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Sonic the Hedgehog has become one of the world’s best-known video game characters, with his series having sold more than 80 million copies. Gamers have normally enjoyed new releases of the series on home game consoles, but Sega is now releasing the latest Sonic 4 Episode II on mobile platforms at the same time. Read on as we celebrate the latest release and give away an ASUS Transformer Prime.

The Trailer The Download Sonic 4 Episode II THD SEGA of America PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE The Game

The Sonic 4 saga continues with Sonic’s beloved side kick, Miles “Tails” Power. Players can now experience the Sonic 4 saga as never before with the addition of a brand new engine; bringing you gameplay with updated physics and HD graphics.

“Sonic 4 Episode II is very special because we’ve integrated community feedback into the game.” said Haruki Satomi, Senior Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA of America. “We have some of the most loyal and dedicated fans and I hope they enjoy this next chapter in the Sonic 4 saga.”

For the first time Android gamers can enjoy an experience that is nearly identical to the PS3 and Xbox versions, and it comes at half the price. Players with Tegra 3 devices like the HTC One X or ASUS Transformer Prime will enjoy higher quality textures, better lighting and glow effects, and objects on screen that are absent from other mobile versions.

Episode 2 also features a collaborative multiplayer mode where players can team up with a friend via Bluetooth and take control of Sonic and Tails as they battle against Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic.

We just installed the game on our devices, so look for our full review in the coming weeks.

Release dates:

• May 15: PS3, Playstation Network, PC digital download via Steam
• May 16: TegraZone, Xbox Live Arcade
• May 17: iTunes App Store
• June: Google Play Store (non-Tegra devices)
• July: Xbox Live on Windows Phone

Pricing:

• PS3 and Steam: $14.99
• Android, iOS: $6.99
• Xbox Live Arcade: 1200 points

Episode Metal bonus pack:

Players who have Episodes I and II installed on the same device will gain access to a new bonus pack called “Episode Metal.” This unlockable story will feature a playable Metal Sonic, four exclusive levels, and allow players to discover the rebirth of Metal Sonic and learn more about how he survived the events at the end of Sonic CD. If you missed the first episode, grab it from the link below.

Sonic 4™ Episode I SEGA of America PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE Benefits of Tegra 3

Tegra 3 offers gamers the most technically advanced mobile version.

• The Tegra 3 version of Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II is the most technically advanced mobile version of the game, a near mirror-image of the full-blown PS3 and Xbox versions of the game.
• In fact, by enjoying a game with a gamepad (either with wired or Bluetooth controllers) and outputting the device to an television via HDMI, it’s the CLOSEST to the actual console experience you’ll get on a mobile device…. All with fast frame rates.
• Sonic on Tegra 3 has dramatically higher quality textures, better lighting and glow effects, and objects on screen that are absent from other mobile versions.

Non-Tegra vs Tegra 3 version of Sonic 4.

The Contest – Win an ASUS Transformer Prime!

Running latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the ASUS Transformer Prime is a high-performance tablet that with multi-color style, and productivity with expandability when connected to the mobile dock. With a 1.2MP front and 8MP rear auto-focus camera with large F/2.2 aperture and exclusive office software, staying connected and productive has never been easier.

How to Enter

Leave a comment below that describes your favorite Sonic memory and you’ll be entered to win. Did you play Sonic as a kid? Were you the only kid on the block with a Sega Genesis when all your friends had a Nintendo console? What was your favorite game to feature Sonic?

We normally allow anonymous comments, but for this contest you will need to be a registered user to leave a comment. Not signed up? It only takes seconds to join.

Multiple comments are allowed on this post, but each user will only be counted once. The winner will be chosen at random, so don’t bother downvoting each other.

Multiple chances to win: Today is just the first stage of a multi-week promotion. We will have additional Tegra 3 powered tablets and smartphones to give away, so be on the lookout. Sega also provided us with some limited edition action figures and comics to give away, so go buy the game if you want a chance at winning some more swag.

Contest Rules

This contest is open to residents of any country. Entries will be accepted for one week after the contest goes live. We’ll announce the winner on this page and on our Twitter account as soon as we draw.

Contest Winner

(coming soon…)

Minimalistic Text is a set of sublimely manipulable widgets perfect for homescreen modification. Incorporating simple texts which display time, date, weather, battery or custom options, the app is very much about what you want it to do. The app has been, and continues to be, hugely popular with people who love to tinker with the [...]

