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Box’s desktop app is fine for you, but better for businesses
When you think of cloud storage services, your mind probably drifts over Dropbox or Google Drive. You might not remember Box as well -- it was one of the earliest cloud providers out there and it's thriving today. Now, it's catching up with some of its biggest rivals in a notable way: it finally has a desktop app so you manage your entire Box archive sans web browser.
Evernote for BlackBerry 10 updated with sharing, offline notebooks and more
Yearning for more from BlackBerry 10's Evernote experience? You got it. The service just updated its native BB10 app with improved performance, more security and a small collection of overdue features. Namely, Evernote has given users the ability to share notes from within the app, both to friends and with other apps installed on the device. The reverse works too: data from other Apps can be shared and saved to Evernote using BB10's regular share dialogue. Premium users can also save their notebooks for offline use, and the introduction of a new lock feature secures content with a four-digit passcode. Oh, and the team has enabled Universal Search too, which lets users search their Evernote account from anywhere on the device. Game changing features? Maybe not, but we won't scoff at the update. Check out the company's official blog for more details.
Evernote releases native app for BlackBerry 10
Evernote's had a presence on BlackBerry 10 since the early days of the OS, but today the cloud-based service is taking things a bit further. As of now, BB10 users can download a native version of Evernote, which offers a more streamlined, intuitive experience than what's currently available via the Evernote integration inside the built-in Remember app. Note-takers will still be able to save and sync stuff, naturally, but they'll be able to do so directly from an Evernote-made app and with a UI that makes it easier to take advantage of what the service has to offer. Better yet, Evernote for BlackBerry 10 won't cost you a nickel, so head to the source link below if this is one you've been waiting for.
RIM shows off native Facebook and Foursquare apps for BlackBerry 10, confirms Twitter and LinkedIn for launch
RIM has had to deal with a few big names leaving their BlackBerry apps behind, but it's managed to keep four of the biggest on board for its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 devices. That includes Facebook, which will have a native app that RIM revealed for the first time at today's BlackBerry Jam Americas conference. Not surprisingly, the app itself doesn't look a whole lot different than the Facebook apps for Android or iOS, but it is fully integrated with the OS and promises to take advantage of the new Flow interface and features like the BlackBerry Hub. What's more, while it didn't demo them today, RIM also confirmed that BB10-specific LinkedIn, Twitter and Foursquare apps will also be available at launch. Update: RIM did later give a quick demo of the Foursquare app (pictured after the break), which it says was able to be ported to BB10 in a week by just two developers.
Zuckerberg: betting on HTML 5 for Facebook mobile app was a 'mistake,' native Android version on the way
Remember the days before Facebook's iOS app ditched HTML 5 and sped things up with some native code? It turns out that there's some regret in Menlo Park about relying on the web markup language. Betting on HTML 5 for the app is "one of the biggest mistakes if not the biggest strategic mistakes we've ever made," Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt today. The firm's CEO also mentioned that new features will be making their way to the app and a snappier Android version is coming down the pike "when it's done."
Line messaging and VoIP app adds 'timeline' and 'home' features, throws in new platform for app integration
With now over 45 million users, while you may not use Line yourself, someone you know (or at least someone they know) probably does. The Asia-centric Skype rival has decided to roll-out some extra functionality and is looking to go a few rounds with even bigger competition. 'Home' offers up a base for sharing photos and other content, as well as your own status updates, while the 'timeline' feature will throw together a familiar-sounding chronological breakdown of your latest adventures to show your friends, adding in the ability to comment on each other's posts. Its 'Line channel' sounds even more nebulous and aims to use the existing app as a foundation for integrating and linking to yet more programs and services. The screenshots hint at camera, gaming and (yes) horoscope integration, while Line is gearing up for both HTML5 and native applications. Hit up the company's notions on a heavily connected messaging service in two servings of press release, right after the break.
Dropcam's Android app is now native, improved and live at Google Play
Sure, Dropcam already had an app for monitoring its web-connected home monitoring cameras on Android smartphones. The thing is, it wasn't native -- it was built using Adobe Air and was therefore limited to specific phones, processors and OS versions, while tablet users didn't even get a look-in. The new app, which landed at Google Play just this moment, was built totally in-house to "better match" its iOS counterpart. In addition to broader compatibility with new and old Android devices, a bunch of other improvements come along for the ride, including two-way audio, free-of-charge motion and audio alerts and a "smoother user experience." Head to the link below to download.
Nielsen: Americans have 28 percent more mobile apps in 2012, look down on the web with disdain
It's not hard to see that Americans love their mobile apps, and Nielsen can now tell us by how much. The average US smartphone owner circa mid-2012 now brandishes 41 apps, a pretty hefty 28 percent increase from a year earlier. They're preferring native apps to the web, as well: they're more likely to spend time with that direct port of Cut the Rope than the HTML5 version. Along with reminding us that smartphone owners are now in the majority in the country, Nielsen has added that there's a total of 84 million Android and iOS users in the US, or more than double what we saw just a year ago. We're a bit disappointed that the figures mostly exclude BlackBerry and Windows Phone owners, although they still paint a picture of a country that's entirely comfortable in its smartphone shoes.
