Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Gowalla hits webOS with a slick new client]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/gowalla-hits-webos-with-a-slick-new-client/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/gowalla-hits-webos-with-a-slick-new-client/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/gowalla-hits-webos-with-a-slick-new-client/#comments We covered location-based game Foursquare's webOS client earlier in the year, noting that competitor Gowalla had a client for the Palm Pre and Pixi 'in the works' - and today, just in time for SXSW, the Gowalla webOS client has appeared in the App Store. As with all things Gowalla, the client is slickly designed, and includes all the bells and whistles found in the Gowalla iPhone app from Checking in, friends checkins and the recently expanded 'Trips' feature.

Whilst the number of webOS devices may be somewhat lower than, say, iPhones, the release today is particularly important given the webOS browser doesn't support location services that would otherwise allow Gowalla users to use the well-designed mobile website.

Be sure to check out our gallery of Gowalla for webOS screenshots - and if you own a Pre or Pixi, the app is ready to download in the webOS App Catalog.

Gallery: Gowalla for webOS

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Gowalla hits webOS with a slick new client originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> GowallaLocation ServicesLocationServicesPalm PixiPalm PrePalmPixiPalmPrewebOS Nik Fletcher Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mobile Minute: Free EA games for UK and Ireland Palm Pre users!]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/mobile-minute-free-ea-games-for-uk-and-ireland-palm-pre-users/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/mobile-minute-free-ea-games-for-uk-and-ireland-palm-pre-users/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/mobile-minute-free-ea-games-for-uk-and-ireland-palm-pre-users/#comments With Palm's webOS App Catalog finally starting to roll out paid applications around the world, EA Mobile and Palm seem to be enticing folks to start using the App Catalog with a trio of free games. Unfortunately, in order to nab the three downloads -- Need for Speed Underground, Monopoly and The Sims 3 -- you'll need to be in the UK or Ireland.

If you're one of the folks with a Palm Pre in your pocket and looking for a couple of games to burn some time with, head on over to the App Catalog, and download them before the end of the month when the promotion ends.

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Mobile Minute: Free EA games for UK and Ireland Palm Pre users! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> eafreewaregamesmobileminutemonopolypalmpalm prePalmPre Nik Fletcher Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Facebook for webOS loses its Twitter envy and finally becomes useful]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/04/facebook-for-webos-loses-its-twitter-envy-and-finally-becomes-us/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/04/facebook-for-webos-loses-its-twitter-envy-and-finally-becomes-us/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/04/facebook-for-webos-loses-its-twitter-envy-and-finally-becomes-us/#comments
It's been a little while since Facebook launched their (admittedly barebones) application for Palm's webOS devices -- that's the Pre and Pixi to you and I. However, in amongst the news of the webOS 1.4 update dropping earlier this week, Facebook have also released an all-new version of the application that adds a number of useful features.

Whilst the original version was handy for checking on your friends' status updates, it offered little more than a Twitter-like UI for the Facebook service. With this new update, there's not just the status messages, but news feed items, events and photos all within a stylishly tidy UI.

The update is, as you'd expect, freely available for download via the Palm App Catalog.
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Facebook for webOS loses its Twitter envy and finally becomes useful originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> FacebookmobileminutePalm PixiPalm PrePalmPixiPalmPrewebOS Nik Fletcher Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:28:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Palm webOS update 1.4 goes live for Pre and Pixi users]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/02/palm-webos-14-update/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/02/palm-webos-14-update/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/02/palm-webos-14-update/#comments Way back in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, Palm announced the webOS 1.4 update for Pre and Pixi devices, and late last week it finally dropped. The biggest new feature is the much-craved video recording and sharing (complete with Facebook and YouTube uploading), though the Palm release notes show there's a fair amount more in the update:
  • Mobile Hotspot application, that turns your phone into a 3G-connected WiFi hotspot, is included with the update
  • Secure Erase option, for safely removing private data from the device
  • Customisable calendar alert sounds
  • Numerous performance enhancements
  • Preparations for the forthcoming Flash plugin for webOS (which is coming soon to the App Catalog).
The update, which weighs in around 38MB, is available via webOS software update -- and if your Pre or Pixi is connected to a WiFi or 3G network, the update will download in the background. Best of all, it's available for Sprint customers in the US as well as European carriers O2 and Movistar.
[Via Engadget]

Palm webOS update 1.4 goes live for Pre and Pixi users originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Palm PixiPalm PrePalmPixiPalmPrewebOSwebOS 1.4Webos1.4 Nik Fletcher Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[First-Person Tetris messes with your mind - Time Waster]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/15/time-waster-first-person-tetris-messes-with-your-mind/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/15/time-waster-first-person-tetris-messes-with-your-mind/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/15/time-waster-first-person-tetris-messes-with-your-mind/#comments If you're a fan of Tetris (who isn't?) you've no-doubt lost hours to the fabled game. Due to the cult status of the original and its sequels means I've rarely found a variant I've wanted to play. Today's time-waster changes that and takes the classic game to an all-new, mind-blowing level. First-Person Tetris presents you with a moving piece, and you then rotate the screen around it to eliminate rows of blocks.

First-Person Tetris is surprisingly difficult to get pieces into place, forcing you to think even harder about every move and whilst it IS slightly crazy, it's complete with a wonderfully-retro design -- all the way down to the music that accompanies the game.

