Facebook Friends: How Many Is Too Many?

Posted on May 17, 2012 by spyder

Those who log in to Facebook on a regular basis, like me, would agree that different types of users exist. Some of us would not fail to post an update every few hours, sharing the tiniest of details of our lives with our network of friends. Others tend to be less obsessed with that, choosing instead to maintain a low profile while observing postings from our peers on our newsfeed. We can even categorize these users in terms of the types of updates they tend to post, such as complaints about life or work, philosophical musings, photos, etc.

(Image credit: Creoleindc)

Regardless of the difference in usage, the basis of using Facebook is still for sharing information. We’ve seen users who have more than a thousand ‘friends’ in their account but we all know that not all of these friends are equal. For starters, for some of the updates you post, you’ll only wish that the posts are seen by a select few. Unless you diligently tweak your privacy settings, most of your ‘friends’ will see the majority of your postings, and vice versa. This raises the question: is having more friends on Facebook a good thing?

Recommended Reading: Essential Facebook Etiquette: 10 Dos And Don’ts

Fulfilling Social Needs

Usually, we would associate a ‘small community’ with a tight-knit group of people whom we are close with – family members and friends who we interact with on a regular, if not daily, basis. When it comes to a ‘large community’, the sense of kinship is lost in the midst of the multiple layers of network. This is where cliques start to form, but the in-group ties within these cliques can become so strong that people who don’t belong to the group are treated as outsiders.

The same analogy can be applied to the ‘relationships’ on Facebook. Technically, the more ‘friends’ we have, the fewer our interactions are with most of them. You usually end up having only a few ‘friends’ who would regularly comment on your posts or interact with you. More likely than not, these few are also your close friends offline.

The rest of your ‘friends’ on Facebook are obsolete, irrelevant, disconnected, and just random receivers of your updates. You’ll get updates from them as well, but you’d probably treat these indifferently or treat them as pet peeves, the same way they treat your status updates.

(Image credit: Mashable)

As a matter of fact, having fewer ‘friends’ on your list may be better, simply because the worth of your interaction with them will be more valuable. Having access to their updates is not enough, it’s the interaction that we eagerly crave. As it is with the offline world, we hang out with the people we are most comfortable with. The online world is not that much more different.

Sharing at the cost of Privacy

Do not underestimate the power of gossip in social networks. Nothing spreads news faster through the grapevine than word-of-mouth. The issue here is the sharing of your information to people whom you don’t even know. The problem comes when your info spreads to the friends of your friends. When you post complaints about work or study, or worse still about your business clients, eventually one of these gripes may get you into trouble when they accidentally spread to the ears of the people you were complaining about. The more ‘friends’ you have, the easier a connection can be made. The loss of your privacy through such voluntary sharing actually makes your position all the more vulnerable and you can’t do anything about it!

(Image credit: SteveWeigl)

If you exercised more restraint in the selection of your ‘friends’ on Facebook, then these updates will have less bearing on your reputation. Or you can always choose the alternative and just not post anything bad about anyone on Facebook.

Free flow of Information

The networking service which Facebook provides not only applies to friends per se, but also to acquaintances. The exchange of information between you and the rest of your ‘friends’ in the network is precisely what makes Facebook valuable. Just as you how you filter the news in the papers on any day, you can also filter out and read only what captures your attention on the newsfeed. The important thing is, the updates from all your peers are there; the more ‘friends’ you add, the more information you would receive.

(Image credit: Nutshellmail)

From this point of view, having more ‘friends’ would benefit the one who reads the newsfeed, more than the one who shares updates. As for the sharer, the advantage is that he or she gets to influence more people with their updates. In fact, this is what fan pages are for. The aim is to gather as many fans as possible to provide the information that fans wish to know and keep updated on. Nevertheless, there are always certain private details of your life which you’d prefer to share with only a select group of friends or family.

Quality over Quantity, Anyone?

After reading the above, you may have uncovered the relevance of the type of friends you have on Facebook to what it is that you hope to get from the giant social network. If it is to keep yourself informed of the latest buzz among your peers, quantity matters more. The same applies to users who want to spread certain messages through the network. However, if maintaining social ties with your existing friends and family is more important to you, then the fewer the number of friends you have, the better the quality of interaction. You don’t have to accept every single friend request you receive, especially when they come from random strangers or people you have only spoken once to or have no reason to interact with ever again.

(Image credit: Ezatkamel)

Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra-Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Posted on May 16, 2012 by spyder

In the art of photography you will find many small niches of focus. The technique of using an ultra wide-angle lens for one, has been around for quite some time and can display a deep level of professionalism. Yet even amateur and professional photographers alike can utilize these unique lenses in their own work.

I’ve taken the liberty to collect a showcase of brilliant UWA photographs. The collection includes shots from cities and countries all around the world. In the past we have written on panoramic photography which offers a similar yet distinguished feeling. If you have thoughts or examples of your own wide-angle photos, feel free to share them with us in the discussion area.

Recommended Reading: Beautiful Tilt-Shift Photography

Sunset over Neist Point (Image source: Alexandre Moreau)

01 scotland neist point Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Christmas Tree Square in Georgia (Image source: Greg Foster)

02 the square christmas time Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Bryce Canyon (Image source: Brian McIntyre)

03 utah bryce canyon Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Pluto in Disneyworld (Image source: Samantha Decker)

04 pluto at disney world Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Light Rain over Zion Canyon (Image source: Brian McIntyre)

05 rain over zion canyon Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Tokyo City View (Image source: Will Stotler)

06 tokyo city view Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Manhattan NYC Pier (Image source: Ayinde)

07 manhattan pier Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Whale Beach, Australia (Image source: Jack Chauvel)

08 whale beach australia Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Cold Twilight in Lexington Massachusetts (Image source: Rowland Williams)

09 cold twilight Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Martha’s Vineyard Path (Image source: Samantha Decker)

10 marthas vineyard Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Canyon in Utah (Image source: Brian McIntyre)

11 diminishing canyon sunlight Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Dalles Mountain Ranch (Image source: Daniel Parks)

12 dalles mountain ranch Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Scenic Route in Disneyland (Image source: Hamilton!)