Minimalistic Text – an essential Android app for creating sublimely minimal date/clock widgets is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Paul Wilks

Evernote pushed out a brand new, "completely redesigned" version of their Android application yesterday, and boy does it look sharp.  Built with Android 4.0 in mind, Evernote 4.0 makes it much easier and more intuitive for users to take notes and navigate the app. You'll find that you can horizontally swipe your screen to move around, tap the elephant logo to return home, and other little things that matter.  According to the Evernote blog, the stuff we see on the surface is only part of the story and that this version is faster and more powerful than ever. It's worth noting that although this looks like it needs Android 4.0, it only requires 1.6 and above.

Evernote 4.0 Home Screen

Improved note and notebook list

Features in Evernote 4.0:

• A redesigned Home Screen, with improved note and notebook lists across the app
• Responsive Action and Navigation Bars, which relate to the screen you're viewing and disappear for easy reading or note viewing
• Swipe navigation horizontally to scan through Notebooks, Tags and Places easily
• Location tagging for all your notes, if your phone is "Location Services" enabled

Download Evernote 4.0 (FREE) from the Google Play store today.

Completely redesigned Evernote 4.0 introduced originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Listen to our newest podcast and download the official app.

Shop for Android accessories, apps, and more!

JAZZ: Trump's Journey is a slick and challenging platform game with brilliantly designed graphics, awesome sound and engaging gameplay. The game has an original and captivating atmosphere that I really don't think I've seen before on a mobile platform. The basic notion is to help Trump fulfil his dream of playing in a jazz band. [...]

JAZZ: Trump’s Journey – play the unique & intriguing adventures of a Jazz man is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Paul Wilks

SEGA is back today with that awesome blue hedgehog we all know plenty about. Announced just now and available starting today is the brand new Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II for Android. Sonic CD and episode 1 were smashing hits but Episode II looks to be their best yet. Currently only in THD, available for Tegra 3 powered devices this game brings graphics to another level — again. Check it out after the break.

We got our first look at the all new episode II back at Mobile World Congress but SEGA has worked extremely close with the folks from NVIDIA to make Sonic 4 Ep II on Tegra 3 devices the best version yet. With enhanced graphics, realistic lighting and effects, crazy cool physics and more I’m loving it already. It’s available starting today at the NVIDIA Tegrazone.com and in the Google Play Store starting at $6.99 for Tegra 3 devices. For now this only includes the few Tegra 3 devices but more are coming soon. Check out the hands-on gameplay below:

Sonic 4 Episode II on Transformer Prime

As you can see from my video (and terrible gaming skills) the graphics are pretty amazing and as close to console quality graphics as we’ve seen on mobile devices. This is basically a full-fledged Sonic experience from SEGA and NVIDIA. The textures have been taken up a few notches that you won’t experience on other Android devices, or on the iPhone, and the lighting and sharp edges are just purdy.

With water running, flowers and butterflies flying in the wind and Sonic and his sidekick Tails hanging out you’ll totally want to give this game a try. Nicely SEGA has also added multiplayer support. You can now play as the famous blue hedgehog while a friend joins you as Tails and you don’t even have to share one screen, as long as you both have Bluetooth enabled Tegra 3 devices.

Just like Episode I the gameplay is extremely smooth, realistic, and fun. The Tegra 3 makes sure the game runs as smooth as butter and without a hitch. Sadly just like the original the controls can only be described as “floaty” and not nearly as tight as I’d like. I had a hard time controlling my little blue friend and a dedicated game controller would make this awesome. Get the Transformer Prime and the Logitech gamepad and you’ll be playing console-quality Sonic in no time flat though.

I’ll be streaming this to my HDTV later tonight and using the motion controls to see how things go and will be sure to update with additional thoughts. So far I love it and shows that old classics like SEGA and Sonic can still rock for mobile devices, as long as the controls are worth using.

