pokemon go – PSafe Blog

Here Are the Upcoming Updates to Pokémon Go

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 07 May 2017 15:00:30 +0000

The hottest game of last summer has fallen by the wayside in terms of user retention. Last summer it seemed like every city had Pokémon on the brain, but by fall, the app’s popularity had fallen. However, the Pokémon Go era is not over yet. The following will discuss four updates to the app that could signal an upswing in its popularity. If you stopped playing the game last year, one of these exciting new updates may be exactly what you need to improve your Pokémon Go experience.

Upcoming Update: Shiny Event

Players predict that Niantic, the maker of Pokémon Go, is working on new “shiny” characters. What are these shiny characters? In the first release of these characters, they were special, difficult-to-catch Magikarp and Gyarados. Players suggest that the update might be coming soon because Pokémon are behaving the same way they were before that previous update: Niantic changed Pokémon encounters. They were different before the first shiny release to make it harder for players to fake their locations.

Upcoming Update: The Mysterious “Big Event”

Niantic recently rolled out an Easter “Eggstravaganza” event that lasted through April 20. While that event was a hit, the company’s general manager teased a bigger event for the app, saying that he hoped users would keep an eye on the events. As for what Niantic meant by this tease, users are speculating that the “big event” could introduce functions that users have wanted like raids and player trading.

Upcoming Update: Legendary Creatures Update

Another mysterious tease from Niantic: CEO John Hanke said that players could expect to see more legendary creatures added to the game “this year.” These legendary creatures include popular Pokémon animals like Mew, Zapdos, Lugia, and Articuno.

Recent Update: New Creatures and Features Update

Recently, Pokémon Go added 80 new characters from the Pokémon Gold and Silver video games. If you’re familiar with the video games, you’ll know that the new creatures added were originals found in the “Johto” region of the video game universe.

In addition to the new characters, Niantic also added new features. For example, Pokémon now react differently than they used to when players try to engage with them. Additionally, Pokémon that players find in the Kanto region can evolve to play in the Johto region, too. Finally, new berries were introduced, as well: the Nanab Berry slows Pokémon down, while the Pinap Berry doubles the amount of Candy received in the next catch.

Which Game Will Be the Pokemon Go of 2017?

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 06 May 2017 13:00:06 +0000

Another Star Wars game release isn’t always exciting, but the variety of features packed inside the mobile app Star Wars: Force Arena has rapidly expanded its popularity. When you are in a battle against another player, the last thing you need is for your phone to act up. Don’t let it happen to you. Use Game Booster to improve your gaming performance so that you don’t experience any lagging while playing Star Wars: Force Arena:

To use the Game Booster feature, click the button above or else open the DFNDR app and press “Tools,” followed by “Game Booster.” To experience faster game play every time, make sure to launch all of your games through Game Booster.

Star Wars: Force Arena

As part of a new gaming genre, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA), is categorized as a strategy game — but it combines many elements mobile gamers of all kinds will love. You will begin with a tutorial so you can learn your way around the Star Wars world. While you will want to rush headlong into battle, this game isn’t a “defeat your foes with a lightsaber over and over” kind of a game. Instead, Star Wars: Force Arena brings something new to the table. It combines the best of mobile gaming apps like Clash Royale with the fun of large battles actually played against a real person and not an artificially intelligent bot. The rush of victory is all the sweeter.

First, you build a battle deck around your “Legendary” card, the character you will be while on the field. The seven other slots will become filled by using your troop or support cards that you then allow into battle by using your energy points. They do regenerate so don’t worry. The goal here is to destroy your opponent’s base. Place your troops in the field (and yes, that includes X-Wings) and focus on those turrets. Each skirmish is timed so whoever receives the most points (that’s a plus one for each turret) wins the match.

Click on the items you want to damage and let your troops get to work. Click on the card to deploy them automatically. With more than eighty characters to upgrade, and recent additions to the pack in the form of four new characters (two each for the light and dark side), it’s a game that’s hard to put down and should be on your apps to download list.

The Best New Features from Pokémon Go’s Huge Update

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 16:00:58 +0000

Pokémon Go recently unleashed a huge update. The more than 65 million monthly active users are cheering. But is your phone up to the task — can it handle Pokémon Go? You need to help your phone feel like new again, and give it the opportunity to improve your mobile gaming app experience. Use DFNDR’s Game Booster to maximize your gaming performance:

Game Booster will improve your gaming experience by freeing up RAM and optimizing your phone so that you can play games faster than ever before. In order to enter gaming mode with DFNDR, you must launch all of your games through the Game Booster feature.

