It's Sunday, which means it's time to announce the weekly photo contest winners! This time around we asked you guys to take Lloyd along with you and snap a picture showing what kind of good times you all had together, and as usual the response was overwhelming. We dug through all the entries, and picked the five best. Winners will receive an Android Central t-shirt, and all the prestige that comes along with. Winners, check your Inbox for more info.
You can find all five winning photos after the break (in no particular order), and stay tuned for the next contest coming Monday!
Whether iPad 3 will be your first iPad, or whether you’ve been an iPad user for years, we’re curious what kind of case or cover you’ll be wanting for it when you get it? Or will you prefer to go naked with no cover at all? Apple so far hasn’t kept one iPad form-factor around for more than a year, so while it’s possible iPad 2 cases and covers will fit iPad 3, it’s also possible accessory makers will once again have to go back to the drawing boards. What should they make you more of? Apple’s own Smart Covers, those of the magnet power, are ultra slim but don’t provide much protection for anything other than the screen. Are you waiting for an iPad 3 version? Or do you want something more extreme like the Otterbox Defender and Incipio Destroyer?
Whether iPad 3 will be your first iPad, or whether you’ve been an iPad user for years, we’re curious what kind of case or cover you’ll be wanting for it when you get it? Or will you prefer to go naked with no cover at all? Apple so far hasn’t kept one iPad form-factor around for more than a year, so while it’s possible iPad 2 cases and covers will fit iPad 3, it’s also possible accessory makers will once again have to go back to the drawing boards. What should they make you more of?
Apple’s own Smart Covers, those of the magnet power, are ultra slim but don’t provide much protection for anything other than the screen. Are you waiting for an iPad 3 version? Or do you want something more extreme like the Otterbox Defender and Incipio Destroyer?
Some iPad cases include built-in Bluetooth keyboards, which are great for heavy-duty typists. Is that more your thing?
Will you be sticking with something even slimmer, like BodyGuardz skins, which don’t stop impact but, in our torture tests stop everything from stones and nails scratching your iPad 3?
Do you prefer something more unique and luxurious, like Pad & Quill or DODOCase that give you that hipster moleskin vibe, or White Diamonds that showers your iPad 3 in art and crystals?
Or will you stick with nothing at all, just the iPad 3 the way nature and Jony Ive intended?
One thing is for sure — if history is any indicator we’ll be flooded with options just as soon as the manufacturers can crank them out. So go ahead and get your vote in early. Register it in the poll up top and give us the reasons why in the comments below. And if you’re not sure what kind of case you like yet, check out the links below for lots of examples!
Instagram introduces Lux, a new way to enhance your photos Instagram, the wildly popular photo filtering and social sharing app for iPhone, has been updated with a new enhancement feature called Lux. With a tap of a button, Lux will apply an HDR (High Dynamic Range)-like effect to your photo that lightens shadows, darkens highlights and increases contrast. It does a phenomenal job.
Instagram, the wildly popular photo filtering and social sharing app for iPhone, has been updated with a new enhancement feature called Lux. With a tap of a button, Lux will apply an HDR (High Dynamic Range)-like effect to your photo that lightens shadows, darkens highlights and increases contrast. It does a phenomenal job.
Apple included an enhancement feature in the iOS 5 Photos app, but it’s mediocre at best. The problem with Apple’s version is that it’s supposed to fix all types of photos, but Lux focuses specifically on one issue and does it well. Lux is best used on landscapes that have areas that are too dark and too light — photos that you should’ve probably taken with HDR turned on, but didn’t, and now need to fix. Here’s an example of Lux on a photo of train tracks that I took.
In addition to Lux, Instagram has also added a new filter called “Sierra”, which frames and lightens a picture, and they’ve refreshed the look of the app in general, and the icons on the tab bar as well.
If you’ve taken any great shots with the new Lux enhancement or Sierra filter, share them in our Photography Forum — we’d love to see them!
The announcement a couple of weeks back that T-Mobile UK would begin to offer truly unlimited data on their "Full Monty" plan was big news. Since then though there have been murmourings from across the UK that the data speeds were heavily capped down to 1Mb/S.
T-Mobile have responded to this with a press release that states there is no such cap on this plan or on any of their prepaid or contract plans.
The key line in the release reads:
"We can confirm that we do not have a 1Mb/S maximum data download speed in place for The Full Monty plan – nor for any of our other pay monthly or pay as you go price plans – and we are confident that our average data speeds are as good, if not better, than anyone else in the industry."
So there we have it folks. Whether they were or were not capping data speeds, they shouldn't be doing it any longer. Feel free to enjoy your T-Mo data as it was intended.
How To Track Packages on iPhone Using The Parcel App Being an avid online shopper, I receive a lot of shipments on a weekly basis. The trouble is that almost every online shopping site uses a different shipping service – thereby leaving me pulling my hair with the trouble of keeping track of my shipments. While I’ve used DHL and UPS iPhone apps, these are [...]
Being an avid online shopper, I receive a lot of shipments on a weekly basis. The trouble is that almost every online shopping site uses a different shipping service – thereby leaving me pulling my hair with the trouble of keeping track of my shipments. While I’ve used DHL and UPS iPhone apps, these are no good when I need to track multiple shipments coming in via different shipping services. Therefore, the Parcel iPhone app appeared a godsend for somebody like me and there was no way I could resist reviewing it.
First things first, Parcel boasts of an impressive portfolio of nearly 100 delivery services , including UPS, USPS, FedEx, TNT, LaserShip, Aramex, OnTrac, China Post, SingPost, vPost and many other postal services. Once installed, Parcel displays a Tutorial for beginners in order to help you understand how everything works.
The app interface is simple yet attractive. There are three main tabs – Deliveries, Add Delivery and Settings. The Deliveries tab shows a listing of all your deliveries along with their status. It will be empty till you’ve added a delivery.
You can create a new delivery through the Add Delivery tab. Enter a description and the shipment tracking number. The best part – as soon as you enter the number, the app identifies your shipping service. In my case, it correctly identified Australia Post as the shipping service.
Once the delivery is added, it shows up on the Deliveries tab as shown below.
IMO, the Parcel iPhone app is a great time saver as it gets you the information you need in a fraction of the time it takes to monitor tracking via email and websites.
You can turn specific shipping services – on/ off through the Settings tab as shown below.
The app settings also let you control notification settings, push notifications, update on launch and synchronization options.
Though the Parcel app is free, you need to upgrade to a paid subscription ($1.99) to receive notifications of delivery events or want to track more than three deliveries at the same time. Upgrade to paid version is available as an in-app purchase and can be done via the Extended version option under Settings. Given the convenience it offers, I strongly believe that the Parcel iPhone app is great value for money! What do you think?
iMore Picks of the Week for February 11, 2012 Every week the editors at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This weeks selections include apps for weather, for tasks, for to-dos, for design, for guitar learning, and for fitness.
Every week the editors at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This weeks selections include apps for weather, for tasks, for to-dos, for design, for guitar learning, and for fitness.
Sometimes you just want to know what the temperature is. Sometimes you want a little more, but you don’t really want to wait around for your local meteorologist at 5 p.m. You might even want to know what it will be like over the next 2-3 days.
If you have an iPad and an active data connection, a great solution is WeatherMotion HD. WeatherMotion HD gives you today’s weather and forecast along with the forecast for the next three days – all in stunning HD. The hook with this app is the video wallpaper behind each forecast. The attached screenshot just cannot do it justice. You see simply a daisy behind today’s weather information. I see a daisy blowing gently in the wind, it’s petals moving from side to side on the breeze. Depending on the weather and corresponding image, you might see clouds drifting by, casting lazy shadows on the fields below, or thunderstorms unleashing the fury of Mother Nature.
WeatherMotion HD even has a sound track, if you are so inclined. The sound is always soothing, and good enough to nap to! And if the soundtrack causes you to nod off, you also get an alarm option so that WeatherMotion HD will wake you up, as well as lull you to sleep.
