2010/03/07

Swype beta: open for registration

Posted by 3dbloke under Nexus One, apps | Tags: , , , , |
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Until now, if you wanted to try Swype, the Android “slidey” keyboard, you probably had to download and install the app manually, using something like Astro file manager.  (See my earlier post, if your interested)

That Swype beta, on my Nexus One at least, expired a couple of days ago, with a message to update to the latest [beta] version.  I’d been meaning to check for an update anyway, so I sought out the latest version.

It turns out that an Android beta registration process is now in operation, which is good, since it should include notifications of Swype updates.

The page to head for is https://beta.swype.com/

(more…)

 

2010/03/02

HootSuite comes to Android

Posted by 3dbloke under Twitter, apps | Tags: , , |
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When I began using Twitter last year it wasn’t long before I settled on HootSuite as my favourite Twitter app, a major reason being that it runs in the cloud: I can log on to any PC and see my customised view of the world of tweets.  I like the customisable tabbed UI of HootSuite and the stats.

On my Android phone (formerly a Hero and now a Nexus One) I have likewise settled on Twidroid as the ultimate Twitter app.  That may be about to change…

HootSuite for Android is here.  They’re not calling it Hootdroid, though the HootSuite guys do now have a Twitter account by that name, @Hootdroid, with a clever twist on the Android robot.

The Android app has been on the Market since 1pm UK, so as I write this I’ve had all of 30 minutes to explore.  On this basis, I am impressed.  The UI is rich and the familiar HS tabs and stats are all there.  The implementation on Android is very slick, learning some tricks from the iPhone app, no doubt.  For a new Android Market app, it is excellent quality.

If you’re a HootSuite user, or even if you’re not, give this new Android app a whirl… you may like it.  A lot of thought has gone into the app.  This is bound to pay off for the HootSuite guys, since it could attract a lot of new users to their Twitter platform.

I’ll be using HootSuite for Android instead of Twidroid for a few days at least.  Who knows, I may stick with it.

 

2010/02/23

SlideIt, with multi-language support

Posted by 3dbloke under HTC Hero, Nexus One, apps | Tags: , , , , , |
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Yesterday I installed Swype on my Nexus One and tweeted enthusiastically about it.  The big downside at the moment, for some Android users, is that Swype (in beta) is only for Droid and Nexus One phones, due to screen size issues.

Today, my thanks go to @thheinen for letting me know of a similar app, SlideIT, which is available on the Android Market for any Android phone.  This is similar to Swype but goes further in providing a Palm-like “graffiti” mode and, importantly for the European market,  separately installable language packs for many languages.

I’ve now installed SlideIt on my dear old Hero (which had languished somewhat, of late, serving as an eReader by my bedside) and I’m impressed.  Given the Hero’s slower processor, SlideIT’s word prediction and recognition is excellent.  Swype wins on good looks and in some aspects of punctuation control.  That said, I really need to use these two keyboard apps for a while before arriving at any firm conclusions.

Since my Nexus One is my main phone, I’m going to install SlideIT on the N1, alongside Swype, so I can try them both.  It’ll be interesting.

Either way, these two apps make on-screen text entry a real pleasure.  I reckon I can get words into the phone about three times quicker than using a tap-entry keyboard.

If you haven’t tried SlideIT, I recommend giving it a go.  It’s FREE, by the way :)   (as are the language packs)

 

2010/02/22

Swype: a new way to type: beta on Android (Nexus One and Droid only)

Posted by 3dbloke under Android & Tech, apps | Tags: , , , , , |
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Today I installed Swype on my Nexus One.

It’s amazing.  Watch the video.

So much nicer than tapping the screen.  I’ve used other keyboards from the Android Market, but Swype has the edge over them for ease of use and quality, even in its beta release.

Sadly for anyone without a Droid or Nexus One, the Swype beta is not for you at present.  Apparently, it’s a screen size issue, although even on my N1 I get the occasional warning from Swype saying that the screen is not of the required dimensions.  On that basis, I guess you could try Swype on other phones… ?

The Android Swype beta is not available on the Market… you need to download it and transfer it to your phone.

Here’s how to do it:

http://www.androidcentral.com/download-beta-version-swype-android

It’s very easy to enter text using Swype; you just need to know a few things about how to use it.  Be sure to watch the tutorial videos at http://www.swypeinc.com/tips-tricks.html They are all very short and to the point.  Recommended viewing.

