Slick-UI, Another Homescreen Replacement For Android

I love those shell replacements. I always did. Thanks to XDA Developers, every day we get to see cool new shell/UI homescreens and Android is definitely a perfect platform for those kinds of tweaks.

The latest one was found over at PocketNow.com and is looking like an interesting combination of the usual Android stuff with a slight similarity to First Else (in case you remember…).

Here's a video:

Read more in here

2 comments | Read more...

I love those shell replacements. I always did. Thanks to XDA Developers, every day we get to see cool new shell/UI homescreens and Android is definitely a perfect platform for those kinds of tweaks.

The latest one was found over at PocketNow.com and is looking like an interesting combination of the usual Android stuff with a slight similarity to First Else (in case you remember…).

Here's a video:

Read more in here

Is Windows Phone 7 A Failure?

According to the numbers coming from different places – Windows Phone 7 sales are very disappointing (~50,000 in the first couple of weeks, not much more than that later on, 3% of smartphones sales in the UK and other horrors… ).

On the other hand, apps number raised significantly and getting close to 3,000 apps in the marketplace.

Not too bad at all, but can it be that there are now more developers using Windows Phone 7 than actual consumers???
(according to Microsoft, there are already 15,000 developers using WP7)

Weird…

Personally, I don't think WinPho7 would be a complete failure.
I believe in the product. I think the OS is good enough for version 1, all the rest will surely come very quickly.

In addition, the world is tired from Android – today's only alternative to the 4 years old iPhone which is also not getting younger if you know what I mean.

Bottom line, the world needs a 3rd player, the world needs something to bridge the gap between iPhone's closed environment and Android's way too open / messy environment. That's where Microsoft can get into the picture.

The only obstacles are marketing, users perceptions (they all see windows phone and remember windows mobile), and price of devices (which is currently way too expensive).

I guess we shall wait and see if Microsoft manages to perform a turnaround and build some positive momentum around it real soon…

2 comments | Read more...

According to the numbers coming from different places – Windows Phone 7 sales are very disappointing (~50,000 in the first couple of weeks, not much more than that later on, 3% of smartphones sales in the UK and other horrors… ).

On the other hand, apps number raised significantly and getting close to 3,000 apps in the marketplace.

Not too bad at all, but can it be that there are now more developers using Windows Phone 7 than actual consumers???
(according to Microsoft, there are already 15,000 developers using WP7)

Weird…

Personally, I don't think WinPho7 would be a complete failure.
I believe in the product. I think the OS is good enough for version 1, all the rest will surely come very quickly.

In addition, the world is tired from Android – today's only alternative to the 4 years old iPhone which is also not getting younger if you know what I mean.

Bottom line, the world needs a 3rd player, the world needs something to bridge the gap between iPhone's closed environment and Android's way too open / messy environment. That's where Microsoft can get into the picture.

The only obstacles are marketing, users perceptions (they all see windows phone and remember windows mobile), and price of devices (which is currently way too expensive).

I guess we shall wait and see if Microsoft manages to perform a turnaround and build some positive momentum around it real soon…

Is that the end of Symbian?

Recently I've been reading many articles talking about the Symbian continuous decrease.

The last ones I've seen were talking about the fact that in according to market research company Gfk, Android now being the Asia’s most popular Mobile OS. While this is known to be already the case in the US, the Asia numbers should worry Nokia very much. (source)

(Don't like Symbian? Never had a Nokia phone? That's great! Follow me on Twitter and you won't have to worry about it anymore… )

But that's not all.

We all know Nokia took over the Sybian development ownership long ago, but the Symbian Foundation was always somewhere behind the scenes.

Now, according to MobileCrunch, the Symbian Foundation is about to shut down all their websites:

"That’s right, every single website — including the source code, kits, wiki, bug database, reference documentation, and Symbian Ideas hosted on them — will be removed from the web."

Sounds like someone is getting tired of Symbian and I'm not talking about myself of course… MeeGo – here we come!

1 comments | Read more...

Recently I've been reading many articles talking about the Symbian continuous decrease.

The last ones I've seen were talking about the fact that in according to market research company Gfk, Android now being the Asia’s most popular Mobile OS. While this is known to be already the case in the US, the Asia numbers should worry Nokia very much. (source)

(Don't like Symbian? Never had a Nokia phone? That's great! Follow me on Twitter and you won't have to worry about it anymore… )

But that's not all.

We all know Nokia took over the Sybian development ownership long ago, but the Symbian Foundation was always somewhere behind the scenes.

Now, according to MobileCrunch, the Symbian Foundation is about to shut down all their websites:

"That’s right, every single website — including the source code, kits, wiki, bug database, reference documentation, and Symbian Ideas hosted on them — will be removed from the web."

Sounds like someone is getting tired of Symbian and I'm not talking about myself of course… MeeGo – here we come!

Windows Phone 7 Jailbroken. That was fast…

It seems like 1 month is just too much for the techies.

few weeks after the release date, approximately 3,000 apps, rumors of slow sales, and… jailbreaking tool. Naturally.

According to David K from MobilityDigest:

"ChevronWP7 has been released by some of the gurus who have been tinkering with the APIs. It’s as simple as connecting your phone via usb and launching an .exe file. This lets you install apps that do not comply with Marketplace standards. So yes, porn can come in but more importantly that means devs can use all APIs out there including the sensors and native code that they don’t have access to. This also means custom theme colors, ringtones, hardware button assignment, tethering/wifi sharing are all within reach."

Wonderful.

The install steps can be found at http://www.chevronwp7.com/ and we can all expect a central site to host XAPs that third parties can share and download freely. Let’s also see how long MS let’s this stand before patching it.

Read more about it in here:
Windows Phone Unlocked For All – Pirates Need Not Apply
Windows Phone 7 Jailbroken: ChevronWP7 Enables Sideloading

2 comments | Read more...

It seems like 1 month is just too much for the techies.

few weeks after the release date, approximately 3,000 apps, rumors of slow sales, and… jailbreaking tool. Naturally.

According to David K from MobilityDigest:

"ChevronWP7 has been released by some of the gurus who have been tinkering with the APIs. It’s as simple as connecting your phone via usb and launching an .exe file. This lets you install apps that do not comply with Marketplace standards. So yes, porn can come in but more importantly that means devs can use all APIs out there including the sensors and native code that they don’t have access to. This also means custom theme colors, ringtones, hardware button assignment, tethering/wifi sharing are all within reach."

Wonderful.

The install steps can be found at http://www.chevronwp7.com/ and we can all expect a central site to host XAPs that third parties can share and download freely. Let’s also see how long MS let’s this stand before patching it.

