Apps - 7 - What Mobile

WWDC Day 1 Round-up: Everything you need to know about Apple iOS 8

One of the summer’s biggest tech events has finally landed. WWDC (World-Wide Developers Conference) is when Apple show off all of their latest updates and innovations. Monday saw the curtain raise, and we got our first taste of what Apple has in store for us. The theme of the day: iOS 8. Here’s the 12 […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Nintendo rolling out Wii U update today, includes quick start feature for games

Nintendo is rolling out its latest update for its Wii U console today with a focus on speeding up the process of playing games. The patch (version 5.0.0 U) most notably adds a quick start menu to the GamePad that gives players instant access to their most recently played games and installed software, The patch […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Xbox One June update built for football, includes World Cup hub and companion app

Xbox is set to launch a dedicated World Cup zone on the Xbox One in time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil kick-off game on 12 June. Entitled Destination Brazil, the football-centric theme will provide a one-stop shop for the videos and games that focus on this year’s World Cup festivities. The Destination Brazil […]

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WhatsApp is back on Windows Phone with new features after being pulled from app store

After being absent for a couple of weeks, WhatsApp is now back on the Windows Phone Store and even includes a bunch of new features. The Facebook-owned messaging app was pulled from the store by its developers after a lot of users reported having serious issues with update 3 for Windows Phone 8. The bugs […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

WATCH: The first teaser for World of Warriors mobile game from the creators of Moshi Monsters

Mind Candy, the studio behind the global entertainment smash hit Moshi Monsters, has unveiled its first project outside the family-friendly franchise in the form of mobile game; World of Warriors. A new teaser video for the upcoming strategy game for iOS and Android shows off its comic visuals and battle gameplay, alongside its epic cast […]

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WATCH: Starting June, PlayStation Plus will give you TWO free titles on each PlayStation platform!

Sony are stepping up their PlayStation Plus free games programme as of June. What was already a pretty generous service is about to go even further and, most importantly, add a little more consistency. Previously there wasn’t really a hard-and-fast rule as to how many games would be released, or even when, with the numbers […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

WATCH: Microsoft revolutionises Skype with real-time translation feature

Microsoft used the currently ongoing Code Conference in California to unveil a forthcoming cool update to its Skype software; real-time audio and text-based language translation. In the demo video above, Skype translates a conversation between two Microsoft employees – in English and German – almost live. The feature will roll out gradually across Skype software […]

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Minecraft for PS Vita to arrive in August, free for those who digitally downloaded the PS3 version

If you already thought that Minecraft was absolutely everywhere, then you were wrong. That’s because it’s set to arrive on three new platforms this August – Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. But the good news doesn’t stop there! Further cementing their nice guy reputation, the fellas at Mojang are offering some neat incentives […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Epic Games creates a Flappy Bird clone to show off how versatile and easy-to-use the Unreal Engine 4 is

Yes, yes, we’re all sick of Flappy Bird clones. We’re sick of them here at What Mobile and you’re sick of them sat at home. The fad is dead and it should stay that way. But…what if we told you there was actually a good reason behind this latest one? Regardless of how you answered […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Facebook mobile app adds new Shazam-like audio recognition feature

The latest update to Facebook’s mobile app for iOS and Android automatically recognises the song you’re listening to or TV show you’re watching, so that you can easily add it to your status. The new feature (which brings to mind the Shazam music recognition app) is called ‘audio recognition’ and starts listening as soon as […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

For the first time ever Apple allows app developers to issue free redeemable codes for in-app purchases

Real Racing 3 is one of the most popular games on the iOS app store, and with good reason. It’s gorgeous to look at, fun and intuitive to play, and is absolutely huge in terms of scope. Not only that, but it should be held up as the benchmark of how freemium titles should work. […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

EA plans to reveal six new games at E3

Announcements concerning the lineup for the upcoming E3 games expo are trickling out in the run-up to the event next month. The latest news concerns developer Electronic Arts’ (EA) portfolio, which according to Spike TV’s Geoff Keighley will include six new games to be presented at its press conference at the event. In a tweet, […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Facebook to release Snapchat-style video messaging app?

