Tango Messenger 1.0.64 - app

Tango Messenger has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Download Tango Messenger 1.0.64

Chrome 33.0.1750.132 - app

Enjoy simple and quick web browsing with Chrome for Android 4.0.

While there are many web browsers for Android, the beta of Chrome is easily the fastest. Much like its partner for desktops, Chrome is dedicated to loading websites and allowing you to browse quickly.

If you have used Chrome before, Chrome on Android will be familiar. The interface is optimized for small screens and most websites load in their native versions, meaning you are not going to be looking at mobile versions of sites.

Dolphin Browser 10.2.6 - app

Dolphin Browser is a fast and easy-to-use web browser for Android phones. It is packed with useful features to help you navigate the web more efficiently.

Dolphin Browser makes it easy to browse for sites and enjoy their content on your mobile, thanks to its excellent browsing features. Pages are opened in the form of tabs (you can have up to eight open at once). You can flick between sites effortlessly by clicking on the tabs or sliding the screen down to access the thumbnail window view, where previews of all the currently-open sites are displayed.

Other helpful browsing aids in Dolphin Browser include a bookmarks panel, which slides out from the left of the screen, giving you quick access to your favorite pages. You can easily customize the order of the bookmarks by clicking and dragging them around the list.

Dolphin Browser includes a Speed Dial for fast access to commonly visited pages. There's also a Webzine feature for reading Facebook, Twitter and news feeds in a comfortable way, through timelines with thumbnails.

Touch friendly

Dolphin Browser features full multi-touch support. You can navigate around sites with the flick of a finger, zoom in by tapping or pinching (a feature which is sorely missing in Opera Mini and Firefox Mobile.

On the subject of touch, this latest version of Dolphin Browser HD adds even more support for touch gestures. This allows you to draw a letter or a symbol on the screen to access a particular site or perform a function. For example, writing an 'f' will open Facebook; or drawing left and right arrows will move you back or forward through pages. You can even create your own custom gestures!

Getting around quickly

Handily, Dolphin Browser includes address auto-complete, which speeds up URL entry by suggesting likely matches from your bookmarks or from the web. There is no search bar to speak of in Dolphin Browser, but if you type a word into the URL bar and hit Enter you'll be taken to a Google search results page. There's even a voice search feature powered by Google, which works very well.

Dolphin Browser is very quick and it includes full support for HTML5. Unlike Skyfire, Dolphin Browser doesn't support Flash video within the browser, and instead it'll prompt you to launch a separate player.

Plug in to new features

There aren't a huge amount of advanced features built into Dolphin Browser, which may be part of the reason for its streamlined performance. However, you can beef up its capabilities by installing add-ons, which are accessible from a slide-out panel on the right of the screen. Among the downloadable extras are a password manager, YouTube search, ad blocker and Google Translate.

Given its slick performance and ease of use, we rank Dolphin Browser as the best alternative browser for Android.

Instagram 5.0.8 - app

Instagram lets you take photos and videos with your Android device, apply a few special effects and share them with family friends on its own social network - or via other social networks.

What can you do with Instagram?

You take your pictures, add a customized filter, and post it to Instagram’s community or through Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare or Tumblr. Through the Instagram app, you can give “likes” and give or receive comments on your pictures.

Instagram has a Facebook-style feed, in which you can view all the photos uploaded by yourself and the people who you follow on Instagram.

The latest version of Instagram for Android allows you to tag people in the photos you upload, in much the same way as you would with Facebook. This will then show up in their Instagram feed. Instagram supports geo-tagging so you can add your location and see where others took their uploaded pictures.

The best thing about Instagram are the filters included in the program. There are many to choose from (Lomo-fi, Earlybird, Lily, Apollo, Nashville, 1977...) with different color, brightness and lighting effects. If chosen wisely, you can obtain really awesome results.

Instagram also includes support for videos, allowing you to capture up-to 15 seconds of footage to share via the Instagram network. As with photos, you can choose from a range of effects to apply to your videos to get them looking great.

Is Instagram complicated?

The Instagram app is very easy to navigate. There are icons at the bottom of the interface which represent the different features of Instagram: the photo feed, photo/user search, photo capture, news feed (recent activity on the network from you and those you follow), and profile settings. When viewing pictures on your profile you can choose to display as a list or as a series of tiles for easy navigation.

The presentation of the photos themselves in the photo feed is very clear, and likes and comments are shown underneath each picture. You can like or comment on a photo with a single click of an icon. However, it's a shame you can't open images full screen (i.e. you can only ever see them within the feed).

Applying filters and retouching your photos in Instagram is very simple. You can snap an image through the app or choose one from your phone then view live previews of what each effect will look like. Cropping and editing effects are basic but easy to apply and preview. There's also a handy image straightening feature that lets you correct pictures that were taken at a jaunty angle.

Unforunatley there's no 'Undo' feature in Instagram's editor, so if you make a mistake you have to start right back from before you started editing.

Now with video messaging via Instagram Direct!

Instagram now includes a photo and video messaging feature called Instagram Direct. It allows you to capture images and video then share them with Instgram friends. You can send messages via Instagram Direct to up-to 15 of your contacts at once.

The service is very easy to use, and if you have many friends on Instagram it could be a more practical alternative to sending multimedia messages via other services like WhatsApp or Snapchat.

The verdict

The Instagram app makes it easy to apply fun effects to your photos and share them with your friends. Although it requires you to sign-up to share images, the possibilities of pictures are vast.

Download Instagram 5.0.8

Skype 2.16.0.266 - app

With Skype for Windows Phone you can chat via voice, video or text message with other Skype users.

The function of the app is the same as other versions, but the interface follows the Windows Phone 7.5 look. Once you sign in, your Skype contacts are displayed as a list and you can swipe to see different lists. Skype’s contact list integration is the same as the contacts list so the default settings are easily deciphered.

Calls in Skype for Windows Phone can be made over 3G and Wi-Fi. If you have Skype Credit, you can call landlines and mobile phones like the other versions. There are not any new features in this version and it has the same options as other devices.

Skype is very easy to use, though it's not the most polished VoIP app around. Video quality isn't amazing, and the app has a tendency to drain battery.

Skype is a VoIP app for Windows Phone that is a must-have if you're a regular user of the service.

Download Skype 2.16.0.266

XENOZU Player 1.0.23 - app

XENOZU Player has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Foursquare 2014.02.26 - app

Foursquare is a location app that allows you to check into locations, compete with friends, and find places to go.

Available for more platforms than competitor Gowalla, and having a larger community, Foursquare should be the best of the location based apps. However, when you first install it, it can be hard to see what to do with it. Once you've found or invited some friends, and checked in at a few locations, Foursquare begins to make sense.

Foursquare allows your to post mini reviews of places you've been to, and collect badges - like achievements in video games. You can see where your friends are too, and as checking in to locations gives you points, you can see who's winning.

Foursquare is a mix between a social game and useful tool. This type of app only works if you can get enough of your friends to use it. You can find places to go and things to do, read user recommendations and sometimes even get free gifts from places you check in.

The interface is simple to navigate, although it's a bit dry in its design. Competing app Gowalla looks much better. Despite this, as long as Foursquare's community is larger there are more places to find, with more user tips and more incentives to become the mayor of your favorite spots. Competing with your friends can be fun, even if it might feel like you're turning your entire life into an RPG.

As it's community grows, Foursquare is becoming a really useful service, great for finding friends and things to do wherever you are.

Download Foursquare 2014.02.26

Hike 2.8.2 - app

Hike is messaging app for Android that lets you chat for free with any other user of the service. Hike is very similar to applications such as s WhatsApp or LINE.

What does Hike do?

