SevenClick! Mobile Technology Evangelists

Two days ago Google launched its new web browser, called Google Chrome. Quickly lots of people downloaded it to have a try and see how it worked. After some testing time I can say that it does run fast. With high probability, the reason is the new browser engine it uses, launching each website and tab like a new process and in a smart and easy way.

But after testing it I thought “Ok but, will Google provide a Chrome version for mobile devices?”. And surprisingly I got an answer from Sergey Brin, Google co-founder, who talked about this in an interview at the Chrome launch event. In the event he said that Chrome will make its way to Android, the company’s mobile phone operating system and software suite.

Brin also said that both Android and Chrome have been developed separately but that now the two projects are public and nearing their first final releases, it’s probably that Android’s browser “is going to pick up a lot of the Chrome stack”, pointing to JavaScript improvements as one area. Chrome and Android’s current browser both already employ WebKit, an open-source project for the process of interpreting the HTML code that makes up a Web page and rendering it on a screen, what makes them get closer.

With this on-working state browser and the current mobile browsers, we start to have the chance to choose a web browser for our mobile device, although in some cases it depends on the O.S. our device has. Below you can find a little table with the current mobile web browsers, the O.S. they support and the development state.

I wish all these browsers were cross platform and then we could forget about our device O.S. and choose the one we like most even if we change our phone.

Via MobileCrunch

Android has published the first screenshots of their future App Store, which they prefer to call “Market”. Seems they want to highlight their differences with Apple and to strengthen their open and free side with this different name, which for them means “an open and unobstructed environment”.

Reinforcing Android openness, they compare it with YouTube. Developers will be able to upload apps as easy as a video YouTube upload, and these could be free or paid apps.

Hope they get a better quality sieve system than Apple on their Store Market.

Some days ago we talked about the release of the first beta of Android, named ‘Android SDK 0.9 beta’.

Along with some new features and the release itself, we pointed out the bad news of Google dropping of two important APIs: Bluetooth and GTalkService. For sure, more other people has felt disappointed by this, and Google Android’s team has tried to explain their reasons in a post.

The explanation seems to be reasonable: scheduling issues. In fact, they promise next releases will include these APIs, emphasizing bluetooth one. Anyway, it’s hard to believe that Google, with thousands of developers, has not reached to release a proper Bluetooth API in time.

In turn, I think GTalkService - formerly XMPPService - API has suffered other kind of issues. I suspect that Apple’s upcoming push/event notification service - which Jobs said to be ready in September - has made Android’s push platform to be rethinked. Unfortunately.

Link AndroidDevelopersBlog

Since Steve Jobs announced the new iPhone, on sale on July 11th, companies have been working hard to get versions of its products suited to this device.

Google could not miss this meeting and a few days ago it has update its website with one link to access the new version of its chat.

Google Talk Gadget, which is the name that has given at this version of chat from the iPhone, simply using the Safari browser (using ajax) and a Gmail account.

Via Engadet Mobile

Google has created a new YouTube Channel called “Mobile Tricks” to show what people do with their Mobile Phones, you can submit your own videos showing your best tricks, ideas…, there are only ten videos right now but some of them very funny. Check it out.

It is of course a funny way of google´s marketing. Submit your video and enjoy.

Via Gizmovil

When some months ago Google released ‘My Location’ feature for Google Maps for Mobile a lot of buzz hit the blogosphere. Every tech-blogger wondered about how had Google managed to know the location of cellphones.

But now - just a couple of weeks ago - Google itself has put some light on the business with a post on the Official Google Mobile Blog. And not many people has talked about it. But it’s really good news.

Not only Google has unveiled how they really get to know location, but has announced they are going to give third party developers access to this information.

This will enable development of location-aware applications to every developer.

Now, ‘My Location’ is available in more than 200 countries and across many different platforms, including BlackBerry, Nokia Series 60, Apple iPhone/iPod Touch, Windows Mobile, and many Java phones. Gears for Windows Mobile and Android already contain location APIs.

The major drawback is accuracy, that is clearly insufficient for serious applications. And this issue won’t be solved - if possible - until Google has collected a huge amount of data from cellphones all over the world, which will be possible just when GPS chips were commonplace in every mid-range cellphone.

So, I’m not sure if this new service will have a real impact in deployment of production applications. But, definitely, it will help LBS applications to be mainstream and to boost innovation related to this technology.

Via OfficalGoogleMobileBlog

What about the launch date of one of the most expected mobile OS, Android?

Google: “We’re still on track to announce Android-powered phones this year. Some of our partners are publicly stating that they plan to ship Android phones in the fourth quarter.”

huh!, it sounds maybe this fall, perhaps for Christmas.

They have to hurry if they want to have something in the market to compete with the new iPhone, Blackberry bold, HTC Diamond and Sony Xperia for example, and for Xmas is the best chance to introduce this amazing Open Source Mobile OS, with or without the rumored gPhone.

Via CrunchGear

It is time for Opera Mobile to bring us the opportunity to work on internet applications without internet connection thanks it will support Gears in its desktop and mobile browsers.

“Opera will have full support for Gears on mobile when they launch this year,” said Charles Wiles, Product Manager for mobile web apps at Google. “Opera Mobile 9.5 will be a great example of a high-quality browser on a mobile platform that supports Gears. This marks the coming of age of the browser as the platform for application development on mobile devices.”

“The forthcoming Opera Mobile 9.5 with Gears will usher in a new era for the Web on mobile devices,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera. “Together, these products will create new ways to bring applications to life on mobile devices. Developers will be able to use this along with Opera Dragonfly to develop and debug compelling applications for any connected environment.”

Great!

Link Opera Press release

At present mobile phones are more like a PDA than a cell phone.

For people who want a mobile phone in which only have installed what they need and have a relay telephone and personal well see exactly what they need, the RKS Group Design has created the Mimique.

Where the Mimique really sets itself apart is that it is designed to take advantage of the new, open-source cell phone technologies being developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance.

The combination of open source software and touch-screen technology will make the Mimique easily upgradable and will extend the lifespan of the phone , because of to add new features enough to download the new functionality.

Via Unplggd

The Android Developer Challenge, the one with the $10 million in awards for the best 50 mobile apps, has finished its initial phase with the amazing count of 1788 mobile apps participating.

Submissions are now closed, with USA as the number one in participants, followed by Germany and Japan. The lucky winners will be announced next 21th July.

Via XatakaMovil

Link