It is hard to know where to start talking about OddBlob…except to say that it is very aptly named.  Just look at the main character in the above picture…that is one odd blob.  Aside from that though, this is a very familiar gaming concept, in an unconventional unique package.  In other words, it looks and feels like nothing you have played before.  Astraware was kind enough to send me a copy for review, and I have not been able to stop playing it since I loaded it from the iTunes App Store.  Let me show you what I found.

The gameplay in this one is should feel pretty familiar.  It is a standard paradigm, which will find you hopping through a tiled maze, making your way from one end of the board to the other.  Now, this would be pretty easy, if not for the fact that there are plenty of obstacles along the way, including bounce tiles, walls, fruits, and disappearing tiles, to name a few.

Right about now, you are thinking, if this is just another game in a crowded field, then why are we even here.  What’s the point of this review?  Well, this is where Astraware shines…as always.  They have taken a familiar game and flipped it upside down.   Rather than the expected fancy, hi-res graphics, Astraware went old school on this one…Claymation.  Yup, that’s right.  The graphics on this one utilize the same technology that brought you Gumby…and so much more.  I have always been a huge fan of Claymation films, and was pleasantly surprised to find it cropping up (for a second time for those of you who remember Platypus) in an Astraware game.  The use of claymation graphics brought a fantastic refreshing change to this popular game style.

Adding to the excitement are the four levels of difficulty and two gameplay modes.  Play in strategy mode to try to gain the highest number of points by hitting bonus tiles and collecting fruits.  Switch to panic mode for even more heart stopping fun.  In panic mode, you will only be given a brief head start before the tiles start falling away behind you.  Better move fast or those tiles will fall right out from under you.  

Regardless of which mode you select, I would be remiss if I did not mention one of my favorite components of the game: CAKE!  Whenever you see a slice of cake sitting on a tile, you know you are in for a bonus, jump on it, and you will be brought to the Cake or Doom mini-maze, in which you must wind your way to either a bonus cake…or certain disaster. 

Finally, as with most Astraware games, there are plenty of in-game awards, not all of which require you to win in order to earn them.  You can even go online with the OpenFeint network in order to compare awards and scores with users from around the world.

Games like this are one of the reasons I was so happy recently when Astraware spun back off from Handmark and became an independent studio again.  Only the creative and slightly warped designers at Astraware could possibly have devised this one.  It is the perfect combination of unique and familiar, which means it feels like a whole new game, but has very little learning curve.  Toss in the ninety-nine cent price tag in the iTunes App Store, and you really have no excuse for passing by this one.

OddBlob was developed by Astraware and is available for $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Chris McKay of Lakeridge Software

And the JAMM Developer Interview series rolls on…

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Chris McKay of Lakeridge Software.  Chris, the author of the classic task managing, UI skinning WisBar Advance and the customizable Today alternative WisBar Advance Default (interestingly, WAD was the first handheld program Doug ever bought!), has agreed to answer several questions for you.  Please check out the interview below, as Chris shares how he became involved in developing for Windows Mobile, how WisBar Advance was born and his thoughts on mobile computing.

As you start with the interview, please note that the questions in bold are presented by JAMM, while Chris’ responses are indented.

Hi Chris!  Thanks for agreeing to this interview.  Can you tell the readers at JAMM a little bit about the history of Lakeridge Software, and the mobile solutions it offers?

I started Lakeridge Software in October of 2004.  The original product I developed was WisBar Advance version 2.  The very first WisBar program was originally developed by a Japanese developer.  When he got sick, he gave out the source code to a few individuals.  One of those was Marc Pelmar.  Shortly after that, I started helping Marc develop WisBar.  But, it became obvious that many of the users wanted to take it a different direction.  So, I got permission to create WisBar Advance version 1 and I went out on my own.  After about a year, I completely rewrote the program as its current state wasn’t allowing me to develop it in the direction that I wanted.  Because I couldn’t afford to pay my bills, hosting fees, etc. I decided to start charging for it.  About a year later, I created WisBar Advance Desktop as I wanted a more powerful Today screen.

How did you get into mobile developing?

