Download: Epic Battle Dude Action Game (iOS/Android/Windows Phone)

If you bought a Windows Phone 8 device recently and want to play an action game to kill time, the freeware Epic Battle Dude can help. Epic Battle Dude turns you into a king, putting you on a mission where you battle monsters who encroach upon your kingdom, and even kidnap the queen. You need to battle these creatures using weapons such as the sword, axe and mace. Epic Dude is also available to Android and iOS users.

The game packs in 50 levels and real-time combat system for you to wage war on monsters. It takes you to 4 different locations as a part of your mission to save your queen. As the game progresses, 3 different types of attack can be unleashed on enemies, but the difficulty level also doubles with each level. Enemies also challenge bravely with each passing level. Good sound effects are provided with the game.

If the battle ends in your favour, you will be crowned the ultimate Epic Battle Dude. The game offers an easy way to pass time, especially when you are stuck in your vehicle during a long journey and want to download and try out a quick action game or two. Epic Battle Dude is worth giving a try, especially for Windows Phone 8 users as the game has recently got added to the Windows Phone Store.

Publisher: www.handy-games.com GmbH
Platform: Windows Phone 8, Android (Android 2.1 and above versions), iOS (ver. 4.3 and above, optimized to work on iPhone 5)
Price: Freeware
Size: 38 MB (Windows Phone 8), 39 MB (Android), 42.2 MB (iOS)
Download URL: Windows Phone 8: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/epic-battle-dude/51c8bd4d-7fae-410f-a103-63daf274c424; Android:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hg.epicbattledudefree; iOS:https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/epic-battle-dude/id556529438?mt=8

        

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The Bizarre World Of Facebook

Facebook is not just a replica of reality, but also a mythical land where some true stories are so bizarre, that you often wonder if it is some poorly scripted piece of fiction. Of late though, the recent confessions pages have been creating most of the stir on FB, but there is enough fodder for those looking for some reality-TV style tales out in the open. Here are some of the classic cases of virtual insanity that India has seen via the social networking service.

E-Commerce Gone Too Far?
You can buy everything from groceries, vegetables, gadgets, to footwear online. But how about human beings? By the likes of it, that is possible too. Well, almost. Recently,police arrested a man in Ludhiana for selling off his grandson to a Delhi-based businessman for Rs 8 lakhs. The deal had been allegedly made via Facebook with a local hospital helper, for the child who was born to the accused's daughter on 9th April. Although the cops are yet to ascertain where indeed the deal was put through from the social networking website. If true though, the police will frame additional charges under the Information Technology Act as well. Well, these days, you can buy anything online, I guess. What next then? Mail-order brides and grooms? Oh wait, matrimony sites already exists!

Watch What You Say
Pulling up people for spreading hurtful and racist content on social networks isn’t new either. But when Facebook likes start attracting sedition charges, it changes the meaning of the term 'free speech'. While the Palghar incident brought to light several issues that plagued the IT Act, incidents like these don’t seem to slow down at any rate. Recently, a Kashmir-based all-girl band faced not just the ire of the Grand Mufti, which issued a fatwa against them, announcing that singing is un-Islamic (!), but also faced the wrath of FB goons following which they disbanded. While the band "Pragaash" (meaning light) is getting a lot of backing from netizens from around the world, it just goes to show that voicing your opinion on the internet in our country is not always a good thing. But then again, it does get you some free publicity.

Sometimes, The Fault Lies Within
While we've all been bashing up the government about framing a weak IT Act, some of the perpetrators actually got the jail time they deserved. In two separate incidents in Jaipur and Chandigarh, two well-educated young men saw themselves on the wrong side of law after they defamed their colleagues' walls, merely out of spite. Not a nice way to vent out your anger, especially when there have been reports of several people losing their jobs, just because they didnt know where to rant and how to rant, when online . Indian laws may be flimsy, but are not always ineffective.

