Following on from our previous Mobile Showdown post, the Smartphone market is starting to once again heat up.

When it comes to the smartphones, nothing can touch the iPhone. It is by far the most popular handset in the world, has the highest number of applications in its market place and it can only be a positive thing that when every single smartphone is released comparisons are invarably made with Apple’s benchmark. The iPhone’s dominance is still strong but has stuttered recently with the ever increasing rise of the Android OS.

The iPhone handset may, individually, still be best selling in the world but 2010 saw the Android mobile operating system outsell the iPhone for the first time due to it’s availability on multiple handsets from Motorola, HTC and Sony Ericsson.

The announcement of the Android 2.2 update, code named Froyo, confirmed what a lot of people were hoping for from the update, Flash being available on a mobile device. This also tied in with the worldwide release of the free turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, which stuck fear into the hearts of Garmin and TomTom.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have an early release of Froyo for over a week now, giving me the opportunity to play with the latest update to see how well Flash works.

On a whole having Flash on your mobile does improve the online experience of the net while on the move. There is no need for multiple applications that give you access to on-demand television, watch online videos, or play your favourite online flash games because they are all accessible in the browser.

To say that Flash 10.1 works perfectly would be a lie. It has issues with ability to perform actions that require a precise click because we are working with a 3.7 inch screen after all and there is a noticeable lag when the browser is loading flash heavy sites. The update is not yet on general release and we can only hope that issues that have arisen will be sorted by the time it is available to the public.

Although it is too soon to say whether Android will emerge as the dominate mobile OS it is setting itself up as the strongest contender and we are all looking at Apple to announce its worst kept secret, the iPhone 4G.

Well we developed an app for that…

The free Manchester Airport iPhone application is an essential tool for those flying out, flying in and even collecting friends or family from Manchester Airport. It has been designed to save both time, money and enable the traveller to plan their journey and time in the terminals more productively, be it exploring the many retail outlets or airport lounges.

The Manchester Airport iPhone application is the perfect accompaniment for both business and leisure travellers.

The key features of the application allow you to:

• Explore each terminal through the interactive map
• Car park booking – Save money and time by pre-booking your car parking
• View a Google map of each terminal and get directions to and from the airport
• Get real time flight information for arrivals and departures.

The Manchester Airport iPhone application is available to download from the AppStore now for free and more information about the app can be found at the Manchester Airport website.

One of the big topics of January was the battle between Google and China over it’s censorship of search results. It started with a cyber attack on Google originating from China, believed to be aimed towards Human Rights Activists involved in issues, such as Tibet.

• Google lifts censorship on China’s search results

Internet Explorer (IE) took a hit from the German and French governments when they both advised their people to find alternatives to using Microsoft’s browser in order to protect themselves from online attacks.

• Germany & France warn against using IE

Google also featured heavily in the news thanks to the launch of its first smart phone, the Nexus One. Many smart phones on the market use Google’s operating system Android, but this is the first attempt by the Mountain View Giant to enter the handheld market.

• Google launches Nexus One

Social Media websites, such as twitter, have caused problems for sports teams when their players share too much. In the summer Darren Bent was tweeting about his potential transfer to Sunderland and recently Ryan Babel vented his frustration about Liverpool’s selections on his twitter account. This resulted in both Manchester United and Manchester City banning their players from having twitter accounts.

• Manchester United ban Twitter
• Manchester City ban social media sites

Finally we have to mention Apple’s big announcement of January, the iPad. Apple once again got the world excited and sitting on the edge of their seats awaiting for Steve Job to take to the stage and reveal the latest toy.

• Apple launches iPad

Now all that is left is to wait and see what February has in store for us.

In this post we ask 4 KMP Digitata staff members to say what they like best about their devices. This could either put an end to the arguments once and for all or pump ill-feelings to an all time high as heels dig in and opinions become more deeply entrenched.

Oh well, here goes…

Danny Ashcroft: Marketing Exec

Chosen Mobile Device: Google Nexus One

I started my smart phone experience with the G1 which was great over a year ago but is really starting to struggle now that most android phones are on Android 2.0 leaving the G1 stuck on the 1.6 with no hope of further updates. So the Nexus One was the natural next step.

It is undisputed that the Nexus One is the most powerful on the market with its 1 GHZ Snapdragon processor and 512MB of RAM, but if you’re like me you don’t really care about what is inside as long as it all works on the screen.

