The 404 415: Where Wilson draws the short straw
Wilson is "out sick" today, but we're lucky to have Ms. Natali Del Conte nearby to replace him on the show. She was working out of the office last week, so we take this opportunity to update ourselves on all things NDC and you'll be surprised to hear of the changes coming to Loaded. We're so proud of her. Congrats, Natali! We officially kick off this Monday episode by defining the Web's trendiest new buzzphrase, "augmented reality." We're not sure who came up with it, but it's all the rage in the world of iPhone apps. For example, Yelp built an Easter egg into its app that uses the smartphone's GPS to superimpose digital data onto the world through the camera, making it easy to view restaurants, taxis, bathrooms, and subway information around you. We think it's pretty cool, but Gawker has its own application ideas, like an app called ClubLech, which uses facial recognition and user-inputted data to identify all the singles in a room. Sounds creepy and, like a lot of technology, it takes the fun out of getting to know someone in person. Plus, who wants a digital sign superimposed over their head pointing out their depressingly single relationship status?Are you having a hard time saying goodbye to "Reading Rainbow?" We are, too. The show has been on the air for 26 years and just recently celebrated its final episode on August 28. We're sad to see a relic of our childhood go the way of the dodo, but it makes perfect sense, since we're pretty sure kids are just illiterate now, so why have a show to promote books? But don't take our word for it; just ask a kid to define the word "Scholastic." If you want to get your voice mail heard on the air, just give us a call at 1-855-404-CNET and tell us what's on your mind! Could be something about one of our shows, maybe one of the hosts, or just something random that popped into your head. We'll take them all!EPISODE 415PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Microsoft Office HopTo app hops onto the iPad
Microsoft Office HopTo app hops onto the iPad
iPad owners tired of waiting for Microsoft to launch a version of Office for the tablet now have yet another option.Released Thursday, HopTo is a free iPad app that lets you view, edit, and create Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, and view PowerPoint presentations. The ability to edit a PowerPoint file is slated for an upcoming version.You can view PDFs and a wide array of image files, including JPGs, PNGs, TIFs, and animated GIFs. You can listen to MP3s, iTunes M4A files, and other music formats. I was also able to play QuickTime video clips.You can access files and documents from Dropbox, Box, and Google Drive. A representative for HopTo told me the company plans to add support for Microsoft SkyDrive in the near future. You also can retrieve files from your local computer by installing a File Connector program. For now, the program works only on Windows PCs, but HopTo said that Mac support is coming soon.Opening a Word document or Excel spreadsheet displays the file fullscreen with a formatting toolbar at the bottom. Tapping on the screen triggers the iPad's keyboard. The app wisely avoids cluttering up the interface with pull-down menus or a large ribbon. Instead, the formatting toolbar provides access to all of the basic Office commands and features.As always, the iPad's onscreen keyboard takes up a fair amount of space. But there's still enough room to see a few paragraphs or lines of your document. And if you use an external keyboard, so much the better.To create a new Word or Excel document, simply hold down the plus button in the upper right corner of the screen. That same button lets you open tabs in which you can retrieve and switch among additional files. HopTo displays a list of recent files so you don't have to hunt for them in the cloud. A built-in search feature also helps you find specific files by title or content.HopTo is a solid app with a clean and simple interface and an easy way of working with your online files. And since it's free, it's certainly worth trying. Who needs Microsoft when apps like HopTo can deliver Office to the iPad?
iPad owners tired of waiting for Microsoft to launch a version of Office for the tablet now have yet another option.Released Thursday, HopTo is a free iPad app that lets you view, edit, and create Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, and view PowerPoint presentations. The ability to edit a PowerPoint file is slated for an upcoming version.You can view PDFs and a wide array of image files, including JPGs, PNGs, TIFs, and animated GIFs. You can listen to MP3s, iTunes M4A files, and other music formats. I was also able to play QuickTime video clips.You can access files and documents from Dropbox, Box, and Google Drive. A representative for HopTo told me the company plans to add support for Microsoft SkyDrive in the near future. You also can retrieve files from your local computer by installing a File Connector program. For now, the program works only on Windows PCs, but HopTo said that Mac support is coming soon.Opening a Word document or Excel spreadsheet displays the file fullscreen with a formatting toolbar at the bottom. Tapping on the screen triggers the iPad's keyboard. The app wisely avoids cluttering up the interface with pull-down menus or a large ribbon. Instead, the formatting toolbar provides access to all of the basic Office commands and features.As always, the iPad's onscreen keyboard takes up a fair amount of space. But there's still enough room to see a few paragraphs or lines of your document. And if you use an external keyboard, so much the better.To create a new Word or Excel document, simply hold down the plus button in the upper right corner of the screen. That same button lets you open tabs in which you can retrieve and switch among additional files. HopTo displays a list of recent files so you don't have to hunt for them in the cloud. A built-in search feature also helps you find specific files by title or content.HopTo is a solid app with a clean and simple interface and an easy way of working with your online files. And since it's free, it's certainly worth trying. Who needs Microsoft when apps like HopTo can deliver Office to the iPad?
