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Apple pressured to remove respected podcast app Pocket Casts in China
Apple has pulled Pocket Casts, one of the most popular podcast apps on iOS, from its App Store in China. China’s regulator made the demand to Pocket Casts through Apple, according a Pocket Casts Twitter thread.
Apple pulls watchOS update that was bricking some Watches (updated)
There's another reason to be disappointed with the latest Apple watchOS 5.1 release besides the missing ECG feature. Some users have reported that the update has bricked their Apple Watches, according to a Reddit thread and 9to5 Mac. After the update, it gets stuck on the Apple logo, and rebooting the paired iPhone and Watch doesn't fix the problem. "Turns your Apple Watch into a nice, modern paperweight," noted one Reddit user.
Basis halts Peak smartwatch sales due to overheating concerns
When we first reviewed the Basis Peak back in 2014, we noted the wearable's ability to track your activity while lacking some core smartwatch features. The company has continually added new features to the device, but today it announced that sales have been halted. Citing the wrist-worn gadget's tendency to overheat, Basis is putting sales of the Peak on hold until it can issue a software update to remedy the issue. What's more, it's recommending current owners avoid using the device until that patch is released.
'Batman: Arkham Knight' for PCs pulled because of glitches
If you've been holding off from buying Batman: Arkham Knight for Windows due to reports of numerous performance issues, low quality textures and glitches, its publisher Warner Brother Games agrees. That's why it's pulling the game from sale "while we work to address these issues to satisfy our quality standards." If you've already purchased it you can still play, but in a forum post the team mentioned people can go to Steam or retail locations where they purchased the game for a refund. A couple of days ago, Warner made some suggestions on how users could get the game to run better, but those don't seem to help much. Right now, the game is showing a "Mostly Negative" review status on Steam with 8,700 reviews logged -- while it's certainly not the first bad PC port, hopefully this embarrassing episode will make it one of the last. (We can hope, right?)
Google pulls the Nexus 7 tablet from its online store (updated)
In case you were on the fence about grabbing one of Google's affordable Nexus tablets, you'd better jump off it pretty soon. The Nexus 7's been pulled from the Google Store, as spotted by TalkAndroid, and it almost assuredly isn't coming back -- especially since the Nexus 9 exists. That means if you still want one of the consistently updated 7-inch slates you'll have to hit places like Amazon while supplies last or wallow in regret for all that could've been. Namely, owning a tablet that (to me at least) is more comfortable to hold than the IPad Mini 2 and is essentially just as capable.
Star Wars Assault Team, Tiny Death Star get bullseye'd like womprats
It seems that Disney has instituted its own version of Order 66 and cleansed the iOS App Store, Google Play Store and Windows Store of free-to-play mobile games Star Wars Assault Team and Tiny Death Star. Both Pocket Gamer and Game Informer report that the decision to pull the games - both of which had been available for less than a year - was made so that the company could focus on Star Wars Commander. Further, it seems that Nimblebit - co-developer with Disney Mobile on Tiny Death Star - was not made aware of the game being retired prior to the game, well ... being retired. "We're very disappointed to see Tiny Death Star shuttered less than a year after launch," Marsh wrote to Game Informer. "We had no prior knowledge that the game would be removed and no longer even have a contact at Disney after the recent layoffs." "Suffice to say if you're a developer looking to partner with Disney this might not be the partnership you're looking for." Ouch. Maybe it's because the games just didn't fit Disney's new canon for the Star Wars universe? [Image: Disney]
Apple pulls HMV music app after realizing it approved a competing music store
We were so pleased for legacy UK music store HMV, when it turned up with a new iOS app last week. It seems Apple was a little bit over-excited too, having apparently mashed the approve button without really realizing what it was doing. HMV was selling music downloads via the new app, a massive conflict of interest for Apple, and a big no-no in relation to its Ts & Cs. According to HMV Chairman Paul McGowan, Cupertino gave HMV Music the nod on September 15th, but once it noticed the gaffe, only gave the UK retailer until 6pm yesterday to remove the offending feature. Of course, this was too short notice, and as such the app has been pulled. The Guardian reports that the official word from Apple is that the app violated a clause that prevents selling of goods or services outside of the app -- an experience the official press release described as "native" despite sending you off to an external site. Back to the developing board for HMV, we guess.
