July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

While Apple may not quite know what to do with the Apple TV, at least the company isn’t skimping out on adding new features.

Apple released a new Apple TV 5.4 beta software update today that included the ability to stream music from Apple’s new iTunes Radio service, meaning users can access the service from their television sets. The move was initially announced last week at the Worldwide Developers Conference. However, that’s about all the attention Apple TV got, and it seemed like a pretty minor addition considering that rival set-top boxes already provide access to a handful of streaming music services (Pandora, Spotify, Google Play Music All Access).

But there was one other thing included in the update that is actually pretty cool: a new conference-room display mode. This is actually something I noticed lots of companies already doing whenever I’d swing by their offices for a demo of their product, service, or presentation. Apple smartly caught on to this and is now making it a bit easier to connect. The Airplay screen-sharing functionality on Apple TV is criminally underused, so it’s nice to see Apple trying to do something about that.

There’s also a new ability for Apple TV users to customize the style of subtitles, which makes sense considering the new conference-room display feature. If you’re showing a demo video to an entire room of people, you’d want to make sure the text is visible enough to everyone.

Via AppleInsider; Photo by Tom Cheredar

Our phones are faster and smarter. Our laptops are thinner. But, for most of us, our headphones still have wires — serving as both an umbilical cord to today’s digital media and a constant reminder of old-school music tech.

With just about everything going wireless these days, it’s surprising how much we’re still relying on wires when it comes to listening to music on the go. Despite their penchant for tangling, snagging, and breaking, good ol’ wired headphones are still the most popular choice.

But now, with the ubiquity of smartphones and improved Bluetooth connectivity, wireless headphones finally don’t stink. In fact, I’ve tested several that could be good enough for discerning audiophiles (or at least, good enough that they don’t throw them away in disgust). And if you’re looking to share music with friends, wireless speakers have also come a long way.

Ultimately, the success of today’s wireless audio gadgets boils down to a better experience than we’ve ever seen before. And in many cases, that’s due to our mobile devices offering better experiences as well. (We’ll be exploring the huge evolution in mobile experience at our MobileBeat 2013 conference next month.)

The cable dilemma

I suppose it’s not hard to see why we’re so attached to our wired headphones. There have been plenty of wireless headphones over the years, but they’ve mostly failed to catch on due to their cost, complexity, and sub-par sound quality.

The biggest issue? Basic wired headphones are dirt cheap. And, from what I’ve seen, most people never see the need to move beyond the headphones that come with their phones and music players. And audiophiles have preferred wired headphones because of their better sound quality. With limited demand from both the low- and high-end of the market, there simply hasn’t been much of a place for killer pair of wireless headphones.

But, just as we’ve seen many other gadgets go wireless, it’s only a matter of time until the tide turns for headphones as well.

The current wireless headphone crop: Something for everyone

Today, there are plenty of worthy wireless options that are miles ahead of what we’ve seen before.

Take, for example, Jabra’s Revo Wireless, a surprisingly comfortable pair of Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones that sport a healthy 12 hours of battery life.

In my testing over the past few weeks, I was surprised at just how good they sounded — bass was tight without being overbearing, and you also can hear plenty of detail at both low and high volumes. And while they weren’t tough to pair over Bluetooth, you can pair the Revo even more easily with any NFC-equipped smartphone (simply tap the phone to the left earcup). They sport touch controls on the right earcup, which you can use to control volume levels, skip tracks, and pause music.

I was impressed by the Revo’s versatility: You can plug in a mini-jack cable if you’re trying to listen to a non-wireless source (the sound was slightly better over the cable, naturally), and you can also plug it into your computer with a USB cable, which both charges the headphones and lets it function as a USB headset. The Revo Wireless also includes a microphone, so you can take calls when it’s connected to your phone, or use it to trash talk your friends in online games.

