What Do You Know About Android Phones?

The cell phone community has been in love with the Android OS since 2007. Since its debut the Android system has gone through many updates and upgrades. Now the Android operating system software is competing quite well against the other OS softwares that are out there. The iPhone and the Blackberry are not the only smart phones on the market anymore. With the Android phones and operating system getting more popular by the minute, we thought we would check out the history of the system and see what we could learn. Here are some factoids we learned about the Android operating system and the phones that use them.

Have you heard that iPhone users are far more likely to pay for applications than people who use Android OS mobile phones? A study done recently has shown that about half of the people who use iPhones will pay for the applications they can’t access for free. This study also shows that only one in five people who use the Android phones will buy applications. This could change as the Android market’s paid app section grows but, for now, Android users are more thrifty than iPhone users. It might seem overly competitive to brag about this, but Android users don’t mind.

Enthuisiasts for the brand make up a large part of the iPhone population. They purchased the iPhone not because of features or functions but because it was created by Apple. The Apple community and fan base is quite large. Consumers of Android OS are not yet as committed to their product. They likely choose phones with low prices and a wide range of technological features they may or may not need or use.

Without a doubt, iPhone users are so loyal to the product brand they will recommend it to others. Some Android users might recommend their phones to others but many are reluctant still.

The Android OS was created to enhance the Open Handset Alliance. The operating system is constantly being updated and advanced by multiple companies. Google may be the largest company in the news right now but that does not mean they are the only one. These companies are spread all over the globe and work with hundreds of different mobile providers. The Android OS is recognized universally as a cellular operating system as a result of these global organizations. Knowledgable users will choose the Android over other OS because of it’s open source abilities.

The Android phones are globally used. If you have a cellular phone already that is not an iPhone or a Blackberry you are probably using the Android OS without even realizing it. The Android OS is more widely used than might think, the only acceptions are the iPhone and Blackberry smartphones.

That is because many providers began implementing the open source Android OS in 2007 after it’s premier. How many times have you changed phones since 2007?

GTA 5 delayed to September, could come to PS4

Bad news: GTA 5's release date has been pushed back. While it was slated for release in the spring, it now won't be out until 17 September.

The (potentially) good news? This could mean it finds its way onto the next generation of consoles, ie the PS4 and Xbox 720, according to one analyst.

Rockstar posted the update on its website. A note reads: "We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require.

"To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September -- we thank you for your support and patience."

So could this mean a launch on next-gen consoles? One analyst thinks so. Doug Creutz, from Cowen & Company, told Trusted Reviews that the next PlayStation and Xbox are due around December time, and so Take-Two could "have plans to eventually publish GTA V on the next set of consoles in some form".

Rockstar head honcho Dan Houser hasn't ruled it out, saying that "everything else is up for consideration". He also hinted the game could come to Apple devices, following the success of GTA: Vice City for iOS.
Sony has teased a big announcement later this month that could well be the PS4. So hopefully we won't have long to wait before we can start locking these next-gen console dates in the diary.

Are you annoyed about the delay? What do you reckon Rockstar's next instalment to the series will be like? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.

5 new GTA 5 screenshots outed: Sharks! Planes! Submarines!

Rockstar has wished us all happy holidays the only way it knows how: by giving us a fresh batch of Grand Theft Auto 5 screenshots to salivate over.

The screens were posted on the Rockstar site under the headline "Happy Holidays -- Enjoy". So it's not giving us much to go on. But still, who needs explanations when you've got sharks, planes, Rottweilers and more? Click through for the full gallery.

The game looks to be typically gangsterish, with a mean-looking man in a car, and an even meaner dog in the passenger seat. It also looks like water will play a bigger part than in previous games, seeing as one of the shots shows a mini submarine. And what's that lurking below the surface in another? Why it's a massive shark of course, eyeing up a particularly tasty-looking diver. So don't expect the action to let up just because you're underwater.

Series creator Dan Houser has said previously that this will be the biggest Grand Theft Auto to date, with the map being bigger than Red Dead Redemption, GTA San Andreas and GTA 4 combined. And that's all so we can do more flying. What looks like a commercial airliner is pictured alongside a fighter jet, with an airship in the background, so we could potentially take control of all three. Imagine the possibilities.

The final picture sees some pretty bad-looking dudes standing in front of a car at night. One of them is on the phone, and from his expression, it doesn't look like he's ordering a pizza.

Rockstar revealed the second trailer for GTA 5 last month, a full year on from the first.

