Amazon intros new tools for developers selling HTML5 apps
Amazon today introduced a number of new tools for mobile developers looking to publish HTML5 apps and games. Effective immediately, developers can set list prices for their web-based apps and make them available for Amazon’s Free App of the Day promotion. If qualified, the apps could see significant exposure boosts, leading to higher traffic, marketing, and potentially higher revenue.
This is great news for developers looking to publish their first web app to the Amazon Appstore, and the feature is now retroactive to all web apps that have already been published.
Learn more at the Amazon Developer Blog or log into the developer tools to update your app.
The post Amazon intros new tools for developers selling HTML5 apps appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Rovio: We’re not in bed with the NSA
So you’ve heard a rumor this week that the NSA was pulling data from Rovio’s popular Angry Birds games, eh? Could it be true? Is Rovio really helping out the government by handing over anonymously collected information? According to the developers, that is a resound “NO”.
Our fans’ trust is the most important thing for us and we take privacy extremely seriously. We do not collaborate, collude, or share data with spy agencies anywhere in the world.
If there’s any data being collected by the NSA or other government agencies, Rovio says we should look to ad networks.
As the alleged surveillance might be happening through third party advertising networks, the most important conversation to be had is how to ensure user privacy is protected while preventing the negative impact on the whole advertising industry and the countless mobile apps that rely on ad networks…
And, if there are some companies in cahoots with Big Brother, Rovio and other developers are going to need to look closer at their partnerships.
…In order to protect our end users, we will, like all other companies using third party advertising networks, have to re-evaluate working with these networks if they are being used for spying purposes
The post Rovio: We’re not in bed with the NSA appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Scooba Design Laptop Cable Stable DLX review
Do you constantly lose those microUSB cables, power cords, external storage drives, or battery backups? You know, those things of which you only have a few? The Cable Stable fixes those problems, just so long, of course, that you don’t loose your Stable.
Build Quality
The Cable Stable DLX is very durable, but excludes hard shelled exteriors. It’s great to have a zippered case with a durable handle.
Storage Space
You have enough room to store many cables, mp3 players, thumb drives, etc. In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at some of that wonderfully packed stuff above! You’ll be pleased to note that you can actually fit much more than what is displayed. Indeed, it’s quite nice how compact you can get with your things.
Overview
I’ve been using this product to store some of my everyday cables that I frequently use and/or need. Generally, I share the Cable Stable DLX between my laptop backpack and my messenger bag. Thanks to this accessory, I’m able to move everything very quickly and efficiently. The Cable Stable DLX is a durable cable and gadget holder. You can get your Cable Stable DLX for $39.95.
The post Scooba Design Laptop Cable Stable DLX review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
BlackBerry’s latest software update turns smartphones into radios
If you own a BlackBerry Z30, Q10 or Q5, then your smartphone can suddenly do a neat little trick. The company’s latest software update enables those devices to become an FM radio, letting you stage an impromptu dance party without a data connection. Version 10.2.1 also brings a series of minor, but welcome, tweaks to the platform, including a new screen for answering calls, SMS groups, offline reading mode and picture passwords. The update is making its way to all BlackBerry 10 handsets from today, including the Porsche P’9982, for all you fancy-dans out there.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Blackberry
Source: BlackBerry
ZTE’s Iconic Phablet comes to Boost Mobile as the Max, available today for $300
ZTE’s Iconic Phablet may have been the worst-named product of CES 2014, but fortunately the company has told us it was merely a placeholder name. Despite it only having been unveiled three weeks ago, it’s already making its way stateside under a much more reasonable (though predictable) name of Boost Max for Boost Mobile, one of Sprint’s prepaid legs. The 5.7-inch 720p device is available starting today sans contract for $300, and it appears that the phone didn’t lose its Multi-Window feature (which works with virtually every app on your device) on its way across the Pacific. It did, however, get bumped down to Android 4.1, two versions lower than the one we played with at CES. On top of this, you’ll also get an 8MP rear camera with 1MP front-facing cam, LTE support, 3,200mAh battery and a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. If you’re disappointed by the name change for some reason, don’t worry — it can forever be an iconic phablet in your heart.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google, Sprint
Source: Boost Mobile
GetGlue and i.TV combine to create tvtag for iPhone, focus on real-time updates about live TV
After powering second screen connected TV experiences for other companies including DirecTV and Nintendo’s TVii app, i.tv acquired TV check-in service GetGlue last year to pull those experiences together. Now, GetGlue is relaunching as tvtag, an advertising-supported one-stop information and social network centered around television watching, full of information from broadcast partners, augmented in real-time by a team of live curators and TV viewers. At launch, the reworked app is available only on the iPhone, but CEO Brad Pelo tells us a version for Android is due in a few days, with a web experience and iPad-ready version launching shortly after that. The i.TV app is sticking around for now, but will be updated in the future, while DirecTV and Nintendo are already lined up for integration with the new platform.
The check-in and sharing features — and built-in user base — from GetGlue remain, but it’s the curated info that the company expects will separate it from other services. The “taglines” are built by over 50 employees creating high level tags for live TV (covering the majority of what viewers are watching, on any channel), which users then fill in with additional captures, comments and reactions. It’s also why tvtag thinks users will choose to open this app over Twitter and Facebook while they’re watching TV, with the ability to search info from sources like IMDB and Google, or add to the tagline with their own notes and doodles. Those taglines are available for browsing later for DVR viewing, but this experience is about live TV. For events like last weekend’s Grammys or Pro Bowl, and the upcoming Super Bowl, it can push play-by-play updates, as well as constantly refreshed stats and field positions.
