Ask AC: Is it safe to use the Amazon App Store?

Amazon is in a tough spot because of Google’s “all or nothing” Unknown sources setting.

Since we’re all fairly concerned about mobile security on a personal and professional level, we recommend that the phone in your pocket and full of your personal data has a locked bootloader and “Unknown sources” left unchecked. If you find a trusted app that needs to be sideloaded, disable the setting again once you’ve installed it. It’s the last barricade between your data and an app that hasn’t been vetted for safety.

Because we take this stance, more than a few folks have written in with the same question:

Is it safe to use the Amazon App Store? It requires Unknown sources be enabled.

First, thanks to everyone who asked. We love it when folks try to get the answers they need and try to help as much as we can.

The Amazon App Sore is a dilemma. The problem is that it can update apps over-the-air like Google Play or the Apple AppStore but to do this in needs the Unknown sources setting to be enabled. That means if you did sideload a nasty app that wants to install other, possible nastier, apps you let them try it. That’s what Unknown sources is — it allows sideloading of apps that didn’t come from Google Play and have the right signature.

Amazon does a good (4 stars; would buy again) job vetting the apps they put in their store. Apps must be approved before they are published — the same method Apple uses — and so far, we haven’t heard of any slipping through the cracks and being harmful in any way. While Google has no public opinion of Amazon and their ventures with Android, BlackBerry has embraced them and it’s an approved way to run Android apps on BlackBerry 10 devices. Their store is safe, and the apps you download from them are safe.

The hard part is offering a suggestion that works for everyone in this case. There just isn’t one. As much as I hate to do it, this one gets two answers.

• If you’re a casual Android user — you don’t read blogs every day or fiddle with settings and tweaks on your phone — leave the unknown sources box unchecked and skip the Amazon App Store. You’ll find most of the apps in Google Play, and there’s a good chance they will be a more recent version. This isn’t fair to Amazon because they do run a tight ship, but that’s just how Android works. This setting is an all-or-nothing thing.

• If you are an enthusiast-type, go for it. Either manually toggle the setting when your phone tells you there’s some sort of update, or run wide open and use good judgment for every app your download and install. You know the risks, and you own the hardware, so do what you please with it. Just be careful. Do it for old Uncle Jerry.

All this is more of a precaution that a reaction to anything. Malware isn’t unheard of on Android, but the numbers you hear from companies who make money selling you security apps aren’t quite as sensational when you consider the scale — there are about 1,600,000,000 Androids out there. And that’s only counting the ones that have Google services installed. 10,000 is 0.000625% of the install base, and even 1,000,000 is less than 1%. But there’s always a chance some crafty guy or gal can find a way to get your stuff. Do everything you can to keep your stuff safe.

The Ultimate Guide to Pokémon Go

Once you’ve learned the basics, it’s time to dive deeper into Pokémon Go.

If you’re here it’s because you want to become the best Pokémon trainer that you can be. If you’re just getting started with Pokémon Go, then you should check out our guide to getting started before diving in here. This guide is for those of you who are grinding levels, capturing Pokémon and taking over Gyms.

As you know by now, there is a lot going on with Pokémon Go, and we’re going to detail most of it out for you here.

Level Up

To become the best Pokémon trainer out there you’ll need to level up not only your Pokémon, but your avatar as well. You’ll level up by earning experience for actions you take in the game. This means everything from checking in at Pokéstops or Gyms, to catching and evolving Pokémon. This means that most actions will give you at least a little bit of XP, but after the first few levels you’ll see that it starts to take much longer to get to the next level.

That’s when using a few tricks to get as much XP as possible come in to play. To do this you’ll need to use a few different items to maximize the XP that you can earn. The first item that is essential for grinding through a level is a lucky egg. When you activate a lucky egg, your XP earned is doubled for thirty minutes.

Read More: Tips and tricks for Pokemon Go

Read more: How to level up your trainer

Now while you earn XP for checking at Pokéstops, it isn’t particularly substantial. Especially when compared to the XP earned for catching and evolving Pokémon. There are two easy ways to make that lucky egg even more useful. Waiting to evolve your Pokémon until you have several that are ready to go will get you enough XP that you can make serious headway into the next level. Likewise, if you set off a lucky egg at a Pokéstop with an active lure you’ll reap the benefits.

