Monthly Archive: November 2015

Smartphone users tend to fall into one of two categories insofar as their downloading and usage of apps for their personal mobile devices. The first category comprises of users that tend to assemble a number of best of its kind applications that perfectly caters to their personal needs and stick solely with these apps for years without any consideration of changing unless a truly inspirational, revolutionary new application over the horizon. The second group are made up of individuals that are continually searching for, and trying out the newest and latest applications as they arrive in their respected OS market places. Both these groups will certainly find benefit in the fantastic new apps listed below.

Unmute is available at no cost and can be downloaded for iOS -based mobile devices. This app allows its users to select and discuss any topic where after they will be connected to any other Unmute user throughout the world. After the connection is established these two individuals can engage in a verbal discussion of the chosen topic, while other non-invitees that have Unmute loaded on their devices can listen in to the conversation of the topic under discussion. They may even join in on the discussion if the session host elects to Unmute the non-invited guests, to turn it into a full-fledged group discussion. The app is actually quite cool if you chance upon an interesting live discussion hosted by a pair of well-matched deliberators.

Swipe Dial is free to download for iOS devices, this app offers smart phone users a customisable speed dial widget located in the smart phone’s drop-down notification tray. Users can add a number of preferred contacts to the customisable speed dial interface, where after calling a contact simple matter of swipe down tap the applicable contact’s dialler button, and start chatting. An in app purchase of $2.99 will allow users to make FaceTime calls, send texts to the self-same contact list. The whole procedure is quicker, simpler, and more user-friendly than even the best speed dialling tools on the market.

With each passing week developers release numerous new applications and the bulk of the tens of thousands of new apps mainly going to the two most popular mobile operating systems competing in the global market, the two obviously being Apple’s iOS and its main rival Google’s Android OS. The massive continual influx makes it near impossible to discern the best potential application to meet your personal requirements, hopefully the list below will enlighten and inform sufficiently to make your job easier to determine what is worth downloading to your device’s precious draft space. These below apps are the absolute best of the new batch of applications launched just this week.

Live Pictures Cam is downloadable from the iStore at $1.99, and for once is not just another GIF creator app. A multitude of similar apps have popped up since the introduction of the iPhone 6 with its innovative Live Photos feature. However this little app places original Live Photos in your device’s Camera Roll. Unfortunately the app only works on phones that have already been upgraded to iOS 9, and remains separate from an OEM camera app. Whenever moving images are taken it users can view them directly in the gallery similar to the standard procedure on any iPhone 6.

Google Maps have for a long time been the most prolifically used navigational tool in the global cellular market place due to its unassailable position in user-friendliness, continual updates, accuracy, and an absolute smorgasbord of other reasons that have kept it in the number one position. The app swats away even the fiercest and most highly priced competitors with little more than flick of its pinky finger, and now just when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any better for a free app they once again managed to improve with one of the most useful features in years. It now has the ability to download and store maps that its users choose, most likely those in areas nearby where they live and on their way to work or social life. As the case may be it users need panic no more when they lose a cellular signal, since after they’ve downloaded and installed the necessary map areas connection to a cylinder network is no longer required.

Knowledgeable cell phone users will question the statement that the Firefox’s OS is new, since it was first unveiled back in February 2012 as a Linux-based, open sourced mobile operating platform specifically aimed at smartphones. Until now it is only been available on a small and select number of OEM handsets, however the Firefox OS 2.5 Developer version allows users a preview of the OS via a newly developed application.

Android users can now experience the Firefox OS on their handsets without the need to flash a ROM on their devices, because the newly released version is installable as an application on Android platformed devices. The application can then run from their home screens as a launcher, which would temporarily replace the user’s home screen thereby replicating the Firefox OS allowing them to experience its interface and numerous additional features.

Additionally the app provides user access to the Firefox Marketplace with a can enjoy the full experience of downloading add-ons and apps. Another significant boon is the integrated Firefox Browser, well-known for its privacy protective features such as its capacity to provide tracking protection from advertisers and websites. Firefox Browser offers users the option to pin shortcuts to their favourite websites directly to their home screens, turning the pages into Web apps.

During testing the app proved to be marginally slower than its competition, however this is to be fully expected since the application is still in a preview phase. Another observation points to the fact that the app may currently focus on entry-level handsets with low resolution screens, this is evident from the overall bloated appearance of the interface and its icons that persisted even after numerous tweaks to the settings menu.

