Israeli startup Cellogic, makers of the fine FlyScreen software, have spent the last 8 months or so developing a custom version for the Android platform to complement their currently Symbian-exclusive version. Today, the company is debuting the private alpha version of the Android-compatible program, and we have 1,000 invites to offer for those carrying around HTC phones running Android 1.5 (it works on the Samsung Galaxy too but is less optimized for that particular device).
So what’s FlyScreen?
Essentially, a collection of expandable widgets that comprise syndicated content (such as TechCrunch) and small apps that hook into Twitter, Facebook etc. You can use it to fetch the RSS feed of your favorite blogs, and thus be able to quickly access previews of published content, tag articles for later reading or share posts on Twitter and/or Facebook in just one click.
Nothing too out of the ordinary, but here’s the cool part: like with the Symbian version, Cellogic has managed to bolt FlyScreen on top of the lock screen, effectively turning a fairly useless screen that slows you down from accessing your favorite content and apps into a mini Web OS from which you can access your favorite blogs, the weather report, your Twitter account etc. almost instantly after turning on your phone.
Wanna give it a whirl? Simply head on over here and if you’re among the first 1,000 readers to enter the promo code “techcrunch” you’ll soon get an e-mail with a link that’ll take you to the appropriate download page.
Try it out and let us know what you think.
I have to say, I am mad impressed with this product, I got a sneak peak and I absolutely love it. Great work guys!
You got the download already? I just did this and got the correct binary, but didn’t get any email with any install.
FlyScreen is really a potential software embedding Facebook, Twitter, RSS feed and many. Android blooms as FlyScreen lands. Android’s new home of Apps builds it as a more tough competitor of iPhone app Store.
*Melts* – widgets are so sexy. I’m really glad I switched to Android for reasons that are obscure as I “fight the man” over an app approval process I don’t even participate in. *Melts*
Looks great, but when I enter the promocode I dont get access to a download page :S
bidy- you will soon, we will be sending out emails with the links shortly!
thanks for clearing it up :)
How badly does this affect battery life?
Just running shouldn’t add anything- how often it updates is chosen by you. Either at certain time intervals, or server set (based on our update algorithm). But I’d suggest to everyone to shut off 3G and use edge/wifi in general (not related to flyscreen)- I personally haven’t found the G1 or G2 batteries to be great to begin with.
Just a quick question, once I enter the promo code and email, I get the lil android displaying a bunch of binary… this is normal, right?
Yep- http://home2.paulschou.net/tools/xlate/
This is the Droid you’re looking for!
This is a cool piece of software – kind of like an RSS reader, facebook and twitter all in one. I really like it so far!
Hey, when I enter the promo code, I get some binary numbers…. what does that mean?
Thank you,
Alex
If you did it right.
“This is the Droid you’re looking for!”
Thanks, I just got your translation in my email…
I like how when I signed up with my TC promo code it comes up with some Binary whjich translates:
This is the droid you are looking for.
Still, a confirmation that I am being sent an invite would have been nice.. this is a nice geeky touch nevertheless.
Did somebody get the download email?
I haven’t yet?
I meat Avi Elias few weeks ago and he show me his product and i liked it :-) great execution i wish them only luck..
I may not getting… but how do you lock the flyscreen ? With another lock screen ? lol
The whole point of a lock screen is to make sure that your phone stays in sleep mode, does not react to any event except the one to wake the device, and also to keep private data out of public eyes when your phone lies on a table.
How does flyscreen deal with these issues ? Why not provide a homescreen replacement (like the HTC Sense proposition on the Hero), doesn’t that make more sense ?
Can anyone from Flyscreen please elaborate the thinking behind and how you tackle these challenges ?
Thanks !
This is a very question that I’d like to see answered :)
I’m with you on this. Perhaps we’re total idiots but I simply don’t get the point of this app. That being said, I still requested an invite haha.
Great work.
Killer app.
K-I-S-S at it’s best.
How do I know if I’m one of the first 1000 users ?
I get the lil android displaying a bunch of binary.
PS: I have a MyTouch mobile phone.
No E-Mail yet…hope it works well on Cyanogen 4.0.4
Hey another Cyanogen user, I run 4.0.4 too…. nice, but I’m still waiting on the email link….
