Last week President Obama spoke at Facebook, emphasizing during the townhall that the�US needs to be bullish on Science and Math education if we are to pull out of the recession, "We want to start making Science cool. I want people to feel about the next big energy breakthrough and the next big Internet breakthrough the same way they felt about the moonwalk,? he said.
Taking off on that idea, Nancy Conrad, the wife of late astronaut Pete Conrad, has founded the Conrad Foundation in the memory of her husband. Pete Conrad was expelled from one school in the 11th grade because he had dislexia and then went on to graduate from Princeton and walk on the moon because he was taken under the wing of an educator who saw promise in the young man.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Google Chrome now uses SPDY HTTP replacement, halves page load time
We're not entirely sure of the time line here, but it looks like Google has now rolled out the SPDY HTTP replacement to its full bevy of Web services, including Gmail, Docs, and YouTube. If you're currently using Google's Chrome browser you're probably already using SPDY.
We originally reported on SPDY way back in November 2009, when Google introduced it as yet another experiment in making the Web faster, like Go, Native Client and speculative pre-connections. Over the last 18 months, though, SPDY support has found its way into the stable build of Chrome.
SPDY is basically a streamlined and more efficient version of HTTP. At its most basic, SPDY introduces parallel, multiplexed streams over a single TCP connection -- but at the same time, SPDY allows for prioritization, so that vital content (HTML) can be sent before periphery content (JavaScript, video). All in all, the SPDY protocol can halve page load times, which is obviously rather significant.
The best bit, though, is that SPDY is an open-source project. HTTP 1.1 is a lumbering beast that needs to be replaced before low-latency real-time computing really becomes a reality, and SPDY is one of the best options currently on the table. To be honest, we're not sure why SPDY hasn't received more coverage -- it's awesome in every way. At the moment, though, the only way to help speed up SPDY's proliferation, is with an experimental Apache mod.
As far as actually 'trying it out,' your best bet is downloading Chrome, hitting up some Google sites, and then checking chrome://net-internals to see your active SPDY sessions. SPDY is a transparent replacement for HTTP, though, and as such it's rather hard to see its effects. Google's sites definitely feel fast in Chrome, but there are more technologies than just SPDY at work.Google Chrome now uses SPDY HTTP replacement, halves page load time originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
We originally reported on SPDY way back in November 2009, when Google introduced it as yet another experiment in making the Web faster, like Go, Native Client and speculative pre-connections. Over the last 18 months, though, SPDY support has found its way into the stable build of Chrome.
SPDY is basically a streamlined and more efficient version of HTTP. At its most basic, SPDY introduces parallel, multiplexed streams over a single TCP connection -- but at the same time, SPDY allows for prioritization, so that vital content (HTML) can be sent before periphery content (JavaScript, video). All in all, the SPDY protocol can halve page load times, which is obviously rather significant.
The best bit, though, is that SPDY is an open-source project. HTTP 1.1 is a lumbering beast that needs to be replaced before low-latency real-time computing really becomes a reality, and SPDY is one of the best options currently on the table. To be honest, we're not sure why SPDY hasn't received more coverage -- it's awesome in every way. At the moment, though, the only way to help speed up SPDY's proliferation, is with an experimental Apache mod.
As far as actually 'trying it out,' your best bet is downloading Chrome, hitting up some Google sites, and then checking chrome://net-internals to see your active SPDY sessions. SPDY is a transparent replacement for HTTP, though, and as such it's rather hard to see its effects. Google's sites definitely feel fast in Chrome, but there are more technologies than just SPDY at work.Google Chrome now uses SPDY HTTP replacement, halves page load time originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Archerfish Solo Outdoor/Indoor Video Surveillance and Recording System
Most video surveillance systems don’t have the smarts to distinguish between a burglar jimmying the lock and the azalea bush blowing in the wind, and this results in a lot of false alarms and wasted recording space.� Archerfish say they have “Intelligent Surveillance Technology that?s more advanced than motion detection” that understands what it sees.� [...]
Verizon document suggests LG Revolution will have Netflix pre-installed
We didn't exactly need any more evidence that the LG Revolution would be the first Android phone to support Netflix, but a new, seemingly authentic Verizon document posted by an Android Central forum member has now all but confirmed that fact. What's more, considering that Verizon touts Netflix as one of the phone's main features, it seems safe to assume that the app will also come pre-installed for your convenience. As you can see, Verizon also says that the phone is "coming soon," which is unfortunately about as specific a release date as we've seen so far. Wondering what's in store? Then you might want to check out the hands-on we did with the app back at Mobile World Congress in February.Verizon document suggests LG Revolution will have Netflix pre-installed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Droid Life | Android Central | Email this | Comments
webOS 3.0 beta now available to developers
With the webOS 3.0 SDK available for almost two months, HP has now given developers access to a beta download of webOS 3.0 -- which powers the upcoming TouchPad and will likely ride along on HP desktops and laptops in the form of an emulator.
Right now, the webOS 3.0 beta is only available to Early Access developers. The crew at PreCentral states that HP appears to have eased up on access restrictions, however, so hopefully more devs will get on board and those of you who are planning to buy a TouchPad in the next couple months will have plenty of slick webOS 3.0 apps to install on your new tablet.webOS 3.0 beta now available to developers originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Right now, the webOS 3.0 beta is only available to Early Access developers. The crew at PreCentral states that HP appears to have eased up on access restrictions, however, so hopefully more devs will get on board and those of you who are planning to buy a TouchPad in the next couple months will have plenty of slick webOS 3.0 apps to install on your new tablet.webOS 3.0 beta now available to developers originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Friday, April 29, 2011
Daily Crunch: Vintage Equipment Edition
Weekend Giveaway: An Authentic Darth Vader Costume Review: Samson Meteor Mic Pico Projectors On The Rise Thanko?s Spy Pen Shoots HD Video, Detects Motion U-K525LT: Kenwood?s ?Wooden? iPod Dock/CD Player/FM Radio
Mitoza is a fun, freaky Web toy with an artistic look
While not a game per se, I found Mitoza intriguing enough to spend quite some time with it. You start off with a seed, and are then presented with two choices: you can either click a flower pot, or click a cute little birdie.
If you click the flower pot, a flower pot appears and the seed is planted inside. You're then presented with two further choices -- a water can or a bottle of fertilizer. Each choice you make causes your creation to morph, and presents you with two other choices.
There's no winning or losing, really. Each "game" usually lasts around four or five choices, at which point the plant/animal dies in some creative (but not too gruesome) way. At this point you instantly start over with a new seed.
The graphics are captivating; the whole thing has a cinematic feel to it, with a bit of artificial camera shake added for style.
All in all, it's a fun, peaceful way to spend a few minutes, and it might even make you think a little bit while you're at it.Mitoza is a fun, freaky Web toy with an artistic look originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
If you click the flower pot, a flower pot appears and the seed is planted inside. You're then presented with two further choices -- a water can or a bottle of fertilizer. Each choice you make causes your creation to morph, and presents you with two other choices.
There's no winning or losing, really. Each "game" usually lasts around four or five choices, at which point the plant/animal dies in some creative (but not too gruesome) way. At this point you instantly start over with a new seed.
The graphics are captivating; the whole thing has a cinematic feel to it, with a bit of artificial camera shake added for style.
All in all, it's a fun, peaceful way to spend a few minutes, and it might even make you think a little bit while you're at it.Mitoza is a fun, freaky Web toy with an artistic look originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
EcoVantage Lightbulbs from Philips Electronics
Do you avoid using compact fluorescent bulbs in your home because of the mercury they contain?� If you do, but you’d still like to replace standard incandescent bulbs with something more energy efficient, take a look at the EcoVantage bulbs from Philips Electronics.� These bulbs have been sold in limited release (online and in California), [...]
Deal of the Day ? Samsung Charge 4G LTE Smartphone for Verizon
Today?s LogicBUY deal is the Samsung Charge 4G LTE Smartphone for Verizon for �$249.99.� This phone features a 4.3? Super AMOLED Plus Display, a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, dual facing cameras (1.3MP front, 8MP back), and 2.2 GB of built-in storage.� The phone is ready for DLNA streaming, runs Android 2.2, and offers 11 hours [...]
Spotify Lands Major Studio Deals, Prepares To Launch Movie Service
Spotify continues to negotiate with Facebook over its long promised U.S. launch. But that isn't the only thing the music streaming service has been up to. They've negotiated a number of deals with major movie studios to offer users streaming movies as well as music, a source in the industry tells us.
Earlier this week we reported that YouTube plans a similar service (something we first wrote about last year). As with Google/YouTube, we're not sure when Spotify will launch the new service. But our best information suggests this Fall.
And these aren't your standard Netflix/Amazon/iTunes type movie deals, either, we've heard. Spotify is aiming to offer users much earlier access to movies. Similar to the release dates that hotel's get for premium in-room movies. They're expensive, but users can often see them just a couple of weeks after they've been in theaters.
Earlier this week we reported that YouTube plans a similar service (something we first wrote about last year). As with Google/YouTube, we're not sure when Spotify will launch the new service. But our best information suggests this Fall.
And these aren't your standard Netflix/Amazon/iTunes type movie deals, either, we've heard. Spotify is aiming to offer users much earlier access to movies. Similar to the release dates that hotel's get for premium in-room movies. They're expensive, but users can often see them just a couple of weeks after they've been in theaters.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
White iPhone Finally Available, Just 10 Months Late
The near mythical white iPhone 4 has finally launched, just ten months after it was first announced. The white version of the iPhone was supposed to go on sale at the same time as the black one, way back in June 2010.
Speculation on the cause of the delay has of course been in direct proportion [...]
Speculation on the cause of the delay has of course been in direct proportion [...]