Read More: Why is Pokemon GO-ing Strong?

Here’s what to expect from the latest improvement to the game that has made a billion dollars so far.

Update to Pokémon Go

You want to collect them all. Well, with the January update introducing more than eighty new Pokémon to the mix, it may take awhile. Chikorita, Noctowl, Croconaw, Furret, Hoothoot, Crobat, and many more are just waiting for you to find and capture them. But that isn’t the only update. Pokémon Go has plenty of new fun in store for users who haven’t reached for the app in awhile.

There are now shiny Pokémon. If anyone can remember back to the old Game Boy Color, they were incredibly rare. It was a super big deal if any Pokémon player was able to snag any of them. Players had a 1 in 8,192 chance of finding one. Now, Pokémon Go players can relive that gaming glory by trying to find the elusive shiny Pokémon in the mobile app. No, these Pokémon don’t have some sort of amazing strength or super power. It’s more of what they are than what they offer — and what they are is rare indeed.

Shiny Pokémon don’t appear on the map. In order to know if a Pokémon is shiny or not, you need to engage it. If you are on the hunt with your friend, and your friend encounters a shiny Pokémon, there is no guarantee that the Pokémon will also be shiny in your game. In other words: it just comes down to luck, much like it did with the Game Boy Color and the following games over the years.

If that doesn’t do it for you, know that Niantic has stated that “all new cooperative social gameplay experiences” will make their way to your app this spring. It could mean big news for previous players and a welcome freshening up for Pokémon Go veterans.

What Were the Most Popular Apps of 2016?

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 22:10:28 +0000

With the prevalence of smartphones, and the amount of time we spend using them, apps have become a central part of our lives: they dictate how we communicate with our friends and family, what and how we share, as well as how we spend our time. So, here’s a look back at some of the most popular apps of 2016, and what made them so vastly popular.

Facebook and Messenger

It should come as no surprise that both the Facebook app and its Messenger app were among the most downloaded apps of the year. With over one billion regular users, Facebook is the most popular social network in the world, and Messenger is its instant messaging service. With text, voice, and video messaging capabilities between individuals or groups, as well as the option to call friends around the world, Messenger has become one of the most widely used methods of smartphone communication.

YouTube

YouTube, the go-to place for video content on the Internet, was also extremely popular. According to the video hub, about 1/3 of the people who use the Internet use YouTube. Every single day people around the world watch hundreds of millions of hours of YouTube content. And the majority of them do so using their smartphones.

Instagram

As of December 2016, the community boasted 600 million Instagrammers; 100 million of them joined in the last six months. It was the year that they introduced Instagram Stories, a feature that lets users post photos and videos that appear as a slideshow and last for 24 hours. The update has been widely embraced, even though it is very similar to Snapchat’s Stories feature.

Snapchat

Speaking of Snapchat, the photo and video-sending app was also among the most used apps of the year. The app allows users to share images and short videos that disappear after seconds, as well as slideshows that last a day. In the US, 60% of young smartphone users are on Snapchat. And now, with seemingly endless opportunities to get creative by taking advantage of filters, geotags, stickers, and drawing capabilities, it’s no wonder the app was so popular in 2016.

Pokémon Go

This app exploded onto the digital scene in 2016. Harnessing the popularity of Pokémon over the last two decades, the app uses augmented reality, which connects real-world locations and geography with virtual components. Within days of the app’s release, millions of users were walking the streets of their neighborhoods in search of Pokémon to catch. Although the initial fervor around the app has died down considerably, there’s no doubt that Pokémon Go was one of the most popular apps of the year.

Tips to Safely Get Pokecoins on PokemonGo

PSafe Newsroom — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:59:51 +0000

Maybe the novelty has worn off since it became the mobile game of the summer, or perhaps the cold weather is keeping aspiring trainers from being the very best, but PokemonGO has been a little quieter these days. Even with a Halloween update bringing some players back into the fold, only the most devout players remain catching and battling Pokemon on a regular basis. Still, even with a diminished population of active gamers, there is a need to remain safe while playing the game, particularly while attacking Gyms.