Set your location manually (great if you’re trying to keep up with friends and relatives in different climes) or allow location services to use your current location. In a word, this app is just beautiful.
I’ve been making a concerted effort to streamline my productivity goals in the past few weeks, because I go through periods in which I try everything under the sun, and then dial it back to almost zero to reset my brain. Part of this process relies heavily on utilizing my email inbox since I live in it all day (see my former Pick of the Week Captio for a great way to do this). Another part that I’m in the process of rediscovering is using the built-in Reminders app new to iOS 5.
When iOS 5 beta was released, I played with Reminders for exactly five minutes before I deemed it nearly useless to me, as it fell in the shadow of several more robust task apps I was using at the time. Since then, iOS 5 has been released officially, iCloud support has become reliable (I didn’t risk playing with it in beta) and Siri has added an input mechanism that proves indispensable for quick addition of items. Only this week did I discover that I could set recurring reminders (I know, I don’t know how I missed it) to fire every week, month, or at an interval of my choosing. So I’ve decided to use Reminders as an ancillary support to my inbox, and I put all my personal tasks into Reminders now.
I used to use calendar alerts to remind me of recurring items, but sometimes I’d miss the notification on the desktop, and for the longest time I had everyone’s calendar in the office syncing on my iPhone, so I started dismissing and ignoring alerts since they popped up all the time. I’ve stopped using those types of alerts for certain things and moved them into Reminders instead. I like the way that the Reminders notifications stack up in Notification Center, and I keep them at the top so that every time I pull that shade, I’m reminded of what’s coming up or what needs to be done in the next short span of time. I still use other standard calendar alerts for business meetings and such, but having iCloud sync Reminders from the Mac to the iPhone and back again has become my new favorite thing. Until my next favorite thing.
After reading Leanna’s review of HQ: To Do, I had to try it out. I already use the default built-in Reminders app but there was something that made me want to try HQ: To Do. Maybe it was the design or the overall feel of the app but I’m glad I did. I’ve found it to be an excellent way to track projects and add tasks to them on the go. Reminders will let me sort through my tasks my list but not add things to a project.
I’ve tried several project management apps and while I find some to be incredibly good, they aren’t always easy to use. HQ: To Do solves this problem by creating a clean and appealing interface to dead easy to use controls. Not only is it easy to create projects and add tasks, the app is just beautifully designed. I’ve also found myself using it for grocery lists.
Now I just use my reminders apps to remind me of broad tasks and deadlines. I have started using HQ: To Do to manage individual tasks that are part of a bigger project. If you need a good project app, HQ: To Do is definitely worth checking out!
Skala Preview and Skala View are a brilliant piece of kit from the brilliant piece of kit makers at Bjango. It’s not an app combo for everyone, but for iOS app designers who have long been seeking a way to preview pixel- and color-perfect versions of their app designs on iOS, it’s a godsend. Now I’ll caveat this up-frontish: Marc Edwards, who runs Bjango, is also my co-host on the Iterate podcast so some may think I’m predisposed to give his stuff a defacto recommendation. Far from it. It just means I was fortunate to have heard about it a little early, and had a chance to try it for a couple of days before release.
Here’s what it does: Skala Preview is a $4.99 Mac App Store app and Skala View is a free iOS app. Get them both. Install them on your Mac and iPhone/iPad. And from then on you can take user interface designs you’re working on in Photoshop (or pixel editing apps) and push them over to your iPhone or iPad, grab your magnifying glass, and see how it holds up. If you’re using Adobe Photoshop CS 5 12.0.4 or up, all this can happen in real time, while you work. Nudge here, it shows up there. If you’re using older versions of Photoshop, or if you’re a Fireworks, Acorn, or Pixelmator guy, Skala will watch your clipboard and any time you copy to it, Skala Preview will grab it and Skala View will show it on your device. You can zoom crisply, you can preview landscape and portrait, you can test different color-blindness options, and you can push to multiple iOS devices at once.
It’s not perfect, mind you. Both Photoshop, which only copies to clipboard when the app loses focus, and Apple, who tightly controls what apps can and can’t do, sometimes force an extra step here or there. But in each case Skala does as much of the heavy lifting as possible, and offers simply the best workflow to date for previewing design work done on a Mac, on actual iPhones and iPads.
Kudos to Marc and Bjango. They found an itch and scratched it to the delight of designers everywhere.
I’m going a little off the charts this week with my selection. It’s something I know not everyone will be interested in but it’s a good selection for those it’s meant for. Beginner Guitar Lessons is an app from the folks at GuitarJamz.com, a site that is dedicated to helping you learn how to play guitar and has great video lessons for those interested. They have a few apps in the iTunes App Store, but sticking to basics I chose Beginner Guitar Lessons because it comes with a guide to help you learn how to tune your guitar, teaches you basic chords and includes built in function to playback a set of numerous beginner guitar lesson videos. The owner, Marty does a great job of explaining what you need to know and best of all — the app is free to download. It’s basic but the information in the app is great for those wanting to learn how to play guitar.
We’re into the second week of Mobile Nations fitness month and I have have a confession to make — I’ve been doing a terrible job. One of my assignments for this week was to find a great fitness app to give away to you guys, and I settled on Hundred PushUps, a training program that will have you doing 100 consecutive push ups in 6 weeks. At the same time, I decided that it’s time for me to get serious about fitness month (or fitness life, really) and my husband and I are working through Hundred PushUps together.
Hundred PushUps first instructs you to do as many push ups as you can and record your result. Form there, the app will build your routine and tell you how many push ups to do each day. Today, I had to do two sets of 6 push ups, followed by two sets of 4 pushups, and finish off with one set of 5 push ups — with a 60s timed rest between each set. I was very impressed with out accurately predicted what I would be able to do.
I’m really looking forward to finishing this fitness program and I think you should join me!
Looking for the best way to watch live or archived business and financial news? Or maybe you’re just interesting in the latest stock statistics from the companies you follow? Bloomberg TV+ is the answer, with access to live Bloomberg television 24-hours a day as well as a number of popular programs on-demand.
Bloomberg TV+ is one of the first — if not the first — apps to provide access to the worlds most popular networks in the business/finance realm at absolutely no cost. Think of it as an “app as a channel”, where by launching Bloomberg TV+, you’re basically tuning into the network without requiring a subscription or cable provider. You can even download videos directly to your iPad for offline viewing if you know you’ll soon be away from a WiFi network or out of 3G range (perfect for flights or long trips). When you’re done watching your favorite program, you can share with Twitter, Facebook or via email.
In addition to live news, you also have access to on-demand content from a number of popular programs including Charlie Rose, Tech Stars, Innovators, Game Changers and more. Bloomberg TV+ offers access to a multitude of high-profile interviews as well, so if business and finances is your thing, there’s really no longer a need for a standard cable subscription with everything Bloomberg TV+ makes available. If you’re looking for some help in “cutting the cable”, Bloomberg TV+ is definitely going to help you get there!
What was the best app, accessory, gadget, or website you saw or used this week? How did it make your life more productive, more informed, more entertaining, or simply more fun? We’re always on the lookout for new and amazing bits and atoms, and we’d love to know your pick of the week. Leave it in the comments below!
As one of the first Android phones with a dedicated HDMI-out port, the HTC EVO 4G is the perfect candidate for a multimedia dock. The official HTC HDMI dock is that perfect multimedia dock. It's stylish, simple, and works great — which is what most of us look for in our electronic accessories.
Inside the box is everything you need to get going. The dock, a 72-inch (that's six feet) HDMI cable, and a quick and easy set of directions and you'll soon be watching video on your television or monitor. And the dock's small size makes it perfect for carrying along with you to share video and pictures from your EVO on any television.
Just plug one end of the cable into the dock, the other into the TV, and go. There's even a microUSB port on the dock so you can charge while watching. The dock itself is weighty, and has four rubber feet to keep it from sliding around while using it. You precious EVO 4G fits tightly, and there's no fear of breaking anything because it fell out of the connector.
