My Blog: August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Mobile Miscellany: week of August 26th, 2013

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought convincing signs that BlackBerry users are moving away from physical keyboards, along with a new budget Android smartphone for MetroPCS and a stumbling block that's holding up AT&T's acquisition of Alltel. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 26th, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/VYw7KEgnbl4/

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Microsoft trumpets Windows Phone 7 numbers on first birthday

Happy first birthday, Windows Phone 7! One year on, and the fledgling mobile operating system has 36,000 active developers in its AppHub community, 1.5 million downloads of its Developer Tools, and 11,500 apps in its Marketplace.

Microsoft is quick to take a couple shots at competitors' app stores, beating its chest about not re-counting tanslations of an app or "lite" apps, "increasing tonnage" by supporting apps from other mobile platforms, and not listing wallpapers as a category.

That's all fine and dandy, but we spend a lot of time sifting through WP7 app feeds -- and we're still not seeing a lot of awesome apps on the platform. We think a few marquee apps would've made a pretty nice first birthday present -- along with a much smoother update process for WP7 users.

Microsoft trumpets Windows Phone 7 numbers on first birthday originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/microsoft-trumpets-windows-phone-7-numbers-on-first-birthday/

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Don't You Wish You Were In One of These Beautiful Natural Pools?

You'd be crazy not to love stark, modern design like the stunning Tangga House, but the natural look can be beautiful too. Take these awesome man-made pond pools from Water House for example. You can't tell me you don't want to dive in right now.

Braven 625s Bluetooth speaker review

First things first. �Do you enjoy listening to clear clean voices with readily identifiable instruments and feel a little uneasy with big booming bass?� Then the portable Braven 625s speaker, built for the outdoors thanks to a rugged rubber exterior, should be a�Bluetooth speaker at the top of your wish list.� I usually stream movies […]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/08/31/braven-625s-bluetooth-speaker-review/

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Whipping Post Vintage Messenger Bag review

When it comes to my every day gear bag, I’m very picky. It has to be the right size, right weight, right capacity and it has to look good. I’ve been carrying a Timbuk2 messenger bag for as long as I can remember, so I figured it’s time to broaden my horizons and try something […]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/08/29/whipping-post-vintage-messenger-bag-review/

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Best iPhone and iPad apps for getting around the London Underground

If you live in, or visit London at any point, there's a higher than average chance you'll use the infamous 'Tube' to get around the city. It's busy, it's cramped, but it's still the quickest way generally of getting from A-to-B and avoiding the horrendously congested roads. But what if you don't know how to get where you're going, or just generally want to keep the latest Underground information at your fingertips? The good news is there's some great apps for your iPhone and iPad to help you get around on the Underground.

Tube Map

This has been one of my own go-to apps for a long time now, partly because the developers have the exact same app available on the other mobile platforms, and partly because it has literally everything on hand to help you get around the Tube. If you want to set up notifications for certain lines, you can, as well as viewing full status of all the different lines, live departures, and plan your route anywhere around the city. There's a couple of in-app purchase options, one to remove ads and one to add first and last train times, but otherwise this is free, and a fantastic choice for anyone using the Underground.

Free - Download Now

Tube Map Live

Tube Map Live serves a distinct purpose, but it serves it very well. Instead of focusing on routing, what this does is show you live, real-time information on where the trains are as they move around the network. It uses official Transport for London data, but if you tap on any of the trains shown on the map, it'll tell you where that train is headed as well as showing its position on the line. The colored circle around the outside of the train icon tells you which line that train is on, and the ticker across the bottom continually scrolls through with live line status information.

This one is perfect for anyone who knows where they need to go, and how to get there, but needs to know where the trains are, what lines they're on and how the service is running. Oh, and it looks pretty fantastic as well.

Free - Download Now

Citymapper

Citymapper goes far beyond just Tube travel, it's a complete one-stop shop for all your London travelling needs. But the Underground aspect is done particularly well, with a full offline map on board alongside the expected routing information, line statuses and live departure information. One particularly neat trick Citymapper has is that it'll tell you what it's going to cost for your proposed journeys. Just for that extra touch.

It looks amazing, too. It's a gorgeous app to look at and to use, and is perfect for anyone who needs their Tube information sprinkled with a little bit of all-round travel planning.

Free - Download Now

Tube Tracker

Tube Tracker is actually from the same developer as Tube Map Live, and that's not cheating because they're two very different apps. Tube Tracker is a more full featured Underground travel app, and mixes gorgeous design with live departure boards, a full map, offline route planner, notifications, and the same visual train tracking that Tube Map Live enjoys. If the simplicity of Tube Map Live isn't for you but you still want that feature, then Tube Tracker is the one to get.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/8Yq-uxSOMas/story01.htm

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Classic Shell now makes Internet Explorer 9 look like IE8

classic shell make windows 7 look like xp

If you used Windows XP for a long time (who didn't?), one of the biggest changes when moving to Windows 7 or Vista was the massively-altered Explorer. While the new Explorer introduces some useful new features, it also removed just as many -- which is where Classic Shell comes in!

We've covered Classic Shell before, but here's the crib note: Classic Shell restores almost every Windows XP-era Explorer feature. The best change, in our opinion, is the reemergence of the 'up' arrow, meaning you now navigate without using the Windows Vista/7 'breadcrumbs' address bar. The status bar yet again shows the total size of your selection, and -- praise be! -- the diabolical Windows 7 Copy File 'copy and replace?' dialog has been replaced with a Windows XP lookalike (image after the break).