Rebels Without A Cause, Or Purpose
But the most bizarre (or borderline childish) of them all was when an Aurangabad based couple separated because of a Facebook update — or rather the lack of it. The first incident of its kind to be reported in India, a 28-year old woman filed for divorce, as her husband did not change his Facebook relationship status from Single to Married. Well, whether the husband continues to rot in hell, or if the petty wife got her way is something we'd never know, but they sure caused a revolution in the country! But for those wanting to use this as an excuse to dump their bitter halves, you should know, it's our ministers who've warmed up to technology, not the judiciary. So for now, this is not something that will give you a solid ground for divorce. So don't waste your energy snooping on your partner's profile.

Commedy Of Errors
Not all incidents involving FB puts users at fault — the social networking service was at the receiving end of a lot of anger from an Assamese community which was banned just because their last name is similar to a Hindi-language expletive. The comedy of errors saw some red-faced with anger, and others with laughter. After all, we don't really get to pick out last names, now do we?

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Top Five Smartphones Under Rs 10,000 (Summer 2013)

A few years back, a quality sub-10k smartphone was a distant dream. But thanks to the Android platform, the situation has completely changed. We now have a problem of plenty in the budget smartphone segment. In March, we published a list of phones worth buying for Rs 15,000. However, if you're not willing to cross the Rs 10,000 barrier, these are the options you should be looking at. Note that this list is not in any specific order:

Huawei Ascend G330
Street Price: Rs 10,000
Huawei, the third largest smarphone-maker in the world has launched some very good devices in India. The Ascend-G330 is one such device that wins our recommendations. It brings Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) to the table, which is good enough in this segment. The phone is powered by a dual-core 1 GHz CPU with 512 MB of RAM. It sports a 4" capacitive multi-touch screen with pixel dimensions of 800x480. For wannabe photographers, there's a 5 megapixel rear snapper with autofocus and LED flash. Apart from that you get 4 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, 3G, A-GPS, Bluetooth, 1500 mAh battery and more.



XOLO A800
Street Price: Rs 9,500
XOLO is one of those rare domestic manufacturers who offer good build quality. Its budget offering XOLO A800 is powered by a dual-core processor clocked at 1 GHz, and 512 MB of RAM. It comes with an 8 megapixel rear and VGA front camera. Its 4.5" IPS screen has pixel dimensions of 960x540. Apart from that you get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, A-GPS, and 1600 mAh Li-ion battery. The dual-SIM (GSM) handset runs Android 4.0 out of the box. Internal storage is 4 GB and of course there's a MicroSD card slot. You also get a 8 GB memory card with this phone.



Micromax 110 Canvas 2
Street Price: Rs 10,000
If you're fond of oversized mobile phones, the Canvas 2 should top your wish list. This dual-SIM handset features a 5" IPS screen (480x854 pixels), which is better than what we get on most similarly priced phablets. The phone is powered by a dual core 1 GHz CPU that does a commendable job handling Android 4.0 (ICS). Other features include an 8 megapixel camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 2000 mAh battery. Considering the list of features and screen size, Micromax offers more than what you bargain for.

Karbonn Titanium S1
Street Price: Rs 9900
The Titanium S1 is one of the cheapest quad-core phones officially available in India. Despite being affordable though, the phone offers 4.5" IPS capacitive touchscreen display with pixel dimensions of 960x540. It's powered by a 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor which should be enough to handle Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other features include a 5 megapixel auto focus camera with flash, 4 GB internal storage, microSD card slot, Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi, and 1600 mAh battery.



Nokia Lumia 520
Street Price: Rs 9500
With the Nokia Lumia 520, Windows Phone 8 has made its foray into the sub-10k segment. The Lumia 520 is one of the best looking phones you can get for Rs 10,000. It's 1 Ghz dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset offers lag-free user experience. The phone sports a Super Sensitive 4" IPS screen with 480x800 pixels. The internal storage is 8 GB, and you get an option to bump it up by as much as 64 GB via a microSD card slot. For photography there's a 5 megapixel auto focus camera. Apart from this, you get a set of Nokia-exclusive apps such as Cinemagraph, SmartShoot, Nokia Music, PhotoBeamer, voice guided GPS navigation.

