Google's Android App Inventor gets open sourced, code has been released

In 2011, Google shut down their Google Labs' doors, leaving many, disappointed. Popular app "Android App Inventor" was handed over to MIT, as well as a decently sized donation to help fund a new mobile learning initiative.

What has happened between now and then? Well, behind closed doors, a lot it seems. Google and MIT have just announced the Android App Inventor source code, with both Google and MIT both pleased to announce the initial free and open-source release of App Inventor.

In a blog post on the new MIT website, with app designer Hal Abelson writing:

Google and MIT are pleased to announce the initial free and open-source release from Google of the App Inventor source code at http://code.google.com/p/app-inventor-releases/.

There's little supporting documentation yet, and we're not accepting contributions to the code now. That will happen later, after the MIT Center of Mobile Learning opens their App Inventor server to the public. We hope to nurture a robust and active open-source project eventually, but for now we don't want to distract the MIT developers from their efforts to complete and deploy the large-scale public server. In the meantime, we'll update the code periodically to match what's running at the latest MIT experimental system. We've also created a Google Group here for people working with the code to relate their experiences with the code, ask questions, help each other, etc.

People who create modifications from this code base are free to use the term "App Inventor" and the puzzle-piece Android logo in their work. MIT will be releasing its own versions under the name "MIT App Inventor", which is reserved for the systems actually coming from MIT.

Enjoy the code, and Happy Inventing!

Source : http://www.tweaktown.com/news/22374/google_s_android_app_inventor_gets_open_sourced_code_has_been_released/index.html

Fireplace controlled via iPhone or Android app

WiFi Fireplace

The new DX1500 gas fireplace from Escea, featuring connectivity to iPhones and Android devices via WiFi which can be used as a remote control, as well as high efficiency and the option for a single or double sided, see-through fireplace.

Designed with intelligent mobility in mind, users simply download the app and users can control the temperature, flame and time. The styles are simply stunning and offers up to 10 kW of heat, heat ducting technology that captures up to 90 percent of the available heat and returns it back into the room or into another room in the home altogether- the company says they are the world’s first. Brilliant!

Click any of the images below to enlarge:

Source : http://agbeat.com/design/fireplace-controlled-via-iphone-or-android-app/

iPhone vs. Android - Overconfidence vs. 'the Wild West'

Think you're necessarily free from being hacked because you use an Apple iPhone?

Think again.

Experts warn that overconfidence among iPhone users could be the very reason they become hacked in the not-so-distant future.

Though the technology giant is usually known for providing a more hacker-resistent environment than mobile phone rivals Android and Microsoft, that doesn't mean slip-ups aren't possible on the iPhone.

Rod Cambridge, a United Kingdom-based computer security expert and author of the book How NOT to Use Your Smartphone, recalled in November 2010, when security expert Charlie Miller created a stock-tracking app for Apple that was eventually approved and distributed for use on the App Store.

One problem: When running, the app was also able to access the phone's private data -- pictures and contact info -- in the background, and could send the info wherever the developer wanted.

Though Apple quickly pulled the app from its store, Cambridge said it was a teachable -- if not embarrassing -- moment for the company.

"Essentially, Charlie Miller highlighted the fact that, even with Apple's tight controls, it's still possible to get a malicious app into the App Store and onto people's iPhones," Cambridge said in an email interview. "So iPhone users still have to be vigilant."

Many concur, however, that the actions of a smartphone user far outweigh the actual phone they decide to use when security comes into play.

Androids, for example, use an open-source application process. Unlike Apple apps, Android applications do not have to be approved by the company before they're able to be downloaded by its users.

It's a risk-reward type scenario, according to Jonathan Blake Huer, director of emerging technologies and media development at Ball State University. He said while Apple apps are generally safer than Android apps, Android apps have the freedom to be more timely and groundbreaking.

"On the Android side, there is no check before things are put online," Huer said. "But it's also where a whole lot of new innovation can take place."

Source : http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20120122/NEWS01/201220348/iPhone-vs-Android-Overconfidence-vs-Wild-West-

Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich Upgrades

Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) represents a giant leap forward. It's not just better than Gingerbread and Honeycomb - it's the best mobile OS we've used in terms of usability, flexibility, application support and appearance. We were very impressed during our recent review of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. 

