| TRENDING STORIES IN TECH & GADGETS | | | | | | | ALL STORIES IN TECH & GADGETS | | |
| 10 Free Android Apps You'll Use Every Day | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 11:56 PM | Christine Erickson |
|  From the moment you wake up in the morning to the second you close your eyes at night, your smartphone is probably the first and last thing you touch. Mobile tech helps you stay organized, productive and entertained. Because Android works seamlessly with Google products, you already have Gmail, Google Reader, Google Maps and your calendar installed when you activate the device. These services are great for managing your daily routine, and there are a number of apps you can grab to supplement them. SEE ALSO: Did You Get a New Android Phone? Do These 5 Things Immediately Here are ten free Android apps that will make your life easier. You can download them from your phone or through the Android Market on the web. |
| Samsung Totally Copies Us With Galaxy Note 'Street Challenge' [VIDEO] | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 10:07 PM | Pete Pachal |
|  The Samsung Galaxy Note, a so-called "superphone" that has a massive 5-inch screen, gives quite a first impression. Not only is it huge, but it sports an accessory that has waned in popularity over the last few years: a stylus. Those odd physical qualities are why we took it out to the streets to see what real people thought when they were suddenly confronted with the gargantuan, pen-toting Galaxy Note (you can see our video below). It seems Samsung's people thought the idea was good enough to do themselves, and they created a "street challenge" for the Galaxy Note, pitting the company's quasi-tablet against an iPhone. Sure, with challenges designed to highlight the Note's unique features, the video contest is certainly rigged (Spoiler alert: the Galaxy Note wins). But it's an effective way to highlight the Note's interesting and sometimes-useful ability to draw on screencaps via the stylus. Can users crop images and then draw on them or even combine them? Yes. Will anyone actually do that? Perhaps. Is it a game-changer? That's for you to decide. At least the exercise feels more real than that nutty Super Bowl commercial. SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note Up For Pre-Order Online At AT&T Can't get enough of watching people on the street reacting to the Samsung Galaxy Note? Something tells us this isn't the last of the street challenges. And of course, you can always check out our review and unboxing to tide you over. Does Samsung's new video make you want to take another look at the Galaxy Note? Share your excitement (or whatever) in the comments. |
| Advanced Infrared Camera Keeps Soldiers Farther From Dangerous Targets [VIDEO] | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:31 PM | Joann Pan |
|  An advanced camera could help save the lives of U.S. soldiers in combat. The new camera was developed to navigate dangerous war conditions -- darkness, bad weather and obscure surroundings. The camera was developed as a part of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) AWARE program -- or the Advanced Wide Field of View Architectures for Image Reconstruction and Exploitation. The goal is to continue to provide more capable tools for soldiers to use that overcome size, weight and power barriers. "Increased standoff distance can help protect warfighter lives," DARPA said in a statement. "This is especially true when an infrared scope is needed for nighttime action." The new infrared camera is lightweight, so it can be used in many situations on the ground and air. The camera can be used for target identifications, multiple target tracking and surveillance of a scene. The new gadget utilizes advanced infrared capabilities to help U.S. war fighters see more clearly than other cameras have allowed. Soldiers on the ground can use the camera instead of trekking into unknown territories to determine what's ahead. The camera can be used day or night in any weather conditions. Tell us in the comments what you think of this new imaging technology. Can you think of other technological advances that can be used to keep soldiers safe? |
| Why Most People Say They're Addicted to the Internet [INFOGRAPHIC] | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 5:37 PM | Zoe Fox |
|  Are you addicted to the Internet? If so, you're not alone. Some 61% of people feel addicted to the Internet and are unable to quit browsing, according to an informal survey. Opinion pollster SodaHead surveyed 602 visitors to its site Feb. 16. about whether they experience Internet addiction, and found that many people are self-diagnosed addicts. Women experience addiction more than men, with 64% of women compared with 55% of men reporting the symptoms of addiction. Interestingly, respondents addicted to other behaviors were less likely to be addicted to the Internet. Only 48% of smokers, compared with 65% of non-smokers, experience addiction. The margin between drinkers and non-drinkers was narrower, with 57% of drinkers and 64% of non-drinkers describing themselves as Internet addicts. SEE ALSO: Afraid of Losing Your Phone? You May Have Nomophobia, Like Half the Population Among respondents who felt addicted, teenagers between 13 and 17 were worst off, with 73% reporting addiction. As respondents get older, they reported subsequently less addiction, with the exception of those 65 and over, who feel more addicted than their counterparts between 45 and 64. The poll found that the Internet users who spend the most time online were the least likely to be Internet addicts. Those between 45 and 54, on average, spend the most time each week online, reporting almost 40 hours of browsing each week. Teens, who feel the most addicted spend the least amount of time online, reporting only 22.3 hours per week of use. Do you consider yourself an Internet addict? How many hours do you spend online each week? Let us know in the comments. Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, alex-mit |
