Recent Posts From Andriod Social Media

• Unsocial Named Official App of AppNation SF, Launches Out of Beta

  Posted: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:12:31 +0000

  

  Trying to expand your network on all those social networking sites is great and all, but how do you meet new people with like interests with being considered spam? Simple, you can’t, not without being blocked or having your account seized for a few days or permanently deleted by the host. Enter Unsocial! Unsocial is a new networking tool that lets you connect with other business professionals in your area based on location and specific events. With Unsocial “It’s not who you know, it’s who you need to know”.
  Originally Unsocial was not available for all mobile platforms and only in Beta in SF and NY. Recently I was able to try it out in SF at the Almo Pro AV E4 event with coverage from non other than RavePubs. In one word Unsocial is Awesome! As of yesterday, Unsocial is now officially launched and rolling out to most major cities everyday. If your city is not listed, simply contact them and give them a holler. I have been in close contact with them since the beginning and about 1 hour north of SF (Where it did NOT work originally). With some praise, good looks and charm, I was able to get them to unlock a 150 mile radius of this app availability, just for me! Well, for you to now but only now that I told you about it, so go download this app and start meeting the people you need to now today. In the meantime you can read the official press release they sent me:

  UNSOCIAL NAMED OFFICIAL APP OF APPNATION SF, LAUNCHES OUT OF BETA
  Mobile Location-Based Business Networking Platform Now Available on iPhone, Android and
  BlackBerry; Service Expanded to 15 Major U.S. Cities
  (Los Angeles/SAN FRANCISCO, CA) – April 26, 2011 – Unsocial, a new business networking
  mobile application developed by mobile app innovator Apptango, for meeting contacts outside of
  your existing network, has been named the official app of APPNATION SF, one of the world’s
  largest app conferences taking place in San Francisco on April 27. Now out of Beta and
  seamlessly integrating with LinkedIn, UNSOCIAL launches with the distinct purpose of turning
  the traditional social model upside down with the most social app ever – a discovery tool for
  making connections outside of one’s social/business network that they likely would not have met
  otherwise.
  Through its location-based networking and smart-tagging platform, UNSOCIAL connects users
  with business professionals they should meet based on shared information and proximity,
  making it the ideal tool to find and be found at business events, tradeshows and conferences. In
  the rapidly growing tech arena of mobile, location-based services and events marketing,
  UNSOCIAL addresses a key need for more advanced networking tools to drive real-time
  relationships for business. UNSOCIAL is now live on the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry
  mobile devices, and services are available in 15 major cities.
  “Business networking has not evolved significantly in the past several years. Most of us still
  meander conferences and ask for intros using our existing network to seek relevant
  connections, and this old way is unnecessarily clunky and inefficient at time when technology
  presents us with the perfect opportunity to make it better,” said Bruce Brown, Co-Founder of
  UNSOCIAL and Apptango. “UNSOCIAL streamlines networking using efficient, real-time data
  such as geo- and smart- tagging, enabling users to easily meet nearby professionals with
  common interests.”
  The UNSOCIAL platform employs ideal features for a conference such as APPNATION SF.
  Geo-location technology finds relevant connections in a person’s vicinity and smart tags alert
  users when a relevant connection is nearby. Additional “Live” tools enable users to distribute
  agendas, schedules, events, meet-ups and feeds. UNSOCIAL also includes an advanced
  discovery engine to source other similar events in a certain location to expand the range of
  networking opportunities even wider.
  “Selecting UNSOCIAL as the official app for APPNATION was a natural choice. Not only is it
  one of the best conferences for and about everything “apps”, but their platform is also exactly
  what the business community, and events industry, needs to invigorate business development,
  said Drew Ianni, President and Event Chairman of APPNATION. “We’re thrilled to be using
  UNSOCIAL for APPNATION SF 2011 and look forward to the results of this innovative new
  tool.”
  About UNSOCIAL
  Unsocial is an application that connects users with business people in their proximity whom they
  need to meet. It is a multi-platform application available on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry
  device. Unsocial is currently available in 15 major U.S. cities with plans to continue expanding.
  Unsocial is product of Apptango. To find more information about UNSOCIAL, please visit
  www.unsocial.mobi
  About Apptango
  Apptango designs and develops custom mobile applications that allow businesses and
  organizations to extend their business model into the reach of their customers’ hands. Apptango
  is leading the next generation of content solutions for mobile devices, including the exciting
  iPhone/iTouch/iPad and Android devices. To find more information about our products, the
  team at Apptango or other details about the company, please visit the Apptango website at
  www.apptango.com
  About APPNATION
  The APPNATION 2011 conference brings together a dynamic and diverse group of app
  developers and professionals from the worlds of media and entertainment, telecommunications,
  advertising, venture capital and finance, technology and infrastructure, telecommunications, as
  well as leading industry press and analysts.
  APPNATION 2011 will focus on social and mobile apps across all devices and platforms
  including social media platforms, smartphones, tablets, internet-enabled televisions, and
  emerging platforms and devices.