I’m usually not a fan of wearing bulky headphones, but the Revo Wireless’s well-cushioned earcups made them easy to wear for hours. I also appreciated their construction — the cups are surrounded by curvy metal arms, which are attached to a plastic bridge that can be folded down. While the metal portion felt strong, you’ll probably have to be careful about storing these headphones in a backpack where its hinges or plastic components could be crushed.

At $250, the Revo Wireless headphones aren’t exactly cheap, but you can currently find them for around $200 on Amazon. They’re a better deal than the $279 Beats by Dr. Dre wireless headphones, but if you’re looking to save some cash, consider Creative’s recent wireless lineup (especially the WP-350, which you can snag on Amazon for just $50).

If you prefer in-ear headphones, check out Plantronics’ BackBeat Go ($100) or JayBird Gear’s BlueBird X ($170). I tested out the BackBeat Go when they were released last year and found them surprisingly capable. Sound quality was decent (not as good as the Revo Wireless), and they were compact enough to stuff into a shirt pocket. At this point, the extreme portability is both their greatest strength and weakness — they’re easy to bring anywhere, but their diminutive size means there’s little room for decently-sized batteries. I saw around 5 hours of battery life with the Plantronics unit.

The original Jambox atop the Big Jambox.

Wireless speakers: Sharing the joy

The massive success of Jawbone’s Jambox several years ago made it clear that there’s a huge demand for well-designed portable speakers — especially if they sound great. Since then, we’ve seen a slew of competitors appear, and Jawbone also went for larger sound with the fantastic Big Jambox ($250).

While Bluetooth is the most prevalent connection technology for wireless speakers, Apple’s AirPlay standard has also gained some support in high-end options. Audiophiles typically prefer AirPlay since it’s uncompressed — meaning it doesn’t hurt music quality like the heavily compressed Bluetooth standard. The tradeoff, of course, is that you can only use iOS or Macintosh computers to connect to AirPlay devices. My advice? Stick with Bluetooth options for now.

One recently released speaker entry worth considering is Logitech’s new UE Boom (above), which offers up some stiff competition to Jambox’s devices. The $200 Boom looks unlike any speaker you’ve ever seen, with a cylindrical design and wacky color combinations. It basically begs to be taken outside — the Boom sports around 15 hours of battery life, a water and stain-resistant skin (which comes in handy during messy barbecues), and even though it’s much smaller than the Big Jambox, it delivers sound almost just as loud.

Most importantly, it sounds fantastic. Thanks to its cylindrical design, the Boom can effectively fill large spaces with thumping tunes. That’s a huge plus over Jawbone’s boxy offerings, which typically sound best when you’re directly in front of them. Like the original Jambox, as well as plenty of other wireless speakers, the Boom also functions as a speakerphone.

It’s all about a better wireless experience

As I mentioned above, what really sets apart this most recent round of wireless audio gadgets is a much improved experience over past wireless offerings. To list just a few:

1. Connecting to wireless headphones and speakers is easier than ever, thanks to Bluetooth devices being widely available and easier to use. Gone are the days when you struggled with your Bluetooth headset just to make a call. And as we’ve seen with the Revo Wireless, NFC could be a good way to simplify pairing even more.
2. Battery life is much improved. Most over-the-ear wireless headphones and speakers I’ve seen offer between 10 and 15 hours of functionality, which is more than enough to last you the whole day. (Those in-ear wireless units will eventually improve, as well.)
3. Sound quality is better (and will only improve over time). We’ve seen gadget makers do some amazing things with the Bluetooth A2DP audio profile, which allows for wireless streaming of music. Soon more devices will support the aptX codec, which offers even higher-quality music over Bluetooth.
4. Ubiquity. Now if you bring a wireless speaker to a party, just about anyone can pair up with their smartphone and send over their own tunes. No more cables, no more hassle.

No matter your experiences with wireless music gadgets in the past, it’s worth taking a closer look at what’s available today. Plenty of great options are out there, especially if you’re in the market for a new pair of over-the-ear headphones or just want a portable speaker that you can take to the park.

Perhaps the biggest selling point for going wireless: never having to deal with those damn tangled cords again.

