Android announces Online App Store and More at Today's Event

Android - A mobile operating system run by Google

Honeycomb - The codename for the latest version of Android

Tablet - A touchscreen mobile computer that is usually one piece of hardware

Widget - A small application that runs open in a small area of the screen

     Earlier today, Google hosted an Android event officially showing off Honeycomb, and their online android market. They started off with Honeycomb news, and then went on to announce an online Android Market. Google Android's chief Andy Rubin introduced Hugo Barra, Android head of mobile products, to explain android 3.0, also known as Honeycomb.

Tablet With Honeycomb

     Honeycomb was shown only on a tablet device, so we are yet to know much about how it would work on a phone. Honeycomb completely redesigns the Android interface. 

     The status bar, which tells the time, battery life, connection info, and notifications, has been completely removed from the top of the screen, and replaced by a small black bar at the bottom of the screen. This bar slightly resembles the Windows taskbar. The bar tells a user the time, battery information, notifications, and connectivity info. It also includes a back button, a home button, and a multitasking button. 

     When the multitasking button is tapped, a sidebar appears on the left side of the screen, showing you a visual list with all of the currently running apps. When one of the apps is tapped, it seamlessly opens up into full screen.

Tablet with Andoid 2.2

     Honeycomb also focuses a lot more on not having all your apps in a grid, as seen on the Apple iPhone, previous builds of Android, and many other mobile operating systems. In Honeycomb, a user will put a few important widgets on the homescreen, as well as icons for the few most used apps. The rest of the apps will be accessible through a small button near the upper right corner of the screen. Users also have multiple home screens which they can swipe through, each showing different widgets and app icons.

     Honeycomb also comes with a redesigned notification system. When a notification pops up, it won't be intrusive, it will lay at the bottom right corner of the screen, but will still show some information about the notification.

     Google also included the application bar in Honeycomb. The application bar is a small bar at the top of an application that includes commands for that program. Windows has know this for a long time, as many applications have small bars with commands such as file menu, edit, and more. Android's application bar's commands can also change based on what is happening right now in the app. For example, in an email app, you might get compose message, and some other commands. When you have a message selected, on the other hand, you might see, delete, mark as spam, and more.

      Google also focused on it's powerful graphics and animation capabilities. The demos Google showed were impressive, but something apple devices could do for a long time.

      Google spent half the time talking about Honeycomb, and the other half talking about it's new online app store, known as Android Marketplace. 

      For a long time, one must be connected on his Android Device to download apps from the Marketplace. At today's event, Google announced it's Online App Store. Like Apple's online store, the online app store will allow you to download apps away from your computer, rather than have to buy them through the phone. The app store looks nice, and kind of resembles the app store for Google Chrome.

Android Market Online

     Unfortunately, you cannot download the app on your PC, rather you can only discover them. 

     The app store integrates sharing, and allows you to share an app on Twitter, but is lacking any Facebook integration.

     Overall, Honeycomb looks great, and the online Android store has been widely waited for, and is much more convenient. I'd like to see the ability to download to the PC and then syncing, and some more social integration, including Facebook. 

Watch the announcement here.

The Daily iPad Newspaper Anounced

     The iPad has become increasingly popular, especially with news apps. When I looked in the Apple app store today, there were over 400 apps specifically designed for the iPad. That's a lot of stuff to read, and Rupert Murdoch wants to give iPad users the best.
     Today, at an event in the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Murdoch, along with Jon Miller, Jesse Angelo, and Greg Clayman, announced a new, daily newspaper for th iPad called The Daily. The Daily is a newspaper that completely rethinks news consumption for the iPad. The Daily takes the average newspaper or magazine, digitizes it, and adds a lot of multimedia affects.

Carousel on The Daily

     The Daily can be flipped through like a regular magazine. You can also browse articles with what The Daily calls "the carousel". This shows the front page of all of the articles in a carousel like way. Those familiar with the Apple MP3 players will recognize this as a kind of Cover Flow idea. You can then tap on an article, and it will be enlarged to full size and allows you to read through the article.
       You can also browse by category. The Daily is divided into six topics. These topics are News, Gossip, Opinion, Arts and Life, Apps and Games, and Sports.
       News includes the regular stuff, international news, important stories. Some stories include video or even 360 degree images. The weather section brings you completely away from a traditional magazine, and looks more like an app. It brings you very in depth reviews of the weather, while giving you the ability to tap on different icons for different things.
     Gossip has celebrity news and things like that. In the first issue, which they showed off at todays event, there was an article about two celebrities and their Twitter feeds. Using the special software that The Daily developed, the Twitter feeds were shown just under their picture.
     Apps and Games was a section The Daily did because they knew that their audience was one that owned iPads, and therefore many of them were interested in the app thing. Apps and Games has app reviews, along with photos, and a direct link into the App Store if one decides to download the app. Like a traditional newspaper, it includes daily crossword puzzles and Sudoku, which, unlike a traditional newspaper, can track your time and scores, and even let you play against others.

