Speaking rather frankly on IRC, Last.fm's co-founder Richard Jones has condemned Apple's move to grab 30% of content-based subscription fees: "Apple just f***** over online music subs for the iPhone."
Jones' apoplectic outburst is just one of many, too. Rhapsody yesterday said it won't bow to Apple's subscription policy, and CEO of on-demand music streamer we7, speaking to paidContent, thinks that the 30% share "makes music subscriptions economically unviable." If big-hitters like Spotify and Rdio can't produce the 30% that High Lord Jobs demands, how can they possibly continue to provide their services to iOS apps without increasing their price? The crazy thing is, because of Apple's price-matching ultimatum, everyone -- including users of other smartphone platforms -- will have to pay the higher price.
On another front entirely, according to some law professors quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Apple's move could even be kiboshed by antitrust and anticompetitive legislation. These could be interesting times indeed.
While leveraging its massive and wealthy userbase to get a slice of the subscription pie might've sounded great on paper, 30% might simply be too much to ask for. At the very least, it looks like Hulu, Netflix, Spotify, Last.fm and Rdio users are destined to pay a few dollars more per month. Or perhaps content providers will simply stick it to iOS and decamp to Google's dirty, bohemian app ecosystem.'Apple just f***** over online music subs for the iPhone' -- Last.fm co-founder on Apple's 30% cut originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Monday, February 28, 2011
What Makes @ACarvin Tweet? (TCTV)
The recent compounded protests and revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa have had the unintended side effect of highlighting information nodes/elites like @Ghonim and @Sultanalqassemi, people who electively become human routers of related information on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks.
NPR's Senior Strategist Andy Carvin has been one of the most prominent Western information routers, spending 15-17 hours a day tweeting out news about the region, getting rate limited and subsequently whitelisted by Twitter, and at one point becoming so synonymous with #Egypt that someone anonymously sent him a shirt "I followed @Acarvin before #Egypt did."
NPR's Senior Strategist Andy Carvin has been one of the most prominent Western information routers, spending 15-17 hours a day tweeting out news about the region, getting rate limited and subsequently whitelisted by Twitter, and at one point becoming so synonymous with #Egypt that someone anonymously sent him a shirt "I followed @Acarvin before #Egypt did."
OS X Lion Will Take Better Care of SSDs with TRIM Support [Blips]
OS X Lion Will Use TRIM commands when dealing with SSDs, which will extend the life of the storage devices found in all MacBook Airs. [HardMac via Cult of Mac] More »
MobileNotifier is a great start to what iOS notifications should be [jailbreak]
MobileNotifier is a great start to what iOS notifications should really look like. Keep in mind this app is still in beta before you go replacing LockInfo. I’ve been playing with MobileNotifier today and it’s got a lot of potential.
One thing I really like is the ingenious way MobileNotifier makes use of the wasted space [...]MobileNotifier is a great start to what iOS notifications should be [jailbreak] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
One thing I really like is the ingenious way MobileNotifier makes use of the wasted space [...]MobileNotifier is a great start to what iOS notifications should be [jailbreak] is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
10+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 4
Along with the ability to be restartless, Firefox 4 add-ons also have an entirely new interface to manipulate! There's a new add-on bar at the bottom of the screen, which replaces Firefox 3's status bar -- and then there's that infernal orange button that Mozilla, in its infinite wisdom, has made completely immovable.
There are other new features, too, like app tabs -- wouldn't it be nice to double click a tab, rather than having to fumble around with the right mouse button? And how about some visual notifications in those app tabs, too? Then there's the add-on that lets you set your tab width as narrow (or as wide!) as you like.
Finally, don't forget the handful of Firefox 4-only add-ons from Mozilla Labs that make the browser perform a lot like Chrome...Continue reading 10+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 410+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 4 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
There are other new features, too, like app tabs -- wouldn't it be nice to double click a tab, rather than having to fumble around with the right mouse button? And how about some visual notifications in those app tabs, too? Then there's the add-on that lets you set your tab width as narrow (or as wide!) as you like.
Finally, don't forget the handful of Firefox 4-only add-ons from Mozilla Labs that make the browser perform a lot like Chrome...Continue reading 10+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 410+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 4 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
TurboTax SnapTax makes filing your taxes picture-perfect
If you are like me and have been putting off filing your taxes for any number of reasons, TurboTax SnapTax is an application you will definitely want to check out. Taking all the information from your W-2 and entering it online can become a pain, especially if you have more then one source of income, but TurboTax has gone above and beyond this year, and made it extremely easy to file. Simply snap a picture of your W-2, give the application a few minutes to pull the needed fields from the image and auto-populate them into your tax forms. From here you simply go through the information that it pulled and verify that the information is correct. Once you verify the accuracy of the information, you can pay directly through the app and then file your taxes. Within minutes you can file your Federal and State returns, and then sit back and wait for the money to be deposited in your account. While the application itself is a free download from the Android Market, filing will cost $14.99. Hit the break for a video walk through of the application (and yes, we are sorry they chose to film it on an iPhone)
TurboTax SnapTax makes filing your taxes picture-perfect posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
TurboTax SnapTax makes filing your taxes picture-perfect posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Dell Venue Pro arrives in the UK at long last: �459 off contract, shipping in 10 days (update: Germany also)
Time for a quick memory check: remember the WP7 slider that Dell announced some months ago? That's right, it's the Venue Pro -- the one that's been struggling to meet demand in the US due to some mysterious reworking. Well, here's some good news for the folks on the other side of the pond: starting today, Dell's UK store is taking orders for this unlocked slider for a hefty £459 ($745), and the first deliveries are expected to arrive in 10 days. Man, these wicked people from Round Rock sure love making us wait, but better late than never, right?
Update: We've been informed by our friends over at BestBoyZ that Germany's also getting the Venue Pro today for around €534.Continue reading Dell Venue Pro arrives in the UK at long last: �459 off contract, shipping in 10 days (update: Germany also)Dell Venue Pro arrives in the UK at long last: �459 off contract, shipping in 10 days (update: Germany also) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Dell | Email this | Comments
Update: We've been informed by our friends over at BestBoyZ that Germany's also getting the Venue Pro today for around €534.Continue reading Dell Venue Pro arrives in the UK at long last: �459 off contract, shipping in 10 days (update: Germany also)Dell Venue Pro arrives in the UK at long last: �459 off contract, shipping in 10 days (update: Germany also) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Dell | Email this | Comments
HP's Quad Edition dv6t and dv7t laptops now available, Radeon HD graphics and Core i7 CPUs in tow
First they leaked, then they became official, and now they're at HP's online store waiting for your name, address and credit card information. The new Pavilion dv6 and dv7 laptops borrow liberally from the higher-end Envy line's aesthetics -- not that we're complaining -- and offer quad-core Core i7 CPUs that max out at 3.4GHz on the i7-2820QM when cranked up using Turbo Boost. The default running speed for that model is 2.3GHz and it has a pair of slightly slower brethren, ticking along at 2.2GHz (i7-2720QM) and 2GHz flat (i7-2630QM), all of which you can own on the dv6t or dv7t. Both machines come with AMD's 1GB Mobility Radeon HD 6570 graphics chip, while the larger dv7t also brings a two-year warranty as standard. Its 1600 x 900 resolution on a 17.3-inch screen might disappoint those looking for mad pixel density, though few would be able to complain about its price. The dv6t and dv7t start off at $1,000 and $1,100, respectively, and are subject to a $150 instant rebate and free memory (6GB) and hard drive (750GB) upgrades that should make them very appealing value propositions.HP's Quad Edition dv6t and dv7t laptops now available, Radeon HD graphics and Core i7 CPUs in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink LogicBuy | HP (dv6t), (dv7t) | Email this | Comments
iPad Live podcast tonight 9pm ET! Come chat!
iPad Live hits the air tonight with Georgia, Chad and Rene and you know you won’t want to miss it!
Time: 9pm ET, 6pm PT, 2am GMT
Place: http://www.tipb.com/live/
If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to discuss, just leave them in the comments then come be part of the show!
(And yes, you [...]iPad Live podcast tonight 9pm ET! Come chat! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Time: 9pm ET, 6pm PT, 2am GMT
Place: http://www.tipb.com/live/
If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to discuss, just leave them in the comments then come be part of the show!
(And yes, you [...]iPad Live podcast tonight 9pm ET! Come chat! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Daily Crunch: Office Espionage Edition
Alert Phone Lets Your Loved Ones Warn You When They?ve Wandered Off CrunchGear?s Valentine?s Day Gift Guide: Gifts For Girls Good Morning. Here?s A Floppy Drive Playing Toccata And Fugue In D Minor Somehow Interesting: Fingerprint Patterns After Using iPad Apps Hybrid Table-Lamp Is? Practical
Deal of the Day ? Dell XPS 15 with 2nd Generation Intel Core i7
Today?s LogicBUY deal features the 15.6? Dell XPS 15 laptop with the 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2620M cpu. Base configuration includes 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M graphics, 4GB memory, and 500GB hard drive. You can customize with 1080p LCD, 8GB memory, 2GB GeForce G540M with TV tuner, and more. Cheapest deal for basic 2nd generation [...]
