Friday, April 27, 2012

What Time Is It? It’s 4:20 With Cheech & Chongs The Fatty


Are you ready? If not, well you should be. Join Cheech & Chong in their new joint venture The Fatty. With one toke from this fatty, your device is sure to be ripped. The Fatty is the ultimate app for fans of Cheech & Chong and the lifestyle they have come to symbolize. What are you waiting for? Tap into a top-shelf variety of games, features, sights, sounds, and smells – all wrapped in a ridiculously interactive design that will make your head spin.




The Fatty was developed for multiple generations of Cheech & Chong fans who are just now discovering   the counter-culture comedy duo, who practically created 4:20, to longtime fans that have followed the duo since their start in the early 70's. Cheech and Chong are widely known and still celebrated for their 1970s and 1980s cult classic films and stand-up routines largely based on the hippie, free-love era and their personal love for cannabis.

Some of the features of this app includes:
A Custom Look and Layout
The Fatty features a ton of interactive elements that you can touch, tap, twist, and explore. Tap around the app and watch what taps back.
• Big icon-style navigation!
• Enjoy what happens when you tap the logo or the iguana!
World's Greatest Clock Ever
Why is this clock better than all other clocks? The time is always 4:20! It’s like that movie with the dude who keeps waking up on the same day, but way better.
 Tap and rotate the clock – unlock special surprises!
The Chronic
Feed your head with the latest news and updates from the front line of marijuana reform. The Chronic pull its content from NORML & The Marijuana Policy Project, so you know the information is legit.
 Learn the laws. Get the facts. Know your rights. And always stay informed.
Kush Notifications
 “Did you remember to grab that thing for that dude?”
 “Are you sure that’s the right one?”
 “Don’t forget your pants.”
Activate your Kush Notifications and you’ll get random reminders that remind you to remember the super-important things you may or may not have forgotten. You can also get alerts of when it’s 4:20 in cities around the world. Because it’s always 4:20 somewhere.
Social 420
You can automatically share this magical time of day with all of your homies on Facebook and Twitter. When the sun hits high afternoon, Social 4:20 updates your status with a fun message and “the time.”
Cheech & Chong Soundboard
You are able to relive your favorite Cheech & Chong moments with a primo selection of sounds, lines, and classic phrases from the two pot-riarchs of comedy. Download additional sound packs and keep the good times rolling!
The Head Shop

The Head Shop is your one-stop shop for music, movies, and Cheech & Chong merchandise.
With much more features to come

"I've never had so much fun making an app. 'The Fatty' is jam packed with everything a stoner could possibly need," said Dave Swartz, MEDL Mobile co-founder and chief creative officer. "We're bringing something unique, fun, and useful to loyal Cheech and Chong fans everywhere." I couldn’t have described this app better myself. If you are a loyal die hard Cheech & Chong fan, you’ve got to check out this app. This is pure Cheech & Chong fun. It’s 4:20 all day long.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

New Android Trojan Horse Alert




We have a fond love for the internet. It’s a place where we can keep on the latest trends, whether it’s the news, sports, the weather, our social media or any other area of interest. Not only are we online at home or in the office, but with our smartphones or tablets, we can be online at virtually anytime. That being stated, our private data is even more vulnerable to being either hacked or even stolen. The ways that this vulnerability is being compromised sometimes can be surprising.

This new malware Trojan is determining keystrokes based on phone vibration and movement. It’s the latest ingenious method of parting a device and its data from the user. The culprit is a new Trojan horse program, created by security researchers at Pennsylvania State University. Of course all malware would be directed towards the world’s most popular mobile operating system. It takes advantage of one of the flaws in Google's Android mobile operating system that lets background apps monitor the device's sensors -- like the accelerometer, which detects movement and orientation. 

Enter the malicious app, which it should be noted is not in the wild, it first establishes a pattern by getting the user to put in numbers on the keypad within the app, and logs the vibration patterns created by tapping on different numbers. Therefore when the user is putting in passwords or card data elsewhere, the app continues to listen in to those vibrations, matching them to different numbers. I would encourage smartphone users to keep their files encrypted with a password. Although users are not always safe with this precaution either. Hackers have continued to find security vulnerabilities within Android.