Google+ Mac "app" now available (Updated)
If you're one of the early adopters of Google+ and have been wishing for a native Mac app that you could use to check out your circles and swim the stream, you're in luck. A rudimentary Google+ app is now available for Mac, which bodes well for the future of standalone apps for the social media tool. The app appears to be a pared-down version of Google's Chrome Browser, since the menu bar shows "Chrome" as the name of the running app instead of "Google+." However, the app is much smaller -- about 16.5 MB in size compared to 239 MB for the full-fledged version of Chrome. Launching the app takes you directly into the same web version of Google+ that you're used to. Clicking any links will open a new browser window, so your Google+ session remains foremost on your screen and unsullied by tabs. It's not really a native app, but according to the developer it's something to tide over Mac users until something faster and more Mac-like can be prepared. For the time being, the Google+ app should work fine for those who want to keep their social networking separate from their other browsing. The app is hosted on Cloud App and is a quick download. Update: We'd like to warn readers that this appears to be an unofficial app that is not sanctioned in any way, shape or form by Google. If you've already downloaded the app, you may wish to log into Google+ through your normal browser and change your password just in case this is a "social engineering" attack disguised as a harmless way to access your Google+ account.
TAT-astic native PlayBook development discussed and demoed on video
Yesterday at BlackBerry World 2011 we were fortunate to sit down and chat with Chris Smith, Senior Director of the BlackBerry Developer Platform, along with Rasmus and Karl from The Astonishing Tribe. One of RIM's recent acquisitions, TAT is known for some rather, well... astonishing user interface designs, and for infusing a bit of magic into some of the PlayBook's apps, such as the bundled picture viewer and calculator. We were shown a number of demos, including the downloadable Scrapbook app, a rather nifty contact list, and a location-aware news reader. Over the years, TAT has built an engine and framework that make it easy for developers to create powerful and attractive UIs, and some of this will be making its way into the PlayBook's native software development kit sometime this summer. Along with support for Open GL ES 2.0, SQLite, cURL, and POSIX (amongst others), this NDK will provide API's to control the audio system, the cameras, and the sensors -- possibly even code to enable stereoscopic 3D output over HDMI, as demonstrated before. We know that's a lot of exciting stuff to sink your teeth into, so be sure to get a taste of it by watching our video.
BlackBerry PlayBook FAQ confirms native email, calendar and contacts apps, just not at launch
The native app situation on the BlackBerry PlayBook has been one point of contention since the device was first announced, and there's still a fair bit of confusion even now, less than a month from launch. We now have a fairly definitive answer for one key question, however, although it may not be the one you were hoping for. According to an official FAQ provided for a Verizon webinar, the PlayBook will indeed be getting native email, calendar and contacts apps in a "future software update," but you'll have to make do without them initially. That means either relying on the PlayBook's web browser, or using the "Bridge" mode to access the apps on your BlackBerry smartphone. So, the PlayBook may not technically be "reliant" on a BlackBerry, but it is certainly handy to have one around. [Thanks, Tom]
Average iPhone owner has 108 apps, spends 84 minutes a day using them
A survey of the 1,000 iOS devices that synchronize with Appsfire's mobile app discovery and sharing platform reveal some interesting statistics about app usage by its iOS owners. Summarized in an infographic, the compiled statistics show that most of its iOS users prefer native apps to web apps. The average user spends 84 minutes a day using on-device applications and a mere ten minutes on the web using web-based applications. Each iOS owner has, on average, 108 applications installed on their device. Of these applications, 20 are shipped with the operating system and 88 are installed from the App Store. Breaking it down even further, Appsfire suggests that 58% of installed applications are free, 23% are paid and 19% are the default apps on the handset. Of these apps, the average Appsfire user spends 10% of their time on telephony and 47% of their time using other apps like Angry Birds, Instagram and more. While the results are compelling, they represent a subset of users who are focused on finding and using applications. Take a look at the infographic after the break and let us know in the comments if you fit into this profile.
iPhone and iPod touch nab SNES emulation
You've waited, you've watched, and now your wildest dreams are about to come true. That's right, someone has coded a native SNES emulator for the iPhone / iPod touch. Right now, the project is still in the beta / testing phase, but you can be assured that in the very near future, your sweaty hands will be smudging all over a virtual controller during heart-pounding games of F-Zero, Killer Instinct, and Super Metroid. If you absolutely can't wait one more second (Paul Miller, we're looking at you), slip the developers a donation and they'll break you off some beta test action. If you're the patient type, you can enjoy the video after the break, and sit tight till the app goes public.[Thanks, Daniel]
