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Pocket for iOS gets native sharing to Facebook, simpler option to delete articles
Good news are in for those who are avid users of Read it Later Pocket on iOS, as the handy application's been updated with some social tools and a few UI improvements. For starters, version 4.3 now allows readers to share content directly to Facebook (Sina Weibo, too) without ever having to leave the app, while a "Delete" option was added to the Archive button in order to make it easier for folks to trash any article. Pocket also announced it beefed up the text preferences in the article viewer by including an increased font size, as well as noting that it's taken care of some known Evernote-related bugs, among others. The Pocket refresh can be downloaded now from the App Store link below, or, what's likely the easier route, folks could just grab it straight from their iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Pocket announces digital publishing partnership with Matter
Just last week we mentioned that Pocket, formerly known as Read It Later, was growing its little empire of features and various apps, but hadn't yet landed on a solid monetary plan. Well here that comes now: Pocket has announced a partnership with a Kickstarter-funded digital publisher called Matter, teaming up to bring Matter's content into Pocket's readers, wherever they happen to be. Matter is a subscription-based content service, where you pay just 99 cents a month for a series of well-written pieces and editorial insight. And Pocket's made a deal to bring that content into its readers. So without installing or downloading anything else, you'll be able to access Matter's material directly, as well as use all of Pocket's various sharing and other features while doing so. It's a pretty smart plan, actually, though of course it will all depend on the quality of Matter's content. As The Daily has shown us just today, charging a subscription for digital content is a tough game to play, and one that quite a few smart people have failed to win just yet. But all of the ingredients are here: Pocket has a large audience of users who appreciate high quality content, Matter has a lot of supporters (through its Kickstarter campaign) also willing to pay for a good read and the groundwork's been laid in terms of making Pocket's interface and feature set very appealing. We'll probably look for more partnerships like this from Pocket in the future, and see if delivering this content is enough to earn these companies the money they're looking for.
Pocket for Mac gets a big update, better Twitter, Facebook, and Evernote support
Pocket used to be called Read It Later, and it actually did fairly well under that branding, as I remember. But the app was revamped to Pocket a little while ago, and since then, has been growing a little empire of apps designed to save content on one device, and pass it around to any number of various outlets. Pocket for Mac has just recently been updated to version 1.1, and there are quite a few significant updates still rolling out of the development team. The app now includes hooks into the native support of both Twitter and Facebook in Mountain Lion, as well as support for multiple accounts in Twitter. Evernote sharing has been revamped completely, so that's easier to use. There are new keyboard shortcuts, and the team has introduced a new URL scheme ("pocket://") that seems like it will be more important in future updates. There are also some fixes, including a much more responsive dock badge, which is a nice bonus. Pocket for Mac is available right now, and it remains completely free.
Pocket brings its 'read it later' service to Mac App Store, keeps its free status
We know Pocket has had a strong presence on iOS, Android and other platforms for quite some time now, but today the service formerly known as Read it Later announced it is now making its way to a bigger Cupertino screen. Naturally, Pocket's new application isn't much different than its mobile versions, meaning it'll offer the same offline access, save-for-later features as it currently does on the mobile front but with a more "native Mac experience" -- of course, this includes the ability to sync across multiple devices, stream videos and share tidbits via those cherished social networks. What's more, Pocket won't be charging a dime for its novel and handy OS X app, though this shouldn't come as a surprise given the outfit's somewhat recently adopted no-cost model -- still, it's a gesture most people will certainly appreciate, and one you Mac folk can start enjoying now by downloading from to the desktop-based App Store.%Gallery-169277%
Pocket for Android gets updated with text-to-speech feature, minor UI improvements
Android users who enjoy saving their reading for later will be happy to know that Pocket's been on the receiving end of a very pleasant update. The main addition in this new version is a text-to-speech feature which reads you any saved articles, and one that's missing from its iOS counterpart. Additionally, the "Manage Site Subscription" within the app's now fully functional on all flavors of Google's OS, while an enhanced full-screen animation in Reader and other undisclosed UI tweaks have also been stuffed inside v4.2. The refreshed Pocket application can be downloaded now from the Play shop, and be sure to pay the more coverage link below a visit to dive into some deeper details.