Send Me To Heaven gamifies wanton smartphone recklessness (video)
Like to tempt fate? Then you might want to check out Send Me To Heaven, the Android app that uses your phone's accelerometers to track how high it travels when thrown upward. Assuming you don't fumble your handset on its return trip, its distance will join that of other daredevils on the game's leaderboards. That's all there is to it. Really. According to Kotaku, Apple pulled the game from iTunes because it encourages "behavior that could result in damage to the user's device." We've reached out to developer Carrot Pop for comment on Apple's actions and will update this post if we hear back. In the meantime, do you feel lucky? Update: Carrot Pop's Petr Svarovsky emailed us back saying that Apple initially rejected the app a year ago, and that at the time he "thought people would be careful not to break their expensive iPhones."
EA declares Battlefield 3: Aftershock dead
Here's an interesting tale that might have some ramifications for the App Store in the future. After releasing a version of its popular console title Battlefield 3, subtitled Aftershock, on the App Store last month, EA abruptly pulled the game from Apple's virtual shelves. The reviews on the game were apparently full of comments disparaging the game's controls and tech, and EA originally said that it was pulling the title to re-evaluate how to fix it up. Apparently they have decided on Aftershock's final fate, and it ain't good: An EA rep said that Aftershock won't be returning to the App Store at all. The game's multiplayer servers will be up for another month or so (so if you already have the game installed, you'll be able to play it for that long), and then that's all she wrote.
Apple refunds purchases for 'prematurely released' GameStore app
As those who follow such comings and goings closely may have noticed, a rather mysterious "GameStore" app seemingly made by Apple itself recently appeared in the App Store. It didn't provide much in the way of functionality for its $0.99 price tag -- displaying only a few in-app purchases that couldn't actually be purchased -- and now Apple has offered an explanation, of sorts, for the app's existence. In a message to folks who bought the app, Apple said that the app (since pulled from the App Store) was "prematurely released," and that it has refunded all purchases. Of course, that raises the question as to whether it will eventually be released officially, but Apple expectedly isn't getting any more specific at this point.
Google Voice pulled from App Store following iOS 5 crash
What once was there now is gone. Earlier today, Google Voice was just two clicks away in the iOS App Store. Now, all that remains is a page cache (at the source link below) and versions of the app that were already installed on iPhones and iPod touches. Vincent Paquet, Senior Product Manager for Google Voice confirmed that the app had been pulled, explaining "our last update of this week had a bug that caused the app to crash at sign in. We removed it so it did not affect additional users until the fix gets published." We've been using the most recent version -- 1.3.0.1771 -- on an iPhone 4 running iOS 5 without issue, but recent reviews cite the reported crashing, so it's definitely affecting at least some users. We don't have an ETA for when you can expect the app to return, so if you don't already have it installed, you'll need to hang tight for the time being. The service should function normally otherwise, assuming your phone number has already been registered, though you won't be able to begin new text threads or make outgoing calls using your Google Voice number.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 26, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates The top story this week revolves around the HTC Thunderbolt's long-awaited Gingerbread OTA update. It was finally rolling out, which was exciting news for owners of the device -- until it had to be pulled because of some rather significant bugs. The largest of them all was that voicemail notifications no longer worked properly; video chatting through Google Talk was also slightly messed up as well. No word on when we can expect to see it come back with those bugs fixed. [Droid-Life] Unfortunately, the Thunderbolt isn't the only phone falling victim to pulled revamps; the LG Optimus S on Sprint had its Gingerbread update kiboshed, though users have had two weeks to get it -- plenty of time for anyone to experience