WhatsApp's CEO, Jan Koum in a blog post revealed the news and also noted that the company added 100 million active users in the last four months alone.
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The blog post said, "Our goal in creating WhatsApp was to empower people through technology and communication, no matter who they are, or where they live. WhatsApp has reached a milestone that no other mobile messaging service has achieved: 400 million monthly active users, with 100 million active users added in the last four months alone. This isn't a count of people who just registered for WhatsApp - it's the number of people who are actively using the service every single month."
The mobile focused messaging company told AllThingsD that WhatsApp wants to turn the discussions of the shared numbers by other mobile instant messaging services to be about active users and not registered users. AllThingsD quotes Koum, "We're a bit fed up and frustrated about people talking about registered users. We think it's important for us as a leader in the space to speak up and be ethical."
A recent report had suggested that some messaging apps have been using marketing muscle to compete with big names in instant messaging service. The report claimed that WeChat, a unit of Tencent, had budgeted up to $200 million for marketing overseas.
In November, Line messaging app claimed to have a user base of 300 million worldwide, out-of-which it added 100 million users in just four months. However, Line declined to reveal the number of active users currently using its services. AllThingsD cites Kik Interactive's figures of 100 million users, though notes that the company never detailed the number of active users.
The WhatsApp blog post also noted that the company currently has just 50 employees, and mainly include engineers. Further, it claimed to reach the 400 million mark without spending money on targeted ads or even marketing campaigns.
WhatsApp has been growing rapidly and has been a leader in the mobile instant messaging service. The popular mobile instant messaging service reached 300 million active user base in August and in no time has reached 400 million active users.
AllThingsD has shared some statistics of the WhatsApp service which include 16 billion messages per day; about 32 billion messages are received per day and some 500 million images are sent per day by users on WhatsApp.
Via : NDTV Gadgets
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| Windows Phone |
Slowly and gradually , Windows Phone is gaining momentum , with 185 % growth and major and much awaited apps like Instagram and Angry Birds Go! now available on Windows Phone Store , developers are also recognizing the momentum and as per Microsoft’s Blog , Windows Phone store has crossed 200,000 app mark.
The growth is in part due to Nokia, which had been pushing the OS with their dedicated efforts by releasing one amazing device after the other , For consumers , it means more choices and for developers more opportunities to grow within the Windows Phone Platform.
I'm sure that your geek has a tablet, a phone, or both. So, an app is a perfectly acceptable geeky gift. Your geek will appreciate your understanding and your ability to think outside the box. He or she will have many hours of enjoyment (and you to thank), if you given him or her the coolest, droolworthy apps.
I know that for us "old schoolers" an app seems like a cheesy gift. That somehow it's less than an actual gift. But you have to change with the times. And giving an app thrusts you squarely into the contemporary age of mobile computing.
These apps are in no particular order but are oriented toward Apple device* owners. Enjoy.
Vintagio
As you know, if you've kept up, I love photography and video. My favorite form of entertaining visual imagery is the short film. Vintagio is the perfect app for creating short films that also employ the artistic power of "filters". You can create films that look as if they were created in the 1920s through the 1980s. Of course, you can also choose not to use a filter and just shoot straight video but that's no fun.
My personal favorite is the 1920s Newborn filter at 3.0X normal speed with the Plucky Daisy song accompanying the faster than normal scenes. This turns your drab film into an old timey black and white, fast moving, retro wonder. It looks like a silent film from the early days of filmmaking.
Currently on sale for $1.99. Regular price is $3.99. Hurry.
Real Racing 3
If your geek is a video gamer and likes racing, this is the ultimate app. Real Racing 3 (RR3) is the best and most addictive racing game that I've ever played. It should be because it's made byElectronic Arts, the people who know more about video gaming than anyone else on the planet.
RR3 has a limited number of tracks but an almost unlimited number of available cars. This free app does have in-app purchase options for Gold and Racing dollars (R$) but you don't ever have to pay any money to play, to buy cars, to upgrade your cars, or to play. You can race forever free of charge.
