Possible iOS 5 Screenshot Emerges

Real or fake, this screenshot certainly looks like it could be iOS 5
It wouldn’t be a proper Apple Keynote day without some last-minute rumors. This time we have an is-it-or-isn’t-it iOS 5 screenshot, as unearthed by MG Siegler. In it we see the hoped-for new notifications system, as well as a few more interesting tweaks.

Siegler’s sources tell him that this picture is the “right idea.” Fake or not, it certainly looks the part. At the top we see Twitter notifications built into the status bar. This is consistent with both the recent rumors of deep Twitter integration in iOS 5, along with Apple’s hiring of the Palm WebOS notifications designer Rich Dellinger a year ago.

What we also see is a a tweaked Camera app icon, and what is possibly an answer to Windows Phone 7 phone’s live tiles. The Weather app icon appears to be showing a live temperature. Either that or Apple has just swapped the icon to read 23º C instead of 73º F. Or it’s just a fake. [UPDATE: according to UK-based Gadget Lab reader 747Captain, changing the region of your iOS 4 device to a country that uses celsius also changes the Weather app icon to read "23º." So we're left with just the notification bar and the new Camera app icon.]

Either way, we’ll know the answer in six hours or so. It could be that a revamped home screen is going to be rather small news. I have a feeling that iOS 5 could be a bigger upgrade that the recent jump from iPad 1 to iPad 2.

Is This iOS 5? Dunno, But It’s Likely The Right Idea.


View the original article here

What’s New in Electronic Gadgets to Date?

Nowadays, electronic gadgets are very common devices. It seems we can’t go around or work around without one or two of them working. Nothing works on manual anymore, Everything has gone electronic, even the smallest devices are highly technical now; from universal remote controls to electronic pillows, the list is endless.

We use electronic gadgets for business, recreation and to get us through our daily lives. Students and businessmen often carry laptops and mobile phones to keep themselves updated with the latest news. These electronic gadgets are very useful in creating reports and contacting customers and clients. Electronic gadgets have made life a lot easier for entrepreneurs and corporate people in monitoring their business and work while they are away.Electronics gadgets are not only for business and corporate use; there are also those designed for entertainment and home use.

Electronic gadgets are great for your own entertainment or for your own personal use; they are also great for gift giving as well. These devices are great because they are small and portable. Most people will get a lot of use out of one, for example you give your nephew a PSP handheld portable gaming system and he will use it to death.

There are many types of electronic gadgets with the most popular being the laptop. Laptop’s keep people connected with the outside world at all times. Mobile phones come in second place and are almost equivalent to that of a laptop, they are light weight and you have the internet feature as well.

Music devices and iPads come next on the chain of popular electronic gadgets. Music devices such as MP3 players and iPods are popular choices when wanting to listen to music on the run. iPads are similar to laptops and are quickly gaining momentum as a must have device.

Other kinds of Electronic Gadgets

There are other kinds of electronic devices that you buy; most are good for home use and some are great to take anywhere.

Digital SLR cameras are electronic gadgets that are really useful and a great device if you a re into photography.

Portable Gaming Consoles are popular not just with kids but also for those adults who have never outgrown their love of video games. With these portable game consoles like PSPs, handheld DS and Wii, video gaming has never been good and convenient.

Digital picture frames have really taken the market this year. They are great gift ideas and they are also quite affordable.

GPS navigation systems are great car accessories that will definitely provide enough help on the road. If you are constantly on the move and have to be in unfamiliar territories, this electronic gadget is the best for you.

Digital window thermometers are good electronic gadgets for home use. Some even have additional features like high tide and low tide indicators.

View the original article here

Knowing More About the Concept And The Evolution Of The Digital Video Recorder

Some believe that the best thing that happened to man kind most recently is the digital video recording ability. What exactly is a digital video recorder? It’s basically a device that can and may record digital video formats onto disks or other devices that could carry data.

The evolution of the digital video recorder came with devices like TiVo and Replay-TV. Microsoft also followed suit with devices of the sort. Studies show that TiVo was able to gain a lot of success with their digital video recorder.

The most commonly used digital video recorders in recent history come in software used on pc. All three major operating systems, Linux, Mac OS, and Microsoft windows support digital video recording programs. Windows media center is one good example.

A digital video recorder can vary from a portable music player to a hard disk based data collector. The new series of iPod Nano all carry digital video recording capabilities. Even the standard DVD R drive is a digital video recorder. This device is everywhere nowadays.

Also some illegal software is also freely available all over the internet. These usually stream videos or let people record videos onto their personal computers. But recent advancements in technology have brought it to a minimum.

Recent development has seen television sets being fitted with digital video recorder capabilities. LG brought this concept to the market in 2007. As a result of this feature, people are able to record their favorite television shows and store it for later use. The latest camcorders to hit the market have digital video recording facilities making recording and storing easier.

Although Digital video recording is used in PCs a lot, it is widely used in world as a satellite or cable TV tool. Recording shows or other video’s is a main theme brought forward by companies like TiVo or Dish Network. The concept of Digital video recorder has single handedly taken the Video cassette recorder which had a big following, completely out of the market.

The future is already here with the digital video recorder which is still relatively new to the world. But what most people don’t realize is that they are always in contact with one of these devices. When you’re using your computer or watching TiVo.

If you still don’t use a digital video recorder it is for the best that you get your hands on one right now. The possibilities are endless with this new technology. Enjoy your favorite videos over and over again, with the simple touch of a button.

View the original article here

2-D Glasses Remove Nausea from 3-D Movies

2-D Glasses cut out a dimension and protect you from pinkeye

Imagine the scene. You show up at the cinema to meet your so-called friends and they have decided to go watch the 3-D version of Thor. Aside from the fact that they should have taken you weeks ago, this presents a problem. You hate 3-D, but you love your idiot friends despite their tardiness and poor taste.

What do you do? Do you buy a cheaper ticket for the 2-D version and go in on your own, therefore enjoying a brighter picture and a nausea-free evening? Or do you suck it up and don the filthy, bacteria-ridden rental specs and sit with your friends (probably next to the one who eats his popcorn too loud)?

Luckily, there is a third choice: 2-D glasses. These specs won’t help with the dim picture you see from a 3-D theater screen, but they will cut out the stomach-wrenching effects some people get from 3-D. The technology is simple. 3-D works by sending a different image to each eye. Without any glasses, you can see both images on screen together, and they are blurry and impossible to watch. 3-D glasses filter these in various ways to send the correct image to the correct eye. 2D glasses filter out one image from both eyes, so you see the a 2-D movie.

