Hands-On: Skyfire’s Flash-Friendly VideoQ App Brings Flash to iOS

Skyfire, the people who brought you the flash-capable iOS web browser of the same name, have released Skyfire VideoQ, an app that lets users view flash videos from any iOS browser including Safari. Available for iPhone and iPad users through the App Store for $1.99, VideoQ worked as advertised during our hands-on time.  Clips loaded in anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds depending on their size and our connection speed. Our connection speed also greatly effected the quality of the clips we viewed, with poorer connections causing videos to blur and tear. However, VideoQ’s set-up was more than a bit complicated.
We first tried downloaded VideoQ From the App Store and tried to installed it on an iPad running iOS 5, but quickly ran into a problem syncing the device with iTunes 10.5 Beta, and were unable to to proceed. So we grabbed another iPad, this one also running iOS5, found a newer iTunes Beta and proceeded without incident.
The first time we started up VideoQ it asked us to register an e-mail address. The service works through your e-mail, requiring you to send a link for the video you want to view to video@skyfire.com. Then, you close Safari (or whatever browser you happen to be using), open Skyfire, and your video should appear in the app’s video queue. The app essentially serves as a viewer window to the embedded video you are trying to view.
Once the registration was done, we jumped on Safari and started looking for Flash videos. We wanted to watch some clips of The Colbert Report and The Daily Show with John Stewart, so we went over the Comedy Central’s website and started tapping on video links. Each time we found a video we wanted to watch we tapped the bookmark icon and selected the Mail Link to this Page option. A draft email came up with the embedded link and we sent it off to video@skyfire.com. As soon as we sent the video, we closed Safari, opened VideoQ, and refreshed our queue list, and each time our video showed up without fail. The queue also serves as a video locker, allowing you to store videos for later viewing.
In addition to letting you watch embedded videos from your favorite websites, VideoQ also includes Hot and Channels tabs. The Hot tab, as the name implies, gives you a constantly updated list of videos and clips that are being viewed most by other VideoQ users. The Channels tab provides you with a list of different channels ranging in topic from Technology and News to Humor. Each channel offered a veritable grab bag of videos for their related topics, which was fun when we were looking for something to pass the time on the bus. Currently there are only eight channels available, but Skyfire says they’ll be adding more to the app over time.
While VideoQ works well enough, certainly adds a lot of steps to view a single Flash video. On top of that, Skyfire says that not all Flash videos will work with the app. However, we didn’t run into any problems. For less trouble you can always download Skyfire’s web browser for $4.99 from the App Store. It offers the same Flash functionality without the additional steps. Overall, VideoQ served us well in the short time we had with it. We would, however, like to see Skyfire add more customization options to the Channels tab, so users can narrow down their available videos easier.

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On the Internet While In Flight? You’re Probably an iPhone User

Android devices may be topping overall smartphone sales, but when it comes to staying connected at 30,000 feet in the air, the iPhone rules the sky.
Apple iPhone users account for 65 percent of those accessing Gogo’s mobile Wi-Fi service during airline flights, while Android users account for just 12 percent, according to in-flight Wi-Fi service company Gogo.
When including travelers that are connected to the service using an iPod Touch, Apple’s iOS system accounts for a whopping 80 percent of mobile travelers connecting to Gogo’s Wi-Fi service.
Blackberry users account for only 6 percent, while Windows and all other devices make up the remaining 2 percent of users.
“Many smartphone users aren’t aware that you can turn your phone service off on a Gogo-equipped plane, yet still access the Internet through a Wi-Fi enabled mobile device and surf the Web,” said Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo’s chief marketing officer. “It’s clear that iPhone users are ahead of the curve in understanding those capabilities, but more and more people are starting to discover how to connect using their smartphone on a plane.”
“As the number of smartphone users continues to skyrocket, we’d expect that the number of passengers using their mobile devices to access the Internet in air will also continue to grow,” ElDifrawi added.

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Case-Mate Reveals Super-Cute New Creatures Collection iPhone Cases

Add some character to your iPhone. Case-Mate's new creature collection of iPhone covers release your inner child for just $24.99. Three of the new silicone sleeve designs are based on monsters and the others on animals, each one with its own designated personality. The stylized, simplistic but vibrant designs look great for anyone who wants to stand out from the crowd and add a splash of color into their lives. 

Raised silicone pieces and textured exteriors integrated into the colorful designs give the covers both attitude and an improved grip. Plus, they protect your iPhone from bumps, drops and scrapes. On each Creature's individual page, Case-Mate has included a video. Monsta's is far and away the most nonsensical and entertaining, while Tut and Frank share a video. Gil and Hoot are shown in their natural cartoon environment (the ocean and a tree, respectively), and Waddler gets a spy movie-style trailer showing each of its features close up.

The Creature cases are cute, and their individual personalities (Frank, for instance, is a grouch) make them stand out from the lineup of other iPhone covers on the market. Case-Mate touts the cases' appeal to the imagination, emphasizing character and individuality. So, are you a monster, a fish, or a bird?

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Griffin Beacon Review

The Griffin Beacon ($79) is a small device that, paired with a free app, turns an iOS device into a universal remote, and lets you browse your TV listings on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. So should it replace the collection of remote controls cluttering your coffee table?