@eschnou and papucho, I think the concept behind the screen is, like they’ve said, a quick-boot or Web-OS format. It gives you quick access to everything you need to view on the fly. If you want to keep your email and calendars private, there’s no need for it to be on there. Plus, there’s no reason for the android to wake up at any point past pressing the end key anyway, so I doubt its gonna kill your battery usage. Anyways, alphas released today, I think its worth a shot, don’t you? :P I for one, like how quick n easy it seems. a big time twitterer and RSS follower, this just seems basic, simple, n Super-Fly, lol
Granted this is off topic but where the EFF is the Facebook for Android app? TC said it was due out weeks ago….
And now we return you to your regular conversation….
Lock Screen – I would think that this is the lock screen but it only displays the “widgets” you’ve configured. To access any other part of the phone you still have to unlock it as you normally would. Maybe you hit menu..menu and it takes you to your regular phone. Speculating…
I still haven’t received my email, is there anyway to know when the limit has passed?
I prefer to wait for the download link and no lose time in speculations
Exactly, I don’t use facebook myself, but it is bogus that they haven’t developed and app for android….
Guys- first batch of invite emails going out soon! Don’t worry!
Yea!!!!
Yeah i hope i get my email soon ….looking for something that does Facebook decent till the official app comes out
Babbler lite on the Android market is a really good app i’ve found for facebook.
Has anyone gotten there email yet?
Their.
I have seen this product in action and have met the founders. Flyscreen is a great lightweight application that works really well. I met the founders once, great guys too. I think this product has the simplicity thing down pat (looking forward to Blackberry app one day) .
anybody else unable to sign up using Android’s browser? oh the irony.
Looking forward to my email though. :D
How fun, I feel like such an elitist. I sure hope I’m one of the first 1K.
This app looks great! HEre is hoping to be in the 1st 10k!
Looks pretty slicl, I hope I’m in the 1000
First batch sent- enjoy!
Does that mean I didn’t make it? :-(
I entered my code within like 5 minutes of this post going up and I dont get an invite. Cool I guess.
Does it mean that you already sent the link to the 1k registered?
:-(
I think we were to late….
Yeap looks like we missed the boat!! Ohh well looked like it would had been fun to play with it.
Guys- FIRST batch went out. Plenty more on the way! We are seeding them out slowly but surely.
oh yay!
can you at least let us know if you’ve already hit the 1000 mark so we dont try for no reason :(
scary !
That’s cool of Android. I am still wart for goole’s creation.
So, what’s the status today, still sending out the invites?
Itamar,
Do you or Cellogic have a twitter we can follow? Nice job on this app. It’s something I think all mobile platforms will want very soon.
Also, are you looking for more coders, editors, or debuggers on the West Coast?! :-)
Nevermind, I found the twitter.
http://twitter.com/flyscreen
We are actually- email me itamar at cellogic.com ! Or DM me- @itamarw
am i an idiot cant figure out how to register got my invitation email….Duhhhhh
As cool as the idea is I’ve had nothing but problems with it. My phones been sluggish since install and my login doesnt work. Whatever happened to having a simple username? The password recovery also fails, requiring you to log in using the password you need recover to change said password.
Got it working now right? What model/ROM you running?
Yer its working now but my phones still sluggish. Model is the Tmobile G1 using firmware 1.5. Another thing I’ve noticed is that the old lock screen comes up, I press menu twice and then Flyscreen shows and I have to press menu twice again to get to the homepage.
Sluggish shouldn’t be solely us- other apps running too? But re:old lock screen- Mind helping us log this? (DM @flyscreen)
Still waiting for my download link (I registered early, and saw the proper binary notification that I qualified).
Nice gesture on Flyscreen’s part to offer the beta invites, very poor execution on actually enabling them.
I was excited about trying this out, but now feel a little bit of ill will towards Flyscreen, since they are making me wait so long. Fail on creating good will in the Android community.
i’m in the same boat… cept not feeling any ill will at all. just looking forward to trying it out… :D
c’mon guys….
Sigh, never received the invite (and I do expect I signed up early enough).
Poor execution by Flyscreen.
I wasn’t that excited about the app in the first place (it is a neat idea, but not something amazing, that I can’t live without).
Did everyone get their Email? are they still sending Email’s? still haven’t received my email yet!!
wow i still havent gotten any email, what’s going on?
I signed up pretty quickly too – within 5 minutes of the post going live but still no invite. Oh well.