Despite launching a native app for Google Voice, it looks like the search engine giant is continuing its embrace of web apps by allowing users to edit their documents directly from the mobile browser.
With Google Docs, we’re always trying to make you more productive—and part of that means making it possible for you to get things done from anywhere, at anytime. That’s why we’re excited that the new documents editor now supports editing on your mobile browser. We’re rolling this out over the next few days. [...]
In the next few days, we’re rolling this out to English-language users around the world on Android with Froyo (version 2.2) and on iOS devices (version 3.0+) including the iPad. We’ll be adding support for other languages soon. And as before, we also support editing of spreadsheets from your mobile device’s browser. (Official Google Docs Blog)
Android and iOS users can visit docs.google.com in order to edit documents upon their tiny screens, although truth be told users are better off using something larger like an iPad or Galaxy Tab by Samsung.
Despite requests from their comment section, Google has not indicated whether they will consider creating a native iOS app for users, although truth be told there are third party companies (like Docs To Go) that sync with Google Docs (providing you are willing to pay the price).
Unfortunately Google seems to have left out three other phones in the cold (hint: Windows Phone 7, Blackberry and Palm Pre), although the company will hopefully provide support for those devices in the future.
After removing third party Google Voice apps (and lying to the public about it), Apple has finally cleared Google Voice for the iPhone giving iOS fans one less reason to be jealous of their Android friends.
Earlier this year we launched a Google Voice HTML5 web app for iPhone users. Today we’re taking the Google Voice experience on the iPhone to a whole new level with the launch of the official Google Voice for iPhone app.
With this native app, you’ll continue to have access to all the major Google Voice features on your iPhone[.] [...]
Google Voice for iPhone is available to download from the Apple App Store today. You’ll need an iPhone with iOS 3.1 or later and a valid Google Voice account to use the app. At this time, Google Voice is available in the U.S. only. (Official Google Voice Blog) More →
After Steve Jobs publicly dissed the Blackbery smartphones, RIM has not surprisingly gone after the iPad in an attempt to prove to companies and consumers that their Playbook is indeed superior to Apple’s “magical” device.
I know many of you are eager to see more of the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ in action. I’m excited to share the above video with you that we filmed with Matthew from the web browser group here at RIM, which demonstrates how the web browsing experience is coming together on the PlayBook.
On the video, Matthew quickly runs through a series of comparison tests with a PlayBook and iPad (running iOS 3.2.2), which demonstrate three things: the speed of the PlayBook Browser, its support for rich Adobe® Flash® content, and the performance of open web standards like HTML 5 on the PlayBook. (Inside Blackberry)
As you can see in the video above, the very fact that RIM supports flash is probably enough to convince a few individuals the superiority of the Playbook (which is rumored to be priced at $500).
However RIM’s open war against the iPad might be a mistake for a few reasons, one which their own video demonstrates above. More →
With Facebook unveiling their new social inbox, it looks like Google’s ancient nemesis is partnering with the social king in order to help make its online office suite a little bit more relevant.
Facebook’s new messaging platform integrates the Office Web Apps to enable Facebook users to view Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents with just one click. As you know, Office helps you create stunning documents that bring your ideas to life. Now you can easily share those ideas with your friends and family on Facebook. I’m really excited about being able to make it even easier for people to use Office to access and share information across different devices, networks and platforms. With the Office Web Apps on Facebook, you have even more ways to express yourself with Office and easily share your thoughts with people that are important to you.
So go ahead! Create a personalized invitation to your dinner party next Saturday with Word or share that killer PowerPoint presentation you delivered for your school project. Let your ideas run free and inspire you to create something unique and share it on Facebook using Office. (The Microsoft Office Blog)
Although Microsoft’s Office web app has a long ways to go before it will convince users to ditch Google Docs en mass, the partnership with Facebook could help users unfamiliar with office web apps choose Microsoft over Google.
Microsoft Office live is also currently offering users 25 GB’s of free storage in an attempt to woe current users away from Google docs (the latter who offers users 1 GB of storage, with 20 GB available for $5/year).
The Facebook integration thus far isn’t very intuitive (which doesn’t exactly surprise me).
However if Microsoft can find a way to make it easier to share as well as allow users to edit documents from within Facebook, Office live could easily challenge Google Docs, as well as help both companies take down a common foe.
It looks like developers are not the only ones going crazy over Windows Phone 7, as apparently Microsoft’s cherished smartphone has fallen prey to hackers.
Well, today it looks like the Windows Phone 7 platform will get its jailbreak on in the near future, as WP7 devs have already confirmed that they’ve hit the first major milestone on the way to jailbroken nirvana – they’ve managed to gain root access to the Windows Phone 7 file system. The next step, apparently, is to open up this file-system to unofficial, “jailbroken†apps that would theoretically endow the phone with snzzy [sic] new features – like, (cough, cough) cut-and-paste. (IntoMobile)
Although Microsoft will probably see the hack as a security breach (as the mobile OS is locked down just like iOS), the software giant should probably take the jailbreak as a compliment, especially in light of the small number of Windows Phone 7 devices sold.
