Box.net for iPad is a front end to Box.net’s cloud-based service that allows you to manage and share your data from anywhere. Thanks to the app, you can access your content not only through the Box.net website on any computer, but from your mobile devices now as well. 

The iPad version has a very intuitive and easy to use interface.  I recently set up an enterprise unlimited Box account for our business.  As we are in real estate development, we have tons of files to upload.  I was surprised you can even view AutoCad files with a plug-in.  Plug-ins are another area I really enjoyed looking at.  OpenBox is a service Box.net offers which features several plug-ins for 3rd party clients and apps that can work in conjunction with Box.net.   I spoke to a consultant at Box.net that also confirmed desktop syncing is about to come out of beta and hit officially in the next few weeks.  That was one of our biggest concerns as we’d like a cloud backup of all our data.

Also, being a small business, we especially liked the collaboration feature. We can leave notes or tasks for eachother on certain documents and folders.  When I sign in, I see what’s new or what files have been uploaded or change since my last log-in.

Box.net offers the following features (some features vary with account type):

• Sharing with links
• In-folder collaboration
• User permissions
• Integrated file views
• Online workspace
• Tasks
• Uploading files on the go from your iPhone or iPad

• Lite – 1GB storage, 25MB file size limit, Free
• Individual – 10GB storage, 1GB file size limit, $9.95/month
• Business – 15GB storage per user, 2GB file size limit, $15/month per user up to 3 users
• Enterprise – Unlimited storage, Unlimited users, Call for pricing

Update: After recording the video, Box.net released an update that allows for the uploading of files. We’ll look at that in the iPhone review soon!

[Free - iTunes Link]

Pros

• Fast file transfers
• More storage for cheaper than competitors
• Mobile apps or site for most platforms
• Excellent collaboration tools
• Easy to set up an implement

Cons

• No native editing within iPhone/iPad apps, view only
• No desktop sync (as of yet, should be available soon)
• Sometimes cuts off Excel files funny

YouTube Link

Box.net for iPad – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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OmniGraffle for iPad is a great application for creating workflow diagrams, organizational charts and more. At work I use Microsoft’s Visio to create workflow diagrams pertaining to software implementations. I now have almost the exact same functionality in my iPad.

The layout is very similar to Apple’s own iWork suite for iPad (and OmniGroup’s other iPad offering, OmniGraphSketcher) in that you swipe between open documents and can easily create or delete documents from the same screen. If you have used OmniGraffle on the Mac or Visio on Windows you will be instantly familiar with the interface once you have created a document. The top right corner has all of your stencils, drawing tools and properties of the objects you are working with. In the top left you have control over layers for your diagram. For this review, I am going to cover the simpler aspects of OmniGraffle so you understand at a high level what it does. Advanced users will revel in the other aspects.

To begin drawing, open the stencil group your want and drag an object to the grid. This can be done in portrait or landscape. From there you have almost limitless choices: color, line thickness, rotation, curve edges, shadows and so on. After placing a few objects in your drawing you can connect them with the connector stencils. Again, drag to the drawing and connect. The properties for lines are the same as other objects but you can add different types of arrows and even branch the arrows out. OmniGraffle for iPad can also use third party stencils, but no guarantees. These stencils should be added via iTunes.

So now you have several objects in your drawing and you want to change the properties of all of them, perhaps change the fill color. How do you accomplish this? Very, very, very easily. All you have to do is tap and hold the first object, then tap subsequent objects. Any object you touch will become a group for editing. You can then apply any changes you like to those objects; colors, line thickness or style, just about anything. It is awesome to have this power at your fingertips and it is a shame OmniGroup does not have templates available for the user to edit since changing properties are so easy to do. OmniGroup has suggested they may add templates in future release of the app.

It is important to note that OmniGraffle gives you excellent placement tools and control over your drawing. You can add, edit or duplicate layers in your drawing and activate snap to grid so you can precisely position every object placed.

The single biggest drawback for this wonderful application is that unless you already use the Mac version of OmniGraffle, it is difficult to share with other types of applications. Exporting options include: send .graffle in email, send email PDF, copy as image and send to photos. There is not an XML or Visio export at this time unfortunately.

I could go on about all of the fantastic features of OmniGraffle and for a 1.0 product launch with iPad and I very excited for the future of this application for the iPad. OmniGroup says that they have a lot of plans to enhance this app and they are coming soon. The short development time did not lend itself for adding a lot of features at launch (though I still think they did an amazing job) For business, this has to be one of my favorite applications.