As the number of new monsters to catch decreases, and the level of your current Pokemon increases, the one thing left that can sustain and engage the dedicated trainer are Gyms; geographic locations that members of Team Mystic, Valor, and Instinct can battle over to control. Aside from local bragging rights, these Gyms provide Pokecoins, an in-game currency that can be redeemed in the app’s built-in shop for rewards like PokeStop Lures, Incense, PokeBalls, Egg Incubators, and extra space for Pokemon and items. To get these coins, you must either battle the occupying team until no Pokemon remain, or find space in a friendly gym, before placing one of your monsters in the gym and claiming your coins. The more Gyms you hold at one time before cashing in, the more coins you’ll have. Then, it’s just a short 21-hour wait before you can repeat the process and get those sought-after coins.

Still, whether you’re a trainer yourself, or the parent of one, these in-game locations may not be safe to congregate at. Some may be in less-than-ideal locations in your neighborhood that aren’t 100% safe, while others may be too remote and away from houses and communities in case the unimaginable occurs. No matter the reason, it pays to follow a few simple tips while battling Gyms to make sure each gaming session is as fun as it is safe.

Battle With Friends
With some gyms hosting Pokemon with particularly high combat points, attacking gyms with friends on your team is not only effective in staying safe while strolling around the neighborhood, but can make the process of taking a high level gym far quicker and entertaining than it would be flying solo. Moreover, going with a friend ensures that you get wherever you need to go, and that nothing happens to you or your buddy while you’re gaming

Don’t Battle Gyms Far Away from Others
While most Gyms are located in places frequented by pedestrian traffic, like monuments, churches, or historic landmarks, others may be off the beaten path that see far fewer visitors. It may be tempting to go after these gyms since there is less of a chance that competing teams will battle you for control of the gym, but their remote locations can also be potentially dangerous — whether someone decides to mug you at this gym, or if you fall and sprain an ankle, help won’t arrive quickly, To lower the odds something awful like that happens, leave those backwater gyms for other trainers to claim.

Visit Gyms During the Day
Following similar logic to the previous tips, you’ll want to be playing while there are many people around and about. As the days become shorter and the temperature drops, this means you should be playing between dawn and dusk, both because autumn and winter aren’t as conducive to an outdoor video game like PokemonGO, and because common sense would conclude that you’re less likely to deal with vengeful players, thieves, or other delinquents in broad daylight.

Maintain Situational Awareness
This one should be an obvious recommendation (the loading screen for the game even says this for legal reasons), but considering that people have died playing PokemonGO because they were distracted and unaware of surrounding hazards, it deserves repeating here. If you’re going to spend 30 minutes battling Pokemon, do so somewhere that has clear lines of sight of your surroundings, is outside of roadways, and, when possible, where you can have your back against a building or wall. Not only does this give you a good view of the pedestrian and vehicular traffic around you, it gives you protection from potential muggers coming at you outside of your field of vision.

While we hope that you never have to put these tips to the test in real life, these tips are intended to give players of all ages a sense of security while gaming by lowering the odds of something bad happening to you. To this end, strive to be the very best, but keep in mind that your safety matters more than becoming a Pokemon master.

User Retention is Declining in Pokemon Go

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 20:50:58 +0000

Like new songs, new applications are typically only enjoyed until everyone gets bored of them. Well, it looks like this same death cycle is rearing its ugly head to Pokemon GO. Within a week after Pokemon GO was released in the US, it had broken records at the Apple store for most downloads in a week. Herds of people were crowding famous landmarks labeled as “Pokestops,” as they scurried to find their first legendary Pokemon. There were also reports of people rudely scavenging on their phones in places like graveyards and memorials.

Nevertheless, it seems as if the glory days of Pokemon GO are a thing of the past. At its peak, it was reported that Pokemon GO had 45 million players on the date of July 17, according to their Daily Active Users statistic.

However, Axiom Capital Management reported that over 10 million players have quit the game since the middle of July. The estimated daily users of Pokemon GO has subsided to below 30 million as of late August. Axiom’s statistics are also showing that engagement and downloads of Pokemon GO has fallen as well.

Fortunately, this decline in daily use has been offset by the proliferation of Pokemon GOers in foreign countries. Right as Pokemon GO was waning in popularity, they began releasing the game in countries such as Brazil, China, Indonesia, France, and more. As a result, the revenue lost by players quitting in the US is being compensated for by the growth experienced in other countries.

