Creepy Android apps for a spooktacular Halloween

October is one of the greatest transitional months of the year, shifting to truly colder weather, bringing on beer festivals, hoards of candy and delicious apple cider. Its also an exciting kickoff month for the end-of-the-year holiday season, starting with Halloween. Who wouldve thought that the Android phone could become such an important part of our Halloween rituals, carving digital pumpkins and even keeping tabs on our kids as they navigate the neighborhood in search of tricks and treats? Heres some great Android apps that keep things fun and safe for Octobers favorite holiday.

Creepy Tales (Free)

Everyone loves a good ghost story, and theyre never more poignant than on Halloween night. Whether youre hosting a Halloween party or you just want to cozy-up with a scary story, Creepy Tales is full of short tales that will raise the hairs on your arm. The app itself is pretty basic, with a home screen listing seven categories of creepy takes. Theres about 100 stories spread across these categories which span ghosts, demons, crimes and the paranormal, to name a few.

Carve a Pumpkin! ($1.49)

Like jack-o-lanterns but hate their slimy guts? Try carving a digital pumpkin right on your Android phone. This cute app gives you a blank canvas every time, with three main tools for customizing your orange gourd. Carve a Pumpkin (Lite) has a free-form knife for tracing out your own design, and a menu of faces to choose from. Theres some shaped stamps you can add for effect, with flying bats, words and other items to create the full effect. Unlike the Lite version, the full app has tons more effects and faces for your pumpkin, along with sharing options to spread your Halloween wishes across your favorite social media sites.

The Mask (Free)

What good is an Android phone if you cant use it to create silly faces? With The Mask app you can get into the Halloween spirit by choosing from a series of pre-selected faces, or create your own from a mask pack. Theres googly eyes, rotten teeth, monster mouths and more, all of which are interactive when you touch the screen. Make eyes open and close, knock a few teeth out and make your mask roar with horrific laughter.

House of Horrors - Movies ($0.99)

When I first started thinking of apps for this list, I jotted down TCM. The classic film channel is known for its comprehensive horror programs during the entire month of October. But I was glad to find an even more specific app for horror films, one that lets you view full-length movies directly from your Android phone. House of Horrors has about 100 classic movies befitting of Halloween season, with easy search options for browsing by genre, keyword, actor, title or director. Get details on each film, contextualizing its history and relevance in the film industry. Watch films on-demand or add them to your queue.

GhostCam: Spirit Photography (Free)

It seems a staple of most horror films is the modern cameras ability to pick up on elusive spirits. If youre having trouble tracking down real ghosts, you can create the effect with this GhostCam Android app. Add a ghost to a photo, choosing your own spirit visitor. Resize it to make the photo even more realistic, shifting its opacity, direction and effect. You can even save ghosts to a library for later use, and use the app to take live photos with a ghostly presence. Prank a friend, share the photo, and make Halloween that much more interactive.

GPS Tracker (Free)

Halloween is a thrilling night for kids of all ages, but its also an evening that invites potential danger. Track your family or friends in real-time while youre out trick-or-treating, making sure everyone is safe all all times. Using GPS technology, the GPS Tracking app will pinpoint the exact location of your crew, sending alerts when there is danger and letting you keep in touch as needed. This free Android app can also be used to check-in if the tracking thing is too much, helping you reach a safe compromise with kids and fellow trick-or-treaters.

Google Maps Navigation Comes To Singapore And Hong Kong

If you've ever found yourself lost in Singapore or Hong Kong, then I'm sorry. I hear that if you run into the wrong part of town things can get... bad. It's a shame you didn't have Google Navigation to save you the trouble of ending up somewhere you shouldn't be. The good news, though: future wanderers won't have to suffer your potential strife, because Google Nav is now available in the aforementioned places.

Feel free to roam freely throughout Asia now, like the uncaged bird you are. If you're ever lost, simply turn to your mobile for an answer. It will tell you exactly where to go.

[Google Support]

Photo Sphere May Be Android's Greatest Feature Yet - And Everyone Needs To Know About It

Pictures. If there is one thing we love to share on the internet, it's images.

And I think that's because it's kind of difficult to communicate what we see in life without them - you need that visual aid. Printing or developing photos is time-consuming and inconvenient, and so when digital cameras began to catch on in a big way, right around the same time as broadband internet, people went absolutely mad sharing photos on the web. It was two technologies coming together at the perfect moment. It was a leap forward.

Since then, digital photography has gone from being a disruptive force to the norm. And sharing pictures has gone from cables and uploads and minutes of waiting to instant, unwired gratification, thanks to smartphones and their mobile data connections. Sharing what we see has never been easier than it is now. We share so many photos Facebook has a crisis on its hands trying to keep them all sorted.

But even though the volume of things we share has increased dramatically, the things themselves are largely the same as they've always been. Images look better than they did 10 years ago (a lot better - especially on phones), and we can share those images more quickly and easily than ever before, but they still communicate the same basic information. Be it a place, a person, or a moment in time. In fact, if you think about it, aside from the storage medium and advances in quality, photographs are pretty much the same as they were over a hundred years ago: flat, two-dimensional images. Sure, panorama has taken us a little further, but really, those photos are sort of a pain to look at. And 3D pictures? Maybe someday - when we get those Star Wars-style holograms, perhaps.

But in the here and now, Google has done something truly amazing with photos. And they've done it using nothing but some fancy algorithms and a regular, run-of-the-mill smartphone camera. It's called Photo Sphere.

You've probably already got a good idea of what it is, and if you don't, you can download it here (it may not work very well, depending on your device). If you want an example of a Photo Sphere image, here's one from our own Liam Spradlin on Google+. Or check out this awesome one from the Nexus team in Times Square.

Granted, images like this have existed for years. But they required special software, a lot of effort, patience, time, and proprietary viewer plugins to even look at them. You couldn't just go out and make a 360 degree picture and share it with all your friends. Photo Sphere changes that.

Make no mistake, Photo Sphere is a leap forward: it gives regular people an amazing new way to share their world. It's like taking a glimpse through the eyes of the photographer, like being there - truly capturing a moment and place. It gives you a sense of depth, scale, and presence that a traditional photograph simply can't. And we probably have Google's Street View project to thank for making it all possible.

Think of it kind of like the electric car - it existed decades ago, but until recently, wasn't really practical outside a few, limited applications, or as an expensive novelty. Photo Sphere is sort of the Nissan Leaf or the Tesla Model S of 360 degree photos: it's bringing a previously inaccessible technology to people in a form they can live with every day. It isn't perfect, but it's without a doubt the first product of its kind that's ready for consumers. We can only move forward from here.