Hike allows you save the cost of sending SMS by exchanging free messages with anyone else who has the app installed, regardless of what smartphone platform they are using. Hike can even send SMS messages for free to someone, though this service only works in India at present.

Besides just chatting via instant messaging, you can attach images, video, audio and voice messages to your chats with Hike. There's also an option for sharing your location with the person you're chatting too. Hike includes a group chatting feature too.

Hike includes a wide selection of fun emoticons that you can add to your chats, which are grouped into three different types of character. There's something for everyone in there.

How easy is Hike to use?

The setup process for Hike is very similar to that of WhatsApp or Viber. You need to enter your phone number and you'll be sent an activation code via SMS. Enter this into the field provided and you're away.

You can easily view all your friends on Hike by tapping the contacts button. This will pull up a list of people from your phone contacts book who have Hike, as well as allowing you to invite friends who don't yet have the app.

Is Hike better than WhatsApp?

Ultimately, Hike is very similar to WhatsApp. It shares almost all of the same features, though I would say WhatsApp is a bit more polished. Although the user interface of Hike looks great, it doesn't have the customization options of WhatsApp, which allows you to change the background image of the chat window. WhatsApp has a more varied range of emoticons, too.

In our tests of Hike 1.7.1 on a Galaxy Nexus S, we had problems with the activation process, which the developer said was not working due to "high demand". Eventually we managed to register and test the app. In general it runs very well, but we experienced a couple of crashes.

Hike is a fast and easy way to chat for free with your buddies on your phone. Whether you choose Hike over WhatsApp, LINE, Viber and the rest will depend ultimately on which service most of your friends are using.

Softonic 2.0 - app

Softonic is the perfect place to discover the best applications for your device. Softonic offers reviews of the latest apps, as well as news, tutorials, tips, comparisons, and video guides, to help you get the most out of your Android smartphone or tablet.

The Softonic mobile application is designed to make app discovery fun, with a sleek, modern user interface that makes it quick and easy to find the best apps for you. 

Features of the Softonic app

The Softonic application boasts a wide range of features, designed to help you brighten up your mobile experience:

• Read expert reviews of the latest hot apps and fun games


• Check out our tutorials, tips, interviews, and round-ups to discover more about the world of apps


• View user comments and share reviews and articles with your friends


• Enjoy video reviews of the top applications


• Check out editor and user ratings to help you quickly decide what to install


• Get app recommendations, hand-picked by our team of crack app reviewers


• Thousands of apps and games independently reviewed by software journalists, covering all the major mobile and desktop operating systems.

The Softonic app is split into three main sections: Reviews, Features, and News.

Reviews and features (tutorials, tips, round-ups, etc.) explain more about the apps and games that everyone is talking about. The news section of Softonic helps you keep up with the latest developments in mobile software and tech. You can find out about interesting new apps and games, so you can be the first of your friends to try the next big thing.

App discovery made simple

Softonic's reviews are designed to be easy to read and to provide an at-a-glance overview of each application, with pros and cons highlighting important things to know about an app or game before you install or buy it. All our reviews are accompanied by high quality screenshots so you can instantly see what to expect.

The Softonic app offers a magazine-style view of the latest top class content from our team of experts, including editors’ picks, news, tutorials, tips, opinion articles, and more. App listings help you quickly find the best-rated, top-downloaded and top trending apps and games. You can also browse reviews by category, within a massive, ever-growing directory that is easier to explore than your average app store.

The verdict

Softonic is the best place to head for to discover more about applications and games.

Download Softonic 2.0

Documents by Readdle 5.0 (iPad) - app

Documents by Readdle is an iPad app that lets you view and manage files from multiple cloud drive services.

If you use Dropbox, Box, iCloud, and Google Drive, it can be a bit of a pain to keep them all in sync. Documents by Readdle make it easy to manage files from these different services. You can view, download, and upload files to each service.

Documents by Readdle supports a variety of different formats. You can read PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, listen to music, and more. In our testing, PDFs loaded flawlessly and rendered quickly.

Performance is good but not great. Some files take a long time to download but that depends on your connection. There were some stability problems with the app that we noticed during testing. Documents by Readdle would crash if you navigated around the interface without letting everything load completely.

The biggest drawback of Documents by Readdle is its inability to move files between services directly in the app. You still could move a file but it will require you downloading the file and then uploading it to the service you want.

Overall, Documents by Readdle is a great cloud file manager but could use some more features and stability improvements.

Download Documents by Readdle 5.0 (iPad)

Truecaller 2.902 - app

Features:

- Lookup mobile and landline numbers from all over the world.

- Caller ID - See who the unknown caller is before answering (Requires 3G or Wifi).

- Call Blocker - Block calls from your personal blacklist and block common spam callers thanks to the community blacklist.

- Social connected - Connect to your Facebook or LinkedIn account to get your friends latest social status information immediately when they call you.

- Call log - see all incoming and outgoing calls plus searches made in one single view.

Help guard your most personal accessory, your mobile phone, by instantly knowing who is calling before you pick up. Truecaller gives you the knowledge of who is trying to get in touch with you even if the number is landline, mobile or pre-paid.

This software is designed for consumers, professionals and everyone with a mobile phone. Over 40 million users love Truecaller!

CityMapper 2.11.1 - app

CityMapper has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Waze 3.7.4.5 - app

Waze has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Download Waze 3.7.4.5

Dolphin Browser 10.2.5 - app

Dolphin Browser is a fast and easy-to-use web browser for Android phones. It is packed with useful features to help you navigate the web more efficiently.

Dolphin Browser makes it easy to browse for sites and enjoy their content on your mobile, thanks to its excellent browsing features. Pages are opened in the form of tabs (you can have up to eight open at once). You can flick between sites effortlessly by clicking on the tabs or sliding the screen down to access the thumbnail window view, where previews of all the currently-open sites are displayed.

Other helpful browsing aids in Dolphin Browser include a bookmarks panel, which slides out from the left of the screen, giving you quick access to your favorite pages. You can easily customize the order of the bookmarks by clicking and dragging them around the list.

Dolphin Browser includes a Speed Dial for fast access to commonly visited pages. There's also a Webzine feature for reading Facebook, Twitter and news feeds in a comfortable way, through timelines with thumbnails.

Touch friendly

Dolphin Browser features full multi-touch support. You can navigate around sites with the flick of a finger, zoom in by tapping or pinching (a feature which is sorely missing in Opera Mini and Firefox Mobile.

On the subject of touch, this latest version of Dolphin Browser HD adds even more support for touch gestures. This allows you to draw a letter or a symbol on the screen to access a particular site or perform a function. For example, writing an 'f' will open Facebook; or drawing left and right arrows will move you back or forward through pages. You can even create your own custom gestures!

Getting around quickly

Handily, Dolphin Browser includes address auto-complete, which speeds up URL entry by suggesting likely matches from your bookmarks or from the web. There is no search bar to speak of in Dolphin Browser, but if you type a word into the URL bar and hit Enter you'll be taken to a Google search results page. There's even a voice search feature powered by Google, which works very well.

Dolphin Browser is very quick and it includes full support for HTML5. Unlike Skyfire, Dolphin Browser doesn't support Flash video within the browser, and instead it'll prompt you to launch a separate player.

Plug in to new features

There aren't a huge amount of advanced features built into Dolphin Browser, which may be part of the reason for its streamlined performance. However, you can beef up its capabilities by installing add-ons, which are accessible from a slide-out panel on the right of the screen. Among the downloadable extras are a password manager, YouTube search, ad blocker and Google Translate.

Given its slick performance and ease of use, we rank Dolphin Browser as the best alternative browser for Android.

