Featured Articles
All Stories

Thursday 13 September 2012


Top Ten Smartphones of 2012, Features,videos

Being humans, it is hard to deny that we have the inclination to be fixated on all things shiny and new. This is why with regards to technology, we always keep our eyes fixed on the next major gadgets that are set to release. It couldn't have been more true when it comes to the subject of smartphones. Undoubtedly, the smartphone industry is one of the many sectors that generate massive amount of buzz year after year. So what are the most lust-worthy handsets that are slated for release this year? Well check out our list of Top 10 Smartphones of 2012.
Top 10 Smartphones of 2012




SAMSUNG GALAXY BEAM



Perhaps one of the most notable features of Galaxy Beam is its built-in projector, a trend which is certainly catching on in the mobile industry. In addition to the built-in nHD (640 x 360) projector. This bad boy features Dual Core Cortex A9 1GHz processor and 768MB of RAM. As with most Samsung smartphones nowadays, the Beam should have no problem handling standard video codecs and it even supports FLAC for audio. It comes pre-packaged with Gingerbread but it is possible that it can upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.

Galaxy Beam First Hands on Video



Samsung Galaxy Beam Features:

  • 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen (480x800 resolution)
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and hotspot
  • GPS with A-GPS Support
  • 5MP front camera capable of 720p recording
  • 8GB internal memory and expandable up to 32GB


NOKIA PUREVIEW 808

Now shutterbugs everywhere would want to keep Nokia Pureview 808 in their radars because this device features an impressive 41MP AF camera. That is right, a 41 megapixel camera! Thanks to the inclusion of Carl Zeiss optics, it is fair to expect that we'll get some stunning images off this device. The not-so-hot thing about Pureview 808 is that it runs on Belle OS, which we all know isn't doing well as of late.

Nokia 808 PureView Hands On Video



Nokia Pureview 808 Features:

  • 41MP camera capable of 1080p recording
  • 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen (360x640 resolution)
  • GPS with A-GPS Support
  • Support for 3G, EDGE and WiFi
  • FM Radio
  • HDMI out



LG OPTIMUS 4X HD P880


Korean company LG is also bringing out their big guns this year and certainly one of their frontrunners is the Optimus 4X HD P880. It has a fairly sizable 4.7 inches screen which is capable of 720x1280 pixel resolution. But perhaps the most exciting feature of this handset is the fact that it uses Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chipset and a quad core processor clocking in at 1.5GHz. In addition to that, it comes loaded with ICS as well. This is a pretty hardcore handset which has all the necessary trimmings of a great smartphone.


LG Optimus 4X HD P880 Features:

  • 4.7-inch HD-IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
  • 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels (Geo-tagging, face and smile detection, touch focus, image stabilization)
  • Nvidia Tegra 3 Chipset
  • Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A9
  • 16GB internal memory and expandable up to 32GB
  • MHL (Mobile HD link)
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and hotspot


SONY XPERIA P (LT22I)


If you are a fan of Sony's Experia line, then the Xperia P should definitely be on your wish list for this year. This Sony-branded device boasts a 4.0 inch screen with 275.4 pixel density and capable of displaying 960x540 pixels. It has a very decent 8MP back camera with a secondary 1.3MP front facing one. It will come installed with Gingerbread but there are plans for it to be upgradeable to ICS. It is coming soon at around May.


Sony Xperia P (LT22i) Features:

  • 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen (540x960 resolution)
  • 8MP Camera, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Dual-core 1 GHz CPU
  • Scratch-resistant glass
  • Talktime: Up to 6h (2G) / Up to 5h (3G)
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and hotspot


BLACKBERRY LONDON

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN RESEARCH IN MOTION DOMINATED THE MOBILE INDUSTRY WITH ITS BLACKBERRY LINE OF DEVICES. BUT NOW, IT SEEMS THAT TIME IS NOW ON A DISTANT PAST. BUT RIM IS FAR FROM GIVING UP AND THEY HAVE IN THE HORIZON A DEVICE THAT IS SAID TO BE THEIR BIGGEST BET IN THE SMARTPHONE RACE, THE BLACKBERRY LONDON. THIS UPCOMING DEVICE IS LABELED AS A "SUPERPHONE" AND IT WILL RUN ON RIM'S UPCOMING BLACKBERRY 10 OS. COULD THIS BE THE COMPANY'S SAVING GRACE? OR WILL IT BE THE CANADIAN COMPANY'S SWAN SONG?

