Amazon's Free App of the Day - Gentle Alarm

written by: Nick Kosmides

Gentle Alarm is today's free app on Amazon's Appstore.  Having a two stage alarm integrated with choices from your personal music library, this app is a decent replacement for the stock alarm.

All kinds of settings allow you to customize how this thing wakes you up.  Have the alarm gradually raise the volume so as to not startle you.  Also, the app will ask you questions or pose a challenging puzzle.

All in the name of getting you up and out on your way to having an eventful day.  Download it within the hour for free.

Gentle Alarm - $2.80 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Wave Launcher

written by: Nick Kosmides

Wave Launcher is free today.  An addendum to your Home Launcher, Wave Launcher can be called upon no matter which app is running currently.  Call it a multitasking utility or home alternative, but its handy if you frequently switch between a handful or so commonly used apps or shortcuts.

I've used it throughout the day today and have determined its not for me.  I am one to jump on anything that allows total control and unique customizations, but I was frequently calling upon the wave involuntarily.  After a few times, it became frustrating.

The act of pulling it up is a simple gesture from the bottom of the screen up to the middle, then slide left to right to select the app you'd like to quick launch.  If you choose against anything you MUST slide back down to the bottom of the screen or you'll accidentally launch something you didn't want to.

If you want an alternative to this alternative, download a custom Home screen launcher like Frederico's Launcher Pro or Go Launcher EX.  These apps replace the entire look of your phone and allow for scrollable docks.  This could reduce the number of home screens you use.

If you'd like to procure your digital download for Wave Launcher, hit up the link before midnight, or your car may turn back into a pumpkin.

Wave Launcher - $0.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Gem Miner: Dig Deeper

written by: Nick Kosmides

Gem Miner: Dig Deeper can be downloaded to your Android device free today only.

Its a habit of mine to scope out a game's Options before jumping into gameplay.  My friends would know why, but others would not.  In Options you'll often find out if the game means business or if its a clone of a clone of a clone of an Angry Birds knock off.  In this case I find "Zeemote Controls".  Don't know what that is?  Sweet, then I can be the first to tell you!

Zeemote is an app you can download from the Android Market that allows you to connect a Wii Remote to your Android phone via bluetooth connection.  Sweet!  There are limitations to the apps functionality, if my memory serves me, like Android 2.2.  Some specific devices may also be unsupported.  If you get it to work though, I highly recommend getting some of your old school roms onto your phone, ie: backups of games you own already of course.

What kind of game is Gem Miner?  One short lived session had me pondering this same question.  I couldn't figure it out.  It turns out the premise is simple.  Gather ores and gems and sell them.  Enable the tutorial for starters.  That way you can have a laugh like I did when I read about ladders.  Keep an eye on how many you have in your inventory when digging downward or you may get "stuck".  Ha ha!  Normally, that would not be something allowed when designing a game, but this game warns you about it happening.  So don't be careless.

Can you find the hidden amethyst crystals?  Hit up the Amazon Appstore for the download today.

Gem Miner: Dig Deeper - $1.99 FREE 

Amazon’s Free App of the Day - 4 Player Reactor

written by: Nick Kosmides

I wrote this yesterday but for some reason it didn't post correctly using the Blogger app by Google. Hmm, very frustrating. So, even though its no longer free, I have to keep up with the theme of this blog
Yesterday, 4 Player Reactor was free. So if you missed this opportunity for a really good multiplayer game, don't freak out. Just drop the $1.99 for the thing because its worth it.

The game features 22 mini games by my count. Multiple levels of difficulty make it easy to taylor a game for kids or fans of games involving timing and attentiveness. More options open up customizations with seemingly endless combinations.

Head on over to the Amazon Appstore for Android and drop a few for this game.

4 Player Reactor - $1.99

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Spanish Translator Pro

written by: Nick Kosmides

Spanish Translator Pro is free today on Amazon.  I have decided this will be my shortest review so far.

Translates your English speaking or Spanish speaking voice to text.  Uses SMS permissions to read/translate incoming text messages.  Facebook integration.  Yay.

Spanish Translator Pro - $1.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Hungry Shark: Part 1

written by: Nick Kosmides

Hungry Shark reminds me of Echo the Dolphin, but with blood and less story.  You could say its Jaws on crack Rockstar.  I call it fleeting fun.  The fun is there, it just doesn't last long.

How long you ask?  Well, you will start off casually swimming through the shallows of the ocean, initially exploring the hows and wheres of the game.  The gameplay will develop into a diving challenge because the surface fish just aren't exciting.  You'll discover the angler fish, the deep sea divers and abandoned mines.  If you manage to avoid all the snipping of anglers and not get killed by mines or starvation just yet, then you'll discover that the whole time there were a few collectibles you've been, well, collecting along the way.

