WHAT’S THE GAME, ANDROID?

What’s in a game? With more than a billion people using the Android operating system, we wonder what the future holds for gamers on this ubiquitous platform. With a 75% share of the market and a billion users, Android is the MVP player in the mobile game.

The latest iteration of the Android OS continues the list of alphabetical confectionary. Marshmallow was officially released last October and improves the Lollipop experience. A new version – Android N (nougat?) – is due in May. What can we expect?

FE FI FO FUM

On the official Android blog, there is a lot of talk about Project Fi. Project Fi is all about affordable, all-encompassing, wireless connectivity. By partnering with both networks and hardware providers, Project Fi promises an even more connected experience.

For gamers, this means never having to quit that winning streak or pull out of that poker tournament. Described by Google as the ‘network of networks’, there’s a good chance Project Fi will be a ‘promoted option’ on the Android OS of the future. Google will try to consolidate the world’s networks to benefit its users.

ID ME

In a connected world, we can be exactly what and who we want to be. We think the new Android OS will enable gamers to create truly unique online identities that can be used across multiple applications and websites.

Rather than access your favourite online casino or gaming site with a specific user name and password, unique to that particular client, you will use your generic Android Gamer ID.

The advantages of this could be both simple ‘one-stop’ banking and community-based play. It will be easier to find friends and be discovered. You can also develop an online reputation for your avatar and ID. Online casinos and gaming sites would need to sign up to the system.

GAME ON THE MOVE

Mobile gaming follows the hardware. As mobile devices get more complex, and more central to people’s lives, mobile gaming follows suit and gains in sophistication and ease of access.

Android will facilitate online casino gaming and support the shift from land-based to online action. As the hunger for tax revenues increases, more and more territories will give online gaming the green light.

AND FINALLY…

Significant jumps in mobile OS technology are far and few between. What is unrelenting – however – is ‘improvement’. All the recent Android updates have been mainly about enhancing and improving what’s already on offer.

Our prediction is an evolution of all aspects of the mobile gaming experience, from better online IDs, an environment with no disconnects, and more flexible access to the gaming experience you want. That’s what we’re betting on…

How much Tablets and Mobiles are Used

It’s not a surprise that mobile devices have been overtaking desktop ones, both in technology and usage, in the last few years. Up to 2013 the hours of desktop use, per day, in the USA, overtook mobile devices, and it was 2013 when they were both used exactly equally, and after then mobile devices overtook desktops, in their hours of usage. Even though TVs are still the most device, to watch media content, it’s usage is slowly going down year by year.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Online games have become much more advanced in the last few years, too, in their graphics and audio advancements, but also the range of games available, on PCs, consoles and mobile devices, and the span many genres, including first-person shooters, strategies games, and massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs.) Many online games, especially MMORPGs, create their own communities, whilst other games, especially social games, integrate the players’ existing real-life communities. With apps now widely used, on mobile devices, it’s now easier, and cheaper, to play games which have been downloaded onto your device, as once downloaded then internet connection is not normally needed to play favourite games, from games for preschoolers, to zombie fight, and skilled driving games. There are also online casino games which have big jackpots, so you can play here on these sites, to see what they have to offer. Betway has a range of casino games, from roulette, blackjack, and slots, with welcome bonuses for new players.
 

There has been a growing popularity f using different digital device, using data from Global Web Index 2015. To search the internet 91% of this was done by PCs and laptops, 80% by smartphones, 47% by tablets, and 37% by games consoles. The emerging devices used to search the internet were smart TVs (34%,) smart watches (9%,) and smart wristbands (7%.) 80% of internet users owned a smartphone. Mobile apps account for 89% of media time, the most popular being social networking, email, and news apps. The most dominant tablets are still iPads, with Kindle Fire and Android now accounting for over 10% of all tablets. The time spent on Android devices was that 32% was on games, 18% on Facebook, both entertainment and utility take up 8% each, and browsers taking up 20% of the time. This recent information shows the increase in mobile devices and why this is so.

Mobile Device Management is Making a Splash in Enterprise

Image via Shutterstock

Due to the rise of smartphone usage, businesses are looking into Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms for better control of personal devices in the workplace.