PlayStation 5 The new rumor

Finally Sony Entertainment has released their latest Video Gaming console “PlayStation 4”. The PlayStation 4 is maybe the best gaming console to be made till now. But just for a moment, think Bigger. The whole world is now engaged in Gossip and rumors of PS4, and I am here to write about a console even better – The Playstation 5.

Sony has given their heart and soul to make PlayStation 4 perfect. Seriously, I personally think that Sony can do no better job with the PlayStation 4. Now, PS4 will be sold to public in short time. The production of 1^st batch of PS4 is maybe already completed. Amazon is already taking pre-order for PlayStation 4.

The burning question – What are the console designers of Sony dong right now. I mean, they are paid salary, they cannot be sitting idle. So, they must be planning for the next biggest game console – The Ultimate Playstation 5. No one of the Sony Officials has declared anything about PS5 yet, but

you can be 99% sure its designing and planning has already begun. What will the PlayStation 5 be like? You will read about the PS5 rumor in this article.

PS4 supports full HD gaming at 1080p, and till now there is no better video quality than 1080p. Right now, many monitors support 2560*1700 pixel resolutions (The New ChromeBook Pixel). Maybe the future HD video will be 1700p. When Playstation 5 will be released, which I am guessing will be around 2016-2017 1700p will be the new “Full HD” resolution. So, it can be expected that the PS5 will have 1700p resolution support. Already, Xbox 360 supports “Kinect” which is a device to detect human movement. Maybe, Sony will develop a similar device for PS4. The PS5 will be controlled with a similar device.

PS3 and PS4 games are written in a 1-2 layered Blue-Ray disc. So during the time of PS5 maybe a 4 layered Blue-Ray disc will be used. By the way, each layer of a Blue-Ray Disc can hold about 16GB of data. I can give an almost accurate guess about the price of a PS5 game disc. Developers have already developed for PS4, and these games cost same as the PC versions. PS4 version of “Just Dance 4” costs around 70$, so a PS5 disc will cost around 100$.

What do you think Playstation 5 will be like? Share your thought about PS5 in the comment section. Share your thoughts in Twitter ( #totps5). And don’t forget to send a link to this article to your friends. Let them know what the PS5 will be like.

Top 5 Apps For Kids This Week

Ages 2-8
Overall rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Why we like it: Video review here. Well-designed, free and responsive, this is a xylophone featuring keys that can teach you songs. Each note on the two-octave scale is represented by one of JibJab's StoryBot characters. You can toggle between four voices.

Need to know:
At no cost, you get three songs (Mary Had a Little Lamb, This Old Man and Row Row Row Your Boat). For more songs, you need to subscribe for $4.99/month; this is an in-app sale -- a process that is not well thought out (if a child knows your password, an accidental subscription could be activated).
Ease of use: 10/10
Educational: 9/10
Entertaining: 10/10
Free Here


Chris Crowell is a veteran kindergarten teacher and contributing editor to Children's Technology Review, a web-based archive of articles and reviews on kids apps, technology toys and video games.
A living xylophone, educational mazes, interactive ebook fairy tales and more Dr. Seuss short stories — are all in this week's top apps for kids. Check out our gallery for more educational apps that incorporate learning with fun and games.

Children's Technology Review shared these five top apps for children from the online publication's comprehensive monthly database of kid-tested reviews. The site covers everything from math and counting to reading and phonics. Download a free issue of CTR here.
Check back next week for more Top Kids Apps from Children's Technology Review.

EA Fifa 14 is announced, Will be launched later this year

Electronic Arts has finally announced the next big expected soccer game Fifa 14. The new title of this most popular football franchise game will be launched later in this year, the dates aren’t finalized yet but regarding the history of all the Fifa game releases, September is their favorite month. It will be available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PCs as well, However we have the reports that the game will also be announced for other platforms as well.

The two main novelties of the game compared to FIFA 13 are: a system for better finish and a more realistic physics to the ball. According to the game’s producer, Nick Channon, the team is focusing on these two new additions to this year, called Real Ball Physics and Pure Shot . He says that the way the ball was kicked and was not slowed according to what happens in real life. With all these statics in mind the team at EA managed to create a new system that will make the shots more compelling and real closer to what happen in real life play.


Moreover the game developers announced that they have already resolved the “PureShot” addition. They are now busy with finalizing the player animation the way it gets the ball and kicks, those sudden moments are now being changed to be more fluid with some latest gaming engines. The developers claim that this edition will bring more natural and realistic approach to the game play.

Executive producer David Rutter also assured fans: “Fifa 14 will be played as the real life big matches are played, The more focus is on midfield play development, The more real time game play will make the game more interesting .”

