Your fav Iphone, Android or WinMo apps? [Archive]

Jag_Warrior

29th October 2010, 17:51

Dave, I'm not sure about Sky Maps, but there is an app called GoSkyWatch. Apparently it identifies stars, planets, etc. when you point your device toward the sky. It's not free though. I'll have to do a better search for the free Google app - sounds interesting.

During the Korean GP I used the free Vodaphone McLaren app for the first time. It was decent. The Lotus Racing app is OK, but nothing special. I've heard that the Soft Pauer F1 app is killer! Steve Matchett recommended it earlier this year. Steve Jobs even said it was one of his favorite apps - I didn't even know he was into auto racing. Even if a person isn't a hardcore racing fan, it does seem really cool though. Plus with it you can replay the race on a DVR and synch the Soft Pauer app's timing, scoring, commentary and positioning to your replay... just like you're watching it live. But I got the iPod late in the season and $20 is too much to spend on an app for just a partial season.

Other than the racing and auto related apps, like Speed Channel (great app... MUCH better and faster loading than their dog slow, bloated site), my most used apps are business related: banking, brokerage, etc. What I really like is that the iOS apps tend to load pages faster and make trades and transactions faster than on my desktops or laptop. I'm not sure why, since they're all on the same WiFi network.

But I also have some "just for fun" apps too. A couple of weekends ago, I used my Dial Home Device (from the Stargate series) to step through a wormhole, where I found my gal-pal lying in bed reading. I sensed there was something odd about her, so I used my Cylon Detector on her. Confirmed! She was a Cylon!!! I suspected that she might be a Goa'uld (since her eyes began to glow red the more I messed with her) - but I can't find a Goa'uld Detector. Before she could attack me, I hit her with my Star Trek phaser (set to "stun"... if I'd set it to "kill", I'd have had a lonely weekend). It took several phaser blasts, but I finally emerged victorious! She eventually began to roll her eyes and turned on her side... and said for me to leave her alone. Cylons aren't so tough afterall! :D

I have an idea for a Goa'uld app that would utilize the iPod Touch's microphone. You'd speak into it and the app would convert your voice and replay your words so you'd sound like a Goa'uld. Kinda cool, yeah? But I don't know how to program or create anything like that. :(

race aficionado

30th October 2010, 00:17

Im looking for a good Star ID/guide Application and was thinking about getting Starwalk http://physics.weber.edu/schroeder/iPhoneStarApps/StarWalk.html Anyone on here have it... any good?

I have Puniverse.
You point your iPhone, iPod to any part of the sky and the stars, planets with their names and much more information will be on your screen - and it will move and change accordingly as you move your phone.

Very cool.
:s mokin:

J4MIE

30th October 2010, 02:48

I've been using my Dell Streak for about 4 months now and got quite a few apps but forget to use half of them!!

Just tried myRemote and it works really well - good call Dave :up:

Here are a lit of my top aps:
BBC News
WRC 2010 - saves using their terrible website, listen to rally radio during events
MapDroyd - offline map program
RAC Traffic
Skype (finally got it working today after a while trying!)
Battery Indicator
DaysUntil (widget)
Draw!
F1 Calendar FREE
myPlayer (Dell Streak doesn't have access to iPlayer!!)
Multicon (widget)
NetCounter
RockPlayer - video player
SayMyName - tells me who is calling/texting!
Sundroid (sunrise/sunset times)
Zombie, Run! (never quite got around to trying this yet)

I also have one that filters out and blocks ads and means that most ad-supported apps doesn't really affect me! :)

I am sure there are a huge number of very cool apps out there, the problem is finding them....

Zico

30th October 2010, 11:23

rah

30th October 2010, 13:30

Big fan of VLC player for iphone. Saves having to convert movies. Almost as good as the pc version.

donKey jote

30th October 2010, 15:19

Jag_Warrior

30th October 2010, 20:02

Big fan of VLC player for iphone. Saves having to convert movies. Almost as good as the pc version.

I forgot about that one! That's a seriously great app! Having to convert video files was one thing that bothered me. And after downloading a free conversion tool from Tucows and getting an extremely nasty malware/virus (Security Tool) in the process, I was about to buy some conversion software. Then I found a review about VLC on CNET. It's fantastic... and FREE!

Another app I forgot about is Thomson Reuters News Pro. If you're away from WiFi (on the Touch), all the news stories are still fully readable. Most of the other news sites seem to require a connection. But then again, there is also an app called Read It Later which allows you to read saved pages whenever. But with News Pro you don't have to remember to save anything.

And here's one that I have to mention because I've been using an HP12C calculator since the 1980's. It's difficult for me to use other calculators when doing more complex tasks (internal rates of return, discounted cash flows or calculating NPV's on bonds/mortgages) because the HP12C is an RPN calculator, so you enter things differently than with most others calcs. My old 12C is over 20 years old and still works like a champ. But I hate to carry it very far, just because I've had it for so long and it's kind of like my best (remaining) friend from the "old days". The Brock HP12C emulator is FANTASTIC! The Touch is about the same size as a 12C, and as far as I can tell, each and every 12C function works just as it should on the Touch. There is even a click sound that reminds one of the tactile feel of the 12C's buttons. You can also run a tape of your calculations and solutions, and mail the tape to yourself or someone else. I can't remember if this was free or if I paid .99 for it. But you essentially get what is still the best and most popular financial calculator ever made for almost nothing!

donKey jote

30th October 2010, 21:44

Cool. I wrote my first "programs" on a HP67. RPN was neat.
2 Enter 2 + :laugh:

race aficionado

30th October 2010, 21:50

Have you guys tried the "Red Laser" application?

I just have it because my son put it on my iPone and I tried it and it was actually very useful.

It reads bar codes from products you wish to buy and inmediately tells you what other stotes sell the same product and at what price.

I went to buy myself a small portable hard drive, I scanned it with my phone and right there learned that the same product was $15 dollars cheaper in a store just two blocks away.

Saved me some money and the app is FREE. (what a concept!)

:s mokin:

GridGirl

31st October 2010, 09:36

I've had Red Laser for over a year and it probably has saved me quite a bit of money.

In no particular order my favourite apps are;

RightMove - brilliant when I was looking to buy a new house.
Sudoku Daily - free Sudoku at various difficulty level and it was free.
Nectar - To get offers to get more nectar points. Having spent all our points 6 weeks ago we now have about £30's worth of points again.
TomTom - I only use my phone as my sat nav now. I love the google function to find places too.
Sky+ - I always remember I forgot to tape something when I'm out.

Dave B

1st November 2010, 10:04

myPlayer (Dell Streak doesn't have access to iPlayer!!)
I do have iPlayer, but I also use myPlayer as it can download radio shows as bog-standard MP3s with no DRM. I'm building up quite a nice selection of comedy from Radios 4 and 7 :)

Daniel

1st November 2010, 11:41

My favourite app will be the wake on Lan app when I get it working that is. Not the apps fault though. It's my inability to configure my router properly. Was great when I could turn Caroline's PC on over 3g with my phone.

MrJan

1st November 2010, 12:46

My most often used are Facebook, Sky Sports Soccer Centre and Road Trip Light (used for tracking your MPG and how much you're spending on fuel).

GridGirl

1st November 2010, 13:20

Daniel

1st November 2010, 13:31

Road Trip Light (used for tracking your MPG and how much you're spending on fuel).

Do you use Fuelly?

MrJan

1st November 2010, 13:42

I only just figured out how to store my favourite teams in the Sky Sports Soccer Centre app this season. Throughout last season I was going through fixetures, picking my league and then looking for my team. It was a long winded affair.

I find that going to actually see the team play will solve that problem :p : ;)

Do you use Fuelly?

Nah. I think that I tried looking for an app but couldn't find one and can't be arsed to take down the mileage, litres etc. and then put it online when I get home. Having the app means that I can input everything as I stand at the pumps :)

Currently averaging a wonderful 32.56MPG which is apparently 727 litres across 4,948 miles since mid-July. Includes a high of 35.4 and a low of 28.2 (that'd be the fault of Black Mountain Road :D )

Daniel

1st November 2010, 13:47

I find that going to actually see the team play will solve that problem :p : ;)

Nah. I think that I tried looking for an app but couldn't find one and can't be arsed to take down the mileage, litres etc. and then put it online when I get home. Having the app means that I can input everything as I stand at the pumps :)

Currently averaging a wonderful 32.56MPG which is apparently 727 litres across 4,948 miles since mid-July. Includes a high of 35.4 and a low of 28.2 (that'd be the fault of Black Mountain Road :D )
fuelly has a mobilie page m.fuelly.com :)

Easy to use, perhaps not as easy as an app. But still easy.

Here are my figures for the Fiat
http://www.fuelly.com/set-metric.gas?id=2

GridGirl

1st November 2010, 13:57

I find that going to actually see the team play will solve that problem :p : ;)

Maybe so. Sadly, knowing as much information as I do about my team it makes watching matches a tad frustrating. ;) :p

Dave B

1st November 2010, 13:59

Why do you use an app for tracking your MPG? What advantage does this give you over the car's own fuel computer?

GridGirl

1st November 2010, 14:05

Depends if you car can track your fuel consumption adequately. I can only track mine per tank if I remember to re-set it after I've filled up. I think mine automatically resets after 2000 miles when the trip computer re-sets.

Daniel

1st November 2010, 15:02

I track it on fuelly because it's more accurate than a trip computer, you can make notes, view dates and so on.

MrJan

1st November 2010, 15:05

Why do you use an app for tracking your MPG? What advantage does this give you over the car's own fuel computer?