13 epcot scenic route Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Flying Over Central Park (Image source: Mike Wan)

14 over central park Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Cherry Blossoms in Japan (Image source: Francis)

15 cherry blossoms midtown tokyo Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Italy on the Water (Image source: ChrisFitzPhotography)

16 seaside italy Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Philippines Landmarks (Image source: Adem Chua)

17 philippines ruins Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Shadow of the Day (Image source: Trim Reaper)

18 shadow of the day Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Out Walking the Dog (Image source: Rowland Williams)

19 snowy field lexington massachusetts Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Iowa Fields & Sky (Image source: Arthur Domagala)

20 rural iowa mailbox Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Sunset at Cave Rock (Image source: Brian McIntyre)

21 sunset at cave rock Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

The Assonet Edge (Image source: Frank Grace)

22 new england ledge Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Looking Downriver (Image source: Greg Foster)

23 atlanta georgia riverside Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Lake Grasmere, United Kingdom (Image source: Dennis Fischer)

24 lake grasmere united kingdom Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Open Gate to Nature (Image source: Dennie Fischer)

25 cumbrian hills Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

University of California, Berkeley (Image source: Daniel Parks)

26 university california berkely Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Snoqualmie Falls (Image source: Nizam Jusoh)

27 snoqualmie falls Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

San Francisco from Twin Peaks (Image source: Darcy McCarty)

28 san francisco from twin peaks Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Quiet Fishing Boat (Image source: Dennis Fischer)

29 fishing boat england Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Los Angeles Park (Image source: Chriztrax)

30 los angeles giffith park Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Foggy Golden Gate Bridge (Image source: Dr Tebi)

31 golden gate bridge Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Hudson River, New York (Image source: Mike Wan)

32 hudson river breakneck mountains Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

The Tall Ship (Image source: David Burnet)

33 glasgow port tall ship Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Osaka – Night Temple (Image source: Ernest Wong)

34 osaka temple Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Hollywood Studios: Sorcerer’s Hat (Image source: Hamilton!)

35 hollywood studios sorcerers hat Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Old Pumping Factory (Image source: Mike Bing)

36 riverside pumping station Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Blue Mediterranean (Image source: ChrisFitzPhotography)

37 mediterranean blue Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Oregon Tundra (Image source: Douglas Remington)

38 oregon tundra Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Autumn on Beebe Lake (Image source: Scott Thomas)

39 autumn lake Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Rainbow Kite (Image source: Car Trev)

40 rainbow kite Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Retro 1931 Ford (Image source: Tom Sales)

41 1931 ford modelt Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Hiking The Great Wall (Image source: Phillip Walker)

42 hiking great wall of china Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Winter is Golden (Image source: Tom Bower)

43 winter is golden Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Shadows in Spring (Image source: imad1510)

44 olympus spring Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Los Alamos Pond (Image source: cfmcmillan)

45 ashley pond los alamos Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Illinois Christmas Eve 2010 (Image source: Seth Oliver Photographic Art)

46 chicago christmas eve 2010 Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Chicago Lights at Night (Image source: Mike Wan)

47 lower downtown chicago illinois Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Carnival Ferris Wheel (Image source: Nic Prins)

48 brisbane australia ferris wheel Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Manitou Springs Dawn (Image source: Nick Anderson)

49 manitou springs Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Bay of Deba, Spain (Image source: Jonas Eberhardt)

50 bay of deba spain Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Urban Station in Brisbane (Image source: Nic Prins)

51 urban brisbane australia Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Taiwan Landscape (Image source: Ah Zhi)

52 taiwan landscape Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Old Shack (Image source: Rasmus Zetter)

53 olympus old smithy Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Mansion Lights (Image source: Erwin G.)

54 full mansion landscape Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Love at the Pier (Image source: Frederic Giloy)

55 lonely pier Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Budapest Rooftops (Image source: tik_tok)

56 budapest hungary Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Large Airplane (Image source: Michael Flanagan)

57 wisconsin airplane runway Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Cogsworth and Lumière (Image source: Samantha Decker)

58 cogsworth and lumiere Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Berkeley Rose Garden (Image source: Daniel Parks)

59 berkely rose garden Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Central Park Pond (Image source: Davy Timmermans)

60 central park nyc Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Purple Dawn (Image source: Brett Valentine)

61 dawn at sunrise Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

King in the Throne (Image source: Santos Corpas)

62 landscapes in spain Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Natural Green (Image source: Ah Zhi)

63 leafy sunlight Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Lanterns at Night (Image source: Zbigniew Ratajczak)

64 night lanterns ceremony Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Downtown Huntsville, Alabama (Image source: Brad Lackey)

65 huntsville alabama Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

A Mouse’s Perspective (Image source: Nick Anderson)

66 to a mouse Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Woods in Canada (Image source: Chris)

67 sprucewoods canada Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Panorama Overlooking Injebreck (Image source: Kjell-Arne Nordgard)

68 isle of man uk Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Calm Landscape Sunrise (Image source: Ah Zhi)

69 slow taiwan sunrise Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

Big Ben in London (Image source: Steve Bartlett)

70 london parliament Showcase of 70 Awesome Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Photos

How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

Posted on May 16, 2012 by spyder

ePub is an open standard format for ebooks, a format used to publish electronic books, magazines and newspapers. The difference between an ePub format file with a normal doc file is its reflowability to suit the many display dimensions of mobile devices i.e. tablets, smartphones etc. It was created to be flexible with font size and text layout, allowing you to read the same material on any mobile device that you may own.

