Tuesday 17 June 2014

Telegram 1.5.4 - app

Telegram is an instant messaging app with a focus on speed and security and a good alternative to WhatsApp. Telegram supports group chats with up to 100 contacts, puts a strong emphasis on security and provides generous multimedia support.

High level of privacy and security

One of Telegram's main focus is security and privacy compared to WhatsApp. For example, Telegram features something called "Secret Chats" - an encrypted chat connection that self-destructs messages similar to SnapChat and prevents others intercepting them. In fact, security is one of the things that started attracting users to Telegram in the first place and now that WhatsApp has been bought by Facebook, this looks set to increase. The developers also claim that they do not sell or share user data with third-parties, there is no in-app advertising and yet it's completely free to use.

Send up to 1GB of video

Telegram also features a good level of multimedia support with up to 100 people and allows sharing of videos up to 1GB although you may find uploading and downloading quite slow. You can send batches of photos rather than just one at a time and you can store pretty much as many images as you want because Telegram allows unlimited online storage. However, you can't send audio files with Telegram or images in certain formats.

Note that like WhatsApp, Telegram is strictly a messaging app - there's no voice or video calling as yet.

An excellent secure alternative to WhatsApp

If you want an instant messaging client that offers more security than WhatsApp, Telegram is a very interesting alternative.


Download Telegram 1.5.4

Hike 3.0.0 - app

Hike is messaging app for Android that lets you chat for free with any other user of the service. Hike is very similar to applications such as s WhatsApp or LINE.

What does Hike do?

Hike allows you save the cost of sending SMS by exchanging free messages with anyone else who has the app installed, regardless of what smartphone platform they are using. Hike can even send SMS messages for free to someone, though this service only works in India at present.

Besides just chatting via instant messaging, you can attach images, video, audio and voice messages to your chats with Hike. There's also an option for sharing your location with the person you're chatting too. Hike includes a group chatting feature too.

Hike includes a wide selection of fun emoticons that you can add to your chats, which are grouped into three different types of character. There's something for everyone in there.

How easy is Hike to use?

The setup process for Hike is very similar to that of WhatsApp or Viber. You need to enter your phone number and you'll be sent an activation code via SMS. Enter this into the field provided and you're away.

You can easily view all your friends on Hike by tapping the contacts button. This will pull up a list of people from your phone contacts book who have Hike, as well as allowing you to invite friends who don't yet have the app.

Is Hike better than WhatsApp?

Ultimately, Hike is very similar to WhatsApp. It shares almost all of the same features, though I would say WhatsApp is a bit more polished. Although the user interface of Hike looks great, it doesn't have the customization options of WhatsApp, which allows you to change the background image of the chat window. WhatsApp has a more varied range of emoticons, too.

In our tests of Hike 1.7.1 on a Galaxy Nexus S, we had problems with the activation process, which the developer said was not working due to "high demand". Eventually we managed to register and test the app. In general it runs very well, but we experienced a couple of crashes.

Hike is a fast and easy way to chat for free with your buddies on your phone. Whether you choose Hike over WhatsApp, LINE, Viber and the rest will depend ultimately on which service most of your friends are using.


Download Hike 3.0.0

GO Keyboard Light Theme 1.0 - app

GO Keyboard Light Theme is a skin for GO Keyboard that gives your text input interface a light, etherial look.

The theme will transform your GO Keyboard virtual keyboard, adding a mystical pink, orange and blue background behind the keys. The white keys are clear to view, and the size can be altered through GO Keyboard's themes settings.

To install the GO Keyboard Light Theme you need to download and launch the app then choose to purchase through Google Play, or get it free with Getjar Gold.


Download GO Keyboard Light Theme 1.0

Monday 16 June 2014

MX Player 1.7.28 - app


MX Player is a powerful multi-format video player for Android devices. The biggest strength of MX Player is that it can play a wide variety of formats. MX Player also claims to be the first Android video player to support multi-core decoding and that it's 70% faster than single-core devices. MX Player has standard controls. You can zoom in and out by pinching and swiping across the screen but interestingly, you can control the scrolling speed of subtitles which is useful for small screens. In fact, MX Player supports one of the widest range of subtitle formats you'll find including .SSA, .SMI and .SUB formats.