Google acquires hand-gesture interface startup Flutter
Google acquires hand-gesture interface startup Flutter
Flutter, a company that makes a hand-gesture interface for simple media, announced Wednesday it's been acquired by Google.The 3-year-old startup uses a device's built-in Webcam to detect users' hand gestures, allowing them to control the playback of music and videos on a variety of applications with the swipe of a hand. The app, which the company describes as the "Kinect for iOS X," is also available for the Windows operating system.Flutter CEO Navneet Dalal announced the acquisition in a home page note that said the company would continue to update the app. "Today, we are thrilled to announce that we will be continuing our research at Google," Dalal wrote. "We share Google's passion for 10x thinking, and we're excited to add their rocket fuel to our journey."Related storiesAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?Dialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)IT players in motionGoogle confirmed the acquisition to The Next Web, which first reported the news."We're really impressed by the Flutter team's ability to design new technology based on cutting-edge research," Google said in a statement. "We look forward to supporting and collaborating on their research efforts at Google."Google declined to reveal the terms of the deal.In June 2012, San Francisco-based Flutter raised $1.4 million in seed funding from Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, Spring Ventures, and Start Fund, according to TechCrunch.
Flutter, a company that makes a hand-gesture interface for simple media, announced Wednesday it's been acquired by Google.The 3-year-old startup uses a device's built-in Webcam to detect users' hand gestures, allowing them to control the playback of music and videos on a variety of applications with the swipe of a hand. The app, which the company describes as the "Kinect for iOS X," is also available for the Windows operating system.Flutter CEO Navneet Dalal announced the acquisition in a home page note that said the company would continue to update the app. "Today, we are thrilled to announce that we will be continuing our research at Google," Dalal wrote. "We share Google's passion for 10x thinking, and we're excited to add their rocket fuel to our journey."Related storiesAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?Dialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)IT players in motionGoogle confirmed the acquisition to The Next Web, which first reported the news."We're really impressed by the Flutter team's ability to design new technology based on cutting-edge research," Google said in a statement. "We look forward to supporting and collaborating on their research efforts at Google."Google declined to reveal the terms of the deal.In June 2012, San Francisco-based Flutter raised $1.4 million in seed funding from Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, Spring Ventures, and Start Fund, according to TechCrunch.
Google- 500,000 Android devices activated each day
Google: 500,000 Android devices activated each day
Android device activations are skyrocketing.Google Android chief Andy Rubin tweeted today that "over 500,000 Android devices" are now activated each day around the world. Moreover, he said that activations are growing at a rate of 4.4 percent week-over-week.That figure becomes more significant when one considers that just last month at Google's I/O Conference, the company announced that 400,000 Android devices were being activated each day, up from 300,000 daily activations in December and 100,000 activations per day a year ago.In 2008, 400,000 to 500,000 units of the first Android smartphone, the T-Mobile G1, were expected to sell in the entire fourth quarter.As Android's popularity has soared, so too has its market share. According to a report released by ComScore earlier this month, Android secured 36.4 percent of the U.S. smartphone market during the first quarter of 2011, easily besting Apple's iOS platform, which controlled 26 percent of the market. Research In Motion and Microsoft followed with 25.7 percent and 6.7 percent of the market, respectively.On a global scale, market researcher Gartner sees good times ahead for Android handsets. The research firm said in April that it expects more than 630 million smartphones to hit store shelves in 2012 and that Android will be running on 49.2 percent of them. Apple's iOS will come in second with 18.9 percent market share, Gartner predicts.
