Russian search engine Yandex’s Wonder app is on the outs with Facebook – here’s why

Graph Search is Facebook’s new, shiny feature – and Russian search engine Yandex’s Wonder might actually one-up it. So what does Facebook do? Pull access, of course.

“Facebook’s mission is to make the world more open and connected,” reads the first line of Facebook’s blog post introducing Graph Search. But after Facebook blocked Wonder – the mobile App that launched the same day by Google’s Russian competitor Yandex – from accessing the social giant’s much touted one trillion data-points, that should be rewritten: “Facebook’s mission is to make the world more open and connected… so long as Facebook retains control over the information and how it can be accessed.”

Timing is everything

Graph Search was launched a mere four days after news broke that Yandex had essentially built the mobile app, voice search-enabled version of Graph Search.

Graph Search is a tool to navigate the endless data-points on Facebook, including reportedly a billion people (minus all the cat and dog profile pages), 240 billion photos, and more than a trillion connections. Graph Search goes beyond letting you search for friends, and lets you search for people, photos, places and interests in a more semantic way, within a defined context.

Beta testers can now ask Facebook to find “friends who live in New York City and ski,” “books read by CEOs,” or “music my friends like.” Because of its ability to tap into preferences and essentially recommendations from friends, Graph Search could be considered a threat to not only Google – which released its Knowledge Graph last year – but also to Amazon and even Yelp. Which brings to mind the old saying: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

But the traditional social-meets-search players aren’t the only ones reeling from the launch of Graph Search: Yandex’s Wonder app is being threatened. In Yandex’s words, “Wonder is an iPhone app that collects your friends’ activity from Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare, and Twitter and makes it easily accessible to you. Now you can ask questions about what places your friends visit, what music they listen to, and what news they read.” Apparently this treads too closely to what Graph Search does… because you can integrate Facebook, thus rendering the app without important social information.

Facebook has reportedly done this because of its policy stating: “You must not include data obtained from us in any search engine or directory without our written permission.” Yandex, however, argues that Wonder is not a search engine or directory, and thus should be free use Facebook’s social graph.

When I reached out to Facebook to find out why they had blocked Wonder, they pointed me to a blog post responding to the issue. The post reads in part, “Over the past few days, we’ve received questions about a few of our platform policies and want to clarify our thinking.

“For the vast majority of developers building social apps and games, keep doing what you’re doing. Our goal is to provide a platform that gives people an easy way to login to your apps, create personalized and social experiences, and easily share what they’re doing in your apps with people on Facebook…

“For a much smaller number of apps that are using Facebook to either replicate our functionality or bootstrap their growth in a way that creates little value for people on Facebook, such as not providing users an easy way to share back to Facebook, we’ve had policies against this that we are further clarifying today (see I.10).”

What about Wonder?

Founded in 1997, Yandex is the fifth largest search engine globally and Russia’s largest search engine, controlling more than 60 percent of the Russian market. Similar to Google, the Russian search giant generates the majority of its revenue through online advertising, and offers multiple products from maps and traffic information to photo hosting and email. But to put Yandex in context, its market cap is $7.59 B while Google’s market cap is $248.28 B—about 32 times as large, and Facebook’s is $67.3 B—nearly eight times as large.

Google, however, is just one of Yandex’s “Big Four” tech giant competitors; with its launch of Wonder, it is now in some ways a competitor to Facebook’s Graph Search—pulling in social data from Instagram, iTunes, Last.fm, and Facebook competitors Twitter and Foursquare. Currently, Wonder can (or rather, would be able to) provide answers to questions about places, music and news—questions like “What clubs have my friends been to in New York,” or “What electronic songs do my friends like?”. But Yandex plans to gradually expand the types of questions to which it can return answers.

Wonder, which is Yandex’s first U.S. product, was launched January 24. Before Facebook started blocking all API calls from Wonder, many wondered if Facebook—which is still a ways away from building out its own mobile app for Graph Search, according to Zuckerberg—would save itself some time and just acquire the app. The exponential growth of consumers accessing the Web via a growing number of mobile devices puts Facebook at a disadvantage, especially when considering products that go to market first are often the ones that gain traction and staying power. Facebook knows this all too well, considering how the Snapchat-Poke episode played out.

