Palm just announced the release of a new software development kit that they're calling a PDK. It's not an SDK since the folks behind the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi have already released one of those. Instead, the new system stands for a "Plug-in Development Kit," and is designed to extend the functionality that webOS-powered devices can handle.
One of Palm's earlier selling points for webOS was the ease with which developers can put together apps on the platform, being based upon web technologies such as HTML and Javascript. Problem is, that didn't exactly make developing 3D games for their handsets easy. With the depth and variety of games turning out to be a major selling point for Apple's iPhone, that's not a good thing.
So what exactly is a PDK? In Palm's terms, the new mobile development platform allows programmers to run C and C++ code on their phones, practically extending the range of software that can be run on their handsets. That means having the power to produce more compelling games than what simple web technologies would have allowed.
For developers, that means getting an existing game or application onto either the Pre or the Pixi won't require a complete redesign, allowing you to reuse existing code. Sure, it's not as simple as recompiling the exact same library for new hardware, but it will entail both less cost and effort.
[Palm via Mobile Crunch]
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At the time it came out, the HTC Hero was, by far, the best Android phone on the block. With the HTC Legend, the manufacturer took everything good about that handset and made it even better.
Physically, it looks a lot like the Hero, down to the trademark chin. The body is cut from a single piece of aluminum (taking a bite out of Apple's aesthetic), making it both more attractive and durable at the same time. Replacing the trackball with a metal-trimmed trackpad also raises the style points up a notch, apart from working just as effectively.
Display is a gorgeous 3.2-inch AMOLED screen, with 320x480 resolution. Colors literally pop out, adding a "wow" factor that you seldom get with the mass of Android phones in the market. At 3mm thinner than the Hero, it's easily one of HTC's more pocketable devices.
As a phone, the HTC Legend manages slightly above average call quality. Voices sound natural with plenty of volume to go, although we did encounter a slight amount of distortion. Speakerphone worked just as well, perhaps lacking just a tad more volume to my liking. Battery life is quite disappointing, though, likely requiring a recharge every day and a half for most common uses.
While the Hero suffered from some form of sluggishness (which they later rectified via firmware), the Legend runs with satisfying speed out of the box. Navigation is smooth, transitions are fast and apps launch quick, putting all 600Mhz of that processor to good use. Web browsing (both over WiFi and HSDPA) is exceptional, with pages rendering almost twice as fast, compared to many Android phones we've seen. Plus, the browser's got multi-touch and some amount of Flash support.
It delivers all the usual Android 2.1 favors, from the nominal music player to the mass of Google apps to extensive messaging capabilities. HTC primps it up with their fancy Sense UI, which adds a lot of value to the device, including features such as being able to add mail to your Outlook folders, an improved mail interface, a very good onscreen keyboard and the MotoBlur-like Friend Stream. The latter, by the way, doesn't work as well as expected. Expect software updates on that end. Camera module is a 5.0 megapixel unit that manages to snap average-looking shots.
Sure, the Motorola Droid and the Nexus One have probably gotten the most press out of today's Android phones. In terms of overall value, though, I'm tempted to side with the HTC Legend, with its great looks, sleek operation and robust feature set. Price should vary from retailer to retailer, but expect it between $550 to $600 unlocked.
HTC Legend: A Sexier, Even Better Hero4.0555555555556noel2010-03-09 13:41:52
Phone ReviewsHTC Legend: A Sexier, Even Better Hero
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Does your kid have an iPhone? My nine-year old nephew has one - a hand-me-down from his mom when she got her shiny new 3GS. While kids will most likely use it to play games, you have to keep in mind that they can also use it to surf the web.
As on the PC, you'd like to keep them off from objectionable areas of the internet. Problem is, Safari offers zero parental controls on that end. As such, they're pretty much free to wander about cyberspace unrestricted.
The Mobicip Safe Browser fills this gap, giving you options to block out unsavory websites from being accessed on your kids' iPhones. Yep, it's an alternative browser that's actually approved by the App Store, because it does offer something that the native Safari client doesn't - a child-safe surfing environment.
Before you can force your kid to use it instead of Safari, you'll have to disable the latter manually: Settings -> General -> Restrictions. It would have been better if this could be handled right from the app itself, although being a one-time change, it's no biggie.
Its main strength is that it functions and looks nearly like Safari, making the transition from using one to the other seamless, with no required learning curve. The lack of a facility to import bookmarks is bit of a letdown, though.
