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Up to $105 in paid Android apps for free: Amazing Alex, Plants vs. Zombies, Runtastic PRO, Table Top Racing, many more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Apr 16 2015 - 5:37 am PT
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From 9to5Toys.com:

Amazing Alex-sale-Android-04

Amazon has now kicked off another large freebie Android promotion. This time around you can grab up to $105 worth of paid Android apps for free on the Amazon App Store.

Along with several other notable and highly rated titles, one standout from the bunch is Amazing Alex from Angry Birds creator Rovio. The physics based puzzle game is regularly listed at $1 and features more than 100 levels:

From cleaning up his room to battling cardboard robots in his backyard, Alex creates amazing chain reactions to get the job done with the maximum amount of fun!

Other notable titles in the sale include Plants vs. Zombies (Reg. $1), Runtastic PRO GPS Running (Reg. $5), Pudding Monsters HD (Reg. $1), Wolfram|Alpha (Reg. $3), Table Top Racing (Reg. $2), Osmos HD (Reg. $3), plus more.

Head over to our daily roundups for more of the best game/app deals across every platform.

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Google’s new ‘Handwriting Input’ keyboard lets you manually draw text (and emoji) in any Android app

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 15 2015 - 12:33 pm PT
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Google has today released version 1.0 of its new “Handwriting Input” keyboard, which lets you manually draw the text you would like to type. The app works on both smartphones and tablets as you can see in the gallery below, and it’s—based on my first few minutes using the app—actually pretty good at deciphering your handwriting no matter how bad it may be. It works in any Android app that has a text input field.
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Motorola is giving away a free Moto Hint ($150 value) w/ purchase of unlocked Moto X

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 8 2015 - 1:42 pm PT
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Motorola has been running a lot of Moto X promotions lately, and today the company has launched yet another sweet deal: If you head over to the Motorola online store and buy an unlocked Moto X, the company will send you a Moto Hint (worth $149.99) with your order completely free.

Moto Hint lets you ask your Moto X questions, make calls, and send messages — all hands-free. Now through 4/14, when you customize your off-contract Moto X (starting at $499.99), add a Moto Hint wireless earbud to your cart for free, a $149.99 value.*

You can purchase your unlocked Moto X in one of three flavors: “Pure Edition” with a T-Mobile SIM, or as an AT&T or Verizon variant. To take advantage of the deal, add both a Moto X and an Moto Hint to your cart. You should be able to take advantage of this offer through April 14th.

T-Mobile offering Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge for presale, free 1-year Netflix subscription (Update: AT&T also)

Avatar for Stephen Hall Mar 26 2015 - 7:56 am PT
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Update: AT&T has now shared their Galaxy S6 preorder details too.

T-Mobile and AT&T are both offering an HTC One M9 presale, but it looks like the un-carrier is also going to offer a similar promotion for Samsung’s Galaxy S6. Starting Friday, March 27 at 7 a.m. PDT you’ll be able to order Samsung’s newest flagship from T-Mobile, and the company says it will be shipping presale orders sometime before the device’s official April 10th launch date.


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Google launches official AdWords app for Android, but it’s Canada-only for now

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 18 2015 - 1:41 pm PT
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AdWords - Android Apps on Google Play 2015-02-18 15-36-09

Google has today launched an official app for its AdWords platform, but sadly the company is restricting access to Canada for the time being. This news comes after Google launched its AdWords Express app last year, which was made specifically for the company’s automated AdWords service for small businesses.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Galaxy Note 4 (unlocked) $480, Samsung Chromebook 2 $250, Galaxy S3 case $30, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 17 2015 - 11:25 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 4G LTE GSM N910A (Latest Model) 32GB unlocked for GSM networks: $479.99 shipped (Reg. $700)

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Save $25 on your first Google Express order

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Samsung 11.6-inch Chromebook 2 1.9GHz/4GB RAM/16GB SSD: $250 shipped (Reg. $300)

5bcb3475-e29f-47d2-ac4c-9bd22a913d1b Juice Pack Helium for the Samsung Galaxy SIII in white or black: $24.99 +$5 shipping (Reg. $80)

