Hasta La Gadget!

Like a giant warlock guarding the gates of the interwebs, financial barriers all too often block our young people from accessing the plethora of awesomeness found in front of those iconic triple-Ws-and-a-dot. In a bid to spread the love more evenly, the FCC and Comcast’s promised Internet Essentials platform is going live — giving low-income families $9.99 / month web access and “discounted” (read: $149.99) computers. The platform that we first heard about in August will also include a Norton Security Suite and computer training for youngsters and their parents alike. The cable provider is accepting participants until 2014, honoring the contract dependent on the child’s status and family income. Like other heavy hitters involved in similar initiatives, the goal is to bridge the education gap and to provide a more level playing field for kids. To get more details on the program, direct your attention to the source link.

Continue reading Comcast and FCC partner to give low-income families access to internet, Nyan Cats

Comcast and FCC partner to give low-income families access to internet, Nyan Cats originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, iTwin’s USB filesharing drive has had Mac OS X (Lion and Snow Leopard) support in beta for some time now, but things just got official. If you’ll recall, the iTwin’s a double-sided splittable USB plug that allows you to play James Bond and remotely access files over the web under AES encryption of the 256-bit variety. Whether you’re moving files between two Windows rigs, OS X devices or Mac to PC while globe-trotting, the iTwin promises to easily let you get your secure share on. As it stands, the iTwin remains priced at $99, and if you need a refresher on how it works, check out the video and PR just past the break.

Continue reading iTwin’s filesharing USB gets official OS X compatibility, still plays nice with Windows too

iTwin’s filesharing USB gets official OS X compatibility, still plays nice with Windows too originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The very latest software goodness from Google has arrived, with Chrome hitting its 14th iteration (celebration, anyone?). This one gives Mac OS X Lion users a little something extra, with access to overlay scrollbars within the browser. Chrome can also can also upsize itself now — accessible with a tap of the full-screen button or the more conventional Ctrl+Shift+F. The new web audio API gives developers the ability to add fancy sound effects and adjustments, whilst native client is an open-source addition; though this only supports apps in Chrome’s web store, it allows C and C++ code to be executed within the browser. Google adds that there’s been the usual bug clear-out, with the whole thing benefitting from a bit more polish — gotta keep up with those pesky web apps! If you’re already running Chrome, the automatic update should have kicked in, and new users can nab the download from the source below. If it’s good enough for Gaga…

[Thanks, Michael]

Stable release of Chrome 14 out now, brings a few upgrades for Lion users originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free? Yeah, we all like free, but when it comes to streaming music, there’s always a catch. This time it’s a FreePlay “tank,” which lets you stream any of MOG’s 11 million songs from the web without subscription fees — well, at least until that looming gauge hits empty. The system adds a rather unique social media twist, filling tanks to different levels based on virtual interactions. And MOG’s CEO says many users should never hit empty — there are a variety of ways to earn free music, such as “interacting with advertisers in meaningful ways.” Like Spotify, MOG’s ultimate goal is to convert freeloaders to paid subscribers, and forking over $5 (Basic) or $10 (Primo) per month does have its benefits, including hardware integration and mobile access — both of which won’t work with the free version. Now that we have several free streaming options, it ultimately comes down to availability — having access to 11 million tracks could be great, but only if you can play the songs you want to listen to. So, do you MOG? And no, we also have no idea what that means, but you can check it out when the site goes live tomorrow morning at 9AM ET.

Continue reading MOG FreePlay brings 11 million songs to the web gratis, makes you work for free tunes

MOG FreePlay brings 11 million songs to the web gratis, makes you work for free tunes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paying for your mobile internet data can be such a drag on the wallet. Luckily, there are Android apps like Smozzy that’ll get you away from the pricey tiers, and onto the information superhighway via text — no data plan required. You’ll have to be a member of the Magenta brigade to use it, and you’ll need an unlimited messaging plan, but after that, it should be smooth sailing and a little bit of extra wait time. So far, the well-reviewed app is still wearing its beta tag, and has only been tested on the Nexus S and T-Mobile G2. But don’t let a little wireless experimentation stop you from enjoying the loophole-exploiting internet access. Something tells us this workaround might not be available for long. Hit up the source link below to test drive the SMS’d net for yourself.

Smozzy dodges T-Mobile data plans, delivers mobile web over text originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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