Microsoft Research shows off next-generation gesture interfaces, Kinect integration, other neato stuff (video)
Leave it to Microsoft Research to show off some cool stuff that may or may not actually happen on any thing you ever actually buy. Check out the video after the break to see the latest, Director of Microsoft Applied Sciences Steven "Stevie B" Bathiche showing off a variety of interesting interfaces. It all starts with gesture controls that take you well beyond the touchscreen, relying on a retro-reflective sash and a camera to detect hand position. But, things quickly progress to a flat lens called a wedge that can enable holographic-like imagery. Pair that with a Kinect and perspective shifts come into play, tracking your face to enable you to peer around like looking out a window. It's all just waiting for you below -- and maybe IRL sometime in the future.Continue reading Microsoft Research shows off next-generation gesture interfaces, Kinect integration, other neato stuff (video)Microsoft Research shows off next-generation gesture interfaces, Kinect integration, other neato stuff (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | YouTube | Email this | Comments
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game
Yes, that's right, I said adorable. Because Cueboy Quest really is!
You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren't always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight - the have arcing trajectories, so you don't always hit exactly where you aim.
There's another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they're large too. Simply beautiful!Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren't always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight - the have arcing trajectories, so you don't always hit exactly where you aim.
There's another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they're large too. Simply beautiful!Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
QuickOffice shows off version for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets
QuickOffice has been making top-notch productivity apps for smartphones for quite some time, and now the company has unveiled a new version for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets. As is the case with its apps for other platforms (including iOS and webOS), the new tablet version features Google Docs, Dropbox, MobileMe, and SugarSync integration and offers on-the-go editing of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. QuickOffice is fully Microsoft Office compatible, of course.
To see QuickOffice for Android Honeycomb in action, take the jump and check out the hands-on video from the folks at Laptop Mag. Those of you on the Apple side of the tablet war can currently pick up QuickOffice for about $15 -- which is a good deal on a great app suite.Continue reading QuickOffice shows off version for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tabletsQuickOffice shows off version for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
To see QuickOffice for Android Honeycomb in action, take the jump and check out the hands-on video from the folks at Laptop Mag. Those of you on the Apple side of the tablet war can currently pick up QuickOffice for about $15 -- which is a good deal on a great app suite.Continue reading QuickOffice shows off version for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tabletsQuickOffice shows off version for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Dude, Where's My Gmail? [Failure]
Have you checked your Gmail lately? Better go check if you haven't in a while, because there's been some kind of "reset" at Google that's resulted in missing emails, labels, folders and themes. More »
Solo Drivers In Los Angeles Will Soon Be Allowed To Drive In Carpool Lanes For A Fee
This week, Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) ? which was acquired by Xerox (NYSE: XRX) in February 2010 ? announced that it's building a new, electronic toll system on the two busiest highways in Los Angeles, to allow all single car drivers, even those in a diesel guzzling Hummer, to shift into carpool lanes for a fee.
When average traffic levels in a carpool lane rise overall, so will the fee. The company and city plan to calibrate the systems to keep traffic at a steady 45 miles per hour in the carpool lane (at least). Once equipped with the new toll system, the carpool lanes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 will be called ExpressLanes, instead.
Los Angeles and Xerox are building this project with the idea of reducing highway congestion overall...Is the death of the carpool lane as we know it environmentally sound, though?
When average traffic levels in a carpool lane rise overall, so will the fee. The company and city plan to calibrate the systems to keep traffic at a steady 45 miles per hour in the carpool lane (at least). Once equipped with the new toll system, the carpool lanes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 will be called ExpressLanes, instead.
Los Angeles and Xerox are building this project with the idea of reducing highway congestion overall...Is the death of the carpool lane as we know it environmentally sound, though?
Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on
We've been hearing reports about Nexus S' Android 2.3.3 update adding a yellow tint to the screen and even washing out its colors, but according to Google's Ry Guy, said patch is indeed intended to tweak the display's color temperature. Here's the full quote from Google's support forum:
"With your new OTA complete, you may notice a slight difference in the way colors are displayed on your Nexus S. For Nexus S, we have adjusted the color temperature settings to more accurately reflect darker colors at all brightness levels. The Gingerbread UI being darker, we found that the colors were not as accurate when the device was being used at lower brightness levels. For example, some users reported that the initial color temperature was too high leading to some darker greys having a reddish tone; with the new color temperature this is no longer the case."
So while this display tweak is well-intentioned, it looks like many commenters on both the forum and XDA-Developers aren't too happy with this. Being curious geeks that we are, we went ahead and manually updated our own Nexus S (and by the way, be sure to match your build number with the appropriate patch). As you can see in our comparison photos (shot with the same manual camera settings and medium screen brightness), the new overall color temperature is no doubt subtly warmer, although the dimmer brightness settings no longer suffer from the aforementioned red tone. Interestingly, we actually approve this change, and the Super AMOLED display certainly doesn't look washed out to us, nor do we see any noisy dithering that some have reported. Surely we can't be alone. Well, there's only one way to help solve this mystery: if you happen to be a fellow Nexus S owner who's applied this update, why not chime in below?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Gallery: Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on
View PollNexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 05:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Android Community | Google, XDA-Developers | Email this | Comments
"With your new OTA complete, you may notice a slight difference in the way colors are displayed on your Nexus S. For Nexus S, we have adjusted the color temperature settings to more accurately reflect darker colors at all brightness levels. The Gingerbread UI being darker, we found that the colors were not as accurate when the device was being used at lower brightness levels. For example, some users reported that the initial color temperature was too high leading to some darker greys having a reddish tone; with the new color temperature this is no longer the case."
So while this display tweak is well-intentioned, it looks like many commenters on both the forum and XDA-Developers aren't too happy with this. Being curious geeks that we are, we went ahead and manually updated our own Nexus S (and by the way, be sure to match your build number with the appropriate patch). As you can see in our comparison photos (shot with the same manual camera settings and medium screen brightness), the new overall color temperature is no doubt subtly warmer, although the dimmer brightness settings no longer suffer from the aforementioned red tone. Interestingly, we actually approve this change, and the Super AMOLED display certainly doesn't look washed out to us, nor do we see any noisy dithering that some have reported. Surely we can't be alone. Well, there's only one way to help solve this mystery: if you happen to be a fellow Nexus S owner who's applied this update, why not chime in below?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Gallery: Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on
View PollNexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen's color temperature, we go eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 05:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Android Community | Google, XDA-Developers | Email this | Comments
The winners of the 2010 Engadget Awards -- Editors' Choice
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The results are in, and well over 100,000 of you voted in the 2010 Engadget Awards. The Readers' Choice picks were just the tip of the iceberg, friends, That's right, the editors of Engadget have opinions, too, and here they are. Join us after the break for the year that was 2010 in gadgets.Continue reading The winners of the 2010 Engadget Awards -- Editors' ChoiceThe winners of the 2010 Engadget Awards -- Editors' Choice originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
The results are in, and well over 100,000 of you voted in the 2010 Engadget Awards. The Readers' Choice picks were just the tip of the iceberg, friends, That's right, the editors of Engadget have opinions, too, and here they are. Join us after the break for the year that was 2010 in gadgets.Continue reading The winners of the 2010 Engadget Awards -- Editors' ChoiceThe winners of the 2010 Engadget Awards -- Editors' Choice originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
10+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 4
Along with the ability to be restartless, Firefox 4 add-ons also have an entirely new interface to manipulate! There's a new add-on bar at the bottom of the screen, which replaces Firefox 3's status bar -- and then there's that infernal orange button that Mozilla, in its infinite wisdom, has made completely immovable.
There are other new features, too, like app tabs -- wouldn't it be nice to double click a tab, rather than having to fumble around with the right mouse button? And how about some visual notifications in those app tabs, too? Then there's the add-on that lets you set your tab width as narrow (or as wide!) as you like.
Finally, don't forget the handful of Firefox 4-only add-ons from Mozilla Labs that make the browser perform a lot like Chrome...Continue reading 10+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 410+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 4 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
There are other new features, too, like app tabs -- wouldn't it be nice to double click a tab, rather than having to fumble around with the right mouse button? And how about some visual notifications in those app tabs, too? Then there's the add-on that lets you set your tab width as narrow (or as wide!) as you like.
