Reggie Ashworth releases VidConvert 1.4 – Video Conversion made Easy

Anaheim, California – Independent software developer, Reggie Ashworth today is thrilled to announce the release of VidConvert 1.4, an update to his popular video converter for Mac OS X. VidConvert is a video converter designed to make converting your videos simple and easy. VidConvert will convert just about any type of video into one of the many popular formats of today. Creating videos for your iPhone or iPad, for your Mac or TV, or formats such as DivX and MPEG are just a click away with VidConvert.

You do not need to be an expert to use VidConvert. Simply add a file, select a format and a quality, and click convert. Optionally you can change your save folder from the main window. For advanced users you can select the Advanced panel if you choose to allow such options as custom Frame Rate, Bit Rate, etc. But for most users simply choosing Normal or High quality should be sufficient. After your conversion is finished simply add more files or quit VidConvert and the job is done.

Supported formats include iPhone, iPod, iPad, QuickTime, .mp4, MPEG-1 and 2, DivX, Xvid, and audio only formats such as .mp3 and .m4a. VidConvert can add iTunes compatible videos directly to your iTunes library for convenience and for syncing with your iPhone, iPod, or other iDevice. It’s also possible to turn your favorite videos into audio only tracks for playback in your favorite audio device. And VidConvert is not limited to creating videos just for Apple devices, in fact any device that can play one of the supported formats can play a video converted by VidConvert. With VidConvert converting your videos couldn’t be easier.

Version 1.4 starts the addition of additional languages with French and Portuguese and more to come. There are also various updates when converting using H.264 codec. For complete details see Release Notes.

Feature Highlights:
* Supported input – Most any type of video or audio format
* Supported output – iPhone, iPad, iPod, Retina, Apple TV, QuickTime, .mp4, .avi, DivX, Xvid, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DVD (.vob), Windows Media, Flash, Matroska (.mkv), Theora (.ogg), .m4a, .mp3, .aiff, .wav, .wma, .ac3
* Full 64-bit support for the fastest possible conversion
* Fully compatible with Retina displays
* Expected features such as Preview, Joining or “stitching” files, ability to save settings, and more
* Normal and High quality presets to make video conversion automatic for most users
* Ability to author a DVD for burning
* Info panel to obtain Container, Video, and Audio details for each video
* All Apple Devices format to play on all iDevices or Apple TV
* Crop and Trim and more in the Advanced panel to customize your conversion if needed
* Drag and Drop simplicity even with folders of videos and List reordering once videos have been added
* Easily change Save To folder for each batch
* Progress indicator with time remaining for each file
* Sparkle updater to always have the latest version

Language Support:
* U.S. English, French, Portuguese (Brazilian) with more to come

Minimum Requirements:
* Mac OS X Version 10.5 Leopard or later (Mountain Lion compatible)
* Universal Binary for PowerPC and Intel
* 18.0 MB Hard Drive space

Pricing and Availability:
VidConvert 1.4 is only $7.99 (USD) for a single user license. A demo which creates 3 minute samples is available.

VidConvert 1.4
Release Notes
Download VidConvert
YouTube Channel
Screenshot
App Icon

Based in sunny Anaheim, California, Reggie Ashworth is an independent software developer whose passion for the Mac platform is only exceeded by his aim to craft simple, yet useful utilities. He is fanatical about total customer satisfaction. Copyright 2006-2013 Reggie Ashworth. All Rights Reserved. Apple, and the Apple logo, are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Rumor says new Nexus 10 with beefed up GPU coming at MWC

Wow, I have yet to see one affordable tablet running 1600p. Seen CES things, but nothing that is out now that a consumer can purchase running that.
Google will always upgrade things, seems that the original Nexus 10 bit off more than it could chew, so they want a better specified CPU/GPU combo to run it's insane resolution as smooth as butter.

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Atari US files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to free itself from Paris based parent company

When you think of Atari, some of you may get nostalgic for the venerable Atari 2600 video game system, which used cartridges to play basic games with blocky pixilated images, the rest of you think of ancient history and wonder, “how did you ever have run with that?!”

The 2600 was a stunning success though, selling more than 30 million units through its lifetime. Unfortunately, Atari was not able to maintain that momentum with any of its other products and eventually the company became the red-headed step-child of several companies, buying and selling Atari several times over the years, despite some strengths the company retained in the video game market.

Atari SA, originally named Infogrames Entertainment, based in France and took full stake in Atari in 2008 is now majority owned by BlueBay, and that company has stated its intention to be repaid on its credit line to Atari. Those stated intentions have created a bit of a toxic environment for Atari and with the credit line drying up at the end of March, the company has filed in Europe and in the US to seek bankruptcy protection.

Atari in the US has been reaping good rewards with its game licensing model and has made a big push with some of its classic names for mobile gaming in Android and iOS. Classics like Centipede and variations on classics like Asteroids, called Asteroids: Gunner, and others have been well received, and have accumulated millions of downloads. The games are free, but have a number of in-app purchase options.

That has helped make Atari US a much better performer compared to the rest of the company, accounting for a significant amount of the revenue overall. Despite that performance, the company overall will post a significant loss for 2012. Atari US is in a better position to restructure as it has secured financing to achieve that end. The rest of the company is facing an asset sell-off.

