Senin, 31 Mei 2010

10 Free Android Apps to Boost Your Productivity

If you value efficiency and effectiveness, then your Android device should be your best friend. These tech toys are capable of handling all kinds of work and personal tasks, from email and schedules to file management and to-do lists. And all the tools you need are conveniently located right in the Android Market. With so many choices, however, things can get a little complicated.

Here are ten highly rated, absolutely free Android () apps that will help you work smarter, get more accomplished, save time and stay organized.


1. Dropbox ()


Downloads: 50,000-250,000
Rating (): 4 stars

Dropbox is great because it’s not just a mobile app; it allows you to manage files in fully synced folders from desktop and mobile devices. Dropbox’s Android application allows users to access a Dropbox — and any kind of content it contains, including music and movies — from anywhere. Users can also upload files, such as images and links, to their Dropbox account. This video will give you an idea of how it works:

User comments:
“So helpful!”
“This worked perfectly for me.”
“A solid start for a free app.”


2. CamCard Lite


Downloads: 10,000-50,000
Rating: 4 stars

This simple application allows you to snap pictures of business cards and automatically import that information to your virtual Rolodex. CamCard Pro is also available as a paid app for $9.99; both versions of the app support multiple languages – from English to traditional Chinese.

User comments:
“High accuracy, impressive!”
“Did a fair job of getting info off the card.”


3. GDocs


Downloads: 50,000-250,000
Rating: 4 stars

GDocs is a text editing application that allows you to access, view, edit and sync documents stored in a Google Docs () account. It also lets users create, send, import and export documents.

User comments:
“I like being able to make notes and edit documents and sync them back to my Google () account.”
“Basic text works fine.”
“Pretty useful.”


4. Springpad ()


Downloads: 5,000-10,000
Rating: 3.5 stars

Springpad is brand-new to the Android Market (), but has been getting rave reviews from users on other devices. Like Evernote (), this app allows you to save items in a virtual notebook. But it doesn’t just save these items; it also pulls in data from other sites and helps you take action on your lists, not just remember them.

User comments:
“Superb interface.”
“Online sync is nice.”
“Great app, saves notes online and locally, so there’s no wait to view.”


5. SlideScreen


Downloads: 50,000-250,000
Rating: 4 stars

If you struggle with information overload, here’s an app that might help you. SlideScreen turns your Android device’s home screen into a display of your information with a meaningful hierarchy to distinguish signal from noise. The app shows a summary of data from text messages, phone calls, GMail (), your calendar, Google Reader (), stock market data, Twitter () and Facebook (). A pro version is available for $6.99.

User comments:
“Keeps getting better! Google Voice () would be awesome.”
“Made for simple people with good taste in phones.”
“Nice concept and good looks.”


6. Remember The Milk ()


Downloads: 50,000-250,000
Rating: 4.5 stars

This app represents mobile task-management at it finest. Users can add and check off tasks on the go, organize upcoming tasks, get alerted when they are near a task location and sync their mobile actions with a web interface. It’s available with a $25 yearly subscription to the RTM web interface.

User comments:
“It helps me stay on track with what I need to do, and the email service is great.”
“Great, simple UI.”
“Very fast and intuitive.”


7. Astrid Task/To-Do List


Downloads: >250,000
Rating: 4.5 stars

Astrid is more than just a to-do list; its friendly reminders will help you stay focused and productive. It’s location-aware and can sync with Remember the Milk. Best of all, it’s open-source and built specifically with Google technologies in mind.

User comments:
“Really convenient, I absolutely love it!”
“Astrid keeps me out of trouble and on time.”


8. Evernote


Downloads: >250,000
Rating: 4 stars

Half notebook app, half reminder app, Evernote lets you save your ideas, inspirations and favorite things to the cloud for future access. It’s basically a virtual substitute for a good memory. You can record text, images or audio.

User comments:
“Ideal for taking snapshots of documents.”
“Almost perfect, just needs offline support.”


9. Voice Recorder


Downloads: >250,000
Rating: 4 stars

Here’s a simple, useful application for taking notes on the go, capturing ideas, remembering songs or recording interviews. The audio recordings are timed, and files are sent as attachments to your Gmail account. You can search for recordings by title or date, and you can set your recordings as ringtones.

