Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

Google Voice – @Alli_Flowers

When the apps started flowing for Google Voice, we couldn’t get enough of them. But the fervor died down, and we haven’t heard anything about them in a while, so I thought I’d revisit my most used of the Google Voice apps.

I’m a huge GV user, and use it primarily for my students. They can use my GV number as a homework help line, to answer bonus questions, or to call in speaking assignments. It’s been a life saver. On days like this when half the student body is involved in testing, and the other half is either home waiting for it to end, or being held in a classroom or the gym, it’s equally useful. All morning, my former students (who have passed the test already) text me to find out if testing is over so that they can come to school when classes actually start.

With the Google Voice app, I get push notifications of the text messages or calls and can quickly reply that no…we’re still holding and there’s still another hour left of testing. I love my Google Voice, and the Google Voice app makes it easy to use.

[Free - App Store link]

Noise Entertainment System – @sethclifford

If you grew up as a child of the 80s, you most likely have a soft spot in your heart for the classic video game systems of that time. And even if you didn’t play a lot of games, chances are you can hum some of the more famous video game music of the era, just from having been around brothers, sisters and friends who were obsessed. I was one of those kids – the obsessed ones – and as such, those chiptunes are indelibly etched in my psyche, providing warm, fuzzy feelings of nostalgic childhood joy when I hear them.

I’ve had game music file players on my Macs for years, but on iOS there’s just one you need to concern yourself with, and that’s Shaun Inman’s magnificent Noise Entertainment System. Shaun is an exceptional designer and developer with a penchant for classic 8-bit gaming, and has released some incredible games for iOS, most recently The Last Rocket. He knows the style so well that there isn’t a single pixel out of place in his apps, and his games feature original chiptune music, adding even more legitimacy to the classic feel.

NoiseES is an app for playing GBS, NSF and NSFe files, which are the music files (GameBoy, NES) extracted from the game ROMs themselves. The files load just like an mp3 playlist and tracks behave much like you would expect. You’ll have to do some poking around online to find the files, but they’re readily available, and a lot of fun once you get into it. Shaun even has a few links on his site page for NoiseES that can get you started! I’ve been listening to classic game music for well over a decade, and this app is one of the best ways to do it. Even better is that there are updates coming that will add some much-desired new functionality to the app that I am super excited about.

If you’re a fan of chiptune music and want to take it to go, you must get this app. For more information on game music, you can check this NSF Wikipedia Page, and this general page on game music as well.

[$1.99 - App Store link]

Official Rugby World Cup 2011 – @chrisoldroyd

You can’t avoid the Rugby Worlds Cup that is going on in New Zealand for the next few weeks. Unfortunately, well depending on where you live anyway, the kick off times are a little strange. Don’t worry, if you get the Official Rugby World Cup 2011 app for iPhone and iPad you will not miss a thing.

You can access the Match Center for live matches complete with live commentary, match statistics and even video highlights. The app also provides all the latest tournament news and a Rugby World Cup Daily video.

If you are lucky enough to be in New Zealand for the competition, the app will also give you information on the stadiums, locations and even seating plans and facilities. You can also find out what is going on around the area you’re in when the game is over.

This really is a very well put together app for the Rugby World Cup and it is even a universal binary!

[Free - App Store link]

GoodReader – @reneritchie

We’re working on a new, super-secret project here at TiPb HQ and so I’ve been receiving clandestine ZIP files via email containing [REDACTED] for us to plot and scheme over. Trouble is, iOS doesn’t open ZIP files (why, Apple? WHY?!) nor does the Dropbox iOS app (why, Dropbox? WHY?!). Luckily, GoodReader does (Yay!). So here’s what I’ve been doing.

1. Start playing MIssion Impossible theme
2. Launch Mail, find the ZIP attachment
3. Open the ZIP attachment in GoodReader
4. Scan through the [REDACTED].
5. If I want any in Dropbox, I just hit the Action button and tap Open In…
6. Fade music and walk off into the sunset

Sure it’s a bit convoluted and involved, and it would be nice if Apple or Dropbox just built this in, but GoodReader is a powerhouse in its own right and ZIP extraction is just the icing on the power cake. (Though sadly, it’s not a universal binary so you’ll have to buy it twice if you want it for both iPhone and iPad.)

Now excuse me while I get back to the super secret drawing board…

[$4.99 - iPhone App Store link - iPad App Store link]

UNO – @JBaby_9783

This week I can not stop playing UNO. I’ve played it off an on since it debuted on the App Store but a recent update has sucked me back in. The new improvements to the Online Multiplayer are fantastic! I’m finding myself logging in everyday so I can get my 10 free coins. The coins are used to purchase bonus and luck. You can get more coins by winning games and via in-app purchase in addition to the daily 10 coins Gameloft gives you. Being able to buy a chance of drawing Draw 2/4 cards or buying a chance to peak at another players hand just adds a little punch to an already fun game! The only criticism I have is Gameloft hasn’t updated UNO HD to this new Online Multiplayer mode.

