July, 2015 - Softonic English

Five Nights at Freddy’s 4, SOMA Messenger, Adventure Time Puzzle Quest, and Angry Birds 2 – Five Apps to Try This Weekend

Five Apps to Try This Weekend is the show that’s name describes everything you need to know about it, so I won’t bother – here are this week’s five recommendations.

We kick off with Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 (Android|Windows) the scary game that’s sudden, unannounced release last week caught us by surprise. Chronologically set before the others games in the series, this latest installment keeps the same basic premise but makes the terror a bit more personal by setting the action in your bedroom.

SOMA Messenger (iOS|Android) is our second app this week, a new messaging app with a powerful encryption system to keep all of your shared food photos safe. With high-quality audio and video calls, you’ll want to download SOMA Messenger while it is still free.

Third we have Adventure Time Puzzle Quest (Android|iOS), another game based on the wonderfully surreal Adventure Time. This great match-3 puzzle game has you guiding a squad your favorite characters from the show across the Land of OOO, battling all who stand in your way.

Next up is KitCut , an app to awaken your creativity. This collage app makes it easy to build your own creations by cutting up pictures and then sticking them back together in fun and silly ways.

Finally this week, Angry Birds 2 (Android|iOS). While this doesn’t change up the formula that made the series so popular, it does add a few new twists to keep it fresh. These changes include multi-staged levels, randomized stage layouts, and an arena mode.

That’s if for this week, but if you enjoyed the video please share it, and if you think we missed any great apps this week let us know in the comments. See you next time.

B612 is a better Retrica

B612 is an app designed especially for talking selfies, and we think it should be the app you choose when you want them to look extra special.

I know, the name is hardly memorable unless you’re a fan of The Little Prince, and I also know that selfies might be a bit 2014. Or even 2013? I digress. B612 is pretty similar to Retrica, another photo app that’s taken app stores by storm, but don’t be fooled by its popularity. There are plenty of reasons to dump Retrica and download B.. 6… something…?

Never mind what it’s called: let’s check out why it’s better than Retrica.

B162 has more free filters

At time of publication Retrica (on the right, above) has over 100 filters, but many of them are premium features you have to pay for. Strip these away, and you’re left with 55, where as B612 has 81 filters, and they are all free. It’s not all good news, as B612 lacks the filter categories that you get with Retrica, so it may take more time to navigate around and learn which filters you really like. Luckily you can mark your favorites, so they are always to hand. We haven’t seen much difference in terms of the quality of the filters, so there’s really no advantage to Retrica here.

B612 has no ads

At least for now, there are no ads to spoil your peace in B612, nor are there in-app purchases. Retrica has both, and the ads especially get in the way of a smooth user experience. You can take more selfies more quickly with B612, as you are never interrupted by advertising. It’s a no-brainer, unless you want to pay to remove ads in Retrica (a very reasonable $0.99).

Options

At first glance, B612 appears to have no options. To find them, you swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Here you can toggle location info, anti-shake, the B612 watermark, and more. You can do pretty much the same in Retrica too, as well as upgrade to ‘Pro’.

The options menu highlights another difference between the two apps. Retrica has buttons for everything, making it easy to understand from the start. B612 uses gestures for many things, and if you don’t learn them, using the app is tricky. This is a shame, as once you ‘get’ B612, it’s faster and more comfortable to use than Retrica.

B612 does video

When it comes to photos, the two apps are pretty similar, but B612 also lets you record short videos. Simply by tapping and holding your finger, you can record a short video selfie of 3 or 6 seconds. You can share it wherever you like, and even convert it into a GIF, which is pretty cool.

B612 – a selfie machine

As we’ve seen, in terms of features, both B612 and Retrica are pretty similar, except for videos. However, with its streamlined interface, B612 is quicker and you get more filters too. Touch the screen anywhere to take a selfie, instead of tapping a button, tap twice to delete, swipe left or right to flip through filters and swipe down to swap cameras. Once you’ve got the hang of the gestures, it’s a breeze to use.

So, if you want to take flashy looking selfies that stand out, you could use Retrica, but we reckon B612 is better.