“Wonder was launched to test some of our very new technologies and to get answers on questions like: ‘How good is our new Natural Language Understanding Unit (NLUU), the technology that can transform a human query into a database query,’ ‘How to proceed duplicates correctly (e.g. how to glue the same venue’s check-ins made in Facebook, Foursquare and, say, Instagram,’ and ‘How to make semantic analysis of queries,’” Yandex’s deputy CTO Grigory Bakuniv tells me when asked why they launched Wonder. Bakuniv said they’re also interested in testing the “new user interface of a results page with horizontal swiping [and finding out if] it is really convenient for mobile search or should it look different.”

During Facebook’s press event on Graph Search, Zuckerberg said Facebook didn’t have plans to integrate voice search—a feature Wonder boasts—and that it didn’t have an estimate on when its mobile version would be ready.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend… but what happens when the enemy of my enemy is my enemy?

Many have reported that a deal is not completely off the table, as Facebook and Yandex are currently in talks. The two companies have a history: In 2010, they struck a licensing deal allowing Yandex to show public posts from Facebook Pages in its search results. But this time around, a deal seems unlikely.

From Yandex’s side, the company’s CTO told me they launched Wonder as a test to experiment with the capabilities of its tetchnology, backing away from the idea that they were looking to sell. “We launched this app to check and test our new technologies. The result of the experiment should confirm or deny some tech theories we have in mind,” Bakuniv says, adding that the company would incorporate some of Wonder’s elements into other products and services supported by Yandex based on their findings. “We don’t think selling Wonder to anyone will help us to conduct the experiment successfully,” he said.

From Facebook’s side, even if they were somehow able to buy Wonder, there would be a strong possibility that Twitter and Foursquare would pull their data from something owned by Facebook. If, as Bakuniv suggests, there isn’t likely to be a deal with Facebook, there’s a possibility for Yandex to partner with competitor Google for access to Google+ data to fill out what Wonder lost along with Facebook integration.

When I asked Bakuniv if the company had plans to draw from other platforms like Google+ and LinkedIn, he said, “Wonder is Yandex’s experiment and four sources [Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Foursquare] are quite enough for experimental tasks. Potentially, we are interested to use as many social networks as possible, including Google+ if we find it contains enough social data shared and we can get convenient access to it via API.” 

Wonder isn’t the only app Facebook has blocked in recent weeks. The social media giant recently blocked Twitter’s video app Vine, and the messaging service Voxer, from letting their users connect with friends via Facebook. Facebook’s public reasoning, as explained in their recent blog post, is that many apps are using Facebook to replicate functionality or bootstrap their own growth “in a way that creates little value for people on Facebook.” Obviously, however, the people attempting to connect with their friends on apps like Wonder, Vine and Voxer via Facebook, are Facebook users themselves. And these Facebook users, who also happen to be users of competing apps, clearly find value in being able to connect with their Facebook friends across multiple apps.

And of course, the fact remains that Wonder and all its technology will have to sit idle and unused simply because its a competitor to a service Facebook hasn’t even finished rolling out. To be fair, Facebook has the right to block competing apps from using its services to bolster non-Facebook services, but then maybe Facebook should change its mission statement: “Facebook’s mission is to make the world more open and connected.” 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/facebook-graph-search-versus-wonder/

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Are you ready for a phone call so clear you’ll want a cigarette?

Mobile technology has moved in leaps and bounds over the past decade. So why is it that call quality is still so terrible? HD Voice is starting to be more available, but Fraunhofer, the inventors of the .mp3 and .AAC, don’t think it’s earned the title of HD. The organization has its own solution, Full-HD Voice, which could be available right now.

You may not be familiar with the name Fraunhofer, but you’re definitely familiar with its work. It’s a large research organization that has been at the forefront of many of the technological advancements that we enjoy today. Listing the non-profit’s full list of achievements would be too extensive to fit here, but to give some perspective: If you’re watching a Blu-ray, a YouTube video, or a 3D television, if you’ve listened to a song today in .mp3 or .AAC format, or if you’ve connected to the Internet via a LTE network, you’re utilizing research conducted by the folks at Fraunhofer.

