Chanatown

App Review: Stitcher Radio - Streaming Podcasts Over 3G and Wifi

2011-07-31T06:46:00.001-05:00

Less than a year ago, I discovered the TuneIn Radio for Android and I raved about the ability to listen to local radio stations regardless of location. Although I still appreciate the functionality of TuneIn, this year's discovery app for listening involves podcasts, an audio genre that I have grown to enjoy on weekday commutes, long runs, and times when I'd rather listen to spoken text than reading it. After listening to an ad for Stitcher Radio via one of these podcasts, I took the bait and downloaded the free app, and boy was I glad I did.

Stitcher has been around for a few years on both Android and iPhone, so the name of the app definitely sounded familiar. I associated it as a competitor to TuneIn as it featured radio stations, but I enjoyed the interface of TuneIn better. It was the inclusion of streaming podcasts that really intrigued me, and after playing around with the app for a week now, it's grown to be a mainstay and definite home screen application.

Let's take a step back though as well as a quick look at how I currently access podcasts. I have an iPod Nano that I use for commuting and jogging. In order to get podcasts on this device, I have to download the current episodes onto my computer, physically connect the iPod to the computer, and wait for the sync to take place. If I change the order of this process, I may be left with older episodes on the iPod, and if I haven't been listening for awhile, I may no longer be downloading the current episodes onto my computer.

With a streaming application such as Stitcher, I get immediate access to a wide selection of podcasts, along with their most recent episodes. The selection is pretty good, as I was able to quickly find The B.S. Report, Freakonomics, and CarTalk, to name a few. Within seconds, I was listening to Bill Simmons, and I could scrub forward and backward through the episode with ease. Stitcher also runs smoothly in the background, so I can access all of my phone's controls and applications without interruption.

The ability to add podcasts to your favorites keeps me one click away from listening to a new episode. If I'm not enjoying a particular episode, I can choose a different one, or I can select another favorite. A written summary is also included with each episode, and this makes it easy to determine the date and subject of the particular podcast. Another nice touch is that on your favorites screen, you see not only the names of your bookmarked podcasts, but also the date of the most recent episode.

Of course, the obvious downfall to a streaming application is that if you lose your cellular signal, you will be listening to the sound of silence. There's currently no ability to download the podcast or save for offline listening. I also experienced a few force closes and sudden exits when using the application during the past week. Another suggestion would be to make the search function more visible, as I can imagine users missing the much needed feature (Tip: hit the menu button and you will be rewarded).

It's rare that I find a free application that I now use on a frequent basis. Stitcher has managed to achieve this feat, and if you have a need for streaming podcasts, I'd strongly recommend you check it out for yourself.

Stitcher is available for free in the Android Market and the Apple iTunes App Store.

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DGT GTD - The Best Toodledo App on Android

2011-07-19T06:21:00.002-05:00

Those with an iPhone don't know how good you have it when it comes to to-do list apps. When I had my iPhone, I installed and tested several applications that synced with my to-do list of choice, Toodledo. From a native app (Toodledo) to the visually appealing 2Do, to my eventual favorite, Todo, these were just a few of a plethora of applications designed to keep you on top of your lists. Cross over to the Android platform, and the pickings are much slimmer. With no native app available, I have experimented with several noble attempts, but none have come close to producing a simple, elegant, and efficient interface capable of helping me keep track of my to-dos while on the move. That all changed when I found DGT GTD.

Screenshots from http://www.dgtale.ch/

GTD (the popular acronym for "getting things done") is a philosophy used by those including myself to stay on top of one's everyday tasks. For me, it means keeping my email Inbox clear, my calendar organized, and my to-do list constantly updated.

The Android app, also titled GTD is made by DGT (say that three times fast), and as a standalone task manager, the application provides a ton of features, including lists, hotlists, recurring events, voice recognition for new tasks, and more. Casually included in this feature list is the synchronization capability with Toodledo, though it should be noted that an add-on application needs to be downloaded and installed to make this work.

Although the developer states upfront that the application is still in its alpha stage, there has been nearly nothing but positive praise for the application, and this reviewer will only add to the hype. DGT GTD is fast, responsive, and elegantly designed. The color coding system for tasks, dates, and labels in both the application and the included widget (iPhone users - wipe that drool off) is done in good taste and settings allow for a fair amount of customization.

The best part of DGT GTD is its fast sync with Toodledo. My first synchronization took a bit longer due to the number of tasks, but future syncs took only a few seconds, and best of all, background syncs are enabled. I have mine set to every hour, so I don't have to manually sync the application whenever I open or log in. This was a key feature missing from every single iPhone/iPad app that I tested. Not only does DGT have this capability, but it handles the auto sync very well and I haven't had any issues. Folders are synced perfectly, and changes made on either the mobile or web side are observed shortly after.

If you use Toodledo and you own an Android mobile phone or tablet, I highly recommend DGT GTD as an app to keep your tasks synchronized. As of this review, DGT GTD is free and available through the Android Market.

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Review: Droid X and Gingerbread - A Delicious System Update

2011-06-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

Image by Saad Irfan via Flickr

Article first published as Review: Droid X and Gingerbread - A Delicious System Update on Blogcritics.

After checking for system updates for the past few days, and drooling with jealousy from those included in the "soak" test group, I was finally treated to a system update (Version 2.3 aka "Gingerbread") from the folks at Motorola. A list of new features can be found here. For a review and reflection from hands-on experience, continue past the jump.

Cool and refreshing
Easily the most noticeable changes come with the appearance of the operating system after the update. From little changes like a refreshed clock font to (finally) the removal of the white notification bar to the teal accents on the 3G, Wifi, and antenna strength icons, the look and feel of Android indeed received a minor facelift. Moto Blur (Motorola's add-on to Android) added some refinements with their custom widgets now rotating with cube style animations. Speaking of animations, though, I do miss the "some window animations" setting that has since disappeared. It is all or nothing now, and the animations seem a bit less fluid, so much so that I have elected to turn them off entirely.

Speed is what we really want
Aside from the animation issue mentioned above, I have found the Gingerbread update to be snappier and the best place to experience this is in the web browser. Little touches in the interface design (i.e. updated spinning wheel and cleaner progress bar) have improved the look, but "under the hood" changes have provided a fast and robust browser experience. Launching the app drawer (through the new and customizable dock) is super fast, and the ability to sort apps into groups and quickly open the Market through a dedicated button have all been supportive of a faster experience when using the Droid X.

But is the battery is better?
Always a big issue with any mobile device, especially as the smartphone gets "smarter" or equipped with more powerful hardware and faster connections, is the battery life. Android 2.3 promises to improve the power management capabilities, and so far, after purposefully leaving my phone uncharged at work, I am casually observing better battery life compared to how my phone behaved at this point in the day prior to the update. Data and chart loving users will be pleased to see significant amounts of information on how one's battery is getting used, and the addition of profiles allows you to quickly set various selections of wallpapers and widgets that can also assist in making your phone more power efficient.

Although these Android OS updates won't receive as much fanfare or recognition as a major Apple iOS release, there is much to be said with the improvements that come included with Android 2.3 - Gingerbread. Droid X owners should be pleased, and to those anxiously awaiting their device's turn - I hope that you won't have to wait as long as we did.

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Lost or Stolen Smartphone? Three Actions to Take After It Happens

2011-05-23T06:01:00.001-05:00

Article first published as Lost or Stolen Smartphone? Three Actions to Take After It Happens on Blogcritics.

Image by _rockinfree via Flickr

Losing a cell phone or getting one stolen from you is always a tough predicament to be in, yet more and more people are finding themselves in exactly that position. And with mobile devices costing upwards of hundreds of dollars to purchase, replacing a lost or stolen device can easily become an unfortunate financial burden. Furthermore, the reality of having your data now in the hands of someone else may actually prove to be the bigger problem. Two weeks ago, I thought I fell victim to losing my beloved Droid X (happy spoiler alert: the device was found earlier this week). Here are a few actions I took with the hope that you won't have to take them yourself some day. So should your phone get lost or stolen...

Change your passwords...all of them.

