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Draw Something Introduces New Features

With over 50 million downloads to the popular Pictionary-style game, it is finally receiving a much needed update for both iOS and Android. Something that has been in need from the start is the Undo Feature. Draw Something now features the Undo Button which allows you to erase the last brush stroke you made. I have found myself wanting this feature since day one. Using the eraser all the time was such a hassle.

Knowing that Social Media is a huge way for marketing, Draw Something brought Facebook and Twitter to the game. Now, you can post your drawings to your two favorite Social Media sites. The only down fall, it’s only for iOS users. Sorry to all you Android users.

The last big update is commenting. Now you have the ability to comment on ones drawings. Keep in mind that you should never put someone down for their drawing. Some people may not have the skill that you think you may have. Treat everyone with respect and you’ll be treated with respect back.

Another update that is worth mentioning is the ability to save drawings to your device. If you really enjoy the drawing, save it! This update is available now, so get those fingers ready and draw your next rainbow!





Instagram for Android Already Has 1 Million Downloads


The exclusive iOS app, Instagram, finally makes way to Android after an incredibly long wait. It seems that Adroid users couldn’t wait to share recent photos with the Instagram community. In just under 24 hours of release, Instagram was downloaded over 1 million times.

Instagram opened up registrations to Android users back on March 24, allowing users to become “first in line” for the app. With over 430,000 people pre-registered and about 2,000 sign-ups per minute, the app was destined for great success.

If you’re an Android user, have you started using Instagram? Why or why not?




Angry Birds Animated Series Coming This Fall

Rovio still holds one of the highest played games on a mobile gaming platform, Angry Birds. Rovio just announced that it’s been in production of an Angry Birds animated series of 52 episodes.

According to Rovio, each series will run two and a half to three minutes. Nick Dorra, head of animation at Rovio, told a conference this past weekend that they want to be present on all possible screens and that the distribution partners are still being worked with.

You may remember an earlier rumor that an animated movie was due in October. Don’t get your hopes up, this isn’t due until 2015, at the earliest.

Perhaps there is more to the birds being angry at the pigs for stealing their eggs. Hopefully this series gives us all a better understand of why the birds are so angry. Are you excited for the miniseries? Will you be watching it? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.




Zynga Buys OMGPOP

For the past few days, there have been rumors of Zynga wanting to buy out OMGPOP. I’m here to lay down the rumors and let you know they are true. Zynga has made it official that they are the proud owners of OMGPOP.

OMGPOP is the company who is responsible for taking so much time out of my day to play an iOS app called “Draw Something.” With OMGPOP being valued at around $130 million, the rumors say that Zynga thinks they are worth more, about $200 million. There has been no statement of how much Zynga actually purchased OMGPOP for. Regardless, the fact that the game was only launched three months ago and has brought the company these types of numbers is staggering!

At this point in time, there is no telling of when Zynga will be branding the game. Despite the frequent crashes, no leaderboards, no chat, no archives, etc…one must wonder why Draw Something was and is such a huge hit. Maybe because of its simplicity and elegance?

I’m interested to see if Zynga will rename the application or stay with the original title. Either way, I’ll still be an avid user of the game. If you wish to play with me, start a game with TechJohnson. What do you think Zynga will do with the game? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.


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App Review: Draw Something


Draw Something has easily become one of my favorite applications on an iOS device. It’s extremely fun and addictive. I’ve always been a fan of thinking games and this one tops them all. Since the release of Draw Something, it has landed the #1 spot for free apps, paid apps and #1 word game in over 80 countries. If you ask me, that’s a pretty big achievement. To summarize Draw Something in one word, Pictionary.

Below are the “Addictive Features” as stated on the description of the App Store.

  • Play with Friends on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch!
  • No Drawing Skills Required!
  • Color Craze – Over 50 Vibrant Colors!
  • Turn-based Gameplay
  • Leaderboard
  • Bombs
  • Push Notifications
  • Much more…

I would highly recommend this application to anyone with an iOS device. I believe you are also able to download this application on an Android device. If you are interested in starting a game with me, my username is TechJohnson.



Top 5 Mobile Social Networks


With Social Networking on the rise, many people probably think about the popular sites of Facebook and Twitter. Although these are two of the world’s leading sites, what about Social Networking sites that are specifically designed for your smartphone?