You'll probably only last 10 minutes without getting a headache and giving up... but it is just a time-waster after all!
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First-Person Tetris messes with your mind - Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> GamesTetristimewasters Nik Fletcher Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:01:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Leave virtual notes around your neighborhood with BlockChalk]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/09/leave-notes-around-your-neighbourhood-with-blockchalk/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/09/leave-notes-around-your-neighbourhood-with-blockchalk/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/09/leave-notes-around-your-neighbourhood-with-blockchalk/#comments With all the location-based services sprouting up, it's surprising to find one that's a little different from the now-formulaic location-based game. However BlockChalk is just that. Instead of requiring you sign up and tell your friends where you're re-enacting The Hangover, BlockChalk lets you anonymously leave messages for your neighbourhood to read. If you're wondering how on earth this would be useful, the BlockChalk folks provide this handy guide:
  • Got something to say? BlockChalk.
  • Neighborhood tip? BlockChalk.
  • Lost kitty? BlockChalk.
  • Lost croc? Call 911.
  • Borrow a lawnmower? BlockChalk.
  • Report a pothole? BlockChalk.
  • Sell your pot? NOT BlockChalk.
  • Pub crawl? Absolut BlockChalk.
  • Bitch about BlockChalk? We can take it.
In short, it's a ridiculously simple local noticeboard for nearby folks, with options to share "Chalks", reply publicly and privately, and bury useless ones. There's an iPhone app and webOS app out now for the service: with support for other devices in the works. Whilst it's not currently the prettiest service out there, it's certainly fun -- and potentially very handy to know what's going on around you. Check out our gallery, and an introductory video after the jump!

Gallery: Blockchalk for iPhone and webOS

Blockchalk for iPhonePosting a Chalk (iPhone)Blockchalk for iPhoneFinding Nearby Chalks

Continue reading Leave virtual notes around your neighborhood with BlockChalk

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Leave virtual notes around your neighborhood with BlockChalk originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blockchalkLBSlocation servicesLocationServicesnearby Nik Fletcher Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:01:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Foursquare for the Palm Pre gets a new look and a speed boost [Gallery]]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/08/foursquare-for-the-palm-pre-gets-a-new-look-and-speed-boost/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/08/foursquare-for-the-palm-pre-gets-a-new-look-and-speed-boost/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/08/foursquare-for-the-palm-pre-gets-a-new-look-and-speed-boost/#comments It's been just one week since the Foursquare webOS app entered beta, and amidst a flurry of news around the location-based game that broke free of its city-limits this week the webOS application has already seen a sizeable update.

The original beta of the application, whilst stylish, was (understandably) slow and incomplete - however today's new build is both feature complete and blazing fast. Not only that, but the new update sees the app sport a slightly new look.

When it comes to location-based games, Foursquare currently has the lead in terms of devices supported - with a universally-accessible mobile site, Blackberry app, Android client and the original iPhone app available. However we're going to be keeping our eyes on the other location-based services: Gowalla recently announced their plans to bring out Blackberry and webOS applications 'this year'.

If you want to play with the latest version of the Foursquare app, it'll be available in the App Catalogue shortly - or you can download it from the Foursquare for webOS Github page. The app remains open source, with the code available via Github.

Take the jump to check out the gallery!

Continue reading Foursquare for the Palm Pre gets a new look and a speed boost [Gallery]

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Foursquare for the Palm Pre gets a new look and a speed boost [Gallery] originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> foursquarePalm PrePalmPrewebOS Nik Fletcher Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:07:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mobile Minute: Palm's 2010 plans for webOS]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/mobile-minute-palms-2010-plans-for-webos/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/mobile-minute-palms-2010-plans-for-webos/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/mobile-minute-palms-2010-plans-for-webos/#comments In case you're wondering why your RSS reader has gone into overdrive, it just so happens to be Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week -- and that means that all the mobile companies bar one (Apple!) are announcing their new devices and software. Today's turn is underdog Palm, who've been outlining their plans for the webOS platform.

[Images courtesy of our brethren at Engadget]

Continue reading Mobile Minute: Palm's 2010 plans for webOS

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Mobile Minute: Palm's 2010 plans for webOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> GamesmobileminutePalmPalm PixiPalm PrePalmPixiPalmPrewebOS Nik Fletcher Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:41:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Getting Started with Wine on Mac OS X]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/getting-started-with-wine-on-mac-os-x/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/getting-started-with-wine-on-mac-os-x/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/getting-started-with-wine-on-mac-os-x/#comments Whilst there's a couple of excellent, paid-for, virtualization options around for OS X (Parallels and VMware), they can be a little heavy-handed if you only need to run one or two applications. Not to mention the price of a virtualization application as well as the necessary Windows licence can make it an expensive purchase! Of course, there's Boot Camp, but that also requires a Windows license. But there's is an alternative: the free and open-source Wine project. Wine allows you to run Windows applications within Mac OS X without either a Windows licence or virtualisation application -- though not every application will work.

As Wine's not the easiest thing to install, this handy guide is available to walk you through the setup and configuration. You'll need to be comfortable in the Terminal to make the most of the tutorial, but if that's not too big a challenge, a little Terminal-fu is a small investment for begrudgingly running the odd Windows app.

[Photo by kcdsTM]

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Getting Started with Wine on Mac OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> open sourceOpenSourceVirtualisationVirtualizationWindows on MacWindowsOnMacWine Nik Fletcher Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:01:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Tumblr lets you ask questions of your favourite Tumblogs]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/tumblr-lets-you-ask-questions-of-your-favourite-tumblogs/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/tumblr-lets-you-ask-questions-of-your-favourite-tumblogs/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/07/tumblr-lets-you-ask-questions-of-your-favourite-tumblogs/#comments
If you're a Tumblr user, you may have noticed the Tumblr staff teasing a new feature on their own Tumblogs over Christmas -- Ask a Question. It allows you to easily pose a question to the Tumblr user (or users) behind your favourite Tumblog. The blog owner can then easily post the question and their response from within the Tumblr dashboard.

