Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Google Phone Gallery helps you decide which Android device to buy]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/30/google-phone-gallery-helps-you-decide-which-android-device-to-buy/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/30/google-phone-gallery-helps-you-decide-which-android-device-to-buy/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/09/30/google-phone-gallery-helps-you-decide-which-android-device-to-buy/#commentsFiled under: ,

For people trying to decide between an iPhone and Android smartphone, the choice can be a little tricky. Unlike the iPhone -- where you're basically picking how much you want to spend on extra storage capacity -- there are dozens upon dozens of different Android handsets.

Figuring out which one is best suited to your needs can be a daunting task, so Google has put together the Google Phone Gallery to try and be of some assistance.

Phones can be filtered by the country in which they're available, the carrier providing service, and manufacturer. You can also compare specs and features -- and every phone listed is Google-approved, so there's no question about access to the Android Market. You're good to go no matter which phone you choose.

Man, I never realized just how few really kick-ass Android phones were available in Canada until I tried this...

Download SquadGoogle Phone Gallery helps you decide which Android device to buy originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hardwarephone galleryPhoneGallerysearchshoppingThu, 30 Sep 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google launching a Chrome OS tablet on Verizon, goes on sale November 26]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/18/google-verizon-chrome-os-tablet-on-sale-november-26-2010/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/18/google-verizon-chrome-os-tablet-on-sale-november-26-2010/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/18/google-verizon-chrome-os-tablet-on-sale-november-26-2010/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The title pretty much says it all on this one, folks.

Yes, our source tells us that Google is building a Chrome OS tablet. It's real, and it's being built by HTC. No surprise there, since HTC churned out the Nexus One for Google.

Yes, they plan to offer it in conjunction with Verizon -- which probably doesn't come as a shock to anybody at this point. The two recently tag-teamed that Net Neutrality proposal and they've had plenty of discussions in the past about cooperating in some capacity.

As for the launch date of November 26th, well, that's all kinds of brilliant. It's Black Friday 2010 and the busiest shopping day of the year in the U.S. -- so what better day to have a shiny new tablet in the cabinet at Verizon kiosks and stores all over the country? You can bet Google's Chrome OS tablet will be heavily subsidized, and I'd go so far as to say it will be substantially cheaper than the iPad -- if not totally free -- with a Verizon data contract.

So what will the Google tablet pack for hardware? While our source didn't provide any specifics, my guess is that the device could be based on NVidia's Tegra 2 platform and sport a 1280x720 multitouch display, 2GB of RAM, minimum 32GB SSD, WiFi/Bluetooth/LTE connectivity, GPS, webcam, and possibly expandable storage via a multi-card reader. Again, these were not given to us by our source, but expect it to be every bit as geek-tastic as the Nexus One -- Google won't want to disappoint its early adopters.
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Download SquadGoogle launching a Chrome OS tablet on Verizon, goes on sale November 26 originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black fridayBlackFridaychrome osChromeOscrOSgooglehardwarelaunchosupdatessaleverizonWed, 18 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola on Droid X self-destruct controversy: it won't brick your phone, just put it in recovery mode]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/16/motorola-droid-x-brick-self-destruct/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/16/motorola-droid-x-brick-self-destruct/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/16/motorola-droid-x-brick-self-destruct/#commentsFiled under: ,

Our sister site, Engadget, has done some laudable reporting on the Droid X "self-destruct" controversy I covered yesterday. The Droid X was rumored to brick itself if a user modified the bootloader, but Engadget asked Motorola about those rumors and found out they're only half-true. Yes, the eFuse chip in the Droid X will "protect users" by forcing the phone into recovery mode, but it won't brick it.

Once your phone is in recovery mode, you can fix it by reinstalling an approved, untampered version of the software. So, the rumors that the phone was difficult to mod were absolutely true, but the rumors that a hardware fix from Motorola would be required to get your phone working again were wrong. No bricking here, people.