Photos: Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

This sponsored post is produced by StackSocial.

The Mac has long been considered the computing device that is more intuitive than the rest – but even then it can be tough to get the most out of it on a regular basis. Thanks to our latest VB Store offer, we’re going to make that challenge a little less daunting.

We’ve brought together 9 apps that can take your productivity on the Mac to new heights…and we’re offering it at a fraction of the regular price. You can get The Mac Essentials Bundle for only $49.99 – that’s 84% off the price you’d pay for all of these extraordinary apps on their own.

Here’s what you’ll get in The Mac Essentials Bundle (regular price is in parentheses):

• TechTool Pro 6 ($100.00): With TechTool Pro 6, everything is easily accessible from a single interface. One-click diagnostics will scan critical CPU, memory, video hardware and more to identify impending problems to help you prevent costly repairs. So while it’s easy-to-use, TechTool Pro provides comprehensive testing that also delivers for the Mac professional.
• Path Finder 6 ($40.00): Get the app that John Siracusa calls “It’s a file browsing tour de force.” With a multitude of features on both the basic and advanced end, ranging from tabbed browsing and a dual-pane interface, to an ACL and Hex editor, Path Finder 6 has limitless ways to increase your productivity! While making file management easy and refined, Path Finder 6 allows you to interact with your files on your own terms.
• TextExpander 4 ($35.00): This app is a must for anyone wanting to level up their productivity on the Mac. Whether it’s a simple email signature or several paragraphs of a standard response, you’ll love how easy it is to use TextExpander to avoid typing the same thing over and over. TextExpander saves your fingers and your keyboard, expanding custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text and pictures.
• MacHider ($10.00): You can put your Mac on lockdown so when you’re not around to protect it MacHider will make sure all of your documents and files are safe and sound. Its main algorithm makes sure all your personal data will be hidden in password-protected folders and stored in a safe place. That means you’ll never worry intruders accessing your private files ever again – thanks to MacHider.
• Dropzone 2 ($10.00): Dropzone 2 has been called “The Swiss Army Knife of Productivity Apps” – and for good reason. Dropzone 2 lets you drag a file onto the menu item and your fully customizable grid of destinations flies smoothly out using core animation – simply place the file onto a destination and Dropzone 2 will take care of the rest, whether you’re installing an app, uploading a file to an FTP server or sharing your photos on Flickr. It’s a powerful app– and one worth having close at hand to keep you – and your Mac – moving.
• AirServer ($15.00): Ever wished you could stream content from your iPhone right to your Mac? Now you can…thanks to AirServer. It allows you to receive AirPlay feeds, similar to an Apple TV, so you can stream content or Mirror your display from your iOS devices or Mountain Lion. AirServer now delivers full 1080p HD mirroring and is faster and more powerful than ever.
• CameraBag 2 ($20.00): Redesigned from the ground up, CameraBag 2’s Analog Engine pairs a full suite of photographic tools with the high quality filters and vintage simulations Nevercenter is known for. Its key innovation is a stunningly straightforward approach to layering, rearranging, and endlessly tweaking all of these effects in realtime. The 100+ fully-adjustable filters and 25+ professional controls are only the beginning, forming the palette from which you can find, and create, your own styles.
• MacPilot 5 ($20.00): Scared of the terminal or can’t be bothered to remember those commands to customize your system the way you want? MacPilot 5 is your digital saviour. Now you can easily enable and disable hidden features in Mac OS X, optimize and repair your system, and perform numerous routine maintenance operations with the click of a button!
• IPNetMonitorX ($60.00): IPNetMonitorX combines an intuitive Macintosh user interface with deep Mac OS X knowledge to provide essential problem solving details from a single convenient application. If you’ve ever struggled with why some Internet feature isn’t working, or just want to explore and understand better, IPNetMonitorX is here to help. The built-in description for each tool clarifies underlying network concepts as it guides you to answer real world questions about how your internet is working.