Check out all the pictures from the gallery below, then hit the Tegra Zone and Play Store links above and get started today for $6.99. SEGA’s also announced that a Tegra 2 and regular Android devices version will be available in early June and you can learn more from sonicthehedgehog4.com

Story Timeline

• NVIDIA Announces Tegra Zone Website for all your HD gaming needs
• ASUS Transformer Prime Review
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II coming with special Tegra 3 edition
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I available now, doesn't play nice with Galaxy Nexus
• Sonic the HedgeHog 4: Episode II - Tegra 3 hands-on
• Sega plans Android release for MMORPG Phantasy Star Online 2
• HTC ONE X Review
• ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 Review
• Android Community's NVIDIA TegraZone Anniversary Tegra Pack Giveaway!

This week ,a href=”http://blog.evernote.com/2012/05/15/the-all-new-evernote-4-0-for-android/”>Evernote 4.0 for Android debuted, and the update brings with it some slick new features the users of the app will appreciate. Version 4.0 for Android has been completely redesigned and promises more than just a new look. The company says that this is the most powerful version of Evernote for Android ever.

Every screen in the app has been redesigned to make it easier to use and to be faster and more intuitive. The home screen is changed combining note creation options with buttons that take users directly to notebooks, tags, and places. Notebook lists have been improved to make it easier to browse and find what you’re looking for. The action bar on the bottom of the app screen has also been tweaked and has options specifically relating to the screen the user is viewing.

The app now supports swipe navigation with horizontal swiping allowing app navigation by moving between categories. On devices with location services enabled, Evernote will also assign a place to each note you make. Another key change is the user name of the person using the app is now the top left corner of the screen. Touching the username lets the user get their remaining monthly allowance and access to more settings. The company also promises other changes, check out the video to get a better idea of how the updated app works.

Story Timeline

• Evernote 2.0 released: Search & Share integration, Offline Notebooks, more
• Evernote for Android Updated to 2.6 (speed, editing power)
• Evernote for Android gets huge update
• Evernote Updates App, Now Supports Android 3.0 Tablets with New UI

Mozilla has just released another update to their popular browser for Android today. This was just released this afternoon and is actually the Firefox for Android beta. If you’re using the standard release you’ll want to check out the newest beta because of its redesigned user interface and more. Check out the details below.

The new Firefox beta has completely overhauled the user interface, and it’s what we can expect to see (or similar) in the next stable versions release. The design elements match Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich more closely, but still is unique to Firefox, and then they’ve added one major thing users have been asking for. We now have full Adobe Flash support in the latest beta, but things seem a little choppy this go around to be honest.

I’m an avid Chrome beta user but hoping to see what Mozilla can do with their mobile browser. Sadly like mentioned above usage is still a bit choppy, multitouch is weird to control, and flash support — while needed — didn’t help the performance that is for sure. Sync and tabs have been improved and I’m liking what we’ve seen thus far, hopefully Mozilla and the Firefox mobile team keep up the good work. Hit the link below to give the latest beta for Android a try today.

Firefox Beta Link

Story Timeline

• Firefox Mobile arrives on Android
• Firefox 4 Beta for Android "really" is that much faster
• Firefox 6 Browser Beta Now in Android Market
• Firefox for Android Tablets Unveiled
• Major Firefox update in the works, including native UI and Flash
• Firefox Android tablet UI comes out of beta
• Firefox 10 update hits Android Market, Flash still missing

Slider Widget - Volumes is an uber handy settings widget for your Android homescreen. Instead of the usual toggle feature most similar apps have, this app instead provides a floating slider which allows you to control levels manually. Arguably providing far more control, Slider Widget - Volumes works really well and gives you a new [...]

Slider Widget – Volumes. A handy homescreen widget to toggle common settings is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Paul Wilks

If you don’t know what Gamefly is, think “Netflix for video games” and you’ve got it right away. Like some game stores, Gamefly has launched its own gaming publication, which it’s calling GameQ. Stop me if I’m going too fast for you. The magazine is available in digital format as an Android app, and it’s a free download even for those who don’t subscribe to the service.

The interface is pretty standard for a magazine app, being equal parts Kindle and Next Issue. The first and only issue available at the moment takes about ten minutes to download on a solid WiFi connection, so those of you with limited data plans probably don’t want to try it when out and about. Formatting can shift from landscape to portrait, but it’s designed to imitate a paper magazine rather than dynamically fit the shape of your tablet’s screen. That said, full articles scroll by vertically on a single page, saving lots of frustrating swiping. Smartphones are not supported.

