Woody, Buzz and the whole gang smash their way to Android in Toy Story: Smash It!
Home » Articles » Woody, Buzz and the whole gang smash their way to Android in Toy Story: Smash It!
Who doesn’t love the Toy Story franchise? Common, whoever has not watched, seen at least a few scenes or heard about the Toy Story movie is probably asleep for decades. Toy Story is possibly the best computer animated movie franchise ever made. Great story, great production value, and great, well-loved characters.
It’s a pity that despite the depth of the Toy Story franchise, there was never a great game that really made the same splash as the movie did. Well, probably this time with Toy Story: Smash It! might just make it for the franchise.
All that being said, you might want to check out Google Play and search for Toy Story: Smast It! Android game. It lives up to the Toy Story movie â€" fun, addictive and simply fantastic.
Toy Story: Smash It! is a block-breaking puzzle game wherein you throw unique bouncing balls to knock down aliens and break through enemy defenses. You’ll also be able to use certain power-ups. Of course, the best part here is that you’ll be able to play as your favorite Toy Story character such as Buzz as he encounters other characters in the story.
The game also features 4 imaginative episodes, consisting of 60 challenging levels. Your objective to find creative ways to smash through bricks, glass, trains and more â€" to get the best score.
Toy Story: Smash It! is available now for $ 0.9 from Google Play store.
Rev up your engines, Real Racing 3 lands on Google Play
Home » Articles » Rev up your engines, Real Racing 3 lands on Google Play
Alright boys, start revving up your car’s engine so to speak, as Firemint and EA has just released the third installment of their highly successful Android racing game â€" Real Racing 3. The game just landed on Google Play as a free download. But before you jump for joy thinking that the EA has gone out of their wits by offering this game as a free download, well think again.
That’s because, while the game is free to download, fully enjoying it comes for a price â€" via in-app purchases. The in-app purchase is used for upgrading your cars and keeping its performance at par with your opponents. So, if you feel like you keep on losing races, then you might be compelled to upgrade your car for a price.
If that’s ok with you, then go ahead and download the game. You’ll enjoy its different features which include, real cars, real tracks, and real people.  You’ll enjoy the game’s 22-car race grid which are very authentic, race tracks which are based on real-life race tracks including Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Circuit de Spa-Franchorchamps and more.
New to the game is the Time Shifted Multiplayer mode which lets you race anyone, anytime even if they’re online. There are also more than 900 events such as cup races, eliminations, endurance challenges, and drag races where you can compete. Real Racing 3 Android game is powered by Mint 3 Engine which enables persistent car damage, fully functioning rear view mirrors and dynamic reflections.
Zoe Share springs to life, shows off HTC One’s new camera experience
We still have at least a week or two before the HTC One starts shipping in Europe, but that does not mean we have to wait until then to experience HTC Zoe Share. HTC launched the service to host HTC Zoe highlights captured with the HTC One. An HTC Zoe captures 20 pictures and a three-second video clip all at once, but the true magic is in the 30-second highlight clips, which can be automatically created using your pictures, videos and Zoes.
To give you an idea of what these clips look like when automatically mixed together on the HTC One, we searched various social networks and found a handful clips uploaded to HTC Zoe Share. When you click on the link you can view the 30-second clip, but you’re also able to view the individual pieces of media and location information associated with the Zoe.
The video below is a great overview of Zoe and the HTC One’s new camera features. Do you think HTC Zoe will change the way HTC One users capture and share their pictures?
Home » Articles » Qualcomm unmoved by Tegra 4 benchmarks
Last week Nvidia did some benchmarks regarding its latest SoC and they blew every one out of the water. We felt that Qualcomm may be a bit shaken. The Tegra 4 is one hell of a fast chip, and it’s shaping up to provide some amazing visuals too. But we have to keep in mind that the Tegra 4 is the next generation of hardware, hence pitting it against the previous gen chips is rather unfair. Nvidia on the other hand, can’t do anything if there are no latest competing chips available. So naturally these kinds of amazing benchmarks would have made the competition a little bit uncomfortable right? Well Qualcomm is feeling pretty relaxed and is quite verbal in stating that the Snapdragon 800 chip has already beaten the Tegra 4.