HTC 

HTC has made an offical statement saying that he HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL and HTC Sensation XE, HTC Rezound (US Only), HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G (US Only) and HTC Amaze 4G (US Only). 

Given the significant changes made with ICS it's not surprising that the update is only coming to devices released in the latter part of 2011. HTC says the upgrades will be coming during the first part of 2012 so we're waiting with baited breath.

We're worndering whether HTC Sense still has a future in an ICS world or whether Android 4 overcomes the deficiencies that HTC Sense resolved. 


Source : http://www.itwire.com/your-it-news/mobility/52314-android-4-ice-cream-sandwich-upgrades

Resident Evil 4 on Android, exclusive to Korea's LG LTE market (for now)

You know what the world needed? Another port of Resident Evil 4. Seriously though, up until now Android users have been left out in the plagas-infested cold when it comes to Leon and Ashley's romp through rural Spain, which is a pretty sad thought when you consider that RE4 is available on everything from the iPhone to the Zeebo.

There is good news for the ultra-specific Resident Evil enthusiast, however, provided that they live in Korea and have an LTE-enabled Android device by LG. Yes, RE4 is finally coming to Google's little robot, but only on LG's LTE U+ Market ecosystem, which happens to exist exclusively in Korea. The port, which is likely itself a port of the iOS version, could eventually make its way to other Android devices, similar to how Street Fighter IV HD's limited-exclusivity situation keeps it on LG devices until May. For now though, the title is only available in Korea for ₩5,000, or $4.41.

Source : http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/resident-evil-4-on-android-exclusive-to-koreas-lg-lte-market/

Why is Android Important?

Android changes everything, and for the global microelectronics and semiconductor industry the smartphone and the Android ecosystem represents an enormous opportunity.

China is uniquely positioned to capitalize on Android. So is Silicon Valley, and so are scores of innovation destinations around the globe.

Android, observers believe,  has the ability to diseminate smartphones all over the planet,  at highly competitive, very low prices. The impact of connecting and empowering people in the farthest corners of the globe with this technology will be enormous, observers agree.

Open, and totally disruptive, Android is enabling a revolution in the  ranks of an emerging generation of Chineses design engineers, now ready to embrace the world of fabless semiconductor design, which will position China as a formidable contender in the global consumer electronics industry by next year.

According to published reports, The first disruptive technology of the 21st century has set off off a boom in Android-based fabless semiconductor design houses in China, many of them backed by Valley VC funds.

Forget factories and the vast, the endless electronics manufacturing centers of southern China that produce mobile phones for export. Why Android is so important is because it will usher in the 'Designed in China' era for the first time, in a very serious way. This trend pulsed a bit at this year's CES in Las Vegas. Next year it will be giant wave.

Unlike the PC or Apple worlds, Android is Google: open, ubiquitous, and now viral.

What's happening in China's microelectronics sector today is extremely significant. today is very significant. By all indications, China's fledgling electronics and semiconductor design sector has grown up.

To find out more about the why of Android Peter Clarke, The Next Silicon Valley, a website about tech destinations, interviewed Peter Clarke, the European News Director of EE Times based in the UK. The website published a summary and the complete video interview with Clarke, live from Gloucester, in its recent newsletters.

Source : http://thenextsiliconvalley.com/3401/why-is-android-important%3F

Nokia, Microsoft dialing up comeback

Nokia is releasing a new line of Microsoft Windows 7.5 phones and, if the first-out-of-the-box Lumia 710 is any indication, the also-rans may finally be back in the smartphone race.

Microsoft, far behind Google’s Android and Apple phones, is teaming with Finnish phone maker Nokia (which has little presence in the U.S. market these days) to make a splash with a significant upgrade to Mango, the Windows operating system, on a new line of well-engineered devices.

The Lumia 710 — priced at $49 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile and a $50 mail-in rebate — is a good way to introduce Windows mobile to those who haven’t seen it and are looking for a starter smartphone.

