Crenk » Mobile Apps

Apple’s Working on a New Social Location App Called iGroups

Steven Finch — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:53:17 +0000

Patently Apple has reported that Apple is currently working on their own location based service. Location is the buzz word at the moment and its great to see that Apple are looking to do something in house. The Apple social networking app is called iGroups.

The app is likely to tie in with your iPhone and MobileMe and will make it possible for groups of users to share information around events. Events could include concerts, tradeshows, conferences, business meetings, weddings etc..

This kind of service is likely to compete somewhat with Gowalla and Foursquare, but they seem to have the who geo-location gaming angle sorted out.

Interestingly, AppleInsider has also uncovered news that Apple is working on a Walkie Talkie like feature for use with the iPhone. The technology “could allow iPhone users to transmit data — such as simple text messages — to each other over voice channels, forgoing a reliance wireless carriers’ backend servers, in a manner similar to Nextel’s walkie-talkie feature.” This would fit neatly in with plans for a geolocation based group discussion service.

MOG Launches its Mobile Music Streaming App and Pricing at SXSW

Steven Finch — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:54:12 +0000

MOG the US streaming music service that is on the rise has just launched its mobile app for iPhone and Android at SXSW.

MOG’s current web service costs $5 a month, but users wanting access via mobile too will pay $10. The app includes local cacheing to listen to music when a user loses their connection. The apps will launch in the second quarter of this year, and CEO David Hyman has revealed that in the UK, the service will cost £5 and £10 without or with mobile access.

The pricing may have implications for Spotify’s upcoming US launch – in Europe it charges £9.99 / €9.99 a month for its premium service, including mobile access. Spotify boss Daniel Ek gives his SXSW keynote tonight…

Windows Phone 7 Apps

Steven Finch — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:30:20 +0000

Here is a quick look at the new Windows 7 Phone apps.

The phone itself will run a tiled interface, almost a cross between the app screens on the iPhone and the app elements on the Android. The big difference on the Windows 7 phone is that the tiles are live – they can show you content even while they sit there.

The first think you will notice is that there are only three buttons at the bottom of the phone. These are the standard buttons that work across the phone, namely back, search and home – the same functions as found on the Android phones.

The panoramic design is something we havent really seen much of, but it looks great. The design actually means that applications arent restricted by the screen szie and have potential to grow quite quickly and easily. This example from AP demonstrates the scale an app can achieve. This app is wide with the ability for the user to zoom into the particular bit they wish to focus on.

Apart from that location based services have really been thought about for the new Windows 7 phones and in general the graphics and feel of the phone are great.

Will the new range of Windows 7 phones really make people move from their current devices over? Im really not too sure. The phones look a million times better than the previous Windows mobile OS.

Paypal Upgrade Their iPhone App with Better User Interface and Bump Technology

Steven Finch — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:25:55 +0000

Paypal has just launched a major upgrdade to their iPhone application. New features have been added to the Paypal iPhone app as well as a facelift.

One of the new features includes a partnership with Bump Technologies which lets users exchange information and money by simply tapping their smartphones together. You can download the free app here.

Apple iPhone To Allow Multitask With OS 4.0

Steven Finch — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:10:18 +0000

The next iteration of Apple’s iPhone OS is set to finally take a big step towards making the smartphone more of a serious portable computing device, enabling users to switch between multiple apps running in tandem.

Lack of multitasking has been a long term issue with the Apple iPhone. It’s not that the iPhone can’t multitask – parts of the OS do this already – but that Apple won’t let the apps you download do it. There are plenty of reasons for such a restriction: memory concerns, lack of a convenient app-switching mechanic, battery consumption, preventing spyware.

It’s not yet clear just how Apple plans on addressing all those issues when it enable full-on multitasking in iPhone OS 4.0, but the news that it has is sure to be well overdue for the growing number of mobile users who have eschewed their laptops for smartphones.

Apple isn’t breaking with its secretive reputation, so there’s no estimate at the moment of when we can expect the software to be released. Reports of its still having a lot of work to be completed indicate “later” rather than “sooner”. Hopefully we’ll hear some whispers of the anticipated date as it approaches.

Rate It All: Wants To Let Your Business Build Your Own Foursquare App

Steven Finch — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:38:06 +0000

RateItAll is going mobile. RateItAll is a review site for pretty much anything. RateItAll wants to help companies build their own location check-in services.