Finally, don't forget the handful of Firefox 4-only add-ons from Mozilla Labs that make the browser perform a lot like Chrome...Continue reading 10+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 410+ great add-ons that only work with Firefox 4 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Roll of Distant Thunder Ushers In New MacBook Pros
Apple on Thursday announced four new MacBook Pros with next-generation processors and graphics; high-speed Thunderbolt input/output technology; and new FaceTime HD cameras. These run on the latest dual- and quad-core Intel Core processors and are claimed to be up to twice as fast as their predecessors. Thunderbolt is a technology Apple codeveloped with Intel, which calls it "Light Peak."
The Original Monopoly Board Was a Circle [Monopoly]
Filed in things I never knew: early Monopoly boards were circular! Filed in things I should have known: Monopoly street names all hail from Atlantic City. More »
How an Adorable Pig Could Take Down the Internet [Video]
Oh, how I love the Onion! It constantly creates fantastic nightmare scenarios detailing how the world as we know it could be destroyed—or in this case, how a cute piglet could take down the Internet. More »
Solo Drivers In Los Angeles Will Soon Be Allowed To Drive In Carpool Lanes For A Fee
This week, Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) ? which was acquired by Xerox (NYSE: XRX) in February 2010 ? announced that it's building a new, electronic toll system on the two busiest highways in Los Angeles, to allow all single car drivers, even those in a diesel guzzling Hummer, to shift into carpool lanes for a fee.
When average traffic levels in a carpool lane rise overall, so will the fee. The company and city plan to calibrate the systems to keep traffic at a steady 45 miles per hour in the carpool lane (at least). Once equipped with the new toll system, the carpool lanes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 will be called ExpressLanes, instead.
Los Angeles and Xerox are building this project with the idea of reducing highway congestion overall...Is the death of the carpool lane as we know it environmentally sound, though?
When average traffic levels in a carpool lane rise overall, so will the fee. The company and city plan to calibrate the systems to keep traffic at a steady 45 miles per hour in the carpool lane (at least). Once equipped with the new toll system, the carpool lanes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 will be called ExpressLanes, instead.
Los Angeles and Xerox are building this project with the idea of reducing highway congestion overall...Is the death of the carpool lane as we know it environmentally sound, though?
The Week's Best Android Apps [Video]
Menupages: I simply cannot live without MenuPages. It gives you full menus of restaurants near you and is a complete godsend for eating lovers like myself. Sadly, it only really works in big cities (New York City, LA, San Francisco, Philly, Boston, Chicago, DC or South Florida). More »
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Samsung Galaxy S II gets very preliminary, expensive UK pricing
Don't go jumping off the Android sailboat just yet, these are very early numbers, but the Samsung Galaxy S II has been priced by a couple of UK retailers and the category they've placed it in is the distinctly high end. Expansys is listing £630 ($1,020) for the Gingerbread-sporting unlocked handset, while Play.com has it at £600 ($971) and is promising a March 31st release date. Even if you're zany enough to put the cash up for a pre-order today, do take note that Play was showing the cost at £650 (with £670 RRP) only yesterday, so pricing still seems to be fluctuating and finding its sweet spot. Whatever happens, with such a high starting point, we doubt the S II's price will be its most attractive attribute at launch.Samsung Galaxy S II gets very preliminary, expensive UK pricing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink GSM Arena, Phandroid | Play.com, Expansys | Email this | Comments
BufferZone Pro sandboxing software now a totally free download
Trustware's BufferZone was an early entrant into the desktop sandboxing arena. Sandboxing, of course, is the security-by-isolation system which has since been built into apps like Google Chrome and Adobe Reader X. Recently, Trustware launched a promotion and gave away BufferZone Pro for free -- and now the company is making the discount permanent. From now on, BufferZone Pro will be freeware.
But, wait -- BufferZone still doesn't support x64, and maybe you're thinking that there will be a paid version once a 64-bit Windows version arrives. Not so, Trustware's Efrat Schneider told me in an email: "The product will continue to be free," he replied.
If you're looking for a free way to tighten up security on your Windows system, BufferZone is an excellent app for the job. We'll let you know when the 64-bit version becomes available.BufferZone Pro sandboxing software now a totally free download originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
But, wait -- BufferZone still doesn't support x64, and maybe you're thinking that there will be a paid version once a 64-bit Windows version arrives. Not so, Trustware's Efrat Schneider told me in an email: "The product will continue to be free," he replied.
If you're looking for a free way to tighten up security on your Windows system, BufferZone is an excellent app for the job. We'll let you know when the 64-bit version becomes available.BufferZone Pro sandboxing software now a totally free download originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mozilla F1 adds bit.ly account support, improves security
After having just received a slimmer, vertical interface, the F1 sharing add-on for Firefox 4 has received another minor bump from the team at Mozilla Messaging. This time, F1 has added support for bit.ly accounts -- enabling you to track statistics for your shares alongside your other bit.ly links.
F1 also now offers better security out-of-the-box by storing OAuth information in the browser. Autocomplete has also been improved, and Linux users should now be able to utilize the dropdowns in F1 -- which is kind of important if you want to post to a group Facebook wall or send a direct message on Twitter.
Download the F1 sharing add-on for Firefox 4Mozilla F1 adds bit.ly account support, improves security originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
F1 also now offers better security out-of-the-box by storing OAuth information in the browser. Autocomplete has also been improved, and Linux users should now be able to utilize the dropdowns in F1 -- which is kind of important if you want to post to a group Facebook wall or send a direct message on Twitter.
Download the F1 sharing add-on for Firefox 4Mozilla F1 adds bit.ly account support, improves security originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mac OS X Lion has TRIM support for SSDs, HiDPI resolutions for improved pixel density?
As you'd expect, developers have wasted no time in tearing apart the Mac OS X Lion preview, and in so doing they've allegedly discovered some intriguing things -- namely, support for the SSD-wiping TRIM command, and a series of high-DPI display modes which would allow for icons and UI elements with twice the graphical detail -- which could mean a PC-sized Retina Display. The former doesn't sound like the most exciting upgrade, but it's truly a boon for Mac users with solid state storage, as TRIM can greatly improve write speeds in compatible drives. As far as the improved pixel density rumors are concerned, it's not clear whether Apple's actually looking at actually doubling display resolutions in new computers (9to5Mac imagines a 15-inch MacBook Pro with a 2880 x 1800 screen) or whether Apple's simply moving to maintain icons that are precisely the same physical size across all its displays -- which would make fantastic sense for a touchscreen UI, by the way. Mac OS X Lion has TRIM support for SSDs, HiDPI resolutions for improved pixel density? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electronista, CrunchGear | MacRumors, MacGeneration | Email this | Comments
National Geographic Ultimate Dinopedia App for iPad
The iPad’s big display is a beautiful canvas for displaying full-color, detailed images.� It seems lately that many publishers are bypassing the standard book reader apps for iPad and creating their own applications that display their books to their best advantage on the iPad’s beautiful display.� Many of these book apps also incorporate interactive elements [...]
Rolleiflex Mini Digi AF Camera
This little digital camera is a replica of the famous Rolleiflex 2.8F twin lens reflex camera.� The Rolleiflex MiniDigi AF 5.0 camera is only about 2.9 x 1.8 x 1.8″ and weighs 3.5 ounces.� It is available in red/black or all black.� The camera is 5MP and it has a 1.1″ view screen and produces [...]
iPhone 5 part leaked,looks like it may have a larger screen?
A supposed image of an iPhone 5 part has appeared on Chinese reseller?s website. The image in question looks like the digitizer panel for the iPhone 5.�The design is similar to the one used on the current iPhone 4 however it appears to have a larger screen. These assumptions however are not scientific as no [...]iPhone 5 part leaked,looks like it may have a larger screen? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Visualized: the HTC keyboard slider family
Clockwise from the top left, that's the the Sprint Arrive, the likely-for-Verizon Merge, the Sprint Evo Shift 4G, and the T-Mobile G2. If we had to rate them, we'd say the Arrive has the best key feel, followed by the Merge, the Evo Shift, and finally the cramped G2 -- although the super cheap-feeling hinge on the Evo Shift knocks off several points. We'd also say the physical keys on the G2 feel better than the mushy keys on the Merge, but the G2's cramped layout doesn't do it any favors. In any event, picking one of these is a pretty great problem to have, don't you think?Visualized: the HTC keyboard slider family originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Legit Sites Could Get Caught in Google's Content Farm Crosshairs
Google on Thursday began using a new algorithm to rid its top search results of what it described as low-quality websites. This will reduce the rankings for sites that are low value-add for users, ones that copy content from other websites, or sites that just aren't very useful. Simultaneously, the algorithm will improve the rankings for high-quality sites.
Farragomate is a social fridge magnet game where you make up sentences
You know those fridge magnet kits composed of a whole bunch of words? The ones you put all over your fridge door and then try to arrange into all sorts of juvenile and/or amusing sentences. Well, Farragomate is the social, webby version of that very same pastime.
You get to play with a bunch of random strangers in real-time, and make up sentences out of a pre-set collection of words, including some fairly naughty ones, and all players' nicknames. As you can imagine, some of the results are not child-friendly.
