Motorola hedging Android bet with new web-based OS

Motorola Mobility, which has been Google's only major licensee fully committed to Android, is now working on a new web-based mobile operating system apparently intended to give it more control over its future, enraging Android advocates anew just weeks after Nokia opted against adopting Google's mobile OS.

Word of Motorola's new project was reported by Information Week, which attributed "a source familiar with the matter."

While the company issued an email statement insisting that "Motorola Mobility is committed to Android as an operating system," it did not deny that it was also working on its own competing mobile operating system project.

The report also cited Deutsche Bank analyst Jonathan Goldberg, who said, "I know they're working on it. I think the company recognizes that they need to differentiate and they need options, just in case. Nobody wants to rely on a single supplier."

Goldberg said the company was working to be "financially disciplined" about the new project so as to avoid spooking investors with the idea that the company was "going back to the Motorola of old where they're working on 50 million operating systems at once."

Motorola hiring mobile OS engineers

Motorola has hired developers from Apple and Adobe, including Gilles Drieu, its VP of software engineering, who until last spring headed Apple's rich media and applications group.

The company has also hired Sean Kranzberg, Adobe's former senior manager of Flash engineering, to serve as a director of engineering along with Benoit Marchant, identified a former manager of JavaScript development at Apple.

Motorola formerly worked with the LiMo Foundation (a partnership of companies developing Linux mobile distributions) before abandoning it to back Android. Earlier this year Motorola appears to have acquired Azingo, another LiMo Foundation member company building a Linux-based mobile platform making use of a WebKit browser, a web-based runtime, a Flash runtime, and web development tools.

Motorola's co-chief executive Sanjay Jha also noted last spring during the company's earnings calls that "I’ve always felt that owning your OS is important, provided you have an ecosystem, you have all the services and you have an ability and the scale to execute on keeping that OS at the leading edge. And I continue to believe that at some point, if we have all of those attributes, that owning our own OS will be a very important thing."

Who's Xooming whom

The report noted that Motorola's efforts to develop an alternative to Android may relate to the uncertainty of Oracle's ongoing patent and copyright claims against Google's mobile operating system, which is modeled upon aspects of Java ME.

The source behind the news also said "Google is shooting itself in the foot," citing problems related to Android's platform fragmentation, issues with product differentiation among hardware makers, and "issues related to Google's support for its partners."

Google first partnered with HTC to deliver early Android phones before shifting to Motorola to exclusively launch Android 2.0 just as Verizon's "Droid" branded focus on Android phones took off in late 2009. The company then went back to HTC to ship the first Google-branded Nexus One model, then abandoned it to release a Nexus S in partnership with Samsung.

Google has most recently promoted Android 3.0 with Motorola's Xoom, but it is also working to accommodate new tablets from Samsung, Toshiba and Acer, some of which bundle differentiated layers of software to set each makers' tablet products apart.

Everyone's on Plan B

HTC has long supported both Android and Microsoft's Windows Mobile and now Windows Phone 7, and has also launched plans to deliver simpler new BREW-based embedded phones that can undercut the price of Android models. Samsung has also launched its own Bada mobile operating system as an Android hedge.

While most Android licensees are current or former Windows Mobile/WP7 makers, including LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, other major companies seeking to expand or solidify their standing in the smartphone market have simply ignored Android to pursue an integrated model more like Apple's iPhone.

That list includes HP, which launched its own webOS smartphones and tablets based on its acquisition of Palm; Nokia, which has closely partnered with Microsoft rather than licensing Android; and RIM, which is rumored to be experimenting with an Android 2.x compatibility layer for its new PlayBook tablet but has actually based it upon its acquisition of QNX rather than standardizing on Android, ostensibly due in part to fears of Oracle's Android claims.

Android enthusiasts commenting on the news expressed bitter disappointment with Motorola, with one complaining, "May they rot with their own OS," while another observed, "if some of these execs knew how stupid they sound to the tech world they’d be embarrassed. Can they not grasp the concept of open source? And then ironically the OS they bought is built on Linux just like Android."

