We all enjoy our applications from App Store, either business applications, Lifestyle applications, or games applications. Unfortunately, every one of them comes with a certain price. Some have a smaller price than others; some are more expensive because the developers created something unique.
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Even so, if you always look for something new you are sure find it on App Store. But if you buy week by week new applications, how does your credit card feeling? Your credit card, probably feels empty, or even worse on a minus status. After more than one year after its launch, App Store proved itself very profitable for Apple and 3^rd party application developers. Today, September 25, 2009, I am writing about top 3 free games on App Store. At number one, you have the "Vampire Live - 40 loyalty points" game, released on August 30 (2009), by Storm8 LLC. The game will put you in a vampire skin, a newborn vampire transformed by an old and malicious vampire. Your maker is trying to convince you to join his underground clan. This is an excellent story line, because it vividly describes how your character is feeling comfortable in the darkness, and in the surrounding mysterious night. Your mission is to reject your maker and start building your own reputation in the vampire line.

From a newborn vampire you will become a vampire lord. Your powers will increase as much as you increase your clan. The whole process is full of sub missions, like fighting the zombies to spread your terror through the city. An excellent feature provided is the multiplayer mode. You can join over 2 million players in the multiplayer mode. Storm8 LLC also provides you free of charge with the latest mission, abilities and other extras. The process of your transformation from a newborn vampire to a powerful creature includes better physical strength, abnormal abilities and a other transformations. The graphics are good, as good as you can ask from a free game, with excellent sounds to provide a better user experience. The game play is pretty straight forward. If you enjoy the continuous battle to become the greater player, then you will enjoy "Vampire Live - 40 loyalty points".

This game is strictly an online game. You don't get in game missions. You will join the vampire community online and launch your terror over the city. Tip: if you have friends with iPhones or iPod touch and they enjoy vampire games to, you should all create your own vampire clan, for a faster growth in the game. The second most downloaded free game on App Store (on September 25, 2009) is "Tight Wire Lite" released on August 24 this year by iBright LLC. This lite version will provide enough entertainment that will probably make you buy the full version. Your goal is to balance an overweight guy while he walks on a wire, and prevent him from falling and eventually prevent him from dying. The graphics are pretty good, which is only natural since this game is rather slow in action. You don't get controls. You have to balance the overweight guy by using only the accelerometer sensor found on your iPod touch or iPhone. The 3D environment is rather simpler, doesn't offer so many features. The animation is pretty good especially when the guy falls of the wire. In this version you get only 20 "missions". This game works with both second and third operating system for the iPhone platform.

The third place is occupied by "Word Scramble 2 by Zynga". Released on September 15, 2009 "Word Scramble 2 by Zynga" was developed by Zynga (go figure, like duh) and it is one of the most captivating word games found on App Store. Even more, "Word Scramble 2 by Zynga" is free. In this game sequel you can challenge who you might like. Play your best, get a high score, and then challenge your friends. Also the live feature is found on this game. It seems like a game community can really change a games market success. As you play and win you will unlock special features and even get trophies. Another interesting feature is that you can challenge your friends from your Face Book account. Also you can choose to play between a 5 by 5 board or a 4 by 4 board. If you enjoy work games, you will definitely enjoy this free game.

There are so many free games in top 3 everyday on App Store. I will continue to present from once in a while this top three, in order for you to see that on App Store you can find interesting games free of charge.

On June 6, 2009, Ngmoco Inc. released the latest version of "Star Defense", a tower defense game with the best graphics ever created for iPod touch and iPhone running the second and third operating system for the iPhone mobile platform. Ngmoco Inc. is a developer and seller of games for the iPhone mobile platform. Ngmoco Inc. was founded in July 2008, by Neil Young (former executive director at Electronic Arts). Ngmoco Inc. created its name on the market after their first game became an instant success ("Rolando" game series).
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"Star Defense" is promising nothing less than greatness. You can actually understand that by simply see the excellent 3D graphics and play the well balanced game play. If you are still using the 2.2.0 operating system of the iPhone mobile platform on your iPod touch or iPhone, then be advised to upgrade before purchasing and installing the "Star Defense".

