NEW: Priority Inbox Gmail

Interesting thing is that it could really help in getting you to see what you want and need to see.  The rather scary thing is the algorithm.  So, what does it do? Then feed Google with an incredible marketing mix...so it can later be used to develop a Facebook-like ad delivery??  *shudders*

Gmail Priority Inbox Launches: Your E-mail Will Never Be the Same

Today, Google will begin rolling out Priority Inbox for Gmail, a new feature for managing massive amounts of e-mail. Your inbox will never be the same again.Priority Inbox is Google’s () attempt to solve the e-mail woes of Gmail () power users. At its core, the feature is an algorithm; Priority Inbox uses information such as keywords, the people you e-mail the most and your e-mail habits to select the most pressing e-mails in your inbox. Those e-mails are brought to the top of your Gmail and marked as important so you deal with them first.
Priority Inbox is also an adaptive algorithm. Marking items as important or unimportant teaches the system what types of messages you deem the most urgent. You can also use Gmail’s filters to automatically mark certain messages as important (for example, from your boss or your spouse),
The new feature appears as a new menu item just above the “Inbox” link. Instead of indicating how many unread e-mails you have in your inbox, Priority Inbox only displays how many priority e-mails still require your attention. These appear at the top of Gmail as “Important and unread.”
The second layer of the new layout is your starred e-mails. These messages appear in their own section under the Priority Inbox. The goal is to get users to star important e-mails they have read but for whatever reason still need in their inboxes. Under the “Starred” section is “Everything else,” which contains the rest of your unarchived inbox.

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The Impact of the Priority Inbox

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During the many months of testing the feature internally, the search giant found that users spent 16% less time reading insignificant e-mail. If you do the math, that’s about a full week’s worth of time saved. According to Google, once someone switches to Priority Inbox, he or she never needs or wants to go back.
We can see why. We’ve had the chance to test out Priority Inbox for the last few days and discuss the new feature with Gmail Product Director Keith Coleman, and we’re impressed. Our inboxes get filled with hundreds of e-mails daily, but only a few of them require our immediate attention. Even with dozens of Gmail filters, important messages often get lost in the pile, leading to lost opportunities or missed meetings.
Priority Inbox, while not perfect, is a dramatic step toward solving that problem. Important messages bubble to the top, while e-mails that still require attention can sit in the Starred section until they’re addressed. It basically takes the Gmail Multiple Inboxes feature and adds a smart algorithm for cherry picking the threads that require your attention.
Coleman says that the company has been working on the feature for 18 months, but the original version of Gmail had something similar to this before it launched, but was removed because it simply wasn’t ready for mass consumption. Now it is refined enough for use by all.

reposted from http://mashable.com/2010/08/30/gmail-priority-inbox/

About 9 hours ago Ben Parr

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Free Printable Paper

More than 740 papers you can download and print for free. We've got graph paper, lined paper, financial paper, music paper, and more. (Or get them all on CD-ROM for $39.)
Printable Paper has been featured by LifeHacker, Kim Komando, Woman's World magazine, and elsewhere.

Here are the 15 most popular printable papers:

Lined Paper college-ruled on letter-sized paper in portrait orientation

Graph Paper with four lines per inch on letter-sized paper

Lined Paper wide-ruled on letter-sized paper in portrait orientation

Lined Paper narrow-ruled on letter-sized paper in portrait orientation

Cornell Note Paper

Yahtzee Score Card

Graph Paper with two lines per inch on letter-sized paper

Penmanship Paper with twelve lines per page on A4-sized paper in portrait orientation

Check Register

Basketball Score Sheet

Grade Book Paper

Lined Paper narrow-ruled on A4-sized paper in portrait orientation

Monthly Budget

Music Paper with ten staves on letter-sized paper in portrait orientation

Softball Score Sheet

reposted from http://www.printablepaper.net/

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Patdowns Brought to Your Airport by TSA

TSA Experimenting With 'Enhanced Patdowns'

