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Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 2012

# 2012-05-19 15:30:00, Engadget
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Verizon Wireless brought its LTE service to 28 new markets and expanded its reach in 11 additional areas. We also saw Straight Tal...

Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing

# 2012-05-19 10:38:00, Engadget
What does one do after generating billions from an initial public stock offering? Go shopping, of course. After falling short of expectations following its somewhat helter-skelter IPO debut, Facebook simply shook off the whole thing and acquired itself some good Karma. No, we're not talking about t...

Microsoft patent application outlines system to recommend and transfer apps across devices

# 2012-05-18 16:35:00, Engadget
Ready for your latest tour through the dense and meandering wording of patent applications? Well, dig in, because it's Microsoft's turn to confuse lawyers the world over with this latest USPTO doc, submitted in November of 2010. The filing describes a computer-based program that would, essentially...

MacStories looks at four years of the App Store

# 2012-05-18 10:45:00, TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
It's been almost four years since Apple debuted its App Store platform for iOS (and then the Mac), and MacStories has an in-depth look back at that time. In just four short years, Apple has gone from saying that all we'd need on iOS are web apps, to a millions of dollars a year industry that su...

Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets

# 2012-05-18 02:15:00, Engadget
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. If you're an Android tablet owner, you're likely very familiar with the drill: after you unlock...

iRig Mix ships to iDevice-carrying DJs, Android app compatibility looks unlikely

# 2012-05-18 01:25:00, Engadget
If virtual DJs aren't your thing, you might be pleased to hear that the iRig Mix mobile music mixer is now shipping. You can forgo hefty price tags and still mix your own tunes for $99.99 with up to two iDevices at a time, audio from guitars, MP3 players, CD players and the like. In addition to ph...

Thefuture.fm launches iPhone app for discovering DJ mixtapes, hopes to steal Spotify's thunder

# 2012-05-18 00:54:00, Engadget
Internet radio purveyors from Spotify to Rdio keep upping the ante with more playlist features and design overhauls, and the competition for your ears' attention is only getting fiercer. One of the newest players is Thefuture.fm (formerly known as Dubset), which launched last month with a focus on...

Time Warner Cable confirms HBO Go streaming is now available on Xbox 360, Samsung and Roku

# 2012-05-17 06:40:00, Engadget
As we revealed yesterday, Time Warner Cable has finally activated HBO Go streaming to TV connected devices. As seen on the new activation pages for Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players, Xbox 360s and Roku boxes, TWC and Bright House Networks are now among the available options (sorry, still no wo...

Samsung launches customer service app on Android as proof that it Cares

# 2012-05-17 02:32:00, Engadget
Worried that Samsung is too busy selling millions of devices to care about you, the individual consumer? Fear not, for the company has released an app to prove its unconditional dedication to your happiness, and it's appropriately called Samsung Cares. The program serves as a hub for online suppor...

Steam remote downloads exit beta, make impatience an option for everyone

# 2012-05-16 23:47:00, Engadget
That was quick. Just two weeks after Valve posted a new Steam beta that allows remote game downloads, it now has a truly polished release for everyone. Both Mac and Windows gamers can now queue up demos and full games, whether it's from a browser at work or from the Steam mobile app. Appropriately...

Nielsen: Americans have 28 percent more mobile apps in 2012, look down on the web with disdain

# 2012-05-16 21:22:00, Engadget
It's not hard to see that Americans love their mobile apps, and Nielsen can now tell us by how much. The average US smartphone owner circa mid-2012 now brandishes 41 apps, a pretty hefty 28 percent increase from a year earlier. They're preferring native apps to the web, as well: they're more likel...

HBO Go on Roku, Samsung and Xbox opens up to Time Warner (and possibly others) tomorrow?

# 2012-05-16 12:25:00, Engadget
HBO subscribers currently locked out of streaming HBO Go to their connected TV devices (namely Samsung HDTVs / Blu-ray players, Roku boxes and Xbox 360s) could be in for a treat soon, as our sources indicate Time Warner Cable is preparing to announce access for its customers on all three platforms...

Evernote 4.0 for Android sweeps in new home screen, list UI (video)

# 2012-05-16 07:21:00, Engadget
'Tis the season for major Android app remakes, this time with Evernote going for a much appreciated adaptation to a more swipe-friendly universe. The 4.0 update of the note-taking app has a new home screen that lets you swipe out a hidden menu to get to your notes without having to always jump ba...

Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet

# 2012-05-15 23:02:00, Engadget
Hyundai Sonata and Veloster owners have had some level of remote access for a year now, but the latest version of the Blue Link app does even more. Along with remote start, door lock / unlock and control of the horn and lights, you can now run vehicle diagnostics, send POIs across from your phone ...

ESPN Radio app gets a refresh, now properly outfitted for the iPad

# 2012-05-15 21:21:00, Engadget
If you're needing to keep Mike & Mike an arm's length away at all times, ESPN has refreshed its Radio app to help with just that. Now optimized to the iPad in addition to the iPhone and iPod touch, the software allows you to sort your listening habits by sports, teams and athletes that you follow....

