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Minicab?

Travel apps are all the rage, especially when it comes to getting around in the Big Smoke. There are bus checkers and train finders coming out of our app store ears, but the most recent trend has been for getting about in the privacy of a car hired just for you. Yes, we all know about the executive car app for Addison Lee, we very recently met the Hackney Carriage end of the equation with GetTaxi, but today it’s all about minicabs.

ubiCabs

Platform

Android, iOS, browser

Price

Free

Where

iTunes/Play/web

If there’s one thing that ex-Googler Jay Patel and his co-founders at ubiCabs hate, it’s inefficiencies. Minicabs are stationed by a local controller and, when you hire one, it’s either going to pick you up from, or take you to, an area where it’s not going to be able to get another fare. Worse still, in cities like London, the transport agency forbids minicabs getting customers off the streets, so the drivers and the companies that dispatch them end up having to pay for the petrol of one leg of the journey on their own, ie, without a passenger in the car.

That’s where ubiCabs comes in, according to Patel. The service acts as a booking agent for as many minicab firms as it can get. The idea is that customers then request taxis through either an Android or iPhone app, or by using a web interface. The ubiCabs system will then instantly search and access all the minicab controller information to assign the nearest, available and – most importantly – the cheapest car for your needs.

The app itself is fairly familiar to the others we’ve seen. As with most of these systems, ubiCabs tracks your position by GPS or you can add your pick-up point manually. The selection of what kind of car, how much luggage you have and how many passengers is nicely handled, as well as the way you can track your cab’s journey to you on a live map. So, no more waiting around and wondering.

While the main idea behind it all is obviously to get taxis at your convenience without having to pay Black Cab prices. One would also hope that both the added petrol efficiency and the behind-the-scenes price bidding system might result in minicab costs going down. Sadly, this doesn’t yet seem to be the case with all the journeys we’ve been quoted so far being pretty much what we’d expect to pay normally.

Still, with the added convenience on top, it’s well worth a try. Sure, it’s not much different from picking up the phone if you’re looking to get from your home to a night out, but it’s just the answer for those tedious queues when you’re on your way back from the middle of town.

At the moment, ubiCabs covers just London within the M25 but, so long as it can stay ahead of the competition, expect to see the service rolling out to a town near you soon.

Tags:
Apps Cars and GPS iPhone apps Android apps App of the day Ubicabs GetTaxi

APP OF THE DAY: ubiCabs review (Android & iPhone) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:21:00 +0100

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No more Google Nexus

Google’s next version of Android could arrive on as many as five different manufactured smartphones as it changes its approach to launching new operating systems.

In the past Google has always tested the water by saddling with one manufacturer to produce the first smartphone on a new Android platform, as part of the Nexus range, before slowly rolling it out on to others.

However, the internet giant hopes to take on Apple by working closely with multiple manufacturers so that it’s in a position to release an array of Android smartphones and tablets from launch.

As well as putting pressure on Apple, it’s also thought the move will appease other manufacturers who had become concerned at Google’s potential move to buy Motorola Mobility Holdings – with fears that Motorola would be given preferential treatment in terms of when they received new Android software.?

It’s also thought Google’s new approach would mean the operators would have less of a say at what services run on each device as well as how they are sold.

Google is said to be keen to implement this new approach to Android in time for the next major upgrade, Android 5.0 Jelly Bean, which is expected to roll out before the end of 2012.

Read

Tags:
Phones Tablets Google Android Jelly Bean Apple

Google to take on Apple by giving early Android access to other smartphones originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 16 May 2012 11:38:50 +0100

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681,900 devices studied

Mobile network coverage site OpenSignalMaps has created a report on the state of Android and its often bemoaned fragmentation by looking at the statistics of the smartphones that have downloaded its app over a six month period. And it seems that, yes, of course there’s fragmentation, but to the benefit of choice.

The study looked at 681,900 devices – phones and tablets – logging each one’s manufacturer, model, API (version of Android) and screen size, and while there are some obvious findings, there’s a few surprises too.