The next step, of course, is for Droid modders who want to hack different wrappers for the OS (like HTC Sense, or Froyo) onto their Droid Xs to figure out a way around the bootloader protection on the phone. I suspect it's only a matter of time.
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Download SquadMotorola on Droid X self-destruct controversy: it won't brick your phone, just put it in recovery mode originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbootloaderbrickdroid xDroidXefusehardwaremodmotorolaFri, 16 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Android modders beware: Droid X bricks itself if you try to modify it]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/15/android-modders-beware-droid-x-bricks-itself-if-you-try-to-modi/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/15/android-modders-beware-droid-x-bricks-itself-if-you-try-to-modi/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/15/android-modders-beware-droid-x-bricks-itself-if-you-try-to-modi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Android fans love that their OS is much more freely modified than a relatively closed system like Apple's iOS, but the new Droid X is reportedly far from mod-friendly. Droid X has a self-destruct sequence built on a technology called eFuse, which disables the bootloader and bricks the phone if you try to tinker with it. The only way to get your Droid X working again after eFuse has been triggered is via a hardware fix from Motorola.

So, what kind of modding triggers the eFuse? Messing with the bootloader itself, the firmware, or the Android kernel will all result in bricking. There's no way to delete the software, either, as it's apparently part of a chip that the Droid X needs to boot, and eFuse lets the chip reprogram itself (in this case, to stop your phone from booting). You can get more details from a post on the MyDroidWorld forums. What is going on, here? It doesn't make any sense that companies marketing an open phone would want to treat their customers this way.

[via MobileCrunch]

Update: Boy Genius Report says the bootloader is probably the same as the one on the Milestone, and that it "may not" or "probably won't" brick your phone. They do suspect, however, that it will be "difficult to crack."

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Download SquadAndroid modders beware: Droid X bricks itself if you try to modify it originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brickdroid xDroidXefusehardwaremodmotorolaself-destructverizonThu, 15 Jul 2010 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Portable Doxie scanner scans your photos, documents directly to the cloud]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/14/portable-doxie-scanner-scans-your-photos-documents-directly-to/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/14/portable-doxie-scanner-scans-your-photos-documents-directly-to/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/14/portable-doxie-scanner-scans-your-photos-documents-directly-to/#commentsFiled under: ,

Whether you're a professional looking for an easy way to move paper documents from your desktop to web apps like Google Docs, or you just have a large collection of photographs you'd like to post to Flickr, Doxie's new scanner might be the device you've been waiting for.

Apart from being small enough to tuck in your laptop bag, Doxie's bundled software provides simple and uploading to loads of popular web apps. Apart from Google Docs and Flickr, you can also effortlessly upload scans to Picasa Web, Picnik, Scribd, Tumblr, and Twitter. Like most other scanning software, Doxie can also output to PDF and a number of different image formats.

Productivity and organizational junkies will be glad to know that Evernote is also supported.

Doxie is compatible with Windows and Mac, and it's excellent value at $129.

[via DVice]

Download SquadPortable Doxie scanner scans your photos, documents directly to the cloud originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appclouddocumentdoxieevernoteflickrgoogle docsGoogleDocshardwarephotoscannerscanningwebWed, 14 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google TV?: Google and Dish Network test a set-top box]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/google-tv-google-and-dish-network-test-a-set-top-box/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/google-tv-google-and-dish-network-test-a-set-top-box/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/09/google-tv-google-and-dish-network-test-a-set-top-box/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google has partnered up with satellite TV provider Dish Network to test out a new set-top device powered by Google software. Although the WSJ doesn't name its sources, they seemed to know an awful lot about Google's plans with Dish.

The set-top device would reportedly allow users to organize Dish's TV content, plus web video from YouTube, creating a custom viewing schedule.

Google isn't commenting about this test to reporters, and the program is apparently limited to some Google employees and their families. The device allows you to search for shows using a keyboard, rather than a remote control. There are no details on how Dish shows will be tagged and organized, though, or how the Google box compares to recently-announced TiVo offerings.


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Download SquadGoogle TV?: Google and Dish Network test a set-top box originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dishgooglehardwaresatellitesearchset-top-boxtivotvTue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steve Jobs on iPad tethering with iPhone: "No."]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/06/steve-jobs-on-ipad-tethering-with-iphone-no/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/06/steve-jobs-on-ipad-tethering-with-iphone-no/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/06/steve-jobs-on-ipad-tethering-with-iphone-no/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It goes almost without saying that a lot of the people who buy Apple's new iPad will already have Apple's iPhone. Maybe you were thinking, "Well, since I've got an iPhone already, why pay for two data plans? There has to be some way to tether the iPad using the iPhone, right?"

