Friday, November 16, 2012

Google's Blogger app updated with iPad support, landscape composition mode, Google+ integration

Google's Blogger app updated with iPad support, landscape composition mode, Google+ integration:
Google's Blogger app updated with iPad support, landscape composition mode, Google+ integration
Google's Blogger app has hit version 2.0, bringing a visual revamp and a handful of new features to its iOS and Android flavors, in addition to iPad support. Now, users can compose posts in landscape mode, share to Google+ and view scheduled post times. In addition to a grab bag of unspecified bug fixes, the update brings the app's total number of supported languages up to 30. Eager to start tapping out posts? Hit the source links below for the appropriate download.
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HTC Desire X review: one last hurrah for a former flagship?

HTC Desire X review: one last hurrah for a former flagship?:
HTC Desire X review One last hurrah for HTC's former flagship
Before we go into more detail on HTC's Desire X, cast your memory back to a time before the outfit announced the "One" line of Android phones. You may remember names such as Wildfire, Sensation, Rhyme and, of course, Desire. Likewise, you may also remember a certain amount of company talk about its plans to simplify its Android offerings, and turn out phones at a slower, more considered pace. So, it was a little confusing when we first heard about the Desire X. HTC already had an affordable phone, the One V, but seemingly deemed it not affordable enough -- and the Desire C already fills the most entry-level position. With a 1GHz dual-core processor, a WVGA (800 x 480) display and a 5-megapixel camera, the specs are from the same era as the OG Desire, but with a slightly more current price: €299 in Europe. So, stripped of any "One" branding, but bearing a name that many will remember fondly, is the Desire X a good phone that's been reinvented, or just a throwback from HTC of old? We spent some time in its company to find out for ourselves.

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HTC Desire X review: one last hurrah for a former flagship? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wii U's Nintendo TVii, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, and Netflix pushed to December

Wii U's Nintendo TVii, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, and Netflix pushed to December:
When Nintendo's Wii U launches this weekend, it won't arrive with most of its primary multimedia features -- namely, Nintendo TVii, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, or Netflix. All were said to come pre-loaded on the new console, but reviewers found out early that a launch day patch would enable the functionality. As it turns out, that patch will actually arrive at some point in December, bearing Nintendo TVii, with the rest of the apps arriving "in the coming weeks" (no hard date is given for any of the apps). The console is still expected to launch with Miiverse, Nintendo Network, and backwards compatibility with the Nintendo Wii -- none of which is currently enabled on the Wii U (presumably still arriving in some form of day-one patch). We've reached out to Nintendo to see if those things are still planned for launch.
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Monday, November 12, 2012

Livescribe Sky WiFi Smartpen review

Livescribe Sky WiFi Smartpen review:
Livescribe Sky WiFi Smartpen review
For a relatively niche company that has only been around for five years, Livescribe has grown quickly. Its smartpens -- which cleverly digitize handwritten notes and audio -- have already attracted a million users. However, just because these customers prefer to write their notes the old-fashioned way, that doesn't mean they aren't also obsessive about technological progress. In fact, many of them have been waiting on one new feature in particular: a totally wireless workflow, which would allow them to write a note with their smartpens and then -- without any docking or syncing -- see their scribbles appear in the cloud and on their mobile devices.
Well, as you've probably guessed by now, that is precisely the gap that the new Sky pen is looking to fill. The first half of its operation is identical to that of its predecessors, the Pulse and Echo: it contains a camera and microphone, which enable the capture of handwritten notes and time-linked audio files. (You can choose between 2GB, 4GB and 8GB of built-in storage.) But what happens next is totally different. You use "buttons" printed inside Livescribe's proprietary stationery, in conjunction with the pen's OLED display, to select a local WiFi network, enter the password and sync your files directly to Evernote. The popular online note-taking platform then handles everything else, automatically filing the text and audio in the cloud using a time stamp, making it available on whatever devices run Evernote's apps or web interface. What's more, it makes the note searchable through optical character recognition (OCR) of your handwriting.
If there's a downside to users getting what they've been asking for, it's that they are the ones expected to pay for it. The Sky's base model matches the Echo's $170 launch price, but that older pen came with twice as much internal storage, and can also now be had at a discount. Moreover, the 4GB and 8GB Sky pens rise to $200 and $250, respectively, which means this is only likely to be sensible if you really, really dislike writing or typing on a screen. Even assuming that you're totally stuck in your pen-and-ink ways, could a $170 pen ever be worth it? Read on to find out.

