Dropbox today announced a new application programming interface for in-app synch. The new API is intended to lure developers to Dropbox by making programmers’ life easier by letting their native iOS/Android apps treat users’ cloud-based files as if they were stored locally.
“Give your app its own private Dropbox client and leave the syncing to us.”
Learn more at Dropbox.
LogMeIn Inc. announced the general availability of its new cloud sync and storage service, Cubby. An easy-to-use, secure cloud service for sharing files across devices and with other people, Cubby offers the flexibility to turn any number of PC or Mac folders into ‘cubbies’ that can be accessed from Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, as well other PCs and Macs from virtually anywhere in the world.
People can quickly share individual files or entire folders with others via a simple one-click link, or can choose to invite friends, colleagues, clients, and business partners into their ‘cubbies’ to collaborate across shared files and projects. The free version, Cubby Basic, includes Cubby’s signature sync-in-place flexibility (any folder can be a ‘cubby’), free desktop and mobile apps, 5GB of cloud storage, and the ability to share files via the cloud.
A premium version, Cubby Pro, builds on this by offering the flexibility to share content across computers with or without the cloud (via Cubby’s distinct DirectSync™ mode), additional controls for sharing your most sensitive content, multi-user accounts, and 100GB or more of cloud storage.
AirWatch has added Android email management flexibility with the AirWatch Android Email Container, as an enhancement to the AirWatch Mobile Email Management (MEM) solution. The AirWatch Android Email Container supports over-the-air configuration of Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) email accounts for Android devices.
Many mobile operating systems, OEMs or third-party solutions, such as NitroDesk Touchdown, may already offer best-in-class email clients, standard security and native encryption on the device, which could provide the best solution for AirWatch clients with limited device variability. However, companies often struggle with device proliferation and variation across email clients as they expand their mobile deployments and adopt BYOD. In these scenarios, companies require flexible email options to balance end-user security, usability and support.
“We recognize that many OSs, OEMs and third-party solutions have best in class email security capabilities already built into the core of their technology,” said John Marshall, president and CEO, AirWatch. “However, as many customers adopt wider BYOD strategies, they struggle to provide an email platform across all devices that meet security and usability requirements. As the largest EMM provider, the strength of our development team and global resources allows us to maintain a vendor-neutral strategy and integrate with all available email clients and develop innovative capabilities, such as the Android Email Container, to meet the customer demand.”
AirWatch will officially present the Android Email Container, along with a series of other significant innovation and partnership announcements, during AirWatch Connect 2013, the leading mobility user group conference, at Mobile World Congress. The AirWatch Android Email Container will be available as an optional add-on component to the AirWatch mobile device management solution. AirWatch’s MEM solution delivers comprehensive security for corporate email infrastructure including Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 and cloud-based Gmail, Office365 and BPOS.
ManageEngine today announced it now manages Android devices in the latest version of its desktop and mobile device management (MDM) software, Desktop Central. The move extends the mobile device management support in Desktop Central to include smartphones and tablets running Google’s popular mobile OS as well as devices running Apple iOS.
“The mobile usage trends will eventually drive sharp increases in demand for enterprise MDM solutions that embrace BYOD while ensuring enterprise data security,” said Mathivanan Venkatachalam, director of product management at ManageEngine. “The growing Android market and increasing demand for Android support among our customer base encouraged us to add Android support to Desktop Central as quickly as possible.”
Android MDM in Desktop Central provides data wipe, mobile application management, configuring profile/policy and default option to run mandatory background applications
Desktop Central 8 is available immediately. Prices start at $10 per computer annually for the Professional Edition. The MDM add-on module support is available on all the editions, and prices start at $15 per device annually. The Free Edition of Desktop Central manages up to 25 computers and two mobile devices. A free, fully-functional trial version is available at http://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/download.html.
Instructure has released a new Canvas Android app, which enables mobile access to the Canvas learning platform from Android devices. Faculty and students can download the app for free from the Google Play store.
“The Canvas for Android app is designed to make it easy for faculty and students to stay connected to their courses, including courses from their institution or the Canvas Network,” said Brian Whitmer , co-founder and chief product officer at Instructure. “We’ve always pushed information to Android devices through our email and text messaging notification feature, but now users can participate in their courses through a native app designed specifically for learning.”
Canvas for Android provides an elegant way for students to access their Canvas To-Do list, Assignments, Calendar, Grades and more. It also enables them to read and compose messages using Canvas Conversations, a secure, built-in messaging system that connects participants in a course.
Since the initial launch of Canvas, Instructure has demonstrated its commitment to native apps for mobile devices. In 2011, the company released SpeedGrader for iPad, a powerful mobile grading app, and Canvas for iOS, an iPhone and iPad app with course functionality for students and instructors. With the release of Canvas for Android, Instructure is taking the first of many steps to bring a native Canvas experience to Android users.