However, it is not possible to open files with *.ePub extensions on your browsers, even though you can do that with *.pdf and *.doc (opened with Google Docs) files. To open *.ePub formatted files, you need an ebook-reader application like those available on tablets like the iPad, or e-readers like the Kindle or Nook. With more and more publishers switching to producing their ebooks in .ePub versions, you may think that the only way you can keep your reading habits up is to get yourself an e-reader or tablet. Hold that thought.

In this quick tip, we are going to share with you how you can open *.ePub files on your browser with EPUBReader on Firefox and MagicScroll on Chrome. These extensions are made as a minimalist ebook reader that will allow you to browse through ebooks directly from these two browsers.

Recommended Reading: E-book Readers & Managers – Best of

EPUBReader for Firefox

if you are using Firefox, get to the EPUBReader extension page and click the green button ‘Add to Firefox’ to install EPUBReader.

epub firefox install How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

When installation is complete, you will see an additional button appear at the top right corner of your Firefox browser, click the button to launch EPUBReader.

You will then be redirected to your reader page where you will find lots of ebook collections that are available from archive.org and feedbook.com for free.

epub firefox reader How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

If you want to download an ebook with an .epub extension from the Internet, EPUBReader will automatically load the ebook for you.

epub firefox reader book How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

MagicScroll For Chrome

To start reading ebook from your Chrome browser, go to the MagicScroll extension page and click on ‘Add to Chrome’ to install.

epub chrome install How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

Once installed, you can open a new tab and go to this web address:

MagicScroll.net

When the page is loaded, you will see your ebook library. To add new ebook to your library, click on ‘Add a Book to Your Library’.

epub chrome reader How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

Now you will be given options to import the ebook from your computer, or provide the link to an ebook source if you want to add them from the Internet.

epub chrome add ebook How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

Once added, all ebooks will be accessible from your library.

epub chrome library How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

To read an ebook, click on any available ebook cover from your library.

epub chrome reader ebook How to Read .ePub Ebooks on Firefox and Chrome [Quicktip]

Using MagicScroll on Chrome makes you feel like you are reading on an e-reader. There are 4 menu buttons available at the top left corner of each book page. They will bring you to the library main page, table of contents, options to change font size and theme colors as well as option to download the ebook locally onto your computer.

Conclusion

With these two extensions for FireFox and Chrome, you can now read ebooks from the convenience of your browsers even when you are offline, and there is no need to get an e-reader or tablet, or install external applications for ebook.

Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Posted on May 15, 2012 by spyder

When I was starting out with Web and graphic design, I was always wondering about the fonts that real designers use. So I conducted a research to find out the most popular fonts designers like to use, their best practices, and also out of personal curiosity, their typographical needs. It would be nice to know which font is good for which situation and today I am sharing with you the results of my research.

Through a combination of data collected from Polldaddy, Forrst, Facebook and Twitter, I got feedback from 34 designers from 14 countries answering questions about their favorite fonts and explaining to me why they love them. By analysing all the input submitted I have uncovered some interesting information, which has been put together in an infographic by friends in Piktochart.

Below that, check out the Top 10 list of free and premium fonts, and some of the interesting reasons why designers have their favorite fonts.

Click on image to see in full scale.

Top 10 Favorite Free Fonts

Here is the list of Top 10 free fonts mentioned by Web and graphic designers in the survey. Fonts that come bundled with operating systems, fonts like Arial, Verdana, Times New Roman, Georgia, and Tahoma have been excluded.

Top 10 Premium Fonts

This is the list of most popular premium (paid) fonts among designers. Some of them are very expensive but the quality of the font speaks for itself.

What designers are saying

Jonny Pigg, United Kingdom

Twitter: @jonnydapigg

Impact – lovely striking bold headline font, easy to read.

Avant garde – bit common but popular with clients, smooth, no fuss lettering. Great for headings, sub-headings and body text (if there’s not too much).

Jr! hand – this turns up in a lot of my t-shirt designs.

Courier – great for sale-type banners, readable and available everywhere (handy for the Web).

jonny pigg Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

R Bitten, Brazil

Twitter: @bittenworks

Frutiger – It’s temporal, balanced and natural.

Futura – elegance, simplicity, looks good almost everywhere.

Didot – elegance and personality.

Lobster/Marketscript – my favorite retro manuscript font.

Museo Slab – a recent discovery.

League Gothic – a better impact.

Courier – another elegant font.

Rockwell – good for headlines.

Gills Sans and Helvetica are always good options too.

bittenworks Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Edgaras Benediktavicius, Denmark

Twitter: @edgarascom

Century Gothic – solid circular letters.

Trebuchet MS – high readability, web safe, nice.

DejaVu Serif – my favorite serif font.

Rockwell – my favorite slab font.

Convington – very nice modernized retro font.

Comic Sans – makes me laugh.

edgaras benediktavicius Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Keiron Lowe, United Kingdom

Twitter: @Keiron_Lowe

Lobster has been so overused it’s become the new comic sans! The most popular font used by designers is definitely Helvetica Neue.

keiron lowe Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Cameron Olivier, South Africa

Twitter: @cameronolivier

If it is free-for-web fonts, FontSquirrel is for the win but as such, my ‘favourite’ fonts are from a very limited stock.

