Digitivity » Android

Mobile Productivity: Being Productive On-the-Go Thanks to Mobile Devices

Digitivity — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:44:06 +0000

As technology has advanced over the past decade, many people are turning to digital solutions for enhancing productivity. Modern smart phones offer a variety of productivity software, with an emphasis on cloud based storage. With the release of Android 4.0, many smart phones are as powerful as a personal assistant.

Google recently released Ice Cream Sandwich, commonly known as Android 4.0. Android is an operating system that powers many mobile phones. It provides a central platform for developers, allowing cross-compatibility for a wide variety of smart phones.

Android 2.0 was originally created for smartphones with smaller screens, while Android 3.0 catered to tablets with 7-10 inch screens. Ice Cream Sandwich combines features of both these operating systems, allowing users to run a single operating system across multiple devices.

(Courtesy of IvanWalsh.com)

This can be an extremely valuable tool for many businesses and individuals. The Android operating system is tightly integrated with Google’s online services, such as Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and Maps. All data is automatically stored on a central server, where it is safe from potential loss. If a user loses an Android device, they can automatically download all their information to a new device instantly.

There are many productivity boosters available for the Android operating system. Email access is available across a wide variety of devices, with automatic syncing between accounts. Google Calendar includes advanced syncing tools. Updating a reminder on an Android device will make it available on all devices a user owns, including their online Google account.

New voice recognition technology in Android 4.0 allows users to transcribe voice in real-time. As a user speaks into their phone, translated words will appear on Android’s screen. All processing takes place on a central server, which can provide more accurate and responsive transcription results. This service does require cell phone plans with a data connection.

(Courtesy of Neil Boyd)

Google Docs on Android can be a great way to stay productive while traveling. Google Docs is an online application that provides tools similar to Microsoft Office. It’s possible to create and share presentations, spreadsheets, documents, and other data with ease. Using Google Docs, a user can create a presentation on a computer, and have it instantly delivered to an Android tablet. Through the use of cloud technology, all of a user’s data is instantly available on any device.

Google Docs on Android also allows for collaboration between groups. In the past, it was challenging for more than one person to create and edit a single document. Copies of a file were passed around several groups, with each individual adding information to a document.

By using Google Docs, it’s possible for many people to collaborate on a document in real-time. Several people can work on creating a presentation together, while discussing their work in a shared chat window. Updates are provided to each user in real-time, preventing overlap in work. In addition, all data is automatically backed up to a central Google server, preventing any potential loss of data.

iPad

(Courtesy of Tsubaki Kaworu)

It’s possible to keep track of a group project while on the go. By installing Google Docs on an Android device, it’s possible to see collaboration between a group in real time. Cell phone plans with high-bandwidth service can allow users to communicate via webcam while editing, allowing an unrivaled level of collaboration.

For users interested in improving their productivity, an Android tablet or cell phone can be a valuable tool. There are several essential apps for anyone using an Android device: Gmail, Calendar, Voice, and Docs. These will allow anyone to create a mobile office anywhere in the world.

This is a guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Cell Phone Expert where you can compare cell phone plans. When Ruben is not writing he’s producing or composing music for short films or other visual arts.

The Dolphin Web Browser for Android Spies on Your URLs

Digitivity — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Dolphin HD, one of the most popular alternative web browsers for Android devices, has now been shown to spy on every website you visit by sending the URLs to a website, en.mywebzines.com, owned by the browser vendor.

The company came up with an excuse relating to a “webzine” feature, but that was really weak. Anyway, there’s a new release out which the company claims fixes the “issue”. Via

Record the Police: Cop Recorder 2

Digitivity — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:07:40 +0000

Posted in Images

There’s been a lot of concern lately about police abuses lately. People want to protect their rights, but (many) police forces want to prevent citizens from recording them. In comes Cop Recorder 2: It’s an Android app that helps you record your interactions with the police. It’s suposed to be network enabled, though I haven’t [...] Related posts:

Lenovo’s IdeaPad A1: An Android Tablet for $199

Digitivity — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Posted in Images

Lenovo announced a new Android tablet in their IdeaPad line. The IdeaPad A1 has a 7-inch, 1024x600 screen Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a single-core Cortex A8 processor with both front and rear cameras. Related posts:

Samsung Capture: A Smartphone for $100

Digitivity — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:30:00 +0000

Posted in Images

Here’s a smart choice if you’re looking for an Android smartphone for cheap that still packs a punch: The Samsung Capture is available for $100 on a 2-year contract with Sprint. Highlights: 3.5 inch screen 3.2 MP camera plus 1.3MP front-facing camera Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) 1GHz processor 2GB microSD card (upto 32GB) See Related posts:Samsung [...] Related posts:

Google Buys Motorola: Good Times for Android

Digitivity — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:28:36 +0000

Google just bought Motorola‘s mobility division for $12.5 billion.

This is somewhat strange news coming just a day or two after Motorola announced it would be charging royalties on Android phones for use of its patents.