New to the most recent version of Classic Shell is the ability to make IE9 look like IE8. With Classic Shell the title bar yet again has a caption, so you can see the full title of Web pages. The current security zone and loading progress indicator have been put back into the status bar, too. If you enable 'Show tabs on a separate row,' it's almost like using IE8.

Finally, Classic Shell replaces the omnipotent Windows 7 Start Menu with the age-old 'classic' Windows 2000/XP-style Start Menu. Classic Shell makes the Start Menu skinable, too, if you're into the kind of thing.

As awesome as it sounds, we've only touched on a small section of Classic Shell's feature set. Check the Classic Shell site for a complete list. There's a few more images of Classic Shell in action after the break.

Download Classic Shell for Windows

Continue reading Classic Shell now makes Internet Explorer 9 look like IE8

Classic Shell now makes Internet Explorer 9 look like IE8 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/classic-shell-makes-windows-explorer-and-ie9-look-like-their-anc/

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Friday, August 30, 2013

A Packable Emergency Backpack You Can Stash Almost Anywhere

Replace that mountain of awkward reusable shopping bags you've somehow amassed with Herschel's new packable backpack, which should make hauling home a week's worth of groceries a lot easier. Made from rip stop nylon, the packs can be squeezed into a compact internal pouch for easy storage or carrying as an emergency backup, and come complete with adjustable shoulder straps and an external pocket.

Apple's iPhone trade-in program hits its retail stores today (updated)

Well folks, it seems the rumblings we heard earlier this week were indeed true. CNBC has confirmed that Apple's iPhone trade-in program -- officially labled the iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program -- is starting up in the outfit's retail stores today. According to 9to5Mac, trade-ins will be offered for iPhone 3G up to the iPhone 5 with customers receiving a gift card for the determined value of their devices. Phones will then be handed over to BrightStar for recycling. It's worth noting that these number fluctuate, so there's no way of accurately calculating what a local shop will offer up. Of course, timing is everything, and folks looking to recoup some funds ahead of the anticipated iPhone 5S announcement now have an option.

Update: We reached out to Apple on the matter and here's the response:

"iPhones hold great value. So, Apple Retail Stores are launching a new program to assist customers who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or recycling. In addition to helping support the environment, customers will be able to receive a credit for their returned phone that they can use toward the purchase of a new iPhone."

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Source: CNBC (Twitter), 9to5Mac

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/30/apple-iphone-trade-in-program/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

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Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus

Once upon a time, there used to be a DOS game with a caveman and a human powered helicopter. The caveman would shuttle around the screen, madly trying to get customers to where they wanted to go.

Jetbus is not that game, but it's obviously inspired by it. You're driving a yellow school bus which has jets. I guess the jet engine takes quite a bit of space inside the bus, because you can only pick up one person at a time.

There are several doors on the screen, each with its own number. As you pick up a person, the status bar at the bottom of the screen shows you which number door you have to take them to.

You must fly your bus carefully, because if it gets bumped around too much, you lose. You earn money on each level, and can visit the garage to buy better jets and damping, power-ups, or even a whole new vehicle.

So while this game isn't made as well as the original that inspired it, it does provide a few minutes of fun. And now, which one of you guys remembers the original and feels like pointing to it in the comments?

Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/jetbus-is-a-retro-tastic-physics-game-with-a-bus/

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Kobo?s Best-in-Class Screen Migrates to Its New, Smaller E-Reader

The Kobo Aura HD was the e-reader surprise of the spring. Now, it?s getting smaller and less pointy. Today, Kobo announced the HD-less Aura, a six-inch e-reader that uses mostly the same technology as its limited-edition predecessor.

Source: http://feeds.wired.com/c/35185/f/661457/s/3078c8b5/sc/28/l/0L0Swired0N0Cgadgetlab0C20A130C0A80Ckobo0Eaura0C/story01.htm

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First Firefox 6 build next week, Firefox 7 by May, and aurora channel introduced

Mozilla's Engineering Project Manager, Christian Legnitto, has detailed the release schedule for Firefox 5, 6 and 7. If all goes to plan, Firefox 6.0a1 will be released next week, April 12, and Firefox 7.0a1 in the middle of May. The final build of Firefox 5 should be released on June 21, exactly three months after the release of Firefox 4.

Along with the faster 6-week release cadence, Firefox's new Chrome-like release channels have also been given names and anticipated update frequencies. The most notable change is the introduction of a new alpha channel -- which is analogous to Chrome Canary -- that will be called 'aurora' and will update nightly. Aurora will be where fixes and features are tested, and either approved for Beta, or backed out to Central. Aurora will have a new icon, too.

The Nightly (mozilla-central) channel will remain unchanged in name and frequency, but it will gain a new 'nightly icon.' The Beta (mozilla-beta) channel will remain as-is, with new builds rolling out weekly. The Release (mozilla-release) channel will also remain as-is, with security and stability updates coming every 6 to 12 weeks.

It should be noted that the names (including 'aurora') are not necessarily final, but it's unlikely that they'll change. We're also awaiting the arrival of the new 'channel switching' technology, which should arrive in the next few days -- in time for the release of Firefox 6 aurora!

First Firefox 6 build next week, Firefox 7 by May, and aurora channel introduced originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/first-firefox-6-build-next-week-firefox-7-by-may-and-aurora-ch/

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Inside the Bar of the Very Near Future, Where You?re the Bartender

Some bars really make you work for your drink. You wave and feint to catch the bartender’s eye, and even then your scotch might be made with unspecial cubes of booze-diluting ice. Life’s no bowl of maraschino cherries for bar ...

Source: http://feeds.wired.com/c/35185/f/661457/s/30723de5/sc/1/l/0L0Swired0N0Cgadgetlab0C20A130C0A80Cap0Ifangarden0C/story01.htm

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