This app, which has been named TapLogger, has been described at a conference as a proof of concept by Zhi Xu, a graduate student at PSU, and two other researchers. Google has not responded to questions regarding the vulnerability. Google has indicated that it has emphasized that they are always actively policing the app store for apps that, like this one, abuse the permissions that they are given by users.


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Create Your Own Android Apps With Android App Inventor


The world of mobile apps is growing at a phenomenal rate. You could even say that this has become the new “cash cow”. I know that it’s something that I intend to learn. I remember I had just discovered the Android App Inventor whenever Google was getting ready to end the program in Google Labs. However this year I was glad to see that someone picked this project up. Those at the ever infamous MIT have decided to let this live on. It is even equipped with support from a growing community of aspiring developers.

What is the App Inventor? It is a set of tools that’s designed and offered free of charge to help the amateur developer create apps without knowing all the ins and outs of coding. Do you have the desire to develop the next big app? There are even a few good books available to help you create your app. Here is a small list:
Android Apps with App Inventor: The Fast and Easy Way to Build Android Apps By Author Jorg H. Kloss

App Inventor: Create Your Own Android Apps- By Authors Liz Looney, Hal Abelson, Ellen Spertus, David Wolber

 

App Inventor for Android: Build Your Own Apps - No Experience Required By Jason Tyler

 

The App Inventor is still very much in the beta stage. Those who have higher aspirations for their coding strategies may wish to just head straight for learning a programming language. Others that are just exploring building mobile applications will find it to be the ideal tool to toy around with. Android Apps with App Inventor has a solid introduction, taking readers through the many iterations of the Android operating system, beginning with 1.1 and finishing with version 4.0, dubbed, “Ice Cream Sandwich”.

 

These books doing a really great job of complimenting the app development process. These books also take the users through the development environment and explain the various tools found in the App Inventor. Some of the processes of these steps include creating an account; downloading the necessary software and ensuring you have a phone ready for tinkering with the App Inventor are all covered in these books. 




These books are for anyone who is tech savvy and familiar with the terms and concept around mobile devices. Someone who is still feeling their way around mobile technology and does not feel like they have mastered their own device may want to start with something more user friendly. There are some good how-to projects and exercise to warm the would be developer up on the way to more complex app development.

Currently users who complete an application in App Inventor are not able to upload it directly to Google Play for distribution. However, the FAQ section on the MIT help site says, “We are actively working to resolve this.” It is unclear if users would be able to charge for applications when this functionality is available. However, it is clear that MIT is actively seeking to build the platform. I just signed up to become a beta tester one day last week myself. I was officially accepted as a beta tester yesterday. This is really something that I’m sure that I’m going to enjoy learning. What are you waiting for? Get into the world of developing apps for Android. You can check out the App Inventor website here: http://beta.appinventor.mit.edu/learn/  You may even want to check out this really cool video on it:





Monday, April 9, 2012

Slim Kicker- Level Up Your Body



There are a lot of us in this country who struggle with one thing or another. For some, it’s a weight issue. I know that I too struggle with this. There are however, times when we are just too laid back, and at other times, too overworked. In this country we like to eat, we super-size almost every meal, even our snacks. Diets don’t have to be hard or even boring. There are some who are even making diets fun.


 Now I know what you are thinking, “a diet that’s fun”? Yes it’s the Slim Kicker. This app really has it together, along with its motto, Level Up Your Body. The app is now available for the iOS (free). Slim Kicker though, is much more than a diet. It’s a platform and social community that motivates people who wishes to lose weight and live healthier. It does this by offering a "points" system, where more points are rewarded as you eat healthier, do more physical activity and complete challenges that help build healthy habits.





