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netflix cult hit

A few years back, Netflix produced some test footage for its device partners. The company simply added the footage to its regular catalog, where customers turned it into a cult hit, rivaling Internet memes like the Three Wolf Moon t-shirt. Read more »

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netflix kids titles

Netlix recently posted a job opening for a UI designer specialized on kids websites and online games. Does the video giant plan to launch a separate website dedicated to its large library of kids content, or will the entire Netflix UI become a bit more kid-friendly? Read more »

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Real Life PacMan Game at WhereCamp Portland

Side projects can be businesses or just-for-fun efforts that we do in our nonworking hours. While there are some risks with taking side projects, I strongly believe that most of the time they benefit both the individual and the employer. Read more »

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1083541_tug_of_war

An important but often unacknowledged issue surrounding collaborative business is that while companies will focus on choosing tools, prescribing acceptable network policies and measuring ROI, the easiest way to get staff to collaborate is to make it fun. But what makes collaboration fun? Read more »

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I think it’s easy to get so distracted by the “busy-ness” of our businesses that we forget our purpose, our mission, or the vision for our life and who we hope to be. Read more »

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All Hallow’s Eve is nearly upon us, and like many others, I’m scrambling to come up with last-minute costume ideas for the weekend festivities. I can always pull out the old tickle trunk, replete with the bits and pieces of costumes past, but where’s the fun […] Read more »

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It’s the end of another week and so it’s time for me to scour the latest releases in the App Store for the hottest new iPhone apps. As ever, I’ve selected four hot picks released in the last seven days for you to check out. This […] Read more »

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Though no gaming platform has a shortage of “simulator” tycoon style games, few have enough engaging gameplay to really stand out among the crowd. Now Boarding, a tycoon style game revolving around routing passengers at an airport, is one of these little treasures and a great […] Read more »

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Once again, it’s that special time of the week when we all join hands, take a deep breath and exhale as we take a spiritual journey through the latest app picks for iPhone. Before we reach app Zen, however, it’s time for a refreshing run through […] Read more »

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Wave good-bye to the week and say hello to the weekend, complete with a hand-picked selection of the latest apps to hit the iPhone. Prior to diving into the picks, it’s customary ’round these parts to provide an enlightening summary of the week’s iPhone news and […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Rolando 2 image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/appicon_rolando2.png price=$9.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=321084051&mt=8 rating=gold [/appreview] Rolando 2 is the sequel to Rolando, a game which proved that the iPhone can compete with Sony’s PSP and Nintendo’s DS in the handheld console wars. Just over a year after opening, the App Store is coming […] Read more »

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It’s that time of the week — when we welcome you to the weekend with a selection of the freshest picks for the iPhone from the App Store. Hold your horses, though, because before we dive headfirst into a glorious ocean of iPhone apps, I’ve got […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Stuck Genie image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/appicon_stuck_genie.png price=$1.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=314420223&mt=8 rating=silver [/appreview] A genie, a load of balls, and an ancient labyrinth come together to create a frustrating, but fun, puzzler. One of the big boys in the movie biz, Warner Bros., has been solidly churning out iPhone apps for […] Read more »

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Just when you thought the weekend couldn’t get any better, along comes a selection of the freshest picks from the App Store. This week I’ve selected four playful picks for you to toy with over the weekend. It’s not all fun and games, though, as before […] Read more »

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One big difference I notice between my life before becoming a full-time web worker, and my life since, is that I actually spend far less time not working now that I work from home. I think distraction is a crucial part of productivity, especially if creativity is part of your job. Which is why I think that there is a certain danger in the zealous work ethic that manifests itself most freelance workers once they shrug off the corporate yoke.

Here are my usual work avoidance tactics, and why I think they actually help me work better in the long run. Read more »

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[appreview] title=Face Fun image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/appicon_facefun.png price=$2.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=314132248&mt=8 rating=avoid [/appreview] If we were to liken the iPhone to a Greek hero — all muscle-bound and chiseled man-face — it would surely be Achilles, the guy with the wonky heel. The iPhone is our modern-day electronic hero, savior of […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Rockchinko image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/appicon_rochinko_.png price=$1.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=314329575&mt=8 rating=silver [/appreview] A bag of metal balls, a rockabilly soundtrack, exploding pegs: Rockchinko is the pachinko machine from hell. Harking back to the old American parlor game Corinthian Bagatelle, pachinko has captured the imagination, and yen, of Japan. While the game […] Read more »