Download MX Player 1.7.28

1Password 4.0.0 - app

Having trouble remembering all your web site login details? 1Password is a secure password manager for Android that helps you create and store passwords for all the sites and accounts you use.

What 1Password does

1Password is already an established and trusted solution for Windows and Mac, and this Android version replicates a lot of the functionality, within a slick and simple user interface.

Essentially, 1Password is a secure repository for passwords and other important information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, and passport numbers. These details are encrypted and stored within the app, which is locked with a master password.

Once you've stored a username and password for a site you can use 1Password to open and log into the service with a simple tap. Sure, 1Password uses its own, very limited, web browser for this, but it's a very quick way to open and sign into a site. If you want to stick with your existing Android browser, you just need to tap on the password, then hit an icon to copy the details to the clipboard.

1Password also comes with a secure password generator that lets you upgrade the strength of passwords in a snip.

Other noteworthy features of 1Password include programmable auto-locking of the app, and a Dropbox sync feature so you can synchronize your passwords between the Android, desktop and iOS versions of the application.

Well-organized interface

1Password makes it very easy to manage your collection of passwords. Each password is assigned a category (logins, identity, credit card, membership card, etc.). This helps to keep the interface neatly organized and uncluttered and allows you to find stuff quicker. You can also search within categories.

You can add passwords to your favorites so you can have even quicker access to your regularly-used logins, and there are folders for organizing groups of passwods, too.

A neat way to store passwords

1Password is an excellent solution for keeping your passwords together under lock and key.


Download 1Password 4.0.0

My Talking Tom 1.7.3.0 - app

My Talking Tom is a virtual pet game featuring the star of Talking Tom Cat and Talking Tom Cat 2. You need to keep Tom happy by feeding him, petting him, taking him to the bathroom, putting him to sleep, and playing games with him.

More interactive than ever

My Talking Tom retains the same basic functions as the Talking Tom Cat app, but takes things a bit further, giving you much more to do, and casting you more in the role of carer.

You can still do all the basic things you could in Talking Tom Cat and other Outfit 7 talking animal games, namely getting Tom to repeat what you say in a high-pitched voice and interacting with him by touching him in different ways. But the format of My Talking Tom now feels more like the virtual pet game, Pou. There's more to do with your feline friend, such as playing mini games, customizing his appearance, choosing food, and decorating Tom's house to your choosing.

One old feature that's missing from My Talking Tom is the ability to record a video of Tom, like you could in previous versions of the game. This is something I enjoyed and it's a shame it hasn't been included.

Getting new stuff in My Talking Tom requires game coins, which are earned as you go, or can be purchased. There's a leveling-up system where you can rank up by spending time with your cat and making sure his needs are met. As you level up you'll unlock new items and objects from the store.

There are mini games in My Talking Tom, such as whack-a-mole, which give you the chance to win coins, as well as satisfy Tom's entertainment needs.

How to play My Talking Tom

Just like in Pou (and tamagotchis for that matter), your pet in My Talking Tom has certain 'needs' that must be met. These are represented by round meters at the bottom of the screen that slowly deplete and must be filled up again by performing a particular action. The principle is simple to grasp and when you first play my Talking Tom the concepts are well demonstrated to you.

The four needs meters are: entertainment (refilled by petting Talking Tom or playing mini games), food (refilled by dropping food into his mouth) , bladder (refilled by taking him to the toilet) and tiredness (refilled by putting Tom to bed and turning out the light). To perform any of these actions you just need to tap the corresponding meter icon.

How's he looking?

The graphics and overall presentation in My Talking Tom haven't evolved much since Talking Tom Cat 2. The feline largely still looks the same (though you can customize him more) and his squeaky voice is identical. Also, it appears that Tom is the only character that pops up in the game (for example, there's no sign of his girlfriend Talking Angela, or of his nuisance neighbour, Talking Ben the Dog).

What's new in version 1.6.1.0?

Finally, the ability to record video of Tom's antics has been added in the latest update to My Talking Tom. You can share the finished video on social networks or messaging, too. There's also a gallery where you can watch videos captured of Tom.

There's also a new connect the dots mini game, and 10 new levels have been added to My Talking Tom, taking the total up to 100.

