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I was just reminiscing about the many great games Ive thoroughly enjoyed playing on iOS, which collectively have turned Apples platform into one that somehow (and surprisingly) managed to surpass the venerable Commodore 64, much-missed Dreamcast and rather wonderful Nintendo DS in my affections.


Of late, youd be forgiven for thinking that iOS has no good games at all. On reading opinion pieces online, youre probably now imagining iOS as some kind of post-apocalyptic gaming wasteland, where the slowly rotting form of Sonic the Hedgehog begs passers-by for money, before being crushed to death by the dual horrors of EAs in-app-purchase juggernaut and a tsunami of mediocrity.

This time round, Dungeon Keeper and Flappy Bird are at the forefront of everyones minds. The former is apparently EA seeing just how far it can push the concept of freemium gaming before angry gamers snap and march on EA HQ, in order to batter the companys accountants to death with obsolete (but now suddenly rather usefully heavy) original iPads.

The line of thinking was apparently this: take a much-loved classic game, add as many timers and hateful roadblocks as possible, then send out lots of press releases saying how AMAZING and FREE and AMAZING it is, carefully avoiding highlighting the broken gameplay and hateful in-app purchase system.

Flappy Bird?

And then theres Flappy Bird, a one-thumb survival game that appears to have time-travelled from the early days of the App Store when most games were rubbish. If youve not yet played Flappy Bird, the aim is to... Actually, forget about it; just dont play the game, because its awful.

And given its maker is even threatening to pull Flappy Bird from stores, you wont actually be able to play the game soon even if you wanted to.

Flappy Bird stormed the App Store as the equivalent of a novelty summer pop-chart single. Its Mr. Blobby in app form.

So what went wrong? This: Mutant Mudds. Death Ray Manta. Contre Jour. Monsters Ate My Condo. Forget Me Not. Pivvot. QatQi. Slingshot Racing. Dark Nebula 2. Super Hexagon. Beat Sneak Bandit. Mos Speedrun. Device 6. World Of Goo. Zen Bound 2. Blackbar. Stickets. Beyond Ynth. Edge. HungryMaster. Monsters Valley…

All great games, but youve probably barely heard of any of them. Thats because most - SHOCK! - require up-front payment (albeit only an amount akin to buying an 8-bit game. On cassette. In 1985), rather than pretending to be free and then throwing up roadblocks that you can skip by buying a Stupidful of Gems.

Also, many of these titles are by indies, who lack the resources of an EA, and so their amazing efforts often go unnoticed. And then Apple merrily bleats about the latest freemium tat, giving it an Editors Choice, while the cream of iOS gaming goes largely unnoticed.

Fundamentally, though, this is all YOUR fault. Yes, YOU. The iOS app ecosystem has gotten to the point where too many people want something for nothing. They expected games to be cheap, and now they expect them to be free and updated forever, because developers can apparently survive on a diet of air.
Furthermore, people are suckers when hooked, meaning theyll abruptly forget about their miserly nature and happily shovel money into a game putting up roadblocks, like a crazed gambler laughing like a maniac at a casino slot machine.

So, how to fix things. First, Apples probably not going to do anything. The company has never had a clue about gaming, and its not about to find one down the back of the sofa.

Secondly, hideous exploitative freemium titles arent going anywhere, especially when companies are making money hand over fist, bank accounts swelling as countless gamers try to eke some enjoyment from the trudgefest theyve invested so heavily in.

The only solution is to start shouting louder about genuinely great games, and recognising that paying a few quid upfront for a title beats paying nothing initially and then getting mugged shortly afterwards.

Alongside, punish the bad games by ignoring them; if a game erects arbitrary barriers because a publisher decided the best way to make money was to literally stop people playing it, then play something else. Invest in developers who care about you having a great user experience and an entertaining time, not those who merely see you as a wallet on legs.

Naturally, that all sounds a bit grass-roots, and it could amount to a drop in the ocean; but that might just be enough to stop iOS gaming sliding into a cesspit that it cannot escape from. And if you want a starting point, check out the dozens of games already mentioned on this page.

The first image of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo has leaked online, showing the smartphone next to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Go back to 2010 and youd be hard pushed to find a handset which sported a screen bigger than 4 inches.

Back then the big phones of the year were the 3.5-inch iPhone 4, 3.7-inch HTC Desire and the 4-inch Samsung Galaxy S.


