As far as Tetris goes, most variations look quite similar. You're usually looking at a "wall" of bricks directly from the front. Torus takes that notion and throws it away; as you might have guessed from the name (or screenshot), this Tetris clone is played on a ring-like 3D surface.
You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.
Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn't really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus' 3D format.
Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It's also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.
Bottom line: It's an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Aluratek Bump Portable Mini Speaker Review
For every expensive audio component out there, there are countless cheaper alternatives; some good, some not-so-good. Aluratek makes and markets all kinds of affordable tech from eBook readers to internet radios. The Bump portable mini speaker is just what the name Implies, a speaker you can take with you in your backpack for those times [...]
Google tightening control of Android, insisting licensees abide by 'non-fragmentation clauses'?
A storm seems to be brewing over the realm of Android development. Bloomberg's Businessweek spies have received word from "a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem" that Google is actively working to gain control and final say over customizations of its popular mobile OS. That might not sound unreasonable, and indeed Google's public position on the matter is that it's seeking to stabilize the platform and ensure quality control, but it does mark a major shift from where Android started -- an open source OS that was also open to manufacturers and carriers to customize as they wish. Not so anymore, we're told, as apparently Mountain View is now demanding that content partnerships and OS tweaks get the blessing of Andy Rubin before proceeding. The alternative, of course, is to not be inside Google's warm and fuzzy early access program, but then, as evidenced by the company recently withholding the Honeycomb source code, you end up far behind those among your competitors who do dance to Google's pipe.
Things have gotten so heated, in fact, that complaints have apparently been made to the US Department of Justice. They may have something to do with allegations of Google holding back Verizon handsets with Microsoft's Bing on board, ostensibly in an effort to trip up its biggest search competitor. Another major dissatisfaction expressed by those working with Android code is that Google needs an advance preview of what is being done in order to give it the green light -- which, as noted by a pair of sources familiar with Facebook's Android customization efforts, isn't sitting well with people at all. Google and Facebook are direct competitors in the online space and it's easily apparent how much one stands to gain from knowing the other's plans early. As to the non-fragmentation clauses in licenses, Andy Rubin has pointed out those have been there from the start, but it's only now that Google is really seeking to use them to establish control. The future of Android, therefore, looks to be a little less open and a little more Googlish -- for better or worse. As Nokia's Stephen Elop puts it:
"The premise of a true open software platform may be where Android started, but it's not where Android is going."
Google tightening control of Android, insisting licensees abide by 'non-fragmentation clauses'? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Bloomberg Businessweek | Email this | Comments
Things have gotten so heated, in fact, that complaints have apparently been made to the US Department of Justice. They may have something to do with allegations of Google holding back Verizon handsets with Microsoft's Bing on board, ostensibly in an effort to trip up its biggest search competitor. Another major dissatisfaction expressed by those working with Android code is that Google needs an advance preview of what is being done in order to give it the green light -- which, as noted by a pair of sources familiar with Facebook's Android customization efforts, isn't sitting well with people at all. Google and Facebook are direct competitors in the online space and it's easily apparent how much one stands to gain from knowing the other's plans early. As to the non-fragmentation clauses in licenses, Andy Rubin has pointed out those have been there from the start, but it's only now that Google is really seeking to use them to establish control. The future of Android, therefore, looks to be a little less open and a little more Googlish -- for better or worse. As Nokia's Stephen Elop puts it:
"The premise of a true open software platform may be where Android started, but it's not where Android is going."
Google tightening control of Android, insisting licensees abide by 'non-fragmentation clauses'? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Bloomberg Businessweek | Email this | Comments
Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster
One click; just one single well-aimed click. That's all you get in Boomshine.
That single click triggers a chain reaction; circles start exploding, and other circles colliding with the shockwaves explode as well, creating their own shockwaves, which then catch other circles.
It's been done before, yes, but this one is a great iteration. The soundtrack is mellow, with lots of piano and some nice percussion (not electronic - it sounds like drums).
At each level you need to make a certain number of circles explode to go on to the next level. I got up to level 12, where you get 60 circles and need to make 55 of them explode. And then I kept trying and trying, but simply couldn't get it. I did get to 54 circles a couple of times, but as they say, you don't get points for trying.
There's no time limit, so you can carefully study the pattern of motion and place your click at the exact right place to create the best chain reaction. I've found that clicking near the middle of the screen works quite well, especially if the balls are slowly moving in that direction. By the time the first shockwave dies off, the oncoming balls usually hit it and the chain reaction continues.
What level did you reach? Screenshots please!Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
That single click triggers a chain reaction; circles start exploding, and other circles colliding with the shockwaves explode as well, creating their own shockwaves, which then catch other circles.
It's been done before, yes, but this one is a great iteration. The soundtrack is mellow, with lots of piano and some nice percussion (not electronic - it sounds like drums).
At each level you need to make a certain number of circles explode to go on to the next level. I got up to level 12, where you get 60 circles and need to make 55 of them explode. And then I kept trying and trying, but simply couldn't get it. I did get to 54 circles a couple of times, but as they say, you don't get points for trying.
There's no time limit, so you can carefully study the pattern of motion and place your click at the exact right place to create the best chain reaction. I've found that clicking near the middle of the screen works quite well, especially if the balls are slowly moving in that direction. By the time the first shockwave dies off, the oncoming balls usually hit it and the chain reaction continues.
What level did you reach? Screenshots please!Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Chrome 11 goes beta, adds hardware-accelerated 3D CSS and HTML5 speech input
Google Chrome 11 has arrived on the beta channel, and while there's not a lot reported in Google's official release post there have been a few important additions. As we've come to expect from Chrome version bumps, both the Webkit core and V8 JavaScript engine have been updated and tweaked for better performance. GPU-accelerated 3D CSS transforms and compositing are now enabled as well, allowing for richer, smoother Web visuals.
Chrome 11 adds HTML5 Speech Recognition, improving accessibility, and no doubt leading to Web apps which mimic certain mobile apps like Google Voice Search. Chrome 11's Speech Recognition worked quite well in our testing, and you can give it a go yourself by visiting this demo page.
Mac users will also find that Tab Overview has been enabled by default, Chrome 11 also includes improved support for the newer MacBooks' accelerometer. Finally, there's an experimental New Tab Page designed for touchscreens which you can enable on about:flags.
If you're on the beta channel already, you should be upgraded to Chrome 11 automatically. Want to install manually? Grab the Google Chrome 11 beta from this page.Chrome 11 goes beta, adds hardware-accelerated 3D CSS and HTML5 speech input originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Chrome 11 adds HTML5 Speech Recognition, improving accessibility, and no doubt leading to Web apps which mimic certain mobile apps like Google Voice Search. Chrome 11's Speech Recognition worked quite well in our testing, and you can give it a go yourself by visiting this demo page.
Mac users will also find that Tab Overview has been enabled by default, Chrome 11 also includes improved support for the newer MacBooks' accelerometer. Finally, there's an experimental New Tab Page designed for touchscreens which you can enable on about:flags.
If you're on the beta channel already, you should be upgraded to Chrome 11 automatically. Want to install manually? Grab the Google Chrome 11 beta from this page.Chrome 11 goes beta, adds hardware-accelerated 3D CSS and HTML5 speech input originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Zero-day Flash vulnerability fixed in Chrome, still unpatched elsewhere
Google, proving the efficacy of Chrome's built-in Flash Player and its early, insider access to Adobe's developer builds, has fixed the zero-day vulnerability that emerged last week.
The hole will be plugged on other platforms and browsers by a new version of Flash 10.1 and 10.2 that should've been released by now.
If you've restarted Google Chrome in the last few days, you should now have the updated Flash Player. Otherwise, go ahead and restart your browser now and it will automatically update.Zero-day Flash vulnerability fixed in Chrome, still unpatched elsewhere originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The hole will be plugged on other platforms and browsers by a new version of Flash 10.1 and 10.2 that should've been released by now.
