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Recent Reviews
Data suggests that iOS apps crash more often than Android apps
Posted:
February 4, 2012
By: ccsoya
9 comments
Crittercism — a mobile app monitoring startup – painstakingly compiled data of mobile app crashes between November and December 2011, covering over 23 different permutations of the iOS operating system and over 33 Android versions, and over 214 million app launches between all those OS versions.
The data shows that iOS apps crashed more frequently than comparable apps on Android. As you can see in the data presented, iOS apps on iPhone, iPad and iPods Touch make up nearly 75% of total crashes in the period that the data was gathered.
The researchers suggests that the reason why Android apps see far less crashes than iOS apps is because the Android platform allows developers to send out updates faster and users are able to set their Android devices to auto-update apps which allow bugs to be fixed much faster than can be done on iOS. On iOS developers pushing updates have to go through an approval process which can take weeks and there is no auto-update for users using iOS.
From our own experience, we agree with the data. On a day-to-day basis we do see more app crashes on iOS than on Android. The apps that we use that crash on a daily basis include Safari, Twitter for iOS and Facebook for iOS, just to name a few.
So iOS and Android users, offer your thoughts, is the data indicative of your own user experience? Let us know.
A more detailed break down of the data sets is available after the break.
Not funny
Posted:
February 2, 2012
By: ccsoya
4 comments
Funny or tasteless? Your thoughts? Another example for discussion after the jump.
If you say you’ve never been addicted to Snake then you’re lying. Back in the day when everyone had a Nokia phone, Snake was the game to play. Actually, it was the only game to play on your Nokia phone.
Now you can waste time like its 1997 again with these remake versions of the ridiculously simple yet addictive Snake game first seen on Nokia phones complete with dot-matrix display, monotone sound effects and original old school controls.
The Snake game is available on Android, iOS and Windows Phone albeit from different developers. It’s free on Android (ad supported) and US$0.99 on iOS and Windows Phone. There’s a free trial version on Windows Phone app which is almost like the full paid version so it’s virtually free. It’s not like Malaysian can purchase any apps from the Windows Phone Marketplace at the moment anyway.
Download links for your convenience after the jump. Have fun!
Siri vs Google Voice Actions
Posted:
January 27, 2012
By: ccsoya
7 comments
The Woz says his favourite Android phone at the moment is not the Galaxy Nexus but the Motorola DROID RAZR. That was probably what inspired Motorola to do this video comparing Siri with Google Voice Actions.
Biased, maybe, but sill worth a look.
What’s also worth a look is this article from The Daily Beast about what Steve (Wozniak) thinks about Android. Here’s an excerpt about what he thinks about Siri.
Then there’s Siri, Apple’s new voice-recognition software. Woz says he’s been using Siri for a long time and used to love it when it was an independent application created for the iPhone.
But ever since Apple bought Siri and built the software into the iPhone 4S, it doesn’t work as well as it used to.
“I used to ask Siri, ‘What are the five biggest lakes in California?’ and it would come back with the answer. Now it just misses. It gives me real estate listings. I used to ask, ‘What are the prime numbers greater than 87?’ and it would answer. Now instead of getting prime numbers, I get listings for prime rib, or prime real estate,” Woz says.
Worse, a lot of the time Siri says it can’t make a connection to the back-end servers that power the system. “With the iPhone 4 I could press a button and call my wife. Now on the 4S I can only do that when Siri can connect over the Internet. But many times it can’t connect. I’ve never had Android come back and say, ‘I can’t connect over the Internet.’”
The Android system also delivers better results, he says. “I have a lower success rate with Siri than I do with the voice built into the Android, and that bothers me,” Woz says. “I’ll be saying, over and over again in my car, ‘Call the Lark Creek Steak House,’ and I can’t get it done. Then I pick up my Android, say the same thing, and it’s done. Plus I get navigation. Android is way ahead on that.”
Full article here.
Maxis extends Free iPhone 4S 32GB Promo on iValue 4
Posted:
January 17, 2012
By: soyacincau
2 comments
For this Chinese New Year, Maxis is offering the iPhone 4S 32GB for free if you subscribe its iValue 4 plan of RM375/month for 24 months. Actually this isn’t new as it is an extension of its earlier promo which ended on 15th January 2012. Normally the iPhone 4S 32GB is offered at RM350 for 24 months on iValue 4.
For more information, head over to Maxis iPhone 4S page.
So how much does an iPhone 4S ownership cost on different telcos? Check out our plans comparison here.
Singapore selling iPhone 4S without cameras
Posted:
January 14, 2012
By: soyacincau
1 comment
Thinking of getting an iPhone 4S but your work doesn’t permit anything that take pictures? You might want to check out Singapore as they are offering iPhone 4S with its front and main camera removed.
In Singapore, military staff are prohibited from bringing in any form of camera devices into their bases. Aimed at catering for these folks, telcos in Singapore are offering special iPhone 4S bundles which include “Camera removal service”. On M1, the 32GB version is going as low as $49 on iPhone Max Plans or as high as $649 on their iPhone value plan.
