For quite a few years, Netflix had been leaning rather heavily into the video games space, including a variety of titles as part of the entertainment giant’s subscription service. From AAA games to exclusive indies, Netflix was starting to collect quite the line-up. As they have moved away (somewhat) from gaming however, we’ve seen a number of these exclusives be delisted. Fortunately, 2022’s POINPY has now been revived – and is completely free.

Taking to BlueSky to make the exciting announcement, Ojiro Fumoto (known for the games Downwell and UFO50) revealed that the previously Netflix-exclusive mobile release is now back and available for all, writing:

“POINPY IS BACK! And now it's FREE! No ads, no paid unlocks, just the full game. There's a tip option if you feel like it. Available NOW on iOS and Android!”

For the uninitiated, POINPY is a vertical climber similar to the classic mobile game ‘Doodle Jump’. Initially released in 2022 as a Netflix exclusive, the game was praised for its fun and repeatable gameplay, vibrant visuals and an excellent soundtrack from artist BO EN.

As mentioned however, the game was eventually removed from Netflix in June of last year – making it entirely inaccessible. Given this, the fact that POINPY is not only back but 100% free is certainly worthy of celebration. POINPY is available to download now on iOS and Android.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Netflix’s whole gaming push? Have you played POINPY before? What other Netflix exclusives do you hope to see deshackled from the service in the future? Let us know down below.

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The new feature lets users wirelessly transfer more data types from an iPhone without needing to download a separate app.

Just like Nintendo, Sony has been dipping its toes into the mobile gaming market, albeit even more carefully – having only a few select dedicated titles so far. One game which has shown some promise is the PvP hero shooter Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble. Following a closed access period, the game is almost set for a proper debut, with pre-registrations now officially going live.

Taking to the PlayStation Blog to make the announcement, the lead dev team for Ranger Rumble (OH BIBI) wrote: “Suit up, Rangers! Pre-registration for Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble is now open worldwide on the App Store and Google Play.”

As of now, no concrete release date has been provided (although it is expected to arrive in early October), but all those who do pre-register will be gifted a number of consumables alongside the “exclusive Clank Suit skin” for the Hero ‘Widget’.

As mentioned, Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble is a mobile-only PvP Hero Shooter in which “Captain Qwark has created a revolutionary combat Simulation to find the next generation of Galactic Rangers.

Players will be able to choose from a variety of 12 ‘Heroes’ in total, each of which are said to have unique abilities. Designed in partnership with Insomniac Games, the list of playable characters should fit neatly into the rest of the R&C world.

At launch, the game will feature 6 different game modes to choose from, including PvP and PvE experiences, a battle royale of sorts, and even a “football-inspired showdown where every goal comes with a little extra firepower.”

As mentioned, Ranger Rumble has been in different forms of closed access for a while now, with the game seeing plenty of updates throughout. Given this, hopefully when Ratch & Clank: Ranger Rumble does finally launch, it represents a solid addition to one of PlayStation’s longest-running franchises.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Ranger Rumble? Will you check it out when it launches? Is Sony wasting its time in the mobile space? Let us know down below.

The post Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble nears release first appeared on KitGuru.

While Nintendo is highly protective of its IPs, the console maker did dip its toes into the mobile gaming space for a while, releasing a variety of titles based on Mario; Animal Crossing; Fire Emblem and others. Some succeeded, while others did not. Though the Switch maker is unlikely to leave the mobile space entirely (especially when it comes to Pokemon), one of its biggest successes will soon be shut down forever – with Mario Kart Tour going offline in September.

Making the official announcement, Nintendo took to their support page to reveal that Mario Kart Tour will soon be going offline, writing: “Service for the Mario Kart Tour game for smart devices will come to an end as of 11:00 p.m. Pacific on September 29. We sincerely thank the many players who have loved and supported the game since service began so long ago. Thank you for playing Mario Kart Tour.”

Full details on the shut down can be found HERE, including how this will impact the sale of Tour’s in-game items.

Mario Kart Tour is an interesting title. Released during the drought following Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the game was barebones in many ways, featuring limited controls while not even allowing for landscape play.

Over the years however, the game changed quite a bit, with Nintendo adding tons of new tracks, characters, skins and more – all the while getting rid of some of its more predatory practices. A good number of original tracks made for Tour would even wind up being added to MK8 Deluxe as part of the game’s Booster Course Pass.

All this is to say it is unfortunate to see Mario Kart Tour being fully shut down. The game was already in maintenance mode, with no new content being added as of 2023, but shutting down access forever is another matter entirely.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Mario Kart Tour? Did it satiate your MK needs on mobile? What did Tour do better than other mainline entries? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Mario Kart Tour is shutting down later this year first appeared on KitGuru.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max and its 5,088mAh battery for the eSIM version were already a force to be reckoned with in terms of runtime compared to the competition, but the iPhone 18 Pro Max could surpass its predecessor’s ceiling by a decent margin thanks to a slew of upgrades. One tipster says that Apple’s top-end flagship will end up lasting as long as Android smartphones equipped with a silicon-carbon battery. An Android flagship with a 7,000mAh battery will last around the same time as an iPhone 18 Pro Max, claims rumor The 5,567mAh battery for the eSIM model of […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/iphone-18-pro-max-to-deliver-runtimes-equal-to-silicon-carbon-android-flagships/

The tech giant said a group called "Outsider Enterprise" used AI to scam hundreds of thousands of victims, sending 2.5 million text messages over a span of two weeks.