The HTC EVO 4G was one of the most popular Android phones ever, with good reason. It was a real game changer, and the current crop of big, bright displays and media-centric devices can all trace their roots back to it. And you know what? It's still great. Hit the break for a few more images.
The global rollout of the latest in the LG Prada family continues, with the news that Vodafone Australia will be offering the device from April.
The release of the Gingerbread powered device will be exclusive to Vodafone, and is being launched for use on its 850MHz network. RRP is said to be AUS$799, but the carrier has indicated that exact pricing and availability will be announced in "coming weeks."
Prada branded phone not enough? A range of branded accessories will be accompanying the launch to include cradles, Bluetooth headsets and phone pouches.
In other LG Prada news, the went on wider release at retailers in the UK this week, following a short exclusivity period with Phones4U.
The Motorola Droid 4 is now available from Verizon's website (and will be in stores in just a few short hours) for $199 on contract. As the name implies, this is the fourth phone in the line that for all intents and purposes put Android on the map.
As you'll recall from our hands-on at CES, the Droid 4 takes the classic Droid stylings — a larger screen and a physical keyboard — and refines them even further. From the front, it looks like a cousin to the new Droid RAZR MAXX, albeit a tad smaller with a 4-inch display at qHD (540×960) resolution. Slide open that 4-inch display and you've got what might well be the best physical keyboard on any smartphone. The keys are backlit and laser-cut and are extremely easy to navigate.
One odd feature of the Droid 4 is on the backside. You can remove the battery cover — and must do so if you want to get to the microSIM card (which is what provides the 4G LTE data) and microSD card. But it takes a weird little unlocking tool (included with the phone) to do so. But even then you can't actually remove the 1785 mAh battery — at least not without likely breaking anything. That could be a deal-breaker for many. Check out our Droid 4 walkthrough video for more on that.
The phone's running Android 2.3.6, and Verizon is already promising to update it to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Other specs of note:
1.2GHz dual-core processor
1GB RAM
8MP rear camera
1.3MP front-facing camerea
Serve as a 4G LTE hot spot for up to eight other devices.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Look for our full Droid 4 review in the coming days.
As one of the first Android phones with a dedicated HDMI-out port, the HTC EVO 4G is the perfect candidate for a multimedia dock. The official HTC HDMI dock is that perfect multimedia dock. It's stylish, simple, and works great — which is what most of us look for in our electronic accessories.
Inside the box is everything you need to get going. The dock, a 72-inch (that's six feet) HDMI cable, and a quick and easy set of directions and you'll soon be watching video on your television or monitor. And the dock's small size makes it perfect for carrying along with you to share video and pictures from your EVO on any television.
Just plug one end of the cable into the dock, the other into the TV, and go. There's even a microUSB port on the dock so you can charge while watching. The dock itself is weighty, and has four rubber feet to keep it from sliding around while using it. You precious EVO 4G fits tightly, and there's no fear of breaking anything because it fell out of the connector.
The HTC EVO 4G was one of the most popular Android phones ever, with good reason. It was a real game changer, and the current crop of big, bright displays and media-centric devices can all trace their roots back to it. And you know what? It's still great. Hit the break for a few more images.
As well as expanding its mid-range portfolio with the Galaxy S Advance, it looks like Samsung is preparing a refresh of its entry-level hardware. A couple of promotional shots for a device dubbed the "Galaxy Mini 2" have leaked out online, showing some modest improvements on the basic hardware of last year's Galaxy Mini.
The most significant change is the upping of the screen's resolution — from QVGA to HVGA. This was one of our biggest complaints about that device, so we're hoping the extra pixel density will result in a little less eye strain when using the Mini 2. For what it's worth, the LCD itself is a little larger, at 3.3 inches compared to 3.2 on the original.
As we said, spec bumps elsewhere are pretty minor — the CPU gets a boost from 600MHz to 800MHz, while internal storage is increased to a total of 3GB. HSDPA speeds remain at 7.2Mbps, though unfortunately there's no mention of HSUPA support. And on the software side of you've got Android 2.3 Gingerbread, likely backed up by Samsung's TouchWiz UX.
Though the gap between super-high-end and entry-level phones is growing wider, the updated specs on the Galaxy Mini 2 should make it a a reasonable device for those on a budget. According to today's leak, the Galaxy Mini 2 will start shipping internationally later this month.
Scramble with Friends Review Scramble with Friends is one of the most popular iPad apps for the Apple iPad and iPhone. It has been downloaded thousands of times in the Apple App Store and is played by thousands of players around the world. The Apple App Store offers two versions of this game. The Free version allows you to play the full game but there will be some ads in the game. The Deluxe version removes the ads from the game and allows you [...]
Scramble with Friends is one of the most popular iPad apps for the Apple iPad and iPhone. It has been downloaded thousands of times in the Apple App Store and is played by thousands of players around the world. The Apple App Store offers two versions of this game. The Free version allows you to play the full game but there will be some ads in the game. The Deluxe version removes the ads from the game and allows you to earn tokens 2x faster than the Free version.
Game Features: • Gives a new look and feel to the classic Scramble game • Challenge friends in 3, 2-minute rounds. The one who gets the highest score wins the game. • Power-ups such as Scramble, Freeze Time, and Inspire help you gain an edge over your opponent. • Login using your Facebook account and play with your friends. • No friends? No worries. You can challenge a random opponent anytime you want.
Game Requirements: • Network connection • iOS 4 or later firmware • iPad 2, iPad, iPod Touch 3rd Gen, iPod Touch 4th Gen, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4S, or iPhone 4.
Scramble with Friends is a fast and fun game where you try to find words in the mixed up grid. You simply use slide gestures on adjacent letters in order to form the words forwards, backwards, or sideways. Playing with other people is the best way to play this game. You can login using your Facebook account and play with your friends, or play against a random stranger.
Scramble with Friends tips
Each letter has different points assigned to them, and your objective is to get a higher score than your opponent before the round ends. Each round is two minutes long and there are three rounds in all. Whoever gets the highest cumulative score after all three rounds is declared the winner. You can also use power-ups such as Scramble, Freeze Time, and Inspire at any time during a round in order to gain an edge over your opponent.
This is a very fun game and you’ll want to be able to play it any time you want, but this is not possible because of the tokens. You need tokens in order to play a round and for taking an additional power-up into your game. If you run out of tokens, you’ll have to wait for the tokens to regenerate or purchase more tokens with real money. Overall, even with the token requirement, Scramble with Friends is still a blast to play and you’ll have a great time with it.
Study: App Economy Created 500,000 U.S. Jobs The explosive growth of smartphones and tablets has been a blessing in disguise for the struggling global economy. Ably led by the Apple iPhone and iPad, the app economy has created a staggering 466,000 jobs in the U.S. since 2007. These findings are reported by TechNet as part of a study that shows the impact of app-related jobs [...]
The explosive growth of smartphones and tablets has been a blessing in disguise for the struggling global economy. Ably led by the Apple iPhone and iPad, the app economy has created a staggering 466,000 jobs in the U.S. since 2007. These findings are reported by TechNet as part of a study that shows the impact of app-related jobs on the economy, based on data from the last three months of 2011.
Out of these, a lion’s share (311,000) of jobs is related to app development and marketing while the rest (155,000) is an indirect result of the booming app market. Unbelievable as it sounds, the size of this market was practically zero before Apple changed the game with its revolutionary iPhone launch in 2007. Half a million jobs for an industry that hardly existed five years ago is a massive achievement by any means.
The best part – app economy has benefited organizations of all sizes – ranging from big software and gaming companies like Electronic Arts and Zynga to small one person start-ups working out of a home. While the study captures the app economy effects in the U.S., I strongly believe appification (as it’s called) has been a global phenomenon of sorts.
