Ever seen a great article, need a copy of an important document or just wanted to share some study notes with your friends? That would normally mean a trip to the photocopies room right?
Well now your can just Qipit. Instead of aligning the pages just right on the photocopies all you have to do is take a photo with your cell phone and send it to Qipit. They will instantly transform the document into a PDF format and send it to you via e-mail or they can fax it to you, whichever you prefer.
I thought I’d try it out just to see how it works. I was registered in under five minutes and ready to go. I took a picture of a document and sent it in. Three or four minutes later I checked my e-mail and low and behold; there it was. I have a 2Mp camera on my phone which is nothing spectacular however Qipit managed to do a good job. It wasn’t as clear cult as a photocopy would be but it was all there – text, photo, border, shading; the works!
I’d imagine a better quality camera (especially one with a flash) would do the job justice.
This would come in useful for anyone who constantly is making trips to the photocopier at work to photocopy notices and reports. It would also be useful for those overseas looking to send a document quickly with no hassle – e-mail is the best way. Try to think of Qipit as a portable scanner in your pocket.
The world of Apple Apps is kind of slowing down recently. We’re entering the third quarter of 2009 and companies are focusing their power elsewhere or saving the best until the Christmas season when surely millions of people will be opening Apple iPods on December 25th.
However, Crenk does have one piece of good news for you concerning the app situation with the iPhone – NetFlix.
Yup! That’s right. According to initial reports its thought that NetFlix will be making a move onto the iPhone with users being able to use their existing subscription. The service is currently available on the XBOX 360, PS3, PC and Mac. It will also be on its way to the iPod Touch should these rumours hold water.
In fact, I think that they do. NetFlix want to be the biggest internet movie company so making an app for the world most popular smart phone would indeed make perfect sense. By compatibility issues alone, millions would rather be with Netflix for all their devices rather than several.
Quality would be an issue but not a big one. Recently, AT&T upgraded their 3G internet service especially to large urban areas so downloading wouldn’t be too painful. I imagine their would be separate movie files for the iPhone as you don’t need huge TV quality files when it’s all going to be shrunk down onto a small handheld screen.
In summary, this would make for one of the best apps yet and would use many of the good features such as the widescreen and good audio on the iPhone.
Good news for all the Android users out there is that Amazon has launched an app for the Android platform that will allow you do mobile shopping right through your Android phone, receive new offers or even track your purchases.
The Android Amazon application includes:
Fast: Shop over 40 product categories from Amazon
Convenient: Access your Amazon account, wish-list, cart, payment and shipping details and much more.
Secure: All orders placed through the app are processed by Amazon’s securedservers.
The app even lets you make 1-click purchases and the most interesting of all, you can search for a product on Amazon by taking a snapshot of its barcode and the app will search through the Amazon catalogue.
The app can be downloaded for free from the Android App Market.
Twitter is one of the hottest startups at the moment and we thought that we would put together the top 10 Twitter iphone applications. Some of these applications are paid apps but we have also added some great free ones also. Of course there are some of the most popular apps missing, but we thought we would promote some fresh and interesting apps.
Tweetie ($2.99)
Everything in one app, including multiple accounts, favorites, deleting, following, trends, location, re-tweets, photos and more. Notably, Tweetie is also blazing fast. The interface is lacking in visual-flair, leaving it feeling a little empty, though. Still, it’s robust, quick and all the features to tweet on the go are present and correct.
Tweetsville ($3.99)
Although there’s no location-based functionality or multiple accounts, everything else is present and correct, from retweeting to trends, and search to favorites. The overall presentation is polished yet refined, with a simple box-style list layout or the option to change this to a Tweetie/iChat style bubble design. For four bucks though, Tweetsville has either got to step up to the plate with some new features or back down and drop that price a little.
iTweets ($0.99)
With its iPhone SMS-influenced design, iTweets is an ultra-simple solution, perhaps most appropriate for the infrequent tweeter (with few friends). There’s no photo-support, no trends, no search: just one stream of tweets. Put simply, there are better apps than this available for free. And the app icon is, frankly, a vile blemish on the vibrant and youthful face of my lovely iPhone.