Basically with "Star Defense" you get the Universe in your hands, well rather on your iPod touch and iPhone, but it is more dramatic when you think that the Universe is in your very own hands. "Star Defense" packs the best, and never before seen, 3D graphics, which will literally leave you breathless. All the world are displayed in stunning graphics, making the whole game experience new and worthy of playing for hours and hours, until your iPod touch's or iPhone's battery will shutdown. Your mission is to survive the S'rath invaders, defeat them and manage a powerful tower system in order to destroy all the aliens that will attack you.

The game play is customizable, letting you decide how you want to defeat the S'rath. Also the controls are excellent because of the full implementation in the game code of the accelerometer function found in the iPod touch and iPhone. Also, the controls are intuitive, making "Star Defense" very user friendly. This game will provide only five tower types. Fortunately, you can customize them by using different weapons (about 15 different weapons). Like other tower defense game, every type of tower provides different abilities.

The game is pretty large, including up to seven excellent worlds (every single world is different). You are not going to find this game boring under any circumstances. Every world will provide distinct settings, regarding the weapons and even the types of aliens that are attacking. Another common feature is the three difficulty modes. "Star Defense" can be played with easy, medium, and even hard settings making the game even more intriguing. The basic game play mode is the Campaign Mode. When you will defeat in Campaign Mode all the S'rath from all seven worlds and establish a secure Universe, the Challenge Mode will be unlocked.

Once you have unlocked the Challenge Mode consider the game at its beginning, because you can battle however you want using the Plus+ network. You can also use different connections, like mail, Face book, and even Twitter. Just do your best, improve your high score and compete with your friends or other people by using the challenge log. "Star Defense" has its own Twitter account, "# Star Defense". By challenging people, you will improve your game performance and you will receive game points. Also you can play "Star Defense" interminably, just like other great tower defense games.

Therefore, "Star Defense" gets a plus for the unlimited replay ability feature. Overall, "Star Defense" is a solid game, provides excellent quality game play because of all the customizable features, and also a big plus are the breathtaking 3D graphics. You can find the latest version of "Star Defense", version 1.3.1, on App Store for only $0.99. This is a great purchase, even if you are not a fan of tower defense games. "Star Defense" worth's every penny, and you will understand that once you will start playing it.

When you need good iPhone and iPod accessory but for a smaller price tag you probably think iHome. This accessories developer is part of the SDI technologies, benefiting from more than 50 years of electronic device built. iHome was launched in 2005 with a precise direction, the accesoty market for the iPods. Later in 2007, iHome improved its line with iPhone compatible devices, in order to deliver what the market was demanding. Because of the great balance between built in features and price tag, iHome became, easily I might add, the most bought accessory manufacturer in the United States. In only four years of creating, selling and marketing their products, iHome spread the distribution worldwide, including over 55 countries until this moment.

The future is unpredictable, to say, at least, but for iHome one thing is sure: if Apple build the device, iHome brings the accessory. With such a positive perspective, iHome will likely become the best seller iPod and iPhone accessory manufacturer in many shipping countries. If you own an iPod and an iPhone and you want to keep both of them in the same place, without giving up the clock radio and audio system of your old iHome product, then take a look at the iHome iP 88G Dual Dock Clock Radio and Audio System for iPhone and iPod. This system will offer you the best combination between multiple dock implementation and excellent sound quality. The iHome iP 88G looks great. It has a nice design, providing a solid look.

The totally grey cover is the best choice, making it somehow neutral, easy to blend in, and stylish in the same time. The front of the IP 88G contains the speaker, and contains in the center a great LED display. Believe it or not, the iP 88G contains more buttons than any other iHome audio system. On top of the iHome iP 88G you get, beside the two docks, two click wheels for both docks. Therefore you can use your iPod from the dock #1 with the audio click wheel #1, and your iPhone from dock #2 only with your click wheel #2. In the center of this "button" you get the play / pause keys. Centered by these two controls you get three rows of buttons. The first row includes four keys, the start and stop button, radio button, sleep button, and the EQ keys.

The second row contains three keys with settings functions, while the third row adds the 1 to 9 numbers, for a better usability when programming the alarm clock. On the back you will get the DC adapter port, a DST switch, three buttons (clock adj, time sync, and time zone), the AM antenna plug in, and the audio line in jack. If you think that you will find the iHome iP 88G hard to use, you are wrong because the system is shipped with an easy to use remote control. Because of the EQ controls and the enabled 3D sound quality, your audio experience provided by the iHome iP 88G will be hard to forget.

