Category: News

Minecraft Pocket Edition for Android launches beta program

Minecraft developer, Mojang, is launching a beta program for the Android version of its game. Anyone who purchased Minecraft Pocket Edition for Android is eligible to partake in the beta program. All you have to do is join the their beta testing group on Google+. Once you’ve joined, you will receive instructions on how to install the latest beta build of Minecraft Pocket Edition.

Those who want a stable gaming experience shouldn’t install the Pocket Edition beta as any maps you create with it may be corrupted when trying to downgrade to a stable version. The beta versions will be updated to stable ones once they’re ready and your maps will migrate to the newer version just fine.

Mojang is hoping to get version 0.8.0 out before Christmas. They also note that they may have to limit the amount of beta testers if demand is too high.

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Source: Mojang

Google Translate for Android update improves conversation mode

Google Translate for Android has been updated with an improved conversation mode, allowing users to easily translate back and forth. The app has also been updated to support more languages, including Hebrew, Greek, Javanese, and Esperanto.

Google wants to make your travels to foreign countries a breeze with Google Translate for Android. The app supports downloading languages so it won’t require an internet connection abroad to translate. The app even supports handwriting recognition.

Translate - Android

The updated conversation mode makes conversations much simpler: simply press the microphone icon and speak. Your sentence will be translated and read aloud. Your partner can then tap the microphone icon again to translate his or her language.

The update is available in the Google Play Store today.

Download Google Translate for Android

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Source: Google Translate Blog

Minecraft launches Twitch.tv broadcasting beta

Mojang, the developers of Minecraft, have teamed up with Twitch.tv to integrate gameplay broadcasting in the latest Minecraft beta. The company originally announced their partnership with Twitch at MineCon 2013 in Orlando, Florida. After a short wait, the first publicly testable version of Minecraft with Twitch.tv broadcasting is now available.

Before Minecraft players can begin broadcasting, they need to head over to their Mojang account settings to link their Twitch account with their Mojang account. After that, players can adjust broadcasting settings in the options. To start broadcasting your livestream to Twitch, hit F6, which is the default broadcasting key but you can change it to a different key in the settings.

Since this build of Minecraft (Snapshot 13w47c) is in beta, there will be plenty of bugs. Mojang encourages testers to submit bug reports at this site.

If you want to check out this beta version of Minecraft, make sure you have a PC with Windows XP and up or a Mac with OS X Lion (10.7) and up.

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Source: Mojang

Waze released on Windows Phone

Windows Phone has been getting a ton of popular apps lately and today, the social mapping app Waze joins Microsoft’s growing library of apps. Waze will live alongside Google Maps, the company’s other mapping app.

Waze for Windows Phone screenshots

While Maps is a perfectly adequate mapping solution for Windows Phone users, Waze offers excellent crowd-sourced traffic reports and clever social features. You can earn points for driving and reporting on traffic conditions. Other Waze users show up on your map as you’re driving so you can view their status and points, while you’re stopped, of course.

Waze has over 50 million users around the world and has remained autonomous after the company was acquired by Google. Google is working to integrate Waze’s features into Google Maps over time but has no plans to discontinue Waze.

Download Waze for Windows Phone 8

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Source: Waze (Windows Phone Store)

Google Play Newsstand combines Magazines and Currents apps

Google has released its new Google Play Newsstand app, which combines both Play Magazines and Google Currents apps. The new app rolls in the magazine purchasing ability of Play Magazines with the news feed features of Currents.

The app feels like a hybrid between Apple’s Newsstand app and Flipboard. There’s no flipping animation like in Flipboard but users can scroll through a long list of stories. Tapping on a story opens it up within the app and the story will be grayed out once you jump back into the main feed, signifying that it has been read.

Play Newsstand main feed

There are tons of new sources to choose from to consolidate into a feed, which resembles Google+‘s card-like layout. You can add more sources by navigating to the source list and tapping on the “+” button next to the source you want to add. Popular newspapers like The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal are all in the app. Want something more in depth? You can purchase individual issues or subscriptions of magazines from within the app.

Play Newsstand discovery

Google Currents will still exist alongside Google Play Newsstand for the time being, but will redirect Android users to the new Newsstand app instead. It’s only a matter of time before Currents is discontinued.

Google plans on bringing Google Play Newsstand to iOS in the future but it’s uncertain if Apple will allow a competitor to its Newsstand app onto its operating system.

