In this segment, we continue our weekly tradition of giving you the scoop on the top app releases for the iPhone and iTouch.  Continue reading for some of the best releases on the Apple App Store for the first week of March 2010.

Gibson Learn & Master

Playing the guitar is loads of fun and the iPhone currently has a bunch of guitar-centered applications that can be used to help you out in your guitar playing, wherever you go.  Gibson Guitars, one of the most well-known guitar manufacturing companies in the world, has partnered up with a software development company named Legacy Learning Systems to create and release one of the newest iPhone apps for guitar players and other musicians.  This application is called Gibson Learn & Master, a handy application that has essential features such as a tuner with various tuning schemes, sample tones for tuning, metronome with various time signature settings, support for tap-tempo setting, a chord library, links to video lessons from the Learn & Master Guitar course, and links to Gibson.com, where you can find news, updates, and events on everything Gibson.  Although this application isn't particularly better than GuitarToolKit (one of the leading apps for guitarists), it is a feature-packed package that comes free of charge.

Vogue Stylist

Vogue Stylist is great for the fashionable woman who likes to keep up with the cutting edge fashion industry.  This app was produced and released by the internationally-acclaimed fashion conglomerate Vogue.  Basically, Vogue Stylist is a fashion adviser and stylist that presents you with pictures and information on some of the hottest monthly trends in fashion.  You can use the app to mix and match different clothes and looks from Vogue catalogues, you can create virtual wardrobes by taking pictures of your own clothes and adding them to your library.  You can save products from the Vogue catalogue to your virtual wardrobe, and you can look for stores near you that sell some of the products featured and advertised in Vogue.  This is a great lifestyle and fashion app that you can download all for free.

Final Fantasy 1 and 2

Final Fantasy is one of the best-known and most highly acclaimed franchises in the realm of role-playing games.  Final Fantasy 1 & 2 are the first two parts in what is soon to be a 14-part franchise that has taken the world by storm.  If you want to get a little nostalgic with these two classics, the iPhone how has some worthy ports of both Final Fantasy 1 & 2.  Final Fantasy 1 comes with five bonus dungeons, such as the Labyrinth of Time and the Soul of Chaos, and Final Fantasy 2 also comes with five bonus dungeons, like Arcane Labyrinth and Soul of Rebirth.  You can buy each game for $8.99.

One of the best things about the iPhone is that it has a huge and ever-growing database of applications that you can buy or download for free.  These apps do a great job of taking full advantage of the powerful piece of hardware that is the iPhone, and it also helps you get the most out of your phone, enhancing its functionality and flexibility.  In this segment, we will go over some of the best pieces of software that we found for the iPhone this week.

Autopark

So you park your car along the sidewalk, put a couple coins into the parking meter, and go along your merry way to get done whatever it is you have to do.  An hour later, you return to your car only to find a parking ticket clamped under your windshield wiper.  Fifty dollars for being a couple of minutes late to your car and the meter that's running beside it.  Autopark is a handy little app that will help you avoid such situations.  Basically, this app keeps track of the time left on your meter, allowing you to set alarms at various times to remind you of your running meter.  You can also use the app to set the location of your car through the app's built-in GPS functions.  To be more precise, you can set the parking level and parking slot of your car to help you find your parking spot after a long day at the mall or any other place with a multi-level parking structure.  Finally, you can also use this app to find nearby public restrooms, banks, gas stations, and other services.  There are a bunch of other features in this practical app, but you better be ready to cough up $5.00 for it.

Sling Player Mobile

Sling Player Mobile is one of the more expensive applications in the app store, selling for about $30, but it's an app that packs quite a punch.  With Sling Player Mobile, you can use your iPhone to connect to a Slingbox machine, such as the SOLO, PRO, or PRO-HD.  The app makes use of either Wi-Fi or 3G to connect to your Slingbox, then the app streams whatever is playing on your Slingbox to your iPhone.  You can even use the app to control your digital video recorder, change channels on the Slingbox, and control video sources such as satellite boxes, cable boxes, IPTV boxes, basic cable TV, Apple TV, Tivo, home security cameras, and digital Over-the-Air broadcasts.

Plants vs. Zombies

For those who love using their iPhone as a gaming machine, Plants vs. Zombies is an addictive, fun, and easy-to-learn tower defense game that will have you playing for hours on end.  Basically, you build flowers as towers to defend against the incoming hordes of zombies.  At just $3, this game is a steal.

