Check.in Launches To The Public

What you need to know:
• Check.in is an HTML5 app built by location veteran Brightkite to cute check-in fatigue.
• There are about a dozen location based networks you can check in to right now, and Check.in is looking to be the one check in to rule them all.
• Launches with Foursquare, Brightkite, and three networks in experimental mode: Gowalla, TriOut, and Whrrl 
• Problem is still that there isn't one unified database of places, each service has its own. All Check.in does is coss check and do its best to match.
• Works on iPhone, Android, iPad, and any other HTML5 capable browser.

I've been using Check.in in closed beta for quite some time, and I use it quite rarely and only when I remember. Most often it's because of the simple fact that half the time it can't find me on one of the services it offers. Whether it's Brightkite or Gowalla, it just has trouble actually hitting all (then) three services it incorporates. Foursquare usually worked just fine, but at that point I might as well just use the apps. This isn't a problem with Check.in, it's an inherent problem with the services. There needs to be one central database of places, but it hasn't happened yet. What do you think? Have you tried it out? Let us know in the comments!

Amazon Kindle App Coming To Android

What you need to know:
• Kindle for Android coming this summer
• Requires Android 1.6+
• Requires SD card
• Supports Droid, Droid Incredible, Nexus One, MyTouch, CLIQ, and many others.
• Buy books directly from the app, whispersync enabled. This is big, as it's not possible on current versions of the iPhone and iPad apps.
• Newspapers, magazines, and blogs aren't available on the Android version right now.

As great as it is for Amazon to cover all their bases, and I like that I have the freedom to use Kindle on any device, I can't see myself ever reading on my Droid. I tried using the iPhone app when I used my iPhone as my primary, and it just hurt my eyes. Even if I didn't have my actual Kindle on me, I doubt if I'd ever use the Android app to read. What do you think?

Press release after the jump!

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Visa In2Pay Is The First Step Towards Mass Mobile Payment Adoption

What you need to know:
• Visa In2Pay is a contactless payment hardware solution for the iPhone in the form of a case
• The case takes a microSD card to activate and make functional
• Will be accepted anywhere contactless Visa payments are accepted (you know, you see them all the time, but you never use them) 
• It wil rely on an iPhone app to function
• The wireless connection will not be constantly active, but will wait for the trigger from the iPhone app to turn on wireless communication, and will give feedback when the communication is complete.

This is pretty cool, but there's no word on how much the case will cost, if at all. And, the problem is that this means you can't have any other cases. This won't really see some true adoption until visa or mastercard partners with a manufacturer to get this hardware into the device itself, and not with an add on. Video and press release after the jump.

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Square Now Available On iPhone and Android

When Square launched in a very private beta last December, it blew minds across the blogosphere. If you don't know what Square is, it's a mobile payment platform for everyone. Since then, I've been privileged to be on of the beta testers. I've used Square on the iPhone for a few months, and Square on the iPad and Droid for less than one, and I have to say, the level of polish that has been put into this platform is really stirring.

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Blackberry OS 6.0 On Video

RIM's Bold and Pearl announcements weren't the only things of note at WES this week. They also showcased a video focusing on Blackberry OS 6.0. ^.0 finally brings the OS up sto speed with other touch interfaces like iPhone, Android, and WebOS. The OS looks pretty decent. Surely a big improvement over the existing touch interface on the Storm devices. It supports all the major features like multitouch, but  I'm curious, though. Why would they tease a brand new touch-input OS with only one touch device on the market? Will we be seeing a new touch device from RIM soon? The OS looks good, but the video is god-awful. If you watch it, mute it, because the music is those insufferable Black Eyed Peas.

Gizmodo has a great feature rundown via BGR. Check it out after the jump.

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