Download Google Play Newsstand for Android

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Source: Google Play Newsstand (Google Play)

Candy Crush creators launch Pepper Panic Saga on Facebook

Pepper Panic Saga is the latest game from King, the creator of Candy Crush Saga. Launching first on Facebook, Pepper Panic Saga is also a ‘switcher-and-matcher’ game, so fans of Candy Crush will have no problems jumping right in.

Pepper Panic Saga follows ‘Pepper Puppy‘, a dog who craves spicy chillies and explosions (!), as he journeys from Pepperfield Place to Squawker’s Island. Like other ‘saga’ games, you have to match objects to set of chain reactions, and get through each level as fast as possible.

The game launches on Facebook with 70 levels over five different episodes. King’s Tommy Palm says Pepper Panic Saga’s new characters like Pepper Puppy and Mister Claws the cat, along with bright graphics and new levels will make the game a success.

Play Pepper Panic Saga now.

We have no word on whether the game is coming to mobile devices soon, but if it is a success on Facebook, it’s highly likely we will see it on Android and iOS too.

Instagram for Windows Phone could be released today

Instagram could be coming out for Windows Phone today. The rumor are getting stronger as the link http://instagram.com/download/windows/ redirects you to the Windows Store page that does not exist yet. The existence of a specific URL makes it more than likely that the app is going to be launched imminently.

Instagram for Windows Phone was announced at a Nokia conference a month ago, and said to be released ‘in the coming weeks’, along with Vine, which is already available. Flipboard was also announced, but we’re still waiting for news of its release.

Step by step, Microsoft are getting rid of the stigma that Windows Phone 8 is an operating system with few interesting apps. Gradually developers are feeling encouraged to port their popular apps to Windows Phone.

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iOS 7.1 beta released for developer testing

Registered Apple developers can now download and test iOS 7.1 beta, which includes bug fixes, performance enhancements and some new features, including some new personalization.

The main aim of iOS 7.1 is addressing the bugs and performance issues that have been found since 7.0 was released. The most notable new feature is the light/dark keyboard toggle. iOS users have never been able to change anything about the keyboard, and while this doesn’t change the functionality, it’s a surprising development.

You can also further control the transparency and transition animations in iOS 7.1. The latter apparently provoked motion sickness in some users. iPhone 5S users will be able to use an ‘auto HDR’ mode. The Notification Center has been tweaked to make clearing items a bit easier, while the Yahoo! logo has been updated throughout the OS.

To try the iOS 7.1 beta, you need a developer account, which is free, but also membership of the iOS Developer Program, which costs $99 a year. The iOS beta releases are designed to help developers prepare for upcoming changes to the system.

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Ridiculous Fishing for Android coming soon

The hilarious arcade fishing game, Ridiculous Fishing, will be coming soon to Android, according to developer Vlambeer. The game first debuted on iOS eight months ago and scored a 9/10 with our editor Chris Park. The premise of the game is to sink your hook as far as it can go before snagging on a creature, causing you to begin reeling fish in. The gameplay may be simple but its unique art style and weapons keep the game fresh.

Ridiculous Fishing for iPad

Vlambeer wrote in a blog post that Ridiculous Fishing for Android will be coming “sooner than you think.” The company has been working since March on creating an Android version of the game but a “breakthrough” only came when they met up with Apportable, a company that has a framework that will make porting the game to Android easy.

There’s no word on pricing or an exact release date, though we expect the game to be priced similarly to the $2.99 iOS version.

Download Ridiculous Fishing for iOS

Source: Vlambeer

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WhatsApp for iOS 7 to be released this week

It looks like the WhatsApp update for iOS 7 will finally be released this week. Late September, we showed you rumored images from the newly-updated interface leaked by a beta tester in Germany, Ilhan Pektas.

According to Pektas, WhatsApp 2.11.5.2187 is in Golden Master, meaning beta testing is over and it’s most likely awaiting approval from Apple. Pektas claims the update will include the following new features:

  • Completely new design, in line with the flat design of iOS 7
  • Enhanced security options
  • New logo
  • Swipe gestures
  • Larger thumbnails for sent images
  • New photo editing options

By the sounds of it, the latest update will be an entirely new WhatsApp.

With last week’s update of Facebook Messenger for iOS and Android, it looks like the messenger wars are starting to heat up!

Download WhatsApp for iPhone.