August 24, 2010 3:36 pm by Carl Unger

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is testing a new "enhanced patdown" technique at Boston's Logan Airport and Las Vegas' McCarran Airport. According to The Boston Herald, the new technique involves screeners sliding their hands over nearly every inch of a passenger's body and, unlike existing techniques that require screeners to use the backs of their hands on sensitive areas, screeners use their palms for the entire search. The new procedure, in general, is described as being more aggressive and invasive than the current one.
The TSA claims the new patdowns are necessary to maintain its "layers of security" approach. Spokeswoman Ann Davis told the Herald, "Patdowns are designed to address potentially dangerous items, like improvised explosive devices and their components, concealed on the body." The patdowns are conducted by screeners who are the same gender as the individual passenger, and passengers may request that the patdown be done in private. Patdowns would be used mainly when a passenger refuses a full-body scan or sets off a metal detector.

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Still, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) calls the new procedures part of a "seemingly constant erosion of privacy."
Indeed, these patdowns are just the latest in a series of incursions into passenger privacy made by the TSA in the name of safety. The most egregious, perhaps until now, is the growing use of full-body scanners, or "millimeter wave" scanners, which produce fairly detailed images of passengers' naked bodies. Controversy over those machines was reignited earlier this month when the U.S. Marshals revealed they had stored some 30,000 images on a single machine in use at a Florida courthouse. The TSA, which operates separately from the Marshals, had always maintained the devices could not store images. However, the machines can store images and must be able to, per TSA policy. The capability is simply turned off when in use at airports.
For me, the whole issue of patdowns and full-body scanners comes down to a simple question: Why? And, more usefully, why now?
There's an easy throwaway answer to the first: Security, obviously. But why must the TSA constantly push the boundary between privacy and intrusion? The TSA's newest ideas—full-body scanners and these invasive patdowns—provide nothing more than a fool's choice between one form of privacy invasion and another. One passenger who received an enhanced patdown told the Herald, "If anybody ever groped me like that in real life, I would have punched them in their nose." Why does our country's security braintrust seem to funnel all its energy into processes that strip away the rights to privacy few Americans would willingly forfeit?
Further, why is the TSA rolling out this new program now? It's not as if enhanced patdowns were borne of some new technology, as is the case with full-body scanners, that required years of innovation and testing. Switching to enhanced patdowns simply requires a decision and an order, so why now? If airport security over the past nine years has been adequate without these more invasive body searches, why on earth are they suddenly necessary?
A conspiracist may offer that it's all security theater to begin with, and new policies are implemented simply to remind people—innocent civilians and potential criminals alike—that the TSA has its eye on things. Problem is, since the TSA rarely offers meaningful explanations for its policies, we're all left to guess. Why do we still take our shoes off? Why do I still have to throw out that cup of coffee before security? Why do I have to get groped by a screener like I'm some shady character? The TSA answers in platitudes—"layers of security" being one of them—and expects us all to take it.
Look, there's no such thing as an entirely secure air travel system. For every advancement in security there's a criminal mind somewhere thinking of new ways to take down planes. This is an uncomfortable truth, but it's important to remember when considering what is worth sacrificing in the pursuit of something that does not exist, which is the idea that flying can ever be 100 percent safe from crime. Unfortunately, we as consumers have increasingly little say in the matter, and can merely choose not to travel if we mean to defend our rights to privacy and decency.

reposted from http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/tsa-experimenting-with-enh...

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QUOTE: Never Between You and Them Anyway

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway."

Mother Theresa

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HOWTO: Travel with No Baggage

This should be interesting. I like the premise: experience is more important than things.  And, he assumes that his needs will be met, by money or people, along the way. Primitive it's not, however.  Taking your iPhone with you...well, as long as he doesn't behave like the tourists in another recent post of mine...