How I got into mobile developing is a little bit of a longer story.  When I was in the fifth grade my friends and I taught ourselves how to program computers.  Mostly this was done by reading magazines and looking at the source code for various programs on Apple ][e’s and TI-99/4A’s.  Over time, I learned how to program in C/C++, as well as Java, Pascal, Delphi, HTML, PHP and Visual Basic.

During high school, I learned how to write programs for my TI and HP48g calculators.  My friends and I would share a few games that we had written with each other.

When I was 21, I got a job with Franklin Covey in their technical support department.  Part of my responsibilities was to support Palm Pilots.  I learned to like having a PDA around, but I never actually started writing software for them.  However, about three months before I left the company, we got our first Windows CE 2.11 devices.  I quickly got more interested in them because they had the Windows interface on a handheld form factor.  So, I started learning how to write software for Windows (I had been a DOS programmer up to that point).

I didn’t actually start fully writing software for the PocketPC devices until PocketPC 2000 came out.  I had quit Franklin Covey, so I didn’t have access to a device anymore (other than my Handspring Visor).  But, my new boss gave me an iPaq 3600.  I quickly started writing software, but I didn’t distribute anything.  It was then that I met Marc Pelmar online and was able to examine the source code for the original WisBar program.  After that, I kind of went crazy programming for these things.

What makes your programs, Wisbar Advance and Wisbar Advance Desktop, unique?

That’s an interesting question.  I guess part of what makes them unique is that I wanted to make my device as customizable as possible.  I’m one of those people who likes to change the appearance of my computers and handhelds so that they fit me, rather than the other way around (this probably explains why I used to use LiteStep and am a big Linux user).  I liked the idea of the original WisBar, but I wanted it to be more powerful.  So, I learned how to hook into the OS and make it do what I wanted it to do.WisBar Advance Desktop is unique because it gives full power to the end user to customize the Today screen in any way they want.  While other products were good (and there still are many today), they don’t give me the flexibility I wanted.  So, I wrote it up in such a way that the only limit to the program was your imagination.  While that doesn’t exactly make it very user-friendly for everyone, there are many who think the same way I do.  So, this program is really for them as well.

Since you are specialized in the Windows Mobile arena right now, are you considering supporting any other platforms in the future?

Yes, I am.  I am actually currently writing a program that for Windows Mobile 5 and 6, Windows Phone 7, Android, iPhone and even the desktop.  I’m also considering writing for WebOS.  Because the nature of the mobile space can change from moment to moment, I want to be flexible enough to give the users what they want.

Can you tell our readers anything about upcoming projects you are working on?

Currently, I am running a public beta for WisBar Advance v4.  Also, I am putting the finishing touches up on WisBar Advance Desktop v2.6.  Unfortunately, due to the fact that writing custom shells seems to be nearing an end, these will probably be the last versions I write for Windows Mobile.  However, I do plan on supporting them indefinitely.

I’m also currently writing a new program that will run on the major OSes (WM5 and 6, Android and iPhone).  It’s not going to be a shell, though.  That’s all I’m going to say about that right now .

With all of the interesting twists in the mobile operating system arena, what predictions do you have regarding the future of mobile computing?

I honestly think it’s going to become much more popular.  Even though I don’t always see eye to eye with Microsoft, I believe that they truly got the idea that computing was a personal thing.  The concept of the smartphone is the embodiment of this.  There was a time where I did everything on my PDA (with the exception of writing software on them).  Though the current generation of smartphones has kind of lost that ability in some ways, I believe that one day they will be the primary computing device for everyone, with the laptop and desktop used as secondary devices.

Is there anything else that you would like readers to know about Lakeridge Software, your software or yourself?

I guess I’d just like them to know that I believe that their devices should be tailored to them, not the other way around.  I hope my software has helped make their experiences better and more enjoyable.  I’d also like to thank them for all of the support they have given to me throughout the years.

We really hope that you enjoyed our interview with Chris as much as we enjoyed the opportunity.  We really appreciate Chris’ time.  If you have any questions for him, please leave them in the comments section below and we’ll be sure that he has the chance to read them!

