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Best Australian iPad apps (part 2)

Kimble Young — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 07:43:09 +0000

In part one of our best Australian iPad applications the iPad had been released not 24 hours before our writeup so the list of apps available was small and the offering not that compelling. Now that it’s been out for a few weeks developers have had enough time to thoroughly test their apps. The number and quality of new ipad apps has vastly improved. From magazines to weather there seems to be an app now for every Australian iPad owner’s needs.

Pocket Weather Australia HD

This weather app comes from the same people who brought you Pocket Weather AU for your iphone. It’s not just any weather app either but more like a full scale weather station display on your ipad. Clicking into a city will give you everything from barometric pressure through to wind speed and direction and there’s graphs, maps and scales galore.

They’ve done so much with the larger resolution of the ipad when so many people are just stretching out iphone apps to fit the display. Well worth the $2.50.

Download Pocket Weather] Australia HD at the iTunes app store.

tvGuide

TV guides on mobile devices have traditionally been difficult to read. There’s simply too much data to fit in to such a small screen. tvGuide did a good job of it on the iphone but where this application really shines is on the ipad where you can view up to 10 channels at once and hours of programming for each of the channels. Simple but functional TV guides like this are definitely one of the potentially killer features of the ipad.

Download tvGuide at the app store for just $1.20

ACP Magazines

APC and Gourmet traveller are the first two offerings on the ipad from Australian Consolidated Press. The apps themselves are free to download but you have to pay a one off fee for each month’s edition of the magazine. At less than a dollar cheaper than the print version it seems you are paying a hefty price for the convenience of reading these magazines on your ipad. Especially when most of the cost of a paper based magazine goes towards paying the printers and the paper merchants.

Unlike some of the newspapers’ offering for the ipad you at least get the whole magazine rather than a cut down version of the paper based offering.

We’ll leave it up to the reader but there seems to be little value in ACP’s offerings for the ipad apart from convenience.

You can download either app from the ACP Magazines section on iTunes.

Sources

Sources is a news aggregator for the ipad that offers an interface that looks very much like a newspaper. If you don’t feel like paying for the overpriced apps from the newspapers then just read the latest headlines from them using this app. If you like a story just poke it and you’ll be taken to the publication’s website. Headlines and stories are categorised into different sections just like they would be in a newspaper so you can jump straight to local, tech, sports or any other category.

Well worth the $2.50 Asking price. Download it now from iTunes.

Summary

The iPad is still young and even more so in this country. A lot of developers and publishers are hesitant to produce something specifically for the iPad until they see it is proven. So until we see more apps trickle in remember people – you can run pretty much any iPhone app on your iPad.

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Best Australian iPad apps

Kimble Young — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:47:38 +0000

Apple’s iPad was only released yesterday but has already attracted a lot of developer attention, especially from the traditional media. Questions aside of whether the device really has a place in our digital lives we preview and review some of the best of the here and now and reveal the future of Australian iPad apps.

As expected, one day after launch, the list is quite small but we hope to be able to bring you many more best of lists for the ipad in the coming weeks and months.

Borders e-Reader

The Borders e-Reader is available on a number of mobile and desktop platforms and now the iPad. Powered by Kobo the app is not technically Australian as Borders is a global company but there are many, many books by Australian authors available and a vast array of content from all over the world is available. If there was ever a killer app for the iPad it’s e-Books so well worth checking out.

Download the Borders e-Reader now from iTunes.

The Australian

The first of the big boys from the rag trade to launch an iPad app, News Limited paper released its iPad app at midnight on the 28th of May. Hours before the actual device went on sale in Australia. It looks like a newspaper and behaves as much as a newspaper can on an electronic device but just seems to lack any depth of content.

In just a few short hours since release it has been panned by users of the App store. A lack of content compared to even the web version of the paper seem to make this a less than compelling offering from News Ltd. At $4.99 a month we’ll just stick with the web version.

Australian Broadcasting Commission

Aunty have decided to build an iPad app that showcases the best ABC content from news stories to videos and the ability to live stream a number of ABC radio stations. The app feels very much like a web page. Which begs the question – if the iPad can show web pages in an experience that is very close to the desktop why do you really need an app for content that is highly consumable through the web already?

