Monday, May 2, 2011

Quick Look at Today’s Free Amazon App: Super Dynamite Fishing

7:54 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments



If you love to hunt this game is for you. Yes, I said hunt. Try this game and you’ll see why. Its a fun, fairly addictive fishing game. Yet your objective is to use unconventional means to catch the fish. You basically take control of the games character, which from the looks of him, he’s a poor good ol’ boy, sportin’ a trucker hat, overalls and a five o’clock shadow. Due to his lack of money he goes in to fishing to get paid. Any other normal fishing game you’d take your pole and cast in to the waters and see what you can pull out. Not this game. Here you visit the weapon shop and buy the required equipment, as in dynamite and shotguns so you can get out on that river and murder some fish, and even possibly find some buried treasure. Also as you rack up the cash, you can gradually upgrade your boat, five different styles. From a shower tub which you start with to a river boat, a viking ship, a battleship, and my personal favorite, The Nautilus from 20,000 Leauges Under The Sea.
The features, and fun comic strip style animation will have you passing the time, playing this game. The slaughtering of fish, dealing with the other characters, the love of your little lady Rose, achievements, and more, make this game quite enjoyable. Finally, you’ll see when it come to navigating the waters in your vessel, you’ll use the phones accelerometer to move along as you swipe your finger to toss the dynamite in to the schools of defenseless fish.
This game is brought to us by Handy Games, and all day today can be had free in the Amazon App Store, where it is normally, $0.99.


 
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Super AMOLED Not Coming to Samsung Tablets Yet

7:26 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments


If you are a fan of Samsung devices and have been hoping that Samsung would deliver their Super AMOLED display to their tablet devices it appears that you have a long wait ahead before seeing a Sammy tablet sporting a Super AMOLED.
According to an article over on Slash Gear by way of Korean site Ddaily, Samsung have shelved plans to bring Super AMOLED displays to their tablets, with a Samsung executive being quoted as saying…” the company now has no plans to use its Super AMOLED or Super AMOLED Plus in any imminent slates, likely due to delays at the 5.5-Gen production line.”
Apparently a new Samsung plant was expected to be up and running this year to produce 7-inch and up AMOLED panels for Samsung tablets, but component delay due to the Japan disaster have caused a delay.
So there you have it, for the foreseeable future anyway, you won’t be seeing a Super AMOLED tablet coming out of the Samsung camp.

 
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BlackBerry PlayBook to get Video Chat and Facebook apps in May

7:25 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments



Who's going to get the very first "tablet-optimized" Facebook app? Why, it's RIM and the PlayBook! The Canadian company has today revealed it's bringing a native Facebook app to its 7-inch, QNX-based slate, which will also be joined by a new Video Chat application. The latter will be available to download on May 3rd, with an over-the-air update dishing it out to current PlayBook owners. Its functionality will be no different from what we've come to expect from such clients -- both voice and video calls will be available anywhere you can find a a WiFi connection. As to the Facebook app, it's coming some time later in the month, and will let you view and add your friends, share photos and videos "seamlessly," access Facebook Chat, and view and interact with the news Feed. Both should be getting extensive demos at BlackBerry World, which is taking place this week, and we'll be sure to have a gander and report our findings. Skip past the break for the full press releases.

 
 
 
 
May 2, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RIM Announces New Video Chat Application for the BlackBerry
PlayBook Tablet

Allows BlackBerry PlayBook users to easily share special moments with friends and family

Waterloo, ON - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the availability of the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ Video Chat application - an easy and fun way for friends and family to place and receive video calls between BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets over an internet connected Wi-Fi® network.

"BlackBerry is a renowned mobile communication solution for connecting users to the people and information that matter most throughout their day," said Tom Goguen, VP, Collaboration and Social Networking at Research In Motion (RIM). "With the BlackBerry PlayBook Video Chat application we are excited to be enabling our customers to share important moments and events with family and friends via video calls. With the BlackBerry PlayBook's high-resolution video cameras and stunning display, a Video Chat call is the next best thing to being there."

