bAdGigabit: News

You're in the kitchen cooking dinner, or sitting down watching TV, or exercising. Ding! You have a new email. Quickly, run to your Mac to see who it's from. Meh, spam. Ding! Meh, a message from your boss. Ding! Meh. Sure would be nice if Mail could announce who's emailing you. That way, you could just listen for ones you care about. Well, with the help of AppleScript and Mail rules, you can set this up on your own. Think of it as an audible caller ID, but for email.

Setting It Up

1. Launch AppleScript Editor (in /Applications/Utilities) and create a new script document.

2. Enter the following script into the document.

NOTE: if you have any trouble following along, you can download the completed script here.



NOTE: If you wish to test the script, which is always a good idea, you can do so by running it in AppleScript Editor. Just select a message or two in Mail. Then, return to AppleScript Editor and click Run in the script document's window.

3. Make any adjustments to the properties at the top of the script to customize its behavior. For example, if you don't want the script to raise your volume if it's too low, change the raiseVolumeIfNeeded property value to false. If you don't want the script to read the first few paragraphs of each message to you, set the readFirstParagraphsOfEachMessage property value to false.



Modifiable Properties in the Script

4. Save the script in Script format to your Desktop as Mail > Announce New Emails By Voice.scpt.



Saving the script to the Desktop

5. Launch Mail, open its Preferences window, and click Rules in the toolbar.



Mail's Rule Preferences window

6. Click Add Rule to create a Mail rule.

7. Set the rule's description to Announce New Emails by Voice.

8. Set the rule to trigger if any of the following conditions are met: Account matches [Your Account]. If you have multiple accounts, click + and add each one.

9. Set the rule to perform the following action: Run AppleScript. From the list of scripts, choose Open in Finder.



Configuring the Mail rule

10. Copy the Announce New Emails By Voice.scpt script file from your desktop into the newly opened folder (this folder is ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.apple.mail in Mountain Lion).



Mail's rule scripts folder in Mountain Lion (in ~/Library/Application Scripts)

11. Go back to Mail and close and save the rule.



The configured Mail rule, set to run the script

Now, whenever a new message arrives for the accounts you specified, the rule should trigger the script, and the messages should be announced audibly. If you get tired of listening to the announcements or want to mute them, just open up Mail's Preferences > Rules window again and de-select the Active checkbox next to the rule. Happy Scripting!



You can disable the Mail rule by de-selecting the Action checkbox


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Flickr is fast approaching it’s ten year birthday and has had over 8 billion photographs uploaded to it but in recent years it has been overtaken by services like 500px, Instagram and even Facebook when it comes to deciding where to share your photos on the web. It’s not so much that Flickr was offering a bad service, it was just offering almost the same service as when it started up.

After rumours that Yahoo! may be looking to let Flickr go or even close it down a new CEO, Marissa Mayer, was appointed mid-way through last year and things have started to change. So is it worth sticking with Flickr? Let’s look at the pros and cons…

The Pros of Sticking With Flickr

Explore – Flickr’s famous Explore has been given a complete re-vamp with a new ‘infinite scroll’ layout and a marked increase in the quality of the photo making Explore. Previously images as varied as Photoshop nightmares and acrylic nail displays were gaining acclaimed Explore status but the formula has been changed so that purer photography is pushed to the fore (maybe to imitiate some of the impact that 500px’s Popular and Editor’s Choice pages have had).

Contacts – The Contacts section has been given a similar redesign. The infinite scroll makes keeping up to date with your contact’s photos a lot easier and the mosaic arrangement is aesthetically appealing.

Mobile – A new iOs app was released late last year with a similar design feel to the Contacts and Explore improvements. Completely stripped down and rebuilt, it also introduced filters to compete with Instagram.

Free Stuff – Flickr offered existing Pro members three extra months subscription for free over Christmas. Everyone likes free stuff!