“We recognize that the modern learner is mobile, and we believe a native mobile experience is critical to the learning experience,” said Devlin Daley , co-founder and chief technology officer at Instructure. “We didn’t decide after the fact to build mobile apps because it was a hip thing to do. We made an intentional decision to include mobile apps from the start – at no extra charge.”
Intuit reports that design updates to QuickBooks Mobile for Android optimize the app for tablets, and make it easier to navigate and use on any mobile device. The app is available to download for QuickBooks Online subscribers on Google Play at no additional cost. QuickBooks Mobile enables small businesses to access customer information, create, send and review estimates and invoices, and record payments from Apple and Android mobile devices.
QuickBooks Mobile offers Android tablet users the same functionality provided to Android phone users, but with a native tablet experience. The app serves small businesses that want to accomplish more work on mobile devices. Industry analysts say the trend is on the fast track, with Android claiming a significant share:
“Small business owners want to get more done everyday, so mobile apps afford them a fantastic way to stay organized and productive from either their computers or mobile devices,” said Dan Wernikoff, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Financial Management Solutions division. “In the past year, we’ve seen our QuickBooks Mobile users triple, and adoption amongst Android phone users outpace iPhone users.
“With tablets becoming pervasive, we’re creating QuickBooks Mobile experiences that take full advantage of the devices’ unique capabilities to help small businesses save time managing their finances. Today we’re giving customers what they want – a native tablet experience for our fast-growing population of Android users.”
Basware, a provider of e-invoicing and purchase-to-pay solutions, has today announced the availability of Basware Mobile 1.2, bringing the processing of purchase requisitions into its native apps for iOS and Android powered smartphones and tablets.
As workers become increasingly mobile and accustomed to social collaboration, employees expect to be able to access and interact with core business processes and data on the move in order to maximize productivity. Basware Mobile 1.2 delivers a comprehensive purchase-to-pay mobile application to enable users to review, approve and reject invoices and purchase requisitions while on the move. Basware helps businesses further speed up the review and approval cycles of invoice and requisition processing, through the full automation of procurement and accounts payable processes, coupled with the delivery of anywhere, anytime access to processes and data through browser, tablet and smartphone apps.
On 29th February 2012, Basware launched Alusta, a cloud-based platform for business-to-business transaction collaboration. Basware Mobile 1.2 is an enhancement to the mobility function of Alusta, adding purchase requisitions to invoices already supported within in the mobile app. Basware Mobile is fully optimized for all smartphone and tablet devices including mobile web, Android and iOS platforms. It is also designed to allow social collaboration in an enterprise solution.
Blue Sky Network today launched its New SkyRouter mobile application, a fleet management portal for land mobile, aviation, and marine applications. New SkyRouter is a cloud-based solution designed to support connectivity with remotely dispersed mobile assets including Blue Sky Network’s advanced dual-mode GSM and Iridiumtracking and communication services. With the New SkyRouter application, fleet managers are provided around-the-clock connectivity with assets via most Android or iOS mobile phones or tablets.
“The reliance that we have toward our mobile devices has opened up new fleet management opportunities for Blue Sky Network,” said Jon Gilbert, CEO and founder of Blue Sky Network. “The New SkyRouter App provides fleet managers the same constant connectivity in a user friendly mobile interface. Our easy-to-use mobile application provides fleet owners and managers who are on the go, real-time access to asset information.”
Features of the New SkyRouter mobile application include GPS location, fleet asset lists, breadcrumb mapping, active asset indication, automated event reports, and drill-down on asset events. Leveraging the integration of Blue Sky Network’s industry-leading tracking hardware, the new application provides truly global coverage of assets located anywhere in the world. The New SkyRouter application works in combination with Blue Sky Network’s robust and Iridium certified hardware, which can be easily installed on land, aviation and marine assets.
The New SkyRouter Mobile application will be available for download at the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store in early October. The product is in beta release and slated for production in Q4 2012.
Blue Sky Network will also be showcasing the New SkyRouter mobile application at the MINExpo International 2012, taking place in Las Vegas during September 24-26, in booth number 21209.
For more information on Blue Sky Network and the new mobile SkyRouter application, please visit: http://www.blueskynetwork.com.
Unwired Planet, Inc. has filed patent infringement complaints against Apple Inc. and Google Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Unwired Planet claims to be “the inventor of the mobile Internet.” It is now an “intellectual property
company that makes and sells no products – except patent licenses. Or as they say on their website:
Old Model: Patents Protect Products. New Model: Patents Themselves Are Products
In two separate complaints filed in Reno, Nevada, Unwired Planet charges Apple with infringing 10 of its patents, and charges Google with infringing 10 different patents. Together, the two cases charge infringement of a total of 20 patents related to smart mobile devices, cloud computing, digital content stores, push notification technologies and location-based services such as mapping and advertising.
