Watch the Times Square New Year’s ball rise and drop with this official app

We’re just hours away from the calendar turning to 2014, and you’re probably wondering how you can follow along with the world famous New Years’ Ball Drop in the heart of Times Square New York City at midnight tonight. If, for whatever reason, you can’t follow along with the many stations on TV who will be broadcasting the ceremony live, you’ll be happy to know that you can follow along anywhere with the official Times Square Ball app in the Google Play Store.

You can watch the ball being raised starting at 6pm eastern, and then circle back six hours later right before the hour hits midnight to watch the legendary countdown and subsequent celebration. Celebrity interviews, music performances and more from the Big Apple will all be served up right to your smartphone or tablet. Find the free app in the Google Play Store.

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Phandroid 11:34 PM 1 comment

Google Play Music All Access users receiving Google Glass Explorer invitations

Google originally began selling Glass Explorer units at I/O 2012, giving developers in attendance the opportunity to be the first to get a pair of its smart eyewear so long as they were willing to part with $1500. More recently, El Goog began allowing existing Explorers to invite their friends to take part in the testing, and now Google is the one doing the inviting.

Google today began sending “VIP invitations” to Play Music All Access subscribers that give them the chance to purchase a Glass unit. The invitations are meant to coincide with the recent arrival of Play Music support on Glass, which allows wearers to listen to their playlists and radio.

While the Glass Explorer program still isn’t wide open for anyone to join, this latest round of invitations that’s being sent to Play Music All Access subscribers is a pretty large expansion of the program. It’s also an indicator that Glass is continuing to mature and get closer to being ready for a full-on public launch, which Google has previously said will take place in 2014.

Have you received an invitation to join the Google Glass Explorer program?

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Android and Me 11:33 PM 1 comment

SwipePad Gets Blacklist Option In Latest Update, Can Now Prevent Itself From Activating When Certain Apps Are Open

SwipePad is a gesture-based app switcher that lets users open a selection of apps without exiting the one they're in beforehand. The latest update isn't a large one, but it's bound to make using the launcher slightly less annoying. Now users have the option to select apps that should disable SwipePad's functionality while they are running. The recently updated version of Carbon, with its new slide-out view, is an example of one such app that could benefit from this option.

Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:

• [New App] Mobint Joins The 4.0+ Launcher Party With Jelly Bean-Inspired Holo Launcher HD


• Action Launcher Looks To Realize The Full Potential Of Home Screen Widgets With 'Shutters' In Latest Update


• SwipePad Update Adds Drag-And-Drop Shortcut Editing, Bigger Pads In MoreSpace Plugin


• Aviate Launcher Review: One Of The Most Powerful Alpha Products I've Ever Used

SwipePad Gets Blacklist Option In Latest Update, Can Now Prevent Itself From Activating When Certain Apps Are Open was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Android Police - Android News , Apps , Games , Phones , Tablets » Apps/Games 11:20 PM 1 comment

DraStic Nintendo DS Emulator Adds MOGA Controller Support, Wider Device And Game Support, And ART Compatibility

We featured the DraStic Nintendo DS emulator way back when it launched and came away impressed. Version 2.2 of the app is probably the biggest update yet, adding a host of forward-looking features that should improve both performance and overall gaming satisfaction. Android 4.4 users in particular will be happy to hear that DraStic now supports Android Runtime (ART).

Those of you with a MOGA controller can now use it natively with DraStic, no root or workaround required.

Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:

• [Hands-On] DraStic Is The Android Nintendo DS Emulator You've Been Waiting For


• Android Team Acknowledges Honeycomb Emulator Performance Problems, Hard At Work On Fixes


• [New Game] DotEmu's Double Dragon Trilogy Hits Android With Mobile-Optimized Gameplay, A Remastered Soundtrack, And More


• Grand Theft Auto III Updated To Version 1.3 With Expanded Compatibility, Improved Xperia Play Controls, And More

DraStic Nintendo DS Emulator Adds MOGA Controller Support, Wider Device And Game Support, And ART Compatibility was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Android Police - Android News , Apps , Games , Phones , Tablets » Apps/Games 11:20 PM 1 comment

Deal alert: $199.99 Nexus 7 (2013) comes with free $25 Google Play Store gift card at Best Buy

Santa may very well be preparing for next year’s, but late Christmas gifts are always welcomed, especially if they can be purchased at a sweeter price than usual.

Best Buy is definitely interested in clearing some 16GB Nexus 7 (2013) stock these days, as the company is not only offering buyers a $30 deal discount on the device – that means it costs $199.99 instead of the regular $229.99 – but it’s also throwing in a free $25 Google Play Store gift card that can be used for digital content purchases.

