The voice of the BlackBerry community.
This news should have gone out a little while ago but if you have WorldMate you were surely notified. If you don’t, maybe now is a good time to pick up the product.
Our users’ wish is our command! In response to last month’s newsletter, we got dozens of requests to integrate Google Maps with WorldMate Live on the BlackBerry. We figured out a way to do it, and we’ve just released an upgrade!
To upgarde, go to www.mobimate.com/downloadcenter.
Or,
Point your BlackBerry browser to www.wmlive.com.
The mobile industry is abuzz over the news about major mobile platforms releasing their own application store. Developers are working very hard to push their latest projects into the hands of eager mobile users. But what has come apparent within the communities, as far as I know, is the gap between mobile platforms. One company trying to tackle this isssue is PhoneGap.
PhoneGap is an open source development tool under MIT license and proudly sponsored by Nitobi. The product is used for building fast and easy mobile applications using Javascript and HTML, while taking advantage of core features (GPS, sound, accelerometer, vibration) in the iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices.
“The purpose of PhoneGap is for PhoneGap to cease to exist.
Today, mobile development is a mess. Building applications for each device–iPhone, Google Android, Windows Mobile and so forth–requires a different development framework and programming language. As such, phones and other mobile devices have become second class citizens.
We aim to change that by enabling web technologies to work with native device features such as geo-location and accelerometers. In PhoneGap, we’re building a cross-platform framework for device-neutral mobile development.”
Being an open source project, PhoneGap is looking to get ambitious web and mobile developers, along with their respective communities, to help build what can potentially be a powerful tool for full-time developers, part-time developers and hobbyists.
As for why the need for PhoneGap, Ellis, PhoneGap’s founder said, “There are not a lot of Objective-C developers…” Objective-C is a primary language used to develop iPhone and Mac OS applications. “We’re all Web developers here,” Ellis said of Nitobi. “And there are more Web developers than Objective-C developers.”
Do you think PhoneGap could help boost development and the help the industry?
What limitations and benefits can you foresee developing with PhoneGap?
The above comparison chart is an interesting way to look at the smartphone market’s most popular devices. The list is missing Nokia, Motorola and LG, but the chosen devices are close competitors and the information is still very well put together.
Before you let the Hatorade out about this list, the author would like you to know a few things:
I used a set of arbitrary criteria to set up this chart, but I’ll tell you what they are. For iPhone 3.0, we’re using only features Apple permits. Yes, it’s possible to jailbreak or unlock your iPhone to add other features or carriers, but Apple will consider you an enemy and try to destroy your phone if you do that, so we don’t approve. For Windows Mobile, we only used features available in the US marketplace right now–though Windows Mobile 6.5 won’t change the landscape much. For Google Android, we used features publicly available on the G1, HTC Magic or Google Developer phones. And for Palm Pre, we guessed as best we could based on Palm’s public statements. Yes, I left out Symbian. They’re just not a force in the US marketplace right now, and I’m a US writer. Maybe next year, guys. This chart tries to steer clear of hardware features that may vary by phone model with the more prolific OSes .
Some things I would note about the list:
[Via]
Clear Channel has launched iHeart Radio for BlackBerry following their success with iPhone. WIth iHeart Radio, you can stream 150 of Clear Channel’s radio stations – all over cellular data networks or WiFi networks. The BlackBerry iHeartRadio application allows users to bookmark their favorite stations, tag songs and randomize radio streams. All music is broadcast in “high quality AAC.” The iHeartRadio BlackBerry application is currently only available on the BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Pearl. The BlackBerry Storm is listed as “Coming Soon.”
Download iheartradio for BlackBerry here.
[Via]
On Saturday, March 28th, RIM is asking BlackBerry users to help support the dedicated Earth Hour mobile site.
The site will be able to receive global news updates, join an Earth Hour social media community to help spread the Earth Hour message, sign up for Earth Hour updates and download videos and other multimedia as well as the Earth Hour icon to their BlackBerry.
RIM says it has collaborated with Earth Hour to launch the dedicated site and it urges its BlackBerry users to switch off their lights between 8.30-9.30pm.
“This year’s Earth Hour has been positioned as the ‘world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming’, and switching off your lights on Earth Hour will be a vote for Earth while leaving them on will be a vote for global warming,” according to RIM.
So help the environment and support this year’s Earth Hour.
[Via]
The City of Toronto has included in their budgets a new hire to help manage the municipality’s 1,800 BlackBerry devices. The position is one among 1,300 new jobs the city plans to add this year.
The position will pay $84,000 annually, and duties will include assisting with device selection, rate plans, getting staff set up and trained, troubleshooting, and providing technical support for the Blackberry Enterprise Server infrastructure. The wireless IT staff must also ensure integration and synchronization with the city’s Novell Inc. Groupwise e-mail environment.
“We are seeing substantial growth in BlackBerries [sic] devices and computing technology at the City in general,” the city said. “Many of the City’s program areas are adopting IT to help them improve their services or make their services more efficient. So it’s not just about supporting this area, we have a lot of growth requirements that we’re trying to accommodate.”
But according to Ward 3 Etobicoke Centre councillor Doug Holyday, the hiring of a BlackBerry specialist misses a fundamental problem at the city – the lack of a smart phone rollout policy.
“We’ve got close to 2,000 Blackberries and no criteria or policy as to who gets them,” he said.
Holyday wants to see more involvement from the IT section of the City to determine which employees truly need the functionality of a BlackBerry device.
“It’s a great tool and it’s very valuable to those who need it, but my problem is that we’ve given it to people who don’t truly need it,” he added. “But that’s the trouble with the City, they just open up their coffers, which (are) full of tax dollars, and it’s just too easy for management to say ‘I’ve got one, so my assistant need ones as well.’”
Looking for a job in the smartphone industry? Check out our job boards here.
[Via]
Bad Behavior has blocked 27931 access attempts in the last 7 days.