  This is one of my new favorite apps on all platforms (minus the WebOS) because as an integrator or any business professional for that matter, it’s all about networking. No matter how busy I am, I will always make time to connect with you and help in anyway that I can. Many of you already know this from my Facebook,LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts. I constantly get emails, messages, tweets about needing help with programming, design, integration tips, etc, and I always help. If you would like to connect with me I have linked some of my social networking sites above and have no problem at all with you reaching out to connect as long as you send me a brief message about yourself, remember “Be social” 

  I’d like to end with this thought:
  Social networking is just that, “Social” NOT the opposite where everyone complains about certain posts, or too many posts (Well, that is another story I’ll get into in another post). Be social despite the name of this app, Interact, engage and be helpful to others.

  Johnny Mota

  

  
  

    

  

• Must Have Android Apps

  Posted: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:20:50 +0000

  Its a difficult question to answer. When I sit down next to people to share our favorite apps together its often difficult to find apps that we both might care about. Trying to come up with a list of apps that every Android user should have is, like I said, difficult. Here is my go at it.

  • Lookout Security / SeekDroid or other Android security app. You never know when you are going to leave your phone on a table at Starbucks or when you just want to know where your teenager is late at night.
  • Barcode Scanner. It comes on most phones but if it didn’t come on yours then go download it. QR codes are popping up on advertisements, products, and business cards. They are a popular tool that is not going away anytime soon.
  • Flash Player. Adobe Flash will do a lot to enhance your browser experience. It doesn’t come installed by default so go get it.
  • Advanced Task Killer. Android phones are powerful devices. Sometimes they slow down or freeze up. This app allows you to kill (stop) all the apps currently running. If you set it to auto-kill apps it could potentially save battery life. You can setup an ignore list of apps never to kill
  • Handcent SMS. Everyone sends text messages and this popular app enhances the SMS and MMS experience. Features include sms popup window, group sending options, custom ui, password protect, backup/restore, spell checker, etc.
  • App 2 SD Free. The best application to manage storage of apps  on your SD card. It helps clean up your phone memory.

  Jacob Paulsen

  

  
  

    

  

• Official Linkedin App for Android: Network and Build Your Reputation

  Posted: Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:53:40 +0000

  LinkedIn released an official app for Android in April of 2011. Many of us had been making due with 3rd party apps that delivered a less than perfect experience with the beloved LinkedIn.com site. The app has a gorgeous user interface that is simple to navigate. From the home screen you can enter 6 portals including: Updates, Connections, Invitations, Search, Reconnect, and Messages. Its easy enough to post your own updates and you can choose if your updates will be visible to anyone, connections only or just your Twitter group.

  I love the ease of accepting/denying invitations from the app. It seems that more than 1/2 of what I do on the site is respond to invitations so its really nice to take care of all of that on the app. This is also true of accessing your inbox/messages.

  What do you think? Do you like the layout and the interface? What do you feel the app is missing?

  Jacob S Paulsen

  
  

  

  
  

    

  

• Google Places: The App and the Free Advertising

  Posted: Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:08:30 +0000

  You may have noticed the Google Places app on your new Android phone. If you don’t have an individual “Places” app in your app drawer you can also access it from within the Google Maps application by selecting the places icon on the top of the app.

  Google Places is Google’s very own local business directory. Local search is a big part of the online advertising space and Google Places is their answer to the other yellow pages directories online. Google has a “slight” advantage since they can integrate their directory with Google Maps and Google search and thus it has quickly become the most effective way to find local businesses from your phone and the most effective way for local advertisers to be found by consumers.

  The App is relatively straight forward. You open the app and by default you can select from Restaurants, Coffee places, Bars, Attractions, ATMs, and Gas Stations. You can add additional custom searches as well. Searches do a great job of listing results in order of proximity and showing the relative distance and direction to each search result from your current location. Selecting an local business opens their Google Places page and allows you to read and leave reviews, check in, navigate, call, search nearby, buzz, add as contact, view street view, or share.

  The seamless way that places integrates with Google Maps both on your desktop and on your Android phone make it extremely useful and effective.

  If you are a local business you need to learn how to create/populate your own Google Places listing to ensure high visibilty and traffic. For local advertisers I have written an article on my marketing blog that outlines the need and the process of advertising with Google Places.