Read more about it in here:
Windows Phone Unlocked For All – Pirates Need Not Apply
Windows Phone 7 Jailbroken: ChevronWP7 Enables Sideloading

Murphy's Law #2: Steven Seagal Cannot Be Harmed

Not sure why I even bother writing about it, but sometimes you just can't control your actions…

Recently the cables company decided to play a Steven Seagal movie every evening… and I mean… EVERY evening.

Not judging the guy for his movies quality (I can remember one which was actually a classic with "Screw-Face" as a well remembered evil enemy) – I do have one big problem with Steven's fight scenes.

He never gets hurt!

How can it be!?

Is he a super hero or what?!

I mean, you've seen Bruce Willis in his films, right? You know how there is always blood all over him… Or maybe Stallone, another culture hero which is covered with blood most of his films…

Steven Seagal? I never saw him bleed…

  

OK, so the guy is 7th dan Aikido master, but admit it, he is not that young or well shaped any longer… even the hair is not as neat as it used to be back in the 80's – so how come he never gets a single punch?

You all liked my first Murphy's Law, talking about how the first attempt to plug in a USB cable will always go the wrong way… I truly believe I found another one, it may not fit Murphy's classic scenarios, but it's a law I guarantee you that…

5 comments | Read more...

Not sure why I even bother writing about it, but sometimes you just can't control your actions…

Recently the cables company decided to play a Steven Seagal movie every evening… and I mean… EVERY evening.

Not judging the guy for his movies quality (I can remember one which was actually a classic with "Screw-Face" as a well remembered evil enemy) – I do have one big problem with Steven's fight scenes.

He never gets hurt!

How can it be!?

Is he a super hero or what?!

I mean, you've seen Bruce Willis in his films, right? You know how there is always blood all over him… Or maybe Stallone, another culture hero which is covered with blood most of his films…

Steven Seagal? I never saw him bleed…

  

OK, so the guy is 7th dan Aikido master, but admit it, he is not that young or well shaped any longer… even the hair is not as neat as it used to be back in the 80's – so how come he never gets a single punch?

You all liked my first Murphy's Law, talking about how the first attempt to plug in a USB cable will always go the wrong way… I truly believe I found another one, it may not fit Murphy's classic scenarios, but it's a law I guarantee you that…

Html5 – The Only True Cross Platform Technology for Mobile Devices

A decade ago, there was this ongoing debate around cross platform technologies, the importance of cross platform technologies, Java Vs. MS.Net Vs. web and other alternatives.

Years went buy, browsers got bigger and stronger, Java proved that a native cross platform technology cannot really exist, not because it's impossible, but because there are too many sides involved, each pushing to a different direction. The question remained open.

With the recent mobile revolution, placing multiple mobile platforms like iOS, Android, BlackBerry and others in the front of the bleeding edge technology, the cross platform question is once again relevant.

How do you build a software that can seamlessly run on BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, and even Windows Phone 7?

The endless war between Apple (iPhone/iPad), Adobe (Flash), Google (Android), and Microsoft (Silverlight, Windows, Windows Phone) has more losers than winners; Apple products will probably never run Flash, Google will never run Microsoft's Silverlight, and Microsoft will never promote Java or Flash.

The war has a lot of casualties, many of them are the developers, trying to find a way to support both Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, and soon, Windows Phone 7.

But without noticing, from the ruining of this crazy war, raised a new force.
Not exactly "new" but more of a "renewed" force. Completely neutral.
It's the classic good old web technologies, including Html, Java script, those basic technologies responsible for billions of web sites and web applications all over the internet, those technologies have quietly emerged from building simple static pages to creating basic apps, They evolved form enabling simple on-line apps into creating advanced on-line/offline apps for any platform out there. Including mobile.

Yes, while Apple is fighting Google, Adobe and RIM, and while Microsoft is struggling to understand how to position silverlight, all of them are pushing something "else", something which is truly lightweight, something that is truly running on top of any mobile operating system, something that is so simple and familiar, every developer can easily adopt.

Something which is truly neutral, and therefore can be the only true cross platform technology.

Html technologies were around for years, they will always remain the basis for every web-based technology, but as Palm's webOS proved, they can also be used to create native applications. Rich, advanced, offline applications.

Html5 is here

By now you are probably familiar with the term Html5 (if not – you should). Html5 adds advanced video & media capabilities, integration with hardware, drag & drop and most importantly: offline & database capabilities (!) to the standard web technologies.

Supported by almost all the leading browsers and micro-browsers (Apple, Google, BlackBerry, HP-Palm, and soon Microsoft) – Html5 is, de-facto, the only true cross platform technology to date.

With Html5 (combined with java script, CSS, and other web goodies, of course) you can build a rich client application with offline capabilities that will run on any Android based smartphone, iPhone, iPad, Palm Pre, BlackBerry PlayBook or Torch, oh, and of course will also run on any laptop, netbook, etc.

What's next?

Of course, that is not all. With the constantly improving micro browsers, additional native capabilities are added to the core capabilities of web apps: accessing GPS information, integrating with wireless ports, Phone, and more. Soon we will see web apps fully integrating with the camera, contacts, and other native apps without having to go through different hybrid layers.

In a year from now, everyone will want Html5. This is why Apple pushes it, Google loves it (and even abandoned it's home grown Gears technology for it), and this is also the reason why even Microsoft recently hinted Html5 will replace Silverlight as part of the company's web strategy.

Why am I telling you all of this?

First, because I believe it's an interesting topic, especially when talking about smartphones and the need to support multiple platforms that are using different technologies.

Second, because in my real work (working for ClickSoftware), as a product manager of a few mobile products for the field service, we spotted that need a long time ago, and decided to build some of our smartphones strategy on top of Html5. During the development period we gradually discovered how quickly does this world of Html5 and micro-browser progress. webOS, BlackBerry OS 6 (with the new browser), all of the webKit based micro-browsers – that's an amazing world to be in at the moment.

More details about the product we have just released can be found in here:

Introducing ClickMobile Professional – The First Hybrid Application With True Cross Platform Capabilities

     

Link to the full article

3 comments | Read more...

A decade ago, there was this ongoing debate around cross platform technologies, the importance of cross platform technologies, Java Vs. MS.Net Vs. web and other alternatives.

Years went buy, browsers got bigger and stronger, Java proved that a native cross platform technology cannot really exist, not because it's impossible, but because there are too many sides involved, each pushing to a different direction. The question remained open.

With the recent mobile revolution, placing multiple mobile platforms like iOS, Android, BlackBerry and others in the front of the bleeding edge technology, the cross platform question is once again relevant.

How do you build a software that can seamlessly run on BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, and even Windows Phone 7?

