Apprtize

Google Maps gets Material Design and more in the latest update

Sachin Sharma

-

November 6, 2014

The latest update for Google Maps is here and as you might have guessed it already, it brings the new Material Design to the app on Android and iOS. The app adds a flatter design and tidy animations that is all a part of Google’s new design language. However, that’s not all since the update also brings some new features to the app.

First of all, Google Maps now comes with deep Uber integration that shows estimated pickup time, as well as the estimated fare based on the directions you’re currently hunting in the transit. You can also compare the fare of the cab service with that of public transport and decide what suits your purse. Uber integration will require Uber app to be downloaded on the device though. You will also be able to make reservations in restaurants thanks to OpenTable integration. Users in the US won’t even have to leave the app to do the same.

Google has promised that the update will start rolling out in the coming days, although we can see a new version of the app sitting in the Play Store already.

Google Maps – Android

Google Maps – iOS

[Source]

Real Racing 3 adds new cars from Ferrari and Maserati in the latest update

Games
News

Sharang Sharma

-

November 5, 2014

0

Italian cars have a charm of their own, which is unfortunately out of reach for most of us commoners. However, it’s games like Real Racing that enable us to get a glimpse of what it would be like to sit behind the wheel of one of these cars. And thanks to the recent update for Electronic Arts’ Real Racing 3, you’ll be able to enjoy these cars on you smartphones and tablets as well.

The update for Real Racing 3 is available on Android and iOS. After the update last month that added the Countach and the Miura from Lamborghini’s stables, the new update adds more cars from Italian makers Ferrari and Maserati. There’s Maserati’s GranTurismo MC Stradale that can be won in the new Marquis World Championship that features only super expensive cars. As for Ferrari, there’s the new LaFerrari which was showcased by the company at 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

Besides these, the game also adds a New Bonus Series that features 100 new events feature in Hybrid Hypercar Clash, Luxury Tourer Tournament and the exclusive Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale R3 World Tour.

Grab the update from the links below.

Real Racing 3 – Play Store

Real Racing 3 – App Store

Official Dropbox app coming to Windows Phone, will be integrated with Office elsewhere

Nityansh Seth

-

November 4, 2014

0

As good as Microsoft’s OneDrive might be, some users prefer other options one of which is Dropbox. The good news is that users who are using Microsoft’s other services will be able to enjoy Dropbox too. Microsoft and Dropbox have jointly announced that Dropbox app will be making its way on to Windows Phone in the coming months. Dropbox was released for Windows almost two years ago.

Not only will the app be published in the Windows Phone Store, but it will be integrated with Office on other platforms as well. Users will be able to access Dropbox from Office apps as well as open Office files in Dropbox and sync them across devices. Users will also be able to share new or edited files from the Office apps using simple Dropbox sharing functionality. These changes will be made available on iOS and Android first in the coming weeks.

While it’s good to see Dropbox coming to the platform, is it too late for the company to make any significant progress on Windows Phone given the availability of OneDrive and its competitive pricing?

[Source: Microsoft]

Nokia Camera returns as Lumia Camera on the Windows Phone Store

Sharang Sharma

-

November 4, 2014

0

Recently, some users reported the inability to download Nokia Camera app from the Windows Phone Store, even from the direct store link. Well, that was because Microsoft had removed it from the Store on purpose. The app is back now, rebranded as Lumia Camera. There’s no other change, so the entire thing was done rebranding purposes. That isn’t surprising, since we’ve seen similar fate with Nokia’s other apps as well.

While the Nokia Camera has been rebranded to Lumia Camera, Nokia Camera Beta now gets called Lumia Camera Classic. The latter is aimed at phones without the Denim firmware update that improves the camera performance of the phones significantly. You can grab both the apps for free from the store links below. The version number for both the apps sits at 4.9.1.2.

Lumia Camera – Windows Phone

Lumia Camera Classic – Windows Phone

Gmail 5.0 update lands in the Play Store

Android
News

Sharang Sharma

-

November 4, 2014

0

Word was already out that Google was cooking something big with the next update for Gmail and now the day is finally here. Visit Play Store and you’ll find Gmail 5.0 neatly sitting there waiting to be downloaded.

As expected, Gmail has been given the Material Design touch by Google so it now fits the overall design language that the company has been trying to push back and forth. It’s got new thread interface for your conversations and a new drawer. There’s also a reply button at the bottom of every message, something that holds a lot of value. Also, the background image in blank folders that disappeared in the previous updates is back again. But of course, the looks are just the tip of the iceberg and changes go skin deep. The app now gets support for corporate/exchange accounts. That means, you’ll be able to access your Outlook, Yahoo and other email accounts, all in one place using POP/IMAP.

The update is sitting in the Play Store, ready to be downloaded on devices running Android 4.1 and above. Let us know what you think of the new update.

Gmail – Play Store

Google Calender app gets updated with more than just a redesign

Sachin Sharma

-

November 4, 2014

0

Another day, another Google app that has been updated with Material Design. This time it’s the Google Calender app that has been updated. Besides the Material Design, there are a few other neat features that have been added with the update as well.

The new app is available for all devices running on Android 5.0 (which makes it available only on the Nexus 9 for the time being), but will work on all devices with Android 4.1 and above. The update app makes all Gmail events calender events like flights, concerts, or even hotel reservations. These events will be added to the calender with all relevant details (flight numbers and check-in times) and will be updated in real time in case there’s some change in the schedule and you receive another email about it.

The app also introduces Assists which can suggest titles, people and places as you type. it even adapts according to your preferences. Also, the new Schedule View shows photos and maps of the places you’re going, cityscapes of travel destinations, and illustrations of everyday events like dinner.

