Windows Phone Store Collection: Into the Shadows
For those who may not be familiar, the Windows Phone Store features a series of app and game collections that groups Windows Phone titles into a wide range of categories. Microsoft does a good job of rotating these collections and one collection that we haven’t notice recently popped up on our radar.
The Into the Shadows Collection is an assembly of Windows Phone games that will allow you to be immersed in a world of intricate shading and shadows. The gaming titles are described as featuring “slick graphics with a shadowy atmosphere”. When combined with challenging game play, these shadowy Windows Phone games can be an entertaining way to pass the time.
We’ve plucked a few of the gaming titles from the Into the Shadows Collection for this week’s Windows Central roundup. There are a few notable omissions ( Dark Lands and Darklings come to mind) and if you have a favorite game with a shadowy atmosphere that isn’t in the Collection, sound off below in the comments.
These Note 3 hard cases with kickstands are only $6.95 today
Made from a smooth and durable polycarbonate, this Note 3 SnapOn Case provides excellent drop protection thanks to the thick edging and impact resistant shell. The back features a patterned texture along with a fold-out kickstand. Get yours in black or white today and save over 50%
HTC Double Dip Hard Shell Cases for One M8 are only $12.95 today!
Made from the highest grade polycarbonate, the HTC One M8 Double Dip Case comes apart at the top and bottom, allowing different colors to be snapped into place. The case itself is extremely thin and lightweight, leaving complete access to all the features of the device.
Seven things to know about the Microsoft Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL
Some quick pointers on Microsoft’s newest Lumias
The Microsoft Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL are Microsoft’s latest devices to hit the market and both have the makings of being popular successors to the Lumia 635 and Lumia 1320 respectively. They’re well priced, have decent hardware specs for the position in the market and that same great Windows Phone experience you get on phones that cost twice as much.
So, if you just picked one up, or you’re thinking hard about it, here’s seven things you need to know.
Netflix tries to steal some of Apple’s thunder with spoof ad for Netflix Watch
It’s hard to find any news today that isn’t related to the Apple Watch in some shape or form, but we were happy to find that Netflix is trying to cash in on the attention Apple’s new smartwatch is drawing in its own unique way. Netflix today launched a spoof ad for an imaginary, but entirely hilarious, product called the Netflix Watch and unlike the Apple Watch, or any other smartwatch out there really (besides the Neptune Pine), is entirely too large to be a practical device. Check out the ad below:
“Experience total freedom with the all new Netflix Watch. Now you can view your favorite Netflix Originals directly from your wrist. Not only do you get a clear picture, quality streaming and your favorite shows and movies but it also isn’t THAT inconvenient. So for a relaxing time, make it a Netflix time,” Netflix says in the description of the video.
What do you think about the Netflix spoof ad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Netflix tries to steal some of Apple’s thunder with spoof ad for Netflix Watch appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
The Swiss Army knife of smartwatches: Victorinox is making a smartwatch, or at least something like one
When I heard the news that Victorinox is making a smartwatch, my mind immediately sprung to a Swiss Army knife like wearable with multi-purpose tools built into it. Of course, Victorinox’s portfolio extends beyond Swiss Army knives and has a very established time piece business, but looks to be adding to that business as CEO Carl Elsener said to Reuters this week that Victorinox will be entering the wearable market in 2016. Elsener stops short of outright calling it a smartwatch, instead saying:
“Our concept is something approaching a smartwatch. We’re looking… for the opportunity to expand the functions of our watches. But at the same time the watch must have a long lifespan compared to a mobile phone or a computer.”
Seems like common sense, but Victorinox has obviously identified the primary gripe with smartwatch technology to date. We’ll have to see what Victorinox comes up with – previous attempts to save battery life have ranged from more discreet notifications like on the Martian Watch and Cogito Watch, or integrating the smarts into a smart band like the Kairos T-Band, both options which haven’t quite had the uptake their touchscreen brethren have had.
What do you think about Victorinox entering the smartwatch market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post The Swiss Army knife of smartwatches: Victorinox is making a smartwatch, or at least something like one appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
We’ve got iPhone 6 bumper cases on sale today for only $4.95!
This iPhone 6 bumper features 4-corner protection against drops, and keeps the display and back of your device safe from scratches by elevating it away from flat surfaces. Get yours in any color today and save 67%
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL first impressions
The Lumia 640 isn’t the only new Windows Phone Microsoft is putting to market right now. It has a bigger brother in the Lumia 640 XL.
Both were introduced at Mobile World Congress in March and the XL stands for exactly what you think it does. At 5.7-inches, this is a pretty big Windows Phone.
Developers talk about importance of quick actions and notifications in Apple Watch apps
A number of developers have opened up about the lessons they learned while developing apps for the Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch, is generally meant for quick interactions: checking the time, looking up a score for a game, or sending a text. Brevity and simplicity are among the best practices for designing an Apple Watch app, and while some developers initially planned on simply creating smaller versions of their exiting iPhone apps, many found that they needed to re-think their apps for the much smaller screen of the watch. On the Apple Watch, notifications have become particularly important, according to The Wall Street Journal:
Adam Grossman, founder of Dark Sky, a popular weather app for the iPhone and, soon, the Apple Watch, said notifications will in some cases take the place of the app, and help developers keep interactions brief. “Who wants to keep their wrists up to their face for many minutes?” he asked.
Notifications on the Apple Watch aren’t just about getting users information, but getting them the most relevant information that they can. Travel apps like Expedia, for instance, will notify you based on your itinerary:
On the way to the airport, for instance, the Watch app can notify users of the proper terminal and whether a flight is on time. In the airport, notifications may include a reservation-confirmation number or gate assignment. On arrival, users will be notified of the location of baggage claim, the rental car or the hotel address.
Several apps have already been updated for the Apple Watch, which is available for pre-order now.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Review: Battlefield Hardline on Xbox One (with giveaway!)
Battlefield swerves away from the military to deliver fans of Xbox One a cops and robbers fantasy.
How frequent should multiplayer shooters see releases? Call of Duty enjoys a yearly launch cycle headed by three separate studios (and a bunch of additional collaborating studios). Some argue higher frequency of releases leads to stagnation. Some resent the lack of innovation, and more and more of us are refusing to purchase annual franchised game releases that fail to innovate.
Sections of the community are concerned that Visceral’s Battlefield Hardline could represent the same for the Battlefield franchise. Just how far does it go to differentiate itself from Battlefield 4, which launched just 18 months ago?
AIVAnet 