Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Ultrasn0w 1.2.1 carrier unlock now available for jailbroken iPhones running iOS 4.3.1]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/11/ultrasn0w-1-2-1-carrier-unlock-now-available-for-jailbroken-ipho/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/11/ultrasn0w-1-2-1-carrier-unlock-now-available-for-jailbroken-ipho/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/11/ultrasn0w-1-2-1-carrier-unlock-now-available-for-jailbroken-ipho/#comments ultrasn0w 1.2.1Anyone who relies on a carrier unlock to use their iPhone on another GSM carrier, can now take the iOS 4.3.1 plunge thanks to ultrasn0w 1.2.1. The iPhone Dev-Team have worked their magic to make ultrasn0w functional once again for the iPhone 4 (GSM), 3GS and 3G, and to correct a signal bar issue for anyone maintaining an older baseband but not using an unlock.

It's important to note that this isn't a new carrier unlock, and still requires an older baseband. Therefore if you're intending to upgrade to iOS 4.3.1 make sure you use something like Pwnage Tool to maintain your existing baseband, and do not just upgrade using iTunes in the hope of using redsn0w to jailbreak, as that will result in ultrasn0w being locked out.

Once you've jailbroken your iPhone using Pwnage Tool, fire up Cydia and search for ultrasn0w to get your carrier unlock installed, then just reboot your phone. Voila! Carrier unlocked.

Ultrasn0w 1.2.1 carrier unlock now available for jailbroken iPhones running iOS 4.3.1 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appscarrier unlockCarrierUnlockcellphonesiOSiPhoneiPhone dev teamIphoneDevTeamultrasn0wutilities Samuel Gibbs Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google streaming I/O conference 2011 live for those who can't make it]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/google-streaming-i-o-conference-2011-live-for-those-who-cant-ma/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/google-streaming-i-o-conference-2011-live-for-those-who-cant-ma/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/google-streaming-i-o-conference-2011-live-for-those-who-cant-ma/#comments Google I/O 2011 The Google I/O conference, a gathering of developers from across the globe to San Francisco's Moscone Center, sold out in under an hour. In an effort to encompass as many people as clearly want to join in with the conference, Google is going to stream the keynotes, sessions and Developer Sandbox, live via the Google I/O website. This is in addition to the already planned I/O Extended viewing parties that Google and others are hosting around the world.

So if were unlucky in getting tickets, stuck at home, or to your desk on May 10th and 11th, but really want to get in on the I/O action, check out the Google I/O Live page, where you can register your interest by displaying the Google I/O Live 2011 HTML5 badge on your site. Oh and check out the fancy, bouncing ball, countdown clock while you're there too.

Google streaming I/O conference 2011 live for those who can't make it originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 04:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> developerGoogleGoogle IOGoogle IO 2011Google IO LiveGoogleIoGoogleIo2011GoogleIoLiveWeb Samuel Gibbs Fri, 08 Apr 2011 04:40:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Telus recruits Leonard Nimoy to vet your Facebook status updates]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/telus-recruits-leonard-nimoy-to-vet-your-facebook-status-updates/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/telus-recruits-leonard-nimoy-to-vet-your-facebook-status-updates/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/08/telus-recruits-leonard-nimoy-to-vet-your-facebook-status-updates/#comments What Would Leonard Nimoy Say Have you ever thought your Facebook status updates lacked finesse? Ever regretted saying that to the whole of Facebook about 30 seconds after hitting send? Ever wished you had your own personal Leonard Nimoy to proof read your mind-dumps before you make a fool of yourself? Yes, me too, and now you can!

Brought to you by Telus, What Would Leonard Nimoy Say (WWLNS) is a Facebook app, which allows you to run your status updates past the legendary sci-fi actor before slapping them up on Facebook. To use the app you must 'Like' it, and sacrifice your https connection if you happen to have it enabled, but that's the price you pay to have Spock proof read your inane musings.

Check out Telus on Facebook to take the app for a whirl, and jump on over to Engadget to see more Nimoy-Telus combinations.

Telus recruits Leonard Nimoy to vet your Facebook status updates originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsFacebookLeonard NimoyLeonardNimoysocial networkingSocialNetworkingTelusWebWWLNS Samuel Gibbs Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:40:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Gmail Contacts auto-save can now be disabled plus myriad of small updates]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/gmail-contacts-auto-save-can-now-be-disabled-plus-myriad-of-smal/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/gmail-contacts-auto-save-can-now-be-disabled-plus-myriad-of-smal/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/gmail-contacts-auto-save-can-now-be-disabled-plus-myriad-of-smal/#comments Gmail auto-contact settings The Gmail team has been busy behind the scenes of late addressing a plentiful supply of little niggles. First up on the chopping block is the annoying (or amazing, depending on how you look at it) auto-save contacts feature, which has been the bane of many-a-contact neat-freak (myself included) since its inception. Now Google has finally added an option to turn off the auto-save contacts feature. It's available in the 'General' tab of Gmail settings going forward, and should please anyone who syncs their phone contacts with Gmail contacts.

Gmail will also now point out any incorrectly entered email addresses visually, rather than simply telling you something was wrong. This will be handy for anyone addressing emails to a long list of recipients, as it'll be a lot easier to spot the typo. A few of Gmail's error messages have also migrated from pop-ups to in-window messages that allow you to action things more easily, while still getting on with the task in hand. Gmail will also now send you back to the message you were looking at if you happen to create a filter for 'messages like these,' a nice tweak that should save you some time.

If you're into your keyboard shortcuts, Gmail now has one turned on by default and that's the shortcut help key. Hit 'shift' and '?' together and you'll be presented with an overlay detailing all the keyboard shortcuts available to boost your productivity. Last but not least, the 'refresh' link is now a button on to match the rest of the buttons on the toolbar. Consistency in UI is important for a decent user experience, and now Gmail conforms just a little bit more.

To check out these little changes, all you have to do is head to your Gmail and have a look around the UI. Many people rely daily on Gmail in the browser, and these small, but important changes, can make the difference between a slick and productive experience, and a sluggish and frustrating one.

Gmail Contacts auto-save can now be disabled plus myriad of small updates originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Samuel Gibbs Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:45:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Microsoft Office 2011 SP1 for Mac arriving next week with Outlook improvements]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/microsoft-office-2011-sp1-for-mac-arriving-next-week-with-outloo/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/microsoft-office-2011-sp1-for-mac-arriving-next-week-with-outloo/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/microsoft-office-2011-sp1-for-mac-arriving-next-week-with-outloo/#comments Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac SP1 Microsoft's Business Unit, the Mac software arm of the Redmond-based software giant, is set to release its first Service Pack for Office 2011 for Mac. Just like most updates of this nature, SP1 will address a myriad of bugs, and roll in most of the hotfixes that came before it into one, easy to install package.

SP1 will also address Outlook's syncing support, with the BU adding calendar support for Sync Services allowing you to finally sync Outlook calendars with iCal and other local calendars, as well as syncing iDevices hooked up through iTunes. For Office 2008 upgraders, this was one of the features removed in the Entourage to Outlook switch, so it's nice to see it finally make an appearance in Outlook. The irony here is that Outlook will no longer be able to sync with your MobileMe calendar when it's upgraded to the new version on the 5th of May, or before if you've jumped the gun early, as Apple has removed Sync Services support from MobileMe by turning to CalDAV. Nothing to do with Microsoft here of course, and it shouldn't be long before something gets worked out.

