Introducing Bus Simulator Racing on Google Play

Do you like driving simulator games? Here's one that has a unique twist by letting you drive a double-decker bus. Bus Simulator Racing is a new game out from Universal Games. It's a free download for Android.

It has fun graphics, starting with the bus itself. You drive a bright red bus designed to look like a classic British bus. There's also cool scenery that reminds me of the countryside.

The object of the game is to drive bus passengers safely to school, which involves navigating a bridge between the mainland bus station and the island where the school is located. The bridge is narrow and difficult to navigate, so the game tests your skills in regard to timing, as well as your skills navigating the bus as you tilt your device or turn the steering wheel to drive.

You can compete against players from around the world as you collect stars while you drive. The game includes bus engine sound effects as well as background music. Many users have described the scenery of the game as relaxing. Plus, the game is optimized for use on tablets as well as phones.

I've posted before about the free games available from Universal Games. They've created a variety of fun, colorful games that are perfect for when you have time to spare and want to do something relaxing but also challenging enough to make you want to keep playing. You can see a list of all of their games on Google Play.

Introducing Pixel Robot Jump Saga on Google Play

If you have an Android phone, Pixel Robot Jump Saga (available on Google Play) is a game that has charmingly retro graphics and a simple, fun interface.

The game features, yes, a pixel robot character, and the goal is to make the little guy jump vertically as many times as you can. The catch is that he's jumping inside a moving circle, and there's a gap in the circle, so you have to time your jumps carefully so that he doesn't jump through the gap, thus ending the game.

This YouTube video gives you a very clear idea of how the game works.

This game is made by Universal Games Team, and I asked them if there was anything in particular they wanted readers to know about it. They replied, "Pixel Robot Jump Saga is an insanely difficult retro game with pixel design and vintage sounds, making Flappy Bird seem easy."

I have to agree about the vintage sounds; listening to the game reminds me of my old Atari system in the best way possible. :) And the ease of the game--you just tap to jump--reminds me of old-school games, too.

I also asked the team what makes the game fun to play, and they said, "It's a frustratingly addictive game, an almost impossible game where you must tap to help a robot jump vertically out of a rotating circle and help it get back in safely. Just test your reflexes and see if the highest score you can obtain exceeds a single digit--you'll be a master if you get a two-digit score."

Have you played a game like this, where the creators say it will be hard for you to break into two-digit scoring? Sounds like a worthy challenge, if ever I've heard one!

Learn more by checking out the free app on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixel.robot.jump.

Introducing TuiLand, Chat without Registration

Do you ever feel like chatting online but don't feel like signing up for another social website? TuiLand is a web-based chat tool that doesn't require registration. You just go to http://tuiland.com/en/, choose an avatar from a limited selection of cute, cartoony images, and then you can chat. You don't even use your real name--you use the name assigned to the avatar.

TuiLand was created with an idea in mind of the groups that form outside of the internet (classmates, work colleagues, etc). In other words, sometimes circumstances put you together with people, rather than choices based on common interests--or even geography. As anyone who has made online friends before can attest, you never know when you might meet someone with whom you end up building a lifelong friendship.

When visiting TuiLand, participants enter a social network made up of a fixed number of 32 people, equal parts men and women. The rest is totally casual. Because in TuiLand you don't use photos and real names, only avatars, you have the safety of guarding your own identity, and the freedom of chatting freely. The creators of TuiLand hope that in this new space, you can be yourself, starting from zero.

You can download the TuiLand app from Google Play, which is a fun and easy way to try chatting at different times of day when you have your phone with you and a free moment or two to try something new. Learn more about TuiLand and connect with other users in a less anonymous way on TuiLand's Facebook page.

Introducing Penguin Run Saga on Google Play

I recently interviewed one of the game designers from Universal Games Team about their car racing game called Neon 2 Cars Saga, available on Google Play. They have so many fun and creative games that I wanted to feature another game in its own post, so this post is dedicated to their game called Penguin Run Saga.

Do you love cute animal games? This game lets you be a cute penguin who is trying to catch fish, but who also encounters obstacles like snowballs and ice cones. The more fish you collect and points you rack up, the more colorful penguins you unlock. As with other games from Universal Games Team, you can compete against players all over the world using the global ranking feature.

