A Mobile Dictionary application allows you to carry around a digital equivalent of a heavy hardbound dictionary in your pocket with the luxury to look up any word, at any time you feel like it.
There are quite a few mobile dictionary applications out there, and surprisingly, a good number of java mobile dictionary apps too, but most of these high quality apps come at a nominal price.
I use Collin's Dictionary on my K800i and I think it's simply brilliant. It contains a large number of words, and the dynamic search feature that searches instantaneously as you type is a huge plus.
It also shows related words, synonyms, and antonyms, which makes it easier to remember the meaning of a particular word.
There are also audio pronunciations available, but I don't think they'll work on my phone, or a majority of other lower end handsets. But other than that, the app is perfect for quickly fishing out and looking up a word on the go.
Collin's Dictionary
---
Or if you're just looking for a quick free fix, there are Free Mobile Dictionary downloads available too.
I've collected a few of them here:
Aard Dictionary
A simple dictionary. It also functions as an offline reader for Wikipedia pages... clever.
Arcus Dictionary
With over 165000 words defined, this is the best a free alternative can get. It also has dynamic search, which is a more than welcome feature in a free mobile dictionary app.
Foolish Dictionary
If you are not serious about learning the language but are just looking for a fun app, then this might be a good contender. Based on a book by Gideon Wurdz of the same name, this app contains witty and sarcastic comments about common words. Not recommended for your English test though..
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Internet Radio for Java mobile phones
'More people listen to internet radio than satellite radio'
This is a true fact. Once you get the hang of it, most of you will find Internet radio more appealing. Why? Mostly because of the possibilities. There are literally millions of Internet radio stations out there, and new ones are popping up every day.
I find myself falling asleep to the ambient sounds of some classical station, or laughing myself to sleep with some stand-up comedy station playing in the background most of these nights.
You can listen to these stations in your mobile phone too. And this is where I envy the hell out of the nokia phones. Because they come equipped with a mobile internet radio client, but the sad fact is that a large part of the population is not aware of this fact!
When you are on a non-Nokia Java phone, you don't have a lot of options, the application support is limited. And though you can just go search Getjar.com for 'internet radio' and it returns you a dozen results, most of them wont be useful or won't work.
I've found over the years two Java Internet Radio Applications that I'm content with.
1. VirtualRadio / VRadio
My favorite of the lot and it also offers the most number of stations ( more than 1500!). The interface is simple and channels are spread across channel groups making it easier to find them.
It plays really fast with little or no buffering in between. I found no breaks in playing while being on a plain GPRS connection (with no EDGE). that is fast! Don't expect much audio quality though, it's Internet Radio.
The high bandwidth stations have a decent playback quality, though they'll require a faster data connection.
download VRadio
2. RadioBee
I used to be a RadioBee user before finding VRadio. Not that there is anything wrong with it, VRadio just kind of grew on me. The channel list is somewhat limited, but RadioBee provides you with a neat settings menu (an option absent altogether in VRadio), where you can add your own stations from the internet if you know the url.
download RadioBee
This is a true fact. Once you get the hang of it, most of you will find Internet radio more appealing. Why? Mostly because of the possibilities. There are literally millions of Internet radio stations out there, and new ones are popping up every day.
I find myself falling asleep to the ambient sounds of some classical station, or laughing myself to sleep with some stand-up comedy station playing in the background most of these nights.
You can listen to these stations in your mobile phone too. And this is where I envy the hell out of the nokia phones. Because they come equipped with a mobile internet radio client, but the sad fact is that a large part of the population is not aware of this fact!
When you are on a non-Nokia Java phone, you don't have a lot of options, the application support is limited. And though you can just go search Getjar.com for 'internet radio' and it returns you a dozen results, most of them wont be useful or won't work.
I've found over the years two Java Internet Radio Applications that I'm content with.
1. VirtualRadio / VRadio
It plays really fast with little or no buffering in between. I found no breaks in playing while being on a plain GPRS connection (with no EDGE). that is fast! Don't expect much audio quality though, it's Internet Radio.
The high bandwidth stations have a decent playback quality, though they'll require a faster data connection.
download VRadio
2. RadioBee
I used to be a RadioBee user before finding VRadio. Not that there is anything wrong with it, VRadio just kind of grew on me. The channel list is somewhat limited, but RadioBee provides you with a neat settings menu (an option absent altogether in VRadio), where you can add your own stations from the internet if you know the url.
download RadioBee
Cell Phone Benchmark
Simply put, a 'Benchmark' is a reference mark something is measured against.
The original Benchmarks were reference marks made on a workbench to measure the length of stuff like lumber, etc. So you can see where that word comes from.
