App review: Infinity Blade 2 (iOS)

The 3D duel-fest is back, and attempting to answer some of the questions left over from its first installment (and a few major updates). Infinity Blade has had a huge effect on promoting the iPad and iPhone as valid gaming options, with high quality visuals and intuitive touchscreen controls. Well, Epic hasn't tampered with the formula too much, but has tried to instill some considered expansions and pour even more eye-honey all over it. Will it stretch gamers beyond the original? We've now spent a fair bit of time slashing away at those pesky immortals and their underlings -- see what we thought of this little big adventure after the break.

Continue reading App review: Infinity Blade 2 (iOS)

App review: Infinity Blade 2 (iOS) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceiTunes  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/app-review-infinity-blade-2-ios/

Teradata Teletech Holdings Technitrol Taketwo Interactive Software Syntel Syntaxbrillian

Wisconsin Farmboy Builds Working LEGO Replicas of Harvesting Equipment [Video]

Warren Seely could well be the next Tony Stark. He's a mechanical genius, having rebuilt his first engine at the tender age of six. And since age 12, he's been building LEGO replica's of the heavy machinery used on his family's mint farm. Every LEGO build runs and works just like its larger version—simply stunning. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/QuWOo4WUcEo/wisconsin-farmboy-builds-working-lego-replicas-of-harvesting-equipment

Sun Microsystems Standard Microsystems Sra International Spss Spansion Sonus Networks

Zynga Poker becomes latest addition to the Google TV library

Android Central

Zynga become the latest developer to throw their hat into the Google TV ring, as Zynga Poker is now available for the platform. 

The social poker game is now playable across multiple Google platforms, via Google+, their Android app and now their Google TV application.

The Google TV version features custom optimisations for the TV with custom graphics, and a control system to take full advantage of the Google TV remote. Download links after the break.

via Google TV Blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/5Zjw2dnPeOw/story01.htm

Kingston Technology Company Key Jds Uniphase Jda Software Group Jack Henry And Associates Ixys

Tweetbot for iPhone on sale

Hot on the heals of the controversial release of Twitter 4.0, one of the most popular iPhone Twitter apps, Tweetbot, has gone on sale for $0.99. Tweetbot is my favorite alternative to Twitter for iPhone and at $0.99, it’s quite a steal. So if you’re not digging...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/dA4wXA3h5_w/story01.htm

Imation Ikon Office Solutions Idt Ibasis Hypercom Hewlett Packard Co

Google Chrome and Chromium add protection against malicious downloads

google chrome malicious download
Google Chrome already sports a number of security-minded features, from Incognito mode to a software sandbox which makes exploiting the browser a Herculean task. Now, Google has announced additional protection for Chromium and Chrome users.

Built upon the Safe Browsing API, the new feature introduces protection against malicious downloads. If a download link appears in the Safe Browsing blacklist, Chrome and Chromium will warn users against downloading -- a save button is still presented, of course, in case you're convinced a file is perfectly safe to download.

We'd like to see something a bit more eye-catching than the red warning icon -- like perhaps painting the entire bar red. Many of the people a feature like this aims to protect probably won't notice the icon or change in wording as they'll be focused on clicking the save button.

Google is initially making download protection available to Chrome dev channel users, and you'll likely see it in Canary and Chromium snapshot builds as well. After thorough testing, beta and stable users will be next in line.

Google Chrome and Chromium add protection against malicious downloads originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/google-chrome-and-chromium-add-protection-against-malicious-down/

Rockwell Automation Rf Micro Devices Red Hat Radisys Rackable Systems Quest Software

OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows

ommwriter
I have a thing for full-screen text editing. I use WriteMonkey for my creative writing needs, and VIM in a full-screen PuTTY session for my Web development work. That being the case, I'm all over the monospace, dark-background, focused editing scene.

OmmWriter attempts to take that aesthetic and make it somehow more spiritual, with three picturesque backgrounds and ambient background audio tracks (there are seven of each in the paid version).

I'm of two minds about this app. On the one hand, yes, it's beautiful. But if you want music as a background to your writing, why not pick your own soundtrack with Winamp or Foobar2000 running in the background?

OmmWriter also offers three keyboard-clicking sounds, which are kind of nice. None of these features are groundbreaking, really. OmmWriter could be seen as a way to gently ease into the world of distraction-free writing -- in case something like WriteMonkey's dark background is just too oppressive for you.

After the fold you can see a video showcasing several of OmmWriter's features and creative soundscapes.

