Lack of sleep makes Jack a dull boy.

Here I am in math, not paying attention due to the fact that this is all easy mode stuff. Didn’t really sleep all that well due to intense thinking sessions between episodes of Dexter. It really sucks when you can’t get someone out of your mind and the thought of them haunts you like an unseen specter. I thought I would be over her by now, but instead here I am, and the very thought of her basically ruins any chance for any real relationship because I made the mistake of entering a relationship while having feelings for someone else once, and let me tell you, feels bad man. So that’s the impasse I’m at right now. Blah.

In other news of the nerd variety, I’ve decided to build my own Android ROM, thanks to help from a little tutorial. It required installing some form of Linux, my poison of choice being Debian. It’s going to be AOSP 2.1 based, and hopefully should pretty speedy, once I dick around with the ramdisk and other stuff.

Until next time.

[Via http://chaoticmeow.wordpress.com]

Google mobile phone finally launch!

Google has announced that their next entry into the mobile phone space will be the Nexus One. Manufactured by HTC, the Nexus One will utilize Google’s Android operating system, which should be familiar to any recent Motorola Droid purchasers. For HTC this will be the seventh Android-powered mobile phone.

In terms of technical specs, the Nexus One will feature the following:

- A 3.7-inch AMOLED display

- A Snapdragon Processor

- Multi-colored trackball which lights up when different events occur

- Light/proximity sensors, as well as compass and accelerometer support

- GPS

- 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, which can also shoot MPEG4 video (plus one-click uploads to YouTube, natch)

- Stereo Bluetooth with active noise cancellation

- Case is thinner than a #2 pencil

Size and weight Height 119mm Width 59.8mm Depth 11.5mm Weight 130 grams w/battery

100g w/o battery Processor

Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz

Operating system

Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 (Eclair)

The Nexus One will come packed with Android 2.1, which means it should have equal functionality with the Motorola Droid’s feature-set.

Available in our shop now.

[Via http://sricemerlang.wordpress.com]

Android App: Slidescreen

This is by far the best home alternative out yet, and the cheapest I think too.

The layout is quite simple, you have most phone orientated items above the clock, and most social media at the bottom. Dragging the middle section up and down will reviel more items in the section above andbelow. Completely dragging it up or down will open a section completely. It will show you which section you are in by the indicator on the right, and tapping on that when in this mode will switch between the sections of info available.

For $6.99 for the paid version, my only regret is no Facebook and GoogleVoice support.

[Via http://coildomain.wordpress.com]

Augmented Reality - On A T Shirt Near You

Look, I know it is geeky, I know it is pointless but I really love this:

Augmented reality (AR)surely is one of the technologies that will come of age in 2010 (the other being 3D – but more of that later). Okay, so I realise that this is an especially gimicky and kinda pointless application of the technology, but that does not make me want to try it out any less!

AR has the ability to radically improve many daily experiences, and it has the advantage of being based in the real world as opposed to its predecessor Virtual Reality. VR did away with reality altogether but the problem is we DO live in the real world. AR has the potential to combine the two in ways we can’t even imagine yet. The key word here is potential though. It is still a fledgling technology which really only stated to break out last year in a significant way.

There are already Apps for the iPhone and Android phones which overlay information on the camera output. You can walk round London and see instantly where the nearest tube station is. You can walk around Amsterdam and have an overlay information based on Tweets, or Tourist Info, or Restaurant Reviews. Sony Playstation 3 released eyepet last year, an AR pet that lives on an overlay of your home, and which you interact with using the eyeToy. Even DVD’s come with AR applications to use on your laptop so you can view and interact with 3D animated models of (for example) the Star Trek  Enterprise. Several advertisers also used this technology last year.

So, we already have the games, advertising and tourist industries taking up the technology. I guess it is simply a matter of time before the Porn industry gets in on the act and then it will go truly viral! Yup, we will see an awful lot more of AR this year. It will get smarter, quicker and better. I think this is the year it truly break out in to the mainstream. Watch this space!