Trebuchet Ms. mostly because it’s on the standard web compatible list, underused, has some great lines and a very tasty italic version.

Quicksand – love the light version – although the font in general is well produced and has some great lines.

Makes – for good heading text, albeit softer, with its subtle curves.

Museo Slab – a great slab-serif. All the Museo’s are great in their own right really, particularly the Slab.

Marketing Script – what a great little font – has a great hand-written feel without being ‘kiddie’. Really like using it as a constrained "easy" font.

Aller – another great font. The different weightings are handy, but the display variant lets loose a little and makes for some great headlines.

ChunkFive – a great, solid heavy font. Really like the heaviness and impact it makes in the page.

cameron olivier Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Stacey Lane, United States

Twitter: @stacigh

DIN, Gotham, Caecilia, FF Meta, Helvetica Neue.

With the exception of Caecilia, all of these are sans-serif fonts with loads of varying weights. Caecilia is also on this list because it is very geometric and I love the Slab. Also, all of these fonts have a relatively large x-height, which is my preference.

stacey lane Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Sergiu Naslau, Romania

Twitter: @serjeniu

Franklin Gothic – this font screams for attention. It’s big, bold, and it plays well with other sans-serif fonts.

Helvetica – when it comes to readability, it’s Helvetica or Tahoma. It has its own personality (Inserat or Neue). When it comes to designing a logo, when it comes to the typography, I always play with Helvetica first.

Tahoma – this font is a team player. When it comes to integrating content into the layout and putting everything together, Tahoma looks like it was made to be there.

Brush Script Std – the handwriting look blows me away, in general. In online projects, they tell a story and it appeals to the ego too.

Georgia – this font works great when it comes to capitalizing everything. When you play with the kerning, the letters always look good. It fills the space between the letters, not add to it (too much space lettering in Helvetica may destroy the visual impact).

sergiu naslau Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

Conclusion

So there you have it a brief but telling research about the relationship between designers and their fonts. A big thank you to all the designers who helped me out by taking the survey, answering questions as well as sharing their favorite fonts with the design community at large. What about your favourite fonts? Have your say.

Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love [Infographic]

Posted on May 15, 2012 by spyder

Ever wonder what fonts other web designers prefer to use in their work? Ever wonder if your choice of font can help you set you apart from the rest? Ever wanted to know the answers to a question so badly that you would carry out a research to find out? Fellow web designer and writer of Hongkiat.com, Tomas Laurinavicius did just that. Granted it’s not a large sample size but the research revealed some interesting information like 3 Top 10 lists of fonts designers most love, most popular free fonts and most popular premium ones.

With some help from our friends in Piktochart, here is the gist of the research bundled up in a short infographic, exclusively for Hongkiat.com readers. And if you would like to know more, check out Tomas’ write-up about the research to get some insights from a few designers who took the time out to talk to Tomas about their favorite fonts to work with.

Recommended Reading: Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love

top to fonts web designers love infographic Top 10 Fonts Web Designers Love [Infographic]

Spot an infographic you think will be a perfect fit here? Send the link to us with relevant details and we’ll credit you with the find.

Diving Into E-Commerce: Do You Have What It Takes?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by spyder

You may have come across this infographic depicting the new generation of tech millionaires under the age of 30 and wondered if it was time that you got yourself involved with an online venture yourself. Won’t that be great? Being your own boss, calling all the shots, go golfing whenever you feel like it, and charge all your trips and meals to the company’s account. That’s the life!

But hold your horses, cowboy. It’s not as easy as it looks. Before you get yourself tangled in e-commerce, here are a few things you should know first.

Recommended Reading: 10 Essential Things Your E-Commerce Site Should Have

It Takes More than Just an Idea

It seems so easy to get into an online business nowadays. You can just take a successful and working business concept, tweak them a little, add an extra feature or two, then market the business out as your own. There are people who do that because… why mess with something that works, right? But don’t think that you can piggyback on the pioneer’s success if you are going down this road.

ecommerce idea Diving Into E Commerce: Do You Have What It Takes?
(Image source: Fotolia)

A lot happens behind the scenes. You can’t see the inner workings of the organization, the amount of time and effort devoted behind marketing, and finding and retaining good staff; the dedication it takes to provide customer satisfaction and handle difficult requests; etc. What I’m trying to say here is don’t think that just because you know the idea works, you can leave every other aspect of the business unattended, because that is pretty much one of the main reasons a business will go bust.

Money isn’t easier to make online

Well, to be fair, it isn’t easy to make money. Period. Before your business can hit the skies, you have to first spend quite a sum to get it down the runway and take off first. We’re not talking about a freelance business where all you need is a platform to market your expertise (a blog, a self-made website or a social media network), a portfolio to showcase your talents and strong networking ties.

We’re talking about the cost, time and effort it takes to get a team together to work the areas that make the cogwheels in your business run – things like the setting up of a content management system, and payment solutions that will give your customers the confidence to do business with you. Having round-the-clock technical support will also be beneficial to the business since there is no closing time on the Web. Also equally important are the branding exercises in social media networks. All of this will take up your time; if you don’t have the time, you still need to pay someone else to do it for you.

There’s a lot of commitment involved

As I’m sure you would have realized by now, there is a lot of commitment involved if you want your own e-commerce business. As with any other life-changing event in your life, having your own online business will also affect your current lifestyle.

