Star Trek Into Darkness app available in iOS App Store and Google Play

Get ready Trekkies and J.J. Abram-nites, you're now able to interact with the upcoming Star Trek movie, Star Trek Into Darkness. Today, the Star Trek Into Darkness app was made available for free from the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android. With so much hype around the highly anticipated sequel, users who have the app will have access to all Star Trek content with the opportunity to participate in missions and win prizes.

Using technology from Qualcomm and their augmented reality platform, the Star Trek Into Darkness app will allow users to give deeper in the Star Trek universe than ever before by collecting points, seeing content, participating in missions and interacting with materials from the film to work their way through the Star Trek Academy.

Details of the app include:

- A geofencing function for location-based experiences such as encouraging viewers to go to the movies;
- An audio scan function that can be turned on to automatically recognize and reward users for watching "STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS" content on TV and other media;
- An image scan function that enables users to interact with images printed or viewable in the real world;
- New "STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS" content, such as videos, images and wallpapers delivered directly to users' mobile devices;
- Exclusive opportunities and special offers only available to app users.

You can download the Star Trek Into Darkness app from www.StarTrekMovie.com/StarTrekApp.

Star Trek Into Darkness opens in theaters everywhere May 17, 2013.

You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at LLiebl@GameZone.com

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Sony Opens Adults-Only Section in Japanese PlayStation Store

Want to buy an M-rated game? It seems we're quite lucky in the West; all we have to do is walk into a store and buy it, or click the big "Download" button on your digital storefront of choice.

Siliconera reports that Japanese gamers haven't had it quite so easy for a while, at least when it comes to games that attain a "CERO Z" rating - the highest level of classification it's possible for a Japanese game to attain. CERO Z-rated games are rated as only suitable for those aged 18 or over, and may only be sold to those who are of age, unlike those further down the spectrum - in many cases, they're kept off the main store shelves and sold over the counter.

In many ways, a CERO Z rating is the rough equivalent of the ESRB's barely-used Adults Only rating, which is usually regarded by publishers as the commercial kiss of death due to many retailers' refusal to stock games with this rating. However, the actual games that attain a CERO Z rating more closely correspond to our own M-rated titles -- games like The Last of Us, Killer is Dead, Sleeping Dogs and even Retro City Rampage; fairly big-name games in many cases, a significant number of which are developed in the West.

In an attempt to increase the distribution of these games and make them more accessible to those who are eligible for them, Sony has elected to open a special 18+ game section on the Japanese PlayStation Store. Purchasing content from this section of the Store will require a master PSN account and credit card to prove your age, meaning that it won't be possible to purchase "adult" content using PSN Store credit -- unfortunate for overseas users who have a Japanese PSN account and were hoping to start downloading some CERO Z-rated Japan-exclusive games to their PS3.

The new section of the PSN Store will launch on October 31 with The Last of Us, God of War: Ascension, Killer is Dead, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, Sleeping Dogs and Hitman Absolution, with the first two enjoying a discounted price as a launch promotion until November 13. Further CERO Z games including Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, Saints Row IV and Onechanbara Z are also set to find a digital home in the new section.

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With unfavorable app store odds, industry is considering alternative models

With unfavorable app store odds, industry is considering alternative modelsadSetAdURL("/_uac/adpage.html");adSetOthAT("kvcmsid=bsd:20693697;kvugc=1;"); function runOmni() {s_265.pfxID = "gam";s_265.pageName = "With unfavorable app store odds, industry is considering alternative models";s_265.server = "";s_265.channel = "us.games";s_265.pageType = "";s_265.prop6 = " ";s_265.prop54 = "blogsmith";s_265.prop1 = "article";s_265.prop2 = "opinion";s_265.prop18 = "opinion";s_265.prop22 = "dmitry-sergeev-co-founder-and-chief-strategy-officer-of-playtox";s_265.prop19 = "andorid_games|android|android_games|android_gaming|android4.0|app_gaming_model|app_industry_news|app_store|app_store_barriers|app_store_games|app_store_review|app_stores|appindustrynews|apple_game_center|cooler_math_games|coolermathgames|developers|dmitry_sergeev|famo.us|game_an_app|game_developers|game_developers_conference|game_development|game_download|game_store_app|gameanapp|gamestoreapp|gaming_app_stores|gaming_apps|gaming_blog|gaming_industry|gaming_industry_trends|gaming_trends|google_play|google_play_music|google_play_store|how_to_market_an_app_store_game|howtomarketanappstoregame|ios|ios_4|ios_games|ios4|ios5|mmo|mmo_credit_card_points|mmo-industry|mmocreditcardpoints|mmofps|mmorpg|mobile_gaming_industry|opera_browser|opera_mobile_store|operabrowser|operamobilestore|playtox|recipe_cost_card_example|recipecostcardexample";s_265.prop8 = "bss:375";s_265.prop9 = "bsd:20693697";s_265.mmxgo = true;s_265.prop12 = document.location;s_265.t();}var s_account = "aolsvc";(function(d){var s = d.createElement("script");s.src = (location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https://s' : 'http://o') + '.aolcdn.com/omniunih.js';d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(s);})(document); Skip to content Games.com News

