Play Store Now Lets You Stream Games Before Buying Them

We have been hearing about app trials in Google Play for a while now and it looks as if the feature is finally arriving to users in full force. The feature is pretty nifty, even though it wasn’t discussed at all in Google’s latest event

Various users have reported seeing a “Try Now” button appearing next to the “Buy Now” one. Tapping it takes you into a 10-minute free trial of the game where you can assess the quality and experience.

The way this works is quite similar to the cloud-based gaming we have seen on services like OnLive, where the game is actually run on the company’s servers with only the video and audio being transmitted. The controller feedback is sent back to the company servers.

Gameplay:

There is a floating menu to offer help or exit the stream. A countdown timer tells you how much your allotted time is remaining. The cloud services aren’t particularly known for the consistency of their experience but hopefully Google will fare better here.

This is a far less strenuous method than installing a free trial of an app and then assessing it, or worse, paying for an app before deciding you don’t like it and then scrambling for an uninstall. If done well, it can allow for even more action-packed titles on both newer and older devices, which could be an industry changer.

Future Expectations:

The games, reportedly, can be played as many times as possible though no saves will be available. The feature is not available everywhere, requires compatible hardware and supports only limited titles. If all goes well, Play Store could launch a complete streaming service for all apps and games, but that’s just wishful thinking for now. Let’s hope we hear some positives about this new feature in the coming few days.

Image Source : Android Authority

Beware ! it could be Malicious to download Pokemon Go Game for Android

"Pokémon Go" has become the hottest iPhone and Android game to hit the market in forever with enormous popularity and massive social impact. The app has taken the world by storm since its launch this week.

Nintendo's new location-based augmented reality game allows players to catch Pokémon in the real life using their device's camera and is currently only officially available in the United States, New Zealand, UK and Australia.

On an average, users are spending twice the amount of time engaged with the new Pokémon Go app than on apps like Snapchat. In fact Pokémon Go is experiencing massive server overload in just few days of launch.

Due to the huge interest surrounding Pokémon Go, many gaming and tutorial websites have offered tutorials recommending users to download the APK from a non-Google Play link.

In order to download the APK, users are required to "side-load" the malicious app by modifying their Android core security settings, allowing their device's OS to install apps from "untrusted sources."

Pokémon Go is Installing DroidJack Malware

Security researchers have warned users that many of these online tutorials are linked to malicious versions of the Pokémon Go app that install a backdoor on Android phones, enabling hackers to compromise a user's device completely.

Security firm Proofpoint has discovered the malicious app, or APK, that has been infected withDroidJack – a Remote Access Tool (RAT) that can hack any Android device by opening a silent backdoor for hackers.

Just less than 3 days after Nintendo initially released the game in Australia and New Zealand on July 4, the malicious app was uploaded to an online malware detection repository.

Since Android core security settings normally prevent the installation of untrusted third-party apps from "unknown sources," side-loading should have never been done by a user.

"This is an extremely risky practice and can easily lead users to install malicious apps on their own mobile devices," researchers at Proofpoint wrote in a blog post. "Should an individual download an APK [Android application package] from a third-party that has been infected with a backdoor, like the one we discovered, their device would then be compromised."

Here's How to Prevent Yourself

Fortunately, there are several ways to check if you have downloaded the malicious version of the Pokémon Go app.

The infected version of the Pokémon Go app would have been granted more system permissions, so one way to differ between the two is to compare the permissions of your app to those of the legitimate one.

To do so, Go to the Settings → Apps → Pokemon GO and check the game's permissions.

If you find that the game has asked for permissions like directly call phone numbers, edit and read your SMSes, record audio, read Web history, modify and read your contacts, read and write call logs, and change network connectivity, then you should uninstall the game right away, since it is infected with DroidJack.

You can also compare the game's SHA-1 hash – a long string of characters used to verify if a file was infected with or modified by a malicious third-party – to make sure the game matches the hash of the legitimate version.

The Bottom Line:

Instead of downloading available applications from unknown third party stores, wait for the Pokémon Go app to launch in your country.

However, downloading apps from third parties do not always end up with malware or viruses, but it certainly ups the risk. So, it's the best way to wait in order to avoid compromising your device and the networks it accesses.

Bored with chess?? Facebook Messenger allows you to play Basketbal- here is how to

Hope all of you have enjoyed the Game of Chess in the Facebook Messenger.

