elAlem, the creator of HDWobble recently bought an HTC HD2 and has been had at work exploiting the fast processor and OpenGL acceleration to create this stunning gallery feature, currently part of the HDWobble app, but which he hopes to release as a stand alone image viewer also.
The application makes wide use of multi-touch, and is at present just for the HD2.
Keep an eye on this XDA-Developers thread for the first release.
Lyrics Finder has got a very basic UI. When you fire up the app you have a Search and Cache button. The cache allows you to view your previous lyrics search.
Read more at BestWindowsMobileApps here.
Have you ever wished that one of your application windows could stay afloat on top of other apps while you work? Personally, I often like to watch YouTube while I work, but the YouTube window always gets lost beneath other app windows. For a while I have wished for a way to keep the YouTube window on top of all my other windows, and finally there is a way to do that – at least if you’re a Snow Leopard or Leopard user. Afloat is a free download that lets you keep specific windows afloat on top of all other windows. On top of that, Afloat will also let you pin certain windows to the desktop, resize windows from anywhere (not just the corner), show a window’s file in the Finder with nothing more than your keyboard, and turn a window into an “overlay” on your screen that doesn’t hinder your work. I’ve tried it myself and so far, so good. The Afloat download also comes with a PDF that outlines all the steps you need to get and up running in just a few moments.
It’s the “holy crap it’s been a while iPad! CES! Christmas!” edition. This month (or so), we’ve got m-m-m-multitouch maps, good eats, movies and blawgs.
To see everything on one page, click here.
• An Embryonic Build of Firefox for Android
• Motoblur Makes Its Way to Verizon via Devour
• A Neat Video of 50 Android Games
• How to Overclock the Crap Outta Your Droid
• How to Circumvent Android 2.1’s Word Filter
• T-Mobile’s Bundling DoubleTwist for Media Syncing with New Android Phones
• A Guide to Tethering Your Android Phone
• HTC’s Espresso Sense UI for Droid, If You Can Hack It
• Our Nexus One Review
This list is in no way definitive. If you’ve spotted a great app that hit the store this month, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our previous monthly roundups here. See ya next month.
PPCGeeks claims to have come accross a treasure trove of Windows Mobile 7 information, and most are consistent with other rumours we have heard, but no less controversial.
They claim:
-The User Interface is based upon codename “METRO”. It will be very similar to the Zune HD User Interface with a complete revamp of the “Start” screen. The UI is “Very Clean”, “Soulful” and “Alive”
-Unfortunately there will be no Flash support at the get go as there was not enough time to implement these features.
-Windows Phone 7 will only support application installation through service based delivery. (i.e Marketplace). Application installation via storage card will not be possible.
– No Multi-Task support. Applications will “Pause” when in the background, however will support notifications via push notifications.
-Marketplace will now support “try before you buy” as well as an API
-No NETCF backwards compatibility. This means the original rumor of no backward compatibility for applications holds to be true. That being said, there are high hopes of porting the NetCF to the newer platform easily.
-Microsoft is confident that devices will be ready by September 2010
-Full Zune Integration
-Windows Mobile Device Center will no longer be used. Zune software to take over syncing via PC.
-OEM Interfaces will not be allowed to run on the device. Say goodbye to Sense UI / SPB Mobile Shell / Point UI / Infinity, etc, etc
-Full XBOX Gaming Integration (Gamer tag, achievements, friends, avatars, merchandising, etc)
-Full support for social networking.
Hopefully what PPCGeeks are talking about is a Zune Phone rather than the real Windows Mobile 7, because otherwise… Do I hear Android calling?
What do our readers think? Let us know below.
With a beautiful and simple interface alongside easy gameplay, Resco Sudoku Touch is a joy to use and is a definite must have for Sudoku fans. There are an almost unlimited number of levels to play over four types of difficulty, you can even create your own Sudoku challenge from scratch…
Read more at BestWindowsMobileApps here.
We all have great ideas for the next killer smartphone application that will serve out needs perfectly. Unfortunately the vast majority of us lack the skills to make our vision a reality.
That’s where appubator comes in. The company is offering to listen to your ideas, and if it seems like a viable proposition, make the app for free and give you 30% of the revenue from the sale of the application.
Read their press release below.
appubator, Inc. today announced the launch of the company and its website at www.appubator.com. Appubator, which stands for (mobile) application incubator seeks to bring to market new mobile applications ‘apps’ through partnering with the general public. Its business model combines the ideas of mobile phone users with the appubator’s capital and development resources to bring new mobile applications to market on the major Smartphone platforms (iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile). Once launched, the submitter receives a 30% share of revenues received from the sale of the application.
