The developer of Angry Birds has confirmed it is hatching a lighter version of the game for Android. As if the popular feathered friend-flinging game needed more players, Rovio has announced on its blog that more Android devices will now be supported.

Angry Birds for Android currently only devices running version 1.6 or above of the Google OS, and many devices such as the HTC Hero, HTC Dream,  HTC Magic, Samsung Acclaim and T-Mobile G1 aren't officially supported. Rovio hopes to rectify this with the lighter version of Angry Birds it is working on. The developer assures us that it doesn't intend to lighten the gameplay or cut levels in the version for lower-end devices.

So far, we have hesitated to create multiple versions of Angry Birds for the Android platform. But judging by the feedback we have received, we feel that by providing a lightweight solution, we are doing a favor for our fans.

 

 

Today marks the start of a new age for iPhone gaming following the release today of Rage for iOS. Id Software's hotly-anticipated zombie blasting, first-person shooter is the first iPhone title armed with the Rage engine. It delivers an incredible 60 frames per second on iPhone 4 device, and looks gorgeous on the iPad and even on older iPhone models.

Although I was impressed with Call of Duty: Zombies and NOVA, Rage is the first iOS shooter that has really set my heart racing. The forthcoming PC version will be even better, and could go on to be as big a hit as those other grand id games Quake, Doom and Wolfenstein. Go check out my review of the iPad version of Rage for more.

The official Twitter app for iPhone has been updated to version 3.2.1, and now features push notifications. This means you can get on-screen alerts about Twitter activity, according to the configuration options you set.

Twitter push notifications can be enabled for messages and also for mentions and replies, either from anyone on Twitter or only from the people you follow. You'll be able to configure notifications when you launch the app for the first time after the update, and also from the app's settings.

You can download the latest version of Twitter for iPhone from the App Store and also read our review.

As Amber noted this week, Google are set to unleash the next version of Android, 2.3 dubbed Gingerbread, in the next few weeks. But how many Android owners will ever see it?

Apple's tight grip over the iPhone means they control iOS updates, and users can get them the moment they are released (unless their device is unsupported). Microsoft have claimed that Windows Phone 7 will be just the same, so you'll always have the latest version. That means security holes get plugged as fast as possible, and bug fixes come whenever necessary. Having the operating system maker control the software makes a lot of sense, as smartphones are basically computers. You might buy a Dell, but who would want Dell acting as a middleman between you and Microsoft?

Google, curiously, have allowed phone network companies to take control of Android. This means users have to wait for their providers to update the OS. It seems the phone companies have little motivation to do this - for them it's better if you just buy a new phone - so Android owners can wait months for updates. Sometimes the handsets may not be able to handle the newer version, of course, but that's by no means the whole issue.

The fragmentation of Android means your pocket computer is being held back by companies who apparently don't have your best interests at heart. Now that Google's Nexus One phone has been killed off, will they ever again try to wrestle back control of their otherwise excellent mobile OS? Could this issue give Microsoft the edge they need to become a mobile player again?

Google has launched the official iPhone app for Google Voice, the communication service launched back in 2009.Though there was already an HTML5-based Google Voice app for iOS 3.0 and WebOS, this is the first time Google Voice users get a native app for the iPhone.

The app brings all the excellent Google Voice features to your device, including cheap rates for international calls, free texts to U.S. numbers and voicemail transcription. In addition to these, Google Voice for iPhone includes other benefits such as push notifications for new voicemails and text messages, and support for Direct Access Numbers, which makes calls easier and faster to connect.

You can download Google Voice for iPhone from the App Store now. You'll need iOS 3.1 or later, and a valid Google Voice account. Remember that Google Voice is currently only available in the United States.

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the newest version of Google’s eagerly awaited Android release. Code-named Gingerbread, and rumored to be coming a few weeks from now, the latest Android version should offer even more interactivity with the real world.

According to Google’s chief executive, Eric Schmidt, Gingerbread might negate the need to carry your credit cards with you on your next shopping trip. Whenever you walk into a store, Android’s new near-field communication technology will provide relevant information, tailored to the phone’s owner, Schmidt explained at a Web 2.0 Summit yesterday in San Francisco. It also apparently reduces risks like fraud and identity theft, because both the person and the phone must be present while paying for any purchases.