First, there are the obvious ones. With my Android phone, the core communication applications (Gmail, Contacts, Voice) all went though my Google account, so with a quick change of the Gmail password, my email was no longer getting pushed to the phone and new data would no longer be synced. However, with the abundance of apps that are now available, the number of usernames and passwords continues to grow, so I ended up changing dozens of passwords (not a bad thing in the end). This ranged from my Groupon account to my Twitter account. Since each app often remembered my username/password (convenient when I have my phone in hand), you would be wise to change your password on all of them in case the finder of your phone wishes to take advantage of the new account access.

Find your phone and/or remote wipe it.

To my surprise and disappointment, when I reported my phone lost/stolen, I was told that they (Verizon Wireless) had no way to wipe the phone remotely. For iPhone users, you can thank Apple and Steve Jobs for giving away the Find My iPhone for free (previously a paid feature with MobileMe). However, you'll want to make sure that you have the app installed prior to losing it, or else you'll be in the same sad situation of having no way to wipe your data remotely. The same applies to Android devices and a good free app to consider is Lookout Mobile Security. With the free version, you can locate your phone on a map and sound a loud alarm. With the premium version, you'll have access to the remote lock and wipe features.

Restore once you've gotten a replacement.

So, one possible upside to losing a phone is that you do get a fresh start. Although that means you have plunked down a hefty sum for a new smartphone, chances are you might have taken the opportunity to try something new (I went with the Droid Incredible 2) and your phone will have that fresh out of the box scent and more importantly, a factory reset performance that will likely be faster than whatever speed you had gotten accustomed to with your old phone. With a quick click of Backup Assistant (Verizon), restoring through iTunes (iPhones), or running a different app such as Lookout on another Android phone, you can restore contacts, and depending on the application, other important information including previously downloaded apps. Rest assured that your profile on either operating system will remember which apps you have paid for, so you'll never have to pay twice for an application.

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A Review of the Amazon Appstore - Stealing the Market's Market Share?

2011-04-26T06:15:00.000-05:00

Article first published as A Review of the Amazon Appstore - Stealing the Market's Market Share? on Blogcritics.

Window shopping on a mobile device involves a simple tap of a button and you're immediately taken to the App Store on iOS or the Market on Android devices. Until recently, the Android Market was the only place you could find to spend your hard earned money on cool apps. Amazon decided to enter the app marketplace by starting its own storefront, controversially titled Appstore. Well, a month of browsing for apps and finding a few free gems, I find myself shopping at Appstore more and more. Here's why:

Free Apps
There is no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as a free app per day. Since its grand opening, Amazon has graciously decided to make a paid app available for free each and every day. Already, I've managed to pickup a few great apps that would have normally taken a few bucks to purchase. These include Flight Control (a popular touch friendly game on the iPhone/iPad), Swiftkey (a robust keyboard replacement app), and TuneIn Radio Pro (I love the free version, so the paid pro version is a bonus). For the daily free app release alone, I find myself perusing the Appstore more often that I normally would check out the Android Market.

A Familiar Look and Feel
Perhaps, I was biased coming in from the iPhone and being a big fan of the iTunes App Store, but I never found the Android Market particularly well organized, even after an interface update in December of last year. The Amazon Appstore takes a similar approach to Apple's structure by offering two lists - Top Paid and Top Free apps. This is especially handy as I want to keep up with all of the best free apps, but also recognize when money talks and an app will occasionally be worth spending it on. The Appstore maintains lists of several categories (Games, Entertainment, Lifestyle, etc.) where the program ranks the top paid and free apps together. Lastly, the Appstore wouldn't be Amazon if it didn't have the "Recommended For You" list, where you'll find more apps that you probably don't need, but may fit what you're looking for.

Extra Credit
As if free apps and a solid organization weren't enough, the Amazon Appstore offers a branded web interface that fits right in with the standard Amazon shopping marketplace that many have grown familiar with. Compared to the Android Market, Amazon's Appstore faces a bit more competition as the Market offers much better organization on the web than through its mobile app. However, performance can be a bit choppy and sluggish in the Market. Amazon gets an additional boost by offering apps that are available "exclusively in the Amazon Appstore," and this included a version of Angry Birds and the TuneIn Radio Pro version mentioned above.

Time will tell whether either the Appstore or the Market or even another competitor will eventually be the number one destination for Android Apps. However, it is certain that customer choice is a strength of the Android operating system and the existence of more than one place to shop seems to fit right in with the Android way of being.

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Android App Review: Dolphin HD and Mini - Best Web Browser on the Market

2010-12-28T14:29:00.002-06:00

Pop quiz, hot shot. What is the number one application I use on my smartphone? If you said web browser, you're a winner (I need to get some prizes out), and I suspect others would agree that despite being called a phone, today's smartphones are used more for mobile browsers than for making calls. With that said, the browser that ships standard with the iPhone and all Android phones tends to be rather dull. Leave it to third party applications to improve the experience, and today, we focus on a set of browsers in particular for the Android: Dolphin Browser HD and the newly released Dolphin Browser Mini.

Features Galore
The full browser (Dolphin HD) provides a ton of features that can enhance your web browsing experience. I am particularly fond of tabs, as this has become a mainstay on all desktop browsers nowadays. Dolphin HD handles this quite well by including tabs at the top of the browser. Sliding to the left will reveal your bookmarks, and to the right will open up add-ons (themes, bookmarks to SD, and more), a full screen option and the settings menu. The Dolphin user interface is very smooth and intuitive for each of those options. Gestures are also incorporated as there is a special button in the button left that allows you to use a signature gesture to denote a navigation command (go forward, back) or even load a specific website (G is for Google and it's good enough for me...) Pinching and double tapping to zoom are both extremely fluid, more so in my opinion than the stock browser.

Fast with Flash when you want it
Speed is the name of game when it comes to desktop browsing, and it is even more vital with mobile versions as you may find yourself in precarious positions at times when browsing on your phone (walking, taking public transit, driving - not recommended!) The Dolphin Browser promises and seems to deliver on its speedy loading of web pages. I particularly like the option to choose when to load flash items on a webpage. Often, I just don't need to view a flash ad banner or a live link to a video. With flash allowed but not automatically loaded, I noticed a speed increase over the stock Android browser. Overall, the browser seems snappier, and efficiency is improved as a result of the included gesture system.

Mini Me, Both for Free.
In addition to Dolphin HD, there is the browser's little brother called Dolphin Browser Mini. Built for speed, the mini version does not contain the full set of features included with HD. Still, I found most if not all of the features that interested me the most to the HD present in the mini-version. Tabs? Check. Gestures? Yep. Flash? Still there! With a simplified interface (no sliding for bookmarks or settings), there's less to do on the screen and more to focus on with content.

What's the best part of Dolphin's twin set of browsers? The price: Free. You've got nothing to lose except for some storage space. I've found that the mini-version serves me well, and for a more streamlined interface that reminds me of Google Chrome, I've opted for this version as my go-to browser. Still, when I'm looking for a more featured experience (maybe something like Firefox), I have Dolphin HD as a backup, and then there's always the included stock browser as well.

Dolphin Browser HD (Android 2.0+) and Dolphin Browser Mini (Android 1.6+) are available for free on the Android Market.

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Three Ways to Fix a Slow Smartphone - Knowing When to Reset

2010-12-26T16:22:00.004-06:00

I woke up one morning last week to find my Droid X acting particularly slower than normal. I did what we gadget lovers know unfortunately all too much: reset the device. However, this procedure was not just a power cycle but rather a hard reset, and it involved a completely fresh start for the phone. The good news is that the device is back to its original blazing speed. Today, I thought I would share a few protocols in case you wake up to find your smartphone acting up as well.

Quick Clean

For those looking for a very quick and easy way to get an instant performance boost, users need to look no further than the power button on their phone. Also known as a "soft reset," powering down and rebooting will often solve some basic lag issues for phones (and fix many problems for nearly every electronic device known to man). When new updates are available for smartphones, a restart is often the last step of the installation, and users are often impressed by the zippier feel of their phones post-update. I often see claims on forums for "snappier" performance on freshly updated phones. Although this can be the case for larger system updates, most often, the soft reset is the reason for the improved speed.

