Hi folks,
Today, I'm posting a review on an iPhone application that was presented on Macworld Expo 2009.
Keynote Remote
It runs on the iPhone as well as the iPod Touch. So far it works on firmware 2.0 and above with no problem.
Downloading the Keynote Remote app was quick on the 3G network. Guess the app is really small in size. U'll need iWork '09 to pair up your Mac with the iPhone.
To start pairing, launch Keynote Remote and select Link to Keynote (or New Keynote Link in Settings screen). U'll be presented with a 4 digit Passcode. The on-screen instructions will then guide u with the rest of the process:
(aka iPhone's lucky 4D generator)
Once that's done, u're good to go. Keynote Remote can start a slide show from remote once Keynote is running.
I have actually posted a review on the iTunes App Store and here's the original text:
The Keynote Remote is an excellent presenter's companion and a fantastic idea.
The following are some suggested improvements:
1) A setting to allow tapping on the screen to move on to next slide
2) Zooming the preview slide (using 2 fingers)
3) Pointer and marker tools (while zoomed in)
4) Menu to skip to specific slide (maybe in coverflow style?)
5) Button to switch to last used application (same as pressing H key while in slide mode) and perhaps bring the slideshow back on screen
6) Switching between landscape and portrait mode using the accelerometer
7) Keep the price tag at $0.99 and free upgrade for those who have already bought version 1 =P
Overall, I give the Keynote Remote a 5/5 because this is the first version; it simply works and it's useful. Apple will have to implement all my suggestions to earn a 5/5 the next version =)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Keynote Remote Review
Sunday, January 11, 2009
It has finally happened
Yes it has.
I had a vision of a social networking phone sometime slightly less than 2 years back.
A phone that sync real time your address book with the contact list of your social networks. U get to see if your friends are online on all major IM networks via the same address book (contact list). So all u need to do is to pick ur friends and start messaging them, they'll get an IM, email or SMS depending on their presence status.
A phone that treats web applications as its first of class (or on par with native apps). Web apps stay connected and remain running until quit them. U can multitask between web and native apps. Native apps are merely those that ships with the phone. Some of them too, are web apps (I called them gadgets just like how MS or Google calls them). 3rd developers can create gadgets that are meant to be "installed" permanently on the phone.
While I called it the "social networking phone", Palm calls it the "webOS phone".
Though this new product has not provided (no documentation of that yet) OS level APIs that allow web apps to activate hardware/OS level resources (eg: camera, GPS) via Javascript, it is very close to my original vision. Plus, they did a great job designing the handset.
Everyone, the Palm Pre.
I tried searching on youtube to get a good video demo. But most of them looks at the Palm Pre as "another smart phone". They are not doing their reviews right.
iClarified.com however, has posted a great article describing how this phone is different from the rest by focusing on its crown jewels, webOS and Synergy.
But before that, let me show u the ad from Palm:
And now the article from iClarified.com [original link]
Palm, Inc. today unveiled its groundbreaking Palm webOS mobile platform, built from the ground up to be constantly connected to the web, and the new Palm Pre, the first phone based on the new platform. Pre is scheduled to be available exclusively from Sprint in the first half of 2009.
Palm webOS is a brand-new kind of platform, invented exclusively for mobile use. webOS recognizes that you want your people, calendars and information to move with you, wherever you are, wirelessly, as opposed to being bound to a personal computer. Palm webOS is the first mobile platform to automatically bring your information from the many places it resides - on your phone, at your work or on the web - into one simple, integrated view. The new Palm Pre and webOS are designed to be so in sync with your needs that it feels like Pre is thinking ahead for you.
"Palm products have always been about simplifying lives and delivering great user experiences," said Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer. "webOS and Pre bring game-changing simplicity to an increasingly mobile world by dissolving the barriers that surround your information. It's technology that seems like it's thinking ahead to bring you what you care about most - your people, your time, and your information - in the easiest and most seamless way."
"Pre continues Sprint's leadership in open access to the content customers want for a great web-connected experience," said Dan Hesse, Sprint chief executive officer. "We look forward to bringing this remarkably innovative device to our customers on America's most dependable 3G network.
Palm's new OS is the first mobile platform to be built from the ground up to combine standard technology, innovation and integration. At its core, webOS leverages several industry-standard technologies, including web technologies such as CSS, XHTML and JavaScript. On top of that, Palm has included creative and innovative advancements to enhance the overall user experience and provided a deep integration of all elements within the platform.
The new platform was designed to allow a vast ecosystem of partners, including developers, hardware suppliers, and accessories manufacturers, to develop core solutions to complement the platform and product line. For developers, webOS shatters traditional barriers to mobile-application development by offering a rich open development environment that's familiar to tens of millions of web developers. More people can develop for the platform and can do it faster than ever before. The platform's flexible environment will also allow developers to distribute their applications over-the-air via an on-device Palm application store.
Your Life, Brought Together
The new platform introduces Palm Synergy, a key feature of webOS that brings your information from all the places it resides into one logical view. You don't have to worry about tracking multiple calendars, contacts and messaging applications - Synergy brings it to you for a more comprehensive and truly representative view of your life.