According to Steve Jobs, the answer is a big, fat NO.

Jobs responded to an email from Swedish DJ Jezper Söderlund, who asked:
Will the wifi-only version somehow support tethering thru my iPhone?

Two devices, based on the same OS, with already built-in technology to share one data plan suggests a secondary contract could possibly be redundant.

From the look of your keynote, where the iPad sits well between my MacBook Pro and my iPhone, I was hoping the three of them could interact as seamless as possible.
And his answer was just one word. No. (Sent from his iPhone, of course.)

We'll have to wait and see whether intrepid iPhone hackers will be able to change that answer when it comes to jailbroken phones, but Jobs seems set on the model of a separate data plan for each device.

[via Engadget]
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Download SquadSteve Jobs on iPad tethering with iPhone: "No." originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gapplecontracthardwareipadiphonenewssteve jobsSteveJobstetheringSat, 06 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Nexus One Review]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/23/google-nexus-one-review/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/23/google-nexus-one-review/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/23/google-nexus-one-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Google Nexus One browser
Google first unveiled its Android operating system for smartphones in 2007. But the Google Nexus One, which was launched last month is the first phone with the Google name attached to the hardware. Google sells the phone through its web site and handles tech support for the smartphone, although mobile service is provided by T-Mobile (and soon Verizon) in the US.

The Nexus One has a faster processor than almost any phone on the market, which makes it incredibly responsive. And it runs Android 2.1, the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. Because this is the first true "Google phone," it's also likely that the Nexus One will be first in line for new over-the-air updates to the operating system and Google's mobile applications such as Google Maps and Google Calendar. Earlier this month Google released one of the first updates for the Nexus One, which made the phone one of the first Android-powered devices to support multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom.

I've been a fan of mobile computing ever since I first realized that you could use a handheld device to manage your calendar, read eBooks, and play video games. My first PDA was a short-lived Philips Nino 300 Windows CE device, and between 2000 and 2005, I purchased at least a dozen different PDAs and handheld PCs including the Compaq Aero 1550, and HP Jornada 720, before settling on a Dell Axim X50v running Windows Mobile 2003SE which I've used for the past 5 years.

The Axim is a great little PDA with a 624MHz CPU and a VGA display. But the OS is starting to show its age and can't run many recently launched mobile applications. And the version of Pocket Internet Explorer that came with Windows Mobile 2003SE is all-but-unusable. Overall, I'm starting to get tired of carrying around a 5-year-old device, even if it does many of the things I need a mobile device to do.

So when Google contacted Download Squad and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing one of the newest, most hyped smartphones around, I jumped at the chance. I've tested the phone for the last few weeks, and there are a lot of things to like -- and some room for improvement.

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Download SquadGoogle Nexus One Review originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgoogle androidgoogle nexus oneGoogleAndroidGoogleNexusOnehardwarenexus oneNexusOnereviewreviewssmartphonewindows mobileWindowsMobileTue, 23 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gboard: Do you really need a dedicated keyboard for Gmail shortcuts?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/14/gboard-do-you-really-need-a-dedicated-keyboard-for-gmail-shortc/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/14/gboard-do-you-really-need-a-dedicated-keyboard-for-gmail-shortc/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/14/gboard-do-you-really-need-a-dedicated-keyboard-for-gmail-shortc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Gboard
One of the things I like about Gmail, Google Reader, and other Google services is that they're easy to navigate using keyboard shortcuts. That means you don't need to lift your hand from the keyboard to use the mouse as often. But what if you have a hard time remembering all the keyboard shortcuts? You could hit the ? key to bring up a list, or you could write down a list and tape it to the side of your monitor. But Gboard has another solution.

The company sells a USB mini-keyboard that's maybe a bit larger than a numeric keypad. Each key corresponds to one of the keys used as a shortcut by Gmail. But rather than label the keys J, K, G, F, # and so on, the keys are labeled with icons and words like Trash, Archive, and Forward.

The concept is pretty cool. But the problem is that you still have to lift your hands off the normal keyboard to use the Gboard, so I'm not really convinced that it's much better than using a mouse... or just memorizing the keyboard shortcuts you need most frequently in the first place.

The keys are also not customizable, which means the Gboard pretty much only works with Gmail and other applications such as Google Reader which share many of the same shortcuts.

