SkyDrive music streaming app now available...for Android

This is embarrassing. We got all hot and bothered when we saw a semi-hacked way of using SkyDrive to stream content to our Mango devices, but in this case Microsoft has sabotaged itself. We mentioned a little while back that Microsoft finally opened up its Live services (which includes SkyDrive) to mobile apps developed on Android, iOS and of course Windows Phone. Well it looks like Android has beaten Microsoft's own smartphone platform to the punch and has also made our "native" support looks like a joke.

The new SkyDrive music streaming app, SkyAMP, was recently released for Android devices and it offers just about everything you'd expect. The features list include 25 GB of potential storage for your music, streaming music over the internet, caching music files for offline listening, album art support, playlists and more. The app is up for $2.99 for a full version and as a limited lite version as well.

Alright Google, you win this round, but we're fine giving you this one after the punishment Microsoft handed you yesterday.

P.S. Android music app developers using Microsoft's services and impressions really like Beyonce, don't they?

Via: XDA-Developers
Source: SkyAMP (Android Market)

UberMusic for Android skinnable as Zune lookalike, Google Music left high and dry

Ever since Windows Phone launched late last year, there has been a serious amount of tech nerd love towards the still-sexy Metro UI. Now one of the most high quality reproductions of the Metro UI has made its way onto the Android Market for users everywhere to enjoy. We talked about UberMusic before when it was lacking a name, and the impressive quality seems to have held up from the early video developer Federico Carnales recorded. If you know your Android, that name should ring a bell if you've seen his incredible work on the LauncherPro app.

We think it's pretty phenomenal that Android developers are trying to mimic Windows Phone's good looks, and that platform has proven it is flexible enough to do just about anything. However, the presence of UberMusic does remind us of a certain point: the full Zune experience is still completely absent from other platforms. We've said that Zune needs to get Bing'd and invade as many platforms as it possibly can (even a Zune Pass-only app would do) if it wants to gain any sort of real traction against iTunes. UberMusic is a reminder to us that Microsoft has won in some areas (in this case, the Metro UI) but still needs to work hard in others.

If you happen to have an Android device floating around, you can pick up UberMusic for a fair $3.49 from the Android Market right here (the hands-on video is embedded below). To everyone else, just unlock your phone and open the Music+Videos Hub and we don't think you'll be very jealous of this app!

Via: Engadget
Source: Android Market (UberMusic)

Worth Reading: "Mango Rocks the Best Mullet in the Smartphone World"

Do you want to hear the best argument in favor of Windows Phone to date? Then check out Matthew Miller's "Windows Phone 7 with Mango rocks the best mullet in the smartphone world" over at ZDNet. It's a short but very concise analysis of what Microsoft is achieving with Mango: business in the front, party in the back. While we do think the former can be improved, it's still drastically better and more secure than Android is right now. The latter, which is the incredible amount of work Microsoft has done to create a multimedia-centric ecosystem, is also a formidable threat to Apple which is something that many other operating systems could only dream of accomplishing. Here's an excerpt from the article:

You probably know what a mullet haircut is and while it may not be the style today, it is a very efficient style with business going on in the front and a party in the back. You also don’t have to look like a complete loser in a mullet and as shown by John Stamos in this picture to the right it can even be cool. In my opinion Windows Phone 7 is compelling because of this “mullet” design and is why I keep putting my SIM back into one. Now that I have the latest version of Mango on my 32GB Dell Venue Pro this OS update makes it an even more attractive mobile platform.

Read the rest here.

Source: ZDNet

Android Keyboard 'SwifyKey X' Looks Really Really Familiar

We were perusing Engadget earlier today when we spotted this story about an Android alternative keyboard app called SwiftKey X. Then we took a good look at the screenshot and...well let's just say it looked pretty familiar to us. Besides the Android-appropriate green accent colors and a slightly shorter height, SwiftKey X looks remarkably similar to Microsoft's own software keyboard solution. Under the hood things are quite different, with the alternative keyboard offering a "next-generation AI" with personalization options and predictive skills. Of course the biggest difference between the two besides what platform they're on is that SwiftKey X normally charges its users $4.00. Ouch.

Via: Engadget
Source: Android Market (SwiftKey X)

Google's Android Market Updated, We Guess Metro is "Open" Now

Microsoft really stumbled on to something wonderful with their Metro UI. It's so well-received by everyone, that quite a few people are starting to imitate its design conventions. Google has been an unlikely fan, and has shown its love before with its Google I/O design. Now things are going bigger, with Google announcing a new Android Market app for phones with version 2.2 and upwards that's borrowing Microsoft's "chromeless" UI by using lots of colorful, flat elements. We have to admit, the new look is a massive improvement over the previous retro-in-a-bad-way aesthetic and we're willing to give Google credit when it's deserved. Check out the video of the Market in action after the break.

Via: Gizmodo
Source: Google Mobile Blog

How Does iOS 5 Compare to Windows Phone Mango?

We've heard a lot of things about this Eye OS doohickey everyone's been talking about lately. Apparently a company called Maple made it and it's going to be released for the Eye Fone and Eye Pad. Anyway, we've also heard that a ton of features in Eye OS are pretty similar to Windows Phone Mango's new features in a lot of key ways. So how will Maple's next iteration of Eye OS stack up to Microsoft's impending Mango-flavored assault? Well Windows Phone 7 Center has constructed a lofty list of all the comparable features (including distinct categories for the iPhone and iPad). The result? It looks like Mango is getting you a lot more bang-for-your-buck and comprises of a larger amount of built-in features.

Of course, this list isn't bias-free coming from a Windows Phone site (if we made it, we'd say the same thing) but it's a nice way to gauge how Mango will stack up to the competition this Fall. At least we know one thing for certain after seeing these features: Apple sure is scared of Microsoft.

Source: Windows Phone 7 Center

Off-Topic: MetroTwit, a Windows 7 Twitter program Metro-style

Visit the MetroTwit site to try the Beta.

Windows Phone 7's most distinctive quality is no doubt its gorgeous Metro UI. Microsoft has forged an entire design philosophy from the refreshing style and we've seen evidence of it having a large presence in the upcoming Windows 8 for PCs and tablets. But if you want a taste of Metro goodness on your Windows 7 computer right now, there's the wonderful application MetroTwit for you to try.

The program, currently in public beta, was created by Long Zheng (a member of ChevronWP7), David Golden, and Winston Pang. MetroTwit is touted as, "a first-class native application that shines on Windows", and "celebrates an elegant and clean user interface that's beautiful to look at and a pleasure to read". By default the program has three 'columns': Friends, Mentions, and Direct Messages. However, MetroTwit also lets you add more columns which makes the app very flexible. MetroTwit also supports in-app image viewing, infinite scrolling, autocompletion for hashtags and users, conversation views, URL shortening, unobtrusive notifications, themes, and Windows 7 taskbar notifications.

As you can see in our configuration below, we have the default setup plus a column dedicated to every tweet with #WP7 included. In the past week of use, we found MetroTwit to be extremely beneficial for increasing our productivity. We even broke a few stories thanks to the program.

Even if you don't use the application for blogging like we do, it's a pleasure to use and goes along quite nicely with Windows Phone 7. In fact, MetroTwit just announced a partnership with Rowi, a popular Windows Phone Twitter client, to create "The Nest". Basically it sounds like MetroTwit is going to be receiving continuous client-like interoperability with Rowi (i.e. everything you do on MetroTwit appears on Rowi). The program is clearly on the rise and we definitely recommend you check it out. Take the Public Beta for a spin at the MetroTwit site and tell us what you think in the comments below.

Click to enlarge

Off Topic: Apple Sues Samsung Over Smartphones and Tablets

Image courtesy of Geekword.net

We don't normally report off topic news, but this is a big one and it could have a huge effect on one of Microsoft's key Windows Phone partners. Word just broke out that Apple is suing Samsung, accusing them of copying their, "technology, user interface and innovative style". While this is more of an Android-related story than a WP7 one since the suit explicitly mentions the Galaxy S smartphones and tablets, the fact of the matter is that if Apple hits Samsung hard with this suit it could have big consequences for all of the Korean manufacturer's smartphones.

However, unless they are withholding further accusations that were not made public, the grounds Apple has provided for suing are pretty weak. There is clearly a noticeable difference in the way Android and iOS function and the courtroom may find the claim of copying their "style" to be too intangible to measure in damages. Judging from that, one would think that this case may actually just settle between the two companies albeit with Samsung likely losing a chunk of change in the process.

On the contrary, Apple has plenty of reason to pursue this lawsuit for as long as they need to. The Galaxy S line (which the Samsung Focus is a descendant of) sold over 10 million devices worldwide in 2010 and has helped solidify Samsung's position in the smartphone industry. Considering that and if the courtroom sways in Apple's favor, there could be grounds for a massive lawsuit here.

Source: Engadget