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LiftMaster’s MyQ – Smartphone Control of Your Garage Door

Posted by Andrew at 12:28 AM on January 18, 2012

LiftMaster LogoLiftMaster is known for its range of garage door openers and this year, they’re introducing their new MyQ technology that will let home owners monitor and control their garage door from a smartphone or tablet anywhere in the world, including iPhones, iPads, Blackberries and Android devices.

Intended to be professionally installed, the cost is $350-$400 for a new door opener that incorporates MyQ technology and it’s available now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Posted in Android, Apple, application, automotive, blackberry, ces, google, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, RIM, smartphone, Special Media, tablet

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G Data Mobile Security for Android

Posted by Andrew at 5:41 PM on January 16, 2012

G Data’s Mobile Security provides anti-virus and security monitoring for Android smartphones and tablets. Is this really necessary, you might ask, but I think after some of the recent malware removals by Google, there’s sufficient evidence that Android will increasingly be a target for malware and virus writers. Such is life.

Mobile Security provides three main functions, on-demand scans, blacklist control and authorisation checks for installed apps, all controlled from a main home screen.

G Data Mobile Security Main Screen

Tapping on any of the four areas will show the next screen for that function. Here’s the on-demand virus scanning – no surprises there – but Mobile Security also scans apps as they are installed from the Android Market (or elsewhere presumably) which gives additional protection against malicious software.

G Data Mobile Security Virus Scanning

The Permissions area shows a set of controlled features such as calls and internet access, and by selecting a particular feature Mobile Security shows the apps that have permissions for that feature. I thought that you might be able to then select an application and revoke its permissions to, say, access the internet, but the only option is to uninstall the app.

G Data Mobile Security Permissions    G Data Mobile Detailed Security Permissions

A settings screen is accessible from the menu key which provides greater control over the behaviour of Mobile Security’s activities. Usual stuff about scan intervals and automatic scans but all good stuff.

G Data Mobile Security Settings

The Logs area shows what Mobile Security has been doing and Update simply checks that the virus signatures are current and up-to-date. Nothing unexpected here.

G Data Mobile Security Logs

Unfortunately, I didn’t have any malware to hand so I wasn’t able to test out Mobile Security’s detection and disinfecting abilities but I would imagine that G Data’s got that covered.

It’s a free download from the Android Market to try it out, but it’s £9.99 per year to get updates for new malware and viruses. Alternatively, purchases of other G Data security products such as  G Data AntiVirus include a Mobile Security licence as part of the package.

The licence for this review was provided free of charge by G Data. Thanks.

 

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Posted in Android, application, google, mobile, scanner, Security, smartphone, tablet, Virus

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Grooveshark Goes HTML5

Posted by Andrew at 2:36 PM on January 14, 2012

Grooveshark LogoIn order to get round all those pesky app store rules, the musos at Grooveshark have produced a basic little HTML5 player that’s available via Grooveshark’s website. If you’re not familiar with Grooveshark, it’s “the world’s largest on-demand and music discovery service. With over 15 million songs, Grooveshark is an ecosystem that brings together music fans, bands, music labels, and brands.”

A posting on their blog yesterday said:

In an effort to span over this confounded series of tubes and reach as many mobile music listeners as we can, we’ve done the unthinkable.

iOS? We got there.
Android 2.3+?   We got there.
Playbook? We got there.
TouchPad? Yep.  There too.

Should you choose to accept your mission:
http://html5.grooveshark.com/#soopersecretbeta
!!!  For covert opts points, try it on an html5 device not listed above and report your findings to Dr. Lovedoctor at lovedoctor@grooveshark.com for your bonus surprise.

I’ve tried out on an HP TouchPad, a Pre 3 and a Google Nexus S and can confirm that it works most of the time. On occasion, it wouldn’t start playing a track and once that had happened, I had to restart the browser to fix the problem. The app is pretty simple, no fancy cover-flow effects here. This is it on the TouchPad.

Grooveshark HTML5 Web App

Tap on a track and it starts playing. There are also genre “radio” stations for a continuous stream of tracks. Overall, it’s not bad but the tracks failed to start playing too many times for my liking.

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Posted in Android, Apple, google, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, ipod, Palm, RIM, smartphone, Streaming, tablet, Web App

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Samsung Reveals New Chromebook and Chromebox

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 5:55 PM on January 13, 2012

The Google Chrome operating system has been available for almost a year with lots of updates to the OS, but very little traction in the market.  Google made it prominent by giving away thousands of CR-48 laptops, but when the final version was released there were only two hardware makers on board – Samsung and Acer.  Sadly that hasn’t changed since the release, and it didn’t change at CES , but there was some Chrome OS news there.

Samsung announced two new additions to the Chrome world – one is a new notebook, but the other is the first Chrome desktop computer, or “Chromebox”.  The Series 5 notebook has been updated to include 2 GB of RAM (which it already had – not sure if the RAM type changed), a 16 GB SSD (it previously had a 16 GB Serial ATA), and a slightly faster CPU.  Meanwhile, the Chromebox is considered a Series 3 product, and it comes with six USB ports, a DVI port, 2 Display Link ports, an ethernet jack, and is currently running Chrome 17.0.963.15.  It’s also rumored to have a dual-core processor under the hood, along with 2 GB of RAM, and 16 GB SSD.  The video below gives a good idea of what both new products look like.

