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Tag: application

Not Just StuffIt! At Smith Micro

Posted by Andrew at 1:11 AM on February 6, 2012

Smith Micro Mobile Network DirectorSmith Micro is best known for its Mac software and StuffIt! in particular but the company’s portfolio is much wider than that. Andy and Don chat to Carla of Smith Micro Software to find out what else the company does.

Smith Micro has a portfolio of products in the mobile wireless space, delivering solutions for telcos and cable operators. As Carla points out, if you’ve ever connected your laptop to a 3G network, you’ve probably used some of their software.

Sprint chose Smith Micro’s Mobile Network Director to intelligently manage traffic between 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi connections. A software client on the smartphone works with the carrier’s systems to select the connection technology that will give the best performance in the particular situation. For example, in a very congested 4G area, the software will transfer the data connection to a quieter and consequently faster 3G network.

From the interview, it sounds like Sprint has learnt from the CarrierIQ debacle and while the software on the smartphone works transparently, the owner can override the connection selection manually. Good.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDR News and RV News Net and Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Posted in ces, Interview, mobile, smartphone, Special Media, sprint

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Polkast: Making Your Computer the Cloud

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 5:04 PM on January 28, 2012

Polkast Cloud base solutions for accessing the data on your computer off site are great, but they have their limitations. First they are slow, because everything has to upload to the cloud first before you can access it off site. Second most cloud solutions have a limit on how much you can store on their sites. Third they can get expensive if you have to store a lot and finally you have to depend on them to be up.

What if you made your computer the cloud, that is the solution that Polkast came up with. You install the Polkast server on the computer you want to access the files from and then the Polkast app on your mobile devices including your smart phone, tablets or lap top. You can then access the files on that computer from anywhere in the world as long as the server is running. To access files using Polkast you have to sign in with a user name and password. Everything is encrypted while going from PC to PC or mobile device. Unlike a cloud base solution there is no storage limitation and it is as fast as your local ISP. You can share specific files with other people by email or through their Polkast account. The service is free for one computer for multiple devices it is $49.95 a year. If you are looking for a way to access your home files on the road, but are wary of a cloud solution, this might be a solution for you.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine The Gadget Professor of Geek News Central

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Posted in application, cloud, Information, Special Media

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Take Control of Your Car with Mavia

Posted by Andrew at 11:06 PM on January 25, 2012

Mavia DeviceTodd chats to Madison of Mavizon about their new Mavia automotive product which keeps tabs on your vehicle in more ways than one.

Mavia is a small box (see picture left) that plugs into your vehicle’s ODB-II port – that’s the connector used by technician’s to check on the car when there’s a problem. The Mavia combines readouts from this port with its own internal GPS receiver to provide location and technical information that is sent back to an online hub at www.mymavia.com. Android and iPhone client apps can be downloaded too.

The MyMavia hub will show data on the vehicle such as gas mileage and distance to next service, plus any diagnostic error codes. MyMavia can interpret some of the diagnostic codes and it enables the owner to consult other resources, online or otherwise, to find out more on what’s wrong with the car. MyMavia incorporates location services too, showing where the vehicle is on Google Maps and there are connections to social sites like Foursquare.

The Mavia is in a beta testing phase so pricing is not confirmed but is expected to be around $200. The device will be available from retail outlets later in the year and requires no special fitting; it’s a self-install.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Posted in Android, application, automotive, ces, GPS, iPhone, Special Media, Transportation, travel accessories

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Treehouse Labs and BiKN

Posted by Andrew at 4:59 PM on December 22, 2011

BiKN LogoTreehouse Labs has been working hard on its BiKN Technology Platform and the first consumer product based on the technology has now been announced. BiKN for iPhone uses a smart case, the myBiKN app and small, clip-on tags to help people find the things they tagged from their phone or page their phone from one of the tags. If you are wondering, BiKN is pronounced “beacon”.BiKN Tag

The app and tags can be used for different functions, such as Find, Leash and Page. The Find mode shows a visual meter and audio signal on the iPhone that helps locate the missing item. The Leash feature enables the user to control how far a tagged item can be separated from the smart case before an alarm sounds on both the iPhone and tag. Sounds handy for keeping track of wayward children! The Page function can sound an alert on one or more tags.

“In creating BiKN we asked, ‘why can’t your phone case protect more than just your phone?’. BiKN is essentially a wireless network for your stuff with both a head – our smart case – and a heart – the myBiKN app.” said John Howard, Founder & CEO of Treehouse Labs. “It’s not just an alarm or a tether. BiKN enables your iPhone to keep up with your stuff and your stuff to page your phone. Even if it is dead or turned off.”

BiKN for iPhone is a CES 2012 Design Innovation and Engineering Award Honoree (.pdf) and GNC will be chatting with Treehouse Labs at CES.