On the seemingly eternal search for the killer app, we have weekly covers on some of the new and exciting applications for iPhone.  Although that killer app may be ever-elusive, you may be able to find a killer app to last you through the week.  Read on for this week's list of great iPhone apps that you may want to try.

Fonolo

Have you ever tried getting in contact with a company or customer service hotline only to find yourself spending an entire day on hold or talking to numerous people, none of which could answer your needs?  Fonolo is an iPhone app that seeks to prevent such situations by providing you with a complete and comprehensive directory of company support phone numbers.  Get the number of the exact person that you want to speak with, call them, manage your contact information, take down notes, and listen to call recordings, all in one nifty app.  The best part is, Fonolo is free.

NBC Olympics

Definitely worthy of the title for killer app of the week, NBC Olympics is an app that gives you an overview of the 2010 Winter Olympics.  The Winter Olympics is currently ongoing, hosted in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  This international multi-sports event began on February 12, and it will be on-going until the end of the month, February 28.  The NBC Olympics app gives you great coverage of the competition, providing you with a total listing of the sports events, schedule, and results of the 2010 Winter Olympics.  This free app is definitely worth downloading if you are into winter sports, would love to follow the Olympics, or are simply a nationalistic individual who wants an app to follow your nation's progress in the Olympics and perhaps even do a little trash-talking through the app's social features.

Sky Siege

You know those times when you're just sitting around or walking around with nothing much to do?  Sky Seige is a great iPhone game that can help you pass time or simply have some plain, good fun.  This augmented reality first person shooter will have you aiming your iPhone in the air, shooting down helicopters, blimps, and planes.  It's an easy game to pick up and play, it has good graphics, and it's tons of fun.  Grab it for your 3GS at $3.

Doom II

Another great game currently in the market is a rehash of the classic game Doom.  Instead of the traditional first person shooter style of the Doom franchise, the Doom II app is a role-playing game that has translated well into its new genre.  Similar in gameplay to the Wolfenstein RPG app, gamers will have lots of fun with this app.  Grab it from the app store for $3.

New iPhone applications are coming out every day and it's no surprise, what with the huge user-base of the iPhone and other Apple products.  This article will cover some of the iPhone applications that are definitely worth checking out this week.  Whether you want an app for gaming, productivity, utility, or you simply want to keep your iPhone up to speed with the latest and greatest of apps, this article will give you a good idea of where to start.

Gaming:  Assassin's Creed 2

Assassin's Creed 2 is one of the most anticipated games recently released for consoles and the PC.  Ubisoft just recently released an iPhone version of Assassin's Creed 2, called "Assassin's Creed II Discovery".  You can grab the app for a reasonable price from the Apple App Store, but it's important to know that the game is 147mb in size and it has rather awkward controls.  Still, it's worth a try, especially if you're a big fan of the franchise.

Lifestyle:  Siri

Siri is perhaps one of the most useful applications currently in the app store.  This handy app makes use of voice recognition, search engines, and online concierge services to deliver a streamlined app that not only works great, but is free too!  All you have to do is say a command, such as "Book a table for two at Outback Steakhouse" and Siri will take care of the rest, responding with a confirmation or lack of availability.  Now, take into consideration that Siri connects with popular online services such as TaxiMagic, CitySearch, StubHub, OpenTable, and MovieTickets, and you can just imagine how useful this little app can be.

Useful:  Where Is My Phone

One of the most common problems that people have with their mobile phone is that they misplace it.  If you are one of those people who tends to misplace your iPhone, then you may want to get Where Is My Phone?  This is an affordable application that plays back one of the pre-recorded sounds (or a recording of your own) when it recognizes your whistle.  The developers claim that their app can hear your whistle from over 10 meters away, making this a very useful app, even if it's just for playing pranks by setting off the "fart" sound under the seat of an unsuspecting friend.

GPS:  MotionX GPS Drive

A new and improved version of MotionX GPS Drive has been released and this app is definitely worth grabbing.  This app has been deemed by some sites as one of the best and most affordable GPS apps out there.  The app is very reasonably priced and you can make it even more useful by subscribing to the turn-by-turn voice service that is definitely within your budget. This app is definitely worth checking out for GPS navigation.

