Nortel, once one of the biggest telecoms company in the world but now in the death throes of bankruptcy, has selected Google’s $900 million bid for its patent portfolio as the stalking horse bid. This doesn’t mean that Google will automatically win Nortel’s massive array of telecoms patents, but it does mean that Google is the preferred buyer.

Google, which has a history of lobbying for patent law reform, has been the target of many patent litigation suits. Google’s relative infancy means that it has a lot less patents in the vault than big-hitters like Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, and buying Nortel’s portfolio of 6,000 patents could provide better protection against patent litigation in the future. It’s worth noting that both Apple and RIM have showed interested in the portfolio, too.

Mashable speculates that the patents — which are nearly all telecoms-related — will be used to defend against Oracle’s attacks on Android’s use of Java. We reckon that Google is simply looking to cover its future endeavors in the world of networking. In the absence of patent law reform, and continued threats to net neutrality, owning a bunch of telecoms patents sounds like a very sensible move.

Google bids $900 million for Nortel’s patents to protect against litigation trolls originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/google-bids-900-million-for-nortels-patents-to-protect-from-li/

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Prior to the unveiling of the new iPad 3, there was a lot of speculation and rumors about what processor would be on board and what features the new tablet. The older iPad 2 came with an A5 processor which included a dual core graphics processor and 512mb of RAM. The graphics processor takes care of all the display functions whilst the main processor handles all of the other functions. A lot of the rumors prior to the new iPad [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/new-ipad-quad-core-graphics/

Planar Systems Perot Systems Palm Osi Systems Oracle Openwave Systems

Pastebin is a very popular website aimed at coders and other nerdy types, which allows them (or should I say, us) to paste and share snippets of code with lovely syntax highlighting.

It has recently undergone a major overhaul which includes the release of a brand new Windows client. The new client lets you create new “pastes” and manage your existing ones. It joins a host of other tools from Pastebin, such as the Google and Chrome extensions, OS X widget and the mobile apps.

If you’re currently using Pastebin, the new client is a great addition. And if you haven’t tried it before, next time you have a piece of code you want to share or get some feedback on, you could do worse than try out Pastebin.

[Thanks, Jeroen!]

Pastebin updated to V3, releases Windows app originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/pastebin-updated-to-v3-releases-windows-app/

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Yes, that’s right, I said adorable. Because Cueboy Quest really is!

You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren’t always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight – the have arcing trajectories, so you don’t always hit exactly where you aim.

There’s another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they’re large too. Simply beautiful!

Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/cueboy-quest-is-an-adorable-8-bit-style-physics-game/

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Once upon a time, there used to be a DOS game with a caveman and a human powered helicopter. The caveman would shuttle around the screen, madly trying to get customers to where they wanted to go.

Jetbus is not that game, but it’s obviously inspired by it. You’re driving a yellow school bus which has jets. I guess the jet engine takes quite a bit of space inside the bus, because you can only pick up one person at a time.

There are several doors on the screen, each with its own number. As you pick up a person, the status bar at the bottom of the screen shows you which number door you have to take them to.

You must fly your bus carefully, because if it gets bumped around too much, you lose. You earn money on each level, and can visit the garage to buy better jets and damping, power-ups, or even a whole new vehicle.

So while this game isn’t made as well as the original that inspired it, it does provide a few minutes of fun. And now, which one of you guys remembers the original and feels like pointing to it in the comments?

Jetbus is a retro-tastic physics game, with a bus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/15/jetbus-is-a-retro-tastic-physics-game-with-a-bus/

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Compared to all the drama stateside surrounding the customs woes of HTC's new handsets, it was a fairly quiet week for international Android news. But even a quiet week here in the Android world has its share of phone launches, update news, release announcements and the like, so let's dive right in.

