Mashable: Latest 7 News Updates - including “Kindle for iPad and iPhone Gets Audio and Video Support” |  |
- Kindle for iPad and iPhone Gets Audio and Video Support
- Steve Jobs Changes Tune on iPhone 4 Reception Issue
- Uh Oh: Verizon Slashes Microsoft Kin Prices Early
- “LittleBigPlanet 2″: Play, Create and Share DIY Games [PREVIEW]
- 15 Awesome Android Accessories
- What Twitter Places Means for the Future of Location
- There’s No iPhone 4 Recall, No Matter What Twitter Says
- 35 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed
| Kindle for iPad and iPhone Gets Audio and Video Support Posted: 28 Jun 2010 01:42 AM PDT  Amazon has announced support for embedded video and audio clips in Kindle apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The first books to take advantage of this new technology are Rick Steves’ London by Rick Steves and Together We Cannot Fail by Terry Golway. It’s a tiny improvement, given the small number of titles that support audio and video embeds, but it has interesting implications. Now, the Kindle experience is officially more advanced, at least in certain aspects, on the iPad than on the Kindle. Of course, the Kindle is a very different beast from the iPad: its e-ink screen aims, first and foremost, to make reading books an enjoyable, effortless experience. The iPad’s screen, while far more advanced in other areas, is (at least in theory) not so easy on the eyes, especially in longer reading sessions. And yes, Amazon is primarily interested in selling books, and they’ve long claimed that Kindle is a platform, and their strategy is not based on just one device. Still, one can’t help the feeling that Kindle – the device – now feels rusty compared to the iPad, even if your primary interest, as far as tablets go, is e-books. .More About: amazon, ipad, iphone, iPod Touch, Kindle     For more Apple coverage:
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| Steve Jobs Changes Tune on iPhone 4 Reception Issue Posted: 27 Jun 2010 11:24 PM PDT  As you’re probably aware, the iPhone 4 reception issues, which occur only when you hold the phone in a certain way, have marred an otherwise very successful launch. At first, Steve Jobs and Apple were seemingly ignoring the problem, claming it’s a common issue which all phones have. But in a recent email to a concerned customer, Steve Jobs has changed his position, if ever so slightly. “There is no reception issue. Stay Tuned,” he wrote. Although this answer spurred a funny reply from Fake Steve Jobs, who makes fun out of Apple’s marketingese doublespeak, it does instill hope that the issue is a) not very serious and b) probably can be solved with a software fix. It could, however, just be an attempt to calm everyone down, as things have gotten quite serious for Apple after the Daily Mail reported than an iPhone 4 recall is underway, based on a tweet from a fake Steve Jobs account. Some reports claim that the new version of Apple’s mobile software platform, IOS 4.1, is coming early this week, possibly even today. If so, hopefully it’ll bring a fix and a closure to the iPhone 4 reception saga. Reviews: Facebook, Twitter More About: apple, iphone 4, steve jobs  For more Apple coverage:
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| Uh Oh: Verizon Slashes Microsoft Kin Prices Early Posted: 27 Jun 2010 07:54 PM PDT  Mobile phones from Microsoft’s socially-inclined Kin line are already getting big price cuts just a month after they hit the market. That’s good news for consumers, sure, but it might be indicative of poor sales for the handsets. The Kin One will drop from $50 to $30, and the Kin Two will see a 50% cut from $100 to $50 as part of a broader Verizon price cut initiative, according to the The Boy Genius Report. The Kin phones feature an innovative user interface that puts visual social activity feeds right on your home screen, and lets you share any item of interest with friends just by dragging it onto an ever-present social “Spot” icon. We were impressed with the design when we first saw it, and most everyone has probably noticed just how much marketing muscle has gone into the brand. Unfortunately, clever design and marketing might not have been enough to compensate for poor positioning in Verizon’s phone line-up. Though Microsoft hasn’t made any announcements about sales figures, sharp price drops this early on usually mean a phone’s not selling well. The Data Plans Are Too SteepThe phones themselves were actually attractively priced already; it’s the data plans that are the problem. We noted that when they first launched. Both Kin phones require smartphone-like data plans that put the minimum cost of ownership at nearly $70 per month — at least if you want to use those cool social features that the Kin brand is all about. Once you’re paying that much for service, you might as well get a full-on smartphone like an iPhone or Android. You could even wait a few months and get a device running Microsoft’s own, more robust Windows Phone 7. What do you think? Will these price drops help the Kin phones sell better despite their expensive data plans? Let us know in the comments. [via Electronista] Reviews: Android, Facebook, Twitter, Windows Phone 7, iPhone More About: Kin, kin one, kin two, microsoft, News, price drop, verizon  For more Mobile coverage:
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| “LittleBigPlanet 2″: Play, Create and Share DIY Games [PREVIEW] Posted: 27 Jun 2010 06:20 PM PDT  When we first wrote about LittleBigPlanet 2 for the PlayStation 3, we knew the pitch — you play, create and share your own home-made video games using robust but easy tools. But it wasn’t until we played the game at the E3 conference in Los Angeles that we got the full picture. LittleBigPlanet 2’s crazy, accessible gameplay is designed for new players as much as it is for old, but it’s basically a familiar experience for anyone who’s played the first game. That said, it differs in two important ways. First, it allows you to create radically different kinds of gaming experiences, whereas the first game only allowed for the creation of Mario-like platform jumping gameplay. It also greatly expands the social and sharing features found in the first game, adding search, web-based profile pages and friend activity feeds. Make Any Kind of Game You Want Now you can create something other than a Super Mario Bros. or Sonic the Hedgehog-type platform jumping game. LittleBigPlanet 2 offers vehicles, storytelling tools and other features that allow creative gamers to make much more sophisticated games in many different genres. We played a few games made with the tools. One was a bumper-kart competition in which the objective was to push other players (either online or in the same room on the same screen) off the edge using booster rockets. It was a fun bit of mayhem, and it reminded us of something you’d find in a family party game like Mario Party for the Wii. Another was a side-scrolling deathmatch. The new creation tools let you throw helmets into the game for players to wear, and you can apply any properties you want to them. In this case, the helmets shot rockets that obliterated other players. Even the traditional platform jumping levels are made more interesting with cutscenes that have voice-overs and camera angles. Finally, LittleBigPlanet 2 works with the new, Wii remote-like PlayStation Move controllers. We played a short demo in which one player pointed the Move controller at the screen to drag obstacles out of the way of another player controlling his character with a normal PS3 controller. LBP.me and the Activity FeedLittleBigPlanet 2 works a little bit like a YouTube for games, if YouTube more prominently featured a Facebook-like activity feed of your friends’ activity. Each time a gamer friend plays or creates a game or level, it pops up in your feed. You can opt to play his or her level, or even join him or her in whatever activity he or she is doing at that moment. Alternatively, you can just search by keyword for levels that you want to try out. When you like a level or game you come across, you can share it (ratings and all) with your friends just like you might share a cool link on your social network of choice. This all takes place in the game, of course, but the other big addition besides the activity feed is LBP.me, a social website that hosts a personal profile for each user, including references to your creations and activities as they occur. If you see something you’re interested in while you’re killing time on the site at the office, you can flag that level or game to pop up when you turn on your PS3 at home. These new sharing and discovery features join the already web-inspired tagging system from the first game to make it easy to find user-generated content that you’d have fun playing. Impressions The game feels a lot like the first LittleBigPlanet in that it’s like the bass guitar. It’s very easy to pick up and play, but there are layers of sophistication that aren’t apparent when you’re first starting out. We didn’t get to play with the creation tools, but the regular gameplay was frenetic and accessible for any audience. Most of the brilliant ideas are going to come out of the community of users who opt to create original content on their own using the provided tools, though we were told by a rep from LittleBigPlanet 2’s development studio that there are already select users working with the tools so there will be some good stuff to play at launch. The social features and discovery tools will help solve the biggest problem with LittleBigPlanet: difficulty finding the diamonds in the rough. If you haven’t played the first game, though, we’ll recommend trying this one out anyway, if only because all two million user-created levels from the original library are playable in LittleBigPlanet 2, and it will be easier to pick them out now. The game will go on sale exclusively for the PlayStation 3 game console shortly before the onset of the holiday season this year.   Reviews: Facebook, YouTube, mario More About: e3, E3 2010, gaming, hands-on, lbp.me, littlebigplanet 2, media molecule, playstation 3, preview, PS3, social gaming, sony, video games  For more Entertainment coverage:
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| 15 Awesome Android Accessories Posted: 27 Jun 2010 03:55 PM PDT  Whether you own a Droid, sport a Nexus One or do the Backflip, there’s one thing you have in common with more than eight million other people — you operate on Google’s mobile phone OS, Android. To celebrate all that is Android, we’ve rounded up a whopping 15 fab items featuring the platform’s cute little green bot mascot. Each item could help spread the word and show some love for the ‘droid, so hit up our curated collection below and let us know in the comments which ones suit your fancy. 1. Android Stickers Place an Android sticker on 16 of your favorite objects (you know -- phone, laptop, cat) with this official pack of approximately 3-inch tall Android-themed adhesives. Cost: $6.90 2. Android Phone Case This cute home-made Android phone case features the bot in green felt on top of a cute accessory pocket. The cases are made to order, so tell Etsy seller freshonmondays which handset you have and she'll make sure the dimensions make for a snug fit. Cost: $18 3. Android Tote Made in the good ol' U.S. of A., this tote is made from 100% recycled PVC and covered with little Androids from top to bottom. Cost: $14 4. Android Necktie An Android tie? Sign us up! With a slew of different android bot iterations, this accessory is worth every cent for the pirate Droid alone. Cost: $29.95 5. Android Cap With an Android robot logo embroidered on the side and Android text logo embroidered on the strap, this choice of headwear will leave little doubt about where your mobile loyalties lie. Cost: $5.50 6. Android Pinback Button Keep it old school with an Android button for your backpack or bomber jacket. Cost: $1 7. Android Plush Doll While it may not be the most perfect representation of the Android bot, this plush has got bags of character. This handmade toy is available in a variety of colors, but we think green is a must. Cost: $20 8. Android Walking With Dog T-Shirt This tee direct from Google combines Android with man's other best friend. It's a win-win in our book. Cost: $14.80 9. Android Pillow What sofa, bed or chair wouldn't look fabulous with this handcrafted Android pillow? None, we tell you. None. Cost: $21.99 10. Exploded Andy T-Shirt We're fans of the exploded tee design so we of course love this Android-themed effort. We just hope they can put him back together again. Cost: $19 11. Android Messenger Bag If you're not the tote type, then this urban messenger bag may be more up your alley. Cost: $21.99 12. Android Shoes Show your Android pride right down to your tippy-toes with these customizable PRO-Ked sneakers. "Be a nerd and look good doing it" cries the designer. Thanks, but for reference we prefer the term "geek." Cost: $65 13. Android Boxer Shorts Would you like to see my robot? Intimate apparel gets the Android treatment here for boys while there's a thong design available for girls too. Or the other way round -- whatever floats your boat. Cost: $14.99 14. I Love Android Mug You can show your house or office mates how much you ♥ Android with this cheerful mug. Cost: $13.95 15. Android Dog T-Shirt Even Fido can get in on the Android action with this tee for woofs. Cost: $18.99 More Android resources from Mashable:
Reviews: Android, Facebook, Twitter More About: android, android accessories, cases, Google, Mobile 2.0  For more Mobile coverage:
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| What Twitter Places Means for the Future of Location Posted: 27 Jun 2010 01:54 PM PDT  Despite the bungled launch and short hiatus, Twitter Places is back in action. The feature has huge implications for the geo-location space and the location-sharing movement. Places is a big improvement on Twitter’s previous geo-location offering, which was never widely adopted or embraced by the majority of users. Whereas before users had to adjust their settings and agree to posting every single tweet with their geo-coordinates, now Twitterers are presented with an elegant way to attach a place to their tweet, one tweet at a time. Right now Places is a Twitter web and mobile experience only, but soon developers will integrate the Places API into their applications and services. Only then will we see Twitter Places reach its full potential. If Twitter can fix the issues crippling the service, then Places has the power to turn location-sharing into a mainstream behavior and significantly boost interest in applications like Foursquare — not to mention the monetization potential of location-based ads. 1. Location-Sharing to Become Mainstream As trendy and hip as Foursquare may be, it’s still only reaching a small subset of the online population. While Facebook — due to its size and reach — is the most mainstream of the social networks, Twitter might have the best chance at making location-sharing a common behavior. Twitter is still the primary purveyor of real-time information and news, and location needs real-time visibility to thrive. Location-sharing amongst friends is certainly well suited for Facebook’s purposes, but the value of location supersedes knowing where your friends are. Just two years ago, Twitter and its 140 character updates seemed silly, if not absurd. Now everyone from all walks of life including athletes, politicians, celebrities and media are tweeting. Location-sharing — via applications that use geo-location to tie locations to places for the purpose of letting users broadcast where they are — is prime for a breakout moment. Twitter can help take it there. The tweet has proved to be a powerful and revolutionary way to communicate and spread information. Add location, in the form of places, to these messages and we could see a surge of interest. Places add context to tweets, which means that breaking news — whether it be related to a natural disaster, event, conference or other situation unfolding in real-time — flowing out in the form of tweets can be localized for further value. It’s this context that will finally help location-sharing holdouts understand why location matters and how they could benefit. 