Editorial: Physics and politics stand in the way of true mobile

Editorial Physics and politics stand in the way of true mobile

Progress is lumpy. The future is attained in a series of epochal strides, each followed by a lot of relatively inconsequential shuffling forward. The invention of the internet (and especially the consumer-friendly web) was a rare giant step that motivated immense adoption of computers and digital lifestyles. A global marketplace of online citizens spawned gadgets, software apps, corporate gold-rushing and other feverish shuffling.

Even with the opulent gadgetry we admire and enjoy, the whole expanding tech bubble seems to be reaching for something beyond itself. The incremental improvements of personal technology don't thrust into the future as much as push against constraining walls of the present. Sharper screens and thinner computers are delightful results of corporate development cycles. But we are tethered to the present, which one day will seem primitive in retrospect, by two unglamorous bridles: power and connectivity?

Continue reading Editorial: Physics and politics stand in the way of true mobile

Editorial: Physics and politics stand in the way of true mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation

google chrome 11 proxy
Google Chrome 11 -- which just recently made the move to the browser's beta channel -- has received a minor update that gives developers access to two new APIs.

The first is a full-featured proxy API, which will, for example, allow users to set different proxy servers for normal browsing and Incognito mode. Proxy auto-config scripts are also supported by the API.

The second -- Web Navigation Extension -- is a bit more expansive. This API will allow devs to build everything from more powerful safe browsing extensions -- like Traffic Light -- to data analysis and reporting extensions.

Both APIs are currently experimental, so you'll need to enable them on the about:flags page to try out any relevant extensions. Apart from a proxy example built by Google and shipped with the Chromium source, we're not aware of any examples just yet, however. We'll let you know when we spot any slick, new extensions which do surface.

Chrome 11 beta adds new experimental APIs for proxies, Web navigation originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/chrome-11-beta-adds-new-experimental-apis-for-proxies-web-navig/

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CyanogenMod tops up CM10 Jelly Bean jar with SMS pop-up, quick reply features

DNP Cyanogen popup

On top of bringing Android flavors to devices that would otherwise never get them, CyanogenMod has added SMS options to its latest CM10 Jelly Bean ROM -- features the stock version lacks. First, the team introduced QuickMessage, which displays a pop-up when you get an IM, allowing you to view or reply to it on the spot. Then, after hearing feedback from users, a "quick reply" option was appended as well, letting you disable the pop-up and reply from the notification bar instead. We took a quick whirl with the latest nightly and saw that it works as advertised, giving you the speedy options while appearing as a regular setting in the stock messaging app. So, if you're like most of us and drop everything when you get a text, check the source links for more details.

[Image credit: CyanogenMod]

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CyanogenMod tops up CM10 Jelly Bean jar with SMS pop-up, quick reply features originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 01:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/04/cyanogenmod-CM10-jelly-bean-sms-pop-up/

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Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer

elephantquest
When someone tells me about a "platformer", my first thought is that it's probably a simple game that mainly revolves around running and jumping around, with a minimal plot. [Play a Zelda game! -Ed]

Elephant Quest is one platformer that managed to prove me completely wrong. Yes, you do run and jump around, and you also shoot at stuff. But the game has much, much more going for it.

Basically, as you run, jump and shoot, you gain experience points and level up. Hitting Space brings you into an interface where you can convert your experience points into Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Dexterity points. Once you've "specialized" your points, you then get to pick what exact skills you'd like to enhance in each field. For example, you could use your dexterity to enhance your weapons or increase your swiftness.

The game is played in a huge maze; you go through rooms using doors, and there's a large map. As the name implies, there are quests you can take, too. For example, one quest had me searching all over the place for ten balloons.

The bottom line is that this is a surprisingly deep game that just might ensnare you for a good bit longer than you intended to play. Beware!

Elephant Quest is an addictive, deep platformer originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/elephant-quest-is-an-addictive-deep-platformer/

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Ask DLS: Cross-platform multiplayer games that work on Android and iOS

askdls
Here's one for our knowledgeable commenters: I recently bought my girlfriend an iPad. I, on the other hand, own an Android device. And now we're looking for games we can play using both devices.

