Google Chrome OS
Jul 8th
Google announced today its intentions to bring their own Operating System to market by next year, the OS which is built upon Linux and mostly web based, is built from the ground up eradicating problems found in other OS’s with security issues leading to a virus free OS much like good old OSx.
Google have also said that the new OS is completely seperate from Android as they are both aimed at seperate devices, Android to cover mobile phones, set-top boxes and netbooks, where as Chrome OS will be aimed at netbooks and larger devices. Chrome Os will run on x86 and ARM chips and they have already bagged a few undisclosed manufacturers to bring the devices and OS to market in the second half of next year.
Chrome Os will be open source and the applications will be web based meaning they will not only run on dedicated machines but also any device running a standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux. This means there will be more interest in the writing of apps if they are multiplatform without too much or very little messing around.
Google hope to bring simplicity to the masses with the new web based OS, simply put an Os that boots within seconds day after day, automatic back ups to web based servers, and no lengthy installation process for new applications.
In reply to my Shazam gripe!
Jul 8th
Back in June I moaned about having to pay for Shazam for the BlackBerry whilst I could use their service completely free on the G1, in my haste I removed Shazam from the Bold as I couldn’t use it without paying yet I am told it is still free from numerous sources including Shazam, and that I will have limited use of the app + adverts unless I pay up.
For some reason I couldn’t use the app whatsoever without payment and I hadn’t used it for a while so I couldn’t have reached the limits set by Shazam. So I guess I’ll have to install it again and give it another go!
As mentioned I emailed Shazam and this is the response they gave:
“We make significant investments in developing applications for each platform and we always try to find the right balance so we may offer Shazam to the masses in an affordable and fair way.
We believe that Shazam is a compelling and popular service for music lovers, and feedback from our existing customers has indicated that they would be very happy to pay a small fee for the Shazam service. However, we’ve looked at how they use Shazam and have recognized that users have different requirements.
There will always be a free Shazam service - on a limited usage and feature set - supported by advertising with an upgrade path for a full-featured version with a small up-front fee or pay a monthly subscription for a premium service. In time, we expect to have this pricing model consistent across all the platforms that host the Shazam application."
So there we have it! more info over @ Shazam!
Sony Ericsson’s return to form???
Jul 8th
As an ex Sony Ericsson fan I was pleased to see the rumoured Android device dubbed “Rachael” appear across many a website these last couple of days.
I must say I really do like the look of this new device, by far the sexiest looking Android device to date. Rumoured to be sporting an 8MP AF camera, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 3D accelerator and the all important 3.5mm headphone jack (perhaps my biggest gripe with the G1).
There are also numerous sites sporting videos of the rumoured makeover Sony Ericsson have applied to Android, much in the same way HTC have with the Hero. There is no mention as to who will be making this device, but if it’s HTC and I were they, I would be keeping this sexy little number for myself!
One thing about Android and the makeovers the OS is now getting from the likes of HTC, these only go to compliment the extremely capable OS that lies beneath unlike with a Windows Mobile device where the makeover hides an ugly and outdated OS.
Video courtesy of BGR
G1 Touch revealed today!
Jun 24th
T-Mobile uk announced the G1 touch (HTC Hero) today and its design has come as a bit of a shock to me, as I was expecting to see another rebrand of the HTC magic.
The new G1 Touch will be made available from mid July both online and in store.
The G1 Touch will be free from £40 per month on Flext with £225 of credit including unlimited internet browsing
I think I'll stick with my G1 for now, though I do have an upgrade with Orange available, so I may have a look at the HTC hero which Orange announced today which will also be available from July.
MSDict Viewer for BlackBerry®
Jun 23rd
One app I cannot live without on the BlackBerry® has to be the MSDict Viewer, it's user friendly interface is easy to work with and a pleasure to use.
With MSDict Viewer you have the option to download the whole dictionary to your devices internal memory, your SD card or simply leave it be on the internet! There are many different languages available the largest being 7,950KB. There’s also “word of the day” and “random word” in the menu to keep you entertained! It will also read any word you have copied in an external application upon start up, for this to work you have to manually exit the app each time you have finished with it and also have “read clipboard on start up” selected in the preferences field.
The compatible device list for this app is pretty impressive too, I can't see a BlackBerry® device that has been left out, there is even love for the Storm!
So if your speeling is as atrowscious as mine check out the fully functional 15 day trial here it is then €19.99 to purchase.
Incidentally a similar app is again available for free on the G1!
