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Good morning loyal readers,
let me first start off by saying i’m not feeling well at all, so site updates might be very scarce the coming days…but since i have a clear moment as of this point, i’ld like to share some thoughts with you concerning Getjar.
If you haven’t heard already, GetJar is a site which offers premium (read : paid) apps and games for free. It kind of works like Amazon’s Appstore, but there are some major differences between the two services.
For one, Amazon’s Appstore is only available in very select countries, compared to GetJar, who are available worldwide to anyone downloading the application from their website . (NOTE : you can NOT download the GetJar application through the Android Market, you have to visit getjar.com in the browser window on your mobile device!)
On the other hand, Getjar offers far less paid games and apps compared to Amazon’s Appstore. This is also quite normal, because Amazon is a much bigger company and they can simply make more deals with developers. However, their freebies are only available for one day, whereas the freebies on Getjar remain available for quite some time (not sure if there is an end date for their featured software)
All in all, it’s very likely that you’ll find an Android app or Android game which is on GetJar, but not on Amazon Appstore, or vice versa. It’s always a bonus to have an alternative ready, and because it’s completely free of charge, you aren’t losing anything by just checking them out!
So all of you, visit www.getjar.com, either on PC or your mobile device, and start exploring and downloading some of their goodies. Their team works hard to keep the content fresh and they are providing some quality downloads each and every week.
Hello fellow Androidians,
We have some major news to report today. Popular broadcasting service Netflix is available in Europe without using a VPN.
I have tested this myself personally, as i live in Belgium, and i can connect to Netfix on my pc and on my tablet, both the website and the application for Android.
Streaming works fine aswell, having tried it with tv shows such as Heroes and Law and Order, aswell as movies and a documentary.
This means people from Europe only need a subscription to access Netflix at this moment. No more VPN services required, woohoo!
No word about this on the official Netflix blog so far, so either its a bug or they just didnt announce it yet….
Place your comments below people and spread the word!
Hey gang,
if you hadn’t noticed yet, we adde two new sections during this weekend, so check them out aswell !
Food For Thought
Weekly Column
All feedback to those, and other articles is appreciated!!
Hello fellow Androidians,
To keep the content update nicely, it’s time for a new Android game review. There were too many games to choose from, but i decided to review Sprinkle. Get your coffee in hand, sit back, and read on!
We’ll break it down into three parts :
1) Gameplay and story.
2) How much does it cost?
3) Conclusion?
Part 1 : Gameplay and story?
The inhabitants of Titan, a moon of Saturn, lived out their days peacefully in their straw hut homes – until space tourists from Earth crashed through Saturn’s rings, bringing a storm of flaming asteroids crashing down on the Titans. To combat the widespread fires threatening their homes, the Titans have built a massive water cannon. And they need you to man it!
Sprinkle is another puzzle and physics game, a bit like Cut The Rope and Move The Box. It’s goals are straight forward : use the water cannon mounted on a crane to douse the fire as soon as possible. Yup, in this game, you are a firefighter! Excited yet? I thought you would be.
Dousing the fires is your main, but not your only objective though. In nearly every level after the first five or so , there will be obstacles that need to be moved into a certain position, to make sure you can douse every fire in the level. Also keep in mind that every level has its own timer, so some fast thinking is required at times.
However, there is another twist. You only have a limited supply of water, so you have to approach each level carefully as to not waste any water you might need for another objective in the level. This might lead to having to replay a certain level a few times (as I had to do myself aswell) to figure out the right strategy. This all makes things very interesting though.
The more water you “save” to complete the level, the more water drops you’ll earn after completing it. Water drops add up to unlocking new levels further on in the game, a system we are all quite familiar with by now.
To illustrate, view the screenshots below :
Part 2 : What does it cost?
This game costs 1.99 USD and can be purchased from Android Market
Part 3 : Conclusion ?
Is it fun to play and even replay the levels?
If you like a fun, yet challenging game, this is the game for you. If you expect to blaze through it, you’ll remove this pretty fast. It’s an easy game once you get the hang of it, but I can imagine not everyone will like it.
Personal rating : 9/10
Hello fellow Androidians,
A while ago i did a review of the addictive game called Early Bird. Apparently, the developers of this game turned their back on everyone who purchased the game (it was ad-free), but the latest update ensured that it comes loaded with advertisements every 1-3 levels.
I purchased this 0.99 USD game a few weeks ago for my tablet, because i enjoyed it so much on my smartphone. Everything was fine in Early Bird-land , because the game was completely ad-free, which is what i would expect from a game i actually paid for.
Yesterday, my Android Market said there was an Early Bird update available and it downloaded it automatically (because i have it set up that way, as some of us do). I was expecting some new levels, because the holidays are nearing. To my surprise, the update contained something entirely different….
Every few levels, you’ll get a big advertisement in the game. Wait, advertisements? I paid for this game, why should there be any advertisements? So I went to the Early Bird Android Market page, and looked at the update notes. Apparently the game has become free of charge now (that’s good I suppose) , but now is filled with advertisements.