According to the company, the free $25 gift code will be sent via email as soon as half an hour after purchase – although it some instances it can take up to eight hours to ship.

Unfortunately, the deal only applies to the entry-level Nexus 7 (2013) model, meaning that the 32GB version and the LTE aren’t eligible for the offer – they cost $269.99 and $349.99, respectively. In case you want a cheaper Nexus tablet offer, Best Buy sort-of has you covered, as it still sells refurbished Nexus 7 (2012) models for $149.99 a pop.

Nexus 7, Android 4.3, Chromecast Media Event - The Rundown [4:43]

Google Nexus 7 (2013) Review [9:30]

Google Nexus 7 (2013) Drop Test! [6:51]

Nexus 7 (2013) - Best Cases! [6:10]

Nexus 7 (2013) Official Case / Flip Cover [2:51]

Nexus 7 (2013) vs Nexus 7 (2012) [8:13]

That said, if you’ve just received your Nexus 7 this Christmas, or plan to buy it in the following days, make sure you check out our extensive hands-on coverage of the tablet in the playlist above!

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Android Authority 11:14 PM No comments

Sony: look forward to new devices — including wearables — in 2014

With 2013 coming to a close, Sony is putting a nice big stamp on the year with a recap of all their big device launches this year. From the Xperia Z launched at CES to the Xperia Z1 at IFA Berlin and everything in between, the company has been quite business. We also saw the launch of the Sony SmartWatch 2, as well as the first Sony device to get the Google Play Edition treatment (the Sony Xperia Z Ultra).

But what’s in store for 2014? More great phones and tablets, we imagine. But Sony says they’ll be taking the year to explore even more new and exciting form factors, including the “wearables” category that has become oh-so-popular in recent months. Sony was one of the first major players in this space, so it’s only natural for them to continue on that path.

That they left the possibilities open to the entirety of the “wearables” category isn’t lost on us. Could we expect some Google Glass-like products from Sony? A new fitness band like the Samsung Galaxy Band or LG LifeBand Touch? Or is Sony just going to continue on the smart watch path?

Any number of things can happen, so we’ll let our imagination continue to run wild as we await those things in the year to come. Regardless, it looks like Sony is setting out to make 2014 a great year, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

[via Sony]

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Phandroid 10:49 PM No comments

Samsung Galaxy F could launch alongside the Galaxy S 5

We have heard rumors about a possible Galaxy F phone, which would actually be higher than the Galaxy S 5 on the totem pole. Will the Galaxy S 5 be metal or not has been the big question, but all things seem to point towards not. That would mean the Galaxy F would get the metal body, but everything else as far as the design would be identical to the Galaxy S 5.

My guess is that the Galaxy F could have a $100 premium over the Galaxy S 5. We have already seen hints that Samsung is having a difficult time selling more phones, so this is one way for them to increase margins.

Assuming this rumor is true, this is the better option for Samsung. If they were to make the Galaxy S 5 metal, consumers would still want the price point to remain the same as the Galaxy S 4, but that would hurt profits. HTC made that mistake with the One. HTC’s profits were already suffering, and all they did was add cost to their flagship phone while keeping the price the same. Samsung is already selling a lot of phones that are plastic, and most of the fans aren’t demanding metal. Those that do will just have to pay a little more.

source: ETNews

via: PhoneArena

Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy F could launch alongside the Galaxy S 5

Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

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and Updates , Android News , Rumours 10:43 PM No comments

Carbon Twitter Client Updated To Version 2.0 With An All-New, All-Black Interface

Carbon is back, Twitter addicts, and it is indeed back in black. The 2.0 revision of the popular Twitter client is like the all-black Charger with tinted windows and zero badges - it's so nondescript that you just can't help but notice it. The updated app is live in the Play Store now, and the token issues that plagued the initial release seem to be absent, at least for the moment.

Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:

• [New App] Carbon For Twitter Is (Wait For It) Live In The Play Store Now


• Carbon Twitter Client For Android (Of WebOS Fame) Gets Previewed On Video, Alpha Coming Soon


• Plume For Twitter Updated To Version 5, With A Snazzy New Widget, Better Performance, And More


• [Updated With Our Review] Twitter Releases Official Android App, Kicks All Other Twitter App Devs Where It Hurts

Carbon Twitter Client Updated To Version 2.0 With An All-New, All-Black Interface was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Android Police - Android News , Apps , Games , Phones , Tablets » Apps/Games 10:20 PM No comments

Vector 25: Top tech stories of 2013!