It comes as no shock that the Samsung Galaxy S II is by far the most prolific smartphone. Of the 3,997 distinct devices more copies of the OSM app were downloaded using a GT-I1900 (SGSII) than any other – 61,389 of them in total (9 per cent).

Amusingly, there were a few unique devices too – not including those that showed up as such due to custom ROMs. One Concorde Tab (a Hungarian 10.1 tablet) was listed, as was a solitary Lemon P1 (an Indian dual SIM phone).

Considering the popularity of the Galaxy handsets per se, it also comes as no surprise that Samsung is the manufacturer listed the most (40 per cent). It’s followed closely by HTC, Sony (Sony Ericsson) and Motorola. And, as for Android itself, the fact that the most recent version of Gingerbread 2.3.3+ is the OS installed on the majority of devices (55.4 per cent) is a no brainer, especially as plenty of smartphones are still awaiting an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0).

Perhaps the biggest challenge for app developers however, is the hugely variation in screen resolutions. Where the non-rigidity and diversity of screen technologies (3D included) and pixel count are one of the Android market’s major selling points, it can be hellish to ensure that a certain application works on a vast majority of devices.

OpenSignalMaps though, with all of the stats in hand, has a simple solution: Developers should make sure they test their apps first on Samsung and HTC devices. That way, they can’t go far wrong, certainly in appeasing the largest number of owners.

And, without such fragmentation and variety in handset/tablet price points, there’d be less of an opportunity to get an application into the hands of all, young or old, rich or poor. And that can’t be bad.

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Tags:
Android Phones Tablets OpenSignalMaps Samsung HTC

Android fragmentation report suggests app developers should test on Samsung phones first originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 16 May 2012 14:09:40 +0100

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Hit me baby one more time

You might use the default Android SMS app, you might use one provided by your handset manufacturer. The problem is, there’s no consistency in Android SMS clients, and most of them are ugly and don’t have much in the way of functionality.

GO SMS Pro is different, and that’s a really good thing. It’s got a lot more going on than just sending SMS messages. There are add-in apps, which extend the functionality, and lots of online services too, like group chat and Facebook integration.

GO SMS Pro

Format

Android

Price

Free

Where

Google Play

Perhaps the most important feature, however, is integrated backup and restore of your SMS messages. If you, like us, horde your past text messages then you’ll want to be able to keep them safe and sound. Backups are stored to your SD card, and it just takes a couple of button pushes to make a backup, or restore from one. There is also an automatic service, which offers to make daily, weekly or monthly copies of your messages.

If you like to keep secrets, or you’re worried about losing your phone, you can set up a private box. This allows you to keep password protected messages on the device, which will be inaccessible if your phone gets nicked or left in a pub. This should be a must for celebrities, especially if they’re in the habit of sending naked pictures of themselves to friends.

There are downloadable themes too. The default one is pretty naff, but there are some that ape the iPhone look and feel, and some nice dark themes and even one that is in the style of Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

If you’re a Facebooker, there’s also access to that services chat service, directly from the app. This – along with some other apps – requires that you install and extra plugin, but it takes mere seconds to do. You authorise the app via the Facebook API, so there’s no real security risk here. The chat works well too, and is as simple to use as you imagine.

If you’re prepared to sign up for another service, there’s a GO Chat app included too. Here you can share doodles with your group as well as share voice messages. This is all well and good, but obviously requires all your contacts use GO SMS. Something we think would be great, but a little unlikely.

We like the fact that you get a folder list too. Here you can see your inbox, outbox and sent messages along with drafts, MMS messages and even make your own folders. This is a nice feature, and will appeal to high-volume texters, we’re sure.

GO SMS Pro costs nothing, and adds loads of functionality to your text message system. We love it, and have been using it for a long time now. It makes sense, especially with the amount we change phones, but we’re pretty sure everyone will get some benefit from this handy app too.