Excellent features are provided for the alarm clock function (programmable snooze settings, triple alarm, and others). iHome ships the iP 88G (beside the remote control) with an universal voltage AC adapter, AM antenna, and 6 dock adapters (because the iP 88G is compatible with all iPhones and iPods - except the iPod shuffle). For a $149.95 price tag the iHome iP 88G "Dual Dock Clock Radio and Audio System for iPhone and iPod" is a great accessory for your iPod and iPhone.

It is late September, with only eight weeks tops to go, before the Mac computers focused media event, Apple is still keeping the price tags at normal level. Don't worry; when you will see price drops, the refreshes are imminent. In the last article I presented the current MacBook line and how it might look like in less than two months. However, the high light of this autumn media event is not Mac laptop related, but more part of the desktop line. If you said iMac then you were correct. The iMac is going to be what iPod nano was for the "it's Only Rock and Roll" media event. Let's take a look to the current Mac desktop computers on sale, and analyze what we can receive from Apple in the following weeks.
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The Mac mini is the only desktop Mac computer to not receive a consistent refresh. However, in its current configurations it's really attractive. For both configurations you get a height of 2 inches (5.09 cm), wide of 6.5 inches (1.51), deep of 6.5 inches (16.51 cm), Mac mini weights only 2.9 pounds (1.31 kg). The entry level Mac mini has an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz, with 1 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 120 GB hard drives, and 8 x double layer Super Drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset. However, this particularly configuration might offer (now or in spring of 2010) for the same asking price ($599) 2 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, and a 250 GB serial ATA drive. The next configuration offers for $799, the same processor, 2 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 1 GB), a 320 GB hard drive, the same Super Drive and graphic chipset. This model could get the 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and NDIVIA GeForce 9600M GT graphic chipset for the same price.

As you already know the Mac Pro is a true power house. Basically you can't ask for more. The entry level Mac Pro comes with one 2.66 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor, 3 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM (3 x 1 GB), 640 GB hard drive, 18 x double layer Super Drive and the excellent NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512 MB dedicated. If this model will be refreshed, it will probably change not the specs so much, but more the design, offering a more "unibody" experience. However we might see an improved RAM capacity from three to four GB, and maybe a shift in processor (but the equivalent in power). The price will probably stay the same, $2.499. The eight core model with two 2.26 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processors also includes 6 GB RAM memory (6 x 1 GB), 640 hard drive, 18 x double layer Super Drive and NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512 MB. An improved processor is mandatory if Apple plans to keep the $3.299 price tag. The RAM memory will not be improved, but it will be changed from 6 x 1 GB, to 3 x 2 GB RAM.

The iMacs will receive a new design to align to the new unibody MacBook Pro aluminum looks. The iMac is currently offered in four standard configurations. These configurations will probably be kept with most of their specification list. The entry level iMac brings a 20 inches display with an Intel 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo. This unit also includes 2 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 1 GB), a 320 GB hard drive, 8 x double layer Super Drive (the same from the Mac mini), and a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset. Apple will probably keep this configuration in place but will offer a new design with a lower price (the current asking price is $1.199, while it is expected to be diminished at $1.099). The next configuration brings the same processor, but a larger display (24 inches), 4 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 640 GB hard drive, the same Super Drive and the same graphic chipset.

It is likely that Apple will keep these specs and lower the price for the new designed model $1.399. The next current configuration brings beside the 24 inches display, a 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, with 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2 GB), 640 hard drives, the same Super Drive, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 256 MB memory. The next model will probably bring the 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, and 18 x double layers Super Drive, all for $1.699. The last current configuration for the iMac (considered the high level), brings a 24 inches display, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB memory, 1 Terabyte hard drive, 8 x double layer Super Drive and NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 with 512 MB memory (all for $2.199). The improved model will keep the same price tag, but will offer a Quad Core processor, 6 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, and 18 x double layer Super Drive, keeping the same graphic chipset.

In six to eight weeks we shall see, what products will be refreshed, upgraded or just skipped. For Apple to be successful next year in the computer market, a price cut to its models is mandatory.