Free Online GamesMain NewsReviewsOpinionUNLOCKED: Cheats & Tips ADD ME News Network End of global header What's Hot on Games.comCandy CrushPlants Vs. ZombiesSlot BusterJust Words Opinion Comments Tweet With unfavorable app store odds, industry is considering alternative models by Dmitry Sergeev, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Playtox, Posted Aug 13th 2013 11:45AM

App stores with millions of users, and a huge appetite for products, seem to provide the perfect ecosystem for game developers. It's a recipe for success, right? Unfortunately, many developers expect that by submitting an Android or iOS application, it naturally attracts millions of users.

Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of people access app stores every hour -- Apple boasts 400 million user accounts alone. They're downloading cool games, discovering new tools or simply perusing the vast marketplace for the hottest finds. It's a harsh reality for developers to consider from the get-go, so be aware of the following inevitable challenges you may face.

1. Be prepared to invest in marketing, OR plan to add it to your daily tasks

Unless the developer has deep enough pockets to invest in marketing, the sad reality is they'll fail 95 percent of the time – mainly for not demonstrating a reasonable return on investment. The remaining 5 percent are catching the attention of consumers and proving its worth to investors.

The key is to appeal to the store content moderation teams that manage digital shelf placement. Unbeknownst to many, there's a gatekeeper who controls the subsequent fate of developers.

Another common misconception is that organic growth will bring you to the top. In reality, Top Charts in both Android and Apple Stores are so dynamic that keeping lucrative positions will require significant investment. In other words, you have to continue to buy traffic (users) to download your application. At the end of the day, if your application doesn't perform well enough to cover user acquisition costs, you'll simply run out of money.

2. Allow for 30 percent of profits to be taken upfront
App stores will keep about one-third of your earnings, which may not seem that bad until you realize the actual costs of developing and marketing your own product. Without any in-store feature or promotion from Google and Apple, 30 percent of revenue is significant, especially considering the odds are stacked against you.

3. Understand the App Store barriers; realize the market is shifting
At any point App Stores have the right to alter or refine their policies. Therefore, your app might not be compliant based on policy changes, which puts you at risk. This has become increasingly difficult and especially noteworthy with Apple's infamous booting of AppGratis from iOS.

With the App Store and Google Play set to reach 1 million apps each, it's natural to project that having a greater selection will drive competition for the shelf space and increase user acquisition costs. The current cost per installation offer is between $1 to $2. So, for a 99 cent app, well, you do the math. Will this mean the end for smaller game studios in the current app economy?

Internet, or browser-based games, allow developers to produce their product as they see fit, not as it fits Apple or Google. The developer has the freedom to integrate and market their games with the audience that developer would want to attract. There is also no restriction regarding what payment methods to offer the end-user, which is actually quite a big deal when you utilize the app store – after all, not every country relies on credit cards such as the U.S. If you plan to release your game or app to a wider international audience, various payment methods need to be taken into consideration. A recent report by Javelin Strategy & Research noted that 46 percent of global online consumers have used an alternative form of payment within the past year, in lieu of a credit card. Based on this, to make big money on a game or app does depend on the ability to accept multiple forms of payment

The functionalities of providing local payment methods become obvious when looking at the fastest growing markets. In Brazil, for example: Local payment method, Boleto Bancário, represents nearly 30 percent of local online transactions. Or look at Russia, where alternative methods of mobile payments represent more than 75 percent of total revenue for some game developers. If the app stores can't support this shift in the market, then it'll lead to significantly less revenue for developers.