There are a number of different companies that may want to build their own customized version of Foursquare, but at the moment there isnt a great solution to do this.

To show off what RateItAll can do, the company has released an application called DoubleDutch (App Store link). It includes location check-ins, friending, stickers rewarding different types of user activity, and integration with Facebook and Twitter. Companies can add their own logos, stickers, and venue information, and they also get a tab within the application where they can add whatever they want.

RateItAll will charge a one-time setup fee for the apps, then make revenue sharing deals for advertising.

This move may seem like a big shift for a review website, but Coburn said the apps take advantage of the company’s database, so that they’re populated with locations and reviews. That should give RateItAll an advantage against other build-your-own-location-app services like Socialight. The apps also help build that database, since there’s an option to rate and review and location when you check-in.

Rhapsody iPhone App Adds Offline Listening

Steven Finch — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:39:24 +0000

Listeners have been asking Rhapsody to add offline listening and now this has been added to their iPhone app. Their development team is getting close to submitting an updated app to Apple for approval.

A Rhapsody Android app will also leave private beta in the coming days and be available for download in the Android marketplace.

Tap Tap Love: Bubble Wrap iPhone Game Rip Off

Steven Finch — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:15:00 +0000

We received a very interesting tweet today suggesting that we take a look at Tap Tap Love. Tap Tap Love is a new game on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Tap Tap Love is exactly the same as a previously popular game in the App Store, that game was Bubble Wrap.

Bubble Wrap and Tap Tap Love are games in which the user just tries to pop as many bubble or hearts as possible in an alotted time. Currently Tap Tap Love is priced at $0.99 and Im really not too sure they are going to sell many copies, especially when I can get Bubble Wrap for FREE!

Opera Mini 5 Beta Reviewers Guide

Steven Finch — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:56:02 +0000

Brizzly iPhone Application Is Now Available

Steven Finch — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:33:15 +0000

Brizzly, a web-based Twitter client that has much more features than the twitter website, is releasing its iPhone app.It includes few new features when compared to its web version.

This Brizzly iPhone app is simple in layout and incorporates features that are common among other twitter client for iPhone.This app can handle multiple accounts, supports lists, mentions and DMs etc. Links that you add gets shortened too. Altogether an app with all basic features one would expect it to deliver.

Feature of Brizzly for iPhone includes :

Brizzly Guide support with user-editable trends & news explanations
support for multiple Twitter accounts
lists (supports & syncs to Twitter lists, Brizzly.com)
upload photos to Brizzly Pics & Flickr
saved searches sync with Twitter & Brizzly.com
classic-style RTs
infinite scrolling
custom tabs
respects muting from Brizzly.com
geolocation sharing

Opera Mini 5 Beta For Android

Steven Finch — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:30:10 +0000

Opera Mini is already one of the most popular mobile browsers in he world, but with the new version 5 they are trying to push the envelope.

The biggest change in Opera Mini 5 is probably the introduction of tabbed browsing — a must, given that just about every default smartphone browser supports it out of the box at this point.

Some of the other big new features:

Speed Dial: Gives you one-touch access to 9 of your favorite sites.
Password Manager
Opera Link: Syncs your bookmarks (and Speed Dial) between your handset and your desktop (be it that you’re running Opera on your desktop, that is)

Street Fighter IV for iPhone

Augusto Alvarez — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:32:29 +0000

The legendary Capcom game, the one that you could’nt stop playing when you were a kid, has arrived to iPhone: Street Fighter IV.

“Playing Is Believing!” says the description in the App Store. Believing that this game will work smoothly in iPhone, indeed, seems like an idea that doesn’t match with other game experiences. But so far, the user’s response to this game is quite favorable.

Wait to hear this: The game has a Multiplayer option using Bluetooth. HA!