Qualcomm’s senior VP of Product Management, while giving an interview to The Verge, said that the latest Snapdragon chip “easily†beats the Nvidia Tegra 4. He went further to say that Qualcomm chips are “so much more integrated†than any Nvidia chips available. This is a subtle hint towards the lack of LTE integration on most of Nvidia’s chips. According to the interview Qualcomm has already been listed to be used in over 50 products to release this very year, packing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 chips. The company is “more focused on shipping products†than simple competing who is the fastest.
In the LTE light, Qualcomm already has the upper hand when delivering top notch performing chips. While Nvidia Tegra 4i is going to fill the LTE gap in Nvidia’s arsenal, it will not be the top performer; instead it will compete with Snapdragon 600 mid-range devices. Qualcomm in another instance also showed disinterest in pursuing eight core processors too, stating that there is no apparent need for them in the current market. We will get back to you if some “real†benchmarks of Qualcomm’s latest show up.
Swing through the Jungle in Benji Bananas for Android
Home » Articles » Swing through the Jungle in Benji Bananas for Android
If there’s two things I know about monkeys it’s that they love to swing on things, and they love bananas. Benji Bananas from Fingersoft brings both those things together to form on of the funnest Android games we’ve played this month.
Benji Bananas is a physics-based swinging game that has you fly through the jungle on the end of a vine picking up bananas as you go. The controls are about as simple as it gets as you just need to tap/hold and release to swing from vine to vine. The controls may be simple, but the game is not as you have to watch out for spikes, water, and other deadly hazards. Benji Bananas has several different areas to swing through including temple ruins and waterfalls; there are also plenty of power-ups to help you along if you get stuck. You can buy power-ups with bananas, but you’ll also be able to unlock a few different outfits like the Ninja suit so you’ll want to watch your banana budget.
Benji Bananas is a slick little physics game with a cool cartoon style. You’ll have a lot of fun swinging through the stages and it’s just tough enough to keep you coming back for more. There are some small ads in the game, but they are unobtrusive and do not affect the gameplay… well done. You can check out Fingersoft’s Benji Bananas for free on Google Play.
Adobe Photoshop Touch for Android phones now available on Google Play
Home » Articles » Adobe Photoshop Touch for Android phones now available on Google Play
Adobe has just released a new version of its Photoshop Touch, a mobile app that brings some of the most useful features of Adobe Photoshop, the desktop image processing software that we’ve all grown to love and like. For those who remember, Adobe Photoshop Touch was previously released for Android tablets. Now, listening to the clamor of Android phone users, Adobe decided to release the phone version of the app.
Adobe Photoshop Touch for Phone lets you  enjoy various  features such as layers, filters, paint strokes sharing, camera fill feature as well as synching and editing via Photoshop desktop software. Photoshop Touch for Phone also has the Scribble Selection, a feature which allows you to use imprecise finger selection for picking out precise parts of a picture. The camera fill feature on the other hand lets you fill in a layer in your creations using your Android phone’s camera.
The complete features of Adobe Photshop Touch for phone are listed as follow:
Use popular Photoshop features, such as layers, selection tools, adjustments, and filters, to create mind-blowing images.
Improve your photos using classic Photoshop features to bring out the best in your photography. Apply precise tone and color adjustments to your entire composition, a particular layer, or a select area.
Create something other-worldly using painting effects, filter brushes, and so much more. With Photoshop Touch, the creative possibilities are endless.
Make your images pop with graphical text. Apply strokes, add drop shadows and fades, and more.
Take advantage of your device’s camera to fill an area on a layer with the unique Camera Fill feature.
Quickly combine images together. Select part of an image to extract just by scribbling with the Scribble Selection tool. With the Refine Edge feature, use your fingertip to easily capture hard-to-select image elements, like hair.
Start a project on your iPhone or iPod Touch and finish it on your iPad* or back in Photoshop** at your desk using a free membership to Adobe Creative Cloudâ„¢.*** Your projects are automatically synced between your devices.
Free membership to Creative Cloud provides 2GB of cloud storage.
Work on high-resolution images while maintaining the highest image quality. Images up to 12 megapixels are supported.
Adobe Photoshop Touch for phone is available from the Google Play Store for $ 4.99.
