When Apple's AirPlay isn't enough, Air PlayIt
Apple's various iOS devices are great for watching videos, but there are drawbacks. The process of transferring videos onto your device can be a lengthy one, and in many instances you may well have to convert to a format that can be played in iOS. Battling with iTunes is something that most iPhone and iPad owners want to avoid as much as possible, so the video streaming app Air Playit is likely to be welcomed with open arms.
Air Playit in fact comprises two components -- server software that must be installed on your Mac or PC and an app for either your iPhone or iPad. The server software can be used to manage your video collection and choose which individual files and folders should be made available. PIN protection can be used to prevent unauthorized access, or to prevent the kids from watching videos that are not suitable.
Google buys Motorola Mobility, Android's top supporter
Google thoroughly rocked the smartphone world on Monday morning by announcing it will be acquiring Android phone maker Motorola Mobility for approximately $12.5 billion. Motorola Mobility has existed as a standalone entity for just 8 months, and has produced some of the most successful Android smartphones such as the first Droid with Verizon Wireless.
Most importantly, though, Motorola Mobility holds one of the most valuable wireless patent portfolios in the business, and this acquisition serves as a follow up to the Nortel Patent auction where Google placed bids, but lost out to a consortium of bidders that included Apple, EMC, Microsoft, Ericsson, Research in Motion, and Sony.
Why wait until tomorrow, when you can download Firefox 6 today
Although not due to be officially released until tomorrow, Mozilla has placed Firefox 6 Final on to its download servers. The latest version of Mozilla's open-source browser -- the third major release in five months -- sports a brand new Permissions Manager, which allows users to set privacy controls on a site-per-site basis.
Developers can make use of a new scratchpad window for testing Javascript snippets, while domain names are highlighted in the Address bar to aid identification of websites. Other changes are mostly beneath the hood, designed to improve compatibility, performance and security.
What's it like to use the Fujifilm FinePix X100?
The Fuji FinePix X100. It's one of the more talked about and lusted after cameras on the market right now. It's also one quirky beast full of contrasts. Reviewers are quick to point out every annoying flaw, yet are also quick to tell you how much they love it and the resulting images. Thanks to a generous friend, I finally had the chance to test drive it myself for an afternoon.
First Impressions
Why isn't Apple protecting iTunes/App Store users from purchase fraud?
John Gruber and MG Siegler may deny it, but there is massive fraud going on through iTunes and the App Store. Apple's response, or lack of it, is the first problem. Apologists are the second.
I'm a big fan of brand or product enthusiasts. They're the measure of a company's success and the best marketers. But enthusiasts also get in the way by their insistent denial, when they defend a company at fault. The worst-case scenario is when the deniers are highly influential writers like Gruber, who writes for himself at Daring Fireball, and TechCrunch writer MG Siegler, who also has personal blog Paris Lemon. Both men are unabashed Apple apologists.
Sprint, RIM 'mutually' decide to scrap PlayBook 4G release
The future of Research in Motion's PlayBook tablet became less clear Friday as Sprint disclosed that it will not be carrying the 4G version of the device as was previously announced in January. The carrier will still continue to carry the Wi-Fi version, however.
In a statement to several news outlets, Sprint confirmed the change of plans. However, in what could be interpreted as a sign RIM may be pulling back on the PlayBook concept altogether, the move was described as "a mutual decision between Sprint and RIM."
Microsoft-backed group goes after Google search, claims unfair competition
I'm having this strange feeling it's 1999 again, when Microsoft competitors ganged up to form or support so-called independent groups that cried monopoly abuse outside the courthouse and in the court of public opinion. Now it's a Microsoft-supported group doing the same, and to Google. Is this ironic or what?
When Microsoft was on the receiving end, it was all talk about competitors plying the legal system to make gains they couldn't in the marketplace. Now that the shoe's on the other foot, with Google leading in search and Microsoft trying to catch up, competition through regulation is okay.