The ABC were working on an app to allow users to watch iView on their iPad but the app was written in Flash using Adobe’s CS5 which is able to compile for the iPhone. The only problem is that Apple have been trying to thwart Adobe at every step when it comes to Flash on their devices and the latest move has been to ban the use of third party compilers like CS5. So it looks like we may have to wait a while before seeing iView on the iPad.

Although ABC’s offering is not yet available for the iPad expect it to be on iTunes in the next couple of weeks.

SMH/The Age for the iPad

Fairfax’s papers and digital properties won’t shutup about the iPad. This is unsurprising as their very future is so uncertain with their print arm’s slow slide to death. However, can they deliver the goods when it comes to their saviour?

We’ll have to see. For all their talk they are yet to actually release an iPad app. The good news? They will be free – at least for a limited time.

National Australia Bank

The NAB have released the first Australian banking application for the iPad. Featuring internet banking, an ATM and branch locator feature and exchange rate calculator. This app seems to be more for show than providing specific functionality. It’s just not that compelling when compared to their website which works perfectly well on the iPad. Here’s hoping they add more features in the future.

Download it from the Apple iTunes app store

Summary

It’s still early days for the iPad in Australia and businesses like The Australian have done well just to release an app in time for launch. I’m sure everyone will have their eyes glued on the iPad to see whether it delivers both as a niche device and as a compelling experience. We know we will.

If you own a Nokia, Android or iPhone then you can also check out our other lists of best Australian apps:

Best Australian iPhone applications
Best Australian Android applications
Best Australian Nokia applications

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Optus gets one more Android with the Motorola QUENCH

Kimble Young — Sun, 23 May 2010 08:21:00 +0000

Optus now offer another Android by Google powered smart phone with the release of the Motorola QUENCH. A basic smart phone with quite ordinary specs, the QUENCH has a 320×480 touchscreen display with a 5 megapixel camera featuring flash and autofocus. Unfortunately with HVGA only video it doesn’t keep up with other phones on the market.

When it comes to software though this isn’t an ordinary Android. This phone is powered by Motorola’s MOTOBLUR service which fully integrates your social network with your phone. Providing a single stream of all your friend’s activities on your phone. All this on Android version 1.5 (not 2.1 as most devices released in 2010 run).

Despite the phone being a little underpowered it comes in quite cheap and is available for $0 on the Optus ‘yes’ social plan for $19 a month on a $24 month contract.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 now on sale through Optus, Vodafone

Kimble Young — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:39:00 +0000

Xperia X10 credit on Optus' website

Today both Optus and Vodafone have just listed the Sony Ericsson Xperia 10 on their website. Their launches coincide with the heavily publicised launch on the Telstra network today. This comes as a pleasant surprise to those wishing to buy a current generation Android as Telstra were expected to be the exclusive carrier.

The Xperia is available on Optus for $0 upfront on a $99 plan. On Vodafone it’s available on a $79 cap but the upfront price is unclear and their website is still showing the phone as out of stock. As covered earlier on the Australian Phone Report the Xperia X10 will be available on Telstra for $0 upfront on a $110 a month plan.

Full specs are on the Sony Ericsson website and TechRadar have written up a fantastic in depth review of the device.

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Vodafone to sell iPad in Australia

Kimble Young — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:12:45 +0000

Vodafone have confirmed that they will be offering iPad pricing plans and carrying the new device from Apple in Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK at the end of May. Rumours also abound that they will pick it up in Australia too.

Earlier we speculated that we’ll see free ipads on 24 month contracts and while this may not happen for the launch at the end of May, while Vodafone try to make as much as they can out of early adopters. We think there will certainly be a quick move to sell them at appealing upfront prices on long contracts as soon as possible.

Stay tuned for more details as they become available.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 coming to Telstra

Kimble Young — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:33:08 +0000

Just days after announcing their first Android powered smart-phone, Telstra have broken the news that the X10 will be available from
The 5th of May 2010. Apart from sporting the Android OS the X10 has some of its own unique features like ‘Timescape’ which shows all of a users communications (SMS, email, facebook and twitter) all on the one screen.

Telstra have also added some of their own magic to the X10 by making available its own Android apps including Mobile Foxtel, Whereis Navigator and Yellowpages. The music player also features integration with Bigpond’s music service.

The phone will be available for $0 upfront on a $110 a month, 24 month contract or for $1099 outright.

For more information about the announcement visit Telstra Exchange.