User comments:
“Words like a charm.”
“Good sound quality.”
“Helpful for class instead of taking notes.”


10. Jorte


Downloads: 50,000-250,000
Rating: 4.5 stars

Jorte is a personal organizer app that was designed to be both attractive and practical. It’s a scheduler and to-do application that syncs with Google Calendar (). Its three home screen widgets allow you to quickly view a monthy or weekly calendar or a to-do list.

User comments:
“Very good calendar app.”
“Very user-friendly and good customization.”


Source : Mashable Jolie O'Dell

Sabtu, 29 Mei 2010

Negroponte: One Laptop Per Child is now a $75 Android Tablet

The former head of MIT's Media Lab said the next OLPC device, the XO-3, would be a 9-inch tablet made by Marvell and running Google's Android OS.


The first OLPC was an underpowered, 'designed-by-committee' laptop that cost at least double of what it was supposed to. Most importantly, didn't adapt to the needs of the children who used it. For instance, it didn't have a method for non-Latin characters to be input. It was also made of plastic and had moving parts that would often break in rugged environments.

At CES in January this year, that will change, according to Nicolas Negroponte.

The new OLPC devices will take the lead from Apple's iPad but use Google's (GOOG) Android OS, at least initially. The keyboard will be virtual and be able to adapt to different languages.

XO-3 will also have some specs that might appeal to a broader audience (myself included). Quoting the WSJ (subscription req):

The new tablets will have at least one, and maybe two, video cameras. They'll sport Wi-Fi connections to the Internet, multi-touch screens and have enough power to play high-definition and 3-D video. Unlike Apple Inc.'s iPad tablet, the device will also work with plug-in peripherals such as mice and keyboards.

[I'm aware that iPhone's Touch OS doesn't need a mouse (and one's been hacked, anyway) and Apple supplies both keyboard docks and Bluetooth Keyboards as well]

Negroponte said the new tablets will not use Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows 7 because the software requires too much memory and computing power. That's been a common theme lately and might be a reason that HP (HP) picked up Palm.

Going tablet might be something he picked up from Apple (AAPL). Negroponte got advice from Apple's CEO Steve Jobs on the eve first OLPC launch:

"I got an email from Steve Jobs (the night the laptop was revealed) he said you can't build it for a hundred dollars, and my answer was oh yes I can," Negroponte said as part of a lecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Thursday night.

"He was actually a very good critic, and each time we got to a point, I did talk to him," Negroponte added. Negroponte also mentioned his displeasure with Microsoft, both in terms of Windows 7 performance, and Microsoft's attempts to thwart the OLPC initiative.

The device will be based on Marvell's Moby platform and will initially cost $99 for the hardware, but that price is expected to drop to $75 by 2011. What does the Moby platform buy you? According to Marvell, Moby is:

Powered by high-performance, highly scalable, and low-power Marvell® ARMADA™ 600 series of application processors, the Moby tablet features gigahertz-class processor speed, 1080p full-HD encode and decode, intelligent power management, power-efficient Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM/GPS connectivity, high performance 3D graphics capability and support for multiple software standards including full Adobe Flash, Android™ and Windows Mobile. The ultra low power Moby tablet is designed for long-battery life.

XO-3 will come loaded with an application able to access two million free books available on the Internet, cutting down on the high costs of textbooks in the developing world.

Image Credit: OLPC

I want one.

Source : Fortune Tech

Selasa, 25 Mei 2010

Jogja Android dan Mobile Technology Share

Well baru sekarang bisa nulis tentang acara ini, padahal dah tgl 22 mei 2010 kemarin acaranya selesai, thanks temen-temen panitia Amikom Yogyakarta, Yode, Ruslan, Wahyu, Abimanyu, juga sluruh temen-temen panitia smua. Juga buat pak Emha, smoga kita smua bisa sama-sama mendapatkan manfaat di acara ini.

