The Defendroid adds a new twist to classic block busting games (Review)

Overview

Ball and paddle-style games were all the rage in the early days of computers and The Defendroid wants to offer a trip down memory lan while adding its own twist.

Developer: Takeshi Games

Cost: Free (in-app purchases)

Impressions

In theory, Defendroid is a fun remake of the classic block-busting game in a new crazy style. It requires the user to tilt the smartphone left or right in order to control the paddle meant to catch the ball.

The game is unique because it creates a curved playfield, which in my experience made gameplay quite challenging.

The goal of the game is to eliminate all the blocks by bouncing a ball toward them using a paddle at the bottom of the play area which moves circularly. If the ball manages to make it past the paddle and through the bottom of the visible area, you lose one life. It seems quite straightforward but…

I for one, found the whole experience quite counter-intuitive and had to spend quite a few minutes trying to figure out how to move the pad properly. I found the secret is to try and move the paddle as slowly as you can. You have to be extremely careful not to tilt the phone too fast or else risk the pad going haywire. But at times my phone did not detect the gentle tiltings, so I had to resort to brusquer movements, which sadly got me nowhere.

You can try and adjust the sensitivity in the game’s settings and see what works best for you. Gamers also get controls for Music Volume and Effects Volume. There’s also the option to turn on/off Screenshake.

Once the ball hits the alien forcefield, you’ll be able to start collecting the falling power-ups which include yellow, green, blue or red coins. Some power-ups throw an extra paddle or two into the mix – making it easier to hit and control the ball – but the effect is extremely short lived! Don’t forget to avoid the bad power-ups.

Another super annoying thing about this game are the constant ads. Die three times in a row and an automatic popup shows up in your face – which you can only skip it after a few seconds. It was extremely frustrating to have my endless spree of deaths interrupted by these ads. I even gave up playing a few times and returned to the game after regaining my calm. Yeah, you can remove ads, but that will cost you $0.99. You can also buy extra coins for $0.99 and up.

You start playing with a white ball, but there are plenty other (of different colors) to unlock in exchange for points. Gamers can earn badges for hitting different milestones including a certain number of games played or tiles broken. As you play and play, you’ll also be able to unlock different skins. Furthermore, the game offers the chance to choose between multiple game modes including Classic and Endless.

At this point, I am not sure what happens if you break all the blocks, whether you are advanced to a whole new difficulty level or if the game ends. I’m still trying to break past the first two layers of alien bricks and I have a feeling I will be stuck here for a while.

Conclusion

Defendroid tries to put a modern spin on the whole block and pad idea, but it seems to me the game needs to become more intuitive to use. Also, the developers should include a quick tutorial on how to play the game, the first time you start the app – just in case people did not read the description on the Google Play Store. But all in all, it’s an interesting, challenging game I’m not going to stop playing for now.

Download The Defendroid from the Google Play Store

Stressed out? Science says a heartbeat-mimicking wearable can calm you down

Why it matters to you

The new study suggests that a rhythmic vibration delivered from a wearable could make your days less stressful.

Feeling anxious? A wearable that mimics the vibration of a heartbeat could help you relax in stressful situations, according to a new study out of the Royal Holloway, University of London.

The device is dubbed “doppel” and delivers rhythmic vibrations to the inside of the wrist. The wearable is designed to tap into our innate physiological response to rhythm — think of how physical rocking or certain kinds of music can make your feel calm, while fast-paced rhythms can make your feel anxious or excited.

doppel

“Several early doppel users have said that doppel made them feel more focused and alert especially when doppel was vibrating on a high speed,” Manos Tsakiris, a psychologist who worked on the study, told Digital Trends. “We have also done one pilot experiment at my lab to demonstrate the effect of doppel on focus and alertness. After these encouraging results the crucial issue was to demonstrate that doppel can also having a calming effect.”

To test this idea, Tsarkiris and his team simulated a stressful situation by asking subjects to prepare for a public speech, which previous studies and plenty of anecdotes have established as a pretty stressful task.

“We wanted to use a task that … makes sense for real life … is successful in eliciting stress and anxiety, and a task to which potential users can easily relate to,” Tsarkiris said. “And it seems to us that most of the working population will have to give a shorter or a longer speech at some point of their career.”

In the study published last week in the journal Scientific Reports, the volunteers wore a doppel as they were preparing for the speech, but were told the device measured blood pressure.

Instead, the device did nothing for one group and gave another group subtle vibrations, slower than their resting heart rate. The researchers recorded how anxious the volunteers said they were along with physiological markers of stress. They found that only the group who wore the device showed psychological and physiological signs of decreased stress.

