Author Archive: Gareth

Windows Phone 7 Series isn’t going to be backward compatible.

In a recent blog posting, Microsoft’s Charlie Kindel wrote about the Windows Phone 7 Series application development and he explains that Microsoft had to change its strategy to accommodate what developers have been asking for. Specifically developers told Microsoft to focus on the end user experience and take more responsibility for delivering integrated end user experiences, invest more deeply in the developer platform and developer experience as well as driving a standardized hardware platform creating a simpler ecosystem and a larger – consistent – opportunity. And therefore Windows Phone 7 developer experiences will build upon the following technologies:

Orange blocking Hero apps

Phandroid are reporting that Orange are apparently bloking access to some paid apps on the android marketplace. This doesn’t seem to be affecting usages, rather you are unable to find them when searching the marketplace for them thanks to a recent update. Read on for more info and a quote from HTC:

HTC Legend gets an unboxing

Slashgear have unboxed and photographed the HTC Legend. There is a whole host of images and videos so see. Android looks to be running nicely and the screen seems nice. Of course the build quality is looked at since this would be the main attraction of this device.

Swype Beta for Android™

Swype is pleased to offer an Android Beta!

You signed up to be emailed when this happened, and probably gave up on us. Well, we are (finally) pleased to announce the limited availability of the Swype Beta for Android. Thanks for being patient over the past year as we’ve been focused on improving the product and preparing for our launch with multiple phone manufacturers and carriers.

Here are the details:

• Initially we will have a limited number of participants – we’ll expand it soon
• In English and Spanish – more languages to come
• Limited Features – some key features of Swype require OEM integration
• HVGA and WVGA Resolutions – don’t worry we’ll detect this automatically
• Limited End User Support – mostly via our user forum at www.swype.com
• If your phone came pre-installed with Swype DO NOT download this beta (it won’t work)

How will this work?

You register with an email address you can access via your mobile and we send you a link to download Swype.
That’s it!

Click here to go to the Swype Beta Website

British mainstream press fooled by Ghost Capture iPhone app

Do you believe in ghosts? We do, but some people are making fun of this serious stuff and are making apps like this:

… and some other people are making photos with this app and sending them to press and, amazingly, some press believes that these photos are real…

O2 rejigs again

Following the last press release whereby O2 decided to rip off their customers they have pulled a bit of a U-turn following a backlash from dealers.

O2 was to do away with their 18 month and 36 month SME contracts by the end of March to include a 12 month fixed line promotion with all 24 month deals. Now, following a upset from the dealers, O2 has reversed its decision and will retain all its original packages at least until the end of the year.

The new tariffs will be available through it’s business gateway.

Pixel Mags brings several classy British magazines to iPhone

Germans make cars, France makes wines but what is UK actually exporting? Well, among others Brits are doing glossy magazines about various topics that are well read in USA and continental Europe! The good news is that Pixel Mags brings several classy glossy British magazines to iPhone! Among them our favorite gamesTM:

Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

Apple® today filed a lawsuit against HTC for infringing on 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone’s user interface, underlying architecture and hardware. The lawsuit was filed concurrently with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and in U.S. District Court in Delaware.

"We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We’ve decided to do something about it," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."

Apple reinvented the mobile phone in 2007 with its revolutionary iPhone®, and did it again in 2008 with its pioneering App Store, which now offers more than 150,000 mobile applications in over 90 countries. Over 40 million iPhones have been sold worldwide.

Source Apple

Windows Phone Starter Edition

So that well matured Operating System that so many people over the years have had such a love/hate relationship with is reduced to being called a Starter Edition. One can’t help but think that this is a market plan to help beef up the 7 Series edition, which you would expect so much more out of, as we all know that Windows 7 Starter Edition is the simplistic version designed for the lesser platform. Windows Mobile 6.5.3 has finally reached a new stage of stability and customisation and it seems completely derogatory to the OS, and also the user, to now label it a Starter Edition.