This Ball-Catching Robot Will Someday Play Baseball Better Than You [Video]
Germany's aerospace agency, the DLR, has this robot they like to call Rollin' Justin. Recently they've improved his object tracking and tacticle sensors so much that it's able to catch objects on the fly. It'll even catch two balls at once! 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
Psychedelic Photos of Lakes, Exposed Using Lake Water [Photography]
Matthew Brandt's photography series Lakes and Reservoirs has got me thinking. If he can collect water from every lake he shoots and use it to develop his photos later on, what can I do? Take photos in a bar and develop them using vodka? More »
Yankees Accidentally Leak Personal Info Of 20,000 Season Ticket Holders [Oops]
The New York Yankees accidentally distributed a file containing information on more than 20,000 season ticket accounts. The spreadsheet contains account numbers, names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, and was mistakenly sent to thousands of current clients. Read the full, sordid account here: [Deadspin] More »
Bacon Clock? The best part of waking up?.
Gives a whole new meaning to the term "Breakfast in Bed". Wake’n Bacon. No. Seriously. �A bacon alarm clock. �An alarm clock that wakes you every morning to the smell of freshly cooked bacon AND bacon you get to eat. No. �Joke. Now, I am so not into strange alarm clocks although I DO have [...]
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Updated: Apple building traffic database system
Did Apple just let an iOS 5 (or iOS 6) feature out of the bag during their location data Q&A? It sure looks like it if you examine the answer below: Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service [...]Updated: Apple building traffic database system is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
Lexmark International Level 3 Communications Lawson Software
Once You Pop You Can't Stop...Diffusing? [Photography]
Camera diffusers have been made from all sorts of cheap supplies before, but never have I seen one made from a Pringles can, a couple of rubber bands, paper towels and some duct tape. Voila, Steve Kushnir's photos shot with his Nikon D5000 are lit more evenly, and for heaps less than pro-diffusers normally cost. More »
AdSense For Images Pixazza Surpasses 100M Unique Monthly Visitors; Hires CFO
Pixazza, a Google Ventures-backed photo tagging service that has been compared to an ?AdSense for Images,? has hired a new executive officer today, appointing Terry Murphy has Chief Financial Officer. The company has also surpassed 100 million unique visitors per month, which is up from 70 million unique visitors per month in March.
Murphy joins Pixazza from RiseSmart, where he was CFO. Previously, Murphy was the senior vice president of finance for virtual call center company LiveOps. In his six years at LiveOps, he helped led the company's financial operations during a period of explosive growth as annual revenues increased from $18 million to $140 million. In his new role, he will direct Pixazza?s finance, accounting, human resources, facilities and legal functions.
Murphy joins Pixazza from RiseSmart, where he was CFO. Previously, Murphy was the senior vice president of finance for virtual call center company LiveOps. In his six years at LiveOps, he helped led the company's financial operations during a period of explosive growth as annual revenues increased from $18 million to $140 million. In his new role, he will direct Pixazza?s finance, accounting, human resources, facilities and legal functions.
Eric Schmidt Awkwardly Telling Tina Fey to Switch to Android [Video]
The magic happens at exactly 25 minutes in. As Tina Fey describes how much insight a phone has into your life, Eric Schmidt, in his creepiest, creepy-friendly voice tells her, "And we want you to use a more powerful phone." More »
Daily Crunch: Birdlime Edition
Video: Talking Parakeet Toy Repeats What You Say, Randomly Blurts Out Phrases This LEGO Lunchbox Wants Nothing More Than To Hold Your PB&J Lexon?s Buro Collection, For Design-Conscious Desk Jockeys Homemade Tron Board Game Glows With Nerdy Fun Why Is This Plain Wall Clock So Compelling?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
An 8,000 Pixel by 8,000 Pixel Big Ass Screen Is Coming to Chicago [Screens]
The Adler Planetarium just renovated the Grainger Sky Theater with a big honking screen. The display will mimic being in space with a 8,000 by 8,000 pixel screen that's supposed to deliver "the largest single seamless digital image in the world". For reference, typical movie screens 'only' spit out 2k by 4k pixel images. More »
Why Women In Computer Science Matter [Education]
Last week, Harvard celebrated a record number of female students declaring a computer science major. But the school — and the field — may still have a ways to go. More »
Apple's Already Being Sued Over the iPhone Tracking Scandal [Apple]
News of the tracking bug in Apple's iPhone and iPads broke only six days ago, but already Apple's been hit with a lawsuit by two customers, with the possibility of it being elevated to class action status. More »
Keepsy Taps Instagram For Fast, Easy, Awesome Photo Books
People love photo albums, but they hate making them.
That's what Blake Williams has come to realize in the months following Keepsy's launch. You may recall back in December of last year, the startup launched as a way to create tangible photo albums with all of your friends using Facebook. It's a good idea. But again, there's a barrier to entry. So now Keepsy has a new product to alleviate that problem.
"Instant Albums" hooks into your Instagram pictures via their API and in seconds build you a complete photo album. Once you give them your Instagram credentials, Keepsy pulls in what it considers to be your 35 (or so) best pictures and organizes them for you into this book.
That's what Blake Williams has come to realize in the months following Keepsy's launch. You may recall back in December of last year, the startup launched as a way to create tangible photo albums with all of your friends using Facebook. It's a good idea. But again, there's a barrier to entry. So now Keepsy has a new product to alleviate that problem.
"Instant Albums" hooks into your Instagram pictures via their API and in seconds build you a complete photo album. Once you give them your Instagram credentials, Keepsy pulls in what it considers to be your 35 (or so) best pictures and organizes them for you into this book.
Today marks 50th anniversary of first silicon integrated circuit patent (and the entire computing industry)
There's little question that the last 50 years have represented the most innovative half-century in human history, and today marks the anniversary of the invention that started it all: the silicon-based integrated circuit. Robert Noyce received the landmark US patent on April 25, 1961, going on to found Intel Corporation with Gordon E. Moore (of Moore's Law fame) in 1968. He wasn't the first to invent the integrated circuit -- the inventor of the pocket calculator Jack Kilby patented a similar technology on a germanium wafer for Texas Instruments a few months prior. Noyce's silicon version stuck, however, and is responsible for Moore's estimated $3.7 billion net worth, not to mention the success of the entire computing industry. Holding 16 other patents and credited as a mentor of Steve Jobs, Noyce was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1987, and continued to shape the computing industry until his death in 1990. If Moore's Law continues to hold true, as we anticipate it will, we expect the next 50 years to be even more exciting than the last. Let's meet back here in 2061.Today marks 50th anniversary of first silicon integrated circuit patent (and the entire computing industry) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Calgary Herald | Email this | Comments
People Wearing This Casio Watch Might Be Terrorists [Terrorism]
If you wear the Casio F-91W watch, a cheap, widely available Casio watch, the US Government thinks you might be a terrorist. More »
Monday, April 25, 2011
What's really going on with the latest Higgs boson rumor? [Skepticism]
Rumors are again swirling that the Higgs boson, the missing subatomic particle of the Standard Model, has been found at last. But where did these reports come from, and should we believe them? Let's take a look at the evidence. More »
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for ?590, starting with Portugal
Some lucky Aussies might have been able to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v ahead of the rest of the world, but it turns out the Portuguese will actually be taking this Honeycomb tablet home first, starting tomorrow. Originally known as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 but quickly superseded by a slimmer, impending model, said transitional device is now listed on Vodafone Portugal's website with a more delightful €589.90 ($860, which is no doubt off-contract) tag to go with its HSPA+ radio, along with a big red "available from April 26th" stamp. We dug through Vodafone's other European sites and the only country that also mentions this Tegra 2 slate is the Netherlands, though it only indicates a "week 17" launch -- in other words, any time between now and May 1st. If you're in Europe and don't mind this slightly out-of-date whopper, be sure to check back as we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for more details.
[Thanks, Carlos O.]Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for ?590, starting with Portugal originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Vodafone Portugal, Vodafone Netherlands | Email this | Comments
[Thanks, Carlos O.]Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for ?590, starting with Portugal originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Vodafone Portugal, Vodafone Netherlands | Email this | Comments
Apple Computer Applied Materials Arian Semiconductor Equipment
YouTube Live now streaming select partners in real time
Not content with limiting its dominance in streaming uploaded videos, YouTube is now ready to take on competitors like Justin.TV and Ustream. The new YouTube Live service is being rolled out to select YouTube partners and will enable real-time broadcasting. In its official announcement, Google states that "The goal is to provide thousands of partners with the capability to live stream from their channels in the months ahead."
You can check out live broadcasts at http://www.youtube.com/live, where you'll also find a schedule of upcoming episodes from beta partners like Revision3 and Destructoid. You're also able to subscribe to YouTube Live broadcasts -- which will ensure you're notified when a new episode is coming up.YouTube Live now streaming select partners in real time originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
You can check out live broadcasts at http://www.youtube.com/live, where you'll also find a schedule of upcoming episodes from beta partners like Revision3 and Destructoid. You're also able to subscribe to YouTube Live broadcasts -- which will ensure you're notified when a new episode is coming up.YouTube Live now streaming select partners in real time originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
HTC Sensation procures online real estate, launches sign-up page
The G2X may be getting all the attention as the current flagship for T-Mobile, but HTC is bound and determined to make sure it doesn't stay that way for long. Curious souls may be happy to learn that a sign-up page has been set up for the HTC Sensation to update fans on news and announcements. This is a good sign that nary a precious moment of time is being wasted; after all, we've got a full six weeks before the heavily-rumored June 8 launch, and there's an abundance of opportunities for the two companies to get the word out like crazy between now and then. Who can blame them for taking advantage of one of the summer's hottest devices? Interested folks should head to the source link below to sign up.Filed under: CellphonesHTC Sensation procures online real estate, launches sign-up page originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Android Community | HTC | Email this | Comments
Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation
Google Chrome 11 -- which just recently made the move to the browser's beta channel -- has received a minor update that gives developers access to two new APIs.
The first is a full-featured proxy API, which will, for example, allow users to set different proxy servers for normal browsing and Incognito mode. Proxy auto-config scripts are also supported by the API.
