Hexxeh updates Chrome OS build, now more kick-ass than ever

Filed under: OS Updates, Google

While the official release of Google Chrome OS won't be arriving for a few more months, Hexxeh continues plugging away at his Chromium remix -- and his latest release is better than ever.

Codenamed Flow (I'll assume because of the epic Vanilla Ice line "Flow like a harpoon, daily and nightly"), the new version adds loads of new functionality. The automatic update feature which was recently beta tested is now baked-in, more hardware is supported (including full NVidia ION acceleration), battery life is improved, webcams are now supported, and numerous bugs have been squashed.

Perhaps the biggest addition is the customizable menu, where you can now add, delete, and organize your favorite web-based applications. It's a significant step toward making the Chromium OS feel like a real desktop replacement.

Right now, Flow is only available as an image file for writing to a physical drive (the download link is at the bottom of this page).

If you want to test it in VMWare, give Hexxeh a few more days -- he'll no doubt have a prepackaged VM you can play with very soon.

Hexxeh updates Chrome OS build, now more kick-ass than ever originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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S^3 smartphone OS gets the video preview treatment

Filed under: OS Updates, Symbian, Mobile

With all the hubbub over Windows Phone 7 Series at Mobile World Congress this week, you'd think it was the only upcoming mobile OS previewed at the event. And you'd be wrong for thinking that, because the folks at Symbian gave us the first look at the upcoming Symbian S^3 platform as well.

Symbian S^3 will be the first version of the platform to be fully open source. Any handset maker will be free to license the software for use in their phones.

But it's not just the licensing agreement that's new. Symbian S^3 also features a completely revamped user interface. It's very multimedia-centric, and like most mobile operating systems on the market today, the OS supports multitouch gestures and finger-friendly actions such as pinching and flicking.

Symbian S^3 also supports 1080p HD video playback and HDMI output. Phones running the operating system won't hit the streets until the second half of the year. But you can get a good idea of what Symbian S^3 will look like by checking out the video at the top of this post.

[via Engadget]

S^3 smartphone OS gets the video preview treatment originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubuntu live CDs now boot 33% faster!

Filed under: OS Updates, Canonical

How to convince a Mac OS X or Windows user to try GNU/Linux? Installing the desired distribution in a Virtual Machine? Read them all those FAQs about partitioning your hard drive for a dual-boot system? No, no - there's an easier way: live CDs or DVDs! Almost every distribution (like Ubuntu, Knoppix or Fedora) are capable of booting into a fully functional desktop right from a burned disc. Simply download the .iso image file, burn it to a CD or DVD with your favorite disc burning application, and reboot your machine!

But one big disadvantage, especially on older hardware, is the slow startup time. Jamie Bennett, blogger and one of Canonical's Ubuntu Mobile developers, has explained the difficulties of speeding up the process. Tweaking and speeding the boot time is only possible if you find out why it was slow:

There are two broad steps in the process of booting a live CD. The first is preparing the environment for the session and the second -- you guessed it -- is actually booting into the session. Initial hunches were that the first step (setup) was the major cause of slowness.

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Continue reading Ubuntu live CDs now boot 33% faster!

Ubuntu live CDs now boot 33% faster! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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D-Day for Windows 7 RC approaches

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Microsoft spent much of 2009 testing Windows 7 before officially launching the operating system. And that test involved thousands of beta and release candidate testers, who downloaded pre-release copies of the operating system which they were effectively able to use for free... for a limited time. Now that time is coming to a close.

If you're still running Windows 7 RC, starting March 1st your PC will shut down automatically every 2 hours. Your work will not be saved. But you can still use the OS, as long as you're willing to put up with periodic interruptions and reboots. It'll be kind of like using Windows 98 all over again.

Come June 1st, the OS fully expires. That doesn't mean it will stop running altogether. But in addition to the automatic shutdown every 2 hours, your desktop background will change to solid black and you'll have a message on the desktop letting you know the RC has expired. Windows 7 RC will also fail any Windows Genuine Advantage tests at that point, meaning you won't be able to validate software that requires a "genuine" copy of Windows and you won't be able to get Windows 7 updates from Microsoft.

You can avoid these issues by replacing Windows 7 RC with another operating system. We'll leave it up to you to decide whether that means Windows XP, a fully licensed copy of Windows 7, or something else altogether. ReactOS, anyone?

