Author: BrothaTech

Scan (and Create) QR Codes with QRDroid

by BrothaTech

Seriously, there are TONS of QR code readers out there. For Android, the simple and trusty Barcode Scanner app works just fine for Android devices. But if you want to actually create a QR code of ANY information using your smartphone, that drastically reduces the number of quality QR apps.

QRDroid on the other hand, is a complete QR code reader/generator that will not only scan QR codes from your camera, decode them from images saved in your device or from URL of images stored on internet sites; but also creates QR codes in less than one second from your contacts, bookmarks and installed applications.

You can also create a code for calendar events, phone numbers, geo-locations, sms, or any text you want. Once you generate the code, it will display on the phone’s screen so another person with a QR code reader can scan it; or you can send the code via text, email, or IM. The ability to scan QR codes found while surfing the web on your Android device is enough of an incentive for me.

But allow me to provide a real-world business application: You are at a networking event and during your pitch you mention your website. The other person is pretty tech-savvy, so they whip out his/her smartphone to type in the address. Instead of you both of fumbling around with correctly pronouncing and accurately typing in your lengthy URL (that you KNOW you should have changed), you can use QRDroid to generate a QR code that he/she can scan and immediately to be sent to your site.

It also works well if you run out of business cards and you know that very next person you talk to is going to ask for one. If they have a QR Code reader, simply take a couple of seconds to create a code so you will be ready when they extend their hand to receive your business card (that will probably end up filing away anyway).

You can get QRDroid as a free app, or you can donate $1.50 to get the ad-free version. Hit up [the new and improved] Android Market for more information/download

…or scan this QR code with your Android device

QRDroid in the Android Market

Android Market is now Online

by BrothaTech

And I quote:

“Personally, I think Google’s first order of business would be to greatly improve its own Marketplace on the web and give people the option to buy and “push” apps directly to their phones, but that’s just me.”

That was me yesterday taking shots at the shotty Android Market site in the “Google Apps Labs is hiring” post. Well Google stepped their game up and expanded their Android Market site that lets visitors browse apps, read reviews, and install apps directly their Android device.

So now, instead of squinting at your Android device to decide whether or not to install a particular app (even with the huge screens like the HTC Evo), now you can search apps (keyword search, categories, featured, top paid, top free), view app descriptions, read user submitted reviews, check compatibility, and more from the comfort of you much larger laptop screen or desktop monitors.

Signing in to your Android Market account gives you the ability to view your download history and buy and download apps directly to your smartphone. All apps also offer QR Code so you can scan the app and start a download to your phone as well.

Nothing fancy (they could work on the design work a little), but beggers can’t be choosers, so as an initial attempt at providing Android users a “real” online home to find apps to download, the new Android Market site is looking pretty good.

Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Google “Apps Lab” is hiring

by BrothaTech

Image Courtesy of The Android BlogIn an attempt to close the “app gap” between Android and iOS, Google has recently announced plans to hire “dozens” of software engineers, product managers, user-interface experts and “others who have ideas for mobile apps.”

Currently, there are over 100,00 mobile apps in the Android Market with less than two-dozen of those apps developed in house by Google devs. Furthermore, most of those apps are Google-branded apps (Maps, YouTube, GMail, etc.). So this is a pretty big step by Google at improving their reach and closing the app gap with Apple. Google is also courting 3rd Party devs with incentives like getting their apps pre-installed on many Android phones.

Side Note: Personally, I think Google’s first order of business would be to greatly improve its own Marketplace on the web and give people the option to buy and “push” apps directly to their phones, but that’s just me.

So, if you’ve been thinking about getting into the mobile app development game, or have an idea for an app and want to pitch it to a notable company or a big-time development house…

What bigger name than Skynet Google?

TimeDroid: Freshbooks Time Tracking App for Android

by BrothaTech

FreshBooks lives up to its tag line “Painless billing” by providing a very easy to use online invoicing, time tracking and expense management service (ask me how I know). Freshbooks has an iPhone app that allows you to create, edit, and send FreshBooks invoices from your iPhone.