[Via http://thebiggayal.wordpress.com]

［ソフト開発］モバイル・アプリとクラウドの注目度が急上昇

ソフト開発分野では、新しいプラットフォームへの注目度の高さが目立った。モバイル・アプリケーションのプラットフォームとなる「Android」と「iPhone」がそれぞれ1位、2位を獲得。さらに、PaaS（Platform as a Service）として提供するクラウド・サービス「Google App Engine」と「Windows Azure」がそれぞれ5位、6位に入った。

Link

 

[Via http://cloudnewsj.wordpress.com]

my Hero has a mind of its own

I was nice to it by giving the Hero a chance today but boy, did it let me down big time-ish. Firstly, the battery was dropping like a lead balloon for some reason and having had a check through the usual battery draining suspects, I could not ascertain why that should have been the case.

Secondly, it has started its screen changing behaviour again whereby it moves, by itself, from one homsescreen to another and doesn’t stop until it finds the only homescreen ”page” that has nothing on it. It has always done this but usually once once every few days but today, it was doing it a couple of times each hour. It’s not a huge deal but it is annoying because if you have been in some app and then gone off and done something else and put the phone down, when you come back to the Hero and unlock it it is on a blank screen.

So, I gave it a chance and it frankly embarrassed itself so when I got home I started using the Palm Pre instead. Not that it has been an entirely good chap either over the last few days following the latest update.  Oh no, it won’t download certain apps that are showing as being “updated” in the App Catalogue. No doubt there is some reason and I will search the PreCentral forums later on to ascertain why.

[Via http://palmmac.wordpress.com]

New MyTouch Slide?

Well it seems that T-Mobile is doing it again with the same old MyTouch. Boy Genius reports that there will be yet another edition to the MyTouch family the MyTouch 2 code name MyTouch Slide. This is intersting to me, that HTC would make a hole new device with a new qwerty keyboard, and there new Espresso Sense. But put the same old   528MHz processor…. The device is also said to have a 320×480 display, and is said to launch around May 17th 2010.

Does any one think that this device will succeed with things like the Nexus One out. or do you think that hardware really doesn’t matter? Let us know.

[Via http://androidfeens.com]

dropping in for a minute

Android is just different: guess I have the advantage of just never having worked on those platforms before

Also very excited to see Calculon – a Java DSL for Android Activity testing – Awesome – just when I thought nobody cared about TDD on Android.

Been super busy and will continue to be for a while. Only had a few minutes to drop in. But I guess that’s better than sitting around bored!

[Via http://sosiouxme.wordpress.com]

Android Taking over AT&T

The last domino has fallen: AT&T has announced that they will offer Android handsets on their network. The last of the major US carriers to sign on with the open-source Google OS devices, AT&T plans five Android-based handsets built by Motorola and HTC this year. Of course, AT&T is the home of the iPhone.

Along with the Android, AT&T announced at CES that they’ll also be offering a couple Palm OS devices as well as adding support for the Palm, Android, Windows Mobile and Nokia app stores. Perhaps wisely, AT&T didn’t bring up the iPhone, though they continue to enjoy an exclusive sale agreement—which apparently wasn’t reciprocal. (Will it be renewed?)

This move by AT&T may be a precursor to signing on with the agreement to sell plans for Google’s new Nexus One. Like most other smartphones, the Nexus One is pretty cool, and Google selling an unlocked version is pretty cool, too—but the price tag (without carrier subsidies and rebates) will effectively keep all but the most tech-covetous shoppers from the Nexus (with the iPhone running as little as $200 vs. the Nexus’s $530).

AT&T will also be adding more cell sites and connections to improve their network, which has been facing a lot of complaints of dropped calls and texts and sluggish download times. (Not to mention the 3G map comparison Verizon’s latest ad campaign harps on.)

