It’s official. The next generation iPhone is the iPhone 4S. Though Steve Jobs and his trademark, black turtleneck were noticeably absent, Apple new CEO, Tim Cook took the stage and delivered the much-anticipated details regarding what will undoubtedly become the company’s next big money-maker.

Much to the chagrin of many, the iPhone 5 didn’t appear. That doesn’t mean the iPhone 4S doesn’t come with noticeable improvements over its predecessor, the iPhone 4. Of course, the show included reports on Apple’s recent financial successes, store openings, etc. That said, we know that’s why you’re here, so we’ll get straight to the list of specifications and features that were unveiled during the big Apple event.

iPhone 4S Specifications

• Design, size and physical layout is the same as the iPhone 4 (Hence no iPhone 5)
• Dual-core A5 chip processor
• CPU up to 2x faster than the iPhone 4
• Dual-core graphics that are up to 7x faster than the iPhone 4
• Up to 8 hours of 3G Talk time, 6 hours of 3G browsing, 9 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of music playback
• Dual antennas intelligently switch back and forth to transmit and receive data. Theoretically doubles download speeds seen on the iPhone 4.
• GSM and CDMA are now available in one device.
• Camera upgraded to 8-megapixels (3264 x 2448), with additions such as facial detection, backside illumination, improved white balance, and a five element lens.
• Video taken via the iPhone 4S camera will be 1080p HD and include video image stabilization and noise reduction.
• AirPlay Mirroring allows users to view their games on the big-screen without cumbersome wires.
• Siri (Live Voice Recognition) allows users to hold down the button and ask questions about the weather, program the next day’s alarm, check stock prices, find local restaurants, and read your messages aloud. On top of all that, Siri is designed to understand natural, conversational language (English, French and German) and work with all built-in apps. Yes, that means you can dictate natively on the device.

New and Improved Features and Native Apps in iOS 5

• Notifications – Users can now swipe down from the top to see a listing of alerts for mail, calendar, SMS, etc.
• Cards – Allows users to create, print and mail greeting cards from the device. ($2.99 US, $4.99 Worldwide)
• iMessage - Finally, iOS users will have a built in IM client similar to the BBM that BlackBerry users have had for years.
• Newsstand - Similar to iBooks, this app will allow users to purchase and read magazines.
• Reminders – It does exactly what it sounds like. Users can configure to-do lists and set a reminder for when it needs to get done.
• Twitter – Finally, the iPhone will have a native Twitter app that also shares photos right from the camera roll.
• Camera – As expected, the camera app will not include an icon to access it from the iPhone’s lock screen. The volume up button can now be used to take the photograph, as well.
• Game Center – The app will now allow users add photographs of friends, share achievement points and include friend recommendations
• Safari - An updated version of the browser includes reader functionality to save items for later, as well as the long-requested tabbed browsing feature.
• Mail – The new version for iOS 5 will include the ability to use rich text formatting, indentation, rearrangement of addresses and message flagging.
• iCloud – The much-discussed replacement for MobileMe allows for automatic uploading and backup to the iCloud for documents, photos, contacts, calendar items, etc. iCloud also lets you re-download previously purchased apps. (Available October 12, 2011; 5GB free for iOS 5/Lion users)
• Find My Friends - Similar to the Find My iPhone feature, users can now allow their location to be known, so their friends can easily find them. (This may or may not be a good idea, but at least there are built-in parental controls.)
• iTunes Match – For $24.99 a year, users can scan and match their iTunes library, upload songs that were missing to their iCloud, stream music from the iCloud, and upgrade songs to 256 Kbps AAC DRM-free versions. (Available toward the end of October 2011)

Pricing and Availability (with 2-year carrier contract)

The device will be available on AT&T, Verizon and…(drum roll)…Sprint.

• iPhone 4S (16Gb) – $199
• iPhone 4S (32Gb) – $299
• iPhone 4S (64Gb) – $399

Preordering for the iPhone 4S will go live on October 7, 2011. The device will become available in the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan on October 14, 2011.

To buy or not to buy?