If you have been curious about what Atari has been up to since the salad days of the 2600 system, check out some of these games from iTunes and Google Play.

sources: Atari and MSN

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Microsoft lifts the 20MB app download cap over cellular, now 50MB

A feature that was part of the original rollout of Windows Phone 7, over-the-air downloads were limited to 20MB in an effort to preserve or limit data usage.

We do not have an exact date or message in Microsoft’s Dev Center as to when this limit was raised, but it looks like it is now 50MB which is the same as it is for iOS devices downloading from iTunes. We do not have any ideas as to what prompted the change either, whether it was a change urged by the carriers or if Microsoft opted to do it alone.

The 20MB cap might have made sense during the era of 3G networks, but would prove to be an inconvenience with the LTE networks being built out now. If you are on the go, and realize you would like to pick up an app, it would be quite frustrating to have to find a hot-spot to download an app you might want or need right then and there, especially if that application were only 22-25MB, a file size which can be downloaded over LTE in seconds.

We do not suspect that this change will put many folks’ data plans at risk, but just in case, you might want to pay attention.

source: WPCentral

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Nokia Lumia 510 Review

Introduction:

Nokia Lumia 510 is the rock bottom price point for a Windows Phone Lumia, starting in the sub-$200 without a contract, and available in various flashy colors.

The price range and color scheme indicate that it is geared towards emerging economies and the younger crowd, and that's where the Lumia 510 is headed indeed.

Is there something in the entry level specs that could make the WP 7.8 handset stand a fighting chance against cheap Androids? Read on our review to find out...

In the box:

Wall chargermicroUSB cableStereo headphonesWarranty and information booklets
Design:

The soapy shaped Lumia 510 is built solid, without creaks or crevices around the chassis. It is also relatively thin and light, compared to some other smartphones we've seen.

You can compare the Nokia Lumia 510 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Nokia has even thrown in a painted metal band around the sides, which adds to the rigidity of the phone, and ups the build materials mojo a bit. The rounded corners plus tapered back with soft touch finish make it comfortable to hold and easy to operate with one hand.

All three buttons on the side – the lock key, volume rocker and two-stage shutter button – are easy to find and press, with deep tactile feedback.
Display: The 4” screen is recessed for added protection, so the phone lies on the edges of the metal rim that surrounds the phone, thus avoiding scratches when face-down. The display is with 480x800 pixels of resolution which rings in a good 233ppi pixel density number.

Viewing angles are decent with this display, but brightness is not that great and the reflectance ratio seems to be high, so viewing it comfortably outside is a challenge at times.

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Thandros is Free – For a Limited Time

Calgary, Canada – “Fun With Thandros”, the zany kid’s iPhone app from Thandros Media Corp., is free from January 21, 2013 to January 25, 2013. And to celebrate the beginning of 2013, “Wrong Channel” and “Ill-Timed Prank”, parts 2 and 3 of the “Those Crazy Tanner Kids” trilogy, will be free on Kindle on the last day of the Fun With Thandros sale, January 25, 2013.

Fun With Thandros will encourage, with its easy, medium and more challenging mazes designed for kids, its matching games and its choose your own adventure story, your child’s ability to concentrate, plan and focus on attention to detail. The best part is your child will have fun while doing it.

Thandros is an artistically designed robot sure to make children smile. Aimed at pre-school and early grade children, Fun With Thandros consists of six games, each worthy of its own app.

You can tickle Stouch, Thandros’ nemesis, in Play. You can also challenge Thandros or a friend at tic tac toe where the game pieces do the talking. You can choose your way through an adventure story to feed the starving people of Ud with several possible outcomes. You can match the twins in Twins, the Thandros’ themed pairs matching game. Or you can guide Thandros or Oliver through a maze quest.

And it’s free – for a week only. Thandros Media Corp. is looking forward to a great 2013 with lots of new fun with Thandros! Please let us know what you think of the app and the books, which you can easily do on iTunes and Kindle. Macaroni and Cheese Awesome!

Thandros Media
Mike Jackson
Thandros Page
Download Fun With Thandros from iTunes
Download Wrong Channel on Amazon
Download Ill-Timed Prank on Amazon

Founded in 2010, Thandros Media is focused on creating unique and entertaining games for kids of all ages that allow them to think, explore and imagine. To learn more about current projects visit their website. Copyright (C) 2010-2013 Thandros Media. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Samsung's J.K. Shin confirms 8 inch Samsung Galaxy Note tablet for MWC

The other day, we told you that there was a rumor revolving around a new 8 inch tablet for Samsung. Now, the head of Samsung Mobile, J.K. Shin, is confirming that the tablet will make its way to Barcelona next month for MWC. With an 8 inch screen, this device would be aimed squarely at the Apple iPad mini. We've seen the benchmark numbers for the GT-N5100 and the GT-N5110 and we believe that it could be the tablet in question. The achilles heel of the Apple iPad mini has been its screen resolution so Samsung is whacking away right at it with resolution of 1280 x 800 on the 8 inch slate, according to the benchmark tests. That is the same resolution Sammy put on the Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1, but on an 8 inch screen. Additionally, the tablet could be powered with a quad-core 1.6GHz Exynos 4412 processor. 2GB of RAM will be on board and there will be both a 16GB model and one packing 32GB. You can always expand the storage using the 32GB capacity microSD slot. Back and front camera weigh in at 5MP and 1.3MP respectively, and a 4600mAh battery keeps the fan blades turning. Android 4.2 would be installed right out of the box.