Android Central - Android Forums - News - Reviews - Help and Android Wallpapers 10:08 PM No comments

Chromebook popularity soars, outsells Android tablets and Macbooks in the US

NPD Group has come out with some new computing unit sales numbers in the US for the period of January 2013 through November 2013, and compared them to sales of units from the same period a year ago. There were some interesting, if not predictable, trends in the numbers. iPads still dominate the tablet wars, Windows notebooks and desktops are still crushing Mac OS equivalents, PC sales are down overall, and Android tablets are growing at a respectable pace.

But one trend in particular caught our eye — Chromebooks are doing damned well for themselves. NPD Group shows that Chromebooks accounted for 9.6% of sales in these categories, outpacing the 1.8% of the share owned by Macbooks and 8.7% by Android tablets. We’d put more weight on the 2.2% of Windows tablets, but that was probably already obvious.

Those Chromebook numbers were much higher than last year’s measly 0.2%, which isn’t surprising considering there’s a much larger stable of affordable and interesting devices to choose from. Options from HP, Samsung, ASUS and more give consumers a decent connected computing experience for a pretty nice value.

Most folks still need the type of horsepower that only traditional PCs can provide, but this proves that there is a market out there for a platform driven entirely by the web. It’s the “check email, bank statements, YouTube and the latest gossip” crowd that helps Chromebook flourish.

2014 should be even more interesting, with devices like the LG Chromebase showing that Chrome OS can fit on more traditional form factors. You can find the full chart above, and more details about computing device sales from NPD’s research can be had at the source link.

[via NPD Group]

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Phandroid 9:34 PM No comments

HTC confirms EVO 4G LTE’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update coming in February

You might think that most folks are waiting on the arrival of Android 4.4 KitKat, but many are still waiting to be stepped up to Android 4.3. One group of owners included in that pile are owners of the HTC EVO 4G LTE on Sprint, and while HTC already confirmed the device would be getting the upgrade we’ve never had a solid timeline to look forward to.

Thankfully, HTC’s Jason Mackenzie quieted the requests for an ETA by giving us one: the Android 4.3 upgrade for the HTC EVO 4G LTE will be entering testing in mid-January, and should be rolling out to folks in mid-February. Along with the under-the-hood goods Android 4.3 brings, HTC will also be bringing HTC Sense 5, which includes an enhanced BlinkFeed and new camera features.

Of course, that still leaves the issue of KitKat — will it get it or not? We can’t say for sure just yet as HTC hasn’t been interested in giving us any news in regards to that. We haven’t even gotten any news on the upgrade for the international HTC One X which the EVO 4G LTE is based on. HTC will likely be focusing on their 2013 One lineup first, but only time will tell if they’ll have enough time to squeeze their 2012 options into their KitKat upgrade plans.

[via Twitter]

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Phandroid 9:13 PM No comments

LG LifeBand Touch leaked; looks like some sort of fitness tracker

Wearable technology has gained quite the steam in 2013, with the likes of Google Glass and tons more smart watches being introduced. It looks like 2014 is poised to be even better, and LG might be one of the next major players to get in on the fun.

Twitter leakster @evleaks has given us a look at the LG Lifeband Touch, a wrist-dwelling device that doesn’t seem to have a heads-up display. The “touch” in its name suggests you’ll be able to interact with it in some way, shape or form using the tap of a finger, but we’re obviously not sure what that interaction would be just yet.

This thing would obviously come to market as a fitness tracker, not totally unlike Nike’s FuelBand+, the FitBit, or the rumored upcoming Samsung Galaxy Band. Those devices grab bodily vitals like your heart rate, and tracks how much and how often you move about (be it a brisk walk in the park or a rigorous workout routine).

With a render being leaked so close to CES 2014 we’d naturally hope to see it at the big show in Vegas, but we’ll have to wait until LG’s official ceremonies kick off before we’re let in on any secrets.

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Phandroid 8:50 PM No comments

Blip Blup – a simple yet highly addictive puzzle game

Blip Blup is a funky puzzle game based on a glowing grid of squares and shapes. When you press a square and change it’s color, it ripples outward to change other squares. The aim of the game is to convert all squares into their new color to complete the level. Is it fiendishly simple? Yes.... View Article

Blip Blup – a simple yet highly addictive puzzle game is a post from the World's Largest Global Brand for Android App Reviews: AndroidTapp.com

The post Blip Blup – a simple yet highly addictive puzzle game appeared first on AndroidTapp.