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Audio-Technica Pro Headphones: ATH-M40X $79 shipped (Reg. $139), ATH-M30X $55 shipped (Reg. $99)

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Quirky President’s Day Sale + extra 25% off: Metal Cordies cable keeper $3.75, more

More new gear from today:

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More deals still alive:AmazonFireTVHomeScreen

New products & more:

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9to5Toys Last Call: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 $65, unlocked Galaxy Note 3 $300, free streaming stick w/ Sling TV, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 12 2015 - 10:16 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

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Samsung SM-T2105 Galaxy Tab 3 7” Kids 8 GB flash storage (yellow/orange): $65 shipped (Reg. $230)

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Samsung N9000 Galaxy Note 3 32 GB factory unlocked for GSM networks: $300 shipped (Reg. $500)

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Get a free Fire TV/Roku streaming stick or 50% off Fire TV/Roku 3 when you sign up for Sling TV

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PNY Turbo 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive: $35 shipped (Reg. $70)

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Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR (refurb) w/ 18-55mm Lens Kit $336 shipped (orig. $599)

Valentine’s Day Roundup: ProFlowers 30% off, Gap/Timbuk2/J.Crew up to 40% off, more

More new gear from today:

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More deals still alive:

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New products & more:

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Paranoid Android hits Lollipop in newly-released 5.0 Alpha 1 build

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 2 2015 - 9:39 am PT
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The team behind the second most popular custom Android ROM, Paranoid Android, has today updated the software to have a baseline AOSP Lollipop 5.0.2. Along with this first Lollipop-based build, the team has included a bunch of new improvements and features.

Today’s update is “ready to be used in public,” according to the Paranoid Android team. But keep in mind that this release is still an alpha build. “Hope for awesome buttery smoothness, be ready for a bumpy ride,” the announcement post says.

Here’s what new in this version:

  • Update the baseline to AOSP Lollipop 5.0.2
  • Improvements to Heads Up, such as an option to disable heads up interruptions completely
  • Add Quick Unlock
  • Extend the power menu
  • Animate the volume panel in a more material manner
  • Make it possible to skip songs using volume buttons when the device is locked
  • Add CM12 Theme Engine
  • Fix various small annoyances from AOSP

The last version of Paranoid Android was released four months ago, version 4.6 beta 5.

Hangouts Dialer can now be used as a system dialer, replace your phone for good

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 10:36 am PT
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Before today, if you wanted to replace your phone with the Hangouts Dialer, it was a pain. The app didn’t actually identify itself as a system dialer, meaning that tapping phone numbers within other apps wouldn’t let you dial out via Hangouts. Calling out from the Yelp app or within Chrome meant using your phone’s app, and you were never prompted with the option to go with the Hangouts Dialer instead.

Today we’re launching an update to Hangouts Dialer. You’ll now be able to use Dialer to place calls initiated from other apps like your browser or Maps, directly from the Hangouts Android app. Just select Hangouts Dialer when you’re choosing your call method.

This is all changing with the latest release of Hangouts Dialer, meaning the app will finally be useful for many people. As you can see in the screenshot above, tapping a phone number within another app will now prompt you with the option to go with the standard Phone app or the Hangouts Dialer. And if you’re sure you want to always use Hangouts, you can choose “Always” and never deal with this problem again.

Keep an eye on the Play Store today for the app to be updated.

Live stream: YouTube Music Night in Los Angeles celebrates the past year in music

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 16 2014 - 6:24 pm PT
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YouTube Music Night

YouTube is hosting a live music night in Los Angeles to celebrate the past year in music, with performances from some of the most well known artists, such as Tyler Ward and Megan Nicole, on the platform. The event is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM Pacific (10:00 PM Eastern) and we have embedded the live stream ahead…


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Action Launcher 3 is out with Quicktheme, app Covers, Shutters, and more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 11 2014 - 1:54 pm PT
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2014-12-11 15_37_53-Action Launcher 3 - Quicktheme, Shutters, Covers and more! - YouTube

Action Launcher has always been one of the better known launchers to hit the Play Store, and today, Android developer Chris Lacy has released an updated version of the app with a bunch of new features that takes everything that was already great about the app and brings it up to date for Android 5.0 Lollipop. But this update isn’t just an iterative Material Design update; it packs a bunch of great completely new features as well.