But if you're quite bored playing Chess or not really good at the game, then you probably felt a bit excited about Facebook's recent inclusion of a little Basketball mini-game into Messenger.

Now you can play Basketball through Facebook Messenger, just by typing in the Basketball emoji and sending to one of your friends. This would enable a secret Basketball mini-game between you and your friend.

Here's How to Play Basketball:

Just locate the basketball emoji from your emoji list, send to one of your friends and click it to start the game.

Once sent, you would be taken to the Basketball court in a pure white background, where there is no sidebars of any friend suggestions or any promotional ads; only appears a basketball and a hoop, nothing else!

All you have to do:

Just Swipe up and Toss the basketball into the hoop.

A single swipe on your phone in the direction of the hoop to bask in the ball. Facebook also encourages your gameplay with various emojis after each basket.

On successful basket, Game appreciates your gameplay by displaying various emojis like Thumbs Up, Hands Up, Claps and Smiles. On a miss, Game warns you by showing emojis like "Surprised", "Feared," and similar.

Messenger will also display your scores in between, based on your successful baskets. Your goal is to challenge your friend to see who can get the most consecutive baskets.

Video Demonstration

You can watch the Video Demonstration of Facebook Hidden Basketball game below:

To play this game, the Facebook users should have the latest version of Messenger installed on their mobile phone.

The addition of such mini-games into Facebook's messaging platform would be a loneliness breaker.

As this game had been unveiled after a couple of weeks of Chess, let's hope Facebook would integrate more games like caroms or snooker in its upcoming rollouts.

Microsoft Brings in Cross-Platform Multiplayer Gaming for PC, PS4 and Xbox Users

The console wars might comprise of never ending battles between Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but Microsoft’s recent announcement has made things interesting again. Xbox Live, Microsoft’s Xbox-only online multiplayer and matchmaking service, is now open to all other platforms. The Redmond-based company  just made sure that gamers on all platforms, including PC and consoles such as Xbox One and PS4, will come one step closer to being united with one another, as far as online play is concerned.

Microsoft Announces cross-network play between Xbox One and PS4; competitive gaming sessions to be expected in the future

According to Microsoft’s announcement, Xbox and PC game developers will have the ability to integrate cross-network play in their games based on Xbox Live service. That means Xbox One, PS4 and PC players can clash with Nintendo players in the multiplayer games built to support it. This is definitely the biggest announcement of 2016 for the gaming community as it was being contemplated for a very long period as to when will gamers be able to unite, or draw skirmishes between one another. Apart from a few exceptions, competitive play has never been possible between PC and console players or Xbox and PlayStation players for that matter.

Rocket League is one of the first games to support cross-platform play

According to Xbox Wire, the primary subject being talked about is cross-network play, and Chris Charla, Director of ID@Xbox had this to say:

“First, in addition to natively supporting cross-platform play between Xbox One and Windows 10 games that use Xbox Live, we’re enabling developers to support cross-network play as well. This means players on Xbox One and Windows 10 using Xbox Live will be able to play with players on different online multiplayer networks – including other console and PC networks.

Of course, it’s up to game developers to support this feature, and Xbox Live players will always have the option of choosing to play only with other Xbox Live players. We’re thrilled to confirm that Psyonix’s Rocket League will be one of the first games to take advantage of this new capability by enabling cross-network play between Xbox One and PC players, with an open invitation for other networks to participate as well.”

The message that Charla is evidently trying to give away here is that door is wide open for developers to support such a feature. Rocket League, the popular car soccer game from Psyonix has already been confirmed for cross-network play between Xbox One and PC players and it is expected that PS4 console gamers will join the loop soon enough.

Before you get excited, you have to be reminded that the decision to support cross-network play all comes down to the developer. Platform exclusive gaming titles are extremely common, primarily due to the agreements signed by the developing companies and publishers, but this time, developers will have complete autonomy on either linking the chain that brings gamers together, or breaking it. Developers can push out a title update in the days ahead for their existing games that can take advantage of cross-platform play.

PlayStation 4 is Bringing Console Gaming Streaming To PC and Mac

Sony PlayStation is the bestselling gaming console of the current generation devices. The PlayStation 4 has maintained its superiority over competitors like Xbox and Nintendo by regularly offering big updates that improve the user’s gaming experience. Today marks another big step towards improving console gaming. Sony has revealed that the upcoming PS4 firmware update will make PS4 playable on PCs and Macs via streaming. Currently, the streaming feature called Remote Play can also stream games on the PS TV and PS Vita.