Today I’m going to give you my Top 5 Mobile Social Networking sites that you can use for your smartphone. Most of these applications are design for the iPhone but in some cases, they are cross platform.

Instagram

Instagram is one of the most popular social networks on the mobile device, but it’s restricted to just iPhone users. Instagram is a must-have application for all iPhone users. Instagram is a social network that allows you to turn ordinary photos into stunning photography. You simply take a photo, choose from over 15 filters, upload the photo to Instagram and choose whether you want to push it to Twitter or Facebook. With over 14 million users, Instagram is definitely a must have. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, what are you waiting for? Instagram is free!

FourSquare

This mobile social network is also one of the world’s most popular social networks for mobile users. If you don’t own an iPhone and wish to use this application, you’re in luck. Luckily, FourSquare is a cross platform application for smartphone users.

At first glance, FourSquare is a simple concept; simply use the application whenever you visit a place. Whether you’re visiting a store, a park, your office or any other destination; use the “check in” feature to check in to your location. You may also add photos to your location, add a tip, push your location out to Facebook/Twitter and of course, gain points. Don’t leave with just that, you are also awarded mayorship of locations if you have checked in to that spot the most. You will always be awarded “badges” if you do certain tasks. Those tasks are unknown, so make sure you’re an avid user of FourSquare. Oh, did I mention that FourSquare is free!

Oink

If you’re on the iPhone and you love FourSquare, chances are high that you’ll love Oink. Oink’s theory was designed and developed by Kevin Rose. Instead of “checking in” to locations, you have the ability to review places, but things at those places – such as a specific type of beer at a bar or an item on a menu.

Just like FourSquare, Oink has integrated a way for users to gain points and unlock more features. If you’re interested in Oink, don’t worry, this application is also free!

Pinterest

Pinterest is a fairly new application for iPhone users that lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find in your life on a personalized Virtual Pinboard. Many people have used Pinterest to play their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. In theory, Pinterest is a lot like FourSquare but instead of posting one photo on a timeline, you can create a virtual pinboard. If you’re interested in this application, it’s free and only available to iPhone users.

Skout

Last on the list is Skout. Skout is basically an application that you can meet new singles in your area. Essentially, Skout is a free dating service. I’m not a user or a fan of this application, but if you decide to try it out to find a date or make new friends, always be safe and meet in a public location. I am NOT responsible for your stupidity. Good news, Skout is a free application download!

This is my top 5 list for mobile social networking. Do you use any of these applications? Which one is your favorite? If you have any others that you wish to add to this list, please feel free to leave them in the comment section.




iPad 3 to Feature Better Cameras? iPad 2 Getting Price Cut?

Conventional wisdom says Apple won’t tick off proud new owners of Xmas Gift iPad 2s by launching the next iPad at a rumored mid-January media event in New York City. But that doesn’t mean the next iPad isn’t already in production and awaiting an early Spring coming out party.

Jeremy Horwitz of iLounge claims via his Twitter account to have new intel on a new iPad 3 said to largely resemble the current slate, physically. “Curve radiuses on the body will change only a little to accommodate the added thickness, not dramatically. Think iPad 2 Pro, not a redesign,” he tweeted as part of a string of teasers said to come from an inside source. The main differences between the rumored new iPad and Apple’s current tablet? Better cameras, more pixels, and a faster processor.

The tweets detail a new iPad with a front-facing “FaceTime HD” camera and a rear-mounted 8 megapixel shooter identical to the sensor used in the current iPhone 4S. We can also expect a new, more powerful chipset to handle the increased demands of pushing four times the pixels as compared to iPad 2; the expected “iPad Retina Display” would be a 9.7-inch, 2048 x 1536 resolution IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) panel. If this pans out, it would mark Apple’s first use of IGZO display technology, likely marking the beginning of a company-wide switch from IPS (in-plane switching) technology in mobile products.

Horwitz’ source also expects a March 2012 launch for the next iPad, or roughly a year after the announcement/ship dates of iPad 2.

And, oh yeah … In typical Apple fashion, iPad 3 (or whatever it’s called) would slot in at the top of the iPad lineup and be different enough from iPad 2 to warrant a marked price separation. Specifically, Horwitz theorized about a $100 price cut bringing the 16GB iPad 2 down to $399 when the new model launches.