Android device activations are skyrocketing.Google Android chief Andy Rubin tweeted today that "over 500,000 Android devices" are now activated each day around the world. Moreover, he said that activations are growing at a rate of 4.4 percent week-over-week.That figure becomes more significant when one considers that just last month at Google's I/O Conference, the company announced that 400,000 Android devices were being activated each day, up from 300,000 daily activations in December and 100,000 activations per day a year ago.In 2008, 400,000 to 500,000 units of the first Android smartphone, the T-Mobile G1, were expected to sell in the entire fourth quarter.As Android's popularity has soared, so too has its market share. According to a report released by ComScore earlier this month, Android secured 36.4 percent of the U.S. smartphone market during the first quarter of 2011, easily besting Apple's iOS platform, which controlled 26 percent of the market. Research In Motion and Microsoft followed with 25.7 percent and 6.7 percent of the market, respectively.On a global scale, market researcher Gartner sees good times ahead for Android handsets. The research firm said in April that it expects more than 630 million smartphones to hit store shelves in 2012 and that Android will be running on 49.2 percent of them. Apple's iOS will come in second with 18.9 percent market share, Gartner predicts.
Gold iPhone 5S- Gone, baby, gone wherever you look
Gold iPhone 5S: Gone, baby, gone wherever you look
Apple's gold iPhone 5S has had its ship date pushed back on the company's online store and elsewhere around the Web.Shortly after Apple started selling the iPhone 5S on Friday, the company's ship date for the gold-hued phone slipped from a window of seven to 10 business days to the broader, later target of October across all models and carriers. The silver and black models are still available to ship within seven to 10 business days.In addition to Apple's online store, the company's gold handset has been pushed back at a host of online retailers, including carrier Web sites. AT&T, for example, has put a wide swath on when the handset might be available, saying it could ship anywhere between seven and 28 days.Even at the company's flagship store in New York City, there was no satisfaction for shoppers seeking gold. Later Friday morning, Apple confirmed the tight inventory for the new high-end iPhone. "Demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and we are currently sold out or have limited supply of certain iPhone 5S models in some stores," a company rep told All Things D.Apple's gold iPhone 5S is the first from the company to break away from the traditional white and black versions. Since its announcement last week, analysts have suggested that the gold iPhone 5S could prove popular, and at least on Apple's online store, that appears to be the case.Apple's online marketplace isn't saying exactly when the handset will launch in October.Update 8:17 a.m. PT: Added statement by Apple.iPhone 5C and 5S hit the streets worldwide...See full gallery1 - 4 / 45NextPrev
Apple's gold iPhone 5S has had its ship date pushed back on the company's online store and elsewhere around the Web.Shortly after Apple started selling the iPhone 5S on Friday, the company's ship date for the gold-hued phone slipped from a window of seven to 10 business days to the broader, later target of October across all models and carriers. The silver and black models are still available to ship within seven to 10 business days.In addition to Apple's online store, the company's gold handset has been pushed back at a host of online retailers, including carrier Web sites. AT&T, for example, has put a wide swath on when the handset might be available, saying it could ship anywhere between seven and 28 days.Even at the company's flagship store in New York City, there was no satisfaction for shoppers seeking gold. Later Friday morning, Apple confirmed the tight inventory for the new high-end iPhone. "Demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and we are currently sold out or have limited supply of certain iPhone 5S models in some stores," a company rep told All Things D.Apple's gold iPhone 5S is the first from the company to break away from the traditional white and black versions. Since its announcement last week, analysts have suggested that the gold iPhone 5S could prove popular, and at least on Apple's online store, that appears to be the case.Apple's online marketplace isn't saying exactly when the handset will launch in October.Update 8:17 a.m. PT: Added statement by Apple.iPhone 5C and 5S hit the streets worldwide...See full gallery1 - 4 / 45NextPrev
Giving peace a chance- HTC, Nokia settle suits in patent deal
Giving peace a chance: HTC, Nokia settle suits in patent deal
HTC and Nokia on Friday said that they would settle their legal differences over disputed patents, just the latest in a recent trend of surprising camaraderie between tech companies.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Apple seeks ban on U.S. Nokia importsNokia patent shows shape-shifting phoneAT&T-Verizon price war debunked (FAQ)Linja Zax 2.0 brings 3D scrolling to your pocket Under the agreement, the two companies will end all their pending patent lawsuits. HTC will pay Nokia a fee -- the amount of which was undisclosed -- for access to Nokia's technology and the two will collaborate on work involving HTC's LTE patents.The companies also will look at future technology collaboration projects. There have been a surprising number of such deals struck in recent weeks. Google and Samsung Electronics said last month that they had struck a cross-licensing deal, further aligning two of the largest players in the wireless industry. Samsung, meanwhile, inked a similar deal with Cisco Systems, believed to help it with its smart-home strategy. HTC and Nokia have long been at odds regarding their patents, and a deal brings a bit more stability to both sides. HTC is already dealing with falling profit and revenue, as it struggles to find a way to turn itself around, while Nokia is completing the sale of its devices unit to Microsoft. Of course, the biggest patent lawsuit in the industry -- a massive fight between Apple and Samsung -- remains. But with all of these deals breaking out, perhaps there's hope Apple and Samsung can make up too.