It seems that Facebook was not hampered by its unsuccessful attempt at acquiring Snapchat (reportedly for a billion dollar sum), and is now going it alone by building its own ephemeral video messaging app. The social network’s new app dubbed ‘Slingshot’ will likely be a standalone release – with no connection to Facebook Messenger – […]

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Podcast: HTC One Mini 2, Sony Xperia Z2 Mini in Japan, Motorola launch Moto E, Xbox One without Kinect

The What Mobile podcast goes mini! This week we discuss the latest compact smartphone releases from HTC (the One Mini 2) and Sony (the Xperia Z2 Mini). Also on the agenda is Motorola’s launch of two new handsets, the Moto E and Moto G 4G. Finally, we dissect Microsoft’s frankly odd decision to release the […]

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Google Play Store now accepts Paypal payments

Google has announced that its Play Store will now accept Paypal as a payment option on digital content – such as apps, games and audio-visual downloads. The new payment option – which cannot be used to buy physical products such as devices and accessories – has been introduced in twelve countries including the US and […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

The first three modern Grand Theft Auto titles are now available on Amazon Kindle Fire and Fire TV

It seems Amazon is finally upping the ante with gaming on their devices, as it has announced that three of the most popular games of a generation are now available on its Kindle Fire tablet and Fire TV set-top box. Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Far Cry 4 coming to consoles and PC this November

Developer Ubisoft has announced the launch of the fourth addition to its long-running action-adventure series Far Cry. The unveiling of Far Cry 4 hasn’t come as much of a surprise, considering the success of the previous iteration and the fact that Ubisoft had confirmed that it was all but a certainty at E3 2013. Far […]

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The official, original Flappy Bird to make a comeback this August

It feels like it never left, didn’t it? Thanks to an absolute ocean of fakes, knock-offs, rip-offs, homages, hybrids and clones there has been an unending crap-storm of Flappy Bird-esque titles ever since the original was taken down in February. ‘Fortunately’ you won’t have to put up with them for much longer. The original is […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Rockstar to release new game this financial year

Take Two – the publisher whose subsidiary Rockstar Games produces the long-running GTA franchise – outlined its fourth quarter financial results yesterday and, as expected, the blockbuster numbers ($2.3 billion in revenue) were fuelled by strong sales of GTA V (the title has sold 33 million to retailers). Amidst the talk of figures, Take Two […]

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Xbox One finally gets Games with Gold scheme, starting this June

Games with Gold was initiated by Microsoft eleven months ago in what seemed to be an effort to keep up with Sony’s PlayStation Plus scheme. Where Xbox Live was once outright thought of as the superior online gaming service, Sony’s decision to give away free games regularly to paying subscribers began to tilt the favour […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Popcorn Time, ‘the Netflix of piracy’, is now available on Android

We’ll freely admit it. We have no shame. Here at What Mobile, we love Popcorn Time. Sorry Hollywood, you brought it upon yourselves. And you, dear reader, should love it too. Especially now that there’s more ways to love it than ever, as it has been officially released for Android. For those unfamiliar with Popcorn […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Gmail becomes the first Android app to cross one billion installs

With Google announcing its one billionth Android activation in September of 2013, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that Gmail has become the first Android app to breach one billion installs. Gmail is Google’s own email client – as such, it makes sense that it should be the app to […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Portal and Half Life 2 now available on Google Play Store for the Nvidia Shield

Two behemoths of gaming, Portal and Half Life 2, are now available to play on the go via the Google Play Store. Just a word of warning before all you Android users jump on your smartphones and tablets to download the hugely influential titles, they’re only compatible with the Android-powered Nvidia Shield portable gaming console. […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Nintendo issues apology for not including gay marriage in life-simulation game

Nintendo has decided to issue a second official statement on a rather sensitive issue, after doing a less-than-stellar job of explaining their controversial decision first time around. For those of you out of the loop, a Nintendo-developed game by the name of Tomodachi Life (think a simplified version of The Sims set in Mii-verse) allows […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Apple to purchase Beats Electronics for $3.2 billion

Update: Tyrese Gibson, or whoever manages his Facebook account, has removed the video supposedly hinting at Apple’s acquisition of Beats mentioned below. However, you can still watch the NSFW clip on Youtube. Just scroll down to the end of this article to see it. In what is reported to be its biggest acquisition to date, […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Top 5 anonymous social apps

