Rovio has updated its Angry Birds Rio, bumping it to version 2.0, and introduced a number of new features and improvements to the game.

The new update is live in the App Store and is based on the sequel of the Rio movie that was released a few years back, known as the High Dive episode and exciting new levels to the game.

The latest update comes with 20 challenging new levels to test your skills, along with 6 bonus levels on Brazilian shores. In addition, the update also brings new moves and improved graphics for the Rio 2 chapter. Here’s a complete change log for the game:

Make a BIG splash in the High Dive episode – based on the new blockbuster movie sequel Rio 2!

NEW LEVELS! 20 levels and 6 bonus levels set in a Brazilian port harbor!

RIO NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! Totally refreshed with shiny new graphics for the Rio 2 chapter!

AMAZON RIVER DOLPHINS! These beautiful animals are accidentally trapped and they need your help!

NEW MOVE! Dive below to break open those cages from underwater!

If you’re an Angry Birds Rio user, head over to the App Store or the Google Play Store and grab the game.

Source: App Store, Google Play Store

Google has today opened the doors on its official Google Chromecast forums allowing the Chromecast community to post their views, tips and suggestions and allowing anyone else who might be interested in purchasing a Google Chromecast device more information.

Together with the ability to access plenty of information about the features of the new Google Chromecast device, as well as a detailed FAQ section.

As soon as you visit the new Google Chromecast public forums the front page has a quick link to twelve of the most frequently asked Chromecast questions according to Google. Providing answers for new adopters and providing more details on how they can benefit from purchasing a Google Chromecast device.

As with any forum there are quick search facilities as well as a variety of different ways to filter and list the threads that are available within the forum database to meet your needs.

Together with links to general content about setting up your Google Chromecast dongle as well as additional information on the current smartphone and tablet applications available to be used with Chromecast. Jump over to the Google Chromecast forums now to get started.

Source: Android Police

After Samsung unveiled their new Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 during the CES 2014Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas at the beginning of this year. Samsung has today officially announced the launch of their highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 will take place next month in March 2014 and the newly updated camera will be priced at $450.

Samsung have equipped their new Galaxy Camera 2 with a 16.3 megapixel sensor with BSI, a 21x optical zoom, with a 23mm wide angle lens, all run by Google’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 is powered by a quad core 1.6GHz processor supported by 2GB of RAM and its equipped with a 4.8 inch HD Super Clear Touch LCD display on the rear. As well as 8GB of built in storage and a microSD card slot which supports up to 64GB cards for further expansion when required.

Samsung have also included NFC, WiFi, GPS with GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and optical image stabilisation, with power from a 2,000 mAh battery. Simon Stanford, Vice President of IM division, Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland, said during this years CES event :

“Consumers love the Galaxy Camera and this next-generation version is designed to improve on the successful predecessor, with upgraded and new features that will enhance the photography experience. The result is a more powerful and portable device, which continues to embrace the public’s passion for the social features of smartphones, yet also provides superior image control and quality. We are dedicated to making it easier for more people to achieve great results and with the Galaxy Camera 2′s host of creative features, anyone can capture standout images.”

Other features of the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 include a built-in pop up Xenon flash, plus a range of Google and Samsung applications tom choose from, which include S Voice, Samsung Link, Samsung ChatOn and more. For more information on the new Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 jump over to the Samsung website for details.

Source: Liliputing

Much has been said and speculated about the Galaxy S5′s hardware, but one thing that hasn’t been discussed in the color options the upcoming flagship will be available in. Well, for those that like some bling on their smartphones, it looks like Samsung will be offering a gold color version of the Galaxy S5. A leaked Vodafone document has confirmed that a gold S5 will be launched at some point – considering it is already listed in a carrier’s database, it’s likely we’ll see the gold option made available right at launch, instead of months later as was the case with the gold Galaxy S4.

If the gold Galaxy S5 is launched at the same time as its non-gold counterparts, parallels will naturally be drawn to Apple’s iPhone 5s, which was also launched with a gold paint job right from the beginning. Add to that the fact that the S5 is also suspected to be powered by a 64-bit processor and sport a fingerprint sensor, and it seems like Samsung will be leaving no stone unturned in making sure that its next flagship offers all that its biggest competitor offers to its consumers, while trumping it through features like a feature-packed 16-megapixel camera and a QHD (2K) display.