To learn more about the X10 visit Sony Ericsson’s product information page.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 now on sale through Optus, Vodafone

Top Nokia applications for Australians

Kimble Young — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:45:09 +0000

The Symbian platform has been around for a long time and although Nokia has only just recently launched their “built for apps” campaign there have long been a huge number of applications out there for Nokia users. In this feature article we’ll list some of the best apps for Australian users, with a focus on Australian targeted apps but also those useful for Aussies with a Nokia phone. So without further delay, here’s the best Nokia applications for Australians:

Ovi Maps

Ovi maps with Navigation is now free for a wide variety of GPS enabled Nokia phones. Essentially saving you a hundred or more dollars for a dedicated GPS or comparable software. It’s not Australian but it sure will help you get around this big country.

Download Ovi Maps

AFL 2010

Aussies love sport and what better way to keep track of the latest scores, news and fixtures but with Sportal’s AFL app for your Nokia. Download it for just $2 (at the time of writing) from the Ovi Store.

ABC Mobile Shortcuts

Yes it may sound boring but this app for the Nokia allows you to check out the latest news headlines, weather, cinema times, movie reviews and more from one easy to use interface. No more having to fire up your browser to work out what’s happening.

Download it now

Train View

Train View allows you to see the Sydney Train timetables on your mobile phone. It gives you a display just like the rolling blue displays you see on the real train line. Designed to work on any J2ME enabled phone this beauty will work on pretty much any Nokia made in the last 5 years.

There’s a free version available from the developer’s home page.

That’s it for this feature but if you’ve heard of any Nokia applications written for Australians or even just by Australians let us know. We’re always interested in hearing more.

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Will we see $0 upfront iPads in Australia

Kimble Young — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:48:43 +0000

The Apple iPad’s launch a few days ago was no doubt an American centric launch with little detail on how much it will cost in Australia. With the iPad ranging between $500 and $830 USD and Australians usually paying a 50-100% premium on US products there’s no doubt the ipad won’t exactly be cheap.

Apple’s Australian site has it slated as coming in late April but there are still questions on what the distribution model will be. At what is looking like over $1000 for an iPad compared to $400 – $500 for a typical netbook Apple will most likely be forced to team up with one or more of the local telecommunications companies to bundle data contracts with a low upfront price on the iPad. Exactly the same model has successfully been used in the past to sell netbooks.

Telstra, Optus and VHA have all announced they will start stocking micro SIMs which the ipad requires but will we soon be seeing “Free iPads*” (*on a 24 month contract of course)? We think the answer is – “It’s inevitable”.

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New wave of Google Androids set to invade Australia

Kimble Young — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 07:14:00 +0000

Until now Australia has literally been starved of good Google Android phones with the Hero and the Magic the only two phones available in this country until the beginning of 2010.

Telstra have announced they will carry the HTC Desire which has been billed as HTC’s answer to the Nexus One.

Optus have also reneged on their blocking of monetised apps and they are now allowing paid Android apps in the marketplace. A sure indication that they will be backing the introduction of more Android phones like the HTC Legend or the Sony X10.

There’s no doubt that Australia will soon be flooded with a whole range of the latest Android phones. Only two question remain:

Which carrier will take on which Android and how this may affect customer loyalty with the Android representing the current cream of the smart-phone crop.
When will Google release the Nexus One in Australia?

HTC Desire:

HTC Legend:

Sony Xperia X10:

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When will the Nokia N900 arrive in Australia?

Kimble Young — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:37:22 +0000

The Nokia N900 is no doubt one of the best phones out there in the world right now. However, there’s one problem. Nokia decided to hold it back from Australians.

Announced mid 2009 it looked as if at first the phone would never make it to Australia due to it being an interim phone in the Maemo series. This caused an uproar within the internet community with petitions and even loyal Nokia owners threatening to buy iphones.

The situation post launch, at the end of last year, wasn’t much better with Internet forums like Whirlpool abuzz with people trying to source handsets from the USA.

Nokia then used the first Australian Forum Nokia Developer’s conference on the 2nd of March 2010 to announce that the N900 would be coming to our shores in April.

Some questions still remain: Who will carry it (Telstra, Optus or Vodafone Hutchison)? When exactly will we see it and for how much?

Stay tuned as we keep you up to date on this hotly awaited phone.

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