If you love Uno give the latest update a try! And when you do, add me as friend so we can play together. I’m JBaby9783.

[$0.99 with in-app purchases - App Store link]

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so we will be choosing one reader to make a submission each week! Just look for the announcement on twitter or our Facebook page each weekend for a chance to be picked! In the meantime, jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

UNO HD for iPad [$4.99 - iTunes link] by Gameloft brings the classic card game to bigger, bolder life on that 9.7″ screen. At first blush, UNO more so than something like NOVA feels like it could have been a universal binary, sparing existing owners of the iPhone version from having to buy it twice. However, Gameloft wisely upped the ante based on the iPad’s-size, offering a 4 player option that makes it eminently more suitable as a true board-game replacement — you can realistically sit 2 or 4 people around an iPad and start up the multiplayer version of the game, share the screen, and get your UNO on.

You can of course also use single-player mode, or multiplayer between devices either locally or online. The graphics look prerequisite-ly great on the iPad, though we did find the controls a tad challenging (choosing and playing cards weren’t quite as buttery smooth as we’d like).

A side effect of the game being run on an iPad instead of with real cards is that it’s almost impossible to make mistakes or (gasp) cheat. The game only allows you to play cards you’re allowed to play, when you’re allowed to play them. Whether that’s a good or bad thing we’ll leave up to you and your consciences to sort out.

If you like UNO and you want to bring a little bit of real world social interaction back to your family and friends, grab an iPad, fire it up, pass it around, and let us know what you think.

Video of me taking on a challenger, after the break!

YouTube link

Gameloft knows how to take popular gaming genres, polish them to multitouch perfection, and release them faster than ought be possible, and the iPad release is no exception with N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance; Modern Combat: Sandstorm; Dungeon Hunter; Asphalt 5; UNO; NFL 2010; Let’s Golf!; and, Real Football 2010.

Check ‘em out after the break!

Here’s what Gameloft has to say about developing for the iPad:

The large, stunning screen brings a higher level of graphic detail to the games in addition to the optimization of textures and models. The screen size and depth perception ratio allows the player to feel completely immersed in the experience. For example, Real Football 2010 was re-mastered to include HD resolution grass surfaces, textures, characters and animations.

More direct and enriched controls allow for more intuitive thought and action response, as well as fully customizable buttons and mappings that fit the player’s preference. For instance, the N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance App for iPad includes more contextual controls in the environment: open an airlock door by rotating three fingers, slide the button upwards to make an elevator move upstairs, etc.

The larger screen means there will be more ambitious gameplay sequences such as increased field of depth, complex map layouts and more intense action sequences. In N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, the player can enable MTA – Multi Target Acquisition which is a new feature for iPad gaming. The player can trigger a new functionality from the regular rocket launcher, then directly draw a grid on the battlefield to kill all selected enemies on screen in one shot. In Real Football 2010, the larger surface allows for a more strategic overview of the playing field and gave the designers more space to create comfortable control schemes.

Multiplayer challenges will also be increased on iPad and cooperative gameplay will be easier and more attractive on the larger screen. Whether a spectator or participant, online challenges will become more fun and engaging. With UNO, the world famous card game, users can gather four friends and play on a single iPad using the new “One Device Multiplayer” mode. They can also connect with friends on iPad or iPhone devices for local and online Wi-Fi multiplayer gameplay.

What are the top 5, must-have board games currently available on the iPhone? Many of you have taken a liking to our Top 5 Must-Have Jailbreak Apps features, so TiPb figured why not expand the series and cover some of the better apps directly from Apple’s own iTunes App Store as well? So that is exactly what we did. Today we have compiled what we feel are the current top 5 must-have board game apps available. For the full run down, follow us after the break!

UNO

Gameloft’s rendition of the classic card game has come a long way since it was first introduced into the App Store back in November. With a slick layout, nice graphics and a very fluent control scheme a card game like this is a perfect fit for the iPhone platform.

The feature that makes this a great iPhone board game is Gameloft’s new community based-social network – “Gameloft Live”. This new feature adds friends lists, trophies, chat and personal messaging for players.

• Action Cards are here: Wild, Reverse, Draw 2, and more
• Customize your game with 9 different rules to play your way, including 7-0 and Jump-in
• Play online or with your friends through a Wi-Fi connection.
• Collect prizes by winning increasingly difficult games in Tournament Mode.
• Game invites via push notifications

UNO is available for $4.99. [iTunes Link]

Scrabble

EA Mobile has done a excellent job on it’s latest board game release, Hasbro’s Scrabble, especially for those of you looking for a great multiplayer experience via WiFi. For those of you who may not be familiar with this particular game, the object is to create words from a rack of seven letters that is randomly assigned to each player. You use those seven letters that were assigned to you to build words on the game board. Certain letters have more points associated with them and certain game board squares enable higher scoring. Winning the game is simple, you must create words that give you a higher score than your opponent.

