[New Game] The Toys Come (Back) To Life In Toy Story: Smash It!, Now Available In The Play Store

Toy Story is probably one of the greatest digital films ever made. Kids enjoy the idea of toys coming to life when they aren't around, and adults get their share of subtle humor in the mix, too. Now the crew Woody, Buzz, Rex, and more are on your mobile device in a whimsical new game from Disney.

The game, dubbed Toy Story: Smash It! puts a familiar twist on a mobile mainstay: the 3D break-the-blocks puzzler. You play as Buzz, who has to destroy the alien forts by hurling a ball at them at just the right angle. It actually looks pretty fun.

Smash It! Features 60 different levels through four "episodes," including a battle against Evil Emperor Zurg himself! It'll set you back a dollar in the Play Store head below to give it a shot.

Via: [New Game] The Toys Come (Back) To Life In Toy Story: Smash It!, Now Available In The Play Store

NVIDIA shows off previous PS3 only title Burn Zombie Burn! running on Project Shield

NVIDIA just this week showed off some impressive screenshots and gameplay video of new Tegra 4 optimized games, and now we've got a look at one of them running on Project Shield. Burn Zombie Burn!, previously a PS3 only title, has been ported over directly by NVIDIA to run on Project Shield with a Tegra 4 processor, and seems to perform exceptionally well. On top of just the basic game port, the team has apparently enhanced the game further, with new graphical flourishes and improvements.

Not only do controls work great because of the relatively similar layout to a console controller, but everything seems to run graphics-wise without a hiccup as well. Check out the video above to see Project Shield in action with this title, and if you want more information you can see NVIDIA's blog post at the source link below.

Source: NVIDIA

Via: NVIDIA shows off previous PS3 only title Burn Zombie Burn! running on Project Shield

Deal of the Day: Amzer Skin Case for Google Nexus 7

The Feb. 28 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Amzer Skin Case for Google Nexus 7. This flexible case is made from 100% premium silicone and is a great, lightweight option for protecting your Nexus 7. Absorbing any shock from drops, this skin case offers a reliable grip thanks to its smooth silicone exterior. Available in a variety of color options to choose from!

The Amzer Skin Case is available for just $9.00, 64% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last!

Deal also available in the Canada store

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Via: Deal of the Day: Amzer Skin Case for Google Nexus 7

Amazon Mobile For Tablets Breaks Into Europe

Good news for our friends across the pond - Amazon Mobile for Tablets is now available in Italy, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain. This change follows closely behind a pair of updates from Amazon, the first adding support for additional tablets while the second added Canadian availability to the phone version.

• Now available in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom, as well as United States.
• Bug fixes and performance enhancements

If you live in any of these European countries, own a tablet, and cant wait to buy something online, hit the widget below.

Via: Amazon Mobile For Tablets Breaks Into Europe

Google Updates Field Trip With New Content, Improved Notifications, And More; Play Books With Fixes For 'Over 90' Issues

"Updates for everyone!" she said, as the improvements fell from the sky. Suddenly, she realized that updates weren't actually for everyone, but rather Google's Field Trip app, as well as Play Books. While she was embarrassed at her initial mistake, no one actually seemed to notice as they all stared silently at their digital devices, exploring the new goodies bestowed upon them.

That's a small excerpt from a wonderful story about a girl and a pair of Google apps, which is ironically very appropriate for today, because both of those apps just happened to be updated. Call it fate. Call it a lucky guess. Call it whatever you want, but I'm going with "update Wednesday."

Google's Field Trip app received a nice bump to version 1.0.8 this evening, which brings a number of fixes and enhancements to the exploration app:

What's in this version:

V1.08:
* New content from Art Nerd New York, Cultureist, Mad Girl Eats, Weekend Sherpa, Wilderness Press and more.
* When receiving a notification, unlock slider lets you swipe right to unlock, left to dismiss, up to snooze.
* When snoozed Field Trip will not send notifications for the rest of the day.
* Configuration option to keep screen turned off. When you hear the notification sound, press power button to read.
* Configuration option to get notifications via standard Android notifications.

Of course, El Goog didn't stop there. Oh, no. They gave Play Books the update of its life, with over 90 issues fixed.

What's in this version:

Improved performance.
Fixed over 90 issues, including crashes.
Implemented a number of UI improvements, including an added drop-down menu in the library to filter books by type, and identifying place names on the current page when the reading controls are showing.

So, both apps are now better, and in turn, you should use them more. You know where to find 'em.