I asked the game's creator to share what he wants people to know about the game and he described it as "a frustratingly addictive and challenging game with cute and smooth graphics." He added that his goal in creating the game was to give players an opportunity to test their reflexes with the high-speed action in the game.

The setting of this game is really fun, and as you play, be sure to carefully watch the behavior of the Antarctic and Arctic animals.

To learn more and to download the game and become a penguin legend, check out https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cartoon.penguin.run.

Meet Universal Games Team, Creator of Neon 2 Cars Racing Saga on Google Play

Universal Games Team has created a number of creative mobile apps available in the Google Play store. One such app is called Neon 2 Cars Racing and has received (at the time of this writing in early January of 2016) nearly 500 reviews, with an average of 4.6 stars.

It's a neat, tablet-optimized game that lets you race two neon cars--you control both cars at the same time, which makes it challenging to keep both moving in a straight line. The game has obstacles as well as things to collect as you race. You can challenge and compare scores with players all over the world using a leaderboard function as well as social media sharing.

Reviewers are calling it addictive, fun, and more. Our interview below is with the creator of the game.

1. How did you first get started creating apps?

I'm a self-taught designer. I picked it up from books and researching on the internet. As I learned more about apps, I started experimenting with my first hands-on introduction to building a simple user interface and handling user input. I got started by learning to use Android Studio and SDK manager, Android app design.

2. What do you like best about the process of app design?

I like to keep dreaming for ideas. It's a really creative process, and there is no end to the different apps a person can develop.

3. How do you come up with the ideas for your apps?

As I work, I draw from a lot of different influences. For this particular game, I was inspired by my enjoyment of cartoons, as well as action and adventure racing games. Neon technologies further inspire me. I also wanted to make this game a perfect fit for those that want to test their reflexes.

4. What inspired you to create Neon 2 Cars Racing Saga?

In short, I wanted to combine the beautiful properties of neon, and car racing games. I wanted a design that people would enjoy looking at, with relaxing music to listen to while they played. My goal was to create a perfect game for girls and for boys.

5. In your opinion, what separates a good app from a great one?

A great app design is one that will balance appearance with function. It should be a frustratingly-addictive game and a free game!

Learn more at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neon.cartoon.twocars.

Introducing YouQuest, An App for Self-Discovery

I always like hearing about brand-new apps, and here's one that's just been released. It's called YouQuest, and it was created by a company called 500 BC. In fact, when I clicked on the 500 BC site, I was greeted by a line which read, "Update your life, not your status," and I have to admit that this caught my interest!

The idea of the YouQuest app is that it is a game of self-discovery. As you use the app, you explore history and imagine your own ancient past. The app incorporates timeless wisdom from ancestors like Buddha. The app gives you a two-fold journey: discovering the past, and discovering yourself.

When we think about smartphones, the first thing we think of isn't generally inner wisdom or self-discovery, is it? YouQuest wants you to start using your phone for different purposes, rather than always skimming the surface of our usual activities of instant messaging, looking at viral videos, and so on.

YouQuest utilizes an algorithm and starts by guiding the user, over time, through a series of quizzes and offering targeted wisdom based on the user's responses.

The app was inspired by 500 BC's founder, Carol Phelan-Marsh, reflecting on her daughter's experience surviving cancer. She said, "My daughter survived bone cancer, and had to dig deep to do it (we all did). We used every tool, ancient and modern, to help her successfully battle osteosarcoma. I swore if she came through this that I'd launch a product to help others find their inner warriors."

You can download the app via iTunes and Google Play.

Introducing Track Kit, an App and Website to Share Travel Routes

Track Kit is a website and app with a clever idea behind it. Like many good ideas, it takes something familiar (online maps) and combines it with something unique: the ability to create your own "tracks" on the maps and include original photos at points of interest along the route that your track follows. It lets you record, upload, edit, and share GPS tracks.

It also has a built-in tool that lets you share your tracks to Facebook, which I think is great because really Track It gives you a nice-looking, visual way to share your experiences with other people.

You can track all sorts of trips. Maybe you want to track a long road trip. Maybe you want to track a walking or running path you've come up with by exploring the different streets in your neighborhood. I really like how you can add photos to your track to show people what you've seen along the way. Maybe there's something really cool but hidden--you can point it out on your track so that others can find it, too.

