Crenk » Mobile Apps

App Store Not Skinemax, Policies Changed

Luis Sandoval — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:05:00 +0000

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.

Windows 7 Phone Sexes Up the Market

Luis Sandoval — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:41:28 +0000

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.

Windows Mobile 7 Features

Augusto Alvarez — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:31:15 +0000

The Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona this year and just in a few days more: February the 15^th. 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.
Release date: September 2010.

Apple Tackling a New Market?

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:11:46 +0000

*This article is purely speculative based on information gathered from a variety of rumor sources and track record of Apple.

Could Apple's new device be the casual gaming machine Nintendo fears?

Many of us have been waiting for Apple’s big announcement with more anticipation than I’ve seen collectively in a very long time. I can remember when the iPhone was first rumored that the world waited, breath held, and excitement at an all time high. I can’t say that any other company has truly fascinated the world as much as Apple has in the last ten years, but then again, very few companies have changed the way we interact the way Apple has. From the launch of the iPod, to the launch of the iPhone, and even dating as far back as their initial Apple computer, the company is known to make waves.

As we approach the big announcement date, the word on everyone’s mind is tablet. I can’t imagine that anyone has not heard the rumors, but this coming Wednesday, along with some other announcements, the world is waiting for the announcement on what they see as the iTablet. Will happen? Does it exist. I’m not here to neither confirm nor deny what’s happening, I’m not privy to that information. But what I will do is make an assumption that I think is at least 85% true.

Should an iTablet of sorts arrive, I’m looking at a device that is purely a media consumption device. I don’t see any content being created with this device, but more for entertainment purposes. While the device will more than likely play movies and audio, it’s being said it could also function as an e-reader. But what I’m looking at is the gaming value.

There have been numerous sources stating that games would play a big factor in this new device and if so why, to what end? Currently the mobile gaming industry throne is held by Nintendo. Since the release of its Gameboy, which was a revolutionary device in its own right, it has been known as a great gateway gaming machine for those not typically used to playing games. Nintendo enjoys its position as being an easy point of entry for the casual gamer that perhaps would not pick up an Xbox or a PS3. This has been the bread and butter for this market, followed by the hardcore fans that thrive on franchises like Mario and Zelda.

The iTouch/iPhone has quickly become the gaming alternative for those of us waiting in line or just passing the time. With quick pick up games that can be played in short bursts and then put down, the release of an iTablet could easily transcend the small screen but bring the same mindset of carrying a slightly larger device that won’t just offer the same gaming diversion, but also offer up video, audio, and published entertainment.

Maybe I’m going out on limb here, but I think Nintendo might be in their sights. Not necessarily as a gaming machine, but rather, eating up their casual gamer market share that are looking for something a little more sophisticated than a Nintendo DS or DSi interations.

What are you thoughts? Do you care? Do you think it’s all hype? Leave your comments and let me know what’s what.

Linkedin iPhone Update Offers More Functionality

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:25:51 +0000

If you had a chance to update your apps today then perhaps you were surprised by an update for your Linkedin mobile app. The buzz across the media sites is Linkedin’s new shiny app that offers 100% more functionality than the prior version of the app did. For all purposes the prior version was useless. The limited functionality made it one of those apps you had because you hoped, but you just never used. Luckily, following Facebook’s recent app update, the new Linkedin app gives users more of what they want with a few interesting extras.

The layout you might recognize from the Facebook app. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was their inspiration. I wouldn’t necessarily go out and call them copiers, only because with a mobile app there is only so much you can do, and if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Still, the similarity might work in its favor because users will be comfortable with the layout. What separates the old and new is the increased functions of being able to view and answer inbox messages, invite and accept others invitations, browse profiles, search profiles, and most importantly a new additions.

The new addition is the ability to connect with users in your immediate area using your iPhone. The “In Person” selection makes your iPhone a homing device for others in your area how are Linkedin users and whom you might want to connect with. A great piece of functionality for conferences and other large gatherings where you can exchange business cards, but not all cards come with a Linkedin profile attached. I used this from my apartment, and it picked up on a few people nearby. I’m not quite sure on the range, but it seems a pretty worthwhile addition to the lineup.

