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Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only

Amazon Android Cloud Player appIt's hard to believe: our world-spanning network, our Internet, which is the cornerstone of free speech and free society -- which, on a good day, is capable of causing populist revolutions -- is still crippled by banal geolocation restrictions. We are, of course, talking about Amazon's two latest offerings, both of which are only available in the United States. Last week it was the excellent Android Appstore for Android, and today it's the Amazon Cloud Player for Web and Android.

Along with Cloud Player, Amazon also launched Cloud Drive, which is basically just like any other cloud storage digital locker. It's not particularly feature rich, and there's no real reason to use it over something like SugarSync or SkyDrive -- it does work outside the US, however.

Its primary purpose, as far as we're concerned, is that it stores your your Cloud Player music in a subdirectory. You get 5GB of Cloud Drive storage for free, and then it's $1 per gigabyte per year if you need more space.

The Amazon Cloud Player itself will not, to put it bluntly, blow your mind. It works, but it's very much an early, and possibly rushed, release. Let's dive in to the Web and Android players for a closer look.

Continue reading Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only

Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-hands-on-review-functional-not-mind-blowin/

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The Ultimate Burger Inventor Cooks His Creation on Kimmel [Video]

The search for the ultimate hamburger has ended on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Unfortunately, you probably can't test this one out yourself, and you won't find it at any restaurant. Last night, Jimmy was paid a visit by former Microsoft Chief Technology Officer and current heavy cookbook author, Nathan Myhrvold. The pair demonstrated how to make a burger with a sous-vide machine, liquid nitrogen, and a hot oil bath. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bBYCf94O7Oc/the-ultimate-burger-inventor-cooks-his-creation-on-kimmel

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Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game

Sand Trap
Sand Trap is one of those games that at first seem too hard to bother with, but when you try to stop playing it you discover you're hooked.

The goal is to get as much sand as you possibly can out of the maze and into the bucket at the bottom of the screen. You need to rotate your maze every which way to get the sand rolling around it. You then try to direct the sand to one of the exits of the maze, and hopefully into the bucket. It took me several tries to actually get sand into the bucket, but that might be due to the fact that I didn't even realize the bucket was there at first. Things improved significantly after that.

As you level up, the mazes get more complicated, with moving parts and other things making your life more difficult. Once you manage to get through all these obstacles and get enough sand into your bucket, you can move on.

As I mentioned, this is not an easy game, but it's highly addictive. The graphics remind me of some long lost game from the 80s, but this just proves that you don't need super graphics and crazy sound to make a game work. There's a soothing guitar track playing in the background and that's it, as far as I could hear, and you can enjoy it just as much with no sound at all.

If you like a fun physics challenge, don't miss out on this one!

Sand Trap is a fun and difficult physics maze game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/sand-trap-is-a-fun-physics-maze-game/

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Qualcomm Atheros Announces 802.11ac Chips, Wireless Connectivity Goes HD [Wireless]

Most every piece of modern electronics has a wireless-connectivity option—TV's, alarm clocks, refrigerators, even thermostats. With all these devices competing for bandwidth—not to mention the demands of streaming media—network performance will suffer. Qualcomm Atheros' new gigabit-capable 802.11ac chips should give these devices some breathing room. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/SZFPJyuCPt0/qualcomm-atheros-announces-80211ac-chips-let-the-wireless-hd-streaming-begin

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Firefox 4 Mobile officially released for Android and Maemo devices

Firefox 4 MobileMoments ago, Mozilla stripped the release candidate moniker from Firefox 4 Mobile and pronounced it fit for public release. If you have a Nokia N900 phone, or a fairly-modern Android 2.0-or-later device, go ahead and install it from the Market, by using scanning the QR code after the break, or by visiting Firefox.com/m.

Accompanying the release is the launch of Spark, a cute social game that's designed to fuel the adoption of Firefox 4 Mobile, much like last week's use of Glow and Twitter Party during Firefox 4 PC's release.

While the browser still feels a little rough around the edges, it's definitely worth trying out if you're still using Android's stock browser. Its JavaScript performance is significantly better than any other Android browser, and if you use Firefox on your PC, its built-in Sync functionality is awesome.

Over the next few days we'll have plenty of tips and tricks for Firefox 4 Mobile, and a list of the best add-ons available for the new browser.

Continue reading Firefox 4 Mobile officially released for Android and Maemo devices

Firefox 4 Mobile officially released for Android and Maemo devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/firefox-4-mobile-officially-released-for-android-and-maemo-devic/

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We Discover the Best iPad Bluetooth Headset

A lot of iPad applications now enable users to engage in online audio and video conversations. Of course, the iPad contains a built-in mic and speaker system to be used in such conversations. However, using an iPad Bluetooth Headset is still preferred by many because it gives a relatively clearer sound and more focused mic as compared to the built-in sound devices. A Bluetooth headset, however, has been gaining popularity because it gives users wireless mobility that is not available [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/we-discover-the-best-ipad-bluetooth-headset/

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TweetDeck to launch as HTML5 Web app, now accepting beta testers

When TweetDeck landed in the Chrome Web Store, it seemed like an indication that it might eventually evolve into a pure HTML5 Web app. Now it looks as though that's exactly what's going to happen, with TweetDeck announcing that a new, not-just-for-Chrome Web client is ready for beta testing.

It's a natural progression for TweetDeck, especially since its originally Adobe Air app is practically all Web code. TweetDeck Web will sport a feature set which is nearly identical to the Chrome app, with the notable exception of Twitter streaming.

Initially, TweetDeck is targeting Firefox 4 and 3.6, Google Chrome, and Safari. Opera and Internet Explorer 9 won't be invited to the dance until a bit later on.

If you'd like to get in on the TweetDeck Web beta, head on over and register -- or sign up using your existing TweetDeck account.

TweetDeck to launch as HTML5 Web app, now accepting beta testers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/tweetdeck-to-launch-as-web-app-now-accepting-beta-testers/

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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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Amazon Appstore proving lucrative for developers, according to new report

Android Central

The Amazon Appstore is less than a year old, and still isn't officially available internationally. Despite this though, the latest report from app analytics company Distimo states that a good portion of Android developers are making decent money there. 

Of the top 110 apps appearing both in the Amazon Appstore and Android Market, the report claims that 42 of them are making more money from the Appstore. Additionally, 28 percent of the revenue from those top 110 came from the Appstore. 

The Appstore is also proving to be a popular place for paid applications. 62% of the apps are paid apps compared to just 32 percent at present in the Android Market. The Kindle Fire launch last year has played a massive part in the growth of the Amazon Appstore. 

Another interesting piece of information to emerge from this report regards Amazon exclusive applications. Distimo says that around 50 percent of Amazon's apps aren't present in the Android Market. While there isn't a clear definition on how many of these may be Kindle Fire versions of already established apps, it is still a surprisingly high percentage. 

Seems the future is bright over in the Amazon camp. There have been mixed reactions since it's inception over pricing and how Amazon controls it, and indeed how they handle compensating developers involved in the free app of the day. But it seems that there is money to be made by submitting applications to Amazon. And with their tighter control over what makes it into the Appstore, quality apps may find opportunities to shine through. Just imagine what could happen if the whole world could take advantage.

Source: GigaOM

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/gVr1nsbSD1I/story01.htm

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