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Samsung’s iTest offers a look at Galaxy Android on iPhone
If you're using an iPhone and thinking about switching to a Galaxy device, Samsung has unveiled a website to let you "sample the other side."
Spotify's new home screen lets you quickly resume unfinished podcasts
About a year ago, Spotify revamped its home screen to make it easier to find your favorite playlists and podcasts. It was a pretty helpful redesign, and today Spotify announced that it's further tweaking things with a focus on quickly getting back to what you've been listening to.
Wallgram: Convert Instagram shots into iOS 7 parallax wallpaper
Are you at a loss for wallpapers to decorate your lock and home screens? Wallgram (US$1.99) is a new app that resolves that problem by letting you convert any Instagram photo -- your own included -- into attractive and functional iOS 7 parallax wallpaper. The app, from developer Capable Bits, is rather simple, but does a really good job of preparing those photos for life as wallpaper. After launching Wallgram, you're greeted with a simple UI and asked to let Wallgram have access to your Instagram account. Once that's done, a "Home" button displays the timeline of Instagram photos from those people you follow; a "My Photos" button does the same for your Instagram images; and you can also tap an "Explore" button to view a feed of popular Instagrams. Regardless of how you discover the picture you want to turn into wallpaper, you just tap a large green button emblazoned with a white plus sign and the image is "awesomized" and added to your camera roll. What does "awesomization" entail? Basically, it takes the outer fringes of the photo and blurs them while keeping the center of the image quite sharp. At this point, you can just go to your cameral roll, tap on the image, tap the share button and select Use as Wallpaper. Just move the image so that it looks the best to you -- in most cases, this will be with the sharp portion of the image in the center of your iPhone screen and the top and bottom blurred -- and tap the Set button to save the image as your home screen, your lock screen or both. If there's one complaint I have about the "awesomization" process, it's that I wish that the blur was adjustable. The transition between blurred and non-blurred photo seems a bit abrupt, and I'd like to see the ability to adjust that transition as well as what parts of the image are blurred or not. But for the most part, Wallgram does exactly what it's supposed to do -- let you convert Instagram photos to iOS 7 parallax-view iPhone wallpaper in as few steps as possible. When you consider that you have an almost endless supply of wallpaper images to choose from each day from Instagram, that $1.99 price tag seems like a heck of a deal. Those wallpapers can theoretically be shared via Twitter, Facebook and email -- I say "theoretically" because the sharing features were not working in the version I downloaded for review. Wallgram requires iOS 7, and is optimized for iPhone 5.
Microsoft explains the origins of Windows Phone 8's home and lock screens
We've delved into just what we think of Windows Phone 8's interface, but not what led Microsoft to the final layout. The company isn't content to let us wonder -- a pair of new company blog posts explain some (though not all) of what was involved in that birthing process. Ignore the marketing spin and you'll learn that the wider, more densely packed home screen was chosen as much for balance as to stuff in more home tiles, and that it caused a momentary crisis for the app list as a result. The Redmond team goes on to justify choices behind the lock screen, such as why notifications are as customizable as they are, why the music controls fade and why there's a failsafe for PIN attempts. Don't expect to come out of the explanations suddenly craving a Lumia 920; just expect to make more sense of the OS inside.
Daily iPhone App: ScreenDIY lets you beautify your iPhone homescreen
If you want to spruce up your home screen or add some flair to your iPhone's lock screen, then you should check out ScreenDIY from SoftEase. The app has a repository of retina wallpapers, but at 152 images, it's not an overwhelming amount. You'll find a nice mix of frames, patterns and professional images. There's also a decent selection of App shelves and icon skins if you prefer a snazzier look. The wallpaper selection is constantly being updated by the developer, so there's always something fresh and new for you to browse. Besides stock wallpapers, ScreenDIY also lets you customize both your homescreen and lock screen wallpapers by mixing and matching the stock images. You can select the DIY option and choose a custom background, a matching icon skin and more. You can also add a personal touch by importing a photo from your camera roll or by taking a photo on the fly using the camera. A preview button lets you see the skin in action. When you are done, you can save the custom skin to your camera roll and then set it manually as your background. You can also share it via Facebook, Twitter Flickr, Sina weibo and Tencent weibo. Though I usually don't install wallpaper apps, I decided to check out ScreenDIY because it had some attractive backgrounds and, at 6.6 MB, it wasn't going to take up too much space on my 16 GB iPhone. I'm happy with the app and look forward to the new wallpapers that are added each week. ScreenDIY is available for 99-cents from the iOS App Store.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean home screen revealed, automatically accommodates your apps and widgets
It's a pain manually moving apps and widgets on Android screens, ain't it? Well, at Google I/O 2012, the folks in Mountain View have just given us some Jelly Bean salve to soothe that irritation. The latest Android OS automatically arranges onscreen icons around any new widgets or apps you choose to insert. Not only that, but you can also remove any unwanted apps and widgets with a simple swipe up and off the home screen to delete them. A welcome Android addition, to be sure, but it begs the question, when will us non-Nexus owners get to enjoy it? Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's opening keynote at our event hub!