Video Source: BetaNews

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Posted in Chrome OS, google

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Videophone with the Biscotti TV Phone

Posted by Andrew at 12:14 PM on January 9, 2012

CES HonoreeThe sci-fi vision of the videophone being as commonplace as the telephone hasn’t materialised but Skype and Google+ Hangouts have made videocalls with webcams popular, especially with families who are a spread across the world. Having said that, it’s still not as convenient as picking up your phone and dialling a number.

Biscotti hopes to change that will their TV Phone, which has just been announced as a 2012 CES Innovations Honoree. It’s a small camera unit that sits on top of your TV, connecting to the TV via HDMI and to the network via WiFi, allowing owners to make high-definition video calls to other Biscotti owners and Google video chat users. After an initial setup which only takes minutes, the Biscotti TV Phone is ready to make or take calls.

Biscotti TV PhoneThe TV Phone uses a pass-through technology, meaning that there’s no need to change channels to receive a call. The TV Phone notifies users of incoming calls while they are watching TV via a pop-up message on screen. By using Google video chat, the Biscotti TV Phone can connect to any device that has a Google chat client, whether it’s Android, iPhone or a PC.

“Biscotti is designed for people who value real-life, personal interaction. It’s a single-purpose, dedicated TV Phone that’s always ready to connect, so you can make and receive calls without interrupting your lifestyle,” said Dr. Matthew B. Shoemake, Biscotti’s CEO and Founder. “HDTVs are selling faster than any other consumer electronics product on the market, fueling the demand for high definition video calling. By 2015, we’re predicting 25% of homes will be making high-definition video calls daily.”

If it’s as simple to use as they claim (and there are some videos here), it could be a little winner. The Biscotti TV Phone is now available for $199 and no monthly fees. There’s no word on a twin pack, which is what I’d be interested in to link granddaughter with grandparents.

If you want to catch up with the Biscotti TV Phone, they’re on display at CES in South Hall 1, Booth #21442.

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Posted in Android, ces, google, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, PC, Set Top Box, wifi

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Why Google+ is Not the Facebook Killer it Wanted to Be

Posted by susabelle at 7:47 PM on December 30, 2011

I just had to block someone else from my Google+ stream.  I think I’ve blocked more than a dozen people in the short few months I’ve been using the service, and I don’t think I have much more than that in my circles all total.

If Google+ was Facebook, this particular person would not have ever ended up in any of my friend’s lists or been allowed to post on my wall or share his political and religious views with me.  If Google+ was Facebook, I’d have gotten a request to allow this person onto my Google+ stream, and I could have chosen to say no.  But Google+ doesn’t give me that option.  Anyone at all can follow me and put me in any circle they’ve created, without asking, without my permission.

This is probably my biggest complaint overall with Google+.  I feel I have a distinct lack of control over who gets to post on my stream, and the only recourse I have is to block them.  I can’t even just kick them out of my stream.  I have to go to the extreme of blocking them completely.  If I’d have just been asked first, I could have decided on a “yes” or “no” to their request to add me without having to have suffered through a dozen or more anti-semitic posts on my stream first.

One of the things I like about Facebook is the ability to keep my wall clean and neat, to only allow a certain type of person to have access to what I say and what I see about them (which in my case is strictly limited to people I’ve actually met in person or have some sort of more-than-passing-acquaintance with).  I am not as likely to see an offensive posting or link since these are people I know and have some connection with.

In the case of Google +, I feel I have no control at all.  I don’t even know how this guy found me, or why he thought I wanted to see what he had to say about people of the Jewish faith.  I have no idea who he is.  Why the heck would Google+ think it was okay for someone like this to have the ability to shove themselves into my online life without any kind of how-do-you-do?

In fact, there is no way (that I’ve found) to keep the random person from just adding you to one of their circles so that you see their posts, however rude and childish.  I have no choice in the matter at all.

Google+ will have its adherents, and it will be popular in its own way, but it will never replace Facebook for me, at least in its current form.  Give me some choice, give me some control about who puts me in their circles, and I might just change my mind.  But for now?  Google+ will remain a fringe product that I use sparingly and only often enough to block more weirdoes from my stream.

 

Posted in Facebook, google

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I Feel Stupid

Posted by Andrew at 7:25 AM on December 28, 2011

Windows Phone 7Over the break, there’s been a bit of discussion by some of the big names regarding the reasons why Windows Phone 7 handsets haven’t been flying off the shelves this holiday season. Charlie Kindel started the debate with “Windows Phone is Superior; Why Hasn’t It Taken Off?” and largely faults the relationship between the OEMs, Microsoft and the carriers.

MG Siegler responded with a fairly weak response largely citing the mantra of “too late and not enough apps” but as can be seen from today’s news of 50,000 apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace, the latter argument really isn’t that valid.