“Our finding is important not only because we show the significant effect that doppel can have on the physiology and psychology of the users, but also we show it within the context of a situation that may easily arrive in our everyday life,” Tsarkiris said.

The device will is available for pre-order for 125 British pounds ($160 in the United States) and is expected to ship this summer.

Samsung VR Live Pass offers up X Games, UFC, and Live Nation events for free

Why it matters to you

Looking for fresh virtual reality content? Samsung VR has a whole bunch of fun stuff coming your way.

While Oculus and HTC are undoubtedly the biggest names when it comes to gaming in virtual reality, it’s difficult to discount the presence that Samsung has established in terms of video content designed to be viewed using the technology. Now, the company has announced plans to stream a variety of live events in VR.

In early June, Samsung will launch the VR Live Pass via the Samsung VR app, according to a report from SammyHub. The pass will offer access to a range of live events and performances that can be viewed via Gear VR headsets, offering an immersive experience no matter where the user happens to be.

The service will broadcast its first event on June 3, when UFC 212 emanates from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This marks the first time that a UFC event will be available in VR, with both a 360-degree live-stream and additional content tailored for headsets set to be on offer.

However, the main card — including the hotly anticipated UFC Featherweight Championship match between Max Holloway and José Aldo — won’t be available to stream for customers in the United States and New Zealand. Other countries that have access to the VR Live Pass will be able to enjoy the whole event, but those two regions will only be able to watch the UFC Fight Pass preliminary bouts.

In July, VR Live Pass will offer coverage of all the extreme sports action from the 2017 edition of the X Games in Minneapolis. Then, in August, Live Nation will broadcast a live music performance from a major recording artist, with more details set to follow at a later time.

Samsung is certainly adopting an intriguing strategy when it comes to VR; making the technology available without great expense to the user via its smartphones, and then concentrating on providing a steady stream of content. There’s already a great deal of Gear VR hardware out in the wild, and partnerships with the likes of the UFC, the X Games, and Live Nation are sure to give owners a reason to try out the VR Live Pass.

However, it remains to be seen how this content will be paid for, at Samsung plans to offer it to Gear VR users for free. Either the company is footing the bill to build an audience, or it will be heavily subsidized by advertising, and it’s difficult to say whether either of those solutions are viable in the long run.

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

Mytube Pro

MyTube allows you to search and listen to millions of songs on YouTube for free. Discover new music every day in genres, channels and user playlists.

Available on:

iOS

Learn Japanese

The new and improved Learn Japanese app from WordPower teaches you 4,000 of the most frequently used words and phrases in the Japanese language right on your iPhone.

Available on:

iOS

Translator

Translator Free lest you translate what you say into more than 90 languages simply by speaking into your phone.

Available on:

iOS

PNG <-> JPG

Select a photo from your photo album or iTunes file sharing, then select your image output format (JPG or PNG), and, voila, the conversion is complete.

Available on:

iOS

Interactive Tutorials

Interactive Tutorials for Xcode brings is a simple, funny, interactive learning app that teaches you about each of the features of Xcode5 and shows you how to use them in detail.

Available on:

iOS

Save Videos to Photo

The Save Videos To Photos app provides you with a way to save your home videos from your computer onto your iPhone for your mobile viewing pleasure.

Available on:

iOS

T-Mobile’s ‘Thankiversary’ promotion includes free gas for a year, other prizes

T-Mobile’s been on a roll lately. Hot off the carrier’s launch of Digits — the benefit that lets subscribers forward calls and texts to another phone, a smartwatch, or PC — the self-coined “Un-carrier” is back with another promotion.

As part of T-Mobile’s “Thankiversary” event celebrating the one-year anniversary of the launch of T-Mobile Tuesdays — a weekly promotion that gifts customers free movie tickets, ridesharing credits, takeout pizza, and more — the carrier is launching a Twitter contest: the T-Mobile “Thankathon.” Starting June 6, T-Mobile will put “tens of millions of dollars” up for grabs for eligible T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T customers, including free Lyft tickets for a year, free Baskin-Robins ice cream for a year, free gas for a year, a $2,000 StubHub gift card, and a trip for four to any event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“The carriers just love to see you sweat. But this summer, the Un-carrier’s gonna help you stay chill —with ice cream, movies and a whole lot more,” John Legere, president & CEO of T-Mobile, said in a statement. “With the other guys’ ‘loyalty’ programs, they make you prove your loyalty to them. One year ago, we changed all that. With T-Mobile Tuesdays, we prove our loyalty to you and thank you for being a customer every single week with awesome free stuff. To mark the first anniversary, we’re going big, of course!”

