Tag: iOS

The iPhone 12 is out. Let’s get a cheap iPhone 11!

If you’re looking for an iPhone 11, the O2 “Like New” site is well worth a nose. They’re offering the 64GB iPhone 11 in a range of colours (black, green, purple, white, yellow etc) and you can bag one for £470. To get that price, you’ll need to …

Epic Games forced into Fortnite mobile corner

Epic Games has long disliked the revenue cut taken by smartphone stores. Indeed, Epic tried to dodge the 30% Apple tax recently during an in-game event for Fortnite. Apple then blocked Fortnite from the App Store, with iOS users prevented from downloading future updates. In addition, Android players …

What makes TikTok such a big social media phenomenon?

Whilst we’re all locked inside there’ll be many of you who have no doubt seen a TikTok video. It could be within the app or via a Facebook post, a Twitter update or sent over WhatsApp. What, though, is TikTok and why are a growing section of society …

Dell Mobile Connect adds further features

Since the launch of this particular system back in January 2018, over one million people have exchanged 150 million phone calls and text messages using Dell Mobile Connect. Today they’re announcing new features, including the ability to fo file transfer on iOS devices. In addition you can do …

What services are included in mobile app development?

Are you considering building an app to promote your business, keep in touch with customers or to launch a startup You’re probably busy shortlisting development companies right now, trying to find a team with a good portfolio and skills. Although a lot of companies offer a similar package …

The iPhone 11 screen. Why is it worse than a budget Android?

We’ve just put our Huawei P30 Lite review online and, whilst writing our second article about the new iPhone 11, something stuck out. Sure, without doubt the iPhone 11 is a high-end smartphone. Available in six colours, it has an A13 Bionic CPU and is splash, dust and …

The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. More phones you will buy.

Let’s give you the low-down on what Apple have just announced. The iPhone 11 range is here. There’s a standard iPhone 11 and a new iPhone 11 Pro plus a 11 Pro Max. The latter models have “Pro cameras, Pro display and Pro Performance” and a “WOAH” price-tag. …

Fingerprint unlock finally coming to WhatsApp.

Back In February this year, WhatsApp had rolled out the authentication feature for iOS beta users, making it possible to use Touch ID to unlock the app. Now finally after more than six months, the feature has finally been made available for Android beta users today. The Fingerprint …

Unlocking your iPhone and removing the iCloud lock too

A few months ago I told you my story about buying a reconditioned phone and generally saving a bit of cash in the process. It pinged back in my head following our earlier eBay sales story because there’s a number of places selling really cheap iPhones which are …

Mobvoi TicWatch S2 – Review

Here at Coolsmartphone Towers, we do still like our wearables. It has been a rocky road for them though since their inception a few years back. They were expensive, and people didn’t really know what they were for. I have used a few different ones over the years …

iOS 12: Full preview and insight into key features

My son now has an iPhone and just recently I noticed that it hadn’t been fully updated. Usually I’m the one in the family who has a weird need to ensure that all the apps are updated on my phone and that the OS is the very latest …

Get the iPhone XR today on Three

Hey Apple, I’m all confused. We pronounced the iPhone X as the “iPhone Ten”, right? So what do we call this one? The “iPhone 10 R?” I call it the “XR”. Anyhow, if you want one of these and you’ve read our earlier story from the launch you’ll …

Nokia Steel HR – Unboxing

Smartwatches are dime a dozen these days. Almost every manufacturer is dipping their toe into the market. We have seen some come and go (aka Pebble) and we have seen some stay the course. However, it is the lesser known brands for this area who sometimes prove to …

Rocketbook Wave – Review

Note-taking is dying art form now. Most use digital forms of transcription for almost everything. I honestly cannot remember the last time I spent handwriting notes! It had been so long that I start to get a cramp in my wrist even after a short stint of writing! This …

Apple adds addiction protection section

One thing you may not have noticed in the recent Apple developer conference is the introduction of “addiction controls” which will be added to iOS 12. Tech addiction has popped up in the news recently with games such as Fortnite grabbing the attention of many gamers around the …

How to screen record on iPad and iPhone in iOS11

Late last year Apple added an excellent new screen record feature to iOS11 which, for many, may have gone unnoticed. Instead of taking a dull screenshot and drawing on it with digital ink, you can now record and describe what’s happening on you iPhone or iPad screen. A …

EE launches smart number technology

This one is definitely aimed at those using an iPhone or iPad. It’s a clever technology, and EE is the first to roll-out in the UK. EE smart number lets you make and receive calls and texts using the same number across multiple devices. It won’t cost you …

WWDC – 2018 – iOS 12 & macOS Mojave

As predicated WWDC focused less on massive new features to iOS and more on performance. But particular towards older devices, also there has been a shift in retiring older devices. So your iPhone 5s & 5c are safe for another year or maybe more. “For iOS 12, we …

Using a VPN for all iOS devices

I’m away on business at the moment, and as this is happening with alarming regularity I’ve slipped into a habit of bringing my “home comforts” with me. Trouble is, you can’t always get every home comfort. The tea for example, it’s just not the same. However, with the …

Battery – 1%. Stressed much?

