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• HTC Vigor to be first Beats by Dre handset?
• App week: Mario iPhone hint, Facebook Messenger
• Valve announce Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• 22 further fake Apple Stores discovered in China

HTC Vigor to be first Beats by Dre handset? Posted: 13 Aug 2011 03:57 AM PDT Posted by Richard Wordsworth on Sat 13 Aug 2011 Nuttin' but an HTC thang. We got wind of the HTC Vigor back in July, when specs for the handset leaked out across the pond. From what we heard, gadget fans Stateside could look forward to a 1.5GHz processor, a 6MP camera and 720p video recording, and now we're hearing that it might also be the first HTC phone to profit from the company's recent partnering with ghetto fabulous headphone producer Beats by Dr. Dre. Related links HTC Vigor specs leak with 1.5GHz CPU and 720p display Beats by Dr. Dre audio tech coming to HTC smartphones T3 Gadget Personality of the Year: Dr. Dre HTC announced earlier this week that the mobile maker would be partnering up with the good doctor to bring users a "superior mobile audio experience." Speaking on the partnership, HTC CEO Peter Chou said: "We obsess over every detail of a consumer’s mobile experience and audio is a critical part of that experience." Since whispers of the Vigor first rustled down the T3 grapevine, more specs for the handset have been tentatively revealed. The 1280x720 pixel screen is said to be 4.3-inches across, putting it at the same size as the Galaxy S2. Under the hood, buyers will also get 1GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. We're also hearing that the camera, which we'd previously tipped to be 6MP, will actually pack a heftier 8MP, and will be accompanied by a 2MP front-facing camera for video calls. None of this, of course, is official as yet, but it looks to us like the Vigor is shaping up to be the new HTC flagship. But for all the excitement about Dre and Chou's new business relationship, no-one seems at all sure what the coveted Beats technology will turn out to be. Are we talking about some new or tweaked internals, or will we simply see a pair of HTC and Beats-branded earbuds packaged with the handsets? More as we hear it. Via: Droid-Life   This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

App week: Mario iPhone hint, Facebook Messenger Posted: 13 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT Posted by Chris Smith on Sat 13 Aug 2011 Every Saturday we round-up the week in mobile applications bringing you news of the biggest new releases across all major platforms and a host of reviews from T3's App Chart. Let's crack on... iPhone app news: Nintendo money men want Mario on iPhone Nintendo has always been adamant that its most prized character, Mario would never leave Nintendo consoles, but that may change after a key investor called for the company to cash in on the smartphone games market. Sonic has enjoyed a rebirth on iOS, will we see Mario Kart for iPhone do the same?   Android/iPhone app news: Facebook launches standalone messaging app You know what it's like when you're in a rush and you need to contact someone immediately. Do you send them a text, IM or email and which will they read first? With this in mind, Facebook Messenger has arrived for iPhone and Android. The app which exists separately from the main Facebook app and lets you contact FB friend and those from your contacts book and will send a notification and a text to the recipient. iPad app news: Google+ now available for iPad It's been a while coming, but Google has now tweaked its Google+ social network app to work on the iPad. It hasn't been fully optimised yet, but Google will be pleased that it has arrived on the iPad before Facebook's long awaited arrive on Apple's tablet. iPlayer app news: New look service rolled out on PS3 The BBC has launched a new version of its iPlayer service for the Sony PlayStation 3 console. The new UI features a more visual design with improved search functionality and will appear on the PS3 first before being rolled out to other connected devices.   iPhone app news: Glmps app captures pre-photo magic Sometimes the humble photograph isn't enough to capture the magic of a moment according to the developers of Glmps for iPhone, launched this week. Sometimes, to capture that candid serendipity of those awkward gatherings when people tuck in their chins and perfect their smile, you need a little video. The Glmps app begins shooting low-res video as soon as you activate the camera app.   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- App of the Year | Vote in the T3 Gadget Awards 2011 Is GarageBand the best app of 2011? Or can Flipboad, Sky News or the other nominees take the title Vote for App of the Year | GarageBand for iPad review| Flipboard for iPad rated ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   APP REVIEWS FROM THE T3 APP CHART   Best iPad apps reviewed on the T3 App Chart There's no hotter app store at the moment than the iPad's. Bulging with beautiful, innovative games, as well as a host of revamped classics there's also new apps each week that define a new purpose for the Apple tablet each week. Check out the Top 10 iPad apps and check out the new reviews added every week. iPhone app review: Fast Five the movie Fast Five may be the best movie ever (and the only one) to stay The Rock, Vin Diesel and a host of hot motors, but the official game doesn't quite live up to the box-office billing. Created by the same folks who built the Asphalt 6 classic, Fast Five for iPhone boasts the same speed, but lacks the polish of its big-name stablemate. Android app review: adMoney Personal Finance In these times of budget cuts and general austerity, it's even more important to keep a tight grip on your expenditures. The adMoney app for Android does just that. It allows you to keep track of the money going in and out of your account(s), as well as allowing you to compile budget reports (with jazzy pie charts) and perform other useful financial functions.   This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Valve announce Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Posted: 13 Aug 2011 02:44 AM PDT Posted by Richard Wordsworth on Sat 13 Aug 2011 Fire in the hole! Keep your Battlefields and your Call of Dutys (Calls of Duty?) - every PC gamer worth his salt knows that nothing beat Valve's original Counter-Strike for the multiplayer thwarting of terrorism. But times move on, and without HD graphics and dynamic lighting, CS is really starting to look its venerable age. So rejoice, gamers of the world, in the news that developer Valve is signed on to have us back in our combat boots and whacking tangos for the sequel sometime in 2012. Related links Best video game Easter Eggs FIFA named best video game series of all time Best viral videos: Worst movie to game tie-ins Titled 'Counter-Strike: Global Offensive', the sequel will be an updated, but still multiplayer-focussed follow-up to the original Counter-Strike, which will include updated versions of classic maps (confirmed so far: de_dust) and new gameplay modes, matchmaking and leaderboards, bringing it up to speed with big-name shooters like Battlefield and CoD. However, it doesn't sound like CS:GO will be competing directly with the real FPS heavyweights, as the game will come to us on consoles via the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade, traditionally the home of smaller releases. A purely multiplayer experience, then? Probably, although Valve have said that the game will also include "new characters". Colour us intrigued. The original Counter-Strike, released way back in 1999, was initially a mod for the first Half-Life game whose popularity unexpectedly exploded, making it an online favourite and internet cafe staple. "Counter-Strike took the gaming industry by surprise when the unlikely mod became the most played online PC action game in the world almost immediately after its release" says Valve's Doug Lombardi. "CS: GO promises to expand on CS' award-winning gameplay and deliver it to gamers on the PC as well as the next gen consoles and the Mac." Can Valve recapture the magic? Let us know via e-mail or on the T3 Twitter feed. Link: Steam   This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

22 further fake Apple Stores discovered in China Posted: 13 Aug 2011 02:10 AM PDT Posted by Richard Wordsworth on Sat 13 Aug 2011 Kunming-based blogger calls stores "beautiful ripoffs". After news that crooks in China had knocked off not just Apple's products, but a whole Apple Store last month, Chinese media have reported that a further 22 dodgy Apple Stores have been uncovered, all in the one city of Kunming. Related links Weird news: Fake Apple Store Apple says Steve Jobs e-mails were fake iPhone 4 recall tweet by fake Steve Jobs fools Daily Mail The shops reportedly sell real Apple products, including iPhones, iPods and iPads (no doubt liberated from the back of a lorry somewhere), but really go to town on dressing the shop up as a bona fide Apple Store. Pictures from inside the shops show them replete with glowing Apple logos, blown up official publicity photos of the iPad 2, and even staffers with Apple t-shirts and identity lanyards on hand advising customers. Apple China has since cried foul (as well they might), saying the shops hurt sales of the legitimate Apple Stores and are in breach of copyright. While some of the shops are reportedly at least authorised Apple resellers, there are only four official Apple Stores in China - two in Shanghai and two in Beijing. The original fake Apple Store was uncovered by an American blogger living in Kunming, writing under the screenname BirdAbroad. "This was a total Apple Store ripoff" she writes of her visit to the first fake Apple Store. "A beautiful ripoff... But some things were just not right: the stairs were poorly made. The walls hand't been painted properly." Authorities in Kunming have since set up a hotline for people to report any further dodgy Apple Stores that might crop up in the city, although whether or not they'll be forced to close or continue to operate through some kind of shady loophole isn't yet clear. In the meantime, you can read BirdAbroad's post about the the original at the link below. Link: BirdAbroad   This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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