SlingPlayer Mobile App for Android Tablets launches

If you travel a lot, being able to watch stuff from your home on your mobile device can be a big deal. If you use an Android tablet when you are on the go a new app has launched that will let you keep up with your favorite content when you are on the go. The SlingPlayer app for Android tablets has launched and it will work on any tablet that has version 3.0 or later of the Android OS.

The app allows the extension of the screen in the living room to the mobile device and supports the video quality and larger screen size the Android tablet offers. The app will work when connected to a Slingbox SOLO or PRO-HD. The app allows the user to change channels, control the DVR, and watch the content they want to see from anywhere they can get a web connection.
The app isn’t free; it will cost you $29.99 in the US. It is for sale in other countries as well. The SlingPlayer app for Android phone will continue to work in compatibility mode at no costs. That free app would be the way to start and if you like watching on your tablet, the paid app with better quality would be the way to go.
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T-Mobile Bobsled VoIP service comes to Android

T-Mobile has a VoIP service that has been in use on Facebook for a bit now. Bobsled has been extended to cover more platforms with the service on the iPhone and more important available on Android now as well. The service is used via a free app that you can download and the app allows calls to me made to Facebook contacts at this point.

The service does support free landline calls to the US, Canada and Puerto Rico via a browser apparently. To make those free browser calls you need to log in through the browser interface. The Android app will allow you to make Bobsled-to-Bobsled calls only. The good news is that with Android and iOS apps most of the people you know are probably callable using bobsled.
You can leave voice mails and the voice mails are sent to the contacts Facebook wall. You can record a voice message as well that will be penned to the wall. I wonder if that means everyone can read or hear the message you leave. If you want free calls, this will do the trick. The Android app can be grabbed on the Android Market now.
[via SlashGear]

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Wire free charger in iPhone 6

Have you ever thought about having a wireless charging technology? Can you really believe that you can charge your iPhone without any cable in future? But these thought are about to be converted in the reality. Apple has advanced far ahead in their research to develop a groundbreaking wireless charging technology. Many technology researchers have developed diverse methods to build a wireless charging system for smartphones and other handheld devices. Among them, Apple’s much-appraised induction-based wireless charging project is a bit interesting, and deserves to mention here.

Rumors suggest that Apple will be up with a wireless charger for its iPhone 6 in 2012. However, after the new development that Apple launched iPhone 4S for this year instead of an iPhone 5, we may be getting the wireless charging in an iPhone 5 only in the next year. The imagined toe-to-head revamped iPhone 5 will be only drifting to the market next year now. Whatever it is, in this article, we are talking about the wireless charging technology, its possibilities and, of course, its efficiency to keep you move on without a cable charger in your backpack.

How does wireless charging work?

Apple’s wireless charging method is all about the induction technology. Your smartphone or tablet is expected to obtain power as a result of some inductive processes in a charging mat. We have no more details about the Apple’s much-discussed wireless charging method; however inductive charging is a commonly accepted method for wireless charging. Some of Apple’s recent patent applications specify that the company is working to churn out a technology to charge its future iPhones using the induction-based wireless charging.

The technology states that inductive charging happens when electromagnetic field transfers power between two objects. With an inductive coupling to an electrical device that may be a computer or any other devices, the charging station - charging mat - will send the power into the battery of your handheld devices. It is actually a kind of method in which a short-distance wireless electricity happens. For the procedure, you are supposed to place your device on top of a charging mat, built up of the components required for the inductive power generation.

Benefit of wireless charging

Wireless charging primarily escapes you from the task of searching for an electricity outlet whenever you are out. Quite often, when you go for a trip, you will be much worried about carrying the cable charger and also finding an electricity outlet. But as the wireless technology is to get realized, you will no longer have to be anxious of these things. You can carry the wireless charging mat and use it for charging your device near any electric device. One another benefit is that inductive power is an alternative power option. Technologists these days are working to utilize all possibilities to harvest power from alternative sources. Inductive power is indeed part of such a movement. So wireless charging, to an extent, goes green also.



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About the author: Kate is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and lifestyle. Beside this she loves cooking. These days she is busy in writing her new article on mobile phones.

