ASUS and BlueStacks announce partnership delivering Android apps to ASUS PCs

While I hate to complain about Android apps being made more widely available to consumers, I have to say I’m a little bummed to see that the admittedly ambiguous teaser that ASUS put out last week was apparently only pointing to BlueStacks integration and not a true, dual-booting tablet.

Fortunately I recover quickly [...]]]>

Google and Sony announce new Google TV box

Google TV is almost an afterthought at this point. The service lacks a real differentiating feature to make it a must-have item in your entertainment center, and at least one of Google’s partners decided to stop making set top Google TV boxes because they feel the software is premature. Still, companies such as LG are getting into the game recently, and yesterday Google partnered with Sony to unveil a new Google TV set top box.

This isn’t Sony’s first entrant into the Google TV series; the Japanese conglomerate was an early Google TV advocate, selling TVs with integrated Google TV service since the time the service launched. The next version of Sony Google TV will be special. Not so much for the Google TV service, but for the dual-sided remote control that will be included.

The dual-sided remote features the customary TV remote controls on one side, and doubles as a full QWERTY keyboard when flipped over. The result is around the same size as a remote control, as opposed to the full keyboard sized remote on the original Logitech Revue, and the awkward controller on Sony’s original TVs.

The box is unsurprisingly less interesting, what with it being a big black box and all. The video above shows the box in action, though we’re told the unit was non-working at the demonstration. The box and included remote are set to be released sometime this summer, so we’ll likely be hearing more about it in coming months.

Until then, we’ll try to figure out why we actually need a Google TV at all. Meanwhile, you can watch the Google-Sony event in its entirety in the video below.

Sprint teams up with Safely and Lookout to announce Sprint Guardian suite of mobile security apps

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As concerns rise surrounding mobile security, Sprint has now taken some steps to offer their customers some of the best preventative solutions available on the market. Announced today during CTIA in New Orleans, Sprint has teamed up with Safely and Lookout to provide a suite of mobile security applications called Sprint Guardian.

• Sprint Mobile Controls – Clearly understand your child’s talk, text and app use habits. Lock your child’s phone on demand or schedule locks – during dinner, school or late at night. Browse your child’s contacts and apps downloaded to the phone.


• Sprint Drive First – Automatically locks your teenagers’ mobile phones when they’re traveling more than 10 mph and unlocks when they stop driving. Direct incoming calls to voicemail and silence distracting alerts while driving.


• Sprint Family Locator – Quickly and easily locate your family members on an interactive map. Set up automatic location checks to get notified that your kids made it to school safely and on time.

The Family Safety bundle will be available for $9.99 per month for up to five lines on the same account while Lookout Family, will be available for $4.99 per month, or up to $49.99 per year, for up to five lines on the same account. The full press release can be found below for your reading pleasure.

Source: Sprint