When you use the "upload track" feature to share your route, you can select from different options, including driving, walking, hiking, swimming, ATV, and geocaching. You can also explore tracks that others have uploaded by searching for specific places or just browsing--there's an editor's choice feature, too, that lets you look at a selection of cool tracks.

There are other cool tools to explore, too, like adding videos to your tracks and utilizing Google street view. Say you wanted to keep a blog where you recorded your travel experiences or your hikes or your bike adventures--you could embed your tracks from Track It in your blog.

To learn more, check out the Track Kit website: Track-Kit.net. Or learn more about the Track It apps for iOS and Android here: http://www.lifewaresolutions.com/trackkit_screen.html.

Introducing ZyShopper, an App for iOS and Android

Do you like window shopping? Is it hard to find the time to actually walk down the street or through the shopping mall and browse for items to buy? Well, the idea behind the ZyShopper app is to give you a browsing/shopping experience from your smartphone.

The way the app works is that when you click to open it, you're taken to a selection of ten items from one of the stores that partners with ZyShopper. You can browse through the items and, if you're interested, you can buy them and/or click to view similar items from that store. You can also choose to look at a new set of ten items from a different store.

The idea of the app is to create a fast and fun way to shop online--from anywhere. Whenever you have a few minutes, you can open the app and find new fashions. So far, over 100 of the world's largest brands are represented in the app.

For the best idea of how ZyShopper works, check out this YouTube demo:

The app is available in the iTunes store and through Google Play.

Meet Paul Etienne of 1Branch

Paul Etienne is the founder and project manager of 1Branch. His background includes graphic design and web and mobile development, and he has published games in iOS and Android in the past. Paul is a Christian looking for his true purpose, but he found he was sometimes afraid to ask questions of members of his church because he's been going to church for so long, so in 1Branch he has created a platform where people can feel free to express themselves and to find their true purpose.

1. Could you tell us a little more about some of the features you wanted to include when you came up with the idea for 1Branch--and also, how did you choose the name?

I wanted to include: a church suggestion feature that would send you notifications about suggestions for churches to attend based on reviews whenever you go to a new town or city. I came up with the name from John 15:5, in which Jesus said, "I am the Vine. You are the branches." 1Branch means each of us is 1 branch from Jesus' vine.

2. Is going to a website on a computer the only way to access or sign up for 1Branch?

No, right now we know everyone is always busy and always on the go, so there is a very responsive version of 1Branch for all mobile phones. Also, the official 1Branch app is available in the Apple app store, and in Google Play by just typing "1Branch" in your app store's search bar.

3. How have you been reaching out so far to tell people about 1Branch?

So far, we have used press releases to let the press know about 1Branch, and we use social media a lot to get the word out. Social media is now the new "word of mouth," and it is very powerful, so when people see something they like, they share it on social media with their friends.

4. The impression I got from checking out the site is that the main idea is that it's a place for conversations and mutual support. How would you describe your goals in building it--and where do you hope to see it go over the next year?

The spirit of 1Branch is to embrace the totality of the religious experience; I want to enable people to talk about issues that really matter to them, even if they are considered off-limits. When a user signs up, that user is asked to enter a denomination. This is the "Branching" section of the network. Branching offers two streams: "Dirty Laundry" and "General," and those streams are specific to the chosen denomination.

Dirty Laundry allows users to post freely and anonymously about things they don't like or don't understand, or things that confuse them, and even about secrets a denomination may have. Anyone (within the denomination branch) can comment on the posts to bring answers and clarification. The idea is to connect people who know the truth to people who are seeking the truth, so I hope that a lot of people contribute to the overall experience of 1Branch. I hope to hear people talk about how they have found the truth through 1Branch.

5. Based on your own experience, what's your advice to other people who want to develop their own apps?

If you have a good and unique idea, then go for it. Reach out to people who have done it before, and ask for advice if there are things that you do not know how to do. There are a lot of resources out there for people who are willing to learn. "Ask and it will be given to you." Matthew 7:7

Thanks, Paul!

Introducing SmartMobilePhones.net, a Source for Phones and Accessories

Personally, I find choosing a mobile phone to be one of the bigger shopping challenges of modern life. How do you know which phone is best for your personal needs? Where can you easily compare the prices and features of different phones? I'm appreciative for sites like Smart Mobile Phones which put all the popular phones and accessories into one easy-to-browse place.