Today were seeing handsets rocking screens in excess of 6-inches, while the bustling budget tablet market is churning out top quality devices in the 7-inch arena.

The line between phones and tablets is more blurred than its ever been and the considerable amount of crossover has resulted in the coining of the rather inelegant phrase "phablet" - love it or hate it, the phrase and the devices its attached to are here to stay.

In the beginning

Our first real taste of a phablet was back in 2011 when the Samsung Galaxy Note was launched to a muted response. People scoffed at its ridiculously large 5.3-inch display and 90s S-Pen stylus, but little did we know Samsung was onto something.

Alan Thomas from Carphone Warehouse explains: "The phablet was a slow burner. When the original Samsung Galaxy Note hit the shelves it wasnt instantly popular. The industry as a whole didnt know what to make of it.

"But, as Samsung marketed it and showed what it could do, why you use it, people found it offered something they wanted."

Samsungs Note series remains the most recognised of the phablet generation with the Korean firm adding the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Note 3 in the following years, but it has now been joined by the likes of Sony, Nokia and HTC in the race for the best supersized smartphone.

Its still not clear what defines a phablet, and Thomas told us "its getting a bit debatable, but typically a phablet has a screen size larger than 5.3 inches and smaller than 7 inches. Tablets normally have screens of 7 inches and over and smartphone screens tend to be 5.2 inches or under.

"There is a little bit of overlap and its largely due to how the manufacturer chooses to market their devices."

Why oh why?

There wasnt much of a calling for our smartphones to dramatically increase in size before the Galaxy Note popped its head up, so what advantages do phablets actually provide?

Thomas notes: "people have really begun to use their smartphones a lot more for the internet, and the larger screens make it more practical.

"Smartphones are always in your pocket, turned on and its very easy to just look something up. With a tablet or a computer, odds are you need to get it out of a bag, and turn it on."

For those of you who like to be on the cutting edge of technology Thomas also highlights the phablet range as leading the current mobile revolution.

"New phablets have the best technology offered by the manufacturer. The best screen tech, resolution, processor. If customers want the latest and greatest, it has to be a phablet.

"We find that a lot of different types of people buy phablets. There are those that commute often and need something to entertain them on tubes and trains. There are those that work a lot and want an organiser or PDA like device. The extra features and screen size are well suited to this.

"Ive seen a lot of female users who appear to use the Note as a diary – my friends mum has a Note and is constantly scribbling things into the notepad and calendar."

Carphone Warehouse currently offers four of the best phablets around, and if youre still unsure which one to plump for weve broken down each one for you to compare.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The original phablet is now in its third iteration and the Galaxy Note 3 is definitely Samsungs best yet, boasting an excellent 5.7-inch full HD display, punchy 2.3GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM.

Its an all-round powerhouse of a phone and will gobble up anything you throw at it, kitchen sink included.
"All the Note phones have had the S Pen and the Galaxy Note 3 is the newest. The S Pen is a new, more comfortable shape and allows for all manner of handwriting features on the Note 3," Thomas says.

"You can handwrite notes – like phone numbers or reminders – and the Note 3 can save them into the app perfectly. The Note 3 can also search your handwritten notes, so you dont have to type everything up in perfect Times New Roman."

Nokia Lumia 1520

If youre looking for a phone with a big screen and a top notch snapper then youll want to be checking out the most powerful, and largest, Nokia and Windows Phone handset to date.

The Nokia Lumia 1520 comes equipped with a great full HD 6-inch display, 2.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and of course a Carl Zeiss optics rear camera clocked at 20MP.

Thomas notes that "at 20MP its one of the most powerful cameras on any smartphone. The Lumia 1520 also uses the Nokia Camera app – the same one as on the best camera phone, the Nokia Lumia 1020 – which gives you control over advanced features like shutter speed.

"This lets you take shots that just arent possible on other phones. It also comes with Microsoft Office built in, making it the most practical phablet around for getting some work done."

HTC One Max

With an incredibly sharp 5.9-inch full HD display and dual front-facing BoomSound speakers the HTC One Max is the phablet for any movie buffs and TV addicts out there.

As well as a quad-core processor, decent chunk of RAM and fancy Ultrapixel camera the One Max also has a party trick in the form of a fingerprint scanner on its rear - similar to Touch ID on the iPhone 5S.

