Best Android Apps & Games

When I first got my Android phone (HTC Hero), I wanted to know what apps to download, but there is just too much and some of them isn't that good. So here I give you all my favorite and best Android apps that can run on any Android 1.5 or later. All apps are available on the Android Market for FREE.

Top 10 Best Apps 

01. Opera Mini
02. Buzz Deck
03. Facebook
04. Retro Camera 
06. DStv Guide
07. Photoshop
08. Layar
09. Shazam
10. Zedge

Top 10 Best Games

01. Bonsai Blast
02. Fishin'2 GO Lite
03. Guitar Hero 5 Demo
04. Jewels
05. Pinball
06. Raging Thunder Lite
07. Throttle Copter
08. Tic Tac Relax Lite
09. Toss It
10. Wave Blazer Lite

Other great apps and games I have:

- Advanced Task Manager 
Manage all your tasks

- Astro
View all storage cards folders

- Barcode Scanner
Scan any Barcode and get info

- BestTube
View and download YouTube videos

- Bump
Share info when bumping each others phones

- Compass
Use a real Compass

- CopyCat Lite
A game where you can test your memory

- CNET News
Technology news on your phone

- Engadget
Technology news and reviews on your phone

- Facebook Chat
Chat instantly with your Facebook friends that's online

- Foursquare
Share places you've been, and get points

- Gist
View your Facebook, Twitter and RSS Feeds at one place

- Google Sky Map
View the planets around you in space

- MagicMarker
Draw with neon colors on your screen

- Mippin
View all magazines, blogs and news articles at one place

- MXit (South Africa Only)
Instant Messaging application

- News24 (South Africa Only)
News, Sport, Weather, Entertainment

- PicSay
Edit your photos

- Ping Pong Lite
The classic game, with motion movement

- Pull My Finger
Play a fart sound, or set your own time

- Ringdroid
Trim your MP3 song for a ringtone

- Snake
The classic Snake game

- Solitare
The classic Solitare game

- Sudoku Free
The classic Sudoku game

- Sweet Notes
Create notes to store

- Tech Buzz
View all the latest Technology blog posts

- Wapedia
Search Wikipedia on your phone

- YouTube
View videos from YouTube on your phone 


Email me and share your Android applications, for me to download.

The MySpace Redesign Is Almost Here - Some Details

MySpace is preparing to roll out its long-awaited redesign, perhaps as early as tomorrow, at least for new users. It’s not going to be pretty. Well, actually, it is quite pretty—I’ve seen screenshots—but that still might not be enough to help stem the diminishing appeal of the social network. MySpace tried to brief us on the new design under embargo, which we don’t do, so we declined the briefing. Nevertheless, we keep getting snippets of information from various sources.

So let me describe it for you. The design will feature the new MySpace logo at the top, and center around discovering and sharing media—music, photos, and videos. When you log in, a big status bar will prompt you to “Share something!” That can be a status message, a link, a photo, or a video.

Limewire to shutdown core services, for now

It truly is the end of an era. AllThingsD is reporting that P2P file sharing service Limewire will shutdown “searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality” as the result of a court ruling last year that favored the recording industry. A Limewire spokesperson had this to say:

While this is not our ideal path, we hope to work with the music industry in moving forward. We look forward to embracing necessary changes and collaborating with the entire music industry in the future.

If you have a drink in your hand, pour a little out for your homeboy Limewire… and go find yourself a good BitTorrent client.

Android Market surpasses 100,000 apps: can't stop, won't stop growing

The company itself has today confirmed the passing of that line via Twitter. For those keeping count, it took but three months to go from 70,000 to 100,000 and seven months to go from 30,000 to this point.

Of course, Apple's still holding down the lead in terms of sheer numbers with close to 300,000, but there's no question that the Android Market has nearly everything a boy (or girl, for that matter) could want.

Google Instant showing up on some Android devices in beta form?

If you believe the good readers of Droid Life (and there's no reason why you shouldn't), Google has started sneaking out its Instant search option to Android phones in the USA. So far, reports include the original Motorola Droid, the Droid X, and HTC's Droid Incredible. Lest you've been enjoying a lengthy holiday in the tropics, Google Instant throws up search results as you type your query, delivering
either much faster results or a much more annoying search experience, depending on how you look at it. Reported operation so far
aligns with our early hands-on, with Instant taking a bit of time to get its bearings, but the software is still at the beta stage, after all. Why
not jump into your browser this morning and tell us if your Android's answering your questions before you even hit the Enter key.