Community – Although the quality of images is higher on the likes of 500px, it’s the community aspect of Flickr that keeps me posting there. The other photo sharing sites do not have the same level of interaction that Flickr does and can sometimes revert to a comment/counter-comment culture. Flickr’s Groups are a great way to interact with people, anywhere from your own town or city to people from the other side of the world. I moderate a group for the city I live in that now has over 3,000 members and 70,000+ photos and have friends that I have met through Flickr.

The Cons That Need to Be Improved

User Interface – The general look of the front page and individual image pages, bar one or two tweaks, is virtually still the same as when it launched and looks very tired and dated. The user interface generally could do with sprucing up.

Social Media Sharing – This point is tied into the one above. The social media options on Flickr look tagged on as an after thought, rather than fully integrated into the site. Flickr needs to positiion itself as the primary destination for photos to be uploaded to and then shared onwards – until the social media sharing has been revamped, this looks unlikely.

Groups – Although I’ve praised the community aspect of Flickr, Groups could definitely do with some work. It’s almost like a stand alone part of the site, with no notifications of replied to posts, new posts etc. You can subscribe to a group’s discussion threads via RSS but this is a too much of a catch all for bigger groups.

Manual Creation of Sets – Currently, without the use of third party apps such as SuprSetr, all sets on Flickr have to be created and modified manually. This is a minor point that ties in with a bigger one, a lot of the technology exists to improve Flickr but in third party applications and services. Splash the cash and Flickr could be improved immeasurably virtually overnight.

So it is worth sticking with Flickr? Personally, I think so. Given the strength of the existing community and hopefully what seems to be a rolling programme of improvements, it’s possible for Flickr to re-position itself as the primary destination for photo-sharing. A few improvements in key areas, especially the user interface and social media options would propel Flickr back to the top of the photo sharing tree.


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At last weekend's Engadget Expand conference, three Apple-centric brains put on their thinking caps to forecast the company's next big product move.

Although analyst Gene Munster, blogger/investor MG Siegler and our own fearless leader Victor Agreda, Jr. may not have found consensus on the prospects for an Apple-branded TV set, they all did agree that there's a wearable device (presumably worn on the wrist) coming in the not too distant future.

Now's your opportunity to chime in, tonight at 10 pm ET. The Talkcast is about watches: making them smart, making them useful and making them Apple-style. Is the hypothetical iWatch a product you could use, or just an expensive and unneeded luxury? Call in, we'll talk.

To participate live during the show, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, the best way to have your voice heard is to call in.

For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8.

If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!


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is this IMPORTANT to all our friends in cyprus and the countries around it

i dont know how it fits in tech or Geek news but wanted to share something..


Very important fundies happened yesterday. EU ministers have agreed to bailout Cyprus finally. Is it good for euro? for coupl of days sure Yes, but long term it is a disaster. I never expected to see such a stupidity concerning bailout conditions. EU became crazy stuped.The European Union has made the determination that the people of Cyprus are now responsible for the hundreds of billions of dollars in bad bets made by their government and bank financiers, and they are moving to confiscate money directly from the bank accounts of every citizen in the country.

