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FDA approves app-connected digital inhaler
The FDA has given the ProAir Digihaler, a digital and mobile-connected inhaler that comes with built-in sensors, its sweet approval. Those sensors can detect whenever the device is used and even measure the strength of the user's inhalation. More importantly, the inhaler can send data on people's usage to its mobile app companion. By providing them with visual information, users can spot trends and ensure they're getting the right amount of medication, as well as share it with their doctors if needed.
HQ Trivia is hosting a special game with 'The Voice'
HQ Trivia's game on Monday night will give you the chance to earn and withdraw more than a couple of bucks in earnings. The hit mobile game will give away $50,000 that evening -- and a trip for two to LA to see The Voice's live finale on May 21st. HQ Trivia has teamed up with the singing competition in what NBC describes as a "first-of-its-kind partnership."
Blizzard's Battle.net mobile app is strictly social
With its original moniker intact (sort of), Blizzard Battle.net is making the jump to mobile. The online gaming platform already boasts a desktop portal, through which players can install and patch games, voice chat, message one another, and livestream their gameplay to Facebook. Its brand-spanking new iOS and Android apps, on the other hand, offer a pared-down service focusing entirely on the social aspect.
Subway hopes touchscreens will bust up its sales slump
It couldn't be that their bread used to contain the same chemicals as yoga mats. It certainly isn't the fact that their high-profile spokesman of 15 years is now serving 15 more in federal prison on charges of sex with minors and child pornography. No, no, no. Obviously the reason that Subway's sales have been in a three-year slump, one of the worst in company history, is that their restaurants aren't sufficiently high tech.
Samsung: Please, somebody, make mobile apps for Tizen
Samsung is eager to get developers to build applications for its Tizen smartphones. In an effort to drive up interest, the company has created the Tizen Mobile App Incentive Program, which will offer $9 million in cash prizes from February through October of 2017. According to Samsung, devs with apps that end up in the top 100 chart can earn $10,000 per app -- definitely not a bad way to lure people in. Those who want to participate in the program can register starting in "early" January.
'Pokémon Go' might soon add Ditto and generation 2 monsters
If catch and daily bonuses aren't enough to lure you back into playing Pokémon Go, maybe new monsters are. The SilphRoad has dissected newly added codes in the game's files and found references to shapeshifting Ditto and 100 Generation 2 monsters, from #152 Chikorita to #251 Celebi. Ditto has been in the game's codes for a while, but the team discovered a new "Transform" move meant for the critter with its own animation sequence. As you might know, Ditto is known for turning into the Pokémon it's battling in addition to its ability to breed with any monster.
Google is deprecating the Wallet card at the end of April
Google announced on Thursday that it will no longer support the physical debit cards tied to users' Wallet accounts beginning July 1. Instead, Google plans to press forward with development on its mobile app.
Yelp iPhone app now lets you post reviews from within, support coming soon to Android
Here's something that may surprise you: yesterday, Yelp users couldn't actually post reviews from within the company's iPhone app. Wild, right? Today's update, however, changes that, bringing it more in line with rival Foursquare. The revised iOS app, which should be hitting the App Store momentarily, will bring the feature to all users across 22 countries, and we're told that the new button for reviews will appear where the "Tips" button has sat in the past. Interestingly, Yelp intends to still hold some power over what you write -- if your "review" is deemed too brief, it could end up as a tip; thankfully, users can always go back later, add a bit more detail and have it ported over to the review side. Just remember: you can totally get sued for posting negative reviews. Womp, womp.
Facebook for Android 2.0 arrives with much faster load times, in-feed photo browsing
Facebook users running Android have been clamoring for speed updates, and it looks like they'll at least get some of what they desire today. A version 2.0 revamp moves partly to native code and is purportedly twice as fast at loading the Timeline and photos, on top of simply being faster to start. The upgrade also lets us quickly flip through photos without having to shift attention away from the news feed. Google Play isn't yet carrying Facebook 2.0 as of this writing, but it's promised within hours -- check the source link at the right time and you may get a speed kick that many have been craving for months.
Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices
Microsoft has just outed Data Sense, a new app for Windows Phone 8 that helps ensure you don't burn through your data plan. On top of tracking your usage app-by-app, it compresses every single web page you browse to keep data consumed to a minimum, and also sniffs out WiFi hotspots when they become available. The app features a Live Tile to give an ongoing saga of the megabytes you've consumed and will warn you near a preset limit. Redmond claims the hotspot sniffing and compression will let you consume 45 percent less data "when compared to the competition" -- likely a reference to iOS and Android, which already have a similar feature. Data Sense will arrive first on Verizon this fall, but there's no word yet on when other carriers will have it. To check the PR, go past the fold. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog!
Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more (update: full list)
Microsoft knows that Windows Phone 8 is only as successful as its apps. To that end, it's blowing the doors open in terms of major app support. It's not only promising a Windows Phone version of Pandora Radio for early 2013, it's offering ad-free listening for the first year. How's that for strong out-of-the-box content? On top of this, Microsoft is vowing a slew of new apps and games that had previously only been available in the Android or iOS camps, including Asphalt 7, Cut the Rope, Temple Run, Urbanspoon and Where's My Water. By the time the expansion is done, Microsoft hopes to have 46 out of the 50 most popular apps onboard, making any platform switch that much gentler. Instagram is a notable omission -- still, it's a big leap in terms of equality. Update: If you need even more detail, Microsoft has posted a wider list of new apps as part of its official Windows Phone 8 launch post. If that's not enough, you can catch a video overview of the platform after the break. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog!
Flipboard for Android gains audio, lets us tune into SoundCloud from our Samsung
Flipboard on iOS has had audio for some time, giving users the chance to go all high-brow as they listen to NPR while browsing the news on their iPad. It's Android's turn to adopt that cultured stance: an update to Flipboard on its newer platform includes the full, listen-in-the-background Audio category channel selection, whether it's thoughtful public radio snippets or spotlights on podcasts and artists. SoundCloud mavens get the biggest fill, both through a direct link to their account as well as a list of specialized channels. Anyone who can already use Flipboard for Android just needs to hit Google Play to add the new audio dimension; Kindle Fire and Nook owners should see a fully tailored experience in a matter of days.
Facebook opens mobile ads for apps to all developers, keeps them on the money train
It's no secret that Facebook saw FarmVille for iOS as writing on the wall: it had to either tap into mobile app revenue or risk losing income (and marketing-savvy developers) whenever someone left the web. Following a beta this summer, the company's solution to its dilemma is now open to everyone. All developers on the social network can build ads that link from Facebook's Android and iOS apps to either Google Play or the App Store -- offering both an easy plug for their native apps and that all-important ad revenue for Facebook. The system currently takes a shotgun approach and may pitch social networkers for apps they already have or don't want, but it should be refined in the next few months to where some curious purchasers won't even have to leave Facebook to load that hot new title. Hopefully the increased recognition for mobile developers is worth sullying our once pristine news feeds.
Google Calendar for Android becomes stand-alone app
Google has historically broken out preloaded Android apps like Gmail and Maps as stand-alone titles so that they don't have to be upgraded in lock-step with the main OS, but its Calendar app typically hasn't had that privilege. The isolation ends with a newly distinct Google Calendar that's treated as just another Google Play download. You'll need at least Android 4.0 or 4.1, which leaves relatively few differences between the download and what's already on your device, but that's not the point -- the change really lets Google move users on to the Jelly Bean app and beyond, even if their device makers aren't ready. Owners currently running Jelly Bean will still get a few extras, such as better support for non-Nexus hardware and a wider time range for calendar syncing. Hit the source link if you're game for that kind of futureproofing.
Rdio posts Android beta app with new sidebar UI, unified playback and remote control
Rdio has spent a large part of 2012 revamping its mobile app, and a new beta shows that it's still full of ideas with two months left to go. The 2.3 test version makes the ubiquitous hidden sidebar even more unavoidable than we've seen before, but those not irked by UI homogeneity will be happy to see Rdio gain some multi-device harmony: along with syncing whatever's being played from desktop to mobile and back, the beta introduces a remote control that lets Android gear either serve as the remote or as a target for other devices. A play-later queue persists across devices, too. Although we haven't been given a timeframe for the finished version pushing out through Google Play, there's nothing stopping avid subscribers from taking a slight risk with the beta and getting a taste of their musical future.
