Google Maps for iOS Now Ready for Download in the App Store
Finally, the much awaited Google Maps for iOS app is now ready for download in the App Store. The App features voice navigation, local search, Street View, transit & more features waiting for you to discover and use. You can now ditch you Google Maps for iOS shortcut icon that you created before.
Google Maps for iOS
Screenshot of Google Maps for iOS
Google Maps for iOS versus Apple Maps
Apple ditched out Google’s mapping service in the release of iOS 6, the latest version of their mobile operating service. It was replaced by Apple Maps, an internally developed mapping service that features, turn by turn navigation, and flyover data. But just a few days after its release, Apple received plenty of complaints. Most customers complained about the comparatively smaller data in Apple Maps as compared the massive data in Google Maps. Also there are complains about inaccuracy of locations and landmarks.
The issue with Apple Maps has come to a point where Apple has to issue a public apology. It was also rumored that the removal/resignation of several top Apple executives was because of Apple maps fiasco. A recent report also relates how important accuracy is for Apple Maps. In Australia, the inaccurate map data leads the police in the wrong direction.
With this release of Google Maps for iOS, it is expected that many customers will be delighted. Google Maps for iOS is expected to deliver just what Apple customer needs and has been accustomed to. In earlier versions of iOS, Google Maps satisfied them with quantity and quality of map data.
Note: Google Maps for iOS 6 is not yet available in the Philippines
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Categories: Mobile, Software Tags: App Store, Apple, Apple maps, Google, Google Maps, Google Street View, GoogleMaps, iOS, iPhone 5, Turn-by-turn navigation
Angry Birds Star Wars Available for Download
The much-anticipated release of Angry Birds Star Wars edition has finally come. It can now be download in almost all platform including PCs, Macs, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices. This latest edition of the popular strategy-puzzle game is being sold at 99 cents for iPhone, $2.99 for iPad, $2.99 HD version for Android, and a free ad-powered version for Android.
Angry Birds Star Wars Game
Angry Birds Star Wars Flavor
This new edition of Angry Birds game also rekindled the interest to Star Wars, a George Lucas fiction-fantasy space movie series that dates back to 1977 when its first episode was shown. It’s interesting to see iconic characters like Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi portrayed as balls of feathers being thrown to destroy the evil pigs wearing the mask of Darth Vader. Here’s the cinematic trailer Angry Birds Star Wars Edition.
About Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a strategy-physics-puzzle game created by Finnish company Rovio and was released in the App Store in 2009. As it became a certified hit, Rovio developed versions for other platforms like Android, Windows, Facebook, Chrome, as well as for desktops and gaming consoles.
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Categories: Games, Mobile, price, tablet Tags: App Store, Apps, Facebook Apps, games, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Philippines, smartphone
Google Relases It’s Own YouTube App for iPhone Two days Ahead of Apple Event
Most of us already expected this and finally, it happened: Google released their home-grown YouTube App for iPhone. The app was made available for download at the App Store yesterday, September 10 (US), two days ahead of the Apple event which many expect Apple to release the much awaited next-gen iPhone commonly dubbed as the iPhone 5. And along with the iPhone 5, Apple is also expected to release iOS 6, the upcoming version of their mobile operating system. And as you may have already heard, iOS 6 doesn’t come with default YouTube App. Also, their mapping service will not anymore rely on Google Maps data.
Apple Severing Ties with Google
Image via CrunchBase
As the competition in the mobile arena heats up, the collision of the two giant players in this area – Google and Apple – is inevitable. Google released the Android mobile OS which proved to be a great tool used by its hardware partners to combat the lead of Apple in the smartphone market. This has lead to legal suits both inside and outside the United States. Just last month, Apple scored a victory against Samsung, one of Google’s biggest partners, in a well covered trial in the United States. Samsung has to pay over 1 Billion US Dollars for the infringement of Apple designs.
You may think that YouTube’s removal from iOS 6 default apps is a big hit on Google. Well, not so, considering the fact that Google can now monetize YouTube contents with their adsense technology, a thing that Google doesn’t to do in the current iOS default YouTube app.