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Facebook Messenger for Android updated with 15-second video messaging, bigger likes

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 13 2014 - 8:27 am PT
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Facebook Messenger - Android Apps on Google Play 2014-06-13 11-19-02 2014-06-13 11-19-04

Facebook Messenger for Android has been given an update, bringing the ability to send 15-second video clips through the app, as well as send even bigger thumbs-up graphics for when you just really, really like something that your friend said.

Notably, this update brings the app in line with much of what Snapchat offers. But also, doesn’t this new video feature kind of duplicate the true Snapchat competitor that Facebook is launching soon?

You can grab Facebook Messenger version 6.0 on the Play Store for free.

What’s New

Instant Video Sending: Shoot and play 15-second video messages from the camera right in the app.

Big Likes: Press and hold to send an even bigger thumbs up when you really, really like something.

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T-Mobile is again offering free MLB At Bat access to customers

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 5 2014 - 6:03 am PT
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Like it did last year after inking a partnership with Major League Baseball, T-Mobile is once again offering free access to the MLB At Bat apps on iOS and Android. Tmonews points us to official confirmation from a T-Mobile support employee:

“UPDATE: As the official sponsor of Major League Baseball, we will be offering MLB At Bat 14 to our customers for free starting May 1 through the entire regular season! With our unlimited data and nationwide 4G LTE, you can enjoy all the great features MLB’s At Bat has to offer!”

That’s instead of paying for one of several MLB subscriptions that grants access to the app starting at $2.99 monthly or $20 for the entire season. There’s no word from T-Mobile with the official details yet, but we’d imagine customers will get access to all the live games and content apart from premium features available to $115/per year MLB.TV Premium subscription. 

The MLB At Bat app is available for iOS and Android now.

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Office Mobile for Android goes free for all users

Avatar for Zac Hall Mar 27 2014 - 1:51 pm PT
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Screen Shot 2014-03-27 at 3.46.47 PMWhile Microsoft’s biggest news of the day might have been the debut of its Office productivity app suite for iPad, there was also news on the Android side as well.

Microsoft didn’t make dedicated apps for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, but the company did make Office Mobile for Android free for all users. Previously, Office Mobile for Android required an active subscription to Office 365.

Just like Office Mobile for Windows Phone, we are making Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones free for everyone. With Office Mobile, you have the ability to view and edit your Office content on the go. Office Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play.

Now that Microsoft has moved that requirement to its dedicated iPad apps, Android and iPhone users can now enjoy Office Mobile’s full feature set without any limitations and not subscribe to the membership.

Office Mobile for Android is available for free on the Google Play Store.

Samsung launches ‘Milk Music’, a free and ad-free (for now) radio app for Galaxy users

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Mar 7 2014 - 9:09 am PT
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Samsung announced today that it’s launching a new free and ad-free music service called “Milk Music” that’s powered by Slacker and available to customers of select Galaxy devices. Samsung says the app, which is available now on available as a download on Google Play, is “fully customizable” and offers over 200 stations and a library of over 13 million songs.

“Milk Music introduces a fresh approach to music that reflects our innovation leadership and our focus on creating best-in-class consumer experiences,” said Gregory Lee, president and CEO of Samsung Telecommunications America and Samsung Electronics North America Headquarters. “We’re offering consumers amazing, rich music experiences built around what matters most to them and their lifestyle.”

The service is launching today in the US and available to those with a Galaxy S® 4, Galaxy S® III, Galaxy Note® 3, and Galaxy Note® II  as well as the upcoming Galaxy S 5.  Samsung added that it will soon offer “unique music programming from top selling and emerging artists available exclusively through Milk Music.”

While Samsung is promoting the service as completely free and free of ads, the Google Play page for the app says that the app will only be without ads and free for a for a limited time. It’s unclear if Samsung is referring to the ads or the service being free of charge, but it appears that it will either be implementing advertisements or a fee for the service in the future.

