UserAgentString
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LG C729 Android phone for T-Mobile clears the FCC, packs a low-res display
Oftentimes, when phones hit the FCC, they raise more questions than they answer. Case in point: the LG C729, a handset that just cleared the Commission, revealing little more than the fact that it will run on T-Mobile's 1700MHz spectrum. Other than the cellular / PCS, GSM / GPRS / EDGE, and AWS WCDMA / HSPA connectivity, we know it has Bluetooth and WLAN radios. And that's all you can squeeze out of the report, since LG asked the FCC to keep the test manual and any photos under wraps, as companies with their trade secrets are wont to do. But, as PocketNow reports, the user agent profile tells a fuller story, with nods to a some version of Android as the OS, and a low-resolution 320 x 480 display. So far, word on the street is that LG will launch two Android handsets on T-Mobile this fall, including the Maxx and the Maxx Q, which will have a QWERTY keyboard. So what say you, readers? Just what is this thing?
Playing Hulu on Google TV is as easy as changing one setting
We know Google mentioned it would be a "good citizen" and allow Hulu to block its browser ID, but that doesn't mean you have to be one too. By default, accessing the website from a Google TV device yields a prompt hoping you'll wait for the two to work out some kind of agreement on Hulu Plus access, but with a Flash enabled browser at the ready, we're sure all you want to do is press play. The fine folks over at GadgetWhore first discovered that by digging deep into the advanced settings of the Chrome browser app and changing the browser ID to "Generic" or any custom string one may prefer, Hulu streams immediately start playing with no problem (users may want to change back to default afterwards to make sure other pages render properly.) That's one benefit of having a "run-of-the-mill" desktop browser integrated into your set-top box, so w while early adopters may only be moments away from discovering the dark side of Google TV, it seems like a few easy browser tweaks may take care of most issues -- let us know if you've run into any others.
How to re-enable Netflix in Safari 5 (updated)
We're getting a ton of tips about Netflix being broken in Safari 5, and while we're pretty sure Reed Hastings and crew will have things patched up in the morning, we thought we'd share the quick fix with you now, since it's so simple. The problem isn't actually Safari 5, it's the browser agent string -- Netflix doesn't recognize it as a supported browser, so all you have to do is turn on the developer menu and change Safari's user agent back to 4.1. Ready? It's just a couple steps: Open Preferences > Advanced and click "Show Develop menu in menu bar". In the Develop menu, select User Agent and hit "Safari 4.1". Watch some Netflix! Of course, you'll have to switch it back to use any Safari 5-optimized sites that check for the latest version of Apple's browser, but that's not too hard -- and like we said, we're guessing the Netflix crew will have this sorted in no time, so you shouldn't need to worry about this in the future. Update: Told you they'd get it fixed soon enough -- reader Colin tells us things are working fine with Safari 5 as of this morning.
Hulu still silent on PS3, Windows Mobile blocking - but there's a free solution
A few days after blocking PlayStation 3 users, Hulu has yet to respond to questions concerning the change which has only helped to fuel rumors it is related to the Microsoft ad campaign currently featured on the site, but that seems less likely now that we've confirmed it also began blocking the Flash-enabled Skyfire browser on Windows Mobile devices at the same time. Whatever the cause is, if you prefer a homegrown hack over something like PlayOn or TVersity, Eric over at ypass.net has put together a simple enough walkthrough for creating an "unblockable" workaround by setting up a locally connected PC running Linux or Windows with the freely available Squid proxy server software that will make your PS3 look like appear as a PC running a Firefox (or whatever you prefer) browser to any website that asks. Of course, just like the other solutions your computer will need to stay running to keep you connected, but we figure it's a small price to pay for enjoying relatively low res Flash video running on an HDTV.Read - Got a PS3? Want Hulu Back? Easy enough...Read - Squid-setup for Windows NT /2k /X
