Far East iPhone report

Safari 4 brings you to next web experience

2009-03-19T02:50:00.010+09:00

"How do you tweeting?" seems world most question.

Then, how do you tweet? I love to tweet from Tweetie, I'm Japanese translator staff of it, on iPhone but I have frustrated that I can't feel in tweeting world like as using iPhone. I'm using P3:PeraPeraPrv , I'm English version coordinator of it :), on my Mac. I like this tool for posting like chatting. I've tried many twitter client on Mac but all of them don't make me feel similar with clients works on iPhone.

Then, I decided to make something and made it. The project "pbtweet" works on twitter.com.

pbtweet - pretty good, better tweeting experience for Safari -

Features

Showing conversation chain
Hiding redundant tweet from timeline
Adding photo frame badge from twitpic.com
Supports oAutoPagerize

Requirement

Safari 3 or later ( Strongly recommended Safari 4 )
Mac OS X ( recommended Leopard )
SIMBL (Smart Input Manager Bundle Loader)
GreaseKit (User script launcher on Safari)

Install and startup

Install SIMBLE read guidance at SIMBLE website.
Install GreaseKit read guidance at GreaseKit website.
Install pbtweet go to pbtweet website and click pbtweet link.
Go to twitter.com

Enjoy!

Kojien updated in standard way

2009-03-14T01:21:00.009+09:00

Kojien 6 ver.2 price: ¥8,500($79) developer: LogoVista Corporation size: 684MB iTunes

If I should select dictionary in order to re-build Japanese alone, I select Kojien. Most reliable Japanese-Japanese dictionary for me. Past time, I post a review for this app, now Kojien 6 got update to version 2.0.

Then App Store will be one years old, many application developed into new version, Kojien also.

New Kojien 6 have following feature.

1. New index interface

2. Min-cho style font

3. Search from selected string

New index and interface is well streamlined, but graphical design is boring and kiddy like as Japanese cellphone's app. Why Japanese old man loves to use many color... I hate multi coloring habit. 2nd points, Min-Cho-style font is well. Min-Cho style font is like as Times, traditional glyph design. They implement IPA font distributed by Japanese government information technology department. IPA font is not so stylish but has correct glyph style suites dictionary.

Kojien app smells "translated" application from other OS platform but ver2.0 comes near to iPhone. Some interface image is not well but experience is one that applications on iPhone.

LogoVista is not young company well known Japanese digital booklet application developer. Their products is not cutting-edge but on the way of standard application development.

Kojien ver.2.0 is just standard Japanese application their made. Well hearing user's voice and implement. Yes, this method may not open something new, but think different.

How iPhone OS has rich broad platform. Young fresh independent engineer are well seen on the board, but iPhone OS keeps veteran maker's standard application also.

Quiet style font viewer Cédille

2009-03-11T23:43:00.003+09:00

Cédille price: FREE! size: 0.2MB developer: Kanotomo iTunes I've dreamed what I feel well if I handle scale able font book on my hand. Cédille is simple font viewer shows in iPhone/iPod touch for it.

Sometime when I'm planning website or presentation style, I launch this simple font viewer on my palm and place on drafting paper in order to feel letters in my physical. Simple and well designed interface of Cédille does not interrupt my plan. And iPhone's clear bright screen show me letters like printed.

Cédille shows font collection list on iPhone/iPod touch at start up. Tapping font name shows letter samples. Sample viewing style is able to selected from Repertory or Sample. Sample is same with Font Book.app on Mac OS X. Japanese font shows a part of poem "The Square of Polano" by Kenji Miyazawa. Repertory view shows all sample shape included font. Blue line on repertory view are baselines.

In sample view, bottom slider changes scale of font size. This feature helps me at web or graphic design in point which how letters are seen in particular size.

When I launch Cédille at first time, I've been surprised that Mobile Safari shows website well, but iPhone/iPod touch does not contain so many fonts. It means I've ignored that Apple's work to take carefully in selecting fonts. Cédille opens me this fact and gave me the result of Apples in clearly anytime.

This is 2nd time to reviewing developer kanotomo's work. At last time, I've reviewed his modern simple designed calender "Quick Calender" in order to know Japanese Holidays. I like his excellent simple, quiet and clear graphic style and waiting next work.

Taking HDR photo with iPhone

2009-03-10T22:07:00.012+09:00

Pano < price: $2.99 (¥350) developer: Debacle Software iTunes

How do your think if HDR images are able to be made on iPhone with using panoramic photo app “Pano”? It's true. Left Image is the one of my HDR works made in iPhone.