As of right now, citizens of Cyprus are scrambling to withdraw funds from their bank accounts after the EU, with agreement from the Cypriot government, announced they will decimate funds held in personal bank accounts to the tune of up to 10% of existing deposits.
Restrictions have been imposed to stop people emptying their accounts or moving their money out the country after the Cypriot government announced that up to ten per cent of deposits will be seized and used to bailout the island’s crisis-hit banking system.
The deal with other eurozone finance ministers is the first time that ordinary citizens’ deposits have been directly raided in this way.
Under the deal, all bank deposits over €100,000 will be hit with a levy of 9.9 per cent. Those with smaller savings will pay 6.75 per cent.
The move sparked panic and violent protests yesterday as crowds desperately tried to withdraw their money at cash machines.
British expats were stunned by the news, with many left high and dry by the restrictions on accounts.
‘Why would you risk putting your money in Greek, Spanish or Portuguese banks after this?’
The move of EU elite designed to stop Cyprus crashing out of the euro, potentially destroying the currency – would send shock waves through the eurozone.
Guys EU is entering its last stage, it means desparation and crashing stage. Next will be gold confiscations. The whole EU banking system is aextremally dangerous and not good for keeping your money in any EU bank. Peaple who work with cyprus brokers should close accounts and run away. The same step is preparing to do in Portugal, Irland, Greece, Spain and Italy in the near future.
I regard all EU banks as very dangerous and very risky to keep money there.
Cyprus shut all banks and prevented electronic transfers untill tuesday in order not give peaples possibility to run away and to confiscate 10% of their deposits on tuesday. Monday is holiday there.
EU ministers has tought out this theft action very good. Could you imagine how much money you will lose starting from tuesday if your money deposited in cipriot banks?
hope your money are not there or in EU banks.
Short term euro may go up, but long term this artificial currency will be crashed soon, it was an attack on trust of investors forEU and euro.
That’s direct confiscation of the funds of people who did nothing wrong!”
It should now be obvious. There is no recovery. There never was.
If you have the majority of your net worth allocated in EU bank accounts, money market funds, retirement plans, stock markets or the host of other ‘safe’ assets recommended by your financial adviser, then you are playing Russian roulette
I hope this article will help you
Moreover, what is generally not appreciated is that in the EU, unlike in America, depositors do not have preferred status over bond holders. This makes them significantly more vulnerable.

Rovio has long been threatening to bring Angry Birds into other media, and this weekend they're finally doing it -- kind of. Angry Birds Toons is a brand new cartoon series featuring none other than the frustrated fowl that iOS gamers have known and loved for so long. But you won't find it on a TV station or in a movie theater: Instead, the cartoon is premiering inside the Angry Birds apps, so if you have any of them installed, you can jump in and you'll be able to watch the series starting this weekend.

Why are the birds so angry? Why do the pigs love the eggs so much? Rovio promises this series will answer all of those pressing questions fans of this game may or may not have. We have one of our own, however: Will iOS players ever get tired of tossing birds into badly-built structures? We may need more than a cartoon series to get an answer to that one.


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If you have an old iPod kicking around, TechHive has some ideas that'll help you breathe some new life into these vintage devices. Each upgrade mentioned in the post are warranty-voiders, but that doesn't matter anymore because the devices are so old.

The lists of mods include changing the backlit LED, swapping out the drive and installing the Rockbox firmware. You can check out the full list on TechHive's website. If you have some mods of your own, please share them in the comments.


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Welcome to the third edition of our “This Week In Google TV” weekly feature! This is where we bring you your weekly dose of the latest happenings in the Google TV platform. We know many of you are struggling to find much Google TV content, so we are excited to help you find all you need in one place.

Google TV is finally starting to take off, with more manufacturers and updates coming around. We strongly believe things will only get better from now on, so let’s jump in and see what we have for you today.


LG purchasing WebOS to use with smart TVs
The death of webOS has raised many questions, mainly concerning the mobile operating system’s future. For a long time, we were left wondering if any other company would purchase it and keep it alive, but we never expected webOS to become a Google TV competitor. This week we found out that LG will be the company purchasing webOS from HP, and not to use as a mobile OS.

In fact, LG plans to use the platform to develop a new smart TV ecosystem, which would be competing directly with our beloved Google TV. We are not exactly sure what LG’s plans are, but they happen to be one of Google TV’s most important manufacturers. Will they ditch Google TV? Are they simply trying to keep their portfolio more diverse? Only time will tell.


For More Visit: LG to purchase webOS to use with its smart TVs, future of Google TV uncertain



Improving Google TV: Pinning videos and music for offline viewing
Improving Google TV is a series of editorials I have been writing at our sister site – GTVSource.com. It focuses on Google TV’s shortcomings. The platform is growing and getting stronger, but there is still much work to do to get it where we want it to be. One of these shortcomings is not being able to pin music and videos from Google’s Play Music and Play Movies & TV apps.

We have enjoyed the ability to pin content on Android smartphones and tablets for quite some time now. How is it possible that Google TV (the living room’s center of entertainment) can not do something so simple yet? We know using Google TV offline makes almost no sense, but it can happen. Plus, sometimes slow connections can make HD movies freeze continuously, a problem that would be fixed by downloading the video for offline viewing.


