Daily Crunch: Ambient Thing

Here are some of yesterday’s stories on TechCrunch Gadgets: CrunchDeals: Get Yourself A Thing-O-Matic For $999 Japan Gets Wi-Fi Dispensing Vending Machines LG Prada 3.0 Makes Official Debut In Korea, Europe To Follow Ambient Field Conditioner Will Condition Your Ambient Field 3DS Sees Record Sales In Japan, Fueled By Mario Kart 7 And Super Mario 3D Land

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/29/daily-crunch-ambient-thing/

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Tablets Streamline Medical Practice

Tablets Streamline Medical Practice The use of tablet computers in medicine is increasing rapidly with millions of doctors, hospitals and clinics worldwide turning to technology to meet their needs. Medical informatics is the new trend in information-sharing, with instant access to data making medicine more efficient. Interacting With Patients Clinicians use tablets when performing consultations with patients in a variety of ways. Tablets allow doctors to communicate treatment recommendations, sketch blueprints of intended surgical procedures and explain complex diagnoses. Most [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/tablets-streamline-medical-practice/

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HTC Jetstream receives custom CWM based recovery and permaroot

While development for the HTC Jetstream has been pretty slim since its release that's not to say the device has been abandoned totally by developers and now, some new doors have been opened. DooMLoRD has created a custom CWM based recovery and permaroot for the HTC Jetstream and made it available for download.

The recovery is still in testing so feedback is needed. Plus, like all things of this nature -- caution is advised should you put it to use but if you're fine with that then you can head on over to XDA, grab the download and check out the full list of changes and features built in.

Source: XDA

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/D37EEwsOBcw/story01.htm

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Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs for the Nexus S 4G [from the forums]

  

Google may not have officially pumped out Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S 4G yet, but that won't stop you from having it.  We've got two custom ROMs in the forums that are dripping with ICS goodness.  If you're a fan of the stock Android experience, you can get a fully working AOSP 4.0.3 ROM for your 4G, with just enough changes from standard to make everything work well from Beezy.  It's like having a smaller Galaxy Nexus in your pocket, with face lock, beam, and everything else you've seen in videos and reviews.

If you want something a little different, fergie716 has ported over the latest ICS MIUI ROM to the Sprint Nexus, with everything good to go except for Wimax (which you'll never see working on MIUI).  It's also Android 4.0.3 under all the candy, and offers a very different experience that everyone should try for themselves at least once.  It's subtle, beautiful, and a nice change of pace.

Of course, nobody here will blame you if you just want to wait for Google to get the official 4.0.3 build pushed to you.  But if you like to tinker around, there's no need to wait.  Check 'em out. 

[ROM] AOSP 4.0.3 for the Nexus S 4G

[MIUI 4.0] MIUI SwAT for the Nexus S 4G

Thanks, devs, and thanks Paul for the tip!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/OHpca8OVcR8/story01.htm

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Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway

This morning, Corel released VideoStudio X4. We've already published a quick overview and hands-on of the application, and now is the moment you've all been waiting for: We're giving away ten full licenses of this new version, each worth $99.99!

To enter our random draw, you just have to leave a comment. Full terms and conditions are after the break.

Continue reading Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway

Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/corel-videostudio-x4-giveaway/

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Droid 4 gets hands-on treatment, but it's simply a dummy unit

The folks over at TechnoBuffalo have just come across a rather interesting specimen -- it's a dummy unit of the forthcoming Droid 4 from Motorola. While its rumored release date has come and gone, non-functional models such as this are commonly offered to consumers in a retail setting to poke and prod to their heart's content. Nonetheless, the hands-on offers a few interesting details, such as a soft touch backside and insight into the redesigned keyboard, which is described as "the best one yet on a Droid handset." Whether we agree with that assertion will be determined come review time, but if you're interested to see the collection of up-close and personal shots with Moto's latest slider, be sure to check the source below.

Droid 4 gets hands-on treatment, but it's simply a dummy unit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/30/droid-4-hands-on-with-dummy-unit/

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Speedtest.net overhauled with new look, new features

Speedtest.net is pretty much the go-to site for quickly figuring out how fast (or slow) your connection really is and comparing the numbers your ISP boasts with what it actually delivers. And now it's got a new coat of paint and a couple of neat features. In brief:

• New UI: The map widget is much improved; it actually looks like a map now, and it's easy to see where you are.
• Smart server selection: If there are several test servers nearby, Speedtest will now ping each to see which has the least latency and use that for the test. You can still specify servers manually, too.
• User accounts: You can sign up for a free account and aggregate results from several computers/connections.
• Speed Wave: This new feature lets you add your test results to the results of many other users, and get a nice composite view.

All in all, you get some nice, new functionality and a snazzier interface to boot. Nice!

