Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

When Amazon Appstore for Android launched last week, one of its primary features -- Test Drive -- was disabled just a few minutes after it opened. With no try-before-you-buy, no refund process, and 1-Click purchasing ready to strike at any moment, this caused some problems. Anyway, don't despair: Test Drive is now enabled.

Before you get your hopes up, Test Drive doesn't work with every app. The IMDb app works fine -- you can even watch movie trailers on it! -- but the Angry Birds games are sadly not enabled. Some games work surprisingly well, though, like Bubble Buster. There's very little latency, and the framerate is really rather good. The Test Drive experience is so true to life that you even get ads; how cool is that?

Gallery: Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive

Continue reading Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only

Amazon Appstore for Android Test Drive hands on: surprisingly cool, but still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/amazon-appstore-for-android-test-drive-hands-on-surprisingly-co/

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T-Mobile Vivacity unveiled for the UK, appears to be an adopted ZTE handset

G'morning there good lady, and who might you be? Why, she's the UK-bound T-Mobile Vivacity, which, while pretty likely to be a ZTE-born smartphone, is still keeping her specification cards close to its chest. We do know, however, that she'll arrive with a 3.5-inch touchscreen and five megapixel camera on the back. A front-facing shooter, slightly larger body and a distinct lack of ZTE branding all help to differentiate the Vivacity from her sister, the previously announced (and US-destined) ZTE Score. We predict she probably won't be a woman of expensive tastes, and we look forward to meeting her in the flesh next month. While T-Mobile may not have got the memo about phone naming, interested parties can stake their claim to more info at the sign-up link below.

T-Mobile Vivacity unveiled for the UK, appears to be an adopted ZTE handset originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/19/t-mobile-vivacity-unveiled-for-the-uk-appears-to-be-an-adopted/

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Bing begins roll out of HTML5-enhanced search interface

Bing's new HTML5-and-CSS3-enhanced search interface, which was first demonstrated back in September 2010 to showcase the power of IE9, has started to roll out.

The most notable addition to the new interface is is smooth page transitions -- the fade in and out -- and navigation tabs (maps, images, videos, etc.) now persistently float at the top of the page. WinRumors is also reporting that a feature reminiscent of Google Instant search is being added to Bing, with page elements smoothly transitioning in and out as you type in your search query.

If you want to try out the new Bing UI, your best bet is to set your locale to United States - English and pray that you're part of the initial roll out. Alternatively, just wait a few days until MIX 2011, Microsoft's Web developer conference, which is when the new Bing UI should be officially launched.

Bing begins roll out of HTML5-enhanced search interface originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/bing-begins-roll-out-of-html5-enhanced-search-interface/

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How to quickly upgrade all your local music to 256Kbps iTunes Match versions

MacWorld‘s Jason Snell has written up a quick way to force your local Windows or Mac iTunes library to upgrade all your songs to the 256kbps iTunes Match versions. If you’re still syncing your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to iTunes via USB or via the new

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/zLVLV9gsvYE/story01.htm

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SolarCycle, a Sun-Powered USB Port for You Bike

If you want to charge your gadgets while you ride your bike, then the best way has been to think ahead and get the bike fitted with a dynamo hub when you buy it. Now, there’s another option: a seat-post-mounted solar panel.
It’s called the SolarCycle Delux, and it comprises an aluminum rack along with the [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/11/solarcycle-a-sun-powered-usb-port-for-you-bike/

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Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system

I'm getting fat; that's what you see on the screenshot to the right -- my gradual move from chubby to portly. But never mind the numbers, look at the pretty graph!

If you've ever read The Hacker's Diet, this graph should be instantly recognizable. Each point shows the weight for a given day, while the trend line lets you see if you're gaining or losing weight.

When I use my "main" PC, I have a homebrew solution for creating and maintaining this graph. But I've had to find a temporary solution for Android, and Libra is it.

It's a beautifully simple app, very true to the spirit of The Hacker's Diet. You can create a shortcut on your homescreen that brings you right into the data entry screen, so you just tap the shortcut every morning, feed in your weight for the day and hit OK, and then you get to see your progress (or lack thereof) on the graph.

The app remembers the previous day's weigh-in, which makes it easy to enter today's weight (as they're usually not too different). The graph is zoomable and scrollable, and most importantly, you can export the data to CSV so you're not locked into the app.

If you ever need to track your weight using an Android device for any period of time, Libra is one excellent solution.

Libra for Android helps you track your weight using The Hacker's Diet system originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/libra-for-android-helps-you-track-your-weight-using-the-hackers/

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NASA creates high-res Moon map, taunts you about your terrestrial tethers

Chances are you will never set foot on the Moon. Sorry, we don't mean to rain on your parade (alright, maybe we do), but the closest you'll ever get is looking at pictures or traipsing around Google Moon. NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) has been circling our rocky satellite capturing such images, and now 69,000 of them have been stitched together to create the highest resolution topographic map of the lunar surface ever. The Global Lunar DTM 100 m topographic model has a scale of roughly 100 meters per-pixel, allowing researchers to better understand how the crust is formed and accurately scout landing sites for future missions -- be they robotic or manned. Check out the source for a larger image and a few more details.