Pocket gets update and a whole lotta downloads
The app that began life as Read It Later and that's now known as Pocket (Free) has received a significant update to version 4.1, and the developer took the opportunity to report just how successful the app has become. Since the rename and relaunch of the app three weeks ago, Pocket has received over 2 million downloads across a variety of platforms, and reached the #1 spot for free news apps for iPhone and iPad quickly. Pocket also became the third most downloaded iPad app within hours of the release last month. According to the press release from Read It Later, Inc., today's update includes the following features: Page flipping mode -- In addition to Pocket's default scrolling option, users can now swipe left or right inside an article to enable Page Flipping and read one page at a time. Improved Dark theme and an all-new Sepia theme -- With refined contrast and readability, these options make reading even more comfortable. Increased maximum font size -- For those preferring larger print, Pocket's font-size options have been expanded so users can find the perfect font size for reading. In addition, Pocket now has the following enhancements: Dark theme throughout the app -- Use Pocket comfortably at night, whether in Article View or browsing through saved content. Add URLs from clipboard -- Pocket now automatically detects URLs that are copied to the clipboard so they can be added directly to Pocket for easier saving. Support for additional video sites -- Pocket's in-app video streaming now supports popular sites including TED, Devour and Khan Academy. I personally use Pocket to capture content to read later, and it works extremely well. The improvements truly add a lot of utility to an already great app.
Read It Later becomes Pocket, goes free for all
I know Read It Later as a very useful Firefox extension, similar to Instapaper, which allows users to save web content with just one click for later retrieval on smartphones, tablets, or the web. Previous to this, there were both free and pro versions of Read It Later available in the App Store, with the Pro version allowing for things like sharing content to social networks, and a fullscreen reading experience. All that's changed now, as well as the brand itself. Read It Later, TUAW has been told, is now being called Pocket, and the full service will be available for free on iOS, Android, and Kindle, as well as the web and all of its other platforms. Pocket has all of the features of Read It Later, which means it still plugs into all of the same places -- users will be able to save content from the web or over 300 apps out there (including apps like Flipboard and Zite), and then access that content again later. And of course the new Pocket app also features upgrades, including a new cleaner UI, a redesigned fullscreen mode, and the ability to favorite and even tag content in bulk, so it's easier to find and organize than before. It sounds like a great move for the app and its creator, Nate Weiner. The fact that all of the previously pro features are now free should give you a reason to try it, even if you haven't before. Pocket should be available either right now or very soon over on the App Store. Show full PR text More Than Just Reading - Top App "Read It Later's" Newest Version Becomes the Now Free "Pocket" to Easily Save Web Articles, Videos and More to View Later New Pocket App Leads Content Shifting Category with a Beautiful New Design that Makes Viewing Later on Any Post-PC Device Easy SAN FRANCISCO, CA, APRIL 17, 2012 - Four years ago, Read it Later was created to allow users to save their web content to view later on their own schedule. One year ago, Read It Later had 2.5 million users; now it has 4.5 million. This growth made it the number one paid news app for Android and Kindle Fire and a top app for iPhone and iPad. Today, the company announced a new version of their flagship app -- now free across all devices -- and a new name, Pocket. Pocket is for when people discover an interesting article, video or web page, but don't have time to view it. Once saved to Pocket, the list of content is visible on any device -- phone, tablet or computer. It can be viewed while waiting in line, on the couch or during commutes or travel -- even offline. Pocket is available today for free in the App Store at getpocket.com/ios, on Google Play (formerly the Android Marketplace) at getpocket.com/android, and for Kindle Fire at getpocket.com/kindlefire. "Nearly five items every second are saved to Pocket from the web and popular news apps, including videos, articles, recipes and more," said Nate Weiner, founder of Read it Later and creator of Pocket. "Pocket is the perfect name for our latest version as it expresses how simple it is to take any content users discover with them, no matter where they go." Pocket is different than "bookmarking," apps, which organize links for long term storage. Instead, Pocket lets users save the content they discover on the web or inside any of over 300 leading apps--including Flipboard, Twitter, Pulse, and Zite--with a single