Chameleon adaptive Android home screen returns to view, Kickstarter
For three days, Chameleon lived up to its name, disappearing from the web as quickly as it arrived. The Android home screen's Kickstarter page spent most of this week offline, after the Amazon Payments account holder departed the company, leaving Chameleon without any way to collect on its pledges. Fortunately, the project has now returned, and is already more than a third of the way through to its $30,000 funding goal. And, as an apology of sorts for the inconvenience, new backers (or re-backers) of five dollars or more will receive five "bonus" Chameleon backgrounds. Regardless of whether this modest offer or the launcher's potential is responsible for the seemingly considerable interest, the project is back up and running -- this time though the July 4th deadline, we hope. Jump past the break and hit up our source link to make your pledge. [Thanks, Scott]
Chameleon Android homescreen cancels Kickstarter funding due to account mix-up, new project coming soon
If you fell in love with Teknision's contextual Android skin, we've got some news that might break your heart. The Chameleon homescreen's Kickstarter project has been unceremoniously canceled, as its Amazon payments account-holder has left the company. With no easy way to transfer over $50,000 of earmarked money, the makers were left with no choice but to reboot the project. A new project is set to go live later this week, so hold on to those investment dollars. Anyone who pledged funds to the first project won't be charged, but they will have to restate their interest on the new project page.
Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. If you're an Android tablet owner, you're likely very familiar with the drill: after you unlock the device, you're presented with a static home screen full of apps and widgets, which may or may not be relevant to your current need. The creators of Chameleon, a home screen replacement for Android 3.2 / 4.0 tablets, would like to change all that with a dynamic environment that'll adapt to your current GPS location, WiFi network or the time of day. Users may design and customize their ideal layouts, which may include news and social feeds in the morning, a calendar and tasks for the work environment and an assortment of entertainment options for the evening at home. Switching between these layouts isn't a problem, either, as you'll be able to flick between home screens just as you would with the standard Android interface. Like a good rug, the interface is attractive and really pulls everything together. Chameleon is currently a Kickstarter project, and its creators intend to unleash the creation into the Google Play Store this September. Those who donate $5 or more can expect early delivery of the app, which is currently slated for August. It never hurts to be early in line, and Chameleon might just rekindle your love for Android tablets. For a quick peek of what's in store, check the video after the break. [Thanks, Greg]
How to create a unique iOS home screen icon for your website
GIGAOM has put together a nifty article detailing the process for creating a unique iOS home screen icon for your website. When iOS users visit your website and create a home screen icon shortcut to easily access your site again, you want that icon to stand out and be easily identifiable amongst all the other icons, particularly if your site is a web app. Normally, when you create a home screen icon for a website, iOS will create a thumbnail image of that webpage, but by following a few simple steps (using a program like Preview), and entering a few lines of code, your websites can easily be identified by a well branded icon on any iOS home screen. Click here for all the details.
Mozilla's Webian Shell interface will cloak your OS in a browser (video)
With Google's fleet of Chromebooks making their way to market, Mozilla Labs has decided to release a similarly browser-based desktop interface, known as the Webian Shell. As of now, the prototype app consists of a screen-encompassing web browser, which essentially replaces your desktop interface. There's an address bar running across the top of the screen, a clock in the bottom right corner, and a tab button for all your web apps. Developed as part of the company's Mozilla Chromeless project, the tool was written entirely in HTML, CSS and JavaScript and, unlike Chrome OS, is designed to run on top of existing operating systems, rather than replace them. For now, the Shell is still in an early phase of development, looks pretty spartan and can't control a system's hardware. Mozilla, however, says it has plans to incorporate multiple home screens, split screen views and an on-screen keyboard, among other features. Windows, Linux and Mac OS X users can download the Shell now, from the source link. Otherwise, you can just head past the break to see a brief demo video.
