With the arrival of the much anticipated (and now infamous) iPhone 4 came a slew of "enhanced" or even specifically optimized titles for the new device.  This makes sense, due to the many upgrades in the new hardware, including (but not limited to) the ridiculously high-res Retina Display to the new gyroscope.

Of course, gaming is where a lot of these enhancements will really come into their own, as is evident by titles such as Eliminate: Gun Range, which not only utilizes every pixel there is to be had but also incorporates the gyroscope for super-accurate tracking.  You should check it out.  But, this review is for Carcassonne - one of my favorite, if not my all-time favorite, games for the iOS platform - and it's especially juiced up for the iPhone 4.

What is Carcassonne?

Even the intro screen is gorgeous.

This fabulous game did not originate on the iPrecious.

If you've been waiting to get your hands on an Amazon Kindle mobile reader, now might just be the time for you to jump on board.  In response to the pricing of the Barnes and Noble nook and the incredible response to and demand for the Apple iPad, Amazon has dropped the price of the latest generation Kindle to only $189.

To boot, this ain't no clearance model.  For your hard earned case, you'll be getting the latest generation model, with global wireless and a 6" display.

As somebody who already bought the iPad, I'm not exactly rushing to order one; however, if you're in the market, you should snag one right now while this price lasts.

[Buy a Kindle at Amazon.com]

Not sure what to get the old man for his special day?  Forget the "Kiss the Cook" grill apron and the ugly ties.  Get the guy something he'll actually use and love... a gadget!

For the TV Watching Dad - A 3DTV

Most dads (except for mine) really like to watch TV.  Whether it's for their favorite shows on Lifet... er, Spike, or ESPN for sports, it's likely your patriarch parks himself on the sofa at least once in a while.  So, why not bring him to the next level with a 3DTV?

The next generation of television and movies is upon us, and now is the time to upgrade.  Sure, you might not be able to get one on your own, but why not pool together for a family gift?  Check out a full list of 3D ready or 3D compatible TV's from Mitsubishi, Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic.  You can also see a big list of projectors, glasses, Blu-Ray and DVD players, and associated resources and articles, by

Once again, Apple dominates everyone's Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds, news broadcasts, and souls with its annual WWDC announcements.  In case your world didn't grind to a complete halt at 10AM Pacific Standard Time or you didn't get to make it to sunny San Fran, here's a quick and dirty breakdown.

[Image via Apple.com]

iBooks

• The iBooks app will now view PDF's, and it looks pretty featureful.
• iBooks will be included in iOS 4, allowing you to sync bookshelves across iDevices.  

Netflix

• Netflix will be releasing an iPhone app, similar to the iPad app.

Zynga

• FarmVille on iPhone.  It will either change your life or depress and annoy you.

iAds

• Created to help devs (and Apple) make more money.
• Will be turned on July 1st for iOS 4 devices.
• Designed to be emotional and interactive, and keep people in-app while ad is delivered.

iPhone 4 Hardware

• Definitely the biggest announcement of the show...

For years now, I've been tinkering with dozens of Linux distros trying to find the perfect match for my free OS needs.  Admittedly, I have had neither the patience nor the skill to use solely Linux and have always used Mac or Windows as my "main" OS.

The newest distro of Ubuntu, cleverly named "Lucid Lynx," is quite a few steps closer to becoming a true replacement for the big guns, and I was pretty impressed in the time I spent with it.

Installation

Lucid Lynx installed on my first gen MacBook without a hitch.  Aside from a few boot lockups, it worked perfectly.  Unlike other distros I have tested in the past, I was able to instantly detect and set up my WiFi connection and download all appropriate updates immediately, without the need to tinker with network settings.

Usability

Even on an outdated machine, Ubuntu 10.04 ran quite smoothly for me - and booting was fast.

You knew it was coming.  I think pundits have been wondering for years whether Mac desktops and laptops might get bound to an App Store environment, becoming fully-rooted residents of the infamous walled garden, planted right next to the fully bloomed iPhone and budding iPad.

Apparently, Sir Jobs has ambiguously denied a random email asking if such a store is in the works, although it's unclear what his answer does or could mean.

My theory?  A Mac App Store of some kind, integrated into iTunes, will exist someday very, very soon... whether we like it or not.  What does that mean for Mac users?

Why a Mac App Store Would, in Theory, Be Awesome

Admittedly, I think an App Store for Mac software would be pretty cool.  There doesn't seem to be any reason not to, really.  Apps like Bodega even make an attempt to emulate this type of environment, and do a pretty good job of it.

If you're a fan of free software, alternatives to big names, or an all-around browser geek, you're probably familiar with Opera.  This program has been around a long time, and is a decent (or superior, depending on opinion) alternative for Internet browsing.  It's a popular choice on lots of portable or embedded devices as well as mobile phones.

The tech community was very, very skeptical that Apple would approve the Opera browser on iPhone, given that it might compete with Safari, but lo and behold - it was actually allowed into the hallowed walled garden.  Immediately after release, it skyrocketed to the top of all 22 App Stores.  Whoa.  Is it worth the hype, though?  

The Good

First of all, Opera Mini is a free download, meaning you have virtually nothing to lose but a bit of space on your iDevice.  So, why not give it a try? 

The main benefit of Opera Mini is a significant boost in browsing speed on any device, most notably on devices with an EDGE connection (original iPhone) or slow 3G service area.

Of course, I had to get an iPad at launch, being a "Mac guy" and an early gadget adopter at heart. What really makes the iPad special is the great library of third party applications that are already available in the App Store.  These apps greatly enhance what your iPad can do.  Here's some of my current favorites and must-haves, all of which I recommend full force that you buy or at least try!

Netflix (Free)

Netflix instant streaming on iPad. Nothing more needs to be said.  It's perfect.  You need a subscription to use it, of course.

Strategery ($1.99)

One of my favorite iPhone games has an updated iPad version for only two bucks. If you like Risk, you'll love this, and it really takes advantage of the extra screen real estate.  Polished and fun... I love it so much I wrote a separate review here.

We Rule (Free)

Farmville.  The mere mention of the name can either whip people into a drooling frenzy of exitement and pure joy or a bloody, hateful, destructive rage.  Regardless of which side of the debate you are on, Farmville (playable on Facebook) is extremely popular and here to stay.  We Rule for iPhone aims to capitalize on this by creating its own social, micromanagement based game.  It's been featured on the App Store and is primed to be well-talked-about, for better or for worse.

What is We Rule?

At its core, We Rule is a simple, Sim City-esque farm and town micromanagement simulator.  Like SimFarm Lite, if you will.  You plan crops and harvest them later.  You build tailoring shops so other members can buy stuff from them.  You build up your experience and coin reserves so you can upgrade your town center, expand your territory, and create more stuff.

I've had a thing lately for bite-sized games with "polish."  They might not have deep plots, insanely detailed hand drawn graphics, or famous sports figures.  What they do possess, however, is the ability to represent a genre with simplicity, finesse, and elegance.  Strategery for the iPhone does just that, and I love it.  I discovered it through app.itize.us, a site devoted to fishing out the most finely crafted iPhone programs around, which I visit almost daily.  I skipped straight to the paid download, although there is a free version if you want to try that first.

Even the main menu alone should give you an idea of the clean, crisp visual style used in this little gem.  You can see your win/loss records and set the difficulty level and map size.

At this point, you had better be wondering what this game is all about.  I'm assuming that you assumed it was a strategy game, but don't be fooled; it's so simple, just about anybody could pick up and play this.