Comcast’s plans to do away with its 250 GB data cap and charge users based upon usage marks the end of an era for cable TV providers, and for the online video industry. No longer will users be able to endlessly stream all the content their hearts desire. Not just that, but the fact that usage-based pricing is arriving at the same time that more, higher-quality content is appearing online could have a dampening effect on demand for services like Netflix or Hulu Plus. Comcast, of course, says that its new, usage-based pricing policy is pro-consumer, and to a certain extent it is. The average broadband subscriber — those who only use up about 8 GB or 10 GB of data a month — shouldn’t necessarily pay the same as those whose usage goes above 300 GB in the same period of time. But for those of us who are avid streaming video users, usage-based pricing models could change the overall value proposition of watching video on the Internet.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/souTQzz8_Xk/

QIMONDA QUALCOMM QUANTA COMPUTER RESEARCH IN MOTION ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS SAIC

Although Motorola Xoom WiFi owners in the US have had Android 4.0.4 for quite some time now, Android 4.0.3 is only just now pushing out to folks in Canada. As noted in the Android Central Forums, the update went live earlier today for the masses. Checking with Motorola also shows that to be the case, as they've highlighted the update via their website.

• Updated Browser with faster rendering, zoom and pan Users can also now save pages for offline reading and request desktop versions of websites.
• Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs You can now dismiss individual notifications, apps from the Recent Apps list, and browser tabs with a simple swipe of a finger.
• Redesigned app launcher In All Apps launcher, you can now simply drag an app to get information about it, immediately uninstall it, or disable a pre-installed app.
• New System Font for Improved Readability An entirely new typeface (called Roboto) optimized for high resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished feel to the user interface.
• Updated "People" Application Replaces contacts and integrates seamlessly with Google+ and other social networks.
• Improved text input and spell-checking The keyboard now features improved accuracy to make text input faster. It also now includes an in-line spell checker to make corrections easier.
• Type with your voice Now you can simply touch the microphone on the keyboard and start talking to write emails, SMS, or any other text-more than 20 languages supported. Text appears in real time, so there's no waiting for server processing.
• Richer and versatile imaging capabilities For capturing larger scenes, the camera introduces a single motion panorama mode. Also, you can now take still shots while shooting video just by tapping the screen as video continues to record. You can also launch camera directly from the Lockscreen. When you shoot videos, you can now choose from a number of silly faces and other fun effects which recognize individual facial features so you can give your friends big eyes, squeeze heads, make noses bigger, or change the scenery with background replacement.
• Redesigned Gallery app with photo editor To help pictures look their best, the Gallery now offers a powerful photo editor so you can crop and rotate pictures, set levels, remove red eyes, add effects, and much more.
• Richer, resizable widgets You can expand widgets to show more content, or shrink them to save space.

If you're rooted, you may need to return back to stock in order to apply the update but no matter — you can root your Motorola Xoom once again after the update is applied. With the update having been tested aplenty on the US version already, you shouldn't run into any issues with it. If so, head on into the Android Central Forums to get yourself some help.

Source: Motorola Canada, via: Android Central Forums

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/QN4sJHwSivw/story01.htm

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES DIODES INORATED DIEBOLD DELL CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR ACCENTURE

Compared to all the drama stateside surrounding the customs woes of HTC's new handsets, it was a fairly quiet week for international Android news. But even a quiet week here in the Android world has its share of phone launches, update news, release announcements and the like, so let's dive right in.

We got our first peek at the HTC Desire C this week, as HTC prepares to launch its successor to the Wildfire S. With NFC, ICS and Beats Audio on-board, the Desire C looks like a surprisingly feature-packed little device, and we're looking forward to getting our hands on it in the near future for a full review. Speaking of reviews, we wrapped up our Motorola Motoluxe review this week — Richard found it to be a well-built entry-level handset, albeit one that's limited by Moto's slightly janky software additions.

And the countdown to the Samsung Galaxy S III launch continues — T-Mobile UK announced its pricing for the device, and we heard that some stores in the UK will be opening the evening before the official launch day to give eager pre-order customers the chance to pick up their handsets.

We also got a release date for an Android flagship from another manufacturer — LG revealed that it'll launch the Optimus 4X HD in Europe starting in June.

Check out some choice cuts from the past week's international Android developments below, and if you've got news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.

Special features:

• Multiple Nexus devices could be a game-changer for Google and Android
• Motorola Motoluxe review

News:

• 200 movies available to rent for 5p on HTC Watch this weekend
• Another minor OTA for the international HTC One X
• Pink Samsung Galaxy Note headed to the UK in June
• Samsung Galaxy S III sees 9 million pre-orders
• Samsung reveals official Galaxy S III TV ad
• Samsung opening first store in Canada
• Motorola XOOM Wifi Android 4.0.3 OTA available in Canada
• HTC and Samsung reportedly make up 86% of UK Android sales
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus vehicle dock launches in the UK on May 22
• Samsung Galaxy S III up for pre-order at T-Mobile UK
• Sony Xperia ICS updates coming 'late May, early June'
• HTC Desire C arriving May 24 for £190, says retailer
• Samsung Galaxy S III available a day early for pre-order customers
• Samsung Galaxy S III user manual appears online
• HTC Desire C is official – ICS, NFC and Beats on a 3.5-inch screen
• O2 UK reportedly rolling out DC-HSPA in 'major cities'
• HTC One XL now available in Australia from Mobicity
• LG Optimus 4X HD coming to Europe in June
• Motorola launches Xoom 2 in Sweden and other countries
• Three UK HTC One S OTA update now rolling out
• Official Samsung Galaxy S III accessories sighted
• T-Mobile UK reveals Galaxy S III pricing

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/QrntnxlS7bY/story01.htm

AUTODESK AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING AVNET BHARTI AIRTEL BT GROUP CANON

With so many apps running around the Windows playground, Microsoft wants the grown-ups to be in charge of Metro. Programs for the new interface will be available only through the Windows Store, which will allow one-click installs, user feedback and crash monitoring. Developers shouldn’t worry too much, as the heavy lifting for those features will all be handled by the OS. Redmond’s demanding some tit-for-tat, however, asking programmers to resist the temptation to invoke APIs not included in the development kit. All the software will be vetted, App-Store style, while access to devices like GPS and cameras must be granted by users before the apps can grab them. We’ve already seen that the old BSOD is gone, so hopefully this new course plotted by Metro will keep those frowny faces away.