BlackBerry London Specs (Rumored):

  • 1.5GHz TI OMAP dual core processor
  • 8MP rear facing camera, 2MP front
  • 1GB MB RAM
  • 16GB internal memory



SONY XPERIA ION

SONY XPERIA ION IS THE FIRST EVER SONY BRANDED PHONE, WHICH IMPLIES THAT IT WON'T HAVE THE ERICSSON BRANDING. WHAT MAKES THIS DEVICE INTERESTING IS THAT IT IS THE FIRST EVER DUAL CORE XPERIA PHONE (1.5GHZ DUAL-CORE SNAPDRAGON). WITH ITS 4.55-INCH HD DISPLAY, 16GB INTERNAL MEMORY AND 12MP CAMERA WITH EXMOR R SENSOR, IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS DEVICE IS NO PUSHOVER. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST SONY PHONE THAT WILL SUPPORT LTE CONNECTIVITY. XPERIA FANS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A HIGH-END SOLUTION SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THIS ONE.



Sony Xperia Ion Features:

  • 4.6-inch touch display with Bravia Engine
  • 12.1MP Sony Exmor R CMOS lens with 3D sweep panorama and 1080p video recording
  • Android OS v2.3 (Gingerbread), planned upgrade to ICS
  • GPS with A-GPS Support
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and LTE
  • Talktime: Up to 10h (2G) / Up to 4 h (3G)


NOKIA LUMIA 900

Now here's something from the Windows Phone 7 camp. After the relatively decent success of Windows powered smartphones including the Lumia 800 and Lumia 710, Nokia is set to unleash the Lumia 900. Aside from the fact that it will run on Windows Phone 7, it also features a sleek unibody design and a gorgeous 4.3-inch AMOLED screen. It is safe to assume that this Nokia entry is bound to move a good deal of units.


Nokia Lumia 900 Features:

  • 4.3-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (480x800 touchscreen)
  • 16GB internal memory, 512 MB RAM
  • 8MP Camera (3264x2448), Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, dual-LED flash
  • 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor
  • Support for 3G, EDGE and WiFi


HTC ONE X

As they have no plans to be left in the dust in this year's smartphone race, Taiwanese company HTC is also poised to release a high-end smartphone this upcoming May. Much like the 4X HD by LG, the One X is also equipped with an Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset along with a 1.5GHz Quad Core CPU. Another major selling point of the One X is that it includes the Beats Audio technology which will ensure studio quality audio at all times. No matter how you look at it, it is a cutting-edge handset.


HTC One X Features:

  • 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 capacitive HD touchscreen (720x1280 resolution)
  • Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich with latest HTC Sense 4.0
  • Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset
  • 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPU
  • 8MP autofocus camera with LED flash
  • MHL TV-out (requires MHL-to-HDMI adapter)
  • Beats audio enhancements
  • 32GB internal memory


SAMSUNG I9300 GALAXY S III

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SAMSUNG'S GALAXY S II WAS A WORLDWIDE SUCCESS AND THE KOREAN COMPANY LOOKS TO CAPITALIZE ON ITS MOMENTUM BY RELEASING A FOLLOW-UP, THE GALAXY S III. FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, THE GALAXY S III IS POISED TO OUTCLASS ITS PREDECESSOR IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY WAY. IT WILL FEATURE A BEASTLY 1.4GHZ QUAD CORE EXYNOS 4 QUAD PROCESSOR, A 4.6-INCH SUPER AMOLED PLUS HD DISPLAY AND A 12MP CAMERA. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WILL COME OUT OF THE BOX WITH ANDROID 4.0 ICE CREAM SANDWICH OS AND NFC CONNECTIVITY. EXPECTED ETA IS THIS MAY.


Top Ten Smartphones of 2012


Top Ten Smartphones of 2012, Features,videos

Being humans, it is hard to deny that we have the inclination to be fixated on all things shiny and new. This is why with regards to technology, we always keep our eyes fixed on the next major gadgets that are set to release. It couldn't have been more true when it comes to the subject of smartphones. Undoubtedly, the smartphone industry is one of the many sectors that generate massive amount of buzz year after year. So what are the most lust-worthy handsets that are slated for release this year? Well check out our list of Top 10 Smartphones of 2012.
Top 10 Smartphones of 2012




SAMSUNG GALAXY BEAM



Perhaps one of the most notable features of Galaxy Beam is its built-in projector, a trend which is certainly catching on in the mobile industry. In addition to the built-in nHD (640 x 360) projector. This bad boy features Dual Core Cortex A9 1GHz processor and 768MB of RAM. As with most Samsung smartphones nowadays, the Beam should have no problem handling standard video codecs and it even supports FLAC for audio. It comes pre-packaged with Gingerbread but it is possible that it can upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.

