U.S. T-Mobile Android Customers — Pay for Apps With No Credit Card [jkOnTheRun]

Purchasing apps in the Android Market has always required a credit card — that is, until now. T-Mobile customers in the U.S. are getting an update to the Android Market app that enables charging apps to the customer’s phone account. The update is being rolled out in phases as is typical for T-Mobile.

The update is invisible to the user, but customers can check the Android Market app in the “Manage Applications” setting. Any version over 1660 and you can now charge apps to yourSource: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

Google Voice calls help to improve ‘voicemail transcription quality’

Google Voice automatically transcribes voicemail messages, for you to get a sense of what messages are about without needing to listen to them. Automated process sometimes works great, sometimes not so well. There’re many variables that influence transcripts quality, from background noise, caller accent, connection quality, and more. Having a pool of messages that can be used to gauge accuracy is very useful. “And this’s where you can help by "donating" some of yourSource: D' Technology Weblog RSS Feed

Final Fight: Double Impact arrives April 2010

Capcom has announced that the Final Fight / Magic Sword combo pack known as Final Fight: Double Impact will hit Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network in April 2010. In addition to the previously announced graphical filters, viewing modes and drop-in / drop-out co-op, Capcom has also revealed that both games will feature a selectable soundtrack from the people responsible for the excellent Bionic Commando: Rearmed soundtrack. Furthermore, the games will utilize GGPO, a networkingSource: PS3 Fanboy RSS Feed

Acer aims to be first to market with Google Chrome OS netbook

Acer, no stranger to netbooks with Google-backed operating systems, is hoping to have the first Chrome OS netbook on the market by the second half of next year, according to DigiTimes.

The company has apparently been developing the machine since the middle of this year. Acer’s JT Wang “expressed his confidence that the company will be the first vendor to launch [a] Chrome-based netbook in the market during a recent interview with Digitimes.”

The second half of 2010 is light years away as far as technology development is concerned but, hey, now you have something to talk about at your next dinner party. I’d bring it up right away, like before you even take your coat off.

Acer to launch Chrome OS netbook in 2H10 [DigiTimes]

Source: CrunchGear RSS Feed

PSA: Futureshop slashing prices on Dragon Age, Left 4 Dead 2, NFS: Shift

Hey Canadians! Yeah, you guys and gals huddled together attempting to maintain sustainable body heat. Just a friendly reminder that big-box retailer Futureshop is currently slashing prices on a slew of new video game titles. Dragon Age: Origins, Left 4 Dead 2, Brutal Legend and Need for Speed: Shift are all on sale for $39.99. Wait, what's this? NHL 10? Oh, Canada. You're so adorably predictable!
The online and in-store sale ends on December 3, so make sure to defrost your car, dustSource: Xbox 360 Fanboy RSS Feed

USB Inserts bring ads into the print age and back again... or something

Be honest: you really want to crack open a magazine and find one of these paper-thin USB key ads, right? No? Well... here's the thing. We really think this is a cool concept -- made to order, super slim, die cut USB drives that can be tucked in the pages of a newspaper or magazine (if you know what those are) -- with whatever content a company wants to throw on there. However, we're also not really sure the inserts would be compelling enough for us to ever consider loading up whatever content was on it. Regardless, that phone on the right sure seems to be familiar...

USB Inserts bring ads into the print age and back again... or something originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Uber Gizmo | USB Insert |Email this|Source: Engadget RSS Feed

Weekend Diversion: Doing Something Thankful [Starts With A Bang]

Saying thanks is one of the best things we can do to appreciate the good things in our lives. This goes for our partners, friends, families, coworkers, acquaintances, and for some of us, our dear readers. (Thank you all!) There are many musicians who've said thanks over the years, too, and so here's Led Zeppelin's version of Thank You from the BBC sessions.

This past Thursday was Thanksgiving in the United States, and I had a great time with some wonderful people and some outstanding Source: Thoughts from Kansas RSS Feed

Netbooks: The Disruptive Dual-OS Future [GigaOM]

In the computer operating system game, you don’t have to dominate to succeed — just ask Apple. With that in mind, emerging open source-based netbook software platforms could have surprisingly bright futures as secondary OSes, including Google’s. Here are several reasons why they’ll bring changes.

The idea that you don’t have to use just one operating system on a single computer is, of course, hardly new. Many people use virtualization software to run multipleSource: GigaOM Network RSS Feed

Black Friday Online Shopping Guide for Bookish Science Geeks [bioephemera]

A few of my favorite holiday shopping suggestions from the past year of blogging. . .

#1. Pandemic, the Board Game. Turn H1N1 into holiday fun for everyone! (Already have Pandemic? Z-Man games has an upgrade pack.)

#2. Blue Barnhouse letterpress. Yeah, they're artistic and individually pressed, but these are not your parents' greeting cards. In addition to their Happy Colonoscopy cards, they have many more offensive yet hilarious greetings - these invites were perfect for aSource: Thoughts from Kansas RSS Feed

Apple will never allow this: Android has a Porn Store

Here’s something that won’t be coming to the iPhone any time soon – an app store for Porn.

Apple keeps ‘adult-only’ content off the iPhone. On Android there are no such restrictions and one company has taken that to its natural conclusion by launching the world’s first mobile store for porn.

