Google have just announced App Inventor, a new tool in Google Labs that makes it easy for anyone – programmers and non-programmers, professionals and students – to create mobile applications for Android-powered devices.

App inventor will not only make Application development for Android easier, but it will even change the way people use their mobile phones. We have previously mentioned that Google Android is targeting developers, and today we are discovering that it’s trying to make application development easier even for non-programmers.

No other mobile platform will be able to compete with Google on this side. The only negative point for Android remain the differences/incompatibilities between versions, especially that we started already talking about Android 3 – Gingerbread.

From App inventor website :

To use App Inventor, you do not need to be a developer. App Inventor requires NO programming knowledge. This is because instead of writing code, you visually design the way the app looks and use blocks to specify the app’s behavior.

An online development environment will definitely make a revolution for the Android platform, even if you will say that applications will be limited in features compared to advanced programming capabilities.

With App Inventor you can create location-aware applications, for example to help you remember where you parked your car, an app that shows the location of your friends or colleagues at a concert or conference, or your own custom tour app of your school, workplace, or a museum. Or simply apps that use the phone features of an Android phone such texting, camera, sensors, … etc. But if you are more familiar with webservices you will be able even to interact with your favorite websites such Amazon and Twitter… etc.

App Inventor  gallery already include apps such :

DROIDMuni : displays schedules for the San Francisco transit system. After the user selects from one of the transits lines and choosing a direction and particular stop, the application will display the lines next arrival times. Once the user has retrieved the desired arrival times, they are able to set up to four favorites which are saved and stored based on their unique e-mail address. Using the DroidMuni remind feature, the user can set a reminder to be notified when a bus is a specified number of minutes away.

ParkIt : allows users to locate their car on their Android phone. After clicking the “Park It” button, the app stores the users car’s location until the “Find It” Button is clicked. The “Find It” button displays the user’s current location, and the user’s car’s location using latitude and longitude. When the user clicks “Show On Map”, GoogleMaps is activated, and the route to the car is displayed.

Drum Kit : allows the user to hit seven different parts of a full, labeled drum kit and hear each drum’s respective sound. This app allows the user not only to learn more about the drums (i.e. the names and sounds of the drums), but also to have fun and create their own beat.

Super Hero Game : a fantastic Quiz game that tests the users true Super Hero Knowledge. Each screen shows a different character from a superhero world and asks a question pertaining to that picture. The user types in the answer and clicks submit. The program responds with a RIGHT or WRONG and the user is prompted to go on to the next question. The question will change as well as the picture. If the user wants to quit at any time they can GIVE UP and the program closes.

Where’s Speedo : allows a user and a users friends or family find each other. The app detects the user’s location and sends it to the users friends or family using the app. The app allows the user to view the location of another user on a map. It also allows the user to set how often the app sends his/her location.

I think we should expect more amazing apps from this magical inventor ! Behind the app inventor a research work conducted in MIT including the Open Blocks Java library used by the blocks editor, Open Blocks visual programming which is closely related to the Scratch programming language, and Kawa Language Framework and Kawa’s dialect of the Scheme programming language used to translates the visual blocks language for implementation on Android.

App inventor is still invitation only, and you can complete this form to get an invitation when available.

Two years ago, Google revealed the open handset alliance, or the Google’s initiative to dominate the mobile market. The idea sounds crazy for many observers, but since there is a giant called Google behind it, everything is possible. An open source mobile operating system is not something new, many other initiatives are there even before OHA but nobody talk about then … Google knew how to make everybody talk about their Android and it was obvious for everybody that a Google phone is coming someday…

That day is today, and Google have just announced officially the availability of their Nexus One phone the new “Superphone” where “Web meets phone”. That’s already two slogans to market the new nexus one, it’s a Superphone, forget about smartphones. It’s also a new Web experience for mobile users and people who still new to Android.

The hardware is pretty attracting : Thinner and lighter than iPhone, automated brightness adjustment , amazing sensors, noise canceling headphones, 5 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus, … and get ready to see all of these features running under Google Android 2.1 !

There are some downs for Nexus One since Android still missing some features mainly the multi-touch support, the Nexus One screen is amazing but seems to be very gourmand in energy so stay near charger or avoid using full-brightness screen all the time.

Google Nexus One is already available at http://www.google.com/phone/

The unlocked edition is available at $529 in US, UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. T-mobile provides also an unlocked edition of Nexus One at $179 with a $80 monthly plan including  500 minutes/unlimited SMS/unlimited data. You can still get the T-mobile version without any plan by paying an additional $379 !This is the Google phone number One, and there will be certainly more Android phones coming in 2010.

The mobile market war is not only about Android and iPhone, many other mobile giants are already in the market including Nokia with their Symbian OS, MSFT with Windows CE, Palm with their amazing WebOS… We don’t forget also that Google have just acquired Admob, the largest mobile advertising network, for $750 million.

If 2009 was the year of Android, what do you think about 2010 ?!

Saudi Arabian Telecom company STC launched in a partnership with HTC the first Arabic-enabled Android smartphone HTC Hero in the middle east and arab countries.

HTC Hero cost 2399 SAR (around $640 US) and include 1Gig internet subscription for free a value of 1200 SAR (around $320 US).

iPhone 3G is already available in Saudi Arabia by Mobily(second private telco in KSA), the 8G iphone is actually sold for 2400 SAR with a 250MB free.

STC, the largest telecommunication provider in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, covers an area of two million sq km, providing coverage to more than 100,000 km of highways and 98 per cent of inhabited areas across Saudi Arabia.