Twittelator Pro ($4.99)
As the name suggest, this is the Pro version of Twittelator (a free app). The app is painfully rich in features, unfortunately to its detriment: it feels cluttered and confusing. The app may be rich in functionality (there’s even a help button, perfect for those Jack Bauer emergency situations), but it’s poor in accessibility and, ultimately, a disappointment.
Twitterrific Premium ($9.99)
The premium version features an alternative theme and is ad-free. The adverts in the free version, though, are unobtrusive and serve as handy bookmarks when scrolling through unwieldy streams (which helps as scrolling is very jerky). Light on features, the appealing, functional interface design and super-cute tweeting sound are plus points. Certainly not worth ten bucks, especially compared to the competition.
Twinkle (free)
From the guys behind Tap Tap Revenge, comes a gorgeous looking Twitter app. It was the first one I used for iPhone but I eventually abandoned it due to various unsolved issues with the obligatory Tapulous ID. Like Twitterific, it’s light on features but has bags of character and also includes an impressive tweet-stream from nearby strangers.
TwitterFon (free)
The focus in this app is on basic features delivered in a speedy, stable package. There are only four screens in the app: a stream of tweets from the folks you follow; replies to you; direct messages; and search (including location-based search). TwitterFon feels a little bare but for purist tweeters, it’s the perfect little package.
NatsuLion (free)
An iPhone version of a functional and compact desktop Twitter-client, NatsuLion is robust and smooth with a simple feature-set for light tweeters. Like TwitterFon, there are four main screens, although instead of search, NatsuLion incorporates a somewhat useless unread tweets page.
Twittervision (free)
Twittervision incorporates an almost useless but nevertheless impressive world map feature: watch people tweet live across a map of the planet. Strange, hypnotic and downright fun. This app is the weird guy at the party who insists on showing you his magic trick — a little odd at first but ultimately amusing and impressive.
Gyazickr (free)
Perfect for iPhone tweeple with a penchant for amateur photography, this app is focused purely on posting pics. With its curious name, Gyazickr allows users to take a photo using the iPhone camera or pick one from the camera roll. Plus, there’s a funky little slideshow that displays other images recently posted to Twitter.
Tweetdeck is one of the most popular twitter iphone applications in the market at the moment, and their iPhone version is simply amazing. You can even tell the popularity of this application from the comments left on this article. Create groups, search Twitter, manage multiple accounts and easily post your tweets or share photos, link and much more. Plus sync your existing TweetDeck columns between your desktop and iPhone. Nice and easy.
If you have some kind of mobile addiction and feel the necessity to constantly check your email with your mobile; I’m pretty sure that you usually get uncomfortable trying to use the small screen on your phone. Well this is not a revolutionary invention, but it keeps reminding me that Google is trying to keep things simpler: “Smart Links” automatically shortens long links and converts them into named links.
This is what you usually when you are reading an email with a long link:
And Smart Links converting it like this:
Of course these links, at least for now, will only work with Google related sites: Google Maps, Google Sites web pages and YouTube videos (but they are expecting to make it available soon for Google Docs as well).
There’s an important disclaimer about the use of this feature: only works with plain text emails.
For those of you who read Crenk on a daily basis or are even subscribed, you will have read my post yesterday about the Russians thinking of pulling VoIP programs such as Google Voice and Skype. This was because of competition. However, it seems as though across the Atlantic the story is much the same.
Google Voice has an application for the iPhone called GV Mobile and, until recently it was available on the Apple iStore. Apple removed the application along with several other similar ones over the past two days. Their reason for this was that it was too similar to features already on the iPhone. Whilst they did not go into any further detail I suspect that it was the voice and SMS features.
