Top 10 iPhone Apps of 2012

It’s been a big year for iOS, as we’ve seen various apps become viral, succeed greatly, and then be forgotten about after a couple weeks when the next latest craze is discovered. The apps that tend to stay popular and keep the users interest throughout the year are the ones that Apple chose to honor with the title of best iPhone apps of 2012. Let’s take a look at what made the cut.

10. Evernote

Evernote may not be a brand new app to 2012 but its recent update and redesign makes it feel like one. Both form and functionality have been greatly improved upon, giving the Evernote iPhone app a more organized and collected look for all your various notes. It is one of the greatest cross-platform note-taking apps by far, and it is a force to be reckoned in the near future.

9. Jasmine

With the iOS 6 update, iPhone and iPad users were left without a native YouTube app to provide them with satisfying cat videos on the go. So the makers of the Reddit iOS client, BlueAlien, answered this need with Jasmine. Unlike the recently released Google-made YouTube app, it fits both iPhone and iPad platforms and has two themes to choose from for your browsing pleasure.

8. Pinterest

Pinterest is a very popular social network for the crafty of the kitchen, home, and fashion variety. It also has an abundance of funny pictures to accompany the many Do-It-Yourself projects, and although the iPhone app was released nearly a year and a half ago, the network became fully public earlier this year. This opened the floodgates for millions of iPhone users to “pin” to their hearts content.

7. KitCam

The makers of the incredible photo editing app, Photoforge and Photoforge2, decided to take on the whole process by releasing KitCam earlier this year. It has an amazing amount of control for the professionaliPhoneographers out there, with white balance, light control, multi-exposure, and multi-shot functions to go along with the many lens, filter, and frame types. It is the all-in-one camera app that every seriousInstagramer should own.

6. Flickr

Yahoo is doing its best to revive itself and take on the other great web giants like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. Part of that challenge was to make their famous photo sharing site, Flickr, interesting and fun to use again. They have taken major steps to do just that with their new iPhone Flickr client, which is on-par or even greater than Instagram (especially after being taken into Facebook’s command).

5. Clear

Life is messy and full of challenges, so how does the average iPhone user organize these tasks in a fun and friendly way? Clear answers that question with their unique;y designed to-do app for the iPhone. Navigating around the app with a series of pull, swipe, and pinch gestures makes creating and completing your projects much simpler. You can even earn more themes when you use the app more frequently and at various times throughout the day.

4. Letterpress

The creator of Twitter’s famous pull-to-refresh and other such cool features decided to take on the viral word game competition with his own rendition of Boggle. It is unique in its use of Game Center rather than Facebook or other social networks. Players simply gain points by spelling words out of the 25 provided until every letter has been used, and a player can lock in a letter by surrounding it by other letters they have used so the opponent cannot use it for points. It is quite addicting.

3. Figure

For the musical-curious but not so adept, Figure is a great app for making neat tunes in the matter of minutes. Just by sliding your finger across the screen, you can use the app’s various instruments like the drums, bass, or lead synth to create addictive beats to share with your friends across your chosen social network.

2. Rayman Jungle Run

Platform runner games are one of the most addicting games for mobile devices and adding a classic Rayman theme to one doesn’t the addicting nature a bit. With the many levels, characters, and abilities, it will take a while for you to grow tired of playing this new platformer.

1. Action Movie FX

Finally, this is a very powerful app for the little action movie director in all of us. Simply record a few second of static video and add your choice of action fx to create amazing clip of aliens invading your driveway or missiles exploding inside your living room. If you’re willing to pay a couple bucks, you can add a lot more abilities to this handy little app.

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Top 10 Reasons The Moon Landings Could Be A Hoax

The results of recent surveys have shown that roughly 20% of Americans still believe, to this day, that the U.S. never really did make it to the moon. Conspiracy theorists even came up with the theory that the first ever moon landing was faked by the U.S. government as a way to claim victory in the space race against Russia. Of course they had to come up several reasons to support the claim and the following are just 10 of the many reasons why.

10. The Waving Flag

When the first moon landing was broadcasted on live television, it was obvious how the American flag seemed to be waving and fluttering as astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, planted it. This wouldn’t have been such an issue except for the fact that there is no air in the moon’s atmosphere and therefore no wind whatsoever to cause such an effect on the flag.

9. Lack of Impact Crater

The next claim puts forth the notion that there should be a blast crater underneath the lunar module, as a way of its marking its landing, but there were clearly none; no crater was visible both on video footage and photographs of the landings. Even the fine lunar dust covering the moon’s surface didn’t seem to have been displaced.

8. Multiple Light Sources

The moon only has one strong light source and that happens to be the sun which is why it’s common sense that all shadows in videos or photographs of the moon landings should run parallel to each other. This wasn’t the case, however, and shadows appeared to be falling in different directions suggesting that there might have been multiple light sources – like that on a film set instead of the moon.

7. The Van Allen Radiation Belt

The Van Allen radiation belt surrounds the Earth and is held in practically the same place by the Earth’s magnetic field. It is said that astronauts have to pass through this belt to get to the moon. The catch here, however, is that the belt contains high levels of radiation which could have fried the astronauts, with their not-quite-so-advanced protective layers and coatings, as they made their way to the moon.