Galaxy Beam First Hands on Video



Samsung Galaxy Beam Features:

  • 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen (480x800 resolution)
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and hotspot
  • GPS with A-GPS Support
  • 5MP front camera capable of 720p recording
  • 8GB internal memory and expandable up to 32GB


NOKIA PUREVIEW 808

Now shutterbugs everywhere would want to keep Nokia Pureview 808 in their radars because this device features an impressive 41MP AF camera. That is right, a 41 megapixel camera! Thanks to the inclusion of Carl Zeiss optics, it is fair to expect that we'll get some stunning images off this device. The not-so-hot thing about Pureview 808 is that it runs on Belle OS, which we all know isn't doing well as of late.

Nokia 808 PureView Hands On Video



Nokia Pureview 808 Features:

  • 41MP camera capable of 1080p recording
  • 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen (360x640 resolution)
  • GPS with A-GPS Support
  • Support for 3G, EDGE and WiFi
  • FM Radio
  • HDMI out



LG OPTIMUS 4X HD P880


Korean company LG is also bringing out their big guns this year and certainly one of their frontrunners is the Optimus 4X HD P880. It has a fairly sizable 4.7 inches screen which is capable of 720x1280 pixel resolution. But perhaps the most exciting feature of this handset is the fact that it uses Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chipset and a quad core processor clocking in at 1.5GHz. In addition to that, it comes loaded with ICS as well. This is a pretty hardcore handset which has all the necessary trimmings of a great smartphone.


LG Optimus 4X HD P880 Features:

  • 4.7-inch HD-IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
  • 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels (Geo-tagging, face and smile detection, touch focus, image stabilization)
  • Nvidia Tegra 3 Chipset
  • Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A9
  • 16GB internal memory and expandable up to 32GB
  • MHL (Mobile HD link)
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and hotspot


SONY XPERIA P (LT22I)


If you are a fan of Sony's Experia line, then the Xperia P should definitely be on your wish list for this year. This Sony-branded device boasts a 4.0 inch screen with 275.4 pixel density and capable of displaying 960x540 pixels. It has a very decent 8MP back camera with a secondary 1.3MP front facing one. It will come installed with Gingerbread but there are plans for it to be upgradeable to ICS. It is coming soon at around May.


Sony Xperia P (LT22i) Features:

  • 4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen (540x960 resolution)
  • 8MP Camera, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Dual-core 1 GHz CPU
  • Scratch-resistant glass
  • Talktime: Up to 6h (2G) / Up to 5h (3G)
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and hotspot


BLACKBERRY LONDON

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN RESEARCH IN MOTION DOMINATED THE MOBILE INDUSTRY WITH ITS BLACKBERRY LINE OF DEVICES. BUT NOW, IT SEEMS THAT TIME IS NOW ON A DISTANT PAST. BUT RIM IS FAR FROM GIVING UP AND THEY HAVE IN THE HORIZON A DEVICE THAT IS SAID TO BE THEIR BIGGEST BET IN THE SMARTPHONE RACE, THE BLACKBERRY LONDON. THIS UPCOMING DEVICE IS LABELED AS A "SUPERPHONE" AND IT WILL RUN ON RIM'S UPCOMING BLACKBERRY 10 OS. COULD THIS BE THE COMPANY'S SAVING GRACE? OR WILL IT BE THE CANADIAN COMPANY'S SWAN SONG?

BlackBerry London Specs (Rumored):

  • 1.5GHz TI OMAP dual core processor
  • 8MP rear facing camera, 2MP front
  • 1GB MB RAM
  • 16GB internal memory



SONY XPERIA ION

SONY XPERIA ION IS THE FIRST EVER SONY BRANDED PHONE, WHICH IMPLIES THAT IT WON'T HAVE THE ERICSSON BRANDING. WHAT MAKES THIS DEVICE INTERESTING IS THAT IT IS THE FIRST EVER DUAL CORE XPERIA PHONE (1.5GHZ DUAL-CORE SNAPDRAGON). WITH ITS 4.55-INCH HD DISPLAY, 16GB INTERNAL MEMORY AND 12MP CAMERA WITH EXMOR R SENSOR, IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS DEVICE IS NO PUSHOVER. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST SONY PHONE THAT WILL SUPPORT LTE CONNECTIVITY. XPERIA FANS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A HIGH-END SOLUTION SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THIS ONE.