My girl DigitalFanGirl via her “31 Days of Android App Goodness” series, hipped me to another Freshbooks app specifically for tracking time spent on projects via your Android mobile device. The app is called TimeDroid and if you are a fan of Freshbooks, you will appreciate the simplicity of being able to record time spent on projects from a device as handy as easily accessible as a smartphone, especially if you are working on a project and the only electronic device on your person your trusty Android (who actually writes anything down anymore?). Now you can record your time no matter where you are…cause it’s not like you are leaving your house without your smartphone (ask me how I know)

TimeDroid for Android devices is a free download from the Android Market on your device or scan the QR Code with your smartphone.

TimeDroid QR Code

BlackBerry Playbook will have “Balance” Service Too

by BrothaTech

It has been recently announced that Blackberry is currently testing a service for BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Service) called BlackBerry Balance that will allow IT departments to control corporate data on a BlackBerry smartphone issued to an employee without touching the employee’s personal data also stored on the device. I personally think this is a move (and a good one) by BlackBerry to maintain its dominance in the enterprise arena by allowing the use of just one device for work and play.

BlackBerry Balance Corporate Data Wipe Screen

To up the ante, it has also been announced that the BlackBerry Balance service will be available for the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet device as well. Since the PlayBook has been touted as business device, it makes since to provide users with a way to get extended use from the device while outside of the office.

BlackBerry Balance for smartphones (and tablets) doesn’t have a firm launch date, but word on the street is that you will be able to carry two BlackBerry devices in one within the next few months.

Mobilize SharePoint with Moprise for iPhone

by BrothaTech

Moprise Cloud Collaboration

Microsoft SharePoint is one of the giants in intranet file/content sharing, collaboration, and management. Moprise wants to get you from behind your desk and give you access to your SharePoint content no matter where you are.

Moprise, which I am assuming is a mash-up of “mobile” and “enterprise” (which would make perfect sense) is a mobile collaboration cloud-based solution that enables workgroups and enterprise users to securely access, share, and collaborate on any SharePoint business content from their mobile device.

Moprise can take what your company or group already does:

– social networking
– group content creation and management
– presentation sharing, project management
– integrated voice and video
– calendaring, scheduling

…and adds value by giving it that “cloud” flavor that frees users from feeling left out if they are not at their desks. Speaking of freedom, Moprise also offers an iPad version, with Android currently in the works.

Moprise offers a free (‘Lite’ is what cool kids are calling it these days) version where you can just access content. Beefed up paid versions with more options and more users start at $5 bucks a month. The iPhone and iPad apps are a free download from the iTunes App Store.

The ability for users to access, edit, and share QUICKLY in order to make fast and confident business decisions while on the go is what Moprise wants to capitalize on. Try it out and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Pay For That Latte With Your Smartphone and the Starbucks App

by BrothaTech

This one goes out to all my small biz owners who constantly set up small satellite offices at their local Starbucks (in addition to being on a first name basis with all the staff).

The Starbucks app for BlackBerry and iPhone now lets you pay for your premium coffee using your smartphone (I drink hot chocolate in the winter and smoothies in the summer…but this is not about me). After you’ve created a Starbucks account, downloaded the Starbucks app, and linked your account; you can simply show a 2D bar code for the cashier Java Specialist to scan to pay for your moca something-or-the-other. The payment doesn’t pull directly from a credit card, but the app itself acts as a Starbucks Card that you add monies to in order to use…Which shouldn’t be a problem for the Starbucks faithful. If you’re cool with it, you can even save your credit card info to make it easier to reload your virtual card.

This feature of the app started off as a trial in local (you guessed it) Seattle Starbucks stores, but now is ready for a nationwide shine. In addition to paying for merchandise, the Starbucks app lets you check your card balance, monitor your Starbucks reward points and see nearby Starbucks locations on a map or list. If you get a physical Starbucks card as a gift you can still pay by smartphone by adding the gift card’s number and security code to your account.