There are ten rounds to a game. Once a round is done, players get to vote for their favorite sentence from that round. You can't vote for your own creation, of course. There's in-game chat, too.
I think the vocabulary could be made a bit more eclectic, but even as it is, it's a nice way to spend a few minutes and meet random strangers on the Internet (always a thrilling experience).Farragomate is a social fridge magnet game where you make up sentences originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You get to play with a bunch of random strangers in real-time, and make up sentences out of a pre-set collection of words, including some fairly naughty ones, and all players' nicknames. As you can imagine, some of the results are not child-friendly.
There are ten rounds to a game. Once a round is done, players get to vote for their favorite sentence from that round. You can't vote for your own creation, of course. There's in-game chat, too.
I think the vocabulary could be made a bit more eclectic, but even as it is, it's a nice way to spend a few minutes and meet random strangers on the Internet (always a thrilling experience).Farragomate is a social fridge magnet game where you make up sentences originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Watch a Kite-Powered Car Cruise Down the Australian Landscape [Video]
In case you ever wondered what driving a kite-powered electric car across Australia must be like, it definitely looks sublime. The trip cost only around $13 in electricity and took 18 days to complete, earning the German extreme sportsmen Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer three world records in the process. The pair hoped to inspire new, environment-friendly means of travel. [Treehugger] More »
Xeno Defense is a fantastic tower defense Time Waster
117,944 - that's my final score in Xeno Defense. I think this is the first Time Waster I found addictive enough to actually play all the way to the end. It is a casual game - you don't have to finish it to enjoy it. But it was easy enough, and definitely addictive enough, for me to just finish. It took me about half an hour, I think.
There's a story line, but it's not very important. The gist of it is that you're a scientist stranded in an outpost, and there's an alien invasion. Your encampment is all the way to the right side of the screen, with swarms of aliens coming in from the left and trying to invade. Your job is to shoot them and defend your turf.
As the game evolves, you gain experience points. At the end of each level you go to the store and choose what you want to spend your points on: new buildings, new weapons, upgrade existing weapons, or invest in repairing your base.
The final goal is to build a weapon that's advanced enough to use against the alien mothership. This is done by building enough research buildings - but you must balance the buildings you buy with your weapons upgrades, because each swarm of aliens is stronger than the last.
I finished the game with two days to spare; what was your score?Xeno Defense is a fantastic tower defense Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
There's a story line, but it's not very important. The gist of it is that you're a scientist stranded in an outpost, and there's an alien invasion. Your encampment is all the way to the right side of the screen, with swarms of aliens coming in from the left and trying to invade. Your job is to shoot them and defend your turf.
As the game evolves, you gain experience points. At the end of each level you go to the store and choose what you want to spend your points on: new buildings, new weapons, upgrade existing weapons, or invest in repairing your base.
The final goal is to build a weapon that's advanced enough to use against the alien mothership. This is done by building enough research buildings - but you must balance the buildings you buy with your weapons upgrades, because each swarm of aliens is stronger than the last.
I finished the game with two days to spare; what was your score?Xeno Defense is a fantastic tower defense Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Friday, February 25, 2011
2010 In Movies, As Seen On Foursquare [Graphic]
It's Oscar weekend so of course every social media service, smart phone app and "tech" blog is going to find some movie angle to remind you that they exist. And because I tend to write the more fluffy cultural pieces, I will be stuck writing about them, even though I hate Hollywood and celebrities of the non-YouTube or TopCoder variety.
But Foursquare's map of 2010 movie checkin frequency (above) is an exception to the "blatant attempt to glom publicity off of an 'important' event rule," and deserves reposting. And yes, the mention of Sex In the City 2 on the pink side of the Venn Diagram here makes me ashamed for my gender. Very ashamed.
But Foursquare's map of 2010 movie checkin frequency (above) is an exception to the "blatant attempt to glom publicity off of an 'important' event rule," and deserves reposting. And yes, the mention of Sex In the City 2 on the pink side of the Venn Diagram here makes me ashamed for my gender. Very ashamed.
CrunchGear Week In Review: The Bat And The Bees Edition
Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: Video Of Escher?s Impossible Waterfall A La Rube Goldberg Irony: Smartphones Can Save The Honeybees Mimoco?s Latest Puts Your Data On DC Comic Classics HTC Announces The Desire S, Wildfire S, and Incredible S Canjo: You Know, A Banjo Made From A Can
Avast 6 ready for download, adds sandboxing to antivirus defense
After only a few weeks in beta testing, Avast 6 is now ready for download. If you're looking for a good, free antivirus program for your Windows computer, Avast is still one of the best options -- and version 6 adds one very powerful defense mechanism.
Sandboxing -- which allows your computer to run unknown and untrusted programs in an isolated spece where they can't harm your operating system or data -- has been added to Avast 6. It's even there in the free version, and it's a very compelling reason to take another look at Avast. Since Avast 6 can automatically sandbox programs, you're protected even if its definitions and behaviorial scanning can't tell that program is malicious. In paid versions, Avast has added a new Safe Zone designed to offer increased protection when transmitting sensitive data to banks or other Web sites.Continue reading Avast 6 ready for download, adds sandboxing to antivirus defenseAvast 6 ready for download, adds sandboxing to antivirus defense originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Sandboxing -- which allows your computer to run unknown and untrusted programs in an isolated spece where they can't harm your operating system or data -- has been added to Avast 6. It's even there in the free version, and it's a very compelling reason to take another look at Avast. Since Avast 6 can automatically sandbox programs, you're protected even if its definitions and behaviorial scanning can't tell that program is malicious. In paid versions, Avast has added a new Safe Zone designed to offer increased protection when transmitting sensitive data to banks or other Web sites.Continue reading Avast 6 ready for download, adds sandboxing to antivirus defenseAvast 6 ready for download, adds sandboxing to antivirus defense originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Choosing Between a laptop and an iPad: A guide
One of the big questions many consumers are faced with today is whether to purchase a laptop or an iPad. We hope to take some of the pressure off and help make that decision easier for you in this guide. Since many of you are already more than well aware of what laptops can be [...]
Z-Type is a fun way to learn to touch type
If you're a skilled touch-typist, this time-waster isn't for you. But if you're just learning to touch-type (or have recently switched to a superior layout), Z-Type might prove a nice way to practice your typing skills while having a bit of fun.
It's a basic shooter game: Spaceships come at you from the top, and you need to shoot and destroy them before they hit the bottom and destroy you. You do the shooting by typing the words associated with the baddies: Each spaceship has one word, and every letter sends a shot aimed at it. Once you finish typing the word, the ship explodes.
The graphics are very nice, and when you're done with the game it shows you your score and accuracy. The only thing I didn't like about this game is that it wouldn't let me set the speed, and it seems to be aimed at novice typists. If I could just select the level of difficulty before starting to play, I suspect it would have been much more engaging.
Still, for novice typists it's a great little way to practice!
[This was the Community Choice winner in the Mozilla Labs Game On 2010 competition! -Ed]Z-Type is a fun way to learn to touch type originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It's a basic shooter game: Spaceships come at you from the top, and you need to shoot and destroy them before they hit the bottom and destroy you. You do the shooting by typing the words associated with the baddies: Each spaceship has one word, and every letter sends a shot aimed at it. Once you finish typing the word, the ship explodes.
The graphics are very nice, and when you're done with the game it shows you your score and accuracy. The only thing I didn't like about this game is that it wouldn't let me set the speed, and it seems to be aimed at novice typists. If I could just select the level of difficulty before starting to play, I suspect it would have been much more engaging.
Still, for novice typists it's a great little way to practice!
[This was the Community Choice winner in the Mozilla Labs Game On 2010 competition! -Ed]Z-Type is a fun way to learn to touch type originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Nokia sneaks a look at new Symbian UI during China event
Perched behind Nokia's head of smart devices, Jo Harlow, at a recent event in China is what appears to be a new home screen on an N8, yet more evidence -- hot on the heels of the company's MWC event -- that Espoo still has plenty of love in the wings for its dead-platform-walking. Notably, it appears they're looking at migrating key information to the top of the screen to create a dedicated status bar, which would presumably stay visible as you navigate from screen to screen -- akin to most other platforms on the market -- accompanied by a string of soft button icons at the bottom. Interestingly, the UI in some respects mirrors what we saw on the leaked shots of the apparently killed N9 -- small black status bar and icons along the bottom -- which would seem to tell us one of two things: either the N9 was a Symbian device all along, or the company had planned on standardizing UI elements between its future Symbian and MeeGo roadmaps. Either way, this looks like a nice improvement... and in all likelihood, a far cry from what we'll see when these guys start busting out Windows Phone 7 devices.Nokia sneaks a look at new Symbian UI during China event originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electronista, My Nokia Blog | Baidu | Email this | Comments
BufferZone Pro sandboxing software now a totally free download
Trustware's BufferZone was an early entrant into the desktop sandboxing arena. Sandboxing, of course, is the security-by-isolation system which has since been built into apps like Google Chrome and Adobe Reader X. Recently, Trustware launched a promotion and gave away BufferZone Pro for free -- and now the company is making the discount permanent. From now on, BufferZone Pro will be freeware.