[$49.99- iTunes Link]

Pros

• Has extensive help
• Portrait or landscape
• Guides to place objects
• Snap to grid or smart guides
• Innovative tab to hold features
• Complete control of shapes, canvas and more
• Rectangle and free hand drawing tools
• Layout tools
• Several stencils to choose from
• Lock items on canvas and send items back or to the front
• Tap and hold multiple objects

Cons

• Limited exporting options
• No templates

OmniGraffle for iPad – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Bloomies for the iPhone, from Phantoom Entertainment, is a time management or sim-style garden game. Your goal is to advance your garden by gathering more plants, bees and achievements.

Upon starting up the game you are taught how to plant a flower by touching the shovel and adding soil to set up the location. Then you choose your flower and place it in the soil. There is also a bee that gathers nectar, which you will use to purchase other bees and flowers.

Bloomies is a beautiful, easy to understand, open ended sim for casual and younger games who want the fun of building their garden without the responsibility of always having to log in to maintain it. If you go away for a little while and don’t water your plants, they’ll get unhappy but they won’t wither and die, and will be ready and waiting for more when you return.

If you’re looking for something more interactive and immersive, however, then this style and pace of gameplay may not be for you.

Video, pictures, and a give-away after the break!

[$0.99 - iTunes Link]

Pros

• Lots of Achievements
• Easy to play
• Relaxing
• Cute Graphics

Cons

• Repetitive
• Very slow game pace
• Will not satisfy the hard core gamer

Now for the give-away: we have (3) copies of Bloomies for our faithful TiPb readers. Just leave a comment below telling me what you like best about sim-style games and be sure to include a real email address (we won’t make it public but we will use it to notify you if you win!). Get to it!

(Note: Unfortunately, Promo Codes only work in the US App Store, so if you don’t have access, you won’t be able to claim a prize. Apple’s rule, not ours.)

Bloomies game for iPhone – app review and give-away is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Survival horror thriller Zombie Infection for iPhone has to be Gameloft’s highest production game to date. The graphics and voice acting are top notch and the cinematic style is engrossing.

Zombie Invasion starts off with you landing in a small town, that — wait for it — has been overrun by zombies! The first level is basically a tutorial showing you the moves for your character. You can shoot and stomp on crates to find goodies such as ammunition and medical supplies. You can move while aiming (albeit very slowly) and you can dismember the zombies by shooting their legs, arms and heads; what more can you ask for?

As you progress through the 12 levels in the game you unlock them to replay at any time. This is great since Zombie Infection has a trophy achievement system. You can go back though levels and practice/earn achievements. There are some fun ones too, for example if you shoot off both legs of a zombie, you get an achievement for that. It is this type of mechanic that makes me come back for more.

To add a little variety to the game, you can also play as one of two characters; Ex-soldier Damien Sharpe and reporter Alex Rayne. The names are cheesy, yes, but the gameplay and fun factor is not. I love this game and I am thankful that Gameloft is bringing these types of games to iPhone; it makes one really compelling alternative to other platforms for mobile gaming. Check the video and pictures after the break!

Pros

• Great graphics
• Good voice acting
• Solid controls
• Two different characters to play
• Compelling story
• Level select after you complete a level
• Trophies
• Online leaderboards
• 12 Levels
• Unlockable Survival mode

Cons

• No quick turn
• I can’t think of anything else… this game is HOT!!!

Zombie Infection for iPhone – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Appigo’s Todo for iPad complements their existing Todo for iPhone app very well and if you already use Todo for iPhone, you will be quite pleased with the iPad version. If not, you’ll certainly appreciate Todo for iPad on its own merits.

One of the first things you will notice is the aesthetic; Appigo went for a traditional three ring binder look and feel. You can change the color of the binder, paper and rings in the settings menu. Appigo promises more themes in a future update.

Outside of looking pretty, Todo gets the job done just like its iPhone cousin. You can create a your standard task, project, checklist, contact or website. If you are a Getting Things Done (GTD) user, you will be happy to know that @contexts as well as tags are supported. Holding the iPad in landscape gives you full view of all your task information. On the left side you have your lists, Inbox, Starred and Focus list. Let’s discuss this in a little more detail.

Inbox is where tasks go that you have not assigned to a list yet. They just kind of hang out there till you move them, they can stay there, it is all up to your own workflow. Starred tasks are a way to flag a task. I use this functionality to star any items I want to do today, regardless of due date. Focus list allows you to create a dynamic list based on filters. Maybe you want to only see tasks with a due date of one week from now. You can do this with the Focus list.

