Flappy Bird Will Be Available In Windows Phone

Flappy Bird, a game which has recently become the most downloaded game in the App Store and Google Play, makes its position on top since several weeks. The good news is that this game is coming to Windows platform too. The release date is not fixed but likely to land on Windows App Store some time this month.

WMPowerUser, in a blog post mentioned that "Flappy Bird is a fun and addictive game which has become quite popular now about mobile gamers. Even though the game play looks incredibly simple, it is super tough. Your goal is to reach the end of the stage, without touching the obstacles that are presented to you. Break your own highscores or that of a friend. Compete with each other to see who has the best flapping skills! The graphics of the game give it a kind of nostalgic arcade feeling, though the game itself is designed according to our modern standards. It may be a game in a small package, but addictive!"

Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen who developed the game has confirmed on Twitter that he is working on it to develop for Windows version  too.

Lets hope for the best. It will also rock on Windows platform too engaging huge number of  mobile game lovers.

iOS 7 : Inspired By Android And Windows Phone

The new OS from Apple made it full of fundamental changes. If you have iPhone 4, iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 you mish have upgraded to iOS 7 and if not go for it now. Feature wise it is the best iOS version that Apple has ever introduced with some issues for battery life which can be saved by following some tweaks.

When we say iOS7 is inspired by Android and Windows Phone, then there should be some reason which made us to write this post. If you have an Android device or a Windows Phone then you should be aware of some features which is similar to iOS 7.

Apple used to have skeuomorphism design which helps in turning on the faux glass effect and with this they used real world symbols giving a 3D look. Once Microsoft made their logos and operating system apps look like 2D and very flat, Google introduced a flatter used interface afterwards and released Ice Cream Sandwich. In a similar way Apple also followed the same concept and they removed the skeuomorphism design  with all the decorations and moved to flatter and sleeker designs with apps.

Here are the iOS 7 features which resembles with Android And Windows Phone :

1. Control Center : 

Similar to Android gadgets, iOS7 also introduced a easy approach where you can easily switch on or off Wi-Fi/data connection or change brightness by opening the notification shade by swiping down from top of the screen.

2.  Thumbnail View : 

Thumbnail view was introduced by WebOS in 2009 and late on this feature was adopted by Google Android. Even Microsoft stepped into the same method implementation of multitasking in Windows Phone.  Apple also shows thumbnail view of open apps when multitasking in going on. It means it is similar to the Android where we find apps keep running at background.

3. Swipe On Lockscreen : 

Like Android phone, now you can swipe at any area on iOS 7 device to unlock it. Earlier it used to be there but in a particular area. 

4. App Updates : 

If you want to change the setting for app update automatically, Android allows you to do that when phone is connected to internet. Apple has also added similar feature.

5. Dynamic Wallpaper : 

You can select from multiple dynamic wallpapers of faux 3D. This is similar to Live Wallpaper in Android.

Even it is having multiple useful features, it lacks in some areas where Android is ahead. Here are the aspects where iOS 7 stays behind Android :

1. Fixed App Usage : 

Unlike Android, you can't change the web browser in iOS 7 because it is fixed and you have to use Safari as Apple wants it to be used. On the other hand, Android has the option to choose the default browser from Chrome to Opera or any other.

2. Third Party Apps : 

Apple is very much strict when it comes to device security and that is the reason iOS 7 has very few approved apps which can be used. On the other hand, Android has plenty of third party apps which can be used to share information. 

3. Widgets : 

In Android widgets are used and useful also. iOS 7 has no provision for widgets.

Apple has already made huge changes to iOS 7 and hopefully it will be able to fix the ongoing issues and will work on the pitfalls. Share your experience with iOS 7 and comment.

Must Have Apps For Your Smartphone

Got your new smartphone? How to start now? You might be having some gadget running Android, iOS, Windows 8 or Blackberry 10 and want to know how to start with it, in that case you have to install apps which will give you the best out of it.  Here are some cool apps which we refer as "must have" apps you can install.

For The Gadgets Running On Android: 

1. Airdroid : 

It will control the phone from your computer wirelessly. It will work via a browser window. You can transfer data, install apps, send/receive SMSes, as well as reject an incoming call.

2. AVG Antivirus : 

This is offered as free and it protects your smartphone from virus and malwares. It scans each new app for threats and  prompts you before installation. It monitors suspicious incoming text messages, has a call and SMS blocker, and lets you track, lock or wipe your phone memory if lost.

3. ES File Explorer : 

Though you will be having default file manager for android but ES File Explorer will let you copy or paste among folders. You can hide folders and can able to compress or uncompress files also.

4. MX Player : 

One of the best media player on Android platform. It supports almost all popular video formats and provides feature of built-in file manager to browse media files.

5. Kingsoft Office :

It is a free and document editing app which supports all the common formats and can incorporate with cloud services.

6. Google Maps :

No introduction for this app is required. Google Maps is one of the most used apps available in any platform.

For The Gadgets Running On iOS :

1. Find my iPhone :

It is a free app from Apple. It serves you to track your iPhone/iPad/iPod if you lose it or its stolen. You can send messages, lock the device, set an alarm or wipe data via the iCloud panel.

2. PlayerXtreme HD :

Apart from the default player which is good and supports MP4 formats, but it has some limitations like it doesn't have support for several  file formats. You need PlayerXtremeHD media player which supports almost all popular video formats. It allows you to transfer files from PC or iOS device.

3. Camera Awesome :

iOS has default camera app with basic interface. Camera Awesome enables you to capture images with various effects. Some eye-catching features are also included like composition grid lines, exposure control, as well as a built-in photo enhancer.

4. Light :

You can make use of the carema LED as a torch. The free app Light lets you adjust the LED brightness and have SOS mode for emergency.