See? We got straight to the point and skipped all of the fluff and opinion. If you’re a current iPhone 4 owner who isn’t eligible for an upgrade, the iPhone 4S may not be cost-effective. If you’re lucky enough to have a mint condition iPhone 4, though, you may be able to sell it for a good price and offset the full price of the iPhone 4S. For iPhone 3GS owners and non-iPhone owners who have held off on buying an iPhone 4, it would appear that the time has come to take the leap. As always, the decision is yours, but let’s face it. Who doesn’t like to have the newest toy, as soon as it comes out?

October 4, 2011 is finally here. As any respectable tech geek knows, today Apple is set to unveil the next-generation iPhone. Will it be called the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 or, perhaps, the iMegaPhone. Okay, that last one is a stretch, but it has to be something exciting, right? While you may not have received a personal invitation from Apple to attend the event, you can join the connected masses who will be among the first to know its specs and features, through the techno-magic that is live-blogging.

For whatever reason, Apple decided against live-streaming the event, via its own website. There’s no need to worry, though, since there is no shortage of tech sites who will be live-blogging for your bandwidth-consuming pleasure. As in the past, we’ve put posted the schedule for various time zones, as well as a list of sites on which you can watch. It’s always advisable to get in early, turn on the auto-refresh, so you don’t miss a moment. It also doesn’t hurt to open up a few different live-blogs at the same time because…lets face it…some of the live-bloggers don’t post as quickly as others.

What time will it happen?

No need for pesky differences in time zones to make you miss the big show. Below are some of the most common time zones from around the world, with their local show time.

07:00 AM – U.S. Hawaii
10:00 AM – U.S. Pacific
11:00 AM – U.S. Mountain
12:00 PM – U.S. Central
01:00 PM – U.S. Eastern
06:00 PM – United Kingdom/Ireland/Portugal
07:00 PM – France/Germany/Spain
08:00 PM – Finland/Greece/Israel
09:00 PM – Moscow
02:00 AM – Japan/North Korea (October 5, 2011)
03:00 AM – Australia (October 5, 2011)
05:00 AM – New Zealand (October 5, 2011)

Where can I watch it live?

These are just a few of the many sites that will be covering the event. If you know of another reliable one, share with other readers, via comment. After all, you know you wouldn’t want to be left out on the day of an Apple event.

Engadget Liveblog

Gizmodo Liveblog

Ars Technica

SlashGear Live

MacNN

TUAW

TiPb

MacLife Liveblog

Some of these sites have taken things a step further this year by also hosting live tweeting, pre-shows, and Ustream feeds. You’ll definitely want to take a look at each one, so you can find the right feed for you. Now you know where to go and when to be there. All that’s left is wait for the show to begin!

These days, it seems there is a mobile phone to fit everyone’s unique needs, tastes, and budget. A yet-to-be-released device from Denmark-based Aesir is pushing that idea to the limit. The Æ+Y Phone comes in two models. Typically, the difference in pricing has to do with a mobile phone’s storage capacity, features, etc. In the case of the Æ+Y Phone, the difference has to do with the materials of which it’s made.

This work of mobile phone art comes in an 18-carat, yellow gold model and a stainless steel model. Yes, you read that correctly. After reviewing the image gallery on Aesir’s website, it truly is an impressive device. How much will the Æ+Y Phone set you back? The term “sticker shock” is taken to an entirely new level, when speaking of the device. That’s because the gold model will set you back approximately $57,300. If that’s a bit of a stretch for your budget, you can always settle for the stainless steel model, which can be yours for a mere $9,900.

Admittedly, this is one of those devices that will never be sent out as loaner units. For that matter, the company is only accepting pre-orders now. The stainless steel model is expected to ship during fall 2011. If you have your heart set on the gold model, you’ll have to wait until winter 2011. The design, materials and craftsmanship are obviously way above what most people would expect from a mobile phone. For the price, one would hope so, right? According to the website, “The Æ+Y has been engineered, built and crafted by a team of specialists, selected because they could fulfil (sic) the unique requirements of Yves Béhar’s design.”