Update: Looking to figure out how to upgrade from Windows 7 RC to a full version of Windows 7? We've got you covered.

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D-Day for Windows 7 RC approaches originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to Upgrade from Windows 7 RC to Final

Filed under: OS Updates

So the Windows 7 deadline is fast approaching. Officially, there's no way to upgrade from your RC to retail. But in the real world, it only requires a Windows 7 ISO image and editing a single file in Notepad.

Here are the quick text instructions. After the jump you can find detailed (and possibly really boring) screenshots.

1. Get the MS USB/DVD Download Tools
2. Put your Windows 7 Utlimate ISO on a USB stick. Note that it must be Ultimate, and that it has to correspond to the one you've got installed (x86 or x64).
3. Edit sources\cversion.ini and change MinClient from 7233.0 to 7000. Save and close.
4. Install from within Windows so that it upgrades (installing by booting from the USB will give you a fresh install and defeat what we're trying to do here).

And if you'd like to see the excruciatingly detailed screenshots, keep on reading.

Continue reading How to Upgrade from Windows 7 RC to Final

How to Upgrade from Windows 7 RC to Final originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All U.S. Android phones may get an update to OS 2.1 soon

Filed under: OS Updates, Google, Android

A planned firmware update for the Motorola Droid might benefit owners of other Android devices, too. According to Android and Me, "every Android phone currently released in the United States will be receiving an upgrade to Android 2.1."

This news comes from the same site that was previously skeptical about Google's ability to fit version 1.6 of the Android OS onto a T-Mobile G1. Google, of course, pulled it off, and now Android and Me has sources saying they'll pull of the 2.1 update, too.

What does 2.1 mean for your Android experience? Perks include live wallpapers (on phones that can support them), speech-to-text support, a beefed-up Gmail application, and a Facebook application that can sync photos with your phone's contact list. Unfortunately, some handsets (maybe all of them, actually) may require a wipe before they can upgrade to this yummy new version of the OS.

The update is scheduled for the second quarter of 2010, and could be via PC or over-the-air, depending on your phone.

All U.S. Android phones may get an update to OS 2.1 soon originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone 7 gets the hands-on treatment

Filed under: OS Updates, Microsoft, Mobile

While we try to shy away from gadgets and gizmos here on Download Squad, some attention does have to be paid to operating systems. They are, after all, the reason this blog exists! An operating system makes or breaks a device -- it's the difference between grudging oh, it's my company phone acceptance and mass omg, you must check this OUT! adoption.

Of course, try as they might, a vendor such as Microsoft or Apple doesn't really have a say in whether their new OS is a hit or not. They can produce a masterwork, like Windows NT, or a piece of tripe like Mac OS 9, but ultimately it's how these OSes are used that matters. Would the iPhone be where it is today, without the Guinness Beer Drinking App?

Anyway, as you're all aware by now, Windows Phone 7 is coming -- and soon, by the looks of things! Our perky, equally nerdy cousins over at Engadget have an exclusive video of Microsoft's new smartphone OS running on new LG phone. There's a QWERTY keyboard, a five megapixel camera (with flash), and a bunch of other goodies (check the gallery out, if you're more interested in the phone itself). It doesn't look like an iPhone-killer to me, but I bet it's going to nibble at the Blackberry's toes...

Windows Phone 7 gets the hands-on treatment originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Mobile 6.x users won't get Windows Phone 7 upgrade

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows Mobile, Microsoft

Bad news for owners of the latest Windows Mobile 6.x devices: your phone doesn't meet the hardware specifications for an update to Windows Phone 7. Microsoft says that even the brand new HTC HD2 doesn't meet its tight requirements for the much-talked-about new mobile OS, according to APCMag.

Even though the HD2 has a fast enough processor, a nice touch display, and a good enough camera, Microsoft says it can't be upgraded to Windows Phone 7 because it has too many buttons. Apparently, a Windows Phone 7 Series device has to have three buttons, but the HTC HD2 has five.

Or, to put it terms that Monty Python fans will understand, Microsoft is saying that the number of the buttons shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three.

Five is right out.