For More Visit: Improving Google TV: Pinning videos and music for offline viewing



How PlayStation 4′s cloud gaming could save Google TV
Sony’s PlayStation 4 announcement was a success, but more exciting for us was what they had to say about their new cloud services. In short, Sony and Gaikai hinted at a future where PlayStation’s cloud gaming services may become ubiquitous across all devices. Most people focused on the idea of playing PS1, PS2 and PS3 games one smartphones and tablets, but Google TV fans have more to hope for.

Sony happens to be a very important Google TV manufacturer. We have no doubt Sony would bring PlayStation cloud gaming to Google TV if they do happen to release the service for other devices. PlayStation games on a Sony Google TV? I would be so sold!


For More Visit: How PlayStation 4′s cloud gaming could save Google TV



App Reviews
This week we have reviewed a couple great apps for you. Also, you might want to check the Google Play Store, as Able Remote has been updated with a Netflix fix. If you haven’t checked it out yet, Able Remote is our favorite Google TV remote app (read our Able Remote review). But let’s just jump into it and check out this week’s app reviews:


Social GTV for Google TV app review



Panic Flight for Google TV game review



Wrap Up
It has been a good week for Google TV, guys! You can be sure there is much more to come. Remember Google I/O is also coming right around the corner and we are hoping Google TV doesn’t get totally ignored this time around.

Don’t forget to check out our sister site (GTVSource.com) if you want more frequent Google TV news and updates, though. You can find me there every day. Either way, thanks for all the love and I’ll see you at next week’s “This Week In Google TV” feature!



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OtterBox was one of the first iPhone case manufacturers to come out with a product -- the Defender Series -- that could handle some really rough treatment. Now OtterBox is taking the lead in iPhone protection with the new OtterBox Armor Series, which is available for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S (US$99.95).

The new case series not only builds on the crush and drop protection provided by the Defender Series, but also adds waterproofing. The Armor Series is designed to withstand being in up to 6.6 feet of water for 30 minutes, handling drops from 10 feet, and being crushed by a 2 ton weight. That's perfect for those situations where you drop your iPhone 5 from where you're riding on top of a rhinoceros and she proceeds to step on it and hold it underwater for a half hour...

We don't believe it's designed to protect your precious from the impact of a meteorite, but for just about everything else, the Armor Series is going to help. Here's a closeup look at the Armor Series case for iPhone 5.


Design
As you'd expect from an iPhone case with these credentials, the Armor Series isn't exactly svelte. It weighs in at 4.1 ounces, has a thickness of about .75", a width of about 2.9", and a height of about 5.5". Compare that with a naked iPhone 5, which is only .3" thick and has dimensions of 2.31" x 4.87" and a weight of 3.95 ounces.

But if you want protection, you've got it. Everything is sealed into the case, which comes in black and gray with a shock-absorbent lining of neon green, arctic blue, or electric orange. The arctic blue model has a white bezel surrounding the phone display, perfect for framing a white iPhone 5.

On the right side of the case are two zinc alloy metal latches that hold the case halves together securely. To install the iPhone 5 into the case, you flip those latches open and take the back of the case off. Pop the iPhone in, slap the back on, re-do the latches and you're ready to abuse the case ... but not your iPhone.

Gallery: OtterBox Armor Series case for iPhone 5



OtterBox recommends testing the Armor Series case in water for at least 30 minutes prior to placing an iPhone into the case. They also -- like all manufacturers who make similar cases -- suggest that you "use caution when subjecting your device to extreme situations and rough treatment" and warn that "Users subject their devices to extreme circumstances at their own risk."

Switches and the home button on the iPhone 5 are covered with flexible pass-through equivalents, and the headphone port is covered by a thick plug. Speakers are covered with an impermeable membrane, while speakers are covered with a mesh that lets sound out but no water or dust in.

The Armor Series doesn't have a belt holster -- yet -- nor does it come in a larger variety of colors -- yet. OtterBox is probably testing the waters before committing to accessories and new colors. There is a wrist strap to make carrying the case a bit easier, although it's probably just easier to stuff it into one of the pockets on your pants.