HTC and Nokia on Friday said that they would settle their legal differences over disputed patents, just the latest in a recent trend of surprising camaraderie between tech companies.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Apple seeks ban on U.S. Nokia importsNokia patent shows shape-shifting phoneAT&T-Verizon price war debunked (FAQ)Linja Zax 2.0 brings 3D scrolling to your pocket Under the agreement, the two companies will end all their pending patent lawsuits. HTC will pay Nokia a fee -- the amount of which was undisclosed -- for access to Nokia's technology and the two will collaborate on work involving HTC's LTE patents.The companies also will look at future technology collaboration projects. There have been a surprising number of such deals struck in recent weeks. Google and Samsung Electronics said last month that they had struck a cross-licensing deal, further aligning two of the largest players in the wireless industry. Samsung, meanwhile, inked a similar deal with Cisco Systems, believed to help it with its smart-home strategy. HTC and Nokia have long been at odds regarding their patents, and a deal brings a bit more stability to both sides. HTC is already dealing with falling profit and revenue, as it struggles to find a way to turn itself around, while Nokia is completing the sale of its devices unit to Microsoft. Of course, the biggest patent lawsuit in the industry -- a massive fight between Apple and Samsung -- remains. But with all of these deals breaking out, perhaps there's hope Apple and Samsung can make up too.
Get a $926 Mac software bundle for $49.99
Get a $926 Mac software bundle for $49.99
Good news, Mac users: You're about to get a bundle of love. By which I mean software.The iStack Mac Bundle comes with 10 apps that would normally cost $926. (And people say Mac software is overpriced.) Your cost: $49.99.Let's start with the crown jewel of the bundle, the program that's most likely to make your wallet spring open: Parallels Desktop 7. A $79 program all by itself, Parallels lets you run Windows 7 and Windows programs on your Mac, no rebooting required. It's a top-rated utility, and with good reason.Even if you buy Parallels from, say, Newegg, you'll pay around $60, which is $10 more than the bundle costs. And, let's not forget, iStack comes with nine other items.Among the highlights: Snagit, a popular screen-capture utility; PaintSupreme, an image-creation and image-editing tool; Disk Drill Pro, which helps you recover lost data; and iGlasses 3 for fine-tuning Webcam images.Of particular interest is Udemy's iOS App Development Video Course, which teaches you everything you need to know about designing and launching iOS apps. It typically costs $499 all by itself.Whether or not you buy the bundle, you can also get Breeze, an $8 window-management tool, for free.I'm not a Mac user myself, so I can't judge the overall appeal of the bundle. That said, there's no question that it's a bargain for anyone interested in Parallels Desktop or iOS app development.StackSocial will offer the iStack Mac Bundle for the next 13 days, so you've got time to decide if it's a worthwhile buy.
Good news, Mac users: You're about to get a bundle of love. By which I mean software.The iStack Mac Bundle comes with 10 apps that would normally cost $926. (And people say Mac software is overpriced.) Your cost: $49.99.Let's start with the crown jewel of the bundle, the program that's most likely to make your wallet spring open: Parallels Desktop 7. A $79 program all by itself, Parallels lets you run Windows 7 and Windows programs on your Mac, no rebooting required. It's a top-rated utility, and with good reason.Even if you buy Parallels from, say, Newegg, you'll pay around $60, which is $10 more than the bundle costs. And, let's not forget, iStack comes with nine other items.Among the highlights: Snagit, a popular screen-capture utility; PaintSupreme, an image-creation and image-editing tool; Disk Drill Pro, which helps you recover lost data; and iGlasses 3 for fine-tuning Webcam images.Of particular interest is Udemy's iOS App Development Video Course, which teaches you everything you need to know about designing and launching iOS apps. It typically costs $499 all by itself.Whether or not you buy the bundle, you can also get Breeze, an $8 window-management tool, for free.I'm not a Mac user myself, so I can't judge the overall appeal of the bundle. That said, there's no question that it's a bargain for anyone interested in Parallels Desktop or iOS app development.StackSocial will offer the iStack Mac Bundle for the next 13 days, so you've got time to decide if it's a worthwhile buy.
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