Thursday, September 30, 2010

Zentomino for iPhone ? App Review

Zentomino for iPhone is an easy to play puzzle game and a great time killer. While the game may have a simple concept, some of the puzzles are not as simple to solve. To complete a puzzle, you’ll take Tetris-like pieces and fit them inside the puzzle designs without overlapping or going outside the [...]Zentomino for iPhone – App Review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

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Windows Live Essentials 2011 available for download today

Windows Live Essentials 2011 available for download today

Filed under: Microsoft

Microsoft's updated set of Windows Live apps is due out later today. According to several sites, the release should come at around 10AM PST.

Live Essentials 2011 includes an assortment of programs like Windows Live Mail, Messenger, Photo Gallery, and the re-re-named Windows Live Mesh Sync Mesh. The new apps are a big improvement -- Messenger has received loads of praise for its social networking integration, Mesh has bumped its sync storage up to 5GB, and I'm really enjoying Live Mail for ad-free desktop access to my Hotmail account.

We'll let you know when the Windows Live Essentials 2011 download link goes live, including offline installer links as soon as they've been discovered.

Windows Live Essentials 2011 available for download today originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anna Kournikova
Hayden Panettiere
Cameron Diaz

Hands-on with the Samsung Continuum

Hands-on with the Samsung Continuum

Innovative screen design is coming to Verizon

Samsung Continuum -- SCH-i400
The Verizon Samsung Fascinate, left, and Continuum, right.

Behold, the Verizon Continuum -- aka the Samsung SCH-i400 -- live and in person. It's an as-yet unannounced Android 2.1 phone from Samsung, destined for Verizon, and it's got a few tricks up its sleeve.

We knew a few things going into this thanks to a previous leak. So let's start with what we don't know: We don't know when it's coming. But judging by the build quailty, it'll be soon. We don't know how much it'll cost, but you can imagine it'll be in the usual $150-200 price range, after subsidy, of course.

And we don't actually have official specs just yet. OK, we've dug up some, and surmised others. But as with things of this nature, specs are subject to change, as are software features, we imagine.

So now that we have those bases covered, on to our initial thoughts of the Samsung Continuum!

Posted originally at Android Central

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Ciara
Blake Lively
Scarlett Johansson

Google Street View Invades Antarctica [StreetView]

Apparently there's not any pavement left to conquer, so the expeditioners at Google Street View have ventured to the frosty South Pole to let you stroll around online. My question is why are there so many people just hanging out? More »






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TaintDroid -- realtime privacy monitoring for your Android phone

TaintDroid -- realtime privacy monitoring for your Android phone

TaintDroid

Everyone should take their personal data seriously, and the people behind TaintDroid are about to help us all with that.  It's a joint project between Intel, Penn State University, and Duke University that monitors the private data that third party applications request from your Android phone, using a scientific technique called "dynamic taint analysis".  In a nutshell, TaintDroid will monitor applications and alert you when one tries to send personal identifiable data from your device.  It won't tell you that this is good or bad, just what is being sent and where it's being sent to.  You can then use the information and make that determination for yourself -- it's all nice and neutral in a very clinical way.

While Android does tell you what sort of permissions an application will have access to, many users ignore those warnings or simply don't understand them.  That's where a service like TaintDroid could be very, very handy.  They have a very nice FAQ and video demo of TaintDroid in action at their project page, which you can find at the source link.  Thank goodness Android is a platform open to this sort of application, rather than not approving it to protect developers, then preventing most to install it since it's not "endorsed" by someone in California.  Be sure to check it out, and as soon as it's made available for the average Joe (hey that's us!) we'll let you know.  [AppAnalysis]

Posted originally at Android Central

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Olivia Wilde
Megan Fox
Bar Refaeli

Notepad++ 5.8.1 now out, with upgraded Scintilla editor component

Notepad++ 5.8.1 now out, with upgraded Scintilla editor component

Filed under: Text, OpenOffice.org

notepad++

Notepad++ is a great open source text editor. In addition to being open source, it's extensible and incredibly nimble for a beast of its power. I often use Java-based jEdit or XUL-based Komodo Edit, and compared to those two, Notepad++ is blazing fast.

The Notepad++ team released 5.8 a short while ago, but it was worth holding out on the upgrade -- because they've now released 5.8.1 with a couple of important bug fixes. The most important feature for 5.8 is that Scintilla, the open source text editor component that Notepad++ uses, was upgraded to the most recent release (2.21).