some of the bugs, which included the phone not charging, the SD card not being recognized when the phone's connected to the computer, no access to data services, and predictive text on the virtual keyboard stopped working. It's disappointing to see this happen so soon after the Kyocera Echo update went through a similar debacle. [SprintFeed] LG Optimus 3D: V10K firmware update, enables phone to convert OpenGL-capable 2D games into stereoscopic 3D. Note: this still runs Android 2.2.2, so we're still waiting for Gingerbread. [AndroidCentral] Motorola Xoom WiFi: Android 3.2.1 is beginning to roll out. [AndroidCentral] Dell Streak 7: Honeycomb update rolling out now to unspecified regions [AndroidCentral] Asus Eee Pad Transformer: Revamped to Android 3.2.1, adds other bug fixes [AndroidCommunity] Casio G'Zone Commando: Gingerbread rolling out now [Droid-Life] Motorola Droid 3: Minor maintenance refresh; enhances Google Talk with video chat support, several other fixes. [PhoneDog] T-Mobile Samsung Nexus S: OTA install (with option to manually install) to Android 2.3.6; doesn't appear to break tethering. [AndroidCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery The Android 2.3.5 ROM for the global Samsung Galaxy S II leaked early this week. [Pocketnow, SamFirmware] You can now download the Android 2.3.4 SBF for the Motorola Droid X2, courtesy of XDA. [Droid-Life] If you have a Sony Ericsson Xperia-branded device from 2010 or 2011, CyanogenMod7 support will most likely come included as part of an upcoming update. Ten Xperia devices will be added, though a timeframe for release wasn't announced. Check here to see if your device made the list. [XperiaBlog] Other platforms Check here to see if your phone is ready to receive Windows Phone Mango. The ultra-rare AT&T HP Pre 3 just received an OTA update to 2.2.3.2207, right after a new webOS Doctor became available for the same refresh. [PreCentral] Refreshes we covered this week Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update now rolling out How to force Mango to your phone right away Samsung Taylor receiving Mango?
Galaxy Tab 7.7 disappears from IFA floor, not a trace left behind
Just two days after Samsung unveiled its Honeycomb-sporting Galaxy Tab 7.7, the slate (along with all traces of its existence) has vanished from the IFA floor. All demo models have been yanked from Sammy's booth, branding has disappeared, and even the large poster touting the slate has been covered up. The Korean company hasn't been entirely forthcoming about the reason behind the removal, but a spokesperson did tell SlashGear that the move was voluntary. Given that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is already barred from sale in Germany (and some 7.7 units on display bore a sticker informing handlers it would also not make it to retail in Deutschland), speculation has led many to link the vanishing act to the ongoing legal battle with Apple. For now though, all we have to go on is Samsung's confirmation that the tablet has been pulled, accompanied by a refusal to comment further.
Samsung Galaxy S Gingerbread update pulled 'by Google,' needs a little more work
Come on, this is Samsung we're talking about here -- you didn't think a software update from Korea's leading smartphone maker would go without a hitch, did you? The Gingerbread build that made its way out to European Galaxy S handsets over the weekend has now been halted, on account of an unspecified issue that has been identified after release. Vodafone reports that it's Google who's actually responsible for temporarily suspending the Android 2.3 delivery over Kies, although the problem is apparently not universal -- Voda's Galaxy S devices are said to be unaffected, which is why the carrier's working hard to get things rolling again as soon as possible. Oh Samsung, when will it end? [Thanks, Jake]
Apple pulls VLC from the iTunes store
Looks like VLC's role as champion of open-source legal rights is no more -- rather than lawyer up, Apple's taken the easy way out, and simply removed the VLC media player from the App Store. Rémi Denis-Courmont -- the VideoLAN developer who originally sued to have it removed -- reports that an Apple attorney informed him that the company had complied with his takedown request, and pulled the app accordingly, which likely puts the kibosh on other potential VLC ports as well. If you think about it, the open-source community may have just planted the first brick in a walled garden of its own.