  Jacob S Paulsen

  

  
  

    

  

• Android Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Docs by QuickOffice

  Posted: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:29:12 +0000

  
  Welcome QuickOffice Mobile Suite for Android. QuickOffice was among the first creators of a Microsoft Office solution for Android. Now with 3 years under its belt it continues to lead the way in opening, editing, and creating new Microsoft Office files. Quickoffice allows the opening, editing, and creating of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files. It also supports opening and reading pdf files.

  I love all the features such as formating font as shown in the picture to the left. It handles new and old versions of office files from Microsoft 2003 to 2010.

  There are several solutions in the Market right now and the very best of them cost one way or the other. For the low cost of $4.99 I think this one is a bargain.

  >>Buy App Here

  Jacob Paulsen

  

  
  

    

  

• 3 Top Android Health Apps. Working Out, Counting Calories, & Measuring Heart Rate

  Posted: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:48:18 +0000

  Taking care of your number one asset is as important a function as anything else you do and more than ever your Android phone is well positioned to support your physical goals. I’m going to share 3 apps that I find ideal to help me stay on track.
  1. Endomondo: There are a lot of high quality competitors in the exercise app category. I’ve personally used Sportypal, BuddyRunner, and Cardio Trainer. Endomondo meets all of my requirements. Its stable and reliable, available on all major smarth phone platforms, offers cycling and other exercise options beyond running, has audio notifications, auto-social sharing, allows importing and exporting of workout files, and Bluetooth heart rate monitor compatibility. What sets it apart from the other apps is its engaged online community. I like the option of adding friends, sharing workouts, creating teams, and competing in challenges. What could they do better… advanced options for audio notifications.

  2. Calorie Counter: This app developed by FatSecret.com is my favorite for keeping track of calorie intake. It will help you determine your goal intake (mine is 3500) by asking for height weight, age, weight goal, and activity level. Each time you eat something just open the daily journal and select Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or Snack. Search by scanning the barcode of whatever you are consuming or search menus of popular restaurants. For made at home meals you can create a new food item by manually entering nutritional information or if you are as lazy as me, just search for “beef stew” or whatever you made. There is likely to be something similar to what you are having in the app memory. You can adjust your servings intakes by whole and fractional numbers. Creating / Exporting reports via email etc is very easy for submission to a trainer or doctor. The app also syncs with FatSecret.com to protect you against crashes or to facilitate the transition to another phone.

  3. Instant Heart Rate: When I work out I use a bluetooth Polar Heart Rate monitorwhich transmits to the Android phone and inputs into my Endomondo app above. When I’m not working out I still like to measure my heart rate regularly. I’ve been doing this ever since the benefits were outlined in “The Four Hour Body” by Timothy Ferris. The Instant Heart Rate app will tell you your heart rate by watching light pass through your skin. As blood passes through your skin the ability for light to pass through is changed as the “beat” is detected. This works well in a well lit area or on phones that allow the app to turn on your camera flash light. Just follow the instructions in the app.

  Now if one developer could combine all three of these into one app… I’d buy it all day long.

  Jacob S Paulsen

  

  
  

    

  

• Official Blogger App: by Google for Android

  Posted: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:45:40 +0000

  As blogging continues to grow in the social media sphere Blogger continues to hold a strong market share among popular blogging sites. Almost two years ago we reviewed an early 3rd party app calledAndroblogger, that allowed Android users to connect to their blogspot blogs. Now Google has released the first official Android Blogger app.

  The app is free in the Android Market and hosts several strong features for a first release. Included is the ability to switch between multiple Google accounts and multiple blogs within your Google account with which you have author rights.

  You can also compose new posts and choose to publish them immediately or save them as drafts. Naturally this can be handy when you are without a internet connection.

  When you are composing your new post you will be able to input tags, attach photos from the gallery, or take a new picture to include in your new post.

  Perhaps the thing I like most about the Blogger app is how it has been enabled as a sharing option. When you see a link, web page, picture, etc that you want to share with the world you will now be able to select Blogger in the list of available options.

  In addition to composing new posts you can also view past published or saved posts within the app. Hopefully new features to edit old posts will be included in future updates. For now we can just be happy to see a little mobile love from Android!

  See more pictures on the official Blogger blog.

  Jacob S Paulsen

  

  
  

    

  

• White Noise for Android (Droid): A Good Night’s Rest

  Posted: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:16:22 +0000

  When my wife and I travel the last thing we want to have to worry about packing is the noise maker. I reckon that a lot of Americans need that background noise to sleep like my wife does. This app gives a lot of different options to help you find the right noise for you.

