One of the best reasons to own an Android phone

One of the best reasons to own an Android phone is its adaptability. Whereas iPhones are more prescriptive in what they have to offer, with Apple controlling what appears and what doesn’t, Google’s operating system is modular – to the extent that third-party apps can be used to change and improve various aspects of your phone. One of the most dramatic ways to do this is by installing LauncherPro which, ironically, makes your phone more iPhone-like by adding a dock and extra home screens plus some Apple-style effects such as being able to see all those home screens at once. But even if you don’t install LauncherPro, there’s so much you can do to enhance and customise your phone. Widgets are an amazing way to add dynamic content to your handset. You can use those which are built into the phone or scour the web for all sorts of useful content. Widgets, despite their resource-hungry nature, put content in front of you rather than hide it within apps. So you could have YouTube to hand on your home screen or something as basic as an analog clock. Whatever you decide, you can bet that it will give your phone a lift by presenting useful information as soon as you turn the handset on. There are literally no limits to what you can have on your home screens. Can’t find an app for a specific purpose even though there are websites providing the service you want? Then just bookmark the webpage and turn it into an icon which is placed on your home screen so that, with one tap, you can access the information in an instant. And if you are feeling overwhelmed by the number of apps you have, then group them into folders to make them neater and easier to find, placing games, for instance, in one place and more serious applications in another. You are limited only by your imagination. And, of course, you can drastically change the way your phone looks with a host of wallpapers. You can choose from those that are already built into the phone, which include some great animated options as part of a Live Gallery, or you could even p lump for one of the many images that you will no doubt have on your phone. Take a photo with your camera and you can have it as a wallpaper within no time at all. Android is nothing if not feature-laden and over these four pages we will show you how you can best take advantage of the numerous customisation options. Play around with them and you will soon have a fresh-looking phone.

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KODABLE:teach your kids basic principles of coding

★ ★ ★ ★ ★= VERY GOOD
*SurfScore’s idea for its Kodable app is simple: a family of fuzzball aliens have crash-landed and need your help to navigate through a series of mazes. You do this by using some of the simple commands and logic concepts that underlie computer programming. The commands are all drag-and-drop, so just a little trial and error will get you by means of, earning rewards and getting to grips with the fundamentals of coding. Our 12-year-old assistant reviewer was initially scathing of the simple, colourful interface, but half an hour later had worked through the entire fi rst world, completely engrossed. The fi rst level teaches the basics: how to go forwards, up and down, and conditional statements: ‘if this, then that’. The diffi culty then increases with a repeat button, coloured squares as part of the instructions, and loops. The second world (available via an in-app purchase) adds more complexity and more fuzzes. A third world, which will focus on debugging techniques, is in development. Kodable is fun to use, challenging and educational, in addition to many of us look forward to additional.

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top jailbroken apps should you wish jailbreak your iOS or root your Android smartphone

FOLDERENHANCER iPhone | iOS 4.0 | Free | vN/A If you are a serial app downloader, then sooner or later you are going to start having to use the folders option on your home screen in order to keep your iPhone looking neat and tidy. And, of course, to prevent you from having to swipe through endless pages in order to get to your latest downloads. However, the limit of the amount you can store in folders – currently set at 20 apps, means that in some cases, especially games – you nd yourself with more than one folder. This app removes this limit, allowing users to put up to 320 apps in single folder.

 UNDELETE FOR ROOT USERS Android | OS 2.1 | Free | v2.1.3.6 An app designed to counter a problem that all of us have had at some point or another, as it allows you to recover deleted les from your SD card or internal storage. The app adds a folder to your device that saves everything you delete, meaning you can recover them easily should you accidentally hit Delete one day.

SBSETTINGS iPhone+ | iOS N/A | Free | v5.2.2 Open the screen gestures and interactivity of your device with this app, which allows you to edit the Noti cation Center layout and what appears in it. You can also change the theme of your device away from the native Apple setting, as well as alter how and where you access and view the Noti cation Center.

 F.LUX  iPhone | iOS 4.0 | Free | v0.983 An app designed to put an end to the days of checking your phone in the middle of the night, only to nd yourself blinded by the brightness of the screen. This app automatically adjusts the brightness of your screen to match that of the lighting conditions around you, preventing eyestrain.

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the best apps to Find and access safe Wi-Fi networks quicker than ever

 
 NETWORK ANALYZER ● iPhone+ | iOS 5.0 | £1.99/$2.99 | v3.0 A very in-depth app that allows users to visualise the entire route of a request through servers. However, our interest lies in the ability to check the speed of your Wi-Fi network, with tests for both download and upload speeds. Get all the information you need to nd the quickest and best Wi-Fi network for your usage.