If you've restarted Google Chrome in the last few days, you should now have the updated Flash Player. Otherwise, go ahead and restart your browser now and it will automatically update.Zero-day Flash vulnerability fixed in Chrome, still unpatched elsewhere originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Acer CEO and President Gianfranco Lanci resigns amid disagreement about company's future direction
Acer's board and CEO don't seem to have been getting along too brilliantly lately and now the situation's come to a point with the resignation of one Mr. Gianfranco Lanci from the company's helm. In a press release just distributed, Acer points out that Lanci held different views from the majority of board members about the "importance on scale, growth, customer value creation, brand position enhancement, and on resource allocation and methods of implementation." Following a few months of discussions that failed to deliver a consensus, both parties have decided it's best to part ways. For now, things continue as normal with Acer's goal still being globalization of its product portfolio, whose centerpiece will remain the personal computer, according to Chairman JT Wang. He'll be the man to take over for Lanci while Acer seeks out a replacement for the outspoken Italian.Continue reading Acer CEO and President Gianfranco Lanci resigns amid disagreement about company's future directionAcer CEO and President Gianfranco Lanci resigns amid disagreement about company's future direction originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Intels of Intel's X79 chipset exposed: 14 USB 2.0 ports but not a one with 3.0?
Finally all's well in the Sandy Bridge camp, Intel exorcizing the demons and getting its current generation of hardware flowing smoothly. You know what that means: it's time for the next, a revision called X79 that will supersede the current X58 chipset sometime toward the beginning of 2012. According to the leaked slide above, X79 motherboards will feature 2011-pin LGA sockets for E-series CPUs, where 'E' stands for "Enthusiast" not "Elephant." 14 SATA connections are available, 10 of which will manage 6Gb/s, and another 14 USB 2.0 ports means you can have just about every USB-powered member of the Crapgadget Hall of Fame connected simultaneously. That said, there's no mention of a single USB 3.0 port, something of a bummer for those hoping that standard would be, well, standard by 2012. Of course Intel's thrown its weight behind Light Peak Thunderbolt, but curiously there's no integrated support for that, either.Intels of Intel's X79 chipset exposed: 14 USB 2.0 ports but not a one with 3.0? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Techtree.com | it.com.cn | Email this | Comments
Deal of the Day ? HP Pavilion dm1 11.6? Ultraportable Dual-Core AMD Fusion Laptop with Free Upgrades
Today?s LogicBUY deal offers 27% savings on the HP Pavilion dm1z ultraportable laptop.� Features include: 11.6? 720p LED screen, AMD Fusion platform, Radeon HD 6310M discrete graphics, Wireless-N, webcam, and more.� Options include: up to 8GB RAM, external Blu-ray drive, WWAN, 128GB SSD, and more.� Free upgrades include: 3GB memory, 320GB 7200rpm hard drive, 50% [...]
Weekly Links ? Did you miss anything on The Gadgeteer this week?
If you don’t subscribe to our daily email newsletter or our RSS feed, you might have missed one of our reviews or news items. Don’t worry, you can catch up fast by checking out this handy list of everything we posted this past week. Reviews Monsoon Multimedia Vulkano Flow Review EveryList iOS app Review NuForce [...]
Fox asks Time Warner to stop streaming its channels to customers iPads
While we'd heard many networks were unhappy with Time Warner's decision to release its live TV streaming iPad app and there have even been whispers of cease-and-desist letters in the offing, Fox has put a request to have its channels excluded in writing. At issue is whether or not their agreement allows Time Warner to provide the channel on devices other than the TV -- while TWC is confident it does since it only works within the customer's home, the networks would apparently like to renegotiate before conceding anything. Senior VP of Fox Networks Group Scott Grogin confirmed the letter was sent but did not reveal any details about its contents. Following the battle plan of its last battle with Fox, Time Warner Cable has preemptively put up a IWantMyTWCableTVApp site asking customers to show support for the TWCable TV app against the networks. We'll wait to see who blinks first and remember that Dish is already slinging channels to tablets with wild abandon while Comcast and Cablevision have plans for similar implementations on the way.Fox asks Time Warner to stop streaming its channels to customers iPads originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Bloomberg, I Want My TWCable TV App | Email this | Comments
QR Codes: Goodbye and Good Riddance [Rip]
With the great NFC race looming, Google is axing support for QR Codes in their Places service. QR codes made a noble play for the hearts and minds of nerds, but honestly, I hope this is the first step towards their complete and utter annihilation. More »
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
You've Probably Never Thought About Water the Way Ferran Adri� Does [Video]
El Bulli's Ferran Adri�: Most important chef in the world, most brilliant chef in the world, or over-scienced, over-indulgent, overwrought auteur—however you think of him—there are perhaps few who have been more important to modern cooking in the last couple of decades. More »
Google +1 Is Rolling Out Today [Google]
Google +1, what was once rumored to be Google's big social project and later transformed into a toolbar, is now live and is, well, neither of those two. Instead it's literally a +1 button next to all the searches where you can give props to searches you enjoy. You'll be able to see what your friends +1 and what the public +1's too. More »
Google Chooses Its Fiber-Networked City Of The Future: Kansas City
Back in February 2010, Google announced its plans to build out a fiber-optic network for a city in the United States, promising connection speeds around 1Gb/s ? 100 times faster than the broadband most people are used to. The announcement led 1,100 cities to apply, and today Google has just announced the winning city: Kansas City, Kansas.
For you lucky Kansas City residents, Google has launched an informational page outlining what their plans are (it also provides some background about Google itself). The site's FAQ says that Google hopes to begin building the network by the end of the year and that service should begin in the first quarter of 2012, with plans to roll out to all communities in Kansas City.
For you lucky Kansas City residents, Google has launched an informational page outlining what their plans are (it also provides some background about Google itself). The site's FAQ says that Google hopes to begin building the network by the end of the year and that service should begin in the first quarter of 2012, with plans to roll out to all communities in Kansas City.
How to Use Multiple Computers to Increase Your Productivity [Multitasking]
Multitasking is bad for humans. Our brains aren't really wired for it. Nonetheless, there are times when we can benefit by tackling multiple tasks at once. While our brains won't handle it well, if we offload these many tasks to multiple computers, we can focus on one thing while they focus on many. Here's a look at how working with more than one computer at a time can make you more productive, efficient, and alleviate frustration. More »
iPad 2 sliced up again, this time in the name of radio science
By now you've probably watched iFixit's recent iPad 2 teardown video several times while drooling profusely, but we just know you're itching to find out what's different with the innards of the WiFi-only, GSM, and CDMA versions. Well once again, iFixit's got you covered -- via an "exceptionally cool" user-contributed post, this time. A grand total of three iPad 2s were sacrificed in this round, revealing variations in case design, antenna count, WWAN board layout, radio chipset choices, and headphone jack assemblies. Besides clearly visible changes like the black antenna window on the 3G models and the microSIM slot on the GSM version, it's interesting to note that Apple made the same design choices with the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4. The CDMA model features an additional antenna over its GSM sibling, and uses a Qualcomm Gobi dual-mode radio which supports both CDMA and GSM -- the latter being unused -- along with an integrated GPS receiver, just like the iPhone 4 for Verizon. The GSM version, meanwhile, uses an Infineon chipset for GSM and a separate Broadcom module for GPS, just like the global iPhone 4. Follow the source link below for more sordid details plus high-resolution pictures.iPad 2 sliced up again, this time in the name of radio science originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | iFixit | Email this | Comments
Windows Home Server 2011 released to manufacturers
Just a little under two months after its release candidate went live, Windows Home Server (WHS) 2011 has been finalized and released into the wild. The new version of Microsoft's slick, do-it-all server OS is a big step forward from its predecessor.
Built on the Windows Server 2008 R2 base, Home Server 2011 features a simpler dashboard, a better backup solution, dead simple remote access to your home computers, and Silverlight-powered remote media streaming. For a more detailed look at what's new in Windows Home Server 2011, you check out Microsoft's official breakdown.
Drive Extender, of course, didn't resurface for the final release of WHS 2011 and that's something a lot of power users are still pretty irked about. Even without Extender, Windows Home Server offers a boatload of useful functionality and might be a good fit for your home network. Manufacturers have already begun building hardware, so you should be able to pick up a device in the very near future.
An evaluation download for Windows Home Server 2011 will be made available in April -- we'll let you know when the links are ready.Windows Home Server 2011 released to manufacturers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Built on the Windows Server 2008 R2 base, Home Server 2011 features a simpler dashboard, a better backup solution, dead simple remote access to your home computers, and Silverlight-powered remote media streaming. For a more detailed look at what's new in Windows Home Server 2011, you check out Microsoft's official breakdown.
Drive Extender, of course, didn't resurface for the final release of WHS 2011 and that's something a lot of power users are still pretty irked about. Even without Extender, Windows Home Server offers a boatload of useful functionality and might be a good fit for your home network. Manufacturers have already begun building hardware, so you should be able to pick up a device in the very near future.