Outlook has also been bestowed with the ability to edit server-side Exchange rules, something our friends at TUAW pointed out, have been missing on the Mac since Office 2001 for Mac OS 9. The email Redirect and Resend buttons have also made an appearance, allowing you to send mail onto the intended recipient without being caught in the email chain for replies. Excel also gets some love from SP1 with improved Solver integration support, which should be handy for those attempting to use equations in Excel.

Look to Microsoft Autoupdate on your Mac starting next week, or visit the Microsoft Mac download center to update manually once it becomes available.

Microsoft Office 2011 SP1 for Mac arriving next week with Outlook improvements originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsMicrosoftOffice 2011Office 2011 SP1Office2011Office2011Sp1OS XOsXproductivityservice packServicePack Samuel Gibbs Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:45:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Apple iAds get an app all to themselves with iAd Gallery for iPhone]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/apple-iads-get-an-app-all-to-themselves-with-iad-gallery-for-iph/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/apple-iads-get-an-app-all-to-themselves-with-iad-gallery-for-iph/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/apple-iads-get-an-app-all-to-themselves-with-iad-gallery-for-iph/#comments Apple iAd Gallery Ever thought to yourself: "I wish there was a way that I could just see ads without the rest of this crummy ad-supported app getting in the way"? Well now you can, thanks to Apple's latest and greatest release -- the iAd Gallery app. This magical new app allows you to view all of Apple's current iAd advertising campaigns right on your iPhone:

'Great ads. On-demand. In your pocket. The iAd Gallery is a celebration of advertising, featuring iAd campaigns from some of the world's best brands and their advertising agencies.'

You can even save your favorite ads for later viewing, or pick at random by spinning the 'wheel of iAds.' Unfortunately for Europeans, and anyone outside of the US in fact, Apple's iAd Gallery is only available in the US App Store. So, for our US-based iPhone-wielding readers, head on over to the App Store to get your fill of advertising.

Apple iAds get an app all to themselves with iAd Gallery for iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AppleappsiAdsiAds GalleryIadsGalleryiOS Samuel Gibbs Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Fring brings group video calling to iPhone and Android with new beta]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/fring-brings-group-calling-to-iphone-and-android-with-new-beta/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/fring-brings-group-calling-to-iphone-and-android-with-new-beta/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/fring-brings-group-calling-to-iphone-and-android-with-new-beta/#comments fring group calling betaFring, the perennial thorn in the side of Skype and other VoIP apps on the mobile platform, has now brought group video calling to the table in its latest beta. Having been the first to launch video calling on the iPhone, fring's limited beta is available for both iPhone and Android devices, and brings free video calls with up to four people in a mosaic layout as show to the right. According to Cnet the app is currently a little rough around the edges, it is called a beta for a reason, but does what it says on the tin.

The beta is limited in numbers, but if you're keen to give it a go you can apply here, submitting your UDID or IMEI number and those of three friends (you have to have people to test it with obviously). In the meantime, if you haven't tried fring, it allows both free video and VoIP calls between fring users over 3G or Wi-Fi, and even has fringOut should you want to call a landline or other non-fring number. The app is available for iOS, Android and even Symbian.

Hit the jump for a video of the beta in action.

Continue reading Fring brings group video calling to iPhone and Android with new beta

Fring brings group video calling to iPhone and Android with new beta originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AndroidappsfringiOSvideovideo chatVideoChatVoIP Samuel Gibbs Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:50:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Twitter beefs up People search with associated name discovery]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/twitter-beefs-up-people-search-with-associated-name-discovery/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/twitter-beefs-up-people-search-with-associated-name-discovery/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/twitter-beefs-up-people-search-with-associated-name-discovery/#comments Twitter People Search Twitter has finally made its people search algorithm a little more useful. It's integrated the ability to search for people using associated terms. For instance searching for 'Tech' might bring up a bunch of tech journalists or publications, where as searching for 'hip hop' will bring up some hip hop artists as suggestions. Previously the Twitter people search would only bring up people with the keyword search term actually in their username.

Twitter has also rolled out an Advanced Search page, which lets you drill down with exact phrase matching, and other conditional searching additions. It'll even let you search using positive, negative, question, and retweet inclusion modifiers, with the best bit being that you can use emoticons to do it. :)

Twitter beefs up People search with associated name discovery originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> searchsocial networkingSocialNetworkingTwitterWeb Samuel Gibbs Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Facebook iPhone app gains Map View for Places, Unfriend and Event check-ins]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/facebook-iphone-app-gains-map-view-for-places-unfriend-and-even/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/facebook-iphone-app-gains-map-view-for-places-unfriend-and-even/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/facebook-iphone-app-gains-map-view-for-places-unfriend-and-even/#comments Facebook iPhone app UnfriendFacebook just updated its iPhone app to include some frequently requested features including the ability to check-in to events, view maps for Places and unfriend people on the go.

Places now lets you see locations using an integrated Google map, so that you can scope out where your friends have checked into and the surrounding area; handy if you're meant to be meeting your friend at a bar, but are running late, have no idea where it is, and they've already checked-in there. Speaking of checking-in you can now also check-in to Events you happen to be attending, which seems a logical inclusion.

Unfriending people works as you might expect. Select a friend, hit the do more button and choose to add them as a favorite, send them a message, poke them, or unfriend them! No more will you have to wait till you get back to your desktop to remove the scourge that just slighted you. Just be careful you don't hit the Unfriend button when you're aiming to give them a quick poke.

Facebook also made some minor updates to the News Feed and Notifications UI, which now includes profile pictures next to notification items.

Jump on over to the App Store to pick up the free update, or hit the 'check for updates' button in iTunes.

Facebook iPhone app gains Map View for Places, Unfriend and Event check-ins originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appscheck-infacebookiOSiPhoneMap ViewMapViewsocial networkingSocialNetworkingUnfriend Samuel Gibbs Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Untethered iOS 4.3.1 jailbreak is go with redsn0w and PwnageTool for Windows and OS X, minus iPad 2]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/untethered-ios-4-3-1-jailbreak-is-go-with-redsn0w-and-pwnagetool/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/untethered-ios-4-3-1-jailbreak-is-go-with-redsn0w-and-pwnagetool/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/04/untethered-ios-4-3-1-jailbreak-is-go-with-redsn0w-and-pwnagetool/#comments PwnageTool 4.3 iOS 4.3.1 untethered jailbreak Jailbreakers, your iOS 4.3.1 time has come -- the iPhone Dev-Team has updated their redsn0w and PwnageTool utilities to enable an untethered jailbreak of the latest and greatest iOS version. Redsn0w 0.9.6rc6 and PwnageTool 4.3 both use an exploit discovered by Stefan Esser, a German security researcher, best know to the jailbreak community as the man behind the antid0te framework, which implemented ALSR; a random arrangement of data for increased security against hacking.