For $9,900 and $57,300, one would certainly hope that using this device would fit well and feel good in the user’s hand. Of course, the questions on most gadget lovers’ minds default to important things like what operating system it has, what features it includes, and what apps they’ll be able to use. That is where the initial “sticker shock” is usurped by “feature shock”. That’s because the Æ+Y Phone has no real features. It doesn’t even have an OS in the sense of the word to which Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry users have become accustomed.

Simply put, it is a mobile phone. You can call people. People can call you. If you can’t remember everyone’s number, you can store it as a contact. Features like speed-dial, caller ID and call-forwarding also come as part of the package. There are some app-like features like a World clock, Alarm, Notes, To-do list, Calendar, Calculator and Converter. Lest we forget, it is also Bluetooth capable. This does make one wonder if the Aesir will make 18-carat gold and stainless steel Bluetooth headsets to go with the phone. If you’re going to do something, you may as well go all out.

According to the company, the focus on design and craftsmanship and omission of all the things people have become increasingly accustomed to on mobile devices is intentional. In their words, the device “…focuses on voice, tactility, clarity and simplicity. Its deliberately straightforward functionality is in keeping with this rationale.”

On the bright side, the device does come unlocked and ready for any SIM you choose to insert. That has to count for something…even if it does make it the most expensive unlocked phone ever. If you’re already sold on the Æ+Y Phone, you should head over to the Aesir website and get your pre-order in today. You want to be sure you’re the first person on your block…or in your country…to get one.

Yesterday, Nintendo announced, via press release, that the next update for the Nintendo 3DS will include the ability to record video in 3D. Additionally, the company also touted the upcoming release of a new slidepad accessory for the device and new games like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

In a separate press release from a few days earlier, Nintendo lauded the fact that sales of its first 3D gaming device increased by 260 percent, since August 12, 2011, over the previous month’s sales. With the new accessory, games, device features, and sales increase, one would assume that things were great for Nintendo. Upon closer inspection, though, this might not actually be the case.

While a few of the major tech and gaming news sites reported on the new accessory and forthcoming games, one of the only outlets that reported potentially negative news for Nintendo was Reuters. In a post dated today, the news wire reports that, overall, the 3DS may still be considered a flop, in terms of financial return and the company’s value.

Specifically, Reuters points to the fact that, while sales did increase greatly, from July to August 2011, it only happened after Nintendo reduced the price of the Nintendo 3DS by up to 40 percent. This may have resulted in a knee-jerk reaction by consumers, who previously wanted the device but weren’t interested in paying for it at the initial retail value.

According to Reuters, market analysts are still not very positive about Nintendo’s current and future performance in what has become a very competitive gaming market. In addition to previous competitors like the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation, Nintendo also has to work arduously to keep pace with mobile phone operating systems. With increased processing power, memory and storage space, devices like the Apple iPhone, as well as the various devices running the Android OS, are often more attractive gaming platforms for adult, casual gamers and younger games. For both of these groups, the convenience of being able to play games with excellent graphics and features and get them at much lower prices, on a mobile device that also provides voice and data communications, may very well trump the ability to play traditionally popular games and record 3D videos.

With the gaming-friendly tablet and smartphone devices continuing to release new devices and improve others, via operating system updates, Nintendo faces a continuing, uphill battle to maintain its attractiveness to gamers. We’ll have to wait and see if Nintendo’s plans to revitalize the DS legacy pan out. As with most companies who live and die by profit  margins and stock prices, success or failure will depend on the whim of the often fickle, gaming consumer. Until the final quarter numbers are released, after the Christmas 2011 season, Nintendo will remain a 2D company with 3D plans.

Sources:

Nintendo faces end of era after 3DS flop

Nintendo 3DS gets 3D Video Recording and Two Great Mario Games for the Holidays

Nintendo 3DS Sales up 260 Percent Following Price Reduction

Who am I kidding? I already gave away the fact that GSL doesn’t have a real, verifiable iPhone 5 prototype to send you into a fit of delirious tech-joy. Additionally, I’m not going to tell you that the iPhone 5 might be made of a previously undiscovered, super-lightweight metal from Mars or that, allegedly, it may have a Pez dispenser integrated into the body of the device. I won’t even tell you that the iPhone 5 could possibly serve as a universal remote for your entire home theater system.