Fifa 14 will also include all Football leagues and most probably all International teams will also be included in this version of the game, However EA team didn’t mentioned in their reports

Listen to Every Song From 'Grand Theft Auto' on Spotify GTA

Fans of Grand Theft Auto games know that while carjacking, cop evasion and general mayhem are all important elements of each game, the franchise is nothing without its awesome soundtracks.

Every time you hop in any car, you switch between the radio stations in each world, from the '80s-laden sounds of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to the iconic West Coast hip hop inescapable in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, each game world has its own unmistakable sound.

Now you can listen to all of those songs via Spotify and iTunes. Rockstar Games has posted each radio station as its own separate playlist on both of those services.

While not all the songs are available on either, an email from Rockstar says the company will try to fill in the gaps with its own uploads soon. But for now, you can browse all the playlists via Rockstar's Spotify, or iTunes by searching.

If you're also nostalgic for GTA's great fictional ads that ran between the music, many of the ads from Vice City, San Andreas and Liberty City are available on Rockstar's own page under The Advertising Council.

For your listening pleasure, we've embedded Liberty Rock Radio 97.8 from Grand Theft Auto IV on Spotify below.

Star Wars 1313 shelved as Disney powers down LucasArts

There's a great disturbance in the gaming world, as Disney has stopped game development at LucasArts, putting all its current projects on ice.

Millions of gamers' voices will suddenly cry out in terror at the news, which sees the studio behind classics like The Secret of Monkey Island, Grim Fandango and X-Wing hang up its development hat.

The LucasArts name may not die out completely, as Disney will be licensing the studio's games, Wired reports. In terms of making new games however, LucasArts' time is done, and has made significant layoffs across the board.

Development on both Star Wars 1313 and Star Wars: First Assault has been halted, though a source 'with knowledge of the decision' told CNET that neither game is being fully shut down.

Don't hold out too much hope though, as Kotaku also cites anonymous sources who say that "both games are effectively dead forever." Ouch.

Star Wars 1313 looked particularly tempting, and earned itself a spot in our 'Most exciting games and gadgets of E3 2012' rundown. The game was set to put you in the metal boots of a bounty hunter on Coruscant, blasting your way through a hive of scum and villainy, and it looked eye-bleedingly gorgeous.

It's a shame to see the studio's creative side die out, and it's certainly grim to see developers facing layoffs. Disney took control of LucasArts when it bought Lucasfilm last year, and confirmed that it would be cooking up a number of new Star Wars films. Since that acquisition, Mickey and pals have also cancelled the animated Clone Wars cartoon.

Are you sad to see LucasArts go? Do you have fond memories of the studio's games, and do you think Disney will do a good job with Star Wars? 

SimCity 5 Review

SimCity is a beautiful mess. Not in the same vein as a Jackson Pollock or Tracy Emin, mind, but instead more of a lost Rembrandt forgotten under an ever growing pile of detritus in some well-meaning aunt’s attic. It’s been buried by technology, inside and outside the game. What should have been a tour-de-force of city building is instead mired in queues to play and connection issues even a week on from release, and a misguided attempt at introducing social features such as shared resources and global trading has only hindered, when it should have helped.

The worst of it is lost saves, entirely erasing cities from the map without any of the joy of watching aliens or a tornado rip through it. With everything being thrown up and hosted on the cloud, every decision you make is potentially lost to a server hiccup or any number of connectivity issues. Even then, the worst case scenarios still have milder cousins, and there were multiple times when a communication error with the SimCity servers got in the way of playing the game. When I tried to erect a Great Work, which fill the role of SimCity’s end game, I had to wait a good half hour for the ‘permit’ to be approved. Having spent a million in game dollars on that permit, it was a testing time.

Even worse is the unreliable nature of the social features. On two different occasions I lost a huge amount of money trying to transfer funds from one city to another, with the gift just disappearing somewhere between the two. And while SimCity does model embezzlers and other criminals, I’m fairly certain this wasn’t a feature.

The thing is, none of this would even matter if SimCity itself wasn’t any fun. It would just be another abortive attempt by a publisher to shovel intrusive DRM down the throats of the players, and we could happily ignore it in favour of less restrictive experiences. The problem is SimCity is a beautiful thing, once you battle past the server queues and loading problems.

At the heart is the roads, a flexible spine upon which everything else hangs. SimCity games have always been primarily about expression rather than simulation, despite the name. The landscape is your canvas, and you’re given the tools to cultivate in whatever manner you choose. You can opt for a utilitarian grid, maximising your economic potential by planning for skyscrapers from the get go. Or you can instead create elegant curves and circles, aiming for an altogether more aesthetically pleasing layout. Either way, SimCity accommodates, and the internet is already awash with beautiful constructions that players have made.