Here are the features presented:

Fight as eight Street Fighter characters in seven different environments.
Full move sets including Unique Attacks, Special Moves, Focus Attacks, Super Combos and Ultra Combos.
For a true arcade experience, battle head-to-head on Bluetooth against friends and foes alike.
Robust “Dojo” boot camp transforms neophytes into Street Fighter masters in five in-depth lessons.
Customize the controls for your style of play. Move the buttons anywhere you want on the screen and set the level of transparency.
Unleash super moves with a tap of the “SP” button, or toggle it off from the “Options” menu if you want to enter the button combo manually.
Four levels of difficulty.
Cost? U$S9,99

Buzzie: Download Google Buzz Native iPhone App

Steven Finch — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:29:51 +0000

It seems to have taken an iPhone app developer ages to get the first native Google Buzz app out to the public.

Buzzie is currently selling for an introductory price of $1.99 during its first week run on the Apps Store, Buzzie lets yo do, well what you practically can do on the Google Buzz webapp. If you want to be specific about these features, it includes the following:

Receive messages from the people you follow
Comment on messages and mark them as liked
Browse all links and images attached to messages
Manage your followers
Browse the people following you
Find new people to follow
Check the places around you and buzz about them
Buzz from your phone, publicly or privately

It’s a simple, straight-out port of the Buzz webapp, so don’t expect too much from it. And besides, what can you possibly expect from an iPhone of the web’s latest noise maker?, I mean online communication tool.

Will you use Buzzie? Or is the Buzz webapp enough for your buzzing needs? If you want to get this app, here is its iTunes Link.

Foursquare About To Launch New iPhone Application

Steven Finch — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:09:07 +0000

Foursquare the location based social network game is just about to release a new version of their iPhone application. The new application will feature a revamped interface, a brand new user tab, and a new checkin history view.

This version of the app – v1.6 – should be heading to the App Store soon. Nick Starr shared screenshots of it with us and we’ve included a few below so that you can see some of the new features.

Looking at the images from Foursquare 1.6, the first thing you’ll notice is that the interface has been totally revamped. The colors, icons and menu layout are all completely restyled and rearranged in a much more appealing manner.

Opera Releases Native Opera Mini 5 App For Windows Mobile Phones

Steven Finch — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:00:27 +0000

This morning Opera announced that it has released a native version of Opera Mini 5 beta for handsets running Windows Mobile 5 and 6.

Interestingly, the new WinMo version of Opera Mini does not require Java. That basically means any Windows Mobile phone can accommodate the app.

Despite not requiring Java, Opera Mini 5 beta for Windows Mobile includes the same feature set as the Java-based version. That means features like tabbed browsing, speed dial, bookmarks and the password manager are built right in (also see video below).

To download, simply point your current mobile browser to m.opera.com/next.

Skype Now Available for Free Download on All Nokia Phones

Steven Finch — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:21:51 +0000

Skype has announced a partnership with Nokia. The plan is to integrate Skype onto all Nokia devices. Although Nokia devices were able to get a default Skype client it is only now that it is finally made available for majority of Nokia’s smartphones – specifically those running on Symbian ^1.

Skype for Symbian will let you to use Skype even while on the move, either through WiFi, GPRS, EDGE or 3G. Skype for Symbian is now available for download at the Nokia Ovi Store and you can install it on your smartphone if it belongs to the following long list of Nokia devices that support it:

Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia X6, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia 5530 and the following non-touch devices: Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E90, Nokia E63, Nokia E66, Nokia E51, Nokia N96, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8Gb, Nokia N85, Nokia N82, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8 Gb, Nokia N79, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 classic, Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 5320.

If your current Nokia phone is any of those devices listed, then you can enjoy the following features of Skype on your device:

Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world
Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad.
Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
Share pictures, videos and other files.
Receive calls to their existing online number
See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
Easily import names and numbers from the phone’s address book

Of course before you go on a Skype holiday, make sure that you are subscribe to an unlimited data plan, since even though Skype-to-Skype call is free, you are still using up air time of your mobile carriers.

You may download Skype for Symbian by following this link.

Mobilise Your Blog or Website With Mobify

Dean Sherwin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:07:10 +0000

More and more people are accessing the web via their phone. Statistics show that the iPhone and other smart phones are leading the field in the US and Europe where as cheaper Java cell phones are number one in Africa and South America. By making a mobile version of your website you are putting yourself ahead of the competition by giving your users an extra feature. One which could earn you extra ad revenue.

Mobify is a free service which allows you to do this in less than five minutes. Basically, it takes your website or blog and compact it into a basic format so it ill load easily on mobile devices. You’re also given a custom URL so your users can access the site. You can see a sample website above on the left and it’s mobile version created using Mobify to the right.