How to Travel 12 Countries with No Baggage Whatsoever 

Written by Tim Ferriss Topics: Travel

Starting tomorrow, travel writer Rolf Potts will embark on a trip that will take him around the world without using a single piece of luggage. This post will explain how he’s going to do it, and there’s a kick-ass giveaway at the end…
For six weeks he will explore 12 countries on five continents, crossing the equator four times, without carrying so much as a man-purse. The few items he does bring will be tucked away in his pockets. Though he’s a seasoned minimalist traveler (famous from his book Vagabonding), he usually travels with a single overhead-bin-perfect backpack, the Eagle Creek Thrive 65L. It’s been his go-to bag for the last 3-4 years.
So why attempt to travel the world with no luggage at all?
Rolf sees his journey as a real-time experiment in traveling ultra-light, and “a field-test for a more philosophical idea — that what we experience in life is more important than what we bring with us.”
While circumnavigating the globe with no luggage sounds like a clear enough proposition, it can raise a few semantic issues. What, for example, counts as a bag? Rolf has set up a set of ground rules to guide his own journey, including:
- No bags on the journey (not even a man-purse or grocery store bag, unless the latter is used en route to a meal).
- No borrowing items from his cameraman or using his cameraman as a pack mule.
- Borrowing or buying items along the way is permitted but excludes bags.
Since most people don’t travel with a film crew, Rolf’s advice for the average no-baggage traveler is a bit broader than the rules he’s set for himself. Here are 8 key tips from Rolf on how to plan and execute a no-luggage journey.
In Rolf’s words…
1) Manage the journey from your mobile phone.
A smartphone could well be the most important tool for a baggage-less traveler. It can store your boarding passes and other important documents, make phone calls from virtually anywhere in the world (with a swappable SIM card) and even act as a miniature blogging tool.
I recommend an iPhone with a foldable Bluetooth keyboard, which allows you to fit your mobile office inside a single jacket pocket. The iPhone can be loaded with a series of applications to replace everyday day items carried on a normal trip. The Kindle app lets you leave behind bulky books, and Genius Scan lets you use you iPhone’s camera as a makeshift scanner so you can quickly save receipts and email them to yourself on the fly. Wikihood utilizes the phone’s GPS to serve location-relevant Wikipedia articles, which is a unique and interesting alternative to a guidebook. Throw in your favorite currency converter, phrase book, and flight tracker, and you’ve got a single device in your pocket more powerful than its dead-weight paper counterparts.
Some recommedations:
TripTracker by PageOnce
Lonely Planet series of phrase books (multiple links depending on language)
_blank">Currency converter: “Currency”
2) Keep your footwear simple and practical.
With no bags, the only shoes you’re going to want to bring is whatever you’re wearing from day to day.
I’m traveling with a pair of Blundstone boots I bought in Australia in 2006. I’ve worn these boots all over the world the past four years, from Paris to Ethiopia to the Falkland Islands, and they’ve served me great. They work for hiking in remote environments, yet they’re easy to slip off and on at airport security.
Some travelers might prefer Chaco or Teva sandals (if nothing else to save packing socks) — and I won’t fault them for that — but my Blundstones look nice enough that they will get me into places where sandals might seem too informal. You are on your feet constantly when you travel, of course, so whichever footwear you choose to bring (be it sandals or boots or running shoes), make sure you aim for comfort, simplicity, and durability.
(Note from Tim: I opt for darker-colored Keen Newport Bison Leather Sandals. If you use black or dark socks, since they have closed toes, you can easily get into restaurants or even pass for business casual if you tuck the tightening strings in.)
3) Buy or borrow certain items as you go.
An old vagabonding adage goes, “Pack twice the money and half the gear.”
The same notion applies to no-luggage travel — even if you’re only packing a tenth of the gear. If a journey takes you to a beautiful beach region, odds are you can buy rubber flip-flop sandals there for a few dollars. If a given city is rainy, cheap umbrellas should be in plentiful supply — and if you get sick, the world is full of pharmacies (many of which are better-suited to cure local ailments that whatever medicine you might have packed).
Should you travel your way into cold weather, thrift stores are a good place to buy a warm jacket (which can be given way to a needy person or left in a hostel swap-box when you leave). You can also borrow things from other travelers along the way. You don’t want to be obnoxious about this, of course, but most travelers don’t mind sharing a spot of toothpaste or a couple of aspirin, and asking for these kinds of things can be a great way to strike up a conversation at the hostel or on the hiking trail.
4) Be disciplined and strategic with what you choose to bring along.