What do you think? Will this help AT&T or Google more in the long run?

Social Media Monitoring in Just 60-Seconds. Guaranteed!

[Via http://ecommercesnews.wordpress.com]

Microsoft Struggles to Extend

Microsoft Struggles to Extend Desktop Dominance to Mobile 

A U.S. software giant Microsoft has been struggling over the freefall of its Windows mobile operating system hit by a “monstrous’’ jump in demand for open-based Android-equipped “smart’’ phones.

Upgraded Windows Mobile?

MS is also expected to release a new operating system for smartphones later this year.  To partly calm down such challenges to its dominant position in computer software, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the company will closely work with its bigger clients to put more features of its upcoming Windows Mobile systems.  Analysts say the upcoming upgraded version would make it possible to install advanced programs for PCs to Windows Mobile.

They say the coming new operating system is being targeted at Android and will reportedly get both a revamped touch-screen interface as well as a lower price to lure phone designers that would otherwise pick an often free or low-cost Android license instead.

Windows Mobile 7 at MWC 2010?

Robbie Bach being a very lucky man has confirmed that he has “played with Windows Mobile 7” and said that the OS can “set the bar forward not in (just) an evolutionary way” and that this edition would be far more consumer friendly as compared to the more “business like” look of existing and earlier versions of Windows Mobile.

Many of us here thought that the CES 2010 might have been the perfect occasion for Microsoft to introduce its next generation Mobile OS, Windows Mobile 7, to the rest of the world. However, at CES Microsoft chose to talk about is desktop related stuff and of course about gaming, with its project Natal. With the CES drawing to a close, all hopes are pinned on the MWC (Mobile World Congress) that is scheduled in the second week of February.

As of now, we are still unsure when the first Windows Mobile 7 handset will be released. What we know, however, is that it is set to happen this very year.

And this time it’s not just a “rumor” or a hope that the OS might actually be revealed, as we have some sort of official confirmation. Folks over at ZDNET have managed to catch up with the President of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, Robbie Bach, who has given a clear hint that the MWC wouldn’t actually be Windows Mobile 7 free. Although a full-fledged launch might not happen, the MWC might give us the first glimpse of the OS at work.

[Via http://softsters.wordpress.com]

First app: QuickVibrate

Thanks to KO_KJ who commented on my past post, I published my first ever mobile app on AndAppStore.com.  I was having some deployment issues last week, but I just did an online install and it seems to work. 

Also, I almost completed my Android Market registration (I actually paid and everything), but it turns out they want to keep your credit card on file.  I’m just not cool with that.  So for now, I’ll stick with AndAppStore, I’ll see if I get any takers at all.

[Via http://phwnageblog.wordpress.com]

Announcing the launch of our first Android app: SmarToucans

Today is an exciting day in our lives. We launched our first Android game, SmarToucans. This game is targeted for preschoolers and kindergartners. You can see some screenshots below:

It runs on Android version 1.5 (Cupcake) and above and has been extensively tested on the Droid Eris. It is available right now, absolutely free in the Android Market. So, go ahead, download and make a preschooler or kindergartner in your life a SmarToucan.

Note: If you do download, drop me a comment here letting me know which phone you are using and also I would appreciate any feedback.

[Via http://bizanywhere.wordpress.com]

Sending SMS from Application

Hey everyone,

So in this post, I thought I would show you guys two basic examples for how to deal with sending SMS messages from within your application. Also, I’ll point out some of the difficulties that I learned, which weren’t documented.

Method #1

SmsManager sm = SmsManager.getDefault(); // here is where the destination of the text should go String number = "6508570720"; sm.sendTextMessage(number, null, "Test SMS Message", null, null);

Now, note that this is the most BASIC way to deal with this. You’ll notice that several of the input parameters are null and that’s because you can send optional Pending Intents with the text message to keep track of things such as whether or not the message sent was successful, etc. (For more on this, a good site to conduct would be Advanced SMS Example.)