Continue reading OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows

OmmWriter brings its clean, calm writing interface to Windows originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/ommwriter-brings-its-clean-calm-writing-interface-to-windows/

Red Hat Radisys Rackable Systems Quest Software Quantum Qlogic

Chocomize personalized chocolate: giveaway and discount code

chocomize
Okay, I know what you're thinking: chocolate on Download Squad? That's right! That's because Chocomize is one of the nerdiest ways to get chocolate online: it's a website where you customize your own bar using a multi-step process.

We've covered Chocomize before in our holiday gift guide, so when they reached out to us offering to do a giveaway, we really couldn't resist.

Chocomize is giving away ten gift certificates, each worth $50, for you to create your own customized chocolate. They sent us some pictures of their recent creations, which you can find in the gallery below.

Regardless of the giveaway, you can use the discount code switched to get 10% off any Chocomize order. The code is valid through April 20th - just in time for Easter!

To participate, simply leave a comment. Fine print is after the jump.

Continue reading Chocomize personalized chocolate: giveaway and discount code

Chocomize personalized chocolate: giveaway and discount code originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/giveaway-and-discount-code-chocomize-personalized-chocolate/

Qimonda Qualcomm Quanta Computer Research In Motion Rogers Communications Saic

Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice

Konstruct generative augmented reality art for iOS
If you have an artistic temperament, but you weren't blessed with steady hands or an eye for color, Konstruct might be the app for you. Not only does the iPhone app let you produce generative art using words, warbles and whistles, but it also uses augmented reality to bring your artistic creation to life.

To get started, you first need to print out the Konstruct marker and place it wherever you'd like to create your AR sculpture -- it could be on your living room wall, or on the floor of your bathroom, it doesn't matter. Open the app, point your iPhone at the marker, and start making some noises! Once you're done, you can save your creation, or simply wipe the slate clean and start again.

The volume of your voice affects the size of the shapes that are drawn on the screen, and you can move your head around to alter the path of your 'brush' -- but to change the shape of your brush or modify the color palette you have to use a menu. Without knowledge of the app's internal workings, it's hard to say what the actual difference between whistling, talking and singing is -- and judging by the developer's affinity for whistling in the demo video (after the break), the app probably doesn't perform that much analysis on your input.

Still, Konstruct is just a prototype! A later version could do away with menus and rely entirely on the location, tonality, quality and amplitude of your voice -- and judging by the the words of the developer, James Alliban, there is definitely more in store for Konstruct: "The idea of transforming entire cities into user generated virtual art galleries really appeals to me. I see Konstruct as an early prototype that will hopefully be realised in this form in the future."

Download Konstruct for free from the App Store (iPhone 3GS and 4 only)

[Thanks to Richard for the tip!]

Continue reading Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice

Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/konstruct-for-ios-creates-generative-augmented-reality-art-with/

Skyworks Solutions Silicon Laboratories Si International Seagate Technology Scientific Games Sandisk

Sharp nearing 1 million big-screen TV sales in North America, expanding global market


Sharp Corporation claims they may top 1 million big-screen televisions (60 inches or above) sold in North America alone by March of next year, and expects growth the next fiscal year. With a stronger hold on the Japanese market then its competitors, the company is expanding overseas to bolster competition and avoid Asia's current market forecast -- a projected $6 billion decline in LCD sales by 2015. According to Kozo Takahashi, head of the American operations division, big-screen purchases in the United States are set to triple this upcoming year despite a declining trend in the North American market. While audio visual equipment accounts for more than half of Sharp's revenue, the company sees the need to market its other products more aggressively in the Americas to remain globally competitive.

Sharp nearing 1 million big-screen TV sales in North America, expanding global market originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceReuters  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/sharp-nearing-1-million-big-screen-tv-sales-in-north-america-ex/

Amphenol Anixter International Apple Computer Applied Materials Arian Semiconductor Equipment Arrow Electronics

Crayola iMarker Plus Crayola ColorStudio HD = Hours of Fun for Your Kids

If you passed your old iPad down to your kids or if you let them play with your iPad, you may remember that we told you about an upcoming Crayola app and stylus from Griffin that allow your kids to color and draw.  The free Crayola ColorStudio HD app has been available for some time.  The touchscreen-safe iMarker [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/12/06/crayola-imarker-plus-crayola-colorstudio-hd-hours-of-fun-for-your-kids/

Shaw Communications Mcafee Maximus Mantech International Manhattan Associates Lsi