The Gboard is available for about $20.

[via The Gadgeteer]

Download SquadGboard: Do you really need a dedicated keyboard for Gmail shortcuts? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gboardgmailhardwarekeyboard shortcutsKeyboardShortcutsThu, 14 Jan 2010 13:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Get every National Geographic since 1888 on a 160GB hard drive]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/29/every-issue-of-the-national-geographic-since-1888-now-available-hard-drive/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/29/every-issue-of-the-national-geographic-since-1888-now-available-hard-drive/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/29/every-issue-of-the-national-geographic-since-1888-now-available-hard-drive/#commentsFiled under: , ,

From the massively-nerdy-but-really-quite-cool news department, I bring you the coolest thing I've seen since unwrapping my presents on Christmas Day. 120 years of amazing discoveries, eye-opening editorial and mind-expanding stories form The Complete National Geographic. Maps, stories and every single damn photo, all lovingly reproduced in 'stunning high resolution'... and distributed on a hard drive!

What you see here is the beginning of the end for the librarian. It's also great news for trees and climate change! (Unless someone can turn around and tell me that a hard disk drive is actually more harmful to the environment than 120 years worth of printed magazines).

For a third of the price you could also get the entire collection on six DVDs... but that's not quite as cool, is it? They also mention that 100 of the 160GB is freely available for your own use -- or future content updates, because the National Geographic shows no sign of slowing down yet!

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The National Geographic is a frickin' institution -- and unlike some others that I don't care to mention, we should be damn grateful it exists and continues to thrive. If I had children, this would be my first gift to them.

[a nod, conspiratorial wink and thanks to Yanksy for the tip!]

Download SquadGet every National Geographic since 1888 on a 160GB hard drive originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digitaleducationhard driveHardDrivehardwarenational geographicNationalGeographicphotosTue, 29 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Download Squad guide to making your new holiday PC more kick-ass!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/26/the-download-squad-guide-to-making-your-new-holiday-pc-kick-more/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/26/the-download-squad-guide-to-making-your-new-holiday-pc-kick-more/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/26/the-download-squad-guide-to-making-your-new-holiday-pc-kick-more/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Many of you probably received a shiny, new netbook, laptop, nettop, desktop, HTPC, or something else with a CPU in it running Windows for the holidays. One thing that has come to be synonymous with new PCs is dreadful preinstalled software (nerdy types call it crapware or bloat).

For the most part, the programs OEMs pack onto their systems suck. They're marginally useful at best, and just eat away at your PC's performance and disk space. Since you've got a nice, quiet weekend to get things done, let's take a look at how you can un-suck that new system!

It's really just a two-step process! Step 1: uninstall all the garbage. Step 2: install some free, kick-ass software.

Ok, so the steps might be kind of long, but it's still only two key steps. Let's break it down into a few more for clarity's sake...

Continue reading The Download Squad guide to making your new holiday PC more kick-ass!

Download SquadThe Download Squad guide to making your new holiday PC more kick-ass! originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloatwarechristmascrapwarehardwareholidayhowtoskick assKickAssnew pcNewPctune upTuneUpuninstallunsuckSat, 26 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Download Squad Brief: Apple v Psystar]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/10/the-download-squad-brief-apple-v-psystar/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/10/the-download-squad-brief-apple-v-psystar/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/10/the-download-squad-brief-apple-v-psystar/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Battle of Apple vs Psystar has played out in the courts and the blogosphere over the past year and has pitted the personal computing giant against open source community and consumer advocates determined to test the boundaries of the legal protection of software.

Psystar is a Miami based company in the business of producing Apple clones by installing OS X and Snow Leopard on Intel desktops under the brand name 'Open Computers'. Unfortunately for Psystar and other potential clone manufacturers, Apple doesn't have an official clone program and last year sued Psystar, alleging that Psystar was breaching Apple's copyright in the OSX code and that it was in breach of the end-user license agreement (EULA) of the software.

In a big slap on the wrist of Psystar, last month the District Court of Northern California issued a summary judgment in the case concluding that the company was in breach of Apple's Copyrights and in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, while holding over questions regarding breach of contract and breach of trademark rights until the trial proper.