Being the organization that invented both .mp3 and .AAC, Fraunhofer knows a thing or two about sound quality. When the idea of HD Voice was announced, the teams at Fraunhofer IIS (Institue for Integrated Circuits) and Fraunhofer USA were shocked. In the eyes of the researchers at the institute, the idea of HD Voice is a scam – not because it isn’t an improvement, but because it isn’t nearly enough of one. Standard phone calls take place on an audio bandwidth of up to 3.4KHz. HD Voice, using the Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) waveband speech codec, bumps calls up to 7KHz. HP Baumeister, one of the researchers at Fraunhofer, describes this as a “timid step” at best. He believes he can do better, and is more than willing to prove it.

Baumeister had a long list of shortcomings that is produced by HD Voice, most of which stems from the codec it uses. HD Voice is designed specifically for for speech, which would seem perfect for a phone call. The problem is, your voice likely isn’t the only thing that can be heard during a call. Background noises of all kinds, from music to environment, will exist no matter what. In Baumeister’s words, the limitation of speech codecs come because they ”absolutely must have voice suppression,” which means “the codec cannot deal with it [if it's not voice].” It also requires a licensing fee to use, adding a cost to the provider and potentially the consumer.

His solution? A project of Fraunhofer research: Full-HD Voice. While the name doesn’t differentiate the service that well (these guys are tech geniuses, not marketers after all), Baumeister believes the quality speaks for itself. Using the VoIP technology that we are inevitably moving toward, Full-HD Voice takes avantage of codecs designed for all sorts of audio to deliver a higher quality call experience. Improving quality to between 14KHz and 20KHz, it produces calls with the full audible spectrum. There are a total of five AAC codecs, which you’ve likely used in the past. AAC-LD is a standard in video conferencing, while AAC-ELD is the codec of choice for Apple’s FaceTime. The full AAC offering is compatible with Android 4.1 and up, AAC-ELD is present in both Android and iOS. This is the technology that powers Full-HD Voice, conveniently already available within the two most popular mobile operating systems around – no additional licensing or royalties required.

What does all this mean? Your phone is likely already capable of carrying out high quality audio conversations with sound comparable to that of a CD. Baumeister believes this can be done without increasing the bit rates of today’s phone services. The AAC-ELD codec actually achieves higher audio quality with a lower bit rate, making it for a better and more efficient conversation.

It’s crazy to think of all the advancements our phones have gone through over the past decade, the one part of that hasn’t improved is the actual call quality – You know, the thing the phone was invented for. For comparison’s sake, imagine TVs develpoed to the point they are now, big screens and thin frames, but we still watched films on VHS. You have a piece of technology in your pocket that is so advanced that it can outthink the computers that put a man on the moon. Why spend all your time on it asking people to repeat what they said or holding your arms at odd angles like rabbit ear antennas in hopes of getting better call quality?

Everything is in place for Full-HD Voice to be utilized as the standard mobile communication. It’s capable of being used cross-platform to complete audio conversations from Android to iOS devices. We just need some clever app creators to get going on making this a reality. Make our lives easier, app devs.

Learn more about Full-HD Voice and get a demo of the quality it offers and find out more about Fraunhofer’s creation here.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/the-untapped-potential-of-full-hd-voice-the-best-call-youve-never-had/

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BlackBerry Z10 to cost £480 unlocked from Carphone Warehouse?

The BB10-toting Z10 will be unveiled on January 30

We know what RIM's flagship BlackBerry Z10 smartphone will look like, what it's capable of and when it'll be launched. Now we've got the first indication of how much it will cost.

If leaked inventory shots prove to be accurate, the first handset to run the BB10 operating system will cost just a score short of 500 nicker, to use the parlance of our southern brethren.

Engadget has received a photo, claiming to be a shot of Carphone Warehouse's internal listings, showing a BlackBerry Z10 in white for the SIM-free price of £479.95.