Although you won’t find MiKandi in the official Android Market you can download it from MiKandi.com. Once installed, the app gives you access to all sorts of over-18s-onlySource: The Next Web RSS Feed

Sony joins 1,000-hour recording club with IDC-UX300

You really don't know how many voice recorders there are out there until you actually look. Sony's UX line of dictation takers / mp3 players has just undergone a gentle revamp with a freshened up control scheme and a bump in integrated storage. The new base model, UX200, will come with 2GB of flash memory, while the 4GB UX300 and 300F (both capable of more than 1,000 hours of recording) are differentiated only by the FM radio availalble in the latter. All models record in stereo mp3 format with added noise cancellation built in, while playback can be done at 21 different speed steps, allowing you to keep track of all the Scatman John wannabes out there. Battery life is rated at up to 15 hours for continuous recording, or north of 80 for continuous playback. Expect to see these showing up, in all their classy color options, in Europe early next month, and check past the break for the full PR.

Gallery: Sony ICD-UX200, ICD-UX300, and ICD-UX300F

Continue reading Sony joins 1,000-hour recording club with IDC-UX300

Sony joins 1,000-hour recording club with IDC-UX300 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Sony Europe |Email this|Source: Engadget RSS Feed

7 Easy Steps to Get You Started with Goal Setting

It’s not uncommon to be intimidated by the entire process of goal setting. You may feel overwhelmed by all of the areas where you can set goals, unsure how to get started, unable to identify what’s realistic, and even scared to make a commitment to a specific goal.

Many times, this fear around goal setting comes from the fact that many people think about their goals only once a year, like New Year’s resolutions. But goal setting is most effective when revisited on an ongoingSource: SitePoint Blogs RSS Feed

Valve selling Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead-themed greeting cards

We know how boring most holly jolly holiday cards can be, so we were glad to see that a handful of Valve-ified greeting cards are now available for purchase at the game maker's online store. Featuring characters from Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, and Team Fortress 2 in compromising holiday situations, there's no doubt that we'll actually - finally - send out greeting cards this year to everyone in our little black book. We're quite partial to the handful of TF2-themed images you see aboveSource: Houstonist RSS Feed

three-iphone ocarina: wtf?

This weird iPhone musical instrument was spotted at a meet-up of MAKE Japan. Of course.

There are three iPhones in that plastic (acetate?)… thing, running what seems to be an Ocarina-like app. I’m guessing the contraption sends the air blown through the mouthpiece to all three phones at once. I wonder what it sounds like.

[via MAKE]

Source: technabob RSS Feed

matias tactile pro 3 keyboard: the mac gets a real keyboard again

While many of you might like the industrial design of the keyboards that Apple has been churning out for the last several years, I still long for keys that FEEL like keys. Thankfully, the guys over at Matias have the same sentiment and are getting ready to release a new Mac keyboard with REAL keys, not those wimpy “chiclet” buttons.

These new Tactile Pro 3 keyboards are built from the same technology used in the original Apple Extended and Extended II keyboards, complete withSource: technabob RSS Feed

NVIDIA and Futuremark inside Audi 2010 cars

Bright Side of News reports the majority of Audi's 2010 models will use the Futuremark MMI 3G interface to provide climate control, radio, multimedia player, games, advanced 3D GPS navigation, telemetry data, speed and other measurements. With the new system available of majority of 2010 models, Audi is using a combination between Tegra SoC and "rugged automotive-grade GeForce" processor. Back at NVISION, we were explained that "rugged automotive-grade" processor is actually a special versionSource: DV Hardware RSS Feed

The Eagle has Landed, for $2,700! [Nice Price Or Crack Pipe]

Grandmas always make the best cookies and give the best hugs. And as Nice Price or Crack Pipe has discovered, they also have the best AMC Eagles.

Yesterday we took a turn to the dark side, but the mystery of the turd-like Rot Rod Miata was easily unraveled - you all deduced the owner to be a freak, and feted his freakdom with a 85% Crack Pipe vote. Good work people, get yourselves a Scooby snack.

Today we're going over the river and through the woods to grandma's house, andSource: Jalopnik RSS Feed

AT&T Awarded Hug and a Box of Tissues in Verizon Ad Case [Digital Daily]

“AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s ‘There’s A Map For That advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts.”

– Excerpt from Verizon’s response to AT&T’s complaints about its new ad campaign

Verizon was right. The truth does hurt. And it is especially painful when it’s meted out by a court of law. A U.S. District judge on Wednesday denied AT&T’s request to force Verizon to pull its “There’s A Map ForSource: All Things Digital RSS Feed

Shields Up!: EU Cracks Down on Ringtone Scams

Section: Communications, Accessories, Cellphones, Computers, Security

The European Union Consumer Commission has announced a crack down on sites pushing free ringtone scams and that often target kids and teens. The crackdown covered all 27 EU countries plus Iceland and Norway and resulted 9 Italian companies being slammed with nearly $3 million in fines. Of the 301 websites targeted, 54 were put out of business and more than 150 were made to change their advertising. The commissionSource: Gadgetell RSS Feed

Krome Studios lays off 'undisclosed number' of staff

It's always sad when our layoffs tag claims another victim and, today, Australia-based Krome Studios is the latest. The developer responsible for the PS2, PSP, Wii and DS ports of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and who recently wrapped up development on Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Republic Heroes, has been forced to release an "undisclosed number" of its staff, Industry Gamers reports.
Krome CEO Robert Walsh attributes the action to declining game sales industry-wide and says theSource: Houstonist RSS Feed