The second -- Web Navigation Extension -- is a bit more expansive. This API will allow devs to build everything from more powerful safe browsing extensions -- like Traffic Light -- to data analysis and reporting extensions.
Both APIs are currently experimental, so you'll need to enable them on the about:flags page to try out any relevant extensions. Apart from a proxy example built by Google and shipped with the Chromium source, we're not aware of any examples just yet, however. We'll let you know when we spot any slick, new extensions which do surface.Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The first is a full-featured proxy API, which will, for example, allow users to set different proxy servers for normal browsing and Incognito mode. Proxy auto-config scripts are also supported by the API.
The second -- Web Navigation Extension -- is a bit more expansive. This API will allow devs to build everything from more powerful safe browsing extensions -- like Traffic Light -- to data analysis and reporting extensions.
Both APIs are currently experimental, so you'll need to enable them on the about:flags page to try out any relevant extensions. Apart from a proxy example built by Google and shipped with the Chromium source, we're not aware of any examples just yet, however. We'll let you know when we spot any slick, new extensions which do surface.Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
(Try to) Map Your House with MagicPlan [Apps]
Should you ever need a floor plan of your home, bringing in a professional to do the measurements might be expensive. And time consuming! So MagicPlan wants to replace human work, automatically creating a map of your humble abode. More »
Sunday, April 24, 2011
More Proof of Windows 8 Facial Recognition Shows Up in API [Windows 8]
Facial recognition was one of the purported Windows 8 features to surface last summer in a batch of leaked docs. Now, the login API in the latest build of Windows 8 is making that rumor seem more likely. More »
Top Stories: Friday, April 22, 2011 [Total Recap]
Cadbury Eggsplosion | Short Answer: Not as resilient as Twinkies More »
Taptu: A Diverse Media Buffet Served on Tiny Little Plates
Those of us who gorge ourselves on a daily diet of bite-sized blog tapas, social media chicken nuggets and the occasional full meal of a long and deep read tend to organize our phones and computers in a highly personalized system of information consumption. It's a messy way to live, but there are apps out there that at least attempt to keep it all under control, for the most part.
DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update)
Just like the web versions of HBO Go and Max Go are accessible both through their own sites and various provider portals, DirecTV has announced it will include access to them in its own apps on iPad, iPhone and "select Android devices" at the same time native Go apps launch. There's no word on what restrictions may be placed on Android, if it's just Froyo or higher hardware with Flash accessibility, then that's one thing, but Netflix-style DRM tie ups could prove to be much more frustrating to our Game of Thrones streaming plans. The announcement came from DirecTV's official Twitter account which indicated the apps would progress beyond mere remote control and DVR scheduling on the same May 2nd date previously teased in HBO's YouTube trailer -- we'll wait and see how long it takes to be integrated into similar apps from competitors like Comcast and Verizon FiOS.
Update: We've just heard from DirecTV that this was a "mistweet", as it turns out they won't be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else. Check the @DirecTV account for the latest tweets, we'll put this one on the shelf next to the DirecTiVo for now.DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | @DirecTV (Twitter), (2), Correction | Email this | Comments
Update: We've just heard from DirecTV that this was a "mistweet", as it turns out they won't be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else. Check the @DirecTV account for the latest tweets, we'll put this one on the shelf next to the DirecTiVo for now.DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | @DirecTV (Twitter), (2), Correction | Email this | Comments
Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser
Back when I was a kid, I used to love crafting ornate puzzle boxes out of Lego. There would be just one way to open the box, by carefully shifting and rotating a bunch of pieces. Well, either that, or breaking the box in frustration.
Interlocked takes that spirit and turns it into a beautiful Flash game. It's a good thing the soundtrack is soothing, because the game itself can get pretty frustrating.
At the start of each level, you're presented with a box built out of blocks in different colors. You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the box any which way. Once you decide you want to shift a part of the box, hit SPACE to switch into "move" mode. You can then click any part of the box and drag it. Of course, you can only move a part as long as nothing is in its way. So it becomes a matter of understanding how the box is built, and what parts you need to move around so you could eventually take the box apart.
It's a tricky, difficult game, but it's a great brain teaser -- and definitely a keeper.Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Interlocked takes that spirit and turns it into a beautiful Flash game. It's a good thing the soundtrack is soothing, because the game itself can get pretty frustrating.
At the start of each level, you're presented with a box built out of blocks in different colors. You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the box any which way. Once you decide you want to shift a part of the box, hit SPACE to switch into "move" mode. You can then click any part of the box and drag it. Of course, you can only move a part as long as nothing is in its way. So it becomes a matter of understanding how the box is built, and what parts you need to move around so you could eventually take the box apart.
It's a tricky, difficult game, but it's a great brain teaser -- and definitely a keeper.Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Google Latitude check-in deals now available across the US
Recently, Google has been busy beefing up Latitude to make it more competitive with other location apps -- and more fun to use. Location history was added recently, iOS users can post check-ins via Latitude, and now Google has begun rolling out location-based deals which are tied to the service.
If you're in the U.S., you can now score local savings at participating merchants by checking in with Latitude. Google will also be offering "status deals," which users can unlock by visiting a particular merchant on a regular basis. Mashable notes three status levels: regular, VIP, and guru -- though partners can apparently customize those titles if they choose.
Right now deals are available from merchants like American Eagle Outfitters, Arby's, Finish Line, Macy's, Quiznos, and RadioShack.Google Latitude check-in deals now available across the US originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
If you're in the U.S., you can now score local savings at participating merchants by checking in with Latitude. Google will also be offering "status deals," which users can unlock by visiting a particular merchant on a regular basis. Mashable notes three status levels: regular, VIP, and guru -- though partners can apparently customize those titles if they choose.
Right now deals are available from merchants like American Eagle Outfitters, Arby's, Finish Line, Macy's, Quiznos, and RadioShack.Google Latitude check-in deals now available across the US originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Verizon Undecided on Offering 4G BlackBerry PlayBook
Research in Motion previously said its PlayBook tablet would be available on Verizon, but Verizon isn’t ready to hop on board just yet.
Verizon Wireless has yet to decide whether it will offer the BlackBerry PlayBook to its customers, according to a company spokesperson.
“We are still evaluating the Blackberry Playbook and have not made a [...]
Verizon Wireless has yet to decide whether it will offer the BlackBerry PlayBook to its customers, according to a company spokesperson.
“We are still evaluating the Blackberry Playbook and have not made a [...]
As Greenpeace Knocks IT Sector For Bad Energy Habits, Google Buys More Wind Power
On Thursday, Greenpeace published a study on energy consumption and choices made by IT companies including Akamai, Amazon.com (Amazon Web Services), Apple, Facebook, Google, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Twitter, and Yahoo, entitled "How Dirty Is Your Data?". The study roundly criticizes the sector, especially Facebook, for using "dirty energy" ? power produced from hydrocarbon based sources, especially coal ? to meet growing IT demand. It also criticized companies for concealing details about their own, overall energy footprint and practices.
Greenpeace specifically noted (excerpt from the environmental activists' own summary): Data centers, which house the explosion of virtual information, currently consume 1.5 to 2 percent of all global electricity and are growing at a rate of 12 percent each year; Companies in the sector, as a whole, do not release information on their energy use and its associated global warming emissions...
Greenpeace specifically noted (excerpt from the environmental activists' own summary): Data centers, which house the explosion of virtual information, currently consume 1.5 to 2 percent of all global electricity and are growing at a rate of 12 percent each year; Companies in the sector, as a whole, do not release information on their energy use and its associated global warming emissions...
Tasty Planet is a fun flash game where you eat everything in sight
So this professor comes up with a new toilet cleaner that works by "eating" the dirt; or so he thinks. That's how the plot starts for Tasty Planet. You play the role of the toilet cleaner, but you're not really a toilet cleaner after all -- you're a blob of gray goo that can eat anything that's smaller than yourself.
As you chomp away, you grow -- and as you grow, you can eat bigger and bigger stuff. The first level pits you against microscopic particles; by the time I stopped playing, I got all the way to eating cats and dogs. I know that sounds disturbing, but it's a really cute game, and there's no gore or anything like that.
Supposedly you keep growing and growing until you're able to eat whole planets (hence the name). The challenge factor comes when you realize you can't touch any critter larger than yourself - you'll get "bitten" and become smaller. In the beginning you're so small, that a single touch can kill you. Later on, you're big enough that touching larger animals doesn't kill you on the spot, but it does reduce your size. Each level is timed, so if you're not large enough by the time your clock runs out, you need to start again. As long as you don't touch the larger animals, you should be fine.
All in all, a fun, addictive little game. It's available for iOS, too.Tasty Planet is a fun flash game where you eat everything in sight originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
As you chomp away, you grow -- and as you grow, you can eat bigger and bigger stuff. The first level pits you against microscopic particles; by the time I stopped playing, I got all the way to eating cats and dogs. I know that sounds disturbing, but it's a really cute game, and there's no gore or anything like that.
Supposedly you keep growing and growing until you're able to eat whole planets (hence the name). The challenge factor comes when you realize you can't touch any critter larger than yourself - you'll get "bitten" and become smaller. In the beginning you're so small, that a single touch can kill you. Later on, you're big enough that touching larger animals doesn't kill you on the spot, but it does reduce your size. Each level is timed, so if you're not large enough by the time your clock runs out, you need to start again. As long as you don't touch the larger animals, you should be fine.
All in all, a fun, addictive little game. It's available for iOS, too.Tasty Planet is a fun flash game where you eat everything in sight originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Top 5 Musical Uses for Your iPhone?s Formerly Secret Location Log [IPhone]
As reported by Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden on O'Reilly on Wednesday, Apple's iPhone and iPads with cellular data connections have been recording their users' whereabouts in a file that gets backed up to their computers for reasons unknown. More »
PSX games now available in the Android Market, if you own an Xperia Play
If you're lucky enough to own an Xperia Play -- Sony Ericsson's new Gingerbread-powered smartphone-cum-gamepad -- you can now buy PlayStation (PSX) titles from the Android Market.
