The official licensed baseball game MLB Perfect Inning has been released for iOS and Android. It’s a free to play game that aims to be a simulation of Major League Baseball, with 30 teams and 215 players.
Free to play means you can purchase ‘stars’ to purchase gold, which is the in-game currency that allows you to buy and train players and other items. This is no casual game, though. Despite being designed from the ground up for touchscreens, it’s pretty tough and requires some skill.
Further evidence of this game’s seriousness is it’s size. While the original download is only 68MB, it requires an additional 300+MB of downloaded content the first time you play. Overall, the developer says you need 1.2 GB of space on your device! It also always requires an internet connection, so you might need to be careful with your data plan, or only play when connected to WiFi.
Softonic’s App of the Week highlights some of the coolest, most unique, and most interesting mobile apps for iOS and Android. TuneIn Radio for iOS and Android received a huge redesign this week, cashing in on the social network craze by bringing a social aspect to its radio streaming service, making it our App of the Week.
Aside from TuneIn Radio continuing to let you stream your favorite radio stations from around the globe, a lot has changed in the popular radio streaming app. The interface has been completely revamped– even the logo has changed with a new, unified color scheme.
The biggest new feature of the app is interactivity, letting you create an account and follow other users, radio shows, or radio stations. Complete with a profile image and cover photo, you can see a stream of the stations your friends follow, as well as what they’re listening to. The same goes for radio shows, with a list of its most recent broadcasts in its profile stream.
You can connect with the service and other users using Facebook, as well as through your contact list. The app may be a bit confusing to navigate if you’re used to the old version, but the options in the bottom panel are pretty self-explanatory: Home, Profile, Browse and Explore.
Does the social aspect work well with radio and streaming apps? From what we’ve seen with fellow streaming services like Spotify, Soundcloud, and Mixcloud, sharing what you’re listening to and following other users is a popular and useful feature. On the other hand, the social aspect is limited to checking out what your friends are following, and what type of music they’re listening to, without much more interactivity.
More than an innovative redesign, it might be that TuneIn Radio is trying to compete with the multitude of other steaming services that offer similar features. Either way, it seems like putting itself in the mix is a a smart move.
The Pro version, which eliminates display adds and gives you the option to record what you’re listening to, received the same redesign.
Google Play Services for Android has been updated to version 4.4 with improvements to Maps, location and activity services, Games, mobile ads and Google Wallet API.
For most users, the Maps improvements will be most relevant. Developers will now be able to use Street View images and panoramic views, which will mean apps will be able to better use Maps without pushing you out to the Maps app. It will also allow developers to add floors to Indoor Maps so that they can build their own, which could mean more ‘virtual tours’ and the like popping up in some apps.
The Location API can detect whether you are traveling on foot, cycling, or driving. Now, it can also tell if you are walking or running, which opens up new possibilities for fitness applications. As far as mobile ads go, new in-app ads will now allow you to make purchases directly, without leaving the app. Advertisements can also be more targeted, offering, for example, different ads to returning or new users of an app.
There’s a new ‘Buy With Google‘ button that can now be added to apps for purchases using Google Wallet. The Google Play Services update should automatically update on your Android device, but you can also update manually.
Handsome Jack, the star of Borderlands 2, is so charismatic that we’ve all been hoping to get to know him a little better. Well, our wish has been granted.
Despite not being a bestselling saga like GTA or Call of Duty, Borderlands has made a big impression in the hearts and minds of gamers worldwide. After two installments and some DLC, the series expands with a new installment that bridges to two previous games. If you like siding with the bad guys, you’re going to love Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, which will be available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
Get to know Handsome Jack’s allies
Handsome Jack, Borderlands 2‘s main star, is the focus of this “prequel”. While not a playable character, the plot of how he came to move up in Pandora is key to the story. To tell us the story, 2K Australia has chosen to give prominence to four characters, old friends of the Borderlands franchise. They are:
Willhelm
In Borderlands 2, we knew him as one of the bosses. Back then he was half man-half machine, a kind of lethal giant robot posed a real challenge. How did he become like this? Well, in The Pre-Sequel, we find out.
Nisha
Sheriff of Lynchwood, she appeared in Borderlands 2 as an optional boss. She and Handsome Jack were thick as thieves, a relationship we find out goes way back. Will she have as much power (and attitude) in The Pre-Sequel as she did before?