With a denial for more user tokens, Falcon Pro for Twitter is dead in the water
Today is a sad day for third-party developers, and users alike. If you never got the chance to buy and claim a limited user token granting you access to use Twitter through the beautiful and functional Falcon Pro for Android, you missed the boat.
Last year, Twitter made it clear that unless third-party developers provide some sort of unique feature or added level of service to Twitter apps, they would be cut off at a certain number of user tokens, restricting the amount of people that can access Twitter through their app. They also made it clear that in certain situations, more users tokens could be granted. Encouraging developers not be alarmed, but to make sure they added something to experience, not just mimic the official client. Despite being more functional, better looking and including features like a built-in browser for improved handling of media and links in tweets, Falcon Pro has been denied access to more user tokens, killing the app for new users.
News of Falcon Pro running out of user tokens was first reported several days ago. Developer Joaquim Vergès made it clear that the situation was being worked on, raising the price of Falcon Pro to ~$ 130USD, while including a message in the app description explaining what was going on, and providing a link to a petition thats has already reached nearly 6,000 signatures. This was all before Twitter denied Falcon Pro more tokens though. At this point, there’s not a whole lot Vergès can do.
If not for third-party apps and committed developers, Twitter wouldn’t be half the service it is today. It’s a terrible shame to see the development community being treated the way they are. We’ll update you with more information on Falcon Pro’s situation once more information comes in.
Home » Articles » Behind the Cube: Day 112 with 22cans Curiosity
Just when I think I’m out…it pulls me right back in. 22cans Curiosity actually piqued my Curiosity since our last Behind the Cube update. Nobody’s broken into the Cube yet, and there are now new features to speak of, but there are a lot of names. Lots and lots of names…
22cans Curiosity Cube has now had 209 layers removed, and the Cube is 112 days old. While that’s not the most exciting news, what’s interesting is the fact that the Cube has unveiled hundreds of people’s names. They’re written on every side of the Cube and while I don’t know how many days it’s been going on for I noticed the names last night. Most of them are still there at the time of this writing, but they are slowly being chiseled away.
As you can see from the screen shots it’s not the same names repeated over and over, and it appears like it might be the “backers†names from Project GODUS. Acolyte backers and above get their name on a layer of the Cube, and we’re thinking this is it or possibly just the start of the names. Another interesting tidbit comes from the Project GODUS Kickstarter page in the form of two update posts titled “Want your Face on the Curiosity Cube?â€Â This is only available for backers of the project so I’m not going to spill the beans; if you backed Project GODUS you can read more about it here.
While the new updates may not be earth shattering, they are certainly interesting and it was pretty trippy to see all the names up on the Cube last night. It will be even stranger when big ol’ faces start showing up. I’m not sure I’d want someone passionately chipping away at my face, but it’s a cool concept nonetheless. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you can pick up 22cans Curiosity for free on Google Play.
The Top New Android Games of the Week â€" February 25, 2013
The Mobile World Congress may be in full swing, but we’re still here to bring you the Top New Android Games from the past week. This week’s list is full of awesome games from retro platformers to colorful sheep that spit light at wolves. There’s a little something for everyone, and we hope you enjoy our picks this week…
Freakzone Games dropped two games in the past 2 weeks and both made the cut because they’re both extremely awesome. MANOS: The Hands of Fate is a mashup based on bad movies and good games… basically the 80s in general. It’s a retro platformer of the finest kind and it’s worth every penny of its $ 2.49 price tag. Needless to say we’ll have a full review of MANOS by the weekend.
Kairosoft set out to destroy our free time again this week when they finally released Pocket Stables for Android. It’s similar to Grand Prix Story, but with horses and it’s one of the better Kairosoft titles to come out in the past several months. If you’re ready to breed and race horses until your eyes bleed you can pick up Pocket Stables for $ 4.99 on Google Play.
Color Sheep is the most unique game on our list… unless you’re used to seeing color changing sheep that shoot light from their mouths. We briefly talked about this one a few days back, and a review is forthcoming. Color Sheep is an Indie game well worth checking out and you can pick it up for a buck.
Puzzle Retreat is a new sliding block puzzle from The Voxel Agents makers of the popular Train Conductor games. The game puts you in a Zen-like state of mind as you slide around blocks with no stressful time limits or goals. It’s one of the best sliding block puzzles we’ve played, and it’s free to download on Google Play.