Play Books

Via: Google Updates Field Trip With New Content, Improved Notifications, And More; Play Books With Fixes For 'Over 90' Issues

Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 found to have OpenCL drivers

The researchers and ubergeeksover at Anandtechhave discovered undocumented OpenCL drivers on both the Nexus 4 and Nexus 10. I know a few folks out there just got a little bit excited, but for the rest of us OpenCL needs a little explanation.

The chip in your modern Android smartphone has both a CPU and a GPU(there's other stuff, but we're going to ignore it for now) on board. The CPU handles all the heavy lifting and number crunching, while the GPUsits mostly idle, with all it's high-speed cores doing a whole lot of nothing unless you're running a graphically intensive app.

OpenCL is a standard that puts all that untapped GPU power to use, allowing it to also crunch numbers and help the CPU along. Of course this is a simplified explanation, but it gets the general point across -- you can use the GPU to help do things faster, and use less battery to do it. It's a form of parallel computing that you find on new processors in modern desktop and laptop chips.

There's a few caveats here (isn't there always?) to keep in mind though. To start with, Renderscript is the parallel computing API officially supported in Android. OpenCL is likely there only because Qualcomm and ARM now officially support the API, not because anyone at Google requested it. Because of this, the drivers aren't likely to stay up to date or improved in any way. In fact, they could disappear in a future firmware update.

Of course, that's not likely to stop tinkerers and hackers from trying to use them. If that sounds like you, you'll want to head to the source link where you can read a little more about exactly what was found, and some source code to check it out yourself.

Source: Anandrech

Via: Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 found to have OpenCL drivers

YotaPhone hands-on - gestures, e-ink and vanilla Android

The YotaPhone is an example of one of the things we like the most about Android -- crazy hardware implemented in new and interesting ways. Dual-screen smartphones are nothing new -- recall the ill-fatedKyocera Echo of old. But Yota Devices'YotaPhone is the first we can recall that packs both a traditional LCD front and e-ink back, and today we went hands-on with the phone at Mobile World Congress.Both sides are coated in Corning Gorilla Glass 2, though the back has more of a matte texture to it. This gives the YotaPhone a unique appearance, which is accentuated by its slightly curved back.

Powering the YotaPhone is a dual-core Snapdragon S4CPU at 1.5GHz. Around the back is a 12MP camera, and the power button cleverly doubles as aSIM tray. On the software side, it's near-vanilla Jelly Bean running the show -- Yota's left the Android UI mostly intact. Both screens are 4.3 inches diagonally, and the LCD clocks in at 1280x720 pixels. As you'd expect from the vanilla Android UI running on an S4 chip, the UI is smooth and lag-free.

The phone's also lacking traditional Android buttons -- instead, button commands are activated based on gesture controls on a panel under the LCD. Swipe halfway from right to left to go back, all the way to go home, and long press the middle for the task-switcher. Similarly, you can copy images from the front screen to the rear by swiping from top to bottom with two fingers.

Certain apps, such as Calendar and Weather, can also run natively on the rear display, and there's an in-app button for transferring things to the rear screen. This means you're able to view content without burning through quite so much juice -- and it could also be useful for viewing certain types of information in bright sunlight.

The YotaPhone probably won't be a mass-market seller in the West, but it is an incredibly cool device nonetheless, playing to the strengths of both LCD and e-ink. We've got hands-on photos and a quick video demo after the break.

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Via: YotaPhone hands-on - gestures, e-ink and vanilla Android

Adobe Releases Photoshop Touch For Phones, Pisses Off Tablet Users By Making It A Separate $5 App

Adobe has kind of a scattershot mobile strategy. On the one hand, it released six apps back in 2011 for tablets that ranged from okay to awesome. On the other hand, it killed off five of them last year. The tablet versions cost $10 each. Pricey for an app, but Adobe knows how to bring it's A-game. Today, it's bringing it again with a phone version of Photoshop Touch. A distinct piece of software for $5.

Nearly all of the features of the tablet version are available here, including layer support, selective editing, and an array of touch-friendly gestures and menus that made the original app so dang nice. Also, as before, you get a small amount of Creative Cloud storage (2GB) with your purchase. Not a bad deal.

The real bummer is for tablet users who have purchased Photoshop Touch already and will have to re-buy the nearly identical software if they want to use it on their phones as well. Using myself as an example, I purchased three of the initial six applications. While it's not impossible to find the discontinued titles on the Play Store and install them on new devices, it is fairly difficult. I already feel like $20 went down the drain on apps that won't be supported anymore. Shelling out yet another $5 for the same title on a different device is a drag when very few other developers on Android follow this model.