Additionally, with the popularity of PC-based and social MMO games moving to mobile devices, expect a revolution in gaming services. This is due to the introduction of LTE networks, which will penetrate the mobile Internet and even tap conventional users.

4. Browsers are evolving
Major browsers realize where the market is headed; therefore, they've increased investment to improve services. Mozilla recently announced its own Web app store and will offer seamless payment methods to simplify the user experience. For quite some time now, Opera partnered with MMO game developers to offer games under its product umbrella.

Having lost their content business to app stores, operators are hustling to reclaim its market share. Browser-based products have demonstrated the ability to be a cash cow when it comes to upselling data-plans. They're also seeking a piece of the mobile ad revenue stream.

Ask yourself this: Do you download CNN.exe or Google.exe on your PC to read news or search the Web? No? So there's no need to hassle with downloads when you can utilize your browser.

5. Know that investors are adjusting
Investors are also not in sleep mode. HTML5 engine Famo.us raised $4 million earlier this year while Intel acquired appMobi for its advanced HTML5 tooling. Disney also recently jumped in on the action. It's acquiring a gaming engine startup to build HTML5 games outside of app stores.

6. Forecast the future
The market is reshaping itself. The question now is determining how fast it'll transition from the conventional downloadable model to the games or apps as a service (GaAS) model?According to Flurry Analytics, 42 percent of iOS/Android customers spend their time in browser and social network apps. Compare that to the 32 percent of customers who spend their time in native games. The paradigm shift in how users are willing to consume content is clear: Customers spend vast majority of their time outside of native game apps.15 percent of all Internet traffic is from mobile.1.5 billion subscribers of smartphone services with nearly 100 percent HTML browser-enabled coverage.As a developer, it's important to know the game is changing and it's difficult to ignore. We must develop apps that work on multiple platforms – from native to social to the Web; they MUST be accessible on all mobile devices. The GaaS model, coupled with HTML5 adaptation, is booming.

Don't be left in the dark following the old App Store model. Understand it's time to step it up, adjust your strategy and take the industry to the next level.

Tags: andorid games, android, android games, android gaming, Android4.0, app gaming model, app industry news, app store, app store barriers, App Store games, App Store Review, app stores, appindustrynews, apple game center, cooler math games, coolermathgames, developers, Dmitry Sergeev, famo.us, game an app, game developers, Game Developers Conference, game development, game download, game store app, gameanapp, gamestoreapp, gaming app stores, gaming apps, gaming blog, gaming industry, gaming industry trends, gaming trends, google play, google play music, google play store, how to market an app store game, howtomarketanappstoregame, IOS, iOS 4, ios games, Ios4, Ios5, mmo, mmo credit card points, mmo-industry, mmocreditcardpoints, mmofps, mmorpg, mobile gaming industry, opera browser, opera mobile store, operabrowser, operamobilestore, playtox, recipe cost card example, recipecostcardexample

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What you think of App Store censorship?

If I had a grocery store, then to me it feels natural that I get to pick what fruits I’m selling there. There might be fruit providers who want me to sell their fruit, but shouldn’t I get to decide what fruits I sell?

Sure, it might sometimes (or even very often) feel not fair, or not logical (perhaps I just like orange more than bananas), but still… it’s my shop. I get to make the rules, right?

If something external force would determine what products I should sell in my shop, I feel that would be very bad situation. Imagine if there was a law that said that if you sell your games directly, you must also sell coffee cups promoting “save the whales” – good cause sure, but in terms of freedom pretty shitty.

As the shopkeeper I need to listen to my customers (or won’t have a shop very long..) but in the end it should be my freedom to have 100% control over items I decide to sell.

What you think?

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Boyfriend Maker yanked from Apple’s App Store

36You’s social mobile game Boyfriend Maker has disappeared from Apple’s App Store.

