Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Android Game Review - Go! Go! Rescue Squad!
My intention is to bring to your attention the best games (and apps) in my opinion worthy. My review is relatively brief and down to the point.
This was one of the first game I purchased. As I said before, any game that is ported over from iPhone to Android is good.
With this game you have puzzles to solve in the form of controlling fire fighters helping people get outside of a building. You do this by carrying them on your shoulders and throwing them over obstacles towards exits or other fire fighters to catch them. You'll enjoy watching the people 'fly' everywhere.
I'm not the type of person to figure things out - this game was a bit hard for me starting from around the fifth level.
I find the graphics amusing, and fun.
You WILL have to use some brain here, especially since you have to get fire fighters to work 'together' to solve the puzzle.
In my opinion - worthy for puzzle lovers.
With this game you have puzzles to solve in the form of controlling fire fighters helping people get outside of a building. You do this by carrying them on your shoulders and throwing them over obstacles towards exits or other fire fighters to catch them. You'll enjoy watching the people 'fly' everywhere.
I'm not the type of person to figure things out - this game was a bit hard for me starting from around the fifth level.
I find the graphics amusing, and fun.
You WILL have to use some brain here, especially since you have to get fire fighters to work 'together' to solve the puzzle.
In my opinion - worthy for puzzle lovers.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Android or iPhone... Part 3 - multitasking and alike
Although there is not much to detail on this, it IS a major issue.
Apple allows for its bundled applications to multi task but not third party. Possibly due to some control Apple wants to retain over the device. It is hard to understand why. Without that ability you are really limited in running one application at a time. Assuming you are familiar with Pandora, I can use that as an excellent example. If you plan on listening to music you are stuck watching the screen and that is it. Multi tasking IS possible on the iPhone if you jail break the device. Jail breaking gives you additional benefits. However, this voids any warranty you may have.
Unlike iPhone, Android gives you the ability to multi task out of the box. Google won't restrict developers to run their apps in the background.
Next - root and jailbreak. benefiting both Android and iPhone.
btw - the picture is just for fun...
Monday, March 15, 2010
Android G1 for Dummies
Hhmmm...
Just stumbled upon this.
If you're new to the Internet (doubt it), you might find this useful. Otherwise, why even bother when you can find all guides and answers online.
This was kind of a waste of a post, buy hey - someone might find this handy...
Just stumbled upon this.If you're new to the Internet (doubt it), you might find this useful. Otherwise, why even bother when you can find all guides and answers online.
This was kind of a waste of a post, buy hey - someone might find this handy...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Android App Review - Recordroid
My intention is to bring to your attention the best games (and apps) in my opinion worthy. My review is relatively brief and down to the point.
One of the first things you might want to use your mobile device as, is a voice recorder. Hence, why carry two devices if you can avoid. Perform a search in the Market and find way too many recording apps. Although there maybe better recording apps than this one (as I have not tried them all), this one appeals to me mostly for its graphics making it enjoyable to use. The developer claims his app is the top rated one in its category.
This app lets you tag recordings, email them, and few other useful features. The Lite version is limited in recording length. Although this version can be found in the market, you won't see the full app there (as of this posting date) due to current restriction (developer is out of the states). The full app can be found via other Markets (email me if you need more detail on how to get it).
In my opinion - worthy. Actually, in my opinion will be worthy when full version is available in the market. As the Market notifies me of any available updates, I wish not to 'manually' fetch and check for updates.
One of the first things you might want to use your mobile device as, is a voice recorder. Hence, why carry two devices if you can avoid. Perform a search in the Market and find way too many recording apps. Although there maybe better recording apps than this one (as I have not tried them all), this one appeals to me mostly for its graphics making it enjoyable to use. The developer claims his app is the top rated one in its category.This app lets you tag recordings, email them, and few other useful features. The Lite version is limited in recording length. Although this version can be found in the market, you won't see the full app there (as of this posting date) due to current restriction (developer is out of the states). The full app can be found via other Markets (email me if you need more detail on how to get it).
In my opinion - worthy. Actually, in my opinion will be worthy when full version is available in the market. As the Market notifies me of any available updates, I wish not to 'manually' fetch and check for updates.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Android or iPhone... Part 2 - is it gaming you are after?
I know the first thing the iPhone grabbed my attention to is games. that is why I chose part 2 to cover that.
