Monthly Archive for May, 2010

Finally the Android 2.2 makes app update handy

froyoNot long ago we blogged about the Android’s lack of updating apps, like sometimes skipping updates and the missing feature of updating all apps in one go. Our support team faced several complaints from Android users like why FriendCaller’s features are claimed but not provided. Each time we have to convince our Android users to manually update the app, as we all knew that Android’s capability of updating apps is not so friendly. Sometimes the OS looks for updates on a regular basis but most of the times even after several updates by the developers, the OS fails to look for an available update from developers.

android 2.2 update all

Android's 2.2 Update All apps feature

Looks like the problem have been solved now. We are happy to welcome the latest release of Android 2.2 which solved our app updating issue. Android 2.2 users can now navigate to their downloads and select the option Allow Automatic Updating check-box for any particular app they want to update automatically. This new feature is far more better than what the previous version of Android OS offered, where a user had to navigate to the Downloads and then check whether there was any update available for a particular app or not.

The best part is that the new 2.2 version of Android OS allows the user to update all the apps in one go by simply clicking the Update All button in Downloads. iPhone users have been a bit proud uptil now because of the iPhone having the Update all button since the beginning, and Android not. But, now it seems that Android users can enjoy more freedom in updating apps and can prevent the tedious task of updating each app manually and separately.

Now is the time when Google should start focusing to pimp its Android Marketplace which lacks a lot what Apple’s App Store has to offer currently.

To learn more about the new features of Android 2.2, watch the video below:

Cisco XD 3D Virtual Office uses FriendCaller

Cisco XD Virtual Office

Demo View of Cisco XD Virtual Office

An engineering group at Cisco around Renat Zakirov designed a magnificent 3D virtual office environment delivering a fine example of how employers and employees can experience working virtually just as they are working in reality. The Cisco XD is a new trend of human network which introduces a technological breakthrough between rendering engines and Cisco products and services to create a stunning graphical interface in 3D.

At Cisco XD one can setup a complete 3D virtual office in a matter of minutes by using the superb drag and drop feature of furniture, fixtures and also Cisco equipment. The interface is so stunning and easy to use, that anyone can setup an office without referring any manual or help guide.

Cisco XD Office SIP Phone

SIP Phone menu in Cisco XD

Currently on Cisco XD there is a Demo office setup for realtime experience. Cisco XD supports SIP compatible phones that can instantly place calls to phone and mobile networks. Also for a LIVE experience one can navigate to the Cisco XD website at www.ciscoxd.com and can setup a virtual SIP phone now. The best part is that Cisco XD is using the unmatched VoIP breakthrough technology from C2Call, FriendCaller Java based Instant VoIP telephone that works on a web browser as a webphone without any software installation, and can also be used on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android, facebook and  as a desktop version.

Cisco SIP Phone FriendCaller

FriendCaller VoIP iPhone app integrated with Cisco SIP Phone

Cisco XD with FriendCaller

Calling the Virtual Office SIP Phone via FriendCaller browser phone

Following is a video released by Cisco showing a LIVE demonstration about how the Cisco XD has utilized the FriendCaller VoIP technology to call the phones installed in the virtual office for free.

Images: CiscoXD

Chrome for Mac is now out of Beta

Chrome for Mac went out its beta status and joined the stable status of its Windows brother according to Google.

So it is a good time to check how Chrome is doing with our FriendCaller VoIP website.
We have seen a steadily increase of visitors and users using the Chrome family accessing our www.FriendCaller.com website.
The share of accesses to our site from visitor using Chrome was already 8% in November 2009, bypassing Safari in December and now in May 2010 it has with 11% share established a solid third place behind Internet Explorer.
The Chrome version for MAC lacked Java VM support for a while but now it is executing our Java VoIP technology amazingly fast.
However, seems to be that JavaFX is not yet supported on Chrome for MAC.
However, we are confident tat this will be fixed soon and we are looking forward to many more visits from Chrome users!

Android OS edged out Apple OS

Smartphone market shareAccording to a recent press relase by the npdgroup, the android operating system continued to shake up the U.S. mobile phone market in the first quarter (Q1) of 2010. npdgroup’s research revealed that the RIM’s OS (Blackberry) stands 36 percent, and Android OS moved into the second position at 28 percent, leaving behind the Apple’s OS on 3rd position at 21 percent.

Smartphones Market Share Q1 2010“As in the past, carrier distribution and promotion have played a crucial role in determining smartphone market share,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for npdgroup. “In order to compete with the iPhone, Verizon Wireless has expanded its buy-one-get-one offer beyond RIM devices to now include all of their smartphones.”

The strong selling of Droid, Droid Eris, and the Blackberry Curve via such promotions helped Verizon Wireless’s smartphone sales on par with AT&T in Q1 of 2010.

“Recent previews of BlackBerry 6, the recently announced acquisition of Palm by HP, and the pending release of Windows Phone 7 demonstrates the industry’s willingness to make investments to address consumer demand for smartphones and other mobile devices,” Rubin said. “Carriers continue to offer attractive pricing for devices, but will need to present other data-plan options to attract more customers in the future.”

Its time for Apple to shift to a multioperator strategy in U.S., and take control of the smartphones market share. Not to forget that recent lawsuit papers filed against Android by Apple revealed Apple’s 5 year contract with AT&T which is now going to end in early 2011.