Windows 8 in the pipeline, coming your way in 2012

Windows XP set the bar quite high when it was released back in August 2001. Barring a few security issues, XP was considered a success and is still the OS of choice for
some PC users today. Microsoft followed this up with arguably their most criticised offering, Vista. Steve Ballmer, CEO of the Redmond outfit went as far as calling Vista " a work in progress" after its launch. 2009 marked the start of better days for Microsoft, a year in which they released Windows 7, a welcome refresh for PC users. Windows 7 went on to sell an impressive 240 million licences in its first year; a record for Microsoft. Today, in a blog post on Microsoft 's Dutch website, the company explained that it is working on Windows 8, however, the OS will not be due for another two years. Microsoft representatives failed to elaborate further when asked to comment by CNET. According to a leaked presentation earlier this year, Microsoft plans to introduce a
native Windows app store akin to Apple 's recently announced Mac app store. Amongst other improvements, Microsoft is
purportedly working on improving power efficiency and computer wake times. If you don 't believe in the Mayan calendar, 2012 should be an interesting year for Microsoft. What features are you guys pining to see in Windows 8?

2.3 to be next major Android release from Google?

If you thought you would have to wait until Android 3.0 to see the next major revision of Google’s mobile OS, think again. In an Android support thread, discussing an issue with Android 2.2 and WPA enterprise wireless networks, an anonymous Google employee let out a little bit of a bombshell. As the post reads:

Yes, Android 2.3 is a “major release”, and this patch will be available then.

The “patch” the Google employee is referring to is a fix to allow WPA EAP authentication that was, apparently, broken, committed to the Android repository, and pushed out with Android 2.2. Sounds good to us, but what do you think Android 2.3 is going to be called?

Opera 11 Alpha featuring extensions now available to download for PC, Mac and Linux

Opera has always been a fantastic browser with a loyal following, mostly due to the browser's many forward-thinking features… but one area in which they have lagged badly behind the competition is in extension support. Almost every other browser out there supports
extensions - Firefox, Chrome and even Safari - but Opera's add-on functionality has been remedial up till now.

Today's release of the Opera 11 alpha changes all of that. Available for Windows, Mac and Linux, Opera 11 brings support for Opera
Extensions to the browser. It's true that Opera did allow for add-ons
before with the Opera Widgets and Opera Unite systems, but those add-ons were functionally limited. Opera Extensions, on the other hand, allows developers to create new functionality using open standards like JavaScript, HTML5 or CSS, as well as supported APIs. These new features plug directly into the browser.

Extensions aren't the only new thing in Opera 11. The update also comes with a new version of Opera 's layout engine, enhancing support for web standards, improving performance and fixing hundreds of bugs.

PlayStation Move sells 2.5 million controllers in first month alone

Early reports have pegged Sony's new motion-control accessory for the PlayStation 3 as something of a dud. Less than a week ago, initial sales in the United States were pegged at just 300,000 … a pretty abysmal launch.

Sony's just sent out a press release, though, to set the record straight: the PlayStation Move is a huge success. How huge? Sony's sold over 2.5 million PlayStation Move controllers in the first month.
Here's how the numbers break down. In the United States and Canada, over 1 million controllers have been sold at retail, while Europe has slurped up an additional 1.5 million of the brightly colored and bulbous accessories.

Keep in mind, those numbers don 't take Asia into account, where the Move has yet to be released. It gets better for Sony. According to CEO of
Sony Computer Entertainment of America, they don 't even have the supply to fulfill demand. "We had to go back and increase production
twice, we're absolutely maxed out right now," he said. Not bad for a $50 accessory that largely does the same thing as the Wii that's been collecting dust in gamers' living rooms for a couple years now, but Sony blames it all on the quality
launch titles. Being able to play a motion control game in high-definition can 't hurt either. Will Microsoft's Kinect for the 360 do
nearly as well?

Winamp Mobile is available on the Android Market

Winamp was released in this week for Android. Only for Android 2.2 or higher phones.

HTC Hero to get Android 2.2 in November 2010

I sent a email to Leaf (HTC South Africa) yesterday to ask "When will we get the Android Froyo update in South Africa?". They sent back that they are still busy with the software, that their target date is mid November 2010. That's all. I just hope they don't drop us again! I was waiting since June for this upgrade. I think they will still sent this update OTA (Over The Air).

It's better to wait for this upgrade, then to root your phone and loose your warranty!

