Tag: software

Older Kindle eReader? Update it to stay online

Recently I received an e-mail from Amazon (nothing new there) which read.. Dear Kindle owner blah blah blah .. as with the majority of the others I filed it under bin without reading it. Well, it appears I should have. If you’re the owner of a pre-2013 Kindle …

This is what ends up on my phone when the kids get it

When my son gets my phone for any length of time it usually returns with a multitude of apps on there. It gives me a little insight into what apps are popular though, and today I thought I’d list the apps that ended up on my phone… – …

MSQRD now adds additional masks as the app becomes more successful

A short while ago I stumbled across the hugely excellent MSQRD app. It’s an iPhone app which cleverly follows your face and places a digital mask on your moosh. Now there’s additional set of masks, so either update or install it and you’ll see Iron Man, Harry Potter …

How to fix the iStick on iOS9

When I reviewed the iStick back in June, while the software needed a little refining, I could clearly see the benefit of being able to copy media from an iOS device to a USB-equipped memory stick. However, the recent Apple update to iOS9 stopped the iStick from working with no …

Using the Sony Android 6.0 Concept

I have an exciting task this week. I get to test out the next version of Android from Sony, and it is really nice. I’m using the software on a Z3 that Sony has very kindly provided me with for the time being. There are some significant differences …

YouTube kids coming to the UK and other regions

My little boy loves YouTube: he particularly loves watching people playing Lego video games. But I’m constantly worried he might come across something inappropriate for him. Seven months ago, I thought my prayers had been answered when YouTube announced its YouTube kids app. However (unsurprisingly, yet again) unfortunately …

Picpal – Selfie sharing and merging, no matter where you are!

Taking a selfie. It’s a term that seems to have taken the world by surprise and, whether you’re at the beach, in the pub or at a restaurant, you’ll see people grouping together to take that all-important selfie shot. What’s great about this, of course, is that you’ve …

Conferencing on the go without embarrassing yourself

Just like video conferencing changed the way you connect with your workplace, the increasingly popular mobile video conferencing is triggering an evolution in how and where you connect. Without the need for a stationary computer or a bulky laptop, you can meet with your co-workers and clients anywhere …

The Angry Birds have returned for a second (?!) adventure

Everybody used to have Angry Birds installed on their smartphone at one point. Now things have changed a little, at least in my opinion. Anyway, despite a FEW Angry Birds versions in-between (y’know, like Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Rio, Angry Birds Space, Angry Birds Star Wars and …

Pebble Time gets new update

For those of us who are sporting Pebble’s latest E-ink wonder, Thursday morning heralded a little surprise. Pebble’s app for Android prompted me to download and install a new update for my watch. Here is what Pebble have to say about the new software… Today’s update makes vibration intensity …

Running a business from home on your smartphone

I spoke to a friend recently who is already selling products from home. They make a little bit of additional cash but, with a smartphone doing nothing now than advertising their business to friends on Facebook, they wanted to know if there was any additional way of getting …

Samsung S6 hogging all the RAM

Are you lucky enough to own a Samsung S6 or S6 Edge? If so, then you may not be quite so lucky as you think. It seems that a number of S6 and S6 Edges are being a bit greedy with the RAM. It’s not a lack of …

Google to deliver more secure and familiar age ratings

  It’s been a problem for some time now, and to some extent it still continues. I’ve been banging on about the fact that the “family computer” is now a distant memory. You can’t really keep an eye on your kids when they’ve got small connected gadgets which …

Will smartwatches have the same range of apps as smartphones?