By wandering through areas that are swarming with Pokémon activity and Pokéstops, you can also make the most of your time. That’s because more Pokemon will appear in areas with a lot of activity, and areas with lots of places to check in attracting droves of players. It shouldn’t be hard to find an area that has several Pokéstops and a Gym all within close vicinity of each other.

Working with your team

After you hit level 5, you’ll be able to join a team. While there isn’t any serious difference between the three teams, you’ll be working with your team members to win and hold Gyms. That means that communicating with your team members can make taking over a gym much, much easier.

As of right now there isn’t a way to speak with other players inside of Pokémon Go, which is a serious shame. What you can do is reach out on other social media, or take a walk with your real friends who are members of your faction. While communicating with other players isn’t mandatory it’s a fun way to enjoy the game and make new friends at the same time.

More: Which team should you choose?

By communicating and working with your team, you can easily take over multiple gyms and make them much more difficult for opposing teams to take back over. You can also find out where specific Pokémon are spawning, or where Pokéstops that you didn’t know about are located.

Become a Gym master

So you’ve collected some Pokémon and now you’ve got your eye on the Gym around the corner, eh? Well there are definitely a few things that you ought to know before you decide to head over and challenge that level 5 Gym. The first thing that you need to consider is the strength of the Gym that you plan on taking over.

A Gym’s level indicates how many Pokémon are currently holding it. You can see this by tapping on the nearby Gym. When the Gym opens up on your screen you will be able to see the Pokémon and trainer currently holding the Gym. If multiple Pokémon have been stationed here, you can see each of them by swiping from side to side. You’ll also be able to see the CP (Combat Points) of each individual Pokémon who is inside of the Gym, and that’s the important part.

More: How to capture a Gym

Before you decide to challenge a Gym you need to make sure that both you, and your Pokémon are ready for the challenge ahead of you. Your roster of Pokémon needs to be strong enough to take on the Gym’s defenders. This means taking a look at both the type of Pokémon that you’re planning to use and whether they will be effective, along with whether their CP is up to snuff. Additionally, making sure that you have potions to bolster their HP, and revives for after the battle are also key.

When it’s time to fight for the Gym, a separate mini-game will open up. It’s here that you’ll need to attack with your Pokémon of choice, hopefully defeating the defender and taking the Gym for your team. It’s here that your choice in Pokemon really matters. That’s because certain types of Pokemon are vulnerable to other types, or specific types of attacks.

By being able to see exactly which Pokémon you’re up against, you can tailor your roster to be most effective.

If you can launch attacks that are super effective against the Pokémon you are battling, then even a Pokémon with a lower CP can end up coming out on top. Unlike in the original Pokémon games where many of your battles would be random, Pokémon Go trainers have a leg up. By being able to see exactly which Pokémon you’re up against, you can tailor your roster to be most effective.

Don’t forget that you get a pretty awesome perk for holding a Gym for 24 hours. Each 24 hour cycle that you manage to hold on to a Gym, you’ll receive Pokécoins. Since these coins are how you purchase extra items and upgrades from within the shop, getting them without shelling out your hard earned cash is fantastic. Just remember that after the battle, whether you win or lose you’ll need to use a Revive on any of your Pokémon who fainted.

Tracking Pokémon

Now it won’t take long before you end up seeing a photo of a Pokémon that you desperately want in your roster. Whether you’re after a Vulpix because of how cute it is, or a Snorlax for that fantastic CP, tracking Pokémon will pop into your head soon enough. Now, at the bottom right of your screen is a box that shows nearby Pokémon and you can use this to figure out where Pokémon in the area are. To a point anyway.

The nearby Pokémon inside of the box, will show you a set of tracks underneath it. You can use this as shorthand to tell how far away a Pokémon is. A single track means that the Pokémon are very close by and might pop up at any time, two tracks means they’re somewhat close, and three means that they are quite far away.

If you head to a nearby pond, lake or beach, then you are going to find more water type Pokémon.