MDM is the ability to closely monitor, notify, secure, and protect digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The need for MDM platforms has exponentially increased in the past 5 years due to cloud technology, cheaper and more reliable mobile devices, and the adoption of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).

This article provides a closer look at MDM and how it is changing key industries worldwide. It can also help you distinguish what types of MDM features are applicable to your business.

How Does MDM Work?

MDM works by installing an app in personal mobile devices at the office. The app has two functions. First, it communicates with the main MDM platform, sending information that is used to monitor the device. From the main platform, IT personnel can deploy notifications and updates to individual MDM applications and perform data wipe protocols. 

Next, the app serves as a dashboard for the employee who is connected to the company network. MDM dashboards usually include a secure login page and a selection of secure apps or other company features that support daily tasks such as virtual organizers and calendars.

Benefits of MDM

There are several benefits that come with using MDM. For companies that are concerned about security, MDM can help reduce potential threats to the network. It also enables employees to use their own devices at work, which removes the need for costly company phones. Moreover, reoccurring expenses for the upkeep of company smartphones are virtually non-existent with a BYOD policy in place.

Relying on a MDM can put an entire organization on the same page through a single, unified app. Regardless of the type of digital device or model; all employees within the company are using the same app with the same features. Businesses that are going paperless can use the MDM platform to send short memos and create virtual lists. With cloud integration, backing up and sharing files through MDM is as simple as choosing a recipient from a list of employees.

Companies that rely on BYOD use MDM to lower the risk of security threats and access to sensitive data. Furthermore, MDM can help businesses implement a data wipe protocol in case an employee's mobile gets lost or stolen. MDM is equipped with features that restrict the download of harmful apps, which is the first line of defense for potential hacks and malware. This can help ease other security measures that are in place.

Additionally, businesses use MDM to streamline BYOD policies in the workplace. This is achieved by applying MDM features that limit or remove smartphone functionality. As a result, employees are discouraged from attempting to download malicious apps or use features that lower productivity levels.

Which MDM Platform is Right for my Business?

Choosing the right MDM platform for your company ultimately comes down to your business objectives and goals. Organizations should consider SaaS (Software as a Service) MDM vendors for faster deployment, which is ideal for small companies. In-house MDM platforms are required for large businesses that have a reliable IT team that can efficiently manage the entire process.

When it comes to a security, a case study by TrendMicro highlighted BlackBerry as a leading MDM platform due to its suitability for enterprise. BlackBerry MDM features a system that allows companies to manage the usage of apps, customize security functionality on networks, and generate reports. The BlackBerry platform is easy to use and versatile to the needs of today's leading businesses.

To conclude, a superior MDM platform is considered to be one of the best investments for companies that are serious about the use of personal devices in the workplace. In order for MDM to be effective, businesses must take the time to implement the right features that are both secure and useful for employees.

How has MDM helped you organize your business? Do you think MDM technology is here to stay? Let us know what you think. 

Android Wear: Google's wearables platform announced

Fitness trackers, Watches and glasses? You can't go far on the web without a tech news site talking about wearable tech. Samsung is on it's second version of it's Galaxy Gear smartwatch, Apple is rumoured to be making a smartwatch and that's just the heavyweights. Rumours started surfacing a while back about Google making a smartwatch of it’s own, and today we finally have some good information about what Google is working on.

Today Google announced that they are working on Android Wear a new version of Android designed specifically for wearable devices. Android Wear is designed to be used on a wide range of wearable technology devices however Google says it will start in the area that makes the most sense and that is the SmartWatch.

Android Wear has been designed to bring contextual information to a user when it's most needed. In theory this means getting the latest updates from social apps, instant messaging and photos along with showing you the best/fastest route to get to your next meeting or appointment.

Google released a concept video for Android Wear today which as you can see has much in common with Google Now and Google glass. As with other devices running Google Now, Android Wear is voice enabled following the "Okay Google" dictation scheme of gathering information. Along with providing useful information at glance on your wrist, Android Wear will also feature health monitoring abilities that allow for real time access to data for users and applications on your smartphone.

A key part of making a successful smartwatch includes applications, and this has been proven by the Pebble smartwatch. Google has already released a preview version of Android Wear to existing Android developers to start preparing their existing apps to take advantage of Android Wear. Google also say’s that it will be releasing further API's and resources to developers in the coming weeks.