Now, by definition, Apple's iPhone isn't actually a gaming device.  Software developers have sought to change this, however, by creating some great games that you can play right on your iPhone, without having to add on any extra hardware.  All you need to do is purchase, download, and start using one of the countless gaming apps available from the Apple store.  Here are five games that you may want to grab for your beloved iPhone:

Rock Band

For the musician or music lover in you, Rock Band is definitely a must-have game.  Although it comes at a heftier price ($6.99) than many of the other games out there, you do get what you are paying for.  Not only do you get some great gameplay and fun, but you also get access to a seemingly endless supply of songs that you can purchase to listen to and play along with.

Space Invaders Infinity Gene

For $4.99 you can get Space Invaders Infinity Gene, a remake on the classic game Space Invaders.  This shoot-em up game is new and improved, with a slew of new weapons and a beefed-up interface to provide more fun and excitement to this age-old classic.  In fact, you can even play some of the original stages with the original music.  Some of the other game features include an in-game achievement system, as well as worldwide high score tables.

Bejeweled 2

Bejeweled 2 is a game that you can play for hours without getting bored.  It's a simple puzzle-type game that is highly addictive and very fun.  With a number of game modes and its great price point ($2.99), Bejeweled 2 is definitely a game worth looking into.  If you are a puzzle gamer who enjoys sudden-death frenzies or competing for scoring titles, then this may just be the game for you.

Real Racing

Real Racing is a racing simulation game that has a lot to offer.  With its impressive graphics, great controls, and wide selection of cars, tracks, and game modes, Real Racing is definitely one of the best racing games you can find for the iPhone.  With a $4.99 price tag, this game is a steal, especially if you can find other friends to play with through local or online networking.

Shredder Chess

There is a wide variety of chess games out there for the iPhone, but one of the best is Shredder Chess, which costs $7.99.  Although the game doesn't feature amazing graphics, it makes up with great functionality.  Shredder Chess offers challenging and adjustable AI, play ratings, game analysis, chess coach, save and load options, and the ability to enter and analyze any move or position you like.

These are just some of the games that are worth having in your iPhone.  iPhone users never have to feel lonely or bored with these exciting games to keep them company.

January 27 is the day. At least, that's what it says in Apple's cryptic -- as usual -- invitation sent out to the press. They phrased the invite as "Come see our latest creation" followed by the time and date. The event will be held at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Rumors and speculations about the iTablet release

Of course, in typical human fashion, we can't help but speculate about the event. Most people are of the belief that January 27 is the day Apple releases its much talked about "tablet." Some people are dubbing it as the iTablet while other prefer the moniker iSlate. No matter what Apple calls it, the sure thing is that it will be big.

The invitation in itself caused speculation. It shows the Apple logo with splotches of paint as background. Some people are leaning towards the theory that whatever Apple unveils, it will focus more on art in technology. Perhaps more about music, videos, and movies.

A recent story on Fox News reveals that the iSlate will be the main focus of the January 27 event. It seems that the source is an Apple insider, giving a sense of credibility to the story. Additionally, the source also mentions the introduction of the iPhone OS 4.0 and iLife 2010. Hopefully, these gadgets would be configured for touch screen controls.

Speculations about the specs of Apple's latest gadget

Rumors reveal that the tablet will be around 10.7 inches and will have a higher resolution compared to the iPod Touch screen. They also say that one version will come with 3G networking. However, Boy Genius Report speculates upon a smaller iSlate size -- 7 inches. But, the rumors are also pointing towards two versions of the iSlate. One with the 3G networking and one without. Another rumor has also been shot down by others, specifically pertaining to the use of an OLED screen.

An iPhone and iPod blog, ILounge, cites a source that says that the "iSlate" will serve as a replacement for books and magazine.

But how much will it cost? Rumors state prices below $1000, possibly between 600 to 900 dollars. This is probably why the OLED screen theory has become unlikely, as mentioned previously. From what we know, OLED screens are still on the expensive side and if the price rumors are true, then alternative screens will definitely be used.

With so many speculations, it will be difficult to separate the likely from the out-of-this-world. But then again, recent years have shown us that technology knows no bounds. If the iSlate is everything rumors say it is, then it will serve much much more purposes than being a portable e-book reader. People might be surprised to find that Apple will present an all-around and extremely portable computer.

