Posts Tagged ‘wi fi’

Akinator HD

Does This iPad App Really Have All the Answers? Yes, 99% of the Time It Does!

Scimob’s Akinator HD app provides an experience that all applications that fail into this category should, that being it highly entertaing! Ignoring the Thief of Bangdad Inspired visuals and characters at it’s heart this a 20 Questionsstyle pseudo-guessing game, where the player is required to think of a fictional or real life individual and then have the question master guess their identity, via a series of increasing specific questions.

Although a wi-fi link is required which hammers use in social situations, which would have added to the fun factor, during testing we only managed to stump this app once and we have tried countless times since to do it again and failed! Which provides our somewhat bizarre recommendation.

• App Name: Akinator HD
• Version Reviewed:2.1
• Category:Entertainment
• Developer:Scimob
• Price:$1.99
• Score:

Doodle Buddy for iPad – Paint, Draw Scribble, Sketch – It’s Addictive!

An Easy to use and Fun Version of the Standard MS Paint for the iPad!

Now you can doodle even when you do not have a pen and paper. Upon opening Doodle Buddy the app will do a search to see if anyone your Wi-Fi connection is running the same program. If they are then you can draw together, it not then you get the whole canvas to yourself. Then you are given your blank canvas to with what you will. Now if you are like me and have little to no artistic skill then don’t worry because the app also offers stamps and backgrounds to help you make a great picture. The app also gives you the option of doodling on top of a picture from you camera or your photo album.

This app is fun for those who have a few moments to spare, my only problem with this is that the brush has a jagged shape much like drawing with a crayon. I would love to see an update with a new selection of brushes enabling finer detailing. Minor fun for all ages.

• App Name: Doodle Buddy for iPad – Paint, Draw Scribble, Sketch – It’s Addictive!
• Version Reviewed:1.1.1
• Category:Entertainment
• Developer:Pinger, Inc.
• Price:Free
• Score:

T-Mobile Thinks Its Tablet Is Better Than The iPad

Boy Genius Report made an interesting find on T-Mobile’s USA website earlier today. It appears that T-Mobile fancies itself the leader in the tablet wars. Propping up the G-Slate model in comparison to the Verizon’s Motorola Xoom and the iPad via AT&T and Verizon, the company makes a claim that their tablet is both faster and less expensive then its counterparts.

The ad shows a side-by-side-by side comparison of the three devices, making claims at every turn that they come out on top. There are plenty of asterisks next to their numbers, which leads one to question the validity of their claim. For example, T-Mobile claims that their 5GB data plan is only $39.99 plus overages fees. But the fine print points out that that charge requires the buyer to have a qualified line of voice service on the same account as the mobile broadband line. I was unable to determine exactly what that means, but the fact that it is a caveat sends red flags in my opinion.

The ‘faster” claim also has a fine print. T-Mobile wants to make a point to say that their network speed is faster than AT&T and Verizon’s. AT&T has a notoriously shoddy network so they probably have that part right, but that does not make the tablet faster. I’d like to see the speed comparison between the iPad and the G-Slate in a wi-fi setting.

As for being “cheaper,” there is no argument that a no-contract G-Slate at $599 is less that its comparable iPad at $729 for 32GB +Wi-Fi & 3G. The G-Slate is saddled with Android’s Honeycomb, which has been rumored to be less than stellar as a tablet operating system. For a mere $130 more, you can have the real market leader, without the hidden extras and fine print that T-Mobile is offering.

[Via: Mac9To5]

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2XL Supercross HD Delivers High-Speed Action, Free For A Limited Time

In 2XL Supercross HD, you will race against the pros in this action-packed motorcycle game. Using the iPad’s accelerometer, you will tilt your way through difficult jumps and turns as you compete against either computer generated players, or your own friends over local wi-fi. In collaboration with FreeAppADay, this game, regularly $4.99, is free for a very limited time.

You have 16 different tracks to choose from, including the training track, where you can practice your jumps without being timed or distracted by other players. You also have at least 14 different riders and as many different motorbikes to choose from. None of them display any type of mechanical differences, but they have distinguishing colors and numbers.