If you can tell me how to access these figures on a '92 MR2 then I'd be delighted, in the meantime I'll carry on with the app :p :

Like Daniel says it also means that you automatically have a list of it. I can currently see every date that I've filled up since 20th July, the amount fuelled, the price per litre and what MPG I got during that tank. It also gives me something to do while I stand around filling the car :D

Mark

1st November 2010, 15:13

iSSH to do those simple admin tasks right from my phone!

fandango

1st November 2010, 15:28

If you can tell me how to access these figures on a '92 MR2 then I'd be delighted, in the meantime I'll carry on with the app :p :

Like Daniel says it also means that you automatically have a list of it. I can currently see every date that I've filled up since 20th July, the amount fuelled, the price per litre and what MPG I got during that tank. It also gives me something to do while I stand around filling the car :D

I thought you weren't supposed to use your phone in a petrol station.

MrJan

1st November 2010, 15:47

I thought you weren't supposed to use your phone in a petrol station.

Not supposed to phone out. Seem to remember seeing somewhere that it's all bollocks anyway (possibly on Mythbusters), the only chance of an explosion is if something short circuits.

Zico

1st November 2010, 23:26

Not supposed to phone out. Seem to remember seeing somewhere that it's all bollocks anyway (possibly on Mythbusters), the only chance of an explosion is if something short circuits.

Precisely.... even then the chance of an explosion is very slim, its all all to do with the AFR within an enclosed environment, it has to be within the defined parameters to result in an explosion. If you believe what you see in the movies you might think that a lit cigarete thrown into a pool of petrol would result in ignition... not so.. well certaily not in my experience of experimenting with this at work and also backed up by others....

"If you throw a lit match in a can of gasoline, the gasoline will put the match out.
If you throw a lit cigarette in a can of gasoline, the gasoline will put the cigarette out.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, SMOKING A CIGARETTE WHILE MOWING THE LAWN HAS MINIMAL RISK OF IGNITION. IN FACT THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE REACHING A TEMPERATURE HIGH ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE POSSIBLE RESIDUAL VAPORS IS MORE LIKELY THAN THE VAPORS BEING IGNITED BY THE OPERATOR'S CIGARETTE.
So you may wonder, if a cigarette cant ignite gasoline then why is it illegal to smoke at the pumps?
The answer to this is quite simple.
The environment at a gas station is specifically designed to vent gas vapors so that they don’t build up to the required fuel to air ratio. Therefore merely smoking a cigarette at a gas station is NOT dangerous.
Then why is it illegal. The answer is because though the burning cigarette may not ignite the vapors, if someone were to light the cigarette at the pump there would be an open flame from the lighter and this is enough to ignite vapors. Not only the flame but the initial spark from the lighter is actually molten metal, in most cases, flint. This spark has a higher temperature than a burning cigarette so that adds to the probability of igniting fumes. While we’re at it, lets look at a circumstance. The gasoline coming out of a pump is under pressure. Pressure creates more fumes when the pressure is released as it exits the spout of the pump. Let’s say it’s a windy day, you bend over behind your car to light your cigarette out of the wind. Now, youre applying the heat right where there is a higher concentration of fumes. The government cannot account for every circumstance so to play it safe they just made it illegal. Don’t smoke at the pump is the easy solution, regardless of the act itself really is dangerous.
So theoretically, if you want to smoke an already lit cigarette at the pump, go for it, but do not light the cigarette while you are at the pump."

http://storyofamarine.blogspot.com/2009/09/cigarettes-will-not-ignite-gas-heres.html

Daniel

2nd November 2010, 07:59

If you can tell me how to access these figures on a '92 MR2 then I'd be delighted, in the meantime I'll carry on with the app :p :

Like Daniel says it also means that you automatically have a list of it. I can currently see every date that I've filled up since 20th July, the amount fuelled, the price per litre and what MPG I got during that tank. It also gives me something to do while I stand around filling the car :D

I have every single fuel-up since we got the car back in July last year :D

GridGirl

2nd November 2010, 08:44

I used three tanks of fuel alone during the the first week of October as I use my car for both business, commuting and pleasure. I don't think I could be bothered logging my fuel consumption every month. I like spreadsheets, but not that much. :p

Sonic

2nd November 2010, 09:07

Flight ctrl! I may be a little obsessed! ;)

Mark

2nd November 2010, 09:34

I started using fuelly with the best of intentions, but eventually gave up. Refuelling twice a week is tedious enough as it is!

MrJan

2nd November 2010, 09:59

I started using fuelly with the best of intentions, but eventually gave up. Refuelling twice a week is tedious enough as it is!

That's why I like road trip, you can fiddle about with it while the car is filling and then just enter the litres as you go from pump to kiosk. I really couldn't be arsed to note down the mileage and put it on the computer when I get home, I couldn't even be bothered to log onto a mobile site.

Daniel

2nd November 2010, 10:44

Fuelly mobile keeps you logged in and is only a 6kb page anyway.

Jag_Warrior

2nd November 2010, 20:00

I just downloaded Road Trip Light. It looks very cool. Thanks for that one!

Coming out this week is a browser app called Skyfire. According to this Wired.com (very cool site, BTW) article, it allows iOS users to watch Flash based vids on their devices:

Demonstrated below, Skyfire is a web browser that automatically transcodes Flash video into HTML5 so that it can be displayed on your iDevice (instead of the blue LEGO block symbolizing a lack of Flash support).

“It adheres to every guideline put forth by Apple regarding HTML5 video playback for iOS,” the spokesman said. “Skyfire will allow consumers to play millions of Flash videos on Apple devices without the technical problems for which Jobs banned Flash.”

The app was submitted late August, and it will go live in the App Store on Thursday.

Browser App to Deliver Flash to iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/11/skyfire-ios-app/)

Mark

3rd November 2010, 08:15

Surprised Apple have allowed this! Looking forward to seeing it. Although they'll probably pull a nasty trick like not releasing it in the UK store, like they often do.

Daniel

3rd November 2010, 10:27

Typical Steve Knobs. Lets diss adobe for flash a good 5 years after it's cool to do so and then make a plugin to convert flash to html5. WinPho7 doesn't have flash support just yet, but when it does it will be proper flash support. Why am I the only one to see that this is complete bs? Even Symbian supports flash ffs!!!!!!

anthonyvop

3rd November 2010, 16:24

PdaNet totally ROCKS.

Allows you to run your laptop through your Droid or iPhone bypassing your cell provider's broadband charges. And it's faster also.

Jag_Warrior

4th November 2010, 08:30

This one sounds tempting, but I think I already have enough hobbies and gadgets collecting dust as it is. Pretty cool though... especially on an iPad.

http://cdn.iphonebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ardrone-sg.jpg

Parrot, a company known more for its Bluetooth handsfree car speakerphones, has launched a small, unmanned aircraft that can be controlled using an iPhone or another of Apple Inc.'s Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets, including the iPod Touch and the iPad. After reading about it online, I felt compelled to take the drone for a test drive because, honestly, what gadget geek wouldn't want one?

The $300 AR.Drone is a quadricopter — a helicopter with four separate propellers — made of carbon fiber and strong plastics.

Weighing less than a pound, the gadget can fly up to 11 mph, controlled from up to 150 feet away. The drone has two built-in cameras that stream video of what it sees directly to your iPhone, or another Apple device. You then control aspects of the flight by tilting the iPhone from side to side, using the gyroscope in the device. (:eek :)

Review: IPhone-Controlled Drone Fun But Expensive (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131041297)

Mark

4th November 2010, 11:40

Now that's cool!

Jag_Warrior

9th November 2010, 10:52

Now this sounds like fun! But "Made by Hasbro"??? :dozey:

Hasbro add-on promises 3D on iPhone, iPod touch (http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/10/11/08/hasbro.my3d.to.bring.3d.images.to.iphone.ipod/)
http://photos.macnn.com/news/1011/hasbromy3d-lg.jpg

Hasbro plans to show a new gadget to investors on Tuesday that will let iPhone and iPod touch owners view 3D images. According to a Monday report, the attachment will be called My3D and will let users view 3D thanks in part to special My3D apps. Some apps will need to be paid for, while others will be free. Hasbro worked with Apple on the development of the add-on.

Hasbro has teamed up with Dreamworks Animation, the Discovery network, Sony and Imax to develop content. Viewers will have access up to 20 minutes of content from movies and behind-the-scenes videos. Development is also underway for games in 3D, as well as educational apps that will let kids engage in pretend scuba diving.

The My3D will arrive in stores next spring for $30.

Mark

9th November 2010, 11:35

I'd quite like a very simple app but once which seems almost impossible to find. Just an alarm / clock application which you set to go off at a specific time, then it will sound the alarm for e.g. 30 seconds, and then stop, and not require any getting up to push the 'switch off' button and won't then keep sounding every 5 minutes etc.

Closest I've found is the 'Calendar Alarm' app which can sound for 30 seconds then stop. But it has some flaws, namely you can't set an alarm to go off at a specific time. If you wanted it to go off at 7.00am you'd have to set an event for 7.05am then the alarm for 5 minutes before! Also on recurring events you can have it Daily, Weekly etc, but there's no Monday-Friday option.

Dave B

9th November 2010, 12:12

Zico

9th November 2010, 13:59

Thanks guys, Im gonna have a lot of fun trying all these apps out. I found this really neat Irev app which when used with the Kiwi Wifi OBDII module allows you to view every engine sensor reading and log it from your cars ECU plus fault codes. It also allows datalogging G-force sensors etc etc. It will only work fully with OBDII cars ie, 96 ish onwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPho6ubtcDA&feature=related

I would buy this Wifi OBD2 reader and the IRev program if you could play downloadable engine soundtracks in sync with the Rev counter and played through the car stereo speakers via bluetooth or something.