The initial specs show Wi-Fi and HSPA+ (21Mbps) connectivity and no word about LTE. We apparently will know more about this model since Mr. Shin says that the tablet  will be included with the rest of the luggage coming to Barcelona in February.

source: INews24 (translated) via Engadget

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Best Android, iPhone and iPad apps of 2012: best shooters and combat games

2012 was a great year for apps. Apple’s App Store accumulated more than 775,000 apps and Android’s Google Play was on par with similar numbers, but in that deep forest of applications, it’s sometimes hard to find your way.

That’s why we are hand-picking the best software of the year, the best games and the best apps. After bringing you the best Android and iOS puzzle games, we continue with something a bit more lively, something for the adrenaline-seeking, the aggressive kind - ladies and gents, the best shooters and combat games of the year.

If last year we were still not convinced we’ve reached console quality on our mobile devices, this year it’s clear that devices have finally grown to a level of maturity that allows for no-compromise graphics and gameplay. We’ve seen some amazing titles hit both Android and iOS, and we’ve made sure to only pick the best right below. Stretch those hands as you’d need the best of your reactions here.

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Ritmix RMP-600 dual-SIM Android Jelly Bean smartphone

Ritmix is decided to entering a smartphone/tablet hybrid device market in Russia with the Ritmix RMP-600. New gadget is support for dual SIM card slots and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system.

The Ritmix RMP-600 phablet sports a 1GHz MTK6577 dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card (up to 32GB). It has a 6-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels and 5-point multitouch.

RMP-600 smartphone is equipped with Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, GPS, FM radio, orientation sensor and two cameras (0.3MP front- and 5MP rear-facing). Furthermore, there is a USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 3000 mAh battery. Weighing 275 grams, its dimensions are 165 x 89 x 11 mm.

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Motorola X to launch July 8th for $299?

The eagerly awaited Motorola X has been rumored to appear at Google I/O and the latest speculation continues to have the handset getting introduced during Google's developer conference in May. The phone would then launch on July 8th via Verizon for $299 on contract. Similar to the way that the Google Play Store offers the Google Nexus 4 for an off-contract price, the Motorola X will be available from Google. The phone will come with a locked bootloader via Big Red, although you can get it unlocked at a price of $15 a month. If you buy the phone from the Google Play Store, the bootloader will come unlocked. The Motorola X is not a Nexus handset which means that it will contain some bloatware that can be removed once the phone is unlocked, and it is still expected to be available from multiple carriers. Pricing for the Motorola X from other carriers is unknown although we would expect it to be not far from Verizon's price. This is the first Motorola handset to feature input from Google since the latter acquired the OEM in 2011. The device is supposed to offer a 5 inch edge-to-edge screen, like the Motorola DROID RAZR M, and have Android 5.0, Key Lime Pie, pre-installed out of the box.

Keep in mind that this is still speculation, coming from someone who apparently has leaked some Motorola news before. Still, May can't get here fast enough.

source: DroidLife

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Google Nexus 10 all sold out in Google Play Store

The Google Nexus 10 was back in stock at the Google Play Store on January 2nd. 19 days later, both the 16GB and 32GB variants of the tablet are once again sold out. Both versions of the tablet, which is produced by Samsung, offer Wi-Fi connectivity only. When in stock, the price is $399 for the 16GB model and $499 for 32GB.

The tablet sold out amid rumors that a new version of the Google Nexus 10 will be displayed at MWC next month in Barcelona. The GPU is expected to be updated to a 8-core T628 GPU. Those who have played with the new version of the tablet say that performance is like "night and day". Currently, the tablet features a dual-core 1.7GHz Cortex A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 chip, and a quad-core Mali-T604 GPU.

Will Google look to replenish inventory of the Google Nexus 10 or will it wait for a sequel version of the tablet to be launched? That is the big question for those interested in purchasing the slate.

source: GooglePlayStore (1), (2)

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Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad to appear at Macworld/iWorld

Ashton Kutcher, who bares an uncanny resemblance to the late Steve Jobs in the latest press stills for the biopic jOBS, will tell attendees at next week's Macworld/iWorld conference how it feels to play Steve Jobs for the flick. Joining him on stage will be his co-star, Josh Gad. The actor, whose wild energy lit up Broadway in "Book of Mormon," seems the perfect choice to portray "The Woz". The movie will be screened at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of this month. The film deals with the life of Steve Jobs from 1971 through 2000, which means there are no Apple iPhone or Apple iPad models in sight. What will be included is the friendship woth Wozniak, the founding of Apple, the initial success of the company and the hiring of John Scully. From there, Jobs is axed in a boardroom coup, starts NeXt Computer, works on Pixar, and ends up back at Apple when the company purchases NeXt.

Kutcher and Gad will take part in a session called "Playing Steve & Woz," which will take place on the main stage, room 2005 on Thursday, January 31 at 9:00 AM local time. The movie should be at a theater near you in April, and if iOS 6.1 is out by then, Siri will be able to buy the tickets for you!

source: Macworld/iWorld via Engadget

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BlackBerry 10 gets 19,071 new app submissions in last two days; stock soars 11% in Canada

Things are really beginning to fall into place for RIM. One area where BlackBerry appeared weak was with the number of available apps in BlackBerry App World. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has stated that the size of an App Store doesn't matter and that RIM plans to carry the top 200 to 400 apps in each country and region. It is estimated that 70,000 apps will be available by the time the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry X10 are launched. In an effort to add more apps,  RIM held three Port-a-Thons where Android developers could receive $100 for each of their apps they submit to BlackBerry 10. In addition, RIM handed out its BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha all-touchscreen phone to developers and plans on launching one for its BlackBerry X10 model with a physical QWERTY on board, sometime after January 30th. The first time in mid December, 4,000 apps were submitted. In the middle of this month, 15,000 more were sent in over a 37 hour period. That was followed by the last Port-a-Thon which just ended with 19,071 apps sent to RIM in just 36 hours, according to a tweet sent out by RIM. That works out to 529 apps per hour or $52,900 from RIM's coffers.