As a result of that summary judgment, Psystar has now agreed to a settlement that is reported to be in excess of $2.5 million with Apple, but has signaled that it plans to keep pressing on with its appeal and the anti-trust case that it has launched against Apple in the Florida courts. Further, Psystar's settlement is only payable in the event that Psystar can't make its appeal stick, so the company is keeping its options open for further legal action.

Continue reading The Download Squad Brief: Apple v Psystar

Download SquadThe Download Squad Brief: Apple v Psystar originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-trustappleapple cloneAppleCloneclonecommercialcopyrightdownload squad briefDownloadSquadBriefEULAfeatureshardwareosxpsystarThu, 10 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Livescribe's Pulse smartpen store hands-on]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/24/livescribes-pulse-smartpen-store-hands-on/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/24/livescribes-pulse-smartpen-store-hands-on/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/24/livescribes-pulse-smartpen-store-hands-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


There's little to add to my glowing review of the Livescribe Pulse smartpen I wrote for TUAW last year. This is one of those gadgets that you show people and it looks like magic. It kinda is magic, I think. But this year's model introduces an app store for the pen (plus some nifty paper products), making it a desirable platform for anyone who takes their notes seriously.

Read my review for the hardware scoop; the newer models now have an improved cradle. You can now charge and keep your computer asleep, for example. The desktop software, which allows you to sort and annotate your notes (plus many other tricks covered in that earlier review for the Mac version of the software) is similarly the same but slightly upgraded. What matters is what's in the pen, since that's what you'll be using every day.

The pen runs Java applications specifically made *for* the Pulse smartpen. Now, earlier there had been some tech demos for 3D audio (the pen records in 3D, and it is very cool) and what amounted to built-in utility apps. Stuff like calculators and a simple piano that you draw and tap to play. Like Apple launching the iPhone with a limited set of pre-built applications, the Pulse had only a few "apps" but that was fine. The app store for the pen opens the doors to a huge variety of other applications, much like Apple's store does for its mobile platform.

The Livescribe Store also looks and feels nearly identical to Apple's -- at first. There's more than just apps here; there are paper products (you use special paper with the pen) and pens themselves. When you go to check out, you notice the lack of polish. Every purchase, even the free stuff, requires about three times as many clicks at it takes to buy something on the iTunes App Store. I'm not sure why people don't understand this seemingly obvious notion that consumers want to consume quickly. Especially for a pen, you know? But the entire store is a website, really, so perhaps app purchasing can be streamlined later. For now, it is catering to the physical side of the store by requiring shipping info with your orders.

Gallery: Livescribe Store

Continue reading Livescribe's Pulse smartpen store hands-on

Download SquadLivescribe's Pulse smartpen store hands-on originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStoregadgethardwarehggjavapenplatformpulsereviewssmartpenTue, 24 Nov 2009 17:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Roku launches Channel Store, bringing web content to your TV]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/23/roku-launches-channel-store-bringing-web-content-to-your-tv/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/23/roku-launches-channel-store-bringing-web-content-to-your-tv/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/23/roku-launches-channel-store-bringing-web-content-to-your-tv/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you've ever considered buying a Roku, the set-top streaming video box for your TV, you've got at least 10 new reasons today. Roku just launched its Channel Store, featuring 10 free content sources. You may have heard of some of them before: Flickr and Facebook Photos are available, as well as music from Pandora, and web shows from heavy hitters like Revision3 and Leo Laporte's TWiT.TV. On the paid side of things, Roku has already partnered with sites like Netflix, Amazon Video and MLB.com.

Will all this free content sell more Roku boxes? I'm not necessarily convinced that people will be willing to spend the money - please pardon the worn-out phrase I'm about to drop, here -- "in this economy," to get TV access to content they can already see for free on their computers. Web show creators might be more excited than consumers about the Channel Store, in fact, because they'll soon be able to create their own channels.

One question for Roku, though: why no YouTube? It seems like a pretty glaring omission from such a star-studded channel lineup.

[via NewTeeVee]

Download SquadRoku launches Channel Store, bringing web content to your TV originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonchannel storeChannelStorefacebookhardwaremlbnetflixonlinepandorarevision3rokustreamingTVtwit.tvvideoMon, 23 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Droid Does... only have 256MB of storage for apps]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/09/droid-does-only-have-256mb-of-storage-for-apps/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/09/droid-does-only-have-256mb-of-storage-for-apps/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/09/droid-does-only-have-256mb-of-storage-for-apps/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Motorola's Droid is a sweet piece of hardware that's hyped to give the iPhone a run for its money, especially since it's running the new Android 2.0 OS, and works on the Verizon network in the US. We care about software here at Download Squad though, and there's some dismaying news about the Droid on that front: it has only 256MB for app storage. Seriously.

