Author: Nacho Requena Molina

In the early 1980s, if you wanted to play the latest video games, you’d have to travel to an arcade. Today, you carry the arcade in your pocket. Your phone is the hottest game platform on the planet. At Softonic, we don’t want you to be stuck playing alone. People from around the world could be your teammates or your foes. 

5 incredible multiplayer games for iOS and Android

Clash Royale

This is by far one of the most played titles for cell phones. Clash Royale has had great success worldwide, with millions and millions of users (not to mention the YouTube channels dedicated specifically to it).

In Clash Royale, the goal is as easy: destroy your rival’s base. However, defending your own base is just as important. This balance of forces, between defense and offense, makes this massive multiplayer game a constant challenge.

Clash Royale Free Download

Asphalt Xtreme

It started slow enough, but with every new update and release, it’s gained an audience. Asphalt Xtreme is one of the best video games for people who have a need for speed.

Up to 12 rivals can compete at the same time, not to mention more than 100 unique vehicles. Try it out if you like this genre: we assure you, it won’t disappoint.

ASPHALT XTREME FREE DOWNLOAD

FIFA Soccer

Unsurprisingly, FIFA also has its own video game for cell phones. And we have to say: it works well. This version is designed for smartphones, and it’s no larger than 100 MB, so don’t worry about taking up storage space.

Like the console version, this edition of FIFA Soccer is also constantly updated with new templates, classic player cards, and a new focus on the FIFA Ultimate Team. And yes, of course, it has a multiplayer mode so you can beat other people.

FIFA MOBILE SOCCER FREE DOWNLOAD

Order and Chaos Online

If you’re a fan of World of Warcraft or Guild Wars, with Order and Chaos Online you have a counterpart version for cell phones. This MMORPG combines the best of the genre in the palm of your hand: magic, orcs, elves, and lots of action.

Like any MMORPG, the key is to cooperate with other players to earn victories and achieve different missions.

Order & Chaos Online Free Download

Pokémon GO

We’ll wrap up with the most one of the most groundbreaking games of all time. It’s a title that changed how we play on our smartphones thanks to its concept: Pokémon GO.

Catching critters has never been more fun than with this game, which brings the best of the saga to our daily lives. You may be saying, “But it isn’t multiplayer.” You’re right, it’s not… yet. That’s why we’ve added it to the list.

Niantic, the app developer studio, already mentioned that in 2018, online combat against other players will be released. So we just have to wait for it to come out. The sooner, the better.

Pokémon GO Free Download

You’ve got a photo that you’d like to improve, but you don’t know how. Or maybe you know how you want to improve your snapshot, but it requires Photoshop skills beyond your grasp. What if we told you that you can improve your photography skills with your cell phone?

Today at Softonic, we’re going to tell you about five amazing tricks for retouching photos on Android. Best of all: it can be done within minutes and it’s completely free.

5 amazing tricks for retouching photos on Android

Use WhatsApp

If you think WhatsApp is only good for sending messages, look closer. In 2017, its developers created the possibility of editing photos from the platform itself.

When you go to send a photo to a contact, you’ve got different editing possibilities on the top: to add text, filters, emojis and a long list of options.

It’s quick, simple and direct. The only “problem” with WhatsApp has been there since the beginning: it compresses images and videos, so quality is lost in the final product.

WhatsApp Messenger Download WhatsApp

Blur part of the photo

This is one of the most common tricks… and it works pretty well: blurring. If you want to give your photos a special touch, blurring part of the photo could be a good solution.

There are dozens of apps to achieve this effect, but AfterFocus lets you do it within a few steps. Just select the area with your finger that you would like to highlight and the app will do the rest: the part you selected will remain “normal” and the rest will go out of focus.

All this without a professional SLR camera. Not bad, right?

AfterFocus Photo Editor Free Download

Blow it up and crop it

Do you know what the rule of space is? Unofficially, it’s giving the photo’s subject room to “breathe.” For example, if a car is moving from left to right, it’s recommended that the vehicle has “space” or “air” on the right. Thanks to this simple tip, the car will give a sense of movement. Blow up the photo until you get this “rule of space” and then crop it. Framing is the easy part.

Go black and white

We’ve already talked about filters, but now we’ll go straight to discussing snapshots in black and white. This resource is one of the most common in photography, and the reason is simple to explain: because it looks great.

Black and white images give off a certain sense of longing, age, or tranquility. Edit it with any photo retouching program. Play around with brightness and contrast. You can ruin the photo if it ends up too dark, so be careful.

Test it out

Our last tip is by far the best: test it out. Period. Take a photo, open any editing program – even if it comes by default on iOS or Android – and try retouching the photo: change the color, brightness, and saturation. Get familiar with all the bells and whistles until you find some that work.

The best way to learn about photography is to experiment for yourself. Don’t forget to make a copy of the original in case your experiments get out of hand. Now get out there and shoot!

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If you’re reading this post, it’s very likely that you’re in your 30s (or older) and wondering “how can I play those games from my childhood” right? Thinking about the past always brings us positive feelings, especially regarding our childhood. So today at Softonic, we’re going to tug at your heartstrings: four websites to (legally) download games from your childhood for free. However, first some words of advice.

Important

Before we go into the subject, it’s important to note that there are two things we need to clarify. The first is “freeware,” which includes those games that don’t have copyright and are freely accessible, i.e., they’re available to all players. The second is “abandonware” which means games still have copyright, but companies aren’t taking legal action because they don’t care (especially games from the 80s, 90s, etc., which don’t make them any profit).

Now that we’ve explained this important distinction for this article let’s get started!