There are five titles currently available, all priced at £3.99: Syphon Filter, MediEvil, Cool Boarders 2, Destruction Derby, and Jumping Flash. They don't have an American price yet, but that will surely change once the Xperia Play launches in the States.
Two important questions remain unanswered: How big are these games? The Market descriptions say the games are only 5MB, but that sounds incredibly unlikely -- and more importantly, will it be possible to 'spoof' the Xperia Play and download PSX games onto other Gingerbread-powered phones, like the Nexus S?
In other news, the PlayStation emulator PSX4droid was recently removed from the Android Market. This obviously has nothing to do with today's release of first-party PlayStation games.PSX games now available in the Android Market, if you own an Xperia Play originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
There are five titles currently available, all priced at £3.99: Syphon Filter, MediEvil, Cool Boarders 2, Destruction Derby, and Jumping Flash. They don't have an American price yet, but that will surely change once the Xperia Play launches in the States.
Two important questions remain unanswered: How big are these games? The Market descriptions say the games are only 5MB, but that sounds incredibly unlikely -- and more importantly, will it be possible to 'spoof' the Xperia Play and download PSX games onto other Gingerbread-powered phones, like the Nexus S?
In other news, the PlayStation emulator PSX4droid was recently removed from the Android Market. This obviously has nothing to do with today's release of first-party PlayStation games.PSX games now available in the Android Market, if you own an Xperia Play originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Verizon Undecided on Offering 4G BlackBerry PlayBook
Research in Motion previously said its PlayBook tablet would be available on Verizon, but Verizon isn’t ready to hop on board just yet.
Verizon Wireless has yet to decide whether it will offer the BlackBerry PlayBook to its customers, according to a company spokesperson.
“We are still evaluating the Blackberry Playbook and have not made a [...]
Verizon Wireless has yet to decide whether it will offer the BlackBerry PlayBook to its customers, according to a company spokesperson.
“We are still evaluating the Blackberry Playbook and have not made a [...]
Friday, April 22, 2011
Seven Simple Ways to Save the World from Home [Homemod]
Kermit famously sang "It's not easy being green." Wrong again, talking frog; it's actually not that tough. You probably know the basics: compact fluorescent bulbs, reusable shopping bags, and public transportation. But wait, there's more! And it's also pretty easy. Here are seven ways to save the planet—and a few greenbacks along the way: More »
Help Keep Mom Safe for Mother?s Day
I know pepper spray isn’t the first thing you consider for a Mother’s Day gift, but I think giving something to keep your mother safe is a great way to show her you love her.� The Sabre Pepper Spray Home & Away Protection Kit contains a small canister for her keychain, and a larger glow-in-the-dark [...]
The Wi-Fi Location Data Google Collects From Your Phone? It's Tagged With a Unique ID (Updated) [Google]
The WSJ's headline—"Apple, Google Collect User Data"—borders on art, but the real point of note from the piece as it attempts to corral and make sense of the sprawling issue of cellphone location data is that when Google collects data about nearby Wi-Fi hotspots from your phone, that data is apparently tagged with "a unique identifier tied to an individual's phone," and it's sent to Google "at least several times an hour." More »
Gorgeous Slow Camera Box Is Like an Analog Instagram
David McCourt has come up with the idea of Slow Photography. Essentially, it’s a bulky, analog version of all the photo grungifying apps for the iPhone. The big difference, though, is that you’ll look way cooler when you’re doing it.
David’s Slow Camera is a box which treats your cellphone like a piece of film. You [...]
David’s Slow Camera is a box which treats your cellphone like a piece of film. You [...]
How City Hall Nearly Burned Down the Bronx [Firefighting]
Firefighting is more than fancy hats and ladder trucks - there's both a science and an art to it. Joe Flood's The Fires shows how New York's Bravest take out a blaze from the top down. More »
Why Apple Collects Detailed Location Data from Your iPhone [IPhone]
All iSpy conspiracy bullshit aside, you are probably more interested in what your iPhone does with location data. Well, if you opt-in to the iPhone's location services, detailed—but anonymized—location data is transmitted back to Apple on a regular basis. More »
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls
Nortel, once one of the biggest telecoms company in the world but now in the death throes of bankruptcy, has selected Google's $900 million bid for its patent portfolio as the stalking horse bid. This doesn't mean that Google will automatically win Nortel's massive array of telecoms patents, but it does mean that Google is the preferred buyer.
Google, which has a history of lobbying for patent law reform, has been the target of many patent litigation suits. Google's relative infancy means that it has a lot less patents in the vault than big-hitters like Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, and buying Nortel's portfolio of 6,000 patents could provide better protection against patent litigation in the future. It's worth noting that both Apple and RIM have showed interested in the portfolio, too.
Mashable speculates that the patents -- which are nearly all telecoms-related -- will be used to defend against Oracle's attacks on Android's use of Java. We reckon that Google is simply looking to cover its future endeavors in the world of networking. In the absence of patent law reform, and continued threats to net neutrality, owning a bunch of telecoms patents sounds like a very sensible move.Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Google, which has a history of lobbying for patent law reform, has been the target of many patent litigation suits. Google's relative infancy means that it has a lot less patents in the vault than big-hitters like Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, and buying Nortel's portfolio of 6,000 patents could provide better protection against patent litigation in the future. It's worth noting that both Apple and RIM have showed interested in the portfolio, too.
Mashable speculates that the patents -- which are nearly all telecoms-related -- will be used to defend against Oracle's attacks on Android's use of Java. We reckon that Google is simply looking to cover its future endeavors in the world of networking. In the absence of patent law reform, and continued threats to net neutrality, owning a bunch of telecoms patents sounds like a very sensible move.Google bids $900 million for Nortel's patents to protect against litigation trolls originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ask DLS: Cross-platform multiplayer games that work on Android and iOS
Here's one for our knowledgeable commenters: I recently bought my girlfriend an iPad. I, on the other hand, own an Android device. And now we're looking for games we can play using both devices.
There's no dearth of multiplayer games either for Android or for iOS. But finding multiplayer games that can cross the platform boundary is an entirely different matter.
Jay recently posted Words with Friends which is one such game. It's actually an ideal example, because it's turn-based so you don't necessarily both have to be next to your device at the same time (great for long-distance gaming).
But what other examples are there? What multiplayer games are there that let iOS users play with Android users?
[Why am I now humming 'Ebony and Ivory'? -Ed]Ask DLS: Cross-platform multiplayer games that work on Android and iOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
There's no dearth of multiplayer games either for Android or for iOS. But finding multiplayer games that can cross the platform boundary is an entirely different matter.
Jay recently posted Words with Friends which is one such game. It's actually an ideal example, because it's turn-based so you don't necessarily both have to be next to your device at the same time (great for long-distance gaming).
But what other examples are there? What multiplayer games are there that let iOS users play with Android users?
[Why am I now humming 'Ebony and Ivory'? -Ed]Ask DLS: Cross-platform multiplayer games that work on Android and iOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Just Mobile Lounge iPhone Stand Review
I used to have a Treo and the Palm dock, and I really got used to reading and whatnot while it was plugged into the dock on my desk. Since then I?ve tried to get the same functionality out of my iPhone but never really found a working solution. For example, the Apple dock is [...]
Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?
Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott have posted a second look at some of the early changes which have surface in Windows 8 milestone 3. First there was the restyled Welcome Screen, and now it appears that Microsoft is toying with bringing the Ribbon UI to Explorer.
The Ribbon, like in Microsoft Word and Excel, is context-aware, adding tabs for specific tasks which apply to the folder you're viewing -- such as library or picture management. You can also make out two new buttons in the status bar, which allow you to change the current folder's view style.
It's clear from all the placeholder images and repeated elements that this is very much a work in progress, but featuring the Ribbon more prominently in Windows 8 would certainly be a logical progression for Microsoft. It's slowly become more ubiquitous, moving beyond Office and into Wordpad, Paint, and several of the Windows Live Essentials applications.
There's more to the screenshots than the Ribbon UI, however. Our friend Long Zheng has noted two interesting elements in the images: Web sharing and sync (image after the break). That would likely mean users will be able to quickly upload files to SkyDrive and synchronize using Live Mesh right from Explorer in Windows 8. That's not a total surprise considering many of the earliest leaked images of Windows 8 showed Windows Live integration on the desktop.Continue reading Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The Ribbon, like in Microsoft Word and Excel, is context-aware, adding tabs for specific tasks which apply to the folder you're viewing -- such as library or picture management. You can also make out two new buttons in the status bar, which allow you to change the current folder's view style.
It's clear from all the placeholder images and repeated elements that this is very much a work in progress, but featuring the Ribbon more prominently in Windows 8 would certainly be a logical progression for Microsoft. It's slowly become more ubiquitous, moving beyond Office and into Wordpad, Paint, and several of the Windows Live Essentials applications.
There's more to the screenshots than the Ribbon UI, however. Our friend Long Zheng has noted two interesting elements in the images: Web sharing and sync (image after the break). That would likely mean users will be able to quickly upload files to SkyDrive and synchronize using Live Mesh right from Explorer in Windows 8. That's not a total surprise considering many of the earliest leaked images of Windows 8 showed Windows Live integration on the desktop.Continue reading Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration?Windows 8 Explorer to feature Ribbon UI, SkyDrive and Mesh integration? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
50% Of Apple?s Revenue Now Comes From The iPhone
Over the last 3 months (December 26th, 2010 - March 26th, 2011), Apple pulled in a grand total of 24.6 billion dollars. Now, what percentage of that do you think is from the iPhone? 10%? 25%?
Get this: 50%. Yep. According to Apple's latest earning report, an entire half of Apple's quarterly revenue is coming in from the iPhone and iPhone-related products.
