VAIO has finally launched its first smartphone since being sold off by Sony last year. The company has announced that the VAIO Phone, which is essentially the Panasonic Eluga U2, will launch on one of Japan’s smaller carriers b-mobile. While it’s not necessarily new hardware, it’s a start for the company.

Sid Meier’s Starships, the space-based strategy game from developer Firaxis and publisher 2K Games, is now available for the iPad and Mac for $14.99.

A companion to the recently released PC-Mac game Civilization: Beyond Earth, Sid Meier’s Starships gives the player the power to create and build their space fleet in order to explore the universe. Here’s the quick summary of the game.

• Tactical Space Combat: Encounter unique tactical challenges in every mission, with dynamically generated maps, victory conditions, and foes.
• Fully Customizable Starships: Create an armada that fits your tactical plan with modular spaceship design.
• Diplomacy, Strategy, and Exploration: Expand the influence of your Federation and gain the trust of the citizens of new planets. Use the unique abilities of the each planet to enhance your fleet and Federation, and keep your opponents in check. Build improvements on worlds to increase the capabilities and resources of your Federation.
• A Galaxy Of Adventure: Explore the galaxy as you lead your fleet to distant worlds and complete missions to help the citizens of these planets. Fight pirates, protect colony ships, destroy rogue AI, and more.
• Multiple Paths To Victory: Will you win by conquering the greatest threat to the galaxy? Or will you unite a plurality of worlds in your Federation? Perhaps you will lead your people to push the frontiers of science. Each choice you make carries consequences on your path to victory.

While the iPad version of the game is available now, the Mac version should go live on Steam sometime later today

Download Sid Meier’s Starships for the iPad on iTunes ($14.99)

Download Sid Meier’s Starships for the Mac on Steam ($14.99)

It’s been a while since I came across a free game from the Snap store that I felt compelled to share. That changed the other day when I downloaded Jelly Jump onto my BlackBerry Z30 as it’s one of those games that’s great to have on your device for when you have a short time to kill, whether that be on the train/bus or just when you have nothing better to do.

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Xiaomi announced earlier this year that it would be focusing its attention on the Indian market, and the vendor is doing so with two new product launches, the Mi Pad and the Redmi 2. The Mi Pad will be targeted at the mid-range tablet segment and will retail for Rs. 12,999 ($207), while the Redmi 2 is the successor to the entry-level Redmi 1S and will be available for Rs. 6,999 ($110).

SongArc has finally hit the Google Play Store. Previously a Windows Phone exclusive, the title has made its way to both iOS and Android, bringing the ultimate rhythm experience in tow.

SongArc has finally hit the App Store. Previously a Windows Phone exclusive, the title has made its way to both the iPhone and iPad, bringing the ultimate rhythm experience in tow.

The game tasks you by tapping the arc when the notes (represented by coloured shapes) cross the barrier. By holding down for extended notes or tapping for short staccato ones, you have a rainbow of colours to access for visual cues and to score maximum points. You can even quickly tilt the device for bass/drum effects, which adds yet another method for interaction.

Don’t mistake the game for being easy, though. Depending on which track you’re jamming to, SongArc can be unforgiving.

It’s possible to not only choose the difficulty level and which instruments to emphasize, but you can also download new sheets online for your favorite songs. As long as there’s a sheet for that song you have on your phone, you can play it in SongArc. If you don’t have enough music stored locally, there’s a bunch of licensed content in the “Featured Artist” program.

Some key featured of SongArc:

• Incredibly addictive gameplay with expressive gestures for phones or tablets.
• Play any song, anywhere: All genres supported
• A sophisticated built-in “Sheet Creator” lets you create and share how you play.
• An easy way for upcoming artists to grow their fan base and sell more albums.
• Free content from amazing Featured Artists.
• Earn trophies and go for the top spot in the online leaderboards

It’s available for free, so there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t download it and give it a go. You’re also good to go on not only your iPhone, but the iPad too.

• Free – Download Now

EA Access subscribers on Microsoft’s Xbox One console can now download the free trial for Battlefield Hardline. The trial offers a taste of what’s to come in the upcoming “cops vs robbers” first person shooter, before it is released on March 17.

LG’s G Flex 2 is now available through Vodafone in the UK. The mobile operator today announced the smartphone on its Red 4G plans, throwing in a free LG G Watch R for those who make the purchase.

Gameloft has released Dungeon Hunter 5, the latest game in its fantasy-themed action-RPG series. The free-to-play game is available for the iPhone and iPad.

We managed to sneak in some hands-on with Dungeon Hunter 5 last week before today’s official release. Here’s a breakdown of what players can expect:

• Embark on a Single-Player Campaign through 5 Realms and countless dungeons – While seeking vengeance for your forsaken, embark on an immersive journey as our spirit-imbued hero through the five shattered realms, and become known as the most notorious Bounty Hunter of them all.
• Co-operative Gameplay – Hire your friends or other players as Allies to help you on your journey of vengeance and bounty hunting.
• Asynchronous Multiplayer – Customise your Stronghold with a large variety of creatures, manage and defend it, and raid opponents’ Strongholds to ravage their loot.
• Daily and Weekly Events – Daily dungeons will reward your demon-killing skills with unique materials to evolve and fuse your gear, while weekly Wanted Challenges will require you to get on top of the leaderboard to get the best rewards.
• Unrivaled Hack ‘n’ Slash Action – Discover how the animations and controls have been revamped to deliver the most amazing combat moves and even more satisfying deaths.
• Superior Graphics – DH5 offers AAA graphics and intricate details to bring the game and story to life.

Keep in mind that while the game is free to download and play, it does contain in-app purchases. If you’re a fan of the series, give the latest release a try and let us know how you get on.

Download Dungeon Hunter 5 from iTunes – Free with IAP

Gameloft has released Dungeon Hunter 5, the latest game in its fantasy-themed action-RPG series. The free-to-play game is now available for Android devices.

We managed to sneak in some hands-on with Dungeon Hunter 5 last week before today’s official release.