.Mobi – Pencil - Mobile Website UI Prototype

UI [User Interface] is an important factor for a Mobile Website, just like any other Mobile Application. Of Course, Mobile Websites cannot have Flashy UI, as they use in Mobile Applications, but the web site needs impressive outlook to attract visitors. The UI should be simple, at the same time, functionally easy to use for a non-technical user too. Whenever I work for UI designs in Mobile Platform, I go with Prototype model in first stage. There are number of software tools available in market, but I used Corel Draw for long time. Recently I found one interesting tool called “Pencil”. It is a GNU General Public License Software, primarily helps for UI prototype designing to Desktop, Web and Mobile Websites / Applications.   It comes with free Stencils for GTK Widgets, Windows XP Widgets, Native UI Widgets and Sketchy GUI too. You can also create your own stencils group using ‘Stencil Generator’ menu option.  It is a very small application programs, loads very fast, and solves the primary purpose of UI prototyping easily. It initially came as a Plug-in to Firefox, now the standalone version is also available for free download.

Try it for your Prototype designing and share your comments.

You can download it from : http://pencil.evolus.vn/en-US/Home.aspx

Note: There is another software called “Pencil” - in the same name J, animation/drawing software for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. It lets you create traditional hand-drawn animation (cartoon) using both bitmap and vector graphics. Pencil is free and open source.

Nokia is looking for innovative applications

Nokia is looking for innovative applications that raise the quality of living across various spheres of human life.

Select any of the categories and submit your entries before 10 th June 2010

Eco/Being Green
Entertainment
Productivity
Life Improvement
Growth Economy Venture Challenge

What you can expect to win
Grand Prize : 30,000 USD in cash.
2nd Prize : 15,000 USD in cash.
3rd Prize : 5,000 USD in cash.


Plus some special prizes:
Best application for the Nokia N900 : $50,000 (USD) in cash.
Best cross-platform application using Qt : $50,000 (USD) in cash.
Best mobile computing application: $50,000 (USD) in cash, plus the winner of this special prize will be included in a multi-million dollar global marketing campaign that will be used to help promote the winning app.
Best locally relevant application with global potential : $15,000 (USD) in cash.

Cash of course matters but a chance to work with Nokia is simply priceless !
Details of the contest are available at www.callingallinnovators.com

Healthcare with Smart Phones

Recently I did an analysis for Healthcare apps using mobile devices. There are very few available, and some of them are surprisingly free. The requirement for Healthcare apps in mobile devices is high due to now day’s lifestyle. Everyone – at least many of us - likes to have information about diet, food methods, healthy living, good recipes etc.

I found a simple and efficient application for Nokia S60 Smart Phones – The application name is “Healthy Life”. I am sure; this app is available for other type of devices too. This application comes as a midlet with web services enabled. Once installed, it takes your information – name, height, weight, desired password etc. It uses this information to provide you personalized information.

The application provides Nutrition Information, Healthy Life style tips, Calculators (Waist to Hip Ratio, Ideal Body Weight, Target Heart Rate calc etc). The Menu efficiency, Consistency of Products, Definition of Particles are very informative. You can find BMI Calc, Fat Calc, interesting Diets too. The question and answer section, Health news sections are helpful to get some useful updates.

Try this interesting application and share your views and comments – I downloaded it from getjar.com.