Today sees the launch of the Ask feature to all Tumblr users -- if you're one of them, the feature can be enabled along with blog submissions in the Messages area of the Dashboard.

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Tumblr lets you ask questions of your favourite Tumblogs originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> microbloggingTumblogTumblr Nik Fletcher Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Latest Chromium build for Mac finally adds a bookmark manager]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/latest-chromium-build-for-mac-finally-adds-a-bookmark-manager/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/latest-chromium-build-for-mac-finally-adds-a-bookmark-manager/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/latest-chromium-build-for-mac-finally-adds-a-bookmark-manager/#comments In amongst a chorus of "what took them so long", the Google folks working on the Chromium project -- the open source project behind the Chrome browser -- have at last added basic support for bookmark management in Mac OS X builds. Now, before you run over to the nightly builds page for Chromium, it's worth noting that the feature is still incomplete - you're not able to remove items from the bookmark manager -- you can only move them around. So there's still some way to go!

If you're using the Chrome for OS X releases, there's also going to be a little wait for the changes to move from Chromium to Chrome -- however if you feel adventurous, the Chromium snapshot builds will give you a taste of the feature (scroll to the bottom of the list for the most recent build).

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Latest Chromium build for Mac finally adds a bookmark manager originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ChromeChromiumGoogle ChromeGoogleChromeWeb BrowserWebBrowser Nik Fletcher Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Nine Inch Nails fans turn 400GB of data into downloadable 2009 tour video]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/nine-inch-nails-fans-turn-400gb-of-data-into-downloadable-2009-tour-video/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/nine-inch-nails-fans-turn-400gb-of-data-into-downloadable-2009-tour-video/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/nine-inch-nails-fans-turn-400gb-of-data-into-downloadable-2009-tour-video/#comments Nine Inch NailsBack in March last year, Nine Inch Nails were touring the US with their Lights in the Sky tour - albeit without a professional production team to produce the tour DVD.

Given the band's history with making their music readily available to their fans, Trent Reznor and crew decided to make over 400GB of High Definition footage from their tour for fans to remix.

Today sees the results of this crowd-sourced effort, with group This One is On Us making their creation available in almost every format under the sun: free of charge. WIth everything from Blu-ray (coming soon) to YouTube quality, if you're a Nine Inch Nails fan looking to relive last year's tour this is the way to do it.

[Via After Dawn]

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Nine Inch Nails fans turn 400GB of data into downloadable 2009 tour video originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blu rayBluRaydvdfreewaremusicNINtrent reznorTrentReznorvideo Nik Fletcher Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Facebook for iPhone 3.1 gains Push notifications]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/facebook-iphone-push-notifications/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/facebook-iphone-push-notifications/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/06/facebook-iphone-push-notifications/#comments iPhone Facebook junkies rejoice - for you no longer need to wait for email notifications from the service! With version 3.1 of the widely-acclaimed iPhone application (which has just arrived) you can now receive push notifications as things happen on Facebook.

That's not all, however, as the update also adds the option to sync Facebook friends to your iPhone address book - complete with photos: something already found in the otherwise bare-bones webOS Facebook application.

Facebook for iPhone 3.1 is a free app and now available for download from the App Store - if you're looking to use the app straight away, you might want to re-download the application as it's currently being pushed out via iTunes' app update system.

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Facebook for iPhone 3.1 gains Push notifications originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> FacebookiPhonePush NotificationsPushNotificationsShared Address BooksSharedAddressBooks Nik Fletcher Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:20:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[webOS homebrew brings DOOM to the Palm Pre]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/05/webos-homebrew-brings-doom-to-the-palm-pre/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/05/webos-homebrew-brings-doom-to-the-palm-pre/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/05/webos-homebrew-brings-doom-to-the-palm-pre/#comments If you've used a Palm Pre, you're probably wondering just what's possible with the webOS developer SDK. Over the last few updates, it would appear that Palm are really working to bump the number of technologies available for games -- and the homebrew community has been busy looking at the updates to figure out what's available.

Over the Christmas break, the folks at Pre Central noticed that some plucky coders have taken it upon themselves to bring DOOM, in full hardware-accelerated glory, to the Pre. Whilst it's not ready for mainstream consumption, and requires the webOS 1.3.5 update that still isn't out in certain areas of the world, the app certainly opened my eyes to applications that may potentially be in the pipeline for the Pre.

Be sure to check out the video of DOOM in action on the Pre after the break!

[via PreCentral - Photo by gillyberlin - http://flic.kr/p/76cQge]

Continue reading webOS homebrew brings DOOM to the Palm Pre

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webOS homebrew brings DOOM to the Palm Pre originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> codeDoomgamehomebrewpalmPalm PrePalmPrePreWebOSwebOS 1.3.5Webos1.3.5 Nik Fletcher Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:18:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Palm's webOS App Catalog hits 1,000 apps]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/02/palms-webos-app-catalogue-hits-1-000-apps/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/02/palms-webos-app-catalogue-hits-1-000-apps/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/02/palms-webos-app-catalogue-hits-1-000-apps/#comments It's not quite the App Store frenzy by any stretch, however Palm's webOS App Catalog has hit an important milestone with 1,000 applications now available for the Palm Pre and Pixi devices.

We're going to be covering some of these 1,000 in the coming days here at Download Squad, however we'd be remiss to not mention the 1,000th app which (quite by chance) happens to be from our comrades at Engadget.

