Apprtize

Microsoft pulling the plug on Nokia Trailers on December 31st

-

December 2, 2014

While Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia hasn’t really had an impact on the number of devices coming out with Windows Phone, the software side hasn’t been so fortunate. After discontinuing the MixRadio service in countries like India, Microsoft has now announced that it will be pulling the plug on Nokia Trailers on December 31st.

While most of the Nokia apps have been rebranded, Nokia Trailers will be instead be going in the coffin. The app which allowed users to view and download trailers for upcoming movies was released by Nokia back in June 2012. It also allowed users to locate nearest movie theaters, as well as receive notifications when new trailers were out. However, the app did not receive any update post January 2013.

While almost all the trailers these days can be found on YouTube, using Nokia Trailers was always a pleasant experience. Do our readers think Microsoft could have done otherwise?

Nokia Trailers – Windows Phone

Xbox Music gets numerous improvements in the latest update

Sharang Sharma

-

December 2, 2014

0

Xbox Music isn’t exactly known for being well received by the public post Windows Phone 8. Although Microsoft has worked hard to improve the situation and today’s update is another step in the direction. The recent update takes Xbox Music to version 2.6.414.0 and most importantly fixes the missing buy option for individual songs which disappeared last week. Here’s the full changelog:

-Thirteen of our top unexpected app exits (e.g. playback during sync, changing filter with selected songs)
-Album and artist art issues:image
-Some local tracks not showing album art in Now Playing
-Album art flashing while shuffling large collections
-Background artist art flashing
-Inconsistent display of album art when offline
-Local or sideloaded albums not showing album art in Recent Plays
-Content sync interruptions causing all future syncs to fail
-Deleted songs don’t always get removed from your collection
-Unable to playback albums in certain circumstances
-Inconsistent sorting of songs that start with an article (e.g. “A”)

Microsoft has also announced that going forward the updates will be less frequent since the team is focusing on Windows 10. It shouldn’t be disheartening, since the update will hit all current Windows Phone 8 devices.

Music – Windows Phone

[via]

WeChat gets a redesign on Windows Phone

Sharang Sharma

-

December 1, 2014

0

WeChat has been given an update on Windows Phone, taking it to version 5.4 on the platform. The app adds a refreshed interface for the users with a cleaner UI that is inspired from Microsoft’s Modern UI and Windows Phone design in general. The update also adds the ability to view images from a chat quickly as well as extract QR codes from images.

Changelog:

– Newly designed interface for a better experience
– View all images from a chat quickly
– Extract QR codes from within images

Grab WeChat from the Windows Phone Store for free here.

Google lists Best Apps of 2014

Android
News

Sharang Sharma

-

December 1, 2014

0

Google has published its list of “Best Apps for 2014”. The list of course is made of handpicked quality apps in the Play Store among the several thousand apps that are posted on the Store everyday. The list has a total of 64 apps, seven of which are paid. The list not only includes apps that were released this year, but also some older apps like Shazam and Swift Keyboard. Some new additions this year include the likes of Google Fit and Stive.

While most of the listed apps are free, the paid ones include Amazing World Atlas, Ultimate Guitar Tabs & Chords, Facetune, Afterlight, 7 Minute Workout Challenge, djay 2 and Over. There are no games in the list and similar to last year, Google might release a separate list for it.

According to AppcAnnie data, the total free downloads on the Play Store were 60 percent higher in Q3 compared to Apple App Store. However, Play Store still lags behind the App Store when it comes to revenue.

Are you satisfied with Google’s list or do you feel you favorite app has been left out? Sound off in the comments below.

Bruce Lee: Enter the Game released on iOS and Android

Sachin Sharma

-

November 30, 2014

0

On the special occasion of the 74th birth anniversary of the legendary kung-fu master Bruce Lee, Hibernum Creations has released Bruce Lee: Enter the Game in the Play Store and the App Store.

Features:

You are the Master
Play with the signature style and sounds authentic to the one and only, BRUCE LEE.

Intuitive Gameplay
Use simple swipe mechanics to punch or jump kick your enemies while landing big COMBOS.

40 Action-Packed Levels
Battle the BOSS after grinding your way through hordes of henchmen – while saving your friends and achieving other OBJECTIVES along the way.

Unleash the FURY!
Charge up FURY MODE to deliver a series of attacks with blinding speed and tremendous force!

Need A Boost?
Start the level with a special power-up like NUMBING PAIN to triumph over your opponents.

Gear Up!
Unlock mighty weapons, like the NUNCHAKU, and other special items as you gain experience.

Endurance Mode
Prepare yourself to face endless foes while climbing global LEADERBOARDS for the most K.O.’s.

Bruce Lee: Enter the Game is a 2D arcade fighting game featuring Bruce Lee fighing for justice. The game uses simple swipe mechanics to jump kick or punch and combining them to drop combos on your enemies. The game features 40 levels with BOSS waiting at the end.

Bruce Lee: Enter the Game is officially licensed from the Bruce Lee Estate and is free to download. However, it comes with in-app purchases starting from $1.99 to $100. Find the trailer and the store links below.

Bruce Lee: Enter the Game – Android | iOS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtiT-m6eNDQ

Official Pinterest app removed from the Windows Phone Store

Sharang Sharma

-

November 30, 2014

0

In a sad turn of events for Windows Phone users, the official Pinterest app for Windows Phone has been pulled from the Play Store. No reason has been given behind the removal of the app and the original store link now points towards a “Not found” page.

