Song Summoner for iPod Click Wheel Review

With the continued focus (including by us) on the iPhone/iPod Touch app store, let's not forget the games being released for the click wheel iPods as well. Here's a look at Song Summoner. If you're into the kinds of role playing games in which you select from among multiple characters to do battle with each other. (And battle consisting of choosing the character, then having the game tell you what happened) then Song Summoner is for you. Otherwise, you might want to pass.

TDL Live This week: (9/22-9/29)

From the new, new Microsoft ads, to iTunes movies in Germany, we've got you covered in our weekly look at Apple news and rumors: TDL Live

Apple at a China Crossroad

No, we're not stirring the pot again on our proposed Jobs' trip to China. We're referring to the impending collision between business decisions and political appeasements. Apple will have some serious decisions to make over the next few months regarding this lucrative market. Just this week reports surfaced that iTunes in China has been blocked due to Pro-Tibetan content, specifically, the "Songs for Tibet" album, added this week.

Apple, like many global companies faces serious questions in China. How should this situation be resolved? Give in to pressure from China and remove the album, at the risk of a backlash from around the world, or stand firm and risk losing what could easily be one of their most lucrative iPhone markets? And yes, there is the tiny detail that many Apple products are manufactured in China, as well.

What will Apple do? Well, there is one small incident that might give us a hint. Last year, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez decided to unilaterally change the time zone of Venezuela by half an hour. As you probably have noticed, most time zones are segmented by hours. The move placed Venezuela in its own time zone. As of July, Apple hadn't added the half hour offset for Venezuela in its time settings, causing problems like these. Microsoft on the other hand, had an update out within a few weeks acknowledging the time zone change. Was this lack of change an intentional political statement on Apple's part? If so, would they be as willing to take that sort of stand with China?

Dealing with China will be a far more high-profile, and high stakes process. Apple was wise to bring Andrea Jung from Avon onto the board early this year. At the time, the move was seen as a smart way to learn to market more effectively to women in China. In reality though, Jung could prove even more important as Apple navigates the Chinese political landscape.

While Apple has been a global brand for decades, China may be the first significant time in which a decision they make - to pull the Pro-Tibet album or not - will displease at least one major group of potential customers. Our bet: the album will disappear from the Chinese iTunes store, iTunes access in China will be restored, and except for a few protests (perhaps a letter from Richard Gere?) we'll all forget this happened. On the other hand, if it's a slow news cycle, or the issue is painted against the bigger backdrop of doing business with China, then this might not go away as quickly as Apple would like.

So put on your CEO hat. What would you do if you ran Apple?

Solar Quest iPhone Game Review

First, a programming note: You'll be seeing a lot of iPhone app reviews this month, but we haven't lost sight of the fact that we're an Apple site and not an iPhone site, so there'll be plenty of non-iPhone videos and commentary as well.

Now then...

When Solar Quest debuted on the iTunes App Store, it was an alluring, if frustrating title. While it looked great, there were issues with navigation buttons sticking, and that really ruined the game. A new version is out though, and along with button fixes, there's greater use of the accelerometer for gameplay. Let's see how the new Solar Quest stacks up:

Who Watches the Watchmen? We Do!

To coincide with the debut of the Watchmen movie trailer, Warner Brothers released what they are calling a "motion comic" on the iTunes Store.

You might remember TDL discussed the possibility of comic books for the iPhone and iPod a few month ago. Now this isn't exactly what we had in mind, but we do think it's fantastic.
Warner Bros. has literally brought the panels of the original graphic novel to life. The effect is very similar to the Marvel Super Heroes cartoons that debuted in the 1960s, except with higher production values.

Do yourself a favor and get part one FREE today on iTunes.

Now if only Warner would give The Dark Knight Returns the same treatment.