Warner Bros. is looking to use 
Apple’s app store to boost legit movie downloads.
The studio announced plans Wednesday to roll out “App editions” of “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The free app gives fans of the film an extended preview of the films and film extras in an effort to persuade them to buy the electronic version, which can be downloaded or streamed via an in-app purchase.
WordUs2 (which, as far as we can tell, has a 
superfluous number at the end) is a love it or hate it game. It’s full of puzzles that can confound, stump, and aggravate you one minute, and fill you with a sense of euphoria the next. With a spartan, efficient design, it’s an easy game to learn to play — and if you’re the type of person who lives for word puzzles, it will delight you. But be warned that if you’re just a casual fan of the word games genre, the in-game dictionary can be full of baffling omissions (despite its claim of containing thousands of words) that can turn fun into frustration. In either case, it’s a great time-killer, potential vocabulary builder, and certainly has the potential to chew up several hours.
Dead Space for iPad isn’t a game for everybody – 
and certainly isn’t one for children – but as a survival horror game, it’s masterfully done. Rather than retelling a tale from an older game in the series (or cramming the plot of the just-released Dead Space 2, which this is meant to promote, into an app), this is a completely new adventure. The story is a fun ride for those who have the stomach for the gore — well-paced and packed with jump-out-of-your-seat moments. The game is best played with headphones, instead of the iPhone or iPad’s speaker, as they make it a much more immersive experience. Graphically, Dead Space is superb and it’s one of the few iDevice titles that really feels like a console experience.
Virtual City HD manages to take the best 
aspects of the Sim City franchise and strip those out for a portable gaming audience. The game is challenging, but not impossible — and gives players the choice between playing a task-driven game or building a city in any manner they choose. The game looks great, and developers have clearly taken pains to optimize the app for the iPad’s larger screen. The larger screen makes it easier to control the game, particularly when there’s a lot happening at once — but it comes at a higher cost than the iPhone version, which is virtually the same.
Word Solitaire: Aurora will quickly become a 
favorite title of word-game fans. The game takes the familiar concept of solitaire and transforms it into something new and unique. The campaign mode will keep you occupied for hours, and the global mode (updated daily) is a wonderful (and child-safe) way to test your skills against a diverse group of players. Word Solitaire: Aurora probably isn’t suited for young ones who are just learning to spell, but for those who can, it proves to be a delightfully entertaining diversion that just might teach them something without them realizing it.
Read more at Common Sense Media
Doctor Who: The Mazes of Time should 
have a lot going for it — well-known characters, familiar enemies, a dynamic universe. This app, though, stumbles by making the characters mere shadows of their onscreen selves, especially in making Amy Pond a helpless stereotype. It’s disheartnening when, faced with moving an obstacle, she says things such as “I can’t push a block. And even if I could, it would be unladylike.” The game’s puzzles are challenging enough without being overly difficult. And the music, taken from the TV show, adds to the ambiance — though reading the text instead of hearing the actor’s voices does detract from the experience. Diehard fans of the show might be happy to have a Doctor Who game on their iDevice, but casual fans and newcomers will wonder what all the fuss is about.
Following the disclosure on Monday that Apple CEO Steve 
Jobs will be taking his third medical leave in six years, Apple shares fell 4% in early trading on Tuesday, or $14 to $334.35.
Since the markets were closed on Monday due to the holiday, this is the first glimpse at how U.S. investors are reacting to the news. Some analysts late on Monday had predicted shares could fall by 10% in early trading. Apple is expected to release its quarterly earnings after the market closes on Tuesday.
Judged solely on the gameplay elements, Tap Tap 
Revenge 4 is a wonderful app. The familiar tap-the-screen-in-time-with-the-music style of play doesn’t get old, and the developers have picked a good selection of songs as a starter pack. Unfortunately, other elements, such as out of control commercialism and a chat room that resembles the wild west make it entirely inappropriate for young players. Ads are plastered everywhere, and the game regularly tries to convince players to buy additional songs. Chat rooms, meanwhile, are self-moderated — and offensive actions generally aren’t reported, since so many people are doing the same thing. That’s sad, because online gameplay is actually a lot of fun, letting you compare your skills to others.
Read more at Common Sense Media
TRON: Legacy focuses on the right things — Light 
Cycles and Recognizers — but suffers from poor controls and apparent game bugs that cripple the title. Driving and racing Light Cycles can be a breathtaking experience, but because the controls are slow to respond to your actions, it’s akin to a drunk driver hopping onto a motorcycle. You’ll wobble across the road and bump into walls regularly. The game’s shooting sections — using those Recognizers — are fun, but again stumble, since you’re not able to control the vehicles as precisely as you would like to. The game’s multiplayer option is one of its stronger elements, as playing against a live opponent is more fun than challenging the app. And visually, the game is quite impressive. With more polishing, this is a title that could have life long after the movie is gathering dust in your DVD collection.
Nash Smasher! is a fun, funny story that’s also 
surprisingly effective as a lesson in social skills for youngsters. The book is written by Bill Doyle of television’s Sesame Workshop, who has some experience communicating lessons to young children in an entertaining fashion — and knows how to keep adults interested simultaneously. In this case, that’s done via the story’s interactive elements, which are full of surprises and really make the book app something that’s fun for families.
Read more at Common Sense Media
Chris Morris: Journalist 