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AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown
Most tablets function just fine on their own, but RIM's BlackBerry Playbook introduced a unique, yet restrictive interface that limits Bluetooth tethering to a similarly-branded handset. This feature, called BlackBerry Bridge, lets your tablet piggyback on a handset's 3G data connection, also enabling access to productivity apps like email and calendar, which are still otherwise unavailable on the PlayBook. Unfortunately, this option hasn't been made available for AT&T users, but that's about to change, as the feature will be added to App World today. While the Bridge suite is totally gratis, enabling the AT&T 3G data connection requires a monthly tethering plan of $45, which means anyone grandfathered into the unlimited data feature will need to decide if it's worth the jump. Bridge not sounding like your cup of tea? Don't worry -- at least you can take comfort in knowing that the days of pining for native email are numbered.
Mobile apps leaving the web behind in usage
Mobile ad company Flurry has released a new analysis on its official blog stating that customers are making the transition lately from using the mobile web to spending more of their daily time in mobile apps. In the early days of smartphone prominence (and by "early days," we mean about three years ago), the main feature on mobile phones was the web. You could check email, look up web pages, or browse the web on your smartphone, and that's how most people used them. Since the rise of iOS, however, mobile apps are picking up that time spent. And as you can see from the chart above, customers are now putting more time into mobile apps (about 9 percent more, it turns out) than browsing the mobile web. It should be noted that both stats are still growing -- customers are spending more time on mobile phones than ever. But mobile app usage is growing even faster. It's not hard to see why this is, either. Mobile apps are maturing quickly, and it's easier to get information from many of them now than it was just browsing around the web. Mobile apps also offer features like offline access and other things that the web doesn't, so this shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone.
Deep Shot transfers open websites from desktop to mobile, sans wizardry
When we first read about Deep Shot, we were admittedly dumbfounded, but equally impressed. The "technology" allows you to "capture" the current state of a website on your desktop and transfer it to a mobile device -- taking a picture of a Google Map on your desktop with your smartphone camera will open the site in the same state on your phone, for example. Sounds like a pretty neat magic trick, huh? Well, it's not. In order to use Deep Shot, you need to install an app on your mobile, computer, and any other device you plan to use it with -- thus making it even less practical than Chrome to Phone. It currently works with Google Maps and Yelp, but could theoretically be used with any site that uses URIs, or those lengthy URLs that contain search details, such as the origin and destination addresses you sent to Google Maps. You could also "transfer" a site in its "current state" by emailing the URI, or by using an app to seamlessly share it over WiFi or Bluetooth with a "send to mobile" button -- which is likely what Deep Shot is doing here anyway, just with an extra step thrown into the mix. Care to visit a land where you can swim with the Loch Ness Monster and ride a pink unicorn? Head past the break for Deep Shot's coming out video, which curiously makes no mention of the required desktop software.
Rdio posts Mobile Playback API for iOS
Rdio, the on-demand social music service from the founders of Skype, has opened up its service to developers and published a mobile playback API for iOS, although the current terms of use prohibit the sale of any apps made using it. Instead, the company will make mobile apps work with its affiliate scheme. "We're working on providing a good affiliate program flow for mobile apps so that you can monetize that way. Getting that working well is one of my top priorities so you'll hear about that soon," says Ian McKellar, Lead Platform Engineer at Rdio. According to Rdio, the mobile API will allow you to make an app "that searches and plays all the artists, songs, albums, playlists, and top charts in Rdio's catalog of over 8.5 million songs. You can also build and edit playlists, show a user's network Heavy Rotation, follow other people, and view Collections." Is this something you'd see yourself building into an app? Let us know in comments.
Samsung makes it easier for you to buy stuff from its Apps store
No doubt still buzzing from hitting the 100 millionth download milestone back in March, Samsung is making it even easier for Apps customers to use the mobile/HDTV storefront -- well, consumers in Europe and Asia, at least. The company announced this week that it has streamlined the purchasing process for the store, letting users tack payments onto their phone bill or SIM card balance. The upgrade is being rolled out in the UK, Germany, Thailand, India, among others, with even more countries coming later this year. The rest of the world will have to continue paying for apps the old fashioned way: sticking a check in a bottle and praying it floats all the way to Korea. More info on the press release after the break.