Enjoy the non-tapping’ness.  :)

Update, 23 Feb 2010: an alternative app, SlideIT, is also available for Android.  Well worth a look.

 

2010/02/16

How to tether your Android phone to a PC for Internet access

Posted by 3dbloke under Nexus One, apps, mobile, smartphone | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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What is tethering?

In this context, tethering a smartphone to a computer allows that computer to get onto the Internet using the phone’s data service.  It’s a bit like using a mobile phone as a modem, something I remember doing before broadband took off.  The connection between computer and phone may be USB or Bluetooth, depending on the solution you opt for.

Why tether your phone?

For me, the main reason is to have a fall-back option in the event of my usual broadband access going off-line.

In other situations tethering can get a laptop computer online where there is no WiFi but there is a 3G (2G, even) signal.

(more…)

 

2010/02/11

Buzz Off, Google (sorry)

Posted by 3dbloke under Google | Tags: , , , |
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Well, after just a couple of days, many people have arrived at the firm conclusion: they don’t want Google Buzz.

There’s a convenient Twitter hash-tag for this movement: #BuzzOff…  it could even start trending.

Intrusive and Noisy

Rather than offer an opt-in, Google have assumed Gmail users will want Buzz.  For those that choose not to partake, there is no simple opt-out button in the Gmail settings.  It can be turned off via a link at the foot of the Gmail page, but this does not get rid of any Buzzes automatically generated from your Picasa and Reader activities.  Nor does it remove you from the follow lists of other Buzzers or remove others from your following list (kindly generated by Google on your behalf).

Mistakes

It’s amazing that Google did not exercise their usual caution by rolling Buzz out initially to a smaller set of Gmail users.  This would surely have generated a lot of useful and less public feedback.  Perhaps Google had its reasons to act in haste, but it seems to have been handled quite poorly.

Google are taking note of the [mainly] negative feedback, and I’m sure there is a huge effort now to improve the way Buzz works and undo the bad publicity.

Don’t want Buzz?

Here’s a link to instructions to comprehensively turn off Buzz for your Google account:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10451703-2.html

Nice try, Google.  Better luck next time.

 

2010/02/08

New theme: Steira, Made By Elephant

Posted by 3dbloke under blogs | Tags: , |
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Just switched the theme of this blog.  Previously I had been using  ”Contempt” which I liked a lot.  Just felt like a change…

The new one is called “Steira” and is the work of Made By Elephant.

How do you like the new look?

 

2010/02/07

Nexus One: the Movie(s)

Posted by 3dbloke under Google, HTC Hero, Nexus One | Tags: , , |
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Looking back, the moment I became turned on to the HTC Hero was when I watched the videos of the launch, held in London last June.  The HTC speakers really got their message over.  The “Quietly Brilliant” catch-phrase fitted so well with the Hero’s understated good looks.

At the time of writing this, I’ve had my Nexus One for five short days.  I find myself slightly troubled: while the Nexus One is a truly beautiful device, I don’t have the same emotional attachment to it as I have to my Hero.  This may be because it’s too soon… the Hero is still there on my desk, as a WiFi device… it’s hard to let go.

(more…)

 

2010/02/05

The Nexus One has landed

Posted by 3dbloke under Android & Tech, Google, Nexus One, apps | Tags: , , , |
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This week, quite unexpectedly, I became the proud owner of a Nexus One, Google’s flagship Android mobile phone.

I was one of around 70 devs at Google’s London offices for the Android Developer Lab session.  After the check-in and half an hour for coffee and a light breakfast, we were ushered into the “St James Park” room and took our seats.

(more…)

 

2010/02/01

QR Code yourself

Posted by 3dbloke under Android & Tech, Google | Tags: , , , |
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When I got my HTC Hero a few months back, one of the apps I installed from the Android Market was the Barcode Scanner (by Google).  Such a neat gadget but useful too.

A nice feature is its ability to generate a QR Code for a range of textual data types on your phone.  This can then be scanned by someone else’s phone as a way of sharing information.

  • Contact
  • Bookmark
  • Clipboard
  • Application

I had seen QR Codes occasionally but never knew that they were so useful. (more…)

 

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