Meanwhile, while the U.S. markets were closed on Monday to observe the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Canadian markets were open and the continued good news about RIM topped by the video we showed you comparing the BlackBerry Z10 quite favorably with the Apple iPhone, got investors in a buying mood. Last week, we showed you the Island Reversal on RIM's stock chart which is a bullish pattern. On Monday, the shares soared nearly 11% to close at $17.41 CD, up $1.70 CD. Of course, RIM has a long way to go to reach its all time high which was above $140 USD in 2008.

source: RIM via Pocketlint

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Asus ME301T MeMO Pad 10 tablet gets an unboxing video, more specs leak

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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ZooGue iPhone Social Case Pro hands-on

Not everyone is all about unloading a fortune for some kind of fancy and stylish case for the iPhone, and instead, they merely want something else that’ll cost them as little as possible – while still offering some sort of protection. Well, if you’re looking for just that, then the ZooGue Social Case Pro for the iPhone just might be what you’re looking for.

When it comes down to it, the ZooGue Social Case Pro (for the iPhone 4/4S/5) is an inexpensively priced tough case that’ll give some level of protection, but not to the point it’ll save it from severe drops. Just looking at them, they’re not brandishing any sort of style that would catch the eyes of bystanders. However, we do like how the thermoplastic polyurethane case manages to protect the smartphone from minor scratches and smudges – and maintains a very clean appearance. Furthermore, the thickness of the ZooGue Social Case Pro guards it from minor impacts too.

With its ridged sides, we like how it’s easily gripped in the hand and how it offers a very natural feel, which is aided by its rubbery like finish. And of course, there’s plenty of variety seeing that the case is available in 10 different colors. However, as we’ve clearly pointed out, there’s nothing too flashy with the looks of the ZooGue Social Case Pro. Rather, it’s the protection and $9.99 cost of the case that might attract some people to it.

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Cygnett Enigma Flexible-folding iPad mini Case hands-on

Cases are just there to protect and hopefully sprinkle some style to our devices, right? At their core, they do just that obviously, but there are some that pack in more functionality to reduce the need for consumers to spend money on other additional accessories. Well, if you’re looking for something like that for the iPad mini, then you ought to check out Cygenett’s Enigma Case for the iPad mini.

First of all, the Enigma is a convenient and clever folding case that protects and props up the tablet in an assortment of configurations. Donning a snap-on design that snuggly accommodates the tablet, it’s nice that the entire thing has a soft touch matte finish, which essentially enables it to maintain a mostly clean appearance that does a decent job of repelling smudges and debris. Even better, the inner portion of the front cover is lined with microfiber to clean and protect the iPad mini’s display

Rather than buying one of those smart covers from Apple for the iPad mini, the Cygnett Enigma Case has something similar integrated with it. Again, it’s the front cover that can be rolled up to allow users to prop it up in both landscape and portrait. On top of that, you can also folks it into a triangular pattern for even more configurations – though, the magnets in the case don’t seem to be as strong as we’d like, since the connection is rather weak and easily broken apart.

Regardless, the $39.99 price for the case might be justifiable enough for people considering that it doubles as both a protective case and stand. However, it’s worth mentioning that it’s not a smart cover, seeing that the iPad mini doesn’t turn on/off when the lid is opened/closed.

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Night Whisper Lane Scenario 2: Boss Rush Mode is Out Now

Toronto, Canada – Today EPX Games announces that Night Whisper Lane’s Scenario 2: Boss Rush Mode is out on iOS, Android and Amazon Kindle. Night Whisper Lane 2.0 is a brand new survival horror game that many gamers refer to as “Resident Evil Meets Final Fantas.” Boss Rush Mode is a sequence of consecutive boss battles as an extra challenge to players. After each of the rounds the player will be awarded extra health and weapons as they prepare for the battles ahead. Weapons are limited in this mode so players must choose wisely.

About The Game:
Experience the game they’re calling “Point, Click & Die” – Now even more terrifying!

‘”Night Whisper Lane has a great premise, a nicely spooky atmosphere, and some solid-if-too-basic gameplay. I hope with the release of subsequent scenarios EPX will hone their craft. I am totally willing to point, click, and die some more.”‘ – JTM Games

“Night Whisper Lane is worth a purchase, it’s creepy, fun, and will keep you occupied for a while” – Bleeding Dead Film Reviews 3.5/5

Hard to solve, “Have you wondered how it would be, if some invisible force would push you into a big house full of mysteries and great dangers?” – apposky online – 6.8/10

“I’m an avid player of horror games like resident evil and silent hill, and I am really enjoying night whisper lane! What I like about it are its simple tap controls and turn based boss stages, it’s quite unique!” – cindygirl0812

“If you’re looking for a fun, scary mystery game look no further” – bertybottom

See how long you can survive before One of the many deadly traps get you, “whatever you touch might be a trap” Can you escape the horrors of Night Whisper Lane and live to see another day.