While it’s hard to argue with free, the app could use some work. Even on my normally speedy Samsung tablet it tended to lag, with multi-second delays even for accessing the menu. The content itself is surprisingly varied given Gamefly’s scope – you’ll find info on indie and Android games right next to the latest Halo editorial. It’s far from perfect, but for dedicated console gamers it’s certainly worth a try. Download it for free in the Google Play Store now.

[via Droid Gamers]

HeyCheck for Facebook is an app to personalize & share photos similar to Instagram. In fact, you can share the pictures you apply those fancy effects to the billion dollar baby camera photography social network or on Facebook. We found a few quirks, however, let's get into the full review for the pros and cons! Price: Free Tested on: Samsung Galaxy Tab [...]

HeyCheck for Facebook – social Photo Personalization app is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Toni McQuilken

Sorry iPhone users, we just picked up yet another one of your popular apps!  Today sees Smule bringing their insanely addictive Songify to Android, dropping it in the Google Play store at the ever-attractive FREE price point.  If you're not familiar with Songify, it can be summed up quite easily: It turns your voice and speech into songs.  Ever see the AutoTune The News guys on Youtube?  This is the official app that they use.  All you do is start talking into your handset and then it magically creates songs out of your recordings.

There are a couple of free backing tracks available when you launch the app, however there are a bunch that can be purchased within the app.  You can either earn coins through use of the app or buy them outright.  For $2.99 you can pick up 200 coins and remove the in-app advertising at the same time.  That rate should be good enough to score 3-4 songs, depending on which you opt for. Depending on how much you want or need, you can spend anywhere up to $99 for 790 coins!

About Songify:

• Turns speech into music, using sophisticated artificial intelligence

• Developed with the Gregory Brothers, YouTube celebrities of Bed Intruder fame

• Downloaded 9 million times, with 120 million songs created on iOS

• Offers special Android-only features, such as the ability to create ringtones and share your songs via SMS or Google+

• Songify will be Smule’s first app on Android

• Part of the Smule family, with 45 million installs and 500 million songs created

Check out Songify in action:

• Watch an eHarmony customer express her love of cats in “Can’t Hug Every Cat.”

• Listen to people Songifying with their dogs in San Francisco in “A Day in the Dog Park!”

 

Grab Songify from Google Play store for free today!

 

 

 

Smule brings popular Songify app to Android originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

Get more AndroidGuys on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

Listen to our newest podcast and download the official app.

Shop for Android accessories, apps, and more!

On Android, file managers are a dime a dozen – in fact, considering that most of them are free, they’re considerably cheaper than that. But how about when you enter your custom recovery for a little ROM flashing action, and you’ve forgotten where your file os, or you’re using the wrong SD card, et cetera? AROMA File Manager is here to help.

AROMA isn’t technically an “app”, at least not in the sense of having an APK file. It’s a tiny operating program that lives inside a flashable ZIP file. Reboot into your custom recovery (for most of you that’ll be ClockworkMod) and flash the ZIP. Instead of adding a ROM or app, you’ll be shifted to a full-screen and fully touch-capable file manager. Standard functions like find, copy, cut, delete, move and creating new folders are present.

All the bells and whistles are here, including just about everything you’d expect from a more typical file manager. You don’t even need root to access the files in your System folder, since the software is running before Android ever boots up. For those of you who are both advanced Android users and somewhat forgetful with your files, AROMA represents freedom from having to reboot to shuffle your digital stuff around.

[via XDA blog]

Gamestop is in the news today for more than a few reasons. For one they’ve now started allowing buyers to trade in used games, consoles, iPods and more all for Steam gift cards — Yup Gamestop is being nice to the PC gamer again. Along with that news they have also released an all new app for Android that brings Gamestop’s services to your pocket.

Gamestop for Android has actually been available for about two weeks but recently has been spotted now that they’re in the news for their Steam agreement and being friendly to the PC gamer again. The folks at Android Police tipped us off on the new app and it has tons of features making it worth a quick shout out.

Gamestop Mobile for Android allows users to track rewards, find stores, check local store games availability and even has an included barcode scanner for people looking to find the best deal on a game. A quick scan will show you all the content you’d ever want to know on the game, as well as local stores with it in stock. Gamestop will also allow for in-app purchases where you can buy the game right from your Android phone and pick it up in-store. Gamestop Mobile Android (the official name) is available now and seems to be compatible with every phone and tablet I’ve ever owned. Get it from the link below and let us know if it helps you find your next favorite Xbox game.

