Category: Software

It’s been widely acclaimed on almost every portable platform known to man, but I admit, I avoided Plants Vs Zombies, much because I knew it was coming to the iPad at a higher resolution. More »

Charles Petzold, veteran technical writer, is writing a book on developing for Windows Phone 7 and has released a 153 page draft ebook of the paper version coming this fall which covers:

Part I   Getting Started

Chapter 1   Phone Hardware + Your Software

Chapter 2   Hello, Windows Phone

Part II   Silverlight

Chapter 3   Code and XAML

Chapter 4   Presentation and Layout

Part III   XNA

Chapter 5   Principles of Movement

Chapter 6   Textures and Sprites

You can download the ebook in XPS format here, in PDF format here and  code samples for this draft preview are here.

Read more at Microsoft Press here.

You’re welcome, internet. And hit here for ten other incredibly useful tips and tricks. More »

Boxee is a cross-platform freeware home theatre PC (HTPC) program with a 10-foot user interface and social networking features designed for the living-room TV. Boxee is initially a fork of the free and open source XBMC media centre software which Boxee uses as an application framework for its GUI and media player core platform, together with some custom and proprietary additions.

Developers Aquasys are self-proclaimed huge fans of Boxee, and built a simple remote for Windows Mobile devices that allows users to operate basic program functions using a wireless connection (WiFi or cellular).

The app features:

• Navigation mode: up, down, left, right, select, back, home and exit
• Play mode: play, pause, stop, rewind, forward, previous, next, volume up, volume down, mute
• Input mode: allows text input into Boxee
• Media information: title, artist, season/episode, duration, summary, thumbnail etc.
• Hardware keys supported (up, down, left, right, select, vol up, vol down)
• Automatic pause on phone call
• Automatic discovery of the machine running Boxee (manual configuration is also possible)

How to use it:

• First step is to inform in program settings the address (IP or host name) of the machine where Boxee is running on. Alternatively use the "Discover" command and the remote will try to locate it (see note below).
• Press "Mode" to alternate between the three available ways to control Boxee: Navigation, Play or Input.
• Click thumbnail to obtain more information about the media currently playing.

Read more and download the software at Aquasys here.

Via FreewarePocketPC.net

Microsoft has been slowly adding features to Marketplace.  The latest is the ability for developers to link directly to the detail page of their application either in the web-based Marketplace or the on-device version, both of which will allow the purchase of software with only one more click.

Deeplinking to the Marketplace website is perfect for email marketing, or for telling users who come to a website how to find Windows Phone 6 apps.

Deeplinking to the smartphone client is even more powerful because one can embed the link within an app.  When a user clicks on a client deeplink it will open the marketplace client directly to the details page of the linked application, providing a great way to help users try new products, or to convert free trial downloads into paid transactions.

Another useful feature is that deeplinks will always point to the latest published version of the linked apps, within a user’s home market so developers will not need to go back and change your deeplinks every time they publish an update. 

Read more about the process at the Windows Team Blog here.

Via MobilityDigest.com

GRemote Pro is an application, which lets you use your Windows Phone as a touchpad or a wireless controller to remotely control popular applications on your PC. Use WiFi or Bluetooth services to connect your phone with your PC, so if you have any problems with firewall just use bluetooth, but if you need wide range use WiFi. This application requires a PDA with Windows Mobile 5/6 with touch screen display (or Android phone). Nearly all known screen resolutions are supported; VGA, WVGA, WQVGA (QVGA, SQVGA as external skin on developer’s home page). The developer (GBM Software) even offers the possibility to create custom skins and to share it with others on their website. GRemote Pro needs Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 to work.

Read more at BestWindowsMobileApps.com here.

[Windows Only] Currently there are many different ways to convert one video format to another. You can make use of several video conversion services online. If you’d like to convert video on your PC using software, we’ve written about a few, such as Free Video And Audio Converter and Quick Media Converter.

Today, I tried a converter called ‘Any Video Converter‘, and I’ll show you a some of the features.

Any Video Converter lets you convert between a large number of video formats such as AVI, FLV, MOV, MP4, MPG, M2TS, MTS, RM, RMVB, QT, and WMV. You can manually adjust the settings for each format or use several presets. The program can also trim and crop portions of video and merge multiple video files. Other features include batch conversion, YouTube downloads, video snapshots and more.

