Urbanspoon, the leading mobile restaurant discovery app has today released its first annual Top High-End Restaurant List, recognizing the most highly acclaimed restaurants in the United States. The most comprehensive list of its kind, it highlights 250 of the top restaurants in the nation, the result of analyzing more than 600,000 restaurants, millions of reviews from professional food critics, the Urbanspoon community and diners.

“We would like to congratulate this list of restaurants who stand out among all the high-end restaurants in the US," said Kara Nortman, SVP of Consumer Businesses, CityGrid Media. "Based on restaurants that received the most favorable reviews from Urbanspoon's critic, blogger and diner communities, the list truly highlights a myriad of establishments from the expected like the Bay Area's French Laundry, to the unexpected places like Restaurant Iris in Memphis."
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The Urbanspoon Top High-End Restaurant List covers 36 states and 64 metropolitan areas, including New York, San Francisco and Chicago, as well as smaller locations such as Destin, Florida. You can view the complete list here: Urbanspoon Blog | America's Most Popular High-End Restaurants, and the newly re-launched Urbanspoon app for iPhone can be downloaded for free here: App Store - Urbanspoon

Source: Urbanspoon

For those of you who are nostalgic for older firmware, you will be pleased to hear that the iPhone Dev-Team has just released a solution that allows newer iOS devices like the iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and the new iPad to be downgraded to lower earlier firmware versions.

The fix is called RedSn0w 0.9.11b1 and allows for those who unwillingly or accidentally updated their devices to iOS 5.1 or iOS 5.1.1 to go back to their preferred versions of choice iOS 5.0.1. for an untethered Jailbreak. But users willing to get started will have to meet a set of requirements before they can proceed to the next level. You will have to make sure you have your SHSH blobs from iOS 5.0.1 saved. You will also not be relying on an unlock that will require a certain baseband version.

Provided you meet these two criteria you can move on and get your device downgraded. The first step is to download RedSn0w 0.9.11b1 for Mac OS X. After you make sure all the downloaded files are available, your A5 iOS device will go in DFU mode. Then just run RedSn0w. A menu will pop up. Choose Extras. Then click on the Even More option. Finally hit the Restore menu button. You will have to select your iOS 5.0.1. firmware files and match it to the iOS 5.1.1. firmware files by clicking the IPSW button.

All that’s left now is the Blobs section. For users who have saved their SHSH blobs in the past with the help Cydia, nothing more remains to be done... just click the Remote button. If you have not saved your blobs, then click on the Local button and find them on your computer. After you have done so, only 10 seconds stand between you and your downgraded device. This is a beautiful and simple release by the Dev-Team.

By Radu

Source: Redsn0w update lets iPad 2, new iPad, iPhone 4S downgrade to older firmware | TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Sega announced today that as expected, it will be bringing Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II to iOS. This new adventure sees Sonic taking on two legendary rivals with the help of one of his oldest friends, the foxy legend himself, Miles “Tails” Prower.

“Sonic 4 Episode II is very special because we’ve integrated community feedback into the game,” said Haruki Satomi, Senior Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA of America. “We have some of the most loyal and dedicated fans and I hope they enjoy this next chapter in the Sonic 4 saga.”

As previously reported, with the release of Sonic 4 Episode II, Sega also gives players who downloaded Episode I the exclusive chance to download Episode Metal, a special unlockable story that is available to anyone owning both games on the same platform. Episode Metal sees the player getting the chance to lead Metal Sonic, one of Sonic’s greatest rivals, across four reworked Acts from Episode I, during which you’ll find out more about how he survived the events at the end of Sonic CD.


Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II will be released for iOS on May 17.

Source: SEGA

9to5 Mac says that it has heard word from an app developer that it has noticed that the “iOS6” string has all of a sudden popped up in its analytics software, which of course means that someone, somewhere, is running the developer’s app on iOS 6. The developer is unable to pinpoint exactly when this started happening, but has narrowed it down to within the past week. 9to5 Mac says that it has also heard from other developers who saw iOS 6 strings appearing in their analytics software from late April onwards. 9to5 Mac says that this could well mean that Apple has started iOS 6 compatibility testing with apps from the App Store, as this was exactly what happened last year prior to the launch of the next iOS. 9to5 Mac has previously reported that it believes there to be many different versions of iOS 6 “floating around” Apple’s headquarters, possibly readying for a rumoured launch at Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference in June.

Source: Developers begin seeing iOS 6 hits in App Store application usage logs | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence

BGR writes today about a new report on Digitimes that says that according to industry sources, Apple has contracted Nitto Denko to supply touch panels that use G/F2 thin-film technology for the forthcoming iPad mini. Wintek, which is one of the companies that often supplies Apple with touch modules, is said to not have the ability to make thin-film. According to the source, the new touchscreens will be 7.85 inches diagonally, and will also be much thinner, because of the G/F2 thin-film technology, which enables the tablet to have one less layer of film than the usual G/F/F (glass/film/film) devices. Using G/F2 also helps Apple to reduce costs. The sources also say that the iPad mini will be more transparent. Digitimes says that the iPad mini will be released in the fourth quarter of this year, and that Digitimes’ sources expect Apple to ship between 7 to 10 million of these new iPad minis in 2012.