Self Help Goes Mobile with Six Voices – Tapstack

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:03:31 +0000

Personal productivity and self help books are amazingly refreshing and can really get you on the right track. Many of us need inspiration from time to time, but not all of us have the time to read books or listen to audio in order to help us find that guidance. With the advent of all things mobile, more and more content is becoming easily accessible via your mobile devices, and now self help guidance is broken down for us in bite sized chunks that we can all benefit from.

Thanks to Six Voices Tapstack apps, for the iPhone/iPod Touch, users are able to download a number of apps that focus on a range of topics. Included are topics on how to be a better public speaker, create better presentations, confidence boosters, how to become a better networker, and more. While many may laugh at these topics, theres a lot of wisdom in what the app has to share. The information is relayed to the user in the form of flash cards with information broken into chunks that are easy to read and apply on the go. Simply tap your finger on the cards, or slide them from side to site to move from one flash card to the next.

I’ve already gone through about six of the 20+ offerings have on their site, and most of what they had to say I’ve already put into play. So whether you’re a veteran at what you do, or new to the game, sometimes tips can be refreshing in bringing you back on point. The fact that these apps are so easily accessible makes it unheard of to pass them up, so give them a try.

Online Finds Can Be Read Later

Luis Sandoval — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:01:36 +0000

There’s a great many of us who have not hit the end of the internet. I’ve heard strange tales of people who have come across a site that warns them that

Instapaper helps you save your online searches to read later.

they have reached the “End of the Internet.” The thought scares me quite frankly, but for the rest of us, we’re always finding useful information and stuff we want to come back to later. There’s always the faithful bookmark, but let’s be honest, our bookmarks are probably filled with items we’ve not gone back to in a very long, long, long time. So that does not seem very functional.

We’ve also got apps like Evernote that seem to capture instances of our online searches and saves them allowing us to share them, sync them, or just read it later. But for some it’s a heavy app that most of us just don’t want to mess with, so there’s an alternative to all of the above, and the answer is Instapaper.

Uniquely, Instapaper is both a web app and a mobile app, but the simplicity never goes away. You simply find what you want, click read later, and the instance is filed away for you to come back and review later. So instead of bulking up your bookmarks tab, you’ve just stored it away for you to come back to later, perhaps an article you didn’t finish reading, or a quick item you want to purchase but need to think about a little more. Whatever the case, the app is easy, and the site for it has no frills, just the basic steps to using the app (two steps to be exact) and you’re done.

What I find extremely useful is the ability to access my content offline on my mobile. So without an internet connection I can still access my content read it in its entirety and dispose of it when I’m done. This functionality is great when my signal drops and I can’t find a wifi spot.

Give it a whirl and let us know what you think. Got a better app for the same process, let us know, we’d be happy to review it.

Foursquare + Monopoly Makes MyTown GPS Driven App

Luis Sandoval — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:29:43 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Foursquare has been a wildly popular location based mobile app that has become quite a hit in the cities where it’s been released. Vying for top “mayoral” candidacy for each location you visit and exploring your city makes the app interesting while introducing people to new and unique communities and businesses that they would otherwise have overlooked. The many people that play this app as both a business opportunity for exposure and a game find the experience enlightening, if not informative.

Fast Forward a few months and another location based mobile app is released called MyTown. Now MyTown is the perfect combination of new business introduction with the classic game monopoly. Not only do users tag where they currently are, but the internal game allows you to collect “rent” for a property and purchase the territory where you are at. The idea, much like monopoly is to buy virtual real estate based on your surrounding, all the while forcing others to check in at your owned spots to pay rent or sell their own properties in order to make that rent. MyTown stays true to it’s name of ownership on this one.

To extend the game play a little further, as you check in you earn points and “treasure” which offers up neat additions to the gaming experience almost making it rpg-like (role playing game). You collect items that give you bonuses on money paid to your account, increased check in point, and all the while, you have a max cap of hitting level 20, which I hear will soon be raised to level 30, ala World of Warcraft.