And Google, being Google, has made the format of these Photo Sphere images totally open. They're compiled using XML metadata embedded in each Photo Sphere, and encoded as giant JPEG files. Anyone could, in theory, build a Photo Sphere viewer. Currently, you can only see them in Google+ and Google Maps, but I have no doubt Google is working on an API, or will be soon (that's kind of a given with Google - I hope).

I truly believe this is the greatest advancement we've seen in photography since that first "digital revolution." This is big. This is important. It changes the way we share with people, with what we are able to show them, and it does so using a tool in the pocket of half of all Americans, and hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Imagine someone being able to share a 360 degree image of a war zone, which would then makes it way to the newswire. Or the interior of a beautiful cathedral. Imagine being able to capture the day of your child's birth, in a way that every time you looked at it, could take you back to that place in a way no other picture - or even a video - could. That's something incredible. That's a leap forward. And you can share them in an instant - for now, via Google + or Maps, but in the future, who knows how fast and far this could spread.

Maybe I'm just waxing poetic here, and maybe this won't end up being that important at all - some other technological breakthrough in imagery could utterly overshadow it. But sometimes, there are those things that come along and really do change our lives, even if it's just in some small way. I think this is one of them.

Android apps for improving womens health

Its important for everyone to strive for a healthy lifestyle, but we all have our special needs. Women in particular have different health goals than men, as age and dietary needs also play a role. Fortunately for the modern woman, we have countless resources at hand, many available as Android apps. Heres a few that address fitness, breast cancer, health education, stress reduction and more.

WeightWatchers Barcode Scanner (Free)

Shopping for groceries can sometimes feel like a doctoral-level research study, reading labels for nutritional facts and ingredients, comparing each aisles products. The pressure is compounded for someone using a highly disciplined service like Weight Watchers. Thankfully Weight Watchers has a barcode-scanning Android app that gives you all the information you need for your personal goals. Check grocery items against Weight Watchers database, add it to your PointsPlus Tracker or your Favorites. You can even scan multiple products for comparisons, access your scanned history and use the PointPlus calculator right from the app. Youll need to be an existing subscriber to Weight Watchers Online to use the full features of this app.

Womens Health Workouts ($1.99)

Not many womens health magazines have an Android presence, but Womens Health was an early supporter of mobile apps. With Womens Health Workouts you get the sleekly designed programs the print publication is known for, in a convenient mobile package. Youll receive step-by-step workouts developed by top female trainers and experts, shareable training logs and timers, all designed to optimize your exercise goals. The app also comes with built-in support to request expert guidance. Get the pro version for full-featured access to workout plans.

Take a Break from Stress (Free)

Women take on a great responsibility in caring for their families, often combined with the added pressure of a career. Stay stress free throughout your busy day with Meditation Oasis app, called Take a Break from Stress. This voice-guided app comes with two programs - one for a seven-minute break, and the other for 13 minutes. You can listen with or without music, turn off the voice guide, and practice your stress reduction techniques to keep you sane throughout the day. After a while, you may be able to skip the app all together.

All-in YOGA+ ($0.99)

Yoga is another great way to relax the mind, body and spirit while improving blood circulation and toning muscles. A popular program for women, yoga is a great opportunity to take some time for yourself to do something that has long-lasting benefits for your overall health. The All-in YOGA app for Android comes with over 300 poses, complete with instructions and photos. Theres a video and voice-guided option, as well as the ability to create custom programs with the dozens of yoga poses available in this app. And dont worry about getting ahead of yourself with this yoga trainer--poses are grouped according to level and type (strong abs, breathing or stretching exercises, to name a few), so you can work your way up to the hard stuff. The app comes with music if you dont have any of your own, with 40 programs to choose from. Track your progress on a calendar, see 3D views of poses, and cool down when youre done.

Pink Link (Free)

Breast cancer is a disease that affects many of us in one way or another, becoming a foremost important health concern for every woman you know. Self-examination is key to womens health, and the Pink Link app offers a guide on how to conduct a breast self-exam. The app also lets you schedule reminders for yearly mammograms and monthly self-exams, and provides information on breast cancer screening guidelines. Pink Link is an app released by Mount Carmel, a womens health center in Central Ohio, so if you live in the region you can also use the app to contact nearby centers. For a more general app on self-exam techniques, try Breast Test.

MyPill ($0.99)

If you take oral contraceptives daily, you know the importance of staying on track with your pills. The My Pill app lets you set an alarm to ring daily, pausing automatically between cycles. You dont have to do much manual work with this app--even when you reboot the app, it will reset its schedule. Alarm tones are customizable, and can be set to vibrate. This Android app will also track the number of pills remaining in your pack, and available in English and French.

BabyBump Pregnancy Pro ($2.99)

Pregnancy is unique to women, and requires a great deal of attention, time and care. Simplify some of the processes around tracking your pregnancy with the Baby Bump app for Android, considered one of the most inclusive apps of its kind. View schematic embryo pictures of baby development week-by-week, along with common symptoms, cravings and bodily changes you can expect throughout the pregnancy. The app comes with a journal and a weight-tracker, so youll have a database to take to doctors visits. Your progress can also be charted for weight gain, BMI and low/high estimates against your actual weight on a weekly basis. Theres a social component for sharing pregnancy stories, a countdown widget for your homescreen, and a contraction tracker with a start/stop button when the big day arrives.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Google Docs Can Now Share Directly To Google+, Natively Embedding PDFs, Videos, And More

The integration of all the services you use from your favorite search provider just keeps on getting better. Today, Google announced that you can now share content from your Google Drive directly to Google+. It's not just a matter of a simple link, either (unless you're on mobile). A built-in viewer for PDFs, videos, slideshow presentations and more make the experience virtually seamless.

To share to Google+, you simply click the Share button like normal where you'll find the new option waiting, in addition to the usual Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter. Of course, none of the other methods have quite this level of integration and ease of use. As stated before, mobile G+ users will only see a link that will then open in Drive.

You shouldn't need to do a thing to make use of the new update. Just go share something from Google Drive now.

Source: Google Drive Blog

Play Store Carrier Billing Lands On Verizon Today - Parents, Set Your PINs

If you're a Verizon Wireless customer, you might be seeing a new payment option in your Play Store billing screen this morning. That option, as you've probably guessed, is carrier billing. We reported on the announcement just a couple of weeks ago.

