 Google Buzz is Half-a-Buzz So Far on Android
You've probably read about the new Google Buzz service. At least I hope that is the case. Because, I'm at a loss to describe what Google Buzz is. I suppose you can say that Google Buzz is not Google Wave. But, since very few people seem to understand and use Wave, that doesn't help define Buzz either. Buzz is said to be a Twitter-killer. But, I'm not sure how this the case. At the moment, it is more like less than half-a-Buzz since the service hasn't been turned on for my Gmail account yet. And, while it works on my phone, the Post Buzz feature doesn't work for me. Introducing Google Buzz for mobile: See buzz around you and tag posts with your location. While my Gmail account is still buzz-less, pointing the Android web browser at... ...provided a mobile Buzz experience right away. The problem is, I'm not sure what that experience is supposed to be like. And, I'm not sure I experienced much in my first couple of experiments using a Droid and Nexus One. Buzz is a hit-or-miss experience because of Android version issues with regard to Buzz. Google offered this advice in a blog update: For Android users, buzz.google.com and shortcuts are currently available only for phones with Android 2.0+ and we're working to support other versions soon. Google Maps for mobile with Buzz (Maps 4.0) is available in Android Market for phones with Android 1.6+. Frank wrote about the Android version issue in a blog item yesterday... Will There Soon Be Android Orphans? The Buzz experience (sounds very 1960-ish, eh?) can also be found in the updated Google Maps for mobile. There's a new Buzz Layer available that displays, um, Buzz-ing for a specific geographic area on the map (see the screenshot above). Finally, there is the Post Buzz feature that is supposed to let you post buzz items simply by saying something after uttering post buzz using Android's quick search widget or Google Mobile app for the iPhone. I tried this with the Droid and Nexus One. This just resulted in a search result list for the phrase.
Google Street Views Snowmobile Gets You Up Close and Personal at the 2010 Winter Olympics Locations
Well, we've seen the Google Street Views cars, trikes, and even a person walking with the 360-degree Street Views camera on a backpack. So, why not a Street Views snowmobile? Why not indeed? Check out the video embedded above from this Official Google Blogs item... Vancouver forecast: light winds, unlimited visibility If you want to learn more about and see some photos of the Street Views snowmobile, check out this entry form the Google Lat Long Blog... Street View hits the slopes at Whistler You can find more of the Street Views recorded using the Street Views snowmobile (and other transports) at Google's 2010 Winter Olympics location maps page... Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite for iPhone Lets You Edit Google Docs Files
A missing mobile cloud feature high on my wish list is the ability to edit Google Docs documents, spreadsheets and presentations directly on my smartphone. I've given up on Microsoft delivering a Mobile Office Live feature. And, I'm still waiting for Google to deliver this ability. However, if you have an iPhone and can't wait for Google to deliver this feature, Quickoffice as a $9.99 iPhone app that lets you work with documents started in Google Docs, Box.net, Dropbox, and MobileMe right now... It can edit text (Word) documents and spreadsheets (including Excel). However, it can only view, but not edit, PowerPoint presentations. Two out of three isn't bad, though. And, Quickoffice promises a free update in 2010 that provides the ability to create and edit PowerPoint files. Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite 3.0.0 (iTunes App Store) WordPress 2.2 for iPhone Gains Blog Comment Management FeaturesWordPress has been busy releasing mobile apps this month. The first releases for Android and BlackBerry hit it quick succession. And now, the mobile app that started it all for WordPress gets a "point" update... WordPress for iPhone Version 2.2 now in the App Store This new release focuses on new blog comment features. It adds the ability to... - Reply to comments If you run a WordPress blog with an active community, these new features could speed up site management a bit for you. You can find this update for the free app at... WordPress 2.2 for iPhone (iTunes App Store) BackOff: Speed Up iPhone Syncs by Turning off Auto-Backup (BE CAREFUL!)In the early (first generation) days of the iPhone and iPod touch, a common complaint was that the device backup process took many minutes and that this mandatory backup process slowed down the overall sync process with iTunes. These days the backup process for me is noticeable but not unbearably long. But, if iPhone/iPod touch backup process that precedes device syncing is still too long for your, the Griffin blog has some advice for you... Their advice is to download and use the free... ...utility that works on both Windows PCs and Macs. It disables the iTunes Auto-Backup feature to speed up the overall sync process. WARNING: Be sure to make an iPhone/iPod touch backup before applying any firmware updates! OK, I Was Wrong, Google Nexus One Support Line Available at 888-48-NEXUSOn February 3, I advised you... Google Looking for Phone Support Program Manager: But, Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting Well, here it is just a week later and I am proved wrong. If you wander over to Google's Nexus One contact support page... http://google.com/support/android/bin/request.py?contact_type=contact_policy ...you'll find instructions for collecting the appropriate information to provide Nexus One support from a real live human being at the other end of this toll-free (in the US) phone number... 