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Pixel the pug is back, helping Google show off more of what its phones can do
You've never seen phone ads this cute
Google debuted a series of delightfully dog-filled ads in September featuring a pug named Pixel being compared to Pixel the phone. They're a refreshing break from the typical big tech promo videos, complete with soft pastels and a relaxing voiceover. Now the company has released seven new videos highlighting some of Pixel's unique and exclusive software features.
You would be hard-pressed to find a game as worn out as Solitaire. It's been the default time-waster of Windows users for decades and the topic of many an assistant and receptionist joke. But there's merit to be had in bringing a fresh coat of paint to a done, redone, and overdone concept. That's where Solitaire: Decked Out shines.
A few months ago I looked into doing a roundup of app icon packs on the Play Store. I made a discovery: most of them are depressingly uniform. You've got square icon packs, round icon packs, "Material" and "Holo" packs, various interpretations of minimalism or 3D, and packs for every conceivable sports team and anime fandom. But icon packs that are both unique and interesting are thin on the ground. That's why Upbeat Monsters is so refreshing.
What would 300 singing Androids sound like? Very cute. Impossibly cute. Like a marshmallow of kawaii wrapped in a cotton-candy of adorable and sprinkled on top of a rainbow of charm. It would also be very cool. Like a groovy logistical nightmare hidden inside a fun technical challenge. But that's what the Google Japan team has managed to produce: a chorus of 300 different but perfectly synchronized, lovable, dancing and singing Androidify characters, each coming alive inside its own phone or tablet to perform a rendition of The Hymn Of Joy, from Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (fourth movement).
In 1973 Disney released Robin Hood, a kid-friendly re-telling of the English outlaw legend with anthropomorphic animal characters. There wasn't anything odd about that - its previous release was The Aristocats. What was odd about the movie was the tonal shift to American folk music, with Texas-born singer Roger Miller providing the songs and narration, and even appearing as Robin Hood's musical merry man Alan-a-Dale (an animated rooster in this version). It is perhaps the most unique of Disney's animated movies in its era.
Hopeless: The Dark Cave was a striking little twitch game, made memorable by the juxtaposition of adorable little Marshmallow Peep creatures and the hulking, snarling monsters that wanted to eat them. In that title your only defense was old-fashioned lead (which was occasionally and tragically collected by the peeps themselves), but in the sequel, you get access to something with a little more pop. Hopeless: Space Shooting takes the original game and covers it with DayGlo colors and Buck Rogers lasers.
Marvel continues its onslaught of games in the Play Store, and this time they've decided to take the well-trodden road marked "endless runner." Marvel Run Jump Smash is pretty typical of the genre, and at first it looks like a carbon copy of Jetpack Joyride. But there's a surprising amount of depth beneath that cutesy exterior, and the 2D art might be enough for the one dollar entry fee alone.
[New Game] Kiwi! Tribute Endless Runner Will Make You Laugh, Cry, And Watch That Video One More Time
If you haven't seen Dony Permedi's 2006 student animation Kiwi!, then I pity your wasted years on the Internet. The short cartoon has amassed more than
If you haven't seen Dony Permedi's 2006 student animation Kiwi!, then I pity your wasted years on the Internet. The short cartoon has amassed more than 34 million YouTube hits, countless tributes and ripoffs, and taught all of us that suicidal optimism can be ingratiatingly cute. One Android developer was so moved that he created a game based on the video, wherein the lovable protagonist can live out his dreams forever, without the heartbreaking splat at the end.
Endless runners a la Temple Run are fast becoming the default genre for mobile games, and with good reason. Their one-touch play style is perfect for touchscreens, and the short levels work well for bite-sized sessions. That said, it's always nice to see a little innovation, and iOS pilgrim Roller Rally has that in spades. In addition to a competitive racer format, it's got great graphics and tight controls.
There are many ways to show your support for Android beyond your device itself, and some of them are even tasteful. If you've bought every Bugdroid-sporting case, T-shirt and bumper sticker, there's just one thing left: a green robot Micro-USB charger. Of course, the Android mascot's ubiquitous shade of green isn't for everybody, so Andru creators Gen have been preparing a darker version to match your ebony desk and jet-black monitors.
Remember our little friend Andru? Of course you do (and if not, I've conveniently linked a reminder in the first sentence, so you can act like you do)! He's so tiny, adorable, and charges your device with the greatest of ease. With all his charm, it's no surprise that he's one of our favorite Android accessories.
Remember yesterday, when we introduced you to an adorable USB charger named Andru? In case you missed it, Andru, from Gen, is a cute Android accessory that "wants to charge your phone." This little guy is not only a USB charger, but an awesome cubicle decoration. Modeled after the bugdroid we all know and love, Andru's power-plug legs can be hidden by a matching base, he has moveable arms, and his eyes light up blue, making Andru perhaps the most dynamic, fun USB charger you'll ever encounter. Luckily for our readers, Power by Gen has given us 4 Andru units to give away. Keep reading to find out how you can win!
Meet Andru. He's an Android. Like all Androids, he's adorable. He sits on your desk and makes you smile at his cute little expressionless face while you toil away on those TPS reports. This little 'droid is a hard worker, too. When you need him to, he transforms into a USB wall charger and provides precious juice to all your gadgets.