Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/12/the-great-in-flight-wifi-speed-test/
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wired’s Great In-Flight Wi-Fi Speed Test
Words With Friends for Android updated, promises "smoother game experience"
You might be happy to hear that a couple of days ago Zynga released an update which promises to solve many of the Android-specific issues, such as notifications not popping up.
Sadly, installing the update is not a smooth experience; you have to manually uninstall the previous version, and then go to the Android Market and install it. What's nice is that it doesn't lose your saved games - this screenshot shows a game I've started before the update and continued after updating.
How's the new update working out for you? Let us know in the comments!
Words With Friends for Android updated, promises "smoother game experience" originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Apple May Soon Let You Talk to the Hand
Apple's supply chain has clearly sprung a leak since Steve Jobs' passing: Every few months, it seems, a rumor or report from unnamed sources at this or that supplier makes the rounds. The current rumor is that Apple is hard at work at its next innovation -- and it's not a television set or a smart remote control. Instead, it is a watch. The crux of the report is this: Intel has teamed up with Apple to build a Bluetooth-enabled iOS watch that sports a 1.5-inch screen from which users can make calls. 
Mac OS X Lion Preview 2 released, introduces mega exciting leather bound iCal skin
There has been some speculation that Apple is getting close to a release or Golden Master build, but judging by 9to5 Mac's initial findings there's definitely some way to go. The Golden Master will probably appear at, or just before, the Apple WWDC in June.
So far, it's looking like the only changes in Preview 2 are the leather bound iCal skin that you can see above, and the main iChat window now combines your AIM, Bonjour and Jabber contacts, like Adium. We're sure that more details will emerge throughout the day, though, and there's bound to be lots of invisible changes, too. We'll update this post when we find out more.
Mac OS X Lion Preview 2 released, introduces mega exciting leather bound iCal skin originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Shot Shot Pirate is a fun, simple physics game
As you may have gathered from the name, you're cast in the role of a pirate. Your goal is to shoot at a diamond and make it fall off a tower of bricks. The height of the tower changes as you progress through the levels. It's not enough to just make the diamond fall off the tower of bricks - it has to fall below a certain line (drawn on the screen) for the level to be completed.
There are also different kinds of bricks, with some heavier than others, and different kinds of ammo. You only get a certain amount of ammo for each level, and when it's gone, you lose. But don't worry! If you don't make it on the first try, it's very easy to restart the level and just give it another shot (or three).
All in all it's a cute game. I've seen similar games with better graphics and music, but the game delivers on its main promise - a few minutes of pure time wasting!
Shot Shot Pirate is a fun, simple physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/shot-shot-pirate-is-a-fun-simple-physics-game/
Carry Speed DS-SLIM Camera Sling Strap review
For photographers, one of the most important yet oft-overlooked accessories may be the humble camera strap. It must be seamlessly functional, comfortable, easily adjustable, and quickly attached to your camera. Tall order! Does Carry Speed fit its billing as “The Most Advanced Camera Strap System?”
Click any image to enlarge.
Background Info
Carry Speed offers several different lines of products that are basically divided into DS Series, FS Series and CS Series Sling Straps (which each feature a different mounting mechanism) and other assorted camera-related accessories. Reviewed here is the DS-SLIM Camera Sling Strap with D-1 Wide Platform Ballhead.
Packaging
The Carry Speed DS-SLIM sling strap arrived in a nondescript, brown corrugated cardboard box. Simple and recyclable.
Contents
The contents of the package included the following items:
- DS-SLIM Sling Strap (Include the Connector)
- D-1 Wide Platform Ball Head Locknut
Features
OK, let’s get down to brass tacks here. Looks cool, what does it do?
The DS-SLIM Strap’s main comfort feature is its shoulder pad. It is made from a neoprene material that stretches to absorb the camera’s load. The underside has a grippy texture to keep it from slipping off your shoulder and several ventilation holes spaced throughout.
It includes a D-ring for attaching items that you might want to keep close at hand.
The shoulder pad is also detachable via a quick-release, 3-button buckle at either end. The 3-button design gives added security without it being overly complicated to open.
The DS-SLIM Strap includes a front quick adjustment feature that allows you to make changes to the fit quickly, without having to remove it. It basically adjusts how far down your camera hangs with a simple tug on a D-ring, which is attached to a metal slider.
The DS-SLIM Strap attaches to a camera via the D-1 wide platform ballhead locknut. This design is basically a ball and socket connection.
The main feature is a screw with a ball on the opposite end.
The ball is captured in the spherical cutout on the connector that is attached to the strap.
A knurled nut then captures the ball securely. It allows a relatively wide range of motion while still being constrained to prevent the camera from being scratched. A rubber O-ring helps prevent the knurled nut from inadvertently backing loose. This seemed like a bit of a “belt and suspenders” to me, and although I questioned its effectiveness, I never had any issues during the time I used the DS-SLIM Strap.
The screw then threads into the tripod mount on the camera’s base and a rubber gasket prevents contact between the nut and the camera base. There is a through-hole in the screw’s base that can be used to tighten it by placing a hex-key, a small screwdriver or other similar item into it for leverage to twist it tight or loosen it.
Usage
Once the DS-SLIM Strap was attached to my camera, I found it very easy to use. I just slung it over my shoulder and across my body, placed the shoulder pad where it felt comfortable, then pulled on the D-ring attached to the metal slider to adjust the height. Then, when I wanted to take a shot quickly, I just grabbed my camera and took the shot, and the strap adjusted itself appropriately. The shoulder pad stayed in the correct position, and to readjust the camera’s height, I just pulled on the metal slider’s D-ring once again.
