Do you hate your cable or satellite TV channel guide? I have a feeling the guys at Peel do because they built the ultimate remote application that just destroys the boring-old-school listings. Peel Smart Remote is a free application in the Android Market that helps you find what to watch and controls your home [...]]]>

Do you hate your cable or satellite TV channel guide? I have a feeling the guys at Peel do because they built the ultimate remote application that just destroys the boring-old-school listings. Peel Smart Remote is a free application in the Android Market that helps you find what to watch and controls your home entertainment devices (if you have the Galaxy Tab Plus 7.0).

Today we got some hands-on time with the Peel app and we walked away surprisingly amazed. I just moved to Austin and have Time Warner Cable at home and it’s always extremely frustrating to flip through the channel grid and find what’s on. Google TV helped this problem a little with it’s superior search, but even that experience has not impressed me.

With Peel I was setup in minutes and instantly discovering TV shows and movies I wanted to watch. I’ve only been using it a single day, but Peel sets the bar for how a touch-enabled smart remote should work.

Thanks to the IR port on the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, you can easily scroll through suggested content or browse listings for TV, movies, and sports and then tune to the channel with a single click. Everything is customizable so you can pick the content channels that match your taste. Over time Peel learns what types of shows you like to watch and can recommend similar content you might enjoy.

Each show listing allows you to view the channel number, read the episode description, favorite or cut the program, and share it via social networks. Hardcore TV watchers like Clark will enjoy the First Run filter which only shows new episodes.

Unfortunately, the smart remote part of the app only works with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus at the moment. We tried it on the Sony Tablet S that also features an IR port, but it was a no go.

That means most of you will have to look at the channel number and then physically punch the numbers on your remote. This might not sound that bad, but after using Peel it makes using my old remote feel like I’m walking over to the TV and changing the channel.

Peel sells a universal remote controller that works over WiFi for $99, but it only appears to support iOS at this time. I suspect Android support is on the way and hopefully Peel can add support for Google TV so no additional equipment is need.

Only 5,000 Android users have installed the app, so be sure to go grab it and send in your feedback. What kind of features would you like to see in the ultimate smart remote app?

Update: According to Hong the “droid dude at peel”, Google TV integration is already underway.

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Are you ready for the next wave of high-end Android games? Recent releases like N.O.V.A. 2 and 9mm have raised the bar on what we expect, but new hardware from NVIDIA, Samsung, and Qualcomm will finally be able to deliver those PS3 graphics we talked about years ago. We are expecting the [...]]]>

Are you ready for the next wave of high-end Android games? Recent releases like N.O.V.A. 2 and 9mm have raised the bar on what we expect, but new hardware from NVIDIA, Samsung, and Qualcomm will finally be able to deliver those PS3 graphics we talked about years ago. We are expecting the first quad-core devices powered by NVIDIA’s Kal-El to be available in the coming months, so check out our top 5 Android games we are looking forward to this year. 

5. Gangstar Rio: City of Saints

City of Saints will be the third installment of Gameloft’s Gangstar series, which borrows heavily from Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row. If you like big persistent world titles with open-ended gameplay, then Gangstar Rio is one to watch for later this year.

4. Bladeslinger

Bladeslinger is a new mobile title currently in development by Luma Arcade. Games site IGN reveals that Bladeslinger is 3rd-person action brawler, set against a unique sci-fi Western setting. The game will feature both ranged and hand-to-hand combat systems, along with gesture based puzzles. The developer announced there will be a Tegra-optimized version in Q4 2011, so look for this game soon on Tegra Zone.

3. Max Payne

Max Payne first debuted for the PC back in 2001, but Rockstar games is refreshing the title for mobile devices to promote their new console title Max Payne 3 (see trailer above). We don’t know much about the title yet or how it will compare with the original, but look for Max Payne to come to Android later this year.

2. Shadowgun

Shadowgun has long been at the top of our most-wanted list since developer MadFinger games announced they would release a special version optimized for NVIDIA’s quad-core Kal-El. The title just launched for iOS devices yesterday and we expect an Android version for Tegra 2 devices to appear in the coming months.

1. Modern Combat 3

From the early days of Android, Gameloft has always been one of my favorite publishers. They have the most development teams working on Android games and their Modern Combat series has delivered some of the best combat action we have ever seen on a smartphone. Modern Combat 3 promises next-gen high quality visuals, large scale war on 13 new missions, 12-player multi-player, and immersive cinematics.

Feedback: Which upcoming Android game are you looking forward to the most? Were there any blockbuster titles that we left off our list? Chime in the comments below.

Do you like your sci-fi games soaked in blood? MadFinger Games just released the trailer for their upcoming Android title, Shadowgun, and it looks like it could challenge Gameloft’s Modern Combat 3 for most advanced game.