Weather app uses notifications to display info on home screen
One area that Apple needs to address is the iOS home screen, which uses icons and badges to display information instead of the more informative widgets used by its competitor, Android. While many apps resign themselves to this limitation, a weather app by International Travel Weather Calculator pushes what is possible with a clever use of the iOS notification system. We are all familar with the red iOS badge that displays the number of missed calls or unread emails on your home screen. The Fahrenheit – Weather and Temperature on your Home Screen app takes advantage of this notification system to display the temperature on your home screen. It's a clever use of Apple's built-in system that does not run afoul of the App Store guidelines. The rest of the weather application is feature-rich and includes location-based weather forecasts, support for multiple cities, astronomical data, like sunrise and sunset times, and extra weather information, like rainfall amounts, humidity and wind direction. An in-app upgrade lets you add rain radar, satellite maps and wind charts to the application. The Fahrenheit – Weather and Temperature on your Home Screen app is available for US$0.99 from the App Store. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Google Voice for Android gets refreshed with widgets in tow
Google just pushed out a fresh build of its Google Voice app for Android, and it looks like the improvements are focused on a pair of new home screen widgets (previously, it had none). The inbox preview widget does exactly what you might think, letting you flip through recent voicemails -- complete with questionable transcriptions -- while tapping on a message will take you to it in the actual app. The aptly-named settings widget, meanwhile, lets you compose text messages, change dialing preferences, toggle Do Not Disturb mode, and see your available balance. Revolutionary? Not exactly, but a welcome addition for a service that's quickly becoming a standard for many Android users stateside.
Nokia N8 video overview: Symbian^3 homescreens, messaging, email, and Flash-capable browser on show
It seems like the only question really left about the Nokia N8, albeit the most important one, is just how it'll interface with the user and what the experience of living with it will be like. The Nokia Conversations team is now aiming to answer just that with the first of three video walkthroughs taking us on a tour of the new device and its Symbian^3 operating environment. We now know you can have up to three homescreens with six widgets apiece, and -- gasp -- wallpapers are available right off the bat. Threaded messaging is also implemented in the new OS, as well as a soft QWERTY keyboard and a set of emoticons... yes, emoticons. Notably, the entire demo is done with the phone held in landscape, suggesting that might be the preferred method of use, while transitions between menus look as quick and pleasurable as you might expect from a promo video. See the whole thing after the break.
What's in the iPhone 4.0?
Willkommen, Besucher von spiegel.de. Möchten Sie ein Übersetzung? Hier drucken. Well, we didn't really expect this to come so soon after the iPad release, but sure enough, Apple is going to show us the iPhone 4.0 operating system this Thursday. That doesn't give us a lot of time for speculation, but I'm sure we'll squeeze it in. As per our reader expectations, various rumors and leaks, and other random news and scuttlebutt, what can we expect to see in a new iPhone OS? Multitasking. Yup. If Apple's going to answer the naysayers, this is when it will happen. Of course, it will be done Apple's way (as we've heard, the new OS will probably still rely on notifications for most apps, and incorporate more of an "app-switching" idea rather than full multitasking), but the iPhone 4.0 will likely be able to run more than one third-party app at a time. A new home screen. This one's probably a little more of a guess, since Apple didn't mix up the home screen, even for its historic iPad. Though, since the iPhone is a smartphone, and since this is one of the most vocal complaints we've heard from actual users of the iPhone, a new screen of information would be very welcome. Better app management. With iPad and iPhone apps now out there, we've all got a lot of apps to deal with. From the longtime idea of "stacks" for apps, to the ability to remove official apps, to app gestures and navigation, the iPhone needs a better way to browse through apps, and it's likely that we'll see it this week. Landscape mode/switch. This one's a shot in the dark from me, but when you play with the iPad, one of the first things you notice is that it's able to adapt to any kind of usage situation; even when you turn it on the home screen, the icons adjust to the way that you want to use it, rather than the other way around. What else can we tell you? With just a few days to speculate, that's probably a good start. We've waited a lot longer than three days to hear about a new Apple product before, but three days has never seemed so long.