“I run into people every day who have great ideas for new mobile ‘apps’. Just as quickly as the ideas start flowing, people are hit with the realization that they don’t know where to begin to bring their ‘app’ ideas to light”, said Laney Dale, CEO of appubator. “Through our company, we will help people make their apps a reality and provide a compelling income opportunity through the booming mobile application market”.
A key part of the appubator process is the company’s secure website and mobile submission applications. The mobile apps, soon to be available through iTunes (supporting iPhone, iPod touch and the iPad) and the Android Market (Android OS mobile Smartphones) allow users to send the company their submissions whenever an idea strikes.
The mobile application market presents a tremendous revenue opportunity for appubator. The British research and consulting firm WirelessExpertise recently published a report which suggests that the number of global Smartphone users is expected to reach 1.6 billion by 2013. The researchers also predict that the mobile applications market, currently estimated at $4B for 2009, could grow as large as $166 billion by 2013.
Development on its first round of applications is already underway with the first products available for sale in the first quarter of 2010 and supporting the major Smartphone platforms (iPhone, Android and Windows Phone). appubator encourages mobile phone users with great ideas for new ‘apps’ to visit their website at www.appubator.com and click on the “Submit Ideas” link.
So if you have a great idea for an app you now have the opportunity not just to turn it into reality, but actually make money of it.
Read more at at appubator here.
Our own resident hacker, l3v5y, who was instrumental in figuring out the multi-touch implementation in the HTC HD2, allowing the implementation of multi-touch controls in Morphgear and other emulators for example, is currently hard at work on his next great app – LMT launcher.
LMT is a very simple application at present – all it does is look out for a specific multi-touch gesture on the HTC HD2’s screen, in this case a downward swipe with 2 fingers, and run an application.
However, even at this basic level, it already solves a major problem with the HTC HD2 – the lack of mappable buttons, and allows for the very efficient use of an application like TaskFacade, the great Windows Mobile task switcher (which came along years before the Pre btw).
The software is not quiet ready for release yet, and l3v5y intends to add further gestures such as rotation for example, so keep an eye on WMPoweruser.com for further developments.
I’ve just spotted a neat little application that synchronises your SMSs with a GMail inbox.
The idea behind it is to upload/backup your messages to a GMail account so you can use them from a computer. It doesn’t do the other way round so if you need a backup, MyPhone might be a better bet, but it does have a much nicer web interface (Google Mail instead of MyPhone).
Steps to use it.
1. Install it
2. Choose your Gmail Account.
3. Open the application, and fill the Send To: with the gmail id to which you want to backup sms.
4. Go to Menu "Login"(it is not an actual login, you need to configure your Gmail account for it).
5. Login should enable the SMS folders dropdown with all your SMS folders.
6. Select the folder to backup.
7. Go to Menu "Sync SMS Folder". This should start the message conversion to mail format. Progress will be displayed.
8. On completion it will prompt and then ask you if you want to sync
8. Syncing would send Emails with Subject IMAPSMS|<FOLDER NAME> :Sender and the body will contain Message and time, the subject should help you to create proper rules in your gmail account.
From XDA-Developers.
Gregory T. Huang wrote:
Outside of official circles in Redmond, WA, the term “Microsoft innovation” is often thought of as an oxymoron, sort of like “Army intelligence.” People have been actively debating the issue of whether and how Microsoft can truly innovate in the tech world for at least the past decade.
Enter Dick Brass (great name), who was a Microsoft vice president from 1997 to 2004. His op-ed in the New York Times yesterday sharply criticized Microsoft’s lack of innovation and has stirred the pot considerably, even prompting Microsoft to post a response. But I haven’t seen many people talking constructively about how to fix the problems. And Microsoft doesn’t seem to admit that there are any problems, at least officially.
Brass used the peg of Apple’s iPad tablet announcement to highlight what he sees as Microsoft’s failings in tablet PCs, e-books, digital music, and mobile software. He calls Microsoft “a clumsy, uncompetitive innovator” that is “failing, even as it reports record earnings.” And he points to two problems with the company’s culture—problems that threaten Microsoft’s future, if not its present.
One is widespread political infighting that can doom innovative people and products that compete in some way with existing product groups. (The current Ray Ozzie situation comes to mind.) I’m sure there are benefits to this kind of competition, but you have to wonder whether the volatile mix of personalities and agendas at the company is stifling some of its more creative projects.
