Xbox music comes to Android and iOS, web app also updated

Today Microsoft's music streaming service Xbox music made a debut on two popular mobile platforms: Android and iOS. Xbox music was launched about a year ago, just before Windows 8. Xbox music will get competition by already stable players such as Pandora, Spotify, Rdio and Google's own Play Music All Access and Apple's iTunes Radio.

Microsoft is giving 6 month ad-free subscription of it's music streaming service. With Xbox music you can access your favorite music from any place, just login to your account and you are able to stream your content available synced on your Xbox account. These apps require Xbox music pass to play your music. Microsoft also updated web app to free, ad-supported version for all browsers which was earlier available to only Xbox music subscription pass holders. Currently the app is available only on iTunes Store and coming soon to Google Play.

To access these apps on your Android as well as iOS device, you need a Xbox Music subscription. With it, you can add songs to your account, create and edit playlists that will be synced across your logged in devices such as PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, TV, tablet, phone and web. You can also listen to artist-based radio stations. 

Although these apps do not feature offline streaming so you can't enjoy your songs without connected to internet. Well, Microsoft says that it will update the app every four to six weeks and will add offline playback option soon. 

Popular messaging service WhatsApp goes free for iOS

Popular messaging service Whatsapp has gone free for iOS. It's Android version was free already but the iOS versions used to cost $0.99. Whatsapp is leader among the chatting and messaging services such as Ebuddy, Line, Path, WeChat etc. It has claimed 250 million active users and every single day 27 billion messages are sent. This is really a great news for iOS users as they need to pay $0.99 for it. Whatsapp was launched in 2009 ad it earned a warm response as it freed users from sending text messages on higher carrier rates but also provided a way to send multimedia messages such as photos, videos, audio files, emoticons etc. 

Official WhatsApp Blog post

Apple's music streaming service "iTunes Radio" announced at WWDC 2013

After a lot of rumors and leaks, Apple has today launched its music streaming service: iTunes radio. The service will be free for U.S. users, and will use both text and audio ads to support the free streaming. iTunes Match subscribers won't receive advertisements. The service is built directly into iOS 7's music app, featuring easy access to radio based on your music collection. 

You can create your custom music stations and if you like a song, then you give it a thumb up. Also you can buy the songs from iTunes store. Apple is serious to compete with Google's recently released "All Access for Google Play". iTunes Radio can be used on all of your Apple devices viz. iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Macbooks and iMacs.

#wwdc2013

You don't need to update apps, iOS 7 does it automatically

Apple has recently announced the latest and awaited version of iOS i.e. iOS 7 with whole new look and loaded with lots of features. App Store, the premium place for users to download app, has got one more feature. It will automatically update the installed apps, so users don't need to bother to download the updates. Well this might be useless for a lot of users as most of don't want automatic updates. 

#wwdc2013

Google+ for iOS brings photo editing, Android gets more finished look

Google+ is one of the leading social networks. Today, Google has released a new version of its mobile app i.e. for Android and iOS with several new features and stability issues.

Last year, in September, Google acquired Nik Software, the company behind famous photo editing app: Snapseed. The biggest addition to the app is photo editing option on the go which helps you do basic edits as well as add some filters. This feature is currently available to the iOS app which is sooner expected to be appearing in Android version.

The new features added to iPhone app are

• Do basic edits like rotate and crop, as well as select filters like Drama and Retrolux
• Adjust saturation, contrast, brightness and lots more by sliding your fingers up-and-down, then left-and-right
• Single tap at any time to compare your creation with the original

You can download the iOS version here.

Well Android version hasn't got photo editing feature, but so what? Still it has got nice features such as Control the volume of posts that you see in your stream, resharing to communities, option to invite people to a community, search a member, content moderation, and report-remove-ban support for community managers.