To test this, one can open two instances of your emulator (one will be port 5554 and one will start on port 5556) and letting the destination number be the port number (i.e. String number = “5556″) will simulate the sending of the text message.

Now, one little thing to note which I figured out but which I don’t think is documented, is that your message MUST be less than or equal to 160 characters. If it’s greater than 160 characters, the method sendTextMessage will throw a Null Pointer Exception.

This method will allow you to immediately send a text with your predetermined message, but let’s say you want to just open the default SMS screen and you want to allow the user to type their own text message, then you can:

Method #2

public class SendSMSActivity extends Activity { @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstance) { // other stuff // the destination number String number = "6508570720"; startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.fromParts("sms", number, null))); } }

And this will bring up the default SMS sending screen.

Now, one last thing to mention – the permissions. For Method #1, in order for it to work you’re going to need to add the permission

However, for Method #2, you don’t need to add any additional permissions as it is simply an ACTION_VIEW intent.

So, between this post and the Advanced SMS Tutorial linked above, I hope this solves all of your SMS sending problems!

Happy coding.

- jwei

[Via http://thinkandroid.wordpress.com]

News Update Google's Nexus One

So if you guys have been watching the news or looking at tech blogs you might have seen some information covering the new Google Phone well its finally here. The Google Phone is made by HTC and sold by Google it is the latest alliteration in the Android Phone series. Its specs outrank many smartphones of today and basically just update the Motorola Droids slightly. The Nexus One has a 3.7 inch capacitive touch screen but is thinner than any other of the well known smart phones such as the iPhone it is actually 11.5mm thick and 59.8mm across. The screen resolution is 480 x 800 and has a light sensor and proximity sensor, along with an accelerometer and HSPA GSM radio. The processor runs at 1 ghz and it has a built in 4 gig sd card that can be expanded up to 32 gig. It has 512 meg of ram and 512 meg of rom, also comes preloaded with Android 2.1. It also has a track ball that changes colours with notifications. There are the standard Google approved buttons on the front. It also bosts a great 5 megapixle camera with led flash built in. The Google Nexus One looks like a great phone and for the price of 529.99 you can get an unlocked version. To purchase a Nexus one go to www.google.com/phone.

[Via http://ianmarmour.com]

Android Spinner Example

In Android, Spinner is nothing but combo box or list box.

Viewing multiple items and selecting one item from the list.

Edit Your XML code like this

android:layout_width=”wrap_content”

android:layout_height=”wrap_content” />

Edit Your Java Class code like this

public class SpinnerExample extends Activity {

private String array_spinner[];

@Override

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

setContentView(R.layout.main);

array_spinner=new String[5];

array_spinner[0]=”1″;

array_spinner[1]=”2″;

array_spinner[2]=”3″;

array_spinner[3]=”4″;

array_spinner[4]=”5″;

Spinner s = (Spinner) findViewById(R.id.Spinner01);

ArrayAdapter adapter = new ArrayAdapter(this,

android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item, array_spinner);

s.setAdapter(adapter);

}

}

The Output will looks like

[Via http://androidpeople.wordpress.com]

I Just Have One Question About Nexus One: Do I need a voice plan?

Will it require a voice plan?

Ok, wait, I should back up.

In case you’re living under a rock, Nexus One launched today. Nexus One is the Google phone. Nexus One comes with GoogleVoice pre-installed. Now, Google Voice does everything a regular mobile number does and more, as you can see from this chart:

But Google Voice needs assignment to a non Google Voice number, in order to do all the neato things a carrier mobile number does. Confused yet? Ya, my head is spinning too — only reason I am trying to decipher the breakdown and understand my options is because I am fed up with over priced craptastic service.

Anyway, what most people don’t know, is that all activated mobile phones on any carrier has a serial number (IMEI for  GSM and ESN or MEID for CDMA/WCDMA) and a mobile number that is attached to that serial number…which means if I were to activate a data only plan, I should be able to associate my Google Voice to the number and have a working mobile phone with a data only plan.

