Joystiq

Rumor: Nintendo offering Wii U conversion software to smartphone app devs

Sinan Kubba — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:15:00 EST

Nintendo reportedly wants to expand the Wii U's library by actively helping smartphone developers to adapt their apps for the system. According to "company sources" at The Japan Times, Nintendo "has offered professional-use conversion software" to app devs in the hope smartphone software will help boost the Wii U's underwhelming sales figures.

The report tallies with Nintendo's increased affinity for the downloadable games market; the company's digital sales figures for the last fiscal year more than doubled the previous year's. In a recent Q & A session, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the new strategy isn't limited to selling packaged games digitally.

"We will not simply change our existing packaged software distribution channel," Iwata said. "Rather, we might have many other types of business models in addition to packaged software. For example, we might see more games that are similar to free-to-play games, games that cost much less or games that require a monthly subscription fee.

"Digitalization allows for greater flexibility, whereby having more ways to make payments, both software developers and consumers have more options. And Nintendo 3DS and Wii U have flexible systems to handle such trends, so it is now a question of putting these ideas into action. I can definitely say that Nintendo will make new offers that go well beyond simply replacing packaged software with digital software."

Rumor: Nintendo offering Wii U conversion software to smartphone app devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 May 2013 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redbox Instant, GameTrailers apps now on Xbox Live

Jordan Mallory — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:55:00 EST

Redbox's new "Redbox Instant by Verizon" video streaming service has moved out of beta and is now available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. The app itself will require its own additional subscription for unlimited streaming, though purchasing and renting movies can be done regardless.

Two levels of Redbox Instant subscriptions are available: Four kiosk DVDs and unlimited streaming for $8 a month, or a Blu-ray version of the deal for $9 a month. A one-month free trial is available for anyone wishing to see how Redbox Instant's catalogue compares with its competitors.

Meanwhile, Xbox Live's other miscellaneous entertainment offerings have also expanded by way of a new GameTrailers app, which brings the video portal's various reviews, original programming and, well, trailers to the Xbox. This way, everyone with an Xbox 360 can enjoy staged interviews with purported burn victims.

Redbox Instant, GameTrailers apps now on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS Vita app attack: Friend Network and Imaginstruments this spring

David Hinkle — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:30:00 EST

Sony is preparing to localize a pair of PS Vita apps in North America this spring, Friend Network and Imaginstruments. Friend Network has been available in Japan as a free download for some time now - it's a social networking app starring PlayStation mascot Toro where players aim to recruit friends into their friend army.

Imaginstruments - a free app from Europe - turns PS Vita users into amateur musicians. Through the app, you can compose original numbers and save them to the PS Vita memory card. It looks similar to the Korg DS-10.

Pricing isn't mentioned in the announcement post over on the PlayStation Blog, but we can't imagine Sony wouldn't offer both of these for free, just as in their native territories. Still, the company is financing a new console right now and could use the cash.

Head past the break for some footage of each app.

Continue reading PS Vita app attack: Friend Network and Imaginstruments this spring

PS Vita app attack: Friend Network and Imaginstruments this spring originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: PS Vita with 32GB memory card can display 100 apps, no more

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST

One Vita owner and NeoGAF member has discovered that even if his PlayStation Vita's 32GB card has space remaining in its storage, the system can display only up to 100 apps.

Shagg_187 shared the above photo, explaining that his card had 9GB of space left, with around 50 minis, 10 PSOne games, 20 mandatory apps, and 20 Vita or PSP games and apps. We've contacted Sony for an explanation on the numerical cap. Until then, maybe start treating your apps like children and think about which one really is your least favorite.

Report: PS Vita with 32GB memory card can display 100 apps, no more originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii U picks up Amazon Instant Video, YouTube apps

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST

The Wii U's complete TVii service is set to launch in December, but some of the programs within it are already dropping onto the console. Netflix hit on launch day (with a rocky, yet resolved start), and now YouTube and Amazon Instant Video are on the Wii U.

With the YouTube app, videos can stream up to 1080p on the television, while the video details stay on the Wii Pad. Browsing uses the Pad's on-screen keyboard. Amazon Instant uses the same browsing method and can stream video directly on the Wii Pad. Both apps are free to download directly from the Wii U menu.