My comments

Well, I guess this is one (expensive) way to avoid paying royalties on Android.

Given the reactions of HTC, Samsung, Sony, and LG (which we’re all versions of “We’re glad Google’s defending Android”), it seems Google’s reassured vendors that their intention isn’t to be the one and only Android manufacturer, but rather to have a stable basis to defend Android from Apple and the rest of the anti-Android gang.

Secondly, Nokia looks even more pathetic. Here’s their reaction:

“This further reinforces our belief that opportunities for the growth of Nokia’s smartphone business will be greatest with Windows Phone. This could prove to be a massive catalyst for the Windows Phone ecosystem.”

Uhm … what?! Google strengthens Android, and that’ll be a catalyst for Windows Phone? The fact that Google was willing to pay so much for Motorola seems to discredit Nokia’s line that they couldn’t come to a deal with Google (regarding whom they’d partner with). Their CEO, Stephen Elop, was just too much of a Microsoft fan to do anything else than hand the company over to Microsoft.

So… Winners: Google, Android, Android manufacturers. Losers: Microsoft and Nokia. Also Apple to the extent that there are a bunch of patents out there that can be used to prevent slow their patent war on Android.

What do you think?

Task Killers in Android: Unnecessary?

Digitivity — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:45:00 +0000

This is an article about how multitasking is supposed to work on Android, and how (supposedly) task killers aren’t needed.

The geist is that the system automatically keeps track of the apps for you, and if you run low on memory, it’ll kill the oldest application for you. Hence no need for a task killer.

Yet people persist in wanting them. Do you?

Google Nexus One and Android Get Multi-Touch

Digitivity — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:27:59 +0000

The one big complaint against Google’s Nexus One cell phone was that it didn’t have multi-touch like Apple’s iPhone did.

Not anymore.

Google announced in a blog post that new software update for the Nexus One will include multi-touch.

What Is Multi-Touch?

Just a short reminder for people who don’t have iPhones or other devices with multi-touch: A touchscreen is a screen you touch to operate it. Multi-touch extends the concept by operating in a different manner if you touch the screen again when you already have your finger down in another part of the screen. For example, to zoom in on an iPhone, you use a pinching movement with your finger and thumb, bringing them closer together.

Without multi-touch, Nexus One users would double-tap to zoom in. Double-tap is fine, but it doesn’t give you control over the amount of zoom, like a mouse scroll wheel would.

Multi-touch on Android

Google says multi-touch is part of Android 2.0, and it’s up to carriers or manufacturers to update their users’ phones.

Nexus One users will receive an automatic over-the-air (OTA) update which will give them multi-touch as well as the following other features:

Google Goggles: Search for stuff close to where you are by sending Google a picture of your whereabouts.
Google Maps: Night mode for easier viewing, among other changes.
3G: Fixes 3G connectivity problems.

Google, Apple, and multi-touch

Multi-touch has been touted as one of the hallmark features of the iPhone.

Now that Google NexusOne and Android have it as well, is there anything the iPhone has that Android doesn’t?

And what will Apple do about it?

It’s rumoured that, up until now, Google hadn’t implemented multi-touch simply because it had a cordial relationship with Apple. But with the two companies coming to virtual blows over their business ventures, it seems Google doesn’t really have any reason to stay on Apple’s good side.

Also, the Palm Pre and Microsoft’s new Zune are using multi-touch so either we’re going to see the end of Apple’s multi-touch exclusivity or a lot of lawsuits.

So, is multitouch on Android enough to tip the balance against the iPhone for your next phone purchase?

Resources

Google blog post on multi-touch
http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/nexus-one-multi-touch
http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/apple-google-multi-touch-android

Google Releases Its Nexus One Phone, But It’s Not an iPhone Killer

Digitivity — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:48:43 +0000

Google just released its own phone, the Nexus One, this week.

Google has had a mobile phone software platform, Android, available for a while now, and a number of cell phone companies are using it on their phones.

But this is the first time Google has come out with a consumer hardware device. (Note: It also has something called the Google Search Appliance, which is a computer running Google for your Intranet, but that’s for companies).

The New York Times posted a review of the Google Nexus One by David Pogue at their Personal Tech section.

Pogue says the Nexus One has a number of improvements, but not enough to put it in a different category from the Apple iPhone.

Home Screen

The phone is $529 without a plan, and $179 with a T-Mobile contract for two years. It’s roughly the size of an iPhone.

Features

Some of the new phone’s features:

Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Removable battery
Camera with flash
480×800 pixel screen (vs. 320×480 for the Apple iPhone)
Voice recognition software which allows you to dictate into any program on the phone.
Onscreen QWERTY keyboard with word completion
YouTube, GMail, Google Maps, and Facebook integration.

The Google Nexus allows the user to choose his own GSM provider (unlike the iPhone, which is tied to AT&T). But there’s only one GSM provider in the U.S. with 3-G speed: T-Mobile. Users in other countries might be able to take more advantage of this feature.

Google has a webpage at google.com/phone which has a Flash application that simulates how the Nexus works.