It's not just HTC's device, though. None of the other phones Microsoft currently supports are eligible for the upgrade, either. This just seems like a case of Microsoft taking a page from the Apple handbook and controlling the hardware experience for its hot new software. MS has a lot riding on Windows Phone 7 Series, and it makes sense that they wouldn't want to take the blame for any compatibility issues with the previous generation of hardware.

Windows Mobile 6.x users WILL be getting an upgrade, though: to Windows Mobile 6.5.3, just before WinMo gets rebranded as "Windows Mobile Classic." It will come with magnifier technology, so you can use the touchscreens on older devices without a stylus.

Windows Mobile 6.x users won't get Windows Phone 7 upgrade originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G.ho.st shutting down free cloud OS desktops, both users upset

Filed under: OS Updates

In case you're not familiar with it, G.ho.st is a cloud-based operating system. We've written about it before, and it's actually a really cool little service. The performance of their 'webtop' had improved quite a bit since I used it last, and their desktop sync app made moving files to and from the cloud a painless procedure.

Sadly, though, it was a pretty cool service. Yesterday I (along with everyone else who had an account) received an email stating that Ghost would be shutting down its free service because "changes in the marketplace mean that it is no longer economical for us to host [it]."

Ah, the curse of freemium. Plenty of users interested in the no-pay version, but not enough revenue to justify the current business model.

As such, Ghost is now shifting its attention to licensing or selling their software to other companies. That might be a tough sell, too, since it certainly seems like the cloud OS concept is something that has been well-received. There have been tons of entrants in the cloud OS space, and you probably haven't heard of more than one or two. They'll also be pitching Ghost against eyeOS, which is free -- and businesses can host on their own existing servers.

The official missive says to move your files before the 15th of March, but isn't more specific. Best move 'em now before you lose all that important data...which you probably didn't have stored on Ghost anyway.

If you're saddened by this news, you can always enjoy another ghost in the cloud....over at Adult Swim.

G.ho.st shutting down free cloud OS desktops, both users upset originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubuntu finally gets new logo and looks in 10.04

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Open Source

Ubuntu has been the "Flagship Linux" distro for quite a while now. This is the distro most people judge Linux by (and the only one I personally work with). However, its visual style remained constant for a long time, and has been starting to look a bit stale. It's difficult to convey "innovation" to end users when your product keeps the same look, version to version.

There's been a lot of talk of changing this, and yesterday Ubuntu finally announced their new look for Lucid Lynx, dubbed "Light". It includes a new logo (both light and dark), new theme (light and dark), bootsplash, and even logos for the Ubuntu forums, Xubuntu and other related projects. I've put up the theme and splash screen after the jump, and you can see more eye-candy on the announcement page itself.

Continue reading Ubuntu finally gets new logo and looks in 10.04

Ubuntu finally gets new logo and looks in 10.04 originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview posted of Ubuntu 10.04 installer slideshow, leaves out Music Store

Filed under: OS Updates, Canonical

Among the other improvements, tweaks, and retoolings headed to Ubuntu 10.04, the Ubiquity installer slideshow appears set for an update.

Ubuntu contributor Dylan McCall has posted preview images of the new screens which could be coming soon to the OS's Ubiquity installer. Interestingly enough they're cast in the soft browns of Lucid's first alpha releases -- and not the Mac-esque color schemes which recently appeared.

I'm a bit surprised that there's no mention of the U1 Music Store or of the built-in support for the iPhone and iPod touch (thanks to Gnome). The slides seem like the perfect place to make people aware of those features -- and new Ubuntu users would probably enjoy hearing about them.

There's plenty of time for change, of course. These are, after all, preview images for the installer of an OS which is still in alpha. Canonical seems focused on delivering a superb offering with Lucid, and I don't doubt that the finished experience will be very polished.

[via webupd8]

Preview posted of Ubuntu 10.04 installer slideshow, leaves out Music Store originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No copy and paste for Windows Phone 7 Series?

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows Mobile, Microsoft

Our sister site, the adorable and trustworthy Engadget, has "super-double-ultra-plus-confirmed" with Microsoft that Windows Phone 7 will not launch with copy and paste functionality. Why on earth would an impressive next-gen mobile OS not include a clipboard? It seems like only yesterday that we were all making fun of the iPhone for that same shortcoming.