So, if you're running an iPhone 3GS or 4 (GSM), an iPod touch third or fourth-generation, or an iPad 1 and want to get your jailbreak on, head on over to the Dev-Team blog for official links to both redsn0w (Windows or OS X) and PwnageTool. If you're an ultrasn0w user however, you best wait a little as there's a fix coming for some bugs between iOS 4.3.1 and the older basebands required for carrier unlock. Apple TV 2 owners can also get in on the action, but are limited to PwnageTool for your jailbreak needs. iPad 2 owners I'm afraid you're left out in the cold on this untethered one, as the iPad 2 requires a bootrom-level exploit to install and Apple's latest device is not susceptible to either the current limera1n or SHAtter bootrom exploits.

Untethered iOS 4.3.1 jailbreak is go with redsn0w and PwnageTool for Windows and OS X, minus iPad 2 originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> iOSiPhone Dev-TeamIphoneDev-teamjailbreakOS XOsXPwnageToolredsn0wsecurityutilitiesWindows Samuel Gibbs Mon, 04 Apr 2011 03:45:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Adobe Flash Player 10.3 beta 2 and AIR 2.7 beta released for download]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/adobe-flash-player-10-3-beta-2-and-air-2-7-beta-released-for-dow/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/adobe-flash-player-10-3-beta-2-and-air-2-7-beta-released-for-dow/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/adobe-flash-player-10-3-beta-2-and-air-2-7-beta-released-for-dow/#comments Adobe Flash 10.3 beta 2 AIR 2.7 beta Adobe's just let fly its latest beta of Flash Player bringing it to 10.3 beta 2. The update brings stability increases and bug fixes, as well as all the new features from the beta 1 release earlier this month. Adobe has also brought its AIR runtime up to speed with the latest developments in Flash, releasing Adobe AIR 2.7 beta for your downloading pleasure.

AIR 2.7 adds support for Adobe SiteCatalyst's Media Measurement tools that allow media analytics with just a few lines of code. Adobe's Acoustic Echo Cancellation, which it introduced with Flash 10.3 beta, has also made it across into its AIR brother, allowing developers of AIR-based VoIP systems to take advantage of Adobe's new audio enhancement tools. Finally, an enhanced HTMLLoader API has made the cut, giving standalone AIR apps more control over clickable HTML links.

For the full skinny and to download Flash Player 10.3 beta 2 and AIR 2.7 beta, then head on over the Adobe Labs.

Adobe Flash Player 10.3 beta 2 and AIR 2.7 beta released for download originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AIRAIR 2.7Air2.7betadeveloperFlashFlash 10.3Flash10.3LinuxOS XOsXutilitiesVoIPWebWindows Samuel Gibbs Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google launches two new domains for Iraq and Tunisia]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/google-launches-two-new-domains-for-iraq-and-tunisia/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/google-launches-two-new-domains-for-iraq-and-tunisia/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/google-launches-two-new-domains-for-iraq-and-tunisia/#comments Google.iq Google have launched two new localized domains for Iraq and Tunisia, bringing Google's search domains to a whopping 184 worldwide. The two new domains google.iq and google.tn allow for faster, better, and easier local search in both Iraq and Tunisia, as well as interface languages to suit. Both domains are available in English, but google.iq is also available in Arabic and Kurdish, where as google.tn can be read in Arabic and French.

Now users from either Iraq or Tunisia can search and find local listings for shops, banks, restaurants and other businesses, as well as government provided amenities, just by searching using the appropriate keywords like you would on google.com or google.co.uk. It's all part of Google's vision to cover the world's top 40 spoken languages, allowing them to reach 99% of global Internet users and provide them with Google services, oh and ads, of course.

Google launches two new domains for Iraq and Tunisia originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> domainsgoogleIraqlocalSearchTunisiaWeb Samuel Gibbs Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Fake pirated Walk and Text Android app embarrasses pirates and steals sensitive data]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/fake-pirated-walk-and-text-android-app-embarrasses-pirates-and-s/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/fake-pirated-walk-and-text-android-app-embarrasses-pirates-and-s/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/fake-pirated-walk-and-text-android-app-embarrasses-pirates-and-s/#comments
walk and talk pirate SMS
Symantec is reporting that they have detected a malicious Android app doing the rounds on file-sharing sites in the US and Asia. The fake application impersonates a pirated version of an app called Walk and Text, which lets you overlay a keyboard on a live feed from your phone's camera to avoid crashing into things while walking and texting, and is currently available in the Android Market for less than $2.

When the fake app is launched it throws up a simulated dialog showing the Walk and Text app being 'cracked,' but actually what it's doing is collecting your private information including your IMEI, phone number, username, and scanning your address book. The virus then attempts to send that information back to a remote server, but also sends out an SMS to everyone in your address book with the text shown above and a warning that the application isn't licensed with links to buy the real thing:

Trojan warning

Symantec has dubbed the malicious application as the Android.Walkinwat Trojan and categorised it with a 'Very Low' risk level 1. While we can agree with the developer's sentiment, we can't condone their actions; but if you get hit by this Trojan and a nasty invasion of privacy, you've only got one person to blame.

Fake pirated Walk and Text Android app embarrasses pirates and steals sensitive data originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AndroidappsdevelopersecurityTrojanutilitiesVirus Samuel Gibbs Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google Street View trike adds historic landmarks from Italy and France to Google Maps]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/google-street-view-trike-adds-historic-landmarks-from-italy-and/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/google-street-view-trike-adds-historic-landmarks-from-italy-and/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/google-street-view-trike-adds-historic-landmarks-from-italy-and/#comments Google Street View Colosseum, Rome, Italy Google's been busy with its pedal-powered Street View trike, going where no Street View car can reach, bringing us some of the most impressive virtual tours of significant landmarks across the globe. Now Google has made available Street View imagery of some of the most historic and impressive places in both Italy and France.

Have you ever wanted to take a look round the Colosseum in Rome which was built in 80 AD, but just haven't had the chance to jump on a jet over to Italy? Or how about the glorious Château de Fontainebleau, which has been home to French Royalty through the ages just outside of Paris in France? Well now you can make a virtual visit from the comfort of your office chair courtesy of Google Street View. While it's never going to be the same as feasting your eyes on the real thing, it's incredible to be able to take a virtual stroll through some of the world's most prestigious and fantastic landmarks.

So what are you waiting for, point your browser to Google's Street View gallery, and take a gander at some of the wonders of the world, or seek them out directly in Google Maps. Just don't let the boss catch you on your little virtual holiday.

Google Street View trike adds historic landmarks from Italy and France to Google Maps originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsFranceGoogleGoogle MapsGoogleMapsItalylandmarksphotographyStreet Viewstreet view trikeStreetViewStreetViewTrikevirtual tourVirtualTourWeb Samuel Gibbs Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Songbird 1.1 for Android brings lock-screen widget and Honeycomb support]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/songbird-1-1-for-android-brings-lock-screen-widget-and-honeycomb/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/songbird-1-1-for-android-brings-lock-screen-widget-and-honeycomb/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/songbird-1-1-for-android-brings-lock-screen-widget-and-honeycomb/#comments Songbird 1.1 for AndroidThe Mozilla-powered rapidly iterating media player for Android, Songbird, just got updated to version 1.1, bringing with it both bug fixes and new features. Top of the list is Android 3.0 Honeycomb support, so now you can get Songbird on your Honeycomb tablet. Also included is a new lock-screen widget that allows you to control music playback right from the lock-screen.

