IPhone 4 House owners Love the Talking Tom Cat App2600562
Some things have universal appeal. It's exhausting to find someone who dislikes the taste of pizza, for example. Along the same lines, it's pretty easy to get someone to snort at a cartoon cat that mimics, in a ridiculous voice, whatever you say. This is probably why Talking Tom Cat has hovered in the Top 100 Free Apps listing in the iTunes App Store for so long.
This app is best used with the iPhone 4, but the basics of game play are simple -- it's basically just to amuse yourself and your friends. Tom is a goofy, lanky, anthropomorphic talking cat who stands in the center of the screen, awaiting your input. When you speak to Tom, he will repeat what you say in a funny voice. You'll be able to pat his head and he will purr like a real cat, or you'll be able to poke at him to get on his nerves-- again, like a real cat. Grab Tom's tail to annoy him, or give him a glass of milk and he will gladly drink it. You get the idea.
The controls for the Talking Tom Cat app are simple. There are a couple of buttons at the periphery of the screen, and these will enable you to regulate the settings, but most of the time it is just you and the cat. This sort of game lends itself properly to a device with a touch screen and really stands out as on the iPhone. Unlike outdated digital pets of the past, you'll be able to really touch Tom to interact with him. You pet him the same method you would pet a real animal, and it's one of the things that makes this app a delight.
Apart from all of these cyber-pet antics, Talking Tom Cat is also great for generating short video clips you'll be able to share with your mates via YouTube, Facebook, or e-mail. Since Tom will repeat whatever you say, it's a great way to create fun birthday e-cards or personalized messages. While Talking Tom Cat is a free download, a few of the features need to be unlocked via a $0.99, one time in-app upgrade. It's not too much to ask.
The only real drawback to the app comes from its limited compatibility. The 3D animation will render slowly on a first generation iPhone, which is to be expected. However, the animations are somewhat sluggish on the iPhone 3G, compared to the iPhone 3GS. Any iPhone that runs iOS 4 instead of 3.xx may also be somewhat slow, but on no account unusable. Finally, iPod Touch owners should make certain they have headphones or earbuds that come with a built-in microphone, since the iTouch does not come equipped with a hardware microphone the way the iPhone does.
Talking Tom Cat is certainly a novelty for anyone, but older users will probably get over that novelty quickly. There are only so many tricks up Tom's sleeve. Children, however, will doubtless snort at Tom for hours. Talking Tom Cat is very kid-friendly: it is amusing, non-violent, non-competitive, and of course nice and affordable. If you might want to maintain your kids docile and distracted for long car trips, but you want to avoid games that could cause arguments between your kids, you might think about adding Talking Tom Cat to your arsenal.