For a lot of folks, this is easier than adding a credit card to the Play Store, but if you've got kids (or other spendthrift loved ones), this presents a new and exciting danger to your wallet. Be sure to set a Play Store PIN on your phone in the Settings menu - nobody wants to see a $40 payment to Zynga tacked onto their phone bill at the end of the month.

New Android apps worth downloading: Xbox Smartglass, Snapchat, Need For Speed: Most Wanted

Its a big week for video game releases, and if youre grabbing new stuff for your Xbox 360, you should check out todays leading new Android app, Xbox Smartglass. If you sometimes use your Android device to send pictures and texts you wouldnt want to recipient to save, you can use Snapchat to send messages with a time limit. Finally, Need For Speed: Most Wanted updates the series with more high-speed racing action.

Xbox SmartGlass (Free)

Whats it about? Use your Android devices to control your Microsoft Xbox 360 video game console with Xbox SmartGlass. The app lets you control things like video playback and access lots of the Xbox Live web services social features.

Whats cool? SmartGlass lets you turn your Android devices into remote controls for your Xbox, and that can be super-useful if you use the console for things like watching Netflix Streaming. Thats handy by itself, but you can also access other Xbox Live features, allowing you to edit your Xbox profile and send messages to friends. The app also supports other interactive entertainment experiences created specifically for using your Android device together with your Xbox.

Whos it for? Youll need to be a fan of the Xbox 360 and an Xbox Live subscriber to get full usage out of SmartGlass. Itll probably help that youre someone who uses Xbox Live for more functions than just playing video games online with your pals.

Whats it like? Try OnLive for a start, which allows you to stream PC games over the Internet and play them on your Android devices, and OnLive Desktop to mirror your PC on your tablet. Its not 100 percent the same thing, but both are somewhat similar to SmartGlass.

Snapchat (Free)

Whats it about? Snapchat lets you send texts and images to friends and contacts that have an expiration date. After the timer expires, they get deleted.

Whats cool? Some of us use our smartphones and tablets to send things that are potentiallycompromising. Snapchat is the kind of app that can help with that sort of thing (and with other sensitive things you dont want to hang around on other peoples devices in perpetuity). Timers go up to 10 seconds and start when the message is opened, and Snapchat also will let you know if the receiver takes a screenshot after receiving the message.

Whos it for? If you use your Android app for sending things that you might not want saved forever by the people receiving them, Snapchat is for you. We wont ask what youre using it for.

Whats it like? Look for messaging apps that offer similar functionality, because there arent a ton in the same class as Snapchat. Tango Text, Voice, Video Calls offers a lot of voice-over-Internet capabilities, and KeepSafe Vault will help you password-protect photos on your device.

Need For Speed: Most Wanted ($6.99)

Whats it about? Corresponding with the release of Electronic Arts new racing title of the same name, Need For Speed: Most Wanted puts players in the drivers seat for lots of street races, police chases and online battles.

Whats cool? Need For Speed packs some awesome graphics for most Android devices, for a start. It includes 35 different cars that you can earn and drive along the way. Theres a single-player campaign, as well as a multiplayer one that lets you challenge friends and other players all over the world. The app also includes both touch and tilt controls, which is something players asked for after the last iteration of the Need For Speed series.

Whos it for? Racing game fans will want to check out Need For Speed, as well as fans of the series and the console versions of the game. If you want to flex the graphical capabilities of your device, this is a good game with which to do it.

Whats it like? Other entries in the Need for Speed series, like Hot Pursuit, are a good place to start for similar games. Real Racing 2 is also a graphical powerhouse for racing fans.

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Deal Alert: Motorola RAZR HD Drops To $129 On Amazon For New Customers; RAZR MAXX HD to $179

Just a week ago, I discovered that despite some flaws, the Motorola DROID RAZR HD is a great phone. With a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 CPU, a 4.7" 720p SAMOLED display, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage (plus a microSD slot), and a 2530mAh battery, it packed solid performance and good battery life into a slim package.

Now, there's another reason to love it: Amazon has dropped the price down to just $130 for new customers ($150 for upgrades), compared to Verizon's $200. And the RAZR MAXX HD (with its 3300mAh battery and even longer name)? Just $180 ($200 for upgrades).

As always, Amazon Wireless includes free two-day shipping with all orders.

[DROID RAZR HD (White), DROID RAZR HD (Black), DROID RAZR MAXX HD]

Android zombie games for a thrilling Halloween

Zombies are all the rage, and its only heightened by the celebration of Halloween. Whether youre a zombie lover or youre out to destroy them all, theres a growing number of zombie games on the Android Market to help you survive the apocalypse. From tower-defense style games to benign farming-style ones, theres a zombie title out there for every gamer.

Plants vs. Zombies ($2.99)

The most popular zombie-inspired game for Android is Plants vs. Zombies, by PopCap and Electronic Arts. Boasting 50 levels in Adventure mode, the goal is to protect your house from the undead from trudging through your backyard. And how do you stop all these goofy zombies? With plants and flowers, of course! You start off with Peashooter plants and Sunflowers (collecting sunlight enables you to plant more), but eventually you can upgrade to Cabbage-pults, Cactuses, and Cattails, my personal favorite for the Pool levels. Plants vs. Zombies appeals to every gamer, because it's a strategy title with a universal sense of humor.

GRave Defense HD ($2.45)

GRave Defense HD is a popular tower defense game that youll continue to play long after Halloween has passed. With an involved storyline, GRave Defense has some extra features you wont find in other tower defense games. Help the Fellowship of Survivals battle mutant zombies and boss monsters alike. After a destructive nuclear war, theres hoards of zombies out to get you. Kill them all across 20 levels, using fire, electricity, lasers and more. Theres a slew of unique battlefields, each one offering new challenges and opportunities to help save humanity.

Contract Killer: Zombies (Free)

For a slasher-style game, Contract Killer: Zombies is full of contaminated blood and gore. In this Halloween special, Contract Killer plops you in a world where youre killing zombies instead of criminals. Help the survivors by going on missions, infiltrating zombie-infested cities to get supplies and even save stranded civilians. Youre mowing down zombies at every turn, earning bonuses for head shots and killing multiple zombies at one time. For the full blood and gore experience, try Contract Killer: Zombies (NR) instead!