Weather on The Daily

Sports on The Daily

    The sports section offers a very unique experience and customization abilities. Since The Daily is a national newspaper, it needs some sort of way to customize it. You can choose the teams you want to read about, you can also see live scores, stats, and more.
    The Daily seems really great, but how much would you pay for it? Five dollars an issue? 1 dollar an issue? The Daily will be available for... 14 cents an issue! At 99 cents a week, The Daily gives you great value for your money.
    The Daily said at the event that it would eventually come to all major tablets, but the few two or three years are Apple's. The Daily also said that right now most of the revenue would be based on subscriptions, but they would like to eventually be 50% advertisement revenue and 5o% subscriptions.
    You can find The Daily on the App Store, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
    The Daily is free for the first two weeks, so if you own an iPad, you should definitely check it out. If you have an iPad and tried it out, please leave a comment telling us what you like or don't like about it.

Watch the Video Below for More Info. To watch the entire The Daily announcement click here.

Breathe Challenge...

Here is my entry for Laura's weekly challenge over at I Am The Diva, CZT Blog.

This week the theme is Breathe…

Look below the drawing here on this post if you want to read more about my inspirations...

Marsha Neal Studio Breathe Drawing Challenge

Breathing being usually an unconscious thing that we take for granted on a daily basis.But the thought of breathing holds a lot of meaning for me…
During 2 childbirths, Dave often had to remind me to Breathe…I provided a safe place for both of my children to grow and develop inside of my body and took in air for them…I was present (in more than just a physical sense) when they took their first breathe…
I was with my mom when she took her last breath…I was with her when they had her hooked up to a machine to help her breathe…My sister stayed with her when they took the tubes out so she could breathe on her own until she could breathe no more…And when that last breathe escaped her - I felt peace.No longer to watch her struggle through dealing with the pains of Leukemia, or rather - the attempts at treatment of her rare form…Knowing that the baby I held inside my body at that exact moment, never meeting her, would get to know her - through every breath she will take, because my mother decided to have me - to allow me to breathe...

Breathe Challenge...

Here is my entry for Laura's weekly challenge over at I Am The Diva, CZT Blog.

This week the theme is Breathe…

Look below the drawing here on this post if you want to read more about my inspirations...

Marsha Neal Studio Breathe Drawing Challenge

Breathing being usually an unconscious thing that we take for granted on a daily basis.But the thought of breathing holds a lot of meaning for me…
During 2 childbirths, Dave often had to remind me to Breathe…I provided a safe place for both of my children to grow and develop inside of my body and took in air for them…I was present (in more than just a physical sense) when they took their first breathe…
I was with my mom when she took her last breath…I was with her when they had her hooked up to a machine to help her breathe…My sister stayed with her when they took the tubes out so she could breathe on her own until she could breathe no more…And when that last breathe escaped her - I felt peace.No longer to watch her struggle through dealing with the pains of Leukemia, or rather - the attempts at treatment of her rare form…Knowing that the baby I held inside my body at that exact moment, never meeting her, would get to know her - through every breath she will take, because my mother decided to have me - to allow me to breathe...

My Year To "Enhance"...

It has been quite a while since I felt really inspired to work in clay…

I mean in the "fun" kind of way - not just, oh, I have some orders - gotta get into the studio…

Not since I really started to play with my shards (what a great feeling it is to make those!)

MarshaNealStudio Porcelain Shards (in my Etsy Shop)
So I started there. Balls of clay, rolled out for textures…

To tell you the truth, I was trying to make tops for some Oak Tree Seeds (acorns).

These "bumpy shards" kinda picked up this twisted organic shape to them.

My brain went right to mushroom stems. Will go back to acorns later - this I love…

I love coming across mushrooms and fungi on walks in the woods…

So naturally, I wanted to make some. I have for a while - just didn't ever do it - and when it just happened - well - that means it is time to RUN with it - run like a rabbit…

The artist inside of me is a person inspired by nature, textures, patterns, designs, depth, colors, curvy things, and so on. 

I collect things. I want to try to make things that look like things I have collected, or use their texture in some manner (inspiration for drawings, pushing it into clay, whatever)…

I have ideas that I just can't seem to shake out of my head and into the clay.

This is something I wish to change in my way of thinking about working in the studio this year.

Get rid of production mode mentality…

A little peek at some porcelain "nests" that are in a bisque firing right now...

Pods, nests, seeds - things that envelop life are edging to the surface…

They have been for a while.

I think these will be great.

