MMS
Android Blackbook – Progress Update
Jul 20th
I have made substantial progress with Android Blackbook since its initial release on the 24th of June. It was released soon after as a pro verion, and has gone through over 150 verisions. Last Thursday was the release of the Moto Droid X. On this day the first wave of Demo versions began to expire. Many of the pro level features have already been ported to the demo version, and as new updates for the pro are published selected features will be made temporarily available for demo use.
Call filtering and sms filtering both appear to be quite stable at this time. There are still some kinks to work out of the UI, particularly effecting app stability. Have no doubt that the app is extremely stable at this time, but there are always new things to tweak and add. As of today I know of several things I need to address. Tonight I will focus on improving app stability.
I really want to finish MMS support, but why start a new, extremely complicated, feature when there are many needed stability issues to tweak to perfection. While MMS support is 90% done, I need to focus on making sure the app NEVER crashes and performs perfectly. Then and only then will I add MMS support. I expect this to be soon.
Android Blackbook: ToDo List
Jul 4th
As of July 4th here are the current features:
- Global notifications replacement. Blacklisted and non blacklisted sms notifications are handled entirely by the application
- Dummy text messages
- Call filtering
- Call number masking
- Send calls to voicemail, with two distinct methods configurable in the main settings
- Silence contact
- Import/Export contact information. At this time only the first line of the postal address it exported.
- Support for full postal address in the application, with full address being imported
- Customizable login number
- Fully integrated SMS client
- SMS client themes
- Advanced memory tactics. The entire UI layout will has been redesigned to reduce memory use up to 10x. This will substantially reduce, if not eliminate, memory related freezes
- Photos support that import Facebook images from the main contact book
- New custom menus!
I have many things I need and want to add:
- MMS support! I know, I promise I will add it
- More SMS themes
- Blinking lights on system notifications
- Customizable dummy message
- Group SMS messages
- Password recovery. Possibly a secret gesture on the main screen? May replace main login method, or supplement it
- Contact export to email
- More custom menus rather than default
- More ui enhancements
- Compatibility with 2.2
- Compatibility with smaller and tablet size screens
Blackberry Coming on Strong with new Stuff
Nov 10th
Blackberry is introducing new APIs for there 5.0 software. This will definnitely make their phone more competitive as new smartphones come quickly into the marketplace. The new APIs will significantly enhance productivity, functionality, and entertainability. Push functions, in third party apps is a big thing. As new apps come on line with push functionality, your message box will become increasingly important and useful.
At Research in Motion’s BlackBerry Developer Conference Monday, the company made a slew of announcements that aim to boost the platform’s appeal to developers.[Source]
The message box is already a communications dynamo. It integrates all of your email, sms, mms, and instant messaging into a single inbox. How much better can it get? Apparently much better. More message, more consolidation, more features.
iPhone 3.0 – at&t – No MMS – June 2009
Jun 20th
The new iPhone OS3.0 is here. It is completely useless upon its initial release. It was supposed to bring MMS support. Every other feature, ie. clipboard and search has been available via Cydia for a looooong time now, but the MMS was blocked by at&t. Now with the new OS3.0 here at&t still does not support MMS. This is the only substantial reason to upgrade. 3.0 has not been jailborken yet so now users do not have theming features, which pretty much leaves millions of iPhone users very angry. Its simply incredible the service provided by at&t. 3G is fast, but there is never reception. I mean there is NEVER reception. Sure if your standing in one place youll get reception, but when I drive through town and pass Main Street, and Central Drive bam the signal goes to Zero. and then when I pass Main Street and Shore Road, bam signal goes to zero; call dropped. Reception in Plandome, lol never had it; its simply incredible. Now since at&t is the only official provider of iPhone service in the US, why would Apple issue and update for features that are not even supported by the only official provider? Its counter intuitive, and a guaranteed way to make customers unhappy, or further unhappy with the service provided by at&t. This only leads more and more people to look into unlocking there phone to work with other providers to bypass the monopoly at&t has on the iPhone. Wouldn’t at&t say to Apple, waiiiiit we are not ready for the update!! There is no coordination behind the scenes. The same thing applies to the 3G rollout. Why would at&t sell a phone claiming that the phone is twice as fast, when the service provider cannot provide adequate reception. The claim should be the iPhone 3G is twice as fast, when you can get a signal.