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Livescribe Sky WiFi Smartpen review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Revel’s Retail iPad POS system adds variable pricing and inventory module, signs on Goodwill and Belkin

Revel’s Retail iPad POS system adds variable pricing and inventory module, signs on Goodwill and Belkin: usingipad commerce gettyimages 520x245 Revels Retail iPad POS system adds variable pricing and inventory module, signs on Goodwill and Belkin
The iPad in the business world has changed the way commerce has taken place. Revel Systems, a company that created a point-of-sale (POS) system on the iPad, is seeking to help bring cash register-like transactions forward. Today, it just updated its solution to include variable pricing and inventory management while adding two new customers to its mix: Goodwill Industries and Belkin.

“Successful first year”

Coming off what it says was a strong first year, Revel Systems is the creator of a POS system centered around the iPad. Calling itself the cash register of the 21st century, it’s a mobile platform that will provide customers with “up-to-the-minute” reporting to track sales within an organization while also moving it away from the traditional register and hardware infrastructure. This system relies on using the iPad because of its “greater style”, has a faster operating system, provides better security, and “it just works”.
Some features of its POS system include being able to process credits, exchanges, and returns; tracking sales by employee for easy commission management; manage inventory, product costing, and ability to set threshold alerts, tracking customer order history, and much more.
Businesses seem to be taking notice of Revel’s system as well — it has well-known companies using its service right now, including Little Caesar’s Pizza, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, Illy, Twistee Treat, and others in the restaurant, retail, and grocery industries. Over 400 enterprise locations around the United States have rolled out this new POS platform and it has been processing hundreds of millions of dollars.

New features

managment23 Revels Retail iPad POS system adds variable pricing and inventory module, signs on Goodwill and Belkin
With today’s announcement, the company is rolling out two enhanced features designed to help its retail customers keep better track of their sales. One of which is the release of variable pricing — with this feature, Revel says that businesses will be able to accommodate multiple-item purchases or even multiple-weighted items at a discount.
reports managment2 Revels Retail iPad POS system adds variable pricing and inventory module, signs on Goodwill and Belkin
Additionally, it has rolled out an inventory module that it says will allow its users to easily update, change, and print labels for inventory in real-time. Through customizable alerts, companies will find out what items are low in stock and help users to place orders for new shipments right through its iOS device. Revel has partnered with Honeywell’s Bluetooth barcode scanner to help make mobile scanning easier — now users can take their mobile device and have it act like a scanner similar to what traditional retailers used with a barcode scanner.

Busy two years

In its two-year history, Revel has been busy rolling out new features for businesses. A few months ago, it produced its own router designed to help businesses use the system from a separate Internet connection. It also unveiled a POS solution for food trucks with a Twitter integration. And last month, it introduced its own app marketplace allowing third-parties to integrate with it, while also featuring plug-ins that users can install, ranging from Twitter and Facebook to tie-ins with local daily deal APIs from Groupon and LivingSocial.

Adding two more companies to its list

Revel Systems is also adding two more retail companies to its list of users. It says that Goodwill Industries has replaced its POS systems in 23 Florida stores with the Revel solution. In addition, technology giant, Belkin, has signed on and has installed the system in its retail store in the Los Angeles Westfield Mall.  Maureen Lewis, Belkin’s director of retail operations, says that it chose to go with Revel because of an unsatisfactory experience with another vendor: “The personalized service has been stellar and custom solutions really have made running the business effortless…and I love the fact that I can check transactions and sales anywhere on my iPad, laptop, and (soon) phone.”
Revel Systems has raised $3.7 million in Series A funding in capital and declared it became profitable at the end of its first year.
Photo credit: ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images