You can play each track in easy, normal or hard mode and you can adjust the controls and sensitivity of your tilt motion. You are not given any kind of tutorial, but the game is so easy to play that you won’t need one anyway. You can play each track as a timed trial, in practice mode, or in race mode. The graphics are well-designed and the user interface is smooth.

Each track offers a slightly different variety of jumps and turns that are based on freestyle tracks designed by Motorcross champion Stephane Roncada. There is not end to the fun and challenging ways to play this game. Once you get the hang of the controls, it is easy to make your way through the many courses, experiment with the different powers of dirt bikes and try to discover secret jump combinations.

What I liked: The game is really easy to play. It takes a few tries to get used to the controls, but you rarely crash and jump combos are fun to try out. You can play in so many different modes that the level of challenge that you desire is easy to find.

What I didn’t like: I’m not a fan of iPad tilt gaming. I find the larger iDevice to be cumbersome and awkward to have to hold while playing games. I’d like to see the option to switch between tilt controls and stick or button controls.

To buy or not to buy: As a free game, there is no reason not to download it. It is hours of fun for anyone who likes Motorcross racing games. At the full price of $4.99, it is a bit steep, but still worth the money.

• App Name: 2XL Supercross HD
• Version Reviewed: 1.0.2
• Category: Games
• Developer: 2XL Games
• Price: $4.99
• Score:

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RIM Rumored to Discontinue WiFi PlayBook, Lower than Expected Sales

Barely three months after the launch of its BlackBerry PlayBook, RIM is rumored to be about to discontinue the currently available models, possibly due to lower than expected sales. While the tablet fared better than other devices such as the Motorola Xoom, with at least half a million devices shipped thus far, the PlayBook sales figures are still dwarfed by the iPad’s.

As a result, RIM might be about to discontinue the WiFi versions of the PlayBook, to focus on upcoming – and potentially more popular – 3G-enabled models.

In a note to investors Monday afternoon, RBC Capital Markets Managing Director Mike Abramsky reiterated an OTR Global report that Research In Motion is possibly planning to stop production of the BlackBerry PlayBook’s Wi-Fi model. The Wi-Fi version of RIM’s tablet is the only version Research In Motion currently manufacturers. The reasons for the discontinuation of the Wi-Fi edition, Abramsky states, could be related to a pullback in production, a move that would align channel inventory with slower than expected sell-through, in addition to RIM focusing on upcoming cellularly-connected PlayBook versions.

In a competitive tablet market, RIM has a serious disadvantage. With a huge battle royal against iOS and Android, it would be difficult for anybody else to dominate. This becomes particularly true when so many features on the PlayBook, such as e-mail and calendaring, are only available when tethered to a BlackBerry smartphone – rendering the device nearly useless to users who find themselves without one. To add insult to injury, the 3G models are yet to be released.

RIM launched the WiFi PlayBook back in April, at similar price points as the iPad, and hoped to sell more than 2 million units during the second quarter of this year. But late last month, RIM adjusted its sales target to less than a million – to put things in perspective, Apple sells about 10 million iPads per quarter.

[via BGR]

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AT&T Announces New LTE Mi-Fi Hub and USB Modem

Today AT&T announced two new 4G LTE devices, the AT&T Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G and the AT&T USB Connect Momentum 4G, which is a USB modem for both Windows and Mac computers.

Last month, we wrote about the arrival of LTE-based Apple devices in 2012, and the release of these new LTE 4G devices is further proof that we will be seeing LTE iPads and iPhones in the near future. Until then, you can use one of these new devices from AT&T for blazing fast speeds, if you happen to live in one of the designated areas.

LTE is a faster form of mobile Internet that is widely considered to be the standard for next generation wireless connections. AT&T is preparing for a summer launch of LTE in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, and San Antonio. By the end of the year, AT&T plans to have LTE in 15 cities, covering 70 million Americans. The new Elevate Hotspot and Momentum Modem are designed to work with AT&T’s upcoming 4G LTE network.