Functionality
OK, so I didn't have a chance to drive my Honda CRV (a little less than 2 tons) onto my iPhone 5 in the test Armor Series case. Nor did I really feel like subjecting my personal phone to a 10-foot drop. I did, however, check the watertightness of the case.

As advertised, it was easily able to withstand being held about six inches underwater for 30 minutes with no problems. However, when I left it in that same six inches of water for three hours, there was a slight leakage resulting in water coming into the case. Moral of the story? Don't try to exceed the advertised specifications.

Since the Armor Series has been subjected to testing to US military standards, I have no doubt that it will be able to handle the other tests as well.

It's definitely a chunky case, but the Armor Series really provides a feeling of security that surpasses any other MIL-STD case I've tested for the iPhone 5.


Conclusion
With the introduction of the Armor Series for the iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5, OtterBox has again taken the lead in the rugged case category.

Pros

• Waterproof, dust proof, shockproof, and crush proof
• Well constructed
• Easy to install and remove
• Colors for plugs and back padding are bright and upbeat
• Available immediately

Cons

• More expensive than LifeProof's $79.99 frē case, which offers similar protection

Who is it for?

• Anyone who needs rugged protection for their iPhone 4/4S or iPhone 5.

OtterBox Armor Series for iPhone 5/4/4S: Protection from everything

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If you're a TweetDeck for iPhone user or have been clinging to the Adobe Air version of the app for dear life since the native Mac version debuted, we've got some bad news for you. Twitter has decided to end support for those versions, along with TweetDeck for Android. You'll be able to download them until early May, but after that they'll cease to function. Since these clients also rely on v1.0 of the Twitter API, which is being retired soon, they might experience connection problems in the run-up to their removal.

In addition to killing the iPhone and Air apps, Twitter is planning to remove Facebook integration from all versions of TweetDeck. The company says that it's making these moves in order to "focus our development efforts on our modern, web-based versions of TweetDeck." This means the web-based and Chrome extension versions of the software, although the native Mac app (shown above) will also continue.

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There's a problem with most AirPlay docks; most of them have relatively underwhelming speakers and weak amplifiers. Wouldn't it be nice if you could grab those humongous speakers that you bought back in college and somehow hook them up to an AirPlay-enabled amp? That's the idea behind the Griffin Twenty Audio Amplifier (US$99.99), which uses your existing speakers and an old AirPort Express (not included) to let you stream music to your towers of power.


Design
Since the Twenty uses your AirPort Express to communicate with the rest of your WiFi network, you'd be correct if you assumed that there's a way to plug the APE into the Twenty. Griffin was smart with the design -- you basically just remove the "duck head" power plug from the AirPort Express and slide the rest of the unit onto a plug on the Twenty. Note that you must have an older AirPort Express, the type that could be plugged directly onto a wall socket. The new type, which uses a more traditional power cable, requires a workaround (see note under "Functionality" below). In either case, you'll also use the included optical audio cable to connect the Twenty and the AirPort Express

Of course, if you have an existing amp, you can always run an audio cable from any AirPort Express right into an audio-in jack, and you're set. But the Twenty is designed for people who may have a great set of speakers laying around somewhere but no amp to drive them anymore -- which seems like a limited market.



The device looks good and is very well built. On the back are four 8 Ohm speaker connectors, the type that work with bare speaker wire. You just push in the spring-loaded connector, insert the uninsulated wire ends for the two wires on each channel, and then let go to have the wire held tight. There's also an RCA connector for hooking up a subwoofer if you really want to raise the roof with sound.

The name of the Twenty refers to the 20 Watts of power provided per channel by the amp. While that may not be as powerful as your cool McIntosh MC275 Tube Amplifer with its 75 Watts per channel, it's still enough oomph to power most bookshelf speakers and most larger speakers as well.