The verdict

If you're a fan of Talking Tom Cat or Pou, you'll enjoy My Talking Tom, as it blends the best elements of the two. However, some may find the process of constantly giving attention to the cat a little tedious and repetitive.


Download My Talking Tom 1.7.3.0

YouTube for Mobile 2.4.10 S60 5th Edition - app

YouTube for Mobile is a compact, yet powerful port of the popular video sharing service, compatible with a variety of Series 60 devices.

If you really can't bear to be away from YouTube while you're out and about, then you should definitely install YouTube for Mobile. It offers a clear front-end that makes finding and playing content on YouTube quick and effortless.

The main page of YouTube for Mobile is ultra minimalistic, containing a preview of a featured video, plus three options: 'Search', 'Popular Videos', and 'My Account'. The 'Menu' screen gives you easy access to other services, and many of these options can be launched using hotkeys.

The search function in YouTube for Mobile is very straightforward, displaying results in a very clear manner, and keeping a history of your searched-for items. You can view popular videos with the click of a button to see most-visited, top rated, most recent, or recently featured.

YouTube for Mobile gives you a decent range of options for managing your account. Besides allowing you to access your favorites, playlists, subscriptions, etc. The app even allows you to publish videos, using the 'Upload' tool. Be warned though, this can take a long, long time, and if you don't have a data plan for GPRS you'll end up spending a fortune.

There are a few strange glitches with the current version of YouTube for Mobile - the program hangs from time to time, and it constantly calls up Internet security warnings if you haven't disabled this option in your phone's settings.

Overall though, YouTube for Mobile makes for a manageable slimmed-down version of the popular video site to carry around with you.

English Bangla Dictionary 3.5 - app

MobileVOIP - app

MobileVOIP is an app that uses third party VoIP service providers to make free calls. Unlike Skype, you can change provider depending on the calling rates they are offering.

When you install MobileVOIP, you must choose the VoIP service you want to use and select the destination country although not all countries are available.

MobileVOIP call costs to landlines abroad are comparable to Skype and it's multiplatform so you can call just about any device but the call quality is very variable.

Hulu Plus 2.9.201322 - app

Camera360 2.0.2.0 - app


Camera360 is an essential app for Windows Phone 8. It adds a new dimension to the already fantastic camera that Windows Phone 8 devices already have. Camera360 allows you to add real-time effects, edit images and organize your photos in an attractive and, more importantly, functional way.

Effects, frames and shot configurations

Camera360 substitutes the default camera function on Windows Phone 9 and adds lots of new features.

From Camera360's wheel-like menu, you've got access to 6 predefined image modes: Auto, Portrait, Scenery, Food, Night and Microspur. You also have access to flash controls (front and back) and white balance.

That's not all. From the main menu, you can apply up to 6 frames and a total of 23 effects. These effects and frames are applied in real time, so you can see how the final article will look before you've even taken the photo.

Camera360 also organizes the photos you have stored on your phone in a very original way - like a calendar. From that menu you can then access any photo you want and edit it to your taste.

Lastly, Camera360 lets you share your photos on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, etc...) and personalize the message.

Digital camera-like menus

Camera360's wheel-like menus made us think of the menus you find on digital cameras - the ones that let you pick the shooting mode. It's very practical, although sometimes it's a little difficult to maneuver with your finger.

In all other aspects, Camera360 is a great example of usability. All the menus are accessible from the main menu and shouldn't cause you any problems at all.

Quality results

Camera360 works well and gives some really great results. The fact that you can see how the photo will turn out before you take it is really fantastic.

The only thing we missed was that the app doesn't support video.

An unmissable app

We think Camera360 is absolutely essential on any Windows Phone 8. It's good to look at, works well and really multiplies your options when you're taking and editing photos. The only reason not to install it and do away with the native camera app is that it still doesn't support video. Other than that, it's a solid 10.


Download Camera360 2.0.2.0

Google Maps 8.1.0 - app

Google Maps for Android provides an unrivaled way to find your way around using your mobile phone.

Eye in the sky

With Google Maps installed on your device, you can view street and satellite maps of the whole World. Not only this, but it can be used to plot routes, find local places of interest, socialize with people around you and 'walk' along roads with Google's Street View.

