Pokémon and Harry Potter AR games pushing real world events; TETRIS swaps apps
There’s good news and bad for iPhone gaming fans today. On the plus side, there are more real-world Pokémon Go and Harry Potter events on the way. On the downside, you won’t be able to play the official EA version of Tetris for much longer, even if you paid for it…
[Update: Available now in the US and UK] Harry Potter: Wizards Unite iPhone and Android AR game available, but only in two countries
Update: Now available on iOS for users in the US and UK.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, an augmented reality game briefly teased by Pokémon Go creator back in November of last year, is now available in open beta – but only in two countries. It’s currently available only in Australia and New Zealand, but you can register to receive an alert once it’s available in your country …
Pokemon Go creators delay Harry Potter: Wizards Unite game launch until 2019
Following the success of Pokemon Go on iOS and Android, Niantic is planning to release a Harry Potter game sometime in 2019.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery game now available on iPhone and iPad, but it’s an obnoxious free-to-play game
Fans of the Harry Potter franchise are in luck this year, with two titles hitting mobile platforms in 2018. One of these games, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is now live on the App Store and available as a free download for iPhone and iPad.
The RPG title sees players wandering the streets of Diagon Alley, attending magic lessons and exploring the secrets of Hogwarts. The game includes rich visual environments and features several of the original actors and actresses from the films as voiceover talent. However, the terrible free-to-play nature of this title becomes evident very quickly …
‘Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery’ hitting iOS this month, featuring voiceovers by original cast
We’re getting new details today for one of the two new Harry Potter iOS titles slated for this year. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery will launch this month and will even include voiceovers from some of films’ original actors.
First ‘Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery’ iOS gameplay revealed [Video]
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is one of two new games coming from the franchise this year to iOS. Today, the latest trailer for this new RPG is out and it gives us our first look at actual gameplay.
Portkey Games shares new trailer for second iOS Harry Potter game slated for this year
WB’s Portkey Games is bringing two different Harry Potter titles to iOS this year, and today some fresh details along with a new trailer have been released for Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery.
All seven Harry Potter books now available to buy in iBooks, featuring exclusive interactive animations and author notes
A notable omission from the iBooks library has been Harry Potter, the most successful literary book series. JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, has kept eBook rights exclusive to her own website until today. This morning, Apple announced that all seven of the books are finally available to buy in the iBooks app to be read on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
The books include more than just the text of the story. The ‘enhanced editions’ feature brand new interactive elements, animations, ‘elaborate’ artwork, notes from the author and exclusive covers.
iTunes year-end blowout: discounted HD movies/bundles, music, more
Update (12/ 23 11:20am): Take 15% off iTunes gift cards w/ email delivery from PayPal
From 9to5Toys.com:
Apple is making it easy to spend your holiday iTunes gift cards. iTunes is chock full of discounted movies, music, apps, and TV shows. The steepest and most notable deals are on movies.
As part of its Build Your Movie Collection promo, iTunes has select HD movies priced at $4.99 (Zoolander, Jumanji, more), $7.99 (Anchorman 2, The Book of Eli, more), and $9.99 (The Lego Movie, Neighbors, The Other Woman, and more new releases). All of these prices represent sizable discounts, but the $5 titles are obviously the best deal since iTunes only charges $1 more for a rental.
Quickly fill out your movie collection with these heavily discounted bundles:
- The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: $15
- Harry Potter Complete Collection: $50
- The Dark Knight Trilogy: $15
- The Godfather Trilogy: $15
Albums from some of the biggest names in music like The Beatles, Michael Jackson, AC/DC, Metallica, Bob Marley, and others have all been discounted in the new “Great Artists, Great Prices” section of iTunes.
And if for some reason you still don’t have the Frozen soundtrack, it’s on sale for $6.99 so hit that download button now.
For apps, you’ll want to follow our daily app/game posts and check out the current App Santa Sale.
