Recently RIM (well-known as the developer of the Blackberry smartphone) introduced the Blackberry Playbook and joined the ranks of the heated tablet competition. This nice-looking 7-inch display tablet is loaded with a new operating system based on QNX. One big difference from the iPad is that it supports Adobe Flash. Yup, that’s right. Flash in the web browser AND Flash through the application development process via the Adobe Air platform. This opens up some doors for the development process. Here’s a quick rundown:
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Here at the Krate studio, all of our developers have migrated from iPhones to Androids. Though availability of apps leaves a bit to be desired (Sean is still waiting for a game worthy of downloading), here are five we find invaluable.
1) Google Goggles - Glenn eschews the more popular Barcode Scanner in favor of this visual search engine. His reasoning? Call me paranoid, but when I looked at all the permissions Barcode Scanner requires, it freaked me out. I just didn’t think it was necessary. He uses Goggles primarily for scanning QRs, but of course, can use it to photo and search virtually anything else he can think of.
2) Chrome to Phone – Use this app for its 1-click ability to push web content from your desktop to your Android. Jason’s application is mostly practical. He captures maps, directions and Yelp! reviews without the hassle of copy and paste. Quite the opposite, Glenn uses CtP as an ad hoc reader for articles and blog posts to browse during his subway ride home.
3) Latitude - Evidently, Jason has a very active social life with some very directionally challenged friends, because if you ask him about this real-time location tool, he’ll rattle off ten recent examples for why, when and how this app has improved his social life. Latitude automatically allows your friend list (and vice versa) to see your every move in real-time, so choose them wisely!
4) Gtask – Sean tried many task managers before settling on this one. He loves that it automatically syncs with all his Google Apps (Calendar, Mail, etc.), so there’s no need to export files or fuss with your mail client.
5) PDAnet - When DSL went down at the studio last week, everyone but our iPhone using leader was able to get online with this handy app. Bypassing your phone carrier’s $30 / month fee, PDAnet treats your Android as a modem, getting you online via a hard-wired USB connection.