A trick that is easy to miss is that you can choose which nearby Pokémon to track. Tap on your targeted Pokémon, and it will fill that box on the lower left of your screen. If you turn in a circle while keeping an eye on your screen, you’ll see the box pulse green when you are facing in the correct direction. As you begin to walk it should continue to pulse green every so often so long as you are still headed in the right direction.

As well as using the nearby Pokémon, you can find specific types of Pokémon in areas that are similar to their Pokémon type. For instance if you head to a nearby pond, lake, or beach then you are going to find more water type Pokémon such as Horsea or Magikarp. There is also a lot of conversation going on in groups online about where to find specific Pokémon spawning.

Get the most out of your items

There are plenty of items that are in the game to help you out in various ways. Getting the most out of the items that you collect will make sure that you aren’t wasting your precious resources. Now some items, like Pokéballs or revives, are going to be used and refilled on a regular basis just by playing the game. However, making sure to time when you use items like Razz berries, lures and incense will make sure you get the most out of them.

More: How to use a Razz Berry

More: Recover Pokeballs that don’t hit their targets

More: How to buy and use Pokecoins

Using an incense while you are sitting in the living room watching Netflix might make your movie night more amusing, but if all you draw are low level Pidgeys and Rattatas then you aren’t really getting the most bang for your buck. Instead wait until you’re in an area where there are Pokémon that you need to collect for candies, or unknown Pokémon nearby. Likewise, when using a Lure when you’re in an isolated Pokéstop might not be as effective as using it at a Pokéstop with a lot of traffic already.

While you can get coins from holding a Gym for 24 hours to use in the shop, the easier way to get them is by checking in at Pokéstops. Each time that you check in, you’ll get a variety of items. In the beginning it’s usually just Pokéballs, and Eggs, but as you level up the type of items that you get will level up as well.

In closing

This isn’t by far everything that you need to know about Pokemon Go, instead it’s what you need to know to really get the most out of the game. As we continue to see updates there is only going to be more to do, see, and discover. This guide is meant to help you get the most out of your experience with Pokemon Go, so that you can be the best possible trainer you can be! Do you think we’re missing something in this guide? Do you have some tips that we should know about? Be sure to let us know about it in the comments!

Pokémon Go

• Join our Pokémon Go forums!
• How to deal with GPS errors in-game
• Which team should you choose?
• How to play without killing your battery
• The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!

Nintendo’s new console revealed, but it’s not what you expected

Nintendo has officially revealed its next console, but it isn’t the long-awaited Nintendo NX. We still have to wait for more details on that particular beast.

Instead, the next console the Japanese gaming giant will be manufacturing and selling is the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition.

It’s a tiny version of the company’s first console with 30 games pre-installed.

Nintendo

It comes with a NES controller, with a port for an optional second gamepad on the machine, and is a step-up from the original device thanks to a HDMI output.

• Nintendo NX: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

It will be in stores from 11 November priced at $59.99 in the States. A second NES controller will be priced at $9.99. A Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro can also be used with the new NES – they were both released for Wii and Wii U owners to get authentic experiences when playing Virtual Console games on their machines.

The console will be available in the UK too, although an official price is yet to be revealed. We guess around £50.

The games included with the NES Classic Edition are:

• Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
• Donkey Kong
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Double Dragon II: The Revenge
• Dr. Mario
• Excitebike
• Final Fantasy
• Galaga
• Ghosts’n Goblins
• Gradius
• Ice Climber
• Kid Icarus
• Kirby’s Adventure
• Mario Bros
• Mega Man 2
• Metroid
• Ninja Gaiden
• Pac-Man
• Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
• StarTropics
• Super C
• Super Mario Bros.
• Super Mario Bros. 2
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Tecmo Bowl
• The Legend of Zelda
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

If you can’t wait until November to get your retro gaming fix, you could always build your own, multi-platform retro console, like we did. You can find out all about it here:

• How to build an amazing Raspberry Pi 3 retro games console for just £50

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition, and no one expected Monty Python in Skype

We’re not sure whether this is a joke or not, but Skype has announced a collaboration with Monty Python, launching a selection of Mojis.