The other advantage is that you won’t have to pay a rental fee for the theater’s own 3-D spex. In fact, you’ll pay back the cost of the 2-D glasses in a few weeks, as they cost just $8 a pair. They also have some other magical properties according to this amazing review on Amazon by Quindraco:

    I ordered two of these, one pair for myself and one for my father. They both arrived at the same time, so   naturally I put them on immediately. I forgot to remove the first pair before putting on the second, which is when I discovered a hidden feature of these glasses.

    It seems obvious now that I think about it, but it turns out, when you wear 2 pairs of 2-D glasses at once, they effectively become 4-D glasses! I found myself able to see through both space and time, something I had only previously experienced while under the effects of completely legitimate medication.

    Suddenly I was able to see the seconds ticking away as the universe aged, and I must say, they’re very pretty-looking. These glasses are definitely a solid buy, especially in pairs. I want to buy a third set as I am very keen to see what the world looks like in 6 dimensions.

View the original article here

Make Your Own Simple Home Media Center

Do you like watching television and movies online, but you hate watching them on a computer screen? Do you have a huge DVD library but find it inconvenient to dig through them when you want to find something to watch? Would you like to listen to your favorite music through the surround sound attached to your TV? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might be an ideal candidate for a simple home media center.

What is a media center (and why would you want one)?

A media center is basically just a computer that is constantly hooked up to your television. You use it to serve up media files or access media content online that you can view or listen to through your TV and other elements of your existing entertainment center (like the surround sound option mentioned earlier).

Why would you want a home media center? Here are a few things you can do with one:

Back up your current DVD collection to the hard drives. Then you can sort the files by genre, name, or anything you’d like and never have to dig through discs again.Watch online video (such as through Netflix or Hulu).You can even include a DVD or Blu-ray player in the media center to watch discs that you rent or borrow.Put all of your music on one system that can hook up to your surround sound so you can listen to your favorite tracks and playlists easily at home.Store your digital photo collections on the media center and show them off to friends and family that come by for a visit.

Why not just use your existing family computer or laptop for this? It mostly comes down to convenience. With a media center you don’t have to fumble around with cables, or lugging your laptop back and forth all the time. You can keep your computers in one room (like a home office) and have a media center permanently set up in your living room or family room where you tend to consume most of your media.

There’s also an issue of space. While a laptop may be a good portable solution as an extremely simple media center, it likely won’t have the hard drive space to hold an extensive video collection. Another consideration is that with a media center you don’t have to constantly adjust your monitor settings from computer screen to television screen, especially if you want to be able to work on your computer while using the media center at the same time.

What do you need to build a simple media center?

Now let’s talk about what you need to set up your own simple home media center. But be forewarned, you should only attempt to build your own media center if you know a thing or two about the inner workings of a computer. If you’re less tech-savvy, we’ll talk about another option for you soon.

A software developer I know recently put together his own simple media center. I asked him what basic components you would need to do the same. Here’s an internal shot of his media center and his suggested component list:

Media Center Hardware and Case
A computer case — Make sure the size will work for you (if you want it to fit within your entertainment center for example, you may need to get a case that works well

horizontally rather than only in tower format).MotherboardCPUHard drive(s) — Make sure your hard drives have enough space for what you want to do. For example, backing up a large DVD collection would require much more substantial hard drive space than a media center for photos or music alone, or one designed to let you easily stream online videos.Video cardCPU fanA TV tuner if you plan to use the system as a DVR to record television shows to watch them laterA DVD player, DVD writer, and / or Blu-ray player depending on your preferencesA PC remote control or special mouse — This should be wireless and not require a solid surface to use it. It enables you to control your media center from your couch without a traditional mouse and keyboard. Make sure this works with your operating system.Cables to hook your media center to your television (with HDTVs you can usually use a single HDMI cable for this)

You may be able to get some of these components together in kit form. And don’t forget about software. The developer I interviewed suggests using Linux if you want to build a relatively inexpensive media center, although Windows operating systems will also work. Other than that, you’ll need a media player. You can use different ones for different media types (such as using VLC for videos) or you can use an option like Moovida which allows you to control video, audio, and photos all from one place. Some media players are freely available and others require payment for more features. Make sure the media player you choose is compatible with the operating system you install.

When all was said and done, here’s the system he ended up with. Note that you do not have to include a computer monitor. Your TV is the only monitor you need. In this photo he hadn’t yet installed the media center into his entertainment center, but you’ll notice he chose a case size that will fit in his existing entertainment center / TV stand. If you want yours to be out of the way, you should keep those size constraints in mind when you choose your own case.

Media Center Setup Example

What if you can’t (or don’t want to) build your own media center?

There’s a simple solution for you if you’re in this group too. Just use a separate pre-assembled computer or laptop. If you want the benefits mentioned above you just have to keep a few considerations in mind. For example, the case size would still need to fit in your entertainment center or wherever you want to keep the system. You would also have to make sure it has enough hard drive space, especially if you intend to back up your traditional media there. In that case a laptop is probably not your best option. This can be an ideal option if you’re looking for an out-of-the-box solution or if you have an older computer sitting around, not being used anymore, and the specs are still decent enough that it would fit the bill.

Did you build your own media center? Did you adapt a ready-made system for the task? Share your stories and tips in the comments below letting others interested in building a media center know what kinds of benefits and challenges they may come across.

View the original article here

Nitro PDF Professional Version 6: Not Yet an Acrobat-Killer

Nitro PDF Pro v6 Illustrated & Product Marketing Message - Credit: NitroPDF.com

This is a review of Nitro PDF Professional, version 6 — from Nitro PDF, Inc. The software is intended to enable the user to create .pdf files, convert other formats to .pdf, edit those files, secure them, combine multiple documents into a single .pdf file, enable form-fill options, and more according to the company’s website.

Disclaimer: When I review products I like readers to know how I got my hands on them so they know about any potential conflicts of interest. In this case I personally purchased a copy of Nitro PDF Pro v6. The review was not requested by the company itself. And while I was compensated by my client — the owner of this website — to write this review, Nitro PDF in no way compensated me or my client. This review like all reviews at Gadget Advisor is based on honest experiences and opinions.

I tested the trial version of Nitro PDF approximately two years ago and I loved it. But at that time I wasn’t publishing enough .pdf files to justify the purchase. Now I write and publish white papers for clients. I’m the author of numerous e-books which I publish in .pdf format. And I frequently create and distribute .pdf forms, templates, and worksheets for visitors of the sites I run.