Grab the app from the store link for free.

Google Calender – Play Store (not updated at the time of publishing this article)

[via]

Call of Duty Advanced Warfare companion app launched on iOS, Android and Windows Phone

Games
News

Nityansh Seth

-

November 4, 2014

0

Just ahead of the global release of Call of Duty Advanced Warfare on major consoles and PC, Activision has launched the companion app for the game on major mobile platforms. The Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare Companion app is now available to download on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Windows. To make things clear, this isn’t the mobile version of the game, but is a companion app that lets you remain connected to the world of COD when you’re away from your consoles and manage your in-game clan and create new clan emblems. It also allows you to be a part of clan chats, get access to in-game items, view profiles and do more.

Features:

“Clan Wars
Clan Wars give you and your friends the opportunity to join up and compete against other clans of similar size and skill for control of positions on the in-app Clan War map.

By participating in Clan Wars, you and your Clan can win in-game exclusive loot. This loot is used to customize your Operator in Advanced Warfare Multiplayer and is only available in Clan Wars. Clan War loot is a signal to your opponent in any match that you and your clan are a cut above.

The War Room
The War Room is where you and your Clanmates manage your overall clan experience. You can see active and upcoming Clan Wars, your Clan War history, and your clan’s top contributors.

Emblem Editor
In the stand-alone game, Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare, your emblem is a unique representation of your multiplayer Operator or your Clan. The Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare Companion has a full emblem editor that can be used to create a custom Clan emblem or Player emblem that is synced to the emblem editor in-game.

Additional Features
Clan chat, Clan Profile, Player Profiles, and more.”

The app is free to download, but would hold no meaning if you don’t have the original game that launches on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC tomorrow.

The Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare Companion App: iOS | Android | Windows Phone | Windows

Google Play Newsstand updated with more Material Design tweaks

Android
News

Promil Bhardwaj

-

November 3, 2014

0

Google has pushed another update to its Google Play Newsstand app in the Play Store just a month after it first introduced Material Design on it. The latest update doesn’t add any new features or any ground breaking changes, but merely adds refinements to the design. It completes the transition to Material Design that started with the last month’s update.

Among the first changes that you’ll notice are the new animations including the one that plays on tapping and dragging down on a list of news articles to refresh it. It now shows the Material Design’s circular arrow refresh animation seen elsewhere as well. Then, the pop up cards that show up occasionally now feature full color backgrounds instead of the just the top half that used to be colored before. There are other changes as well, like the selections on the hamburger menu now appearing in thematic blue instead of earlier black, a thicker magnifying glass icon, and the option to view “Downloaded only” being moved from the drop-down menu to the side menu.

Overall, it seems like a refinement of the previous update, making small changes that ad to the experience. You can grab Google Play Newsstand from the store link below.

Google Play Newsstand – Android

[via]

BBM gets Message Retraction and Timed Messages on iOS and Android

Sharang Sharma

-

November 1, 2014

0

Remember when BlackBerry announced it would be bringing some new important changes to BBM not so long ago? Well they’re here. BlackBerry has pushed an update for BBM on Android, iOS and BB10 that adds a couple of new security features.

First up, the update adds a new feature called Timed Messages. These are similar to those sent on Snapchat, just that the sender can choose how long the message can remain on the recipient’s phone. Simply tapping on the message before sending it can make it a timed message. Users will also be notified if the recipient of the message tries to take a screenshot of such a message. Such messages can be particularly useful if you’re sharing your credit card details with someone for a one time purchase.

Then, the update adds Message Retraction to the app. As the name implies, this feature can be used to recall a sent message. Messages that can be recalled must be in a one-on-one conversation and should not contain any images. However, both the features will be available for free only for a period of three months, after which they will be a part of a paid bundle.

Besides these two changes, BBM now allows you to share HD photos through the messenger, as well as see what your BBM friends are listening to in the BBM feeds. The updates are live on Android, iOS and BB10. BBM beta got updated on Windows Phone just a couple of days back, but the update did not introduce these new features.

BBM – Android

BBM – iOS

Changelog for BBM 2.5:

Timed Messages: Set how long contacts have access to messages and pictures shared in a chat
Message Retraction: ‘Retract’ a message to remove it from your BBM chat*
A quicker sticker picker: Adding stickers to your BBM chats is now even quicker with a new picker
HD Picture Transfer: It’s easier than ever to get a high quality version of the pictures you receive in BBM
Discover Music: See what music your contacts are listening to in BBM Feeds.

Flipboard on Android gets 30,000 new topics to follow, new design and more

Android
News

Sharang Sharma

-

October 31, 2014

0

While everything seems to be moving towards the Material Design on Android, Flipboard begs to differ. The app has been updated on Android with a brand new design that doesn’t look anything like the Material Design. It seems to make the navigation on the site much easier and the app looks less cluttered now. For mobile users, there’s a new top tab bar that allows you to easily navigate between your profile, things you’re following, search and notifications.

Besides the appearances, the app now offers some 30,000 new topics to follow and keep you busy on the app. For people who don’t get a lot of stuff through their social feed, the app offers daily curated content in The Daily Edition. You can also follow people in the Flipboard team curating this content.

Grab the app in the Play Store at the link below.

Flipboard – Android

Changelog for Flipboard v3:

• Over 30,000 new topics to follow, powered by best stories across publishers and 10 million+ Flipboard magazines.
• Start your day with The Daily Edition, with articles selected by our team at 7 a.m.
• Follow people to stay up-to-date on what they’re collecting into their magazines.
• New design, everywhere.
On phones only:
• New top tab bar to quickly navigate between your Flipboard, everything you’re following, search, notifications and your profile