SmartAR: New augmented reality tech from Sony

Although augmented reality has yet to hit big time, there are numerous popular apps such as Wikitude and Augmented Car Finder which use augmented reality to provide real world benefits to users.

Smart AR is the new augmented reality technology from Sony which can be integrated into future mobile devices. Akhibara News reports that the SmartAR technology will be able to follow multiple objects at the same time. In simpler terms, augmented reality is the method of integrating virtual objects into the real world view as seen on the screens of mobile devices.

Windows Phone 7 Marketplace coming soon

Users can browse the full app catalogue on the marketplace, look at the app screenshots, and read app reviews as well. They can also share their favourite apps through Facebook, Twitter and through emails.

Windows Phone 7 has got yet another boost from Microsoft which will soon be coming up with the web based version of its app store for the platform.

The web based Windows Phone 7 Marketplace is likely to be released along with the Mango update of the smartphone operating system from Microsoft. The WP7 application store is likely to be built along the lines of Apple's iTunes store and the Android Marketplace. The marketplace will allow the users to browse app screenshots, complete catalogue of the apps and app reviews.

Windows Phone 7 may have more quality apps

Microsoft is aiming for quality over quantity for its marketplace, so that its apps may command higher price from the consumers.

Notwithstanding the popularity of Android, primarily due to its free applications, Microsoft wants its developers to sell quality apps at higher price points for its Windows Phone 7, Bloomberg has reported.

It's not that Microsoft wants the developers to charge more for the same apps, it actually wants them to create better and more feature rich apps, and then charge more. 

Nokia to support Symbian till 2016

The users who are more concerned about third party apps will face some difficulties since app developers would be more interested in developing apps for those platforms which have longer term potential.

Finnish handset maker, Nokia will support Symbian based devices till 2016, two years more than its previous deadline.

Chief executive officer of Nokia, Stephen Elop said in an official blog, "Even as we go through a transition towards our primary smartphone platform, Windows Phone, you will see that continued investment, software updates to Symbian devices are expected until at least 2016." 

The next big thing in feature phones: Cloud

Users will benefit from the low cost of phones because they won't need to store apps on their phone and will be able to access apps from a cloud server.

We keep hearing about new smartphones, but it appears Samsung and Motorola are going to surprise us with a new concept — cloud based mobile phones.

These are cheaper phones that will run on software stored in a remote server, or cloud. Usually, the data accessed by smartphones resides on the phone itself, thus raising the cost of the device. Cloud phones, on the other hand, will have no need to carry data with them. Rather, users can just pluck data from the cloud and use it as per their convenience.

Google Maps now available on mobile browser

Now Android and iPhone users can access Google maps through their device's browser, without having the need to install the application itself.

Google has launched its maps service for Android and iOS devices which can be accessed even without installing the application. 

Google Maps is by far one of the most used maps and location services used across the world as it is available free of cost across various platforms. 

Android finds a way to curb piracy

Android has introduced Market License Server which gets pinged by both genuine and pirated apps so the developers can find out and remotely deactivate the app or charge the users.

To counter the scourge of piracy of applications, Android has come up with a way, called Market License Server, through which the app developers can actually verify whether the app running on a smartphone is a legitimate one or not. 

If used, this facility let the apps, even pirated copies, to ping the servers of developers which will in turn find out whether it is a pirated one or not. 

Google Docs for Android renewed

The Google docs allows the users to create and modify documents such as word files, excel files, and presentations while keeping them secure on the cloud, which allows the user to access them anywhere.

Google Docs, a cloud based document storage and editing service, has been updated for Android based smartphones. With the addition of newer features, the Google Docs application allows the user to get the work done in a faster and better way. 

Apart from the visual upgrades, the application also has new functionalities that will go a long way in helping the Android users. 

The Google docs allows the users to create and modify documents such as word files, excel files, and presentations while keeping them secure on the cloud, which allows the user to access them anywhere. 

Google updates Android Market

Google will also be allowing developers to upload bigger files, so the users can expect heavier apps as well. Earlier, hard core gamers couldn't get all the games due to the file size restrictions on the Android apps.

Google has updated its Android Marketplace, which has recently crossed the two lakh apps mark, to make the best and popular applications visible at the top so the users do not face difficulty in locating the apps they are looking for. 