The fact remains that healthy competition is good for the industry with consumers enjoying the spoils of the competition between the industry giants, which at this point has been a two-way battle between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. With the two alternative competitors, developing operating systems, namely Blackberry and Windows and their backing companies seemingly having bowed out of the competition.

Especially so since Blackberry have launched their new top end device with an Android OS, and Windows Mobile promised that this latest absolute pleasure and treasure of smart phone that the company recently released would probably be their last Windows-based smart phone unless this latest device makes significant inroads into gaining an improved position the mobile market.

Anyone owning an iPhone requires apps and determining which apps are worth their weight in gold and which are a waste of phone space is a tedious and drawn out process. The list of apps below have been tested by numerous people and found to be closer to their weight in gold than any other, and hopefully you may benefit in your hunt to compile your perfect smart phone app pack.

SugarSync is a free to download app that requires a $9.99 monthly subscription fee to synchronise all your required data between multiple devices. Once you’ve used/become addicted to this handy little tool you certainly won’t mind the monthly subscription fee. This is due to its capability to synchronise a multitude of files between a near limitless number of devices immaterial of whether you originally stored them on your home laptop, office desktop, iPhone, iPad et cetera. The service enables users to access their sensitive and necessary data for collaborative projects or personal photos, files seamlessly without the need to carry multiple notepads, flash sticks with them on the different daily missions.

Gate Guru is another free app to frequently travelling iPhone users that will help them navigate their way through imports between different gates, inform them of expected delays and waiting times, point the direction to the nearest food emporium, and a number of other functions. All combine to make you tackle your travels with greater level of confidence in your ability to be on time, feed yourself without destroying your digestive tract in a foreign country, et cetera.

Hotwire provides a free app focused on frequent travellers to aid them in their battle to acquire and confirm the best deals on car rentals. This app is proven itself to be incredibly useful, especially to those travellers that are not company bound to specific rental agencies, because you will not be aware of which agency you might end up renting from. It’s great news remains the fact that you almost certainly guaranteed to receive service from one of the major industry players. Once you have acquired your rental vehicle also turns out to be extremely handy in searching for and booking your hotel accommodation during your stay.

It has been quite a few years down the line since software giant Microsoft first launched their mobile OS, but according to recent rumblings within the company, the press, as well as what I consider an unprofessional comment by one of its designers, it now unfortunately seems as of the company is ready to give up on their mobile OS. Developers and rumours are flying thick and fast with one or two press releases revealing that the company might be launching their last mobile phone with the Windows platformed OS. According to press releases, the company stated that if this latest phone and its OS failed to make significant inroads into the mobile market, the company strongly suggested their next product would probably feature an Android OS.

The greatest criticism that Microsoft Windows Phone users have of the OS actually had very little to do with the OS itself, especially so considering in year-on-year official surveys the OS led all other OSes in customer satisfaction by a significant margin. Instead, the greatest bugbear to Windows Phone users was the relative lack of variety in available apps when compared to iOS or Android. The problem seems to be correcting itself rather rapidly in the last couple of months with numerous A-level apps making their way onto this relative latecomer in mobile platforms. In order to help ease the frustration that entails the selection and compilation of the correct load of apps to make a Windows Phone truly useful, the below to apps should alleviate some of the burden.

Yelp is now available on Windows Mobile to provide its users with distance, directions, and general information as to the location of a Gas Station, Pizza Hut, Bar, or Starbucks closest to their location. This agreed one could utilise Google maps for the same function, but Yelp provides its users with the final word in crowd sourced ratings related to all kinds of local events and shops. Yelp provides the community with the best possible self-measuring yardstick to rate all kinds of local establishments.

Windows users who happen to be music lovers i.e. about 90% of the population can rejoice with the launch of Pandora on the Windows Mobile OS. The app allows users to listen to their favourite forms of music while on the go, the streaming music service remained totally advertisement free until the beginning of 2014, where after it was supposed to become an ad riddled irritation like so many others before it. However the great news is that Pandora has continually improved on its already near-perfect offering and surprisingly remained near ad free. Additionally it still offers a massive variety of well-catalogued songs and artists categorised into genres and subgenres to suit every taste, the only downside is users cannot specify exact song titles to be included in their play lists.