With the recent announcement that the anonymous social networking app Secret will soon be available on Android, now is a good time to look at the rise of similar apps that encourage sociability but rely on confidentiality. The current paranoid environment of online data breaches and information leaks (fuelled by recent scandals involving the NSAand […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

You can now instantly listen to Shazam tagged songs via Deezer

Shazam is a very, very useful app. It’s also very popular, and rightly so. It permanently removes the quintessential pre-smartphone era problem of hearing a song on the radio or on TV or in a club and not knowing what it’s called or who performs it. Simply open the app, hold it to the music […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

INTERVIEW: Nick D’Aloisio, creator of Summly, on the latest changes to Yahoo News Digest

Today sees the launch of Yahoo News Digest for Android. The app, already incredibly popular on iOS, provides timely, concise breakdowns of the most popular news stories of the day. Digests are provided to you twice – once at 8am and once at 6pm. Each digest contains the seven most important news stories of the […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Pebble ‘update-pa-looza’ rings in a host of changes for the smartwatch on Android and iOS

Pebble has rolled out one of its biggest ever updates to its smartwatch today. Users can look forward to new firmware, as well as updated apps on both Android and iOS. The Pebble firmware update is available through the Pebble app store, whilst app updates are available through Google Play/iOS App Store updates. It’s not […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Google Maps for Android and iOS update includes six new features, adds offline mode and Uber

A new update to Google’s iOS and Android Google Maps apps includes a raft of new features, such as integration with ride-sharing service app Uber and an offline mode. With the new update installed, Google Maps users who already use Uber can now compare their rides with public transit and walking routes in selected cities. […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

The first episode of critically acclaimed iOS title The Wolf Among Us is now free to download

There’s a wealth of excellent iOS titles out there that you’ll probably never play because, frankly, they cost a lot. It’s sad but true, and it’s something we’re all guilty of. One such title which might have slipped by you upon its release is The Wolf Among Us, which now spans three separate episodes. At […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Star Wars goes mobile with new interactive apps for each film in the franchise

Following the huge Star Wars cast announcement earlier this week, Disney has now revealed its digital plans for the sci-fi franchise. In a bid to capitalise on its multi-billion dollar property – which Disney acquired from LucasFilm in 2012 – the house of mouse is releasing an interactive iOS app for each of the franchise’s […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

WATCH: A first look at the new Tony Hawk mobile-exclusive game, played by Tony Hawk

You don’t have to be a skateboarding fan to know who Tony Hawk is. In fact you probably aren’t, and you almost certainly do – the man is a cultural icon who has transcended his trade like few others. Similarly, you don’t have to be a skateboarding fan to have played one of his seminal […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Snapchat to add video calls and text chat as part of major update releasing later today

Snapchat, the ephemeral instant messaging service, has announced that it will be offering an old-school chat interface and video chat as well. Consequently, users can swipe right on a friend’s name in their Snapchat inbox to enter a new chat screen on a regular chatting interface. You can write and send text messages, send snaps, […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Facebook unveils new mobile ad program, refers to them as ‘beautiful and relevant’

There’s a fine line between sugar coating an unpopular announcement and genuinely believing your own BS. With regards to Facebook’s latest change, which side do you reckon they fall on? At last night’s F8 developer conference the social media monolith announced a new update to be rolling out soon – the Audience Network. In essence, […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Hulu to allow free video streaming on mobile devices

Hulu will soon allow anyone in the US to watch a selection of its programming via mobile devices, CEO Mike Hopkins said at the company’s Upfronts event today. Hulu previously required you to sign up for its premium subscription service, Hulu Plus, which costs $8 per month, before gaining access to any of its programming […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Dial-a-minicab ridesharing service Uber offers 50% off of journeys in London during the Tube strikes

Almost 3.5 million people ride the London Underground every day. The vast majority of those take it, at least in part, for commuter reasons. Getting to work is important. So when London Underground workers go on strike, there are a million or two people left without a means of getting to their jobs. Here at […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Iberia passengers can now access their boarding pass through their Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch

Clearly not content to be outdone by main competitor Pebble, Samsung has added a nifty new feature to its Gear 2 smartwatch: you can now use it for displaying your boarding pass. So far this feature is only available in collaboration with Spanish airline Iberia, but its hard to imagine other carriers won’t want to […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Outstanding desktop and iOS strategy title XCOM: Enemy Unknown is finally out on Android