What makes Windows phones different is the use of tiles, instead of icons, that function like widgets displaying live data. For example, the “People” tile taps into social networks, letting you combine contacts in one place without having to jump between Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It’s slick, and you can easily post messages from your “Me” tile.
The interface is not just easy to navigate, but has a clean, clear look. Email is easy to set up and messages are grouped in useful ways.
There are some similarities to Android, such as Nokia Drive, which gives you turn-by-turn voiced driving directions, Local Scout that finds nearby shops and restaurants and Bing voice search. But there are Microsoft-centered widgets, such as direct connection to Xbox Live so you can game or get access to a full version of Office.
This is an entry-level smartphone, so don’t expect a super-sharp HD display, but the 3.7-inch, 800-by-600-pixel screen works well with its boosted-up contrast. The 4.4-ounce phone feels solid and with rounded edges fits well in the hand.
Phone call clarity is clear. Web browsing via Internet Explorer 9 works well, although loading Web pages is a little slow on the T-Mobile network compared to Verizon Wireless and AT&T’s LTE 4G networks. The 5-megapixel camera takes good pictures. Music and video playback are decent; you can connect to Microsoft’s Zune store and download unlimited tracks for $10 a month.
There are a few downsides. The three physical buttons that control the Lumia 710 are stiff, and the phone has only 8 gigabytes of internal memory which fills up fast, and there’s no slot for a micro-SD card.
Overall the Lumia 710 is a solid starter smartphone that deserves to draw more attention to the Windows operating system.
Source : http://www.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/technology/view/20220123nokia_microsoft_dialing_up_comeback/srvc=home&position=also

Android increasingly more important to developers: Ovum

Google’s Android is expected to overtake Apple’s iOS as the platform of choice for developers in the Asia Pacific region within the next 12 months, according to Ovum.

The research firm’s second annual developer survey, Developer Insights 2011: Trends in Mobile Application Development, revealed that the Android is predicted to receive the most developer support within the next 12 months, with 29 per cent of developers expressing a preference to adopt Android compared to 27 per cent planning to adopt iOS.

Ranked fifth in the 2010 survey, Android moved up to second place in last year’s survey.

[ Read about the latest developments in software technology withComputerworld's Software Development newsletter ]

iOS clung onto its top spot for the second consecutive year, with the developers surveyed still rating it as the more important platform in terms of raw shipment numbers, perceived effectiveness, potential to sell apps and potential to sell ad space.

“A smartphone platform’s success is dictated not only by the pull of consumers and the push of both handset vendors and mobile operators but also a healthy economy of applications delivered by third-party developers,” said Ovum’s devices and platforms practice leader and survey author, Adam Leach, in a statement.

However, the survey also noted that developers fundamentally supported both platforms. This is shown by the large crossover between iOS and Android developers, with 75 per cent of iOS developers who stated that iOS was more important saying they currently support Android and will continue to in the next year.

Following iOS and Android in terms of popularity amongst developers were BlackBerry OS, Microsoft Windows Phone 7, Symbian OS, Samsung Bada and HP WebOS in that order.

Leach said the growing momentum behind Windows Phone 7 suggested that Microsoft may have convinced developers that its platform is worthy of investment but it still needs to persuade consumers.

It may not be a surprise that Android is increasing its popularity as recent reports also show that the Android market has surpassed 50 per cent worldwide and the opening of an ‘Androidland’ in Melbourne.

The rise of Android appears to be immune to its ongoing issues with OS fragmentation and the increase of malware specifically targeting Android.

Source : http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/413087/android_increasingly_more_important_developers_ovum/?fp=4&fpid=18

Android Community Weekly: January 22, 2012

It’s been a surprisingly busy week for Android as 2012 gets started in earnest. Much of the news from Monday and Tuesday came as the tech industry caught its collective breath, after the gadget smorgasbord that was the Consumer Electronics Show. For the best and brightest, be sure to check out or Android CES wrap up. You can see all our coverage of CES 2012, from this week and last, by visiting our CES portal. As for the rest – and that encompasses quite a lot this week – read on below.

As far as hardware goes, an encouraging number of new devices were spotted this week. The biggest (metaphorically speaking, of course) is probably LG’s X3, the likely codename for their new flagship. The rumored phone runs Ice Cream Sandwich on a 4.3-inch 720p screen. It’s very likely that we’ll be seeing more of that phone next month at Mobile World Congress. Tablet dreamers Notion Ink unveiled thesecond iteration of their Adam tablet, this time with upgrades in hardware and more developer tools. WiFi versions of the Motorola DROID XYBOARD are up for pre-order, and those who fancy more variety in their LTE smartphones will be happy to know that the LG Connect 4G has passed through the FCC with Verizon radio bands. While we’re certain that the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note is coming to AT&T in the near future, industry rumor indicates that it will be coming to at least two more US carriers, and that the Verizon version will likely be renamed the “Galaxy Journal.” Finally, you won’t want to miss Discuss [1], a pair of high-quality headphones with unique wood construction and environmentally-friendly materials.

