applications

Facebook has launched a new mobile feature called Find Friends Nearby (previously named Friendshake) for iOS and Android devices. Users who navigate to http://fb.com/ffn using their phone's browser will be shown a list of other users within a certain radius who are also using the page. You can also access the feature from the Facebook iOS app by going to Menu > Apps > Find friends > Other Tools > Find Friends Nearby.

Find Friends Nearby allows you to easily add people you've just met in real life. Say you meet someone at a party. You can both access the Find Friends Nearby page, locate each other, then add each other as friends on Facebook. This saves you the hassle of using Facebook's search or having to spell out your email or name. I guess it can also be used like Chatroulette to meet new people.

Samsung has partnered with software maker Media Mushroom Applications to help iPhone users make the switch to the Samsung Galaxy S III. The two have created an app that allows users to easily transfer their iTunes and iOS data to Samsung's Galaxy line-up.

The Easy Phone Sync app uses an USB connection to transfer music, contacts, messages, photos and videos from your iTunes backup on your computer, to any Samsung Galaxy device. It comes in two parts: An app that runs on your Samsung smartphone and a Mac/PC client. I'm not sure if droves of iOS users are rushing out to buy a Galaxy S III, but it's a smart marketing ploy by Samsung.

Atari has challenged developers to re-imagine the classic video game Pong for iOS devices. The winner of the Indie Developers Challenge will receive a full revenue-share publishing agreement and $50,000 for creating the next App Store "smash hit" for Atari. Runners-up will receive $37,500 for second place and $15,000 for third place. Atari plans to announce the winners on August 2nd.

Atari announced the 15 semi-finalists via their official Facebook page. The video game maker also plans to hold other Pong events to commemorate the game's 40th anniversary. You can visit the official Pong Developers Challenge page for more info and contest rules.

Google announced their redesigned app for the iPhone on Wednesday via their official blog. Version 2.0.0.5888 of the Google+ brings a new stream and navigation experience, plus various bugfixes and performance improvements.

Full-bleed photos and videos are cool. But you know what’s really cool? Content so immersive it remakes your mobile device into a rich carousel of beloved memories and breaking news. That’s the Google+ experience we aspire to, and today’s release helps us get closer:

Whether you post photos or articles or text, we’re making ‘em look gooood
We’re adding crisper fonts, larger profile pics and a friendlier homescreen
We’re making the stream easier to scan, and easier on the eyes with overlays, gradients and other visual elements.

The not-so-friendly iPhone app Ugly Meter has climbed its way to the top of the app charts recently. It's unknown why the face rating app is so popular, but it's currently listed as the third best selling app after Angry Birds Space and Flick Home Run in the iTunes App Store.

The application scans a persons face before dishing out a 1 to 10 "ugly" rating along with nasty comments like: "Wow you're ugly, is your doctor a vet?". The Daily Mail tested the app's ugly rating ability by using celebrities like Cheryl Cole and Angelina Jolie. Cole scored a 4.2 while Jolie scored a 2.0 along with the positive comment: "You're so hot you make the sun jealous." However, David Cameron (7.0) scored slightly better than Brad Pitt (8.0).