Athena
A gladiator we met as a playable character in the expansion “The Secret Armory of General Knoxx.” She belongs to a group of killers, although her violent tendencies seem to have more to do with a personal vendetta.
Claptrap
This ninja assassin is physically a cross between R2D2 and Wall-E and debuted as the main star in the DLC “Claptrap’s New Robot Evolution”. Don’t be fooled by his innocent appearance…this robot’s a killing machine (pun intended).
From Pandora to the moon
Obviously, The Pre-Sequel isn’t just about the characters, it also places emphasis on gameplay aspects. For starters, there’s a striking change of scenery in the franchise. We’ve gone on a little journey from the planet Pandora to one of its moons.
On the Moon there’s zero gravity, meaning that Borderlands: The Prequel wins in one dimension, the vertical one, by allowing us to explore the length, width and height of this new enclave. So, get ready for impossible jumps, attacks from great heights and slain enemies floating through space.
But it’s not all good. On the Moon there’s no oxygen, so your characters will always be at the mercy of the oxygen meter – you need to avoid running out if your respirator gets damaged. It remains to be seen what disadvantage Claptrap will have, because, as far as I know, robots don’t need to breathe.
New weapons for new ways of killing
Borderlands and its sequel were characterized by large numbers of weapons and attacks. Things will improve on this front even more so in The Pre-Sequel, which will feature new additions to the old famous ones.
The first one that’s confirmed is a new type, cryogenic weapons. With these bad boys you shoot bullets that can freeze something in a matter of seconds. If you shoot once and freeze your target, you can then shoot repeatedly by forming combos and split them into ice chips. Another option is to shoot them once and then destroy them with body blows.
In addition to the cryogenic weapons, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel will have laser weapons, which offer even more creative ways to kill your enemies.
“Smaller”, but how?
One of the first statements made by the developers of Borderlands: The Prequel was that it was going to be a “smaller” game than Borderlands 2. That can mean many things, from a smaller map to a campaign that doesn’t last as long.
In any case, the use of the adjective doesn’t scare us. With new playable characters and a well worked story, we don’t think that Borderlands: The Prequel will be significantly smaller or more incomplete than its predecessors…maybe 2K Australia simply want us to get excited at the thought that, perhaps, the biggest and best Borderlands is yet to come.
Maybe in preparation for something bigger
Don’t forget that Gearbox, developer of the first two games and their DLC, has distanced itself from the creation of this game, handing over baton to 2K Australia. They’re involved in the development of the title but only in an advisory capacity, since they’re working on a new project.
The last time we saw a similar case was from Rocksteady Studios and Warner Bros. Montreal. While the former secretly worked on Batman Arkham Knight, the second dealt with the bridge game franchise, Arkham Origins.
Maybe the same thing will happen here. Will we see Gearbox surprise us in a couple of years with the first Borderlands for Xbox One, PS4 and PC?
The ninth beta release of OS X Mavericks 19.9.3 build 13D55 is available to download. It appears just two weeks after Apple decided to open up the beta testing program to anyone who wants to try, with its Beta Seed Program.
OS X 10.9.3 is basically a maintenance update. It’s focus is on improving graphics drivers and audio, while updating Safari and returning Contacts and Calendar syncing via USB. The latter was removed in Mavericks in favor of cloud-only syncing, which upset some users who worried about data theft.
If you want to try the latest beta, it’s really easy. Check out our tutorial to find out more. This will allow you to see latest beta builds of OS X in the Mac App Store Updates panel. As with all beta tests, the price you pay is possible instability, and new features may be tested and removed occasionally.
The next GTA Online is right around the corner. The High Life update will bring four new vehicles, the Bullpup Rifle, and more content to explore.
The new vehicles include a SUV (Enus Huntley S), sports car (Dewbauchee Massacro), super car (Pegassi Zentorno) and a motorcycle (Dinka Thrust). The cars and motorcycle are heavily influenced by real vehicles from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Ducati.
Players will also be able to own multiple properties simultaneously with The High Life update. Rockstar also updated the game with new real estate locations for you to buy.