Check out the HTC Hero thread under the AndroidZA Forum for all the discussions under this Froyo update.
http://forum.androidza.co.za

I've got a update for the HTC Hero users!

Keep an eye tomorrow on Gadgenator. I will have a exciting update for users with a HTC Hero in South Africa.

Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.2 update gone till November

So sad. It looks like those Galaxy S owners who are still, very patiently we might add, waiting to get Android 2.2 on their handsets will just have to wait a little longer. According to a tweet by Samsung Mobile UK, the company 's Froyo update will "be available in the UK from early November" and to all other operators "by the end of November." While this is just the for the UK, it can't be a good sign for us in South Africa. Galaxy S handset owners with carrier branded handsets who were expecting Android Deuce-Deuce in the near future.

SmartTwitter Posts Your Tweets On Facebook, Minus The Noise

Do you use Facebook? Do you use Twitter? Well then here's SmartTwitter. You're welcome.

Yes it's true that Twitter already has its own clunky status updating app on Facebook and there are plenty of apps that do this, like Tweeter.

But what sets SmartTwitter apart, aside from its simplicity of use, is the fact that Twitter language kruft like hashtags, retweets, @replies and @mentions look so out of place on Facebook and many people end up disabling these apps to stop the Twitter jargon from appearing in their feed and annoying their non-Twitter using friends.

Apple unveils new MacBook Air models

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but Apple today announced a long-awaited refresh of its MacBook Air notebook line.
Apple 's airy laptops haven't been its most popular series by any means, but there is no question that the company 's remarkably
thin notebooks struck a chord among jet-setters and young urbanites with expendable income. As time moved on however, the meager specs began showing their age and even a price drop couldn 't keep MacBook Air sales inflated.

Today, Apple looks to rekindle the public's interest in its slender MacBook Air line with a reworked case, beefed up specs and a
new smaller option. Long story short, thin is in. Hit the jump for more information on specs, pricing and availability.

MacBook Air 13.3-inch

- 13.3-inch LED backlit display, 1440 x 900 pixels
- 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo processor
- NVidia GeForce 320M GPU
- SD card reader,
- 2 USB ports,
- a Mini DisplayPort,
- a 3.5mm audio jack and a straight MagSafe port Instant-on Multitouch glass trackpad
- Full aluminum unibody construction
-128GB or 256GB SSD
- 802.11n Wi-Fi
- FaceTime camera
- 0.68-inches thin at its thickest point,
- 0.11-inches at its thinnest 2.9 lbs
- Battery life: 7 hours usage, 30 days standby

MacBook Air 11.6-inch

- 11.6-inch LED backlit display, 1366 x 768 pixels
- 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor
- NVidia GeForce 320M GPU
- 2 USB ports, a Mini DisplayPort and a straight MagSafe port
- Instant-on Multitouch glass trackpad
-Full aluminum unibody construction
- 64GB or 128GB SSD
- 802.11n Wi-Fi
- FaceTime camera
- 0.68-inches thin at its thickest point,
- 0.11-inches at its thinnest 2.3 lbs
- Battery life: 5 hours usage, 30 days standby

The new MacBook Air models are available immediately online and Apple stores should be getting inventory soon.

What To Watch on TV - Click

Click (previously Click Online) is a weekly BBC television programme covering news and recent developments in the world of consumer technology, presented by Spencer Kelly.

There are three editions of the programme, including two 30-minute programmes: the first is produced for a UK audience and shown on BBC News, the second is produced for a global audience, aired on BBC World News, usually
identical with a commercial break in the middle. The 15-minute version is shown on BBC One and BBC News during BBC Breakfast (at the weekend).

You can watch Click, Fridays 17:30 on 400 BBC World News (DStv South Africa) or check your local TV-Guide.

Visit www.bbc.co.uk/click

Xbox.com got a major facelift this morning

Most of Microsoft's attention these days is leveraged firmly at the launch of Windows Phone 7, but the Xbox 360 is still one of their
major and most successful products, and so it's good to hear courtesy of Major Nelson that
Xbox.com went through a "massive
facelift" this morning. Xbox.com was mostly just a portal for information about the Xbox 360. If you 're registered, you can sign into your Xbox Live account, buy Xbox Live Arcade titles, send messages, etc. What Microsoft wanted to bring to the table now is Windows Phone 7 integration to the site, as well as make the Xbox.com experience more like the dashboard.