2. Boost Interest in Geo-location Apps As it stands, Twitter is not a threat to location-based social games like Foursquare and Gowalla. In fact, it’s a complimentary service that will positively impact user uptake. Given that Places integrates with both services, users of Foursquare and Gowalla have double the incentive to continue updating their friends on their whereabouts. Checkins from either service are tied to places on Twitter, which means those updates get sucked into the Twitter Place feeds/streams. Checkins will also have broader reach on Twitter via the Twitter Place page, which means more exposure for Foursquare and Gowalla. More exposure will translate into more users who checkin more often, and so on, and so forth. Plus, as location-sharing becomes more accepted, users will begin to appreciate the added values that Gowalla and Foursquare bring to the table. Saving money — whether that be at Starbucks, Domino’s or Sports Authority — is something that never gets old. 3. Promoted Places With Places, Twitter has an opportunity to serve up highly targeted advertisements in the form of Promoted Tweets. Ads could appear atop the Places tweet stream — a.k.a. search results for tweets at a particular place — and engage Twitter users with specific messages about a locale. Obviously this a feature that brands like Starbucks — an early Promoted Tweets user and Foursquare early adopter — could use for store-specific promotions or messages. Perhaps there’s even a “Promoted Places” product brewing that will function similarly to the new Promoted Trends feature. “Promoted Places” may just be a projection at this point, but we are quite certain that Twitter’s current fixation on advertising revenue will extend to Places. [img credits: MariShelbey and courtesy of iStockphoto, jorgeantonio]
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| There’s No iPhone 4 Recall, No Matter What Twitter Says Posted: 27 Jun 2010 12:21 PM PDT  The Daily Mail reported this morning than an iPhone 4 recall is underway, but don’t believe it; the UK publication’s source was a tweet from a fake Steve Jobs Twitter account. Apple hasn’t announced any plans to recall its new phone. The Twitter account @ceoSteveJobs is a parody account — it says so in the profile bio, and even if you don’t read the bio, it should be obvious from the tweets, which include lines like “Be careful not to leave your #iPhone4 at the Genius Bar on the way out of the store. Gizmodo might pick it up,” and “I heard the CEO of AT&T got married recently. The service was great but the reception was terrible.” The Daily Mail has pulled the original story, which began with a claim that a recall was coming and a quote from the fake Twitter account, and then continued to explain the issues users have had with signal loss when the iPhone 4 is held a certain way. It’s hard to imagine that Apple didn’t know about the signal issue. The engineers at the company probably decided it was a worthwhile trade-off for otherwise improved reception, so don’t expect a recall for that reason. Though you might be surprised that The Daily Mail ran a story based on a tweet from an account that is so obviously fake, it’s not the first time something like this has happened. That’s why Twitter implemented a system for verifying the accounts of important people and publications. [via The Next Web] Reviews: Facebook, Twitter More About: apple, cell phone, gadgets, iphone, iphone 4, Mobile 2.0, News, parody, recall, social media, steve jobs, the daily mail, trending, twitter  For more Apple coverage:
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| 35 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed Posted: 27 Jun 2010 10:47 AM PDT  Chances are you’ve been waiting in line all week for the iPhone 4, which means you haven’t been keeping up on your social media resources. Tsk-tsk. Put said device to good use, and scroll on down for your weekly cavalcade of hints, tips, insights and analysis. This week’s list includes some great Google facts, web design inspiration, and a few ways to improve your social business model. Go on, gorge yourself. Social Media
For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Tech & Mobile
For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Business
For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable’s business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Reviews: Android, Facebook, Google, Internet, Mashable, Twitter, WordPress, YouTube More About: business, facebook, Features Week In Review, List, Lists, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, tech, twitter, youtube  For more Social Media coverage:
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