Check Out More Related:

1. MegaFlux – if you love challenging logic puzzle games, then you must play this!


2. Brain Puzzle FREE – keep your thinker fresh by playing captivating mini-challenges


3. Sporcle an App Platform for User-generated Quizzes and Games

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AndroidTapp 8:03 PM No comments

Space Colony v1.2 Apk

Apk Size : 7.1M!

Android : 2.1 and up!

Overview

Discover Space Colony somewhere in the Galaxy!

The first human colonies in space are available on your phone and tablet :) You can choose one of five places and see how the city looks.



The Space Colony is surrounded by Toxic Aura. You can change the color and power of Aura. The colonists use it to gaining energy. Over the city flying big spaceships, transports new colonists and cargo.

In the city you can also set the illumination of buildings, set several different camera paths. Quick double-click on the screen automatically change the route of the camera.

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What's New in v1.2

+ NEW Space Colony places : Naton Planet, Zera Moon

+ NEW options : random timer, random place, random aura, random illumination (all default off)

+ Improve speed. Fixed issues.



Space Colony is a live wallpaper. Best for phones and tablets.

Use accelerometr to move camera. You may change many options like colony background, city illumination, toxic aura, camera tracks, and so on.



Detail Info, ScreenShoot and User Review On Google Play





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AppDotApk.Com 6:36 PM No comments

Pop UI (Go Apex Nova theme) v1.0 Apk

Apk Size : 9.2M!

Android : 2.2 and up!

Overview

Welcome to Pop UI. An icon pack for Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, Go Launcher Ex, Action Launcher Pro, Trebuchet Launcher & some others.

This theme currently contains 655+ icons & I'll be constantly updating adding in more. Also includes the 10 wallpapers seen in the screenshots. The icons are HD at 144x144, & look sharp on both phones & tablets.



What's New

Initial release!

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Recommended icon sizes:

- Nova Launcher (Prime): 110%

- Apex Launcher: 110%

- Go Launcher: Big

- Action Launcher Pro: 110%

Nova Launcher is the recommended launcher to use. Nova includes letter dividers for easier browsing when viewing all of the icons.

This is NOT a standalone app, you need a launcher such as Go, Apex, Nova, etc that allow custom themes.



Installation:

1. Install Nova, Apex, Go, etc (all free in the Play Store)

2. Install this theme

3. Find Pop UI in any of the launcher's theme settings, then apply.



Detail Info, ScreenShoot and User Review On Google Play





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AppDotApk.Com 2:52 PM No comments

Spectrum ICS Pro Live WP v1.2.6 Apk

Apk Size : 1.3M!

Android : 2.2 and up!

Overview

Spectrum ICS live wallpaper, beautiful abstract colors with floating particles.

Also great for new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich themes and Jelly Bean devices.



What's New in v1.2.6

- Added more options to FPS

- Updated to latest Android 4.4 SDK

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App Features

- Beautiful abstract colors

- Setting widget

- Custom background color

- 6 background themes

- 4 shadow types

- Shadow settings

- Strip settings

- Dust settings

- Light element settings

- Parallax effect

- Use 3D hardware to render images, save battery

- Spectrum ICS Pro support most resolutions including Android 3.0 tablet

- Android 4.0 ICS ready



Detail Info, ScreenShoot and User Review On Google Play





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AppDotApk.Com 2:52 PM No comments

Carbon 2 Twitter app coming soon with new features

The new version of the popular Twitter app Carbon is just about ready with a number of new features and a fresh new design.

Designer M.Saleh Esmaeili announced the new Carbon 2.0 is all “fully wired and polished.” All that remains is to put the app up in the Google Play Store, which should happen sometime in the very near future. It may even be there buy the time you read this.

Carbon 2 brings with it a brand new look and a new Timeline design. The app also brings back the Quick Timeline option from previous versions of Carbon. There are other features in the new app, but Esmaeili seems content to tease us about what those will entail.

What we do know from Esmaeili’s Google+ post is that all the new features of Carbon 2 will be front-and-center when you download the app. None of the cool new features will be hidden behind layers of settings where most users will never find them. Presumably a few of those new features will even present themselves in the screenshot previews for the app when it hits the Play Store.

It’s not clear if developer dots & lines will release Carbon 2 as a free update to the current app, or if users will have to pay for the upgrade. There’s no mention of paying in Esmaeili’s post, but we all know developers have to eat, and a great Twitter app is always worth paying for.

Are you excited to see what’s new with Carbon 2? What’s your Twitter app of choice?

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Android Authority 12:57 PM No comments

Samsung Galaxy S5 concept video borrows iPhone 5s features

A new concept video for the Samsung Galaxy S5 shows what Samsung’s next phone could be like if it takes a couple features from the iPhone 5s and iterates on them.