AWESOME Land is the 2nd game from Freakzone              to make the list, and it’s another Retro platformer. As the manly man named Manley you’ll go after alien invaders that have stolen your favorite motorcycle. You’ll stomp on monsters, eat meat from walls, and battle big bad bosses across 25 pixely levels. AWESOME Land can be yours for only $ 2.49.
YoYo Games has released some of our favorite games over the years, and we’ve just added another to our list with Planet Descent. The game puts in command of an asteroid mining ship where you’ll have to pull, smash, and grab your way through several different planets to get at their energy. If you’d like to give it a go you can pick up Planet Descent for $ 2.65 on Google Play.
There have been a slew of Word games released in the past few months, but how many involve a digging hip-hop dog? Exactly. Word Up Dog is a cross between Gem Miner and Scrabble as you’ll have to dig for letters to form words and get to the next stage. You can read a bit more about Word Up Dog here or pick it up for $ 1.99.
Build-a-lot 4 Power Source is another game from the Build-a-lot series, but this time around it’s all about power. Not the type of power that comes from flipping houses, but the kind that comes from building solar towers and nuclear power plants. You’ll only get to play a handful of levels for free, but the full version gives you 68 and can be unlocked from within the app.
Timebuilders Pyramid Rising 2 is a time management game that puts you to work building temples in ancient Egypt. It’s a unique building game that fans of the original will enjoy, and you can check out the first 11 levels for free. If you like what you see the Premium version can be unlocked for $ 2.99 from within the game.
The Sandbox Review: Play with Pixels until you Pop
Last week we talked about an awesome new Android game called The Sandbox by Pixowl, and as promised we’re back with a full review. The game’s had quite a ride on Android since its release with gripes about the IAP setup and differences from the iOS version (there aren’t any), but I’m happy to report that playing God in a pixelated world is just as fun as it sounds.
The interface of The Sandbox is simple and easy to use. You have a row of icons across the top of your screen that give you drop-down boxes full of elements, weather settings, and tools. To create all you need to do is pick an element and a tool, your finger takes care of the rest. It’s a cool way to play with the elements as you can pour sand from your fingertip or make it snow pixels by dragging your finger across the screen. Want to melt your pixelated wax sculpture you just made? Just turn up the heat or drop some magma near it to see physics in action.
The Sandbox basically consists of two modes of play with Campaigns and Free Mode. Free Mode lets you play with pixels in an open environment where you can use any element or setting you’ve unlocked in Campaign mode or through the shop. This is probably where you’ll spend most of your time as you can play unrestricted so watch how you spend your Mana until you check out all the cool elements in the game.
The Campaign mode take you through different scenarios where you’ll take on missions that range from making a tree grow to setting off a Volcano. The levels are broken down into days which sticks to the whole “God†them of the game, and you’ll earn coins and “access†to new elements for completing each day. I say access because you still have to unlock each new element using Mana you earn from the completing the days. The earning to spending ratio is so-so, I burned through the first 30 levels in a little over an hour, but had to complete a few free offers to unlock some elements I couldn’t afford outright.
Now for the fun part… the elements. The Sandbox is LOADED with cool stuff that ranges from your base elements to more complex things like C4, Dinosaurs, and LED lights. There are 30 base elements that include things like Fire, Ice, Steam, Mud, Acid, and Wax. In addition to those you’ll get around 12 types of trees, 4 animal elements, and 9 different minerals like Diamonds and Amethysts. Next up is the Technology section with 16 different elements including explosives, colored LED’s, and sensors. Last but certainly not least is the decoration tab that has around 16 different buildings and dinosaurs to play with.
Now for the not so fun part… Outside of the “Initial Story†campaign that consists of 30 days there are four more level packs with 41 more levels. They range in price from $ 0.99 to $ 1.99 for the contraptions and dinosaur packs. The campaign packs also give you extra Mana which comes in handy for all the cool expensive elements. The Sandbox has a few other ways to let you get Mana or elements as you can purchase all 30 base elements for $ 3.99 or buy Mana packs outright. They do utilize Tapjoy so you will be able to get some free Mana for completing actions and downloading games.
