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Vimeo outs new iOS app at MWC, now sporting iPad compatibility
Back at CES, we first got wind of Vimeo's impending plans to welcome the iPad to its iOS party. Today at MWC, the outfit has announced that the new version of its app for iDevices is now available -- and it'll play nice with your Apple slate. If you're in need of a refresher, the update features browse-while-watching, a watch later queue, access to the Vimeo Music Store and a built-in video editor for managing those clips while you're on the move. Looking to take the leap? The free app is just a few clicks away via the source link and a bit more info waits in the PR below.
Roku remote for iOS updated, easier navigation features in tow
Good news for folks who are enjoying the virtual hook-up between a certain line of miniature entertainment boxes and an iOS device. The Roku app's just hit version 1.1 and is bringing along some relatively fancy, but more importantly, useful features. Some of the new bits include a D-pad filled with buttons and shortcuts for apps like Netflix, Pandora and Crackle. Also, there's the inclusion of a new swipe-based remote -- which is optional -- that should help make navigating through applications a bit easier while you're lounging on the couch. You can grab the updated goodies now by heading to the App Store or hitting up the source link below.
Google+ web app adds two new features, iOS and Android soon to follow
Twitter recently revamped its web interface, and now Google has decided to do the same for the Google+ web app, bringing two new features that should be a boon for the Big G's thriving social network. You can now see who's been rolling out +1's to your latest Hello Kitty pics with a simple click of the +1 count near the button. There's also a "What's Hot" stream, a section focused on the most interesting shared content that's accessed by flicking your thumb right on the main Circles timeline. The only casualty from this update was the Incoming feed page, which was replaced due to lack of use according to its creator. The iOS and Android applications are expected to make the jump soon, but in the meantime, the web app should satisfy the need to indulge.
Vimeo updates iOS app to include iPad, releases Android and Windows Phone apps too
Vimeo is unleashing a handful of mobile apps here at CES. First, the company has announced mobile software is now available for Android (Gingerbread) and Windows Phone (Mango) sporting upload functionality and 'watch later' queue management. Absent from the PR below is the upcoming iOS overhaul what will welcome iPads to the party -- due out later this month. Enabling Full HD streaming on the Apple slate, the updated app includes an editor with access to the Vimeo Music Store, browse-while-watching capabilities and functions of the regular ol' apps. For a smattering of screens shots from the aforementioned devices, hit the gallery below.
OnStar announces 'closed' API, developers welcome to apply
Tonight OnStar's pulled back the curtain just a tad, revealing it'll soon allow pre-approved third parties to build "apps" atop its platform. While the closed API won't launch until later, at CES the telematics service announced its first partner: RelayRides -- a peer-to-peer car sharing service that enables OnStar owners to rent their cars to strangers for as low as $5. Access to the API allows those renting using RelayRides' app to remotely unlock reserved cars, all from their smartphone. It'll be one of many to go live in 2012, so devs with a knack for the next big thing ought to peep the PR after the break.
Ford to open R&D lab in Silicon Valley come 2012, wants to be closer to the action
Following in the footsteps of Verizon and AT&T, it's now Ford's turn to open up its very own research center here in Silicon Valley. A prudent choice too, as Dearborn's become more invested in advanced infotainment, not to mention bonafide smartphone apps. Slated to open in the first quarter of 2012, it reckons the center will help "prepare [Ford] for the next 100 years" as it scouts out new technologies and partnerships with local startups and universities alike. Mum's the word on exactly where the new R&D lab will reside, but those interested can learn more about it and its sister facilities -- whom Ford lovingly dubs its "innovation network" -- in the PR after the break.
Windows Phone Marketplace hits 50,000 app-submission milestone
Just over one month after crossing the 40,000 app-submission threshold, Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace has hit another milestone: 50,000. According to analyses done by All About Windows Phone, the Taj Mahal of tiles has seen developers submit just over 50,000 applications for review -- 42,655 of which are currently available in the United States. What may be more telling is the rate at which developers are submitting their wares. Over 17,000 apps have been submitted to the Marketplace in the last 90-days from over 13,000 different publishers (an average of 265 per day). With Apple's iOS App Store and Google's Android Market sitting firmly atop the mobile-app-ecosystem totem pole, Microsoft is looking to close the gap and put distance between itself and Research In Motion's BlackBerry App World. Hopefully, the gang from Redmond can keep the positive momentum going through 2012... even with its next major mobile OS revision being a minor one.
Apple and Google just say no to ESRB mobile app ratings
You're familiar with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), right? They're the lot who help moms and dads ensure that their kiddies only get their grubby mitts on age-appropriate content. Recently, the ESRB's reach extended into the mobile space, but it turns out that Apple and Google aren't down with the ESRB's handy dandy ratings system. Despite being invited to the party, the two tech behemoths with matching app purchasing portals are quite content with their existing controls, thank you very much. Of course, the fact that the ESRB relies on developers to complete a detailed questionnaire instead of reviewing every app itself (not unlike existing Android Market and App Store protocols) might have something to do with Cupertino and Mountain View's reluctance to jump on the bandwagon. Looks like parents wanting to keep their kid's devices free from inappropriate content will have to remain vigilant without the ESRB's help.
