The year 2012 has seen the release of a number of enticing new games for the Apple iPad. Some publishers have also released newer versions of their popular games. For example, 2012 has seen the release of the space version of Angry Birds, which is perhaps the most popular tablet game ever released. The new games have been designed with the latest iPad in mind: these games feature high definition graphics that take advantage of the new iPad’s Retina display and interactive controls using multi-touch.

The 15 Best iPad Games Released in 2012

1. Angry Birds Space HD

This version of Angry Birds features intergalactic gaming in High Definition in zero gravity. With more than 100 interstellar levels and brand new birds, this game will keep you engaged to your iPad for hours and hours. It takes the original Angry Birds to a whole other level. Check it out:

2. Temple Run: Brave

The latest game in the Temple Run series is set in Scotland and is based on the same principle as the original game — you control the hero who has to steal an idol from a temple as he faces many challenges in the game. This game was released in collaboration with Disney/Pixar.

3. Real Racing 2 HD

If you want to play a car racing game on iPad, it must be Real Racing 2 HD. Its anti-aliased and crisp graphics will keep you entertained as you race through 120 races. It supports multiplayer gaming as well as video out at 1080p.

4. Infinity Blade 2

Though the game was released on December 1, 2011, it was updated especially for the Retina display for iPad in March 2012. This action-packed role-playing adventure game requires you to slay beasts using different types of weapons as you progress towards your quest.

5. Dark Meadow

This game has drawn comment from reviewers for its stunning graphics and attention to detail, which comes out very well on the 3rd generation iPad, for which it received an update in March, 2012. The game itself is a first-person horror, combat and exploration game, in which you explore a hospital full of mysteries and deadly enemies.

6. Waking Mars

First released in early 2012, the game was updated for full Retina display in May 2012. The game gives you the controls as you guide astronaut Liang Qi through the subterranean Martian cave system in the year 2097.

7. LostWinds 2: Winter of Melodies

Released in May 2012, this interactive game requires you to solve mysteries while you complete different types of tasks in a fantasy world that you would love to explore. In the game you control a young boy named Toku and the wind spirit Enril as they try to save the world from an evil spirit.

8. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II

Released in May 2012 for iPad as well as Arcade, PC and Android, this game allows you to play one of the most popular gaming characters of all time. As Sonic the Hedgehog, and accompanied by Tails, you race across different Zones as you take down badniks using deadly combination moves.

9. Where’s my Water?

This Disney game was updated with full Retina support for iPad in April 2012, which also added 20 new levels to the game-play. This physics-based puzzle game features multi-touch controls and high definition graphics that will keep you entertained for hours.

10. Plague, Inc

Plague, Inc is a dark but intensely addictive game has garnered more than 35,000 five star ratings on the App Store. The aim of the game is to cultivate a deadlier version of plague in a bid to end the human race. That is why we said it was dark…It may be twisted but it’s pretty darn fun. Check it out in action:

11. Marvel vs Capcom 2

This multi-player game allows you to pit heroes from Marvel and Capcom face-to-face as they fight or glory and points. Released in April 2012 in the App Store, this game offers you action and fighting like you may never have seen before on iPad.

12. Grabatron

When it was launched for iPad and iPhone in June 2012, this game was downloaded more than 1.5 million times over two weeks. This freemium game allows you to take control of a UFO as you destroy mankind!

13. Dynamite Jack

If you love explosions as well as puzzles, you will love Dynamite Jack. In this game you control Jack, who is a space marine escaping the mines where he was forced to work. You help him escape by solving puzzles and making sure that he remains safe till he reaches the end of a level. The game was released in June 2012, check out a review here:

14. Batman Arkham City Lockdown

Use the touch screen to take down some of the biggest villains of Gotham as you play Batman. The game features multi-touch game-play and high definition graphics of Arkham as you battle the villains and their henchmen. It was updated in April 2012 with new levels and Retina display optimization for the new iPad.

15. Draw Something Free

This Pictionary-like free game was released to critical and popular acclaim in the first quarter of 2012. It is a social game that allows you to play with your friends as you draw more than 900 words on your iPad.

All these games are built for iPad’s Retina display, with high definition art and graphics that will attract your eyes even as you slay monsters or race with time and other players. To truly appreciate the detail, your iPad screen will need to be free of cracks or blemishes — which you can get repaired properly at iFixYouri.

Apps

iPhone Anonymity App: Burner Allows You To Go Incognito

October 8, 2012 Staff 8 Comments

Burner, one of iPhone’s newest apps, allows users to become completely digitally anonymous. This app lets you create disposable numbers for placing and receiving calls, making sure that all the numbers used on your phone are anonymous and temporary. These “burnable” numbers can be used to place incognito calls as well as to send anonymous text messages.