Though the photo submitted super-secretly and anonymously by Twitter’s very own @dbone15 (oops…let that one slip) is a very impressive rendering of what the device might look like, it wasn’t exfiltrated from Apple’s servers or found in a bar or Photoshopped in any way, shape or form. How do we know this? It’s because he readily admits it was drawn with highlighters, by his 15-month old daughter, Sophie G. He may or may not have helped her out a little with the Apple logo, but I can let that slide. After all, it is a fake prototype. Those last two words bring us to the actual point of this post. Read on, and it will all become clear….hopefully.

An iPhone 5 Prototype (Artistic Credit: Sophie G., 13-month old tech geek)

The Latest Prototype: Seriously Real or Amusingly Fake?

In truth, Sophie G’s rendering of what the iPhone 5 could look like isn’t that far off from many of the images we’ve seen. None are high resolution or crystal clear. Some are pixelated messes that could be interpreted to look like a toaster if one turns their head at just the right angle. To Sophie G’s credit, her prototype was scanned at a high enough pixel count to make it easily viewable.

It is obviously not the real thing. I have already admitted it several times. Furthermore, the submitter of it admits it. This brings me to the real point. What have we become? Are writers for tech news websites and blogs turning into geeky, gossip columnists?

The Tech Gossip Trifecta: Allegedly, Possibly and Reportedly

I have no doubt that at least a few readers of this post will say that tech news websites exist to dig up and share information on emerging devices and technology. For the most part, I agree. Technophiles, Geeks and Gadget Freaks want to know what’s coming out, when it will be available and what exciting features it will include. I agree with this part as well. Where I begin to differ in opinion is at that point where something is posted that is completely unverifiable. If tech writers want the respect generally given to most mainstream journalists, they have to earn it. Such respect is not earned by throwing out anything that comes their way and sprinkling words like “alleged”, “possibly” and “reportedly” throughout the post.

I believe that journalists, including the tech variety, have an obligation to attempt to verify information and corroborate facts. They should also protect their sources…as long as they have verified the source’s story to greatest extent possible. Choosing to post an over-pixelated image edited in Microsoft Paint and adding a disclaimer provides no real information to readers. Is it amusing? It may be. What that line of logic reminds us of, though, are newspapers like The Enquirer, magazines like OK! and websites like TMZ.com. People know that the stories are often untrue, but they are entertained by it.

To Inform or Entertain: That is the question

I suppose that brings us to a decision point that all tech news websites must reach. Is your goal to be a website that receives tech news and gadget tips and verifies information, prior to publishing it, or is your goal simply to entertain, generate page views and make money from advertising? There is no shame in the latter. Please, though, spare readers the insult of trying to appear to be something else. There may very well be a niche for tech gossip. Be an intrepid explorer and create and publicize yourself, as such. Afterwards, though, don’t be upset when readers come only to be entertained and take you as seriously as they do Perez Hilton.

Don’t get me wrong. There is room for speculation about future developments, features, etc. These type of posts can be informative and thought-provoking, if the writer incorporates some critical thinking and discusses why he or she feels they may or may not be true. This approach shows readers that you actually put thought into the subject before writing about it. In turn, they are more likely to walk away and still keep thinking about what they read. Those readers are the ones who will return time and time again, not because they were entertained but because they were informed.

Of course, if someone does have a photo of the iPhone 5 prototype, I would love to see it. I only ask one thing. Just be sure to add a Pez dispenser while you’re expertly Photoshopping it.

This morning, Bloomberg broke the news that the U.S. Department of Justice, via, for lack of a better term, its parent company, the U.S. Government, formally filed a complaint to stop the proposed acquisition of T-Mobile assets by AT&T. Back in March of this year, GSL published a post on the proposed acquisition and detailed how we thought customers could emerge as the real winners.

For better or worse, though, it appears that the U.S. Government feels that such an acquisition would constitute a violation of U.S. Antitrust laws. Specifically, the complaint cites that a completed and approved deal would “substantially lessen competition” among the companies that make up the U.S. wireless market.