The owners of Smart Mobile Phones created their site to offer a "customer-friendly" experience for people looking for smart phones, specifically iPhones and Android phones. You can contact the site owners if you have questions, comments, etc. This is a newer site, and I get the impression that the owners are going to be responsive to customer feedback as they continue to grow the site, so if you have input, let them know!

The site gives you a lot of good prices on smart phones, and you can compare prices and features to find the deal that works best for you. When it comes to iPhones especially, prices can vary depending on the cell service provider, so it's useful to see the different options brought together on a single page. And with Android phones, different manufacturers have created phones that offer a variety of looks, capabilities, and more. It really does help when a site like this presents your options all together.

Smart Mobile Phones is seamlessly integrated with Amazon to offer easy ordering as well as access to additional information like customer reviews. It's a smooth and simple way to shop for phones and phone accessories!

Meet Paul Grossinger, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of MMGuardian

Paul Grossinger is one of the co-founders of MMGuardian, which is an android application that protects kids from cyber-bullying and texting while driving. It also lets parents block kids' phone use in school.

1. What motivated you to create MMGuardian?

My co-founders and I realized that parents needed an effective way to manage their children's smartphones. Texting and driving, cyberbullying, sexting, and even general phone management are major issues parents struggle with that we designed MMGuardian to solve for parents.

2. Looking at your website, I noticed a lot of features parents can use. Would you tell us a little more about the specific features that come with the purchase of MMGuardian?

Absolutely. With MMGuardian, parents get comprehensive parental control. That includes: the ability to lock or locate your child's phone anytime with simple text commands, advance scheduling capability for locking and locating, blocking capability for calls and apps that you deem unsafe, text message monitoring, and the ability to stop teens from texting while driving.

3. What devices currently work with MMGuardian?

MMGuardian Parental Control works with all android smartphones. MMGuardian Tablet Security works with all android tablets.

4. What prevents kids from disabling or reconfiguring the apps themselves?

MMGuardian includes proprietary uninstall protection and tamper prevention technology, which parents can enable to stop teens from reconfiguring or removing the application.

5. How have parents and kids responded to your product so far?

MMGuardian has been greeted with excitement by parents across the US, and MMGuardian Parental Control has been installed by over 120,000 parents and won six product awards.

Thanks, Paul!

An Introduction to Coherent Solutions: Software Development Outsourcing

The process of developing a piece of software for commercial release is, of course, not an easy one. But small or large companies engaged in this process don't have to go it alone--and they don't have to create permanent staff positions for a temporary project. Coherent Solutions is an outsourcing software development company which offers a variety of services to assist in the development, testing, and maintenance of commercial grade software.

Professionals from Coherent Solutions can augment a company's existing staff and help make sure that a software project is delivered in top form and on time. These professionals have expertise in a variety of platforms, including development for mobile platforms such as Android and Apple's iOS. There's more information about Coherent Solutions' mobile services here: http://www.coherentsolutions.com/services/mobile-development.

Founded in 1995, Coherent Solutions has 350 full-time employees who have completed over 500 projects. They have four offices in the United States and Europe, and the company debuted on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2012.

To quote from their website, "Teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage." With their collaborative work culture, the team at Coherent Solutions is ready to go to work for you.

Meet Daphne and Diane, Creators of Tell a Fortune

Tell a Fortune is a fun, intuitive app based on principles of astrology and cardomancy, and meant to give "answers, inspiration, and hope." Inspired by the Tell a Fortune board game, the app is available on iPhone and iPad and soon to be available for Android.

Daphne Weld-Nichols is a renowned psychic, intuitive, healer, astrologer, fortune teller, reiki master, numerologist, tarot card reader, and feng shui practitioner. Daphne had her first psychic awareness experience at age seven. Since then she has devoted over 30 years to researching the mysteries of various healing frequencies of sound, color, music, crystals, gemstones, far infrared light, flower essences, flower energy, aromatherapy, power animals, feng shui balancing, and crystal energy healings.

Diane Dalpe is an intuitive counselor, card reader, psychic, palmist, reiki master, and life coach. From her earliest years, she possessed a unique ability to predict events prior to them happening. These unusual gifts motivated her to learn as much as possible about the paranormal and psychic awareness. She developed an understanding of how to use her natural psychic ability to help others through the use of their own tarot cards, palmistry crystal energy, and reiki healings. She draws upon all of these special gifts to guide her clients in her life coach practice.