Night Whisper Lane is the 1st authentic Survival Horror gaming experience specifically designed for iOS that merges classic “Point and Click” gameplay with a “Turn-Based Battle System” to help you fend off whatever evil awaits you in this seemingly endless labyrinth.

You find yourself in presence of an old ominous house without the faintest idea of how you got there, yet you feel drawn to it and are compelled to enter. Immediately you look down to your arm and see….Goosebumps. As you reach to find the door you entered blocked, the shivers spread to every toe and finger tip.

You will need to trust your instincts, wit and memory to uncover the mystery behind the house and its connection to a mystifying femme fatal. Will you survive long enough to escape from the terror on Night Whisper Lane?

Warning/Danger:
There are many hidden traps and deadly encounters on your journey that can and will kill your character! Be mindful of what you interact with as you look for items to solve puzzles and unlock doors & passages.

Weapons & ammunition are scarce so keep an eye out for them and manage them wisely because fighting empty handed is certain death. Make sure to restore your character’s health by using Bandages and First-Aid kits especially if you have a sneaky suspicion a trap or encounter is lurking around. This concludes the Survival Guide.

Features:
* Original Survival Horror Gaming Experience specifically made for iOS
* Multiple Game Endings
* “Point and Click” gameplay featuring an engaging “Turn-Based Battle System”
* Authentic Survival Horror Story, even down to the camp
* Startling 3D rendered rooms and areas with a hint of surreal
* Gruesome booby-traps are hidden, some more deadly than others
* Challenging Enemy/Boss Battles
* Variety of items, weapons, health packs and other secrets to uncover
* Eerie soundtrack
* Auto Game save feature works in the background
* Animated Boss Battles (Added in Version 1.0.1)
* Help / How To Play section in Main Menu (Added in Version 1.02)
* Restore Save File from death from Booby-Trap (Added in Version 1.0.2)
* In Game Map (Added in Version 1.0.2)
* iPad Retina Full support (Added in Version 1.0.4)

Become a fan! Come join us on Facebook and Twitter! For more information on Night Whisper Lane visit EPX Games online.

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
* Requires iOS 4.3 or later
* Universal app optimized for display on all iOS devices
* 153 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Night Whisper Lane 2.0 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide through the App Store in the Games category. It is also available on Amazon and Google Play.

EPX Games
Night Whisper Lane 2.0
Purchase and Download
Download from Amazon
Download from Google Play
YouTube Video

EPX Games is an independent studio based in Toronto, Ontario. Our love for games and the development of them has led to our first major release: Night Whisper Lane for the iOS platform. We believe that innovation; dedication, originality and enjoyment are at the heart of amazing games. We will continue developing more titles that follow the same principles. We specialize in the development of games that are easy to play, easy to learn, and most importantly fun! We hope to captivate gamers of all ages from various backgrounds to enjoy the games we have to offer! Copyright (C) 2013 EPX Games. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Best ways to treat and discard smartphone batteries

Every smartphone has a battery, and every battery will eventually die. Before that happens, you should learn how to store and discard smartphone batteries so you can keep yourself and the environment safe. Whether you're trying to save money by prolonging your battery's life or you want to save the planet by keeping nasty chemicals out of the ground, you have to know the smart ways to store and discard your smartphone batteries. Here are a few useful tips!
DJ Miller is a gadget geek with a passion for writing. He focuses on technology content from prepaid cell phones all the way to video games or applications. He loves to play soccer, hang out with his friends, and watch movies in his spare time.

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Sergey Brin caught on the NYC subway wearing Google Glass

it doesnt have to be necessarily humility, he can just be a private person. he doesnt like attention cause then your publicly humiliated and talked about and literally your respect and dignity is shattered over night.

a great example would be hollywood celebrities.

and im very sure alot of fandroids will thumbs it up. but let me remind you something steve jobs clothes while introducing any of his devices, ipod,iphone,ipad you can see walmart written all over it.

doesnt necessarily mean he was humble.

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Samsung's Director of Marketing, System LSI, talks Exynos 5 Octa

We're seeing tons of innovation in the mobile CPU space lately, and this shouldn't really surprise anyone. These little chips are at the core of the amazing experience that our smartphones present us with. That's why we welcomed the opportunity to have a chat with Samsung's Director of Marketing, System LSI (part of Samsung Semiconductor), Akshay Agarwal - a person who's pretty well informed about Samsung's doings and intentions as far as silicon goes.

As you might expect, the recently announced Exynos 5 Octa processor quickly became the main topic of our conversation. Being quite passionate about mobile processors, we wanted to know as much as Akshay could share with us, though Samsung obviously isn't ready to disclose too much information about its latest chip yet. Anyway, we took the usual leap of faith by asking about any scheduled availability dates for the first devices to take advantage of the Exynos 5 Octa, and we weren't exactly shocked to hear the words "We're still working on the time frame." from Mr. Agarwal. However, just between you and us, it seems relatively safe to expect the Exynos 5 Octa to arrive around mid-year as part of the Galaxy S IV. If there's a suitable phone to mark the debut of the new chip, that must be it.