Sony Xperia Ion Features:

  • 4.6-inch touch display with Bravia Engine
  • 12.1MP Sony Exmor R CMOS lens with 3D sweep panorama and 1080p video recording
  • Android OS v2.3 (Gingerbread), planned upgrade to ICS
  • GPS with A-GPS Support
  • Support for 3G, EDGE, WiFi and LTE
  • Talktime: Up to 10h (2G) / Up to 4 h (3G)


NOKIA LUMIA 900

Now here's something from the Windows Phone 7 camp. After the relatively decent success of Windows powered smartphones including the Lumia 800 and Lumia 710, Nokia is set to unleash the Lumia 900. Aside from the fact that it will run on Windows Phone 7, it also features a sleek unibody design and a gorgeous 4.3-inch AMOLED screen. It is safe to assume that this Nokia entry is bound to move a good deal of units.


Nokia Lumia 900 Features:

  • 4.3-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (480x800 touchscreen)
  • 16GB internal memory, 512 MB RAM
  • 8MP Camera (3264x2448), Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, dual-LED flash
  • 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor
  • Support for 3G, EDGE and WiFi


HTC ONE X

As they have no plans to be left in the dust in this year's smartphone race, Taiwanese company HTC is also poised to release a high-end smartphone this upcoming May. Much like the 4X HD by LG, the One X is also equipped with an Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset along with a 1.5GHz Quad Core CPU. Another major selling point of the One X is that it includes the Beats Audio technology which will ensure studio quality audio at all times. No matter how you look at it, it is a cutting-edge handset.


HTC One X Features:

  • 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 capacitive HD touchscreen (720x1280 resolution)
  • Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich with latest HTC Sense 4.0
  • Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset
  • 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPU
  • 8MP autofocus camera with LED flash
  • MHL TV-out (requires MHL-to-HDMI adapter)
  • Beats audio enhancements
  • 32GB internal memory


SAMSUNG I9300 GALAXY S III

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SAMSUNG'S GALAXY S II WAS A WORLDWIDE SUCCESS AND THE KOREAN COMPANY LOOKS TO CAPITALIZE ON ITS MOMENTUM BY RELEASING A FOLLOW-UP, THE GALAXY S III. FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, THE GALAXY S III IS POISED TO OUTCLASS ITS PREDECESSOR IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY WAY. IT WILL FEATURE A BEASTLY 1.4GHZ QUAD CORE EXYNOS 4 QUAD PROCESSOR, A 4.6-INCH SUPER AMOLED PLUS HD DISPLAY AND A 12MP CAMERA. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WILL COME OUT OF THE BOX WITH ANDROID 4.0 ICE CREAM SANDWICH OS AND NFC CONNECTIVITY. EXPECTED ETA IS THIS MAY.


Posted at 02:18 |  by ArticleBrothers.com



1The Avengers
+5This movie is the greatest superhero movie of all time. It is perfect in everyway possible. The characters work brilliantly together, its very clever, its perfect.
+2What a miracle of a film. Only Joss Whedon could get everything right. There was action, excellent performances, character development, but most of all, a story. See it if you have not yet.
+1This might be the best movie of 2012. I saw it 3X in theaters. I wouldn't mind seeing in again & and again. So much better than the dark night
More comments about The Avengers


2The Hunger Games
I've wanted to see this series made into a movie ever since I read the books. I think the movies did a really good job of portraying the books, there were a few things that the movie producers may have chosen to left out but it was a really good movie.
This movie is so good but peeta looks mental. And their was not too much gore which is good. I think it is intense acting and really should be voted for. I would reccomend it. However the last hunger games book, falls way behind the others and the movie.


3Contraband
-5Puraii.. Choda khailam deikhkha... Aotow putki mara mari.. Arey khangi magii.. Tora dehi.. Vodaar vitrey.. Voira dili... Choda kha choda


4The Dark Knight Rises
This movie is just amzing that it made me want to cry if no one was there and it made me so happy at the end. It is a must watch movie. Batman is the best!
Awesome movie of 21st century. Never seen this type of movie ever. Just hats off to you batman. Legend never dies always alive in our hearts. Action, Drama, emotions, etc. All the feelings are showed beautifully in dis movie. The Dark Knight Rises is the Best movie of 2012. Batman You are a true superhero. No one can be like you.