Source: Apple iPad mini to use new ultra-thin touch technology
7.85-inch iPad said to use thin-film touch

Business Insider reports today on the thoughts of Macquarie analyst Ben Schacter, who writes that an iOS version of the Google Chrome browser is in the works. According to Schacter, “Apple may already be reviewing Google’s submitted code for a Chrome browser for iOS.” Schacter says that he expects this new iOS browser to be released as early as Q2, or, failing that, sometime later this year. Aside from being welcomed with open arms by all those owners of iOS devices who like using Chrome on their computers and wish there was a version for their iPhone or iPad, Business Insider says that this would also be very good news for Google too, as the company currently pays Apple around 50% to 60% revenue share for searches that are done in the Safari browser’s search box. If Google had its own browser installed on iOS platforms, however, it would be able to keep all revenue raised from searches on its browser. Business Insider notes that Apple does not let third-party apps such as Chrome be defaults on an iOS device, so clicking on an email link will always open up the site on Safari, rather than any other browser, but even without being a default browser, Chrome is likely to be a very popular addition to iOS devices.

Source: Google's Chrome Browser Is Coming For iOS, Says Macquarie - Business Insider
via MacRumors

Interviews are never fun, but some people always seem to ace them whereas others tend to freeze up or get so nervous that they have trouble showing their true personality in the interview and lose out on the job in the process. Now Tap to It Mobile Applications has come up with an app called Mock Job Interview for iPhone and iPad, which is a simulation of a real job interview. The app features a compilation of some of the toughest and most commonly asked interview questions, and even uses the iPhone or iPad’s built-in video recording feature to capture all aspects of the user’s answers, not just the answers to the questions but also the interviewee’s facial expressions and tone of voice. All questions presented to you are in random order, and you can’t pick which questions you want to answer, just as in a real interview. Your answers will also be saved in video format, so that you can review them later and see where you went wrong (or right!), you can even share them on Facebook.

Click here to download for $1.99: App Store - Mock Job Interview

Source: Tap to it Mobile Applications

9to5 Mac reports today that Apple has finally bowed to pressure from consumer groups and changed the name of the iPad Wi-Fi + 4G to iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular in various countries around the world where its marketing of the new iPad has been criticized, and even met with legal action in Australia. The controversy over the marketing of the new iPad abroad revolves around the fact that Apple was still branding it as 4G LTE-capable outside the US and Canada, when in fact this facility is not currently available to customers outside the US and Canada. 9to5 Mac notes that so far, the name of this particular version of the new iPad has only been changed in the UK, Australia, the US, Canada, UAE, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Ireland, and Hong Kong. It’s not known if Apple intends to change the name in all of the other countries throughout the world where the new iPad is currently on sale.

Source: Apple changes name of ‘iPad WiFi + 4G’ to ‘iPad WiFi + Cellular’ in many countries following international criticism | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence

Quite some time back now on iPadForums.net we featured a Kickstarter project from Matthew McLachlan called the SoundJaw, a handy little gadget that was designed with the purpose of enhancing the sound from your iPad speaker. The initial project went so well that Matthew has now developed the SoundJaw Unlimited, and you can find out more about the project at the link at the bottom of this post. The new SoundJaw Unlimited can fit the iPhone as well as the iPad, and is smaller and more versatile, as well as being able to fit more devices, due to its spring-loaded grips. It even fits over your iPad case or SmartCover. As with the first SoundJaw, the Unlimited version works by simply clipping onto the back of your iPad or iPhone, so that it covers the speaker, and can then amplify the sound from the speaker. And because the new SoundJaw has a larger mouth, it can amplify the sound even more. Looks like Matthew’s onto another winner!

Source: SoundJaw Unlimited-Sound Enhancer For iPad, iPhone, Etc... by Matthew McLachlan — Kickstarter

BGR reports that the iOS version one of the very first, if not the first, FPS games, Wolfenstein 3D, can currently be downloaded for free from the App Store, for a limited time only, and that is for the full version, including all six of the original episodes with 60 levels. The game looks pretty basic now, of course, but you can’t deny its place in video gaming history. Hard to imagine now, but at one time this was pretty revolutionary stuff. It really does take you back, and even the music makes you incredibly nostalgic. The game’s legendary creators, id Software, are giving retro gaming fans this treat in honour of the game’s 20th anniversary. They have also made a free browser version of the game to play on your computer that features the first three episodes and 30 levels. In the game, you take on the role of OSA super agent B.J. Blazkowicz, as you attempt to escape from Castle Wolfenstein. The iOS version features an all-new control system especially designed for iOS devices by id Software founder, John Carmack, who has long been a vocal supporter of iOS gaming back when it wasn’t taken that seriously by serious gamers.

Click here to download the free game: App Store - Wolfenstein 3D Classic Platinum

Source: ?Wolfenstein 3D? free on the iPhone, iPad and on Web