Geekend steps its game up with a 24-hour Hackathon, promises boost to nerd cred
For the past two years, all sorts of gadget, social media and design geeks have descended upon Savannah, GA. The goal is clear: to spend the weekend hearing from the nerds they look up to, including our pal Major Nelson, who spoke back in 2009. This year was no different -- and to make things even more interesting -- event organizers invited attendees to participate in the first ever Geekend Hackathon. Teams of up to four members, fueled by a copious supply of Mountain Dew and pizza, were given 24 hours to come up with the most innovative desktop, mobile or web application they could. There was just one catch: teams had to incorporate at least three out of five key words that were randomly assigned to them. The only other stipulation was that if the code used to create each app wasn't already available online, they had to place the open source that they developed in a web repository before the event. We were there to catch the results, which showcased a mixed bag of entertaining (and useful) applications. Projects ranging from an app tracking vegetable eating habits to one that uses image recognition to bring your favorite comics to a mobile device showed just what could be done in a day -- given enough caffeine, of course. Another allowed you to feed your urge to hug every cat, while a neighborhood advocacy community enabled concerned citizens to vote on issues in their area. Rounding out the field was a field trip database for teachers to share ideas on sites to take their students for the best experience. Two winners -- judge's choice and people's choice -- received a super geeky trophy (pictured above) and a major boost to their street...er online cred. If you're yearning to find out more about this year's happenings, hit the coverage link below and start booking your trip for next year. [Gallery credit: Geekend] %Gallery-139340%
Atari Greatest Hits app lands in Android Market, Star Raiders awaits your download
Jealous of your iOS-carrying companions who have been blasting Asteroids for months on their handsets and tablets? Prepare to quell your rage, as Atari has announced that its Greatest Hits app has launched for Android devices. Surpassing 3.5 million downloads in the iTunes App Store, the company has expanded the offering to Google OS faithful -- and it'll come with Missile Command for free, along with a 100 title catalog looking back on 30 years of gaming. Once you grab that install, you'll have your pick of 25 game packs for a buck each or you can spring for the whole lot for a cool Hamilton. The app is available now for both tablet and smartphone users, should you prefer a larger screen when your Centipede addiction strikes. For a full list of titles, hit the PR button after the break before checking things out for yourself in the Market.
Spotify comes to MeeGo to help keep your N9 company
Looking to bring the gift of song to your new, somewhat limited edition Nokia N9? Good news, Spotify is offering itself up to the MeeGo gods, bringing its music streaming services to the slick handset by way of the Nokia Store. The app is free, but requires the customary Spotify Premium account for you to get any actual enjoyment out of the thing.
Jawbone's Up wristband warms up at AT&T store, wants you faster, stronger
Jawbone's fitness-obsessed wristband appears to be closing in on the retail finish line. The Up pairs with what appears to be an iOS app, (no news on whether an Android version is in the pipeline), and will pile on the guilt about your disgustingly sedentary lifestyle. You can have the luxury of feeling like a weight loss reality show contestant by scheduling "get up and move" reminders when you've succumbed to watching back-to-back mediocre sitcoms with a Doritos family bag chaser. There's also a sleep tracker and a challenge tab to plot your amazing weight loss journey (or descent to an early demise) against friends and family. It'll monitor what you eat, and even tell you which foods "help you feel your best." (We think it's cake.) No word on price or arrival date just yet, so you'll just have to put up with Autom until we hear more. [Thanks, Luke]
Nuance adds WP7 support, gives devs better service with NDEV Mobile developer program
You know Nuance right? They're the folks who make Dragon speech recognition software for Macs, iThings, Blackberrys, Androids and cars. Earlier this year, the company released its Dragon Mobile SDK to provide the tools needed to get folks talking to their phones, instead of with them. Now, Nuance has added support for Windows Phone 7 (no Mango support... yet) and upgraded its developer program to provide devs with more support so it's easier to make voice-enabled applications. Additionally, it's added eight new languages to its repertoire -- Canadian French, Americas Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Taiwanese Mandarin, and Cantonese -- with more to come. We got to speak with Nuance about its new program, now called NDEV Mobile, and were told it's broken into three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Emerald. NDEV Silver is the base level that gives devs free access to Nuance's text-to-speech and voice recognition technology. Gold service provides SSL data encryption and access to cloud-based speech recognition and TTS servers over the web (rather than using a client-side API) through per-user or per-transaction pricing models. At the top end, the Emerald level rolls out the red carpet with integrated custom vocabulary and grammar -- for creating apps that recognize industry jargon -- and dedicated account management. The company sees the Emerald tier appealing most to enterprise customers, but it's available to any dev willing to pony up for the extra Nuance TLC. So, intrepid app-makers, now that you've got the tools to make our phones understand us better than ever, how will you use them?