Conclusion
I took the Carry Speed DS-SLIM Camera Sling Strap on several trips and found it is easy to use, feels comfortable to wear, and holds my camera securely. Its attachment system is quick to set up and prevents damage to your camera while providing a wide range of movement. It is made from high-quality components and materials and feels solidly built. The DS-SLIM Sling Strap would be worth a look if you are an active photographer with a demanding regimen or even a casual photographer who likes to have their camera at the ready.
Product Information
| Price: | $44.99 |
| Manufacturer: | Carry Speed |
| Requirements: |
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| Pros: |
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Filed in categories: Camera Gear, Reviews
Tagged: Camera accessory, Camera strap
Carry Speed DS-SLIM Camera Sling Strap review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 29, 2012 at 11:00 am.
Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/12/29/carry-speed-ds-slim-camera-sling-strap-review/
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Report: Europe May Have Scuttled Google's FTC Deal
The postponement of Google's deal with the Federal Trade Commission may have been caused, at least in part, by Europe's tough stance with the company. As of a few days ago, reports suggested that Google was close to hashing out a deal with the FTC, but that the European Commission's two-year antitrust investigation was far from resolved. Now, however, Europe's tougher stance with Google might have caused Google's deal with the FTC to unravel. The EU's competition commission gave Google a January deadline to propose meaningful changes. 
A sneak peek at the next version of Android Market and Music app
Update: Tech From 10 seems to be offline -- but we have lots of images and a hands-on review if you want to see what the new Music app is like.In what is probably a bit of a big-G whoopsie, the folks at Tech From 10 woke up to find a new, test version of Android Market installed on their Galaxy S.
Visually, the new version is almost identical. The carousel of featured apps has been updated slightly, and apps now have a 'Content rating,' but that's it (image after the break). The interesting bit, however, is the inclusion of alpha and beta apps -- most notably, there's a new version of the Music app, which looks like a scaled-down version of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb Music app (see right).
Also available from the test Android Market is 'Google Gallery 3D New 10.2', 'Google - Camera v12' and 'Google Desk Clock 10' -- but, curiously, all of the apps refused to launch on Tech From 10's Galaxy S (Vibrant) smartphone. Are they Honeycomb apps? Or, more likely, are they destined for the next Android smartphone OS, Ice Cream?
If you want to try out the new Honeycombish Music app, Tech From 10 has made the APK available for download. You can also download the three Google apps, if you want to have a poke around.
Continue reading A sneak peek at the next version of Android Market and Music app
A sneak peek at the next version of Android Market and Music app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Apple Patents a Method for Bending Glass
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/12/apple-patents-glass-molding-technique/
Samsung Galaxy Note II reportedly coming in black, triggers monolithic memories (update: fake!)
Samsung gave Galaxy S III buyers a small rainbow of color choices in the summer, and there's signs that the Galaxy Note II might receive a similarly resplendent treatment. A supposed press image obtained by AndroidSlash shows the giant smartphone draped in a previously unavailable black that's potentially very striking -- and more than a little reminiscent of 2001's species-changing monoliths. There's no official word from Samsung on its authenticity, although we wouldn't be surprised knowing the company's history and the Note II's strong track record. When a theoretically niche device is selling like gangbusters, some added diversity could be in order. Just don't expect any Starchildren as a result.
Update: Alas, this is indeed a fake. The source has updated to confirm that this was just a quick darkening job with an image editor -- you can tell by the darkened LED flash, camera and logo. But still, we wouldn't be surprised if Samsung does release its phablet in other colors to keep milking it.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Via: SamMobile
Source: AndroidSlash (translated)
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/CFdtr7zKmJg/
Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple
It's not like we should be surprised, considering Apple has claimed in the past that jailbreaking is illegal -- but at the same time, did the Cupertino cronies hear about the ruling that made circumventing DRM, and thus jailbreaking, legal? Anyway, whether Toyota was supporting illegal, legal, or deliciously gray and ambiguous, activity, it doesn't matter: Apple asked Toyota to remove the theme, and Toyota graciously bent over and capitulated.
This story raises a much more interesting topic, though: this is the first time a multinational company has publicly acknowledged and embraced the jailbreak community. Considering jailbreaking is technically legal, and Cydia's creator, Jay Freeman, estimates that up to 9% of OS devices are jailbroken, it simply makes good, commercial sense to target jailbreakers with ads. Toyota was simply trying to make some money, for shame!
As long as Apple continues to throw around its increasingly-expansive mass, the legality of jailbreaking will continue to be inconsequential. It will be interesting to see if another big company dares embrace the jailbreak community after this, too.
Toyota pulls Cydia theme and ads to appease Apple originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Apps of the Week: BBC iPlayer, Bloons TD 5, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP and more!
It's Saturday, and that means it's time for the Android Central app picks. We've got another smattering of random apps, games and utilities for your enjoyment here this week. This is our last roundup of app picks for 2012, but fear not, we're coming back stronger than ever in 2013 with more apps for you to check out. See how we did wrapping up 2012 after the break.
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/7JPX5wT6cKA/story01.htm
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.
iPhone 5 launches in more countries
The iPhone 5 has launched in several new countries recently, predominantly in Africa. The phone launched on December 21 in Botswana, Camaroon, Central African Republic, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, St. Lucia, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, Tunisia, and Uganda, along with the islands of Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts. The iPhone 5 also went on sale in Vietnam.
Source: CNN Money
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/D1XMCVM4k_Q/story01.htm
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