Photographer's latest expression method HDR (High Dynamic Ranged Image) is processed from some piece of photos taken in different exposure. PhotoMatix and Photoshop or other software working on Mac /PC build REAL dynamic ranged image inside and compress it into normal range with tone mapping. I like to make HDR with using these software. Peace of photos for HDR should be taken by tripod fixed exposure adjustable cameras. Well processed HDR remind impression of landscape which photographer saw inside his mind.

Taking photos for HDR is so trouble not to be able to take everyday for us because tripod and cameras are heavy to bring everyday and taking process is not so quick to make your wife to wait.

But now, we can get the camera processing "HDR" inside with only one shooting sequence necessary. The camera name is panoramic app “Pano” and following is the way of making HDR photo on iPhone.

I've met great sunset today. In sunset composition, always buildings are too dark if I took sky like as following left image, and If I make building to center, sky will be taken white as right one.

Because I wanted to express both of these, I launched Pano and start sequense. Taking pieces divided into different exposure in each sequence carefully. I sat 1st horizon to bottom border where will be blended with next cut. 2nd shot's composition was automatically sat as sky is placed upper border. And took 3rd with my back-lighted hand which normally photo can't expose color.

After Processed panoramic photo keeps each exposure and blended naturally.

Processed photo tone was ajusted to be normalized. I rotated and touched tone up with using Photogene. If took work was my favorite work, iPhoto 09's is waiting at home.

These are the way of make HDR on iPhone. Of course this method can't compress tones from different exposed cuts manually and not suites complex composition, in addition, resolution of Pano processing is not so large. I don't have idea which Pano handle real range inside. Some person will say it's not HDR. Yes I think so in narrow meaning. I often say this as "pseudo HDR".

But the fact is, if you have iPhone, you can take picture of sky and ground in one picture with impressive color. without tripod and heavy camera.

Pano and iPhone gave us HDR camera which is able to take "HDR" anytime. Following images are my pseudo HDR shots. Enjoy!

Communicate with cats the master of the earth

2009-03-10T00:13:00.010+09:00

SingingCat price: ¥115($0.99) developer: Daigo Wakabayashi iTunes

The master cute animal of the Earth interrupt their housekeeper's work every day. Their cute voice heals me but sometime, I hope they shut up. Housekeepers of cats may be happy with having SingingCat.

SingingCat is simple mewing tone application.

SingingCat have simple cute interface. Pow shaped bottom key sounds mew in each tone. Tapping keys shows some cute photos.

Only it? Yes, it's only function of SingingCat. It may no work with independent human being from cat. But this cute application makes us to communicate, if you allow me to say it's communication that only cats are searching mewing one like following photo.

If you feel some interest, visit developer Daigo Wakabayashi's website frink*info's Our first iPhone application, SingingCat is going to release from Feb 16. There is some movies of this app. And as he says, this cool application is his first one. I hope him to release more app like make me happy.

Professional localizer into Japanese

2009-03-09T01:18:00.014+09:00

How to translate your Apps to English. Google translate? it's terrible. Offering Japanese speaking person from your country or your friend translator? Not so good but it's only base of localization. From my experience managing to localize applications, application localize is far from translation. String should be compressed enough to understand, User Interface Guidelines knowledge and many skills handling various data resource necessary.

I suggest you to offer to professional localizer. I introduce my friend E-WA. professional localizer into Japanese.

An entry on his blog invites localize your apps into Japanese with him.

Want to get your Mac/iPhone apps localize into Japanese?

App Store is the market to sell your works all over the world contains Japan. But you may know, because many Japanese can't use English though they understand it, language translation is necessary at there. In past years, handling multi-bytes codes and locally customized OS might you struggle in developing multi-language application. Fortunately, iPhone's modern development environment handle multi language clearly. You may find article tells how to make multi-lingual application in Apple Developer Center. Apple prepares multi-lingual architecture and tutorial, last thing you to do is finding good localization staff.

E-WA is independent professional application localizer and good translator. He have really long experience to make Japanese version of Mac apps for example, BusySinc, ClamXav, Cyberduck, Img2icns, PTHasteboard, Spanning Sync, USB Overdrive and many other. Veteran Mac user might know some of these applications and find these apps are made by not so large companies so as to develop a localization team inside.

And now, E-WA is expanding his work to iPhone apps. Contact Tool, Weightbot and more some come soon. His professional experience for Mac applications works very well in for iPhone apps.

Contact him. You'll have excellent quality localized application.

Drawing on iPhone... ON Safari!