This is normally the hook.  Actually this IS the "hook".  Except, the map is pretty darn massive.  It will take a long long time, at least one battery cycle if you're good and you turn on Airplane Mode, to discover the whereabouts of all the collectibles in the game.  It can be done, but I found no immediate rush to drain my phone.

Maybe after a Finding Nemo marathon with the kids I will play this game with more fervor.  That's it!  I just invented a new rating system for cell phone games.  Lasting Appeal should now be gauged in battery cycles!  Sweet.  Does this count as copyrighting?

Hungry Shark: Part 1 - $2.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Pocketbooth

written by: Nick Kosmides

Pocketbooth is free today from the Amazon Appstore for Android. Take classic photo booth photos from the front facing or rear facing camera on your Android device.  Easily share these photos with the world in app.  An authentic "slot dispenser" rounds up the experience for an authentic photo delivery mechanism.

Pocketbooth - $1.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Super Dynamite Fishing

written by: Nick Kosmides

Super Dynamite Fishing is free today on the Amazon Appstore for Android.

Normally there would be a non-super version of a game before the "Super" sequel, yet developer Handy Games felt the need to jump the gun.  Was it warranted or unnecessary?  You be the judge.  I personally think it wasn't necessary, though the game is pretty fun.

If you've been following certain developers or waiting for something big to happen on the gaming side of Android, you may be waiting a while.  EA is one of the biggest developers and they are having some issues.  Delayed adoption of the Android brand and a barrage of complaints from purchasers of their apps claiming they are unable to download the app .Either initially or after a factory reset or upon purchasing a new phone.  I am one of these people, so with complaints like these the developer will not find an audience when they can't keep the customers they had.

Developer Handy Games on the other hand may be one to watch.  Their portfolio of Android games both on the Android Market and the Amazon Appstore is growing and quite diverse.  Also fairly original in design as there aren't too many dynamite fishing games outside of flash based browser games.

Never has such chaos and mayhem been so easy.  But its not all about killing fish.  Remember those things called goals?  Well you have but one main goal, to impress a chick.  The style of the game is as though you are a hard working redneck hunter who loves to shoot and blow stuff up.  But you have alimony and supplies to buy.  Earn money by wrangling fish carcasses.  Upgrade your weaponry, boat, and eventually your life style.

Part RPG, part time management, all free!  So it is with the deepest pride and the greatest pleasure that I bring to you today, your free app.  Be my guest to download it and kill some fish with the touch of your finger.

Super Dynamite Fishing - $0.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Pool Break Pro

written by: Nick Kosmides

Its the 1st of May, swimming pools are opened, BBQs are fired up, and people are outside.  Amazon is here to the summer fun when one of Android's best online multiplayer games, Pool Break Pro.  This is a must download if you like either billiards or multiplayer games.

Plenty of opponents to play online, though with such an eclectic choice of offline game modes to choose from, no one will feel left out.  The standard 8-ball and 9-ball modes are present, a UK variant of 8-ball as well.  You'll also find Straight pool, place-n-shoot, and Pool drill modes.

For even more game modes, this pro version also offers up Snooker, Carrom and Crokinole.  I remember playing Carrom as a kid.  Kind of like pool, you shoot discs instead of balls and the table is a circle with pegs in the middle of the playing field you'll have to shoot around.

Speaking of shooting around, the physics are top notch, with customization options to boot. Control game lighting, sounds, skill levels and objects in the scenery for even more control.

Online has been revamped as of the most recent update and includes Wifi or data network support with chat functionality.  Grab this game before its no longer offered for free, and if you miss out on this offer, just buy it.  Its one of many games on Android that is well worth the money.

Pool Break Pro - $2.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Hex Defense

written by: Nick Kosmides

Put your guard up for Hex Defense free on the Amazon Appstore today.

Hex Defense, in case you're not one of the over 2,000 reviewers of this app on the Android Marketplace, is a tower defense game borrowing its look from classic yet modern vector graphics games. Some people may know what tower defense is, some may not.  Basically mount your defenses against an onslaught of AI controlled attackers.  Defeat all the attackers before they destroy your base and you move on to the next more difficult level.  Level up your defenses by earning some sort of currency and spending it wisely, and therein lies the strategy.

Weapons include the usual pea shooters, lasers, rocket launchers and a level decimating shock wave.  There are options to dummy down the graphics in case you are using an LG phone or something also less powerful.  Or leave it on "Intense Graphics" and prepare to be dazzled!

Hex Defense - $1.49 FREE