Verdict
This one’s kind of tough as The Sandbox is a game I had been looking forward to since it was released on iOS. The game itself is just as good as I’d imagined, and I can’t express how much fun you can have playing around with pixels made of ice, sand, acid, and countless other elements. The only thing that limits you is your imagination… and your wallet. While The Sandbox is free and you get a wide open Free Mode to play around in, you’re going to spend a lot of time completing free offers if you want all the elements. It’s that or buy Mana to get them, and the prices aren’t all that great considering how much there is to unlock in the game.
Is The Sandbox still worth checking out? Most definitely, it’s just extremely disappointing that its setup the way it is as it’s one of the coolest games I’ve played. The developers have dropped the prices on some of the levels packs, but what we really need to see are cheaper Mana prices on the elements. You can pick up Pixowl’s The Sandbox for free on Google Play.
ZTE Grand Memo announced world’s first Snapdragon 800 smartphone
If specs are all you’re really interested in, the newly announced ZTE Grand Memo will surely grab your attention. ZTE unveiled the Grand Memo at Mobile World Congress this morning, revealing the world’s first smartphone running on a 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. The ZTE Grand Memo sports a 5.7-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, 13 megapixel rear camera, LTE and a fairly large 3,200 mAh battery. The handset itself is made primarily of plastic and does not feature any design aspects to make it stand out in a crowd. If it were up to us, we’d opt for the ZTE Grand S simply for its design.
ZTE is not revealing much when it comes to price and availability, but they do expect the Grand Memo to debut in Asian and European markets later this year. ZTE doesn’t have a huge presence in the US market, but we could definitely see that change in the coming months. Last time we spoke to Qualcomm, they hinted that the first Snapdragon 800 chips would be commercially available near the end of June.
For more details, check out the full press release. Do you think the ZTE Grand Memo is appealing enough to capture the attention of consumers in an increasingly crowded smartphone marketplace?
ZTE Launches Grand Memo 5.7-inch handset using Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor
Featuring leading performance, battery life and a 13MP camera, the ZTE Grand Memo offers high functionality for home and office use
25 February 2013, Barcelona, Spain â€" ZTE has launched the ZTE Grand Memo 5.7-inch handset running on Qualcomm ® Snapdragon â„¢ 800 processors.
The ZTE Grand Memo offers the ideal balance between the portability of a handset and the larger viewing and easier touch-interaction experience of a tablet. It features a 5.7-inch, high definition, 720 x 1280 display, and a powerful Qualcomm 800 processor with quad-core Krait CPUs and 2GB of RAM. Combined with a 13MP rear-facing camera, 1MP front-facing camera and 1080 HD video playback, this gives users a smooth, high quality multimedia experience that is perfect for gaming and video.
The Grand Memo caters for those who are always on-the-go, with voice-response technology which allows users to answer calls safely while driving, and A-GPS and car-mode navigation system for high quality mapping and directions. It comes with a HD version of ZTE’s Mifavor user interface that is specially designed for smartphones, providing a simpler user experience, and ZTE’s Z Cloud service for the security and access-anywhere provided by cloud services. It also includes a 3200mAh battery for super-long standby time.
“The ZTE Grand Memo’s large, high definition screen makes it perfect for media and entertainment, but its uses reach far beyond that,†said Mr. He Shiyou, ZTE EVP and Head of the Mobile Devices Division. “With ZTE’s custom Mifavor UI, a powerful processor, and LTE connectivity, this device offers users a wide array of benefits that go well beyond the capabilities of the typical handset.â€
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors target premium mobile and computing devices. They are designed to deliver outstanding overall user experience, expand the possibilities of seamless connected computing and enable brand new mobile experiences while maintaining industry-leading battery performance.
“Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms are at the heart of over 770 announced smartphones and tablets, and we are thrilled to work with ZTE to bring the Grand Memo to consumers†said Raj Talluri, senior vice president of product management at Qualcomm Technologies.
The Grand Memo is a slim 8.5mm, ensuring that its advanced performance is matched by its sleek appearance. The 1080P HD video and 13MP rear-facing Intelligent Camera, coupled with the 16GB storage memory make movie watching as sharp and detailed as the capturing of users’ own multimedia. Combined with high-speed LTE capabilities of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, integrated Qualcomm WCN3680 802.11ac/.11n dual-band Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth solution for high-bandwidth communications, MHL and DLNA connectivity for mobile entertainment, the ZTE Grand Memo is perfectly suited for both personal and office use.