2009-03-08T02:36:00.008+09:00

Amount number of applications on AppStore shelf is over 25,000. I've bought and downloaded more 100 apps but how many Web-application on iPhone do you use, further more moved? Apple's Web-Apps collection gather 3,500 applications at their site.

HTML based application for iPhone is easy to make and well streamlined with Dashboard technology. JavaScript, SQL supported off-line-storage, smart and fast HTML engine and canvas drawing layer.

But tech is only tech until user moved by great application comes.

Now, Japanese software development company Shockwise Company's founder Yoshida Yutaka shows cool drawing application on Safari on their site not AppStore.

Access ShockWise.com with using Safari on iPhone. You'll find iPhone wallpaper on your screen.

Sliding to enter, a blackboard is shown. Tap chalk below board, and draw on blackboard. 4 colors chalk is there. Tapping eraser clears all drawing. Chalk drawing opacity reacts with drawing speed.

Right indeed this drawing is not stored, if developer Yoshida interests to implement save function, client-side-database-storage is able to used undo also. Though I don't have idea what is his purpose of releasing this cool application, I'd say he shows infinite potential of web-application on iPhone.

Physical photo in my hand

2009-03-07T22:32:00.011+09:00

JellyPics price: ¥230($1.99) size: 0.4MB developer: BeInteravtice! iTunes

Image distortion is one of the most pleasure on iPhone, but if application makes me frustrated in slow processing?

JellyPics is fast and excellent interactive image distortion application.

The way to use JellyPics is easy. Taken or imported photo is able to be shaken like jelly with your finger. With flicking, a part of image will follow to your finger and releasing will spring back with tiny effective animation. In order to freeze image distortion, tap another part of screen during your finger on screen. For example, flicking forefinger and tap with thumb. This feels like push a pin to image. Not only 1 finger, you can use 4 fingers to shaking image.

Shaking iPhone resets image distortion. Basically, I don't like the action shaking iPhone but I enjoy shake to reset with using JellyPics.

JellyPics will make many funny images but quick responsibility is enough to use for artwork. JellyPics make me feel physical photo on my hand. Not so many function-fully software, but it's worth.

Developer BeInteractive! [website] is known skilled ActionScript developer. Not only BeInteractive!, many Flash developer act important position in Japanese iPhone developer cluster. In Japan, Flash is implemented into many Japanese cellphones from early terms of Flash lite and large number of games released. I don't know if many of they worked for developing cellphone games, Flash developer is important in Japan anyway.

Minimum dance moves Japanese

2009-03-06T23:00:00.003+09:00

UNIQLOCK price: FREE! developer: UNIQLO CO,. LTD. size: 154MB iTunes

UNIQLOCK is simple clock application shows time and movie. Every 10 second, typography and beauty girls minimum dance sequence loop by 5 seconds turns.

Developer company is UNIQLO. Well know as Japanese casual clothing maker. UNIQLOCK is advertisement application promoting new lightweight fabric HEAT TECH.

Releasing UNIQLOCK surprised Japanese companies rather than famous Chanel's promoting app. One of the most succeed Japanese company UNICLO's quick approach to iPhone knocked Japanese prejudice, because many company doubt Apple and iPhone business in Japan. In fact, I have some experience that person directing company changed opinion after I showed UNIQLOCK.

With having strong sympathy and feel something related with Japanese ones, almost Japanese company think they have no relationship with oversea companies like Google, IBM, Oracle and Apple even if it actually affected.

If you're working in advertisement or graphics in Japan, I suggest install UNIQLOCK though you don't boot for yourself, in order to show your client. With talking, taking out iPhone from pocket, "Yes this is iPhone, BTW, do you know that UNIQLO does promoting HEAT TECH on it? ...". Modern style movie and easy-listening music have no extra message and you are able to build various opinion with it. More quality, simplicity, Japanese Zen style and so.

If only I say that real UNICLO store is not so cool instead.

Free Wi-Fi for iPhone in Japan

2009-03-05T23:00:00.013+09:00

How do you feel to hear iPhone contacted user can use 3,500 Wi-Fi hot spots provided by carrier without payment? It's true and I love to use it at McDonald's with charging iPhone with build in AC plug to table.

Wi-Fi network's SSID and WEP key is solved at Softbank service site in MyYahoo. In order to logging account id and password is same as mailing account for Softbank mail service(@i.softbank.jp).

Following step is the way to get SSID WEP key.

Preparing SSID, WEP, id and password, you can connect high speed Wi-Fi network at hotspot. After you've logged in with cookie available Safari, other hotspot's authorized page will automatically make you log in without entering id and password.

