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Irreverent confession: An interview with Faxion Online's UTV True Games
You're dead -- so sorry, chap! Fortunately, that doesn't mean your gaming adventures are over. On the contrary, according to Faxion Online, they've just begun. In the world of Limbo, players are pulled between the forces of heaven and hell as they fight each other through the physical manifestations of the seven deadly sins. Curious about Faxion Online, we sat down with UTV True Games to discuss the deep issues of beta, religion and epeens. Massively: How's the progress toward closed beta coming along? UTV True Games: It's coming along at an insane pace. The team is focused and beating away at the long list of tasks that loom before us all prior to launching beta as well as the game. We are working on zones, abilities and items, along with wrapping up features and tightening the nuts and bolts of various aspects of the game. The team was able to catch their breath over the holidays a bit, so it's going to allow us to have a good strong kick to the finish.
Visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem with iKotel on your iPhone
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has released iKotel, an iOS app that lets iPhone owners make a virtual visit to the Western Wall, one of Judaism's most sacred sites. According to Western Wall Heritage Foundation president Joseph Loshinsky, the app was developed to address the age-old problem of "people dreaming of Jerusalem but not being able to get there." In Hebrew, the word "Kotel" means "wall," and the Western Wall is known as HaKotel, "The Wall." The app features a live video feed of the Kotel (except for the Sabbath, Friday night through Saturday night, when traditionally observant Jews do not use electronics). The app can also be used to send a personalized prayer to the Western Wall, which will be recorded by the Kotel's rabbinic staff and placed within a crevice of the ancient stones. The app leverages the GPS and gyroscope of the iPhone to help users point themselves towards the Western Wall for a time of prayer. While it won't replace an actual visit to the Western Wall, it is a handy and portable connection to this ancient and intriguing place. The iKotel app made its debut on the App Store earlier this week and is available for free in English, Hebrew and Russian. Comments are inactive. To send questions to TUAW regarding this app or this post, please use our feedback form.
iBless Torah provides a mobile trainer for Bar/Bat Mitzvah students
On the eve of the most important holiday in the Jewish calendar -- Yom Kippur, the day of atonement -- it's traditional for observant Jews to seek forgiveness for the wrongs they have done to friends and family over the past year. For me, it's far too late to atone for my slack study habits back when I was preparing for my Bar Mitzvah, but perhaps I can help out some struggling Hebrew school students out there with a quick pointer to the $1.99 iBless Torah app, a learning assistant specifically for the rite of passage for 13-year-olds. iBless Torah includes the traditional blessings that kids learn & chant during their ceremonies, with audio assistance and word-by-word indications. I checked with the nearest available rabbinic authority -- my wife, whose ordination as a rabbi is scheduled for May -- and she gave it a thumbs-up. I'll let her feedback take it from here: The Hebrew chanting is clear and slow, with each word highlighting as it's chanted, so it's easy to follow. I like that in the Settings you can choose to see just Hebrew, just transliteration, or both. The 'About the Blessings' section gives good, concise information and there's a translation of the Torah blessings, which is nice. I'd like to see a translation of the Haftarah blessings added to the app. All the English explanations and translations refer to God as He, Him, and Lord; I would prefer gender-neutral language for God, but of course using masculine terminology when referring to God is very common. The Reform Jewish tradition uses a blessing after the Haftarah that is significantly different from the one in this app. For the other three blessings, however, I would recommend this app to my students who are learning the Torah and Haftarah blessings. Davka's other apps are worth checking out, as well. Good luck, kids, and remember: just imagine that the congregation is sitting there in their underwear. If that helps at all.