Get this: 50%. Yep. According to Apple's latest earning report, an entire half of Apple's quarterly revenue is coming in from the iPhone and iPhone-related products.
High Tech Computer Hon Hai Precision Ind Hynix Semiconductor
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Nissan Leaf Nismo RC all-electric race car eyes-on
When Nissan announced the Leaf RC we, naturally, were expecting a little radio controlled version of the battery-electric sedan that's making its way to driveways now -- slowly. We certainly didn't expect a race version of the thing, but that's what Nissan created, and now here it is at the New York International Auto Show, sitting on a turntable and spinning away. In fact you could envision that spinning stretching it out. It's rather... longer than the stock Leaf. In fact, it really looks nothing at all like the stock car, but if it did it'd be all the more strange on the track than this long, low, spread-out, carbon fiber wedge. They are at least both pure electrics and both painted blue, though under the cerulean lights here just about everything is looking decidedly cool. Okay, so 107HP, a top speed of 93MPH, and a maximum duration of just 20 minutes on the track will hardly see this winning any WTCC races, but with a weight of just 2,068 pounds (some 700 less than a Tesla Roadster) we'd certainly take one for a spin -- even if it were a short one.
Gallery: Nissan Leaf Nismo RCNissan Leaf Nismo RC all-electric race car eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Gallery: Nissan Leaf Nismo RCNissan Leaf Nismo RC all-electric race car eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Triquint Semiconductor Trimble Navigation Limited Trident Microsystems
GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X
GNOME 3, after more than two years of development, has been released into the wild. GNOME 3 is not merely the logical successor of GNOME 2: it is an entirely new project, started from scratch, to create a "completely new, modern desktop designed for today's users and technologies."
The best way to check out GNOME 3's new features -- and it has lots of new features -- is to run a live version of openSUSE or Fedora, or simply head over to the GNOME 3 website and watch the (rather pretty) introductory videos. If you want a synopsis, though, here it is: GNOME 3 looks a lot like Mac OS X, with a healthy dollop of iOSesqueness for good measure, but yet it still somehow retains an underlying feel of Linux.
The overall aesthetic is very simple, very elegant, and despite being slightly out of fashion, there are plenty of rounded corners, too. The main addition, workflow-wise, is the addition of an app-launcher-cum-alt-tab screen, where you can launch apps, or flip through your open windows. For a complete list of the new features and changes, check the GNOME 3 release notes.
Despite GNOME 3 being officially launched, there aren't actually any releases for existing, stable Linux distros -- it's the live CD/USB images, or Ubuntu users will have to wait for the launch of 11.04 for a GNOME 3 PPA, but it will break Unity in the process. Fedora users will have to wait for for the May 24 release of Fedora 15. Of course, if you're feeling crazy, you can always build GNOME 3 from source.GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The best way to check out GNOME 3's new features -- and it has lots of new features -- is to run a live version of openSUSE or Fedora, or simply head over to the GNOME 3 website and watch the (rather pretty) introductory videos. If you want a synopsis, though, here it is: GNOME 3 looks a lot like Mac OS X, with a healthy dollop of iOSesqueness for good measure, but yet it still somehow retains an underlying feel of Linux.
The overall aesthetic is very simple, very elegant, and despite being slightly out of fashion, there are plenty of rounded corners, too. The main addition, workflow-wise, is the addition of an app-launcher-cum-alt-tab screen, where you can launch apps, or flip through your open windows. For a complete list of the new features and changes, check the GNOME 3 release notes.
Despite GNOME 3 being officially launched, there aren't actually any releases for existing, stable Linux distros -- it's the live CD/USB images, or Ubuntu users will have to wait for the launch of 11.04 for a GNOME 3 PPA, but it will break Unity in the process. Fedora users will have to wait for for the May 24 release of Fedora 15. Of course, if you're feeling crazy, you can always build GNOME 3 from source.GNOME 3 released, ushers in an interesting amalgam of iOS and OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Arian Semiconductor Equipment Arrow Electronics Asml Holding
Daily Crunch: Cloudy 3D Edition
Sony?s XDR-S16DBP Radio Can Sit On My Desk Anytime Amazon?s Cloud Player Tests The Limits Of The Record Labels? Patience Apple Patents 3D Camera System, Vows To Be Better Than The 3DS A Micro SD Reader And Camera In One? The Fuuvi Pick Is A Miracle! 10 Things That Simply Need To Be In iOS [...]
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
New Firefox Nightly and Aurora logos unearthed, and how to enable channel switching
Later today, Firefox will undergo its biggest developmental upheaval ever. Mozilla-central, the source of nightly builds, will be renumbered to version 5 -- and at long last, after years of wallowing around version 1, Mozilla's rendering and layout engine, Gecko, will also have its version number updated to match Firefox.
Shortly thereafter, Firefox's new channel system will be implemented. Firefox 5a2 will be introduced as the first Aurora build, and we should also see a Firefox 6 Nightly build. While we we're not sure where they came from, one Sören Hentzschel seems to have unearthed the new Nightly and Aurora logos (see above), along with new About Firefox dialogs (after the break).
In other news, if you want to take a sneak peek at the new 'channel changing' technology that will be introduced in upcoming Firefox builds, head to about:config and create a new string called app.update.desiredChannel -- the value doesn't matter. Then open Help > About Firefox and you'll be able to switch channel, but it doesn't do anything just yet (image after the break). Here's hoping that Firefox channel switching is smoother than Chrome.Continue reading New Firefox Nightly and Aurora logos unearthed, and how to enable channel switchingNew Firefox Nightly and Aurora logos unearthed, and how to enable channel switching originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Shortly thereafter, Firefox's new channel system will be implemented. Firefox 5a2 will be introduced as the first Aurora build, and we should also see a Firefox 6 Nightly build. While we we're not sure where they came from, one Sören Hentzschel seems to have unearthed the new Nightly and Aurora logos (see above), along with new About Firefox dialogs (after the break).
In other news, if you want to take a sneak peek at the new 'channel changing' technology that will be introduced in upcoming Firefox builds, head to about:config and create a new string called app.update.desiredChannel -- the value doesn't matter. Then open Help > About Firefox and you'll be able to switch channel, but it doesn't do anything just yet (image after the break). Here's hoping that Firefox channel switching is smoother than Chrome.Continue reading New Firefox Nightly and Aurora logos unearthed, and how to enable channel switchingNew Firefox Nightly and Aurora logos unearthed, and how to enable channel switching originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
ChromeLite: experience the ASCII Web of yesteryear
Have you ever wondered what the Web was like before the Mosaic Web browser? If you were born in the last 20-odd years, or you only discovered your inner geek recently, did you miss out on monochrome monitors and the dial-up BBS era? Well, here's your chance to get a sneak peek at history: grab the ChromeLite extension and marvel as the entire Web is transformed into ASCII characters.
Now, ChromeLite isn't really all that functional. For the most part, it simply strips images and converts text into a monospaced terminal font. There are a few Easter eggs inserted -- such as a fun message at the bottom of YouTube (image after the break) -- and some fun ASCII art, but that's about it. Rather oddly, most JavaScript continues to work -- so you can still enjoy Google Instant Search!
ChromeLite was actually made by Google as an April Fools' joke -- and indeed, an annoying 'you can uninstall this!' message appears at the top of every page -- but we're kind of hoping that Google, or another developer, takes ChromeLite and turns it into a real ASCII browsing extension with configurable settings. If anything, it will provide an easy way to save bandwidth and CPU time.Continue reading ChromeLite: experience the ASCII Web of yesteryearChromeLite: experience the ASCII Web of yesteryear originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Now, ChromeLite isn't really all that functional. For the most part, it simply strips images and converts text into a monospaced terminal font. There are a few Easter eggs inserted -- such as a fun message at the bottom of YouTube (image after the break) -- and some fun ASCII art, but that's about it. Rather oddly, most JavaScript continues to work -- so you can still enjoy Google Instant Search!
ChromeLite was actually made by Google as an April Fools' joke -- and indeed, an annoying 'you can uninstall this!' message appears at the top of every page -- but we're kind of hoping that Google, or another developer, takes ChromeLite and turns it into a real ASCII browsing extension with configurable settings. If anything, it will provide an easy way to save bandwidth and CPU time.Continue reading ChromeLite: experience the ASCII Web of yesteryearChromeLite: experience the ASCII Web of yesteryear originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Daily Crunch: Distortion Field Edition
Video: French Robot REETI Can Show Emotions CrunchDeals: Super Mega Worm For Super Mega Free Cardboard Pinhole Hasselblad Is Short On Megapixels, Long On Cute Video: New Touchscreen Control Interface Flexes When Scrolled 5 Reasons To Buy A Nintendo 3DS? And 5 Reasons Not To
Windows 8 getting a built-in PDF reader, Metro-style
For what seems like an eternity, Download Squad readers have reacted to news of security exploits targeting Adobe Reader with a common sentiment: why doesn't Microsoft build its own secure PDF reader into Windows? Apparently the Windows 8 team agrees, and they're working away at an application called Modern Reader which is exactly that.
From the handful of screenshots Paul Thurrott has shared, it's clear that Modern Reader has been built with Metro in mind. You can see the Reader back button in the top-left corner of the yellow image and the minimal page navigation bar on the right. We've posted some larger images we managed to scrape from Google's cache after the break.
Thurrott also mentions that Modern Reader is the first program spotted which is built using AppX -- a packaging technology that may allow developers to roll a single build to both Windows 8 desktops and Windows Phone 8 mobile devices.Continue reading Windows 8 getting a built-in PDF reader, Metro-styleWindows 8 getting a built-in PDF reader, Metro-style originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
From the handful of screenshots Paul Thurrott has shared, it's clear that Modern Reader has been built with Metro in mind. You can see the Reader back button in the top-left corner of the yellow image and the minimal page navigation bar on the right. We've posted some larger images we managed to scrape from Google's cache after the break.