I also suspect that it was AT&T who were putting pressure on them because Google voice was taking away some of their income as Google Voice allows cheap calls and texts from the iPhone.
They called the developer of the application Sean Kovacs and told him that his application was being removed from the iStore. This is what he wrote on his blog yesterday
“Richard Chipman from Apple just called – he told me they’re removing GV Mobile from the App Store due to itduplicating features that the iPhone comes with (Dialer, SMS, etc). He didn’t actually specify which features, although I assume the whole app in general. He wouldn’t send a confirmation email either – too scared I would post it. I’ll see what I can do to get it back up there gang…”
I guess the friendly face of Apple as concerns the iPhone is just that – a face. By demonstrating such tight control over the apps available and by not even giving good reasons as for removing apps, they could easily drive customers away to other networks and smart phones, where apps are in abundance.
So you want an app, where do you go? The Apple App Store of Course. It’s been running now for a little over a year and there has already been over 50,000 apps added with over one billion downloads. Without any shred of doubt, it’s the market leader in the app world. However, now, Verizon have announced that they too will be launching an App store in the fourth quarter of this year to compete with Apple.
They, in the past, have been criticized for blocking certain apps and having limited selections for their phones. They have indeed seen the error of their ways. Speaking at their first ever developers conference in San Jose, California.
“It’s a new day (in wireless),” McAdam, Verizon CEO said in the opening address of the developer conference which was also Webcast. “And our future success is no longer in the walled-garden. Our success is tied to you (developers).
This would make for a nice touch to the current Verizon services. By giving users an app store you’re giving them one more reason to stay with you rather than search for greener pastures. I can’t see there being as many apps as the Apple App Store simply because Verizon don’t have the same kind of image that Apple has –sleek, cool and ultra-modern. However, their users will most certainly be impressed. Let’s hope us critics are too when it launches. Keep checking Crenk for updates on this story.
Today represents a significant milestone for Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and more importantly, the first big opportunity for developers. Microsoft are now accepting application submissions from all 29 supported countries and have launched a Race to Market Challenge to kick things off. It’s time to show us what you’ve got!
Registered developers and ISVs can now upload their application, game or widget to the Windows Marketplace platform and we’ll begin certifying those apps according to the process,policies and guidelines we’ve published. Microsoft will certify apps on a First In, First Out (FIFO) basis. Certification should normally take about 10 business days initially and you can always check on your application during the process through our Developer Dashboard. To better market your app, you can provide us with all the product information and promotional materials you’d like us to use to describe and showcase your application for the more than 30 million Windows Mobile devices out there.
Microsoft are aiming to create a global marketplace for Windows Phones where developers and users meet to sell and buy high quality and high value applications, so in other words an iTunes app store competitor
But it all starts today with the applications, and as I mentioned earlier we’re kicking this process off with a little contest we’re calling the Race to Market Challenge.
The Race to Market Challenge is just another reason for developers to get in on the ground floor of the new Windows Marketplace. While we do sincerely believe that everyone who submits an app will benefit from being among the first available when Windows Marketplace opens for business, we’re offering a few other prizes as well.
Dopplr – a cool tool that lets you upload and share your future travel plans and itinerary with the world.
Okay, so you’re going on a six month long journey from Moscow in Russia to Freetown in Sierra Leone. You’ll need to break out the Blackberry and e-mail everyone you know along the way so you can meet up and chill. What is this, 2007?
No, you take out you iPhone and use Dopplr. The software has recently become available on the iPhone and I have to say I was very impressed. Firstly, it looks really good on the huge screen and the tough functions compliment it brilliantly. As with the actual site, it’s very easy to use and doesn’t give up too much of the functionality (well, you have to make some concessions, don’t you?)
The features on there though are what do it for me. You can search through maps and guides before you even reach your destination. You could be on a train through Serbia whilst deciding what hotel to stay in Warsaw. Or maybe your on a ferry from France deciding what pub to visit in Dublin. It has it all – whilst looking gorgeous.