I’ll be honest, the app is addicting, the rpg-like quality keeps it fresh, and you’re still just tagging where you are at, with the bonus of trying to own your own city. The experience over all is good, but the game does suffer from some hang-ups in load time. The updates are coming, the app is new, and people are finding it to be a lot of fun so expect changes to keep coming and at the very least check it out.

Mobile App Developer Ousted by Apple

Luis Sandoval — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:58:45 +0000

There has long been uncertainty on the exact process that it takes to get an application passed the Apple powers that be. Their ability to simply turn down an application from the approval process seems to be loosely defined, or undefined depending on how you see it. So it begs to question how one developer was able to get over 1,000 apps into the Apple store without raising any flags. (Molinker apps)

All eyes were directed to Chinese mobile app developer Molinker when a friend of a writer from the iPhoneography photoblog saw these obviously poorly done apps scoring very high in the user rating systems. Very few of the reviews offered a one or two star rating and it was a cause for concern. So highly were these apps thought of that Apple even selected one of the apps for the Staff Pick of the Week. This alone brings to mind questions on whether the apps are really selected by the staff or if there’s some undefined parameters that make an app “pick of the week”, as undefined as the process to get approved.

To raise alarms, two letters were sent to Apple’s marketing head, Phil Schiller, who by the second letter acknowledged that there was some misappropriation by the company Molinker within the Apple iTunes App store. The return letter simply stated that the developer had been ousted and that “gaming” of the system would not be tolerated. Not only was the developer ousted, but so were the 1,000+ apps affiliated with this developer (approx. 1% of apple’s app store).

So how does the app store move forward without even so much as making this example known to all other developers. Misappropriations such as exchanging unlock codes for positive reviews can still run rampant, and what if the misappropriation is not as easily defined the next as it was this time?

iTouch Acting as Gateway Drug to iPhone

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:06:54 +0000

There’s no doubt that the skeptics who thought that Apple had no chance in theportable music player department hid when Apple’s iPod hit the market and took the mp3 music players by storm. Very few technological innovations make such an impact on our culture and yet Apple redefined what it is to listen, interact, and engage our music. Their style of minimalist design served them well with the generations of iPods to come down the line, but now times have changed.

The market for mp3 players has widened with lots of entrants, but few are capable of toppling the giant, so instead they offer an alternative to those not willing to give into Apple’s tight restriction to the Apple iTunes store. Nevertheless, iPods have had to redefine how they are interacted with and that’s when the iTouch came out. This unique tactile surface mp3 player gave users a unique experience that was unseen in the market for portable music players. Since then Apple has never looked back, and the iTouch has swelled in huge numbers.

From June to November alone, the market share grew 5%, which in Apple’s world is a huge market. Most of this is attributed to the apps that you can install on the mobile device and the bevy of games that Apple is turning to to keep users entertained and constantly in contact with their device.

But is there a deeper agenda then just the one present? Mac Rumors suggests that Apple is quietly turning the iTouch into the gateway device for future iPhone users. Similar to the concept of a gateway drug, it’s opening doors and increasing familiarity that users will appreciate and then look for something more substantial. That’s where the iPhone comes into play.

It’s not surprising that this agenda may or may not have been planned because in the grand scheme of things it’s almost a natural progression. Users may still be carrying around two devices, interacting with their iTouch much more, but in time, the iTouch user will want to carry only one device but still have the access to the vast library of apps they are familiar with on the iTouch. The iPhone then comes into play, so I’m not quite sure if this was the intended plan or just luck that it’s working out that way, but in either case it’s a moot issue. Apple is still taking this concept all the way to the bank.

Publish Your Content On Your Mobile

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:48:24 +0000

With content accessible on our mobile, it’s become more common for us to be productive with our mobile devices to get more work done. Cell phones and other mobile devices have become the digital leashes that collar us to work, but at the same time it also keeps us connected to life’s information flow. As we become a more connected community via social media tools, it’s always useful to hear how others have made it work for them.