The all-touchscreen affair will be officially revealed on January 30, although at this stage 'reveal' feels like too strong a word.

Full exposure

The device has been subject to more leaks than perhaps any gadget in recent memory. The Z10 has been seen numerous times in leaked photographs and hands on videos.

Just last week, a German blog posted a full hands-on comparison with the Z10 and the iPhone 5.

One has to wonder whether RIM will have anything left to surprise us with when its global launch events kick off on Wednesday. TechRadar will be there to let you know.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/blackberry-z10-to-cost-480-unlocked-from-carphone-warehouse-1127684

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Unlocking your new smartphone is now illegal: What you need to know

It is now illegal under federal law to unlock your cell phone without permission from your wireless carrier. Here’s a quick quick to answer all your why, how, and WTF questions.

As of today, it is illegal to unlock your new smartphone. This rule, issued by the Librarian of Congress in October, is seen by many as a slap in the face of consumers who wish to do what they want, when they want, with the devices they own. But there are a few silver linings in this dark cloud. Here, we’ll answer all the pertinent questions about the new no-unlock rule.

Why is it illegal to unlock a smartphone?

Because unlocking a phone requires making changes to its firmware – software that is copyrighted and owned by your carrier – therefore, doing so would be a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Was this always the case?

No.

Every three years, the Librarian reviews the specific rules of the DMCA, and makes exemptions allowed under the law. In 2006, the Librarian decided that phone unlocking should be exempted under DMCA. But that changed this year.

Why did the rule change?

Because the Librarian was convinced, for a number of reasons, that allowing unlocking was no longer a necessary exemption.

The main reason is that there are an increasing number of phones you can buy that come unlocked. Apple and its carrier partners sell the iPhone 5 unlocked, for example. Google’s Nexus 4 also comes unlocked. T-Mobile has plans to offer more of its phones unlocked. And retailers like Best Buy offer all sorts of unlocked phones. In short, the Librarian decided that there’s no reason to alter the DMCA to allow people to unlock any phone since people can easily buy an unlocked phone nowadays, if they choose to do so.

Furthermore, new court decisions have changed the interpretation of the law. In 2010, the Ninth Circuit court decided in Vernor v. Autodesk, Inc that we cell phone owners do not actually “own” the software running their phones. Instead, they are only “licensing” this software – a key difference – which means that we don’t have a right to alter that software. This also played a role in the Librarian’s decision.

Is it illegal to unlock all smartphones?

No.

The no-unlocking rule only applies to “newly purchased” phones, meaning any carrier-locked phone purchased from a carrier on or after October 28, 2012, the date the new rules went into effect.

If you buy a used phone – or even a new phone not directly from a carrier – you are still allowed to unlock it. It’s also perfectly legal to buy a phone that comes unlocked. You can also, in some circumstances, ask your carrier for permission to unlock your device. (More on this below.)

What are the benefits of an unlocked phone?

Unlocked phones can be freely used on other networks simply by swapping out the SIM card. So if you’re an AT&T customer, and you want to take the pone you have to T-Mobile, you could do so very easily with an unlocked phone.

The most common beneficiaries of unlocked phones, however, are world travelers. Say you have an unlocked iPhone 5; you could take your device to Europe, for example, buy a pre-paid SIM card (which is readily available there) and use your phone on the local network, allowing you to avoid exorbitant roaming fees.

What are the downsides of unlocked phones?

If you’re buying a new unlocked phone, it will cost you far more money up front than a carrier-locked device. A 16GB unlocked iPhone 5, for instance, will cost you $650. Buy the same phone through AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon, and you’ll pay just $200 thanks to carrier subsidies – but you also have to agree to a two-year contract. In the long run, you will likely end up paying more for your locked device than for an unlocked one.

Is jailbreaking the same as unlocking?

No.

Jailbreaking allows you to run apps on your device that you couldn’t do with an un-jailbroken phone, such as iOS apps that are not available through the iTunes App Store. But jailbreaking does not let you switch to a different carrier. Also, jailbreaking is still completely legal under the DMCA.