As the mayor of your city, you’re responsible for all the necessities like police, firefighters and education, but also amenities such as power, water and transport. It’s a socialist utopia, when it works, especially when the city government starts to supplement their income with drilling, or gambling, or tourism. There’s a huge amount of satisfaction in seeing the path you’ve chosen, whatever it might be, start to pay off in the forms of those delicious simoleon dollars.

It’s at around this point, when you’ve got a functioning economy and a burgeoning bank account, that SimCity starts to look a little pale and bloated. You’ll have already run into the primary problem, as the borders of your city start to feel claustrophobic, restricting your ability to meet an increasing demand for real estate and an even more pressing requirement for large open spaces upon which you can plop Simcity’s most impressive, and large, buildings.

But more than that, you’ll begin to hit the inevitable brick wall of so many complicated systems clashing against one another. The most devastating is traffic, the lifeblood of the city, coagulating on your streets as the residents become unable to use even basic sense to figure out how to get from A to B.

It doesn’t help that cities only have a single entrance, meaning that if you have any sort of congestion at that entrypoint the entire infrastructure is going to get gummed up, leaving you starved of essential services. I had a city that was thriving on a wildly profitable oil industry, but when one traffic jam caused a gridlock for miles on the highway, all the trucks transporting my oil were lost to it. And without that income, the city atrophied.

There’s little doubt that a lot of these problems could well be patched out in the coming months, and especially the server issues should be gone before the end of March, at the very latest, but the more of SimCity I play, the more it seems like the problems are nestled at the core of the experience, rather than hovering at the periphery to be trimmed away. It’s undeniable that being able to bear witness to every single one of your residents as they go about their daily lives is incredibly rewarding, especially when you can zoom in to such a degree, tilt shift and all, and watch their thoughts as they attend work, visit the theatre, catch the bus.

But it comes at a cost that feels too steep. When you model so many systems to such an infinitesimal degree, just one bug can have a butterfly effect, rippling out until the entire thing comes crashing down. One bus that refuses to move off an intersection and you’re doomed. One school that refuses to hire workers and suddenly you’re starved of skilled employees the city over. Both are bugs I encountered, and took multiple restarts of the game to fix.

There’s a gem of a game in here, among frustrations. Everything is driven with an elegant philosophy of simple but deep, from the way the roads support the city to how the specialisations work. But when you take them to their natural conclusions and push a single system, like trade or transport, too far, it all falls apart. Traffic jams become death sentences, and SimCity’s constantly noticeable agoraphobia does more to frustrate than challenge. You end up with businesses crying out for workers, and all you can do is increase density in the hope of high rises. Nothing /quite/ works as it should, and when Simcity is built on those systems from the ground up, that’s an incredible shame. There’s so much to like, but there’s so much that will frustrate, and it’s hard to recommend you brave the many ailments.

Battlefield 4 preview

As a preview of Battlefield 4 gameplay is released, Phill Cameron is impressed by the new singleplayer focus

'Battlefield' isn't a name that lends itself to heroics. It's workmanlike, sparse, matter-of-fact. It's nothing to do with Duty, or Honour, or Courage, concepts that inspire and evoke in equal measure. Battlefield games have never been about the actions of an individual, but rather the sense of a place, and a moment. Championed by their huge multiplayer, they're about being in the middle of the fight, with buildings crumbling around you as jets careen overhead, engines vomiting thick plumes of smoke as they go down. It's about the chaos of war, and being just one soldier among many.

It's not about any one story, but Battlefield's developers DICE would really like it to be. As much as it's a game that's always been defined by its multiplayer, they're still leading with the singleplayer narrative, so maligned in Battlefield 3, now back with a vengeance in Battlefield 4. The reason? Karl Magnus Troedsson, CEO at DICE, shrugs and puts it simply: "We feel like we have more story to tell."

Or, to put it another way, they're looking to improve and expand, create a singleplayer story that's worthy of the frenetic, brilliant, chaotic multiplayer that's always been the trademark of the Battlefield games. They don't fit the linear mould that's served Call of Duty so well for so long. They're not about funnelling you down a ratrun while fireworks explode overhead. And it seems that DICE has learned that lesson.

The demo starts with Bonnie Tyler, and the kind of dead end that only Bonnie Tyler is appropriate for. Four soldiers trapped in a sinking car, with only Total Eclipse of the Heart for company. It's claustrophobic, and deliberately so. Over the course of twenty minutes, the level moves through one location after the other, each one giving the player a little more freedom, and placing a little more emphasis on the player's choices.

