Android Game Overview: Temple Run, On An Android App Near You, In Ten Days' Time


Temple Run is among the most-awaited games on the Android. Having achieved considerable success on the iOS platform, it isn't hard to understand why.

Temple Run is a 3D running game, and one that had earned rave reviews by serious casual gamers and a good, growing following of iOS mobile device users. For those who aren't really into games, I'm not surprised if they picked this up and got addicted to it.

A dear friend had one day "barged onto" my Facebook Wall and declared that I should download the app and waste no time in doing so. So I tried to look for it, but alas and alack, I came up empty.

Then I read that an Android version was still under development by Imangi Studios, and that it would be released, soon. At that time, it was around February, and while I'm passionate about the casual games that I do like, it takes a certain type of game to catch my fancy. I'm not even sure about my personal metrics, but as far as I know, I've fallen in love with random casual games that don't really have a set pattern.

Given that I have a random way of taking a liking to casual games, I find that it takes these elements for me to get addicted:
  • A great storyline
  • Something to solve
  • Cute characters
  • Great graphics
  • GOALS
  • Continuity
With that, I find that games that push you back to square one when you "die," save possibly for Fruit Roll and Caverns of Hammerfest, are annoying to me.

That being said, I have a mild distaste for almost all running games I've come across, except for Fruit Roll, Robot Unicorn Attack, Coma and Run Ninja Run. That's because running games tend to warp you back to square one, even as you find yourself still reeling from your "death."

That is why, I personally don't know if I would like Temple Run. But judging from this video:





This game has the makings of a runaway hit, as it already is, way before it's made available on Google Play. I say that it's already a runaway hit way before it debuts on Google Play, simply because Android users are actually clamoring for the app as soon as word of its awesomeness spread all over the Internet.

So, what makes Temple Run a game worth waiting for, then?

Try these:
  • Gorgeous graphics
  • Apt, emotion-milking soundtrack
  • A pace that squeezes out all the adrenaline your body can pump
Thanks to these elements, you'll be installing addiction in your Apple mobile device, or, come March 27, just 10 days from now, on your Android phone or tablet of choice, when it hits the Google Play shelves.

And oh, I almost forgot to add. People are soo insane about Temple Run, that they've actually made a "trailer video" about it.




Let us know in the comments or on the Android Alliance Ph Page if you've played it, and what you think about it!
Android Game Overview
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iOS Apps I'd Love To See On Android


Despite the fact that apps written for the iOS do tend to have a counterpart for the Android, not all good, awesome, mobile apps find themselves in both platforms. Admittedly, some developers prefer to remain iOS-only. While this is sad, this definitely is a decision that developers can, will, and should decide for themselves. But being an Android industry observer, avid Android user, and Android "evangelist" of sorts, I am sad that some truly awesome apps may never see the Android light, or frolic in the Google Play-ground. Today, I list the apps that I wish were on Android (but are not):

TeuxDeux. 


While I totally love Wunderlist and love that I can integrate my daily Wunderlists both on my desktop and Android, this other GTD app that I love, TeuxDeux, tragically isn't. I'm really a big fan of weekly-view todo lists, and this "love affair" with weekly-view lists was sparked by discovering TaskFive.


Alas and alack, however, the app and the service were both killed or allowed to go to pot by the owner, who had bought the app from Contrast. Today, the app is unavailable and dead, as you can see:



When I couldn't login to TaskFive anymore, I was frantic about finding a passable alternative. I found TeuxDeux. Which is sooooo much better.

TeuxDeux advertises itself properly: It IS a simple, designy to-do app.


The only thing is that it still hasn't found itself on Android. :( I'm still crossing my fingers that someday, I'll be able to find this on Google Play.

***

Awesome Note.


As I've said time and again, Color Note is really enough for me. But looking at Awesome Notes, with the different functions that The Everyday Minimalist, a.k.a. Fabulously Broke has introduced in her blog, I am really wishing that it's available on the Android. However, it looks like BRID, the developer, is only into keeping the app on iOS system. A sad thing, just like TeuxDeux.

Bonus: Instagram. I labeled this as a "bonus" because:


  • I am not an Instagram user, (though I do LOVE Instagram pics) but a whole lot of people are fans of the iOS app of Instagram
  • It's coming to the Android soon

Everyone else may ignore and pass over my other picks, but very few will be able to ignore the news that Instagram is heading for Google Play.

Many users have tried the different Instagram alternatives, but nothing, just nothing comes close to the beauty that Instagram can capture.