There are also two new line wrapping methods added, enhanced macro capabilities, and many other incremental improvements. If you use Notepad++, now would be a good time to kick the tires on this new release.

Notepad++ 5.8.1 now out, with upgraded Scintilla editor component originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eliza Dushku
Adriana Lima

HTC Merge user manual leaked

We've already seen the RUU for the HTC Merge (Lexikon) leaked out, determined that it's been Binged, and now it's time to scope out the user manual a bit.  The fellas over at DroidLife are showing off a few pages of said manual, and it's just what you would expect a smartphone manual to be.  Concise, to the point, and geared for the new consumer. Not saying that's a bad thing, but with all the insane news and links so far this week I was secretly hoping for something more, maybe involving guns and/or firetrucks.  Oh well, I can settle for instruction on how to use the thing I guess.  [DroidLife]Posted originally at Android CentralSponsored by Android Cases and Accessories



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Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time!

Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time!

Filed under: Google, Browsers

I wasn't too impressed with Google's first cut at bringing Google Instant to Chrome. The half-page overlay looked awkward, Google thought I was spamming their servers, and the feature didn't work on local pages like about:memory or chrome:extensions.

Just over two weeks later, however, I'm starting to like what I see. Instant now works with Chrome's about: and chrome: URLs -- about:labs now appears below as soon as I hit the t. Google search results in the Omnibox -- like my query for Full Life Consequences -- are also displayed full-frame now rather than as a half-page overlay.

There's also a folded corner with a clickable 'x,' though I'm not sure I see the point -- clicking it takes focus away from the Omnibox and dumps you back at your previous page.

For a quick video demo, take the jump and see how Chrome Instant handles things in its latest incarnation.

Remember: to try it yourself, you'll need to activate Instant on the about:labs page in Chrome Dev, Canary, or Chromium.

ed note: Dev channel users, give the command line flag --enable-match-preview a shot.

Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pen�lope Cruz
Hilary Duff

Draconian terms and conditions reveal Amazon's plans for Android app store

Draconian terms and conditions reveal Amazon's plans for Android app store

Filed under: Internet, web 2.0, Android

http://www.slashgear.com/amazon-android-app-store-tcs-leak-29104993/
The terms and conditions for Amazon's upcoming Android store have been leaked to SlashGear, and boy do they look grim. Amazon reserves a lot of rights, including the ability to set the price at which you sell your apps!

Two days ago, the Amazon Android store was just a rumor, but these T&Cs would suggest that the store is real -- and that it's coming soon. Most of the terms are understandably draconian -- Amazon's just covering its ass -- but some are really quite neat. If you 'buy' a free app, for example, you then retain the rights in perpetuity. If you delete it from your phone, and the developer increases the price, you can still grab another copy for free from Amazon.

There's also some 'price matching' type stuff, where you must not sell your app for less on a 'Similar Service' (a term that covers any service that distributes apps online!). Developers must also keep their apps up-to-date on the Amazon store.

All in all, the Amazon Android store sounds like it will be great for the consumer, but hard work for the developer. Still, when you're as large and as important as Amazon, you get to make the rules.

Draconian terms and conditions reveal Amazon's plans for Android app store originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 06:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angelina Jolie
Vanessa Hudgens
Danneel Harris
Zoe Saldana

Razer Tron Mouse leaves light trails in our hearts (video)

We don't really expect that the actual Tron movie will be any good, but boy, its officially endorsed accessories aren't looking half bad. The $100 laser mouse from Razer has snuck out for a quick pre-release video demo where we get to see it tracking gloriously on an accompanying "precision" mousepad. There's hardly much to be learnt about the mouse's ergonomics or 5600dpi accuracy, but it does glow with that mighty inviting shade of blue (cyan?) and the mousepad reacts to the laser's illumination by leaving dreamy light trails after your movements. It's cyber-poetry in motion, available after the break.Continue reading Razer Tron Mouse leaves light trails in our hearts (video)Razer Tron Mouse leaves light trails in our hearts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Razer (Facebook)  | Email this | Comments



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Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time!

Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time!

Filed under: Google, Browsers

I wasn't too impressed with Google's first cut at bringing Google Instant to Chrome. The half-page overlay looked awkward, Google thought I was spamming their servers, and the feature didn't work on local pages like about:memory or chrome:extensions.

