Apple’s latest App Store experiment makes finding apps easier
With more than a million apps available on the App Store, finding the right one is often more troublesome that is needs to be. In an effort to ease that burden, Apple has quietly begun testing a new related search suggestion feature that aids the discovery of new apps, displaying categories similar to your current search term. For example, when you perform a search for Twitter apps, the App Store displays related listings for “news apps,” “traffic apps” and “photo editors,” queries that loosely match what users might associate Twitter with (okay, maybe not traffic updates). In the past, app suggestions were limited to Genius recommendations and “Customers also bought”, but Apple’s latest experiment shows it may soon do more with the App Store data available to it. It’s not known whether the company is manually curating groups of apps or relying on tags and keywords provided by developers, but it’s a small peek at the future we first imagined when Apple bought app discovery service Chomp.
[Image credit: Macstories]
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile, Apple
Source: Macstories
Roku’s revamped mobile apps bring content search and a fresh look
Roku’s mobile software just got a long overdue coat of fresh paint. The remote control apps for both Android and iOS now have a minimalist (and very purple) interface, as well as search that lets you track down content based on actors, directors and similar minutiae. It’s now easier to control most any Roku device on the network, too. You don’t have to use an account for most functions, and a single sign-in will automatically log in to every device linked to your credentials. There’s still no iPad-optimized app — really, Roku? — but what’s here is definitely worth grabbing from the App Store or Google Play.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Mobile
Source: App Store, Google Play
Skitch for Android gets new, finger-friendly toolbars to make mobile annotation easier
Are you a digital doodler? Odds are, then, that you’re familiar with Skitch, an annotation app from the folks at Evernote that lets users mark up PDFs, screenshots and pictures on phones and tablets. Today, the Android version of Skitch got a bit better with a revamped set of toolbars that make it easier to indulge your doodling ways. The new layout provides access to two menus at the bottom of your screen: an icon in the bottom left corner lets you choose the color and size of your scribbles, while the icon in the lower right is tapped for access to cropping, text and other tools. Tapping either expands the options along the edges of the screen, and they disappear once you’ve made a selection. It’s a pretty slick implementation, if we do say so ourselves, but you don’t have to take our word for it, first hand knowledge is just a download away.
Source: Evernote blog
Google Now officially lands in Chrome
If you’re the adventurous type, you’ve probably been enjoying Now notifications in Chrome for a little while now. But starting today, those running the stable version of Google’s browser will be able to enjoy the benefits of Now’s preemptive search and virtual assistant. The desktop version works more or less the same as it does on mobile, except that the cards pop up from the system tray or notification area in your OS. You’ll get access to voice search, reminders for events flights etc… and you’ll even get some location-based cards like commute times. Interestingly, some of those alerts are based on the location of your phone, not your laptop or desktop. All you need to do to start using Google Now on your computer is make sure you’re signed into Chrome with the same account you use on your mobile phone. If you’re not seeing it just yet, don’t panic. As is the case with most of Mountain View’s products, it’ll be rolling out gradually over the next several weeks.
Source: Google Chrome (Google+), Google
HTC resume Android 4.4 KitKat update rollout in UK
Following the halt HTC put on the rollout of Android 4.4.2 KitKat for its devices in the UK after many users began experiencing difficulties following the update, HTC have resumed the rollout.
Customers on all the major UK carriers should begin to see the update trickle down to their devices following the lift of the hiatus.
HTC took to their Facebook page to issue a statement:
“We can confirm that the 4.4 KitKat update has now been re-released in the UK”.
The update comes with build number 4.19.401.11 and is around 308MB in size. The update is being rolled out to Vodafone, O2, and Three, as well as unlocked devices, but those devices locked to EE will have to wait since HTC state the update is still in the integration phase.
Go ahead and hit that update button in the Settings app to see if the KitKat goodness has been readied on your device.
