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BlackBerry is getting Amazon's catalog of 250,000 Android apps
BlackBerry users haven't exactly had an abundance of apps to choose from lately, due in no small part to the once-legendary phone maker's dwindling market share. However, the company just reached an app library deal with Amazon that could give you a reason to hang on to that Q10 or Z30. When BlackBerry 10.3 launches in the fall, it will have access to the Amazon Appstore's catalog of 250,000-plus Android apps -- you'll have little trouble finding Minecraft, Netflix and other big-name titles.
The hidden value of Amazon's Fire TV
After a week with the Fire TV, I was confident that it was just another streamer, and our review reflects that. Amazon put a few nice tweaks on the existing set-top formula with an easy setup and voice search, but my TV stand is crowded with game consoles, dongles and other boxes that bring their own strengths. A month later, I've found that my initial experience didn't tell the entire story -- unlike other platforms that are locked down tight, letting the Fire TV languish as a Netflix/Amazon/Hulu box isn't showing what it can really do.
AllCast's screen-mirroring magic arrives on Amazon's Fire TV App Store
Been putting off sideloading AllCast's SDK to your brand new Amazon Fire TV? Well, friend, your procrastination has paid off. Now, all you have to do to install the casting and screen-mirroring app is download it straight from the Amazon App Store. So long as you also have AllCast installed on an Android device, you can beam photos, videos and music from your phone or tablet to Amazon's set-top box. Plus, you can use the app to view images and videos saved on Google+ and Dropbox. If you don't plan to pick up a Fire TV (waiting for the second one, eh?), you can still use AllCast with a number of other devices, including Chromecast, Xbox One, Roku, Apple TV and a smattering of smart TVs.
Hatchi turns your Pebble smartwatch into a virtual pet
For many of us who survived the '90s, virtual pets are but a distant memory. That said, the Tamagotchi just turned 17 and Bandai (its parent company) is still cranking out new pets, so apparently the digital species is far from extinct. It makes complete sense, then, that the concept would eventually make it to the Pebble; in fact, its black-and-white e-paper display should make virtual pets feel right at home. Developer Portable Pixels is celebrating Game Developers Conference (GDC) by launching Hatchi on the Pebble appstore sometime this week. Much like the Tamagotchi, you'll be responsible for feeding, cleaning, playing with and caring for your new Hatchi pet.
Switched On: Birth of a platform
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Regardless of what one may think about the potential for smartwatches, one of the most exciting things about a new device category is that there is so much experimentation with form factors and capabilities. We've already seen products with different display technologies (Memory LCD, LCD and OLED) and varying screen sizes. Some have various combinations of microphones, speakers, cameras, touchscreens, WiFi or cellular radios. Their prices have ranged from less than $100 to $400 and beyond and their battery life has varied from a day to a year. And then, of course, there are many of the factors that differentiate traditional watches -- size, design and materials.
Apple adds a dedicated selfie section to its iOS App Store
A new App Store section. Not the app store section we needed, but the app store section we deserved.
Pebble's smartwatch app store finally comes to Android
iOS users had a bit of a head start in receiving access to the new Pebble application store. Thankfully, the Android crowd won't have to wait for this feature any longer, since what's known as Pebble 2.0 is, at long last, available on Google's platform. Sure, it took weeks and weeks of testing, but Pebble promises it was all for the best and expects its smartwatch owners to be delighted by the changes. Aside from the long-awaited appstore, this Pebble for Android update also features a completely redesigned interface (pretty similar to the one found on iOS), a new locker for apps and notification improvements. You've waited long enough, though -- so go on, grab the update and deck out your Pebble some more.
Pebble engineer explains why its Android app isn't ready yet
iOS users have been enjoying the new Pebble app store for the past week, but the Android version of the app is still MIA. Sure, you can download the beta if you sign up to be a developer, but if you'd rather wait for the final product, it's still in the works. What gives? Pebble engineer Kean Wong wrote a bit about the subject on the company's official blog about the process involved. The Cliff's Notes version is that there are two factors at play: one is how complex it can be to develop an Android app, and the other is a lack of resources. Wong explains that the team has to make the app jive properly with several environments of the OS, such as Bluetooth, Javascript runtime, the internet, background processes, several versions of Android and hundreds of different devices with different specs. This isn't unlike what many developers run into when writing apps for Google's mobile OS, but Pebble's complications with engineering run a couple layers deeper than most others because it's an accessory that involves its very own app store. Next comes the matter of available resources, which Wong explains is because Pebble has had a small team working on the Android app for a long time. "In order to ship a high quality, reliable Android experience that will work for many thousands of users across the myriad of devices and operating systems, we need engineers working on the Android app who are both fantastic engineers and great Android developers." This is where existing devs come in handy -- the more feedback Pebble receives, the better. The bad news is that the team doesn't have an ETA on Android release as of yet; on the bright side, however, the company apparently needs a few extra hands to help out, if you're on the hunt for a job.