We got our first peek at the HTC Desire C this week, as HTC prepares to launch its successor to the Wildfire S. With NFC, ICS and Beats Audio on-board, the Desire C looks like a surprisingly feature-packed little device, and we're looking forward to getting our hands on it in the near future for a full review. Speaking of reviews, we wrapped up our Motorola Motoluxe review this week — Richard found it to be a well-built entry-level handset, albeit one that's limited by Moto's slightly janky software additions.

And the countdown to the Samsung Galaxy S III launch continues — T-Mobile UK announced its pricing for the device, and we heard that some stores in the UK will be opening the evening before the official launch day to give eager pre-order customers the chance to pick up their handsets.

We also got a release date for an Android flagship from another manufacturer — LG revealed that it'll launch the Optimus 4X HD in Europe starting in June.

Check out some choice cuts from the past week's international Android developments below, and if you've got news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.

Special features:

• Multiple Nexus devices could be a game-changer for Google and Android
• Motorola Motoluxe review

News:

• 200 movies available to rent for 5p on HTC Watch this weekend
• Another minor OTA for the international HTC One X
• Pink Samsung Galaxy Note headed to the UK in June
• Samsung Galaxy S III sees 9 million pre-orders
• Samsung reveals official Galaxy S III TV ad
• Samsung opening first store in Canada
• Motorola XOOM Wifi Android 4.0.3 OTA available in Canada
• HTC and Samsung reportedly make up 86% of UK Android sales
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus vehicle dock launches in the UK on May 22
• Samsung Galaxy S III up for pre-order at T-Mobile UK
• Sony Xperia ICS updates coming 'late May, early June'
• HTC Desire C arriving May 24 for £190, says retailer
• Samsung Galaxy S III available a day early for pre-order customers
• Samsung Galaxy S III user manual appears online
• HTC Desire C is official – ICS, NFC and Beats on a 3.5-inch screen
• O2 UK reportedly rolling out DC-HSPA in 'major cities'
• HTC One XL now available in Australia from Mobicity
• LG Optimus 4X HD coming to Europe in June
• Motorola launches Xoom 2 in Sweden and other countries
• Three UK HTC One S OTA update now rolling out
• Official Samsung Galaxy S III accessories sighted
• T-Mobile UK reveals Galaxy S III pricing

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/QrntnxlS7bY/story01.htm

Lawson Software Land Software Lam Research L1 Identity Solutions Kingston Technology Company Key

Competition is a good thing, and the browser arena has been a fierce arena for years now. There are at least four “major” browsers each vying for your attention, along with lots of smaller spin-offs (SRWare Iron or Flock, anyone?).

While the browser usage charts we share from time to time show overall browser usage amongst the Web at large, Download Squad readers are not exactly the average bunch in terms of browser use. So today we have one simple question for you:

What’s your primary Web browser?

View Poll

Ask DLS: What’s your primary Web browser? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/ask-dls-whats-your-primary-browser/

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Google Maps has included traffic data for some time, but now Google Maps for Android takes that traffic information into account when it’s giving you directions. The latest Beta version of Google Maps Navigation uses the alternative routes Google Maps has always suggested, and automatically picks the fastest one, based on real-time and historical traffic information.

There’s an awful lot of data to draw from, too. With Google Maps Navigation users driving 35 million miles a day, the big G gets plenty of traffic info. The Beta is available now, and the new traffic feature will work automatically for users in North America and Europe.

Google Maps Navigation for Android now plans routes around traffic originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/07/google-maps-navigation-for-android-now-plans-routes-around-traff/

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Just when Instagram had reached the peak of trendiness, along comes the next big thing in mobile photo-sharing: Color. Color is an iPhone/Android app that lets you share location-tagged photos. What’s new about Color is the way it builds your contacts: it shows you photos from people who are currently within 100 feet of you, whether you know them or not.

If you’re around someone all the time, Color will figure out that you know that person, and start showing you more of their photos. Meanwhile, photos from the strangers who move in and out of your life will disappear as quickly as the people themselves. This “elastic” social network is supposed to encourage people to say hi to one another, while keeping the photos relevant by showing your current location.