But, wait -- BufferZone still doesn't support x64, and maybe you're thinking that there will be a paid version once a 64-bit Windows version arrives. Not so, Trustware's Efrat Schneider told me in an email: "The product will continue to be free," he replied.
If you're looking for a free way to tighten up security on your Windows system, BufferZone is an excellent app for the job. We'll let you know when the 64-bit version becomes available.BufferZone Pro sandboxing software now a totally free download originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
But, wait -- BufferZone still doesn't support x64, and maybe you're thinking that there will be a paid version once a 64-bit Windows version arrives. Not so, Trustware's Efrat Schneider told me in an email: "The product will continue to be free," he replied.
If you're looking for a free way to tighten up security on your Windows system, BufferZone is an excellent app for the job. We'll let you know when the 64-bit version becomes available.BufferZone Pro sandboxing software now a totally free download originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Internet Explorer 9 RC released: Everything you need to know
The Internet Explorer 9 Release Candidate is now available. For all intents and purposes, this means IE9 is feature complete. Small changes might occur, but it's mostly bug stomping from here on out. Download it, give it a whirl; it might just be the first IE browser that's actually enjoyable to use.
Download Squad got its grubby mandibles on the RC a few days ago, which means we can show you around all of the major new features -- and some of the smaller, less-obvious, but equally neat changes too.
Internet Explorer 9 is all about cutting back to what made IE8 great, and unceremoniously ramming the offal through the waste disposal. InPrivate Browsing is still here, and InPrivate Filtering has donned its superhero leotard and returned as Tracking Protection. Color-coded tab groups remain, as does SmartScreen Filtering. The awful UI, though, and the barbaric JavaScript engine, are gone.
Microsoft has invested a lot of time, effort and money into Internet Explorer 9 and -- as you'll see after the break -- the results really do speak for themselves. IE9 desperately wants to be your steed of choice for the HTML5 revolution.
But has it succeeded?Gallery: Internet Explorer 9 RCContinue reading Internet Explorer 9 RC released: Everything you need to knowInternet Explorer 9 RC released: Everything you need to know originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Download Squad got its grubby mandibles on the RC a few days ago, which means we can show you around all of the major new features -- and some of the smaller, less-obvious, but equally neat changes too.
Internet Explorer 9 is all about cutting back to what made IE8 great, and unceremoniously ramming the offal through the waste disposal. InPrivate Browsing is still here, and InPrivate Filtering has donned its superhero leotard and returned as Tracking Protection. Color-coded tab groups remain, as does SmartScreen Filtering. The awful UI, though, and the barbaric JavaScript engine, are gone.
Microsoft has invested a lot of time, effort and money into Internet Explorer 9 and -- as you'll see after the break -- the results really do speak for themselves. IE9 desperately wants to be your steed of choice for the HTML5 revolution.
But has it succeeded?Gallery: Internet Explorer 9 RCContinue reading Internet Explorer 9 RC released: Everything you need to knowInternet Explorer 9 RC released: Everything you need to know originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Firefox F1 social sharing add-on gets vertical UI, big sharing tweaks
Mozilla Labs has posted another update to its F1 social sharing add-on for Firefox. Right off the bat, you'll notice a new vertical UI has replaced the full-width horizontal look of previous versions -- and rather than rudely shunting everything out of the way, F1 floats above your current Web page in a Firefox 4'ish notification box.
F1 now lets you share with your LinkedIn contacts, Twitter support has been improved with the addition of direct messages, and you can now post to a group wall on Facebook. Mozilla has also added a thumbnailed image of pages you share via Gmail to the F1 email template.
It's not all wine-and-roses with the new F1 release, however. Mozilla has announced that support for Firefox 3.6 has been dropped, and the new F1 also requires a restart when you install it (we liked the fact that the original was restart-free). Still, the new version of F1 is cleaner, faster to load, and provides a smoother sharing experience.
Mozilla has also posted a demo video to show you what F1 is all about -- check it out after the break!
Download F1 for Firefox 4Continue reading Firefox F1 social sharing add-on gets vertical UI, big sharing tweaksFirefox F1 social sharing add-on gets vertical UI, big sharing tweaks originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
F1 now lets you share with your LinkedIn contacts, Twitter support has been improved with the addition of direct messages, and you can now post to a group wall on Facebook. Mozilla has also added a thumbnailed image of pages you share via Gmail to the F1 email template.
It's not all wine-and-roses with the new F1 release, however. Mozilla has announced that support for Firefox 3.6 has been dropped, and the new F1 also requires a restart when you install it (we liked the fact that the original was restart-free). Still, the new version of F1 is cleaner, faster to load, and provides a smoother sharing experience.
Mozilla has also posted a demo video to show you what F1 is all about -- check it out after the break!
Download F1 for Firefox 4Continue reading Firefox F1 social sharing add-on gets vertical UI, big sharing tweaksFirefox F1 social sharing add-on gets vertical UI, big sharing tweaks originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Effing Meteors is a cataclysmic world-destroying physics Time Waster
Remember Effing Hail? Well, Effing Meteors belongs to the same genre, but with a couple of interesting twists.
You're looking at a side-view of a planet, complete with its layers of atmosphere. Above the planet, in space, there are meteors. These are hurtling towards the planet, but they're often not large enough to survive entering through the atmosphere, so they burn along the way.
Your job is to destroy the planet; or more specifically, destroy all living organisms on a given planet. You can do this because your cursor generates a gravity field. So you click one meteorite and hold; soon, that single meteorite starts attracting other meteorites in its vicinity and grows into something larger - a planetoid. Now when you smash that into the planet's surface, it does survive the atmosphere and generates quite a shock - perhaps even enough to destroy the population of that planet.
Once you destroy a planet, it simply "revolves", revealing a new planet. Each planet is different: Some planets shoot back; and there's a planet with dinosaurs that run away from you, and then flying saucers enter the picture and it all gets a bit hard to explain.
Bottom line: This is a really fun game, with innovative graphics. And sometimes you can win a level by simply doing nothing!Effing Meteors is a cataclysmic world-destroying physics Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You're looking at a side-view of a planet, complete with its layers of atmosphere. Above the planet, in space, there are meteors. These are hurtling towards the planet, but they're often not large enough to survive entering through the atmosphere, so they burn along the way.
Your job is to destroy the planet; or more specifically, destroy all living organisms on a given planet. You can do this because your cursor generates a gravity field. So you click one meteorite and hold; soon, that single meteorite starts attracting other meteorites in its vicinity and grows into something larger - a planetoid. Now when you smash that into the planet's surface, it does survive the atmosphere and generates quite a shock - perhaps even enough to destroy the population of that planet.
Once you destroy a planet, it simply "revolves", revealing a new planet. Each planet is different: Some planets shoot back; and there's a planet with dinosaurs that run away from you, and then flying saucers enter the picture and it all gets a bit hard to explain.
Bottom line: This is a really fun game, with innovative graphics. And sometimes you can win a level by simply doing nothing!Effing Meteors is a cataclysmic world-destroying physics Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Download official Android 3.0 Honeycomb wallpaper images
As is usually the case with new Android SDK releases, various bits and pieces have been ripped out and shared with the world thanks to an enthusiastic and ambitious dev community. Over at the Android Central forums, Alex Dobie has shared nine new wallpaper images which are bundled in the tablet-friendly Android 3.0 Honeycomb SDK.
The images are fairly high-res, too, at 1980x1408 pixels -- so they may even be a good fit for your desktop or laptop if you want to show off your affinity for Android.
You'll need to register with Android Central before you can access the download link, or you can wait patiently for the images to be posted elsewhere. They'll more than likely be mirrored a dozen different places by the time you read our post, after all -- so feel free to share alternative download locations in the comments!
Update: we've uploaded the wallpapers to our own Web hosting -- feel free to download them after the break. Click a thumbnail to see the full-size version.Continue reading Download official Android 3.0 Honeycomb wallpaper imagesDownload official Android 3.0 Honeycomb wallpaper images originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The images are fairly high-res, too, at 1980x1408 pixels -- so they may even be a good fit for your desktop or laptop if you want to show off your affinity for Android.
You'll need to register with Android Central before you can access the download link, or you can wait patiently for the images to be posted elsewhere. They'll more than likely be mirrored a dozen different places by the time you read our post, after all -- so feel free to share alternative download locations in the comments!