For The Gadgets Running On Windows 8 :

1. Fhotoroom :

This app offers advanced controls, such as ISO and exposure, for your camera by combining camera and photo editing feature. The photo editor has over 75 different effects and lets you share photos with various social networks.

2. PrimeTube : 

You can access YouTube videos on your Windows Phone. In fact, it's faster than Google's YouTube app for Windows Phone. It even supports playback of HD-quality videos.

3. Connectivity Shortcuts :

It is a free app which offers access to WiFi, Bluetooth, mobile data, and location settings on your start screen tiles. You can start/stop the service, by visiting the pages.

For The Gadgets Running On BlackBerry :

1. BX Battery Info :

 This free app BX Battery Info shows updates on the screen with easy-to-read battery percentage and the active wireless services.

2. Photo Studio :

Some models of BlackBerry like Z10 and Q10 have fantastic cameras. Using this app you can improve the photos by adjusting parameters or enhance them with various filters.

3. Stuff I need :

This app helps in creating lists and you simply have to check the box next to the task to mark its completion.

We would like to know your experience after installing these apps. Share your valuable comments and suggestions.  

Nokia Lumia 920 Features

Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 are now available in India also. These models have been launched recently in Indian market. The Lumia 920 will cost Rs 38,199 while the Lumia 820 will cost Rs 27,559. Both these phones will are available in stores now. The Lumia 620 was also showcased at the Mumbai launch, however the device will hit the stores in February and the price for this was not revealed.

Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820

It is being sold reasonably well in USA and Europe, though not as much as Samsung’s Galaxy S3 or even Galaxy Note 2. There is no doubt that it is the finest handset available with the Microsoft software. The handset comes with many brilliant features. For the display, it has a 4.5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen that packs 768 x 1280 pixels at 332ppi. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 2 technology for not enduring scratches in mild drops and others. It makes use of Nokia’s PureMotion HD+ and ClearBlack for higher clarity.

Key features of the Nokia Lumia 920 

• a curved 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ screen,
• a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU with 1 GB RAM with Windows 8
• 32 GB disk space and 7 GB storage in the cloud with SkyDrive for users.

Nokia also promises a bigger 2,000mAh battery which is expected to last 10 hours with 3G. The Lumia 920 has NFC, integrated wireless charging and an 8.7 megapixel rear PureView camera with HD video. The phone also has “Super Sensitive Touch,” which will let users handle their smartphone even while wearing gloves.

Lets look at the features in details :

Camera: Undoubtedly the best feature. Nokia Lumia 920 has a camera which really makes itself different from any other smart phone avilable in this range. This is significant given the importance of pictures in the mobile market. From Facebook’s Poke app to Instagram, smartphone users are using their phones heavily to take and share pictures.

The Nokia Lumia 920′s camera takes blur-free images even when it’s dark and there is no flash on.

Stabilization of Optical Image : Even while recording videos with a shaky hand, this feature was also pretty impressive. Comparing a video shot from the Lumia 920 to a video from an HTC 8X (another Windows 8 phone), one could clearly see the difference in the quality of recording. The stability of the video on the Nokia Lumia 920 is great.

The Smart Shoot feature is another aspect that deserves mention. It allows you to point the lens at one object while taking a photo and if other people tend to walk into the picture, you can edit them out. It’s worth noting that you don’t have to download any apps to use these features.

Cinemagraph : This is one feature of the Lumia 920 and 820 . Smartphones aren’t just about consuming, they are also about doing random, crazy stuff and this feature of the camera lets you do just that. Users can convert a picture into a GIF, by simply taking a still picture, and then animating parts of the image. This is seamless and integrated into your camera.

Microsoft Office : This is again a big positive feature in the smartphone. The fact that the app comes free and installed is good, especially for those who can’t give up Office. You can link it to SkyDrive and thus your other Word Documents as well. The fact that all features of Office from PowerPoint Presentation to Excel are available should make it appeal to those who constantly need access to their documents.

Typing is also easy, with the predictive text working admirably fast.

Photo Sharing : A comparatively negative feature. For example, while sharing a picture from the Nokia Lumia 920, via Bluetooth, the only share options visible are Messages and One Note. The phone that we were looking at may not have had all the apps installed but that fact that it only showed Bluetooth as a share option when Bluetooth was switched on, was frustrating.

In an Android, Bluetooth is always visible as a sharing option even if it is not on. One of the most prominent things on any Android or iOS device is the number of varied sharing options. The other part is that the share symbol is hardly prominent in Lumia devices. Hiding a symbol that a lot of people click on, almost as soon as they take a picture, is a big negative.

The Live Tiles : These are another feature that we’ve heard both Microsoft and Nokia go on and on about. The idea behind Live Tiles is that you can personalize them and both companies have been playing the “No more boring icons like Android and iOS” card. You can choose to make a particular tile big or small depending on how important it is to you. For instance, you can make WhatsApp very large and hide games if that’s what you want.

Except that this doesn't really work as well as you’d think it would. If you click on a tile, a pop-up appears which allows you to stretch the tile. By instinct, you would want to stretch the expand icon as much as you can. But the truth is that there are only three default sizes.

Changing the size of Live Tiles can be a bit confusing, especially if you’re an extensive mobile web user, used to clicking on a space in-order to expand it. Personally, the Live Tile feature is something you can live without and the cleaner icon look that’s available on Android and iOS is certainly preferable.

If you want to buy : Amazon is offering Lumia in affordable prices. Grab you Lumia 920 in cheapest price ever. You can also check Lumia 520 or Lumia 720. Prices are really cheap compared to any other online stores.

So is the phone worth it? In terms of offering something new, Nokia’s Lumia 920 does that as far as hardware is concerned. The camera is excellent. However no idea whether it would stand when comparing with recent upcoming android smart phones. What do you think guys?