It’s an interesting play with a ton of money behind it — the color.com domain name alone cost the startup $350,000. It’s also got a big name attached: Bill Nguyen, who also founded Lala.com and sold it to Apple. Whether users are comfortable with this new, very public way of sharing photos will determine whether Color’s future is bright. If it doesn’t work on its own, we’re sure the technology would be an attractive buy for a company like Facebook which thrives on creatively pushing the bounds of privacy.

Color location-based photo sharing app makes a big splash on iPhone and Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/color-location-based-photo-sharing-app-makes-a-big-splash-on-iph/

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As several of you noted in the comments to our post asking for cross-platform iOS/Android games, Words With Friends for Android does not provide the smoothest gaming experience… and that’s being rather charitable.

You might be happy to hear that a couple of days ago Zynga released an update which promises to solve many of the Android-specific issues, such as notifications not popping up.

Sadly, installing the update is not a smooth experience; you have to manually uninstall the previous version, and then go to the Android Market and install it. What’s nice is that it doesn’t lose your saved games – this screenshot shows a game I’ve started before the update and continued after updating.

How’s the new update working out for you? Let us know in the comments!

Words With Friends for Android updated, promises “smoother game experience” originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/words-with-friends-for-android-updated-promises-smoother-game/

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How do you use Gmail on iOS?So how do you access your Gmail on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? Do you use the built-in iOS Mail app? Using

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/jqhMDvG_-2I/story01.htm

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Evernote’s Chrome extension might not be quite as powerful a tool as Evernote’s Mac and PC apps, but it does make a great addition to any note-capturing addict’s browser toolbox. The latest update adds common Evernote actions to Chrome’s right-click menu, making grabbing a clipping or starting a new note even more convenient. “Clip this page,” “clip selection” and “clip image” are now just a right-click away.

Evernote for Chrome has also gained the familiar “snippet view” from Evernote’s desktop and mobile apps. To browse the compact snippet versions of all your notes, click the Evernote icon in the toolbar. For extra note-browsing efficiency, there’s even a tab that shows your saved notes from the site you’re currently viewing.

Smaller tweaks include speed improvements and background clipping. Yep, clipping now happens in the background, so you don’t have to wait til your clip is saved before you leave a page.

Serious Evernote junkies will probably still want to feed their addiction with a desktop app, but the Chrome extension is great for work computers and other situations where it’s not practical to install desktop software. It’s also just plain convenient, especially now that you can save a clip with one click!

Evernote Chrome extension gets quick clipping and snippets originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/evernote-chrome-extension-gets-quick-clipping-and-snippets/

Volt Information Sciences Vishay Intertechnology Virgin Media Viewsonic Verisign Verifone Holdings

Shot Shot Pirate is very satisfying, because each level is short and to the point. You know what you have to do and you just do it.

As you may have gathered from the name, you’re cast in the role of a pirate. Your goal is to shoot at a diamond and make it fall off a tower of bricks. The height of the tower changes as you progress through the levels. It’s not enough to just make the diamond fall off the tower of bricks – it has to fall below a certain line (drawn on the screen) for the level to be completed.

There are also different kinds of bricks, with some heavier than others, and different kinds of ammo. You only get a certain amount of ammo for each level, and when it’s gone, you lose. But don’t worry! If you don’t make it on the first try, it’s very easy to restart the level and just give it another shot (or three).

All in all it’s a cute game. I’ve seen similar games with better graphics and music, but the game delivers on its main promise – a few minutes of pure time wasting!

Shot Shot Pirate is a fun, simple physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/shot-shot-pirate-is-a-fun-simple-physics-game/

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When it comes to car-sharing service Zipcar, iPhone users get to have all the fun. But Android users — who have thus far been relegated to using the mobile website for car reservations — are about to get in on the app action. Zipcar has confirmed via Twitter that Android users can expect an app, and more details will be released soon.