Functionality
In a way, I have to feel sorry for Griffin's engineers. They designed this unit on the assumption that the AirPort Express would never change its design, and then last June Apple made the little WiFi router look like a pale Apple TV. On the plus side, you could probably lay your new AirPort Express on top of the Twenty and run the included optical audio cable between the back of the Twenty and the analog/optical jack on the back of the AirPort Express. However, the aesthetics of the design would be compromised in that case.

The Twenty is drop-dead simple to set up. You plug a preconfigured AirPort Express into the top of the unit and hook up your speakers. Plug it into the wall with the included power cord, flip the power switch, and it's ready to rumble.

There are just a few indications that things are humming away. First, the green light on the AirPort Extreme will light up, provided that your network is set up properly. Next, there's a blue light on the front to indicate that power is flowing to the device. Finally, when the Twenty and your AirPlay "transmitter" (i.e. your iPhone or other device) are talking to each other, a green LED will glow on the front of the unit.



There's only one more control on the Twenty -- a big volume ***** that works in tandem with your device's volume controls.

I hooked the Twenty to an old pair of speakers that had been collecting dust in the basement of my house, and was impressed with the sound that I got out of them. It was a much better experience than listening to music through my Apple Ear Pods or from the speaker on my iMac. Turning the ***** on the Twenty up while AirPlaying at full volume from my iPhone resulted in the loudest noise I've had in this house since I accidentally stepped on my cat's tail.


Conclusion
If you have an older AirPort Express and a pair of underutilized speakers, the Griffin Twenty Audio Amp is well worth the $100 expenditure. Just make sure that your speakers work with the 8 Ohm output, and you're on your way to a great sound experience.

Pros

• Reasonable cost for a professional quality amp
• Allows re-purposing of older speakers for use with new technology and AirPlay
• Extremely easy setup
• Top-notch materials and construction

Cons

• Not designed for use with the latest version of the AirPort Express although it will work

Who is it for?

• Audiophiles who would love to use their favorite speakers with AirPlay

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Antarctica - Standing at the Bottom of the World (US$2.99, universal) is a unique book app for iOS that documents the travels of a writer in his 80's and his grandson. The pair went on a quest to visit the desolate continent and now shares the trip with readers in a unique voice and with interesting insights.

The book succeeds largely due to the skills or Robert Flynn, an award-winning writer and member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. The book features maps, photos, drawings, and links to additional information.

Antarctica is not an easy place to visit, and the book documents the trials of just getting there. One doesn't simply hop on a plane and go. There are also colorful chapters on navigating the Drake Passage, and going around Cape Horn.

I like Flynn's down-to-earth writing style. He's not just an observer, he is able to bring some insights into this place that few of us will ever see.

If I have any criticism of the book, it is that the pictures are generally of snapshot quality. They are fine for what they are, but a more experienced photographer would have come back with images that better reflect the stunning scenery and environment. I'd also like to have the ability to search the text.

Gallery: Antarctica-Standing on the Bottom of the World eBook



Having said that, Antarctica is a terrific read. It's always been a place I'd love to visit, and reading this book has made me even more excited to give it a try. If you'd like to sample the book you can read an excerpt at the publisher's website.

Antarctica - Standing on the Bottom of the World requires iOS 4.3 or later. It's optimized for the iPhone 5.


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Here's the bottom line on this one, right away: Real Racing 3 is an amazing game, and EA has put it on the App Store for free. Go grab it and be awed, right now.

That said, I do have one issue with this game, and it's that I'm actually a terrible driver. I do fine on real roads at less-than-deadly speeds. But whenever I play a racing simulation game like this one, where real racing vehicles are modeled on real racing tracks, I always drive way too fast, brake way too late, and I spin out on the track as the rest of the pack flies by me. It's a personal problem, I know, but personally I prefer arcade racers, or another genre completely.

I still enjoy playing Real Racing, though, just because it is such an excellent showcase of what's possible on iOS. This time around, Firemonkeys (who I'd really rather see making another Puzzle Quest, but whatever) has outdone themselves, with some gorgeous graphics, and some very impressive social features. Even in standard campaign races, you see your friends and their Game Center icons driving around you, and all of the standard social services are seamlessly integrated into the game. There's no shortage of racing to do here, and you could (and some people will) probably play for years trying to lock down all of the top spots in the various tracks and time trials.