The life of an Android gamer can be a tough one, waiting for big-name titles to hit the Google Play Store whilst iOS users have the time of their lives. Such was the case with XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its superb mobile port. Fortunately, after nine months the wait is finally over – it’s now […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Samsung users couldn’t care less about Samsung apps

The figures are in and it doesn’t make for pretty reading for Samsung. Sure, it’s the world’s most popular Android handset manufacturer, and yes the Galaxy S5 may have sold like hotcakes (just like every other phone in the series), but it turns out that when it comes to its software people are totally apathetic. […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

The Wire, The Sopranos and other cult HBO shows are coming soon to Amazon Prime Instant Video

If you’re a loyal Amazon Prime subscriber, you may have been a little miffed recently when they forced the service formerly known as LoveFilm Instant upon you. It’s a great service, undoubtedly, allowing you to stream thousands of TV shows and movies to any device you’d care to name. But to make it an obligatory, […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Android users targeted by iBanking trojan app on Facebook

Cybercriminals have started using a sophisticated Android Trojan app designed for e-banking fraud to target Facebook users, possibly in an attempt to bypass the two-factor authentication protection on the social network. Security researchers from antivirus vendor ESET have identified a new variant of a computer banking Trojan called Qadars that injects rogue JavaScript code into […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Samsung and Amazon join forces to bring a Kindle app to Galaxy devices

Amazon is the world’s most popular eReader manufacturer and Samsung is the world’s most popular smartphone manufacturer – a collaboration would make perfect sense for both parties. That’s just what’s happened, with the announcement that Kindle will be Samsung’s official ‘eBook provider’. The eReader market is growing at a rate even greater than that of […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

PS4 update details revealed, Sony reports console sales figures of 7 million

Details of the features on the upcoming Playstation 4 update 1.70 have been revealed alongside the rising sales figures for the next-gen console. Version 1.70 will add the SHAREfactory application that, like Xbox One’s Upload Studio, gives much more control over editing game clips before they are shared. You will be able to edit and […]

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BBC opens up iPlayer downloads to Android devices

The BBC has decided to extend iPlayer download to almost every Android smartphone and tablet on the market – bringing its service to a much larger share of mobile devices as a result. So far, the download feature of the iPlayer Android app has been limited to select devices but it is now on offer […]

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BBM at risk from Heartbleed, BlackBerry to roll out security updates for iOS and Android versions

Despite being considered one of the leaders in mobile security, it seems that BlackBerry too has apps affected by the Heartbleed bug. This is the potent bug used by hackers to steal data thanks to a flaw in the OpenSSL protocol that encrypts this data. The flaw has been around for years, and while no […]

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Xbox One update rolling out today

Microsoft’s April update for its Xbox One console is heading out now, though some might not see improvements for a few days yet. The update is most notable for bringing better friend features, namely notifications when favourites or friends sign in to Xbox Live. Also in the friends category is the ability to have friends […]

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What a time to be alive: You can now play Nintendo DS games on your iOS device without jailbreaking

Earlier this year we got rather excited over the release of an app which allowed you to play GameBoy Advance games on your iOS device, completely free of charge and without jailbreaking your device. That was all well and good, and has killed hundreds of commuter hours to date, but in a remarkable display of […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

WATCH: New gameplay teaser announces Age of Empires mobile spinoff

An Age of Empires spin-off is headed to iOS and this new gameplay video gives us a brief glimpse of the action. The teaser video dropped by Microsoft announces the broad release date of Age of Empires: World Domination and includes a minute or so of gameplay footage. Consequently, it’s hard to derive exactly how […]

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Amazon purchases Comixology, the Kindle Store of comic books

Big plans could be afoot at the world’s number one eBook distributer, as Amazon has recently announced its purchase of Comixology. Comixology is a hugely popular digital comic book retailer. It’s done a fantastic job with bringing comics into the modern age, and its app for mobile makes reading graphic novels and keeping up to […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 comes to iOS as the first mobile-exclusive game in the series