Buat semua sponsor, XL, P Samuel Icon +, Penerbit Andi, juga yang lain, terimakasih banyak. thanks juga buat temen TDA Semarang yang bisa hadir, Mas Fori, Om Joko, Mr Fiqy, jg om gondrong :) .... dan satu lagi thanks for mas eko, om digiholic dari khastemanggung , Galang, juga Om Witono .. thanks bro

Satu lagi terimakasih buat sluruh peserta, yang kalo mnurut panitia sampe pendaftaran ditutup masih banyak yang mau daftar, tapi karena kapasitas ruangan hanya sekitar 250 orang, ya akhirnya tidak seluruhnya bisa ikutan.

Alhamdulillah, ... acara berjalan lancar, sesi pertama di isi sama om wing beliau bercerita ttg Android for User, mnarik karena om wing juga jago nglucu ... buat yang belum mngerti tentang Android sama sekali, maka di sesi ini langsung ngeh apa itu android.

Setelah istirahat dilanjutkan, produk priview dari XL, tentang produk XL Internet, baru deh kmudian waktunya beraksi, langsung deh bagi-bagi buku , sesuai niat : banyak memberi, banyak rizki .. he he, kemudian baru masuk materi tentang mobile Ecosystem dan dilanjutkan ke priview Android di seputar peluang sebagai App Developer. Kemudian acara diakhiri dengan pendeklarasian secara simbolik komunitas Jogjadroid, karena waktu dah habis dan dah maghrib, ... Alhamdulillah, smoga bermanfaat.

Ayo sapa yg mau buku ...




Senin, 24 Mei 2010

Samsung I9000 Galaxy S Hadir dengan 512MB RAM

VIVAnews - Samsung I9000 Galaxy S akan diluncurkan ke pasar beberapa hari lagi. Namun, kapasitas RAM yang kecil sempat menuai protes dari kalangan pengguna.

Awalnya, Samsung memang tidak menyebutkan berapa kapasitas RAM yang dimiliki ponsel layar sentuh super AMOLED yang menyebabkan layarnya bergambar tajam dan detail. Isu yang beredar adalah antara 256 MB dan 512 MB.

Namun, menurut review http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9000_galaxy_s-review-478.php yang dilakukan GSM Arena, seperti dilansir VIVAnews dari lamannya, Selasa 25 Mei 2010, informasi sistem pada I9000 Galaxy S menunjukkan bahwa ia dilengkapi dengan memori RAM yang relatif kecil, yakni 256 MB.

Setelah dikroscek kembali ke produsen asal Korea Selatan itu, yakni dengan me-review unit Galaxy S edisi pre-release, Samsung memastikan bahwa I9000 Galaxy S yang siap dilempar ke pasar akan hadir dengan kapasitas RAM 512 RAM.

Selain RAM 512MB, ponsel berdimensi 12,4 x 6,4 x 0,9 cm dengan bobot 118 gram ini juga segera muncul dengan OS Android 2.1 alias Eclair. Untuk CPU, Samsung membenamkan prosesor ARM Cortex A8 bertenaga 1GHz.

Selebihnya, terdapat kamera 5MP beresolusi 2592 x 1944 piksel dengan fitur autofocus, geo-tagging, touch focus, pendeteksi wajah dan senyum, yang dilengkapi pula dengan fungsi perekam video.

Di sisi konektivitas, Galaxy S menyuguhkan akses data 3G HSDPA 7,2 Mbps / HSUPA 5,76 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 A2DP, dan micro USB 2.0. Kabarnya, produk itu akan dilepas pada harga 600 euro atau setara Rp 6,8 juta. (art)

Sabtu, 22 Mei 2010

Ini Dia "Upgrade" Penting Android 2.2 Froyo


MOUNTAIN VIEW, KOMPAS.com — Android 2.2 atau disebut dengan nama kode Froyo (kependekan dari kata frozen yoghurt) akhirnya dirilis. Versi terbaru dari platform smartphone berbasis open source tersebut mulai tersedia bagi para pengembang sejak Kamis (20/5/2010), begitu diumumkan dalam Google I/O di San Francisco, AS, ajang pertemuan tahunan para pengembang aplikasi Google.

