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Windows 11's first big update arrives with Android app support 'preview'
Microsoft has released Windows 11's first major update, including a preview version of Android app support.
Windows 11 beta users can start testing Android apps
Android apps are finally available in Windows 11, but only as part of an Insider Preview release.
Microsoft's Windows store is now open to third-party app stores
Microsoft is opening Windows 11's store to third-party app stores, including the Epic Games Store.
Arcane Legends infographic reveals 15 million installs
Arcane Legends has recently released on Amazon's appstore, and to celebrate this milestone Spacetime Studios created an infographic of all of the other milestones that the game has hit over the past two years. Prepare yourself, for big numbers are coming your way: Arcane Legends has clocked 15 million installs, 365 million play sessions, 140 million play hours, and over 7.5 billion creatures slain. But if you need spiffy graphics and real-world comparisons, you'll be best served by checking out the lengthy infographic after the break. [Source: Spacetime Studios press release]
The Room Two among free apps on Amazon App Store through tomorrow
Amazon is offering 31 paid apps for free in its Android marketplace today and tomorrow. Of the premium apps available for free through Saturday on the Amazon App Store, 14 are games. The discounted games include Fireproof's puzzler The Room Two as well as Sega's Android version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, both previously $2.99 each. As for the sale's other apps, Android users can download media library management app Plex and Appgenix Software's thrilling Business Calendar app for free, both usually running $4.99 each. Once your calendar is filled out for the next few weeks, you can check the weather endlessly with Accuweather's premium "Platinum" app, originally $2.99. [Image: Amazon]
XCOM: Enemy Unknown gets acquainted with Android, out now
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is out now on Google Play, commander. The new Android port is priced $10/£7.14, and according to a message from XCOM HQ, an advance on the Amazon Appstore is expected "soon." Despite claiming the lives of many of our best friends - or at least a bunch of soldiers named after them - we ranked Enemy Unknown as our second-best game of 2012. The good news: Firaxis transitioned the console and PC release into a "slick, portable package" on iOS, and hopefully that'll pan out the same way on Android. [Image: 2K Games]
Jetpack Joyride devs unleash Colossatron on Dec. 19
Halfbrick Studios will launch its next game, Colossatron: Massive World Threat, on December 19, the developer announced in a new trailer. The game was first announced in July at PAX Australia for iOS, though the Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride developer's latest announcement now includes both Google Play and the Amazon App store as the game's other destined platforms. Colossatron gives players the ability to smash through cities as a giant robotic snake, thwarting resistance efforts from one General Moustache and his army. Halfbrick promises a "chaotic campaign, epic boss fights, devastating weaponry, survival challenges" and other features in the mobile game. No price was listed for the game.
'Epic Citadel' tech demo now on Android
Android users still can't partake in the acclaimed slashing hijinks of Epic Games' mobile showpiece Infinity Blade or its sequel, but they can walk around its medieval setting and watch things, like, render and stuff, now that Epic Citadel is available for free on Google Play and the Amazon Appstore.Originally released on iOS way back in the stone ages (read: September 2010), Epic Citadel serves as both Unreal Engine 3 tech demo and phone hardware benchmarking tool, allowing Android users to not only see how pretty UE3's rivers are, but also how well their devices handle rendering them. Our Galaxy Nexus, for instance, ranked in at the "High Performance" level, churning out an average of 43.9 FPS at 1196 x 720. During testing, framerates peaked just below 60 FPS and momentarily bottomed out around 18 FPS.As with the iOS release, there isn't a tremendous amount to actually do in Epic Citadel, aside from looking at fluttery banners and lens flares, and its on-screen twinstick controls are only recommended for those who enjoy being 100 percent out of control of their movement. Still, it's very pretty. %Gallery-177522%
Alcatel One Touch Shockwave reaches US Cellular, takes your bumps and scrapes for $50
Those of us picking budget smartphones in the US seldom have the choice of a toughened smartphone, and it's even more of a challenge when we're not signed on to one of the top four carriers. US Cellular is offering the cost-conscious a (hardened) olive branch by shipping the Alcatel One Touch Shockwave. Skip past the creaky Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, 3.2-megapixel camera and 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 display -- a shock- and water-resistant shell as well as Dragontrail-based glass should keep the smartphone working through most forms of casual abuse. We also don't mind having preloaded Amazon Appstore and media apps, although the frugal 2GB microSD card in the box won't leave much room for any downloading. We'd at least keep the Shockwave on the short list when the $50 price and long-lasting design will leave ample funds for just about everything else.