This summer, T-Mobile will offer tickets to four movies for $4 — less than half the average box office sticker price, the carrier points out. And on June 6, customers will get free Baskin-Robbins ice cream up to $4 in value, and a Baskin-Robbins sundae for $1 when they buy one at regular price.

The freebies don’t stop there. On June 6, T-Mobile is bringing back T-Mobile Tuesday’s “greatest hits” from last year, including a free T-Mobile trucker hat, .25 cents off Shell gas, and two free movie or game rentals from Redbox. The carrier is also offering subscribers a chance to win prizes including 5,000 $25 Lyft credits, 100 LG G6 smartphones, and more.

Since the launch of T-Mobile Tuesdays, T-Mobile says customers have claimed 44 million free gifts from Major League Baseball, Vudu, Papa John’s, Shell’s Fuel Rewards Program, Dunkin’ Donuts, Lyft, and more. T-Mobile also said subscribers ordered more than 1 million Frostys from Wendy’s and 2 million pizzas over the course of the program’s first year, as well as “millions of gallons” of free Shell gas.

“Thanks to Un-carrier benefits like T-Mobile Tuesdays, unlimited data with taxes and fees included and the nations’ fastest LTE network, T-Mobile now tops customer satisfaction scores and net promoter scores, and Un-carrier customers are more likely to recommend T-Mobile,” T-Mobile said.

Samsung’s new Notebook 9 Pro 2-in-1 is its first S Pen-equipped notebook

Why it matters to you

Fans of Samsung’s S Pen active stylus can now get it in the company’s most powerful 360-degree 2-in-1.

The Windows 10 2-in-1 market is one of the fastest growing segments of the overall PC market, and for good reason — the ability to convert a notebook into a tablet offers tremendous value. Probably the most common 2-in-1 is the 360-degree convertible, where the screen rotates all the way around, and allows for a number of useful forms.

Samsung has been a player in this market for a while now, primarily with its Spin line of mid-range 360-degree convertibles. Now, the company is jumping firmly into the high-end with the introduction of its new Notebook 9 Pro at Computex 2017.

Perhaps the most “pro-like” feature that Samsung is introducing to the segment is its S Pen active stylus, which fully supports Windows 10 Ink. The Notebook 9 Pro is the company’s first non-tablet device to feature the S Pen, and it will gain all of the same features and functionality. The Notebook 9 Pro’s version will feature 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, and a 0.7mm tip that recognizes tilt — similar to the new Surface Pen that Microsoft introduced on the new Surface Pro.

The Notebook 9 Pro will be available in two versions, one with a 13.3-inch display, and one with a 15-inch display. The 13-inch model is configured with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, while the 15-inch model comes with 16GB of RAM and the same size SSD. The 15-inch version will also benefit from an AMD Radeon 540 discrete GPU for enhanced graphics performance in productivity and creative applications.

Both screen sizes will feature Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution panels offering a wide 178-degree viewing angle. Samsung promises accurate colors and excellent brightness through its RealView Display technology.

Other features include an infrared camera for Windows Hello password-less login support and dual SoundAlive stereo speakers. Connectivity will include two USB 3.0 ports, one USB Type-C connection, and a microSD card reader. The 13.3-inch model will be 0.63 inches thick and will weigh 2.91 pounds, while the 15-inch model will be a bit thicker at 0.67 inches and a heftier 3.79 pounds.

Here are complete specifications for the Notebook 9 Pro:

Notebook 9 Pro 13-inch
Notebook 9 15-inch
Operating System:
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Home
Processor:
Intel Core i7-7500U 2.70GHz up to 3.5GHz
Intel Core i7-7500U 2.70GHz up to 3.5GHz
System memory:
8GB DDR 4
16GB DDR4
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 620
AMD Radeon 540 with 2GB GDDR5
Storage:
256GB SSD
256GB SSD
Audio:
1.5 W x 2 Stereo Speakers, SoundAlive
1.5 W x 2 Stereo Speakers, SoundAlive
Ports:
2 x USB 3.0 Type-A
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C
HDMI
MicroSD
3.5mm headset
2 x USB 3.0 Type-A
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C
HDMI
MicroSD
3.5mm headset
Wireless:
802.11 ac 2×2
Bluetooth 4.1
802.11 ac 2×2
Bluetooth 4.1
AC power adapter:
40W AC Adapter
60W AC Adapter
Battery:
54 watt-hour fast charging
54 watt-hour fast charging
Dimensions:
12.21 x 8.54 x 0.63 inches
13.67 x 9.41 x 0.67 inches
Weight:
2.91 pounds
3.79 pounds
Camera:
720p HD camera with infrared
720p HD camera with infrared
Color:
Titan Silver
Titan Silver
Software:
Wi-Fi Transfer, Wi-Fi Camera, Simple Sharing, PC Message, PC Gallery, Samsung Recovery, Samsung SideSync
Wi-Fi Transfer, Wi-Fi Camera, Simple Sharing, PC Message, PC Gallery, Samsung Recovery, Samsung SideSync

Samsung hasn’t yet announced pricing or availability for the new Notebook 9 Pro. When it arrives, however, it is likely to represent yet another premium member of the ever-growing Windows 10 2-in-1 market.