I decided it was time to purchase new .pdf editing and creation software. I was extremely excited about purchasing Nitro PDF. They claim to be a “complete Adobe Acrobat replacement.” And while I’m not one to believe marketing hype on the surface due to my own marketing and PR background, I still had high hopes for the software. Unfortunately it failed to meet my expectations from the very first test.

Here are some specific observations and comments based on my testing of the software and my interaction with the company’s support team.

1. Word Conversions
The Microsoft Word .pdf conversion buttons / toolbar work like a charm for me every time. I should note however that I disliked the UI of Word’s versions 2007 and 2010 enough that I’ve chosen to stick with 2003 for the time being. So I cannot speak to the conversion capability with newer versions of Word.

2. Opening .pdf Files
I had no problem opening any .pdf file from any source. That included files I created myself — very simple e-books to heavily formatted white papers and reports — as well as e-books, reports, and forms downloaded from independent third party sources.

3. Form Fill
The form fill feature worked as intended when I tested it with a .pdf form from the IRS website (IRS.gov).

4. Document Combinations
I was impressed with how Nitro PDF handled combining multiple documents. I like to use Word when writing e-books, but sometimes you need drastically different formatting for different sections of the document and Word doesn’t always make that as simple as it could (such as a title page, table of contents, and the body of the e-book). The software combined them flawlessly into a single .pdf version.

1. “Save As”
The “save as” option was not visible by default. I consider that a drawback because if an average user doesn’t know to go digging in settings to add the button, they may be forced to accidentally save over a file when they really wanted to save it under a different name. For example, I tested the form fill feature with the IRS’ W-9 form. Without the “save as” option it saves over the empty form when you likely would want to keep a copy of that empty form in your system.

2. Slow Loading
When selecting sections of the document to edit, the program “hangs up” for a few seconds as though there’s a delay in processing your command. It’s a bit annoying, but hardly a deal-breaker. You just have to remind yourself to be patient each time so you don’t freak out, thinking your system just froze on you (because that’s what it mimics).

3. Data Deletion
Now here is a deal-breaker for me. When you target business customers (which anything labeled “professional” does by its very definition), you know you’re dealing with potentially sensitive and / or valuable information. So when you provide software with a main function of editing those business documents, I think as a customer you have the right to expect the program not to “eat” your file contents or your edits. And maybe it’s just me, but I consider a program’s “undo” function to be incredibly basic and heavily-used. Yet there is a major flaw in the “undo” function of this version of Nitro PDF.

When editing a line of text, let’s say you make a mistake and you hit the “undo” button. It should reverse the last action you took. That is not the case with this software. In my case hitting “undo” deleted the entire line of content, except for the first letter. This was also the very first thing I tested with the software, so imagine my surprise to find that once it removed my material, there was no way to get it back. (And no, hitting “redo” or the “undo” button again didn’t help — then it just beeps at you.)

Demonstration of deleted content line after using Nitro PDF "undo" function.
Fine. I figured it was a good opportunity to test Nitro PDF’s support for the review. I submitted the issue online. To their credit, I heard back via email in less than 24 hours and the technical support rep was a pleasant fellow. However, the company’s response to the issue of their software destroying customer data was in no way pleasant.

I sent a copy of my original file as well as a screenshot showing the problem to their tech support people. They were able to replicate the problem quickly and confirm that it was a bug within the software. Fine. “So fix it and let me know when you have a patch,” I thought. Well, no….The response instead was that they didn’t have time to fix the problem before the next release for this version of the software. And therefore it would “probably” (yes, not even definite that they would fix it then) be included in the next major release — version 7.

So here’s what that amounts to: customers using this version of the software have to deal with the “undo” feature removing lines of content and that data being irrecoverable. If you want to have software that works without destroying your business documents, you can pay for Version 7 months down the line when it’s released.

Um, no. You do not inform customers that they need to buy another version of your software if they want extremely basic functions to operate properly and not destroy business files. And I told them as much. I don’t care what your excuse is. If you find out it’s happening, you fix it — even if it means delaying a minor release. We aren’t talking about feature requests here. We’re talking major problems with a very basic function of the software.

Just for the record, I also tested and confirmed the bug on numerous .pdf files — different sizes, formats, and sources to make sure it wasn’t just an issue with my own conversions. The problem happened in more than 60% of the documents checked. That’s significant enough to warrant a more legitimate response from their QA Manager or programmers.

But wait. It gets better. I let the support rep know that was an unacceptable response, and asked for confirmation one last time before writing the review. Their grand solution? Just close your file without saving it and your “eaten” data will magically appear again. The problem with that response Einsteins is that closing without saving also means you lose any edits you made to other lines (or the line that was deleted). As an independent publisher and business writer, I write a heck of a lot. And I can tell you that most people do not save documents after every single line they edit. So any way you cut it, this version of Nitro PDF may cause you to lose potentially important data if you dare to use the “undo” function.

At this point I gave up trying to be reasonable with the support rep who clearly didn’t fully understand the implications of this problem (you know — costing more money to complete projects when edits might have to be completed multiple times or losing potentially sensitive business data). So I tweeted about it. I have a reasonable network in the writing and small business community — people who very frequently use .pdf documents for e-publishing, reports, and more. I shared my dissatisfaction to put it mildly.

Then I thought Nitro PDF reps were back on their game briefly. Whoever manages their Twitter account got in touch on the site and assured me they would speak to the development and support folks about the problem. Days have gone by and I haven’t yet received any kind of response. (Is it maybe too much to expect to hear at least something when a company tells you they’ll look deeper into a problem?)

It’s possible I still might. It’s possible they’ll pull their heads out of you-know-where and think about how serious an issue like this is for current users and not just those who might use the software months down the line. But for me, my patience is wearing thin very quickly. I need software that works now. I would have been more than happy just to hear that they were working on it and they’d roll out a patch in the foreseeable future. But no. That’s not what happened. And that makes me question whether or not I could trust the company enough to even want to use them when the new version is released. I’ve already seen how highly they “value” users’ data. And I’m not impressed.

I would love to tell you that I recommend Nitro PDF. I used to! But now I’m sorry to say that I cannot. I wish I knew of a worthwhile alternative to point you to, but sadly I’m back on that hunt now myself. After all, I have publishing projects in the works, and they won’t wait for months. I really wanted to like this software. I was excited when it arrived, and I couldn’t wait to begin using it on the series of e-books and reports I plan to release. Unfortunately what might seem like a minor issue to some is too significant for me to overlook. Then again, I guess the last straw was really how they dealt with the issue, and not the bug itself.

