tap

This is one of the quick and easy tips that makes iOS so remarkable. Yes, it's simple, but that small attention to detail makes all the difference in terms of user experiences.

Due to the iPhone's small screen real estate, compromises in how some information is displayed had to be made. A specific amount of characters are viewable when scrolling through the track listings on albums (in both landscape and portrait mode). When song titles are longer than the space available, an ellipses appears, indicating there is more to the title.

In a world where nearly every song … Read more

People love prizes. And that's the core belief animating a start up called SherLabs.

Through a product called TapFame, the company offers game developers the ability to drop an instant sweepstakes or leaderboard contest into their apps, which presumably would drive interest and downloads.

It's a unique take on the issue of app discovery, which I've written a lot about -- and which continues to be an issue for the middle and lower tiers of developers. Developers want their apps to be noticed, but the market is so crowded, it's hard to stand out without spending … Read more

Google negotiates with music labels, ultrabooks could add tap-to-pay, and Kobo copies Amazon by putting ads in its cheaper Touch e-reader.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

By next year, you'll be able to place an order for a book on Amazon by tapping your smartphone to your ultrabook.

At least, that's what Intel and MasterCard are envisioning. The companies said today they were working jointly to allow customers to pay for online purchases by tapping special MasterCard-powered PayPass cards or phones by their computer.

The introduction of the tap-and-pay feature on the ultrabook underscores the proliferation of devices capable of making and receiving mobile payments, a burgeoning field that has attracted power players such as Google. A smartphone with Google Wallet, for instance, will be able to work with an ultrabook. The feature also comes as more people take to their computers for online transactions instead of heading out to brick-and-mortar stores. … Read more

One of my proudest moments happened a few years back, when I met Nigel Tufnel's instrument flight case backstage at a Chris Isaak show. For me, 11/11/11 is a day of celebration of Spinal Tap's earnest, but not-too-bright, lead guitarist. He's famous for having a special amp with a volume knob that goes up to 11, one louder than the typical 10.

Tomorrow, I'm turning my amp up to 11 in his honor.

11/11/11 is also the launch day for Motorola's new Droid Razr on Verizon. The Android smartphone will go on sale at 11:11 in the morning. At least you'll never forget the exact moment you bought your new cell phone.… Read more

Fishing Joy is the iOS port of a popular Asian arcade game, ostensibly about catching fish with nets but really about quickly calculating probabilities, taking risks, and earning coins.

Fishing Joy is a pretty game, with a top-down view of colorful fish swimming around a tropical undersea environment. You want to catch the fish by firing a net at them, and you only have two controls: you can tap on where you want the net to go, and you can tap on your net cannon to determine your net's size rating, from 1 to 7. You're very likely … Read more

Films from Miramax premiere in Facebook, Fusion Garage's Grid 10 gets a date and a $200 price cut, and Gowalla announces version 4.0 of its app that focuses on stories and guides.

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

First popularized as an Android app, the Dolphin Browser has just swam its way onto the iPad.

Initially hitting the iOS market for the iPhone in late August, the new app, dubbed Dolphin Browser HD, takes full advantage of the real estate of Apple's 9.7-inch tablet and offers a few tricks not found in the mobile Safari app.

In Dolphin, you can hide the tab and address toolbars to see a Web page full-screen. … Read more

Ant Smasher is an addictive, fast-paced game that tests your screen-tapping reflexes with onslaughts of elusive insects. As the different insects make their way across your screen, your only job is to tap and smash them all as fast as possible. Let too many escape your screen, or accidentally tap a bee, and the game is over. It's super simple.

Because Ant Smasher requires only quick reflexes and almost no thinking, we think it's a great pick-up-and-play type of download. We also think it would be perfect for very young children who may not be able to grasp … Read more