As usual, Robert Scoble hits the nail on the head. People buy Android or iOS because it’s a safe bet and they don’t want to look stupid or uncool by buying something else. Microsoft Windows Phone 7 and RIM’s Blackberries simply don’t have the gold-plated appeal of a sure-thing.

And he’s right. I was a big Palm fan and look how that turned out. I do feel stupid. After spending years waiting for Palm to move from PalmOS to WebOS and then HP promising to do big things. I bought in with a succession of Pre phones and pre-ordered a TouchPad. Maybe I shouldn’t be so shallow and have a less of an ego, because WebOS is a great operating system and even with the smaller app selection, it does 99% of what I need a phone to do. But when everyone else is, “Have you got this app and that app” on their Galaxy S IIs and iPhone 4Ss, you do feel a bit of a chump.

So thanks, HP. I feel stupid.

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Posted in Android, Apple, application, blackberry, Geek Culture, google, HP, HTC, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, Microsoft, mobile, Operating Systems, Palm, smartphone, tablet, Windows Phone 7

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Google Currents, It’s Ok

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 11:56 AM on December 11, 2011

http://f.cl.ly/items/3d3q252D1a0V2M2J0D0P/Untitled.pngI have been looking at Google Currents since it came out on the 8th and it’s ok, but that’s all it is just ok. In many ways it is similar to FlipBoard or Zite, but it is missing the social connections that FlipBoard has and the personalization of Zite. First the good news it is well designed and fairly intuitive to use. It is offered on all iOs and Android devices. You have two areas first is your Library and the second is trending topics. The first time you open the app up you are given some default content in your library including Forbes Magazine, Fast Company, Saveur Magazine, PBS and Bleacher Report just to name a few. If you want to add more you simply tap on Library and add the sources you want. You can also add your google reader sourc if you want. There is also a list of curators including Robert Scoble , tech enthusiast and photographer Thomas Hawk. The trending topic shows what is happening now in your area of interest. To dig down into a source you tap on it and then tap on the article, you swipe right to left to read through an article and tap on the arrow at the bottom to get to the next article in the source. If you want to get back to the table of content click on the book at the bottom of the screen. To go back to the main home you hit the home icon. To save or share the article tap on the circle with two arrows pointing up. You can +1 to Google Plus, share to Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook. You can save to Pinboard or Instapaper. You can also email a link.

http://f.cl.ly/items/2p3t3H3D081Z0f0i3E1T/Untitled.png

Like I said Google Currents is ok, but although you can share out, there is no connection to your social network coming in like there is with FlipBoard. With FlipBoard you can add your Twitter list, you can’t do that on Google Currents. Also there is no way to teach Google Currents what articles interest you and those that don’t. On Zite you can thumb an article up and down. You can request more from a certain author with Zite. You can’t do anything like that with Google Currents and that is where it fails. I also find it strange that although you can +1 something you can’t share directly to a specific circle within Google Plus. You would think that the first thing a Google product would do be to share with another Google product. This isn’t to say it will not get better, but for now I am sticking with FlipBoard and Zite.

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Posted in google, Information

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Google Behind the Numbers

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 12:04 PM on December 3, 2011

An interesting infographic pertaining to Google was posted over at Business MBA titled Google Behind the Numbers.  It’s a look at the revenue that Google collects and sources from which it comes.  The numbers are mind-boggling.

In 2010 Google’s revenue was $29.3 billion, more than the 28 poorest countries COMBINED!  Did you know that 97% of Google’s revenue comes from ads?  We knew that was their main business, but with all of the services it seems stunning that such a high percentage still comes from advertising.  Then again, the vast majority of those services, like Gmail, Docs, Maps, Calendar, and Music, are free.  All are monetized by displaying Google AdWords.

The massive numbers continue – displaying the amount of visitors, the time spent on Google sites, the power used, and more.  Scroll down through the infographic below and you’ll be amazed by the scale of this company that is barely a decade old.

Google Behind The Numbers
From: BusinessMBA.org

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Posted in google

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Google Maps Goes into Malls, Airports

Posted by Jeffrey Powers at 10:56 AM on November 30, 2011
Google Maps before and after

Google Maps before and after

Google Maps announced the other day they will be extending their mapping service indoors. No, the Google street view cars are not going to be driving into your house, but they will be bringing their services into Malls and Airports, so you can get door-to-true end mapping.

According to the Google Blog, the new leg of this mapping service will bring that familiar “Blue Dot” (to indicate where you are) indoors to public spots. That way if you are in terminal G5 at Chicago – O’Hare, and need to get to terminal A15, you can map your destination and make sure you are going in the right direction.

“We’re thrilled Google Maps continues to provide you with new and helpful perspectives—whether you’re rushing through the airport or finding your way around a mall. ” says Brian McClendon – VP of engineering for Google Maps.

Google has partnered with Malls: Mall of America, IKEA, The Home Depot, select Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, Daimaru, Takashimaya and Mitsukoshi locations. Mapped airports at this time include: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Narita International (NRT), among others. As time progresses, they will continue to map stores and other public locations.

Read the release here.

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Posted in google

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