tap and view it on any device. Since its launch in 2007, over 200 million items have been saved, giving the company deep insight into how and when consumers save and view their web content. Key findings include: • 33 percent of saved items come from 3rd party apps including Twitter, Zite, Flipboard and Pulse. • 50 percent of items saved via Pocket are viewed on mobile screens (up from 34 percent in January). • Web consumption peaks in the early morning and declines through the day, as consumers dig through their inboxes and find what they want to view later. iPad use peaks at night, as users view saved content in the pre-bedtime hours. Mobile consumption maps to commuting times, as users increasingly view content in transit. • 40 percent of items saved are not articles; popular content include videos, images, things to buy, travel tips and recipes. • YouTube is the apps' most popular source of content, as users increasingly are saving videos for later viewing. The new Pocket update is focused on making the most important parts of the user experience as easy and simple as possible. It enhances all the features users already loved in Read it Later in a beautiful new interface. • A Cleaner, Simpler UI. The new user interface of Pocket displays all of a user's content in a beautiful, easy-to-view layout adapted to take full advantage of high definition displays. • Video & Image Filters. Most people save sites with videos and images, in addition to articles and text. Pocket automatically filters all content so users can quickly switch between articles, videos and images with just a tap. • Enhanced Viewing Experience. Articles, videos and anything saved is displayed in a clean and simplified view with fewer toolbars and a redesigned full-screen mode. • Easier to Organize. New bulk editing, favoriting and tagging modes make organizing and browsing saved items easier. Users can find content by keywords, publications or create their own custom tags. • Favorites. Users can star favorite content so it is always available when they want to find it. • Pocket is Free on All Major Mobile Platforms. Pocket is now available, for free, on all major mobile platforms including Android phones and tablets, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Amazon Kindle Fire. About Read it Later Based in San Francisco, Read it Later was founded in 2007 by Nate Weiner to help users save what they find online and view it on any device at any time. The service currently has over 4.5 million registered users and is integrated into over 300 apps including Flipboard, Twitter and Zite. In April 2012 the Read it Later app became known as Pocket and focused on the most important parts of the content-shifting experience, making it easier and simpler than ever. Pocket is available for major devices and platforms including iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Kindle Fire, all Android-based tablets and smartphones, Google Chrome, and Firefox.
Read it Later becomes Pocket, drops its price to free
Skimming the news later is no match for consuming it fresh, but we still live in a world with connectivity dead zones -- riding the subway, cruising the Pacific at 35,000 feet -- making an offline reading app a necessity for oft-disconnected consumers. Pocket, formerly known as "Read it Later," lets you save online content to read when you're not within web's reach, or even when you are. Pocket could also be a good resource for folks that stumble upon some interesting content, but simply don't have time to read it at that very moment. You can also grab videos and images to watch later -- everything is presented in a clean, easy to view format, searchable by publication, keyword or custom tags. And while the former version -- Read it Later -- ran you a cool 99 cents, Pocket is free, and available now for Android, iOS and the Kindle Fire.
Microsoft's PocketTouch prototype is like x-ray vision for your fingers (video)
Is it more gauche to pull out your phone in the middle of a date, or to draw a bunch of crop circles on your pants? That's the question we were asking ourselves after coming across PocketTouch -- a new Microsoft Research prototype that lets you manipulate your handset without ever removing it from your pocket. Developed by researchers Scott Saponas, Chris Harrison and Hrvoje Benko, the device essentially consists of a customized, multitouch capacitive sensor hooked on to the back of a smartphone. This sensor is capable of picking up gestures through fabric, allowing users to execute a wide array of eyes-free, gesture-based functions (including simple swipes and alphanumeric text) without ever having to actually whip out their phones. To do this, the team implemented what it calls an "orientation-defining unlock gesture," which helps the prototype get its bearings, before testing the capacitive sensors across different fabrics. According to Microsoft, the outcome "exceeded expectations," though there's no word on when or if this Goliath of a device could ever hit the mainstream. Head past the break to see a video of a man playing tic-tac-toe on his pants.
