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Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
We've covered Koushik Dutta's AllCast before: it's an Airplay/DLNA streaming app that lets you stream all the things. Now it's out of beta, and you don't have to jump through any hoops to get it: just head to the Play Store and download that sucker to your cell phone telephone. The free version includes advertising, splash screens, and a 60-second streaming limitation, while the $5 Premium unlock app is unlimited.
Spend a little time in the technology industry and you'll begin to dread December. It's the time when everyone and their grandmother's PR agent invites you to go to an off-floor presentation in Las Vegas to talk about the latest advances in iPhone accessories. ASUS isn't quite that bad, but their CES teaser is a little strange nonetheless. I'm going to assume that the Statue of Liberty in the following promotional video is the one from the New York, New York casino.
The titular valet in No Brakes Valet isn't quite as bad as the famous garage attendant from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He is, in fact, a professional. And he'd be well on his way to the Valet Hall Of Fame... if it weren't for an apparently religious opposition to using the brake pedal. It's the sort of minor personal hang-up that can really sink a career in vehicular services.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a mildly creepy adventure game, a Lovecraftian turret shooter, another Super Mega Worm game, and a stylish puzzler. Without further ado:
Motorola seems to have cracked the code to make people really, really excited about the Moto X: give them a huge freakin' discount. After driving the Internet wild and crashing their own site with a Cyber Monday deal on the Moto X for $349.99, the deal has returned via a "12 Days Of Christmas" deal from The Today Show. You can get a $150 discount on any contract-free Moto X from Moto Maker (except the bamboo back version), or take a cool 50% off the on-contract price.
Like it says right up there in the title, don't get your hopes up. The latest over-the-air update to the Verizon version of the LG G2 in not an updated version of Android, and it won't get rid of those awful front-facing logos, either. But it does have a few much-needed bug fixes and security additions, plus it should smooth out some of the wrinkles in the initial release of LG's customized software.
It's been half a year since HTC's impressive upgrade to the Butterfly hit shelves, and in all that time it hasn't received a significant update. But if a report from well-known HTC insider LlabTooFeR is correct, the Butterfly S is in the process of being upgraded to Android 4.3 right now. It's also getting the slightly newer Sense 5.5, as seen on the HTC One Max, and decidedly not seen on updated versions of 4.3 for the original One in the United States.
If you couldn't get enough of Dirk and Daphne from the original Dragon's Lair, they're back in the arcade sequel. Dragon's Lair 2 was originally released back in 1991 on arcade laserdisc machines, enabling the beautiful 2D art from master animator Don Bluth to shine through. Dragon's Lair 2: Time Warp is five dollars on the Play Store (the same price as the original) and is compatible with Android 1.5 and up.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got an old-school tactical RPG, a platformer with a Fine Arts degree, a microscopic casual game, a Tony Hawk wannabe, and an imitation Disney princess. Without further ado:
There are plenty of legitimate reasons for wanting a private browser mode. Maybe you're on a shared device and you don't want to leave history. Maybe you're concerned that you're being watched by shadowy government alphabet organizations (and you are). But let's be honest with ourselves here: the most common reason for using Incognito or private mode is porn. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
There are a lot of self-styled "action cameras" out there, most of which are trying to catch at least some of the thunder of the wildly popular GoPro. GPS specialist Garmin has thrown its hat in the ring with VIRB, a deluxe, ruggedized, mountable HD video camera with a plethora of bells and whistles. Like the competition, the Garmin VIRB now has an official Android app for remote control, viewfinding, and recording.
You know what? There are entirely too many versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4. I feel like I've written this same story a half-dozen times, though that's probably because it's essentially the same software update across the Galaxy S4, S III, and Note II. In any case, if you're rocking Samsung's 2013 flagship on budget carrier Cricket, you might see an over the air update prompt today: it's your turn to get Android 4.3.
[Bonus Round] TowerMadness, Fiz: Brewery Management, Castle Raid 2, Gods Vs Humans, And Blocky Roads
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got an agricultural-extraterrestrial tower defense game, a business sim for beer lovers, a real-time strategy game with single device multiplayer, a game that indulges your god complex, and another Amazon expatriate. Without further ado:
Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
It's been a busy week or two for Sony fans. First we get a Google Play Edition of the Z Ultra, then the AOSP On Xperia project expands to the low-cost Xperia L, and now owners of Sony's high-end phones are starting to get their long-awaited Jelly Bean 4.3 updates. According to this Sony blog update, both the Xperia Z1 and the enormous Z Ultra should be getting the over-the-air update starting today, at least for unlocked versions.
We've seen more than a few smartwatches in the last year or so, and for my money, the Pebble is still the only one that's worthy of serious consideration. If you're of the same mind, you can pick one up for thirty dollars off the asking price at Amazon and Best Buy right now. Both merchants are selling the Pebble smartwatch for $119.99.
Conventional wisdom says that mobile devices are for content consumption, but content creation is the realm of laptops and desktops. Sure, you see "created using nothing but an iPad" every once in a while, but if you're looking at something professional, odds are good that its creator used a reliable mouse and keyboard at some point. Then along comes an app like Cross DJ, challenging our notions of what can be done on a touchscreen and ARM hardware.
Love it or hate it, you can't deny that the Galaxy S4 Zoom is unique. This hybrid offspring from Samsung's mobile and camera divisions (which have since tied the knot) doesn't really compete with the Galaxy S4 as far as specs go, but if you want a solid point-and-shoot camera that makes calls, you probably can't do any better. If you also want that device cheap, Amazon is offering it for just one penny, so long as you also want a new AT&T contract.
Did you know that the web browser on your phone or tablet waits three tenths of a second after you tap something to actually perform that action? You did if you're a web developer - it's a de-facto standard for mobile browsers, a built-in delay for the double-tap zoom function. But if you're on the newest Chrome beta, you won't see the delay, at least on mobile sites.