Key features of the PlayBook Video Chat application include:

• One-Click Video and Voice over Wi-Fi Calls - with just one click users can make a call from their Video Chat contact list, log of recent calls or simply by entering the BBID email address of the person they want to call.
• Incoming Call Notifications - users will receive a notification pop-up when a new video call comes in, allowing them to accept the call as either a video or voice call, or decline the call. For those quiet moments - such as when while watching a movie or playing a game -users will also have the ability to simply set the "Do Not Disturb" option and the BlackBerry PlayBook will automatically ignore all incoming calls.
• Powerful In-Call Functions - by using the picture-in-picture function users can easily preview their own video image prior to placing the call in order to see what will be displayed on the other end. They can also easily switch cameras from front to rear so their friends can see what they are seeing, and for private moments users can mute/unmute audio or make or take calls using voice only.
• Friends List - BlackBerry PlayBook Video Chat comes complete with a Friends List for maintaining your favorite contacts. A picture can easily be added to a contact to personalize the entry and a Call Log makes it simple to keep track of received and missed calls.

The BlackBerry PlayBook Video Chat application will be showcased this week at BlackBerry World 2011 (www.blackberryworld.com) in Orlando FL. It is expected to be available on May 3 and will be distributed to existing BlackBerry PlayBook customers through an over-the-air software update and will also be available on BlackBerry App World™.

 
 
 
 
May 2, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RIM Announces New Facebook App for BlackBerry PlayBook

Waterloo, ON - Following on the success of the Facebook for BlackBerry® smartphones app, Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced Facebook for BlackBerry® PlayBook™ -- a new app that delivers popular features of Facebook, optimized for the 7" high resolution, multi-touch LCD display of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

"There are over 30 million users of our Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones app who are staying in touch with their social network while on the go," said Tom Goguen, VP, Collaboration and Social Networking at Research In Motion, "Now with Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook we can also offer customers highly engaging social experiences optimized for the PlayBook including the ability to share FaceBook pictures and videos with friends and family on an HDTV."

Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook offers users a highly engaging experience by integrating popular features and functionality of Facebook including:

• View and add Friends - Users can interact with friends quickly and easily: find friends by scanning the new grid view of their profile pictures; search for and add new friends and manage new friend requests; browse their profiles, photos and videos; view and interact with wall posts; view key information on profiles and pages; and view, comment and 'like' photos on profiles and pages.
• Enjoy seamless photo and video viewing - Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook makes it easy to upload photos from the BlackBerry PlayBook Picture Library, tag friends in photos, view comments, tags and likes. The BlackBerry PlayBook can also be connected to an HD TV to display photos and videos at a whole new level in full 1080p HD.
• Connect with friends using Facebook Chat - On the BlackBerry PlayBook screen, users can enjoy side-by-side viewing of online contacts and active conversations. Notifications of new Chat messages are displayed on the Notifications Bar, so users can quickly and easily read and respond to new Chat messages while browsing friends' profiles, viewing their pictures or reading their status updates.
• View and interact with the News Feed - Users will be able to browse highlights such as photo uploads and status updates and seamlessly view links in the BlackBerry PlayBook browser. They will also be able to "Comment" and "Like" to discuss and show appreciation for friends' content, as well as publish a status update or upload a photo from the status publisher accessible from their Profile or from within the News Feed.

The Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook application will be showcased this week at BlackBerry World 2011 (www.blackberryworld.com) in Orlando, FL and is expected to be available on BlackBerry App World™ in May.
 
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Samsung Galaxy S2 Apps [Guide]

7:22 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments




Samsung Galaxy S2 has started reaching countries like UK and South Korea and will soon be available in over 120 countries by the end of June. This Samsung Flagship smartphone is the recent Android superphone to reach market, with 1.2 GHz processor, 1GB RAM combined with Android 2.3.
But no phone is complete without Apps, especially an Android smartphone. Chances are that your telecom operator or Samsung will factory-install a number of most useful apps including the likes of Facebook, Twitter, e-book reader or more. But these aren’t all, with over 170,000 apps available in Android Market; you can always download more useful apps from Android Market.
We have compiled a list of some of the coolest and most useful apps for your phone available in Android Market right now. These are just 16 apps, so if you think we have missed some cool apps, which will be useful for others too, simply list them in the comments below or share your Appbrain lists.