Download Dolphin Browser 10.2.5

Nimbuzz 2.7.1 - app

Nimbuzz allows you to make calls, chat online, exchange instant messages and send files from your phone for free.

Making long distance or international calls from your mobile phone can be so expensive that it's almost better to not stay in touch. Install Nimbuzz on your phone, and you'll be able to talk to people all over the World much cheaper - or even for free.

Nimbuzz pulls all your contacts from your social networks and IM services together in one place. This means you can exchange messages with all your friends on networks such as MSN, Skype, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, Facebook, or MySpace.

Managing your contacts

The user interface in Nimbuzz combines all of your contacts from all these various networks into one place, and you can see who is online at any time. Everything is presented in a very neat and clear way: contacts are ordered alphabetically and each has a different icon depending on which network they belong to.

You simply need to tap on a person's name then select an icon to chat, call the, view their profile or send multimedia. The call option is only available for the services that support VoIP (Google Talk, MSN, Skype, etc.) but the voice quality is generally very good if you have a strong signal.

Talk using Nimbuzz

Talking on Skype isn't always a great experience with Nimbuzz. We experienced problems connecting with the other person sometimes, and there was often a strange echo on the line.

One great innovation from Nimbuzz is the NimbuzzOut service. Similar to Skype's SkypeOut service, this allows you to call mobile and landline numbers internationally at significantly reduced rates. Nimbuzz also supports free SMS messaging and it can import all of your phone contacts into the app for faster access. There's even a plush dialer built into the app so you don't need to use the default Android keypad.

There are a few things that annoyed me about Nimbuzz. For instance, it didn't seem to display my Facebook contacts in the Contacts list. The chat feature is also lacking in smilies, which is criminal for a modern day IM app. We would also like a video chat feature, please Nimbuzz!

Despite these glitches, Nimbuzz is still a very proficient mobile app that brings all your online and offline contacts together in one place.

My Talking Tom 1.4.1.0 - app

My Talking Tom is a virtual pet game featuring the star of Talking Tom Cat and Talking Tom Cat 2. You need to keep Tom happy by feeding him, petting him, taking him to the bathroom, putting him to sleep, and playing games with him.

More interactive than ever

My Talking Tom retains the same basic functions as the Talking Tom Cat app, but takes things a bit further, giving you much more to do, and casting you more in the role of carer.

You can still do all the basic things you could in Talking Tom Cat and other Outfit 7 talking animal games, namely getting Tom to repeat what you say in a high-pitched voice and interacting with him by touching him in different ways. But the format of My Talking Tom now feels more like the virtual pet game, Pou. There's more to do with your feline friend, such as playing mini games, customizing his appearance, choosing food, and decorating Tom's house to your choosing.

One old feature that's missing from My Talking Tom is the ability to record a video of Tom, like you could in previous versions of the game. This is something I enjoyed and it's a shame it hasn't been included.

Getting new stuff in My Talking Tom requires game coins, which are earned as you go, or can be purchased. There's a leveling-up system where you can rank up by spending time with your cat and making sure his needs are met. As you level up you'll unlock new items and objects from the store.

There are mini games in My Talking Tom, such as whack-a-mole, which give you the chance to win coins, as well as satisfy Tom's entertainment needs.

How to play My Talking Tom

Just like in Pou (and tamagotchis for that matter), your pet in My Talking Tom has certain 'needs' that must be met. These are represented by round meters at the bottom of the screen that slowly deplete and must be filled up again by performing a particular action. The principle is simple to grasp and when you first play my Talking Tom the concepts are well demonstrated to you.

The four needs meters are: entertainment (refilled by petting Talking Tom or playing mini games), food (refilled by dropping food into his mouth) , bladder (refilled by taking him to the toilet) and tiredness (refilled by putting Tom to bed and turning out the light). To perform any of these actions you just need to tap the corresponding meter icon.

How's he looking?

The graphics and overall presentation in My Talking Tom haven't evolved much since Talking Tom Cat 2. The feline largely still looks the same (though you can customize him more) and his squeaky voice is identical. Also, it appears that Tom is the only character that pops up in the game (for example, there's no sign of his girlfriend Talking Angela, or of his nuisance neighbour, Talking Ben the Dog).

What's new in version 1.3?

One interesting feature introduced in the latest update of My Talking Tom is the ability to visit other players' houses and check out how they've decorated theirs. You can also look for treasure chests, where you could turn up more coins. 

There's also a new mini game where you need to guess what Tom is wearing, which is quite fun, especially for younger players.

The verdict

If you're a fan of Talking Tom Cat or Pou, you'll enjoy My Talking Tom, as it blends the best elements of the two. However, some may find the process of constantly giving attention to the cat a little tedious and repetitive.

Download My Talking Tom 1.4.1.0

Facebook Beta 5.2.2.1 - app

Facebook Beta is an early version of Microsoft's next Facebook app for Windows Phone. The app is free to download and use and can be run side-by-side with the existing Facebook for Windows Phone app.

What can you do with Facebook Beta?

Although it's not a final release, Facebook Beta packs in a lot of features that allow you to post to Facebook, chat, and follow what your friends are posting.

Just like the original Facebook client for Windows Phone, you can post status updates, access messages, check your news feed, upload photos, access events, view notifications and more.

Facebook Beta includes some features that set it apart from the official iOS and Android versions of the service. For instance, you can customize your lock screen with photos pulled from your Facebook albums, get toast notifications to alert you of Facebook activity even when the app isn't running (though this feature didn't always seem to work in our tests), and see live tile updates.

Other neat features of Facebook Beta that are not present in the standard client are the ability to pin pages/groups to your start screen and (finally!) the ability to share stories from friends.

The chat and messaging features of Facebook Beta are still not as advanced as they are in the iOS and Android versions. Disappointingly, you can't attach voice or photos into messages or see photos that have been uploaded to group chats.

How does Facebook Beta handle?

Facebook Beta is a little easier to get around than the existing Facebook app for Windows Phone. The user interface is much more common to the iOS and Android versions so if you're familiar with those you'll be able to pick up and start using Facebook Beta without too much bother.

The options menu and chat windows pop out from either side of the screen so you don't have to swipe across and go hunting for the option or contact you want.

How does it look?

Facebook Beta looks a lot more modern and stylish than the standard version. Although it appears more like other mobile versions of the Facebook app, it retains the 'flat' feel of the Windows Phone UI, making it easy on the eye.

The app seems much faster to load than the previous version, and you seemingly are no longer confronted with that awful 'resuming' screen when restarting the Facebook Beta app.

Although performance seems OK, Facebook Beta is still in development stage so of course you'll notice some strange behavior (patchy toast notifications and live tile updating are examples).

The verdict

Overall, Facebook Beta seems like an improvement on Microsoft's previous Facebook app for Windows Phone. The design is easier on the eye, and the new features are genuinely useful.

If Microsoft can iron out some of the performance and stability issues, this could one day become the best Facebook app for mobile.

GO Launcher EX 4.13 - app

GO Launcher EX is a theme customization app that replaces your stock launcher.

Installing GO Launcher EX is easy, but the initial launch includes a lot of placeholders for widgets Go Launcher has developed. These widgets do not do anything except link you to the Google Play Store so you can download them. If you want to customize GO Launcher EX, you will be spending a lot of time initially removing all the associated apps that Go Launcher wants you to install.

There are other launchers that do not include first party in-app links and they may be a better option for users looking for a simpler experience. As a launcher, GO Launcher EX works well, but includes too many "ads" for their own apps.

GO Launcher EX is a good launcher option, but there are less intrusive ones available.

CityMapper 3.9 - app

CityMapper is one of the best transit apps on the market. Available exclusively for London, this app integrates virtually all of London's transit options into one!