Download B612 for Android or iPhone and iPad

Download Retrica for Android or iPhone and iPad

Hints and tricks to get you started with Angry Birds 2 – App of the Week

This week we have the sequel to the most successful mobile game of all time, Angry Birds 2 (Android|iOS). And yes, it really is number 2, apparently Seasons, Rio, Star Wars, Transformers… you get the idea… none of those count.

Angry Birds 2 is not a radical departure from previous Angry Birds but it does offer a few fun improvements to the formula. These include a multiplayer arena mode, a powerful spell ability, and a card system that allows you to choose the order in which you use your avian ammo.

But all these new features means there are plenty of new techniques and tactics to learn – so, in this week’s video, we are going to look at a few hints to get you going.

As we said, our tricks will only get you started, so if you have any more advanced tricks to share let us know in the comments.

We will be back next week with another fantastic app for you. Until then, keep enjoying Angry Birds 2 – we are.

Windows 10 still not downloading or you’re having problems with the WindowsUpdate_80240020 error? We have the solution

There is an unofficial way to force Windows Update to start downloading Windows 10 and correct the WindowsUpdate_80240020 error. The technique has gone viral, and already many users have been able to use the method successfully. A word of warning before we start though: it really is unofficial, so you do this at your own risk. If you do try, we recommend creating a backup as insurance against any unpleasant surprises.

That said, we have tested this and it worked – with Windows 10 starting downloading immediately.

Here is how you do it:

1. First you have to go to Windows Update: Control Panel> System and Security> Windows Update. Then activate automatic updates.

2. Go to the folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and erase everything inside.

3. Open an instance of the command line (CMD) with administrator permissions. In Windows 8 you can do this by right-clicking on the Windows button in the lower left corner.

4. Type the following command but do not run it yet: wuauclt.exe/UpdateNow

5. Return to Windows Update. Click on Find Updates, this will make it start searching for all available updates.

6. While it’s searching for the updates, go to the command line and press Enter to execute the earlier command (wuauclt.exe/UpdateNow).

7. Windows 10 should then begin downloading, with the Windows Update screen displaying a clearly visible blue icon.

8. Enjoy!

To see more of our Window 10 coverage head over here.

Should you upgrade to Windows 10?

With Microsoft offering a free upgrade to the new version of their operating system, you are probably asking yourself “should I upgrade to Windows 10?”

Well, honestly, the answer is yes, you should… eventually. Luckily Microsoft is not forcing you to rush into the upgrade immediately. Providing you have an official version of Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 then you have one whole year to get on the free upgrade bandwagon.

Having a keen interest in technology, we will be downloading it day one – so you can be certain you will hear of any issues here on Softonic. But, time and again the same scenario has played out with every major OS launch, early versions are less reliable than those available after just a few updates (after all there is no better way to stress test a service than giving it to millions of users).

So, if you are concerned, feel free to give Microsoft time to iron out early issues before taking the upgrade. But do take it, because Windows 10 is shaping up to be a real step forward in terms of usability and cross-platform functionality.

Source: Windows Blog

How to get Windows 10 when the upgrade button is missing

Windows 10 comes out on July 29. But, even more exciting than that, Microsoft’s new operating system will be free for nearly all users of Windows 7 and Windows 8 (check your eligibility). If have either of these, then just clicking on the “Get Windows 10” icon on your taskbar will see it downloaded and installed.

Fine, in theory, but for many users it seems that this icon is missing. But do not panic, because we are here to help you summon the “Get Windows 10” icon so you can update your system on July 29. (Source: Microsoft Answers)

Why is the icon missing from my taskbar and how can I get it back?

For most users the icon is missing if:

1. Your PC is not updated to the latest version: SP1 for Windows 7 or the latest update for Windows 8.1.
2. Windows Update is disabled or is not configured to receive automatic updates.
3. You blocked or uninstalled the necessary Windows Update function.

If the reason you are not seeing the button is one of these three reasons, the solution is simple:

For Windows 7 users, go to Control Panel> System and Security> Windows Update> Check for Updates (Windows 7).
And for Windows 8 users, go to Control Panel> Windows Update> Search Updates (Windows 8).

In this menu you’ll find the latest version of whatever version of Windows you are running. Then all you have to do is follow the prompts to install the update and the “Get Windows 10” button should magically appear.

Is the icon still missing?

It is possible that even after updating your version of Windows the icon still won’t show up.

