Category Archives: Android

In app purchases on the iPod, iPad and iPhone can be very expensive – more than full size consoles

Android, Apple, Tech News,

There have been many recent news items about people racking up £2,000 bills for their kids in app purchases. But surely it can’t be that bad?

Well let’s have a view –

– My Little Poney – most expensive item is a special pony at £42
– Real Racing 3 – several of the top cars cost £45 plus
– Gun Bros – you’ll need £100s here. Total ripoff.

The increase in freemium games, or games suddenly going from paid to a freemium model, or apps now starting to offer in app purchases has grown like crazy. In the same light, we the consumer are being ripped off at an increasing scale. I can understand buying a £40 game for a full size console, as it will have depth and long term playability, and will be the full version, but for a game like Real Racing 3 , this in app purchasing is taking the biscuit.

And if your phone or tablet crashes and you need to do a fresh install you will lose or your investments. Many games and apps are being ruined by in app purchases. Games lose fluidity. Why cant developers offer two versions. A freemium or full version?

But why don’t the owners of the app stores do something to regulate this out of control in app purchasing? Well the don’t because a large percentage of their revenues derive from the freemium and in app purchases.

There is a place for in app purchases and freemium but not at the expensive of ripping off users. I also believe there should be transparency, so that every freemium game clearly shows how much money is needed to be spent per game, and for apps with in app purchases the same rules. In addition, games or apps that you bought as full versions should not be allowed to be changed a year down the line to a part freemium or in app purchase model.

Do you agree or have a different viewpoint?

Whatsapp hits the big time with record members – details

Android, Apple, RIM, Tech News

Mobile messaging app WhatsApp has hit a huge total of 250 million users, the company has told the Wall Street Journal. A couple of million users these days is no big deal, considering how big the smartphone audience has become, but 250 million users is significant. In fact, it’s par Twitter or LinkedIn, and nearly the size of Skype.

WhatsApp is also notable for charging a 99 cent premium cost right up front, without any other in-app purchases or hidden fees. With a simple-to-understand, easy-to-use, and one-time-pay messaging service, maybe it’s easy to see just why WhatsApp is so popular.

A great service, making money and with a clear pricing policy. I just wonder how long before it gets bought for a billion dollars.

Did Microsoft release Office for the iPhone?

Android, Apple, Tech News, Windows

Microsoft has brought Office to the iPhone, but so far the app’s limitations and costs are creating a negative reaction. More than 55 percent of the 747 reviewers have rated the app one star out of five, and there are 56 pages of comments, many from users angry that Microsoft requires them to have an Office 365 Home Premium subscription to use it.

Home Premium starts at $100 per year and includes access to cloud-based versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint and other apps for up to five devices.
Microsoft is entitled to charge for its app, but users are angry that they are being asked to pay an annual subscription when the iPhone app only includes a slimmed-down set of features.

Many reviewers also pointed to the absence of an iPad tailored version of the app which would have been more useful but then put it in competition with its own tablets.

My view is why bother with Office. There are many office apps already on the Apple app store or just use Google docs. Or use Apple’s own editing apps.

Sony iL Honami – Sony’s next Super Smartphone

Android, Tech News

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Sony will be competing with the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Zoom and the Nokia EOS in the September when it releases its own cameraphone, the i1 Honami. The device will come with a Cybershot-quality camera and a full HD display. But if the below specs come to fruition then this is my next phone. In fact this is the perfect phone. Big battery, 32gb internal storage plus micro SD card, front stereo speakers, high quality sound, ps3 controller compatibility, awesome camera, and xenon flash and so much more!

-5.0-inch 1920×1080 Triluminos, OptiContrast, X-Reality Engine, 2000:1 + Contrast Ratio

-Snapdragon MSM8974 2.3 ghz, Adreno 330

-2 GB RAM

-32 GB Internal, microSD expansion

-2/3″ 20/13 MP Exmor RS camera with Sony G lens, Cybershot Camera UI, Camerashutter key, Interchangeable lenses

-Xenon + Dual LED Flash, Mobile BIONZ Image processing

-NFC, One Touch Sharing, WIFI Miracast

-BlueTooth 4.0

-S-Master MX Mobile Audio Amplifier

-1080p Exmor R front camera 2.2 Megapixel

-Dual Stereo speakers

-Android 4.2.2, new Xperia UI

-4G LTE

-Tough Shatter proof Glass on front ( Tougher than Xperia Z Dragontrail glass)

-3000mAh battery, new improved STAMINA mode

-Glass + Metal/Carbon Fiber body

-IP 55/58 dust, water resistance, shock resistance. No flap on audio jack.

Sony Xperia Z Tablet review – part 6

Android, Reviews, Tech News

In part six I am going to take a look at the Album app. If you want to read the earlier parts of the review click here.

When I first started using the Album app, I thought it was quirky and poorly designed.

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When you open the app you are faced with your photos sorted by date. So I thought, maybe my photos I copied across on to the micro SD card would be saved and displayed in the My Albums tab. Well at first they didn’t display. I realised that the photos need to be in the root directory of the micro sd card to display correctly as shown below. I still might be doing something wrong, but i haven’t figured it out yet.