6. The Unexplained Object

As seen in the above photograph from the Apollo 12 mission, conspiracy theorists were quick to spot a mysterious object in the reflection of the astronaut’s helmet which bore a very similar resemblance to an overhead spotlight common in film studios. But given the poor quality of the photograph, it’s hard to say if the speculation stands to be true or otherwise.

5. Slow-Motion Walking and Hidden Cables 

Another claim that suggests the moon landings are nothing more than a hoax is that slow-motion walking due to the low-gravity conditions on the moon had been mimicked by the astronauts – if you happen to take footage of the moon landings and increase the speed by 2.5x, you’ll see that the astronauts appear to be moving at a speed just like on Earth. The impressive jump height, on the other hand, was attributed to hidden cables and wires.

4. Lack of Stars

This particular argument is pretty convincing since there is after all no clouds on the moon which means stars are extremely visible and much brighter on the moon than through the filter of the Earth’s atmosphere. In photographic and video evidence – even those that were of high quality – no stars could be spotted.

3. The “C” Rock

The photo of the “C” rock – a rock which appears to have the letter “C” engraved into it – is one of the more famous photos from the moon landings. Because the letter appears to be pretty much symmetrical, many conspiracy theorists believed that it could not have been a product of some natural occurrence and that the rock may very well be a prop with the letter “C” as a marker.

2. The Layered Cross-Hairs

There is nothing unusual about cross-hairs and them appearing in photos of the moon landings because the cameras used by the astronauts made use of these cross-hairs as a guide when it came to scaling and direction. What made it unusual was that in some photos, the cross-hairs appeared behind some of the objects in that scene which suggested that the photos had been edited or retouched after they were taken.

1. The Duplicate Backdrop 

The two photos on the top, even though taken miles apart, clearly have identical backdrops; as shown in the third photograph at the bottom. Hardcore conspiracy theorists believed that NASA may have simply made use of the same background even when filming different scenes of the moon landings.

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GMA's Most Beautiful Place in America

1.

Asheville, N.C.

"GMA" viewer Alan Ostmann of Candler, N.C., nominated Asheville, a small city tucked in the Appalachian Mountains rich with art, architecture and outstanding scenery.

"I live just outside of Asheville, N.C., [bordering] the Pisgah National Forest in possibly the oldest mountains on the planet," Ostmann wrote in his submission. "Four miles from my home is the Blue Ridge Parkway. The forest and parkway allow some of the most spectacular views I have seen anywhere in the world. I hike and bike the area daily and am always amazed at the beauty nature can reveal to us."

Tessa Lemke

2.

Aspen, Colo.

Aspen is an authentic mountain town best known for its world-class skiing in winter months and as an outdoor playground for mountain biking, rafting, fly fishing, rock climbing, hiking and more in warmer months.

Tessa Lemke of Carbondale, Colo., submitted a photo of the magnificent Pyramid Peak, part of the summits of the Maroon Bells, a short drive from Aspen, which gave us our inspiration.

"Every drive into Aspen has this beautiful view -- ever changing from red rock to snow-covered," she wrote. "To me it doesn't look real ... like something from 'The Lord of the Rings.' Breathtaking!!"

Courtesy Gary Acabbo

3.

Cape Cod, Mass.

Cape Cod has long been a favorite summer vacation destination made popular by the Kennedy clan and others. The 400-square-mile peninsula is filled with beaches and caters to tourists, but the cape's natural beauty is what compelled Gary Accabo of New Haven, Conn., to nominate the area.
"I have visited Provincetown, Cape Cod every summer since 1977. Race Point is the most gorgeous part of the National Sea Shore. To be there in the evening to experience a sunset is one of the most breathtaking visions to witness. Its beauty is forever etched in my mind," Accabo wrote.

Terri Rose

4.

Destin, Fla.

Dramatic sunsets, miles and miles of seashore and sugar-white sand all make Destin, Fla., the "Most Beautiful Place in America" for "GMA" viewer Terri Rose of Niceville, Fla. When Rose submitted her description of the seaside town, nestled in Florida's northern panhandle, we knew we had to find that spot.

Dolly Albers

5.

Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

The stunning view of the Grand Teton mountain range has kept viewer Dolly Albers of Peoria, Ill., coming again and again to this spectacular spot.
"Just sit ... and look out at those mountains anytime of the day or night. No place in America is more beautiful," Albers wrote. "[We] went there for our 25th [wedding] anniversary, again for our 40th, and last year for our 55th! We're been there in the winter to ski, spring to see the wild flowers, summer to hike and raft, fall to see the color changes. I close my eyes and see that view -- what more could you want?"

Lisa Basham

6.

Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

Lanikai Beach is a strip of paradise hidden on the island of Oahu.
"How could this not be the most beautiful place in America?" wrote Lisa Basham of Kailua, Hawaii. "Bright, white, soft sand and clear, blue, warm water. This is the perfect beach to have a romantic picnic or get married. You can also have a great time with friends snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, or kayaking out to the beach on the Mokulua Islands."