Microsoft's answer is that users don't need it, and that data detectors are built into WinPhone7 for the kinds of things we commonly copy and paste -- phone numbers, addresses, contacts, etc. Is that good enough? Engadget says no, and I'll back them up on that. The iPhone proved that users don't need clipboard functionality, but it also proved that they absolutely want copy and paste on their mobile devices.

Apple fans pretended the lack of copy-paste was okay, and many defended their choice of phone against all clipboard-related jeering, but then applauded the new features when they were finally introduced. Will Microsoft be that lucky, or does the iPhone having copy-paste mean that everyone will expect Windows Phone 7 to have it, too?

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No copy and paste for Windows Phone 7 Series? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft opens Windows 7 XP mode to systems without hardware virtualization

Filed under: OS Updates, Utilities, Windows

One gripe against XP Mode for Windows 7 is that it required hardware-assisted virtualization support. In many cases, it was difficult to tell whether or not a system's hardware was up to snuff -- so Microsoft offered up a free download to help administrators and find out (called HAV detection tool).

Now, however, the Windows Team has announced that hardware virtualization is no longer an issue. The new version of XP Mode will run on just about any PC, though HAV will still be utilized if supported.

This should be welcome news for administrators, since it could help reduce upgrade costs -- and headaches.

Several retailers I support use older point-of-sale systems that don't play nice with Vista or Windows 7. With XP mode now able to run on their older Pentium 4 computers, they can transition to a newer OS without worrying about breaking the apps that run their businesses.

Microsoft opens Windows 7 XP mode to systems without hardware virtualization originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 SP1 details outed: try to contain your excitement

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows

There's been talk floating around for quite some time about the coming of Windows 7 SP1. Today, we've got some details out of Redmond -- but if you were waiting for something exciting, you should probably check out Erez's post about watching Vimeo videos in ASCII format.

The short version: Windows 7 SP1 will pretty much just be a rollup of updates that have been previously released. Yay.

The slightly longer version: there will be other 'minor' updates, including support for a kicked-up remote desktop client (using RemoteFX) and Dynamic Memory support. Both of those are Windows Server technologies, so they're not of much interest to anyone running Windows 7 at home.

SP1 does historically act as a 'green light' to system administrators that it's OK to upgrade to the new OS, but according to Brandon LeBlanc that hasn't been the case this time around. In his words, "Many organizations are already in the process of deploying and are receiving benefits from their Windows 7 deployment."

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to watch more blocky videos...

Windows 7 SP1 details outed: try to contain your excitement originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mark Shuttleworth clarifies: Ubuntu is "not a democracy"

Filed under: Business, OS Updates

As some of you may have noticed, the new Ubuntu theme for 10.4 features the window buttons on the "wrong side" (left). This has caused quite the storm in a teacup. It turns out some people feel strongly about this point, even though you apparently would be able to change it later (on a per-user basis, as a preference). This presents Mark Shuttleworth (head of Ubuntu) with an interesting situation: what do you do when some of your users are up in arms about a decision? This is open-source, after all, and it's often very "democratic" (read: "the noisiest people get what they want").

The trouble with democracy in the open-source world is that the result is often muddled and mediocre. That "happy medium" isn't all too happy after all; the companies with the gutsiest (and often, least democratic) decision-making processes are those which often take the lead. And if you're thinking Apple, you're not the only one.

So Shuttleworth took the following stand on the Ubuntu mailing list:

"We all make Ubuntu, but we do not all make all of it. In other words, we delegate well. We have a kernel team, and they make kernel decisions. You don't get to make kernel decisions unless you're in that kernel team. You can file bugs and comment, and engage, but you don't get to second-guess their decisions. We have a security team. They get to make decisions about security. You don't get to see a lot of what they see unless you're on that team. We have processes to help make sure we're doing a good job of delegation, but being an open community is not the same as saying everybody has a say in everything."

He then further added:

"No. This is not a democracy. Good feedback, good data, are welcome. But we are not voting on design decisions."

This is not all he said; you can read the rest at the original post over at Webupd8.org. The rest of it makes perfect sense to me, too. Seeing Shuttleworth take such a clear and brave stand helps me understand part of what makes Ubuntu the most popular distribution today. Kudos.