Speedtest.net overhauled with new look, new features originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/07/speedtest-net-overhauled-with-new-look-new-features/

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Verizon's $2 convenience fee inconveniences the FCC

Just like hard working humans, giant companies like to get paid consistently and on time for services rendered. But Verizon's method for motivating customers to pay up -- in the form of a $2 convenience fee -- isn't sitting so well with consumers, or the FCC. A Federal Communications Commission official confirmed that the fee hasn't gone unnoticed, saying "on behalf of American consumers, we're concerned about Verizon's actions and are looking into the matter." The $2 "payment convenience fee" is scheduled to hit consumers beginning on January 15th, but if the FCC doesn't step in before then, you can still skip the toll by signing up for AutoPay, or making your way to a different carrier.

Verizon's $2 convenience fee inconveniences the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/30/verizons-2-convenience-fee-inconveniences-the-fcc/

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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 coming sometime in 2012 with 'enhanced' Tegra 3 version

Youtube link for mobile viewing

SEGA today announced that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 will be coming to the Android Market and NVIDIA's Tegra Zone app sometime in 2012. No word on exactly when, however. But we do know that it'll be optimized for Tegra 2 devices -- and it'll have an "enhanced" version for the new quad-core Tegra 3 tablets and (eventually) smartphones.

And ... that's it for now. Check out the promo video above, and we've got the full presser after the break.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/8vdg7eV65LY/story01.htm

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Flickr adds to sharing options, now easier to share photos across the Web

It sure is nice to see some new developer action over at Flickr. The relatively slow-moving photo-sharing service has just announced a new sharing update, which consists of several new and easy ways to embed or link to your photos:

• Share from Photo page: There's a new sharing option on each and every photo page. When logged off, the button shows only Facebook and Twitter options. But once you log on, you get Tumblr and Blogger too, and can configure other sharing venues as well.
• Share non-public content on Facebook: This doesn't sound like a great idea, but you now can share private photos on Facebook if you're so inclined (and if you trust your privacy settings).

That's the gist of the update; it makes it easier to show off your pretty pictures in a plethora of places.

Flickr adds to sharing options, now easier to share photos across the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/flickr-adds-to-sharing-options-now-easier-to-share-photos-acros/

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DropSpace adds real Dropbox sync to Android

Dropbox offers a lovely client for Android, but it's lacking true "sync" functionality. You can merely browse your Dropbox, pull files into the device, and manually upload specific files.

DropSpace is a little Android app that makes Dropbox on Android work like Dropbox - that is, you get real folder synchronization in the background.

When you run the app you're prompted for your Dropbox credentials. After logging in to Dropbox, you get to select which device folders you'd like to sync to the cloud. It's a straightforward mapping process: You select a folder on the device, and then specify where in Dropbox it should go.

The interface is rather clunky, at least for now. The biggest annoyance is that you can't edit your "sync list": if you add a folder and then wish to remove it, you must delete the entire list of folders and start over.

In terms of functionality, it works quite well. I tested it with the camera folder, and it was nice to be able to take my photos using the lean default Camera app and have them sync up to the cloud instantly.

DropSpace adds real Dropbox sync to Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/dropspace-adds-real-dropbox-sync-to-android/

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This Cat Might Be Better At Fruit Ninja Than Your Kids

iOS devices are generally very accessible for most people. But for felines? Apparently so according to the video recently tweeted by Halfbrick, the developer of Fruit Ninja. It's clear within seconds of the video starting that the cat has done this before. This cat slashes fruit like a boss. As UberGizmo notes, the cat displays a surprising amount of accuracy and navigates the arcade mode with ease. But Fruit Ninja is one thing. I wanna see this cat slice and dice its way through Infinity Blade II.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/30/this-cat-might-be-better-at-fruit-ninja-than-your-kids/

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Elpida starts shipments of next-gen Wide IO Mobile RAM

Tablets might be all sexy curves and Gorilla Glass, but it's what's on the inside that counts, right? Efficient DRAM mightn't set your heart alight, but Elpida Memory did just start shipping its next generation 30nm "Wide IO Mobile RAM." The firm claims it uses 50 percent less power compared with equivalent DDR2 sticks, letting you caress your beloved device for longer. This economy is thanks to it purring along at just 200MHz, which is even more impressive when you consider it brags a 12.8 GB/s data rate per chip. This pumped, yet frugal, performance comes courtesy of using x512-bit data width -- some ten times larger than that of existing DRAMs. The party doesn't stop there, with the Elpida also debuting its LPDDR3 chip, brushing aside LPDDR2 with twice the data rates at 6.4GB/s a slice, and a 25 percent smaller power-drain in tow. Mass production should commence in 2012, check the source link for the full break-down.

Elpida starts shipments of next-gen Wide IO Mobile RAM originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/30/elpida-starts-shipments-of-next-gen-wide-io-mobile-ram/

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Verizon: LTE is hard, y'all

Since CES 2010, Verizon has been hard at work launching 4G LTE products and expanding their 4G coverage, but it's hit a few bumps in the road as of late. The month of December was particularly bad for Verizon and its customers who have taken on 4G devices expecting the same rock solid coverage they've always had with Verizon 3G service. Verizon Wireless's VP of network engineering, Mike Haberman, took the time to break things down for GigaOm (and the rest of us via a press release) and explain a little of what has been happening behind the scenes at Verizon to cause the issues as of late.