A little something to expect in the next generation of video games
In video gaming, there have been two separate types of interfaces that have dominated…for mobile gaming, it's been touchscreens, and on consoles it's been 3D motion control.
Following the explosive popularity of Nintendo's Wii, the current generation of consoles all embraced air interfaces where the user becomes the controller. PlayStation Move, and especially the brilliant Microsoft Kinect take free-space motion control to new levels. And following the explosive popularity of video gaming on the iPod touch, iPad, and iPhone, many game companies have shifted to a "mobile first" attitude.
Apple said to be planning iPod event for September 7
Japanese technology site Kodawarsian reported Friday that sources told it Apple plans to hold an event on September 7 featuring its updated iPod line. As part of its reporting, it also said the iPhone 5 was on target to ship in either September or October.
The site has typically had a good track record in predicting Apple moves, and the date would match up with Apple's typical yearly iPod event, generally held on the first Wednesday in September. What is not clear is whether or not the iPhone 5 would make an appearance too.
Chrome 14 beta supports C/C++, OS X Lion, Native Client and more
Google has released Google Chrome 14 Beta, a pre-release version of its open-source, cross-platform web browser. Version 14 will be of interest to developers and end users alike, with a number of new features as well as the usual range of bug fixes and tightening of security.
Chrome 14 Beta represents a major step forward for Mac users, embracing various OS X Lion enhancements, including Lion scrollbars and full support for fullscreen mode. Mac users also get print preview, which appeared in version 13 for Windows and Linux users.
German courts will hear Samsung appeal on Galaxy Tab ban
Just days after a German court issued an injunction that halted sales of Samsung's 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab tablet across the European Union, the Korean electronics manufacturer won the right to appeal. The company will appear in court on August 25 in Dusseldorf to argue its case.
Apple was successful August 9 in getting the court to agree that Samsung's larger Galaxy Tab copies the iPad's design. The injunction is effective across the EU's 27 member-states save for the Netherlands, where Apple launched a separate case. The judge in that case says he expects to rule by Monday.
5 things my wife likes about Nexus S
My sweetie is an artist, and no geek. Her idea of complicated technology is the TV remote control's channel and volume buttons. So I was surprised to find her enthused about Google Android phones. Isn't it a stereotype that artists and Apple go together like organic gumballs in a bag?
Choosing Google over Apple
Apple is no longer the world's most valuable company
Exxon Mobile has retaken the lead from the most valuable tech company. This morning in early trading, Exxon Mobile's market cap was $353.60 billion compared to $350.45 billion for Apple. Update: Apple almost caught Exxon at day's end. Exxon closed with valuation of $350.07 billion and Apple $349.50 billion.
On August 9, Apple and Exxon Mobile played a cat-and-mouse chase for largest market capitalization. Apple passed Exxon the next day and held the lead to close -- Apple's market cap was $337.17 billion, compared to Exxon Mobile's $330.77 billion. But Apple's gains came more because of Exxon's losses. Today, with both stocks up in early trading, the energy giant pulled away from the maker of the Jesus phone -- er, iPhone.
Beta This! Symantec tests new security software for Android
Security software is not something that is generally associated with mobile devices such as phones, but the open nature of the Android platform means that viruses are a real threat, just as for desktop computers. Security firm Symantec is only too aware of this and has released a beta version of Norton Mobile Security that includes not only virus protection, but also other security features such as location locating and remote wiping.
On the virus protection front, any files you download or updates you install are scanned for signs of infection before they can cause any harm, and SD cards can be automatically scanned when you insert them. This in itself is comforting, but there are plenty of other mobile specific security features that will be of interest to anyone looking to safeguard their phone and the data it contains.
PC Doctor: Better at system surgery than diagnosis
The PC world is packed with tools that promise to optimize your system, but most do little or nothing useful. And so the news that Kingsoft Security had released another, their free PC Doctor, didn't exactly fill us with anticipation.
The reality was much better than we expected, though. PC Doctor is far more interesting than most of the competition, and while the program is currently flawed, it could already be useful for many people.
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