Benchmark applications are used to measure and give a performance rating for various machines like computers, processors, etc.
Benchmark applications are available for mobile phones also. While there are many benchmark tools out there, the standard one (or the 'benchmark one', if you will), is without doubt, JBenchmark.
JBenchmark allows you to measure the performance of your mobile phone with upto 86 subtests, spread across 6 categories :
- 2D Graphics
- 3D Graphics
- Composite Performance
- CPU & Logic
- User Experience
- JVM Analytics
Moreover, it has an active community of enthusiasts bent on topping each other's scores. You can upload your device's score to the community for others to see (if it isn't too embarrassing)
More than comparing with others, I've found that keeping a record of your scores can indicate drops in performance over time. You can tweak your device keeping an eye on the benchmark scores to improve performance. This is such an amazing troubleshooting tool, and a lifesaver in many cases.
JBenchmark official site
The original Benchmarks were reference marks made on a workbench to measure the length of stuff like lumber, etc. So you can see where that word comes from.
Benchmark applications are used to measure and give a performance rating for various machines like computers, processors, etc.
Benchmark applications are available for mobile phones also. While there are many benchmark tools out there, the standard one (or the 'benchmark one', if you will), is without doubt, JBenchmark.
JBenchmark allows you to measure the performance of your mobile phone with upto 86 subtests, spread across 6 categories :
- 2D Graphics
- 3D Graphics
- Composite Performance
- CPU & Logic
- User Experience
- JVM Analytics
Moreover, it has an active community of enthusiasts bent on topping each other's scores. You can upload your device's score to the community for others to see (if it isn't too embarrassing)
More than comparing with others, I've found that keeping a record of your scores can indicate drops in performance over time. You can tweak your device keeping an eye on the benchmark scores to improve performance. This is such an amazing troubleshooting tool, and a lifesaver in many cases.
JBenchmark official site
Face Warp
Surely this is one of the most memorable Java applications ever. If you're into mobile phones and mobile phone apps, there's a fair chance that you might have already heard about FaceWarp.
FaceWarp is simply a cool way to have fun with your mobile phone camera. Trust me, it's a great way to kill time, especially on an exam's eve.
Just launch the application and point your mobile phone camera at an unsuspecting victim. FaceWarp has a built in library of Warp Filters, which distort the subject's face and produces a result that will simply make you want to do it again and again.
Enough talking, I'll just post a couple of sample pictures that were produced with facewarp on my phone..
Please note that these were captured on my old Sony Ericsson K750i mobile phone (hence the small size), on which I'd installed facewarp the day I bought it itself. 'cause I regard this tiny piece of software as one of the 'essentials'.
...well, essential, if you've got too much time in your hands. :|
Download FaceWarp here
FaceWarp is simply a cool way to have fun with your mobile phone camera. Trust me, it's a great way to kill time, especially on an exam's eve.
Just launch the application and point your mobile phone camera at an unsuspecting victim. FaceWarp has a built in library of Warp Filters, which distort the subject's face and produces a result that will simply make you want to do it again and again.
Enough talking, I'll just post a couple of sample pictures that were produced with facewarp on my phone..
Please note that these were captured on my old Sony Ericsson K750i mobile phone (hence the small size), on which I'd installed facewarp the day I bought it itself. 'cause I regard this tiny piece of software as one of the 'essentials'.
...well, essential, if you've got too much time in your hands. :|
Download FaceWarp here
Mobile Doc Viewer
There may arise a time when you have to check office files on the go, and a laptop or similar facility may not be available. So why not utilize the potential of your mobile phone and view that file right in your mobile phone screen?
Viewing MS Office files on Mobile isn't a problem on high end devices such as the Nokia E-Series. These come with QuickOffice pre-installed, that allow office file viewing capabilities right out of the box.
However, for mid-range handsets, those that doesn't run on a specific OS, but supporting Java applications and sporting sufficient memory (Java heap), a memory-efficient third party software is desired.
There are a few DOC file viewers available right now, and most notable of these is DocViewer.
It is published by Zesium Mobile (the same company behind MobilePDF), and offers the ability to open:
- MS Office Word files (.doc)
- MS Office Excel files (.xls)
However, note that the file sizes of the files to be opened are somewhat small. For larger size files, the software may just hang or load the pages really slowly.
Transfer the office files to your mobile phone using bluetooth or the USB cable. Open MobileDoc and navigate to the folder where the files were copied, and open the files. MobileDoc displays the document or spreadsheet file in the most efficient manner with the phone's limited memory and screen size.
download mobiledoc here
Viewing MS Office files on Mobile isn't a problem on high end devices such as the Nokia E-Series. These come with QuickOffice pre-installed, that allow office file viewing capabilities right out of the box.