The Nexus One impresses from the very beginning when its 3.7inch OLED screen lights up. The screen looked good but it was only when it was put next to the iPhone 3GS that the difference was evident. The colours were vivid and more importantly the black was actually black compared to the washed out dark grey of the iPhone. The Blackberry and Palm Pre couldn’t compare either.

When the home screen appeared I would have expected to click on the menu straight away to see what features it has. Instead I was left just tapping the screen playing with the “live wallpaper” that changes when you touch it. I felt like a budgie in its cage pecking it’s reflection in a little mirror. There I was in a trace, tapping the screen and just watching the water background ripple from my touch.

Once I was able to tear myself away from the back ground, a quick log in to my Google Account and everything was synced straight away and I had access to all my emails/contacts/photos/etc that I have on various Google products. People may complain and grumble about Google taking over the cyber world but if it means I have quick and simple access to what I need then I’m all for it.

The speed of the phone became noticeable when using the apps. I used to have to open the app and wait for it to load on the G1 but it all works instantly on the Nexus and although it doesn’t change the experience of the phone massively it does make using the slower phones very frustrating. It also runs multiple apps at once allowing me to listen to music, keep up to date on the latest football scores and send messages all at the same time.

A major selling point of the Nexus is its navigator feature on Google Maps but unfortunately the UK won’t be updated until the phone launches over here sometime in the spring, although this is yet to be officially confirmed. Multi-touch is also an issue with the Nexus because although it is capable of it with apps, such as xScope, it is not supported in the phone’s navigation and photo gallery, instead the Navigation ball is used. I never use this for navigation but it does nicely pulse different colours when events happen, such as message received or score update available, and it actually works as a pretty good massage ball for your thumb.

With many App developers moving over to the android platform from Apple, thanks to its more lenient publishing rules, it won’t be long before the Android Market place starts to make up ground on the App Store.

All the smart phones have their own advantages and disadvantages but for the whole package I believe the Nexus One is the best out there. People claim that the iPhone is a fashion statement rather then just a phone but when you see them in the hands of nearly everyone you see, including 14 year olds, it’s hardly a fashion statement anymore. Nobody says “looking at my iPhone”, they say “look at this cool app I’ve just got” and increasingly I’ve replied “I have that on my android”.

Gez Daring – Client Services Manager

Chosen mobile device: iPhone 3Gs

What more can I say about the iPhone 3Gs that hasn’t been said all ready? I’m not an Apple fanboy but I decided to take the plunge early and was the proud owner of the original iPhone. I was immediately hooked. It wasn’t the first smartphone, nor was it the first touchscreen mobile browsing device, but when Apple brought out the original iPhone only 2 and a half years ago, it redefined both categories.

The main attractions were and still are a great mobile browsing experience and a stunning multitouch user interface. Combine this with a great screen for displaying photos and videos and the fact that you can run the phone from iTunes – a program everyone is already familiar with – and you have the perfect mobile device for the masses. But for all its gloss, the original device was admittedly flawed when compared with most European mobile phones that were out at the time.

I think this was partly due to the fact that the US mobile market was and still is a few steps behind the European scene. It was hard to convince naysayers that the iPhone was the future of mobile when it couldn’t send or receive MMS, had a disappointing 2MB camera with no flash or video recoding capability, no GPS and no 3G compatibility. It was basically an iPod and browsing device with a bog-standard phone thrown in.

It was the launch of the app store that saw the iPhone come into its own and, while some purists will never be happy with the proprietary, Apple controlled environment, most people are content with the fact that they can turn their device into anything they want it to be. Games, tools, publications are only a click away. I know, I know – it’s not open like Android and closed systems are evil and blah blah and more geeky blah – who cares? I know that my device won’t be hijacked by a malicious app. You’ll wish Google operated the same amount of control over their Apps the first time you try explaining to your mum that the porn links you sent her via MMS “wasn’t your fault”. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The 3Gs model and firmware updates addressed the previously described flaws. So I now have a device that does everything I could possiblely want. Video (with nice trimming tool), MMS, iPod, 3 mpx camera with touch focus, games, tools, Emails… and unlike the other devices described here, the interface is a dream to use so no matter how many apps I have it’s never a chore to find the one I need.

And The 3Gs is fast. I mean really fast.Someone else will probably compare the processors but the 600 MHz and 7.2Mbps data speed does the job for me.