They do, however, state that, if you are a paid user and don’t want to be annoyed by advertisements in-game, you are better off not downloading the newer version of the game. That will be a bit hard if it’s set to automatically update to a newer version because more levels were promised, and we never expected to get advertisements in the first place.
It wouldn’t annoy me as such if it was just a small text ad on the bottom of the screen, like you see in Angry Birds and other games. However, the advertisements you et in Early Bird are full screen, with a close button in the top left corner. I’ve included some screenshots below to let you check for yourself how it looks.
As you may be able to tell, I’m not a big fan of this decision, but at least i can roll back to an earlier version through my Titanium Backup files. However, I assume that the paid users won’t get any more ad-free content, because the game has turned to a free game now. Some weird decision-making going on here folks…..
As stated, here are some screenshots of the “new” Early Bird….
If you have any thoughts on this, any comments at all, even if its positive criticism, please post it in the comment section below!
Hello fellow Androidians,
This will (hopefully) be one of the most useful reviews for any Android users out there. Everyone needs a way to back up their apps, games and data, right? Here’s the solution : Titanium Backup (PRO)
We’ll break it down into three parts :
1) What does it do?
2) How much does it cost?
3) Conclusion?
Part 1 : What does it do?
We have all experienced it before : you are cozy on the couch, everything seems to be working fine, suddenly your Android smartphone or tablet gives out and you need to perform a factory reset. No big deal, it’s easy to do, right? But what about all data and logins on your device? They are lost! Unless….
Unless you make a backup of all your data regularly, like you should be doing on your computers aswell. Most of you keep a backup on an external hard disk, or in the cloud. But what about the applications, (save)games and login information on your Android devices? Well, there is an easy way to back up these things aswell.
The solution to this is called Titanium Backup (PRO). You might have heard the name before, it’s quite a well-known application in the Android Market. Titanium Backup (PRO) gives you the ability to back up your apps, your user data, on the fly. You can also schedule your own backups,e.g. perform a new backup 2 times a week to keep all information up-to-date, etc.
There is a catch to using this program though. You will need to root your Android device. Rooting means you can superuser access to everything about your Android device, which includes the ability to make backups. A detailed how-to on rooting your Android device will be featured in a weekly column soon.
Once your Android device is rooted, Titanium Backup (PRO) installed and running, you can immediately back up all (or selected) data you’d like. As mentioned before, this includes application data, such as save games, logins for websites or apps, preferences and settings in said apps, etc.
In the PRO version of Titanium Backup, you are allowed to make unlimited backups, and also do batch backups. This means you can let the software take care of the backup in the background, instead of manually approving or denying this process for every piece of software you have installed. I’d recommend to buy the PRO version of Titanium Backup, it’s well worth your money to have a lifetime backup plan.
One of the “hidden” features of the backup process is that you can finally share APK files with friends. As soon as a backup of an application or game is made, you can then e-mail said APK to your friend(s). Since App Sharing never really worked for me, I’m a huge fan of this feature.But i’ll let you decide that for yourselves.
Here are some screenshots to illustrate some of Ghost Commander’s functions :
Part 2 : What does it cost?
There are two different versions of Titanium Backup, the free (limited) version and the PRO (unlimited) version
The free version can be downloaded from the Android Market.
The PRO version can be purchased from the Android Market.
Part 3 : Conclusion ?
Is it REQUIRED to use this?
If you value your data on your Android device, then i’d strongly recommend you use it. A backup will come in handy sooner or later, and you have to make sure you won’t regret not making a backup.
Will you benefit from it?
Devices are meant to become unstable sooner or later, You’ll want to have a backup ready when that happens. Or, if you’re a more experienced use who flashes new custom ROM’s occasionally, you’ll also value this piece of software.
Personal rating : 10/10
Hello fellow Androidians,
My apologies for the lack of updates the past 2 days, I’m looking into moving the site to a different host , so I’ve been busy sorting out the design and such. But I haven’t forgotten about you all!
Today, I’d like to discuss this neat braincracking Android game : Move The Box.
We’ll break it down into three parts :
1) Gameplay and story.
2) How much does it cost?
3) Conclusion?
Part 1 : Gameplay and story?
When i stated braincracking, I wasn’t exactly exaggerating. The game itself is pretty straight forward. You get a selection of boxes from various colors and types, and try to match them to eachother in as few moves as possible. Sounds fun, right?
It is fun, challenging, yet somehow a bit complex aswell. You have a certain amount of moves you have to beat, e.g. finish the level in 1 or 2 moves. However, you get one additional move to clear the level. If you can’t clear the level in n+1 moves, you’re out of luck and have to rethink your strategy.
Some of the levels do seem easy at first glance, yet prove to keep you busy for 5-20 minutes figuring it out. It also plays into the human consciousness. Humans are of a competitive nature. If you have to use that EXTRA move to clear the level, instead of the projected amount of moves, you’ll want to try again to make sure you clear the level properly.