The newly added features to Android app are

• Posts include more text up front—from the original message, and from comments
• Tapping video, photo or link attachments takes you directly to a watch page, lightbox or website
• Image previews are rarely cropped, so you’ll see portrait photos (for instance) in all their glory
• Key actions like +1, reshare and comment are displayed more prominently in each post
• Swipe through photo albums inline

You can download the Android version here

This update also brought a major update to update your location through mobile device. If you enable this option, you’ll then decide who can see your best-available location across Google+ and this can be set as private or public. 

 

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Google+ Project

Disney launched Toy Story: Smash it! for Android and iOS

On November 22, 1995, Walt Disney Pictures released first computer animated film: Toy Story. I bet that all of you have seen this movie or atleast heard about it. Now, On Mach 1, 2013 Toy Story has made it's way on Mobile devices, but not in the form of a movie, as a Game. Yes, it's true, you are reading right. Disney has released its latest game for Android as well as iOS with the name "Toy Story: Smash It!". App costs $0.99 from both App stores.

It’s a 3D puzzle game that can be likened to Angry Birds. You control Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and some of the rest of the gang as you throw balls at imperfect structures to try and knock out those ugly green aliens. The physics aspect of the game is most interesting here. Rather than the game-mechanics estimating what you need to do to complete each challenge it simply applies the laws of physics.  

Download from 

• Play Store
• iTunes Store

The features described on Play Store by Disney are as

• Block-breaking puzzle play: Throw unique bouncing-balls with special power-ups to knock down aliens and break through their defenses!
• Play as Buzz Lightyear: Team up with Buzz, and work on perfecting the angles and aim needed to beat every level. Encounter your favorite “Toy Story” characters along the way!
• 4 imaginative episodes: Take a fun-filled journey “To Infinity… and Beyond!” Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime as you stop the evil Zurg, catch alien bandits, and more!
• 60 challenging levels: Encounter new challenges in every level. Find creative ways to smash through bricks, glass, trains, and more to get the highest score possible!
• Hours of replay value: Replay each episode to get 3-stars on every level and earn impressive achievements!

Watch the trailer below of Toy Story: Smash it! 

Have you already downloaded it? Share with us you revies about the game in comments.

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Android Authority, Phandroid, Talk Android, Wired

Facebook Messenger for iPhone lets US users call for free

Messenger is one of several stand-alone apps developed by Facebook. If you are an iPhone user, you can call your Facebook friend using Messenger for free. This service is currently available in US only. According to the report, Facebook began testing free calling Wi-Fi and cellular data for its Messenger app for iPhone users in Canada first, which is expanded to U.S. now. 

To use Free Call, just install the Facebook Messenger app. Go to your friends list, tap on the person you want to call, then hit the info button in the upper righthand corner. On the contact info screen you should see an option for “Free Call.” Tapping on Free Call will initiate a call using VOIP, and your friend will get a notification on their iPhone that you’re trying to ring them.

Facebook has had a partnership with Skype for video calling inside Facebook's website since summer 2011, but Messenger still notably lacks video calling. Still, free is free and the service will no doubt be useful to millions of users.

Download from App store.

[Image Courtesy: Mashable]

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Mashable, TechnoBuffalo, The Verge, Cult Of Mac

Google maps for iOS is finally in the town

It's Google Maps, again for iPhone. Once removed from the iOS, it has made its entry back. This time with more power and let's say, more sexy. 

The app appeared in the App Store late Wednesday evening, providing joy and comfort to disgruntled Apple Maps users everywhere.Rumors of the app's impending release appeared earlier this evening by way of AllThingsD.

The new Google Maps uses vector imaging similar to Apple's Maps, rather than bit mapped tiles on iOS 5 and earlier, resulting in faster load times with information scaling that incrementally displays new data as you zoom in. 

This time it has new interface, voice guided navigation, Google places is more useful.

[Text Courtesy: Mashable, Tech Authority, TechSpot]

View screenshots: The Verge Gallery

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Mahsbale, The Verge, Engadget, CNET, Tech Authority, Techno Buffalo, TechSpot