The idea is to emphasise the new direction that Battlefield's singleplayer is taking, giving you bigger environments that offer more choices. In Karl Magnus' words, "there are some signature components of multiplayer that we want to bring into singleplayer. It's not about copy and pasting, but it's going to be a mix. There will be times where we control the player, and we dial the action up to eleven, but there will also be times where we bring the multiplayer values in, and it's really up to you at that point."

There was only one time in the demo where those ideas were allowed to manifest, when the player stumbles upon an abandoned building site, all bleached sand and weathered breeze blocks with rebar thrusting accusingly out at the sky. That's it's all but a sandbox doesn't feel like an accident, and the with it being so large, it wasn't hard to imagine all the different ways you might approach the situation.

Still, it's difficult to imagine it'll ever quite achieve the highs of surprise and excitement that has always been such a compulsion when heading into the multiplayer side of things. AI is still AI, and a singleplayer story is always going to be facing forward, chivvying you along in one way or another. Whether DICE have cracked the code is still very much up in the air.

More importantly, what will carry over into the multiplayer are all the improvements inherent in the constantly evolving engine that powers all the impressive graphical effects and even more impressive destruction that the Battlefield has become so known for. We're on the third iteration of the 'Frostbite' engine now, and rather than charging forward with ever more flashy and eye-catching effects, DICE are focusing more on the nuance and finesse of the engine, to really sell you on the reality of the game, both in the world you play in, and the characters you play with.

"It's not the amount of polygons that matters any more. What matters is the experience you convey to the players." Back in the sinking car, you're confronted with the face of Michael K Williams, most famous for playing Omar Little in The Wire. He's lost his recognisable facial scar, but the veracity with which his face is realised is nothing short of astounding. More than that; the animations run with a natural flow that's difficult to notice. It's hard to tell what's canned, specific to the single player campaign, and what's more of a result of what's happening around you, but if half of what you see can make it into the multiplayer, it's going to be close to uncanny.

That extends to the world, too. The wind buffets and billows around cloth and leaves alike, making the smoke from explosions and fires furl and swirl around itself in exactly the way you would imagine it would. Even the explosions have depth and power to them, the black plume shot through with a ferocious orange. Everything feels tangible, which was true enough of Battlefield 3, but it's as though the lamination has worn through here, and the grits getting between your toes.

There's never going to be enough information in 20 minutes of footage to tell you everything you need to know about a game as large as Battlefield 4. But it's enough to give you a taste, and to give you a feeling of the tone and intention that DICE are going for, and as far as the singleplayer goes, they're headed ont he right track. Battlefield should be about freedom, and extolling the virtues of the multiplayer. If they can carry that through the entire campaign, while at the same time throwing out enough set pieces to keep things interesting, and enough meat to the story to make you care about what you're doing, there's no reason Battlefield 4 couldn't be strutting around the first person shooter genre with the best of both worlds.

But, well, that's a lot of ifs.

Top 5 Apps for Kids This Week

Chris Crowell is a veteran kindergarten teacher and contributing editor to Children's Technology Review, a web-based archive of articles and reviews on apps, technology toys and video games.

Encouraging kids to willingly do math takes some persuasion and coaxing. Luckily, there are apps for that. This week's top apps will have children adding and subtracting in no time with exploration tools and quizzes.

Children's Technology Review shared these five top apps for kids with us from their comprehensive monthly database of kid-tested reviews. The site covers everything from math and counting to reading and phonics. 

Ages 2-up
Overall rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
Why we like it: Here's an excellent app for home or school that hard-wires your child’s fingertips to math problems. The app takes advantage of iPad’s multitouch screen to detect how many fingers are currently in contact with the glass. Lift up one finger, and the count goes down by one. Add three touches, get a numeral that is three greater. Check out a demo here.
Need to know: This app isn't for everybody, and can be confusing at first. Watch the short tutorial video. For a child just starting to play with numerals, it works like magic.
Ease of use: 7/10
Educational: 9/10
Entertaining: 8/10
$2.99

App of the Day: Sonic Dash review iPhone, iPad

Sonic the Hedgehog seems to be as youthful today as he was when we first played Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Megadrive all those years ago, but is his latest adventure worth the bother? We got playing Sonic Dash to find out

Sonic Dash

Format iPhone / iPad

Price £1.49

Where iTunes

Temple Run is one of the all time most popular games in the Apple App store and one of the most popular games in Google Play, so it's not surprising games companies are trying to emulate the success of the running game with their own spin or take on it.

