The Netflix app for the iPad, one of the top ten most popular apps since the device's launch in April, has been updated this week, giving users one of their most asked-for features.

With version 1.0.2, users can now connect the iPad to a TV and stream the movie or TV show you are watching on the big screen, freeing you from the 9.7-inch iPad display.

You will need to use one of Apple's VGA, component, or composite dock cables.

The quality will not be great, but you can watch the streams at resolutions up to 1024x768.

While the app is free, to use Netflix's "Watch Instantly" catalog, you will need a subscription at $9.99 a month. The adapter from Apple will also cost you about $30.

Additionally, 1.0.2 fixes some minor bugs that were causing crashes.

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has announced, jointly with the Congressional members of the International Anti-Piracy Caucus (IAPC) the first ever Notorious Illegal Sites list, calling out the six most "notorious" sites used for unauthorized downloads of music, movies and other copyrighted works.

Additionally, the groups named Russia, Mexico, China, Canada and Spain as the "Top Priority Countries" for lax anti-piracy efforts.

The sites to make the list are: China's Baidu, Canada's IsoHunt, Ukraine's mp3fiesta, Germany's RapidShare, Luxembourg's RMX4U.com and Sweden's The Pirate Bay.

The groups say these sites and their services provide little other uses than an exchange of unauthorized copyrighted works.

"The release of this report casts a damning spotlight once again on several nations with lax copyright protections and websites that brazenly traffic in copyright theft. I'm particularly struck by the IAPC decision to identify significant global websites that facilitate massive theft; theft that destroys jobs and cuts short the dreams of creators who find it more difficult to attract the capital they need to build their careers. Just last week, five years after the 9-0 Supreme Court landmark decision against Grokster, we saw a federal judge rule against the most significant theft machine in this country – LimeWire. While it took some time for the judicial process to work, we did see that in a nation of laws, those who set up elegant schemes to profit from theft will be stopped. There is basic accountability, although much work needs to be done to achieve a fully accountable Internet space," says Mitch Bainwol, Chairman and CEO, RIAA.

The RIAA actually went as far as to say Baidu was the worst offender on the list.

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On day two of the Google I/O conference, the search giant has launched Android 2.2 Froyo, the seventh update to the operating system since its launch in September 2008.

While not listed in the official 2.2 post, there are many new features that most users have been expecting and wanting. The main two are the addition of Flash (built-in) and the addition of Wi-Fi tethering. Additionally, desktop to handset music streaming and a "one-handed camera UI" are part of the update.

Google says there are six highlights of the new firmware update, (although I believe they left out the most important in their post which I posted above):

Performance and Speed: The company says the new "Dalvik JIT compiler" will give 2.2 users a 200-500 percent performance boost in "CPU-bound code vs. Android 2.1."

Enterprising capabilities: Google says they have added Microsoft Exchange capabilities such as account auto-discovery and calender sync. There is also easier device management apps that can control security like remote wipe, lockscreen timeout and minimum password.

Improved Browser: The browser has been improved, using the V8 JavaScript engine. The company says JS performance is 300 percent better than on 2.1.

"Rich set of new APIs and services": Rooted devices have had the ability to do so for many months, but 2.2 adds the ability to backup and restore data via data backup APIs. If you ever have to buy a new device or wipe your current one, you can restore all data and settings with one easy click.

The company also says now "apps can utilize Android Cloud to Device Messaging to enable mobile alert, send to phone, and two-way push sync functionality."

Apps2SD: Apps2SD is now default, allowing for installation of apps on the SD card, a feature on rooted devices that legit users have wanted for years.

Android Market: The Android Market now "provides Android Application Error Reports, a new bug reporting feature, giving developers access to crash and freeze reports from users. Developers will be able to access these reports via their account on the Android Market publisher website."

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Amazon has announced this week that it has launched AmazonCrossing, a book imprint that will publish foreign-language books that have been translated into English.

The first book available will be "The King of Kahel," a 2008 French novel which received the prix Renaudot French literary prize.