Just over two weeks later, however, I'm starting to like what I see. Instant now works with Chrome's about: and chrome: URLs -- about:labs now appears below as soon as I hit the t. Google search results in the Omnibox -- like my query for Full Life Consequences -- are also displayed full-frame now rather than as a half-page overlay.

There's also a folded corner with a clickable 'x,' though I'm not sure I see the point -- clicking it takes focus away from the Omnibox and dumps you back at your previous page.

For a quick video demo, take the jump and see how Chrome Instant handles things in its latest incarnation.

Remember: to try it yourself, you'll need to activate Instant on the about:labs page in Chrome Dev, Canary, or Chromium.

ed note: Dev channel users, give the command line flag --enable-match-preview a shot.

Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bar Refaeli
Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis

Bookmarklet lets you destroy Web pages one element at a time, Asteroids style!

Bookmarklet lets you destroy Web pages one element at a time, Asteroids style!

Filed under: Fun

AdBlock is so lame. I mean, all it does it prevent ads from being displayed on Web pages. Where's the sport? Where are the explosions? I want some satisfaction from my advert eradication! Satisfaction like the kind you can only find in vintage arcade games.

Thankfully there's this incredibly practical bookmarklet that turns any website into a search-and-destroy mission. Click your button, and the ship appears. You're then free to fly around and blast any element to pieces. So long, Eric Schmidt! Take that, Evony banner!

And no, I don't actually expect anyone to replace AdBlock with this. At least not until it comes with its own retro soundtrack and pew-pew noises...

[via Geek.com]

Bookmarklet lets you destroy Web pages one element at a time, Asteroids style! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olivia Wilde
Megan Fox

Google Chrome's Remoting feature inches closer to usability

Filed under: Google, Browsers
Remoting -- which looks to be Google Chrome's answer to RDP and Terminal Services computing -- has taken yet another step toward its inevitable debut. In recent Chromium snapshot builds, Remoting now appears on the about:labs page.

However, unlike the other Labs options -- like side tabs, tabbed settings, and Instant -- Remoting still isn't usable. After enabling and restarting Chromium, you'll be able to hit set up remoting under the wrench menu. A login box will appear, but that's as far as you'll get.

It's safe to assume that an actual Google or Chromium.Org account (internal, not the ones you and I use) is required at this point, but with Remoting cropping up in Labs it shouldn't be too much longer before we're able to take the feature for a test drive.Google Chrome's Remoting feature inches closer to usability originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Rogers: 80% of iPhone 4 activations were to existing customers

Rogers: 80% of iPhone 4 activations were to existing customers
Rogers, the first Canadian carrier to offer the iPhone, put out a statement today saying 4 out of 5 iPhone 4 activations on their network went to existing customers. They’re also extending some of their promotions for those who haven’t yet snagged an iPhone 4 but might want to take advantage of them, especially the [...]

Rogers: 80% of iPhone 4 activations were to existing customers is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Rogers, the first Canadian carrier to offer the iPhone, put out a statement today saying 4 out of 5 iPhone 4 activations on their network went to existing customers. They’re also extending some of their promotions for those who haven’t yet snagged an iPhone 4 but might want to take advantage of them, especially the 6GB/$30 data plan. Act fast.

When Rogers/Fido launched the iPhone 4 on July 30, we announced special offers for our new and existing customers. Since then, we have activated a significant number of devices with 80 per cent having gone to our existing customers.

These special offers were scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, but we have some good news to share.

First, we are extending the 6GB/$30 promotion until Oct. 5. Second, we are extending one component of our early Hardware Upgrade offer through the end of the year. Any customer who activated or upgraded an earlier version of the iPhone with Rogers/Fido on a term contract on or before December 31, 2008 will be continue to be eligible for at least $480 off the no-term device price when they upgrade to an iPhone 4. They can pick up an iPhone 4 16GB/32GB for $159/$269 on a new 3-year voice and data plan.

While other components of our special iPhone 4 early HUP offer expire today, Rogers and Fido customers can continue to take advantage of our standard hardware upgrade savings. Fido customers can also add their Fido dollars to their Hardware Upgrade for additional savings.

From whom did they take those 20% new customer iPhone 4 activations?

Rogers: 80% of iPhone 4 activations were to existing customers is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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





Lindsay Lohan
Eva Mendes
Julianne Hough

Swiftkey spends 7 days at the top, catch it before the sale ends

Swiftkey spends 7 days at the top, catch it before the sale ends

switfkey

Swiftkey, an Android keyboard replacement that many of us have grown to love, has spent the pas week since its official announcement as the No. 1 downloaded paid application in the market. As you can imagine, with all the various paid applications in the market, spending any day at the top is a huge success, let alone seven in a row. Swiftkey is currently on sale in the market for 99 cents, but the sale ends tonight. Effective Friday morning, the price will jump up to $3.99. 