The other problem is a software mindset that Brass says is stuck in the 1970s. “Part of the problem is a historic preference to develop (highly profitable) software without undertaking (highly risky) hardware,” he writes. “This made economic sense when the company was founded in 1975, but now makes it far more difficult to create tightly integrated, beautifully designed products like an iPhone or TiVo.”
In his response, Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s vice president of corporate communications, gave the usual spiel about “innovation at scale”—the idea that the company reaches a huge …Next Page »
IMDb Mobile is progressing pretty nicely. Now on version 0.45 , the software lets you do nearly as much as you would if you were on the website, including watching movie trailer.
The full list of features are:
Features:
Read more and get the cab at XDA-Developers.com
Via Pocketnow.com
The Verizon SMT5800 has been released so long ago I had trouble recognizing the code name. However, thinking back now, it was a pretty innovative device with its combination on front-facing keypad and slide-out keyboard.
For owners who are still tied to the device with a 2 year contract, you will appreciate the recent arrival of a Windows Mobile 6.1 update to the device.
The update brings some new features also, including GPS and EVDO Rev A support. The handset now also supports Verizon Navigator.
This is a clear example of better late than never, so hop on over to Phonenews for the download.
Are you still using this device? Let us know your experience below.
Gregory T. Huang wrote:
Back in December, we reported that Seattle mobile imaging startup Ontela merged with Photobucket, the Denver-based photo sharing site previously owned by News Corporation. Financial terms of the deal weren’t released, but News Corp. ceded some control of Photobucket to Ontela’s investors while retaining an equity stake in the merged company, which retains the Photobucket name.
Yet the full story, and its significance, never really came out. Before the companies announced the merger, rumors were swirling that Ontela was buying Photobucket. Well, I’ve done a little sleuthing, and can now confirm those rumors were accurate. Ontela did in fact acquire Photobucket, according to a Form 10-Q that News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS) filed with the SEC yesterday.
The statement in the form (on page 9) reads: “In December 2009, the Company [News Corp.] entered into an agreement to sell its Photobucket subsidiary, a web-based provider of photo- and video-sharing services, to a mobile photo uploading platform in exchange for an equity interest in the acquirer. A loss of approximately $29 million on this transaction was included in other, net in the unaudited consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended December 31, 2009. As a result of this transaction, the Company’s interest in the acquirer, which is not material, was recorded at fair value and is now accounted for under the equity method of accounting.”
In any merger, of course, one company holds more cards than the other. In this case, it was Ontela, which is a bit surprising. The significance here is that a small Seattle startup has acquired a top-50 website (according to comScore) at what sounds like a pretty good price. TechCrunch reported the sale would be worth $60 million; News Corp. originally acquired Photobucket in 2007 for $250 million plus a $50 million earnout. Whatever the price for Ontela’s investors—which include Steamboat Ventures, Oak Investment Partners, Covera Ventures, and Voyager Capital—it was apparently $29 million less than what News Corp. had valued the subsidiary at. So maybe it’s time to call Photobucket a Seattle company.
As of December, Ontela had 23 employees. The company was formed in 2005 and was backed by about $15 million in venture funding. Earlier this week, Ontela co-founder and former CEO Dan Shapiro said he is leaving his role as chief technology officer of Photobucket in the next month, but will remain an advisor to the company. Photobucket went through a round of layoffs last June, leaving it with about 85 employees at that time.
Erin Kutz wrote:
Art Technology Group (NASDAQ: ARTG), an e-commerce software and service company in Cambridge, MA, announced its plans to sell 25,000 shares of common stock at $3.50 a share in an underwritten public offering. Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank Securities will serve as underwriters for the deal, and will have the 30-day option to purchase as many as 3.75 million additional shares to cover over-allotments. ATG, which said the proceeds of the stock sale could go to future acquisitions, paid $17 million in cash in January to acquire InstantService, a Seattle-based provider of SaaS-based live chat services.
A B&N employee (who’d just updated their store’s Nooks) sent us all the details of the new Nook firmware 1.2 update that, according to the date on this memo, should hit later today. UPDATE
• Enhanced in-store seamless connectivity to enjoy free Wi-Fi, with More In Store content promotions exclusively for Nook owners
• Improved opening of eBooks and ePeriodicals
• Improved response to Reading Now and Settings buttons
• Current reading page and bookmarks on all eBooks are properly saved when you power your Nook off
• Eligible LendMe eBooks in your library have LendMe flags
• Easier navigation of daily subscriptions with issues rolled into one folder
• Improved “back” button functionality for navigating eBooks and ePeriodicals
• Personal files downloaded and displayed in My Documents can be sorted by author and title
• Overall system improvements and battery optimization.