Shocker! Free Android apps outnumber free iPhone apps
Good news for Android users who hate paying for stuff: according to new numbers from Netherlands-based mobile analytics group Distimo, there are now more free apps available for Google's mobile OS than the iPhone, at 134,342 to 121,845. There are a few things to consider here: first, when one adds free iPad-only apps, the total number of gratis iOS apps increases to a more competitive 132,239. And then there's Apple's sometimes rigorous vetting process, which has probably played a role in its numeric slippage -- after all, this report doesn't highlight things like legality, repetition, or the overall number of apps dedicated to making farting noises. Also, Apple has a lot more premium apps, giving it the overall lead at 333,124 to 206,143 -- but between Android's rapid growth and what the report terms iOS's relative stagnation, Distimo expects Google to take the top spot in five months' time, outnumbering iPhone and iPad apps combined -- a rough scenario for Cupertino to stomach, no doubt, but at least the company will still have Windows Phone to kick around a while longer. [Source link requires registration]
DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update)
Just like the web versions of HBO Go and Max Go are accessible both through their own sites and various provider portals, DirecTV has announced it will include access to them in its own apps on iPad, iPhone and "select Android devices" at the same time native Go apps launch. There's no word on what restrictions may be placed on Android, if it's just Froyo or higher hardware with Flash accessibility, then that's one thing, but Netflix-style DRM tie ups could prove to be much more frustrating to our Game of Thrones streaming plans. The announcement came from DirecTV's official Twitter account which indicated the apps would progress beyond mere remote control and DVR scheduling on the same May 2nd date previously teased in HBO's YouTube trailer -- we'll wait and see how long it takes to be integrated into similar apps from competitors like Comcast and Verizon FiOS. Update: We've just heard from DirecTV that this was a "mistweet", as it turns out they won't be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else. Check the @DirecTV account for the latest tweets, we'll put this one on the shelf next to the DirecTiVo for now.
Pandora mobile app found to be sending birth date, gender and location information to ad servers
We still haven't heard much more about that Federal Grand Jury investigation into Pandora and other mobile apps over privacy concerns, but an independent security firm has now gone ahead and taken matters into its own hands. According to an analysis done by the folks at Veracode, Pandora does indeed seem to be sharing more information about you then it lets on. More specifically, they found that the Android app (they haven't yet gotten around to the iOS version) "appears" to be sending information about users' birth date, gender, Android ID and GPS location to various advertising companies -- bits of information that the firm notes could be combined to determine who someone is, what they do for a living, and even who they associate with. For its part, Pandora is simply declining to to comment at the moment, and we're guessing that's unlikely to change anytime soon given the aforementioned investigation. Hit up the source link below for Veracode's complete findings.
Nuance opens Dragon Mobile SDK to app developers, we see end to embarrassing dictation
There are some messages that are just too embarrassing to dictate to a human being. Lucky for us and the retired circus contortionist we hired to type up our missives, Nuance is expanding the reach of its transcription software by making its Dragon Mobile SDK available to developers for use in iOS and Android applications. The SDK, which is free to members of the Nuance Mobile Developer Program, sports speech-to-text capabilities in eight languages and text-to-speech in 35. There are already apps out there that can do the job, including Nuance's own Dragon Dictation, but we welcome new advances in automated transcription. You know, it's not exactly a walk in the park dictating an entire Clay Aiken Fan Club newsletter to a guy named Sid the Human Pretzel.
Dish Network remote access app comes to Android, your Harmony groans
Dish Network took another step towards its ambitious TV Everywhere plans -- not to be confused with Comcast's and Time Warner's TV Everywhere partnership -- by releasing the Android version of its Dish remote access app late last week. This nicely completes the provider's suite of mobile offerings, which have already been available on the iPhone, iPad and certain BlackBerry phones. The catch is that to take advantage of the app, Android users must own a Sling-enabled Dish device like the ViP 722 / 722k HD DVRs or the recently released Sling adapter. With the necessary hardware though, the app turns smartphones into a control freak's best friend, working as a remote control, a DVR manager, and a Sling-powered media streamer to view recorded or live programming over Wi-Fi or 3G. That's a pretty nifty feature set considering it costs a lovely low price of free, and it's certainly more robust than mobile offerings from Comcast, Time Warner, or DirecTV. In other words, when it comes to getting the most from your paid TV service while on the go, it appears the underdog satellite company can certainly dish it out.
Google expands Android's reach, accepting paid apps from 20 more countries, selling to 18 more
Android may be climbing the charts when it comes to market share, and the Market may be quickly approaching the 100,000 apps mark, but the whole thing is hardly a global proposition. As of earlier this week, paid apps were able to be purchased in just 14 countries, submitted by developers of just nine nationalities. That changes now, with Google adding 20 countries to its list of approved submitters, meaning developers living in 29 nations are eligible to submit paid apps to the Market. Over the next two weeks the purchasing of those apps will be flipped on for users in 18 countries, 32 in all that will have the "buy" button enabled -- music to the ears of Java app developers everywhere. Which flags are newly embracing app capitalism? We have the lists waiting for you below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Facebook mobile app stats shocker: 104 million iPhone users, 12 million Android users
Facebook's recently begun displaying user stats for its mobile apps for several platforms, and the numbers are downright overwhelming. The iPhone takes the largest slice of the cake with (at the time of writing) over 104 million active monthly iOS device users, with BlackBerry users at nearly 60 million, and just over 12 million using the Android client. So what can we take away from these numbers? Well, at last count, Facebook has over 500 million users, so a pretty sizable chunk of them are using mobile apps. Interestingly, the last reported number of iOS users was 100 million; that's the number announced at WWDC, just back in July -- but Facebook lists more than that amount of active monthly users, so we're not sure how these numbers are being calculated. We've reached out to our contacts at Facebook and will update if we get a clearer picture of where the stats are coming from.
