Apple TV, which has recently taken the #1 spot of top-sellers in the TV and Video category on Amazon, is experiencing a surge in sales in recent months and developers like Firemint, Splitmo or Cerebral Gardens are taking notice.

“We are excited about how popular Apple TV has become as a way to enjoy content without paying high cable bills,” said Rob Witman, founder at Splitmo, makers of Air Show, a photo sharing and editing tool for iPad and iPhone via HDTVs. “And we are taking it a few steps further. We are focused on letting customers enhance their devices and use their HDTV and iPad for a shared video and entertainment experience. Companies like us see an opportunity to create very cool experiences to share on the big screen using platforms like Apple TV.” Apple has sold 5 million Apple TVs in fiscal 2012.

Also read: Air Show HD – Review

Cerebral Gardens is a developer that leverages AirPlay‘s dual screen capabilities with their popular app Party Doodles for iOS. “Apple’s AirPlay technology opens the door to all kinds of innovative app ideas that aren’t possible on other platforms,” said Dave Wood, president at Cerebral Gardens.  ”Being able to wirelessly connect a big HD screen to a mobile device enables developers to create a much more immersive experience for their customers.”

Also read: Apple TV gaming: Party Doodles for iPad and Apple TV

Whether it’s multi-player games like Firemint’s Real Racing 2 HD, which offers a split-screen gaming experience from iPad to HDTV, or MetalStorm: Wingman from Z2Live that features seamless AirPlay compatibility, an ecosystem of games and tools is emerging around Apple TV.

Also read: Real Racing 2 HD First to Support Wireless Gaming over AirPlay on Apple TV 2

Witman says that Splitmo has a few additions to Air Show in the works like stickers, art and freehand (you can already share your HDTV-edited photos through the app on Facebook and Twitter). He say that Splitmo is also rolling out some “unique mobile to HDTV products” in the coming months that will add to the growing array of offerings that enhance the Apple TV experience for customers.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Gamers rejoice! Cerebral Gardens, a software development studio specializing in iOS and Mac apps, is launching the “first game for Apple TV” through the App Store. It’s called Party Doodles, and it’s a multiplayer, interactive party drawing and guessing game game you’ll certainly be busting out at your next gathering. Dave Wood, the founder and president of Cerebral Gardens, calls Party Doodles the first game ever designed specifically for the Apple TV, and it’s certainly about time. And when integrated with AirPlay, it really represents the next generation of gaming.

Party Doodles seamlessly integrates the Apple TV with the iPad, a perfect fit that fans of party games should love. Which means Cerebral Gardens will love checking their bottom line next month, as more than four million Apple TVs were purchased in 2011. Sure, that’s still a small segment of all the millions upon millions of gamers out there, but there’s certainly something to be said for being the first kid on the block. Party Doodles in pioneering a new market, and eager fans will probably reward their work.

Cerebral Gardens first thought of the game last summer, when Apple launched their mirroring technology, giving users the ability to link their iPad directly to their Apple TV wirelessly through the AirPlay. Party Doodles is a drawing game designed for multiple users, so it really takes advantage of that cutting edge technology.

So what will Party Doodle fans find outside of integration with their Apple TV? Well, the game comes stock with hours of free content, more than enough to make your next get together a hit. And since the game is app-based, users can always buy additional gameplay if they run out of free time. Party Doodle also integrates with social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and fully supports the new iPad’s retina display.

Head over to What’s on iPhone to read the full review of Party Doodles for iPad, and then make your way over to your friendly neighborhood App Store to pick up your copy today.

Party Doodles is a free download from the App Store.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

It was reported last week, by AppleInsider and the guys over at Cult of Mac, that the Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted at Valve’s headquarters located in Bellevue, Washington. You may recognize Valve for their gaming platform Steam, and their work in creating games such as Half-Life, Team Fortress and the wildly successful Portal.

It is far too easy, and fun, to begin speculating at what this could mean. We all know that Tim Cook doesn’t spend his time visiting companies like this for no reason. So what could it mean? For me, it seems like a perfect fit. Get involved with a company to that already has a digital gaming platform integrated for mac, PC and platform games alike.

According to sources to Cult of Mac:

Apple is working on a television set with an iTunes-integrated touch screen remote and Siri-like voice command technology. The TV set will be coming before the end of 2012. Furthermore, Apple’s television set will come with an Apple-branded, Kinect-like video game console. The interface will rely heavily on motion and touch controls.

Simply put, we are one, well designed, physical remote away from Apple taking over the gaming sector. There I said it! I have been a long time lover of iPad mirroring iOS games to my Apple TV 2. The limitation has always been controls. If Apple integrates either Kinect –like features or and external remote. I may be sold!

Update: Valve co-founder Gabe Newell has said that Tim Cook never visited his company, but, according to Cult of Mac sources, Apple is still working on a Kinect-like video game console:

The company’s plans are always subject to change, but gaming for the upcoming television is definitely on the table right now.

[via: Cult of Mac]

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Firemint has just announced that its Real Racing 2 HD will be the “first title to support full screen wireless gaming over AirPlay”. According to the developer, this won’t be just mirroring – the players will be able to play Real Racing 2 HD on their big screens without a cable, while their iPad 2 displays racing telemetry in real-time. “No black borders, no wires – just iOS racing at its finest,” the company promises. The new release of Real Racing will take advantage of Firemint’s dual-screen technology, allowing a console-style gaming experience similar to Nintendo’s Wii U.

“Relish Real Racing 2 HD’s superb visuals as they’re streamed effortlessly to your big screen TV. Grip your iPad 2 and steer with unerring precision and the freedom of wireless play. Stay closer than ever to the track with real-time racing telemetry, displayed directly on your iPad’s screen,” the developer said in the press release.

The current version of the game features full HD 1080p TV-out and dual screen gaming support on iPad 2, allowing you to play Real racing 2 HD on your HDTV at full 1080p using HDMI adapter.

AirPlay mirroring for iPad 2 is one of the new features of recently announced iOS 5. It lets you wirelessly display everything you do on your iPad 2 right on your HDTV through Apple TV 2. It will let you airplay not only photos, videos and websites (it’s already available on Apple TV 2) but also video games.

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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!