Pantech Pocket for AT&T hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)
It's the glitz and glamour that typically defines shows such as this week's CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011, but Pantech chose to fly under the radar this time around. Sure, the company didn't have its own multi-million dollar booth at the event, but it still at least had a significant product to show off. We were given the opportunity to spend some brief time playing with the Pantech Pocket, a follow-up to the crossover with better specs and another unique form factor. The pocket features a 4-inch SVGA (800 x 600) display, which means you can expect the device to be wider and shorter than your typical handset; in terms of width, we felt as though we were holding a 4.7-incher. We noticed, however, that its shorter length allowed for additional places to grip, which made it at least easier to hold in our hand as a result. Specwise, the Pocket is a Gingerbread phone running on Android 2.3.4, uses a similar UI to what's found on the Crossover, offers a textured scratch-resistant battery cover, has a 5MP rear cam with 720p video capture (and no LED flash or front-facing camera) and is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 single-core CPU and 512MB of RAM. No pricing has been set on the Pocket, but it's certain to be gracing the midrange section of your neighborhood AT&T store starting November 6th. Gallery and vid below. %Gallery-136393% Zachary Lutz contributed to this hands-on.
AT&T starts CTIA off right by introducing five new smartphones to its Android lineup
At CTIA last March, AT&T stole the show by announcing its intent to purchase T-Mobile US. This time around the news is a bit more modest, but the company is still hoping to give us a bit of a shock by introducing a litany of new handsets right on time for the holiday season. The carrier promised the release of 12 Android devices throughout the course of the year, and this week's announcement pushes the 2011 running count to 19. Not too shabby. Naturally, we're looking for quality more than quantity, so we couldn't wait to dig into the devices that are coming out. Check out all five after the break, along with a quick video teaser. %Gallery-136207%
TUAW's Daily iPad App: Pocket RPG
Crescent Moon Games made the excellent Aralon for iOS in the past, and that was a full-fledged RPG, featuring a whole world to explore and lots of gear to collect and quests to complete. Now, the company's gone back to the fantasy well to deliver another hack-and-slash style RPG game, though this one is a little simpler (and a little more focused on just the dungeons). Pocket RPG is exactly what it sounds like: A colorful dungeon-crawler with three classes, a fun and slick style and some great dual-stick gameplay. If there's an issue with this one, it's probably that things are a little too simple. Each level is its own contained world, which means you're leveling up what's basically a separate character in each. Gameplay itself is pretty mindless, too -- there are a few special encounters to break things up, but you're pretty much just using a few different abilities over and over against the enemy hordes. Still, Pocket RPG is plenty of fun, and the game's being updated steadily with new features (not to mention that it comes with full Game Center integration, and it looks particularly great on the iPad). Right now, the title's on sale for just US $4.99, and if you enjoy plumbing through dungeons of all kinds (and come on, who doesn't?), it's an excellent experience.
Samsung Galaxy Tab feature tour reminds of just how pocketable it isn't (video)
Sony tried to convince us that its VAIO P was a pocketable computer, so we quite naturally pointed, laughed and mocked. It seems only fair, therefore, to give Samsung the same treatment when it tries to sell us on the idea that we'd be perfectly comfortable stashing its Galaxy Tab slate in the back pocket of our denims. Listen, the only way we're ever going to put hundreds of dollars' worth of money into our rear pocket is in note form, protected by our Jules Winnfield-endorsed faux leather wallet. But then again, if you actually like your gadgets to protrude a little bit, maybe this is just the Tab for you. Follow the break for the full video tour.
HP V5020u camcorder does 1080p in style
HP's just outed a new camcorder, the 1080p loving V5020u. Among its other attractions, this camcorder boasts full HD 1080p video recording at a resolution up to 1920×1080, a built-in gyroscope for image stabilization, 10x digital zoom, a 5 megapixel sensor, a motion detector, a 2-inch LCD, and an SDHC slot for extra storage capacity. This bad boy, which we think is pretty good looking, will be available in October for $159.
Amex Digital MP-501 media player starts shipping in teeny-tiny packages September 10
Can't wait to get your hands on Amex Digital's tiny MP-501 media player? Good news, as it's apparently sent out emails to prospective buyers indicating units will start shipping September 10. In case you need a refresher, it weighs just 250 grams and slips into any pocket easily, while still playing AVI / MKV / MPEG-4 files of various codecs and containers from USB or SD cards in resolutions as high as 1080p, for just $49, plus $20 for shipping -- assuming you can find an order form on the company website, which we couldn't. [Thanks, RDSOLO]
Verizon's remaining 2010 roadmap to be an Android-fest of phones and tablets?