The BBC's coverage promises to make you sick of the Olympics by the time it's done

# 2012-05-15 17:57:00, Engadget
How much Olympics is too much Olympics? The BBC aims to find out at this year's London 2012 games, by offering up "the most comprehensive coverage ever," a list that includes 2,500 hours of coverage via the broadcaster's site and up to 24 live HD streams. Live coverage will be offered up for every...

Firefox native version hits Android in beta, new UI and speedups tag along

# 2012-05-15 08:09:00, Engadget
Those who've liked Firefox for Android but have been clamoring for a native version can rest easy, as there's now a truly optimized version waiting for you in Google Play. Mozilla's new Firefox 14.0 beta now looks like, and importantly runs like, a full member of the Android family. Making the l...

Sounder launches, we go hands-on (video)

# 2012-05-15 03:00:00, Engadget
We don't know about you, but most of us Engadget editors live in a perpetual state of inbox insanity. Keeping on top of voicemails, text messages, emails, IMs, Twitter DMs, Facebook and Google+ messages -- to name just a few -- is a herculean yet unavoidable task. As a result, personal messages of...

More than 70 percent of mobile users pay little for apps, big spenders make up for us cheapskates

# 2012-05-14 20:26:00, Engadget
We know smartphone and tablet owners like to buy games. But if you go by a new ABI exploration of user habits, most of us aren't buying much of anything. More than 70 percent of the crowd spends little to nothing on mobile apps, dragging down the average of $14 spent per month among paying custome...

Daily iPhone App: This Could Hurt dodges danger with ease

# 2012-05-14 14:00:00, TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
I first saw Chillingo's latest title, This Could Hurt, at GDC earlier this year, and back then I didn't really get into it. It's a one-button title that I thought looked a little too simple. But after giving it a longer try post-release, there's actually a lot of surprising depth here. Yes, the...

Rdio redesign goes live for one and all

# 2012-05-14 12:04:00, Engadget
We took Rdio through its redesigned paces a couple of months back, and now it looks like it's finally ready for prime time. The streaming music service announced today that the new version is now available to everyone, featuring a speedier, cleaner, more socially-minded interface. More info on the...

AT&T stops offering Xbox 360 U-verse bundle until it can deliver an updated version

# 2012-05-14 10:39:00, Engadget
In a relatively strange fashion, AT&T's quietly pulled the plug on its U-verse kit for the Xbox 360 -- at least for the time being. According to a note on its own site, the company's taking some time to focus on "improving and enhancing" its U-verse bundle. This is probably a reference to the upda...

Daily iPhone App: Swordigo hacks and slashes in 2D

# 2012-05-11 15:00:00, TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Swordigo is a really impressive venture on iOS. It's a 2D-action platformer with a lot of nice RPG elements. In other words, it's a 2D Legend of Zelda title, and it lives up to that comparison quite well. There are a few weak points. The graphics aren't exactly impressive though they do get t...

Pocket gets update and a whole lotta downloads

# 2012-05-11 10:00:00, TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
The app that began life as Read It Later and that's now known as Pocket (Free) has received a significant update to version 4.1, and the developer took the opportunity to report just how successful the app has become. Since the rename and relaunch of the app three weeks ago, Pocket has receiv...

Dish Network Remote Access iPad app upgrade brings a new UI, more speed

# 2012-05-11 02:34:00, Engadget
Sure, it's not as revolutionary as the new automated ad skipping built into its DVRs, but Dish Network has also just revamped its Remote Access iPad app. While other pay-TV providers are proud about streaming channels to mobile devices only within the home or shifting a few recordings, Dish's tigh...

Nokia Reading opens its pages to select European nations, more to follow

# 2012-05-11 02:17:00, Engadget
Nokia's not shy when it comes to decorating the Lumia halls with proprietary and partnership apps. The latest addition? That Nokia Reading app we first saw announced at MWC. Owners of Lumia 900, 800, 710 and 610 phones in France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and the UK will be able to get their t...

Insert Coin: Neva smart ski poles keep you connected while shredding powder

# 2012-05-11 02:01:00, Engadget
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Hitting the slopes means ditching your phone for a few hours, or risking losing it while bombin...

Daily Update for May 10, 2012

# 2012-05-10 12:45:00, TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. ...

TiVo Spring update brings new Netflix and YouTube experience

# 2012-05-10 06:01:00, Engadget
As promised at CES earlier this year, TiVo has released its Spring update with the anticipated new Netflix and YouTube apps, as well as porting parental control options to the Premiere's HD user interface. Netflix is the most intriguing of the additions, but while TiVo Premiere owners can now watc...

Man uses iPhone app to revive stunned bird

# 2012-05-10 05:30:00, TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
A British tree surgeon, Leon Timms, was at home recently when he saw a tiny chaffinch lying on the ground. The small bird had apparently flown into one of the solar panels on Timms' roof or smacked into a window, and it was dazed and having problems breathing. Smart-thinking Timms immediately g...