Tidying up the House
Similar to picking up clothes, old newspapers, or dirty dishes, users can perform some basic cleaning on their smartphones. If there are apps that you hardly use, consider freeing up storage space by deleting them or on many Android phones, selected apps can be moved to the memory card. With Android, you can stop processes through the settings or opt for an application such as Advanced Task Killer. However, do note that usage of such an app is often the subject of a debate as to whether task killers help or hurt (I personally don't use one, though I don't advocate either way). Through iOS 4 for iPhone 3GS and above, you can choose to close applications that are running through the multitasking feature, and it may be worth mentioning that task killers are available for jailbroken iPhones. In the end, through these tips, you can usually resolve some minor lag issues that result from heavy usage in the short term.

Complete Restoration
When we had some minor water damage in our basement, a restoration company came to tear out drywall, carpet, and baseboards. We then hired contractors to replace everything that was taken out to bring our basement back to its original condition. Also known as a "hard reset", you can safely bring your smartphone back to when it was first turned on (often referred to as factory defaults). For a Droid X, there are two ways to perform a hard reset. On the iPhone, you have a few additional steps to attempt before resorting to a hard reset, including resetting the phone settings and reinstalling iTunes. Check here for more information about iPhone troubleshooting directly from Apple.

Of course, returning to factory settings means that you will lose all data and applications, so it comes at a higher price. However, with more and more data being stored in the cloud, this may not be as big of a deal as in the past. For example, I have all of my contacts stored in Gmail, so I did not lose anything with the hard reset. The same applies to email, calendar events, and my to do lists. Text messages were one of the few causalities of my hard reset, though there is probably a data backup service available that would have helped with this. For applications, I needed to download my apps again, but this gave me an opportunity to do some paring down, as suggested above. Both the Android marketplace and the iPhone App Store remember what apps you have purchased before, so there's no need to worry about paying again for anything you need to reinstall.

In the end, routine maintenance of your smartphone can go a long way towards extending the longevity of the device, not to mention the satisfaction of the end user. For more thoughts on Technology, please consider subscribing to the RSS feed or through email. For just Android specific posts, subscribe here.

Droid X Update: An Initial Review of 2.2.1, including Madden 2011?

2010-12-08T06:55:00.005-06:00

It has been a whirlwind of a week for all things Google with its eBookstore, Chrome OS, and Cr-48 notebook announcements. Android saw a Google Reader app appear last week (review coming soon), and Droid X users were not to be left out as a quick check of "Settings, About, System Update", and this user found an update waiting for download. Check out the initial thoughts after the jump.

Full details about the update can be found through Verizon's support page. The enhancements most exciting appear to be improved Froyo (Android OS 2.2) stability, a new data widget, and several pre-installs, including Flash Player, MyVerizon, and...wait for it...Madden 2011!

It's in the game.
I am not much of a gamer, but as a huge sports fan, I do enjoy a good sports video game every now and then. Thus, the addition of Madden on my Droid X is a welcome sight, and after downloading the update, I was anxious to see how the EA Sports title would play on the small (or big for a phone) screen. It turns out that more downloading was needed when I tried opening the pre-installed Madden 2011 icon now in my app drawer. After 15 minutes (about 12 minutes longer than it took to install the update itself), I was finally in the game.

It's only part of the game.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free Madden 2011 install, as the game that was included in the Droid X update turned out to be only a trial version. That being said, the demo lets you play a Super Bowl 2010 matchup between the Colts and the Saints. Overall, the gameplay was decent, graphics and sound were more than adequate, I like how the stopwatch slow-mo feature gives you more control of important plays. Faster than you can say "onside kick", the 3-minute game gave me enough of an experience that would tempt me to purchase the full version, but for $9.99 (conveniently in between the iPhone/iPad pricing of $7.99/$12.99 respectively), I'll probably opt for the iPad version instead.

As for the rest of the update, time will tell as to whether the improvements are noticeable. I know that Motorola has been working on some Microsoft Exchange enhancements, as well as responding to common user complaints about audio quality and volume. I'll continue to update this post if these issues have been resolved as well as whether there are any other observable differences in stability in general.

Update #1 (12/10): There's a new part of the dialer display that shows your most recent call in or out. The box also acts as a search engine for your dialer. For example, I could enter a few numbers, and there will be a dropdown that can show how many matches there are for the number combination. This is certainly a nice surprise, and a very welcomed enhancement.

Any other surprises found or care to share your feelings on the update? Please leave a comment.

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Android App Review: doubleTwist AirSync - Wirelessly Sync Your Music

2010-12-03T08:44:00.003-06:00

I suspect that I am in a large majority that wondered when wireless syncing of data between computer and phone would finally make its way to the mainstream user. I figured Apple would make some grandiose announcement and hold a huge event broadcasting to the world about "one more thing..." Instead, I read a short blurb on my Flipboard about how doubleTwist, an app that I already had on my Droid X phone, had quietly released a new application called AirSync. The app claims to let you wirelessly sync your iTunes playlists, photos, and videos using your home Wi-Fi network. So, what's the real story behind the experience? Find out after the jump.

Setup

Reminded me of long iTunes backup...no!!!

Apparently, I was already too late for the 99-cent offer as the app was $1.99 when I purchased it, though rumors have it increasing to $4.99 after an initial promotional period. Once installed on my Droid X, I upgraded my version of doubleTwist on a Macbook Pro, and proceeded with what was a smooth setup process. I enabled AirSync on my phone, entered a passcode when doubleTwist recognized my phone, and a sync was underway.

That's what you want to see - a completed status bar!

Then, in what gave me flashbacks of my problems with my iPad update (endless backup process), my doubleTwist syncing seemed to be getting stuck somewhere. I had read in Engadget's initial review that they recommended starting from scratch, so since I was interested in a fresh start, I wiped out all of my music that had been previously synced with doubleTwist. Upon restarting the programs, I created a single playlist in iTunes for my phone and began moving albums, artists, and songs over. It does take a few seconds for doubleTwist to register changes in your playlists. I've found that clicking around the program on different lists and such can sometimes trigger the update. Otherwise, closing and reopening the program has also done the trick. Once connected (wirelessly!!!), the two programs sync very nicely, and although it won't break any file transfer speed records, I was pleased to find my music on my phone again.

Next Attempts

doubleTwist on the PC

The default sync setting is to automatically have doubleTwist sync with devices when connected. Thus, I found my phone turning itself on whenever I came within striking distance of my laptop. I promptly switched this over to manual sync on the computer and left AirSync enabled on my phone. After a long initial sync to get my favorite albums back on my phone again, I tried some smaller transfers and found that it took about 2 minutes per album. Not bad. On the Mac, I only had the options to sync my iTunes music and videos, as photos was not an option. With the PC version, you do seem to have a few more options with photos and subscriptions.

It should be noted that not all users are having a flawless experience using AirSync. However, there is a dedicated AirSync forum run by doubleTwist, and an administrator that seems to respond promptly to questions.

This is the Future
doubleTwist has taken a fine leap into what is likely the future of syncing media between computers and mobile devices. I would not be surprised to see a similar feature released by Apple and possibly Google itself that takes advantage of the freedom enjoyed by wireless sync. As a heavy mobile user, I rarely need to connect my phone to my computer, since all of the applications I rely upon the most (calendars, email, contacts, and apps) are all available through the cloud. Now that I can do the same with my music, it’s one more reason why I won’t need that USB cable nearby anymore.

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Android App Review: Multi-Picture Live Wallpaper - showing off those pictures

2010-11-22T12:55:00.005-06:00

One of my favorite features of the Droid X and other Android OS smartphones is the live wallpaper functionality. For the past few months, I've dabbled with the stock options and installed a few of the more prominent marketplace apps (Mario Live, Beautiful Weather, and Aquarium are some favorites). However, with a new baby in the house, and changes happening every day, I've been trying to document as much as I can. And of course, I've succumb to the cliche parent move of using pictures of baby on my desktop, iPad, and laptop. Why should my mobile phone be any different? With MultiPicture Live Wallpaper, I'm able to fully customize the experience. More on why I may never use a different wallpaper after the jump.