The Engadget app - which complements the iPhone and iPod touch application covered by our friends at TUAW a few days ago - provides you with news from Engadget, Engadget Mobile and Engadget HD along with comments for each story. There's also the option to share stories via Facebook, Email and Twitter.

You can grab the (free) Engadget application directly to your phone here, or browse for it in the App Catalog.

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Palm's webOS App Catalog hits 1,000 apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> app catalogAppCatalogappsfreewarepalmpixiprewebOS Nik Fletcher Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Foursquare beta now available for the Palm Pre]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/foursquare-beta-comes-to-the-pre/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/foursquare-beta-comes-to-the-pre/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/foursquare-beta-comes-to-the-pre/#comments For the last month or so, I've been keenly keeping an eye on the progress of the open source webOS application for Foursquare: the location-based mobile game that's been in the tech spotlight since its launch at SXSW last year.
Whilst you can check in online using Foursquare's mobile website, the folks at Foursquare have been gradually rolling out more native applications after launching with just an iPhone app. On top of the existing iPhone, Android and beta Blackberry applications out there, the new webOS app has just been made available for Pre and Pixi users to use.

Though the application is available as part of the webOS App Catalogue, it's currently still in beta. As such there are a couple of unfinished areas to the app - including the leaderboards for each Foursquare city.

However, if you simply have to check into it at the gym, coffee shop or elsewhere on your Pre, be sure to have a look at our gallery after the break and visit the App Catalogue to download the beta!

Continue reading Foursquare beta now available for the Palm Pre

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Foursquare beta now available for the Palm Pre originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> foursquareGPSlocation servicesLocationServicesPalm PrePalmPrewebOS Nik Fletcher Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:40:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/palm-pre-media-sync-showdown/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/palm-pre-media-sync-showdown/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/palm-pre-media-sync-showdown/#comments

Ever since Palm and Apple started their dance about the Pre's ability to sync with iTunes, I've been keeping an eye out for alternative ways to move media to my Pre.

Over the last few weeks I've been putting three applications through their paces with my Pre to find a suitable workaround for this glaring omission on Palm's part: MarkSpace's GoGadget for webOS, Salling Software's Media Sync and doubleTwist. All three applications are available for Windows and Mac OS X, however in this review were tested on Mac OS X.

Photo by whatleydude

Continue reading Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown

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Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialDoubleTwistfreewaregogadgetiTunesMedia SyncMediaSyncPalm PrePalmPrereviewreviewssharewareweOS Nik Fletcher Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:28:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Tweeteorites brings more Twitter Favourite fun to your iPhone]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/tweeteorites-brings-more-twitter-favourite-fun-to-your-iphone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/tweeteorites-brings-more-twitter-favourite-fun-to-your-iphone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/tweeteorites-brings-more-twitter-favourite-fun-to-your-iphone/#comments Earlier this month, Jay mentioned Favit - a great iPhone application that lets you find comedy gems from Twitter, based on the Favstar service. Hot on the heels of Favit comes Tweeteorites - an iPhone application based on the web app of the same name. Whilst Favit is more about finding humour on Twitter, Tweeteorites takes a slightly different approach - focusing on showing you "favourite streams" of what your Twitter friends are favouriting.

The application also allows you to post to Twitter, easily view your Ego Boost: a list of your tweets that have been favourited - showing you the users who've favourited them - and even features push notifications when your tweets are favourited.

Tweeteorites is 99¢ on the App Store (and you'll want to visit the service's website and sign in with your Twitier account so that your favourite streams can be generated for use in the iPhone app).

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Tweeteorites brings more Twitter Favourite fun to your iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Nik Fletcher Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:24:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Charadium brings charades to your iPhone and iPod touch]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/charadium-brings-charades-to-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/charadium-brings-charades-to-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/charadium-brings-charades-to-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch/#comments I'll admit I'm not a particularly avid gamer on my iPhone, however over the Christmas period I've found myself playing Charadium: a stylish take on the classic game Charades. Using the ngmoco Plus+ network, you play against friends (or complete strangers) and your task is to draw the prescribed word for other plays to guess.

You each take it in turns to guess and draw, with players being awarded points for correctly guessing a drawing - and the artistically challenged such as yours truly being penalised points for unguessable drawings.

The best thing about Charadium is that you can play in small tidbits or against your Plus+ friends - as well as longer puzzle games to test your interpretive skills. Charadium is just 99¢, requires a network connection to play and is available on the App Store now.

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Charadium brings charades to your iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appCharadesiPhoneshareware Nik Fletcher Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Online bookmark service Instapaper gets a facelift]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/online-bookmark-service-instapaper-gets-a-facelift/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/online-bookmark-service-instapaper-gets-a-facelift/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/31/online-bookmark-service-instapaper-gets-a-facelift/#comments Over the last year, I've almost entirely abandoned browser bookmarks - instead switching to Instapaper: the service that lets you save webpages for reading later, whether in the browser or via the service's handy iPhone app. In the run up to Christmas, whilst I was busy running around doing some last minute Christmas shopping, the Instapaper website received a slick update: in addition to a new look there's also a brand-new section on your homepage to show you things you might like to read.

It's worth noting that the content recommendation isn't based on your saved items right now, and isn't as complete as the content from the Instapaper-powered Give Me Something to Read however it's a nice addition to your dashboard if you're visiting the new Instapaper website and looking for something to, er, read.