Google’s Play store positively exploded with a flood of new high quality apps added in recent years, offering a multitude of apps that can cater for every need that could possibly catered for on a smart phone. Currently the greatest challenge is sifting the wheat from the chaff, especially when one considers that nowadays the chaff to a great extent still represents pretty good apps from talented developers that might just need a bit more polishing to become truly great. However keeping this in mind the content representing “the wheat or good stuff” in some cases can achieve a truly great and unmissable status for any enthusiastic smartphone user. All the apps listed below were nominated as an app of the year in a number of leading virtual publications.

Timehop is free on Google Play and does its best to keep your fondest remembrances from being lost in an electronic world filled with imagery. Despite the fact that social media is for the greater part quite fleeting, great memories and sentimental photos are not. This app focuses on retrieving those precious past memories. It users simply links it to their chosen social media servers as well as their fighter stored on device and the app will do the rest to replay your memories, via photos, from years ago continuing till the present moment.
Snapseed is another free photo editing app on Google Play. It is also one of the very best photo editing tools you can possibly dream of, offers users the ability to edit and improve the results of their photo opportunities. The end product normally results in an image better looking than any other picture you’ve ever taken before. Users have the option of choosing between a manual setting wherein they can personally tweak their images or alternatively allow Snapseed to perform all the necessary adjustments via settings that include an auto correct functionality and several preset effects and filters.

Launchify is yet another free app that manages to simplify and speed up your experience as an Android smartphone user, immaterial of which brand, model, or software version you might prefer. This app is simple to use and performs its singular task perfectly, this task is to provide users with shortcuts to other often used apps by making them accessible directly from the lock screen and notifications bar. This translates to bringing any app into action in record time without in any paging around, opening files, or at draws to access an app that is quickly needed. This quick launch functionality can be extended to up to 6 apps on the free version with up to 12 quick launch spots available in the paid version.

Any audiophile or enthusiastic music lover can attest to the fact that a truly great music app can have the same effect on your listening pleasure as a high-end audio system, yes agreed the felt pleasure is certainly different, but just as satisfying. The below apps set themselves apart, not only with their near endless range and variety of music titles available, but also the ease with which the searches are conducted and delivered in a logical easy to digest manner. These apps also feature a of customisable options while remaining user-friendly and avoided becoming over-complicated.

Bandcamp can be downloaded for free on Google Play and is resplendent in their variety of both established artists as well as new up-and-coming acts, Bandcamp quickly established itself to become one of the music industry’s more exciting musical marketplaces . The app itself is needs a bit more work since it shirks its duties as a music discovery tool, however the recent addition of a purchasing function purchasing as well as a social networking feature shows good promise, the main attraction remains its ability to instantly stream its subscribers purchases. That function alone is enough to make the app an absolute keeper.

DeaDBeef is another freely downloadable Google Play application that will appeal to total audio nerds as well as music lovers preferring to have lots of control over their music collection. Offering massive functionality customisations it still manages to remain user-friendly with ability to process and seamlessly play a huge multitude of music codecs includingogg, mp3, aac-mp4, flac, alac-mp4, and a great multitude of others. In addition it offers a 10 band equaliser allowing users to tune their music to their own preferences.
Slacker Radio a free Google play app offering an optional subscription where players have the choice to listen to their own selections, or alternatively give Slacker’s choices a try, or even enjoy human DJs’ playlists and channels, all of which feature a host of newly discoverable tunes and artists that is worth listening to. As an added bonus music lovers with well-defined tastes will be able to select from their numerous hyper- specific song lists. Whichever way you choose slacker certainly offers a more personalised approach to the discovery of new music.

With the year first approaching the festive season, the Apple App store had millions of new and improved apps joining the ranks of many already great applications for the iPhone and iPad platforms. The below apps stood out in their user friendliness and great range of features or even representing a great innovative new approach, excluded from the list was the globally renowned list of name brand apps such as Facebook, Google Mail, and Twitter and numerous other globally known apps from major providers.

Live GIF is available in the iStore at £1.49, the app will appeal to users that love the Live Photos feature on the iPhone 6. The app allows its users to compile these Live Photos to create an instant GIF; it also allows users to save their Live Photos as short video clips. Users can afterward share their video clips or GIFs to the numerous social media networks.
Pause costs £1.49 from the iStore, uses mindfulness and Tai Chi principles to create these relaxation techniques. The slow and continual movement of a user’s fingertip across their screens activates a digest and rest response within the body, these techniques will quickly assist it users in regaining focus while relieving stress in a matter of minutes. Its creators state that the claims come backed by extensive EEG studies. Most people trying it confirmed its calming and relaxing effects, enhanced by striking visuals and its calmative soundtrack, both of which combine to easily put its users to sleep if they are not mindful of its effects.