NASA creates high-res Moon map, taunts you about your terrestrial tethers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/nasa-creates-high-res-moon-map-taunts-you-about-your-terrestria/

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Hands-on with the Samsung DoubleTime

It's been a while since we have seen a Froyo-powered device launch, but that doesn't mean that we should immediately write it off by any means. Samsung has brought the DoubleTime to the table with a new form factor, and for its intended purpose it does quite well. With the flip up QWERTY keyboard it is rather easy to tell that this device is aimed towards those who will be using it for heavy messaging, likely the teen crowd. Sure, most devices are launching with Gingerbread, and now we are starting to see Ice Cream Sandwich devices rolling out, but the Samsung DoubleTime performs quite well with Froyo.

The 3.2-inch 320x480 on the front is a bit small for my large fingers, but once the device is flipped open the inside screen was rather easy to navigate with the directional pad. The keys are spaced out well, even though the whole phone is rather tiny, it is quite comfortable to type on. The physical verse capacitive buttons on the front is going to come down to personal preference, for me I like the you can click and feel the click, verse tap and hope you hit the right place. If you are looking for a spec'd out gamers device, this is not for you, but if you are looking for something for your teenage child, or an entry level Android device that will allow you to easily send messages on the go you will definitely want to check this out. Hit the break for a quick hands on video and a few more pictures.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/pWhmjKXBwLg/story01.htm

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Arrested Development Is Coming Back! Exclusive to Netflix? [Video]

According to a tweet from the Netflix Twitter account, Arrested Development is coming back. Hallelujah, the best comedy ever is returning and Netflix made it happen. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/6x2b7MFproE/arrested-development-is-coming-back-exclusively-to-netflix

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The AOC Aire Pro: a 23-inch IPS monitor for $199

If your battalion of bargain-hunting web bots is doing its job properly, then you should already have been alerted to AOC's new sub-$200 IPS monitor. Oh, hold on, we're the bots? Right then, here are the key specs: you get Full HD at 60Hz spread over 23 inches, a meaninglessly high 50 million:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 5ms response time, twin HDMI sockets and built-in speakers, all housed in brushed aluminum shell that's less than 0.4 inches thick. The Aire Pro is available from today and there's further info in the PR after the break. Will that be all?

Continue reading The AOC Aire Pro: a 23-inch IPS monitor for $199

The AOC Aire Pro: a 23-inch IPS monitor for $199 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/19/the-aoc-aire-pro-a-23-inch-ips-monitor-for-199/

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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.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/gnome-3-released-ushers-in-an-interesting-amalgam-of-ios-and-os/

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Android Market refund window apparently expands to 48 hours (update: Or not?)

Update: We're being told by one developer that actually this wording is unchanged, and the 15-minute window still applies, it's just that Google has that long to refund the money. We're seeking clarification from Google, and watching our hope wane.

Google caused a fairly big stink nearly a year ago when it changed the window to uninstall and refund a purchased application to just 15 minutes -- a far cry shorter than 24-hour window we'd previously enjoyed.

But according to a new version of the developer distribution agreement being pushed out today, that window has been expanded, and expanded to a full two days. Here's the line from Section 3.4:

Products that cannot be previewed by the buyer (such as applications): You authorize Google to give the buyer a full refund of the Product price if the buyer requests the refund within 48 hours after purchase.

Good on Google for changing this one. While we don't want anyone abusing the refunds process, 15 minutes was absolutely too short a time to try out an application.

By the way, if you're a developer, make sure you log in to your developer portal to accept the new agreement. Wouldn't want your app yanked unnecessarily.

Thanks, Joe and Nick!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/BT7QXZtUv6g/story01.htm

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Korg IMS20 Synth App Review

When it comes to producing music, nothing is more thrilling than having a good sequencer handy.� The Korg IMS20 Synth App is one such device.� The beauty of this program is that this is all presented through the power of the iPad.� There are several advantages of using the Korg IMS 20 synth app. First and foremost of which is that you have in your hands a powerful analog synth made popular in the late 70′s or early 80′s but [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/korg-ims20-synth-app-review/

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Apple's Recalled First Gen iPod Nanos Are Being Replaced With the Same Model [Apple]

Last weekend we reported that Apple was recalling some of their first generation iPod Nanos with concerns that the aging battery could overheat. And those of you hoping for an easy upgrade to the latest gen model will be disappointed. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5a0FgiscpPs/apples-recalled-first-gen-ipod-nanos-are-being-replaced-with-the-same-model

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