To put things in perspective, the App Economy in U.S. is now twice the size of Apple’s Chinese manufacturing units. From a geographical perspective, the highest number of app jobs in a metro area were created in the New York-New Jersey-Long Island area (9.2 percent), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont (8.5 percent), San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (6.3 percent) and the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue (5.7 percent) area. As expected, California generated the most app jobs by far with 23.8 percent of all jobs, followed by New York (6.9 percent) and Washington (6.4 percent).
The TechNet report further states that it’s still early days for the App Economy and the best is yet to come. Are you a budding app developer or reviewer? If so, it’s never too late to start and be a part of the phenomenal ‘App Economy’ success story.
Do you want to be part of the App Economy and build your iPhone App? We’re launching a free course to teach you how to code an iPhone app. If you’re interested, register at AppCoda.com. Join us and learn iPhone programming together!
SkyRecorder: Record Skype, Viber and Other VoIP Calls on iPhone SkyRecorder is a new application which gives users the ability to record conversations taking place via voice calling services like Skype or through Voice Over IP services such as Viber application. The new application introduced by folks over at eFusion is aimed at the majorities who makes VoIP calls and are unable to take down [...]
SkyRecorder is a new application which gives users the ability to record conversations taking place via voice calling services like Skype or through Voice Over IP services such as Viber application. The new application introduced by folks over at eFusion is aimed at the majorities who makes VoIP calls and are unable to take down notes.
The app will allow users to record the full VoIP conversation into an audio session. Both sides of the conversation will get recorded clearly, which gives context at a later date for note taking and referring back to particular points. The app doesn’t limit the amount of time it can record. There is a single touch record function offered, but the storage capacity is obviously dependent on the free space available in your iPhone.
Other features offered include the ability to import and export the saved audio sessions, the unique method of restarting the recording if it gets interrupted by an incoming telephone call. However, users should know that only those calls coming through VoIP services such as Skype and Viber can be recorded.
The app is available on iPhone and iPod touch. It features a minimalistic user design interface but includes many features such as unlimited recording time, supports external stereo mic, audio files export/import over USB using iTunes (.wav only), supports any computer OS (Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.) to play recorded files and a simple user interface.
Though not a universal app, it will operate on the iPad in 1x and 2x compatibility mode and requires iOS 4.3 +. The simple user interface after launch simply requires the need to press the ‘Record’ button and switch over to the VoIP application of choice to make the call to be recorded.
The app is available on App Store for a price of $1.99. You can downloaded it from here.
Check out the demo video to see the app in action:
Note: The recording case is an extremely sensitive one. The ethical thing to do is to take the other person’s permission before recording the call. It should also be noted that the app developer is in no way associated with VoIP service providers like Skype or Viber.
Tweetbot, the widely popular iPhone Twitter that also just happens to be a 2011 iMore readers choice, and editors choice award winner, has just been updated with new timeline and direct message views that feature image thumbnails, a redesigned “new tweets” bar, support for readability, and more.
Following the launch of the official Twitter 4.0 redesign, many power users fell out of love with the new, more mainstream direction Twitter decided to take, and switched over to Tweetbot instead. I’ve been using Tweetbot since it launched and it has consistently been one of my favorite Twitter apps.
The Tweetbot 2.0 update has made the already awesome experience even better. Now that the timeline features image thumbnails, Tweetbot meets all my requirements of the ideal Twitter app: gorgeous, fast, native push notifications, and image previews.
The new timeline also features colored links that are single-tappable, a new “retweeted by” bar, and some minor adjustments to the cell colors to improve contrast. The tweet replies view has also received some changes, and the overall performance of the app, including scrolling, is snappier.
SkyRecorder: Record Skype, Viber and Other VoIP Calls on iPhone SkyRecorder is a new application which gives users the ability to record conversations taking place via voice calling services like Skype or through Voice Over IP services such as Viber application. The new application introduced by folks over at eFusion is aimed at the majorities who makes VoIP calls and are unable to take down [...]
SkyRecorder is a new application which gives users the ability to record conversations taking place via voice calling services like Skype or through Voice Over IP services such as Viber application. The new application introduced by folks over at eFusion is aimed at the majorities who makes VoIP calls and are unable to take down notes.
The app will allow users to record the full VoIP conversation into an audio session. Both sides of the conversation will get recorded clearly, which gives context at a later date for note taking and referring back to particular points. The app doesn’t limit the amount of time it can record. There is a single touch record function offered, but the storage capacity is obviously dependent on the free space available in your iPhone.
Other features offered include the ability to import and export the saved audio sessions, the unique method of restarting the recording if it gets interrupted by an incoming telephone call. However, users should know that only those calls coming through VoIP services such as Skype and Viber can be recorded.
The app is available on iPhone and iPod touch. It features a minimalistic user design interface but includes many features such as unlimited recording time, supports external stereo mic, audio files export/import over USB using iTunes (.wav only), supports any computer OS (Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.) to play recorded files and a simple user interface.
Though not a universal app, it will operate on the iPad in 1x and 2x compatibility mode and requires iOS 4.3 +. The simple user interface after launch simply requires the need to press the ‘Record’ button and switch over to the VoIP application of choice to make the call to be recorded.
The app is available on App Store for a price of $1.99. You can downloaded it from here.
Check out the demo video to see the app in action:
Note: The recording case is an extremely sensitive one. The ethical thing to do is to take the other person’s permission before recording the call. It should also be noted that the app developer is in no way associated with VoIP service providers like Skype or Viber.
Best calorie counter app for iPhone: MyFitnessPal “MyFitnessPal is free, a MyFitnessPal account is free, and if you’re dedicated enough to stick with them, the positive effects they can have on your health are priceless.” In today’s
“MyFitnessPal is free, a MyFitnessPal account is free, and if you’re dedicated enough to stick with them, the positive effects they can have on your health are priceless.”
In today’s fast paced, highly mobile society it is often much easier and cheaper to eat fast food on the go than it is to spend the time and money to east fresher, more healthy meals. MyFitnessPal wants to make the switch to a healthier lifestyle easier by helping you track your calories and activity levels, set your weight-loss goals, and monitor your progress.
Losing weight and getting healthy is not easy. It’s even harder to do alone. But if you’re looking for assistance, putting the MyFitnessPal calorie tracking app on your iPhone (or iPad, it’s universal), is a great way to get keep you going in the right direction, and a great goal to consider for our Mobile Nations Fitness Month.
MyFitnessPal launches and shows you how many calories you can consume
After installing MyFitnessPal you have to enter your personal information. This helps create your calorie goal and intake needs for each day. The first page that launches gives you your calorie goal, and once you start inputting foods and exercise into MyFitnessPal it will calculate your remaining calories available for the day. Directly below this you will see a news feed that displays your updates, as well as updates from any friends you may have added through the app’s social networking feature as well.
Easily add breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to MyFitnessPal
There are a few ways to add food to your diary; the first is simply by clicking the Add to Diary button that appears right next to your remaining calories counter. From there you can either search for the food you are eating, or if there happens to be a barcode available, you can scan it right in. (MyFitnessPal does a good job finding most products.) The food database contains over 1 million entries for things as simple as an onion or slice of cheese to your favorite meal at Outback Steakhouse or the Olive Garden.
View a breakdown of each meal in your daily diary
In addition to logging the food you are taking in, it is equally as important to log any exercise you have completed for that day because that will help ensure that your calorie goal remains accurate. With over 350 different exercises in the application, logging the exercises you complete should take only seconds. Each day you can enter your weight into the application to help you keep track and on the right path. If you have a specialized fitness device, like a Fitbit, MyFitnessPal can interface with that as well.
Monitor your progress with a chart of your daily weigh-in information
Your weight will show in a graph so you can visually see if you are headed in the right direction or not. At the end of each day there is a button to complete logging your food entries for that day, and this will then pop up a message which gives you how much you would weigh in five weeks if you continued to eat and exercise the way you did that day.