As everything has doodle side, this service has large mistaken architecture to authentication~~authorization~~.

Softbank, authorized iPhone carrier, is not largest cellphone carrier in Japan and their infrastructure of 3G network is not so enough to give away to be used as Internet pipeline for iPhone the huge bytes eater users.

Softbank MobileC.T.O responsible infrastructure said they are afraid of millions iPhone user start to use 3G network in order to access YouTube. Jun-ichi Miyagawa interview (japanese)

In this situation, one of Softbank Mobile's answer was that free Wi-Fi spot for iPhone users. Now they started to cooperation with FON. I feel good about their going to expand Wi-Fi in Japan in these way.

My mention is their tech feeling or geek soul. Free Wi-Fi service has large architecture miss and decrease user experience.

At last 4th Nov the day free Wi-Fi "Automatically" logging in service, I went McDonald's with bad prediction. "Logging in" does not suites Wi-Fi connection. And some person went press party said "Softbank seems to use COOKIE for automatically logging-in". Cookie and "Log in" makes me pessimistic.

I've tried how it works and found automatically logging in worked correctly in word meaning, COOKIE rumor was correct. All processes worked on Safari. This means it's necessary to launch Safari in mobilepoint Wi-Fi area. When I was passing through Wi-Fi network without launching Safari, iPhone will be captured into Wi-Fi without logging in and all applications can't connect Internet. It's very frustrated situation.

Softbank may know all iPhone's MAC address which imported into Japan. Why they not register these MAC address band to their Wi-Fi router....

Additional note

This Y! icon is installed at Softbank shop at early days of iPhone launching. Now softbank does not install this icon on new iPhone.

Go to http://ipn.yahoo.co.jp and find setup.

"Daily" earthquake reports

2009-03-04T23:00:00.006+09:00

Earthquake Today price: FREE! developer: Noriyoshi NAMBO iTunes

Does Japanese fear earthquake living terrible country?

Yes we fear. Earthquake is first of four fear for japan. And many Japanese want know how current earthquake was large and where is center of it. If you follow daze Japanese twitter member, you may have experience your timeline is filled "Shake", "quake" and pointer to earthquake information.

“Earthquake Today (今日の地震)” is small simple app which shows daily earthquake information. The reason of Catfish con picture icon based on Japanese tale that Catfish makes earthquake underground or Catfish notice earthquake. Then daily? Yes. 2 or 3 earthquake occurs in Japan everyday.

Though this small app is not translated, magnitude score and center location is enough to talk like “Yeah, large earth quake was. Center is not so far around Chiba”.

By the way, except earthquake (Jishin:地震), left 3 fears are thunder (Kaminari:雷), fire(Kaji:火事) and father (Oyaji:親父). Thunder is able to be noticed by weather reporting app but seems no ,within my knowledge, fire notifying app nor father (in old days, "Oyaji"(farther) means typhoon.).

The way to know Holidays

2009-03-03T23:00:00.002+09:00

Quick Calender price: FREE! size: 0.2MB developer: kanotomo iTunes

The legend workaholic Japanese finished.

Though Japanese don't take a 2 weeks vacation or 2 hours siesta, there are many scattered 15 holidays beside summer and new year small vacant. Even as for Japanese can't remember these many holidays (I think this is not my special case...), I have some experience to go office at holiday what I don't know. Dark and blank office make me so sad... Q Calender will help this sad situation. Basically, Quick Calender is cool calender wall paper making app.

Previous version shows only one holidays suits language set on iPhone but current version can show any counties holidays without link to language. It means that now we get the easiest way to show Japanese holiday on iPhone set English or other language with launching Quick Calender.

Quick Calender shows China, Unites Stats, Hong Kong, France, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany,Canada and Japan. Not only these but also, this app shows calender in independent language style from iPhone set. Supported language are Afrikaans, Amharic, Arabic, Assamase, Azerbaijan, Belorussian, Bulgarian... I've gage up to count. Anyway many.

Quick Calender is not only wall paper maker as developer say in modest way at AppStore. I've surprised that this worth-full multi cultural supported calender is shipped as Free application. Take and try it.

Developer kanotomo released some nice looking small applications. I love his apps. Especially, Cédille -the Font Viewer for iPhone is my favorite app in these days.

The standard way to importing iCal calender data to your iPhone

brandonheato tweets http://is.gd/lGt0 is a better choice i think... show holidays directly in your ical by downloading or subscribing.

Yes, importing iCal data is standard Mac's way to use various calender published on websites. Unfortunately, MobileMe doesn't share online subscribed calender data with iPhone. If you want to use these data, it's necessary to download and import to iCal as solid archive. Following is the way in example to importing "Japanese Holiday Calender" from apple.com.