There’s no expected released date for the app, yet. There’s also no word on whether the Android version of Zipcar will have the iPhone app’s most futuristic feature: unlocking your borrowed car from your phone. Android users will just have to sit tight for the moment and try not to drool on those shared car seats.

Zipcar Android app expected to arrive soon originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/zipcar-android-app/

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ScreenDIY is an iPhone app that lets you create unique Lock screens and Home screens with designer wallpapers, shelves, frames, icon skins and more.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/sfr_nfLzB-4/story01.htm

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iSites — a zero-code cloud-based ‘app creator’ — can now generate HTML5 apps that work on iOS devices. With this new feature, dubbed ‘InstantApp’, you can now design a single app in your browser and publish it natively on Android and iOS, and as an HTML5 iPhone app.

We haven’t looked at iSites before, but it shot to fame last year when it launched with native iOS and Android support. Self-publishing Android apps wasn’t a problem because Google does very little moderation of the Market, but iSites ran into trouble with its iOS apps. Thousands of people signed up for the service after it was featured on Mashable and TechCrunch, and you can imagine Apple’s chagrin as thousands of cookie cutter apps flooded its approval queue.

Genwi, the developer behind iSites, realized something had to be done — it had to circumvent the App Store approval process. Genwi, of course, turned to HTML5 Web apps — which can be pinned to the iPhone home screen and which can be shoehorned into almost behaving like native apps.

Read on for our experiences with iSites’ new InstantApp HTML5 iOS app creator.

Continue reading iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes

iSites overhauled, now lets you publish cloud-based HTML5 iPhone apps in minutes originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/isites-overhauled-now-lets-you-publish-cloud-based-html5-iphone/

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Competition is a good thing, and the browser arena has been a fierce arena for years now. There are at least four “major” browsers each vying for your attention, along with lots of smaller spin-offs (SRWare Iron or Flock, anyone?).

While the browser usage charts we share from time to time show overall browser usage amongst the Web at large, Download Squad readers are not exactly the average bunch in terms of browser use. So today we have one simple question for you:

What’s your primary Web browser?

View Poll

Ask DLS: What’s your primary Web browser? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/ask-dls-whats-your-primary-browser/

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With the tagline ‘The easiest way to get a girlfriend is to already have one,’ Cloud Girlfriend promises to be a very interesting startup indeed. The brains of the operation, David Fuhriman, speaking to CNET, says it’s all about fulfilling Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. “CloudGirlfriend.com can fulfill Maslow’s higher needs, even though the users know that the interaction is virtual. They will interact with a real person and see real profile images of the girl with whom they interact. This interaction can build confidence and esteem as well as provide real training experiences in navigating a friendship and a relationship.”

Our concern, of course, is that it’s very nearly April 1. We’re also worried by the fact that Fuhriman has a name that sounds ominously like a social subculture that we’ve grown strangely attracted to here in the Download Squad bunker.

Finally, just stop and think about it for a second. Because your cloud girlfriend will be entirely virtual, she could be based anywhere. She could be underage — or overage — or she might be someone who you know in real life. She could even be a relative of yours, and you’d never know.

Let’s not forget this is the Internet we’re talking about, folks. Worst case scenario, she could turn out to be a hairy, male truck driver from Texas. Such as… your dad, perhaps?

Cloud Girlfriend will use a swarm of females to satisfy men originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/cloud-girlfriend-will-use-an-army-of-females-to-please-lonely-me/

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When the "berry pink" Galaxy Note first launched in Korea in early April, we doubted whether Samsung would look to release the device outside of its home territory. What fools we were.

Today the Carphone Warehouse reveals that it's planning to launch the pink Galaxy Note in the UK starting next month. There's even a pre-registration page open for would-be buyers to sign up for additional info on the mauve monstrosity.  We're not sure what more information can be offered, though — as far as we're concerned it's the same old Galaxy Note, only with a hideous new coat of paint.