An evaluation download for Windows Home Server 2011 will be made available in April -- we'll let you know when the links are ready.Windows Home Server 2011 released to manufacturers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bing mobile search gets HTML5 enhancements for iOS and Android
The Bing team has just delivered a major update to its mobile search. m.bing.com now utilizes HTML5 tech to deliver better image and iOS app search, as well as realtime directions and transit info to Android and iOS users.
It gets better, too. If the update situation for Windows Phone 7 wasn't bad enough, the official blog post offers this sad-trombone style news for WP7 users: "If you have a Windows Phone 7 device, don't worry, Windows Phone 7 just announced that it will support HTML5 later this year so these updates will work great at that time."
For a look at how the new Bing mobile works on Android and iOS -- or how it might eventually work on your WP7 device -- take the jump and check out the video.Continue reading Bing mobile search gets HTML5 enhancements for iOS and AndroidBing mobile search gets HTML5 enhancements for iOS and Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It gets better, too. If the update situation for Windows Phone 7 wasn't bad enough, the official blog post offers this sad-trombone style news for WP7 users: "If you have a Windows Phone 7 device, don't worry, Windows Phone 7 just announced that it will support HTML5 later this year so these updates will work great at that time."
For a look at how the new Bing mobile works on Android and iOS -- or how it might eventually work on your WP7 device -- take the jump and check out the video.Continue reading Bing mobile search gets HTML5 enhancements for iOS and AndroidBing mobile search gets HTML5 enhancements for iOS and Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Get a data protection and recovery bundle for just $25, proceeds go to Japanese Red Cross
Bundlelytic, until March 25, is offering a data protection and recovery bundle for $25. The bundle contains Genie Timeline, Paragon Backup & Recovery, and EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard Professional. Individually the three packages would cost you $160.
If the great price wasn't sweet enough, 80% of all proceeds -- as in, 80% of your $25 -- will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society. In other words, you're paying $5 for software worth $160, and donating $20 to charity, to help the Japanese rebuild after the massive destruction caused by last week's earthquake and tsunami.
Almost as important, though, is that all three of the tools included in the bundle are top-notch. Paragon Backup & Recovery received top marks from Lee, and EASEUS Data Recovery is one of our go-to tools for scraping the last vestiges of data from dead drives. We haven't used Genie Timeline before, but it sounds pretty nifty -- it takes snapshots of your hard drive every 30 minutes and automatically backs up any changes. It even keeps revisions of your documents, just like Apple's new Time Machine and Versions in the upcoming OS X Lion.
Buy the Bundlelytic's Data Protection and Recovery bundle for $25Get a data protection and recovery bundle for just $25, proceeds go to Japanese Red Cross originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
If the great price wasn't sweet enough, 80% of all proceeds -- as in, 80% of your $25 -- will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society. In other words, you're paying $5 for software worth $160, and donating $20 to charity, to help the Japanese rebuild after the massive destruction caused by last week's earthquake and tsunami.
Almost as important, though, is that all three of the tools included in the bundle are top-notch. Paragon Backup & Recovery received top marks from Lee, and EASEUS Data Recovery is one of our go-to tools for scraping the last vestiges of data from dead drives. We haven't used Genie Timeline before, but it sounds pretty nifty -- it takes snapshots of your hard drive every 30 minutes and automatically backs up any changes. It even keeps revisions of your documents, just like Apple's new Time Machine and Versions in the upcoming OS X Lion.
Buy the Bundlelytic's Data Protection and Recovery bundle for $25Get a data protection and recovery bundle for just $25, proceeds go to Japanese Red Cross originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
How will we dispose of spent nuclear fuel rods for centuries to come? [Video]
How does humanity plan to permanently store high-level nuclear waste that can remain radioactive for several thousand years? The answer isn't as simple as digging a hole in the ground. No, geologically unique locations must first be scouted out. More »
Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5
As far as Tetris goes, most variations look quite similar. You're usually looking at a "wall" of bricks directly from the front. Torus takes that notion and throws it away; as you might have guessed from the name (or screenshot), this Tetris clone is played on a ring-like 3D surface.
You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.
Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn't really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus' 3D format.
Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It's also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.
Bottom line: It's an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.
Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn't really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus' 3D format.
Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It's also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.
Bottom line: It's an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Could Amazon's Cloud Player Be Illegal? [Amazon]
Amazon may argue that functionally, their Cloud Drive service is the same as storing media on an external hard drive, but question marks hover over their Cloud Player, which streams those tracks from the cloud. In the eyes of Sony Music—and possibly more record labels—this Cloud Player requires Amazon to sign extra licensing deals, and presumably cough up some more money to boot. More »
Cellphones and the Brain: Faith, Hope and Calamity
It's now official: Everything that the Federal Communications Commission has ever told us about the safety of cellphones is almost certainly wrong. When the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse recently reported that simply holding a turned-on cellphone next to the ear for 50 minutes caused significant changes to brain chemistry, many stalwarts in the scientific community were stunned.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Airdrives: Bike Headphones That Won?t Kill You
This next sentence is going to drive some of you crazy: bike friendly headphones. But before you scroll past the rest of this post and start writing angry comments about road safety and how listening to music means cyclists deserve to die (whilst forgetting that you regularly balance a hot cup of Starbucks on your [...]
Let Your Cat Protect Your iPad
Bags of Love is a UK-based company that makes personalized gifts, including this iPad case.� The sleeve has a zipper closure, and it is made of high-quality wetsuit padding.� They’ll print the photo or drawing you provide on both sides of the sleeve for $56, or you can use a different picture on each side [...]
This Isn't a Robot in a Suit With an iPad Head [Ipad Docks]
I wish this was a robot in a suit with an iPad head that would listen to my problems and respond with an appropriately emotionical face and soothingly bionic voice. It is not! More »
Good Taste Is Not Open Source [Android]
At least some of these Android homescreens are fake, right? More »
CrunchGear Week in Review: Speed of Snow Edition
Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: Fez: Check Out The Indie Game Everyone Will Be Talking About This Year For Your Friday: Skiing With A Jetpack On Cute Pixelated Camera Decals For Your Wallz R.I.P. Microsoft Zune, 2006-2011 Flea 2.0 USB Rechargeable Bike Light Powers Your Night With The Light Of [...]
Apperian Raises $9.5M For Enterprise Mobile App Deployment Platform
Enterprise mobility company Apperian has raised $9.5 million in new funding from North Bridge Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers? iFund, CommonAngels and LaunchCapital. This brings Apperian's total funding to $11 million.
As more companies turn to tablets and smartphones in enterprise communications, standard consumer apps may not fit within security requirements. Launched by former Apple employees in 2009, Apperian helps developers accelerate app creation within the enterprise.
As more companies turn to tablets and smartphones in enterprise communications, standard consumer apps may not fit within security requirements. Launched by former Apple employees in 2009, Apperian helps developers accelerate app creation within the enterprise.
Engineering a Better Glass of Booze [Design]
When drinking stuff from the cellar, the temperature controlled fridge, or the top shelf, the size of the glass matters-and shape does too. You've likely picked up a bit of this, or at least rolled your eyes at it. More »
StockTwits Continues To Expand, Steals VP David Putnam From Yahoo Finance
StockTwits, a realtime platform for stock traders to share information, has been undergoing a rapid growth spurt of late. According to Quantcast, 465,000 people are now visiting the site per month, which means the company has more than doubled its visitors since early December, when less than 200,000 were checking in to share and trade. This seems largely due to the service's continuing evolution beyond its TweetDeck roots and creation of its own true investor ecosystem chalk full of video, news and charts -- all enabled by an AIR app.
What's more, the company announced in December that Yahoo would begin pulling data from the StockTwits API and adding it to individual stock pages, complementing the similar deals it had already forged with CNN, MarketWatch, and Bloomberg.
And now it seems that, while Yahoo is pulling data from its API, StockTwits has been busy pulling senior executives from Yahoo's staff. (I guess turnabout is fair play?) In yet another victory for a company not named Yahoo, David Putnam, who for the past five years has been responsible for global product strategy and management at Yahoo, announced on his blog today that he will be joining StockTwits on April 1 as VP of Product.
What's more, the company announced in December that Yahoo would begin pulling data from the StockTwits API and adding it to individual stock pages, complementing the similar deals it had already forged with CNN, MarketWatch, and Bloomberg.