Travel options from A to Z

CityMapper is probably best for the endless number of transportation options available to the user. Your journey starts by clicking 'Get me somewhere'. You can choose to 'Start' at your own location, or when planning ahead, start from a different location. Switch to the 'End' tab, type in where you want to go, and click 'Get Route'.

CityMapper gives you the estimated time and cost for walking, cycling (including the number of calories you'll burn), suggested tube routes, suggested bus routes, a bus only or tube only route, the estimated cost and time of taking a taxi, and a rain-safe route to battle the London weather. It even provides a few quirky options like Catapult and Jetpack. A built in weather report gives you the weather conditions at your destination. CityMapper also contains a tube map for reference, as well as line status and weekend closures.

Finding your way

Clicking on a bus, tube or train route will give you live departure times to help you plan your journey in advance. Clicking on the cycling option will give you detailed info on the cycle hire stations near your start and end locations as well as the availability of cycles at the station.

An added bonus in CityMapper is the 'Get me home' function. Simply tap on the button and the GPS locator will give you directions to your saved home address from wherever you are in the city. A similar idea is applied to the 'Get me to work' function.

Arriving on time

CityMapper feels very natural to use and has a really nice interface. The layout of different travel options all on one screen makes it incredibly convenient to compare travel times and prices. The live updates for bus, tube and train are really reliable, and the map does a good job of giving clear directions.

The verdict

This app utilizes all the travel information available in London, and it does so really well, accurately predicting travel times and costs. CityMapper makes it easy to get around one of the most complicated cities in the world, easily replacing at least four travel apps with one. Although it only services London, the layout, design and functionality of the app definitely make it one of the best thought-out travel apps on the market.

Download CityMapper 3.9

tvtag (GetGlue) 2.4.1.13 - app

GetGlue is a social network app that focuses on sharing your media habits.

Everyone interacts with some form of media â€" visual or auditory. GetGlue is a social app that shares your habits through the network and connects users of similar tastes.

The GetGlue experience is relatively simple. Users search for the media they are interacting with, such as a TV show, movie, or video game, etc., and check in with it. On the user profile it shows check-ins, reviews, likes, and other information. Users of GetGlue can also become “gurus” of that specific title by writing reviews and interacting a lot with that particular title.

GetGlue users who utilize the app a lot can earn GetGlue stickers and discounts with a large list of media providers. So in addition to being an entertainment social network, GetGlue works with the media providers that their users are product fans.

The only main problem with GetGlue is that it is very specific in the library of content. Most English language products can be found in GetGlue, but fans of international media will probably not find what they searched for.

GetGlue is a fun social media experience and with expanded content will be even better.

Download tvtag (GetGlue) 2.4.1.13

Hill Climb Racing 1.14.2 - app

Hill Climb Racing is a combination distance and physics arcade and puzzle game.

The point of the game is to drive as far as possible while keeping the car from flipping over and killing the driver. You have a depleting gas gauge and use the gas and brake to move. Depending on the terrain, you could flip the car very easily, because some environments require you to traverse over big hills.

Hill Climb Racing has car upgrades paid by the coins you collect during each playthrough. The challenge and addictiveness of the game is trying to drive as far as possible while trying not to get defeated by the physics.

Graphics in Hill Climb Racing are simple, but animate very smoothly. There isn't any slowdown and that works to make the gameplay experience really fun. You may get frustrated at certain points, but the game is still fun to play.

Hill Climb Racing is an addictive casual game.

Download Hill Climb Racing 1.14.2

Twitter 5.1.4 - app

Twitter, the official Android app for the service, has moved into version 3, presenting some pretty major interface changes.

Probably the biggest change to Twitter for Android is the appearance. It's really grown up, losing the multi-access homepage and launching instead straight into your timeline. It looks more sophisticated too, with a streamlined user interface while still using the recognizable blue header and black and white layout.

As far as Twitter for Android goes in terms of features, it parallels the online site, but sticks to the basics. The standard areas exist like the main timeline, @mentions, and your profile, but Twitter added a hashtag "#Discover" feature allowing you to browse what is trending. Tapping on a tweet now shows the @reply, retweet, favorite, or share options and lists who has performed any of the options.

Among Twitter’s nicer features is a cool tool to search your telephone contacts for Twitter users, and varied suggested users for you to add. You can also modify your profile pretty well from the app, while Twitter for Android also lets you create as many public and private lists as you want.

Twitter for Android supports multiple accounts, easily switchable from the taskbar. The configuration settings are still limited, especially in comparison to apps like Plume and Tweetcaster. Even so, if you’re a low-spec Twitter user who likes to keep things simple, the official Twitter app for Android might be right up your street.

Twitter for Android does its job very well, focusing on working like the online site.

Download Twitter 5.1.4

UC Browser 9.6.0 - app

UC Browser is a quick, sleek internet browser for your Android phone.

There are practically more browsers for Android phones than there are phone models themselves, but if you still haven’t found the one for you, check out UC Browser.

Features

UC Browser has a number of features that help it stand out. For a start, the home page has a selection of quick-access links, helpfully divided into topic areas, like Entertainment and UC's own recommendations. It goes without saying that there's also tabbed browsing, and plenty of tab management options. It's also got a nice window browse function, and a bunch of options that display clearly when your hit the Menu key.

UC Browser also has a number of features that other browsers don’t â€" namely a night mode and share by SMS/Whatsapp. Even so, it doesn’t have any quick features for sharing by other, more common means, like Twitter or Facebook.

Usability

Unfortunately, UC Browser’s main problem is the display - it’s plain ugly. Ok, so it’s clear and easy to read, but webpages viewed with the app look like something from 1993 â€" at first, we thought we had a connection problem! We also had issues displaying video while using UC Browser, but couldn’t tell from the developer’s website which video formats are supposed to be supported.

Conclusion

UC Browser is a mixed bag â€" strong in areas, and weak in others. We think prospective users would be better off waiting an update or two before trying.

What's new

This latest version of UC Browser for Android brings Open Wi-Fi Notification, allowing you to receive a notification when accessing an Open Wi-Fi connection. Loading speed has been optimized, and
Network Issue Processing has been optimized.

Installation

By pressing the Download button, you'll be taken to the Google Play Store from where you can download this app

Download UC Browser 9.6.0

Chrome Beta 33.0.1750.132 - app

Chrome Beta is a test version of the Chrome browser for Android.

Chrome Beta requires Android 4.0 and higher just like the official app. The app allows Google to test features and updates before they are pushed to the stable Chrome browser. Chrome Beta is slightly unstable and has bugs because of the experimental updates that are being tested.

Features

The newest features in Chrome Beta updates with saved passwords and autofill entries taken from your synced desktop browser. This update also includes "an experimental data compression feature" for bandwidth savings.

Quality

While you should be able to browse normally, Chrome Beta is not meant for normal use. When Google announces a new feature in Chrome Beta, you will be able to test it and help Google develop features in its official browser.

What's new

Our latest release contains stability and performance fixes. More information can be found on the Chrome Releases blog at http://goo.gl/CCPRW

Installation

Clicking the download button will take you to the Google Play Store, where you can download this app.

This app cannot be found through search on Google Play

Difference between versions

Chrome Beta is not a finished app, expect bugs and possible crashes.

Download Chrome Beta 33.0.1750.132

WeChat 5.2 - app

WeChat is a free Whatsapp style social networking app featuring video conferencing, QR code invites and a few other interesting features.

WeChat is cross platform and includes individual and group messaging with text, voice notes, images, videos and location data. WeChat allows free HD video calls, secure message storage and does not invade your chats with intrusive advertising. WeChat also supports video recordings, syncing of phone contacts and GPS.