“We have really tried to make this device fun for use at home, and practical for use in the office. By combining both of these factors, we have created a well-rounded large-screen handset that is suitable for any situation. It’s perfect for videos, gaming and music, and also for sending e-mails, checking news and making calls on the go. For those with a busy lifestyle, the ZTE Grand Memo will be indispensable,†said Mr. He Shiyou, ZTE.
13MP Intelligent AF Camera with face recognition and panorama,1MP front-facing camera, 1080p HD video playback
The ZTE Grand Memo is on display at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona at Stand 3C64/3C74, Hall 3. ZTE Grand Memo is expected to launch the second quarter of 2013 with specifications varying between countries and regions. ZTE is the 4th biggest handset manufacturer in the world according to IDC, a leading provider of global ICT market research and advisory services.
Pricing and Details Emerge for the Sony Xperia Tablet Z
Home » Articles » Pricing and Details Emerge for the Sony Xperia Tablet Z
We got to see Sony’s Xperia Z phone earlier in the year at CES, and now have some official details on the sleek Sony Xperia Tablet Z. The powerful new tablet borrows a few features from its phone counterpart (waterproof & dustproof), and wraps it all up in a razor thin tablet that’s only 6.9mm thick.
Sony may not be the most popular name when it comes to Android devices, but they’re stepping up their game with the new line of Xperia Z products. As mentioned, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is waterproof (up to 3 feet for 30 mins) and dustproof, but it also has a slew of other cool features as you can see from the handy bullet points below…
10.1-inch Full HD “Reality Display†with a resolution of 1920×1200
6.9mm thick with a weight off 495 grams
Snapdragon S4 Pro w/ 1.5 GHz quad-core CPU
2GB of RAM
8MP Rear Camera & 2MP HD Front Facing Camera
microSD slot
NFC One-Touch
Force Front 3D Surround Sound
IR Blaster Remote Control
The new tablet definitely packs a punch, and you’ll be able to pick up a black one with 16 or 32 GB of storage. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z will be out this spring for $ 499 and $ 599 depending on how much storage you’re after. There’s also a white 32 GB version that will be sold exclusively through Sony Stores. It’s shaping up to be a great year for tablets, and it’s safe to say the Sony Xperia Tablet Z has certainly grabbed our attention.
The Mokriya Craigslist app surprised a lot of people this week as it came out of nowhere and its hands down the slickest craigslist app you’ll see. The app lets you search and post to Craiglist with ease, but lets face it… it’s really all about the looks with this one. We’ll have more on this one later in the week, but you can pick it up for free on Google Play if you’re ready to check it out now.
If you’ve ever lost your Bluetooth headset Phone Halo’s Headset Trackr might just be the thing for you. The app takes a GPS Snapshot of where your headset is if it becomes separated from your phone. It works with most high-end Bluetooth headsets including brands like Jabra, Jawbone, and Plantronics. I haven’t tried this one myself, but it’s free and well worth a look if you have an expensive headset.
If you own a Galaxy Note you already know how handy the S-Pen is and you’ll definitely want to check out S-PEN Voice from welldonecom. The app lets you record notes using the S-Pen, and you can play them back by simply tapping the note. The app is only useful if you have a Samsung Galaxy Note device, otherwise you’re out of luck. There’s a slightly limited free version of the app you can check out while the pro version cuts the limitations and adds dropbox capabilities for $ 3.00.
If you own a Snapdragon powered device you’ll want to check this one out. The Snapdragon Battery Guru works to extend your battery performance by learning how you use your device and then optimizing it to fit your habits. It will take a few days to monitor your system and set itself up, but it does as advertised and it’s free to download.
Perfect 365 is a makeover app that uses instant facial feature mapping to let you “adjust†your face. You can clear up blemishes, soften skin, whiten teeth, enhance your nose, and lift your cheeks. If that’s not enough you can also adjust color in your lips, eyes, and skin. Everything sharable as well in case you want to show off the updated you. Arcsoft’s Perfect365 is free to download on Google Play.
