The Mobile Fun Blog

Are you having trouble coping with the reality of not having one of Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s “magical” iPads in your hands? Rather than sweat through the next couple months in want of the slick tablet device, you can try to trick your desires into submission with a DIY iPad. It’ll be made of paper and no more useful to you than any other placebo, but it might just be enough to help you sleep at night.

The Nexus One has been multi-touching itself with all kinds of pinch zoom functionality for days now, while Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid users have been left wanting a quick and convenient way to zoom in and out of web pages and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps. Today, thanks to an otherwise unassuming update to the Android Google Maps app, Droids across the nation can now pinch-zoom their hearts out.

The iPhone AppStore has and always will be controlled Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s iron-fisted app approval team, which is fine, because that usually means iPhone users can expect reliable and high quality apps. But, when Apple uses its control over the AppStore to censor more than just “adult” content, it starts to feel a little Big Brother-ish. Finding itself directly at odds with Google (NSDQ: GOOG)’s Android platform, Apple has reportedly prohibited an iPhone app from mentioning “Android” in the app’s description. The Flash of Genius iPhone app’s description wasn’t obscene or erotic in any way, it just happened to mention Google’s Android Development Challenge.

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews

Today’s Microsoft Confession comes from a woman let go during the first round of layoffs, in January 2009. I’ll call her Amanda, which, of course, isn’t her real name. Amanda shared key elements of her story on deep background, but she also provided a reflective portion that she hopes will give deeper insight to anyone looking to work for Microsoft or to HR departments looking to hire former employees.

Samsung expects that its handset shipments grow 19% to more than 270 million units this year, helped by demand for smartphones. In other words, that’s more than double that of the industry, according to the company’s president of the mobile-communication division – J.K. Shin.

Last year, Samsung shipped 227 million mobile phones and this year their big bet is on smartphones – the plan is to go from 2009’s 6 million devices to 18 million. In addition, the Korean company also plans to cover other market segments.

ContactFlow is one of those iPhone apps that found its way from a jailbreak app to the official Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) AppStore. The idea is simple – to allow users to browse their contacts like they are albums in the iPod app, cover flow style.

The application, as expected, doesn’t stop at simple browsing – you can also use it to call someone, send SMS or an email. An appropriate iPhone app will start depending on the function selected.

AT&T (NYSE: T) announced the fifth annual “Open Call – Apps For All!” contest, taking place at the CTIA Wireless in Las Vegas, March 23-24.

The contest allows developers to briefly present their apps to judges, who then decide if an individual application merits further consideration. Companies and individuals with best applications will be rewarded with cash prizes, exclusive marketing opportunities, and earn the coveted title of 2010 Open Call winner. There are four categories to compete in: Brew Mobile Platform (BMP), Android, Java & RIM, and an “Open” category reviewing apps of all platforms. AT&T will award a total of ,000 in cash prizes, ,000 to a winner in each of the four categories.

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews

The next former Microsoft employee story comes from someone I’ll call Fred, which, of course, is not his real name. Fred took a job right out of college and might still work at Microsoft today, if not for the elimination of his group during layoffs last year. Like the former Microsoftie from the first post in this former employee “confession” series, Fred helplessly watched as the exciting and flexible workplace he joined bogged down in increasing layers of middle management.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

I don’t keep my personal preference for mobile devices with physical keyboards a secret; the sensation of hitting real keys is an indivisible part of the text entry experience for me, and it’s not likely to change any time soon.

But there is one area where physical keyboards are woefully inferior to virtual ones: adaptability. A virtual keyboard can represent any alphabet or be arranged in any configuration the user or software needs, and a physical keyboard simply can’t keep up with that.

By Scott M. Fulton, III, Betanews

Last September, the US Justice Dept. objected to the proposed terms of a settlement between Google and the Authors’ Guild, which would have enabled Google to publish out-of-print titles in its Google Books catalog. The theory of the settlement at the time was, if authors or rights holders are given enough time to respond to a request to stand up for their rights — say, at least several months — and they don’t do so, then that’s as good as acquiescence.