Speaking of widgets, the Songbird team have been working on increasing widget stability and responsiveness, so if you thought it was a bit of a sloth-like affair before, perhaps this will be the fix you need. Bluetooth car audio support has also been added along with better bluetooth headset disconnection handling.

Songbird 1.1 may be out the door, check the source for full release notes, but the team are already hard at work on the next iteration, which should feature landscape support among other things. Head over to the Android Market to get your free Songbird 1.1 download.

Songbird 1.1 for Android brings lock-screen widget and Honeycomb support originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AndroidappsaudioMozillaSongbird Samuel Gibbs Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Amazon Cloud Player streams music from your free Cloud Drive to Android and the desktop]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-streams-music-from-your-free-cloud-drive-to/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-streams-music-from-your-free-cloud-drive-to/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/amazon-cloud-player-streams-music-from-your-free-cloud-drive-to/#comments Amazon Cloud Player Amazon has just launched its free Amazon Cloud Player for both Android and the Web, plus an accompanying digital locker service, Amazon Cloud Drive. Amazon has beaten both Apple and Google to the punch with a digital locker music streaming service for Amazon.com customers, and it can be yours for free, right now.

The Amazon Cloud Player allows you to stream music stored on your free Amazon Cloud Drive in either MP3 or AAC formats directly in your browser or through the use of the free Amazon MP3 Android app. The Cloud Drive will let you upload and store almost any type of content file you like, with 5GB of free storage available to everyone with an Amazon account. If you buy an MP3 album from Amazon, it'll bump your Cloud Drive storage to 20GB for one year for free, while any MP3s you buy from Amazon are automatically added to your Cloud Drive and won't count against your storage quota. If 20GB isn't enough space for you, or you don't want to buy your music from Amazon, then additional price plans ranging from 20GB to 1000GB are available for $1 per gigabyte per year for US-customers.

Use of the Cloud Player requires a valid US-based billing address at the moment, which is likely tied to licensing agreements with record labels, but anyone with an Amazon account can use the Cloud Drive to store files. It's also not available for iOS, not even in Mobile Safari, but according to TechCrunch it has nothing to do with the lack of Flash.

Head on over to Amazon's Cloud Drive and Player getting started page, to get yourself 5GB of free cloud storage, and if you're in the US, free music streaming.

Amazon Cloud Player streams music from your free Cloud Drive to Android and the desktop originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AmazonAmazon Cloud PlayerAmazonCloudPlayerAndroidappsAudioCloud DriveCloud PlayerCloudDriveCloudPlayerUtilitiesWeb Samuel Gibbs Tue, 29 Mar 2011 04:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[BlackBerry Playbook to support Android and Java apps with optional app players]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/blackberry-playbook-to-support-android-and-java-apps-with-option/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/blackberry-playbook-to-support-android-and-java-apps-with-option/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/blackberry-playbook-to-support-android-and-java-apps-with-option/#comments BlackBerry Playbook RIM announced yesterday via a press release, that both BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps will be supported on the BlackBerry Playbook using optional 'app players.' The app players will provide support for native C/C++ code along with HTML5, Flash and Adobe AIR. Games will also be catered for with support for game engines including AirPlay from Ideaworks Labs and Unity 3 from Unity Technologies included. This will potentially give the Playbook access to over 200,000 Android apps that were designed and written for Android 2.3 Gingerbread as long as the developer is ready to port them over for use in one of the two app players.

Apps will be downloaded through the BlackBerry App World, with developers able to 'simply repackage, code sign and submit' their apps to the store. Of course native C/C++ based apps can be created for the Playbook's QNX Neutrino microkernel based BlackBerry Tablet OS, with the SDK set to be released to developers soon.

Hit the source link for the full press release with all the sordid details.

BlackBerry Playbook to support Android and Java apps with optional app players originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AndroidappsBlackBerrydeveloperPlaybookRIMutilities Samuel Gibbs Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Skype for Mac updates to 5.1 with active speaker focus]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/skype-for-mac-updates-to-5-1-with-active-speaker-focus/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/skype-for-mac-updates-to-5-1-with-active-speaker-focus/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/25/skype-for-mac-updates-to-5-1-with-active-speaker-focus/#comments Skype 5.1 for MacSkype for Mac got an update yesterday bringing it to version 5.1. The recommended upgrade allows for easier group calling thanks to the ability to focus in on active speakers within a conference call. You can now dial recently called numbers direct from the dial pad too, which should speed up calls to frequently used numbers or contacts. A call quality feedback mechanism has also been added that can be used to rate the quality of the call (not the conversation) after it's finished, while contact groups are now shown on the right hand side giving you more space in the Skype side bar for recent events.

Skype 5.1 for Mac also comes packing a plethora of bug fixes, including proper FireWire connected iSight camera detection. You can download Skype 5.1 from here, or check for updates directly within Skype to initiate an auto-update.

Skype for Mac updates to 5.1 with active speaker focus originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsMacOS XOsXSkypeupdateVoIP Samuel Gibbs Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google Spreadsheets gains filtering, one more reason not to use Excel]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/google-spreadsheets-gains-filtering-one-more-reason-not-to-use/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/google-spreadsheets-gains-filtering-one-more-reason-not-to-use/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/google-spreadsheets-gains-filtering-one-more-reason-not-to-use/#comments Google Spreadsheets filtering Toying with spreadsheets is just about the most mundane office work you can possibly do these days, and it's a world that is dominated by Microsoft Excel. Google's fairly basic offering, Spreadsheets, has just been bestowed with yet another reason to eschew Excel: Filtering.

Filtering allows you to instantly deep dive into both large or small amounts of data in ways which would take hours if done manually. Google's added pretty comprehensive filtering that mimics what's available in Excel. You can filter by row or column, by multiple keywords, or partial search terms, all indicated on the spreadsheet by green highlights. Add this to the existing sorting function of Spreadsheets and you've got yet another reason to use the light cloud-based Google Docs over the juggernaut that is Microsoft Office.

Google Spreadsheets gains filtering, one more reason not to use Excel originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsDocsfilteringGoogleGoogle DocsGoogle SpreadsheetsGoogleDocsGoogleSpreadsheetsproductivitySpreadsheetsWeb Samuel Gibbs Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google Drawings gets revisions, presence, and format painter tool]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/google-drawings-gets-revisions-presence-and-format-painter-too/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/google-drawings-gets-revisions-presence-and-format-painter-too/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/24/google-drawings-gets-revisions-presence-and-format-painter-too/#comments Google Drawings Google Drawings has just been updated to bring it into line with the rest of the Google Docs suite. The update includes revision history, which lets you see who added what and when, with the same interface used in both Documents and Spreadsheets. Presence indication has been added too, with shapes highlighted with a color linked to the current user. It mimics the text colors used to highlight what each person is writing in Documents, except highlighting the shapes and drawing elements that each person is contributing instead. Combined with revision history, the two features make is easier than ever to create collaborative drawings.