Linked contacts - With Synergy, you have a single view that links your contacts from a variety of sources, so accessing them is easier than ever. For example, if you have the same contact listed in your Outlook(3), Google and Facebook accounts, Synergy recognizes that they're the same person and links the information, presenting it to you as one listing. And if you update a contact on your webOS device, it also will be updated in your various accounts, whether on a personal computer or on the web.
Layered calendars - Your calendars can be seen on their own or layered together in a single view, combining work, family, friends, sports teams, or other interests. You can toggle to look at one calendar at a time, or see them all at a glance.
Combined messaging - Synergy lets you see all your conversations with the same person in a chat-style view, even if it started in IM and you want to reply with text messaging. You can also see who's active in a buddy list right from contacts, and start a new conversation with just one touch.
Your Information, Effortlessly
By smartly integrating your information, webOS is designed to think ahead for you and keep you on top of the things that happen in your life, but that's just the first step. The platform's unique interface brings your information to you with the ease that only Palm can offer.
Web-connected applications - Applications are seamlessly connected to the web and always active(4), ensuring you have the most up-to-date information.
Run multiple applications at the same time - Palm's revolutionary webOS lets you manage multiple activities more effectively than any other mobile platform today. It lets you keep multiple applications open and instantly flip from one to another.(4)
Instinctive user interface - With its multi-touch interface, webOS lets you move easily between activities like flipping through a deck of cards and rearrange items simply by dragging them; when you are done with something, just throw it away. And finding what you need is easy with universal search - as you type what you're looking for, the OS narrows your search and offers results from both your device and the web.(5)
Intuitive and unobtrusive notifications - When important things come up or new updates arrive, you'll receive notifications with a diplomacy that's a radical departure from other mobile platforms. For example, if you receive a text message or email, a scrolling notifications bar at the bottom of your screen lets you address it right away or leave until later. webOS alerts are one step ahead, ensuring that you never miss a thing, but never lose your place or train of thought.
Palm Pre: The First webOS Phone
Pre has a breakthrough interface and hardware design that makes it the most integrated and user-friendly phone for mobile users. Featuring a smooth, rounded ergonomic design and a physical keyboard that slides out only when needed, Pre is engineered to feel natural in the hand and comfortably small in the pocket. When closed, the phone is ideal for phone calls, web browsing, music, photos and videos; when open, Pre is optimized for email and text messaging. With its curved slider and gesture-controlled touch interface, Pre fuses exquisite design with the revolutionary webOS software for fast access to anything on the device or web. It's an instinctive user experience that seems to anticipate your needs.
"As our lives revolve more and more around the web, devices like Palm Pre that transform how we interact with the web will lead the way," said Hesse. "We are focused on bringing our customers a superior experience that includes easy-to-use devices, simple pricing and value with Simply Everything all-inclusive offerings, plus Ready Now, our exclusive retail program that helps customers leave the store feeling comfortable and confident they know how to use their new device."
Pre will support a variety of differentiated on-device Sprint services, including Sprint TV, offering an extensive selection of live and on-demand programming. Sprint Navigation provides GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings. Sprint also offers more than a dozen streaming-radio applications, including Sprint Radio with more than 150 channels.
Palm Pre features include the following:
- High-speed connectivity (EVDO Rev. A or UMTS HSDPA)
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g(6)
- Integrated GPS(7)
- Large 3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320x480 resolution HVGA display
- Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
- Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
- Email, including Outlook EAS (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers), as well as personal email support (POP3, IMAP)
- Robust messaging support (IM, SMS and MMS capabilities)(4)
- High-performance, desktop-class web browser
- Great multimedia experience and performance (pictures, video playback, music), featuring a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack
- Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
- 8GB of internal user storage (~7.4GB user available)
- USB mass storage mode
- MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
- Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touch screen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone up to your ear
- Light sensor, which dims the display if the ambient light is dark, such as at night or in a movie theater, to reduce power usage
- Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective
- Ringer switch, which easily silences the device with one touch
- Removable, rechargeable battery
- Dimensions: 59.57mm (W) x 100.53mm (L, closed) x 16.95mm (D) [2.35 inches (W) x 3.96 inches (L, closed) x 0.67 inches (D)]
- Weight: ~135 grams [4.76 ounces]
An array of compelling accessories also will be available for Pre, including the first inductive charging solution for phones (sold separately). Simply set Pre down on top of the elegantly designed Palm Touchstone™ charging dock without worrying about connection, orientation or fit. Pre is active while charging, so you can access the touch screen, watch movies or video, or use the speakerphone.
Availability and Pricing
Palm Pre is scheduled to be available first in the United States exclusively from Sprint in the first half of 2009, and will be followed by a world-ready UMTS version for other regions. Sprint's pricing for the phone has not yet been determined.
Customers who would like to register to receive additional information about Pre and be notified when it's available can register at www.palm.com
Very cool indeed rite? Wireless (inductive they call it) charging with Touchstone, that itself is already impressive.
I was telling Han before that anyone who wants to make a good phone better not copy the iPhone. Apple has already done it... u don't wanna be another clone.
