Apps & Games

Microsoft update their Store search function

Store fronts have been become increasingly controversial lately. From Google Play failing to differentiate between phone and tablet apps up until recently to Steam’s deluge of old titles from big studios pushing newly release indie software into oblivion software and app stores just haven’t managed to find that fine line between give what you want and being able to take a quick payment to push something you don’t really need.

One of the worst offenders was Microsoft with the Windows Phone Store. Recently Microsoft have spent some time with their mobile store and has finally updated its Windows Phone Store search algorithm. Less finding spam apps, more finding what it is you are actually looking for.

Both Google and now Microsoft are known for their search techniques, Google and Microsoft’s Bing search are at the forefront of their related operating system and the World Wide Web. It’s a bit of a shame that their cutting edge search technology cannot yield the same results in something as simple as an application store as those for the entirety of the internet.

Magnavox Odyssey² Emulator on Android

If you’re looking for a new retro-gamer-friendly application to add to your mobile phone then look no further. A licensed Philips Videopac / Magnavox Odyssey² Emulator has hit the Google Play Store coming pre-loaded with over 40 classics, everything you could possibly need to rekindle yourself with the 35 year old console.

Whilst the likes of Sega Mega Drive, Nintendo NES and Sony PlayStation emulators are going to be much more popular, this trip down memory lane for a select few is something you really don’t want to miss out on. Not only does VpacApp come pre-loaded with just about every iconic Videopac title to date, but the original box art is also present along with scans of the game manuals too.

Although this game packed app sounds like a lucrative download, VpacApp is actually available for free on the Google Play Store. The games might be tricky to control on a touchscreen, but nevertheless it’s great seeing these vintage titles once more on modern devices.

The Videopac G7000 was actually Matt’s first games console as a kid so I’m sure he’ll be downloading this one!

Google Play link: VpacApp

The wake of Flappy Bird

Apparently the hysteria around is Flappy Bird reaching new levels as someone put an iPhone 5 up on eBay for sale with the game installed on it. Now that in itself isn’t a big deal, however the fact that it sold for $94,000 is. Sure there have been crazier things that have happened on eBay but $94,000 for an iPhone with a free game on it is pretty insane.

This obviously reeks of rubbish, perhaps it has been targeted by a community to drive up the price and create a headline. This is further fueled by speculation that eBay took it down due to the listing broke some of the rules eBay has for posting listings. This isn’t confirmed at all though, only a rumour.

A quick search has yielded even weirder auctions going on related to Flappy Bird including Iphone 4s with the Flapster installed for a Buy It Now price of £1,000,000.00. A rare piece of paper with flappy bird written on it for £20,000.00. An Apple iPad Air 16GB for £1,350.00 with that Bird game installed and an another auction currently sitting at £6100.00. I would have linked these auctions however they probably won’t be there for much longer and I wouldn’t want to tempt you away from you hard earned cash as you know you couldn’t resist a slightly beaten up iPhone with a copy of a free game that people really only got annoyed at.

LogMeIn discontinues free version

Users of LogMeIn Free will be getting emails today letting them know that the free version of the remote access product is to be discontinued. If  you already have the email, no it’s not a hoax or phishing scam, the free service really is going away from today!

Users are being told that they must now sign up for the paid-for Pro account in order to keep using LogMeIn.

I’m sure that most of us can understand why the free service would be withdrawn, after all, it’s a very good product that was not drastically different from the Pro version, which will be staying. However, the worrying and irritating thing here is that there’s very little notice being given, it’s not from from TODAY and there’s only a 7-day grace period to get yourself sorted out!

After ten years, LogMeIn’s free remote access product, LogMeIn Free, is going away.  We will be unifying our portfolio of free and premium remote access products into a single offering.  This product will be a paid-only offering, and it will offer what we believe to be the best premium desktop, cloud and mobile access experience available on the market today. We will be notifying those impacted by the change in the coming days and weeks.  In the meantime, we wanted to take a minute to explain the change and help users of LogMeIn’s access products better understand what this means for them.

Notification period

Impacted users will be notified via email and in-product messages.  While messaging started today, users will be given 7 days to make a purchase decision about LogMeIn Pro.  To be clear, the 7-day grace period starts when you next login to the LogMeIn service.