Isis Mobile Wallet app for Android surfaces in Google Play, you probably can't run it
Unofficial rumblings have pointed to Isis Mobile Wallet's trial getting close. If you've remained skeptical all the same, we're pretty sure that seeing Isis' Android app in Google Play will change your mind. The currently T-Mobile-only software confirms that pilot program members will tie their American Express, Capital One or Chase card (as well as a unique card) to Isis for paying through NFC at stores with a SmartTap terminal. We're also promised streamlined loyalty cards and coupons. Before anyone rushes to try the app at the local shop, remember that it's just one piece of the puzzle on top of the special SIM card, one of three NFC-equipped phones and that small matter of living in Austin or Salt Lake City when the service goes live. Having the official app at least lets those who qualify get a head start on what could soon be the only major alternative to Google Wallet in the US.
Google revamps Developer Console for Google Play, eases tracking Android app ratings over time
Android developers need as much tender loving care for their interfaces as the users, don't they? Google thinks so, as it just reworked Google Play's Developer Console to offer a more direct, faster loading design. Along with scaling elegantly to let app writers see and manage many releases at a glance, the makeover gives developers a much more refined historical breakdown of app ratings. Creators can filter the star count through Android versions, carriers, countries, language, updates and even specific devices -- if you're convinced adding Kyocera Echo support was the ticket to improved ratings, you might have a chance to prove it. For anyone who isn't that determined to keep everyone happy, there's still a simplified publishing process and automatic translations for app descriptions in the store. Developers comfortable with a few limits on APK bundles can try the new console in a rough but mostly ready state ahead of its wider launch in the near future.
Rogers, CIBC may launch Suretap NFC-based payments on October 15th, require a unique SIM
Rogers and Canadian bank CIBC struck a deal for NFC-based mobile payments back in May, long enough ago that it was starting to fade out of the public consciousness. The alliance may be near refreshing our memory with a commercial launch in the cards. MobileSyrup has reportedly scored internal documents that has the two launching their e-commerce collaboration on October 15th under a slightly catchier Suretap name. Unfortunately, the text also suggests that the initial launch will require at least as much hoop-jumping from customers as for the original Google Wallet plans. Avoiding a traditional wallet will demand a BlackBerry Bold 9900 or Curve 9360 on Rogers, a CIBC MasterCard, nearby stores with PayPass terminals, a CIBC app and now a special NFC-enabled SIM card -- a set of criteria that disqualifies almost everyone, especially when there's supposedly a $50 ceiling on transactions. It remains a step forward for mobile payments in a country that has had very few options to start with, but we'd only anticipate widespread adoption once there's a much wider selection of devices and banks.
RIM opens BlackBerry 10 app submissions
Any BlackBerry 10 developers sufficiently entranced by their Dev Alpha units can now make good on the work they've accomplished so far. As promised, RIM is accepting app submissions for the platform ahead of its launch early next year. Fast-acting teams who jump in today should see their titles at the front of the queue when BlackBerry App World starts supporting the modern platform. They'll have to focus on full-touch hardware rather than mixed QWERTY and touch devices, however. There's no guarantee that RIM will see a flood of apps after opening its doors, but the company reminds us that there's incentives to move quickly -- 10,000 incentives, in fact.
Google drafts checklist for making top-notch Android tablet apps
Google's Senior Mobile VP Andy Rubin has been cool towards tablet apps, arguing that mobile titles shouldn't be tuned to a specific form factor. Whether you agree with that assessment or not, his company has produced an (arguably overdue) tablet app checklist to help developers with big screen ambitions. The step-by-step walkthrough tells developers how to make the most of all that free space and optimize for the larger hardware, touch input targets and widgets. There's a difference between having guidelines and getting app writers to follow them, but the checklist is an important step towards keeping that Galaxy Note 10.1 or Nexus 7 well-fed. [Thanks, Christopher]