Does this sight make you nervous? I came across some interesting information when I was out in Paris the other day. Apparently one of the things that we smartphone users stress about most is our battery life.  Now, I am no behavioural therapist, but I decided to do …

Apple Education Event – 28th March 2018

Yesterday was a busy day, Huawei had their launch event for the P20 range, Garry was there covering that and has made me very interested in that device. I however was looking at this small American tech firm called “Apple” (you may have heard of it!) while doing …

Fortnite is Released on iOS – Check those emails now!!

Fortnite seems to be taking the world by storm. To be fair, it probably needs no introduction here, when it was announced that Fortnite Battle Royal was going to be released on mobile devices it generated a lot of excitement. Many Promises were made. This was going to …

BeatMaker 3 – Free now! But be quick!

Want to do some music production and sound all professional? You’ll be needing BeatMaker 3. It’s got rave reviews and is free from now until January 28th for iOS devices. It’s basically a very flash bit of music producing kit, gone mobile. It’s an easy and intuitive audio …

App downloads, usage and spending on the up

Getting a task done on a Chromebook, for me at least, often find me browsing the web for a solution. I usually put in what I’d like to do, followed by the word “online”. As an example, “convert DOC to text online” or “notepad online”. However, apps are …

Hello, you fool, I love you

Well, well, well! Welcome 2018! Just after Christmas I got knocked sideways by this Australian Flu thing and I’ve only just got rid of it. Put it this way, you really don’t want it. It’s bloody horrible. I’ve spent so much time in bed, and not in a …

Free Apple?!

Regular readers may know that I’m a bit of a free and open source software advocate. Fundamentally I believe that if the code for software is open then its is more secure and useful. Many eyes make good code! It also advances technology. Android is based on the …

More iPhone X contract deals

Looking for the iPhone X prices? Need to know just how much you need to put aside for that early Christmas present to yourself? Well, a contract deal will ease the pain a little, and we’ve already had a look at the Vodafone iPhone X pricing. However, there’s …

iPad Pro 10.5” – Review

So the time has come for me to share my opinion of the iPad Pro 10.5”. I have been using the device for nearly two weeks now and, I have to say, I am happy bar a few minor niggles here and there. Before I dive onto the …

Why I have gone back to an iPad

Those of you who have been reading on the site for a looong time will remember that I started with a review of how things were on the iPad with iOS 5 Beta. That was on an iPad 2, I believe and it was the last large iPad …

eSports on the iPhone

Back when I was a lad we had computer games, and if you wanted to play against a second player you needed a Kempston Interface with 2 ports or you ended up sharing a rubber keyed keyboard, but it was fun. A little later on and LAN networks …

A quick look at the favourite top apps according to App Annie

I get quite a few emails from App Annie. They’re an analyst firm which produces business intelligence tools and market reports, and on their site you can have a look at the most popular games and apps for different mobile operating systems. Advertising is definitely a big driver, …

In praise of older devices

I am a mobile technology geek. Along with my Huawei P9 and my Lumia 640 phones, I carry round a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 tablet and an iPad 3. I don’t have specific use cases for each of these devices, but just like to have a range of …

Run phone free with new Strava update for Apple Watch 2

Just a few weeks after Strava announced a major update for the new android wear watches. They have done the same for the Apple Watch 2 version of its run and cycle tracking app. Making your workout totally phone free, with a stand alone app. The developers hinted …

How to Record your iPhone Screen

One of the most frustration issues that mobile bloggers face is the difficulty encountered when trying to record a video of an iOS app in action. There is no built in app to record the on screen activity of your iPhone or iPad and whilst their have been …

Super Mario Run out today!

This looks to be the “next big thing” on mobile. Today Super Mario Run will finally launch for iOS devices and, although it looks a bit like the traditional Super Mario Bros, this is an “autorunner”, so the clever little plumber moves forward at all times. That means …

‘Tis the season to catch ’em all…

Pokemon Go has just released its festive season event, and players have good reasons to be merry. The location based augmented reality game developed by Niantic delivers new Pokemon to catch and some festive decorations to boot. The new splash screen is quite festive, I can not lie. …