Apple might be one of the most 
dominant players in the entertainment and technology worlds, but to climb to that pinnacle, it adopted a business model that would make most strategists wince.
Rather than choosing one sector to conquer, the house that Steve Jobs built opted to fight a multi-front war. What’s amazing is that Apple has won so often on so many battlegrounds.
The tall tales of Pecos Bill are entertaining 
enough without augmentation, but when you blend in Robin Williams’ enthusiastic telling of the story (with his inevitable bits of improv), good looking artwork, and the ability to customize the experience, it’s a perfect storm — and makes for one of the better video adaptations of a classic book in the app store. The Pecos Bill app can be enjoyed by both kids and parents, offering a good blend of education and entertainment. The price is, admittedly, higher than most, but this app comes with a fully animated movie rendition of the story, which is magical enough app that you won’t regret spending the money.
Read more at Common Sense Media
The Velveteen Rabbit is a timeless story of the 
power of love, and this app does a wonderful job showcasing that to young readers and viewers. The artwork is soft and fits the story wonderfully, and Meryl Streep does a good job narrating the story. The app is priced a bit high, especially considering the lack of any real interactivity, but the classic story has the potential to engage and captivate children.
Read more at Common Sense Media
[In this analysis, Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris 
discusses the potential resurgence of ‘edutainment’ games, talking to Southpeak and examining Warner Bros’ moves into the relatively neglected category.]
There is, I will admit up front, absolutely nothing sexy about edutainment titles. Hell, even the name is dull – and sounds like it belongs in a boardroom, alongside words like ”synergy” and “paradigm”.
Core gamers won’t look at ‘em. Kids like ‘em fine until someone spills the beans about them being educational. And, since so many are targeted at toddlers and young kids (a very niche audience), they’re not exactly barnburners when it comes to a publisher’s bottom line.
iMut8r is an app that blends the creative and 
creepy to great effect. It’s certainly too intense for young kids, but for older teens and adults, there’s great fun to be had in transforming yourself or a friend into a ghoul or werewolf. Figuring out the steps is easy, even without reading the tutorials and because the effects change your picture so dramatically, it’s not critical to perfectly align your photo with the template. The price is right and the pictures certainly help older users get into the Halloween or horror spirit.
The team at PopCap Games knows 
how to make ultra-addictive, truly fun games — and Chuzzle is no exception. What’s ironic about that is the similarities between this and the company’s better-known Bejeweled are numerous (both are, at their heart, match-3 games), but ultimately Chuzzle feels unique. It’s charming, engaging, and very well designed. The game slowly ramps up the difficulty, but at such a methodical pace that it never seems to get too hard. It’s a bit expensive at $2.99 (but still worthwhile); keep an eye out for a bargain, as the game is sometimes discounted.
Read more at Common Sense Media
Add PBS to the networks streaming 
content directly to the iPad.
The public network launched a free app yesterday allowing users to full-length versions of some of its most popular programs, including “Nova,” “Antiques Roadshow” and “Austin City Limits”. The app also gives a one hour preview for the networ’s upcoming multi-part series “Circus”.
Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog
Super Mega Worm doesn’t take itself the
least bit seriously — and that’s what makes it so fun. The deliberately archaic graphics and the ripped-from-a-cheesy-1950s-horror-film premise add to the kitsch factor. While technically violent — in that you’re killing tiny people – it doesn’t seem realistic. If you like the idea of being a super-ravenous, all powerful bad guy, this is the app for you.
Read more at Common Sense Media
Shooters are hard to pull off on the
iPhone, but Gameloft has done a terrific job with Modern Combat 2. The graphics are sharp (especially for folks using an iDevice with a Retina screen). The action is tense and well-paced. And the missions are varied. There is, however, a fair bit of predictability — particularly for players who have put in some time with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, from which this app borrows quite liberally. It is, however, a realistic portrayal of violence and isn’t something that is meant for kids.
My Town has quickly become
one of the most popular location-based apps around, with more than 4.5 million users. It has achieved this success by moving beyond simple check-ins and adding a fun gaming element to the app. That said, it’s not something that’s suitable for younger users — or even young teens. While the privacy issues are not as worrying as apps like Fourquare and InCrowd, there’s still the potential for users to inadvertantly reveal their location to strangers.
Chris Morris: Journalist 