In the latest video of our Ask a Dev series, Consulting Architect Conrad Stoll discusses the newest features of the latest iOS upgrade. Our developer experts are from Mutual Mobile, a leading development and design firm that builds mobile strategies for top companies such as Audi, Google and Citigroup. The team is eager to answer your questions about mobile, so ping us with your top queries on Twitter, using the hashtag #AskaDev. Don’t forget to check out our Ask a Dev YouTube channel and subscribe. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/03/17/ios-7-1-ask-a-dev/
Qualcomm’s Toq smartwatch got the Dick Tracy treatment on Monday with a new feature dubbed “Toq Talk.” Powered by Nuance’s voice-to-text technology, Toq Talk lets owners create and respond to text messages using their voices. Nuance is one of the industry leaders in in speech recognition and natural language processing. It powers Siri on iOS and is embedded in many other systems spanning various industries. Nuance also powers the voice-input on the original Galaxy Gear smartwatch. For now, the feature is restricted to the text messaging app. You’re also limited to nine seconds of speech input — but that should be enough to compose a quick message or send a quick reply. It’s important to remember, however, that Qualcomm isn’t selling the Toq through traditional consumer channels. It’s designed more as a reference point so other manufacturers can see what’s possible in the wearable space, rather than a fully-realized product. It’s not hard to imagine that this sort of technology — especially aligned with some of the cloud-based systems Nuance is investing in — powering a wide array of voice-controlled interfaces for the wearable market. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/05/05/toq-smartwatch-voice-text/
If Windows 8 is a shape, it’s a rectangle. The iconography and design of the new user interface (what used to be called Metro) emphasizes right angles and shapes that line up edge to edge. Even the Surface, Microsoft’s new prize tablet, hits the rectangle hard, particularly with its kickstand and Touch Cover. The thing about rectangles is that they work well in perspective. And the Lytro camera, with its magical focus-after-the-fact abilities, does perspective in a very unique way. We had a Lytro on hand when we covered the the event and the armada of Window 8 devices on hand. The Lytro camera, of course, uses what’s called light-field photography to capture photos where you can choose which part is in focus when you’re viewing them. The company recently released new manual controls for the camera that give users more options when taking pics. Check out the Lytro photos we captured at Microsoft’s big party below, and let us know which one’s your favorite in the comments. Surfaces in a row Touch cover Using the Surface That Start screen Up close with the UI Surface tablets everywhere Windows 8 poster Windows 8 laptops Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/25/lytro-windows-8/
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 […]
Facebook is holding a highly-anticipated press event at its headquarters to reveal its “new home on Android.” Could we see a new Facebook-centric smartphone? If the rumors are any indication, definitely. The company will be livestreaming the announcement from its Menlo Park, Calif. office, and you can watch at Facebook Live, starting at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. The Mashable team will also be on site, and we’ll be live blogging the event as the news unfolds. Follow along here. Rumors and leaks have been swirling about the Internet for awhile, pointing mostly to a concept of a HTC-built smartphone called Facebook First. Although it would have all the makings of a midrange smartphone — such as a 4.3-inch 720p display, a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 and so on — the software would be the star of the show (if, that is, the rumors are true). It’s possible we could see a Facebook operating system, powered by Android, with a news feed at the top of the lock screen. Other features would run throughout the platform. A recent FCC filing indicates the device would run on AT&T. The product announcement comes just months after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said a smartphone has “always been the wrong strategy” for the company. What do you think Facebook will announce? Would you buy a Facebook phone? Let us know in the comments below. Image via iStockphoto, Franckreporter Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/04/04/how-to-watch-facebook-phone-online/
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/
Imagine, for a moment, that you are Golf Digest magazine. You have been publishing golfing instruction month after month for 62 years. Some of that advice has, of course, been regurgitated now and again, while a wealth of original instruction has been divided among individual issues moldering in the basements of some long-running subscribers, likely never to be rediscovered. How, with the many new opportunities that digital technology now affords, do you repurpose that great archive to make it more useful and accessible for your readers? One smart solution is to combine the technology that powers the most popular mobile app for golf, Golf Logix, with your own content. Golf Digest Live, which is available through the GolfLogix app, helps users navigate courses, and tracks and analyzes their game performance — think of it as Nike+ for golf. The app then serves up a personalized magazine made up of tips and video drills from Golf Digest designed to address weaknesses players exhibited during their last game. That advice, which can be read on your tablet or computer as well as your smartphone, comes directly from the many acclaimed instructors and players Golf Digest has worked with over the years. The idea, as Lou Riccio, a statistics professor at Columbia University, says in the video above, is to “produce a magazine not on a monthly basis for the masses, but for you specifically after every round.” Beyond personalized, post-game instruction, the app also serves up some welcome content in-game. Some, like the audio library of golf jokes, is pure fun. But there’s also warm-up drills, tips and videos players can pull up to help address an issue they’re having mid-game, like how to hit from an uphill or downhill lie. Access to Golf Digest Live costs $19.99 per year with a free, 30-day trial. It’s available for more than 60 