Racers will be glad to know that you can now have “Non Contact” mode where players won’t be able to ram each other. You can still collide with buildings and non-player cars so be careful.
Lastly, Rockstar added the Mental State player stat to let others know how passive or psychotic you are in the game.
The update will roll out automatically on Tuesday, May 13th.
The latest update to TuneIn Radio turns the radio streaming app into a full-fledged social network. The app has been completely redesigned to help users explore new content.
Each channel now acts like a user profile where people can listen to content and follow. Tapping on follow will add the channel to your feed so you get a timeline of the latest content from all the people and channels you follow.
You can follow your friends to see what they have been listening to. Your friends will get a feed of what you’ve been listening to, helping them find channels they may not have known about. Unfortunately there’s no chat feature in TuneIn.
There’s also a new Explore section where you can browse for channels by types of content. There’s also a trending chart to see which channels are popular at the moment.
TuneIn is working to bring a “Follow on TuneIn” button to the web, much like the follow button for Twitter.
The new TuneIn Radio app rolls out today for Android and iOS. The website has been redesigned as well, letting you access all the new features on the web. Strangely, the paid TuneIn Radio Pro has not been updated.
Rovio, the developers of the famous Angry Birds, released a teaser for its upcoming game called RETRY. The game requires players to navigate a tiny plane through a level while collecting coins.
In the short teaser trailer, we can see that death in an important part of the gameplay, requiring players to retry repeatedly (hence the name). Frustration made Flappy Bird addictive and Rovio hopes to run with the idea. “RETRY — a game so hard, so addictive, so old school that you’ll think you’ve stepped into an 8-bit time machine and gone back to 1986,” reads the game description.
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RETRY is a bit more complicated than Flappy Bird. Players have to navigate a constantly moving level and do stunts to collect coins. Adding loops to the gameplay may make RETRY even more frustrating than Flappy Birds.
The art from RETRY is also inspired by the retro look of Flappy Bird with 8-bit graphics. The levels look like old school Mario and Sonic levels.
While there’s no release date for RETRY, Rovio says to expect the game “soon in app stores.” The game will ble free to play with in-app purchases. Finland, Canada and Poland can already download the game for iOS here.
It’s funny to think that Apple originally launched the iPhone with no intention to build an app store. It believed that web apps would be enough to satisfy users. Obviously Apple was dead wrong and launched the App Store shortly afterward, which created a multi-billion dollar industry.
One of the most popular types of apps continues to be games. Unfortunately, there are so many developers trying to create free games for the iPhone that a finding good games is a challenge.
However, there are iPhone free games worth playing, even if you have to put up with an ad or two. Here’s my list of the best free iPhone games in no particular order. Be sure to check back as we update this list with new games.
aa is an addicting reaction timing game. The goal is to launch small orbs toward a larger orb without letting the orbs touch. That sounds a bit confusing but it’ll make sense as soon as you start playing.
The short gameplay sessions and the slowly increasing difficult of aa makes it a game you can play quickly while on the train or waiting at the dentist’s office. Sure, the gameplay may get stale after a while but hey, the game’s free. It was also one of our 5 Apps to Try so check out that video.
This cartoon arcade racing game has tons of charm with its large collection of vehicles. You can choose a vehicle with a lot of top speed, one that focuses on handling, or something in between. Mini Motor Racing LITE features tons of tracks and races to keep you entertained for a long time.
While the game is free to play, it doesn’t try to push you to buy in-game credits for real money, though it does want you to buy the full version. You can race without waiting for a gas meter to refill and you can purchase everything in the game with your hard earned winnings.
The racing is challenging and your success definitely depends on your skill. The enemy racers may be a bit aggressive at times but that adds to the fun. The LITE version serves as a demo with a limited number of cards and tracks. You’ll need the full version to unlock all the tracks and cars.
If you’re a trivia buff, you’re going to love QuizUp. Previously featured as our App of the Week, we loved QuizUp for its fast paced gameplay and myriad of trivia topics. You connect the game with your Facebook account to challenge your friends at trivia. Be careful: trying to beat your friends’ scores will get addicting.
QuizUp is constantly adding more content, which is good since you don’t want to run into the same questions over and over again. Your success also depends on your reaction time. If your opponent buzzes in quicker than you, they get a slight points advantage which results in a close match.