Here’s a list of features from Google Play:
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FreedomPop expands free wireless plan to all Sprint smartphones, launches $99 HTC Evo 4G

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 19 2013 - 6:00 am PT
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FreedomPop

FreedomPop, the wireless service provider offering free and cheap no-contract plans on Sprint’s network, today announced it’s now allowing customers to bring their old Sprint phones to activate on its $0/month wireless plans. We’ve confirmed with the company that will also soon include iPhones and Sprint’s full lineup of Android devices.

The company has been around since 2011 with various hotspot products and recently launched its first smartphone direct to customers alongside the world’s first completely free mobile service. A guaranteed 500 MBs of data, 500 text messages, and 200 anytime voice minutes for free each month would sound enticing to anyone, but previously customers would have to pay $99 for an almost two-year old HTC Evo Design to get it. Despite that, FreedomPop says it “immediately sold out” of stock when it launched last month.

That’s about to change today as FreedomPop will now let Sprint customers bring their own device to activate on its free and cheap plans. Although there is no mention of it in the carrier’s press release, we’ve confirmed that includes the iPhone 4 and 4S as well as 20 other Sprint devices initially. Stephen Stokols, FreedomPop’s CEO, tells us it will be another few weeks before the iPhone is compatible, and eventually all Sprint smartphones will be supported. 
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AT&T offers free 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 with purchase of select Samsung Galaxy phones

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Oct 30 2013 - 7:36 am PT
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AT&T announced today that it’s adding a new promotion that will allow customers to get a free 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 when purchasing selecting Samsung phones. Starting today, those who purchase a Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Note 3, or Galaxy Note II on contract or on AT&T Next instalment plan will get the tablet completely free. You will, however, have to activate a Mobile Share data plan for the device:

Customers interested in receiving a free** Galaxy Tab 3 can take advantage of the offer by visiting any AT&T company-owned retail store or participating dealer (or soon, online at att.com), and purchasing one of 4 eligible Samsung Galaxy smartphones with a 2 year agreement or AT&T Next installment agreement and a Mobile Share voice and data plan, and activating a Mobile Share data plan for the Galaxy Tab 3. With an AT&T Mobile Share plan, customers can add the Galaxy Tab 3 to an existing Mobile Share plan for $10 more per month. And with Mobile Share, up to 10 devices can share data without needing to purchase separate plans for each one.

Kamcord brings free gameplay recording platform to Android as it hits 1M video uploads

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 19 2013 - 6:59 am PT
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Last time we checked in with Kamcord, the free SDK that allows developers to easily implement in-game recording functionality in their iOS games, it had just hit 1B videos recorded, announced a brand new user community, and picked up an additional $1M in funding. At the time the company told us it was planning Android support, and today Kamcord becomes the first major platform to make in-game recording available free to Android developers.

Kamcord is today starting to accept signups for its new Android beta through http://kamcord.com/android, and in the coming weeks will make the SDK available to download for anyone.

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Kamcord’s in-game UI for sharing recorded gameplay on iPad

We spoke with CEO Matt Zitzmann this week who told us all about the company’s plans to break into the Android world after having success on iOS. With next generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles bringing new in-game recording features to the mainstream, Kamcord has the opportunity to be the go-to solution for similar functionality in mobile games, and Android is a big piece of that puzzle. Zitzmann tells us that the company hopes the new Android SDK will help “to more easily drive adoption within Asia” where Android is thriving.

Kamcord’s biggest rival, Everyplay, is yet to introduce Android support for its similar platform, and today’s release of the Kamcord beta for Android could give the company a big jump on its competitor.

CEO of Djinnworks Robert Szeleney, a publisher with over 140 million app downloads across iOS and Android, is excited to bring the Kamcord platform to its Android titles:
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Amazon considers making its upcoming smartphone free (New statement: it won’t be)

Avatar for Mark Gurman Sep 6 2013 - 1:07 pm PT
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Update:  Amazon has now said that the phone won’t be launched this year, and it won’t be free. “We have no plans to offer a phone this year, and if we were to launch a phone in the future, it would not be free,” Amazon said in a statement to AllThingsD.

