Google Voice iPhone app

We're finally getting the Google Voice iPhone app. I just installed it. The app is straightforward and way more integrated into the iPhone user experience than the previous Google Voice apps made by independent developers. In the same time, I was happy and provided my money to those apps as providing an interim solution.

itunes link

Tagged App Google Phone call iphone voice

Google + Java = Mobile + Widget + Web + Server - Sys Admin

Now with one language (Java) a mom 'n pop shop can develop:

  • a native mobile app (Android + Davlik)
  • a web app or widget (GAE Java + GWT)
  • a backend server (GAE Java and all the GAE goodies)

And no need for a sys admin or even a complex cloud deployment on EC2 or like!!

Tagged Android App Davlik GAE GWT Google Java Mobile Native Simple Software

iPhone Yahoo vs. IPhone Google: 1 - 0

At a glance Yahoo iPhone app is: Yahoo news/media properties + Yahoo One Search + Yahoo Connect (aka your extended social stream, messenger, emails, etc.) + your own content view (based on smart keywording).

 Yahoo has done an excellent job with its new iPhone app. This is definitely a full integrated user experience and not a mere Safari launch front-end like the Google app. Except that for the search experience they are equivalent with some unique features on both sides. Google has voice search while Yahoo is offering a lot more types of results (Y! Answers, related app download, related products, etc.).
The access to news & media is really done with even a better job than the NYT iphone app.
One weird lacking feature is that when you want to add your own customized inertest (movies, weather, etc.) your current location is not used!!! While in the Yahoo Everything tab the app use your own location.

 Overall this is a great all-in-one app.

Tagged App Google Yahoo iphone

#Skype on #iPhone: not yet there (no BT, crashes) but good call quality

After using the iPhone Skype app here are my few quick observations:
  • No Bluetooth support: only speaker. This is a big one and a no-no (for me) as I mostly tend to use Skype for longer phone calls.
  • Crashes: almost every time I use the app the app is crashing after making a call. Not so much crashes during navigation within the app
  • Quirks: 50% of the time it's impossible to close a call; delay when switching from headset to speakerphone and reverse; issues with the screensaver during call, i.e. the blackscreen does not turn back on (as usual during iPhone calls) when the phone is moved from hear to horizontal position
  • UI: excellent, this is a perfect iPhone app, great integration with the native address book
Overall the app has been perfectly designed but just need some Qa cycle and Bluetooth support.
Tagged App Skype iphone

Ultimate Android Dev Env

GAE Java (no sys admin needed) + GWT + Google Voice + GData APIs + Davlik (Android) = ultimate end-to-end for 1 man dev shop. #cloud #mobile

Tagged Android App Cloud GAE GWT Java Mobile
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