Appys: Flipboard named best in show at first awards

Flipboard, the media app, has been named best in show at the first Appys – an awards ceremony organisers hope to make an annual fixture.

The MediaPost event in San Francisco honoured the best in downloadable software for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.

One of the organisers, Sergei Kogut, said the Appys were a chance for small, independent developers to shine.

“All it takes is creativity and a good idea,” he told the BBC World Service.

“The beauty of this new, emerging medium of small applications is that anyone, really, can create one.”
‘Experiencing life better’

Designed for use on the iPad, Flipboard allows users to pick the websites they want to create a personalised magazine.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

It gets you your current location and it gives you options like find cool stuff nearby, make plans and explore a new location”

End Quote Ross Fadner Appys organiser

Mr Kogut explained that part of the reason for its success was that it was “not just for news but also news from your friends and your contacts”.

Another winning app was Goby, in the mapping and location-based category.

As fellow Appys organiser Ross Fadner explained: “Its goal is to help users create their own adventure.

“It gets you your current location and it gives you options like finding cool stuff nearby, making plans and exploring a new location.”

Concept, design, user interface and user experience were among the criteria used by the judges, he told the BBC, but most important of all was the innovation factor.

“Innovation factor means how well did the app leverage the device and its functionality,” Mr Fadner said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12611604

DirecTV previews its iPad remote app: no streaming, but very customizable

By Richard Lawler posted Feb 23rd 2011 7:09PM

iPad remote apps are the new Netflix streaming — any DVR worth its salt has to have one and DirecTV isn’t going to let Comcast, FiOS, Dish and TiVo lord over it anymore. It’s launched a preview page for a new remote app “coming soon” that looks like it could challenge for the title with plenty of customizable options and ability to display information from multiple sources at once. The home screen, pictured above can tell you about what you’re watching, what’s on your favorite channels and keep tabs on current sports scores all at once. All the usual remote control stuff comes natural, as well as local or remote DVR management just like its mobile app. We’ll wait until it comes out to pass judgement but clearly the company has been watching the competition and seeing where it can improve. Now, where’s that DirecTiVo?

iPAD Apps

Did you just get an iPad but are not sure what apps are the best to start out with? With nearly 70,000 (as of this writing) iPad apps to choose from it’s hard to know which ones are essential as a new iPad owner. Here is a guide you can use to help you pick some of the best apps for your new iPad. We even broke this down into various categories of users to make it even easier. Enjoy and feel free to share this out via twitter (the little twitter button works great) so others might benefit.
Essential Apps For The New iPad Owner (Part 1)

There you are staring at your new iPad. It’s thin. It’s shiny. It’s naked. There are no apps on it and you gaze at the app store in a fog because you don’t know which ones are the best to start off with. Since there is money to be spent here, you want to make the right choices. That’s where we come in. Here are some essential apps, you, the new iPad user can enjoy with just the tap of a finger. This is part 1 of a 3 part series. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week.
Essential Apps For The New iPad Owner (Business Edition)

If you are going to primarily use your iPad for business then this is the list for you. If you will be using it for both business and personal (90% of you) then there is another list down below called “Essential Apps For The General User”.

1. Evernote

Turns your iPad into an extension of your brain helping you remember anything and everything. Syncs with Evernote online and your Mac/PC.

Evernote – Evernote

2. Splashtop Remote Desktop ($4.99)

Bring your entire computer right to your iPad with full video and audio support. Support Windows and Mac.

Splashtop Remote Desktop for iPad – Splashtop Inc.

3. Save2PDF ($6.99)

Create professional, great looking PDFs simply and easily right on your iPad without having to go near a computer.

Save2PDF for iPad – EuroSmartz Ltd

4. Documents To Go Premium ($14.99)

Essential if you will be editing and working with MS documents, Google docs, Pages, etc.

Documents To Go® Premium – Office Suite – DataViz, Inc.

5. GoodReader ($2.99)

One of the best PDF Readers you can get. It does everything PDF-related besides create them.

GoodReader for iPad – Good.iWare Ltd.

6. Dropbox (Free)

Pretty much an essential if you will be storing files offline and using cloud storage services. Also, there over 50 apps which work with Dropbox.

Dropbox – Dropbox

7. Print n’ Share ($8.99)

One of the best iPad printing apps that works with AirPrint and allows you to print to non-AirPrint devices as well

Print n Share for advanced printing – EuroSmartz Ltd

8. Agendas ($9.99)

One of the best ways to create beautiful agendas for meetings or training. Plus, you can broadcast them to other iPads.

Agendas – Brian Stucki

9. 2Screens Presentation Expert ($4.99)

An incredible app that helps you not only present your keynote presentations but it also has a handy app that turns your iPhone into a remote.

2Screens – Presentation Expert – Edwin Lam

10. Capturenotes ($4.99)

Perfect tool for capturing notes both written and audio and in fact you can capture audio while writing notes!

CaptureNotes – G8R Software LLC

11. Pages ($9.99)

If you are going to get a word processor then start with Pages. It creates great looking documents and has some stunning templates.

Pages – Apple®
Essential Apps For The New iPad Owner (Multi-Purpose)

So maybe you just want to use your new iPad for general use and you don’t what apps are good to start with. Here are some essential apps for the new iPad owner that will be using it mainly for general purpose use.