And now it seems that, while Yahoo is pulling data from its API, StockTwits has been busy pulling senior executives from Yahoo's staff. (I guess turnabout is fair play?) In yet another victory for a company not named Yahoo, David Putnam, who for the past five years has been responsible for global product strategy and management at Yahoo, announced on his blog today that he will be joining StockTwits on April 1 as VP of Product.
Smart Fortwo ED gets official EPA ratings: 94 MPG city, 79 MPG on the highway
Looks like "Team 250" is primed to add a few new members now that the EPA has revealed its official MPGe ratings for Smart's Fortwo EDs. Rated at 94 miles-per-gallon in the city and 79 on the highway, the car takes motorists 63 miles per charge -- making it slightly less able than Nissan's Leaf with its 73 mile range, 106 MPG in town, and 92 MPG on the open road. Now that the Fortwo ED has its governmental blessing, interested parties can lease one from selected dealers -- sorry folks, buying's not an option -- for a hefty $599 per-month, which seems staggeringly high compared to the $349 monthly lease rate for the larger, more capable Leaf. Perhaps the Smart squad won't be getting many new teammates after all.Smart Fortwo ED gets official EPA ratings: 94 MPG city, 79 MPG on the highway originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electric Cars Report | US Department of Energy | Email this | Comments
Pediatricians Will Ask Kids about Facebook to Gauge Depression [Facebook]
Hello there, lad. Breathe in. Breathe out. Good! Now I'm going to take your temperature. Looks fine. Would you mind stepping on the scale? Hm. Okay, now how many Facebook friends do you have? Oh. Hm. I see. More »
The Thinking Machines flashes back to 1968 for a lesson in computer logic, sideburns (video)
Another dusty gem's emerged from the vintage gold mine that is AT&T's Tech Channel archive, and this one's packed full of useful information and some classic Jetsons-style animation. The Thinking Machines pits man against computer to explain how the things reason, and it does so with a soundtrack that's straight out of, well, 1968. Unsurprisingly, the film's populated by giant, button-laden switchboards, early computer graphics, ladies sporting beehives, and gents rocking unfortunate facial hair, but if that doesn't do it for you, it also offers genuine pearls like this: "Best of all, they never get bored. Like other machines, they can do the same monotonous chores all day long without complaining." Someone should tell that to the disgruntled Roomba residing in our hall closet. Check out the full video in all its dated glory after the break.Continue reading The Thinking Machines flashes back to 1968 for a lesson in computer logic, sideburns (video)The Thinking Machines flashes back to 1968 for a lesson in computer logic, sideburns (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | AT&T Tech Channel | Email this | Comments
Report: No iPhone 5 at Apple?s Summer Conference
Apple has traditionally debuted new iPhones at its annual software developers conference, but this year’s event in June will be 100 percent software news, according to a report.
Citing anonymous tipsters, well-sourced Apple blogger Jim Dalrymple claims there will be no iPad, iPhone or Mac hardware introduced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off June [...]
Citing anonymous tipsters, well-sourced Apple blogger Jim Dalrymple claims there will be no iPad, iPhone or Mac hardware introduced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off June [...]
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunshine Products have Mini Pens back in stock
Do you carry a full sized pen in your pocket or gear bag, or do you keep a mini pen on your keychain? If you’re looking for a new mini pen, check out these great looking offerings from Sunshine Products USA. They are available in Titanium, Brass, Aluminum or Stainless Steel with your choice of [...]
Daily Crunch: Remote Control Edition
Man Creates Microwave Gun From Small Appliance, Starts Burning Things (Video) iPhly Radio Control For iPhone Artist?s Portraits Of CRTs Turning Off Are Eerily Beautiful Will Germany Become The World?s First Post-Nuclear Nation? World?s Highest Solar Array To Be Built In Tibet
Surfy for Windows Phone 7 is a free, tabbed Web browser
While you wait patiently for Microsoft to deliver Internet Explorer Mobile 9 to your Windows Phone 7 device, you may find yourself wanting for a slightly more feature-filled browser that you can use right now. Surfy is a nice option that's worth checking out, introducing several features you won't find in the stock WP7 browser.
Surfy offers tabbed browsing, a fullscreen mode, and orientation locking so that you don't unexpectedly switch from landscape to portrait viewing. Its address bar provides suggestions as you type, and autocomplete is supported for text input fields.
There's also detailed in-app help provided, and Surfy's developer is keen on adding new user-suggested features -- you can pitch your ideas using the app's feedback system.
Surfy is available for free from the Zune Marketplace.
Gallery: Surfy for Windows Phone 7Surfy for Windows Phone 7 is a free, tabbed Web browser originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Surfy offers tabbed browsing, a fullscreen mode, and orientation locking so that you don't unexpectedly switch from landscape to portrait viewing. Its address bar provides suggestions as you type, and autocomplete is supported for text input fields.
There's also detailed in-app help provided, and Surfy's developer is keen on adding new user-suggested features -- you can pitch your ideas using the app's feedback system.
Surfy is available for free from the Zune Marketplace.
Gallery: Surfy for Windows Phone 7Surfy for Windows Phone 7 is a free, tabbed Web browser originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Facebook acquires Snaptu to bolster 'dumb phone' mobile apps
Facebook has plunked down between $60 and 70 million on mobile app developer Snaptu, which creates Java-based applications for feature phones. Snaptu had been hand-picked by Facebook to develop its non-smartphone app, and the acquisition means Snaptu will now be part of the internal team. Snaptu's reach goes beyond Facebook, of course: the company's mobile app also integrates with Twitter, Picasa, LinkedIn, and other services like RSS.
Snaptu's Facebook app works with more than 2,500 handsets. Delivering a powerful, easy-to-use app to the millions of mobile users worldwide who don't own a smartphone is critical if Facebook wishes to make itself as ubiquitous and accessible as possible.Facebook acquires Snaptu to bolster 'dumb phone' mobile apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Snaptu's Facebook app works with more than 2,500 handsets. Delivering a powerful, easy-to-use app to the millions of mobile users worldwide who don't own a smartphone is critical if Facebook wishes to make itself as ubiquitous and accessible as possible.Facebook acquires Snaptu to bolster 'dumb phone' mobile apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Why Won't Consumer Reports Recommend the Objectively Best Phone You Can Buy? [IPhone]
If you are looking to buy a refrigerator or other boxy, new stainless steel-clad appliance, there is likely no better—or at least better respected—reference manual than Consumer Reports. It is theoretically as unbiased as a publication could be. It takes no ads, buys all its own review units*, and subjects them to rigorous, super-standardized testing. More »
Red One faces Arri Alexa in high-res, Choose Your Own Adventure-style face-off
Most of the time when one product takes on another in a no-holds-barred face-off somebody walks away with a championship belt. Not this time. Here it's Gunleik Groven, Norwegian filmmaker and photographer, comparing the RED One Mysterium X and the Arri Alexa, two pro-quality shooters that come in at a price semi-pro producers can afford -- the RED clocking in at $42,485 the way Gunleik configured it, the Arri at $70,000. There are some obvious differences, like the RED shooting at 4K and the Arri at 1080p, but the vast majority of the comparisons here are far, far more subtle than that, meaning you're just going to have to pore over the comparison on the other end of the source link yourself and download the gigabytes of sample footage that's been thoughtfully provided. If you do need something of a conclusion, though, it's this: "These are both excellent cameras we could only dream of 5 years back... you cannot really complain on the equipment if you don't get your shot with either of these."Red One faces Arri Alexa in high-res, Choose Your Own Adventure-style face-off originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Gunleik Groven | Email this | Comments
How To Keep Reading the NY Times For Free (Updated) [Video]
The NY Times is flipping the switch on its digital paywall right now, and the Grey Lady don't come cheap: $15/month for the website and the phone app, $20/month for the website and the iPad app, or a wallet-singeing $35 for web, phone, and iPad. But there are loopholes! And they are generous. Here's your game plan. More »
CrunchGear Week in Review: Speed of Snow Edition
Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: Fez: Check Out The Indie Game Everyone Will Be Talking About This Year For Your Friday: Skiing With A Jetpack On Cute Pixelated Camera Decals For Your Wallz R.I.P. Microsoft Zune, 2006-2011 Flea 2.0 USB Rechargeable Bike Light Powers Your Night With The Light Of [...]
Google Chrome changes its logo... again! (pictures)
Esteemed bleeding-edge browser downloaders, we are saddened to announce that Chrome's bulbous, off-center and slightly 90s-looking logo is back.
