It was a very different time back in 2012 as far as online gambling and social media were concerned. In an age in which online gambling had not even yet been legalised in New Jersey, (the practice is legal in just three North American states today – Nevada, Delaware, and, since November 2013, New Jersey) the prospect of playing games for real money on Facebook seemed nothing short of ludicrous.

Indeed, Facebook’s in-app games were becoming far more prolific, such as the enduringly popular Candy Crush, but it was another big step for the social network to allow its players to use their own money. It was down to London-based operator Gamesys to step up to the mark, and in 2012 it launched the Bingo Friendzy app, dubbed “the world’s first real cash game on Facebook.” The app was restricted to users aged over 18 and was extremely well-received by Facebook’s gaming communities.

Fast forward three years, and another of Gamesys’ brands, Jackpotjoy, has re-launched its bingo app for Facebook, using a £25 starter bonus for new players. Version 2.0.0 will feature the Aztec-themed Fortune Temple slots game, as well as a 20 line slot, Double Bubble, which promises players bonuses of up to £80,000.

While game variety has increased, the technical aspects have also improved, with far fewer bugs and general better app stability, making it far more accessible to the ever-increasing smartphone market.

The update comes in line with one of the biggest acquisitions in iGaming history, which was officially finalised in April after discussions in February. On February 5, it was announced that Canadian iGaming giant Intertain would be acquiring Gamesys’ assets in a deal worth £425.8 million. Among the assets were Jackpotjoy, which has risen to the status of the most popular online bingo operator in the UK, largely thanks to the hiring of Barbara Windsor as its very own ‘bingo queen.’

Gamesys operates its gambling activities by having them regulated and licensed by the government of Gibraltar. Its new deal with Intertain will doubtless guarantee even more innovation as far as online games are concerned, and with the ongoing partnership with Facebook, we could in for even more exciting games in the future.

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Although there aren’t any official stats on whether men or women users dominate the Instagram world, some internet pundits have claimed that more than two-thirds of Instagram users are female. And there’s probably a very simple reason for this. Whenever you’re at a gathering of family and friends, who is it who always backs into the shadows when the camera comes out? The men. Women on the other hand are the ones who want to be in the photo, and also want to get everyone else in the photo too. Of course, this is a generalisation, but think about the last few times you met up with a group of people, look at any photos taken at the time and you’ll see that there’s a pattern developing…

When you look at celebrity Instagram accounts, of course, there are some men as well as the women – Justin Bieber and Channing Tatum are up there with the Kardashians, Katy Perry and J-Lo. One man who certainly is happy to be photographed and share his pics with the world is poker player Dan Bilzerian. In most of his posts, he’s surrounded by women in bikinis while he’s seen in different shots living the high-life that the combination of his poker playing career and trust fund have made possible. Bilzerian shows off on Instagram on a regular basis and he’s now got 6.2 million followers. His Instagram fame must be part of the reason that gaming operator bgo got him to feature in its latest TV ad. And in true contemporary marketing style, you can see the ad both on the bgo site and Bilzerian’s Instagram account has a link to it as well.

If you take celebrities out of it, though, it seems in general that women are more comfortable and keen to post pictures of themselves doing anything, even mundane things such as having a coffee or going to the gym. And if you look at women’s Instagram pics, they tend to put a lot more effort into framing a shot, capturing a moment, than men do. Food’s a great example; men might take a quick snap of what they’re going to eat, but women check the lighting in the background and make sure the food looks great before they take the photo.

Like all things in life, the way men and women use Instagram reflects how they might be when you meet them face to face. It’s a cliché but there is some truth in the fact that women tend to make more of an effort about their appearance and to be more concerned about how the rest of the world perceives them – and that translates to the way they handle their Instagram accounts too.

The post How women use Instagram differently to men appeared first on AppTrawler.

If you grew up in simpler times you might find yourself reminiscing about the golden years, when cameras used film, hair was teased, jeans were acid-washed and portable sounds came from a Walkman. If you love the idea of revisiting your youth, but can’t bear the thought of parting with your iPhone or iPad, add a touch of nostalgia into your day with these fun and functional retro-inspired iOS apps.

The post Retro-Inspired Apps You’ll Love appeared first on AppTrawler.

But not all apps are created equal. A large number of them are good for everyone from toddlers to teens, but many are inappropriate or blatantly unsafe for anyone but an adult. Whilst you can click here to check out the most popular apps that your child can use, ensure you review any app before your child downloads it so you know that it will entertain without harm.

Additionally, you can protect your children from potentially dangerous situations by installing mobile apps that can monitor what they’re downloading and where they’re going on the internet as well as around town.

Safe Apps

These particular mobile apps are fun for every age group and contain no violent scenes or inappropriate material.

● Angry Birds – Help the birds fly in the right direction to knock down various targets. This is an addicting game that actually helps kids learn a little bit of how arcs and angles work.
● Cut The Rope – Here’s another app that works a basic understanding of physics into the fun. To get Om Nom his candy, you have to know how to swing the rope just the right way to get past obstacles and have the treat land in his mouth.
● AniMatch – This is an electronic memory match game that kids as young as two or three really enjoy–with no cards to put away when done.
● Drawing Pad – With this app, kids pull out their virtual crayons and draw just as they would on paper. Budding artists can save their completed work and then share it using email, Facebook and Twitter.
● Where’s My Water – If you child doesn’t like getting clean, this mobile app may change that. The goal is to help Swampy the Alligator stay clean which makes for good, clean fun.

Just this small sample should give you an idea of all the wonderful, safe mobile apps that both you and your kids will be happy to own.

Mobile Apps To Avoid

It’s critical to know what apps your child, particularly your teen, should avoid. Don’t take your child’s word that the app is safe because “all my friends have downloaded it.” It could result in disaster.

Omegle and Kik are two prime examples. These social apps let you chat with people based on a profile you create. Users are required to be 18, but most kids are savvy enough to get past that rule. Unfortunately this had led to teens viewing (and sometimes sharing) “graphic” photos which compromised their safety and their reputation. Remember that what’s posted online stays there forever.

Other Important Child Safety Apps

Parents can’t be with their kids 24/7, but luckily there are safety apps that can.

The Mobile Spy app records both phone activities and the GPS location where your child has been. Phone Sheriff lets you block chosen activities from running on your child’s phone. Net Nanny for Android has an app manager that keeps new apps from downloading until reviewed and approved by a parent. You can work these from any web browser so your child won’t be aware of the surveillance.

Even after you take these precautions, remember that parents are walking, talking safety apps. Learn which apps could be trouble and talk with your kids about what can happen if they download any of these to their devices. They might not want you to know it, but they will be listening.

Software Developers India works with both large and small organizations to help them develop and market their mobile app ideas for both children and adults. Their developers are experts on a variety of platforms including Android, iOS and Windows.

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To celebrate the latest update of The Danger Room we are having a twitter giveaway:

We have 10 codes to give away for some lucky tweeters

To enter, follow us and tweet the following message:

Promo time! Follow and RT @AppTrawler by 6pm GMT to enter the draw for The Danger Room code! http://bit.ly/cIpDyc

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