In addition to the iPhone app, MyFitnessPal also works on the iPad. The iPhone is ideal for entering data while on the go during the day, but the iPad is nice for looking over and analyzing your progress when you have more time. You can also log anything and everything through the MyFitnessPal website so even if you don’t have your iPhone or iPad handy, you still have a way to stay on track.
The good
Barcode scanning makes adding food quick and easy
Links with popular fitness devices like Fitbit
Social networking features help keep you motivated (peer pressure!)
Also available for iPad and via the web
The bad
Cardio activities are more confusing to add since you don’t always know the specifics of speed, heart-rate, etc.
If a particular food is not in the database, adding it is difficult
The conclusion
MyFitnessPal is is free, the MyFitnessPal account is free, and if you’re dedicated enough to stick with them, the positive effects they can have on your health are priceless. It’s the dedication part that’s really important. You need to be completely honest about what you eat, how much you are working out, etc. If you’re looking to take better control of your weight or your fitness, get MyFitnessPal and get one step closer to a healthier lifestyle.
There are increasingly more and more stories that cross the boundaries between Android and BlackBerry of late. It is no secret of course that the forthcoming update to the BlackBerry Playbook to OS 2.0 will bring with it the Android Runtime feature. Allowing Android developers to repackage their applications for distribution in the BlackBerry App World, is just one of many different new development strategies that are being opened up ahead of the launch of BlackBerry 10.
In the Android community, there are a lot of mixed feelings around this. On the one hand, some feel that it is almost begging in trying to get Android applications on board. On the other hand some see the better (and real) side to it all — it offers another opportunity to make money from selling your apps. There are a lot of amazing Android developers out there who deserve to be making as much money as possible from their work, and with minimal effort on their part the BlackBerry platform is opening a door to them.
Being at BlackBerry Devcon Europe in Amsterdam this week has really opened my eyes to how this is all going to work. The event sold out two weeks beforehand, with around 2000 eager developers from a variety of backgrounds descending on Amsterdam to learn for the future. Among those in attendance were a surprising amount of Android developers. Free PlayBook in hand, these guys are starting to get really excited about being able to distribute their already built apps to a whole new audience with minimal work. The sessions dedicated to working with the Android Runtime were so popular, that an extra session had to be scheduled on the first day to cater for the incredible amount of interest.
The guys from the App World team pointed out that in no way, shape or form are any of the submitted applications to be marketed as Android apps. To the average consumer, there will be no obvious difference. This is how it should be done. They aren't trying to market an Android tablet — they would have probably just made one if that was the case. Once the repackaged Android apps are submitted to BlackBerry App World, the Android connection ends. Developers are registered as a BlackBerry developer.
The underlying message surrounds the simplicity at which apps can be repackaged. An apk file can be repackaged in a few different ways — utilizing Eclipse, command lines or even simpler than that, through a web browser. To use the web browser requires little more than requesting some signing keys from BlackBerry, the Gingerbread SDK, and following the steps. Gingerbread or below only for the time being, as the Runtime is based around Android 2.3.3. But with Ice Cream Sandwich having been open sourced, dedicated tablet apps are likely to work with future builds.
We're not expecting Android users to flock to the PlayBook as a cheaper alternative to a fully featured Android tablet, the functionality you would be looking for is desperately lacking in some areas — but then it isn't an Android tablet. There is a list of features API's that aren't supported at present within Android Runtime. A lot of these are hardware specific, so anything that needs NFC or the Camera for example probably won't work. There are a lot that do work though.
The App Express booth walked interested Android developers through the steps to repackage their apps and sent them away with a working bar file to use on their Playbooks. Of all the apk files put through the process on the first day, just one was incompatible.
All in all, the guys at RIM are welcoming developers from across the board with open arms, not just from Android. But there was a definite buzz around the conference. Nobody is begging for anything from anybody. There will always be different platforms, and competition between the platforms. But Android developers will continue to make killer apps for Android, and continue to deserve to make money from it. We should all be supporting our developers to further success by moving into BlackBerry 10 as well.
Interested developers not at Devcon Europe should remember that you can still get a free PlayBook to try out your apps on. Submit your apps to BlackBerry App World by Feb. 13 to take advantage of the offer.
Android Central's Richard Devine has been lending a hand at the BlackBerry Devcon conference in Amsterdam this week.
So we've finally got a Chrome browser on Android. Huzzah. But it's missing Adobe Flash support. Uh, not huzzah. That is, for some. While Flash is going the way of the dinosaur — an extremely slow-moving, refuses-to-die dinosaur — being phased out it is. And for that reason, says Adobe, the new Chrome browser for Android doesn't support it. (And let's face it — while Flash may have an expiration date, nobody actually knows what it is.)
So is that a deal-breaker for you? Will you stick with the (current) stock Android browser, or a third-party browser, to get you through the interim?
Exynos, Snapdragon S2 & S3 support on the way; Nexus One still uncertain
Work on CyanogenMod 9 has been underway since Google dropped the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich code back in late November. Today, lead developer Steve "Cyanogen" Kondik has given fans of the popular custom firmware a quick update on development of CM9, in a post on the official CM blog.
Steve says that third-party drivers remain the biggest issue for CM9 on many devices, particularly when it comes to camera support and graphics acceleration. Right now, CM9 can be compiled on current Google Experience devices (Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Motorola Xoom), as well as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and HP Touchpad. Steve expects Samsung Exynos devices (that's your Galaxy S II-class phones) to be next in line for support, with Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 and S3 (MSM8660 and 7×30) devices following shortly after. As far as Nexus One and similar devices (HTC EVO 4G, HTC Desire and the like) are concerned, support is still "unclear", though the developer is optimistic.
Steve also reminds us that the team has started with a clean slate in CM9, building on top of Google's latest Android platform, and in doing so, the the team has had a chance to carefully choose which CM7 features to bring forward into CM9. This, he says, should give users a "balance between tweakability and a great out-of-the-box experience."
We're sure we're not the only ones eagerly awaiting the arrival of CM9 on our devices, and we're sure many of you will be jumping on the first nightlies as soon as they're available.
Rumor has it Google Goggles may become more than just an image recognition app for your smartphone. An anonymous source claims to have seen a pair of glasses being prototyped at Google that will run Android and connect to the cloud either through local Wi-Fi or when tethered to the internet over Bluetooth to your smartphone. Outward-facing cameras would capture the world, and overlay the image with contextual location data, like most augmented reality apps. That final image would then be displayed on a tiny screen over one of the two eyes. Apparently you'll be able to navigate the user interface with head tilting, which will no doubt get you some weird looks in public.
The glasses will supposedly have a decent amount of horsepower, currently running with hardware roughly one generation behind the current smartphones. Of course, whatever the source may have seen was just some crazy skunkworks concept that never sees the light of day; for now, Google is supposedly unsure if it will fly, and will at best be launching a Chromebook-style private beta program to test the waters.
We currently have put a hold on the update. Samsung and AT&T are aware of the issue with the Infuse 4G Update and are developing a fix.
AT&T has confirmed to Android Central that indeed the update's on hold and that "we are working with Samsung to get this resolved as quickly as possible." For everyone (including us) still stuck on Froyo, hang in there.
Firefox iPad? No. Here are some alternatives Firefox is a powerful web browser that has been loved by many web surfers in recent years. This could mainly be because of the fact that Mozilla Firefox has been a much better alternative to the now virtually obsolete Internet Explorer. Moreover, Firefox enables users to use amazing add-ons that makes internet browsing easier and more enjoyable. In recent times, many people have begun browsing the web through iPads. Sadly, Mozilla Firefox cannot be used as an internet browser for [...]
Firefox is a powerful web browser that has been loved by many web surfers in recent years. This could mainly be because of the fact that Mozilla Firefox has been a much better alternative to the now virtually obsolete Internet Explorer. Moreover, Firefox enables users to use amazing add-ons that makes internet browsing easier and more enjoyable. In recent times, many people have begun browsing the web through iPads. Sadly, Mozilla Firefox cannot be used as an internet browser for the iPad because of some application rules laid down by Apple. This could mean that Firefox iPad may not be available for quite a while. Despite this, there are some alternative made available for iPad-using Firefox fans out there.