Recently I was stuck on a prolonged trip where I could have done one of two things, sit and just let time pass, or find an effective way to keep what I do going. I opted for the latter and as a writer for various websites across the web, I found the magic combination that keeps what I do going even if I’m not on my laptop or desktop.

For starters I have a iPhone and I’ve set up my apps in such a way that I can now more easily stream line the writing process using apps that I’ve linked together because of how they work together. If there’s a Blackberry alternative out there, I’d love to hear how you keep your brand running even if you’re on the go.

Documents2: Is the app I use to write my article. I use this article specifically because when I write I can back up automatically to my Google Docs and send a copy via email if I choose, all without leaving the app. This makes backing up my work easy.

Safari: I use Safari to quickly grab a creative commons photo from Flickr or any other photo site. I save the photo to the device and make sure that I get all relevant information for attribution purposes.

PS Mobile: This free Photoshop tool is great for quick edits to photos like resizing or cropping on the go. I don’t look for this tool to do anything more than I know it’s capable of and save the photo and move on.

Wordpress: Using the Wordpress app I bring in my copy, insert photos, include attribution, and tag and label my post accordingly. With a press of the button my articles are posted and I move on to my next task.

The above process may seem like it take a lot of moving around from one app to another, and I admit at first it did take more time than I would have liked. But after making this part of your routine, you become faster at it, and grouping icons by purpose instead of type, like most people do, you can easily access your tools to ensure that your posts are published.

Photo Credit Christopher Chan

NFT Internet Maps On Your Mobile

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:19 +0000

Everyone’s been a tourist at one point in their life. Being a foreign country, a different city, is something we experience at least once, and that experience can be good or bad depending on the tools we have to get us around. Maps are a thing of the past. If you’re still folding and unfolding your paper map as you orient yourself to your new surroundings, it’s time to ditch it and get with the 21st Century. Digital maps are quickly taking over the map world as the reliable source for directions and hotspots, and not requiring an online connection only increases the appeal.

Not For Tourists (NFT) maps have come to the iPhone, and mobile users rejoice. NFT maps offer the user more than just directions, it offers detailed neighborhood descriptions, thousands of essential listings, customizable maps for return trips, and editorialized commentary on things you need to know when you get there. It’s the map that talks back…but in a good way.

Currently New York, San Francisco, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. are mapped out, with Seattle, Boston, Philidelphia, and Miami being added soon. Putting these maps together takes time, but considering the pace at which they are adding, it won’t be long that the maps themselves will include more international and more major-minor cities.

The iPhone app comes with a $4.99 price tag, but considering the information you’re getting in these maps, it’s worth it. The price for not having to fold and refold a map is worth the price of admission alone. Explore these cities in a whole new way and let us know what you think!

DropBox for iPhone Released!

Augusto Alvarez — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:32:59 +0000

We’ve mentioned DropBox as one of the coolest free file sharing options available in the market. And now, as most of the cool web apps, the iPhone version has been released to the public. Download it from here (iTunes link):

DropBox has a very intuitive and easy-to-use interface, using your Mac, Linux or Windows client; or even using the web interface. You can simply synchronize your files everywhere; it doesn’t matter from which computer you are connecting. And now, it won’t matter if you are using your laptop, desktop or iPhone.

Some of the other features included are:

Possibility to use public links for your files: Instead of using rapidshare, megaupload or any other file hosting; you can upload your files to DropBox in a public folder and share it with the community.
Usability similar with Subversion: With the local client, you can store your files in your hard drive. And every time you put files in there, they are automatically synchronized.
2gb of storage.

And some of the features that you can see with the iPhone app:

Download files for offline viewing: Add files to your ‘Favorites’, and they’ll be accessible at any time.
Take photos and videos and sync them to your Dropbox: Take a photo from your iPhone and email its public link to a friend in less than a minute.

Take a quick look:

Microsoft OneApp for Mobiles

Augusto Alvarez — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:58:50 +0000

The mobile market in all of its forms has, indeed, made a big impact around the world within the last few years. The ideas of stay always “connected” whenever and wherever, simplifying your life using a single device were just a few around. Big companies are focusing in these interconnections and technologies because, let’s face it: pays off. And Microsoft it’s no exception, this time presenting an interesting app: OneApp.