• Now you can play SCRABBLE™ with your friends on Facebook
• Start a match from any platform to play-invite friends the same way
• Play in real time-stats and chats appear instantly
• SHAKE your iPhone to shuffle letters, ZOOM to view the playing board, and DRAG-n-DROP to place tiles
• Tap into your iTunes® libray and listen to your favorite songs

Scrabble is available for $4.99. [iTunes Link]

Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition

Monopoly, what more can you really say but we are willing to bet most, if not all, of our readers has a fairly good idea what this game is all about. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this classic – Monopoly is a board game that can be played two to four players. Each player is represented by a token of their choice: a shoe, a top-hat, a dog, or a car. Each player takes a turn, rolls two six-sided dice and moves his/her token across the board. Each space on the board is either a property you can purchase or it initiates some other transaction – fines, rewards, etc… The goal of Monopoly is to make the most money and bankrupt your opponents.

• Wi-Fi Mode Allows 4 players to connect via the same router on a Local Area Network (Disappointing, we know…)
• 3D view of the board and movers
• Play solo against the computer or Pass n’ play for 4
• Use your touch screen to flick and drag property cards and simulate real-life game experiences

Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition is available for $4.99. [iTunes Link]

The Game of Life: Classic Edition

Just like all of the other EA Mobile board games, The Game of Life translates very nicely over to iPhone. In The Game of Life players travel around the game board landing on spaces that act out various events that you may experience throughout ones life – schooling, work, retirement, etc… During your journey of life you will come be offered jobs, slapped with lawsuits, have children, purchase property, and get life tiles. Life tiles represent major life events that are revealed at the end of the game, each of them will reward players with different amounts of money that will be added to the players retirement totals. The player with the most amount of money at the end of the game, is the winner.

• High replayability – endless choices allow you to recreate your life every time you play!
• Animated tokens bring the game to LIFE!
• Innovative controls for effortless navigation around a colorful gameboard
• Stunning, 3D playing environment with winding roads and plush landscapes

One of most obvious omissions of this game is the lack of Wi-Fi play. Hopefully that will come in a future update.

The Game of Life Classic Edition is available for $4.99. [iTunes Link]

Trivial Pursuit

This last game we have for you today comes from EA Mobile yet again, Trivial Pursuit. This game offers you Classic mode, where the game board has the looks just like the classic board game. The game play is still the same as well. You still collect wedges by answering multiple choice questions for six categories – Entertainment, Geography, History, Sports & Leisure, Science & Nature, and Arts & Literature. The player who is able to answer the most questions correctly and gathers the most wedges – wins.

• Play with up to 4 players using Pass’N Play and local Wi-Fi multiplayer.
• Choose the right amount of wedges to win, set your own time limits, and create personalized difficulty levels.
• Innovative, easy-to-use touch controls allow you to roll the dice with a tilt and a shake. Page through questions with the swipe of your hand and tap to select answers!

Trivial Pursuit is available for $4.99. [iTunes Link]

Conclusion

Well that’s it, TiPb’s Top 5 Must-Have iPhone board games. Did we miss any of your favorites? Overlook any killer features? Drop us a comment and let us know your list!

Today TiPb presents to you a special gaming edition of Apps for Less. The following games could go well with the custom TiPb Element Liquid Cases that we are giving away!

This first game is for all of the first person shooter fans out there, Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes has just dropped a few bucks to $5.99. [iTunes Link] If you missed msbaylor’s forum review, be sure to take a minute and see what this game is all about.

This next one sparked a little bit of comment controversy over its price not to long ago in its preview, UNO. [iTunes Link] Well for all of those who said the price of $7.99 was a bit to steep, how is $4.99? Is that enough to make to take the plunge?

These last two games we want to bring to your attention are brought to us by Electronic Arts. YAHTZEE Adventures and MONOPOLY Here and Now: The World Edition have both gone on sale for a limited time. YAHTZEE Adventures being priced at $2.99 and MONOPOLY priced at $4.99.

Have we missed a good deal that you know about and want to share with everyone? Feel free to send us a email and let us know!

Fans of the classic card game, Uno, rejoice… the game is now for sale in the App Store! Gameloft brings us Uno in all of it’s glory along with a multiplayer mode! (Online via 3G or WiFi)

Play the classic card game that’s #1 for fun with friends and family. In single or multiplayer, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, thanks to a brand new gameplay system! Simply drag & drop cards using your finger on the screen for intuitive control, and be the first to get rid of all your cards.

All your favorite Action Cards are here: Wild, Reverse, Draw 2 and more! Customize your game with 9 different rules including 7-0 and Jump-in. Play against the AI or your friends: use only one iPhone or play with multiple devices through a WiFi connection. Take on increasingly hard challenges in Tournament Mode.

All of this Uno action can be yours for the fair price of $7.99. Feeling lucky and want to challenge me to a game? Head on into the iTunes App Store and get your game on!