In the SXSW conference scheduled March 9 through 18th, Instagram founders have announced that the Android version of Instagram is, "In some ways, it's better than our iPhone app," and that "It's one of the most amazing Android apps you'll ever see."

Don't let me stop you from clicking more newsbits about Instagram hitting Google Play's shelves soon:


After all this, all I can say, really, is that Steve Jobs may be grimacing in his grave, but he's gotta let go and let Android have a slice of the World Domination profit pie, too. :p

***
Photo Credits: El Canasto
Android App Overviews
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Android App Review: Wunderlist


I'm a HUGE fan of Todo lists. I've tried a whole gamut of them, and over time, I've found my favorites. To date, I've retained only a few, because keeping too many todo lists is just a little mental.

Here are my current faves:
On my Android, I used to have just Color Note. After trying Astrid Tasks and liking only the widget, I'm finally happy about the simplicity of Color Note. I make my grocery lists there, title them by the date of when I'm going out to get them, then archive them when I've bought everything on the list, or transferred the items not yet bought. Simple little system, no-frills, no fuss.

I didn't even get on the Evernote bandwagon. I just don't care for fads. Whatever works for my personal rhythm, that's it. While I itch for the pretty Awesome Notes app that Fabulously Broke heartily recommends, Color Note is as good as it gets on the Android. If I wanted more functionality, like audio, video, or photo notes, Memoires or UltraMate serve the purpose.

Just this Sunday, I ambled over to Time Management Ninja once again, and found that he recommended Wunderlist. Wunderlist obliterated his need for any other GTD app.

So I tried it, on the Chrome Browser (Windows XP) I use:


So far, I love that I can dump all the thoughts that I've needed to get out of the way, like reading links and other things that distract me from the task I have at hand.

All of us tend to suffer the Attention-Deficit Disorder brought on by the new era of multi-tasking and information overload. Thanks to that, there is a need for everyone to start managing the things that distract them, those "shinies" that just kill your focus and productivity. The way I deal with my personal version of ADD is transferring my links somewhere I'd be sure to read them.

Stuffing my links on Chrome's bookmarks, in my email, and even on Google Reader did not work. I keep forgetting to read them anyway. I'm trying out Wunderlist, and while I have yet to actually read the links, knowing they're there in an accessible spot helps me feel more comfortable that I'll really read them. Sometime.

What I did was that I opened my Wunderlist account on the leftmost corner of my Google Chrome browser, and left that there, pinned, when I need to "shelf" reading through articles, or I have an idea that I need to file for later. Things like those.



Before, I kept my ideas on Wedoist. However, the interface feels too clunky. Not only that, the code seems to be too heavy for my browser and system. With Wunderlist so far, I can just keep it there and forget about it.

So, in order to sync my tasks to my Android, I downloaded the Wunderlist Android app, and synchronized even the wallpapers. Because I'm a bit obsessive-compulsive like that.

Note the matching {PLUM/PURPLE/SHADE OF GIRLY COLOR!!!} wallpaper/background.
Since I don't want to clutter up my work Wunderlist with my grocery lists, and since there are times when I am too scatterbrained to type out a grocery list on a touch screen interface, or those times when I really don't want to move away from my "workstation," I've also created a personal Wunderlist account, something that I can share with other Wunderlist users. We can even share task and grocery lists.

This is how Wunderlist looks, when you sign up for a new account. 

How to make your wallpaper look pretty, like mine. :p

Click the photos to view them full-size and read the tutorial captions clearer.

The desktop interface of Wunderlist reminds me of Flow/GetFlow, which is a paid app and service, at $9.99 a month, after the 14-day trial. Big downside, big bummer. Also, GetFlow isn't even available on Windows as an app, or on the Android. Really big bummer.

But we're not talking about GetFlow here. The reason why I even mentioned GetFlow is to say that Wunderlist is a BETTER, FREE, sleeker, simpler, more versatile alternative to GetFlow. No extra nonsense of too many options and fields. Just simple menus that will get you through the fewest taps and types possible.

Now I can understand why Time Management Ninja said that Wunderlist is awesome. Try it, and you will, too.
Android App Reviews
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Killing ADD And Boosting Productivity: Saving Bookmarks For Later From Desktop To Android


Have you ever had that moment, where, in researching for something for your work, whatever field you are in, you come across an article so interesting but you really have to file it for later? Because reading it will consume precious time that you could use to just finish your job so you can go home and read all you like?