If there’s any series which can transcend generational and demographical barriers within the world of videogaming, it’s surely RollerCoaster Tycoon. It’s crazy to think that the iconic title first made its debut 15 whole years ago, but its charms haven’t wavered in the slightest. It’s a sign of the times then that just one week […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Apple is offering refunds to parents whose kids have made in-app purchases in the US

Apple is offering refunds to parents who have been hit by in-app purchases made by their kids in the US. The company has opened a refund request process that will run until 15 April 2015, and if your purchases were made by a child you might be able to get the money back. The company […]

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New Borderlands game announced for Xbox 360 and PS3

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has been announced as the third entry in the successful Borderlands series. The game is due to be released this Autumn for the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game takes place between Borderlands and follow-up Borderlands 2, as players follow the rise of villain Handsome Jack. “He’s kinda like Borderlands’ […]

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Nintendo confirms Super Smash Bros. for summer 3DS and winter Wii U launches

Nintendo has finally given us some concrete information on when its next generation of Super Smash Bros. titles will be released. It will hit handhelds first, arriving on the 3DS and 2DS this summer, whilst the home console version will be available for the Wii U this winter. The announcement was made via a special […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Star Trek Timelines mobile game announced

Developer Disruptor Beam has announced that it is working on an official Start Trek game for web and mobile platforms. Star Trek Timelines, as it will be known, is a social role-playing-game that tasks gamers with building the ultimate starship and crew. Users can also explore the galaxy, with content included from The Original Series, […]

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Get double GTA$ and RP on GTAV Online this week only

To celebrate the launch of the Capture Creator tool for GTA V Online – launching this Friday – Rockstar Games is doubling the GTA$ and RP on Capture jobs for this week only. Consequently, playing any of the official Capture jobs (including Contend: Salty Snatch, GTA: All Abhorred, GTA: Field of Screams, Hold: Freight Fight, […]

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Tetris stacks up 425 million mobile downloads

The multi-platform tile matching game Tetris has reached 425 million paid downloads on mobiles. With countless iterations of the hugely popular title, the huge figure is even more impressive when you take in to consideration that it does not include every version of the game. Consequently, an additional 35 million physical copies of Tetris […]

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Nintendo launches first batch of Game Boy Advance titles on the Wii U eShop, with more to follow

Remember a little while ago we told you that Nintendo was planning on remastering some classic titles from their back catalogue, and releasing them on the Wii U? Well the first batch of Game Boy Advance titles are finally available! Nintendo could hardly have chosen a better three titles to kick things off with, either. […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Vine introduces direct messaging of both text and video

Vine, the six-second video service, has launched a new feature allowing users to to message one another. Both video and, for the first time, text can be sent. What’s more, Vine videos can also be sent to anyone in your personal address book – regardless of whether or not they use the service. Instead of […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Microsoft to give away Windows Phone OS for free, also launching universal apps

Microsoft is to give away Windows Phone OS free of charge on devices with screens under nine inches, including smartphones as well as smaller tablets. A license fee will still apply to business devices. The news was delivered as the company’s new chief executive Satya Nadella appeared at its Build event in San Francisco in […]

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Microsoft releasing Halo ‘digital feature’, Ridley Scott tapped as producer

Talk of a Halo movie has been ongoing for a few years now, with fans of the game patiently waiting to see their favourite FPS on the big screen – or any screen for that matter. In the past, nothing had materialised. But it seems Microsoft hasn’t given up hope on the project and it […]

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WATCH: New Mario Kart 8 trailer boasts retro tracks and new items

The new trailer for one of the most anticipated Nintendo Wii U titles has arrived. Mario Kart 8 is due to be released on 30 May and Nintendo is keen to show its updated take on retro tracks from the Mario Kart cannon and new items and features in this new clip. By the looks […]

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Tabletop card game Hearthstone, Blizzard’s latest cult title, is now out on iPad

Games developer Blizzard has dominated the desktop scene for two decades now thanks a swathe of legendary titles like Diablo, Starcraft and Warcraft. After biding their time they could now finally have the perfect game to win over mobile gaming, too. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a tabletop card game set within the famous Warcraft […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Heists coming to GTA V Online, more updates also announced

Rockstar has once again taken to its official newsfeed to announce a slew of exciting new updates for GTA V Online. The one that will probably excite gamers the most, is the introduction of heists – the signature criminal activities from Grand Theft Auto V’s story mode – to the online mode. Additionally, Rockstar claims […]