888.48.NEXUS (63987) This number is staffed daily from 7am to 10pm Eastern Standard Time. The main thing you need to find is your 15-digit Google order number. Via TechCrunch: Google Launches Phone Support For The Nexus One, Lowers ETF By $200 Quantum Tunneling Composite (QTC) Could Deliver Pressure Sensitive Phone Displays
Remember the phrase Quantum Tunneling Composite (QTC). It could be an important checkbox when deciding on a new phone some day... Quantum trick for pressure-sensitive mobile devices (BBC News) A pressure sensitive screen could lead to better (more typeable on-screen keyboards), better gaming experiences, and maybe even reduce screen selection errors. QTC is already used in the navigation key of some smartphones. The up and down controls in these navigation pads respond to greater or lesser pressure by altering scrolling speed. You can learn more about QTC at... Navigon MobileNavigator 1.5 for iPhone Arriving Soon: More In-App Purchase Options Plus Social ShinynessYesterday, I noted... Navigon MobileNavigator for Windows Phones: Quick First Impressions It first made its phone splash (to me in any case) when it became the first turn-by-turn navigation app for the iPhone last year. The current version in the iTunes App Store is version 1.4... However, MacWorld has the details on the upcoming 1.5 upgrade... MobileNavigator 1.5.0 adds personalized routes, social networking integration The three new features in 1.5 are: 1. In-App Social Media: Post position to Twitter or Facebook Version 1.4 is on sale in the App Store for $69.99 until February 15. The price pops back up to $89.99 after that. The 1.5 update will be free for current 1.4 owners. Will There Soon Be Android Orphans?Last week I wrote about how I think that Google is releasing updates to Android too fast. As the differences between the different version of Android become more extreme, developers will have to make a choice about whether they will target their applications for all versions of Android in the market, or just the most recent versions. The consequence for users is that if they have an older phone they may not be able to run the latest and greatest applications on their phone. Androinica points this out by showing that developers are already targeting applications, with a list of four new applications that only run on the Droid or Nexus. I am not sure how developers are actually determining what hardware is running their programs, most likely it is checking the operating system, so if a G1 or myTouch is upgraded to Android 2.x, these apps may still run. However, if the apps intend to take full advantage of faster processors, they may not run very well. Today I found an example of this taking place with the announcement of the availability of Urbanspoon for the Droid and Nexus One. Urbanspoon, which is also available on the iPhone, provides a way of discovering nearby restaurants by displaying them in a slot-machine format. To see another restaurant you shake the phone. From the description and picture on the site, I don't know why this application cannot run on the myTouch 3G, which has an accelerometer and GPS, so this has to simply be a case of developer decision. Hopefully myTouch and G1 owners will soon learn whether version 2.1 of Android will be available for their phone. When Google or the carriers decide to no longer release upgrades of Android for these phones, they will become orphans, and owners will have to determine whether to buy new phones in order to continue being able to get the latest software, or settle with the software they already run. Will You Buy An iPad?Apple's iPad announcement has started a debate that is currently raging in the mobile community about how well the iPad will sell. Another way to frame the debate is, will you buy an iPad? Most surveys I have seen such as the one reported on by cnet show that the majority of people are not interested in buying an iPad. Yet, I think there is a sense that the surveys are skewed because they are being completed by geeks rather than average consumers, and many people think that the iPad will appeal more to consumers. The problem many have with the iPad is caused by how Apple has positioned the iPad, saying that it fills a gap between the iPhone and Macbook (or PC). Many people disagree that there even is a gap, noting that the iPhone, or whatever is their preferred mobile device, meets their mobile needs, and the PC meets their personal computing needs. If they are sitting on the couch, an iPhone can be used to browse the Internet or read eBooks. Besides, if you want a larger screen for reading eBooks, the Kindle is cheaper, lighter, and backed by an established book store. I think that those in favor of the iPad are for the most part saying that it doesn't