As with everything, make up your own minds. You might luck out and never have this issue. You might not have to deal with support. Or who knows? Maybe you never do anything that you want to “undo” anyway. If so, go for it. There’s no harm in at least testing out their free trial. Most of the features worked exactly as described. I just wish I could trust the software enough to be willing to continue using it. Maybe if they eventually care enough to get it patched. We’ll have to wait and see.

View the original article here

Kno for iPad: E-Textbooks Done Right?

Kno has launched a rather sweet-looking e-textbook app for the iPad. Those of you with a good memory for ill-fated tablet hardware will remember the first incarnation of the Kno, a giant dual-screen (or single-screen) behemoth of a tablet with a price tag of “below $1,000.”

Now, the service is available on the iPad, and therefore likely to be a whole lot more useful. Kno has inked deals with many of the major textbook publishers and you can buy their wares directly from within the app, often at a big discount.

The app lets you choose from 70,000 textbooks, and you can search, zoom in on pictures, add sticky notes and highlight text. You can also share passages with friends or fellow students via FaceBook or Twitter.
What’s more, you can load the apps with your own PDFs.

Kno looks pretty good. I have been struggling to use my iPad in my twice-weekly Spanish classes. The tiny desk-chair tabletop thingy is angled so my iPad can slide off easily when its piled up along with my paper textbook and paper handouts. If my textbook was available in Kno, I’d use it in an instant. It would gather what I currently do in several apps all into one place.

Kno is available free, currently only in the U.S App Store.

View the original article here

LightDims: Tiny Sunglasses for Blinkenlights

 Oh sweet mercy! Kill those awful glowing LEDs with LightDims
Modern gadgets are beset by a creeping evil, a blight which is slowly taking over our homes, disturbing our slumber and annoying everybody but teenage nerds who build their own liquid-cooled, glow-in-the-dark gaming PCs.

I am talking about — of course — LED blinkenlights, the usually-blue glowing pimples that pepper routers, speakers, computers and even USB hubs. Turn out the lights in any room with just one of these technological Will o’ the Wisps and you will be bathed in an eery and sleep-denying glow.

The usual fix is a strip of insulating tape, but that’s ugly. LightDims fix this. $6 will buy you a pack of little circular and rectangular stickers which you use to cover the offending lamps. Two kids are available: Black Out and Original Strength.

The Black Outs do the same job as your electrical tape, but the Original Strengths go one better. They cut the light by around 80%, reducing the previous glare to a less intrusive dull glow. Thus you can still see what your gadgets are trying to tell you, but now they whisper instead of shouting. Think of them as sunglasses for your toys.

Either pack will cost $6, but you can double up or mix-and-match and get two for $10. That will buy you countless good nights’ sleep, and is a lot cheaper than my usual method of nodding off in my photon-filled bedroom: a good slug of Scotch.


View the original article here

Feature-Rich Samsung Prosumer Cam Turns Heads

The 14-megapixel NX100 may not be a digital SLR, but it does use a DSLR-worthy sensor. This EVIL camera is the latest mirrorless model to break away from the Micro Four Thirds imaging chip format and plug an APS-C CMOS sensor into a small body.

Though the result isn’t as petite as Sony’s latest NEX shooters, which also use APS-C sensors, this is a pretty nifty looking compact, with a sleek, ergonomic body and impressive picture-taking abilities

The NX100 bears a passing resemblance to a classic rangefinder-style camera but feels thoroughly modern, with its sleek, polycarbonate curves practically begging you to pick it up and shoot with it. The big shutter button gives you the feeling you’re shooting with a DSLR, though the autofocus is not nearly as responsive.
Like competing EVIL cameras, the NX100 uses a contrast-detection autofocus system, and while it’s better than some older models, it can feel a step slow at times. This is especially true for cycle times between shots, which can feel glacial when you’re trying to shoot a series of candids. There is a high-speed continuous mode for capturing stills at 30 fps, but image size drops down to 1.4 megapixel, and it took 8 seconds for the buffer to clear before we could shoot again.

The easy menu system, sharp 3-inch AMOLED screen, and clear iconography make navigating the camera’s deep feature set a breeze. We also really liked the i-Function button on the 20-50 mm (f/3.5-5.6) kit lens, which lets you change key settings such as ISO, white balance, and exposure without taking your hand off the barrel.

The lens isn’t particularly sharp though, especially in the corners. And if you want to shoot in low light or create background blur for portraits, you’ll need one of Samsung’s forthcoming faster aperture lenses, such as the new 85mm f/1.4.

The 720p HD video mode produced sparkling high-def footage when shooting subjects head on but suffered from serious rolling shutter issues when we panned quickly from side-to-side. Rolling shutter is common in all cameras that use CMOS sensors to record video, but the problem is so severe in the NX100 that it made us a little seasick. Also disappointing: There’s no port for adding a stereo mic, meaning you’re stuck with the built-in monaural unit.

In terms of still image quality, we’d put the NX100 at above average for an EVIL camera. In good light, it delivered some of the best color, dynamic range, and detail we’ve seen from a camera in this class. In poor lighting, though, the camera struggled with image noise when shooting at ISO 3200 and above. It was so bad at times that it almost looked like we had applied a paint-like effect to our shots.

Speaking of effects, the NX100 has plenty to choose from, including vignette, miniature (tilt-shift), fish-eye, halftone dots, and soft focus.

So there’s a lot to like in the NX100: smart, eye-catching design, a rich feature set, and simple navigation. We just wish image quality was better in low light and that the HD video didn’t suffer from such pronounced rolling-shutter effects.

WIRED Stylish, ergonomic design. Friendly interface and i-Function button on kit lens mean you don’t need to read the manual. Fun built-in filters.
TIRED Kit lens is not particularly sharp. Slow shot-to-shot transition. Serious, wobbly rolling-shutter when panning quickly in HD mode. Image noise at higher ISOs. Lack of a rubberized handgrip means it’s easy to drop.

View the original article here

Get Your Game On With Sony’s Xperia Play Android Phone

Where most slider phones have a keyboard, Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play sports Playstation controls. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com.

Mothers, lock up your gamers. The PlayStation phone has arrived.

And while it’s a bit on the chubby side, we think that, for Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play, big is beautiful.

You could almost call the Xperia Play the shorter, fatter cousin to the svelte Xperia Arc, which Sony Ericsson once described as the “world’s thinnest smartphone.” At .62 inches, the Play looks positively bulky compared to its Xperia-line relatives — a veritable Jan Brady to the Arc’s Marcia.