We’ve got more information about all the apps in this bundle over at the VB Store page.

So what are you waiting for? For just $49.99 you can get this amazing deal from VentureBeat – so don’t delay. Time stops for no one – but the savings on these great apps will. Grab this deal before it is gone for good!

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

This sponsored post is produced by StackSocial.

The Mac has long been considered the computing device that is more intuitive than the rest – but even then it can be tough to get the most out of it on a regular basis. Thanks to our latest VB Store offer, we’re going to make that challenge a little less daunting.

We’ve brought together 9 apps that can take your productivity on the Mac to new heights…and we’re offering it at a fraction of the regular price. You can get The Mac Essentials Bundle for only $49.99 for a limited time – that’s 84% off the price you’d pay for all of these extraordinary apps on their own.

Here’s what you’ll get in The Mac Essentials Bundle (regular price is in parentheses):

• TechTool Pro 6 ($100.00): With TechTool Pro 6, everything is easily accessible from a single interface. One-click diagnostics will scan critical CPU, memory, video hardware and more to identify impending problems to help you prevent costly repairs. So while it’s easy-to-use, TechTool Pro provides comprehensive testing that also delivers for the Mac professional.
• Path Finder 6 ($40.00): Get the app that John Siracusa calls “It’s a file browsing tour de force.” With a multitude of features on both the basic and advanced end, ranging from tabbed browsing and a dual-pane interface, to an ACL and Hex editor, Path Finder 6 has limitless ways to increase your productivity! While making file management easy and refined, Path Finder 6 allows you to interact with your files on your own terms.
• TextExpander 4 ($35.00): This app is a must for anyone wanting to level up their productivity on the Mac. Whether it’s a simple email signature or several paragraphs of a standard response, you’ll love how easy it is to use TextExpander to avoid typing the same thing over and over. TextExpander saves your fingers and your keyboard, expanding custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text and pictures.
• MacHider ($10.00): You can put your Mac on lockdown so when you’re not around to protect it MacHider will make sure all of your documents and files are safe and sound. Its main algorithm makes sure all your personal data will be hidden in password-protected folders and stored in a safe place. That means you’ll never worry intruders accessing your private files ever again – thanks to MacHider.
• Dropzone 2 ($10.00): Dropzone 2 has been called “The Swiss Army Knife of Productivity Apps” – and for good reason. Dropzone 2 lets you drag a file onto the menu item and your fully customizable grid of destinations flies smoothly out using core animation – simply place the file onto a destination and Dropzone 2 will take care of the rest, whether you’re installing an app, uploading a file to an FTP server or sharing your photos on Flickr. It’s a powerful app– and one worth having close at hand to keep you – and your Mac – moving.
• AirServer ($15.00): Ever wished you could stream content from your iPhone right to your Mac? Now you can…thanks to AirServer. It allows you to receive AirPlay feeds, similar to an Apple TV, so you can stream content or Mirror your display from your iOS devices or Mountain Lion. AirServer now delivers full 1080p HD mirroring and is faster and more powerful than ever.
• CameraBag 2 ($20.00): Redesigned from the ground up, CameraBag 2’s Analog Engine pairs a full suite of photographic tools with the high quality filters and vintage simulations Nevercenter is known for. Its key innovation is a stunningly straightforward approach to layering, rearranging, and endlessly tweaking all of these effects in realtime. The 100+ fully-adjustable filters and 25+ professional controls are only the beginning, forming the palette from which you can find, and create, your own styles.
• MacPilot 5 ($20.00): Scared of the terminal or can’t be bothered to remember those commands to customize your system the way you want? MacPilot 5 is your digital saviour. Now you can easily enable and disable hidden features in Mac OS X, optimize and repair your system, and perform numerous routine maintenance operations with the click of a button!
• IPNetMonitorX ($60.00): IPNetMonitorX combines an intuitive Macintosh user interface with deep Mac OS X knowledge to provide essential problem solving details from a single convenient application. If you’ve ever struggled with why some Internet feature isn’t working, or just want to explore and understand better, IPNetMonitorX is here to help. The built-in description for each tool clarifies underlying network concepts as it guides you to answer real world questions about how your internet is working.