Froyo merupakan Android versi ketujuh yang sudah dirilis Google sejak pertama kali memperkenalkan platform ini pada September 2008. Dibandingkan pendahulunya, Android 2.2 menawarkan perubahan atau upgrade yang cukup besar. Xavier Ducrohet, Android SDK Tech Lead, dalam blog Android Developers menyatakan, paling tidak lima perubahan besar ditawarkan Froyo.

Pertama, peningkatan kinerja dan kecepatan. Kompiler Dalvik JIT terbaru yang ada di Android 2.2 menghasilkan peningkatan kinerja antara 2-5 kali dibandingkan Android 2.1.

Kedua, tambahan fitur bisnis. Google telah menambahkan kemampuan Exchange seperti account auto-discovery dan calendar sync. Kebijakan manajemen API kini juga memperbolehkan pengembang untuk membuat aplikasi yang bisa mengontrol fitur security, seperti remote wipe, minimum password, dan lockscreen time out.

Browser lebih kencang. Di Android 2.2 telah dilengkapi mesin JavasCript V8 yang bisa menghasilkan kinerja Java Script antara 2-3 kali lebih cepat daripada Android 2.1.

Paket API dan layanan baru. API baru untuk back up data memungkinkan data dari aplikasi tertentu untuk disimpan dan dipakai kembali jika pengguna melakukan instalasi ulang atau mereset aplikasi. Aplikasi dapat memanfaatkan Android Cloud to Device Mesagging untuk membuat mobile alert, kirim data ke ponsel, dan sinkronisasi dua devise. Pengembang kini juga bisa memilih untuk meletakkan aplikasi di memori internal atau SD card.

Tambahan di Android Market. Saat ini Android Market dilengkapi Android Application Error Reports untuk mengumpulkan laporan dari pengguna kalau ada aplikasi yang tidak bekerja atau bermasalah.

Selain lima peningkatan tersebut, Froyo juga mendukung fitur baru, misalnya, mendukung penuh Flash di-browser dan bisa menjadikan smartphone sebagai router WiFi. Fitur-fitur tersebut membuat smartphone berbasis Android bakal lebih interaktif dan berfungsi penuh.

Kamis, 20 Mei 2010

HTC EVO: Hands-On with the First 4G Phone



The HTC EVO 4G will be the first phone in the U.S. to take advantage of Sprint’s 4G cellular network, up to 10 times faster than current 3G speeds. The Android handset will also be one of the most powerful “superphones” to hit the U.S. market when it launches on June 4. We had a chance to go hands-on with the device and get a demo of the phone’s hardware and software, which includes the HTC Sense user experience on top of the typical Android UI.

Google (), Qik and other application developers have stepped in to develop versions of their apps customized for the HTC EVO 4G experience, including a YouTube () client that will auto-detect your connection speed and serve up content in high-definition when on a 4G or fast 3G connection. The Qik application takes advantage of the phone’s two cameras — one 8-megapixel and one front-facing 1.3-megapixel — to provide on-the-go videoconferencing support.

Sprint told us the HTC EVO 4G so far has garnered “the highest interest of any device we’ve ever announced,” and there are plenty of reasons why. Beyond the promised 10-fold speed boost from 4G, which Sprint will be the first to market in the U.S., the device can also act as a mobile hotspot, connecting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Internet (). Add to that the overall hardware specs of the device, which render it a more powerful workhorse than even the Nexus One, and it’s no surprise that the HTC EVO 4G is one of the most hotly anticipated phones launching this summer.

The phone will be available June 4 at retail partners Best Buy, RadioShack, and Wal-Mart as well as at Sprint.com for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 rebate (pro tip: picking up the phone at Best Buy Mobile nets you the rebate price on the spot). Everything Data plans start at $69.99 per month, and the HTC EVO 4G will also carry a $10 per month Premium Data requirement. Use as a mobile hotspot is an optional extra at $29.99 per month — although at half the cost of the typical mobile broadband plan for devices like the MiFi or 3G broadband card, the portable hotspot cost is actually a good deal.

Check out the video demo below and let us know what you think. We’ve included some still photos after the video as well. If you’re in the market for a new phone in the near future, does the HTC EVO 4G make the list of potential purchases?














Size comparison with the iPhone 3G and the Nexus One



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Source : Mashable