Open Handset Magazine

Rush Hour From Thinkfun Now Available In The Android Market

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:51:08 +0000

Alexandria, VA, February 05, 2010 - ThinkFun Inc., the leading creator of mind-challenging games, announces the much awaited and highly anticipated launch of its original Rush Hour as an Android application, available for free in the Android Market beginning today.

“Our customers around the world have been asking for a Rush Hour app, the i-phone version was introduced in November 2009, and now the Android application joins the Rush Hour family” says Bill Ritchie, ThinkFun co-founder and CEO.

Rush Hour is the smartest and most challenging logic puzzle on the Android platform and is packed with exclusive features, such as:

All New Challenges — The free application has 35 original challenges and the $1.99 full version has 2500 Challenges — With each version, the challenges range from beginner to expert that will entertain novice players and test advance players with super-hard expert levels.

Perfect Score — Rush Hour for Android tracks the number of moves players make to get out of the traffic jams and compares them to the shortest, most efficient path possible. Even exceptional gamers who manage to solve all of the puzzles can’t claim mastery of Rush Hour until they have tallied the perfect score on each challenge.

Solve Button — No matter where they are in their challenge, the solve button will show players how to solve it, and then put them back where they left off so players can learn and complete the challenge themselves.

“There are plenty of unauthorized Rush Hour knock-offs out there,” says Liz Deakin, Director, Marketing and Sales at ThinkFun “we are the original, the best, and the owner of the Rush Hour brand, the Rush Hour content, and the Rush Hour magic”. You can find the Rush Hour/Android app for free in the Andoid Market on your handset – categories: Games – Brain & Puzzle.

About Rush Hour

The story of Rush Hour began almost 15 years ago, when famed Japanese inventor Nob Yoshigahara traveled to America looking for a game company that shared his vision of excellence and his passion for puzzling. Bill Ritchie and ThinkFun co-founder Andrea Barthello knew right away they had found something special in Yoshigahara and his puzzles. The inventor changed ThinkFun forever, and remained a close friend of the company until his death in 2004. The original Rush Hour board game continues to be a world-wide best seller, winning numerous gaming awards including the Best 25 Toys in 25 Years Award by Parent’s Choice Magazine.

About ThinkFun Inc.

ThinkFun Inc., located in Alexandria, VA, is a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of innovative, educational games and services. ThinkFun understands the essential link between “Think” and “Fun” and is committed to developing products that ignite the mind, motivate learning and encourage fun play for all ages whether in school or at home. All of ThinkFun’s products organically teach problem solving and critical thinking skills…preparing today’s kids to be tomorrow’s adults.

Follow ThinkFun: Web: www.ThinkFun.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ThinkFun
Facebook: www.facebook.com (ThinkFun Fan)
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ThinkFunInc

Cellphone Software Maker Futuredial Donates Profits To Haiti Relief Effort

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:08:19 +0000

Company to donate portion of proceeds from sales of its new FutureDial Suite Smartphone Edition PC software to Unicef’s Relief Work in Haiti

SUNNYVALE, CA - Feb 4, 2010 - FutureDial Incorporated announced today that the company will be donating a portion of its sales of its newly launched FutureDial Suite Smartphone Edition™ to assist Unicef’s Haiti relief effort.

From now until the end of April, $1 from every online sale of FutureDial Suite Smartphone Edition™ PC software will be earmarked by FutureDial for donation to Unicef’s relief work in Haiti. The company also features a prominent banner on its website home page (www.futuredial.com) to connect visitors directly to Unicef’s online donation portal. At the end of April, FutureDial will make the contribution to Unicef from all the accumulated sales.

“We were greatly saddened by the devastating 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti, and the heart wrenching misery and suffering that was left in its wake,” said George Huang, Chairman and CEO of FutureDial. “We wanted to help the people of Haiti, and especially the little children who are in such dire need of medical help. So we wanted to mobilize to help raise money for relief efforts there. Unicef has done a tremendous job of bringing relief to the children and families affected by the earthquake, and we are proud to be contributing to their admirable efforts there.”

Information about FutureDial Suite Smartphone Edition PC software is available on the FutureDial website at www.futuredial.com/en/fdsse.html and the software can be purchased directly from that website page.

About FutureDial

FutureDial is a leading provider of mobile content management software and solutions to mobile consumers enabling phone-to-phone transfer, backup, data restoration, and personalization. FutureDial’s products support audio, video, images, contacts, calendar, and SMS over hundreds of handset models. FutureDial solutions are also used by Tier-1 wireless carriers across Europe and the USA at retail stores, service centers, and warehouses worldwide. For more information about FutureDial and its products, please visit www.futuredial.com

Google Nexus One

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:19:25 +0000

Google Announced Nexus One

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:16:09 +0000

Two years ago, Google revealed the open handset alliance, or the Google’s initiative to dominate the mobile market. The idea sounds crazy for many observers, but since there is a giant called Google behind it, everything is possible. An open source mobile operating system is not something new, many other initiatives are there even before OHA but nobody talk about then … Google knew how to make everybody talk about their Android and it was obvious for everybody that a Google phone is coming someday…

That day is today, and Google have just announced officially the availability of their Nexus One phone the new “Superphone” where “Web meets phone”. That’s already two slogans to market the new nexus one, it’s a Superphone, forget about smartphones. It’s also a new Web experience for mobile users and people who still new to Android.