Still, if you want to give it a go, grab it from the widget below.

Via: Adobe Releases Photoshop Touch For Phones, Pisses Off Tablet Users By Making It A Separate $5 App

Skype update brings back 'classic' UI option for tablets

Skype has just been updated to give users the option of selecting a "classic" UI instead of the new and improved tablet interface. The previous update to Skype added many new features and a more tablet-optimized interface overall, including a portrait UI for calling -- the curious part was the rest of the app was still locked in landscape mode. Skype is now backpedaling, sort of, by letting tablet users go back to a phone-style UI in the settings if they prefer. The new option is probably a better choice if you're on a smaller screen like the Nexus 7that is often used in portrait.

10-inch tablet users are still better off with the new "tablet" UI because the larger devices are quite comical in portrait mode. Until Skype figures out how to do a responsive tablet UI that changes appropriately for landscape and portrait use, it's good to have this option. You can grab the update from the Play Store link at the top of this post.

Via: Skype update brings back 'classic' UI option for tablets

[New Game] HeroCraft Releases Protoxide: Death Race Only 18 Months After Teasing It

Sometimes game development just doesn't go as planned. New challenges appear, deadlines are pushed back, and entire projects can end up scrapped. In the case of Protoxide: Death Race, it seemed for a long time like it was dead in the water. Now all of a sudden this title has appeared in the Play Store after about a year and a half of waiting. But if you're in the mood for heavily armed hovercraft, look no further.

This title invites you to race around the track, grabbing power ups and taking out the competition. There are multiple game modes, including campaigns and free-for-all multiplayer combat. You also get 16 unique tracks across four different environments.

If this game had come out even a year ago, it would have been a top-tier game in the graphics department. Now it might be a little behind the times. Not to say it looks bad, though. If you want to see what all the waiting was about, Protoxide: Death Race is only $0.99.

Via: [New Game] HeroCraft Releases Protoxide: Death Race Only 18 Months After Teasing It

Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite Bugdroid Circuit Case for Galaxy Note 2

The Feb. 26 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Cruzerlite Bugdroid Circuit Case for Galaxy Note 2. These gel cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). They are slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the Galaxy Note 2 while offering a wide variety of color options to choose from!

The Cruzerlite Bugdroid Curcuit Case is available for just $8.00, 60% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last!

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Via: Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite Bugdroid Circuit Case for Galaxy Note 2

Falcon Pro Developer Raises App Price To $132.13 To Discourage Downloads, Petitions Twitter To Raise Token Limit

More than a few Twitter power users were upset when Falcon Pro, the popular Android Twitter client, hit its 100,000 user token limit and became nigh useless for new or returning users. Developer Joaquim Vergs has resorted to an unconventional approach to get the word out about Twitter's draconian API policies: he's raised the price of the formerly $1 app to an eye-popping $132.13, ostensibly to discourage people from actually downloading it. (Those who formerly purchased it can re-download it via Google Play's standard method, though logging in may be impossible.)

He posted the following message in the app description by way of explanation:

** ATTENTION PLEASE READ THIS **

** TOKEN LIMIT REACHED - DO NOT BUY - WORKS ONLY FOR ONLY FOR EXISTING USERS **

** THE APP WILL NOT ACCEPT NEW USERS BECAUSE OF TWITTER LIMITATIONS (100k tokens max) **

Help me Extend the access token limit by signing this petition :http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/extend-falcon-pro

And Please RELEASE your access token from the Twitter settings on the web if you're not using the app anymore.

Twitter implemented the 100,000 user token limit on apps last fall (200% of then-totals for apps with more than 100K users), to the consternation of users and tech media alike. While the company hasn't given a satisfactory answer as to its reasoning, many assume that they're pushing users towards the web interface and official applications (which leave a lot to be desired) for advertising revenue, while discouraging third-party apps. This has been widely interpreted as a betrayal of the developers and users that helped make Twitter into the gargantuan service it is today.

While the shift in price for Falcon Pro is entertaining, it might not be the best way to go about it - at least one or two people might buy the app and get a nasty shock. (Though admittedly, there's a case to be made that they deserve it.) And based on what's happened to other apps that have passed the token limit, the petition is unlikely to sway the Twitter higher-ups.