What’s the idea? This mobile app will let you access other apps like Facebook, Twitter (TweetLite), Live Messenger, games and more without actually installing them on your phone. Even though the application architecture and functionality are not revealed, seems that the small footprint from OneApp (150kb) will dynamically launch parts of the application and avoid installation or storage requirements; something like application virtualization for web apps, not a bad idea.

OneApp also includes cloud services that help offload processing and storage from the phone to the Internet, improving overall performance. But, as you may think, this mobile app it is only compatible with a few phones (at least in this first stage); here’s the list:

Nokia 3555, 5320, 6300, 6500, 6600, E50, E51, E63, E65, E66, E71, N70, N72, N73, N78, N80, N81, N82, N85, N95, N96
Samsung U900 Soul
Sony Ericsson C510, C902, C905, G705,K610i, K800i, K805i, T650i, W200i, W580i, W595, W660i, W980

Are you planning in using it?

Facebook Critisizes App Store

Dean Sherwin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:11:24 +0000

The Apple App Store is a place where you get pristine apps that are clean of any SPAM or Malware. A great place in my opinion. However, in order to keep this clean environment Apple have built up a wall made out of trained reviewers who scrutinize apps for any violation of policy before they are allowed to go live. Facebook developer Joe Hewitt said on his blog that he wants Apple to remove the screening process to make the App store more accessible to developers.

There is currently a 14 day waiting period for apps so they can be reviewed by Apple. However, this is annoying Facebook as they believe Apple are using this time to block their app from the market. Here is what Hewt said in his blog, almost criticizing the iPhone along with Apple:

Oh, but you say that iPhone apps are different, because they run native code and can do scary things that web pages can’t? Again, you’re wrong, because iPhone apps are sandboxed and have scarcely any more privileges than a web app. About the only scary thing they can do outside the sandbox is access your address book, but Apple can easily fix that by requiring they ask permission first, just like they must do to track your location.

Whether or not Apple chooses to listen is up to them. Tearing down the wall could lead to an influx of Spammers, leaving it up could further delay apps or even put off developers as alternatives become increasingly available.

AppShopper: The Best iPhone and iPod Touch Applications Directory in Town

Steven Finch — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:22:25 +0000

Apple iTunes has always been so popular and with the launch of the iPhone iTunes has gone to the next level. Every single day Apple sells millions of dollars in the iTunes store just for iPhone applications. With so many applications being launched everyday how do you keep up? Additionally, I have always wondering how much money these applications are making developers and which applications are actually popular.

Today I stumbled across a great new site called AppShopper. AppShopper is a huge directory of all iPhone and iPod Touch applications and allows users to search through apps, find out how much they cost, and find out which applications are actually selling.

Additionally on the AppShopper blog they have great insights into applications within the app store and also all kinda of application related news there is. So if you are looking to easily find applications within the App Store, dont head over to iTunes itself, head to AppShopper.

MMO Set to Change Mobile Gaming

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:06:32 +0000

With the iPhone and Andriod phone set to battle for mobile supremecy, mobile apps have taken off with more and more people looking to access their content on the go. iPhone has taken the lead with its App Store, which offers free and low cost apps, and has apparently sent the standard by which other competitors have designed their markets.

GPS-apps have been very popular with all types of geo-aware apps available for a variety of uses. Now imagine taking those geo-aware apps and turning it into a MMO game where players use their actual location as the point of reference for a game. That is exactly what Parallel Kingdom, set to launch later this month, will attempt to do.

Now at first glance, Parallel Kingdom does not compare to the desktop MMO’s such as World of WarCraft, but for a mobile platform, it appears to be a pretty decent entry. Naturally the designers will have to upgrade their graphics interface to get players to keep coming back, but for starters the concept is pretty intriguing. Users will utilize their current location as the basis for the game. If you are sitting in a restaurant, it will be such that the location may be inhabited with monsters or other such obstacles to overcome. Meanwhile, walking down the street or exploring nearby blocks might reveal new weaopns, treasure, and other real life peopel to interact with in-game.

