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Apr

Deal Alert: Unified Remote Just $0.99 In Celebration Of Second Anniversary (That's 70% Off)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, Deals

Last Updated: April 15th, 2013

Unified Remote, in short, is a great app. Its claim to being "easily the most feature-filled PC remote" may have merit, as Artem will attest. The app, in conjunction with a PC-compatible server, will allow your device to control your mouse, keyboard, and favorite software (think Spotify, Winamp, VLC, Hulu, iTunes, etc.) via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Besides having impressive (and incredibly handy) functionality, Unified Remote impresses with a clean, easy-to-use interface. It's got big buttons, simple layouts, and oh yeah, it's holo-inspired.

If you're not yet a Unified Remote user, you'd be well-advised to check it out some time in the next two days – the full version is on sale for 70% off its normal price, bringing the cost down to just $0.99.

Apr

Xbox SmartGlass App Updated With Support For Tablets Larger Than 7", Always-On State

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

A few months ago, Microsoft announced the SmartGlass app for Xbox, a companion application that allows you to navigate and control your console from your phone or, up until recently, 7" tablets. Now, version 1.5 has rolled out that adds support for larger slates. Including 10" devices like the Nexus 10, which is kind of great.

On a larger tablet, the UI actually doesn't look much different from the interface on the TV itself, so it's extremely intuitive. Also, this update brings an always-on state, so your device won't shut off while you're using the companion app. SmartGlass is free on the Play Store and the update is available immediately.

Mar

JayBird BlueBuds X Deep Dive Review: Ultraportable Perfection Comes At A Price

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Accessories, Other Reviews, Reviews

I have a confession to make: I'm obsessed with wireless portable audio gear. Bluetooth earbuds, headphones, and portable speakers excite me more than they probably should. And I'm OK with that. My wife, however, gives me "the look" every time a new gadget arrives, rolling her eyes so far up her skull she could have easily become a soap opera star or an extra on The Walking Dead. She doesn't get it - she's not a geek who loves to get to the bottom of every feature, spot every miniscule detail, and figure out if we have something special on our hands.

Jan

[Deal Alert] J&R Offering Sphero Ball For $99.99 (That's $30 Off)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Android OS, Deals

If you've got a hundred dollars to burn and love awesome technological toys, J&R has a deal for you. The self-described "gadget wonderland" is offering the Sphero ball for $99.99, a $30 drop from its normal price of $129.99.

For those unaware, the Sphero is a robotic sphere than can be controlled from your smartphone or tablet. The concept sounds simplistic, but all it takes is a bit of imagination to make Sphero an awesome gadget. Readers may remember Sphero's holiday display in New York last year:

What's more, Sphero has an open API, allowing developers to make their own Sphero apps.

Jan

ARCHOS Announces TV Connect: An Android-Powered Device That Turns Your TV Into A Giant Tablet

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in ARCHOS, News

You're crazy for this one, ARCHOS! Today, the company most known for releasing the best cheap Android tablets before the Nexus 7 swooped in and drove a wedge between the concepts of "cheap" and "inexpensive" announced the TV Connect. This thing is designed to plug into your set and essentially turn it into a giant Android tablet. With a remote control. No, it's not Google TV. What.

The TV Connect will come with a 1.5GHz "Multi Core" processor of indeterminate origin, 1GB RAM, 8GB of storage, and Android 4.1. It also comes with a built-in HD camera for video chat purposes (think Logitech/Skype's living room solutions).

Nov

Utter! Goes Beta - Check Out Its Impressive Progress In This 15-Min Video [Download + Developer Q&A]

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Applications, News, Videos

Way back in February, a man by the name of Ben Randall demoed an amazing voice control app called "utter!" that he had started developing. The initial video (a whopping 22 minutes long) demonstrated some amazing capabilities - take a look for yourself:

But that was over 9 months ago, and aside from the initial release of the (very limited) alpha, we haven't heard much about the app, though Mr. Randall has kept interested parties updated via his very active XDA thread. In those 9 months, he's made very steady progress, and today he has released the first beta build.

Nov

Google Rolling Out YouTube Update That Lets You Use Your Phone As A Remote Control For GoogleTV

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

As our lives fill up with screens, it becomes all the more important for them to work together. Today's YouTube update brings that dream a little closer to reality. Now, if you own a Google TV set top box and an Android device, you can use the latter to play, pause, or add videos to a playlist on the former. This is already possible for PS3 owners, so the expanded capability is a welcome addition.

The functionality works by automatically pairing your phone and set top box as long as they're connected to the same WiFi network. After that, simply tap the TV-shaped icon on any video and it will start playing on your big screen, with remote control options appearing on your handset.

Oct

Nuance Releases Dragon Mobile Assistant, Asks, 'What Google Voice Actions?'

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

For years Nuance's Dragon served as a leader in the world of voice dictation and commands. More recently, though, as Google and Apple move in on the speech control world, the company has a more pressing need than ever to distinguish itself. Enter Dragon Mobile Assistant. This app aims to "expands the natural language understanding and artificial intelligence" of Dragon Go! and "[add] the most popular personal assistant features."

At this point, most of our readers are probably aware of how voice assistants work. This one isn't much different from the usual fare. You can speak commands to set up appointments, make calls, send texts, and perform searches.

Aug

ARCHOS Looks To 'Revolutionize' Android Gaming With The GamePad – A 7" Tablet With Built-In Controls

Posted by Liam Spradlin in ARCHOS, GamePad, News

ARCHOS, in an announcement that ambitiously looks to "revolutionize" Android gaming, has just unveiled the GamePad – a 7-inch, dual-core gaming tablet with built in controls (including buttons, a d-pad, triggers, and analog sticks) that remind us a little bit of Sony's PSP.

The interesting bit about this tablet is that it includes "automatic game recognition and mapping tools" which ARCHOS promises will "ensure control compatibility with every advanced Android game."

Of course, one of the most important things about a mobile device meant to center around gaming is its spec sheet. We aren't privy to the entire list of specs just yet, but here's what we do know: the GamePad will pack a yet unspecified dual-core processor at 1.5GHz with a Mali 400 quad-core GPU.

Aug

Meet Ubi: The Totally Voice-Controlled Android Computer You Plug Into A Wall Outlet

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in News

Another day, another Kickstarter project. This one actually looks like it could have potential, though. Ubi is an Android-powered speaker system that connects to your local WiFi network. The small black box plugs into a power outlet and is controlled primarily via voice. It comes equipped with colored LEDs for notifications, and an array of sensors including temperature, humidity, air pressure, and ambient light. To round out the specs, the box packs a full-size USB port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Couple all that with an open development platform and the potential is nigh on limitless.

The device appears to be built largely around Google's voice actions and search.