[via TechnoBuffalo]

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5 Apps Worth Downloading this Week

iOS Applications are probably one of the world’s most downloaded pieces of software.  I’m here to give you guys the top 5 Apps that are worth downloading this week.  I’ll be covering Temple Run, Rail Maze, Drag Racing, Amazing Breaker and Evernote.

If you would like me to ever review an application and possibly have it in this serious, please suggestions/sponsor them to me by contacting me here.

Temple Run (Free)

Temple Run is a great action filled adventure game for your iOS device.  Basically, it’s a never ending running game that’s very simple to learn and will be addicting for weeks to come.  I hope you enjoy running away from big monkeys or chimpanzees.  For a never ending game, the graphics are amazing that brings the frames to life with some 3D animations.

Features

  • Simple swipe and tilt controls that are easy to use and just feel right
  • Level up your character and use crazy powerups
  • Original 3D running mechanic combining turning, jumping, sliding and tilting – the first of its kind!
  • Play as 7 different characters!
  • Game Center Leaderboards and Achievements
  • Incredibly fun, just one more time, endless game play!

With a perfect 5 start rating in the iTunes App Store, I would highly recommend this application to all ages.

Rail Maze (Free)

“Rail Maze is an amazing puzzle game that will give you so many different options, you’ll be busy playing it for hours.”

If you’re into games that really put your mind to the test, Rail Maze by Spooky House Studios is probably a perfect match for you.  The object of the game is to get the train from begin to end by turning around tracks and avoiding obstacles and bombs.  It’s a great puzzle game for all ages.  While the game play might sound a bit corny, I promise you will become addicted in a matter of no time.

Features

  • 100+ puzzles
  • Tunnels
  • Bombs
  • Pirate Trains
  • Super long trains
  • Global online scoreboards by Scoreloop
  • 4 Game modes: Labyrinth, Build Railroad, Snake, Longest Railroad

With a current rating of 4 stars in the app store, you know it’ll be a good choice.  Game play is simple to learn but will take days to master each puzzle.  I would also recommend this application to all ages.  This application is also available for a small purchase of $0.99 for the pro model.

Drag Racing  (Free)

Being a guy that has racing in their blood, of course I’m going to choose this application for this week.  In this game, you won’t even notice that hours that have just ticked by while you’re playing this game.  Of course, if you’re not into cars, you may not enjoy this realistic drag racing game.  With over 50 cars ranging from imports to all american muscle, you will always find a car that suits you and your personality.  The game play is all about racing the opponent and trying to win.  Isn’t that how all racing games are played?  Graphics aren’t leading edge, but they are still very beautiful.

With so many features and so little time to type them all, I’ll just leave you with this.  World Records will be making its way to this application.  Wouldn’t you like to say you have one of the fastest cars in the game, world wide?

Like I said, this game might only suit those who are truly into cars but if you are not, don’t knock it.  Give it a try and you might find yourself a new and expensive life hobby!  Just stay out of trouble with the law and speeding.  If you would like to avoid seeing advertisements during your game play, a small fee of $0.99 will eliminate all ads.  With an under rating of 3 1/2 stars, this application deserves more respect and I would recommend to all ages.

Amazing Breaker ($0.99)

Interested in a game that may be more addicting then the popular Angry Birds, check this out.  The basics of this game is to toss bombs and destroy a glassy textured shape.  It sounds weird but I’m not so sure how to exactly describe it.  You will just have to check it out and take my word on this.  This application puts your mind to the task as well as steady hands and good eye judgement.  Who doesn’t like blowing things up in HD Quality graphics?

“It’s definitely a must-buy if you like challenging puzzle games”

Features:

  • Full high resolution Retina Display graphics
  • Addictive “Aim and Shoot” gameplay
  • Game Center and Achievements and OpenFeint
  • 80 Awesome Levels
  • More levels coming soon…
  • Easy to learn but hard to master
  • Explosive Excitement (literally) – create cascades of exploding crystals

If you’re skeptical about spending a misely one dollar, you can always download the free version which lets you try out 20 levels so you can get the hang of the game.  Honestly, take my word and just spend the buck.  For a well deserved 4 1/2 stars, I again, highly recommend this application to all ages.