So, giving this app should be easy but should come with a warning: Don't buy any Gold unless you have permission to do so. It's very tempting to burn your Gold for upgrades, for speeding up upgrades, for unlocking higher racing Tiers, or for unlocking new cars—don't do it.
I say don't do it but you're perfectly able to do it, if you want. I'm just saying that you should resist the temptation. Save up your Gold for really important purchases. Gold is hard to earn, so be frugal.
$0.00 to download and play but in-app purchases can run upwards of $100.00 for more R$ and Gold.
iSSH
The iSSH app is the ultimate connectivity app for anyone who uses Linux, UNIX, or Mac systems and must connect remotely. iSSH supports the X protocol and gives you a very good user experience. I've tried several SSH remote connectivity apps and I like this one the best.
It's made for iPhone and iPad and has some very advanced features, including:
- Multitasking support
- Tunneled VNC client
- Tunneled RDP client
- Arbitrary port tunneling through SSH
- SSH, telnet, VNC, and RDP work via EDGE, WiFi, and 3G.
- Multiple simultaneous connections
- Portrait and landscape mode support
- Stored connections
- Command execution on connection
- Multiple fonts
- Customizable keyboards
- Multiple window managers
- Agent forwarding
- Bluetooth keyboard compatible
And it has many other features as well. One of my favorites is that you can swipe between the multiple open connections. The iSSH app receives accolades from anyone who reviews or uses it. As of this writing, it has received 1,858 reviews on the iTunes Store site and stands at a solid four stars. The new version has received a few bad reviews but as a long term iSSH user, and someone who has spoken to the developer by phone, I can tell you, without reservation, that it is a five star app and well worth its $9.99 price.
Printer Pro
Printer Pro allows you to print to a shared Windows or Mac printer from your iPad. There's also an iPhone version. In my opinion, printing is a major gap on iDevices and a fail for Apple for not building that capability into the devices themselves.
With Printer Pro, you can try before you buy, which is a good thing, because Printer Pro might not work with your printer. The free version allows you to check first.
Printer Pro works with web pages, email attachments, clipboard content, iWork documents, Photos, documents from Google Drive and Dropbox, and contacts. I've seen very little that it won't do. For me, it's the best $6.99 I've ever spent on an app. The iPhone version is $4.99.
Dropbox
Yes, I know that Dropbox is a free app, but it's not the app that's important, it's the cloud-based storage space that is. You get 2GB free by signing up for an account. If your geek a phoneographer or someone who keeps everything, then she'll need more space. By using friend referrals, your geek can gain up to 16GB of free storage.
You can get 100GB of space for $9.99 per month. I paid that much for their 50GB plan until they upgraded me to the 100GB one. The cool thing about Dropbox is that it has widespread support from third party vendors. You can seamlessly share files between your iGadgets, your laptop, your desktop, your Linux system, your Windows system, your Mac, and your Android-based stuff. And you can access it via a web browser if necessary.
It's storage. Plain and simple. Nothing more and nothing less. Nothing very exciting. It does provide a much-needed backup for files that you can't afford to lose.
$9.99 per month for 100GB and up to 16GB free from referrals.
Angry Birds
Another video game. But this one's different. Aren't they all? But seriously, Angry Birds and all of its incarnations (Seasons, Star Wars, Rio, etc.) are all fun. Frustrating fun is what I call it. Angry Birds is not only one of the most successful apps of all time, it's also one of the most successful video games of all time. Addictive and annoying, Angry Birds grows on you. Your geek probably has one version or another on his or her gadget already.
You'll know if your geek has Angry Birds because you'll hear the side effects, I mean sound effects, clearly emanating from your geek's gadget. The oinks, crashes, laughter, and various bird-like vocalizations are coming from the game not your geek.