Courest Lisa Gecelosky

7.

Newport, R.I.

Viewer Lisa Gecelosky of Bernville, Pa., told us about Newport's wharfs, historic mansions, and famed Cliff Walk along the eastern shore, which caught our eye and landed this destination a spot on our list. The New England coastal town boasts spectacular scenery and a vibrant downtown area that makes it a perennial tourist favorite.

MORE COVERAGE

• 7 Wonders of Newport, Rhode Island

Kathleen Rockwell

8.

Point Reyes, Calif.

Outside San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore is a don't-miss destination. The park protects over 71,000 acres of wildlife and coastland, but is also a place to take in the great outdoors with hiking, camping, horseback riding and more. The view along this famed peninsula inspired Kathleen Rockwell of Oviedo, Fla., to send "GMA" this photo.
"I found the most [beautiful] place in America so far to be in California. I visited there in January this year with my husband ... We drove over there to the top of the mountain and got out and walked around. The view looking at the Pacific Ocean from there was breathtaking -- you felt like you were in heaven," she wrote. "It was the most beautiful site I have ever seen that it made me cry ... seriously."

Robert Fruggiero

9.

Sedona, Ariz.

Sedona's natural beauty takes your breath away. The Red Rocks inspire such awe that we had to name it one of our Most Beautiful Places in America.
"The Red Rock Country in and around Sedona, Ariz., is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever visited in the U.S.," Robert Fruggiero wrote to "GMA." "This picture was taken from up on Bell Rock … during a yearlong cross-country RV trip."

Jim Madole

10.

Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mich.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, tucked in the northwest corner of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, is one of the nation's best-kept secrets. That's why "GMA" viewer Jim Madole of Grand Rapids, Mich., nominated the spot.
"It is peaceful and serene, a place for gazing out into the world, night or day, and realizing that the universe is truly a magical, majestic mystery, and humans are just a very small part of it all," he wrote in his submission. "Here at Sleeping Bear, I sit in awe and wonder at the perfection of Mother Nature."

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Garbage Hotel in Madrid

A mini hotel has just opened in Madrid made entirely of garbage. The trash has been sterilized and used to build a centrally located hotel with five double rooms. It is the work of German artist Ha Schult, timed to coincide with Madrid’s hosting of the annual international tourism trade fair.

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The Most Beautiful Places Where You Should Play Poker

Playing poker is really increasing in popularity all over the world, but there are some places where it is more popular than others. Many places have casinos where a selection of games are played but there are some specialist poker playing places as well. The places in the world where poker seems to be the most popular are Dublin, San Jose, Los Angeles, Barcelona and Macau. These are destinations where big tournaments take place or where a lot of people choose to spend money playing poker. It can bring in a good income for these cities.

Dublin – Ireland

Dublin has a long history of poker and it hosts many poker tournaments. There are many different versions of the game played in the city and the biggest band for your buck tournament is held there.

San  Jose – Costa Rica

San Jose in Costa Rica has a great number of casinos where poker can be played. Often very high stake games are played in the area, which makes them very exciting.

Because it attracts visitors to the warm beaches and attractive gardens, they also tend to watch or play the poker games as well. It brings in a lot of money to the country.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles has the largest poker room in the world and has hundreds of places to play. Because there are many rich people in the city, perhaps in Hollywood, they come along and join in the games.

It is a very high status city and this is probably why it attracts some of the best professional players.

Barcelona – Spain

Barcelona may be more well known for its beaches and buildings but it is famous for poker as well. There are some major tournaments that take place there.

Macau – China

Macau has seen the poker industry rapidly expand recently. Along with most of China it is a rapidly developing area and therefore attracting more visitors and wealth and so the game is becoming more popular.

It can be tempting to think, with the amount of poker sites online, such as full tilt poker, that poker may be becoming less popular offline. However, its popularity is growing on and off line as you can see by how many places it is popular in and how spread they are around the world, that it is certainly still popular as an offline game as well. With all of the locations being ppular holiday destinations, people travel there to see the poker as well as the tourist attractions.

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The Big Hole in South Africa – World’s Largest Hole Which Humans Dug

The Big Hole which is also known by its other name, Kimberley Mine, in South Africa is the world’s largest hole which humans excavated. It was dug by 50.000 miners who were working in diamond mine after first diamonds were found there in 19th century. They found there amazing amount of diamonds, precisely, they have found 2720 kilograms of diamonds there.

The most amazing fact is that workers who worked there weren’t using any advanced tools or machines while thy were digging. The hole was dug between 1871 and 1914 when there weren’t any advanced machines for digging so, they literally dug this hole by hands using some very basic tools like picks and shovels. Using that basic tools workers managed to move amazing 22 million tons of soil.

The Big Hole is about 215 meters deep and 463 meters wide. After the mine was abandoned because it became too dangerous for miners to dig further, the mine was shut down. However, company De Beers Brothers who owned that mine continued with diamonds exploitation by underground mining.

After excavation was finished, this place started to fill with underground waters and, as you can see from photos, it looks now like a lake. Water took about 20% (40 meters) of the depth of whole hole.

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