It has a larger customer base than any other provider in the Middle East – more than 19 million GSM, four million land line and one million DSL customers, the statement said. To date, STC has won telecom licenses in Kuwait and Bahrain and acquired shares in companies in Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and South Africa and is continuing to develop its outreach to become a global service provider.

Of the 100 applications the Handcase presents the first 60 for Android and Moblin. Page created to provide the software, http://www.handycase.com/eng/andmob.htm
It is recommended to compare the screens of products for PalmOS (access to sections of the HandSoft, division of software – www.handycase.com/handsoft/eng/) and see how easy it will be.

The software will be offered as a service and the web 2.0 style. “We know that we are offering something, which by volume, segmentation and mobility has not yet been offered. We also know that it will be a nice challenge, to offer this software globally, as mobile services, but we are prepared. After all, our extensive portfolio is proof that we can.” Says Ricardo Garay CEO Handcase.

The software will be offered as a subscription. Users will have the resources available as skins, encrypted security, option to create their own mobile social networks, and more. Carriers can offer unique customized versions. Users will have options to access wi-fi for free, or be signed by your carrier.

The options of signing will be: free for personal users with and without advertising, paid and free for professionals and pay for companies. One of the services yet to be free for businesses, will be Co2Global, the software for management of carbon credits, the first in the world, launched in 2008 by Handcase, which will have its version to service, offered soon. “We emphasize that, for those who already have or buy a version for PalmOS, version Android and Moblin will be free.” Garay explains.

“It must be said that do not forget the LiMo, and we will work for it too.” Ricardo concluded. The Handcase time, will detail in the exclusive website, the beta versions of each of the first software 60, when then officially communicate the launch.

About

Handcase Brazilian industry mobile software centered in the Palm platform. With a catalog of 346 products it consolidated the position of bigger industry of software for Palm of the world.

Global Market Expansion and Customer Momentum Drive Investment Round for Android-based Open Mobile Source Provider

Beijing, China and Sunnyvale, Calif., July 10, 2009 – Borqs Inc., a leading open source mobile application software provider and integrator, today announced it has closed a US$17.4 million Series B round of venture financing. Norwest Venture Partners (NVP) led this round, which included participation from current investors, GSR Ventures – the Mayfield Fund China affiliate – as well as Keytone Ventures. As a part of the investment, Mohan Kumar of NVP will join Borqs’ board of directors.

Borqs develops mobile software products for wireless service providers. The company’s client-side software is based on Google’s Android mobile software. Borqs’ offerings give carriers the ability to create a consistent and branded user interface experience that can work across different types of smartphones. Borqs also provides carriers with the ability to create branded application store fronts that offer subscribers a wide range of mobile application choices by tapping into the Android Application Marketplace as well as existing Java-based mobile applications.

Borqs IP and software enable phone manufacturers or mobile operators to launch Android-based 3G phones or services in less than six months, reducing the cycle time savings by over a year when compared to the current process. And because Borqs is based on Android and an open source environment, smartphones can be produced at a lower price point to further increase consumer adoption and drive the overall smartphone market. The company currently works with leading mobile operators and tier-one device manufacturers worldwide.

“As the mobile sector continues to evolve and is now the number one source for information and entertainment, wireless carriers must provide their subscribers with the best choice in applications and handset offerings and to do so at a low cost point. By building on the foundation of Google’s Android platform, Borqs can deliver carriers with a solution that meets these needs while providing a unique and consistent brand experience for their subscribers,” said Mohan Kumar. “The experienced team at Borqs, combined with the company’s strong product offerings, proven track record, early customer wins and significant traction with the world’s largest carrier China Mobile and other operators, were key factors in our investment decision.”

“We are very pleased to have NVP lead this funding round for Borqs,” said Pat Chan, CEO and president of Borqs. “NVP brings to Borqs a compelling mix of deep industry knowledge in the mobile industry, relevant operational experience and a strong network of contacts that will help grow the company as we expand the Borqs footprint worldwide. We look forward to partnering with NVP to drive customer momentum, accelerate our growth and take the company to the next level.”

About Borqs

Established in 2007, Borqs International Holding Corp is a high-tech enterprise committed to providing end-to-end solutions to the whole value chain of mobile communications, including network operators and handset manufacturers. The core products of Borqs are mobile operating systems for smartphone platforms and mobile internet services platforms. Borqs is a commercialization partner of Android Open Handset Alliance.  For more information, visit www.borqs.com.

About Norwest Venture Partners

Norwest Venture Partners (NVP) is a global, multi-stage investment firm that manages more than $2.5 billion in capital out of its offices in Palo Alto, California, Mumbai and Bangalore, India and Herzelia, Israel.  NVP makes early to late stage venture and growth equity investments in U.S. and global companies across a wide range of sectors including: information technology, business services, financial services and consumer.  NVP has actively partnered with entrepreneurs to build great businesses for more than 48 years and has funded over 450 companies since inception.

Notable investments include Actel Corporation, Airespace (acquired by Cisco Systems), Cerent (acquired by Cisco Systems), Corio (acquired by IBM), Cray Research, Documentum, Extreme Networks , Forte Software (acquired by Sun Microsystems), OnMobile (NSE: OnMobile), Open-Silicon (acquired by Unicorn Investment Bank), PeopleSoft, Qumranet (acquired by Red Hat), Rackspace (NYSE:RAX), Siara Systems (acquired by Redback Networks), SideStep (acquired by Kayak), Spinnaker Networks (acquired by Network Appliance), Tivoli Systems (acquired by IBM), Transaction Systems Architects (Nasdaq: ACIW), Verio (acquired by NTT), Winphoria Networks (acquired by Motorola) and Yipes (acquired by Reliance/Flag Telecom). For more information, please visit www.nvp.com.

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