The endless war between Apple (iPhone/iPad), Adobe (Flash), Google (Android), and Microsoft (Silverlight, Windows, Windows Phone) has more losers than winners; Apple products will probably never run Flash, Google will never run Microsoft's Silverlight, and Microsoft will never promote Java or Flash.

The war has a lot of casualties, many of them are the developers, trying to find a way to support both Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, and soon, Windows Phone 7.

But without noticing, from the ruining of this crazy war, raised a new force.
Not exactly "new" but more of a "renewed" force. Completely neutral.
It's the classic good old web technologies, including Html, Java script, those basic technologies responsible for billions of web sites and web applications all over the internet, those technologies have quietly emerged from building simple static pages to creating basic apps, They evolved form enabling simple on-line apps into creating advanced on-line/offline apps for any platform out there. Including mobile.

Yes, while Apple is fighting Google, Adobe and RIM, and while Microsoft is struggling to understand how to position silverlight, all of them are pushing something "else", something which is truly lightweight, something that is truly running on top of any mobile operating system, something that is so simple and familiar, every developer can easily adopt.

Something which is truly neutral, and therefore can be the only true cross platform technology.

Html technologies were around for years, they will always remain the basis for every web-based technology, but as Palm's webOS proved, they can also be used to create native applications. Rich, advanced, offline applications.

Html5 is here

By now you are probably familiar with the term Html5 (if not – you should). Html5 adds advanced video & media capabilities, integration with hardware, drag & drop and most importantly: offline & database capabilities (!) to the standard web technologies.

Supported by almost all the leading browsers and micro-browsers (Apple, Google, BlackBerry, HP-Palm, and soon Microsoft) – Html5 is, de-facto, the only true cross platform technology to date.

With Html5 (combined with java script, CSS, and other web goodies, of course) you can build a rich client application with offline capabilities that will run on any Android based smartphone, iPhone, iPad, Palm Pre, BlackBerry PlayBook or Torch, oh, and of course will also run on any laptop, netbook, etc.

What's next?

Of course, that is not all. With the constantly improving micro browsers, additional native capabilities are added to the core capabilities of web apps: accessing GPS information, integrating with wireless ports, Phone, and more. Soon we will see web apps fully integrating with the camera, contacts, and other native apps without having to go through different hybrid layers.

In a year from now, everyone will want Html5. This is why Apple pushes it, Google loves it (and even abandoned it's home grown Gears technology for it), and this is also the reason why even Microsoft recently hinted Html5 will replace Silverlight as part of the company's web strategy.

Why am I telling you all of this?

First, because I believe it's an interesting topic, especially when talking about smartphones and the need to support multiple platforms that are using different technologies.

Second, because in my real work (working for ClickSoftware), as a product manager of a few mobile products for the field service, we spotted that need a long time ago, and decided to build some of our smartphones strategy on top of Html5. During the development period we gradually discovered how quickly does this world of Html5 and micro-browser progress. webOS, BlackBerry OS 6 (with the new browser), all of the webKit based micro-browsers – that's an amazing world to be in at the moment.

More details about the product we have just released can be found in here:

Introducing ClickMobile Professional – The First Hybrid Application With True Cross Platform Capabilities

     

Link to the full article

How about a 3D Smartphone? No Thanks…

I barely got used (or too excited) to the 3D movies, and now 3D screens are everywhere, including… smartphones?

Sharp recently presented a new smartphone called LYNX 3D, running Android 2.1 with a 3D screen (that can rotate back and forth from 3D to 2D).

Excited? I'm not. I'm better off sticking with my 2 dimensional digital life, no 3D for me…

Take a look:

1 comments | Read more...

I barely got used (or too excited) to the 3D movies, and now 3D screens are everywhere, including… smartphones?

Sharp recently presented a new smartphone called LYNX 3D, running Android 2.1 with a 3D screen (that can rotate back and forth from 3D to 2D).

Excited? I'm not. I'm better off sticking with my 2 dimensional digital life, no 3D for me…

Take a look:

Cyanogen

This post is for all of you who want to root your android devices and install an alternative ROM other then the one received from the carrier.
(a ROM is a modified OS on top of the android open source project. read more about it here).

I recommend the Cyanogen project. it's basically an accumulation of components compiled ("cooked") into one whole ROM.
Cyanogen ROMs are all about adding tons of functionality to the OS (they made tethering possible long before Froyo came) as well as improving performance (speed and CPU consumption of the device).

Some features:

1. Excellent locale to practically every country.
2. Lots of UI tweaks (change black/white theme, adding more home screens, etc)
3. More pre-installed apps (FM radio, task killer, torch and more)

Cyanogen cook ROMs for a variety of devices (They do terribly lack the Samsung Galaxy ROM but they work hardly on it these days). you can select between stable builds, experimental builds and, for the brave souls - the nightly builds.
Check out the site (it's not the state of the are web sites, but if you go to "Forum" -> "Downloads" you'll get all you need).

Watch the video showing some Cyanogen Mod stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLBTjzbbvs

App of the week:
Today I recommend picplz. it's a direct competitor to the fast growing iPhone-only instagram. 
It lets you upload photos you take with your phone and add visual tweaks to it (example - make the photo look like it was taken in the 70's).
It also have social element to it (friends and followers) but the integration with facebook/twitter makes it redundant, I think. check it out (this time I added the QR code below, so you can scan it with your device using Google Goggles / Barcode Scanner app!)

Update: just to give you guys a taste - look what I did to my lock screen, thanks to the latest nightly build of Cyanogen: 

I added the phone and the messaging unlock swipers so I can make a call/SMS faster. Cool! 

2 comments | Read more...

This post is for all of you who want to root your android devices and install an alternative ROM other then the one received from the carrier.
(a ROM is a modified OS on top of the android open source project. read more about it here).

I recommend the Cyanogen project. it's basically an accumulation of components compiled ("cooked") into one whole ROM.
Cyanogen ROMs are all about adding tons of functionality to the OS (they made tethering possible long before Froyo came) as well as improving performance (speed and CPU consumption of the device).

Some features:

1. Excellent locale to practically every country.
2. Lots of UI tweaks (change black/white theme, adding more home screens, etc)
3. More pre-installed apps (FM radio, task killer, torch and more)

Cyanogen cook ROMs for a variety of devices (They do terribly lack the Samsung Galaxy ROM but they work hardly on it these days). you can select between stable builds, experimental builds and, for the brave souls - the nightly builds.
Check out the site (it's not the state of the are web sites, but if you go to "Forum" -> "Downloads" you'll get all you need).