Oh, the pictures you will see!
MultiPicture lets you choose different pictures for each of your home screens (up to seven for my Droid X on Android 2.2). You can choose to keep the pictures static, or better yet, have the application rotate through a series of photos. Initially, I was worried that I would not have any control over which pictures would be displayed (I've got a lot of junk on my camera roll). Thus, I was relieved to find that MultiPicture allows you to choose an individual folder to draw photos from, so I immediately created a "wallpaper" folder and moved selected pictures into place.

On demand switching
Since it's not a "live" wallpaper if the photos are static, I choose to have MultiPicture rotate through a series of pictures that I've placed in my wallpapers folder. The app allows for users to set a timed interval for how often the wallpaper will change, as well as whether to crop, fit, or keep the photo in its original state. However, if I get impatient, I can double tap on the screen, and a new image is transitioned in, with only a second's delay. I choose to keep the default settings the same for all of my home screens, though MultiPicture allows you to customize each screen for different photo folders, background colors, selection orders, and more.

Eye Candy
One of the coolest features of MultiPicture is the transition that appears when you flip through your home screens. I enjoy the 3D rotation (reminds me of the HTC Cube animation), and the wallpaper handles it very smoothly and without any delay. You can add reflections to the top or bottom (I haven't noticed any difference with these), and as mentioned above, you can adjust the background color, transparency, and sizing for any and all of your screens. Perhaps, the best part is that MultiPicture Live Wallpaper is free, stable, and available for download in the Android Marketplace. I recommend you download it now.

UPDATE (1/25): I switch wallpapers a lot, and it turns out that it was MultiPicture's turn back in the rotation. I was pleased to find an add-on that connects the live wallpaper to Picasa Web Albums. No more manual organization of photos for my wallpaper. Just pick your web album(s) and enjoy your pictures!

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Angry Birds - Kill a few pigs and a few hours with the best free game on Android

2010-10-27T06:19:00.004-05:00

11/12 UPDATE: Although one is always happy to see additional levels (45 in total) via an update, the folks behind the addictive Angry Birds are close to disenfranchising their fans by overloading the game with ads. I could live with a few of the ads, and the occasional video, but the placement (now in the upper right corner) and frequency (every single level for a longer period of time) have spurred numerous comments and 1-star ratings on the market. We'll see if Rovio addresses this in an update or else it'll have to worry more about Angry Fans than Birds.

Review/Original Post:
I first heard of Angry Birds through one of Conan O'Brien's promos. Admittedly, I was not that interested in a game for the iPad at the time, and I wasn't willing to plunk down $4.99 for the app. However, when word got around that there was a free full version available on the Android Market, I quickly downloaded, installed, and have not looked back since. Here are some happy thoughts on the addictive game.

Easy to learn, Hard to put down

Image by sheehanpaul via Flickr

There is something to be said about a game that you can pick up and start playing in a matter of seconds. This was what made the Wii so attractive years ago, as more of the traditional video game required lengthy instructions and multiple button configurations (yet often came with minimal documentation). Angry Birds takes this concept to a whole new level, as all you need to do is wind up the slingshot, launch a bird towards an unsuspecting (but not defenseless) pig, and you're now familiar with the game play. Once you've started conquering a few levels and have picked up a few more birds, you'll likely find yourself playing for a few seconds, which will turn into a few minutes, and I'm sure in some cases, a few hours.

So many levels for free (yes, there are ads)
The true genius of Angry Birds is that it is challenging enough to keep you hooked, yet not impossible enough to make you give up entirely. Granted, I'm only on level 2-12, but on 2-9, I came close to throwing in the towel. However, I just started chucking the bomb birds around, and I realized that I didn't have to explode them manually. The collision with the blocks caused some pre-damage before their automatic detonation. That's a free tip for those stuck on that level as well. It's moments like these that make Angry Birds still fun after what could have been an hour of frustration. There are ads on the lower right, but with over 120 levels for the price of free, I can't really complain and nor should you.

Puzzle Love. More free games on Android?
This is the first game I've continuously played on my Droid X. I even have the nearly 100 MB Need for Speed that came with the phone, but barely even tried that game. I enjoy having something I can pick up, turn on, and get immersed in right away. The bonus is that Angry Birds keeps me hooked with its variety, and makes me want to try a level or two every now and then. It's perfect for public transit rides, and I'd love to see more puzzle games like this (for free would be best) on Android. For now, I'll keep the pressure up on those pigs. Forgive me, I've got some eggs to retrieve.

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Things Teachers and Students can do with a Smartphone Part 2

2010-10-08T16:01:00.002-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Earlier this month, we looked at some of the core functionality that can be achieved with the Smartphone. As these advanced phones become more common, we want to make sure that we are getting the most out of these high tech devices. What happens once you've gotten familiar with your basic email, calendar, and document setup? Here are three more ways to help you maximize your smartphone's capabilities and keep you in touch with the world wherever and whenever.

Reader Apps
If you subscribe to any RSS feeds and use an aggregator such as Google Reader, you'll want a way to access these news items on your phone. Although Google Reader and other web apps can do the trick, I've found it nice to have a more polished application on my phone. For my Droid X, I've found Feedr to be a great app that includes a cool widget. This displays the headlines of any of my feeds, and I can quickly access the full stories with the click of a link. For the iPhone, I used Byline, which I liked, but there may be newer and more improved releases. For Google Reader users, the key is to find apps that sync with Reader and do it well. This was where the wide array of apps began to self select.

For those who don't RSS (an intro post to RSS and why you might find it useful coming soon), there are plenty of native apps that can also keep you up to date. I am a fan of the USA Today app on both the iPhone and Android platforms. Although I don't care for the hard copy newspaper as much, I find the app to be well designed, fully functional, and easy to navigate. I can't say the same for the NYTimes apps that I've experienced, and the websites of some of larger papers can be quite a challenge to view on the mobile screen.

Dropbox
If you haven't played around with online storage as a possible alternative and/or backup to your USB drive, you want to consider Dropbox (see more here). What's especially nice about Dropbox is that the company has released apps on multiple platforms, and I've had next to zero difficulties with regards to accessing my documents. The ability to access and in some cases edit a document on my computer at home, work, on my iPad, and on my phone is quite amazing, and I feel that new smartphone users may want to explore trying this out. Dropbox is available as a free app in both iTunes (App Store) and on the Market (Android). For those new to Dropbox, sign up here to get 250MB extra for both you and me.

Google Calendars
Although I mentioned calendar setup in the original post about smartphones, I just have to bring it up again here, especially if you are using Google Apps and have an Android phone. At ETHS, teachers are using Google Apps on a increasingly frequent basis. Curriculum websites, class calendars, and student group emails are all features being taken advantage of, and the ability to access these resources anytime, anywhere is proving to be quite beneficial.

Well, add your smartphone to the anytime, anywhere motto, since Google accounts (including our own domain at eths202.org) are so easily added and then integrated into an Android phone.With the ability to access all of my calendars, I can selectively view and sync any and all of my Google Apps calendars. For the teacher with multiple class calendars (see more on homework calendars here), this makes it easy to add, edit, or delete events when you're away from your computer. Access to the Apps email account lets you stay in touch with students whether it's replying to a message or viewing a thread on the Google Group. Now, to be fair, much of the same functionality can be achieved with an iPhone as well (for calendars - use calDav for example), but I was particularly impressed (though not surprised considering who's responsible for Android) with the ease of use of my phone and Google Apps.

Android App Review: TuneIn Radio - Better than FM Radio

2010-10-02T13:22:00.006-05:00

You know you're a blogging geek when you can't wait to write about a new discovery. For me, this occurred with TuneIn Radio. A few weeks ago, my wife and I took a road trip to Michigan, and on our way back, we wanted to tap into a local Chicago station that was playing the top songs of the 90's (Yes, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was #1). Our car radio wasn't picking up the station, so we looked for alternatives through our Android phones. My wife was able to find TuneIn and we successfully tuned into the countdown until the signal became available again. However, it wasn't until today's bus ride home that I realized the true capabilities of this packed app.

On my way home today, I wanted to listen to the Northwestern - Minnesota football game. I knew that the local NU station (WNUR 89.3 FM) would be available on the FM Radio app which I occasionally use. Sure enough, opening the app and tuning to 89.3, I was able to hear a bit of the action. However, as the bus ride progressed, the reception deteriorated, so I needed another option. Upon opening TuneIn for the first time since our vacation, I realized that TuneIn features not only FM stations but also AM stations, which immediately makes it more valuable than the native FM app. Of course, this depends on your cellular signal as opposed to the FM app. However, reception was loud and clear for the duration of my listening session.