Firefox iPad Alternative: Firefox Home
Firefox Home is probably the closest thing users can get to Firefox iPad at this time. It is an iPhone and iPad app that can be downloaded for free from the App Store. While Firefox Home is not an internet browser in itself, it still let users enjoy the celebrated web browser. Firefox Home lets you sync your Firefox desktop browser’s data such as history, bookmarks, favorite links and the Awesome Bar while on the go. With this amazing app, you can still continue browsing your favorite sites from your Firefox browser on your iPad without having to type all those long URLs over again. Moreover, your private data will be protected, as the app requires the user to type a Secret Phrase in order to access the data.
Other Alternatives for Firefox iPad
While Firefox is considered as a web browser in its own class, there are still other mobile web browser for the iPad that can be used instead of the nonexistent Firefox iPad. Some other well-reviewed browsers available for the iPad are Skyfire Browser and Atomic Web Browser. Skyfire has been a big hit when it first appeared for the iPad because of its capability to play flash videos and pretty reliable web browsing. On the other hand, Atomic features tabbed browsing, which has been one of the winning features of Firefox in the past.
The features stated above are now incorporated in iPad’s native browser – Safari. So currently, the best option for a web browser for the iPad would be Safari. The only drawback with that is that Safari has a maximum of 9 tabs open at one time, which heavy Firefox users may find restrictive. There is nothing wrong with trying different browsers and exploring their features. After all, applications usually get updated from time to time. Hopefully, when the time comes for Apple to change its rules, we will be looking forward to seeing our favorite Firefox browser appearing in the app store as Firefox iPad.
So we've now got Google Chrome for Android, eh? How's about that. And one of the shining features Google's pimping is the ability to sync your desktop tabs over to your phone or tablet. No muss, no fuss. That's not actually a new feature for mobile browsing — Mozilla's certainly had it in Firefox and Fennec for quite some time. But today is Chrome's day.
So how do you go about syncing your desktop tabs to your phone? First things first: You need to be signed in to your desktop Chrome browser. Hit the little wrench icon that's about halfway down, and make sure you're logged in with your Google account.
Next you'll need to hit the "Advanced" button, right next to the "Disconnect your Google Account" button. Hit it, and you've got a bunch of options of what to sync. The option you want, which we've conveniently highlighted above, is "Open tabs."
Theoretically, you should now be able to see your open tabs on the Chrome app on your phone or tablet. We say theoretically, because we and others (hat-tip to Mr. James Kendrick) have had to restart one browser or the other to get things to work, and hit the tab sync button a time or two. But once that's out of the way, the sync is quick and painless.
We even went so far as to try and melt the operation with dozens of tabs open at once. Wasn't a problem for the phone — can't say thet same for the desktop version of Chrome. But sync they did. Quick and easy.
Looking for an iPad 2 case that offers the perfect balance of protection and contemporary styling? The OtterBox Reflex Series Case offers front and back device coverage in a sleek package, preventing scratches and keeping your new iPad 2 clean and safe from drops.
This case has a touch screen shield that doubles as a viewing/typing stand, access to all buttons and controls (including camera lens), plus the simple design makes docking your iPad 2 easy and fast.
The unique audio pathway redirects sound toward you for excellent listening pleasure.
Features:
Reflex Zones in corners
Slick exterior
Easy snap-off access for docking
Snap-on touch screen shield doubles as a viewing/typing stand
The Feb. 6 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Case-Mate POP! Case w/ Stand for the Motorola Droid RAZR. The case features co-molded materials of plastic and soft rubber unite to create a hard case with a soft touch. The lightweight plastic body of the Pop! protects from unforeseeable impacts, while keeping the screen lifted away from surfaces. It's available in black/cool gray, pink/cool gray or white/cool gray today only for just $18.95. Get yours while supplies last!
While we hope you spent your whole week sitting home reading Android Central, we know you were probably out and about getting your healthy on for Mobile Nations Fitness Month. Don't worry, the news has passed but you aren't left out, let's take a look below at some of the happenings from the Android world this week.
It's bad enough that when Kayak.com announced it was dropping support for its BlackBerry app that it said it was a "practical decision." That's gotta sting, right? (Even if it's true. Or especially if it's true.) But what really gave us a chuckle was Kayak's line about devices it will continue to support.
"If you're thinking of switching to an iPhone, Googlerola phone, other Android device, Windows Phone 7 device, or a Nokia device, we will continue to innovate and maintain our free apps for you," Kayak's billo wrote on the company's news section. "Googlerola phone." Heh. Looks like we're not the only ones chomping at the bit to see what what comes out of the proposed merger (acquisition, really — Motorola's getting about $12.5 billion out of it) between Google and Motorola. And Kayak, like many of you, is of the mind that soon enough in the future you'll have two classes of Android — Googlerola, and everything else.
Google's Andy Rubin, of course, has said otherwise — that Motorola continue to operate as a separate company, and that it doesn't have a lock on future Nexus phones. (Of the major smartphone manufacturers, HTC and Samsung have been tapped for the three Nexus devices.)
"We don't expect that to change at all," Rubin said back in August 2011. "The acquisition is going to be run as a separate business. They will be part of that bidding process, and part of that lead development process. And obviously Android remains open to other partners to use as they are today."
The two companies expect the merger to be finalized "in early 2012," meaning any time now, once regulatory approval is received.
Turn your photos into miniature planets with TinyWorld for iPhone TinyWorld is a fun little app that turns your photos into miniature planets that you can save or share with friends. Specifically, it warps what your iPhone camera sees in front of you into 360 degree spheres, making your room, your garden, your skyline, your tourist shots — whatever you want to take a picture of — into the surface of a planet.
TinyWorld is a fun little app that turns your photos into miniature planets that you can save or share with friends. Specifically, it warps what your iPhone camera sees in front of you into 360 degree spheres, making your room, your garden, your skyline, your tourist shots — whatever you want to take a picture of — into the surface of a planet.
TinyWorld was recently updated and now allows you adjust tilting after taking your photo to fine tune where the two ends of you flat world meet. You can also convert your preexisting photos into a TinyWorld. Additionally, exporting your photos directly into Instagram is now supported.
I’m having a lot of fun with this little app! Now I just wish I was back in San Francisco where the tall buildings would make for a fantastic TinyWorld photo.
If you pick this one up, please share your little planets in our Photography Forum. We’d love to see them!
TinyWorld turns your environment into miniaturized worlds. The app’s “One Click to Shoot” process makes this simple and fun, while the live preview editor allows you to see the results before they’re created. And with easy exportation to eMail, Twitter, and Instagram, it’s never been more fun to create planetoids from your iPhone!
Live preview guarantees quality in the finished product
Easy exportation to popular social networking services like Twitter and Instagram, as well as eMail
Seamless creation of planetoid-like photos from shots of your environment
Fine-tuned controls allow for streamlined editing of shots, even after the shutter has closed
Update notes:
Even better performing live warping preview
Warping of existing photos is now also supported
Adjust the tilting afterwards, to fine tune your planet’s shape
Gradually adjust the softening of the stitching seam
Have an app you’d love to see featured on iMore? Email us at iosapps@imore.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.
5 Great Financial Apps for iPhone This is a guest article by EJ Parfitt. Keeping track of your money, investments and other financial matters can be time consuming; if you do it all on paper. Smart phones mean that you can do a lot more with your cell phone plans then just call around; apps make just about anything possible. New [...]
This is a guest article by EJ Parfitt.
Keeping track of your money, investments and other financial matters can be time consuming; if you do it all on paper. Smart phones mean that you can do a lot more with your cell phone plans then just call around; apps make just about anything possible. New apps for the iPhone are letting anyone maintain good records regardless of where they are.