The game is still somewhat limited, but future releases look to take mobile MMO to the next level. If Parallel Kingdom can find a way to attract players to return to their world, find a suitable price point, and keep the game fresh and interesting, then there is no limits as to where this game could go. The game will be free for users on both the iPhone and Android platforms upon release with a price plan coming down the road.

BerryStore Steals Blackberry App Center’s Spotlight

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:19:44 +0000

BlackBerry has long been in need of a refreshing user defined experience similar to what Apple users experience with the iPhone. iPhone users are able to build the phone they want with a variety of free and pay-for apps that build on the already amazing functionality of the iPhone. BlackBerry has finally decided to jump into the applications market by announcing their BlackBerry Application Center which will launch with the release of the BlackBerry Storm software version 4.7.

This will allow BlackBerry users to define their experience by picking and choosing the apps they want to add to their very functional phones. RIM’s answer may come late compared to Apple’s and Google’s application markets, but BlackBerry users are sure to jump on board this concept.

Unfortunately RIM’s successful announcement has been deflated with the launch of an unaffiliated opening of a BlackBerry app site called BerryStore. The site boasts a growing 40 apps already for download and look to add more just in the weeks to come. The benefit of going through BerryStore is that it does not rely solely on the release of the BlackBerry Storm, but rather has apps that will work across old and new phones in the BlackBerry family.

So the question becomes, did BlackBerry just get upstaged? For those that can’t afford to make the switch or jump to the Storm, it appears an opportunity has opened up to them, which makes switching almost pointless, and puts some flavor into your existing BlackBerry.

Top 5 Olympic Apps for iPhone

Luis Sandoval — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:12:32 +0000

The world is currently in fever pitch over the Beijing Olympics this summer. Do you find it hard to keep up with all the events? Do you sit at work with the shakes because you’re in detox from the night before? No longer do you have to remain in the dark. If you have a late night meeting, an event with the family, or any other distraction that takes you away from the television, trust in your iPhone to keep you connected.

There are 5 of the top rated iPhone apps for the Olympic fanatic in you:

I. iOlympic
The most comprehensive coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics at your finger tips. This little apps offers you categories of interest which include: General News, Most Popular News, Team News, Telemundo News Feed, Special Features. You can catch up on all the news with even further breakdowns by event and by country. Want to know the number of medals won by each country, this little app has that info too. A true heavy hitter for Olympic fans.

II. Allmysports
A great general news provider app for those looking for quick bits of news. Not as thorough as iOlympic, but definitely enough to keep you going. Keep track of schedules, athletes, medals, and various country’s performances. The interface is easy to use and good for on the go info to whet your appetite for the moment.

III. Olympic Wallpaper
Who needs stats? You already getting your fill from TV, radio, and the net? Perhaps you’re already on board with some of the Olympic apps mentioned on here. If that’s the case, then this app is for those of us that want to share the experience, not just read it. Cover your iPhone with Olympic wallpaper and show you pride for the 2008 Beijing Olympics

IV. Olympic Games 2008 Medal Count
This quick view app allows you to quickly see a country’s overall standing in all events. You can see just how many medals your country has acquired and rally them to victory!

V. 2008 Olympic Sports Feeds
Perhaps you’re a fan of some of the more obscure, untelevised events at the Beijing Olympics. No worries because this app is here for you. This app provides a very thorough news feed for almost every event being held in Beijing. The Headline News is accessible and right at your finger tips to keep you ahead of the game.

Photo Credit, Marc van der Chijis

Evernote Update Released

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:47:28 +0000

Mac users rejoice, the new version of Evernote has just been released. Version 1.1.4 can be updated from the “Check for Updates” command from the Evenote menu.

For a break down of what this version brings to you, read the release notes.

Evernote is an effective way of making sure you never forget your ideas. With the ability to catch your ideas no matter where they are, a napkin, online, a street sign, a window posting, capture it all with Evernote. Evernote also links across your laptop, your desktop and your mobile so you are never far from the inspiration you seek.

You can read a full review of Evernote here.