Google Maps is incredibly easy to use on your Android device. The application automatically detects your current location and displays it on screen. You can move around by holding your finger and dragging the screen and zoom in and out by pinching with your fingers.

Getting from A to B

Plotting routes and getting directions in Google Maps is very easy. You can get directions from A to B by searching for the start and end points, or clicking on them on the map. Towns and streets can be looked up by keyword or voice searching.

Since the Google Maps 7.0 update, unfortunately you can no longer use the My Places feature in the Android app. This means it's no longer possible to apply Layers to see customized maps and overlays with places and points of interest.

However, Google Maps for Android does display information about businesses and points of interest. For instance, when the name of a restaurant appears on a map, you can click it to access more information, read user reviews, and get contact details. The new Places feature in Google Maps for Android offers a quick link to information about special places.

Tap on the Navigation icon in Google Maps and you'll be able to see 3D maps and live traffic information. Moving around in Street View is a wonderful experience. It's linked to the Android compass, meaning that as you move and tilt the phone, the view changes with it.

It's hard to pick faults in Google Maps, but we would point out that it has a tendency to hog system resources, especially if you have many layers running at once. Be sure to kill the process when you're not using Google Maps or your battery meter will soon start shrinking.

What's new in Google Maps 8.0.0

The latest update to Google Maps for Android brings with it some interesting and helpful new features. Perhaps the biggest highlight is turn-by-turn navigation. Featuring lane assistance, the navigation feature shows you distance and estimated arrival time, and gives you access to alternative routes.

Google Maps 8.0.0 allows you save maps offline and manage them from an easy-to-access list. The app also improves transit results, showing you the total walking time of your tripe and when the next bus or train is.

The popular app, Uber, has been integrated into the app and can be opened within Google Maps when comparing routes.

An amazing maps app

Google Maps is currently the easiest and most effective way to find your way around using your Android phone.


Download Google Maps 8.1.0

Facebook Messenger 6.0.0.27.0 - app

Facebook Messenger is a stand-alone app that allows you to chat with your Facebook friends and send SMS and text messages to any contact on your phone. The application also allows you to make free calls to other Facebook Messenger users.

Communicate with everyone

Facebook Messenger combines friends and mobile contacts to allow for group messages, along with location-based functionality.

Since Facebook Messenger is focused on messaging, the app may seem a bit simplistic. It functions very similarly to other communication apps though, with the addition of location services. The group chat combines multiple users together and allows for messages to be collated in one window.

If you have SMS enabled, you can also use Facebook Messenger to talk with phone contacts. The application now allows you to send messages to any contact in your phone, not just your Facebook friends. Facebook contacts show up with a blue bubble and SMS messages show in green. When you are finished communicating, you just swipe the icon down and remove the notification from your screen.

Facebook Messenger supports stickers, including a decent range of default stickers, plus the opportunity to purchase new stickers through the store in order to brighten up your conversations.

Facebook Messenger allows you to make free calls through the app. Calls are free over WiFi, but if you're using a mobile data connection you'll need to pay the standard charges. The app only supports voice calling at the moment, so if you want to make video calls you're better off with Tango, Skype, or ooVoo.

Simple to use thanks to Chat Heads

The interface is simple to use is and themed in the same way as the Facebook app for Android. Facebook Messenger includes Chat Heads, which means that if someone messages you while you're doing something else on your phone, a small little circle will appear showing the face of the contact on your screen. You just tap on the contact, and it will open the conversation.

The design of the Facebook Messenger user interface is clean and tidy. The blue of the menu icons and green of the alert messages stand out clearly against the app's white background and this understated look gives greater presence to the conversations themselves.

What's New in version 5.0?

Facebook Messenger 5.0 adds improvements to the user interface to make it even easier to use. You can quickly share photos, video, stickers, and voice from the new compose screen. These features were hidden behind the paperclip button in previous versions.

Perhaps the most intriguing new feature though, is the ability to quickly take a selfie. Tapping on the camera button will turn half of your screen into a camera viewfinder to quickly snap a picture of you. You can switch to the rear camera with the tap of a button.

The verdict

Facebook Messenger allows you to chat with your friends easily - regardless of whether they use Facebook or not.