Being able to have a V8, WRC, DTM or F1 engine soundtrack when you felt like it would make it a very popular App I'd imagine.

Someone please do it!

Daniel

9th November 2010, 17:00

The bog standard HTC clock on my Desire does that, with the added advantage of not being confused when the clocks go back :p
Yes but is it magical? :p

Daniel

9th November 2010, 17:02

This one sounds tempting, but I think I already have enough hobbies and gadgets collecting dust as it is. Pretty cool though... especially on an iPad.

http://cdn.iphonebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ardrone-sg.jpg

Review: IPhone-Controlled Drone Fun But Expensive (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131041297)
Have you been living under a rock? That's been on tech sites for months and months and months!!!!!

race aficionado

9th November 2010, 17:27

I've been checking the new TV adds that we are being bombarded with.

The advert focuses on the fact that we, the smart phone users spend too much time in our phones and this new Windows phone will make us spend less time using it.

Didn't quite understand the implied message at the beginning and even found it condescending in a way.

Now I want to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Daniel, what's the point they are trying to get through?
:s mokin:

Daniel

9th November 2010, 18:00

I'm not sure :p I think perhaps what they mean is that you get a lot of info very quickly without having to make a lot of clicks and going deep into apps

race aficionado

9th November 2010, 18:08

I'm not sure :p I think perhaps what they mean is that you get a lot of info very quickly without having to make a lot of clicks and going deep into apps

OK mr. windows know it all :p : that was disappointing. :)

this is the tV add I'm talking about - you probably get it too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak

:s mokin:

Jag_Warrior

9th November 2010, 19:20

Have you been living under a rock? That's been on tech sites for months and months and months!!!!!

Maybe so. But since I've only had an iPod Touch for weeks and weeks and weeks, I previously had no need to look up such things. I just don't read that many tech sites... maybe an occasional glance at CNET every now & again. If something flashes up on the Google News bar that relates to tech, I might click on it... or I might not. :p

Other than it having a camera for taking quick shots of work related situations, all I needed to know before I bought this device was that my bank and primary broker had apps for it. I'd say it's already paid for itself about ten times over at this point. Any other apps are just for sh##s & giggles.

Daniel

9th November 2010, 19:23

Maybe so. But since I've only had an iPod Touch for weeks and weeks and weeks, I previously had no need to look up such things. I just don't read that many tech sites... maybe an occasional glance at CNET every now & again. If something flashes up on the Google News bar that relates to tech, I might click on it... or I might not. :p

Other than it having a camera for taking quick shots of work related situations, all I needed to know before I bought this device was that my bank and primary broker had apps for it. I'd say it's already paid for itself about ten times over at this point. Any other apps are just for sh##s & giggles.
You need some new tech sites ;)

Try www.engadget.com (http://www.engadget.com) rather than the golden oldies like cnet, tomshardware and zdnet, they really are past their best by a long shot.

Jag_Warrior

9th November 2010, 19:45

OK mr. windows know it all :p : that was disappointing. :)

this is the tV add I'm talking about - you probably get it too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak

:s mokin:

I'm amazed at how many people I see at work and in public who are JUST like that!!! But contrary to what's being suggested in the Microsoft ad, it's not the phones that people are addicted to, IMO, it's the social networks, emails, etc. If Microsoft's point in this ad is you won't have to worry about getting addicted to those things with the Win 7 phone, that might not be such a great thing to advertise. That's like a car maker telling people they'll save money on gas by buying their cars... because they lack horsepower and they're no fun to drive! What an ad: "buy our phone... you'll hate using it, so you'll spend less time on it." :D

I can turn on/unlock my iPod, go to my brokerage app, sign in and make a trade in less than a minute (I've already timed it: 56 seconds TOTAL). The iPhone would be exactly the same. And I assume an Android app should also be roughly the same. If this Win 7 phone doesn't have those types of apps and I'd have to use a mini browser, similar to how I would have to execute a trade with my laptop or desktop PC, I can guarantee that I wouldn't be spending much time on it... because I'd take it back to the store and get my money back before the 30 day trial period was up.

Daniel

9th November 2010, 19:53

I'm amazed at how many people I see at work and in public who are JUST like that!!! But contrary to what's being suggested in the Microsoft ad, it's not the phones that people are addicted to, IMO, it's the social networks, emails, etc. If Microsoft's point in this ad is you won't have to worry about getting addicted to those things with the Win 7 phone, that might not be such a great thing to advertise. That's like a car maker telling people they'll save money on gas by buying their cars... because they lack horsepower and they're no fun to drive! What an ad: "buy our phone... you'll hate using it, so you'll spend less time on it." :D

I can turn on/unlock my iPod, go to my brokerage app, sign in and make a trade in less than a minute (I've already timed it: 56 seconds TOTAL). The iPhone would be exactly the same. And I assume an Android app should also be roughly the same. If this Win 7 phone doesn't have those types of apps and I'd have to use a mini browser, similar to how I would have to execute a trade with my laptop or desktop PC, I can guarantee that I wouldn't be spending much time on it... because I'd take it back to the store and get my money back before the 30 day trial period was up.
Believe me, WinPho7 works just fine with social networks ;)

Jag_Warrior

9th November 2010, 20:00

You need some new tech sites ;)

Try www.engadget.com (http://www.engadget.com) rather than the golden oldies like cnet, tomshardware and zdnet, they really are past their best by a long shot.

Looks good. I've been there before, since that's one of the sites that tends to pop up in the Google News tech section. I didn't know they had an app though... which I am downloading right now!

Daniel

9th November 2010, 20:02

OK mr. windows know it all :p : that was disappointing. :)

this is the tV add I'm talking about - you probably get it too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak

:s mokin:
Lets be honest, 99% of advertising is misleading/false and I'm not going to be a fanboi and say it's just Apple ads which are crap, Microsoft does it too!

I mean if you look at it, who doesn't want to spend less time on their phone or in fact know someone who they'd like to have spending less time on their phone. I'm spending more time on my phone (much to Caroline's annoyance) because my Samsung Omnia 7 has much more functionality and is much more useful than my old phone.

Really though, just have a look at the videos on pocketnow's youtube channel, do a search for Windows phone 7 and you'll just get videos for that http://www.youtube.com/user/pocketnowvideo#p/u/157/7JGHwaHcdKA

Jag_Warrior

9th November 2010, 20:20

Since the average, illuminating Twitter message is going to take roughly the same amount of time to write (or read) no matter what smartphone you're using, I don't really get that ad. "8 ham sandwch. Ham wuz old. Feelin sick. Might die soon." won't go any faster on a Win 7 phone than anything else, AFAIK.

I can only compare how much faster dedicated apps are than using bookmarks in web browsers. I've never used or seen a Win 7 phone. But at the end of the day, the market will decide which approach smartphone consumers like best.

race aficionado

9th November 2010, 20:22

Lets be honest, 99% of advertising is misleading/false and I'm not going to be a fanboi and say it's just Apple ads which are crap, Microsoft does it too!

I mean if you look at it, who doesn't want to spend less time on their phone or in fact know someone who they'd like to have spending less time on their phone. I'm spending more time on my phone (much to Caroline's annoyance) because my Samsung Omnia 7 has much more functionality and is much more useful than my old phone.

Really though, just have a look at the videos on pocketnow's youtube channel, do a search for Windows phone 7 and you'll just get videos for that http://www.youtube.com/user/pocketnowvideo#p/u/157/7JGHwaHcdKA

It is a fact that we do use our phones a lot.
My son (14) has it tied to his umbilical chord.
He carries it everywhere, sleeps by its side and is constantly listening to music with his earphones or his music stand, googling, YouTube, texting or talking with his girlfriend.

C'est la vie right now.

:s mokin:

Mark

10th November 2010, 08:07

It is a fact that we do use our phones a lot.
My son (14) has it tied to his umbilical chord.

14! Wow!

Yeah I dunno about using phones less. I know with my Nokia I used it as a phone and a bedside clock and did some occasional web browsing. But with my iPhone it's completely different, I'm hardly ever off it!

Mark

11th November 2010, 13:07

On the subject of SkyFire

Surprised Apple have allowed this! Looking forward to seeing it. Although they'll probably pull a nasty trick like not releasing it in the UK store, like they often do.

Which is exactly what they've done :hmph: Only available in the USA!

Daniel

11th November 2010, 15:17

Get a winpho7 phone

Mark

11th November 2010, 16:34

Yes because throwing the baby out with the bathwater is the solution to every problem.

Daniel

11th November 2010, 17:23

Yes because throwing the baby out with the bathwater is the solution to every problem.

Well if you didn't buy the wrong baby you wouldn't have had to throw it out with the bathwater (why did you put your phone in the bath anyway? :p )

Mark

11th November 2010, 17:35

To see if the indicators would turn pink.

Daniel

11th November 2010, 17:47

To see if the indicators would turn pink.
:p

Jag_Warrior

11th November 2010, 20:31

Every news site seems to come out with its own Top 10 Apps list every few weeks. But this one from the NY Times has some interesting choices.

Here's one that sounds really interesting and I'm downloading it right now.

EVERNOTE (FREE) The company advertises this as a personal digital assistant, and it’s an apt description. Evernote is a traveling notepad that synchronizes with desktop and browser software (also free). Use your iPhone to copy an image, take a photo, record a voice memo or jot down a note, and it appears on your computer (and vice versa). It also recognizes your written text, within limits. The free version stores a fair amount of information, but for $45 a year, you needn’t sweat the data limits.