Happy viewing!

Wii U picks up Amazon Instant Video, YouTube apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Play up to 700,000 apps for Android, closing in on App Store

Sinan Kubba — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST

There are now around 700,000 apps on Google Play, the same number Apple revealed last month as being on the App Store. Speaking to Bloomberg, Google divulged the new amount of available Android apps, having announced last month it was up to 675,000.

Google Play is apparently closing in when it comes to available apps, but there's a way to go yet in terms of app downloads. At its recent press event, Apple revealed a figure of 35 billion downloads on the App Store. That compares to 25 billion downloads on Google Play at last count.

Using those figures, there have been 8.5 Android and iOS app downloads per person on the planet. That's crazy to think about, even if it sounds relatively meager compared to the number of apps we've stuffed onto our devices.

Google Play up to 700,000 apps for Android, closing in on App Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBC News app now on Xbox Live

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:00:00 EST

Microsoft has announced that the National Broadcasting Company (colloquially known as NBC) has released a news app on Microsoft's Xbox Live. The app features content from many of NBC's various news programs, including Meet the Press, Hardball, Dateline, Nightly News and the Rachel Maddow Show. The NBC News app is available now on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

We know what you're thinking: "News? On my television?" There's no denying that it sounds bizarre, but it just might work.

NBC News app now on Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vita getting cat videos ... er, YouTube by the end of June

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST

Tired of rewatching that UMD copy of Spider-Man 2 over and over? Well, Sony's ... oh, what's that? Oh, right, Vita, not PSP! Let's try this again.

Tired of replaying that copy of Lumines over and over? Well, Sony's got a whole mess of video content heading to your PlayStation Vita in the coming weeks, via wildly popular internet video service YouTube. According to SCEA director of handheld consoles product planning and platform software innovation Don Mesa (breath), YouTube will arrive on the Vita in app form by "the end of June."

It's unclear if the service's offerings will be any different on Vita compared to on a computer, or if it'll allow uploading directly from the Vita (not to mention using video shot with the Vita itself). Hopefully next week's big show will help clear that up.

Vita getting cat videos ... er, YouTube by the end of June originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DLC Quest now on Mac App Store

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 13 May 2012 19:30:00 EST

Going Loud Studios' uniquely endearing commentary on the current state of our industry's fetish for all things microtransactional is now available on the Mac App Store for $0.99, a whole dollar less than its original price on Desura.

In case you somehow missed our Indie Pitch or the subsequent interview with the game's creator, DLC Quest examines what happens when "DLC goes too far," requiring players to collect coins to purchase basic gameplay functionality such as "animation" and "walking to the left."

DLC Quest now on Mac App Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Xbox 360 most popular non-PC device for watching video ads

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:00 EST

The Xbox 360 is the most popular non-PC device for viewing online video, beating out iOS and Android handhelds, according to a study by online-video ad company Freewheel. Freewheel measured "professional content" only, meaning video that runs with ads -- meaning it really conducted a study on how many online ads we watch -- from companies such as NBC, CBS, ESPN and Vevo. The study didn't account for Netflix or YouTube viewership.

Xbox 360 took 28.2 percent of all viewership, followed by iPad with 27.1 percent, then iPhone, Android and iPod Touch on a decreasing scale.

In March, Microsoft announced that Xbox 360 owners use the console more for its entertainment apps than for any actual gaming purposes, spending more than half of their Xbox time on Netflix and other music and video applications. Even though the Freewheel study doesn't include Netflix views, it does support the console evolutionary theory: One day our gaming consoles will have mutated so drastically that we'll have an entirely new species, called simply "entertainment consoles."

Study: Xbox 360 most popular non-PC device for watching video ads originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 used more for video and music apps than for gaming

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST

More than half of the time people spend on Xbox Live is devoted to watching videos and listening to music, Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi told the Los Angeles Times. "What we're seeing is that people are turning on the Xbox to play games and then keeping it on afterwards to get other types of entertainment," Mehdi said.

The Xbox 360 isn't a gaming console; it's now officially an entertainment center that includes games, and it's becoming more popular with this angle. Today households spend an average of 84 hours a month playing games and using other apps on Xbox Live, up 30 percent from a year prior. To compare, the average household watches 150 hours of TV each month.