1. Go to "Apple - Download - Calenders - Japanese Holiday Calender"

2. With Right-Click "Download" NOT single clicking. If you click "Download" button simply, this iCal data will subscribed from apple.com and MobileMe don't send it.

3. Open downloaded file and importing to iCal. MobileMe or wired sync will send downloaded calender to your iPhone.

thanks iphoningjapan to remind me this way.

Cézanne, Monet nor Gogh. Paint like yours

2009-03-02T22:00:00.001+09:00

Oil Canvas price: ~~¥230($1.99)~~FREE! developer: BIG CANVAS Inc. iTunes

Oil canvas make impressive painting from photo with simple operation.

User interface is very simple, importing image from your photo library with tapping top-left button, and painting with scratching screen automatically picking color from template photo and when you think it's finished, save or share it.

Though Oil canvas have 5 sized brushes which shapes are simple, I feel not only it's enough, this simple interface is necessary to concentrate to paint it. If oil canvas have more 3 type of shape and painting opacity, I would gave up to spend to change tools. I suggest start from XL size brush and fill all part of canvas, and paint where you want to show with selecting brush getting smaller and smaller.

A tip here, Try color re-touching before import to oil canvas. Painted color is picked from template photo then contrast is lower than your imagination. Left image is made from high contrasted and blurred with using PhotoGene and Photo fx.

iPhone is not fixed concrete set-top box like gaming terminal or many other cellphones, though clipboard is lacked, data is able to be gave hand to hands on many cool applications.

Now (1, Mar, 2009), this simple but wonderful application is free until 50,000 download as which developer's gratitude for their nifty app PhotoArtist's sales.

Apple starts 3 TV CM with ¥zero iPhone

2009-03-02T00:50:00.004+09:00

Apple started 3 TV CM in Japan with Softbank's discount price plan named "

iPhone for everybody". Each CM feature impressive application Shazam, Ekitan and Daijirin. These CM is able to see at Apple-Japan website Apple CM gallery. Ekitan is train transfer guide application which is necesary for Japanese living in train maze and Japanese cellphone's important application also. These movie is very stylish but not too snob.

Though Apple does not show on website gallery, after these movie finished, short movie tells price for iPhone is smaller on actual TVCM. Later I report this plan in detail, new discounted plan make it able to start up using iPhone 8GB model with zero cost.

Impressive tool doesn't go behind Photoshop

2009-03-01T01:30:00.004+09:00

re:NancyKPH price: FREE! developer: gravity loves time iTunes

Picturely effect app is popularity in AppStore. Today, cool stuff is shipped, “re:NancyKPH - woodcut/rubber plate print-” is impressive wood cut picture effect application.

This strange name is from Japanese pop rubber print artist "Nancy Seki". Her likeness portrait prints are graved on eraser rubber and printed. She died but you can see her impressive prints on Google image. Application re:NancyKPH make picture like her print from photos on iPhone.

re:NancyKPH name is built as Nancy + K(o -"ko" means small) + S(eki) and (Hirax --read below) means in literal "dedicated small app for Nancy Seki and Hirax".

Developer gravity loves time serves well designed web site for re:NancyKPH and tutorial page "re:NacyKPH Tutorial".

Launching re:NancyKPH, Tutorial baby picture is shown and automatically process works.

Tapping screen shows menu button bar at bottom. Picture effect is able to be adjusted with tapping second left button. 3 sliders shown (pity! slider meaning is not shown. If the parameter names are shown below of sliders...). When you tap slider controls, parameter names appears on control panel. From top "Smooth", "Bold Edge", "Threshold" and "Paint". Effects don't work in real-time. Update button below panel shows effects after set parameters.

Only I want developer make to implement on this cool app is real-time processing though it's not too slow.

After set outline of your print, setting color from second right button shows ink color setting panel.

This cool processing is based on Japanese famous geek engineer Hirax's one of huge archive. His humorous, informative and filled of deep wisdom blog impress many programmers in Japan. His blog “Dekirukana?(Can I do it?)” since 1998 is filled with fascinate toys for image processing engineers and programers. It's jewel box for our Japanese engineer.

Developer gravity loves time seems to decide this cool app's price to be free from his respect to Nancy Seki and hirax.

I'll keep in use NancyKPH for printing wood cut impressive picture on my hand.