Angry birds, like a fez or a bow tie, is cool. And any of the many iterations of it can be purchased via the App Store for a mere $2.99. Prices vary for the other versions.
SketchBook Pro
SketchBook Pro by Autodesk (the AutoCAD people) is one of the coolest apps for drawing, sketching, and creating advanced drawings on your iPad. It is a professional grade tool but simple enough for the beginner. You might recognize the name of this app as a desktop application, which it is. It's the same applicaiton with the same features available to you.
You can create everything from simple line drawings to realistic renderings. I suggest that you use a stylus of some sort and have a steady hand. But, with this tool you can create your masterpieces. There are some impressive examples available on the application's iTunes page for you to see.
At $2.99, it's a deal and an app that your geek will love. Hey, anything to take his or her mind away from Minecraft for a few hours is worth $3.00 to me.
GLSL Studio
For the hardcore geek, there's GLSL Studio. I say 'hardcore' because that's what you'd have to be to use this app. GLSL Studio is the first full featured OpenGL ES 2.0 programming environment for iOS. If you don't know what that is, then ask your geek. If he/she doesn't know, skip ahead. If he or she does know, then spring the $7.99 from your virtual wallet for your future programmer geek. It might be the best lunch money you ever spent.
The app has some crazy advanced features that only a true programming geek would appreciate, but trust me, they're awesome.
"Create, edit and compile full vertex and fragment shaders right on your iOS device! Custom vertex data, textures and attributes/varyings/uniforms are all managed using an easy interface making testing under different conditions quick and simple.
GLSL Studio's native code editor has been built from the ground up to provide the most comfortable coding environment available on a touchscreen device with desktop grade features such as syntax highlighting and code completion."
A $7.99 investment.
Netflix
Netflix is another free app with a paid subscription behind it. For $7.99 per month, your geek can watch TV shows, movies, documentaries, news, cartoons, and lots of retro content like Classic Doctor Who, Doc Martin, The IT Crowd, and even some non-British programs such as Eureka, Psych, and Parks and Recreation. Lots of fun for a little money.
Go ahead, make your geek happy with a $7.99 per month Netflix subscription. Subscriptions are limited to two simultaneously watching devices but that seems OK for 'normal' geeks.
Via: ZDNet
Google announced a slate of new apps for Chromecast last week, but as most were less than compelling, it’s time to speculate on what else might be in the pipeline.According to Janko Roettgers over at GigaOM, Google plans to launch further “waves of Chromecast apps” in the near future. Here are a few guesses as to what they’ll be.
Mari’s Purely Speculative Chromecast App List
First up, Aereo! The little streaming-start-up-that-could is reportedly making a profit in some markets, and CEO Chet Kanojia has said publicly that Chromecast support is on the way. Given the limited reach of Aereo, Chromecast integration isn’t likely to be on anyone’s make-or-break list. But with Aereo already available on Roku and Apple TV (via Airplay), Google’s streaming stick would be a natural platform extension.
Second app: Time Warner Cable. TWC COO (soon to be CEO) Rob Marcus said last week that the company is getting ready to launch its TV app on a new IP video device. Marcus could easily have been referring to the Apple TV with his statement, but it’s not unreasonable to think Chromecast could be on the horizon too. Time Warner has been remarkably progressive about getting its app out to as many platforms as possible. Given Google’s success with Chromecast, a new TWC app released just before Christmas would be well-timed for the many Americans sure to unwrap Google’s stocking stuffer this year.
Third and finally, I’m betting on ESPN. I’ve heard nothing at all to support this theory, but the sports network is typically quick to adopt new technologies. It also has some of the most coveted online video available through its WatchESPN app. And while ESPN has been highly focused on iOS development of late, Chromecast could be just the success it needs to make a bigger push on the Android operating system.