Boyfriend Maker is a dating sim consisting of two different types of gameplay: shopping and chatting. During the shopping portion of gameplay, players purchase goods so they can create the “perfect boyfriend” and dress him up in a custom outfit. Different types of clothing unlock different personality types in said boyfriend; an example of this is how scruffy hipster clothes will unlock the “humorous” personality while business suits unlock the “handsome” archetype.

Meanwhile, the chat portion of gameplay is what earned the game a fair amount of infamy over the past week. In this mode, players “talk” to the in-game boyfriend, with conversations lasting for as long as a player has energy. This works because the boyfriend is actually a third-party API chat bot, which lead to sentences that were benign, nonsensical, or stunningly offensive and sexual. You can actually find a highlight reel of some of the more memorable in-game chats on Tumblr. Responses occasionally lead players to third-party websites (mostly on Tumblr) that actually exist, Twitter accounts for unrelated random people, or Kik messenger accounts for the chatbots used in the game.

36You actually put a disclaimer on the App Store page that said “all statements of information contained in the responses, replies and/or answers in Boyfriend Maker are generated and powered by a 3rd party engine (API) and are the sole responsibility of such 3rd party engine (API) and not of 36You.”

It seems this warning wasn’t enough to satisfy Apple, though, because the game is no longer available. 36You’s website doesn’t address the game’s disappearance, and Apple hasn’t released a statement. Before the game was removed from iTunes, it was at the No. 162 spot on the iTunes Top Free Games list.

We published a review to the game about an hour ago, but took the article offline when we discovered it was no longer available for download.

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PlayFirst's Mall Stars is now available free on the US Apple Store

PlayFirst's Mall Stars, a mall-building game first made available in Canada, is now be available on the US Apple App store. The game, which we wrote about a few months ago, allows players to design malls that cater to 10 different customers, or "Stars," with individual preferences for products and attractions. Players fill their malls with products in order to attract the Stars to their stores.

Unlike other games by PlayFirst, Mall Stars bypasses the "Dash" style of gameplay in favor of a slower and more relaxed gaming environment. The primary goal of the game is to keep customers happy by stocking the right combo of products, and earn bonus points by helping Stars find specific items, which lead them into Shopping Frenzies.

Mall Stars launched with 10 different Stars, each with an individual back-stories and preferences. Those stars include sports legend Duncan Hoops, who frequents the Sports-a-Holic store, and reality star Cathy Cashian, who prefers fashions from the Louie Baton boutique. Mall Stars plans to add more characters in the future.

Although the game starts out with only three main stores, one small store, and one attraction, you can turn your podunk shop-a-lot into a Mall of America-style palace of consumerism. Make all of those mall management dreams come true by downloading the game for free for the iPod, iPhone, or iPad from the App Store.

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FarmVille Hawaiian Paradise: Store your animals in themed habitats

While it may have taken a few months for FarmVille's Winter Wonderland to be completely outfitted with themed animal storage buildings - the Livestock Pen, Aviary and the like - the game's newest farm, Hawaiian Paradise, has them right from the beginning. What's more, you can add one of each to your newest farm for free, or just a single Coconut, leaving you with plenty of your new currency for other things!

To be specific, there are "Island" versions of the Aviary, Livestock Pen, Horse Paddock, Cow Pasture, Zoo, Pet Run and Wildlife Habitat available to purchase for your new island farm. Completing each is the same process you'd expect. You'll need to collect the same three building ingredients that you would for all other versions of that same building (so, in the case of the Aviary you would need to collect Clamps, Hinges and Screwdrivers, as one example), and will receive a free animal for completing each individual building.

You can expand these structures to hold more than the original 20 animal limit, by simply collecting more and more of those same building materials, so if you've been saving up after finishing things off elsewhere, you might be able to completely outfit your newest farm with a set of these buildings without doing much extra work. With so many Hawaiian-themed animals already being available to purchase in the store, along with the release of the new habitat in the Aquarium, it's likely they'll wind up full before you know it!

Check out the rest of our Hawaiian Paradise coverage right here.

Are you excited to start building these Island-themed habitats, without having to wait weeks or months as we have been forced to before? Sound off in the comments.

