iPhone Game Review: 21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored

Are you interested in playing blackjack on your iPhone? Do you want to hone your skills before your trip to Vegas or Dubai? Are you interested in learning how to play one of the most addictive gambling games of all time? Finally, are you interested in doing all of this without risking any money, or even paying anything to learn it? If so, then the new application from Avalinx is the application for you.



21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored is a new application which allows you to play one of the classic casino games on your iPhone. Play against the house while you attempt to earn as many pixilated chips as you can. With control over the finest details of the game — from the looks of the table and cards, to the rules that the house plays by, to the payout for blackjack — you can get this game to be pretty close to your ideal experience. 21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored can do all of this and more, either for free (with a few ads before each new game) or for $4.99. Try the application out at the iTunes store today!



Pros
21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored has several nice features and tune-ups that make this application worth your time. The interface of the application — with its smooth renderings, vibrant colors, and changeable looks — makes this ideal for everybody. The layout is also a gigantic plus for it. You can navigate with ease and bet without a hitch. Furthermore, the layout allows you to easily find the menus and sections within the game. The touch controls work perfectly, and the whole application feels polished and flawless. To me, this feels almost as perfect as Apple's own poker game!

My favorite part of 21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored are the extras that you can access from its main menu. While the game itself is enjoyable, these are truly the hidden gems here and elevate it above its competitors. From the typical sections of rules and terminology to a detailed history of the game, these are some nice features. You can view different versions of the game, from 'European No-Hole-Card' to 'Spanish 21', and even learn to play them. This should impress your trivia-centric friends, and give you some spice to your game when you head to Vegas.

There is even a section called 'Master the Game', which, as it implies, lets you learn all the techniques that the pros use. The best part of this is the 'card counting' section, where the application teaches you several ways to count cards, and thus improves your chances of a nice payout. To help even further with this, the application will count the cards for you during the actual game (this makes sure that your practice is accurate).

Cons
There is very little that I did not like about 21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored. While the ads are annoying, clicking skip two times per new game is no big deal. Plus, if you drop $4.99 for the non-sponsored version, these annoyances quickly disappear. The only other thing that concerns me is that I occasionally got a glitch where it would automatically count an ace as 11, regardless of what the other card I had was. Hopefully it can be fixed quickly and easily.

What I Want To See
My biggest gripe is the fact that there is not as much customization as I would like. I would like to see a new dealer, more tables, more card backings, and a bigger chip set. These are probably easily addressed in an update (which they plan on doing regularly) and really are not a big deal. What I would really like to see is the option to have computer players playing alongside of you. While you would never play against them (you always play against the house), it would add a more realistic recreation of playing in Vegas, where your card counting has to include all players on the table. While this is not a necessary add-on, it would make the game more enjoyable and realistic in my mind.

Overall
21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored is one of the better applications that is out for the iPhone currently. The game is fun, polished, and reminds me a lot of Apple's own products, in terms of quality. While there are some things that are missing, the planned updates should be able to fix these quickly. The only thing holding this application back from a perfect is the fact that slight, and very rare, glitch when dealing with aces. If they can fix that, 21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored would become the perfect app for the iPhone-using blackjack player, be they a novice or a pro.21 Pro: Blackjack - Sponsored has not been rated by the ESRB. This game can currently only be found on the iPhone.

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Product Review - Port O' Pong

Please note, this is a free-product review. Keep that in mind

Ever go to a pool party, at a friend's or at a hotel for spring break, only to realize that there are no drinking games? Want to play some beer pong at your tailgate but don't have room for the table in the car? If so, then Port O' Pong is the perfect item for you. Port O' Pong (POP) is an inflatable beer pong table that is set up for a game anywhere you can imagine. Play in a pool, on the hood of a car, or even hanging from midair. If you can imagine where to put it, POP can be there.

POP makes playing beer pong possible everywhere. Just pull out an air pump, blow up the inflatable table, set in the cups, and PARTY! In the pool, on a smaller table, or even in mid-air, you can set the POP table up anywhere. The heavy-duty vinyl material makes sure that your POP will survive even the wildest of house parties. POP is college-played, and student-approved. Bring your next party to life by ordering Port O' Pong for $49.99 .

Port O' Pong is an inflatable beer pong table. Though it is designed for water, it can be used anywhere. The table is regulation size and has the normal 10-cup racks. It also has a spot for the water cup on each side. Additionally, there are four tie-down spots so that you can either anchor down or hang up your POP. The retail version comes with the table, four ropes for hanging/anchoring, two repair patches, and a set of instructions. It does not come with an air pump, which will set you back another $20 or so.

Port O' Pong is set up so that it is the perfect accessory for any hotel or party destination. As Jerry Piscitelli, the co-owner of POP, put it: “Outdoor/sports/activity directors can build games around Port O' Pong for all ages to play - from setting up four tables in a row and having a guys vs girls beer pong competition to playing duck pin bowling with younger kids with the tables - the imagination is the only barrier to games that can be used. We have seen activity directors insert plastic bats into the cup holders and toss rings over the floating island, marshmallows tossed into coco cups, and even casino pong played by the gentlemen after a long day on the golf course.”

Any hotel that purchases or has POP can use it to run anything they want. From beer pong tournaments during Spring Break to little games for the kids during the rest of the year. The uses for the table are infinite, and really are defined by just your imagination. Plus, if it's available at the hotel store, the hotel can make a profit from a try-then-buy sales style.

Yes, if you get a Port O' Pong, you too can play with ladies that attractive.

When I first read about POP, and got the product for this review, I thought to myself that it was a gimmick. I really could see no way to play beer pong properly on an inflated raft. Frankly, I figured that it would be fun only for a little bit, then I would move back to my normal table. Part of my gut reaction was right, but part was wrong. I am using my normal table now, but only due to the temperature outside. However, I am able to now play outside (word of advice: don't play when it is 10 degrees or less outside — it's not that fun) and enjoy it immensely. POP has allowed my friends and I to take our parties outdoors, which makes it worth the investment.

The POP table is almost perfect in its size. When inflated, it is the regulation size for beer pong which makes it a great replacement table. Deflating the POP, however, is when you realize how much better it is to have an inflatable table. The deflated POP is roughly the size of two footballs. This makes it perfect for a dorm room, a tailgating party, or your suitcase for spring break travel. This size advantage easily overcomes the problems.

Speaking of the problems, my biggest concern for POP was the bounce factor. In normal beer pong — well, the version we play — the other team must drink two cups if the ball is bounced into the cup. This is one of my trademark moves and I utilize it many times each night. After practicing on the POP for a bit, I started to get the hang of the new bounce physics. The ball still bounces properly, but the odd angles and the movement of the table itself, gives it a whole new degree of difficulty. Needless to say, I can still make my trademark shot but not nearly as often.

Overall I feel that Port O' Pong is a nice product but a little overpriced. The size and mobility of the table, plus the fact that you can use it anywhere, is exceptionally nice. Furthermore, the table can be used for anything that you can think of, and doesn't even need to serve as an alcoholic game. The price though, does put it at a disadvantage. I can make a regular table for about $10, using only a few pieces of wood. Port O' Pong would set me back about $70 once you add the pump to the equation. This makes it harder for college kids to purchase the item. However the new challenges, and the fun of being able to play anywhere make POP well worth the price. I would recommend it to you and already have recommended it to my friends. You can purchase Port O' Pong in white, green, blue, and even pink (they are looking for a breast cancer partner) for $49.99 and create lasting spring break memories.

Disclaimer: Port O' Pong is not intended as a flotation device and should not be used as a life saving device. Please play all drinking games responsibly.

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