(Quoted from: AppleInsider)

[iOS Apps] A simple, beautiful, wonderful reminder app for iOS devices

Perhaps the most important of the distinguishing factors of the App Store and iOS development is the insanely high quality of apps. Not all apps -- not by a long shot -- but the ones that are made with care and attention are truly wonders of form and function wrapped in a gorgeous shell. Due is one of those apps. It takes the mundane task of setting a quick reminder and makes it easier than using a calendar app and more, dare I say it, fun than it should be. No tricks, just good solid design and all the functions you need within easy reach.

Functionality

Make no mistake, Due is just a to-do list with timers, so if you're looking for something else, Due isn't for you. But if you ever used Diddlebug on the ancient Palm OS, this is as close as I've found (with Diddlebug you drew on the screen and added a timer). Why there's no iOS version of Diddlebug is beyond me, even a crappy 8-bit version would suffice. At any rate, Due allows you to create a timed reminder with a default notification and chime within about 4 or 5 taps, depending on some options. Four if you accept the default timed "on the next quarter hour." You can adjust the default time interval in the app's settings, from 1 minute to 30.
Reminders, once created, go in a queue. Tapping on a reminder allows you to set whether or not snoozing is allowed, if you want a reminder to repeat, chime options and if you want to reschedule this for 10 minutes, 1 hour or 1 day later. All of that in a submenu, and it's quite intuitive to boot. Swiping a reminder allows you to delete it.
An example of the app's lovely attention to detail: when you go to set a reminder, there are four "default time" buttons which correspond to when you wake up, what time you eat lunch, when you leave work and just before bedtime.

Gallery: Due for iOS

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Timers, the other part of Due, are even simpler: just a simple countdown timer in a list with a cool switch graphic. You can make your own, but three examples are included.
Once you dismiss a reminder, it goes to the Logbook, which is a sort of recycling center. You can quickly reset the timer for another time in a pop-up menu with three presets and a customize option. Or you can swipe your finger and delete the reminder forever.

Sounds

The default alarm sound is a pleasant chime. You can set a secondary alert in the app's settings. You can also turn off the sound effects in the app, although I found the ticking and clicking added to the beauty of this app. There are only eight alert sounds, but they are designed to be loud and long. You can choose from sounds like Beep, which is a very loud beep on my iPhone's tiny speaker but lasts only 1 second, or Wind Chimes, which are somewhat softer but last 30 seconds.

Settings

First, the settings are accessed through the Logbook, which I found a little odd. But the settings you get in Due are plentiful and useful. Several powerful defaults can be changed here, including a default due date, default snooze period and the minute interval for setting reminders. You can also set the time you wake up, go to lunch, etc.
But wait, there's more! Backup and sync. Yes, the app will backup its own database and let you revert to that saved state within the app. You can restore within the app or email your database. With sync, you can link your database to Dropbox -- which is heavenly.

Conclusion

If you find the iPhone's built-in Calendar app clunky and you just need simple timed reminders, Due is simply a must-have app. From its intuitive and beautiful design to its simple functionality and powerful customization options, you won't regret the $3 for such a well-made app, compatible with the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Check out Due's website (itself a thing of beauty) and see more demos of the app in action.

(Quoted from Tuaw)

Apple may license AirPlay video streaming to third-party HDTV makers

Though AirPlay can currently be used to stream audio to compatible third-party devices, Apple may begin licensing the wireless streaming standard for video as well, according to a new report.

Citing two people familiar with the project, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Apple could allow other device makers to use AirPlay for "streaming movies, TV shows and other video content." One person reportedly said that such devices could be made available as soon as this year.

"An expanded AirPlay would let users stream programming wirelessly from an Apple mobile device to a TV that carries the technology," authors Cliff Edwards and Adam Satariano wrote. "That may spur wider use of Apple's services and devices in consumers' living rooms."

The strategy could negate the need for users to purchase Apple's $99 Apple TV set top box, currently the main beneficiary of the AirPlay standard. If HDTV makers were to integrate AirPlay into their products, it could also pour cold water on longstanding speculation that Apple intends to build its own connected high-definition television set in the near future.