WI FI FINDER ● iPhone+ | iOS 3.2 | Free | v2.9.2 ● Android | Varies | Free | Varies This app contains a seriously impressive database of Wi-Fi hotspots, both free and paid, and being available on both iOS and Android means you can locate one no matter which of your devices you’re using. The app also allows you to search by provider should you have a preference for internet use.

WI FI ANALYTICS TOOL ● Android | OS 2.0 | Free | v1.08 With a cool interface and some useful features, this app is must for any Android users looking to streamline their Wi-Fi experience. As the name suggests, the app can be used to analyse your various Wi-Fi channels, showing speed, channel clarity and other aspects in graphs, so users can select the best network for them.

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best apps for Manage and monitor the space on your device to get it running smoother than ever

BOX ● iPhone+ | iOS 4.3 | Free | v2.8.2 ● Android | Varies | Free | Varies Box is a seriously impressive cloud service where not only can you store your les, but it is also possible to edit all manner of documents direct from your phone. The app gives you a healthy 5 GB of storage space, and there is an almost social aspect to the app in that you can leave comments on les for others to see should you be sharing an account.

SYSTEM STATUS ● iPhone+ | iOS 5.0 | £1.49/$1.99 | v3.5 An in-depth memory and system analysis app that also covers battery life and data usage; this is an ideal app for giving your phone a boost. From within System Status you can view and analyse how and where your memory is being used, and you can even release system memory in order to free up space. The app contains a comprehensive monitoring system for your memory, with real-time updates and stats for free and used space, so you can see how and where you can make improvements and ultimately better organise how your memory is put to use.



GOOGLE DRIVE ● iPhone+ | iOS 5.0 | Free | v1.2.1 ● Android | OS 2.1 | Free | v1.1.470.15 Google Drive o ers 5 GB of storage and the ability to make items you upload available o ine, so they’re accessible even when you don’t have an internet connection. The app also has Create settings, so you can write documents and take photos from within the app, in addition to uploading them to the cloud.

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battery life on iphone (apps)

BATTERY LIFE PRO ALL IN 1 ● iPhone | iOS 4.3 | Free | v1.3.7 Battery Life Pro is incredibly heavy on information, and as such makes monitoring your battery and keeping it healthy a much easier process. The app has multiple interfaces to choose from when it comes to displaying the remaining life in your iPhone, and you can swipe through a detailed breakdown of battery life that gives you a reading on how long remains depending on how you want to use your iPhone. The app also includes reports on your memory usage that you can email out from the app, should you wish to go through them in more detail at some point.

TTERY DOCTOR ● iPhone | iOS 4.3 | Free | v3.6 ● Android | OS 2.1 | Free | v2.1.4 Built around a smart interface, Battery Doctor is impressively detailed, even containing a ranking system to show users which aspect of their device is draining the most battery so you can adjust accordingly. The app also gives you tips on how to extend the life of your battery, suggesting features to turn o and how much battery this could save.

BATTERY HD+ ● iPhone+ | iOS 5.0 | Free | v2.28 Smart and simple, Battery HD+ is centred on an animation showing your remaining battery life, as well as remaining times for all the di erent activities you do on your iPhone. You can set alerts and push noti cations for when your phone is fully charged to avoid overcharging, and potentially damaging the battery. This is a relatively simple app, but nonetheless one that is useful and e ective.

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The best map app (iPhone)

GOOGLE MAPS iPhone● | iOS 5.1 | Free | v1.0 ● Android | Varies | Free | Varies Having been replaced with Apple Maps, Google released its own solution. Accuracy Found every location we searched for every time, even when we intentionally input misspelt place names. Interface A mixture of high-quality maps, satellite images and Street View images, you can even see inside more than 100,000 businesses around the globe. Turn by turn directions Already existed on the Android version of Google Maps, the iOS app now also includes guided navigation. O ine use No o ine mode unfortunately: app is entirely reliant on a web connection to nd its way around.Social sharing Restaurants,shops and other places include user ratings and local reviews.

APPLE MAPS ● iPhone+ | Free Only available on Apple products with iOS 6, Apple Maps is an iOS-native app, and therefore cannot be downloaded separately. Accuracy Not as bad as the internet jokes claim if you’re looking for an address with a door number, but often fails to nd businesses by name. Interface The 3D yover e ects are superior to Google Maps – if they are available in your area – and menu options are easy to follow. Turn by turn directions Voice prompts are loud and clearly spoken. Siri integration means that you can also speak destinations into the phone. O ine use No o ine mode unfortunately: app is entirely reliant on a web connection to nd its way around. Social sharing Restaurants, shops and other places include Yelp ratings and local reviews.

