The guys behind the Nintendo Emulator for the iPhone have done it again, rolling out another version that's yet again full of fixes and tweaks to improve your retro-gaming happy. Yes, folks, it's NES.app v1.6.2, fresh and ready for download onto your nifty Apple gadget. Let's get to the changelog, and see what's been improved for this release:

1.6.0    
[nervegas]

• Cleaned up compiler warnings
• Fixed sound envelope decay (Punchout, Pinball, Kung Fu)
• Fixed volume control restoring music and sounds in many games
• More tweaks to Palette A
• Added "CPU Clock" advanced option, see README
• More work on auto frame-skip
• Fixed triangle sound channel
• Added bass boost option

1.6.1   
[nervegas]

• Jacked up volume
• Compiled with debug on; no debug seems to mess up colors

1.6.2   
[nervegas]

• Addressed crashing issues on orientation change

Whew! Certainly a lot of changes made since the previous update. One very notable change is the tweaks to the audio, and we all know that you can't play any of the Nintendo Entertainment Games properly without enjoying that sweet, sweet retro sound. If you find yourself liking the NES.app, why not pop on over to the team's webpage and showing your appreciation? It's for a good cause.

Be forewarned that Apple's Software v.1.1.1 will hinder all your efforts to use NES.app. If you haven't updated your iPhone software already and wish to continue using NES.app, don't upgrade at all.

Download: NES.app v1.6.2

The Apple iPhone can certainly do a lot of things, but homebrew developers NerveGas and Jordan wanted the nifty little gadget to play Nintendo Entertainment System games. And that's what they just did with their latest project, NES.app, a Nintendo Emulator for the iPhone.

Of course, such an ambitious project has its own bumps and potholes - which is why we're thankful that they're rolling out version after version, fixing bugs and polishing features as they do. This latest version, NES.app version 1.5.0, is no different, with a lot of improvements concerning the button display, as well as a new feature for RPGs.

Without further ado, then - to the changelog!

1.5.0    
[nervegas]

• Fixed navbar so buttons update when in landscape mode
• Use fclose() instead of close() in LoadROM
• Added "Sensory Pad" preference option, good for RPGs I guess
• Cleaned up controller selection code and filenames
• Enlarged "A & B" hot spot in portrait mode
• Tweaked color palette for optimal display on iPhone
• Stabilized frame skip, less jerkiness, fewer changes
• Added color palette preferences option (old palette = C) 
  

[jordan]  

• Optimized scanline rendering routine

Download: NES.app v1.5.0

Microsoft just came out with a sack-load of information about its line of Office suites for Apple platforms. Office 2008 for Macs is the latest installment, allowing for document cross-platform compatibility (the sure-fire way) if you could afford the price. Because for the three offered flavors of Mac-compatible suite, the lowest tag would still cost a student a leg and part of an arm.

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition is the cheapest flavor of the three offered packages, but it asks students to shell out US$ 149.99 for its full retail version. A single purchase allows for three licenses, though it comes with limited features, such as no connectivity to Microsoft Exchange servers and automated workflow tools.

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac is the name of the regular package, though it costs US$ 349.99 for a full license of the retail version. Users can shave off US$ 160 from the price tag if they own a previously licensed version. The package has a good share of features, including most of the core programs of the Office suite: Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition rolls as Microsoft's premiere Office for Mac package, costing up to US$ 499.99 for a full retail version. Users can get up to US$ 200 discount if they own a previously licensed version and decide to get the upgrade version instead. Aside from what the regular package offers, Media Edition carries extra tools and features for digital file management, including annotation and distribution of such content.

For the cautious business shopper, there could be another one of those "60-day trial" bundles for new Macs just like Office 2007, but no official word on that has been revealed by the company.

You've got to hand it to the boys at NES.app, they really work hard in giving everyone a fool-proof and up-to-date version of their NES emulator for the iPhone. With the advent of the new iPod series, we might be seeing this little application on it sooner or later.

Until then though, developers nervegas and jordan have cleaned up several flags in the application as well as compensated for some overclocking instances. They've also finally managed to add support for a second player controller. Here's the complete list of the changelog for the current build for NES.app v1.4.0:

1.4.0    
[nervegas]

• Added HSyncs for overclocked situations (DMA, etc)
• Added 512 clocks for DMA writes
• Fixed vblank flag (set @ 240), rolling thunder levels fix
• Fixed vblank end = scanline 261 (0-indexed)
• Added support for player 2 controller (touch top gray bar)

[jordan]   

• Added 8-step CPU cycle between IRQ and NMI
• Moved CPU step to before sprite hit, fixed minor rendering

[nervegas]

• Added "mid-button hot spot" allowing both A/B to be pressed by rolling the thumb from one button to the middle of both.

Download: NES.app v1.4.0

Come September next year, the Apple scene may be seeing the appearance of an OpenOffice office suite that will work natively with Mac OS X. That is, this new build won't require you to install the Unix windowing software called X11, which has been the source of headaches among Mac users.

This information we're picking is based on a presentation by Eric Bachard, who also noted that September 2008 may see OpenOffice v3.0 getting released. As it stands, OpenOffice most recent build is version 2.3.0. Eric is among the the lead developers of the Mac "Aqua" (the name for the MAC OS X GUI) port of OpenOffice.

At the moment, the most hassle-free OpenOffice port we've picked up is Planamesa Software's NeoOffice. This particular build reportedly works more seamlessly with Aqua since it doesn't require the X11 environment , although at the cost of higher memory usage. The latest build for NeoOffice at this point is v2.2.1, and is based on OpenOffice v2.2.1.