This is illustrated through the marginal decline in Nintendo’s profits. Nintendo owns about one third of Pokemon GO, and their price share fell only about 3% as a result of the diminishing popularity. Thus, Nintendo will certainly be able to stay afloat despite this Pokemon GO drought.
Although games are expected to lose players after a popularity boom, there are certainly other factors at hand other than time. For example, Niantic, the creators of Pokemon GO, cracked down on cheating and the usage of third party websites for unfair advantages. Plus, Niantic made the game slightly harder by removing the “nearby” feature on the game, which could have dissuaded some users from playing.

In sum, despite this loss in popularity, both Niacin and Nintendo will certainly have the resources to keep their businesses afloat.

PokémonGo and Your Privacy: What You Need to Know

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 22:24:13 +0000

PokémonGo’s app was recently updated — even though its first release was only in July of this year — due to the fact that the original app poses some significant privacy concerns for users. The chief privacy concern is that the app requests and receives full access to the Google accounts of users who login to it. In the updated version of the app, which users are being encouraged to download, the app and game developers only have access to the user’s basic account information.

Privacy Concerns and PokémonGo

Before the recent update to the PokémonGo app, users who logged in to the game with Google were required to give full access to their Google account. This allowed the app to have access to a large amount of users’ personal information. The app could access a user’s Gmail, important documents, and other personal data that they had stored in their Google account. For this reason, the initial version of the PokémonGo app posed a significant security risk factor.

PokémonGo Makes a Change

The good news for users of this popular game is that along with addressing security concerns in the new version of PokémonGo, the company has provided assurance that they never actually collected or stored significant amounts of private data about its users. The makers contend, and outside sources verify, that the initial account access request was a mere error that the Niantic team never exploited for any sinister purposes.

The app did, however, track the location of the devices upon which the game was played, as well as track recently viewed webpages from the user’s browsing history. Much of this information was collected simply to enhance the user’s enjoyment of the game by allowing the game to place its creatures in real-world locations that the user would encounter.

In order to eliminate the previously discussed privacy concern completely, users of the PokémonGo game are advised to logout of their Google account and download the updated version of the app. After downloading the newer version of the app, users are encouraged to go into their Google account’s ‘Privacy and Security’ settings and check their ‘Connected Apps and Sites’ to ensure that the app no longer has full access to the account.

PSafe Total can enhance a user’s security even further with its anti-virus software that combats attacks on the user’s Android device by malicious online threats.

Move Over Pokemon GO! Other AR Apps Worth a Look

PSafe Newsroom — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:20:53 +0000

Everyone, everywhere, has at least heard of Pokemon Go — even if they haven’t played it. For all the hubbub, it may surprise you to learn that it isn’t the only augmented reality app on the market. For other forms of AR gaming fun, check out some of these other Android apps below.

Ingress

Although you may not be familiar with the Ingress app, you have likely heard of the company behind it — Niantic — which also developed Pokemon GO. Ingress draws you into a galactic global struggle, between the “Resistance” and the “Enlightened”. You choose sides, surveil your neighborhood, use your phone’s GPS to track down energy sources, and work with your team to either embrace the force or struggle against it. The choice is yours.

Space 4D+

See space like you have never seen it before. With Space 4D+, users can scan and print space cards, allowing planets to appear in your very own home. Layering on facts and figures about the solar system, space missions, and satellites, this app offers a unique educational angle that makes it stand apart from the current crop of AR gaming offerings — both kids and adults will likely enjoy going into orbit with this one.

TableZombies Augmented Reality

Looking for a more grown up game? Then join the fight against the Zombie Apocalypse. TableZombies AR places you in a chopper, hovering above a building where survivors are trapped. Using your phone camera as a marker, you kill zombies in the crosshair, collect special items — and maybe even save the day in the process.

SpecTreck Light

Virtual ghosts are out there. Find and catch them floating around your neighborhood using your camera’s GPS. The interface for this game couldn’t be easier. Simply hold your phone as though it were a map in radar mode, then flip it up to hunt for ghosts via your camera viewfinder. Set the radius you want to explore, and then go roam.

Gaming has come a long way since Pong. Take advantage of the latest technology and enjoy some of these cool new Android apps. Winning, though, requires energy. So make sure your battery is fully charged by installing PowerPRO, and keep your competitive edge.