Starting today, you'll be able to edit your avatar right through the Xbox.com interface. You'll also be able to play games on the site with your Xbox Live friends, whether you're using the web portal proper or a Windows Phone 7 handset: either way, you 'll rack up achievements and GamerScore. Other new features include a new messaging interface.

Widgetbox Mobile Launches, Create Mobile Web Apps

Forget Android, iOS and the rest of the mobile operating systems. Sometimes you don't need to spend weeks building the sleekest mobile apps for native environments. And depending on your business, something a little bit more quick and simple can do the job just fine. That 's the theory behind Widgetbox Mobile, a new offering from the team behind ClickTurn ads, which will theoretically allow businesses to build and manage mobile web apps in minutes. "There's a new category of users who view the app store as not the best option for them, " says Widgetbox's CEO Will Price.

Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) details emerge

For the first time since July, when an Android project manager let slip Google's intention to launch a music store alongside Android 3.0, details surrounding the next major Android release have emerged. While these new details aren 't quite as firm, they're sure to please Android fans waiting for some serious forward progress. First off, the OS is said to have undergone a
good amount of UI retooling, which is news that will certainly be welcomed by critics of Android 's less tailored look. Unfortunately, most of the graphics-related changes mentioned in the post are relatively minor, such as a reworked notification bar, new icons, new scroll effects and more green accents. Even still, the report seems to suggest there will be more significant changes to admire when Gingerbread starts rolling out especially within individual Google apps.

Beyond changes surrounding the GUI, Android 3.0 is also said to introduce two pretty major new functions. The first, video chat, will supposedly be added as a core element of the OS. While video chat still hasn 't gained mass appeal, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Google would implement it quickly to compete with Apple 's FaceTime. The other big news is that Google is apparently (finally) preparing
to add VoIP calling to its Google Voice service. The report plays it down, but the addition of integrated VoIP calling features to Android phones would obviously be
pretty major … if carriers let it through. And it will also be big news for Android tablets, which will be able to tout a polished, fully
integrated voice calling solution that doesn't rely on cellular connectivity.

8.ta is here in South Africa!

8.ta or like you say it "Heita" launched yesterday right over South Africa. 8.ta is a new mobile network in South Africa, powered by Telkom. It looks if 8.ta will be our cheapest mobile network now in South Africa. You can get a 8.ta starter pack for only R1.00 at any Telkom Direct, GloCell, CNA, Edgars, Altech AutoPage and Jet stores. (Remeber to RICA the starterpack, before it can be used).

This is everything you get with 8.ta:

• Get free minutes when people call you from any SA mobile network. (for every 3 minutes you receive you get 1 minute free to call)
• Only 65c per minute anytime to Telkom landlines.
• Send 5 SMSs and get 50 free, for that day.
• Calls to any SA mobile network at only R1.50 per minute anytime.
• Unlimited 8.ta Call Me's to any network.
• Calls to over 100 international destinations at R2.50 per minute anytime.

For tariffs and terms & conditions Click Here or Visit their website

Android eats Apple - Wallpaper

Here is a wallpaper for all the Android users. Android is much better than Apple!

Android can eat the Apple, but the Apple can't eat Android.

Blackberry Torch (Bold 9800)

The BlackBerry Torch or Bold 9800 is a great device that gives other phones a run for their money. What makes it so exciting is that it maintains its Blackberry heritage while running on better software. Under the hood, we get a 624 MHz Marvell processor, 512 MB internal memory, 4 GB internal storage, the BlackBerry 6 OS, a 3.2-inch high-resolution display, a 5.0MP camera, and a heck of a lot more. Sounds
great, but then there is also the free Instant Messaging, Internet Browsing, Facebook, Twitter and E-mail that you get when you subscribe to the Blackberry Service every month.

But no iPhone Killer for the Blackberry yet!

Angry Birds for Android gets over 1 million downloads in one day

There is no denying the Angry Birds. phenomenon. Rovio Mobile, the developers behind the multi-platform Angry Birds app, have just announced a staggering stat over 1 million Android downloads in 1 day.
Following yesterdays launch, GetJar had brief outages due to overwhelming traffic. Android users were told: "The page you are looking for is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later ". iOS users have had the one up on their Android counterparts for a while now. However, with these
impressive numbers, and given Android 's growing smartphone market-share, there seems to be no stopping the avian juggernauts.