WAZE SOCIAL TRAFFIC & GPS ● iPhone+ | iOS 4.3 | Free | v3.5.2 ● Android | OS 2.0 | Free | v3.5.1.4 Join forces with other drivers to outsmart tra c. Accuracy With communitygenerated content, map is quick to adjust for real-time tra c and road hazards. Interface Map itself is very basic with limited zoom and no satellite imagery, but controls are intuitive for on-the-go use, even with voice commands. Turn by turn directions Navigator’s voice volume was rather quiet, but a marked improvement on previous iterations that were criticised for being garbled. O ine use With an emphasis on upto- the-minute tra c alerts, Waze is entirely dependent on a web connection. Social sharing You can Map Chat with other users in the community directly for travel advice.

GPS NAVIGATION 2 SATNAV BY SKOBBLER ● iPhone+ | iOS 4.3 | £1.49/$1.99 | v4.3 Designed as a cheap alternative to satnavs, this is one of the best-selling navigation app in the UK. Accuracy Driven by crowdsourced map information, Skobbler admits it performs better in urban areas, as opposed to those more remote. Interface Menu screen slightly awkward to navigate and maps are visually unappealing, but they get you where you need to go. Turn by turn directions Audio can be delivered via Bluetooth and includes audio and visual danger warnings. O ine use O ers a ‘hybrid’ system that allows you to choose between viewing maps online or downloading them. Social sharing To improve any faults you nd with maps you can report map errors to improve the service.

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NEW APPS 2013 ON iTUNES

Tangled FX (£1.49)
Artistic iPhone and
iPad users will enjoy
using Tangled FX to
create unusual images
from photographs.
The app has 16
customisable presets
for you to play with.

Traktor DJ (£13.99)
Based on its Traktor
software and hardware,
Native Instruments has
launched an iPad DJ
app that ditches virtual
decks for a stylish
waveform display
and gesture controls.

Filters! by Formatt
Hitech (£1.49)
With over 100 fi lters,
including vintage and
pop-art effects, plus
instant sharing abilities,
Filters! could be the
app to improve your
iPhone photography.

Kickstarter (Free)
Crowdfunding site
Kickstarter has
launched an iPhone
app to make it easier
getting projects off the
ground. Track projects
and help fund them
while on the move.

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six steps to making better apps (android)

1-Use open source libraries to check if the app will work on older versions of Android.      2-Send beta versions of apps to contacts to test them so that bugs can be identifi ed and fi xed. Great services to use for this are cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive.          3-Implement services into the app that assist with bug fi nding once it has been launched     
4- Study and read up on any API changes between different  versions of Android.         
5-Use community forums to distribute builds of the app for specifi c devices. The XDA Forums is a great place to start.                                   
6-   Developers can now reply to individual comments on the Google Play store. This is a great way to stay in contact with users and solve any problems.

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Best Android Apps for twitter

Twitter is a hugely popular social network, and with good reason. It manages to combine the simplicity of short tweets that are designed to transmit information in seconds, with the ability to post links to images, websites and videos for others to enjoy. This works well most of the time, but can mean much jumping between services as you check out the media that your friends have posted; YouTube for videos, various dedicated image services for photos, and the web browser for websites. After a while the Twitter experience can feel fragmented and di cult to use, but this is where Falcon Pro changes everything for the better. It includes a YouTube player that works within the app, an internal image viewer that expands the tweets to show the image below the text, and full Instapaper integration alongside an internal browser. The fact that the presentation makes the text within each tweet stand out above everything else helps even further and as such we struggled to nd fault in any area. Twitter can be a bit of a beast to tame if you are following a large number of people, but this app does everything it can to bring all of the media features under one roof and it succeeds with aplomb. Twitter will feel completely di erent within Falcon Pro, but in this case that is a very good thing.                                                      *An exceptional Twitter client
  that takes most of the social
  networking stress away.
● Android | OS 2.2 | £0.64/$0.99 | v1.6.2a

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what is field trip

There are two things that set Field Trip apart from other apps. One is that it o ers you a guide to unusual and often hidden objects or buildings around you, and the other is the presentation and the interactive way it works. The idea is that as you walk around, facts will pop up on your screen in the form of cards, and the relevant information can be spoken to you if you are wearing headphones. As you can imagine, this will be very useful and potentially educational in areas where a lot of unusual facts are on hand, and it is like having a tour guide with you all of the time to increase your knowledge of the world around you. Your location is automatically monitored as you travel, and you need do nothing but let the app do the work for you. The quality of the information supplied is also exceptionally good with hi-res photos aligned with text that is neither long-winded nor too complex for most people to understand quickly as they move around. The main concern we have with Field Trip is that the number of results that pop up can be limited in many places due to the nature of the information on o er. This is understandable at this early stage, but it does mean that user experience may be very di erent for each individual at present. A potentially top-drawer app with lots of uses, but the data on offer needs increasing to make it a fully-viable solution. ● Android | OS 2.3 | Free | v1.07