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Online bookmark service Instapaper gets a facelift originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bookmarksinstapaperurl savingUrlSaving Nik Fletcher Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:51:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mobile Minute: Palm webOS 1.3.5 is now available]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/28/dnp-mobile-minute-palm-webos-1-3-5-is-now-available/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/28/dnp-mobile-minute-palm-webos-1-3-5-is-now-available/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/28/dnp-mobile-minute-palm-webos-1-3-5-is-now-available/#comments It's been just over a month since Palm last updated their webOS devices, however today the Palm Pre has seen webOS 1.3.5 released (well, at least in the US). The update is notable, albeit for the items that the update does not address: video recording is still missing, and there's no sign of the Pre's iTunes syncing being re-enabled with this new release either.

That said, if you're sporting a Pre the update is probably one you'll want to apply to your device. Here's the notable changes in this update:
  • Users can now store more applications on their devices, with the artificial limit on installed applications removed.
  • Improved battery life (especially when in 'marginal coverage areas')
  • Support for audio and video when received via MMS
  • Data detectors to launch either Google Maps (or Sprint Nav) from Address Book contacts' addresses
The update is now available for download via the Pre's built-in Updates application, although devices will try to download the update over the coming days if you're connected to a high-speed data connection.

[Via Engadget]

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Mobile Minute: Palm webOS 1.3.5 is now available originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> mobileminuteosupdatesPalmPreWeb OS 1.3.5WebOs1.3.5 Nik Fletcher Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:22:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Palm unveils "Project Ares" webOS developer tool]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/17/palm-unveils-project-ares-webos-developer-tool/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/17/palm-unveils-project-ares-webos-developer-tool/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/17/palm-unveils-project-ares-webos-developer-tool/#comments Project Ares
Ever since Palm announced its webOS system earlier in the year, the company has been continually working out its approach for application development for the device. With the App Catalog in beta for customer use, and the Mojo SDK available for developers to build applications, whilst Palm may not yet be rivalling Apple's "there's an app for that" campaign the company is certainly working to provide a far more open developer environment than its Cupertino rival.

Today sees the introduction of Project Ares: an open beta of an IDE for building Palm applications that - get this - runs entirely in your web browser. It even offers drag-and-drop interface building, code editing and a debugger for rooting out bugs in your code. Given that from the browser it integrates with any local installation of the webOS SDK for deployment to your Pre or Pixi, and Project Ares allows you to build an application without a multi-gigabyte SDK download, it's a mighty impressive technology.

Project Ares is available as a beta to all webOS developers via the Palm developer website, and requires Safari, Chrome or Firefox to run.
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Palm unveils "Project Ares" webOS developer tool originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> DeveloperPalmPalm PrePalmPrewebOS Nik Fletcher Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:32:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Back from the dead? Yahoo Upcoming gets some surprise feature love]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/22/back-from-the-dead-yahoo-upcoming/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/22/back-from-the-dead-yahoo-upcoming/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/22/back-from-the-dead-yahoo-upcoming/#comments It's been a number of months (if not longer) since Yahoo showed any love to its Upcoming events service. Since acquiring the service in October 2005, the service has seen just one re-design - and few additional features since. However, in a largely-uncovered announcement earlier in the week, Upcoming now offers a new Jumpstart feature that scans your Pandora, last.fm and iTunes libraries and then follows your favourite artists on the service - alerting you to forthcoming gigs listed on Upcoming.

Whilst other services, including last.fm, allow you to easily view your favourite artists, it's an interesting addition to the Upcoming service - and hopefully means that Yahoo are now looking at ways to build on a largely unloved product.

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Back from the dead? Yahoo Upcoming gets some surprise feature love originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> eventslast.fmupcomingyahoo Nik Fletcher Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Calling all WebOS Developers: Tell us about your Apps!]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/17/calling-all-webos-developers-tell-us-about-your-apps/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/17/calling-all-webos-developers-tell-us-about-your-apps/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/17/calling-all-webos-developers-tell-us-about-your-apps/#comments In early December, Palm is set to launch its App Catalog to showcase third-party applications for its WebOS devices (the Pre and recently-launched Pixie). Whilst the App Catalog may be later to the party compared with Apple's all-conquering App Store, we're on the lookout for the latest and greatest WebOS applications for your Pre and Pixie handsets.

So, if you're a WebOS developer working on an application, we want to hear from you! To get in touch with us about your apps, simply drop us a note via our Tips form -- or send press releases to the address listed on our About page.

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Calling all WebOS Developers: Tell us about your Apps! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Palm PixiePalm PrePalmPixiePalmPreWebOS Nik Fletcher Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Mobile Minute: Palm WebOS 1.3.1 is out!]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/16/mobile-minute-palm-webos-1-3-1-is-out/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/16/mobile-minute-palm-webos-1-3-1-is-out/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/16/mobile-minute-palm-webos-1-3-1-is-out/#comments If you're one of the folks sporting a Palm Pre, it's time to check for updates as you'll want to grab the WebOS 1.3.1 update that dropped over the weekend (at least for Sprint customers in the US).

Whilst there's no new applications, the update (which weighs in at 126MB) packs a tonne of features and improvements that you'll probably want add, including support for Yahoo! as a synchronization account.

That's not all, either, as PreCentral has discovered a list of extra undocumented changes that are included in release - and Facebook have launched an embarrassingly barebones application for the Pre that requires the 1.3.1 update.

If you're elsewhere in the world, the launch of the 1.3.1 update will depend on your carrier - in the UK, where I'm based, O2 are reported to be launching the update towards the end of the month.

[Via Engadget]

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Mobile Minute: Palm WebOS 1.3.1 is out! originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> mobileminuteosupdatesPalm-PreWeb OS 1.3.1WebOSWebOs1.3.1 Nik Fletcher Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/#comments For the last few weeks I've been looking for a suitable RSS reader application for my iPhone. I've found myself frustrated with long-time favourite NetNewsWire (which currently lacks any of the Google Reader sharing options) and the Google Reader web UI. Much like every Twitter client out there, I've bought my fair share of RSS readers for the iPhone and after much testing I have finally found a new favourite: Reeder.