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HP decides on Palm and webOS future this week

I’m not quite sure what the game plan HP had in mind when they purchased Palm some time ago, but it seems as though that is one plan that had fallen apart at the seams. The HP TouchPad did receive some buzz when it was introduced, but then again the tablet’s sales were stopped barely a month into its release. Signs point towards HP deciding on the future of Palm and its operating system, webOS, later this week after rumors of the company completing the initial bidding process for its webOS unit. An all-hands meeting is touted to be held tomorrow in order to reveal the future plans on whether HP will be selling or spinning off the group.
That would basically mean $1.2 billion or so down the drain after acquiring Palm, so it remains to be seen who else is going to pick up Palm and webOS. Perhaps the next Silicon Valley visionary is able to see what webOS can be in its entirety, or would Palm just be killed off, ending its relatively short life as a company?

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Google supports HTC in legal battles

Intellectual property has certainly gotten a whole lot more valuable in recent memory with patents being filed left and right by companies who are out to protect their inventions. We all know that Samsung and Apple have no love lost between them (especially in Europe), and in the US, Verizon and T-Mobile have voiced out their opinions that should Apple actually emerge victorious in their current lawsuits against Samsung, there are plenty of negative repercussions in the industry – both the business and consumers would be affected. Google has now stepped into the fray, where they filed paperwork with the United States International Trade Commission by stating their stand on how an Apple victory in the HTC suit might just take a bite out of the cellphone industry.

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AT&T announces 5 new Android phones

AT&T extends its Android offering in a big way today with no less than five new Android phones for the nationwide network. The Motorola Atrix 2, the Samsung Captivate Glide and DoubleTime, the Pantech Pocket and the “AT&T” Avail. Most of the phones don’t have any availability info just yet, but the Atrix 2 will be in stored on Sunday, October 16th for $99.

The Atrix 2 is a modest update to the original Atrix 4G, which debuted early this year. The phone retains the 960 x 540 screen, sold-separately laptop dock, 1GHz processor and “4g” HSPA+ network connection. A big part of the improvement comes from an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video recording and Android Gingerbread, though oddly, the on-board storage has been cut in half to 8GB. AT&T is trying to position the Atrix 2 as an enterprise phone with new encryption and remote-access features. The Atrix 2 will be available for purchase before the week is out on October 16th for $99 (just like the original) with a new 2-year contract.

Samsung’s QWERTY offerings are the Captivate Glide (which we spotted earlier) and budget-friendly DoubleTime. The former has a 4-inch 800x 480 Super AMOLED screen hiding its slide-out keyboard. Don’t let the messaging fool you, though – the 1GHz Tegra 2 processor and 1GB RAM will pack quite a punch. This one also has an 8 megapixel/1080p camera with a 1.3 megapixel front camera and access to HSPA+ 4G. The DoubleTime is a budget phone, and unlike the Gingerbread-loaded Captivate Glide, this little guy is saddled with Android 2.2 Froyo. The 600MHz phone’s screen is a small 3.2-inches, and the keyboard looks like it flips out Cliq-style.

Pantech’s latest smartphone, the Pocket, is an interesting one to say the least. It features a 4:3 800 x 600  screen, much wider in the horizontal axis than most android phones, and the screen stretches to four inches. AT&T claims this is for a better typing and browsing experience. Android 2.3 is included, as is “HD” video capture on the 5 megapixel camera. No mention is made of processor, storage or 4G, though we’ll probably be hearing a lot more soon.

Last but not least (“least” going to the DoubleTime up there), THe AT&T Avail is the latest addition to AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid service. OEM phone maker ZTE supplies this little guy with a 3.5-inch screen and a five megapixel camera. Once again, no more specifications or availability info is being made available at this time. Expect more information on the Atrix 2 and the other four new phones as their respective release dates near.

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AT&T unveils the Motorola Atrix 2, will launch October 16 for $99

AT&T just announced that they will be releasing the Motorola Atrix 2 starting October 16 for $99 when signing a two-year contract. If you have an Atrix, you will certainly see the few new changes within its sequel such as the slightly bigger 4.3-inch qHD display. It will have a lapdock accessory and a new HSPA+ 21Mbps modem. Check out the rest of the features:

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• 4G HSPA+ 21 Mbps (Category 14)
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• Internal memory: 8 GB ROM, 1 GB RAM, 2 GB microSD™ card (expandable to 32GB)
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 4.3-inch qHD screen 960x540TFT, with more than 500,000 pixels for sharper, clearer display
• 8 MP camera and LED flash with faster viewfinder start-up and shutter speeds than a digital camera
• Front-facing camera
• 1080p HD video capture, 30 frames per second playback
• On Device Encryption (ODE) and Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync® (EAS)
• IPsec VPN
• Lapdock 100 Accessory

We were hoping to see a better processor in this new Atrix 2 but hey for $100, you won’t go wrong with what it has to offer as far as specs are concerned. The press release is included below.