I was the most interested in downloading YouTube videos and converting them to files for Windows Media Player. Most YouTube downloaders or rippers will give you FLV or MP4 formats and Windows Media Player is not always able to play them.

First I went to YouTube and copied the URL of a video I wanted. Then I fired up ‘Any Video Converter’ and clicked on the YouTube icon to paste in the address. I also used the pull down menu at the top right to select the WMV profile.

Once I had the YouTube URL listed, I clicked the “Convert” button and the program automatically started downloading and converting the video from YouTube. I ended up with the original MP4 and a new WMV file in the “My Documents/Any Video Converter” folder on my PC. It works fast and does a good job.

Another feature I liked was the ability to take snapshots of a video using the video preview area of ‘Any Video Converter’. All you have to do is start the video playback and click the snapshot button (circled below).

After you are done clicking a few snapshots, you’ll find the PNG image files in the Snapshot folder under “My Documents/Any Video Converter”.

Here’s a snapshot I took of a video named “Kissing Monkeys”. You’d think only a mother could love a face like that. Don’t be so quick to judge … check the video link below.

Click to see the video

Those are the only features I’ve tried so far, but based on that, I’m guessing everything works as advertised. However, this is a free version of a commercial product, and the author does pop up an occasional recommendation to buy the paid version. That’s the only thing I didn’t like very much.

Download ‘Any Video Converter’

Techie Buzz Verdict:
I found ‘Any Video Converter’ to be useful, flexible and unique in some ways. If you need to convert video formats, you’ll find it’s easy to use and does a good job.

Techie Buzz Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Don’t miss these Related Posts:

• An All In One Audio And Video Converter
• Quick Media Converter Converts Any Audio or Video Files
• Free Nokia Video Converter
• Top Free Tools to Convert Videos to 3GP format

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HTC has continued to beaver away at adding small nice touches to their software offerings.  The latest is pretty interesting, and make it easier to view video on an unstable platform such as a car.

The software would use an accelerometer or other motion sensor to detect unintended movement of the phone while playing video and move the image on the screen in the opposite direction, ensuring the image always appear stable is space.

HTC summarized the patent application as such:

A method for displaying a video, a mobile electronic device thereof and a storage medium thereof. In the present method, first, the video is displayed on a screen of the mobile electronic device. Then, an acceleration variance of the mobile electronic device is detected through a sensor of the mobile electronic device. Next, a display area of the video in the screen is adjusted according to the acceleration variance. As a result, a user can comfortably watch the video displayed in the screen of the mobile electronic device even in an unstable state.

Now the only question is will this actually make car sickness better or worse?

Read the full patent here.

Maverick Meerkat (suricata inconformista) sera el nombre con que bautizaron a ubuntu 10.10 después de elegirlo de mas de 90 nombres posibles, una de las razones por las que eligieron el nombre aparte de que suena bien (?) es que (Meerkats are light, fast and social) Los suricatos son ligeros, rápidos y sociales, lo que es perfecto para la 10.10.-

Esperemos que el hagan honor al nombre y realmente ubuntu 10.10 sea ligero, rápido y no sigan el lema de Hakuna Matata porque estarían en el horno.-

Para conocer un poco mas el camino que seguirá esta versión de ubunto pueden seguir la lectura en el blog de Mark Shuttleworth

Decent iPad RTS games were somewhere between numbers one and four for on the Giz staff’s various wishlists, and Command & Conquer: Red Alert is one of the all time greats of the genre. More »

We’re still plowing through apps over at the App Marathon, so head on over and request the apps you want reviewed. More »

Michael S. Scherotter, Media Experience Evangelist for Microsoft is doing his bit to spread the Silverlight Windows Phone 7 word.

Noting that all .NET and Silverlight developers are also Windows Phone developers, he managed to quickly and easily port the New York Times Silverlight Kit into a Windows Phone 7 app.  He notes it was simply a question of adding “a few #if statements to the code”, which he has made available at CodePlex site.

Read more about the project at MSDN here.

Will the Silverlight base of Windows Phone 7 see an avalanche of apps coming to the OS and is it worth sacrificing native apps? Let us know below.