The haptic, futuristic mobile phone of tomorrow

Basic haptic feedback not cutting the mustard for you anymore? How about a shape-shifting phone? If engineers at the University of Washington have their way, it might be a reality.  Computer scientists and engineers at the aforementioned institution have developed a flexible prototype called, 'SqueezeBlock'. The prototype phone has small motors housed within, capable of exerting varying degrees of resistance; depending on the pressure you apply. The applications for such a
technology are numerous. Your phone 's "resistance" could be linked to your e-mail, where an inbox filled with unread mail, would give the phone a rigid feel to it. The same could be true for your battery percentage, Twitter feed and so on. The applications might be bordering on the unnecessary, but who are we to come in the way of innovation?

Windows 8 leak shows why Microsoft is no Apple

The leak of details about Windows 8 reveals more than information about Microsoft's next operating system - it also shows that Microsoft is no Apple, and never will be. And that's both a good and a bad thing.

Details about Windows 8 were recently leaked, and show a variety of plans for the new version of the operating system, including an apps store, faster startup, and improved energy efficiency. Even more interesting, though, is how the slide deck shows important ways in which Microsoft is unlike Apple, and never will be like Apple.

T3 Magazine (UK) talk about a launch of Windows 8 in July 2011.

Buy a poster showing off all of your Facebook friends

Benjamin Lotan is an artist and a grad student who has found an interesting way to raise funds while giving Facebook users a unique product. The product is a large 20″ x 40″ poster printed on quality photo paper which allows you to show off your Facebook friends. Whether you
have 200 or 2200 friends their profile picture will be incorporated into the poster.

In addition to friends, consumers can also choose to have posters made of friends within groups and fan pages as well. The poster is only
$20 with a flat rate of $6 charged for shipping in the US. Posters can be customized to include different
background colors such as black, white and two shades of Facebook blue. Another option is to reduce or eliminate the margins on your
poster to make the most of the
space. Customizations for margins and background color can be previewed before completing your order.

You can order your poster and read more about it at Printfacebook.com.

Samsung Galaxy S officially blessed with Android 2.2

Samsung has announced that the Galaxy S (GT-i9000) is officially getting Android 2.2. The press release which is dated 18 October lists: voice-controlled GPS through Google Maps with Navigation, faster performance by JIT(Just in Time) compiler, Search in-browser, and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 ″ as some of the improvements being implemented by Froyo. The release states that the upgrade will "be available from the mid of October 2010 in the Nordic region and gradually rolled out to other European markets, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, North America, Africa and rest of the world. "

Skype 5.0 launches, adds Facebook integration and group video

Today, internet calling giant Skype announced that the new version of its Windows client — Skype 5.0 — is now available to the general public. The new code brings with it a cleaner, redesigned interface, automatic call recovery, Facebook integration, and group video chat. The new software is available as we type at skype.com; there is a short video walk-through of the new features waiting for you after the break.

All Twitter users now have new site layout, old layout being phased out

Today, social networking giant Twitter announced that all 160 million of its users now have access to the site's new interface; the company announced a site over-haul just four weeks ago. In an official blog post, Twitter writes: "You'll be able to switch between both the old and new versions of
Twitter for the next few weeks. After that, everyone will just use the new version." If you're a Twitter person — a Twerson if you will — let me know what you think of the #newTwitter.

Follow me @Gadgenatorblog

Coming Soon: Opera Mobile For Android, Desktop Browser Extensions

Opera just made a number of announcements on stage. Now that things have cleared up on that
front, here are some of the most important things Opera 's executive team announced:

- Opera Mobile for Android
While the company's other mobile browser product, Opera Mini, has been available for Android handsets since July, the platform will soon be getting its full-fledged browser, Opera Mobile. The product will be free of charge and
available in beta sometime next month.

- Opera 11 with add-ons
Finally, Opera's desktop browser will get the ability to be customized by users via extensions. No word on availability but you should be able to download it before the end of the year.

Hardware acceleration and pinch-to-zoom for Opera 's mobile browsers both Opera Mini and Opera Mobile users will soon be able to download a more polished version that – finally – includes pinch-to-zoom functionality, which makes for a much smoother browsing experience any way you look at it.

Also on the roadmap: hardware acceleration for smooth panning and zooming (which will be useful for a number of user interface experiences, as well as more robust gameplay etc.)

Update: in a later Q&A session, Opera's chief development officer said that the later capabilities will be available for the Android-compatible versions. He did mention that all phones that support multi-touch (including the iPhone) will at some point gain pinch-to-zoom functionalities.