Google's added a format painter tool to Drawings as well, which lets you copy the format of a shape and paste it onto another shape. This helps you copy exact colors, as well as shape formatting, allowing you to create multiples of shapes and colors quickly and easily. Sub-group selection has been introduced too, making selection of shapes within a group possible without ungrouping the group.

There are a few things missing from Google Drawings, but it's rapidly becoming the easiest and quickest way to knock up a rough drawing with colleagues or friends. Check out these additions and more by heading to Google Docs and starting a new drawing.

Google Drawings gets revisions, presence, and format painter tool originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 05:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsDocsDrawingsGoogleGoogle DocsGoogleDocsproductivityutilitiesWeb Samuel Gibbs Thu, 24 Mar 2011 05:20:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[YouTube Video Editor gets impressive stabilization and 3D Video Creator]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/youtube-video-editor-gets-impressive-stabilizer-and-3d-video-cre/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/youtube-video-editor-gets-impressive-stabilizer-and-3d-video-cre/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/youtube-video-editor-gets-impressive-stabilizer-and-3d-video-cre/#comments YouTube Video editor with stablization Google has just updated its cloud-based YouTube video editor to include the fruits of its recent purchase, plus a bit of 3D thrown in for good measure. The in-browser editor can now dramatically reduce camera shake using technology acquired from Green Parrot Pictures. It works by charting the best camera path for you, as if you were using a dolly or tripod, using a 'unified optimization technique.' In essence, it gives you a one-click solution for clearing up your shaky camera work, and the best bit is that you can preview it in real-time before you publish. Considering how much processing power video optimization like this demands, Google's pushing some impressive cloud computing here, distributing the load across a range of servers.

If video stabilization wasn't enough to sate your demands for a cloud-based video editor, how about a bit of 3D? Google's integrated 3D video production using two separate streams -- the kind of thing you get when you bolt two cameras together filming at a set distance apart at the same time. It's been quite difficult to create a 3D video from two cameras using just free tools, but now Google has integrated it into the YouTube 3D Video Creator and made it compatible with YouTube's 3D features.

So if you're a budding 3D movie maker on a budget, or you're a tad shaky when it comes to hand-held video, then checkout the new YouTube 3D Video Creator or the YouTube video editor. Hit the jump for a before and after comparison of the video stabilizer in action.

Continue reading YouTube Video Editor gets impressive stabilization and 3D Video Creator

YouTube Video Editor gets impressive stabilization and 3D Video Creator originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 06:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsGooglegreen parrot picturesGreenParrotPicturesproductivitystabilizationvideoVideo EditorVideoEditorWebYouTube Samuel Gibbs Wed, 23 Mar 2011 06:55:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Apple TV 4.2.1 update addresses flickering and sound issues]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/apple-tv-4-2-1-update-addresses-flickering-and-sound-issues/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/apple-tv-4-2-1-update-addresses-flickering-and-sound-issues/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/23/apple-tv-4-2-1-update-addresses-flickering-and-sound-issues/#comments Apple TV 4.2.1 updateApple has quietly pushed out an update for its second-generation Apple TV running iOS. The Apple TV 4.2.1 update addresses a couple of incredibly annoying bugs, which we've personally suffered from, including a flickering picture and a lack of audio when switching through sources on some TVs and AV receivers. The update should also cure the problem of the Apple TV sleeping with the fishes and failing to wake up when commanded by the remote. Apple also lists various 'stability and performance fixes' for the Apple TV, so with a bit of luck if you've got any outstanding issues from the previous update, they should be gone with 4.2.1.

The Apple TV 4.2.1 update can be downloaded either over-the-air on the Apple TV itself, or restored via iTunes.

Apple TV 4.2.1 update addresses flickering and sound issues originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AppleApple TVApple TV 4.2.1AppleTvAppleTv4.2.1appsiOSupdatevideo Samuel Gibbs Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:55:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Angry Birds Rio now available: 99 cents on iPhone, free on Amazon Android Appstore for 24 hours]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/angry-bird-rio-now-available-99-cents-for-iphone-free-on-amazo/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/angry-bird-rio-now-available-99-cents-for-iphone-free-on-amazo/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/angry-bird-rio-now-available-99-cents-for-iphone-free-on-amazo/#comments Angry Birds Rio We told you it was coming, but now the latest installment in the Angry Birds saga and film tie-in, Angry Birds Rio, is now available for download for both the iPhone and Android. Bringing the now classic Angry Birds gameplay to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Birds are on a war-path to find their friends Blu and Jewel, the two macaws who are the 'stars' of the upcoming animated film, Rio.

The game features the same slingshot action as previous Angry Birds titles, including all your favorite furious feathered friends. You get 60 levels to start you off, with Rovio promising 'Episodic updates throughout 2011.' Rio also comes packing a set of new achievements, 'special hidden fruits,' and a 'spectacular boss fight.'

While the game costs 99 cents on the iTunes App Store, the Amazon Appstore exclusive on the Android platform is free for 24-hours as part of Amazon's free app of the day promotion. So if you're an Android wielder, get over to the Amazon Appstore for Android (only available in the US) and download Angry Birds Rio now.

Angry Birds Rio now available: 99 cents on iPhone, free on Amazon Android Appstore for 24 hours originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Amazon App StoreAmazon App Store for Androidamazon appstoreAmazonAppStoreAmazonAppStoreForAndroidAndroidAngry BirdsAngry Birds RioAngryBirdsAngryBirdsRioappsgamingiOSiPhone Samuel Gibbs Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:45:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Amazon Appstore for Android launches with 'Test Drive' trials and recommendations]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/amazon-app-store-for-android-is-live-with-free-app-of-the-day-pr/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/amazon-app-store-for-android-is-live-with-free-app-of-the-day-pr/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/22/amazon-app-store-for-android-is-live-with-free-app-of-the-day-pr/#comments Amazon Appstore for Android The Amazon Appstore for Android, Amazon's Android Market place competitor, is now live for Android owners living in the US. Accessible in both the browser via Amazon.com/appstore, or on-device via a downloadable app, the Amazon Appstore hopes to bring a better store experience to the Android platform, and beat the Android Market at its own game.

The initial launch brings with it 3,800 apps available for download, from big name developers including Gameloft, Handmark and Glu Mobile. While 3,800 apps isn't a scratch on the 200,000 odd that the Android Market offers, Amazon's going hard with 'exclusives' with the Appstore launch coinciding with the release of Angry Birds Rio. In fact, Amazon's currently offering it for free, instead of 99 cents, as part of it's daily free app promotion, which itself will see one paid app available for free for 24-hours each day.

Amazon's also pushing a trial-like feature called 'Test Drive,' which lets you try out an app before you buy it. The system works using a desktop-based in-browser simulation powered by Amazon's cloud services, which lets you test apps for 30 minutes before you buy them. Amazon's usual one-click purchasing will also be in effect, along with a recommendation system based on previous purchases.

