Mobile software

Samsung's mSpot Music Hub looks clean, falls flat

Samsung's Music Hub app launched on the Samsung Galaxy S3 in Europe back in May, but it's taken until now for the subscription music service to hit our shores. CNET got an eyeful (and an earful) of the Music Hub app on several GS3 devices ahead of launch. Since the software was preproduction, there may be some slight differences between what we saw and the final product.

What it is The most important thing to know is that even if it comes preloaded on your phone, the Music Hub isn't free. Fueled by Samsung-owned mSpot, the mobile … Read more

Hackers build private 'Ninja Tel' phone network at Defcon

Hackers who spent their teen years phone-phreaking -- breaking into telephone networks and making free calls -- have created their own GSM network at Defcon and are using creative and silly apps on highly customized Android phones.

The Ninja hacker group is giving the phones away to people who have contributed to the community, and to their lucky friends. The phones and accompanying lanyards serve as "badges" that provide entrance to the annual Ninja party tonight. (Defcon attendees can also get in by donating blood or signing up to donate bone marrow, or donating money to the Electronic … Read more

InstaWifi for Android shares Wi-Fi access via NFC or QR code

InstaWifi lets you share access to your wireless connection by using NFC tags or a generated QR code. This is a great tool for business owners who have customers or office guests who want to connect to their wireless connection. It's definitely a faster option than giving them a password to type in, or keeping said password written down with the potential of getting lost.

If you need a quick recap on how to create NFC tags, check out Jason Cipriani's How to program an NFC tag with your Android device before you get started. The … Read more

Add shortcuts to your notification shade on Android

Widgets can make toggling Wi-Fi, GPS, or ringtone volume quick and easy. But what if you want more options to help you skip through app menus or even the Settings area?

1Tap Quick Bar is an app that will let you customize shortcuts to be added to your notification shade. You can also personalize the look and feel of the panel that gets added -- meaning you get to pick all the shortcuts from a huge selection.

Here's a list of popular features from the developer:

Direct dialDirect message1-tap direct Web page launcherApplication shortcutApplication launcherDirect e-mail labelNew event, new … Read more

Apple updates iTunes U app with synced audio, video notes

The iTunes U app update includes several new key features sure to enhance any student's or teacher's experience. Most notably, version 1.2 supports the ability to take notes while listening to, or watching, lectures and then search those notes later.

Users are also now able to search posts, assignments, and other materials in any of their subscribed courses.

And, as Tim Cook promised, Apple has gone more social, giving students the ability to share their favorite courses with family and friends using Twitter, Mail, or Messages.

The update also helps teachers by adding the ability to create … Read more

Web apps are coming in Firefox 16

Mozilla took a big step toward the coming conflict between native apps and Web apps as it introduced Web app support to Firefox 16, which moved to the the developer's Aurora channel last Friday.

The Web app support in Firefox 16 Aurora (download for Windows, for Mac, for Linux, and for Android) means that when the Mozilla Marketplace opens to the public -- likely to be sometime before the end of 2012 -- people will be able to run Web-based apps through any iteration of Firefox. This is part of Mozilla's "Kilimanjaro" project, syncing up the … Read more

Three cheers for Android browser competition

This morning, I installed the Firefox 15 beta on my two favored Android devices: a Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone and an Asus Nexus 7 tablet.

Big deal, you say. Installing a browser. Ho-hum.

It shouldn't be a big deal, but it is -- because you can't install Firefox on an iPhone, an iPad, or a forthcoming Windows RT tablet.

But on Android, Google has chosen to let any other browser compete directly against its own. For that reason, I regularly use Opera Mini and Opera Mobile alongside Google's Chrome. The Dolphin Browser HD, installed more than 10 … Read more

Flight+ has a ton of flight tracking tools

When you're taking a vacation or just picking up mom at the airport, a flight tracking app can be an invaluable tool. Indeed, I've downloaded more than my share with Mobiata's FlightTrack Pro holding its place one of my top picks. Recently, though, I discovered a more comprehensive app called Flight+. Developed by International Airport Flight Track Technologies, Flight+ combines flight tracking with a trip diary and an airline/airport information hub. It's complete, slickly designed, and for an airline geek, almost perfect.

Before I get started, though, it's pretty irritating that you have to … Read more

Checkmark offers slick location-based reminders

Apple's Reminders app, introduced in iOS 5, works perfectly well at notifying you according to your time- or location-based criteria. But a new app called Checkmark (99 cents for a limited time) gives you location-based reminders using your GPS and important locations you enter, and with a great-looking interface that's easy to navigate.

You start by adding locations important to you such as Home, Work, the Gym, and a friend's house you often visit. You can locate yourself via GPS, but you also can search for an address on a map and add a location pin that way. The next step is creating reminders based on your locations.… Read more