But Sony Ericsson had to make some trade-offs in size in order for the slide-out frame to hide the PlayStation controller underneath. If you’re a gamer, it’s worth it. We felt right at home with the familiar PlayStation controller configuration — D-pad on the left, with the square, circle, triangle and X buttons on the right.

And unlike other, flimsier slider phones, the plastic hardware isn’t chintzy. The Play still feels sturdy in hand, even in its open position, and most likely won’t break under the pressure of an excited gamer’s grip.

Instead of the centered joysticks found on a PS3 controller, two pressure-sensitive touchpads take their place. So rather than hog up precious screen real estate steering with your fingers on games that require touch-sensitive direction, you can use the two physical touchpads. It’s a nifty concept, and fairly well-executed. The games I played that utilize the pads were decent enough in reaction time, though I found the sensitivity a bit wanting.

The phone comes bundled with seven games, though only one was exclusive to the Play: Crash Bandicoot. It’s a PS One classic, and I was psyched to see it on the roster. But if I’m buying the long-awaited PlayStation phone, I want it to be running PlayStation games. Plural.

When I asked if Sony Ericsson would continue publishing PlayStation classics to the Xperia Play, the answer was cagey, though promising: “It’s the first step we’re taking down this path.” I’ve got my fingers crossed for a Twisted Metal port by the end of the year.

I actually enjoyed the experience of gaming on the Play. For the first time, I didn’t feel like I was playing a game slapped onto a phone interface. It feels like a standalone portable gaming device. That’s no easy feat to accomplish.

Polygons rendered beautifully on the Play’s 4-inch capacitive touch screen, which was plenty big enough to view the games we played. I did wonder if I’d be wanting more screen surface area while playing a first-person shooter like Call of Duty (or if we really wanted to get old school, Doom) — but since those games aren’t available for the Xperia Play, it’s a moot point for now.

You might think the Play is underpowered, given that its processor is a single-core, 1-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, not the dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor found in many recent smartphone and tablet offerings. But that’s not the case: the Play ran games and rendered menu screens like a charm. We didn’t experience any noticeable lag while gaming, nor while running Google’s proprietary smartphone apps like Gmail or Calendar.

Oh, and did we mention that the Xperia Play is also an Android phone? Because it is, and not a shabby one at that. Over the five days we spent with the phone, Verizon’s network coverage was ample. From Seattle to San Francisco, we didn’t experience any dropped calls or have much of a problem finding a signal. One big bummer, however: The phone uses Verizon’s 3G network, not the newer, faster 4G network.

Like many other smartphones, it’s got two cameras — VGA on the front as well as a 5-megapixel back-facing brother — but they’re not the greatest. The few shots I took looked washed out, a bit grainier than I would have liked. But as far as camera phones go, they’ll get the job done.

But let’s be honest. Cameras aren’t the reason you’re buying this phone. It’s a gamer’s toy, and bells and whistles like front-facing cameras should be judged with that in mind.

Our verdict after a week with the Play?
Game on.

Wired: Unskinned version of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) makes us happy. Sturdy hardware stands up to a frustrated gamer’s kung-fu grip.
Tired: Lacks 720p video recording capability, now a standard in smartphone releases. Wireless data is slower 3G standard, not 4G. Only one PlayStation title available at launch.

View the original article here

Dual-Boot Tablet Is Double Dose of Disaster

There’s a really famous road — maybe you know it. It’s paved with good intentions. And by now you should know all too well where it leads.

It must have been aggravating for ViewSonic — which has made Windows-based tablet PCs since 2001 — to see its market destroyed by the Apple iPad in 2010. So the company did what it (and everyone else has) had to do: embrace Android.

The result is the ViewSonic ViewPad 10, a 10-inch, dual-booting Windows-Android tablet with a lot of heart and lofty goals, and an utter disaster on nearly every front.

To be fair, Android is a whole new world to ViewSonic, and when you boot the device to Windows, the machine isn’t half-bad. That isn’t to say it didn’t have its share of bugs: It took an hour of futzing just to get the two USB ports to work, and I experienced crashes nearly every day I used it. But if you really need Windows in a 1.9-pound slate-tablet design, the ViewPad 10 is at least passable.

It couldn’t complete any of our actual benchmarks — likely due to its 1.6-GHz Atom CPU and just 2 GB of RAM. But it was responsive enough in normal use compared to my low expectations, likely in no small part due to the inclusion of an SSD hard drive — though it’s only 32 GB.

To switch to Android mode, you have to reboot Windows, then push the right button at the right time when the OS choice prompt appears. Once into Android, well, the fun never starts.

The ViewPad 10 originally shipped with Android 1.6, and only during the first week of May did I finally receive the upgrade to 2.2. I used the tablet extensively in both environments. Neither is likely to be in any way satisfactory to even the most casual tablet user. There’s no delicate way to put it, except to say that with Android there is no facet of the device with which I didn’t experience a problem.

To wit: When booting, it often froze or fell back to a Linux command prompt instead of booting into the Android GUI. The Android Market is not installed on the device. ViewSonic says Google won’t allow it on 10-inch tablets.

Instead you get the cut-rate AndAppStore with a paltry number of apps available. That doesn’t really matter much, though. Downloaded apps only installed successfully about half the time. No manner of fussing could get Angry Birds running on this machine.

There is no Flash, of course (ViewSonic blames Adobe), and battery life was even lower on Android (3 hours, 10 minutes) than on Windows (3 hours, 30 minutes). Perhaps that’s because the ViewPad’s screen doesn’t auto-dim or suspend in Android, and there are no options available to make that possible.

Nor are there any volume buttons. Nor do the home and back buttons work properly: The home button takes you back. The back button brings up contextual menus. If you’re an Android phone user, you will never get used to this, nor should you want to.

With all of the product’s Android problems, it feels almost petty to complain about the weird decision to place the 10.1-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) screen off-center, the very dim LCD, and the difficulty of interacting with tiny Windows prompts using a fingertip. Instead I’ll just leave it at that, urging you to look elsewhere for your mobile-computing needs.

WIRED Passable in Windows environment, just barely.
TIRED Android implementation is an utter debacle. Buyers should ignore it completely and stick with Windows. Buggy from front to back, and from boot to shutdown. Reviewer feels bad that someone may get fired because of this review.

Photo courtesy ViewSonic

View the original article here

Compact Prosumer Cam Travels Well, Shoots Sharp

The 16.05-megapixel Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2 is as much for videos as it is for stills. Indeed, the first things you’ll notice are the stereo microphone on top and the shiny red button with a movie camera icon next to it that almost implores you to press it and see what happens.

