Author Archive: Gareth

Tweet That Weather app for iPhone released

Here is another app that we have found while looking through the apps released in latest 3 days.

EU Recalls app for iPhone released – might save your life

So, you are buying some electrical appliances for yourself or toys for your kids and you would like to be sure that they are not dangerous? Every Friday EU is releasing list of dangerous products. With this app you can search the whole database of products or just the recently added products by country of sale. If you live in EU, you might find this app useful.

One example: an iPhone clone from China that is causing electrical shock and fire:

Windows Phone 7 Series, not for the power user

So as the dust settles on the Windows Phone 7 Series details announced at Mix 2010 I thought it was about time that I chimed in with my thoughts on this new platform.

First off, after it was announced at Mobile World Congress I was genuinely excited, the first time in a long long time that a Windows Phone product has got my juices flowing, unfortunately after MWC I was left with lots more questions than answers but following Mix those questions are now getting answers but are they the right answers.

In my opinion Windows Mobile has taken a long hard look at the competition, it’s history and it’s future and has chosen to chase the dollar, what do I mean by this, well Windows Mobile was the power users platform of choice, the OS that the geeks of this world were proud to use, an OS that you could do anything with, no limits, no restrictions and a huge underground community to assist with those whims.

That has now been blown apart with Windows Phone 7 Series, this OS is following the Apple model, locked down to the hilt, synching only with desktop Zune software, apps only via Marketplace, very restricted multi- tasking, no memory card slots oh and I nearly forgot, no customisation of home screens and wait for it……. No copy and paste, you can hear the screams and gnashing of teeth from the die hard Windows Mobile fans who have stuck up for the aging OS for years, Microsoft have said thanks but get lost, it’s not the choice for the geek anymore that is for sure, Android has just received a huge sales boost , you can read the comments on many popular Windows Phone forums, it’s the end of an era.

As far as I am concerned it’s the start of something fresh, new and usable, it’s a UI designed for finger navigation, structured and easy to use, app development is structured also and will have standards to be followed so apps will function and operate in similar ways like the iPhone., so it’s not all bad but Windows Phone 7 Series has just done the biggest U turn in OS history, geeks need not apply, Microsoft is targeting a whole new Market!

Let’s hope it has enough good features to attract this new market and also stand alongside what Apple has to offer with their new hardware and software in the summer, I fear for the future of Windows Phone 7 Series, I really do, if you copy a winning formula you have to have something special to compete with the original, I just don’t see what they have here, apart from less features, sure Xbox integration is nice but how deep will that go really.

What do you think?

Android review: Tower Raiders GOLD

When it comes to strategy games it seems there is no shortage of tower defense games out there. Here, we will look at on of the more popular entries.

XDA-developers have Windows Phone 7 code, 8-months before release

While bloggers debate Microsoft’s Apple-like approach concerningWindows Phone 7 Series functionality such as third-party app multitasking and app distribution, members of the xda-developers forum website are already beginning to prepare themselves.

In many respects, Microsoft has chosen a closed approach to the Windows Phone 7 Series OS. For example, hardware will be restricted to just three chassis options, handsets can only have three buttons beneath their sizable capacitive touchscreen displays, and Microsoft will impose restrictions on both app distribution and background processes for third-party apps.

These restraints are very familiar of course, thanks to Apple and its iPhone development policies. But just as Apple’s lock down was quickly manhandled by the Dev Team and its infamous jailbreaking process, Microsoft’s imposed restrictions are bound for the same fate.

Thanks to a good friend of the site, we now know that just a short while ago, the first Windows Phone 7 Series code was leaked on the xda-developers forum. The build was pulled from an emulator image but rest assured, the talented team of hackers patrolling the forum are already blazing through it in preparation for the impending arival of a full ROM. The code is real, of course, and it’s more than enough to get cracking.

With more than eight months until Windows Phone 7 Series is set to begin shipping to the public, xda-developers forum members have plenty of time to dissect the OS and determine how best to tweak it to suit their needs — and the needs of power users. Discussions surrounding app distribution outside of the Windows Phone Marketplace and background process support for third-party apps are already in full swing.

So, potential Windows Phone 7 Series power users, read the heated debates through the tech news ecosystem all you like, but try not to get too worked up. Just like every other smartphone platform on the planet before it, Windows Phone 7 Series is on a short path to hacksville.

[Source BGR]

LoKast for the iPhone

Here is an interesting article on a new app for the iPhone called Lokast. This is a fairly new innovation that I’m sure will attract many users and provide people with a new way to share their media. Have a read and hopefully there will be a review up soon enough.

Jackass Face for iPhone released

What are you looking at, you ass face? You uggo, you!

You see what we mean? Instead of abusing somebody verbally why not to put his/her face on a donkey and propagate this artwork all over Internet?

followformation app for iPhone released

Previously available as website followformation.com, now it’s available as an iPhone app that is not free however ($1.99) and it has been released merely 2 days ago:

Trouble unlocking the 3GS

 

Unlockers are finding iPhone 3G S models manufactured this year over-ride their software hacks when re-booted. New models with the latest version 3.1 3software update return to their original set up when they are re-booted after being switched off, removal of the SIM or the battery dies.

Some unlockers have been supplying customers with a PC program to enable them to ‘jump-start’ their 3G S when this occurs by connecting the device via a USB cable and unlocking it again themselves within a minute.

One said: “This has been problematic for us and it’s been frustrating not being able to overcome this. We’re continuing to look for a good commercial solution for this and there are rumours on forums that one may come to light soon, so it looks promising.”

Another unlocker said: “There’s no solution for this and with the availability of the 3G S now a lot wider due to Orange and Vodafone now selling it, more of the newer devices are getting out there. It’s therefore becoming a real problem. The various software houses will be working on this so hopefully there will be a solution for this soon.”