Certain high-profile devices, particularly in the Android community, tend to have their own range of unique, exclusive features. When the Nexus 5 finally arrived late last year, users found that it contained a special custom launcher, known at the time as the Google Experience Launcher. It has since been re-branded as the Google Now Launcher, and although the Big G has reserved this implementation for its flagship smartphone, there is a way you can have this feature up and running on your non-Nexus 5 Android device.
With its pick-up-play ability, simple, nostalgia-inducing graphics and challenging gameplay, Flappy Bird has been the subject of meteoric rise in the mobile gaming industry. Its developer has seen well in excess of 50 million downloads and counting, and it's gotten to the point now that wherever you go, people are talking about it. Some folks seem to be finding it easy to get three-figure scores while others are embroiled in a challenge to hit 50, but if you're looking for a sure-fire way to beat the game, then this video tutorial might help you achieve you goal.
As far as Android is concerned, the Galaxy S5 from Samsung is the most eagerly-awaited handset of the year, and and with numerous reports of the device releasing in the near future, it now appears as though we may have a list of the all-important tech-specs. Although many of the mobile industry's major releases, including some of Samsung's previous devices, have been accused of hardware overkill, there's still something mightily impressive about big, bad specs that seems to draw us geeks in, and if a recently leaked AnTuTu benchmark is anything to go by, the Galaxy S5 will be every bit worthy of the 'powerhouse' label.
Flappy Bird Is A Huge Indie Success: Over 50 Million Downloads, Generates $50K Per Day In Ad Revenue
Forget Angry Birds, for 2014 is all about the juggernaut title that is Flappy Bird, and the way things are going for the game that everybody's addicted to right now, this one-man effort could even eventually hit the dizzy heights of Rovio's legendary series. Having already amassed more than 50 million downloads, Flappy Bird is currently generating a whopping $50,000 per day through its banner ads, and with hundreds of thousands of reviews on both the App Store and Google Play Store, is right up there with the likes of Google's Gmail in terms of feedback.
Firefox is widely recognized as one of the best browsers in the game. Despite the incredible rise of Google's Chrome over the past few years, the Mozilla team has continued to push the updates to ensure that Firefox enjoys a decent market share. More recently, we've seen the Firefox creator attempt to branch out with the development of its very own mobile operating system, and while that particular project remains in the works, Mozilla has now gone ahead and built a home launcher for Android.
Although Microsoft has a nice, intuitive mobile OS and a decent selection of handsets on which to run it, Windows Phone is missing one major component - customers. As such, we've seen a number of promotional, trade-in offers over the past couple of weeks, including a free Lumia 520 / 521 for those willing to pay $100 for an Xbox Music pass. But if you're in the market for something a little more high-end, the latest offer from the software maker, which will net you a free Lumia 1020 or Lumia 1520 (albeit on contract) in exchange for an old Galaxy S2 / iPhone 4/4s, may just prove too tempting.
Google Glass has been a hot topic in the blogosphere for the best part of a year now, and although not deemed ready for consumers just yet, it's worth remembering that the product is being developed with more than just the end-user market in mind. In fact, as per a report over at VentureBeat, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) is currently assessing ways in which the face computer could be used in the ongoing effort to combat crime, and if this is indeed the case, one can envisage law enforcement agencies across the world following suit as Glass becomes more popular.
Square Enix's Final Fantasy VI for mobile devices was teased all the way through December, and having hit the Google Play Store back in January, has just become available to those on Apple's iOS. Full details can be seen after the break.
The HTC One was regarded by many as the best smartphone on the market last year, and despite the subsequent release of other main players like the Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung and Apple's iPhone 5s, quite a few still consider this to be the case. The Taiwanese outfit's success with the One provided a much-needed bit of respite following a steady decline in market share prior, and recently, we've been hearing that it's successor - unofficially dubbed the HTC One 2 - is en route to market. Today, courtesy of a leaked photo, we may have our first legitimate glimpse at the eagerly-anticipated handset.
The most enjoyable aspect of using an Android, at least for me personally, is the fact that the entire experience and be flipped on its head by simply downloading and installing a new launcher. EverythingMe is one such home screen alternative, and although it has been in beta for quite a while - an entire year, even - the launcher has now been rolled out as an official, complete package. On first inspection, it has definitely been worth the wait, and if the idea of an intuitive, search-centric launcher appeals to you, then be sure to catch the details after the break.
