Tag: app

I can see a MIPOW RAINBOW

Remember out MIPOW PLAYBULB Review? Put simply, it’s a light bulb with a Bluetooth speaker inside. Not only that, but you can also control the brightness of the bulb with your phone. Now MIPOW have gone one further, releasing a new product called PLAYBULB Rainbow. This is another …

Festive Fun apps to keep you entertained

OK, it’s that time of year already. Your bank account looks like a wasteland, there’s pine needles everywhere and that roll of sticky tape has mysteriously disappeared just when you need it. What apps do you need to ensure things go smoothly? Well, the Google Santa Tracker is …

HERE Maps is now available on the Google Play Store

For a while one of the unique selling points behind Nokia Windows Phone devices was the HERE Maps suite. It offered a truly offline mapping solution for free. It was one of the reason I always took a Windows Phone on holiday. Now the HERE maps team have …

Can you really get something for nothing?

Free stuff. At this time of year it’s in short supply. If you, like me, are looking to get something for nothing then, via your smartphone, you can get exactly that. This, at least, is what my good friend told me after a few beers in the pub …

Nokia Z Launcher beta is now available on the Google Play Store

A while back Nokia shocked people by making an Android Launcher, around about the same time as they released a few Android phones. At that stage they were only available by signing up and downloading the apk file and manually installing it. Well now they’ve gone and published …

Want to view your NHS records from your smartphone?

Our National Heath Service (NHS), love it hate it, it’s still the envy of the world. As we move ever closer to the digital edge, it appears that the NHS is following too (abeit slowly). The NHS today outlined a number of new digital improvements that include making …

Gmail gets to update to Material design

This morning Android owners will have awoken to the news of Nexus 9’s being unboxed around the world (ours is here). Even if you don’t have a Nexus device you will be pleased to hear that you too can enjoy the new Gmail app from Lollipop as it’s …

Interactive Books – The magical next step in bed time story telling

Everyone loves a good book, especially when shared with a young one. Colourful, gripping, imagination building, educational, magical, there are many words that can be used to describe a wonderful bed time story. The basic principle behind a story book hasn’t changed that much since their conception, a …

Skype on a Chromebook – Here, fixed that for you.

NOTE – This method no longer works, please see the new article here. Some people have avoided getting a Chromebook purely because Skype isn’t available. However, there is a way to get this working, and when you’ve completed one of these three steps the end product is very …

Chromecast app updated, now add your own backdrops

If you went ahead and bought a Chromecast then you’ll probably be familiar with the rather beautiful images that appear if nothing is actually being “cast” to the screen. It’s all very lovely, but they’re not your images are they? Now you can correct that with the latest …

The new HTC Zoe app. I want to try it, but.. I just can’t

I had the old HTC Zoe Beta app installed until just a few days ago. The app ran fine on my LG G3 but hey, I want to try the new version which appeared just yesterday. However.. It turns out I can’t. The app isn’t compatible with the …

All-new HTC Zoe app now available to download

The beta version of the HTC Zoe app received a “mixed” reception (we’re being kind here) and became available for all Android devices a couple of months ago. Last night HTC announced a new improved version, which has just popped up on Google Play. It’s coming to iOS …

Keep safe while you’re exercising with RunSafe

Going out running, cycling or even for a quick stroll is great for your health. Trouble is, if you get stuck or if your loved ones don’t know where you are, it can be tricky for them to call you. Especially when you’re bombing along on your bike …

Chanbara Samurai – Vent some frustration retro-style

We get sent thousands of apps to look at each month. Our inbox is positively bulging but, for reasons we still can’t quite comprehend, this random fighting game has tickled us in some special places. Not only does this free Nintendo-style sword battle action game make us feel …

Seasonal Cities – Your New Travel Companion

City Guide Books are big business and an almost essential purchase for those visiting a new place on vacation. However like all paper based products they have one major downside, in that they are only as up to date as on the day that they were printed. Therefore …

Reviews – Get Notified of Reviews for your favourite apps

Reviews is an iOS app targeted towards developers. It allows you to monitor reviews for apps from all App Store territories. The creators clearly have an eye for design: leaving out all unnecessary chrome and features. Reviews first opens without any apps added. This is probably for the best …

HTC Zoe Now available for all Android Devices

One of the most innovative inclusions on recent HTC smartphones has been HTC Zoe, a clever simple to use app for sharing high quality and stylish highlight videos produced from your media gallery. It’s fair to say that sometimes the output is very impressive and the app has …

Peter Molyneux’s Godus is available now for the iPhone

The long awaited spiritual successor to Peter Molyneux’s classic Populous, Godus has been launched today on iOS platforms and is free to download. Originally crowd funded through a Kick Starter campaign in 2012, and through high profile campaigns like ‘Curiosity – What’s Inside the Cube?’ the anticipation for …

I get a lot of requests to post stuff. This one is for free.