As I was listening to WGN-AM 720 for the game, I explored the app further, and was amazed at all of the stations that were available. I've experienced several Radio apps on my iPhone, but I don't recall having the selection that TuneIn offered (I did discover that TuneIn is also available for the AppStore for your iPod/iPhone). To access all of those stations, you can set presets, choose by location, or explore categories such as music, talk, and sports. For Sports, I was able to see a wide range of available games, including the NU-Minnesota game that I was searching for.

Additional proof that this app is very polished can be found in the app's ability to view what's currently playing on the station prior to choosing, a complete schedule for programming, and the option to choose from multiple available streams. If you haven't downloaded TuneIn for Android yet, I strongly recommend you give it a try. Although you can sync your presets with an online account through a service called Radiotime, TuneIn does not require any account setup to use the application. TuneIn is available for free (ad-supported) or for $1.99 (without ads) in the market.

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Android Agenda Widget Review - When you just have to have a calendar handy.

2010-09-24T23:40:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

I am often on the move throughout my work day, and I've gotten in the habit of scheduling many of my visits with teachers on my Outlook calendar. With Wednesday's release of Android 2.2 for the Droid X, I now have a functional Exchange setup that's reasonably in sync (note: I didn't use the "push" word). Thus, it's handy for me to have quick access to my calendars. With Android Agenda Widget, I can not only have them on my home screen, but coupled with Widget Locker (reviewed here), I can also have view events on my lock screen.

Setup
When adding the widget to your screen, you have a wide array of sizes ranging from a 2x2 to twice the size at 4x4. Since I'm using Launcher Pro and want to keep the same look and feel on my home screens, I tend to use the Plus widgets, which include a calendar one. My lock screen is a different story. Upon waking my phone, I have access to news and weather (a decent widget included with the Droid X), sports scores (still using ESPN, though I'm swapping out every now and then) and my calendar. I'm pleased to note that Android Agenda supports scrollable widgets, and although the developer claims that it works with LP and ADW, I can confirm that it will also cooperate with Widget Locker.

Options Galore
There's not much to say about the actual widget other than the fact that it does what it's supposed to do. On top of that, there are a ton of options that you can play around with to customize the look and feel of the widget. You can choose which calendars you want, tasks (if available), and multiples sets of options for the appearance, including themes and skins for the widget. Unlike the stock calendar widget (I tried to like this one), you can set a auto refresh rate or perform a manual sync, and you are essentially guaranteed that you'll stay on top of your appointments. I've relied on this widget for some time now, as I am constantly consulting my mobile calendar when I'm away from my desktop.

Android Agenda Widget is available as a free and paid app in the Market.

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Froyo and Droid X prove to be a winning combination

2010-09-23T06:01:00.006-05:00

Image via CrunchBase

After a lengthy wait and anticipation reaching a height with our preview yesterday, I was pleased to see the update come in earlier than the 12pm EST estimate given by several articles. I woke up this morning, checked for system updates and instead of the usual letdown, I was happy to see that 2.3.15 awaited my click of the Update button. Setup was straightforward, a restart was needed, and I was able to keep both Launcher Pro and Widget Locker on the device without any problems. In our preview post, I mentioned three features I was looking forward to the most, so here are the immediate observations.

Flash
Being a former iPhone and current iPad user, I'm accustomed to experiencing the web without Flash. To be honest, I haven't felt like I've missed much, but it's interesting to note what happens when you get used to life without something like Flash. Suddenly, with Froyo, I find myself constantly wondering which sites I would have been able to see before today and which ones required the update. Certainly flash game sites like Kongregate were unavailable before and now play reasonably well. There's also flash animated introductions such as the one found on my friends' graphic design site (definitely worth a look). In the end, it's been a nice bonus, with more observations to come, and without a significantly adverse effect on performance.

Exchange - Yes, but...
As mentioned in the preview, the lack of Exchange support on my Droid X was a potential dealbreaker, and I've been living on the third party app, Touchdown, for these first 2 months. Although I generally have very positive things to say about the program, and I appreciated both the free trial and the subsequent free license from Motorola, I was still looking forward to what the native application could do, as I had been experiencing more and more FC (force close)'s with Touchdown as of late.

There was good news right off the bat, as the setup for the Corporate Sync feature went very quickly and without a hitch. To compare, on 2.1, I would get stuck when trying to sync my account and after 30 seconds, the process would end in a failure. With yesterday's system update to 2.3.15, once I added my credentials and chose my settings, my work email and calendar immediately began to sync. With Touchdown, I was definitely impressed with how it handled push. So far, with Corporate Sync, I don't feel that push really means push, as I'm not getting messages as quickly as I did with Touchdown. Time will tell whether I'm correct in this observation or not. Another interesting side note is that I was forced to set a PIN which now gets prompted for every once in a while. This occurred with Touchdown as well, but it didn't seem to be as frequent. I will say that I enjoy the overall interface of the native email client, and I certainly appreciate having my work calendar smoothly integrated as opposed to relying on a Google Sync with Outlook.

Speed and More
There was a noticeable speed increase in the browser. Loading pages, especially those that are lighter in nature seemed extra speedy, though this will need to be tested over time. I noticed slightly less choppiness in standard functionality, including using Launcher Pro. However, as noted in the preview, I've been very pleased with the overall speed of the Droid X even prior to Froyo. Also included in the system upgrade have been several small but well received features such as improved volume for notifications, updates in the Gmail client (now updating separately from the system), and an increase in the number of applications available in the multitasking switcher. More to come via Twitter. Hope your Froyo is just as sweet.

Waiting for Froyo - Droid X finally gets its day of Android 2.2 (2.3.15, actually)

2010-09-22T05:01:00.008-05:00

Image by showbiz kids via Flickr

I haven't read Waiting for Godot, but I think I know enough of the theater fan's movie classic, "Waiting for Guffman" to make the comparison to this Droid X user's long and patient wait for the Android 2.2 update. After weeks and weeks of rumors, each claiming that Froyo was just around the corner, looking for clues in Motorola Matt's cryptic forum messages "late summer...", and having written this opener on 9/19 after reading a PC World article that hinted at Monday being the day, it's time we take a look at what all the fuss was about. And unlike Godot and Guffman, Froyo did make finally arrive. Today, we make one final preview at what we'll be looking forward to the most with 2.3.15.

One word: Flash
If the numbers "2.2" or "2.3.15" don't mean anything to you, perhaps, "10.1" might. This is the version of Flash that we'll be seeing built into the new OS update. This will be my first experience with Flash on a mobile phone, and it will interesting to see how the experience unfolds. Will Flash end up slowing down browser performance, being the unstable and insecure contributor that Mr. Jobs claims it to be? Or
will the increase in websites that I'll be able to view without the "You need to install Flash Player to view content" be enough to overcome the inherent challenges of replacing mouse overs with taps and long presses?

No more Touchdowns? Better Exchange Support
This was a potential deal breaker for me during my first week with the Droid X. Simply put, I could not get my Exchange account to work on the Droid, thus leaving me without any convenient access to my work email, calendar, and contacts. Thankfully, I stumbled upon a forum where a Motorola employee named Matt helped us out with free licenses for Touchdown which miraculously fixed whatever problem Motorola was having with Exchange. Interestingly, it was this same Matt who was featured in several rumors about Froyo's release in September. He also echoed Motorola's statement that "late summer" would be the date, and sure enough, fall begins in less than 24 hours. Back to Froyo: I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to use the native Exchange client. Despite all that Touchdown offers, I really like the native Gmail app, and even the regular email client sometimes impresses me more than Touchdown's look and feel.

The Need for Speed and More
Not that I have any complaints with the Droid X's speed. It already runs laps around my old iPhone 3G. However, when there's talk of a 2x-5x increase in speed, making scrolling, app-loading, and web browsing smoother, faster, and better, you can't help but get excited. Add to this the above, and other features such as auto app updates, a slight re-design, voice recognition for search, the option to run apps from the SD card, and you can begin to understand the hype behind the OS improvement. Note that I did not make mention of the mobile hotspot or tethering additions, as I am sure Verizon will not allow this to go through.