| Apple, Google and Other App Sellers Cut Privacy Deal with California | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 5:21 PM | Alex Fitzpatrick |
|  Your favorite mobile apps should soon be making it a lot more clear when they intend to use your data. The Attorney General of California, Kamala D. Harris, announced Wednesday a deal with Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Research in Motion; the companies agreed to strengthen privacy protection for users that download third-party apps to smartphones and tablet devices. In the deal, the companies said they would require app developers to clearly spell out what data their apps can access and what the app or company does with that data. The deal also makes app store custodians such as Apple and Google, who run the App Store and Android Market, set up a way for users to report apps that don't provide a clear-cut explanation of their privacy policies. According to a statement from Attorney General Harris' office, if an app developer doesn't meet these new privacy-policy requirements, they could be charged with a crime under California law. "California has a unique commitment to protecting the privacy of our residents," said Harris. "Our constitution directly guarantees a right to privacy, and we will defend it." Android users are well aware that developers on the platform are required to ask them for permission before accessing their personal data, but they're not told how or why their data is being accessed. Apple also doesn't allow any software on its App Store that takes personal information without asking, but developers haven't been transparent on that platform, either. In fact, Harris' office says, only five percent of all mobile apps offer a privacy policy. And developers across both platforms have come under fire recently for coding software that transmits users' personal data unbeknownst to them. That controversy managed to pique the interest of some members of Congress, who sent a letter of inquiry to Apple. Should lawmakers intervene when the creators of popular platforms like Android and iOS may not be doing enough to protect the privacy of their users? Sound off in the comments below. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, TommL |
| 10 Staggering Facts Behind Apple's Foxconn Factory | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 4:50 PM | Samantha Murphy |
|  ABC's behind-the-scenes look at Apple's supply plant in Shenzhen and Chengdu confirmed a lot of what we already knew: Conditions are grueling, employees are overworked and underpaid, and living quarters are crowded. However, some of the stats revealed through Nightline's 17-minute special surrounding hourly wages, living costs and the process that goes into making Apple devices were staggering. Nightline anchor Bill Weir was the first reporter to be allowed into the controversial Foxconn factory following years of reports about the harsh working conditions at the facility, which creates Apple products such as the iPad, iPhone and Mac computers. Foxconn is also a supply chain provider for Nintendo, Dell, HP and Intel products. The special, which aired on Tuesday night, revealed that Foxconn workers get paid $1.78 an hour and live in a dorm room for about $17 a month, along with seven roommates. In addition, it takes five days and 325 sets of hands to assemble an iPad, according to Nightline. Meanwhile, workers can make 300,000 cameras for the device in just two shifts. Foxconn employees have different roles. Some work with pieces of aluminum to form the iPad's exterior design, along with the Apple logo, creating 10,000 iPads each hour. Weir said he had heard "horror stories" that workers were 13 years old, but noted most were in their late teens. For more information about Foxconn's suicide nets and working conditions, check out the gallery above. SEE ALSO: Apple's Foxconn Operations Exposed in ABC Report/a> This is not the first time Apple has been under fire for mistreatment allegations at its supply factories. In fact, the factories have been accused of mistreatment for years. Most recently, reports surfaced that some Apple workers threatened to throw themselves off of a roof in a protest of unfair treatment. Foxconn later said the dispute was solved peacefully. According to a report by 9to5mac.com, Cook sent an email last month to Apple employees following an article published by the New York Times that detailed how factory employees in China face unsuitable conditions. "Unfortunately, some people are questioning Apple's values today, and I'd like to address this with you directly," Cook wrote. "We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion that we don't care is patently false and offensive to us." He also promised Apple employees that the company will "dig deeper" and although it will likely find more issues that need to be addressed, it won't stand still or ignore the problems in the supply chain. Are you surprised by any of the stats in Nightline's special? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. All images courtesy of ABC Nightline. |
