NTT DoCoMo shows off automatic email generator for mobiles (video)

Demonstrated at the Wireless Technology Park 2010 exhibition last week, this automatic email generator from NTT DoCoMo promises to take just three words’ worth of input, whether spoken or typed in, and convert them into a fully fleshed out, anatomically correct email. An anthropomorphic genie creature serves as your guide on this journey into gimmick world, although some rather nice sophistication is also on the cards. The carrier’s rep informs us that the composition of the missive will be dependent on the sort of person that you are and your relationship to the recipient. Thus, an email from a teenager to his parents will read quite differently to one from an employee to her boss, even if both believe they’re writing to their draconian overlords. Check it out on video after the break.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo shows off automatic email generator for mobiles (video)

NTT DoCoMo shows off automatic email generator for mobiles (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kindle for Android coming this summer

What was hinted at in those leaked Dell Streak flyers is now official: Kindle for Android. Unfortunately, it’s not quite ready to download. Amazon’s free Kindle ebook reader — already out for Mac, PC, BlackBerry, and iDevices — won’t launch until later this summer. When it does, users of Android 1.6 and above (with SD card) will have the ability to search, browse, and purchase (without exiting the app) any of the half million books in the Kindle Store. Like the other apps, Kindle for Android features Whispersync to keep your bookmarks, last page read, notes, and highlights synchronized across all your Kindle-enabled devices. Expect to see this demonstrated at Google I/O starting tomorrow.

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Kindle for Android coming this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wi-Fi Sync app rejected by Apple, headed to Cydia for $9.99

Can’t say we’re surprised to hear that Apple rejected Greg Hughes’ Wi-Fi Sync app. You know, the app that allows you to wirelessly sync your iPhone / iPod touch with iTunes without having to USB tether to your computer. Messing with Apple’s synchronization technology is a pretty big no-no as demonstrated by Palm’s webOS bluff. Here’s the rejection as explained by Greg from an unnamed Apple rep over the phone:

“While he agreed that the app doesn’t technically break the rules, he said that it does encroach upon the boundaries of what they can and cannot allow on their store. He also cited security concerns.”

So while you won’t find it in Apple’s App Store, it’s available now on Cydia for a cool $9.99. You have jailbroken your device haven’t you? Don’t make us get all MuscleNerd up in here.

Wi-Fi Sync app rejected by Apple, headed to Cydia for $9.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWi-Fi Sync  | Email this | Comments

Comcast Xfinity iPad remote app changes channels and invites friends to watch RHONY

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts just hit the stage at The Cable Show and displayed the company’s prototype iPad app, the Xfinity Remote. At least so far it doesn’t appear to let you stream television programs directly to Apple’s media consumption device, but it does let you turn it into a TV guide browser and remote for your set-top box that outpaces even its already released iPhone prog. They pulled in G4’s Kevin Pereira for the quick video demo (embedded after the break) highlighting not only the remote DVR scheduling but also a social feature that lets you invite friends to watch live TV with you — as long as they have Comcast, and the app, and an iPad. Of course, the innovation we’d like to see is a new UI for our cable boxes like the one shown on the iPad… or the one we saw a few years ago. So far the reaction to Facebook and Twitter chat on the screen via widgets has been mild at best, but social tie-ins to another screen could be just what our Real Housewives of New York viewing parties need.

Continue reading Comcast Xfinity iPad remote app changes channels and invites friends to watch RHONY

Comcast Xfinity iPad remote app changes channels and invites friends to watch RHONY originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceComcast Voices, YouTube  | Email this | Comments

General Motors partners with mystery organization to bolster OnStar technology

Thought the Chevy Volt’s OnStar apps were impressive? You may not have to buy a Volt to get them. General Motors says it would like to extend such infotainment beyond its flagship plug-in hybrid, and has partnered with a undisclosed tech firm to help make it happen. Speaking to CNN Money, OnStar president Chris Pruess teases that we could see some of Volt’s features — remote locking, charging and perhaps air conditioning options — on other OnStar automobiles, or even other ventures (the exec says they’re looking “beyond automotive”) the auto manufacturer might decide on. The big question, of course, is whether this mysterious partner might restrict smartphone functionality to a particular handset or carrier — after all, when we think of cell phone manufacturers who’ve both worked with GM and recently acquired automotive assets, one in particular comes to mind.

