• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• iOS
• iPhone
• App Store
• Games

Lara Croft GO by Hitman creators Square Enix launching for iOS on August 27

Cam Bunton Aug 7 2015 - 7:11 am PT

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Hitman creators, Square Enix are about to launch their next mobile title for iOS. Lara Croft GO will hit the App Store on August 27 and will feature similar gameplay to the popular Hitman GO title. The developers promise beautiful graphics and challenging stages:

Square Enix Montréal today announced that Lara Croft GO™, the follow-up to the hugely successful Hitman GO® mobile game, will release on mobile platforms Aug. 27. The turn-based puzzle game offers a never-before-seen take on the iconic franchise, featuring challenging levels, gorgeous visuals and a mesmerizing soundtrack.

If it’s anything like the Hitman GO title, the Tomb Raider inspired version is going to be frustratingly addictive and could be one of the surprise hits of the year. Hitman GO was incredibly well reviewed. Just browsing through the App Store listing shows glowing reviews. And — for once — it’s not a freemium game. So let’s hope Lara Croft’s version sticks to that pricing model.

As well as announcing the impending arrival of Tomb Raider GO, Square Enix has joined with Crystal Dynamics to launch an art contest. Artists are being invited to submit their own original Lara Croft GO-inspired artwork between now and August 21. The top 10 entries will be selected by a panel of “experts” and will be showcased during a party at PAX Prime in Seattle on August 28, one day after the game lands on the Play Store. Of these 10 entries, three will be selected to go to auction, with the proceeds going to Child’s Play, a “game industry charity”.

If you want to submit artwork, simply email info@square-enix-montreal.com with the subject line ‘Lara Croft GO Art Contest Submission’, along with your name.

• Apple News
• Apple Music
• Spotify
• Music
• streaming

Report: Apple Music customers don’t stream as much as Spotify users … yet

Cam Bunton Jul 30 2015 - 12:00 pm PT

16 Comments

Apple wants us to believe that its Music streaming service is the best thing to happen to the industry since iTunes was launched. If one report is to be believed, things might not be taking off as well as we might expect from an Apple product.

With a product as young as Apple Music, it can be hard to track how well things are going, especially since there are no paying subscribers yet. But, DashGo, a distributor of indie music has been tracking its Apple Music streams versus Spotify and seen quite a difference in the amount of time spent listening to music between either service. Apple Music streams are 1/25th the volume of streams DashGo sees from Spotify.

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• Apps
• iOS
• iPad
• iPhone
• App Store

Angry Birds 2 released for iOS, free to download on the App Store

Cam Bunton Jul 30 2015 - 3:47 am PT

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Rovio has finally released the long-awaited sequel to the original Angry Birds hit mobile game. Since the first title saw phenomenal success on the iOS App Store, the game has gone on to amazing heights with tons of spinoffs. With several official movie tie-ins, including the popular Star Wars titles, Angry Birds is the ultimate success story of the mobile app world. And now, Angry Birds 2 is available to download.

The game retains the key features, in that you fling birds with a catapult in an attempt to destroy blocks and kill green pigs. However, it does have some new features. Some levels now have multiple stages to complete, and you have to choose which bird to launch next. You can challenge other players and there are even more magic spells too, to help you complete difficult levels. As always, there are plenty of pig bosses to wipe out.

It’s free to download and has the expected in-app purchases. Download the app from the App Store.

You can watch the official gameplay trailer below
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• AAPL Company
• iPad
• Mac
• MacBook Pro
• iPhone

Apple ‘Back to School’ promo expected to go international on August 6/7

Cam Bunton Jul 25 2015 - 7:21 am PT

3 Comments

Apple recently kicked off its ‘Back to School’ promo in the US and Canada, offering customers a free pair of Beats headphones for buying a Mac. The same deal will be rolling out internationally in various countries on either August 6th or 7th (exact date depends on country). Like those in the US and Canada, European customers will be able snag a free pair of Beats Solo2 headphones with a qualifying Mac purchase, or get €200 discount on the Beats Wireless Solo2.

According to French Mac blog Consomac, Angela Ahrendts, the company’s retail chief told employees of its wider rollout plans in a short video:

“In the US and in Canada, in our stores and online, it is the season for Back to School. Kids go back to school in these countries earlier than a lot of other countries. It Will Be launching August 6 and August 7 in additional countries, again aligned to When Your kids and your students Actually go back to school.”