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| Apple TV adds Watch ABC |
Via: Engadget
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| Fingerprint Digital provides safe kids apps for Samsung tablets |
Fingerprint will customize its mobile app service for Samsung’s own select devices. The service will debut in Southeast Asia and Oceania in the first quarter of 2014. Like Fingerprint’s other kids services, it will offer a safe and fun environment for kids to play games and learn. Parents will be able to create a family account for multiple children and receive personalized reports on activity. They can also get content recommendations and control access for each child.
On top of that, Fingerprint is earmarking $1 million to support the integration and localization of kids’ apps and interactive books globally. The company will give that money to developers to help increase the quality and quantity of kids’ apps.
Samsung’s network will be part of its Kids’ Play-and-Learn Content Initiative, which is focused on developers.
“We are very excited about partnering with Fingerprint,” said Nicholas Wodtke, vice president of content and services at Samsung Electronics Media Solution Center Southeast Asia and Oceania. “Asia has a young demographic base and a rapidly growing middle class. There are an estimated 50 million kids in the age group of 3-7 years in Southeast Asia. Samsung is focused on bringing to market a service that offers a safe mobile play and learn environment for kids.”
The service will be called the Samsung Kids’ Mobile Network Powered by Fingerprint. It is part of Samsung’s global effort to deliver content and services that improve the user experience on its devices.
Source : VentureBeat
Image : Fingerprint Digital
The new app includes many of the same features as its Android counterpart, which has been available on Android for more than four months, including file previews and easy sharing. It currently lacks automatic camera syncing but that will come, along with iPad support, in a future update. What's next for Mega? It's on course to launch its Sync tool for Windows, Mac and Linux in the coming weeks, giving it time to concentrate on adding new security and messaging features to the cloud service in the new year.
Via : Mega Blog , Engadget
Source : Mega (App Store)
24me
iOS; free
Often the challenge is not executing your to-do list, it’s creating the list in the first place.24me solves that problem by automating the process. With help from the Check.meservice, 24me integrates with hundreds of U.S. banks and thousands of utility and service providers such as Comcast and AT&T. By accessing your accounts, it will determine when your bills are due and populate your calendar with reminders.
Shifu
Android; free
The problem with to-do lists is that you have to remember to look at them and keep them updated. Shifu uses your location and phone usage patterns to proactively push reminders to your screen at the right moments.
You can set reminders based upon your Wi-Fi connection, location, who you’re talking with or how much time you have. For example, you can have Shifu remind you to download apps, movies, or music the next time you connect to your Wi-Fi network, or to pick up printer toner the next time it sees you’re at Best Buy.
Assistant
iOS, Android, and Windows Phone; free
Assistant stands out if you prefer using voice commands and responses. The app can brief you at the same time every day on upcoming calendar events, current news headlines, and even the weather.
Tell Assistant you want Mexican food or pizza, and it will summon Yelp listings according to your location. It’ll even read the names of the restaurants, tell you the star ratings, and let you know the distance from your location. Just tap a mute button when you’ve heard enough.
Sherpa
Android; free
“Ask and ye shall receive” pretty well describes Sherpa. You can tell Sherpa to send someone a text message or post to Facebook or Twitter. Ask it to update you on current events, and it pushes you to Google News. Enquire how a particular NFL team is doing and it will audibly share the final scores from the most recent game. You can have Sherpa notify you when your favorite teams score and when social media activities arise, such as Facebook friends’ birthdays and mentions on Twitter. It will also tell you when the weather is getting worse and let you know when you miss a call.
Mynd
iOS; free
Mynd is a context-aware calendar iOS app with a beautiful user interface. Using location awareness, it can automatically associate places with tasks or events. For example, if it detects your phone is always at the gym when your calendar says “spin class,” Mynd will add your gym location to all your spin-class dates.
How is this helpful? Transit time, for one thing. If it’s 4:30 p.m. and your spin class is at 5:30, but Mynd knows heavy traffic will extend your drive time to 35 minutes, it will calculate how much earlier you have to leave and adjust its alerts accordingly.
Source : PCWorld
Image : PCWorld
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