All that talk about being your own boss means you can get on and off work as you please, right? It doesn’t work like that. You may be your own boss, but you answer to customer demand. For starters, you can throw your weekend plans, shopping trips and movie nights out the window because you’re not going to find enough time to eat a proper meal. Anytime you aren’t manning your counter, you may be losing out on a deal to a rival.

multitasking Diving Into E Commerce: Do You Have What It Takes?
(Image source: Fotolia)

Getting someone else to watch the counter for you will cost you, but you really don’t want to burn out before the business takes off, and it will take a while before it starts to simmer. But what really sucks about being the man (or woman) on top is that you don’t get to call in sick to get away from all the madness no more. Have a busy period? Deal with it. Got a tough customer who just won’t let you get your way? Suck it up and deal with it. A client or supplier reneged on something promised to you? You guessed it. You want to be the head honcho, you deal with it.

The Stress of Decision-making

After the first hurdle, you may have made a name for yourself and with things going so well, you may be thinking of expanding the business. Here is when your analytical skills and decision-making skills may help you make or break the business. As your business starts to build up, you may consider investing in new technologies or hiring new, or more, people to help you watch over things.

However, if you expand too quickly, you may find your liabilities locking up your cash flow, and over time, it may drag the business down like an overzealous anchor. Expand too slowly and you may find your staff (or even yourself) overworked, customers running off to a more efficient rival and no one happy. It’s a precarious spot to find yourself in, this balancing act between low-threshold stability and potential high income risk, but it’s a stage you want to look forward to because it means that your business is doing well. The stakes are higher on the Web because users don’t respond to changes lightly. But that is a risk online entrepreneurs may have to face to take the business higher.

Conclusion

The purpose of this article is not to deter you from engaging your own e-commerce experience. However, we do want you to know what you are getting yourself into. Starting your own business is not something you can turn on and off like a light switch. And it’s not like school, where if you study hard you are likely to get a good grade. At times, if you spend too much time trying to perfect your craft, your online business may lose out on new upcoming trends and be left stuck in the mud. Nonetheless, if at the end of the day you find that e-commerce is not your cup of tea, you can always chose to sell the business to cut your losses. But that’s another article for another day.

How to Prevent Yourself From Turning Up on Facebook Recommendation Ads

Posted on May 14, 2012 by spyder

If you don’t already know, Facebook has been using your personal preferences on its ads network, which includes your name, likes and other activities. To some, this may be a major privacy issue since Facebook is using its users’ personal data without prior consent to falsely attract or mislead others for marketing or advertising purposes.

It is quite impossible to expect Facebook to change their advertising strategy especially when a majority Facebook users did not express discomfort with the issue. But if this bugs you, there is a solution that will remove Facebook’s misuse of your personal data.

This can be achieved by changing the account setting on your Facebook account. With only one simple action, your personal data will be free from exposure.

Recommended Reading: 5 Facebook Privacy Settings You Should Know

1. Account Setting

2. Facebook Ads

Click on the ‘Facebook Ads’ button on the left menu.

3. Ads and friends

Clicking on the ‘Facebook Ads’ menu will bring you to the ads setting page. You are given two options:

Ads by third parties – Mainly for future planning
Ads and Friends – Current setting

Since we are looking at the current privacy setting, lets go to the second option that says ‘Ads and friends’, and click on ‘Edit social ads setting’.

4. Pair for no one

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and change the setting ‘Pair my social actions with ads for’ from ‘Only my friends’ to ‘No one’, and then click on the save button.

Conclusion

It takes only one simple step to be free from this Facebook recommended ads issue. Your name or pictures will no longer appear on any recommendation ads within Facebook, and you won’t be made to mislead your friends on your preferences on the social networking site.

How to Prevent Yourself From Turning Up on Facebook Recommendation Ads

Posted on May 14, 2012 by spyder

This can be achieved by changing the account setting on your Facebook account. With only one simple action, your personal data will be free from exposure.

Recommended Reading: 5 Facebook Privacy Settings You Should Know

1. Account Setting

2. Facebook Ads

Click on the ‘Facebook Ads’ button on the left menu.

3. Ads and friends

Clicking on the ‘Facebook Ads’ menu will bring you to the ads setting page. You are given two options:

Ads by third parties – Mainly for future planning
Ads and Friends – Current setting

Since we are looking at the current privacy setting, lets go to the second option that says ‘Ads and friends’, and click on ‘Edit social ads setting’.

4. Pair for no one

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and change the setting ‘Pair my social actions with ads for’ from ‘Only my friends’ to ‘No one’, and then click on the save button.

Conclusion

10 Ideas to Simplify Your Online Life

Posted on May 13, 2012 by spyder

In a time when the world is connected to the Internet 24/7, it’s hard to imagine how we can survive a day without it. Our work, social life and entertainment depend on being connected so much that we feel that living a life without connectivity is impossible. All the info we obtain online: the emails, news feed, tweets, social networking statuses etc can make us feel a little overwhelmed. If we don’t have some form of organization in our online life, it will be hard to stay away long enough to live out our offline life.

(Image source: Marco Bardus)

I believe that we ought to distance ourselves from our online life to experience the richness of the offline world. How do we do that? By simplifying what we deal with online on a day-to-day basis. Not only will it help makes us more efficient with our online activities, it will also give us some ‘time off’ to get away from our matters on the Web.

Here are 10 basic tips you might consider using to help straighten out the mess.

Recommended Reading: 8 Tips To Simplify Your Work Life

1. Block Out Distractions

There you are, working on your latest report to be submitted by the end of the day. You probably either have Facebook or some IM chat going on in the background, so what usually follows is a switching of your windows every few minutes to check out Facebook updates or the latest tweets, or even replying to that blinking task bar from your chat app. Personally, I feel that this keeps me going when the task at hand gets too boring.