The post HTC resume Android 4.4 KitKat update rollout in UK appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google’s Photowall for Chromecast lets you doodle on photos, beam them to your TV
Photowall for Chromecast is one of those rare official Google apps that makes its debut on iOS instead of Android. In fact, we can’t even say for sure it’ll be coming to Mountain View’s mobile OS, but there’s no reason to assume it won’t. The app itself is pretty simple: one or more people are able to beam photos from their iDevice to a Chromecast creating a collage of memories. If you want, you can even doodle on your images before putting them up for all to see. While you’ll need the app to actually send the Photowall to your TV, not everyone needs the app to add photos to the collection. There’s a simple web app for uploading pics to share. Oh, and when you’re done, you have the option of exporting the montage to a YouTube clip for passing around between friends. You can download Photowall for Chromecast for free at the source link.
Via: 9to5Mac
Android KitKat 4.4.3 could already be in testing, allegedly addresses Nexus 5 camera Bug
We know that Google is always working on something new, so we knew it would only be a matter of time before news of the next iteration of Android software come out. It’s not quite official, but LlabTooFer (who has a pretty good record of leaks) has suggested that Android KitKat 4.4.3, allegedly called build KTU72B, is currently already going testing, which suggests that it is going to be coming out sooner rather than later.
Along with the suggestions that the new build of KitKat is going through its pre-release paces, LlabToofer has said that one of the things that they update will address will be to fix a “known camera bug”. We can only assume that is the bug on Android 4.4.2 which causes unwarranted CPU usage during camera app operation on the Nexus 5; no doubt Nexus 5 owners will be happy to hear this.
Hopefully we hear more about Android 4.4.3 as it will be interesting to learn what else the update will aim to address. What would you like to see in the next Android update? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
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Assassin’s Creed: Unity brings a French flair to stealth action on PC, PS4 and Xbox One
We hope you’re making good progress on Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, because there’s already a sequel on the way. Ubisoft has unveiled Assassin’s Creed: Unity, a follow-up that takes the stealthy game series to Paris during the French Revolution. Clearly, you can expect guillotines to play an important role. You’ll get a tiny hint of the experience in the teaser video below. However, it’s worth noting that the trailer only shows Unity coming to PCs, the PS4 and the Xbox One — there’s no mention of the Wii U or previous-generation systems. We’ve reached out to Ubisoft to check on platform support, but there’s a good chance that the developer is focusing all its attention on higher-end hardware this time around.
Via: Joystiq
Source: Ubisoft (YouTube)
MLB at Bat for Windows Phone adds push notifications and pitch tracking
Opening day is here! …sort of. This year’s quest for a World Series ring kicks off Down Under today, with the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks squaring off at the Sydney Cricket Ground (yes, they’re still playing baseball). Of course, everyone else is still playing Spring Training games until the weekend of March 31st. But Major League Baseball is making sure all of its mobile app ducks are in a row ahead of time. In particular its Windows Phone MLB at Bat app is getting a long overdue update for the 2014 season. Now you can get live pitch-by-pitch tracking for games and set up push notifications for scores and news. Those features have been available on iOS and Android for quite sometime now, so this is less a major step forward and more about feature parity. But still, we’re sure those that fall in the middle of the baseball and windows phone fan venn diagram are extremely happy.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: Technet
Source: MLB at Bat
Titanfall on PCs will soon support 4K and NVIDIA’s latest graphics tricks
Many gamers already argue that the PC version of Titanfall is the best-looking of the bunch. Pretty soon, though, it won’t even be a contest. Respawn plans to update its robotic shooter to handle both 4K displays as well as a host of technology from NVIDIA’s GameWorks program, including full support for multiple GeForce cards, improved antialiasing and more realistic shadow effects. The upgrades aren’t all that surprising. Some modern video hardware is powerful enough for 4K gaming, and developers have already used GameWorks to spruce up flagship titles like Assassin’s Creed 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts. Still, the visual improvements are bound to make a big impact — Titanfall is one of the most important games of the year, and a good excuse to pick up a new gaming rig.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, NVIDIA
Source: NVIDIA (1), (2)
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