If Apple does license video streaming with AirPlay, it would be an unusual step for the company, which typically does not license its software to other companies. However, with last year's announcement of AirPlay, Apple did reveal it was working with third-party device makers to allow integrated streaming audio compatible with the new standard. A handful of those products are already available on the market.

According to Bloomberg, those who sell AirPlay-compatible devices pay Apple $4 for each device sold, as part of the licensing agreement. It was also said that the existing AirPlay technology used by manufacturers allows for video to be streamed, though the licensing prevents it.

The report also said that Apple's chip partner for AirPlay, BridgeCo., has been working with "several TV makers" on future Web-connected HDTVs. However, it was not known whether the talks were to include AirPlay technology.

Apple has been quickly expanding the reach of AirPlay since it was first introduced late last year. The iOS 4.3 update for iPhone and iPad released earlier this month added the ability for third-party applications on the App Store to stream AirPlay video out to the Apple TV.

(Quoted from: AppleInsider)

U.S. Senators Ask Apple to Remove DUI Checkpoint Apps From App Store

CNET reports that four U.S. senators have sent a letter to Apple's iPhone software head, Scott Forstall, asking the company to remove from the App Store applications that are designed to allow users to be alerted to checkpoints for sobriety testing.

U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) are named as senders in the letter, which is addressed to Apple's senior vice president of iPhone software, Scott Forstall. No specific applications are named, but the letter highlights apps that "contain a database of DUI [driving under the influence] checkpoints updated in real-time" as well as one that sends out real-time alerts about the existence of these checkpoints.

"With more than 10,000 Americans dying in drunk-driving crashes every year, providing access to iPhone and iPad applications that alert users to DUI checkpoints is harmful to public safety," the group wrote. "We know that your company shares our desire to end the scourge of drunk driving and we therefore would ask you to remove these applications from your store."

The same letter was also sent to Google and Research in Motion to encourage those companies to remove similar apps from their application stores. Research in Motion has already agreed to remove applications offering data on DUI checkpoint locations.

While the letter itself does not specifically reference any iOS applications, a press release from Senator Schumer names Trapster and PhantomALERT as examples of free apps offering location information on such checkpoints.

In addition to real-time information on DUI checkpoints, many of the apps in question also offer information on speed traps, red light and speed cameras, accidents, and other traffic conditions, several of which have also been considered controversial, but the senators' letter focuses specifically on the DUI checkpoint functionality.

(Quoted from: MacRumors)

iTunes 圖示變身唱片封套

透過 CoverSutra、TunesArt 一類的軟件，用戶可將 iTunes 當前播放的歌曲 Album Art 展示於桌面上，但它們很容易被其他視窗覆蓋，置頂顯示又怕會阻礙視線。其實 iTunes 亦支援外掛，只要安裝相關 Plug-in，Dock 上的 iTunes 圖示便可顯示 Album Art，Unwire.hk 今次會為大家介紹。

DockArt 下載網址：
http://homepage.mac.com/gweston/dockart/index.html

安裝及使用方法：
Step 01)

下載 DockArt 外掛，雙按點撃進行解壓縮。

Step 02)

如 iTunes 正在使用，將之退出。然後將解壓縮了的 DockArtPlugin.bundle 搬移到 /Library/iTunes/iTunes Plug-ins 內。

Step 03)

重新啟動 iTunes，隨意播放任何歌曲。

Step 04)

Dock 上的 iTunes 圖示便會變成當時播放中的歌曲的 Album Art。

Step 05)

若歌曲未被設定 Album Art，Dock 上的 iTunes 圖示便會不會改變。

Step 06)

若閣下發覺自己不喜歡這種效果，退出 iTunes 後將 Step 02 的文件移除，重新打開 iTunes 後便可回復正常了。

(Quoted from Unwire.hk)

