This week, we look at the problems the Verizon iPad is having, find out why Anonymous has been hacking Sony sites, and check out the latest addition to our man cave project.
Bonus: You can download the show's theme song as a free MP3 here for a limited time!
Sprint is getting into the music distribution game today with the launch of its Sprint Music Plus service.
Partnering with RealNetworks, the free Android application lets users manage their existing music library, as well as purchase new music and ringtones. Individual tracks range from 69 cents to $1.29 each, and you can also purchase full albums and ringback tones and ringtones.
In an effort to attract more spending, Sprint will offer bundles of songs with their respective tones should a subscriber opt to pick up all three at once. Any purchases made will be automatically deferred to the monthly service bill where customers will see itemized charges.
I've spent a few hours with the Music Plus application today and find it to be only average as a media player. Compared with the HTC music player that comes with the Evo 4G, it looks partially finished and lacking. What I do like, however, is the ability to create custom ringback tones for my contacts based on individuals, groups, and special occasions. It was very easy to set up a special ringback for select friends, so that they hear a specific song at certain times of the day.
As handy as it is for users to buy tracks and ringtones, I cannot help but feel bad for novice Android users. Paying $2.50 for a ringtone seems silly when Sprint will sell the full song for $1.29 at the most. There are also other applications in the Android Market that allow for cropping tracks into bite-size tones.
However, as an all-in-one app, it's hard to complain much when things are free. Sprint customers can find Music Plus as a free download in the Sprint Zone application today. … Read more
Today's story rundown includes the Boy Scouts of America staying culturally relevant with a new robotics merit badge, Cisco saying goodbye to Flip mobile camcorders, a crowdsourced fundraiser poking fun at M. Night Shyamalan's dwindling film career, and Germany saying no to Google Street View.
The 404 Digest for Episode 797 Help M. Night Shyamalan get a real education. Cisco gives its Flip video biz the boot. Boy Scouts can earn a robotic merit badge as part of their new curriculum. No more Google Street View photography for Germany. Episode 797 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read moreNo one likes signing their life away to cell phone contracts, but fortunately, most service providers offer some kind of prepaid solution, and they're slowly starting to diversify their phone offerings to include smartphones.
Case in point, today AT&T introduced the LG Thrive, the first smartphone to be available on its GoPhone prepaid service. The Android 2.2 device will start shipping on April 17 and will cost $179.99 and require a GoPhone smartphone data package, which comes in three flavors: $25 for 500MB; $15 for 100MB; or $5 for 10MB.
The Thrive features a 3.… Read more
For cell phone fanatics, there's nothing worse than hearing about a cool new device launching overseas and having to wait to see when and if it will land in the States. Thankfully, this isn't that kind of story. Announced alongside the global launch in London today, HTC introduced its latest Android smartphone for the U.S. market, the HTC Sensation 4G, which is slated to hit T-Mobile this summer.
Long rumored as the HTC Pyramid, the Sensation 4G comes with all the talked-about hardware improvements, including a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, a 4.3-inch HD (540x960-pixel resolution) Super … Read more
With just a few weeks left until its expected launch, the final details for the Droid Incredible 2 are coming into focus. Android Central has obtained documents for the upcoming handset, which confirm a few new specifications and features.
According to Android Central's information, the handset will see the addition of a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front, which is a feature that the HTC Incredible S lacks, and Verizon should include a 16GB microSD card in the box. Like its international counterpart, the smartphone will support DLNA for media sharing and a 3G mobile hot spot. A Verizon … Read more
Testing tablets can sometimes be a time-consuming endeavor, especially when a tablet like the iPad 2 can last for well over 10 hours on one charge while running video. To make matters worse, the iPad 2 has no loop option for video. This means that when running a movie like "Toy Story 3" to drain the battery, every 1 hour and 40 minutes, I am required to be standing in front of this thing to restart the movie.
I have to basically plan my entire day around testing: when I take lunch, bathroom visits, meetings, Starcraft II matches, etc. It also means I have to be at work for more than 12 hours on the days the iPad is battery-tested.
Being able to loop the video until the battery dies would be the obvious, desired solution, but unfortunately, there is no way (that I know of) to loop iTunes-downloaded video on the iPad. There are a few apps out there that claim to loop video, but I had little luck with them. Sure, one was able to loop video recorded by the iPad 2, but again, not with video downloaded from iTunes.
Below you'll find new results for video battery life of the iPad 2 and gaming battery life on all three tablets featured here. Also, if you're privy to a workaround that allows iTunes downloaded video to loop on the iPad 2, do not hesitate to pass it along. You'll save me from some very long workdays.… Read more
If Wilson is the brains of The 404, and Jeff is the brawn, then what is Justin? Aside from answering that question, we're also thinking of new names for Jeff's hockey team and talking about Adobe's new software rental program, the iPad 2 coming to Toys "R" Us stores and Best Buy vaults, and the future of the Apple iPod Touch.
The 404 Digest for Episode 796 Adobe Creative Suite 5: Why buy when you can rent? Photoshop Touch SDK drives three Adobe iPad apps. Aviary.com puts light image edits in the cloud. Episode 796 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read moreDespite rising competition from the likes of Android, Apple's iOS-based iPad will continue to lead the tablet market on into 2015, according to a report out today by Gartner.
Looking at the tablet market by operating system, Gartner pegged Apple's share at 84 percent last year and is forecasting 69 percent this year. Though Apple's dominance may ebb over the next few years, it will still maintain its lead, with 63 percent of all tablets sold next year and 47 percent in 2015, according to the market researcher.
Amid any decline in market share, unit sales of … Read more
Toshiba's upcoming 10-inch tablet may not yet have a name but at least it's found another home.
Best Buy is the latest retailer to announce that it will carry the new tablet. Though no specific launch date has yet been revealed, Toshiba has been pointing to spring for the tablet's debut, while Best Buy is promising that the device is "coming soon."
Best Buy joins Amazon as another outlet that'll carry the new tablet once it launches.
Following in the footsteps of the Motorola Xoom and other new and upcoming tablets, Toshiba's device … Read more
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Christina Milian and the gadgets she loves
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