Watch the video showing some Cyanogen Mod stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLBTjzbbvs

App of the week:
Today I recommend picplz. it's a direct competitor to the fast growing iPhone-only instagram. 
It lets you upload photos you take with your phone and add visual tweaks to it (example - make the photo look like it was taken in the 70's).
It also have social element to it (friends and followers) but the integration with facebook/twitter makes it redundant, I think. check it out (this time I added the QR code below, so you can scan it with your device using Google Goggles / Barcode Scanner app!)

Update: just to give you guys a taste - look what I did to my lock screen, thanks to the latest nightly build of Cyanogen: 

I added the phone and the messaging unlock swipers so I can make a call/SMS faster. Cool! 

LG Optimus One Steals The Android Show!

Two of my favorite topics: smartphones and transformers, what a joy!

LG reported that it has sold 1 million pieces of the new Android phone, the Optimus One, in just 40 days. Surprise? I think it is!

LG recently started making Windows Phone 7 handsets, but in parallel, made a low-cost Android phone under the codename Optimus (with multiple extensions to it, like T, One, etc. ) The release happened all over the world in parallel, and apparently there aren't enough cheap Android devices out there, otherwise how could you explain such a huge success?

(Well, as a transformers fan I could maybe relate some of it to the name…)

Oh, another thing worth mentioning is that the phone comes with version 2.2 built in, no need to wait for an upgrade etc.

Yep. Kudos LG. I definitely didn't see this one coming…

(BTW, Original Optimus Prime drawing by EspenG)

3 comments | Read more...

Two of my favorite topics: smartphones and transformers, what a joy!

LG reported that it has sold 1 million pieces of the new Android phone, the Optimus One, in just 40 days. Surprise? I think it is!

LG recently started making Windows Phone 7 handsets, but in parallel, made a low-cost Android phone under the codename Optimus (with multiple extensions to it, like T, One, etc. ) The release happened all over the world in parallel, and apparently there aren't enough cheap Android devices out there, otherwise how could you explain such a huge success?

(Well, as a transformers fan I could maybe relate some of it to the name…)

Oh, another thing worth mentioning is that the phone comes with version 2.2 built in, no need to wait for an upgrade etc.

Yep. Kudos LG. I definitely didn't see this one coming…

(BTW, Original Optimus Prime drawing by EspenG)

Windows Phone 7 Tablet – Video (Concept)

In a world that is slowly turning from smartphones into mini tablets, I'm asking myself how Microsoft will deal with the tablets fashion.

Obviously it will use its' most powerful OS – Windows 7 to turn it into the tablets OS – but is it a smart decision?

For some reason, Windows 7 still misses some very basic UI standards that can turn it into a finger friendly environment, I have not idea why Microsoft failed to see the need – tray icons are ironically small, scroll-bars are outdated, etc. And of course there will always be the doubts about battery life, required CPU etc.

On the other hand, Windows Phone 7 is not even 1 month old, and already it is needed to support multiple screen sizes? Sounds too early.

Still, looking at Windows Phone 7 as a good candidate for becoming a mini-tablet OS – here's a cool concept video showing how would it look like if Windows Phone 7 would run on a tablet, enjoy!

Tablet Concept - running Windows Phone 7 OS from umang on Vimeo.

3 comments | Read more...

In a world that is slowly turning from smartphones into mini tablets, I'm asking myself how Microsoft will deal with the tablets fashion.

Obviously it will use its' most powerful OS – Windows 7 to turn it into the tablets OS – but is it a smart decision?

For some reason, Windows 7 still misses some very basic UI standards that can turn it into a finger friendly environment, I have not idea why Microsoft failed to see the need – tray icons are ironically small, scroll-bars are outdated, etc. And of course there will always be the doubts about battery life, required CPU etc.

On the other hand, Windows Phone 7 is not even 1 month old, and already it is needed to support multiple screen sizes? Sounds too early.

Still, looking at Windows Phone 7 as a good candidate for becoming a mini-tablet OS – here's a cool concept video showing how would it look like if Windows Phone 7 would run on a tablet, enjoy!

Tablet Concept - running Windows Phone 7 OS from umang on Vimeo.

PlayBook Vs. iPad – The Web Test

OK, this is a cool video, mainly because it gives, at last, a living demo of the PlayBook (see more of those in here), but also because it shows how nice the PlayBook is going to be with the Flash support, Html5, fast rendering etc.

Of course, by the time it will be released, Apple will release their second iPad release, so things will look a bit different…

Enjoy the video: BlackBerry PlayBook vs. Apple iPad – Web Fidelity:

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

2 comments | Read more...

OK, this is a cool video, mainly because it gives, at last, a living demo of the PlayBook (see more of those in here), but also because it shows how nice the PlayBook is going to be with the Flash support, Html5, fast rendering etc.

Of course, by the time it will be released, Apple will release their second iPad release, so things will look a bit different…

Enjoy the video: BlackBerry PlayBook vs. Apple iPad – Web Fidelity:

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Pulse News Reader is now free for iPad, iPhone and Android

Pulse, a visually stunning news reader for iPhone and iPad is not available for free at the AppStore. In addition, it's now available at the Android Market – free of charge.

I usually read my technology blogs using NewsRack, in my opinion the best RSS Reader for iPad, but Pulse has a unique look and feel, animated and visually appealing. You know what, instead of me describing it to you, check out a 20 seconds video I've made:

What others were looking for?
Best RSS Reader for iPad, iOS News Reader, Pulse Free, Pulse for Android, News Reader for Android, Free RSS Reader

Technorati Tags: iPad,iPhone,iPod Touch,Android,RSS Reader

1 comments | Read more...

Pulse, a visually stunning news reader for iPhone and iPad is not available for free at the AppStore. In addition, it's now available at the Android Market – free of charge.

I usually read my technology blogs using NewsRack, in my opinion the best RSS Reader for iPad, but Pulse has a unique look and feel, animated and visually appealing. You know what, instead of me describing it to you, check out a 20 seconds video I've made:

What others were looking for?
Best RSS Reader for iPad, iOS News Reader, Pulse Free, Pulse for Android, News Reader for Android, Free RSS Reader

Technorati Tags: iPad,iPhone,iPod Touch,Android,RSS Reader

Fight Club: iPhone 4, Android, Windows Phone 7, which one of them is Brad Pit?

iPhone 4 Vs. Google Android… Again???

Oh, but this time there's a new comer: Windows Phone 7…

Well, this one was published few days ago, but it's just so funny I couldn't resist placing it here, at the mobile spoon.

Hmmm, yummy, makes you want to eat one of those tasty looking phones, isn't it?

This is why I must get myself a Windows Phone 7 device… 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

0 comments | Read more...

iPhone 4 Vs. Google Android… Again???

Oh, but this time there's a new comer: Windows Phone 7…

Well, this one was published few days ago, but it's just so funny I couldn't resist placing it here, at the mobile spoon.