My next thing: stop just showing pictures of stuff I am making - follow through.

Get them out there for people to use to make fun things with them.

I like the way that Nancy of Round Rabbit just makes what is in her head and heart and sells the crap out of them - when they are gone, they are gone. What a great way to free yourself!

And with Feb. 3rd approaching…

The year of the rabbit (metal). 

It is time. My time...

I was born in the year of the rabbit - (wood) - May 1975.

Things happen in cycles and circles for me.

It is time to "enhance" my life - right Jenny? 

My word for this year!

Enhance…

Are you living up to your promises to yourself for 2011 so far?

If not - you've got until 11:59, 12/31/11 to get on it…

My Year To "Enhance"...

It has been quite a while since I felt really inspired to work in clay…

I mean in the "fun" kind of way - not just, oh, I have some orders - gotta get into the studio…

Not since I really started to play with my shards (what a great feeling it is to make those!)

MarshaNealStudio Porcelain Shards (in my Etsy Shop)
So I started there. Balls of clay, rolled out for textures…

To tell you the truth, I was trying to make tops for some Oak Tree Seeds (acorns).

These "bumpy shards" kinda picked up this twisted organic shape to them.

My brain went right to mushroom stems. Will go back to acorns later - this I love…

I love coming across mushrooms and fungi on walks in the woods…

So naturally, I wanted to make some. I have for a while - just didn't ever do it - and when it just happened - well - that means it is time to RUN with it - run like a rabbit…

The artist inside of me is a person inspired by nature, textures, patterns, designs, depth, colors, curvy things, and so on. 

I collect things. I want to try to make things that look like things I have collected, or use their texture in some manner (inspiration for drawings, pushing it into clay, whatever)…

I have ideas that I just can't seem to shake out of my head and into the clay.

This is something I wish to change in my way of thinking about working in the studio this year.

Get rid of production mode mentality…

A little peek at some porcelain "nests" that are in a bisque firing right now...

Pods, nests, seeds - things that envelop life are edging to the surface…

They have been for a while.

I think these will be great.

My next thing: stop just showing pictures of stuff I am making - follow through.

Get them out there for people to use to make fun things with them.

I like the way that Nancy of Round Rabbit just makes what is in her head and heart and sells the crap out of them - when they are gone, they are gone. What a great way to free yourself!

And with Feb. 3rd approaching…

The year of the rabbit (metal). 

It is time. My time...

I was born in the year of the rabbit - (wood) - May 1975.

Things happen in cycles and circles for me.

It is time to "enhance" my life - right Jenny? 

My word for this year!

Enhance…

Are you living up to your promises to yourself for 2011 so far?

If not - you've got until 11:59, 12/31/11 to get on it…

Apple Pulling other eReader Apps? (Update: Apple Responds)

Gadgetator's trying a new format for the not so tech savvy readers. At the beginning of each post, we will be writing a list of tech jargon and their definitions that one would need to know at the beginning of the article. Like this idea? Hate it? Please leave a comment with your feedback. Thank you.

eReader-An eReader is a device that allows you to read digital books instead of paper ones.

     Sony makes an eReader called the Sony Reader. As with many eReaders, Sony designed an iPhone app that allowed one to read the eBooks that they downloaded from Sony on their iPhone. This app was rejected by Apple for some unknown reason. 

     Apps are rejected all the time by Apple, but it's always because of a violation of one of Apple's rules. So far the Kindle, the Nook, and many more eReaders have apps on the iPhone that weren't rejected. This could simply be because the Sony app had some problem with the code that went against Apple's rules. It could also be that Apple has changed it's policy and is now not allowing third party eReader apps.

     Apple also has an eReader app called iBooks, which is the reason why one would think that Apple is rejecting other, third party eReader apps, and even may start to pull the old ones.

     According to the New York Times, Apple is changing their policies to no longer allow third party apps to sell content, like eBooks, inside their apps. Now, if you're worrying about games like Farmville, which allows you to buy coins from inside the app for the game, that's nothing to worry about, this does not stop app developers to sell through their apps, rather just requires them to use Apple as an intermediary. 

     The story seems true, as Sony spokesperson Steve Harber is quoted, "“It’s the opposite of what we wanted to bring to the market, we always wanted to bring the content to as many devices as possible, not one device to one store.”

     So what does this mean for other eReader apps? Although the other apps don't have an integrated bookstore, they do allow users to download already purchased content from other devices, something which, according to the New York Times, Apple said was against the rules. This would affect Amazon with it's Kindle and many other popular eBook apps. 

     For now, we'll just have to see what happens. The story seems very believable, and neither Apple, Sony, or Amazon would comment.


UPDATE: Apple responded saying that they had not changed any developer guidelines, but wants a cut of anything sold through their devices.