Abandonia

Possibly the most popular website of all: Abandonia. This site has over 5,000 cataloged video games, which speaks to the great work its creators have done with both abandonware and freeware.

The site has a forum where thousands of users come together to discuss classic video games. Also, the most important part of this website is that every game not only includes the download link but also provides additional info about the developers, company, release date, and other info.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Download GTA

Clásicos básicos (Basic classics)

The name says it all, don’t you think? On Clásicos básicos (Basic classics), you’ll find all the games from your childhood. And the best part is that the project is done in a completely selfless way by its creators, so if you want to donate money to it, you can.

Likewise, there’s also a forum for you to get answers to your questions, although we should note that it’s pretty abandoned (truth be told).

Archive

It’s pretty likely that you know Archive for its music, movies or texts, but did you know that it also has a section completely dedicated to video games? In fact, it has several, but there are two that we’d like to highlight.

The first has to do with MS-DOS, where there are over 4,000 classic video games that you can download completely free. The second is based on playing old games directly in your browser, i.e., without needing to install a program or file.

Emulator-Zone

We’ll wrap up this list with Emulator-Zone, one of the most important abandonware sites right now. Why? Well, because it gets constantly updated, so it’s rare for them not to upload a new console video game that’s 20, 30 or more years old.

Be careful with what you download: some programs are abandonware or freeware, but other risky ones are in circulation at the moment too.

You’ve got an awful old tablet, and you can’t do anything with it, right? This is more common than you’d think since we all keep buying gadgets and racking them up without a second thought. When we finally notice, our shelf is full, and we haven’t used half of what’s on it.

Today at Softonic, we’re going to use our imagination – but not stretch it too far, honestly – to see the possible uses for an old tablet you no longer use.

5 uses for an old tablet

1. For your kids

This option is one of our favorites: give it to your kids. If you have little ones at home, an old tablet is an excellent way to start introducing them to the world of technology. They’ve surely already had previous experiences, we don’t doubt it, but this way the tablet will be their property, i.e., you’ll be creating a sense of ownership.

If you do decide to go this route, don’t forget to enable parental controls on the operating system. Thanks to this, kids can’t access inappropriate content (and needless to say you should also keep an eye on tablet usage; controlling the amount of time they use it is critical.

How to set up parental controls for YouTube

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2. As a small hard drive

It’s likely that your old tablet has good storage capacity, plus a micro SD included. If this is the case, consider using it as an improvised hard drive.

It’s not the same as those HDD laptops that are everywhere on the market, but at least you’ll have solved more than one problem (especially if you don’t have the means right now to afford one).

To watch movies and series

This is key. If you have an account with Netflix, HBO or another video streaming service, your old tablet may work to watch all movies, series, and documentaries that these platforms offer.

Imagine that you’re traveling and want to enjoy a healthy dose of screen time, but without bringing the latest model, you’ve bought. Your old tablet is the best tool for doing this. Get as much content as possible by using the download feature that services like Netflix have. In this way, you won’t need Internet, and you can still explore all the possibilities with just a few clicks.

As a picture frame

We bet you know all about digital picture frames. They’ve replaced traditional ones, becoming increasingly popular in many homes worldwide. Have you stopped to think that your old tablet may be good for this?

If you feel like having a digital picture frame, use that tablet in your drawer. You can configure it using the image display, so it rotates between photos or stays on a selected one. It’s up to you.

Google Photos Download Google Photos

If you’ve celebrated Valentine’s Day alone more than once, don’t worry: there’s a solution. Here at Softonic, we’re hoping you find somebody special for your next February 14. So, there’s nothing better than seven tips to get lucky online.

Get your Tinder and other apps ready, since with these tips you’ll find a boyfriend/girlfriend before you know it.

Tinder Download Tinder

1. A good profile photo

As the saying goes, nobody is as ugly as their ID nor as attractive as their Facebook profile photo. The idea, of course, is to lean towards the second, so choose the image that will appear by your name carefully. The first thing you see is the most important on social networks.

2. Don’t lie

Though your profile photo is a way of twisting reality – let’s not play dumb – where we can’t lie is our info. Making our name and details public is very important since that little trust builds the possibility of striking up a conversation (or not).

3. Hone in on your interests

If you like to party and the other person doesn’t, you’ve got a little problem. To avoid this possible compromising situation, the best thing is to search for contacts related to your interests. Not only will you get more chances at good matches, but also the conversation will be more natural because you share interests. It’s something that we often overlook, but we think it’s essential.

4. Search by city

Although it seems like a sick joke, it isn’t: people looking for contacts who aren’t in their region. If you want to have more chances of getting lucky, we recommend that you try to find somebody in your city. It may seem logical and obvious, but there are often matches that come from people who are hundreds of miles away. Refine the radius, so you don’t end up chasing a pipe dream. It works.

5. Careful with jokes

Sometimes we forget an essential detail: online we don’t have non-verbal language available, which can cause lots of confusion, especially with jokes. What we say one way, another person can take in another, since we don’t see body language or tone to know if it’s a joke. Think carefully about every word before you say it.

6. Style counts

If we have to be careful with non-verbal language, there’s no doubt that our writing is what makes the difference. It’s not the same to have somebody who writes correctly and without errors, and another who requires a translator for every sentence because you don’t know if you’re both speaking the same language.

7. Cats and dogs rule

Again, it seems like a joke, but it’s not. Studies from different universities have shown that people who have pets (cats and dogs) get lucky more often online, especially if the pet appears in their profile photo. It could simply be a statistical blip, but the fact that cats and dogs are adorable isn’t.

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