Palm is smart to angle the product such. It doesn't attempt to innovate where Apple is good at. Instead, they turn to social networking. Brilliant strategy (pat on my back and give myself credit for having the same vision 2 yrs back =)
Wanted to post my research (including GUI descriptions) all here, but back then I was doing it for my company, so I guess those are pretty much company's property and should remain confidential =P
Ok here's a youtube video from Phone Scoop with the phone in action
(it doesn't show enough webOS and Synergy features though)
And here's a series of (not so clear) videos of the Palm Pre debut in CES:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Enough said, visit Palm.com for more info.
One last thing:
Is this an iPhone killer? Yes and no, it's a different category altogether but it's sure cool as hell.
There are rumors that the next iPhone upgrade include a quad core CPU and firmware 3.0. I'll write about that once I double check the facts with my sources =P
It's gonna be another exciting year folks =)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
MacWorld Expo 2009
Hi folks,
- now supports Geotagging + maps (that's what I've been asking for lately!) called Places
- Faces: face detection feature so that iPhoto knows who is in the foto the next time u add one! COOL! On top of that, if u upload it to Facebook, it'll auto tag your fotos for u. Nice.
- Precision Editor: Well I guess with that it's one tiny step closer to Adobe Premiere
- Stabilizer or video jittering fix: stitches 2 videos taken at different angles and create a smooth transition. It sounds like Photoshop's auto align layers except that this is for video. Accordingly to Crunchgear, it's like Hollywood effects. Wow, that's a big thing
- Slow down or speed up video segments: it's one thing that I found missing, thank god it's in now =)
- Crunchgear says iMovie is now super polished and looks professional
GarageBand now includes instruments lesson. Well, interesting, but I'm not quite sure that can be considered as the application's new feature. But I must say that there's not too much room for improvement if u wanna keep it simple yet sosphisticated. Perhaps they can add more instruments or include a new wave table set =P I guess Apple wanna encourage GarageBand users to go beyond the keyboard and pick up the guitar =) That means it'll be analog tracks but also mean better music. I'm sure the tutorials will be great for first time guitar players. They cost though, $4.99 per lesson.
UPDATE: 6 guitar and keyboard lessons come free with iLife GarageBand =)
Didn't cover much on iWeb and iDVD but they are said to be updated as well. Shipping later this month.
iWork: Keynote
- Magic move: fancy transition effects (like Obama swings, etc)
- Chart animations (hmmm)
- New themes (yes! I love their preso themes. Way better than those boring MS ones)
- Remote app for iPod Touch and iPhone over WiFi: WOW! this is cool, it means that I can now remotely control my Keynote presentation while seeing what's on screen on my iPhone? Might sound like a silly gimmick, but hey I look at my audience when I do presentations, not the projector screen and I dun like to keep turning around =P Landscape mode shows the slide+notes and portrait mode shows current and upcoming slide. Cool! It's 95 cents. But heck if u already own an iPod Touch or iPhone, u can now save that 30-40 bucks remote control.... which... I have just bought a couple of months back... =(
Pages get updated with 40 templates! That's awesome! Apple's templates are great stuff I assure u. U'll be amazed how sleek they are.
Numbers get updated with more formulas and table categories (*yawnz*). Sorry, I'm no numbers person =)
Another new service from Apple, iWork.com. Suppose to let people share documents and all. I guess it's pretty much like Google Docs, u can upload / edit / comment / notify and share via iWork. Is said to view MS Office files with no problems. Free for now, charge later =P Hope it isn't as bad as the initial MobileMe service.
As rumored, there's a new slimmer 17 inch Macbook Pro. It's also has an Unibody chassis like the rest of the Macbook family members.
(They didn't really mention if the battery is removable, but it's definitely a new type of battery. The non-removable battery design is being rumored and I guess that's how it gets slimmer. I also suspect that this might be the same type of batteries found in the Macbook Air. Just like the Unibody chassis, Macbook Air came with all these new technology innovations when it was first launched. Btw, I'm now happily using my new 2nd Gen Macbook Air muahahaha)
UPDATE: Just checked the specs on Apple.com it is a built-in battery. And it is the lightest 17 inch notebook.
Here's the specs: 2.93GHz proc, up to 8GB DDR3 RAM (ships with 4GB), GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT, 320 GB HDD (optional up to 256 GB SSD), 17-inch anti-glare option with metal bezel. No glass screen. 0.98 inches thin. 6.6 pounds. 1900×1200 resolution. 700:1 contrast ratio. 60 percent greater color gamut.
8 hours battery life if u use the NVidia GeForce 9400M and 7 hours if u turn on GeForce 9600M GT. Philip mentioned an adaptive charging feature that reduces wear and tear of the battery. Wonder if that's a firmware thing and can be applied to other Macbooks.
UPDATE: According to Apple.com, it's a chip on the battery that facilitates this and extend the battery life to up to 5 years (1000 recharge cycles)
Last thing: iTunes Plus - DRM free songs. 8 million songs DRM free now and another 2 later on. I like the 'Plus' word! My colleagues will know why =P
Ok, I'm almost done.
Not sure if u're interested but the guy who presented (let's give him credit for his guts) is Philip Schiller. His CrunchBase profile.
