Midway Arcade not only lets you play the classic games, but you can play them in a virtual arcade setting.

One of the great things about having grown up with video games and then writing about iOS apps is that all my favorites seem to eventually be playable on my phone. I wrote about Atari's Greatest Hits some time ago, but even though I liked seeing some of the old classics on my phone, the controls were flawed. Though they were playable, most of the games didn't really live up to my memory of them.

Yes, I know I'm probably looking at my youth through rose-colored glasses, but in this case it's true--the control issues really took away from the games.

Today, another group of classic arcade games were made available on iOS, and this time they might have the control schemes (mostly) worked out. Midway Arcade (99 cents), out today, takes a lot of those classic games from the 80s and give you some touch-screen options that work somewhat better, though it's still not perfect (Rose-colored glasses again? Maybe). This 99 cent game features Joust, Defender, Rampage, Spy Hunter, Arch Rivals, Root beer Tapper, and then some other more interactive games one would usually find ... [Read more]

Apple has released new firmware updates for a number of its early- and mid-2011 Mac systems. The updates, which require OS X 10.7.3 or later to install, address problems with NetBoot features, and fix problems with HDCP authentication after rebooting (which may prevent HD content from being displayed on certain monitors). The updates also fix a problem with the selection of the boot drive when a USB drive is plugged into the system.

The updates should be available via Software Update for iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air systems released in early to mid-2011, but you can also download them from the following locations on the Apple Support Web site:

Mac Mini EFI Firmware Update 1.6 (4.08MB)

MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.4 (4.06MB)

iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.9 (3.77MB)

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.7 (4.24MB)

The boot ROM or SMC versions of systems after the update is applied will be MBP81.0047.27 for the MacBook Pro, IM121.0047.1F for the iMac, MBA41.0077.0F for the MacBook Air, and MM51.0077.10 for the Mac Mini. These versions can be found in the System Information utility in OS X Lion.

Related stor... [Read more]

This year has been relatively silent with regard to malware in OS X, but today security and antivirus firm Intego reported that the criminals behind the Flashback Trojan have been hard at work releasing new variants to their malware package. The seventh variant of Flashback has been identified, which shows it is using new and unique techniques for infecting Macs.

Flashback is a Trojan horse attack that, according to Intego, now uses numerous methods for infecting Mac systems. First it will try to take advantage of Java security holes to install itself, but if you do not have Java installed (OS X 10.7 and later are shipped without a Java runtime), then it will try to use various social engineering methods to trick users, such as disguising itself as a legitimate Adobe Flash installer and displaying certificates that appear to be from Apple in order to coerce people to run the Trojan installers.

Flashback now tries using false Apple certificates to trick users into installing it.

Once installed, the Trojan will inject code into Web browsers and other specifie... [Read more]

Chances are, you've been there: a boring meeting or social event that you're desperately seeking an escape from. The person or people you're talking with won't take the hint that you're not interested. You hope someone will call so you can have a pretend conversation about needing to be somewhere else right away. Or maybe you're wishing for a text that demands your immediate attention. Whatever the situation, you can now plan your own escape routes with this Android app. Here's how:

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 1: Install Log Me. Once installed, run the app.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Enter the number of the person you want your fake call or message from in the text area labeled Caller ID. You can enter a fake number or select someone from your Contact List (press the button labeled Pick).

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Give a name for the person contacting you. If you selected someone from your Contact List, this will be filled in automatically.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 4: Select your trigger. This can be a timed trigger or you can set up the proximity sensor to set off your ... [Read more]

An example of what you'll be able to do after completing the steps below.

If you're reading many different Web sites about one topic, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of what materials you want on each site you visit. Instead of printing everything out before you've made solid decisions on what to use, just add some highlighting and sticky notes so you'll remember what you needed later. Here's how to get started with an easier way to do research in Chrome:

Step 1: Install Diigo: Bookmark, Archive, Highlight & Sticky-Note.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Click on the Diigo icon in the Extensions Toolbar and select "Sign in" to save.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Sign in with an existing service (Google, Twitter, Facebook, OpenID) or create a Diigo account.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 4: After being signed in, browse to any page and click the Diigo icon again to access the extension's tools.

Step 5: Make notes on the page as you see fit!