Close to the Metal Ep. 45: Computex 2017 reignites the fight between AMD and Intel

Computex, the annual hardware trade show hosted in Taipei, is in full swing, which means there’s plenty of news showing up just after midnight on North America.

Surprisingly, processors are hogging the news this year. Intel’s Core X-Series is the big announcement. The new line of chips includes models that cost up to $2,000, boasting 18 cores and 36 threads. That chip, the Core i9-7890XE, has more cores and threads than any other consumer processor, including AMD’s announced buy unreleased Threadripper.

Not all the X-Series chips are expensive monsters, however. Some of them are much more affordable, including a Core i5 model with only four cores and four threads. What, then, makes it an X-Series processor? Two things. It can be overclocked, and it runs on the new X299 platform, which supports all Intel’s latest features.

AMD’s press conference has not yet happened, but there’s already been some important news about Intel’s rival. Dell has announced Ryzen availability in its new Inspiron Gaming Desktop, as well as the Dell XPS 27 all-in-one. These are important wins for AMD, as they place Ryzen in the spotlight. The Inspiron Gaming Desktop isn’t available with Intel chips at all, and budget gamers will likely applaud that decision.

We’ll discuss all this, and much more, on episode 45.

Close to the Metal is a podcast from Digital Trends that takes a deep dive into computing and PC gaming topics. Each show, we’ll focus in on one topic, and leave no stone unturned as we show off the latest in hardware and software. Whether it’s the latest GPU, supercomputers, or which 2-in-1 you should buy, we break down the complicated jargon and talk about how user experience is affected in the real world. Please subscribe, share, and send your questions to podcast@digitaltrends.com. We broadcast the show live on YouTube every Tuesday at 1pm EST/10am PST.

Android malware ‘Judy’ makes devices click on ads in the background

Why it matters to you

Malware such as this one shows that users must beware even when purchasing apps on official app stores.

There’s a new strain of Android malware going around, and it might be one of the most annoying yet.

On Tuesday, mobile security analysts at Check Point uncovered the innocuous-sounding Judy, code that’s infected at least 41 different apps on the Google Play Store, Android’s app marketplace. Once installed, Judy opens internet links and imitates the behavior of a PC, using JavaScript to hunt down and fraudulently click on ads served by Google’s advertising platform.

Most of Judy’s ad-serving occurs in the background, but the adware also injects a large number of advertisements into applications — in some cases leaving users no option but to click on them.

The endgame is to rake in revenue by infecting as many Android devices as possible, and the Judy hackers are well on their way. The malware bypassed Bouncer, Google’s AI-powered Play Store filter that automatically flags malware, by creating a benign “middleware” app that silently establishes a connection with a remote server and installs Judy’s code.

Making matters worse, many of the infected applications had high average Play Store user ratings — in some cases four out of five stars. “A high reputation does not necessarily indicate that the app is safe for use,” Check Point said. “Hackers can hide their apps’ real intentions or even manipulate users into leaving positive ratings, in some cases unknowingly. Users cannot rely on the official app stores for their safety, and should implement advanced security protections capable of detecting and blocking zero-day mobile malware.”

According to Checkpoint, Judy infected between 4.5 million and 18.5 million devices — some as early as April 2016. Most of the malicious apps were published by Korean company Kiniwini, but it’s unclear whether Enistudio, its parent company, was complicit — Check Point researchers discovered the Judy code in apps from unaffiliated developers, but suspect that it might have been shared by another hacking group.

Given the prevalence of malware like Judy, it’s no wonder that latest version of Android, Android O, doubles down on security. It introduces new and improved device encryption, tamper-resistant hardware, and in-app Safe Browsing, a Chrome browser feature that uses machine learning to alert you to potentially harmful web content.

The new security features build on Google’s efforts to harden Android against attackers. Google’s SafetyNet, which rolled out alongside Android Marshmallow last year, verifies that devices are what they claim to be. And Google is using machine learning and statistical analysis to pinpoint potentially harmful apps.

Google’s real-time, cloud-based security platform consists of more than 20,000 processors, the company said at its Google I/O developer conference in June, and scans more than 50 billion devices every day.