Packing light can be enough of a challenge when you have a small backpack, let alone when you have to keep all your gear in your pockets. This in mind, don’t bring anything you’re not going to use every day.
Nail clippers can be borrowed along the way; rain ponchos can be purchased on rainy days. I left my razor out of the equation (it was better to let my beard grow and then get a hard razor shave in Morocco), and before the trip I cut my hair so short I won’t ever need shampoo. Any big-box retailer should have bins of tiny deodorants and collapsible toothbrushes to keep your toiletries micro-sized. Camping stores will sell 3-ounce snap-top storage bottles that work well for toting concentrated laundry detergent or multipurpose liquid soap. Err on the side of minimalism; you can buy or borrow items along the way.
5) Wear travel gear with strategically located pockets.

If you travel without any bags, this means whatever gear you bring will have to fit in your pockets. My journey is co-sponsored by ScotteVest, an Idaho-based sportswear company that specializes in travel clothing with multiple pockets.
Most of my gear fits into the ScotteVest Tropical Jacket, which has 18 pockets of differing sizes. A majority of these pockets are accessed from the inside, which (a) is a nice deterrent against pickpockets, and (b) saves me the “dork factor” of looking like I’m traveling the world dressed like a confused trout fisherman. I can carry a majority of my gear in this jacket without looking ridiculous — plus the sleeves zip off, so I usually wear it as a vest. I’m also wearing a pair of Ultimate Cargo Pants from ScotteVest, though I’ve packed light enough that I rarely have to use the large cargo pockets. ScotteVest isn’t the only company that makes travel gear with utility pockets, of course; your local camping outfitter or travel-specialty store should provide you multiple gear options, and you can choose the clothing that best fits your needs.
6) Use a minimal rotation of clothing.
Essentially, you’ll want to travel with little more than the clothes on your back — but you will want to bring a few spare clothing items to keep things fresh and ensure you won’t get too stinky.
Given that I wear cargo pants, a travel vest, socks, underwear, and a short-sleeved t-shirt under a long-sleeved shirt on a typical day of my trip, I keep one spare t-shirt, two extra pairs of socks, and two extra pairs of underwear in my pockets.
Each night I wash the day’s socks, underwear and t-shirt in the hotel/hostel sink, and these items are dry enough to pack by morning. I’ve been washing the cargo pants about once a week (and I have yet to wash the travel vest). Some people take short no-luggage trips with even fewer clothes, but my arrangement isn’t bulky and ensures that I always have a rotation of fresh socks, underwear and t-shirts.
(Note from Tim: Here what I pack for an uber-light trip, in this example less than 10 pounds total. ExOfficio underwear are a lifesaver.)
7) Utilize the postal system for souvenirs and extra gear

With airlines baggage fees quickly spiraling upward, many travelers these days are saving money and hassle by mailing certain items to one or more destinations along their itinerary.
If, say, you’re traveling from warm climates into cold climates, you can mail your warm clothing to the first cool destination (just make a pre-arrangement with the hotel you’ll be staying at in that location). On that same token, traveling without luggage doesn’t mean you have to forgo buying souvenirs — if just means you won’t be able to carry them. To solve this problem, just hit the local post office and mail that Balinese mask or Latvian amber or Syrian silk home.
This is actually a strategy that can be employed when you’re traveling with luggage: The souvenirs you find along the way might be nice, but there’s no sense in dragging them along with you. It’s worth the expense to ship them.
8) Remember: Travel is about the experience, not what you bring with you.