A stand-out feature of the Exynos 5 Octa is the ARM big.LITTLE architecture that it uses. What this means is that while the Exynos 5 Octa is indeed an octa-core processor, four of its cores should actually be considered "companion" cores. The four "little" cores are used in typical low-power tasks in order to save on battery life. In a similar manner, the Nvidia Tegra 4 also has a companion core (although just one), which makes it a penta-core CPU. Of course, we should always keep in mind that the higher number of cores doesn't always mean higher performance (just like megapixels don't always mean better image quality). By doing that Samsung hopes to both maximize performance and minimize power usage.

The four cores that will handle the resource-demanding tasks will be powered by ARM's Cortex-A15 architecture, while the four power-efficient ones will be Cortex-A7s.

Although this is technically an octa-core CPU, many could argue that this may be a bit misleading for consumers, since these are not eight equally powerful cores. And again, Nvidia hasn't branded its Tegra 3 and 4 as "penta-core" CPUs, so it has chosen a different route by not counting the companion core. However, Samsung's Agarwal argues that "going with the notion of quad would not really differentiate it [the Exynos 5 Octa] much, because there are so many quad-core processors out on the market." He then goes on to explain that the end user doesn't understand or care about the exact type of CPU used, like A9 or A15. It's not reasonable to think that everyone will have enough technical knowledge to make the difference between these technologies, so Samsung felt that it should simply go with the "Octa" term as a way of signaling the excessive power of the chipset.

You may not be aware of it, but Samsung is actually open to licensing its Exynos CPU to other device makers. The reason you may not be aware of it is that Samsung hasn't been very successful at this, at least from our standpoint. When we asked Agarwal about Samsung's position with regards to licensing the Exynos 5 Octa, he was quick to point out the customers of the current Exynos line-up, which include Lenovo and some smaller Asian companies like Meizu and Quanta, and ensured us that Samsung is devoted to broadening the range of customers of its chipset division. At this time, though, that range seems to be quite limited when compared to the penetration of its rivals in this space, Qualcomm and Nvidia. On the other hand, the South Korean giant probably doesn't have too much to worry about, seeing that it has access to a wonderful market for its processors through Samsung Mobile.

It's actually a bit surprising to hear that Samsung Mobile acts like a typical customer to Samsung's other divisions, and yet it seems it does just that.

One would think that being part of the Samsung family, the company's mobile division would be treated in a special way. Still, Agarwal wants us to know that it's a customer like any other. Following the recent break-up between Apple and Samsung, the biggest phone maker in the world doesn't admit any tension inside its chip-making division, as it continues to rely on a "broad set of customers", including the growing business of Samsung Mobile.

Even though the Exynos 5 Octa SoC will probably end up in Samsung devices only (OK, and some Asian ones too), it's safe to say that it'll be about as good as what the other manufacturers have announced in the form of the Tegra 4 and Snapdragon 800. Thankfully, we won't have to wait for too long before we can see exactly what possibilities these next-gen CPUs will enable. As we said in the beginning, it wouldn't surprise us to see the commercial debut of the Exynos 5 Octa in a few months as part of the Galaxy S IV. And, we also have no doubts that Samsung will once again update its TouchWiz UI, so that it can take advantage of the chip's power.

What new features do you guys think we'll be able to enjoy later this year, when the next-gen SoCs like the Exynos 5 Octa hit the market? How are you going to use all of this horsepower?

Hit the play button below to watch the unveiling of the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa!

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Scosche Rhythm Bluetooth Armband Pulse Monitor hands-on

Considering that New Year’s resolutions are still fresh on the minds of people, it’s natural that many out there have pledged to get into shape. Despite the rush of excitement and motivation at the start, some people begin to fall off the wagon with their resolution as the days and weeks go on by. Thankfully though, the Scosche Rhythm Bluetooth Armband Pulse Monitor is there to hopefully keep you on track with your goals.

Although it doesn’t necessarily track your heart rate, but your pulse rate instead through the use of an arm-strap monitor, it’s a bit easier to use on a daily basis than some of the Bluetooth heart rate monitors out there that are strapped around your chest. With its water resistant properties and soft feeling Velcro material, it feels rather comfy around the forearm – though, it tightens a bit if you flex your arm. On the front of the Scosche Rhythm Bluetooth Armband Pulse Monitor, there are three buttons that turns on the device, lowers the volume of your music player, and another that increases it. As much as we appreciate them, it would’ve been nice to see dedicated playback controls too.

Overall, the unit itself is practical to use and it’s more ideal to use with intensive workouts than chest strapped monitors. However we’re not too fond of the Scosche myTREK app that’s specifically designed to work in conjunction with it. Sure, it’ll try and “motivate” you with its robotic toned voice, which is far from motivating, but the lack of a custom layout is sorely missed. Specifically, it’s just bothersome that we have to squint to see how many calories we’ve burned and the amount of miles we’ve completed on our smartphone – whereas the active pulse rate is more than visible. Also, we notice that the Scosche Rhythm Bluetooth Armband Pulse Monitor can be a bit wonky with its tracking, since it takes a bit of time to register our pulse rate at startup. Worst yet, we’ve experienced it totally giving us wrong/inaccurate pulse rate information in the middle of a workout.

Aside from the random issues we have with it not registering the proper pulse rate, it’s still nice that we’re given detailed information and charts regarding our workout – albeit, it’s not as extensive as others. All in all, some will appreciate the that it’s not as constricting in feel versus chest-strapped monitors, but then again, it’s priced a tiny bit higher at $99.99 – whereas basic chest strapped heart rate monitors start as low as $40. Still, it’s rechargeable, which helps in knowing you won’t have to replace batteries.