Stay tuned for Part II on Thursday when I'll share whether the Droid X on Froyo managed to be worth the wait.

Android App Review: NFL Mobile - Verizon Subscribers only

2010-09-10T05:01:00.016-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Cue MNF music...Play the John Williams SNF prelude...Roll Hank Williams Jr...that's right, "Are you ready for some football!?!?!" It's opening night, and I've been watching more NFL Network lately since the Cubs checked out months ago. And I'm dying to try out the NFL Mobile app on my new Droid X. So, how did the app perform during primetime, and what's the real deal behind the pricing? Find out more after the jump.

Touring the app
NFL Mobile was quick to load and the settings button brings up a nicely designed menu where you can choose from items such as scores, teams, live video and fantasy tracker. You can also designate your favorite team (Da Bears) for easy access to news, schedule, stats, the roster, and injury reports. To me, the most important piece is the scores portion, and how often it updates. Again, the design of the application is well conceived, and a quick glance of the scores screen reveals all of the games on the week's schedule.

Included in the free application is audio to all of the games in progress. I tried this for the season opener, and sound streamed quickly over WiFi with a significant (1-2 minute) delay between what I saw on television and what I then heard on the feed. What was slightly less impressive was the refreshing of scores, as the app seemed to update every 30-60 seconds or so, and I didn't see a manual refresh option. Thus, as opposed to some apps on the iPad, I would not recommend NFL Mobile as a companion to the live feed.

Getting into the Redzone?
One of the most eagerly anticipated features of the NFL Mobile app was the inclusion of the ultra cool sounding, but potentially over hyped RedZone Network. There has been some chatter on forum sites about whether video streaming would be free to Droid X users or those who downloaded the app before July 19. Unfortunately, either I was unlucky or this was simply not true. Upon attempting to access the live feed for the season opener, I was prompted to sign up for V-Cast for either a monthly subscription ($10) or a daily pass ($3). A quick check of DroidForums.net revealed that I was not alone.

Touchdown, Field Goal, or Turnover?
With the disappointment of not having free access to live video and the RedZone network behind me, I performed some simple economics. A subscription to RedZone on my RCN network would cost $50 for the season. A monthly V-Cast subscription for 5 months would also cost $50 and include other videos, but would be limited to my phone (no HDMI cable for me just yet). Another contender would be to invest $30 in the Slingbox app (I have an SB setup from my iPhone days) and this would enable me to stream more than just football, though I would still need to pony up $50 for the RedZone.

In the end, I'm going to try the $3 subscription to test out the RedZone on my Droid X. Since I'll often be near a TV on Sundays, this expenditure will be more as a curiosity than a weekly recurrence. I'd love to see how the interface works and how quick (or not) the video comes through on 3G coverage. I will say that I'm disappointed that Verizon decided to charge for this, despite highlighting it as one of their great features for their phones. I suppose you have to find a way to pay for the $720 million steal from Sprint.

Launcher Pro Plus - Revisiting the Review and Checking out the Widgets in Plus.

2010-09-06T05:01:00.012-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

It has been just over a month since my original post and review of Launcher Pro, and it has easily been one of my most viewed posts. So, I thought I'd revisit the application to see what's new, and why there's been considerable buzz regarding the home screen launcher. I'll also dive into Launcher Pro Plus, and giving you the lowdown on all of the native widgets that your $2.99 upgrade includes.

To be honest, I had actually reverted back to the stock launcher not long after posting my original review. I experienced a bit of a lag with both LP and ADW, and I never got accustomed to this. However, after reinstalling LP during this go around, not only did I not experience the lag, but I gained a whole new appreciation for the slick launcher.

Smooth as Silk
Launcher Pro reinvents the look of the phone, in my case, a Motorola Droid X. We'll get into the Plus widgets in a little bit, but the free application does a great job of adding functionality to your stock launcher experience. I discussed many of these features in the first Launcher Pro review, but I gained a new appreciation for the dock this time around, as I moved all of my frequently used shortcuts to the dock. This keeps my home screens clear from clutter and allows me to just keep those well designed widgets there. I also discovered the "Swipe gesture action" feature which allows users to assign shortcuts or commands to the icons in the dock. An example from my experience: I hid the notification area (that white bar really stood out against my dark wallpaper), so I assigned a swipe gesture to my middle icon in the dock to open notifications, thus keeping the functionality and improving the look.

Launcher Pro Plus
One of shortcomings of the free Launcher Pro application is the inability to resize widgets. For $2.99, you can upgrade to Launcher Pro Plus, and this functionality comes standard with the premium. So, I decided to test the upgrade, and to my delight, found that the resizing was just the beginning as the included Launcher Pro widgets proved to be main attractions.

Widget by Widget
On each of my 7 home screens, there's some widget action. My center screen contains Beautiful Weather and another screen holds the ESPN Sports widget, still my favorite of the Android options. Each of the remaining five holds a Launcher Pro Plus widget.

1) Agenda - A nice calendar display that contains all of your synced Google calendars, color coded and interactive with touch. Scrollable, you can view all future events, but no past ones, unless you go through the monthly calendar icon. Very smooth and easy on the eyes.

2) Messaging - All of you text messages on a scrollable widget. You can click to respond to a message and enter the current thread. Also available is a checkbox to mark as read, though I wasn't quite sure what to do with this feature.

3) People - Links to all of your contacts or specific groups shown as photo icons. A quick tip for those that have pictures linked to Facebook: Use the free app "Syncmypix" to download Facebook photos to your contacts, and you'll no longer see the generic silhouette. I would also like one-touch calling added in the future, but otherwise, this widget is pretty slick.

4) Bookmarks - Visual thumbnails for your websites sorted in numerous ways such as alpha, most visited, and last visited. Very well designed and great eye candy. Speedy as well.

5) Twitter - Enter your login credentials and get your Twitter feed updated as a widget. Mentions and Direct Messages are available as is a new Tweet option.

9/11 UPDATE: Facebook widget released. Similar to the Twitter widget, after confirming your FB login credentials, your wall or news feed is nicely displayed on the widget. A compose option is also incldued. Can't wait for the combo FB/Twitter widget, and Federico promised something really cool coming soon...

Also released was a Friends widget which combines your Facebook and Twitter feeds. Very useful if you want to keep the number of screens to a minimum.

4/5/11 UPDATE: Last week, developer Federico made a return after several weeks of inactivity to produce a Gmail widget and some minor fixes. I'm still having trouble with my Twitter widget, but Facebook works better than before. His blog post reveals that the massive recoding project is still undergoing, so I'll post a separate entry once this is released.

So, these are the available widgets as of this post. A great selection, and each takes up the 4x4 size of the entire screen. Add an included black carbon fiber wallpaper, and you've got a great looking revamped Android phone interface. I'd say that it now rivals HTC Sense or Samsung TouchWiz, and certainly bests the Motorola stock. Once again, I give high marks to Launcher Pro. With Plus, you've got an A+ product.

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Things Teachers can do with a Smartphone: Part I

2010-09-01T06:02:00.005-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

It's back to school week in Chanatown, so how's about we get started with a few tips on smartphone usage? Many teachers I meet with are now toting new and improved smartphones, and it's awesome! I don't feel like such a geek (as much) anymore, now that more and more phones are equipped with keyboards, faster processors, bigger screens, and features galore. Heck, even my wife got a new Android phone last week (more on that to come), so I thought it might be useful to consider how a smartphone can best impact a teacher's daily grind.

Email

This one may sound like a no-brainer, but many teachers don't get have their email set up on their phone. Now, I understand and respect those who that want to leave work at work, but for others who are interested in staying caught up and keeping their inbox down (more on how this helps me in a future post), configuring your MS Exchange, Google Apps, or other email account becomes one of the most important things you can do with your smartphone. Checking, responding, composing, and searching through emails are all easily done on smartphones, from the iPhone to those on Android (I love the Gmail setup on my Droid X, but I am looking forward to a few needed improvements in Froyo) In addition, if you use Google Apps at your school, you can manage this account's email through the phone.

