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Rocket Riot, Discovery, SuperPhoto are Red Stripe Deals of the week on Windows Phone

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May 9, 2014

Like every Thursday, we have six new quality apps on Windows Phone, that have been discounted 50 percent or more as a part of Microsoft’s Red Stripe Deals. Here’s what’s discounted this week.

Roket Riot – $1.99

In this highly stylized eight-bit era style game, blast your way through the environment against the strangest enemies you will ever encounter. Navigate through a completely destructible environment, uncover special power-ups, or even burrow into different areas of the map.

Dark Arcana: The Carnival – $1.49

Investigate two worlds: the one you know and an alternate plane existing behind the Hall of Mirrors. Discover the secret of an ancient being known as the Evil One. Reveal the story of star-crossed lovers and stop the Evil One from breaking its magical chains and invading our world.

Weather Flow – $0.99

The weather experience tailored for Windows Phone with amazing live tiles and awesome lock screen support.

Discovery – $0.99

In ‘Discovery’ you can explore a giant world that is made of blocks and modify it with your own creations. Construct your house, build villages, cities, monumental constructions or dig deep under the earth.

SuperPhoto – $1.99

Tons of amazing effects for your photos!Unique, outstanding effects you’ll love. You’ll have endless fun and turn your photos into amazing art pieces with just one click!

Crazy Machines Golden Gears – $1.49

The award winning Crazy Machines is now available at the tap of your finger, made especially for Windows 8! In this “Rube Goldberg” style puzzle game, experiment and build your wacky contraptions with physics action like never before on the mobile platform! Dazzling visuals of explosives, fire, and true to life physics behavior when you put the experiment into motion!

You can also find the entire collection here.

Google Camera update brings back to ability to click photographs while recording videos

Shivendra Pal

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May 9, 2014

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Google Camera update brings back to ability to click photographs while recording videos

Google Camera was launched in the Play Store last month. The app allows users to blur their photographs after clicking photos using the blur lens. It also improved the panorama mode with higher resolution images and introduced Photo Sphere that allowed one to capture 50 megapixel 360 degree photo spheres.

Now, Google has updated the app to version 2.1.042. The update adds the ability to click photographs while recording videos. Users simply need to tap in between making videos to capture stills. Besides, Google has also fixed the bug that hid the focus ring after clicking a picture with the lens blur function. Then, the app doesn’t force close now on entering Settings.

You can pick the update for the app over here on the Play Store.

Google begins rolling out Play Services 4.4 focused at developer friendly changes

Android
News

Sharang Sharma

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May 8, 2014

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Google has begun rolling out Play Services 4.4 on Android devices worldwide. The release brings updates and new features to services including Google Maps, Games Services, Mobile Ads, and Wallet API. Google has already started seeding the update and expects it to get complete in ‘several days’. Once done, it will developers access to new APIs to take advantages of the new features.

Starting with Google Maps API, it now gets Street View imagery embedded into the app. This will allows developers to program camera movements including zoom and orientation of the Street View camera. Location API will also be able to detect when you’re running or walking. previously, it could detect if you were in a car, bicycle or on foot. Developers will also be able to turn the floor picker off, useful if they wish to build their own.

For Google Games Services, the Game Gifts that were introduced in version 4.3 can now be sent to multiple recipients, allowing for a greater social collaboration.

Mobile Ads also get new APIs that allow developers to display in-app promo ads that allows users to purchase those items directly. Developers will also be able to choose user segments for specific ads.

Then, Google Wallet’s Instant Buy API has been improved so that developers can place a Buy With Google button in an app directly.

Google will be informing once the rollout is complete. It’s also promising more action for its I/O event slated for June.

Google Wallet now lets you use multiple accounts on the same phone

Android
News

Sharang Sharma

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May 8, 2014

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Google Wallet now lets you use multiple accounts on the same phone

Google Wallet has become a neat way to make payments through your phone and Google has made it even better with the latest update. Google Wallet on Android now supports multiple accounts on the same phone. That means in case someone else takes your phone out for shopping, they can have a separate account on Wallet for their expenditures.

That’s not all and the app now also tracks online shipment orders when they’re shipped from distant retailers. You can also keep a record of your order history in one place. Then the new roll out of Google Play Services allows developers to easily place Google Wallet Instant Buy button with an existing app, making purchasing using the service easier than ever.

You can grab the update for the app here.

Evernote makes it easier to scan business cards on iOS with the latest update

Chetna Chauhan

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May 7, 2014

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Evernote is a useful app for taking and archiving notes. It’s become even better with the latest update on iOS, taking it to version 7.3.4. The latest update adds makes it easier and better to capture business cards on your iOS device using the app. Here’s the changelog:
Business card scanning improvements:

No-tap camera mode with automatic business card detection: just point the camera at the card
Easier to save scanned business cards to your contacts and address book

Better with LinkedIn

Send LinkedIn connect requests to the people whose business cards you scan

Numerous performance improvements and bug fixes

The first two changes make it easier to scan business cards. The no-tap camera mode allows you to capture a business card without having to tap on the screen. The app will automatically detect the edges of the business card and save it on your device. Once the card has been captured, users can easily attached the card to an existing phone contact through the app. Better LinkedIn integration also allows to send LinkedIn requests to owners of the card you just scanned.

The app also gets bug fixes and performance improvements. you can pick the app on the App Store here.

Rovio launches 8-bit Retry on iOS to take on Flappy Bird

Sharang Sharma

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May 7, 2014

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Rovio launches 8-bit Retry on iOS to take on Flappy Bird

If you’re missing Flappy Bird on your iOS device, Rovio has a cure for you. The company has launched its own 8-bit game on iOS called Retry. It’s not just another shameless clone of the immensely popular Flappy Bird, but borrows the idea. Make an immensely difficult game that frustrates the player to the point that they can’t let go of it.