And if you need one more reason to convince you that you shouldn’t settle for anything less than the iPhone, just look at it. It’s gorgeous.

Drew Royle – Studio Manager

Chosen Mobile Device: Palm Pre

I’ve had a Palm handheld computer several times, on and off, over the past ten years and have always been impressed with the build quality and support offered by Palm. They’re like a Gameboy – they just keep going no matter how many times you drop them!

That’s the first reason I chose to vote with my pocket and resist the pull of the all hailed iPhone.

The iPhone was a trend-setter but as with so many new innovations, subsequent competition often outshines the original and that is what I believe the Pre has done for the smart phone market.

There are so many advantages that the Pre has over the iPhone but the main one is probably the addition of a full slide-out qwerty keyboard, making data entry so much faster than on-screen typing. However, probably the most talked about advantage is the Pre’s multi-tasking ability (although the Nexus 1 also possesses this). It’s fantastic to be able to be listening to music, have multiple simultaneous downloads, be replying to a text and be checking my work calendar all at the same time. I can’t even remember what it was like to have to close down each app and start a new one!

Ok the iPhone has the App Store with over 90,000 apps. That is impressive, there’s no getting round it. But, to play devil’s advocate, does anyone ACTUALLY need 90,000 apps – how many is too many? If you think back, Palm have had online app stores for their handhelds long before Apple came to the table and already have a vibrant online App Catalogue of their own, at 1,100 apps and counting.

Technically there isn’t a lot of difference between the handhelds, all having similar processing power and memory. The screen on the Nexus and iPhone are larger but only slightly and I prefer the phone to be smaller in my pocket and the 3.1” high resolution screen is more than enough to view the web in all its glory. Other than actual apps, the connectivity is far easier on the Pre, as you are able to dump music and files onto it from any Windows PC or MAC meaning you are not restricted to iTunes.

The nearest rival to the Pre is the Nexus 1, also possessing multi-tasking, a camera flash and gesture area. However the Pre still beats this as far as I am concerned with better applications, a cooler magnetic charging system and the most important – a UK support network in the form of 02 shops and call centre support. The biggest downfall of the Nexus 1 is the fact that users have to wait days for replies via forums or email.

In summary, if you want one of the most advanced phones in the world that lets you type fast, run multiple applications simultaneously and is reliable, buck the trend and get a Pre!

Graham Smith: Junior Developer

Chosen Mobile Device: Blackberry Curve 8900

Blackberry – synonymous with simply the best email integration in a mobile device. Setting up email accounts with Blackberry is not only intuitive but a breeze, including support for Microsoft exchange. Iphone users will  talk about their app store – well,  using the old adage “quality over quantity” Blackberry’s apps are more business focused, with one of the best apps for business users being on Blackberry; the “ Wireless Database Viewer Plus from Cellica Corporation connects and updates desktop-side databases and syncs automatically.

Simple things such as being able to replace the battery, which should be noted realistically lasts a total of 3.5 days WITH the Wifi on, a solid qwerty keyboard, expandable memory through micro SD (Nexus also features this) and a colourful LED indicator are things that both the Nexus and Iphone don’t have. The ability to run apps in the background and seamlessly switch between them when you receive that all important email or SMS is a mobile users’ delight.

Word processor, spreadsheet and PDF reader all come as standard with the trimmings including one of the best mobile messaging systems exclusively for Blackberry users, boasting such features as personal and group barcodes, allowing users to use their cameras to add new contacts. Furthermore the messenger integrates with email and all supported media types, allowing items to be sent seamlessly. For those unfortunate enough not to have a Blackberry there’s Yahoo and Windows Live Messenger for Blackberry.

Other non-business features such as Facebook  and Twitter are readily available. The music player is actually fairly good, with support for a wide variety of media types: MP3, MIDI, AMR-NB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA and WAV. And Yes to answer the next question – it does play movies of the following types: MPEG4 , H.263 and WMV. The fact it comes with a decent set of included headphones makes this all the more enjoyable.

Future support for Microsofts’ Silverlight and flash in full -compared again to the Iphone’s limited flash support – has been promised for the first half of 2010 as well as HSDPA support and higher resolution screens on the horizon, which demonstrates RIM’s drive to produce the ultimate business smart phone.

In short: want a phone that has all the features you need , a screen that your children won’t break, has enough battery life to ensure you won’t need to panic when there’s a power cut , and is provided by a company who appear to be keeping a strong eye on the ball – get a Blackberry.