It’s expected that European customers will be subject to the same purchase rules as in the States and Canada. They’ll need to buy an iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air or Mac Pro with education pricing to get the free Beats. Build-to-order configurations are eligible, but Mac Mini is excluded from the deal.

This is first year Apple has given away Beats products with its Macs for ‘Back to School’ students. Last year, a Mac purchase got you a $100 gift card, and an iPhone or iPad purchase got you a $50 gift card.

Once the deal goes live in Europe, we’ll be sure to update you. As things stand, we’re expecting the roll out to begin in just under two weeks’ time.

• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• Mac
• Google
• Realmac
• Deep Dreamer

Realmac Deep Dreamer public beta for Mac turns your images into nightmares

Cam Bunton Jul 22 2015 - 7:27 am PT

1 Comment

Deep Dream has caused something of a stir online in recent weeks. Google’s neural imaging network has an uncanny ability of taking ordinary images and turning them in to something you’d normally only see if you were sleeping (or under the influence of banned substances). Now, creating your own fun and trippy images is simple.

Realmac just announced that its Deep Dreamer public beta is available to download for Mac, so you can create your own weird pics using a native app. While in its beta state you can buy a full license for $14.99. Once out of beta, a license will set you back $24.99.

If you’d rather use a free service, Dreamscope is a web app which lets you upload any photo or picture and run it through one of its many Deep Dream patterns. The end results is normally weird, scary, or both. There are 20 filters to choose from in total, some scarier than others. Depending on the size of your image, the time it takes to process your nightmare varies. I experienced anything from a few seconds to around half a minute. For extra-trippy effects, re-upload your Dreamscope’d image several times and see what happens.

Take a look at our gallery below and you’ll see some of the virtual hallucinations it conjured up for us:

If you want to create your own, head on over to DreamScopeApp.com and start uploading or check out Deep Dreamer for Mac. There’s also a gallery to look through of images created by others. Some might be NSFW, so be careful where you view them and who you view them in front of. You have been warned…

• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• Games
• Angry Birds
• Rovio
• angry birds 2

It’s official – Angry Birds 2 is coming on July 30th

Cam Bunton Jul 16 2015 - 6:11 am PT

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It seems an age since Angry Birds first rose to prominence as the best-selling mobile game going. After countless spin-offs and movie tie-ins, it’s about to get its first proper sequel. Rovio announced in a blog post this morning that Angry Birds 2 will officially launch on July 30th.

With 3 billion game downloads, millions of fans across the globe, multiple mashups and spin-offs, collaborations with A-list celebrities and much more, we’re really proud that Angry Birds is the mother of all mobile game apps. And now we’re proud to announce the mother of all sequels – Angry Birds 2!

Rovio hasn’t announced exactly what to expect or which platforms it’ll be available on, but it does say that it will make its way to “app stores worldwide” in two weeks, suggesting that it will almost certainly be available on the most popular platforms: Android and iOS.

Hit the Angry Birds 2 website to sign up and be notified as soon as it’s available. In the mean time, you can grab a bunch of the more popular Angry Birds titles for free, or just $1 in Rovio’s iOS sale.

• iPad
• iOS Devices
• iPad mini
• iPad Air 2
• Logitech

Turn your iPad into a Surface with Logi’s new BLOK keyboard case

Cam Bunton Jul 15 2015 - 4:28 am PT

9 Comments

Logitech recently announced a new branding and marketing strategy and its BLOK family of iPad cases are the first products released under the company’s new Logi brand. The Logi Blok are highly protective, colorful, square cases and keyboard covers for your iPad.

The Logi BLOK family is made up of the Logi BLOK Protective Shell, the BLOK Protective Case and the BLOK Protective Keyboard case. All have square corners, designed to protect the precious rounded corners on your iPad. What’s more, they have been tested to ensure you can drop your iPad from “up to six feet high”, on to surfaces as hard as concrete, without killing your tablet. Unlike some other ultra-protective cases, Logitech promises that these aren’t bulky or heavy.

With Logi BLOK, you get drop protection without the bulk and weight that is often associated with ultra-protective cases. Additionally, the Logi BLOK family reflects the colorful and bold new Logitech look, so you’ll see a sleek design and bright colors on each case.