On the software side of Android, the biggest release this week was probably Wikipedia’s official Android app, which can now be downloaded for free in the Market. Shooter favorite Counter-Strike is now available in beta form, and high-profile games Temple Run and Reckless Racing 2 will soon be headed to the Android Market as well. In more wide-reaching news, popular Android modder/developer Koush has begun work on a CyanogenMod App Store, which he says will welcome all the legitimate apps that have been given the boot from the Market by Google, including tethering, emulator and root apps. We can’t wait to see what comes of this one, especially since it will be open to non-CyanogenMod users as well.

In more general Android news, the original Motorola XOOM got an official Ice Cream Sandwich update, while the HP TouchPad got an extremely unofficial one, courtesy of the CyanogenMod team. Speaking of older hardware, an early version of Samsung’s update for the original Galaxy S was leaked, showing their “Value Pack” of ICS-style features that are intended to mollify users upset that they won’t be getting the real McCoy. Meanwhile, HTC is updating its CDMA phones to get rid of Carrier IQ’s software, which caused both hardware makers and carriers a PR nightmare late last year. The EVO 4G, Epic 4G, EVO 3D and EVO Design 4G are among the first phones to be corrected. In the ongoing patent wars, Apple slapped Samsung with a request for a ban on 10 devices in Germany and another US lawsuit over the slide-to-unlock feature on the Galaxy Nexus. I guess no one told them that Google made that particular feature.

Source : http://androidcommunity.com/android-community-weekly-january-22-2012-20120122/

Apple vs. Android: War Without End?

Steve Jobs’s hatreds are nearly as famous as his innovations: buttons, styluses, complicated remote controls. He loathed nothing more, however, than Google’s Android—a total rip-off, in his opinion, of Apple’s work. “I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong,” he vowed, according to Walter Isaacson’s recent, hefty biography. Armed with his company’s arsenal of patents, Jobs threatened “thermonuclear war.” He sued the three leading Android handset makers—HTC, Motorola, and Samsung—in countries all around the world, seeking to have their products banned.

Emmanuel Dunand / AFP-Getty Images

But nearly two years after the first salvos were fired, Apple’s war on Android has ac-complished almost nothing. And it’s starting to look as if Apple’s patent portfolio isn’t nearly as lethal as Jobs seemed to think.

Three of Apple’s claims against Motorola recently got tossed out by the International Trade Commission. Many of Apple’s claims against HTC and Samsung failed as well, and the two claims that were upheld were both easy to work around. Samsung simply widened the frame on its Galaxy Tab, and HTC removed a tiny software feature that lets you tap a phone number in an email and pull up a menu of options. Meanwhile, Android keeps growing and has become the top smartphone platform. Samsung has leap-frogged Apple to become the biggest smart-phone maker in the world.

“They’re losing momentum. They’re at the point where the walls start to crumble a little bit,” says Kevin Rivette, a patent attorney and managing partner at 3LP Advisors, a consulting firm that specializes in intellectual property. Apple, he says, should be “looking long and hard at how to cut deals.”

Apple’s strong market position means it could still demand favorable terms from Android players—especially after a robust fourth quarter in which iPhone sales blossomed while Android sales wilted. The company could license its patents and collect royalties on every Android handset sold, as Microsoft has done with top Android phone makers. “The problem is, what happens when you start losing in court? It gets a lot harder to do licensing deals,” Rivette says.

Jobs, clearly, operated from a more emo-tional standpoint. He didn’t want to collect licensing fees from his rivals—he wanted to stamp them out altogether. Now Apple’s new CEO, Tim Cook, faces a difficult choice: should he pursue the visceral path of total war set out by his passionate (but now deceased) predecessor, or should he take a more pragmatic route and sue for peace? Cook’s decision could determine Apple’s fate in the mobile market. It will also demonstrate what kind of company Apple intends to become in the post-Jobs era.

Source : http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/22/apple-vs-android-war-without-end.html