Appcelerator launches app store for app components
Stick with us on this one -- Appcelerator has just launched an App Store, but not for apps. Instead, it's for components for apps, offering designs, templates, extensions, and other tools to app developers, who can then use those to make mobile apps for various other app stores, including Apple's own iOS marketplace. These components allow devs (for a cost or for free) to put together apps with various kinds of features together quickly and relatively easily, either leaving more time for iteration and design, or simply allowing releases to happen faster. Most of the components on the store make use of Appcelerator's Titanium platform, which is a cross-OS setup for developing both web and native mobile apps, so any developers interested in using these components will probably need to check that out first. But once you've got that down, Appcelerator's new market is a sort of a meta-marketplace, offering pre-made services and components to devs who have more money than time to spend on development. Essentially, this is just another indicator of how popular and gigantic the mobile app market is -- there are marketplaces for even the components that make up the apps that are selling so well.
BlackBerry to run Android apps on future QNX devices?
One of the biggest gripes from BlackBerry users is the lack of apps, which is why RIM hopes to boost sales by adding Android compatibility in future devices -- DroidBerry, anyone? According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the matter say RIM may add support for Android apps on future QNX-based devices, enabling access beyond RIM's relatively limited App World. The feature is said to go live in the QNX-powered PlayBook tablet by the end of the year, but there's no word yet whether the 2012 line-up of QNX phones will get a Google-friendly makeover. Rumor has it that anyone who bought the most recent batch of BlackBerrys won't get to have a taste of Gingerbread, Honeycomb or any other mouth-watering Android flavor for that matter. Guess they'll have to settle for plain old vanilla.
PhoneGap 1.0 lets devs write apps for seven platforms (video)
Until now, mobile app developers have followed a pretty predictable MO: develop for iOS first, Android second, and everyone else after that. Since last year, many of you code monkeys out there have been tapping into Nitobi's PhoneGap, a project that makes it easier to churn out apps for almost every OS, all at once. It's been picking up steam, with about 40,000 downloads per month, 600,000 in total, and a steady stream of donations. That all culminated this weekend with the release of PhoneGap 1.0, which lets devs use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to write and deploy apps for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, webOS, Bada, and Symbian. That's a long list indeed, but we see one glaring omission: Windows Phone 7. Hit the source link to download it for free and check out the promo video below for an oh-so quick overview. Update: Oops! Looks like WP7 is included! Our apologies, and feel free to celebrate accordingly.
HP tells developers to start submitting apps for Pre 3, still on track for summer launch?
Summer's whittling away folks, and with it the promised window for Palm's HP's Pre 3. Last we heard, the flagship device would miss its launch window, but a new directive from the company suggests its release isn't too far off. Registered webOS developers received an email about an updated emulator and deets regarding the App Catalog's newfound acceptance of Pre 3 submissions. Speaking of digital storefronts, the company also noted the latter's expansion into the following territories: Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore. Get this far? Hop on past the break and read the full communiqué yourself.
Google acquires PittPatt, wants to know you on a face-to-face basis
Google's quietly pitter-pattering its acquisitive ways back into the controversial realm of facial recognition technology. To do that, the company busted out its oversized wallet to fold Pittsburgh-based PittPatt into the Mountain View borg. Founded by a trio of PhD's from Carnegie Mellon University, this three-man strong outfit specializes in the sort of object recognition software you've come to know as "tagging." Is this a reversal of the Do No Evil tech giant's prior waffling on the dubious visioning tech, or just another massive weapon in its social networking crusade against Facebook? We'd err on the side of both, although the company's new employees aren't exactly playing their cards for us to see. A brief statement on the triumvirate's site makes vague mention of "computer vision technology" being core to Google's products and points to the tech's planned integration in photo, video and mobile applications. So, basically, expect to see Picasa, Goggles, YouTube and Google+ watch you as you flaunt your internet celebrity ways to that front-facing camera.
Spotify US premium service hands-on
Like The Beach Boys' Smile and Duke Nukem Forever before it, the US version of Spotify has been elevated to a sort of mythological status by collective anticipation. Music nerds and tech geeks all over this fine nation of ours have waited with bated breath for the service to work out all of its licensing kinks and finally make its way to our shores. In an interview earlier this week, a Spotify higher-up promised us that the service will be pretty much the same as the one that Europe has already come to love -- the question, then, is whether or not disappointment is inevitable after so much waiting. Spotify gave us the opportunity to take the premium desktop and mobile versions of the service for a spin. Check out the result below.%Gallery-128415% %Gallery-128418%
Local governments inspire app developers with contests
Cities like New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco want developers to write mobile apps that use city data. These cities have made their data public and, sometimes, hosted contests to encourage the process. The New York State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has jumped on this bandwagon and is offering US$15,000 in cash prizes for apps that use the MTA's databases. This data includes information about platforms, elevators, turnstiles and station agent booths within the subway system. Both NYC and the MTA use ChallengePost, a contest delivery platform used by the federal government, corporation and non-profit companies. Are there any developers out there who are going to take part?