fill a gap, it is an alternative to a Macbook or PC. The real question is, would Aunt Minney prefer using it for her personal computing needs? While some are convinced that the iPad's easier computing model will be attractive to those who are overwhelmed by PCs, I am not entirely sure Aunt Minney will find the iPad any easier to use. The problem, I think, is that the PC itself isn't the problem for Aunt Minnry, its that she doesn't see the need to send email, browse web sites, or look at pictures on an LCD screen. The bottom line is that we really won't know the answers to the questions being raised by the iPad until the iPad starts to ship. I do think the questions are important, not just for mobile computing, but for personal computing as a whole. My personal opinion is that for it to sell a lot of iPads Apple will have to do a lot more to educate the market on how it can be used because it will not be as obvious to people as the iPhone. For the iPad to be successful, I think it needs to be sold not to fill a gap, but to be an alternative to the personal computer because for many people the functionality of the iPad may meet all of their personal computing needs. I am looking forward to seeing how well the iPad sells. See Google's Story Behind The Nexus OneGoogle has posted a series of five short films about the Nexus One, taking the viewer from original concept and design to a "day-in-the-life" of a Nexus One owner. I think you will find the films to be very informative, but I have to warn anyone who doesn't already own a Nexus One that you might have a case of smartphone envy after watching them. Each one of the films, which are no more than five minutes in length, conveys a simple message, to summarize what I got out of them: - Episode 1: The Nexus One is the result of integration of hardware and software to create a great user experience. I am particularly impressed with the explanation of the noise suppression technology for better phone calls. - Episode 2: One of the main features of the Nexus One is it's high resolution screen and technology that provides a clear and bright display. This episode also emphasizes the improvements made to the user interface to delight users. - Episode 3: In this episode Google is emphasizing the testing done by HTC to ensure the durability of the Nexus One. While the testing provides a lot good video, I think it also makes a good point that I don't think other phone manufacturers have emphasized, though I am sure all do the same type of testing. - Episode 4: Here you see how the Nexus One is manufactured by HTC. Video with robotic arms moving stuff around is cool in my book. - Episode 5: If Google is to release a commercial for the Nexus One, like their Super Bowl commercial, they ought to use this episode. I think it does an excellent job of showing all the ways one can use the phone during their day. Save the link for this episode and share with anyone who wants to know why they should get a smartphone. Navigon MobileNavigator for Windows Phones: Quick First Impressions
Navigon made a splash last year by being the first (if I recall correctly) turn-by-turn navigation app available for the iPhone. They recently released MobileNavigator for Windows Phones and provided an evaluation copy for me to try. I installed it on my HTC Touch Pro2 running Windows Mobile 6.1. Navigon recommends having at least 1.5GB of free storage space since it installs the maps for North America in this space. Note that this is different from, for example, online map solutions like Bing or Google Maps. These services require 3G wireless in order to operate. In theory Navigon's product can work with just a GPS signal.
MobileNavigtor for Windows Phone started up quite slow on my TP2. The registration process was slowed down by two interesting design choices: First, the keyboard is in an ABCDE layout instead of QWERTY. Second, it would not switch to landscape mode to let me use the TP2's physical QWERTY keyboard. I found Navigon's legal disclaimer quite amusing: Do not operate this unit while driving. Yes, it is something their attorneys undoubtably insisted on including. But, it is amusing nonetheless. My TP2's problematic GPS provided a bit of a initial roadblock. During my first test, it took about 10 minutes for the TP2 to acquire GPS satellite signals. My Droid and iPhone acquired accurate satellite data in well under a minute standing in the same spot under clear skies and no tall buildings of any kind in sight (there was a small hillside nearby on one side). Once satellite signal was acquired, MobileNavigtor provided accurate information about my movement while walking. My next test was downtown among relatively tall building. The TP2 unexpectedly picked up GPS satellite data in about a minute. You can see the three-quarter and overhead views in the photos above. The two biggest issues I had with MobileNavigator during my first set of tests were: 1. The ABCDE keyboard layout slowed down typing information into it I expect to give it more of a workout while in the Seattle area next week. My only concern is that the TP2's battery drains quite fast when its GPS is used. Navigon MobileNavigator for Windows Phones has a retail price of $89. |
All the Mobile News That Fits...in Your Hand
|
|||||||