Continue reading Amazon Appstore for Android launches with 'Test Drive' trials and recommendations

Amazon Appstore for Android launches with 'Test Drive' trials and recommendations originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AmazonAmazon App Store for AndroidAmazon AppstoreAmazonAppstoreAmazonAppStoreForAndroidAndroidAndroid MarketAndroidMarketApp StoreappsAppStoreTest DriveTestDrive Samuel Gibbs Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:31:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Group messaging: the next big thing?]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/group-messaging-the-next-big-thing/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/group-messaging-the-next-big-thing/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/group-messaging-the-next-big-thing/#comments Group messaging As our mobile communications have evolved over the past few years, so have the messaging services that we've turned to, connecting us to our friends, families and colleagues. Instant communication has never been easier. Your favorite instant messaging protocols like AIM, Gtalk, and MSN Messenger, aren't fixed to the desktop anymore and can be taken on the road with the soon-ubiquitous smartphone. But that hasn't stopped the proliferation of alternative messaging systems, with the likes of BlackBerry Messenger and a plethora of copycats taking center stage.

The next big thing in mobile communications seems to be group messaging, and that's no real surprise. If we take a look at the currently entrenched communication platforms, not many of them do more than messaging one-to-one or one-to-a-few well. Sure you can have group chats using traditional IM protocols, but they are inherently transitory.

Continue reading Group messaging: the next big thing?

Group messaging: the next big thing? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsBBMBelugaBlackBerryBlackBerry Messengerblackberry+messenger+for+androidBlackberryMessengerblackberrymessengerforandroidFacebookfeaturesgroup messagingGroupMeGroupMessagingKikPing ChatPingChatRIMtext Samuel Gibbs Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[BlackBerry Protect now available in Europe]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/blackberry-protect-now-available-in-europe/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/blackberry-protect-now-available-in-europe/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/blackberry-protect-now-available-in-europe/#comments BlackBerry ProtectBlackBerry Protect, RIM's answer to Apple's Find My iPhone, has just been rolled out to Europe having been previously limited to the US. The app, which can be downloaded from the BlackBerry App World, allows you to locate your BlackBerry should it go missing; or failing that, lets you set a password, lock, or wipe your device remotely, making your data a little bit safer.

You can also use the app to wirelessly backup and restore your device should something go wrong, including all your contacts, calendar and bookmarks. Backups can be run on an ad hoc basis or scheduled for regular operation. BlackBerry Protect can even be used to restore data to a new phone, so it's worth checking out even if you don't intend on using the remote wipe features.

BlackBerry Protect can be downloaded from the BlackBerry App World for free, although a BlackBerry data plan is required.

BlackBerry Protect now available in Europe originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsbackupBlackBerryBlackBerry ProtectBlackberryProtectrestoreRIMutiltities Samuel Gibbs Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google TV Remote app for iPhone lands in the App Store]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/google-tv-remote-app-for-iphone-lands-in-the-app-store/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/google-tv-remote-app-for-iphone-lands-in-the-app-store/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/21/google-tv-remote-app-for-iphone-lands-in-the-app-store/#comments Google TV Remote App for iOS Following in the footsteps of Apple's Remote app for the iPhone and Apple TV, Google has released an iOS version of its official Google TV remote app that made its debut for Android back in December last year.

The app functions in exactly the same way as its Android brother, with the same interface, voice search, gestures and a plethora of buttons. In fact, the only thing that stands out as missing on the iOS side is Web page sharing from the iPhone to the Google TV. The app works over Wi-Fi connecting your iPhone to the Google TV through an existing wireless network, and allows you to control pretty much everything your Google-powered set-top box can do.

The app is available free from the iOS App Store, while the Android version is available from the Android Market. Hit the jump for Google's official video guide to the Google TV Remote App if you want to know more.

Continue reading Google TV Remote app for iPhone lands in the App Store

Google TV Remote app for iPhone lands in the App Store originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AndroidappsGoogleGoogle TVGoogle TV Remote appGoogleTvGoogleTvRemoteAppiOSiPhone Samuel Gibbs Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Facebook for BlackBerry 2.0 beta now available for download for OS 6 devices]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/facebook-for-blackberry-2-0-beta-now-available-for-download-for/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/facebook-for-blackberry-2-0-beta-now-available-for-download-for/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/facebook-for-blackberry-2-0-beta-now-available-for-download-for/#comments Facebook 2.0 beta for BlackBerry Good news BlackBerry-wielding Social Network fans -- Facebook's BlackBerry app just got an update to 2.0 beta. The new version brings with it a redesigned UI, some new features and Facebook Chat integration.

Facebook 2.0 BlackBerry beta profileHighlights include, an improved News Feed, which now lets you scroll through your feed a little easier, and removes the problem of accidental 'Like' clicking. You can now post photos to your Wall, check into Facebook Places and update things, all directly from your News Feed.

The new UI update brings the BlackBerry Facebook app more into line with its iOS cousin feature-wise, with access to the usual profile information including Wall, Info, Photos, and Pages. A drop-down navigation bar has also been implemented, replacing the static nav bar, and is scalable 'to support new features in the future.' The notifications bar has also been given a bit of polish with a BB OS 6 'Today View'-style notification break down page.

Facebook 2.0 BlackBerry beta ChatProbably the biggest addition, however, has to be the integrated Facebook Chat, which now lets you chat from the Facebook app itself, or the BlackBerry unified mailbox. You'll even get messages with the Facebook app closed as long as you've got your status set to online.

Facebook for BlackBerry 2.0 beta can be downloaded from the BlackBerry Beta Zone (registration required) with limited slots up for grabs. The app is currently only available for devices running OS 6, but future beta releases will push support down to devices running BB OS 4.6 and higher.

Facebook for BlackBerry 2.0 beta now available for download for OS 6 devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsBlackBerryFacebookFacebook ChatFacebookChatOS 6Os6RIMsocial networkingSocialNetworking Samuel Gibbs Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Angry Birds iOS update ends their Frontier Badlands adventure with 15 new levels, a Golden Egg and ads]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/angry-birds-ios-update-ends-their-frontier-badlands-adventure-wi/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/angry-birds-ios-update-ends-their-frontier-badlands-adventure-wi/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/18/angry-birds-ios-update-ends-their-frontier-badlands-adventure-wi/#comments Angry Birds Angry Birds, everyone's favorite casual gaming juggernaut, has just been updated to version 1.5.3 for iOS. In 'yet another blistering update' the Birds conclude their adventures in the Frontier Badlands with 15 new levels 'each more challenging than the next.' There's also another Golden Egg to be had too, and it's apparently 'good, band and ugly' all in one deliciously difficult to obtain challenge.

It's no wonder Angry Birds remains so popular with the constant stream of updates Rovio rolls in. With new contenders like Tiny Wings on the block, the Birds that kicked it all off will need to keep it coming, and with $42 million in the bank, there's no reason to think the Angry Birds production line should halt any time soon.

Hit the App Store for the update, and let them Frontier Pigs have it, one last time.

Update: Looking at the App Store reviews, Rovio's decision to include some promotional material for other Angry Birds-associated content on the pause screen (screen shot after the break) has angered some.

What do you think dear readers? Should a 99c game contain any ads and would you even class these as ads?