What I like about Apple is that they DO put careful attention to detail and release a product when it is to the most part ready - am i wrong? I have no idea. What they made sure is to release their device from its first generation powerful enough to accommodate 'heavy' type of games, mostly 3D. Being the first of its kind, it currently dominates the market. Whether you knew it or not, gaming was not Google's initial priority and will probably never be although just released (not directly by Google but sold through Google) the Nexus One which somewhat compares to the iPhone in term of power. However, their intention was to raise the bar amongst phone manufacturers on quality and affordable mobile devices running Android and thus pushing developers to port over games. Google is all about targeted advertisement. More gamers you have (or any other type of user) = more ad volume is out there = more money Google makes... I personally don't care nor mind as long as I get quality service. If ads are coming towards my way, at least they will be of an interesting nature to me.
The advantage iPhone currently has with gaming is that it controls the market since it was the first quality device offering true capabality of a mobile gaming console surpassing what was available at the time of its incarnation.
Android is starting to show signs it is maturing toward that direction since better devices are emerging. In the war with Apple specifically, Google is even giving away phones to developers encouraging them to pay more attention to the platform. However, there is still time until we see a good variety of good quality games. One major factor causing this delay is the limited storage capacity currently an Android device offers. A good game can take up to 20mb or even 200mb. Android phone capacity will increase eventually, and until then there are work arounds to install applications onto your memory card. However, developers won't develop serious games until Android supports installation of large files at its out-of-the-box state.
.jpg)
One of Android advantages is that it can run on almost any kind of device. One manufacturer is currently developing an Android based device completely dedicated to gaming (see image). This definitely means Android will get there at some point.
Here are some videos of good iPhone games.
To summarize - in my opinion great quality games WILL be available on the Android, but probably not as soon as 6-12 months from the date of this posting. If you must have a device NOW, go with an iPhone and after your contract is up in two years Android will be ready for you.
Next - multitasking and alike.
What I like about Apple is that they DO put careful attention to detail and release a product when it is to the most part ready - am i wrong? I have no idea. What they made sure is to release their device from its first generation powerful enough to accommodate 'heavy' type of games, mostly 3D. Being the first of its kind, it currently dominates the market. Whether you knew it or not, gaming was not Google's initial priority and will probably never be although just released (not directly by Google but sold through Google) the Nexus One which somewhat compares to the iPhone in term of power. However, their intention was to raise the bar amongst phone manufacturers on quality and affordable mobile devices running Android and thus pushing developers to port over games. Google is all about targeted advertisement. More gamers you have (or any other type of user) = more ad volume is out there = more money Google makes... I personally don't care nor mind as long as I get quality service. If ads are coming towards my way, at least they will be of an interesting nature to me.
The advantage iPhone currently has with gaming is that it controls the market since it was the first quality device offering true capabality of a mobile gaming console surpassing what was available at the time of its incarnation.
Android is starting to show signs it is maturing toward that direction since better devices are emerging. In the war with Apple specifically, Google is even giving away phones to developers encouraging them to pay more attention to the platform. However, there is still time until we see a good variety of good quality games. One major factor causing this delay is the limited storage capacity currently an Android device offers. A good game can take up to 20mb or even 200mb. Android phone capacity will increase eventually, and until then there are work arounds to install applications onto your memory card. However, developers won't develop serious games until Android supports installation of large files at its out-of-the-box state.
.jpg)
One of Android advantages is that it can run on almost any kind of device. One manufacturer is currently developing an Android based device completely dedicated to gaming (see image). This definitely means Android will get there at some point.Watch the next video for some of the currently good games available for Android.
Here are some videos of good iPhone games.
To summarize - in my opinion great quality games WILL be available on the Android, but probably not as soon as 6-12 months from the date of this posting. If you must have a device NOW, go with an iPhone and after your contract is up in two years Android will be ready for you.
Next - multitasking and alike.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Android Game Review - Pokanoid
My intention is to bring to your attention the best games (and apps) in my opinion worthy. My review is relatively brief and down to the point.
This game is one of the few games that can be easily overlooked, like other games I intend to bring your attention to.
Some people got the impression this game has something to do with Pokemon, which it is not.
This game is a mix between Arkanoid and Poker. First hit at a card with the ball will reveal its value and a second hit will drop it. You have the option to 'collect' it, and add it to your hand, poker hand of a pair, two pairs, etc... This is how you score plus some bonuses. For the moment I tried only the Lite version, but will make a purchase as the Lite version lets you play with only one deck, meaning limited number of cards.
One problem I encountered was that when a call came in, the game paused, but its background music kept on going.
In my opinion - worthy if you're into Arkanoid kind of games.
This game is one of the few games that can be easily overlooked, like other games I intend to bring your attention to.Some people got the impression this game has something to do with Pokemon, which it is not.
This game is a mix between Arkanoid and Poker. First hit at a card with the ball will reveal its value and a second hit will drop it. You have the option to 'collect' it, and add it to your hand, poker hand of a pair, two pairs, etc... This is how you score plus some bonuses. For the moment I tried only the Lite version, but will make a purchase as the Lite version lets you play with only one deck, meaning limited number of cards.