Slim Kicker doesn’t even want to be a diet, it wants to be "diet-neutral", you can use it while you're on any diet, whether it's Weight Watchers, or low carb, but you can use it if you're looking for a free, simple approach to losing weight. In addition to providing tools, SlimKicker also helps people learn more about what they're eating, and the importance of physical activity. Most people are just not educated enough in this area, some don’t even bother with the educational aspect.

Like But diet, and fitness are half of the battle. Most people regain weight because they never learn long-term habits. We solve this by taking habits as quitting soda, and turning them into 7-30 day challenges. Like a regular game, the challenges start out easy, and gradually become harder, with more points. We encourage you to check-in daily with others doing the same challenge for accountability and social support.

SlimKicker can be used alongside any existing diet program, or can replace other diets such as Weight Watchers. We think short-term diets are not effective because people return back to bad habits after they're over. SlimKicker, on the other hand is all about learning proper nutrition, portion control, and acquiring important habits. In addition to challenges, SlimKicker also offer tools such as a calorie counter, a fitness tracker, and resources.



Friday, January 6, 2012

Android Market Surpasses 400,000 Apps



Another milestone for Android, the Market has surpassed 400,000 apps. Sure the Apple App Store got there first, but the Market is gaining ground on the App Store.

This is an amazing feat for the Market considering that in April of 2011 there were only 200,000 apps and in August of 2011 the market hit the 300,000 milestone. This feat comes just one month after Google announced that the market had surpassed 10 billion downloads. That was a great 10 days of apps for $.10 apiece to coincide with that feat.

Of all of the applications in the Android Market, 68% are free. The Market required two more months than the App Store to reach the status of 400,000 apps. In addition to this, the Market has than 100,000 active publishers. I’m sure that we will see 500,000 apps in the market before the end of the summer of 2012. What do you think?


Tuesday, January 3, 2012

New Years Resolution Apps

We are a people who are addicted to numerous devices or substances. Are you one of those who made a New Year’s Resolution? Do you want to quit smoking, drinking, or maybe lose some weight? Some habits can be very hard to break. There is some help though, like the saying goes “there’s an app for that”. Here is a small list of apps to help aide you in your New Years Resolution.

Please note, this is not some medical advice. You should always consult your physician with any medical related questions. These apps will only give you some motivation, support and reminders of your determination to kick your habit.

Quitting Smoking

Here are a few apps that will help in the aide of nicotine addiction.

Quitter- This app helps to motivate you by reminding you of two important points- how long you’ve been a quitter and how much money that you have saved, since you’ve quit. You simply enter your start date and the number of cigarettes that you consume in a day’s time. Then you enter the cost per pack and Quitter uses the notifications built within the iOS to tell you how you
are doing.


Then for the Android equivalent there is Ciggie. Ciggie is similar to Quitter as it aims to make you more conscious of your smoking habit. It will probably work the best for those who are trying to slowly wing their selves from smoking. It’s main focus is counting cigarettes and the intervals between puffs. The tar inhaled/ life shortened stat serves as the motivator to stop. 





Quit Drinking

Most people just really need to slow down and not consume as much. However there are those who have an alcoholic addiction. The problem lies within those who need to be honest with themselves and get some help or aide. These apps are available for the iOS and Android.

12 Steps AA Companion

Alcoholics Anonymous or AA as it is referred to may be the best well known source for alcoholics. For those who are in AA, this app can be used to help with the 12 Step program. The app provides motivation through readings and reminds you how long you’ve been sober, it also provides you with contact information to stay sober.






Weight Loss

Lose It- You can succeed at weight loss with Lose It. You have the ability to set goals and establish a daily calorie budget that enables you to meet them. Stay on track of your diet each day by recording your food and exercise and staying within the budget that you have limited yourself to. The average active user who uses Lose It, has lost more than 12 pounds and more than 85% of those who used this app have lost weight.




Whatever goal you have set for yourself, it is attainable. There is no better time than the new year to accomplish a new goal with a resolution. Chances are, “there’s an app for that”. Don’t go to the store or the market to get your apps, all are obtainable right here at the mall, the GiveMeApps mall that is, www.givemeapps.com
What do you think? I would really enjoy some comments.  
 
















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