YouTube is the largest and most visited video-sharing website to date. It likely that a YouTube iPad app will soon be released to fit the larger screen of a tablet device.
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Categories: Internet, Mobile, Software, tablet Tags: App Store, Apple, Google, iOS, iOS 6, iPhone, YouTube App, YouTube video service
Free Amazing Alex Download for Android but not for iPhone (iOS)
Today, the maker behind the extremely popular mobile/web/desktop game Angry Birds, Rovio released Amazing Alex, their newest game offering. Amazing Alex, just like Angry Birds, is a puzzle game and it would be physics-based using real objects we see in our daily activities.
Amazing Alex has 100 levels and on each problem, you can have your own solution. One feature though that can revolutionize puzzle games is the ability to create your own custom game level and share it. With that, even after you finished completing the 100 levels, you still have more levels to play.
Here’s the teaser video of the Amazing Alex game.
Free version Available for Android not for iOS (iPhone, iTouch, and iPad)
Well, I think many will become a little bit disappointed because Amazing Alex game has no free (or ad supported) version in the Apple App Store. You have to buy it for 0.99 USD. Meanwhile, Google Play offers both free and paid versions of the game. For free version though, expect that you won’t get all the levels and see ads being posted during the game.
Amazing Alex in Google Play Store
Categories: Games, Mobile, Software, tablet, Technology Tags: Amaxzing Alex, Android, angry birds, App Store, Apple, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Rovio Mobile
Google+ for iPad Now Available in the App Store
After a little bit of wait, Google Plus App is now compatible in the bigger screen of the iPad tablet. Google has just released Google Plus for iPad bringing us unique features intended for tablet users.
The new user interface brings the fluid news stream from your circles into a bigger display. You do not have to zoom your old Google+ App just to fit your iPad. And of course, with bigger screen, the scrolling of the user would also be minimized as you can see more content now compared to previous app version. And lastly, new multi-touch gestures were also introduced like:
- Pinch and expand posts right in your stream to add your comments
- Use two fingers to drag a post from your stream to easily re-share it
- Start a Hangout from your iPad and stream it to your TV using AirPlay
Some other features were still available like Hangouts and Notifications are still there.
We’ll I may fail to describe accurately everything in this new app. So, if you have an iPad, it would be great if you could download it and see for yourself, the huge improvement in user experience. Here are some screenshots:
The new Google+ for iPad
If you currently have the old Google+ for iPhone, then you just have to update it on your iPad to have the new iPad version.
Categories: Mobile, social network, tablet Tags: App Store, Apple, Google, GooglePlus, Hangout, iPad, Social network
New iOS Apps: Microsoft Xbox Live and Google Currents
Today, two new great Apps from two tech giants, Microsoft and Google was released to the App Store – Xbox Live and Google Currents.
Xbox Live for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch Users
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Microsoft officially unveils Xbox Live for iOS and is now available for download in the App Store. The App gives users the ability to change their 3D avatars, send messages to Xbox friends, compare achievements and learn more about new games.
Google Currents for iOS
Google released today a new App designed to provide users with useful contents from the web including magazine and other web contents.
Google has partnered with more than 150 web publishers including AllthingsD, Huffington Post, CNET and more to provide initial content for the new app.
I haven’t really seen it in actual but I could say from the video below that the app works more like Flipboard, a popular app for iOS devices.
Not Available in the Philippines
Unfortunately, both the Xbox Live app and Google Currents were not yet available in the Philippine App Store. But eventually, I think it will.
Categories: Mobile, Philippines, Technology Tags: App Store, Apple, Apps, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Mobile device, Mobile OS, Philippines
Facebook Phone Project is Real – Report
Facebook is on its way of developing a phone! The largest social network in the world is reportedly making progress and was on its way to releasing Facebook phone according to AllthingsD tech website.
Facebookphone is said to be a phone with deep Facebook integration. The report said that the Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC is the partner of Facebook in this project. HTC recently released the social phones named Chacha and Salsawith exclusive Facebook buttons. But Facebook phone will feature not just external social buttons but a Facebook DNA well embedded deep within its operating system. According to the report, Google’s open-source Android OS will be the platform of the Facebook Phone mobile operating system.