The change occurred yesterday, when the Chrome Dev channel was moved from version 11 to version 12. We're not yet sure whether this is simply a mistake, or an actual reversion to the previous logo. We're seeing the change on both Windows and Mac builds of Chrome, incidentally.
The odd thing is, it was only four days ago that the Google Chrome team published its rationale for the previous logo change. It sounds like they put a lot of effort into the new logo, too! If the logo has actually been reverted, it's possible that the new logo was merely a beta test -- Google may have guaged populist opinion and found that people preferred the orb.
Which logo do you prefer? You can see some before-and-after(-and-before) shots of the Chrome logo after the break.
[thanks to Matthew for the tip!]Continue reading Google Chrome changes its logo... again! (pictures)Google Chrome changes its logo... again! (pictures) originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The change occurred yesterday, when the Chrome Dev channel was moved from version 11 to version 12. We're not yet sure whether this is simply a mistake, or an actual reversion to the previous logo. We're seeing the change on both Windows and Mac builds of Chrome, incidentally.
The odd thing is, it was only four days ago that the Google Chrome team published its rationale for the previous logo change. It sounds like they put a lot of effort into the new logo, too! If the logo has actually been reverted, it's possible that the new logo was merely a beta test -- Google may have guaged populist opinion and found that people preferred the orb.
Which logo do you prefer? You can see some before-and-after(-and-before) shots of the Chrome logo after the break.
[thanks to Matthew for the tip!]Continue reading Google Chrome changes its logo... again! (pictures)Google Chrome changes its logo... again! (pictures) originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Nintendo 3DS Buyer's Guide [Shopping]
We've played the games. We've shown you its most show-offy feature. We've been surprised how much we liked the 3DS. (And we expected we'd like it a lot.) So should you get your $250 out of your sock on March 27th and buy a Nintendo 3DS? Probably not. More »
Panasonic Lumix GH2 review roundup: impressive video recording, murky still images
In case you're still wondering if Panasonic's mirrorless Lumix GH2 is worth your $900, we've rounded up a handful of reviews to provide a pointer for your next big purchase. While most reviewers agree that this Micro Four Thirds camera appears to be very similar to its predecessor, they universally praise the subtly improved ergonomics, speedy liveview autofocusing, and refined image quality, especially with its 1080p AVCHD video recording (although Digital Camera Resource Page did notice some artifacting in its clips). Noise is also a non-issue up to about ISO 800 or 1600, though it's apparent that the 16 megapixel stills are comparatively dull and, like those from many other MFTs, aren't quite on par with DSLRs -- expect plenty of manual processing work here, as demoed by the good folks over at Digital Photography Review. All in all, the GH2 is a great kit for high quality video capturing, bundled with a pretty good still performance that requires some extra TLC afterwards -- kinda ironic in a way, but hey, this isn't a problem for lovers of video bokeh. Head over to the links below for some in-depth analysis and walk-through before you leave a small dent on your bank account.
Read - Digital Photography Review
Read - Photography Blog
Read - Camera Labs
Read - Digital Camera Resource Page
Read - Let's Go Digital
Panasonic Lumix GH2 review roundup: impressive video recording, murky still images originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Read - Digital Photography Review
Read - Photography Blog
Read - Camera Labs
Read - Digital Camera Resource Page
Read - Let's Go Digital
Panasonic Lumix GH2 review roundup: impressive video recording, murky still images originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Google Doing Some Profile Unification Leading Up To? Well, Something.
Google is still hard at work on their social strategy. You know it, I know it, we all know it. What it will actually be, remains to be seen. But there are clues related to it that have started to appear.
The first was the redesign of the toolbar. While Google claimed it doesn't directly point to the social strategy (even though it looks exactly like the verified +1 leaks we've seen), it is a first step. The second was the revamping of profile pages. Also nothing particularly social about it, but again, related to the overall strategy. And now we're seeing something else: a unification of profiles across Google properties. And a big push for all of them to be public.
The first was the redesign of the toolbar. While Google claimed it doesn't directly point to the social strategy (even though it looks exactly like the verified +1 leaks we've seen), it is a first step. The second was the revamping of profile pages. Also nothing particularly social about it, but again, related to the overall strategy. And now we're seeing something else: a unification of profiles across Google properties. And a big push for all of them to be public.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Like a Gizmodo Staff Member? Show It by Becoming His or Her Fan on Facebook! [Promotion]
After reading our posts day after day, you've probably grown to like—or maybe hate—a few of us. Well, we'd love it if you'd express any positive feelings by showing us just how much you like us on our Facebook pages. More »
Who Would Want These Ridiculous Diamond Speakers? [Crap]
There's just something about these XPS Diamond speakers that makes me want to retch. Sure, full USB means no clutter. Yeah, I guess a mini remote is nice? But I don't want to look at giant, meh-looking orbs while listening to music. But the worst part is the PR: "An outstanding design, honed to appeal to female audiences." What does that even mean? Anything plasticky and vaguely shaped like jewelry is a girl's best friend? You can do better. [7 Gadgets] More »
Apple looking to 'radically improve' iOS Maps experience, may look to you for help
It's tough to read too much into this, but when Apple publishes a couple of job applications hoping to bring on folks who can "radically improve how people interact with maps and location-based services," we can't help but take note. The outfit's currently seeking a pair of full-timers to be labeled as iOS Maps Application Developers, and it's honing in on applicants with "excellent skills in object-oriented software design and programming." We've felt for awhile that Apple's built-in Maps application wasn't even comparable to Google Maps Navigation, but it could be time for that to change. Even now, iOS users need to fork out cash on a legitimate turn-by-turn app if they're hoping to navigate with the iPod touch or iPhone, but we can only hope that these applications are hinting at a more full-fledged internal program for the software's next major iteration.'Course, we're sure TomTom would beg to disagree...Apple looking to 'radically improve' iOS Maps experience, may look to you for help originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Apple Insider | Apple (1), (2) | Email this | Comments
Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms' software piracy
Microsoft's pirated software police have been going after companies abroad for years, but getting those far-away folks into US courtrooms isn't easy. What is easy, however, is suing the folks in your own back yard -- which is why Microsoft is lobbying to get laws passed in several states that'll put US businesses on the hook for the pirating ways of their foreign suppliers. For example, if a manufacturer uses pirated software in the "manufacture, distribution, marketing, or sales" of products sold in Washington, Microsoft could sue the vendor of those products and get an injunction to stop the goods from being sold. So Washington widget retailers would be liable for the piracy of their foreign widget manufacturers, even if the illicit act was merely creating the sales invoice on a counterfeit copy of Word.
The Washington state Senate and House have already approved different versions of the bill, and the legislature is in the process of merging the two together for final approval. Louisiana passed a similar law last year, and analogous bills have been proposed in Oregon and several other states as well. Numerous companies -- including Dell, IBM, Intel, and HP -- oppose the laws, as they see them giving Microsoft the power to not only drag them into court, but also futz with their supply chains. (There's bound to be some counterfeit software being used in Shenzhen, right?) As Microsoft's latest anti-piracy scheme unfolds, there should be plenty more legislative action to come. Evidently the crew in Redmond doesn't see piracy as a problem to be fixed by lowering prices.Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms' software piracy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink TechDirt | Groklaw, WA State Senate (PDF), OR House of Reps (PDF) | Email this | Comments
The Washington state Senate and House have already approved different versions of the bill, and the legislature is in the process of merging the two together for final approval. Louisiana passed a similar law last year, and analogous bills have been proposed in Oregon and several other states as well. Numerous companies -- including Dell, IBM, Intel, and HP -- oppose the laws, as they see them giving Microsoft the power to not only drag them into court, but also futz with their supply chains. (There's bound to be some counterfeit software being used in Shenzhen, right?) As Microsoft's latest anti-piracy scheme unfolds, there should be plenty more legislative action to come. Evidently the crew in Redmond doesn't see piracy as a problem to be fixed by lowering prices.Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms' software piracy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink TechDirt | Groklaw, WA State Senate (PDF), OR House of Reps (PDF) | Email this | Comments
Disaster Alert for Android Gives You Real-Time Updates on the World's Active Hazards [Apps]
If there's anything the Japan quake has taught us, it's that disaster can strike at any moment. PDC's Disaster Alert app for Android can help you cope with this scary fact by giving you real-time alerts on the world's active hazards, including earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, storms and more. [Android Market] More »
Zero-day Flash vulnerability fixed in Chrome, still unpatched elsewhere
Google, proving the efficacy of Chrome's built-in Flash Player and its early, insider access to Adobe's developer builds, has fixed the zero-day vulnerability that emerged last week.