We’ve got more information about all the apps in this bundle over at the VB Store page.

So what are you waiting for? For just $49.99 you can get this amazing deal from VentureBeat – so don’t delay. Time stops for no one – but the savings on these great apps will. Grab this deal today!

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Rumors that Apple was working on bringing HBO’s streaming-video counterpart HBO Go to its Apple TV set-top box last week proved half-true today.

HBO Go’s iOS apps now work with the Airplay feature starting today, according to HBO president Eric Kessler during an interview at the D: Dive into Media conference. Anyone who has an iPhone or iPad and a existing subscription to HBO from their cable or satellite TV provider can now watch the streaming service from their Apple TV-enabled television screen.

HBO Go provides on-demand access to hundreds of movies and a complete library of all HBO original programming, such as the The Sopranos, True Blood, Newsroom, and Game of Thrones. This is probably a big win for anyone who stuck it out with the Apple TV as other streaming devices, like the Roku or Xbox Live, gained access to HBO Go nearly a year ago.

It also begs the question of whether Apple will eventually add a native application for HBO Go on the Apple TV in the near future — say before the premiere of Game of Thrones Season 3, maybe?.

Photo by Tom Cheredar/VentureBeat

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Marc Price is Openet’s CTO for the Americas.

In today’s day and age, consumers like personalization. From tailored music selections on MP3 players to customized ringtones, people know what they want when it comes to digital content, and how they want to enjoy it.

It won’t be long before television is no different from music services, either. In fact, it’s already happening. An everyday task like watching TV will soon become personalized with the introduction of technological advancements such as flexible ad insertion systems that personalize TV commercials, and new TV platforms, like Airplay via Apple TV, that deliver “long-tail” video content to all screens – the big screen, tablets, smartphones, and more.

Here’s why consumers will embrace a personalized TV experience:

An enhanced user experience

Soon, you’ll be able to request that your TV turn off commercials you despise and instead, play commercials you may actually want to watch, tailored to interests you choose to share. If you don’t have a cat, do you really want to watch ads for cat food? This applies to both live TV and time-shifted TV, where sometimes ads are no longer appropriate to recorded content. Imagine watching a show on your DVR, and being able to decide you don’t want to watch a commercial for a “sale on cars this weekend only” when the show was recorded last week. Gracenote is already set to bring this level of personalization into your living room, having debuted its ad replacement system at CES this year and is expected to ship hardware by the end of 2013.

Better service

Consumers distrust big brother when they don’t understand, or have control over, what data is being used, or how. Personalized TV services will take off when there are clear details around opt in and opt out mechanisms regarding how consumer data is to be collected and leveraged in creating a better service experience. For example, details have emerged on Intel’s smart TV platform that is said to display targeted ads based on facial recognition, gender, age range, etc. Although it won’t capture information down to the individual level, the general concept still has people skeptical. The more opt in and opt out elements that are placed under users’ control, the more they will be used, to the benefit of the consumer and the industry alike.

Consumers will be in the personalization driver’s seat

It will soon be possible for consumers to set up their own TV viewer profiles based on what they care about. And this is not just for ads! Consumers will be able to change their TV viewing experience around the electronic programming guide, recommendations, and even how search works and prioritizes responses. Apps like NextGuide from Dijit are currently available that enable users to find and browse shows on TV and online that are relevant to their interests. This concept, and the current apps available, will make content discovery of more relevant programming easier, as well as improve relevant advertising.