But before you get to that you’re going to have to figure out how this overly complicated, mirrorless, interchangeable-lens, Micro Four Thirds camera (yeah, that’s a mouthful) works.

The follow-up to the Panasonic’s two-year-old GH1, the GH2 sticks with the previous model’s look and feel but adds some important upgrades and features, not the least of which is the ability to shoot 3D photos (with the help of an optional lens.) Though 3D photos are kind of cool— we didn’t get to test that aspect of the camera this time around but have seen a demo of the technology— the biggest improvement with the GH2 is its lightning-fast autofocus.

Because so-called EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder, Interchangeable Lens) cameras use janky contrast detection autofocus systems, locking in on a subject and getting the shot can sometimes be pure luck. That’s changed.
With its three CPUS, the GH2’s powerful but poorly named Venus Engine FHD processor does the trick. It helped us capture crisp images of a basketball player dunking during an outdoor game, keeping him in focus for the whole drive to the hoop. The 14-140mm f4-5.8 Mega O.I.S. kit lens also let us grab a slobbery shot of a pitbull kissing a bulldog in a five-frames-per-second burst. (The GH2 can shoot 5fps in full resolution using a mechanical shutter and 40fps at 4MP using an electronic shutter.)

Lowlight capabilities are also greatly improved. We captured relatively low-noise shots at up to ISO 3200, notably better the previous model. Things did get messy at ISO 6400, though, and the maximum 12,800 setting is for brave souls only.

There were some changes that we weren’t too keen on, however. Many of the 3-inch LCD screen’s touch controls are more trouble than they’re worth, including the distracting Touch Guide feature and the Touch Shutter function. (We turned these off.)

On the other hand, touch tracking, which triggers the camera to lock in on the subject of your choice by touching it on the screen, is pretty badass. In video shooting, that touch-tracking feature allows you to “pull” or “rack” focus on the subject of your choice, so it stays sharp while the rest of the scene blurs out for a professional look. Very badass.

When it comes to video, the GH2 is probably the best non-DSLR camera on the market. The Live MOS sensor’s fast readout speed lets it shoot full 1080i at 60p. For cineastes seeking a film-like look, the “Cinema Mode” setting shoots 1080p at 24fps. And because the GH2 records at a faster bit rate than its predecessor— 24Mbps— HD video quality has improved overall.

Though some competing camera brands have tried to add continuous autofocus for their movie capture modes, the GH2’s is the best we’ve tried— silent, quick, and accurate. Same goes for the built-in stereo microphone. It records superb sound and has a helpful Wind Cut feature for lowering the “whoosh” when shooting outdoors.

If the GH2 has a major problem, it’s the week you’ll need just to figure out all its features and functions. And by the time you’ve turned everything on, the LCD will be come so cluttered with icons you might have trouble seeing what you’re shooting. The high-quality results, though, will be worth it.

WIRED Blazing autofocus. Faster bit rates for better HD video quality. Touchscreen tracking lets you pull focus in video using just your pinkie. Superb mic for outdoor shooting.
TIRED Feature-laden to the point of feeling bloated. Pricey.

View the original article here

The 3 Best Browser Alternatives for the iPad

One of the things I hate most in the world is a default browser on a high end electronic. In fact, I usually dislike anything that comes standard, especially when it comes to Apple products. When I bought my iPad, I found a lot of the software to be slow, unnecessarily large, and frustrating to use. Half the time it was so buggy that I couldn’t use it at all.

Luckily, there are a multitude of alternative programs that have been created to work with the iPad. Several of these I have tried, as I prefer to test out software for myself before settling on one. Sometimes I keep more than one and use them when I feel like it. Out of every browser I tried for the iPad, there were three that really stuck out. All of them are free to use, easy to download, and will save you a lot of time.

1. Terra

A complete, functional web browser, Terra offers a lot of positives that have made it as popular as it is. First of all, the fullscreen feature is easy to use and takes full advantage of the large screen of the iPad. It also has tabs, making it easy to keep more than one web page open at one time. No more constantly loading and reloading to see what you need.

If you need something that you won’t always have WiFi available for, you can save pages in offline mode, or save as a file. There are full bookmarks, and an incognito mode.

2. Night Browser

Have you ever found yourself next to your spouse and wanting to read or surf the net, but not wanting to disturb their sleep? We all have insomnia sometimes. If this sounds like you, you need Night Browser. Designed to offer you a way to use the net without your screen shining too brightly, it allows you to customize it so that it is dim enough to keep from bothering the person next to you, but bright enough to allow you to see.

The only downside to this program is that it has next to no features. So you probably won’t want to use it for day use, but purely as a good night option. You will get Google search in the top bar, which is nice.

3. LastPass

Everyone has a mass of passwords to remember. It is the cardinal rule: use a different password for every site, to avoid making it too easy for phishers to get your info online. But it can be a pain signing into each one, especially since the iPad has a serious problem with remembering passcodes. This leads to an endless entering for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email accounts and more.

This is a must have for me, because you can sign in with a master code through the main browser to every registered account. It is private, easy to use and saves so much time and irritation. I even use it for work related accounts when I have to sign in for small tasks. I use it on my computer, as well.

View the original article here

T-Mobile Dishes Samsung Gravity and Exhibit 4G Launch Date & Price

T-Mobile will introduce two new Android devices on June 8th, the Samsung Gravity Smart and Exhibit 4G. Both phones will cost $100 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and 2-year contract signing.

The Gravity sports a full QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2-inch touchscreen and ships with Android 2.2. The Exhibit on the other hand achieves theoretical download speeds of 21mbps, but lacks the physical QWERTY keyboard. However, it sports a faster 1Ghz processor and ships with Android 2.3.  Both phones have a 3-megapixel camera with flash, though the Exhibit includes a front facing camera for self portraits and video chatting.

T-Mobile USA and Samsung Mobile Introduce Two New Feature-Rich and Budget-Friendly Android™-Powered Handsets

Expected to become available this month, the Samsung Exhibit™ 4G and Samsung Gravity™ SMART will each deliver on-the-go entertainment and connectivity for less than $100

BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS – June 2, 2011 – T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. 1, today announced the upcoming availability of two new feature-rich Android™-powered handsets, the Samsung Exhibit™ 4G and Samsung Gravity™ SMART, each less than $100 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a qualifying rate plan on a two-year agreement.

“The Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART will expand T-Mobile’s product portfolio to include two affordable options for customers who crave rich connectivity and unique entertainment experiences,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “T-Mobile is continuing to help families easily make the move to smartphones with these new Android-powered handsets, together with data plans as low as $10 per month, all running on America’s largest 4G network™.”

