Five to Try: Vainglory delivers mobile MOBA action, stream the Tour de

BY GreenBot Staff

Published 3 Jul 2015

It’s the Fourth of ly holiday weekend, which means many of you probably have an extra day off—or simply plan to take it easier. And if you have some quality time to spend on your phone or tablet, why not fill it by checking out the top new updated Android apps?

A couple of stout games make the leap to Android this week, including online team battler Vainglory music game favorite Groove Coaster 2. Meanwhile, NBC’s Tour de 2015 app delivers streaming video of the cycling showdown, Yahoo’s updated Aviate launcher can shake up your Android home screen, Fews puts a regional spin on the typical RSS reader. If you plan to unwind with your phone in h, make sure you have these apps installed.

Vainglory

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Glossy graphics plenty of chaos: will you be first to topple the opposing base?

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games have dominated the scene in recent years, with ague of gends, Dota 2, others comming huge pools of daily players. And now you can get a similar team combat experience on your phone or tablet thanks to Vainglory.

First released on iOS late last year, Vainglory simplifies the genre design for touch devices without losing the fun strategy. As part of a three-hero team, you’ll work alongside automated minions try to smash through the enemy squad’s turrets en route to destroying their base. You’ll need to work together, upgrade your skills throughout each match, utilize environmental advantages that can swing the momentum in your favor.

The blend of combat tactical decisions is engaging, the free-to-play model is fair, letting you have access to a rotating selection of heroes without paying up. Vainglory also looks great, although the single game map means you’ll see the same terrain time again. It’s a meatier multiplayer experience than we’re used to seeing on mobile (especially for a free game), with 20-30 minute matches, a really impressive adaptation of the formula.

NBC Sports Tour de 2015

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It’s not much to look at now, but NBC’s app is the exclusive mobile streaming destination.

Years removed from nce Armstrong’s drug-fueled dominance, the Tour de remains a huge draw for cycling enthusiasts. And you’ll need to be a die-hard fan to shell out $20 for NBC’s official app, which offers one golden jewel of a feature amidst an otherwise bare-bones interface.

ve streaming of the entire three-week event is what you’re really paying for, if you need to see the stages as they happen on your phone or tablet, this is how you’ll do it (note that watching via web requires a separate purchase, apparently). Otherwise, the app seems content to present drab stats other info, which you’ll surely be able to find elsewhere for free. Until the event starts tomorrow, however, the app has almost nothing to offer—not even preview clips or commentary. But it ought to be pretty beneficial for aficionados once the wheels hit the winding roads.

Groove Coaster 2

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at better than fireworks for the 4th of ly?

It’s truly a great week for Android games. Not only do we get Vainglory, but also the long awaited debut of Groove Coaster— despite the “2” in the title, it’s really just an updated version of the existing free-to-play iOS game. In any case, Groove Coaster is an excellent music game that’s perfectly designed for touch devices, thanks to its simple, tap-centric approach.

ile the mechanics aren’t complex, Groove Coaster still builds great challenge by placing its notes onto a winding track, which the camera pans around as you play, plus it drops in surprise notes other swipe tap–hold inputs. Best of all, the electronic tracks are ultra-catchy plentiful, with thumping, dance-infused takes on classical songs various video game themes— much more available to purchase, if you choose. It’s simpler in scope than the rhythm games we’ve seen on consoles, but just as gripping.

Yahoo Aviate uncher

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The Smart Stream (at right) is the biggest addition to Aviate, but fans aren’t pleased with what’s been lost.

If you’re an Android user who doesn’t love tapping into ’s own array of apps services, maybe Yahoo’s newly updated Aviate uncher will be a welcome change. Aviate has been around a while, offering a clean home screen look useful app categories, but now it’s been overhauled to emphasize the new Smart Stream feature. 

Smart Stream essentially mimics Now to deliver contextually intelligent cards throughout the day—whether it’s maps, sports scores, calendar info, or whatever else might be of use. It doesn’t necessarily seem smarter or more helpful than Now; really, it’s just another option. And while the auto-sorted app categories are nice, existing users seem pretty upset about the dropped “spaces” feature from before (see the ay Store reviews). But if you’re new to Aviate, that won’t be a stumbling block.

Fews

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Fews lets you scroll around the world map to find trending stories elsewhere.

It’s not difficult to find a good RSS reader app on Android (Feedly labre pop to mind), purely as a reader, Fews isn’t the most attractive one we’ve used. But this new app sets its sights on a more specific kind of experience: one tailored to regional interests, letting you see which stories are trending in different countries pick from top local sources.

ll up the map you’ll see the top news stories around the world, or you can scroll through the list of countries choose from 1500 feeds to follow in their original languages. For keeping up with your favorite blogs, we’d probably stick with one of those other options. But if you’re eager to see what’s grabbing the attention of residents outside your current area or country, Fews offers a unique hook.