• BlackBerry Messenger Coming to iPhone on April 26

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPhone, Rants & Raves, Rumors, Social Networks No Responses

    RIM was looking for a way to expand its BlackBerry Messenger platform to iOS and Android devices, with a release coming soon in the App Store. RIM apparently wasn’t happy about the hundreds of apps clearly inspired by BBM available for iPhones and iPads, and decided to develop a version of Messenger that doesn’t have all the features available to BlackBerry owners, but still allows iOS users to communicate with their friends and family. A compromise, that is, to have BlackBerry Messenger available on as many platforms as possible.

    A poster on MacRumors Forums now suggests BlackBerry Messenger for iOS may be launching in the App Store on April 26. At a “social media conference” in Toronto, RIM’s co-CEO Jim Balsillie allegedly revealed that BBM and “other services” will come to the iPhone on April 26 through the App Store. Balsillie also confirmed that they plan to release an update “this summer” with a new notification system, which may or may not suggest RIM knows something about iOS 5 and the improved notifications Apple has been rumored to be working on. But, then again, it is unclear why would RIM know about such an important aspect of iOS and Balsillie’s statements might just be speculation on his side.

    Right now, we have heard that Android is definitely a go. But again, we’re not sure on timing, though our sources are confident that it will launch some time this year. RIM chose Android first because of the fact that it could develop and integrate something like this much easier with an open platform, but the plan is to build and deploy an iOS version at some point as well.

    So it is possible that in the next few days an Android version of BBM will be unveiled, with the iPhone app scheduled for a late April launch. The rumor hasn’t been confirmed by RIM, but chances are they are really looking for a way to rise among the competition in the App Store (made of apps like WhatsApp, Textie and Ping) by releasing an iOS counterpart of BBM, which counts millions of users worldwide.

  • Android 3.0 Honeycomb Apps List is Only 17

    // Gradly // Android, Apple, blog, google, Humor, iPad, News, Rants & Raves, Steve Jobs No Responses

    While introducing iPad 2 last month, Apple’s chief executive Steve Jobs described the competitive market for tablet apps on Google’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb as having “at most 100 apps.” The actual Android catalog appears to be closer to 17. as noted by Appleinsider.

    Jobs noted that the iOS App Store now has over 350,000 titles, of which 65,000 “take full advantage of the iPad,” drawing attention to “consumption apps, creation apps and fantastic games, and a lot of apps for business and vertical markets apps like medical. The things people are doing here are amazing,” Jobs said.

    “That compares to our competitors, who are trying to launch these days with at most 100 apps. And I think we’re being a little generous here. This is a huge advantage we have,” Jobs added.

    A review of Google’s Android Marketplace tablet offerings “featured for tablets” depicts just 50 apps, but as blogger Justin Williams notes, “most are upconverted and offer no significant advantages on a tablet other than a larger screen.”

    Looking only at apps that either require Android 3.0 or have a user interface “specifically designed for a tablet experience,” Williams counted only 17.

  • Apple Sues Amazon over ‘App Store’ Trademark

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, News, Rants & Raves No Responses

    Apple filed a lawsuit against Amazon on March 18th over their use of the “App Store” trademark according to some reports by Bloomberg. Amazon has been using the term “App Store” since January as the name for their developer portal. Amazon is also launching an Android web-based App Store.

    Amazon.com since January has started to solicit developers for a future mobile software download service, Apple said. Amazon.com has used “Amazon Appstore Developer Portal” and “Amazon Appstore” in connection with this service, according to the complaint.

    The lawsuit also covers some “unspecified damages” and Amazon is yet to comment on the lawsuit. For those interested in the case, the official title is Apple v. Amazon.com, 11-1327, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.

    Apple, of course, created their mobile application store in 2008 called the “App Store.” Apple also has had the “Mac App Store” term since October 2010, with the store launching January 6, 2011.

  • Djay For iPhone is Now Available on the App Store

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Download, iPad, iPhone, Rants & Raves, Software, Songs No Responses

    Algoriddim has released an iPhone version of djay, which is available to download in the App Store for $9.99. Much like the Mac and iPad version of the application, djay for iPhone transforms your handset into “a full fledged DJ system,” allowing users to add tracks from their music library, and mix them on the go.

    If you have a Mac computer, you can get this free demo. Currently, djay for iPhone is available in the App Store for $9.99. The iPad version costs $19.99, and the Mac version is available for $49.99.