Stupid Zombies 2 (Free)

Stupid Zombies is a long-standing favorite, sending you across more than 500 levels of shooting, grenades and other crafty zombie-killing tactics. The sequel adds 300 brand new levels and a laser was added to your character's gun to track the course of your bullets. This is more of a puzzle game than a first-person shooter, so theres a different type of strategy required. Use your smarts to take down zombies on multiple platforms, sending barrels down ramps, opening gates and overcoming obstacles of all kinds. Its a cute game for players of most ages, and is a bit of a brain teaser as well.

Zombie Runaway (Free)

Want to be the zombie instead of killing it? Zombie Runaway gives you a new perspective on the walking dead... or running dead, in this case. Save a single zombie from his untimely return to the grave, dodging tombstones and spiked barriers as you try to escape the cemetery. Collect as many power-up coins as you can, because the more you get and the longer you stay alive, the higher your score soars. Youll be surprised by how challenging this game can get, sucking you in for repeat runs and time-wasting fun.

Zombie Farm (Free)

Theres FarmVille, and then theres Zombie Farm. Its a friendly world with vegetables of a different kind the kind that need watering and tilling to grow. Who knew corpses could be so fruitful? Plant the types of crops and zombies you want, customizing your farm with barns, ponds and more. Cross-breed zombies and track your crop mutations, seeing what type of creatures you can come up with. These zombies will still need plenty of nurturing, but theyll return the love, even winning over the local residents.

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ASUS Reports It's Selling Nearly A Million Nexus 7's Per Month, And That Number Is Climbing

We've been eagerly awaiting the day that we would finally hear some kind of stats on Nexus 7 sales and, finally, ASUS has let some figures slip. Apparently sales of Google's first Nexus tablet have not only been great, but are getting progressively better. While we weren't given exact numbers, the company's CFO David Chang had this to say about how the slate has done in the market:

"At the beginning, it was, for instance, 500K units a month, then maybe 600, 700K. This latest month, it was close to 1 million."

Assuming he means each month's sales, we can estimate sales have been close to 2.8 million, but it's unclear at what rate exactly the numbers have increased. What is clear is that they're only going up. Part of this is likely to do with the expanded international availability of the tablet (now on sale in 13 countries). We can also assume that even more will be sold now that the base level of storage has increased and the holiday season starts bearing down on us.

Up until this point, Amazon has held the front-runner position for Android tablet sales with its Kindle Fire line, raking in 3.9 million sales in Q4 of 2011, the first quarter it was available. If ASUS keeps up at this rate, it might just manage to beat even that record. Which would only be good news for Android tablet fans.

Here's hoping, right?

Source: Wall Street Journal

Here Is Another Reason Google Continues To Shun SD Cards - Multiuser Support

The lack of expandable storage in Nexus devices becomes one of the hottest and most controversial topics every time Google does a refresh and we find out that the next generation lacks SD cards entirely yet again. Couple that with the decision to limit onboard storage options to 16GB max, which is the case with the Nexus 4 at the moment and was the case with the Nexus 7 for a while, and you've got a full-blown revolt.

You may have read one explanation of Google's aversion to SD cards, which was brought up by Android engineer Dan Morrill last year: it's confusing to users to have multiple storage points, the insecure "free-for-all" area was not meant for private app data but rather for media, and essentially SD cards are the sources of all evil. Google's chief of Android user experience Matias Duarte reiterated the same points today. Whether you think the reasons are legitimate or bogus (in consumers' eyes), this is Google's stance on the matter.

Now, with Android 4.2, there's yet another reason, one I hadn't thought of before, but one that makes sense - multiuser support. It's already relevant for the Nexus 10. At the moment, the Nexus 4 still lacks multiuser capabilities - some say due to a possible patent issue - but when Google (or enterprising hackers in the first few hours of 4.2 release) is ready to turn them on, it will become relevant.

There are two separate parts here, actually:

1. The lack of proper filesystem permissions. Because SD cards are generally formatted using the FAT file system due to high compatibility with multiple operating systems, they lack the concept of file ownership entirely. If Google wants to be taken seriously when it comes to security, there should be no weak links like that. Imagine a modern PC where an unprivileged user could access every file in the file system - sounds pretty crazy when you think of it that way.
2. Adding the complexity of multiple users to something as portable as an SD card would undoubtedly create an array of problems. What happens when two users are using the same app that stores some of its data on the SD card? What happens when you move your SD card to another device with a different multiuser configuration (or lack of the concept of users entirely)?

Up until now Android didn't have a concept of multiple users. Think back to Windows 98 that had a single My Documents directory and proper multiuser support only arriving with Windows 2000 and its Documents and Settings folder. I could draw so many parallels here.

The key point remains that unlike the migration path between Windows 98 to 2000 and having an internal hard drive vs an easily removable SD card, there is a certain expectation Android users have - seamless OTA updates and backwards compatibility. The /sdcard partition and paths on it have been mistreated so much in the past few years (just look at your card and see how many apps don't store data according to guidelines). If Google were to resolve the path issue and repartition the card upon upgrade to something like /sdcard/user1, /sdcard/user2, etc, it would suddenly become incompatible with other devices. Plus there's still no proper permission support.

It's kind of a mess.

And I don't even want to think of the ways other manufacturers are going to try to handle multiuser support. Google chose a simple path for its own devices. Now what happens when an OEM decides it wants to stick in an SD card slot and enable multiple users? Ugly hacks come to mind, and if there's one thing I hate as a programmer, it's ugly hacks.

Here is my take on the whole situation:

1. Google needs to start offering more storage options. Not everyone is a power user, but we do exist, and we want our space. I, for one, am out of space with 64GB. I don't want to be. I will pay more to have more storage, but I can't. A few large games and apps, some music, a bunch of nandroid backups, some videos - hey, look, I'm already out.
2. Google needs to solve the SD card situation properly so that both Nexus and non-Nexus devices can easily utilize them. Dan Morrill said Google would like to do it right, but I'm not sure they want to badly enough. SD storage is cheap. I want to use it. I want to have an option to use it. I want to have an option to pop up an SD card and move it elsewhere, whether just migrating devices or trying to rescue files off a phone that no longer powers on after taking a dive into my dog's water bowl.

In conclusion, let me quote chief Android framework engineer, walking Android encyclopedia, and fearless feline leader Dianne Hackborn who dropped some wisdom yesterday on G+ and put these thoughts in my head in the first place:

Robert Mahon: Another thought about this sd-card stuff, might it have caused issues with the multi-user side of things in 4.2? Most apps aren't following guidelines on where to save their data, so it gets sprayed willynilly on the SD-Card. Now there's more than one person using the system, and possibly overwriting that data/corruption, I can see why Nexus devices, to stop this being a problem before it starts (or at least reducing it to less apps) is not using the sd-cards.