Google Latitude makes brief appearance in App Store, gets yanked post-haste
Ah, the games that grown-ups play. It's a situation that's beginning to feel an awful lot like the Google Voice fiasco that made the rounds in mid-2009, but if it ends in a similar fashion, you won't find us kvetching about the teases. As the story goes, a bona fine Google Latitude app made its appearance in Japan's App Store hours ago, only to be yanked before it could sashay over to any other nation. TechCrunch reckons that it was El Goog doing the pulling -- it's quite possible that the folks in Mountain View weren't quite ready to publicly reveal it, and with all that Chrome action going down yesterday, it's not hard to imagine how an impending launch was overlooked. At any rate, the description of the app as well as most of the screenshots were in English, so we're cautiously optimistic that it'll resurface in the near future once a few Is are dotted and Ts crossed. With iOS 4 supporting background location, there's hardly a reason to wait any longer, right?
Skyfire disappears from iTunes App Store due to technical difficulties (update: 'sold out')
Trying to get a copy of the Skyfire browser for your iOS device? You may not have much luck, as the pseudo-Flash-capable browser has just disappeared from iTunes App Stores around the globe, mere hours after its splashy debut. When we try to download it for ourselves in the United States we get the message immediately above, and RazorianFly readers are chiming in with reports that the app is no longer available in Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Spain and the UK. We just pinged Skyfire for comment and they say it's not Apple's fault; demand for a Flash video workaround is apparently so high that the company's having server issues and decided to pull the app rather than introduce new users to a sub-par experience. Skyfire assures us that it's adding servers as quickly as it can, but didn't provide an ETA on when we might see the app once more. Update: While we're not sure how an digital app can be "sold out," that's exactly what the company says happened to its $2.99 browser today -- after quickly becoming the top grossing app in the iTunes App Store, Skyfire is "temporarily not accepting new purchases" and says it will issue Facebook and Twitter status updates when the next batch of licenses is available. In other words, Skyfire's throttling the flow of purchases from now on. PR after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Roku 'disallows' PlayOn, cites 'possibility of legal exposure'
Bummer. Just a few short days after PlayOn support was apparently added to Roku's stable of set-top boxes, it looks as if the fun has come to an abrupt halt. Based on quotes from both PlayOn and Roku staff members, it sounds like the PlayOn channel will no longer work on those who try to get it installed, but those who managed to slip in early may be in the clear. Jim, a PlayOn staffer, stated that his company was "contacted today by Roku and told that they were going to disallow this channel," and because neither the Roku channel developer nor Roku "are affiliated with PlayOn, [they] have no control over the situation." On the Roku side, one Patrick has confirmed that "while... many of you are excited about a PlayOn-compatible Channel and may be using it, it unfortunately presents the possibility of legal exposure for us; as a result, the current PlayOn channels have been removed and are no longer available to add to your Roku player." If your bubble has just been popped in the worst possible way, we'd probably start looking into that 30-day return policy -- for you early birds, is PlayOn still working on your Roku box? Hit us up in comments below. [Thanks, Brian]
iDOS emulator hits the App Store, gets pulled in record time
You know what they say. You snooze, you miss out on a DOS emulator in the Apple App Store. That rare and unimaginable occurrence happened earlier today, when the so-called iDOS emulator was briefly available for both the iPhone and iPad before it was unsurprisingly pulled from the store a short time ago. That wasn't before it was seen spotted running Windows 3.0 and even some classic Sierra adventure games, though -- head on past the break for the evidence.
Windows XP patch fiasco gets even crazier, Microsoft now scrambling for solutions
If you ever needed a reason to go Linux, here you go. The noise surrounding this patently obscure Windows XP bug / patch fiasco has just reached a fever pitch, and now we've got engineers within Redmond scratching their heads, too. As the story goes, Microsoft recently patched a security hole that took care of an antediluvian DOS vulnerability, and in doing so, some users began to see BSODs and endless reboots. Today, we've learned that the patch has been yanked, and Microsoft is suggesting that malware is to blame. But here's the skinny -- the patch simply disturbed the malware, which called a specific kernel code that directs your PC to keel over; in other words, any application that calls that same code could theoretically leave your machine in dire straits. And that, friends, probably explains the software giant's following quote: "In our continuing investigation in to the restart issues related to MS10-015 that a limited number of customers are experiencing, we have determined that malware on the system can cause the behavior. We are not yet ruling out other potential causes at this time and are still investigating." Rock, meet hard place.