5The Grey


6Wrath of the Titans


721 Jump Street
Its so funny, if you want to watch it for free and without loving in go to letmewatchthis. Ch


8Haywire


9Battleship

10Safe

Top 10 Movies to Watch in 2012




1The Avengers
+5This movie is the greatest superhero movie of all time. It is perfect in everyway possible. The characters work brilliantly together, its very clever, its perfect.
+2What a miracle of a film. Only Joss Whedon could get everything right. There was action, excellent performances, character development, but most of all, a story. See it if you have not yet.
+1This might be the best movie of 2012. I saw it 3X in theaters. I wouldn't mind seeing in again & and again. So much better than the dark night
More comments about The Avengers


2The Hunger Games
I've wanted to see this series made into a movie ever since I read the books. I think the movies did a really good job of portraying the books, there were a few things that the movie producers may have chosen to left out but it was a really good movie.
This movie is so good but peeta looks mental. And their was not too much gore which is good. I think it is intense acting and really should be voted for. I would reccomend it. However the last hunger games book, falls way behind the others and the movie.


3Contraband
-5Puraii.. Choda khailam deikhkha... Aotow putki mara mari.. Arey khangi magii.. Tora dehi.. Vodaar vitrey.. Voira dili... Choda kha choda


4The Dark Knight Rises
This movie is just amzing that it made me want to cry if no one was there and it made me so happy at the end. It is a must watch movie. Batman is the best!
Awesome movie of 21st century. Never seen this type of movie ever. Just hats off to you batman. Legend never dies always alive in our hearts. Action, Drama, emotions, etc. All the feelings are showed beautifully in dis movie. The Dark Knight Rises is the Best movie of 2012. Batman You are a true superhero. No one can be like you.


5The Grey


6Wrath of the Titans


721 Jump Street
Its so funny, if you want to watch it for free and without loving in go to letmewatchthis. Ch


8Haywire


9Battleship

10Safe

Posted at 02:13 |  by ArticleBrothers.com

Saturday 8 September 2012


We’re in the habit of reviewing hundreds of new apps here at MakeUseOf, and though most of us probably have pages and pages of random apps on our iPhones, how many of those can we honestly say we use on a regular basis – like at least once a week? Once I took a cold hard look at my home screen, I narrowed it down to the following 10.
I’m not including built-in system functions like Mail, Safari, camera, iBooks, and Google Maps – although those are all daily use apps for me. Though if you want to be pedantic, add those to the list and call it my top 15 then.
In no particular order whatsoever…

Byline [iTunes link - $1.99]

Although Reeder is my RSS reader of choice for my iPad and Mac, I prefer the speed and simplicity of Byline for my iPhone. I don’t need an elaborately designed experience with masses of functionality – just a way to drill through the 300+ stories a day that come in from my feeds (link) and mark some off for further reading. Byline syncs well with Google, and provides a basic and speedy interface, as well as caching images when I’m not looking.
top free iphone apps

BBC News [iTunes link]

I must admit, having a free, non-biased news source makes me proud to be British. The BBC News app not only provides a simple breakdown on various customisable categories of news (so you can hide the pointless entertainment “news” for instance), but also allows users to watch around-the-clock video streams from the BBC News TV channel on Wi-fi or 3G data connections.
free iphone apps

Sleep Cycle [iTunes link]

I was using this as my main alarm clock, but it doesn’t work so well with our new foam mattress. Still, I thought it was worth mentioning. After learning the characteristics of your sleep movements and cycles, this app will continually monitor your sleep and wake you up at some point during a set window of time when you’re in the lightest sleep cycle – thereby avoiding that groggy feeling and instant need to hit the snooze button for another 10 minutes.
As I said, it’s not going to work with very stiff mattresses like foam, but for the most part this app really does work, and 90% of the time it will wake you up feeling fresh and ready.
free iphone apps

Find My iPhone [iTunes link]

Armed with my wife’s iCloud login data, I use this to see if she’s on the way home from work, and if not, I send a barrage of non-silencable messages reminding her that she technically finished 30 minutes ago.
Before you accuse me of being something horrible, know that mostly I use it to see when she’s getting close to the house so I can go and greet her with a big welcome home hug.Awww. I also described in a previous post how we used it to trace her phone when it was stolen.
free iphone apps

BoardGame Companion [iTunes link]

Despite development having been seemingly abandoned on this app, I still use it regularly to calculate scores in Agricola games, and for that single purpose it works beautifully. For those of you who don’t know, Agricola is a board game in which you try to build the most varied and efficient farm, and as fun as it is, counting your score can be tiring.
best iphone apps

Amazon [iTunes link]