| Google Docs for Android Update Lets You Edit on the Go | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 4:36 PM | Zoe Fox |
|  Google announced a Google Docs update for Android Wednesday, allowing for easy native editing from your smartphone and tablet. The new feature was introduced in a blog post, in which Google says the update focuses on remote collaboration and is aimed at increasing users' productivity. Google software engineer Vadim Gerasimov describes how he now can accomplish everything he does in the office -- such as check his email and edit documents -- with his Android during his morning commute to the company's Sydney office. "We want to give everyone the chance to be productive no matter where they are, so today we're releasing a new update to the Google Docs app for Android. We've brought the collaborative experience from Google Docs on the desktop to your Android device. You'll see updates in real time as others type on their computers, tablets and phones, and you can just tap the document to join in." Google highlights an updated interface optimized for mobile working. You can pinch to zoom and focus or scroll out. Text-formatting options have been added, so you can create bullet lists and use color. Google also announced an update to the presentation editor on the Docs Blog Wednesday, making changes unveiled in October to default settings for all presentations. The most significant enhancement is the ability to add and resolve comments about specific slides and shapes. Do you like to get work done on the go? Will Google's Android update help you work from more places than your office? Let us know in the comments. BONUS: 10 Premium Android Apps for 10 Cents Each Image courtesy of iStockphoto, juniorbeep |
| Nike Unveils Nike+ for Basketball and Workout Training | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 4:12 PM | Lauren Indvik |
|  Nike+ is no longer for runners only. At an event in New York City Wednesday, Nike unveiled a line of digitally connected footwear -- some designed for basketball, others for more general workouts -- that records data about the wearer and syncs it to accompanying Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ Training apps for the iPhone, iPod touch and web. The shoes are embedded with four pressure sensors and an accelerometer that can record distance, number of steps and jump height over time. The information used to help athletes better track their activity levels through the course of a workout or basketball game and, if they wish, compare it to others' data. The new footwear and apps will be available in retail locations and in the App Store, respectively, in the U.S., UK, France, Germany and mainland China on June 29. Nike+ was first launched six years ago as a set of running products -- shoes, a watch, an armband, a custom iPod nano, as well as apps for the iPhone, iPod touch and the web -- that enables users to set goals, record their runs and progress, and compete for virtual badges and against their friends. More recently, the company released a fuel band that records the wearer's total number of steps and time, and calculates speed and calories burnt in the process. More than 6 million people are apart of the Nike+ ecosystem, according to the company's own estimates. Nike+ Basketball A promotional video for Nike+ Basketball. Above all, Nike+ Basketball is designed to help users improve their basketball game. The shoes -- the first of which is called the Nike Hyperdunk+, and will be worn by LeBron James this summer -- measure how high, how hard and how quickly the wearer plays over time, and transmits that data wirelessly to his or her iPhone or iPod touch. Players can then use the accompanying app to better understand their own game and, should other players have the app as well, compare their playing ability to others'. Who is the fastest person on a team? Who jumps the highest? Is that player jumping higher now than he or she was a month prior? Does one player's energy drop off mid-game, and pick up at the end? All of this can be determined with the Nike+ Basketball system. The app's coolest feature is its "showcase" mode, which allows users to record video of their movements as well as superimpose their speed and jump height data onto the video, which they can then share with their friends. Nike+ Training A promotional video for Nike+ Training. Inspiration is the key to the Nike+ Training program. The app contains a video library of short workouts in three difficulty ranges -- beginner, intermediate and advanced -- led by some of the world's best-recognized athletes: tennis player Rafa Nadal, boxer Manny Pacquiao, track and field athlete Allyson Felix and soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo. Users can set up a program based on skill level, or choose individual workouts from the library. Ten athletes have already signed on to produce videos, and more