On top of this, Schmidt also described how Gingerbread plans to revolutionize the e-commerce industry. By providing relevant information on nearby stores wherever Android users are, Gingerbread promises to make shopping easier - and its users more informed - as a result.

While this technology does sound incredible and is well worth exploring as an alternate means of payment for your store purchases, I’m not sure it’s any more secure than simply using a credit card. What happens if you misplace your phone? Unfortunately Schmidt did not elaborate on any of Gingerbread’s improved security features at the Web 2.0 Summit.

Still, Gingerbread, if successful, will be an interesting next step in the way its users make purchases.     

Popular pocket web browser, Opera Mobile has finally been released for Android phones. The app allows you to easily traverse the web through a stylish user interface. Opera Mobile supports helpful navigation aids such as multiple tabs, a start page to put up to nine shortcuts, and a comfortable pinch-to-zoom tool.

If you've used Opera Mini before on your Android then you'll already be familiar with the features and functionality of Opera Mobile, because it is virtually the same application. The key difference between the two is that Mini uses page compression to load sites more quickly, whereas Mobile renders HTML fully as nature intended. This means that load times are slower in Opera Mobile, but the graphics look much crisper. Opera Mobile does come with Opera Turbo, however, which allows you to turn page compression on if you want.

Opera Mobile matches up pretty well against other Android web browsers. Personally, though, I reckon Dolphin Browser HD is still the best of the bunch, given its vast feature set and support for add-ons. Go check out my review of Opera Mobile for Android and give the program a try for yourself.

This time of year always seems a bit early for me to be thinking about holiday shopping, but in just a few short weeks the infamous Black Friday will be upon us in the US. While some people look forward to the experience and jump into it with gusto, shopping for holiday gifts can be a stressful and overwhelming experience for many of us.

Thankfully, for those of us who prefer to pre-plan everything from our holiday shopping budgets to what gifts we actually expect to purchase, there’s an app for that. Quite a few, actually:

Santa’s Little Helper: As the name suggests, this app for the iPhone and iPod organizes your Christmas gifts several different ways. You can arrange your purchases by group, store, type of gift, and also by individual person. One of its more useful features is the individual gifts page that allows you to include the item's name, the person to whom it’s intended to be given, and the gift’s status, such as where you bought it and whether it’s been wrapped.

Toys R Us - The Great Big Christmas Book: This fun and colorful app makes me wish the iPad had been around when I was a kid. The Great Big Christmas Book is a creative way to involve your children in holiday gift-giving. Toys are distinguished by categories, allowing your child to create a list toys they'd like to receive. The prices are only seen in the parents' section, and the wish list can be sent to friends and family alike with ease.

EverNote: Although not technically a holiday-specific program, EverNote is hard to beat when it comes to capturing, storing, and syncing just about any information onto multiple devices. It's a great organizational tool, particularly for holiday shopping, and works on PCs, Macs, and even your iPod and phone. Tags are also a highlight of the program, making it even easier to categorize different holiday purchases.

GiftBox: For those who aren't quite as enthusiastic about apps, GiftBox is a great alternative. A free, web-based program, GiftBox allows you to create an account and not only keep track of your gift ideas for friends and family but also notes the gifts you've received from other people. In other words, you'll never have to worry about misplacing your thank you list again. You can also even go one step further and use GiftBox to send thank you eCards.

It may seem like heresy to bookworms, but reading a book on your iPhone is actually quite a pleasant experience. If you're not convinced, it's easy to give it a go, and there are plenty of free books out there to try.

Of all the ebook readers available on the App Store, my favorite is Stanza. You can read my review here. I like Stanza as it's free, full of features to make reading as comfortable as possible, and there are plenty of in-app ways to download books.

However, as well getting books directly from the app, you can also import any PDF or ePub files you have on your computer, making Stanza a really useful document reader too. Plug in your iPhone, and open iTunes.

