It had to happen at some point and finally Google Play gift cards have been spotted at supermarket Tesco.
Expect other stores and supermarkets to follow suit soon.
All posts by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond
Google Play is 1 year old – check out the gifts this week
Google Play is offering 11 free gifts today and others this week in celebration of its anniversary.
The offers vary from free apps, to low cost media, that is music and games.
Real Racing 3 is free – there must be a catch
I have bought the first Real Racing, Real Racing 2 and this time Real Racing 3 was free. And then I realised it was a freemium game with in app purchases.
I decided not to be judgemental and gave the game a go. The graphics and actual racing is top notch. But at every screen you are being asked for money. This kills the momentum and it shows EA and others like Gameloft are damn right greedy thieving crooks. One of the options in the in app purchases costs £69. Are you kidding. I would never pay that for a full console type game. Then there is the repairs which the more you progress the longer they take. 43 minutes is the time currently.
This game needs to flop so that EA Games and others realise this is not good practise. Also bearing in mind is the fact within the description, that EA only need to give 30 days notice to terminate any online services connected with this game. I have taken a screen shot of the expensive in app purchases and the 30 day termination. Clearly this game is raking it in for EA as it is already the 5th highest top grossing app in the UK AppStore.
Apple and Google need to stamp out these practices. It killing the gameplay enjoyment. Charge £20 for a full inclusive game but don’t rip us off.
Whilst I am on a rant, I am getting really annoyed by games that started life as a paid app but turn free and then gets ruined again by in app purchases.
What do you think?
Apple update iMac for educational institutions only
Apple has introduced an updated version of its low-end 21.5-inch iMac for educational institutions, using at dual-core Intel Core i3 processor and integrated graphics to offer pricing of $1099, $200 cheaper than the entry-level pricing for consumer models. The education-only iMac, which carries a model number of ME699LL/A, also includes just 4GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive, while the low-end consumer model doubles both of those figures.
Samsung Exec Confirms Plastic is Better – Really!
In an interview on Tuesday, Samsung’s executive vice president of mobile Y.H. Lee said that the company’s forthcoming flagship handset will carry over the use of plastic materials in a bid to strike a balance between manufacturing efficiency and customer demand for a “premium feeling” product.
Sorry but this comment is utter nonsense. Look at the iPhone 5 and more importantly the lovely HTC One or Sony Xperia Z. If people are going to spend £500 upwards on a phone it needs to look it too. Otherwise one will feel short changed.
YouTube to offer streaming services
Google is preparing to take on companies like Spotify and Rdio with a new YouTube music streaming service, according to sources in the record industry, who have been speaking to Fortune.
The service, which is expected to launch later this year, could be available for free, but there will be subscription options for those who don’t like to see advertisements.
No shocks about this and makes perfect sense. Now what is Apple, Amazon and others up to, to compete with this?
Samsung Galaxy S4 rumours update including photos
With just over a week to go fever pitch is starting to brew regarding Samsung’s new S4. In terms of specs it will be a monster, but alas if rumours are true still made of plastic and still using a physical home button instead of capacitive.
However, the real surprise will be in the software. The software tricks will really add value to the phone. The S4 will be able to follow your eye movements to allow you to scroll just by moving your eyes up and down. Sounds like a James Bond 007 phone.
And that’s just the beginning. Expect additional gestures too. But will it be enough to knock HTC’s One phone out of the top spot. Probably, but the HTC One does feature a beautiful aluminium body and a infra red remote power off button.
The choice is becoming too good. But just to wet your appetite below are some leaked fake renders.
Sharing on iOS is painful – here’s a new app
Files App is a new universal app by Sonico GmbH to store all your files in one place. The interface features folders that are very similar to Apple’s home screen.
When you import documents into Files App, you can choose from Photos, Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, or a web URL. You can also choose to “Open In…” from the mail app or connect to your Mac or PC. To connect to your computer, you enter the IP address given by Files App then simply drag files into your browser window.
After you’ve imported your files, you are able to group them into folders.
Files App will let you store any types of files, but not all file types can be opened. Files App supports PDF, MS Office, AVI, ZIP, and more. You can also view photos and videos with the built in viewer and listen to music, complete with playlists, shuffle, artwork, and Airplay.
YouTube on iOS has received some great new features
Google has a released a big update for its YouTube iOS app that adds a “send to TV “.
This is Google’s version of AirPlay. It’s an open protocol that’s in Google TV, Xbox, PS3, and some new HDTV sets. Once you’ve paired with the device, the YouTube iOS app becomes a remote for discovering and playing back videos on the big screen.
Tapping a new button in the YouTube app quickly connects you with a device that supports Google’s platform. You can still use AirPlay to pair an iOS device with an Apple TV, and the Apple TV has a built-in YouTube app.
I like having options and lets hope other apps follow Google.
Twitter kills Tweetdeck – don’t be surprised
The latest news on twitter is that it is killing another twitter client, one that it bought, Tweetdeck.
Everyone is up in arms, but in reality every third party twitter app will eventually go this way. Twitter are simply taking back control of their brand and business. It may not be too popular but it probably has to be done.