Stewart Gateley: With each user having their own apps and data, SD card makes even more sense. Keep the profiles local while storing large media files on ext storage. Either external files can be shared with all users, or set file permissions. No need to partition space out for each user or something. For a multi-user HD media consumption device, the Nexus 10 is seriously lacking storage. But I thought we were talking about the 4 here.

Dianne Hackborn:

+Robert Mahon This is certainly an issue, we aren't supporting multi-user with the old school FAT partition for external storage (whether that is on an SD card like the original G1 or a separate internal partition like the Nexus S).

+Stewart Gateley SD cards must be formatted with FAT (to inter-operate with desktop computers), which doesn't support file permissions. Not to mention that all you are going to end up with is a mess if you try to set file system permissions (based on uids) on an SD card and then move that to another device.

Android App Video Review: ZombieSmash

ZombieSmash is an excellent and creative kind of castle defense game from Zynga. It's a throwback to an older kind of castle defense that you just dont see around anymore. It makes use of great art along with hilarious and inventive game mechanics to keep things appealing. There are plenty of extra modes to enjoy, fun side features to play with, and upgrades to purchase. This is definitely one of the better Zynga titles around.

So its up to you to defend a single survivor of the zombie apocalypse from the ravenous undead hordes. You do this as something of a god, reaching down and physically stopping the zombies. You do this by simply touching them, and you can toss them about or smash them repeatedly into the ground, just like everyones favorite scene from Marvels The Avengers. As youre doing this, youll collect various defensive weapons and stars. Stars are used to upgrade these defensive weapons, which include wrecking balls, grenades, giant boulders, deadly windmills, liquid nitrogen, mines and much more. The game is very random, creative, and totally over the top the like that.

Each level takes place on a different day of the month. As the days go by, more deadly and clever zombies will enter the fray, changing the dynamics quite a bit. There are only two different areas which you defend for a month, one being a farm in the middle of nowhere, and the other being a prison in the middle of a city. Both maps look great, but offer mostly visual differences and not much else. At the end of each night, you can take a snapshot of your final kill in slow motion and share it to Facebook or Twitter. It wouldnt be a Zynga game without some kind of social media support.

As I said, the visuals, music and sound are all top notch. If you get bored of the main levels, you can play in the sandbox mode or endless mode for some variety. You dont really see these kinds of castle defense games anymore. I remember them being very popular on the Flash game scene, with you using your mouse to endlessly thrown armies away from your castle. Its a refreshing game experience, and its a lot of fun. Best of all, ZombieSmash is available for only one dollar. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to brutally and violently kill some time.

Discover more Android games here

CyanogenMod 10 Nightly Builds Come To The MetroPCS Samsung Galaxy S III

It's always a joyous occasion to welcome a new device into the CyanogenMod family. This time it's the MetroPCS variant of the Samsung Galaxy S III.

CyanogenMod is one of the most popular Android ROMs and is supported on a ton of devices already. The CyanogenMod 10 version being offered for the MetroPCS SGS3 is a nightly build, meaning it is the experimental product of a day's work. Bugs are to be expected, but CM10 is getting quite stable overall. There are no monthly builds for this device, but that might happen soon. The monthly "M Snapshots" tend to be a little more sturdy.

If your Galaxy S III on MetroPCS is unlocked and ready for action, hit up the source below to grab the ROM. It's 162MB in size.

[CyanogenMod Downloads]

These Android apps help you get in shape

It wouldnt be entirely good if you were just to sit around and play games on your Android phone all day. You need to get out and stretch those leg muscles every once in a while, and since there are hundreds of apps designed to enhance your workouts, you might as well take your Android phone with you! Todays post covers some of the neat apps out there to help you get or stay fit.

Runkeeper GPS Track Run Walk (Free)

Runkeeper is a fitness app that uses your GPS to track your activity. When you first turn on the app, you will be prompted to make sure your phones GPS is turned on and then prompted to set up an account with Runkeeper. If there are problems getting a strong GPS signal, the app will let you know about it. In general, the setup is very simple. You can set the units, primary display, get audio cues for different items, set up Facebook and Twitter, and of course your personal profile.

The layout of the app is also very simple, as there are four main items in the menu. The Start tab is is where you select the type of physical activity such as running, hiking, skiing, swimming and the type of workout. There are some pre-made workouts, but you can set up your own. The next tab is Goals, where you can set long term workout goals. The Activity tab will have a log of what you have done, and finally there here is the Settings tab. The app will sync your completed activity information with their website, where you can view your stats online and even share them with friends.

Runtastic (Free)

When you first start Runtastic, you will need to set up an account via email or Facebook. There is a basic, free version of the app and a Pro version, and the latter sports extras such as voice feedback, live tracking, heart rate sensors, auto-pause, and geo-tracking.

You can access Runtastics four screens by swiping back and forth. There is the History screen, which has your past activities, the Map screen, the Go Pro screen (in free version) which gives you all of the extras, and finally the Main screen. On the Main screen, you can select the type of workout: Basic, Workout Goal, Manual, Routes, with each having their own options. After setting your workout, you can select the activity from a long list. When done, hit the Start Workout button and begin. The app will track your pace, speed, and so much more. As a bonus, you can can sync Runtastic with MyFitnessPal.

Sports Tracker (Free)

This is the official app for Sports-tracker.com. As with the other services, you create an account and link it to the website. On their website and within the app, you can access a map of the local area and see what other users are up to. In my area alone, there are currently over 12 users who have uploaded their results. You can add other users to your friends list through the app or via Facebook, and sharing and connecting is strongly encouraged.

The main homepage of the app provides a quick summary of all of your workouts, time spent and energy used. When ready, simply click the Start New Workout button. Next select the activity and the auto-pause feature. The main activity screen will appear and shows your time, distance, speed, and a map of where you are. There is a button to allow you to listen to your favorite mp3s and to take photos as you work out. When done, the app will upload your info to your online account and put it in your diary. There are a number of options you can set in the app, such as your heart rate belt, altitude offset and GPS filtering.

Active.com (Free)

Active.com is a thriving online community for folks that are looking for activities in which to participate. While this app does not track your progress or monitor your heart rate, it will help you find things to do to help you get more fit.

