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Facebook Messenger and CNN receive fresh updates on Windows Phone

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September 10, 2014

Facebook Messenger and CNN for Windows Phone have been the recipients of new updates on Windows Phone. Talking about Facebook Messenger first, the update takes the app to version 8.0. Here’s the changelog:

Thanks for letting us know how we can make Messenger better. Based on your requests, we made it so that you can choose whether you tap to send a message or just use the enter button on the keyboard.
Now you can forward a message or photo to someone who isn’t in the conversation.
We also made big improvements to overall performance

So based on user request you can choose what the enter button does within the app. You can also forward messages or photos going forward. Then, there’s the usual health check.

As for CNN, the app sits at version 1.6 in the Windows Phone Store now. Here’s the changelog:

Enhancements to breaking news alerts
Lumia hi-res camera now supported in iReport
Minor bug fixes

With the update, alerts won’t be functioning in the older version of the app anymore. Also, for aspiring journalists, the app now supports the high resolution cameras in the high end Lumia phones are now supported.

Facebook Messenger – Windows Phone Store

CNN for Windows Phone – Windows Phone Store

Apple App Store now has over over 1.3 million apps

iOS
News

Shivendra Pal

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September 10, 2014

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Besides announcing a flurry of new devices, Apple also had a few other announcements to make yesterday. One of them was related to the app count on the App Store. As it turns out, the Apple App Store has now over 1.3 million apps to offer. Last we checked, the number stood at 1 million in October last year. Granted the growth rate is down, but the store still has almost all the popular apps that are out there barring a very few exceptions.

In comparison, Google Play Store breached the same figure sometime earlier this year, while the Windows Phone has approximately one million less apps than either of the two stores. The developer interest in the Apple App Store remains high and with the launch of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, we expect plenty of new additions in the coming days.

[via]

Opera Mini beta now available for download on Windows Phone

Sharang Sharma

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September 9, 2014

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Opera has finally made the link for the beta version of its Opera Mini browser in the Windows Phone Store public, making it available to download for everybody. Earlier announcement from the company had indicated that the beta version might only be available to those who had signed up for the beta testing, but clearly that’s not the case. Here’s the list of features that Opera has to offer on the Windows Phone version of its browser:

Browse faster: Content-heavy webpages with lots of images and graphics load faster. We make webpages lighter, so you can enjoy the fastest browser for your device.
Save data: Opera Mini can reduce webpages down to 10% of their normal size. That saves you data, giving you faster, cheaper internet.
Navigate easily: Bigger buttons and a clear layout make Opera Mini easier to use.
Be social: Share your favorite content in a snap!
Browse safely: Opera’s focus on security and data privacy, keeps you safer on the web.

Keep in mind that since this is a beta version so there are bound to be bugs in this version.

Grab Opera Mini for your Windows Phone device here.

WhatsApp receives a major update on iOS that adds tons of new features

Promil Bhardwaj

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September 9, 2014

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WhatsApp receives a major update on iOS that adds tons of new features

It seems like the team at WhatsApp wasn’t just idling around in the past few months and was actually working on making its app even better on the iPhone. Their hard work is now ready to be shared among all, as WhatsApp has just received an update on iOS adding several new features. Here’s the changelog for version 2.11.9:

Added ability to archive chats and groups
Add captions to photos and videos
Added fast camera access button for capturing and sending photos
You can now share slow-motion videos (iPhone 5s only)
You can now trim videos before sharing them
Share Location: add support for satellite and hybrid map views when sharing a location
Share Location: drop and drag pin lets you share a precise location
New media auto-download preferences: Settings > Chat Settings > Media Auto-Download
New Wallpapers: Settings > Chat Settings > Chat Wallpapers > Wallpaper Library
New Notification tones: Settings > Notifications
You can now attach screenshots when reporting problems

That’s rather a big and welcome set of new features added to the app. The app also utilizes the slow motion video shooting ability if the iPhone 5s and allows to share these videos through the app. You can also add captions to photos and videos before sending them, just like Snapchat. The app is also reportedly working well with iOS8 beta.

Grab WhatsApp for iPhone on the App Store here.

Daddy Was A Thief lands on Windows Phone almost an year after iOS and Android

Sachin Sharma

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September 9, 2014

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It’s no secret that Windows Phone users do not always get to enjoy the latest and popular apps on their platform that Android and iOS users are engaged in. While Microsoft has addressed the availability issue somewhat in the past year or so, these apps often arrive way after they’ve landed on Android or iOS. The same happened with the immensely popular game Daddy Was A Thief which has finally landed on Windows Phone, almost an year after it did on Android and iOS. Nonetheless, it’s good news for the users of the platform who have another popular title to play now.

Features:

Smashable obstacles: walls, furnitures and more! Gain as much destructions as you can! Crash through walls, floors and watch the pieces fly all over!
Playable thieves and crazy power-ups to unlock
Different every time you play!
Just one finger control! (swipe up and down) Quick pick-up-and-play
Many achievements to earn

It would be appropriate to call Daddy Was A Thief an endless faller since you’re moving your way down instead of going forward. The game is a universal app and can be enjoyed on both Windows based tablet or PC and Windows Phone. That’s important because unlike the Android version, it costs $1.99 on Microsoft’s platforms. The price is same as on the App Store, so we guess it’s kinda fair, given the huge user base for Android making it possible for developers to make titles free and earn through IAPs instead. Fortunately, there’s a free trial available too. Also, Daddy Was A Thief is also compatible with Windows Phone devices having only 512MB RAM. Grab it from the store links below.