In fairness to Sega we remember the concept of Sonic Dash in one of the early Sonic the Hedgehog games whereby you ran into the screen trying to collect coins and stay out of trouble and that's exactly what happens here.

That's right, you run into the screen swiping left and right, up and down to avoid the numerous pitfalls in your way. Failure to do so ends the game - just like in Temple Run - although if you've got coins and you hit a critter you just lose the coins and not your life.

This being Sonic, you get to collect coins, try to avoid crabs, and swiping downwards turbo spins Sonic so he can knock critters out of the way.

The further you get the more the pressure builds and doing well earns you "coins" which you can spend opening up other characters from the Sonic world like Tails, or buying continues, head starts and other helpful bolt-ons.


If you can't be bothered to earn coins the good old-fashioned way by playing the game, you can buy more in app and, worryingly for parents, you can quickly spend, spend, spend. The shopping options go up to £34.99. Ouch.

As for the gameplay it's harmless fun that is as addictive as it repetitive. If you like Temple Run or those kinds of games you'll feel at home, although it's fair to say that Sonic Dash brings little extra to the experience apart from seeing Sonic's face every so often. Oh, he is so cute.

New GTA V screens released, scuba diving, sky diving and other stuff that isn't diving

Rockstar has released a whole stack of new screengrabs from its forthcoming fifth instalment (well, technically, 10th not including DLC and add-on packs) of the Grand Theft Auto franchise and while they won't make the rescheduled game release date come any faster, they may reveal a few clues.

Grand Theft Auto V will be coming out on 17 September, up to six months after the date originally slated - we may even have had it in our hands now - but good things are worth waiting for, and the latest batch of screens hint that it will have the biggest scope yet of all the series.

For a start, there's scuba diving. Now, of course, this is most likely taken from a cut scene, but it's further confirmation that the series reintroduces underwater swimming, as in GTA San Andreas. Previous reports had suggested that you will be able to swim in a more-detailed sea environment, but only if you're wearing a scuba suit, and this seems to match that thought.

Developer Rockstar hasn't released any further details with the grabs, so an awful lot is still left to speculation. Hopefully, we'll see a new, updated trailer too. And we're still putting good money on a next-generation console announcement soon. At Pocket-lint, we still think there's something else behind the lengthy date shift. And the new screens do look mighty detailed.

Crysis 3 A gorgeous redundancy

As far as console games go, it doesn't get much prettier than Crysis 3, the latest effort from developer Crytek. Built upon the eponymous CryEngine, Crysis 3 again takes place in a dilapidated futuristic vision of New York City, 24 years after the events in Crysis 2. Even more overgrown with greenery and wild animals than before, the city bares little if any resemblance of what it once was.

You probably don't need to have played the previous game to get the gist of what's going on in Crysis 3 as there is a fair amount of overlap with plotlines and characters. To me, Crysis never really excelled at delivering a compelling narrative, so it'll be the first-person-shooter action and snazzy graphics that draws in gamers.

Players assume the role of Prophet, a soldier with a mechanized suit that can use an invisibility cloak and hardened armor shell. Prophet must use these abilities to sniff out operatives from an evil organization and speedy creatures left over from an alien invasion. 

There's not many new and exciting abilities within Prophet's arsenal, save for the introduction of a high-end bow and arrow. It's a great addition considering the huge open areas gamers will find themselves in -- and especially where stealthiness is paramount.

Technically speaking, Crysis 3 is a gorgeous example of what's still possible on current-gen hardware, but PC gamers will really be treated to some jaw-dropping eye-candy. During my time with the game on Xbox 360 I experienced a significant amount of choppiness and a dreadful sound dropout that was tough to ignore.
One area I really had a difficult time appreciating is Prophet's upgrading system. Even at the time of this writing I'm still not completely sure I understand every aspect of its implementation. Upgrades and abilities are laid out in a rows of four (like a slot machine) and have a corresponding unlocking value assigned. But once you open an ability, you then must customize a loadout so that the abilities can be activated. It's here where the confusion starts. Why does this have to be so complicated? I understand the desire to turn these types of features into mini-games of their own, but Crysis 3's upgrade mechanic didn't work for me on any level.

If you can bypass Crysis 3's lack of an engaging storyline, you'll likely enjoy a lot of what it has to offer. There's plenty of impressive sequences that unfold and do a wonderful job of pacing the action. That said, as a player I wish I could take part in these blockbuster scenes as opposed to just sitting there paralyzed as the events take their course.

 Crysis 3 doesn't innovate much nor stray away from the crux of the series, but core shooter fans will enjoy making their way through the game. Crysis 3's visuals are almost always off the charts even if a few technical hiccups occasionally dampen the main campaign experience.