Mark Shuttleworth clarifies: Ubuntu is "not a democracy" originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubuntu 10.04 beta now available for download (screenshot tour)

Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Linux, Canonical, Beta

With the final release of Ubuntu 10.04 due in just under a month, things appear to be right on schedule at Canonical. Yesterday the Lucid beta download page went live and eager testers rapidly descended upon the mirrors.

Watching Lucid evolve has been exciting. It's clear that Canonical is intent on creating a version of Ubuntu which can appeal to a broader base of computer users with a more select set of default programs, new visuals, built-in easy access to social networks via Gwibber, and loads of other improvements.

One key addition to the beta is Wubi. If you're not familiar with it, Wubi is a Windows program which allows you to install Ubuntu on the same drive as your Windows install. It's an extremely simple way to take Ubuntu for a test drive -- or make it a permanent fixture on your system.

Continue reading Ubuntu 10.04 beta now available for download (screenshot tour)

Ubuntu 10.04 beta now available for download (screenshot tour) originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speedy, light-weight Crunchbang Linux 10 alpha now available for download

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux

I've played with a lot of Linux distributions over the years, but one I keep coming back to is CrunchBang. It's always been a lean, mean distro and its Ubuntu base meant being able to install just about any popular software easily since.

While version 10 (codenamed Statler) has moved to Debian, everything feels the same. #! is still a minimal, fun distro. Boot the live CD to play around without making changes to your system or install in text mode if you're a bit more adventurous. The usual #! warning applies: "Anyone who uses CrunchBang should be comfortable with occasional or even frequent breakage. Remember, CrunchBang Linux could make your computer go CRUNCH! BANG! :)"

If you're curious about the switch to Debian from Ubuntu, there's an excellent interview over at The Red Devil with CrunchBang's Philip Newburgh.

Download #! 10 alpha and take it for a spin!

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Speedy, light-weight Crunchbang Linux 10 alpha now available for download originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon's Motorola Droid users finally get Android 2.1!

Filed under: OS Updates, Mobile, Android

After much flip-flopping from Verizon about the release date of Android 2.1 for Motorola Droid owners, our sister site, Engadget, says that Droid Does...finally get a firmware update this week.

A limited rollout has already started, and most customers should see the update starting on Thursday. It's an over-the-air release, so don't worry about having to download and install it manually. Make sure you keep your battery at over 40%, though, because Verizon says that the OTA update won't go through if you don't have enough juice.

In an internal email picked up by Engadget, Verizon outlines a rollout schedule that includes around 10,000 Droids so far, with another 200,000 slated to get the update on Thursday. This email comes after a series of setbacks with the release. In fact, the release date was still listed as "TBA" just a couple of days ago.

Frustrated Droid owners will finally get their goodies, though, including Yahoo! Mail integration, Pinch-to-Zoom, the new Gallery app, and speech-to-text features.

Verizon's Motorola Droid users finally get Android 2.1! originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Convert PDF files to Word with PDF to Word

Filed under: Text, Utilities, Adobe, Microsoft, Commercial, Freeware

We've covered PDF conversion tools in the past, but given the inconsistent performance of such tools, it's always worth pointing out potentially better ones. PDF to Word by Nitro is just such a tool, and given its claim as "The Most Accurate PDF-to-Word Converter", I had to give it a shot.

And you know what? It does remarkably well. Based on the test documents I tried, I really didn't run into any serious issues, other than the elephant in the room: uploading your documents to a third-party for conversion. I can't imagine using a service like this for real-world heavy lifting with business-related documents. I can't hand over my sensitive documents to a third-party.

However, for business users with the same issue, there's good news. Nitro's PDF-to-Word conversion technology is what powers their Nitro PDF Professional desktop application, and it has recently been marked down from $99 US to $69 US, with a free 14 day trial available.

Convert PDF files to Word with PDF to Word originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC offers additional Hero / Droid Eris widgets via Android Market

Filed under: Commercial, Mobile Minute, Mobile, Android

In a move that marks a change of direction for the device manufacturer, HTC have just released four additional Hero / Droid Eris widgets for download in the Android Market.

The initial release offers 'Battery', 'Dice', 'Tip Calculator' and 'Today in History' widgets for download free of charge, though it should be noted that the widgets are Sense UI widgets rather than standard Android widgets, which means they will only work on the aforementioned HTC devices. This also means that other HTC manufactured devices such as the G1 or MyTouch 3G are also excluded.