Energizer’s sleek new iPhone 4 case will double your battery life

They've just announced the new
AP1201 case for the iPhone 4, an attractive option for those looking to protect their iPhones whilst simultaneously charging them wirelessly. The case itself is sleek and without bulk, and contains a small external battery that will add
to your iPhone 4s battery life. It comes with two charging options: one is a high speed charging mode which charges the phone first, then the case, while the other option provides simultaneous pass-through charging. Overall, Energizer says that the case will double the battery life of your iPhone.

Apple releases iOS 4.2 beta 3 to developers

Apple has just released iOS 4.2 beta three, along with iTunes 10.1 beta 2, to developers. The iOS code weighs in at a hefty 620 MB and is waiting at the ready in Apple's developer web portal.

DStv Guide for Android

Get your DStv Guide for your Android device (DStv South Africa TV-Guide). It allows users to view what's showing on their favourite channels for the current and next 7 days. Functionality includes: View, Quick View, Manage Favourites, Remove From Favourites, Search within a Channel and managing preferences. I have this app on my HTC Hero and it's awesome!

Disclaimer: This application is not affiliated with DSTV or MultiChoice in any way.

You can't find the DStv Guide on the Android Market. You can directly download it from this link:

handheld.softpedia.com/dyn-postdownload.php?p=98291&t=4&i=1

The Apple iPhone won’t get 4G in 2011

Bad news for iPhone users hoping to get a connection faster than 3G in the next year. The iPhone won 't be getting a 4G-equipped version at any point in the next 14 months.

Yahoo Messenger 2.0 for iPhone hits App store, brings video calling over 3F

While a new update to the Yahoo Messenger app on the iPhone would be eventful in and of itself, the latest version brings a very special gift — video calling over 3G, and not just phone to phone, but phone to computer or vice versa. Unfortunately thr video calling seems to be buggy. In addition to video calls, the newly updated Yahoo Messenger brings free voice calls to other Yahoo Messenger
friends, supports background multitasking, and more. Let us know if you're feeling the new update, though we'll be waiting for real FaceTime calling over 3G.

HTC announces five Windows Phone 7 devices, around the globe

HTC said that it was going to make Windows Phone 7 a major part of its device lineup… and they weren't kidding. The manufacturer has just announced five devices, in various
flavors, that will be available around the globe in the near future. As HTC writes:

- HTC 7 Surround

Whether it be gaming, movies or music, HTC 7 Surround is the ultimate multimedia device. With a unique slide-out speaker and integrated kickstand with integrated Dolby Mobile ™ and SRS
WOW HD™, the HTC 7 Surround delivers high-fidelity audio and virtual surround sound that enable people to share their favorite music and videos with their friends in style. No longer are they forced to use headphones for a great surround sound experience because the HTC 7 Surround speaker makes the listening experience natural and comfortable.

- HTC 7 Mozart

Crafted from a single piece of anodized aluminum, the HTC 7 Mozart feels great in the hand and takes HTC 's unibody design aesthetic to the next level.  The slim, solid and smart HTC 7 Mozart sounds as good as it looks and
integrates Dolby Mobile ™ and SRS WOW HD™ for high-fidelity, virtual surround sound.  With Microsoft Zune integration, people can synchronize the HTC 7 Mozart with their PC, enabling them to take their music and video library with them wherever they go.

- HTC 7 Trophy

HTC 7 Trophy harnesses the power of Xbox LIVE. Gamers will enjoy the speed and responsiveness of fast action gameplay supported by the phone 's high-performance 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and controlled through the vivid WVGA 3.8 ″ touchscreen.  High-fidelity, virtual surround sound – through SRS WOW HD™ – brings a rich audio experience whether the user is playing a game, watching a video or listening to their favorite music.

- HTC 7 Pro

The development of the HTC 7 Pro was inspired by power users who want to combine the ultimate in business efficiency with the ability to take full advantage of their leisure time. The sleek handset slides opens and tilts to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard for fast, comfortable typing, while productivity features such as the ability to sort, scan and manage Outlook email, open and edit the latest Office documents on the
phone and keep track of the markets with HTC's stocks application, offer new ways to maximize the business day.

- HTC HD7

HTC HD7 owners can enjoy their
favorite videos and movies in cinematic-style thanks to the large 4.3″ high-resolution screen, while its kickstand allows them to sit back and enjoy the action handsfree. For those who refuse to compromise on their mobile gaming experience, the HTC HD7 realizes the power of Xbox LIVE, bringing gameplay to life in a way that takes console gaming beyond the home.

