The mobile and cell phone industry has seen a lot of innovation in just the last decade. It’s a far cry from a time when most people were merely content to make phone calls or a phone number check. Now we ascribe the term, “mobile device” to our phones in order to more accurately represent their myriad functions. Mobile devices and their constant evolution and pushed the boundaries of current technological capability and the industry is quickly coming a point where its reach will exceed the industry’s grasp. It’s for this reason that mobile apps and devices need to become increasingly Cloud friendly in order to offset the increased demands placed on them.
A study conducted recently by ABI Research discussed this very issue and found big problems with limited processing power, battery life, and data storage. These concerns will further limit application growth among much of the mass market if Cloud computing isn’t applied with greater strength. No smartphone is save, it seems, and even Apple’s iPhone has shown to perform at a deficit when factoring in these same concerns. It’s been shown that applications that are connected to cloud resources are far more likely to run successfully than if they were run solely from the mobile device alone.
Factoring in these issues, it’s likely that cloud-computing services will become a new market and will deliver annual revenues coming in the range of an annual 20 billion within the next five years. These are big numbers and it’s getting a lot of attention. It’s also thought that it could further drive innovation among cell phone development. Researchers and developers will no longer have to concern themselves with finding new ways to adapt a mobile devices’ processor to meet increased application demand. If this were the approach, people would likely have to have a separate device just to run their applications. However, cloud services offer developers a way to free up the processor and focus on other innovations.
Cloud computing software is likely to introduce an unprecedented sophistication to the world of mobile applications that has proven to be an industry all its own. Businesses are already benefiting from collaborations and data sharing through similar approaches. Users will be able to gain remote access to apps that could do anything from monitoring their home security to social networking. You’ll be able to do everything you already can, and more.
It’s not likely to be a touch decision for mobile device developers. It’s a win-win situation. This will create a new market for cloud services and free up companies to find better and more efficient ways to mobile their products. Every company, large and small, will likely be utilizing the power of such services, which will probably become a benchmark of the mobile community in a very short space of time.
Most people dont know that you can develop native iOS applications for the iPhone and iPad by using Javascript. Here is a great tutorial on how to create a native looking iOS application from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
The tutorial includes how to strip away the browser; prevent viewport scrolling and scaling; respond to multi-touch and gesture events; use webkit CSS to get the iPhone OS look and feel; cache the app so it runs without internet access; get a custom icon on the home screen; and have a splash screen load at the start.
Apple has, in just one year, made a huge impression in the mobile gaming market, eating up market share once held by larger gaming company companies like Nintendo and Sony. More specifically Sony saw approximately half it’s market share drop from 20% to 11% as Apple’s mobile platform, especially with the release of iOS4, saw a rise of 5% to 19% from 2008 to 2009 alone as reported by the AppleInsider.
It appears as if Sony is now charging headlong into the mobile phone industry by creating a hybrid gaming phone based on the design of the current PSP Go. This would support the rumors that Sony was looking to make a move into the mobile phone market, but perhaps the numbers above have forced their hand a little prematurely.
According to AppleInsider, the phone would be based on Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread) and use “PSP-like” controls instead of the standard QWERTY keyboards. It’s being more specifically described as a combination of the Samsung Captivate and the PSP Go. I’ll let your minds create the product.
Sony would definitely be playing a game of catch up in this space since Apple is already working on creating an iOS4 centralized gaming hub that would contain leader boards, track friends, and build an entire social community around their gamers. Add to that the fact that Apple has been rumored to purchase a Chinese game making company into the mix and there is no doubt that Apple is looking to eat up market share very quickly.
I can see how Sony would be threatened by this considering that the PSP, while nice in style, has not come close to outselling or matching the long time champion of mobile gaming, Nintendo. As for Nintendo, while they are sitting high on the mountain, Apple has proven that they can indeed make a splash in the market. We saw it with mp3 players, we saw it with the iPhone, more recently tablets, and now perhaps a gaming system.
There are plenty of options in Apple’s App Store if you are looking for a calendar/task mobile app. Take your pick, chances you’ll find the one that best suits the way you like to task and prioritize your day. Some free, some you pay for, but ultimately there is no end in sight to the number of apps you can choose from to organize your day.
I’m always looking for unique ways to manage my systems. Task apps, to-do lists, I’ve seen them all before and few offer anything unique enough to make me change the way I’m doing things right now. The status quo was changed when I came across Diacarta. Not expecting fresh approach to scheduling and seeing my list of appointments, I was quickly caught up in exploring the display, how information is shared, and the interface. It’s a beautiful app no doubt and it does offer some unique approaches to the way we organize ourselves.
Rather than seeing your day in a line item list of text, you get to create a picture of your day. The premise of the entire app is associating image icons with things that need to get done during the day. This association creates your day and plans out by the hour what your agenda will look like visually. You still type in all the necessary details for your event or task, but it only shows up if you allow your finger to linger on the icon, it disappears when you move your finger.
Google is reaching an important milestone in their mobile battle roadmap: Introducing App Inventor for Android. With this tool we’ll be able to develop our own tools for Google’s mobile operating system.
The interesting part of this tool is that will not require great expertise for users to actual create their own apps with App Inventor.
Take a look to this simple video where we can create a “Pet the kitty” app:
App Inventor is currently working with invitations, and you need to subscribe to get one. We are expecting more news in the next few weeks.
