This latest update is mainly bugfixes bringing the version number to 1.4.1. Localization is well under way, with 11 languages currently supported, with the door open to further community translations.

The app is of course free, and the reviews tend to be slightly above average at 3.5 stars by 106 reviewers. Be sure to check the BlackBerry for WordPress blog or the App World gallery for screenshots of the app. If you experience any issues after the upgrade be sure to check out the FAQ.

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Sahil’s motivation for writing the app is clear: to always be productive, no matter where he is, and with thousands of downloads and 4+ stars he can’t be wrong.  Be sure to check out Smashing Magazine’s post for further information and a slew of screenshots!

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1. Ability to target carriers

The Android Market now allows developers to select which carriers can publish their applications. So, I can create an application for only T-mobile subscribers in the US, and another one just for Roger subscribers in Canada. Why is limiting your user base a good thing? Selective targeting. Know your customers. For example, if you are aware that Verizon users have a specific drawback on their phone (Verizon’s practice of striping down functionality), you can build an app to resolves that specific issue. You know the “problem”, and you can create the “solution,” and in theory the application should be well received.

2. Support for additional screen sizes and resolutions

Prior to Donut, all Android devices used 3.2″ screens with a resolution of 320×480 (“normal”). This is quite a platform limit. Improvements in Donut address this major issue.

What does this mean for developers? Developers will now have to pay attention to User Interface design across different screens and resolutions. Google has simplified the task by creating 3 screen classes: small, normal, and large, while well documenting the development tweaks needed. What does this mean for end users? As more Android devices flood the market, consumers will have greater choice. Users may now choose devices with smaller or larger screens, depending on their needs, and are not locked to a single “standard”. Additionally, competition promotes competitive prices: cheaper devices.

Romain Guy, user interface engineer at Google, summarizes pretty clearly the idea on the Android Dev blog.

“To date, all Android devices (such as the T-Mobile G1 and Samsung I7500, among others) have had HVGA (320×480) screens. The essential change in Android 1.6 is that we’ve expanded support to include three different classes of screen sizes:

• small: devices with a screen size smaller than the T-Mobile G1 or Samsung I7500, for example the recently announced HTC Tattoo
• normal: devices with a screen size roughly the same as the G1 or I7500.
• large: devices with a screen size larger than the G1 or I7500 (such as a tablet-style device.)”

Romain Guy, Google

For more technical details on how to adapt your apps for the new screen sizes, check out the Android Dev Guide for Supporting Multiple Screens.

Device Screens and resolutions supported by Android (1.6):

Smashing Magazine’s latest article by Jen Gordon showcases the latest trends in iPhone app design. Jen focuses on how designers use graphical elements and user interface interactions to create applications that are creative and visually appealing.  How to design useful and creative UIs and stay away from counter-intuitive designs? Read on, a brief point-by-point summary of the article is after the break.

1. Mirroring native iPhone UI Elements

• iPhone-like apps, on the iPhone
• Familiarity saves time and energy for both designer and end user

2. Simplifying the Interface

• Intuitive and simple while maintaining functionality
• Balance between functionality and design
• Like in the Flickr app, we want to see pictures, not complicated navs

3. Hardware-ish look

• Breaking out of conventional UI
• Take advantage of the iPhone’s abilities to interact via finger
• Physical!

4. Rich, Padded and pretty list views

• Visual cues
• Big pretty buttons
• Appropriate colors and typefaces
• Easier to navigate, effective use of whitespace + padding

5. Layered Interface

• Layering the interface has 3 advantages:

1. Reduces # of traditional elements
2. Fast access to info
3. More screen real estate

• Presents a lot of info in a non-cluttered way
• Bottom line: content rich, no clutter

6. Icons for the List view

• Icons gives boost to app’s usability + navigation
• Clearly communicates the purpose
• Quickly guides user
• Never use icons for the sake of having icons!

7. Illustrations in use

• Can set an app apart from the crowd
• Can be unusual
• Can pull together the whole concept of the app

8. Using Gestures

• Creative interactions
• Flick elements or data
• Natural, intuitive

Be sure to check out the full article at SmashingMagazine.com, the above brief summary doesn’t do the article justice, the screenshots included in the article are essential.

Apple just pushed their latest iPhone OS update (3.1.2) onto the net. The update applies to all versions of the iPhone (iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS), and you can grab it as always via iTunes. Let us know how you find the update, and if there are any new/interesting features that Apple slipped in. Weighing in at around 240MB, the update addresses several issues, principally:

This update contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following:

• Resolves sporadic issue that may cause iPhone to not wake from sleep
• Resolves intermittent issue that may interrupt cellular network services until restart
• Fixes bug that could cause occasional crash during video streaming

Yesterday at Adobe’s MAX conference, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch presented Flash 10.1, the first release of the Open Screen Project. This upcoming release is geared towards improving mobile browsing into a consistent web experience across devices. This means being able to view content on your smartphone as you would expect on a desktop.  Since Flash 10.1 will take advantage of any GPUs present on a mobile device, we can now have accelerated video and graphics. This will work towards conserving battery life and minimizing resource consumption.

Long story short, Flash 10.1 will be able to:

• Multi-touch
• Gestures
• Accelerometers
• Screen Orientations
• HD content
• Optimized memory and resource management

David Wadhwani, general manager and VP of the Business Platform Unit at Adobe, reinforces the trend of content transparency: Whether on a cell phone or on a desktop, it just has to work.

“[...] users will be able to experience virtually all Flash technology based Web content and applications wherever they are [...] first devices ship with full Flash Player in the first half of next year. ”

Dadvid Wadhwani, Adobe

Public developer betas will be made available shortly. Win Mobile and webOS runtimes can be expected before the end of 2009, while Android and Symbian will have to wait until early 2010. It’s unknown when BlackBerry will be getting Flash 10.1, but RIM is most probably working around to clock on it. Apple is noticeably absent from the OSP.

Adrian Ludwig demos Flash 10.1