’s $.99 for a lot of connect-three color-matching goodness
• The Mooniz make Michael Jackson type high pitched voices
• The difficulty of the game brings in an element of strategy

What’s Not:

• Limited coins for more killer power-ups
• Paying for more coins
• As much as I like the difficulty of the game… it’s a bit too tough sometimes
• I’m barely breaking 150,000 points and the top of the leaderboard is well over 1 million

Final Verdict: With its cute cuddly creatures, addictive gameplay and killer power-ups, Mooniz makes for hours of fun. Albeit, some of that fun will be very frustrating at times as you try to move up the points ladder. For $.99, it’s a must buy as it is a very refreshing entry for the mostly mundane connect-three game category.

ClubWorld now available in the app store.

Now available in the app store, ClubWorld transforms players into nightclub VIPs, giving them the ability to design and operate their own club, play select music from one’s iTunes library or purchase and download new music from the iTunes Store. The ClubWorld app also features branded clubs from two of music’s biggest DJs and producers, Tiësto and David Guetta.

“I’m a huge fan of music games and all genres of music, so I was excited to work with Tapulous on ClubWorld,” said ground-breaking DJ and producer Tiësto. “I love that the game turns the fantasy of having your own club into a reality. There is amazing energy when you bring people together to listen to music and it’s that feeling that really drives me and all that I do.”

Tracks from Tiësto’s new album, Club Life, Vol. 1 Las Vegas, can be heard in his ClubWorld mix.

“I spend my life in clubs spinning music around the planet; it’s my passion and it brings people together” said Grammy award-winning artist, producer and DJ, David Guetta. “ClubWorld is a great game to build one virtually and share favorite music and experiences with others.”

In the ClubWorld App, each player hires a DJ, bartender and bouncer to operate his or her club, which can then be customized with the player’s choice of furniture, speakers, dance floor, bar and more. Players can also visit the ClubWorld main street to enter other players’ clubs and make new friends through the app’s innovative music matchmaking system.

In addition to Game Center support, the beautifully rendered visuals are optimized for the Retina Display on iPhone 4. ClubWorld also includes mini-games that take advantage of Multi-Touch interface and accelerometer on iPhone and iPod touch.

“Tapulous has once again redefined the music gaming experience on the iPhone with the launch of ClubWorld,” said Bart Decrem, co-founder of Tapulous. “The app takes the aspirational experience of owning your own club, filling it with your favorite music and friends and makes it not only mobile, but incredibly fun. With Tiësto and David Guetta – hands down two of the biggest DJs in the world – featured in this app, showcasing their own clubs is a testament of the quality of the ClubWorld App.”

The app can be downloaded from the iTunes app store here.