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YOURTag: Mobile
You've probably seen QR codes sprinkled around here and there (especially if you're an Android phone owner), but what are these mysterious little boxes full of little black squares?
They're what's known as 2D barcodes. Unlike traditional barcodes, which feature a series of straight lines, these barcodes are laid out in a matrix and can hold much more information, which make them ideal for transporting short text-based messages (such as URLs, text messages, or e-mails).
interactive, mobile //
7:13 PM August 26, 2010
It just might be the worst-kept secret ever, but Samsung has confirmed that it's developing an Android-based tablet, called the Galaxy Tab.
With Apple and Android going head-to-head in the cell phone industry, it only makes sense for Android to make the leap to tablet computing as well. But Apple's iPad has been insanely successful since it debuted in April 2010, which begs the question: Will the Galaxy Tab be a strong enough case for Android as a tablet OS?
Would you be willing to pay a monthly fee to have access to your favorite music wherever you are?
The creators of Kazaa and Skype are betting that you are. A new cloud-based music service called Rdio (pronounced "AR-dee-o") gives subscribers unlimited access to their music from virtually anywhere — desktops, cell phones, even offline (by syncing songs to your cell phone).
If smartphones are good for anything, it's wasting time. Whether you're waiting in line at the doctor's office or avoiding an awkward situation on public transit, it's always a good idea to have a few mind-numbing and entertaining apps loaded up on your Android device.
Check out these 5 apps that are guaranteed to cure your boredom (all of which are available on the Android Market):
By now you've probably heard of foursquare, the newest wave in social networking that uses geolocation to track and reward users for "checking in" to restaurants, bars, and other venues. In fact, you might be one of the millions people who use it on a regular basis.
8:19 PM July 19, 2010
Google recently unveiled its latest attempt to open up the Web to everyone: It's App Inventor, a visual app creator that lets anyone, regardless of programming knowledge, create apps for Google's Android mobile operating system.
It might seem like a great idea at first (now you can take the initiative to create that app you've always wanted), but it begs the question: Will this move ultimately boost or hinder Google's quest for mobile dominance?
You probably have friends who think they're budding photographers just because they snapped cute images of their kids or last night's dinner with their iPhone cameras. But professional photographer Lee Morris has gone a step beyond mere amateur mobile photography and captured unbelievably gorgeous fashion photography using his iPhone.
iphone, mobile, photography //
7:04 PM July 6, 2010
Take a look at iTunes and it won't be hard to figure out the most-downloaded apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It also helps that big-name developers like ESPN and EA Games have a heavy presence on Apple's pervasive platform.
But what happens when you start venturing beyond the comfort and name recognition of the "Top Paid" and "Top Free" sections?
If you're an Android user, the chances are pretty good that you've wasted some valuable time (and maybe money) on useless or deceiving apps in the Android Market. That "Tetris" clone? Not so great. That Twitter client? Not worth the $3 you just spent. As Android gains smartphone market share, the number of big-name, quality app designers is increasing; but there's still an awful lot of crap out there.
When iTunes came along and brought the $.99 music download with it, people (namely musicians and record execs) complained that such low prices, while arguably necessary to keep people buying music, were detrimental to the music industry. Paying less than a dollar per song, they argued, took away the value of music (remember when CDs cost $20 and you had to save up to buy one?).
Now it looks like people have another reason to vilify iTunes. The recent massive popularity of its cheap, portable, and, ultimately, disposable mobile apps begs the question: Are apps devaluing software?
apps, cellphones, mobile, videogames //
6:59 PM June 10, 2010