Update: we've uploaded the wallpapers to our own Web hosting -- feel free to download them after the break. Click a thumbnail to see the full-size version.Continue reading Download official Android 3.0 Honeycomb wallpaper imagesDownload official Android 3.0 Honeycomb wallpaper images originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Yahoo shuts down MyBlogLog, a $10 mil purchase you never heard of
In the grand scheme of things, $10 million isn't a ton of money for a big company like Yahoo! to spend acquiring another company. Still, for an embattled Yahoo!, shutting down MyBlogLog is another sad trombone in its symphony of missteps.
MyBlogLog was a service which allowed bloggers to create a community for their sites. The shutdown was called out in the famous "sunsetting" slideshow in late 2010, where Yahoo! revealed that popular bookmarking site Delicious would also not be part of its future plans.
Despite all this, Yahoo! remains one of the most popular sites on the Internet -- it actually topped ComScore's U.S. traffic chart for January 2011.Yahoo shuts down MyBlogLog, a $10 mil purchase you never heard of originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
MyBlogLog was a service which allowed bloggers to create a community for their sites. The shutdown was called out in the famous "sunsetting" slideshow in late 2010, where Yahoo! revealed that popular bookmarking site Delicious would also not be part of its future plans.
Despite all this, Yahoo! remains one of the most popular sites on the Internet -- it actually topped ComScore's U.S. traffic chart for January 2011.Yahoo shuts down MyBlogLog, a $10 mil purchase you never heard of originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Clip-On Mantis Lamp is Almost Embarrassingly Versatile
Remember that kid at your high-school who could do pretty much anything he set his mind to? It didn’t matter if it was sports or acting or math, he mastered them all without even trying. You and I hated him, but the girls loved him. If that kid were a lamp, he’d be the Mantis.
The [...]
The [...]
TiPb Asks: Will the iPad 2 event also be the iOS 5 preview event?
Will the iPad 2 event also be the iOS 5 preview event? 2 years ago Apple did Macworld in January and the iPhone 3.0 (iOS 3) preview event in mid March. Last year Apple did the iPad event in late January an the iPhone 4.0 (iOS 4) preview in early April. This year the iPad [...]TiPb Asks: Will the iPad 2 event also be the iOS 5 preview event? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
CueThat for Netflix adds movies to your queue while you surf
CueThat is a slick little browser add-on that lets you add any movie you happen upon while browsing the Web to your Netflix queue. Just highlight a title, right click and choose CueThat from your context menu, and voila: it's added to your list. It even works with movies that are still only screening in theaters.
CueThat is offered as an extension for both Firefox and Chrome, though the bookmarklet works just as well and is usable in any Web browser. It's well worth adding to your bookmark toolbar if you're a Netflix user who hunts for movie reviews or recommendations while browsing the Web.CueThat for Netflix adds movies to your queue while you surf originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
CueThat is offered as an extension for both Firefox and Chrome, though the bookmarklet works just as well and is usable in any Web browser. It's well worth adding to your bookmark toolbar if you're a Netflix user who hunts for movie reviews or recommendations while browsing the Web.CueThat for Netflix adds movies to your queue while you surf originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
10+ Chrome extensions and Web apps for new users
It might only be a couple of years old and its extension interface might not be quite as powerful as Firefox's, but in terms of developers, big-name publishers, and sheer numbers, Chrome already has a very healthy ecosystem of add-ons.
When you factor in Chrome's exclusive selection of Web apps, it's even possible to say that Chrome has a wider variety of extensions -- or at least until Mozilla launches its Open Web Apps later in the year.
Still, as always, the problem with add-ons is finding the right ones. You have thousands of add-ons to choose from, and only a handful that are actually worth using. First-time users haven't got a snowball's chance -- unless they read this list of must-have extensions!
But this list of extensions is for converts, too. With massive defections from Internet Explorer and Firefox, Chrome has grown from just a few million users in 2009 to over 120 million at the start of 2011. Firefox users will be especially pleased to find almost every add-on has a comparable extension -- and IE users... well, they'll just be glad to have any extensions at all.
Whether you are looking for helpers or shortcuts, or full-blown Web apps, you will be pleasantly surprised with the variety and power of Chrome's extensions.Continue reading 10+ Chrome extensions and Web apps for new users10+ Chrome extensions and Web apps for new users originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
When you factor in Chrome's exclusive selection of Web apps, it's even possible to say that Chrome has a wider variety of extensions -- or at least until Mozilla launches its Open Web Apps later in the year.
Still, as always, the problem with add-ons is finding the right ones. You have thousands of add-ons to choose from, and only a handful that are actually worth using. First-time users haven't got a snowball's chance -- unless they read this list of must-have extensions!
But this list of extensions is for converts, too. With massive defections from Internet Explorer and Firefox, Chrome has grown from just a few million users in 2009 to over 120 million at the start of 2011. Firefox users will be especially pleased to find almost every add-on has a comparable extension -- and IE users... well, they'll just be glad to have any extensions at all.
Whether you are looking for helpers or shortcuts, or full-blown Web apps, you will be pleasantly surprised with the variety and power of Chrome's extensions.Continue reading 10+ Chrome extensions and Web apps for new users10+ Chrome extensions and Web apps for new users originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Dodocase?s Bookback Covers iPad in Leathery Skin
On of my biggest complaints in yesterday’s iPad 2 wish-list was that the back of the current iPad is just too slippery. It never feels secure in the hand, and if you tuck it under your arm or prop it on the arm of a couch, you’re looking at imminent disaster.
And as if by magic, [...]
And as if by magic, [...]
Intel promises native USB 3.0 support someday
So, now that Intel's fully revealed its proprietary high-speed interface technology and shoehorned it into Apple's new MacBook Pro, wither the fate of barely-incumbent USB 3.0? Intel says the two ports will co-exist in the market, and not just because third parties will obviously continue to roll SuperSpeed devices out -- Chipzilla's actually pursuing a native solution itself. "Intel fully supports USB 3 and plans to integrate it in the future," said the company's Jason Ziller, which sounds like a pretty potent promise to us. Still, considering how long Intel's been dragging its heels, we have to wonder if eventual support will be more than a token move -- Intel could wait until Thunderbolt not only has a foothold, but also a dozen pitons and a nice big rope securing it to a mountain of peripherals.Intel promises native USB 3.0 support someday originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Watch People from the 90's Try to Explain the Internet [Video]
We've already seen Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel hilariously flub and stammer about the internet back in 1994 but that's just how it was! Everyone was clueless. This video shows people in the 90's trying to explain what the internet was. It's a wonder we even got here. [URLesque via Geekosystem] More »
Foursquare?s SXSW Plan: ?NEW APP + NEW BADGES + PARTIES + CONCERT + MOAR?
We're now just over two weeks away from this year's SXSW event in Austin, Texas. And just as is the case every year, there will be several startups jockeying to be the one that is the breakout hit. But one of those previous breakout hits, Foursquare, isn't standing still either.
In a ridiculously awesome blog post on the matter today, Foursquare hints at their plan for the event this year. Here's the entire post entitled "OMFG!":
In a ridiculously awesome blog post on the matter today, Foursquare hints at their plan for the event this year. Here's the entire post entitled "OMFG!":
Ask DLS: How did your Windows 7 SP1 upgrade go?
Now that the Windows 7 SP1 download is available to the general public and it's also being pushed via Windows Update, we thought we'd check to see how smooth the upgrade process has been for you.
It wasn't all unicorns and double rainbows here in the Download Squad bunker. One laptop refused to progress beyond 66% complete, even after several retries and reboots. Another workstation was left running the update all weekend, and just hit 98% when we returned to work on Tuesday -- only to fail at 99% and start rolling back the operation.
So tell us, DS readers, how was your experience installing the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 update? Hit the poll after the break!Continue reading Ask DLS: How did your Windows 7 SP1 upgrade go?Ask DLS: How did your Windows 7 SP1 upgrade go? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It wasn't all unicorns and double rainbows here in the Download Squad bunker. One laptop refused to progress beyond 66% complete, even after several retries and reboots. Another workstation was left running the update all weekend, and just hit 98% when we returned to work on Tuesday -- only to fail at 99% and start rolling back the operation.
So tell us, DS readers, how was your experience installing the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 update? Hit the poll after the break!Continue reading Ask DLS: How did your Windows 7 SP1 upgrade go?Ask DLS: How did your Windows 7 SP1 upgrade go? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Did AOSP code changes just out the AT&T Nexus S?
An AT&T-3G version of the Samsung Nexus S has been rumored for a while now, but while poking around at Google's Android Open Source Project git repository I noticed one of the changes made for 2.3.3 centered around the requirement for a new radio -- and it differentiates between T-Mobile and AT&T. I'm no Googler, but that sure looks like we're seeing Gingerbread being built for the Nexus S with AT&T in mind.The page has disappeared for a bit while writing this one up, but the magic of tabbed browsing saves the day in case it doesn't come back online soon. Have a peek after the break for the full page view. [Android Open Source Project]Update: The page is live again at the source link, but we'll leave it after the break as well for our mobile viewers.