If you are like me, you have a bunch of tasks you have given an arbitrary due date to, and inevitably that date slips. You can very quickly and easily move these items to another list, simply reschedule or reassign to a context in bulk with Todo.

For me the biggest benefit with Todo is online synchronization. Sure you can sync via Wi-Fi from your desktop with iCal, but for me it has to be the ability to sync with the excellent free service Toodledo [link]. I have used all of the other major task apps that sync and currently they all sync via the desktop through Wi-Fi. This can be very frustrating for me. During the day I may add a task only on the iPhone, complete a task on the iPad, but there is no way to merge them together till I get home. By Appigo partnering with Toodledo, I get free over-the-air (OTA) syncing and web-based management of my tasks from any web browser when I am not near my iPhone or iPad.

I find few faults with this application and I am so glad it is finally available. The functionality and price cannot be beaten. Checkout the video and pictures below!

[$4.99- iTunes link].

Pros

• Beautiful
• Themes
• OTA syncing
• Bulk editing for time and lists
• Different types of tasks (project, contact, etc.)
• GTD contacts and tags
• Search tasks

Cons

• Slow startup time
• List colors don’t sync from device to device

Todo for iPad – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

BabyBump is a pregnancy tracking application for the iPhone, and excellent for both mothers- and dads-to-be or anyone interested in following someone’s pregnancy.

The home screen of BabyBump displays your chosen avatar, name, how many weeks and days you are along in your pregnancy, what trimester you’re in, and how many days left until your due date. BabyBump is divided into 8 different sections:

• Weekly info – This is my favorite section. BabyBump gives the approximate length and weight of your baby and compares his/her size to a fruit or vegetable. It also provides information about your Baby’s developmental stage, what to expect with your body, and a health tip.
• Journal – Here is where can record your weight, waist size, moods, and appointments. You can view charts of your weight and waist changes.
• Photos – A place to store photos.
• Birth – This is an excellent section of BabyBump. There is a very tasteful and informative video of the birth process, a list of newborn essential items that you need for Baby’s arrival, and a checklist of your birth plan. When your baby is born, come to this section to create a quick birth announcement and send directly to Twitter, Facebook, and email.
• Kick counter – A nice timer to record kick sessions.
• Contractions – A similar counter to record contractions.
• Baby names – An organized list of 1000 boy and 1000 girl names. You can store a list of favorite names and add any names that aren’t on the list.
• Community – This is a forums board. There are many different forum categories including a section for dads!

I have been using BabyBump since December and have seen multiple updates and improvements in the past months. BabyBump is an excellent iPhone companion for pregnancy; in fact, it’s a must-have app for anyone pregnant.

[$4.99 - iTunes link]

Pros

• Weekly updates on your baby’s development
• Charts of your weight and waist size
• Share via Facebook, Twitter, or email
• Active forums
• Excellents birth plan and newborn essential lists
• Themes
• Regular updates

Cons

• Cannot record measurements in quarter units (i.e. 36.75 inches)
• Information under “Body” and “Health Tip” are sometimes rather repetitive.

BabyBump pregnancy tracker for iPhone – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Fieldrunners for the iPad, from Subatomic Studios, LLC, is a tower defense-style game, where the object is to obliterate the fieldrunners before they get to your base. To do this you place weapons on the field so that they will take out all fieldrunners before they get to the other side.

You start the game with 20 lives, which translates into 20 enemies that may pass through your defenses before the game ends. The placement of your defences is in real time, though after each level you do get a small amount of time before the fieldrunners start their attack. Strategy is paramount, as the towers you set up early in the game are still in play for later levels. You do not want to have to sell and move around towers as this will use up valuable resources (arms sales are not as profitable as they once were).

A large green ring indicates where your tower can be placed, a red ring indicates a illegal placement. The size of the ring shows you the range of the weapon which is very important for game strategy. Just clicking on the weapon will bring up the upgrading/sell options. Fieldrunners allows you to choose what difficulty you want to play in. So for veteran tower defense players starting on easy may be quite a bore, however as the game progresses each Fieldrunner you obliterate gains you more funds to purchase weapons.

The controls are very simple — just point click and drag. You place your finger on the tower you want and then drag it to the location you want. All of the game options are also accessible through the game with a touch of your finger. You can also choose to put Fieldrunners into fast forward to accelerate the onslaught.

The game graphics are very clean and cartoonish yet not childish. Even the background of the game is beautifully rendered along with little bugs and flowers (not girly, I promise!).

Fieldrunners is really fun game for anyone who enjoys the tower defense genre. The increasing levels of difficulty keep Fieldrunners enjoyable and challenging. Well worth the price tag.