  1. Adobe Reader: Best PDF Reader for your Galaxy S II.
  2. Google Docs: Access your Google Docs on the go with this official Android app. You can even open new documents/spreadsheets and more. Only downside is the requirement for data connection.
  3. Read It later: View or add to your reading list from any computer or mobile device. You can save articles from practically anywhere: your computer, browser, phone, mobile device and within over 130 applications that have Read It Later Support. Must have for anyone who spends time reading news/articles and other stuff on the web.
  4. Kindle/Nook for Android: No need for any introduction for these two.  Read e-books directly on your Samsung Galaxy S II from your Kindle library or Nook library respectively. Both are official apps, so you can also track your accounts or buy new books.
  5. How Stuff Works: The HowStuffWorks Android app not only gives you instant access to a massive collection of articles and podcasts right on your Android device, but also gives you direct access to our famous podcasters and HowStuffWorks experts.
  6. RunKeeper: Track, measure, and improve your fitness. RunKeeper uses GPS to track your fitness activities, including distance, time, pace, calories, heart rate, and path traveled on a map.
  7. Al Jazeera Live/ CNN App for Phones: News Junkies, what else can be better than the live feed coming directly from Al Jazeera. Or if you want news in text/multimedia format, then CNN’s official app for Android Phones is your best bet.
  8. Twitter: Official Twitter App is available in Market, but you are not satisfied with this one, you can always opt for Plume or TweetDeck.
  9. Ebay for Android/Amazon.com: Shopping or the go with the official eBay and Amazon.com apps. Check product prices, track your bids[only ebay] or simple buy stuff.
  10. Google Shopper: Another app for shopaholics, compare prices, find products using barcodes or voice/text search. Downside – Currently U.S. and U.K. prices only.
  11. PicSay/Photoshop: Your 8MP camera pics are of no use, if you don’t have a decent image editing tools right on your SGS2. Edited your pics and share them on social networks.
  12. SkyFire/Firefox/Dolphin HD: Not satisfied with stock browser. There are scores of alternatives in the Android Market, but these three are the best of those.
  13. Google Chrome to Phone: Google Chrome to Phone lets you easily share links, maps, and currently selected phone numbers and text between your computer running Chrome and your phone.
  14. EverNote: Evernote lets you take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, record voice reminders–and makes these notes completely searchable, whether you are at home, at work, or on the go.
  15. ES File Explorer: A nice and sleek file explorer for all your needs.
  16. SoundHound/Shazam: Find songs with instant music recognition, and lyrics and artist info right no your phone with either of these apps.
 
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Android App: Pool Break Pro

7:20 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments



Pool Break Pro
by Kinetic Bytes(68)

Buy new: $2.99

Latest Updates

What's new in version 1.7.8
  • Moved to a new hosting server--as a result, if you have an earlier version, please update Pool Break to this latest version
  • Online audible alert fixed (only sounds once)
  • Shoot button sensitivity fixed
  • Orientation issues with alert dialogs fixed


Product Details

  [Source: Amazon]





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Download: Google Talk With Video/Audio Calling For Rooted Android 2.3 Devices (Ported From The Nexus S)

7:18 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments


One of Android 2.3.4′s main new features, which was officially released to the Nexus S late last week, was video and audio calling in Google Talk. While having this feature on the Nexus S is great for its owners, Android users of other devices were left behind. If there is one thing Android users don’t like to do, it’s wait, which is why britoso from xda managed to rip out the app from his Nexus S and modify it to be compatible with most devices running Android 2.3.
Unfortunately, because he had to modify the apk, he needed to sign it with a different key, which means you need root to install this version (you won’t be able to install it over the original Google Talk app as an update due to mismatched signatures, which means you need to uninstall the original app first, and that’s not possible unless you’re rooted – Google Talk is a system app).
This article deals with a couple of advanced topics. If you’re unfamiliar with some of the terms, hit up our primers here:
While most people are reporting at least partial successes, some are experiencing installation errors or force closes, so your mileage definitely may vary. Those who install successfully are also split between a fully working app and one that is missing video in one direction – they can see the other person, but that person can’t see them. The only way to know for sure is to try it yourself. Don’t worry – if you make a backup as per instructions, you can always go back to the original as if nothing happened.
Installation Instructions
  1. Make sure you have a rooted device with write access to /system. You will also need adb, which is part of the Android SDK.
  2. Download Talk_with_AV.zip from our direct mirror or the xda thread (xda registration required).
  3. Unzip it somewhere on your computer.
  4. Connect your device running Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" or above and make sure it shows up in the list by running adb devices.
  5. Execute:
    adb remount adb shell mv /system/app/Talk.apk /system/app/Talk.apk1 adb uninstall com.google.android.talk adb push libtalk_jni.so /system/lib/ adb push Talk2.apk /system/app
  6. You should now have the newest Google Talk installed – go ahead, try it out.
If for some reason you can’t write to /system and would like to use a flashable zip instead, it’s available in the xda thread as well.
To revert, execute:
adb remount adb uninstall com.google.android.talk adb shell mv /system/app/Talk.apk1 /system/app/Talk.apk
Now get to installing! If you post your successes or failures below, please include your Android version, exact ROM you’re using, and your device’s model.
 [Source: AndroidCentral]
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Android 2.3.3 Allegedly Previewed on T-Mobile G2x [Video]

