Livescribe, the company whose magic smartpen makes taking notes a whole lot easier, is back with completely revamped capabilities and cloud integration that almost makes you want to be a student again. The company’s new Sky Wi-Fi smartpen has been recording what you hear and synchronizing it to what you write since it launched in 2008, but it now digitizes and syncs notes across iOS and Android devices via the cloud. The new pen – which is available starting Monday at retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy and Livescribe.com — is a huge leap forward for the company who already makes the note-taking process that much more painless for students and business people. If you’re not familiar with how it works, here’s a quick rundown: When taking notes with a Livescribe pen in its accompanying black notebook – which features high-tech dot paper for digitizing the content — the pen records everything you write and hear. To replay the audio, users can tap a word in the section of notes and the recording will begin playing from that exact spot. Now, the updated pen takes it a step further with cloud capabilities, so it’s possible to access content remotely via smartphones, tablets and PCs. It also launched a full integration with social networks and Evernote, allowing users to wirelessly send digitized notes directly to their accounts. Although notes could be sent to Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and Evernote in the past, mobile integration in the cloud for the first time. (The connector buttons for the social networks will be available starting early 2013.) The new cloud capabilities shine via the service’s existing Pencast feature in Evernote, a note-taking app which helps users keep track of to-do lists, save ideas and stay organized. Similar to watching a movie, a Pencast relives exactly how notes were taken: After pressing play, audio starts and notes that were taken at that time will appear on screen in sync. Evernote, which already has more than 40 million subscribers, is a natural fit for Livescribe because its userbase is already note-taking savvy and looking for new ways to stay organized. The news about the partnership comes just a few days after Evernote announced more than 100 new features to its platform. Developers will be able to integrate content created with the Sky Wi-Fi smartpen into apps and services too. The company announced on Monday the pre-release of the Livescribe Mobile SDK (0.9), with limited availability starting in December. A launch for Android is expected to debut before the end of the year, while iOS is planned for early next year. Because the Mobile SDK will allow the smartpen to connect directly with tablets and smartphones via Wi-Fi, new opportunities will undoubtedly open for developers looking to integrate the pen into platforms. The Sky Wi-Fi smartpen comes in various models with different pricing options: 2GB (200 hours of audio recording time), $169.95; 4GB (400 hours), $199.95; 8GB (800 hours of audio, plus a one-year subscription to Evernote Premium), […]
Video-sharing platform Vimeo launched on Wednesday a new iPhone app with the ability to uploaded recorded videos faster and easily share them to social networking sites. The free app — now available in the Apple App Store — allows users to record videos and upload them directly from the app. Users can pause uploads and start them again when needed. Social sharing is a major focus in the redesign, making it simple to share clips with others via Facebook, Twitter, email or iMessage. The platform carried over some existing features to its new look, such as the option to like, comment and add videos to a Watch Later queue. A nice new perk is that now you can watch clips while uploading your own at the same time. “We redesigned it to be smarter and more intuitive so you can do what you want, when you want, really easily,” Vimeo said in an official blog post. “You can take your feed on a road trip (just not while you’re driving), relax in the park with your Watch Later queue or catch a Staff Pick or a friend’s video while in line for lunch.” Although the update is only for iPhone users now, the company is reportedly working on new iPad and Android apps, according to VentureBeat. To coincide with the launch, the company released a quirky video to demonstrate why one might want such an app. Be sure to check it out above. The news comes just two months after Vimeo announced a program called Tip Jar, which gives creators the ability to monetize their films and videos. Instead of enabling ads on videos, viewers can “tip this video” by donating anywhere between $0.99 to $500 after watching a clip. Image via Flickr, roland Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/28/vimeo-app-iphone/