Thurrott also mentions that Modern Reader is the first program spotted which is built using AppX -- a packaging technology that may allow developers to roll a single build to both Windows 8 desktops and Windows Phone 8 mobile devices.Continue reading Windows 8 getting a built-in PDF reader, Metro-styleWindows 8 getting a built-in PDF reader, Metro-style originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Monday, April 18, 2011
iPad 2 Screen Protector Could Disguise Lesser Tablets
I have never seen the point of screen protectors on glass screens: they add bubbles, they never go on straight and they are usually more prone to scratching than the glass they are supposed to protect. Still, if I was in the market for an iPad screen protector, then I might take a look at [...]
High Tech Computer Hon Hai Precision Ind Hynix Semiconductor
Shrink Your Graduate with a Sculpteo Figurine
The Sculpteo company “prints”, or creates, 3-dimensional figures from a 3-D computer file.� If you are a graphical designer, you can create your own images and have them rendered by Sculpteo.� If, like me, you have no artistic abilities, Sculpteo can help you create a 3-D likeness of yourself or a loved one.� You simply [...]
Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates United Online Unisys
Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser
Back when I was a kid, I used to love crafting ornate puzzle boxes out of Lego. There would be just one way to open the box, by carefully shifting and rotating a bunch of pieces. Well, either that, or breaking the box in frustration.
Interlocked takes that spirit and turns it into a beautiful Flash game. It's a good thing the soundtrack is soothing, because the game itself can get pretty frustrating.
At the start of each level, you're presented with a box built out of blocks in different colors. You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the box any which way. Once you decide you want to shift a part of the box, hit SPACE to switch into "move" mode. You can then click any part of the box and drag it. Of course, you can only move a part as long as nothing is in its way. So it becomes a matter of understanding how the box is built, and what parts you need to move around so you could eventually take the box apart.
It's a tricky, difficult game, but it's a great brain teaser -- and definitely a keeper.Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Interlocked takes that spirit and turns it into a beautiful Flash game. It's a good thing the soundtrack is soothing, because the game itself can get pretty frustrating.
At the start of each level, you're presented with a box built out of blocks in different colors. You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the box any which way. Once you decide you want to shift a part of the box, hit SPACE to switch into "move" mode. You can then click any part of the box and drag it. Of course, you can only move a part as long as nothing is in its way. So it becomes a matter of understanding how the box is built, and what parts you need to move around so you could eventually take the box apart.
It's a tricky, difficult game, but it's a great brain teaser -- and definitely a keeper.Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
HP may bless webOS with cloud-syncing music store
Rumor has it that HP is preparing to enter the cloud-based music storage fray. A reader at PreCentral sent in what purports to be a confidential PowerPoint presentation indicating the TouchPad will launch with an HP-branded music and movie store, as well as a smart syncing service that caches frequently accessed media for local playback. This may very well be the "Music Synergy" that SVP Steven McArthur mentioned to us. Amazon has already launched such an app and it's all but official that Google is planning the same thing, so it only makes sense that the company would want to imbue webOS with similar powers. We can't verify these claims ourselves and the slide above is clearly a wonky Photoshop job, but it's would hardly be surprising after snatching up Melodeo and the streaming music service Nutsie. And, while webOS and Android are working to banish the quaint ritual of plugging your cellphone into a computer, we can only imagine what the Lala team is up to -- maybe Jobs has them washing his turtlenecks.HP may bless webOS with cloud-syncing music store originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | PreCentral | Email this | Comments
Fly or Die: The HP Touchsmart All-In-One PC And The Businessweek iPad App
It's big screen week on Fly or Die. This week, John Biggs and I take a look at the HP Touchsmart All-in-One PC, a 14-inch Toshiba portable monitor, and the new Businessweek iPad app. As usual, a surprise guest joins us to defend his company's product decisions.
HP has been trying to bring touch computing to desktop PCs with its Touchsmart line. The problem has always been that raising your hands to manipulate a touchscreen in front of you from a sitting position is unnatural, uncomfortable, and tiring. To address this issue, the new all-in-one Touchsmart reclines so that you can go from regular keyboard mode to surface computing mode. It is an improvement from past efforts, but to me it's a mistake to have a device with dual modes. You are going to pick one?keyboard/mouse or touch?and ignore the other. Does everything really need to be a touchscreen?
HP has been trying to bring touch computing to desktop PCs with its Touchsmart line. The problem has always been that raising your hands to manipulate a touchscreen in front of you from a sitting position is unnatural, uncomfortable, and tiring. To address this issue, the new all-in-one Touchsmart reclines so that you can go from regular keyboard mode to surface computing mode. It is an improvement from past efforts, but to me it's a mistake to have a device with dual modes. You are going to pick one?keyboard/mouse or touch?and ignore the other. Does everything really need to be a touchscreen?
Intersections International Rectifier International Game Technology
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game
Sand Trap is one of those games that at first seem too hard to bother with, but when you try to stop playing it you discover you're hooked.
The goal is to get as much sand as you possibly can out of the maze and into the bucket at the bottom of the screen. You need to rotate your maze every which way to get the sand rolling around it. You then try to direct the sand to one of the exits of the maze, and hopefully into the bucket. It took me several tries to actually get sand into the bucket, but that might be due to the fact that I didn't even realize the bucket was there at first. Things improved significantly after that.
As you level up, the mazes get more complicated, with moving parts and other things making your life more difficult. Once you manage to get through all these obstacles and get enough sand into your bucket, you can move on.
As I mentioned, this is not an easy game, but it's highly addictive. The graphics remind me of some long lost game from the 80s, but this just proves that you don't need super graphics and crazy sound to make a game work. There's a soothing guitar track playing in the background and that's it, as far as I could hear, and you can enjoy it just as much with no sound at all.
If you like a fun physics challenge, don't miss out on this one!Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The goal is to get as much sand as you possibly can out of the maze and into the bucket at the bottom of the screen. You need to rotate your maze every which way to get the sand rolling around it. You then try to direct the sand to one of the exits of the maze, and hopefully into the bucket. It took me several tries to actually get sand into the bucket, but that might be due to the fact that I didn't even realize the bucket was there at first. Things improved significantly after that.
As you level up, the mazes get more complicated, with moving parts and other things making your life more difficult. Once you manage to get through all these obstacles and get enough sand into your bucket, you can move on.
As I mentioned, this is not an easy game, but it's highly addictive. The graphics remind me of some long lost game from the 80s, but this just proves that you don't need super graphics and crazy sound to make a game work. There's a soothing guitar track playing in the background and that's it, as far as I could hear, and you can enjoy it just as much with no sound at all.
If you like a fun physics challenge, don't miss out on this one!Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
A Free Way to Wirelessly Transfer Photos from Your iPhone to Your Computer [Apps]
Transferring pictures from your iPhone to computer can be annoying! Plugging in a cable and waiting for Image Capture to load and then syncing pictures over? Not cool. Apps like Photosync are great (and do two way transfers) but cost money, Wi-Fi Photo Transfer for iPhone is completely free. More »
Logitech Alert (App) for iPad
Logitech has just released an iPad specific Alert security system app. This new app enables you to view HD video (720p) and listen to sound captured by your Logitech Alert security system via your iPad. This past month, I reviewed the Logitech Alert 750i Master System…..thought so highly of it, I have replaced our old [...]
Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication
Mozilla Messaging, citing Mozilla's increased focus on Web-borne communications, will be reintegrating with Mozilla Labs.
The Messaging subsidiary was formed in 2008 to focus on Thunderbird, but given Mozilla Labs' current focus on identity and contact management, it now makes sense for the groups to be merged. Thunderbird will be unaffected by the change -- some URLs might change, but that's it -- and presumably Messaging's F1 and Raindrop will thrive in the Labs playground.
What this means for the end user -- for the hundreds of millions of Firefox users -- is that the next big additions will be communication- and messaging-oriented. Contacts and F1 will be almost certainly be baked into Firefox 5 or 6, both of which will be released this year -- and, who knows, there might be something else even more exciting up Mozilla Labs' sleeve!Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The Messaging subsidiary was formed in 2008 to focus on Thunderbird, but given Mozilla Labs' current focus on identity and contact management, it now makes sense for the groups to be merged. Thunderbird will be unaffected by the change -- some URLs might change, but that's it -- and presumably Messaging's F1 and Raindrop will thrive in the Labs playground.
What this means for the end user -- for the hundreds of millions of Firefox users -- is that the next big additions will be communication- and messaging-oriented. Contacts and F1 will be almost certainly be baked into Firefox 5 or 6, both of which will be released this year -- and, who knows, there might be something else even more exciting up Mozilla Labs' sleeve!Mozilla Messaging reintegrates with Labs, unifies focus on Web-based communication originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Quotebook for iPhone [Video]
A good quote deserves to be remembered, and Quotebook is designed to do just that: it's a simple, elegant way to archive those scraps of language you know might be worth revisiting down the line. More »
Saturday, April 16, 2011
VinylLove for iPad Re-Creates That Warm Vinyl Record Sound for Your MP3s [Apps]
I'm sad that I never really got into vinyls because every time I hear a record play, I wish my silly iPod could capture that same texture and warmth. VinylLove for iPad tries to re-create that warm vinyl sound to great success. More »
Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features
Just recently, the Opera 11.10 release candidate was made available for download. It brought a handful of important feature additions -- like HTML5 File API support and IMAP enhancements -- and loads of bugfixes. Nestled in amongst the other details in the Opera team's announcement is one more interesting tidbit: Opera 11.10 offers improved battery optimizations.
The timing here is certainly interesting, what with Microsoft's recent report on how much power the top five Web browsers consume. In its findings, Opera 11 was fairly low in the standings. While we've not seen any new benchmarks yet, we're curious to know whether the Opera 11.10 RC offers any significant gains.