We are likely to hear a lot more about Google's upcoming Android Wear at the Google I/O conference but so far it certainly seems like an interesting concept and I personally can't wait to see this develop further and become available for consumers. It was said that 2014 was going to be the year of wearable technology and that certainly seems true so far and we are only three months into the year.

What do you think about Google's smartwatch concept? Do you think Android Wear will be a good addition to the Google Android Platform? As usual we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Casinos Go Mobile

With the rising popularity of smartphones, more and more people are filling their spare moments by playing games, checking their social networks and having a quick gamble online; but of these three options we find the last is becoming more and more commonplace. It's estimated that out of the 780 million participants who play social games on Facebook alone, 98 million of these play casino games and even while the number of members on Facebook dropped in 2011 the utilisation of casino games increased by 60%.

However You Want,

There are quite a few benefits to playing online casinos on your mobile, but the variety of options for how to play is by far the biggest one. No matter your game, you will find something to your liking on a mobile site, native app or local app; most good gambling websites now have their own mobile sites which are optimised for iPhone, Android and iPads. Studies show that one in twenty iPhone owners are users of sport betting apps, mostly used on public transport or while watching TV.

Whatever You Want,

The many game and theme choices are completely open to players. While websites like http://www.bgo.com offer casino games, slot games and video poker games on their optimised mobile site as well as blackjack, live baccarat and roulette, other websites will specialise in themed slots or specific card games. There is also a huge amount of bingo games on offer, from quick, small bets to longer games where chat options are popular.

With Whomever You Want!

Speaking of chat, the sociable aspect is one of the most appealing features of mobile gambling. With Facebook gaming, players are able to compete with or against their friends, and on many bingo sites live chats are commonplace, unlike a bingo hall in real life where chatting among players is strictly prohibited. First time or nervous players can also get a lot of additional help on gambling sites from live chat hosts.

A study released in 2010 revealed that expectations are that by 2015 the total sum wagered on mobile casinos games will be over $48 billion, and another forecast predicts that the 2014 mobile gaming revenues from around the world will reach $11.4 billion. The online casino industry is estimated to be worth over $30 billion, with mobile capitalising on bringing entertaining and challenging games to the pockets of those in desperate boredom on trains, bus stops and waiting rooms around the country.

For Facebook, it still comes down to making money on mobile

When Facebook checks in with Wall Street for its quarterly review on Wednesday, it will hand in results for mobile advertising for just the fourth time and reveal its first full-year report card on revenue from mobile ads.

By most accounts, Facebook is expected to do well on the mobile front and make close to one-third of its advertising revenue from mobile placements, according to analysts' consensus. It would be a remarkable achievement, one that comes just in the nick of time to save Facebook from a decaying desktop business.

From zero to last-minute hero

RBC Capital Markets is particularly bullish on the subject and expects Facebook to pull in $487 million from mobile, which would be good enough for 34 percent of the firm's projected $1.43 billion second-quarter ad revenue estimate. Goldman Sachs holds a more conservative perspective and is predicting that Facebook will make $425 million in mobile ad revenue.

Whatever the number Facebook reports, it will be a marked improvement from the infinitesimal amount that Facebook made from mobile advertising at this time last year. Then, Facebook said it was bringing in $500,000 per day from mobile ads. Now, Facebook's mobile revenue may come in as high as $5.4 million a day, or up 980 percent from the year ago quarter...

Read the full story here. Source: CNET

Nokia Lumia 925 Sexy Beast

Nokia Lumia 925 Sexy Beast ... a new (for 2013) flagship WIndows Phone 8 smartphone with new styling & some awesome camera features. More coverage coming soon on Geekanoids.

BlackBerry Launches Q10 for Younger Audience

Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) today introduced the BlackBerry® Q5, a new youthful and fun BlackBerry® 10 smartphone for selected markets. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone features a QWERTY keyboard with discrete keys in a stunning youthful design that is confident, fun, and bold. Every feature, every part of the BlackBerry Q5 has been built to provide a fast, effortless experience that flows and moves with you to help you explore, create, and share while on the go.