Download Facebook Messenger 6.0.0.27.0

Saturday 14 June 2014

Aptoide 5.1.2 - app

Aptoide is a platform for downloading apps on Android devices. If you are looking for a particular program you can just type it into the search box to look for it.

For each app that you find on Aptoide you will see a list of comments and ratings, plus downloading and installation instructions.

Aptoide is a useful alternative to Google Play, especially as it doesn't require registration.

Angry Birds Go! 1.3.2.0 - app

Angry Birds Go! is a Mario Kart-style racing game featuring the characters from the popular Angry Birds series of games.

From tree trunks to race tracks

Angry Birds Go! is a completely different kind of game than we're used to from Rovio's feathered heros. Previous titles like the original Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Star Wars have all be strictly based around catapulting birds into heavy objects. Angry Birds Go!, on the other hand, is a straight-out karting game in the same vein as the classic Mario Kart and mobile karting games such as Tiki Kart 3D, Shrek Kart, and Sonic and SEGA All Stars Racing.

Angry Birds are go!

The basic principle of Angry Birds Go! is simple - get around each track as fast as you can. The game rarely gets boring, thanks to the variety of race modes, drivers, cars, courses, and power-ups. There are even real world toys that can be used with Angry Birds Go!, such as Telepods and a tie-in with Angry Birds Jenga!

You start Angry Birds Go! as Red Bird in a basic kart and must play through the various race modes in each stage in order to unlock the new character from that stage and open up the next stage (progressing further opens up new content packs). All of your favorites are in there, including Stella, Bomb and The Blues. You can even play as one of the pigs!

The race modes in each stage include: Race (standard race against other characters where you must finish third or above), Time Bomb (finish the race before the bomb goes off), Fruit Splat (splat a given number of fruits before the finish line), Versus (head-to-head with one other character), and Champion Chase (battle against the unlockable character where you must win three times to 'own them). There are five Races, Time Bombs and Fruit Splats per stage.

There are also various new challenges to complete once you've finished the races on a particular stage, as well as Facebook integration so you can challenge your buddies' high scores. There's no online or head-to-head multiplayer over WiFi like in Sonic and SEGA All Stars, nor a 'battle mode' like in Mario Kart.

The idea of Angry Birds Go! is to collect coins as you race. These can be exchanged for upgrades to your vehicle or new karts. You'll need to keep upgrading since the entry requirements for races demand increasingly high engine power. You'll also accrue gems, which can be exchanged for speed boosts, power-ups, and replenishing energy. Besides winning gems and coins from racing, Angry Birds Go! offers you the chance to purchase them through the game.

The freemium model of Angry Birds Go! isn't as crippling as you'll find in other big free to play games. Coins needed for upgrading your kart can be won by replaying levels, but gems are harder to come by. The main use of gems are to rejuvenate the energy levels of your drivers, which run out after a few races. You won't be able to play with a driver unless you wait a few minutes or pay to boost their energy. The waits aren't generally that long, and if you have plenty of characters unlocked it's not so bad.

How to play Angry Birds Go!

Playing Angry Birds Go! is great fun, thanks in no small part to its simple control system. You can choose between tilt or touch steering, both of which are very easy to use. The cars auto-accelerate and holding the screen will throw your kart into a drift. These simplified controls really lend themselves to the younger market, making Angry Birds Go! a great game for kids.

Aside from steering you'll also need to think about various other things to get you round the track in first place. Things that can help include boosters that shoot you forwards when you drive over them, a speed burst button (the effect of which varies with each driver), and various fun power-ups such as catapults, instant repairing, and permanent boost.

Angry Birds enter a new dimension

Angry Birds Go! is the first game in which the Angry Birds appear in 3D. The graphics look fantastic, with a slick cartoon feel that fits in nicely with the fun and frantic image of the Angry Birds brand.

The overall presentation is very slick, and Angry Birds Go! also gives you access to a wealth of video content, including new episodes of Angry Birds cartoons.

The verdict

Angry Birds Go! is a fun and slick kart racing game with bags of personality. It's a pity there isn't any multiplayer action, though.

Gravitarium2 2.3.4 - app


Download Gravitarium2 2.3.4

UC Browser 3.6.0.443 - app

UC Browser is a web browser designed for speed. The app can quickly load websites with its built-in boosting tools and allows you to move from site to site with little problems.