Tailored delivery of ads based on specific devices

As consumers add more devices, the personalized TV experience will make it possible for tailored ads to be delivered in customized ways to each of these devices. Consumers’ appetite for ads on mobile devices is not the same as for the living room TV. Mobile, despite rapid growth, accounts for just 1 percent of total ad spending worldwide, according to eMarketer. Advertisers will gain a channel to more devices, as opt-in mechanisms enable more sophisticated users to decide what is acceptable to achieve the right service experience at the right price. At the same time, measurement across devices can be centralized. Tailored delivery will ultimately improve the user experience, reducing total ad time, and reducing or eliminating ads that aren’t relevant. This also provides value for service providers, enabling ads on platforms beyond the living room TV, and enabling comprehensive measurement – inclusive of broadband/online and mobile channels – an elusive goal today. Inevitably, consumers will soon be able to interact with brands on the devices of their choice.

Final word

Personalized TV is better TV, as the concept enables you to find and enjoy the content you want, on the devices you want, and with more relevant advertising when you want it. Soon, the days of six straight commercials focused on medications for seniors’ ailments during the 6 o’clock news will be a distant memory. Technology allows us to live in a world where one size does not fit all, and that includes television.

Original TV Image via zayats-and-zayats/Shutterstock; Illustration by Tom Cheredar

Marc Price is the chief technical officer for the Americas at Openet, and has more than 20 years of experience working extensively with customers to define strategies and deploy world-class solutions for mediation, charging, rating, billing, and policy. He has helped some of the largest North American and European service providers to achieve business success. Before joining Openet, Marc was the lead software architect for a market-leading convergent real-time rating and billing system for service providers. Marc holds degrees in mechanical engineering and international relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Apple is planning some big changes for how people listen to music via iOS devices, according to a Telegraph report.

At its rumored Sept. 12 press event, the company is planning to announce a new feature update called “AirPlay Direct,” which allows you to stream music from your iOS devices wirelessly to speakers without the aid of a Wi-Fi connection. Currently, the Airplay feature only allows you to stream media from an Apple device (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, and some Macs running Mountain Lion) to Airplay speakers or an Apple TV while on the same Wi-Fi network.

The “AirPlay Direct” upgrade would simplify streaming media for iOS users, since they won’t have to worry about being on the same network as an Airplay device. The new feature could also lead to some quality improvements, though Apple’s Airplay is already better quality than Bluetooth streaming for music (which has to compress the dynamic range of audio).

The company is likely pairing the new Airplay functionality with the new smaller dock connectors rumored to be in future Apple devices, the Telegraph report indicates. And while speaker accessories with the old dock will be much less useful, even with the rumored adapter to support the new dock connector, upgrading to a new one could be more palatable with the AirPlay Direct upgrade.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Good news for couch potatoes: The popular video discovery app Showyou now has a revamped Airplay experience, allowing you to run other apps on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch while Showyou is beaming video to your Apple TV.

The newest version of the free Showyou app, which hits the App Store today, also includes some major improvements on the iPad, including Retina Display support and social features that first appeared on the Showyou iPhone app a few weeks ago.

Apple has offered multitasking during Airplay streaming since the launch of iOS 5 last year, but according to Mark Hall, the CEO of Showyou creator Remixation, not many apps have taken advantage of the feature. “It’s not a difficult feature to implement,” Hall said, but added “it takes a ton of effort to figure out what you have to implement.”

Now when you’re streaming a video with Showyou, you’re not forced to keep the app open on your iOS device, which should be a boon for Twitter addicts.

In many ways, Showyou for the iPad is playing catch-up with its iPhone/iPod Touch siblings in this latest update. The iPad app can now take advantage of a whole new Showyou feed, which does a better job of locating videos that you’ll like. You can also now send videos to friends on Showyou via the iPad app (and if they’re not on Showyou, you can send them an email), and “Thank” people for sharing videos.

Showyou now has more than 60 million videos indexed, Hall tells me. And since they’re all socially curated, they’re generally more interesting than a random YouTube video. The company’s revamped iPhone app, which launched last month, is also now seeing longer session times of 15 to 20 minutes.

Showyou is planning to open up its video search to guests within the next few days, which should give new users a taste of what Showyou has to offer before signing up.