“BlackBerry is excited to bring a new BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone, the BlackBerry Q5, to our customers in selected markets around world,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. “The BlackBerry Q5 gives you the best of everything with its cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 functionality and a physical QWERTY keyboard. It is for youthful fans that are passionate, confident and bold, and it makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.”

As part of the BlackBerry 10 experience, the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone offers a powerful and unique mobile computing experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Features and apps work seamlessly together, allowing your every move to flow into the next. Highlights of the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone include:

The evolution of the classic BlackBerry Keyboard

The BlackBerry Q5 features a classic BlackBerry Keyboard with discrete keys that has been re-engineered and elegantly designed to help you type fast, accurately and with the least amount of effort. Plus with Instant Action shortcuts you can type to perform tasks faster. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone gives you the best of both worlds – a classic QWERTY keyboard for optimized communications and a 3.1” touchscreen for all the rest.

Create the perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode and Story Maker

Create the picture perfect shot with BlackBerry® Time Shift mode, then create and share your story, weaving together your photos, videos and music into a movie with BlackBerry® Story Maker.

Share and be seen with BBM Video with Screen Share

Instantly switch your BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) chat to a BBM Video conversation and catch up face-to-face. You can even share your screen, whether it’s a photo, a page in the browser, an idea, or a view from your camera.*

Stay close to what’s important to you with BlackBerry Hub

With BlackBerry® Hub, all of your messages and social conversations are only one swipe away. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing. Simply peek into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere with a swipe to effortlessly flow in and out of your messages and conversations.

BlackBerry World delivers a rich, thriving app and content ecosystem

Discovering and sharing great apps and content is easier than ever with recommendations based on similar purchases, and access to more than 100,000 apps on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront.

Pricing and Availability

The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will be available in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America, with expected availability beginning in July.

Tweetbot update brings new media timeline and image viewer

The popular Twitter client Tweetbot has been updated to version 2.8, bringing the addition of a new "media timeline" and image viewer for the iPhone and iPad apps. Media view allows users to see photos and images that have been tweeted directly in their feeds, with the text of the Tweets neatly located above the media.

The app's image viewer has also been updated to be faster and features a redesign. In addition, tweet details such as the number of favorites and retweets have been changed to update in real time, Instagram previews have been fixed, along with the standard bug fixes that come with every update.

To locate the new media view, scroll to the top of your timeline and tap the square next to the search button. The update is live now.

[Source: TUAW]

iPhone 5S Front-Facing Camera Leaks Again

Just last week we published a story that included photos of several alleged parts of the iPhone 5S. Now, NoWhereElse has published a new image that reportedly shows us a glimpse of the front-facing camera module. The photos apparently first surfaced on a Japanese retailer’s website, and NoWhereElse says the part design “differs greatly from that of theiPhone 5.”

That could suggest that we’ll see a different industrial design with the iPhone 5S, although history tells us that it will maintain the same exact body as the iPhone 5. It’s possible that Apple’s just tweaking how it lays out the innards of the phone, perhaps to make room for other hardware changes.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Twitter narrows TweetDeck AIR and mobile app shutdowns to May 7th

Twitter has been warning for weeks that it would shut down TweetDeck's AIR and mobile apps sometime in early May, but it didn't say exactly when loyalists would finally have to move on. The company now has a firm date: May 7th. In just over two weeks, Twitter will both pull the apps from their respective stores and stop existing installs from working as the service's version 1.0 API rides into the sunset. While the persisting native and web-based desktop apps will lessen some of the sting, we'd suggest that you pay your last respects if you have fond memories of TweetDeck's early apps.

[Source: Engadget]

YouTube App for iOS Now Supports Live Streaming

Google on Monday updated its Youtube app for iOS to version 1.3, which allows users to watch live streams right from their mobile device. Many users might be asking themselves where this was over the weekend, when YouTube was streaming Coachella, but better late than never. Right? There’s always next year, and plenty of other events this year when the new functionality will come in handy.

In addition to the headlining feature, the updated YouTube app also introduces minor fixes, including a My Subscriptions feed and support for queuing up videos for TV playback. Of course, the typical performance enhancements are also included in the update, too.

Ever since YouTube was booted from iOS, the app hasn’t exactly been a favorite standalone offering. And while there are alternatives out there, Google is at least slowly unraveling an experience on a par to what it offers on Android.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]