Gamestop App Link

Story Timeline

• GameStop embraces Android for Streaming Games
• GameStop begins selling Android tablets with free games
• ASUS Transformer Prime shipping November 28th according to Gamestop

MetaTrader 5 is a mobile trading platform designed for Forex and Stock market trading. The application allows you to connect to a broker, receive quotes, make financial deals, and check your trading history. All of that is free of charge and available to you from anywhere in the world! Price: Free Tested on: Samsung Galaxy Tab [...]

MetaTrader 5 is a solid Forex trading app is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Toni McQuilken

Facebook today announced that they have redesigned the news feed for Android and iOS handsets as well as their mobile website.  Effective immediately, users will find that images will display much larger and posts will stretch from one edge of the display to the next. We like the changes thus far and were glad to find that we did not have to download yet another updated version of the app.  You can see the new look simply by opening up the client or visiting the mobile version of the page!

Starting today, we’re rolling out an improved design for posts in news feed on your mobile phone. Now photos are up to 3x larger, and all posts will fill your mobile screen from edge to edge. The new design will be available on iOS, Android and m.facebook.com. 

Here's a before and after to give you an idea as to what to expect out of the new feed. You'll have to forgive us for using Facebook's iOS pictures below.

Facebook redesigns news feed and images for Android, mobile page originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

Get more AndroidGuys on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

Listen to our newest podcast and download the official app.

Shop for Android accessories, apps, and more!

Instant Camera is a neat little camera application that adds dazzling filters to your camera view in real-time. Similar perhaps to apps like Paper Camera, Instant Camera is great for giving your photos an original look. It's easy to use, free and comes with 54 different filters. Price: Free Tested on: HTC Desire HD Content [...]

Instant Camera – add cool real-time effects to your camera photos is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Paul Wilks

Ultimate Custom Clock Widget.  Your clock, your layout, your fonts, your skins. The ultimate tool for clocks. Make your clock and more - the easy way. Price: Free Tested on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Content Rating: Low Maturity AndroidTapp.com Android App Review: Pros & Cons: Pros There are literally thousands of ways you can configure this clock! You [...]

Ultimate Custom Clock Widget – personalize your Android clock with unlimited possibilities (for advanced users) is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Toni McQuilken

Custom ICS Search Widget is Google search widget in the style of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), however, works for earlier version; plus it offers a few small customization features. Price: Free Tested on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Content Rating: Everyone AndroidTapp.com Android App Review: Pros & Cons: Pros The look and feel of the ICS [...]

Custom ICS Search Widget – personalize your Google Search widget is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Toni McQuilken

If you’re a graphic designer or a web developer, you know the importance of having a harmonious color scheme on your next project. There are plenty of programs, services and web apps that will generate an eye-pleasing palette for you, but they’re almost all drawing from pre-created sets of colors. Real Colors Pro is an Android app that’s well worth the consideration for any creative professional, not just because it moves this functionality to a stand-alone mobile app, but because it adds a few new bells and whistles as well.

Chief among these is the ability to automatically generate a color palette from a photo that you take with your phone. So if you’re out and about in New Orleans and you see a fetching mural for the Saints, you can snap a photo and get the distinctive gold/black/white color without having to hunt down a branding guide. It’s not just a gimmick, either: you can create palettes along the major divisions of color theory, complementary, monochromatic, analogous, shades, triad, tetrad and split complementary.

Other functions include exporting to RGB, HSB and HEX, not to mention swapping palettes with your friends on Facebook. Those just looking for some UI bling can adapt their palettes into Android wallpapers. The full version is a hefty $4.99 USD, but those who need professional tools probably won’t bat an eye. The Lite version is free, but does without the various theoretical variations and wallpaper.

CalcTape Smart Calculator is a free and intelligent calculator app that does everything a normal calculator cannot! Instead of providing just one line of input, the app lets you create complex lists of items and figures- making simple calculations feel intuitive on your Android device. Price: Free Tested on: HTC One X Content Rating: Everyone [...]

CalcTape Smart Calculator an intelligent calculator app is a post from: AndroidTapp.com

Paul Wilks