Officially filed as U.S. v. AT&T Inc., 11-01560, in a District of Columbia federal court, the U.S. Government seeks to block the merger in its entirety. A ruling in the their favor could spell trouble for AT&T. Though the company already has a strong firmhold in the U.S. wireless market, thanks to popular smartphone offerings from Apple, RIM, and other handset manufacturers running Google’s Android OS. Despite this fact, planned upgrades and expansion of its current wireless infrastructure could be negatively affected.

Although AT&T stocks dropped by a little more than $1, in typical knee-jerk reaction to possibly negative news, there is certainly no reason to believe the filing or, for that matter, a permanent blockage of the acquisition will send the company’s stock prices spiraling downward. It is also likely to have little effect on quarterly or yearly earnings, since estimates are generally based on what the company currently has and not what they might acquire within the period.

Based on the fact that the proposed acquisition was initially announced nearly six months ago, a review of and ruling on the complaint could likely be months away. There is no doubt that AT&T has already assembled its bevy of lawyers to begin planning a defense that they hope will eventually result in the company placing more bars in places throughout the United States.

This morning, one of the lead stories over at TechCrunch reported that all Android phones released in 2011 by AT&T will have Android version 2.3, or as its more commonly known, Gingerbread. The news itself isn’t that exciting unless you’re a consumer who was planning on upgrading your device during the second half of this year. The list of AT&T devices includes the HTC Inspire 4G, LG Phoenix, Motorola Atrix 4G, and Pantech Crossover. Apparently, those who already own these devices will be able to upgrade them to Gingerbread within the near future.

What does this mean for the green (read: new) and average Android users? The answer is “not much”. The TechCrunch post throws around technical jargon, like “root” and “CyanogenMod” that many of us tecnophiles understand. The average Android user may recognize what it means to “root” their Android, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they want or even know how to do it. What the whole thing really reminds us is that, despite their technical goodness, Android devices, their various OS versions and residual app compatibility issues make smartphones seem rather dumb and, ultimately, may influence potential buyers to choose….you guessed it….an iPhone.

Before someone accuses me of displaying an MG Siegler-like affection for Apple devices, let me be very clear. I’m outlining what I believe Android needs to gain a bigger market share. Yes, that’s correct. I am trying to help Android.

It’s actually really, really simple. Apple has the right idea with the iPhone. While they may patent and copyright just about everything else, Apple can’t do the same with the overall concept. Here’s how Android should do it:

1. Have one manufacturer make the device. The Highlander wasn’t kidding. There can only be one.
2. Design a single mobile operating system to run on said device. Again…Highlander-style.
3. Pay attention to the popular features/functionality/apps that unauthorized, third parties make to be side-loaded onto hacked versions of your device. Then, incorporate your own version of it into the next-generation version of your device and its operating system.
4. When you want to release a new device, encourage developers to design apps that support at least one previous (although two is better) generation of the device/OS. One device means less development time for them and increased ROI (even if they’re losing 33.3% off the top).
5. When the time comes to announce it, have a big party and invite the press. Hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and swag bags are always good ideas, too.
6. If having several companies involved makes it difficult to decide upon a single, cult-like figure (All hail, Steve) to lead the event, hire someone like James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman to do it. People will believe anything either one of them says aloud.
7. Finally, develop a single desktop/laptop computer application, with multiple OS support, that will allow even the most technically-challenged user to back up, synchronize and, if necessary, wipe and reload their device with a single click.

Of course I’m not the first person (nor will I be the last) to say something to this effect. I may have expressed it in a more tongue-in-cheek manner, but that doesn’t detract from its underlying, sound basis. We have heard it a few times over, but despite the fact that it’s been repeated over and over, no one in Android-land seems to be listening. In the end, simplicity is the way to go, even when talking about a complex process like device/OS development. After all, the average user (not technical gurus…like you, of course) is the one smartphone companies have to reach. Give them a device whose inner workings they don’t really have to understand and that just does the stuff they want it to do, when they want it to do it, and they will happily return for more.

To an extent it reminds us of RIM’s apparent hearing problem. Consumers keep saying what they want on their BlackBerries. Yet, the well-paid executives in the crystal tower don’t seem to get it. As a result, new devices continue to be released by RIM and their Android-producing counterparts, but it’s a crapshoot what OS version it will have or when (or if) it will get an upgrade. Sure, they may sell enough to cover their operating expenses and generate some profit, but is that the goal? Is it good enough to make some profit, or is the goal to make as much profit as possible? I would think it would be the latter.

