Space Ace for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Space Ace, and its sibling game Dragon's Lair roared into arcades in the 80's, bringing with them a fantastic new look. Unfortunately, the gameplay, at least per quarter (and at least for me) was fast and unsatisfying. Rather than being a straight shoot-em-up action game, the lush animation, and timed moves played more like an animated comic book than an action arcade game. 

Today, games like Guitar Hero have seasoned a whole generation of entertainment based on hitting a button when it lights up.

The beauty of having Space Ace on the iPhone is first, the animation looks stunning. It's one of the best looking games on the iPhone, just as it was in the arcade. Of course, now that I don't have to pump the thing full of quarters, I can leisurely play through the whole game, which admittedly didn't take very long (at least on cadet, the easiest of three settings). It can still be frustrating when you miss one of the buttons, but it's not nearly as frustrating as playing the game for years without getting anywhere.

If you're looking for a little arcade nostalgia that still looks crisp today on a modern device, pick up Space Ace for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Pocket First Aid & CPR for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Not every iPhone app has the potential to save a life, but this is one of them. The American Heart Association has released their official Pocket First Aid and CPR app for the iPhone. The app offers concise information on several first aid topics, but the most useful and unique feature could be the CPR section, which describes different CPR methods and includes straightforward videos to make you more comfortable with the procedure, or to refresh your memory if you've previously taken a CPR class.

It makes us wonder if it wouldn't be better for the world if Apple made this app, or maybe an emergency icon available on the phone by default. Imagine if this app was deployed on every iPhone and iPod Touch.

Click here to buy Pocket First Aid.

Our video review:

How The Other Side Lives: CNET Reviews IE 8

The opening to Stephen Shankland's review of Internet Explorer 8 sums it up best:

In the interest of broadening my horizons, I promised Microsoft I'd give Internet Explorer 8 a fair shake by trying the browser as my default for a week.

And, boy, am I glad that week is over.

He goes on to mention that IE still isn't in the same class as his preferred browsers, Firefox and Chrome (can we hurry up with that Mac version of Chrome, please?). Still, from the "It couldn't get worse" files, Shankland recommends current IE 7 users upgrade due to increased security features. Overall though, the sluggishness of the interface, gave him pause (literally), and made him long for his browsers of choice.

Being April Fool's Day and all, I have a foolish proposal for Microsoft: bring IE back to the Mac. Just for fun, as we say around here.

Night Stand for iPhone and iPod Touch Video Review

When is a pretty face more than just a pretty face? Or in this case, is a pretty face enough? Night Stand offers a classy assortment of alarm clock eye candy to replace the built-in alarm functionality. But is that enough to justify its $1.99 price point? Well, that's in the eye of the beholder, but for most, the answer is probably no. The look of these faces, especially the default blue LCD is great. And if you have a set of docking speakers, having Night Stand on your iPhone will help class up the joint. 

However, there are only four of those classy looks to choose from. Maybe we could cut them more slack on the price with more included alarm faces. Also kudos on the refreshing new alarm sounds as well. If you're a stylish sleeper, and $1.99 won't keep you up at night, then give it a shot.

Hanoi iPhone Game Review

Hanoi, a classic stacking strategy game comes to the iTunes App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch.