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iShot Machine Gets an Update

ishot_updateAbout a month ago I wrote a review on Oasys Mobile’s iPhone application, iShot Machine. At the time the app was ridden with more than a few bugs, but boasted a decent shot library that excelled in recipe quality. Oasys just released an update for the app that includes a few fixes and a much-needed update to their randomizer.

As far as I can tell, they’ve fixed all the bugs I was able to find in my test run. There’s no more crash to springboard and the shot expansion works as it’s supposed to. The randomizer also seems to be truly random at this point. I haven’t been able to duplicate a string of random shots yet.

The update does mention “improved search functionality,” though on testing it, it doesn’t seem the search function is working at all. Searching by name, again for ‘Lemon Drop,’ now yields zero results. The same is true for ‘drop’ and ‘wild,’ both of which are used in a wide variety of shots.

My guess is the search thing is just a missing bit of code somewhere, either left out or left in by mistake during debugging. As for the rest of the update, it’s a major improvement on an already decent app. Watch for a search update soon.

Palm Pre Mojo SDK Finally Released

Palm SDK screenshot.I hesitate to even post this, as it does little to assuage any of the app deprived pain you Palm Pre users are experiencing. It’s a step, albeit just one little step, toward getting some new functionality out of your phone, so I suppose it’s worth mentioning. Palm has finally released the Mojo SDK for WebOS to the general public.

That’s great news, right? Well, kind of. Unfortunately Palm won’t be releasing any of those nifty new apps being developed until the fall, which means more waiting for an already bored Pre population. Sure, you guys have downloaded almost 2 million apps, but they’re the same 30 apps. Meanwhile other mobile catalogs continue to grow at alarming rates, leaving you Palm purists wondering when it will be your turn. Not yet, my friends. Not yet.

Personally, I’ve not spent a lot of time with the Pre, but the guys at Ars Techica have, and Jon Stokes has some interesting suggestions for fresh apps. It’s funny he mentions the dialer issue, because every Pre user I’ve talked to has the same problem. Could be a gold mine if one of you developer types found a way to replace it.

Oh, by the way, Palm hasn’t issued a date for app release. September’s probably the earliest we’ll get anything.

Google Sees YouTube as Profitable in the Near Future

YouTube making some money.In 2006 we all sat around kicking ourselves, wondering why we didn’t think up a little site called YouTube. That was when Google bought the video-sharing site for a whopping $1.65 billion. Since then, though, the search giant has been unable to get the site to turn a profit.

That’s all about to change, at least Google thinks so. In an earnings conference call this past Thursday, CEO Eric Schmidt said YouTube is heading in the right direction, making it very easy for advertisers to get profitable ads up on the site. Recent months have brought a few changes to ad possibilities, which now include pre-roll ads like you’ve seen on Hulu and other video sharing sites.

Google’s head of product management and marketing, Jonathan Rosenberg, echoed Schmidt’s enthusiasm. He said monetized views, meaning videos with ad support, had tripled in the last year. According to Rosenberg, YouTube is now “monetizing billions of views of partner videos every month.”

Even the company’s CFO, Patrick Pichette chimed in, saying, “We’re really pleased both in terms of (YouTube’s) revenue growth, which is really material to YouTube, and… in the not long, too-long-distant future, we actually see a very profitable and good business for us.”

Just another step closer to world domination…

Samsung’s Omnia Update Unlocks GPS

There’s some good news for all you Samsung Omnia owners out there. Today Samsung released an update that unlocks your GPS functionality, giving third-party applications a chance to help you get where you need to go.

As I’m sure you’re painfully aware, the only way to get from point A to point B with your phone was to use Verizon’s VZ Navigator. If limiting your options wasn’t enough, the service also runs a hefty $9.99/month, $2.99/day. Giving GPS access to other applications means you could find yourself a couple hamburgers richer each month.

You can download the update by following this handy link (thanks, CNet!). As for the other goodies in the update, you’ll get the newest Microsoft Adaptation Kit Upgrade, AKU 1.5.1, and that Bluetooth support for VZ Access Manager you’ve been waiting for. Drop a note in the comments if you’re having any trouble.

Is Nokia Dying?

Is Nokia dying?We’ve already heard predictions that Nokia bound for doom in 2013 but today there’s even worse news for the Finnish phone manufacturer, and the news comes from the top. Today Nokia has announced that its second-quarter earnings fell a whopping 66% in the face of the recession.

Despite a poorly planned N97 and the continued explosion of the iPhone user base, the loss report is still a shock. A 66% earnings loss is more than just recession-grade economics, though the global economy certainly amplified things. Nokia also reported a sales decline of some 25% and a shipment decline of 15%. The company also recanted their goal to gain market share this year.

Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, said his company “put in a solid performance in what was another tough quarter.” I’m not sure how tumbling earnings look “solid,” even in a bad market. And how long can they continue to make that same, solid performance? As mentioned above, some analysts are saying Apple, of all companies, will catch Nokia as early as 2011 with a 33% market share. By 2013 these same market research types believe Nokia’s share will have dropped to half their current, from 40% to a meager 20%.

I doubt things are quite that bad, but they’re getting close. Make no mistake, Nokia is bleeding – slowly for now – and if they don’t revise their product strategy and start delivering decent phones for every market (yes that includes the US) it’s just a matter of time. Meanwhile, nothing can sate Apple’s hunger, and when the iPhone finally breaks from AT&T exclusivity, the stateside smartphone market is going to be a mess.

What could help Nokia win back some much-needed market share? Do they need a touchscreen, or just a smarter-than-iPhone smartphone with a decent app catalog? Sound off in the comments.

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