The Droid reportedly only packs a 512MB ROM (that's the built-in memory), of which only half is allocated for apps. There are some iPhone games that couldn't even fit in that teeny-weeny storage space! But at least it's expandable, right? Um, nope. Google doesn't support installing apps to the SD cards that Motorola relies on, so developers are pretty limited in terms of file sizes for their Android 2.0 software.

The Droid may have a solid CPU and GPU for gaming, but games that take full advantage of that hardware are likely to need 100 megabytes or more of storage space. That's going to make things pretty tough until Android 2.0 comes to a device with a lot more pre-installed flash memory.

[via Daring Fireball]

UPDATE: While it's true that the Droid only has 256MB for apps, commenters have pointed out that various resources for the apps (graphics, etc.) CAN be stored on the device's SD cards. It looks like the situation isn't as bad as the numbers seem to indicate at first.

Download SquadDroid Does... only have 256MB of storage for apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappsdroidhardwaremotorolastorageverizonMon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game on, Microsoft: Google Chrome shipping as default browser on some PCs]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/06/game-on-microsoft-google-chrome-shipping-as-default-browser-on/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/06/game-on-microsoft-google-chrome-shipping-as-default-browser-on/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/06/game-on-microsoft-google-chrome-shipping-as-default-browser-on/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The EC might be content with Microsoft's browser ballot screen, but that's not stopping Google from getting OEMs to turn away from Internet Explorer on their own.

Google already has deals with several OEMs to include their software, of course. They've been shipping Google Desktop on OEM pcs for quite some time now, and their plans to drop Google Chrome on new users have come to fruition as well.

As you can see, I unboxed a new Sony Vaio laptop running Windows 7 yesterday. Nestled amongst the other desktop icons was the tri-color Chrome orb.
Not only was Chrome pre-pinned to the Windows 7 taskbar, but a quick look at the internet options on the laptop revealed sad news for Internet Explorer: it had been bumped from default web browsing duties.

If we weren't already in the middle of an all-out browser war, the introduction of Google Chrome as the preinstalled default on Windows PCs could well set things off.

Download SquadGame on, Microsoft: Google Chrome shipping as default browser on some PCs originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser warsBrowserWarsgoogle chromeGoogleChromehardwaremicrosoftFri, 06 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Atom support back in Mac OS X, Hackintosh netbooks not dead after all]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/05/atom-support-back-in-mac-os-x-hackintosh-netbooks-not-dead-afte/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/05/atom-support-back-in-mac-os-x-hackintosh-netbooks-not-dead-afte/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/05/atom-support-back-in-mac-os-x-hackintosh-netbooks-not-dead-afte/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We recently reported some bad news for Hackintosh enthusiasts: Apple's upcoming OS update, OS X 10.6.2, had removed support for Intel Atom processors. None of Apple's hardware uses Atom, but some of the most popular netbooks do, so that news affected a big chunk of the unauthorized OS X installs out there. With the latest developer build of 10.6.2, though, Apple seems to have flip-flopped and reintroduced Atom support.

A couple of possible explanations come to mind: removing Atom support could have been a bug, or it could have been an intentional, yet temporary, measure. On the other hand, maybe flipping the Atom switch back on is temporary. We really don't know, because Apple hasn't commented. The company is notorious for taking measures to keep its OS running exclusive on Macintosh hardware, so this could still go either way. For now, though, enjoy having a netbook with the very latest build of OS X

[via Engadget]

Download SquadAtom support back in Mac OS X, Hackintosh netbooks not dead after all originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleatomhackintoshhardwareintel atomIntelAtomnetbookos x 10.6.2osupdatesOsX10.6.2Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple breaks Atom Hackintoshes with upcoming OS X 10.6.2 update]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/02/apple-breaks-atom-hackintoshes-with-upcoming-os-x-10-6-2-update/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/02/apple-breaks-atom-hackintoshes-with-upcoming-os-x-10-6-2-update/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/02/apple-breaks-atom-hackintoshes-with-upcoming-os-x-10-6-2-update/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to OSXDaily, Apple's next scheduled update to Snow Leopard, OS X 10.6.2, doesn't support Intel Atom processors. This is no problem for anyone on Apple hardware, because no Mac product runs an Atom. If you're on a hacked netbook, though, it looks like this is the end of the line for your OS X updates.