Top 10 Must-Have Apps for the iPhone, and Some Runners-Up (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/technology/personaltech/11smart.html?src=busln)

Jag_Warrior

10th December 2010, 09:19

This one is a "must have" for those who enjoy music but often miss the title. I continue to be amazed by what can be done with these devices.

SoundHound
Quick – name that tune!

We've all heard a song on the radio and hoped the DJ would tell us the artist and song title, but that almost never happens.

Enter SoundHound. Simply start the app and click the big orange button. SoundHound will listen to whatever song happens to be playing and retrieve the artist/album information from the Internet.

SoundHound touts itself as the world's fastest song identifier app – often working in as little as four seconds. I can vouch for this speed.

I had been using another app for identifying music, but it was missing as much as it was identifying. After I had looked at alternatives, SoundHound was the clear choice.

There is a free version that lets users ID up to five songs per month. An unlimited version is $4.99.

I happily paid the $4.99.

Besides letting you know who's playing that cool song on the PA system at Stars games, SoundHound also finds lyrics and YouTube videos.

You can also sing or hum a song, although the success rate is lower. You can even speak an artist's name and get a ton of information back.

Mark

10th December 2010, 09:32

Shazam is the much more famous alternative. And it's free!

Daniel

10th December 2010, 12:10

Shazam is the much more famous alternative. And it's free!

Or you could just listen to the song and put the lyrics in google. Works for most songs :)

Mark

10th December 2010, 12:26

Either way; $4.99 ? Ripped!

Daniel

10th December 2010, 12:31

Either way; $4.99 ? Ripped!

Most apps are a ripoff. I paid 79p or something for my media control app and it was well worth it for those times the media centre remote falls off the bed :p I've not really bought many apps. I've bought a wake on Lan app and I think that's it.

Jag_Warrior

13th December 2010, 18:32

Tonido 1.0: Remote Access and Sharing of Home Computer Files (http://ipadmodo.com/9627/tonido-1-0-for-iphone-remote-access-and-sharing-of-home-computer-files/)

Plano, Texas – Announcing Tonido 1.0 for iPhone that CodeLathe LLC, the developer of Tonido, has launched as an exciting new product for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. This is a new application which offers users fast, easy remote access to all of the documents, music, photo and video files that are stored on their home computer. Tonido also allows files to be shared via email and photos can be uploaded from an iDevice to a computer. iPhone 3GS and 4 users are able to listen to music in the background while working with their files. The app is being offered to the public, at no charge.

With Tonido, users are able to remotely locate, browse and open many of the most popular file types that users typically have stored on their hard drive; Word, Excel, Powerpoint and PDF among them. When it comes to videos, users can freely stream them to their devices or share with others, with a simple click.

Users are able to leave their music at home with this application as well, as they can access and stream their collections via the Tonido app. iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users have a slight multitasking advantage, being able to listen to their favorite tunes in the background while doing things with their other files.

Lalo

16th December 2010, 12:42

Can't say. I have Symbian LOL (Nokia 5800 Xpress Music)

Mark

16th December 2010, 12:43

Can't say. I have Symbian LOL (Nokia 5800 Xpress Music)

You can download apps for that from the Ovi store.

Mark

16th December 2010, 12:44

Apple have finally approve Google Latitude for the iPhone.

Lalo

16th December 2010, 13:13

You can download apps for that from the Ovi store.

True! But they're impossible to compare with IPhone or Android apps. Whose are great OS! But ok, I sacrify apps for battery life.

What Android phone do you recomend? Considering both practicality and to have something that worths the money you're paying.

GridGirl

17th December 2010, 18:21

ITunes 12 days of Christmas is back. I still have and use some of the free downloads I got last year. :) Already downloaded the Kylie download you get before it starts.

Mark

17th December 2010, 18:27

Please explain?

GridGirl

17th December 2010, 18:43

Search 12 days of Christmas on iTunes. Everyday from 26th December to 6th January iTunes give a free app away for a 24 hour period. If you don't download it in the 24 hours you've missed the boat. You don't get to choose the app but you get it get it for free. There were games such as Trivial Persuit, a JLS music video, and an Alan Partridge episode to name a few from last year. Trivial Persuit was about £3 to buy at the time.

It doesn't start until Boxing Day but iTunes are giving away 3 Kylie Christmas songs when you download it this year.

Mark

17th December 2010, 19:19

Aha! Cheers!

Jag_Warrior

5th January 2011, 20:05

More of an accessory than an app, but still very cool!
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/01/05/Tivizen_2011_with_iPad_610x391.jpg

CES: Tivizen brings live TV to iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch (http://ces.cnet.com/8301-32254_1-20027347-283.html)

The Tivizen iUS-100 will be available in June for $99.
(Credit: Valups)

LAS VEGAS--Looking for a little live TV on the go for your iPad? Well, later this year, as long as you live in the right coverage area, you'll be able to get live broadcasts delivered directly to your Apple mobile device with the Tivizen iUS-100 receiver from Korea-based Valups. The Mobile DTV accessory, which also works with the iPhone and iPod Touch, is scheduled to ship in June for $99 and will have a free companion app at launch.
In case you don't know what Mobile DTV is, it's a new mobile digital broadcast standard that's designed to allow you get TV on the go--even in a moving vehicle. The free service has already been rolled out in some test markets and will expand to other regions this year. A handful of standalone mobile DTV-enabled devices are currently available (with more on the way) and certain noteboook computers, tablets, and smartphones are expected to have Mobile DTV chips embedded into them in the future--if the platform takes off.
The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) of America's broadcasters, which says it funded part of the development of the Tivizen receiver, maintains a city-by-city listing of Mobile DTV channels on the "Signal Map" tab of its Web site (http://www.OMVC.org) if you want to find out local broadcast plans for Mobile DTV in your area. Currently, OMVC says that 70 broadcasters are now transmitting Mobile DTV in the U.S.
The "direct-connect" Tivizen receiver comes with a rechargeable battery and offers 2.5 hours of Mobile DTV playback. That's not terrible, but it would obviously be one area where we'd like to see some improvement--more than 4 hours would be ideal.
Valups, which is also developing mobile TV products for other parts of the world (where different standards are in place), is also prepping a Wi-Fi version of the Tivizen, which it says will also be available later this year.

GridGirl

5th January 2011, 20:23

The ability to watch live tv has been available for some time on the iPhone at least. Although more often than not it's probably not worth watching unless you are connected to Wi-fi. When sat in the back seat of a car in traffic last month I did manage to watch Match of the Day on BBC1 via 3G with no major streaming issues. I was quite surprised how good the streaming was.

Jag_Warrior

5th January 2011, 20:36

True, but this allows iPod Touch and iPad users who don't have access to 3G to get a free DTV signal. I haven't checked yet, but I seriously doubt this service is available in my area.

Mark

6th January 2011, 08:32

Aye, but this gives you the ability to receive TV signals over the air, without using your data.

It's nothing new. The Nokia N96 has this feature built in, but as so often with Nokia it was completely useless as nobody was (as far as I'm aware they still aren't) broadcasting.

Hazell B

10th January 2011, 18:49

Can open, worms all over the place ....

I got an Iphone yesterday. Cost £160 cash (I know a dealer). Bet I never use most of it's stuff :rolleyes:
Never used the bluetooth in my car, never used the net on my last phone, will never bother even investigating half the icons on this Iphone.
:p :

Eki

10th January 2011, 19:00

GridGirl

10th January 2011, 19:02

Daniel

10th January 2011, 21:33

I think this might soon be my favourite

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/windowshomeserver/archive/2011/01/07/windows-home-server-goes-mobile-phone.aspx

Quite convenient timing as I'm building a new PC tomorrow night and my current one is being turned into a Windows Home Server :D

Only downside is that the official app only supports the yet to be released version of WHS codenamed Vail and Microsoft have removed the great feature that is drive extender

Might give this a go though :)

http://www.whsphone.com/

race aficionado

10th January 2011, 23:33

I love to use the iDon'tcare app for many of our forum threads that just brake up into bickering egos . . . . .

:s mokin:

Hazell B

11th January 2011, 16:25

Hazell, by stating the fact that you don't use the bluetooth function in your car I hope that is merely an admission that you just don't use your phone while driving. Personally, I'd rather use Bluetooth than have 3 points put on my license and a £60 fine. :)

Of course it is. There isn't a phone call possible that's more important than driving safely. Personally I'd rather not use a phone in any way at the wheel.

Jag_Warrior

12th January 2011, 20:02

Can open, worms all over the place ....

I got an Iphone yesterday. Cost cash (I know a dealer). Bet I never use most of it's stuff :rolleyes:
Never used the bluetooth in my car, never used the net on my last phone, will never bother even investigating half the icons on this Iphone.
:p :

I already have an iPod Touch. But when my 8 year old Motorola flip phone finally gives up the ghost (one of us has got to die at some point), I may go with an iPhone too (from Verizon now! :bounce :) .

The funny thing about the iPod Touch is that I waited and waited for Apple to make one with a camera. I had to have a camera! I needed that camera! And guess what feature I use the least? The camera. :dozey:

As for apps, the longer you have it, the more you will find apps and uses for it that you had no idea were even possible. I guess some of the long time iPhone and iPod people on here think that I'm a real goober, since I talk about things that they've probably known about for years. But to me, it's amazing stuff. I'm like the caveman who finally saw someone using fire to cook their food for the first time.

I even found a timber app the other day that should help me calculate the value of various trees that I'd like to sell. Who knew? Tell me, who_knew?! :s mokin:

Hazell B

13th January 2011, 16:13

I even found a timber app the other day that should help me calculate the value of various trees that I'd like to sell. Who knew? Tell me, who_knew?! :s mokin:

But did you know you needed it before you found it? Probably not.

