Mobile gadgets running Blackberry & Android OS'
Posts tagged tech-head
All-new Twitter client for Android
0347 days
On February 10th, we were hit with the 2.0 version of the official Twitter client. I’ve always liked the official client, its clean U.I and its simplicty so hard to come-by from the other competitors.
While the 1st version did the job for the average user, we, the hardcore users were left in the dark. I had some issues: lots of bugs, only one account supported, no “Reply to All” option when more than one user was mentioned in a tweet just to name a few. Also, at the time I was using Seesmic for Android, which provides a robust Twitter client (see a VS here), really clean and simple while packed with features. After trying the official version for a week or so, I settled for Seesmic – many features compared to the official version, just like I thought in the beginning.
So what does 2.0 brings? Lots of bug fixes (and introducing lots of others like inability to refresh automatically), @username auto-complete, threaded messages, improved searches, multi-account support, redesigned screens and my favorite “Reply To All” feature added.
So is it better? Yes, it is! A lot better! Yes! Would it be usable for a heavy-user? One requesting as many features as possible in the palm of his/her hands? Yes, it would. This version brings the desktop features in a cleaner, simpler form to your smartphone. Another nice thing is that the app is integrated in the OS, which means your system won’t be under strain when running it in the background. We all know how fast a battery can be depleted by a poorly implemented/designed app.
But I’m a step further now. So I won’t be using the 2.0 Twitter for Android version. And not because there is a better Twitter app out there. But because Tweetcaster has a nifty feature TFA doesn’t: filters. This app has a Pro version I actually use. While this app is not up to par with TWA or Seesmic for Android in terms of U.I, it sports the same many features and works as fast as those aforementioned.
I’ll write soon about Tweetcaster Pro because it’s one helluva Twitter app!
Phonalyzr – track your calls and SMSes
1394 days
I really don’t need this application! I mean, I don’t need to analyze my communication patterns but once in a while it is nice to flick thru some of the data Phonalyzr offers: simple, straight-forward and self-explanatory.
As the developer writes, the main idea behind this application is for the user to calculate the optimum subscription matching his needs. Usage patterns are recorded in multiple ways, on multiple screens, as seen above. You can find out Top 10 called/caller’s numbers, a ratio of outbound vs inbound calls, number of minutes per time, number of calls per time, all neatly laid and broken down in various ways. Almost all the previous mentioned features are available for the SMS section, too including an interesting “Number of SMS per hour” section! There is also a BlackBerry version available.
All in all, the Adware version should do the job. There is also an upcoming paid version if you take this stuff so serious.
Stitcher – streaming my favorite podcasts
0398 days
I’ve been listening to podcasts for years now. Starting with Sony-Ericsson P1i, then on BlackBerry and now, finally on Android. Before Android I had to use an application able to find, sort and schedule downloads of podcasts from various locations over the Internet. Some of these applications had a built-in list of available podcasts, other were just able to accept a link with an .mp3 podcast. Most of the times the list were empty of lacked interesting programs, the podcasts weren’t updated in a long time – an overall feeling of letdown, really disappointing.
And then there were some podcatching applications that caught my eye. One was Podtrapper. For BlackBerry this app was years ahead of everything else in the market. And that wasn’t so long ago (2009), but it was the fact that the BlackBerry applications were (and still are) very basic and scarce. The developer really went extra-miles in order to make sure we, users have a very pleasant experience with his app. And I appreciated the effort and paid for the app whatever was worth it.
But that was really it when it comes to podcatching. Some big names like CNN, BBC and Engadget understood the importance of podcatching and are building programs around this concept.
But Stitcher brings another concept into the scene: streaming these podcasts rather than providing them for download and offline listening. On one hand, no more GBs of stored programs on your MicroSD card, and a faster, more dynamic listening experience on the other hand, jumping from one podcast to another with with a gesture or two. Today the mobile data is a lot cheaper than 3 years ago when downloading 100 MB of podcasts at once meant you NEEDED to use Wi-Fi. Or download those podcasts on your PC and transfer it onto your card through the PC Suite.
Stitcher also provides the most interesting and important podcasts available on the Internet, compiled into categories like “Comedy”, “Technology”, “Sports”, “Local”, etc. All in all, tens and tens of programs from at least 40 different sources.
One nice feature is the ability to create your own list of favorite podcasts. You can instruct the app to play those first based on updates. You can also arrange these favorite programs in whatever order you please.
You should try it!
Google releases its own Android Google Reader app!
1431 days
Wow!
While I was browsing the Market, I noticed Google pushed its own Google Reader application. No notifications, no official announcements, just the application!
While I was using News Rob, I had to get the Pro (paid) version in order to have full access to all the features.
I’ll keep on using this one and compare it to News Rob Pro.
Official update.
Posted from WordPress for Android
My Tracks finally fixed!
0435 days
After using Log Collector to “spam” the My Tracks developers group, they worked on a fix amazingly fast – less than 3 days or so!
I can now use this app again as I did before; the best in its category, that’s for sure!
Posted from WordPress for Android
My Tracks has been updated! Twice!
1438 days
I’ve been using My Tracks since beginning. And I did so because it’s the best ride/track recording application out there. One of it’s most important and truly flawless service was the part in which the user can share that track with others in many ways and many formats. Up until now. Google updated the application twice in the last 10 days. And I can see why: it’s now crashing when you try to share the track with others.
It’s already been noticed by users who posted in the dedicated forum and support group, logs were sent to developers in order to fix it.
But as usual, at least there is a workaround: you can record the track, use whatever file manager you have to navigate to “My Tracks” folder on your SD card and email yourself the track. Then upload it to My Google Maps and share the link manually in email / Twitter or whatever. There’s a corollary to that: upon logging on your Maps account you might find the track already into the account. I just don’t know if it’s because (in my case) I tried to upload the file multiple times and failed, or because somehow My Tracks uploads the track automatically when you finished recording.
I couldn’t help but wondering: isn’t anybody in that group testing their work? I wouldn’t want to find out that nobody’s doing that. I wouldn’t want to work in a group that doesn’t care that when updating they fix two small bugs and break other three critical features.
Posted from WordPress for Android