The app is broken down into four sections. There is Read Articles, where you can read articles on a variety of topics. The Favorites section is where your bookmarked articles and activities will be listed for quick reference. The View Your Events section is where you can see what you have done. The main section is Activities. Here you can see what is going on around you. The app allows you to set the location, search radius, sort of date, and search specific types of activities. After you put in your criteria, a list will appear. Click on an item and a new window will open with the specifics. You can favorite the event, see it on the map, get more details, and many times register for it. The app makes it very easy to find stuff to do!

Being active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It is too easy these days, with all of our technology to just sit around. So get out there, and let your Android phone help you!

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Download The Android 4.2 Keyboard With Gesture Typing Right Now

• Download and Install

As part of the unveiling of Android 4.2 yesterday, Google introduced a brand-new input method on the stock Android keyboard called "Gesture Typing." Basically, it's Swype. If you don't know what Swype is, check out this video. Basically, you drag your finger to type instead of tapping. Here's Google's version in action:

While I'm not a fan of the Swype-style typing, a lot of people do seem to love it, and it's cool that Google is now providing a tertiary input method (alongside normal typing and voice typing) on the stock keyboard. It integrates seamlessly, too. There's nothing to turn on, nothing to toggle - it just works.

Download and Install

Now, getting it on your device is going to be easy for some of you, and less easy for others. You'll need to be on Android 4.0+, to start.

If you're on a phone with a UI overlay that has the stock keyboard disabled (eg, Samsung TouchWiz, HTC Sense, Sony), you can just download the apk below- no root required. To install, make sure you have "install from unknown sources" enabled in your phone settings, and after installation, go into your phone's keyboard settings and enable "Android keyboard." Then, you can switch to the new keyboard. This may also work on some "stock" Android custom ROMs - but it will not work on stock Android builds distributed by Google. For instructions for Nexus devices running stock software, see the next paragraph.

• Mirror 1 (APK)
• Mirror 2 (APK)
• Mirror 3 (APK)

If the apk doesn't work, you're running a phone that is either A.) running stock Android (as in, AOSP), or B.) running software that has the stock Android keyboard as an option, you'll need to download this ZIP file, and flash it in recovery. That also means you're going to need root. as you'll be writing to /system/apps. Before you do, though, either back up the stock keyboard (if you don't know how, you probably shouldn't be doing this) or create a full image backup, just in case. Here's that ZIP file:

• Mirror 1 (flashable ZIP)
• Mirror 2 (flashable ZIP)
• Mirror 3 (flashable ZIP)

Note: this build is an older one, and is not representative of exactly how the keyboard will look when Android 4.2 is officially released. The word suggestion pop-ups, for example, are different from what we've seen on Nexus 4s running the release build of Android 4.2. All the functionality is there and works properly, though.

New Android apps worth downloading: Google Search update, Flip Launcher, Chrono Trigger

Google Search's latest update gives the app new capabilities including the ability to help you book hotels, flights and restaurant reservations. Flip Launcher comes next, making it easier to launch your favorite apps without going and searching for them. Finally, role-playing classic Chrono Trigger finally makes the leap through time from 1995 to your Android device.

Google Search update (Free)

Whats it about? Googles proprietary search app is all about finding what you want on the web as quickly and easily as possible, with the app supporting text and voice, amongst other new features.

Whats cool? Google Searchs update packs in a mess of new things, mostly focused around travel searching. You can now book hotels, flights and restaurant reservations using Google Search, and the app supports new voice functions for doing things like launching apps. Theres also additional Google Now support packed in, too.

Whos it for? Just about anyone who finds their Android device as useful tools for getting information on the fly should get Google Search. The new updates to the app make it useful for travel, which means youll need fewer apps in general to accomplish things like booking a flight.

Whats it like? Similar search capabilities can be found in Microsofts Bing. For travel stuff, try Travelocity or Expedia.

Flip Launcher (Free)

Whats it about? Make your Android device a little more convenient with Flip Launcher, which allows you to quickly launch a few certain apps without having to return to your Home screen.

Whats cool? Flip Launcher adds that little bit of convenience you didnt know you were missing. You can assign four different apps or shortcuts to the apps flippers, which are little spaces on the side of the screen that can then be used to quickly launch them.

Whos it for? Smartphone and tablet junkies who want to save precious seconds in launching your apps. Flip Launcher isnt essential, of course, but it does make getting to your most important apps a lot easier.

Whats it like? Some alternative launcher programs, with which you can adjust your Android devices app-launching capabilities a bit, include LauncherPro and ADW.Launcher.

Chrono Trigger ($9.99)

Whats it about? Square Enixs classic role-playing title from 1995 follows the course of several characters as they travel through time, trying to save the world. Menu-based gameplay not unlike the developers Final Fantasy series dominates, and Chrono Trigger is considered to be one of the best games of all time.

Whats cool? A phenomenal cast of characters, a great story and a redesigned classic menu-based battle system were the hallmarks of Chrono Trigger when it was first released. The game is considered a classic today, with a huge campaign and lots of weapons and armor to find, character skills to increase, and epochs to visit.

Whos it for? If you like the Final Fantasy series, especially the earlier titles that appear on mobile platforms, you should give a look to Chrono Trigger. Its rooted in the same 16-bit role-playing game conventions, but with some of the best story and characters to grace games.

Whats it like? Lots of Square Enixs RPGs fall into a similar vein as Chrono Trigger. For starters, check out Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy III.

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EE 4G LTE Launches In The UK Today

Six months ahead of all competitors, EE - a joint-venture between Orange and T-Mobile - is launching the UK's first LTE network today. The initial launch rollout will cover 11 major cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield, and Southampton.

EE is promising at least 2,000 square miles of coverage expansion every month (which is probably a better coverage metric for the UK), with 5 more cities to be covered by year's end.

EE has a decided advantage over its competitors due to a spectrum crunch even worse than the one currently going on in the US, with T-Mobile and Orange using spectrum refarming to work around the lack of new airwaves. EE was the only carrier to get such refarm approval from Ofcom, the UK's rough equivalent of the FCC. This has allowed EE to, some argue unfairly, get out ahead of competitors.