This is how I frequently feel. Oftentimes, in doing my work research, I come across juicy blog or website articles that would have been helpful to me: for my work or for my personal development. But the catch is that I may have time to read those ONLY during weekends, or for those long bus rides with nothing else to do but wait till your bus gets to wherever you need to go.

So, the solution is to be able to "pack" juicy links and save them for later.

For those who are working in companies with firewalls, or with security protocols like a "zero flash drive policy," I'm sure you could relate. For those who won't be able to save links on the work computer, it may be best if you can find a way to read your bookmarks and links from your Android or e-Reader when you've gotten off work.

Here are some solutions on how you can sync your article finds with your Android/e-Reader:

Use Opera And Opera Link: If you are browser-agnostic, meaning you don't really care which browser you use, then use Opera and use Opera Mini on your Android. Then, activate your Opera Link account, from the Android Opera Mini browser by going to: Opera Button > Settings Button > Opera Link > then proceed to create a new account.

This is better illustrated in this slideshow:





Then, after you configure your Android, this is what you do with your Opera desktop browser:

Click the Cloud icon to enable Opera Synchronization.


Alternatively, you may enable Opera Link through the Menu:



Go through the process, either create a new account or sign into an existing one:






When Opera registers that account with the desktop browser, voila! Your browser accounts are now synchronized.


You may do this either either way: set up your Android first, or your desktop browser first.

Then, when you find something interesting, just add it to your Opera Mini Bookmarks folder, as shown below:


And when you're on your Android, just logoff then login to sync your data right that moment. Opera regularly syncs its data, but if you want to refresh the synchronization, the best way to do it would be to turn it on and off.

***

Use GMail To Send Links To And From Yourself: I find this a little clunky, something über un-techie, but this is faster to do, especially if your company allows you to use GMail. Less awkward if your company will only allow you to use MS Outlook.

Whenever you find a good link to read later, paste in the body of the email, send to yourself, or if from MS Outlook, your work email to your GMail, then later, refresh your Android, find that email you sent to yourself and read in your browser of choice. That simple.

Still, if you want a visual representation of what I talked about, here it is:





Note: If you have inadvertently set defaults for your browser, you may clear it by going to Settings > Manage Applications > Browser/Opera/Dolphin/Whatever has the default > Scroll down to Launch by default > Clear Defaults:





Google Chrome To Phone: 

Just when I thought we'd have to live with kludges for integrating the links we find to read on our Androids, Google actually came up with THE solution to the problem: a whole app dedicated to integrating content from desktop browser to Android Phone.


However, there's a catch: this app is not available in the Philippines yet! So if you're looking for this in Google Play via your Android, good luck to you; you won't find it. You will only be able to see it on the desktop/web version of Google Play.

So meanwhile, our other suggestions may suffice.

Enjoy reading!

***

Credits: My *serious* thanks to Jing, Skitch, PicasaWeb, Gimpshop and Microsoft Photo Editor.


Photo Credits: Funny Junk
Android How-To's
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What Is Smart Money, And Can You Buy From Google Play With It?


Smart Money is a payment solution that Smart Communications, Inc. developed close on the heels of Globe Telecom's G-Cash success. The concept is similar: send money or pay someone from a Smart Center or accredited partner, and the recipient will receive the credits via his Smart Gold, Smart Buddy or TalkN'Text number.

Today, however, Smart Money differentiated itself from G-Cash by partnering with BDO, providing MasterCard-based transactions, and then leaning heavily on its card-based services and making online transactions easier.

I've found a few great reviews about the use of their Smart Money accounts for online transactions, especially verifying their PayPal accounts, accepting payments as merchants, making Apple App Store purchases, and most importantly, successfully buying premium Android apps:


In general, though, finding reviews of Smart Money online is a little tough, as not a lot of people have made use of it. However, I managed to fish a couple of ReviewStream articles about Smart Money:


The Lady Programmer has also been able to use her Smart Money card to transfer funds from PayPal to EON to SmartMoney. She did this in order to do away with needing to endure the long lines in Unionbank Baguio.

The primary use of Smart Money, as I've found out, has been to verify one's PayPal account. Here are other resources on the different methods of verifying PayPal accounts, and also withdrawing one's PayPal funds through different means:


There were also a few discussions on users' experience of Smart Money, then another discussion on  international remittance methods and there was a very informative post on Txtbuff.com. I needed to fish out the discussion via the Google Webcache entry instead of viewing it directly, though. You may view or download the PDF of the discussion HERE.