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BEST FREE APPS FOR YOUR MUSIC

  RDIO               More than 18
                             million songs to
                                 listen to, and
                                     you can get the newest
                                         releases instantly.
                                            ● iPhone+ | Free● /Android | Free    

                                         Sync with the
    SPOTIFY                           premium account
                                                     you have on your
                                                        laptop or desktop and take
                                                              all your playlists with you.
                                                               ● iPhone+ | Free ● Android                                                           
   TUNEIN RADIO                      Live radio shows
                                                         from more than
                                                            70,000 stations as
                                                                well as more than 2 million
                                                                      podcasts at your ngertips.
                                                                                                    ● iPhone+ | Free ● Android | Free

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best apps Twitter for iphone

 Developers are still working furiously to add Twitter integration to their programs,but a few choice ones are already trickling out. Here are a few of my favorites:

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application for Sports Games iphone

Sports Games
Sporting games are easy to find in the App Store, and they’re tons of fun for those who have grown fond of a particular team. No need to buy a dedicated gaming handheld just for these titles; chances are, you’ll find everything you need below.                     
* Madden NFL ($4.99)—Every year a new Madden game comes out, and every year it’s worth a purchase. This game, if nothing else, takes full advantage of the iPhone’s touch panel and graphics processor. It looks amazing and the controls are shockingly accurate. And for just $4.99, it’s markedly cheaper than the console variants.        
* Tiger Woods PGA TOUR for iPhone ($0.99)—It’s the de facto golf title in the App Store, and Electronic Arts has been improving accuracy in the controls. Bonus: it’s cheaper than a round of nine at your local club.
* NBA JAM ($0.99)—BOOMSHAKALAKA. KABOOM. HE’S ON FIRE. One of gaming’s
classics is back and better than ever on the iPhone, and if those three capitalized
remarks above didn’t convince you already, it’s definitely one of the best
basketball games around. Just don’t forget your headphones; the audio is half
the fun.
* Real Tennis (free)—Perhaps more so than any other sport, tennis is just built
for the iPhone. Swiping and swinging go hand-in-hand, and even if you’re not
the biggest fan of the sport on television, it’s a pretty exciting title to pick up
for zilch.

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application News and Viewing for iphone

WatchESPN (free; also works with iPad)—Here’s the good news: this app provides access to live streaming feeds from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPNU. Impressive, no matter how you slice it. Here’s the bad news: you need a pay-TV subscription on Bright House Networks, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, or Verizon FiOS TV. There’s no way to simply “pay” for access through the app. It’s an awful ploy to keep people locked into an arcane, outdated pay-TV ecosystem that people are peeling away from, but until à la carte programming emerges in America, we’re stuck with two options: pay up or don’t watch.

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best apps camera iphone

The camera on the iPhone has quickly become one of the most universally used. On
nearly every photo hosting/sharing site on the web, the iPhone camera makes up over
half of the posted photos. Why? It’s just so easy. Photographers have been known to say
that the best camera is the one closest to you, and beyond that, Apple has gone to great
lengths to make the camera on its latest iPhone devices laudatory.

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radio and concerts apps for iphone

