Popular keyboard app for Android SwiftKey has released an update that allows you to change the size and layout of the keyboard in many ways. First of all, you can now select from five different sizes for the keyboard to one that suits the size of your phone or tablet’s display the best.

Secondly, you can also alter the layout of the keyboard. You can have the traditional layout, split layout where the keys are split from the middle to make typing on easier on larger devices and a compact, one-sided layout, such as the one first seen on the Note II, that lets you type singlehandedly without having to stretch your thumb. Read more »

Google has updated the Android version of the Hangouts application with several new features. As we have seen on the Nexus 5, the Hangouts app now supports SMS and MMS, which means you can send and receive text messages from within Hangouts and they will appear along with your Hangouts chats. Unlike the Nexus 5, however, you can disable the SMS/MMS functionality if you want and continue using the stock messaging app on your phone.

Another addition is the ability to set your mood. You can now choose from one of the Hangouts emoji as your mood that gets displayed to anyone who messages you. You can also choose to announce the device type you are messaging from (phone or PC) or whether you’re in a call. Lastly, you can now also insert your location and animated GIFs in a chat. Read more »

The folks at Android Authority have a made it a habit of dropping various new smartphones. The Google Nexus 5 is the latest victim that goes crashing against the pavement.

The Gorilla Glass on the previous edition of the Nexus was good enough to survive a fall, but can the Nexus 5 avoid a shattered glass? Well, let’s find out! Read more »

NimbleBit and LucasArts has just released Star Wars: Tiny Death Star for most major mobile operating systems.

The game was announced exactly one month ago, and is based upon Tiny Tower – a popular block stacking game with a city building theme. Read more »

Verizon users that are waiting for the 2013 ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 to arrive with operational LTE will have to hold out for a bit longer. During September, Verizon refused to activate Nexus 7 devices on its network because it wasn’t part of the carrier’s lineup.

This time around the culprit is “systems issue” caused by Android Jelly Bean, requiring ASUS and Google to “undertake additional work.” Verizon has decided to hold off certification of the device until KitKat arrives bug-free. Read more »

Ubisoft has released the successor to the terrific Rayman Jungle Run on iOS and Android. Called Rayman Fiesta Run, the new game brings brand new levels, revamped visual design and music to the much loved gameplay.

We reviewed Jungle Run back when it came out on iOS and had loved the incredible visuals, fast paced gameplay and amazing music. Fiesta Run maintains the single tap gameplay mechanism, where all you have to do is use a single finger to tap on the screen to jump at the appropriate moment and not have to worry about any other controls. This is great for touch devices as too many controls makes the experience worse, not better and one of the reasons why Jungle Run was so well received. Read more »

The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 moniker is really the name of three different phones – one is a regular entry level Android phone, the other is a dual-SIM handset and the third one packs 4G LTE connectivity.

Today we have the dual-SIM variant on hand in our studio, so join us as we take a look at what makes the latest entry-level Samsung droid work. Read more »

The Pebble smartwatch has been gaining in popularity since its release, and the promising Kickstarter project has led to a full-fledged company now with some 190,000 Pebbles sold worldwide. With this latest update, Pebble has announced full support for iOS 7 notifications.

Alongside extended notifications support for, Pebble has also announced the release of version 2.0 of its SDK. Read more »

Archos has launched a new large Android tablet, the 101 XS 2. It has a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 resolution IPS display and Archos Coverboard keyboard that snaps magnetically to the tablet and acts as a cover, keyboard and a kickstand.

On the inside is a quad-core Cortex A9 CPU clocked at 1.6GHz and Mali 400 MP4 GPU, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage space with microSD card. The tablet has 2 megapixel cameras on the front and back. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Read more »

As usual, the folks from iFixit gave the LG Nexus 5 a proper teardown shortly after its announcement. The latest and greatest Google smartphone achieved an impressive repairability score of 8 out of 10.

The Nexus 5 is held together by plastic clips which are stubborn, yet easy to open with a simple tool. Read more »

After appearing in rumorland, the Verizon Ellipsis is now official. Verizon’s first tablet is 4G LTE enabled and will rub its shoulders against the likes of Google nexus 7.

As the name suggests, Verizon’s Ellipsis is a 7-inch slate with a 720p IPS LCD display. Read more »

The recent trend smartwatches has been popularized in part by Sony, who have already seen enough time go by since their first iteration to see a SmartWatch 2 device to market.

The SmartWatch 2 features a stylish Xperia-inspired design complete with color touchscreen, and aims to compete directly with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Gear. Read more »

Asphalt 8: Airborne is a great new addition to the popular Gameloft franchise of rubber-burning games and up until now has been $0.99 on the Google Play store. Now Gameloft has made the game free on Android just like it did for iOS not long ago.

Gameloft is also en route to deliver the first major update to the game, bringing along the new Renault Clio R.S. car, Limited Time Cups and more. The update is already live on the title for iOS so it’s expected to hit droids soon too. Read more »

Last week the Federal Aviation Authority in the United States issued a ruling which allows the airlines to expand the use of personal electronics during flight. Today, Amazon decided to celebrate the occasion with a one-day sale of its Kindle family of tablets.

Today only, users can snag an Amazon Kindle tablet with 15% off its regular price. Read more »

The Meizu MX3 review is complete and it’s come time to get into the details of the phone’s battery life. This is merely the fourth smartphone the likable Chinese phonemaker has put out, and it comes in as an all-round update of its predecessor, the MX2.

From the display to the CPU, to the design, to the software, everything has been revamped. This also includes the battery. Whereas the Meizu MX2 boasted a 1800mAh battery, its successor now has a 2400mAh unit. This is a big jump that should provide a solid boost in battery life all the while giving power to the hungry Exynos 5410 octa core chip and 1080p display. Read more »