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Not bad. Thanks, Google.

The new voice-activated Google Mobile app for the iPhone is finally here. Whatever the reason for the delay, it was worth the wait. As we wrote last week, the search app knows when you bring the phone to your face to speak into it. It beeps, you talk, and it executes a Google search on what you said. (If you’re using a headset, you have to press a button. You can type in your queries, too, if you want.)

It is freakishly accurate. It’s not perfect, but it’s extremely good. Good enough to be used frequently, I’d say, although this review is based on only 15 minutes of experimentation.

I searched for names of people I knew, businesses nearby, airline information, and other miscellaneous data. The service bungled one nearby restaurant, but got everything else right. It uses the phone’s location data to narrow down results. Try searching for “sushi” and you’ll get your closest sushi restaurants at the top of your search results.

The Google Mobile app gives you its answers in text, which makes for a very quick experience. If your result returns phone numbers, you can dial the phone by clicking on one. But if you’re driving in your car and need a quick connection, use Goog411 instead, which is a full voice-in, voice-out experience.

As others have noted, Google Mobile doesn’t let you do voice dialing from your own contact list. It’s frustrating to be able to search the entire Web with your voice but not be able to search your own phone. But it’s still a useful and very cool little service.

To get the app, go to this link or visit the iTunes Application Store and search for “Google Mobile App.” As I write this, the description for the page is old, but the app you get is the new one.

Originally posted here:
Google ‘Voice Search’ hands-on verdict: Awesome

On Friday Howcast, the how-to video host and platform released its iPhone application, bringing its entire catalog of short-form informational videos to the popular device. Much like YouTube’s iPhone app you can search for videos, or pick videos them by popularity, publication date, and from a small selection of featured clips.

Browse and view the latest how-to videos on your phone.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

It’s wonderfully entertaining–including the option to shake the phone (or iPod touch) and go to a random clip, no matter what part of the app you’re on.

Where the mobile experience falls short of its Web counterpart is in the lack of an integrated wiki system, and wonderful custom Flash player.

The wikis in particular make it a far more compelling product, since you can get the gist of any video in a few simple paragraphs that can be edited by the Howcast community. For something like a food recipe this can be immensely handy, especially if you’re planning to take this app into the kitchen or with you when you’re shopping.

Likewise, the lack of the service’s Web video player, which lets you skip to different sections is a real bummer. It’s something that’s possible with QuickTime chapter markers, but not currently implemented in the iPhone app. In future versions I’d love to see that change.

Howcast is free and available right now in the app store. If you’re a fan of the site it’s definitely worth a download, despite its shortcomings.

Here is the original post:
Howcast brings its how-to videos to the iPhone

As the ever popular browser battle wages on all over computers around the world, a mini version, equal to its predecessor in casualties and bloodshed, is going on somewhere just as close to us — our cell phones.

More here:
Browser Wars: Mozilla is Fast, but Opera is Faster

Google on Friday is expected to release version two of its mobile search application for the iPhone. The new version works much like the old one, letting users query Google outside of the mobile Safari Web browser, as well as search through contacts and narrow down results by their current location. The big change is the addition of search-by-voice, which lets you skip the keyboard entirely.

Google has found a really neat way to distinguish between voice and keyboard input. Using the phone’s accelerometer and proximity sensors, it can tell when you’re lifting the phone up to your face. Once you do, all that’s left to do is speak, and your voice will get processed then turned into a query similar to what’s been done with Google’s GOOG-411 service–including suggestions of what it thought you said. This works for both Web searches and contacts, which makes the application double as a voice-powered contact search. You cannot, however, dial a result without clicking on it.

It’s worth noting a few companies have already beat Google to the punch with voice-activated search tools. Excuse Me Services has two applications: Say Who and Say Where, which let you dial contacts and search for local Web services using nothing more than your voice. Say Where in particular is the more interesting of the two since it can use voice queries to find directions, gas stations, restaurants and traffic maps.

Also, early Monday rival Yahoo launched voice support for its OneSearch product, however instead of using internally-built technology it uses Vlingo for the the voice recognition and processing.

The updated, voice-ready version of Google’s application will be available on Android and Blackberry devices in the coming months. iPhone users with the application already installed will find the updated version in the updates tab of the app store.

See the original post here:
Google’s iPhone app gets a voice: Yours

This Wall-e-themed desktop looks at my system resources with flirtatious eyes.

(Credit: The Skins Factory)

I used to be a huge fan of Windows desktop themes. Granted, this was over ten years ago, when I knew little about computers and was ignorant of the amount of system resources themes consumed. I don’t use them today as I prefer to keep my system clean and optimized, but I still understand the appeal. Customizing your desktop with a new theme makes for a new experience.

The Skins Factory is trying to give its users a new experience when installing desktop themes. It has announced that their Windows desktop theme software Hyperdesk is now DRM-free. According the company Hyperdesk had been using third party software to handle its license key activations. Now however, all Hyperdesk themes sold on its site will no longer require a key.

This means a few things for Hyperdesk users. They will be able to install Hyperdesk on their personal systems an unlimited number of times. No longer is an Internet connection required to install Hyperdesk. Also, according to The Skins Factory “refunds will be more strict due to the lack of ability to deactivate license keys”. Finally the price of all Hyperdesk themes have been increased from $9.95 to $14.95.

Jeff Schader, CEO of the company states “I absolutely understand the train of thought that many software publishers have about protecting their investment and products. On the other hand, as a consumer, I personally feel that DRM normally just ends up punishing honest users, while those who would steal the software have far less restrictions than legitimate end-users.”.

I agree. So then that begs the question, why are you then punishing consumer by raising your prices? Just seems weird to me that the company would talk about looking out for their customers and then turn around and hit them with a 50% price increase.

I have no idea what these new costs cover but talk about having the other shoe dropping with an immediate and hard crash.

View original post here:
Your DRM-free theme is going to cost you