9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air starting at $400, new Bose QC25 headphones, Harry Potter collection $50, more
Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Today’s can’t miss deals:
Last Call updates:
- New Toy Roundup: Wacom iPad styluses, Harman Kardon Omni wireless home speaker system, Sphero Ollie, more
- Synology’s latest DiskStation is its most affordable NAS at just $130
- Free Target $10 gift card w/ 3 household items, more
- Expedia $100 off $400+ hotel booking (up to 25% savings)
- Timbuk2 Sidebar laptop briefcase (black) $32 shipped (orig. $90), more
Apple iPad Air from $400, select Retina mini models $100 off at Staples
Headphones:
- New Toy of the Day: Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling headphones
- Bose IE2 in-ear headphones $60 shipped (Reg. $100)
- Monster DNA On-Ear Noise Isolating Headphones $69 (Orig. $230)
- Colorful MEElectronics Sport-Fi Headphones, starting at $18 shipped
- Audio-Technica QuietPoint Noise-Cancelling Headphones $125 (Reg. up to $186)
Harry Potter iTunes collection $50, new Maroon 5 song free, Fandango movie ticket $7, more
$50 iTunes gift card for $40: save 20% on future apps, music, movies, more
Small States: This is Ground perfects craftsmanship with a purpose, giveaway worth $450, 15% discount
Other new deals:
- New! Games/Apps: Infinity Blade 3 $3, Assassin’s Creed Pirates free, more
- New! Western Digital introduces 2TB Wireless portable drives with SD Card slot, 6hr battery
- New! Routers: ASUS Dual Band N450 $30, TRENDnet N450 $15, more
- New! Daily Deals: Samsung 40″ 1080p Smart HDTV: $499, Mophie Juice Pack: $35, more
More tech deals still alive:
- OtterBox Defender Series Case for iPhone 5/5s $15 shipped (Reg. $50)
- Displays: Samsung 23.5-inch $150, Sharp Aquos 32-inch $180, more
- Linksys Certifed Refurb Dual-Band N750 Router $35 shipped (Reg. $140)
- USB Charger roundup: Poweradd 10000mAh: $20, more
- Best Buy takes $50 off LG G Watch prior to R announcement at IFA
- RAVPower 30W/6A 4-Port USB charger $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)
- Poweradd 50W 6-Port Family-Sized USB Desktop Charger $22 (Reg. $66)
Apple Deals:
- Get an iPad mini for $200 shipped at Best Buy (33% savings)
- Apple iPad Air 32GB WiFi (Silver or Space Gray) $490 shipped (Reg. $599)
Home/fashion/magazines/games/media:
- One year mag subs from w/ digital: Macworld $7.50, GQ $5, ESPN $5, more
- Home: Philips Hue lighting pack $25 off, more
- Fashion: Nordstrom up to 40%, much more
- Home: Cuisinart Toaster Oven (refurb) $50 (orig. $145), more
- Watches 20% off at Amazon, more
New products/ongoing promos:
- Sonos Bridge hardware no longer required
- Pioneer announces its new compact iOS/Mac WeGO3 DJ controller
- Nintendo reveals new 3DS/3DS XL handhelds with 2nd analog stick & faster CPU
- Jabra jumps into fitness tracking with new heart rate monitoring headphones
- AutoDesk releases a new photo editing app for Mac
- New Livescribe Notebook takes ideas from paper to digital in a whole new way
- LG’s new CordZero vacuum has stalking skills that’ll help keep your place clean
Apple offering rare iTunes movie collection sale (starting $10): Die Hard, LOTR, Godfather, Matrix, X-Men, Harry Potter, more
From 9to5Toys.com: 
Apple is offering a rare sale on iTunes movie bundles yielding the lowest prices we’ve seen on digital downloads of 25 popular movie collections. Save even more by snagging a 20% off $60 iTunes gift card at ebay: $48. Bundles are available in SD/HD and start at $9.99 making a lot of these “buy one get two free” pricing (US Only). (Update: We’re hearing Apple is changing prices on many of these) Here’s the full list via:
First-ever Harry Potter eBook series is iPad, Mac-compatible with ePub format, and Kindle-friendly too
J.K. Rowling’s widely popular Harry Potter series is at-last available electronically.
The author’s own online Pottermore Shop displays all seven titles in ePub format, and prices vary between $8 each and $10 each, per copy. Fans can also purchase the entire series for $57.54.
The ePub files are unprotected and compatible with most iOS devices, Android devices, and any other eReader, tablet, or smartphone that accepts ePub format. In addition, the Harry Potter eBooks are available in Amazon Kindle formats. A full list of compatible devices and reading services is also available on the Pottermore Shop website.
Conspicuously, Rowling did not make the eBooks available through Apple’s iBookstore.
Did Apple eject Google Books from the App Store for violating terms?
For reasons yet undefined, Google Books has been removed from the iTunes App Store. We noticed the App was gone earlier this week but thought it might have been just a blip. Now it has been awhile.
Google Books was just updated in April with new 3D page turning, landscape mode and search so it is unlikely that Google decided to orphan it. Google launched its Books initiative in December of this year as a competitor to Amazon and Apple’s eBookstores.
So why is it gone now? The timing with Apple’s new, controversial Terms of Service would seem like the most obvious explanation.
Was Google in violation of Apple’s new in-app purchase terms of service? Or, is this because Harry Potter is coming out on Google Books?
We’ve reached out to Google and Apple for answers.