In any case, if the existing black and white Galaxy Notes are just too subdued and tasteful for you, you can find out more about the pink variant over at the source link. (Spoiler alert: it's a Galaxy Note, in pink.)

Source: Carphone Warehouse; via: Recombu

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/V4a7wJr0Cjg/story01.htm

Tibco Software Tibco Software Thq Texas Instruments Teradata Teletech Holdings

The folks from DoubleTwist have announced a major milestone for their company. People all over the world are now making use of their app daily to listen to music, view videos and take in podcasts — 2 million of them in fact. To celebrate the milestone they're having a sale, doubleTwist Player in-app upgrades, AirSync and doubleTwist Alarm Clock are all on sale right now for 50% off their original price. Congrats to doubleTwist on their achievements, now hit the link below to grab yourself some of their apps!

DoubleTwist Apps In The Google Play Store

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/l9DfSAS4kpQ/story01.htm

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Gladinet maps Amazon Cloud Drive to your Windows desktop originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/map-amazon-cloud-drive-to-windows-local/

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With the webOS 3.0 SDK available for almost two months, HP has now given developers access to a beta download of webOS 3.0 — which powers the upcoming TouchPad and will likely ride along on HP desktops and laptops in the form of an emulator.

Right now, the webOS 3.0 beta is only available to Early Access developers. The crew at PreCentral states that HP appears to have eased up on access restrictions, however, so hopefully more devs will get on board and those of you who are planning to buy a TouchPad in the next couple months will have plenty of slick webOS 3.0 apps to install on your new tablet.

webOS 3.0 beta now available to developers originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/webos-3-0-beta-now-available-to-developers/

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According to the latest rumor, Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, worked one the next generation iPhone 5 design prior to his passing last October. Bloomberg claims 3 sources familiar with the matter say there will be a redesign, 1 claims the redesign will involve a bigger screen, and 1 claims the redesign involved Steve Jobs.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/JcEt8-L_ml4/story01.htm

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If you’ve been waiting on a jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1, an untethered version should be coming soon. That’s according to pod2g. But is it coming to iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV, and which versions of each? Here’s the deal.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/yAxvaX2RqaQ/story01.htm

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Cuboid is a fun 3D puzzle game for the iPhone and iPad of flipping and rolling a cuboid through a maze-like puzzle placed in the setting of mystic, ancient ruins.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/qmcd8XDgzHU/story01.htm

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If you’ve had your head under a rock for the last few days, here’s this week’s Firefox news in brief: Firefox 4 was finally released.

Yes, 13 months after the initial release of Firefox 3.7 alpha 1 and four more alpha builds, a renumbering to 4.0 and 12 beta releases, and finally a release candidate (or two), Firefox 4 has been released into the wild.

Just like every other Firefox release, initial reception for the new browser has been nothing short of insane. 7.1 million downloads were registered in the first 24 hours and the download rate continued to accelerate, clocking in more than 15 million downloads after two days. At the time of writing, three days in, Firefox 4 has been downloaded over 25 million times. In case you’re wondering, the United States accounts for 7 million of those downloads, just beating out Germany’s Firefox-downloads-per-capita.

But now that you’ve installed Firefox 4 (you have, right?), what do you do now? Well, obviously, in true Download Squad fashion, it’s time to tweak Firefox 4 using add-ons and about:config hacks!

First up is an add-on called Stratiform that lets you change every aspect of the Firefox 4 browser chrome — including the color of that orange button!

Continue reading Firefox 4 Friday: 25 million downloads, anti-aliasing, and how to make it look like Firefox 3

Firefox 4 Friday: 25 million downloads, anti-aliasing, and how to make it look like Firefox 3 originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/firefox-4-friday-25-million-downloads-anti-aliasing-and-how-t/

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When the "berry pink" Galaxy Note first launched in Korea in early April, we doubted whether Samsung would look to release the device outside of its home territory. What fools we were.