Calendars

With Gmail on Android phones comes a nice integration of one's shared calendars. I love having my personal, my wife's, and my work calendar all in one place. Being able to create, edit, and delete events all from my smartphone saves me valuable time on my desktop. When I had the iPhone, the shared calendar interface was equally well designed with each calendar being color coded. On both phones, invitations are easy to respond to, and you can consult all calendar(s) in one sitting. On the Droid X, I had problems getting MS Exchange set up correctly, but this will be addressed in Froyo. In the meantime, the app Touchdown serves as a nice option, and this was available for free through a forum post. +1 for the iPhone as Apple has worked out an elegant and functional Exchange interface out of the box.

Documents

Opening attached documents on both the iPhone and Android phones is easy and viewing them on the phone is a solid experience. On the smaller screens, you'll want to take advantage of the zoom capabilities to examine items in detail. However, for a quick glance at a homework assignment, a meeting agenda, or colleague's paper, both phones' viewers do the trick. Editing documents is a different story. On the iPhone, you'll need to go third-party app to be able to work on a document. The question is will you want to with the limited real estate on the screen. With Android phones, screen size is increasing and with the Droid X's 4.3'' of goodness, I could envision a quick edit on a paper. For MS programs, you'll still need an app such as Documents to Go. For Google Docs, the same is true (even for Android phones), and the Market reveals GDocs as a possible solution.

It's just the beginning...

So, the above represents the core functionality of how I use my smartphone in my job, and how I would recommend teachers get started maximizing the use of theirs. Things gets more interesting when you begin reading articles, blogging, taking notes, accessing and organizing files, and using the camera/video functionality. We'll take a look at more of these in a future post.

Unlock your Lock Screen - A Review of Widget Locker for Android

2010-08-20T07:58:00.010-05:00

Image by laihiu via Flickr

One of the biggest reasons I left the iPhone for the Droid X was for the option to customize my phone. I’m not just talking about changing my background (only recently allowed on iPhone 4) or wallpaper. I wanted to ability to change launchers (I suggest Launcher Pro or ADW Launcher), add widgets (here’s a few Sports recommendations), and alter the lock screen. I’ve found that there are times when I just don’t want to slide to open, and Widget Locker helped me find a solution to my problem.

Why Widget Locker?

The $1.99 app from TeslaCoil gives the user the ability to customize one’s lock screen. First off, I wanted to have shortcuts available on my lock screen. For example, on a recent trip, I wanted to ability to quickly go into plane mode, so I placed a shortcut on the lock screen. I could then reposition shortcuts on the screen while in “tool mode”, though there’s an option to keep everything movable in “lock mode." I have a set of power/settings options sliders on my screen, though any application shortcut can be placed there.

Now slide, baby, slide.

Another cool feature is the ability to create custom sliders, including ones that appear/act differently, such as the prior Android slider and the iPhone slider. I created an email slider that I placed at the top of my screen that slides one way for my Gmail and another way for my work email. On the bottom, I have the built-in unlock (slide right) and ringer (slide left) that also comes with a vibrate setting (second slide left), a feature that I absolutely adore. As an aside, did it take anyone else coming from the iPhone such as myself a few days to even know that you could slide left? Droid does the little things…

Speaking of little things…

I think that Widget Locker would have earned its keep with the above alone. However, the settings menu is full of other surprises that I’ve grown to love and appreciate. I can set the home button to wake the phone and then open the lock screen. I have access to the volume up and down, can open search, and access menu options all from the lock screen. There’s even more options (easy wake, hide notification bar, sound on unlock), so customize to your heart’s content.

Why not?

One might wonder why even have a lock screen if you want all the functionality of the home screen anyways. This is a valid question, but I would argue that the lock screen can still function and prevent accidental calling and other inadvertent touches. Widget Locker can then add some basic (and for some, essential) functionality to the lock screen. The developer notes in the detailed tutorial how battery drain is minimized, but as always with Droid applications, you’ll need to find the right balance of power and functionality for your taste.

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Droid X Tethering: A Review of PDANet

2010-08-17T10:29:00.015-05:00

Image by doctorserone via Flickr

So, I don’t find myself without Internet access too often, but when I do, it’s usually during times when I’d say to myself, “Boy, I could really use Internet access right about now.” And I’m not talking about access on my cell phone; I’m talking about full keyboard, full browser, and full USB flash drive access. This was one of the biggest reasons I jail broke my iPhone, and also one of the reasons why I love my new Droid X. With an Android phone, one doesn’t need to jailbreak (or root) in order to tap into the Internet through tethering. As Apple would say if it openly allowed such a feature, “there’s an app for that.” Today, I explore one such app, PDANet, as I experienced it on a recent trip to California.

Setup

Unlike MyWi (a jailbreak app for iPhone) which turns the phone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, PDANet and its main competitor (EasyTether) are apps that allow you to tether your computer to your cell phone. This enables you to connect to the Internet using your cell phone’s signal, but limits you to one device at a time, and only devices that have the prerequisite software installed. One immediate downside to this: one cannot tether an iPad to an Android phone, but if one springs $20/month for the Verizon mobile hotspot, or if Verizon allows Froyo’s built-in hotspot through (in one’s Droid dreams), then you’re back in business.

Although it was not completely painless, setup on both the phone and computer was pretty straightforward. A few tips I can give through my experience with a Droid X:

Make sure USB debugging is checked (Applications, Development, USB debugging)
Also, make sure that the USB mode is set for Mass Storage mode (From notification, USB Connection, USB Mass Storage)
After installing the PDANet program on your desktop, reboot the computer (When in doubt rule #1!)

Execution

Once I troubleshot the above and applied “when in doubt rule #1,” I was easily able to use PDANet for Internet access on my PC laptop (I will add an update after trying things out on my Macbook Pro). I was surprised at the speed at which the program connected, as well as for the actual connection itself. Granted, I was in a strong 3G area, but after 1 month of Verizon coverage, I’ve happily seen more 3G over 1x appearing in the notification area on my Droid X. I’ve now connected multiple times in 2 days of usage, all without as much of a minor hiccup.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Although it was cool that I was able to wirelessly connect to MyWi with the iPhone, I had to make sure that my phone was plugged into an outlet if I wanted any kind of long term usage. With PDANet, I plug the phone into the computer (a Bluetooth option is available for wireless), and thus, I can charge the phone while tethering. Overall, I felt that PDANet has been more stable and reliable of an app when compared to my experience with MyWi and the iPhone.

As mentioned above, PDANet has at least one competitor in EasyTether (at $9.99, it’s competitively priced at half of what PDANet costs - $19.99). Both apps offer a free option that works for a limited amount of time, and then only allow access for non-https sites after the trial period. I plan on springing for PDANet once I test the app on my Mac (as of this post, EasyTether is only for PC’s), though many users comment on how they will just stick with the free version.

10/22/11 Update: I've been using EasyTether lately without a hitch. I paid for the full version and have used successfully on both PC and Mac.

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Live Wallpapers - Fun on the Android home screen.

2010-08-13T00:03:00.005-05:00

Image by barron via Flickr

One of most enjoyable parts of jailbreaking the iPhone was having the ability to customize the home screen, and there was a great app (Bosspaper) that helped manage the changing backgrounds. Upon getting the Droid X, I was immediately exposed to an even greater world of customization, and a big part of this was in the form of Live Wallpapers. I'll dive into a few of my favorites, and discuss the price at which this prime customization comes.

Strictly for show
One of my first moves as a new Droid X owner was to make sure that the scary red eye was not the wallpaper of choice on my phone. I know that some like it (I don't mind it as much in blue), but I wanted something a bit less creepy. I tried a few of the other built-in options, and downloaded a few more. Thus far, my top 5 include:

Mario Live - definitely the best eye candy, I'm not sure I've kept this on my screen for longer than an hour due to the power drainage
Aquarium - brings me back to classic screen savers (Starry Night included), overall pleasing to the eye
Water - the Zen like masterpiece that invites your interaction via touch for the calming effects
City at Night - I actually don't have this one, but I've heard good things from the forums...
Grass/Beautiful Live Weather - what occupies my screen everyday, more on this below.