Microsoft sets sandbox boundaries for Metro developers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Microsoft Developers Network  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/18/microsoft-windows-8-apps-developer-sandbox/

SYNOPSYS SYNNEX SYMANTEC SYKES ENTERPRISES INORATED SYBASE SUN MICROSYSTEMS

Comcast’s plans to do away with its 250 GB data cap and charge users based upon usage marks the end of an era for cable TV providers, and for the online video industry. No longer will users be able to endlessly stream all the content their hearts desire. Not just that, but the fact that usage-based pricing is arriving at the same time that more, higher-quality content is appearing online could have a dampening effect on demand for services like Netflix or Hulu Plus. Comcast, of course, says that its new, usage-based pricing policy is pro-consumer, and to a certain extent it is. The average broadband subscriber — those who only use up about 8 GB or 10 GB of data a month — shouldn’t necessarily pay the same as those whose usage goes above 300 GB in the same period of time. But for those of us who are avid streaming video users, usage-based pricing models could change the overall value proposition of watching video on the Internet.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/souTQzz8_Xk/

L1 IDENTITY SOLUTIONS KINGSTON TECHNOLOGY COMPANY KEY JDS UNIPHASE JDA SOFTWARE GROUP JACK HENRY and ASSOCIATES

Continue reading BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 screenshots leak

BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 screenshots leak originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/blackberry-messenger-6-0-screenshots-leak/

TAKETWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE SYNTEL SYNTAXBRILLIAN SYNOPSYS SYNNEX SYMANTEC

As far as Tetris goes, most variations look quite similar. You’re usually looking at a “wall” of bricks directly from the front. Torus takes that notion and throws it away; as you might have guessed from the name (or screenshot), this Tetris clone is played on a ring-like 3D surface.

You rotate the ring itself with the arrow keys, while a Tetris-like piece slowly (excruciatingly slowly, in fact) descends from the top. As soon as you make a solid line, it disappears.

Not all pieces are Tetris-like; some of them wouldn’t really work with a regular Tetris game but are a good fit for Torus’ 3D format.

Torus is ideal for playing at the office, because it has absolutely no soundtrack. The game is dead-quiet. It’s also very very slow (slow enough for me to mention it twice in one post) so you can safely look away for a moment and then keep playing. Also, as soon as the game loses focus, it automatically pauses.

Bottom line: It’s an impressive demo of the power of HTML5; if it were a bit faster, it would have some serious addictive potential.

Torus is an impressive 3D Tetris game powered by HTML5 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/17/torus-is-an-impressive-3d-tetris-game-powered-by-html5/

INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS INTEL INSIGHT ENTERPRISES INGRAM MICRO INFORMATICA INFOCUS

As several of you noted in the comments to our post asking for cross-platform iOS/Android games, Words With Friends for Android does not provide the smoothest gaming experience… and that’s being rather charitable.

You might be happy to hear that a couple of days ago Zynga released an update which promises to solve many of the Android-specific issues, such as notifications not popping up.

Sadly, installing the update is not a smooth experience; you have to manually uninstall the previous version, and then go to the Android Market and install it. What’s nice is that it doesn’t lose your saved games – this screenshot shows a game I’ve started before the update and continued after updating.

How’s the new update working out for you? Let us know in the comments!

Words With Friends for Android updated, promises “smoother game experience” originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/words-with-friends-for-android-updated-promises-smoother-game/

TRIQUINT SEMICONDUCTOR TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTS TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES TNS

It’s hard to believe: our world-spanning network, our Internet, which is the cornerstone of free speech and free society — which, on a good day, is capable of causing populist revolutions – is still crippled by banal geolocation restrictions. We are, of course, talking about Amazon’s two latest offerings, both of which are only available in the United States. Last week it was the excellent Android Appstore for Android, and today it’s the Amazon Cloud Player for Web and Android.

Along with Cloud Player, Amazon also launched Cloud Drive, which is basically just like any other cloud storage digital locker. It’s not particularly feature rich, and there’s no real reason to use it over something like SugarSync or SkyDrive — it does work outside the US, however.

Its primary purpose, as far as we’re concerned, is that it stores your your Cloud Player music in a subdirectory. You get 5GB of Cloud Drive storage for free, and then it’s $1 per gigabyte per year if you need more space.

The Amazon Cloud Player itself will not, to put it bluntly, blow your mind. It works, but it’s very much an early, and possibly rushed, release. Let’s dive in to the Web and Android players for a closer look.

Continue reading Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only

Amazon Cloud Player review: functional, not mind blowing, and still US-only originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-hands-on-review-functional-not-mind-blowin/

IBASIS HYPERCOM HEWLETT PACKARD CO HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS GOOGLE GOOGLE

Sony has hired Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to advise on its upcoming film based on the book  Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacsson. Woz will be there to consult on

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/SYISnLElr70/story01.htm

MCAFEE MAXIMUS MANTECH INTERNATIONAL MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES LSI LINEAR TECHNOLOGY