Qualcomm Atheros, the networking and connectivity subsidiary of Qualcomm which is famous for its Snapdragon mobile chipsets, has announced an App for Android smartphones and tablets.
The new Skifta 1.0 is a free application which allows users to access content like music, videos and pictures stored on any of their connected device through their Android smartphone.
The application works on Android smartphones and tablets (2.2 or higher). The Skifta desktop application for remote access to media stored at home (PC, Mac and Linux) is available at www.skifta.com.
Skifta transforms any Android device into a global media remote control that lets consumers access and enjoy their music, videos and photos at home over WiFi and on the move with 3G from wherever their media resides, at home, in the cloud or anywhere in between.
Now, with 3G and WiFi support and a new desktop media server plug-in for Mac, Windows and Linux, Skifta users have an easy way to use their Android devices to access media collections stored on their home computers without requiring a third-party media server application.
Skifta is the first DLNA certified application capable of streaming personal content to millions of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices worldwide, including TVs, IP-connected stereos like Sonos systems, PlayStation 3 game consoles, Windows 7 PCs and thousands of other connected consumer electronics models.
After selecting a photo, song or video stored on the Android smartphone or tablet, users can share this content to any compliant device using Skifta without the need to connect though wires, or downloading or sideloading. The app allows users to just tap on their content, select a connected device and press to play.
A unique feature of the Skifta platform is its Channel library, which eliminates the need for consumers to manage multiple applications to access their favorite media from the cloud. Skifta Channels also give immediate access to Facebook photos, Picasa, Flickr, Photobucket, Soma.fm, Napster, ShoutCast, Revision 3, TED Talks and more.
“Extensive discussions with our beta group boiled down to this: Skifta should eliminate the barriers between consumers and their media,” said Dan Rabinovitsj, senior vice president and general manager, networking business unit, Qualcomm Atheros. “The new version of Skifta addresses this issue with 3G support and media server software, and it goes a step further to deliver a powerful solution that puts the smartphone or tablet at the center of the connected home.”