I won't bother looking for a suitable app on mine, just carry on working stuff out in my head as always. I'm too old ........ :p :

Jag_Warrior

15th January 2011, 06:57

But did you know you needed it before you found it? Probably not.

I won't bother looking for a suitable app on mine, just carry on working stuff out in my head as always. I'm too old ........ :p :

Well yeah, I knew that I needed to find the value of various types of trees so the timber slicksters didn't cheat me too bad. It was just a question of how I could do that with an app (once I figure it out :D ) versus how I had to do it before. It all comes down to a device or an application making one more efficient. And me head... it no work so good no more.

I have no idea how old you are, Hazell. But I met a farmer just before Christmas and he was schooling me on all these crazy Android apps he had. And that guy was in his 70's. So you're never too old. :up:

Mark

15th January 2011, 10:11

It's just good having all this stuff with you all the time. Maps, GPS, web browser, email plus things you might not think of like my iPhone acts as a pretty good torch!

race aficionado

16th January 2011, 20:32

It's just good having all this stuff with you all the time. Maps, GPS, web browser, email plus things you might not think of like my iPhone acts as a pretty good torch!

Totally with you on that one Mark.
When necessary, my iPhone torch guides me to my bed every night as I try to not wake up the misses.

This technology is taken for granted by my son and I still find myself amazed for example if I am in a cab driving to an address that I'm not sure about,
I type it in my GPS and suddenly I see my cab moving across the city in real time as I gaze in wonderment at my iPhones screen.
I still find all this present age technology amazing.
:s mokin:

Hazell B

19th January 2011, 21:22

I have no idea how old you are, Hazell.

43. Happy the way I am more than too old to bother learning, really.

Anyway, just sold the iphone to somebody who wanted one and couldn't afford full price. I guess he needs it more than I do and why not pass along my good fortune at getting it cheap? I can get another probably, it's not like they are rare :)

race aficionado

30th January 2011, 23:02

I got this new FREE app- which was named by TIME magazine as one of the top ten apps of the year.

It is called AroundMe and this is what it does:

If you are an iPhone user - and probably other phones have this too - you have incorporated in it a feature called "map". Basically it is a GPS locator and it will let you look for an address or any other location and show it to you in the map as it also references your location via GPS.

It's great for locating addresses in the city but also if you are walking the city and you want to find a Citibank or a Starbucks, you have to go to the map app and type the word of what you want info on and it will proceed to show you all the Citibanks or Starbucks in the city and you will get to see which one is closest to your present location.

Now, with this new FREE app, once you launch it it gives you a menue that has all these options:
Banks/ATM, Bars, Coffee, Gas Station, Hospitals, Hotels, Movie theaters, Parking, Pharmacies, Pubs, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Taxis, Theater

And if I want a coffee for example, I press on Coffee and it will immediately name, in order of closeness measured by yards, all the coffee joints from my corner deli to the Starbucks that is 5 blocks away. I can extend my search by asking for a wider distance range and once I find which one interests me, I click on it and the GPS map appears with my location and the coffee shop that I want to go to.

Very cool app. No more typing names and fidgeting with your keyboard trying to type "Starbucks".
:s mokin:

Daniel

30th January 2011, 23:32

race aficionado

30th January 2011, 23:51

It's new for me . . . I'm glad I'm catching up then.
:)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aroundme/id290051590?mt=8

MrJan

31st January 2011, 08:27

It's new for me . . . I'm glad I'm catching up then.
:)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aroundme/id290051590?mt=8

Things like that are great if you're in a City, but if you live in the arse end of nowhere then it's less helpful. I work in a town with a population of around 15,000 and in a town that small there are very few places that show up on those maps.

Mark

31st January 2011, 08:32

Maps (or Google Maps really!) is a very useful tool and isn't limited in the way implied above. You don't necessarily need to know the name of where you want to find, you can e.g. type in "Restaurants" and it'll find ones nearby for you.

But there's a problem, basically google doesn't update it's mapping with businesses often enough. Quite a few times now I've found a business I want to go to on the maps and then gone there just to find it has since closed down! It's quite frustrating when you're in an unfamiliar city and you've found the restaurant you want to go to via the maps, checked it out via street view, looked at their website and even read through the online menu and decided what you would like to order, just to walk there in the freezing cold and find it's not there any more!

donKey jote

5th February 2011, 16:02

I'm beginning to hate Apple/itunes with a passion :dozey:

Current case in question:
One ipod touch, with music from 2 accounts (1x son, 1x daughter) on it.... itunes synchronises and copies all songs to my PC's Mediathek, so far so good (in the past it has crashed and I had to buy the music again :s ).
But: it has only left the music from one account on the device !
Any tips? What am I doing wrong?

Chances of me buying an ipad are getting slimmer and slimmer, no matter how good the apps might be :arrows: :mad:

GridGirl

5th February 2011, 17:36

I would hazzard a guess that the devise will only sync with one iTunes account. Apps on my iPhone stopped working when I sync-ed with a different iTunes account. I suppose the logic behind it is to stop you downloading and using things that other people have bought and paid for if you were to know thier user name and password. The plus point to this being I am sync-ed via iTunes to my partners account which is linked to his bank account. It will be a sad day when he gets his act together and changes iTunes payment to our joint account. I've not paid for a single app yet. :D

Jag_Warrior

5th February 2011, 18:36

Thus far, I have not purchased the first song through iTunes. And that's mainly because I don't fully understand what I'd then be able to do with the music. I mainly download from Amazon and then I have better/complete control over the songs. But I haven't really gotten into the file handling/sharing side of my beloved iPod Touch yet. Other than making a backup of the iTunes library on a standalone drive, I haven't done or learned much. I didn't even realize that you could synch one device to two accounts.

Let me ask this (and remember I don't know how this works), why not just make one account the primary, use a PC/Mac to accept & transfer music files from the secondary account, then dump the music from the second one into a folder on the primary and do the synch (just) on that one account? I have songs and photos from my girl's iPhone on my iPod and (I think) that's how we (or she) did that. But music files may be handled differently... I dunno. :confused: I just know that my iPod has a LOT of songs and pictures that came from her device. But I don't know where she got the music (iTunes or somewhere else) - or specifically how she accomplished the file moves.

My girl, her sister, her husband and their son are some Mac and iDevice loving people. I'll try to gather enough brainpower to ask your question and ask them the next time we have a group chat. Then, we'll have to hope that I can understand the answer well enough to tell you what they said. Outside of Apple customer service, I doubt better advice could be found - if one of them doesn't know the answer, "Houston, we have a problem!"

donKey jote

5th February 2011, 19:33

Cheers jag I think I got there in the end... my main gripe is that Apple is meant to be PC for dummies, but I'm sure I'd have been done 5 hours ago under Windoze :rolleyes:
I think the problem was I was logged into one of the accounts on the ipod, so it only managed the songs bought under that account correctly... after I logged out and tried again it seemed to work better. Also I was pretty low on space... the apps were using aprox. double their original size :crazy: .

Just finished: went through the library to delete all the double (and triple) song entries several times, reset/restored all the apps (yes, saved data is also gone, but at least this time I knew what was coming), just finished resynching (for the umpteenth time)...
At least I haven't lost any music this time - it's all on in the Library and in about 10 backups of backups of backups. Buying the likes of Michael Jackson and Miley Cyrus is bad enough :p

Gridgirl... I have 2 accounts (we use one for German pre-paid cards / German store and one for Spanish cards / Spanish store), on 1 device. Why that should be a problem (also why you need a separate account for each store) only Apple knows, or maybe I'm just being a donkey :)

Jag_Warrior

5th February 2011, 21:51

Cheers jag I think I got there in the end... my main gripe is that Apple is meant to be PC for dummies...

Ah! Yet another reason for me to get that MacBook Pro! :bounce:

P.S. Glad it worked out. I was glad to ask for you. But Lil Miss Thing takes (too much) joy in having to explain things to me - so I was kinda dreading asking her anything about how to handle file moves. :dozey:

Malbec

5th February 2011, 22:43

google navigator. Can't say no to a free sat-nav on your phone and is pretty good at what it does though it does use a lot of power.

BleAivano

5th February 2011, 23:05

i have a large bunch of apps that i really like.

All these are for Android but perhaps they (or some of them) also are available for other
smartphone OS. Some of them are also app versions of regular websites. All of them are free versions and most of them requires internet acess to functionally properly.

Imdb: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.imdb.mobile
Wikpedia: https://market.android.com/details?id=info.active9.wiki.pedia.android
Australian open (useful during the AO tennis torunament) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.CyrillBaur.Australianopen
ATP/WTA (tennis) https://market.android.com/details?id=atpwta.live
ESPN Score center (i use it to keep me updated on nhl, but the other major N.AM team sport leagues are also available)) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.espn.score_center
Best life quotes https://market.android.com/details?id=com.socialping.lifequotes
youtube: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.youtube
unit converter: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mathpad.mobile.android.wt.unit
urban dictionary: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.citc.ud
Auto mobile magazine news: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zumobi.android.automobile

Daniel

6th February 2011, 10:26

Ah! Yet another reason for me to get that MacBook Pro! :bounce:

Way to ignore the fact that Donkey Jote just pointed out that Mac software isn't as good as it's "PC for dummies" image would want you to believe :laugh:

Jag_Warrior

6th February 2011, 21:52

Way to ignore the fact that Donkey Jote just pointed out that Mac software isn't as good as it's "PC for dummies" image would want you to believe :laugh:

Not at all. DonKey Jote is perfectly entitled to his opinion. But I'm as comfortable with the Mac OS X as I am with Windows. And with a MacBook Pro, I can use OS X when I want to and Windows when I want to. My girl has a MacBook Pro, and that's how I've come to re-familiarize myself with the Mac OS (after being away from it for almost 20 years). Her family has a whole collection of Macs and iDevices... and I know at least their iMacs and MacBook Pros have versions of Windows loaded as secondary OS's.