  This also comes in very handy when the baby is crying. As you may have read white noise can be an effective way to calm newborns and infants and there is nothing as handy as the Android in my pocket to calm our baby.

  This app, “White Noise” comes with a variety of great features. I also praise the developer for offering a free version, “White Noise Lite” for our readers to try out.

  The easy to use interface allows you to choose from a variety of sounds and set a screen lock, auto sleep, and the option to mute other phone notifications while the app is running. You can also adjust the both the device volume, app volume, balance, and buffer size. The app also features a digital alarm clock.

  Ambient sounds to choose from in the full app include: Air Conditioner, Airplane, Amazon, Beach Waves, Boat, Cars, Cat Purring, Chimes, City Streets, Clock, Clothes Dryer, Crickets, Crowd, Drip, Fan, Fire, Frogs, Hair Dryer, Heartbeat, Blue Noise, Brown Noise, Pink Noise, Violet Noise, White Noise, Ocean Waves, Car Rain,  Light Rain, Heavy Rain, Extreme Rain, Rain Storm, Shower, Sprinkler, Stream, Tibetan Bowl, Thunder, Train, Vacuum, Washer, Water, Wind.

  The free app is supported with ads and only features 10 of the ambient sounds. The free app will not run in the background either.

  Developer Site: http://www.tmsoft.com/android.html

  Jacob S Paulsen

  

  
  

  
  

  

• GroupMe: a new way of group communication

  Posted: Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:00:12 +0000

  As I was going through TechCrush 2011 Award-winning Android Apps last month, GroupMe, one of front runners of Best Social App, just stood out from the crowd!  Maybe, it’s because its odd name bothers me so much that I have to find out what GroupME Android App can do!

  What is GroupMe?  Well, it’s probably the best Android app in the market, enabling “private” communication with your groups of contacts via either text or conference calls.  Sounds vague?  Allow me to drill down GroupMe even more for you!

  Scenario:  Let’s say you have 30 phone contacts on your Android Phone and 10 out of 30 phone contacts are for business purposes.   You’re an event planner!  5 of phone numbers are for event logistic planning contacts, and other 5 are for sponsorship planning.

  So, how can you, the event planner, use GroupME Android App for  ”private” communication at NO costsand anytime?

  1. 1st step: Group creation (up to 25 contacts in a group)
     You will create a group, called “Event Master” (or more creative name) and add 5 event planning phone numbers/contacts to the group.  Once “Event Master“ group is created, GroupMe will assign an unique phone number to the group.  Everyone in the group will then utilize this unique phone number to communicate with each other, either text to the group OR host a conference call with the group!
  2. 2nd step:  manage contacts in the groupThe power of GroupMe is that anyone in the group has the ability to manage the group membership!   If you have GroupME Android App, then you can easily manage the membership via the app.  If not, then here are simple text commands to help you operate in the geeky GroupMe world!
     #add for adding new number
     #list for listing group numbers
     #topic for updating the topic of your group text
     #name for updating your name display
     #mute to stop receiving text/calls from the group #unmute to restart!
     #remove to remove numbers from the group

  After using GroupMe for a few months, I have created 2 groups so far!  It’s a great way to communicate with a group of business contacts or even friends.  Most amazingly, it’s free! 

  By KRMichelle http://frugaltrekker.blogspot.com/
  Follow me  @krmichellewu

  

  
  

  
  

    

  

• Goodreads Droid: Social Reading Network on Android

  Posted: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:02:26 +0000

  
  

  I love to read and I love to network online. Goodreads is my type of site. Goodreads is a stand alone website at Goodreads.com but it is also the most popular reading app on Facebook. Here is a great tutorial of how to setup your profile.

  Goodreads is a great opportunity to see what your friends are reading, post your own reviews and recommend books to friends. There are also some great community features. You can join or start book groups. Within groups you can add books to the group book shelf and hold discussions. Groups can be public or private!

  Android App

  I’ve been waiting for 2 years for a decent Goodreads app to enter the Android Market. Not too long ago Goodreads released an official iPhone app but they are still slacking in the Android arena. Luckily a developer named Hactar has launched an app named Goodreads Droid to answer the call.

  The app costs $0.99 and I feel its well worth it. From the app you can see your news feed to keep up on what your friends are reading. You can also browse and see all your reading shelves and make changes to your status, marking a book as “currently reading” or writing a review for a book you recently changed.

  The interface is really clean and I think the developers are committed to top quality. If you like to read check out Goodreads.com If you like Goodreads.com check out Goodreads Droid.

  Don’t hesitate to add me as a friend on Goodreads @ goodreads.com/paulsen

  More app screenshots available on our Facebook Page.

  Jacob S. Paulsen