Those familiar with Sony products must be aware that Sony offers a Remote Play feature for its Sony Xperia devices. The feature allows those with Xperia products to stream PlayStation games to their phone or tablet over WiFI and play them via the standard PlayStation controller.

The upcoming version 3.50 software update for PS4 will add the ability to “Remote Play” PS4 games on a home computer, effectively turning a laptop or desktop with mediocre specs to a remote PlayStation powered gaming machine.

Not so long ago, Microsoft announced that Xbox One gamers will be able to stream games to PC thanks to the updated Xbox app. That feature was, for obvious reasons, limited to Microsoft Windows PCs and not Apple devices. This new announcement is just in time to nullify Microsoft’s superior feature.

This addition is not a reply to Microsoft’s screen sharing feature. President of Sony Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, had made the announcement a while back. In November last year, he tweeted “Some people asked if we plan to provide Remote Play function to PC, and yes, we are indeed working on an official application for PC/Mac”.

Sony says the feature will not be available in the beta release of the 3.50 update. So early adopters won’t be able to test the feature in advance. However, the company’s blog post says “you can look forward to it soon”.

There are several others inclusions in the major update. It brings online friends notifications, which will let the gamers know when their friends are online to play games. To complement the feature, users will now be able to appear offline (invisible) when they are gaming alone or busy with something else. The Play Together feature will allow friends to join game parties or start new games together in more simpler manner.

Sony’s also bringing scheduled updates to PS4 which will make the process of organising future game meetups much easier. Dailymotion is being added to the Share feature and users will be able to check their storage using PlayStation Plus. Sadly, there is still no support for external storage devices.

The beta version of the update has been released while the stable release should be coming soon after.

Oculus VR Brings a New Reality to the Gaming Industry

After walking the floor of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, many gaming industry participants saw the virtual reality (VR) writing on the wall for the first time — and in a very realistic way. Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) gaming has arrived, or gotten extremely close, with the official ship date for the Oculus Rift VR viewer set for March 28 and current pre-order acceptance now taking place.

Some issues remain in the technology and user experience, not to mention the price point. However, barring a major misstep by the Oculus unit of Facebook, none of these remain permanent obstacles to prevent a long-term VR trend from taking effect in 2016 (according to a January 2016 report from SUPERDATA forecasting an install base of about 38 million VR gaming consumers by the end of the year and a July 2015 Business Insider estimate of VR headset shipments growing at a 99 percent CAGR between 2015 and 2020, reaching $30 billion by that end date).

Game console makers feel the heat from PC VR

While the Oculus Rift VR viewer existed in the purview of developers alone since June 2015, with this January’s announcement, the mainstream gaming public will now have an opportunity to experience VR firsthand. However, most of these potential gamers could remain on the sidelines unless they upgrade from Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox consoles to a fully decked-out PC. That’s unless the console makers get in the PC VR game.

“Nintendo either needs to adapt or be left behind,” Tim Lynch, CEO of Psychsoftpc, tells me. “Microsoft already has its own VR/AR HoloLens in beta now for developers. And since Xbox is essentially a PC-based system, it is better equipped to meet this.”

Actually, Nintendo is playing a wait-and-see game, according to Joanan Hernandez, CEO and founder of Mollejuo, an augmented reality (AR) company with a mobile app called Terra Icons.

“Microsoft is betting heavily on AR with HoloLens,” he says. “Thus, the only direct competition for Oculus is PlayStation VR and HTC Steam VR. There’s space for the three of them — Oculus, HTC, PlayStation — at least initially.”

In fact, HTC does a great job with physical-digital interactions, according to J.P. Gownder, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research, a global research and advisory firm. “And it might have some advantages over Oculus in the features department,” he tells me. “For example, by tracking your movement throughout a room using base stations.”

Demand for VR technology looks good for console and mobile gaming platforms.

Expectations for VR exist at a high level. And with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets scheduled to hit retail in Q1 2016 and Sony PlayStation VR in Q2, demand for VR technology looks good for console and mobile gaming platforms. “This is positive for both our video game and tech brand businesses,” Eric Bright, senior director of merchandising at GameStop, tells me. “During our GameStop EXPO September 2015, we saw customers wait in long lines to experience the virtual reality demos Sony and HTC had with positive feedback.”

Price point and immersion

Some industry observers have questioned the $599 price point that Oculus chose for the formal introduction of the Rift, such as Mike Goodman, director of digital media strategies at Strategy Analytics, a consumer-focused business consulting firm.