If you’ve ever wanted to see what you’d look like after a brain attacked from the Lego Factory here’s your chance. The LEGO Hero Factory Brainify app lets you “brainify†a picture of yourself or some poor unsuspecting soul. It pretty much makes you look like a monster which could be fun for the kids or adults that like to look silly. You can pick up the LEGO Hero Factory Brainify app for free on Google Play.
Android is all about customization and Vire Launcher is one of many new homescreen replacement apps that have recently hit Google Play. Vire has a slick look and is full of cool features like 3D transitions, widgets, and real-time lighting. Vire Launcher is currently in Beta, and is free to download on Google Play.
There are scores of apps that let you leave memos on your phone, but not many match the flair of Comic Memo from Coolpisoo. Comic Memo gives you around 20 different memo widget templates to choose from and lets you adjust the size of your text. If you feel like adding a bit of pop to your sticky notes you can pick up Comic Memo for free.
NARR8 is a slick new app that gives you access to a nice selection of new motion comics. Well, they’re a bit more than simple motion comics as you can interact with on-screen elements and each comic is full of animation, music, and HD effects. The app is a little rough in a few areas, but it’s a great start and a very cool concept. You can check out NARR8 for free on Google Play.
Last week we briefly talked about the release of the official Wipeout from Activision and as promised we’re back with a full rundown of the popular game show turned Android game.
Wipeout lets you step into the role of a contest on the popular ABC show where you’ll have to run, jump, and bounce your way through several tricky scenarios. The game’s levels are broken down by shows, and each show has you compete in a three rounds with the qualifier, knockout round, and the Wipeout zone. The shows get tougher as you progress and you’ll have to use coins earned through gameplay to unlock the next episode of Wipeout.
Playing a game like this on your mobile can be tricky, but the developers did a pretty good job with the control scheme. Your left thumb lets you run, sprint, step backwards, and duck while your right thumb controls jumping and diving. The controls work well once you get the hang of things, but they do feel a little off at times when you’re sprinting. I’ve noticed a lot of complaints about the bouncing balls and the controls, but I’ve not had any issue with that part of the game. It’s more of a timing thing as you need to hit the first ball dead on and time your super-bounce perfectly.
As for the levels shows Wipeout has 1 season with 6 different episodes including The KO Corral, Strikeout, Old MacBallsy, and U.F. Ohhhhh. Each show has three rounds which gives you 18 levels in all; there’s also a Time Trial mode that lets you try for 3-star times on each round of the shows. As cool as Wipeout is the show layout puts a damper on things as you don’t need to beat the previous show to unlock the next one… you just need enough coins. Unfortunately coins aren’t that easy to come by so you’re going to end up having to replay previous shows and grind out time trials to unlock the cooler shows.
Shows are what you’ll want to save your hard earned bucks and coins for, but you can also buy power-up hats and unlock special characters and clothing. The characters have different attributes in a few key areas, but are pretty expensive to unlock; the headgear isn’t as bad, but is only good for one show or use so you’ll want to use them sparingly. That being said, it’s well worth a few thousand coins to be able to pass directly through a tough obstacle. Wipeout has around 28 different achievements to strive for and there’s a neat stats section that keeps a running tally of your statistics.
Verdict
Wipeout is truly a blast to play, and it’s just as fun as you’d expect an obstacle course game to be. The shows, characters, and physics are all very well done and the instant replay feature is always good for laugh if you wipeout as much as I do. The only problem I have with the game is that you have to “grind†to unlock the last 3-4 shows (or any cool characters) unless you want to buy them outright which isn’t exactly cheap. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but it’s usually only an issue in free games and Wipeout isn’t free.
It’s not something you notice at first either as it doesn’t get bad until after the Strikeout show. The last 3 shows will cost you a total of 135,000 coins to unlock or around 37 ballsy bucks which is the games premium currency. 20 ballsy bucks will set you back $ 1.99 or you can pick up 60 for around 5 bucks. You can unlock everything through playing, but you may get sick of playing before you unlock the final show. Overall, Wipeout’s a solid game and tons of fun, but you can expect to grind it out or pay if you want to reach the latter levels. If you want to give it a go you can pick up Wipeout for $ 1.99 on Google Play.
