mtech

Google discloses Android Developer Challenge entries

Google has announced that they received 1788 entries to the Android Developer Challenge. When you think about it, that's a pretty remarkable number. Doubtless a large percentage of these apps are simply unusable or incomprehensible, but that still leaves a huge number of potentially useful applications.

Enkin live-navigation LBS app for Android

This is probably the coolest app I've seen yet for Android. Basically it overlays navigation information and labels over live video. So as you're walking around with your camera phone, it'll tell you what you're seeing.

(Via ClubGPhone)

Simple instructions for how to reset your iPhone when it crashes

For those of you who like to develop on the cutting edge of iPhone, you might find that your iPhone crashes frequently and doesn't respond to the usual key inputs.

In that case, you can quickly and easily restart your iPhone with the following:

1. Hold down the Home key (square key at the bottom center of the screen) and the Sleep/Wake key (small thin button on the top right of the device, on the same face as the headphone jack) for approximately 15-20 seconds.
2. The screen will go dark and then the Apple logo will appear momentarily.
3. Once the Apple logo appears, you can release the buttons and the iPhone will reset normally

This procedure does not erase any data stored on the iPhone, so it's relatively safe. (However, if you were in the middle of editing something such as a new Contact, for instance, you might lose information you entered.) Note that if you want to wipe your iPhone and restore it to "factory settings", you'll need to go through the "Restore iPhone" procedure with iTunes or Xcode.

android developer challenge quietude

In a turn of events that's become all too common these days, Google has not yet released any official status on the Android Developer Challenge. No press release touting "We've received then thousand submissions!" or whatever. However, the developers themselves, the people who poured all their free time into creating applications on spec, have started their own count-off thread on the ADC discussion blog.

first android app submitted to Android Developer Challenge

Well, I just wrapped up our first android application and our sole submission to the Android Developer Challenge. It's called Puluwai, and while I don't think it's a radically new concept in mobile applications, I think it does one thing really well. (Better, possibly, than similar desktop applications.)

Next up, finishing the iPhone version of Puluwai.