We got our first look at Shadowgun early this summer when MadFinger Games announced it would be [...]]]>

Do you like your sci-fi games soaked in blood? MadFinger Games just released the trailer for their upcoming Android title, Shadowgun, and it looks like it could challenge Gameloft’s Modern Combat 3 for most advanced game.

We got our first look at Shadowgun early this summer when MadFinger Games announced it would be coming to Tegra-powered devices. It will be one of the first games optimized for the cinco-core Kal-El, but there will also be a version for Tegra 2 devices.

The game takes place in the year 2350 and places you into the role of John Slade, the galaxy’s most infamous bounty hunter. Your mission is to hunt down the maniacal genius Dr. Edgar Simon and destroy his mutant army.

Shadowgun will launch first for iOS devices on September 28. We should see it appear on Tegra Zone in the coming months.

The game is built with the Unity 3D engine, which can easily be deployed to Adobe Flash Player, so we might eventually see this game appear on Google TV after Flash Player 11 drops next month.

Multi-core Android devices are starting to pack some serious graphics powers, but few developers have taken full advantage of them yet. It’s nice to see MadFinger Games (and Gameloft) raise the bar. I’m looking forward to the next wave of advanced Android games coming this year.

Highlights of Shadowgun include:

CRUSH, KILL, DESTROY!

• Featuring the most advanced combat AI to date—enemies flank, seek cover and utilize teamwork to take you down! Battle automated sentries, aerial drones and other lethal foes—tactical maneuvers are based upon actual military strategy!
• Solve hacking mini-games to whet your nerdly appetite, then get back to blasting!

CONSOLE-QUALITY GRAPHICS!

• It ain’t just pretty—it’s gorgeous! Advanced lighting effects, beautifully rendered environments and pro voices make this one of the most advanced games for your smartphone!

LIKE YOUR SCI-FI SOAKED IN BLOOD?

• Immersive storyline with multiple outcomes! You decide how it ends!
• The first installment in a major franchise!
• Unlock the detailed “Shadowpedia” and read more about the SHADOWGUN universe!

FROM THE MIND OF A MADMAN!

• Survive the onslaught of Dr. Simon’s deadly creations, including level bosses, mutated grunts, killer machines and more!

If you think Adobe Flash Player and Air performance sucks on Android devices, wait till you see what they have planned for the next major updates. Today Adobe announced Flash Player 11 and Air 3, introducing a new architecture called Stage 3D that allows developers to create apps using a mix of Flash, HTML [...]]]>

If you think Adobe Flash Player and Air performance sucks on Android devices, wait till you see what they have planned for the next major updates. Today Adobe announced Flash Player 11 and Air 3, introducing a new architecture called Stage 3D that allows developers to create apps using a mix of Flash, HTML 5 and native code.

Adobe is so confident about this release, they’re calling it the “next-generation console for the web.”

Accelerated 2D and 3D graphics appear to be the highlight of this release focused on gaming. Adobe makes some big promises when it comes to performance. “Full hardware-accelerated rendering for 2D and 3D graphics enable 1,000 times faster rendering performance over Flash Player 10 and AIR 2.”

It’s quite an achievement that Flash games could get 1000x faster, but that kind of makes you wonder why they are so slow right now. I love my Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, but my biggest gripe has to be when the browser crashes on Flash-heavy sites.

Another pretty awesome-sounding feature is Air Native Extensions, which will allow developers to “tap into unique software and hardware capabilities including access to device data, vibration control, magnetometers, light sensors, dual screens, near field communications (NFC) and more.”

Finally, developers will now be able to automatically package AIR 3 with their applications, simplifying the install process for Android users.

Check out what some sample games might look like in the videos below. The graphics aren’t on the level of current native Android games. But this is the first release for Adobe, and we can expect they will improve.

Could Adobe’s gaming solutions challenge other popular game dev platforms like Unity 3D or the Unreal Engine? They might not be able to match their graphic prowess, but the easy implementation of Flash content and social connections could give it the upper hand.

Adobe claims 70% of the games on Google+ are powered by Flash, so they might have already won. They also note that Flash Player delivers an audience “11 times larger than that of the best-selling current generation game console.” (Yeah, that’s about 1 billion!)

Look for Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 to be publicly available in “early October.” I have a feeling part of this release could be tied to Ice Cream Sandwich, so hopefully we’ll learn more in a couple weeks.

Google isn’t shy when it comes to acquiring other companies to bolster their already robust selection of services. Today’s acquisition of Zagat is a perfect example.

Zagat is a restaurant rating service that thrives in the “local” arena. Using a scale of 1-30, Tim and Nina Zagat, friends, family and other die-hard foodies have critiqued [...]]]>

Google isn’t shy when it comes to acquiring other companies to bolster their already robust selection of services. Today’s acquisition of Zagat is a perfect example.

