iPhone/iPod touch Must Have Apps

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by KTrain

I never had issues with Safari

Well that's good, since it's still Safari (WebKit) doing all the rendering

Chrome is also about 5x slower at Javascript (since it can't use the native code implementation that the Safari app does), although the overall impact to browsing performance is not as significant in day to day usage (but is very evident on benchmarks)

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Well that's good, since it's still Safari (WebKit) doing all the rendering

Chrome is also about 5x slower at Javascript (since it can't use the native code implementation that the Safari app does), although the overall impact to browsing performance is not as significant in day to day usage (but is very evident on benchmarks)

Wow you are right. I suspected it would be slower but not that much.

Google's own V8 has iPad Safari at 500+ for me, and only 70 on iPad Chrome (before it locked up)

I'm sure that won't affect day to day, but man that is a huge difference.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Wow you are right. I suspected it would be slower but not that much.

Google's own V8 has iPad Safari at 500+ for me, and only 70 on iPad Chrome (before it locked up)

I'm sure that won't affect day to day, but man that is a huge difference.

From Ars Technica:

For fun, we also loaded a couple webpages and timed how long they took to load on each browser. Ars Technica took an average of 3.1 seconds to load on Mobile Safari and an average of 3.3 seconds to load on Chrome—barely a difference, and one that's not likely noticeable to most users. The New York Times page showed a bit more difference between the two browsers: Safari's average came in at 4.8 seconds while Chrome's average sat at 7.3 seconds. Even though this is a difference of a couple seconds, it still may not be significant enough for most users to care, but the difference certainly exists for some sites

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Chrome is now available for the iPhone and iPad. Seems pretty decent. I never had issues with Safari but I'll give it a try if only for the syncing of my Chrome bookmarks.

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/chrome/id535886823?mt=8

Is there any chance flash works on this? This is my only complaint about ipads and iphones. If it helps in preventing viruses then i can live with it.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Is there any chance flash works on this? This is my only complaint about ipads and iphones. If it helps in preventing viruses then i can live with it.

Flash in the browser is being discontinued for all mobile devices. Android is even dropping support in Jelly Bean 4.1

Flash is an awful idea for mobile. I give Google credit for trying, but in practice it is much too buggy, and the user experience is not good for most.

HTML 5 and JavaScript will replace most of what Flash can do. The experience will be cleaner, and require less resources.

[sclitheroe]

So in the interests of being unbiased about Chrome on iOS, I was doing some more research - while it's true that Chrome falls down on synthetic Javascript benchmarks, there are details emerging that Chrome on iOS implements their own network stack for handling HTTP requests, as well as pre-fetching (controllable as well wifi only/3g), etc. So it's using Safari's webkit to render, as required, but there is more than just a skin of UI controls layered on top.

I'm trying it, in conjunction with Chrome on the desktop for the weekend and seeing if I'll settle in and make it my new combo.

[sclitheroe]

Here's a good tip to provide an "open in chrome" bookmark to work around the fascism that is lack of user selectable default applications on iOS:
http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-ope...-jailbreaking/

If you create that bookmark in the Bookmarks Bar, instead of the Bookmarks folder, you'll have an on-screen button visible in mobile Safari at all times to kick links over to Chrome.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Flash in the browser is being discontinued for all mobile devices. Android is even dropping support in Jelly Bean 4.1

Flash is an awful idea for mobile. I give Google credit for trying, but in practice it is much too buggy, and the user experience is not good for most.

HTML 5 and JavaScript will replace most of what Flash can do. The experience will be cleaner, and require less resources.

But unfortunately untill then, there are still a ton of websites that use it.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

But unfortunately untill then, there are still a ton of websites that use it.

And if they want to remain relevant they'll fix that. It's an unfortunate growing pain, but moving forward Flash usage is just one of those things that will have to die off slowly like IE6.

[fredr123]

Armor Games released Kingdom Rush (recently?) for the iPhone and iPod Touch. I wasted away a good chunk of time playing this on the PC and was a bit miffed they only had an iPad version for so long. Pretty decent tower defence game, as far as those things go.

[ken0042]

Angry Birds Seasons is free this week.

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/angry...398157641?mt=8

[Cheerio]

Big Win Hockey (you can thank me later)

A hockey team manager a lot like HUT in NHL 12

[csnarpy]

Didn't see it mentioned but Tiny Wings 2 was released a few days ago. Free update to anyone who bought the first one.

(there goes the week!)

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

Didn't see it mentioned but Tiny Wings 2 was released a few days ago. Free update to anyone who bought the first one.

(there goes the week!)

As well as Tiny Wings HD for the iPad. One of the very few games I indulge.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Big Win Hockey (you can thank me later)

A hockey team manager a lot like HUT in NHL 12

Cool game! Thanks!

[Hockey]

Not sure how long this app has been out or if it has been mentioned in this thread, but Songza is a must have app for those who enjoy Music.

[FanIn80]

Hurry up, stupid September!

http://www.baldursgate.com/ipad.en.html

[Russic]

Twist is perhaps my favourite app to come along in a long time. Brilliant in it's simplicity, it's merely a location notifier for people you are going to meet. You set where you're going and who you want to notify. Once you leave the area you're in, it sends a text message or an email to the contact letting them know your approximate arrival time. Should you hit traffic or stop somewhere along the way, it notifies them that you've hit a snag and adjusts the arrival time.

What's important about the app is because it sends a text or email, it doesn't require the other party to have the app. If they do download it they can get the notifications as a push, but it's not necessary. I like that I don't have to remember to trigger it. I can set it anytime during the day to let my wife know when I'm on my way, and it won't trigger until I'm driving away.

Apparently it was developed by an old Google worker who was annoyed by how much time is wasted waiting for people to show up for meetings that are stuck in traffic somewhere.

[jtfrogger]

If anyone wants to make phone calls over wifi, try Viber. I works with your contact list and anyone that already has a Viber account. Given that I am in Europe right now, it has come in handy to save a few bucks.

[silentsim]

Bastion on iPad released. Port of a great game (IMO) and IGN gave it 9/10 (for the iPad port)