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CityVille Holiday Hills Neighborhood: Store homes until next winter

If you were really into the Christmas and Winter events that ended 2011 in CityVille, and have already filled your Frostdale Ridge neighborhood to the brim, you might want to check out another new themed neighborhood that has just launched in the game. The Holiday Hills neighborhood costs 20,000 coins, and while it's a larger neighborhood, it will still ultimately allow you to store 15 Winter Residences.

As we've come to understand (through unfortunate experience), these "winter" residences usually don't actually store all holiday residences, but you'll be able to see how many eligible homes you own before ever purchasing it. For instance, I still have four winter residences outside of storage, so I'm told that I could store those four and still have 11 storage spaces left over.

Of course, the process for building and filling this neighborhood is as you'd expect: You'll need to ask your friends to send you building materials, and then ask them again to fill out staff slots within the neighborhood to actually unlock storage for individual homes, and will see the neighborhood change visually to reflect the additional homes that have been put inside.

Is this neighborhood really worth it? Unless you purchased a slew of holiday homes last month, I wouldn't really say that it is. You can continue to purchase homes with the hope that they'll qualify as being "storable" inside the neighborhood, but even then it's a bit risky. Of course, the final purchase decision will be up to you, but I wouldn't blame you if you skipped this one entirely.

Will you purchase the Holiday Hills neighborhood in CityVille? Why or why not? Sound off in the comments.

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Nintendo's Wii U will have an app store (just like the iPad?) [Report]

If the early comparisons between Apple's tablet and the upcoming Nintendo console were unfounded before, the next rumor surrounding the Wii U might all but confirm them. That is, if it turns out to be true. The Daily reports, citing a nameless source, that Nintendo's successor to the wildly successful Wii console will have an app store. So, how is that different from now?

According to The Daily, the app store in the Wii U will be different from the online shops offered within its existing 3DS and Wii consoles--the eShop and Wii Shop, respectively--in that it will provide more than just "light" apps. This app store will tout similar software to what players can download on, say, their Xbox 360, like MLB.TV (which is name-dropped specifically).

Furthermore, The Daily's source said that apps will be offered for use exclusively with the Wii U's 6.2-inch tablet-like controller. The Daily's Matt Hickey paints a picture of players checking their email, browsing the web and later getting some games in on the controller. However, it's unknown whether this supposed app store will sell its software using a points system or otherwise.

What we do know for sure about the mysterious Wii U is that it will be social. Perhaps this means that players will be able to access services like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ using dedicated apps downloaded from this app store. We'll see at E3 2012.

[Via IndustryGamers]

Do you think it would be smart/cool if the Wii U had an app store similar to Apple's? If it does, what apps would you say are must-haves? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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How to store your passwords safely & securily

Having passwords lying all over place is most likely pretty common for many people. I’m somewhat ok with that when it’s on your home computer (not good there either, I know) but this is especially scary if you have a laptop or similar.

The worst case scenario for laptop owners: you store all your paypal, all your email and all your other important passwords and urls in a file. Thief gets your laptop, all your info and you are in trouble.

Luckily, you can store your stuff heavily encrypted so at least it makes the job nastier.

Some days ago I looked into password systems and ened up with the following 2 products:

My end conclusion is that those who want to use local system, KeePass works wonders. For those who prefer bit more mobile option, LastPass should be fine. Although, this is after looking both products for like 15 minutes, so you might want to dig deeper. They both seem to be popular if you tweet about em.

I picked KeePass since I don’t really need/want those other things and I’m bit paranoid about using online systems for password stuff, although LastPass is hugely popular and seems to be pretty secure.

I’m testing KeePass and I let you decide what suits you.

Now, thanks to this system, I can store all my secret stuff behind a secure door where nobody can access (at least not very easily).

The only thing that really bother me is “where to store the master password”. I might write it in a note, store it in some secret place… but what if my daughter finds it and hides it somewhere else (if she doesn’t hide under the carpet like she usually does, I’d be in trouble). Or what if dogs eat my note. I’ve yet to figure out perfectly good place for storing master passwords, so any hints on this matter would be most appreciated.

Also, here’s a handy guide for creating passwords (and why your passwords really should be long sentences rather than “cryptic looking” short names).