Is there a legal way for me to unlock my phone?

Yes – but it is a pain.

AT&T will let you unlock your device permanently, provided your contract has already expired. AT&T customers still on contract may unlock their devices up to five times per year (for international travel purposes), as long as they don’t owe any past-due amount on their accounts, and have been a customer for 60 days or more.

Verizon sells all iPhone 5s unlocked, meaning you could take your device over to AT&T or T-Mobile without having to unlock the device. But other devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S3, are locked by Verizon. However, like AT&T, customers in good standing can request to to have their devices unlocked for international travel.

Sprint does not offer unlocked devices, but it will allow customers to unlock their devices for travel after three months with the carrier.

What happens if I unlock my device anyway?

We don’t know. You could potentially have your service cancelled,  you could be sued under the DMCA, a federal agent could bust down your door and confiscate your illegally unlocked device. (Probably not that last one.) But those are just guesses, so we’ll just have to wait and see. What is clear, however, is that the new DMCA rule gives the carriers better legal backing to take action if you do unlock your device while on contract without permission.

Have other questions about the unlocking rules? Ask in the comments below, and we’ll find an answer.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/unlocking-your-new-smartphone-is-now-illegal-what-you-need-to-know/

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HTC launches Mini: a remote control for the HTC Butterfly

The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC has launched a remote control device for its Butterfly smartphone. HTC Mini, an NFC-enabled remote control, is now offered in China alongside its flagship device.

HTC Mini connects to the device through Bluetooth and helps you make calls without actually having to take your smartphones out of your pocket.

HTC Mini uses NFC to pair with the smartphone and serves as a remote terminal after that. The Mini can also show messages, calendar entries and call logs on its monochrome display.

HTC Mini can also be used to navigate through menus when the smartphone is plugged into your HDTV.

Mini can also be used to trigger the shutter in the camera app. The remote control sports a useful "find my phone" feature, which helps you locate your misplaced smartphone.

Unfortunately, there are no officially confirmations on the pricing and the availability of the gadget for other regions. Let's hope that the Mini will get its global release.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_launches_mini_a_remote_control_for_htc_butterfly_-news-5416.php

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Hands-on images of unkonown BlackBerry 10 device surface

With the launch of RIM's next generation BlackBerry 10 platform upon us, the leaked images of the new range of devices running this software are coming in thick and fast.

We have already seen some very official looking pictures of the BlackBerry Z10. Now one of our readers has sent us, what he claims are hands on images of the BlackBerry Z10 that were taken of a device used for training employees in a store in Kuwait. The source also mentioned that the phone will go on sale in Kuwait in the next 14 days, although no information was available regarding the pricing or availability in other regions.

Compared to the pictures we have seen before, the device in these pictures looks a bit different. Actually, it looks a lot like the BlackBerry Dev Alpha unit. Only difference here being that the display on this phone is flush with the front unlike on the dev unit, where it was sunken in. It much just be another version of the reference platform or simply another smartphone that RIM is going to introduce at its press event.

Unfortunately, we don't get to see much of the software, other than the homescreen. Still, we are not far away from the launch of the platform so we should be getting a much better look at it shortly.

Thanks, Saud, for the tip.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/exclusive_handson_images_of_the_blackberry_z10-news-5414.php

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Alpha version of the Jelly Bean ROM for Xperia T now available

Those first rumors of the update being released turned out to be a hoax, but Sony seems to be working hard on bringing Jelly Bean to its Xperia T flagship (and probably other smartphones too). The company just released alpha version of the ROM to any one who can't wait any more.

To install the ROM you'll need an unlocked Xperia T, and you'll have to unlock your boot loader and follow some instructions. Keep in mind that according to Sony, unlocking a bootloader will prevent you from getting the real update when it's released and is an irreversible action.

The alpha version of the ROM is quite poor though and is recommended only for developers. All connectivity services are NOT working as Sony is still waiting for an approval from the authorities - GSM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC and FM radio are a no-go.