Older Versions of Android Are Recei

Over the weekend, older versions of Android started receiving automatic updates for Market, bringing it into line with the Froyo look and feel of it. If you haven't already, fire up the Market and take a look, as chances are you haven't spotted it yet. (There was no alert to this update due to its automatic nature). You can now add a widget to your homescreen for the Market, and browse apps via the new tabs.

MySpace new logo reduced to 2 letters and a space

MySpace is attempting to breathe some new life into its site by changing the logo. At the best of times changing a logo is a hit and miss affair, but MySpace certainly seem to be heading for a miss with this one.

Gone is the name "MySpace" instead we get the word "my" followed by a space.

Windows Phone Marketplace will have 2000 apps at launch of Windows Phone 7

Today is the official launch of Microsoft's latest mobile operating system, Windows Phone 7, and that means the rest of the day is liable to be chalk full of news, opinions and commentary about the software and hardware that will make up the backbone of a make-or-break effort on Microsoft 's part to regain any semblance of credibility in the mobile market. That's not to say there isn't still navel-gazing and rumor-mongering to do, though.

According to a tipster writing to Engadget, one good piece of news when it comes to Windows Phone 7 is that when it launches, there will already be 2,000 applications waiting to be bought and downloaded from the Windows Phone Marketplace. Okay, that's just a drop compared to the overflowing ocean of content provided by Apple's App Store, but given how important apps are to a smartphone's success these days, Microsoft at least is trying to make a strong showing out of the gate. Ultimately, though, what will matter isn't whether Microsoft launches with a small but respectable app library … it'll be whether or not developers continue to make new content for
the marketplace. Until Windows 7 Phone handsets actually start shipping, that will continue to be the big unknown … and no matter what Microsoft announces today, only time is going to tell.

Firefox beta now available for Android devices

If for whatever reason you feel that the default browser loaded on your Android or Maemo device is not sufficient, you should know that you have options. Opera Mini is available, the very capable Dolphin
browser is available, and now thanks to a recently released beta Mozilla Firefox is available. The list of features include:

- Pinch-to-zoom (Android), double-tap, or use the volume rocker (Nokia N900) to zoom in and out

- Tabbed browsing in thumbnail
view lets you easily see and open the site you want

-Location-Aware Browsing gives you content and info relevant to your location

- Find in Page in the Site Menu lets you quickly find text on the webpage

- Share Page in the Site Menu lets you send content to email, Facebook, Twitter and Google Reader

- Forget Password in the Site Menu tells a website you no longer trust to forget your private data

- Add Search Engine in the Site Menu lets you quickly add a new search engine to your Awesome Screen

- Context Menu lets you Open in New Tab and Share by long tapping and holding a link Smart Tapping lets you tap on links, widgets and other Web content with accuracy

- Password Manager lets you choose to remember site password to avoid typing

The beta will support the Nokia N900 and any Android device running OS version 2.0 or higher. Hit the read link to download

Sony unveils 16 megapixel sensor for cell phones

If you like to measure your cell phone in megapixels, listen up. Sony has just unveiled a 16.41 megapixel, back-illuminated sensor for mobile devices. The 1/2.8-inch thick, color-sensing beast — officially known as the Exmor RIMX081PQ – will be available to manufacturers this coming January. Sony also announced a more
modest 8.13 megapixel sensor.

Facebook now lets you Download Your Information

Facebook has surprised everyone by rolling out a new feature that allows users to download all of their profile information locally. It's called Download Your Information and allows you to grab your correspondences with friends including your messages, Wall posts, photos, status updates and profile information.

To do this just go to your Account Settings, click the Download Your Information link, and then just click the Download button. Your data is compiled to a single archive file and a link provided once it 's ready. Click the link and your data starts downloading, it's that simple.

Facebook do warn you that the information needs to be kept safe as it contains all your profile credentials. The information is stored and accessible through html files included in the archive. So
viewing your data offline is simply a case of loading it in your browser making it pretty painless to navigate through your information.

Top 10: Android Phones

01. HTC Hero
02. HTC Desire
03. HTC Legend
04. Google Nexus One
05. HTC Desire HD
06. HTC Wildfire
07. Samsung Galaxy S
08. Sony Ericsson X10
09. Sony Ericsson X10 Mini
10. HTC Tattoo

Windows XP no more

Two weeks left before Microsoft ends Windows XP sales. Windows XP no more. It's been delayed more
than once but now finally Microsoft is pulling the plug on Windows XP.

