Scam Alert: Sate the urge for Angry Birds on the Android Market wisely

Well, with 500 million downloads it was only a matter of time, right? The Gadgets reports that the Android Market has fallen victim to a scam sullying the good Angry Birds maker's name: Rovio.

The website reports that fake apps and games using the company's name have appeared on the Market, including Angry Birds 3D, which doesn't exist. Shop today with caution.

Luckily, that isn't terribly difficult, as the scammers in question weren't terribly thorough. For instance, a number of the fake games, which will charge your account if purchased, sold by "Rovio" were never developed nor published by the company. Take a look at this list and tell us if Rovio created or published any of the following games:

    Alive 4 Ever
    Call of Duty Zombies
    Angry Birds 3D
    Zombieville
    Zombie Highway
    Tiny Wings
    Catch the Candy
    Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift
    Rat on a Skateboard
    Zombie Gunship
    Resident Evil 4
    Siege Hero

Rovio Mobile Ltd.
Nope, not a single one of these "games" were created by Rovio. Here's the second dead giveaway that this is, in fact, a scam. Check the developer's name attached to each of these games: It simply reads "ROVIO". The official developer name for Rovio on the Android Market is "ROVIO MOBILE LTD." Unfortunately, players who fell for the scam report that they're stuck with broken apps and the so-called developer will not refund them.

The above image shows what games made by Rovio will look like--notice the company name. Regardless, we'd avoid buying the above games at all until Google sorts out the situation. As a general rule of thumb, we'd recommend vetting an app before buying it from the Android Market through--what else?--Google, silly.

[Via and Image Credit: TechCrunch]

Have you ever been scammed through the Android Market? Where do you prefer to purchase your Android games?

CrowdStar, others dock in Sibblingz Spaceport for mobile social games

If we haven't driven home yet that mobile will be massive in the future of social games, we clearly haven't done our job. Luckily, news like the fact that Sibblingz has signed on It Girl creator CrowdStar and a number of other developers to use its Spaceport service helps us make good on that.

TechCrunch reports that--in addition to CrowdStar--BitRhymes, IKIGames, LuckyLabs, Fortune Planet and DeezGames have signed on to use Spaceport to create mobile versions of their Facebook games. Spaceport is Sibblingz's cloud-based game development platform that allows developers like CrowdStar to create mobile games that work on both iOS and Android devices.

Essentially, it allows developers to create a mobile game once and have it run on multiple mobile devices. The platform makes use of coding languages like Javascript and HTML5, but neither of which are known for making robust or fully-featured games on iPhones or Android phones. However, Sibblingz claims that games built on Spaceport feature an app-like experience.

What Sibblingz means is that, while these games are built using simpler code languages, they will perform like, say CityVille Hometown by Zynga. That game was built using tools specifically for iOS devices and is thus more visually impressive and feature-rich than mobile browser games. However, according to TechCrunch, developers can even create games specifically for iPhones and iPads through Spaceport.

Sibblingz also says that developers can make games for Facebook's worst-kept secret, Project Spartan--an initiative to bring Facebook to mobile devices through browsers using HTML5 complete with full-featured apps and games--through Spaceport. Jeez, on paper it sounds like Spaceport can do anything but make the cash flow.

Regardless, what's important to take away here is that social game developers realize that mobile is where it's at. Frankly, it's one area where clear winners have yet to be defined, much unlike Facebook (ahem, Zynga and EA). At this point, anyone could come out a winner on mobile, and perhaps the companies that embrace cross-platform game creation like CrowdStar will have the upper hand.

Do you think these developers have a chance at winning the mobile race these social game creators are running with Spaceport? Who do you think will ultimately win the mobile social gaming war? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Get (the real) Tetris on your Android phone for the cool price of 'free'

Alright proud Android users, time to replace that "Tetris" game on your phones with the real deal. EA has made the ubiquitous Russian puzzle game available on Android for free, zilch, nada, zero. Capiche? (That's your queue to hit up the Android Market.) The game includes new-and-improved visuals, a fan favorite marathon mode and it's the real deal ... for free.

Seriously, do we really need a better selling point? Fine, in addition to full touch controls, players can track their stats and high scores in the free version of Tetris for Android, too. Since the ultimate puzzle game debuted in the '80s, Tetris has been made available on 50 platforms, and is available in nearly every country in the world.

That's sure some progress for a game that hasn't changed much in almost 30 years--and doesn't need to, mind you. (Though, cross-play compatibility with Tetris Battle on Facebook would be most welcome.)

"Tetris is one of the most distinctive, well-known and popular video game franchises in the world and it gives EA the opportunity to grow its already-expanding customer base on the Android platform," said EA Interactive VP of Sales and Marketing Bernard Kim in a statement. "Tetris has a strong legacy in the mobile gaming world and we're excited to bring a free version of Tetris to yet another great platform."

Tetris Android Free
Tetris follows Scrabble as being the second game EA has made available on the Android platform. Perhaps we're witnessing a growing EA trend. Now, if only that trend would find its way over to my iPhone.

Click here to download Tetris on Android for Free Now >

Have you picked up Tetris on your Android phone for free today from EA? What do you say, has Tetris stood the 27-year-long test of time? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment