Friday, December 31, 2010

Skype video calls, iOS IM clients, Game Center games, iOS security, ? From the Forums

The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if [...]

Skype video calls, iOS IM clients, Game Center games, iOS security, – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/piRK0zG0Zpo/

Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles

Saddleback Leather Moleskine Cover Review

I’ve recently began keeping a journal after a long hiatus. Writing again has prompted me to become a little bit obsessed with notebooks, pens, drawing pencils and other accessories. I recently reviewed the Quiver Moleskine Pen holder and today I want to show you a really nice leather Moleskine cover from Saddleback Leather Company. Available [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/27/saddleback-leather-moleskine-cover-review/

Chicago Blackhawks Columbus Blue Jackets Detroit Red Wings

So Much For FREE!: Apple Will Sell $2B in Apps in 2011

I've often wondered if the early Web pioneers had it all to do over again if Web companies would have put less of an emphasis on free. People have been conditioned against paying for services or content on the Web, and the Web elite only have each other to blame. For all the talk of Web companies getting users first and "figuring out" how to make money later, the only two jaw-droppingly, multi-billion-dollar, innovative new ways to advertise online have been Google's paid search ads and Groupon's solution to unlocking local ad dollars on a mass scale. Those who win big--like Google-- just perpetuate the cult of free content and services as a way of spoiling would be competitors. Witness a big disconnect between popularity and money. Exhibit A: Yahoo. But on the mobile Web it's a do-over, and it's a totally different playbook from FREE!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/sYIhIlZi_24/

New England Patriots New York Jets Baltimore Ravens

The top Download Squad stories of 2010

As yet another year slips quietly into the annual abyss, it's customary to take a retrospective glance at all that has happened. While history is surely nowhere near as exciting as the future -- especially as far as technology is concerned -- we can still learn a lot by looking back at the events of a year and analyzing, with perfect hindsight, what actually happened. After all, it is one thing to report on a new advance or technology, but it's another thing entirely to see how that technology has actually changed the world.

We'll lead with a prime example.

Continue reading The top Download Squad stories of 2010

The top Download Squad stories of 2010 originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/the-top-download-squad-stories-of-2010/

C.D. Chivas USA Colorado Rapids FC Dallas

Instagram for Android under development


Platform envy is pretty common with smartphone users. It's pretty much inevitable that popular apps will eventually make the jump from one mobile OS to the other, but the waiting game can often be frustrating. Still, at least you know it's coming -- and that's now the case with Instagram, the immensely popular photo filtering and sharing app for iOS.

Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom confirmed to TechCrunch that an Android version of the app is in the works, though the company isn't specifying a release date at this point. After amassing a userbase of over one million in just three months on iOS, though, the company's priority is on getting an API put together. So until that happens, Android users, you'll need to content yourselves with an alternative app like Vignette.

Instagram for Android under development originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/23/instagram-for-android-under-development/

Philadelphia Union Toronto FC C.D. Chivas USA

Get Returnil System Safe Pro for free

Windows Steady State is a great app -- but it's not going to be sticking around much longer and it doesn't work with 64-bit Windows. Returnil System Safe is a nice alternative which does support Windows x64, and while it's normally $40, you can score a one-year license free of charge right now.

Returnil offers virtualization-based protection of your system, as well as built-in malware protection. It's also got a handy system rollback feature that lets you recover individual files that were changed, or set the entire system back to the way it was at your chosen point in the past.

With virtual mode enabled, a quick reboot is all it takes to completely undo intrusions from pesky malicious software. It's a great way to keep your less-savvy friends from getting themselves in trouble online. Even if they do install Super Antivirus Pro 2011 Gold Plus and have bogus alerts popping up all over their screen, all they've got to do is shut down and start again to make it all go away.

Registration is required, so use a disposable email address if you've got qualms about giving out your primary one.

Download Returnil System Safe Pro

Get Returnil System Safe Pro for free originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/20/get-returnil-system-safe-pro-for-free/

Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts *

Does Your Password Contain Non-Latin Characters? [Vulnerability]

Joseph Bonneau, a PhD candidate at the Security Group, University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, contacted us to report a problem he found with non-Latin character passwords (Unicode) on Gawker Media sites: More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/45WrgkYh0YU/does-your-password-contain-non+latin-characters

Columbus Crew D.C. United Kansas City Wizards

OpenInvo: A Marketplace For Innovation

Have a great idea, but don't have the time or money to actually bring it to market? A new startup called OpenInvo wants to help you turn it into a nice chunk of change by selling it to existing businesses that are looking for an extra dose of innovation. Now, there are other platforms for sharing business ideas ? you may be familiar with Kickstarter, which has gotten attention for projects like the iPod Wristwatch. But Kickstarter is for people who want to bring their ideas to fruition and just need funding ?�OpenInvo is for people who have an idea and are willing to put the time in to flesh it out on paper, but don't want to have to deal with actually starting a company.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/lHisIS4_uFE/

Oklahoma City Thunder Portland Trail Blazers Utah Jazz

The 12 best apps for your new Android device

Best Android apps for your new device
So, you found a brand-new Android device under the tree a few days ago. Congratulations! Now what? In this post I'm going to recommend the very best apps to get off on the right foot with Android. If you've been using Android for a while, chances are you know most of these. Still, you might find a hidden gem or two. These are all based on my own use, so while the list is subjective in nature, these are not just shiny apps we've noticed in the market -- they have all been tested in real life for quite some time. Here goes:


Continue reading The 12 best apps for your new Android device

The 12 best apps for your new Android device originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/the-12-best-apps-for-your-new-android-device/

Oakland Raiders * San Diego Chargers * National Football Conference

Skype outage caused by server overload, bug in Windows client

Now that Skype has recovered from the serious worldwide outage on December 22nd, CIO Lars Rabbe has blogged about what went wrong behind the scenes. The problem began when a group servers that handle Skype's offline instant messaging became overloaded, in turn causing some Skype clients to receive delayed responses and crash.

The bug only affected users of version 5.0.0.152 on Windows -- unfortunately, almost 50% of Skype's users happened to be running that version. Included among those were more than a quarter of Skype's supernodes. As those supernodes failed, an increased load was placed on the remaining supernodes. The increased load coupled with a flood of users attempting to reconnect eventually caused Skype's network to collapse under the weight of traffic that was 100 times greater than normal.

In order to prevent future outages, Skype is looking closely at their process for testing and deploying new versions and Rabbe also promised increased investment to boost capacity and reliability.

Skype outage caused by server overload, bug in Windows client originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/29/skype-outage-caused-windows-client-bug/

Utah Jazz Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Clippers

Angry Birds 'level skip' Mighty Eagle in-app purchase now available -- costs $1!

Angry Birds Mighty Eagle
Those cheeky, purse-squeezing capitalists over at Rovio have released yet another Angry Birds update. Not only does the latest version include some new levels ("Ham 'em High"), but you can now buy the Mighty Eagle. It's an in-app purchase, and it'll cost you either $1, a few British pennies, or a handful of Euro cents.

The Mighty Eagle is a new item that lets you skip the current level, and unlock the next. Despite paying $1 for the luxury, you can only use the level-skip once per hour. There will undoubtedly be a $5 Mightier Eagle in 2011 that removes the 1-hour limitation. The Mighty Eagle also introduces a new Eagle Feather achievement, which you can get by filling up a "destruction gauge." Chrikee.

In other news, if you haven't been following the Angry Birds industry, 50 million copies of the game have now been sold. Rovio promise that 2011 will be exciting, too: Angry Birds will be released on even more platforms, including every major video game console.

Buy Angry Birds 1.5 for $0.99 [iTunes]

Angry Birds 'level skip' Mighty Eagle in-app purchase now available -- costs $1! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/23/angry-birds-level-skip-mighty-eagle-in-app-purchase-now-availa/

Los Angeles Kings Phoenix Coyotes San Jose Sharks

Lefty Artists Rejoice ? SmudgeGuard

How many lefties do we have in the audience? Me too Don’t you just hate it when you’re drawing and writing and get ink on the side of your hand? There’s a product to solve that problem. The SmudgeGuard is a nylon glove that protect the outer edge of your hand/pinkie finger, while leaving the [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/29/lefty-artists-rejoice-smudgeguard/

Los Angeles Kings Phoenix Coyotes San Jose Sharks

Battlemodo: The Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras [Battlemodo]

There are approximately 4 bazillion point-and-shoot camera models on the market. Mostly, borderline disposable—yet the $400 S95 was Amazon's best-selling camera 'til they ran out. Clearly, people want a better camera. These three are the best. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zwXnq3MYWtM/battlemodo-the-best-point+and+shoot-cameras

St. Louis Rams * San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks

Drop.io and Present.io officially shut down

At the end of October, Facebook acquired Drop.io and set about integrating the media sharing service into Facebook.com. At that time, they spelled out December 15th as the final shutdown date -- and while it's taken a few extra days, Drop.io has finally flatlined. Unsurprisingly, the company's less-talked-about Present.io screen sharing service has also been shuttered.

Both sites now display a no-nonsense "discontinued" message that lets you know you can still email support@drop.io with your inquiries. As for what Facebook plans on doing with Drop.io's assets -- we're just going to have to wait patiently. Perhaps we'll see some sort of Present.io-based video chat feature?

Drop.io and Present.io officially shut down originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/21/dropio-presentio-facebook-shut-down/

Detroit Lions * Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings

Fusionwerkz Raw iPhone 4 Case Review

Back in September, I was given the opportunity to review the ElementCase Vapor case for the iPhone 4, and I just couldn’t give it my recommendation, due primarily to the fact that it was uncomfortable to hold.� I’ve now been given the chance to review another CNC-machined aluminum case for the iPhone 4, the Fusionwerkz [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/28/fusionwerkz-raw-iphone-4-case-review/

Arizona Cardinals * St. Louis Rams * San Francisco 49ers

Deal of the Day ?HP All-in-One 200 Quad Core 15 21.5? LED 1080p Desktop with Free 1TB Hard Drive and 6GB RAM Upgrades

The LogicBUY deal for today is a savings of up to $410 off + a 10% stackable coupon for the HP 200 Quad All-in-One desktop with a 21.5? 1080p LED screen.� HP is providing a free upgrade to 6GB of DDR3 memory and a 1TB hard drive.� You can customize by upgrading to a Quad [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/28/deal-of-the-day-%e2%80%93hp-all-in-one-200-quad-core-15-21-5%e2%80%9d-led-1080p-desktop-with-free-1tb-hard-drive-and-6gb-ram-upgrades/

Kansas City Chiefs * Oakland Raiders * San Diego Chargers *

So Much For FREE!: Apple Will Sell $2B in Apps in 2011

I've often wondered if the early Web pioneers had it all to do over again if Web companies would have put less of an emphasis on free. People have been conditioned against paying for services or content on the Web, and the Web elite only have each other to blame. For all the talk of Web companies getting users first and "figuring out" how to make money later, the only two jaw-droppingly, multi-billion-dollar, innovative new ways to advertise online have been Google's paid search ads and Groupon's solution to unlocking local ad dollars on a mass scale. Those who win big--like Google-- just perpetuate the cult of free content and services as a way of spoiling would be competitors. Witness a big disconnect between popularity and money. Exhibit A: Yahoo. But on the mobile Web it's a do-over, and it's a totally different playbook from FREE!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/sYIhIlZi_24/

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals * St. Louis Rams *

Opera 11 downloaded 6.7 million times on day one -- thanks to the power of bacon

While Opera 11's warm reception had a lot to do with a greatly improved browser and a very loyal fan base, the boys in Oslo had one clever trick up their sleeve which they saved for launch day. And with nearly 7 million downloads in 24 hours, you've got to hand it to Opera: they know how to tempt a geek.

How'd they do it? By dangling delicious bacon in front of Reddit users. You've got to admit, the Opera 11 Web advert is at least as enticing as those Evony ads -- you know which ones I'm talking about.

As for those of us who already tried Opera 11 and knew it was a solid browser... well, if you're like me, you're probably just craving some sizzlin' hot bacon right about now.
Curse you, Opera!

Opera 11 downloaded 6.7 million times on day one -- thanks to the power of bacon originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/17/opera-11-downloaded-6-7-million-times-on-day-one-thanks-to-bacon/

Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins Atlanta Thrashers

Updated Android Music app leaks out

Thanks to an eager (and extremely active) developer community, early access to upcoming Android bits has become somewhat of a regular occurrence. Recently we've seen the Gingerbread launcher and updated Market app, and now a user at xda-developers has released an early version of what will become the next Music app for Android.

It's still a bit rough around the edges, but it looks like it's going to be a very nice upgrade to the built-in player. Check out the gallery, or the video after the break, or grab the .APK installer over at the xda-developers forums. As always, caveat emptor!

Continue reading Updated Android Music app leaks out

Updated Android Music app leaks out originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/updated-android-music-app-leaks-out/

St. Louis Rams * San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks

Daily Crunch: Out With The Old Edition

Proof That We?re Living In The Future: The iPhone Heart Monitor O Canada! World?s Most Web Connected Land Android Malware Being Distributed On Chinese Markets NookColor is Barnes & Noble?s Top Seller This Holiday LG?s Smart TV Upgrader Is Kind Of Dumb

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/12/31/out-with-the-old/

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals * St. Louis Rams *

White Jigsaw is a very minimalistic puzzle -- Time Waster

whitejigsaw

I used to think the whole point of putting together a jigsaw puzzle was the satisfaction of seeing the image at the end. You know, they always sell those huge puzzles that take up half a wall once you're done making them - it's like creating a poster, one step at a time.

White Jigsaw proves that it's not all about the picture. It's as bare-bones as can be: just a bunch of puzzle pieces, and a frame they all have to fit into. No sound effects, no images, nothing but the zen-like essence of the jigsaw.

The game starts you off with a basic 4x3 puzzle, and gradually increases in complexity as you progress (the next level is 5x3). The pieces snap into position as you drag them, and they all seem to be aligned correctly, so no rotation is needed. This really helps - I think if they could be rotated it would get a lot more confusing, especially since they're blank so you can't match pieces of the image to figure out the orientation.

While the game doesn't save your progress on a single level, it does let you carry on from the last level you reached before you stopped playing. All in all, it's a great way to rekindle your love for jigsaw puzzles.

White Jigsaw is a very minimalistic puzzle -- Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/14/white-jigsaw-is-a-very-minimalistic-puzzle-time-wasters/

Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans * Denver Broncos

The Canon DSLR / MP3 player / speaker is both more and less than it seems (but mostly less)

A DSLR / MP3 player / speaker for a mere $83? Well, two out of three ain't bad.

The Canon DSLR / MP3 player / speaker is both more and less than it seems (but mostly less) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink OhGizmo!  |  sourceGadget4all  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/29/the-caoon-dslr-mp3-player-speaker-is-both-more-and-less-than/

Minnesota Vikings Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers

Coby Kyros MID7015 7-Inch Android Internet Touchscreen Tablet

The Coby Kyros MID7015 tablet runs Android 2.1 and has a 7″ resistive screen. �It offers internet connectivity with WiFi 802.11b/g. �There’s 4GB of internal memory, and you can add up to a 16GB microSD card. �The Kyros tablet is preloaded with a variety of apps: alarm clock, calculator, mobile YouTube browser, and more like [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/12/27/coby-kyros-mid7015-7-inch-android-internet-touchscreen-tablet/

Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans

Sophisticated Android Geinimi Trojan appears in the wild

Over at the Lookout Mobile Security blog there's news of a sophisticated new trojan spreading on Android devices. Dubbed Geinimi, the Trojan has been injected into legitimate versions of Android games (primarily) and apps, and distributed via third-party app stores in China.

While Lookout isn't certain of Geinimi's intent, the company believes it to be capable of receiving commands from a central server, and that the trojan can also collect and transmit a significant amount of user data. Lookout also believes there is a possibility that Geinimi could be laying the groundwork for an Android botnet.

As Lookout points out, it's easy enough to protect yourself:
  • Don't install apps from untrusted third-party application markets
  • Don't enable Android's "install from unknown sources" setting
  • Install a good anti-malware app on your device
There are plenty of good, free anti-malware apps available for Android devices -- like AVG, Creative Apps Antivirus, NetQin Antivirus, and, of course, Lookout's own offering. Search for one in the market, or hit up the AppBrain links after the break!

Continue reading Sophisticated Android Geinimi Trojan appears in the wild

Sophisticated Android Geinimi Trojan appears in the wild originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/sophisticated-android-geinimi-trojan-appears-in-the-wild/

Orlando Magic Washington Wizards Denver Nuggets

White Jigsaw is a very minimalistic puzzle -- Time Waster

whitejigsaw

I used to think the whole point of putting together a jigsaw puzzle was the satisfaction of seeing the image at the end. You know, they always sell those huge puzzles that take up half a wall once you're done making them - it's like creating a poster, one step at a time.

White Jigsaw proves that it's not all about the picture. It's as bare-bones as can be: just a bunch of puzzle pieces, and a frame they all have to fit into. No sound effects, no images, nothing but the zen-like essence of the jigsaw.

The game starts you off with a basic 4x3 puzzle, and gradually increases in complexity as you progress (the next level is 5x3). The pieces snap into position as you drag them, and they all seem to be aligned correctly, so no rotation is needed. This really helps - I think if they could be rotated it would get a lot more confusing, especially since they're blank so you can't match pieces of the image to figure out the orientation.

While the game doesn't save your progress on a single level, it does let you carry on from the last level you reached before you stopped playing. All in all, it's a great way to rekindle your love for jigsaw puzzles.

White Jigsaw is a very minimalistic puzzle -- Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/14/white-jigsaw-is-a-very-minimalistic-puzzle-time-wasters/

Los Angeles Kings Phoenix Coyotes San Jose Sharks

3D printed concert flute rapidly prototypes sound (video)

The world's first store for 3D printed goods just opened in Brussels, and while we imagine they've already got a fair selection of prototyped merchandise to choose, might we suggest they invest in a few production runs of this fabulous new flute? Amit Zoran of the MIT Media Lab -- yes, the same soul who helped dream up a 3D food printer early this year -- has now printed a fully-functional concert flute with a minimum of human intervention. Directing an Objet Connex500 3D printer (which can handle multiple materials at the same time) to spit out his CAD design, dollop by tiny dollop, in a single 15-hour run, he merely had to wash off support material, add springs, and assemble four printed pieces to finish the instrument up. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course, so how does it sound? Find out for yourself in the video below.

Continue reading 3D printed concert flute rapidly prototypes sound (video)

3D printed concert flute rapidly prototypes sound (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Fabbaloo  |  sourceamitzoran (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/29/3d-printed-concert-flute-rapidly-prototypes-sound-video/

Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors Chicago Bulls