Even before Kinect, a tool that has always made more sense as an entertainment control rather than a gaming one, Microsoft has wanted the Xbox 360 to be "the heart of connected digital entertainment," as HBO senior vice president of consumer technology Otto Berkes put it.

Today Microsoft added MLB.TV, HBO GO and Comcast Xfinity TV apps to its lineup, which already includes Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Zune, Last.fm and others.

Xbox 360 used more for video and music apps than for gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HBO GO, Xfinity TV apps debut on Xbox 360 today

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST

MLB.TV isn't the only app premiering on Xbox 360 today: HBO GO and Comcast Xfinity TV are now live and ready for your viewing pleasure. Both apps are available at no cost for current HBO GO and/or Xfinity TV subscribers, and they are both Kinect compatible.

From here, this looks like perfect timing, at least on HBO's part -- The second season of Game of Thrones premieres on Sunday, and we believe there's no better place to watch a smattering of gory, smutty violence than through the device you use to play gory, smutty games.

Continue reading HBO GO, Xfinity TV apps debut on Xbox 360 today

HBO GO, Xfinity TV apps debut on Xbox 360 today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live video consumption greatly increased in 2011; entertainment apps in higher demand

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST

Sure, there are lots of folks playing plain old video games on their Xbox 360s, but lots of folks are relying on their consoles to provide other forms of entertainment. The use of "entertainment apps" jumped dramatically with Xbox Live's introduction of several new programs late last year -- to the tune of 50 percent globally, Microsoft said in a recent release. And in the US that stat is much more dramatic, with "more than 60 percent" of Gold members employing the apps for up to an hour a day on average.

Video watching has also seen a marked increase, with global video consumption stats showing a 140 percent increase in 2011 over 2010. We suppose all of this could be little more than thinly veiled chest-pounding, but with 66 million Xbox 360s out there in the wild (as of earlier this month) and 35 million users on Xbox Live (as of August 2011), we'd call them a bit more telling than that.

Microsoft promises continued support of its entertainment app marketplace as 2012 continues, which we're hoping means the HBO Go app is arriving sooner, rather than later.

Xbox Live video consumption greatly increased in 2011; entertainment apps in higher demand originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft launches YouTube, TMZ, FiOS TV apps and many more on the Xbox 360 today

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:08:00 EST

For those of you in the Xbox 360 Dashboard preview program, some of this stuff is old hat, but for the rest of us today's launch of a dozen new applications on the Dashboard is all brand new. Beyond the addition of YouTube, FiOS TV, and TMZ (can we give that one back?), Xbox 360 users get access to MSNBC content, iHeartRadio (actual radio!), and a handful of other services starting today.

Though we expected as much, certain services are region-specific and will only be available to certain audiences (Rogers On Demand only exists in Canada, for instance, as it's a Canadian cable provider). Head past the break for the official list, regions and all.

Continue reading Microsoft launches YouTube, TMZ, FiOS TV apps and many more on the Xbox 360 today

Microsoft launches YouTube, TMZ, FiOS TV apps and many more on the Xbox 360 today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnLive releases iOS and Android apps, custom touch controls, and a wireless controller

Mike Schramm — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

Cloud gaming service OnLive has been up and running for about a year now, and in all that time it's been doing exactly what many gamers thought impossible: Playing high resolution games over the Internet on any computer powerful enough to run a simple streaming app. Now, the company is taking its cloud-based show to smartphones and tablets, with a whole suite of apps available this week for Android and iOS devices.

Joystiq had a chance to chat with OnLive CEO Steve Perlman, and he told us how the company has brought OnLive's library of PC and console titles to touchscreens everywhere (with the help of developers like Rockstar Games and a brand new controller), how OnLive and its service compares to the Xbox 360 console, and how his company would rather play nice with traditional console makers like Microsoft and Sony than disrupt their current business models.

Continue reading OnLive releases iOS and Android apps, custom touch controls, and a wireless controller

OnLive releases iOS and Android apps, custom touch controls, and a wireless controller originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zynga acquires developer Five Mobile, turns it into Zynga Toronto

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 22:25:00 EST

Much like the Borg, assimilating all the sentient lifeforms in the known universe; and also much like a really, really fat guy eating all the pasta in the world and turning it into energy for his body, Zynga has announced its 15th acquisition in a little over a year. The devoured company this time is Toronto-based dev Five Mobile, a freelance firm that creates licensed apps for any brands which require their services. Which, for the foreseeable future, is Zynga.