One of the biggest controversies about this game pre-release has been its freemium mechanic, and it is sort of a pain: You need to pay for repairs to your vehicle, which presents a drain on your in-game currency (that you can of course fill with IAP if you choose), and when you choose to upgrade a vehicle, each upgrade is done on a timer, which means you don't get the fruits of your upgrade right away unless you spend some in-game gold, also available via real money.

In practice, it's somewhat annoying, but not unbearable at all. I don't necessarily like paying to repair after every race (especially since, as previously stated, I am not the most gentle driver), but in general, there seems to be enough money to go around without having to dive into IAP. You can also buy new cars and tracks with real money, and while those prices are relatively high, selling extra content in a freemium game isn't a new idea by any means. So it looks like EA at least found a safe balance here: The freemium system isn't exceptionally heinous, and having the game released for free means those excellent social features will always be populated with plenty of players.

Real Racing 3 is a gorgeous game, a perfectly designed game (at least while racing), and probably the best example, at this moment, of what an iOS game can be. The freemium hooks do drag the experience down a bit, but that seems appropriate for this time and place, given how much of an effect the iOS platform has had on models like this. You should download this one, for free, without question, if only to experience that first race for yourself and see what Firemonkeys has done with Apple's devices. After that, whether you cough up more in-game currency or even real money is up to you. I plan to play a whole lot without spending a dime, and I'll be easy to spot: Just look for the beat-up car spinning out in the dirt.

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Our friends over in India can now purchase and read books on their Android devices (and in their browsers) as Google has made Play Books available to folks in that country. Whether or not Indian users an actually purchase those books (due to lack of support for a great deal of credit cards and banks in that region) is a different story, but if you can find some way to get your payment information onto Google Wallet then you’re in business.

Alongside that news, a new update has been issued for the app in the Google Play Store. The changelog mentions improved performance, an astounding amount of bug fixes (over 90), and new user interface tweaks. Included in said tweaks include a drop-down menu in the library view that will allow you to filter books by type, and the place name will now be identified on whichever page you’re viewing when the reading controls are visible. As with anything Google, the app is free and yours for taking in the Play Store.



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We have some potentially thrilling intel to report today. Google is already working with the new Linux 3.8 Kernel. Industry speculation suggests this could be the base for the newest Android 5.0, also known as Key Lime Pie. Of course, we must be quick to point out that the Kernel is brand new. It might be a bit of a stretch to believe Google will be able to integrate it into Key Lime Pie because it is expected to debut in just a few short months at Google I/O.

Of course, several possibilities exist. One, maybe Google's engineers are really just that good and can crank it out fast enough. Two, perhaps they are working on it now, but it won't be integrated until the next iteration of Android, like Android 5.1 or Android 6.0. Three, maybe Google plans to hold off on the Key Lime Pie launch until sometime next year. This would help reduce Android OS fragmentation as more devices would have more time to be brought into the Jelly Bean fold. This might be a very plausible possibility. Jelly Bean is a very polished and impressive piece of software technology. It might make sense to let the public "dine" on it for a while longer before introducing a new OS into their "diet."

In some ways we are hoping that last bit of speculation is wrong, because we would be excited to see what new stuff Key Lime Pie brings to the table. Still, we can see the potential advantages to Google waiting a bit. The new Kernel is labeled by Google as "experimental" so we are actually leaning toward the second option to be the final reality. What do you think?

Here's a link to the experimental Kernel: https://android.googlesource.com/ker...al/android-3.8

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It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked selections that include some sweet deals on iOS and OS X software (all prices are USD).


