Brought To You By:
Purple Ghost Software
Today We Discussed:
Sunrise
The first application I would like to review today is actually a browser, which I don’t do too often, but I thought that this one is exceptionally interesting. This one is called Sunrise, which is an innovative new free browser build on Apple’s WebKit framework. Sunrise is one of the first browsers that I have ever seen to work with 2 columns as its setup. The left column, which, by default, is the larger of the two, is where the web page is actually shown, and in the right column, it is split between a bookmark section and an innovative download manager. The browser part works just like Safari, in that I can do all of my normal browsing within, and there are no new plugin installations that need to be done for this to work, like Flash. There is also a great address bar, that detects if I am going to type in a website or a search term, and dynamically updates itself to accommodate for that. After playing with Sunrise for awhile, I was able to see that it is meant to use your whole screen and still be able to keep itself contained in one window, which is a plus for focused browsing. There are also abilities to view source code from right in the window, and even open it up right from within another editor. However, the feature that tops the whole browser off for me is the ability to take a screenshot of an entire web page. Clicking the camera icon near the right side of the toolbar brings up a screenshot window that allows you to select how large your screenshot will be, which parts of the web page you want to save, and how you want to save it. In the end, Sunrise turns out to be a great alternative to some of the more popular browsers out there, and it is completely free, so I recommend you check it out over at its website.
Labyrinth
The other topic I wanted to discuss today is an iPhone/iPod Touch application called Labyrinth. We all remember those games from our childhoods with the big wooden boxes with holes in certain parts of them, where you had to try and get the metal ball to go all the way across without falling in. Labyrinth, an iPhone and iPod Touch app, really provides an addictive virtual version of the classic game. The developers were kind enough to provide me with a review copy of the game, and I have been constantly playing it ever since. The full version of the game includes options for single player or multiplayer games, which is a feature that allows you to set it up with another iPhone or iPod Touch to play together with other people. It also includes tools to create levels on your Mac, and download them on your iPod or iPhone. Recently, since I’ve only had the app for about a week, I’ve been quite satisfied with the levels included, because it comes with tens of level packs. The app works heavily with the accelerometer, which provides the basis for the actual gameplay, as the user moves the device around in order to steer the metal ball across the board. There are also many new features added along with it, some of which include fans, canons, and lasers that provide a modern twist to the gameplay. In the end, this app has been one of the best games I have ever played, and I would recommend that anybody check it out on the app store, and pick up a copy for only $4.99 U.S.