However, for mid-range handsets, those that doesn't run on a specific OS, but supporting Java applications and sporting sufficient memory (Java heap), a memory-efficient third party software is desired.
There are a few DOC file viewers available right now, and most notable of these is DocViewer.
It is published by Zesium Mobile (the same company behind MobilePDF), and offers the ability to open:
- MS Office Word files (.doc)
- MS Office Excel files (.xls)
However, note that the file sizes of the files to be opened are somewhat small. For larger size files, the software may just hang or load the pages really slowly.
Transfer the office files to your mobile phone using bluetooth or the USB cable. Open MobileDoc and navigate to the folder where the files were copied, and open the files. MobileDoc displays the document or spreadsheet file in the most efficient manner with the phone's limited memory and screen size.
download mobiledoc here
Java Mobile PDF Reader
Reading pdf files is not a big hassle when it comes to high end phones.
Most symbians come equipped with a lightweight version of Adobe Reader that allow PDF viewing capabilities right out of the box. The case with the newer androids and iphones is no different.
However, reading PDF files on a java mobile has always been a big pain in the rear.
There are a few pdf reader applications floating around right now, but most of them, they just don't work.
However, I've found that a certain piece of software that works pretty well out of these, and that one is:
Zesium MobilePDF
MobilePDF from Zesium is a Java Application that is able to let you view pdf files on your Java mobile handset.
I've tested it on my K800i and it works pretty well. It even loads up the images!
However, the size of the pdf file puts a cap on the abilities of the software. This is purely based on the processing power and memory considerations of the phone, so no blame on the publisher. MobilePDF works pretty good when you try to open relatively smaller PDF files on your handset. But if you try to open a larger file,the application could hang.
Requires JSR-75 to open files.
Main features :
- font size adjustment
- fullscreen mode
- Zoom
- Search
- AutoScroll
- Display headers and footnotes
- Save User Settings
Cons :
- Slow
download MobilePDF here
Most symbians come equipped with a lightweight version of Adobe Reader that allow PDF viewing capabilities right out of the box. The case with the newer androids and iphones is no different.
However, reading PDF files on a java mobile has always been a big pain in the rear.
There are a few pdf reader applications floating around right now, but most of them, they just don't work.
However, I've found that a certain piece of software that works pretty well out of these, and that one is:
Zesium MobilePDF
MobilePDF from Zesium is a Java Application that is able to let you view pdf files on your Java mobile handset.
I've tested it on my K800i and it works pretty well. It even loads up the images!
However, the size of the pdf file puts a cap on the abilities of the software. This is purely based on the processing power and memory considerations of the phone, so no blame on the publisher. MobilePDF works pretty good when you try to open relatively smaller PDF files on your handset. But if you try to open a larger file,the application could hang.
Requires JSR-75 to open files.
Main features :
- font size adjustment
- fullscreen mode
- Zoom
- Search
- AutoScroll
- Display headers and footnotes
- Save User Settings
Cons :
- Slow
download MobilePDF here
K800i Secret Menu
In this post I will write about a few hidden features of the K800i.
These codes should work on most Sony Ericsson models though, try for yourself.
Service Menu
The Service menu can be accessed by pressing the following sequence while in the standby screen:
right, *, left, left, *, left, *
The phone now shows a menu titled 'Service' with 5 menu items:
In addition to the Service Menu, SE's also offer a 'Personalize' menu.
It can be accessed by the sequence
left, *, *, left
But unlike the Service Menu, the Personalize menu is for trained experts only. So it's better not to tinker with these settings. Still, it's cool to know your phone's got all these things under the hood right?
---
Want to see something cool?
Access the ServiceMenu. Now Navigate to Service Info > Model Info.
While the Model is displayed, press the folowing key sequence :
2, 4, 6, 8
\m/ SE \m/
These codes should work on most Sony Ericsson models though, try for yourself.
Service Menu
The Service menu can be accessed by pressing the following sequence while in the standby screen:
right, *, left, left, *, left, *
The phone now shows a menu titled 'Service' with 5 menu items:
- Service info : Here you can view information regarding your handset such as the model number, software versions (firmware as well as other versions, like camera driver version, etc.)
- Service Settings : Here you can switch USB charging on or off
- Service Tests : Allows you to test every component of your phone, such as the keypad, microphone, speaker, LED, Display, etc. Any fault can be found out easily with this method.
In this section, You can also check the Total call time, the number of hours you have called. - Text Labels : Better leave this section alone.
- Discharge Flash : To discharge the camera flash fully.