On the other hand though, I know how much more I could accomplish if I placed all my attention on the work to be done and remove all unnecessary distractions. If you don’t want your online life to be interfering with whatever you have to do, take my advice and put them aside. Despite being able to connect and obtain information like never before, such benefits can actually backfire and become a liability if you are find yourself being addicted to being connected all the time.

2. Leverage on Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the ‘in’ thing now, with good reasons. Instead of storing data in a fixed storage device like your hard drive or thumbdrive, cloud computing enables you to put them on the Net in an online storage device, so to speak. That way, whenever you are connected to the Net, on whichever device you please, you will still have access to all your vital information.

Cloud computing enables you to be mobile. Storing all that you need online offers unprecedented convenience. You don’t have to carry around storage devices and worry about misplacing them or forgetting to bring them from one venue to the other. Secondly, you can access all your data any where an Internet connection is available and switch from one connected device to the next. Online life is never made simpler with file-sharing apps like Dropbox and synchronization services like Google Sync, Google Drive, or Amazon Cloud Drive.

3. Minimize Accounts

A pretty straightforward solution is to simply cut down on the number of accounts you are holding. If you have multiple social networking sites accounts and email accounts for different purposes (e.g. one for work, one for family, one for friends, etc), it will be hard for you to check on them individually and make sure that you are using the right account to contact them. Besides, unless you are using the same password for each account (which is not advisable), you’ll likely have a hard time recalling passwords.

Take the minimalist approach if you want to simplify things online. At the most, choose no more than two accounts for social networking sites and emails each or consider accessing all your social networking sites from a desktop app.

4. Centralize Your Instant Messengers

The same thing applies for chat applications, except that it’s okay if you need to have multiple instant messaging (IM) accounts. After all, not everyone in your contacts would use the same IM platform as you normally do. All you need to do to make things easier is to put together all these accounts you have with a web-based service like Meebo Messenger and eBuddy.

What they do is that they consolidate all your different IM accounts (and even social networking accounts) so that you’ll be logged in to all of them at a single go. Chatting will be a breeze now that you no longer have to log in to each individual accounts with their respective apps to reach your friends or contacts.

5. Manage Your Notifications / Updates

RSS feeds can get overwhelming when you subscribe to too many of them. The same goes for the daily notifications you receive on your smartphone on the latest update on Facebook, new add-ons for apps and many other clutter you may have. Remember that each time you are being notified, it takes your attention away from what you’re doing. You wouldn’t want unnecessary interruptions from them if you’re looking for a simplistic and efficient online universe. Configure those notification settings to filter out only what you really need to be informed about.

6. Designate Time for Online Chores

I have this unhealthy tendency to check my inbox, my Facebook, the news site and so on every 5-15 minutes even when I’m occupied with something on my computer. Sitting in front of a screen sort of conditioned me to do my routine chores even as I am working on my stuff. Multi-tasking is good at times, but I hardly think repeatitive checking is productive. It’s pretty obvious that these actions are robbing us of valuable time. Why not get the work done before we go check out the latest gossip in Facebook? The idea is to put aside some time to handle all our online chores, perhaps at the end of the day when we’ll get all the updates for the day.

7. Unsubscribe from Email Lists

We get subscribed to various email lists whenever we purchase or register products and services. That’s how they can market us their latest products or simply update us with what they’re up to. After awhile, you’ll realize that many of these emails don’t really provide us with the information we want, but we subscribed earlier on because we thought they might be useful eventually.

So, we instinctively delete those emails from our Inbox when we recognize the sender. Why not just unsubscribe from their mailing list? If your inbox is often flooded with spam, you’ll be surprised at how good it feels when you only get emails that you want to read.

8. Clear Your Inbox

Stopping unnecessary incoming emails is one thing, clearing your Inbox is a totally something else. Put read emails into relevant folders if you must, but keep the Inbox clean. It should only contain unread emails.

It’s a kind of discipline that you should impose on yourself as you try to keep your Inbox clear. It means that once you receive an email that requires your action, you have to act – reply, forwards, follow up, double check, confirm etc – and be done with it ASAP. After which, you can archive said email, and feel that sense of satisfaction when you realize your Inbox is empty until the next round of emails flow in. Once you have such a system in place, your online world will be more simplified knowing that you don’t have to work on emails no more.

9. Use Password Managers

For those with many accounts online, I can bet that most of you reuse the same username and password because it’s not easy to remember all of them. That’s not safe since gaining access to one of your account means that the rest of them can be hacked as well. A solution to this is to use password managers to remember your passwords. They are in fact, more secure than keying the passwords in yourself because they protect you from keyloggers when the managers input your passwords without having you typing.

Furthermore, they compare the current site’s URL to the stored sites’ URL and thus prevent phishing and pharming incidents. Apart from providing these features, most of these managers also assist in filling up those lengthy web forms that you’ll come across from time to time. Consider getting and setting up a password manager to guard your accounts well.

10. Have Time-outs or Day Offs

Try to schedule time-outs from the Internet every day or even on day offs. If you’re connected all the time, you’d feel like you’re always on the go, ready to jump into whatever mails or tasks you receive.

(Image source: hornoxe)

Everyone needs a breather, and enjoy quality time away from such tension. Take an hour or so of quality offline time each day, or a day during the weekends. Just switch off from the Net. You’ll realize that you feel much more energetic and alive when you’re moving around and talking to people.

Conclusion

Social interactions offline are worth much more than those you make on your instant messengers or social networking sites. Similarly, nothing you do in front of the computer screen can substitute for an awesome workout under the sun. The online aspect of your life should complement your offline world, not replace it. Simplify it and you’ll see that it can work wonders for you.