Possibly for function
Although most of the live wallpapers out there are more for show, I've found a few that actually do something more. The built in live maps wallpaper is cool in that the screen automatically tracks your movements and relocates as needed. I didn't experience a pressing need for this, but it was a nice concept. My current wallpaper of choice is Beautiful Live Weather (BLW). With the purchase of Beautiful Home Widgets, I was able to download and implement BLW, and I love how it takes the already solid built-in "Grass" wallpaper and adds sun, clouds, and rain to mimic the current weather conditions.

Customizing at a price
All of the above comes at a certain price. Yes, live wallpapers take up memory and battery life. This is simply a matter of fact. I have noticed that some take up less memory, while others (Mario is a great example) will eat up battery like no one's business. There is a minimal amount of lag, depending on the wallpaper, but I've been quite impressed with how sparingly I have to reset my phone given how many things are going on simultaneously (I'm currently not using a task killer). I have to believe that the future will only get better. With Android 2.2 coming soon, and improvements in the development of live wallpapers, this visually stimulating but resource demanding feature will soon become standard fare.

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Gadget cases - why are they so popular?

2010-08-12T00:01:00.014-05:00

Image by dajan via Flickr

So, my aunt emailed me a link jokingly suggesting that I write a review for the world's most expensive iPad case. Although I'd be happy to have a demo unit sent to me for a review, I have to say that I probably won't be a potential customer of Tod's anytime soon. What I will do is take an opportunity to reflect on the importance of a case, and try to delve deeper into the mind of a gadgetphile. Why is it that we must have something to hold our devices?

Protecting your investment
Well, there's the obvious reason, and that's to protect your shiny new gadget from the everyday grind. Bumps and bruises, scratches, and even the occasional drop can all be prevented or shielded by a good case. With something as commonly used as a cell phone or laptop, you can easily see why there is a shelf of cases in any gadget store.

Making a statement
Although I wasn't into the faux leather, hot pink, or neon colored neoprene cases, I see these cases all around me on the train and at school. And why not? With cell phones all coming in the same black, silver, or metallic finishes (which most of us gadget lovers seem to prefer), individuals wish to express their personalities, and what better way to do so than to pull out your alligator skin laptop case?

Function and form
There's the rare breed of cases that actually adds to the functionality of the phone. With the iPhone, I purchased and reviewed a pair of cases that helped for different reasons. The Contour Hardskin case provided an extra grip that I felt was needed so the slippery phone wouldn't fly out of my hands when taken out of the pocket. The DLO Videoshell case was deemed by some as "gimmicky", but I actually enjoyed having the built-in kickstand and I believe that this is a major selling point for the HTC Evo 4G. With my current Droid X, I settled on a plastic snap-on case, which, with the exception of letting some dust in, provides a nice feel to the almost too thin device in addition to some basic protection.

When all is said and done, there's a case out there for everyone, and I know that some prefer to go "naked" or use a shield/skin, but for me, I'm always going to be a sucker for a good case or two.

iPhone 4 users still encouraged to jailbreak

2010-08-07T00:01:00.013-05:00

Image by nikitagubanov via Flickr

An interesting read from the NYTimes (through ReadWriteWeb) was published this week that cited several reasons why iPhone 4 users are still encouraged to jailbreak. I wrote about my jailbreaking experience earlier this week, so it's a nice way to close out the week with a proper story arc. Let's take a closer look at some of what the writer proposes.

WiFi hotspot

I have to agree that although tethering is now an option with Apple, it is expensive, and still doesn't quite the same functionality as a mobile hotspot. As an Android user, I'm anxiously awaiting Froyo (Android 2.2) as the mobile hotspot feature is built-in. Unfortunately, Verizon will probably put the clamps on that one, so I will either stick with PDANet (for tethering) or pony up the monthly charge. +1 for the jailbreak iPhone team?

FaceTime and More on 3G

I agree again - My3G allows you to "trick" your iPhone into thinking it's in Wifi mode. I used this with my Slingbox before the app officially allowed usage over 3G. I'd be curious as to how FaceTime does work over the 3G only network. I can't think of many apps on Android that work on Wifi only, so this is not an issue for me anymore.

Unlocking the phone

I never went this far with my jailbroken phone. However, one of the biggest reasons for my defection from AT&T was the poor service. It quickly became a big joke about how you won't do much calling with the iPhone, so I just accepted it. Now that I'm back with Verizon, I am confident that I can make and receive calls in previous dead zones because I'm now on the better network. Thus, until the iPhone becomes available on other carriers, I can see why unlocking and switching carriers would appeal to iPhone users.

More Settings, More Customization

This was one of the biggest reasons I jailbroke my phone, and it's also one of the greatest advantages that Android phones have over the iPhone. It's a whole new world with the Droid X (and other Android phones). There are more settings than I know what to do with, and the ability to customize one's homescreen with widgets and wallpapers is really what takes the cake for me.

Best Android Sports Apps Widgets - A Battle of the Heavyweights

2010-08-05T00:04:00.008-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

With football season fast approaching and baseball season long over (I'm a Cubs fan), it's time to take a closer look at what sports widget will occupy valuable real estate on my Droid X this fall. Again, this is a discussion of the best widget, which effectively rules out a few strong contenders (namely, LiveScores, currently without a widget as of this post). Read on to see who's in it to win it.

Duh-duh-Duh, Duh-duh-Duh - This is ScoreCenter.
This is certainly the brand name powerhouse of the bunch. ESPN's widget has a nice look (1 row), and can synchronize with your existing ESPN account (not required). Clicking on the score takes you to the game's page on ESPN's ScoreCenter app. An up/down arrow on the left lets you toggle through your favorite teams. Data includes time of next game and a future game, along with records of both teams. I was impressed with the speed of the connection, and the updates seemed fairly frequent. Customization seems limited as I was unable to figure out how I could change frequency updates or set up alerts for my teams.

The Rising Star - SportsTap
I remember SportsTap as one of the earliest sports apps on the market with the iPhone. It was nice to see them with a presence on Android as well. The SportsTap widget was very easy to setup - simply click on the teams that you want to follow. You also have access to preferences, which include alert frequency, network settings, and alerts. The alerts feature is very cool in that you can receive notifications when your team has started or finished a game, or even if there has been a score change. Appearance-wise, I found the widget to be a bit small (also 1 row) as the font size was noticeably tinier than ESPN's. On the widget, you can tap on the left to change leagues, and tap on the right to scroll through 10 days of scores/schedule (a nice feature).

The Dark Horse - ScoreMobile
This is the only 2-row widget of the bunch, and although they probably could have made better use of the extra real estate, ScoreMobile's widget is very well designed and easy on the eyes. You have icons for your five favorite sports (similar to SportsTap, you can quickly customize your teams and leagues through settings) under a rotating scoreboard ticker (a nice feature). Tapping on the left takes you to the league scoreboard which features your favorite teams highlighted and at the top. Tapping on the score takes you to a recap/stats page, and you can scroll more quickly by tapping on the right. Similar to SportsTap, you can configure your settings for refresh rates on both the widget and the ticker specifically.

If it's Google, it's gotta be good, right? - Google Scoreboard
It was with mixed feelings that I downloaded and installed Google's Scoreboard widget. On one hand, I saw a very low rating on the Market as well as numerous negative reviews at the top. On the other hand, I said to myself, "How bad could it be?" Setup of the widget was simple, as it allows you to choose your teams and leagues with ease. Tapping on the left changes sports, tapping on the right lets you scroll between teams. Tapping on the game takes you to your favorites screen, so you are more than two taps away from obtaining any real information about the game of interest. Similar to SportsTap, Scoreboard offers you notifications on your teams at various intervals. Unfortunately, I'd say that Google's widget is certainly the least attractive of the bunch as the font size is small and the design is rather dull.

The Verdict
Since I already had an account on ESPN, my first instinct would be to go with the tried and true. However, I am intrigued by the additional features and the greater degree of customization allowed for in all of the other widgets. Specifically, I liked SportsTap and Google for their notifications feature, and ScoreMobile for the larger widget, including the rotating ticker. In the end, it will come down to your personal preferences for appearance, customization, features, and reliability. In limited, non-scientific testing, ESPN seemed to update a tad quicker, followed by SportsTap, ScoreMobile and then Google. Just make sure you make your decision in time for Week 1 Kickoff!

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