The hardware is pretty attracting : Thinner and lighter than iPhone, automated brightness adjustment , amazing sensors, noise canceling headphones, 5 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus, … and get ready to see all of these features running under Google Android 2.1 !

There are some downs for Nexus One since Android still missing some features mainly the multi-touch support, the Nexus One screen is amazing but seems to be very gourmand in energy so stay near charger or avoid using full-brightness screen all the time.

Google Nexus One is already available at http://www.google.com/phone/

The unlocked edition is available at $529 in US, UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. T-mobile provides also an unlocked edition of Nexus One at $179 with a $80 monthly plan including 500 minutes/unlimited SMS/unlimited data. You can still get the T-mobile version without any plan by paying an additional $379 !This is the Google phone number One, and there will be certainly more Android phones coming in 2010.

The mobile market war is not only about Android and iPhone, many other mobile giants are already in the market including Nokia with their Symbian OS, MSFT with Windows CE, Palm with their amazing WebOS… We don’t forget also that Google have just acquired Admob, the largest mobile advertising network, for $750 million.

If 2009 was the year of Android, what do you think about 2010 ?!

Wave to release new email app for Google Android handsets

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:36 +0000

Wave is pleased to announce the launch of “MyLink” this December. MyLink will enable users of Google Android handsets to access their Lotus Notes or MS Outlook emails, contacts, notes and calendar directly from their devices. Available on Android Market by December this year, it will also be offered through different telecom operators reselling Google Android handsets as well as online at http://www.waveglobal.net. This essentially transforms the Android devices into smart business friendly phones, bringing Google that one step closer into the corporate space.

Sophie Navro, Marketing Manager at Wave commented “As businesses grow and as time becomes more of a privilege than a right, we wanted to devise an option for every user to have what they need at the touch of a button” “We were determined to cater for every need, whether you are an MD of a company or a girl about town, MyLink offers something for everyone”.

MyLink is the first comprehensive solution to synchronize your Google Android phone with your Lotus or Outlook email and has released four new products. MyLink Access, MyLink Essential, MyLink Advanced and MyLink Enterprise are available to purchase online from 1st December 2009. Each type is adapted to suit the needs of every kind of user, ranging from business to social. MyLink Access is free and prices range to a maximum of £4.99 per licence for consumers and available on application for any business.

About Wave

Wave is a Lotus, Microsoft and Google Android technologies specialist in moving from one mail system to another. As a migration specialist, Wave proudly provides high quality, cost effective products and solutions to large outsourcers, customers and small businesses around the world. Wave has offices in the UK, France, USA, Tunisia, Dubai and opening soon in Hong Kong.

Visit the website, http://www.waveglobal.net to find out more or contact Wave at: contact@waveglobal.net

STC Launches Arabic-Supported HTC Hero

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:33:59 +0000

Saudi Arabian Telecom company STC launched in a partnership with HTC the first Arabic-enabled Android smartphone HTC Hero in the middle east and arab countries.

HTC Hero cost 2399 SAR (around $640 US) and include 1Gig internet subscription for free a value of 1200 SAR (around $320 US).

iPhone 3G is already available in Saudi Arabia by Mobily(second private telco in KSA), the 8G iphone is actually sold for 2400 SAR with a 250MB free.

STC, the largest telecommunication provider in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, covers an area of two million sq km, providing coverage to more than 100,000 km of highways and 98 per cent of inhabited areas across Saudi Arabia.

It has a larger customer base than any other provider in the Middle East - more than 19 million GSM, four million land line and one million DSL customers, the statement said. To date, STC has won telecom licenses in Kuwait and Bahrain and acquired shares in companies in Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and South Africa and is continuing to develop its outreach to become a global service provider.

Acer Android Netbooks Announced

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:32:50 +0000

Acer have just announced their Android-powered Aspire One netbook but without giving any availability date. The netbook will be priced around $250 according to previous reports but the hardware is not much promising especially the battery lifetime which will last between 2 and 4 hours while connected to internet.

The idea of dual boot is not really hot though, Acer considered Android for fast internet browsing and social networking, and windows 7 for productivity. “Switch OS” will be available as option to switch between the two operating systems. Probably the first product that offer two operating systems pre-installed. If Android is not yet ready for productivity I don’t think it’s a wise decision to adopt it or release a dual-OS at this time.