It's simply a fact that Apple makes computers that have about the highest consumer and customer service ratings in the industry right now. To me, a computer is just a tool. So I'm choosing to go with the highest rated, most versatile tool/machine that I can get. I'm not interested in tweaking, tuning or cracking the top on it to jazz it up. So when the new models get announced, I'll place my order: MacBook Pro (probably 15"). And here's the kicker, depending on when I order, I could sell 8-10 shares of the AAPL stock that I bought less than two years ago and pay for the computer from the profits. :D

race aficionado

7th February 2011, 16:15

It's simply a fact that Apple makes computers that have about the highest consumer and customer service ratings in the industry right now. To me, a computer is just a tool. So I'm choosing to go with the highest rated, most versatile tool/machine that I can get. I'm not interested in tweaking, tuning or cracking the top on it to jazz it up. So when the new models get announced, I'll place my order: MacBook Pro (probably 15"). And here's the kicker, depending on when I order, I could sell 8-10 shares of the AAPL stock that I bought less than two years ago and pay for the computer from the profits. :D

Life is good Jag.
:D

:s mokin:

Mark

9th February 2011, 12:26

BBC Article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12403466
The new Nokia boss admits that Nokia is in trouble and that ""The first iPhone shipped in 2007, and we still don't have a product that is close to their experience,"".

Lets hope they can get themselves sorted and provide good products.

Edit: Full article and memo here: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/nokia-ceo-stephen-elop-rallies-troops-in-brutally-honest-burnin/

Daniel

9th February 2011, 12:30

BBC Article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12403466
The new Nokia boss admits that Nokia is in trouble and that ""The first iPhone shipped in 2007, and we still don't have a product that is close to their experience,"".

Lets hope they can get themselves sorted and provide good products.

Well the rumour is that they're going to go Win Pho 7 or less possibly, Android.

If they do that they'll be back on track.

Jag, congratulations for making some money on Apple shares, you still ignore the fact that Donkey Jote found working with Mac stuff to be MORE DIFFICULT than with windows.

Mark

9th February 2011, 12:38

The interesting point here is that they are now talking not about devices, but Ecosystems, such as those Google and Apple have created, and whether Nokia should attempt to grow its own - a point it has singularly failed at in the past. Or hitch its wagon to another - most notably Windows Mobile 7 as the CEO is an ex-Microsoft man.

Now I personally think that if Nokia and Microsoft were to join forces, they would be a powerful force in the mobile market.

Mark

9th February 2011, 12:40

Well the rumour is that they're going to go Win Pho 7 or less possibly, Android.

Yep, it seems strange for a company such as Nokia to be buying in operating systems from elsewhere, but as the CEO said, they are standing on a 'burning platform' so need to do something radical.. But if Nokia just become a hardware manufacturer for WM7 phones, what's to stop the likes of HTC just undercutting them?!

Dave B

9th February 2011, 14:18

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.tiger.gens

SEGA Megadrive emulator. Many, many wasted hours... :D

race aficionado

9th February 2011, 15:52

. . . .you still ignore the fact that Donkey Jote found working with Mac stuff to be MORE DIFFICULT than with windows.

Well, what do you expect,
he's a DonKey!
:p

:s mokin:

donKey jote

9th February 2011, 17:21

you still ignore the fact that Donkey Jote found working with Mac stuff to be MORE DIFFICULT than with windows.

as I said, maybe I'm just a bit of a donkey when it comes to Apple software :s ailor:
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

donKey jote

9th February 2011, 17:22

Well, what do you expect,
he's a DonKey!
:p

:s mokin:

:up: :laugh:

Piece dammit ! (sic) ;)

Mark

10th February 2011, 09:40

In my experience so far, iPhone = excellent. iTunes = sucks beyond beleif!

Dave B

10th February 2011, 09:56

I refuse to install iTunes on any PC in the house. If you were writing a book on how NOT to design software you'd have whole chapters on that buggy bloated POS.

Mark

10th February 2011, 10:12

I refuse to install iTunes on any PC in the house. If you were writing a book on how NOT to design software you'd have whole chapters on that buggy bloated POS.

Admittedly I think much of my problems stem from me having to use it through a virtual machine which doesn't help. But that's only because the iTunes install messes up other software on Windows!

Most of the time I can get away without using iTunes but things like transferring audio books and installing firmware I can't avoid it. I just about managed to get one audio book copied, took me about 3 hours of messing on..

donKey jote

10th February 2011, 16:45

I refuse to install iTunes on any PC in the house. If you were writing a book on how NOT to design software you'd have whole chapters on that buggy bloated POS.

yep, my main gripe is of course iTunes related. The iPod/ iPhone is cool enough :up:

donKey jote

10th February 2011, 16:57

took me about 3 hours of messing on..

Sorry to hear that but on the other hand a tad relieved to see I'm not the only donkey around here :laugh:

Daniel

10th February 2011, 21:10

In my experience so far, iPhone = excellent. iTunes = sucks beyond beleif!

My iPod was alright but the iTunes software is just moronic and craptastic. The Zune software lets me transfer stuff to and from my phone easily.

Mark

11th February 2011, 08:33

It's official - Nokia to switch to using Windows Mobile
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680

I think it's a great deal for both sides, it's going to instantly give Microsoft a massive market for it's phone OS product, as despite what some stories say, Nokia still has a very large and loyal consumer base. And of course these days it's all about the apps, and more users means more developers so better apps for everyone.

So it looks like we might finally have a three way fight on our hands, Microsoft/Nokia vs Apple vs Google.

Daniel

11th February 2011, 09:06

That's a big cup of win for both of the companies. It'll be very much a three battle now

DonJippo

11th February 2011, 11:18

It's official - Nokia to switch to using Windows Mobile
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680

I think it's a great deal for both sides,

It might be a great deal for those companies but not for those thousands of people who will be layed off as a result of this deal namely those who are involved in Symbian development. But it's all good as long as share owners are happy and will get their dividends...

Will take though close to two years before we see the real results of this deal.

Mark

11th February 2011, 11:28

Daniel

11th February 2011, 11:32

It might be a great deal for those companies but not for those thousands of people who will be layed off as a result of this deal namely those who are involved in Symbian development. But it's all good as long as share owners are happy and will get their dividends...

Will take though close to two years before we see the real results of this deal.

Definitely, I haven't really followed the whole MeeGo thing but to me I was never going to buy a Nokia phone again. My Nokia 3230 was rubbish, my N95 was decent and my e71 was a fantastic phone for email and texting but in terms of web use, applications and interface it just wasn't up there with the competition. It really pained me to buy a non-Nokia but it was just something I had to do.

The N8 looked nice, but the interface and integration with things like Facebook just didn't seem nearly as good. 1 click, a swipe to the side and another click and I'm updating my status on my Windows Phone 7 device.

DonJippo

11th February 2011, 12:05

Symbian is a dead end, and it's been that way for several years now. Unfortunately you can't keep flogging a dead horse.

Ofcourse it is and has been known for several years it's just pity others are paying the price for the decisions made by people who have had their heads up in arse for way too long... This is just a result of having a CEO of financial backround in a company supposed to be creative and innovative. Sooo many new innovations have been turned down during the last years that it is unbelievable... And most of those have been since introduced Nokia's competitors... Let's see howthe new CEO can guide company to better direction just hoping it's not too late...

Another note is that Nokia will still use both Symbian and Meego for the time being together with Windows Mobile as long as they have such products in use that are based on Symbian or Meego.

Daniel

11th February 2011, 12:17

Ofcourse it is and has been known for several years it's just pity others are paying the price for the decisions made by people who have had their heads up in arse for way too long... This is just a result of having a CEO of financial backround in a company supposed to be creative and innovative. Sooo many new innovations have been turned down during the last years that it is unbelievable... And most of those have been since introduced Nokia's competitors... Let's see howthe new CEO can guide company to better direction just hoping it's not too late...

Another note is that Nokia will still use both Symbian and Meego for the time being together with Windows Mobile as long as they have such products in use that are based on Symbian or Meego.

I think if anyone can turn things around it's Nokia. I really look forward to buying another Nokia. My Samsung is well built, but still not as good quality as my E71.

Mark

11th February 2011, 12:55

I really liked my N73 - probably one of the best phones I've owned vs the technology available at the time. Worked great with maps etc.

My N96 was good too, if a little plasticky.

The disappointment for me was the N97, now I think there were some hardware aspects which were faulty which will colour my views, but I'd bought it hoping that it would give me an iPhone like experience but with the familiarity of Nokia. But it just failed, it was dog slow, the screen didn't respond properly and was full of bugs. Websites which take under a second to load with my iPhone took over 5 minutes with the N97, if they loaded at all. And little annoyances like having to pay for a .pdf viewer whereas one is included on the iPhone.

It was a difficult decision to ditch Nokia in favour of Apple, I wasn't, and still aren't a particular fan of the company and the way it does business, but after using my iPhone 4 I was completely amazed at the difference, and I shouldn't have been!

Jag_Warrior

11th February 2011, 21:11

Jag, congratulations for making some money on Apple shares, you still ignore the fact that Donkey Jote found working with Mac stuff to be MORE DIFFICULT than with windows.