25 Top ipad-Exclusive HD Games

Posted on May 12, 2012 by spyder

One of the best things about the iPad is the large HD screen which makes for excellent gameplay. There are thousands of games in the App Store, but how many are exclusive to the iPad and truly allows it to display its amazing graphics?

hd ipad games 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

While we can’t possibly name every app in this list, we’ll take a look at some of the best games available exclusively for the iPad. These games not only give you the ultimate gaming experience, but also take advantage of the bigger screen, and guarantee true satisfaction.

More iPad related posts:

Defenders of Ardania

If you are into the TD (tower defense) genre, you’ll love Defenders of Ardania; it puts you in control of offensive and defensive operations. You can buy towers, spells, and of course defense items.

There are 3 playable races and 15 levels to complete, along with 18 different towers to upgrade. You can also challenge your friends via Apple’s Game service.

Full Version ($4.99), Lite Version (Free)

Defenders of Ardania 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Lab Solitaire

I’m sure you’re already familiar with the classic card game Solitaire. Lab Solitaire is a "photo-realistic version". With this version, you’ll be able to see all the cards from the start of the game. The object is to move all cards from the bottom columns to the top foundations.

This game supports both landscape and portrait mode and your games are conveniently and automatically saved as you play.

If you’re interested in more Solitaire games exclusively for iPad, check out Ski Solitaire, FreeCell for iPad, and Canfield Solitaire for iPad.

Full Version ($0.99)

Lab Solitaire 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Crystal Cross HD

This simple, yet popular web-based Flash game can now be played on the iPad for free. The object of the game is to remove the crystal balls by touching empty cells that connect two or more of the same-colored crystals.

The iPad version is an improvement over the original game as it has better scoring, special cards, versus modes, and supports OpenFeint so that you can play against others.

Full Version (Free)

Crystal Cross HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Assassin’s Creed Recollection

This real-time board game from Ubisoft is a must for all fans of the action adventure game Assassin’s Creed.

In this game you’ll be able to compete in political battles using key characters and locations from the original game. Assassin’s Creed Recollection includes story mode, multiplayer support via Apple’s Game Center, and the short film Assassin’s Creed Embers.

Full Version ($2.99)

Assassins Creed Recollection 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Michael Jackson The Experience HD

Calling all Michael Jackson fans! This iPad exclusive rhythm game includes four iconic hits to master: Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Speed Demon, and Blood on the Dance Floor. You can also get more songs like Billie Jean and Black or White via in-app purchases.

Players get to "dance along" by drawing a series of shapes according to how Michael Jackson’s avatar moves in the game.

It’s a great game for fans of all ages.

Full Version ($6.49)

Michael Jackson The Experience HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Olympic Gems HD

While this game is free to download, you will need to unlock the full version via an in-app purchase.

Olympic Gems is similar to the popular game Bejeweled, where you swap gems to match and eliminate them from the board. Along with being able to compete with friends, you can share your score on Facebook and unlock Game Center Achievements.

If you’re looking for a similar iPad exclusive game, you may also enjoy Bouncy Toys HD.

Full Version ($2.99)

Olympic Gems HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

FairyFail HD

FairyFail HD is not your typical fairy tale. This game is all about evil animals who have trapped all of the "kind" animals. It’s your job to release all of the good animals in this physics-based game, by aiming and shooting at the right locations.

FairyFail HD will probably remind you a little of Angry Birds because of the "aim and shoot" gameplay. It offers 80 levels, Game Center Achievements, and an in-app purchase is needed to unlock the full game.

Full Version ($1.99)

FairyFail HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

The Signal

This is a game in which you have to use both of your hands to touch all of the points displayed on screen at the same time and as fast as possible. Because of the way you will need to use both hands while playing, it is suggested that you turn off Multitasking Gestures in your iPad settings.

The Signal includes a detailed storyline and YouTube video for those wanting to learn more about the game.

Full Version (Free)

The Signal 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Through the Cliff iHD

This puzzle game involves helping Ross (the main character) cross the cliff so that he can continue downhill. There are 40 levels that are divided into the Green Mountain and Snow Mountain worlds. Each climate brings different challenges, which also increase in difficulty as you progress.

In order to earn points, you must destroy the boxes and wooden structures, and collect gold coins.

Full Version ($0.99), Lite Version (Free)

Through the Cliff iHD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Ninja Pong HD

This adventure game takes you through 5 lands where you get to bounce around to collect bonuses while avoiding bombs and arrows. It includes both arcade and endless gameplay modes, plus other content and modifications that can be unlocked.

The Game Center supported is used both for unlocking achievements and viewing leaderboards. Ninja Pong HD also includes Facebook and Twitter integration for sharing your scores.

Full Version ($1.99)

Ninja Pong HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Save Ladybug HD

Save Ladybug HD is a casual game where you gain gemstones by killing spiders and avoiding bites. The more spiders in the web and the faster you are, the more gemstones you’ll receive. There are two modes that you can play in: timed and unlimited.

Save Ladybug HD supports OpenFeint and has both Facebook and Twitter integration.

Full Version ($2.99)

Save Ladybug HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Grabatron

In this addicting game you get to control a UFO with a retractable claw in order to destroy humans! You can terrorize and kill them by crushing, tossing, or abducting them. It includes 40 missions and along the way you’ll find hidden power-ups.

Grabatron supports both OpenFeint and Apple’s Game Center.

Full Version ($2.99)

Grabatron 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Companions

This adventurous battle game features a campaign with over 10 hours of playtime and different party combinations. You can build towers, lay traps, gather and gain items, fight bosses and battles, earn achievements, and much more. Companions supports both OpenFeint and Game Center and has 3 levels of difficulty.