Sending photos to cellphones

2009-02-27T22:00:00.021+09:00

ezPhotoMail price: ¥115($0.99) size: 0.1MB developer: s21G LLC iTunes

Essential e-mail client for Japanese iPhone user is releaced. “ezPhotoMail” is it. Sad to say, iPhone is known well which can't send photos to other cellphone except iPhone. ezPhotoMail solves this situation with following 2 functions.

Resizing image to smaller Subject encoding into ISO 2022-JP

First image resizing function makes iPhone to suit capability for standard cellphone mail system in Japan. All jp-cellphone has small e-mail client (but almost doesn't have MMS) can't handle photos which send from iPhone.

ezPhotoMail resize and rotate image into size such user sets on setting panel.

Second solves subject encoding problem on jp-cellphone. Many jp-cellphone prejudice e-mail subjects are encoded to Japanese limited encoding "ISO 2022-JP", then UTF-8 encoded subject sent from iPhone are broken. ezPhotoMail send subject with encoding to ISO 2022-JP.

These spec are not difficult to implement Mail.app on iPhone but if iPhone has it, simple interface will gone. Japan is not only country where strange situation in e-mail environment. I've waited 3rd party developer releases mail client supports jp-cellphones but the term iPhone released last July, Apple seems not to allow development e-mail client or other conflict-able apps with Apple. Now those intolerance season finished. In these days, mail client and web browser are released from 3rd party developers.

ezPhotoMail does not solve all problem exits iPhone between jp-cellphones. Before I send photo to my mother, I should ask her to add my gmail address to allow list on junk mail filter because carrier sets only jp-cellphone mail address to white list. And ezPhotoMail can't add text messages to photo. I will send other text mail to her what I take.

But anyway, ezPhotoMail gave me the way to send photos to my old mother's cellphone. Lowest price in shelf of AppStore for ezPhotomail is excellent.

In addition

I found that I should describe why mail client on monster spec jp-cellphone is so poor.

In Japan, e-mail between cellphone is used like as SMS not as your known mail using on Mac or PCs. Huge number of short string message is send from cellphone to cellphone, not for used to read mailbox on normal mail server. You'll wonder why Japanese send short string with mail not SMS? The reason of it is simple but hard to believe.

In Japan, SMS can't be sent between carriers. In other word, user cant send SMS to friend using other cellphone carriers. (But oversea person can send SMS to Japanese cellphone. This is one of 7th mystery of JP-cellphone. ) This situation were born at 1999 when the time i-mode (largest cellphone networking service) started. At that time, there were some cellphone protocol can't communicate with messaging like SMS exist. This is my guess, in this situation force i-mode's messaging system should be built on e-mail not SMS. After started i-mode, e-mail messaging service explode rapidly can't re-build on other system.

Now, monster spec jp-cellphone has poor e-mail client not like as iPhone.

It's my URL! ServersMan

2009-02-25T22:31:00.015+09:00

ServersMan price: FREE developer: FreeBit Co., Ltd. size: 3.3MB iTunes

How do you use web-server if you can bring to anywhere? ServersMan is tiny web-server hosts web site an WebDAV storage on iPhone.

After activate your account, node name is set as reach-able URL to iPhone... The phrase before is not impressive then I'd want say again “URL on MY iPhone”. At first launch, I've got excited like the time to write first HTML tags.

Activated ServersMan is stand alone web server ( in correct meaning, domain name is solved by developer FreeBit based on IPv6 technology named "Emotion Link"). The public_html directory hosts web contents to Internet after set "Public Web Access" on.

Factory set HTML shows location data, images and audio files which you set to publish. ServersMan have function to host images captured by iPhone's camera on the fly. Setting "Save Same File Name" to on, latest image will shown in same URL as pseudo camera streaming. This interesting function is same with audio file. ServersMan have recording function and save on same file also.

At the same time of launching ServersMan, Web DAV storage server works, and user can mount storage on computer's desktop with logging in. Mounted storage contains following directories. Node named directory contains editable html, images and other files hosted to WWW via ServersMan. You can edit html file on ServersMan application also.

If you want send files to iPhone, it is able to move files to MyStorage directory via WebDAV. Uploaded files appears on ServersMan to edit or preview. Opposite side transfer is able with using ServersMan's "WebGadget" menu. With using WebGadget, iPhone's photo album images and recorded files are able to be hosted to WWW and WebDAV.

Server transportation speed is rely on network where iPhone connected. Wi-Fi gives enough response and 3G network is not too slow.

Current version has wrong path to get user id, sent e-mail from ServersMan expire after application is shut down. Then other computer is necessary in order to read pass-code to enter ServersMan activation text box.