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Of course, if you want Facebook etc photos showing you need to login to your service. I wish there was a way of hiding the service icons like Facebook as I don’t use it at all, and it looks naff sitting in the gallery. Anyway if you click on a folder you are presented with all the photos as below.

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Using two fingers you can zoom out and make the thumbnails bigger and bigger and smaller again. Below are some of the different sizes.

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You can go larger and larger and larger again. Photos look great on the screen. From within the app you have many sharing options as well as editing.

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Clicking the menu provides basic editing, but then you can invoke the photo editor and bring up more options and filters.

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With all the photo options available, the pinch to zoom or shrink the thumbnaiks , Sony really do provide a complete gallery app.

Nexus 7 Tablet – reports of failures and memory slow downs

Android, Tech News,

“I can’t find one person who has been using the Nexus 7 for an extended period of time, and hasn’t seen a massive downgrade in performance,” wrote Dustin Early for AndroidAndMe in an editorial titled, “One year later, the Nexus 7 has gone from the best to worst tablet I’ve ever owned.”
“I cannot pick up my Nexus 7 without experiencing problems like a lag of ten seconds, or more, just to rotate the display,” Early wrote. “Touches refusing to acknowledged; stuttering notification panel actions; and unresponsive apps.”

The above was an opening statement from Dustin Early for Androidandme. What then followed was a wealth of responses from other people all complaining that their Nexus 7 tablet also was suffering from mental slowdowns and more. The issue kicks in when you have less than 3gb free. At this point the Samsung chip activates a process that causes the tablet to become the worst piece of tech ever. Google did release a software update that tries to stop the process from starting, but they haven’t been able to remove the problem.

Not so much of a bargain after all perhaps?

Samsung is really trying hard to alienate its users with the new S4 Advanced

Android, Tech News, Uncategorized

Samsung has announced the new Galaxy S4 that has an ultra-fast Snapdragon 800 processor and radios for LTE Advanced networks. Hang on, Samsung has only just released the S4 and offered it with two different processors, a quad core snapdragron 600 and it’s own 8 core chip, but that didn’t have support apparently for LTE frequencies. Actually, Samsung was having issues with its own processor, hence why it used the snapdragron which did support the LTE bands.

So now it releases the S4 with a new processor that can handle all the frequencies and is slightly faster than the snapdragron 600. And guess what the 800 chip should help alleviate the lag on the S4. Samsung response to angry Korean customers is “most people won’t notice the difference”. My take is Samsung is being totally ignorant to its customers and ripping them off.

Mind you this attitude is nothing new as when the S4 was released it only has 9gb free memory and only after a consumer backlash did it decide to provide a half solution allowing apps to be moved to the memory card. I say half solution as only the app could be moved and not the app data. Also, internal memory is faster and more reliable.

I wonder how much longer Samsung can continue this way before consumers get fed up and buy other brands.

Dashclock Widget updated to support Daydream

Android, Tech News,

Dashclock Widget has been updated to support the daydream function on android. When setting up you are faced with the following screens .

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DashClock is a replacement lock screen clock widget for Android 4.2+ phones and tablets. It also exposes additional status items called extensions. The widget comes bundled with extensions that give you instant access to:
• Your current local weather
• Missed calls and unread text messages
• Your next calendar appointment
• Unread Gmail inbox or priority inbox conversations
• Your next scheduled alarm

Now with daydream support, when you plug your charger in you can have all its functionality.

Nvidia Shield has price dropped before launch – but will it be dead in the water before arrival

Android, Tech News

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Even before launch, NVIDIA’s Shield is being reduced by $50 from its original $350 asking price. The Android portable gaming console will cost $300 when it arrives at retail on June 27th. NVIDIA revealed both the new, lower price and release date today in a blog post which cited gamers asking for a lower price as the reason for the change.

Really! More likely it has had to reduce the price to combat the sudden explosion in android gaming options from the OUYA and Moga controllers to name just a few. Even the newer Sony Xperia devices work with a ps3 controller. And then its not much less in price than a Sony PlayStation.

Personally, I’m just not convinced this will work.

Sony Xperia Z Tablet – Review part 5 – Using the Sony PS3 Dual Shock Controller

Android, Tech News,

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One of the benefits or features of buying a Sony tablet is the ability to natively use the PS3 controller. It is very easy to setup, with a once only connection via USB to the Z Tablet, and thereafter it connects automatically by bluetooth. You can also use the tablet to charge the controller. Also, when in use, there is an icon in the notification bar showing its connected and the controller battery level.

The Z tablet comes with the PlayStation mobile app, which connects to the Sony Entertainment Network website. As I bought the tablet before the end of June, I received £20 to spend within Sony`s store. This has enabled me to buy a movie, and several PS1 games. The photo above is Switch Galaxy. It is an absolute blast to play with the controller.

I have also been able to play other games like Shadowgun.  I can see more and more games and devices in the future. It certainly takes gaming to a much better level as touch controls and can only do so much.

Would you want to play games like with a controller?

Want to read the earlier review parts. Click here.