In addition to the Service Menu, SE's also offer a 'Personalize' menu.
It can be accessed by the sequence
left, *, *, left
But unlike the Service Menu, the Personalize menu is for trained experts only. So it's better not to tinker with these settings. Still, it's cool to know your phone's got all these things under the hood right?
---
Want to see something cool?
Access the ServiceMenu. Now Navigate to Service Info > Model Info.
While the Model is displayed, press the folowing key sequence :
2, 4, 6, 8
\m/ SE \m/
The Best Java Mobile Browser for your mobile phone
When it comes to mobile web browsers, the options are many. There are lots of excellent browsers available which almost perfectly provide the feel of a desktop browser.
But for java devices, the options are somewhat limited. There are some features missing, like support for flash, indic fonts, and eye-candy associated with higher end models that have an actual OS.
But these Java mobile browsers available do their job pretty well, that is, Internet on-the-go.
I will be talking about the three best mobile web browsers available today. These are all stable, fast, and data-saving.
And the best thing about them - they're all free!
1. Opera Mini
Perhaps the first name to come to your mind when you hear the words 'mobile web browser'. Up until a couple of years ago, opera mini used to be the only notable browser for mobile phones out there. It was either Opera Mini, or the phone's built-in crap browser. There were no other options.
Years have passed, and multiple updates later, Opera Mini still continues to reign supreme as the best web browser for mobile phones.
From my experience, this is the best web browser for your K800i.It will suffice for most of your online needs.
Get Opera Mini here
2. UCWEB
If there's one area where this product shines, it's in the tweakability. UCWEB is another great browser, not as polished looking as the Opera Mini, but certainly the UC have become more approachable over the years. A multitude of options are available in UCWEB compared to other browsers.
It also seems to compress pages way better than Opera Mini, this can save your bills if you're not on an unlimited data plan.
The strongest feature of UCWEb is its Download Manager. It's highly efficient, plus it has a feature whereby you can download a large file as several small parts, in networks that put a cap on the size of the file downloaded.
For example, in Airtel's NOP (Net On Phone) plan, they wouldn't let you download a file that was larger than 3 MB sometime back. Luckily I found UCWEB then and it did the downloading for me.
Newer UC's come with way more options and many many hidden features, hidden only to the untrained eye.
For example,I found that you can download facebook videos in the optimum format for your phone by just pointing to the video link and selecting 'save as..' from the context menu.
Download UCWEB
3. Bitstream Bolt
Bolt is the ugliest looking of these three (in my opinion), and my least favorite too. It is fast alright (as the name implies), but the publishers need to look into improving the usability of the application because it is really confusing.
And without even half of the options available in ucweb , to say it's confusing itself is a huge thing.
Some of the things I liked though are : It's fast, loads big pages effortlessly, and best of all, it renders web pages more faithfully than the other two. Back when I was a facebook junkie I used to have Bolt in my mobile just to play Mafia Wars on facebook. It just wouldn't work with Opera Mini or UCWEB.
Another feature of BOLT is the ability to play in-page flash videos with its own technology for mobile screens. Although I haven't been able to see this in practice (must be my crappy network), I'm sure it's a good feature.
Tabbed browsing is missing, which is a staplein OM and UC.
Download Bitstream Bolt.
So there you have it - Three of the best K800i Browsers out there today.
Don't worry, they'll work on any java capable device.
So download the one you like, install it on your mobile phone, choose a data plan, and spend your time more productively.
But for java devices, the options are somewhat limited. There are some features missing, like support for flash, indic fonts, and eye-candy associated with higher end models that have an actual OS.
But these Java mobile browsers available do their job pretty well, that is, Internet on-the-go.
I will be talking about the three best mobile web browsers available today. These are all stable, fast, and data-saving.
And the best thing about them - they're all free!
1. Opera Mini
Perhaps the first name to come to your mind when you hear the words 'mobile web browser'. Up until a couple of years ago, opera mini used to be the only notable browser for mobile phones out there. It was either Opera Mini, or the phone's built-in crap browser. There were no other options.
Years have passed, and multiple updates later, Opera Mini still continues to reign supreme as the best web browser for mobile phones.
From my experience, this is the best web browser for your K800i.It will suffice for most of your online needs.
Get Opera Mini here
2. UCWEB
If there's one area where this product shines, it's in the tweakability. UCWEB is another great browser, not as polished looking as the Opera Mini, but certainly the UC have become more approachable over the years. A multitude of options are available in UCWEB compared to other browsers.
It also seems to compress pages way better than Opera Mini, this can save your bills if you're not on an unlimited data plan.