Knowing where your money goes is the first step in reliable fiscal management. Let these apps show you the way.
1. BillMinder
BillMinder is designed to keep you from missing bills or paying them late. It keeps track of your bills, whether you have paid them or not, and lets you know how much is due each month. With additional features such as a calculator, notifications, Email based restore and backup and the ability to synch with other devices using iOS, this program will help you stay on top of your bills no matter where you might be.
Knowing when you have to pay bills is the first step towards financial success. The next thing you want to do is keep track of all of your money. With iReconcile you can manage your money from your iPhone. The program is easy to use and is based upon the popular Checkbook app.
With iReconcile you will easily see where your money is going every month. You can set it to rollover any money left at the end of one month into the next. Track your balances on any revolving debt you carry. Have up to the minute information so you never spend more than is available. With this app on your phone, you won’t have to remember to enter information when you get home, you can do it no matter where you are.
Now that you have some idea of where your money is going and how much you have, it is time to head out on the town. Even the best mathematician can be overwhelmed when trying to calculate a tip, figure out their share of a complex bill and so forth. With Tipulator, a simple yet elegant app, you won’t need to do the math in your head. Set the tipping percentage and it will give you both that and the total cost.
An additional way to make use of Tipulator is to have it calculate how much each person at the table owes. Simply enter the total and the tip and let it figure out how much each person needs to put in. There are even several ways to calculate how you want to pay, share or tip.
Keeping an eye on your investments and potential investments has never been so easy. With the Bloomberg iPhone app you can keep an eye on the markets, select specific stocks to watch and see everything in a variety of formats. Whether you prefer charts or graphs, want to read up on new, quotes or company descriptions, it is all at your fingertips. Your investment strategy is only as good as your information; use Bloomberg and rest easy.
Sooner or later just about everyone is going to have to borrow money. Whether it is a mortgage, money for a car or even a credit card, knowing your options and being able to pick the best terms can save you thousands over the life of the loan. The Loan Shark app gives you the information you need to pick the best choice for your needs. With plenty of data about the conditions of any loan type, Loan Shark lets you calculate everything; the total you will pay back, monthly or yearly payments and even lets you graph principle versus interest in a flash.
The best financial strategy is to get out of debt and save as much as possible. Download the apps and make this a reality. These 5 financial apps for the iPhone will help you to stay on top of your money, and get the most out of it every day.
This is a guest article by EJ Parfitt, a freelance writer for many sites including Cell Phone Expert.
5 Great Financial Apps for iPhone This is a guest article by EJ Parfitt. Keeping track of your money, investments and other financial matters can be time consuming; if you do it all on paper. Smart phones mean that you can do a lot more with your cell phone plans then just call around; apps make just about anything possible. New [...]
This is a guest article by EJ Parfitt.
Keeping track of your money, investments and other financial matters can be time consuming; if you do it all on paper. Smart phones mean that you can do a lot more with your cell phone plans then just call around; apps make just about anything possible. New apps for the iPhone are letting anyone maintain good records regardless of where they are.
Knowing where your money goes is the first step in reliable fiscal management. Let these apps show you the way.
1. BillMinder
BillMinder is designed to keep you from missing bills or paying them late. It keeps track of your bills, whether you have paid them or not, and lets you know how much is due each month. With additional features such as a calculator, notifications, Email based restore and backup and the ability to synch with other devices using iOS, this program will help you stay on top of your bills no matter where you might be.
Knowing when you have to pay bills is the first step towards financial success. The next thing you want to do is keep track of all of your money. With iReconcile you can manage your money from your iPhone. The program is easy to use and is based upon the popular Checkbook app.
With iReconcile you will easily see where your money is going every month. You can set it to rollover any money left at the end of one month into the next. Track your balances on any revolving debt you carry. Have up to the minute information so you never spend more than is available. With this app on your phone, you won’t have to remember to enter information when you get home, you can do it no matter where you are.
Now that you have some idea of where your money is going and how much you have, it is time to head out on the town. Even the best mathematician can be overwhelmed when trying to calculate a tip, figure out their share of a complex bill and so forth. With Tipulator, a simple yet elegant app, you won’t need to do the math in your head. Set the tipping percentage and it will give you both that and the total cost.
An additional way to make use of Tipulator is to have it calculate how much each person at the table owes. Simply enter the total and the tip and let it figure out how much each person needs to put in. There are even several ways to calculate how you want to pay, share or tip.
Keeping an eye on your investments and potential investments has never been so easy. With the Bloomberg iPhone app you can keep an eye on the markets, select specific stocks to watch and see everything in a variety of formats. Whether you prefer charts or graphs, want to read up on new, quotes or company descriptions, it is all at your fingertips. Your investment strategy is only as good as your information; use Bloomberg and rest easy.
Sooner or later just about everyone is going to have to borrow money. Whether it is a mortgage, money for a car or even a credit card, knowing your options and being able to pick the best terms can save you thousands over the life of the loan. The Loan Shark app gives you the information you need to pick the best choice for your needs. With plenty of data about the conditions of any loan type, Loan Shark lets you calculate everything; the total you will pay back, monthly or yearly payments and even lets you graph principle versus interest in a flash.
The best financial strategy is to get out of debt and save as much as possible. Download the apps and make this a reality. These 5 financial apps for the iPhone will help you to stay on top of your money, and get the most out of it every day.
This is a guest article by EJ Parfitt, a freelance writer for many sites including Cell Phone Expert.
This is it iMore nation, your last chance to enter our big Jawbone JAMBOX and a $200 iTunes gift card giveaways. If you haven’t already, you really need to run — not walk — and enter now. It’s super easy to do, just friend iMore on Facebook and subscribe to iMore on YouTube and you’re in.
What are you waiting for? This is not a drill! There are only 12 hours left! Deploy! Deploy! Deploy!
And when you’re done, leave a comment telling us you’re done so we know to look for you. Do it now, for the love of all that’s good and holy — before Rene sings again!!
Our all-new, all awesome podcast devoted to the latest and greatest iPhone and iPad apps and accessories returns tonight! What, you had something else planned? Pfft!
Samsung awkwardly chooses awkward Galaxy Note for latest iPhone attack add Samsung has aired another of their good-natured iPhone attack adds, which should be an occasion for merriment and ego-prickly good fun. But once again the commercial feels like it missed it’s mark. Or rather, the whole series of commercials still seem awkwardly in search of a mark. This one stars the latest in Samsung’s broad-range of devices, each separate by a different Galaxy monicker and roughly 0.25-inches of screen size, the Galaxy Note. It’s something that can’t quite make up it’s mind between being a phone and a tablet — I’m not going to call it a phablet — and that’s either the best of both worlds… or the worst. The jury is still out. How big is it? 5.3-inches of HD Super AMOLED big, baby. (Yes, that’s exactly inverse the iPhone’s traditional 3.5-inches.) It’s also got a stylus.
Samsung has aired another of their good-natured iPhone attack adds, which should be an occasion for merriment and ego-prickly good fun. But once again the commercial feels like it missed it’s mark. Or rather, the whole series of commercials still seem awkwardly in search of a mark. This one stars the latest in Samsung’s broad-range of devices, each separate by a different Galaxy monicker and roughly 0.25-inches of screen size, the Galaxy Note. It’s something that can’t quite make up it’s mind between being a phone and a tablet — I’m not going to call it a phablet — and that’s either the best of both worlds… or the worst. The jury is still out. How big is it? 5.3-inches of HD Super AMOLED big, baby. (Yes, that’s exactly inverse the iPhone’s traditional 3.5-inches.)
It’s also got a stylus.
Now, I’m not religiously opposed to a stylus — I’m an artist by trade and I’ve used several types of stylus on the iPad since it came out. However, a stylus by itself is not a differentiator. It’s what you can do with it that’s a differentiator. It’s all about the software. I’m also not going to deny that, for some things, a bigger screen is not just bigger, it’s better. Hey, I’ve got a 9.7-inch iPad and Steve Jobs spent over an hour in 2010 telling us what that meant in terms of the type of apps it could run.