There you go. Take your pick. If you think, we have missed out on some good option, please use the comment box below and let us know.

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Samsung Launches 8" GALAXY Note 510 With Phone Functionality For Rs 30,900

If the Note II wasn't big enough for you, you'd rejoice to see theSamsung GALAXY Note 510 (also known as Note 8.0). This 8" device offers phone functionality, and sports an earpiece too. So yes, you can hold this oversized gadget at your ear to make calls. That way, you can also protect your face from the Summer Sun. The Note 510 features Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), and also comes with S-Pen integration.

The Note 510 houses a quad-core Exynos chipset clocked at 1.6 GHz, and has 2 GB of RAM. Its 8" TFT screen comes with pixel dimensions of 1280x800. Apart from that you get 16 GB of internal storage, microSd card slot, a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 1.3 mp front-facing snapper, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and 4600 mAh battery. Similar to what we've seen on the HTC One, the Note 510 sports an IR port that can work as a universal remote. The detailed specs can be found at the end of this article.

The GALAXY Note 510 is priced at Rs 30,900, and is available for purchase from Samsung's official eStore.

Specification:

• 1.6 GHz A9 quad-core processor.
• 8" screen with 1280x800 pixels (189 ppi).
• Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) OS.
• 5 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 mp front-facing camera.
• S-Pen features including, S Note, S Planner, Air View, Email with hand-writing integration.
• GPS, A-GPS ＋ GLONASS (3G Version), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
• Accelerometer, Digital compass, Proximity sensor.
• 2 GB of RAM, 16 / 32 GB internal storage.
• microSD (support for up to 64GB).
• 4600 mAh battery.

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Finally, Samsung GALAXY S4 Comes To India For Rs 41,500

The most-awaited Android flagship of the year, Samsung's GALAXY S4 has finally graced Indian shores. Unveiled at an event in Delhi, the wraps are off and the handset will start its tour in India. The first smartphone to feature an octa-core processor clocked at 1.6 GHz, the 5" handset also packs on 2 GB of RAM. However, the keynote didn't seem to highlight the RAM. Running the latest Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) out of the box, the phone also features dual cameras — a 13 MP main auto focus camera with Flash support and a 2 MP front snapper.

The phone will sport a 5" Full HD Super AMOLED screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Apart from the 16 GB internal storage, the phone offers additional support for up to 64 GB via a microSD card slot. To juice up the power hungry monster, it comes with a 2600 mAh battery, which on paper seems less. The complete list of hardware specs can be seen below. For a more exhaustive description of all its new features, head over here.

Priced at Rs 41,500, the handset is expected to start retailing tomorrow. The handset will ship with special offers from Vodafone, that will offer freebies worth Rs 12,000, which includes unlimited internet (with FUP), 3000 local and STD voice minutes, and 750 local and national SMS for a period of 6 months. You can also purchase the S View Cover (interactive smart cover) for Rs 1800.

Online stores have begun offering it for pre-order today, in both the available Black and White colors. Notably, the octa-core variant has been made available in India at the same time as Europe and the rest of the world; this is not the same as the quad-core GALAXY S4 available in the US.

Complete list of known Specifications:

• 5" Full HD Super AMOLED (1080x1920), 441 ppi, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
• Requires Micro-SIM.
• Quad-band 2G (GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz), quad-band 3G (850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz); 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) support.
• 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor.
• 2 GB of RAM.
• Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS.
• 16/32/64 GB internal storage.
• microSD support for up to 64 GB.
• 13 MP rear camera with Auto Focus, Flash and Zero Shutter Lag.
• 2 MP front-facing camera, Full HD recording @30fps.
• Camera Features: Dual Camera, Drama Shot, Sound & Shot, 360 Photo, Cinema Photo, Eraser, Night, Best Photo, Best Face, Beauty Face, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama, Sports.
• Wi-fi, GPS with GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0.
• Accelerometer, RGB light, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer, Temperature and Humidity, Gesture sensors.
• Other features: Group Play, Story Album, S Translator, Optical Reader, Samsung Smart Scroll, Samsung Smart Pause, Air Gesture, Air View, Samsung Hub, ChatON, Samsung WatchON, S Travel (Trip Advisor), S Voice Drive, S Health, Samsung Adapt Display, Samsung Adapt Sound, Auto adjust touch sensitivity (Glove friendly), Safety Assistance, Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring, Samsung KNOX (B2B only).
• 5.5" (l)x 2.7" (w) x 0.3" (7.9 mm)(d), weighs 130 grams.
• 2600 mAh battery.
• Available colours: Black Mist and White Frost; other colour options to be released later in the year.