smartphone models, including iPhone 3G and up, as well as many Android and BlackBerry devices. With newsstand sales suffering from heavy declines, coupled with the growing popularity of content discovery and aggregation apps like Twitter, Flipboard and Instapaper, it may be time for magazine publishers to rethink the way they’re bundling content. This is a start. Golf Digest Live The main menu. Analyze your latest round, and access warm-ups, drills and video lessons designed to guide you through range practice. Access quick video tutorials during practice. The app also offers up content designed to be consumed mid-course. Some of it, like jokes and inspiration, is meant to be fun; other parts are more useful. The app also offers up content designed to be consumed mid-course. Having a panic moment? The app displays advice designed to refocus your game. The app uses GPS to help players navigate courses. Access your stats after every round. An example of post-round advice. An example of post-round advice. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/08/16/golf-digest-live-app/
The Pebble smart watch, which was made hugely popular when it raised more than $10 million on Kickstarter last year, can finally display real-time fitness information related to workouts. RunKeeper announced Tuesday an app update for iOS and Android that fully integrates with the Pebble watch, allowing runners to keep track of their activity and providing a detailed analysis of their performance. The companies have been teasing this news for a little over a year now; in fact, RunKeeper was Pebble’s first app partner. The blending of these two companies could be powerful. There’s already an immense interest in the smart watch, and teaming up with RunKeeper will give users a way to stay connected without constantly needing to check their smartphone. “Pebble integrates tech into people’s daily lives in a fashionable and unobtrusive way. We’re excited that RunKeeper will be among the first apps to showcase our smart watch’s capabilities and how we support your day-to-day interests and activities,” said Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky in a statement. “With the RunKeeper app, fitness enthusiasts can benefit from Pebble to track their workouts, get motivated and meet their goals.” Pebble users can also control music and manage incoming messages, calls and notifications directly through the device. Developers can get their hands on a software developer’s kit (SDK) to introduce more apps to the device. Image via Pebble Pebble Hands-On Rock On Music controls on Pebble are intuitive and easy to use. Email Scrolling through email is as simple as pressing the down button on the side of the watch. Custom Watch Faces Pebble has a number of unique watch faces available. Fuzzy Time This Fuzzy Time watch face spells the time out for you. Time to Party You can select between a number of watch faces, including this clock face. Power Up The Pebble is charged using a magnetic charger similar to the magnetic power connectors on MacBooks. Rainbow Colored There are a number of different colored Pebble watch faces and bands, including an all white and all black model Kickstarter Edition The Kickstarter edition of the watch has “Kickstarter Editon” on the back of the watch face. Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/05/07/pebble-runkeeper/
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 […]
PARK CITY, Utah — The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz received a standing ovation at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival this week just a few days after the one-year anniversary of the web pioneer’s death rattled the Internet. The documentary by Brian Knappenberger (known for directing We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists about the online hacktivist group Anonymous) closely follows the rise and fall of computer programming prodigy and Reddit co-founder Swartz, who emerged as one of the top advocates for Internet freedom and education. In high school, Swartz helped launch the web’s first RSS feeds, founded Creative Commons and ultimately co-created Reddit, before it was sold to Conde Naste in 2006. Most recently, he helped push forward the successful grassroots opposition to SOPA. Although Swartz’s legacy has been widely discussed, especially following his suicide in early January 2013 while facing federal prosecution, the The Internet’s Own Boy shows an intimate, harrowing side to the story that intertwines home footage and interviews with some of his closest friends and family members. The film was funded on popular crowdsourcing platform Kickstarter and raised nearly $100,000 from about 1,500 backers. Those close to Swartz have long attributed his suicide at age 26 to his indictment on federal charges for stealing millions of documents from MIT and scientific journal and article archive JSTOR. Even though JSTOR dropped the charges, the government allegedly told his family they were proceeding to “make a statement out of him” and deter other hackers from gaining access to information in a similar way. The film begins by chronicling Swartz’s brilliance that surfaced at a very young age. He taught himself how to read at age 3, built an ATM machine for a school project in elementary school and began building websites soon after. By age 14, he served on the coveted RDF Core group at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and his respected peers were some of the smartest thinkers in the Internet space, including Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web. As his mother simply puts, “people listened to him like he was 40.” With the help of experts, The Internet’s Own Boy makes a clear argument: Swartz unjustly became a victim of the rights and freedoms for which he stood. Much of the film centralizes on the incidents related to the federal charges and the toll it took on his mind, shared through stories by his ex-girlfriends, brothers and parents. It’s these interviews that bring real depth to the film: Swartz wasn’t just an advocate and headline story — he was a son, a brother, a companion. One of the most captivating interviews of the two-hour film comes from his ex-girlfriend Quinn Norton, who details in tears her decision to speak to federal officers during Swartz’s investigation. The film compels you to root for Swartz, who helped the web forward but also wanted to keep it an open place for greater information. However, little light was shed in the […]