It will be interesting to see whether HTC offers additional software in the Market going forward and whether the releases will remain limited to HTC devices - users of other Android devices would love to have the ability to use the excellent Sense UI or perhaps the HTC designed software keyboards - even at a cost.

Would this be a good opportunity for HTC to earn additional revenue or would it be a danger to the unique selling points of their devices? What happens over the coming weeks and months will likely reveal HTC's thoughts on the matter. What are yours?

HTC offers additional Hero / Droid Eris widgets via Android Market originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft loses appeal; Office barred from sale after January 11

Filed under: Office, Microsoft, Commercial

Reported by our ugly sister Engadget, it seems that Microsoft has finally lost its appeal against i4i in the long-running 'XML patent' lawsuit.

Microsoft were quick to release a statement to the press, allaying any fears that Office 2007, or 2010, will become unavailable. Office 2010, we assume, will still be released on schedule, and new versions of Office and Word 2007 without the infringing XML technology will be made available before January 11 2010. i4i, if you didn't know, is a company that specialises in database design and XML technology -- they were the ones behind the first XML plugins for Office, and it now seems that Microsoft did rip them off.
Office 2010 doesn't include the patent-infringing technology, so whether the resolution of this case will have any long-lasting effects remains to be seen. According to Reuters, Microsoft will need to pay the rather princely sum of $290 million to the patent-holders, however. Pocket change: but with enough wrist-slapping, Microsoft does seem to be slowly falling into line.

Microsoft loses appeal; Office barred from sale after January 11 originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unreal Engine 3 officially ported to the iPod Touch

Filed under: Games, Adobe, Commercial

Buckle your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen: if you're not a gamer yet, you damn well soon will be. It seems, using the wonders of the newly-released (and soon-to-be-embraced) Open GL ES.20, the Unreal Engine 3 has been successfully ported to the iPod Touch. And it's not slow either: we're talking proper, smooth frame rates... ooooooh!

AnandTech speculates that in the next 3 to 5 years smartphones will become more powerful than the Xbox 360. I think it might be even sooner than that, but we'll see. Don't expect to see big-name PC and console games on the iPod/iPhone just yet, but it will happen sooner rather than later. Flash memory continues to grows in capacity; processors are gaining more power.

What this really signals, considering the inclusion of the advanced graphics capabilities in the latest iPod Touch, and Apple's foray into games development, is that we're about to see a huge boom in the portable computing/smartphone gaming market. If you think it's big now -- 2009 was a massively successful year for iPhone games -- it's going to get a whole lot bigger.

Unreal also say that we'll see the Engine tech demo running on another mobile platform at CES. I'd put my money on an Android-powered device, but we'll find out for sure soon!

There's a very short video of the Unreal Engine 3 in action, on the iPod Touch, after the break.

[via AnandTech]

Continue reading Unreal Engine 3 officially ported to the iPod Touch

Unreal Engine 3 officially ported to the iPod Touch originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown

Filed under: Audio, Photo, Utilities, Windows, Macintosh, Palm, Commercial, Shareware, Freeware, Mobile

Ever since Palm and Apple started their dance about the Pre's ability to sync with iTunes, I've been keeping an eye out for alternative ways to move media to my Pre.

Over the last few weeks I've been putting three applications through their paces with my Pre to find a suitable workaround for this glaring omission on Palm's part: MarkSpace's GoGadget for webOS, Salling Software's Media Sync and doubleTwist. All three applications are available for Windows and Mac OS X, however in this review were tested on Mac OS X.

Photo by whatleydude

Continue reading Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown

Palm Pre Media Sync Showdown originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Download Driver Magician for free, today only!

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Commercial, Troubleshooting, Windows x64

It's not often that you find a decent commercial utility being given away for free. It's usually a marginally-useful app or a program for which there's a better (and often free!) alternative.

Today, however, you can score Driver Magician at no charge from Giveaway of the Day. It's a very good driver backup, restore, and removal utility - and there aren't a ton of good free programs that offer this level of functionality. You've got less than 18 hours to get in on the deal!

If this post happens to overwhelm the main page of their site, you can try heading directly to the download page or a mirror of the file.