This is by far Samsung's best display, it is really good and natural, unlike the AMOLEDs on its previous handsets. Justifying its 2600 mAh battery, Samsung claims that it consumes 14% less power than its earlier flagship the GALAXY S3. It is also lighter than the S3.

Among its long list of new camera features, the Dual shot is just a gimmick and the Sound & Shot which can take up to 9 seconds of sound is not bad. The Drama shot (sequential collage), Eraser, and Animated photos (motion GIFs) have all been seen on handsets from other manufacturers, so you can't really call them new. The S Translate supports up to 10 international languages, and lets you convert from text to text or speech, and vice versa. The WatchON function turns your handset into an IR TV remote, while the Group Play lets you to stream the same music simultaneously on up to 8 phones. This function also supports multiplayer gaming. The much-hyped Samsung Smart pause that pauses videos when you look away from the screen did not work when we tried it at the venue.

Samsung also clarified that it will roll out a 4G-LTE compliant variant in India by the end of the year, when 4G services are rolled out in the country.

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Download: GupShup Messenger (Android, iOS, Blackberry)

If you aren’t using WhatsApp, BBM, Facebook chat, or any of the IM clients on your phone already, then chances are you wouldn't really be too keen on connecting with people on chat. But if you are looking at adesi alternative anyway, then check out the GupShup app. Available for Android, iOS, Blackberry, and Symbian Series 40 handsets, the free app not only claims to let you chat with your friends, but also send out SMS, all using this single app.

The Gupshup app lets you post public updates and have private chats with your contacts, which is similar to features offered by most popular IM clients. Its USP though is said to be a set of interesting smilies and emoticons.

Publisher: GupShup
Platforms: Android, iOS, BlackBerry
Price: Free
Size: Varies with device
Download URL: Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.webaroo.replyall&hl=en; BlackBerry -http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/135121/?countrycode=IN; iOS -https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/gupshup-messenger/id551625302

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Mozilla Firefox 23 For Android To Bring UI Enhancements

Mozilla's next iteration in its Firefox web browser series for the Android platform, Firefox 23 is slated to come with User Interface (UI) enhancements. Although the exact launch date is not known at this stage, users can see these changes being reflected in the Firefox Nightlyversion, in the next few days. Mozilla's Lucas Rocha has dropped enough hints about the UI improvements this time around. Rocha says that the new UI improvements have surfaced from an internal Mozilla hackathon, and says that these will make a substantial difference in users' Firefox on Android experience.

The various UI changes that have surfaced are:

Enhancements in browser tabs: A new tab button icon can be expected with the Firefox 23. Along with these, new animations are also said to have made their way to the Firefox 23. These animations are said to sync and appear when users add/remove tabs. A subtle parallax effect mechanism has been incorporated into Firefox 23 this time around which ensure a more fluid feel.

Enhancements in Address Bar: Firefox 23 for Android is slated to come with the option to display URLs in the address bar as opposed to page titles.

Along with these enhancements, Rocha says that Firefox for Android Reader mode would also be updated with serif fonts [In typography, a serif is a small line trailing from the edges of letters and symbols, such as when handwriting is separated into distinct units for a typewriter or typesetter. A typeface with serifs is called a serif typeface (or serifed typeface). A font of this type is called serif font]. A consistent style for text selection handles would also be reflected when the Firefox 23 for Android is released. Although these enhancements appear to be minor at this stage, they can lead to an overall intuitive user experience, especially for Android mobile users.

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