Until the numerous handset companies that make up the Android market find a way to make it easier for consumers to purchase and upgrade their devices, “some profit” will be the best for which they can hope. In the interim, the Android manufacturers may want to come together and launch an advertising campaign centered around Kermit the Frog. You never know. A remake of Kermit’s classic “It Ain’t Easy Being Green”, complete with a cameo appearance by the lovable green Android, might tug at the heartstrings of would-be consumers and keep them from straying the way of the shiny Apple. If it happens, though, I expect a cut of the profits….or at least some hors d’oeuvres.

The BlackBerry PlayBook has been out for a few months, and for some, they are blissfully happy with it as is. There are those of us, however, that just can’t leave well enough alone. Recently, the coming Android App Player for the PlayBook leaked, and while it is still a very beta version, there are some who wanted to use it. This presented those people with two problems, namely that they had a file they did not know how to get onto their PlayBook, and if they figured that out, a whole library of apps to install. Neither one of these is an intuitive process, so I figured I would put together a bit of a newbie guide to help you along.

This guide can also be a resource for those who are interested in beta testing for developers of PlayBook apps, as the sideloading process is necessary to install them. While there are a couple tools available to assist in the sideloading of apps to the PlayBook, this is what I have found to be the most efficient and reliable method.

The first thing you will need is the BlackBerry Tablet SDK. (thanks to the most recent update, you can kill two birds with one stone program.)  You can find it and download it here . Note that you will need to sign up for an account to download, only takes a minute, and worth it later on if you decide to download any other developer tools. Simply follow the install instructions to install it on your PC, and you are set.

Now, we get to the good stuff. Everything else is done in Command Prompt, something which I both loathe and love, but that’s a completely different story. I’ll include as many images as I can to help.

*A brief aside here: Remember that Command Prompt is a powerful tool. Take care when doing anything involving it, particularly when a $500 + piece of hardware is involved.

Part 1: Sideloading applications (.bar files) to the PlayBook.

When a developer exports a “signed” build of their application, it creates a .bar file. This is a single install file containing everything your PlayBook needs to run the application. For obvious reasons, step numero uno is to have said .bar file ready.

The best practice I have found for keeping things simple is to copy the .bar file to the directory my SDK is located in. It makes for much less mucking about with Command Prompt.

Now, taking your PlayBook firmly in hand, enable Development Mode. Thankfully, the good folks at RIM made this ridiculously simple to do. From the Home screen, swipe down from the top bezel, opening your system options. Under the “Security” tab, you will see an entry for Development Mode with a toggle switch. Simply set that to “On”. Your PlayBook will then prompt you to set a password. Do so, and either make it something easy or write it down. You will need that password when we get to the later steps of the install. Note that this password is for Development Mode only and you will need to set one each time you enable it. You will note a “bubble” that pops up on the Home screen, indicating an IP address. Write it down, you’ll need it later.

Now, you will need to open Command Prompt. Save yourself some time and set your Java path first. If you forget to do so, when you try to actually install the app Command Prompt will toss an error reading:

‘java’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

In order to set your path, at the prompt type the directory that your Java is located in. Mine looks like this:

path C:\Program Files(x86)\Java\jre6\bin

Nothing will visibly happen when you hit Enter, it will simply go to the prompt again. You can move to the next step from here.

Now you will need to change the directory to the location of your SDK, so that you can access all the lovely little executables contained therein. Mine is located here:

“C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Flash Builder 4.5\sdks\blackberry-tablet-sdk-1.0.1\bin”

This is due to the fact that I have Flash Builder installed for development work. Yours will be wherever you installed your SDK.

Notice that instead of the C:\ prompt we stared with, the prompt now contains a much longer string of paths ending at the directory where the files we need are located.

*Additional note. The directory we have just set is the same location you would be copying your .bar file to, as I mentioned above.

The final step to get the app installed is both simple, and easy to type incorrectly. Pay careful attention to a couple of areas, and you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration. This is the step where th emagic happens, using a tool included in the SDK called blackberrydeploy.

