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May

Roundup: Our Top Six Favorite New Apps From April 2013

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, Roundups

Readers probably don't need to be reminded that each month, we distill all of the Play Store's latest entries into a selection of the very best apps of the previous month, hand-picking a shortlist to save you both time and money in testing everything out. This month, though, there were just too many worthy apps to cut down to the usual five, so we've got a slightly-less-short list of the best six apps from April 2013. If you're looking for something to spice up your device, you can't go wrong with any of the below selections.

FL Studio Mobile

First up is FL Studio Mobile.

May

TV Guide Mobile Version 3 Released With Interface, Experience Overhaul For ICS, Jelly Bean Users

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

If you've been paying attention to TV Guide's official app, you know that it's needed some attention for a while. Its UI through version 2.x was an outdated pastiche of Gingerbread tabs and gradated iconography desperately in need of a redesign (and support for 4.0+). Today, TV Guide has fulfilled that need (for the most part), bringing to the Play Store TV Guide Mobile version 3.0. The update also brought "many cool new features" to the app, which we'll discuss momentarily. First though, check out the difference between the old and new interfaces.

Before: ew.

After: yay!

Apr

Google Improves Mobile Search With Easier Access To Rotten Tomatoes Ratings, Quick View Badges For Wikipedia

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Google, News

If you use Google Search on a mobile device, but prefer the web interface, then your experience just got a bit better today. For starters, if you search for Rotten Tomatoes, you'll see expandable sub sections with links to areas like movies that are in theaters. According to Google, "many sites" will have similar functionality.

Additionally, for some searches, you'll see a blue "Quick view" badge that you can tap to get easy access to a Wikipedia page on the subject. This is different from the knowledge graph cards in that the button appears next to individual Wiki links no matter where they appear in the results.

Apr

Deal Alert: Unified Remote Just $0.99 In Celebration Of Second Anniversary (That's 70% Off)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, Deals

Last Updated: April 15th, 2013

Unified Remote, in short, is a great app. Its claim to being "easily the most feature-filled PC remote" may have merit, as Artem will attest. The app, in conjunction with a PC-compatible server, will allow your device to control your mouse, keyboard, and favorite software (think Spotify, Winamp, VLC, Hulu, iTunes, etc.) via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Besides having impressive (and incredibly handy) functionality, Unified Remote impresses with a clean, easy-to-use interface. It's got big buttons, simple layouts, and oh yeah, it's holo-inspired.

If you're not yet a Unified Remote user, you'd be well-advised to check it out some time in the next two days – the full version is on sale for 70% off its normal price, bringing the cost down to just $0.99.

Mar

It Has Begun: April Fool's 2013 Roundup From Around The Web [Continuously Updated]

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Android OS, Off-Topic, Roundups

Last Updated: May 13th, 2013

April Fool's 2013 is here (at least in some time zones), and the Internet has already given birth to a few early pranks. We will spend the next two days second-guessing every piece of written content, getting rickrolled, and generally feeling the way members of bomb squads do on their missions.And we will ~~hate~~ love every minute of it.

So, let's take a look at the best Android, mobile, and Google-related jokes that hit the web this year.

*** This page will be continuously updated ***

Check out April Fool's pranks from 2011 and 2012.

Mar

Samsung Shares Shadowy Visage Of Galaxy S IV, Confirms 'The Next Big Thing' Is A Phone, Not An Actual Galaxy

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Galaxy S4, News, Samsung

It seems like just yesterday we were debating the legitimacy of a somewhat fishy photo leak from a Chinese forum and wondering what the deal was with that Jeremy kid and the glowing box. Oh, wait, that was today.

Well, in a somewhat unexpected turn of events, Samsung Mobile US has just shared what, presumably, is an image of the upcoming Galaxy SIV, shrouded in shadows and backed by bokeh. While getting a glimpse at an unannounced device is always an unexpected treat, this isn't the first time Samsung has let loose with shadowy depictions of hot new gadgets. Remember the lead-up to the Galaxy Nexus launch?

Mar

Amazon, Not Content With Duplicating Everything Else Google Does, Releases A Mobile Ad API

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Amazon, News

When Android first came out, there were a lot of concerns about an open source OS. One of the biggest ones was, what if a company takes Android, strips everything Google out of it, and builds an entirely new platform on top of it? Well, Amazon seems dead set on making sure we know what that's like. The company has already built its own Appstore, content delivery services, and closed hardware on top of Google's baby. Now it's taking aim at Mountain View's money maker: ads.

The new mobile ads API will allow developers to easily embed advertisements in their apps.

Feb

Amazon Mobile For Tablets Now Supports More Devices, Including The Nexus 10

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Applications, News

Amazon isn't exactly impartial when it comes to tablets... you may have heard about this little thing called the Kindle Fire. But they aren't ones to let competition get in the way of a little profit, which is why the latest update to their storefront app includes compatibility with a plethora of new Android tablets, including the coveted Nexus 10. Previously it was limited to Android 4.1 tablets with very specific resolutions. The free app is available on the Play Store.

Resolution support has been bumped up to 2560x1600, which includes the Nexus 10 and probably a few more tablets in the first half of 2013.

Feb

Today's xkcd: App

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, Off-Topic

Too bad xkcd doesn't have a crappy app we could make fun of. That guy thought of everything!

P.S. As always, don't forget to hover.

Source: xkcd or mobile xkcd

Jan

Minecraft Pocket Edition Updated To v0.6, Brings New Blocks, A Better Sky, Signs, And Awwww! Baby Animals!

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News

Mojang may have a mortal fear of giving releases full version numbers, but that hasn't stopped the company from cranking out new features like mad. Today's update brings a slew of new blocks (including Nether Brick, Block of Quartz, and Sandstone), as well as the ability to build staircases in corners. Oh, and one other thing: the sky finally has clouds now.

The new goodies don't stop there, though. Gravity is also finally in full swing, so now things like sand will fall when the foundations beneath them are removed. Finally, no Minecraft update would be complete without new creatures, would it?