The hole will be plugged on other platforms and browsers by a new version of Flash 10.1 and 10.2 that should've been released by now.
If you've restarted Google Chrome in the last few days, you should now have the updated Flash Player. Otherwise, go ahead and restart your browser now and it will automatically update.Zero-day Flash vulnerability fixed in Chrome, still unpatched elsewhere originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The hole will be plugged on other platforms and browsers by a new version of Flash 10.1 and 10.2 that should've been released by now.
If you've restarted Google Chrome in the last few days, you should now have the updated Flash Player. Otherwise, go ahead and restart your browser now and it will automatically update.Zero-day Flash vulnerability fixed in Chrome, still unpatched elsewhere originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Amazon App Store Requires Security Compromise
Amazon’s new app store offers some killer deals and can make it easier for customers to purchase Android software. However, installing it reduces overall security for Android devices, some security experts say.
The root of the issue is the requirement to allow installations from “unknown sources,” in order to put Amazon’s Appstore app on an Android [...]
The root of the issue is the requirement to allow installations from “unknown sources,” in order to put Amazon’s Appstore app on an Android [...]
Nintendo 3DS Buyer's Guide [Shopping]
We've played the games. We've shown you its most show-offy feature. We've been surprised how much we liked the 3DS. (And we expected we'd like it a lot.) So should you get your $250 out of your sock on March 27th and buy a Nintendo 3DS? Probably not. More »
Google introduces Anthill hardware VP8 decoder
It's full speed ahead for Google's VP8 video codec. Now that the bulk of YouTube's video library has been converted, it's on to the next task -- which looks to be hardware decoding. To that end, Google has unveiled Anthill, a hardware VP8 decoding solution that is substantially faster and more efficient than current software solutions.
Google's Aki Kuusela said, "The H1 (Anthill) hardware encoder can produce good quality with very low power consumption using almost no clock cycles from the CPU." H1 can push 1080p video at 30 FPS and 720p at 60 FPS, and you can see how it stacks up to a trio of software decoders above.
It will, of course, take some time before OEMs to begin integrating hardware VP8 support into their products. But with Google's ties to Android handset manufacturers, television and set-top box producers, and the Open Screen project, there's little doubt the company will be able to get its numerous friends on board.
[It's worth noting that comparing hardware decoding to software decoding is a bit unfair. There are hardware H.264 decoders, too! -Ed]Google introduces Anthill hardware VP8 decoder originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Google's Aki Kuusela said, "The H1 (Anthill) hardware encoder can produce good quality with very low power consumption using almost no clock cycles from the CPU." H1 can push 1080p video at 30 FPS and 720p at 60 FPS, and you can see how it stacks up to a trio of software decoders above.
It will, of course, take some time before OEMs to begin integrating hardware VP8 support into their products. But with Google's ties to Android handset manufacturers, television and set-top box producers, and the Open Screen project, there's little doubt the company will be able to get its numerous friends on board.
[It's worth noting that comparing hardware decoding to software decoding is a bit unfair. There are hardware H.264 decoders, too! -Ed]Google introduces Anthill hardware VP8 decoder originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
iRig Mic review
There's no shortage of ways to get sound into your iOS device, but one thing has been missing from the field up to this point: a handheld accessory to help you hone your Sammy Hagar (or Anderson Cooper) impression while you're FaceTiming with Gramps. The iRig vocal mic fills that gap, and the included Vocalive app does its part to help you rap over your favorite beat, add sick and twisted FX to your vox, and share your jams with your file-sharing friends. But is the iRig a Napster-level entry into the iMic field? Is it more of an eDonkey, or just kind of a KaZaA? Read on for our impressions of the SM58-feeling cardioid.
Gallery: iRig Mic reviewContinue reading iRig Mic reviewiRig Mic review originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | IK Multimedia iRig | Email this | Comments
Gallery: iRig Mic reviewContinue reading iRig Mic reviewiRig Mic review originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | IK Multimedia iRig | Email this | Comments
AutomateIt is a light-weight and free Tasker clone for Android
AutomateIt, as the name so handily implies, is an automation app for Android. The basic premise is that you have events, such as receiving an SMS or a certain time of day, which are triggers. These triggers then fire off one or more actions, which can start applications, set your phone's volume, and so on.
AutomateIt is, basically, a free version of Tasker, but with a much-reduced set of triggers and actions. For all but the most advanced users, however, AutomateIt will be just fine. There are triggers for various battery levels (you might want to shut off Wi-Fi only when you get below 25% battery), or you can have it track your location with GPS and start an application when you leave your home/office.
To download AutomateIt, and to see complete list of triggers and actions, head over to AutomateIt on the Android Market. There's a QR code after the break.Continue reading AutomateIt is a light-weight and free Tasker clone for AndroidAutomateIt is a light-weight and free Tasker clone for Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
AutomateIt is, basically, a free version of Tasker, but with a much-reduced set of triggers and actions. For all but the most advanced users, however, AutomateIt will be just fine. There are triggers for various battery levels (you might want to shut off Wi-Fi only when you get below 25% battery), or you can have it track your location with GPS and start an application when you leave your home/office.
To download AutomateIt, and to see complete list of triggers and actions, head over to AutomateIt on the Android Market. There's a QR code after the break.Continue reading AutomateIt is a light-weight and free Tasker clone for AndroidAutomateIt is a light-weight and free Tasker clone for Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Google Chrome logo updated, now flatter, cuter and more balanced (pictures)
Just a week after its open-source brother Chromium had its logo summarily flattened, Chrome has followed suit. For now it's only available in the Developer channel, but presumably it will quickly percolate down to the Beta and Stable channels. There are some more images of the new logo after the break.
It was originally speculated that the Chromium logo change was to differentiate it from Chrome, but now it looks like Google might just have grown tired of the unbalanced, 3D-effect Chrome orb. The new geometric design is definitely easier on the eye, and it will be a lot more flexible too. Its icon has been updated as well, and it looks great on the Windows 7 taskbar.
We expect there'll be a statement from Google about the new logo later today, and we'll update this post when we find out more.
[thanks to bidyut for the tip!]Continue reading Google Chrome logo updated, now flatter, cuter and more balanced (pictures)Google Chrome logo updated, now flatter, cuter and more balanced (pictures) originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It was originally speculated that the Chromium logo change was to differentiate it from Chrome, but now it looks like Google might just have grown tired of the unbalanced, 3D-effect Chrome orb. The new geometric design is definitely easier on the eye, and it will be a lot more flexible too. Its icon has been updated as well, and it looks great on the Windows 7 taskbar.
We expect there'll be a statement from Google about the new logo later today, and we'll update this post when we find out more.
[thanks to bidyut for the tip!]Continue reading Google Chrome logo updated, now flatter, cuter and more balanced (pictures)Google Chrome logo updated, now flatter, cuter and more balanced (pictures) originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Saturday, March 26, 2011
iPad 2 News ? Apple Calls On More Suppliers
Last April when Apple released the original iPad to the market you had to wait in line in some cases to get your hands on the exciting new tablet device. Many orders were put on hold and some countries even had to wait for the iPad to become available. This April, when the dazzling new [...]
BlackBerry OS 6.1 due this spring, will bring massive upgrades
When the BlackBerry Torch debuted, public reaction was cooler than RIM anticipated -- and that didn't sit well with the Canadian company. During its annual year-end call, however, RIM revealed that it had been working away at a major update to BlackBerry OS 6 in order to deliver an experience that end-users (and the company itself) could get excited about.
BlackBerry OS 6.1 is now expected sometime this spring, and Engadget reports that the .1 appears to be a bit misleading. RIM is approaching the update as an overhaul, not merely a minor tweaking. You can probably expect to see BlackBerry OS 6.1 in action this May at BlackBerry World 2011. We'll keep you posted when a beta or final release hits.
[header image via Crackberry]BlackBerry OS 6.1 due this spring, will bring massive upgrades originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
BlackBerry OS 6.1 is now expected sometime this spring, and Engadget reports that the .1 appears to be a bit misleading. RIM is approaching the update as an overhaul, not merely a minor tweaking. You can probably expect to see BlackBerry OS 6.1 in action this May at BlackBerry World 2011. We'll keep you posted when a beta or final release hits.