This all adds up to the infinite replayability of the levels. You’ll also be clearing boxes in different regions of the world, e.g. Boston, Osaka, etc Keep in mind that it’s just the background which changes, besides that, there aren’t any real notable differences except you might see a new type of box.
It’s a fun game and strangely addictive, so be warned. As of this moment, there are 72 levels in total which you’ll need to clear, though more levels are added now & then.
To illustrate, view the screenshots below :
Part 2 : What does it cost?
This game is absolutely free of charge and can be downloaded from Android Market
Part 3 : Conclusion ?
Is it fun to play and even replay the levels?
Yes it is. Given my own natural competitive nature, I want to clear all levels in as few moves as possible. I’ve already redone several of the levels without getting fed up of it. It’s a challenge.
Personal rating : 9/10
Hello fellow Androidians,
First of all, this is not some sort of program to control ghosts near you. Ghost Commander is a file explorer application, which adds quite some nice features to the overall use of your files.
We’ll break it down into three parts :
1) What does it do?
2) How much does it cost?
3) Conclusion?
Part 1 : What does it do?
Most of you people are familiar with file explorers on your Android device. Most of them are based on the standard Windows Explorer, meaning yo only get to view your folders in a window, and if you need to move a file you either have to enter the new directory manually, or copy the file & paste it where you want it to be.
Ghost Commander changes this. It allows you to have TWO file explorer windows next to each other, and copy or move files with the tap of a button. People who ever used Total Commander on their computer will know how much easier this makes things.
Besides the dual explorer window, there are some other important features in this Android application. It also allows you to open a FTP window on one side, and download files from, or upload files to, said FTP server. All combined in one program, is this looking good so far or what?
Windows File Sharing is also supported in Ghost Commander. This means you can simply share files on your Windows machine, and Ghost Commander can download those files to your internal memory, or your SD card, should you prefer. For me personally, this is of little use, since I usually watch web content on my tablet or smartphone, but some of you will most likely find it handy!
To use the Windows File Sharing option, you will need to download a seperate plugin, which can be found in the Android Mrket, free of charge.
Here are some screenshots to illustrate some of Ghost Commander’s functions :
Part 2 : What does it cost?
Like it’s Windows counterpart, Ghost Commander for Android is free of charge. Download from the Android Market.
Part 3 : Conclusion ?
Is it REQUIRED to use this?
This will mostly depend on how often you use the file explorer to sort files, move things around, copy things over, etc. The FTP feature is a very nice bonus though, which I myself use a few times a week.
Will you benefit from it?
As stated above, it depends on your overall files behaviour. Some will benefit from it, others might not. But give it a try, it’s a very neat app.
Personal rating : 10/10
Hello fellow Androidians,
We have reached our first milestone : 10 news items on the front page! Yay! Bring on the pompons and the barbecue!
Ok, i got a little off-topic there. Overexcited and stuff… Let’s take a look at Jewels Deluxe today, shall we?
We’ll break it down into three parts :
1) Gameplay and story.
2) How much does it cost?
3) Conclusion?
Part 1 : Gameplay and story?
This will be short and brief i’m afraid. There is absolutely no background story to this Android game, as you just try to match the Jewels to clear them and make the rest fall down to create bigger combos and earn more points. The objective of the game is quite simple : earn as many points as you can before the timer on top of the screen runs out.
At the start of each level, you will get a hint about which Jewels score double or more points. At first, it might be a bit hard to see all the combinations, but you have the option to get a hint as to where to look first, resulting in diminishing returns on the timer. Usually, you won’t even need the hints, as the objectives are straight forward.
The timer on top of the screen is a fuse which slowly burns up. For me personally, it’s a funny addition to the game. It might be a wasted visualisation for most, since you’ll be focusing on the Jewels most of the time anyway. But if you’ld get a chance to glance up, i’m sure you’ll find it amusing aswell.
Jewels Deluxe is not a new game. It’s been around for a while now, dating back to 2001 when it was first developed for browsers. The game is also known as Bejeweled, which will probably ring a bell for most of you readers. Definitely give this a try to kill boring hours during the day 🙂
To illustrate, view the screenshots below :
Part 2 : What does it cost?
I couldn’t make my 10th review a paid Android game, now could I? You’ve all been loyal to me from the getgo, so i figured you all deserved a reward. This game is completely free of charge and can be downloaded from the Android Market
Part 3 : Conclusion ?
Is it fun to play and even replay the levels?
You can never get bored of Jewels Delxue. Honestly. it’s just so much fun and very, very addictive to play. Be warned!
Does it perform better on a smartphone or a tablet?
I only ran the game on my tablet, because of the larger screen in portrait mode. I’m pretty sure it works well on both devices, but the larger screen definitely makes it easier to use.
Personal rating : 9/10
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