Minecraft Pocket Edition available on Kindle Fire via Amazon Appstore
Minecraft Pocket Edition is now available on the Amazon Appstore, meaning it is officially out for the Kindle Fire. Minecraft Pocket Edition runs $7 on Amazon, the same price as on the Android and iOS app stores.Kindle Fire owners previously figured out ways to run Minecraft Pocket Edition on their devices, through rooting and roundabout third-party subscriptions, but now it's a simple, legitimate one-click process. Get crafting here; it's not like you're using that Kindle Fire to read books anyway.[Thanks, Thomas!]
Ceton Companion apps for iOS and Android are available, bring WMC mobile control for $5
For Windows Media Center fans searching for a good looking remote app for their mobile devices, that wait is over, at least on a few platforms. The Ceton Companion app we've been teased with since CES 2012 is finally officially available, and ready for download from the Android and iOS app stores. We're told the Windows Phone 7 version should be along shortly, as well as the Amazon Appstore edition once its approval goes through. If you've somehow avoided its specifics until now, we have walkthrough videos embedded after the break to show what kind of remote DVR scheduling, guide browsing and remote control action it's capable of. To cover the possibility that a whole Lincoln is too rich for your blood, one way to defray the costs and pay for the app on two platforms is to follow the Ceton Twitter account and enter a contest for a $10 Google Play gift card -- instructions are available at the link below. Update: The Windows Phone version of the app is live now as well, check it out at the link below.
Amazon Appstore arrives in Europe, won't be late for school
Amazon's Appstore has been doing brisk business stateside, and is now ready to sell its wares to Europeans in Germany, France, Italy, the UK and Spain. If you sign up, you'll be able to create reviews and make one-click payments, and will have access to a huge library of apps from top-tier brands, as well as localized content. The company said purchases can be used "across a customer's Android devices," which will let you buy an app once, and use it on any of your tablets or smartphones that support the OS. If you'd like to check it out, or get one of Amazon's Free Apps of the Day, check the PR for all the details.
AOL redesigns its Play music player app for the Kindle Fire, premium version is free Thursday
Well, looky here. Engadget's very own parent company AOL has released its Play music player app for Kindle Fire, and the interface here is actually considerably different from what you'd get on the straight Android version, available in Google Play. The product people behind the application say they re-tooled the design to match the Fire's 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 screen (and also, the tablet's heavily skinned UI, based on Android). Other than the facelift, there seems to be a good deal of overlap in functionality between this and the Google Play version: access to more than 55,000 Shoutcast radio stations and the ability to share favorite songs over Twitter and Facebook. Also like the main Android version, there's a so-called CD Listening Party feature that opens up free, complete albums, with selections changing weekly. (Naturally, you can also use the app to listen to your own MP3s stored locally on the device, but you probably gathered that.) Play will be available as a free, ad-supported app, though you can also get an advert-free version for 99 cents. Download on Thursday, though (that would be Thursday, Eastern Standard Time), and you can get the premium one gratis.%Gallery-160941%
Flipboard officially launches on Android, in multiple app stores and for more countries
Popular newsreader Flipboard is finally officially available on Android, coming out of beta and Galaxy S III exclusivity. As seen in the latest test version, it now supports integration of shared articles from your Google+ feed alongside Twitter and Facebook feeds, and has also added support for YouTube video feeds (all of these are now available on iOS as well). Beyond the Google Play app market, it's also available in the Amazon Appstore, Nook Store and Samsung Apps, so slinging the APK to your Android device of choice should be too difficult. We gave the final release edition a quick run through ourselves and found it just as smooth on a Samsung Galaxy S II as it has been on any iPhone or iPad, and being ICS-ready out of the gate is a nice touch, although we couldn't force it to switch to landscape viewing. Another handy toggle is the option to go full screen with no menu bar up top, if you need a few extra pixels on your display (optimized for screens up to 7-inches in size). Article sharing is also here and like other Android apps, shares to any services you have installed, not just Twitter or Facebook. The final update is news that Flipboard is launching fully localized editions for Germany, Korea, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, in addition to the existing localizations for Japan, France, China, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. All of the details are in the press release after the break, or you can check out pretty much any app store to give it a try yourself. Update: It's out! As of 1AM or so. Hit the source link to grab it from the Play Store.