If you want to support Vergs' efforts, you can go to Twitter.com/account/settings and remove Falcon Pro from your Apps list, to open it up for another user. You could also send him a couple of bucks via the Falcon Widget Donate version, which is still in service.

Via: Falcon Pro Developer Raises App Price To $132.13 To Discourage Downloads, Petitions Twitter To Raise Token Limit

[New Game] Infinite Is A Minimalist Space Adventure With Killer Tunes

Yeah, high-resolution textures, 3D shaders, dynamic lighting, and all sorts of other stuff are standard in mobile games these days. Infinite is a little bit different, though. This title invites you to journey through a geometric galaxy and build solar systems with dead-simple controls.

Infinite is an arcade-style game with a little dash of physics and a smidgen of style. You have to pick up bits of matter floating around the various stars in your galaxy to build up enough mass to drop a planet. All you have top do is tap and hold to move the matter collector farther out. The planets you create then affect the orbits of everything else in the level, and change the gameplay depending on where you place them. There are also dangerous enemies, black holes, and other not-so-nice stuff to avoid.

The graphics are simple, but very clean and colorful. There is also a great ambient soundtrack to jam to. This game starts out slow, but becomes a real challenge. Infinite is selling for $0.99 in the Play Store.

Via: [New Game] Infinite Is A Minimalist Space Adventure With Killer Tunes

ESPN Fantasy Baseball App Updated For 2013 MLB Season, Still Kinda Sucks

Ah, fantasy sports: the Dungeons and Dragons of the jock world. There are more than a few options for you to spend your fantasy money on, but ESPN's seems to be the first that's ready for the 2013 baseball season. So if you've just got to get your lineup ready for the big office matchup weeks in advance of opening day, feel free to download ESPN Fantasy Baseball.

The app has all the new players, trades, and updated stats that fantasy sports depend on. Picks and match-ups will be synced with ESPN's servers, and you can access all of it through the main web interface. If you're done with your drafts, there's plenty of news to tide you over until your league starts, complete with a TV-style ticker at the bottom of the screen.

It's too bad that the UI of the app is a mess, and has remained so for the last couple of years. It hasn't aged well in the age of HD mobile screens, and plenty of reviews in the Play Store are citing crashes on newer hardware. If you're used to ESPN's system and just want to see updates on the go, the app might be worth your while. Otherwise, you and your league might want to wait for the competitor apps to come out closer to the start of the season.

Via: ESPN Fantasy Baseball App Updated For 2013 MLB Season, Still Kinda Sucks

Twitter announces support for Firefox OS, app to be in Firefox Marketplace when devices ship

Twitter has announced that they will be among the first marquee applications to support Firefox OS. Mozilla announced yesterday that Firefox has committedmobile operators in 18 markets, and that Alcatel, ZTE, and Huaweiare partnered to build devices for the new OS.

The interface they are showing looks very much like the Android app, and Twitter says the application offers a rich experience, and is easy to use. In addition to the standard functions, Twitter plans to take advantage of Firefox OS' unique Web Activity feature, and users will be able to tweet out from any app that supports them.

For more information about Firefox OS, visit Mozilla's blog, and for information about Twitter for Firefox visit the source link.

Source: Twitter

Via: Twitter announces support for Firefox OS, app to be in Firefox Marketplace when devices ship

Hands-on with LG's Optimus F5 and F7

At the LG MWC booth today the manufacturer didn't just launch the Optimus G Pro and L II series, there was also a new mid-range series of 4G LTEsmartphones on display -- the OptimusF5 and F7, members of the LG Optimus F series. The devices we saw were aimed at the European and Korean markets, and the F7 on display at the LG booth bore SKT's 4G LTE logo.

Hardware-wise, you're looking at phones that closely follow the pattern of the Optimus L5II and L7 II -- mid-range phones running LG's skin atop Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. And just like on those handsets, the OptimusF5 and F7run smoothly enough, and feature a three-button setup. On the F5 you've got three capacitive keys; on the F7there's a bigclickyhome key. On the hardware side, the F7 has a few advantages, sporting a larger 4.7-inch screen versus the 4.3 inches of the F5.

Overall, the design of the F series is a close match for LG's other 2013 devices -- unassuming squarish designs with a variety of patterns occupying the back cover. The Korean F7 on display at the booth uses a similar checkerboard design to the Optimus G Pro.

The Optimus F5 should be landing in Europe sometime in the second quarter, as for the F7, that'll be headed to "select markets" later in the year.

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Via: Hands-on with LG's Optimus F5 and F7