Deals from Dealnews

• StackSocial: [Mac Software] The Lifehacker 9-App Bundle for Mac downloads for $50
• eBay: [USB Accessories] Mini USB Desktop Aquarium for $27 + free shipping
• Trans Intl.: [eSATA Hard Drives] miniG 12TB eSATA/USB 3.0 External Hard Drive for $698 + $8 s&h
• 1&1 Internet: [Computer Services] 1&1 Internet: 1-Year Starter Web Hosting w/ 50GB web space for $12
• Trans Intl.: [FireWire Hard Drives] ProStor525L 1.5TB eSATA / FW 800 & 400 / USB HDD for $198 + free shipping
• Adorama: [Media Receivers] Pogoplug Multimedia Sharing Device for $15 + free shipping
• B&H Photo Video: [SSDs] Samsung 500GB SATA 6Gbps Internal SSD for $279 + free shipping
• Trans Intl.: [eSATA Hard Drives] ProStor 3TB eSATA / FireWire 800 / USB External Drive for $168 + $8 s&h
• MacMall: [SSDs] Samsung 250GB SATA 6Gbps 2.5" Internal SSD for $150 + free shipping
• eForCity: [iPhone Accessories] Apple-compatible accessories at eForCity: 25% off
• StackSocial: [Mac Software] The Productivity Course for Mac for $29
• mwave: [Wireless Networking] Premiertek 24dBi High-Gain WiFi Antenna for $43 + free shipping

iOS Software

• iFiles [iOS Universal, Category: Productivity, On sale for $0.99, down from $3.99] iFiles is a file manager, document viewer, text editor, voice recorder, wifi drive, and more for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch.
• Cut the Rope HD [iPad, Category: Games, On sale for $0.99, down from $3.99] Cut the rope to feed candy to little monster Om Nom.
• Moment Catcher [iOS Universal, Category: Photography & Video, Now free, down from $0.99] Moment Catcher is unique in its design. It uses the front camera on your device to take videos of a person watching videos or photos on their tablet.
• Trainz Simulator [iPad, Category: Games, On sale for $0.99, down from $5.99] Drive trains or build the railroad of your dreams in an incredible 3D world.
• Star Walk[TM] HD - 5 Stars Astronomy Guide [iPad, Category: Education, On sale for $0.99, down from $2.99] Star Walk is the most beautiful stargazing app you've ever seen on a mobile device.
• DataMan Pro : Track Data Usage In Real-Time [iPhone, Category: Food & Drink, On sale for $4.99, down from $6.99] DataMan Pro gives the key usage statistics you need most in an incredibly clean interface.
• QED Solver [iPad, Category: Productivity, Now free, down from $4.99] QED is a powerful calculation tool for science and engineering problems, as well as general math problems.
• QED Solver [iPhone, Category: Productivity, Now free, down from $2.99] QED is a powerful calculation tool for science and engineering problems, as well as general math problems.
• xPlan [iPad, Category: Productivity, On sale for $0.99, down from $9.99] xPlan is a project manager designed to keep track of tasks and calculate a project's cost.
• Plants vs. Zombies [iPhone, Category: Games, Now free, down from $2.99] Get ready to soil your plants as a mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home. Apple's App of the Week. Ends sometime today.
• Plants vs. Zombies HD [iPad, Category: Games, Now free, down from $6.99] Get ready to soil your plants as a mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home. Apple's App of the Week. Ends sometime today.

OS X Software

• GitClony [OS X, Category: Developers, Now free, down from $2.99] GitClony is a fast and easy way to clone a Git repository from a remote server.
• iWriter [OS X, Category: Productivity, On sale for $1.99, down from $3.99] iWriter is an app designed to allow you to jot down all your thoughts in one simple interface without the fluff of other writing programs. Still on sale as part of Two Dollar Tuesday.
• Numi [OS X, Category: Productivity, On sale for $1.99, down from $4.99] Numi is a little program, that lives in your menu bar. It magically combines calculations with text, and allows you to share computations with other Numi users. Part of Two Dollar Tuesday.
• Camera Bag 2 [OS X, Category: Photography & Video, On sale for $9.99, down from $14.99] CameraBag 2's Analog Engine pairs a full suite of photographic tools with the high-quality filters and vintage simulations the series is already known for.
• Instalyrics [OS X, Category: Music, Now free, down from $2.99] Instalyrics is the quickest way to find lyrics.

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