There is a premium version which offers more customisation and you can keep your won URL so users can access the mobile version through m.yourblog.com. This is a great service and it’s well worth a look if you want to offer your visitors an extra level of compatibility.

Blue Microphone Releases Mobile App

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:05:55 +0000

I’m a huge fan of Blue Microphone. I’ve done reviews on their microphones in the past and tonight I want to introduce everyone to their mobile app. Unlike other microphones, Blue Microphone has released microphones with a lot of people in mind. Everyone from the desktop podcaster to the roving new media recorder, Blue Microphone has created products that are durable and versatile.

With the release of their new free app, Blue FiRe, Blue Microphone lays conquest on the standard microphone app that comes bundled with the purchase of your iPhone. Some will say that all they need is the ability to record and listen, and that probably works well for the vast majority of us. But what if you had an application that had all the control of a switchboard in order to get the right recording sound.

This feature rich application allows users to not just record but also to manipulate the audio recordings. The ability to set timing markers, bookmark certain areas of the audio, you can set low and high threshold auto-recordings based on what your surroundings are. Title your recordings, snap photos of your recording location to be attached with the audio, and rather than send SMS, you can simply set your browser to the set URL and download the audio format in three versions for you to either store, or edit in an audio editing program.

It really does make Apple’s Voice Memo app seem a bit out of date, and for the price, it seems like a nice upgrade too.

Send Location Maps to Friends with Assemble

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:00:40 +0000

No one carries a map anymore, we’ve all got mobile devices. But how many of us still need to type in the location we’re trying to get to, even copy and paste can be a hassle if you need something in a hurry. Sending maps to friends would be a lot easier and thats what Assemble strives to do. Now when you want to meet in a central location, or find where your friend is, have them send you a message via Assemble and not only will you get a personalized message, but you also get a map of where they are.

This proves to be extremely useful in an era when speed and information go hand in hand. Rather than sending someone a typed out address of where I am at, only to have them map it on their end, Assemble does all the work and sends the map to them. Simply add contacts on your own or pair it with the Bump app to quickly get contacts on your phone and start sending. It’s extremely easy to use and will even provide driving directions all while using the internal map system on the iPhone.

Here’s a video on how easy it is use:

ASSEMBLE Instructional Video from Nick Johnson on Vimeo.

Grooveshark Gets Final Smackdown from Apple

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:42:48 +0000

Ever gotten to the point where you’ve been pushed around, beaten down, kept from your goals, so much so that you just decided that enough was enough. If you have, then you know exactly where Grooveshark stands. It’s a known fact that app approval for the iTunes store is based on a mystical set of rules that like a chameleon can change in an instant depending on the weather, the planetary alignment, hell even what the person had for breakfast, and because of this randomness, many app designers have experienced a lot of frustration. Rejections come with vague reasons, forcing some designers to reconfigure and then resubmit hoping for a better outcome.

Grooveshark has submitted and has finally decided to toss in the towel and head for the darker side of things…the jailbroken iPhones. It’s a growing “black market” of sorts and Grooveshark is sure to find a thriving audience there.

According to TechCrunch, when the app was first tried back in 2009, not only did it work well, but it was also stated as possibly never making it through the app store qualifications, and they were right. The app will now find a home on Cydia, giving jailbroken users a chance to use the application. If you’re not attached to the Apple regime, there’s always Android, Blackberry, and Palm that you can find the app for, and it works just fine.

Video Tutorials in your iPhone with Lynda

Augusto Alvarez — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:36:54 +0000

For those that do not know it, Lynda.com website represents a vast library in video tutorials about software training. And in a smart move looking for expansion, they have now released the iPhone application.

With over 42,000 videos from almost any type of software, Lynda.com offers not only a variety in products but as well a variety of type of tutorials: introductive, basic, medium and advance levels. The topics also include programming languages, CAD, graphic design, operating systems, e-commerce, audio, video and many more.

By introducing a mobile application you don’t need to sit in front of your computer to actually start learning; you can do that everywhere with your iPhone, taking the trip back home in the subway or bus; while waiting in line at the supermarket, etc.

The subscription has a U$S25 cost per month and with that a complete access to the entire Lynda library, no restriction; or U$S250 for the entire year. You can also pay a little more to get some exercises with your subscription.