The interface of WeChat will be familiar to anyone that's ever used WhatsApp. Chats, Contacts, Social and Settings are listed along the bottom and new notifications appear in your WeChat timeline. WeChat also features an interesting real time Live Chat feature for groups and you can invite people into the chat using QR codes. WeChat also saves your chat history so that you can search it any time.

Other than that however, WeChat is just another WhatsApp alternative that doesn't offer anything new although it has been updated to offer WeChat games. As the developer is based in China, it's also considerably more popular in Asia than the rest of the World.

WeChat is an interesting WhatsApp style chat client that can be a bit overwhelming with notifications but is an interesting alternative to WhatsApp.

BBM 2.0.0.13 - app

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) is an instant messaging application. Originally only available on BlackBerry devices, it's now available in an Android version so that you can communicate between BlackBerry, Android and iOS devices. BBM allows you to send free messages, photos, voice memos, to participate in group conversations and much more.

Stay in touch with loved ones

After getting your PIN code, i.e. your BlackBerry Messenger ID, the application will let you communicate with your friends without restriction.

Blackberry Messenger lets you send messages, voice memos, photos, and files. It also informs you as soon as your messages have been received and read by your contacts. The BBM application is permanently enabled and connected so that you don’t need to open the app to get notifications.

With Blackberry Messenger groups, the messaging app lets you share images, lists, and meetings with members of a group (up to 30 individuals). As for multiple chat, it’s useful to get in touch with multiple friends at the same time, and you can make use of a whole range of emoticons to send in your conversations.

BBM also provides functionality for sending bulk messages. With the option to broadcast messages, you can easily send a message to several BBM contacts simultaneously.

Finally, Blackberry Messenger lets you create your own profile using your avatar (picture or animated GIF) and gives you the ability to post statuses. You can change your profile by clicking on your avatar.

A BlackBerry 10 interface

With Blackberry Messenger, BlackBerry seems to want to provide a similar experience on all platforms. The interface of the application is the same for all versions and imitates the BlackBerry 10 style and codes. On Android, the interface seems slightly out of place; for example, you’ll notice the presence of a "previous" button that duplicates the one offered on the screen of the Nexus or many other Android devices. BBM features are nevertheless easy to access, thanks to a list of tabs at the bottom of the interface.

BBM arrives on Gingerbread

The most recent update of BlackBerry Messenger adds support for Android 2.3. At last users of the Gingerbread flavor of Android can chat via BBM on their device. This means that millions of people with lower-end devices will have access. 

Good news for Android as well as BlackBerry users

The arrival of Blackberry Messenger is good news for Android users but perhaps even more so for BlackBerry users. If the latter were only able to use the application with those friends who own a BlackBerry, they might not have had many contacts on their BBM list.

As for the application, Blackberry Messenger proves to be quite comprehensive, with a range of good features comparable to those found on competing applications like WhatsApp, LINE, and Viber. It only lacks VoIP and a more flexible interface.

SwiftKey Keyboard Free 4.4.4.264 - app

SwiftKey Keyboard helps you type quicker on your Android touchscreen phone by predicting what you want to say. It also features a gesture-based input system known as Swiftkey Flow, which makes typing even faster.

Setting up SwiftKey Keyboard is easily done, thanks to a handy start-up screen. You'll need to download a language module from a choice of nine (see below for the full list), and enable SwiftKey Keyboard as your default input method on your phone. Once you've done this you'll see a new on-screen keyboard whenever you send a message or enter text.

Keys are laid out in QWERTY format, though the default setting is a bit thin for our liking. Luckily, you can customize key sizes in SwiftKey Keyboard though, as well as setting the color and design of the keyboard by choosing a them.

SwiftKey Keyboard's predictive text engine is so powerful that it can generally guess the word you wanted within just two or three keystrokes. With every keystroke you make three possible words are suggested. You can select one by tapping or hit Space to go with the middle one, which is the one SwiftKey thinks is the most likely. SwiftKey Keyboard will even predict what the next word you want will be (and its accuracy here is impressive).

The SwiftKey Flow system, introduced in version 4 of SwiftKey allows you to enter words simply by drawing lines between letters on the keyboard, in much the same way that Swype does. Coupled with its powerful prediction and correction system, I would argue that writing in SwiftKey Keyboard is now even quicker than in Swype.

SwiftKey Flow is easy to pick up, though it can be a bit fiddly when all the letters you need for your word are in the same row on the keyboard.

To improve SwiftKey Keyboard's accuracy is you can tell it to look at the history of your SMS, Facebook and Twitter messages to learn about the kind of words you use and the way you construct sentences. Of course, there are privacy concerns here, but the app is designed to scan for text only, as opposed to context.

There's lots to explore in the SwiftKey Keyboard settings menu. It features more than 60 languages, of which you can enable three at a time; you can change the behavior of the space bar; access statistics about your SwiftKey Keyboard usage, and much more.

SwiftKey Keyboard lets you type on your phone much more quickly and is the best keyboard for Android replacement you'll find. Even if you're prone to making spelling mistakes, the app is great at detecting and correcting them automatically.

Download SwiftKey Keyboard Free 4.4.4.264

SwiftKey Keyboard 4.4.4.264 - app

SwiftKey Keyboard helps you type quicker on your Android touchscreen phone by predicting what you want to say. It also features a gesture-based input system known as Swiftkey Flow, which makes typing even faster.

Setting up SwiftKey Keyboard is easily done, thanks to a handy start-up screen. You'll need to download a language module from a choice of nine (see below for the full list), and enable SwiftKey Keyboard as your default input method on your phone. Once you've done this you'll see a new on-screen keyboard whenever you send a message or enter text.

Keys are laid out in QWERTY format, though the default setting is a bit thin for our liking. Luckily, you can customize key sizes in SwiftKey Keyboard though, as well as setting the color and design of the keyboard by choosing a them.

SwiftKey Keyboard's predictive text engine is so powerful that it can generally guess the word you wanted within just two or three keystrokes. With every keystroke you make three possible words are suggested. You can select one by tapping or hit Space to go with the middle one, which is the one SwiftKey thinks is the most likely. SwiftKey Keyboard will even predict what the next word you want will be (and its accuracy here is impressive).

The SwiftKey Flow system, introduced in version 4 of SwiftKey allows you to enter words simply by drawing lines between letters on the keyboard, in much the same way that Swype does. Coupled with its powerful prediction and correction system, I would argue that writing in SwiftKey Keyboard is now even quicker than in Swype.

SwiftKey Flow is easy to pick up, though it can be a bit fiddly when all the letters you need for your word are in the same row on the keyboard.

To improve SwiftKey Keyboard's accuracy is you can tell it to look at the history of your SMS, Facebook and Twitter messages to learn about the kind of words you use and the way you construct sentences. Of course, there are privacy concerns here, but the app is designed to scan for text only, as opposed to context.

There's lots to explore in the SwiftKey Keyboard settings menu. It features more than 60 languages, of which you can enable three at a time; you can change the behavior of the space bar; access statistics about your SwiftKey Keyboard usage, and much more.

SwiftKey Keyboard lets you type on your phone much more quickly and is the best keyboard for Android replacement you'll find. Even if you're prone to making spelling mistakes, the app is great at detecting and correcting them automatically.

Download SwiftKey Keyboard 4.4.4.264

Hike 1.8.0.0 - app

Hike is messaging app for Windows Phone that lets you chat for free with any other user of the service. Hike is very similar to applications such as s WhatsApp or LINE.

What does Hike do?

Hike allows you save the cost of sending SMS by exchanging free messages with anyone else who has the app installed, regardless of what smartphone platform they are using. Hike can even send SMS messages for free to someone, though this service only works in India at present.

