Google's Gesture Search application for Android is finally out. It enables you to quickly find a contact, bookmark, application or music track simply by drawing alphabet gestures on your device's screen.
Sadly, it is only working on Android 2.0 and up, supports only English language, and according to some user comments, is available only on selected Markets. If you can't find it on Market available in your country, you can try to use Market Enabler application, but only if your device is rooted.
It is now possible to explore new set of historical aerial images, taken over European cities during World War II, via the historical imagery feature in Google Earth. They can now be compared directly to images from the present day.
To access all the imagery for yourself, and compare to the present day cityscape, click the clock icon in the top-level toolbar to activate a time-line in the Google Earth display. Move back in forth in time by dragging the time slider from left to right or by clicking the back/forwards arrows.
Now it is official as Firefox was announced for Maemo plaftorm. Firefox is the only mobile web browser that supports add-ons (life is just not complete without AdBlock plus ). The list of features also includes:
Awesome bar – Go to your favorite sites in just a couple of keystrokes with intelligent and personalized searching
Weave Sync – Sync your Firefox tabs, history, bookmarks and passwords between your desktop and mobile device for a seamless browsing experience
Add-ons – Customize your Firefox by adding small pieces of functionality, like games and news readers, that help make the mobile Web browser your own (40 Add-ons already available)
Location-Aware Browsing – Get maps and information relevant to your location
Tabbed browsing – View open tabs as thumbnails to easily identify and select the Web page you’d like to go to next
Safe Browsing – Get an Instant Web Site ID and easily access and edit security settings
Available in more than 30 languages and counting
Firefox will be announced for Android soon…
We are eager to see how Maemo will do in the future, as it has great potential.
Memory: 512MB ROM, 256MB RAM, expandable via microSD cards (up to 32GB)
Camera: 5MP, Auto Focus, LED flash
GSM: Quad-band GSM support, triband 3G with HSDPA and HSUPA
OS: Windows Mobile 6.5
Battery: 1350mAh Li-Ion, up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 400 hours of standby
Other: GPS receiver, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, FM radio with RDS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth + Enhanced Data Rate, miniUSB, 3.5mm stereo audio jack
It is another happy day for Maemo 5 users. Nokia has released the first major update for the Nokia N900. Some of the most important fixes include Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 support and solved problems with bluetooth handsfree. Complete changelog can be found here. More info here.
For those willing to go flashing instead of update over the air: Global, USA and MENA images are available.
Check out the instructions on how to flash your device. More info on Maemo and N900 to follow…
We bring you the exclusive preview of the new Nav N Go software for Android phones. iGO GPS navigation software for Windows Mobile and iPhone was among our favorites. Now IGO Amigo is available for Android platform as well. It works offline, so no high price data transfers while roaming !
As you can see, the user interface is simple and intuitive, and the program uses g-sensor to rotate the screen contents when needed. The real power is in the extensive POI database, so we may finally advice anyone who hesitated – Android platform just got richer for another great application. At this moment, iGO Amigo supports 320×480 resolution (HVGA). Check out the gallery of screenshots.
We have tested another smartphone. This time, it's all about style and speed. For a full review, go here. Have you tried it / do you own it? What do you think about it?
There has been a lot of rumors considering the next version of Windows Mobile. WM7 is definately late, as all of us were dissapointed with versions 6.5.x. It feels like Microsoft is loosing it's ground, by letting everyone take a shot at them. With a large consumer base, and tons of available applications, Microsoft still has the advantage among the corporate customers. However, iPhone and Android apps/consumer base is growing very fast.
HTC and Samsung have been saving Microsoft in the last years by implementing customized user interfaces that covered obvious flaws and dull screens. Recent models HD2 and Omnia II are prime examples of the recipe this companies had: hide as much as you can and develop your own UI.
At CES Robbie Bach from MS says (on WM7): And when you look at the product, I’m sort of like, I have the luxury of having seen it, to be able to look at it and played with it a little bit, but I’m certainly confident people are going to see it as something that’s differentiated and something that really does move the bar forward, not in an evolutionary way from where we are today, but it’s something that feels, looks, acts and performs completely different.
One major event is finished (CES), two to go: Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and (less likely) Cebit in Hannover. It looks like we'll have more info at MWC, from 15-18. february.
We are back from our holidays, and, since this is our first post this year, we wish everybody Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and lots of cool gadgets
For the last few days, we have been testing Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 (who comes up with these kind of names???). It is a splendid little smartphone, and we enjoyed playing with it. You can read our impressions about the device here.
Stella Artois has teamed up with mobile augmented reality firm AcrossAir to launch a mobile app that lets drinkers find their nearest Stella-dispensing bar.
The app, which will be launched this week according to VentureBeat, will allow users to find nearby bars from Stella Artois' 80,000-strong database, simply by waving their cameraphone around in the air.
It's one of the first big-brand AR apps, although Stella isn't alone in looking to make the most of location-based mobile technology.
Guinness launched a Pub Finder iPhone app earlier this year, while Beck's launched an app focusing on music gigs. Both used location-based technology and maps, rather than AR.
The Stella deal is a good win for AcrossAir, which has previously released AR apps Nearest Tube and Nearest Tweets. It also teamed up with Burton to make a (non-AR) app focusing on the Movember charity movement.
). The list of features also includes:
