My gaming addiction tends to go in phases. Sometimes I like puzzle games, then I'll move on to shooting games. After that, I might switch to racing games or go on to classic arcade. Whatever the flavor of the week is, I like to really get into it to see what the App Store has to offer.

The recent release of a classic iOS game sequel got me back into playing tower defense strategy games. There is something about finding just the right combination of turrets to pass challenging levels that appeals to me right now. After playing the sequel for a bit, I started to check out a few other games. If you like tower defense, this collection is for you.

This week's collection of iOS apps are my favorite tower defense games of the moment. The first has been around for awhile, but continues to be a go-to game when I'm playing tower defense. The second adds unique game elements that change the gameplay by keeping you busy. The third is a sequel to one of the most popular iOS tower defense games of all time.

Kingdom Rush HD ($2.99 - iPad only) is not a new tower defense game, but it's one of my favorites that I continue to play on my iPad. Set in a fantasy world, you'll battle cartoon-like mythical monsters hell-bent on destroying your kingdom. This fixed path tower defense game requires that you choose fro... [Read more]

Expat Shield's status box.

As the Summer Olympics kicks into high gear, complaints about television coverage from outside Britain appear to be driving people watching the games online to Expat Shield (download for Windows only) to get real-time BBC streaming.

Anchor Free's ad-supported Expat Shield masks your actual IP address and sends your Internet traffic through its servers in England. Like its software sibling HotSpot Shield, it's a VPN service that encrypts your traffic as it reroutes it. The primary differences between them are that HotSpot Shield (Windows | Mac | iOS | Android) offers an ad-free Elite version, and that HotSpot Shield's VPN servers are based in the United States.

Nick Shepherd, a representative for AnchorFree, told CNET over e-mail that the company saw enormous tr... [Read more]