Did AOSP code changes just out the AT&T Nexus S? posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Did AOSP code changes just out the AT&T Nexus S? posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Firefox 4 Beta 5 for Android now available
While I often bounce back and forth between browsers on my device, I always like to check in on Firefox and see how their beta is doing. As of beta 4 I wasn't prepared to make it my default browser yet but the latest build, beta 5 is now out for everyone to test out. Some improvements have been made to the overall workings of this build so I'm going to give it a good go. Check it out the improvements: Increased responsiveness to panning and zooming Increased JavaScript performance Faster start up and page load times Major stability improvements The new beta 5 version is available in the Android Market right now; you'll find the download just right after the break. Leave some comments on whether or not this build is working better for you. Curious to see how many of you all out there are putting it to the test.
Firefox 4 Beta 5 for Android now available posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Firefox 4 Beta 5 for Android now available posted originally by Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Rumor: New MacBooks Come With Light Peak, Renamed ?Thunderbolt?
Today’s big Apple rumor concerns Intel’s super-fast Light Peak connection, an optical (or copper) cable which can transmit just about anything along its skinny length. The rumor goes, quite convincingly, that the new range of MacBook Pros expected Thursday will incorporate Light Peak, and that Apple will rename it “Thunderbolt.” Then the rumors start to [...]
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Breville One-Touch Tea Maker
Julie’s espresso post inspired this tea post.� This Breville tea brewing pot does all the “heavy lifting” for you – and the clear pot lets you watch the action.� The One-Touch Tea Maker heats the water to the correct temperature, then lowers the tea-infuser basket into the water.� After the correct steeping time, the basket [...]
Apple Likely to Introduce New iPad at March 2 Event
Apple is likely to introduce a new iPad at a San Francisco press conference scheduled for next Wednesday.
The company this morning sent e-mail invitations to members of the press with a not-so-subtle image of a calendar entry peeled back to reveal the corner of an iPad screen.
The event comes at the correct timing, as Apple’s [...]
The company this morning sent e-mail invitations to members of the press with a not-so-subtle image of a calendar entry peeled back to reveal the corner of an iPad screen.
The event comes at the correct timing, as Apple’s [...]
Why You'd Want to Turn an iMac Into a MacBook, I'll Never Know... [Apple]
Hey, here's an idea! Don't bother spending $1,199 on a new MacBook Pro, when you can repurpose your iMac, keyboard and Magic Trackpad with a remote dock for $135. I'm only half kidding. More »
Monolithic Gaming Table. High Design With a High Price
This is the Stealth, and arcade emulation cabinet for anyone whose significant other won’t allow then to have an arcade emulation cabinet. It comes in gorgeously glossy black or white finishes, packs 60 retro games and sits in the middle of your living room looking more like a piece of high-end furniture than the gaming [...]
iPod Nano Gains Pause Button, Off-Switch
Like a recovering alcoholic who wavers between drunkenness and sobriety, Apple just can’t seem to kick the iPod button habit completely. Today, a software update brings new functions to the sleep button on the square, touch-screen iPod Nano.
Remember how the tiny Shuffle lost all of its control buttons in one generation, and then had them [...]
Remember how the tiny Shuffle lost all of its control buttons in one generation, and then had them [...]
SponsorPay Takes Funding From Nokia Growth Partners To Target Mobile
SponsorPay, the European provider of advertisement-based payment systems, has raised further investment. This time the undisclosed funding comes from Nokia Growth Partners, the $350m fund with close ties to Nokia itself. It should comes as no surprise then to learn that SponsorPay intends to use the new capital to support its expansion to mobile devices, tapping the Finnish handset maker's contacts along the way.
Is an Inbetweener-Size for the Samsung Galaxy Tab Coming Next Month? [Tablets]
7-inches too small? 10-inches too large? There'll be an inbetween size in Samsung's Galaxy Tab range of tablets launching next month, according to a Korean site. [YonhapNews via Samsung Hub] More »
Apple holding iPad 2 event on March 2
As rumored, Apple will indeed be holding an iPad 2 event on March 2 with the tag line:
Come see what 2011 will be the year of.
Start your predictions in the comments!
[Engadget]
Apple holding iPad 2 event on March 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. [...]Apple holding iPad 2 event on March 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Come see what 2011 will be the year of.
Start your predictions in the comments!
[Engadget]
Apple holding iPad 2 event on March 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. [...]Apple holding iPad 2 event on March 2 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
CrunchGear Week in Review: Vehicle Stack Edition
Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: ?Inner City Bike? Is A Minimalist?s Fixed-Gear Contest: Would It Kill You To Dress Up? Jackthreads Can Help 8-Bit Mega Man Straps Serve No Purpose; Buy Them Anyway eStar From Navistar Is Another Electric Delivery Van Honeycomb Is The First Shot Fired Along Apple?s Bow [...]
Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game
Yes, that's right, I said adorable. Because Cueboy Quest really is!
You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren't always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight - the have arcing trajectories, so you don't always hit exactly where you aim.
There's another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they're large too. Simply beautiful!Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren't always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight - the have arcing trajectories, so you don't always hit exactly where you aim.
There's another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they're large too. Simply beautiful!Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Internet Explorer 9 pinned sites: how they work, and the best examples on the Web
If, by some weird quirk of fate, you missed the big news yesterday: Internet Explorer 9 RC is now available to download. If you've read our complete guide you'll know about one of IE9's neatest features: pinned websites.
In essence, it takes the Firefox and Chrome idea of pinned app tabs and goes a few steps further by actually integrating with the operating system. To pin a site, simply visit it in IE9, then drag the tab down to the Windows taskbar. Your tab will quickly close and re-open in a new (color-coded!) window.
Pinned sites can do three very awesome things: they can provide notifications, such as new messages; you can right click the pinned icon to access a jump list to various parts of the site (see right); and finally, pinned sites can even have thumbnail toolbars -- you can control a media player, from a pinned site!
The thing is, though, a website has to be explicitly coded to provide these features -- and while Microsoft has done a good job of getting major Web service providers to add the IE9-specific meta tags, it will be some months before every site has IE9's special pinned site magic.
After the break, we have a comprehensive list of the best examples of IE9 pinned sites from across the Web. Make sure you've downloaded and installed IE9 before you continue, too.Continue reading Internet Explorer 9 pinned sites: how they work, and the best examples on the WebInternet Explorer 9 pinned sites: how they work, and the best examples on the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
In essence, it takes the Firefox and Chrome idea of pinned app tabs and goes a few steps further by actually integrating with the operating system. To pin a site, simply visit it in IE9, then drag the tab down to the Windows taskbar. Your tab will quickly close and re-open in a new (color-coded!) window.
Pinned sites can do three very awesome things: they can provide notifications, such as new messages; you can right click the pinned icon to access a jump list to various parts of the site (see right); and finally, pinned sites can even have thumbnail toolbars -- you can control a media player, from a pinned site!
The thing is, though, a website has to be explicitly coded to provide these features -- and while Microsoft has done a good job of getting major Web service providers to add the IE9-specific meta tags, it will be some months before every site has IE9's special pinned site magic.
After the break, we have a comprehensive list of the best examples of IE9 pinned sites from across the Web. Make sure you've downloaded and installed IE9 before you continue, too.Continue reading Internet Explorer 9 pinned sites: how they work, and the best examples on the WebInternet Explorer 9 pinned sites: how they work, and the best examples on the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mobile Payments Startup Square Ups The Ante, Drops Transaction Fee For Businesses
Mobile payments company Square has made an interesting move today, which should put competitors Verifone and Intuit on notice. The startup is dropping the per transaction charge for any business using its mobile payments device and service. Square previously charged 2.75% of each transaction amount plus a flat $0.15 per transaction fee. Today, Square is completely dropping the per transaction charge.
So why is the mobile payments company dropping the transaction fee? Square's General Manager Keith Rabois says that along with simplifying the payments experience for businesses, it is also taking on the hidden fees and teaser rate structure that have plagued the credit card industry. "The vision of Square is to simplify create zero friction and complexity around payments, which is difficult to do in financial services," he explains. Rabois says that the per transaction fees on top of a variable rate charge can be misleading for businesses because the hidden costs add up especially if a business processes a large amount of transactions. Now, Square will simply charge a flat 2.75% of all transactions, regardless of size. "In the end accepting payments should be as easy as using a microwave," says Rabois.
So why is the mobile payments company dropping the transaction fee? Square's General Manager Keith Rabois says that along with simplifying the payments experience for businesses, it is also taking on the hidden fees and teaser rate structure that have plagued the credit card industry. "The vision of Square is to simplify create zero friction and complexity around payments, which is difficult to do in financial services," he explains. Rabois says that the per transaction fees on top of a variable rate charge can be misleading for businesses because the hidden costs add up especially if a business processes a large amount of transactions. Now, Square will simply charge a flat 2.75% of all transactions, regardless of size. "In the end accepting payments should be as easy as using a microwave," says Rabois.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Google Image Search now lets you filter vector-only results
Google Image Search just got a bit fancier: You can now filter search results to only include SVG files.