The bottom line is that users' experience with Smart Money have been varied. I'm not sure whether it's the fact that these are mass Mastercard numbers, debit accounts at that, that cause some accounts to be denied. Another theory of mine might be that since this facility is in partnership with Banco de Oro, there may still be kinks in the system.

No offense to Banco de Oro, but there was a recent report about a BDO branch teller who stole from an OFW's account. Not only that, I have a "six-degrees-of-separation" (actually two degrees of separation) story of a BDO savings account being sapped of its funds. Not only that, the BDO Cash Card has been notorious for going offline on a constant basis (can you say, DAILY), especially during afternoons, as well as for having bugs in it like not really having a PIN, and other such banking-related horror stories.

Though I have not personally experienced losing money through my BDO Cash Card, these cautionary tales make a user wonder if the bugs in Smart Money, which had partnered with Banco de Oro, are due to the bank that they partnered with, and not MasterCard or its own system, per se.

But that's one for another story. The point is that, these are the reviews, these are the cautionary tales, and while I (and now you) have been thoroughly warned, I personally like experimenting and won't mind trying out a few transactions using my Smart Money Debit Card. I believe that the system may have matured by now (note that the successful Android Market purchase was made in 2011 yet), and thanks to the Lock/Unlock feature of Smart Money, no one needs to worry about losing funds. And do check the stories in the PDF we've made available for download. One gal who lost her cash actually got it back. Kudos to Smart Communications Inc. for that!

It is worth noting that there was only one very minor "horror story" I've personally experienced so far: the day I claimed my Smart Money MasterCard, the guard at the Smart Communications Inc., center where I claimed it asked me if I was going to make a "cash-in" or "cash-out" transaction. When I said that I was just going to claim my new card, he mused in relief and noted that their facility was offline. Not much different from BDO Cash Card, so I shrugged that off.

If you have been thoroughly scared about the inconsistencies in people's experience with the facility by now, I really do apologize. I aimed to make a very balanced, very honest overview of the payment facility, since I have not yet thoroughly tested mine.

No worries, I aim to reload my card as soon as I can, since I am itching to buy Pumpkins vs. Monsters power-ups because I'm stuck on Levels 15 of both Castle Tomorrow and Halloween stages. I'm thinking of blowing around Php 300 on Purple Lightnings, Ice Grenades and Grave Pumpkins to get ahead. A little insane, but it's taking SERIOUSLY LONG to earn just one ruby to play the Slots with and earn a few of these power-ups. The ultimate I've-Finally-Beaten-Pumpkins-vs.-Monsters review is long overdue, and for the sake of experimentation in two different Android-related transactions, I'm willing to part with a day or two of my living allowance. :p

Also, I've been itching to buy Easy Money, the app, so that I can make that review, soon. Though I hardly need it, as Google Docs suffices for me.

The thing is, I've presented to you the facts, the stories, the reviews. Now, it's up to you to decide how to move forward from here. Will you bite the bullet and start using Smart Money? Or will you hold off and see more people using it?

It's really yours to decide. :)

Before I go, here are links to another Android App payment method: Your Smart LOAD.

Smart Communications Inc. is piling it thick for its users and potential users, as it made an announcement of this payment method just last month. Check out the blog and press release:


For now, the surefire way to pay for your Google Play purchases would be through Google Checkout, using tried and tested debit and credit cards.

Thanks to reader Waterborne for asking the question on what Smart Money is. :)
Android How-To's
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Google Play Has Landed


It was a cloudy, blustery day in March when ominous news reached my Social Media-glazed eyes.

Well, I really don't recall the state of the weather then. And neither was the news totally ominous. I'm really just adding that factoid for drama.

But it was on March 7, 2012 that news broke out that the Android Market would be replaced by Google Play. Philippine Android Community founder, Android app developer and Android evangelist Charo Nuguid, broke the news on the Philippine Android Community, at 2:06 PM.

At 8:18 PM, Geekier Chick sent me the .apk of what was Android Market.

At 3:51 PM on March 8, 2012, Android Pub alerted me about the news.

And as of 7PM yesterday, March 11, 2012, my Cherry Mobile Nova's Firetrap Lollipop stock Android Market changed icons. And then I noticed that it was labeled Google Play store.

Google Play had landed on my phone.

What is the difference between Google Play and the Android Market, save for branding? Content.