Other than the big social networks, competition to provide synced TV info on other screens like your phone, tablet or PC is fierce, with everyone from Google Now, Dijit’s recent acquisition Miso and Yahoo’s IntoNow offering similar features. IntoNow is one of the most similar, adding the ability to ID TV content via audio and a complete feed of images from live TV channels to the mix. tvtag is more than an app however, and since it can open up access as an SDK or API, we may see its features and content pop up in other apps and on other devices soon. Still, given the following GetGlue has been able to attract we expect to see plenty of tvtag shares popping up in our timelines — we’ll see if its exclusive information and tight TV-focused environment is enough to keep its audience coming back.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile, Nintendo
Nintendo denies smartphone software rumor, says it has ‘no plans’ to offer mini-games on rival hardware
Nintendo? Making games for other hardware? Not so fast. Nikkei’s widely reported tale of Mario et al. coming to a smartphone near you is unlikely to happen — at least in the way we were all half-hoping for. The company has told Engadget that it has no plans to offer “mini-games” on smartphone platforms, reiterating its CEO’s statements in prior financial reports that touched on using smart devices to better promote its games, characters and hardware. You’ll just have to wait for that briefing from Iwata-san, later this week, to discover exactly how the company plans to grab a few more coins. The full statement follows below:
“Nikkei’s article contains information previously stated by Mr Iwata during past press conferences, including statements which relate to Nintendo’s willingness to make use of smart devices to promote our products.
However during such past announcements Mr Iwata has also stated that Nintendo’s intention is not to make Nintendo software available on smart devices and as such, we can confirm that there are no plans to offer minigames on smartphone devices. “
Broadwell CPU Delay and iPad Competition May Reduce 2014 Notebook Shipments [Mac Blog]
Industry-wide notebook shipments will continue to decline in 2014, claims NPD DisplaySearch. Revised estimates predict shipments from all vendors, including Apple, will reach 134 million units, down from an earlier estimate of 152 million unit.
One factor contributing to this decline is the expected Q3 2014 launch of Intel’s upcoming Broadwell CPU. Intel confirmed in its latest earnings conference call that its Broadwell chipset will enter production in Q1 2014 and become available in the second half of 2014. Slowing PC demand and yield issues forced Intel to delay Broadwell by at least a quarter from its original timetable, with that delay likely contributing further weakness in the PC market. Intel’s Haswell processor line, the company’s current CPU family and predecessor to Broadwell, was released in June 2013 and landed in the MacBook Air during the same month.
DisplaySearch also cites the rumored 12.9-inch iPad, wearables and the convergence of mobile and desktop operating systems as market forces that could shift consumers away from notebook PCs.
At the same time, the expected launch of a 12.9” iPad from Apple could trigger growth in larger tablet PC screen sizes, leading to even more competition for potential notebook PC buyers. In addition, wearable devices and other new concepts are expected to compete for consumer spending during the holiday season and beyond. Finally, the trend toward user-interface fusion and operating-system integration will offer a more seamless working platform between mobile devices and PCs, which would further extend mobile device advantages for businesses.
Despite a declining market, Mac sales in the just-ending quarter were strong, increasing from 4.06 million units in Q1 2013 to 4.8 million in Q1 2014. Mac net sales accounted for 11% of the company’s revenue for the quarter, up slightly from 10% a year ago.
     |
Rovio Denies Any Role in NSA Spying on Angry Birds Users [iOS Blog]
Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and made public yesterday claim U.S. and UK intelligence agencies are retrieving personal data sent by mobile apps during mass surveillance sweeps.
Rovio’s Angry Birds was one of the apps targeted by intelligence agencies for key profile data such as age, location and gender, and the company has now defended itself against these allegations, denying any voluntary cooperation with government agencies.
Rovio Entertainment Ltd, which is headquartered in Finland, does not share data, collaborate or collude with any government spy agencies such as NSA or GCHQ anywhere in the world.
There has been speculation in the media that NSA targets Angry Birds to collect end user data. The speculation is based on information from documents leaked by Edward Snowden.
The alleged surveillance may be conducted through third party advertising networks used by millions of commercial web sites and mobile applications across all industries. If advertising networks are indeed targeted, it would appear that no internet-enabled device that visits ad-enabled web sites or uses ad-enabled applications is immune to such surveillance. Rovio does not allow any third party network to use or hand over personal end-user data from Rovio’s apps.
Apple last year faced similar allegations it and other technology companies provided the NSA with backdoor access to its servers. Apple CEO Tim Cook denied these reports, saying last week the NSA “would have to cart us out in a box” in order to gain access to Apple’s servers. Cook also has been vocal about increased transparency, asking the government for permission to talk about information requests from federal and law enforcement agencies.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
| |
Boost Mobile debuts 5.7-inch Boost MAX
The $300 device is the no-contract carrier’s first crack at the so-called phablet form factor
Boost Mobile on Tuesday introduced its first plus-sized smartphone, the 5.7-inch Boost MAX. Powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the handset features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 8-megapixel rear camera, and 4G LTE support. Additionally, the device offers 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, Bluetooth 4.0, Dolby Digital Plus audio technology, and a 3200mAh battery.
The Boost MAX retails for $299.99 and can be paired with the carrier’s $55 Monthly Unlimited Plan with Shrinking Payments. For every six on-time payments (consecutive or not), the rate plan drops by $5; ultimately, it results in a $40 plan. Included in the plan is unlimited talk, text, and 2.5GB data.
Boost Max is available now at Boost Mobile’s exclusive retail stores, select independent wireless dealer locations nationwide and at www.boostmobile.com/max with free shipping.
The post Boost Mobile debuts 5.7-inch Boost MAX appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 