mobile apps

Many Facebook users who rely on the site's iPhone app are in an uproar over problems with the latest update to the application.

Released June 29, the 3.4.3 update to Facebook's iPhone app was supposed to fix various bugs. But it seems to have done the opposite.

Since its debut, the latest version has picked up almost 19,000 one-star reviews in Apple's App Store, with users complaining of crashes, freezes, slowness, a chat mode that doesn't work, and a host of other issues.

In response to the glitches, Facebook had promised to release … Read more

The bottom line: A great perk for Spotify devotees with Premium accounts, Spotify Mobile allows mobile streaming and offline playback of your favorite music.

Review:

Installation Spotify's free mobile app is a cinch to set up. Provided you're signed up for a Spotify Premium account ($10 a month), all you need to do is type in your log-in and password, and your favorite music and playlists automatically populate the screen. Spotify users without Premium accounts may log in to the app and look around, but are prevented from streaming or syncing music.

Interface Spotify Mobile's user interface … Read more

The bottom line: A great perk for Spotify devotees with Premium accounts, Spotify Mobile allows mobile streaming and offline playback of your favorite music.

Review:

Installation Spotify's free mobile app is a cinch to set up. Provided you're signed up for a Spotify Premium account ($10 a month), all you need to do is type in your log-in and password, and your favorite music and playlists automatically populate the screen. Spotify users without Premium accounts may log in to the app and look around, but are prevented from streaming or syncing music.

Interface Spotify Mobile's user interface … Read more

The bottom line: A great perk for Spotify devotees with Premium accounts, Spotify Mobile allows mobile streaming and offline playback of your favorite music.

Review:

Installation Spotify's free mobile app is a cinch to set up. Provided you're signed up for a Spotify Premium account ($10 a month), all you need to do is type in your log-in and password, and your favorite music and playlists automatically populate the screen. Spotify users without Premium accounts may log in to the app and look around, but are prevented from streaming or syncing music.

Interface Spotify Mobile's user interface … Read more

The bottom line: It's the best free music option since stealing.

Review:

Installation As a first-time user, you install the free Spotify Mac/PC application, open it up, and watch as it automatically imports your music collection and playlists from iTunes and other music software and presents you with a landing page filled with new releases, top lists, and music shared by your friends. Setup is swift.

Interface Spotify's polished, iTunes-like interface is as inviting to music fans as a well-stocked record bin. Each portion of the bento-boxlike layout can be resized, and playback, volume, and track scrubber … Read more

The bottom line: It's the best free music option since stealing.

Review:

Installation As a first-time user, you install the free Spotify Mac/PC application, open it up, and watch as it automatically imports your music collection and playlists from iTunes and other music software and presents you with a landing page filled with new releases, top lists, and music shared by your friends. Setup is swift.

Interface Spotify's polished, iTunes-like interface is as inviting to music fans as a well-stocked record bin. Each portion of the bento-boxlike layout can be resized, and playback, volume, and track scrubber … Read more

Games dominate as the most popular of all mobile apps, according to a Nielsen survey released today.

Among app users surveyed by Nielsen, 64 percent had played game apps in the past 30 days. Weather apps were the second most popular, followed by social networking, maps/navigation/search, music, and then news.

Further, Nielsen found that 93 percent of app downloaders are willing to pay for the games they play--the highest figure for any app category. That contrasted with 87 percent who will do so for entertainment apps, 84 percent who will dish out money for maps/navigation/search apps, and 76 percent who will open their wallets for news apps.… Read more

When you're not busy playing Angry Birds, you can check out the new GMC Showroom Mobile App from GM.

With the GMC app you can see the latest models in a virtual showroom and explore vehicle photos or videos to configure a GMC vehicle to your specifications.

The app is currently available for free for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch through the Apple App Store. It will also be available for the Android through the Android Market by the end of July, GM said in a press release.

With the app, customers will be able to check do … Read more

Car Tech Live 221: Is the honeymoon over for hybrids? Ford puts Sync apps in more cars. New Volvos may brake for animals. And we drive the Kia Optima Hybrid. (podcast)

• CNET drives the Kia Optima Hybrid

• Volvo technology will brake for animals

• The worst cities for keeping your car are mostly in California

• In-car TV stumbles again

• CNET's LOLcars gallery!