If you’re looking for a similar game exclusive to the iPad, you may also enjoy Fortress Under Siege for iPad.

Full Version ($6.99)

Companions for iPad 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Conquer Online

Conquer Online is "the first completely free-to-play MMORPG game for iPad". This popular online community is now available on the iPad for the ultimate PvP (player versus player) experience.

Once you have customized your character, you can slay monsters and complete quests or hangout with friends in your own custom-built house.

The best part of this game is the interaction among other players; you can make friends or enemies and even create a team for stronger force. With Conquer Online, the possibilities are endless.

Full Version (Free)

Conquer Online 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

FIFA 12

FIFA (The International Federation of Association Football) 12 is the ultimate soccer game that brings this popular sport to life with realistic graphics and animations. It features over 22 officially licensed leagues, 500 licensed teams, and over 15,000 players.

In Manager Mode, you manage your own team, develop and trade players, upgrade staff, and more. There are also daily challenges that allow you to earn unique achievements.

The best part of FIFA 12 is the 2-player mode, which allows you to turn your iPhone into a wireless controller for the ultimate head-to-head battle.

Full Version ($9.99)

FIFA 12 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Playing History: The Plague

This educational game lets you play history by taking you back in time to the 14th century in Florence. You can explore the city and talk to the people there all while avoiding the mysterious plague.

It features hidden games, 4 hours of gameplay, and best of all educational tidbits.

Full Version ($6.99)

Playing History The Plague 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

War on Geometry HD

This is another game where you have to use both hands and numerous fingers.

In War on Geometry HD you have to drag your warship around the screen in order to avoid the "unlucky" geometry ships.

Wherever you drag your finger, is where your ship will go. Likewise, wherever you point your finger is where you’ll shoot – so aim wisely! There are a variety of weapons and enemies to destroy.

If you’re looking for a similar iPad exclusive game, you may also enjoy Finger Gravity HD.

Full Version ($0.99)

War on Geometry HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Sparkle 2: EVO

At first glance, Sparkle 2: EVO may not appear to be a game, but it’s indeed a "subtle, captivating, and addictive" adventure.

You first start out as a tiny organism and can then transform into a larger aquatic being. The object is to find food sources and attack other species so that you can grow into the biggest Sparkle; in short, the goal is to evolve. Sparkle 2: EVO works just like the saying, "you are what eat" – so choose wisely which species you want to devour.

There are 12 levels and Game Center Achievements. The game also includes Air Play Mirroring so that you can play on your TV.

Full Version ($3.99)

Sparkle 2 EVO 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Battle of Gundabad HD

"Battle of Gundabad is the first deck building card game where every player plays with his own set of cards." The player with the most VP (victory points) wins the game.

It includes 2 game modes (campaign and normal) and 27 cards with thousands of combo possibilities.

Full Version ($6.49)

Battle of Gundabad HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Steambirds Survival HD

Steambirds Survival HD is the sequel to the original Steambirds game released in 2010. The game is free to download, but there is an in-app purchase required for unlocking all cities.

The object of the game is to defend yourself against enemy aircraft. It features 8 different aircraft and 64 missions (with more coming soon).

Along the way you’ll collect power-ups that can be used to help you stay alive.

Full Version ($2.99)

Steambirds Survival HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Demolition Master HD: Project Implode All

In this adventure game there are a whopping 135 levels that take place in 9 different locations on the Earth; additionally, there are another 75 levels that take place on 5 different locations on the Moon.

The goal of each mission is to use explosives to demolish the constructions. There are even vibration effects along with realistic explosions, and the ability to zoom in and out.

Demolition Master HD also includes Game Center support.

Full Version ($1.99), Free Version

Playing History The Plague 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Craze: Multiplayer Mayhem

Have you ever played with up to 10 people at the same time on your iPad?

Well Craze: Multiplayer Mayhem allows you to do just that, although it does also have single player mode. There are three levels of difficulty. The object of the game is to not crash and this is done by steering right or left to avoid all objects.

Whenever a player crashes, the rest of the players receive one point. The player with the most points wins.

Full Version ($2.99)

Craze Multiplayer Mayhem 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

N.O.V.A. – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD

This action-packed first-shooter game includes both single player and multiplayer campaigns along with iPad optimized controls. With Gameloft Live you can play against your friends or the entire world.

There are 13 levels, 5 environments, and 6 different weapons. The object is to survive!

If you’re looking for a similar iPad exclusive game, you may also enjoy Dead Space for iPad.

Full Version ($4.99)

NOVA Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Ball Invasion for iPad2

If you’re looking for something unique you’ve found it in Ball Invasion, which is unfortunately only available for the iPad 2.

"Ball Invasion is the first (and only) iPad application to use the NASA-invented Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology to build real-time 3D maps of the environment as you move the iPad’s camera around."

The objects of the game is to shoot the hidden bad balls that are made visible through the camera.

Full Version ($0.99)

Ball Invasion for iPad2 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

Beyond Ynth HD

This game will take you on an exciting adventure where you’ll face different climates, push boxes, climb platforms, jump, slide, fall, and more.

This award-winning game actually took a year to make and it shows with the amazing graphics involved.

There are 80 levels with 15 hours of gameplay and other unique features like the rewind feature, solution videos, and voice acting.

Full Version ($2.99)

Beyond Ynth HD 25 Top ipad Exclusive HD Games

What is your favorite game exclusively for the iPad? What’s missing from the list? Is there a game not listed that you think should be included? Have your say!