“The Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART are two examples of Samsung’s commitment to delivering quality smartphones at a variety of price points,” said Dale Sohn, president, Samsung Mobile. “The Samsung Exhibit 4G shows Samsung’s dedication to delivering premium entertainment content, while the Samsung Gravity SMART builds on the success of our Gravity line of phones with premium messaging options, both at an exceptional value.”

Samsung Exhibit 4G
One of the fastest smartphones running on America’s Largest 4G Network™2, the Samsung Exhibit 4G is a full-featured, touch-screen device that does not compromise on rich entertainment capabilities. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and equipped with a speedy 1GHz processor, the Exhibit 4G delivers a full entertainment package to the palm of your hand at blazing fast speeds.

Through the delivery of faster speeds comes an enhanced viewing experience when enjoying live and on-demand channels from preloaded T-Mobile® TV, including free programming from select stations like ABC News Now, FOX Sports, PBS Kids and Azteca America. Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which features a robust collection of new releases and TV shows. In addition, the Exhibit 4G offers hours of amusement with preloaded family favorites such as Bejeweled® 2, Hasbro’s SCRABBLE (in U.S. and Canada only) and Doodle Jump.
Becoming available in two color finishes – violet and black – the Exhibit 4G is the perfect companion for someone looking for their first, or next, Android smartphone. With theoretical peak download speeds of 21Mbps, capturing and sharing memories via email, social networks or video is quick and easy. The Exhibit 4G comes equipped with a 3-megapixel camera with flash and a camcorder, as well as a front-facing camera with video chat pre-installed, enabling customers to virtually connect with friends and family via T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi.

Samsung Gravity SMART
As the first Android-powered handset in the successful Gravity product lineup, running on Android 2.2 Froyo, the Samsung Gravity SMART is perfect for T-Mobile customers who are looking for an affordable, yet functional messaging device. Built to deliver a premium messaging experience, the Gravity SMART comes equipped with Group Text™ and combines a spacious, horizontal, four-row, slide-out, QWERTY keyboard with a 3.2-inch touch-screen display featuring Swype™ for easy text input, even with the keyboard closed. In addition, pin it notes enables customers to pin important messages to Gravity SMART’s home screen for quick reference.

Keeping in touch with friends and family is easy and fun with the Gravity SMART, which features integration with popular social networking sites and a full HTML Web browser for posting and viewing status updates. The Gravity SMART also includes a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash, digital zoom and a camcorder for capturing photos and videos.
The Samsung Exhibit 4G and the Gravity SMART offer access to more than 200,000 applications available on Android Market™ and full integration with Google Mobile™ services.

View the original article here

MvixBox 2-bay Ultra Performance NAS / Media Server

 

The MvixBox 2-bay high performance NAS / media server is a 3-in-1 solution for storing media files, operating as a media server, and facilitating file transfer. These features are already available in other options, such as the DViCo TViX M-6500A, but the MvixBox is a more affordable solution that also offers the bonus of dual drive bays.  The functionality could also be achieved by buying a home PC, installing a server OS onto it, and connecting it to the network. However, chances are that even if you manage to get this working without problems, it would cost quite a bit more than even the DViCo TViX M-6500A.

Understanding the needs of small businesses and home users, MvixUSA has come up with a very attractive solution. The MvixBox offers many of the features consumers have been asking for in a network media player.  Here are some of the features that the new system offers:

Media server
The MvixBox provides gigabit network speed and large storage capacity, which makes it an ideal system for storing, serving, and transferring media files from one location to another. You can store media files, such as AVI, MPEG, and DIVX movies or MP3 files. From a different room in your home or a meeting room, you can access the content any time needed.

Web Disk Capability
The MvixBox is a Linux-based system, and it comes with what everyone expects Linux servers to include – Apache, MySQL, SQLite, and PHP. To make the server user friendly, a web-disk capability is also provided.  This means the user can drag and drop files between the PC and NAS server. User can launch applications like Windows Explorer, WebDisk Explorer, blog software, RSS reader, Torrent client, and more.  The setup ensures that anyone who knows how to operate a PC in the Windows environment will know how to handle a MvixBox.

Web Server
The web server is perhaps the most interesting feature of all. Since the MvixBox comes with support for Apache, MYSQL, and PHP, you can host web sites directly from the server. There are many different types of sites that you can setup – blogs, wikis, personal home pages, etc. If you don’t want to host web sites, you can even develop scalable intranet solutions using the database support.  This capability makes it one of the most affordable web server solution that the market has to offer for small businesses and home users.

DDNS Server
In order for a web server to recognize Internet domain names, there needs to be a DNS server (or in this case DDNS so that dynamic IPs can be supported). The domain name is mapped to the server IP address, and the DDNS service enables the server to recognize the domain name. Traditional servers supported mostly static IPs. For this reason, you can’t usually operate a web server from home, as most home Internet connections operate on dynamic IPs. Dynamic IPs change all the time, as they are assigned by the ISP. Fortunately, the MvixBox offers free support for dynamic IPs. There is no extra charge for the use of this service.

NAS, Torrent Sharing, and FTP Management
MvixBox offers a simple file sharing feature that provides file encryption when transferring files using HTTP or FTP protocols. You can use the built-in Explorer to transfer files, without having to install additional software.
The system boasts simple and secure administration.

As this is an NAS server, one would expect it to come with simple backup features. The MvixBox does come with easy-to-use data storage scheduling and synchronization. The software is included with the system.
For all the above features, an enthusiast would expect the price tag to be hefty. However, this is not true. The MvixBox retails for around $249.00.  Each unit includes two built-in hard drive bays that are capable of holding up a 1.5 terabyte (TB) hard drive. The hard drives are not included. Therefore, you can buy any size that best meets your needs.  Even with the most expensive hard drive bundled, the entire system still costs just about $600.

View the original article here

Is the Blackberry Dead?

Remember what cell phones were like before iPhone and Android? Basically cell phone users fell into 2 categories—those who wanted the tiniest phone they could get their hands on (remember Nokia?) and more serious, adult users who went the way of the Blackberry.

The Blackberry was touted as the personal digital assistant. It made it easy to keep a calendar, message, and send mobile email. Anyone who was everyone had a Blackberry. President Obama had one. Elaine had one on the semi-Seinfeld Reunion that took place on Curb Your Enthusiasm, prompting Jerry to ask if she was “one of those Blackberry people” who would text and email in the middle of conversations. Even my dad has one—and refuses to switch over to Android or iPhone.