Entelligence: App stores are not enough
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. A little over two years ago, Apple changed the face of mobile computing when it launched the App Store and broke down the barriers between app developers and end users. There was no longer a need for users to go to a third-party web site, hand over a credit card, download an app to their computer, and sync it to their device. The App Store's integration with iTunes made it easy for the consumer to purchase apps, and purchase apps they did. But while Apple now commands a major lead in the sheer number of apps for the iOS platform, it's far from game over in the mobile market, and other competitors can catch up. But it's going to take more than just an app store for other platforms to level the playing field -- that's just the table stakes now. Here's what mobile platform providers need to compete effectively. First, the devices must stand on their own. Before Apple introduced the iPhone OS SDK, the developer program and the App Store, the company sold more than a million iPhones and iPod touches. That is, it had captured a large enough market for developers to notice before third-party apps were brought into the equation. Handset vendors and platform providers must have devices that are compelling to consumers out of the box, with features and form factors that attract buyers independently. Seeding a market with quality devices is one way to capture the attention of developers who will all want to be part of a platform with room to grow.
Android support for memory card app storage is finally 'coming soon'
One of the biggest complaints with Android since the dawn of civilization is that the expansive plains of storage available on microSD cards have been left under-utilized; coldly ignored by the OS while it did everything it could to stuff the measly couple-hundred megs of internal storage with apps. Soon that problem will finally be rectified, with a Google representative closing the long-running Issue 1151. The issue, which covers external installation of apps, was opened in October of 2008 and since then was voted on by 2561 people, all of whom want Google to set their memory cards free. Exactly when this functionality is coming it remains to be seen, but the "coming soon" note in comment 535 is very encouraging. Froyo, anyone? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Apple's App Store said to have 99.4 percent of all mobile app sales, more like 97.5
The latest research from Gartner indicates that, for the year 2009, only 16 million app sales were executed on mobile devices not bearing the infamous bitten apple logo. In reporting this data, Ars Technica inadvertently conflates Apple's latest announcement of three billion apps downloaded with the notion of three billion apps sold and pegs the App Store's market share at a whopping 99.4 percent -- but more realistic calculations still show it to be somewhere in the vicinity of 97.5 percent. Going off estimates (obtained by GigaOM) that a quarter of App Store downloads are paid-for apps, and taking a rough figure of 2.5 billion downloads in 2009, leaves us with around 625 million app sales performed by Apple, which comfortably dwarfs all its competition. Considering the fact 18 months ago there wasn't even an App Store to speak of -- whereas today Cupertino is gobbling up the best part of $4.2 billion in annual mobile apps revenue -- maybe you can now understand why we're covering every tiny drip of info about that mythical tablet.