Flappy Bird no longer available from the App Store or Google Play
Oh no! We sure hope you were able to download Flappy Bird before its imminent extinction. Because, as promised, developer Dong Nguyen has officially removed the insanely popular game from both the App Store and Google Play. There's no need to shed tears if you've already installed it, since you can still play it and continue to frustrate over how terribly low your scores are. Even so, it's a little sad to see Flappy Bird go -- especially given that there are probably some people (like this editor's mom) who never got to experience it. Who knows, maybe it'll make a triumphant comeback one day.
Pebble's appstore rolls out on iOS, starts beta testing on Android
Pebble's smartwatch appstore has arrived as promised and it's loaded with over 1,000 apps and watchfaces. Our review of the new Steel watch has more details on how it all works, and users with the iOS companion app will see the new features right away. An Android version isn't quite ready for release, but a beta APK is up on Pebble's developer website if you want to try it out early. There are known issues with the pairing process and a few things to be aware of when loading new apps, while any new issues will be listed on the blog as they're discovered. Assuming you're ready to sideload the app on your phone or tablet then the file is available here, iOS users can hit iTunes for an update.
Pebble updates its iOS app and launches smartwatch appstore
Pebble announced last week that it was rolling out its smartwatch appstore on Monday and now the repository is available for Pebble owners to explore. The appstore is bundled into the Pebble smartwatch app for the iPhone and lets owners browse through a catalog of new content for the original Pebble and the Pebble Steel. The appstore will kick off with more than 1,000 apps and watchfaces, says Pebble in a blog post. The apps are broken down into categories like Daily, Tools & Utilities, Notifications, Remotes, Fitness and Games. The Pebble app uses a locker to store your favorite apps and as a tool to install and uninstall apps from the smartwatch hardware. The Pebble Smartwatch app is available for free from the iOS App Store.
Pebble's smartwatch app store arrives on iOS Monday, Android soon after
Pebble shipped its new all-metal "Steel" smartwatch earlier this week, and now reveals that app store updates for its iOS companion software will roll out on Monday (the Android version is about to launch in beta and will follow soon after). Until now, wearers have had to hunt through a myriad of app developers and third-party sites to download new watchfaces or apps. Once the apps (and older Pebble devices) get updated and paired wirelessly over Bluetooth, you'll only need a Pebble account and two clicks to load new software from a phone or tablet. Since the watch itself can only have up to eight apps loaded at any given time, easily managing the thousands of choices available is an important new feature. We took a long look at the store and its apps (including software from ESPN, GoPro and Foursquare) in our review of the Pebble Steel, owners should keep an eye on their mobile devices Monday for access.
Apple bombarded with candy-themed games in protest at the word 'candy' being trademarked
Such sweet, sweet revenge. After the maker of the hugely popular Candy Crush series of games on the App Store somehow managed to trademark the word "candy" in Europe, other developers have started to fight back by blitzing Apple with an insulin-inducing array of Candy-themed game submissions. More than 100 hastily prepared titles have already been put forward as part of an organized "Candy Jam" protest against the trademarking of common words, including such gobstoppers such as CAN D, ThisGameIsNotAboutCandy, CanDieCanDieCanDie and the inimitable Candy_Game ("Press to hear Candy.") In the meantime, the developer at the center of the controversy, King.com, continues to pursue legal action against those who use any of words in its arsenal of trademarks, even those that have nothing to do with sugar. This apparently includes one poor dev who had the cheek to use the word "saga" in a Norse mythology-themed game called The Banner Saga -- a title that treads too closely to Candy Crush Saga, according to legal documents filed by King. What's more, now that King has also filed for new trademarks in the US, this whole saga (eek) could be about to get even sicklier.
App Store coming to Pebble smartwatch early next year
There's no shortage of apps and watchfaces specially made for the Pebble smartwatch, but the experience of finding your favorites can be a rather frustrating (and confusing) one. Current users have to hunt through a litany of apps and third-party websites like mypebblefaces.com to customize (or download) the perfect watchface -- and perhaps a game or two -- and once you've unlocked that achievement, it's on to the official Pebble app to get it installed. The watch needs a centralized App Store to restore peace and order to such chaos, and Pebble's officially announced that such a service is in the works and should be available to consumers in early 2014. The new App Store will be included as part of the official Pebble App and will come with seven categories: Remotes, Games, Notifications, Tools & Utilities, Watchfaces, Sports & Fitness and Daily. Of course, none of that matters if they're all empty, so to ensure that the nascent Store has a solid number of options when it launches, Pebble is now inviting developers to submit their apps as of this morning. Since the App Store won't support older apps, devs will need to make sure their apps run on version 2.0 of Pebble's SDK, which launched a couple months ago. And if you're particularly endeared to a certain third-party site or service that isn't available in said App Store, you're still covered -- Pebble will continue to allow you to install apps the traditional way.