People often ask me to post stuff here. I get a lot of very random emails from companies from Shenzhen in China especially. Usually they start with “Hello friend, battery supply we can. You buy we price good. You review?” However, my mate wanted me to mention something …

Can a smartphone really make you fitter? A look at My Fitness Pal

Smartphones are becoming an integral part of our life, and the phrase companion is frequently used to to describe how we interact with them. The barrier between what a phone can and can’t do is reducing all the time as apps and technology becomes more sophisticated, and the …

Free Windows Phone satnav to get you home

We all know about the ongoing issues with getting Google services on your Windows mobile, and that includes Google Maps for your satnav needs. Luckily Nokia Drive/Here Maps is available now, but there’s another entrant in the ring. Copilot was one of the original people who developed Satnav …

Mini Ninjas, now free

Nope. I’ve never heard of it. Sorry. Apparently though, lots of people have. This thing has had over 6 million downloads. It’s been available for 99c or 69p (yes, yes, I know that 99c is, in fact, 58p, but …) … now it’s free. You can get it …

blinkbox music – The new boy on the streaming scene

Tesco have sent me something. I think it’s because I’ve started shopping in Aldi more. Who knows, but they are trying to grab my attention. They own blinkbox music, which is another offering alongside their blinkbox TV and movie streaming service. Considering they’ve not sent the Coolsmartphone team …

Lloyds Bank mobile app switched off for root users

Got yourself a bank account with Lloyds? Keep getting sold stuff in their “account reviews” that you don’t need or want? Paying a monthly fee for some additional extras and a breakdown service that’d probably cost you less if you went direct? Welcome my friends. If you’ve ticked …

Lost your phone? Who needs GPS location when you have your mouth?

Yes, that headline confused me too, but back in the day when we only had a few dozen TV channels instead of a few thousand, we located things without GPS. Back then, when people lost their keys, they could buy a little gadget, which I’ll call a “doo-hickey”, …

WinZip for iOS – Now with Google Drive and OneDrive support

The people from WinZip contacted me. I figured I’d listen because I’ve pretty much used their software for absolutely ages, so I owe them. Anyhoo, they’ve now announced a new iOS app which costs a mere £1.49 (provided you buy it either today or tomorrow). There’s now support …

Token news item featuring Wayne Rooney

Clickbait? Us? Never. This one is a risky release, especially just a few hours before England play a vital World Cup match, but still, here’s Wayne Rooney with his football training app. It’s called a “soccer” training app because there’s apparently some confusion with some other sport involving …

Give your phone flower power!

If there’s one thing I’m never really much good at, it’s watering the plants. During my recent bike ride to Paris pretty much everyone at home forgot and my hanging baskets sadly fired dried up and became hanging soil carriers. It’s either a sad statement on modern life …

Get your uff-uff and your agga pang

If like a bit of Igglepiggle, Makka Pakka and Upsy Daisy then you’ll probably want to climb into the Ninky Nonk and perhaps take a flight on the Pinky Ponk. If, however, you have no idea what I’m on about then you’ll probably think I’ve gone mad. “In …

Like your cars? Try the Drive.net app to meet other enthusiasts

The big social networks are all well and good, but if you want to meet like-minded people you’re probably best to create your own social network. For car enthusiasts the Drive.net website is already a popular place to be, but now the mobile app (available on iTunes and Google Play) …

Stay updated with the World Cup on your mobile

OK, OK. Here’s the token World Cup news post. We have been bombarded with emails from PR agencies who are trying desperately to make their accessory, phone or app have something to do with football. This, though, is the official app from FIFA. FIFA have been accused of …

Catch all the matches with World Cup Scheduler

In case you had somehow failed to notice, the World Cup kicks off in Brazil later tonight, with the start of 64 games over a month in 12 different cities across the country. World Cup Scheduler is an app that keeps you up to date with who is …

Careful driver? Prove it. Go with the Flo

Got a sticker on the back of your company car, van or lorry that asks people to judge your driving? How about proving it to your boss? Flo, an Android app, is part game, part driving improvement. You download it, get in your car, stick your phone on …

Dubstep Hero Review

I’m sure we’ve all had those visits to the services on the motorway. Usually, in between a coffee and a quick “comfort break” you’ll see one of those “Dancing Stage” machines. Perhaps, if you’re on a night out and had a few “shandies”, you’ll probably try and have …

iOS apps now running on Android

You can now run Apple apps on Android. Sure, that’s the headline but in reality the solution isn’t a retail boxed product as yet. The software is called “Cider” and, well, let’s just get this out of the way and show it in action shall we? Researchers at …

Roadchef have released an app. Stop press!

Roadchef want us to mention their app. Roadchef, if you weren’t aware, are one of the UK’s leading “Motorway Service Area operators”. If you, like me, live in the UK you’ll have no doubt encountered the motorway services. They’re a place where you meet mortgage advisors in order …

In London? Tube staff on strike? Try the updated Kabbee app

If you’re looking to get yourself a cab in London then you could just flag one down. However, if there isn’t a rank or cab in sight you can easily book one with apps like Kabbee. The new version now has a fresh look with the entire booking …

Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed now available for nothing

Love Sonic? Interested in playing Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed but don’t want to pay? Hey, your luck is in my friend. The game is now free, and that’s across all platforms – iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and via Google Play on Android. It’s an exciting and fast …

Google release their Android camera app

Google have been slowly and surely releasing the core Android apps onto the Play Store. Like the keyboard, Calendar, Gmail, Google Search and a load of others. The latest is the camera app which has only previously seen updates during Android version updates. It’s a whole lot easier …