[header image via Crackberry]BlackBerry OS 6.1 due this spring, will bring massive upgrades originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Panasonic demonstrates solar-power table with QI wireless charging technology
The wireless power consortium is trying to drive a standard for wireless charging, called QI wireless charging. The goal is to enable a future where there is no need to connect your gadget to any cable for charging. Panasonic took advantage of the security show in Japan to show a solar power table with QI [...]
This Week's Top Stories [Total Recap]
Shutting Down | Stephan Tillmans captures the fleeting beauty of CRT Monitors More »
NuForce Icon uDAC-2 Headphone Amp/DAC Review
I have mentioned in the last few reviews that I am now reviewing headphones using the NuForce uDAC-2 USB amp/DAC plugged into my new iMac, when I am not using my iPod. There?s a really good reason for this. The iMac audio output sounds like ? well, let?s just say it sounds bad. Really, really [...]
Top Stories: Friday, March 25, 2011 [Total Recap]
What's This Button Do? | Take a peek at the $50,000 F1 steering wheel More »
Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer
When someone tells me about a "platformer", my first thought is that it's probably a simple game that mainly revolves around running and jumping around, with a minimal plot. [Play a Zelda game! -Ed]
Elephant Quest is one platformer that managed to prove me completely wrong. Yes, you do run and jump around, and you also shoot at stuff. But the game has much, much more going for it.
Basically, as you run, jump and shoot, you gain experience points and level up. Hitting Space brings you into an interface where you can convert your experience points into Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Dexterity points. Once you've "specialized" your points, you then get to pick what exact skills you'd like to enhance in each field. For example, you could use your dexterity to enhance your weapons or increase your swiftness.
The game is played in a huge maze; you go through rooms using doors, and there's a large map. As the name implies, there are quests you can take, too. For example, one quest had me searching all over the place for ten balloons.
The bottom line is that this is a surprisingly deep game that just might ensnare you for a good bit longer than you intended to play. Beware!Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Elephant Quest is one platformer that managed to prove me completely wrong. Yes, you do run and jump around, and you also shoot at stuff. But the game has much, much more going for it.
Basically, as you run, jump and shoot, you gain experience points and level up. Hitting Space brings you into an interface where you can convert your experience points into Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Dexterity points. Once you've "specialized" your points, you then get to pick what exact skills you'd like to enhance in each field. For example, you could use your dexterity to enhance your weapons or increase your swiftness.
The game is played in a huge maze; you go through rooms using doors, and there's a large map. As the name implies, there are quests you can take, too. For example, one quest had me searching all over the place for ten balloons.
The bottom line is that this is a surprisingly deep game that just might ensnare you for a good bit longer than you intended to play. Beware!Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Android Market In-App Billing Launching Next Week [Blip]
In-app purchases for Android will finally be a reality next week. Developers get a head start on the fun and can start uploading their apps and setting prices now, but can't publish them until the service is live. [Android Developers Blog] More »
Vizio's first 2011 Theater 3D TVs revealed, could ship for less than $500
The one detail we couldn't wrangle out of Vizio about its upcoming 3DTV line at CES was the price, but now a few midrange models have popped up on the company's website early with full information. The 47-, 42- and 32-inch E3D models sport $899, $729 and $549 pricetags and a date of "coming soon," following the precedent of the 65-inch model released last fall. If that's not cheap enough, one of our readers has provided information that Walmart expects to have the E3D320VX and E3D420VX available for $498 and $698, respectively, starting in April. All of these TVs are 1080p (at least in 2D), have WiFi and Vizio Internet Apps built in (with a new IR remote - Update: pictured after the break -- instead of the old Bluetooth QWERTY one) and come with two pairs of passive 3D glasses. We've seen 3DTVs debut at under $1,000 before and more than a few of last year's models have dipped to $800~ by now, but with a starting price this low and cheap accessories, we wouldn't be surprised if Vizio is celebrating sales wins again next year.
[Thanks, xxontheedgexx]Continue reading Vizio's first 2011 Theater 3D TVs revealed, could ship for less than $500Vizio's first 2011 Theater 3D TVs revealed, could ship for less than $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Vizio | Email this | Comments
[Thanks, xxontheedgexx]Continue reading Vizio's first 2011 Theater 3D TVs revealed, could ship for less than $500Vizio's first 2011 Theater 3D TVs revealed, could ship for less than $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Vizio | Email this | Comments
Pioneer debuts new Sound Wing HVT speakers, novel tech touted within
There's a ton of gadgetry that goes into speakers, but the notable thing here is that the Pioneer folks have begun using HVT, or Horizontal-Vertical Transforming technology -- but more on that in sec. This beauty is engineered to reduce unwanted vibration and preserve bass caliber while outputting 100W of sound. Featuring a double diaphragm packaged close together, the Sound Wing gives off omnidirectional sound -- that's 360 degrees of noise. And thanks to HVT, the coils within the speaker have been rearranged to reduce the wasted space in traditional speakers -- though for some reason this particular unit still measures a portly 109mm thick. Seeing that the tech Pioneer has implemented here is novel, we're interested to see how this thing will sound in the real world. You'll find the Sound Wing in Japan for ¥41,000 (about $507) come June.Pioneer debuts new Sound Wing HVT speakers, novel tech touted within originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Akihabara News | Pioneer Japan | Email this | Comments
Gadget Lab Notes: Could Apple Be Developing a Smart TV?
Gadget Lab Notes is an eclectic roundup of gadget news briefs and intriguing products that catch our eye.
Does Apple Have a Smart TV in the Works?
According to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty they do. She expects Apple to out a ?Smart TV? with DVR, gaming, and FaceTime capabilities sometime in 2012 or 2013. Asian component [...]
Does Apple Have a Smart TV in the Works?
According to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty they do. She expects Apple to out a ?Smart TV? with DVR, gaming, and FaceTime capabilities sometime in 2012 or 2013. Asian component [...]
AVG Mobilation for Android tablets is a full-featured security suite
AVG has been offering a pair of Android security applications for a while, and both the free and paid versions of its app have proved to be extremely popular with Android users. Now the company has launched a tablet-specific version as well.
Called AVG Mobilation for Android, the new app offers protection from malware, and a handful of other useful functions. Mobilation also provides a backup system which can secure your contacts, call logs, bookmarks, apps, and SMS messages. There's an App Locker, which allows you to password protect any app you've got installed on your Android device, and as if that wasn't enough, AVG has also built spam blocking and and task killing functionality into Mobilation.
Free and Pro versions of AVG Mobilation for Android tablets are due soon, but pricing and dates have yet to be confirmed.AVG Mobilation for Android tablets is a full-featured security suite originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Called AVG Mobilation for Android, the new app offers protection from malware, and a handful of other useful functions. Mobilation also provides a backup system which can secure your contacts, call logs, bookmarks, apps, and SMS messages. There's an App Locker, which allows you to password protect any app you've got installed on your Android device, and as if that wasn't enough, AVG has also built spam blocking and and task killing functionality into Mobilation.
Free and Pro versions of AVG Mobilation for Android tablets are due soon, but pricing and dates have yet to be confirmed.AVG Mobilation for Android tablets is a full-featured security suite originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Friday, March 25, 2011
Bury the Light in Sand, to Remind You of the Passing Time [Lamps]
This is such a simple, elegantly-executed design that I'm surprised we can't actually buy it yet. Designer Vanessa Hordies' website says the hourglass lamp is "coming soon," so fingers crossed we can soon burn down the minutes until it's time for bed. [Vanessa Hordies via Mocoloco] More »
Tesla Death Ray is an addictive tower defense game
Last week I wrote about Xeno Defense and this week I found Tesla Death Ray, which is almost as addictive, but is clad in a somewhat different costume.
It's a tower defense game in which you have to zap your enemies to oblivion. Much like in Xeno Defense, at the end of each level you get to the store and can use your hard-earned points to purchase upgrades and repair your tower.
Unlike Xeno Defense, you only get to the store if you pass the level. This makes the game much harder, because it means if you've made some wrong choices in terms of upgrades, now you're stuck with a level you simply cannot pass, and need to start the game all over again.
I should at least be able to sell off some of my equipment between retries of the same level, I think. But despite this one flaw, the game manages to be addictive, fun, and fast. I like it, and probably would have finished it if it hadn't been for the upgrade problem.Tesla Death Ray is an addictive tower defense game originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It's a tower defense game in which you have to zap your enemies to oblivion. Much like in Xeno Defense, at the end of each level you get to the store and can use your hard-earned points to purchase upgrades and repair your tower.