The developer has been renamed "Zynga Toronto," and will fit squarely in the left shoulder socket of Zynga's Voltron-esque compartmentalized robot. Oh, you didn't know Zynga was working on that? Yeah, they totally mentioned it on their last conference call. You should really pay more attention.

Zynga acquires developer Five Mobile, turns it into Zynga Toronto originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 22:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New DSiWare guide app beams out helpful info (in Japan)

JC Fletcher — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST

Today, Nintendo released a Shigeru Miyamoto pet project for Japan's DSiWare service: "Make Your Own DS Guide," an app that allows users to record image and audio samples, and then push them out to nearby DS systems via Download Play. The idea is that people and businesses can create self-narrated guides for any event or location (like menus for a restaurant or information about an art exhibit).

In fact, this idea is based on Nintendo's experiments with using the DS to provide maps and audio tours in museums. You can see the free app in action at Nintendo's DSiWare site.

New DSiWare guide app beams out helpful info (in Japan) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad plays all iPhone games and apps

Justin McElroy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:41:00 EST

We couldn't care less about our email, videos and music, all we wanted to know is if the newly announced iPad could play games. The answer? If you've been spending a fortune in $0.99 chunks on iPhone games, you've already got a big iPad library. The device, as just announced by Apple, plays all your iPhone apps unmodified, out of the box. That said, to take advantage of the system's full screen, devs will have to implement some modifications to their apps.

We're not sure if we're happy or sad about this, as we were kind of hoping for a whole new gaming platform -- and we're not convinced a lot of games will translate well from the iPhone, even if they technically work. Oh well, Jobs is still talking, maybe he'll have something else for us.

Update: The game Apple chose to feature at the iPad debut event was Gameloft's FPS N.O.V.A. It's kind of an odd choice though, right? It's a neat trick for a phone, but does it stack up on a larger screen? Additionally, EA showed off an updated Need for Speed: Shift (again, the iPhone version; hardly akin to the console iterations). Look for the iPad versions of both these games later this year.

iPad plays all iPhone games and apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analytics company: games among apps being tested on rumored Apple tablet

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST

Mobile analytics company Flurry has released a report on what it claims to be tracking data on Apple's latest creation, which is heavily rumored to be a tablet device. Accompanied by "a fair level of confidence," the results were assembled by identifying approximately 50 devices, all of which "match the characteristics" of the unannounced device, and placing them geographically within Apple's Cupertino campus.

Of course, with said characteristics mired within the realm of speculation and the campus no doubt home to many in-test projects, the report is also accompanied by a fair level of skepticism. It's interesting that games form the clear majority of tested applications -- especially if EA is on-board, as the Wall Street Journal suggested -- and may portend one of the device's strongest aspirations. In your snooty face, News & Books!

Joystiq will be attending Apple's media event on Wednesday, January 27, so expect to hear more then.

[Via Engadget]

Analytics company: games among apps being tested on rumored Apple tablet originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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360 Live iPhone app now free

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:45:00 EST

It looks like the tug-of-war is at an end. After first releasing the 360 Live iPhone app for $1.99 and subsequently being lambasted by Microsoft, creator Xavier Larrea has released a free version on the iTunes App Store. As the app now complies with Microsoft's policy that all Xbox Live iPhone apps must be free, 360 Live should be here to stay. If you'd like to take it for a spin, it can be downloaded at the link below.

360 Live (Free):

[Thanks, WhyleKat]

360 Live iPhone app now free originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WM Live syncs Friends list to Windows phones

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST

ZaaM IT, creator of the Halo 3 and ODST armor generators, is at it again, this time with a nifty app for Windows Mobile devices. Called WM Live, the application allows users to sync up their Xbox Live friends lists and check out their own stats as well as those of their friends. The app shows user Avatars, gamercards, and game history, so you'll be able to keep track of what your friends have been up to from just about anywhere.