Today the Carphone Warehouse reveals that it's planning to launch the pink Galaxy Note in the UK starting next month. There's even a pre-registration page open for would-be buyers to sign up for additional info on the mauve monstrosity.  We're not sure what more information can be offered, though — as far as we're concerned it's the same old Galaxy Note, only with a hideous new coat of paint.

In any case, if the existing black and white Galaxy Notes are just too subdued and tasteful for you, you can find out more about the pink variant over at the source link. (Spoiler alert: it's a Galaxy Note, in pink.)

Source: Carphone Warehouse; via: Recombu

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/V4a7wJr0Cjg/story01.htm

Maximus Mantech International Manhattan Associates Lsi Linear Technology Lexmark International

Yes, that’s right, I said adorable. Because Cueboy Quest really is!

You play an 8-bit cowboy whose goal on each level is to get to the door (and thus to the next level), but the door is often locked. To get it to open, you must shoot at one or more targets, and those targets aren’t always in your line of sight. For example, on one level the the target is a balloon which is stuck all the way at the other end of the screen. You must first nudge it free, and then watch it float up and try to shoot it before it floats clear off the screen. Your bullets are chunky pixels that have some weight – the have arcing trajectories, so you don’t always hit exactly where you aim.

There’s another level where you must jump on the balloon as it floats up, use it as a platform to get to the other end of the screen, and then turn to shoot it very quickly before it flies away. Each level is very short, and most of them are quite easy. And not only are the graphics 8-bit blocky, but they’re large too. Simply beautiful!

Cueboy Quest is an adorable 8-bit style physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/cueboy-quest-is-an-adorable-8-bit-style-physics-game/

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Recently, YouTube user Daniel Chase Hooper created a concept video that demonstrated how editing text on an iPad could be easier. This was quickly followed by the jailbreak community releasing an iPad tweak – SwipeSelection based on that concept. iDownloadBlog in a video rundown of the SwipeSelection tweak, developed by Kyle Howells allows you to [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimonBlog/~3/C6jon0Ukozk/

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Facebook has announced that its two mobile sites — m.facebook.com and touch.facebook.com — have been unified, bringing a simpler mobile experience to Facebook users. And there are a lot of those — a quarter billion, according to Facebook.

Smartphone users won’t be losing any functionality because of the consolidation. If your phone supported the enhacned features offered by touch.facebook.com, the new site will automatically flip the switch when you visit.

Rolling the sites together helps simplify things for Facebook’s developer team. Now changes can be pushed to a single site instead of two separate sites, which makes it easier to ensure that all mobile users receive a nearly identical experience regardless of the device they’re using.

The new Facebook mobile can also check to see if your phone supports geolocation. If it doesn’t, you won’t be seeing much of Facebook Places — which obviously relies heavily on geolocation. Images can also be optimized on the fly to keep page performance from suffering on less powerful devices. You can see the three different versions of the share button below, courtesy our friends at TechCrunch.

Facebook launches unified mobile site, announces 250 million mobile users originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/facebook-launches-unified-mobile-site-announces-250-million-mob/

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Apple have designed the iPad to be easy to use, in fact even a two year old can use this device without any problems whatsoever. This makes it a very attractive option for people who are used to using an iPhone or for those who are not. However, there are still a few things about the device that do need a little bit of explaining. Soft Reset Explained: Although the iPad is pretty robust in so far as there are [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/tips-and-tricks-for-your-ipad/

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One click; just one single well-aimed click. That’s all you get in Boomshine.

That single click triggers a chain reaction; circles start exploding, and other circles colliding with the shockwaves explode as well, creating their own shockwaves, which then catch other circles.

It’s been done before, yes, but this one is a great iteration. The soundtrack is mellow, with lots of piano and some nice percussion (not electronic – it sounds like drums).

At each level you need to make a certain number of circles explode to go on to the next level. I got up to level 12, where you get 60 circles and need to make 55 of them explode. And then I kept trying and trying, but simply couldn’t get it. I did get to 54 circles a couple of times, but as they say, you don’t get points for trying.