The two different case options are incredibly similar to each other. From the images, it seems the BLOK Case is the same as the BLOK Shell, except with the addition of a cover and a kickstand similar to that on the keyboard case. BLOK Shell ships with a screen protector and is available for iPad Air 2 and 2nd/3rd gen iPad mini in blue or black mini for $39.99. BLOK case costs $69.99 and is only available for the iPad Air 2.

The BLOK Protective Keyboard looks to transform your iPad Air 2 in to a Microsoft Surface. It adds a versatile and adjustable kickstand to the back and a magnetic detachable keyboard to the front. Like most iPad keyboards, it connects via Bluetooth, ensuring you can continue to type even if you don’t have it physically attached to the case.

It’s available in black, teal/blue and red/violet color combinations and will set you back $129.99. You can take a look at the new keyboard accessory in the promo video:

All three BLOK products are available to order from today at Logitech.com.

• AAPL Company
• iPad Pro
• iPad mini
• iPad Air 2
• Foxconn

Sketchy rumor: iPad Pro and last new iPad mini launch in Q4, iPad Air 3 in 2016

Cam Bunton Jul 15 2015 - 12:03 am PT

6 Comments

A rumor published this morning predicts that Apple will release it’s long-rumored 12.9-inch iPad Pro alongside the next generation iPad mini during the second half of the holiday season in Q4. Both will allegedly be assembled exclusively by Foxconn. That much we knew.

Speculation from Asian sources referenced by Economic Daily News suggests that Apple wants to ensure that nothing distracts from the focus on the larger iPad Pro, meaning the iPad Air 3 launch would be pushed back until 2016. In this seemingly unlikely scenario, when a Pro tablet is eventually launched, it’s more likely to fit a niche in the market rather than be the new, main device Cupertino is touting.

What’s more, the story goes as far as suggesting that Apple might discontinue the iPad mini range altogether after the 4th generation mini. This suggestion itself is highly speculative. We’re not sure even Apple would know if the iPad mini 4 is its last mini tablet, or not, at this point in time. That seems like a decision that would be made after seeing how the market reacts to the mini 4. Perhaps Apple is planning to build a hybrid Mini/iPod touch next year?

Saying that, with the iPhone 6 Plus on the market now, Apple has a large smartphone on the market which could cannibalize sales of any small tablets it sells. Especially when the presumed second generation 6 Plus hits store shelves.

With the iPad Pro, Apple is expected to launch a large tablet to bridge a gap which may, or may not, exist between tablets and laptops. Or more specifically, between iPad Air and MacBook. With the launch of multi-window multitasking in iOS 9, a larger screened tablet seems a no-brainer. iOS 9 itself also seemingly contains code pointing towards an iPad with a larger screen and higher resolution than the iPad Air currently on the market.

As always, treat any of this information as speculation and take the appropriate dosage of salt along with it. We’re doubtful of a lot being rumored from EDN.

• AAPL Company
• T-Mobile
• United States
• 4G
• Verizon Communications

T-Mobile launches competitive new Family Plan, offering $30/per 10GB line

Cam Bunton Jul 14 2015 - 7:32 am PT

13 Comments

T-Mobile’s Uncarrier Amped moves are still going strong. Just days after announcing its cross-border ‘Mobile Without Borders’ plan, the magenta carrier has unveiled a brand new family plan.

With the new plan, two customers can get 10GB per line for $100 per month. Each additional line is then $20 per person, each with 10GB data allowance. As a special offer, T-Mobile is also giving customers a fourth line for free. Between now and Labor day, customers will be able to sign up to four lines with 10GB data on each, for $120 per month.

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• Apps & Updates
• Apps
• iOS
• Android
• Updates
• BBC

BBC iPlayer Radio app for iOS and Android gets offline listening at last

Cam Bunton Jul 14 2015 - 3:30 am PT

4 Comments

The BBC announced in a blog post this morning that mobile downloads are coming to its iPlayer Radio app just in time for the BBC Proms. For the first time – using the iPlayer Radio app – customers will be able to download radio shows (and the Proms) to listen offline and keep them for up to 30 days.  To make use of this new service, all you need to do is ensure you have the latest version of the BBC iPlayer Radio smartphone or tablet app for iOS, Android or Kindle.

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