Samsung’s SoundAssistant app gives Galaxy users powerful audio features

Why it matters to you

Audio is overlooked in many smartphones, but thankfully SoundAssistant will enhance playback for Samsung’s users.

Samsung has released an app granting users greater control over the audio experience on its phones. It’s called SoundAssistant, and it’s functionally an equalizer with some additional noteworthy features Android has historically lacked.

With SoundAssistant, you can set volume for individual apps and reconfigure the phone’s hardware keys to control media volume, rather than the ringer. If you are a Galaxy S8 or S8 Plus owner, you can preset output methods for each app. In other words, you can direct Spotify to default to a Bluetooth source, for example, while routing a game’s audio to your handset’s speakers.

The app also allows for 150 steps of precise volume control, as well as a pop-out, floating panel for manipulating equalizer settings and left/right balance. Users can set audio profiles, called Scenarios, and schedule them to automatically activate during certain times of the day or week.

Currently, Sound Assistant is limited to Samsung products running Android 7.0 Nougat. That’s a shame, because many of the features on offer here are quite helpful and haven’t been possible with audio apps currently sold through the Google Play Store, thanks to limited system access and permissions. Of course, Samsung doesn’t have to worry about such things when releasing an app for its own hardware — but that doesn’t mean Google and other manufacturers shouldn’t take note.

In terms of the audio experience, the Galaxy S8 is something of a conflicted product. On one hand, it is one of the few phones on the market to feature Bluetooth 5.0, which supports four times the range, eight times the data throughput, and double speed of previous versions. It also means the Samsung’s flagship can stream audio to two different devices simultaneously. Also, there’s the presence of a headphone jack — which is becoming increasingly rare among modern smartphones.

At the same time, the Galaxy S8 lacks the Quad DAC chip of some versions of the LG G6, or anything comparable to the BoomSound front-facing speakers that have made HTC somewhat famous. Samsung opted for a single, bottom-firing speaker on the device, which is often covered by users’ hands — so the placement is a bit awkward.

Nevertheless, Samsung delivered something audiophiles are sure to appreciate with SoundAssistant. You can check the app out for yourself on the Play Store.

Microsoft reportedly has new Windows Mobile smartphone, software in works

Why it matters to you

Microsoft appears to be taking another run at the smartphone market with a top-secret device that might ship with a new version of Windows Mobile.

It’s been rough going for Microsoft’s smartphone business for the better part of a decade, but the PC software juggernaut isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. According to Thurott, Microsoft is redoubling its efforts with a new device and software.

Sources tell the publication that Microsoft’s new phone, which is being tested internally, runs a never-before-seen “separate branch” of Windows Mobile, Microsoft’s smartphone operating system. It will deliver “new experiences” with an interface that’s “different than what we know today,” but reportedly at the expense of “older” applications — some Windows Mobile apps might not work on this new version, according to Microsoft.

The release date could be as little as a year away, according to Thurott.

There’s precedent for unusual smartphones from Microsoft’s skunkworks division. One of the company’s canceled flagships, known internally as the Lumia McClaren, used proximity sensors to detect when fingers were hovering over the screen. The phone’s screen stayed awake as long as you held it in your hands, and Live Tiles, the animated shortcuts on Windows Mobile’s home screen, expanded as fingers got closer. Other labor-saving features included the ability to answer calls by holding the phone to your ear, as well as the option to set the phone down on a table to enable speakerphone.

It’s one of a number of setbacks Microsoft’s mobile division has suffered in recent years.

In 2014, Microsoft acquired Finnish company Nokia for $9.5 billion, but was forced to lay off 18,000 employees when phone sales failed to turn around. Things deteriorated from there — in 2015, mounting development costs forced Microsoft to write down $7.6 billion and slash 7,800 jobs.

drserg/123rf

In 2016, Microsoft washed its hands of Nokia’s hardware business, selling its manufacturing facilities, brand, and digital services to holding company HDM Global.

But rumors of a new Microsoft-made smartphone persist. The most credible suggest it’ll come in three models — a consumer model, a business model, and an “enthusiast” model — and run Redstone 3, an unpcoming version of Windows Phone with native support for Win32 apps like Google’s Chrome browser and Adobe Photoshop.

In an interview with Marketplace’s “Make Me Smart,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company’s next phone might not look like a phone.

“We make phones today, we have (original equipment manufacturers) like HP making phones … and we picked a very specific area to focus on, which is management, security, and this one particular feature that we have called Continuum, which is a phone that can even be a desktop,” Nadella explained. “So when you say, ‘When will we make more phones,’ I’m sure we’ll make more phones. But they may not look like phones that are there today.”