Reeder [iTunes Link] has all the relevant sharing options I've craved in one place - and best of all is stylish as hell. There's plenty of applications with custom user interfaces on the iPhone - some more successful than others - but Reeder balances the familiar with custom elements, and as a result the interface looks great when browsing (and reading) content.

If I had any complaints about Reeder, it's that the application lacks the ability to view your friends' shared items within the application, but given the sheer style and speed of the application it's a small oversight. If you're looking to pick up a copy of Reeder, the developer has dropped the price to $0.99 until version 1.1 ships - and available now on the App Store.

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Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commercialGoogle ReaderGoogleReaderiPhone RSSIphoneRssRSS Nik Fletcher Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Viewfinder brings powerful Flickr search to your Mac]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/06/viewfinder-brings-powerful-flickr-search-to-your-mac/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/06/viewfinder-brings-powerful-flickr-search-to-your-mac/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/06/viewfinder-brings-powerful-flickr-search-to-your-mac/#comments Every now and then I find myself working on slides in Keynote and writing Download Squad posts - and struggling to find a suitable image. Of course, Flickr is the best way to find images - their clear licencing and Creative Commons support makes finding images fairly straight forward. However, getting the image into Keynote isn't entirely painless. The workflow of browsing search results, viewing the image and then finding it at a suitable size (if it exists) takes time - however that's where Viewfinder steps in.

A native Mac OS X application (requiring Mac OS X Snow Leopard), Viewfinder allows you to search Flickr from the desktop apply filters to show only Creative Commons images, and specify a particular image size. Then, once you select an image you can download the image, set it as your desktop background - and most importantly - send images straight to Keynote for your slides.

If you're a heavy keynote user (or blogger) who frequently needs to find Flickr images for your work Viewfinder is indispensible. I've been testing it since early September and found it an incredibly convenient tool to have at hand. A licence costs £15 (roughly $25) and a free demo is available for you try from the Viewfinder webpage.

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Viewfinder brings powerful Flickr search to your Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> FlickrImage SearchImageSearchMac OS XMacOsXsharewareSnow LeopardSnowLeopard Nik Fletcher Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[So long, iTunes: DoubleTwist now syncs with iPhone and iPod Touch]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/19/windows-iphone-sync-without-itunes/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/19/windows-iphone-sync-without-itunes/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/19/windows-iphone-sync-without-itunes/#comments If you're searching for a free alternative for iTunes on Windows, DoubleTwist - the handy media player for Windows and OS X - just became even more attractive with today's launch of version 2.4 that includes support for iPhone and iPod touch syncing.

If you're not familiar with DoubleTwist, it's a company founded by 'DVD Jon' Lech Johansen - who reverse-engineered the encryption in DVDs and the iTunes store - that now offers a desktop media player for Mac and Windows.

DoubleTwist just recently announced their plans to add the Amazon MP3 store to their desktop software, and with today's announcement of iPhone & iPod touch support DoubleTwist is fast becoming a worthy - and highly competent - competitor to iTunes.

iTunes has long been an app we all love to hate. It looks like iPhone and iPod Touch users will now have a solid alternative that won't try to slip in a browser, codec, or who knows what else every time it updates.

[Via Lifehacker]

Update: We should also point out that, given Apple's cat-and-mouse game with Palm over the Pre syncing with iTunes, it's highly possible that Apple might break this functionality in a future update to the iPhone / iPod touch OS. Game on....

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So long, iTunes: DoubleTwist now syncs with iPhone and iPod Touch originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> doubletwistiPhoneiTunesWindows Nik Fletcher Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[RSS and SimplePie makes for PHP developer heaven]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/10/rss-and-simplepie-makes-for-php-developer-heaven/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/10/rss-and-simplepie-makes-for-php-developer-heaven/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/10/rss-and-simplepie-makes-for-php-developer-heaven/#comments This is definitely one for the developers amongst you, but if you're developing an application in PHP and need to handle the reading of RSS feeds, SimplePie is a god-send. Some folks will point you in the direction of PHP5's built-in SimpleXML module, however it's highly intolerant of malformed XML - and certainly doesn't have any extra features such as caching that you get with SimplePie.

If you're looking for an easy way to work with RSS or Atom feeds, SimplePie is both easy to implement - and thoroughly documented to help you build on it. I've used SimplePie in a number of projects in the last year - from multi-feed collation to simply showing a list of recent blog posts in a sidebar - and every time I use it I find myself grinning like a cheshire cat at the amount of time it has saved me.

SimplePie is available under the BSD licence for your hacking pleasure, and the developers are currently seeking feedback for version 2!

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RSS and SimplePie makes for PHP developer heaven originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Open SourceOpenSourceRSSXML Nik Fletcher Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Tweetie for iPhone hits 2.0]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/10/tweetie-for-iphone-hits-2-0/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/10/tweetie-for-iphone-hits-2-0/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/10/tweetie-for-iphone-hits-2-0/#comments We've covered iPhone Twitter clients to death here on Download Squad, but we simply couldn't help but post about Tweetie 2.0 which launched just yesterday. If you're not familiar with Tweetie - which won an Apple Design Award earlier in the year for version 1 - it's often touted as the best Twitter client for the iPhone platform, and this new version raises the bar in terms of features and experience.