Practically everything we've heard -- both officially and through tipsters -- lines up with information coming out of Phone Arena this week detailing a truly Google-heavy upcoming Fall and Winter release schedule for our friends at Big Red. Starting next month, it seems that we'll see a global version of the just-launched Droid 2, possibly with a white option (though it seems this could also be the R2-D2 model), and the Motorola WX455 we'd leaked has been named "Citrus" and will (as you probably could've guessed) target the low end of the market and the young'uns who are looking for an affordable way to get into Android; as WWAN-enabled laptops go, they'll be picking up the Dell Vostro V13 and the HP Pavilion DM1. Follow the break for the rest of the action! [Thanks, Steven C.]
Sanyo's VPC-CA102YL waterproof HD camcorder, your perfect accessory for visiting Sealab 2021
Sanyo isn't breaking out the hyperbole with this water-resistant full HD pocket camcorder -- that honor went to the DMX-CA100 back in May -- but the VPC-CA102YL does boast a spec sheet as impressive as its product name. We've got 1920 x 1080 / 60i video in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format, 14 megapixel stills, an articulating 2.7-inch wide LCD, 12x dual range zoom on video, and 5x optical zoom on photos... and did we mention it's waterproof up to 10 feet under? Connectivity options include USB, mini HDMI for TV sets, and a SDXC card slot. Due out this month -- perfect for capturing the very last bit of Summer -- for a penny under $350. Product shots below, press release after the break. (P.S. -- 10 feet to the bottom of the ocean? Bizarro!) %Gallery-98922%
Samsung unveils WiFi-enabled ST80 camera, swiveling-lens HMX-E10 pocket camcorder
Camera releases are somewhat a by-the-numbers thing with so many different variations being released by numerous companies throughout the year. Samsung's pair here does have some interesting standout features, but one at a time. The 14.2 megapixel ST80 point-and-shoot boasts WiFi capabilities for email / direct upload of images (DLNA supported, to boot). It's also got 3x optical zoom, a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, 720p 30fps H.264 video recording, and Sammy's "Smart Crop" feature for taking angled shots and "straightening them up" (i.e. a banner that is fixed to look straight on). This one's due out September 2010 for a penny under $250. Then there's the HMX-E10 pocket camcorder with an impressive 270-degree swiveling lens and 1920 x 1080 30p H.264 HD video recording. That touchscreen you see is a 2.7-inch LCD, the lens has 2x digital zoom, connectivity is HDMI and USB (also used for charging), and release details are September as well, for $199.99. You know the drill: product shots are below, press releases after the break. %Gallery-98345% %Gallery-98344%
Flip Slide HD caught at Best Buy, slides into camera's view (updated)
All we have is this one image, care of a gracious anonymous tipster who said it was found at Best Buy. Our best guess? Well, it's a Flip camcorder, and there's a sliding element to it -- amazing deduction skills, we know. Perhaps Cisco has something up its sleeve soon? Inquiring minds want to know. Update: We got some more pics in from a tipster -- they're after the break!
GDC 2010: Hands on with Pocket Creatures
One of the best things about going to a convention like GDC is what we in the business call "doing research," which you might know as "playing games." We often get to check out the latest and greatest that developers are working on, and so when Tactile Entertainment offered us a chance to check out their upcoming Pocket Creatures title, we gladly took it. The company is founded by four friends from Denmark, one of whom used to be the Development Manager at Crytek (makers of the PC graphics engine and its flagship shooter Crysis), and Pocket Creatures, due out later this year, is their first title. The game's backstory tells of an island somewhere with an egg in an ancient temple, and in an intro movie, the egg hatches to reveal the game's main creature character. But the game isn't merely a virtual pet simulator. While you can pet the little guy to make him happy or slap him to make him sad, the rest of the game actually embodies a pretty complex ecosystem, of which the creature and his emotions and abilities are only a part. %Gallery-88237%