Although it's not confirmed, rumor has it that next update to Apple's previous Leopard OS (10.5.9) will also knock out Atom support. Until a workaround pops up from netbook hacker circles, Atom machines running 10.6.1 and 10.5.8 should probably avoid upgrading. Is Apple sending a message to users running its software on third-party machines? It seems likely, but it also doesn't seem like it will do much to stop determined netbook enthusiasts.

Download SquadApple breaks Atom Hackintoshes with upcoming OS X 10.6.2 update originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackintoshhardwareintel atomIntelAtomnetbookos xos x 10.6.2osupdatesOsXOsX10.6.2Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Minute: DIY cradle from cardboard coffee sleeve]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/12/mobile-minute-diy-cradle-from-cardboard-coffee-sleeve/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/12/mobile-minute-diy-cradle-from-cardboard-coffee-sleeve/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/12/mobile-minute-diy-cradle-from-cardboard-coffee-sleeve/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

DIY Mobile Device StandIt's amazing how expensive cradles are for mobile devices. Most users realize that there is a big premium being charged for what amounts to a formed piece of plastic, and it makes them less likely to pony up the big bucks for a device that holds their phone. Luckily, this is an area where a little DIY creativity can help.

A Download Squad tipster pointed us to their YouTube video describing how to take a cardboard coffee cup sleeve and with a few careful cuts, turn it into a perfectly serviceable cradle for holding a mobile device in landscape orientation. The video could have been shorter, but it is very well put together. I've embedded the video after the jump at the end of this post.

Alternatively, there is an iPhone dock papercraft project that Lifehacker pointed to that is a little more complicated, but results in a cradle that can hold an iPhone in landscape or portrait orientation, and allows you to plug in your iPhone's sync cable while in portrait orientation.

Is it worth skimping on a cradle and trying to make it yourself, or are you willing to pay the premium that hardware makers charge for their sturdier versions? Do you know of a different set of DIY cradle plans? Let us know in the comments.

Continue reading Mobile Minute: DIY cradle from cardboard coffee sleeve

Download SquadMobile Minute: DIY cradle from cardboard coffee sleeve originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I got a message yesterday directing me to some groundbreaking post on Ars Technica, in which the long-winded and storied tale of an in-development 128 bit version of Windows unfolded like something out of a geek spy novel.
Robert Morgan is working to get IA-128 working backwards with full binary compatibility on the existing IA-64 instructions in the hardware simulation to work for Windows 8 and definitely Windows 9.
Bullpuckey, I said. Shenanigans, I mumbled. "It must be fairy tale time over at Conde Nast", I thought to myself, and quickly moved on. I never in my wildest dreams would have figured this had legs. Surely I wasn't the only one to spot the giant hole in the middle of this story.

Today, I read it on Slashdot. So, before Windows 8 for IA-128 becomes the digital equivalent of Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster, I figured it was prudent to point out the itty, bitty, tiny little problem that's keeping this story from having any basis in reality.

There is no IA-128. The Abominable Snowman and the Easter Bunny could hold a press conference about the lost sex tapes of The Tooth Fairy and it would have more credibility than this rumor. In fact, calling it a rumor lends too much credence to the story. There may be a Robert Morgan, there certainly is a Windows 8, but there is no IA-128.

IA-64 was Intel's joint venture with HP to create a next generation 64 bit server processor. Finally released far behind schedule, the Itanium line has been beset with problems. Poor performance, a lagging upgrade path, and poor vendor uptake have all conspired to create what John Dvorak recently called, "one of the great fiascoes of the last 50 years""

So, while the editors at Ars are busy explaining to Emil Protalinski that there is no Santa Claus, it's probably the right moment to point out that you shouldn't believe everything you read on forums. Or, Slashdot. Or apparently Ars, for that matter.

Move along folks, nothing to see here.

Download SquadExcited about 128 bit "Windows 8"? Don't hold your breath. originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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