P.S. Also thanks for you twitter folks who helped me decide, your help was most welcome. I’m not listing names now, you know who you are.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 17th, 2011 at 1:38 am and is filed under Game Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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FarmVille birds take flight back into the store for a limited time

To go along with tonight's release of the Aviary Habitat in FarmVille comes the re-release of several birds to the game's store. You can purchase one or all of these birds for Farm Cash, but they'll only be available for a limited time. Here's a look at what's available. Note: while these animals have been released with the likely purpose of placing them inside your Aviary, that isn't mandatory. If you'd like to keep your feathered friends out to show off to your neighbors, feel free to do just that. Eider Duck - 20 Farm CashSnow Goose - 16 Farm CashRoyal Guard Duck - 16 Farm CashModern Game Hen - 20 Farm CashCampbell Duck - 16 Farm CashCrested Duck - 16 Farm CashMarans Chicken - 20 Farm CashPelican - 18 Farm Cash

As you can see, none of these animals are exactly cheap, but if you're going for those exclusive animal mastery signs, this is an opportunity you'll really want to consider. Just remember, these animals will only be around for another week, so shop now while you have a chance.

Will you purchase any of these re-released birds, or do you already have them on your land? Sound off in the comments.

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FarmVille: Re-released bunnies hop back into the store

by Brandy Shaul, Posted Aug 29th 2011 1:09AM

Here's an animal set in FarmVille that's likely to make you say "Aww" (well, at least I said it). A set of bunnies has been re-released in the game's store this evening, giving you a chance to not only stock up to eventually earn their Animal Mastery signs, but also giving you a greater variety of animals to choose from when stocking your new Pet Run Habitats.

Again, the key to this set of animals is remembering that they're all being re-released from previously retired themes or events. None of them are truly 100% new, so you'll want to make sure you don't already have some frolicking around your farm(s) and then accidentally spend Farm Cash on duplicates.

Here's the list of available bunnies:
Rex Rabbit - 12 Farm CashEnglish Lop - 12 Farm CashChocolate Rabbit - 12 Farm CashBrown Dutch Rabbit - 12 Farm CashLop-Eared Bunny - 9 Farm Cash
Personally, both of the "lop" bunnies are easily my favorite, but that's not to say that the rest of these bunnies aren't absolutely adorable as well. For only having a week available to purchase these animals, that doesn't leave us much time to debate over which rabbits to buy and which to pass on once again, so make sure to check these guys out now while you still have time.

Will you purchase any of these rabbits for your farm(s), or did you already own them? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

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Tags: farmville, farmville bunnies, farmville pet run habitat, farmville rabbits, limited edition, pet run habitat, zynga

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The Sims 3 World Adventures is free on iOS App Store today only

Face it, you've been spoiled. First, you get a free version of The Sims on Facebook in The Sims Social, and now you want even more free Sims action? (How rude!) Luckily, EA is feeling oddly generous, as The Sims 3 World Adventures for iOS is absolutely free on the App Store for today only. According to TouchArcade, no specific reason was given for the 100 percent discount, but we tend not to question awesome things.

The game is decidedly different from your normal game of The Sims: Your normal tasks of maintaining a home life are replaced with, "Holy crap--look out for that mummy!" In other words, the game takes you on exotic adventures around the world, Indie Jones style. Those with The Sims 3 installed in their iOS device have the option of importing their Sim to embark on these adventures.

TouchArcade mentions that the game hasn't been as well received as other Sims games. But hey, it's a free Sims game--don't be silly and pass this one up. Between The Sims Social and now this, perhaps "free" is becoming a fond term for EA. If anything, let this hold you over until that hopeful announcement of The Sims Social for smartphones comes along ... for a long time.

Click here to download The Sims 3 World Adventures on iOS for free Now >

Are you a big enough Sims fan to try any Sims game? What's your favorite Sims game thus far? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Want a faster CityVille? Then it's time to let Zynga store some data

Or not, if you're the paranoid type (like me). A new loading screen has appeared in CityVille, and it's Zynga asking players to let it store some information on their computers to help the game load faster. If this sounds familiar, that's because it is. Zynga has introduced this option to two of its other popular games that you may have heard of: FarmVille and FrontierVille.

While the option is rolling out slowly to players, your loading screen will soon appear with a button in the upper right hand corner that reads,"Want to Load Faster? Press Here." This opens up the Flash Player settings, and asks if you would like to allow Zynga to save some user data on your computer, which is said to in turn help your CityVille load much faster.