It's sure that gadget addicts out there can't wait for January 27. Whatever it is, it's sure to be worth the wait.

Although Apple has no present plans of supporting Adobe Systems’ Flash multimedia software to any of their line of smartphones, other telecommunications companies and handset manufacturers see the need for Flash 10.1 support and are currently planning to make available software updates in the very near future.

The need for broader web content range and access

Among the handset manufacturers who trust that consumers want broader access to web content through their mobile devices are Palm and Motorola. Both Palm and Motorola have plans of adding Flash 10.1 support to their range of smart phones, as stated by chief executives of both companies, at the Las Vegas-held International Consumer Electronics Show or CES.

It was only last year that Flash 10.1 was publicized by Adobe. It was also announced during that time that about 19 handset vendors have plans of shipping their models along with the software, beginning the mid of 2010. Motorola was one of the staunchest supporters of Adobe Flash 10.1, assuring Adobe that it will support the software on their Android models starting the first quarter of 2010.

The unveiling of the Backflip

It was on Wednesday that the Backflip Android handset model was first announced and made public, by the Chief Executive Office of the handset division of Motorola, Sanjay Jha. It was also during the same event that Jha mentioned about how Motorola has been preparing for a software update that will work with Flash 10.1. Nonetheless, no specific date has been given as to when this update may be utilized by users, although the plan has been going on already for not less than a year.

Adobe announced at the start of the week how they have been partnering with Google in an effort to add Flash 10.1 to the recently unveiled Android Nexus One phone, manufactured also by HTC.
 
Palm to support Flash

Other than Motorola, Palm is also prepared to add Flash 10.1 support to their range of smartphones. Paul Cousineau, director for the product marketing division of Palm, has announced in a press conference that the WebOS operating system of Palm is prepared to accommodate Flash 10.1 support. Furthermore, this support will be made available to users through a downloadable and easy-to-install plugin for their mobile handsets.

In an attempt to show how users can be benefited by a Flash content access on the Internet, Paul Cousineau played a Flash movie trailer for the film, Avatar, using a Pre handset.

Again, no specific date has been announced yet as to when the Flash support will be enjoyed by Palm users. However, representatives for the company have given the assurance that the plugin will be available soon. Blackberry and Windows mobile handsets are also set to receive Flash 10.1 support, along with Android handsets and models running on WebOS.

Apple released its newest version of the Apple TV software.  Version 3.0 was released just a month and a half after the company's other recent upgrades and changes.  The 40G Apple TV was released together with price slash to a mere $229 of the 160 GB models.  The new addition to the Apple TV family, however, can come without a cost to those that already own the Apple TV model and software.  Version 3.0 is a software upgrade to those who previously owned the earlier versions.

Features and improvements

Version 3.0 is said to have a simpler and more user-friendly interface.  This is good because users are not buying Apple TV software for the looks alone but to get around easily and get to the application needed in no time.  The application should be as easy to use as flicking on your remote control to watch a movie or a television show using your traditional television set.  Apple TV can now access streaming radio, Genius mixes and iTunes extras.  Those who have a copy of the previous versions will truly appreciate these improvements or additional features.  iTunes extras have been launched together with the formidably packed iTunes 9.

Users will enjoy Apple TV through full-screen viewing, additional music information such as lyrics and liner notes and more interactive features.  In short, Version 3.0 not only makes Apple TV easier to use but definitely more enjoyable.  The main menu interface will also take the user directly to movies that have either been bought or rented via iTunes.  It is easier to get hold of YouTube videos and your downloaded movies, as well.

Complaints and praises

As with most products, the upgraded version of the Apple TV software was also met with both complaints and praises.  From those that previously own an Apple TV model and an Apple TV software's older version, there are mostly praises.  After all, these users are getting version 3.0 for free.  There are additional features to enjoy and a change of interface to explore.  Some previous users believe that the new version is Apple's way of showing that the software is something that the company is taking seriously.  When a company is taking a product seriously, consumers expect more improvements to be released in the future.

There are also complaints, however.  Some believe that Version 3.0 is not really that much better than Version 2.0.  Beyond the main menu, the Apple TV software version 3.0 is mostly the same in interface.  This fact, however, is not really met with a hundred percent negativity; some are comfortable with what is familiar.  Some are still looking for more features though, such as web browser and connection capability.