This is what you will need to type into your prompt:

blackberry-deploy -password geekshui  -installApp -package example.bar -device 192.183.1.120

Of course, if you type that verbatim, it won’t work for you, so remember to type the password you set up when you enabled development mode (not “geekshui”, although you are welcome to use that ), the actual name of the .bar file you are trying to install (type it exactly as the file is named, Caps and all) and the actual IP address displayed when you entered Development Mode.

If you have done everything properly, a series of install steps will begin, finishing with a “Success” display. Voila, you have just installed the app to your PlayBook via Command line!

Note that you do not need a physical connection between the PlayBook and PC, so long as you have both devices on the same wireless network. I frequently install apps on my wife’s PlayBook wirelessly while she is doing other things on it.

Part 2: the Android App Player

If you have managed to get your hands on the .bar file for the Android App Player, simply follow the steps above to install it to yiour PlayBook. For various reasons, I will not post any links to it here, but with a little digging, and perhaps asking the right people, you can get your hands on it. Who knows, perhaps by the time you are reading this it may be fully released or in an open beta, readily available, in which case it will either be easy to obtain or downloadable from App World (or part of an OS update). In any case, once you have it installed, you will want to get apps into it. Until it is fully released, sideloading may be the only way to do so, and the process is slightly different.

Again, we are opening Command Prompt to do our dirty work. As before, the first thing to do will be to set the Java path. Once that is done, we can move on through the rest of the steps. As before, you will need the file for the app you wish to install, this time it will be an .apk file. I recommend putting it in the directory you will be running the commands in, as I recommended earlier. The path to that directory is in the next step.

As before, you will need to change the directory you are running the prompt from, but this time it’s a little bit different. My directory changes from what I used above to this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Flash Builder 4.5\sdks\blackberry-tablet-sdk-1.0.1\lib\android\bin

The sideload process for Android apps is much simpler than the one we just finished. Once you have your directory set as directed above, the commands are actually much simpler. As we did in Part 1, enable development mode on the PlayBook and write down the IP address presented.

The first command you will use is:

adb connect 192.168.1.102:5555 (Change the IP address to the one you were presented when you entered Development Mode)

Make sure you add the :5555 to the end of the IP address. The command will fail if you don’t specify that port.

If you did it properly, you should see the line “connected to <Your IP:5555>

Next you need to connect to the root file system for the install, using the command:

adb root

If done successfully, the line “restarting adbd as root” will display, as below.

To reconnect to the device again, use the same command we used the first time:

adb connect 192.168.1.102:5555

Once again substituting your own PlayBook IP and appending the :5555 port to it. See below.

If you have done everything correctly to this point, your Command Prompt window should look similar to mine, with the “responses” matching what is displayed above. finally, we move on to the actual install.

The install command is:

adb install AnDrawing_PRO_2.5.0.apk

Where the .apk file is the actual file you are installing. Make sure you type the .apk file name exactly. See below.

If you did it correctly, you will see a slight delay while it installs, then a “Success” line will display.

And you’re done! You have just successfully sideloaded an Android app to your PlayBook to be used with the Android App Player.

I have tried to make this as comprehensive as I could, elaborating in areas that have stymied me in the past. If you are having issues following the above steps, feel free to drop a comment and I’ll do my best to help you sort it out.

Anyone who has an iPhone or iPad will likely tell you that Airplay is a great feature…if you have an Apple TV. Thanks to the developers of a new tool called Banana TV, Airplay can now be achieved from iDevices to Intel-based Macs. How does it work? The good news is that it doesn’t require a jailbreak or any potentially painful tweaks to the iPhone or iPad. Installation and configuration is surprisingly simple and is done entirely on the Mac.

Does it sound intriguing? If so, you’ll want to take a minute to watch the demo video from Banana TV. Of course, we go a bit more in-depth and explain the minimum requirements and how it works further along in the post.

