Month: June 2014

The Walking Dead gets reimagined as a pinball game

Telltale Games is partnering with Zen Studios to create a pinball version of The Walking Dead. The game will retain the “choice-driven gameplay” that made the original so great.

It seems strange for a point-and-click adventure game to be turned into a pinball game but it actually looks fun. It will be interesting to see how the studios integrate choice into the game. You’ll have to decide who you want to save, how to keep morale up, and search for supplies.

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The Walking Dead Pinball will recreate the events of the first season of The Walking Dead. All your favorite characters like Lee, Kenny, and Clementine will be included in the game.

The game will be available some time this summer on PC, Android, iOS,  and console systems.

Source: Telltale Games (YouTube)

Via: The Verge

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Hitman GO for Android turns murder into a board game

Square Enix’s Hitman series makes its way onto Android as a unique board game. Hitman GO provides a unique puzzle-like gameplay experience, which is a nice change from the third-person shooters we’re used to.

Hitman GO requires you to move Agent 47 around the board-like level. You’ll find disguises, weapons, and enemies. If you’re spotted, it’s game over.

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The art style of Hitman GO is unique and beautiful. The levels are convincingly rendered to look like a board game by using tilt-shift effects. This makes the characters on the board look like tiny toy models.

The game first debuted on iOS in April and is now available on Android for $4.99.

Via: Droid Life

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Google developing Chrome extension to secure your email

The discovery of the NSA’s PRISM snooping program has prompted tech companies to reevaluate their security. The extent of the NSA’s snooping prowess is still unknown but Google is taking action to protect its users email.

Google is developing a new Chrome extension called End-to-End, which promises to make sending and receiving encrypted email easier. Google already uses encrypted connections in Gmail, but End-to-End will act as a fail-safe if emails are intercepted.

The End-to-End extension works by encrypting messages before they leave a computer. Recipients will then have to decrypt the messages from their computer. This type of technology is traditionally hard to set up and use but End-to-End will simplify the process.

The extension isn’t available yet in the Chrome Web Store as it’s an early alpha release. Google is asking the security community to test and evaluate the code before releasing it to the public.

Source: Google Online Security Blog

Via: Engadget

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Temple Run has been downloaded over one billion times

Temple Run has been downloaded over a billion times, according to developer Imangi. The figure includes all platforms, the original Temple Run, and its sequel Temple Run 2.

Not many games ever reach that figure, although Rovio’s Angry Birds series has been downloaded over two billion times. Temple Run’s billion downloads also do not include its Disney tie-in games.

Imangi also revealed some interesting statistics about Temple Run players: 60% are women, and China has 36% of all downloads, with the US coming in second at 21%.

Temple Run was released in 2011, with its sequel appearing two years later. Like Angry Birds, its success is built on it’s simple controls and a good upgrade system that keeps you coming back.

Download Temple Run for Windows Phone, Android and iOS
Download Temple Run 2 for Windows Phone, Android and iOS

Source: The Verge

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Top 5 karaoke software for Macs

Doing karaoke at home doesn’t mean you have to buy SingStar or spend lots of money. If you’ve got a Mac, you can turn it into a karaoke machine. Although there is a definite lack of decent karaoke apps on Mac, here’s a selection of some of the better ones!

SingSong KaraokeSingSong Karaoke

A SingStar-style app without the SingStar style price tag? SingSong Karaoke might not be as powerful but it is more fun by allowing you to measure your voice against the original artist of tracks. The app is a fun karaoke game that claims to allow you to sing to any song in the world and SingSong will rate you based on how well you sing.

Dowbload SingSong Karaoke for Mac

TunePrompterTunePrompter

In contrast to more complicated programs like kJams, TunePrompter makes creating your own Karaoke videos an absolute cinch. Best of all, its absolutely free and a pleasure to use. It is supposed to be designed for use with Griffin Technologies iKaraoke hardware which unfortunately, is discontinued. However, there’s absolutely nothing to stop you creating your videos, exporting them to iPod, iPhone, QuickTime or AppleTV format.

Download TunePrompter for Mac

MidiCo Karaoke Player and MakerMidiCo Karaoke Player and Maker

This app organizes and plays many types of media files, including MDC (MidiCo File Format), KAR, MID, MP3, CDG and Zipped MP3+G. It displays karaoke and movie content in full screen mode, even on a second monitor. Karaoke Maker MidiCo is designed to be as easy-to-use as possible; you may syncronize, re-syncronize or modify synced lyrics in few minutes.

Download MidiCo Karaoke Player and Maker for Mac

QMidiQMidi

QMidi can organize and play many types of media files, including movies and CDG, and allows easy text and chords editing/synchronization. It features real time pitch shifting, time stretching and the ability to display karaoke and movie content in full screen mode, even on a second monitor.

Download QMidi for Mac

AriaAria

Aria is a slick-looking, new generation karaoke app. It’s not just a karaoke app though – it’s actually DJ software, media player and karaoke machine all in one. The app claims to have a huge library of classics and pop hits to choose from, and if you need a little help hitting the notes, Aria lets you change the key of the song to accommodate your vocal range.