It is interesting to point out that such modifications performed by telcos will automatically void the standard Apple warranties. As a result, the telcos are reported to offer warranty coverage of their own. In Singapore, the iPhone 4S is not the only device with “camera-less” options as we’ve found out that M1 is also offering a similar version for its BlackBerry Bold 9780. This certainly goes to show that the military market is rather substantial for Singapore and this ruling doesn’t necessary have to restrict them to dumb feature phones.
The billion dollar hippy: BBC’s Documentary of Steve Jobs
Posted:
December 26, 2011
By: soyacincau
No comments
While you’re lounging around this lazy post-Christmas arvo, spend the next hour of your day and watch BBC’s documentary of Steve Jobs:
Broadly considered a brand that inspires fervour and defines cool consumerism, Apple has become one of the biggest corporations in the world, fuelled by game-changing products that tap into modern desires. Its leader, Steve Jobs, was a long-haired college dropout with infinite ambition, and an inspirational perfectionist with a bully’s temper. A man of contradictions, he fused a Californian counterculture attitude and a mastery of the art of hype with explosive advances in computer technology.
Insiders including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, the chairman who ousted Jobs from the company he founded, and Jobs’ chief of software, tell extraordinary stories of the rise, fall and rise again of Apple with Steve Jobs at its helm.
With Stephen Fry, world wide web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee and branding guru Rita Clifton, Evan Davis decodes the formula that took Apple from suburban garage to global supremacy.
Probably the most complete iPhone 4S buyer’s guide in the country
Posted:
December 19, 2011
By: ccsoya
19 comments
Two months after it was officially announced the iPhone 4S is finally here in Malaysia. If you’re not part of the first batch of iPhone 4S buyers that stood on line in the wee hours of the morning on December 16 then you’re probably biding your time to see if the iPhone 4S is the right device for you.
With the iPhone 4S available from three major operators at the same time, getting one has never been more complicating than it is now. With the selection of plans and options from different operators all offering different data, voice and monthly subscription packages, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with what’s available in the market.
So which operator offers the best iPhone 4S plan for you? Can you get the iPhone 4S without a contract? Is the iPhone 4S really that good? How good is the camera? What about Siri? Does it work in Malaysia? What are other smartphones in the market right now that’s just as good as the iPhone 4S?
Whatever questions you might have about the iPhone 4S, we probably have the answer tucked away in a post somewhere. So head on over to right after the jump to check out what is probably the best iPhone 4S Buyers Guide in Malaysia right now.
The Top 10 gadgets of 2011
Posted:
December 19, 2011
By: ccsoya
13 comments
We’ve once again reached that time of the year where we look back at the past eleven months to see what a year it has been. For us at SoyaCincau.com, 2011 has been a year filled with amazing gadgets and innovation. The mobile scene has progressed so much in such a short time span that you can’t believe how much the game has moved on since a year ago.
In Malaysia, we see more interest from prominent brands like Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC, Nokia and BlackBerry as they identify Malaysia as a key market. As a result we see more devices being launched in Malaysia much earlier than – or at the very least at the same time as – other countries. We see this trend continuing for 2012 as Android gains traction and makes inroads in the minds and hearts of Malaysian consumers outside of urban areas and the demand for smartphones increases and prices drop.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone has got to be, in our opinion, one of the biggest lost opportunities for 2011. As a mobile platform, Windows Phone has loads of potential but the lack of a concerted and synchronised market awareness effort from Microsoft and manufacturers has resulted in the platform being an unknown in the country. As a result of that, retailers have seen very little interest in Windows Phone devices.
Having said that, Nokia is set to launch its range of Lumia devices that run on Windows Phone in Malaysia sometime before the first quarter of next year. With a strong brand presence in the country, Nokia could just be what Windows Phone need to gain some mind share in Malaysia. But make no mistake, the Nokia Lumia devices are not magic bullets and Microsoft can’t depend on Nokia alone to solve the lack of awareness for its mobile platform. More needs to be done on Microsoft’s side to educate and drive conversation on the strengths and advantages of Windows Phone.
Speaking of which, TIME magazine has released its top ten lists of everything for the year. Naturally, the list of Top 10 gadgets for 2011 is something we are all very interested to see.
Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition coming iOS and Android devices
Posted:
December 9, 2011
By: ccsoya
2 comments
We don’t really have time to play video games on tablets or smartphones but if we do, this would, beyond any doubt, be it.
Rockstar games will be releasing a special edition of its additively popular Grand Theft Auto series. The Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition will be available for both iOS and Android devices from December 15. The best part is that the game will cost reasonable US$5 when released.
The GTA III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition will also mark Rockstar’s maiden release of the popular franchise on the Android platform. We’re pretty sure many Android gamers out there who are GTA fans as well will be happy to know this.
The devices that the game supports include:
Apple iOS Devices: iPad 1 & 2, iPhone 4 & 4S, iPod touch 4th Generation
Android Phones: LG Optimus 2x, Motorola Atrix
Android Tablets: Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, LG Optimus Pad, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1
Yes, the selection of supported Android device do look rather limited but we suspect the game should run well on the Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Note as well. So should the Xperia Play and possibly Xperia arc as well.
In any case, head on over to after the jump to check out the teaser trailer GTA III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition.