It's been a long time waiting, but Diablo 3
is finally a reality. Unfortunately, most of us won't be able to spend
24 hours a day and 7 days a week playing it. So, for those times when
you are stuck on the subway (or just stuck on the can), here are a few
games that can give you that Diablo-fix in a more mobile fashion:
Dungeon Hunter 2.
Easily the best outright Diablo clone for the iPad, Dungeon Hunter 2
will make any fan of isometric RPGs feel right at home. The game has
three classes, each of which can be specialized in different ways. This gives you a lot of options on how you want to go about playing the game. What about Dungeon Hunter 3? Unfortunately, the sequel falls short of being the great dungeon-exploring item-hunting RPG that a Diablo clone is supposed to be.
The Bard's Tale.
If like humor with your RPG, The Bard's Tale is the game for you. A
rather good port of the 2004 PS2/Xbox game, the newest updates include
the classic Bard's Tale and Bard's Tale II games from the 80s.
Mage Gauntlet.
A retro-style game, Mage Gauntlet is a carefully crafted action-RPG
that harkens back to the days of Legend of Zelda. With a unique magic
system and plenty of loot, this one should hold you over for those
times when you can't play Diablo 3.
Infinity Blade.
Infinity Blade's combat has always reminded me of what an action RPG
would be like if Blizzard had designed one for the iPad. Simply put, Epic Games
nailed melee combat on a touchscreen. Not quite the dungeon-exploring
item-gathering RPG that Diablo is known for being, but easily one of
the best RPGs on the iPad. You can also download the sequel, Infinity Blade II, or just check out the trailer for Infinity Blade: Dungeons, which looks to be more of a true Diablo clone.
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Don't Hold Your Breath for a New 10-inch iPad in 2012
The new rumors started with a report from Digitimes, a website well known for reporting anything and everything Apple-related that passes across their desk. And as with any website that repeats every rumor or whisper, they are usually wrong.
Reports of a 7-inch "iPad Mini" in August could hit a little bit closer to home. While the actual release date is anyone's guess at this point, it wouldn't be a big surprise if Apple released a smaller tablet. Not only would a 7-inch iPad compete directly with the Kindle Fire, it would also give a cheaper alternative to schools looking to adopt the iPad and the iBooks platform.
But don't look for the 4th generation iPad until 2013. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say it will be released in the March.
iPad 101: A New User's Guide
iPad: So Easy an Ape Can Use It
OK. Maybe I'm the only one with that particular concern.
The Associated Press story is rather cool. The orangutans seem rather similar to humans in that the younger teenagers are attracted to using the iPad as a communication device while the older orangutans mostly ignore the technology. The orangutans already communicate with their trainers using sign language, and the hope is that the iPad will allow them to communicate with people who don't know sign language.
I guess if cats can have an iPad game built for them, apes can have an iPad app to use as a messaging platform. But the first time I get a FaceTime request from an ape, I'm going to start getting worried.
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