A live android distribution is already available for netbooks but using Android interface as it, which is optimized only for smartphone usage. Actual Android interface is not user friendly, so Acer will most probably release another port of Android platform with an optimized interface for netbook usage.

Below Acer press release :

Mobility is the key. The key to understanding the Acer Group comprehensive range of mobile products offering users anytime, anywhere connectivity to be online all the time and socialize around the clock.

But anytime, anywhere connectivity is no longer enough: users demand fast and easy Internet access.

Acer Group decision to develop different solutions featuring also Android™ operating system brings users simple usability and instant Internet access, for greater efficiency on the go.

Building a better mobile ecosystem would enrich the lives of countless people the world across: enabling a greater openness in the mobile environment, allows everyone in the industry to innovate more rapidly and respond better to user’s demands.

This is why Android™ winks to the future: it is open source; it can be extended to incorporate new cutting-edge technologies as they come along and is the best answer for all the people that use Internet as a window open to the world, helping them to keep up with their social and business Internet centric life.

Acer Group goal is to respond to user’s demand faster and with the finest solutions.

Acer Group is the first to offer a mixed range of products based on Android™, a platform specifically created for mobile device: this means giving users a richer and more integrated experience, for a truly rewarding Internet and online experience on the go.

The dual-boot netbook brings along a true revolution as it gives the best of two worlds. It offers the immediacy, the ultrafast connectivity and speed of Android™ for instant access to web browsing, emails and social interaction together the full and reliable productivity of the Windows® environment, simply by clicking to switch OS.

Boot up the Acer Aspire One with Android™ in a matter of seconds for ultrafast connectivity. When you need top productivity, just switch OS to take advantage of Windows® 7 functionalities. There is not even need to reboot. Plus, all Internet connections established on Android™ platform remain up and running even if you reboot the netbook or suspend the session.

With the new Aspire One with Android™ OS, instant access to Internet and emails is not a dream any longer. Only 18 seconds to be able to chat, send emails or search the Internet and if you are in a hurry to go, it takes just 3 seconds to shut down.

Acer Android™ smartphone brings the latest technologies and innovation to create consumer excitement, in a reliable and easy to use mobile device.

A fast and attractive user interface combines intuitive usability and unique applications.

Building on the processing and graphical capabilities of Qualcomm Snapdragon™ and WVGA resolution, it is ideal for multimedia entertainment (music, videos, pictures, games) and enjoying location based applications.

Spring Design Announces Android-based E-book Reader

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:22:54 +0000

Secondary color touchscreen supplements text with web-based or any linked multimedia content; Enables users to enhance original text with their own embedded video, audio, photos and notes

FREMONT, CA – OCTOBER 19, 2009 — Spring Design today announced Alex™, the first e-book based on Google Android featuring full browser capabilities and patented dual screen interaction technology, the Duet Navigator™. The Alex livens up text with multimedia links, adding a new dimension to the reading experience and potentially creating a whole new industry for secondary publications that supplement and enhance original text. Alex’s dual-screen display design brings together the efficiency of reading on a monochrome EPD (electronic paper display) screen while dynamic hyperlinked multimedia information and third party input on its secondary color LCD screen, actually an integrated Android mobile device, opens a rich world of Internet content to support the text on the main screen.

Alex is the first Google Android-based e-book device to provide full Internet browsing over Wi-Fi or mobile networks such as 3G, EVDO/CDMA and GSM. With its dual-screen, multi-access capability, it provides the entire Web universe as a handy reference library, prompting users to delve into its vast information base to complement, clarify or enhance what they are reading. Alex is the first truly mobile wireless e-book device that gives users their own personalized library on the go, whenever and wherever they need it.

Spring Design pioneered its patented dual-screen device with ‘touch and extend’ capability in 2007, and has been working with major book stores, newspapers and publishers over the past two years to share its vision and the capabilities of the dual screen device. Alex brings together the efficiency of an EPD display with the responsiveness and richness of navigational convenience of the LCD screen. Its removable SD card gives users extensive storage, allowing them to expand their text with multimedia “add on” editions.

Ideal for professional, educational and entertainment markets, Alex dynamically transforms the reader’s experience with images, videos and notes inserted as ‘Web grabs’ or with custom text created by the user or other secondary authors pertaining to the subject being displayed. Users can create their own images and notes and capture them to augment the original text or just dynamically grab relevant content with Link Notes™, Alex’s innovative multimedia authoring tool to enhance multimedia publishing.

“This is the start of a whole new experience of reading content on e-books, potentially igniting a whole new industry in multimedia e-book publishing for secondary authors to create supplementary content that is hyper linked to the text. We are bringing life to books with audio, video, and annotations,” said Dr. Priscilla Lu, CEO of Spring Design. “This gives readers the ability to fully leverage the resources on the Web, and the tools available in search engines to augment the reading experience.”