“What are Mojis?”, you ask. Last year, Skype introduced Moji into Skype, which are short video clips designed to give you another avenue to expressing yourself. There’s a selection of Moji from different sources – Hollywood, the BBC, and big games like Angry Birds and others.

Like Giphy in Slack, the idea is that you can make chat more interesting by adding Moji. Now you’ll be able to make things even more whacky with Monty Python Moji, drawing moments from the Life of Brian, Holy Grail and Flying Circus.

He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy.

“We welcome Moji Python’s magic moments. It’s easy to forget how gown-breaking and auspicious Monty Python was and how well, millions of years later, these ice-cream culinary moments stand up. Unlike most of the team. Please help us. Thank you,” said Michael Palin in perfectly irregular Python parlance. 

The Python Moji will be added to the regular Moji picker in the latest version of Skype, so make sure you update the app, to add something a little zany to your Skype conversations.

If you want to escape the current Pokemon Go insanity, here’s some insanity 1970s style.

Pokemon Go: How to take amazing Pokemon photos

With Pokemon go installed on just about every phone on the planet, you’ll have no doubt seen plenty of photos of Pokemon in strange places – perfectly placed, you might say.

That’s thanks to Pokemon Go’s use of augmented reality – or AR – superimposing the Pokemon in-game character into your real world view, thanks to the phone’s rear camera. 

Those photos are now filling up social, as everyone shares the Pokemon they’ve found and captured and in all sorts of weird places. 

But how are they doing it? Stick with us and we’ll talk you through it. 

Pokemon Go: How to take a Pokemon photo

The option to take a photo of a Pokemon in the “real” world is built into the game.

When you spot a Pokemon on the map, tap to capture them.
This flips you into AR mode for the catch, with the camera icon on the right-hand side of your screen. Tap this
Using the in-app camera you can then take a picture.
Photos you take are saved to a Pokemon Go folder in your phone and you can then share them from there.
Remember to press the back arrow to return to the game and capture the Pokemon. Whoo!
Pocket-lint

When you take a photo using the in-app camera, your Trainer name is overlaid on the picture. If you want a screenshot including the Poke Ball and so on, you’ll have to use the screenshot function on your phone instead.

Screenshot Pokemon Go on Android

To take a screenshot on Android, usually you have to press and hold the volume down and standby button at the same time. You’ll then see the screen saved to the screenshots folder for sharing. Some Android phones offer a different method, such as palm swiping on Samsung, but you should be able to find the button combo easily enough.

Screenshot Pokemon Go on iPhone

To take a screenshot on iPhone is simple. You just have to press down the standby button and the home button at the same time. Again, you’ll see the screen captured, ready to be shared. 

Pokemon Go: Taking Pokemon photos in crazy places

Many of the Pokemon you catch will be on a street or in a park, in places that aren’t particularly special and don’t make interesting photos. However, you can easily move things around once you’ve found the Pokemon you want to photograph and photo them anywhere you want. 

Pocket-lintFind a Pokemon to catch and tap on that Pokemon to enter the AR view on your phone.
Then press the standby button on your phone to send it to sleep.
Move to somewhere more interesting where you want to take your photo.
Unlock your phone and you’ll return to the view of the Pokemon but in your new location. 
You can then screenshot or use the in-app camera to take a funny or more interesting picture of that Pokemon in a strange place.

This is how we got Drowzee on the carpet at the Star Trek Beyond premier in London, for example.

Happy snapping!

• Pokemon Go: How to play and other tips and tricks
• Can’t get Pokemon Go in your country yet? Here’s how to download it now
• What is Pokemon Go and why is everyone talking about it? 
• Pokemon Go: Best, worst and craziest places people have found Pokemon
• London through the eyes of Pokemon Go
• Pokemon Go: 11 amazing, mind-boggling facts about the AR game
• Pokemon Go: How to catch Pikachu as your first Pokemon

Huffington Post makes VR a staple of its newsrooms

At the rate things are going, you might have a hard time avoiding online virtual reality. The Huffington Post (owned by AOL and Verizon, just like us) is launching players for 360-degree and VR content on just about every platform it uses. You’ll logically see them in articles on the web (both desktop and mobile), but the outlet is also promising immersive experiences in its Android and iOS apps. You’ll first see the technology in action during Ryot’s coverage of the Republican National Convention when it starts on July 18th, and it should reach all of HuffPo’s international editions. VR won’t just be reserved for the occasional experiment, we’d add — the aim is to use it whenever it makes sense.