Retry puts you in control of an airplane that you’re supposed to loop through obstacles and different terrains and landscapes, collecting coins at the same time. You ultimate aim is to land the plane from airport to airport. Crash and you’ll need to begin from the start. The 8-bit game is as challenging as the developer claims it to be. The visuals remind of the good old SNES days and will only make you feel nostalgic. Unlike the previous games from Rovio, the game doesn’t share anything with Angry Birds franchise and has been created by Rovio’s new arm called LVL 11.

As has been the case with other Rovio games, the app is free to download, but comes with a lot of in-app purchases. You’ll need to shell out real cash to unlock more airports in the game.

Retry has been soft launched on iOS and is available in Canada, Finland, and Poland for now. A wider availability in other regions and platforms is expected soon. You can grab Retry on the App Store here.

Microsoft’s OneDrive app updated to version 2.5 on Android adding some key features

Shivendra Pal

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May 7, 2014

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If you’re sold to Microsoft services but happen to have an Android device, you’d probably be aware of the company’s cloud storage service called OneDrive. Recently, Microsoft pushed the app to version 2.5 adding some key features.

Share files by inviting people, sending a link, or sending files to another app
Select multiple files to download
Move files and folders
Sort files and folders
Bug fixes and performance improvements

Some of these features are already available on competitors like Dropbox and should have been on OneDrive since the beginning. Nonetheless, it’s good to see Microsoft making the service better on competing platforms.

The app supports Android version 4.0 and above and can be picked for free from the Play Store here. It’s probably not as popular as Dropbox, but offers equally impressive services. Oh, and just in case you’re not aware, it’s the same as SkyDrive and was renamed to OneDrive due to a patent infringement with UK’s Sky services.

Google Maps get updated to version 8.0, adds lane guidance and more

Sharang Sharma

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May 6, 2014

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Google is busy making its core Android apps better and one of them has just received an update. Google Maps has been pushed to version 8.0 on Android, bringing in some significant changes. Here’s the official changelog to begin with:

Turn-by-turn navigation now displays distance, arrival time, and quick access to alternate routes
Save and manage offline maps in a custom list for when you’re traveling or have a slow connection
Transit results now display total walking time of your trip and the next scheduled bus or train
Sign in to see your “Places to review” list from recently saved or searched-for places
If you have the Uber app installed, open it right from Google Maps when comparing route options
Bug fixes

Along with these, the UI seems to have been polished further, making it more in line with what Google has been doing with its other apps recently. Then, the app also gets lane assistance in the latest update. Managing offline maps has become easier now and navigation provides easier access to alternative routes. Also, if you have an internet connection and Uber installed, you’ll also get route comparisons.

You can pick the update on the Play Store here. Do let us know in the comments below in case you discover some thing additional.

Google Now gets updated, alerts of products you’re looking for in nearby stores

Android
News

Sharang Sharma

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May 6, 2014

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Google has invested quite a bit in making its service more personal to users. After allowing users to find their car in the parking, the company has rolled out an update for Google Search, providing you with relevant content based on your past searches.

Based on what you’ve searched in the past, Google Now will provide information about those products, as you cross stores with those items in their inventory. It will display the current price of that item in that store as well as its availability in a card. Say, you searched for a shirt online. The next time you cross a store that sells shirts, Google Now will display the price of that shirt in that store, along with other relevant results.

Does the new feature excite you, or does make you concerned about you privacy? It’s not much different from the cookie data collected on the web. You can access the new feature by updating Google Search from the Play Store here.

[Source]

HERE Maps coming to Android and iOS?

Sharang Sharma

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May 5, 2014

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While Nokia’s HERE Maps are the only proper way to navigate for Windows Phone users, Android and iOS users have a lot of other options. Nokia tried bringing its mapping solution to iOS, but failed to make an impact due to the rather poor quality of the app. It seems like after being left with the cartography business after sale of hardware division to Microsoft, the Finnish company wants to give it another shot.

The company has posted two job postings, asking for skilled Android and iOS developers. If they don’t point towards the company’s ambitions to build apps for Android and iOS, we don’t know what else it could mean. Here, read the postings for yourself:

“As an Android / iOS developer you will be a key member of our growing mobile engineering team, developing industry-leading mobile SDKs / applications. This is an experienced position that requires fluency in the latest Java capabilities and improvements in the Android and iOS SDK. The ideal candidate is motivated to explore and deliver the best possible solutions to our customers

The ideal candidate will have experience shipping one or more Android / iOS apps, currently on Google Play / Apple Store. You should have a strong passion for technology as evidenced by your personal projects that demonstrate your aptitude for superior engineering and strong customer-centric product sense. You should enjoy working outside the comfort zone and love to learn new technologies. The position will be based in Berlin / Frankfurt and will report to the Tem Lead Development team Mobile SKDs for Business, HERE Platform for Business.”

The second posting is even more clear, asking specifically for an Android mobile developer.

We are now looking for a Mobile App Developer (Android) to join our team.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

Working directly with developers, product management and UX Design to conceptualize, build, test and deliver mobile products

Deliver across the entire app life cycle –concept, design, build, deploy, test, release to app stores and support

Build prototypes at tech scoping stage of projects

Working along the web developers to create and maintain a robust framework to support the apps

Working with the front end developers to build the interface with focus on usability features

Keep up to date on the latest industry trends in the mobile technologies

Explain technologies and solutions to technical and non-technical stakeholders

This makes it pretty obvious, Nokia is planning on expanding its footprint in the mapping realm to take a better shot at its closest competitor Google.

[Source: 1, 2| via]