Perfect for when I’m out and about and see something I want – a quick price check using the barcode scanner tells me if it’s cheaper on Amazon, and I can save it to my basket right there with a single click. Great for the money saving tactic I described before of leaving it in your basket for a month before you’re allowed to buy it.
best iphone apps

eBay [iTunes link]

I do try to follow the “buy nothing new” movement, and for that eBay is a lifeline. The iPhone app gives me on-the-go mobile notifications for auctions I’m planning on sniping at the last minute, all with a nice mobile-optimised interface. It also makes selling a breeze.
best iphone apps

Ticket To Ride Pocket [iTunes link]

A perfectly executed board game to iPhone conversion from Days of Wonder, with local multiplayer to other iDevices and vs AI modes. A great little diversion when my wife and I are travelling.

Trillian [iTunes link]

I recently switched my desktop messaging client from Adium to Trillian, a free IM client which integrates pretty much every kind of messaging platform you could hope for – including Facebook. The iPhone version is also the most reliable way I’ve found to get all sorts of IM messages on the go – previously I’d used BeeJiveGT and other iOS clients, but found there was a short delay in receiving messages.
I’m pleased with Trillian so far, and it means I never miss a message from either of my awesome bosses.

Tumblr [iTunes link]

I maintain a Tumblr blog as a single-purpose photolog which I then import as a widget to mySelf Sufficiency blog. The Tumblr app is fast, easy, and works with minimal fuss. Simple, effective – I love it.
top free iphone apps
Those are my top 10, but how about you? Care to share a few absolute essentials that you use on a daily basis? Are you an obsessive app downloader but never actually use them? Let us know in the comments.
Don’t forget to check our full Best of iPhone Apps and Best of iPad Apps pages too for loads more hand picked app recommendations.

Top iPhone Applications for 2012-2013


We’re in the habit of reviewing hundreds of new apps here at MakeUseOf, and though most of us probably have pages and pages of random apps on our iPhones, how many of those can we honestly say we use on a regular basis – like at least once a week? Once I took a cold hard look at my home screen, I narrowed it down to the following 10.
I’m not including built-in system functions like Mail, Safari, camera, iBooks, and Google Maps – although those are all daily use apps for me. Though if you want to be pedantic, add those to the list and call it my top 15 then.
In no particular order whatsoever…

Byline [iTunes link - $1.99]

Although Reeder is my RSS reader of choice for my iPad and Mac, I prefer the speed and simplicity of Byline for my iPhone. I don’t need an elaborately designed experience with masses of functionality – just a way to drill through the 300+ stories a day that come in from my feeds (link) and mark some off for further reading. Byline syncs well with Google, and provides a basic and speedy interface, as well as caching images when I’m not looking.
top free iphone apps

BBC News [iTunes link]

I must admit, having a free, non-biased news source makes me proud to be British. The BBC News app not only provides a simple breakdown on various customisable categories of news (so you can hide the pointless entertainment “news” for instance), but also allows users to watch around-the-clock video streams from the BBC News TV channel on Wi-fi or 3G data connections.
free iphone apps

Sleep Cycle [iTunes link]

I was using this as my main alarm clock, but it doesn’t work so well with our new foam mattress. Still, I thought it was worth mentioning. After learning the characteristics of your sleep movements and cycles, this app will continually monitor your sleep and wake you up at some point during a set window of time when you’re in the lightest sleep cycle – thereby avoiding that groggy feeling and instant need to hit the snooze button for another 10 minutes.
As I said, it’s not going to work with very stiff mattresses like foam, but for the most part this app really does work, and 90% of the time it will wake you up feeling fresh and ready.
free iphone apps

Find My iPhone [iTunes link]

Armed with my wife’s iCloud login data, I use this to see if she’s on the way home from work, and if not, I send a barrage of non-silencable messages reminding her that she technically finished 30 minutes ago.
Before you accuse me of being something horrible, know that mostly I use it to see when she’s getting close to the house so I can go and greet her with a big welcome home hug.Awww. I also described in a previous post how we used it to trace her phone when it was stolen.
free iphone apps

BoardGame Companion [iTunes link]

Despite development having been seemingly abandoned on this app, I still use it regularly to calculate scores in Agricola games, and for that single purpose it works beautifully. For those of you who don’t know, Agricola is a board game in which you try to build the most varied and efficient farm, and as fun as it is, counting your score can be tiring.
best iphone apps

Amazon [iTunes link]

Perfect for when I’m out and about and see something I want – a quick price check using the barcode scanner tells me if it’s cheaper on Amazon, and I can save it to my basket right there with a single click. Great for the money saving tactic I described before of leaving it in your basket for a month before you’re allowed to buy it.
best iphone apps

eBay [iTunes link]

I do try to follow the “buy nothing new” movement, and for that eBay is a lifeline. The iPhone app gives me on-the-go mobile notifications for auctions I’m planning on sniping at the last minute, all with a nice mobile-optimised interface. It also makes selling a breeze.
best iphone apps

Ticket To Ride Pocket [iTunes link]

A perfectly executed board game to iPhone conversion from Days of Wonder, with local multiplayer to other iDevices and vs AI modes. A great little diversion when my wife and I are travelling.