Unlike Xeno Defense, you only get to the store if you pass the level. This makes the game much harder, because it means if you've made some wrong choices in terms of upgrades, now you're stuck with a level you simply cannot pass, and need to start the game all over again.
I should at least be able to sell off some of my equipment between retries of the same level, I think. But despite this one flaw, the game manages to be addictive, fun, and fast. I like it, and probably would have finished it if it hadn't been for the upgrade problem.Tesla Death Ray is an addictive tower defense game originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway
This morning, Corel released VideoStudio X4. We've already published a quick overview and hands-on of the application, and now is the moment you've all been waiting for: We're giving away ten full licenses of this new version, each worth $99.99!
To enter our random draw, you just have to leave a comment. Full terms and conditions are after the break.Continue reading Corel VideoStudio X4 giveawayCorel VideoStudio X4 giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
To enter our random draw, you just have to leave a comment. Full terms and conditions are after the break.Continue reading Corel VideoStudio X4 giveawayCorel VideoStudio X4 giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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
Geohot: I Didn't Flee the Country, I'm Just on Spring Break, Brah [Verbatim]
Geohot has blog-surfaced from South America! And he's not hiding from Sony—he's just chilling the eff out—"Factually, it's true I'm in South America...I mean, it is Spring break; hacking isn't my life." Beer me! [BBC via SlashGear] More »
Xperia Play delayed by O2 UK due to software bugs, what are the other carriers doing?
Oh, woe is us. Or, to be more precise, woe is us if we wanted the Xperia Play on the UK's O2 network on the day of its release, April 1st. The British carrier has been candid in admitting it found software bugs on the Play and is holding back release of the gamer-friendly device until those have been ironed out. We appreciate its effort in "testing the phone non-stop for weeks" and its reluctance to grab a quick buck by releasing imperfectly baked goods, but a major question remains -- if this isn't an O2-specific software problem, and we've heard no peep of O2 customizing the Android 2.3 build on the Play, why are no other carriers signaling a similar delay? Vodafone is still aiming to deliver UK pre-orders by April 5th and there seems to be no indication of flawed software from others. Only thing we can think of, given that O2 has the white Xperia Play exclusive, is that the white phone curse has struck again.
[Thanks, Ed]
Update: Here's what Sony Ericsson has to say on the matter:
"Sony Ericsson Xperia[TM] PLAY will be launching on 1st April across all UK mobile operator partners except for O2, who have decided to prolong the testing period in order to ensure that the software meets the requirements of its procedures. Sony Ericsson will be workingwith O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process and ensure that O2 customers can soon join consumers across the UK in being able to enjoy the world's first PlayStation certified smartphone."
Xperia Play delayed by O2 UK due to software bugs, what are the other carriers doing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | O2 Blog | Email this | Comments
[Thanks, Ed]
Update: Here's what Sony Ericsson has to say on the matter:
"Sony Ericsson Xperia[TM] PLAY will be launching on 1st April across all UK mobile operator partners except for O2, who have decided to prolong the testing period in order to ensure that the software meets the requirements of its procedures. Sony Ericsson will be workingwith O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process and ensure that O2 customers can soon join consumers across the UK in being able to enjoy the world's first PlayStation certified smartphone."
Xperia Play delayed by O2 UK due to software bugs, what are the other carriers doing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | O2 Blog | Email this | Comments
Google Chrome slated for bloat removal
Over the course of its rapid progression from version 1.0 to 10.0, Google Chrome has packed on the pounds, so to speak. The introduction of features like the internal Flash player, PDF reader, sync engine, and extension and app support have all been contributing factors in the growth of Chrome's footprint.
Now, however, Google is starting to take a look at where Chrome can be slimmed down. A special group of Chromium developers has been assembled and tasked with reducing the size of the Chrome binaries. While Windows is the primary target, it's likely that Mac and Linux versions will be looked at as well.
Various reasons for the "diet" are put forward by developers. Ian Fette notes that Chrome is delivered as part of several app bundles (like Avast) and larger binaries can cause difficulties. He also points out that Google sees an increased number of failed download attempts as the file size grows. Another developer, Lei Zhang, reminds that not everyone in the world has broadband -- and even a few megs here and there can make a big difference to those users.
A monitoring system has been put in place, and developers will now made made aware of increases in size as the Chromium buildbot churns out new snapshots.Google Chrome slated for bloat removal originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Now, however, Google is starting to take a look at where Chrome can be slimmed down. A special group of Chromium developers has been assembled and tasked with reducing the size of the Chrome binaries. While Windows is the primary target, it's likely that Mac and Linux versions will be looked at as well.
Various reasons for the "diet" are put forward by developers. Ian Fette notes that Chrome is delivered as part of several app bundles (like Avast) and larger binaries can cause difficulties. He also points out that Google sees an increased number of failed download attempts as the file size grows. Another developer, Lei Zhang, reminds that not everyone in the world has broadband -- and even a few megs here and there can make a big difference to those users.
A monitoring system has been put in place, and developers will now made made aware of increases in size as the Chromium buildbot churns out new snapshots.Google Chrome slated for bloat removal originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video)
We finally got our hands on the elusive Samsung Nexus S 4G for Sprint at CTIA here today and it's pretty much what you'd expect: a Nexus S with its GSM / HSPA radio swapped for a set of Sprint-compatible CDMA / EV-DO and WiMAX radios. While the Nexus S 4G lacks a SIM slot, it's actually 0.3mm thicker than the Nexus S -- that's the thickness of a business card, and is meaningless for all practical purposes. The phone also features a 4G signal indicator in the status bar, along with a 4G sub-menu in the wireless settings. Our demo unit was running Android 2.3.4 (!) -- a version we have not yet come across -- but we were told that neither the hardware nor the software are final at this point. So don't be surprised if the production model receives a few tweaks before launch. Perhaps a Sprint logo? Enjoy the gallery below, and hop past the break for our hands-on video.
Gallery: Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-onContinue reading Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video)Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Gallery: Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-onContinue reading Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video)Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Video: ShopSquad?s CEO Explains Their Personal Shopper Network
Yesterday we wrote about ShopSquad, a new startup that looks to use the web to connect shoppers with expert shopping assistants. The company just closed $1.25 million in seed funding, with participants in the round including Josh Silverman (former CEO of Skype and Shopping.com), David Sacks (former COO of PayPal, CEO of Yammer), Jeff Fluhr (founder and former CEO of StubHub), Selina Tobaccowala (founder of Evite.com) and Charles Carmel (VP Corporate Development at Cisco).
In light of the news, we invited ShopSquad CEO Charles Katz to stop by our TechCrunch TV studio so that we could ask him a few questions about the new service. Check out the video interview above, in which I ask Katz to outline how ShopSquad works, and how the site plans to make sure that its advisers really know their stuff. I also briefly discuss my summer working at Office Depot. Tune in!
In light of the news, we invited ShopSquad CEO Charles Katz to stop by our TechCrunch TV studio so that we could ask him a few questions about the new service. Check out the video interview above, in which I ask Katz to outline how ShopSquad works, and how the site plans to make sure that its advisers really know their stuff. I also briefly discuss my summer working at Office Depot. Tune in!
Words With Friends for Android updated, promises "smoother game experience"
As several of you noted in the comments to our post asking for cross-platform iOS/Android games, Words With Friends for Android does not provide the smoothest gaming experience... and that's being rather charitable.
You might be happy to hear that a couple of days ago Zynga released an update which promises to solve many of the Android-specific issues, such as notifications not popping up.
Sadly, installing the update is not a smooth experience; you have to manually uninstall the previous version, and then go to the Android Market and install it. What's nice is that it doesn't lose your saved games - this screenshot shows a game I've started before the update and continued after updating.
How's the new update working out for you? Let us know in the comments!Words With Friends for Android updated, promises "smoother game experience" originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You might be happy to hear that a couple of days ago Zynga released an update which promises to solve many of the Android-specific issues, such as notifications not popping up.
Sadly, installing the update is not a smooth experience; you have to manually uninstall the previous version, and then go to the Android Market and install it. What's nice is that it doesn't lose your saved games - this screenshot shows a game I've started before the update and continued after updating.
How's the new update working out for you? Let us know in the comments!Words With Friends for Android updated, promises "smoother game experience" originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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