1. CNN (Free)

If you are going to get a great news app, then start with this one. It’s done extremely well and offers up a visually stunning way to read the news.

CNN App for iPad – CNN Interactive Group, Inc.

2. Angry Birds ($4.99)

You would be remiss to go without Angry Birds. An addictive game played by millions around the world. Yeah, I play it daily.

Angry Birds HD – Chillingo Ltd

3. Penultimate ($1.99)

My defacto standard for making sketches and drawings. It’s like having a fresh sheet of ideas right there in front of you.

Penultimate – Cocoa Box Design LLC

4. Pages ($9.99)

If you are going to get a word processor then start with Pages. It creates great looking documents and has some stunning templates.

Pages – Apple®

5. GoodReader ($2.99)

One of the best PDF Readers you can get. It does everything PDF-related besides create them.

GoodReader for iPad – Good.iWare Ltd.

6. Skyfire ($4.99)

This is the app that lets you view Flash right on your iPad!

Skyfire Web Browser for iPad – Skyfire Labs, Inc.

7. Friendly Plus For Facebook ($0.99)

Since there is no official Facebook App for the iPad this is the closest you will get.

Friendly Plus for Facebook – Oecoway Inc.

8. Osfoora HD ($4.99)

Blazing fast and full features Twitter client for the iPad that is updated often and generally crash-free.

Osfoora HD, for Twitter – Said M. Marouf

9. Print N Share ($8.99)

One of the best iPad printing apps that works with AirPrint and allows you to print to non-AirPrint devices as well

Print n Share for advanced printing – EuroSmartz Ltd

10. Weather+ ($1.99)

The perfect weather app to start off with. It is accurate and visually appealing to look at as well.

Weather+ – International Travel Weather Calculator

11. Clock Pro HD (Free)

Just as good as the paid version this is an amazing alarm clock for your iPad that does everything but dress you in the morning.

Clock Pro HD Free – Alarm Clock Company

12. CalenGoo ($6.99)

If you use Google Calendars and want to access them on your iPad then this is the perfect app for that.

CalenGoo (sync with Google Calendar™) – Dominique Andr Gunia

There are some essential apps for new iPad owners. There are, of course many more apps that you can and probably will get. These ones represent what we believe are some of the best to start with and explore. In part 2 of this series we will look at essential iPad apps for school and IT administrators.

CNET Tech Review: HP TouchPad aims for iPad

HP TouchPad rumored to arrive in April

HP TouchPad, the world’s first webOS tablet that was announced earlier this month has now been given a more definite release date. When the tablet was introduced at the webOS event, HP mentioned that we’ll be seeing the tablet this summer. But according to the latest rumors over at DigiTimes, the HP TouchPad should hit the stores this April and delivery to retailers will start by the end of March. If that is the case, it’s only going to be a couple of months before we get to see the device. Definitely something that falls in line with HP’s new mantra of delivering products shortly after an announcement. If the tablet is priced attractively, it could probably do very well against the Xoom coming out later this week – after all not many people can see themselves paying $800 for the Honeycomb tablet, maybe something cheaper might change their mind. What do you think would be the best price to sell the TouchPad at?

MapQuest for Android brings free turn-by-turn navigation, OpenStreetMap support to Google lovers

By Darren Murph posted Feb 17th 2011 at 2:49PM

Oh, sure — iOS had it first, but the Android flavor of MapQuest’s mobile app has OpenStreetMaps. How d’ya like those apples ? The aforesaid app has just found its way into the Android Market, and as with the iPhone version, it’s 100 percent free to download. Unlike most other alternatives, this one provides gratis voice guidance / turn-by-turn navigation, voice search, a map toolbar, walking / driving directions, live traffic flow information and a couple of “major” new adds. Those are OpenStreetMap (OSM) data — useful for allowing consumers to use the app internationally — as well as the ability to directly report errors onto the map. Check out the source link to learn more, and head on over to the Market (if you’re rocking v1.6 and up) to get your download on. Happy trails, as they say.

Hands-on HTC Flyer Android Gingerbread tablet with Sense 2.1 UI

Good Bible Study Tool

Tablet HTC Flyer with Scribe Technology

HTC Flyer Hands-On

Great Tablet, look out iPad!

iPad, Xoom, Galaxy Tab, Flyer, Playbook.. which one is the best?? So many choices, thanks to Apple Ha Ha

Using your laptop properly

Adam Pash — The great thing about laptops and netbooks: You can use them anywhere. The downside: If you spend a lot of time in the wrong position, you’re in for a world of RSI pain.

The illustration above—from weblog Core77’s netbook case study—highlights ten common usage positions and the pain points you’re asking for down the road with each. (No one wants glowing red joints!) Interestingly, the most comfortable position, according to the study, is position #2 above: lying down with the device slightly elevated on the user’s thigh with bent knees.

Gizmodo’s Brian Lam attests to the comfort of the lay-down position, having been bed-ridden for months after a motorcycle accident several years back. Now if only you could convince your boss that working from bed is a good idea.

Got a non-traditional computing position that does the trick for you when you’re away from the desk? Let’s hear it in the comments.