Where UC Browser fails is the actual web browsing experience. In the default view, UC Browser scales everything vertically. All content on a page is consequently skewed into a vertical viewing scheme, making a lot of it difficult to read or understand the flow of the content. Even standard format sites look horrible when browsing on UC Browser.

A site with a mobile browser view works much better, but do not expect multimedia content to function well. UC Browser has a very limited set of options and the actual view cannot be adjusted for viewing content in the app. You can only select to view in full-screen which does not help reading content.

UC Browser is best for just reading text, but should not be considered a full function browser.

Minion Rush 1.7.2.1 - app

Minion Rush is a fun-packed endless running game starring the characters of the movie, Despicable Me 2.

Become the Minion of the Year!

In Minion Rush, you play the role of one of failed evil mastermind Gru's loveable minions. Your mission is to run as far as you can in order to impress your boss and earn the title 'Minion of the Year'. In order to achieve this you need to jump, slide, dodge and be as 'despicable' as you can.

Going further than most endless runners

The basic format of Minion Rush is much the same as classic vertical-scrolling endless running games such as Ragdoll Run, Temple Run, Sonic Dash and the like. However, there's plenty of twists on the basic dodge, jump and slide gameplay that make Despicable Me: Minion Rush a real treat to play.

You run through a varied game world based around the movie, which includes scenes based around Gru's weapons factory and residential areas. You must evade all the obstacles in your way, whether they are pipes, bombs, missiles or even other minions. You can knock minions out of the way to add multipliers to your points tally, which is based on the distance you travel. Besides this, you can bounce off springboards, slide down chutes and even fly through the air.

There are some fun mini games within Minion Rush, include one with Gru's arch enemy Vector, and another villain who doesn't appear in the movie.

In Minion Rush you collect bananas which you can use, together with game currency, to purchase power-ups, weapons and costumes. These unlock new dimensions to the gameplay such as flying on Gru's Rocket, riding a fluffly unicorn (in an amusing parody of Robot Unicorn Attack), and being able to fire frozen rays.

Even though Gameloft has done a great job to keep Minion Rush entertaining, the gameplay is still repetitive by nature, although not as much as most other endless runners, especially since obstacles and environments change every time. The inclusion of social support with challenges and the ability to send funny minion taunts adds to the longevity, too.

Controlling your minion

Anyone who has played a vertical scrolling endless runner, like the ones mentioned above, won't have a problem picking up Minion Rush. The controls are very simple, and are based around swiping left and ride to weave from side to side, swiping up to jump, and down to slide. Tilt controls are used for some parts of the game, such as where you slide down chutes in the factory.

On-screen instructions appear when you first start playing to explain the various controls and these are on the whole very clear, although one of the instructions for the Vector mini game was a little confusing (it seems like it says to swipe up whereas you actually need to tap the drone).

Just like the movies

Minion Rush is an immaculately presented game. Fans of the movie are in for a treat because it manages to capture the essence of Despicable Me perfectly. It's not just that the 3D graphics are well rendered and look like the movie world - they actually feel right as well.

This is realized in a number of ways, from the use of original voice actors from the movie, through monitors that pop up in the background featuring characters from the film, to the hilarious antics of the minions who perform their strange little routines in the background as you play. Be careful because watching them clown around can seriously put you off your game!

One of the things that distinguishes Minion Rush from ordinary endless runners is the way the camera angle can change as you're running, adding variety to the game and giving it a real cinematic feel.

The verdict

Minion Rush is an accomplished endless runner that is highly enjoyable to play. Fans of the movie will love the game, since it makes great use of the license to create a fun experience with bags of charm. As is the norm with endless running games though, it ultimately becomes repetitive.

Spotify Mobile 3.0.0.1 (Windows Phone) - app

Spotify Mobile allows you to play music wherever you go on your Windows phone, with a huge selection of artists, albums and tracks to choose from.

You'll need a Spotify premium account in order to use the app, but if you do then you'll find Spotify Mobile a wonderful way to listen to music on your phone. Already available for Windows, Mac and other mobile platforms, Spotify has become renowned for its wide selection of tracks and great audio quality.