"The fingerprint scanner makes all the things saved on your One Max safe and secure. Its also pretty practical as it can remember up to three fingerprints, and you can program the One Max to start up different apps depending on the finger you used on the scanner," Thomas explains.

"The BoomSound speakers are unbelievably loud. We thought the HTC One was a noisy little box, but this is arguably the loudest phone going. Boom Sound indeed!"

Sony Xperia Z Ultra

Want to be the talk of the town with the biggest smartphone around? Then step this way and say hello to the 6.4-inch Sony Xperia Z Ultra.

With such a large full HD display the Xperia Z Ultra can genuinely function as both your smartphone and your tablet, allowing you to purchase just one device instead of having to splash the cash on two.

Thomas is a fan of Sonys phablet too: "the Xperia Z Ultra is probably the most impressive phablet to look at as its so thin and Sony still managed to make it waterproof, so if you happen to submerge it for half an hour in 1.5m of water itll keep going like nothings happened.

"We also discovered that the Z Ultra has the sharpest screen of all the phablets, even though its the largest. This is because of the X-Reality feature. It up scales low-res content and sharpens HD quality visuals. It really works and is easy to notice the difference, making it the best for movie watching."

The phablet future

While phablets might be ploughing a supersized furrow through the mobile market at the moment can these larger than life handsets remain popular or are they just a passing fad?

"Phablets are here because we all want to use our phones for more visual content. This is unlikely to change.

Well want bigger and bigger screens, just like we want more screen space on the monitors for our computers and larger TVs for out front rooms," Thomas predicts.

"Phablets will still be here next year for sure, but specs might drop in comparison to the flagship devices to bring phablet prices down a bit."

It might not all be about the static size of the screen on future phablets, with flexible technology waiting in wings, as Thomas explains: "were expecting screen technology to take over and curved screen phones are already here with the LG G Flex.

"This has a 6-inch screen which curves round and while the display is extra large for videos etc, the curve keeps the phone size down and makes it better for making calls as it curves round your head.

"Once we move onto bendable and even foldable screens in two to three years well have phones with screens that can be expanded to the size of a tablet, but shrunk down when you dont need a screen that big.

"It might even completely spell the end of the tablet as these super phablets become ever more practical with screens that can change from 5 inches to 10 inches or more."

1. Chase Mobile (Free)

Chase Mobile lets customers manage their banking 24/7 from their phones. View accurate account balances and viewing history, transfer funds between both savings and checking accounts, and make quick deposits no matter where you are. Search for the nearest Chase bank branch and ATMS. Connect with Chase representatives while on the go.

2. PayPal (Free)

Sending money is easy with PayPal Android app. It has the same basic features as other banking platforms, which include checking your balance and transferring funds. Take pictures of a check and add it to your savings or checking accounts for free. The "Local" function lets users connect with local merchants and pay them with PayPal. Financial information you add into your profile will always be safe and secure. Store owners will get paid directly and will receive a free card reader.

3. Bank Of America Mobile Banking (Free)

Bank of America Bank of America will help customers with their banking needs. Users can take pictures of a check and deposit it into your designated account. Push notifications sends users Bank of America alerts on branch closing, new merger etc. Get cash back in your account when you use your debit or credit cards for various purchases. If you owe someone money, send money by using an email address or mobile number.

4. Mint.Com Personal Finance (Free)

Mint.com lets users keep track of all their personal finance account in one place. Track spending, create a budget, and save more. Categorize transactions and see charts and graphs that show where you’re spending your money. If you lose your Android device, or misplace it, you can deactivate it from your profile.

5. GEICO App (Free)

6. Discover Mobile (Free)

Manage your Discover credit card account using Discover Android app. View your account information, manage rewards, and send money. Easily send money using Money Messenger by PayPal and set up your Cash PIN to retrieve cash from ATMs. Refer friends to Discover and earn more rewards.

7. Google Finance

Finance for Android allows users to stream real-time quotes. The app synchronizes with your Google Finance portfolios, gives access to charts and view market and company news.

8. Google Wallet

Google Wallet keeps all of your credit and debit cards safe and secure. Users can use any credit card from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover with the app. Make in-store purchases by tapping your phone. Payment information will be transmitted via NFC. Google Wallet has its own pin, so if you lose your phone, you can disable your mobile wallet.

9. USAA Mobile

10. E-Trade Mobile

Apple’s next major smartphone revision, the iPhone 6, could keep the same megapixel count as its predecessors according to a recent report from China.