SimCity 5 2013 Launch Still Positive Says Nasdaq, Mac OS X To Boost Market Share

Despite its ugly launch due to server congestion, EA’s city-building game is still in it to win it according to analysts at Nasdaq. EA is also expected to gain traction in the digital delivery market with its Steam-like online store “Origin.”

Article written by Carlo Raphael Diokno — According to analysts over at Nasdaq, SimCity 5 (2013) is a success and Electronic Arts has what it takes to generate revenue in the digital format business courtesy of its Origin online store and its catalog which includes top games.

“We believe that with its variety of titles and massive fan following, EA is better equipped to gain traction in the digital format than most of its peers including Activision,” writes Nasdaq in a blog post.
They also believe that the upcoming launch of SimCity 5 on Apple’s Mac OS X platform would boost the game’s following and overall market share.

No word yet about the Mac OS X launch but according to dev team over at Maxis, the Mac OS X version is “native” and not just a ported version of the game. Launching this Fall, Maxis also added that the OS X variant will support multiplayer and other features similar to the PC Windows version.
SimCity is available on Origin and Amazon, specifically the DLC version, but a physical CD installer is also available on third-party brick and mortar outlets nationwide. Two variants are available, the Digital Deluxe Edition which includes additional buildings and scenarios, and the much-cheaper standard edition.

Play Angry Birds Game Online in Your Favorite Web Browser

Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finland-based Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009. Since that time, over 12 million copies of the game have been purchased from Apple's App Store, which has prompted the company to design versions for other touchscreen-based smartphones, such as those using the Android operating system, among others.

In the game, players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playfield. As players advance through the game, new birds appear, some with special abilities that can be activated by the player.

The game has so far been available only on mobile phones,tablets and its also available for PC.

The company has released the game as a Google Chrome app which can be installed using following link:

Install Angry Birds in Google Chrome

iPhone iPad App Review Grand Theft Auto Vice City GTA

Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto III may have been the version which set in motion the franchise’s success, as well as introducing us to all the game’s key elements, but Vice City will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s not quite San Andreas – a game my friend and I played for so long, it caused components inside my fat PS2 to break – but it’s close, as it has a proper protagonist, a more interesting setting than the third instalment and a wider array of eccentric characters.

You play Tommy Vercetti, memorably voiced by Ray Liotta, a small-time criminal who’s presence at a drug deal gone wrong sees him sent to Vice City, where he’s not expected to last very long. However, you soon become embroiled in the city’s criminal lifestyle as you search for the missing money and drugs. At first, it’s performing simple tasks for the bosses, such as convincing witnesses not to testify and blowing up buildings, but you eventually move on to better (and higher paying) things.

Playing Vice City is similar to GTA III, where you’re in touch with various people, all of whom give you different missions, which often lead to meeting other people who give you more missions, and so on. In addition to the standard game, there’s plenty to keep you occupied when travelling around the city, as there are many more side missions than in GTA III, along with chance to make some cash (and earn a reward or two if you complete them) by doing taxi, ambulance, cop and even pizza delivery missions.

Part of Grand Theft Auto’s appeal is simply being able to grab a car and cruise around the city listening to the radio. In Vice City you’re not restricted to vehicles with four wheels anymore, as it introduced motorbikes to the series. These fast alternatives to cars are great fun, but are usually much more dangerous, however being able to shoot forwards while riding one is a big help when trying to complete certain missions. As you progress through the game, the chance to fly helicopters and small planes arrives too, but it’s not as polished or as exciting as it is in San Andreas.

Grand Theft Auto III was a surprise on iOS when it was launched last year, as it played far better than we expected it to. The touch control system wasn’t perfect, but the game was playable enough after a little practice. Rockstar has listened to the complaints though, and has made some alterations for Vice City. The main difference is with targeting, as you can now tap the screen to target a particular villain, instead of letting the game do it for you. In GTA III, it was frustrating to be shooting at the wrong guy at the worst possible moments, and this new method goes some way to fixing that problem. It works well, although it can leave you wanting more fingers in the heat of a particularly vicious firefight.

The same controls are employed for moving around on foot and driving, although now most of the buttons can be resized and repositioned around the screen. Again, with some practice and patience, getting the right set-up is possible and it’s worth it only to move the stupid exit vehicle button which is right next to the handbrake button. Oh the amount of times the wrong one was pressed before they were moved…

Visually, Vice City has had an overhaul over the PS2 original, with improved characters and lighting effects at the top of the list. But GTA games are all about the neat little touches, such as watching the flaps operate inside the supercharger scoop when you’re driving the Phoenix, and it’s good to see them all accurately recreated on the small screen.

