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May

Acer To Announce An Intel Haswell-Based PC That Runs Android, Should Cost Around $400

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Acer, News

Have you ever considered using Android as your desktop OS? According to CNET, Acer wants you to, as it plans to announce a new all-in-one PC that forgoes Microsoft's OS for Google's free offering. The Acer AIO is said to pack a fourth generation Intel Core i5 chip – which is based on the Haswell architecture – so the unit should be pretty powerful and snappy.

The real allure to this new offering, however, isn't what's under the hood – it's the price. Acer is shooting for a $400-ish price range, making this one affordable PC. Unfortunately, a price that low also leads to tradeoffs in the hardware department – the AIO is expected to ship with a meager 1GB of RAM and as little as 8GB of internal storage, which simply isn't enough for the majority of users.

Mar

ASUS Announces The Transformer AiO P1801, The Windows 8/Android Desktop/Tablet Hybrid, Will Arrive April 12th For $1299

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in ASUS, News, Transformer AiO P1801

Last Updated: April 17th, 2013

Back at Computex 2012 last year, ASUS showed off an 18" Windows 8 all-in-one desktop that could turn into a gigantic Android tablet simply by sliding the display out of the dock. Questions aside about whether anyone needs or wants an 18" Android tablet, the tech was certainly neat. This isn't a dual-boot situation, but rather two completely concurrent OSes being run on two separate systems in the same device. The whole of the hardware carries an Intel processor and NVIDIA SoC. Now, ASUS has seen fit to announce some launch details: it will be landing (with a thud) on April 12th at a starting price of $1299.

Sep

[Review] iLuv MobiAir iMM377 Speaker Dock Is As Nice As It Is Universal, Which Is To Say 'Mostly'

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Reviews

I have a love-hate relationship with docks. On the one hand, they offer me a place to keep my devices, a home, designating where my fancy smart toy resides in an otherwise chaotic world. I may change which pocket, hand, spot on the coffee table or place in my heart that a phone belongs, but a dock is always a constant. When night comes, the dock is its resting place. On the other hand, paying $50 or more for a dock that I can only use with one phone is not something I'm a fan of. The iLuv iMM377, aside from being in desperate need of a catchier name, aims to fill the void in my life.

Sep

What We Use: The Apps, Tools, Devices, And Other Stuff Eric Can't Do Without

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in What We Use Series

Last Updated: October 8th, 2012

I use stuff. A lot of stuff. That's what being a tech blogger is all about, right? Using technology to talk about technology. Well, David and Cameron have already pulled back the curtain to show you how they make the magic happen. Now it's my turn!

The Hardware

My Desktop

There is no other way to describe my desktop than "my desktop." This is my workhorse and the centerpiece of my digital life. It's been steadily upgraded over the last 15 years and always by my own hand. I've never even owned a pre-built tower. It currently houses an i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and around 2.5TB of storage, between three hard drives.

Sep

Google Maps Updated To Version 6.12 With Desktop Syncing And History Across Connected Devices

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Google, News

We've all been there: you looked up the directions to the restaurant at home, and forgot them while you sat at work. Now your significant other is somewhat miffed because you're half an hour late, so you search for the address on your phone... and can't remember the French name with all the extra punctuation. Google's got your back: the latest version of Google Maps for Android remembers the searches you've made on the Google Maps website, and brings them up as you begin to type. Magnifique!

You'll also have access to your Maps search history, as well as a list of the places for which you've requested directions and/or navigation.

Aug

Splashtop 2 HD Arrives In The Play Store, Is Free For A Limited Time

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Splashtop is one of the leading pieces of remote desktop software, not to mention app of choice for NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang when he wants to play Skyrim on his tablet. Now, Splashtop 2 HD has hit the Play Store, bringing pinch-to-zoom support, a new interface, and a very attractive price tag of free, for the time being.

As of right now, the app is free on the Play Store, however Splashtop says that this deal will only be available "for a limited time." Now, according the Play Store rules, a developer cannot convert a free app into a paid app, so it's unclear just how this will work once the developer ends the free period.

Aug

Khronos Announces OpenGL ES 3.0 Spec - Get Ready For Faster, Better-Looking, More Desktop-Like Games

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Apps/Games, News

Speaking at SIGGRAPH 2012, a yearly computer graphics convention featuring some of the most prominent names in the business, Khronos unveiled updates for several key OpenGL properties including the specs for Open GL ES 3.0. OpenGL ES is the primary graphics API for mobile device platforms, including Android and iOS. As you would expect, the updates are rather technical, but here's an overview of what we can expect in the future.

Much Better Texture Compression

Perhaps the biggest noticeable change in this iteration is that texture compression has been improved, and the spec now has required support for the ETC texture compression format.

Jun

Frisbee Rush For Android Lets You Play Frisbee With Aliens - On Your TV

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Games, News

Frisbee Rush is undoubtedly one of the most original games we've seen in ages. The story is simple - the city has been invaded by aliens, and only you and your awesome frisbee-wielding abilities can stop them - but the mechanics are anything but. See, your phone is only the controller; the game is played on your TV or PC.

Getting started with the game is about as easy as it gets: download the Android app, and load up http://www.frisbeerush.com on your TV or PC. Choose how many players you want (1, 2, or 3) and the game mode you want (training or arcade), then just enter the sync code.

May

CLIQ 2 Finally Receives An Update To Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Makes Us Nostalgic For Waiting On Gingerbread

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in CLIQ 2, News

Gingerbread may have been out for nearly a year and a half now, but did you know there are some phones out there that have been living on nothing but Froyo this whole time? It's sad and it's true. Today, though, one abandoned phone is finding a new home on Gingebread: the CLIQ 2. Finally rolling out the 2.3 update, after launching back in January 2011 with Android 2.2 on board. How quickly these short 16 months roll by.

The update, like several unfortunate software upgrades before it, requires a Windows desktop, a micro USB cable and Motorola's own update app.

Apr

Moborobo Is An Insanely Powerful Desktop Manager For Your Android (Or Other) Device

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Google has never really made it a priority to give Android a desktop syncing and management client like iTunes is for the iPhone. For the most part, it hasn't been missed that much. Google can perform cloud-based backups of app data, contacts, email, photos, music, and just about everything else you might need. If you use all of its services, of course. Moborobo, on the other hand, is a beautiful client that does all of that and more right from your desktop.

One of the nicest features of this device is that it can operate entirely via a WiFi connection, so whether you're backing up/transferring contacts, managing your apps, or fiddling with your photos, you can do it all without ever plugging in your device.