Zagat is a restaurant rating service that thrives in the “local” arena. Using a scale of 1-30, Tim and Nina Zagat, friends, family and other die-hard foodies have critiqued restaurants for over 30 years now. Currently available in over 100 cities, Zagat’s sophisticated rating system will soon be integrated into Google services. Maps, Places and Search will all see some form of integration in the coming months.

Zagat has suffered lately due to the shift in information distribution. What originally started as a locally shared paper book hasn’t had the best luck in making the transition to digital. Details surrounding the acquisition are sparse, but as expected, both companies are putting on a smiling face for the public. Zagat gets to live on in some of the most frequently used web services to date, while Google gains yet another reputable name to add to their portfolio of acquisitions.

Who do you use for restaurant rating? Yelp, Zagat, Google Places, Urbanspoon? Let us know in the comments below.

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The controversial dogfighting app which disappeared from the Android Market after taking a lot of heat from Michael Vick and the Humane Society is back and better than ever. Now renamed KG Dogfighting, the game is available for $4.99 and this time the developer is claiming a portion of the proceeds [...]]]>

The controversial dogfighting app which disappeared from the Android Market after taking a lot of heat from Michael Vick and the Humane Society is back and better than ever. Now renamed KG Dogfighting, the game is available for $4.99 and this time the developer is claiming a portion of the proceeds go to animal rescue organizations.

If you missed it last time, the game allows players to raise a virtual pet dog and then feed, water, train and fight your dog against other players. The latest update includes new features like advanced dog training levels, more items to train dogs with (including an array of whips), allowing users to buy and use a variety of drugs, and new guns for trainers to use in shootouts with “F.E.T.A.” (a fictional law enforcement agency).

The developer told FoxNews.com, “For those who have questioned our intentions with this app, we have introduced the enforcement agency ‘F.E.T.A.’ to teach our users there are consequences to dog fighting in real life.”

In the Market description, the developer responds to the critics by saying, “just because something is illegal in real life in certain countries, does not mean it is illegal to make a song, movie, or video game about it.” They go on to praise Google’s open policies. “What makes the Google Android platform special is it gives the freedom and responsibility to the individual users to decide what to put on their phones as opposed to the phone carriers and app stores making value judgments on our behalf.”

In a rather humorous way the developer reminds all the haters that:

• It is just A VIDEO GAME
• Perhaps one day we will make gerbil wars or betta fish wars for people who can’t understand fantasy role play games
• Just go slingshot some virtual birds to kill some virtual pigs.
• Go complain to someone who cares about Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Weed Farmer, Smoke a Bowl (these two are listed in the top 15 of casual games on Android Market) and maybe even Sierra’s Leisure Suit Larry from 1987.
• This is listed as a HIGH MATURITY app, and does NOT violate the Terms of Use with the Google market in any way!!!

I went ahead and purchased KG Dogfighting just to see what all the fuss is about (and to support animal rescue hah). After I spend some time with the game I’ll update this post with my thoughts, but it currently has a 4-star rating so others must be enjoying it.

Where do you stand on dogfighting apps? Does this game encourage animal cruelty or does it have a “net benefit to dogs”, as the developer says?

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Facebook has just announced the release of Facebook Messenger, a new application for Android devices that aims to simplify and quicken the exchange of messages between you and Facebook friends or individuals in your phone’s contact list.

Facebook Messenger is essentially an alternative SMS application that attempts to differentiate itself by adding integration with the [...]]]>

Facebook has just announced the release of Facebook Messenger, a new application for Android devices that aims to simplify and quicken the exchange of messages between you and Facebook friends or individuals in your phone’s contact list.

Facebook Messenger is essentially an alternative SMS application that attempts to differentiate itself by adding integration with the largest social network on the planet. If you happen to be messaging a Facebook friend, all your interactions with that person on Facebook such as texts, chats, email and messages will be featured in the conversation history. Moreover, when you send messages to your Facebook friends, it will both send a notification and text message to the other user to ensure they receive the message as quickly as possible.

Top features include:

• Message friends, groups of friends or anyone in your mobile contacts
• Map your location, find your friends and make plans on the go
• Get mobile notifications so you never miss a message
• Include photos so friends can see what you’re doing

Facebook is highlighting how easily their new application allows you to send group messages, a feature that has been available in Android’s stock messaging since I’ve been using Android at least–probably dating back to the G1. One cool addition to the group messaging functionality is the ability to share your location with the group, so it’s easier to track everyone down. It’s especially helpful when having group events.

All in all, it’s hard for me to see the real differentiating factor here. Unless I’m missing something, most (if not all) these features can be achieved with a combination of the Facebook for Android application (which already notifies you when you have a new incoming message), and the stock messaging application.