Alex™ features a 6″ E-Ink EPD display and 3.5″ color LCD display, earphones and speakers. A removable SD card will free up library space on the device while letting users archive content for future reference. The enhanced Android OS is optimized to support integration between the color and monochrome displays while preserving battery life. Users can capture and cache web content from their online experience on the LCD screen, and toggle to view it on the EPD screen without taxing the battery life. Browser features such as bookmarking, history, and security settings are built in and the device, with full Android browsing capability, is mobile-enabled with smart phone capabilities.

Spring Design is currently in discussion with, and enlisting major content partners and plans to release the Alex device for selected strategic partners by the end of this year.

About Spring Design:

Spring Design Inc., founded in 2006, delivers innovative e-reader solutions and products to the e-book market, offering overall “Link Notes”, a content authoring and multi-media publishing tool as add on editions to original text. Spring Design Inc. is located in Fremont, California with engineering offices in Taiwan and China. Spring Design Inc. pioneered its patent-pending dual screen design with Duet Navigator™ capability in 2006, and has been working with major book stores, newspapers and publishers over the last 2 years, sharing the vision and the capabilities of the dual screen device. Spring Design’s innovative patented technologies incorporate the seamless interaction of dual display and multi-online access in a single device, benefiting and leveraging the technology and resources of the Web to enhance the reading experience with “Web Grab”.

Contact:

Company:
Eric Kmiec
VP Sales & Marketing
1-(916) 337-4528
eric.kmiec@springdesign.com
www.springdesign.com

Public Relations:
Pat Meier-Johnson
1-(415) 389-1700
patmeier@patmeier.com

Handcase presents the first 60 applications for Android and Moblin

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:20:24 +0000

Of the 100 applications the Handcase presents the first 60 for Android and Moblin. Page created to provide the software, http://www.handycase.com/eng/andmob.htm
It is recommended to compare the screens of products for PalmOS (access to sections of the HandSoft, division of software - www.handycase.com/handsoft/eng/) and see how easy it will be.

The software will be offered as a service and the web 2.0 style. “We know that we are offering something, which by volume, segmentation and mobility has not yet been offered. We also know that it will be a nice challenge, to offer this software globally, as mobile services, but we are prepared. After all, our extensive portfolio is proof that we can.” Says Ricardo Garay CEO Handcase.

The software will be offered as a subscription. Users will have the resources available as skins, encrypted security, option to create their own mobile social networks, and more. Carriers can offer unique customized versions. Users will have options to access wi-fi for free, or be signed by your carrier.

The options of signing will be: free for personal users with and without advertising, paid and free for professionals and pay for companies. One of the services yet to be free for businesses, will be Co2Global, the software for management of carbon credits, the first in the world, launched in 2008 by Handcase, which will have its version to service, offered soon. “We emphasize that, for those who already have or buy a version for PalmOS, version Android and Moblin will be free.” Garay explains.

“It must be said that do not forget the LiMo, and we will work for it too.” Ricardo concluded. The Handcase time, will detail in the exclusive website, the beta versions of each of the first software 60, when then officially communicate the launch.

About

Handcase Brazilian industry mobile software centered in the Palm platform. With a catalog of 346 products it consolidated the position of bigger industry of software for Palm of the world.

Amazon Released official Shopping App for Android devices

Hatem Ben Yacoub — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:32:51 +0000

Amazon announced today the availability of their official shopping application for Android, which is actually available for download in Android Market.

The application provides everything you need to search and buy products from Amazon on the go. Amazon App for Android™ came with a new experimental feature to remember your searches of barcodes or products photo.

Many other apps on Android market already provides such search features, but Amazon provides in addition to the new Amazon Remembers capabilities support for 1-click purchase, Amazon Prime, Tracking packages or modifying orders, getting the Gold Box deal of the day, and access to your wish lists.

After Sign-in Amazon app, you can see recommendation on your home page - the same way as seen on Amazon home page. From menu options you can access Home page, Search, your shopping cart, Amazon Remembers list, and Your account.

It seems that session in Amazon Android app is handled in the same way as in Amazon website because after sign-in, I checked my account and it requested password for a second time. You will notice also that navigation interface is not much different from Amazon iPhone app.

Below some Screenshots

Open Handset Magazine

Rush Hour From Thinkfun Now Available In The Android Market

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Cellphone Software Maker Futuredial Donates Profits To Haiti Relief Effort

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Google Nexus One

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Google Announced Nexus One

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Wave to release new email app for Google Android handsets

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STC Launches Arabic-Supported HTC Hero

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Acer Android Netbooks Announced

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Spring Design Announces Android-based E-book Reader

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Handcase presents the first 60 applications for Android and Moblin

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Amazon Released official Shopping App for Android devices

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