angry birds

SkyDrive, Google Maps and other iOS app faves of 2012

2012 was another year that kept me glued to my iPhone and iPad, checking out the latest batch of iOS games and other apps. So which ones proved to be among my favorites? In alphabetical order...

Angry Birds Star Wars My wife and I love to play Angry Birds, and the Star Wars edition is a great take on the familiar franchise. This app could've easily taken a turn to the dark side. But Rovio knew just how to pair its birds and piggies with the classic Star Wars characters and settings that fans know and love. The challenging … Read more

Angry Birds and Rovio's plans for world domination

ESPOO, Finland -- The executive offices of Angry Birds creator Rovio were exactly how I imagined them.

There were stuffed Angry Birds plush toys everywhere. Flanking the reception desk were Angry Birds versions of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and his Storm Trooper, created for the recent Angry Birds-Star Wars mashup game.

To the left was a short wooden crate blanketed by tiny Angry Birds figurines. To the right was an upright showcase chiller stocked with Angry Birds-themed soda, which recently launched in Finland and now outsells Coke and Pepsi. On the opposite end of the office was a cabinet with … Read more

The Force is with the fowl in Angry Birds Star Wars

Rovio's Angry Birds is one of the world's most popular video game franchises. Lucasarts' "Star Wars" franchise may be the most successful media empire of all time. Why wouldn't they get together? They have, and the result is Angry Birds Star Wars, perhaps the funniest and most fun installment of the Angry Birds series yet. It's set in an officially licensed take-off of the Star Wars universe, with scenes taken directly from the movies, only with the usual Angry Birds silliness. It's good versus evil: Rebel Angry Birds p.o.'ed by invading … Read more

Hide the pigs, Angry Birds movie is really happening

Rumors of an Angry Birds movie have been flying about like Red Birds in the digital sky. Now we finally have some more concrete details on the film, which is expected to come out in the middle of 2016.

No surprise, the film will be a 3D CG-animated production. There goes my dream of seeing Robert DeNiro playing a live-action Mighty Eagle with Lily Tomlin as Pink Bird.… Read more

Angry Birds Star Wars tops App Store chart in 2.5 hours

The Force is strong with Rovio.

The Finnish company behind the Angry Birds franchise said today in a blog post that its latest offering, Angry Birds Star Wars, rose to the top of Apple's U.S. app store in two and a half hours -- breaking its own records.

The game launched yesterday to positive critical reviews and remains the top paid app in Apple's App Store today.

Angry Birds Star Wars represents the latest in an increasingly large franchise of similar games that continue to be popular with consumers. Rovio has done a good job extending the … Read more

Limits of using Square at Starbucks

Thursday's CNET Update has a tall order:

Today's tech news roundup explains how to pay with Square Wallet at Starbucks and how it's different from the Starbucks app. Small businesses have been taking hands-free payments with Square Wallet for several months. But Starbucks, which recently invested in Square, is still requiring you to scan your phone screen at checkout. Also in today's show:

- Pinterest users can finally pin in private. Users can create three "Secret Boards" for personal use, or to share with select users.

- Amazon uncorked its wine store, delivering to … Read more

Strap on your lightsaber: Angry Birds Star Wars launches for 99 cents

One of the most anticipated mobile games this year is launching today.

Angry Birds Star Wars is available today across a wide array of platforms, including iOS, Android, Mac, PC, and Windows Phone. As one might expect, given the name, the title melds elements from Angry Birds with the "Star Wars" universe.

The title, which is available for 99 cents in Apple's App Store, puts gamers in control of Rebel Birds fighting Imperial Pigs. The game lets players use the Force, hack away with a lightsaber, and take on Pigtroopers as they fight to take down Darth … Read more

Luke and Leia battle the Empire in Angry Birds Star Wars trailer

Angry Birds fans anxiously awaiting the new Star Wars version can grab a quick look at the action in a new 57-second trailer.

The first half of the trailer teases you with scenes of Angry Bird Luke trying to impress Angry Bird Leia with his light saber skills. But after Leia yawns in boredom, the galactic action finally revs up.

We're first taken to Luke's home world of Tatooine where he attacks the Empire's evil pigges with his light sabre. Next we travel to the ice world of Hoth where Leia takes down one of the giant … Read more

Angry Birds slingshot attaches to Golden Arches in China

China already embraced Angry Birds with an unauthorized theme park attraction. Now Angry Birds is embracing China back with some enthusiastic cross-marketing with McDonald's.

Angry Birds maker Rovio is already pumping a lot of time, energy, and money into the Chinese market, but it's getting even more serious by invading 1,500 McDonald's locations there.… Read more

Annoyingly addictive introduction to the Angry Birds series

Unless you've lived in a cave with no connectivity for the last few years, you've heard about Angry Birds. Angry Birds Free is the introduction to the series and acts as a teaser for the paid app. Angry Birds Free downloads and installs with no problem.

The goal of Angry Birds Free is to launch birds from a slingshot, aiming them at structures with green pigs scattered about. The birds, some of which have special capabilities, knock over the building structures and kill the pigs. Wipe out the pigs and you pass the level. Sounds simple (and to … Read more