Instead of hosting just apps, Google Play will host and store your:
  • Music
  • Movies
  • Books
  • Apps and Games

Not only that, you will be able to sync and store all your purchased content among your Android devices.

So how cool is that? Say goodbye to clunky moving from your PC to your Android and screaming and yelling at your Mac for not accepting your Android. Well, not really. Sync software for the Android and your Mac are readily available, even if Apple is suing the pants off of OEMs and Android in general.

More details on Google Play here:

And if you're into watching video tutorials and intro's:





How about you? Did your Android Market wirelessly (albeit somewhat intrusively) change into Google Play already? Are you liking it? Disliking it? No, it's not Cinderella's coach that will change back into Android Market at midnight.

Me, I'm itching to fill up my Smart Money and start buying books! Not to mention music!

Also, I'm thinking it's a great idea, one that certainly resurrected the old media platform of Google, Google Music. While that one certainly bombed, Google Play, being fully integrated into Android (though it does feel a little in-our-faces), is a better marketing strategy. Since it's all there, lazy consumers like me will be able to get my media fix at my fingertips, almost literally.

If before it was a headache for me to get signed into the iTunes Store (so many prohibitive things like credit cards and location limitations), Google Play promises to give me access to content I had been itching to have.

So again, how about you? How do you feel about Google Play invading our Androids?
Android Industry News
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Guess What Samsung Galaxy Beam Could Do?


Who needs a projector on the fly? I know students do. People who need to present to über-busy clients, in a 5 to 20-minute sliver of time that may be given to them, do so also. Seminars held in a paradise nestled deep into the mountainous boondocks where lugging a 3-lb laptop isn't exactly a happy thought, employees needing to commute from one branch to the other who need to travel light, these are the potential consumers of a portable projector.

With technology moving to pack greater functionality in smaller packages, handy projectors are now available for anyone wanting to snap them up. In fact, one may be able to buy one off of CDR-King. But who'd want one of those things, still clunky by all means, when one can have a projector right on their phones?

Yup. Someone thought about sticking a projector into a Samsung Galaxy. Enter the Samsung Galaxy Beam. One of PC Mag's picks for MWC 2012's 5 Best Phones.

Aside from the projector, here are the specs at a glance:
  • 8GB Internal Storage
  • 768MB RAM
  • 1 GHz CPU Speed, Dual-Core Cortex-A9
  • 5MP Cam, autofocus, LED Flash
Not super-stellar, given that the trend now leans towards Quad-Core, but not shoddy by any means, either. These could possibly qualify as mid-range specs, now that everything is bigger and faster in Android gadget hardware.

But when you think about the fact that you have a projector ready in your pockets, the relatively lower specs may be a good enough concession.

What do you think? Would you snap up one of these babies?

And by the way, this isn't the first time that Samsung gave a shot at creating a projector phone.

In-Depth Reviews Here:

***
Photo Credits: GSM Arena
Android Gadget Overview
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Update: Things Heating Up On The Tech Front, Android Possibly The Hottest


There's just so many exciting things on the Android front, that I don't know where to start. I was starting to apologize for dropping off at our MWC 2012 notes, when I lost the draft.

First time it ever happened, and I blame using too many tabs, 2 windows and Yahoo Messenger on this Windows machine. Makes me want to think about those machines that I heard now come with Android.

But enough of that, here is a bit of a braindump, to get my thoughts on the Android out of the way. Prepare to link-hop:




Seems like we'll be getting more and more functionality on our phones this year and beyond. I won't be surprised if someday we'll have phones that can microwave as well as freeze food. :p

***

With thanks to the Philippine Android Community for some discussion threads that inspired this, namely:




Again, thank you. :)
Editor's Notes
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MWC Update: HTC One Is The Darling Of MWC So Far


So we continue our Android Alliance Ph MWC coverage this week. Last night, as we published the latest update at around 8:30 PM, it was around 1:30 PM in Barcelona, Spain. And around that time, the MWC was in full swing, with Keynote #2: The Connected Consumer.

Here are the highlights of the MWC so far. This may look like an HTC-Centric post, because it is. Apparently, for the past 2 days, HTC became the darling of the MWC, despite Nokia and Windows 8's major moves. Pardon us if the spotlight is on HTC, for today.

HTC, as we've hinted at yesterday, is drumming up the buzz for its new One Series. While Techcrunch is on the money that the "One" branding is definitely confusing, the hardware under the brand isn't something to be trifled with.