How It Works

Anonymity

Burner creates a temporary number that is anonymous. That is, you do not have to provide any personal identification to create it. The number can only be used for twenty minutes of air-time or to send sixty text messages. The numbers assigned by this app normally last for about week. After this time, they are auto-deleted.

Temporary

Users are given the option to ‘burn’ the number before your validity or talk-time expires, which can be beneficial if you are trying to move fast. Burning a number erases all the evidence that the number ever existed. Those who try to call the number are informed that it is now out of service.

How Do I Get The App?

Like many superior apps, Burner does not come free. To download it, you have to purchase it from the online App Store for $2. Burner comes with one initial alias number that you can use to get yourself started. The cost of the app excludes the cost of additional alias numbers, which can be purchased after you buy sufficient credits.

Why Is Anonymity Important?

Anonymity is getting harder and harder to get as the internet and social media become more prevalent. It is not necessarily restricted only to people who wish to engage in illicit activities, as many of us wish to conceal our identity for exemplary causes, or simply for privacy to ensure our private information is not sold. Protecting your sense of privacy in the 21st is something that most current iPhone users are concerned with.

Protecting your iPhone from physical issues is another matter. If you’re not careful, or equipped with a good protective case, your smartphone may suffer damage. There is no app for repairs: you’ll need professional help. Contact iFixYouri to repair any type of damage that your phone incurs.

Tips

Speed Up Your iPhone

October 8, 2012 Staff 7 Comments

Article Updated July 12, 2016. While a new iPhone runs smoothly, this user experience can change with time. As a result, your once speedy iPhone starts crawling at a slow pace or freezes entirely. This is not an issue that affects iPhones alone but a wide range of electronic devices. With this in mind, you might be wondering what can be done to speed up your iPhone. The following tips can help you squeeze better performance from a buggy iPhone.

Speed Up Your iPhone with a Restart

Restarting your iPhone can help solve issues related to responsiveness. This tip is an old standard from the desktop computer days – just reboot it. To reboot your iPhone, just hold down the wake/sleep button. This will bring up a red slider on the screen. Use your finger to move the slider across the screen. This will turn off your iPhone. You can now power up your iPhone to boot up afresh. Do not worry if this process seems to last a little bit longer.

Disable Background App Refresh

Settings>General>Background App Refresh (OFF) or choose by individual app.

Clear App Cache with Taps

From @zadr’s tweet – apparently tapping 10 times on any single button on the bottom of the following apps clears the app cache for iTunes, iBooks, App Store or Apple Watch apps.

Turn Off Animations

This setting will help iPhone 5 or older as well as iPad 4 or older.
Settings>General>Accessibility>Reduce Motion (ON)

Turn Off Transparency

For iOS9
Settings>General>Accessibility>Increase Contrast>Toggle on Reduce Transparency

Disable Siri Suggestions

Also for iOS9
Settings>General>Spotlight Suggestions>Siri Suggestions (OFF)

Update your iPhone Firmware

If you have not yet updated your iPhone firmware, this can cause apps to run a little bit slower. To get the latest firmware, visit the iTunes website. Synchronize your iPhone before updating your firmware. You can then proceed to check for updates. If an update is available, install it. Remember to restore backup after installing new firmware.

Plug your iPhone in to a power source.
Tap Settings > General > Software Update.
Tap “Download and Install” to download the update. Updates might download automatically while your device is connected to Wi-Fi and a power source.
Tap Install when the download completes if you want to complete it now.

Uninstall Buggy Apps

In some instances, a buggy app can make your iPhone behave in a sluggish manner. In this case, the best way to speed up your iPhone again is to delete the buggy apps. You can always reinstall the apps if they are important.

Free Up Some Drive Space

iPhone apps can create a lot of temporary data quickly. It’s best to have at least 500 MB-1GB of free space to ensure your apps aren’t crashing from lack of space. So you may want to consider uploading some of those photos and videos to your iCloud, Google Drive, Youtube, Flickr, whatever you use for cloud storage.

Check Your Sync Settings

Every time an app syncs or updates it’s info, it requires processing power and time. Check your Settings to adjust which apps are syncing and their update frequency.

Restore your iPhone to Factory Settings

You should only resort to this action if all the other tips have failed. It is important to note that restoring your iPhone to factory settings will delete all your apps, contacts, text messages, and videos. If you restore from a corrupt backup, you may have few options to make your iPhone run faster. However, a restore will definitely make your iPhone user experience as smooth as possible. Before attempting to restore your iPhone, make sure that you have backed up all data.

If you have a jail broken iPhone, install apps that are compatible with your iOS version. This will make your iPhone run a little bit faster at all times. However, if none of this works, perhaps you’ll need to repair your iPhone — contact iFixYouri to learn about what we can do to speed up your iPhone.

