IPhone Application PandoraBox Review

As the huge volume of applications currently available on the iPhone App Store, it is little wonder that keeping track of the latest releases is frustratingly tricky. However, it’s even more difficult to keep on top of the numerous price changes and short-term sales that occur from time to time.

Publishers are forever tinkering with the value of their apps, with large price drops taking place on a daily basis. The trouble is, unless you have the time to scour the store every day then you’re liable to miss out on some of the larger bargains.

That’s where PandoraBox comes in. At first glance it looks like some kind of App Store-related clone, but in actual fact it’s a terrifically handy price tracker that allows you to quickly and easily view the latest offers.

The app is divided into different sections, with the Featured area showcasing new and notable apps. However, arguably the most important aspect of PandoraBox is the On Sale section, which lists all the apps that have been subject to a reduction in price over the past day or two.

This segment is split into two further sections - Free and Paid For. The former shows apps that previously cost money but are now being offered for nothing, while the latter shows price reductions on premium pieces of software.

You can also view the latest releases and search for specific apps, if you have something in mind and wish to see if its value has decreased recently.

There’s also a Favourties section where you can tag items that you’d like to keep a close eye on. For example, say a new game is released but the launch RRP is a little too rich for your blood, just add it to your favourites list and you can keep tabs on it in the future.

As you might imagine, PandoraBox is therefore an amazingly useful piece of programming and will save you a massive amount of tedious App Store-trawling.

The only negative aspect of the entire thing is that when you find something you’d like to purchase you have to exit PandoraBox to visit the App Store, which means you lose your position and have to start your search all over again when you re-launch it.

Still, this isn’t enough to dent PandoraBox’s overall brilliance. If you consider yourself to be a savvy buyer when it comes to Apple’s online marketplace then this is a truly essentially download.

Nexus One Google Smartphone

On January 5th 2010 Google officially announced new product with brand name Nexus One. It is the first smart phone device produce by Google. The Nexus One is a slim, touchscreen phone built in partnership with Taiwanese manufacturer HTC and runs Google's Android operating system. It is sold via Google's website and initially be available on T-mobile in America followed by Vodafone in Europe and Verizon in the US. Direct from Google it will cost $529 (£331) and on contract with T-Mobile $179 (£112).

Google vice president for product management, described the unveiling as "the next stage in the evolution of Android". There were now more than 20 Android phones available from 59 carriers in 48 nations. The release of the Nexus One is seen as a move to ensure Google remains relevant as people search the web using mobile phones rather than typing queries into a PC.

Specification

Quickly, the specs. The Nexus One—built for Google by HTC—has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB RAM, 32GB-capable microSD slot, a 3.7-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display at 800x480, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and 720x480 video capture @ 20FPS, dual microphones for noise canceling and a trackball. There is no slide-out keyboard—everything's done with the onscreen virtual keyboard.

On paper, those specs are impressive. In actuality, each bit has its own quirk that makes the Nexus One less than perfect and just good. The 5-megapixel camera is built by HTC in such a way that the bezel around the ring juts out noticeably from the otherwise smooth back. The bulge protrudes just enough to either scratch surfaces that it's placed on, like your glass table or your laptop, or even scratch the lens if you're unlucky enough to rub it over something rough.

The AMOLED screen is gorgeous, and all the colors pop to the point that it makes both the iPhone 3GS and the Droid look washed out. It's really, really good. And it has a generous 480x800 resolution—slightly shorter than the Droid's, but still very ample for a phone, when compared to the iPhone's 320x480. But, again, as good as the screen looks, it doesn't have multitouch support in the US. No matter what the reason for that is, it's frustrating to the end user. But, on the bright side, every input you're giving it is more responsive than on the Droid, because of the improved internals. Full specs is here.

$199 Freescale Tablet PC for Everyone - Not From Apple

After the rumours of Apple tablet PC, Freescale Semiconductor has releases a reference designs of an affordable, lightweight tablet computer, which is set to hit the market later this year.

The Freescale tablet reference design (pictured above) has specifications close to what we have been hearing about the mythical Apple tablet: a 7-inch touch screen, 3-megapixel camera and various sensors such as a 3-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor.

Next to the 512MB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage (microSD expansion) and a 1GHz processor, Freescale's smartbook tablet features a potentially killer spec: a $200 price-tag. Next to an Android or Linux operating system, it also includes WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and options for a 3G modem.

The smartbook reference design is intended to run everyday-use applications such as a Web browser (with Adobe Flash support), an email client, an RSS reader, social networking tools and an office suite among others.

So far, no one has had a chance to have a deeper look at Freescale's holy grail smartbook, but the chipmaker is planning to demonstrate the design at the 2010 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in the beginning of January.

If manufacturers pick up on Freescale's concept, such smartbooks should show up in a store near you perhaps later on this summer, with a price point below the $200 ceiling, the chipmaker says. However, no potential vendors for this tablet design have been named.

Here are the full specs of the Freescale smartbook:

• Size: 200mm x 128mm x 14.9cm and weighing 376 grams; no need for fan or heat sink

• Processor: Freescale i.MX515 applications processor provides high performance and low power

- ARM Cortex-A8 1GHz

- OpenVG & OpenGL/ES graphics cores

- HD video decoder hardware

• Memory: 512 MB DDR2

• Display: 7-inch (1024 x 600) touch screen

• Storage: 4-64 GB internal storage; removable micro SD

• Connectivity: 3G modem (option) 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, RF4CE (option)

• Ports: USB 2.0 and USB mini (also for charging), audio in/audio out, SIM card

• Audio: speaker, microphone

• Camera: 3 Mpixel (video recording up to VGA @ 30fps)

• Battery: 1900mAh, USB charging

• Sensors: the MMA8450Q 3-axis accelerometer and an ambient light sensor

• Power management IC

And while we are in tablet land, January should see another tablet design unveiled, as Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce its tablet on January 26th.

New Tech 2010 Rumor: "Apple Tablet"

Apple officials have been very successful about keeping their silence about the rumors that a tablet is coming very soon from the company. In the last few days, we have seen a number of rumors about it. 10-inch slate device, keyboard-less, targeted for Internet browsing- so you see that there is a lot of speculations about the features. Until now, Apple officials have kept their solemn silence. That is why, people have become more curious about this product. What will be the name : iSlate, iGuide, iScreen or iPad or anything else? I expect its name to be iWeb as it will be mainly targeted for Internet browsing.

I think that it will come sooner or later in the market. Well, if Apple is really going to introduce it then they should have announced in CES Show 2010, Consumer Electronic Show, that is going to take place after one week. CES 2010 will be held in 7-10th January 2010. It is a very good show to get all the media attention. More than 100 K visitors are expected to turn off for the event.

Tablets are there for sometime in the market. However, they could not still get the huge reception like other gadgets. May be, Apple can do something now.

Businessweek.com wrote that the rumor has been confirmed: "A source familiar with Apple’s product plans says that the company plans to introduce a tablet-based device in early 2010. This is consistent with the report from Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster this morning suggesting precisely the same thing." Read full story here.