If you're running Opera 11.10 on a laptop, let us know if you're seeing an improvement in your battery life while browsing!Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The timing here is certainly interesting, what with Microsoft's recent report on how much power the top five Web browsers consume. In its findings, Opera 11 was fairly low in the standings. While we've not seen any new benchmarks yet, we're curious to know whether the Opera 11.10 RC offers any significant gains.
If you're running Opera 11.10 on a laptop, let us know if you're seeing an improvement in your battery life while browsing!Opera 11.10 includes improved power saving features originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ask DLS: What's your favorite mobile app at the moment?
The mobile app marketplace is exploding; there are now hundreds of thousands of apps on the iOS, Android and BlackBerry app markets. Heck, even Windows Phone 7 just crossed the 10,000 mark!
But alas, not all apps are created equal; some are way, way better than others. Which leads me to today's Ask DLS question: What is your favorite mobile app at the moment?
We don't necessarily mean the latest craze; we'd like to hear about apps that have stood the test of time on your device, apps that are among the first you install on a new smartphones, apps that have earned their place on your home screen and in your heart.
So, what are some of these apps? Bonus points for links to screenshots in the comments!Ask DLS: What's your favorite mobile app at the moment? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
But alas, not all apps are created equal; some are way, way better than others. Which leads me to today's Ask DLS question: What is your favorite mobile app at the moment?
We don't necessarily mean the latest craze; we'd like to hear about apps that have stood the test of time on your device, apps that are among the first you install on a new smartphones, apps that have earned their place on your home screen and in your heart.
So, what are some of these apps? Bonus points for links to screenshots in the comments!Ask DLS: What's your favorite mobile app at the moment? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
NowLive Throws Its Hat In The High Quality Live Streaming Video Ring
Companies like UStream, Livestream and even Google's YouTube are making a business out of live-streaming professional events on the web. Another player has entered the space, but is taking a more calculated approach to the live-streaming space. NowLive specializes in high quality live-streaming of red carpet premieres, concerts, celebrity chats, and more.
NowLive, which was founded by studio and tech vets from Paramount, MGM, MySpace, and MoviePhone, is setting its sights on becoming the go-to live streaming platform for major events in the entertainment and music industry. The startup's platform goes beyond just streaming video to the web and offers social streaming chat tools within its interface, ad units, and real-time interactive quizzes and polls. The company even offers a pop-up video-like information technology for livestreaming events on the web.
NowLive, which was founded by studio and tech vets from Paramount, MGM, MySpace, and MoviePhone, is setting its sights on becoming the go-to live streaming platform for major events in the entertainment and music industry. The startup's platform goes beyond just streaming video to the web and offers social streaming chat tools within its interface, ad units, and real-time interactive quizzes and polls. The company even offers a pop-up video-like information technology for livestreaming events on the web.
Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game
Sand Trap is one of those games that at first seem too hard to bother with, but when you try to stop playing it you discover you're hooked.
The goal is to get as much sand as you possibly can out of the maze and into the bucket at the bottom of the screen. You need to rotate your maze every which way to get the sand rolling around it. You then try to direct the sand to one of the exits of the maze, and hopefully into the bucket. It took me several tries to actually get sand into the bucket, but that might be due to the fact that I didn't even realize the bucket was there at first. Things improved significantly after that.
As you level up, the mazes get more complicated, with moving parts and other things making your life more difficult. Once you manage to get through all these obstacles and get enough sand into your bucket, you can move on.
As I mentioned, this is not an easy game, but it's highly addictive. The graphics remind me of some long lost game from the 80s, but this just proves that you don't need super graphics and crazy sound to make a game work. There's a soothing guitar track playing in the background and that's it, as far as I could hear, and you can enjoy it just as much with no sound at all.
If you like a fun physics challenge, don't miss out on this one!Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The goal is to get as much sand as you possibly can out of the maze and into the bucket at the bottom of the screen. You need to rotate your maze every which way to get the sand rolling around it. You then try to direct the sand to one of the exits of the maze, and hopefully into the bucket. It took me several tries to actually get sand into the bucket, but that might be due to the fact that I didn't even realize the bucket was there at first. Things improved significantly after that.
As you level up, the mazes get more complicated, with moving parts and other things making your life more difficult. Once you manage to get through all these obstacles and get enough sand into your bucket, you can move on.
As I mentioned, this is not an easy game, but it's highly addictive. The graphics remind me of some long lost game from the 80s, but this just proves that you don't need super graphics and crazy sound to make a game work. There's a soothing guitar track playing in the background and that's it, as far as I could hear, and you can enjoy it just as much with no sound at all.
If you like a fun physics challenge, don't miss out on this one!Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tasty Planet is a fun flash game where you eat everything in sight
So this professor comes up with a new toilet cleaner that works by "eating" the dirt; or so he thinks. That's how the plot starts for Tasty Planet. You play the role of the toilet cleaner, but you're not really a toilet cleaner after all -- you're a blob of gray goo that can eat anything that's smaller than yourself.
As you chomp away, you grow -- and as you grow, you can eat bigger and bigger stuff. The first level pits you against microscopic particles; by the time I stopped playing, I got all the way to eating cats and dogs. I know that sounds disturbing, but it's a really cute game, and there's no gore or anything like that.
Supposedly you keep growing and growing until you're able to eat whole planets (hence the name). The challenge factor comes when you realize you can't touch any critter larger than yourself - you'll get "bitten" and become smaller. In the beginning you're so small, that a single touch can kill you. Later on, you're big enough that touching larger animals doesn't kill you on the spot, but it does reduce your size. Each level is timed, so if you're not large enough by the time your clock runs out, you need to start again. As long as you don't touch the larger animals, you should be fine.
All in all, a fun, addictive little game. It's available for iOS, too.Tasty Planet is a fun flash game where you eat everything in sight originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
As you chomp away, you grow -- and as you grow, you can eat bigger and bigger stuff. The first level pits you against microscopic particles; by the time I stopped playing, I got all the way to eating cats and dogs. I know that sounds disturbing, but it's a really cute game, and there's no gore or anything like that.
Supposedly you keep growing and growing until you're able to eat whole planets (hence the name). The challenge factor comes when you realize you can't touch any critter larger than yourself - you'll get "bitten" and become smaller. In the beginning you're so small, that a single touch can kill you. Later on, you're big enough that touching larger animals doesn't kill you on the spot, but it does reduce your size. Each level is timed, so if you're not large enough by the time your clock runs out, you need to start again. As long as you don't touch the larger animals, you should be fine.
All in all, a fun, addictive little game. It's available for iOS, too.Tasty Planet is a fun flash game where you eat everything in sight originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Friday, April 15, 2011
Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7
We've been looking at some pretty cool Kinect and Windows interactions for a while now, but we were hoping that the release of an official SDK would lead to even more coolness. Evoluce has stepped up, and is now offering Win&I -- a full-featured gesture control system for Windows 7.
The company claims that a range of up to four meters is supported, which should be perfect for just about any home theater setting. In the video embedded after the break, you can see an Evoluce demonstrator flip through a photo album, pan through a map, rearrange application windows, browse the Web, and control media playback. Two versions of Win&I are offered -- the home version goes for about 20 Euros, the business version for 40.
Anyone else having fun pretending his stance is a little "Iron Man"? We're tempted to put a repulsor on that hand.Continue reading Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The company claims that a range of up to four meters is supported, which should be perfect for just about any home theater setting. In the video embedded after the break, you can see an Evoluce demonstrator flip through a photo album, pan through a map, rearrange application windows, browse the Web, and control media playback. Two versions of Win&I are offered -- the home version goes for about 20 Euros, the business version for 40.
Anyone else having fun pretending his stance is a little "Iron Man"? We're tempted to put a repulsor on that hand.Continue reading Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7Evoluce Win&I brings Kinect gesture controls to Windows 7 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The Great White iPhone Hunt
Captain Ahab was obsessed with Moby Dick. Quint in the movie "Jaws" had his sights set on a great white shark. Now Apple fans are all aflutter over the fabled white iPhone 4, a device that has been winking in and out of potential existence since June of last year, when it was expected to be available. But instead, only a black model appeared.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Kogan's Agora Internet TV Portal promises Android Market access, our LCDs remain skeptical
Believe it or not, we're still rooting for Ruslan Kogan and the rest of his Aussie compatriots, but the company's announcement today of an Android 2.2 set-top TV box with full Market access is, as usual, equal parts intriguing and unbelievable. The Kogan Agora Internet TV Portal: Powered by Android is priced at A$149 with a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor from Samsung, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of flash storage, HDMI output and three USB ports for external storage, that it claims will bring the full internet -- including everyone's favorite Angry Birds -- to your TV screen. According to the sales page it's expected to ship May 27th to anywhere you like, as long as it's in Australia or the UK. We'll mark our calendars to see if it beats official Google TV boxes to Market access in the living room (we're still waiting for the TV shown off last year), but in the meantime check after the break for a press release with more details on this box, a familiar looking 7-inch tablet that also claims access to the Market's thousands of apps and a couple of netbooks. Finally, we spotted a video from ARM fan Charbax checking out what could be the OEM version of the TV box at CeBIT, so that's included after the break as well.
Gallery: Kogan Agora Internet TV Portal, tablet, netbooksContinue reading Kogan's Agora Internet TV Portal promises Android Market access, our LCDs remain skepticalKogan's Agora Internet TV Portal promises Android Market access, our LCDs remain skeptical originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Kogan | Email this | Comments
Gallery: Kogan Agora Internet TV Portal, tablet, netbooksContinue reading Kogan's Agora Internet TV Portal promises Android Market access, our LCDs remain skepticalKogan's Agora Internet TV Portal promises Android Market access, our LCDs remain skeptical originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Kogan | Email this | Comments
iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes
iSites -- a zero-code cloud-based 'app creator' -- can now generate HTML5 apps that work on iOS devices. With this new feature, dubbed 'InstantApp', you can now design a single app in your browser and publish it natively on Android and iOS, and as an HTML5 iPhone app.