This deceptively simple physics game is really addictive. Your only objective is to smash as much glass as you can to keep going on through the level. Smash Hit is on rails but offers varying environments and challenges to overcome.
Keep your combo up by hitting all the glass objects that net more balls to throw. Running into an object resets your combo meter and makes you continue with only a one ball throw (you max out at a 5 ball spread).
The game is free and lets you play without restriction. But if you want checkpoints to progress further in the game, you’ll have to pay for the full version. The addictive gameplay makes it worth it.
Electronic Arts and PopCap did a great job with balancing Plants vs. Zombies 2 as a free to play game. You can get through the entire game purely based on skill but in-app purchases can make your game a bit easier.
Gameplay is much the same as the first Plants vs. Zombies but adds additional layers of complexity with new challenges, plants, and zombies. I found myself needing to adapt new strategies to fight against new zombies.
The game is beautiful and has hilarious dialogue. The game is also updated frequently with more content to keep you coming back for more.
The game is universal so it works on iPad, which plays better since you have more room to control your plants.
No top list of mobile games would be complete with Angry Birds. This mobile classic hasn’t changed much over the years but remains fun to this day.
Developer Rovio has been adding more and more content to the original game over the years so even the free version has a ton of levels for you to play. Gameplay may get a bit repetitive after a while but it’s still worth giving a shot if you haven’t played it yet.
Robot Unicorn Attack 2 is an addictive endless-runner/platformer takes place in what looks like a nightmarish world out of a Lisa Frank illustration. You play as a robotic unicorn for no reason, whose objective is to collect stardust, fairies and the game’s currency. Run as far you can without falling or hitting anything.
The gameplay is addictive but balanced. You can use in-game credits to continue running after you die but you can just restart at the beginning. The levels are repetitive after a while but there are different levels for you to explore and to collect items. There are even mini-bosses in the form of cyclopes shooting lasers at you.
If you’re looking for a free-to-play mobile racing game, Asphalt 8: Airborne is really the only one worth playing. Sure, Real Racing 3 looks great and has a ton of content, but you’ll also be waiting around for ages to race again after you run out of “gas.” Unlike Real Racing, you can race as much as you’d like in Asphalt 8.
Still, you’ll be grinding a lot just to get the next car since the game gets difficult very quickly. The controls are intuitive and drifting around corners is very fun. It’s an arcade racer at the core so expect jumps, spins, and copious amounts of nitrous boosting.
The premise of Jetpack Joyride is simple: you have a jetpack that shoots bullets to kill your enemies. Jetpack Joyride is ridiculous but its gameplay is solid and keeps you coming back for more.
There are tons of different jetpacks for you to unlock. My favorite jetpack by far is the one that shoots out money. You can also unlock accessories like boots that make it easier to jump.
Jetpack Joyride has been around for a long time but it still remains one of the most entertaining mobile games that I keep coming back to. See if you can complete all of the achievements.
Run and smash into cops in this arcade hot pursuit game. Smash Bandits Racing reminds me of the driving in early Grand Theft Auto games. The controls are simple but the gameplay is very challenging.
Your goal is to run from the cops before your car gets destroyed crashing into things. You can upgrade your car with abilities like higher top speed, better ramming, and better handling. After each pursuit ends, your wanted level increases, maxing out at 5. Once you reach wanted level 5, the game becomes extremely difficult. You can play in this high difficulty setting or wait for your wanted level to go down.
It’s nice that you can keep playing but you’ll be grinding a lot to earn enough credits to buy your next car and upgrades for it.
There are a ton of traditional solitaire games in the App Store but one that stood out to me was Solitaire Blitz. The game turns the classic solitaire game on its head by introducing and quests.
The game works with the basic concept of solitaire, where you have to match up cards that are one bigger or smaller in number. You’ll have to clear card stacks to earn items in the game. These items will help you progress to new levels.
Solitaire Blitz is addicting and fast paced, perfect for commuters who want to play a couple of rounds before work.
This game is basically Frogger but with a chicken. Crossy Road is a whimsical take on the Frogger game by basing its main character on the “why did the chicken cross the road” joke.
Gameplay is exactly like Frogger: you have to get the chicken across the road without getting hit by traffic or drowning in rivers. There are trains, trucks, cars, and more to dodge which makes the game quite challenging.