If I'm not mistaken, donKey Jote is working with Windows, just as I am. Unless I misread his post, he doesn't have a Mac. His complaint was about iTunes specifically, not Apple or Mac software in general. This is the first time I've worked with iTunes. And while I don't find it to be the most user friendly software I've ever used, I have worked with software that is MUCH more difficult to master than iTunes. Spend an afternoon on AutoCAD, MasterCAM or TeleChart and see how intuitive you think those monsters are. I'm still trying to figure out how to import some TeleChart 2000 files into TeleChart 2011. But that's a software issue, not an OS issue. I just accept that some software has a steeper learning curve than others. If I don't like it, I have to search out other solutions, applications or platforms. I just had to reboot a Windows machine WHILE I was working on something! That is an example of an OS issue that I plan on getting away from as soon as possible. In the future, I'll only use Windows when I have to (as a secondary OS on the Mac). A hundred times bitten... twice shy.

As far as iTunes is concerned, personally, I'd prefer a simple copy and paste approach. I don't care for the Genius feature (and I shut it off), as that apparently allows outsiders to see inside "your world". That's the very reason that I do not have a Facebook account or log-in to most Google services.

Had I not bought the iPod Touch, the one device that's coming out that I might have considered is the Samsung Galaxy Player (iPod Touch clone). I have no idea how Android FroYo(?) works, but I hear the U/I isn't bad and it will apparently have access to the Android app store (although I read that Google didn't want it to at first). The only problem with it is... I don't think it's going to be available outside of South Korea for quite some time. But it got pretty good reviews at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas recently. If competitively priced, that's the one device that could potentially challenge the iPod Touch.

Daniel

11th February 2011, 21:48

If I'm not mistaken, donKey Jote is working with Windows, just as I am. Unless I misread his post, he doesn't have a Mac. His complaint was about iTunes specifically, not Apple or Mac software in general.

Yes, but who made that software? Apple! Apple who are the supposed masters of everything! People have been critical of iTunes for as long as I can remember, I got my iPod for Christmas 2004 and people were complaining about it then!!!!!!

I think you're slightly paranoid regarding Facebook or Google. Don't want people to know certain information? Then just don't put it on the internet.

My profile on Facebook has my name as Daniel vn and it has my date of birth and that's it. Not much people can do with a name that is obviously incomplete and a date of birth :) My date of birth is only visible to my "friends" on facebook anyway so the most information 99.99999999% of people who look at my profile will see is Daniel vn and a picture of a new Lancia Stratos. I do laugh at people whose profiles are public for all to see and contain a mountain of information though :laugh:

Jag_Warrior

11th February 2011, 22:24

[quote=Daniel]Yes, but who made that software? Apple! Apple who are the supposed masters of everything! People have been critical of iTunes for as long as I can remember, I got my iPod for Christmas 2004 and people were complaining about it then!!!!!!

If someone truly believes that Apple is incapable of making wonky software then they are simply unrealistic in their expectations. People have been complaining about Windows since 3.0 - and how long ago has that been? About 20 years? But people still bought it. Once other market players begin producing software/hardware platforms that consumers would rather have (instead of iOS/iTunes), then either Apple will modify iTunes or they will lose share. That's the wonderful thing about the free market: consumers have choices. And IMO, the more choices the better. Just as Apple's iOS made the competition work harder, Android is now making Apple work harder. If there had been a stronger competitor to Windows years ago, I feel that the OS market would be much more advanced than it is now.

I thought that Windows NT was pretty good (was very stable compared to 95 and 98). And I was OK with XP Pro. I (luckily) skipped ME, but Microsoft lost me forever with Vista, and Win7 just isn't enough to get me back. And since I'd have to "learn" Win7 anyway, my choice is to migrate to Mac OS X and use XP Pro as a secondary. Now that Apple's Mac line has Intel processors, I'm no longer restricted to just one OS on a computer. Heck, maybe I'll get real jiggy and learn Linux and use it too. The MacBook Pro line offers me all those options. :)

I think you're slightly paranoid regarding Facebook or Google. Don't want people to know certain information? Then just don't put it on the internet.

Possibly I am. But I am able to use the services I need without (willingly) giving Google, or any of the others, ANY personal data. That doesn't mean that they can't and won't "data mine", but there's nothing I can really do about that. My girl got a surprise when she learned that her FaceBook pics had locations embedded. I told her she better not ever cheat on me or lie about where she's been, because from her posted photos I can track her like a hound tracks a rabbit! :eek:

My profile on Facebook has my name as Daniel vn and it has my date of birth and that's it. Not much people can do with a name that is obviously incomplete and a date of birth :) My date of birth is only visible to my "friends" on facebook anyway so the most information 99.99999999% of people who look at my profile will see is Daniel vn and a picture of a new Lancia Stratos. I do laugh at people whose profiles are public for all to see and contain a mountain of information though :laugh: [/quote:1xw8dkw0]

I guess I've just never caught the social networking bug. Posting on message boards is about as close as I want to get to social networking. I probably will join LinkedIn this year though. I can see a real (economic) benefit to being on there.

Daniel

11th February 2011, 23:22

If someone truly believes that Apple is incapable of making wonky software then they are simply unrealistic in their expectations. People have been complaining about Windows since 3.0 - and how long ago has that been? About 20 years? But people still bought it. Once other market players begin producing software/hardware platforms that consumers would rather have (instead of iOS/iTunes), then either Apple will modify iTunes or they will lose share. That's the wonderful thing about the free market: consumers have choices. And IMO, the more choices the better. Just as Apple's iOS made the competition work harder, Android is now making Apple work harder. If there had been a stronger competitor to Windows years ago, I feel that the OS market would be much more advanced than it is now.

I thought that Windows NT was pretty good (was very stable compared to 95 and 98). And I was OK with XP Pro. I (luckily) skipped ME, but Microsoft lost me forever with Vista, and Win7 just isn't enough to get me back. And since I'd have to "learn" Win7 anyway, my choice is to migrate to Mac OS X and use XP Pro as a secondary. Now that Apple's Mac line has Intel processors, I'm no longer restricted to just one OS on a computer. Heck, maybe I'll get real jiggy and learn Linux and use it too. The MacBook Pro line offers me all those options. :)

Possibly I am. But I am able to use the services I need without (willingly) giving Google, or any of the others, ANY personal data. That doesn't mean that they can't and won't "data mine", but there's nothing I can really do about that. My girl got a surprise when she learned that her FaceBook pics had locations embedded. I told her she better not ever cheat on me or lie about where she's been, because from her posted photos I can track her like a hound tracks a rabbit! :eek:

My phone does that too. Slightly annoying but you can strip location data off fairly easy :)

My point about Apple is that they're so caught up in the hype that they and others build up for them that they're unable to see things objectively. At their product launches the cultists cheer on as Steve trots something out which has already been done years ago but which is presented as groundbreaking or when he presents a product which is merely a rehash of one of their current products but with x feature added which other products from other manufacturers have been doing for years, but for some reason the Apple product is "magical" and the other products ordinary :mark:

Then there's their dishonest side like the slander campaign against Vista. Vista wasn't perfect I'll admit, but Apple latched onto the early critisms of Vista and consumer confidence in what was a much better OS than XP went straight down the toilet. Admittedly it could have been better but it was nowhere near as bad as it was painted. Then there's the iPhone 4 antenna issues which were talked about for weeks and weeks on the net with no official line from Apple other than Steve saying "You're holding it wrong" and then there was the press conference -> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/live-from-apples-iphone-4-press-conference/ which was a complete cop out. First they began the conference with this rather lame song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKIcaejkpD4 which includes the rather silly line "in terms of daily useage I've yet to drop a call so this whole damn thing is stupid". That was pretty pathetic really when there were plenty of people reporting dropped calls and youtube footage made by clever people with signal testing equipment which showed the signal dropping out. Fair enough the issue only seemed to affect a smallish group of people but to respond in the way they did (saying "we're not perfect and phones are not perfect") was petty and silly. They went on to say how other phones have the same problem (they don't!!!!!) and then when challenged in the Q&A part of the press conference offered an answer which wasn't really satisfactory....

I don't expect everything to be fault free but it's nice when a manufacturer takes responsibility and even better when a manufacturer comes out and admits that there's a fault with their product like Intel have done with the Cougar Point chipset for their new Sandy Bridge processors. They've not come out and offered a bandaid fix which is what the offer of a bumper or 3rd party case was with the iPhone 4, they've come out and said "Oh crap! There's a problem with our product, this is what's wrong, here are the technical details, here's what to do in the meantime to avoid the fault affecting you and here's when you can expect your product to be replaced". It's that sort of corporate honesty that makes me respect companies like Intel and makes me consider buying their products again.

Inexplicably Apple seem to be able to act in ways which should really alienate their users but a good proportion of their users keep coming back for more.

Jag_Warrior

11th February 2011, 23:56

I don't think Intel had any choice but to admit there was a problem. As far as I know, there is still a debate about what the problem was concerning the iPhone 4. And Jobs/Apple DID take heat for that press conference and the way he responded. Most recognize that it was a rare PR stumble for the company. But the bottom line is, people were given the opportunity to return their phones and get their money back or get a free bumper. As far as I know, the basic design was not changed and the phone is still selling in record numbers. In fact, I read yesterday that the Verizon version doesn't experience the issue in the way that it was experienced on AT&T. But anyway, I don't know what the problem was. I only know that people had the option to get their money back if they wanted to. Most did not do that. In fact, the retention rate for iPhones is higher than for any other brand, the last I read.

