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Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
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iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Top 5 Paid Apps

Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)

    • 10 out of 10
    • Pink Floyd
    • Okay, someone had to say it, and though others on the iPO staff are more qualified to review this album, I decided the time was now. This is the quintessential concept album. Though others came before
  • Pretty Hate Machine

    • 8 out of 10
    • Nine Inch Nails
    • For years I wanted to make music that sounded like something between Love and Rockets and Ministry. In 1989, Trent Reznor beat me to it with this genre-defining album, and it smacked me upside the hea
  • The Life Pursuit

    • 8 out of 10
    • Belle & Sebastian
    • The Life Pursuit is a sort of Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. You get Belle & Sebastian's peanut butter (its wistful, often irresistible pop) dipped in a 'Have A Nice Day!' and glam 70s chocol

  • Physical Graffiti

    • 10 out of 10
    • Led Zeppelin
    • This album bears every flavor of genius from the five records that came before. It is, I believe, the band's finest. With Physical Graffiti, Zep came raging back to their musical home territory -- har
  • Mystics Anonymous

    • 8 out of 10
    • Mystics Anonymous
    • Mystics Anonymous is the brainchild project of Jeff Steblea, a fantastic songwriter and good friend of mine, as well. In fact, I even played the drums on all but one of the tracks on this album. Jef

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News

iPod Game Developers Tight-Lipped; Mac Game Developers Confused

When Apple introduced iPod games last week, many in the gaming industry thought it was a smart move. As Macworld's Peter Cohen found out, however, long-time Mac game publishers were confused by their lack of involvement -- some of them had previously approached Apple about iPod games -- while the developers who had a hand in making iPod games were tight-lipped about what the future holds for that section of the iTunes Store.

"We're really glad to see Apple start to take the iPod in this direction," Glenda Adams, director of development for Aspyr Media, told Mr. Cohen. "It's the one big piece of entertainment that was missing. Obviously, we're disappointed that [Apple] launched it as a closed development system. We had pitched several game ideas for iPod at Apple over the past couple years, but it didn't lead anywhere."

She added: "We've got some really great ideas for iPod games if Apple will open up an iPod SDK [software development kit] to developers--everything from doing handheld specific branded games, like what we've done with Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Call of Duty 2 for PocketPC, to some unique and new gameplay mechanics that integrate with the music already on your iPod."

Pangea Software president Brian Greenstone echoed those sentiments, saying: "As a game developer who specializes in original content, I'm disappointed that I don't have access to the iPod because I know I could come up with some games that blow away the stuff that's available now."

Meanwhile, those involved in the creation of the games that shipped last week kept their comments guarded. PopCap Games CEO Dave Roberts, whose Bejeweled and Zuma puzzle games were among them, would only say that the new genre "is a big opportunity." In fact, he revealed that secrecy was so tight that he didn't get to play his first iPod game until Apple's press event last week.

Mr. Roberts said little to address the future of iPod gaming, noting: "We will certainly do other games for the iPod, but when and what all depend on the normal confluence of events. But I think it's pretty evident from Apple's presentation that this is going to be an important factor for the iPod going forward."

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