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Mr. Cond 2 for iPhone Adds More Fun to Mobile Gaming

Las Vegas, Nevada – On the heels of the huge success of the original Mr. Cond app, 7bit LLC is thrilled to announce that the recently released Mr. Cond 2 v.1.3.1 for iPhone and iPod touch – available now at the App Store (Games) for $0.99 – delivers more excitement, features, and fun than the first version of Mr. Cond, which received over three millions downloads from the App Store. Mr. Cond 2 – unique in that it works to promote safe sex, in the form of a fun and challenging game – features wholly refreshed graphics, catchy new music, and improved gameplay; making it one of the most refreshing and unique apps available for those ages 17-and-up.

Mr. Cond 2 was developed by Las Vegas-based 7bit LLC to introduce a mobile application that could – while first and foremost delivering an engaging and challenging gameplay experience – also work to promote proper condom utility, by visually demonstrating the potential dangers of unprotected sex. To that end, Mr. Cond 2 – developed with social networks support and integration, and now outfitted with simpler controls – features a host of remarkable, animated condoms (the good guys), bacteria (the bad guys), and backgrounds all captured in amazing 960*640 resolution. The result is a game that is fun and fresh, while still serving a purpose.

“Our intent with the original Mr. Cond was to make a fun and accessible app that could double as a vehicle for affecting a positive change – and, considering that the first version was downloaded over three million times, we feel like we certainly accomplished our mission of spreading awareness regarding the importance of safe sex,” said Nikolay Golyash, the president of 7bit LLC. “With Mr. Cond 2 we’ve worked really hard to retain that same unique Mr. Cond feel, while making significant upgrades in terms of graphic art and imagery, gameplay function, and the audial experience. We also thought it would be dynamic to include social network integration – in this way users can now band together to promote the game; and, thus, the importance of safe sex.”

Golyash noted that, aside from improved graphic detail, there are several new upgrades to Mr. Cond 2. Other new features have been included into the new version of Mr. Cond, such as the addition of multiple gameplay levels and all-new functions – such as a Game Center and a leaderboard – in which users can more easily and conveniently interact, interface, and promote their high scores.

Feature Highlights:
* Enhanced graphics
* Colorful animated backgrounds, characters
* Stunning 960*640 resolution
* Improved controls function
* Multi-level gameplay
* Social networks support and integration (Facebook/Twitter)
* Game Center/leaderboard feature

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
* Requires iOS 4.0 or later
* 88.8 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Mr. Cond 2 v.1.3.1 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.

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Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, 7bit LLC is dedicated to designing, developing, and publishing innovative mobile applications for iOS. The creator of such popular mobile applications as Precious Touch 2 and Mr. Cond, 7bit LLC seeks to introduce entertaining, dynamic, and enlightening products into the marketplace. For more information, please visit 7bit LLC online. Copyright (C) 2013 7bit LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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How Google Glass will change mobile, and how it could fail

How often do we hear jokes about how no one experiences life as it happens these days? People miss out on life because we’re all too busy filtering real-time experiences through the screen of a smartphone or tablet. Google may not have figured out the use case of Google Glass, but after seeing Sergey Brin on the subway, and digging through old Glass stories, it struck us as quite simple: rather than filtering real-life through a screen, the screen mimics our eye and sees what we see, without our attention.

This is the beauty of invention. The company freely admits that it doesn’t quite know how to market the product; the tech elite don’t quite know either; and, common people are a bit unnerved by the technology. But, the geeks are excited, because we can simply feel the potential, and the disruptive force that comes with something new.

The true POV camera

Really, it’s the strength that Microsoft has always claimed with Windows Phone, that it would get you “in and out and back to life”. But, with Google Glass, there theoretically is no more “in and out”. Taken to its logical conclusion, Google Glass (and all subsequent systems like it) would aim to take our digital world and make it part of a HUD for real life. So, rather than having to take time to look at your phone (maybe stop walking, certainly while not driving,) and be completely distracted from whatever you are doing.

Take a look back at all of the video we’ve seen from Google Glass. For the most part, the pictures may not seem to be anything special at first glance, but the longer you look, the more you see. The camera can capture something much more intimate than anything we’ve seen before. Handheld photography can only get so close, and all “POV” videography feels clunky and off, because there is only so much a handheld camera can mimic the movement of our head. Even a camera strapped to your forehead isn’t quite right, because the perspective is slightly off compared to what we would really see. 

But, then you see the video that Sergey Brin and the Glass team took while skydiving, and even though the camera is a bit jerky, it still feels somehow natural. Only the best camera operator can approximate what we would see when moving our heads side to side, but Google Glass seems to be able to simply because the Glass camera has no choice but to follow our heads, and capture the same perspective that we see with our eyes. 
The key to success

The photography and videography that we see coming from Google Glass users will be the killer feature, but the make-or-break function for commercial success (assuming the cost comes down fast) will be the UI. We still haven’t seen what the UI will be, or how to interact with the Glass, aside from voice commands.

Google has been learning the keys of design faster than most companies around, especially since hiring Andy Hertzfeld and Matias Duarte, but the UI design for Google Glass is an entirely new undertaking. This isn’t as simple as giving all Google web products a unified design, or making Android prettier and smoother. With Google Glass, the design team has to straddle the line between giving enough information without being too distracting.