There's a tonne of new features (and an all-new underlying core to the application) - so here's just a few of my favourites that I've noticed:
  • Searching within timelines - super-handy if you're trying to find that tweet without having to scroll back through your Twitter history
  • Swipe-to-refresh - if you're at the top of the list of tweets, Tweetie allows you to swipe up and hold momentarily to refresh without tapping a refresh button. It's a really smart touch (though, assumes that you've read all the updates that are in front of you).
  • More integration with location services and image services - If a tweet contains GPS data, or an image from the likes to Twitpic, Tweetie shows you a small preview of the information below the tweet.
  • Multiple-draft support - version 2.0 allows you to save multiple drafts for posting later, and also allows you to post all drafts, whether a tweet or direct message, with one tap.
  • More services - There's built-in links to the likes of Favrd, Favstar.fm and many other Twitter mashups when you're browsing user profiles.
Tweetie 2.0 also heads into uncharted territory by being the first iPhone app to have a paid upgrade. Whilst this has caused much bickering from certain "celebrities", given that a copy of Tweetie 2.0 is just $2.99 for all users it's not going to break the bank. You can pick up your copy on the App Store.

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Tweetie for iPhone hits 2.0 originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> iPhoneTweetieTweetie 2Tweetie2Twitter Nik Fletcher Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Facebook brings Latin back to life with new language option]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/04/facebook-brings-latin-back-to-life-with-new-language-option/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/04/facebook-brings-latin-back-to-life-with-new-language-option/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/04/facebook-brings-latin-back-to-life-with-new-language-option/#comments Facebook have always worked to make sure that the service is available in as many languages as possible - from French to Føroyskt, Polish to Pirate, the service is available in 70 languages for the site's worldwide audience. Yesterday, however, the Facebook team have rolled out a Latin localisation of the site to help students, noting that "the experience of studying Latin can frequently seem somewhat far and away".

As someone who studied Latin at school, it's nice to see a often-mocked-as-dead language rise from the ashes and brought to life on Facebook - though, I'll admit I won't be leaving the language as my default setting any time soon.

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Facebook brings Latin back to life with new language option originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Facebooklanguage Nik Fletcher Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[WSJ taunts the NFL with couch-based live-blogging]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/04/wsj-taunts-the-nfl-with-couch-based-live-blogging/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/04/wsj-taunts-the-nfl-with-couch-based-live-blogging/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/04/wsj-taunts-the-nfl-with-couch-based-live-blogging/#comments At the end of August, the NFL decided to institute a number of rules prohibiting the use of social media by teams and referees on match day - as well as rules that banned the media from providing live play-by-play coverage of matches.

As was pointed out at the time, the rules are easily imposed on officially-sanctioned media reps at matches - but what's to stop the average Joe in the stands updating Twitter or their blog as the match goes on, or mainstream media who want to provide play-by-play coverage online by sitting on their couch at home and blogging? That's exactly what the Wall Street Journal's Peter Sanders did in the recent New York Jets / Tennessee Titans match.

Of course, the NFL is simply working to protect its lucrative television revenue deals (and, ironically, the couch-based writer is part of that revenue stream), however the crackdown on live-blogging certainly seems futile given that only forces the hand of bonafide media at matches - and the NFL certainly can't control or crack down on every Twitter user sat watching a match and sharing scores...

[Via TechDirt]

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WSJ taunts the NFL with couch-based live-blogging originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> live-bloggingsocial mediaSocialMediatwitter Nik Fletcher Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Week in Review: 3rd October]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/03/week-in-review-3rd-october/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/03/week-in-review-3rd-october/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/03/week-in-review-3rd-october/#comments

Continue reading Week in Review: 3rd October

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Week in Review: 3rd October originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> freewareopensourceweek-in-review Nik Fletcher Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Find out GPS co-ordinates with Get Lat Lon]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/03/find-out-gps-co-ordinates-with-get-lat-lon/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/03/find-out-gps-co-ordinates-with-get-lat-lon/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/03/find-out-gps-co-ordinates-with-get-lat-lon/#comments For the last few months I've been working on a small side-project away from Download Squad that requires the use of GPS co-ordinates. Whilst the system I'm using has some default co-ordinates built-in, I really needed a way to find out the latitude and longitude for a few other locations around the world to give my little project a test. After wrangling with Google Maps URLs, and trying to extract the GPS data from their URLs - admittedly a little unsuccessfully - I finally came across Get Lat Lon - a super-easy mash-up that lets you search for (or locate on a map) the place you're wanting the location data for.

It's arguably a niche tool - however if you're looking for a quick and easy way to find out the latitude or longitude of a place on the globe, Get Lat Lon is just the ticket.

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Find out GPS co-ordinates with Get Lat Lon originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> GeolocationGoogle MapsGoogleMaps Nik Fletcher Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Time-Waster: So you think you know Helvetica?]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/01/time-waster-so-you-think-you-know-helvetica/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/01/time-waster-so-you-think-you-know-helvetica/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/01/time-waster-so-you-think-you-know-helvetica/#comments Earlier in the month we covered Cheese or Font - a fantastic perpetually-running time-waster that challenges you to choose whether the name displayed refers to a cheese or a font. However, the web is buzzing (at least, in some circles) about a far more nerdy variant: Helvetica vs Arial in Ironic Sans' "So you think you can tell Arial from Helvetica?" quiz.

You're shown 20 logos, each rendered in both Arial and Helvetica. All you have to do is correctly select the logo that was originally rendered in Helvetica. Of course, you shouldn't be referencing any materials during the test - though you'll have to fight temptation as there's some incredibly tricky logos in there, particularly later on when the test throws in a couple of full-capital logos that hide some of Helvetica's easily-identifiable characteristics.

If you're feeling brave, take the quiz and be sure to let us know your score in the comments!