Via FuzeMobility.com

iPhone app upscaling was a major feature in Steve Job’s iPad keynote, and why not? It guaranteed the tablet 150,000 apps at launch. Here’s the problem: It looks terrible. And it’s not just the pixels. More »

We have seen many new UI’s come these last couple of years, but TouchXperiance’s version was one of my favorites. The UI was colorful, fast, smooth, functional, but that is not what this post is about. TouchXperiance released quite a bit of new software earlier this week, and here are some of the new apps:

Time Synchronizer

Time Synchronizer allows you to sychronize your device clock with an Internet time server (using SNTP, Daytime Protocol and Time Protocol via TCP/UDP), but also with GPS satellites and cellular network. It is very easy to use: tap an icon to retreive time from the desired source, then tap Synchronize to adjust your system time. Time Synchronizer supports time zones, the time displayed is your local time. You can use any Internet time server, there are predefined addresses of well-known servers. Not all time servers support Daytime Protocol and Time Protocol, SNTP is more accurate.

Screenshots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/touchxp…93570576/show/

Downloads:
http://www.touchxperience.com/en/app…chronizer.html

To Do:
Time synchronization via HTTP, if it is reliable enough (usefull for 3G connections on limited data plans).
File Editor

File Editor is a simple but useful file editor, allowing you to create and open any type of file. File Editor supports text files but you can also edit any file with the included hexadecimal editor. Later, File Editor may come with new features for a full script editor.

Screenshots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/touchxp…93549730/show/

Downloads:
http://www.touchxperience.com/en/app…le-editor.html

To Do:
Hexadecimal editor
Script editor
Integration in File Explorer
TouchPaint

TouchPaint is similar to Microsoft Paint but designed to use with fingers or stylus, allowing you to create drawings or edit images. It supports Bitmap, JPEG, PNG and GIF image formats. You can use different kinds of tools/shapes (pen, brush, eraser, line, rectangle, triangle,…) with any color. It may be useful for example to draw a sketch when you don’t have a sheet of paper with you, to draw a diagram and send it via e-mail, or simply to amuse children.

Screenshots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/touchxp…24613637/show/

Downloads:
http://www.touchxperience.com/en/app…ouchpaint.html

To Do:
Nice graphic tool bar
Variable image size
Photo edition tools
Optimized rendering
Capture Tool

Capture Tool is an advanced screen capturing utility for Windows Mobile, you can take screenshots using triggers (hardware keys or sensors) or timers (you can enable vibrations to know exactly when the screenshot will be taken). Capture Tool can take several screenshots at regular interval, it supports BMP, JPEG, PNG and GIF image formats, you can also choose the window or the screen area to capture, and the image size. Once the screen is captured, you can send the screenshot directly by e-mail, and in the future version you could edit and add notes to screen captures.

Screenshots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/touchxp…08676401/show/

Downloads:
http://www.touchxperience.com/en/app…ture-tool.html

To Do:
Screen capture edition
Hardware keys and sensors support
Security Manager

Security Manager allows you to change security configuration of your device, for example to allow unsigned applications to work on some devices, or to avoid warning message when launching third party applications.

Screenshots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/touchxp…39379417/show/

Downloads:
http://www.touchxperience.com/en/app…y-manager.html

Get more info over at the threads

Shopping has never been easier. With many applications that assist you in remembering what you went to buy, this one stands out the most. This application comes from the Core(XDA). It was made by a member who goes by the name amirdt, and since the original release, the application has witnessed many new changes.

The most recent changes are. The new PC Client, images for the food, and more. The changes are all made to better your experience with the application, and enhance your shopping list.

Here are something’s that have changed from last time.

Version 4.00
* New option for incremental search while typing item name
* Ability to attach image to an item
* – Allowed formats are: ".png", ".jpg" , ".gif", ".bmp"
* – Images must be put in the Images folder (at the application install path). They can be set in sub-folders.
* Notes can be edited also in "Go Shopping" mode

When attaching pictures, for best results try to use square images (i.e. height is approximately the same as the width).
If you use the PC companion, you’ll have to upgrade it too, as the DB version is changed.

Version 3.5
* Added skinning possibility to the whole app

New PC Companion V2.1
* Added copy paste, this is done by selecting the row (by clicking or dragging the left side of the row, NOT by the checkbox) than right-click to copy/paste (or use CTRL-C, CTRL-V).