Why a Phone for Facebook?
Image by pittaya via Flickr
Facebook entry to the mobile phone business has been a subject of rumors in the recent years. As more and more people migrate from desktops to mobile devices, it seems that Facebook has to make a move to better position itself in the competition. Currently, Apple and Google has taken the lead in this business.
Also, Google have used the advantage of owning Android to press harder against Facebook. The recently released Google phone, Galaxy Nexus is powered by Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) which seamlessly integrate Google Plus on its services. On the other hand, Apple, with its latest mobile OS version iOS 5, have chosen Twitter as its social partner. These developments have left Facebook alone and probably compelled them to pursue their plan of releasing a branded social phone even more.
Another reason for this Facebook move is the App business. Facebook has been one of the leaders in social games. Currently it has an arsenal of apps. But these apps only works on the desktops. Although Facebook is one of the favorite apps on both Android and iOS, Facebook was not able to take the apps on the mobile platform. Apps business have been steadily growing since Apple pioneered it with the App Store. Google’s own Android Market have also grown quite big. Microsoft Windows Phone App Market have already 40,000 available apps. Facebook has none for the mobile.
12 to 18 Months For FB Phone
The report also mentioned that the Facebook phone may come out after 12 or 18 months. With that, let’s wait and see what it would finally be. The information we have right now is very volatile as plans may change along the course of the project.
Categories: Mobile Tags: Android, App Store, Apple, Facebook, Google, Google Plus, HTC, HTC Corporation, Ice Cream Sandwich, smartphone, Social network
Gmail for iOS Now Available For Download
Google’s Gmail team has launched a native Gmail App for iOS devices (iPhone, IPod Touch and iPad). This new app features push notification, search email, auto-complete address from Gmail and device contacts, ability to attach photos directly from your device and on iPads, a split view where you can simultaneously read mails.
Native Gmail App for iOS (iPad version)
Gmail for iOS App also brings out your favorite Gmail capabilities such as the Ptiority Inbox, threaded conversations, and organizing you mail by archiving, labelling, starring, deleting and reporting spam.
Gmail for iOS App was also optimized for touch environment. The following are the touch gestures that you can use:
- Pull down your inbox to rapidly refresh if you’re eager for new mail
- Swipe right to view your labels without ever leaving your inbox
- Swiftly scroll through dozens of emails just by sliding your finger
The Gmail App is now available for download via iTunes App Store.
Newest Angry Bird in the Haloween Edition (Video)
A new angry bird was introduced by Rovio in the recently released Halloween Edition of its popular mobile game Angry Birds. The new bird was colored orange and has the ability to expand its size. BY default he was tiny but when angry, he will expand into a giant bird causing damage to the building a killing those evil pigs nearby.
To be able to use this bird in action, you must download the Angry Birds Seasonsbut for Android or iOS.
Categories: Games, Mobile Tags: angry birds, App Store, iOS, Mobile device, smartphone
Download iTunes 10.5 – iCloud Support and iTunes Match
Image via Wikipedia
Apple released today the latest version of their multi-media management software, iTunes 10.5. This version of iTunes has the following new features and enhancements:
iCloud Support
With the launch of iCloud, all your purchases one device will automatically be downloaded on all other devices. It can be everything that you purchased on Apple Stores, whether it’s an App, a Book or Music.
With regards to your previous purchases, you could also download them individually to all your devices.
iTunes Match
This feature is yet to come but it will scan your iTunes library and those music that matches with one of the million of song in the iTunes Store collection will automatically be stored in your iCloud account. It can even mirror or match those songs you imported from CDs and other music storage device.
The price of iTunes Match starts at $24 a year.
Aside from the new features, iTunes 10.5 also improves the security aspect of the software by fixing a number of bugs and vulnerabilities.
You can download iTunes 10.5 here.
Categories: Mobile, Software Tags: App Store, Apple, Apple Inc., apple store, iCloud, iOS, iTunes, iTunes 10.5