AT&T exceeds 2011 Android commitment, announces FIVE Smartphones

Availability of Motorola ATRIX 2, Samsung DoubleTime, Samsung Captivate Glide, Pantech Pocket and prepaid AT&T Avail, bring total count of new Android devices this year to 19
DALLAS, Oct. 11, 2011 — In January, AT&T* announced plans to introduce 12 Android devices in 2011 and today AT&T confirmed that goal has been met and will be exceeded during the fourth quarter.
AT&T announced today the upcoming availability of five new Android smartphones, the Motorola ATRIX™ 2, Samsung Captivate™ Glide, Samsung DoubleTime™, Pantech Pocket™ and the AT&T Avail™, a new smartphone option for prepaid customers. These smartphones will up AT&T’s 2011 Android lineup to 19, with more planned to follow.
Motorola ATRIX™ 2
The Motorola ATRIX™ 2 combines “extreme power” with “life of the party.” With its 1 GHz dual core processor and access to 4G speeds, entertainment lovers will revel in the ability to quickly download music and video and browse rich web pages in high-resolution on the 4.3-inch qHD display. Capture video in 1080p HD and display it on any size HD monitor with an HDMI cable using Mirror mode. With Motorola’s webtop application, you can browse the web with a full Firefox browser. Dock your phone in the optional HD Station** and browse the web on any size HD TV or monitor, or connect to the new Motorola Lapdock 100**, with optional full keyboard**, to use its multiple window capabilities to surf the web, make a call, send a text, stream a video or run a business application on the large screen all simultaneously.
While the ATRIX 2 boasts a great deal of entertainment value, features such as device and microSD card encryption, enterprise-grade VPN, enhanced Exchange options and personal information management and remote wipe make this device business-ready. Enterprise customers and personal users will enjoy the new free ZumoCast app, giving users hassle-free access to their music, playlists, pictures and videos stored on their computer.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• 4G HSPA+ 21 Mbps (Category 14)
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• Internal memory: 8 GB ROM, 1 GB RAM, 2 GB microSD™ card (expandable to 32GB)
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 4.3-inch qHD screen 960x540TFT, with more than 500,000 pixels for sharper, clearer display
• 8 MP camera and LED flash with faster viewfinder start-up and shutter speeds than a digital camera
• Front-facing camera
• 1080p HD video capture, 30 frames per second playback
• On Device Encryption (ODE) and Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync® (EAS)
• IPsec VPN
• Lapdock 100 Accessory

Samsung Captivate™ Glide
The Samsung Captivate Glide is a 4G Android smartphone that keeps you moving with a thin, side-slide QWERTY keyboard and a powerful 1 GHz dual core processor. Running Android 2.3, the Captivate Glide features access to 4G speeds, a 4” Super AMOLED screen, 8-megapixel flash camera with HD (1080p) video recording and a front-facing camera for video chat.
For the business professional, the Captivate Glide has enhanced Exchange ActiveSync support for IT policies, task synchronization and global address lookup. Know your information and network are secured with virtual private network access and device encryption.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• 4G HSPA+ 21 Mbps (Category 14)
• 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 AP20H dual core processor
• 1GB RAM/1GB ROM/8GB Internal microSD™ to 32GB (not included)
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 4-inch 480×800 WVGA Super AMOLED™
• Dual camera – 8MP Autofocus w/LED + 1.3MP front
• Full HD 1080p video camera + HDMI playback
• Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync® (EAS) to sync email, contacts, calendar and tasks
• Device and SD card encryption
• Virtual private network support
• Mobile Device Management (MDM)

Samsung DoubleTime™
With its compact design and dual touch screen with a full flip keyboard, Samsung DoubleTime is perfect for texting, multitasking and staying connected to social networks. Running on Android 2.2, DoubleTime boasts a white and pink color scheme and features a 3.2 MP digital camera with a camcorder, voice recognition, a dedicated function key for shortcuts, drag-and-drop widgets, five scrolling home screens and an expandable menu with scrolling panels.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Processor Qualcomm 600 MHz
• Onboard Memory Supports 260MB
• Android 2.2 (Froyo)
• microSD™ memory card supports up to 32GB (2GB microSD card included)
• 3.2” full touch screen display with 320 x 480 and 480 x 320 (HVGA) resolution

