techno-review

Top iPad apps: Angry Birds Space, Song Pop

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:09:21 +0100

The latest version in the Angry Birds franchise, the intergalactic zero-gravity Angry Birds Space, has taken the charts by storm this week being the most downloaded free app in the USA, France, Canada and Korea, while musical quiz app Song Pop tops the charts in the UK. Details of these and other top free iPad applications by country* for the week, by number of downloads, recorded on June 25 can be found below.

01.USA
Angry Birds Space HD Free (games)
The phenomenally successful Angry Birds series gets an interstellar makeover with this latest title. Angry Birds Space includes 10 new levels, brand new birds with brand new superpowers and free updates.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-birds-space-hd-free/id526337775?mt=8

02.UK
Song Pop (games)
Test your musical knowledge with this fun quiz app. The app plays short clips of a variety of songs challenging users to guess the song title from the three options displayed. Users can also challenge their friends to a musical show down.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/song-pop/id518042655?mt=8

03.France
Angry Birds Space HD Free (games)
See ‘Angry Birds Space HD Free'
http://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/angry-birds-space-hd-free/id526337775?mt=8

04.Canada
Angry Birds Space HD Free (games)
See ‘Angry Birds Space HD Free'
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/angry-birds-space-hd-free/id526337775?l=fr&mt=8

05.Japan
Enjoy Learning World Map Puzzle (games)
This educational app helps users learn about the location of countries around the world by completing a virtual jigsaw of a globe and answering questions on each country.
http://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/enjoy-learning-world-map-puzzle/id532075776?l=en&mt=8

06.Australia
Madcoaster (games)
Take the roller coaster ride of a lifetime with this fun application. Collect coins and steer as you speed through exotic and dangerous locations on a out-of-control rollercoaster.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/madcoaster/id476279186?mt=8

07. Germany
VIRTUALSAT TV (utilities)
Get live satellite TV from more than 90 stations for free with this useful application. This free app offers an unpaid trial period after which users have to pay a subscription fee in order to continue using the service.
http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/virtualsat-tv/id533434686?mt=8

08.China
iSlash HD (games)
‘Slash' your way through this clever puzzle game keeping an eye out for ninja throwing stars as you do so. The game includes over 170 levels and a global leaderboard for the top players.
http://itunes.apple.com/cn/app/islash-hd/id400574145?l=en&mt=8

09. Italy
Cardiografo (Cardiograph) (health and wellness)
Free for a limited time only this application allows users to measure their heart rate and store and compare the results with other users around the world.
http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/cardiografo-cardiograph/id441079429?mt=8

10.Korea
Angry Birds Space HD Free (games)
See ‘Angry Birds Space HD Free'
http://itunes.apple.com/kr/app/angry-birds-space-hd-free/id526337775?mt=8

*The countries listed are those markets in which the most iOS devices have been sold worldwide. The list of top ten countries is based on Admob's April 2010 estimate of the worldwide iOS User Distribution

Source: Yahoo! News

Samsung: Galaxy S III sales to hit 10 million in July

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:57:55 +0100

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics Co., the world's top mobile phone maker, said Monday it expects global sales of the latest Galaxy smartphone to surpass 10 million in July even as it struggles to keep up with demand because of component shortages.

Shin Jong-kyun, president of Samsung's mobile communications business, said the Galaxy S III will hit the 10-million milestone within two months of its launch.

"It has been tough to keep up with demand," Shin told reporters.

Samsung's failure to procure sufficient mobile components for its latest smartphone has stoked concerns that its second-quarter smartphone sales could be much lower than expected. Shin said the company expects to resolve the supply issues with mobile components sometime in the next week.

"Despite the tough economic situation in Europe and problems with supplying components for the Galaxy S III, the second-quarter earnings will be better than the first quarter," he said.

Shares of Samsung tumbled 4.2 percent on the Seoul bourse on Monday, closing at a four-month low. The benchmark Kospi index fell 1.2 percent.

Samsung began sales of the Galaxy S III in Europe on May 29 and released it in the U.S. last week. In its home market, the company started sales of the latest iteration of Galaxy earlier Monday.

Samsung's sales estimate for the S III reflects robust demand from mobile operators. Unlike Apple Inc., Samsung does not disclose sales figures to consumers.

The South Korean company said the S III will be released by around 300 mobile carriers in 147 countries by the end of July, aiming for an early start before rival Apple announces a new version of the iPhone in the third quarter.

The third version of the Galaxy S features a bigger screen — measured 4.8-inch diagonally — but is thinner and lighter than its predecessors and the iPhone 4S.

Samsung packed the high-end smartphone with a legion of new features including eye-recognition technology that keeps the screen from dimming. It also has voice command functions that let users schedule an alarm or adjust volume by speaking to their device.

Its near-field communication technology enables sharing of data heavy multimedia content among Galaxy S III users quickly. But activating the function — called S Beam — takes multiple steps.

Because Samsung customizes its flagship smartphone based on Google's Android operating system, some of Samsung's features overlap with those made by Google.

Separately, Samsung's mobile president said it is still investigating the explosion of a Galaxy S III in Ireland. He said the battery wasn't the cause.

Samsung overtook Nokia as the world's biggest mobile-phone maker in 2011 and competes with Apple for the top smartphone maker position. It aims to double its smartphone sales this year to nearly 200 million phones.

Source:

YOUKYUNG LEE

Follow Youkyung Lee at http://www.twitter.com/_ylee

Facebook just changed your default email without your consent

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:47:38 +0100

You'd be forgiven for not knowing that Facebook has an external email system built in to the site's familiar messaging system. After all, few of us have need for yet another email address. And given the way Facebook algorithms decide to hide messages that the site doesn't believe is important, we're absolutely terrified of losing important messages.

The fact that you're not using that Facebook email address appears to have led to Facebook trying to figure out new ways to push you to the system. So, they've taken action by forcibly changing your contact email address listed on your Facebook page from your actual address that you regularly check to [your.name.here]@facebook.com — or worse, [random number]@facebook.com.

What does this mean? Well, if your high school sweetheart finds you on Facebook and wants to contact you, they'll have to do it on Facebook — there's no external option. There's nothing opt-in about this change, and there was no notification about it either: Facebook just decided to swap out emails to try to get people to use their cobwebbed email system.

Thankfully, you take a few simple steps to restore your old, non-Facebook email address. Start by visiting your profile page and clicking on "About" to bring up, amongst other things, your contact info. Click the edit button on the "Contact Info" section, which should bring up a list of all the email addresses Facebook has on file for you, including your new facebook-domained email address. Left click on the open circle to the right of your.name.here@facebook.com and choose the "Hidden from Timeline" closed circle. Then pick which email address you'd prefer folks to contact you at, and change that closed "Hidden from Timeline" circle to an open "Shown on Timeline" circle. Simple as that!