7:15 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments



T-Mobile confirmed that their newest phone – the T-Mobile G2X – would be getting Gingerbread “very soon”. If this preview build acquired by This Is My Next is anything to go by then it would appear T-Mobile wasn’t the least bit bluffing. They bring us 7 minutes of footage but it really isn’t anything we haven’t seen on other Gingerbread devices. Just know that it’s pretty damn stable and expect T-Mobile to roll it out sometime this month (hopefully within the next two weeks).
PS: I say “allegedly” in the article title because of how easy it is to theme deodexed Android ROMs and change build.prop files. We trust the folks at This Is My Next (some very trusted names in technology media), though, and we’re fairly certain they wouldn’t go through the trouble of faking this just for content’s sake.
 
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Take Screen Shots With Your T-Mobile G2X Without Rooting Your Phone

7:14 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments



Some of you may already know this, especially if you have recently purchased T-Mobile’s G2X and have researched the device beforehand.  However, I figured it can’t hurt to cover the feature again for those who might have missed it.  One of the most sought out and coveted pieces of functionality iPhone users have benefited from for years has now made its way to Android and could possibly be here to stay for future devices.  That’s right, screenshots!  To take a quick screen shot with your T-Mobile G2X all you have to do is simply hold down the power button + home button and wallah!  A full screen shot of your Angry Birds high score has been saved to your photo gallery.  As a blogger and one who performs app reviews, I can’t tell you how convenient this feature will be.  Previously, one had to root their device to obtain the feature and frankly, it just seemed a little redundant for such a small and single feature.  So, there you have it.  It doesn’t get any easier than that.  Let us know what you think of the feature in the comments below.  Do you think it’s a highly coveted function or could you care less?  We want to know.
 
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AT&T & T-Mobile, Want To Add Your 2 Cents Worth? FCC Says Ok

7:13 PM Simranpal SIngh No comments


As you’re already aware, not everyone is happy with the AT&T&T-Mobile buy-out.  It appears that the FCC wants to know what you think about the whole acquisition, which is looking to be finalized about this time next year.  Have you had an opinion or thought on the matter?  The FCC has provided a place on their electronic comment filing page for you to chime in.  Now is the time to take advantage if you’ve been looking to get something off of your chest.  Head on over to their site via the source link and look for file number 147, proceeding number 11-65 and feel free to fire away in the comment box.  While you’re at it, paste that rant or blessing in our comments section first before pasting it over at their site.  We’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.  Dan Hesse, there’s even a spot for you too my friend!  As a T-Mobile employee myself, I have much to say on the matter, but I think I’ll save that jazz for another post.  I’ll just suffice it to say this, I shiver at the thought of Android being solely left in the hands of AT&T.
I think our friend Zak Stinson, over at Android Police sums it up well as to what we should be worried about:
  • A lack of competition resulting from fewer, larger carriers may result in less innovation and increased prices.
  • Both carriers’ 4G HSPA+ bands are incompatible, risking loss of coverage for T-Mobile handsets once AT&T LTE starts rolling out
  • Only one major carrier will be buying GSM handsets, meaning they will have the lion’s share of control over the GSM devices that make it to the U.S. market
 
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