Erictric

Google Acquires DocVerse

Google has been in a big shopping spree lately. It has been acquiring different startups and online services like Aardvark, reMail, and Picnik. Now, Google has announced on the Official Google Enterprise Blog that it has acquired DocVerse, a productive and collaborative service that emphasizes on Microsoft Office documents. The DocVerse team has also posted blog entry titled “DocVerse has been Googled!” announcing the acquisition.

DocVerse was founded about 3 years ago in 2007 by Microsoft veterans Shan Sinha and Alex DeNeui. As more and more data and services move to the cloud, Google hopes that DocVerse will help those who are still accustomed to desktop software transition easily and smoothly toward cloud-based services like GoogleDocs.  More »

First Google Buzz iPhone App Goes Live

A new application for both iPhones and iPod Touches has just found its way past Apple’s approval team and into the ever-so-popular App Store. It’s Buzzie, and it has everything to do with Google Buzz.

The application essentially allows folks who don’t use Buzz to get a glimpse as to what the buzz about Buzz really is. Users will be able to follow public conversations on Buzz in their local area without logging in or the likes. Of course, users will be able to log in and Buzz themselves — either by starting conversations, or by joining others. Users seeking privacy are able to disable location sharing and will sport the ability to make a conversation private.

The application is not an official Google app, and will run you a reasonable $1.99 at the US store.

See some more shots after the break. More »

Facebook App for Zune HD Starts Rolling Out

The Zune team announced on Twitter that the promised native Facebook application for the Zune HD is finally rolling out to users. While the application appears to be pretty decent as far as functionality goes, many of the initial users report experiencing issues when installing it or accessing data afterward. The problems have already been acknowledged by the Zune team, who promises to “provide an update as soon as possible.”

If you remember well, the Twitter application for Zune HD also experienced a few problems when it was first released last year in December, something that Microsoft fixed within hours with a small update. To learn more about the Facebook App for Zune HD, visit the Zune website.

Check out one more screenshot of the application after the break. More »

Apple Now Targeting Apps With “Minimum User Functionality”?

First, Apple went ahead and removed most of the overtly sexual applications from the iPhone App Store, a move that we have unofficially named “The Great App Store Porn Purge of 2010.” Now that most people have resigned to either jailbreak their iPhones to watch all the porn they want or to use their Safari browser to enjoy iPhone optimized porn websites, Apple seems to be targeting a new kind of applications. We’re talking about apps with “minimum user functionality” or dumb apps.

You see, Atlantia Software developer Nick Bonatsakis created a simple application that would make the iPhone quack like a duck, as a reference to a duck-shaped phone featured in a reality show called Jersey Shore. He recently found out the strictness of the Apple App Store the hard way. His application was flat out denied on basis that it “contains minimal user functionality.” More »

Apple Submits Trademark Application for “Magic Trackpad”

Last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office [USPTO] revealed that on Monday, February 22, Apple submitted a trademark application for what appears to be called a “Magic Trackpad.” The application was filed under International Class 009, which includes several different categories like computer software, computer hardware, computer peripherals, trackpads, to name a few.

It’s not really clear at this time how Apple plans to make use of this technology. Many believe a “Magic Trackpad” could be incorporated in future MacBooks, though it could also be used on an entirely new product.

You can check out the application at the USPTO page.

[ via MacRumors ]

Apple Bans Overtly Sexual Apps

We’re learning that Apple may have just changed their App Store guidelines to no longer permit overtly sexual applications in their still-young iPhone, iPod Touch, and soon-to-be iPad App Store. The information comes courtesy of “Wobble iBoobs” developer Jon Atherton, who was just recently emailed by Apple with news of new App Store guidlines.

The message:

The App Store continues to evolve, and as such, we are constantly refining our guidelines. Your application, Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored), contains content that we had originally believed to be suitable for distribution. However, we have recently received numerous complaints from our customers about this type of content, and have changed our guidelines appropriately. More »

Apple Patent Application Shows Off Front-Facing Camera

One of the biggest disappointments and complaints when it came to the iPad was the lack of a camera. Specifically, the lack of a front-facing camera, as folks understandably wanted to video conference with others.

So now that the world has forgotten about the iPad, we’re able to bring you some information on a potential implementation of a front-facing camera on an unknown Apple device. For starters, when we say unknown, we don’t mean a “secret” product. Simply, we’re referring to a future generation of an iPhone, iPad, and so forth.

Titled “Apparatus and Method for Compensating for Variations in Digital Cameras,” the application really has very little to do with front-facing cameras, but rather the implementation of the mechanism — testing variations in camera lenses, and plenty of other things the general public could really care less about. More »

BBC Soon Releasing Multiple iPhone Applications

BBC fan using an iPhone? You’ll soon get your fix, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation  — because the organization will soon be releasing a series of iPhone applications for followers around the world.

The move comes as the BBC has stated that the increase in mobile use has prompted them to develop for the consumer’s platform of choice — allowing them to take the news with them, if you will. More »

SlingPlayer Mobile With 3G Streaming For iPhone Launches

SlingPlayer for iPhone with 3G streaming has finally gone live today on Apple’s App Store to the roar of those who have been so patiently waiting. After seemingly perfecting a method to stream 3G streaming without tearing down AT&T’s entire network, the application received approval and is now available for a surprising price of $29.99 [iTunes link]. The download weighs in at about 9.8 megabytes.

According to BGR’s Michael Bettiol, “we’ve heard and read that the app runs fairly well in heavily congested metropolitan areas,” but we’ll just assume that’s because the application made its debut today, and a grand total of 3 people are using it.

Just wait until the rest hop on board.