One problem I encountered was that when a call came in, the game paused, but its background music kept on going.
In my opinion - worthy if you're into Arkanoid kind of games.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Skinput – your body as a Touch Interface?
In my last post I started to discuss Android and iPhone. I mentioned that you will be able to utilize the mobile device as you do now with your desktop computer. an example was using a keyboard connected to the device, as well as glasses used as your mobile screen. This one can (possibly) be included as part of the advancement in technology.
In the link I’m providing at the bottom you’ll find a more detailed article on a device that projects elements on your arm that you control your device with, basically eliminating the need for interacting with the device while holding it. Probably useful dialing on a project pad, while keeping your phone in your pocket. Whether this will pick-up and become something, no one knows.
What do you think?
Link
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Android or iPhone... Part 1
Although possibly not 100% accurate nor technically correct, this article will provide you at least some basic information assisting you as a consumer prepared to make his next purchase for the following couple of years (or how long your contract may be with a carrier) unless you purchase a device at full retail price that won't bind you into a contract.When I was shopping around for a smart phone about couple of years ago, I researched and compared between devices. This were mainly the Android and iPhone. To be honest, I was about to switch to an iPhone (from a blackberry), when Android was introduced to the world. Spending some time researching I figured it was worth it to wait and purchase an Android device, at the time, the G1, which I still own. Although I always crave to get a hold of an iPhone to truly see what I may have missed in a device, I'm well comfortable with the choice I made, hopefully assisting you here to make YOUR comfortable choice, whether it is an Android or iPhone.
I intend on keeping each post brief, and thus will divide this article into several parts.
The first question should probably be what are you looking for in a mobile device?
It seems as the mobile device and computers are merging into one and will eventually meet. Your mobile device WILL be your computer. Although not perfected yet, technology improves in a rapid pace and will eventually allow you to utilize your mobile device as you were using a desktop computer. This can be seen now with phones that project images on walls, keyboard connected to the device, glasses will be your enhanced mobile screen, etc... Currently an advanced smart phone gives you the capability to cloud a lot of your information stored on your phone. In a more simple way to explain - any contact, image, email you produce on your phone syncs with an online server. More on that later. Specifically a mobile phone is no longer a device to only make phone calls, although I'm sure you already knew that. What you may not know is that the most advanced phones to date (March '10) are faster and more capable than the desktop computer back several years ago. If you want a device that will simply make phone calls for you and no more, don't even trouble yourself with either an Android or iPhone - save the money and get a free 'simple' device. Those people are still out there, either not realizing the potential of such device, or don't need the bother.
To summarize:
If you do email, chat, tweet, play games, all in one device, a smart phone would probably fit your needs.
If you just pick the thing up to answer calls and have hard time finding the green 'call' button....
Next - is it gaming you are after?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Android Game Review - DOT™
My intention is to bring to your attention the best games (and apps) in my opinion worthy. My review is relatively brief and down to the point.
The idea behind DOT™ is to survive as long as possible as a dot avoiding red triangles that deflate you. This is only one problem you are facing. Using the accelerometer you control the movements of the dot which keeps shrinking in size until you disappear. In order to maintain yourself you 'hunt' blue circles that inflate you for a short period of time. The more you 'eat', the bigger you get. Although the idea behind this survival game sounds easy, and the graphics are simple, this is no easy task.
The simplicity of this game and graphics is what attracted me to it. I was never able to last longer than 60 seconds - pathetic maybe. Beating your own time is what will keep you playing, or drive you nuts.
In my opinion - worthy.
The idea behind DOT™ is to survive as long as possible as a dot avoiding red triangles that deflate you. This is only one problem you are facing. Using the accelerometer you control the movements of the dot which keeps shrinking in size until you disappear. In order to maintain yourself you 'hunt' blue circles that inflate you for a short period of time. The more you 'eat', the bigger you get. Although the idea behind this survival game sounds easy, and the graphics are simple, this is no easy task.The simplicity of this game and graphics is what attracted me to it. I was never able to last longer than 60 seconds - pathetic maybe. Beating your own time is what will keep you playing, or drive you nuts.
In my opinion - worthy.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A begining
It took me time to make the decision and start a blog on SOMETHING with mixed emotions.
On one hand I felt I had great deal to share with mostly beginners like myself (or at least considered myslef as one until recently), while on the other hand I felt like I was craving some attention which I don't like (my wife reminds me this is the case most of the time).