Trillian [iTunes link]

I recently switched my desktop messaging client from Adium to Trillian, a free IM client which integrates pretty much every kind of messaging platform you could hope for – including Facebook. The iPhone version is also the most reliable way I’ve found to get all sorts of IM messages on the go – previously I’d used BeeJiveGT and other iOS clients, but found there was a short delay in receiving messages.
I’m pleased with Trillian so far, and it means I never miss a message from either of my awesome bosses.

Tumblr [iTunes link]

I maintain a Tumblr blog as a single-purpose photolog which I then import as a widget to mySelf Sufficiency blog. The Tumblr app is fast, easy, and works with minimal fuss. Simple, effective – I love it.
top free iphone apps
Those are my top 10, but how about you? Care to share a few absolute essentials that you use on a daily basis? Are you an obsessive app downloader but never actually use them? Let us know in the comments.
Don’t forget to check our full Best of iPhone Apps and Best of iPad Apps pages too for loads more hand picked app recommendations.

Posted at 07:16 |  by ArticleBrothers.com

mass-effect-ice
Every week we cover Android gaming on Wednesday, followed by Top 10 app updates on Friday. Now every Monday (or Tuesday) we will look back and see which ones were the most crowd-pleasing among our audience. Read on for the 10 most popular Android apps from your peers.

1. Solid Explorer

Solid Explorer won week 5 of #thenextinstall, so it’s no surprise to see it at take home the number one spot. It might not be the most full featured file manager, but it is easily the best looking that we have seen on Android. Solid Explorer is still in beta, so look for the developer to add more features over the coming months.

2. Mass Effect Infiltrator

Electronic Arts launched Mass Effect Infiltrator last week and it was well received among our audience as the top game. We don’t normally see games place this high in our Top 10 lists, but Mass Effect really deserves this spot. The game will cost you $6.99 and it requires a high-end device, but it is one of the best looking shooters to ever hit Android. I’ve been playing the game since it came out and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun shooter.

3. GTasks: To Do List

If Google ever releases a native Android app for their Tasks service, it would probably look a lot like GTasks. There are tons of to-do managers for Android, but few have the simplicity and Ice Cream Sandwich stylings of GTasks. If you are looking for a to do list app that synchronizes with your Gmail account, give it a try.

4. 100 Floors

If games are really popular on iOS, they tend to perform pretty well on Android. The game 100 Floors was finally ported to Android last week, and it has already racked up over 100,000 installs and maintained an average review score of 4.2. The title is free to play, so grab it if you like puzzle games.

5. Death Racing

Games continue to dominate this Top 10 list, and Death Racing by Feeling Touch debuted at the 5th spot. This title is also free to play and it generated over 500,000 installs since its release and averaged reviews at 4.3. The graphics are pretty ordinary compared to some other racers, but it has the twitch gameplay that is easy to pick up and play for mobile gamers.

6. Uniqlo

Featured in our most recent edition of #thenextinstall, Uniqlo claims to be an innovative new social alarm app that aims to make waking up every day an enjoyable experience. The app sounds really interesting, but it has received mix reviews so far and has an average score of 3.6. Most of the complaints are coming from certain countries or devices that have some serious problems, but the rest of the reviews are positive and we think the app still has potential to improve.
The music is written by Grammy nominee Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada) and Yoko Kanno, who is active in songwriting across a wide range of genres including video games and anime (COWBOY BEBOP, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Macross), so we still think it’s worth checking out.

7. Go Backup

Any of the apps from the GO Launcher team are pretty popular, and GO Backup continues that trend. This free app allows users to easily backup their contacts, messages, and apps, plus it features a clean look that we enjoy.

8. Metal Sniffer

Metal Sniffer is an app that uses a devices magnetometer to find magnetic fields and detect metals or magnets. The free app is still in beta, but the early users say it works pretty well and have rated the app with a 4.3 average review score.

