The latest BlackBerry comes with the unique search function that is equal to using any web search engine to find what you are looking for. When you are on the go, this kind of search is a great option for finding yourself street directories, telephone numbers, restaurants, bars or just anything you need right there and then. BlackBerry Messenger is also a unique option however the done fall is that it really only works with other BlackBerry users.

The new BlackBerry touch screen fones have an unusually long lasting battery time with up to 30 hours of play when you are listening to music or 6 hours of video watching. Web browsing on phones today is a standard option that has really opened up modern phones for better use. Checking e-mails, finding facts and even looking at new websites is so simple with the BlackBerry.

Photo taking is now very simple too; with one easy access photo camera you can take all the snap shots that you want while you are traveling around. Photos of the sites, your friends or just something funny that you come across is all so quick and easy using the multimedia camera mode on BlackBerry touch screen fones.

At this time of year many of us are trying admirably to stick to those new year’s resolutions about shedding a few pounds. If however you have a hectic schedule what with work or other pursuits, finding the time to squeeze in some exercise can be tricky but help is at hand! iSometrics is one of the latest apps to be released from the Medl stable and the idea of the app is to provide users with ‘an entire gym, fitness plan and personal trainer in the palm of your hand’. The definition of isometric exercise is that in which muscles are contracted without joint movement, meaning that the excercises can be performed without the need for specialist equipment and so the app is great for suggesting exercises that make use of the everyday environments we find ourselves in and the furniture that surrounds us. Paul Martin, who submitted the app idea, answers a few of our questions…

Please could you tell us a little more about your background as an exercise enthusiast?
I have always been very keen on playing sports, rugby and football when I was younger, but golf and some squash now that I am a bit more mature. Of course, fitness is always a great help in any sport, as well as for general health.

Where did you get the idea for this app
I saw an article about Rob Shoesmith’s Problem Halved app, and as Medl Mobile were open to further ideas, I looked through the app store for apps concerning sports and fitness in general. There are many such apps available, but I noticed that there was not an app for isometrics, which I believe would be vey useful for many people in their aim to stay as fit as possible.

A lot of us are still feeling the effects of our Holiday season glutony, can iSometrics do anything to help those of us who overindulged?
Definitely, and as the exercises can be done in places where other exercise is impossible, then it is an ideal way to tone up and keep toned throughout the year.

How much input did you have in determining the exercises featured in the app?
I supplied all the exercises and their details.

Who is this app aimed at and/or who would benefit from using it?
Anybody would benefit from using the app, and as the exercises can be done in places where other exercise is impossible, then it would be particularly useful for those who find it difficult to find time or even don’t enjoy going to the gym, going for a run, etc; and of course it can be used as a very useful addition to those other exercise plans.

How much does the app cost?
 $1.99/£1.19

What has been the response from those who have bought the app?
Very encouraging, we’ve had some great responses from people who have bought the app.
 

Any feedback?
Not as yet.

As an IT specialist by trade did you have much programming input in the development of the app?
No actual programming, but I did suggest some logic to help the programmers cater for various searches for exercises as would be selected by the user.

Did your skills help influence any of the design/development process?
Besides the above, no, although it might be something I would be interested in.

FEATURES

• Over 50 separate exercise guides that target every major muscle group
• Charts, trackers and tools to assist your progress
• Built-in timers for every exercise
• Day-by-day planner to keep track of your workouts
• Reminder alarms—never miss a beat

BENEFITS

• Achieve maximum workouts with minimal time
• No expensive equipment or personal trainers required
• Build strength, resistance and patience
• Eliminate stress, fat and fatigue

If you have bought the app please feel free to leave a few words in a comment to let us know how you have found it.

TSF

If you think it is a thing of beauty or otherwise leave us a comment, we’d love to hear your opinions on what is expected to be a fantastic new player in the touchscreen market.

Stay tuned for more information as and when.

TSF

Google today unveiled its long awaited Nexus One mobile phone at an exclusive invitation only press conference at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California.
The device is being hailed by Google as the perfect integrated tool “where web meets phone” and which is being built with the aid of longtime collaborators HTC and is powered by Google’s android software.
“You will see it pushes the limits of what is possible on a mobile phone today,” said Peter Chou, HTC chief executive.

The “superphone” will set consumers back around $530/£330 or around $180 for a 24 month contract with T-Mobile USA. Soon after its US launch the phone will be available to UK customers initially on the Vodafone network.
The phone will be available for purchase through Google’s own phone portal. Here, customers will be able to choose which operator they wich to enter into a contract with.
Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Gartner technology research believes this could be a major selling point for the Nexus One because it would allow potential customers to “buy the phone and then choose what sim card you want to put in”.