will be added over time. Accompanied with the Nike+ Training shoes -- called the Lunar Hyperworkout+ for Women and the Lunar TR 1+ for men -- users will be able to determine how well they're keeping up with a workout and how they progress over time. Because the shoes can only measure distance, height and steps over time, the range of workouts is limited. Users won't be tasked to do push-ups or sit-ups, for instance, because the shoes can't record the necessary data about them. Thus, most of the workouts will involve legwork. The Training app will also be useful to those who aren't willing to fork over the as-yet-unannounced cost of the shoes. They can still follow along with the videos -- the app will be free to download on June 29 -- although they won't be able to record their data. Evolution Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ Training are welcome and impressive additions to the evolving Nike+ ecosystem, though I can't help wishing, six years after its launch, that Nike+ had evolved further by now -- that it was the center for all of my health data. I want a system where I can store and dive into all of my wellness information, understanding how my sleep patterns affect my running performance, for instance, and how increasing my workout intensity or protein intake alters my weight. All of that could be achieved by allowing for manual input of that data in Nike+, or through a more elaborate set of Nike+-connected products -- think watches that record sleep times, and scales that record weight and send it back to Nike+ -- that would track some of the information manually. We're certainly getting there, but not quite as fast as I'd like! If you're a Nike+ user, we'd love to hear what you think of the new products, and what features you'd most like to see from Nike+ going forward. |
| Masternaut Tells You When You're Driving Badly, Helps Save Gas [VIDEO] | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 3:33 PM | Alissa Skelton |
|  Driving isn't exactly eco-friendly, but one company has found a way to make it as green as possible -- by improving your driving, and thus your gas mileage. Masternaut, a gadget made in the UK, aim to make sure you're being a safe driver. It is your own personal driving instructor, in effect; it attaches to the dashboard of your car and could reduce gas cost by up to one-fifth. The system was created to give the driver near real-time feedback. It tracks your location with GPS while a gyroscopic inertial system detects acceleration and a microprocessor records use and revs. The little black box shrieks and flashes lights when it detects driving habits like sharp turns, accelerating or breaking too fast, which all contribute to ineffective use of gas. The company thinks its product is a good way for companies to track their drivers' performance and will shave fuel costs. It could also be a way for parents to keep an eye on their lead-footed teen. What's next in car driving help? Google patented a self-driving car. Check out the video above to learn more about this tool. Would you use Masternaut? Do you need a little help toning down your road rage behind the wheel? Tell us in the comments below. Photo courtesy of Masternaut |
| Will Texting Become Extinct Thanks to Free Social Messaging Apps? | | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 2:12 PM | Joann Pan |
|  Phone companies missed out on $13.9 billion last year as more people opted to send free texts through SMS (short message service) applications like Blackberry Messenger and Facebook Mobile Messenger, according to a report. This follows a $8.6 billion loss in phone company provided text revenues in 2010. SMS revenues are down as people communicate through chat boards and within other applications like Words with Friends. Mobile communication is also surging on Facebook, Twitter and smartphone email clients. The Ovum report estimates that there will be further losses in profit if the "legacy services" -- big phone companies companies -- don't start investing in bringing new and improved services to the table. "Tapping into the creativity of app developers, forming industry-wide collaborations, and leveraging their usage data and strong relationships with subscribers are the key ways for operators to ensure that they hold their ground in the messaging market," says Neha Dharia, consumer analyst at Ovum and author of the report. SEE ALSO: For Texting Without Looking, Researchers Adapt Braille Does this mean people will soon give up texting? No, texting isn't likely to become an archaic form of communication any time soon. Keep in mind that 75% of the world's cellphone users still send traditional text messages. Half continue to send photos and videos through mobile messaging. Don't feel too bad for AT&T, Verizon and other big phone companies just yet. The study didn't factor in all the extra money made from users surpassing their allowed mobile data limits, which could make up for the billions of dollars lost in SMS revenue. Let us know in the comments if you have opted out of traditional text plans or have gone for cheaper plans. If you are saving money, tell us what free SMS applications you use. Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, Andrew Stawarz |
| |  |  | | | TOP STORIES TODAY TOP TOPICS | |
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home