9. Pair

Pair is a new messaging app designed just for couples. The service allows two users to post video messages and photos that no one else will see. The app is new and might not be as well polished as Path, but it has some unique features like  chat, sharing sketches, sharing to-do lists, and sharing location. There is even a weird thing called ThumbKiss, a feature that let’s you see where your partner is touching their screen so you can touch the same spot and make both phones vibrate simultaneously. If you have a significant other, this app might be worth a try.

10. Grand Theft Auto III

Rounding out the Top 10 is Grand Theft Auto III. Rockstar Games put the title on sale this Memorial Day weekend for $0.99 and lots of people took advantage of the limited offer. The price is now back to the regular $4.99, but it’s still worth it if you love the GTA series

Top 10 most popular Android apps from last week


mass-effect-ice
Every week we cover Android gaming on Wednesday, followed by Top 10 app updates on Friday. Now every Monday (or Tuesday) we will look back and see which ones were the most crowd-pleasing among our audience. Read on for the 10 most popular Android apps from your peers.

1. Solid Explorer

Solid Explorer won week 5 of #thenextinstall, so it’s no surprise to see it at take home the number one spot. It might not be the most full featured file manager, but it is easily the best looking that we have seen on Android. Solid Explorer is still in beta, so look for the developer to add more features over the coming months.

2. Mass Effect Infiltrator

Electronic Arts launched Mass Effect Infiltrator last week and it was well received among our audience as the top game. We don’t normally see games place this high in our Top 10 lists, but Mass Effect really deserves this spot. The game will cost you $6.99 and it requires a high-end device, but it is one of the best looking shooters to ever hit Android. I’ve been playing the game since it came out and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun shooter.

3. GTasks: To Do List

If Google ever releases a native Android app for their Tasks service, it would probably look a lot like GTasks. There are tons of to-do managers for Android, but few have the simplicity and Ice Cream Sandwich stylings of GTasks. If you are looking for a to do list app that synchronizes with your Gmail account, give it a try.

4. 100 Floors

If games are really popular on iOS, they tend to perform pretty well on Android. The game 100 Floors was finally ported to Android last week, and it has already racked up over 100,000 installs and maintained an average review score of 4.2. The title is free to play, so grab it if you like puzzle games.

5. Death Racing

Games continue to dominate this Top 10 list, and Death Racing by Feeling Touch debuted at the 5th spot. This title is also free to play and it generated over 500,000 installs since its release and averaged reviews at 4.3. The graphics are pretty ordinary compared to some other racers, but it has the twitch gameplay that is easy to pick up and play for mobile gamers.

6. Uniqlo

Featured in our most recent edition of #thenextinstall, Uniqlo claims to be an innovative new social alarm app that aims to make waking up every day an enjoyable experience. The app sounds really interesting, but it has received mix reviews so far and has an average score of 3.6. Most of the complaints are coming from certain countries or devices that have some serious problems, but the rest of the reviews are positive and we think the app still has potential to improve.
The music is written by Grammy nominee Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada) and Yoko Kanno, who is active in songwriting across a wide range of genres including video games and anime (COWBOY BEBOP, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Macross), so we still think it’s worth checking out.

7. Go Backup

Any of the apps from the GO Launcher team are pretty popular, and GO Backup continues that trend. This free app allows users to easily backup their contacts, messages, and apps, plus it features a clean look that we enjoy.

8. Metal Sniffer

Metal Sniffer is an app that uses a devices magnetometer to find magnetic fields and detect metals or magnets. The free app is still in beta, but the early users say it works pretty well and have rated the app with a 4.3 average review score.

9. Pair

Pair is a new messaging app designed just for couples. The service allows two users to post video messages and photos that no one else will see. The app is new and might not be as well polished as Path, but it has some unique features like  chat, sharing sketches, sharing to-do lists, and sharing location. There is even a weird thing called ThumbKiss, a feature that let’s you see where your partner is touching their screen so you can touch the same spot and make both phones vibrate simultaneously. If you have a significant other, this app might be worth a try.

10. Grand Theft Auto III

Rounding out the Top 10 is Grand Theft Auto III. Rockstar Games put the title on sale this Memorial Day weekend for $0.99 and lots of people took advantage of the limited offer. The price is now back to the regular $4.99, but it’s still worth it if you love the GTA series

Posted at 07:14 |  by ArticleBrothers.com
© 2013 Latest Top Ten. WP Theme-junkie converted by BloggerTheme9
Blogger templates. Proudly Powered by Blogger.
back to top