We’re also told that the touchscreen fades in and out now (rather than flashing on and off), plus it “feels snappier.”
Each of the bullet point updates is fairly vague, as words like “improved” are tough to gauge until actually seeing them implemented. But in terms of making the Nook generally more pleasant to use, firmware 1.2 looks like it’s stepping in the right direction. Something as simple as being able to power down the system without losing one’s page is definitely a biggie, and battery optimization, well, that’s always welcome.
UPDATE: We’ve already received word from a reader who has installed the update, so it looks like B&N is widely releasing the firmware as of now. She says that “pages load noticeably faster, and the touchscreen seems more responsive. There’s also some redesign of the UI, although the cover flow feature is about the same.”
And maybe most importantly, the LCD-based buttons are rounded now.
[Nook Update Page (or you can just wait for the automatic OTA update, which B&N says could take as long as “weeks”)]
Clove’s blog has just announced that, for a limited time, all Samsung Omnia devices will come with a free copy of the excellent-looking NDrive GPS Navigation software for UK and Ireland, worth around £50, preloaded on a 8GB microSD card.
Some great features of the software are:
3D aerial photo integration, better than Google – Reality View – See your route as it actually appears with real photos!Supported devices include the Samsung Omnia 2, Samsung Omnia Pro, Omnia Lite, with prices ranging from £195 to £305 for the Omnia 2, which is excellent value.
Read more about this excellent deal at Clove here.
After launch, It took the iPhone 3G a few weeks to attract its first batch of silly, completely superfluous apps. So how long will it take the iPad? Oh, about -54 days.
Ryan McBride wrote:
Most health records in the U.S. today are still gathering dust, tucked away in filing cabinets, existing only on paper. Even though the idea of electronic medical records is still a relatively new concept at most hospitals and clinics, the EMR software industry has its share of dinosaurs living alongside the newer species. At eClinicalWorks, one of the new generation electronic medical record companies, business is thriving even as it fights some much larger and older competitors who are pursuing the same customers.
The Westborough, MA-based company experienced eight-figure revenue growth for its sixth consecutive year, with annual revenue of an estimated $105-$106 million in 2009, up from $85 million in 2008, according to the firm. (The company is privately held, and doesn’t reveal full financial data, like what its profits are.) After nearly 11 years in business, the firm has grown to 930 employees and now has operations Pleasanton, CA, New York City, Alpharetta, GA, as well as here in Massachusetts.
To a certain extent, eClinicalWorks is riding a wave of demand for electronic medical records. (One of the firm’s counterparts, Horsham, PA-based NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, reported a similar rate of revenue growth during the last nine months of 2009.) The federal stimulus package passed last February set aside $17 billion in incentives for doctors who adopt electronic records, and physicians are eligible for as much as $44,000 in Medicare incentives starting in 2011 for implementing the records systems in their practices. That eClinicalWorks was growing rapidly before the government announced the plan bodes well for the future. But the company co-founder and CEO Girish Navani is not relying on federal dollars to exclusively pave the way for the firm’s future prosperity.
The company has made investments in distinguishing itself among the field of EMR providers, including the industry giants such as Allscripts (NASDAQ:MDRX), General Electric (NYSE:GE) , and McKesson (NYSE:MCK). Navani told me that his firm’s electronic records and practice management software are user friendly, easy to customize, and provided with comprehensive technical support. The company also charges …Next Page »
After 3 years of not updating the Windows Mobile version of their Hamachi VPN solution LogMeIn has finally released a new version of their Windows Mobile beta.
The software allows a Windows Mobile phone to join an Hamachi virtual network, and the update brings support for new features in Hamachi2, such as web management, Hub-and-Spoke and Gateway networking.
Windows Mobile 5,6, 6.1 and 6.5 are all supported.
Uses of this software would include being able to bypass network restrictions by your carrier, such as the use of IM or VOIP, and even to access resources blocked in your geographic area such as Pandora streaming (if you have a server based in USA of course).
Read more about the software here.
This app nearly blew me away. It was much more than I expected. When I downloaded it, I thought it would just be another file explorer but I was wrong. It’s a file explorer, a task manager, a registry editor and a today plugin, all in one package…
Read more and see another video at BestWindowsMobileApps.com