1. Your copy of Windows is not genuine.
2. Your PC is running Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8 / 8.1 Enterprise or Windows RT / RT 8.1, which are excluded from this offer.
3. The PC is part of a shared network (school or company).
4. You are already registered and the update will be automatically activated on July 29th 2015.

In cases 1 and 2, you cannot upgrade. In case 3 this update will be decided by your organization, check with your IT department. In case 4, you don’t have to do anything.

None of the above applies to you but the icon is still missing

It is possible that your PC is eligible for the upgrade but icon remains missing from the taskbar. In that case there is another possibility. This method is a little more advanced however, so here is a step-by-step walk-through.

1. Open Notepad
2. Copy and paste in the following – not in any way fun to read – text:

REG QUERY “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\UpgradeExperienceIndicators” /v UpgEx | findstr UpgEx
if “%errorlevel%” == “0” GOTO RunGWX
reg add “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Appraiser” /v UtcOnetimeSend /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
schtasks /run /TN “\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser”
:CompatCheckRunning
schtasks /query /TN “\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser”
schtasks /query /TN “\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser” | findstr Ready
if NOT “%errorlevel%” == “0” ping localhost >nul &goto :CompatCheckRunning
:RunGWX
schtasks /run /TN “\Microsoft\Windows\Setup\gwx\refreshgwxconfig”

3. Click File, then Save As
4. Save the file with the name ReserveWin10.cmd
5. Click the dropdown menu next to Save as type, select All Files (*. *)
6. Select a folder to save the file. For simplicities sake we will use C:/Temp. Then click Save.
7. On the home screen or menu, type Command Prompt in the search box. Then, in the list of results, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator
8. Run the file you created in Step 6. In our case we would write C:/Temp/ReserveWin10.cmd

The system will then run some checks that will last around 10-30 minutes, so be patient.

Want to know more about Windows 10? Then visit our special All you need to know about Windows 10 article.

Windows 10 upgrade, Angry Birds 2, Five Nights at Freddy’s 4, Twitter, and YouTube – News Roundup

Welcome back to the Softonic Roundup, where we review the most important news of last week.

First up, news from Twitter last week saw the company starting to protect people jokes. That’s right, from now on tweets that borrow, plagiarize, or steel jokes and do not give due credit to the original author will be removed upon request by the originator. Source: TechCrunch

Also last week, YouTube made changes to their smartphone app to allow videos to be viewed vertically in full screen. With the portrait orientation becoming increasingly popular with video makers, this change could make the smart phone app the best way to watch these videos, as it removes those ugly black boarders. Source: The Verge

Gamers also had a surprise on Friday, as Five Nights at Freddy’s 4 was unexpectedly launched on Steam and Google Play. Subtitled the Final Chapter, we would be amazed if this is truly the last time we see Freddy Fazbear – especially as developer Scott Cawthorn is promising something for Halloween. Source: Softonic Spain

This week will also see two big releases. Angry Birds 2 and Windows 10.

While developer Rovio has released two videos to promote Angry Birds 2, little is yet known about the game. With its release this Thursday, however, you can be sure we will have plenty of information on the site soon. Source: Official Site

On the other hand, we already know a good amount about Windows 10. Microsoft new OS will be released this Wednesday, which is when most Windows 7 and 8 users will be able to start downloading it for free. Source: Microsoft

Unfortunately, users with Windows RT, Windows 7 Enterprise, or a version of Windows prior to 7 will not be eligible for the free update. But if you think you should be eligible and haven’t yet seen the update button in your task bar this link should show you how to fix that. Source: Microsoft Answers

That’s it for this week, we will be back with another tech roundup next week.

The Best 24 Apps for Windows 10

One of Windows 10’s biggest features as an operating system is its flexibility moving between devices. Whether you are on your home computer, tablet, or phone, Window 10 is designed to offer a cohesive experience. Here is our pick of apps that offer you a great experience where ever you are.

Adobe PhotoShop Express

Adobe’s fantastic photo editing suite has long been the gold standard, and with PhotoShop Express they have managed to perfectly adapt the experience to touchscreen. The app allows you to quickly and easily tweak you pictures with options like red-eye removal, noise reduction, and a range of filters. The free version even lets you upload 50 photos a month to the cloud.

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B162 has more free filters

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B612 – a selfie machine

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None of the above applies to you but the icon is still missing

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