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Kirby gets his dues with a pink and white Nintendo 2DS set for Europe this May

Kirby may well be one of Nintendo’s best loved original characters, but it’s easy to see how he might be a little under-appreciated. It’s a good thing then that Nintendo are rectifying that, with a Kirby-coloured Nintendo 2DS to be released this May. The console will be go on sale on May 16th, and is […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Indie desktop hit Democracy 3 is set for an iPad release

There are some games which are simply meant for mobile. With the recent announcement of an imminent release for iPad, it’s suddenly very obvious that Democracy 3 is definitely one of those games. As the name indicated, Democracy 3 is a surprisingly deep political simulator/strategy title. As the premier of any one of a number […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

BlackBerry giving away free apps to mark birthday, cutting ties with T-Mobile

This week BlackBerry is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its BlackBerry World storefront. To mark the event, the company is offering 10 premium apps for free, five for BlackBerry 10 and five for legacy BlackBerry users. The BlackBerry 10 apps included in the offer include Tilt, Scan to Text, InstaVenue, Uno and Doodle Jump. The […]

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Record breaking 64 billion messages sent through Whatsapp in just one day

Whatsapp announced today that it had reached a new record for messages sent in a single day. And it’s a whopping figure. The popular messaging client for iOS and Android took to Twitter to break the news. Whatsapp stated that with 20 billion outgoing messages and 44 incoming messages handled in a single 24-hour period, […]

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Japanese mobile gaming market is now the most lucrative in the world, grew by more than three-quarters

Japan may be thought of as the home of console videogaming by many, but now it can lay claim to the mobile world as well. A recent report has shown that it is now the most lucrative country in the world for generating app revenue, after trailing behind the United States for five consecutive years. […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Halo creator moves to mobile gaming, new f2p shooter for tablets on the way

Halo co-creator Alex Seropian has raised $5 million in funding from venture and growth equity firm Accel Partners for his mobile gaming firm Industrial Toys. Seropian’s startup is currently hard at work on Midnight Star, a free-to-play shooter game designed for tablets. Seropian believes that hardcore gamers will migrate to mobile games from their beloved […]

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Ubisoft to carry on developing games for PS3 and Xbox 360 for years to come

Ubisoft has confirmed that it intends to carry on developing games for last-gen consoles the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 for years to come. According to Creative VP, Lionel Raynaud, Ubisoft has no plans to leave the PS3 or Xbox 360 behind now the next-generation PS4 and Xbox One consoles are available. The news should […]

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Free for PS Vita this April: Hotline Miami, MotoGP 13, Velocity Ultra and PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate HD

Sony really are spoiling you. There are four exceptional titles available to download for free on your PS Vita this April, providing you have a PlayStation Plus membership (which, at this point, you really should). First of all we have two games for Europe, and probably the better two on offer. Hotline Miami is a […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

BBM coming to Windows Phone, BlackBerry’s financial woes continue

Despite BlackBerry releasing its cross-platform messaging app BBM on Android and iOS, the Windows Phone version was nowhere to be found. Then, at the Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona, Nokia dropped the good news that BBM will make its way to Windows Phone devices in the coming months, and will come pre-loaded with the […]

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iOS apps crash more than Android apps, says new study

A new report monitoring app crash rates has found that apps are twice as likely to crash on iOS than Android, with the Samsung Galaxy S4 being the most stable device. The report conducted by Crittercism found that whilst both the latest iOS and Android systems promise the fewest app crashes, Android edges into top […]

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Flappy Bird beats Instagram and Minecraft as kids’ favourite app

It seems that the cult of Flappy bird also includes children. The impact of the hugely popular mobile game is shown in a study conducted by marketing firm SuperAwesome, which in March asked 881 British children between the ages of six and 18 what their favourite apps were. 80% of the children surveyed chose Flappy […]

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Japanese smartphone games market doubled in 2013, now accounts for 50% of entire gaming market

The market for smartphone games in Japan almost doubled in size last year, reaching $5.4 billion in total sales. According to data released by the Japanese internet firm CyberAgent, the domestic smartphone game market generated ¥546.8 billion ($5.4 billion) in 2013, an increase of 178 per cent over the ¥307.2 billion earned in the prior […]