With the improving trend of mobile devices closing the gap between them and computers, I figured I did have something to contribute to 'society'. Going through daily discussions (on-line, at work, or other) I found I had good amount of information worth sharing and contribute to friends' decisions, mostly influencing their purchasing choice of a new cell phone. I came to know Android operating system almost immediately after its launch with the G1, purchased shortly after its debut. It is facinating to read of the bloggers and other influential people canceling Android from the start. Sorry I didn't keep records of such articles - who knew I would want to start this blog...
Just to make it clear, not that it matters, I'm not taking sides with Android 'against' other mobile operating systems (well... maybe Windows Mobile... just a bit). Before knowing Android, all I wanted was the iPhone, iphone, and more iPhone. As a matter of a fact, I recommended the iPhone to some friends who could have not been happier. I recommended it to them as I knew the device would match their style and approach.
If you came upon this blog I assume you were searching of some resources on Android. When I was noob I found some good places to prosper (ha - fancy word) with feedback of some good people, but as my knowledge grew wider, it was somewhat harder to find the right answers nor directions on where to find the answers. It is not uncommon these days to stumble upon a common response to any quarry you post for assistance in any subject that basically tells you to go and google that first before posting a question or 'go fetch'. Although true and understandable, as no one wants to be bothered with the same question over and over while knowing the answer is out there. If you found the site to post the question you should be able to at least try and look for an answer.
True... True...
However, If I take myself as an example, a married guy with kids... I really don't have that much time to sift through sometimes 1000 posts on specific subject to find out what I need. Can get frustrating. So here is another reason why I decided to start this blog - helping you who reads it now.
My task is to collect information I find on-line and concentrating here either as link or an actual post. Currently I own a G1 and my overall hardware knowledge currently revolves around that device. I will post a lot of bits and pieces on applications, games, rooting, etc...
WOW - I didn't think nor realized I'm capable of writing so much in one sitting - just imagine how much time I just spent perfecting this post especially with the bit of OCD I cope with...
Posting hopefully once a day - takes me a while to compose an almost perfect article, being as immaculate as I can get with English as a second language, but now also my main used language.
May this blog be your first step towards greater knowledge, just don't forget to come back from time to time, unless you subscribe. Still learning this Blogger thing to ease on the task of subscribing.
On one hand I felt I had great deal to share with mostly beginners like myself (or at least considered myslef as one until recently), while on the other hand I felt like I was craving some attention which I don't like (my wife reminds me this is the case most of the time).
With the improving trend of mobile devices closing the gap between them and computers, I figured I did have something to contribute to 'society'. Going through daily discussions (on-line, at work, or other) I found I had good amount of information worth sharing and contribute to friends' decisions, mostly influencing their purchasing choice of a new cell phone. I came to know Android operating system almost immediately after its launch with the G1, purchased shortly after its debut. It is facinating to read of the bloggers and other influential people canceling Android from the start. Sorry I didn't keep records of such articles - who knew I would want to start this blog...
Just to make it clear, not that it matters, I'm not taking sides with Android 'against' other mobile operating systems (well... maybe Windows Mobile... just a bit). Before knowing Android, all I wanted was the iPhone, iphone, and more iPhone. As a matter of a fact, I recommended the iPhone to some friends who could have not been happier. I recommended it to them as I knew the device would match their style and approach.
If you came upon this blog I assume you were searching of some resources on Android. When I was noob I found some good places to prosper (ha - fancy word) with feedback of some good people, but as my knowledge grew wider, it was somewhat harder to find the right answers nor directions on where to find the answers. It is not uncommon these days to stumble upon a common response to any quarry you post for assistance in any subject that basically tells you to go and google that first before posting a question or 'go fetch'. Although true and understandable, as no one wants to be bothered with the same question over and over while knowing the answer is out there. If you found the site to post the question you should be able to at least try and look for an answer.
True... True...
However, If I take myself as an example, a married guy with kids... I really don't have that much time to sift through sometimes 1000 posts on specific subject to find out what I need. Can get frustrating. So here is another reason why I decided to start this blog - helping you who reads it now.
My task is to collect information I find on-line and concentrating here either as link or an actual post. Currently I own a G1 and my overall hardware knowledge currently revolves around that device. I will post a lot of bits and pieces on applications, games, rooting, etc...
WOW - I didn't think nor realized I'm capable of writing so much in one sitting - just imagine how much time I just spent perfecting this post especially with the bit of OCD I cope with...
Posting hopefully once a day - takes me a while to compose an almost perfect article, being as immaculate as I can get with English as a second language, but now also my main used language.
May this blog be your first step towards greater knowledge, just don't forget to come back from time to time, unless you subscribe. Still learning this Blogger thing to ease on the task of subscribing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