Once it's downloaded, you'll need to run the setup first and then the activation file. Keep an eye on the activator - the last step will offer to bookmark and permatab GOTD in your browsers.

There are three details to be aware of about your free version (and they probably won't surprise any of you):

1) No free technical support

2) No free upgrades to future versions

3) Strictly non-commercial usage

Download Driver Magician for free, today only! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thoughts is a pretty new note taking app for Mac

Filed under: Text, Macintosh, Productivity, Commercial

There has been a lot of hype around the release of the new Mac note taking app Thoughts by green&slimy software, and it has now been released. We've already got a ton of note taking applications to choose from -- like Evernote and Notational Velocity -- so what does Thoughts bring to the table to set itself apart?

As far as I can tell, Thoughts wants to be the pretty girl at the party. They're not trying to compete on features with the likes of Evernote, and they're not trying to compete on speed with the likes of Notational Velocity. Instead, they're taking the approach that note taking is more fun when it feels more like actually taking notes in a notebook.

The app is gorgeous, and very much a part of the delicious generation of software that puts a very high emphasis on aesthetics. You can create notebooks, add pages to notebooks, and even do some advanced formatting like adding tables to your pages. It also has wiki-like features allowing you to link to other pages within a notebook, to websites (of course), or even link to a message in Mail.

The fancy user interface includes animated page turns, and you can use mouse gestures to mimic the act of actually flipping pages. While this is a nice gimmick, it's certainly not the fastest way to navigate.

With a substantial price tag of 24 Euros, Thoughts has some stiff competition from the free note taking app crowd. I can imagine that people who are transitioning to using a computer from writing their notes in notebooks might enjoy the familiar interface, though.

Thoughts is a pretty new note taking app for Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BumpTop 3D desktop comes to the Mac

Filed under: Macintosh, Apple, Commercial, Freeware, Time-Wasters

Some technologies get way more hype than they really ought to, given the lack of real-world utility they offer. If you ask me, the king in this category is the idea of using a 3D user interface for computing.

Since the early 90's, people have speculated about a great new paradigm shift away from the desktop metaphor to a more "natural" three-dimensional interface where the user navigates a virtual building to interact with the various data on their computer, and later on the web. While this has been successfully implemented, nobody is arguing it's a more efficient way to compute than the traditional 2D desktop.

For the past few years a new 3D approach called BumpTop was announced that maintains the desktop metaphor, rather than switching to a different paradigm. It received a lot of press with interesting and impressive looking demo videos, and eventually released a Windows implementation. And now BumpTop is available for the Mac in both a free and Pro version ($29 US).

So, is the concept of a 3D desktop going to revolutionize computing? In a word, no. It's fun to play with, but it certainly doesn't make me feel more productive. Now, to be fair, my Mac doesn't have multi-touch, and BumpTop Mac includes multi-touch capabilities that could make it easier to use. But I have a hard time thinking of BumpTop as anything more than a sophisticated toy.

At the end of the day, what I like about computing is that it's easy to keep things organized. I don't want my computer's desktop to look like my real desktop does. It's messy enough as it is.

[via Technology News]

BumpTop 3D desktop comes to the Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Propane: a beautiful desktop client for Campfire

Filed under: Macintosh, Web services, Commercial

Propane is a beautiful, Mac-only desktop client for Campfire by 37signals.

Working on a remote team, one of the core tools in maintaing a cohesive work environment is group chat. Out of the myriad options I keep coming back to Campfire as my chatroom of choice. The archiving, file sharing and integration with Basecamp (our project management tool of choice) make it stand above the other options for us.

For me, the worst part about Campfire is that it is browser based. This factor kept driving me away from it. I prefer a separate app for chat. Propane has solved this problem for me.

Propane provides a clean, simple, useful interface that removes the mess of browser chrome while maintaining the needed functionality of the tool. Tabbed chat rooms, drag-and-drop file sharing, and fine-grained notification customization with Growl integration are just a few of the killer features of this app.

If you are a Mac user and a Campfire user, I'm not sure how you could get by without it. Currently $20 during the beta, bumping to $25 when it's out of beta, licenses are a per-user basis, so one user can install Propane on as many computers as they use. Download it and give it a try before you buy it!