It’s fun and you can play without waiting for an energy meter to fill up. There are no objectives in the game other than to get as far as possible so gameplay might be get boring after a while.
The first Dumb Ways to Die brought hilarious, fast-paced gameplay but it lacked variation. Dumb Ways to Die 2 fixes this by adding a ton of different levels and challenges. There’s a new world map that lets you travel around to try different challenges.
Gameplay remains the same, and that’s a good thing. The challenges are hilarious and the cartoon deaths are still fun. You have a limited time to complete each challenge. If you don’t beat the challenge before time runs out, you die. The game gets faster and faster as you complete more challenges until you look insane, swiping frantically at your phone.
If you played the original Candy Crush Saga, you’ll be familiar with this sequel. Candy Crush Soda Saga introduces a few new gameplay elements like popping soda bottles. You’ll need those to flood the levels with fizzy drink to win.
The animation and art style remains the same but looks a bit more polished than the first game. It’s a highly addictive game that keeps you coming back for more. You have five lives and you’ll lose a life if you can’t get past a level. You can wait 20 minutes to replenish a life or you can pay using real money to refill your health meter.
There’s a ton of in-app purchases so parents beware.
I loved Crazy Taxi when it was on the SEGA Dreamcast but this is not a reboot of that game. Crazy Taxi City Rush takes the Crazy Taxi franchise and turns it into another endless running game.
However, the gameplay is fun and really challenging. You’ll have to drift your taxi around the city delivering people to their destinations. Collect coins and boost your way to the finish line.
Unfortunately, SEGA is extremely aggressive at trying to get you to pay for in-app purchases so there’s a gas tank with four plays before you have to wait or pay to play.
If you like trivia games, you’re going to love You Don’t Know Jack. The game doesn’t play like your traditional trivia game like QuizUp. Instead, it’s in the format of a television show, complete with fake ads and a hilarious narrator to keep things moving along.
The game is fast paced and the narration by Jack is really what makes the game unique. The trivia can be difficult and the TV show format means you’ll be waiting just a bit longer between challenges.
The questions in the game are a good mix of easy and difficult. There’s a ton of content in the game so you shouldn’t be running into repeated questions.
Available on both Android and iPhone, Snapchat has always poured its content into the ephemeral web. Photos, messages and video conversations are not stored on your phone. Development teams have also retained the spirit of immediacy and simplicity that gives Snapchat its charm – not to mention makes it a success.
Before you jump straight into a video chat, here are 5 things you should know before using the new features.
To start a conversation, swipe to the right
To facilitate conversations and video calls in real time, development teams have added a new screen to their app. To get there, go to the screen where all the snaps are listed and drag the screen from left to right on the name of your friend.
You’re now in the new chat panel. The latter includes all the messages you’ve exchanged with your correspondent. If your contact is online, a blue icon appears in place of the yellow button for sending a snap.
Change camera easily
When you hold down the blue video button, you can show your friend what you’re seeing with the back camera of your phone or the camera on the front. If he or she wants to start a video chat, all he/she needs to do is press the button. Snapchat now has a little feature for those who haven’t had a lot of practice. If you want to activate your smartphone’s rear camera, just move the video bubble up. If you want to activate the front camera, swipe the video bubble down.
A redesigned notification system
Unlike most chat applications, Snapchat has redesigned its notification system. The idea is simple: minimal notification. Even if someone sends you 10 messages in a row, the number of pending messages appears in a single alert.
Another small new feature that’s been well thought out: when your friend starts to write to you, the words “Your friend is typing” appear on the screen. This may, for example, allow you to start a video chat straight away and avoid a whole bunch of messages.
Check the time of sending
Finally, it’s now possible to know precisely what time a particular message has been sent. Simply slide your finger from left to right when you’re on the chat screen.
Messages can be saved
This update introduces another change. If you chat with your friends via instant chat tab, your contact can save messages you have sent. Simply type the phrase in question so the message font changes and the text is stored.
Our recommendation is that if you want to send sensitive information, the traditional Snapchat method – the self-destructible photos – are better, plus an additional drawing or text, if needed.
That covers all the newest updates and features of Snapchat.
