app

Amazon's Appstore expanding to nearly 200 countries

Amazon's Appstore is about to grow awfully big in a short amount of time.

The company today announced that developers can now submit applications to its marketplace for nearly 200 countries. The new entrants to the company's Appstore include Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Vatican City.

Before developers get too excited, it's important to note that the apps won't be available in those countries just yet. Instead, Amazon is asking that they be submitted to its marketplace in anticipation of the Appstore's launch in those countries "in the coming months."

Amazon has been slowly … Read more

Apple named in Chinese porn probe

Apple is again in the crosshairs of the Chinese government.

The iPhone maker has turned up on a list of companies being investigated in China over allegedly offering pornographic material through their Web sites or app stores, The Wall Street Journal said today.

Apple isn't highlighted in the story from the People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's Communist Party. Rather, it's just one of many companies named in the probe. In total, the investigation is looking at 198 Web sites and several app stores beyond Apple's.

Based solely on a rough Google-translated version of the People's Daily piece, … Read more

How do I look? Glasses.com app lets you try on shades at home

Here's a common scenario: You're looking for new frames at your optometrist or local sunglasses shop, and you realize you don't like anything in stock. You could look through their additional catalogs, but you're wary of ordering anything that's not in front of you.

You could also sign up for those try-at-home sites that send sample frames to you, like Warby Parker. But with all that back-and-forth, getting a new frame might take a while. And, you know, "seeing things" is sort of a priority.

To solve this problem, Jonathan Coon -- CEO … Read more

How the next Xbox can win the cable TV war

The battle for the future of television is just beginning, but it looks to be a long one. One of the key players is Microsoft, which has spent the past several years morphing its Xbox 360 from a straight-up gaming console into one of the best video-streaming boxes you can buy.

Of course, the current Xbox 360 is getting long in the tooth, and the next-generation model is expected to be announced soon, and to be available as early as the end of 2013. And TV services look to be just as central to the core of that device as … Read more

Facebook's iOS app gets stickers, Chat Heads

CNET Update starts a new type of sticker collection:

In this tech roundup, Google reveals the technical specs for Google Glass, and we also learn that it won't display ads in your eye (at least for now).

Only a select group gets the chance to buy this early version of Google Glass, but here's something Android fans can order now: The Samsung Galaxy S4. Preorders have begun for the smartphone at AT&T and U.S. Cellular, and the phones will ship on April 30.

Facebook found a way to bring Chat Heads to the iPhone, but … Read more

Time Warner to bring live, roaming TV to iOS devices

Time Warner Cable subscribers soon will be able to watch certain live channels on their Apple's iOS devices -- even when away from home.

The network, which is the second-largest cable company in the U.S., today announced plans to add both live and on-demand content viewing to its iOS app, which will work even when users are away from their designated home Wi-Fi connection.

The updated service, which launches Wednesday, expands upon one that allowed viewers to access both live and on-demand content but still required the user to be at home.

Not all live TV is available … Read more

Six Android apps you'll thank me for (you're welcome)

As a reviewer of Android apps, it's my role to sniff out what's hot and interesting on Google Play. I make it a point to try out apps old and new, as well as big-name apps, apps from startup shops, and everything in between.

Among these, it's not uncommon for me to find a few apps that are just so attention-grabbing that I feel compelled to share them with the masses. They may not necessarily be the best apps of all time, or even the best apps available right now, but they are fresh and interesting titles … Read more

Let guests DJ your party

I get all panicked when I have to put together music for a party. It's not because I hate music; it's because I love it too much.

Putting together a playlist is like putting my ego on the line. If someone doesn't like a song I picked out -- or just fails to love it as much as I hoped they would -- it has the power to send me into a depressive spiral of self-loathing.

I'm weird that way. I could never make it as a DJ.

That why I was excited to see CNET … Read more

Google: 'Glassware' developers prohibited from displaying ads

Google, which relies on advertising for some 95 percent of its revenue, doesn't want ads on its hotly anticipated Google Glass eyewear.

The blanket prohibition came in the fine print of a policy made public this evening, which says "Glassware" developers may not "serve or include any advertisements" and they "may not charge" users to download apps for the device.

Today's announcement, which coincided with news that Google Glass Explorer Edition prototypes were about to ship, indicates that the Mountain View company is proceeding carefully, even slowly, when allowing third-party developers access … Read more

YouTube adds live streaming to iOS app

If you were hoping to watch last weekend's Coachella concert on your iDevice, you just missed your chance: although the event was streamed live on YouTube for free, the iOS YouTube app doesn't support live streaming.

It does now. (Cruel timing, Google!) YouTube 1.3 for iOS, released today, adds a handful of new features and fixes, not the least of which is access to live streams.

For those unaware, YouTube offers a variety of live content, everything from concerts (natch) to news and sports.

The iOS streaming feature joins a "Send to TV" option introduced back in February, … Read more