SVG files, which stand for Scalable Vector Graphics, are files you can easily edit and change without loss of definition. If you've been following our Corel tutorials, they might have given you some ideas about the power of vector graphics.
Being able to use Google to find such files gives designers a great head-start: Need to use a cat in your artwork? Just find a vector one which looks about right, and modify it for your needs! Anything can be edited - the cat's pose, its proportion, colors, etc.
Searching for these files is very simple: Just tack filetype:svg on to the end of your search, like cat filetype:svg, or go to the sidebar and click Images > SVG files.
Being able to find SVGs so easily also poses a bit of a copyright issue however. Anyone posting SVG files publicly should certainly put in a bit more of an effort to make their terms of use very clear, and anyone using them should heed those terms. Play nice folks!Google Image Search now lets you filter vector-only results originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
SVG files, which stand for Scalable Vector Graphics, are files you can easily edit and change without loss of definition. If you've been following our Corel tutorials, they might have given you some ideas about the power of vector graphics.
Being able to use Google to find such files gives designers a great head-start: Need to use a cat in your artwork? Just find a vector one which looks about right, and modify it for your needs! Anything can be edited - the cat's pose, its proportion, colors, etc.
Searching for these files is very simple: Just tack filetype:svg on to the end of your search, like cat filetype:svg, or go to the sidebar and click Images > SVG files.
Being able to find SVGs so easily also poses a bit of a copyright issue however. Anyone posting SVG files publicly should certainly put in a bit more of an effort to make their terms of use very clear, and anyone using them should heed those terms. Play nice folks!Google Image Search now lets you filter vector-only results originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7 (and a 3D version!) confirmed
A mobile platform just isn't a mobile platform without Angry Birds nowadays. While its absence from the Marketplace might not be your biggest gripe about Windows Phone 7, we're fairly certain users are nevertheless peering enviously at their friends' iOS, Android, and webOS devices.
Your wait may be coming to an end soon, however. Pocket Lint has confirmed that Rovio is indeed bringing Angry Birds to Windows Phone 7. If you recall, Microsoft jumped the gun and showed off the game's icon on the Windows Phone 7 site back in October of 2010.
Rovio also said that a 3D version of the game is coming -- as in one which is built for a 3D displays, not just 3D graphics on a 2D screen. Unfortunately, Pocket Lint wasn't able to confirm release dates for either the Windows Phone 7 or 3D version of Angry Birds.Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7 (and a 3D version!) confirmed originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Your wait may be coming to an end soon, however. Pocket Lint has confirmed that Rovio is indeed bringing Angry Birds to Windows Phone 7. If you recall, Microsoft jumped the gun and showed off the game's icon on the Windows Phone 7 site back in October of 2010.
Rovio also said that a 3D version of the game is coming -- as in one which is built for a 3D displays, not just 3D graphics on a 2D screen. Unfortunately, Pocket Lint wasn't able to confirm release dates for either the Windows Phone 7 or 3D version of Angry Birds.Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7 (and a 3D version!) confirmed originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Daily Crunch: Glasstronaut Edition
HTC Announces The Desire S, Wildfire S, and Incredible S I, For One, Welcome Our Dystopian Gorilla Glass Overlords Japan Prepares Tweeting Humanoid Astronaut Those Oakley 3D Glasses Are Now Certified 3D Glasses Total War: Shogun 2 Demo: February 22
Why Pirating Your Anime Isn't So Bad [Video]
During an unscientific focus group, Nate Anderson over at Ars Technica found a few key reasons why animes that you can stream for free and legally online are still pirated. Rather than just pricing, factors like speed of availability, video quality, and especially good subtitles with respect for culture all come into play. So it's not just the money. It's the whole experience that often makes piracy a viable alternative. [Ars Technica] More »
V-Moda's Crossfade LP Custom headphones drop the Beat, make you the superstar
Why break Dr. Dre, Justin Bieber, 50 Cent or Ludacris off a 'lil somethin' somethin' when you can endorse yourself? That's a question that the engineers at V-Moda have found themselves centered on the past few months, and now they've got a solution: the Crossfade LP Customs. They're half gimmick, half hilarious, and 100 percent awesome. $199.99 nets you a customized set of cans, with seven plate colors to choose from and the option to add up to 11 characters of text. You know -- plenty of room for "BEATZ BY ME." Get at 'em in the source link below, but be prepared to wait two to three weeks for delivery. What, you expecting VIP treatment or something?
Gallery: V-Moda's Crossfade LP Custom headphonesV-Moda's Crossfade LP Custom headphones drop the Beat, make you the superstar originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | V-Moda | Email this | Comments
Gallery: V-Moda's Crossfade LP Custom headphonesV-Moda's Crossfade LP Custom headphones drop the Beat, make you the superstar originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | V-Moda | Email this | Comments
How to change the screen time-out on Android
This week's tips series was all about Android, highlighting some the operating system's built-in utilities, and better ways of getting stuff done. For other technology tips, check our Tips index.
Earlier today, I was helping my brother set up his new Motorola Defy. While the phone itself was quite nice (and tough), the screen kept turning off after just a few seconds of idle time. It was starting to drive us crazy, but after quickly poking through the settings we fixed it. Here's how:
1) Go to Settings > Display
2) Tap Screen timeout
3) Tap the timeout value you wish to use
Of course there's a trade-off between convenience and battery life - having the screen time out after two whole minutes can be nice, but your battery may not last very long. And while you're here, you can also easily adjust your display's brightness.
This tip wraps up this week's Tips series. What would you like to see next week? Let me know in the comments!How to change the screen time-out on Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Earlier today, I was helping my brother set up his new Motorola Defy. While the phone itself was quite nice (and tough), the screen kept turning off after just a few seconds of idle time. It was starting to drive us crazy, but after quickly poking through the settings we fixed it. Here's how:
1) Go to Settings > Display
2) Tap Screen timeout
3) Tap the timeout value you wish to use
Of course there's a trade-off between convenience and battery life - having the screen time out after two whole minutes can be nice, but your battery may not last very long. And while you're here, you can also easily adjust your display's brightness.
This tip wraps up this week's Tips series. What would you like to see next week? Let me know in the comments!How to change the screen time-out on Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPad 2 Rumors
With the new year approaching very soon more and more rumors are beginning to surface regarding the next generation iPad, or iPad 2. Only time will tell what Apple really has planned. Not all of these rumors have been officially verified by Apple, however around March of 2011 it’s expected that a newly redesigned version [...]
Gmail now uses the Google Chrome PDF viewer to display attachments
If you use access Gmail in Google Chrome on your computer, you can now view PDF attachments using Chrome's built-in viewer. The Chrome PDF plug-in is faster than the Google Docs previewer, its rendering accuracy is better, and you don't have to change settings anywhere for this to take effect. Just use Gmail in Google Chrome and the 'view' link will automatically open your file in the Chrome PDF viewer.
The change is also nice because Chrome's PDF plug-in actually lets you print, unlike the previewer which can only manage recursion printing (it generates a PDF of your PDF).
Users of Google Apps will receive the feature soon, according to a post on the Google Apps blog.Gmail now uses the Google Chrome PDF viewer to display attachments originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The change is also nice because Chrome's PDF plug-in actually lets you print, unlike the previewer which can only manage recursion printing (it generates a PDF of your PDF).
Users of Google Apps will receive the feature soon, according to a post on the Google Apps blog.Gmail now uses the Google Chrome PDF viewer to display attachments originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ford Focus Electric confirmed to not support fast charging, EV fragmentation looms large
Thought that fragmentation was reserved for the mobile OS realm? Think again. With the first (and second) waves of electric vehicles dribbling out to the streets, an obvious problem is becoming even more obvious. The city of Chicago is fixing to install 73 fast-charging EV stations by the end of the year, but two of the most commonly driven ones won't be able to take advantage. Chevy's Volt and Ford's Focus Electric will only support the slower Level 2 charging, leaving those faster ones for Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV owners to enjoy. As if that weren't headache-inducing enough, a slew of other automakers are reportedly planning to "sign on to a new standard for fast charging that would be incompatible with Chicago's infrastructure," and if you think the Windy City is alone in this mess, you're wrong. We've already heard of similar issues in the nation's capitol, and Jack Pokrzywa, manager of global ground vehicle standards for SAE International, still doesn't seem convinced that auto producers are really ready and willing to commit to a single fast-charging standard. HD DVD vs. Blu-ray was one thing, but thousands of vehicle chargers crowding up our cities once they become obsolete in a year? That's so not green.Ford Focus Electric confirmed to not support fast charging, EV fragmentation looms large originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Edmunds | Chicago Tribune | Email this | Comments
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