A GPS program called the Navizon Virtual GPS has been developed for the iPhone and is now available for download through Installer.app. Users of the application report that the program works fine (it's known to crash one device though) and accurate within a few hundred yards.

The application isn't strictly to be called a GPS program though, as it does not get its data from satellites but through Wi-Fi. The system utilizes a database that collects data from users who do have GPS devices (the satellite kind). They contribute the data to Cell towers and Wi-Fi Access Points. The iPhone picks up the info and triangulates its position using the data.

This new kind of mapping by Navizon is called Peer to Peer Positioning, as it is dependent on the data collected by others to work. And because it's dependent on data from other people, the program isn't free. You're free to try it for the first 15 days but after that it'll cost US$ 24.99.

If you've been following  NES.app revisions, then you might like to know that there's another minor revision to the Nintendo Entertainment System emulator for your iPhone. Improved compatibility from version 1.2.0 has just been backed by improvements to speed and sound synchronization, as well as a patched-up scanline processing.

Of course, the program is still a work in progress, and coder nervegas has other issues to sort through in the application, including the broken PPU scrolling code in the InfoNES Core. The developer, together with nightwatch, bwhitman, and dshadow, has revamped the core in other aspects, however.

The download has been provided below for version 1.2.1, although we'd like to remind interested readers to read through the bundled documentation before using the application.

Download: NES.app v1.2.1

Apple has recently released the upgrade from their previously released Logic Pro with Logic Studio. This collection of professional tools is designed to give those musically inclined users everything they're looking for if they want to simulate their own recording studio quality-like arrangements.

Logic Studio includes several applications, one of which is the upgraded Logic Pro 8. Its biggest change is the new intuitive interface with the same renowned sound quality and rock-solid timing.

Also included is the Soundtrack Pro 2, which integrates videos into any musical arrangement composed with Logic Pro. Studio Instruments, Studio Effects and Studio Sound Library all help complement any production with various applications and sound clips to enhance its overall effect.

The Logic Studio suite also introduces MainStage, a powerful live performance rig which adapts to various sound quality environments set to the user's liking. The screen controls can link software and hardware knobs, faders and buttons, so as to make any gear compatible while performing live.

The entire package is available at the Apple Store at US$ 499. Registered Logic Pro 7 users, however, can upgrade to Logic Studio for an additional US$ 199. And for those who purchased Logic Pro 7 on or after August 1, 2007, they are eligible for a free upgrade to Logic Studio sans shipping and handling. For those interested in looking at the full system requirements as well as the entire technical details of Logic Studio can look it up through the read link below.

You've got to hand it to those indie developers, they always have something up their sleeve to give us more bang for our buck with the gadgets that we have. A free application called Dot.Tunes does that and more.

It basically extends the serviceability of your iTunes library so that you can stream it on the net and play it right off your PC. What the application actually does is turn your iTunes library into an SQL database and sends it from your PC to the web using an Ajax front-end and multi-layered security system.

While the basic service of the application is free, plug-ins to stream your iTunes through your Wii's, PS3's or PSP's browser are also available at US$ 10 a pop. Also, there's another plug-in available that gives you a custom interface for your iPhone which extends the amount of music you can fit in it for US$ 20.

DotTunes, an Australian-based company, encourages people to open up their iTunes library to friends through the use of their products. They had this to say regarding the matter:

Why pay to podcast or for internet radio streams, when you can publish your own radio shows, TV programs or music mixes directly to your loyal fans? Dot.Tunes is not some lightweight iTunes utility. It's a fully developed web server application that supports mp3, AAC, aiff, .wav, mpeg, mp4, and .mov files, allowing you to share your iTunes library contents with your friends in other cities, your classmates across the dorm or the coworkers scattered throughout the building.

 

People just love tweaking their iPhones and getting away with it. If you count yourself as one of those who like getting a bit more out of your iPhone than it originally came shipped to you, then you might be interested to know that iFuntastic version 3 is now out and has even more features to get the best mileage our of your iPhone.

As requested, iFuntastic can now support PowerPC processors and comes equipped with its own customizable file browser. One of the biggest features installed, however, would be the "Unshackling" feature. It basically allows you to make any modifications to you iPhone while still maintaining your iTunes' access.

A lot of other other updated features include a customizable home screen, where you can now have multiple home screens with their own set of icons. Also, you can now rip iTunes previews straight to your iPhone with the use of iFantastic.

Here's a short list of changes from bitSplit (the developers of the software) since the last version:

• PowerPC support! Finally. Thanks for keeping the faith :-)
• One-time unjailing - called 'Unshackling'.
• Drag and drop any file onto the phone in the new 'File Manager' (formerly Browser :-)
• Edit text files directly on the phone.
• Drag and drop installation of native applications - no restart of the phone necessary.
• Info page: a one-stop-shop for all documentation (still sparsely populated right now, sorry.)
• Troubleshooting page: a one-stop-shop for pummeling the phone and inquiring about its status.
• Much improved ringtone installation.
• Drag and drop replacement of system sounds.
• Completely reworked Home Screen Editor. Place applications anywhere you want them (gaps are OK.)
• Support for multiple home screen 'pages'. Have up to 80 applications at your fingertips!
• Custom home screen 'wallpaper', better called home screen backgrounds, to distinguish from the 'real' wallpaper.

Download: iFuntastic v3