Apple includes Ridiculous Fishing and Wunderlist in its top iOS and OS X apps of 2013
As is tradition near the end of the year, we look back on our most recent lap around the sun and try to forget all those resolutions we didn't meet. Today, Apple's the one in a reflective mood, having published its "Best of 2013" selections for the iOS and Mac App Stores as well as iTunes. Free language teaching app Duolingo tops the iPhone chart, with chainsaw-assisted angling title Ridiculous Fishing snapping up the game-specific award. The iPad app of the year accolade goes to Disney Animated, an interactive guide to the iconic studio's animation process, and SFCave-meets-Super Meat Boy platformer Badland stands at the top of the podium in the games category. The iOS edition of Minecraft is the best selling paid app of 2013 despite its age, while puzzler Candy Crush Saga is both the top free and the top grossing app of the year. In the OS X App Store, to-do list manager Wunderlist takes home the prize for best app of the year, with Lego Lord of the Rings being named the greatest game. For all honorable runner-up mentions and the best-of selections for iTunes music, books, TV, films and more, load up the relevant store and look out for the banner.
Apple posts its first video trailer on the iOS App Store
Android app shoppers have long had the luxury of watching video trailers on Google Play, but their iOS counterparts have had to be content with static images on the App Store. Apple's portal just got livelier, though, as MacStories has noticed what may be the first App Store video clip. UK residents who visit the "featured" section of the store now see a trailer for Clumsy Ninja alongside the usual promo graphics and app icons. This isn't necessarily a sign of things to come -- other regions don't see the trailer just yet, and it's not present within Clumsy Ninja's app page. With that said, we won't be shocked if App Store sizzle reels become commonplace.
Amazon Appstore for Android joins the modern era with a slicker interface
The Amazon Appstore has long been clunky and slow for anyone who doesn't own a Kindle Fire tablet -- even for basics like app updates. All that pain is now a distant memory, however, as Amazon has just overhauled the stand-alone Appstore for Android with a genuinely modern interface. The new client has sidebar-driven navigation that feels at home in the KitKat era, and it's much faster when browsing titles. If you've been ignoring Amazon's alternative storefront for a while, it may be worth returning for a second look.
Apple App Store hits 60 billion cumulative downloads
Over 64% of compatible devices are already running iOS 7, according to Apple, making it by far the company's most successful mobile operating system. In all, iOS 7 was downloaded over 200 million times in the first five days after it was released. Apple also reported paying developers over $13 billion to date, thanks to the over 1 million apps available in the App Store, which have hit over 60 billion cumulative downloads. (Apple still has the edge over Android; there are about 900,000 apps available in the Google Play store.)
Games finally appear in South Africa's App Store
Developers across the globe are now able to sell their iOS games in the South African App Store. The move was announced in an email to developers and first noted by 9to5Mac. In the email, Apple said: We're pleased to announce that games are now available on the South African App Store. All apps in the Games category that are cleared for sale in South Africa will be automatically available on the South African App Store. No additional action is required on your part. If you need to make changes to the territories where your apps are available, visit the Rights and Pricing section of the Manage Your Apps module on iTunes Connect. No mention is made of why games have not been allowed into South Africa's App Store until now, but developers (not to mention citizens of South Africa) will no doubt be happy to have another country full of customers who can now buy their games.
In-app purchases may [not] be the way of the future
iOS app developer Jeremy Olson of Tapity has written an interesting article on how developers can survive selling apps and yep, paid apps are dead. (Tapity wrote Languages, Grades 3 and Hours, all available in the App Store.) Olson cites anecdotal evidence that people are not buying apps in the quantities today as they did even a year ago. App downloads are healthy, but the ability to survive as an independent developer is in flux. In-app purchases make up one revenue stream that has worked well for some, but there's still no guarantee of success. Olson cites a tweet from David Barnard of Contrast that lists "the four main factors that work together in a good IAP strategy: massive download numbers, high conversion rates, high prices and [recurring] revenue." Olson goes on to cite sales figures for Barnard's and his own apps. Olson continues that he doesn't think IAPs (in-app purchases) are the answer for his company. ...we might need to think bigger and more creatively about how our apps generate revenue. It means we might need to start thinking about business models that go beyond charging users for the app. He ponders the model of selling his apps to companies who might purchase them for corporate use, or include web and Mac integration. That, of course, means he needs a sales force and marketing, a whole 'nother can of worms in this writer's opinion. Olson thinks that if he thinks bigger, then he has a better chance of survival as an app developer. Maybe he's just falling into Apple's adage, Think Different...