“Today’s actions follow a careful review that we launched in late 2011 as we began to transform Unwired Planet into an Intellectual Property company,” said Mike Mulica, CEO of Unwired Planet.
In the case against Apple, the complaint specifically alleges that infringing Apple products and services include, among others:
The patents asserted against Apple are:
1. United States Patent No. 6,317,594, entitled “System and method for providing data to a wireless device upon detection of activity of the device on a wireless network,” asserted against devices such as iPhones and iPads which are able to get information, for example update notifications, when the device is switched on or moves between cells of the cellular network.
2. United States Patent No. 6,317,831, entitled “Method and apparatus for establishing a secure connection over a one-way data path,” asserted against services which use a push mechanism to get notifications to devices such as update badges sent to iPhone and iPad applications.
3. United States Patent No. 6,321,092, entitled “Multiple input data management for wireless location-based applications,” asserted against devices such as iPhones and iPads which use more than one source of location information, for example GPS, Wi-Fi and cell tower location.
4. United States Patent No. 6,532,446, entitled “Server based speech recognition user interface for wireless devices,” asserted against wireless server-assisted speech recognition for personal assistant services and dictation, such as Siri on iPhones and iPads.
5. United States Patent No. 6,647,260, entitled “Method and System Facilitating Web Based Provisioning of Two-Way Mobile Communications Devices,” asserted against Appstores for selecting and downloading applications on devices such as iPhones and iPads.
6. United States Patent No. 6,813,491, entitled “Method and apparatus for adapting settings of wireless communication devices in accordance with user proximity,” asserted against ways of using motion and proximity sensors to control devices like iPhones and iPads.
7. United States Patent No. 7,020,685, entitled “Method and apparatus for providing internet content to SMS-based wireless devices,” asserted against automated searching and information delivery based on keywords in a message from a mobile device, for example as used in Siri for iPhones and iPads.
8. United States Patent No. 7,233,790, entitled “Device capability based discovery, packaging and provisioning of content for wireless mobile devices,” asserted against digital stores with content and Apps for devices with different capabilities, for example the App Store for iPhones and iPads.
9. United States Patent No. 7,299,033, entitled “Domain-based management of distribution of digital content from multiple wireless services subscribers,” asserted against services such as iTunes or the App Store that distribute digital content to multiple domains, internationally.
10. United States Patent No. 7,522,927, entitled “Interface for wireless location information,” asserted against ways of obtaining device location information such as Find my iPhone, Find my iPad and Find my Friends.
The complaint against Google specifically alleges that infringing Google products and services include, among others:
The patents asserted against Google are:
1. United States Patent No. 6,292,657, entitled “Method and Architecture for Managing a Fleet of Mobile Stations Over Wireless Data Networks,” asserted against mass updates to applications installed on devices such as Android phones and tablets.
2. United States Patent No. 6,654,786, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Informing Wireless Clients about Updated Information,” asserted against push mechanisms to get updated information to devices such as Android phones and tablets.
3. United States Patent No. 6,662,016, entitled “Providing Graphical Location Information for Mobile Resources Using a Data-Enabled Network,” asserted against placing a location marker for the current location of a mobile device on a corresponding map, such as My Location in Google Maps.
4. United States Patent No. 6,684,087, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Displaying Images on Mobile Devices,” asserted against zooming into a map on devices such as Android phones and tablets, and providing zoomed-in images to users of Google Maps.
5. United States Patent No. 6,895,240, entitled “Method and Architecture for Managing a Fleet of Mobile Stations over Wireless Data Networks,” asserted against group and mass notifications/updates to mobile devices such as Android phones and tablets.
6. United States Patent No. 6,944,760, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Protecting Identities of Mobile Devices on a Wireless Network,” asserted against authenticated push of information from application developers to devices such as Android phones and tablets.
7. United States Patent No. 7,024,205, entitled “Subscriber Delivered Location-Based Services,” asserted against search and advertising using location, such as sponsored links in Google searches which are paid for using Google Adwords.
8. United States Patent No. 7,035,647, entitled “Efficient Location Determination for Mobile Units,” asserted against identifying the location of a device, such as an Android phone or tablet, with increased accuracy using multiple sources, such as GPS, Wi-Fi and cell tower location.
9. United States Patent No. 7,203,752, entitled “Method and System for Managing Location Information for Wireless Communications Devices,” asserted against privacy control for applications requesting access to the location to a device, such as an Android phone or tablet.
10. United States Patent No. 7,463,151, entitled “Systems and Methods for Providing Mobile Services Using Short-Range Radio Communication Devices,” asserted against devices with advanced Near Field Communications (NFC) services, such as NFC-based commerce, advertising and coupons, and access to content using NFC.