Andy Rubin, Google’s vice-president of engineering, said: “The Nexus One belongs in the emerging class of devices which we call ’superphones’, with the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset making it as powerful as your laptop computer of three to four years ago. It’s our way to raise the bar on what’s possible when it comes to creating the best mobile phone experience for consumers.”

Read on for more information and specifications…

Google Nexus One specifications

Processor
• Qualcomm QSD 8250 1GHz

Operating system
• Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 (Eclair)

Capacity
• 512MB Flash
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB Micro SD Card (Expandable to 32GB)

Display
• 3.7-inch (diagonal) widescreen WVGA AMOLED touchscreen (no multi-touch)
• 800 x 480 pixels
• 100,000:1 typical contrast ratio
• 1ms typical response rate

Camera & Flash
• 5 megapixels
• Autofocus from 6cm to infinity
• 2X digital zoom
• LED flash
• User can include location of photos from phone’s AGPS receiver
• Video captured at 720×480 pixels at 20 frames per second or higher, depending on lighting conditions

Cellular & Wireless
• UMTS Band 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900)
• HSDPA 7.2Mbps
• HSUPA 2Mbps
• GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• A2DP stereo Bluetooth

Location
• Assisted global positioning system (AGPS) receiver
• Cell tower and Wi-Fi positioning
• Digital compass
• Accelerometer

Power and battery
• Removable 1400 mAH battery
• Charges at 480mA from USB, at 980mA from supplied charger
• Talk time Up to 10 hours on 2G; Up to 7 hours on 3G
• Standby time: Up to 290 hours on 2G; Up to 250 hours on 3G
• Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G; Up to 6.5 hours on Wi-Fi
• Video playback: Up to 7 hours;
• Audio playback: Up to 20 hours

Size and weight
• Height: 119mm
• Width: 59.8mm
• Depth: 11.5mm
• Weight: 130 grams w/battery; 100g w/o battery

Official Google press release

GOOGLE OFFERS NEW MODEL FOR CONSUMERS TO BUY A MOBILE PHONE
Launches Nexus One, contributing further innovation to the Android ecosystem
MOUNTAIN VIEW (January 5, 2010) – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today unveiled a new way for consumers to purchase an Android mobile phone, a web store hosted by Google. The company is also launching the first phone offered through this new model, called the Nexus One, which combines the latest in hardware from HTC Corporation with the newest Android software.
The goal of Google’s new consumer channel is to provide an efficient way to connect Google’s online users with selected Android phones. The online experience of the web store has been designed with a focus on simplicity.
Through the web store found at www.google.com/phone, consumers can buy the Nexus One without service (meaning any GSM network SIM card can be inserted into the device), or purchase the phone with service from one of Google’s operator partners. As new phones come to market through this channel, consumers will benefit from the ability to match a phone of their choice with the service plan that best meets their needs. Operator prices and plan details will be featured on the site.
“The Nexus One belongs in the emerging class of devices which we call ‘superphones,’ with the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ chipset making it as powerful as your laptop computer of three to four years ago. It’s our way to raise the bar on what’s possible when it comes to creating the best mobile experience for consumers,” said Andy Rubin, VP of Engineering. “We look forward to working with handset manufacturers and operators to bring more phones to market through this channel worldwide.”

Nexus One Hardware Features
• Display: 3.7″ AMOLED 480×800 WVGA display
• Thinness: 11.5mm; Weight: 130g
• Processor/Speed: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 3G QSD8250 chipset, delivering speeds up to 1GHz
• Camera: 5 megapixel auto focus with flash and geo tagging
• Onboard memory: 512MB Flash, 512MB RAM
• Expandable memory: 4GB removable SD Card (expandable to 32GB)
• Noise Suppression: Dynamic noise suppression from Audience, Inc.
• Ports: 3.5mm stereo headphone jack with four contacts for inline voice and remote control
• Battery: Removable 1400 mAh
• Personalized laser engraving: Up to 50 characters on the back of the phone
• Trackball: Tri-color notification LED, alerts when new emails, chats, text messages arrive