Besides just chatting via instant messaging, you can attach images, video, audio and voice messages to your chats with Hike. There's also an option for sharing your location with the person you're chatting too. Hike includes a group chatting feature too.

Hike includes a wide selection of fun emoticons that you can add to your chats, which are grouped into three different types of character. There's something for everyone in there.

How easy is Hike to use?

The setup process for Hike is very similar to that of WhatsApp or Viber. You need to enter your phone number and you'll be sent an activation code via SMS. Enter this into the field provided and you're away.

You can easily view all your friends on Hike by tapping the contacts button. This will pull up a list of people from your phone contacts book who have Hike, as well as allowing you to invite friends who don't yet have the app.

Is Hike better than WhatsApp?

Ultimately, Hike is very similar to WhatsApp. It shares almost all of the same features, though I would say WhatsApp is a bit more polished. Although the user interface of Hike looks great, it doesn't have the customization options of WhatsApp, which allows you to change the background image of the chat window. WhatsApp has a more varied range of emoticons, too.

In our tests we had problems with the activation process, which the developer said was not working due to "high demand". Eventually we managed to register and test the app. In general it runs very well, but we experienced a couple of crashes, and had some problems sending attachments at times.

Hike is a fast and easy way to chat for free with your buddies on your phone. Whether you choose Hike over WhatsApp, LINE, Viber and the rest will depend ultimately on which service most of your friends are using.

Flash Light Free 1.7 - app

Flash Light Free is a BlackBerry flashlight app with a range of different functions.

Besides the standard torch function, which activates the back flash light of your device, Flash Light Free includes a police light, traffic light, candle light and disco light. None of these features provides much illumination, but the effects are well realised and the candle light mode also activates the back flash light.

Flash Light Free brings little new to this genre of app, but it will help you see it the dark.

qeep 2.6.1 - app

qeep is a free mobile application that connects you with your friends and allows you to make new ones online.

What does qeep do?

qeep acts like a normal social network in the way you can view profiles, exchange messages, play games, 'nudge' people, etc. One of the main benefits of qeep is the fact that it's free to send a mail through the service (called a 'QMS') making it cheaper than a regular SMS message (of course, it's only free if you have a data plan or are using WiFi).

We were impressed by the speed in which you can get up and running with qeep. You just need to choose a username and a password to get started. Your profile information, photo and personal data can be entered at your leisure and you can start using the qeep network without it.

The qeep interface is nicely laid-out (if you excuse the garish purple and green color scheme), and all the things you can do are displayed neatly on the Homepage. From here you can invite friends, view qeepers who are currently online, view photoblogs and read the big pinboard.

What's so special about qeep?

Photoblogs and the pinboard are perhaps the two most interesting aspects of qeep. The photoblogging function allows you to quickly upload a picture you've just taken on your device's camera or one stored in the memory, and add text to it. Your photoblog will then be available for everyone else in the qeep community to see.

A word of warning about this service: not all of the photobloggers on the site are using it for innocently putting up pictures of their pets or great landscapes they've just seen. Let's just say there seem to be a lot of pretty 'liberal' qeepers out there.

The 'pinboard' function in qeep is a Twitter-style feature, whereby you can quickly jot down some text explaining what you're up to and your friends and other users can come along and view it. Another fun feature (if somewhat childish) is qeep's gifts, which are virtual presents you can send to a friend to brighten up their day.

qeep is a very well-implemented social networking service for mobile phones. Like most social networks though, it generally attracts a certain type of person. And as a result your enjoyment of it depends on who you are. qeep feels very much like it's aimed at teenagers or young adults, preferably with an open mind!

If this sounds like you, then qeep is well worth installing on your phone.

Download qeep 2.6.1

iPhone 5s Lock Screen 3.90 - app

Want to slide the screen to unlock your Android like you can do with an iPhone? The iPhone 5s Lock Screen app lets you do just that.

iPhone 5s Lock Screen changes your Android lock screen to look and behave like the iOS one. Admittedly, it's the lock screen from iOS 6.x and older, but it's an interesting effect. You can choose from a range of lock screen backgrounds, including the original iOS 6 one.

One problem the app has is that the screen lock can be by-passed by flicking the camera icon up.

Motocross Masters Lite 2.3.1 - app

Motocross Masters Lite is a fun motocross game that will put your reflexes to the test.

With 24 different levels, and the ability to win gold, silver or bronze depending on the time you take to complete each level, Motocross Masters Lite lets you play using either traditional controls or by moving your telephone.

kitchen timer 1.2.1 - app

kitchen timer has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

F1â„¢ Calendar 2014 3.3a - app

F1â„¢ Calendar 2014 has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Badoo 2.30.2 - app

Badoo has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Download Badoo 2.30.2

Telegram 1.3.25 - app

Telegram is an instant messaging app with a focus on speed and security and a good alternative to WhatsApp. With the recent purchase of WhatsApp by Facebook, the number of people registering for Telegram has increased dramatically. Telegram supports group chats with up to 200 contacts, puts a strong emphasis on security and provides generous multimedia support.

High level of privacy and security

One of Telegram's main focus is security and privacy compared to WhatsApp. For example, Telegram features something called "Secret Chats" - an encrypted chat connection that self-destructs messages similar to SnapChat and prevents others intercepting them. In fact, security is one of the things that started attracting users to Telegram in the first place and now that WhatsApp has been bought by Facebook, this looks set to increase. The developers also claim that they do not sell or share user data with third-parties, there is no in-app advertising and yet it's completely free to use.

Send up to 1GB of video

Telegram also features a good level of multimedia support with up to 100 people and allows sharing of videos up to 1GB although you may find uploading and downloading quite slow. You can send batches of photos rather than just one at a time and you can store pretty much as many images as you want because Telegram allows unlimited online storage. However, you can't send audio files with Telegram or images in certain formats.

Note that like WhatsApp, Telegram is strictly a messaging app - there's no voice or video calling as yet.

An excellent secure alternative to WhatsApp

If you're concerned by the recent acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook, or just want something that offers more security, Telegram is a very interesting alternative.

PicsArt - Photo Studio 4.0.3 - app

PicsArt - Photo Studio is an excellent program for creating, discovering and sharing photos with your friends.

Packed with editing tools

Much like other photo editors for Android such as VSCO Cam or Photoshop Express, PicsArt Photo Studio lets you personalize the photos you take on your phone. 

The reason PicsArt - Photo Studio is such a stand-out program is due to the sheer number of options you have for customizing your photos. You can take pictures off your phone's traditional camera or else within the PicsArt - Photo Studio app itself. 

Once you've taken a picture or loaded one, you have a lot of different editing options to play around with. PicsArt - Photo Studio has lots of different effects to alter the feel of the picture you just took. You can also add clip art images to it, and give it a special message with different text fonts and colors.

You can apply effects to your photos with PicsArt, choosing from a range of preset filters, some of which can be tweaked. There's also a collage maker, where you can create impressive montages based on photos you've taken. 

By creating an account on PicsArt's website, you can share your images with other PicsArt - Photo Studio users, as well as browse photos taken by others. There's also the option to export and share your photos on social networks like Facebook, as well as other platforms like Tumblr, Dropbox and Flickr.

Needs time and patience

The only noteworthy negative noticed during testing was some occasional lag time between clicking an effect and actually seeing it applied. It also takes a bit of time to get the hang of all of the features available to you just because of the sheer number to choose from. Otherwise, your options on PicsArt - Photo Studio are almost limitless.

