The iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones on the market, and much of its popularity is due to its App Store. The App Store allows iPhone, iPad, and iPod users to download applications for free or for a cost. These apps range from business apps to games and entertainment apps.

One app in particular is starting to generate a lot of buzz. This app is Talking Tom Cat. Created by Outfit7, Talking Tom Cat is a fun, entertainment app that allows users to interact with a 3D cat on their iPhone. You can interact with Tom by petting, poking, punching and tail pulling. Each action will get a different reaction from Tom. These range from Tom purring to yelling OUCH! If you poke or punch him too many times, he will fall to the floor dizzy. If left alone for too long, Tom will begin to yawn or sneeze to get your attention. Additional props, such as a glass of milk, also surround Tom.

This simple interaction is amusing, but the real value of Tom is his ability to mimic everything said to him. Tom records what is said and replays it in a humorous cat voice that varies in pitch based on the voice of the person being recorded. Whenever Tom is recording, he will turn a listening ear and a paw to the screen.

This feature gets even better by allowing you to record up to 30 seconds of Tom in action and send it directly to Facebook, YouTube, or send a direct email of the video. Sending this video to a friend is sure to get a few laughs. This fun and entertaining app is free to download and is a must have for people wanting to liven up their iPhone.

Check out Talking Tom Cat for yourself.

Yesterday was a big day! Google got a new look and some hot new features, including a new mobile search.

What’s new and improved? The latest version of Google has some major differences – design changes, the addition of a left-hand navigation, and a more integrated search experience.

The design focus remains simple. So simple, in fact, you probably won’t notice the revised Google logo.

The addition of the left-hand navigation is a nice touch. You can see the types of search options available, such as Image Search, Shopping Search and Books Search. The coolest feature of the new menu? It’s dynamic. Your search options change based on your search topic.

The integrated search is designed to help you refine results by adapting to your search needs and streamlining the search experience. When you click on any of the menu items it won’t take you to a wholly different results page. Instead the left-hand menu stays put as you search which should make it easier for you to navigate the page.

What do you think of this new Google? Let us know in the comments.

Are you ready for the Mobile Marketing avalanche? You may think you have plenty of time but mobile marketing has already arrived… and is accelerating at a faster and faster rate. The time to initiate the ground work for a successful mobile marketing strategy is now.  

Allen Moon, with  Internet Marketing Center, suggests 6 Mobile Musts for Your Online Business. This article is a great starting point to help you get prepared for the coming mobile media storm.

Imagine a PC that is always on, travels with you anywhere, contains all your data – personal and professional – and is customizable for your needs.

Now imagine that it only weighs about 5 oz and is probably in your purse or pocket right now.

Smartphones will outnumber PCs approximately two to one within the next few years, according to a December 2009 report from Morgan Stanley. Smartphone sales are expected to grow by year-over-year to overtaking laptop sales.

So what does this mean to traditional marketing companies? A lot. There is an entire new audience out there – one that never visits a website or sits in front of the TV. And there are new technologies for doing things you can only do (or want to do) from a mobile device.

So how do you market for this device? Not by using the traditional dotcom approach.

Mobile users want things fast. They want relevant information – not the whole enchilada (or PDF). They want location-aware services that know they are on the move. They want apps that realize they aren’t using a mouse, can’t usually print anything out, may have limited bandwidth and are using a keyboard the size of a credit card. A different approach is needed designing for this medium. Read more

Did you hear? Google has launched Google Buzz . Be sure to check out this great  new tool to have conversations with people you already email and chat with via Gmail.  Let us know what you think, post a comment.

eMarketer recently reported that mobile application development will soar in 2010, while social media investment is predicted to taper off and remain near 2009 levels. Read More about other hot trends for 2010.