Hmmm, yummy, makes you want to eat one of those tasty looking phones, isn't it?

This is why I must get myself a Windows Phone 7 device… 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

The First Rugged iPad Case By ASUS

I recently found the perfect function for my abandoned Asus NetBook:

An iPad stand:

That turns into a rugged iPad case:

Here's a video describing the many functions of the Asus NetBook iPad Stand:

(credit goes to the owner of the movie: SeattleBrad)

1 comments | Read more...

I recently found the perfect function for my abandoned Asus NetBook:

An iPad stand:

That turns into a rugged iPad case:

Here's a video describing the many functions of the Asus NetBook iPad Stand:

(credit goes to the owner of the movie: SeattleBrad)

iPhone Hack: Present Your Calendar Information On Your Lock Screen

If you are looking for a way to view your calendar information embedded inside your iPhone lock-screen – there are a few Cydia applications that provide that functionality – only one of them is free, and it's called Lock Calendar. Continue reading for more information…

After almost dumping my iPhone in favor of an… iPad (yes, I admit, since I had my iPad, the iPhone looked like a crippled tiny version of the real deal…), and looking for ways to get rid of it, I accidently found a solution for my performance issues and now I'm back on track with iPhone: I still think it's the best mobile platform: both device, OS, UI, apps – everything.

Sure, it misses the ability to use widgets, but hey, that's why I try to keep my iOS devices jailbroken; you can rest assure that there's a Cydia app for that!

In the past I used to recommend on LockInfo as a great app to host widgets and information in your iPhone lock screen. To be honest, LockInfo brings much more than that, with an improved home page, plug-ins you can add, and much more.

But, the problem with LockInfo is that it costs money. And I'm currently saving all my money for one thing and one thing only: Windows Phone 7 smartphone, It's not the right time to spend money on that old dilapidated iPhone isn't it?

So broken as I currently am, I started looking for a free alternative, Nothing fancy, as most of the widgets are usually not the kind of things you want to expose in your lock screen (emails? SMS? Tasks? I just need to see my next meeting, that would be enough), and guess what? There is one, and it's very easy to spot it as well – it's called Lock Calendar, and it includes the exact functionality I was looking for: configurable view of my calendar, embedded inside the lock screen, beautifully designed, scrollable, and most improtant, extremely flexible and configurable (colors, fonts, background, transparency, etc.)

So, to conclude, if you are looking for a simple and free way to present your calendar information inside your iPhone's lock screen – there's a Cydia app for that, it's called Lock Calendar.

What others were looking for:
LockInfo free alternative, Lock Calendar, LockScreen free calendar view, free calendar widget for iPhone, Lock Screen Calendar, how to show your calendar on your lock screen, customize your iPhone lock screen

Technorati Tags: Lock Calendar,iPhone,iPhone Tweak,iPhone Hack,Lock Screen Calendar

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

0 comments | Read more...

If you are looking for a way to view your calendar information embedded inside your iPhone lock-screen – there are a few Cydia applications that provide that functionality – only one of them is free, and it's called Lock Calendar. Continue reading for more information…

After almost dumping my iPhone in favor of an… iPad (yes, I admit, since I had my iPad, the iPhone looked like a crippled tiny version of the real deal…), and looking for ways to get rid of it, I accidently found a solution for my performance issues and now I'm back on track with iPhone: I still think it's the best mobile platform: both device, OS, UI, apps – everything.

Sure, it misses the ability to use widgets, but hey, that's why I try to keep my iOS devices jailbroken; you can rest assure that there's a Cydia app for that!

In the past I used to recommend on LockInfo as a great app to host widgets and information in your iPhone lock screen. To be honest, LockInfo brings much more than that, with an improved home page, plug-ins you can add, and much more.

But, the problem with LockInfo is that it costs money. And I'm currently saving all my money for one thing and one thing only: Windows Phone 7 smartphone, It's not the right time to spend money on that old dilapidated iPhone isn't it?

So broken as I currently am, I started looking for a free alternative, Nothing fancy, as most of the widgets are usually not the kind of things you want to expose in your lock screen (emails? SMS? Tasks? I just need to see my next meeting, that would be enough), and guess what? There is one, and it's very easy to spot it as well – it's called Lock Calendar, and it includes the exact functionality I was looking for: configurable view of my calendar, embedded inside the lock screen, beautifully designed, scrollable, and most improtant, extremely flexible and configurable (colors, fonts, background, transparency, etc.)

So, to conclude, if you are looking for a simple and free way to present your calendar information inside your iPhone's lock screen – there's a Cydia app for that, it's called Lock Calendar.

What others were looking for:
LockInfo free alternative, Lock Calendar, LockScreen free calendar view, free calendar widget for iPhone, Lock Screen Calendar, how to show your calendar on your lock screen, customize your iPhone lock screen

Technorati Tags: Lock Calendar,iPhone,iPhone Tweak,iPhone Hack,Lock Screen Calendar

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Gingerbread! (Android 2.3)

Last week we got the first formal "hint" about the upcoming new android version - Gingerbread (Android 2.3).
Rumors has it that it will be announced sometimes between now and Christmas.
What to expect in this new version? here's a partial, unconfirmed list:

1. Better support for the bigger screen. the launch of Samsung Tab made a lot of criticism about the lack of tablet support from Google side. the next version should address that as well as Google TV resolution support.
2. Back in May, at the Google I/O 2010, a new kind of music service was announced - a kind that would directly be an iTunes competitor. it's about syncing your music using the Android Market (no cables needed). actually we were expecting that to be on Froyo but there was no sign for that...
3. Gaming - we already heard that Google is collaborating with Sony. Gingerbread will enhance the 3D engine to support a higher level of gaming.
4. Also in Google I/O, Google announced a new video format for the web, the WebM. so Gingerbread should have support for playing that.
5. Various UI improvements (as expected on every new release). it was also mentioned a better copy & paste experience.

Once this new version is announced, Nexus One users can expect an immediate download options. Other's modification users (Motorola blur, HTC Sense, etc.) need to wait until Google will release the version for the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) until their providers will be able to start develop the new mod.

Stay tuned...

@oriharel

5 comments | Read more...

Last week we got the first formal "hint" about the upcoming new android version - Gingerbread (Android 2.3).
Rumors has it that it will be announced sometimes between now and Christmas.
What to expect in this new version? here's a partial, unconfirmed list:

1. Better support for the bigger screen. the launch of Samsung Tab made a lot of criticism about the lack of tablet support from Google side. the next version should address that as well as Google TV resolution support.
2. Back in May, at the Google I/O 2010, a new kind of music service was announced - a kind that would directly be an iTunes competitor. it's about syncing your music using the Android Market (no cables needed). actually we were expecting that to be on Froyo but there was no sign for that...
3. Gaming - we already heard that Google is collaborating with Sony. Gingerbread will enhance the 3D engine to support a higher level of gaming.
4. Also in Google I/O, Google announced a new video format for the web, the WebM. so Gingerbread should have support for playing that.
5. Various UI improvements (as expected on every new release). it was also mentioned a better copy & paste experience.