Well, that certainly didn’t take long. No sooner has the Apple Watch been announced and we’re already getting emails telling us about apps that’ll run on the thing. That’s expected I guess, but when betting apps also set to arrive on the thing, you know it’ll probably be …

How Video Conferencing enables mobility

1995 was an interesting year. The music charts featured the “Outhere Brothers” with “Boom Boom Boom” and there was those unforgettable lyrics… “Boom boom boom now let me hear you say wayoh, wayhoh!” Back then I was too busy partying and wasn’t really concerned with working in IT. …

Getting your app to stand out from the crowd

Creating your own app is hard enough. Learning to code, getting it right, making something popular and then hoping it’ll be downloaded lots is a long and bumpy road to travel. However, if you’ve got a thoroughly enjoyable and addictive game, or a useful and interesting app, it …

Teen Developers – Josh Trommel

Thinking of creating your own app? It’s not as hard as you think, provided you put your mind to it. In our regular feature we take a look at teenage developers, how they got started, what drives them and the challenges they face on the way. This week, …

Laundrapp expands. Get your clothes dry cleaned easily

After starting in London, the on-demand laundry and dry cleaning app known as Laundrapp has just launched in Edinburgh too. They’re planning to launch in another four cities over the next fortnight. The idea is pretty simple. Instead of having to carry your suit or smalls across town, you instead …

NENX Review

Roulette and card games haven’t really ever been my forte if I’m honest. However, I do like the challenge of making an educated guess, so when the guys at NENX gave me some free cash and told me to simply guess which way the financial markets were going …

CarLock Review

Tracking your car is possible with just a smartphone. Various apps will let you do it, but it’s a matter of having a spare smartphone with a data plan and GPS, plus you have to leave it plugged into the 12v charger and that alone will probably attract …

Manything can do more than just watch your pets

Morning my lovely people, hope you’re well. You may remember, some time back, I decided to setup a CCTV system with an old smartphone. Since then we’ve looked at the BT Smart Home Cam and the Pan and tilt camera from SwannCloud. They’re better than a smartphone alone, …

Amazon dishes up stacks of free apps

The sales and offers seem to arrive earlier and earlier with each passing year. Although Amazon usually give away one paid-for app per day, today they’ve gone a bit bonkers. Their free apps offer is running from now until Boxing Day (26th) and they have up to £150 …

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 …

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 …

The coolest apps for autumn 2014

With the recent release of the iPhone 6, 6 + and the long-awaited iOS 8, more and more apps and app upgrades are becoming available as we get to the end of the year. Many of us might think we look quite cool with the latest bendy iPhone, …

Why Skylanders Trap Team is an Important Gaming Breakthrough

Skylanders is one of those videogames that transcends the small screen, based around highly detailed toy figures, the Skylanders brand has captured the imagination. The concept behind Skylanders is simple, you purchase a starter pack for your gaming platform of choice which includes the game, a portal of …

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 …

Oi! Oi! Saveloy! Become a DJ on the bus

I’ve just found a rather fantastic app. It’s one that popped up on the “Recommended” listings on Google Play and I just had to write about it here. This year, if you went to Ibiza, you may have noticed a few things about the DJs. Gone are the …

A different sort of background

If Android is your OS of choice and you’re constantly looking at new ways to personalise your phone, give Transparent Wallpaper a try. It’ll effectively turn your screen into a pane of glass, with your icons, apps and folders hovering over whatever you’re looking at. It’s free and …

Android One starts with India

Android One is an idea, an idea that is starting to grow into something that could be huge. The idea of a low cost Android device, with hardware hand picked by Google and the latest software, could be seen as a way for Google and Android manufacturers to …

Fireman Sam shows how it’s done

When I was a kid, perhaps 18 or 19, I used to love Fireman Sam. I’m sure there’s quite a few of you out there who remember the song… He’s always on the scene, Fireman Sam And his engine’s bright and clean, Fireman Sam You can not ignore …

Android App permissions. Noticed something?

You may have become fairly numb to the fact that a massive chunks of Android apps have the right to read your texts and look at your photos. The whole system is, if we’re honest, too relaxed. We waive any right to privacy in exchange for an ad-filled …

New Sonic game hits Fever pitch

Apologies in advance for that “local free newspaper”-style headline that crow-bars the word “Fever” from “Sonic Jump Fever” in, it’s still early. 🙂 Sega, who are perhaps best known for this intro sound would like me to mention their new Sonic game. It’s called “Jump Fever” and is …

WWDC 2014, Keep June 2nd Free

It’s that time of the year again when Apple set their date for WWDC and we are inundated with ideas of what might be released this year. Will it be the Ipad 12, Iphone 26S, Mac OS 134.23.  Okay they are a bit over exaggerated but we have …