Today’s Deal of the Day from the JAMM Store is Agendus for Windows Mobile.  Agendus is available today for 50 percent off the regular price, lowering the grand total to $12.47.  This is a really good offer, but hurry, as the deal expires at the end of the day.  You can find out more information, download a trial or register here.

Accomplish more today and everyday… with Agendus for Windows Mobile!

The Pocket PC (touchscreen) version of our award-winning personal information manager (PIM) includes powerful new features and significant usability improvements to help you work smarter and get more done while on the go.

» From adequate to outstanding.

Agendus ratchets up the PIM capabilities of your Windows Mobile device to make it easier to schedule and organize your life in a way that intuitively makes sense.

» Zip with fewer taps & clicks.

Agendus ties together the most frequently used applications on your phone (Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks), so you get more things done using fewer (in most cases half) taps & clicks. Because personal information is readily accessible, you won’t be bogged down switching in and out of applications to get to the Calendar, Contact and Task information you need.

» Get Organized — Fast!

Keep your schedule organized and accurate. Get to what you need in half the time: Schedule a business meeting then switch to your contacts to call a family member, then reference your tasks list for the day in one fell swoop.

Contacts: Group. Sort. Filter. Search. Track contact history. Check the weather at a contact’s location. Obtain driving directions. Customize a contact profile to include photos, birthday alerts and more.

Tasks: Agendus has many features for helping you prioritize action items and even prompts you (via built-in alarms) to make sure you don’t miss deadlines.

Tools: Agendus is fully customizable through the use of icons, colors, and photos with added preferences to each view for you to pick and choose from.

Wireless: Agendus fully utilizes your wireless and mobile capabilities to include advanced features such as weather forecasts, stock quotes, Quote of the Day, Day in History, mapping and more.

» Safe and Easy to Use

Agendus for Windows Mobile Pocket PC can be used instantly after download and installation. There are no plug-ins or complex instructions to follow. Just launch Agendus and all your existing information will appear within its views.

Do you currently use Pocket Outlook and sync with Outlook on your Windows Desktop? Agendus uses the same core data source as Pocket Outlook, so when changes are made in one program, the other also gets updated.

Agendus works with your current synchronization configuration so you can keep the two in line and up to date.

Features:

• New Contact, Meeting, and Task Card Views, presenting a summary of the item and optimized for one handed usage. Phone numbers, email and web addresses are “active” allowing for in-place interaction.
• New Contact View Business Card Mode allowing to view contact details and perform various actions through the car itself, including emailing, calling, or sending an sms [PRO]
• New Contact View Photo Dial Mode with direct tap-to-dial capability. This view can be used as “photo dialer”
• Today View: Added “Quick-Action” buttons enabling moving or removal of slots from the view, eliminating the need to go to preferences for these operations
• Added the ability to save templates for Meetings, Tasks and Calls to quickly create new records with commonly used properties, as well providing editing capability for the templates
• Added Free Time Finder facilities which scans the calendar, and then provides a quick glance to upcoming busy-time schedule, making it easier to plan a new meeting [PRO]
• Added Agenda Walkthrough functionality, providing the ability to create checklists within the notes of meetings/tasks/contacts by using ‘-’ or ‘+’ which appear as checkboxes when viewing in card mode, and can be checked/unchecked on the screen [PRO]
• Phone enabled devices: Added support to dial/email a contact from the contact views or when on meetings/tasks containing a contact simply by pressing the “Phone” button
• All Views: Added the option to hide all on-screen controls such as date/category filters, etc. to obtain more screen real-estate. Also added each on-screen control’s action to the right soft menu as applicable
• Today View showing upcoming appointments, tasks, calls and email messages in inbox
• Over the air facilities include Weather Forecast, Quote of the Day, Day in History, mapping and driving directions [PRO ONLY]
• Day View reporting appointments and tasks for any selected days, with day selector and category filtering support
• Week View Block Mode showing 7 days worth of appointments and tasks, with week selector and category filtering support
• Week View List Mode showing 7 days worth of appointments and tasks in chronological order, with week selector and category filtering support
• Month View Standard Mode showing a month worth of appointments and tasks, with month selector and category filtering support
• Month View Icon Mode showing a month worth of appointments and tasks identified by their corresponding icon, with month selector and category filtering support
• Month View Clock Mode showing a month worth of appointments and tasks, with month selector and category filtering support
• Contact View Expanded Mode showing the complete contact list with tap to call, send sms and dial functionalities, as well as grouping and category filtering support
• Task View List Mode showing the complete task list, with grouping, category filtering, and date range filtering support
• Quick filer functionality in contact view and task view allows for immediately locating contacts and tasks by entering portions of their name/description
• Press & Hold / Dpad & Hold popup menus allowing to quickly edit any selected item as well as access facilities such as item conversion, mapping, etc.
• Custom Meeting edit dialogs allowing to control any aspect of the meeting being created / edited
• Item conversion functionality allowing to convert Meetings to tasks or calls, and vice-versa
• Icon support through the application, allowing to associate icons to meeting and task and view them in the various views
• Full featured icon editor allowing to edit existing icons as well as creating new ones
• Day coloring support in calendar views
• Contact History functionality allowing to see past and future appointments, tasks and call scheduled with any given contact
• Color support for meetings, tasks and calls
• One handed navigation support through the application. All controls are selectable and allow interaction via 5-way nav pad
• Roll-over support for meetings, tasks and calls [PRO ONLY]