But Samsung never makes the case for either in their Galaxy Note commercial. They never show off a lick of innovative, compelling software in the whole damn ad. They’re too busy, once again, making fun of iPhone users. (Not iPhones, remember. iPhone users.)
This time we’re giddily missing the Super Bowl (presumably on the west coast because it’s still light outside) by standing in line for an iPhone launch (which never happens any time near Super Bowl time), and the massive size and pen-ly charm of the Galaxy Note makes us break out into the worst Van Halen meets the Simpsons tribute number. Ever. They’re copying the spirit of the old Get a Mac ads without any of the substance. Shocking, really, given their history.
Seriously, Samsung couldn’t have used any of those multi-million dollar minutes to show us the advantages to the Galaxy Note having such a big screen? To show us how absolutely killer a stylus makes the mobile experience? They flashed some photos, doodled on the screen, and did the equivalent of a FaceTime call. That’s it.
And that’s fairly lame. Google’s Galaxy Nexus commercial showed you can highlight awesome Android hardware and software features in a compelling way. Samsung shows you can mock iPhone users, call them baristas, and convert them to the world’s biggest ass phone just by waving it at them.
The girl in the commercial sums it up best when she says, “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” As much as Samsung bashes the iPhone, they give no reason to believe in the Galaxy Note.
Samsung, if you want to court iPhone users, don’t do it by making fun of us or insulting our intelligence. Do it by making us jealous of your phone… er… tablet… er… phone.
Rumor: iPhone 5 May Be Launched At WWDC 2012 Rumors about iPhone 5 are back. We know one thing for sure that it will be released in 2012. However, the fruit company deviated from it’s regular launch pattern when it launched the iPhone 4S in October instead of going for the regular June launch. The past is past! A report from Daiwa Securities suggests [...]
Rumors about iPhone 5 are back. We know one thing for sure that it will be released in 2012. However, the fruit company deviated from it’s regular launch pattern when it launched the iPhone 4S in October instead of going for the regular June launch.
The past is past! A report from Daiwa Securities suggests that the new iPhone will be unveiled at WWDC (Worldwide Developer’s Conference) in San Francisco this year. The A4 devices (3, 3GS and 4) were also revealed at the same event in the past years.
The announcement in June would make sense as iPhone 4 users will be eligible for a two-year upgrade on their devices this summer. However, the iPhone 4S users would be disappointed as they won’t be eligible this early. They might also see this as an injustice as it will not be the usual 12 month interval between two iPhone models. But it will give the fruit company an edge in the sense that those eligible for the update would think again before switching over to the Android handsets to be released near that time.
The report also informed about “glass to glass” touch panel technology for the new iPhone and the suppliers would be TPK Holding and Wintek. With the former occupying 85% of the manufacturing load. Though there has been no official announcement yet, a leaked calender from Moscone Center points suggests June 10-15 as it shows a corporate meeting schedule.
The iPhone 5 expected to have a 4 inch display, a quad-core A6 processor and NFC. Apple enjoyed good success through the October launch of the iPhone 4S even though people buy an iPhone whenever it’s released. But the ideal shopping time is during the holiday season. Let’s see what they decide.
It's time to take a little editorial privilege and start a new feature wherein you'll get a few thoughts, ramblings and humblebrags regarding the goings-on here at Android Central, and perhaps the state of Android or the mobile space in general. Don't worry, politics shouldn't rear their ugly head too much. (Is it November yet?) Sports should be a non-issue with football just about over. (Giants-Patriots? Should be a good game. But, still, yawn.) So let's get to it.
Mobile Nations Fitness Month: I'm pleasantly surprised by the traction in our new Health and Fitness forum. It's nice to see that a few of our readers appear to be taking up the challenge, too. We've still go a long way to go before we're anywhere near as sexy as CrackBerry Kevin (let alone knowing it), but I'm enjoying the feedback on my daily walk. Don't tell me to give up carbs, though. Not gonna happen.
Android Central App Gen. 2: We've gotten back in touch with a number of developers interested in working with us on the next generation of the Android Central app. We're taking our time and doing this right, and we're excited about the possibilities. Everyone (including me) is going to need a little patience here.
Paul O'Brien on the Podcast: If you haven't listened yet, Paul O'Brien of MoDaCo joined us on the podcast this week. MoDaCo (and Paul) have been around the mobile space about as long as the space has been around — I started reading them when I got my first Windows Mobile device lo those many years ago, and it's still a great (and friendly) place for some hacking. It was great to finally "meet" Paul and have him on the podcast. Be sure to give it a listen.
Verizon Galaxy Nexus: What a debacle. Google changes a documentation page, and the fit hits the shan. If you're just joining us, it's really much ado about nothing. The Verizon Galaxy Nexus is still supported by Google. And Verizon. Be sure to read Jerry's explanation of what's changed (very little) and how it affects you (not at all). I gave a little thought to how such a badly reported story spread so quickly. Give it a gander. Here's to hoping the Internet does better this week.
Mobile World Congress: We're three weeks away from the start of MWC in Barcelona, Spain. We'll have a team there, of course, including myself, Alex Dobie, editor-at-large (and large editor) Simon Sage, plus Kevin from CrackBerry and Dan from WPCentral. Most of the major players already have events scheduled (LG and Samsung are straggling, but that's not to say they won't have something to show). We're not doing posts on every event that gets scheduled, but be sure to bookmark androidcentral.com/mwc to follow all of our MWC stories. We'll toss a schedule on there soon, to help you track what's happening when. Remember that Spain is 6 to 9 hours ahead of the United States, depending on where you live.
Android Wallpaper Gallery: Our Free Android Wallpaper Gallery eclipsed 1,000 uploads this week, which is pretty damn awesome. If you haven't yet, be sure to upload and share your favorite wallpapers. We're also featuring one a day during the week on the blog, so look for them in the mornings.
Android A to Z: Dunno about you guys, but we're loving this feature. It's an offshoot of the Android Dictionary, wherein we expand on one definition a day. The idea isn't to give a whitepaper view of the nuts and bolts of Android, but more of a top-level, in-plain-English discussion. You can find all of our Android A to Z posts here.
Anyhoo. Yeah. Things are cookin' here at Android Central. Catch ya later.
If you have a Google TV unit of some sort or another, and plan to watch the big game tomorrow, here's a neat app you might want to try. Social GTV is a small utility that simply creates an overlay on your live television content where Twitter postings can be displayed. I'm not sure I would want to see a bunch of tweets on my screen while I'm watching a movie with the wife, but I can see how useful (and fun) this could be for things like Presidential election debates and primaries, my favorite series, or live sporting events like the Super Bowl.
Setup looks pretty easy, you just fill in a few fields to let the app know what you want to see, set the position on screen and a background color, then start it up. Press the live TV button on your Google TV remote, and away you go. Now when Eli throws a strike to the end zone, or a referee make a questionable call, or the team you're rooting for scores you can see the social side of the Internet celebrate (or hysterically object) in real time. Sure beats flipping back and forth from the Twitter app to live TV, and will give the same result.
To use Social GTV you'll need a Google TV (naturally) running Android 3.1 or higher. There's a free version that allows you to pick from the top trending topics, and a paid version for $0.99 that allows you to set things like tweets from specific users, custom hashtags, and @ replies to a specific user. Both versions have a language filter, which you might need if the Pats are losing and you follow me on Twitter.
Being an avid online shopper, I receive a lot of shipments on a weekly basis. The trouble is that almost every online shopping site uses a different shipping service – thereby leaving me pulling my hair with the trouble of keeping track of my shipments. While I’ve used DHL and UPS iPhone apps, these are no good when I need to track multiple shipments coming in via different shipping services. Therefore, the 
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For today only, the 
