Software and games

The iTunes-like DoubleTwist AirSync app for Android just picked up a significant new feature with its latest update. Android users will now have the ability to share their music, videos, and photos through a connected television, Xbox, or PlayStation 3. In other words, your Android phone becomes a media server.

DoubleTwist has become increasingly popular over the past few years, adding new options along the way. The application was conceived back in 2008, where it was among the first apps to sync media files--including those from iTunes--to and from portable media players. Android handsets were added to the list of … Read more

Qualcomm announced this week that future Android devices running Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform will have support for streaming television shows and movies through Netflix. The on-demand service has long been a desired feature for phones and tablets.

Currently, the only Netflix option for Android users is to watch through Google TV. According to a press release issued yesterday, the holdup was due to security concerns within the platform. Thanks to its optimized Snapdragon chipset, Qualcomm claims it can deliver dynamic performance and DRM protection to content providers while giving Netflix the necessary security.

There is no indication just yet as … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--With the exception of the European versions of the Droid Pro and Xoom, it looks like Motorola will be light on the hardware announcements here at Mobile World Congress 2011, but there's still some news coming out of good ol' Moto.

Today, the company announced several enhancements to its Motoblur software, all designed to increase connectivity with your contacts and services.

The first feature is called Connected Music and it's a sharing and discovery tool for music. With it, you can share content with your friends and follow what they are listening to as well.

Connected Music … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--After months of rumors, a slew of leaks, and one creepy commercial, Sony Ericsson's worst-kept secret is now a reality. On Sunday, the day before Mobile World Congress officially opens, Sony Ericsson finally took the wraps off of the Xperia Play.

Long billed as the "PlayStation phone," the Xperia Play is very much the handset that Sony Ericsson highlighted last week during the Super Bowl. In the United States, it will arrive as a Verizon Wireless exclusive later this spring.

The 4-inch (854x480-pixel resolution; 16.7 million colors) display is up to usual Sony Ericsson standards. Colors were bright and vibrant, and graphics showed up well. From our brief hands-on experience, the display also appears to do the gaming features justice. Below the display are four physical controls for the usual Android functions (back, menu, home, and search). On the left spine you'll find a 3.5mm headset jack and a Micro-USB port; the power control, a volume rocker, and shoulder gaming controls sit on the right spine. … Read more

Though it feels like we just left CES, the next gadget extravaganza is upon us. With 50,000 attendees and 1,300 exhibitors, Mobile World Congress is the biggest wireless trade show of the year. The fun begins Sunday night in Barcelona, Spain, and CNET will be there to bring you the latest news in handsets, operating systems, accessories, and applications.

So what will happen this year in Barcelona? As usual, we expect quite a bit, including the long-rumored PlayStation phone, a few tablets, and more Samsung Galaxy S devices. Read on for the full scoop on what's (probably) … Read more

If you're struggling with languages at home or abroad, the new Google Translate app for iPhone is a faster way to untangle your tongue than the iPhone-optimized Web app that was previously your ticket out of confusion.

The app has a handful of main features. First, you can speak into the app (in 15 languages) to translate words and phrases into one of 50 languages.

Second, you can listen to translations read aloud in 23 languages. (Sadly, Catalan isn't one of them, so the playback feature isn't pictured in the image to the right.)

Third, you can … Read more

It's hard to know what to make of Nokia these days. Though it still holds a huge worldwide market share and sells more phones than its competitors, it doesn't quite capture the buzz it once had, and its presence in the United States has dwindled.

Sure, the Finns maintain a healthy business selling low-end handsets in emerging markets, but over the last three years, smartphones are where the action is. And though Nokia still succeeds in that space occasionally--we quite liked the Nokia N8, for example--its strategy has been rather unclear.

To its credit, Nokia is aware of … Read more

Who needs a TV remote when you have a smartphone or tablet?

Samsung has released an app to the Android Market that turns your Android-powered Samsung smartphone (OS 2.1 or up) or Galaxy Tab tablet into a digital remote--so long as you use it with a compatible TV.

The Samsung TV Remote uses Wi-Fi to form a connection with the TV. A QWERTY keyboard, numbers, and directional arrows do the rest of the work.

The free remote app works with Samsung LED C6500 series and higher, the Samsung LCD C650 series and higher, and the Samsung Plasma C6500 series … Read more

BlackBerry maker RIM has announced a change to its BlackBerry App World applications sales front that will gratify both developers and owners of BlackBerry smartphones.

Starting today, BlackBerry App World 2.1 will now let users buy features within an app in stages.

In-app payments already constitute a popular billing model within the smartphone world, particularly among gamers who can purchase access to new levels. Their use lets developers offer apps for free, then gradually up-sell certain features to the user, instead of charging for an entire game or app up front.

A new payment service on RIM's back … Read more