But I’m certainly no expert when it comes to Facebook, so I turn to you, the reader.  Are you planning to install the Facebook Messaging application when it launches later today? Either as a replacement for or supplement to the stock messaging application? Are you happy to stick to Facebook for Android and the stock messaging app for all your SMS needs? Or have you given up on Facebook altogether and migrated to Google+?  Sound off in the comments below.

Regardless of how you feel about this new application, I’m sure many of you will head over to the market and check it out. We’ll update this post once we notice it’s gone live, which should be a bit later on today.

UPDATE: The app is now live on the Market. You can go ahead and download it right here. Marques Brownlee of Droiddog also uploaded a hands-on video.

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A couple of weeks ago, Futureboy, a user here, complained that we used the phrase blow your mind too loosely around here- that we say things will blow your mind when in reality they might not. Well, DSLR Controller blew my mind, and I’ve shot the above video and written this post to tell you [...]]]>

A couple of weeks ago, Futureboy, a user here, complained that we used the phrase blow your mind too loosely around here- that we say things will blow your mind when in reality they might not. Well, DSLR Controller blew my mind, and I’ve shot the above video and written this post to tell you why.

If you haven’t figured it out by its clever name, DSLR Controller is an app that lets you control your DSLR camera (more specifically, your Canon EOS DSLR camera). You can link up your camera and your Android device via USB (we used a Toshiba Thrive for easy testing) for things like a live view from the lens, focus controls, aperture settings, etc right on your device screen.

I’ll admit that part of the mind-blowing-ness comes from the fact that I’ve only used a Canon camera with live-view for about a year now, and shooting tethered with the EOS utility is even newer for me. But few years ago my DSLR camera didn’t even have a live-view function at all, let alone one that could pop up on my phone screen.

The other part of the mind-blowing-osity comes from the new uses this rigging would allow, none of which I’ve actually thought of yet (so far I’ve just tinkered with it around the office). But I imagine things like posting a camera up out of reach and running cord down so you can see/control everything would be pretty handy.

The developer uploaded his own video which does a good job of exploring some of the deeper functionality, but if you’re that much of a photonerd you might as well just buy the app. Seriously, playing with this thing has left me absolutely delighted.

Do we have any photographers among our ranks here? If so, do you shoot tethered very often? Would you see the usefulness of shooting tethered to your Android device?

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As [...]]]> Foursquare launched back in 2009 at Austin’s SXSW festival with the idea of “making cities easier to use” and the mobile company will stick with their yearly cadence by releasing Version 3.0 later tonight. The social check-in service now boasts nearly 7.5 million users and witnessed almost 500,000,000 check-ins during the last year.

As Foursquare has continued to grow, they have continued to add new features that take advantage of all their growing database of location and social info. In a new blog post, company founder Dennis Crowley details Foursquare’s journey and their future.

Dennis explained the importance of every check-in and how context matters by saying, “We knew that while check-ins were interesting in the present tense (“Hey, Alex is at Ace Bar!”) they were most interesting when viewed in aggregate, as a history of the places you’ve been and people you’ve overlapped with. The world becomes so much more fun, social, and interesting when you have that context.”

The major addition to Foursquare 3.0 is the new Explore tab which is powered by their recommendation engine for the real world. This feature takes all the check-ins and tips from the larger Foursquare community into turns it into personalized recommendations based on your location.

When visiting the Explore tab, users can quickly explore suggestions for several pre-defined categories like food, coffee, nightlife, and shops or they can search for anything. The suggestions are based on all kinds of signals including “the places you’ve been, the places your friends have visited, your loyalty to your favorite places, the categories and types of places you gravitate towards, what’s popular with other users, the day of the week, places with great tips, the time of day, and so on.”

The new update also tries to encourage activity by tweaking the leaderboards with a new sliding 7-day barometer of your activity. Check-ins now trigger points for dozens of actions including “discovering new places, trying new types of restaurants, visiting new cities, getting groups together, hanging out with old friends, and a few things you might not expect.”

Finally, Foursquare has implemented new loyalty rewards with their Specials program. Businesses can offer six types of rewards to swarms, groups of friends, regulars, newbies, Mayors, or simply to everyone. The Places tab now includes a link to display specials nearby, so it’s easier than ever to find businesses that reward Foursquare users.

Overall it looks like another solid release for Foursquare. I’m glad to see they are releasing the new Android and iPhone versions on the same day and I’m excited to see how it performs this weekend in Austin at SXSW. I like the focus on discovery, encouragement, and loyalty and it will be interesting to see how local businesses embrace the new Specials program.

Foursquare 3.0 will land on the Android Market sometime later tonight, so keep an eye on the official Market listing for it to go live.

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