Olympians Couldn’t Play Pokémon GO and They Were Pretty Upset

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 20:51:23 +0000

PokémonGO is a popular mobile augmented reality game, available for Android and iPhone users, that was released in select countries in July of this year. Unfortunately, Brazil was not one of the countries in which PokémonGO was initially released, much to the dismay of the Olympic athletes.

It was anticipated by many that the game would be available in Rio before the Olympics; however, this prediction had not come to fruition until August 3, when the game was finally released in Brazil. On Wednesday, PokémonGO reported on its Facebook page that the game was finally available for fans and visitors in Rio as well as the Olympians.

The Allure of PokémonGO

PokémonGO is a game that merges the real world and the virtual world and allows the player to explore their surroundings while searching for Pokémon. One aspect of the game that may appeal to Olympic athletes is that the player acts as a trainer of Pokémon. Unlike other mobile games, it encourages players to get out and be active while playing it. The game is free to play; although, it does contain some in-app purchases.

Olympic Athlete’s Initial Disappointment

When they arrived in Brazil, many Olympic athletes thought they could have fun exploring the Olympic Village while seeking out Pokémon. If only the new game had made it to Brazil in time for the summer games. Many Olympic athletes expressed their disappointment over the fact that they could not get the game at Olympic Park. Some athletes, however, had stated that the lack of PokémonGO freed up more time for training.

The disappointment of athletes and others about the lack of PokémonGO in Brazil ended on Wednesday August 3. The game had made it to Brazil just in time for the opening ceremonies on August 5. Now, athletes can use this popular mobile game to help commemorate their experiences at the Olympic games by capturing and training Pokémon to be high quality virtual athletes.

3 Potential Problems with Pokémon Go

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 18:05:41 +0000

Let’s get this out of the way first: Pokémon Go is fun. There’s no denying this. You can find colorful, digital creatures of all shapes and sizes in your background, your office, your shower and around your city. You can’t even go outside without crossing at least one person playing the game. But, like so many uber-popular apps, Pokémon Go has its problems—both in the real world and the virtual world. Here, we’ll cover three threats Pokémon Go users should address so you can stop worrying and focus on catching ‘em all:

1. Real-World Crimes

Pokémon Go encourages players to visit so-called Poké Stops in the real world where they can grab useful items for gameplay. Unfortunately, some nefarious players have used these pinned locations in the United States to rob unsuspecting players at gunpoint. There’s no problem in enjoying this nostalgia-filled throwback to your childhood, but keep the adult in you aware of your surroundings and alert when you’re exploring.

Only go where you know you won’t be alone (such as a popular park), avoid Poke Stops that make you feel uncomfortable or are found in unfamiliar places, and avoid trespassing on other people’s property. As game creator, Niantic Labs, says: “We encourage all people playing Pokémon GO to be aware of their surroundings and to play with friends when going to new or unfamiliar places.”

2. Pervasive Personal Data

To play the game, users have to share their locations and personal data with the app. The game’s creator reserves the right to do with that information whatever they see fit—they can even share it with third parties if they see the need. In fact, within the first week of its release, some users reported the game having full access to information on the Google accounts used to sign in – a bug that has since been fixed.

While this in itself isn’t cause for alarm, and it isn’t entirely uncommon for apps like Pokémon Go to collect user data, it helps to be careful. This particular app’s massive popularity might mean that you’ll need to take extra precautions when giving out permissions to collect personal info – such as using a burner email address specifically for playing the game.

3. Crafty Malware

Malware creators started targeting Pokémon Go almost immediately after it first was released. A remote access tool called “DroidJack” that allowed hackers to take over players’ phones was detected early on in an online file storage service. Although that particular piece of malware hasn’t been reported to have invaded users’ phones yet, it likely will be only one of many created with the intention of duping Pokemon players.

Hackers have also created plenty of ingenious schemes, posting messages on blogs about ways generate unlimited Pokécoins. Remember, if you read about anything online that seems too good to be true, it usually is.

With such a high-stakes and fast-paced game play, the last you want to be doing when playing Pokémon Go is worrying about your virtual safety. Focus on capturing that elusive Abra or hatching a Snorlax by installing PSafe Total. The free software protects your phone from threats of viruses, malware, and malicious attacks, while also boosting the speed of your Internet.