Hasta La Gadget!

Opera has some guts going up against the likes of Samsung in the emerging realm of Smart TV apps. Then again, its new storefront brings something different to the table: namely a dashboard that strictly adheres to HTML5 and other web standards so that apps can work across any platform. Content providers like Vimeo and DriveCast have already signed up and TV manufacturers shouldn’t be far behind — not least because the underlying browser engine is claimed to run smoothly even on crappier cheaper processors. Opera has even released an emulator to make life easy for smaller app developers who, for one reason or another, can’t afford a whole testbed of TVs. Opera still has a way to go, but pleasing everyone all the time is surely a smart strategy for any underdog. PR after the break.

Continue reading Opera promises cross-platform apps for Smart TVs, gives us little to complain about

Opera promises cross-platform apps for Smart TVs, gives us little to complain about originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone 7.5 will be wearing more Mac-friendly pajamas when it comes. Microsoft’s Connector app just got updated to Version 2.0 and it enables both Marketplace support and ringtone transfers for Mango-equipped handsets. It also packs some other improvements which already work with WP 7.0, including drag-and-drop file importing from the Browse Device window, better backup and restore operations, and full sync and import support for Apple Aperture software. Connector 2.0 is ready and waiting at the App Store and Mango should poke its head around the mountain any day.

Windows Phone 7 Mango will play nicer with Macs, update your Connector app now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A preview of Windows 8 from a public demonstartion. (Photo courtesy Ars Technica)

A blog post on MSDN by Steven Sinofsky, President of Microsoft’s Windows Division, confirms there will be a Windows 8 app store.

In the post, Sinofsky lists the teams that are working on Windows 8, and right towards the top of the alphabetical list is “App Store.”

Based on a legitimate-looking roadmap that was leaked last summer, we suspected Microsoft would eventually launch its own Windows 8 app store. One of the slides in the roadmap pointed to competitor Apple’s success for providing a “high quality, uncomplicated” product, while another outlined plans to replicate the company’s successful app store model. Apple opened the doors of its own Mac App Store in January.

“When we started building Windows 8 we had a clear sense of the direction we were heading and so we built a team structure to support that direction,” Sinofsky says in the post. He also goes into detail about how the teams divide responsibility, are made up of different roles, and how they go through the engineering process to deliver their product.

After more than a week’s worth of rumors and speculation, Apple has finally released its OS X Lion USB thumb drive, available now at its online store. This little stick offers a physical media alternative to Cupertino’s otherwise App Store-centric distribution model, providing access to OS X Lion for $69. One caveat, however, is that users who download the software via thumb drive won’t be able to re-install it using the recently released Lion Recovery Disk Assistant, but will have to rely upon the USB stick, instead. The other caveat, of course, is price, as just $29 will get you the exact same OS, via the App Store. To grab one for yourself, hit up the source link, below.

Apple’s OS X Lion USB sticks now available online, for $69 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With a variety of portable power accessories, most Scosche products are designed to keep gadgets up and running, not to get our own blood flowing. The company’s new Bluetooth myTrek pulse monitor pairs with an iPhone or iPod touch to motivate you to keep going and going, however, pumping “inspiring” audio alerts through your headphones during a workout, while also tracking pulse, distance, speed, pace, and calories burned. The arm-strap uses a pair of LEDs, along with a photo sensor and accelerometer to capture vitals as it rests strapped to your forearm, providing five hours of continuous feedback before needing its own boost using the included USB cable. You’ll need to have your iOS device within 33 feet of the device to record your workout, so the myTrek may be better suited for trips to the gym than, say, a run through the park in the rain. It’s also rather pricey, at $130, but if you’re already dropping a grand or two for your gym membership each year, a gadget that lets you elegantly track your progress may be within reach.

Continue reading Scosche myTrek sends workout vitals to your iPhone, starts shipping now for $130 (video)

Scosche myTrek sends workout vitals to your iPhone, starts shipping now for $130 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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