Starting with the December 7th outage caused by a failure of its back-up communications database, Haberman then noted December 21st downtime that was caused by a portion of their IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) — which replaces the old signaling architectures used in 2G and 3G networks. Finally, the most recent failure on December 28th was caused by was caused by two IMS elements not communicating properly.

In all cases, the IP Multimedia Subsystem was the root cause but once fixed the same issues never rose once again. In other words, they were bugs in the system and presumably isolated so they a part of growing a nationwide network of this nature. "Being the pioneers, we're going to experience some growing pains," Haberman said.

Haberman isn't hiding from the issues and notes "These issues we've been experiencing are certainly regrettable but they were unforeseeable." and highlighted Verizon's goal which "is to ensure that our 4G networks meets the same high standard that our 3G network does, we’re not there yet, but we’ll get there."

So does Verizon deserve some slack here? Personal opinion really. Reality is, launching a new nationwide network is hard and some bugs are bound to be found in the system which do cause issues for many users but, you can't really place a beta tag on a network so to speak. However, you can stop introducing ridiculous fee's and messing with upgrade policies that upset customers when some are already upset with their services.

Sources: Verizon, GigaOm

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/9ZAyKdjw4FQ/story01.htm

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SIM-LEI EV gets a video walk-through: shaped like a fish, has a big screen (video)

We got our first whiff of the SIM-LEI, an EV from across the Pacific, in March. Back then it was just an oddly shaped prototype with an impressive range of 207 miles and a top speed of 93mph. With the SIM-Drive's concept marching closer to a planned production date sometime in 2013 the company is finally giving a more detailed look at the car at the 2011 Electrical Vehicle Industrial Exhibition. The tapered, fish-like shape reduces drag, but the tiny coefficient of 0.91 couldn't be reached without shrinking the mirrors to their legal limit. The SIM-LEI compensates for the minuscule side and rear-view reflectors with a trio of cameras that feed video to the 19-inch (yes, we said 19-inch) monitor in the dashboard. Check out the video after the break for a complete tour of its advanced motoring tech.

Continue reading SIM-LEI EV gets a video walk-through: shaped like a fish, has a big screen (video)

SIM-LEI EV gets a video walk-through: shaped like a fish, has a big screen (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/28/sim-lei-ev-gets-a-video-walk-through-shaped-like-a-fish-has-a/

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Dell Streak 7 Review

Because of its 7-inch display screen, the Dell Streak 7 is probably the smallest tablet computers on the market. Many people may find this a disadvantage, but its size provides it with supreme mobility. Additionally, it has some fantastic specifications such as highly effective processor chip, 4G, and also to top it all off it features a comparatively low cost. How exactly does it compare with other Google android tablet computers out there? Positive points about the Dell Streak 7 [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/dell-streak-7-review/

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Andy Rubin: Android Had A Jolly Good Christmas With 3.7M Activations

Google SVP Andy Rubin took to Twitter again today, not to delete one of his tweets but to publish a brand new one, saying Android saw 3.7 million activations in two days (Christmas day and the day before). He also posted it on his Google+ account, just in case you were wondering.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/28/andy-rubin-android-had-a-jolly-good-christmas-with-3-7m-activations/

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Shot Shot Pirate is a fun, simple physics game

Shot Shot Pirate is very satisfying, because each level is short and to the point. You know what you have to do and you just do it.

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/

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Verzo Kinzo unboxing and impressions

Yes, the Verzo Kinzo is real! That Americano-Czech Android smartphone with mid-range specs that went on sale in November with a ludicrous $459 price tag only to be hastily relaunched earlier this month for a slightly more digestible $359 is not a giant farce. (Well, maybe it is.) It left the ethereal world of rendered computer graphics and landed in our mitts just in time for the holidays. To be specific, we received the pricier $384 Verzo Kinzo Plus GPS package, which includes a voucher for Sygic's off-line navigation app and a gaudy, Star Trek-inspired car holder. After spending a few days with the handset we are able to report that it isn't particularly impressive in this day and age but isn't completely horrible either -- not to mention the faux-Vertu packaging and branding which are rather, well... unique. So why not grab some leftover eggnog, and join us after the break for our unboxing and impressions?

Gallery: Verzo Kinzo overview

Continue reading Verzo Kinzo unboxing and impressions

Verzo Kinzo unboxing and impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/verzo-kinzo-unboxing-and-impressions/

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Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab now said to possibly get 'Value Pack' instead of Ice Cream Sandwich

In the continuing story of "Nobody knows what the hell's going on with the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab," (see Part 1 and Part 2) a new report out of Korea suggests that the manufacturer's 2010 flagship devices may receive a "Value Pack" update instead of a full-fledged refresh to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The "Value Pack" -- we'd expect a better name once all the translation and marketing is done -- would bring some of the sex of ICS without the hastle of an actual OS update.

That's probably a good middle ground, if indeed it is the case. It's not going to silence those who won't settle for anything less than Android 4.0, of course. But for the vast majority out there (who likely wouldn't really notice the difference anyway), it's a compromise worth exploring.

Source: Daum.net (translated); via Unwired View

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/HiG3tDDT6Ko/story01.htm

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