The first step is to pony up $7.99 for the Banana TV software. Truthfully, though, it doesn’t even feel like software, as much as a plugin. This is to say that, once downloaded, the user simply drops the package into their Applications folder (or wherever else they would like to keep it). From there, a double-click opens it and adds a taskbar icon of a bunch of bananas. If one wanted to keep it “always on”, Banana TV can configure it to automatically open upon login by navigating to System Preferences > Accounts > Login Items. Then click the + sign and locate the package. This will ensure the Mac is ready to stream Airplay content at a moment’s notice.

Of course, GSL had to test it out before telling readers about it. The most important requirement is that the iDevice and Mac must be on the same wireless network. (It will not work from 3G to another network.) In less than 90 seconds, we installed and sent a video from the iPhone camera roll to play  on the Mac. The iPhone automatically detected the Mac as an Airplay-capable device. Tapping the computer name of the Mac immediately sent the video from small screen to big screen.

The same concept works for photographs in the camera roll. After sending a photo via Airplay to the Mac, we could then swipe left and right to move through the other photos and videos on the camera roll. The current release doesn’t have an option to have photos switch automatically, like a slideshow, but being required to manually swipe on the iPhone can’t really be called work.

There are a few configurable options available by right-clicking the Banana TV taskbar icon. These include the ability enable video playback controls on the Mac, open content in full screen, and open videos in the Mac’s QuickTime Player. There really isn’t much else that Banana TV actually needs, since it’s doing exactly what it says it will, with minimal effort from the user.

As mentioned above, the camera roll portion worked almost flawlessly. Overall and when considering other Airplay-enabled apps on the iPhone, the performance is good. We did experience a few glitches with larger videos (1 Hr+) from the iPhone’s onboard iPod. To be fair, though, we couldn’t be certain if it had to do with memory availability/allocation on the iPhone or the iMac. Smaller videos, though, did stream without problem. To this end, we were also able to stream a video from the iPhone’s YouTube app to the iMac without any lag in playback.

Banana TV is great, but it won’t stream everything via Airplay. This is because not every app (e.g. Netflix) currently supports Airplay. Hopefully, future iOS and third-party app updates will include the ability to Airplay content. Regardless, there are many people who would be happy to see the family photos and videos on their iPhone or iPad on a larger screen, without going to the trouble of cabling up, exporting, and opening them in iPhoto.

We have to say that we’re pretty impressed by the ingenuity and functionality of Banana TV. To put it into perspective, the price of the Banana TV app ($7.99) is more than 10x cheaper than that of an Apple TV ($99). Ultimately, if all someone wants to do is see a few videos and photographs on a bigger screen, Banana TV is definitely a cost-effective and easy way to go. Of course, if you just want to spend $99

Minimum Requirements:
Apple iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad with iOS 4.2 or higher
Intel-based Mac
Wi-Fi connection accessible by the iDevice and Mac

For more information or to purchase it, visit the Banana TV website.

First thing’s first, I’ll be completely up front about my bias towards this app. I am the creator, it’s my baby. I’m not going to give it glowing reviews, I’m simply going to give you a brief rundown about it, as I promised I would blog it for those who followed along with it’s creation. It’s up to you to download it and judge for yourself.

ConvertIt is a simple unit conversion app, featuring three separate categories of unit conversion to choose from. The user can choose from Distance, Weight, and Cooking measurements from the main drop down menu. The appropriate units will then display in the conversion dropdowns, allowing you to choose from 6 different measurements for each category. Distance and Weight are pretty standard conversion units, but to my knowledge this is the only one so far that does basic cooking measurements. (Hard to determine, as App World will not allow me to sort specifically by the PlayBook apps).

Once you have chosen your units to convert from and to, simply enter the appropriate number in the top box and press the big “Convert” button. Your converted amount will then display in the bottom box. Simple.

As I said at the beginning of this article, I’m not going to tell you it’s the end all be all of applications for the newly released PlayBook. But, it is my first app, I’m fiercely proud of it, and hey, it’s free! If you’re interested, I’ve posted the App World link below, and I’d love to hear what you think about it. Email, Twitter, or reply to the post and let me know!

Note: With every 1000 downloads of this application, a random person will get a free Mogwai.

(Disclaimer: The writer of this post only knows one Mogwai, and Laura refuses to have him given away. Download anyway.)

Download from BlackBerry App World