Once this new version is announced, Nexus One users can expect an immediate download options. Other's modification users (Motorola blur, HTC Sense, etc.) need to wait until Google will release the version for the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) until their providers will be able to start develop the new mod.

Stay tuned...

@oriharel

Can The Droid Remain The Number One Selling Android Phone?

I recently read somewhere that Droid 2 and Droid X are experiencing a lower sales rate than the original Droid. Actually, the first Droid was, and still is, the best selling Android smartphone ever, but things are changing…

Samsung said it had shipped 7 million Galaxy S Android phones, 3 million of them to the US. Samsung is the leading handset OEM in the US market overall according to recent comScore data. 

So Droid has already lost its luster vs. Galaxy S, but still leads the total sales numbers.

I recently used it as part of my daily job (I'm blogging only at nights) and I have to say that for a 1 year old device, the Droid rocks. Solid device, nice keyboard (although the D-Pad location is a bit annoying), unique design, the kind that makes you say: it's so ugly it makes it beautiful.

There are, from time to time, special models that succeed more than others due to "something"… HTC Tilt had this "something", Palm Treo 750 had this "something", you cannot always explain what is that "something", but it's there.

Add to it the massive marketing and you can understand why it is the best selling Android model ever. But things are changing fast in mobility, and I bet that in a few months from now we will have a new winner in that category…

Anyone willing to bet which one it will be?

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

1 comments | Read more...

I recently read somewhere that Droid 2 and Droid X are experiencing a lower sales rate than the original Droid. Actually, the first Droid was, and still is, the best selling Android smartphone ever, but things are changing…

Samsung said it had shipped 7 million Galaxy S Android phones, 3 million of them to the US. Samsung is the leading handset OEM in the US market overall according to recent comScore data. 

So Droid has already lost its luster vs. Galaxy S, but still leads the total sales numbers.

I recently used it as part of my daily job (I'm blogging only at nights) and I have to say that for a 1 year old device, the Droid rocks. Solid device, nice keyboard (although the D-Pad location is a bit annoying), unique design, the kind that makes you say: it's so ugly it makes it beautiful.

There are, from time to time, special models that succeed more than others due to "something"… HTC Tilt had this "something", Palm Treo 750 had this "something", you cannot always explain what is that "something", but it's there.

Add to it the massive marketing and you can understand why it is the best selling Android model ever. But things are changing fast in mobility, and I bet that in a few months from now we will have a new winner in that category…

Anyone willing to bet which one it will be?

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Boost Your Old iPhone Performance In One Simple Step

If you are one of the few people who still use an old iPhone 3G, you probably noticed that performance is constantly becoming an issue, especially comparing to newer iPhones or iPad.

I was under the impression my iPhone's performance sucked due to the high number of tweaks and hacks I installed over the years (multi-tasking before multi-tasking even existed, Cydia hacks, and multiple apps) – and I was certain I'm going to format is a minute before dropping it into the toilets.

Clicking the home button took sometimes 5 seconds! opening an up took forever and my friends were laughing at me saying a mobile blogger like me cannot use such a stinky phone…

But, guess what, and accidental search brought me into this thread talking about a simple trick to boost your iPhone performance with minimal effort.

The tip is to disable disable the spotlight search mechanism which is causing performance issues – mostly when moving from the first shortcuts page to the spotlight page.

However, after applying that trick I found that my entire phone now works much faster! The main problem I had was exiting apps into the home page which took a few seconds and now it's fast as it used to be!

Ha ha ha! Who sent my good old iPhone to the toilets?

I'm keeping it for good! (well, until iPhone 5 at least…)

To apply the tip, go to 'setting', click 'general', 'home' ,'search' and now disable as many items as you possibly can – those bastards are slowing down your phone ALL THE TIME…

Things other searched for:
How to boost iPhone performance, Speed up your iPhone, Problems with slow iPhone 3G, iPhone performance issues, how to fix performance problems in iPhone 3G

Technorati Tags: iPhone 3G,Performance,tweak,tip

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

10 comments | Read more...

If you are one of the few people who still use an old iPhone 3G, you probably noticed that performance is constantly becoming an issue, especially comparing to newer iPhones or iPad.

I was under the impression my iPhone's performance sucked due to the high number of tweaks and hacks I installed over the years (multi-tasking before multi-tasking even existed, Cydia hacks, and multiple apps) – and I was certain I'm going to format is a minute before dropping it into the toilets.

Clicking the home button took sometimes 5 seconds! opening an up took forever and my friends were laughing at me saying a mobile blogger like me cannot use such a stinky phone…

But, guess what, and accidental search brought me into this thread talking about a simple trick to boost your iPhone performance with minimal effort.

The tip is to disable disable the spotlight search mechanism which is causing performance issues – mostly when moving from the first shortcuts page to the spotlight page.

However, after applying that trick I found that my entire phone now works much faster! The main problem I had was exiting apps into the home page which took a few seconds and now it's fast as it used to be!

Ha ha ha! Who sent my good old iPhone to the toilets?

I'm keeping it for good! (well, until iPhone 5 at least…)

To apply the tip, go to 'setting', click 'general', 'home' ,'search' and now disable as many items as you possibly can – those bastards are slowing down your phone ALL THE TIME…

Things other searched for:
How to boost iPhone performance, Speed up your iPhone, Problems with slow iPhone 3G, iPhone performance issues, how to fix performance problems in iPhone 3G

Technorati Tags: iPhone 3G,Performance,tweak,tip

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

How to download a PDF File Directly To Your iPad (Without Using iTunes)

If you ever wanted to download a PDF file directly to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and didn't know how – here is a post exactly for you!

One of the things that bother me about Android is that too many applications are relying on the cloud for storage. Maybe it's because I'm a skeptical guy, maybe it's because I was born in the 70's, who knows. Bottom line is that for some information, I prefer to have my files with me. Physically.

On the other hand…

One of the things that bother me about the iOS is that everything must be done through one of the worst applications mankind has ever created: iTunes. I just hate the long synchronization, the user interface, the annoying drag & drop – it's horrible.

Sounds weird?
I know…
It is...

Anyway, you probably ask yourself why do I bother telling you about things I dislike, is there a point or do I just want to "whine" about it?

Well, there is a point. Today I will show you how to bypass one of Apple's synchronization limitations by using a useful app.