[$7.99 - iTunes Link]

Pros

• Beautiful graphics
• A lot of fun
• Intuitive controls

Cons

• Repetitive gameplay
• Could have more weapon variety

YouTube link

Fieldrunners for iPad – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Panda Hero from Barefoot Explorers LLC is a cute iPhone game with a cuddly eco-friendly message where the objective is to free your animal friends from poachers while you avoid poisonous mushrooms, pits, and other dangers. After you complete a level you also get to have your own virtual panda to take care of and enjoy.

TiPb first took a look at the pre-release Panda Hero at GDC 2010, and the core gameplay here remains the same — using the accelerometer you tilt your iPhone in the direction that you want your panda character to move. In order to jump you lift your iPhone and your character will jump in the air as well. This type of play will satisfy those who enjoy playing any maze-type of game though it is not quite as difficult as something like marble madness.

As with many maze-type games if you have to try to steer your character through many obstacles which includes bridges and labyrinths. You rescue one of your animal friends by going up to the caged animal and touching them. After rescue your animal companion will follow you through the course for a little while before heading back into the forest. The game is quite forgiving as there are no lives so if you die you just return to a close position to continue on.

Your virtual Panda is a lot of fun to interact with, you can use the coins you have gained through the game to purchase the Panda toys, clothing and other fun items.

For adults who enjoy tilt play games and virtual pets, its cute but not deeply strategic. With its bright, beautiful graphics and eco-friendly message, Panda Hero will appeal most to young gamers in their early teens, and that’s who barefoot explorer is targeting. To sweeten the eco-pot, they’re even planting 3 real-world tress for every copy of Panda Hero purchased off the App Store

[$2.99 - [iTunes Link]

Pros

• Cute graphics
• Virtual pet is a fun addition
• Easy controls

Cons

• Simple levels
• Little strategy involved

YouTube link

Panda Hero for iPhone – game review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Gowalla for iPhone is a social app from some fine folks in Austin, TX that allows you to check-in to locations, see where your friends are checking-in, collect items and complete trips. For those of you not familiar with the whole “check-in” craze, the idea is you travel around town, land at a “spot” such as the movie theater, gas station or restaurant, and then tap the Check-in button. When you do this a couple things happen:

You can…

• Post to Twitter and Facebook
• Add a photo
• Add a quick post
• Leave an item

There are some great social aspects to Gowalla, but let’s first talk about items. After installing Gowalla on the iPhone, you receive three items. You can keep and cheris these items in a vault, never to be used, or you can swap for other items at Spots when you check in. You are also randomly given items when you check into locations. I found myself without an item for a few weeks, but fear not, I received two items randomly twice in a day! Other then exchanging an item at a Spot, you can leave an item at that location if now one has. This will give you “founder” status.

What I particularly love about Gowalla compared to it’s competition, is that it is not focused on mayorships or point leaderboards. I tend to think I go a out a fair amount and explore the city with my family, but there are some people that go out even more than I do and I will never catch up to them in points. Gowalla’s main attraction for me is the item collection feature.

For those adventurous types, there are trips. Trips are not built into the iPhone but are on the website. When you follow these trips, you earn a special badge. For example, I will be visiting Chicago and I am going to try to complete the Chicago trip.

To find friends to share with, Gowalla gives you some tools to can scan your address book, Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail, and you can always find by name.

All of this is rendered with beautiful icons and graphics that really allows you to enjoy the experience of the application. The only major detractor for me is that the application is still a little slow, but boy is it pretty…

Gowalla is available now in the App Store for free [Free- iTunes Link]

Pros

• Wonderful artistry
• Check-in
• Trips
• View leaderboard
• Directions
• Save items to your vault

Cons

• Cannot edit Spots on the iPhone
• Slow loading

Gowalla for iPhone – App Review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Dashboard for iPad is a Jailbreak app that will appeal to anyone who likes having widgets — like that little tiger puzzle — on their desktop computer.

Since Apple won’t allow widget apps on the official App Store, it’s Jailbreak only. You can get it free through Cydia and is a decent tweak for being in it’s beginning stages.  As of now, you’re stuck with whatever default widgets are at the bottom. Actually, a user in our comments section brought to my attention you CAN install new widgets through SSH.  If you plan to SSH, as always, approach with caution.  Not recommended for beginning jailbreakers! I’d assume we will see some start popping up in Cydia and Rock soon.  Video after the jump!

YouTube link

Quick Review: Dashboard for iPad (Jailbreak) is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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