* BandMate: Concert Tipster ($1.99)—Keeping up with which bands are playing
where can be a royal pain. This app notifies you when a band in your iTunes
library will be swinging by, and takes it one step further by alerting you to
nearby shows from similar artists that you might like based on what you have
on regular rotation. From within the app, you can listen to an artist’s music,
watch his or her videos, purchase tickets, share via e‑mail, Facebook, and
Twitter, and view all upcoming shows at a venue. The only negative? Currently,
it only works with major cities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia,
and Japan.
* JamBase (free)—Similar to BandMate, but this one’s free. It not only gives
you easy access to upcoming tour dates for bands you like, but it also lists all
shows in your surrounding area, sorted by date (you know, in case you just
need to see any ol’ show while on vacation).
* Pandora Radio (free; also works with iPad)—This one needs no introduction,
a fact that will simply have to serve as its introduction. It’s the app that put
streaming radio as we know it today on the map, allowing users to build their
own customized radio stations and hear music from related artists that they’d
probably never discover otherwise. You’ll find plenty of ads and limitations if
you don’t pony up a monthly fee, but some of those limitations can be removed
for as little as $3.99 per month. If you’re already a Pandora subscriber on the
web, all of your stations will show up when you’re logged in on the iPhone; if
you create stations on your tablet, they will show up elsewhere too. Thanks,
Mr. Cloud.
* Rdio (free; also works with iPad)—It’s an app that’s quite similar to Pandora
in most regards, but I tend to prefer the user interface of this one; plus, Rdio
makes it remarkably easy to share what you’re listening to on Facebook or
Twitter. It’s a social network itself, allowing users to follow friends and take
suggestions from whatever they’re listening to. If you grow tired of ads and
limitations, you can subscribe within the app for $14.99 per month. My suggestion?
Subscribe on Rdio’s website, where it costs $9.99; the in-app subscription
is presumably to make up for Apple’s cut of the deal.                                                                          * MOG (free)—This is my music-streaming app of choice, ahead of Spotify and
all the rest. The basic streaming service is free, but for $9.99 per month, I have
multi-platform access (iPhone, Mac, PC, and Android), and I can download
all of the playlists I create at home onto my mobile for offline listening elsewhere.
The Radio function enables you to pick a band you like and then hear
similar music—it’s great for discovering new artists.
* Slacker Radio (free; also works with iPad)—This one has been redesigned from
the ground up to look beautiful on the iPhone, and yes, it’s eerily similar to
Rdio and Pandora. I will say that those who prefer to put less effort into music
discovery should admire Slacker, as it has over 150 expert-programmed radio
stations alongside the ability to craft your own. Per usual, a $9.99 monthly
subscription fee unlocks the full potential. Slacker Premium Radio subscribers
can also cache stations, playlists, and albums to their device to listen without
a network connection, which is probably this guy’s biggest strength.

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Music Creation (iphone)

We currently live in a world where it’s possible to create, edit, and produce music on
one’s phone. After you’re over the shock of that realization, feel free to load your
iPhone up with these music-minded programs.

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using skype on iphone

Skype is a multifaceted communications tool. Just tap that dialpad icon along the bottom of the app, and a conventional dialpad appears (see for yourself in Figure 6-2). You’ll need to purchase Skype Credits (which can be done in your Skype account) in order to dial out to phone numbers across the globe, but if you’re looking for a great reason to drop your landline,
this just might be it.
     Calling actual phone numbers from within Skype ranges from a few cents per minute on a pay-as-you-go plan, to $4.49 per month in an all-you-can-call plan that services the United States and Canada. Skype’s full list of calling plans can be found at www.skype.com/intl/en-us/prices, and no matter how you slice it, it’s a far saner deal than a traditional landline. Pair up a Bluetooth headset with an iPhone and a Skype subscription, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t cut that cord long ago.          

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how to find your iphone

Apple ID to keep tabs on the movement of your iPhone, and if it’s ever lost or stolen, you can rather easily track it down.
 Think of it as OnStar tracking, but for your iPhone. Setting up this service didn’t used to be so simple. In a prior life, this service required a MobileMe account, a paid service that only the hardest of hardcore Apple loyalists were apt to spring for. Sensibly, Apple figured it prudent to bring this highly valuable service to all iPhone owners, completely free of charge. Enabling the service is as simple as accepting the opt-in notification for locationbased services upon iOS install, choosing to turn Find My iPhone on, and creating an iCloud account. If you skipped this process while rushing through the startup screens in iOS, simply visit Settings U+2190.svg iCloud U+21AC.svg Find My iPhone, and flip the toggle to On. I can’t emphasize this enough: please, take five seconds and enable this feature. It’s never been easier to proactively protect your investment in anything. Once active, it’s downright staggering what you can do should your iPhone become lost or stolen. For starters, you can sign into www.icloud.com on any web browser in order to see precisely where it’s at based on its GPS coordinates. If you’re near a pal with an iOS device of their own, there’s a Find My iPhone app that allows you to use their device to locate and interact with your lost device. And when I say, “interact,” I mean interact. You can force a pop-up message onto the screen of your misplaced device, encouraging anyone who finds it to drop it off at a given location or phone you at whatever number you please. The message you write is completely customizable. Moreover, you can force the alert to make an audible sound—even if you had the Mute function on when you lost it! If you’re concerned about ill-willed thieves prying into your personal information, you can remotely set a lock-screen password requirement, and if you know that it has somehow fallen into the wrong hands, you can remotely delete all of its contents (see Figure 1-5), but you won’t be able to track it if you do. Clearly, this is a last resort recommendation. If (and when) you do retrieve it, a simple restore from iCloud will bring it back to the state you left it in. Did I mention all of this was free?

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