Immediately after writing about the new (and free) ebook on Windows Phone 7 Programming, I wanted to download it to my iPad. I tried the download links from the Safari web browser and guess what? The entire book opened up, inside the browser…

Ha. What about offline reading? hmm…

So I turned to the AppStore, the place where almost every iOS pain is solved (well, besides for the ones that are being solved in Cydia of course… oops, who said that? Not me.. I NEVER unlock my iDevices… )

I looked for a good PDF reader and found a nice looking app called PDFReader Pro. Downloaded it and… voila! Exactly what I was looking for!

The reader lets you open a private browser or enter a URL directly and download any PDF directly from the web. Who needs Apple!?

PDFReader Pro has other great features built inside of it:

- Annotations and highlight support.
- USB file Sharing.
- Download email attachments.
- Landscape mode(auto rotation).
- Search capabilities( you can easily find any word on your PDF file).
- Jump to a specific page.
- Bookmark a page.
- open password protected PDF files.
- email PDF files directly from the application (files up to 10MB)
- Wifi web sharing ( to easily transfer your PDF files)
- Document Manager(copy,cut, paste and delete).
- Upload/download PDF files directly from the Web.
- Remember last position when open a PDF file.
- Scan Option available to create multipage documents in PDF format.
- Full Web browser to download PDF files from the web.

So, to conclude, if you are reading PDF files, no need to pass through iTunes any longer. No need to send them via emails – just download this useful app, and enjoy many other great features on top of a simple download functionality.

Oh, and don't thank me, I'm just the messenger…

(iTunes Link – PDFReader Pro)

BTW, If you know of a better PDF reader – please share it with us!

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Technorati Tags: iPad,iPad Application,PDF Reader,ebook,iPhone,iPod Touch,AppStore

0 comments | Read more...

If you ever wanted to download a PDF file directly to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and didn't know how – here is a post exactly for you!

One of the things that bother me about Android is that too many applications are relying on the cloud for storage. Maybe it's because I'm a skeptical guy, maybe it's because I was born in the 70's, who knows. Bottom line is that for some information, I prefer to have my files with me. Physically.

On the other hand…

One of the things that bother me about the iOS is that everything must be done through one of the worst applications mankind has ever created: iTunes. I just hate the long synchronization, the user interface, the annoying drag & drop – it's horrible.

Sounds weird?
I know…
It is...

Anyway, you probably ask yourself why do I bother telling you about things I dislike, is there a point or do I just want to "whine" about it?

Well, there is a point. Today I will show you how to bypass one of Apple's synchronization limitations by using a useful app.

Immediately after writing about the new (and free) ebook on Windows Phone 7 Programming, I wanted to download it to my iPad. I tried the download links from the Safari web browser and guess what? The entire book opened up, inside the browser…

Ha. What about offline reading? hmm…

So I turned to the AppStore, the place where almost every iOS pain is solved (well, besides for the ones that are being solved in Cydia of course… oops, who said that? Not me.. I NEVER unlock my iDevices… )

I looked for a good PDF reader and found a nice looking app called PDFReader Pro. Downloaded it and… voila! Exactly what I was looking for!

The reader lets you open a private browser or enter a URL directly and download any PDF directly from the web. Who needs Apple!?

PDFReader Pro has other great features built inside of it:

- Annotations and highlight support.
- USB file Sharing.
- Download email attachments.
- Landscape mode(auto rotation).
- Search capabilities( you can easily find any word on your PDF file).
- Jump to a specific page.
- Bookmark a page.
- open password protected PDF files.
- email PDF files directly from the application (files up to 10MB)
- Wifi web sharing ( to easily transfer your PDF files)
- Document Manager(copy,cut, paste and delete).
- Upload/download PDF files directly from the Web.
- Remember last position when open a PDF file.
- Scan Option available to create multipage documents in PDF format.
- Full Web browser to download PDF files from the web.

So, to conclude, if you are reading PDF files, no need to pass through iTunes any longer. No need to send them via emails – just download this useful app, and enjoy many other great features on top of a simple download functionality.

Oh, and don't thank me, I'm just the messenger…

(iTunes Link – PDFReader Pro)

BTW, If you know of a better PDF reader – please share it with us!

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Technorati Tags: iPad,iPad Application,PDF Reader,ebook,iPhone,iPod Touch,AppStore

Building My First Windows Phone 7 App: Free eBook

A friend of mine just reminded me that a developers book for windows phone can be downloaded for free from Microsoft's sites.

So check it out:
Get the book: Programming Windows Phone 7.
Get the code: Microsoft_Press_ebook_Programming_Windows_Phone_7_Sample_Code.zip

0 comments | Read more...

A friend of mine just reminded me that a developers book for windows phone can be downloaded for free from Microsoft's sites.

So check it out:
Get the book: Programming Windows Phone 7.
Get the code: Microsoft_Press_ebook_Programming_Windows_Phone_7_Sample_Code.zip

Why you should get an Android?

Hi,
My name is Ori (@oriharel). Gil was generously enough and allowed me to blog here every once and a while.
So I'll be talking about technology, Android and the mobile space in general. in each post I'll try to:
1. Update on technology news.
2. Some personal commentary
3. Few tips and tweaks I gather in the previous week.
Hope you'll enjoy!

my first post is: "Why you should get an Android?"

1. If you're a "heavy" Google user (i.e. your primary e-mail is Gmail account, you use Google Calendar/Maps/Talk) you won't find better Google-related apps on any other platform. Not only that the software is excellent, but the integration between them is seamless (e.g. from a Google calendar event you just hit the location of the meeting and you immediately sent to Google maps and a navigation begins!)
2. Besides, you better off with Google's innovation anyway. did you hear about the latest YouTube Remote app that's in the market? you use your android device as a remote control on YouTube. this is a preparation for Google TV but you can test it now (connect your laptop to your TV and leanback...). Read all about it here.
3. Which is actually a sag-way to the next topic: I actually couldn't download YouTube Remote because it's not available in my country. however, because I rooted my phone, I used an application that enables all Android Market geographic limitations to workaround it. rooting your pohone is a very friendly, one-time process which Google actually encourages (unlike others). Yes, you must void the warranty from your carrier but I find the Android community much more helpful then any other service provider I met in my life, so it was easy for me to let go the carrier's support.
   even more - when you root, you can install the latest android OS update and not have to wait for your carrier to do so.

I find the above the main reasons but there are more (Flash support, true multi-tasking, hardware diversity, etc.)