Tablets

LTE vs WiMAX: Battle of the Networks

October 6, 2012 Staff 6 Comments

Other than knowing what differentiates 3G and 4G in the wireless data world, choosing the network provider should be done after some careful analysis. Most carriers in the United States just have WiMAX; however, there are some networks that are upgrading from WiMAX to LTE.

For starters, the term “4G’ does not reveal much details; it is a much broader field. Both WiMAX and LTE are part of the 4G technology, with WiMAX being the first technology from the world of 4G. Though WiMAX has its roots from Wi-Fi, it does has some similarities with LTE, another mobile network technology standard.

A Bit of History

WiMAX started its journey by offering broadband connections to users at home. In most parts of America, wireless ISPs still use WiMAX to deliver broadband services. With WiMAX, the need to route expensive cables to every household is negated, thereby making it a fairly cost-efficient option.

LTE is another network technology that is being offered by the same people who gave GSM and who have promised much better speeds and compatibility with mobile devices. The LTE technology got its approval in December 2008, with MetroPCS being the first network to offer LTE services in America in October 2010.

Performance

As far as speed delivery is concerned, WiMAX can offer speeds in the range of 30-40Mbps, whereas LTE can offer network speeds close to 100Mbps. However, these numbers are only for the papers and they are not even close to offering such remarkable speeds in the real sense. This is due to the fact that a network’s speed depends more on its build, rather than just its specifications.

In most speed tests, LTE always tends to outperform WiMAX with its speed. In reality, WiMAX caps at an average of 3Mbps, whereas LTE clocks in at 10Mbps, making it as quick as most of the home broadband networks. However, the network speed also depends on the network provider. For instance, LTE speed offered by MetroPCS may not necessarily reflect Verizon or other network provider’s LTE speed numbers.

Coverage

LTE seems to defeat WiMAX in the coverage department as well, with most network providers expecting better network coverages with LTE, when compared to WiMAX. The WiMAX system is good at supporting multiple users simultaneously; however, it fails to make its impact felt with wall penetration and increased distance. This being said, LTE does not have an unfair advantage and it uses the same network towers that are being used by WiMAX.

Phone Options

WiMAX has several options for smartphones; however, most of them are already in the market and there is nothing new erupting from the WiMAX stable, as far as phones are concerned. LTE has quite an impressive list of phones and other portable devices to be released in the future by different network carriers.

Choosing Between the Two?

To be honest, it is a very subjective question, with preferences differing across individuals. If the user is happy with his WiMAX phone and does not plan to buy a new one in the next few years, then WiMAX should probably suffice. However, for users with a more futuristic perspective, LTE should be the way to go! If you’ve got a device that you’d like to get fixed so it can be used for either of these networks, get in touch with iFixYouri so you can bring faster mobile capabilities to your smartphone.

Tablets

3 Ways to Use the iPad You May Not Have Thought Of

October 5, 2012 Staff 1 Comment

Since Apple’s introduction of the iPad, the world as a whole has become a closer knit community. This wondrous device has seemingly opened up the imaginations of its users so much that now the consumer seems to be inspiring the inventor.

The iPad has quickly become one of those frequently seen tools that seamlessly camouflages itself within any and all environments. Whether it be a restaurant menu or remote control, Apple has certainly struck a home run in regards to this device. And, as more and more Apps are developed, the possibilities will grow as well.

It is in celebration of this innovative push forward that I present some of the cooler ways the iPad has been used:

Paying A Little Homage

Sometimes it’s simply best to tip your hat to technology past. This clever melding of instruments serves as a great illustrator of just how far technology has come.

Magic In the Machine

It was inevitable that such a tool would eventually find itself in the realm of slight of hand. If you thought card tricks were mind blowing, you may want to brace yourself.

Hologram Animation

What more can possibly be said? This is the ideal example of taking an idea such as the iPad and surpassing expectations.

The greatest feature of the iPad is the fact that it has no set designation as far as usability, making its possibilities endless. However, like all things and as great as the product may be, it does not mean its not susceptible to damage. Luckily there are professional iPad repair specialists like iFixYouri who are available to restore one’s touch screen companion in case anything happened to go wrong.

Apple’s Latest Offering, the iPad Mini

October 5, 2012 Staff 4 Comments

The Apple iPad is the result of years of experimenting with touch screen technology and smaller being better. Apple is now poised to introduce a device even smaller and, hopefully, even better: the iPad Mini. This is the newest version of the iconic Apple tablet device.

What is the iPad Mini?

The iPad mini is a smaller, thinner and lighter device designed for the on-the-go businessperson and people who need a lightweight internet device that can do everything the iPad can do. The concept has been around for some time and it appears that Apple has resolved issues with screen resolutions and touchability.

