Google has releases a new web version of it’s voice app enabling iPhone and and Palm users make and receive calls. Previously, the Google Voice native app has had nothing but trouble from Apple and as the ware between the two companies heat up it seems Google has decided to go around Apple and offer this app via the browser.

The problem, for me, is the browser is the weakest link on the iPhone. It’s feels slow, navigation is a pain and speed is a real issue compared to native apps. I’m not a fan of Safari, blasphemy for a Mac geek I know, but at least this gives me access to an app I actually want to use.

To get started, just head over to m.google.com/voice on your iPhone. Other than being browser based, I like the overall experience and how things work.

via Geeksugar

Dev Web Pro reports that Android Apps have hit the 20,000 mark. That’s great news for open source, developers and especially consumers. The apps are really want set the iPhone apart and don’t let anyone tell you different. Oh, it innovated and changed the entire industry in too many ways to name, but the app store is what “sold” it to the public. Before then it was a better looking wanna be blackberry. I’ll be so bold as to say it would have flopped without the apps. So Mobility Hacks would like to congratulate Android and it’s community for hitting this milestone. And I’m glad to see some of the phones are really starting to click with users. I need to get my hands on a couple to review for the site.

Andrew is Committing Location Based Service Suicide and truthfully, I may join him. I love these apps. My favorite right now is Gowalla, but Foursquare is extremely good, and other apps like BrightKite, Yelp and many more are joining the fray. People will flock to the one where their friends are, so the app doesn’t really matter that much, but I do think we’ll be seeing them fight for market share for some time to come. Reports are even in that Twitter’s growth has slowed and some reports even that it’s declined some.

Most of these location based apps focus on checking in and they have created a meta game around the concept of checking in, like earning points, badges or becoming a mayor. Meta gaming has it’s own problems, but the Andrew’s issue seems to be with the broadcasting of his checking in. Most apps let you decide to broadcast that or not, and with these apps using meta gaming to encourage people to check in they gather data. People have to add locations and enter details and when they do, they earn points. Something people love to do. So the meta gaming aspect is good, for now.

Where these location based apps are failing at the moment is truly using the GPS/Location to create more interesting experiences in the real world. I’d like to walk into a place I’ve never been and find virtual notes left for me by previous patrons. Maybe someone knows the best food at a local dive or a particular waitress I should avoid at all costs. Or maybe I’m downtown and walk past a building and a “note” pops up telling me there’s a cool little bar down the side alley that most people don’t know about. People could leave pictures, notes and even video/voice just floating int the ether for others to find. The trick is, these apps need to do this triggering automatically. When I walk in, my phone needs to tell me there’s more to explore about this area based on previous patrons.

The problem is right now everything is based on us, the users both entering data and looking for these notes and other info that people leave virtually in these spots. But this is only the beginning of the location based trend and I think were going to see some cool stuff in the next several months. I don’t think I’m quite ready to opt out of “checking in”, but I may not be broadcasting it when I do.

Simplenote, one of the best note apps for the iPhone, if you ask me, is now priced to move: it’s now free. You get most of the works for free, with a few things held back for people who decide to pay for the app. Here’s the juicy bit from Cult of Mac:

New customers have a choice. Either get Simplenote with ads for free, or pay five dollars for Simplenote Premium which kills the ads and includes a bunch of other features, namely: automatic version backup, create notes by email, RSS feed for notes, unlimited API usage, and premium support.

via Cult of Mac

Foursquare is probably one of the most popular social networking app on the iPhone. Now, Blackberry fans can get in on the meta gaming too. Foursquare has released it’s popular app for the Blackberry, currently in beta, for the 8000 & 9000 series devices. Foursquare awards members for checking in, adding locations and other interactions with badges, titles like Mayor and others making the meta gaming aspect of the app that much more addictive. Rumors of a new version for the iPhone have been bouncing around lately as well. With competitors like Gowalla and Yelp trying to close the gap, Foursquare has to keep up it’s momentum to stay in the lead.

via Solsie