Ask TUAW: Shopping for new Macs, iPhone home screens, home folder on external disk, and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we have questions about whether to buy a 27" iMac or a MacBook Pro, increasing the number of iPhone home screens, moving your home folder to an external disk, and more. As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify), or if it's an iPhone-related question, which iPhone version and OS version you have.
TAT Home: the gesture-powered 3D home screen your Android device has longed for
It's hard to believe this homegrown home screen actually runs as quickly as the video demo (posted up after the break) shows, but even if it's just 89.877 percent as fast, we have a good idea we'd be interested. TAT Home is a gesture-powered 3D home screen for Android, and it relies heavily on cascading windows and finger flicks in order to improve your navigational efficiency. Clueless as to what we're referring to? Jump past the break and mash play, and then surf on over to the source link to sign up for the preview program. [Thanks, Jesper]
Dear Apple: What we want to see for iPhone 4.0, part 1
A week ago we asked you, the TUAW reader, to help us tell Apple what you want in the next iPhone: the OS, the apps, the hardware. Within two hours, I had over two hundred emails in my inbox. Within four days, the email total topped 1,100. As I was shifting and sorting through all your suggestions, one thing became clear: you love the iPhone, but you want to see it better, more intuitive, and more versatile – and you know how the iPhone can accomplish those goals. This is the first of a series of letters to Apple on your behalf, telling the gang in Cupertino what would make their wonder-phone even more wondrous. This letter strictly focuses on the iPhone OS in general – the home screen, navigation, and settings. Future letters will deal with hardware and applications. There were so many suggestions, I needed to whittle them down. To do that, I tabulated how many times a feature request was made. If more than 50% of you mentioned it, it made it into the letter. If you guys want to see the others (most were one-offs or had less that 15% of you requesting it), perhaps I'll add an extra letter onto the series at the end of its run.
Our iPhone home screens
We were recently inspired by the First&20 project, which presents the home screens of some notable iPhone users. So, we've taken screenshots of our own iPhone home screens for a little comparison.Once you've purchased an app, you audition it on your phone. Its usefulness determines its spot on the phone. For most of us, only the top apps - those we use most often or love the most - make it to the home screen. While browsing the results, we noticed some trends. Of the 11 bloggers who participated, seven had a Twitter app on their homescreen. Twitterrific was the most popular (Aron, Chris, Mike Schramm and me), followed by TweetDeck (Kevin and Brett) and finally Twitterfon (Erica). Only three of us had an IM app, including Beejive (Aron and Victor) and Yammer (Kevin). Six of us edited the default dock, most notably Kevin whose tricked-out iPhone is the envy of us all. All but one (Kevin) had the Maps app on the homepage Five of us have some sort of productivity app. The most popular is Daylite Touch (Steve and me). Mindmeister, Doris and Toodledo (Brett, Kevin and Victor, respectively) are tied with one each. Brett, Chris, Erica, Kevin and I all had less than five bars of connectivity. Mike Schramm has the most unread email messages. He's the popular one. Click the gallery below to check out who's got what. The final observation is that the homepage is in a constant state of flux. I occasionally shuffle a new app to the top of the heap. Additionally, games are grouped together, so it's quite unlikely I'd ever have one up front.What's on your home screen?%Gallery-74620%
A collection of iPhone home screens from your favorite Apple celebrities
With over 75,000 applications to choose from, it's no secret that every iPhone or iPod touch user has a different set of "favorites". A new website, First & 20, is shedding some light on the mystery of home screens starting with some popular website designers, developers, and writers you may have heard of. The website's concept is pretty simple - get a glimpse of the home screens of popular Apple or online notables such as Joe Hewitt, John Gruber, or Jason Snell. The creator hopes that the website will help you "see something you've never heard of" and discover some apps that are so good that they made it on the phones of top developers, writers, engineers, and bloggers in the Apple world. The reason behind just featuring the home screen is also simple. While many people may have the same applications, the question is "how many love it enough to have it on their home screen, one of their first twenty apps." In my experience, the website has opened me up to a few new applications and even some new ways to organize them. Leave a comment if you find someone's home screen to be of particular interest to you.