We assume that the key to this will be Android’s Talkback feature, which has been designed to aid users with visual impairments. The key would be to mix the best of Talkback, while removing the bits that can drive someone without visual troubles mad (like the explore-by-touch, which reads out everything on screen to aid with navigation). So, we’d expect to see e-mails and messages read, but not displayed, and directions given turn-by-turn, but no map without user prompt (and definitely no map if the user is driving).

Conclusion

If the price is right, and even if nothing else is all that good with Google Glass (which is hard to imagine, given Google’s track record), photography is going to be seeing another revolution when this product finally hits. It’s hard to imagine Google completely screwing up the Glass UI, but the real key to Google saying that it’s not sure how people will use the product is because that lack of knowledge could mean too many items get transferred from phone to Glass.

The Google Glass UI needs to be minimalist and as distraction-free as possible, but still provide enough information to remove the need to look at a smartphone screen. That’s a pretty tall order, but not an impossible one, and it could make all the difference. We should see more soon enough, as the developer units are expected to start going out during events in NYC and San Francisco next week.

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Comic Pie is a Comic Strip with Special Effects

Novosibirsk, Russian Federation – Independent developer, Evgeny Bakal announces Comic Pie 1.11 for iPad. The authors of the Comic strip genre generally make their applications using the slide show idea, but up-to-date technologies give much more possibilities in creative work and Comic Pie proves it.

Comic Pie represents simplicity. Comics are stuffing and the shell is an interactive scene. The application consists of 25 pages, but that’s not all. You are to find 5 more secret comics and in order to do that you may look for a hint on the last page.

Comic Pie is a 25 interactive comic strip. The themes of the comics are diverse and because of that the pie will never seemed insipid for you. When you use this application you will see a new side of the genre.

If you are looking for a new entertainment, you will like this application.

This is the first application in a new genre. If you like the comic strip, you should try the Comic Pie.

Compared with other applications, this is the first product to focus on new technologies in the world of entertainment. Comic strip is simple and fun. Cartoon cake adds to the genre basis. Earlier Comic strip was part of the entertainment page. Now it can be an independent genre.

Device Requirements:
* Requires iPad with iOS 4.3 or later
* 63.4 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Comic Pie 1.11 is $2.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Books category. A free Lite version is also available.

Evgeny Bakal
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Independent developer, Evgeny Bakal works in Russia and Thailand to develop creative applications. Copyright (C) 2013 Evgeny Bakal. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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New sleep cycle alarm clock: Very easy to use – Requires no sensors

Hannover, Germany – Stress begins in the Morning. Do not use conventional alarm clocks. It harms your health. A new study (National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark) shows that even the wake-up call of a conventional alarm clock puts our body under unhealthy stress. The concentration of the stress hormone “Cortisol” is more than double compared to when you wake up by yourself. So, you should use a sleep cycle alarm clock. Use the best one.

The new “Stress Free Alarm Clock – App” for Android ($ 0.99) and iOs ($ 0.89) wakes you at a moment when you’re already almost awake. It does not need any sensors, no motion sensors, no acoustic sensors like other sleep cycle alarm clocks. It wakes you definitely in your light sleep phase. Then your brain is already active and in a state similar to when you wake up by yourself. New study results: The concentration of the stress hormone Cortisol was tested under various waking conditions: waking both on workdays and on a free day with a conventional alarm clock and waking spontaneously.

The results showed that the Cortisol levels in the first 30 minutes after waking with a conventional alarm clock had risen by an average of 100% – regardless of whether it was a workday or a free day. When the probands woke spontaneously, however, the concentration of Cortisol rose only 39%. This means, conventional alarm clocks induce allmost three times more unhealthy stress in the morning. To provide good and healthy sleep, keep stress and cortisol levels healthy and under control.

A clinical neuroscientist developed and patented the innovative adaptive Stress Free Alarm Clock – App” for Android ($ 0.99) and iOS ($ 0.89). Compared to conventional alarm clocks, the new “Stress Free Alarm Clock – App” gives an individual wake up, which adapts itself to the users’ particular needs within a few nights. This patented alarm clock leads to a gentle and stress free wake up. Sudden, abrupt waking in the morning as with loud, conventional alarm clocks and the associated release of stress hormones from the adrenal gland will be avoided by using this novel and intelligent self adapting, personal sleep cycle alarm clock.

Health benefits are weight loss, stress reduction, increase of skeletal muscle mass, pain reduction, enhanced male virility, enhanced erectile function, improvement of cognitive performance, improvement of fatigue, chronic fatigue and better general health and physical fitness.”Stress Free Alarm Clock – App” is very easy to use. In order to be woken up smoothly, sleepers will be guided from the deep sleep phase or dream phase into the light sleep phase by gentle sounds.

Unlike the hitherto existing sleep cycle alarm clocks “Stress Free Alarm Clock – App” does not require any additional implement such as wristband motion sensors, sound sensors or movement sensors. Users simply set their desired wake up time. After waking up, they merely slide a finger across the screen to stop the alarm. Everything else is taken care of by the patented and intelligent system.

Device Requirements for iOs:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 3.1.3 or later
* 0.6 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Stress Free Alarm Clock 1.1 is $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Health & Fitness category. It is also available for Android.

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Stuerenburg (Hannover, Germany) is an agile Neuroscience team specialized on the implementation of intelligent and easy to use Android and iPhone applications. All Rights Reserved. Android, Google, Google Play, Google logo, Google play logo, Apple, Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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