Download Aria for Mac

If you’re having a karaoke party at home, your Mac is a great place to start. It’s easy to read lyrics on screen, and you can take easy advantage of your music library via iTunes. Download these apps, call your friends over, and sing your hearts out. We think you’re going to have a lot of fun!

If you like making music on iOS, check out some of the best iPad apps for the job

 

This article was originally published in January 2010. It has been updated to remove apps that are no longer available.

iOS 8 offers location-based app suggestions from your lockscreen

iOS 8 will suggest apps, based on location, on the lock screen. The feature uses location services to suggest useful apps on your phone, as well as apps that you don’t have already installed.

The app suggestions appear in the bottom left corner, as you can see in the screenshot below. It might suggest a Starbucks app when you’re in or near one, for example. This makes the feature useful to you, as well as useful to companies who might want you to install their app.

The feature raises some security questions. It works like the Camera icon on the lock screen – so you will access the app or App Store page bypassing your passcode. You won’t be able to access anything else on your phone without the passcode, as with the camera, but many apps include features you would want to be protected by a passcode, like purchases or personal data.

The feature is described in the iOS 8 release notes as only working when location services are turned on. It’s not clear if this means location services in general, or just for the App Store.

We will update this story as we get more details.

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iOS 8 dumps Yahoo! for weather data from The Weather Channel

Apple’s native iOS Weather app has always got its data from Yahoo!, but that’s changing in iOS 8. The upcoming version of iOS will take its weather directly from The Weather Channel.

This won’t mean any change in the quality of the weather data you get in iOS 8, as Yahoo! also gets its weather data from The Weather Channel, so Apple is simply cutting out the middleman. Perhaps ironically, the Yahoo! Weather app was a winner of Apple’s Design Awards. Apple’s own Weather app is still arguably less attractive than that app, and iOS 8’s version still looks basic in comparison.

This isn’t the first time Apple has changed its sources for data. It famously dumped Google Maps in 2012, instead launching its own Maps which took data from Dutch company TomTom, and became infamous for its errors. Apple has also ditched Google in favor of Bing for its default search in OS X Yosemite. It’s not clear why Apple has got rid of Yahoo!, but its moves against Google look increasingly personal.

Image Source: MacRumors

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Android 4.4.3 rolling out to Nexus and Google Play Edition devices

The latest Android update began rolling out to T-Mobile Nexus devices yesterday and now Google Play Edition devices are getting the update too. Android 4.4.3 may sound like a update but it actually brings a ton of bug fixes and some new features.

The biggest visual difference is the redesigned dialer. It now matches the rest of the operating system, stopping the use of black and replacing it with white, green, and blue. Beyond the visual overhaul, some buttons have moved around but nothing you’re likely to notice.

As for bug fixes, Android 4.4.3 speeds up the camera, fixes data dropout issues, and reduces the number of random reboots.

Android 4.4.3 is rolling out to T-Mobile Nexus devices and Google Play Edition devices. This means HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 owners will see an update very soon.

Android Police also found evidence that the update will be coming to the HTC One M8 soon. Droid Life is reporting that T-Mobile versions of the Moto X, G, and E are receiving the update too.

Source: Softpedia | Android Police

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Rumor: Android to get touch-based Microsoft Office before Windows 8

Android users will get a touch-based version of Microsoft Office before Windows 8, according to anonymous sources speaking to ZDNet. This isn’t a big surprising as Microsoft released Office for iPad before finishing a version for its own tablet operating system.

Mcirosoft CEO Satya Nadella explained why the company released an iPad version before a Windows 8 version.

“iPad has the most share. We are definitely going to have touch-first Office on Windows, and it is coming. But: ‘I didn’t want us to hold back,'” said Nadella speaking with Ina Fried of Re/code.

While this is great news for Android users, early adopters of Windows 8 are left feeling betrayed. A touch version of Office for Windows 8 was expected to arrive fall of this year, but is now looking at a spring 2015 launch.

Source: ZDNet

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Batman: Arkham Knight release delayed until 2015

There’s bad news for Batman fans as Rocksteady Studios announced that Batman: Arkham Knight won’t arrive until 2015. The original release date was supposed to be the fall of this year.

Rocksteady and publisher Warner Brothers did not give a reason for delaying the game. A more specific release date will be announced at a later time.

Batman: Arkham Knight joins Watch Dogs as another delayed high-profile game. The recently released Watch Dogs game by Ubisoft was delayed six months to polish the game.

Ubisoft released a new teaser trailer of the game’s Batmobile to tide us over until E3, where more details will be revealed about the game. According to Gameranx, Batman: Arkham Knight will be revealed June 11th from 1:20 to 1:40 PM, Pacific Time, at E3.

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The game will be available for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One sometime in 2015.

Source: Batman Arkham (YouTube)

Via: Polygon

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