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Star Wars Assault Team mobile game launches today

Disney Interactive have announced the release of Star Wars: Assault Team, a “strategic combat” title for iOS, Windows Phone, Windows 8, and Android (with a version planned for the Amazon Appstore). It’s available now, between 40 and 80 MB in size, and free-to-play. “In this new interactive turn-based combat game with card battle elements,” the […]

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Microsoft Office finally coming to the iPad

Microsoft Office is finally coming to the iPad with Microsoft’s new chief executive, Satya Nadella, expected to announce the product at an event in San Francisco today. Rumours surrounding the launch of the suite of programs, that includes Word, Excel and Powerpoint, had been circulating for years. The decision follows a period of intense debate […]

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Senior Sony employee accidentally reveals The Last of Us will be receiving an upgraded port to PS4

Whenever a blunder like this comes around you often wonder just how much of an ‘accident’ it truly was. Everybody finds ‘leaks’ and ‘slips’ more interesting than official announcements, and feeling as if they’ve gotten one over on the corporation who has foolishly, in a moment of weakness, let the cat out of the bag. […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Japan’s annual PokÃ©mon tournament will reward the winner a one-of-a-kind Nintendo 3DS

Japan loves PokÃ©mon. Obviously. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone at this point that there is, in fact, an annual PokÃ©mon tournament. Trainers battle one another via their Nintendo 3DS’, just like trainers in the game (sort of). And what exactly is your prize should you emerge victorious in this nationwide tournament, other than […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Microsoft to bring high-end gaming to mobiles with DirectX update

The new update to DirectX – a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms – is set to bring high-end gaming to mobile devices. At the heart of DirectX 12 is Direct3D 12, the API that renders visuals for games and other […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

New Rollercoaster Tycoon game coming to mobiles

Atari announced today that the classic amusement park simulation franchise RollerCoaster Tycoon is coming back this spring for mobiles and PC. The mobile version is appropriately titled RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile and it’s coming to iOS devices this spring (there’s no word on an Android version). It includes 20 pre-designed coasters and a “bevy” of […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Pebble’s first must-have app? Hatchi turns your smartwatch into a Tamagotchi

It’s so genius it’s a wonder that it’s taken this long to come up with it. Fresh off the back of the release of Pebble’s open-source app store, comes Hatchi – the app which replicates the Tamagotchi on your smartwatch. Already available on iOS, Hatchi is a faithful, black-and-white homage to the Bandai’s cult ’90’s […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Play Shin Megami Tensei in English for the first time on iPhone

English-speaking fans can finally play the seminal Super Famicom dungeon-crawler Shin Megami Tensei (SMT), without the need for a Japanese dictionary, by grabbing the first officially localised version of the game on iPhone. This is the first game in the SMT series (the latest of which, Shin Megami Tensei IV, came out on 3DS last […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Amazon’s streaming set top box will be a dongle device, could feature PC gaming

Amazon’s forthcoming set top box/games console will be a dongle-like device similar to the Google Chromecast and could be released as early as April. Additionally, sources close to the project claim that it will support streaming for full PC game titles, making it a rival to the Xbox, Playstation and Steam, instead of just Android-powered […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Asphalt 8: Airborne will be the first mobile game to be streamed on Twitch

Twitch, the video streaming platform for gamers, today announced that Gameloft’s Asphalt 8: Airborne for iOS will be the first ever mobile game to feature Twitch’s live streaming functionality. Gameloft will demonstrate the game’s broadcasting capabilities during the week of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) with a 24-hour live stream event on Twitch. Published by […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Google Play is planning on allowing Android vs iOS gaming

The Google Play Games team have today announced that inter-OS gaming may be possible in the near future. Speaking at Games Developers Conference ’14, Greg Hartrell of Google Play Games has said that they plan on improving Google Play Games services in a number of ways, the most noticeable of which would allow gaming on […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

BAFTA winning mobile game Size DOES Matter coming to iOS and Android this spring

Having won the BAFTA Ones to Watch award, the rhythm-action game Size DOES Matter could now be iOS and Android-bound. Speaking to Pocket Gamer, Mattis Delerud of the game’s developer DOS Studios stated: “We have an internal deadline that we are working towards together with our publisher Channel 4. What we are allowed to say […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Dark Souls II graphics downgrade for console versions angers gamers