From October 22, PC users will no longer be able to buy a PC with
Windows XP pre-installed. Instead they will have to buy a Windows 7 version. It's the final call for what has been one of Microsoft's most
popular operating systems.

Facebook to announce site redesign today?

The internet's been murmuring lately about an upcoming event that Facebook will be holding at their headquarters in Palo Alto, California. The invite itself was very vague, with only the word event seriously bolded … prompting many
to speculate that what will be unveiled today will actually be the long-delayed rollout of the Facebook Events event planning section of the sight.

But au contraire, says Techcrunch, who have it on good authority that what Facebook might actually be debuting tomorrow is a radical
redesign of the social networking site. Details of what elements will change in the redesign are still vague, but chat will apparently be
moved to the left side of the screen, with user icons in chat becoming even bigger. Apps will also be moved below profile pictures as icons Yawn… but wait. Apparently, the real crux of the redesign will be to make all of Facebook look a lot more like Facebook 's Places pages.

Google Goggles released for Apple's iPhone

Today, Google announced that its Goggles image search feature is immediately available in the App Store for Apple's iPhone smartphone. The new feature,
which will be bundled into the Google Mobile App, will support iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 devices running iOS 4 or higher.

"Computer vision is a hard problem and Google Goggles is still a Labs product. It works well for things such as landmarks, logos and the covers of books, DVDs and
games. However, it doesn't yet work for some things you might want to try like animals, plants or food," explains Google.

Slap on those Goggles and get
Googling.

Skype now available for all Android devices, Wi-Fi only in U.S.

If you're an Android using Skype-lover, the day you've been waiting for has come. The popular internet communication application is now available in the Android Market for all devices running 2.1 or higher. With the addition of Android, we are pleased that Skype is now available on three of the most popular mobile platforms today: Android, iOS and Symbian," said the company's product manager Mark Douglas. There is however, one catch: "In the US, Skype for Android works over WiFi only." So sad. What do you think? Is Skype still useful for you if you have to be within range of a Wi-Fi network?

Google adds 20 countries to Android market, 18 more in the works

Yesterday, Google announced that "developers from 20 more countries can now sell paid apps on Android Market." The additional countries include: Argentina,
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan. Paid
application support for developers is now available in 29 countries; Android Market users from 32 countries can purchase applications. Google also noted that over the next 2 weeks, "users in 18 additional countries will be able to purchase paid apps
from Android Market. " Soon also for South Africa

iPhone 4G sells out in China

US high-tech giant Apple has sold out of the iPhone 4 in China less than a week after launching the trendy smartphone on the
mainland US high-tech giant Apple has sold out of the iPhone 4 in China less than a week after
launching the trendy smartphone on the mainland, creating a flourishing market for scalpers, state media reported.

More than 200,000 iPhone 4s were snapped up within days of going on sale while waiting lists stretch to the end of October, the China Daily
newspaper reported Wednesday, citing Apple's mobile operator partner China Unicom. Apple was forced to temporarily close one of
its stores in Beijing on the same day after arguments reportedly broke out between scalpers and Apple store customers frustrated
at missing out on the handsets.

Earlier in the week, scalpers were scooping up several iPhone 4s at a time, suggesting Apple's restrictions of two smartphones per person were not being enforced, the China Economic Daily reported on its website Thursday.

Scalpers outside Apple's two stores in the capital were then offering the iPhone 4s to desperate customers for 300-600 yuan (45-90
dollars) more than the official price, the report said. One scalper, who had bought six iPhone 4s, told
the newspaper he was selling the 16-gigabyte version, which has wireless Internet capability, for 5,600 yuan compared with the official price of 4,999 yuan.

The 32-gigabyte smartphone sells for 5,999 yuan, Apple has said.
The phone made its debut in China on September 25, just a week after Apple officially launched the iPad in the country, with some customers queuing for several days to get their hands on the tablet computer. Both products have been available for several months on China's grey market, which has been booming thanks to great demand for Apple
goods.

The earlier version of the iPhone only officially went on sale in China in October -- more than two years after its US launch. China has at least 420 million web users and is
also the world's largest mobile market with more than 800 million subscribers as of the end of June, according to official data.

M-Net Movies 1 HD launched today

M-Net Movies 1 HD launched this morning at 07:00 on channel 175 (DStv South Africa). Brilliant channel with some great movies in High Definition. Check it out yourself if you have a HD PVR decoder and a DStv Premium subscription.