The initial focus is on reaching the widest audience possible through both conventional web browsers and Google Cardboard-style VR viewing, so you won’t have an official means of looking at it on your HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. However, the site says it’s “looking at” support for more advanced VR headsets in the future.

Yes, we know — HuffPo is a sister site, so you’d expect us to mention what it’s doing, wouldn’t you? (No one told us to write this article.) However, it could still be a big deal whether or not you’re interested in what Ariana Huffington and crew have to say. It’s a well-known website making it a point to offer VR as a matter of course — this might be a bellwether for the success or failure of VR on the internet as a whole.

Source: Ryot (Huffington Post)

Apple’s ‘Shot on iPhone’ Campaign Gets a Makeover in France for Bastille Day

Apple has changed the homepage of its French website to celebrate Bastille Day, with a few images that use the inspiration of the company’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign as a basis for the country’s national flag colors. Each blue, white, and red section cycles through a few photographs taken by French iPhone users and, like the traditional ad campaign, marks their photographer at the bottom of every image.

The company has also taken the campaign to the streets, posting a billboard of the French-inspired Shot on iPhone images in various locations around France. The color-focused Bastille Day ad comes after Apple expanded the Shot on iPhone campaign to feature more “bright, vibrant colors you’ll find in the world around you.”

#BastilleDay #Paris #ShotOniPhone pic.twitter.com/R1O609shB5

— Lee Clow (@_clow) July 14, 2016

Apple began the Shot on iPhone campaign in 2015, showing off the camera capabilities of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and eventually revitalized the ads with the upgraded photography of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The company also branched the campaign out into a growing list of succinct TV commercials and holiday-specific celebrations, like its Mother’s Day ad earlier in the year.

Tag: Apple ads
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Eddy Cue Says Apple ‘Not Trying to Create TV Shows,’ But Willing to Help Where Possible

Apple executive Eddy Cue, who oversees services like the iTunes Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, Siri, Maps, and iAd, sat down for a wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the future of Apple TV, the company’s relationship with Hollywood studios, and more.

When questioned about the original programming space, Cue said Apple is not in the business of trying to create TV shows, nor is it trying to compete with the likes of Netflix or Comcast. Instead, he said Apple may “help” producers, as it is doing for Planet of the Apps.

We’re not in the business of trying to create TV shows. If we see it being complementary to the things we’re doing at Apple Music or if we see it being something that’s innovative on our platform, we may help them and guide them and make suggestions. But we’re not trying to compete with Netflix or compete with Comcast.

Cue also downplayed rumors about Apple’s interest in purchasing Time Warner, stating that the company is “not actively trying to buy any studio” right now.

In general, there’s always a lot of speculation across many different companies, and some of that relates to the fact that we have a lot of money and so, therefore, we can afford to make acquisitions. So we have a lot of discussions with [Time Warner], but I don’t want to speculate. We’re not — at this point, certainly — actively trying to buy any studio.

Cue said Apple is only interested in entering the content space when the projects are tied to its existing products, which for now is Apple Music.

The rest of it is about giving [talent] a platform that allows them to be creative in new ways. If I was an agent, I would be very, very excited about what Apple is doing because it lets the people that I represent be able to do more.

Cue said he makes business trips to Los Angeles, where Apple has a growing team surrounding Apple Music and Beats, about five to six times per month. Apple’s relationship with Hollywood, which began with Steve Jobs, is said to have “gotten better and better” over time as the industry warms up to Silicon Valley.

Yesterday, Apple posted an open casting call for its upcoming original TV show Planet of the Apps, an unscripted program about apps and the people who make them. The series will be spearheaded by executive producers will.i.am, Ben Silverman, and Howard Owens, with filming to take place in Los Angeles in late 2016 and early 2017.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Tags: Eddy Cue, Time Warner
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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