Thursday, December 16, 2010

Android Skype update brings ability to run to SD, Galaxy S compatibility, but with a big catch

Android Skype update brings ability to run to SD, Galaxy S compatibility, but with a big catch

Android Skype update brings ability to run to SD, Galaxy S compatibility, but with a big catch
Sick of seeing that little hard disk with an exclamation point popping up on your Android handset? Yeah, us too. Thankfully we can now count Skype among the apps that can be moved to external storage. This new release also adds compatibility with the Samsung Galaxy S -- but there's a catch. Android 2.2 is required, which many Galaxy S owners may or may not actually have yet and, while some are said to be getting a dollop of FroYo this very month, we've certainly heard that before.

Android Skype update brings ability to run to SD, Galaxy S compatibility, but with a big catch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop  |  sourceSkype  | Email this |&nbs! p;Comments

Read More...

Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation

Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation

Google's never been afraid to "blow it out" with Google Maps, most famously with its inclusion of Navigation, which knocked the legs out from under a lot of the GPS device and navigation app market. Google Maps 5.0 for Android might seem similarly earth shattering, but it marks a significant change to the basic technology of Google Maps. Most importantly, Google is now using vector graphics for its maps, which are scalable and much lighter weight than the traditional stitched together images used in most Google Maps incarnations. The vectors also enable something else a whole lot sexier: a two finger swipe can "tilt" the map and now you've got a 3D view of the landscape. It's not quite as flashy as Google Earth, but it looks a whole lot more useful. The other thing these low-bandwidth vector maps enables is offline caching of maps, specifically your most frequently visited locations, and entire trips that have been routed in Navigation, including potential reroutes. Anybody with an Android 1.6 or higher device can download 5.0 right now for free, but the 3D and offline features are 2.0+ only.

Continue reading Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation

Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Mobile Blog  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

The Best Barcode Scanner Apps [Appbattle]

The Best Barcode Scanner Apps [Appbattle]

The Best Barcode Scanner AppsNothing ruins a recent purchase quite like finding lower prices online as soon as you bring it home. With one of these barcode-scanning, price-crunching smartphone apps, that never has to happen again.

iOS

RedLaser
The Best Barcode Scanner Apps
A quick, relatively accurate barcode scanner from the company that provides the basic scanning functionality for many other apps on this list, including Amazon's, eBay's and FoodScanner's. Independent of any particular retailer or price aggregator (though now owned by eBay), RedLaser is free to search a variety of online sources for the best prices, which, combined with its best-in-group scanning ability, makes for a hugely useful app on any post-3G iPhone. Free, iPhone.

ShopSavvy
The Best Barcode Scanner AppsA RedLaser alternative with a powerful price comparison engine, ShopSavvy is a good second line of defense against bum in-store deals, and occasionally finds a lower price than its competitor. Its only problem? It doesn't scan terribly well, especially on older iPhones. When it does work, though, it's quite fast. Free, iPhone.

FoodScanner
The Best Barcode Scanner Apps
FoodScanner is blessed with good scanning technology, a great calorie-counting concept, and an interface that's sufficiently streamlined so as to make a otherwise tedious process—keeping a food diary—pretty bearable. It's also mindful of the shortcomings of barcode scanning for keeping track of all your food, providing a number of ways to document calories that aren't barcoded, or even branded. At $5, downloading FoodScanner is an expensive proposition, but looking back on even a few days of scanned food intake is likely to make you rethink your eating habits. $5, iPhone

OTHERS TESTED:
Price Check by Amazon: Good for a quick barcode scan and ballpark price comparison, but the fact that it's limited to Amazon and its associated sellers limits utility.
eBay: This is an eBay app with a scanner widget, not the other way around. Only really appropriate for existing eBay users.
Pic2Shop: An early competitor to the likes of RedLaser and ShopSavvy, but lack of polish, unreliable scanning and a somewhat kludgy interface hold it back.
NexTag Mobile: Essentially an iPhone client for the NexTag price comparison engine, which is a bit too friendly to unreliable no-name online retailers.

Android

Barcode Scanner
The Best Barcode Scanner Apps
It's easy, as a good barcode scanner should be: fire up the Barcode Scanner, scan the barcode. It's a straight scanner, Barcode Scanner handles both UPC codes (which does a quick product search) and QR codes (which will give you options to add contact, show on map, download, etc) with ease and throws in a few extra features (like searching within a book you scan) as a bonus. Gives you an option to create your own QR codes too. Free, Android.

ShopSavvy
The Best Barcode Scanner Apps
An original Android app that's still great after all these years. ShopSavvy continues to stands out by being excellent at finding products for price comparisons, offering local listings and price alerts. It works with QR codes too and when the app gets updated in the next version (ShopSavvy 4), it'll bring a new deals section, a new crowdsourced product database and a prettier interface. Free, Android.

Shopper
The Best Barcode Scanner Apps
It's a cross between Google Goggles and a barcode scanner, so to judge it as just a barcode scanner (it's much more versatile than that) is sort of pigeon holing the great app. But still, because it's made by Google, the app does a really great job at finding products along with keeping a history, giving an option to star and sharing the stuff you find. Free, Android

OTHERS TESTED:
Key Rings Reward Cards: Recreates your rewards card for brick and mortar stores onto your Android phone.
Amazon.com: If you prefer shopping on Amazon (and who doesn't?), you can use its app to scan products to find it there.
CNET Scan & Shop: Scan products to check it against CNET's reviews
Barcode OI Plugin: Extension of OI Shopping List that let's you scan items to check off the stuff you've bought
ScanLife Barcode Scanner: Another do-it-all barcode scaner
The Coupons App: Uses barcode scanner to price match.

Read More...

The Fury of Zeus Unleashed [Image Cache]

The Fury of Zeus Unleashed [Image Cache]

The Fury of Zeus UnleashedThis photo was captured in Athens, at the parking lot of the Olympic Stadium, during a raging summer thunderstorm. It took 30 minutes and 42 shots to capture the 51 lightnings in this composite shot, using a Canon EOS 550D.

According to the author, that big lightning that seems to touch his head stroke just a "few hundred feet in front of me." [Greek Sky]

Read More...

Printable Transistors? What Can't Makerbot Do? [DIY]

Printable Transistors? What Can't Makerbot Do? [DIY]

Printable Transistors? What Can't Makerbot Do?DIY'ers are losing their shit over these printable transistors. Why? Because they could make it that much easier to prototype intricate gadgets without having to send orders to a fabrication plant to have these components made.

The process for making these transistors was designed by Mr.Kim and John Sarik who used a Makerbot printer and ink made from silver (along with a few other, not-so-simple steps) to turn theory into reality. What this means for mad scientist who runs their R&D lab out of a garage is that production costs will go down, and prototypes can be built quicker. The full rundown on how these transistors were made can be found here. [Mr.Kim Robotics via Thingiverse]

Read More...