Also, the UI is not yet updated to the final Jelly Bean looks and the Google Mobile Services are not pre-installed - so there are no Play Store, Gmail, Google Maps, etc.).

Basically this ROM is impossible to use as a daily driver and only good for developers who need to test their apps.

Sony promised to deliver the Jelly Bean update by the end of March and it seems it's going to be on time.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/alpha_version_of_the_jelly_bean_rom_for_xperia_t_now_available-news-5413.php

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PureView 808 the last Symbian phone from Nokia

Nokia pours out a 41-megapixel smartphone on the curb for its fallen mobile OS

Nokia has given the Symbian operating system a 41 megapixel salute this week, confirming that the PureView 808 smartphone is its swan song for the once-popular mobile OS.

"Nokia 808 PureView, a device which showcases our imaging capabilities and came to market in mid- 2012, was the last Symbian device from Nokia," said the Finnish firm in its latest earnings report.

Even with its killer camera - four times the megapixels as other top handsets - the photo-focused Nokia 808 PureView couldn't bring back the aging Symbian OS.

Instead, smartphone users have turned to handsets that run Google's Android and Apple's iOS, which now control 90 percent of the market.

The fall of Symbian

While Nokia has pledged to continue to support the Nokia PureView 808, it has acknowledged that interest in smartphones that run Symbian will continue to wane.

"Symbian devices accounted for 2.2 million units of our Smart Devices volumes in the fourth quarter 2012," said the company in its earning report.

"We expect our Symbian devices to account for a significantly smaller portion of our overall Smart Devices volumes in the first quarter 2013 and going forward."

During the same three-month stretch that Nokia off-loaded 2.2 million Symbian handsets, it sold 4.4 million Lumia smartphones, all of which run its new go-to Windows Phone mobile OS.

Even more impressive was the 9.3 million in sales of its budget-OS Asha full touch non-smart phones in the fourth quarter.

The rise of Windows Phone

Nokia Belle, the last major update to the Symbian platform, came out in 2011, but the company dropped it in favor of its true belle of the ball, Windows Phone OS.

"[Nokia phones with the] Windows Phone operating system are positively differentiated from our competitors' products, both outside and within the Windows Phone ecosystem," the company said this week.

Consumers seem to agree. Nokia's Lumia smartphones, running its new mobile operating system of choice, shipped a total of 13.4 million devices in 2012.

That number could've been even better, according to Nokia, which saw heavy demand for its Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 smartphones.

"Net sales grew sequentially as Nokia started shipping new Lumia devices, although volumes were adversely affected by supply constraints as we ramped up our production capacity, particularly related to the Lumia 920."

Out with the old OS and in with the new, Nokia's Lumia smartphones helped Windows Phone outsell Symbian handsets for the first time starting this month, the latest sign of recovery for the Finnish company.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/pureview-808-the-last-symbian-phone-from-nokia-1127621

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Regaining Relevancy: Washed-up athletes and the iOS games they need

Dennis Rodman and Shaquille O’Neal have their very own mobile games. We have a feeling they are just the first of many who will join the wave of athletes finding relevancy in apps. We’ve got a few suggestions for who the next pro athlete turned pro game characters should be.

Athletes are, by default, also entrepreneurs. Why? Because they need a backup plan. You can only push your body to perform ridiculous feats for so long before it begins to break down. Lucky for most athletes, money is delivered in piles while they’re playing. But what do they do with all that money after playing with a ball all day? For far too many athletes, the answer to that question is, “Blow it on extravagant cars and houses, then file for bankruptcy,” which isn’t exactly a good answer.

Shaquille O’Neal and Dennis Rodman, however, have a different idea. Both of these basketball stars have found leading roles in their own iOS games. Rodman stuck to what he knows, starring in a free throw game and the upcoming Big Win Basketball title from Hothead Games. Shaq reprised his role from Shaq Fu with ShaqDown, acting as a martial arts master version of himself in which he’s bulging with muscles as opposed to the fat he’s acquired in his post-NBA life. This got us thinking: What other formerly relevant athletes could use a little profile boost from a mobile game?