(Credit: Scr... [Read more]

(Credit: Wanderplayer.com)

WanderPlayer is the name given to a set of apps that you install on your computer and also your mobile device. These pieces of software work together to allow communication and create a gaming controller. The app is free and works for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 1: Head over to www.wanderplayer.com in your browser of choice. Click on the Download button on the right side of the window (Mac users can click "Not using Windows" to see a Mac download option).

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 2: Once the first download is started, options to download the mobile version for Android or iPhone will appear. Click the button for your mobile platform and follow the instructions to download.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma)

Step 3: Once both versions are installed, run the app on your PC or Mac.[Read more]

Yesterday, I wrote about Luminance, a streamlined-yet-versatile photo editor that I think iPad users in particular will like. Paint FX ($1.99) is a bit more complicated, but for the slightly steeper learning curve, you gain the ability to edit only select areas of a photo.

To get started, tap the load/share button in the upper-left corner to load a photo from your Camera Roll, Photo Stream, or iPhoto (if you have your iDevice set up to sync some portion of your iPhoto library). You can also grab a photo from Facebook. This button also lets you save photos to your Camera Roll or share them via Facebook, e-mail, or the Paint FX community page.

Tap the FX button (the one with the magic wand icon) to select from dozens of effects.

When you have loaded a photo in Paint FX, tap the FX button to select an effect. By my count, there are 69 filters or effects. By tapping the small Paint FX or Fill FX buttons below the belt of effects, you can choose to apply an effect to a portion of the photo or the entire photo. If you choose Paint FX, you will then paint with your fingertip to apply the effect. You can undo and redo changes using the back or forward arrow ... [Read more]

Avast 2012 gets bigger antivirus cannons

Avast continues to stay on top of the feature game by introducing bombastic top-shelf features to its security suites, while more subtly debuting an alternative source of revenue to the paid upgrade.

Available exclusively from Download.com today, Avast Free Antivirus 2012 (download), Avast Pro Antivirus (download), and Avast Internet Security (download), the Czech security company gives its free users a useful batch of improvements, while keeping the paid upgrades competitive for those who an extra zing. Also worth noting is that Avast has modularized several new security components in an Avast Market.

Avast did not update its Mac or Android security products.

What's puffing the sails in Avast 2012?

[Read more]

Last year, Adobe Systems narrowed Flash Player's scope. It canceled the browser plug-in for mobile devices. It shifted development resources toward competing Web standards.

But it's not giving up on Flash.

In an attempt to patch up communications with Flash programmers, Adobe yesterday published a Flash Player road map that promises many improvements this year, with versions code-named Cyril and Dolores. Then the document adds, "We are also modernizing the Flash Player code base in order to ensure that the Flash runtimes meet the needs of developers over the next 5 to 10 years."

"Runtime" refers to the software foundation that executes programs written in Flash's ActionScript language. Flash Player is a browser plug-in that runs those programs on Web pages, but the same foundation built into Adobe's AIR software accommodates standalone programs, too.

That runtime has had a long run. In its heyday, Flash had a lot to offer. It eased cross-platform programming, spanning many browsers so programmers didn't have to worry about their differences. And it popularized features such as streaming video, vector graphics, Webcam and microphone support that were immature or missing from browsers.

The W3C's new HTML5 logo

Now, though, two of its core markets -- gaming and pre... [Read more]

Google has agreed to build support for Do Not Track into Chrome so its Web browser can tell Web sites when people don't want advertisers scrutinizing their behavior.

The Do Not Track technology modifies communications between browsers and servers so people can signal that they don't want their browsing behavior to become the basis for ad targeting.

Mozilla developed Do Not Track and built it into its Firefox Web browser. Microsoft followed suit not long after with Internet Explorer, Apple has enabled it as an option for developers in Safari 5.1, and Opera is building it into the forthcoming Opera 12.

Now Google's getting on board, too, with Chrome.

"We plan to implement Do Not Track across our browser and advertising systems by the end of the year," a Google representative said today in a statement.

Why not earlier? Do Not Track wasn't mature enough an idea for Google, apparently:

We have always thought the idea of DNT was interesting, but there didn't seem to be a wide consensus on what "tracking" really means. We didn't feel it was responsible to allow users to send a header in Chrome that largely had no effect and no agreed-upon meaning. Going forward, the sc... [Read more]