Evernote (Free)

If you are anything like me, you love to be organized.  I have found Evernote to be an extremely helpful tool to help me stay organized while I brain storm and take notes.  Evernote lets you take notes on your iOS device on the go and it automatically syncs up with your computer if you have Evernote installed on your computer.  Evernote is also available for BlackBerry and I believe Android.  It’s not only for notes because it lets you have the ability to snap pictures and take audio notes.  There are so many fantastic little features to help you stay organized.

Features:

  • Create text, photo and audio notes
  • Auto-synchronize your notes to your Mac, PC, and Web
  • Magically makes text within snapshots searchable
  • Mark notes as “Favorite” for quick access
  • All notes include geo-location information for mapping and search

If you aren’t an organized person, you should really consider starting out and using this application.  It’s very simple to use and master and it will always look pleasing to the eye.  Evernote uses a great style when you’re typing and saving notes.  Once you get organized, you will see a bit more ease in your life goals.  Trust me!  With a 4 1/2 star rating, why not try to get organized!  Perfect for all ages but best for the business man and school student.

    



HTC launching another tablet?

It looks like it may be that time of the month again.  I don’t mean this to sound vague or wrong, but it does seem as if HTC releases a new tablet every month.  HTC just unveiled its Flyer and Jetstream devices this year and there have been talks of HTC releasing another tablet.

According to Reuters, HTC is planning to release another tablet next year.  Next year sounds so far away but keep in mind, it’s November.  One month from now, it will be the new year!

Tablet is a market we would like to try and test, to see whether we can make ourselves stand out and prevent a me-too product

All this was said by the CEO Pete Chou of HTC.

Whether all this talk is true or false, HTC will need to be much more price-sensitive to their product due to the dominating iPad and possibly cheaper Android alternatives.

There is a lot I could say about this topic but I’ll keep it short and simple for your eyes.  The bottom line, do you think HTC should release another tablet or wait awhile to see what the real competition is going to be for the year 2012?

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Does Apple feel the heat from Kindle Fire?

Since the release of Amazon’s Kindle Fire, there have been many speculations that Apple may be feeling heat, but is this true?  Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer will be the first to tell you that they are feeling absolutely no “heat” at all.  In fact, Apple is not concerned at all about competition from the Amazon Kindle Fire.  You might as well put Apple in a fire-proof box!

Even though the Kindle Fire has a cheaper price tag, Apple will still win the hearts from many due to the fact that it’s made by Apple.  With that being said, this will always help Apple keep the iPad on top of the competition.  Here is what Reitzes had to say:

While compatible with Android, the Apps work with Amazon products. The more fragmentation, the better, says Apple, since that could drive more consumers to the stable Apple platform. We believe that Apple will get more aggressive on price with the iPad eventually but not compromise the product quality and experience.

The real question is, will Apple change the price of the iPad 3 (if that’s what they will call it) or continue to keep the price tag higher?  Do you prefer the iPad 2 or the Kindle Fire?  Leave your thoughts.



Drag Racing App Review

If you like cars and racing and you have an iOS device, you will fall in love with this addicting racing game called Drag Racing. It’s a free application that you will literally play for hours on end. You can spend money to remove the ads and get more RP points but it’s not a big deal. If you can race well then your RP points will go up. For those of you who get annoyed with ads, it’s only $0.99 to remove them.

The graphics are absolutely stunning for an iOS game and the game play is phenomenal. I would have to give this a perfect 5/5 stars! Highly recommended and great for all ages.

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Get a Free Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with Samsung TVs at Best Buy

Now this is most certainly one of the sweetest promotions I’ve seen in some time … or at least it was at first sight. Best Buy has announced that customers who purchase select Samsung HDTVs between August 21 and August 27 will get a free Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.The free tablet is, of course, the base model — that’s the 16GB Wi-Fi only device, which Best Buynormally sells for $499.99. Only two Samsung TV sets qualify for the deal — the 46-inch 3D HDTV for $1,499.99, and the 55-inch 3D set at $1,999.99.

According to The Wall Street JournalBest Buy says this promotion is “part of a campaign dedicated to selling big-screen TVs, not tablets.” However, you have to wonder whether the struggle to sell Android tablets — or, in fact, anything that isn’t an iPad — has something to do with it.