Continue reading Angry Birds iOS update ends their Frontier Badlands adventure with 15 new levels, a Golden Egg and ads

Angry Birds iOS update ends their Frontier Badlands adventure with 15 new levels, a Golden Egg and ads originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Angry BirdsAngryBirdsappsgamingiOSiPhoneRovio Samuel Gibbs Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:45:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[RIM's BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform beta SDK now available for developers]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/rims-blackberry-messenger-social-platform-beta-sdk-now-availabl/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/rims-blackberry-messenger-social-platform-beta-sdk-now-availabl/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/rims-blackberry-messenger-social-platform-beta-sdk-now-availabl/#comments BBM Social Platform SDKRIM have announced that their BlackBerry Messenger-based social initiative, dubbed 'BBM Social Platform,' has made it into public beta. Promised at the end of September last year, RIM has created a BBM SDK, opening up its popular messaging service to developers for integration into other apps, pushing the social edge, allowing embedded chat, status updates, location sharing, and file transfers.

This will give developers the ability to embed BBM chats into games for example, creating what RIM calls 'Super Apps,' allowing gamers to communicate over BBM without exiting the game and without having to have pre-existing contacts to chat like you do in the ordinary BBM client.

Currently the beta SDK is only for Java developers, but RIM promised that BlackBerry WebWorks developers will get a taste of the pie starting in April, including all the API access given to Java apps. Interested developers can head on over to the BlackBerry Developers zone for more information or download the SDK.

RIM's BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform beta SDK now available for developers originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BBMbbm social platformBbmSocialPlatformBlackBerryBlackBerry MessengerBlackberryMessengerdeveloperRIMSDKSocialNetworking Samuel Gibbs Thu, 17 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Gmail iOS Web app gains new connection bar on the iPhone and iPod touch]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/gmail-ios-web-app-gains-new-connection-bar/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/gmail-ios-web-app-gains-new-connection-bar/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/17/gmail-ios-web-app-gains-new-connection-bar/#comments iOS Gmail Web app status barGoogle has just made another addition to the already feature-rich Gmail iOS Web app. You can now see a pop-up connection bar, that shows you what the Web app is doing, when you last checked for new mail, whether your email was sent successfully and whether you're working online or offline, plus an indicator to show you if you've got any email left in your outbox. The connection bar disappears when no needed, saving screen real-estate.

You can check out the new bar simply by visiting Gmail.com on an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS4+. If you don't see it at first, try clearing your cache.

Gmail iOS Web app gains new connection bar on the iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsconnection barConnectionBarGmailGoogleiOSiPhoneproductivityStatus barStatusBarWebWeb appWebApp Samuel Gibbs Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[RetinaPad enables Retina Display iPhone graphics on your jailbroken iPad]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/16/retinapad-enables-retina-display-iphone-graphics-on-your-jailbro/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/16/retinapad-enables-retina-display-iphone-graphics-on-your-jailbro/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/16/retinapad-enables-retina-display-iphone-graphics-on-your-jailbro/#comments RetinaPad for iPad Have you ever wished your non-universal iPhone apps looked better on your iPad than the built-in pixel doubling can manage? Well thanks to a clever little jailbreak tweak called RetinaPad, now they can. Most recent iPhone apps come equipped with Retina display graphics for use on the iPhone 4; what RetinaPad does is allow the iPad's pixel doubling system to use the Retina display designed elements instead of the standard resolution graphics, significantly increasing the quality of the on-screen display.

The $3 app is incredibly simple to use too, just buy the app and install through Cydia using a repository of your choice. You'll have to reboot Springboard, but once done you'll get a dialog like the one above with the option to enable use of the Retina display graphics or leave it as standard. If you choose to enable use of the high-resolution elements, all you have to do is close the app from the multitasking bar and launch the app again.

It's a simple utility providing a really great facility that should have been built into the iPad by Apple itself. While some apps aren't going to benefit from the enhanced resolution elements -- apps like games, or those that rely on the on-screen keyboard come out a lot clearer and better looking.

So if you're an iPad user that still relies on iPhone apps that haven't got iPad versions yet, and have a jailbroken iPad, then RetinaPad is certainly worth checking out for the price of a cup of coffee.

RetinaPad enables Retina Display iPhone graphics on your jailbroken iPad originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsiOSiPadretina displayRetinaDisplayRetinaPadutilities Samuel Gibbs Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google's Hotpot Challenge NCAA Championship easter egg Web game celebrates College basketball]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/googles-hotpot-challenge-ncaa-championship-easter-egg-web-game/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/googles-hotpot-challenge-ncaa-championship-easter-egg-web-game/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/googles-hotpot-challenge-ncaa-championship-easter-egg-web-game/#comments Google Hotpot challenge To celebrate the start of the 2011 NCAA Championship season, Google's gone and got a little basketball crazy. But there's more -- if you click-through to the College Basketball Google site, and click on the hoop on the right of the page, a ball will roll in from the left and ask you: 'Are you ready to take the Hotpot challenge?'

Clicking 'Start game' takes you to a simple Web game where you have to shoot some hoops by controlling the ball flight arc using your mouse. Sounds simple, but the ball is placed at varying distances from the basket, making scoring big pretty tricky indeed.

After a couple of attempts all I could manage was a measly score of 70, but I bet that you can do better than me, so hit up the Hotpot challenge, prove you're the best and share your high scores in the comments.

Google's Hotpot Challenge NCAA Championship easter egg Web game celebrates College basketball originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Basketballeaster eggEasterEgggamingGoogleHotpot challengeHotpotChallengeNCAANCAA ChampionshipNcaaChampionshipWeb Samuel Gibbs Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google gives virtual tour of NCAA Championship arenas to get you closer to the basketball action]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-gives-virtual-tour-of-ncaa-championship-arenas-to-get-you/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-gives-virtual-tour-of-ncaa-championship-arenas-to-get-you/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/15/google-gives-virtual-tour-of-ncaa-championship-arenas-to-get-you/#comments NCAA venue tour The 2011 NCAA Championship promises to be as action-packed as ever, but this year Google's helping you get just a little bit closer to the action courtesy of some 3D-rendered models of the tournament's 14 arenas. Using Google Earth, fans can explore the venues, or take a virtual tour courtesy of a YouTube video (embedded after the break).

Google's also set up a site for you to track the match-ups, scores, and the schools involved, integrating with Google maps. To settle the debate as to whether your favorite team has to travel further to their 'home' court than your rivals, Google's integrated a distance tool so you can actually measure it on a map. You can even click through from the site to see live streams of actual NCAA games via NCAA March Madness on Demand.

Google's also created a bracket-template using Google Docs, which you can use to invoke a bit of friendly rivalry in the office, tracking progression through the tournament and charting likely match-ups. If you simply can't get enough, however, Google's also got some Chrome Web Store apps for you to install, to keep track of the blow-by-blow action, even if you should be working.

Checkout Google's College Basketball coverage, have a look through the brackets, and explore the arenas in Google Earth, or hit the break for the virtual tour video.