Six iPhone productivity applications for busy people
The iPhone has taken the mobile world by storm, allowing users to browse the full web, send pictures, converse, instant message and much more! While there are over 100,000 apps available for Apple's flagship phone, I've focused in on the Top 6 iPhone Apps that can help increase productivity. This list includes both personal productivity applications and business productivity programs. Best iPhone Note Taking Application Awesome Note [iTunes Link] $3.99 - If you're constantly forgetting important tasks this is a must have program. The application allows users to setup various and unlimited folders and even color code those options for the users own personal preferences. I personally use a red folder for "Important Notes" a blue folder for "Personal Notes" and a Green folder for "Business reminders" which makes sorting out my personal and business life simple. The app also offers the ability to rename, delete and add new folders on the fly. Awesome Note also provides a "quick note" option that allows users to quickly start a note and then fill in the blank spaces at a later time. With full customizations, transfers to Evernote and an easy to use interface, it's a must have program for compulsive note takers and it's a huge step above the standard iPhone note program. Quick Tip: iPhone 3.0 OS Users and higher only! One drawback: it does not record audio notes. Best iPhone "Sync" Application Air Sharing [iTunes Link] $2.99 - Air Sharing is the best way to connect your iPhone or even your iPod Touch to your Mac. The program uses WiFi to connect both devices and then relies on drag and drop functionality to share files both to and from your Mac. I particularly like the ability to use pinch zooming for photos and documents along with the large number of file types supported by the program (any file type supported by Apple). The program also offers both landscape and portrait sharing for ease of use. Mac users will also love that the interface for Air Sharing is very similar to the Mac Finder Application, a fact that will make most Apple users feel very comfortable the moment they begin using the program. With no cables to carry around or to find a plugin for, this app will definitely help with your business productivity, while providing easy access to personal files of various types. Best iPhone "Personal Information" Application eWallet [iTunes Link] $9.99 - If you're a busy business person or an active stay at home parent, there's a good chance you carry around a lot of information that you need quick access to. At the same time you probably want that information (credit cards, drivers license number, important business notes) to be protected at all times. eWallet is the perfect solution for this requirement. The program provides 256-bit encryption with user created categories so any information can be entered. Users can also create their own data fields so their most important data can quickly be pulled up and used. I particularly found this application of great use for field technicians who need to access various passwords for different networks and for travelers who need access to various forms of personal information. Best iPhone Scheduling And Calendar Applications Built-In Calendar With MobileMe Access - This is actually two programs. The first option is the built-in Calendar found on all iPhones. I really like the ease of use found on the calendar, including the ability to quickly search for and add new important dates, meetings, etc. While MobileMe allows users to enter in appointments and dates on their iPhone or Mac computers and that information is then shared between all of their connected Apple products via the Apple "cloud" computing network. If you want a simple way to run your small business while tracking important appointments and dates this is a much cheaper option at $99/year than setting up an Exchange server. Users also receive An 20GB for email and file storage and 200MB of monthly data transfers. MobileMe also provides contacts and email pushing which adds to the MobileMe appeal. Best iPhone "Billable Timer" Application TimeLogger [iTunes Link] $3.99 - Why spend hours logging all of your billable time to clients when you can download the TimeLogger application and have your phone do most of the work for you. TimeLogger lets users setup various clients and then start a timer when they are completing work for those clients. Simply press "Start" to begin the timing process and then "Stop" to end your billable time. The program also lets users "alter" times in case they forget to start or stop a timer. I also really appreciated the "notes" function which made it simple to add important facts about what I was doing during each billable sequence. The program also offers an "export" feature which provides easy to read output for .CSV files. Exported files can even been focused in on for the category you're billing, a specific client you want to email and even for a certain job or date range. Best iPhone "Travel" Application FlightTrack [iTunes Link] $4.99 - This is a must-have program for frequent travelers. Simply enter in an airline and flight number and you'll receive information about arrival and departure times, you can even track flights from around the world. The information found on FlightTrack is offered in real time and can even provide information that includes the baggage claim areas for luggage and the gate number for any flight. My favorite part of this program however was the ability to create up to 11 different flight itineraries, allowing me to plan trips months in advance and then follow any changes that might occur with those flights. If you're traveling on a regular basis this is a much more productivity way to follow flights than pulling out your computer constantly. Those are my Top 6 iPhone productivity applications. Whether you need to take notes, bill clients or sync files, there are literally thousands of applications that iPhone users can download and use. These are 6 applications I couldn't live without thanks to the time they shave off my day by offering quick to access and simple to use options for daily, monthly and even yearly tasks. Give them a try today, you won't be disappointed.
Facebook finally comes to webOS, not with a bang but a whimper
Just in time for the Pixi's grand debut, webOS devices (that's just Pixi and Pre) now have their first official Facebook app, joining the ranks of iPhone and Android... and we're sad to report that it's about as barebones as they can get. It pulls from the raw live stream, seemingly unfiltered -- even if you said "no" to Farmville updates on your main feed, they'll show up here. Clicking a YouTube link brings you to the YouTube app, clicking links go to browser. You can update your status or upload a photo, but that's about it. You can't seem to search Facebook for any info, view events, or anything else, and clicking on someone's name or photo brings up their contact info. And that's about it -- can someone give Joe Hewitt a ring? Still, it's better than nothing. WebOS 1.3.1 is required, not that you had any reason to hold off upgrading.
TiVo launches mobile site
Earlier this week, TiVo announced their new mobile site, m.tivo.com, and it's OK. Definitely not the solution I've been wanting from TiVo, but good at what it does.I tested it out on my iPhone and was able to find and schedule a recording easily. In fact, the process should be very familiar to anyone who has used TiVo's online scheduling service. You can also browse popular shows, recommendations based on your preferences and browse the help section. The whole thing was put together by Mobui Corporation.TiVo's lackluster Mac support has been a thorn in our side for years. Heck, you've got spend $80US on Toast 9 Titanium to transfer shows from your TiVo to your Mac (something Windows users can do for free). While m.tivo.com is convenient and easy to use, it still seems like a consolation prize. Thanks, Anne!