The first of AT&T’s new devices, the Elevate 4G, is a personal hotspot that allows up to 5 devices to use the LTE network over a Wi-Fi connection. It has a small screen that displays current usage, battery, and signal strength.

The Momentum, AT&T’s second new device, is a simple USB modem to be used with only one computer at a time, to connect the user to AT&T’s LTE network and other AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots.

You’ll be able to get the Elevate for $69.99 with a two-year contract and a $50/month charge for 5GB, while the Momentum will be $49.99 with the same two-year contract and $35/month for 3GB or $50/month for 5GB. Both devices will have $50 mail-in rebates. AT&T does not have an official release date for the new devices, and has only said that they are coming “soon.” Sign up on AT&T’s website to be notified when the devices become available.

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Netflix Offers Different Streaming Options

More and more Internet companies have started to implement data caps, similar to the caps in place for those of you who have a non-grandfathered data plan for your iPhone or iPad. Streaming video can eat up a lot of that data, and a new video quality selection option from Netflix may help you save some of those precious megabytes.

Recently, in a quiet update, Netflix implemented a change that lets Netflix users in the United States turn down the quality of streaming videos to lower bandwidth and avoid hitting caps. This is an option that has long been available in Canada.

U.S. Netflix users can now choose from three different quality settings. Just head to the website and click on “Your Account,” and check out the Manage Video Quality link.

“Good quality” will use up to 0.3 GB per hour, “Better quality uses up to 0.7 GB per hour, and “Best quality” will burn though 1 GB per hour for standard definition an 2.3 GB per hour for high definition. With the lowest quality setting, you may be able to watch a movie or two on your iPad without hitting the highest data cap.

Lower quality video may not look as crisp, but it’s certainly going to help you stay within your bandwidth limits while allowing you to enjoy streaming movies and TV. Additionally, lower bandwidth settings also mean that iPad users have access to a better streaming experience on their 3G connections.

The new settings are a great option for iPad users who want to take advantage of Netflix when away from a Wi-Fi connection for a few hours. These video quality settings may be geared towards DSL/Cable bandwidth caps, but mobile device users can also get a lot of use out of Netflix’s new lower bandwidth streaming options.

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Motorola Introduces Live Streaming Device for iPad and Other Gadgets

Motorola just announced a home device that could eventually help the so called “cord cutters” to detach from their set-top boxes, kind of, and watch what they want to watch whenever they want to.

The new device, called Motorola Televation, will let users stream live TV to IP-enabled devices. That’s correct, if you have an iPad, a connected TV or any other gadget around your home, you will be able to stream TV content to your devices via your home network.

To use the Motorola Televation all you have to do is plug in the device into your cable coax and your own Wi-Fi router, and the device will automatically allow you to stream TV content to your connected devices around your house.

The Televation uses a 1GHz digital tuner and CableCard to access broadcast TV channels directly from a coax outlet. Motorola has implemented a high-performance transcoder into the device that translates programming in real-time from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4, and also changes the resolution and bit rate to match the capabilities of your viewing device while maintaining the picture quality.

As shown on the picture below, the device has an Ethernet jack to plug directly into your home Wi-Fi router so that TV shows can be wirelessly streamed over IP to any of your connected devices in your home network.

Here at PadGadget we’ve covered some of the previous content streaming rights issues between Time Warner, Cablevision and the content providers. To avoid this situation, Motorola claims the Televation device utilizes Motorola’s SecureMedia IPRM-HN technology, which will keep the programming secure while it is being streamed allowing the content providers to preserve their digital rights associated with each program.

Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision and Verizon have already launched iPad applications. Many other service providers will follow. However, these iPad apps still run video streams over your Internet provider’s network. Motorola’s Televation has been designed to offload the video traffic from your Internet provider’s broadband network and push it to your Wi-Fi network instead. This will certainly help service providers cope with the evolution of the digital home since a device like the Televation can be used to give consumers a more portable TV experience inside the house.