And while 2010 showed a sharp increase in Blackberry sales, the fact is that the phone isn’t enjoying the popularity it once was. It’s having to share stage time with all those fancy smartphones that companies keep throwing out at us.

All of this leads me to pose the question: is the Blackberry dead?

Blackberry’s strength

No doubt, the Blackberry has hung around for quite some time. In fact, the first one came out way back in 1999, the year I graduated high school. And here I am, 12 years older and more than 12 pounds heavier, and I’m still talking about the Blackberry. That said, it must have some strong selling points–right?  Something that puts it over the stiff competition…but what is it?

I wracked my brain for quite awhile trying to answer that question. And after about an hour of pouring through news articles and techy blogs, here’s what I decided: the number one feature that puts Blackberry above its competition is its messaging capabilities. Emails fly faster from Blackberry to Blackberry than from cpu to cpu. And the speed of Blackberry messenger can be matched by no other phone.

And that’s it.

Blackberry’s weaknesses
I can describe Blackberry’s weaknesses in two words: everything else. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but I would definitely argue that Blackberry isn’t keeping up with the times in respect to web surfing, media, and all those other fun things.

And when they spent millions (or billions?) hyping the release of the Torch, they definitely garnered some attention. But let’s face it—the phone was a disappointment. In fact, it has been described by several as having a very buggy performance. There’s little doubt that anyone who is looking to surf the web and use various types of media is going to choose one of their other smartphone options.

My conclusion

As mentioned earlier, we’ve seen everyone from President Obama to the character Elaine to my own father using the Blackberry. And I’d like to suggest that therein lies the problem. Blackberry is failing to reach the younger, trendier market share. And while iPhone and Android and all those others are being snatched up by the younger crow, the Blackberry is stuck in the hands of the aging.
Do you see the issue here?

No, the Blackberry is not dead. But it’s aging fast and unless the creators over at RIM can find away to get into the heads of our youth, chances are it will die.

View the original article here

Link Your Android Contacts With Facebook

In the last few years, there has been a new focus when it comes to personal accounts and devices. That focus is compatibility, and the most commonly asked question of any software update or new piece of technology is what it can sync to and use. With companies making alliances all across the board and creating affiliates between sites and programs, it is a great time to take advantage of get all of your devices up to date and connected for simplification.

When it comes to the Android, there are some really great ways to attach it to your accounts. The most popular option is connecting it to social media, and Facebook is the king of all networking. While Facebook itself doesn’t have an option for this yet (though they have allowed users to sync up to other sites), there are several different apps that show you how to link your Android contacts with your Facebook account, making it easier than ever to have all of your friends, family and coworkers in one place.

ContApps

ContApps is a great and easy to use app that completely syncs your Facebook and Android. It works by drawing the contact information from your profile and adding it to your phone. From there, you can also see the latest updates and statuses from those friends, located with their contact information. It shows both in a single space, making it simple to keep up.

Be sure to check out the bottom buttons. The best feature has to be ‘Google It’, which will run a personal Google search on the contact you have selected. You can also use the ‘Social Feeds’ feature, which is pretty cool.

Try it now with this barcode:

AddressBook

One of the most popular organizational apps for the Android, this program has much wider uses than most. It doesn’t just connect with Facebook – though this is available with a plugin. It can actually connect with Twitter, Myspace, Yahoo, Tumblr and a mass of other websites. It even has a plugin for YouTube, which is helpful if you prefer not to use the standard web browser for viewing videos, which can be slow and hard to search.

Basically, each synced site will have its own little button, which you can select and search through contacts and information. Think of it as a way to sync and manage your profiles and contacts. The only downside is that it doesn’t have the personalization of ContApps, as it is more broad than singular in use.

Try it now with this barcode:

These are only two of many, many applications that have been created for the Android to help you sync your phone and Facebook, among other sites. But these are the best I have found, and I actually have both on my Android right now. I would recommend either or both, even if you keep ContApps for Facebook and AddressBook for other sites without that specific plugin. It will be worth it just for the simplification they both offer.

View the original article here

8 Great RSS Feed Readers For The iPad (Absolutely Free!)

RSS Feeds are an important part of website interaction. Subscribing to a page will let you get updates, see new information, keep up with current events or just see something funny when it is posted on a blog. Whatever it is you are looking for, these eight applications can give you a useful way to keep up to date, 100% free.
1. Fluent News

Fluent news isn’t actually an RSS reader, but rather an alternative to one. If you have found yourself annoyed by the way readers only show some of the most recent headlines, and you want something for news sites that provide a more comprehensive look on the days events, this is a nice app to download.
Both the New York Times and CNET were highly impressed with this reader, and gave it the “App of the Week” award.
2. The Feed

Google and Apple are welcome known for having more than an innocent feud. The iPhone versus the Android (with tablets following from the competitors) have pitted the two against one another in the smart device category. But this app is a Goggle approved ereader that works on the iPad, providing a simple way to get RSS feeds.
The newest version fixed some of the bugs that users complained of with the first release.
3. Feeddler RSS Reader

Feedler comes in two versions, paid and free. The paid is $9.99, and is very feature heavy, so worth the cost if you plan on using your feeds a lot. But if you just need something basic, the free version should be more than enough.
4. MobileRSS HD

Another Google reader, the MobileRSS HD is widely considered one of the greatest available, especially for free. It has specialized in keeping feeds synced up, so you won’t have to deal with the constant reloading of some RSS programs.It is also compatible with Google accounts.
5. Flipboard

This app was named App of the Year by Apple, and it does more than act as a feed reader. It also flips through photos, programs, account updates (such as on Facebook and Twitter) and more. It is an excellent program, though there have been provacy complaints. According to some users, the app scans the iPad to see if the user has jailbreaked the software to allow for third party applications not sanctioned through the iTunes store.
6. News Reader for iPad

This is a really basic app that is almost identical to most other feed readers. But it is small, gets the job done, and is good for anyone that has nothing else they want it to do. I would recommend it for basic news sites only.
7. ReadSquare

ReadSquare is more social networking minded. It connects things that you and friends on sites like Facebook enjoy. Once these are synced up it keeps it all in one place, letting you quickly get updates and find information fast. Everything is hooked by tags, making it all easy to search.
8. Pulse

Pulse is a visual display RSS feed reader that you used to have to pay to use. Now it is completely free, and it offers an interesting way to get your info. It uses pictures instead of basic text headlines, and it is attractive and easy to sift through.

View the original article here