As people increasingly refuse to answer calls from unknown numbers, scammers are shifting their tactics by spoofing trusted phone numbers and using AI deepfake technology to sound like authority figures, family members, or employers.

Apple, Meta, and Google offer special security modes that provide your devices more secure against targeted spyware attacks. Here are how those modes work, what they do, and how to switch them on.

You can now disco ball-ify your entire Pixel home screen, says Google.

Google unveiled new web-based AI tools that can generate native Android apps in minutes, as the company expands its push into AI-powered software development.

Google is embracing the rise of AI coding agents with new Android tools designed to work with platforms like Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex, allowing developers — or their AI assistants — to build Android apps faster from the command line.

The rising cost of memory is putting a massive dent in the earnings of Android chipset manufacturers like Qualcomm and MediaTek, and even though these companies have managed to address the lower-tier end of the smartphone market through less capable SoCs, they continue to avoid a practice that Apple has adopted since the latter introduced the original iPad in 2010. Through chip binning, the California-based giant has managed to keep its chip production costs down by re-purposing them in non-flagship products and maximizing profits. With 2nm SoCs expected to reach $300+ this year, Qualcomm and MediaTek are missing out on […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/one-apple-strategy-not-practiced-by-android-chipset-makers-is-losing-them-millions/

Google has announced Googlebook, a new category of laptops designed to succeed the Chromebook by integrating Android and ChromeOS into a single operating system. Revealed during “The Android Show: I/O Edition”, these laptops are built around Gemini Intelligence and feature premium hardware specifications from partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.

The headline feature of the Googlebook is the Magic Pointer, a collaborative effort with the Google DeepMind team. This redesigned cursor triggers Gemini-powered contextual suggestions when “wiggled” or hovered over screen elements. Examples provided by Google include automatically generating calendar invites from email text or visualising furniture placement by selecting multiple images.

Software integration includes “Create Your Widget”, allowing users to generate custom desktop dashboards via natural language prompts that pull data from the web, Gmail, and Calendar. The new OS also enables “Cast my Apps”, a feature that allows users to run and control Android phone apps directly on the laptop screen. Furthermore, “Quick Access” provides native file browser integration with connected Android smartphones, eliminating the need for manual file transfers.

Google confirmed that all Googlebook devices will feature a distinctive “glowbar” on the lid, a functional lighting element intended to signal the platform's identity. While specific processor and memory specifications were not detailed, Google stated the laptops will use premium materials and hit retail shelves in fall 2026. Official hardware reveals are expected at the upcoming Google I/O conference.

KitGuru says: Do you think Googlebooks will have a bigger impact than Chromebooks?

The post Google announces Googlebook, the Gemini-powered successor to Chromebooks first appeared on KitGuru.

If you are looking forward to the next One UI update, then there is some good news. You can get your hands on it early starting today through the Samsung Beta program on Galaxy S26 series devices.

One UI 9 is built on Android 17 and some features won't debut until the next generation Galaxy devices hit the market later this year. However, in the meantime, there are plenty of new features for Galaxy S26 owners to try out before the full public release.

The One UI 9 beta introduces several updates across key areas of the mobile experience. Samsung Notes gains a wider variety of pen line styles, while the Contacts app now links with Creative Studio, allowing you to create personalised contact cards without switching apps. The new version also contains security enhancements to further protect against suspicious apps and threats.

The updated Quick Panel gives users greater control over its layout. Brightness, sound and media player are each independently adjustable, with more size options to suit individual preferences. Accessibility is also improved by an adjustable Mouse Key speed that enables smoother cursor control and a combined TalkBack package that brings together features previously offered separately by Google and Samsung. Text Spotlight can also be used to magnify highlighted text to make reading easier.

The One UI 9 beta program is available to sign up to now via the Samsung Members app for anyone with a Galaxy S26 series device, just as long as you are in one of the supported markets. The UK is part of the beta programme.

KitGuru Says: Do you own a Galaxy S26? Are you planning on trying the One UI 9 beta?

The post Samsung rolls out One UI 9 (Android 17) beta in UK first appeared on KitGuru.

Google unveiled its new AI-first Googlebooks laptops, more agentic Gemini features, vibe-coded Android widgets, Gemini in Chrome, refreshed Android Auto, and more ahead of I/O.

Google’s new Android feature, Pause Point, forces you to wait before opening distracting apps in an effort to curb addictive scrolling habits.

Intrusion Logging is a new part of Android’s Advanced Protection Mode, which aims to help protect human rights activists, journalists, and dissidents from government spyware attack and law enforcement forensic devices.

Google had urged Apple for years to support RCS texting to make communication between each company's devices more seamless.

The new feature is a small win for Android users, as it gives them more control over how much location data they share with websites.