Smart TVs already allow you to Skype and stream content from your computer, but Warpia has a solution for those of us who aren’t ready to upgrade our HDTVs quite yet. It’s called the ConnectHD SWP400VC, and it essentially lets you use your TV as a wireless monitor while also providing a wireless 720p webcam and microphone. After hooking that module up to your TV via HDMI, you plug a wireless USB adapter into your Windows PC and install the proper software. The duo then allows you to Skype or stream movies and online content in 1080p — provided it’s within an unobstructed 30-foot range. Warpia also says it would be good for gaming, but we’ll have to check it out for ourselves at CES to see if the latency and framerates are any better than the solutions we’ve seen before. The ConnectHD SWP400VC is up for preorder right now for $199.99, and shipping should begin on December 23rd.

Apple has released an incremental software update for the second generation Apple TV that brings it to version 4.4.4, but before you get too excited, it’s a pretty minor one. Aside from the usual performance and stability improvements, it fixes “an issue that displayed an error when playing some video content.” Decidedly boring stuff, but it’s still nice to see the media streamer receive support even as its rumored dual-core A5 chip-powered successor approaches. The update has already begun rolling out, so you should see it on your Apple TV shortly.

As we noted in our Galaxy Nexus review, some third party apps currently have issues with handling Ice Cream Sandwich’s new software menu layout, but now you can take Netflix off the list. The latest update allows the menu buttons disappear during video playback, just like the YouTube app. You can download it at the Android Market right now, just in time to take advantage of the Double Data Promotion on your brand new Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

The Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus has just gone on sale today, and as Droid Life noted yesterday, it’s already getting an Android 4.0.2 update after activation. We can confirm that our review unit pulled an update immediately after powering it on, so it’s a safe bet that retail handsets will do the same. The 10.7MB download adds a number of improvements, featuring improved mobile hotspot when used with VPN, louder audio in Google navigation with turn-by-turn directions, and most interestingly, optimized 3G / 4G data connections for faster response times. Giving the timing of this update and the different firmware required for LTE, perhaps the rumors that Verizon was holding out for a new version of Ice Cream Sandwich prior to launch hold some truth after all. Regardless, it’s a relief to finally be able to put all the Galaxy Nexus release date rumors to rest — and better reception is a nice bonus.

TeleNav’s making a bigger push into location services with its free GPS navigation HTML5 app. Like Nokia Maps, consumers will be able to access turn-by-turn navigation from any browser, but more importantly, developers can easily integrate TeleNav GPS into mobile websites and apps — TeleNav says it just takes one line of code. It’s an interesting idea that promises integrated one-click access to turn-by-turn navigation in all sort of apps – Android users currently have to switch apps, and there’s obviously no integrated navigation in iOS or Windows Phone at all. TeleNav expects the service to launch in early 2012, and is currently taking applications for early developer access.

Last month, a Google employee responded to a report about increased Android malware by accusing virus companies of “playing on fears,” but he may want to change his tune — a recent wave of attacks by a threat called RuFraud has caused Google to remove a total of 27 malicious apps from the Android Market. Mobile security company Lookout says it began notifying Google last week of the malware, which tricks users into agreeing to SMS charges by mimicking well-known apps such as Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. While the first reported attack included nine apps that were downloaded by relatively few users, the second wave of 13 apps may have reached a wider audience — Lookout estimates over 14,000 downloads of the apps before Google pulled them from the Market. Based on the short codes found in RuFraud, it appears to only affect users in Eastern Europe as well as Great Britain, Italy, Israel, France, and Germany. What’s more worrisome is that premium SMS toll fraud apps have been on the rise in recent months, and given the lack of a strict Android Market approval policy, there’s little reason to think that these attacks couldn’t be continued or even duplicated.

The latest Chrome update brings Google’s browser to version 16, and adds multiple sign-in support to the Chrome sync feature. In the same vein as Xmarks or Firefox Sync, Google’s cloud-based sync feature saves your bookmarks, apps, settings, and more across all your devices, but previous versions of Chrome forced you to sign out of your browser to switch your sync account.
Now, you have the option of quickly switching from Preferences, the Users menu in the menubar, and the user icon to the right of your tabs. Note: multiple accounts is far from secure. Once you’ve logged in, changing accounts can take as few as two clicks, and more importantly, it doesn’t require any sort of password entry. Still, it’s a welcome addition for anyone sharing a family computer or users needing to quickly jump between personal and work accounts.