The book will be out, translated, on November 2nd, and in e-book form the same day.

AmazonCrossing will work exactly like AmazonEncore, which is the e-tailer's first imprint. Encore uses "customer feedback and other data from Amazon sites around the world to identify exceptional books deserving a wider, global audience."

Amazon says it also hopes to sell its book in bookstores around the U.S., in addition to on its website.

Adds Chad Post, publisher of Open Letter Books, a nonprofit press that publishes only works in translation, via PW: "There are many thousands of books out there worthy of being translated and published in English, but that are currently unavailable to us monolingual readers. The more international books that are available in English, the better. It's exciting to see a company like Amazon investing in such a worthy cause like AmazonCrossing, and in a way that will definitely help expand the audience for literature in translation."

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THQ, the popular publisher, has said today that it will become the latest company to force used game buyers to pay a fee to play their purchased games online.

The first title to use the practice will be UFC Undisputed 2010, which has one-time use codes for online play, and therefore will require second hand users to buy a new code.

Used game buyers will have to pay $5 for a new code and access to "Fight Camp" mode, which lets 40 players train together online.

Says the company: "This multiplayer content for UFC Undisputed 2010 will be available via a one-time code included with the game at purchase. Codes for accessing the content will be available for second-time buyers for an additional $5."

THQ's move follows that of EA Sports which recently announced that used game buyers will be charged $10 for an "Online Pass" that allows access to multiplayer functions. Ubisoft says they are actively considering a similar structure.

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LifeLock, the ID protection firm that last month was hit with a $12 million fine for "deceptive advertising" has just gotten another hit to its reputation this week.

The company, which has a "$1 million guarantee," says it will spend up to $1 million on any subscriber if the service fails to protect their ID. LifeLock costs $15 per month.

As a publicity stunt to show off the effectiveness of the product, CEO Todd Davis publicly showed off his name and social security number, while saying he is also a LifeLock member.

This week, it is being reported Davis has had his identity stolen 13 times since 2007. In 2007, Davis said: "I'm glad to take the center stage to put mine out there as example, because then we can tell people you can take steps to make this useless to criminals."

Within weeks, Davis' identity was stolen and a man in Georgia used his account to open an AT&T Wireless account, with a bill over $2300.

That was just the beginning, however. The Phoenix News Times is reporting that Davis has had his ID stolen at least 12 times since, with people taking out small loans, Gap credit cards, Verizon wireless accounts and even paying off their energy bills with his name.

After the report, Davis responded: "We have always said that no one can completely stop identity theft, including LifeLock. Just because we say protect, we aren't saying prevent."

Ouch. Why would anyone pay for your service Mr. Davis if you cannot prevent ID theft?

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This week, Google subtly noted that Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" is set for a Q4 2010 release.

The date was shown off inside the FAQ for the new WebM video format. Google's latest update, 2.2 "Froyo" is expected to be launched today at the I/O conference, which is now in its second day.

WebM is Google's new open source video codec, built on the VP8 codec that was originally developed by On2. Last year, Google purchased On2 for $124 million USD. For audio, the codec uses open source Ogg Vorbis.

The open source codec is Google's answer to the current HTML5 video format war. HTML5 allows for native video embedding in web pages, removing the need for plug-ins like Adobe's Flash or Microsoft's Silverlight. The standard does not specify which format will be used, and that has led to Apple and Microsoft pushing the expensive H.264 format, while Google, Opera, and Mozilla among others are pushing for free, open source formats.

Widespread smartphone HTML5 support is not expected for some time, adds MobileBurn, but Android users will likely see the start of strong support with "Gingerbread."

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Tinhte, a site based in Vietnam has posted pics today of a leaked iPod Touch with a camera.

The device has the DVT-1 stamp, meaning it is an early design of a future final product.

Apple is likely to officially launch the new device on June 7th, at their annual conference.

The serial number reveals a "late 2009 third generation Touch," and from the pics and video it all seems pretty legitimate.

The label indicates a 64GB model, and the camera seems to be a 2MP sensor from Omnivision.

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