Conclusion

Not one of these phones can claim to be perfect and they all have their individual advantages. The Blackberry is more business orientated, the iPhone has the fun factor and the Nexus and Palm Pre take up the middle ground.

Whatever you look for in a phone, I’m sure that at least one of these 4 can supply it.

The decision is down to you.

The challenge we have set ourselves is to build this application in a week’s worth of time, as mentioned in a previous blog.

The first stage of the project was to decide what our app would be. Below is the process we went through to create the concept for Glacier Racer, our snow themed racing game.

You can follow Glacier Racer on twitter, @Glacierracer, and become a fan on our Facebook Page.

Stage 1: The planning

It all starts with the question;

What are we going to do?

From the start we knew we wanted to create an iPhone app that people can download and use for free. We didn’t yet know was what exactly this app would do or what it would be for.

We wanted an app that people could pick up and use easily and that would also contain a festive theme to it. As this wasn’t going to be tied to any product or brand we decided upon creating a game.

Genre – What type of game will it be?

Meetings were called and ideas banded about. A snow themed platformer perhaps, with elves trying to save Christmas? How about a tilting game whereby spilt gifts are herded up?

However, as the reality of our plans dawned we realized that to create a decent platformer with a level of depth and variety in the time we were allowing ourselves was a little ambitious, and the herding game could quickly lose is replay ability.

For what we wanted to achieve a racing game felt as though it was the best fit for our application. It could:

• Easily be adapted to a Christmas theme
• Take advantage of the iPhone controls. Use the iPhone as a steering wheel and tilt for acceleration and breaking
• Allow leader boards for people to check and attempt to beat for replay value
• It can have well defined levels of difficulty
• It can become a social tool by friends trying to beat each other’s times
• And by completing races we could also award special gifts/trophies

With a one on one style of racing we believe the user would experience greater urgency to beat the character they are racing. There are no awards for second place in this game.

Design – How will the game be styled?

A Christmas/Winter theme can be easily applied to the racing genre, with the game set in the North Pole and an array of possible mode of transport. Husky sledges, skis/snowboards or even just blocks of ice were justa few that came to mind.

For the characters it was decided to keep the list to a minimum, this would both help us stay within our time period and then allow us to introduce additional characters as updates after the game has been launched.

First we compiled a list of animals that would appear in an arctic/snowy area or are associated with festive themes:

• Eskimo/Inuit
• Elves
• Santa
• Polar Bear
• Arctic Fox
• Reindeer
• Walrus
• Penguin
• Arctic Hare
• Wolves

From this list it was decided that the player would be a human leaving an Eskimo or Santa. The Eskimo was chosen because a character could be created rather than using an iconic character such as Santa, who is tied to closely with Christmas, whereas an Eskimo would have an appeal beyond the holiday period.

As for the opponent, a penguin was chosen as a recognisable character that people can associate with speed

What will keep people playing?

The increasing difficulty would provide the initial challenge for the player but rewards are planned to give something back to the user. Awards are given to the user for completing races and beating various levels of difficulty.

Idea for an award is a flashing Mistletoe they can put on the screen of their iPhone.

Automatically updated leader boards will show who has gotten the fastest times providing another challenge to users to get be the best.

And so…..

GLACIER RACER was born!

Sign up to receive information about the launch and competitions at the Glacier Racer website – www.glacierracer.co.uk

Follow Glacier Racer on twitter, @Glacierracer, and become a fan on our Facebook Page.

Part 2: Design and Build coming soon

Here at KMP Digitata we like to use Christmas as an opportunity to have some fun and flex our creative and technical muscles.

In the past we have created a Christmas Shopping Website, which made shopping for presents in 2008 a lot less stressful. In 2007 we provided Facebook users with the ability to throw snowballs at their friends with our ‘Snowball Fight’ application.

This year we are going to create an iPhone Application that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store free of charge. Consider it a present from all of us at KMP Digitata.

The Challenge

Can we design and build an iPhone application as a studio in under a week* and launch it on the Apple App Store in time for Christmas?

In the run up to Christmas we will be tracking our progress and blogging about each stage of development. These will include:

• Decision making – what will our App be?
• Design – creating a theme for the App
• Build – How the App is built
• Testing – Testing the App to find any possible bugs
• Publishing/Launch – Publishing the App onto the Apple Store

More information will follow soon.

*A week is taken as a weeks worth of hours, not 5 consecutive days