Here we are at the end of September. This only means that Apple will announce soon enough when the next media event will take place. The new media event should be placed somewhere between end of October and middle of November. The products refreshed or upgraded at the "it's Only Rock and Roll" event in September were part of the iPod line, shuffle, classic, touch (refreshed) and nano (upgraded). The end of fall Apple media event is focused on all Mac computers. Don't get too carried away, we will probably see more refreshed models that upgraded or for that matter of fact, new models. I know what you are thinking, "What about the Apple touch tablet netbook?"
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First of all, this new gadget will not surface on the market until the beginning of 2010. However, this doesn't mean that Apple can't make a preview at the last media event of this year. The Apple tablet will probably be branded and marketed as the ultimate netbook experience (net-touch MacBook). Furthermore, let's make an analysis between what Apple currently has to offer, and what it could offer in the Mac computer lines in six to eight weeks.

For the MacBook line, well, you only get one model, so it is not that accurate to call it line. Before the actual launch of the refreshed models, Apple will diminish the $999 price tag of the white MacBook. The current model is equipped with a 2.13 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2 x 1024 MB), and a storage capacity of 160 GB Serial ATA Drive at 5400 rpm. When it was launched, the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset seemed like a great choice. Notice that the white MacBook doesn't include any additional software beside the operating system.

What can MacBook line get? You will not see a refresh of the current model. This version will probably take the same turn like the iPhone 3G did. Apple will keep this configuration, offering it for less (probably $799 - $849). Apple will consolidate the MacBook line with another laptop computers model, with a slightly better configuration: 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 1024 MB), SD card slot, with the same 160 GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset (all for $999). Apple will probably introduce again the glossy black lid for this MacBook configuration.

For the Macbook Pro line, Apple will not reduce the price tags. However Apple will refresh the 13 inches MacBook Pros. The current entry level configuration of the 13 inches Macbook Pro includes an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26 GHz processor, 2 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 1024 MB), with a serial ATA drive of 160 GB running at 5400 rotation per minute, SD card slot, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset, and built in seven hour battery. What can the new entry level get? Not a better processor, because the current one provides sufficient performances. However, Apple might include a 4 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2048 MB) and a 250 GB hard drive for the entry level (it is mandatory in order for Apple to keep in pace with the laptop configurations offered by Dell and Acer). The 13 inches entry level MacBook Pro will keep the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset (the current price tag will be kept, $1.199).

The second version of the 13 inches MacBook Pro, has a Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53 GHz processor, 4 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2048 MB), 250 GB hard drive, SD memory card slot, built in 7 hour battery, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic chipset. The refreshed model will bring a better storage capacity, 320 GB serial ATA drive (5400 rotation per minute), and the NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with 256MB dedicated (at least in the configuration process). The 15 inches MacBook Pro with 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, will get an upgrade to 2.66 GHz. It will still boast the 4 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2048 MB), an 320 GB hard drive (5400 rotations per minute) and the NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with 512 MB dedicated (at least in the configuration process).

Also the current 2.66 GHz 15 inches MacBook Pro with Intel Centrino 2 technology, will receive the 2.8 Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and the double graphic chipset (NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT, but with 512 MB, and a better battery life). The third version of the 15 inches MacBook Pro is likely to go extinct because of the price tag ($2.299 to close to the $2.499 of the 17 inches Pro). The 17 inches MacBook Pro will basically keep its excellent features, but will probably get a new 3.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, while the rest of the specs list, including the price tag will remain the same.

If you remember, back in 2008, when the first MacBook Air was released, the two configurations available were separated by almost $1000 difference. Right now, the two configurations are separated by only $300. Although the technology was improved dramatically, we still can't expect other specs from the Air. Maybe a bigger processor, replacing the 1.86 GHz with 2.13 GHz and introducing the 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo. The prices will be kept.

We analyzed all the Apple laptops with what they currently have to offer, and what they might offer in less than two months. In a future article, we will take a look at the Mac mini (which will probably be skipped in this fall refresh), Mac Pro (Apple is planning to bring even better performances to it), and of course the high light of the media event, the iMac (basically, the iMac is considered to be for the following event what iPod nano was to the "It's Only Rock and Roll" event).