To download for iPhone, visit the Starbucks Card Mobile app in iTunes. To get it for BlackBerry, visit the Starbucks Card Mobile App for BlackBerry site or text “GO” to 70845 from your smartphone.

Word on the Street: AT&T to get a 3G BlackBerry PlayBook

by BrothaTech

The much anticipated tablet device by BlackBerry is starting to see the light of day as it now has an unofficial launch date of “sometime before the end of the first quarter in 2011”. That device will be WiFi only, followed by a WiMax (4G) version of the device sometime this summer.

According to CIO.com, a source has obtained a document stating that the WiFi version is still on track to be released before the end of March this year. Additionally a 3G version of the BB PlayBook will be released late March/early April.

Of course all of the is rumor and neither RIM or AT&T has confirmed anything. But maybe (just maybe) the BlackBerry faithful can take a page out of the Verizon iPhone faithful who literally spoke (or blogged) the magical device into existence, and produce enough fanfare to coax RIM and AT&T into releasing the BB PlayBook on the AT&T network.

What do you think? Is there enough demand to bring about a AT&T 3G BlackBerry Playbook, or would it make more sense to just wait (just a little longer) for a 4G version?

Remember the People You Meet with NameCatcher Biz App

by BrothaTech

With all the seminar’s, conferences and networking events you feel compelled to attend as a small business owner, remembering names can be a task in and of itself. Yeah, you could collect business cards from people to add to the mountain of business cards you already have (and never look at).

OR you could use the NameCatcher Biz iPhone App that allows you to not only quickly jot down a name, but assign names to categories and add little facts/details about the person. NameCatcher Biz displays those categories and hints about people you meet so you are constantly reminded. Glancing at your master list of names can help you make that visual connection about each person.

Additional features include:

Photo tool – snap an image and assign it to your names
GPS feature – shake your phone to pull up a list of people you’ve met at a particular location
Contact List Sync – Sync your names, categories, and details about a name with your phone’s contact list.

Every person has their own unique way of using memory tools. NameCatcher Biz was built to allow you to search how you want. If you want more details about a person, NameCatcher Biz has “additional info” fields to allow you to add more. Some of us want the bare bones…others want more visuals, more hints and even location reminders. The app can find the name you need in a blink, using it in whatever way works best for you.

NameCatcher Biz is $0.99 in the iTunes App Store (OS 3.0 and up)

Handyscan Document Scanner for Windows Phone 7

by BrothaTech

Smartphone cameras come pretty much standard with uber-high megapixel cameras nowadays – Prolly more than your average consumer will ever need. Simply because most of us still have a trusty-old (or new) point-and-shoot camera for “real pictures”. So I can’t think of any other purpose to use the smartphone camera for than using it as a document scanner for those documents that you need to send to a friend, family member, or client when your phone is the only piece of technology you have on your person at that moment.

Developers JDB Pocketware wasted no time in creating the Handyscan app for Microsoft Windows Phone 7 devices that snaps a shot of the image and can convert it to either .jpg or .pdf to quickly send to anyone.

Handyscan can emulate the functions of an actual document/image scanner by scanning multiple documents and creating one file and edit options like the ability to align/rotate, crop and change the size/resolution of scanned documents. Additionally, Handyscan has also a ‘typewriter’ feature which allows you to type text into scanned documents or forms.

Handyscan for WP7 devices can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Marketplace on your device for $2.99. There is also a free lite version that excludes the options of choosing the file format (.jpg or .pdf) and size/resolution of scanned documents.

Of Course, even if you have the best lighting and a super-steady hand, a scanned document using an actual scanner will produce the best document quality, but I don’t know anyone who carries one of those around with them…just in case. So for those times when you need to get that document scanned and sent sooner the later, why not rely on your smartphone?

…You already rely on it for everything else