Instead of trying to find ways of thwarting hackers for attempting to customize the device (whether through themes, additional features or unapproved apps), Microsoft should reach out to them in order to help enhance the device in their war against iOS and Android.
Dear Bing!, we have a problem. Despite the fact that you were able to assimilate Yahoo! search (without having to buy the whole company), you are still falling behind your number one nemesis, Google.
Not only has Google come out with Instant Search, but now they are already rolling out their preview feature to the masses.
Instant Previews provides a graphic overview of a search result and highlights the most relevant sections, making finding the right page as quick and easy as flipping through a magazine. To use it, click once on the magnifying glass next to the title of any search result and a visual overview of the page will appear on the right. From there, hover your cursor over any other result to see a preview. (Official Google Blog)
Although Microsoft could simply hire a few extra engineers to create the same exact thing upon Bing!, it might be a better idea to acquire a startup by the name of Snap Shots instead. More →
After showing off Blackberry’s answer to the iPad, RIM is reportedly considering selling the Playbook below $500 USD in an attempt to give their tablet some leverage against Apple.
Research In Motion Ltd., moving into the tablet-computer market for the first time, said it will begin selling its BlackBerry PlayBook for less than $500, suggesting RIM may try to undercut Apple Inc.’s iPad. [...]
RIM may sell the Playbook through retail stores of Target Corp. and Best Buy Co. in the U.S. as well through carriers, Balsillie said.
“Looking at both channels is the likely target,†he said. (Business Week)
The reduced price makes sense considering that the Blackberry Playbook is much smaller than the iPad, which means that users will have less screen real estate to navigate (giving RIM’s tablet a more “crowded” feeling).
In order to remain competative against Apple, RIM may have to reduce the Playbook’s price by at least $100 in order to convince customers to even consider their tablet, especially considering the fact that the Playbook will only tether with Blackberry devices.
Ironically Blackberry Playbook’s success may depend upon the slew of Android tablets that will be hitting stores for the holiday season, whose prices could undercut RIM and make their cherished tablet irrelevant in the eyes of users.
Despite being impressed by the design of Windows Phone 7 models, it was uncertain whether or not Microsoft would be successful in the age of iOS and Android devices (which unfortunately capture most of the media’s attention).
Although the company has yet to release any sale figures for their phones, developers are excited about Windows Phone 7 (as one can tell by the number of apps debuted  at launch).
Windows Phone 7 is now available at AT&T and T-Mobile retailers across the United States. I’m pleased to announce that as of today, Windows Phone 7 customers in launch markets around the world already have access to nearly 2,000 apps and games – exceeding the 1,000 mark we set in early October. I’m also happy to report that Marketplace is fully open to submissions from any of our 13,000 registered developers in the 30 supported markets. [...]
We’ve added to a great set of free Windows Phone Developer Tools that have already been downloaded well over half-a-million times, delivered a brand new developer portal dubbed App Hub that brings app and Xbox indie game developer resources together and have now made Marketplace available to all registered developers to help get their apps to market.  (Windows Phone Developer Blog) More →
After Microsoft released a Bing! for Android app earlier, the search engine giant has finally responded by releasing a search app for Windows Phone 7 users everywhere.
Searching with Google on your Windows Phone 7 device just got easier. The Google Search app for Windows Phone 7 provides quick and convenient access to a rich set of search results, allowing you to search the web, images, local, news, and more.
This initial release of the Google Search app includes several features that help you to search faster – suggestions appear automatically as you type, you can choose to repeat a query from your search history, and your current location is used to provide more relevant results. (Google Mobile Blog)
Unlike it’s iOS and Android cousins, the Windows Phone 7 app does not include voice search which may upset a few users who prefer not to type upon their phones (especially those with large basketball fingers).
With Google’s entrance upon Windows Phone 7, it will be interesting to see whether the company will be able to dethrone Bing! in it’s own backyard (as unlike most handsets, Bing! is the default search option).
There is no word on whether Google will launch other mobile apps upon Windows Phone 7 (like Google Maps, Google Earth or even Google Voice), but either way it looks like users now have an alternative to Bing! without having to open up the browser upon Windows Phone 7.
After launching the Blackberry Torch to the masses, RIM is now allowing new users to purchase their premier smartphone in two additional colors.
However the best news may not be the ability to purchase the device in a different skin, but also at a different price as well.
Best of all, the price has dropped from the original $200 down to just $99 for both the black and the coloured versions. Of course, you’ve been able to pick it up from places other than AT&T for that price for quite some time now, but an AT&T price drop may just mean you can find it for even less elsewhere. (MobileCrunch) More →