Best of all, the app is free, so there's really no reason not to pick it up if you have a Windows Mobile device. Also, since it complies with the Xbox Community Developers Program, it will never get pulled. Keep in mind that it's still in beta, though ZaaM IT plans to acquire feedback and improve the application in later releases.

WM Live syncs Friends list to Windows phones originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone App gives Xbox Live users complete control on the go

Xav de Matos — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:15:00 EST

A new iPhone application entering the crowded marketplace allows all Xbox Live addicts the ability to connect to their account and do pretty much everything you can think of. Bad news: it isn't free. The $1.99 app, called 360 Live, lets you sign into your account, browse and respond to friend requests, check messages and even creep your friend's Gamercard on the go.

But, before you slap your $2 on the table, we'd recommend you wait for Microsoft to respond to the app's list price. In August 2008, Microsoft mandated that all Xbox Live-related applications be free. So, it may just be a matter of time before the 360 Live app drops to the easy-to-swallow price of free.

iPhone App gives Xbox Live users complete control on the go originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zune HD gaming apps feature interstitial ads

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Most of the reviews of Microsoft's new portable media device, the Zune HD, have been positive -- though from a gaming perspective, one "feature" of the new hardware has drawn the ire of gadgeteers. When booting up one of the free game apps, potential players are forced to view interstitial advertisements of varying lengths. Ars Technica measured the time it took to boot up these games -- the "Goo Splat" game features a static advertisement for the Kia Soul, and takes 17 seconds to load. The Chess application includes a video ad for the vehicle, and takes an entire half-minute to boot up.

Though the Zune HD's multitouch screen and sleek visuals allow for responsive (and good-looking) gaming, we can't imagine these ads will be terribly popular. Still, the games are free, so we guess we can't look a gift horse in the lengthy, unskippable promotional material.

Zune HD gaming apps feature interstitial ads originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan's DSi Shop adds shmups, instrument tuning next month

JC Fletcher — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:45:00 EST

Aa Mujou Setsuna is something DSiWare has yet to see: a vertical shooter! The downloadable shmup, releasing in Japan on September 2, is listed as a Nintendo/Arika collaboration. Arika is responsible for various home ports of Cave shooters, including the DS Ketsui Death Label. Aa Mujou Setsuna has two selectable ships, a chain-based scoring system and even online rankings, for just 500 DSi Points. Somehow we doubt this is the news Nintendo Power teased, but it certainly makes us happy. Check out some footage after the break.

Less hardcore, but still kind of cool, are the two 200-point apps also releasing on September 2. Nintendo DSi Metronome is, well, a metronome, that allows users to input their own beats and tempo to play along with, and even record their own drum sounds. It has multiple "skins" including a Game and Watch look, and Balloon Fight and Donkey Kong minigames; the latter of which involves clapping to make Mario jump over barrels. Hey, it's a Mario counterpart to Jungle Beat! Except really simplified.

Nintendo DSi Instrument Tuner also includes a Game and Watch skin. This useful program allows you to play an instrument into the DS mic and get information about its pitch.

Continue reading Japan's DSi Shop adds shmups, instrument tuning next month

Japan's DSi Shop adds shmups, instrument tuning next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pop developer making non-game DSiWare apps

JC Fletcher — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

Nnooo, creator of Pop, is working on a series of DSiWare productivity downloads called myLifeCollected, designed to make your life easier. If you didn't know Nintendo-related news you were going to complain about today, it's already made your life easier!

The first app, called myNotebook, is a 32-page virtual notebook with auto-save and ink color features. Users can select lined, square, or blank backgrounds for each page. Pricing and release date have yet to be announced. Nnooo is planning to make myNotebook available in three different color varieties when it comes out.

For those of you waiting for Pop + Solo (What? We liked Pop), Nnnoo says that it's been submitted to Nintendo for approval.

[Via GoNintendo]

Pop developer making non-game DSiWare apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone dev says AppStore is over-hyped

Justin McElroy — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EST

Some sobering words this morning from iPhone developer Rick Strom, who has two applications on the AppStore's Top 100 paid list. He mentioned that an app sitting at the #35 slot (which one of his is) is bringing in (on average) around $20 per day. Strom goes on to say that the store is a little more like a lottery, with only a few getting the real wealth, than the gold rush it's been portrayed as.