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Posted in Apple, application, Gear, iOS, iPhone

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Move Over Siri, Make Way For Iris

Posted by tomwiles at 3:56 PM on November 16, 2011

Android users feeling a bit left out after the release of the iPhone 4s and its Siri personal voice assistance technology, listen up. There’s a new Android female voice assistant in town and her name is Iris. That’s right, Iris is Siri spelled backwards.

Like Siri, the Iris app for Android has a big blue button located at the bottom of the screen. A single tap brings up an on-screen microphone. Speaking near the phone it is possible to ask questions as well as to direct the Iris app to execute commands, such as to search for something, etc. The voice recognition is quite good, and Iris responds quickly. The heavy lifting for the voice to text recognition happens on the server end, as well as the artificial intelligence involved.

Iris for Android is currently free in the Android Marketplace and is named as Alpha software. Even though it is an Alpha version, I have found the app itself to be very stable. The Iris app is a small download.

Q: “What is a tire?”

A: “Tire (a rubber cover that protects the wheel of a vehicle and absorbs shock)

 

Q: “What is Android?”

A: “Android is a software platform for mobile devices powered by the Linux kernel, initially developed by Google and later the Open Handset Alliance”

 

Q: “Is Google good or evil?”

A: “Better not tell you now. Ask Lucy if it is.”

 

Q: “Ask Lucy if Google is good or evil.”

A: “They are not available right now, but I wiill ask them later.”

 

Q: “What is the capital of Romania?”

A: “Bucharest, the capital of Romania”

 

Q: “Is blogging real news?”

A: “Signs point to yes. Ask Dancing Alice if it is.”

 

Q: “Who is Dancing Alice?”

A: “They are sometimes a client on the Internet. I will search for it.”

 

Q: “Where do you live?”

A: “I live inside a computer. Where are you?”

 

Q: “What is your sex?”

A: “I am a female.”

 

Q: “Are you a female?”

A: “No”

So as you can see with this random set of admittedly somewhat off-the-wall questions, the answers can be varied.

Iris is not yet perfect, but this is an app that every Android phone owner should immediately download. It’s possible to waste hours on end interacting with Iris.

Neither Iris or Siri are quite up to the standards of their Star Trek counterparts, but the technology is getting there. The real world is never like it is in the movies or TV, but it’s clear that this type of voice recognition/artificial intelligence technology combo has a bright and useful future.

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Posted in Android, Apple, application, google, iPhone, smartphone

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Mixel Lets You Create Art, Collaborate with Friends on iPad

Posted by Jeffrey Powers at 9:58 AM on November 10, 2011
Mixel

Mixel

In this day and age, we can make art by iPad with a simple stroke of the finger. There are painting apps like Art Rage, which we saw at CES.  Now we can do art share remixing – with an application called Mixel.

What is art share remixing? Well, you create a piece of art, then share it with your friends. They will then either enjoy your piece, remix your art or even add items to make it better. Your friend can then share that part so you can view, add or remix.

The program is created by Khoi Vinh and Scott Ostler. Vinh was a digital design director for the New York Times and Ostler works with an image hosting site called dump.fm. The duo is calling it the world’s first social art app for the iPad.

“Most art apps translate the analog art experience into digital form and stop there,” Vinh said. “They overlook the transformative power of a user’s social graph, which can turn an ‘expert’ activity like art-making into something casual, accessible and even addictive. Mixel is a true social experience, which is why it’s so much more fun and engaging.”

The application is available for download from the Apple app store.

Introducing Mixel for iPad from Mixel App on Vimeo.

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Posted in IPAD

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Pogoplug Mobile Lets You Put Your Cloud on Your Desk

Posted by MikeBaine at 12:40 PM on October 19, 2011
pogoplug-mobile

pogoplug-mobile

In this day and age, we talk about Cloud like a car dealer talks cars. We put stuff in the cloud and take it down. We don’t even know where this cloud is – but a lot of us trust it for our photos, music, movies and more.

Now we can put a cloud on our desks, and share media through our mobile device. All through Pogoplug.

Pogoplug is a device you plug into your network, plug in your USB drives, then share the contents across the web. You can set access to private or public viewing on desktop, iPhone, iPad, Android or other mobile device. You can also set permissions so your workmates can collaborate on files.

Today, Pogoplug announced their newest product in the line of devices. Pogoplug mobile is a version of Pogoplug geared at taking all the media off your smartphone and keeping it on your personal cloud.

“Pogoplug Mobile is the perfect companion to your mobile phone or tablet.” says CEO Daniel Putterman. “Not only can you stream the media from your hard drives straight to your mobile device over WiFi or your cellular connection but you can also automatically back up your camera roll to your Pogoplug.That means, no matter where you are, the photos and videos you take on your mobile phone are automatically backed up to your Pogoplug.”

Pogoplug Mobile lets you attach USB drives and now SD cards into the device. You configure the drives up on my.pogoplug.com, then download an application for your PC, Mac or mobile device. When configured, you can access your mobile data through your own cloud.