According to Jessica Lessin and Amir Efrati, Amazon is considering making its upcoming, long-rumored smartphone available to consumers free of charge. However, it is unclear what strings are attached to the deal:

There are many unanswered questions about the plan and what strings will be attached for customers. One of them is whether Amazon would require its  smartphone owners to pay for services such as Amazon Prime, the company’s loyalty program. But the people familiar with the matter said that Amazon wants the device to be free whether or not people sign up for a new wireless plan at the same time. (Wireless carriers typically discount the price of devices if customers sign up for a one- or two-year wireless contract.)

A launch date for the device is currently unclear. Like with the Kindle Fire tablets, past reports have suggested that the Amazon phone will run on a forked version of Google’s Android operating system.

Earlier this year, reports emerged with claims that Amazon is working on a bevy of products, including a phone with a 3D display, and various audio/media center devices. Amazon’s hardware development division for these products is (like Apple) situated in Cupertino.


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Google launches app for iOS to setup Chromecast, manage settings

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 27 2013 - 6:28 am PT
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Screen Shot 2013-08-27 at 9.26.10 AM

Google has released a new application for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to make it easier for users to setup and manage the Chromecast TV device.

• Set up your Chromecast to work with your Wi-Fi network
• Manage your Chromecast settings (such as changing your device name, Wi-Fi password, etc.)

The application is free on the App Store. The Google Chromecast is a device that plugs into a TV set via an HDMI port. The Chromecast allows users to stream content, such as YouTube and Netflix, from devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones.


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Google partners with Starbucks to offer free unlimited music through Google Play All Access

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jun 17 2013 - 3:28 pm PT
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Google announced today on Google+ that a new partnership with Starbucks will provide free WiFi and the ability for customers at Starbucks locations to stream unlimited songs, radio and more from Google’s recently launched AllAccess music service. Apple has of course offered similar promotions and continues to offer free iTunes content and more through Starbucks locations. Back in 2007 it announced a partnership with Starbucks in the US to offer a free iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, and it continues to offer its free app and song of the week picks through physical cards in store and through mobile apps.

Google’s new streaming music service is still limited to the US, so we’re assuming the new promotion is also limited to Starbucks locations within the country. Last we heard an iOS app for the service would be arriving sometime this month.  
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‘Burner – Disposable Phone Numbers’ app launches on Android with new referral program

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Apr 10 2013 - 7:18 am PT
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Burner-Android-appWe’ve written about the Burner iOS app from Ad Hoc Labs in the past on our sister site 9to5Mac– an app that received a lot of attention for its ability to provide temporary numbers for receiving SMS and calls on the iPhone. Today the developers are announcing a major update to the app that introduces a number of new features such a referral program and custom voicemail messages alongside the launch of the Android version of Burner. While temporary burner numbers aren’t free, Ad Hoc Labs is also dropping the $1.99 price tag and making Burner available as a free download starting today.

Not only can you download the app now for free, Burner is also providing a “Sample Burner” to get you started:
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Google releases free Quickoffice Android & iPhone apps for Google Apps for Business customers

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Apr 2 2013 - 1:29 pm PT
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QO blog nexus7 image (4-2-13)After releasing a free version of the Quickoffice iPad app for its Google Apps for Business customers in December, Google today announced free iPhone and Android versions of the app exclusively for its Apps for Business customers.

Google Apps for Business can already edit Microsoft Office files using Quickoffice on an iPad, and starting today they can do the same on iPhone and Androiddevices. From Word to Excel to Powerpoint, you can make quick edits at the airport or from the back of a taxi and save and share everything in Google Drive… iPad and iPhone users can open and edit Office files directly from the Drive app. Just open Drive and select the file, make edits using Quickoffice and save it back to Drive.

Google noted the updated apps also bring new features including support for multiple Google Drive accounts, improved chart rendering, ZIP folders from multiple files, and the ability to sort Drive files by “Shared with me, Starred, and Recent”:

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