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Smiley Pops offers yet another take on the match three like-colored bubbles game concept. Open it up, and it may feel familiar, but take a closer look, and you'll notice that the bubbles are oriented in a unique way. Smiley Pops' bubbles are not stacked in perfect columns and rows the way they are in many other games. They're staggered, with one wedged between the two below it.

To play, swipe around three bubbles to rotate them. If the new arrangement results in at least three matching colors in a row, on the same line, they'll all … Read more

As every iPhone owner knows, taking photos with the device can be a hassle. Unless you're looking straight into the screen and holding the phone with two hands, it's downright tricky to hit that tiny shutter-release button. And if you're trying to snap a self-portrait, forget about it.

With any luck, Apple will do something about that in iOS 5. Of course, there are camera apps that can snap a photo when you tap anywhere on the screen, but that's just not the same thing as pressing a physical shutter-release button.

Enter Red Pop, an iPhone 4 accessory that adds a big red camera button to the business end of your phone. It's currently in development--and its creators are seeking funding via Kickstarter. Here's the full scoop:… Read more

You've been waiting for it for a long time. We told you it was coming. It's been available on the iPhone forever. Well, it's finally here. The second of three PopCap exclusives to be released on Amazon's Appstore for Android is none other than Plants vs. Zombies, and it's the free app of the day.

Frankly, there's really no need to tell you how the game works (I think we've all played it at least once), but I will tell you a few things before downloading. First, as with all three PopCap exclusives, Plants vs. Zombies is a Wi-Fi-only download. Second, the file size is approximately 75MB.

Lastly, despite the small number of Android phones in the compatibility list on Amazon's site, we can verify that it also works on the HTC Thunderbolt, HTC Droid Incredible, and the HTC EVO (which are not listed).

Suffice it to say that it will work on the majority of Android phones to date. The app is supposedly not optimized for tablets--pixelation may occur--but if you have one, screw it; try anyway. … Read more

PopMarket is a Sony Music Entertainment online club, or more specifically, it's a (free) members-only music club that caters to fans, bargain hunters, and serious collectors. The site offers "Daily Deals" (changing each day at 9 a.m. PT) and five channels containing a mix of premium music and rare, collectible albums, boxed sets, and memorabilia at discounted prices. Shipping is free on most items.

PopMarket is an online store, but Sony temporarily converted New York City's Morrison Hotel Gallery into a brick-and-mortar record shop on May 25, and will continue selling a limited selection of … Read more

Amazon knows what mobile gamers want--popular titles and freebies. By inking high-profile studios to exclusive launches, the company has generated plenty of positive buzz around its Appstore and continues to build momentum, especially with its free App of the Day offers. The first being the hugely popular exclusive free download of Rovio's Angry Birds Rio.

So to follow up Amazon's success with its deal with Rovio, the company recently signed an exclusive agreement with casual gaming company PopCap. Chuzzle is the first game to roll out from PopCap and is also the free download of the day. Other … Read more

Bubble Blast 2 for Android is a free puzzle game that, yet again, pits players against poppable, monochromatic bubbles. Choose from two game modes: Puzzle and Arcade.

In Bubble Blast 2, each level is covered in a different configuration of bubbles, with some bubbles being more difficult to pop than others. In order to advance, you must set off chain reactions of bubble-poppage to clear each screen. The game is not only fun and addictive, it's also quite a brain teaser, as it forces you to weigh several different courses of action when attempting to clear each level.

If … Read more

Today we're joined by Robin Yang, a gamer that made her first CNET appearance on PreGame last year and will soon move to Seattle to work for PopCap Games, the creator of online casual games like Plants vs. Zombies, Bewjeweled, and Peggle. But before she heads out west, she's guest hosting today's show about the PlayStation hack fallout, a man arrested for singing Kung Fu fighting, the next "Terminator" film, and a Google survey about smartphones in the bathroom.

PopCap Games has created a new development studio aimed at delivering fast-to-market titles, the company announced today.

Dubbed 4th & Battery, the new "experimental" studio is made up of current PopCap developers who want to "create smaller, simpler, and sometimes edgier games," the company said. PopCap pointed out that in traditional gaming development models, creating a title can take a long time. And in the process, fewer titles are actually released. With 4th & Battery, the company hopes to get more titles to the market far more quickly.

PopCap Games is no slouch in the gaming … Read more

With a lot of people buying Apple's magnetic Smart Cover to go along with their new iPad 2's, many iPad accessory case makers are starting to tout the ability of their sleeve-style cases to accommodate the iPad 2 with that Smart Cover left on. The idea, of course, is that when you travel, you'll want a little more protection for your precious Apple tablet, and the sleeve is the perfect way to completely cover your iPad 2.

Timbuk2's upcoming Pop-Up case is kind of a hybrid sleeve/hard case, with a rigid front for added protection, … Read more