A depressing article about the dark side of Google

A rather depressing article about how Google is tightening its grip on Android - http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary/

Excellent (and disheartening) analysis.

Great Google Reader Alternative

Today is kind of a depressing day. I actually had to pay money for a web application! For those who know me, this goes waaaaay against my grain :-)

Anyway, I used to be a HUGE user of Google Reader. Have been looking for a good replacement. Tried most things that people recommended. Thought I would settle on The Old Reader, but their site is pretty slow (even after a recent move to the US, which they just completed). They also seem to be slow in getting updates on various feeds.

I had been trying Bazqux for some time. Liked the reader a lot, but hated the idea of needing to pay for something on the net :-)

Anyway, have finally caved and paid my dues. The software is excellent. I am happy to recommend is very strongly.

P.S. Actually, BQ is pretty cheap - they let you choose your price - $9-$29 per year. So really, I have no business complaining about the charge at all.

iOS 7 - Apple trying to catch up with Android?

While watching the keynote at the Apple WWDC today, I got a huge feeling of deja vu. A lot of the "new" features were things that were already available in Android. However, now that Apple has them in iOS, I guess they are easier to use/more natural :-)

This article summarizes how iOS 7 is doing what Jelly Bean has been doing for a few months now (some might have come before JB, but I don't remember which):

http://www.droid-life.com/2013/06/10/ios7-vs-android-a-quick-comparison-after-the-wwdc-keynote/

Thoughts?

4 more months to a new Kindle (eBook reader)!

I have been in love with my Kindle Paperwhite ever since I got it! Now that I have a Moko cover, I am even more in love!

Counting the days to the next version of the Kindle - wonder what cool features it will contain!

I do have my own wishlist. Here it is:
- Want a quicker/faster way of turning off WiFi (don't like needing to go to Setting and then needing to come back)
- Would love to see Amazon adopt Android as a platform for the eBook Kindles too. Will encourage more people to develop apps for it
- I think I wouldn't mind sound an a built-in eBook reader. Even if I don't ever use it, it shows the product off very well :-)
- I would like page turning to be faster (not sure if this is a processor or screen issue)
- Some magical way to increase my reading speed. All that has happened since the Kindle came out, is my reading backlog has grown enormously!

Google Play Services (and how Google just brilliantly scr*wed Amazon, etc.

In Google IO 2013, Google just announced Google Play Services, which is automatically distributes to all phones running Google Play.

What they didn't announce very loudly, is they just scr*wed all the folks who have branched off Android without working with Google. This definitely includes Amazon. It also includes manufacturers who run AOSP without Google Apps (i.e. without Google's blessings).

"How?", you may ask. Well, all apps that use any of these new Google Play Services, won't run on those devices (since they don't have Google Play or any of the Google Play Services). While this is currently a very small percentage of all apps today, that won't be true in another 6 months.

Brilliant move, Google!

Google+ Overtakes Facebook!

Ok guys, you heard it here first. Within 12 months, Google+ will have a lot more active users, simply because they will start counting all Android users, Google Play users as Google+ users.....

Facebook, here comes Google+!

Edit (a few hours later): Sorry, I should have given more context. I was just listening to the Google I/O keynote. Google has added Google+ login APIs. While this is similar to FaceBooks ability for people to login to FB and use that ID everywhere, since Google owns Android, they can provide app owners some more benefits - e.g. prompt the user to download an app.... Anyway, soon, it will require some work for Android users to not be on Google+. Given the growth of Android (900M+ users today), there will soon be more Google+ active accounts than active FB accounts (IMHO).

Privacy Policy for the International Dialer App

Looks like Google wants me to publish a privacy policy with the app I wrote quite some time ago. The app allows you to dial a calling card number automatically when calling international numbers.

Here goes:

This app as it currently stands doesn't send any of your data to any web site (given that I am writing this policy on my blog, you might be able to guess that I don't have a web site to store your information :-) ). So anything that is on your phone, stays on your phone.

As I said in my writeup on the app, happy to ship people sources to the app itself.

Enjoy!

Ambarish