Amazon plans for European Appstore launch, coming this summer
It looks like those rumors were right on the money. Amazon has announced that developers can now start submitting apps for several European countries, ready for "distribution" this summer. While there's no news whether this will tee up a European launch for the Kindle Fire in the following months, it's good news for those who have jealously eyed up those daily specials from the other side of the Atlantic. Distribution is currently pitched at the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, while more are likely to join "in the near future."
Amazon Appstore reportedly travelling to Europe this summer, we hope its passport is up to date
Amazon had a successful first year with its Appstore; outside of a false start, however, no one beyond the US could enjoy it. That looks to be changing, if whispers to AllThingsD turn into shouts. The reputed insiders have Europeans getting their crack at the third-party Android store sometime in the summer, with app submissions starting as soon as next week. Amazon hasn't confirmed anything, so don't be surprised if the Appstore isn't packing its bags for the trip just yet -- especially as other services like Instant Video haven't made the jump. Should the Appstore go on a European vacation, though, it could be an early preamble to the Kindle Fire following suit.
HBO Go launches for Kindle Fire but continues to avoid other Android tablets
The HBO Go streaming app has been available on Android since it launched last year, however despite a steady flow of updates and even Android 4.0 support, until now it hasn't supported Android tablets. That changes today, however for now at least the only one on the list is Amazon's Kindle Fire, while other tablet owners will have to fall back to their browser and Flash streaming workarounds for access. There's a press release and quick video trailer promoting the launch after the break, while Fire owners who are also HBO subscribers (and satellite / cable TV subscribers, of course) can grab it for free on Amazon's Appstore now.
Apple introduces 'free app of the week,' kicks things off with Cut the Rope: Experiments
Amazon has been offering a free app of the day for a while now, but that offer is good for Android users only. Well, Apple seems to have caught on to the fact that iOS users like to save money too, as it's debuting a "free app of the week" offer. Cupertino kicked off the new promotion yesterday via Twitter, where it announced that the game Cut the Rope: Experiments will be the first free download. Click on through to the source link, and you'll see that the Appstore indeed lists the title as "free for a limited time."
Amazon Appstore shatters $20 ceiling for in-app purchases
In a move that's likely to grab the attention of more than a few Android developers, Amazon has announced that its arbitrary $20 limit for in-app purchases via the Appstore is no more. The company announced this change in an email to developers, which follows a tweak to the Appstore's parental controls. In-app purchasing is rather new territory for the Amazon crew, which first unveiled the necessary APIs just last week. There's no word on what new monetary limit is now in place, but make sure to watch your spending, kids -- some of these apps are incredibly habit-forming.
Amazon adds in-app purchasing to Appstore for Android devices, Kindle Fire
Amazon's Appstore has offered a typical application acquisition experience, save for one important detail: in-app purchasing. Beginning today, devs can now take advantage of the familiar revenue booster already available in the iOS App Store and Google Play, through the use of the Amazon Appstore In-App Purchasing API. The service will enable Android device and Kindle Fire users to pick up expansion packs, virtual gaming currency or manage subscriptions from within individual applications, with the same one-click purchase experience available in Amazon's online store. A handful of top devs like Disney and Conde Nast have already hopped on board, but those of you who haven't received an early nod from AMZN can now join in on the fun as well. Click past the break for a brief video intro from the e-tailer, along with a handful of testimonials in the full press release.