Android's market share increased significantly during the third quarter of 2012, with the Google OS powering 72.4% of all smartphones sold in the three months' period. Apple's iOS came a very distant second with a market share of 13.9%.

This is an impressive accomplishment for Google's mobile OS, considering Android's market share was 52.5% in Q3 of 2011.

Samsung saw its position as the leading mobile manufacturer increase to 22.9% after selling almost 100 million phones in the three month period ending in September. This was mostly at the expense of Nokia, which saw its market share slide almost 5 percent points year-over-year.

The holiday season should see Apple take back some of both of those pies, as many iOS-faithfuls held off on replacing their smartphones until the iPhone 5 came around. Apple's new smartphone top dog is expanding its availability to many new markets in Q4, which should help Apple arrest the fall in iOS market share.

Introduction

So, it's all but settled that Windows Phone 8 is the biggest thing to happen to smartphones this year. But are the handful of flagships carrying it the best thing that could happen to users?

Properly powered and engineered to perfection, the Nokia, Samsung and HTC WP8 smartphones are all making a bid to break iOS and Android's grip on the market. They are all fine species of smartphone. With the same screen resolution and chipsets powering them, with the Redmond-mandated hardware specs, they all have Microsoft written all over.

But then, it's only the Taiwanese that actually have it in writing. There's only one Windows Phone 8X - and it's the HTC Windows Phone flagship. Not a bad way to start now, is it? It must be quite a lift for the HTC Windows Phone 8X to feel special among clearly superior rivals. While Nokia and Samsung gave their WP top dogs those massive screens, HTC went for a relatively modest 4.3" LCD.

  
HTC Windows Phone 8X official photos

On one hand, it sounds like a smart move. The HTC Windows Phone 8X will be the only option for those looking for a more compact premium device that carries Microsoft's latest mobile platform. On the other, this could see the 8X relegated to a lower tier and made to fight it out with the likes of the Lumia 820. Now, that would call for some aggressive pricing and lower profit margins perhaps, which isn't exactly ideal for a company that hasn't had the best of streaks lately.

We'll see if the gamble pays off but there's no rush. Let's see what the HTC Windows Phone 8X is made of, and what could've been better.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• Quad-band 3G with 42 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support
• 4.3" 16M-color S-LCD2 capacitive touchscreen of 720 x 1280 pixel resolution
• Scratch resistant Gorilla Glass 2 display
• 8 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, 1080p@30fps video recording
• 2.1MP front-facing camera
• Windows Phone 8 OS
• 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU, Adreno 225 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset, 1GB of RAM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band
• GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS support
• Digital compass
• 16GB of inbuilt storage
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic
• Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• microUSB port
• Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP and EDR, file transfers
• Impressively deep and coherent SNS integration throughout the interface
• Xbox Live integration and Xbox management
• Data Sense
• Class-leading JavaScript performance
• NFC support
• HTC exclusive apps
• Beats audio enhancements

Main disadvantages

• Too much bezel offsets smaller screen
• No microSD card slot, just one storage option
• Non user-replaceable battery
• App catalog falls short of Android and iOS
• Competition has quad-core Krait CPUs already
• No FM radio
• No system-wide file manager
• No voice-guided navigation
• No music player equalizers
• No lockscreen shortcuts

It's not a short list of disadvantages by any means, but most of those are platform-specific and, judging by the reception Windows Phone 8 has been getting, they're not deal-breakers. At least not all of them. Now, the non-expandable storage and the single 16GB option is something to definitely consider, but if you can live with that, the HTC Windows Phone 8X is a must-see.

   
The HTC Windows Phone 8X at ours

The Beats audio label has finally been made to count as the HTC Windows Phone 8X offers a specially designed amplifier, while the wide selection of available colors makes it easy to find a unit that best suits your personality. Whether you go for the businesslike black or one of those peppier paintjobs, the HD screen and beautiful unibody design are always part of the deal.