Mobile Mobile

Indie developers have been able to take advantage of a free version of the Unity engine for desktop game development some time now, and starting today they can extend that development to mobile games at no added cost. The company's confirmed that it's dropping the $800 licensing fee for its Android and iOS build options, with BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone 8 development also promised to be moving to a free option in the "coming months."

As Unity CEO David Helgason explained at the Unite Nordic conference earlier today, the company has been hoping to make the move "for what seems like forever," with his ultimate goal being to push the "democratisation of game development further than ever before." He further explains in a blog post that the new option comes with "no strings attached, no royalties and no license fees," apart from the prior rules that require large companies to use the paid version of Unity. As for those who've recently paid up for the mobile engine only to find it now free, Helgason says they can expect to hear from him in the next two weeks with an offer of discounts on future purchases.

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Finding a spot to stash your whip, especially in unfamiliar territory, can be a chore, so you might want to employ ParkMe to do the finding for you. The service -- which has been available on iOS and via the web for a while -- has now officially debuted its Android app after a few months of soft-launch tweaking. (What ever happened to Google's own parking app?). It's basically a database that uses the Google Maps API to help you locate a spot in almost any city you can think of. It also shows you prices, how you can pay and when garages are open, but best of all, it'll tell you how busy specific locations are using real-time figures, thanks to partnerships with some of the companies that deal in floor space. You can get it for free in the Play store, but one thing it won't do is actually park for you -- luckily, there's an app for that, too.

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Almost exactly two years ago, Motorola's Android-in-Webtop-OS solution was kicked off the stage by ASUS' PadFone, the world's first phone that could fully power a tablet module from its own OS. The original concept took a while to materialize, but since then the company has kept up with a surprisingly rapid product cycle. It was only five months from the first PadFone to the PadFone 2; and now seven months later, ASUS is offering the PadFone Infinity: a non-surprising full HD update for both the phone and the tablet module. The phone itself also benefits from a newer 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 SoC, as well as a new brushed-aluminum body. So, does this upgraded package have what it takes to kill the "glass is half empty" mentality? Or would consumers still rather have two separate devices? Read on to find out.

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First came the model number mentions, then the pictures, and now Samsung's rumored and rugged Galaxy S 4 Active has been caught on film. In a situation that screams "controlled leak," MobileTechReview appears to have handled exactly the same tethered unit we've seen snaps of, and says the device sports a dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus CPU and an 8-megapixel main camera. Even though it's just another unconfirmed piece of the rumor puzzle, an alleged AnTuTu benchmark puts a Snapdragon 600 inside the Active, matching that of the regular S 4, which packs a 13-megapixel shooter. If MobileTechReview are correct, then it wouldn't really be a hardy version of the GS4 at all, but rather another new Samsung mid-ranger that'll put up with a bit of a beating.

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If your ears perked up when you heard about Opera for Android going WebKit, but were holding out for the final, non-beta version, then that wait is over. More recent features of the browser include the option to toggle the nav-bar location, text-wrapping when zooming and a full screen view of active tabs, but beyond that, the "what's new" section on the download page isn't saying much. So, while it's mostly the Opera we saw back at MWC, tools such as off-road mode (for data compressing) and a discovery mode are finally set for primetime. Ready to let Opera take the stage on your Android? Get your tickets at the source.

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A fresh release of Dish Anywhere for Android just hit Google Play, bringing it up to speed with its iOS counterpart. Now, the application allows users to stream On Demand content from wherever they have an internet connection, and adds Facebook and Twitter sharing. The experience has also received a dedicated app for tablets running Google's mobile OS, sporting a look that makes better use of the extra screen real estate, and a skinned remote to boot. In addition to a few miscellaneous bug fixes, the update includes support for handsets with large screens, such as the Droid DNA. Jab the links below to grab ahold of the latest version.

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Now that Facebook's share feature has settled into its own mobile apps, the firm has pushed its native Share Dialog for iOS out of beta, which allows developers to bake the function into their own applications. With just an extra line of code, apps will allow users to share things, tag friends and note their location without having to log into the social network or connect the app to their account first, removing some hassle from the equation. In addition, the built-in sharing options in iOS 6 can be bolstered with Open Graph actions. Click the source link below to snatch Zuckerberg and Co.'s latest SDK for Apple's mobile OS, or hit the second link for the docs.

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Samsung showed off its Wallet app to developers earlier this year, and now Korean customers can download it onto compatible Android devices from the company's own app market. Currently it only appears to collect credit card info, which customers can then use to pay for goods and services at online merchants, verified by a one-time password or PIN. Clearly aimed at both Google Wallet and Apple's Passbook, Samsung plans to add a few features we've seen in Passbook that will make tickets, membership cards and coupons accessible all in one place. According to the translated press release it's out for the Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy S II HD LTE, although whether it will be featured in a Gangnam Style 2 video remains unknown.

Update: Commenter Chris posted a pic showing that the app is also live in the US Samsung Apps market, although it looks a bit different and lists more of the Passbook features we were expecting. This may be explained by a post on the Samsung Wallet Partners site, indicating it launched in open beta on the 18th, with support for transportation tickets, membership cards, coupons and event tickets. We checked and it's not showing up on our Note IIs or GS4s yet, but if you have one it may be worth taking a peek at Samsung's app store to see what's waiting inside.

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Coming months after the feature's introduction on Android and PCs, Vudu has updated the iOS version of its app with the ability to download movies for viewing offline. Unlike the Android version, this feature is not restricted to tablets however, with downloads of your Vudu / Ultraviolet collection on iPads and iPhones. Other tweaks include making the Player "easier to use" and adding closed captions on iPhone. The Flixster app already allowed for Ultraviolet movie downloads on iOS, however Vudu has access to some movies that may not be available there. The updated version of the free app is available on on iTunes, although you will need an associated account (with updated password info) with unlocked videos to get any use out of it.

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Flickr's one of the elder statesmen of the online photo sharing world, but in recent years its UI has grown a bit long in the tooth when compared to the eye candy provided by other kids on the social sharing block. That's all changed as of today, as Marissa Mayer's team has overhauled Flickr's look on the web and in its Android app. Out goes the old layout, where text and white space commanded almost as much real estate as your photos, and in comes a tiled layout that's nothing but images.

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Sick of that spotty (read: non-existent) cell coverage 1,000 miles off the coast of Alaska? This time, you can't blame AT&T. There is an option for getting connected, though, and it's not quite as pricey as you think. Spot, a subsidiary of satellite communications giant Globalstar, recently announced its new Global Phone, a fairly basic lightweight handset that supports phone calls, SMS and compressed data at speeds of up to 28 kbps for $499. Usage fees are also fairly reasonable, with plans ranging from 10 minutes per month for $25 to unlimited calling for $150, plus a $50 activation fee. There's also an 80-minute plan for $40, 200 minutes for $65 or 400 minutes for $100 with monthly billing. The device itself sports four hours of talk time or 36 hours of standby, and provides direct access to GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center when you dial 911. The Global Phone is available now through a variety of retailers, including Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's and REI.

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