New PC Companion V2.0
* Added Import/Export (From file menu) – same file formats as from the mobile device.
* Added send email (select a line in the Saved Lists list, and than on the right-click menu), if on the mobile the option to send only checked items is selected, it will be the same also on the PC…
* Added multi-language support (same language as chosen in the mobile device).
* Fixed that on import added missing List Types

To try out the new application, and maybe have a new shopping buddy. Visit the thread over at XDA, and give it a go.

As those that follow me on Twitter may have noticed, I’ve started work on a Silverlight Twitter client.

At current, it’s feature set is limited. It currently supports posting a new tweet, and viewing your latest tweet/location/profile image.

It’s under active development, and if anyone has any requests, let me know and I’ll see what I can build in!

I’m never really a fan of auto-updates of any sort, but the majority of computer users really need the convenience and out-of-sight/out-of-mind safety of auto-updates. Chrome is the first browser to automatically push updates for Adobe Flash to users. Probably a good thing in the long run, and doesn’t change my thought that Chrome is the best browser by a long shot. If you haven’t tried it, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot — even if you’re a dedicated Firefox user.

From the link:

Adobe’s (ADBE) new partnership with Google will keep Internet users safer because Chrome will automatically update Flash Player without asking users, an Adobe director of engineering said.

On Tuesday, the two companies announced that Google would include Adobe’s Flash Player in downloads of Chrome starting with the rough-around-the-edges builds of the browser’s “dev” channel. Google will also employ Chrome’s auto-updater to push Flash fixes to users without notifying them or asking them to approve the download.

The integration, particularly the automatic updating of Adobe’s plug-in, is a first for a browser maker.

“If you want to have a safe experience, updates should just happen in the background,” said Peter Betlem, senior director of Flash Player engineering.

Unlike other browsers, Chrome updates itself automatically in the background without asking for permission or prompting users that security fixes or new features are available. The practice, which Google (GOOG) debuted alongside Chrome in September 2008 , riled some users initially, but the criticism soon faded.

It seems in the patent case between Apple and HTC, the wheels of justice may work faster that for most, with the major part of the  case possibly decided by the middle of May.

When Apple accused HTC of patent infringement, they did it not only in the U.S. District Court in Delaware, where the case may take many years to wind it was through hearings, appeals and counter-appeals, but also at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which moves much, much faster, and has the power to bar imports into USA.

The ITC has now agreed to hear the case and said it would set a target date for completion of the investigation within 45 days of instituting it.

The suite involves all of HTC’s devices, both Windows Mobile and Android, but the Android devices are more affected, as the patents cover their software implementations, which may be harder to work around than simply swapping out hardware in the Windows Mobile devices.

Google has said it would stand by HTC, but as yet remains unnamed in the various cases.  Microsoft on the other hand appears to support the case, saying sorting out the intellectual property issues would be of benefit to the industry.

Approximately 20% of HTC’s sales are to the US, and it forms a larger part of their revenue.

Read more at eetimes.com here.

  Windows Mobile users were pretty miffed when Microsoft released there Seadragon DeepZoom client on the iPhone last year.

They will be however relieved to hear that Windows Phone 7, with its Silverlight base, will in fact support the technology and make it available to developers directly.

According to Alex Yakhnin’s MSDN blog its simply a matter of dragging and dropping a control on your Visual Studio page, and that the MultiScaleImage contol works exactly the same as on the desktop.

Read more about this feature to spice up your apps at his blog here.

Demonstrating again either responsiveness or a lack of proper market research (why don’t they just ask the users?) Microsoft has announced via their official twitter channel that their new mobile OS will in fact be called Windows Phone 7, dropping the Series moniker. 

The Series were meant to indicate a call of devices, with Windows Phone Classic being the current Windows Mobile 6.5 and presumably Windows Phone 8 Series being the next generation.

Shortening the name does of course help, but does little to address the isse of the word Phone appearing twice when you talk about a specific device ie. Windows Phone 7 Phone. I eagerly await the return of the much more elegant Windows Mobile 7, a label we know Microsoft still uses liberally internally.

What do your readers think of the new name?  Let us know below.