strokes

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  • MyVoice app for iOS and Android enables the mute to talk (video)

    by 
    Jacob Schulman
    Jacob Schulman
    04.07.2011

    Talking is something most of us take for granted, but a new app called MyVoice -- currently available for iOS and coming soon to Android -- is attempting to give the ability back to those who aren't as fortunate. Developed by a group of University of Toronto students after being approached by a man who had a stroke, the location-based app allows users to "speak" pre-programmed text macros using text-to-speech. You can't add new phrases from within the app just yet, though for now there's an online portal that also allows relatives to configure strings and organize them into "places" for the ultimate user. We checked out the app and it seems to work as advertised -- there's a pretty extensive word pack that comes with it. You can score the free download at the more coverage link below, and we've got a video demo after the break.

  • TUAW's Daily App: White Lines

    by 
    Mike Schramm
    Mike Schramm
    05.05.2010

    This iPhone game borrows its title from Grandmaster Flash, but rather than a game about the perils of drug addiction, it's actually a memory game. Kyle Webster is an illustrator who made this Simon-like drawing challenge. The game offers up a series of white strokes on the screen, and its your job to replicate them exactly. Get them right to earn a higher score, but get three wrong and your game is over. The game's simplicity is outweighed by its speed. As with the traditional Simon game, things can get overwhelming very fast. There are quite a few difficulty levels for all kinds of gamers, and the experience of drawing with a purpose on the multitouch screen does keep it interesting. OpenFeint integration means you can challenge friends for high scores, too, which increases the replayability. The one drawback I found (and maybe it's just because I was playing the game on my 1G) was that, at times, registering the strokes was wonky. I would draw it correctly, but because the game was chugging along, it would miss one of my marks or think I lifted a finger when I didn't. The recent update to the game fixes some error strokes, though, so maybe the author will smooth that out in the future. Still, for US$0.99, White Lines is a fun touchscreen twist on the memory game, and the stark style is compelling. It's definitely worth a download, and it might even be good for keeping young ones busy while waiting in line or driving around town.