Sarah Rotman Epps, a Forrester analyst who covers the tablet market, says that promotions like this one are the only way Android tablets can compete with Apple’s iPad:

“This [bundling] is what they should have been doing from the beginning. Other than the iPad there is no convincing standalone tablet. The only way anyone else can compete is by bundling.”

However, this isn’t one of the best bundles, according to Epps. Samsung’s 46-inch 3D set is already overpriced, with a similar LG set selling for just $999 on Best Buy’s website. “It’s like bundling two losing products together,” Epps said.

That takes a bit of the excitement out of this promotion. What looks like an awesome deal at first sight is actually a little disappointing when you realize that a similar LG set can be purchased for just $999 — $500 less than Samsung’s model.

So, if you’re looking for a TV and a tablet, but you’re not so keen on Android devices, you can pick up the LG set and a 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad for the same price you’d pay for the Samsung deal.

Which bundle would you be more interested in?

[via TechnoBuffalo]

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Angry Birds Apparel for a Baby

I’m writing this post for a number of reasons and the main reason is because I have a child on the way and I love Angry Birds.  It’s probably the most addicting game that I own on my iOS Device.  Even the tiniest of humans can get in on the Angry Brids craze.  I’m so happy that I came across this on Mashable.

I’m so glad that I will be able to outfit my son with Angry Birds attire.  Apparel ranges from bibs, changing pads, to even clothes.  Yes, Rivio has teamed up with baby product maker SwaddleDesigns.  Probably the most amazing thing, ever!  You better believe that I will be purchasing an Angry Birds product for my son when he is born in December.



Facebook Messenger App for iPhone with Video Conferencing

Facebook is one of the world’s leading Social Media sites, if not the world’s largest.  One thing that stood out with Facebook from the early stages was their IMing service or simply put, their chat.  Facebook has just released the Facebook Messenger application which is an extension to Facebook’s Messages service which will allow you to send a text message to your phone’s contacts.  Not only that, it’s able to send messages to Facebook contacts, that’s a given!  The cool thing is that Facebook is also allowing you to send pictures.  Consider that a little bonus!

As the iPhone stands out to many with this application, it’s also available for the Android phones out there.  Don’t worry, Facebook hasn’t forgotten about you like they forgotten about BlackBerry users.  What a shame!

The big thing that was released with this application was the hidden video conferencing.  They didn’t say too much about this feature but after using this application, the video conferencing was found!  With the video conferencing, I couldn’t see of a way to get the video to actually work like the iPad did after a few tweeks.  It seems to be that Facebook is trying to keep it “private” but we all know it’s impossible for them!

What do you think about this application?  Will you be downloading this application for your iPhone or Android?  Leave your thoughts in the comment section.



250GB Android Tablet coming soon?

Here’s something you can’t get with an iPad: 250GB of internal storage. Archos’ upcoming Android ”Honeycomb” 3.2 tablet will pack a 250GB hard disk drive that’s been tweaked to perform more like a flash drive.

Archos G9 combines a 250GB hard disk drive with a 4GB flash drive.Archos G9 combines a 250GB hard disk drive with a 4GB flash drive.

(Credit: Archos)

The Archos G9 will sport a 250GB Seagate Momentus Thin 2.5-inch hard drive–a mere 7 millimeters thick. Though not as compact as a 1.8-inch HDD (like Apple once used in its MacBook Air and iPod), it’s not as expensive either.

And Archos has tweaked the Seagate drive a bit to allow it to perform more like the flash drives found in practically all tablets today. 4GB of flash storage sits on top of the HDD, according to Craig TerBlanche, director of marketing for Archos in North America. Often-used data is stored in the flash component, allowing faster access than a standard 2.5-inch HDD, TerBlanche said.

All of this results in bigger bang for the buck. “You get 250GB for the same cost as a 32GB flash drive,” he said.

Another marquee feature is the 1.5GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 dual-core processor. This is the same processor that Google has approved for upcoming Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices. That means consumers can expect to see a new wave of tablets and smartphones built around the TI 4460. But Archos will likely be one of the first, as those devices aren’t expected until late in the year.

The 8-inch 250GB Archos G9 will be $369.99 and the 10-inch 250GB model, $469.99. Both are due in September

[via cnet]



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