It's no secret that Apple has a knack for innovation and if you need any proof then there's no need to look further than one of their newest innovations: the Magic Mouse.  Now we've all used a most of some sort, whether it be a fully-functional gaming mouse, a generic two-button mouse, a track pad, or a finger-controlled pointing stick.  What Apple brings to the table, however, is a mouse that is much in line with the latest trends in technology.  If you want to know what's so innovative and interesting about the Magic Mouse, then keep reading.

What's magical about the Magic Mouse

The Magic Mouse has numerous features and technologies that help it to combine practicality and technology, design style and functionality, resulting in a mouse that is not only intuitive, but revolutionary in its own right.  One of the most innovative features of the Magic Mouse is its multi-touch surface.  Instead of giving you a few buttons to work with, the Magic Mouse has a single-piece surface that is touch-sensitive.  Scrolling, swiping, clicking, and sliding your fingers across the multi-touch surface will perform various functions, including screen-scrolling, screen zooming, single-clicks and double-clicks, and browsing.

Two of the other great features of the Magic Mouse are the laser-tracking engine and the wireless technology.  Laser technology is nothing new in the mouse industry, but the laser that Apple uses in its new mouse features increased sensitivity and responsiveness, in comparison to other laser mouses currently in the market.  Also, the laser used in the Magic Mouse can function well on various surfaces, including glass.  Apple also makes use of a better transmission system than most wireless mouses.  Instead of making use of infrared technology, the Magic Mouse uses Bluetooth technology, which is built into many of Apple's current laptops and desktops.  Bluetooth technology allows for reliable connections reaching as far as over 30-feet.  In other words, the Magic Mouse gives you reliable and precise functionality without all of the wires.

Personalizing your Magic Mouse

Another great feature of the Magic Mouse is that it comes with a program that will allow you to personalize how the mouse reacts to your actions.  Access the program and you can change the settings to fit your own personal taste and speed.  Whether you want to change the tracking or scrolling speed, invert the button functions, enable or disable certain functions, or change the function of specific gestures, the Magic Mouse preferences allow you to do so with ease.

If you want to get your own Apple Magic Mouse, then you can get one along with your purchase of any of the new iMac products.  Don't want to buy a new computer to get a Magic Mouse?  Then you can easily buy one for the listed price of $69 over at Apple.

Who doesn't love the new iMacs?  Mac lovers have always felt that these computer units are far superior to PC in terms of usability and design.  They say that, even tough the iMacs are more pricey than their PC counterparts, the investment is really worth it.

Well, if you're one of the millions of Mac lovers out there, you will now have more reason to rejoice as Apple is set to launch new iMacs this year by fall.  Currently, Twitter and Facebook users have been speculating as to what these newer iMacs have in store for them.  The most obvious change to the new versions of the iMacs has something to do with their screens.

The new iMacs would have screens that are bigger than the previous versions -- with the larger screens measuring 21.5 and 27 inches.  Mac developers have always thought that these screens should be able to show images and video in high definition.  The iMac's screen feels as if it "bleeds" to the edge of the unit, making the screen appear larger.  Many users are disappointed with the fact that they can't choose whether they want to have a glossy or a matte screen.  The newer versions only come with glossy screens.  Further, some people who feel that iMacs should be more portable think that the 27-inch iMac is somewhat too large for their taste.

Other features of the newer versions

If you owned an older version of the iMac, you'd notice that it comes with a black plastic back.  The newer versions, however, come in an all-aluminum case, making these models appear very sleek.  Also, iMac developers mention that the screens of the iMacs are LED-backlit widescreen TFT active-matrix LCDs with in-plane switching technology.  This superior technology allows the units to show countless colors and at all resolutions -- whether low- or high-definition.

What makes this in-plane switching technology special?  According to them, this technology allows flat-panel displays to keep image quality at any angle.  To illustrate a point, low-quality screens do not allow the user to view what's being displayed on the screen if the user is looking at the screen at an extreme angle.  With the new iMac, this is a thing of the past.

While Apple has kept mum on the speed of these new iMacs, several loyal users are keeping their expectations high.  They are also anticipating seeing the Magic Mouse that comes with the newer iMacs.