“The Nexus One represents the unique combination of design and innovation two companies like Google and HTC can have when they collaborate,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “The Nexus One continues HTC’s strategy of offering people a portfolio of phones that meet their diverse needs.”
Nexus One Software Innovation
The Nexus One runs on Android 2.1, a version of the platform’s Eclair software, which offers advanced applications and features including:
• Google Maps Navigation: offering turn-by-turn driving directions with voice output.
• Email: multiple Gmail accounts; universal inbox and Exchange support.
• Phone book: aggregate contacts from multiple sources, including Facebook®.
• Quick Contacts: easily switch between communication and social applications.
• Android Market: access to more than 18,000 applications.
• In addition, the Nexus One introduces new functionality and software enhancements:
• Enter text without typing.
• Use a voice-enabled keyboard for all text fields: speak a text message, instant message, tweet, Facebook update, or complete an email.
• Tell your phone what you want it to do.
• Search Google, call contacts, or get driving directions by just speaking into your phone.
• Take personalization to the next level.
• Dynamic, interactive, live wallpapers react to the touch of a finger.
• More widgets and five home screen panels allow for further device customization.
• Capture camera-quality pictures and video with your device.
• 5 megapixel camera includes LED flash, auto focus, zoom, white balance and color effects.
• View pictures and Picasa Web Albums in the new 3D Gallery.
• Record Hi-Res MPEG4 video, and then upload to YouTube with one click.
• Read your voicemail messages.
• Get transcribed voicemail with Google Voice integration, without changing your number.

Pricing, Availability, and Future Plans
Nexus One is initially available from the Google web store in the US without service for $529 or starting at $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile USA. In the near future, Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone in Europe plan to offer services to customers in their respective geographies. Today, consumers can go to www.google.com/phone to learn about the Nexus One and place an order. We will initially take orders from consumers in the US and three other markets – the UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
In the coming months Google plans on partnering with additional operators, offering consumers access to a broad set of service plans. In the future we expect to launch more phones with Android handset partners and to expand the web store to more countries.

Mall Maps is one of the latest excellent and incredibly practical iPhone apps to be released from the MEDL Mobile stable. You may already be aware of their app incubator which brought us such previous apps as Rob Shoesmith’s Problem Halved which has been very succesful indeed.
The man behind Mall Maps, Shayne Faerber, kindly offered to fill us in on what exactly we can expect from his offering.

In case it isn’t immediately obvious from the title, what is Mall Maps and how does it work?
Mall Maps is an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that contains over 1,000 U.S. Malls complete with their phone number, address, website, store list and floor plan map all in an easy to operate user interface that allows you to find out any information on the mall without leaving the application. Essentially, when fully complete, it will be every paper directory for every mall in the U.S. in your pocket. 

Why should anyone purchase Mall Maps?
Mall Maps is perfect for those who travel during the holiday season, or travel any time. There is no need to bring all your gifts on the plane with you. You can find a shopping location where you’re traveling to and plan out your shopping in advance. People who travel weekly for business can see shopping and dining destinations in unfamiliar cities. I’ve even heard from users who found a mall miles away from them that they didn’t even know existed. With Mall Maps you won’t have to wonder the malls aimlessly, walking back and forth many times to find all the stores you want to visit. And you won’t look like a tourist with a big paper directory opened up as you walk or standing behind a group of people who are all blocking the main directory.

How much does the app cost?
Mall Maps costs $2.99 in the iTunes AppStore.

How did you come up with the idea?
I would hate to go into a mall only to find that I am on the exact opposite of the side where I need to be. I like to be in and out with my purchase as fast as possible most of the time. And for the times when I do want to browse, I at least want to know a direction to go in. With Mall Maps I always know where to park, which entry to take and where to walk exactly to make my purchases.

Was it the first app idea you submitted to MEDL?
This is the first, of many, ideas that I submitted to MEDL Mobile. Initially they thought it was a great idea but were going to have to pass on it because they couldn’t commit enough time from their team to build the database as they are working on many apps. I told Dave Swartz (Medl MD) that I would take the time to build the database if my app would come to effect. Little did I know it would take me 6 months… I would like to work with MEDL more whether it’s another AppIncubator App or as a contracted App that I put the money up for myself.

How long did it take before you heard your app had been selected for development?
Luckily I submitted my idea to the AppIncubator soon after it’s launch in April 2009. I was immediately contacted regarding the database and after I showed my commitment to compile the data it was put into pre-development. It took MEDL about 19 days to code my App, but since I needed to build it’s database everything wasn’t complete until October 2009.

How have you been marketing the app?
I’ve created online social accounts such as Twitter and Facebook to acquire attention. I have also, along with MEDL Mobile, been emailing as many people as I can my story to have a chance to share it on some form of press. I’ve had about 30 unique pieces of press since Mall Maps has launched. It has all been very exciting! We are looking into creating viral videos to get some more exposure and currently I am trying to reach out to media on a national level.

