Category: Mobile software
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BBM to soon get premium sticker packs

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BlackBerry has revealed that their BlackBerry Messenger or BBM service will soon get premium stickers for use in chats. Like, paid stickers. Involving actual money. For stickers. On BBM.

The stickers will be available for purchase from the new BBM Shop, which will be launched simultaneously. The store will be within the app itself and for now will feature several premium sticker packs containing 20-25 stickers each along with a free BBM sticker pack including stickers of current BBM emoticons. Read more »

Nokia HERE Maps will be available for all Windows 8.1 devices

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Love the Nokia HERE Maps application, but don’t have a Nokia Windows Phone handset? Well you’re in luck.

With the Windows 8.1 upgrade, all Windows-based computers with the software update will get to enjoy Nokia HERE Maps. Read more »

Opera Web Pass gives you ad-supported mobile internet for free

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Opera has been hard at work with carriers to make mobile internet more affordable than ever, and their latest Web Pass service is the latest product of that endeavor.

The service lets operators package mobile internet offerings that allow you to browse the web on a 3G network limited by time, content, or both. Read more »

WhatsApp for Android update brings updated privacy settings

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WhatsApp has released a new update (v2.11.169) for Android that brings with it some new privacy options. You can now choose who can see your ‘Last seen’, profile photo and status message. You can let everyone see it, only your contacts see it or set it so no one can see it.

The iOS version of WhatsApp has had the ability to hide the Last seen status since forever but it’s only now that the Android version received it. But along with it, it also got the ability to hide the profile photo and status message, that iOS version does not yet have. Read more »

Google introduces Project Tango

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Google is introducing an innovative and quite frankly, ambitious new project: Tango.

With Project Tango you will be able to, with your phone, capture accurate 3D models of objects, rooms, and interiors. The possibilities for Tango are many. Read more »

Samsung Galaxy S5 to bring Kids mode

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Borrowing a page out of Windows Phone’s book, the newest installment of Samsung’s Galaxy flagship lineup will reportedly feature a new Kids Mode parental control feature.

Kids Mode takes after Kids Corner in WP8, and will give you a special limited access user account for when you want to lend your Galaxy S5 to a child or someone else. Read more »

Google Currents reaches end of the road, directs you towards Newsstand

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Google Currents was Google’s content aggregating service along the lines of Flipboard for Android. The app was recently replaced by the much better Newsstand but still existed on the Play Store for users to download.

The app has now finally reached the end of the road, as Google has released an update that will essentially hide the app from your device. After you install the update, launching the app will direct you towards the new Newsstand app and the Currents icon will disappear from your app launcher. Read more »

Facebook agrees to purchase WhatsApp for $19 billion

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Facebook has agreed to purchase WhatsApp. The social networking giant will pay the staggering $19 billion for the massively popular cross-platform messaging client in cash and stock ($4 billion in cash, $12 billion in stock, and additional $3 billion in restricted stock which will vest over the four years after the deal’s closing).

As part of the agreement, WhatsApp will continue to operate independently. Read more »

Opera Max beta for Android pre-registration opens in Europe

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After opening up a beta for its Max data-saving app at the end of last year for US Android users, Opera is now broadening the reach of the app with a pre-registration for its upcoming beta for users in Western Europe as well.

You’ll need to download the app from the Google Play Store and then the app will queue you for the beta. Keep in mind that the beta will be given out on a first-come first-served basis so you better hurry. Read more »

Windows Phone gets a Swype-y keyboard: video

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Love your Windows Phone, but wish you could swipe around on your keyboard to text?

Well once you update to Windows Phone 8.1, your wish shall be granted. Read more »

Windows Phone 8.1 with fingerprint support, UI customizations

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A new WP 8.1 SDK leak points to fingerprint scanner support in the next OS update, which should put Windows Phone level with iOS and Android.

Also there will be some sort of Start and Theme customization options but it’s unknown what those will be, perhaps the option to finally choose a background wallpaper like in Windows 8.1 on desktop? Finally there’s some leaked information on how WP 8.1 will handle messaging on dual-SIM smartphones. Read more »

HTC One Max and One mini get updated to Android 4.4 KitKat

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Following HTC’s update of its One flagship earlier this month, the Taiwanese company has today outed the latest version of Android for the compact, dual-SIM and flagships version of the One lineup.

The HTC One mini, One Max, and One dual-SIM will all start receiving Android 4.4 KitKat today. Read more »

Apple and Google rejecting apps cashing in on the Flappy Bird name

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So Flappy Bird turned out to be a major success, more than even the developer had imagined, causing him to eventually take the game down. Naturally, then, everyone and their dog since then has tried to cash in on the aerodynamically challenged bird’s fame with several ‘Flappy’ games now on both the App Store and the Play Store.

It seems, after quite some time, both Apple and Google have noticed this trend and are now clamping down on developers who are submitting apps with ‘Flappy’ in the name. Several developers have reported recently that their apps were rejected simply for ‘attempting to leverage a popular app’. Read more »

Google buys sonic-based password company SlickLogin

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Google acquired today Israeli startup company SlickLogin. Five months ago, the company made its debut on the internet password security scene offering an interesting alternative – sound-based passwords.

The announcement of the acquisition sits on the company’s homepage, where the small team says that now they’ll be making the Internet safer for everyone. Presumably, Google has decided to replace its 2-step verification with a better authentication method. Read more »

Rakuten acquires Viber for $900 million

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Calcalist was wrong, half wrong anyway – it turns out instant messaging and VoIP app Viber really was in acquisition talks, but not for the suspected $300-400 million. Instead, the deal is worth the whopping $900 million.

Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten will acquire Viber to compete with the highly successful Line app, which had 300 million users last year and is targeting 500 million this year. Read more »