There's no dearth of multiplayer games either for Android or for iOS. But finding multiplayer games that can cross the platform boundary is an entirely different matter.

Jay recently posted Words with Friends which is one such game. It's actually an ideal example, because it's turn-based so you don't necessarily both have to be next to your device at the same time (great for long-distance gaming).

But what other examples are there? What multiplayer games are there that let iOS users play with Android users?

[Why am I now humming 'Ebony and Ivory'? -Ed]

Ask DLS: Cross-platform multiplayer games that work on Android and iOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/02/ask-dls-cross-platform-multiplayer-games-that-work-on-android-and-ios/

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Hate Windows 8 already? The Pro OEM edition will let you downgrade as far back as Vista

Hate Windows 8 already The Pro OEM version will let you downgrade, even to Vista

Relax, Gabe Newell. If you buy a new Windows 8 Pro PC and discover that you really do detest the OS that much, you may be able to switch back to an older version -- either Windows 7 or Vista, but not near-death XP -- under the same OEM license. Will many folks want to do that? Probably not, and in any case these so-called downgrade rights are actually only helpful in specific circumstances and they don't come with boxed retail versions of the software. The main practical benefit (albeit still a niche one) is that a manufacturer could technically offer a Windows 7 disc in the box with a new Windows 8 machine and give customers a choice of OS. Alternatively, the manufacturer could install Windows 7 by default (effectively a factory downgrade) and supply Windows 8 Pro installation media so that customers can upgrade for free when they feel good 'n ready. At some point, of course, staring at a redundant UI-switching button is going to grate.

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Hate Windows 8 already? The Pro OEM edition will let you downgrade as far back as Vista originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change the Lytro?

How would you change the Lytro

Few products make everyone here at Engadget quite as giddy with excitement as Lytro's light-field camera. Given how regularly we need to photograph things, we were desperate to know if this was going to revolutionize the way we snapped pictures. It had more than a few things going for it, innovative product design, great engineering, it was fast, responsive and had a great UI. However, the pictures themselves were of a low resolution, and the depth-of-field trickery only works with extreme close-up-and-background shots where you can mess around with your bokkeh. As nice as it is in theory (and practice, on a well-lit day), it's certainly not going to replace your DSLR any time soon -- but given that the company's presumably working on version 2.0 of the device, what would you suggest they tweak?

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How would you change the Lytro? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 22:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/02/hwyc-lytro/

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Ask DLS: What's your primary Web browser?

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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Tacocopter Basics [Quadrotors]

The Tacocopters are coming. Sure, the original pitch was a clever troll aimed at credulous and impatient fast-food junkies. But the numbers don't lie – a typical taco weighs less than a pound, and aircraft that can autonomously fly a few dozen ounces of payload to your doorstep are already available for around a thousand bucks. Amazon Prime is cool, and I can't wait for self-driving delivery cars – but there's a reason they call a beeline a beeline. Flying autonomous deliverybots are coming. Fast. More »


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Switched On: The Old Adventures of New 3D

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

DNP Switched On The Old Adventures of New 3D

In the unmarked office of 3-D Vision, Inc., you can see a television or PC display a videogame or movie with a convincing stereoscopic effect. That might not seem very unique. However, the television is a CRT from the 1990s, the video game is Super Mario for the Nintendo 64 and the movie is The Wizard of Oz, made in 1939.

Despite the growth in 3D television sales, the requirement to wear 3D glasses has loomed as one of the most significant barriers to adoption. 3-D Vision's technology still requires glasses, at least for now. However, with some caveats, it overcomes some of the other, oft-overlooked barriers to 3D adoption by creating 3D video from 2D content on 2D (or 3D) displays. On televisions, this is achieved via a small set-top box -- a prototype of which approaches the size and noise level of a mini-fridge -- that plugs into the video source and the TV and converts the video in real-time with virtually no latency. The box should be available early next year.

Continue reading Switched On: The Old Adventures of New 3D

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Switched On: The Old Adventures of New 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 17:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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