Hasta La Gadget!

Motorola’s Droid X is real. Really, really giant. And it looks like video is going to be how Verizon pushes the 4.3-inch screen: VCAST, a Blockbuster download service, HDMI out and DLNA compatibility. Did I mention it’s gigantinormous? More »

You always knew that Google Maps had ’em — schedule a trip on public transit and the app would tell you exactly when the next few trains or buses would arrive (or, at least, were supposed to arrive). But, getting to the full schedules yourself was never possible. Now it is, with Google Maps getting an update to allow you to tap on bus or train stations and retrieve a listing of which lines will pass through and when, making it a little easier to identify a proper last call that won’t see you springing for an expensive taxi ride. Beyond that, Google has re-organized the information about restaurants and other businesses, and will also suggest friends who are sharing their whereabouts on Latitude. That last bit is helpful if their last call was a little later than yours and they’re now too inebriated to tell you where to find them.

Google Maps on Android updated, adds full public transit schedules originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading AIR for Android app turns Nexus One into slot car controller (video)

AIR for Android app turns Nexus One into slot car controller (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In an open letter three months ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs challenged Adobe to ship its Flash software on any mobile device and prove it worked well.

Adobe, now, has an answer. The company has released Flash Player 10.1 to its mobile partners and the technology should be in the hands of Android phone users with the upcoming Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ update to the operating system.

Flash Player 10.1 will be available as a “final production release” for smart phones and tablets, once users are able to upgrade to Android 2.2, says Adobe.

Among the devices that will get Froyo and Flash Player 10.1 are the Dell Streak, Google Nexus One, HTC Evo, HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, Motorola Droid, Motorola Milestone and Samsung Galaxy S. Google hasn’t said yet exactly when Android 2.2 will be available to users, though it is expected in the next few weeks.

Adobe says Flash Player 10.1 will also be available in devices using BlackBerry, webOS, future versions of Windows Phone, MeeGo and Symbian operating systems.

If major Android phones get Flash capability it will be a push back against Apple’s efforts to turn public opinion against Flash on mobile devices.

With the launch of the first iPhone in 2007, Apple declared war against mobile Flash. Apple is supporting HTML5 and its efforts have influenced the online video landscape significantly. Many major websites are starting to use HTML5, and video players such as Brightcove are serving up HTML5 videos for devices not compliant with Flash. Separately, Apple has worked with companies like YouTube to produce iPhone-compatible versions of their sites.

“We have routinely asked Adobe to show us Flash performing well on a mobile device, any mobile device, for a few years now. We have never seen it,” wrote Jobs in a note posted on the Apple website in April. “Adobe publicly said that Flash would ship on a smartphone in early 2009, then the second half of 2009, then the first half of 2010, and now they say the second half of 2010. We think it will eventually ship, but we’re glad we didn’t hold our breath. Who knows how it will perform?”

But many developers are not convinced. Adobe’s Flash standard is still widely used on the internet, for everything from animated banner ads and splash screens to infographics, educational content and games. Much of that content has been unavailable on mobile devices: The previous version of Adobe’s mobile Flash player, Flash Lite, supported only basic Flash content, such as video.

Gadget Lab’s first look at a Flash Player 10.1 beta showed that Flash on the mobile phone can be fun, unlocking sites that otherwise would be inaccessible. But it’s not a flawless experience. On a Nexus One, Flash content — especially video — took time to load, which was frustrating. And it sucks bandwidth.

Still, for Adobe, it’s a big step toward making Flash a contender in mobile multimedia.

See Also:

• Adobe Gives Up on Flash for iPhone, iPad
• Steve Jobs Claims Flash Will Kill the Mobile Web
• Adobe CEO, Ex-Adobe Engineers Weigh In on Jobs’ Flash Attack
• First Look: Flash Arrives on New Android OS

Photo: Flash Player 10.1 on a Nexus One phone (Keith Axline/Wired.com)

Perhaps you should have read this new paragraph in the software license before installing iOS 4. You know, the one that now says that Apple has the right to “collect, use, and share precise [your gadget’s] real-time geographic location”: More »