The changes made by Google are simple and intuitive, which mostly use the search capabilities of the company to find out which application is doing well among the users. The editorial category is the only one where human discretion will prevail. The only problem with this is that while popular apps become more visible, users may not even see lesser known applications. 

The web interface of the Android Market has undergone a major overhaul and has included five more categories: Top Developers, Editor's Choice, Related Apps, Top Apps, and Trending Apps. In every category, the apps are presented in a different manner to make the entire process more convenient. 

The developers can upload bigger files, hence users can expect heavier apps for their Android devices as well. This news will gladden the hearts of hard core gamers who were not able to get some games due to the file size restrictions. 

The update will be sent to the Android smartphones and tablets.

Mobile operating systems are influencing desktops

The dividing line between the mobile and desktop operating systems is getting finer, and the two worlds are expected to merge eventually.

The mobile operating systems have been derived from their desktop counterparts. That's the reason the email application on the smartphones look very much like the desktop version. 

But, as the mobile operating systems maturing, they are in turn influencing the appearance of their desktop peers. 

Take the Mac App Store for example, in which the apps run full screen and it supports multi touch gestures (with the help of Magic trackpad) too — these two properties essentially originated in smartphones and now have made their ways to Mac computers.

The other companies also intend these two worlds to merge eventually. 

The WebOS operating system of Hewlett Packard was designed for mobile use, but HP is now trying to bring it for desktops and notebooks. And then there always is our favourite Windows 8 smartphone operating system, which is now proposed for the tablets as well. 

Make apps on what you like and share with your friends

Appsbar allows users to make applications with ultimate freedom and also keeps it totally free right from making the application till the distribution.

Making an application is a tough task and getting it published on the related app store is even tougher right? Wrong! Now anyone and everyone over the age of 13 years can make applications with the use of their own creativity and imaginations with Appsbar. 

Appsbar is possibly world's first ever website that offers functionality of making applications for mobile platforms like iPhone and Android. 

Appsbar is not charging anything from the developer in the form of fees or anything. Besides, the developer can download the app from the application stores for free. The revenue mode of Appsbar is simple: they earn from 'in app advertisements', which might annoy some users. 

The Appsbar gives the developer full functionality on the development of the application. The user can choose test location and customise the application according to his needs. The copyrights of the application are also being given to the developers who just need some knowledge of computer to fill in details and functionality to the app. 

The downside of health apps: where developers are doctors

In future, mobile health apps will help patients get treatment, and mistakes will naturally attract lawsuits for developers, with financial consequences for developers as well.

Smartphone owners these days have to shell out small sums of money to download health apps on their mobiles and get numerous pages of useful health literature. Even if the mobile phone is out of coverage area, the user still gets necessary first aid information.

Therefore, users get the feeling that they know how to deal with seizures, strokes, burns and other emergencies, and they tend to be complacent.

Needless to say, smartphones are penetrating our lives at a deep level, and since it is happening gradually, we hardly notice.

Apps are a new fad, and health care apps are even more so. Such applications cover a wide range and include calorie counters; exercise monitors; and those that help people overcome addictions. For example, people who don't want to smoke, but can't kick the butt, can always consult their mobiles for tips!

There is no doubt that mobile health apps work at the basic level, but some newer applications are likely to remove this deficiency in future by allowing users to connect with their doctors, for instance. Once the online health records are added to the mix, we have a whole new world of mobile health apps.

Mobile health apps will, for example, tell a diabetic mobile user looking for insulin where the closest pharmacy is. Virtual doctors can also tell users to watch their cholesterol when they are at a restaurant. These features are provided to users with the help of location based services.

There are already several apps in the market intended to help doctors, but mobile health apps will completely change the health care scene by making it easier for patients to connect with doctors.

For example, these apps will allow patients to send pictures to their doctors. Visits to the doctor's clinic are expensive, and these apps could reduce such expenses.

With increased use of technology, the chances of mistakes also increase, and we don't know right now who will be held responsible for errors.

There have been lawsuits against doctors in the past and now mobile health app developers also stand the risk of being sued. Since the apps would be used for serious diseases and medical emergencies also, the chances of risk for patients will be very high. There is currently something in place that will protect app developers: these are disclaimers or user agreements that come up before the app is installed, and that people don't usually read. So, for the time being, users would do well to take good care of themselves, and not depend blindly on their mobile health app.