Apple iOS 4.3令裝置電池續航力大減 建議用家暫不要升級 直至問題得以解決

不少用家反映在升級至 iOS 4.3 版本後， iPhone 4 、 iPad 等裝置出現電池續航力大幅縮減的問題，儘管 iOS 4.3 版本帶來不少具創意的功能及強化，但由於電池續航力大幅減少下，不少用家只能進行六至七個工作，已下降至 20% 以下， Apple 表示暫時未有收到投拆，但會就個案進行調查。

全新 iOS 4.3 作業系統擁有不少全新 功能，包括經改良的 AirPlay ，它令第三方 App 可以把影像輸送至 Apple TV 裝置。此外，網頁瀏覽器 Safari 核心改用全新 Nitro JavaScript Engine 令網頁 Rendering 速度大幅提升，而針對 iPhone 4 裝置更新增 Wi-Fi Hotsport ，可分享 3.5G 數據給其他裝置，最高支持 5 組裝置。

現時，仍未得悉 iOS 4.3 電池續航力大幅減少的原因為何，究竟是作業系統存在電源管理的 Bugs 還是有其他因素呢 !? 但有指是全新 Safar 改用全新 Nitro JavaScript Engine 所致，同時亦有可能是 Apple 加入了 Ping Notification System 並長期於背景運作而令用電量有所提升。

暫時已有約 200-250 位用家於 Apple 官方討論區反映此一問題，暫時的解決方案是先把 Push Notification 關閉，但卻令 iPhone 的功能受到一定程度的限制。

據 了解， Apple 早前針對 Safair Desktop 版本已推出了更新，不少開發者相信針對 iOS 的升級亦會在近期推出，希望 Apple 可以正視問題所在，如果現時正在使用 iOS 4.2.1 的用家，建議不用立即升級至全新 iOS 4.3 ，直至電源續航力問題得以解決。

(Quoted from: hkepc)

Could future iPhones chargeable by the Sun?

Mark Spoonauer at LAPTOP got a nice story at CTIA today when he sat down with French company Wysips. The prototype he saw puts a solar panel -- a transparent solar panel, thin enough to work with touchscreens -- directly atop the screen of a phone, and with enough oomph to charge the phone with light.
The photovoltaic film (less than 100 microns deep) is only in the development phase now, but Wysips is looking forward to working with glass manufacturers (like Corning, makers of the Gorilla Glass that covers the iPhone 4) to integrate the charger film directly into screen glass.
The solar layer will generate power in room light or sunlight; this version will fully charge a phone in about 6 hours of light exposure, with future generations becoming more efficient as the technology matures. Like the plug-in hybrid technology in today's cars, it might not be enough juice to get you cross-country -- but if the solar film is cheap enough, it would certainly provide a power boost when you're away from your charger.
Fun stuff. Check out the post on LAPTOP's blog and the accompanying gallery of the Wysips prototype.

(Quoted from Tuaw)

[Iphone Game] Angry Family

當你看到這篇的題目時，相信會在想這到底是甚麽一回事？是《憤怒的小鳥》Cross Over《我們這一家》了嗎？不是，只不過剛好這遊戲叫做《Angry Family》，所以直譯了這名稱而己。《Angry Family》是一款頗為有趣，而且玩法新穎的遊戲。故事講述了一個整日無所事事的老爸，決定和他的一家人(媽媽、姊姊、妹妹和弟弟)，一行五人去主題公 園探險。但可是去到那裡，事情起了變化，他們被困了，而且處處充滿著敵人，他們一家人必須在一起的行動才能突破關卡，逃出生天。家庭中的五個成員，每個人 都身懷絕技，玩家需要決定由誰作領隊，並安排路線闖關。到底這一家人能否突破難關，命運可全控制在你手裡啊。
遊戲名稱：《Angry Family》
售價： Free
系統：iPhone (3G、3Gs、4)、iPod touch、iPad
檔案大小：19.1MB
下載網站：http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-family/id420604516?mt=8


這一家人，每個都身懷絕技，玩家需要決定他們誰走在前頭，安排最適當的路線來闖關，逃出生天啊。

(Quoted from Unwire.hk)