San Francisco-based Remixation has raised an undisclosed amount of funding in a first round from True Ventures and other investors.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

One feature that’s been noticeably absent from Google TV, Google’s connected-TV platform, is something akin to Apple’s AirPlay,  which allows iPad and iPhone the ability to stream content directly to Apple TV. But the little-known Taiwanese manufacturer Honeywld is working to change that.

Its upcoming Google TV set-top box will be able to receive streaming content directly from Android tablets and smartphones, the company told IDGNews. This will allow users to very easily move content from smaller screens to their televisions.

Alongside video, the device will also be able to synchronize other media content like music and pictures. To do this, users will have to install a special app onto their smartphones and tablets that will allow the streaming. Honeywld says the app is still in development.

On the hardware side, the device comes equipped with 1GB RAM, 4GB flash storage, a MicroSD card slot, and HDMI and Ethernet ports.

There are some complications, however. First, Honeywld is a tiny, tiny company, and its staff of 40 people won’t be able to bring the box’s production up to a global scale. To solve this, the company told IDG that it hopes to get a larger company to buy it from them and resell it globally.

There’s also the very real chance that Google will include the streaming functionality in the next version of the Google TV OS, which will make whatever Honeywld rolls out pretty superfluous.

Google’s response to this notion was, predictably, pretty vague. ”We see lots of potential in having all of your living room devices work together, whether that’s from us or from our growing developer community,” a Google TV spokesperson told VentureBeat. What this means for the future is anyone’s guess, but it still seems pretty likely that Google would introduce the streaming feature in the future.

There’s also the matter of price. Honeywld plans to sell the device for somewhere around $100, which seems like a lot to ask for a device that only has 4GB of flash storage.

But what’s good news here is that manufacturers, even the tiniest of ones, haven’t yet given up hope on Google’s television ambitions. With some high-profile failures, it’s been a tough road for Google TV, but if the recent resurgence on support is any indication, the platform could be on its way back up.

Design is determining the winners in everything mobile. The most successful players are focusing on one thing: How to make products, services, and devices as compelling and delightful as possible – visually, and experientially. MobileBeat 2012, July 10-11 in San Francisco , is assembling the most elite minds to debate how UI/UX is transforming every aspect of the mobile economy, and where the opportunities lie. Register here.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Rogue Amoeba, creator of the Airfoil Speakers Touch, an app that lets you send and receive audio from an iPhone to many devices, was removed from Apple’s app store today. The reason? Apple didn’t say.

Airfoil Speakers Touch acted similarly to Apple’s own Airplay feature in iOS 5. The feature lets you stream audio and video from your iPhone or iPad to a high-definition television or speakers using AppleTV — the set top box that accepts the stream. Unlike the Airfoil Speaker Touch, Airplay does not let you receive content from other devices to your phone. It does, however, directly compete with the product, making it safe to assume that’s why Apple didn’t want the app in its store.

Apple contacted the company two days ago with notice that the app was going to be taken down but gave no explanation as to why, according to Rogue Amoeba. The company has filed an appeal with Apple’s App Review Board, and Rogue Amoeba insists that the app was — to the best of its knowledge — compliant with Apple’s developer guidelines.

We have not recently submitted a new version for approval, so this removal was not connected to any pending review caused by an update. Indeed, the removed version (3.0.0) already went through the review process, and was approved back in April. Further, Airfoil Speakers Touch has been repeatedly approved by Apple’s review process since its introduction way back in 2009.

Apple has the right to add and remove any apps in the App Store. This means Rogue Amoeba wouldn’t be able to sue Apple or otherwise seek to force its app into the store.

This goes to show that while mobile application developing has become a very lucrative business for the likes of Instagram and FourSquare, it’s still a very young and vulnerable business. An app with too much success that winds up threatening Apple could have its business pulled right from under it.

via The Verge; Amoeba image via Shutterstock

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Apple’s iOS 4.3 update for the iPhone and iPad has officially landed, bringing with it new features like improved support for AirPlay media streaming, and WiFi hotspot capabilities that let you share your mobile internet connection with other devices.

Apple first unveiled the update last week with the launch of the iPad 2. It will support the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, later generation iPod Touchs, and both the iPad and iPad 2 (which will ship with the update, but won’t support WiFi hotspots). Strangely, Apple isn’t offering the update for the Verizon iPhone 4 yet, likely because that device is running a slightly updated version of iOS 4.2 that already includes the hotspot feature.

That the Verizon iPhone is left out of this update tells us that Apple may also have to deal with similar fragmentation issues that’s currently plaguing Android devices. Since there are so many different Android devices out there, Google can’t easily roll out updates to all of them, and developers have to be careful about implementing features that aren’t supported on certain devices. The Verizon iPhone will most likely get iOS 4.3 in a few weeks.

The hotspot will allow five devices to share your iPhone’s network connection, but only three devices will be able to do so over WiFi; the other two will have to make do with a USB or Bluetooth connection. As for AirPlay, the update will allow apps and websites to stream video to the Apple TV wirelessly from your iPhone and iPad, in addition to just streaming media.

Here are some other new features that will be included in iOS 4.3:

• A new version of the Safari Web browser that promises to run JavaScript at least twice as quickly as the previous version.
• iTunes Home Sharing, which allows you to share music, movies, and TV shows from iTunes on your computer onto any device.
• A new customizable feature for the switch on the side of the iPad — you can now use it to either lock the screen rotation or to mute the volume.

The endorsement from Scoreloop is an important one for Microsoft, since Scoreloop is adding about a million users a week to its platform. With its deal with Nokia last week, Microsoft just might have a viable platform in smartphones. It also means that gamers will be able to play each other on any platform, anywhere, one of these days.

Scoreloop creates middleware that developers use to add social features to their games such as leaderboards, challenges, or virtual currency. By using Scoreloop’s software development kit, developers can create games that run on Windows Phone 7 and have access to the same social features that users have on Scoreloop’s other platforms. Those platforms include Android, Bada, Airplay and iOS (iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch).

Munich-based Scoreloop will grant early access to a limited number of developers before making the SDK public to all. Marc Gumpinger, says the goal is to extend social games across the entire mobile landscape.  Rivals include OpenFeint, PapayaMobile, and DeNA/Ngmoco.

Scoreloop was founded in 2008. Investors include Target Partners and Earlybird.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

It’s time to get updating: Apple today rolled out iPhone OS (iOS) 4.2 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, bringing with it some long-awaited new features like multitasking support on the iPad, and a surprise reveal that its “Find My iPhone” device location service is now free.

While recent iPhone and iPod Touch models have featured multitasking support since the iOS 4.0 update earlier this year, this update marks the first time the feature — which lets you run apps in the background — is available for the iPad. Other iOS 4.0 updates, like folder support and a unified Mail inbox, are also hitting the iPad for the first time, as well as the Game Center social gaming hub.

iOS 4.2 is more than just a catch up patch for the iPad. The update also brings new features to iOS devices, including AirPlay, a way to easily stream media from the iOS devices to the Apple TV, and AirPrint, Apple’s new wireless printing standard.

It’s not too surprising that Apple has finally made its “Find My iPhone” service free (it previously required a subscription to Apple’s $99 a year MobileMe service), as similar features are also available on Windows Phone 7 and some Android phones. The service lets you locate your iPhone 4, fourth-generation iPod Touch, or iPad through a web interface, or on a friend’s iOS device. It also lets you lock your device remotely with a passcode and wipe out the device’s data.

Clearly the iPad gets the most benefit from this update, but that’s only because Apple hasn’t issued as many updates for its tablets as it has for other iOS devices. The update comes just in time for the holiday season, and may make the iPad extra appealing to consumers.

The iOS 4.2 update is available for all iPhones except the original 2G version, for the second generation iPod Touch and newer. Just as with the 4.0 update, some features like multitasking are only available on newer devices.

Front photo via Rego Korosi