We say small screen, but the best playing experience you’ll get with Vice City is on the iPad. The app is universal, and it has iCloud support to sync your progress between the two devices, but the larger screen makes the sometimes fiddly controls much easier to handle. It plays smoothly and looks great on both the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 though, and only suffered from a little slow down during scenes with lots of explosions, vehicles and action.

While most of you who played Vice City when it was first released will find it equally as enjoyable on your iOS device of choice, newcomers to the series who’ve only ever played GTA IV on a games console may find it a little clunky and the world far too sparsely populated; as positive reviews such as this one may be written with a degree of nostalgia. Regardless of this, Vice City is a solid four out of five star game, and for £2.99 it’s a relative bargain considering the hours of exciting, rewarding gameplay it holds inside.

Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Rio HD now free for a limited time on the App Store

If you haven’t already slung some heated birds at their enemies in Rio, you’re definitely missing out. But no need to fret, as Rovio has just made their wildly popular Angry Birds Rio game completely free for a limited time!

You can now head over to the App Store and download the addictive little game for both the iPhone and iPad absolutely free. We wont go into explaining what the game is; we’re sure you already know. So head inside for the download links!

You can grab Angry Birds Rio for the iPhone and Rio HD for the iPad from the App Store completely free.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or add us to your circles on Google+ to be the first to hear about breaking iPhone news, tips, hacks, and more!

Sony launches PS 4

PlayStation enthusiast should rejoice as Sony has officially launched the latest edition of the console game on Wednesday. PlayStation (PS) 4 was made in 9 years, while the issue of the PS 3 has been on the market for 7 years after it was released November 2006. "We believe that the PlayStation 4 will change the thinking style of box or console," said Andrew House, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO, at the launch of PS 4. 

As quoted from Mashable, PS 4 manufacturing team leader Mark Cerny said Sony started making the fourth edition of the PlayStation shortly after the launch of the PS 3, with the concept of console "for developers, by developers". Until now, the PlayStation 2, released in March 2000, is still the best-selling console product on the market. Sony managed to sell over 150 million units in the last 13 years, and over 1.5 billion games sold for the console edition 2 it. Meanwhile, sales of the PS 3 can only be sold 70 million in the duration of 7 years. A1

Review: Angry Bird Star Wars android games

Angry Bird Star Wars android games

Their was no sock when Rovio introduced their next level of Angry Birds game. Finland's biggest gaming company has introduced is new enjoyable game. So, let us find out is Angry Birds Star Wars is a worth to get few million downloads.

As this game has improved a lot from their before versions, The gaming experience is changed totally. Even there are 80 out levels the player never gets bored in playing them, Player feels more and more excited if he goes on playing all the levels. Not only the younger’s even the elders feel playing this game is awesome. So, all over the game is really worth it for all the aged players. No issues with the game and now let us get some extra info about this game.

Game play And Characters:-

Android Game Review: Angry Bird Star Wars. As we talk about the game play, their nothing new. Which it almost feels as if you're playing the very first Angry Birds game. though after few levels the Red bird gets a light Saber, and were the blond hairs isn’t the only thing that resembles Luck Skywalker. From the before level's the yellow one is a lot more better than before, It can fire a laser here.

Overall, the Game play is good than the before with clever level design. The minor issue is, few levels are too big to fit in a mobile screen, which is you need to zoom out and zoom in very often, which no one likes. Should not be a issue in tablet though.

Graphics And Sound:-

Android Game Review: Angry Bird Star Wars.Right form the menu to the game screen the sound effect is good and the animations are more likely. Mainly the game works without any faults in dual core devices. In sound Rovio has done an awesome work, Right from the laser beam to falcon sound just like it in Star Wars Movie.
As the game level's stay, their are 80 level's from Tatooine and the Death Star. Just in the mid-levels of game it takes you to the outer space. Their are golden egg's hidden which are very keenly hidden by Rovio which are still to be founded.Overall, The sound effects are great and the graphics are just fantastic.

Requirements:-


Not a highly processor or  a higher versioned android smart phone is required. We have tested this game in an 800GHz processor with an Adreno 203 graphics chip with an single core processor. And guess what ? The game was really perfectly working and best results were given by the game. It was smooth and enjoyable.

Game Ratings:-
Android Game Review: Angry Bird Star Wars.

•   Game play And Design- 4/5
•     Graphics- 4.5/5
•     Sounds- 4.5/5
•     Mojo- 4/5
•     Overall- 4/5