However, if you had issues (not technical, ethical) with the option when it was offered in Zynga's other games, then you're probably not going to gel with this either. However, Zynga played it smart this time around and has offered a full guide and FAQ on not only how to install the speed boost, but how to remove it in the event that you don't dig it.

Zynga also brings up an interesting point here: If you've allowed Zynga this access through FarmVille, then you're already experiencing faster load times in CityVille. That's because each game is using the exact same domain name, "zcache.zgncdn.com." I would imagine that all Zynga games use this domain, meaning that if you allowed it through one game, then all Zynga games could load much faster for you. That is, of course, if you're cool with it.

[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]

Have you seen this option appear in your CityVille? Would you ever allow Zynga or any other Facebook game developer, for that matter, to store information on your computer in the name of better load times? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Independent Mobile App Store GetJar Goes Social, Adds Facebook Integration

The dream of having social viral channels for app discovery is still a ways off, but that doesn’t mean unofficial app stores can’t make moves in this direction.

GetJar, an independent app store backed by Accel Partners that says it has powered 1.5 billion downloads to date, launched a Facebook integration today that lets users share their download activity and use “like” and “dislike” buttons to help friends decide what apps to install and what to ignore.

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FarmVille: Mac & Cheese Tree and Giant Mac & Cheese Tree now available in the store

by Brandy Shaul, Posted Mar 11th 2011 7:30PM

Earlier this week, we brought you the news that current Stouffer's promotion in FarmVille has seen the release of a new Mac&Cheese Tree in the game. If you liked receiving one free tree from the Stouffer's Farm, but wish that you could have more, your wish has now come true, as Zynga has released the tree in the marketplace - wait for it - for coins!

That's right, not only can you purchase the Mac& CheeseTree for coins, but only 1500 coins at that! This is a great opportunity to stock up on these trees and increase the rate at which you master them, without having to wait for your single tree to be ready to harvest once every two days.

Additionally, the Giant Mac&Cheese Tree is also now available in the store, at a price of 5 Farm Cash. One final thing to note is that the Mac&Cheese Tree, when placed inside the Orchard now offers the Giant Mac&Cheese Tree as a Mystery Seedling (when it was first released, it only produced more of itself).

Feel free to take all the time you want with purchasing these trees. Both are listed as permanent additions to the store, with no time limit, so we can at least expect them to be around longer than we'll actually need to continue purchasing them.

What do you think of these two trees? Will you purchase a slew of these cheap trees so that you can master them more quickly? Let us know in the comments. Bookmark this site!

Tags: cross promotion, CrossPromotion, farmville, mac cheese tree, MacCheeseTree, stouffers, zynga

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Little Tikes Fold 'n Store Table with Market Umbrella

Outdoor Toys by Little TikesFill the backyard with the sound of childhood delight with outdoor toys from Little Tikes. We have outdoor playgrounds and playhouses that combine safety and durability with fun! There are several options for all ages, with or without a swing set. Also take a look at several outdoor picnic tables. Don8217;t forget the Classic Turtle Sandbox 8211; one of our top sellers. Make sure to get your child8217;s outdoor play toys from a trusted toy maker for over 30 years: Little Tikes. The ultimate kids table, this unique 4-sided table is ideal for snacks, games, crafts, picnics and more! Features: Seats up to 8 kids. Natural color helps it blend in with other outdoor furniture. Assemble it once, then fold, move or store it anywhere. Compact design makes it easy to store and hang on the wall. Center hole holds the Little Tikes market umbrella. Includes UV protected market umbrella with carrying case to keep kids in the shade on hot summer days. Ages 2 to 8 years.Toys Made in the USA with US and Imported Parts.Specifications:Overall Dimensions: 20.5"H x 47.5"W x 47.5"D

Price: $99.99

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Little Tikes Easy Store Jr. Play Table with Umbrella

Little Tikes Endless Adventures Easy Store Jr. Play Table with Umbrella Sized right for younger children, this indoor/outdoor table *unlocks* and folds for portability or storage. Part of the exciting Endless Adventures? line of color-coordinated products to complement any outdoor environment. Made in the USA with US and imported parts

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