ServersMan has many weak-points. It is the most terrible battery eater ever I know. Even if I charging iPhone, ServersMan will eat battery out in 30 minutes. User interface is not clear. Web engineer can understand how it works but workflow is not streamlined. I think ServersMan's largest weak-point is html set by developer. Poor design html is not worth to publish from iPhone.

ServersMan is not something special at this time, but the things opened by this tiny web server and iPhone seems to bring us harvestfull future, even if ServrsMan is not exist at there.

I'm going to enjoy to think how ServersMan's concept work in future with modifying html on iPhone.

News PAPER viewer

2009-02-24T22:00:00.001+09:00

Sankei Shinbun price: Free developer: SANKEI DIGITAL INC. size: 0.2MB(initial) iTunes

If you have an iTunes Store Japan account and want to know about something news media company in Japan, this strange free news paper viewer application “Sankei Shinbun” may help.

Sankei Shinbun app is released by Japanese quality opinion news paper company in large mass-media group. Sankei released free “news paper” viewer neither news viewer nor news reader. User can see news paper image published every morning on same style.

After launching, Sankei Shinbun app receives news paper image on each launched day. Data transport is not slow in 3G network, first page appears in several seconds. Flicking to left shows next page when fully page is shown. Page thumbnails are able to be shown with tapping bottom left button.

With pinch-in, image is able to expand into ruby fonts readable resolution with downloading necessary image data partially. Expanding are not make feel slow. Flicking to other part of view scrolls image. After page data is downloaded, scrolling and scaling are convenient.

If this app shows historic document image or fine art masterpiece, application spec is enough, some person says powerful. Engineering is not best but networking, quickness and service deployment are well balanced. From a partial scope, Sankei Shinbun app seems good application. Only and huge fault is terrible combination with news and image viewer. Search, caching (high resolution data is huge) and links or other network access are not supported by this app. Though a few Japanese engineer show high performance in strange directed product and get large success, Sankei.app's direction doesn't seem bright.

In fact, Sankei Shinbun corp is one of the best Internet familiar news paper company in Japan, though their opinion shouts PATRIOTISM based on PATRIOT'S selected news sources. I don't like their opinion but most clip-able URL is served them in technology scope. Japanese other news sites managed by quality paper company doesn't only allow links to their website, but also each entries are not given permanent URLs and sometime removed like BIG BROTHER in 1984 did.

I'm disgusted the situation that strange Sankei Shinbun Application is the best news paper company's action on iPhone in Japan.

Viewer program is licensed from Yappa corporation which is famous technology company serves JAVA based commercial web-3D viewer. I hope them to release image viewer shows more better arts or documents than boring news with using their technology.

Winding stroke shows your soul

2009-02-23T22:40:00.015+09:00

iShodo price: ¥155($0.99) developer: Ubiquitous Entertainment Inc. size: 1.1MB iTunes

Japanese caligraphy “Sho-do” uses soft brush to write infinite style letters. To learn sho-do may hard from many reason like these straighten sitting “Sei-za”, knowledge of writing order of thousands kan-ji letters, spending many papers, etc... Even if you'll get respect from many Japanese people after getting skills and spirits of Sho-do, the road to sho-do seems like Jedi training.

“iShodo” is the easiest way of enjoying sho-do style drawing.

Japanese beauty wearing kimono invite you to iShodo after launching on splash screen.

To start, tapping "Write Now" buton opens white wrinkled Japanese paper (Wa-Shi) where is your sho-do canvas. Flicking screen with your finger puts ink on paper. Quick stroke will draw narrow and slowly or stop moving your finger put wide lines. This width variation expresses huge kind of expression on small number of letters. Below drawn letter is my name... Not so good.

After several stroke, you'll find ink pale down. This is simulation of real brush. In order to fill ink, tap right side to pan ink tray and water bottle area. Scrubing on ink tray fills ink to brush and tapping watter bottle fills a bit of water for smooth drawing.

In fact, user interface of iShodo is not good. Terrible point is, any clear looking button doesn't appear.

This terrible interface will make user confused at first looking though Japanese people can predict iShodo's layout from real sho-do experience and "Instruction" button is prepared on start up screen. I hope developer fix interfaces.

Though some weekness exist, iShodo simmulates sho-do on iPhone with incredible response. I was surprised at the feeling to draw on iShodo reminds me real sho-do drawing even if paper size is too small and important drawing techniques are not able to use. I enjoy it enough drwawing sho-do on iPhone.

I'm not sure developer will release next version but current iShodo is worth to take a look.

Just symmetry, it's introduction.