Mall Maps is currently number one in the app store charts, can you say exactly how many purchases there have been?
We are the number one app in our category of reference apps. Apple does supply download and sales information but I have chosen to wait until the end of this current period to see the final numbers.

Do you have plans for any future versions, updates etc?
I already have an extensive list of great new features to include in an update. I do hope popularity continues to grow and we can make enough to re-invest into the App. I would also like to build a relationship with the major mall companies to allow us to share great exclusive deals for the users while keeping the database as up to date as possible.

FEATURES

• More than 1,000 Shopping centers across all 50 states
• GPS Location-based search – find all the malls around you
• Browse malls by state
• Detailed floor plan of every mall
• Store list with corresponding map numbers
• Favorites: Choose your favorite stores for quick access—automatically categorizes to their respective malls
• Address, phone number and URL of every mall
• Phone number of every store within mall profile
• Google Maps directions to every location

BENEFITS

• The mall’s entire floor plan and store list in the palm of your hand
• No more wasted trips
• Visiting friends or family for the holidays? Find the nearest plaza and arrive with the perfect gift!

Check TouchscreenFones again for more news on Mall Maps and other Medl Mobile applications…

Experts at security software manufacturer Sophos are saying that once the virus is effective it then proceeds in trying to identify other iPhones on the network that can be manipulated and then attacks them.

“This is a wake-up call to iPhone users around the world to take greater care about their security – especially if they jailbreak their phones,” said Sophos senior technology consultant, Graham Cluley.
“Businesses also need to ensure that they don’t have staff who are endangering corporate data by running insecure smartphones. Other inquisitive hackers may also be tempted to experiment, and could take the code of ikee and adapt it to have a more sinister payload.”

Sophos managed to establish that the source of the virus is a 21 year old Australian student from New South Wales. The student is said to have admitted starting the virus ina Twitter post and said the reason for doing so is because he discovered that 26 in 27 iPhones he examined were potentially susceptible because users had not changed their passwords.

F-Secure, a security firm based in Finland said
“The creator of the worm has released full source code of the four existing variants of this worm. This means that there will quickly be more variants, and they might have nastier payload than just changing your wallpaper or might try password cracking to gain access to devices where the default password has been changed”

To change your passwords use the below link provided by F-Secure.

http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/cydia.htm

Many thanks

TSF

Earlier this year Orange announced to great relief that it would be offering iPhones to its customers.
The released statement read;

“Orange, which has the largest 3G network covering more people in the UK than any other operator, will sell iPhone in all Orange direct channels including Orange shops, the Orange webshop and Orange telesales channels, as well as selected high street partners.”

This announcement came toward the end of the two year exclusivity deal that bound O2 and Apple and will no doubt make the iPhone more accessible, potentially increasing iPhone sales exponentially. Having spoken to several of our readers we can tell you that there were a surprising number of mobile phone users who were not prepared to change network providers in order to get an iPhone, so now that there is a choice of two network providers sales will surely increase.
Tom Alexander, head of Orange UK said;

“Since we announced the iPhone on Orange we have already seen more than a quarter of a million customers register their interest on our website,”

Both the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS will be available to Orange customers on pay monthly, pay as you go and business tariffs from the 10th November. Read on for a summary of pay monthly options for both models.

Please see table below for 8GB iPhone 3G pricing options.

8GB iPhone 3G Pricing

Please see tables below for 16GB (top) and 32GB (bottom) iPhone 3GS options.

16GB (top) and 32GB (bottom) iPhone 3GS Pricing

For more detailed information, pay as you go prices and to reserve an iPhone visit the Orange site here.

The app has been featured in many publications including MacWorld and large broadcasters including BBC news and even CNN. Evidently it has been quite a ride for everybody’s favourite bin man. Rob kindly offered to fill us in on his journey up to now. Read on!

Rob, Can you just remind us all about Problem Halved and how this all got started?
In around March or April of this year I was browsing the app store and cam across an app. under the name of the app incubator. I was interested to know what this app was all about, so decided to download and visit their website t www.medlmobile.com What was on offer was too good to turn down. 25% of the profits in return for a great idea for an iphone app.