Though Strom is clearly frustrated by the experience, we don't think $20 a day sounds too bad for hobbyists ... we're just not sure we'd want to base a career around it.

[Via GamePolitics]

iPhone dev says AppStore is over-hyped originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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April DSiWare for Japan: More like Appril

JC Fletcher — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST

Nintendo wants small non-game apps on DSiWare, and it is leading by example, as evidenced by the lineup it has announced for April in Japan: just two of the six downloads announced for April 1 are games! Luckily, the announced apps sound pretty interesting.

Nintendo DSi Clock (200 Points): A clock app in two varieties: Famicom Mario Type and Animal Crossing Type. The Mario version lets you jump and hit coins, and the Animal Crossing version lets players create a new town tune that is played on the hour.
Chotto Magic Taizen: Suki Kirai Hakkenki (200 Points): This magic trick from Master of Illusion uses the mic to determine how someone feels about you.
Kuru Kuru Action Kuru Pachi 6 (500 Points): A puzzle game about rotating numbered pieces to line up matching pairs.
Band Bros. Radio including Photo Stand (500 Points): A photo-viewing app featuring Barbara the Bat from Band Bros. -- and a music player for songs created in Band Bros. DX by both players and staff!
Kakonde Keshite Wakugumi no Jikan (500 Points): A puzzle game about surrounding pieces of an opposing color with pieces of your color by moving them around the screen.
Ganbaru Watashi no Osaifu Ouendan (500 Points): Literally "My Wallet Cheer Squad," this budgeting app allows players to export data as a CSV file for use in PC money management software.

Nintendo is starting to build up a pretty good catalog of DSiWare for ... whenever it decides to announce the launch lineup worldwide!

April DSiWare for Japan: More like Appril originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Nintendo pushing developers to make small DSiWare 'apps'

JC Fletcher — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:26:00 EST

Develop reports that at a secret Nintendo developer conference this week, the company outlined a strategy to encourage developers to create short applications for the DSi's new DSiWare download service. Unnamed developer told Develop that Nintendo wants DSiWare developers to consider both short games and non-game apps, rather than the games-only selection found on WiiWare. The emphasis on small utilities and extremely brief games does call to mind a certain other device.

One dev said that "Given the advanced functions in the DSi, such as the microphone and camera, the company told us that there are a variety of opportunities for a variety of apps, both in a games sense and a non-games sense, that we could offer."

Nintendo of Japan already has a few non-game apps on the DSi Shop, including Nintendo-themed calculators, two clocks, and a travel guide. The rest of the service consists of small games, many of which are miniature versions of existing DS games. It seems that Nintendo's western branches have the same kind of thing in mind for third-party DSiWare offerings. We'll most likely find out next week, when Nintendo will present two talks at GDC: one about the DSi's design, and the other from Satoru Iwata called "Discovering New Development Opportunities."

Rumor: Nintendo pushing developers to make small DSiWare 'apps' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LucasArts-adventuring ScummVM hits 0.9.0

Christopher Grant — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Mac, PC, Portable, Sony PSP, Retro, Adventure

Eight months in the making, the latest build of the fantacular ScummVM virtual machine lets you play all sorts of games (notably LucasArts' venerable point-and-click adventure games using the SCUMM engine) on all sorts of platforms. In addition to a shiny, new GUI (pictured ... ooooh), the obligatory bugfixes, the addition of some new titles (The Legend of Kyrandia and The Feeble Files), 0.9.0 also features a "much improved WinCE port." So for any of you that have refused to upgrade your PSP's firmware for fear that you'd lose your precious ScummVM, now you can try running it on that fancy new Windows Mobile 5 phone.

LucasArts-adventuring ScummVM hits 0.9.0 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Jul 2006 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBL friends list notifier app

Ken Weeks — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Xbox Live

Dennis from Nimblesoft has created a free app called 360 Friends that will tell you who is on/off Xbox Live, let you view gamercards, and notify you when a friend's status changes. Useful for determining who's having fun while you're stuck at work.

[Thanks DigitalGopher]

Update: I should have noted that 360Fanboy cannot vouch for the safety of this software. Please use caution.

XBL friends list notifier app originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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