We already linked to the things that HTC is planning to do for their phones. In case you didn't have the time to click through the links yesterday, here are the innovative boosts that HTC cameras are getting:
  • ImageSense is what HTC branded the technology that is targeted to rival traditional digital cameras.
  • ImageSense allows image capture to be much quicker, with autofocus clocking in at 0.2 seconds, and image capture at 0.7 seconds. 
  • The continuous shots function will be given a boost: holding down the shutter button will allow the user to take unlimited shots successively.
  • The HDR Algorithm will allow an HTC phone camera to still capture awesome photos, even in adverse lighting conditions. 
  • ImageSense will also be able to gauge the distance of the subject and adjust the LED flash's brightness for optimal image quality.

What is more is that the new HTC One phones will boast of:
  • 1.5 GHz Tegra 3 QUAD CORE for One X
  • 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Dual Core for One S
  • 1GB RAM for both
  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for both
  • HTC Sense 4.0 for both

Just as a guide, HTC's One Series is composed of:
  • HTC One X: the premium HTC One phone. Premium hardware (this is the Quad Core phone) with a 4.7" screen, in a polycarbonate chassis.
  • HTC One S: the mid-range HTC One, this one has an aluminum unibody design.
  • HTC One V: the entry-level HTC One, it comes with a 3.7-inch screen, and is powered by a 1GHz single core processor. Just like the other two HTC One's, it still runs Android and HTC Sense 4.0. As for the camera, it carries an adequate 5.0 MP cam.

With that, there is no doubt that HTC is gearing to edge in on the Samsung-dominated Android device market. Seems like 2012 may bode well for the Taiwanese gadget giant.

Tune in later for more snippets of the MWC!

Btw, in order to give way to the MWC's updates, we're going to publish the post on sustainable/solar-charged smartphones maybe Saturday or next week. See ya in a few!

***
Photo Credits: TNW via tch nws
Android Industry News
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State Of The Android, Q1 2012


The second month of 2012 is ending and you're probably wondering where the Android is headed. These are exciting times, as Apple is still maintaining its dictatorial stance, while the Android is still moving forward, with fast turnarounds for upgrades in the core OS.

Fast upgrades have been the mark of Linux distributions, namely Ubuntu Linux. Seemingly, Android is adopting that as its own upgrade paradigm. Barely has the Ice Cream Sandwich been implemented, that it is now rumored to release the Android 5.0 OS, Jellybean, reportedly in Q2 2012. That's something to look forward to.

In other news, HTC seems to be moving towards making their Androids the ONE-stop device with the HTC One line of Smartphones.

Rebranding the whole lineup to fall under HTC ONE, HTC is working towards great audio, a great camera, on top of a great OS, the Android.

After partnering with Beats Electronics LLC for the Beats-branded line of HTC phones, HTC is now moving to create phone camera technology which will rival or even supplant a point and shoot camera. A wise, strategic move, given that HTC CEO Peter Chou pointed out that next to making calls, one of the most-used functions for the smartphone is as a digital camera. More than that, HTC is looking to add juicier innovations.

Is HTC veering away from the iPhone copycat bandwagon the whole smartphone market seems to be getting onto, just as the guys at TechCrunch are saying? Or are they really just looking to corner the market by finding a way to make their phones stand out, and stand out really well?

Another big development for the Android industry is the rush towards Quad Core. No longer content with Gigahertz-fast DUAL Cores, now, Androids are going to be shipped with QUAD Cores. What's better than killing dem pigs in Angry Birds at lightning-fast speeds, ey?

More than any of these developments, do you guys realize that it's the MWC?

What's that?

It's the Mobile World Congress, the major gathering of mobile service providers and gadget makers. It is the equivalent of CES or WWDC for GSM/Mobile Telphony.

This year's 2012 MWC is held in Barcelona Spain, and will be held in Barcelona up until 2018.

All this mad rush about Android developments are currently going down at the MWC: From HTC's newest innovations, up to the Quad Core craze, and even for Samsung Galaxy SIII's no-show and Windows 8's unveiling. expect that we're going to give you updates and newsbites from the MWC from today up to March 1.

Enjoy the rest of Monday!

***
Photo Credits: Android At MWC
Android Industry News
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Apps Better With A QWERTY Android


I've been an SMS addict since I started using a text-capable GSM phone. And that was back in the year 2000, a good 12 years ago. Today, I haven't changed. In fact, I probably got worse. Like me, I believe that most Filipinos, even with the prime of the Call and Text Unli generation, still prefer SMS. And with the advent of very affordable smartphones like the Android, more messaging and communication applications are available for the everyday user.