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You can’t have pizza without cheese, socks without shoes, a sandwich without bread, or a complete week without hearing about the freshest iPhone apps. Before I present you with a hand-picked selection of the latest iPhone releases to hit the App Store, as is tradition, we’ll […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=World Cup Ping Pong image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/appicon_world_cup_pingpong.png price=$1.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=310303959&mt=8 rating=bronze [/appreview] All of the thrills, adrenaline and drama of ping pong arrives on the iPhone, courtesy of Skyworks. I’ve tried many sports — rugby, basketball, hockey, even lacrosse — and discovered that physical exertion is not my […] Read more »

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What’s that on the horizon? Why it’s none other than the latest picks fresh from the App Store, coming to brighten up your weekend! Though before I run you through my latest selection of newly released apps, it’s time to indulge in a quick refresher of […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Fist of Fury image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/appicon_fist_of_fury.png price=$2.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=299388619&mt=8 rating=avoid [/appreview] Don’t let life get you down, put your punchin’ gloves on and show the world you’re a champion in this retro boxing game. In these economically egregious times, we all need a little release from the fiscal […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Amplitude image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/picture-2.png price=$0.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=307580587&mt=8 rating=bronze [/appreview] Amplitude pushes the iPhone in a new direction, transforming the device in to a hand-held James Bond-style surveillance tool. An intriguing concept indeed, but would Q approve? Setting aside the more recent Bourne-esque gritty romps of the latest Bond […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Tumblr image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/picture-120.png price=FREE url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=305343404&mt=8 rating=bronze [/appreview] Developed by Mobelux, and formerly known as Tumblrette, the official Tumblr iPhone app has now arrived. Tumblr is essentially the short ‘n sweet side of blogging: Posts are ultra-snappy, comprised of mixed-media uploads such as images, quotes, audio and […] Read more »

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Place your iPhone on the floor and prepare to dance a merry jig, it’s the weekend and that means I’ve prepared a selection of fresh picks from the App Store. As ever, before we get stuck in to a hand-picked selection of the latest releases from […] Read more »

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[appreview] title=Smack Me image=http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/picture-11.png price=$2.99 url=http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=305389583&mt=8 rating=bronze [/appreview] These days, gaming is all about getting physical: tilting and shaking, shouting and whispering and now apparently the occasional bit of pinching and smacking. Sounds like fun! All this talk of touching reminds me of a great toy […] Read more »

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Rolando has arrived, amid murmurs that it may be the best game out for iPhone and touch. And with compelling gameplay, awesome artwork and foot-tappingly funky music, it’s certainly my favorite game of the year. Alongside being the season for frivolity and festivity, it’s that special time […] Read more »

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My attention span when it comes to gaming, and especially mobile gaming, is not very long. Most titles on my iPhone never get a second play, in fact. Hence my surprise when I spent many hours over the past few days on MotionX’s newest title, Poker […] Read more »

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Apple fans found their beloved company satirized Simpsons-style last night. The latest installment of the Fox cartoon featured a “Mapple” store in the beginning of the episode, a tech store where hip, young t-shirted employees take brand loyalty very seriously and display an inordinate amount of […] Read more »

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It’s time for some more alchemy involving your beloved laptop or desktop companion. Just like last time, we’ll look at a few different apps that allow your Mac to perform some unusual tricks. That Apple is far from a one-trick pony, so forget about boring old […] Read more »

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Following in the ambient footsteps of Eno’s inaugural iPhone app, Bloom, comes RjDj. Developed by Reality Jockey, an Austrian dev outfit, they describe RjDj as, “the next generation of walkman or mp3 player… a digital drug which causes mind twisting hearing sensation.” Wrapped up as a […] Read more »

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The best sign that someone’s qualified to run an Internet startup may not be an MBA degree, but level 70 guild leader status, according to the latest issue of Harvard Business Review. “Leadership’s Online Labs” by Byron Reeves, Thomas W. Malone, and Tony O’Driscoll is based […] Read more »

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So lets face it. Sometimes we all just need to kill a little time. It’s relaxing. Whether you’re on your lunch break at work (or not) or if you are just bored one night and can’t sleep…this list should help you cure your boredom. I’ve compiled […] Read more »

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If you’re one of the elite who rolls with an iPhone, you should really put some effort into allowing that beautiful screen to live up to its potential. For instance, try this. Take a photo of your friends smashing their face/hands up against some glass (or […] Read more »