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Time-Waster: So you think you know Helvetica? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fontsnerderytimewasterstypefaces Nik Fletcher Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[ICANN drops its US Government affiliation]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/30/icann-drops-its-us-government-affiliation/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/30/icann-drops-its-us-government-affiliation/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/30/icann-drops-its-us-government-affiliation/#comments The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (otherwise known as ICANN) has, since its inception in 1998, enjoyed been strongly ties with the US Government's Department of Commerce - something that's irritated international governments who've wanted the body responsible for domain names and the entire Doman Name System to be more internationally-balanced. In particular, ICANN has been criticised for long-delaying the arrival of international domain names.

Today ICANN has signed a new 'Affirmation of Commitments' that allows it to break free from the US Government and be that long-sought-after international body. Whilst some US senators were concerned about the move to internationalise ICANN - and that ICANN will be overseen by more than just the US Government - the organisation has confirmed it will at least stay based in the United States.

There's been plenty of positive quotes about this change of status from the US Government, big Internet businesses such as Google as well as the likes of Vint Cerf - one of the co-inventors of the Internet - and ICANN is responding to its complaints about lacking internationalisation by supporting Chinese and Russian characters in Top Level Domain names next year.

[via Ars Technica]

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ICANN drops its US Government affiliation originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ICANN Nik Fletcher Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:32:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Echofon (neé TwitterFon) heads to OS X]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/29/echofon-nee-twitterfon-heads-to-os-x/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/29/echofon-nee-twitterfon-heads-to-os-x/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/29/echofon-nee-twitterfon-heads-to-os-x/#comments There's been plenty of iPhone Twitter clients released over the last 18 months, however the goldrush to develop for the mobile device has meant the OS X Twitter clients have seen just the arrival of Tweetie in the same time. Today however, naan studio the developers behind the popular Echofon (previously TwitterFon) iPhone client have launched a beta of their forthcoming desktop release.

One of my favourite features in the application is the inclusion of highlights - the ability to receive notifications based on search phrases - and if you're a big user of the iPhone version then you can also sync the read / unread status of tweets between the two Echofon applications. The desktop version of the Mac has all the bells and whistles you'd expect - multi-account support, Photo uploading - and certainly pretty stable despite being just a beta.

Echofon will, upon its release later this year, be a paid-for product - however it remains free in beta from the Echofon website.

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Echofon (neé TwitterFon) heads to OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> echofontweetietwittertwitterfontwitterrific Nik Fletcher Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Clarke lets you update FireEagle from within OS X]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/29/clarke-lets-you-update-fireeagle-from-within-os-x/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/29/clarke-lets-you-update-fireeagle-from-within-os-x/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/29/clarke-lets-you-update-fireeagle-from-within-os-x/#comments Yahoo's FireEagle project has long been a great (albeit under-used) service to let you share your location with other websites. Services such as Dopplr, Brightkite and many others can all update & read your location and use the service to display location-based data.

On the iPhone, there's plenty of free applications that update FireEagle such as yofe, but what if you're working on a desktop or laptop computer? That's where Clarke comes in handy -- a small, open-source utility for OS X that runs in your menu bar, it'll figure out where you are based on the Wi-Fi networks around you.

In earlier versions of Clarke, the updates were based on Skyhook Wireless' database -- the same used by the original iPhone to triangulate your location -- however the utility was recently updated for Mac OS X Snow Leopard and now uses the OS' built-in Core Location system to figure out where you are when run on the newest big-cat.

A free download, developers can also grab the source code over at Github, and the application also lets you easily view nearby data from Flickr, Google Maps, OpenStreetMap and Yahoo Maps.

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Clarke lets you update FireEagle from within OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> core locationCoreLocationFireEaglelocationlocation servicesLocationServicesopensourceos xOsXservicesocialYahoo Nik Fletcher Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Tell DLS: What are your Top 10 Web Apps?]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/28/tell-dls-what-are-your-top-10-web-apps/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/28/tell-dls-what-are-your-top-10-web-apps/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/28/tell-dls-what-are-your-top-10-web-apps/#comments We're continuing our Tell DLS column by leaving the desktop and heading to the web. There's tonnes and tonnes of webapps out there -- however here's just 10 that I use day-in, day-out. If you're got any other favourites, be sure to leave them in the comments!

Continue reading Tell DLS: What are your Top 10 Web Apps?

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Tell DLS: What are your Top 10 Web Apps? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> basecampfacebookflickrinstapaperliststumblrupcomingweb-applicationsweb-apps Nik Fletcher Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[De-clutter Google Reader with Absolutely Customisable]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/28/de-clutter-google-reader-with-absolutely-customisable/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/28/de-clutter-google-reader-with-absolutely-customisable/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/28/de-clutter-google-reader-with-absolutely-customisable/#comments If you're not using Greasemonkey - the super-extensible way to customise sites as you visit them in Firefox - then you're missing out! There are a ton of Greasemonkey scripts available to customise plenty of your favourite web services, including Google Reader. This script to show the Unread count in Gmail, and this one to allow easy reblogging on Tumblr are just two of my favourites, however what if you've got the urge to finely tune the Reader interface? That's where Absolutely Customisable comes in handy.

Absolutely Customisable does exactly what you expect: customising absolutely almost everything in the Reader UI. From large sweeping changes like hiding the entire header area, to small things like hiding the chevrons in the UI, Absolutely Customisable is a great way to hide any excess and make the most of your browser window for reading news. If you've got your own pet niggle about the Reader UI you want to change, this is should be your starting point.

[Via Lifehacker]

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De-clutter Google Reader with Absolutely Customisable originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Nik Fletcher Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST Download Squad