The interview below is with Diane.

1. What was your process for taking your knowledge of card readings and fortune telling and making it available in the format of a mobile app?

Well, it's been nearly three decades since the release of our Tell a Fortune board game, which offers answers to people's questions via cards and an astrological wheel. We created the company in 1977, long before people had cell phones of course! Our mission has always been to provide high quality psychic guidance and tarot readings to all areas of one's life, including but not limited to relationships, career, finances, and health issues.

The process started when Daphne was a young girl and she used to rely on her gut or "personal guidance system" (the letters GPS rearranged). To help interpret her own feelings, she marked up an ordinary deck of playing cards, assigning meanings to numbers and suits. For example, the ten of diamonds meant big money, success and advancement, while the ace of spades was a major change, challenge, or decision. When faced with a choice, Daphne would read the cards. Friends called her so often asking what cards meant that she finally designed a deck everyone could use, enlisting a graphic artist to illustrate each card. The cards could be placed on a circular zodiac chart, which came with the deck. The whole set was dubbed Tell a Fortune.

Now everyone is carrying around smart devices, so we felt that it would be good to have the cards be mobile! They have a whole new modern life to them now! And with so many negative things in the environment, it's a challenge to stay positive every day; that's why ultimately why we wanted to make the app: It's renewal every day at your fingertips.

2. What can users do with the Tell a Fortune app?

Imagine being able at any time to ask questions and receive instant answers about any of life's important decisions or concerns. People can play by themselves, or with friends and family! The Tell a Fortune App is fun, accurate and insightful! Users are just a click away from receiving a Tell a Fortune card containing messages and answers to their questions along with daily affirmations. Users will download this app to receive amazingly accurate answers and future predictions to their questions about love, money, or any general category. The Tell a Fortune app will appeal to anyone interested in card reading, horoscopes, and the Zodiac; this includes beginners and experienced card readers.

Tell a Fortune is a fun, intuitive psychic oracle game that users will want to play again and again. They can ask as many questions a day as many times a day as they want. In the "Ask a Question" section, users can choose between three categories of questions: Love, Money, or General Questions. Users will receive straightforward answers and positive affirmations. They will also be able to play the "Zodiac Game of Life" which consists of 12 astrological houses representing 12 aspects of one's life including; Money, Relationships, Career, Health, and Goals. It can be played individually or with family and friends. A "Tell a Fortune" card will appear with insightful messages for each house. When playing with others you can take turns being the reader and interpreter of the other player’s cards.

3. Does the app have social features as well, to allow users to connect with each other?

"The Social Zodiac Game of Life" can be played with up to 12 players from all parts of world. This divination consists of a live, ongoing chat room in which the players can discuss their messages and other players' readings. This is a great way to develop your own intuition by giving suggestions, interpretations, and even guidance to others in your game. There is also a permanent chat room for use outside of the social game.

4. How can people benefit from daily affirmations, and could you describe the role of affirmations within Tell a Fortune?

Affirmations on the Tell a Fortune app are positive little bits to help a person's mind to start thinking positive. A lot of research has been done over the last two decades about happy, successful people. Time and again research shows that successful people aren't happy so much as happy people are successful. They found happiness comes first and then success follows, not the other way around like our culture would have us believe. Our affirmations help users be grateful for who they are right now and to cultivate an attitude of gratitude that is receptive to good things happening. The Tell a Fortune app doesn't have downers; there are no predictions of doom or gloom. The messages and the cards are designed to be direct and inspirational. The affirmations are not included as a bonus but as a very real tool in helping users create the life they want live.

5. In your experience, how does an openness to asking questions have an effect on people's lives?

Because people make their own reality, the answer is more effective if you believe it will be. However, there are skeptics and science-oriented people who became believers after getting unexpectedly accurate cards. One of these was me! I began marketing Daphne's cards after leaving a career as one of the first female executives at Gillette. I swore I'd never read them myself--until I started doing it by accident. As I demonstrated how the cards worked to prospective buyers, they would exclaim I was spot-on and ask how I could possibly know these things! I became a believer! I love how these cards show people they have options, and we love putting people in touch with instincts they may have ignored until now.

Thanks, Diane!