Flash only for Android 2.1 February 13, 2010
Posted by Sean A in Phones.Tags: Adobe, Android, Flash
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A few days ago, Adobe announced that Flash will only be supported on devices running Android 2.1 or greater. The update isn’t available now, and there will be a slew of phones in the coming weeks running on 2.1 or a modified version of it.
This only adds salt to the wound for most Android users seemingly stuck at versions 1.5 or 1.6. I would advice Google to be more open about what their role/responsibility is in bringing older model phones a more current version of Android. An open stream of communication goes a long way in tempering public opinion.
You would advice Google? I know what you bank account is holding right now you know..
I admit it, that does sound funny.
Below is the official release from Adobe’s Flash team.
The Speed of Technology February 12, 2010
Posted by Sean A in Phones.Tags: Android, Droid, iPhone
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Mobile technology is experiencing the same kind of six week week life that computers did in the last 90’s and early 2000’s. Even from the basic consumer standpoint, your new computer being outdated in a matter of weeks was a lot more apparent during that time period than it is now.
When the Droid first came out, it was one of the kings of the mobile world with a lighting fast 550 MHz processor. Less than three months later, the Nexus One strutted into the mobile arena with a 1 GHz snapdragon processor. Now HTC’s new phone called the Scorpion is supposed to have a 1.5 GHz processor. This on top of the fact that Apple’s iPhone 4G is rumored to be running a dual core processor.
I use my cellphone a lot, and I don’t mind spending money on it. Which is why having phones constantly coming out so much better than the one I just bought is a problem for me.
Self control much?
It’s a vice. Back off.
App Review: Personal Assistant Premium – Pageonce February 12, 2010
Posted by Sean A in Application Review.Tags: Android, Applications, Finance, Organize
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Name: Personal Assistant Premium
Developer: Pageonce
Cost: 6.99
Free Version Available: Yes
Website: http://www.pageonce.com/
This application collects all of your online accounts, and groups them for easy viewing.
Which accounts?
The add accounts section is broken up into seven categories:
- Popular
- Finance
- Utilities
- Shopping
- Travel
- Social
When I first saw this list, I assumed everything but email or social you would have to keep track of manually. I’ve used finance and organizational applications before. They were clunky, and always seemed better at one advertised aspect than at another. Like a phone that can play music, but offers such a limited experience with it that you’re reaching for your iPod. I don’t want to carry both. I’m like Smeagol with my pocket space, it’s precious. I’m the same way with my online space. I’m a minimalist with expensive taste.
This sounds more like you’re lazy and kind of a nerd.
It’s a fine line. I claim to be both.
Back to the list please..
Much to my surprise, literally all I had to do was enter in my account information, and Personal Assistant provides me with a summery of the account. I use Bank of America and Discover, and Personal Assistant offers not only balance information, but recent transactions. It’s extremely convenient for tracking purchases, and making sure you know where your money is going. It will track mutual funds, investments, anything related to the almighty dollar. Personal Assistant also tracks where you’re going. Entering in any travel account information displays your travel plans (such as flight dates and numbers) in your itinerary. If you don’t feel spoiled yet, your utilities are tracked and updated when they are available online, and you’re alerted when the due date is approaching.
As far as the social aspect goes, I can’t really comment. I’m not involved in enough online social activity to need it organized.
You said alerted?
Personal Assistant’s alert system has saved my Verizon account more than once. It alerts when you’re close to limits. Such as your credit limit or your wireless minutes. It also alerts you to due dates, such as bills and reward expiration dates. It will send you an email with the title “A change that might interest you…”, and will have a short summery of the alert and the account it came from.
Through the alert system and your ability to constantly monitor your financial assets, Personal Assistant goes a long way in helping you detect fraudulent activity.
Bottom line?
An increasing amount of your life is managed in the digital world. Personal Assistant helps keep that world close to you.
Android 2.1 for Droid: Confusion February 11, 2010
Posted by Sean A in Droid.add a comment
Ever since previews of Android 2.1 trickled onto the web, Droid users got a good case of, “I want one of those.”
You’re asking why?
Functionality aside, the tweaked operating system looks like it cares who sees it when it goes out. The application launcher has you finding reasons to push it. The pre-2.1 application launcher has been replaced with a grid button. Press, and watch your application icons fly into place on what was your home screen. Scrolling through the icons doesn’t move them along a conveyor belt, but instead wraps them around a virtual cube. 2.1’s live wallpaper clothes lucky 2.1 phones in a beautiful layer of screen-ware. The moving and responsive wallpapers give you a reason to set your screen’s timeout to waste a little battery. Watch out iPhone users, your OS is no longer the prettiest thing around.
2.1 also adds:
- Increased Home Screens – The shipped with amount of screens has been increased from 3 to 5.
- A Much Faster Phone Experience – Live wallpapers aside, 2.1 is a much faster and much more efficient android. Animations are fluid, and transitions from screen to screen are seamless.
- New Voice Features – The road just got a little safer. 2.1 lets you use your voice to dictate texts, email, and even twitter.
- Google News and Weather Apps
That is just some of what 2.1 brings and why Droid users want it. If 2.1 brought only small cosmetic and functionality changes, I don’t think the Droid community would be so anxious to get it. But the Droid is only months old, and the phone already lags so far behind the Nexus One simply because of 2.1.
So when do Droid users get 2.1?
The first official word from Motorola came from this Facebook post. As a Droid user, my heart jumped. I started checking the web every few hours (I realize this makes me sound attractive) to see if I could get an actual date for the upgrade. After stalking the internet for a few days, I came across a list of what was actually going to be included in the 2.1 upgrade for the Droid. It was a gutted 2.1, even though it included another update that included multi-touch capabilities. Soon after I came across that post, I came across another that removed the 2.1 notes. The release date has been pushed back, and as of now we have to settle with “soon”.
Android 