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, meaning turkey, football and one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. To make sure your holiday stays focused on family, friends and food and less on airport delays, traffic jams and missed exists, we’ve rounded up seven essential tech travel tools to ease your holiday plans this year. All you have to do now is sit back, enjoy your time with loved ones and be thankful. 1. Waze Unless you want to get caught in bumper-to-bumper highway traffic this Thanksgiving, make sure you’ve downloaded Waze onto your iPhone or Android. It’s no surprise Waze is the fastest-growing traffic and navigation app, because it shares road information and updated traffic updates. Waze lets you know when you’re approaching police, accidents, traffic jams or road blocks so you’ll know to reroute before it’s too late. You’ll save time and gas money with this handy app by your side. 2. Vonage Mobile Vonage Mobile is a new calling app that lets you make free calls from your iPhone or Android smartphone. Holidays, for many of us, mean lots of time to catch up with loved ones — even the ones you can’t see in person. This app ensures you won’t go over minutes, because it lets you call for free. If your friends or family are out of the country, Vonage Mobile offers lower rates than Skype for international calling — even if they haven’t downloaded the app. Just select to call “someone who doesn’t yet have Vonage Mobile.” 3. TomTom VIA 1605 TM If you prefer to stick to a traditional GPS device rather than a smartphone app, be sure to consider TomTom’s latest, the VIA 1605 TM. If you think your smartphone is too small, you’ll surely prefer this device, which has an extra-large six-inch screen, bigger buttons and menus and a vibrant display. Planning a long road trip for the holiday? Try out different navigation voices to add some entertainment, including Homer Simpson, James Bond or Han Solo. You may also choose the most fuel-efficient routes to save gas money and minimize your damage to the planet. The TomTom VIA 1605 sells for $299.95, so it could also be a nice holiday gift for someone special on your list. 4. Connectify Don’t be stifled by a slow Wi-Fi connection on the road — use the Connectify router for Windows computers, which speeds your Internet by connecting to multiple networks at once. The software router uses your PC’s built in Wi-Fi card to create a hotspot you and nearby friends can use. Connectify is a great tool for people trying to get work done remotely, stream movies from a relative’s sub-par network or upload a big batch of holiday photos. Mobile fans can upgrade to Connectify Hotspot PRO to share their phone or tablet’s 3G or 4G connection with all other devices. The Pro option sells for $29.99 for one year or $49.99 for a lifetime package. 5. GasBuddy The holidays are enough […]
Nostalgic for the days of getting home from school or work, firing up the PlayStation 2 and popping Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in the tray? Then get your smartphone ready: Rockstar Games on Friday officially announced the game will be ported to Android and iOS later this fall. Rockstar made the mobile versions, which will have some all-new bonus features and top-notch graphics, to celebrate the game’s 10-year release. That’s right: Vice City, the sixth Grand Theft Auto title, came out way back in 2002. “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City gave players the freedom of a massive open-world in one of the most iconic and vibrant settings ever realized in a game,” said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games, in a statement. “It was a defining moment in the series and we’re delighted to be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a stunning, updated version for phones and tablets.” As part of the anniversary celebration, Grand Theft Auto fans will find new promotional gear for sale at the Rockstar Games Warehouse and through online sweepstakes. There’s no solid release date for the mobile game yet: Rockstar’s only saying “later this fall.” The company’s silent on any Windows 8 version, too. Can’t wait for your fix of old-school vehicular carnage? Check out Sega’s mobile port of Dreamcast favorite Crazy Taxi while you’re waiting for Vice City to arrive. Below, one of the original trailers for the PlayStation 2 version of Vice City. Check it out, then share your favorite Grand Theft Auto memories in the comments! Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/27/grand-theft-auto-phone/
Second-screen apps are all the rage among sports-minded entrepreneurs these days, but the startup TOK.tv thinks it’s set itself apart with an offering that focuses on voice, not text. Its first product, TOK Baseball for iPad, just went live in the App Store. TOK Football is set for release after the World Series concludes, and other sports will follow before the company looks to expand to other markets. Here’s how TOK Baseball [App Store link] works — or rather, how it doesn’t: unlike most second-screen apps for sports, you don’t simply get live updates while exchanging text-based messages with friends or consuming tweeted commentary from the world at large. Instead, TOK Baseball uses second-screen technology for what’s in some ways a more traditional experience. After downloading the free app, you can invite up to three friends to join you in TOK Baseball for a specific game. Once that happens, your iPad will display live-updating stats for whichever game you watch, while enabling you to talk to one another in actual verbal conversation. All current games are displayed on a map (see photo above), so you can all switch over to receive updates and shoot the breeze over a different game, or one person can move back and forth between multiple hangout sessions. A set of built-in sound effects let you augment your trash talk or celebrations. TOK.tv founder Fabrizio Capobianco believes his app solves two key deficiencies for sports fans at home: TV doesn’t provide a constant stream of statistical updates, while texting with different groups of friends who can’t make it to your couch in person lacks the immediacy and excitement of actual conversation. “The idea came from the fact that I watch a lot of baseball alone at home with my dog,” Capobianco says. “It always felt a bit pathetic to be watching baseball alone and screaming ‘homerun!’ by myself while the dog looks at me with a strange face. And I want to scream, ‘homerun!’ and not have to take the time to type it out.” Capobianco is right that a simple, voiced-based approach gives TOK Baseball — and his company’s future offerings — an interesting counterpoint to the second-screen apps fans are used to being pitched. Do you think TOK.tv can catch on with sports fans? Give us your take in the comments, and for a video walk-through check out the clip below. Get Your Tickets to Mashable Media Summit The Mashable Media Summit 2012 will explore the impact that technology is having on media, and how digital media is affecting our lives and changing the world. This one-day conference will bring together the brightest minds in media, including content creators, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, social media executives and journalists. Date: Friday, Nov. 2, 2012 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Location: The TimesCenter, 242 West 41st Street, New York, NY 10036 Tickets: Purchase early bird tickets on Eventbrite. A Look Back at Last Year’s Mashable Media Summit Mashable Media Summit 2011 Media Summit 2011 The Mashable […]
Apple kicked off its 25th annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday with a video that serves as a kind of love letter to developers. In the nearly five-minute video, called “Apps We Can’t Live Without,” a series of random users are interviewed about their favorite apps and what they think about the developers behind them. “They make our lives better,” one woman says to the camera. “And they think of things that obviously regular people can’t think of.” Some of the apps highlighted in the video are big names that most users know about, including Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and Airbnb. An architect praises FiftyThree’s Paper app, while one woman says Airbnb “saved my life.” The video then moves on to several niche apps that get less attention. An ocean advocate discusses the usefulness of Marine Debris Tracker, and a student praises Biosim, an app that works with his bionic hand. Overall, the video is a powerful reminder of the wide range of apps that have popped up in the last six years — and the equally wide range of people whose lives are impacted by them. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/06/02/apple-developers-video-wwdc-2014/
There’s probably no better time to run with Zombies, Run! than during Halloween, right? If you agree, then you’re in for a Halloween treat when you install the latest update to the popular zombie-fied fitness app. A product of a successful Kickstarter campaign, Zombies, Run! adds an undead twist to running. Instead of just listening to regular music on your iPhone while running, with Zombies, Run! you can listen to music that’s interspersed with stories set in the zombie apocalypse. So, basically, instead of just running, you’re now running for your life, away from hordes of zombies. Now if that doesn’t make you run better, then you’re probably going to be screwed once the real zombie apocalypse happens. If you can’t see the video embedded above, please click here. But until then, or at least until the next Zombies, Run! update, you can take advantage of the following in the new version of the app: Three new race missions! 5k, 10k and 20k missions that unfold kilometer-by-kilometer. These missions take place toward the end of Season 1 Three MORE purchasable race missions — get more story, and support future Zombies, Run! development Race on a treadmill — estimate the distance you’ve covered from your pace count or running time Looks great on iPhone 5, and now optimized for iOS 6 New built-in music playback — better synchronisation, better mixing, better headset controls GPS issues fixed The new version of Zombies, Run! is out now in the App Store. Note that it is available for $3.99 (half its regular price) until Halloween. Image courtesy of Zombies, Run!. Homepage image courtesy Flickr, rodolpho.reis Kairosoft’s new iOS game challenges you to become a Magazine Mogul Evolve: Hunters Quest is your key to unlocking perks in 2K’s upcoming Evolve shooter The Apple Watch may just turn Apple retail stores into jewelry shops Today’s apps gone free: Kingdom Rush Frontiers, Smart PDF Scanner, Gridplay and more This article originally published at AppAdvice here Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/30/new-missions-zombies-run/