The verdict

PicsArt - Photo Studio is an impressively comprehensive photo editing and sharing app

My Talking Tom 1.4.0.0 - app

My Talking Tom is a virtual pet game featuring the star of Talking Tom Cat and Talking Tom Cat 2. You need to keep Tom happy by feeding him, petting him, taking him to the bathroom, putting him to sleep, and playing games with him.

More interactive than ever

My Talking Tom retains the same basic functions as the Talking Tom Cat app, but takes things a bit further, giving you much more to do, and casting you more in the role of carer.

You can still do all the basic things you could in Talking Tom Cat and other Outfit 7 talking animal games, namely getting Tom to repeat what you say in a high-pitched voice and interacting with him by touching him in different ways. But the format of My Talking Tom now feels more like the virtual pet game, Pou. There's more to do with your feline friend, such as playing mini games, customizing his appearance, choosing food, and decorating Tom's house to your choosing.

One old feature that's missing from My Talking Tom is the ability to record a video of Tom, like you could in previous versions of the game. This is something I enjoyed and it's a shame it hasn't been included.

Getting new stuff in My Talking Tom requires game coins, which are earned as you go, or can be purchased. There's a leveling-up system where you can rank up by spending time with your cat and making sure his needs are met. As you level up you'll unlock new items and objects from the store.

There are mini games in My Talking Tom, such as whack-a-mole, which give you the chance to win coins, as well as satisfy Tom's entertainment needs.

How to play My Talking Tom

Just like in Pou (and tamagotchis for that matter), your pet in My Talking Tom has certain 'needs' that must be met. These are represented by round meters at the bottom of the screen that slowly deplete and must be filled up again by performing a particular action. The principle is simple to grasp and when you first play my Talking Tom the concepts are well demonstrated to you.

The four needs meters are: entertainment (refilled by petting Talking Tom or playing mini games), food (refilled by dropping food into his mouth) , bladder (refilled by taking him to the toilet) and tiredness (refilled by putting Tom to bed and turning out the light). To perform any of these actions you just need to tap the corresponding meter icon.

How's he looking?

The graphics and overall presentation in My Talking Tom haven't evolved much since Talking Tom Cat 2. The feline largely still looks the same (though you can customize him more) and his squeaky voice is identical. Also, it appears that Tom is the only character that pops up in the game (for example, there's no sign of his girlfriend Talking Angela, or of his nuisance neighbour, Talking Ben the Dog).

What's new in version 1.3?

One interesting feature introduced in the latest update of My Talking Tom is the ability to visit other players' houses and check out how they've decorated theirs. You can also look for treasure chests, where you could turn up more coins. 

There's also a new mini game where you need to guess what Tom is wearing, which is quite fun, especially for younger players.

The verdict

If you're a fan of Talking Tom Cat or Pou, you'll enjoy My Talking Tom, as it blends the best elements of the two. However, some may find the process of constantly giving attention to the cat a little tedious and repetitive.

Metrotube 4.1.0.0 - app

Metrotube is an excellent YouTube app for Windows Phone that is smarter and more enjoyable to use than Microsoft's own YouTube client.

The design of Metrotube is very impressive. It carries off the slick Windows Phone look very well, presenting subscriptions, top rated/popular and categories in a way that mimics the smart design of the Marketplace app.

Ironically, Metrotube offers much more of an integrated experience than Microsoft's YouTube app. You can pin lots of useful stuff to your home screen, including subscriptions, watch later, favorites and playlists, so they appear as live tiles. You can also pin individual videos from YouTube, for instant access to them when you start your phone.

Metrotube syncs with the Music & Video hub on your Windows Phone, so that videos you play through the app appear here in your history.

The player window itself in Metrotube is very well designed too. It makes it very comfortable to browse comments and other YouTube meta data while watching a video. Rotate your phone to the side and the video will automatically zip to full screen - and vice versa. You can set video streaming quality in Metrotube to HD, HQ or low quality. However, the HD option is apparently disabled in the current release.

Metrotube is by far and away the best YouTube app for Windows Phone and delivers a fresh and enjoyable viewing experience that fits neatly within the design of the mobile OS. It should be the official app!

Download Metrotube 4.1.0.0

Allthecooks Recipes 4.31 - app

Allthecooks Recipes has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

My CookBook 4.10 - app

My CookBook has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Epic Launcher Beta 7 - app

Epic Launcher is a KitKat Launcher for devices running Android 4.0+. 

The launcher acts as a complete home screen replacement, allowing you to tweak various aspects of Android 4's interface. It lets you customize the desktop, dock, app drawer, and the 'look and feel' of the system (icons and haptic feedback settings). There are plenty of options within Epic Launcher, though it currently doesn't support notification controls. 

Epic Launcher comes with a wealth of features, which are updated often.

Flipboard 2.2.5 - app

Flipboard is a media aggregation app that pulls content from a wide variety of sources and creates a magazine layout of the information to read.

Much like an RSS feed, Flipboard imports content from a many different sources and publishes it in the app, formatted like an interactive magazine. As opposed to showing off entire webpages, Flipboard formats the content to read like a magazine article.

The included sources are among the biggest sites online, but you can also connect your Facebook or Twitter account into the feed of content.

The layout of Flipboard works best for articles or images, so Twitter and Facebook content is not easily formatted. It actually looks very sparse and contains a lot of empty space.

You can also add other sites through their RSS feeds which will display their content in the main menu of Flipboard. The search function in Flipboard is difficult to locate in the settings and takes some maneuvering to find because it defaults to already added topics. Once you are able to access the general search, adding new content is very easy.

Using Flipboard is intuitive. Swiping up and down will switch between articles, and tapping will open them. You always have the option of opening the original source in Flipboard If there is some content missing. One thing Flipboard does not do well is support embedded videos in posts. When loading content, Flipboard only accesses text and images to make posts.

The app is almost identical to the iOS version and contains the same functionality. On tablets, Flipboard does have some delay, which could be attributed to the fact that it is not the final release version of the app.

Flipboard is one of the best e-magazine readers available.

Waze 3.7.8.0 - app

Waze has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Facebook Messenger 3.3.2 - app

Facebook Messenger is a stand-alone app that allows you to chat with your Facebook friends and send SMS and text messages to any contact on your phone.

Communicate with everyone

Facebook Messenger combines friends and mobile contacts to allow for group messages, along with location-based functionality.

Since Facebook Messenger is focused on messaging, the app may seem a bit simplistic. It functions very similarly to other communication apps though, with the addition of location services. The group chat combines multiple users together and allows for messages to be collated in one window.

If you have SMS enabled, you can also use Facebook Messenger to talk with phone contacts. The application now allows you to send messages to any contact in your phone, not just your Facebook friends. Facebook contacts show up with a blue bubble and SMS messages show in green. When you are finished communicating, you just swipe the icon down and remove the notification from your screen.

Facebook Messenger supports stickers, including a decent range of default stickers, plus the opportunity to purchase new stickers through the store in order to brighten up your conversations.

Simple to use thanks to Chat Heads

The interface is simple to use is and themed in the same way as the Facebook app for Android. Facebook Messenger includes Chat Heads, which means that if someone messages you while you're doing something else on your phone, a small little circle will appear showing the face of the contact on your screen. You just tap on the contact, and it will open the conversation.

The design of the Facebook Messenger user interface is clean and tidy. The blue of the menu icons and green of the alert messages stand out clearly against the app's white background and this understated look gives greater presence to the conversations themselves.

The verdict

Facebook Messenger allows you to chat with your friends easily - regardless of whether they use Facebook or not.

Shuriken Block 1.1 - app

Please note that Shuriken Block is no longer available to download from the Google Play store.

Test your ninja reflexes by deflecting shurikens in this game for Android.