We haven't looked at iSites before, but it shot to fame last year when it launched with native iOS and Android support. Self-publishing Android apps wasn't a problem because Google does very little moderation of the Market, but iSites ran into trouble with its iOS apps. Thousands of people signed up for the service after it was featured on Mashable and TechCrunch, and you can imagine Apple's chagrin as thousands of cookie cutter apps flooded its approval queue.
Genwi, the developer behind iSites, realized something had to be done -- it had to circumvent the App Store approval process. Genwi, of course, turned to HTML5 Web apps -- which can be pinned to the iPhone home screen and which can be shoehorned into almost behaving like native apps.
Read on for our experiences with iSites' new InstantApp HTML5 iOS app creator.Gallery: iSites InstantApp HTML5 iPhone app creationContinue reading iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutesiSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
We haven't looked at iSites before, but it shot to fame last year when it launched with native iOS and Android support. Self-publishing Android apps wasn't a problem because Google does very little moderation of the Market, but iSites ran into trouble with its iOS apps. Thousands of people signed up for the service after it was featured on Mashable and TechCrunch, and you can imagine Apple's chagrin as thousands of cookie cutter apps flooded its approval queue.
Genwi, the developer behind iSites, realized something had to be done -- it had to circumvent the App Store approval process. Genwi, of course, turned to HTML5 Web apps -- which can be pinned to the iPhone home screen and which can be shoehorned into almost behaving like native apps.
Read on for our experiences with iSites' new InstantApp HTML5 iOS app creator.Gallery: iSites InstantApp HTML5 iPhone app creationContinue reading iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutesiSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
(Founder Stories) Mike Walrath: ?It?s A Pipe Dream? Brands ?Will Move TV Budgets Online?
Mike Walrath spent his career at online advertising, first at Doubleclick and then at Right Media, where he was CEO before selling it to Yahoo for $850 million in 2007. Now he's back in the game, investing his own money in startups and launching new ones. But he as an investor, he's not putting money into ad tech startups. In the Founder Stories video above, he tells host Chris Dixon, "The problem with the adtech space is that it is actually fairly easy to build a company."
From an investing perspective, "It is hard to pick winners. There is obviously a big market out there but it is very fragmented." That is not to say he shies away from advertising startups entirely. He is chairman of Yext and is an investor in Inadco, along with Ron Conway, Matt Coffin, and Redpoint Ventures. But he thinks "things are expensive, so you have to pick winners."
From an investing perspective, "It is hard to pick winners. There is obviously a big market out there but it is very fragmented." That is not to say he shies away from advertising startups entirely. He is chairman of Yext and is an investor in Inadco, along with Ron Conway, Matt Coffin, and Redpoint Ventures. But he thinks "things are expensive, so you have to pick winners."
Scrabble Helper helps you improve your Words With Friends gameplay
If you play Scrabble (or a scrabble-like game) from time to time, you may want to check out Scrabble Helper. This simple website is a godsend when you're at a loss for words. Simply enter whatever letters you have, and the word you'd like to connect with. Scrabble helper comes up with a whole bunch of suggestions sorted by score.
The site lets you select one of five dictionaries - Scrabble International/US, Lexulous International/US, and Words With Friends. Some people might say this constitutes cheating -- I think if the other side knows you're doing it, it's definitely not cheating. And it doesn't take the challenge out of the game, because implementing Scrabble Helper's suggestions and deciding which words you'd like to connect with still takes a fair bit of thought.
Very handy, though perhaps not one for the Scrabble puritans in the crowd.Scrabble Helper helps you improve your Words With Friends gameplay originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The site lets you select one of five dictionaries - Scrabble International/US, Lexulous International/US, and Words With Friends. Some people might say this constitutes cheating -- I think if the other side knows you're doing it, it's definitely not cheating. And it doesn't take the challenge out of the game, because implementing Scrabble Helper's suggestions and deciding which words you'd like to connect with still takes a fair bit of thought.
Very handy, though perhaps not one for the Scrabble puritans in the crowd.Scrabble Helper helps you improve your Words With Friends gameplay originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality
Version 5.3 of Skype for Windows has just been released, with the main emphasis of the new release being improved call quality, and the quality of video received by mobile Skype users. Presumably one party of the video call must be using Skype for Windows 5.3, though.
Beyond improved call quality, not much has changed. You can now see your friends' presence icons when contact cards are collapsed, and the topic editing button is now always visible on the conversation header. For a complete list of changes, hit up the Skype Garage blog.
Download Skype 5.3 for Windows
Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Beyond improved call quality, not much has changed. You can now see your friends' presence icons when contact cards are collapsed, and the topic editing button is now always visible on the conversation header. For a complete list of changes, hit up the Skype Garage blog.
Download Skype 5.3 for Windows
Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Velve OLED lighting panels cover a broader spectrum (video)
The University of Michigan may boast the best blue, but Mitsubishi subsidiary Verbatim is showing off OLED lighting of a different color; several of them, actually. Demonstrated this week at the Fuori Salone show in Milan, these 14 x 14 cm Velve-branded lighting panels are amongst the first color tunable OLED light panels, giving off what Verbatim calls "colourful lighting with a luxurious feel; as smooth and as rich as velvet." Velve. Velvet. See what they did there? Sample Kits will be available in Japan later this month for ¥90,000 ($1,063), and Verbatim hopes to see the technology put to use in consumer products by the end of the year. Suddenly white light OLEDs look positively old hat -- here's hoping the price comes down before we burn through our incandescent stockpile.Velve OLED lighting panels cover a broader spectrum (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink OLED-info.com | YouTube (Verbatim) | Email this | Comments
Not Dead Yet: The Ultimate Guide to RSS in 2011 [Republished]
RSS is dead, they say!� They, being all of you who now get your news, information, and various social updates from one of the many online platforms you subscribe to.� But let it be said that all the Twitters, Facebooks, and Reddits in the world can't put a stake through the heart of the undying Really Simple Syndication feed.� It's a powerful part of the information distribution system that makes up the general Web, and its use on the mobile platform is unquestioned: Tablet PCs plus RSS equals sublime. More »
IScilloscope: $300 Kit Turns iPad, iPhone into Multitouch Oscilloscope
When I saw the Oscium iMSO-104 oscilloscope, I smacked my forehead with my open palm and cried “Of course!” What could be more sensible than taking a bulky, expensive piece of hardware and shrinking it down to fit in an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch?
The iMSO-104 is a combination of a free app and a [...]
The iMSO-104 is a combination of a free app and a [...]
Newly-released FBI memo from 1950 confirms "flying saucers" crashing in New Mexico [Mysteries]
It's unclear whether this memo is a hoax, but it has just appeared on the FBI's "vault" website, devoted to once-classified documents that have become public. The brief memo contains information from an Air Force informant about "flying saucers." More »
Eye-Fi Mobile X2 With ?Direct Mode? Beams Photos to Your iPad
Eye-Fi has launched yet another Wi-Fi SD card to coincide with the debut of Direct Mode, which is probably the most exciting thing to happen to SD cards since Eye-Fi first started putting tiny radios in them in the first place.
(Head over to our products site to see our exclusive review of the new Mobile [...]
(Head over to our products site to see our exclusive review of the new Mobile [...]
Power Assure?s Software To Make Cisco Blade Servers More Energy Efficient
At the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing today, Power Assure ? a green IT business from Santa Clara, Calif. ? revealed that its energy management software is now compatible with Cisco's Unified Computing System (UCS) Blade servers.
According to Jed Scaramella, a research manager for servers at IDC, here's how fast blade servers, in general, are gaining traction in the market:
In 2010, the server blade market in the U.S. was $2.7 billion, representing approximately 14 percent of the U.S. server market... [IDC] expects the blade segment to grow 19.8 percent in 2011 to $3.2 billion in the U.S - compared to the total U.S. server growth of 2.4 percent.
On a worldwide level, the blade market is expected to grow 22.4 percent in revenue over the next year to $7.3 billion, which is relative to total server worldwide revenue growth of 3.5 percent...
According to Jed Scaramella, a research manager for servers at IDC, here's how fast blade servers, in general, are gaining traction in the market:
In 2010, the server blade market in the U.S. was $2.7 billion, representing approximately 14 percent of the U.S. server market... [IDC] expects the blade segment to grow 19.8 percent in 2011 to $3.2 billion in the U.S - compared to the total U.S. server growth of 2.4 percent.
On a worldwide level, the blade market is expected to grow 22.4 percent in revenue over the next year to $7.3 billion, which is relative to total server worldwide revenue growth of 3.5 percent...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Is the World Ready for a 23-Inch Tablet? [Tablets]
I don't think anyone was ready for the Kno tablet, which had two 14-inch screens, so what makes Lenovo think a 23-inch tablet would do well? Some smart guy thinks a large screen that can be used for all would be ideal for the home. More »
Tweet-Generating Website Knows You Better than You Know Yourself [Twitter]
If there's one single problem with Twitter, it's crafting that perfect 140-character dispatch—so arduous. The impeccable balance of wit, brevity, and pop cultural references is so tricky! Not anymore. This site mines your Twitter archives for source material. More »
Google Cloud Print comes to HP ePrint printers
HP has become the first major OEM to deliver support for Google Cloud Print in retail-boxed printers. In an official release, HP announced that its ePrint-enabled printers are now fully Cloud Print compatible. Just sign in to your Google account, pick your HP ePrint device, and you're ready to fire off a print job from anywhere you've got Internet access. Well, as long as your app supports Cloud Print as well -- like Gmail and Google Docs, for example.
We're curious, though -- how many of you are still printing? Like our pals at Engadget, our printers have been mostly gathering dust for the last few years.
Google Cloud Print comes to HP ePrint printers originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
We're curious, though -- how many of you are still printing? Like our pals at Engadget, our printers have been mostly gathering dust for the last few years.
Google Cloud Print comes to HP ePrint printers originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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