While an occasional tweet or Facebook Status Update may not require you to have a physical QWERTY Android, and may, in fact be enjoyable executed on a touch screen phone, a marathon text and chat session may be a pain on a touch screen. That being said, here are apps that I feel are better off used on an Android with a QWERTY keyboard, like the HTC Chacha:



GTalk

Every Android comes with a GTalk client right upon unboxing. All you need to do is to fire it up, using your Google Account username and password.

GTalk for Android is light, simple and utilitarian. You will be able to receive messages even when not actively using the app, just as long as you've logged in and it's running in the background.


Yahoo Messenger

Yahoo Messenger, I find, is rather heavy on the system. While it may work great on a higher-spec Android, it may cause a midrange or circa-2010 Android to run with some lags and snags. If you have 600MHz CPU speed/256MB RAM, forget it. Though, it seems to run just fine on Samsung Galaxy Y, which has 800MHz CPU speed/290MB RAM.

Just to let you know, the bigger pain is that if you want to run YM with Video, you would have to download another plugin, which would eat up more of your ROM.

On the brighter side, though, YM for Android gives the standard, pleasant YM experience that Windows users of Yahoo Messenger enjoy: Font effects, smileys, and even the BUZZ! Feature.


Facebook Messenger/Chat

Aside from the standard Facebook for Android app, Facebook offered Facebook Messenger for Android. It exclusively handles chats and messages for your Facebook account.

Is it handy? If you're that addicted to Facebook and you want to remain online, all the time, yes. If you couldn't wait to get to your desktop to share pics, yes. But if you're not really into the whole being-online-24/7 thing, then you don't really need this, not even if you have a QWERTY phone.

My only reason why I would download, install and keep this would be because the Facebook Messenger app allows you to send pictures as attachments in messages, while the built-in messenger in the Facebook for Android app doesnt: messages are strictly text-only.

Still, if you want to chat for long hours with your friends, best used with a physical QWERTY keyboard.


Trillian

Trillian is one of those inter-account services that allows you to integrate your different instant messaging accounts under one chat client. While apps similar to Trillian abound, like eBuddy, Pidgin, Adium, Meebo and the like, Trillian is possibly the best in this niche, because it integrates across platforms:

  • Windows
  • Mac
  • iPhone
  • Android
  • Blackberry
  • Browser/Web-based Client

Imagine the flexibility of Trillian: you can pause a chat you've been having on your desktop, then take it up again, whichever smartphone you have: whether it's an iPhone, and Android or a Blackberry. And if you find yourself needing to connect to friends, loved ones or clients on the go and you have nothing else but the nearest Internet Cafe, you'll be able to use Trillian from there, too.

And if you have at least three Android batteries and will be stuck waiting for your doctor or waiting in line to facilitate some government documents, Trillian will be handy with an HTC Chacha, HTC Desire Z, Cherry Mobile Candy Chat or some other QWERTY Android. And if you have a Blackberry, that may make your life a little bit better as well.


Viber

This is possibly the only advanced messaging/chatting app that I'll keep on my Cherry Mobile Nova. I find that Viber is very useful, and is better than MMS or even GMail in exchanging photos. While I wouldn't want to keep a Facebook Messenger app on my Android, I'd definitely keep this. Only, it'd be great if I used this on a QWERTY Android. Soon!

I was recently marathon exchanging Viber messages with a couple of friends who went on a trip to Singapore and it was a pain trying to keep up with their messages on my fully touch screen Cherry Mobile Nova, even with the HTC_IME mod keyboard.


These apps will make you wish your Android has a physical keyboard. Though, in all truth, the most enjoyable apps to keep on a fully touchscreen Android were Viber and Trillian.

How about you? Do you have apps that make you wish your Android had a QWERTY keyboard as well?


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Photo Credits: Hubpages User Calvincho: Why QWERTY Keyboard?
Android App Overviews
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What To Do When Riding A Ship?


Summer's approaching and travel may well be on top of Filipinos' and Android Users' minds. One of the things that may be a concern is how to travel. Also, how to keep yourself occupied while you cool your heels during the journey.