Prices for Pogoplug Mobile start at $79.99 (£59.99 in the UK). For more information, go to Pogoplug Mobile site (http://www.pogoplug.com/mobile/). It is also one of the 5 Backup Cloud Solutions I reported on back on September 21st. You can also check out the video we did with Pogoplug at CES2010.

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Posted in cloud, Gadgets

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Watch Me 911: iPhone Safety Application for Women

Posted by Jeffrey Powers at 10:24 AM on September 23, 2011
watch me 911

watch me 911

“For Women, by Women”, they tout. Although, anyone can use this application if they feel concerned or need help. The Watch Me 911 turns your iPhone into a security assistant. That way, you can continue with daily activities with a peace of mind.

There are three options when you download Watch Me 911:

  • Monitor Me
  • Panic
  • I’ve Arrived

Monitor Me is a timer activated alert. You set the timer before activities. If you don’t check in before the timer is up, friends are notified. They would then call you to make sure you are alright.

Panic is a simple button that you can use if you have to pass through questionable areas. Walking through the parking lot or a dark alley, for example. If you feel threatened, you double-tap the button and people are notified. You can also have 911 contacted.

I’ve arrived is an app that lets you get a message ready to let people know when you show up to your destination. When you get there, you send the message. That way, if you get right into business, you don’t have to stop your momentum to let people know where you are.

This application was created by Alice Armitage and Jill Campbell. As businesspeople, mothers and women, they felt the need to have an application like this. They also felt that other women (and men) might also need a personal assistant program.

The application is fee-based. You get a 30 day free trial, and if you like the app, you can either pay $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year for all three products (with 2 months free).

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Posted in iPhone

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Scanner Pro for the iPhone

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 7:24 PM on September 3, 2011

Scanner Pro for iPhoneOn occasion I have something that I want to scan it may be a recipe from a magazine, a leaflet or a receipt for a product. However I don’t scan enough for it to make financial sense to buy a full scanner. So what are my possible solutions, I could borrow a friend’s scanner or go to an office supply store to have them scan it, neither of these options are very practical. The answer is an application available for the iPhone called Scanner Pro.

Scanner Pro works great, just take a picture either within the app or by pulling in a picture from your photo album. It will automatically detect the edge of a document, It also has advance image processing. If you want to crop the document manually, just tap on it and make your adjustments. You can also adjust brightness and contrast. You can customize the page size , which is great if you are scanning a receipt. You can preview your documents before sending them and protect them with a password. Once you’ve scanned the documents you can upload the resulting PDF file to Dropbox, Google Docs, Evernote, iDisk or a WebDav application. You can also Fax, print or email the document. If you have GoodReader installed you can open and annotate a scanned document within it right on the iPhone.

I like Scanner Pro it works. However I had a little trouble figuring how it worked, the on-screen directions are not very clear. There are a couple of other problems with Scanner Pro. The first is how good the picture depends on how steady you can hold the iPhone and how well the autofocus works. Second you also need to be in a well-lit room to get a good scan. Finally Scanner Pro is great for scanning a few documents every once in a while, however if you are going to be scanning a lot you are better off getting a dedicated scanner. Scanner Pro is available thru iTunes for $6.99.

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Posted in Apple, Information, iPhone

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White Noise

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 2:03 PM on July 6, 2011

http://f.cl.ly/items/3z3u0T383k2o1u2o2h3O/Untitled.pngI have to admit I am one of those people whose mind starts racing right about the time I am ready to fall asleep. Which leads to me staring at the ceiling not being able to sleep. I think this is not uncommon, especially if you work in tech and keep odd hours or are working on a project.  I have taken sleeping pills before, but I  don’t like them. When I do use them I usually wake up groggy and out of sorts.  I use to have an alarm clock that had some various smoothing nature sounds and white noises and I really liked it. Unfortunately it got broken during a move and I couldn’t find a replacement for it that I liked and could afford, until now. What I found was an application that is available for both the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad it is White Noise Pro by TMsoft. . It has 40 ambient sounds, including those from nature, city noises, white noises and others. You can set it to play a single noise or combine noises together to create a mix. My favorite mix is a cat purring, fire, brown noise and a heartbeat. You can set it to play for a specific time period or to a specific hour. When it stops you can have it play an alarm, music from iTunes, or a different mix. You can have the alarm or music fade in from 10 seconds up to 5 minutes. One of my favorite aspects of this application is that when you hit sleep all you see is a digital clock, which you can dim to your liking.

I know  a lot of people who use this application not only for sleeping, but also while traveling on a plane or train to help relax. I have tried a couple of other similar applications, but White Noise is the best of them all in my mind and has everything I want. There is a lite version you can try for free. The pro version of White Noise is available for $2.99 in the iTunes store. For me this application is in my top ten must have applications for the iPhone or iPad.

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Posted in Apple, application, Information

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