“Oculus views the Rift as a ‘premium’ product and has priced it accordingly; however, there is ‘premium pricing’ and then there is pricing yourself out of the market,” Goodman tells me. “While there is a small segment of PC gamers who think nothing of dropping $2,300 on a high-end PC, $600 for the Oculus Rift plus an additional $1,500 for a PC capable of running Oculus VR games and entertainment is just too much for most of us. Considering Facebook spent roughly $2 billion to acquire Oculus VR, they might want to rethink their premium price point.”

Rather than price, immersion will be the key factor in VR’s success.

— Olli Sinerma

However, others have seen that earlier breakthrough consumer electronics with elevated acquisition costs have gone on to perform well in the marketplace. It comes down to the value proposition of immersion VR versus price point.

“The future of VR will not be determined by its current cost,” Olli Sinerma, co-founder and project lead at Mindfield Games, developer of the forthcoming VR gameP.O.L.L.L.E.N, tells me. “What Oculus can ship, it will sell, and others will develop cheaper alternatives like the already available Google Cardboard. Rather than price, immersion will be the key factor in VR’s success.”

Install base barrier

But immersion alone may not ensure that Oculus will surmount its seemingly lofty sales tag. Other barriers beside the console makers represent plausible pitfalls for Facebook’s VR gear maker. The install base of VR-capable PCs presents the largest hedgerow for Oculus to jump over.

“Oculus’s $599 price point was higher than many expected, but that’s not the core inhibitor for adoption — it’s having a PC that’s Oculus-ready,” says Gownder. “Aside from PC gamers — and not even all of them — very few people have PCs with the needed specifications. Most people would have to buy the Rift and a $1,000-plus PC to use the device.”

Concurring with that perspective, Goodman opines that the vast majority don’t have PCs that meet Oculus Rift’s minimum PC requirements to run VR games and entertainment. Overall, Gownder estimates that only 13 million PCs globally are currently compatible with the Oculus Rift.

Which comes first, VR hardware or software?

Seeing that the install base for VR-capable PCs remains at a low level, the market might not yet exist. The classic chicken-or-the-egg scenario pops into view. Without a critical mass of hardware to run VR software, who will write the games? And with a lack of first-person shooters, etc., who will build PCs and consoles with VR compatibility?

“When it comes to consumer entertainment, the content dilemma poses a significant hurdle for adoption,” Maurice Patel, industry strategist, media and entertainment at Autodesk, developer of 3D design software, tells me. “Many VR headset manufacturers try to kick-start content creation by funding their own productions through initiatives like Oculus Studio. However, it will take several iterations of hardware and successful production projects before the technology is mature enough to warrant generalized, large-scale production of VR content.”

Today, VR is an exciting, bleeding-edge technology for exploring new ways of telling stories, driving gameplay and communicating ideas. Where it will go from here is yours to dream.

Sony PlayStation 4 to Run Playstation 2 Games

Tired of the current-gen PS4 games on your latest Sony console? Yearning for the good old days of the PS2?  If you ever wanted to enjoy a trip down that nostalgia lane when it comes to gaming then Sony has some good news for you. The PS4 will be getting the best PS2 games so you can relive your memories from a decade (or 2) back.

Which PS2 Games are Available?

The first bunch of PS2 games have already started hitting the platform. Here is a list of current PS2 releases:

• Dark Cloud
• Grand Theft Auto III
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• Rogue Galaxy
• The Mark of Kri
• Twisted Metal: Black
• War of the Monsters

Can PS2 Games Take Advantage of PS4 Features?

The games will run on the PS4 at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second. There will also be support for PS4 exclusive features such as Remote Play, Trophy Support, Live Broadcast and Second Screen support for game manuals with any mobile device or Vita.

Several other games are coming too, including Parappa the Rapper 2 and King of Fighters 2000. Sony will be announcing their availability as they roll out.

There is a catch though, the price. While Microsoft is aiming for backwards compatibility with the Xbox One, Sony will charge you separately for playing each game again, costing you in the region of $10-15 on Now, meaning reliving your past moments won’t be a cheap affair. 

Previously owned Xbox 360 games only require your disc or prior digital download to work.

We also don’t know whether there will be support for disc-based games, another place where

the Xbox has a clear advantage. Still, games are perhaps one of the strongest inducers of nostalgia and if you’re involved in that kind of thing, this seems like a small price to pay.