Google accentuates the positive with its mobile app upgrade, while Dragon’s Lair sets a new standard for application animation. Also new this week are iPhone apps from Morningstar, the Internet Movie Database and R.E.M.
Google Mobile App
The cold war between Apple and Google may be defrosting a bit with significant upgrades to this invaluable application. The app’s buggy voice search function is much improved and can now recognize multiple English-based accents. Search results are now opened inside the free application, and no longer require another Safari window.
IMDB
The Internet Movie Database is an additive website for film fanatics and useful tool for anyone else trying to locate the name of the actor or actress they recently enjoyed on the big or small screen. With the release of the free IMDb app, fans can access titles, credits and trailers from more than 1.5 million movies and television programs. So long Kevin Bacon game.
Dragon’s Lair
While it is a challenge to replicate the animation quality of classic arcade games on the iPhone, Electronic Arts is setting a new standard with the release of Dragon’s Lair. For less than five bucks (or twenty quarters!), Dragon’s Lair transforms you into Dirk the Daring and sends you on a mission to rescue Princess Daphne from a fire-breathing dragon.
Wink from Shutterfly
This free application helps users convert pictures taken from their iPhones into 2X6 prints that can be ordered from Shutterfly.com. The app resizes photos on the fly and helps locate the physical addresses of photo recipients by emailing and contacting friends on your social networks.
Morningstar
After some initial integration issues, the newly upgraded app from the world leader in mutual fund news and information now lets subscribers sync to their Morningstar.com portfolios. Never before has such an abundance of specific financial data been available on the fly.
Hootsuite
Hardcore Twitter enthusiasts are going to love this mobile app extension of Hootsuite.com, which is available for a limited time for the discounted price of $1.99. Among Hootsuite’s features are the ability to store and schedule tweets for future sending as well as heavy analytics and topic trend explanations.
R.E.M.
Streamed audio clips from the band’s entire catalog and concert photos accessible directly from Flickr are the highlights of this free iPhone app. Watch classic videos from R.E.M.’s glory days and more recent user-generated fare submitted via YouTube. The app also includes recent news and touring informatio,n as well as travel guide to the band’s hometown of Athens, Georgia.
MyMadrid
While this official app from elite Soccer club Real Madrid has been available since October, between now and December 15 you can save a few bucks and download it for free. Get ready for 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa with this app, which is pioneering how professional sports franchises should compete in the mobile marketing arena.