[Thanks, Jub]

General Motors partners with mystery organization to bolster OnStar technology originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Autoblog  |  sourceCNN Money  | Email this | Comments

Samsung releases Bada SDK for developers who want to ride the Wave

Samsung releases Bada SDK for developers who want to get ahead of the Wave

Samsung still hasn’t managed to get the Wave or any other Bada handset to market yet, but it’s doing the right thing by offering developers the software development kit first. Granted, with a planned June release Samsung isn’t managing the same sort of massive lead-time that Microsoft has with its Windows Phone 7 SDK, but a few weeks of pressure-free coding are better than none. The first public SDK for Bada was just made available yesterday, and inside developers will find an Eclipse-based IDE, a phone emulator, and tutorials. You can get it all for yourself at the source link below, but make sure you get your reading glasses out before clicking through. You’ll need to agree to not one, not two, but four separate sets of terms and conditions before you can get this 606MB download flowing, and a fifth before it’ll install. Oh, and it’s all C/C++ based, so if you’ve been living in the merry land of Java and C# lately you’d better brush up on pointer dereferencing and interface definitions.

[Thanks, Sacha]

Samsung releases Bada SDK for developers who want to ride the Wave originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 09:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Samsung Hub  |  sourceBada Developers  | Email this | Comments

Grace Digital Allegro review

Dedicated internet radios have always been niche products; when you can get all the same content on your desktop, laptop or even smartphone, it’s hard to see the point of relying on WiFi. Without a traditional FM antenna, they’re many are chained to your network — if not your wall — and the lack of keyboard input for setup and channel search furthers their plight. Even so, there must be something to it, as this gadget category refuses to die, so we thought we’d give one promising newcomer a good, thorough try. The Grace Digital Allegro caught our attention with a packed feature list (including Pandora) and a clean, mobile design. Did it enthrall or disappoint? Find out after the break.

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Grace Digital Allegro review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBoy’s FixPix iPhone game is basically the greatest thing ever made

Okay, so this isn’t out yet, but it’s hard to deny that the eBoy-designed Delicious Toys-developed game FixPix is probably the best idea anyone has ever had since the wheel or sliced bread. Maybe that’s a little hyperbolic, but as you know, we are huge fans of eBoy and their mind-boggling pixel art. Now the design collective’s cityscapes and fantastical scenes have been turned into an iPhone app where you can piece the 3D milieus back together by tilting your phone this way and that. As we said, the title isn’t available, but there’s an awesome demo site where you can play around with the concept, and it’s likely FixPix could see Apple approval any day now. We can barely contain ourselves. Check out a video of the game in action after the break.

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eBoy’s FixPix iPhone game is basically the greatest thing ever made originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 11:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Fast Company  |  sourceFixPix demo  | Email this | Comments

Wii Controller Demo brings your Wiimote and Android phone 2gether, 4ever

Ryan Frawley still has a fair bit of work ahead of him, but his Wii Controller Demo app for Android sure holds an awful lot of promise. Available now for no charge (though a $1 paid version is available for those who dig his work), this here software allows Android users to create a Bluetooth link between their Wii remote and handset, and then log input information on the mobile’s display. As of now, there’s not a whole lot of value outside of Wiimote troubleshooting, but it’s a few lines of code away from being able to act as a controller for gaming. Just think — a Wiimote, your Android phone, an emulator, an HDMI output and four other nerds surrounding your television. Needless to say, we’ll be keeping a close eye out for updates coming to this one.

[Thanks, Jonathan]

Wii Controller Demo brings your Wiimote and Android phone 2gether, 4ever originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Nintendo Life  |  sourceAndroLib  | Email this | Comments

Android support for memory card app storage is finally ‘coming soon’

Android support for memory card app storage is finally

One of the biggest complaints with Android since the dawn of civilization is that the expansive plains of storage available on microSD cards have been left under-utilized; coldly ignored by the OS while it did everything it could to stuff the measly couple-hundred megs of internal storage with apps. Soon that problem will finally be rectified, with a Google representative closing the long-running Issue 1151. The issue, which covers external installation of apps, was opened in October of 2008 and since then was voted on by 2561 people, all of whom want Google to set their memory cards free. Exactly when this functionality is coming it remains to be seen, but the “coming soon” note in comment 535 is very encouraging. Froyo, anyone?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Android support for memory card app storage is finally ‘coming soon’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 May 2010 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android And Me  |  sourceGoogle Code Android  | Email this | Comments