Find more in the Swiftkey Developers Forums

Posted originally at Android Central

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AnnaLynne McCord
Kate Beckinsale

Visible III is a challenging, confusing platformer - Time-Waster

Filed under: Fun, Games, Time-Wasters
Look at the screenshot. Do you see how, on the top part, there's a landmine to my right? I'm not very close to it, though, so I can still pick up a bit of speed and jump over it.
Now look at the bottom of the screenshot and see the reflection. I'm actually right on top of a landmine there and if I move even a couple of pixels over to the right, I'm done for.
This is the basic premise of Visible III. It's very, very easy to die. I constantly had to stop in place and look at both halves of the screen before attempting anything. It's not just the traps, either. Sometimes the walls are shaped differently on each of the two parts of the screen -- which makes the game part brain teaser and part platformer. Like most other platformers I enjoy, respawning is fast here and you don't lose a lot when you die. There are multiple checkpoints on each level, and you respawn at the last checkpoint whenever you die.
Reflection isn't everything here, though; there are lasers, which you avoid by becoming invisible (by holding down Shift). But you can't be invisible forever. There's a bar that rapidly runs out when you're invisible, so you need to be quick. The same goes for scaling walls and grabbing the ceiling. It's possible (and sometimes vital), but only for a short while.Visible III is a challenging, confusing platformer - Time-Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Swiftkey spends 7 days at the top, catch it before the sale ends

Swiftkey spends 7 days at the top, catch it before the sale ends

switfkey

Swiftkey, an Android keyboard replacement that many of us have grown to love, has spent the pas week since its official announcement as the No. 1 downloaded paid application in the market. As you can imagine, with all the various paid applications in the market, spending any day at the top is a huge success, let alone seven in a row. Swiftkey is currently on sale in the market for 99 cents, but the sale ends tonight. Effective Friday morning, the price will jump up to $3.99. 

Find more in the Swiftkey Developers Forums

Posted originally at Android Central

Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories





Eliza Dushku
Adriana Lima
Freida Pinto
Taylor Swift
Sienna Miller

HP: homebrew apps for webOS are OK with us!

HP: homebrew apps for webOS are OK with us!

Filed under: webOS

One thing I love about my Palm Pre is that I'm able to run homebrew apps without performing any firmware surgery on it. Thanks to Preware (et al) the apps are easy to find, easy to install, and a select few, like Internalz, have become some of my most-used.

I'm not the only one who seems to like homebrew apps. HP, it turns out, thinks they're pretty cool, too. They agree with a recent post from Palm's Tim Stiffler-Dean that there are great apps to be had from sources other than the App Catalog. So, where else can you look for your next favorite webOS app? Check out PreCentral's App Gallery, appSpotlight, and appScoop (which contains beta apps that Palm doesn't push to the App Catalog).

I can't imagine Apple ever singing the praises of an app that's only available in Cydia, can you?

[via PreCentral]

HP: homebrew apps for webOS are OK with us! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bar Refaeli
Malin Akerman
Mila Kunis

Jessica Alba's CGI Nude Scene: Is This The Future Of Movie "Nudity"? [Video]

When the first footage of "Machete" started to leak out, it seemed like a buffet of celebrity nudity: constant exposed flesh from Lindsay Lohan! Jessica Alba in the shower! Other, future famous women dancing around with nothing on at all! More »






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Windows Live Essentials 2011 available for download today

Windows Live Essentials 2011 available for download today

Filed under: Microsoft

Microsoft's updated set of Windows Live apps is due out later today. According to several sites, the release should come at around 10AM PST.

Live Essentials 2011 includes an assortment of programs like Windows Live Mail, Messenger, Photo Gallery, and the re-re-named Windows Live Mesh Sync Mesh. The new apps are a big improvement -- Messenger has received loads of praise for its social networking integration, Mesh has bumped its sync storage up to 5GB, and I'm really enjoying Live Mail for ad-free desktop access to my Hotmail account.

We'll let you know when the Windows Live Essentials 2011 download link goes live, including offline installer links as soon as they've been discovered.

Windows Live Essentials 2011 available for download today originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marisa Miller
Cat Power
Moon Bloodgood