If you haven't guessed already, I'm a big fan of platform games. Maybe it's my background of playing games from both the Mario and Sonic franchises or the sheer number of solid platformers in the iTunes App Store, but I simply can't get enough of them. There's just something charming to me about exploring a level, making all the right jumps, and trying to collect all the items to go on to next level.

There have been several popular platform games to come through the iTunes App Store, but as time goes on, I've noticed the genre evolving in interesting ways. Particularly with a few of the newer games, I'm seeing unique types of challenges being added that take the genre to places it hasn't been before.

This week's collected iOS apps are all platformers with something extra. The first uses an interesting foreground/background playing dynamic that adds to the action. The second is a continuous climber with added bonuses that keep trying to get higher and higher. The third offers tons of side challenges and secret areas for those who like to explore.

In the foreground here I'm riding a moving platform, but if you look closely, you can see another secret level in the background.

Paper Monsters ... [Read more]

There's no shortage of statistics or studies discussing how often people use their mobile devices. With this in mind, the KF Software House created App Timer Mini (ATM) to keep track of how much time you spend using your apps. A couple of setup steps are necessary, so here's how to get started:

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Step 1: Grab a copy of App Timer Mini (ATM) for your device. There is a Pro version that will remove ads and restrictions on some features. However, the app still has enough functionality to do what you need.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Step 2: Tap the Select Apps button to choose which apps the timer will be keeping tabs on. To get a really good idea of how much you're looking at your phone, you can add all of your apps. However, if you think a couple are the time-stealing culprits, just select those instead.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Step 3: Decide how often you'd like to erase the time records, located under the Timer Type heading. Weekly is a good place to start if you're not sure which to use. 

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

(Optional) Step 4: Should you choose, the text... [Read more]

As one of Dropbox's primary competitors, it's no surprise that SugarSync is pushing hard to step it's game up. Announced yesterday, the popular file-syncing service in the cloud has upgraded its Android app with a few sharing and file-management enhancements that are certainly worth a look.

First, users can now share files or even entire folders through Facebook and Twitter. Previously SugarSync was only able to share to your contacts, but now the app makes it easy to create a link and post it directly to your social networks. While it is a welcome addition to SugarSync's feature list, Dropbox has been able to share in this manner for some time. But better late than never, right?

Also, SugarSync has finally taken that next step to becoming a full-fledged file manager on your mobile device. Now you can copy, move, and delete files or folders from the SugarSync app, which makes the experience a lot more like that on the desktop. This means you can actually move files between two of your home desktop computers, without actually being at home, which is pretty exciting.

Finally, the updated SugarSync makes it easier to earn free storage space on your account. But let's not kid ourselves here. This is simply a nice way of saying it's easier for you to corral SugarSync some new customers. Regardless of how you want to frame it, you can now send your SugarSync refer... [Read more]

The bottom-right corner of your desktop display will forever be known to most people as the place you put your mouse cursor when watching a movie or video in full-screen mode. If you want to view your movie or game sans mouse, your only real option is to move the mouse to the edge of the screen. Hopefully, there's no hidden control bar there, because that would cause it to display instead.

Kimbra - "Good Intent" video, Mammal Films, 2011.

The problem is, at least on newer versions of Windows, that the cursor isn't designed to disappear after a period of inactivity. To solve this problem, try out AutoHideMouseCursor from Nenag Hrg. This free software is easy to use, lightweight, and portable.

Step 1: Download and install AutoHideMouseCursor. 

Step 2: Run the extracted program.

Step 3: By default,... [Read more]

Omigod omigod omigod! There's a new "Simpsons" game, and it's better than anything that's been on the actual TV show in years. (That's right, I said it.)

The Simpsons: Tapped Out turns your iPhone or iPad into a Springfield-style SimCity. Or maybe that's a SimCity-style Springfield. Either way, it's a city-building and management game, which is a lot cooler than it sounds.

Build your empire...er, Springfield...in The Simpsons: Tapped Out. (Click to enlarge.)

The plot unfolds (hilariously) with an animated clip showing Homer wreaking nuclear-plant destruction on Springfield. (Really, it was just a matter of time.) Fortunately, everyone survived, but the town needs rebuilding.

You start with the Simpsons' house, then add Evergreen Terrace, the Kwik-E-Mart, and so on. A lengthy tutorial guides you every step of the way, which is a good thing--Tapped Out is a complex game, especially if you've never played SimCity or anything else involving building, resource management, and the like.

The main goal here is to accrue money, experience points, and, especially, doughnuts, which can be used to accelerate certain aspects of the game. See, the tasks that earn you money an... [Read more]

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

The camera app on ICS devices offers more tools to the point-and-shoot user than the camera apps from previous versions of Android. However, the choices for ICS devices is very limited right now, so most users on this version will be rocking a Galaxy Nexus.

If this device isn't for you or you're just feeling a little envious of the awesome ICS camera app, chances are that you can snag those most of those same features for yourself. This is done by using a port of the new camera app, and will work with most Android devices. While you can't get every feature of the ICS camera, you will be adding some that are likely worth your time.

Now the best way to appreciate the upgrades this app brings is to first take a look at the stock camera.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

The older stock camera on Android is fairly intuitive with the options it has available. A small slider on the right side will let yo... [Read more]

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is off to a hot start.

Proud parent Microsoft tweeted yesterday that 1 million copies had been downloaded since the beta hit the Web on Wednesday. The beta was released on the same day the company demoed the software at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Windows users were clearly curious to sample the beta, especially after tasting the Developer Preview launched last September. A work-in-progress peek into Windows 8, the Developer Preview raised hackles among many who found it geared more toward touch-based tablets than desktops and laptops.

Related stories

• Windows 8 Beta: Hands-on with Microsoft's tablet-friendly OS
• Windows 8 beta folds in 100,000 code changes (live blog)
• How to install Windows 8 beta

The company touted on Wednesday that more than ... [Read more]