Design

The Griffin Beacon has about the same footprint as a coaster. The bottom half is square with rounded corners, and the top, which is a roughly triangular in shape, houses the infrared receiver. Oddly, the pointy end of the triangle is not aimed at your TV, which seems a little counterintuitive.

The design isn't as whimsical as the Peel's pear-shaped device, but it's not without a little individuality. We also liked that we didn't have to plug another piece into our router, as with the Peel.

The base takes four AA batteries, which are included. Griffin says they should last for about 8 weeks under heavy use. Conveniently, the Digit app displays the battery level.

Setup

The Beacon can be paired with an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad via Bluetooth; in order to activate the Beacon, you need to press down on the top part--it felt a little like we were playing Family Feud. As soon as it's connected, a notification appears on your iOS device prompting you to download the free Dijit app from the store. We wish there was a native iPad app, but then again, the Peel doesn't have one, either.

Upon launching the Dijit app, the setup process asked for our location, cable provider, and also walked us through using the Beacon as a universal remote for our TV. While it was very easy to set up both our Samsung HDTV and cable box, when we first tested the Dijit app, it didn't have any Panasonic receivers listed, so we couldn't fully control our entertainment system. This has since been resolved, and the app can "learn" different remotes, too.

Unlike the Peel, which learns the type of shows you like to watch, then displays only those that meet the criteria, the Dijit app presents channel listings as you would normally see them when using your cable box. Fortunately, you can filter the listings to show, for example, only HD channels, and can block individual channels. If you link Dijit to your Facebook account, it will also display shows your friends have liked.

Dijit adds another level of customization, too. If you favorite certain shows, they show up in a separate tab called My Shows, which eliminates some scrolling. In order to use this feature, you have to sign up for a free Dijit account.



While it was fairly easy to navigate, Dijit's app seems a bit less refined than Peel's. For example, icons for a lot of particular programs, such as movies, aren't movie posters, but generic icons. (the company says that it is working to add icons). You can't favorite movies or teams, so you can't have all upcoming Yankees games appear in My Shows.

We did like the fact that you can also browse your Netflix queue and search for new movies.

Verdict

While the $79 Griffin Beacon is $20 less expensive than the Peel, we prefer the latter because it improves upon the channel-surfing experience, instead of merely replicating what you can already get through your cable box. Also, the Dijit app has a few quirks that need ironing out. But the Beacon's unobtrusive design and ease of setup make it worth considering if you want to ditch all your remotes.

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RadioShack Drops iPhone 4 Price to Just $19.99 with Trade & Save Program

Yes, the iPhone 5 is just around the corner, but for many this deal might be too good to pass up. Right now RadioShack is offering the iPhone 4 for just 20 bucks. To get that awesomely low price you’ll need to trade in your iPhone 3G or 3GS, which will get you up to $150 off. Add in instant savings of $30 and you could have a $19.99 device that runs a ton of apps, has the best display in its class, does FaceTime calls, and shoots excellent 5-MP photos.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the full $150 off on top of the instant savings. It depends on the value of the device you’re trading in. Want the 32GB version? You can pick one up for as low as $119, a full $170 off. For more details on The Shack’s program and retail locations click here.

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Top 8 Smartphones

The number of smartphone choices can be a little dizzying. Want to know which devices are the best right now? Here are our top picks–two for each carrier– that will deliver the most bang for your buck.

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Apple iPhone 4 (AT&T)

Apple’s top-notch device raises the bar for displays, camera quality, and two-way video chat in a remarkably slim and sexy design.
Read The Review

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Report: Microsoft, Samsung to Make Big Windows 8 Tablet Push

Microsoft first touted the potential of tablets over a decade ago, but has struggled to keep pace with the Apple and Android device onslaught. New reports suggest the deep-pocketed software company will try to regain its tablet relevance by unveiling  a new slate, made by hardware giant Samsung, at Microsoft’s upcoming BUILD developers conference.
This gathering of the Windows faithful will be held in Anaheim California September 13 to the 16th, where it’s rumored Microsoft president Steven Sinofsky will showcase a tablet computer running the much anticipated Windows 8 OS. Details as to what Windows 8 will look like are limited but we do expect it to be touch-friendy and sport a much cleaner, less Windows-like,  interface optimized for a modern slate.
The possibility of major manufacturer Samsung partnering with Microsoft bodes well for potential Windows tablet success since it has created a string of well-designed Android products, notably the original Galaxy Tab and recent Galaxy Tab 10.1. In fact, Samsung has been successful enough with these gadgets and its previous Galaxy S smartphones that Apple fears the company as a threat. Why else would it file onerous patent law suits against the Korean competitor specifically targeting the Tab?
This isn’t the first time Samsung and Microsoft have struck up a partnership in an effort to pioneer a new product category. A few years ago, predating the tablet frenzy, the two companies joined forces to construct UMPCs such as the Samsung Q1EX-71G. Hopefully this time around, the collaboration will prove more fruitful.
Whatever happens at BUILD, Redmond needs to step up its tablet game to compete with the soaring popularity of the iPad 2, imminent Android Icecream devices, and the possible iPad 3 release in 2012.
via AFP, Reuters 

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