One thing I think you have to remember is, Apple is not just a successful technology company. It is also a successful marketing company. And successfully managing PR is part of that. So yes, Apple does (actively) cultivate a certain image. Is BMW really "the ultimate driving machine"? Really? ;) I think I posted it here a year or so ago. But Apple was one of the top ranked consumer brands in the world - and I'm sure it still is. So yeah, in addition to wanting (mostly) well engineered products, people are also willing to pay a premium for certain brands. That's also true of Rolex, Porsche and Gucci (other premium brands that ranked high in the piece that I linked).

Jag_Warrior

24th February 2011, 20:37

Worth a repost, IMO. This one is hella fun!

This one is a "must have" for those who enjoy music but often miss the title. I continue to be amazed by what can be done with these devices.

SoundHound
Quick – name that tune!

We've all heard a song on the radio and hoped the DJ would tell us the artist and song title, but that almost never happens.

Enter SoundHound. Simply start the app and click the big orange button. SoundHound will listen to whatever song happens to be playing and retrieve the artist/album information from the Internet.

SoundHound touts itself as the world's fastest song identifier app – often working in as little as four seconds. I can vouch for this speed.

I had been using another app for identifying music, but it was missing as much as it was identifying. After I had looked at alternatives, SoundHound was the clear choice.

There is a free version that lets users ID up to five songs per month. An unlimited version is $4.99.

I happily paid the $4.99.

Besides letting you know who's playing that cool song on the PA system at Stars games, SoundHound also finds lyrics and YouTube videos.

You can also sing or hum a song, although the success rate is lower. You can even speak an artist's name and get a ton of information back.

While sitting in the parking lot yesterday, I used this app several times. And I've found myself often using it while watching TV, and a snippet of a song plays during a scene and I don't know what it is. It's great! Now I know the name of the theme song to Luther. And the app also pulled up YouTube links for various versions and remixes of that song (Paradise Circus by Massive Attack). :up:

GridGirl

25th February 2011, 10:13

Anyone download the Windows 7 update and got an unstable phone in return? It's now been withdrawn.

Mark

25th February 2011, 10:16

You would think they would get that stuff sorted. Phone firmware being updated and then bricking them goes back a decade or more.

Daniel

25th February 2011, 10:34

You would think they would get that stuff sorted. Phone firmware being updated and then bricking them goes back a decade or more.

They're (mostly) not bricked :) It's been blown very much out of proportion, the vast majority of phones have taken the update just fine and the small percentage that have had issues, have required a hard reboot or in some very isolated cases, yes they have been bricked.

Not like Apple's ever bricked iPhones or anything is it? http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=iphones+bricked&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=nw&fp=1d1123905e79d67a

I updated my phone, followed the instructions and it worked fine and I've got a Samsung Omnia 7 which was the model which was meant to be affected :p

Mark

25th February 2011, 10:37

Apple haven't bricked my iPhone, but only because iTunes failed me way before the OS upgrade even got started :crazy:

GridGirl

25th February 2011, 10:56

They're (mostly) not bricked :) It's been blown very much out of proportion, the vast majority of phones have taken the update just fine and the small percentage that have had issues, have required a hard reboot or in some very isolated cases, yes they have been bricked.

Not like Apple's ever bricked iPhones or anything is it? http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=iphones+bricked&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=nw&fp=1d1123905e79d67a

I updated my phone, followed the instructions and it worked fine and I've got a Samsung Omnia 7 which was the model which was meant to be affected :p

Maybe I'm wrong but if this had been an Apple problem there would have been a page full of posts worth of Apple bashing. :p

Daniel

25th February 2011, 11:08

Not really, Microsoft people don't claim that Microsoft is perfect unlike Steve

Mark

25th February 2011, 11:31

Not really, Microsoft people don't claim that Microsoft is perfect unlike Steve Balmer

I've corrected your post.

Daniel

25th February 2011, 11:47

I've corrected your post.

OMFG!!!!! That's disrespectful to me! Change it back NOW! :angryfire :p

Daniel

25th February 2011, 11:59

Have to say I'm not particularly impressed with stuff like this.....

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/25/microsoft-research-teases-windows-phones-controlling-surfaces-an/

Mark

25th February 2011, 12:07

Contactless transfer has been around for ages, it's called Bluetooth.

Daniel

25th February 2011, 12:15

Contactless transfer has been around for ages, it's called Bluetooth.

Of course, obviously they're talking more about gesture control of another system, basically using the phone as a gesture remote control.

Jag_Warrior

23rd July 2011, 20:27

Here's a fun and useful free app for those who own dogs: Dog Whistle (free version). It allows three customizable settings, in case you have multiple dogs - you can vary the frequency and pattern, plus it has a sound meter on screen. What it basically does is generate a whistling sound that only dogs can hear, and as I found out, they WILL respond to it. To set it up, you just wait for the dog to lay down or take a nap, then you find the setting combination that makes him perk up his ears. And that's it! I have a dog that tends to wander, and especially if there's a thunder storm coming, he'll just run in odd directions in fear. Even at a distance of 50+ feet (depending on which way the wind is blowing), using this app makes him snap out of it and return to me.

Another good one is the new HBO Go app. If you're an HBO subscriber, you can use this app to watch HBO shows from seasons past and present: Game of Thrones, Entourage, Rome, The Wire, The Sopranos, etc. If you're not an HBO subscriber, then I guess something like iTunes or Netflix would be a better deal. I don't use either of those to watch TV or movies right now, so I don't know how they compare.

Jag_Warrior

23rd July 2011, 20:29

ioan

24th July 2011, 12:38

Not really, Microsoft people don't claim that Microsoft is perfect unlike Steve Balmer
I've corrected your post.

Ironically what you came up with is nonsensical.

ioan

24th July 2011, 12:40

Looks like I am not the only one having problems with double posts.

Any apps for our forum to avoid this?! :p

Jag_Warrior

25th July 2011, 20:48

Seems to be getting me when I use the Quick Reply option. The screen freezes for awhile and if I click away too soon, I get a double post! Annoying!!!

ioan

25th July 2011, 22:48

Seems to be getting me when I use the Quick Reply option. The screen freezes for awhile and if I click away too soon, I get a double post! Annoying!!!

Same here. Freezes for a while and then comes up with an error message about waiting another x seconds due to forum policies not allowing messages at intervals shorter then 30 seconds. If I click on Post it will be a double post, if I cancel there is one post as it should be.
Very annoying.
Here we go again!

Dave B

26th July 2011, 08:59

Then there's their dishonest side like the slander campaign against Vista. Vista wasn't perfect I'll admit, but Apple latched onto the early critisms of Vista and consumer confidence in what was a much better OS than XP went straight down the toilet.

Don't worry: from feedback I've been hearing Lion is very much Apple's Vista moment, a minor upgrade which seems to have more problems than benefits. Still, at least they've got a few standard Windows features now like hibernation and fullscreen apps :p

intheway

26th July 2011, 09:48

Don't worry: from feedback I've been hearing Lion is very much Apple's Vista moment, a minor upgrade which seems to have more problems than benefits. Still, at least they've got a few standard Windows features now like hibernation and fullscreen apps :p

Vista, a MINOR upgrade?!?

Anyway, my first impressions of Lion have also been fairly bad, and I've tended to try to make it feel like Snow Leopard again wherever possible. Probably just because I'm afraid of change though.

Just switching between fullscreen apps seems to hog the processor though, or maybe it's the graphics core, and gets the fans running on my MacBook pro... very annoying.

Dave B

26th July 2011, 10:06

I meant that Lion is a minor upgrade, I wasn't clear enough. Us Windows users call them "Service Packs".

Daniel

26th July 2011, 11:12

I meant that Lion is a minor upgrade, I wasn't clear enough. Us Windows users call them "Service Packs".

Not really. We Windows people don't have to pay for our service packs now do we Dave? :p

27th July 2011, 20:27

Iphone is my favorite. Iphone is most attractive and fully featured cellphones it is easily available in the local markets. Iphone gives easy internet browsing activations.

Jag_Warrior

11th August 2011, 10:41

Here's another interesting, fun app for historical types: Streetmuseum Londinium. It directs users to locations around Roman London. As you stand in modern day London, the app gives details about your location as it would have been in ancient Londinium. Key locations include the amphitheater and the Temple Mithras, as well as a map of ancient Londinium superimposed on a map of modern London.

Right now probably wouldn't be the best time to be wandering around London, with an iPhone in one hand and a soft drink in the other, searching for ancient locations. But just browsing through this app really makes me want to visit London some day.

These kinds of apps should be great for history buffs and school kids.

Mark

11th August 2011, 11:22

Indeed. That kind of self guided tour is great. I've had experience of that type of thing at some English Heritage sites

steve_spackman

14th August 2011, 00:58

iRally app is amazing. More in depth than the WRC app.
MSNBC Best news app on the market i think
GAS BUDDY Lets me find cheapest fuel in my current location
Car Buzz Best auto news app on the market
Pandora Great music app
The Week Great round up of the weeks news

Just a few of the 46 apps i have on my iOS

Jag_Warrior

20th August 2011, 23:43

So I guess we won't be discussing any WebOS apps. :( Real shame too. Years ago (2003 or so) I was something of an admirer of the Palm Treo. I never cared for the overhyped Blackberry, and even refused to carry one mandated by a former company. But I liked the Treo - even though I never owned one. I was really hoping that HP would let what was left of the Palm team do what they used to do well: create good, solid, innovative software without all the huff & puff. But upon learning that the Palm team was basically no more, I guess this was inevitable.

HP finally just realized what IBM realized years ago: without a higher margin business to compliment it, the WinTel PC business is a sunset business at worst, and a commodity business at best. With margins of roughly 5%, I guess HP decided to cut its losses and go charging into the night. Unless Dell gets its mobile strategy right, I figure they'll be next. They've been in a tail spin since the late 90's so it wouldn't surprise me.