It’s been about six months or so now since your app idea was chosen, what have you been up to since then?
Over the next couple of weeks I sat down with a pen and paper and brainstormed idea after idea. I sent them across to the app incubator not expecting to hear anything back, and to my surprise I received an email back from the principal at medlmobile Dave Swartz.
Dave liked one of my idea which happened to be PROBLEM HALVED. The idea behind this app was to provide users with a channel to solve their problems via other users help. The idea was simple. Post a problem or halve a problem.
It’s been an amazing 6 months or so. Little did I know at the time of submitting the idea to the app incubator that I’d appear on Sky news and the gadget show in the United Kingdom. Initially I was contacting media outlets to gain publicity but all of a sudden I was being contacted by them which was a huge surprise and very flattering at the same time.
Currently I am working with medlmobile on a part time basis to help other developers like me to spread the word on their own applications. This has been an incredible experience for me and am loving the fast paced nature of this business. I have spoken to people in Canada,USA and Australia. I’d like to rthank all these people who have been amazing in helping me build something truly amazing.
Within the next couple of weeks a podcast for problem halved that I’ve produced will be launched into Itunes. There will be exclusive interviews with the owners of medl mobile and also the people behind the apps that are being launched.

We know you were very busy marketing and advertising the app, appearing in many publications and on TV. How did you go about drumming up support/interest?
By sheer hard work I’m being honest. I’d been given a fantastic opportunity by medlmobile so I thought it would be a huge waste if I sat back and did nothing, What I found was that if I could get a big press hit to start with, it would hopefully snowball and gain publicity. The beauty about the web is that news travels globally extremely fast.

We follow you on Twitter and know you actively used it to get the word out. Do you still use social media, Twtitter etc, as a way of marketing the app?
Most definitely. Twitter has been such a great tool to make connections with people. I have made contact with so many people via this medium and have actually made some very good friends as a result of Twitter. It’s a great place to find like minded people. You can follow me on twitter @shoesmith81

So what was it like working with MEDL mobile and what is the relationship like now?
I have a great working relationship with medlmobile. I would like to say a special thank you to Dave Swartz and Andrew Maltin who believed in my idea and skills I have. Not too many people would have given a bin man an opportunity like this and I am determined to give it my all.

How many times has the app been downloaded now have been sold now? Give us some stats about its position in download charts etc.
Due to investor confidentially I can’t give you the sales figures for PH but I can say there has been a great interest in PH worldwide, enough for medlmobile to invest and develop v1.1 which will be released in the next week or two.

Why should anyone download Problem Halved?
That’s a good question! The whole idea of Problem Halved is that no matter where you are in the world people all face problems in their lives some small and some big. By downloading PH you will have the opportunity to help solve any problem you are facing, or help someone solve theirs. Sometimes it’s nice to get things off your chest to a stranger rather than telling a loved one as the advice given is unbiased.

In the beginning there was a lot of talk about becoming a millionnaire but if Apple take a cut of sales, then MEDL take a 75% cut of this subsequently, is it possible to make much money?
It takes time to make money, it’s not an instant thing. If everyone could make a million making iphone apps there would be a lot more apps in the app store. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it’s more of a marathon than a sprint.

Is there still a lot of interest in the app?
There has been a huge interest in Problem Halved worldwide. We have users all over the world and a strong community is starting to form. V1.1 will include a lot more functionality which will enable users to share their problems further afield. This should be released within the next few weeks.

Are there any other apps in the pipeline that you’ve submitted?
Currently I’m focusing all my efforts on problem halved, as we believe what we are doing is not just about financial remuneration. This app is genuinely helping people. The problems are raw and have come from the heart!
Medl are keen to continue our relationship long term and I’m sure other ideas of mine will be launched in the coming months.

What are your future plans now? Have you been able to change your plans due to the success of Problem Halved?
I’m still currently working as a bin man for Coventry Council because at the end of the day this is my bread and butter, and any additional revenue from Problem Halved and other projects is a bonus. Long term I’d like to get into online marketing or app development fulltime. Who knows what’s around the corner!

There will be more news from Rob in the near future so be sure to check back again.

TSF

As you may have noticed it has been a long time since the blog has been updated but rest assured we are still here and are still intent on providing a useful resource for you. Where have we been you might ask? Well, we have been busy trying to drum up new interest, support, partnerships and sponsorships which will enhance the site and strengthen our position. The site and number of visitors has come on leaps and bounds since going live in March and our stats tell us there are still a fantastic number of new and regular visitors which is incredibly encouraging and keeps us wanting to bring you more, so please bear with us.

Our good friend Robert Shoesmith (whom you may remember had an iPhone app developed) is doing very well for himself and sales of Problem Halved have been phenomenal so look out for Rob’s guest post which will be with us in the next few days.

If is anybody out there who would be interested in contributing to the site either as a guest poster or by doing some web development to freshen things up a bit and keep us moving forward then please do not hesitate to get in touch with via the form on the contact page.

Many thanks and warm regards.

TSF