Apple hits the One Million iPad count

One Million iPad sales“One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers.”

iPad users have already downloaded over 12 million apps from the App store. Developers have created over 5,000 exciting new apps just for the iPad alone. The iPad also supports the 200,000 apps already available on App Store.

Due to the large screen, extreme graphics, and multi-touch interface, the price of the apps for iPad has been recorded to be higher than the price of the same apps on iPhone or iPod Touch, but still many developers try to keep a strong customer relationship and welcomes new iPad customers, by keeping their app prices reasonable or same as that available on iPhone or iPod Touch.

FriendCaller has proved itself as a strong step towards mobile VoIP freedom, and its VoIP app for iPad remains free of cost to download from the App Store, enabling iPad users to make free calls over the FriendCaller network and cheap long distance calls abroad.

Developer Frustration with Android Market

Android Shopping Bag

Developers view: Empty Android shopping bag

We have been very frank in the past about the challenges we have been experiencing with the iTunes App Store, the approval process and we have reported about the great progress Apple Inc. made. In the beginning there was no love lost between Apple and iPhone VoIP apps: We had to wait for weeks to get our FriendCaller VoIP processed and more than one time they were rejected with rather obscure reasons. That changed. iTunes approval is now very fast, and updates to our FriendCaller apps are approved within days even the fact of iPad drastically increasing the approval workload.

Now it is time for developers like us to call on Google Inc. to made improvements to the Android Market. The good news first: There is no approval process, you upload the app and it goes Online in a matter of minutes. The bad news: there is almost nothing else either, the web version of the Android Market provides the feel that it was created on one weekend and then abandoned. It has

  • No Web preview, very limited app screen shot space and descriptions
  • No complete web store to speak of, a few example for each categories only
  • No proper app statistics, demographics etc for developers
  • No web review of user comments and ratings or browsing through stores
  • Ok, this is my favorite and I believe it is really funny: you can not even search the Android Market web version, believe it or not, yes you can not!

It gets a little better when one visits the market through an Android phone, but only a little. What puzzles us is the question that why the store has been neglected for so long? Google is famous for creating superior products, like think of Analytics, AdWord, Gmail, Google docs, Orkut, etc. Then how come Android Developers are to suffer from the fragmentation of OS version and the lack for common hardware standards like screen resolutions.

Our FriendCaller VoIP Android version is available on the store and still is in BETA. So it is an early effort, but it is very apparent that the Android market place is a way too behind the Apple iTunes store, and it is only able to deliver a small fraction of what iTunes has to offer.

A message to Google: there is some catch up to do on Android Market. As far as developers are concerned, we don’t see much interest developing there, and only see empty shopping bags.

Volcanic ash recommended telephonic solution

Iceland VolcanoLast month millions of air travelers suffered the recent Volcanic ash cloud over Northern Europe which was caused by the sudden unexpected volcanic eruptions in Iceland. Euro airspace including the UK and Ireland were completely closed for more than 10 days. Over a billion US$ loss was faced by airline companies operating in the affected region.

“The volcanic ash cloud is a very significant threat to air safety. National authorities are required to take decisions to ensure safety under international law, such as closure of airspace and airports, without discrimination between airlines”, says Vice President of European Commission, Siim Kallas.

According to Dr. Dougal Jerram, an earth scientist at the University of Durham, UK, “Eruptions which are charged with gas start to froth and expand as they reach the surface. This results in explosive eruptions and this fine ash being sent up into the atmosphere. If it is ejected high enough, the ash can reach the high winds and be dispersed around the globe, for example, from Iceland to Europe. These high winds are exactly where the aeroplanes cruise.” Volcanic ash can harm a plane mainly in four ways:

  • Sandblasting effect – blinding pilots’ windscreen, endangering propellers
  • Clogging of the plane’s sensor – blocking aircraft’s pilot tubes
  • Electromagnetic wave insulation – disturbing communication by radio
  • Combustion power failure – causing erosion and destroys compressor

With such harmful effects on an airplane, airline companies are left with no choice but to face the worst nightmare and sooth stranded passengers. Hotels across all the European countries and UK were packed with disturbed passengers. Many hired taxis to cross countries, like a business man paid a cab driver over a thousand pounds to reach Paris from London.

In such a hazardous situation, passengers and stranded travelers are always in a need to minimize the extended budget costs. Contacting their loved ones and informing them about their situation is very necessary, and this is the reason last month telephone companies and cellular companies across UK and Europe observed large amount of new customers buying new SIM cards and utilizing phone booths.

Phonebooth GuyFriendCaller also observed more customers connecting through WiFi hot-spots around Europe and UK to make free international and long distance calls with their loved ones over the FriendCaller network. FriendCaller is proud to serve its new customers in a catastrophic situation like this and guarantees their customers for lowest call rates around the world with top quality customer support.

As of today’s news about the new Volcanic ash forming above Scotland and Ireland airspace, more flights across UK are grounded. Forecasters warn about the ash cloud spreading towards south and predicts more UK airports being shut down. In the next 24 hours more passengers may experience delayed or cancelled flights. The CAA and NATS have confirmed the closure of Belfast, Derry, Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick until at least 24:00hrs today, Wednesday 5th May.

We will recommend the stranded passengers to connect with our telephonic solution to save money, so that they can manage their budget for the unexpected extended stay efficiently. We pray for all passengers to reach their destination safe and sound.