If you have an iPad, the Televation should allow you to access live video over your Wi-Fi network from anywhere within your home. But, here is the catch. The Motorola Televation won’t be available directly to consumers. Motorola plans to sell the device to service providers, which will then package it to consumers eventually. Motorola will also include a software development kit (SDK) that allows service providers to develop their own applications.

[via Motorola's Media Center]

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PhotoFast’s i-FlashDrive Brings a Memory Dongle for Your iPad, iPhone

If you feel that your iPad or iPhone have been lacking memory expansion, PhotoFast’s new i-FlashDrive may be a good solution for you.

Many iOS consumers are looking for ways to manage external and internal files in order to keep their music, photos and movies organized. Apple’s upcoming iCloud service should help you with that, but the i-FlashDrive also offers a way for you to share photos by combining a 30-pin connector through one end and a USB connector on the other.

Earlier this year, we wrote about Seagate’s upcoming GoFlex Satellite, which is a portable hard drive that will allow you to stream music, videos and other content directly to your iOS devices by leveraging a companion app called GoFlex Media. The new hard drive supports 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and it also features a 3.7V battery.

Unlike Seagate’s GoFlex Satellite, the i-FlashDrive does not require a Wi-Fi connection. It is basically a memory dongle that features a 30-pin connector on one side and a USB plug on the other, which makes it easy to carry around.

The i-FlashDrive will be available in several sizes starting with a basic unit of 8GB for $95 and goes all the way up to a 32GB model for $180. PhotoFast will also provide a companion free iOS app, which will allow you to manage your external and internal files (photos, music, videos). In addition, buyers will receive contact backup and native MP3 playback as part of the package.

The i-FlashDrive will launch in late June only in Taiwan. However, it will make its U.S. debut quickly after that.

[Original Story and Image Source: Stone IP]

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Apple Responds to Location Tracking Questions

Apple has just released a statement, detailing how the company is using location data. This is an issue that we’ve covered extensively since researchers revealed last week that the iPhone contained a hidden file storing latitude, longitude, and timestamps.

In the statement, the company says, “Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so.” Apple claims that the iPhone is not logging location, instead, it’s keeping a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location (up to a hundred miles away). This is to help your iPhone quickly calculate its location when requested, for example, by an app. The iPhone uses a crowd-sourced database of Wi-Fi and cell tower data generated by tens of millions of iPhones uploading their geo-tagged locations, which Apple says is all anonymous and encrypted.

Each phone gets a small cache of this overall data sent from Apple, a cache that is not encrypted. When you sync your phone, iTunes makes a backup of this location data, but will cease to do so in the future. Apple claims that they cannot locate anyone based on the data collected. Apple says, “This data is sent to Apple in an anonymous and encrypted form. Apple cannot identify the source of this data.”

Apple does acknowledge two “bugs” in the software. Collected geo-location data is being stored for too long – up to a year, and the Phone software continues to collect Wi-Fi and cell tower data with Location Services turned off. Apple believes that the iPhone only needs 7 days of stored data, and the phone should not continue to transmit data after Location Services has been switched off.

Look for a patch in the next few weeks that will fix these problems. The cache size of the Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database will be reduced in size, the cache will not be backed up in your iTunes, and the cache will be deleted entirely when Location Services is off. Additionally, after the next major iOS software update, the cache will be encrypted on the iPhone.

According to Apple, they’re strong proponents of privacy. “iPhone was the first to ask users to give their permission for each and every app that wanted to use location. Apple will continue to be one of the leaders in strengthening personal information security and privacy.”

It turns out that Apple isn’t tracking you and your phone, but they do admit to storing too much data in caches and backups, plus acknowledging that phones should be able to turn this data collecting off, a “bugged” feature currently unavailable. It’s unclear, though, if these were true bugs, or the coverup of a company who pushed privacy issues a little too far. Either way, I’m satisfied with Apple’s response and planned changes. Do you think Apple’s response sounds credible? Are you less worried now about Apple’s location tracking software?

Photo credit: Guardian.

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