Mobicip itself costs $4.99, which gets you the child-safe browser plus a free account for their filtering service. Any URL accessed from the app gets filtered through the company's servers, which decides whether to either allow or block it. Free accounts get three levels of filtering: elementary, middle and high school.
If you want more detailed control of your child's surfing habits, you can also sign up for a Premium account for $9.99 per year. This gets you plenty of latitude, including the ability to blacklist and whitelist specific pages and categories, download activity reports and manage multiple devices from a single dashboard.
[Mobicip for iPhone]
Child-Proof Your Kids' iPhones With The Mobicip Safe Browser4.125noel2010-03-05 15:14:06
App Reviews,iPhone AppsChild-Proof Your Kids' iPhones With The Mobicip Safe Browser
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Sometimes, a unique design may be all you need to sell a new handset. That could be what they're banking on with the Motorola Backflip, a smartphone with various physical innovations that you might find enticing (or retarded, whichever the case may be).
Physically, the unique flip design definitely makes it a noteworthy device. While it looks like the Motorola Cliq at first glance, look closer and you'll see the huge differences. When closed, the keyboard sits in the back of the phone, such that it flips open to the bottom of the horizontal 3.1-inch display. Sure, it's a novel way to implement a clamshell for a touchscreen device, but the fact that your keys are exposed 100% of the time definitely doesn't inspire confidence. They also added trackpads behind the display, which are supposed to allow you to navigate the UI without your hands getting in the way. It works well, although, it's hard to see a real need for it.
As a phone, the Backflip manages average call quality. It was good on our end, although callers sometimes reported issues on theirs. We're not sure if it was their phone or ours causing it, however. The speakerphone was excellent, definitely better than average. Battery is rated at 6 hours, which should be good for at least two days of normal use.
Positioned as more of an entry-level smartphone, it's equipped with a rather underpowered 528MHz Qualcomm processor. It only runs Android 1.5 too and performance wasn't the best - there were definite lags even with simpler tasks, such as opening your inbox and scrolling through lists. As such, it might be a good idea to forget ever upgrading the OS here to a newer version.
It comes with Motoblur and you can read our reviews of other similarly-equipped Motorola phones (Cliq, Devour) to get the skinny on that. Features are around what you'd expect. You get the usual Android fare (Google's software suite and read-only QuickOffice), Webkit-based HTML browser (very fast page loads over 3G, by the way), aGPS, WiFi and Bluetooth.
While it continues to use Android's lackluster music player, the Backflip comes with excellent sound quality. The onboard speakers manage gorgeous sounds, definitely a notch above what you normally get from a phone. Camera appeared great at 5 megapixels of resolution, but the quality of shots left plenty to be desired.
Overall, the Motorola Backflip is a decent choice for an entry-level Android smartphone. There are definite performance issues, but it covers the range of features well and it's an excellent music phone. Price sounds good too - $99 with a two-year contract from AT&T (not sure how much for unlocked versions elsewhere).
Motorola Backflip Offers Unique Design, Great Music And Performance Issues3.6111111111111noel2010-03-05 11:39:24
Phone ReviewsMotorola Backflip Offers Unique Design, Great Music And Performance Issues
Fashion phones usually come with a premium. Not the "catwalk-ready" Samsung S7070 Diva, a female-friendly, style-centric touchscreen device that has just been announced for the UK market.
While it fancies itself a "fashion mobile," the phone's general design actually doesn't veer far from Samsung's normal touch candybar aesthetic. In fact, the shape and layout are pretty much identifiable with the company's roster, with only the pearl white front panel, jewel-like center button and the 3D quilted back setting it apart.
Details of the Samsung Diva include a 2.8-inch resistive touchscreen (with 320 x 240 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera (with a couple of arty effects, such as beauty shot and lomo), stereo Bluetooth, built-in DNSe, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity (no 3G or WiFi) and microSD card expansion up to 8GB. It runs the standard TouchWiz UI, features social networking integration (Facebook, Twitter and MySpace) and comes with an HTML browser.
Carphone Warehouse will be distributing the handset in the UK and are bundling a limited amount of gift bags for early customers. Each bonus bundle will come with various cosmetic products from Benefit, including portable concealer kits and cream-to-powder finish foundations.
The Samsung S7070 Diva will be available for free from both T-Mobile and Orange, provided you agree to a two-year service contract. You can also get it for only £130 with no contract.
[Carphone Warehouse]