Propane: a beautiful desktop client for Campfire originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1Password alpha version available for Chrome(ium)

Filed under: Macintosh, Commercial, Browsers

1Password is finally available for Chrome. Sort of.

1Password is a favorite password manager among Mac users, with a passionate fan base -- and that fan base has been clamoring for a version of 1Password that included Chrome compatibility ever since Chrome was released for the Mac!

Well, the time has come, and an alpha version of 1Password has been released that does indeed support Chromium (the developer version of Chrome). Chromium is necessary because the current version of Chrome for Mac does not support extensions. (You can grab a nightly build of Chromium over here.)

Keep in mind that this version of 1Password is alpha software, and that means it is by definition not yet stable. It also currently only supports the most basic of 1Password functionality: unlocking 1Password and filling in simple login forms.

If you're brave enough to try alpha software, let us know how it goes!

1Password alpha version available for Chrome(ium) originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2Do is a gorgeous iPhone task management app

Filed under: Productivity, Commercial, iPhone

If you're already using iCal's built-in todo management, or Outlook's tasks on a Windows machine, and you're just looking for an iPhone app that can synchronize with what you're already using, you should check out 2Do.

2Do is a very well-designed and pretty to-do list manager, with the ability to create multiple lists, set priorities and due dates, notes, URLs, and even default actions such as Call, SMS, Email, Browse, Visit, and Google. It's a pleasure to use, with a very intuitive and pleasing interface.

2Do handles 2-way synchronizing with iCal's basic to-do functionality with the help of an additional free Sync application for your Mac, or with Outlook's tasks function with a free Windows Sync application.

I find iCal's built-in to-do management to be clunky and awkward, which isn't 2Do's fault, but does work against it when I'm evaluating what task management app to use. However, if I was on Windows using Outlook, 2Do would be my first choice as a companion task management application for the iPhone.

2Do costs $6.99US [iTunes link], and a free Lite version is available that does not support synchronization and is limited to 3 lists with 25 tasks in each list.

2Do is a gorgeous iPhone task management app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HipChat is a new private chat service for companies and teams

Filed under: Business, Windows, Macintosh, Adobe, Commercial, Social Software

There was a time when having a chat client on your computer at work was considered a no-no. These days, if you're not available via some sort of online chat or instant messaging, you're just not moving at the speed of business.

Many companies have begun using open instant messaging services for their internal discussions, but there are a couple of downsides to this approach. The first is a lack of control, and a potential lack of security. The second is a lack of collaboration tools; it's difficult to share files between multiple people in an instant messaging chat.

HipChat is a new start-up that aims to fix the problem of secure, controlled corporate chat. Based on Adobe AIR which provides cross-platform functionality, HipChat is a fully functional chat client that as GigaOM points out, bears a resemblance to 37Signals' Campfire product. To be fair, the basic layout of an IRC-like chat client has been the same for 15 years, so the similar look is not that much of a surprise.

Where HipChat has a definite advantage is in the fact that it is a desktop client (even if it does unfortunately rely on AIR), not a web client. While there are 3rd-party Campfire clients and even ways to run Campfire in a dedicated single-purpose browser, HipChat is simply a desktop chat client.

HipChat has plans available from $9/month for up to 12 users, to $99/month for up to 100 users, and offers a 30 day free trial.

[via GigaOM]

HipChat is a new private chat service for companies and teams originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Party Booth turns your webcam into a social-media aware automated photo booth

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Commercial

Have you ever wished that you could have a photo booth running at your wedding reception, engagement party, or kegger? If so, you might want to check out Party Booth.

Party Booth is a desktop application that runs in full-screen kiosk mode that allows party guests to walk up to the computer, simply press the spacebar, and pose for pictures. The process is entirely automated. The app allows you to use custom graphics for a border or banner on the prints, allowing you to commemorate your event for your guests. It can also optionally automatically upload photos to Facebook, img.ly, Mobypicture, Posterous, ScreenTweet, TweetPhoto, TwitDoc, Twitgoo, TwitPic, twitrpix, TwitSnaps, and tumblr.

Party Booth is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X and Linux due to it being a Flash application distributed in in Adobe's AIR Runtime. Party Booth will set you back $38US, which is far less expensive than renting an actual photo booth, and you can run a trial of the app for free.

Party Booth turns your webcam into a social-media aware automated photo booth originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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