Pantech Pocket™
The Pantech Pocket is a slim Android 2.3 device ideal for customers focused on social entertainment and messaging. With a 4.0″ SVGA touch screen display, wide profile virtual keyboard, 4G support, 5MP camera, and access to the Android Market, it is the perfect device for those wanting a wider screen for a better experience with browsing, navigation and entertainment in a one-handed design.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Internal Memory: ~600MB plus 2GB microSD™ included.
• User Memory: 2.5 GB included (Includes a 2 GB microSD Card)
• Support for up to 32GB microSD
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Full touch 4″ SVGA display
• Screen size & resolution: 4″ (600×800) 16M TFT
• 5 MP camera with flash and HD video recording
• 114.7mm x 78mm x 11.3mm
• Weight is 4.66 oz
• Bluetooth: v. 2.1 + EDR
• Wi-Fi and access to AT&T hotspots

AT&T Avail™
The AT&T Avail from ZTE is the second Android smartphone launched by GoPhone, AT&T’s pre-paid offering. This device features a 3.5-inch touch screen, 5- megapixel camera and runs on Android 2.3 OS. AT&T Avail provides an affordable option for customers seeking the Android smartphone experience while still maintaining control of their usage and monthly bill.

• UMTS 850/1900/2100
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900
• Internal memory: 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM, 2 GB microSD™ card
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen
• 5 MP autofocus camera and video recorder
• Seven customizable homescreens
• Wi-Fi capable

AT&T Android Portfolio
Committed to serving the growing number of Android fans, AT&T now provides more options for customers seeking the Android OS experience at a variety of price points, form factors and through unique services.
In January, AT&T announced its commitment to expanding its Android portfolio by launching 12 new devices before year’s end. Since February, the company has introduced 12 Android smartphones and two new Android tablets. The Motorola ATRIX 2 and Samsung Captivate Glide join AT&T’s premium Android smartphone lineup that includes the Samsung Infuse™ 4G, Samsung Galaxy S™ II, HTC Inspire™ 4G and LG THRILL™ 4G.

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Apps of the Day: Boulder Dash & Flick Golf

With so many apps and games in the Android market it can be hard to spot the good ones. We’ve picked out a couple of games for all of you try out this evening, though. The first is a classic that’ll have many people literally throwing their pennies at their phones and tablets, while the other is a highly-polished sports game in a seemingly ageless genre. Go ahead and take a look at both today and have a good night!

Boulder Dash – Boulder Dash is a classic series of games that sees you going into caves in order to find precious diamonds. You won’t have all day, though, as boulders are either in your way or about to come crashing down on you. Grab all the diamonds you can and flee toward the exit to get to the next stage. You’ll be getting the first game for $4, with 4 other Boulder Dash games available as in-app purchases for those who want to extend the experience. There will be a lot to be had here over time so you’ll be entertained for a while. [Market]

Flick Golf – You can never go wrong with a good flick game. Basketball, paper basketball and football are easy candidates for the genre, but golf makes just as much sense. A world tour mode will allow you to play on greens from the USA to Japan. Fully-realized 3D worlds come into play, as well, surpassing whatever you thought was the best looking flick games to date. And just like in real life, wind conditions affect your shot so you’ll have to play against that. For $1.07, it’s a pretty safe download. [Market]

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Android Market Web Version Gets Ability to Sort Reviews

Finally! The number one complaint I’ve had with the web version of the Android market was that they tried to create a “like/dislike” system for user reviews. This was great, except for one major flaw – users would often see reviews not relevant to the current version of the app they’re looking at.
An app that was updated two days ago will have comments about problems from 6 months or even years ago that might have already been addressed simply because enough people “liked” it. Google enabled the feature on and off on both phones and on the web, seemingly not sure which direction they wanted to go.
We imagine someone came up with this brilliant idea – “why not let people choose what they want?” And that they did. You can now search Android market reviews by “Newest,” “Helpfulness,” or by “Rating.” That’s all there needs to be said. Simple, yet so many will be appreciative of it. Try it out at market.android.com.

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