The iPad Nano, as it has also been called, is Apple’s answer to the smaller table devices that have been marketed by Amazon in the form of the Kindle and Google with its Nexus Tablet. The Nano delivers all the quality of Apple with numerous available apps in a smaller, lighter and narrower package.

The Mini Timeline

Although no specific launch date has been given for the miniature version of the iPad it is assumed that production has begun at the suppliers in China (where the leaked design photos came from). A release date in late 2012 is not out of the question! Apple, as always, is keeping the specifics secret. Check out some of the rumors here.

The Specifics

Touch Screen capabilities (of course!)
Lower pricing than the iPad
Slim and trim case with a high resolution screen
Screen size less than 8 inches
Able to utilize all Apple iPad apps
8 GB of internal storage

Whether the iPad mini’s electronics are wildly different or very similar to the iPad, one thing is for sure: the device will be susceptible to the same damage. When you do get your newest member of the iPad family, and it gets dropped in water or stops working for any reason, you can trust that iFixYouri will be able to repair your iPad mini.

Uncategorized

Tips To Avoid Breaking Your iPhone

October 4, 2012 Staff 7 Comments

The iPhone is an extremely durable phone that can stand up to lots of rough handling. iPhones, nevertheless, do have certain vulnerabilities and can be broken, and as a result, require repair. The following are a few of the common ways in which you can break your iPhone as well as ways to avoid them.

Keys in the Pocket Damage iPhone Screens

Tons of people make this error without also thinking about it. Since keys are so sharp, they can damage the iPhone glass and repairs are typically needed as viewing the iPhone display is vital. Make sure that you keep keys in your wallet or a different pocket. Likewise, if you have a handbag, ensure you keep the iPhone in a different area that is away from any sharp or heavy object in the bag. This will help you avoid many iPhone repairs.

Playing A Golf Game on the iPhone Can Be Trouble

A golf game on your iPhone can be lots of fun as you can swing your iPhone like a golf club and have a ‘real life’ golf experience. However, often the iPhone slips from the hands and is tossed, resulting in some serious breakage. There are many other sports and physical games which cause the same problem. If you’re a fan of these kinds of games, you should be aware of the potential issues and maybe even buy an iPhone case that has an improved grip. In addition, do not let other people play the games on your iPhone, unless they’re willing to help pay for iPhone repairs.

Bumping Into Things – Clumsy Can Be Costly

This is quite a typical blunder with the majority of phones, however it is a large issue with iPhones because of the screen size and their value. Basically, many individuals keep iPhones facing outwards from their pockets. When they bump into things like a table corner, the screen gets damaged and requires repair. To avoid the problem, make sure you turn the iPhone display in your pocket inwards towards the leg.

Dropping the iPhone While Taking a Photo

This is another extremely typical problem, worsened by the fairly odd location of the photo button on the screen of earlier iPhone models (rather than being a real ‘button’ that can be pressed). Therefore, it means that when you’re in a congested location, such as a show or club, you turn your iPhone around to face you and hold it at full stretch in order to photograph yourself. If you get pushed or your outstretched arm gets knocked, the iPhone will land at your feet, and may get trampled. Always take pictures only when you have enough space and calm surroundings. Or, if possible, get somebody else to hold the iPhone for you.

Accessories

AirPrint: Wirelessly Printing from Mobile Devices

October 4, 2012 Staff 3 Comments

You probably know how to print at home using a wired printer, but what if you are out and about and want to print something off from one of your computerized devices? Thanks to modern day technology and a recent software upgrade from Apple, you can now print documents and photographs off from pretty much any device (from iPad to iPhone), as long as you go about it the right way.

The Basics

The first step is to check your printer and see that it is AirPrint compatible. Regardless of what Apple device you are dealing with, you will need to use this software. Either way, the setup process is fairly simple and once you are done that, you can simply connect your device and printer to the same Wi-Fi network and get started with printing.

The Alternative

You should see a connection established between the devices in just a matter of seconds, but if you do have problems you can always turn to the Fingerprint software. Although not as reliable as the previous option, it does get the job done.

AirPrint Apps

There are also a number of AirPrint-enabled apps you can take advantage of for printing purposes. From instapaper, Evernote and Safari to iWork and Google Maps, if you want to print any information from any of these apps, you can do so quickly and easily.

The key things to remember are:

AirPrint best printing software
Fingerprint is the other option
Stick with AirPrint-enabled apps — usually iWork or Google maps

The process is very simple and once you try it a few times for yourself and get more familiar with it, it becomes easy to remember. It can be a bit complex when you first get started, but you should not have any issues with it. If your device isn’t running smoothly, it will be an additional burden to getting the printing to work. Get in touch with iFixYouri to first ensure that your device is behaving at its potential.

Understanding this process could be very helpful in the future, if you happen to be away from your desktop computer and need to print things off. You never know when you’ll have a printing emergency!