The major focus of the new concept video is what the video creators Rozetked call Reach ID. The idea of Reach ID is very similar to Apple’s Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, but a bit more useful. Where Touch ID is only accessible from the iPhone’s home button, the concept Reach ID unlocks the phone with a fingerprint from anywhere.

With the Reach ID concept you would simply put your finger anywhere on the home button or homescreen of the Galaxy S5 to unlock the phone. Or, if you can’t reach your phone for some reason, Reach ID can unlock the S5 with just your voice. Presumably such a feature use a specific passphrase or cadence like Touchless Control feature of the Moto X, but because this is a concept video it’s not limited to such restrictions.

Speaking of not limited to reality, this concept video shows some neat voice control features that let you create a workflow for your phone. The voice control features in the concept video can open the music app, play songs from Metallica, then open the most recent photos in the Gallery app with just a few sentences and no taps required. Even more than Reach ID the feature seems like a ways off, and, if it did exist, it probably wouldn’t use the Google Now UI, but it’s always nice to dream.

Of course, the video ends with specs of the concept Samsung Galaxy S5 that make sense with the most recent rumored specs for the phone. They include a 5.2-inch 2K (2560×1440 resolution) display, a 64-bit Exynos 5 Octa processor, Android 4.4 KitKat, and 3GB of RAM.

The Galaxy S5 is one of the most hotly anticipated phones of 2014, with many more concepts to come.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is still a few months away, so expect a few more concept videos like this one and a few more rumors before it actually comes out. We don’t know much about the next Samsung flagship, but if it’s anything like this concept video, it should be a very exciting phone. If Samsung is following in the natural progression of what it had done for the past several major device launches, then it’s likely to have the best in class specifications; many of which have been listed above. Also, if you’re interested in seeing what other creative types have concocted in terms of concepts, then check out the hybrid HTC One / Galaxy device here

What features would you like to see in the Samsung Galaxy S5? Excited for it? Or holding out for something else? Let us know what’s next on your watch list!

Thanks, Oleg!

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Android Authority 11:57 AM No comments

TalkAndroid Daily Dose for December 30, 2013

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!!

TalkAndroid Staff Picks: Best Android Phone for 2013

Apps

Widget for Hangouts developed by XDA senior member, now available in the Play Store

Carriers

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro to come to AT&T’s network

Chromebooks

Samsung’s Next Chromebook Could Feature Exynos Octa-Core CPU and 2560×1440 Display

Google

Android in the car is finally here, Google to take a spin with Audi

Eric Schmidt Predicts What Google Will Have in Store for Us in 2014

Motorola CEO Gives Insight into Google Interaction

Google releases Google+ Auto-Backup for desktops

Hardware

Samsung to announce Exynos 6 and Exynos S at CES 2014?

Samsung develops first 8-gigabit LPDDR4 4GB mobile DRAM

Phones

Pictures of Huawei Ascend Mate 2 leak, will feature same display as its predecessor

LG G2 sales may not have missed target after all

KitKat update for DROID Maxx/Ultra/Mini is reportedly bricking devices

Samsung Galaxy Grand Lite passes through FCC

Sony 2014 flagship device rumors come to light

Smartwatches

Archos to announce multiple connected devices at CES, including a smartwatch, home camera, and weather station

Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro to come to AT&T’s network

Best Buy offering $30 discount and $25 Google Play gift card with Nexus 7 purchase

Updates

KitKat update for DROID Maxx/Ultra/Mini is reportedly bricking devices

Possible issue with alert sounds emerges for some users on Android 4.4.2

Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Daily Dose for December 30, 2013

Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

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and Updates , Android News , Rumours 11:57 AM No comments

29 Best New Android Apps And Live Wallpapers From The Last 2 Weeks (12/18/13 - 12/30/13)

Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.

Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Featured App

Bills Reminder Lite

Today's roundup is presented by Bills Reminder from HandyApps.

Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:

• Google Announces Carrier Billing For Movies, Music, Books, And Apps From The Play Store On Some Carriers


• Manilla Releases Android App, Makes Bill-Paying Easier Than It Should Be


• [Live Blog] Android Police's Live Coverage Of The Google I/O 2013 Keynote


• VEVO Announces VEVO TV, An Always-On Streaming Music Video Channel, Already Available As Part Of The App

29 Best New Android Apps And Live Wallpapers From The Last 2 Weeks (12/18/13 - 12/30/13) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Android Police - Android News , Apps , Games , Phones , Tablets » Apps/Games 10:11 AM No comments