Continue reading Google gives virtual tour of NCAA Championship arenas to get you closer to the basketball action

Google gives virtual tour of NCAA Championship arenas to get you closer to the basketball action originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> basketballcollege basketballCollegeBasketballgoogleGoogle EarthGoogle MapsGoogleEarthGoogleMapsNCAAncaa championshipNcaaChampionshipvideoweb Samuel Gibbs Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:40:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[First Hollywood film made for the Internet premieres on YouTube]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/first-hollywood-film-made-for-the-internet-premieres-on-youtube/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/first-hollywood-film-made-for-the-internet-premieres-on-youtube/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/first-hollywood-film-made-for-the-internet-premieres-on-youtube/#comments Girl Walks Into A Bar Now playing in the YouTube Screening Room, 'Girl Walks Into A Bar' is the 'first ever' Hollywood film created specifically for the Internet. Brought to you for free in partnership with Lexus, the Sebastian Gutiérrez-directed film is a comedy charting the events of a single night involving a seemingly unrelated group of people, including a desperate dentist, an undercover private detective, a pickpocket, a gangster, and an exotic dancer, at ten different bars throughout Los Angeles.

Starring some pretty big Hollywood names, including Carla Gugino, Zachary Quinto, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Josh Hartnett, and Emmanuelle Chriqui, among others, the film is available in both chaptered installments or in its entirety via YouTube's Screening Room in resolutions up to 1080p.

Does this mark a turning point in Hollywood's interactions with the Internet, moving away from being considered a threat, to more of an opportunity? Let's hope so.

First Hollywood film made for the Internet premieres on YouTube originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Girl Walks Into A BarGirlWalksIntoABarHollywoodInternetmediamoviesvideoWebYouTubeYouTube Screening RoomYoutubeScreeningRoom Samuel Gibbs Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Google updates post-earthquake Japan satellite images for Google Earth and Maps]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/google-updates-post-earthquake-japan-satellite-images-in-google/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/google-updates-post-earthquake-japan-satellite-images-in-google/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/google-updates-post-earthquake-japan-satellite-images-in-google/#comments Google Earth Japan update Google has teamed up with its satellite imagery provider, GeoEye, to create updated satellite images of Japan since the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit. Google has integrated the images into both Google Earth, using a KML file, and Google maps. They've also released the high resolution images through a Picasa album, all in the vein of trying to help co-ordinate relief efforts and help out those most in need.

It was pretty horrific watching the news feeds of the disaster as it happened, but satellite imagery of this scale really puts the magnitude of the damage into perspective.

Google updates post-earthquake Japan satellite images for Google Earth and Maps originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> earthquakeGoogleGoogle EarthGoogle MapsGoogleEarthGoogleMapsJapanphotographysatellite Samuel Gibbs Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Windows Phone 7 Marketplace breaks 10,000 app milestone]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/windows-phone-7-marketplace-breaks-10-000-app-milestone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/windows-phone-7-marketplace-breaks-10-000-app-milestone/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/windows-phone-7-marketplace-breaks-10-000-app-milestone/#comments Windows Phone 7 Marketplace Microsoft's fledgling smartphone operating system, Windows Phone 7, has just hit an important milestone: over 10,000 apps are now available from the Marketplace. Microsoft has managed to reach this impressive target in just four and a half months, faster than both Apple's iOS App Store and Google's Android Market managed, adding about 1,000 apps a week to its armory since the New Year.

While WP7 is still waiting for Microsoft to get its act together on its 'NoDo' update, let's hope developers continue to pile in, and can produce another 10k apps in quick succession. No one can deny, Microsoft has done a few things right with WP7, and more competition in the space can only be a good thing.

Windows Phone 7 Marketplace breaks 10,000 app milestone originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsdeveloperMarketplaceMicrosoftWindows Phone 7WindowsPhone7WP7 Samuel Gibbs Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:25:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Install iMovie on the original iPad without jailbreaking]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/install-imovie-on-the-original-ipad-without-jailbreaking/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/install-imovie-on-the-original-ipad-without-jailbreaking/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/install-imovie-on-the-original-ipad-without-jailbreaking/#comments iMovie on original iPad Apple have just released an update to the iOS version of iMovie to support the iPad 2, but what about the original iPad? Well, currently you can't install iMovie on an original iPad using iTunes directly, but iMovie will run on your previous generation device as long as it's running iOS 4.3. Hit the break for a quick two-minute guide to getting iMovie onto your original iPad without a jailbreak.

Continue reading Install iMovie on the original iPad without jailbreaking

Install iMovie on the original iPad without jailbreaking originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AppleappsiMovieiOSiPadiphone configuration utilityIphoneConfigurationUtilityutilitiesVideo Samuel Gibbs Fri, 11 Mar 2011 06:00:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Apple releases Garageband and updated iMovie for iOS]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/apple-releases-garageband-and-updated-imovie-for-ios/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/apple-releases-garageband-and-updated-imovie-for-ios/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/11/apple-releases-garageband-and-updated-imovie-for-ios/#comments GarageBand and iMovie for iOS To coincide with the release of the iPad 2 today, Apple's let loose both an update to the iOS iMovie app, supporting Apple's newest tablet, as well as a brand new GarageBand app for iPad. Released yesterday, both apps can be had for $5 a piece, and with some positive reviews coming in already, $4.99 seems quite a deal for the amount of utility you get, especially with GarageBand.

Both apps support the iPad 2, with iMovie also supporting the iPhone 4 and 4th generation iPod touch running iOS 4.2.6 or higher. GarageBand supports Apple's first-generation iPad too, but Apple has chosen not to support the original iPad with iMovie. The original iPad can run the application if you can get it installed however, and we've got a quick guide to show you how to just that without jailbreaking your iPad.

If you're an iPad owner and you've ever wanted to edit video on that 9.7-inch screen whilst out and about, or fancy yourself a budding musician, then iMovie and GarageBand are well worth checking out.

Apple releases Garageband and updated iMovie for iOS originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> AppleappsiOSiPadmoviesmusicutilitiesvideo Samuel Gibbs Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:40:00 EST Download Squad <![CDATA[Flipboard gains Instagram support, social search, and gets much faster]]> http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/10/flipboard-gains-instagram-support-social-search-and-gets-much/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/10/flipboard-gains-instagram-support-social-search-and-gets-much/ http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/10/flipboard-gains-instagram-support-social-search-and-gets-much/#comments Flipboard gains Instagram support Flipboard has just updated its social-feed reading iPad app to version 1.2. This new version adds a performance boost and bug-fixes, with the highlight being Instagram integration.

Instagram integration

Taking advantage of the recent API access Instagram made available, the Flipboard team have enabled users to browse through the plethora of user-made photos in a digital representation of an old school photo album. It's a beautiful way to flip through the social-photo sharing feed and even lets you tap to expand shared photos, giving you a 2/3 iPad screen size view. You can even Like, comment, and share Instagram photos straight from Flipboard.

Gallery: Flipboard Update with Instagram

Continue reading Flipboard gains Instagram support, social search, and gets much faster

Flipboard gains Instagram support, social search, and gets much faster originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsFlipboardInstagramiOSiPadphotographysearchsocial networkingSocialNetworkingupdate Samuel Gibbs Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:00:00 EST Download Squad