Tip of the week:

Typing on a 3.7 inch screen is one of the biggest challenges the smartphones industry is dealing with. the traditional keyboards and the letters layout was designed for two hands laying in a stationary position. one of the interesting keyboard apps that I found (thanks to @yaronsh1) is the SlideIT. (the "SlideIT Soft" is free, the "SlideIT Keyboard" is premium). you don't really need to type each word, but rather the keyboard "guesses" what you want to type, give it a try (look for SlideIT in the market). - see a screenshot below.

3 comments | Read more...

Hi,
My name is Ori (@oriharel). Gil was generously enough and allowed me to blog here every once and a while.
So I'll be talking about technology, Android and the mobile space in general. in each post I'll try to:
1. Update on technology news.
2. Some personal commentary
3. Few tips and tweaks I gather in the previous week.
Hope you'll enjoy!

my first post is: "Why you should get an Android?"

1. If you're a "heavy" Google user (i.e. your primary e-mail is Gmail account, you use Google Calendar/Maps/Talk) you won't find better Google-related apps on any other platform. Not only that the software is excellent, but the integration between them is seamless (e.g. from a Google calendar event you just hit the location of the meeting and you immediately sent to Google maps and a navigation begins!)
2. Besides, you better off with Google's innovation anyway. did you hear about the latest YouTube Remote app that's in the market? you use your android device as a remote control on YouTube. this is a preparation for Google TV but you can test it now (connect your laptop to your TV and leanback...). Read all about it here.
3. Which is actually a sag-way to the next topic: I actually couldn't download YouTube Remote because it's not available in my country. however, because I rooted my phone, I used an application that enables all Android Market geographic limitations to workaround it. rooting your pohone is a very friendly, one-time process which Google actually encourages (unlike others). Yes, you must void the warranty from your carrier but I find the Android community much more helpful then any other service provider I met in my life, so it was easy for me to let go the carrier's support.
   even more - when you root, you can install the latest android OS update and not have to wait for your carrier to do so.

I find the above the main reasons but there are more (Flash support, true multi-tasking, hardware diversity, etc.)

Tip of the week:

Typing on a 3.7 inch screen is one of the biggest challenges the smartphones industry is dealing with. the traditional keyboards and the letters layout was designed for two hands laying in a stationary position. one of the interesting keyboard apps that I found (thanks to @yaronsh1) is the SlideIT. (the "SlideIT Soft" is free, the "SlideIT Keyboard" is premium). you don't really need to type each word, but rather the keyboard "guesses" what you want to type, give it a try (look for SlideIT in the market). - see a screenshot below.

A nice video showing off some nice Samsung Continuum Concepts

A brilliant video by Samsung, explaining the benefits of the Samsung Continuum, with the Thicker display, the small additional screen which takes the Android multi-tasking to the next level. I love it.

1 comments | Read more...

A brilliant video by Samsung, explaining the benefits of the Samsung Continuum, with the Thicker display, the small additional screen which takes the Android multi-tasking to the next level. I love it.

The Incomplete Guide To Saving Your Smartphone Battery Life

Recently I'm having difficulties finishing a day without charging my smartphones… I decided to act and present to you the incomplete guide to saving your smartphone battery life.

1. Avoid long calls. If you have to, use one of your friend's phone.
2. Always carry a cell-phone with you. Those things may not be sexy but they can run for days.
3. Stop anything that drains the battery: background threads, games, running apps, screen, sound, keyboard, touch…
4. Read books instead of RSS feeds
5. Minimize the use of wireless networks like Wifi, Bluetooth, 4G, 3G, GPRS, modem, Morse code, pigeons
6. Turn off Push Notifications and email push. Even better: disable your email account. Why wasting good battery?
7. Use a GPS device when driving. Waze is not healthy for your smartphone.
8. When looking for information, try the newspaper. It may not have an instant search like Google has, but you can find interesting stuff in there. At least that's what I've heard…
9. Consider a smartphone with no screen. Screens are overrated and can swallow energy.
10. Always remember to… wait… my battery is low… let me just find a… |

0 comments | Read more...

Recently I'm having difficulties finishing a day without charging my smartphones… I decided to act and present to you the incomplete guide to saving your smartphone battery life.

1. Avoid long calls. If you have to, use one of your friend's phone.
2. Always carry a cell-phone with you. Those things may not be sexy but they can run for days.
3. Stop anything that drains the battery: background threads, games, running apps, screen, sound, keyboard, touch…
4. Read books instead of RSS feeds
5. Minimize the use of wireless networks like Wifi, Bluetooth, 4G, 3G, GPRS, modem, Morse code, pigeons
6. Turn off Push Notifications and email push. Even better: disable your email account. Why wasting good battery?
7. Use a GPS device when driving. Waze is not healthy for your smartphone.
8. When looking for information, try the newspaper. It may not have an instant search like Google has, but you can find interesting stuff in there. At least that's what I've heard…
9. Consider a smartphone with no screen. Screens are overrated and can swallow energy.
10. Always remember to… wait… my battery is low… let me just find a… |

Samsung Continuum brings 2 screens to one device

If you were getting bored of the recent smartphones design that started to repeat themselves, here is something new from Samsung; a dual screen for enhanced functionality of your smartphone.

Meet Samsung Continuum.
A monster phone, part of the Galaxy family, but with a twist in its' front: 2 screens instead of one.

Wait, what was that? 2 screens instead of one? both of them in the front of the phone?

You have to see it to understand it:

The purpose of the second screen is to show ongoing notifications (does it mean the notification bar sucks? I think it does…), incoming calls, showing signs for new messages, emails, and other push notifications based on user profiles.

I think it's great. Not sure how powerful it would be, but whenever I get a new SMS while I'm playing angry birds, I would usually prefer to see it WHILE playing rather to get a popup like in the iPhone that stops everything for a few seconds… Still, this is something you need to see in order to really understand.

For the complete specs visit: Samsung Continuum Specifications

For more details and pictures, visit: Pocket-Lint

4 comments | Read more...

If you were getting bored of the recent smartphones design that started to repeat themselves, here is something new from Samsung; a dual screen for enhanced functionality of your smartphone.

Meet Samsung Continuum.
A monster phone, part of the Galaxy family, but with a twist in its' front: 2 screens instead of one.

Wait, what was that? 2 screens instead of one? both of them in the front of the phone?

You have to see it to understand it:

The purpose of the second screen is to show ongoing notifications (does it mean the notification bar sucks? I think it does…), incoming calls, showing signs for new messages, emails, and other push notifications based on user profiles.

I think it's great. Not sure how powerful it would be, but whenever I get a new SMS while I'm playing angry birds, I would usually prefer to see it WHILE playing rather to get a popup like in the iPhone that stops everything for a few seconds… Still, this is something you need to see in order to really understand.

For the complete specs visit: Samsung Continuum Specifications

For more details and pictures, visit: Pocket-Lint