The magnificent five

The point of the game is simple: protect five men that are under a barrage of flying shurikens. This isn't surprising as Shuriken Block was made by Dong Nguyen, the developer famous for the hit that grew too big, Flappy Bird.

Unlike Flappy Bird or Super Ball Juggling, Shuriken Block is a bit more forgiving. Instead of being incredibly difficult and unforgiving at the start of a game, you are eased into the game and given three lives. Each time a star hits one of the men on the head, a life is lost. 

Shuriken Block avoids being complicated and doesn't offer many ingame options. Instead, there is just the ability to play/pause the game and check high scores. Advertisements are also limited to the top or bottom of the screen and don't interrupt the gaming experience.  

Tap and defend

Controls for the game are simple: tap the shurikens as they fall. Eventually, you'll need to use two fingers to keep up with all the falling objects. It's recommended that you play the game with the sound (see below) on because it helps you to develop a rhythm while blocking which will help you get further in the game.

The graphics won't blow your mind

Like other games from Mr. Nguyen, this game keeps things simple and pixelated. The graphics look they could be from one of the better games on early Nintendo consoles. Your three lives are represented by hearts that are reminescent of the Zelda series. Shuriken Block has no music and only a few sounds you'll consistently hear: the "whoosh" of a shuriken, the "clink" from blocking projectiles, and the squishy sound from one of your men taking a shuriken to the head.

A great, simple game

At the end of the day, Shuriken Block is addictive, has simple controls, is more forgiving that its flappy brethern, and doesn't overload you with ads. 

Twitter 5.1.3 - app

Twitter, the official Android app for the service, has moved into version 3, presenting some pretty major interface changes.

Probably the biggest change to Twitter for Android is the appearance. It's really grown up, losing the multi-access homepage and launching instead straight into your timeline. It looks more sophisticated too, with a streamlined user interface while still using the recognizable blue header and black and white layout.

As far as Twitter for Android goes in terms of features, it parallels the online site, but sticks to the basics. The standard areas exist like the main timeline, @mentions, and your profile, but Twitter added a hashtag "#Discover" feature allowing you to browse what is trending. Tapping on a tweet now shows the @reply, retweet, favorite, or share options and lists who has performed any of the options.

Among Twitter’s nicer features is a cool tool to search your telephone contacts for Twitter users, and varied suggested users for you to add. You can also modify your profile pretty well from the app, while Twitter for Android also lets you create as many public and private lists as you want.

Twitter for Android supports multiple accounts, easily switchable from the taskbar. The configuration settings are still limited, especially in comparison to apps like Plume and Tweetcaster. Even so, if you’re a low-spec Twitter user who likes to keep things simple, the official Twitter app for Android might be right up your street.

Twitter for Android does its job very well, focusing on working like the online site.

Download Twitter 5.1.3

Chrome Beta 33.0.1750.126 - app

Chrome Beta is a test version of the Chrome browser for Android.

Chrome Beta requires Android 4.0 and higher just like the official app. The app allows Google to test features and updates before they are pushed to the stable Chrome browser. Chrome Beta is slightly unstable and has bugs because of the experimental updates that are being tested.

Features

The newest features in Chrome Beta updates with saved passwords and autofill entries taken from your synced desktop browser. This update also includes "an experimental data compression feature" for bandwidth savings.

Quality

While you should be able to browse normally, Chrome Beta is not meant for normal use. When Google announces a new feature in Chrome Beta, you will be able to test it and help Google develop features in its official browser.

What's new

Our latest release contains stability and performance fixes. More information can be found on the Chrome Releases blog at http://goo.gl/CCPRW

Installation

Clicking the download button will take you to the Google Play Store, where you can download this app.

This app cannot be found through search on Google Play

Difference between versions

Chrome Beta is not a finished app, expect bugs and possible crashes.

Adobe Air 4.0.0.1628 - app

Adobe Air has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

SuperBeam-WiFi Direct Share 3.0.5 - app

SuperBeam is a file sharing app that allows you to quickly and effortlessly transfer files between two devices.

How does SuperBeam work?

SuperBeam allows you to share any kind of file with another device using WiFi or WiFi Direct, functioning in much the same way as Bluetooth sharing. You can also send files from within applications using the 'Share' button.

You can share files with another SuperBeam user via the app, or to any WiFi connected device via their other person's web browser.

Share files in a snap

To share a file with another person using SuperBeam you just select the file (or folder, if you upgrade to the Pro version) and the app will generate a QR code. The other person simply scans this QR code and, assuming they're connected to the same WiFi network, the file will be transfered. You can bypass the QR code option and transfer the files via NFC, if your device supports it.

A Bluetooth killer?

We found transfer speeds with SuperBeam to be impressively quick, and you can send even very large files in seconds if your WiFi connection is fast enough. In terms of speed it blows Bluetooth out of the water, although Android Beam is still a simpler solution.

CineTrailer 3.0.4.1 - app

If you want to keep up to date with the biggest movie releases coming to a theatre near you, CineTrailer is your perfect companion.

CineTrailer lets you watch movie trailers in HD from movies which haven't yet been released, have just arrived in theaters, or which are already available on DVD. CineTrailer also includes a synopsis and cast list for each movie, giving you all the information you need before deciding what to watch.

With CineTrailer, you'll always be up to date with all the latest movie releases.

BlackBerry Virtual Expert 2.4.7.2 - app

BlackBerry Virtual Expert is a diagnostic app that allows you to check that your BlackBerry 10 device is working properly.

The BlackBerry Virtual Expert app lets you perform a range of tests, allowing you to check your hardware is working properly. There are tests for your screen, audio, keyboard, sensors, and connectivity. Each test is well explained so its easy to perform each test. You can then access a report with all the test results.

The app offers an easy way to give your phone a check-up.

Box for BlackBerry 10 1.2.0.79 - app

Box is one of the best options on the market for storing files and documents online. With its application for BlackBerry 10, you can access your files from anywhere.

Box offers up to 10GB of space in the cloud. You can access your photos, videos, documents, etc.. as well as sharing them with others or automatically saving back ups of all your photos.

If you're looking for a service for storing and accessing your documents remotely, Box is one of the stand-out options.

Firefox Beta 26.0 - app

Firefox Beta is a test version of the Mozilla Firefox browser for Android. Designed to add possible features to the official browser and gain usage information from the users who are using the browser; Firefox Beta will always be a work-in-progress.

Mirroring the standard features in Firefox on Android, the updates to Firefox Beta are not final builds and will have plenty of bugs. Whenever something crashes in the browser, that information is collected by Mozilla to improve development.

Firefox Beta is a great browser to see what is coming up for the stable release of Firefox for Android.

Download Firefox Beta 26.0

Hangouts (replaces Talk) 2.0.303 - app

Google replaces Google Talk with Hangouts, a cross-platform unified messaging service. With support for photos and emoji as well as video calls with up to ten friends, Hangouts is a required replacement for Talk.

Hangouts syncs across devices and only get notifications once. Interestingly enough, Hangouts doesn't support "invisible" status. The chat app also features photo sharing support, multiple accounts, and read notifications showing how far your contact has read in your chat.

Even if you use Google Talk, Hangouts will replace it with this update.

DJ Sound Effects and Ringtones 1.2 - app

DJ Sound Effects & Ringtones app adds a collection of cool DJ music, tones and sound effects to your Android phone. You can set the sound effects such as drum beats, scratch sounds and other DJ related sounds as ringtones for individual contacts or SMS tones. You can also share tones and sounds via Bluetooth or via Twitter and Facebook. If you want to use the effects on your phone desktop, you can create widgets which make a sound or tone every time you tap them.

Download DJ Sound Effects and Ringtones 1.2