Or simply: I can kick voice plans to the mother flippin’ curb! …in theory, at least.

If Google Voice works on a data only plan, I will SO jump on T-mobile. The price points of data only plans is super reasonable; check it out:

I would definitely need exchange, but T-mobile’s site isn’t updated to reflect options for the Nexus One.

Anyway, I Googled but didn’t see the answer. Can someone familiar with GoogleVoice and the app, confirm if I need a voice plan?

[Via http://pixelbits.wordpress.com]

Ciekawego 2010 roku

Stare chińskie (chyba) przekleństwo/życzenie * brzmi “obyś żył w ciekawych czasach”. Jak się wydaje, rok 2010 może być dla gadżetomaniaków bardzo ciekawy – oczywiście w pozytywnym tego słowa znaczeniu. Oto, czego móżemy się spodziewać i co (przynajmniej w mojej subiektywnej opinii) może być “na tapecie” w nowym roku.

- 3D

Rok 2010 może być rokiem trzeciego wymiaru, ale wcale nie tylko za sprawą Avatara. Właśnie na rok 2010 r. rynkowe debiuty telewizorów 3D zapowiedział Sony. W ubiegłym roku, podczas jesiennych targów elektroniki IFA, Sony zaprezentował swoją wizję domowego centrum rozrywki 3D – z telewizorem HD, na którym można ogąłdać filmy lub grać w gry komputerowe 3D odtwarzane z konsoli Playstation. Także na ten rok wprowadzenie swojego kina domowego 3D zapowiadał Panasonic. Choć pewnie oba produkty – o ile faktycznie ujrzą światlo dzienne w 2010 – bedą mieć zaporowe ceny, to przetrą szlak dla technologii 3D do użytku domowego. A w ślad za nimi pójdą kolejni producenci, kolejne produkty – lepsze/tańsze/ładniejsze. także im szybciej pierwsze koty przeskoczą za płoty, tym lepiej – dla nas.

– Project Natal

Kontynuując wątek rozrywki oraz zapowiedzi producentów – na ten rok nie lada gratkę obiecał nam Microsoft. Chodzi oczywiście o pokazany w lecie na targach E3 Project Natal, czyli przystawkę do konsoli Xbox 360, dzięki której gracz zostaje uwolniony od kabli czy nawet bezprzewodowych kontrolerów. Ma to być więc kolejny krok po tym, jaki Nintendo poczyniło wprowadzając na rynek konsolę Wii, dzięki której gracze – dosłownie – podskoczyli z kanap. Więcej o project Natal pisałam tutaj. I podtrzymuję wcześniejszą deklarację – jeśli się toto pojawi w sklepie, to będzie to dzień, w którym poważnie zacznę rozważać zakup konsoli.

- tablet Apple’a i tablety w ogóle

Tak, jestem niepoprawną miłośniczką jabłek i bardzo bym chciała, by plotki o tablecie Apple’a okazały się prawdziwe. Dlaczego? Bo – podobnie jak było z iPhone’m – taki produkt miałby szansę zapoczątkować nowy trend w designie urządzeń i stać się inspiracją dla innych producentów. Kilka tabletów innych producentów (np. tablet określany mianem Smartbooka od firmy Freescale) zadebiutuje pewnie na rozpoczynających się w czwartek targach CES w Las Vegas. Jednak – o ile Apple faktycznie pracuje nad tabletem – to jego urządzenie będzie mieć nad innymi jedną, wielką przewagę – środowisko. Chodzi mi tu o sklepu AppStore oraz – oczywiście nie u nas – sklepu iTunes. Tak jak iTunes zaważył na sukcesie iPoda (przynajmniej IMHO), tak dostępność programów i gier, płatnych lub za darmo, może zaważyć o powodzeniu eksperymentu “Tablet”. Ja chętnie w takim doświadczeniu wzięłabym udział już w tym roku

- eBooki

Co prawda o eBookach pisałam już przy okazji podsumowywania 2009 roku, ale liczę na to, że o czytnikach e-książek oraz księgarniach oferujących elektroniczne powieści oraz magazyny usłyszymy jeszcze kilka razy w tym roku. Marzą mi się czytniki sprzężone z dużymi księgarniami (choćby Empikowy lub Merlinowy), lub duży czytnik do czytania gazet i magazynów, który działałby zarówno zagranicą jak i w Polsce.