Estimated data speeds are 8-12Mbps down, and of course, being LTE, latency should drop dramatically, as well. Data tariffs are significantly above the average in the UK, and of course include unlimited calls and text. Those tiers range from 36GBP a month for 500MB, to 56GBP a month for 8GB.

via The Guardian

MOGA Controller Review: This Is How You Build An Android Controller, But Not How You Program One

• The Good
• The Bad
• Hardware
• Software
• The MOGA Pivot App
• Gameplay
• Conclusion

Touchscreens have allowed a whole new era of innovation in mobile gaming and so far it's been pretty great. Sometimes, though, you just need buttons. There are a variety of companies out there trying to create the right solution and this isn't even the first review I've done on a third-party controller. With a unique grip to hold your smartphone, though, this one actually seemed like it stood a fighting chance of not disappearing into the nearest drawer. Of course, hardware is rarely the real problem for Android controllers, is it? But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The Good

• Decent size. Not unusably tiny like most third-party controllers. Could be a bit bigger, but most people won't have a problem.
• Can hold most phones. Short of a Note, just about any large-screened phone will be held snugly in the flip-up grip.
• Good build quality. Given the price, it's nice to know this thing isn't cheaply built.
• Faux leather carrying case is a nice touch.

The Bad

• Incredibly sparse list of supported apps. Even if you own games that work with the controller, they may not work if you didn't buy them through the right channels.
• Sync software is buggy and disconnects frequently if you're not in-game. This doesn't interfere with playing, but does make it very difficult to jump out to check a message real quick.
• At $50, the price is pretty steep for what you get. This could be improved if the connection software is fixed and if more developers pick up the platform, but as of right now, it doesn't look too robust.

Hardware

Let's start with the build quality. It's fantastic. Opening a $50 game controller that's not from Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo can be a harrowing experience. At that price, the bar is set pretty high, but the track record for accessories of this caliber isn't great. Rest assured though, the MOGA hardware is wonderful. While a little tiny for my tastes, the device is very sturdy.

The controller has plenty of buttons to handle just about any game you could throw at it. Two control sticks, four regular buttons (traditional A, B, X, Y), start, select, and two trigger buttons. There are also two more controls for syncing the device via Bluetooth: a hardware switch sits underneath the flip-up phone holder, which ensures that you won't drain the battery when the device is off, and a second button that is used for pairing.

The flip-up phone holder is particularly nice. This controller allows you to place your phone in an expandable grip. I was able to fit a few different phones in it including my Galaxy Nexus, though a device as large as the Galaxy Note might be a bit of a stretch. The entire piece of hardware is very impressive and felt like something I really wanted to play with. As a bit of icing on the cake, the package even came with a faux leather carrying case. It's a great touch.

Software

Unfortunately, as much as I absolutely adore the hardware, that's about where the whirlwind romance ends. The big hang up with any accessory like this is the software. It doesn't matter how great the design is if you can't play anything with it. There are a few different reasons why this thing falls short, so let me go through them one at a time.

The MOGA Pivot App

The first thing you'll need to do in order to connect the controller is install the MOGA Pivot app. Requiring an app to sync an accessory and your phone isn't unprecedented. Where this one fails, though, is that apparently if you leave the app, the link is broken. It's not a huge problem except that it's rather annoying to get a notification that the MOGA is missing every time you respond to a text or check your email. The shade spam is made even worse due to the fact that the Pivot app is persistent. The only way I found to close the app and, in doing so, get rid of the ongoing notification, was to force close it.

To clarify, this bizarre notification spam occurs before you actually enter a game. The Pivot app isn't just a background process that handles the communication between the accessory and the phone. It's also a middle man for game sales. This is the second area where the app has major problems. While you can't actually buy games via MOGA (the Play Store doesn't allow distribution of other app stores), it does serve to connect you with games you can use the controller with.

The problem is, only some of the games are linked by the Play Store. Particularly some Gameloft apps, which can be among the more expensive titles on Android, are actually purchased via the company's own site. You download the APKs directly and only when you install via this method will the controller work. To test this, I acquired Dungeon Hunter 3 from Google's market. The MOGA wouldn't respond at all.

Apparently the controller only works if the game you want to play was purchased or installed via whatever method Pivot chooses. If it links to the Play Store entry, then your previous install should work just fine. The titles that are acquired via independent distribution will need to be repurchased and, obviously, won't be tied to your Google account.

This is a very big usability problem. If you've already bought certain titles from the Play Store, you can't use this accessory without buying them again. If you haven't already got them, then you can spend the money, but they might not be tied to your Google account. Lose the APK and you're on your own.

For what it's worth, the controller comes with two free titles. Pac-man, which normally costs $4 in the Pivot app as of this writing, and a code for a copy of Sonic CD. Both are in MOGA's faux storefront and both are great classics. Unfortunately, they're not $50 worth of fun. Beyond those, the selection is extremely meager. There are a mere 21 apps in the supported list, two of which are the aforementioned gratis games, three more are free versions of other paid entries, and only 6 others are just plain free. While you have at least a few options, you could still sink a lot of money into a very isolated and sparsely populated ecosystem.

Here is the full list of titles available at the time of writing:

• Asphalt 7: Heat
• Doom GLES
• Dungeon Hunter 3
• Final Freeway 2R
• Galaxy NGC3D HD
• Gangstar Rio: City of Saints
• GnarBike Trials
• GnarBike Trials Pro
• N.O.V.A. 3
• PAC-MAN
• Real Soccer 2013
• Riptide GP
• Rocket Fox
• Six-Guns
• Sky Gamblers
• Sonic The Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
• Stealth Chopper 3D
• Stealth Chopper Demo
• The Dark Knight Rises
• Virtua Tennis Challenge
• Virtua Tennis Challenge Free

Gameplay

Once you've decided how to get your games, the experience is actually pretty great. Controls are very responsive. There was virtually zero lag at all, even while playing games like Sonic CD, which generally rely on fast reactions. Once you're playing, the connection between the controller and the phone is steady. Head to the homescreen, though, and the connection will be broken soon, and it's a bit of a pain to get back into the app.

As I mentioned earlier, the size of the controller is substantially nicer than many others like it, however for some reason, the MOGA is still a bit tinier than is comfortable, and I don't have above average-sized hands. Perhaps this might be more comfortable for a kid, however as far back as the NES, gamepads have been designed that fit both adult and children's hands. The reason for why these things keep getting manufactured a bit smaller than is comfortable is a mystery. All that being said, fat fingers should be wary.

Conclusion

As Android gaming accessories go, this is still one of the best I've used. It's small, but not cripplingly so, the hardware is solidly built, and it's designed to actually hold your phone, solving the awkward usability problem of most Bluetooth controllers. However, the software really makes it difficult to love. Personally, I'm very uncomfortable buying games via developers' websites and losing the ability to sync with my Google account. Even if that's not a concern for you, though, the positively abysmal selection of games makes spending $50 on buttons a questionable choice.