The strongest feature of UCWEb is its Download Manager. It's highly efficient, plus it has a feature whereby you can download a large file as several small parts, in networks that put a cap on the size of the file downloaded.
For example, in Airtel's NOP (Net On Phone) plan, they wouldn't let you download a file that was larger than 3 MB sometime back. Luckily I found UCWEB then and it did the downloading for me.
Newer UC's come with way more options and many many hidden features, hidden only to the untrained eye.
For example,I found that you can download facebook videos in the optimum format for your phone by just pointing to the video link and selecting 'save as..' from the context menu.
Download UCWEB
3. Bitstream Bolt
Bolt is the ugliest looking of these three (in my opinion), and my least favorite too. It is fast alright (as the name implies), but the publishers need to look into improving the usability of the application because it is really confusing.
And without even half of the options available in ucweb , to say it's confusing itself is a huge thing.
Some of the things I liked though are : It's fast, loads big pages effortlessly, and best of all, it renders web pages more faithfully than the other two. Back when I was a facebook junkie I used to have Bolt in my mobile just to play Mafia Wars on facebook. It just wouldn't work with Opera Mini or UCWEB.
Another feature of BOLT is the ability to play in-page flash videos with its own technology for mobile screens. Although I haven't been able to see this in practice (must be my crappy network), I'm sure it's a good feature.
Tabbed browsing is missing, which is a staplein OM and UC.
Download Bitstream Bolt.
So there you have it - Three of the best K800i Browsers out there today.
Don't worry, they'll work on any java capable device.
So download the one you like, install it on your mobile phone, choose a data plan, and spend your time more productively.
My Experience with the Sony Ericsson K800i and Applications
I have been using the K800i for more than 4 years now and I think it will only be fair if I write about my experience with this amazing gadget.
Okay, first off, the Camera is the best part of the handset. It is still one of the best 3 MP cameras out there. The pictures taken with the K800i come out clear and crisp and the colours are rendered almost faithfully.
Being an avid shutterbug, I resort to my K800i camera when I find an interesting subject but dont have my canon with me.
The build quality is excellent. Being more of a fidgety kind of guy, I find myself dropping my mobile phone several times during the course of a day. But the phone can take it. Unlike the unfortunate Nokia E6 that died an untimely death in my pocket due to continued rough use.
The K800 shines in so many departments, but I think we should just stick to the application handling capabilities of the handset as that is the subject of the site.
The K800 supports J2ME applications conforming to the MIDP 2.0 and a screen size of 240x320.
It is able to multitask to some level, meaning running more that one application at a time. It was a welcome change for someone like who was using a k750 for so long,which only allowed one app at a time.
The Application support of the K800 is quite impressive. There are hundreds of apps available online and many more games.
Being a junkie when it comes to Mobile apps and games, I've installed and tried out a ton of apps, and finished as much mobile games too. And I gotta say, the K800 is powerful enough to handle most memory-intensive apps and especially games. I know because I used to get 'This Application uses too much memory' errors in my earlier device, but the same apps work like a charm in the K800.
I currently have 50 apps and 103 games installed in my K800i, and the phone still works smooth as ever. Unlike some other phones that whine and groan when you just install a dozen apps.
So, this being my passion, I will write about the best java applications out there for the K800i spread across categories. Don't worry if you have a different phone,these applications are compatible with most java devices.
Moreover, I will just be linking you to the download page of the app rather than to a specific file wherever possible, so you can get the app for the device you have, and more importantly, get the latest version available.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
K800i Specs
The Sony Ericsson K800i is one of the best flagship models of Sony Ericsson to date.
It's almost perfect, with a brilliant display, high quality camera, snappy response, and solid build quality.
Here are the full list of K800i Specs :
Network :
2G GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G UMTS 2100
Dimensions 105 x 47 x 22 mm
Weight 115 g
Display :
TFT Display with 256K colors
Display Size: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.0 inch
Memory :
Internal Memory : 4 MB
External : Memory Stick Micro (M2), up to 2GB
Data :
GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
EDGE No (If you are willing to trade 3G for EDGE, you can go for the slightly less stellar K790i)
Speed : 384 kbps
WLAN No
Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
Infrared port Yes.
USB : Yes, v2.0.
Browser : WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML(NetFront)
Java : MIDP 2.0 apps supported.
Colors Available :
Velvet Black
Allure Brown
Battery :
Standard battery, Li-Po 900 mAh (BST-33)
Stand-by Up to 350 h (2G) / Up to 350 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 7 h (2G) / Up to 2 h 30 min (3G)
To Summarize :
Pros :
Superior Cam,
High Quality Display,
3G,
Good Audio Quality for a non-music phone.
Cons :
No EDGE.
Couldn't find any others.
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