Apps

Apple's iRadio service said to be delayed into summer, or longer

Apple's long-rumored streaming music service won't be arriving until this summer, or later according to a new report.

Citing sources, The New York Times says that Apple's still wrangling with Sony over licensing rights, adding delay to the service that Apple had originally aimed to launch last month. Those people now believe that negotiations will be sorted out in time for a launch this summer, or later in the year.

The report goes on to say that the service was being designed to come preinstalled on Apple's devices instead of an additional app that needed downloading … Read more

Original Angry Birds free for iPhone, iPad customers

The most popular mobile-gaming franchise in the world is now a bit easier for you to get your hands on.

Customers who head over to the App Store today will find that the iPhone and iPad versions of Angry Birds are available for free. Previously, the iPhone version was on sale for 99 cents. Angry Birds HD for the iPad was available for $2.99. Rovio previously offered free versions of the titles, but those were limited to only a few levels. Those now appear to be gone from the App Store.

Angry Birds was the game that kicked off … Read more

Why more mobile OSes are good for you

commentary How do you feel about Firefox as an operating system? Or Ubuntu on your phone or tablet? Is Windows Phone 8 worth switching to? BlackBerry 10 means that the company formerly known as RIM isn't dead yet, right? And what the heck's a Tizen, anyway?

Depending on the OS, these questions and more will begin to plague mobile phone reviewers, phone providers, and consumers at large within the year at the most, and probably sooner.

Some people think this is a bad thing.

Yesterday's IDC report that smartphones will overtake feature phones in global sales this year … Read more

Google celebrates one year of Google Play with deals

Today marks exactly one year since Google rebranded the Android Market into the Google Play store and the company is observing the occasion with limited-time deals and freebies.

Deals this week include $5 books and 99-cent movie rentals as well as select magazines for only $1 each. What's more, a number of television shows are being offered at no cost, including "Breaking Bad," "Community," and "Justified."

A handful of Android games also have gotten in on the birthday love, offering free, exclusive in-game features. Disney's Gnome Village, for instance, features an Android-exclusive … Read more

Telly for iOS udpates to 2.0, adds Vine-like capability

Telly, the popular video-sharing platform that was once known as Twitvid, has today released a major update to its iOS app. Jumping to version 2.0, Telly for iOS now makes it significantly easier to watch content, share with friends, and even add a bit of polish to videos before sharing.

Now, when you're ready to share, you can do so with selected individuals or private groups. This makes it easy for recipients to reply with either text or their own videos, from right within the Telly app.

Also new is a nifty landscape mode that the company is … Read more

Intel Capital invests in firm that brings mobile apps to PCs

Intel Capital, the chip company's venture-capital arm, has invested in software maker BlueStacks.

The companies announced the deal yesterday but didn't say how much Intel Capital invested.

BlueStacks offers software, called App Player, that lets users run their mobile applications on a Mac or Windows PC. According to BlueStacks, the company's platform has been downloaded more than 5 million times and supports the most-popular titles, including Angry Birds Space and Instagram.

BlueStacks' technology has excited more than a few mobile-software lovers. Since applications are designed for mobile platforms running on ARM architecture, getting them to run on … Read more

Temple Run journeys to the land of Oz

I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore, at least not in the latest Temple Run game.

In Temple Run: Oz, you play the role of the Great and Powerful himself as you travel the Yellow Brick Road trying to outrun flying monkeys, avoid dangerous plants, and jump over or slide under an array of obstacles.

Released yesterday for iOS and Android for just 99 cents, Temple Run: Oz combines the usual hazards of the Temple Run games with the wonders and dangers of the land of Oz.… Read more

Climate Clock shows your local forecast on the hour

It's hard to get excited about weather apps. Sure, every so often you see something original like Fahrenheit, the first app to show the outdoor temperature as an icon badge, or Dark Sky, which predicts the weather for the hour ahead.

Mostly, however, they're variations on a theme: weather forecasts, weather radar, weather video, and on and on.

If you're looking for something simpler, something more elegant, check out Climate Clock. True to its name, it's, well, a clock, but one that shows you the forecasted temperature and conditions for each hour on the clock face.… Read more

Google to add password sync to new version of Chrome

Google is finally adding a full password sync feature to Chrome.

Currently in beta, Chrome 26 is due to receive the new sync feature over the coming days, according to the Chrome team's latest blog.

The password sync will work only with devices running Chrome version 26 or higher. But that includes both the desktop and mobile editions. Chrome users will be able to keep their Web site passwords in sync across their computers, smartphones, and tablets. The Chrome mobile browser supports Android and Apple's iOS.

Chrome already offers a way to save and sync your passwords, but … Read more

Google Play gift cards make their way to the U.K.

Google Play gift cards have officially launched in the U.K.

The search giant today announced that the cards have gone on sale in the U.K. in denominations of 10 pounds ($15), 25 pounds, and 50 pounds. The cards are being rolled out across Tesco and Morrisons locations around the country and should be available at all of their branches in the coming weeks.

Google launched its gift cards in the U.S. last year. Those cards, which are available at a wide array of retail locations, including Target and GameStop, come in denominations of $10, $25, and $50. … Read more