Brett Favre’s Quest to Lose Respect

If you look at Brett Favre’s career from his college years to 2007, it’s a story of triumph, redemption, and overcoming great struggles. He was an improbable star who came off the bench when the Packers starting quarterback, Dan Majkowski, got injured and never relinquished the role. He overcame an addiction to painkillers and led his team to a Super Bowl. His career ended on a low note with a playoff loss, but he went out a competitor. But it’s 2007-2010 that would be the focus of this never-ending runner style game.

Here’s the idea: Players start with his exit from Green Bay and trade to the New York Jets, where he struggled before retiring and returning again to the loathed Minnesota Viking. Then you collect things like arrant interceptions, inappropriate pictures sent to attractive women, and the crocodile tears that come with every retirement announcement as you try to help Favre distance himself as far as he possibly can from the positive legacy he could have had.

Barry Bond’s Baseball RPG

Role-playing games are all about personal advancement. You better your character by performing certain tasks, gaining experience, collecting items that are beneficial to you, and upgrading yourself in every way possible. It’s the almost a perfect parallel to the career of a professional athlete. Moving up from the minors to the pros is like leveling up. Taking batting practice can help you acquire a new ability, just like a character in an RPG would learn a new skill. Interacting with players and coaches can improve your relationships and might reveal beneficial information.

Here’s the idea: All of the RPG elements above would be present in the Barry Bonds branded baseball RPG, except there would be in-app purchases for steroids and human growth hormone that will max out every stat of your character. It’ll also make your head huge, but that’s the price you pay for smacking every ball thrown at you out of the park.

Latrell Sprewell’s Don’t Choke

More than almost any other major sport, basketball can be as much of a one-man game as it can be team oriented. Sure, there’s almost nothing better than watching a team perfectly execute a strategy that covers the squads’ weaknesses while effectively taking advantage of all its strengths. But if there’s one thing just as fun to see, it’s the one man show when a player absolutely goes off, hits every shot, and carries a team to victory.

Here’s the idea: In Latrell Sprewell’s game, it’s all about teamwork. You’ll play asynchronously as you’re tasked with working together with friends to accomplish a common goal – until one of them speaks up with a strategy. Then you get to choke them, knocking them out for a turn during which you get to do whatever you want. Why? Because you’re Latrell Sprewell and you put spinning rims on shoes, that’s why.

Wayne Gretzky’s Tower Defense featuring Paulina Gretzky

Here’s a little known fact about Wayne Gretzky: Though his scoring prowess is often touted, equally impressive is the number of assists the Great One accumulated over the course of his career. He set the NHL record for most assists to go along with his scoring, points, and hat trick records. The man did almost everything on the ice. The one task he never did tackle was goaltending. Unfortunately for Wayne, that’s pretty much exactly what he’ll be tasked with in his mobile game debut.

Here’s the idea: In this tower defense style game, the Great One will have to play some solid defense to keep the perverted gazes and grabby hands of the ever-eager Internet audience away from his daughter Paulina. She’s become a bit of an entity on Twitter and Instagram, getting lots of attention that has very little to do with her relation to Wayne Gretzky. Pick up the pads and keep the creeps of the world wide web from going five-hole.

Find David Beckham’s Shirt

David Beckham is a worldwide phenomenon. His fame on the soccer field is equally matched by his fame off of it. It could be his high profile stature as a star of the world’s favorite sport, or his marriage to one of the Spice Girls, or the fact that he’s a rather attractive gentleman in his own right. No matter how you look at it, any guy who gets a movie named after him and isn’t even in the movie is clearly well known. But where is David Beckham’s shirt? The man can often be found with absolutely no cloth on his upper body.

Here’s the idea: How does Beckham keep losing his shirt? That’s up to you to discover in this mystery game in the style of Where’s Waldo? See if you can spot Beckham’s jersey across various levels. The final levels are extremely tough and will require you to find Beckham’s old Manchester United kit in a stadium full of rabid Man U fans. The first levels though, just require you to find it in a totally empty LA Galaxy arena.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/regaining-relevancy-washed-up-athletes-and-the-ios-games-they-need/

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