Did Namco Bandai lie about the graphics quality of its dark fantasy RPG sequel Dark Souls II? The internet is currently rife with gamers keen to voice their ire with the title’s apparently downgraded graphics on last-gen consoles such as the playstation 3 and Xbox 360, for which it was released last Friday 14 March […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Xbox One sales almost double in the UK due to Titanfall release

Titanfall has claimed the top spot in the UK game charts since its launch on Friday, claiming the title for best-selling opening weekend of 2014 so far. According to the GfK Chart-Track, the release of the highly anticipated mech-action shooter also contributed to a massive upswing in sales of the Xbox One itself, with sales […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Fitness wearable Jawbone Up finally has an Android app

At long last, Android users finally have an app compatible with their Jawbone wearable. The Up by Jawbone app offers Android the full array of features that have been available to iOS users since the product’s release over two years ago. The app allows you to pair your device with your Up or Up24 wristband […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Watch Dogs’ main story mode is 35-40 hours long, says Creative Director

Watch Dogs’ main story will take you about 35-40 hours to complete, the game’s Creative Director Jonathan Morin said on Twitter. @vytla102 I would say the average player which does free roam a bit tend to reach the end within 35-40h. But doing everything is close 100h. – Jonathan Morin (@Design_Cave) March 15, 2014 Morin […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Microsoft would have bought WhatsApp too, says Bill Gates, but not for $19 bn

Bill Gates says that alongside Facebook and Google, his company Microsoft was also “willing” to buy the messaging app WhatsApp. Facebook eventually bought WhatsApp for $19bn in February, marking the social network’s biggest acquisition. “Microsoft would have been willing to buy it, too. I don’t know for $19bn, but the company’s extremely valuable,” Gates, 58, […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

ZTE to release China’s first games console this month

According to Bloomberg, China’s second-largest game developer and operator The9 has partnered with ZTE create China’s first legitimate games console. This is not an unexpected development, given China’s recent removal of its thirteen-year console ban. But it is a bit of a surprise the thing is coming so soon, as it’s scheduled for release later […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Social networking to blame for your bad mood, survey says

Next time you’re feeling down and feel compelled to share your mood on Facebook, spare a thought for your online friends. According to a survey conducted by a group of scientists in the US, your mood on social networks can be contagious and spreads to those you are connected to. Researchers in the US analysed […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

The most addictive game on iOS, Threes!, is finally available on Android

The puzzler is arguably the most popular genre in mobile gaming. Its sheer accessibility and replayability makes it a lucrative market, with developers constantly trying to crack the formula for the next smash hit. Android gamers waiting for their latest fix need wait no longer – Threes! in finally available. Threes! is the both the […]

Apps - Callum Tennent

Flappy Bird creator to release three new games, may bring back Flappy Bird

In an exclusive profile for The Rolling Stone, Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen has spoken out about his life, upbringing and why he started the hugely popular mobile game. The interview, written in The Rolling Stone’s typical rock star style, sees Nguyen talking about the development of Flappy Bird – he states that the hustle […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

WATCH: Mount & Blade brings open world, PC-style gaming to mobiles

The mobile gaming landscape already boasts a number of excellent console ports like Bastion, Limbo, The Walking Dead and XCOM: Enemy Unknown, there is still a lack of any truly large PC titles adapted to the format. Developer Taleworlds Entertainment looks like it is about to change all that with the release of its mobile […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Google faces lawsuit by US parents over in-app purchases by kids

With in-app purchases on free-to-play games currently being scrutinised in the UK and Europe, it seems that the US may soon have to pay attention to the mobile gaming format too. Despite a number of countries threatening legal action against developers and tech giants alike, disgruntled consumers in the US have decided to tackle the […]

Apps - Saqib Shah

Free-to-play games are ‘grooming children’ to part with money, says Dungeon Keeper creator

Fable and Dungeon Keeper creator Peter Molyneux has warned that “brutal” and “greedy” free-to-play (f2p) mechanics are inviting government legislation, something he believes will be detrimental to the industry. “We cannot continue to be obsessively greedy with our consumers, grooming children for hundreds of pounds from their parents’ accounts,” he told Develop. Molyneux has fallen […]

Apps - Saqib Shah