2009-02-22T23:00:00.000+09:00

Symmetry price: ¥230($1.99) developer: gravity loves time iTunes

“Symmertry” make symmetric photo as app name says.

After loading photo, symmetry processing starts automatically. Flicking to right (bottom) will move left (top) source image to its direction. It's very simple. Clicking bottom right axis rotating button or flicking vertical (horizontal) quickly changes processing axis.

Tutorial and further information is developer's website "gravity loves time".

Clicking multiply axis button bellow, Symmetry reproduces new process with using latest symmetry image. With using this reproducing process, you can make fantastic image like kaleidoscope.

Simple symmetric photo made by this app may not be charming because duplicaded image tone is even in large part of photo, but strong composition is useful. I suggest re-touching with Photogene, ColorSplash or other your favorite image effect application after saving symmetric photo like below.

Application interface is clear, stable and response is quick. These are important for image processing tool. If I request something for Symmetry, supporting undo, saving session and blured edge composition.

Anyway, ¥230($1.99) is reasonable price for this small nifty application.

Num-Keypad for your Mac

2009-02-21T02:40:00.016+09:00

NumberKey price: ¥230($1.99) developer: BALMUDA design LTD. iTunes

NumberKey make your iPhone into your Mac's numeric keypad via Wi-Fi.

Current MacBook has potential to use as main computing machine except numeric keypad. Old iBook and PowerBook has num-lock function but current models and nifty Wireless keyboard don't. Apple seems make us to leave from bore work using Excel. NumberKey make your MacBooks into mobile workstation.

NumberKey should be launched with companion application "NumberKey Connect" witch is able to download from BALMUDA design's support page. NumberKey Connect is small and simple application which connect your iPhone. After you set your iPhone as Default Device, only launching NumberKey Connect and NumberKey on your iPhone is the way to use this solution.

NubmerKey has 4 keypad styles Black, White, Silver and Classic. Each style suites several MacBook, PowerBook and iBooks.

Though usage of NumberKey is not easy without reading tutorial, NumberKey have well designed support web site and works stable well. After some minutes of downloading companion application and making it connect, you'll get how to use NumberKey enough.

NumberKey use motion sensor in order to flipping up side down your iPhone. When your iPhone connected USB cable, you'll find flipping function is very useful.

Beautiful interface, micro mentioned function and stability is my reason to recommend NumberKey.

Fly me to the Moon with iClouds

2009-02-18T16:56:00.011+09:00

iCloudsprice: $0.99/¥115developer: STUDIO-KURAiTunes

Not usable, no help business and time eating healing Apps are popular in AppStore. Needless to say, I love these.

iClouds brings you to beautiful sky where you're in dream.

Launching application starts flight and will continue until you decide to wake up from dream.

Setting panel will appear from right bottom "i" button. iClouds' interactivity is only moving with flick or tilting iPhone in your flight. No departure or arrival exist in iClouds' dream.

iCloud have 3 types of beautiful sky named Daytime, Evening and Night. My favorite sky is Evening flight which brings me to eternal sunset flight.

Differ from king of healing application "Koi Pond", iClouds' polite, quiet and well designed in detail make you feel Japanese micro-mentioned instinct.

Anyway, healing time made by iClouds has worth to pay ¥115 ($0.99).

Translation and user-ability

All controls are translated into English perfect and interface user-ability is well.

Most worthy Japanese Dictionary comes to iPhone

2009-02-16T11:34:00.018+09:00

Kojien6 price: ¥8,500 developer: LogoVista Corporation iTunes

Japanese most reliable dictionary "Kojien 6th（広辞苑第六版）" came to iPhone.

Kojien 6th is latest edition of famous reference Japanese - Japanese dictionary witch is used as most reliable dictionary by Japanese language professionals like novelist, author, writer and so in Japan during this half of century.

All description are well considered and written in tiny though enough informative words by 100 specialists gathered from each fields and proof read by 160 staffs in 7 years.

The price, ¥8,500 ($99) is same with actual paper "Kojien" price seems expensive but I suggest to buy it for person who are going to be an professional of Japanese culture, Kojien helps as reference to Japanese terms.

Dictionary specification

240,000 entries
12,000 Kanji (Chinese character) entries (1,945 Japanese standard Kanji strokes, JIS code, character history, etc...)
2,800 illustration, 5,000 photos and other hundreds multi-media resources

Search method

index Forward/Backward match
Literal search
Idiom search
Search from description
Full text search
Kanji part/strokes search
Who's who search
Location name search
Masterpiece title search
Seasonal word search
Media type search (images, movies, sounds, table, etc... )

Though all article are written in Japanese, almost application interface are translated into English.