Pinterest was launched on the Windows Phone Store back in June as a beta. Sadly, it was just a web wrapper and Pinterest never bothered to update it or improve it with updates. As such, the app never had high user rating to begin with.

With this, it’s another high profile app that’s missing from the Windows Phone Store. We’ve also not seen updates for several apps like Instagram in months. Users shouldn’t be completely disheartened though, since there are a number of third party clients available in the Windows Phone Store. Still, the official app has its own status symbol, even if it just a shortcut to the mobile version of the website.

Original store link

The Witcher Adventure Game released on Android and iOS

Sharang Sharma

-

November 29, 2014

0

It’s funny how a video game inspired a board game, which in turn inspired developers to create a mobile game based on the board game (yes, that’s how it is). We’re talking about The Witcher Adventure Game that has been released on the App Store for the iPad along with the Play Store. Simply called The Witcher AG, the game is digital adaptation of CD PROJEKT RED’s board game set in the brutal, dark fantasy universe of monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. The board game is in-turn inpisred from The Witcher series of video games available on the PC and consoles.

Features:

– Art design taken straight from the critically acclaimed Witcher series of video games
– Play vs. AI and vs. your friends (online multiplayer and hot seat)
– Clear, simple rules, and intuitive mechanics.
– 4 unique heroes with different skills and approaches to problem solving
– Achievements and leaderboard support
– Digital edition contains over 288 cards and 30 monsters

You can play as any of the four heroes, each with his or her own skills and abilities. The game costs $5.99 to download and we found no mentions of IAPs anywhere. Find the trailer and the store link below.

The Witcher AG – App Store

The Witcher AG – Play Store

Telltale’s Game of Thrones Episode 1 landing on December 4th on iOS

Sharang Sharma

-

November 28, 2014

0

Telltale’s upcoming game based on The Game of Thrones has easily become one of the most anticipated games in the near future, given the huge Game of Thrones fanbase, as well as Telltale’s past record of making AAA titles. It is only good news then that the game will be landing on iOS on December 4th, well, at least the 1st episode of the game that is. The game will be landing on Mac and PC on December 2nd, followed by PS4 (it will be released on PS4 in the US on 2nd December), Xbox One and Xbox 360 on December 3rd. The game will be landing on iOS on December 4th and lastly on PS3 on December 9th.

The first episode in the series is called Iron From Ice. The game follows the story of of five members of House Forrester, sworn to the Starks. Each episode follows the story of a member of House Forrester trying to save his home and family from the war that is spreading in Westeros. Game of Thrones will be an interactive graphic adventure like Telltale’s other games (The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead) and will feature several of the characters from the popular HBO TV Series of the same name.

Catch the official trailer of the game below.

[via]

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath lands on iOS

Nityansh Seth

-

November 28, 2014

0

Another console game has been ported to iOS, this time an Xbox exclusive. We’re talking about Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, an action-adventure video game developed by Oddworld Inhabitants. The game was originally released exclusively for Microsoft’s Xbox gaming console back in 2005.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath details the story of a bounty hunter by the name Stranger. Stranger is tasked with capturing outlaws, collecting bounties, and earning moolah in the dusty, undeveloped wastelands of Western Mudos, using nothing but his crossbow (that fires insects and mammals as “live” ammunition).

Features:

* Explore living towns, lush forests, and massive industrial facilities
* Seamlessly transition between first-person shooter and third-person platfomer
* Scour your surroundings for live ammo
* Work with a range of strategies to surprise, stun, lure, blast and bag devious outlaws
* Meet incredibly odd, funny and smack-talking townsfolk, enemies and natives
* Fight dozens of varied bosses with outlandish arsenals and outrageous names

The game was earlier released on Steam in 2010, followed by a PS3 port. Of course, the latest iOS release comes with touch optimized controls. An Android port is also said to be in works.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath costs $5.99 in the App Store and supports multiple languages including English, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Finish, Swedish, and Polish. Grab it from the link below. We’ve also posted the official trailer for the game after the link.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath – App Store

Gameloft releases match-three puzzle Pastry Paradise on major platforms

Games
News

Sharang Sharma

-

November 27, 2014

0

Gameloft has launched a new game on iOS, Android and Windows Phone, called Pastry Paradise. The game is a match-three puzzle and as the name indicates, it has been designed with only one aim, to take on King’s market leader Candy Crush Saga.

Pastry Paradise tasks you with helping Hannah, the sweetest chef in the land to stop Mr. Moelleux from filling the world with cheap mud cakes and canned custard (because that sounds like such an evil plan). The gameplay involves swapping pastries horizontally, vertically, and even diagonally to make a similar match of atleast three. And of course, such a game would be incomplete without any social element, so Pastry Paradise involves sending gifts to friends, leaderboards and unlocking new levels using your friends’ help (the horror of Candy Crush notifications still haunts us).

Pastry Paradise is free to download, but as expected, comes with in-app purchases. It remains to be seen how many Candy Crush users the game will be able to pull on Android and iOS, however, with no Candy Crush on Windows Phone, Pastry Paradise will be a welcome addition for Windows Phone users.

Pastry Paradise – Windows Phone

Pastry Paradise – iOS

Pastry Paradise – Android