In the end, that remember that going without luggage and packing ultra-light need not be an extreme act. It isn’t a contest, or a rite of travel-superiority: It’s just a great way to eliminate distractions and concentrate on the experience of the journey itself.
Freed of baggage, there’s little to forget or lose on the road. You don’t have to stow anything, guard anything, or wait for anything (aside from the occasional train or bus): You can just throw yourself into the adventure and make the most of your travels.
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Afterword: So how’s Rolf doing? How’s he actually holding up? Check out his progress here, in real-time on the RTW (Round-The-World) blog.

Debra

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Remembering the Dogs of Sputnik 5

Belka and Strelka.  Canine volunteers for that famous space jaunt.  Adventurous or not?  Guess we'll never know, what happens in space stays in space.

Happy 50th Birthday to Sputnik 5, Proof That Space Travel Is Survivable (And Adorable)

Fifty years ago today, the Soviet Union launched the Korabl-Sputnik 2 spacecraft—known as Sputnik 5 in the west—carrying two dogs named Belka and Strelka, along with mice, rats and flies into space. More surprising? Everyone came back alive.

The success of Sputnik 5 came at a time when space didn't seem particularly welcoming to anything with a heartbeat. Three years earlier, Sputnik 2 had sent Laika, a not so fortunate canine passenger, to an orbital death within mere hours. Not exactly confidence-inspiring. But Sputnik 5 defied doubts over putting living organisms into space—which were significant enough that the exact circumstances of Laika's demise were concealed from the world until 2002—making seventeen full trips around the earth within 25 hours. Suddenly, space wasn't deadly. Video monitors and electrodes hooked up to the dogs had monitored their in-flight condition, providing reassuring proof that space could be survived. And survive they did—even the forty mice. Belka and Strelka became national heroes. The mice probably all died alone, drunk in a gutter somewhere, and the flies were last seen driving towards a cliff in a 1966 Ford Thunderbird.

A tag attached to the capsule, intended for anyone who might have accidentally stumbled upon the vessel after it landed, warned passersby not to open the craft (we can only imagine what it would have been like to let loose what must have been two very, very freaked out dogs).
After her traumatic voyage, Strelka went on to have a healthy litter of puppies, one of which was delivered to President Kennedy as a gesture of Cold War diplomacy, and what must have been a gratifying little in your face moment for spacefaring Russia.

Sam Biddle, author, republished from http://gizmodo.com

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IMAGES: Space-Eyed View of Algae Blooms

Awesome images...be sure to click through the gallery.

Magnificent Marine Algae Blooms Seen From Space

• By Betsy Mason August 23, 2010 7:00 am
  

<< previous image | next image >>

When microscopic marine organisms known as phytoplankton multiply into a dense population at the ocean’s surface, massive blooms can spread so far that they can only be seen from space. These algal blooms create beautiful patterns that can stretch for hundreds of miles and trace the ocean’s swirling currents.
Phytoplankton are the foundation of the ocean food web and are critical to the health of nearly everything that lives there. They contain chlorophyll to perform photosynthesis and turn sunlight into energy which feeds their predators, and their predators’ predators, all the way up through the food chain to large fish, mammals and birds such as sharks, sea lions and penguins.
Recent research suggests the fear that warming oceans could hamper phytoplankton growth may be real. The organisms depend on mixing of ocean water to bring nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates to the surface. As the ocean warms, it becomes more stratified, with the warmer water remaining at the top where the organisms need to be in order to do photosynthesis.
A big reduction in phytoplankton could threaten marine animals and the fisheries humans depend on. And it could create a climate feedback loop that would increase temperatures further. These organisms absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and take it to the bottom of the ocean when they die, where it stays for thousands of years. So as their numbers decline, they will do less to keep global temperatures down.
In addition to capturing amazing images of the phytoplankton blooms, satellite data is one of the only ways to study them. Different species of phytoplankton change the way the ocean reflects light in different ways. The chlorophyll in the tiny organisms causes the ocean’s surface to reflect green. Other pigments can make the water look red or brown. Some phytoplankton called coccolithophores are coated with white calcite that makes the water look bright turquoise when billions of them get together.