Thanks to the many airfare promos that abound for Philippine travelers, taking a ship to a destination is possibly a secondary or even tertiary option for travel transportation. But in case you do find yourself going off on a trip via boat/ship, then here's a four-step guide on what to do:

1. Get yourself an Android with a fairly large storage capacity. Let's talk Samsung Galaxy SII or anything with a ROM size upwards of 8GB. This way, you will be able to store all the apps you can find. If your budget is a little tight, why don't you try Cherry Mobile Magnum 2x? It's an 8GB Dual-Core Android, Roughly Php 10,000 less than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy SII. Sky by Pantech Curitel Phones may also be an option. Hackstern of TipidCP is a seller of some Sky phones from Korea, priced at around Php 10,000 to Php 13,000.

2. Download all the apps you know you need. Do you love games? Or do you prefer watching videos? Reading eBooks? Then download everything you know you may need. List them down and download by categories to be more efficient and organized.

3. Download all the content you need. We suggest grabbing 5 to 10 selections of each genre. This way, you will have enough to choose from and will avoid getting bored.

Do you have books you've wanted to read but sadly have to keep putting off reading? Find it on Amazon's Kindle Store and download the Amazon Kindle app via the Android Market.

Do you love movies? Buy a couple of DVD's or VCD's (please buy original copies), rip them to your computer and then load it onto your Android.

4. Bring some mundane task and do it while on the ship. Remember that ships have no cellular phone signals, so unless you want to make new friends in order to kill time, this is the time to get to that mundane task that you've never had the chance to do.

Try transferring addressbooks from one Smartphone to another, or manually transferring numbers. Try wiping your old phones of data, ready for resale or giving away.

Or how about writing all those journal entries you neglected to write? Or all those blogs, then load them up on your blog when you get to dry land? Now is the time to work on things you've always meant to do.

A ship ride need not be a 19-hour ++ ordeal. Turn it into a fun adventure in catching up on everything you missed, and you'll find yourself at the port of your destination in no time.

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Things to do with your Android
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Users Speak: The Samsung Galaxy SII


Samsung Galaxy SII: 2011's Phone of the Year for the T3 Gadget Awards. We at Android Alliance Ph found Samsung Galaxy SII users and give us their first-hand stories of their experiences with the Samsung Galaxy SII.

So, shall we?

First things first: What went into your decision to purchase your specific Android?        

RaF: It's the best competition to the iPhone the market has to offer.     

Achilles Tan:  I wanted to upgrade my original Android phone: the LG Optimus One, since it was too slow. I began looking for phones with better specs and stumbled upon Samusung Galaxy S2 on gsmarena.com.

What were your considerations?

RaF: Text, Call, Camera

Achilles Tan:  I was first impressed with the Processor speed which is 1.2ghz (Dual Core), and the camera was my second benchmark at 8.0 MP.

Price was a factor, but I wanted the phone (SII) really bad and gave myself reasons to rationalize buying it, though I wouldn't spend more than 30k for it.     
               
What were your options?           

RaF: SGS2, SGS1, iPhone4 (Not a chance that I'll get this), Nokia Something.

Achilles Tan:  It was this or the LG Optimus Black.

Why did you finally choose your specific Android?        

RaF: Friend gave me a good deal.            

Achilles Tan:  I was convinced with its performance and reviews. It was dubbed the iPhone killer and won the phone of the year award. So that stapled my decision to REALLY get this phone.          

What were your first impressions upon unboxing?        

RaF: Gotta love the big screen.

Achilles Tan:  It's so light!             

What did you like best about your Android?     

RaF: Alot of cheap/free apps.

Achilles Tan:  The SG S2 has everything I need in a phone and even more. I could watch videos in 720p!

What did you dislike the most?               

RaF: Short battery life, battery charging takes so long.

Achilles Tan:  Some minor glitches occasional phone reboots, but nothing that turned me off completely.            

Would you recommend this model?     

RaF: Yes

Achilles Tan:  Yes             

Any other thoughts?

RaF: SGS2 kicks Apple's ass anytime!

Achilles Tan:  I am eagerly waiting for ICS update for S2.


There you have it guys, the readers' first-hand review of the Samsung Galaxy SII. We'll have more of these in the coming days!

If you have questions or concerns regarding certain phone units, send them over at talk-to-us@androidalliance.ph.

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"RaF" is a SAP-ABAP It Consultant currently based in Mandaluyong City.

Achilles Tan is an Android enthusiast, an active member of the Philippine Android Community, who works from home in an international IT Company. He is based in Iloilo City.

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Photo Credits: MobileSyrup
Android phones
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