Daddy Was A Thief – Windows Phone Store

Daddy Was A Thief – Windows Store

Google Play Movies & TV for iOS gets offline support

Sharang Sharma

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September 9, 2014

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Google Play Movies & TV for iOS gets offline support

Google Play Movies & TV has recently received a useful update on iOS taking the app to version 1.2.0. The update adds a single important feature to the app, the ability to play content offline.

You can now download and save content to your smartphone or tablet and watch it later, even when you don’t have an internet connection. The same feature was added to the Chromebook version of the app recently. The app also gets some unknown “Accessibility improvements”.

Grab it from the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad here.

Latest update for Facebook Messenger allows adding doodles to sent images

Sharang Sharma

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September 7, 2014

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Facebook has updated the Facebook Messenger app on Android. The changelog mentions of just a single change, the ability to edit and add doodles to the images you’re sending. You can let your imagination work or simply add text to these images. The feature is similar to that seen in Snapchat and Facebook’s own Slingshot app, just that these sent images don’t disappear like the other two’s.

The feature is only available on Android for now, but should be rolled out to other platforms in the coming days.

Facebook Messenger – Play Store

Mass Effect, Splemy and more are Red Stripe Deals of the week on Windows Phone

Sharang Sharma

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September 6, 2014

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Here’s the list of this week’s apps included in the Red Stripe Deals on the Windows Phone Store:

Mass Effect:Infiltrator – $3.49

As Commander Shepard battles Reapers across the galaxy, veteran Cerberus agent Randall Ezno procures aliens for illicit experiments at a secret facility. But when the Director of the facility goes too far – Randall fights back and vows to bring Cerberus down! Can you fight your way off the hostile Cerberus base and deliver their secret research to the Alliance?

Ladybird: I’m Ready to Spell! – $1.49

Have loads of spelling fun with three mini space-themed games, and tailor the app by adding your child’s own school spellings. Let’s get ready to spell!

Shiny The Firefly – $1.49

This adorable game, set in the middle of a picturesque garden, has you helping Shiny, the cute little firefly, to find his babies. You’ll have to fly, run, hide and defend yourself against a legion of enemies. Stubborn mosquitoes, hungry toads, mischievous plants, sneaky wasps, endlessly long centipedes and lots of other little, dangerous garden dwellers are going to get in your way and make your life difficult.

Splemy – $0.99

Born form the primordial soup – Splemy sets on a journey to find his creator. Use a familiar slingshot mechanic to guide him through 75 levels of an intense and strange world. You will visit mysterious and atmospheric caves, colorful mushroom forest and eventually a dangerous abandoned factory.

ArchiTech Sketchpad – $0.99

ARCHITECH Sketchpad is the most popular and widely-used professional CAD & graphic application on the Windows Phone Marketplace.

daWindci Deluxe – $1.49

Immerse yourself in daWindci Deluxe, the definitive edition of the Apple Design Award winning daWindci. For the first time on your Windows Phone device.

Nokia to bring HERE Maps to Android and iOS by the end of this year

Promil Bhardwaj

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September 4, 2014

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While Nokia’s HERE Maps are quite popular on Windows Phone, they are yet to leave their mark on Android and iOS where more popular options are available. However, Nokia is planning to bring its cartography solution to both Android and iOS by the end of this year.

Nokia will have to face an uphill battle against Google Maps on both these platforms. The company launched HERE Maps on iOS last year, which had to be eventually pulled down due to compatibility issues with iOS 7. However, the team looks better prepared now and has made sure it has cut all loose ends short before launching its app on these platforms. Offering offline maps, Nokia’s HERE Maps do hold certain appeal over Google Maps, but then there are several other things that are not available on the Finnish maker’s service.

With Apple slated to reveal the iPhone 6 along with iOS 8 in the coming days, it’ll be interesting to say if has made any sorts of partnership with Nokia to bring down what it perceives to be the growing dominance of Google.

[Source]

Angry Birds Transformers landing on major mobile platforms on October 15th

Games
News

Sharang Sharma

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September 4, 2014

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The team up between Hasbro’s Transformer series and Rovio’s Angry Bird will see the results landing on major mobile platforms on October 15th. Angry Birds Transformers will be second of such a tie up for the company, the first being Angry Birds Star Wars. Although, the game wouldn’t have much to do with the recent Transformers movies from Michael Bay (or we’d have a lot of explosions in the game), but would be based on the cartoon series, the rights to which are owned by Hasbro.

The gameplay will also feature Hasbro’s TELEPOD toys. Basically, having these toys in front of the smartphone camera would bring these characters into the game to fight along your side. The gameplay isn’t known at the moment. It could be the usual bird slinging action, or something totally new, as we’ve come to expect of Rovio.

Angry Birds Transformers will be making its way to Android, iOS and Windows Phone. In the meanwhile, catch these 80’s style themed trailer for the game.