There’s no time limit, so you can carefully study the pattern of motion and place your click at the exact right place to create the best chain reaction. I’ve found that clicking near the middle of the screen works quite well, especially if the balls are slowly moving in that direction. By the time the first shockwave dies off, the oncoming balls usually hit it and the chain reaction continues.

What level did you reach? Screenshots please!

Boomshine is a soothing-yet-frustrating time waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/boomshine-is-a-soothing-yet-frustrating-time-waster/

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Apple’s Steve Jobs has said in recent emails that Final Cut Pro, Apple’s venerable video editing app, will be getting an “awesome” update for which we should all “buckle up,” but that update could be coming sooner than we thought. Sources have told TechCrunch that Apple is now in the final stages of “the biggest overhaul to Final Cut Pro since the original version was created over 10 years ago.”

Both the performance and the UI of the app have reportedly been improved, and word on the street is that it will finally go 64-bit. TechCrunch says Apple has also brought in a small group of professional video editors to test-drive the new app, which gives us confidence that the new version’s going to be aimed at the pro audience.

By the way, that’s a Final Cut Pro 7 screenshot up above. Unfortunately, no images of Final Cut Pro 8′s UI have been leaked yet.

Final Cut Pro 8 could arrive from Apple this Spring originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/23/final-cut-pro-8-could-arrive-from-apple-this-spring/

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If you’re lucky enough to own an Xperia Play — Sony Ericsson’s new Gingerbread-powered smartphone-cum-gamepad — you can now buy PlayStation (PSX) titles from the Android Market.

There are five titles currently available, all priced at £3.99: Syphon Filter, MediEvil, Cool Boarders 2, Destruction Derby, and Jumping Flash. They don’t have an American price yet, but that will surely change once the Xperia Play launches in the States.

Two important questions remain unanswered: How big are these games? The Market descriptions say the games are only 5MB, but that sounds incredibly unlikely — and more importantly, will it be possible to ‘spoof’ the Xperia Play and download PSX games onto other Gingerbread-powered phones, like the Nexus S?

In other news, the PlayStation emulator PSX4droid was recently removed from the Android Market. This obviously has nothing to do with today’s release of first-party PlayStation games.

PSX games now available in the Android Market, if you own an Xperia Play originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/psx-games-now-available-in-the-android-market/

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Bots — like the kind which automate IRC rooms and Google Wave — are a good thing to know about. There are plenty of useful bots worth knowing about, too, including the Google Talk Guru.

Just add guru@googlelabs.com to your GTalk buddies, and you can start firing off questions. Lifehacker suggests that the same types of queries supported by Google SMS will work, though we didn’t have any luck getting a response out of the Guru with phrases like “score detroit red wings” or “sushi R3N 1Y1.”

Still, Guru does answer a good variety of questions and it works right within your favorite IM app. It’s well worth adding to your friend list, especially for getting answers on the go on your mobile device of choice.

Google Talk Guru answers questions via your IM app originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/google-talk-guru-answers-questions-via-your-im-app/

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When the "berry pink" Galaxy Note first launched in Korea in early April, we doubted whether Samsung would look to release the device outside of its home territory. What fools we were.

Today the Carphone Warehouse reveals that it's planning to launch the pink Galaxy Note in the UK starting next month. There's even a pre-registration page open for would-be buyers to sign up for additional info on the mauve monstrosity.  We're not sure what more information can be offered, though — as far as we're concerned it's the same old Galaxy Note, only with a hideous new coat of paint.

In any case, if the existing black and white Galaxy Notes are just too subdued and tasteful for you, you can find out more about the pink variant over at the source link. (Spoiler alert: it's a Galaxy Note, in pink.)

Source: Carphone Warehouse; via: Recombu

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/V4a7wJr0Cjg/story01.htm

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