Tags:
Apps App of the day Android apps GO SMS Pro

APP OF THE DAY: GO SMS Pro (Android) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:31:00 +0100

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Olympic overload

The Olympics is coming. Many will be glued to the TV watching as Usain Bolt goes for another world record. Others might be on the edge of their seats as Jamaica’s bobsleigh team crashes out dramatically ? no wait, that’s a movie and the Winter Olympics.

Seriously though, there is going to be a whole lot of TV watching to do. The BBC knows this and has outdone itself in ensuring that every single licence-payer can watch Olympians compete somewhere and on some sort of device. Bear with us on this one because there’s a lot to get through.

First, an app for connected TVs based around what we have seen from BBC Sport on TiVo. Think of the application a bit like iPlayer on the Xbox with a similar tile-based UI. Live feeds of various sports are offered and can be clicked and streamed instantaneously.

There is also a coming-up section, which shows what to expect from the BBC’s coverage of the event. The feeds are curated, so the Beeb will be populating the home page with what it thinks you might want to watch.

There will be up to 24 live streams of events going on at once, ensuring that it is impossible to miss out on any event. You can theoretically watch every single part of the Olympics live using just the connected TV app alone, all of it in HD of course.?

At the moment the application is going to be running on Sony smart TVs, Virgin Media TiVo via the red button and the PlayStation 3 via an app. No Xbox sadly. From what we were shown, the experience will be identical across each of the players, although obviously controlled differently.

It was very smooth and quick to load streams of the various BBC channels. A carousel of live streams can also be popped up while video is playing in the background, should you want to switch sports.

Next up is the desktop browser-based BBC Sports. This is where the real beef of the BBC’s digital tech lies. A proper 3.5Mb HD video feed is available, if your broadband connection can handle it, the player simply defaulting to it once you send it full screen.

The newly designed video player has also had a much more robust and formidable skin placed on it compared to what iPlayer currently offers. This means you can do things such as switch to highlights packages with a single click or change sports instantaneously.

Amazingly you can even rewind live coverage just like you would with Sky+ or Virgin Media. It is also possible to scan through chapter markers which show key moments in an event – say a gold medal win, for example. Live data and stats will all be pumped into the desktop player so you can learn a bit about the sport while you watch it. These can be switched off if you just want to view the event.

On the mobile, the desktop site has been slimmed down but still provides a similar experience. Just as on the computer, every single athlete and sport will be given its own web page with self-populating news feeds.

The BBC has even announced a feature phone version of the site which will show just low-res images and basic text news stories so you can keep up with the core of what’s going on. We weren’t shown that.

But the real Olympic treat comes in the BBC Sport app, which is one of the best thought-out applications we have seen in a long time. Just like in the iPad music player, you can drag and drop various items to a quick select bar at the bottom. Except that instead of being music or artists, it is the names of sports. The result is an instantly customisable way of keeping track of your favourite athletes.

A news-based home page can download content and store it locally offline, should you get on the Tube or go out of an area of reception. There is also the ability to switch to live video straight from within the application. Medal tables based on country are also shown, as is a range of other stats.

Unfortunately, application-based content isn’t going to be running in HD, nor will it be matching the display resolution of the new iPad, although the BBC did tell us this was something it was looking into for future events.

All this specially designed Olympics kit is also an important deal for the BBC in terms of future plans on the mobile and connected TV. It could mean a redesigned iPlayer, a new way of handling live events and different ways of covering sports. Wimbledon Tennis and the Formula One, for example, ?will both be getting connected TV coverage using the same app.

There are all sorts of other uses of course, with the ?BBC telling Pocket-lint: ?You don’t need to be a genius to work out that Glastonbury would be a good example.?

In the meantime keep those eyes peeled for all the new BBC Olympic tech, which should be launching in the months ?before the Games. ?

Tags:
BBC Sport Tablets iPhone Android iPad Connected TVs Smart TV

BBC Sport iPhone, Android, desktop and connected TV pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 15 May 2012 15:02:00 +0100

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