The cherry on the cake however is the Twitter like appeal. People can keep track of where you are and when you’ll arrive so they can plan accordingly – genius.
A few bad points include the fact that it’s only suited to the regular traveler who would actually have that many friends scattered all over the globe. It also lets every burglar in the neighbourhood know you’re away just in case the half-dozen pizza delivery leaflets sticking out of your letterbox didn’t do the job.
We received a tip this morning that Aloqa.com will be announcing a new CEO tomorrow and it will be Sanjeev Agrawal (former Head of Google Product Marketing). The appointment will be announced at MobileBeat and it will state that Sanjeev is the new CEO as well as an Aloqa series A funding and limited Android beta.
Aloqa’s context-aware application has solved two problems for mobile users: 1) it takes away the need to type search terms into browsers or other mobile applications to find something, 2) it proactively pushes out recommendations about social network friends nearby and interesting local opportunities to users on the go. Wherever they are, users can simply glance at their phones and see which friends, favorite businesses, events like music concerts, local offers and other interesting places are close by, without having to launch a browser or search application. Aloqa takes into account the user’s location, preferences and social relationships to make these recommendations in real time.
There are quickly becoming more and more companies entering the Application development space. Some examples are Tapulous and GClue. Today Gclue have announced a new iphone application that is the next musical instrument to hit the app store, the iHarp. The iHarp is of course a harp for the iphone and ipod touch. This new application has a clean UI and various functions such as an octave and half range or half tones controls.
iHarp allows users to record and play your music. There are also built-in songs so that if you dont know how to play a harp, you can learn.
Main functions:
12 tones from Fa(F) to Do(C) and half tones
Sparkle effect (Playing each string will generate a sparkle)
Switch tones (2 ways)
Record and play (unlimited file size)
Skin selection (select your favorite theme)
Background selection (select pictures from your Photo gallery)
Android devices seem to be the next big thing and are hotting up the market pretty quick with Google being the main warrior. However recently, there have been rumours that the old Finnish mobile giant Nokia were planning to jump into the Android platform and abandon its Symbian platform which the company actually owns.
The company bigwigs decided enough was enough and flat out denied any rumors that they would be releasing an Android phone onto the market at the Nokia World event in Germany this coming September. A report stating these predictions in The Guardian has been responded to by Nokia. “There is no truth to this story whatsoever. It is a well known fact that Symbian is our platform of choice for smartphones”, said Nokia in a statement to TechRadar.
For a company to make such bold statements about its own future in the mass media it’s almost a sure thing that Nokia won’t be using the Android platform anytime in the near (or distant) future, preferring to stick to its own developments. As for the meantime, Nokia are continuing in their development of a new platform of their own called Maemo OS for their internet tablets. Outsourcing is not one of Nokia’s favourite habits.
Ever seen a great article, need a copy of an important document or just wanted to share some study notes with your friends? That would normally mean a trip to the photocopies room right?
The world of Apple Apps is kind of slowing down recently. We’re entering the third quarter of 2009 and companies are focusing their power elsewhere or saving the best until the Christmas season when surely millions of people will be opening Apple iPods on December 25th.
If you have some kind of mobile addiction and feel the necessity to constantly check your email with your mobile; I’m pretty sure that you usually get uncomfortable trying to use the small screen on your phone. Well this is not a revolutionary invention, but it keeps reminding me that Google is trying to keep things simpler: “
For those of you who read Crenk on a daily basis or are even
duplicating features that the iPhone comes with (Dialer, SMS, etc). He didn’t actually specify which features, although I assume the whole app in general. He wouldn’t send a confirmation email either – too scared I would post it. I’ll see what I can do to get it back up there gang…”
So you want an app, where do you go? The Apple App Store of Course. It’s been running now for a little over a year and there has already been over 50,000 apps added with over one billion downloads. Without any shred of doubt, it’s the market leader in the app world. However, now, 
No, you take out you 