- Android

twórcy Androida nieustannie nad nim pracują – i to z efektami, bo kolejne odsłony systemu są w dostrzegalny sposób coraz lepsze. W przyszłym roku czeka nas pewnie wysyp komórek pracujących na Androidzie – już jutro zobaczymy pewnie jednego z nich - Nexusa One.Ale czeka nas jeszcze zapowiedziane stadku “googlephone’ow” od Motoroli, propozycje Samsunga oraz Sony Ericssona.

Wraz ze wzrostem liczby dostępnych modeli powinien podążyć (a przynajmniej ja na to liczę) wzrost liczby dostępnych aplikacji, które można instalować sobie na telefonie. Bo to właśnie programy – te użyteczne, zabawowe czy zupełnie nonsensowe – sprawiają, że telefon staje się czymś więcej , niż słuchawką.

- serwisy społecznościowe/AR

Póki co nie muszą narzekać na brak popularności, ale pewnie przydało by się powprowadzać jakieś nowinki/atrakcje dla użytkowników. taką mogą być aplikacje umożliwiające korzystanie z serwisów społecznościowych oraz wykorzystujące technologię AR, czyli Augmnented Reality. Wyobraźmy sobie np, że spacerując po mieście możemy, korzystając z telefonu, zobaczyć, czy np. o mijanej właśnie knajpie nie pisał na Facebooku któryś ze znajomych. Mi by się coś takiego podobało – oczywiście, o ile mogłabym w każdej chwili się od tego odciąć

* to zależy od interpretacji wyników…w końcu każdy kij ma dwa końce, a medal – dwie strony

[Via http://mminta.wordpress.com]

Nexus One Review

One of the first reviews of the Google Nexus One. It seems that Googl is providing everyone with review units to increase the hype of the Nexus One.

There are also various comparisons with popular touchscreen phones.

Nexus One vs iPhone vs Motorola Droid

Nexus One vs Motorola Droid Benchmark Results

The review is very detailed and is very interesting to read. Enjoy it!

Here’s the link

[Via http://erazer007.wordpress.com]

NewsRoom RSS quick review

So, I recently bought the NewsRoom RSS app by Trileet Inc. So far, I’m really liking it.

I’m a big news junkie, especially when it comes to phones, and it’s nice to be able to look at new blogs on my favorite websites in a nice interface.

When you open the application, you get icons for your favorite sites (you can select from some they list or enter your own).  In the upper right hand corner of the icon will be a number indicating if there are any new updates.  Clicking on an icon will bring up the feeds for that site, and it brings them up in card form.  You start with the newest one first, and by swiping to the right, you can go through previous articles that were updated.  Swiping up will open that particular article into an actual page that is built into the app.  Once done reading, you can swipe back down to go back to the cards.  The app gives you four pages to load up, allowing nine icons per page.  While on any of the four main pages, swiping down will give you the option to mark all feeds as read.

One really neat option of this app are widgets.  You can select to place a widget of your favorite site on your Android home screen.  When the widget is clicked, it will open that feed in the NewsRoom RSS app.

Overall, I’m really liking this app.  There is a trial of the app in the Android Marketplace.  Price is $4.99.  Well worth it, in my opinion.

I’ll post some videos from their website so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about.

NewsRoom RSS video

[Via http://theandroidblogger.wordpress.com]