Minimum Requirements:

• » Handheld / Smartphone:
• Memory requirements: 3MB of free space in main memory or memory card.
• Operating System: Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Edition or above.
• Models Supported: Any Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC powered handheld and phone
• » Desktop:
• Memory requirements: none
• Operating System: any

Display Dimensions
240×240, 240×320, 240×400, 320×240, 320×320, 400×240, 480×480, 480×640, 480×800, 640×480, 800×480
Operating System
WM5, WM6, WM6.1, WM6.5

Welcome to another JAMM Giveaway! This time three lucky JAMM readers will have a chance to win one of the great apps developed by SplashData.

Rules are easy: leave your comment below before 11:59 PM Wednesday, March 17 (EST), and tell us what SplashData app you would like to win. On Thursday we will randomly pick three lucky winners to grab the SplashData software of their choice.

Just to remind you what we are talking about take a look at the programs list below, or just go ahead and visit SplashData site for all available applications.

SplashID: Secure password manager for handhelds and desktops

SplashPhoto: The ultimate image viewer for PDAs and Smartphones

SplashMoney: Personal finance manager for Palm OS handhelds

SplashShopper: Shopping list manager for PDAs and Smartphones

SplashWallet: Virtual wallet suite for PDAs and Smartphones

SplashTravel: Powerful travel tools for Palm and Treo

SplashNotes: Outlining tool for ideas, projects, everything – Palm OS & Windows

Snap: Quick entry tool for contacts, events, tasks, notes and more

SplashClock: Desk clock & Image viewer for Palm OS handhelds

Me, I ‘d take them all, as I know very well the developer since its best selling Palm OS apps.

So, leave your comment below and cross your fingers!!

By entering this contest, you authorize Just Another Mobile Monday, and its representatives, to provide your personal information (such as, but not limited to your name and email address) to the sponsors of this contest should you be selected as a winner. Your personal information will not be sold by Just Another Mobile Monday, or otherwise retained for any purpose except that described herein.

Still waiting for Microsoft to release more information on the Phone 7 Series?  I know I am.  A lot of people are disappointed to realize that Microsoft is not giving out free phones running Phone 7 at MIX10.  Apparently though, neither the alpha software or the beta hardware would be a good move to give away on Microsoft’s part.

However for those looking for all they can get, check out the beta theme and download without free offer junk from Jaxbot here. Hold on, not so fast…..  It is a Cab file for Windows Mobile phones, so if you are on Android or iPhone or another platform you will  most likely have to wait till Phone 7 is actually released.  I just installed it on my Xperia X1 with Windows Mobile 6.5 so I don’t know if it will work on 6.1 devices.  It seems to be working as stated on Jaxbot’s post.  I’ll let you know what I think after playing with it for a couple of days.  Install it and let us know what you think.