The upside is, MOGA at least seems to be well-connected (pun cruelly intended). You don't get official support from titles Pac-Man or Sonic without having at least some weight behind your product. However, I'd still at least like to see all games you've previously purchased from the Play Store be compatible, not just the ones that the Pivot app doesn't distribute directly via publishers.

It's hard to give a glowing recommendation to this controller, but if you really want to do some gaming with buttons, and Pac-Man, Sonic CD, and Gameloft get you excited, then the experience will be well worth your money. If you just want to buy a gamepad and see what's available, you might want to hold off. Hopefully MOGA will fix some of the bugginess of the app, and improve compatibility with games you've already purchased. Until then, though, be sure that the selection of titles is worth it up front.

A Closer Look At Android 4.2's Quick Settings Menu And The Two-Finger Swipe To Open It Instantly

Back in early October while we were knee-deep in a pre-release Android 4.2 system dump, Ron found an interesting tidbit of info on a "quick settings" menu. Back then, it was a double pull down notification area that housed absolutely nothing of value. Thanks to today's Nexus/Android 4.2 announcements, however, we know not only what options the Quick Settings area will feature, but also how to really access it.

There are actually two ways to get into the QS menu, as highlighted by Hugo Barra in an incredible behind-the-scenes video put together by The Verge (see the full video here):

As you can see in the above clip, there will be a small toggle in the notification area directly beside the current Settings button, which, when pressed, will cause the notification area to do a neat little flip, revealing the Quick Setting area. It's pretty, and I like it. You should, too.

However, if the pull+tap combo is just too much work and you need to get into Quick Setting with hyperspeed, there's another way: the two-finger pulldown. Absolutely brilliant! It's clear that Google is really going to embrace gesture-type actions moving forward, and I, for one, welcome this. They're a nice, easy way to get more features while still retaining a clean, minimal interface.

I'm definitely looking forward to all the new goodies announced today. But for now, I'll be happy with an OTA. Quickly, please.

ADW/EX Launcher Updated To v1.3.3.7, Brings All New Everything

Back when ICS was released, it brought a whole new stock launcher, leaving old-style GB launchers in the dust. One such launcher - ADW - just received a massive update in the Play Store, bringing it back from the dead.

This is basically a full re-write of the launcher, but it still offers many of the features that made ADW and ADW EX so popular back in the day, including icon themes, gestures, widget resizing, and more.

ADW is of course, free in the Play Store, while its "pro" version - ADW EX - will set you back three bucks. If you were a fan of ADW back in the day, or are just looking for a new launcher to test out, hit the widget to check it out.

ADW EX

Mobile gaming is, thankfully, a cheap hobby

Recently, Google Play hit 25 billion apps downloaded, and to celebrate they sold a bunch of apps and games for $0.25 each for five days. This was fun for me, and I picked up a bunch of new games that week. Among those games was Cut the Rope: Experiments. It was a bit strange that I didn't already have this game, since it was only $0.99 to begin with, but oh well. I have it now, and that's all that matters.

Experiments was updated at the beginning of October, and I think most of the folks who own the game were hoping for new levels. Alas, that was not to be. Instead, they added the ability to purchase a telekinesis power with real money. This is a nonessential feature, and while it may be disappointing that we got that instead of new levels, I kind of brushed it off as not really being that important. And then I read some user reviews in the wake of the update. Here are a couple negative reviews for you to enjoy:

Yay! New levels..., Oh no, sorry it's just a ploy to get some cash out of you. So, that's how you ruin a 5star game! --Northern Dragon

Booooooooo! You said new levels; this is BS! Two updates and no new levels, only shallow attempts to get more cash out of us! Five stars is now one! --Melissa

So money-grubbing! So annoying! Good game otherwise. 5 stars when new levels. --Alex

You can read more here.

The outrage here is quite shocking to me, because Experiments comes with plenty of content, and it only costs a dollar to own. We might hope for free new levels, but we should not feel jilted when they don't come. And just because there are now micro-transactions within the game does not mean you are being forced to spend more money. As I said before, the telekinesis power is strictly nonessential, and merely a neat little new feature you might want to try out if you're bored. That people would change their ratings of the game from five stars to one star is a bit offensive to me, considering the quality of the game has not changed one bit with this update.

Being a person who plays retail PC and console video games regularly, I am used to spending tons of cash on my entertainment. The biggest games this month, like Dishonored and Assassin's Creed III, will run you a cool sixty bucks each. I picked up XCOM: Enemy Unknown for the PC for $45 with $10 in bonus credit at the online retailer from which I purchased the game, and I thought that was a great deal.

Once I became invested in mobile gaming, I basically started spending money indiscriminately. I own a Galaxy Nexus, which comes with 32GB of internal storage, and I have so many games I can't even fit them all on there. That's a lot of games, man. And I've only been gaming on Android for half a year. I also own a massive collection of iOS games for my iPad.

And even with all the mobile games I buy, it's only a fraction of what I spend each year on AAA core home console and PC games, and I have far fewer of those than I do mobile games. I will die of old age before I manage to actually even play all the mobile games I own and will own in the future.

So when I see people complaining about a lack of free new content for a game they paid a dollar for, I get a little bit upset. There is so much stuff for you to play on your phone that is so ridiculously inexpensive that I feel some of us have become a kind of spoiled. We expect our cheap distractions to keep feeding us new levels at no additional charge, even though we blow tons of cash on other things we don't really need. You probably have an insane amount of condiments in your refrigerator, and you likely don't use them all before the expiration date. And if you don't, you're forced to buy more, because what would you do without condiments?

As mobile gamers, we have endless amounts of entertainment at our fingertips for stupidly low prices, and yet we sometimes still don't think we're getting our money's worth. Cut the Rope: Experiments is a very fun game, and we can get hours and hours of play time out of it, but a dollar can only go so far. Eventually, we have to buy something new, just like we do with condiments.

We should not be distressed that we have to pay these tiny amounts of money for entertainment that doesn't last forever. We should be ecstatic that we can have so much fun for so little money, and then if the developers who are making these games because they have their own bills to pay, rather than just for the hell of it choose to give us free extras, we can be over the moon about it. But if they choose to not give you new free content, you should not be angry. You should instead thank them for providing you with hours of entertainment for a very low price, and then move on to another game that costs a dollar. That you can do that is the beauty of the world of mobile gaming right now.

But, of all things, do not try to discourage others from playing a game that you liked, simply because you are unfairly bitter about a lack of free updates. We should, at all times, celebrate those things that bring us joy. We are very lucky to have this inexpensive entertainment. We should act like we know that.

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