More on phytoplankton from NASA’s Earth Observatory.
Click on any image in this gallery for a high-res version.

reposted from http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/08/phytoplankton-blooms-gallery/

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HOWTO: Gmail Undo Send

You could do this before.  Now, it's better...if you're quicker than 30 seconds that is.  If it takes you longer than that, perhaps exercising restraint before hitting send is your better strategy.

HOW TO: Undo “Send” in Gmail

Posted: 22 Aug 2010 06:25 PM PDT

Did you know you can undo a sent e-mail in Gmail? It’s a lesser known feature, but Google just made it even better than it was before. When it first launched, you were given a 5-second window during which you could hit “undo.”Now that’s up to 30 seconds, Google Operating System discovered.
The feature is hidden from most users who don’t know where to look, so here’s a quick guide to avoiding social and workplace faux pas with the click of a button. Be aware that the feature is part of Gmail Labs, though. That means it’s still in testing and it might not always work as intended.

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Go to Gmail Labs

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Since the Undo Send feature is part of Gmail Labs, you’ll have to navigate to the Gmail Labs page to activate it. Load up Gmail and look in the top-right corner of the page. Between your e-mail address and Settings you’ll see the green Labs icon. Give it a click.

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Enable “Undo Send” and Save Your Changes

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You’ll be presented with a list of features Google is testing in Gmail. Some are very useful and some are just fun. We’ve gone into more depth on all Gmail Labs has to offer in previous articles, but this time we’re here just for the Undo Send feature.
You’ll usually find it close to the bottom of the list. We’ve included a picture of it above so you know what you’re looking for. Just select Enable then scroll down and save your changes.

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Customize Undo Send’s Duration

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By default, Gmail gives you a 10-second window of time in which you may undo a sent e-mail. You can change that to five, 20 or 30 seconds by going to Settings (in the top right corner of the main Gmail page, right next to the Labs icon) and finding the Undo Send section inside the “General” tab.
There you can enable or disable Undo Send and change the duration with a drop-down selection box as pictured above.

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Write and Send Your E-mail

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Now that Undo Send is enabled, it works each time you send a new e-mail. You don’t have to do anything unusual beforehand to make it possible to use Undo Send with that e-mail.

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Click the “Undo” Button After You Send

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Now you have either five, 10, 20 or 30 seconds to undo your sent e-mail, depending on what you selected under Settings.
As soon as you hit Send, a subtle line of text will appear above your Inbox saying “Your message has been sent.” It will be accompanied by a few extra options. Among them is “Undo.” Click that within the allotted time and your faux pas will be prevented.
Note that you can hit “Z” on your keyboard, the Gmail shortcut for undo. Just don’t navigate away from or close this page, because once you do, you’ll lose the opportunity to undo your sent message forever.

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“Sending Has Been Undone”

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You’ll immediately be taken back to the e-mail composition page, and your e-mail will be in draft form, unsent and ready for further editing — or deletion, if writing it was ill-advised to begin with!
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, budgetstockphoto

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iPhone Rediscovers Classic PC Games

For those who remember and loved the originals, or not....

10 Classic PC Games That Found New Life on the iPhone

Posted: 21 Aug 2010 12:20 PM PDT

http://mashable.com" target="_blank">

Apple’s iPhone may mark a second golden age of computer gaming for a lot of reasons. The open marketplace means anyone can create a game; from major companies to just a couple of talented people in a garage. The result is a new boom in innovation, the likes of which we haven’t seen in about 20 years.Even with all the potential for innovation, maybe you still want to relive that first golden age of gaming. If you’re excited for how new tech can update the classics, then this list is for you: 10 of the greatest, most influential, straight-up classic computer games ever made, all available on and completely remastered for Apple’s handset, and in most cases also playable on the iPod touch and iPad.
There are so many phenomenal PC game ports for the iPhone that we had a hard time narrowing it down to just 10. We couldn’t help but sneak in a very special bonus at the end. Flip through the gallery below for the list and be sure and tell us about your favorites too.