Fans of the music video game genre rejoice, one of the classic games that started it all has finally come to the iPhone/iTouch. After years of playing on consoles, Guitar Hero finally comes to the mobile world. Currently we’ve been occupying our time playing games like Tap Tap Revenge and other similar style games, but nothing brings the feeling of full rockstar status like Guitar Hero.
The app, $3, has been downsized and altered slightly for mobile playing. The interface is simplified to appeal to a much wider audience that would not normally pick up the game on a console. Whether you’re new or a veteran Guitar Hero gamer, you’ll still be able to tap, strum, whammy, and slide to the beat of the songs on the game. The game currently comes with six songs: The Rolling Stones, Weezer, Vampire Weekend, and The White Stripes, just to name a few. If you’re looking to increase your rockstar library you can find more games in app, but it’s going to cost you.
A huge thanks to Activision for making this game a reality. No more air guitar while you listen to your music, now you can really jam out. Still, people might look at you funny…but who cares?
Being a huge fan of Square the news that they were releasing an iPad app really excited me. Square has been very active recently with apps released on the iPhone/iTouch and with the release of the iPad, it was only a matter of time before it would happen. Currently some of the bigger apps they’ve released include Chaos Rings, Crystal Defenders, Final Fantasy I & II, and Song Summoner.
Recently Square has made two big announcements, the first being the release of FFXIII image gallery, which was previously released on the iPhone/iTouch, but the iPad version now supports 3D images. With use of the regular red and blue glasses, the images will come to life in a whole new way. The second announcement was the release of an actual game involving the iconic Chocobo.
Chocobo Panic has users attempting to keep control of the many Chocobos bouncing around the screen. The game allows for up to six points of touch, so get together with six of our friends and keep the Chocobos from going chaotic on the screen. Sounds like a lot of fun, but for how long? I’m interested in seeing this game and actually interacting with it.
It was also confirmed that Chaos Rings and Crystal Defenders would be coming to the iPad in the near future. This will excite many iPad owners who have been waiting for Square to make a big splash on the larger device.
Remember the days when Cinemax was the channel you went to if you wanted to see any amount of skin. It has become a joke nowadays, but there was a time when many of us referred to it as Skinemax. Well Apple’s App Store is not to be labeled in the same way. Recently we’ve seen complaints about the type of apps that are being allowed to go through the approval process. Apps to include interests in busty asians, busty women, swimsuits, hot models, and all sorts of combinations. The once happy playground of games and productivity apps has now been diluted with apps that have “raised” our interest.
According to a great article on TechCrunch, the policies are changing, and it’s going to affect a large swath of apps already approved in the app store. The zero tolerance on “sexual content” has been passed and we’ll soon see those apps gone entirely from the store. Some of these apps were developed as the foundation for business, so Apple is essentially putting them out on the streets. While many of us may not agree with what we see, is Apple doing the right thing by running them out?
According to the article, the developer of Wobble has outlined the following change of policies:
1. No images of women in bikinis
2. No images of men in bikinis!
3. No skin
4. No silhouettes
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!!
7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content
Anyone want to share their opinion? Seems pretty ridiculous and perhaps a little overreaching, but it is Apple’s sandbox. If you want to play in it you follow their rules. Leave your comments and let’s chat about this.
When I saw the Windows 7 phone my jaw hit the ground like the cartoon characters of yesterday. You know, when the eyes bugged out and the jaw hot the ground with the tongue rolling out? Yes, this phone is sexy. Windows haters beware. iPhone killer? Maybe not, but this phone is sure to turn some heads as it lays out an UI unlike any other mobile phone out there. Zune owners might see some familiarities in the interface, but even those users can expect to see something new.
There was a day when Windows Smartphone would have been an oxymoron, but today, the mold is broken with this experience and it all lies in the UI. For starters, the interface is focused on dedicated “hubs” of information giving the users an interesting way to group like applications under one roof instead of being overwhelmed with information. The touch movement is fluid, the layout easy to understand, and by nature the device is social. A person’s social activity makes this phone a great pleasure to have as you are able to keep up with their status updates integrated into the UI.
You can take photos, create albums, record videos, access Xbox Live, a store to purchase your application needs, and a productivity store for those of us looking to get a little work out of it while having fun too. The phone currently has no pricing, but it’s sure to wow folks who are not familiar with Microsoft making anything this cool and sleek. I don’t necessarily think it’s an iPhone killer, but we’ll see what happens when it hits the market. Remember, Microsoft still needs to compete with Apple and Google which are the current giants in the sandbox.
The Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona this year and just in a few days more: February the 15th. And it is almost confirmed that Windows Mobile 7 will be presented to the community, taking a good overview of the incoming features.
For the rumors that leaked already, seems that it will have important enhancements (regarding with interoperability mostly) and some other similarities with other mobile OS. Let’s take a quick look:
The UI will be quite similar that we’ve seen in Zune HD, with a few changes to be confirmed.
Full Zune and XBOX integration.
Full support with Facebook and other social networking mobile apps.
Windows Mobile Device Center: No more. All of the sync options will be replaced by Zune software.
No multi-task support. Here comes the first similarity with iPhone OS; the applications will be paused while working in background.
No Flash support. Hmmm… seems that I’ve seen this before.
Applications will not be available to install by a separate storage. The only possibility to install applications will be using the “MarketPlace”. No, no “AppStore”, the name is “MarketPlace”.
MarketPlace will have a very cool option: “Try before you buy”.
There will be no support for OEM Interfaces. That means Sense UI, SPB Mobile Shell, Point UI, Infinity, and many others will not be allowed.
Google is reaching an important milestone in their mobile battle roadmap: 