Random Posts

BBC Announce Dedicated News and Sports iPhone Applications

Steven Finch — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:58:38 +0000

The BBC announced they will be releasing standalone iPhone applications for their news and sport content this April with Blackberry and Android versions to follow.

Most people will say that these additions are well overdue, but it is good to see the BBC adopting new media and trying to spread their services to as many people as possible across a multitude of devices.

The Sports application will be online just in time for the World Cup in South Africa this June, and will feature live video and audio commentary from the worlds largest sporting event.

Kobo Ebook Reader Goes Cross Platform

Luis Sandoval — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:59:05 +0000

The Kobo ebook reader is just one of many mobile ebook readers on the market. What makes this ebook stand out from the many out there is the cross platform capability. We are familiar with ebook apps on our iPhone/iTouch, or maybe even our mobile phones, but the Kobo allows you read your selections from the mobile device, a smart phone, desktop, or laptop.

The ebook reader is globally known and backed by the likes of Indigo Books & Music, Borders, REDgroup Retail, Cheung Kong Holdings, and other leaders in technology and retail. They firmly state that they believe anyone should have access to their content and be able to read anywhere, anytime, no matter what. Their support of open standards goes directly against some of the bigger competitors who firmly believe in close systems. According to Kobo’s site, closed systems stifle innovation and growth, thus their support of allowing their product to go across multiple platforms.

They are currently boasting approximately 2 million books and over 200,000 PDF’s to browse through. With top hits from the New York Time’s best seller list to the most popular ebooks, readers should find something of interest and enjoy the fact that the open system allows for them to move from device to device without fearing any sort of lock down.

I find it interesting that they state that even if they have not heard of a device or if it’s not out yet, they can find a way to be on there. A true testament to the fact that the Kobo ebook reader is really part of an open system.

Sex Apps Removed for Parental Control, say Apple

Dean Sherwin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:11:16 +0000

A few days ago, Apple took the extreme measure of removing almost all sex orientated apps from their app store, as we reported here. It seemed to be the case that they were selecting which apps to remove on a case-by-case basis. However, today only a few well-known apps are left such as the Playboy application. Apple have finally announced exactly why they did this.

So why did Apple decide sex apps had no place in the app store?

“It came to the point where we were getting customer complaints from women who found the content getting too degrading and objectionable, as well as parents who were upset with what their kids were able to see”

So for the issue of parental control and to not offend the iPhone’s female users, they decided to remove the applications from the store. I personally find this a little odd on two fronts.

Firstly, if women find these kinds of apps offensive then that’s fine. But they don;t have to download them. It’s not like Apple ever advertised them on the homepage. They were there in the background if anyone wanted them, that’s all. There are bigger fish to fry on that font rather than a few relatively soft-core apps.

Secondly, on the issue of parental control, I genuinely don’t see what good removing apps from the store is going to do. If a kid wants porn or anything of the sort couldn’t he or she just open up the Safari browser?

I fear this move is little more than Apple wanting to wash their hands of any objectionable material. It’s not that they’re against it.

Apple, have left in a few apps from big companies such as Playboy though, which seems to contradict the above. Wouldn’t they want to eliminate the big players? Or is the revenue loss just too much to swallow?

“The difference is this is a well-known company with previously published material available broadly in a well-accepted format,”

I don’t get it either.

Dell Mini 5 Will Support HDMI

Dean Sherwin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:52:01 +0000

There has been a lot of buzz about the Dell Mini 5 recently. Mostly after the extreme let down following the Apple iPad launch. For example, we discovered that there were prototypes on the black market before Dell wanted them released. Of course, now there are quite a few review pieces knocking around with dozens of review popping up all over the place.

T3 Mag, a tech publication based in Greece, released a video with two presenters (and a very unfunny DELLicious joke). When watching it, I recommend skipping right to the end. This is the interesting bit.

They point out that the dock, which will be available separately from the device, had a HDMI output port which presumably runs either to a TV or PC (or both). I think that Dell have made a great addition here. HDTV is new enough to the market and with 3DTV hot on it heels so it’s great that we’re starting to see some serious compatibility on mobile devices. Hopefully it will enable us to have a better mobile entertainment industry.