Click the Apps tab at the top, and scroll down. Here there's a File Sharing section, click Stanza, and drag any PDF or ePub files you want. After a short sync, you'll be able to view the files from Stanza. Stanza automatically bookmarks your page, so you'll never lose your place, it can look up words you don't know and add annotations too. It may not smell like a book, but the advantages are clear!

Windows Phone 7 phones are today available in the US, as Microsoft begins its campaign to break up Android and iOS's party. The HTC Surround and Samsung Focus are both available to buy through AT&T, while T-Mobile offers the HTC HD7 device.

Already, there's a lot of Windows Phone 7 software around, including official offerings from Twitter and Facebook. The Marketplace is home to other popular favorites, including Shazam, Netflix, Tetris, and IMDb.

If you want a feel for what the new Windows Phone 7 operating system is like, then go check out our guide to using the Windows Phone 7 emulator, and watch our video demo.

Today's a great day for releases. If the excitement of Google Instant for mobile wasn't enough, Android and Nokia users are now able to browse the web with Firefox 4 (Fennec). You'll be pleased to hear that loads of your favorites are packed into this mobile device - Sync, Add-ons and the Awesome Bar all feature.

There's only one problem - even though this beta is available for Android and Nokia N900 (and there's a long list of supported devices) my HTC Legend, for example, simply wasn't able to cope. Apparently this is due to the fact that the Legend and other phones use ARMv6 processors, rather than the more standard ARMv7, but after taking a deep breath and disabling the security settings that prevent you from installing any non-Market sourced apps, I was pretty disappointed!

If your device doesn't seem to be supported, pay attention to this information. The Mozilla blog says that your phone might be able to run one of the experimental ARMv6 nightly builds. I'm normally a careful girl, but after throwing caution to the wind and unchecking that security box, I may as well go the whole hog and get experimental - I'll report back if I get it working!

If you've been blown away by Google Instant, you'll be stoked to find that it's now also available on mobile devices, for top class searching on the go.

If you're not familiar with the concept of Instant , it's a really cool way of visualizing search results in real time as you type. Google point out that in the space and speed-limited environment of a mobile device, the instantaneous-ness of it all will be even more useful, and I'm inclined to agree. There's even an easily accessible link to turn Instant on and off, in case you're temporarily struggling with a less than perfect wi-fi or 3G connection. If you're running Android 2.2 or an iPhone/iPod running iOS 4, check it out now!

Back on Tuesday I was predicting that the new Skyfire iPhone browser, released today, would be a big hit on the App Store. But I didn't anticipate that demand would be so great that the developer would have to pull the product from iTunes!

As Skyfire reports on its blog, the new Flash-ready browser became the top grossing app, and the third highest paid app overall - in just five hours of it being online. Now it's unclear if and when the new browser will go back online. Of course, this is all great publicity for Skyfire - but infuriating for those still waiting to experience Flash video in their iPhone browser.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been sounding off about Google slowing Facebook's Android development - apparently the search giant bought the developer who was originally making the app! Today a new version has been released, 1.4, and it brings the Android app into line with its more-developed iPhone cousin. Groups and Places are now included, and the notifications have been improved. Get it here.

Android's official Twitter app has also been updated to include many interface features first introduced in their iPhone app. You can now pull to refresh your twitter feed, and swipe tweets to reveal Twitter tools like quote tweet, reply and so on. Get it here.

iPhone owners are in for a treat this week, when Flash video content will be finally be accessible on the device, through the new Skyfire browser. Apple has already approved the Skyfire Mobile Browser 2.0, which is due for release on Thursday. The app will allow users to watch Flash video content, which will get downloaded to the Skyfire servers, converted to HTML 5 then shown in the browser.

Annoyingly, there will be no support for Hulu in the new Skyfire, as the popular video streaming site has already blocked the developer from using its content. However, Skyfire 2.0 should allow access to Flash video embedded into web pages, as well as playing clips from sites such as Dailymotion, Google Video and Metacafe. Significantly, Skyfire has assured the protection of users' personal data by automatically shutting off downloading to the company's servers when someone is viewing a secure site (an online bank account, for example).

Being the first browser to fully integrate Flash video should be a massive boon for Skyfire, and will surely see it race to the top of the App Store upon its release. Check back on Thursday to find out our verdict on Skyfire 2.0.