1. Doom Classic

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doom-classic/id336347946?mt=8" target="_blank">Doom Classic</a>" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/gallery/10-classic-pc-games-that-found-new-life-on-the-iphone/doom-iphone-640.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" width="400" />

The mother of all first-person shooters, this game is so iconic that it spawned a web community dedicated to getting other devices to play it. As for the iPhone, we can safely say: "It plays Doom." Price: $6.99

2. Myst

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myst/id311941991?mt=8" target="_blank">Myst</a>" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/gallery/10-classic-pc-games-that-found-new-life-on-the-iphone/myst-iphone-640.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" width="400" />

A masterwork of interactive storytelling, this game was unlike any that came before it. Blatant imitators have been making games for more than 15 years now.
Price: $4.99

3. The Oregon Trail

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-oregon-trail/id307519882?mt=8" target="_blank">The Oregon Trail</a>" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/gallery/10-classic-pc-games-that-found-new-life-on-the-iphone/oregon-trail-iphone-640.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" width="400" />

An educational game that became part of an entire generation's zeitgeist, The Oregon Trail got a radical renovation for the iPhone. The graphics are improved, and there are a lot of fun mini-games to now play during your journey. Price: $2.99

4. The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-secret-monkey-island-special/id324741347?m... target="_blank">The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition</a>" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/gallery/10-classic-pc-games-that-found-new-life-on-the-iphone/monkey-island-iphone-640.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" width="400" />

One of the funniest games of all time, The Secret of Monkey Island was made by the illustrious LucasArts adventure game studio. You can play the game as it originally appeared, or you can play the voiced and redrawn version. The iPhone remastering of the sequel just came out, too.Price: $7.99

5. Plants vs. Zombies

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/plants-vs-zombies/id350642635?mt=8" target="_blank">Plants vs. Zombies</a>" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/gallery/10-classic-pc-games-that-found-new-life-on-the-iphone/plants-vs-zombies-iphone-640.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" width="400" />

It's not very often that a game comes out that can be called a classic just over a year after its release. Few would dispute that Plants vs. Zombies is deserving of the title. It's hard to believe that the game originated on the PC, though, because once you play it on a touchscreen, you won't want to go back.Price: $2.99

6. Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beneath-steel-sky-remastered/id331733638?mt=8&... target="_blank">Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered</a>" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/gallery/10-classic-pc-games-that-found-new-life-on-the-iphone/beneath-a-steel-sky-iphone-640.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" width="400" />

Not as well-known as The Secret of Monkey Island, Beneath a Steel Sky was a point-and-click, cult hit adventure game. Solve the mysteries and meet the strange characters of a post-apocalyptic world in this one.Price: $2.99

7. Prince of Persia Retro

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The PC wasn't known for its platform jumping games. But Prince of Persia was a uniquely PC take on the console-dominated genre. This remastered version is faithful to the original, including its unforgiving difficulty. Watch yourself. Price: $0.99

8. Rogue

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Rogue is the great grandfather of World of Warcraft. Until that hugely popular MMO hits the iPhone, this is one of your best bets. As with Monkey Island, you can play either the remastered version or the original (in this case an ASCII-text only affair). Yes, Rogue is really that old, but its influence is strongly felt even today. Price: Free

9. Sim City Deluxe

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Everyone knows SimCity. This iPhone version is basic compared to some of the later offerings in the series, but when you're playing on the go, that's probably okay.Price: $6.99

10. Worms

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Another cult hit, Worms was the final evolution of an obscure genre of games that involved calculating angles and wind speeds to deliver lethal volleys at friends. Worms was more action-oriented and hilarious, and the franchise has been a staple for gamers for a long time now. Price: $4.99

BONUS: Frotz

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Frotz isn't a game on its own, but we had to include it because it's one of the most exciting classic PC gaming apps for the iPhone.
It's kind of like an iBooks or Kindle for interactive fiction. Text-based adventure games were immensely popular in the late 70s and early 80s; if you remember those times, you won't want to miss Frotz. It runs many of your old favorites, plus new adventures made by enthusiasts who are still being creative today. Price: Free

reposted from www.mashable.com

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