Moonlight MahJong is worth the 79p cost from the iStore, for those familiar with the brainteaser this app is one of the best representations of the ancient multiplayer Chinese tile game available anywhere and is seen numerous revisions and updates to create the perfect iPhone Game. This version, created as a solitaire player and delivered in a magnificent 3D virtual reality setting, with the ability to zoom in, out, and rotate to view your game pieces from different angles via a pinch screen function. It provides endless play with never a dull moment to keep its players entertained for years on end.

The New York Times enters the realm of VR and gamers can rejoice with Octodad serving up some wacky fun; these two apps are worlds apart in their intended function, but both offer their users the best form of new entertainment to enjoy on their smart phones.

With YouTube just newly having entered the VR realm via their latest update that now adds depth to visuals in certain specified videos while viewed through Google’s Cardboard, the New York Times were not about to be left out of presenting the news via the latest in visual technology. The news platform is now offering a reality news report via NYT VR, the new service will be debuting with a touching short clip focused around the plight of 30 million child refugees deserted around the world to visually illustrate the advantages of experiential journalism.

The New York Times latest service in visual technology can be best experienced in immersive VR via Google’s cardboard viewer, however viewers will still be able to continue watching the same videos on their phones in full-screen mode. The latest services not just a great and quite historical moment for the New York Times, but represents an equally momentous occasion for Google cardboard for whom the conception of original VR journalistic reporting by an eminent news publication house like the New York Times assists in validating Google’s 3D cardboard glasses.

Octodad offers up hare brained scenario with plenty of stumbling fun through numerous scenarios, thereby delivering a slightly more upbeat video game subject that will allow players to laugh at their slightly offbeat sim character that features an octopus simulating human-like behavior via Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Players will enjoy the hilarious antics that the character is forced to endure in order to keep up your pretense, where you as an octopus has been posing as a human husband and father for years. Somehow, he’s kept the illusion alive throughout the years and now require your help to continue blending into modern society by exploring the aquarium, supermarket as well as numerous modern-day suburban hot spots.
Gameplay is hysterically funny, particularly when you destroy a wedding reception, or even simply trying to walk in a straight line, and even the continual slipping on inconveniently placed banana peels during your effort to evade one very angry butcher, gameplay is a blast.

Many users will remember a time in the distant past when one could still enjoy Instagram as an ad-free app, if so your memory stretches back at least two years, or probably less, since its photo-sharing app initially launched its sponsored photo posts in November 2013.

However, with cellular technology currently developing at the incredible rate, the advertising and tech industries managed to maintain a similar pace of development to deliver in less than 800 days an Instagram that is now ready to move to a next level. This next level does away with simplistic features such as filters, to move into a field where Instagram is currently testing ads that utilises 3D Touch technology to facilitate the purchasing of a variety of items via Apple Pay. These technologies integrate complete new areas, filled with high-tech innovative ideas in their endeavour to reach their users and create a new innovative system to shell out some hard-earned money.

Their efforts to develop and deliver advertisements that offer additional user interactivity and thereby create a more immersive shopping experience; Instagram has now made serious inroads into the application of 3D Touch technology that offers subscribers the opportunity to scroll through a variety of aspects and components contained in a photo. All this is accomplished by ads that allow users to interact by varying degrees of pressure they apply directly on the advertisement.

The additional interactive facilities presented by the new 3D Touch technology contained in advertisements will hopefully encourage users to become more actively engaged with the products as they browse on-line stores. It already raises the potential for subscribers to be convinced to purchase products more easily, now combine these technologies with Apple Pay and you just might have an unprecedented success recipe for profitable marketing.

Apple Pay would allow potential purchasers to complete transactions via just their fingerprints; the combination certainly deserves additional technical exploration into even more apps that may be able to improve the functionality by this new iOS. Already dubbed a frictionless shopping experience, actually represents little new for the Instagram app that recently added a new feature named the Shop Now button which furthers their drive for their advertiser’s sales.