The fast search engine in Spotify Mobile for Windows phone allows you to hunt for songs, artists or bands. These can be listened to online via 2.5/3G or WiFi, and you can even create and save playlists to listen to them when you're not connected.

The straightforward tabbed interface of Spotify Mobile makes it quick and easy to find and play songs. It's a great app for when a song pops into your head that you have a sudden urge to listen to. The Spotify Mobile app also lists new releases and top tracks to help you discover new music.

You can sync Spotify Mobile with your existing Spotify account, and there's support for starring songs you like and receiving recommendations from friends via the inbox.

The major downside of Spotify Mobile is that it drains battery very quickly, so be wary of this if you're planning a long journey and intend to stream from Spotify the whole time. Try to switch to the offline listening mode wherever possible to save power.

Spotify Mobile is the perfect app for anyone who loves music - as long as you're willing to pay for the premium service.


Download Spotify Mobile 3.0.0.1 (Windows Phone)

WhatsApp Messenger 2.11.900 - app

WhatsApp Messenger allows you to send free text messages over the internet, saving you the cost of sending SMS.

What does WhatsApp do?

You can use WhatsApp Messenger to send messages over WiFi or 3G to anyone else with the app installed on their phone. The software works across mobile operating systems (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc.) so it will function with contacts who have other versions of WhatsApp Messenger installed.

WhatsApp Messenger gives you a number of other handy options aside from just sending text. You can attach a picture (taken from your camera or stored on your device), voice note, video, contact, and even your location. There's also an option to email your chat history.

WhatsApp Messenger has been optimized for BlackBerry 10 users, offering instant push notifications even when your screen is locked! It also scans contacts automatically so you have a list of exactly who you can contact through WhatsApp.

Is WhatsApp easy to use?

The setup procedure for WhatsApp Messenger is a bit fiddly and it can take a few minutes to get it up and running. Once set up, though, it's pretty easy to use. The chat window displays the history of the conversation in linear form. Just type and hit Send to post the message.

Yes, there is a catch!

The drawback with WhatsApp Messenger is that it only works if both people in the conversation have the app installed.

Overall though, WhatsApp Messenger makes for a handy way to chat for free on your BlackBerry.

FastTube 1.9.6.52 - app

FastTube for BlackBerry is an application for viewing your YouTube videos on your device without having to open the browser.

With FastTube, you can do the same things you do via the YouTube website: search for videos, watch highlights, add comments, indicate whether you like a video or not, create playlists, and much more!

A window on YouTube

FastTube makes it easy to watch videos on your BlackBerry. A list of the most popular videos is displayed when you open the application. From the search bar, find videos with the help of the auto-complete function that recommends results as you type.

Additionally, the left corner gives you quick access to the categories available for similar videos such as Entertainment, Video, and Music.

As for the player, it displays the same information about videos as the original YouTube page, with buttons to share a video with your friends through BlackBerry Messenger, indicate if you Like or Dislike a video, and choose between standard definition or HD playback quality.

Other nice features are the playlists, for viewing videos without interruption, and the list of favorites with videos that you've liked.

At your fingertips

As for the organization of the available features, everything is accessible from the bottom and side, where you can easily and instantly access all features that FastTube offers.

Fast and fluid

As the developer confidently points out, FastTube is fast and fluid. What you see depends on the quality of your connection, but generally playback works well and with no delays.

In summary

If you're a regular on YouTube but would rather use a client instead of taking over your web browser, this application makes it easy, including all the features of the web version.

The only downside is that to sign in to your YouTube user account, you'll need the paid version, although it's not required to use the other functions of the website.

Wattpad 4.4.3 - app

Wattpad is an eBook reader that gives you access to more than 100,000 titles, which can be downloaded and read on your phone.

A handheld library

If you're a fan of reading, Wattpad is an app that will provide a lot of enjoyment for you. A huge community of users helped contribute to this staggering collection of works, and you can even add your own ebooks if you like.

Finding stuff to read with Wattpad is very straightforward. You can search for a book by its title, category, and/or language of origin. If you're looking for inspiration and ideas of what to read then check out the What's New and What's Hot categories. You can also check out reviews from readers of books on Wattpad. Books that you grab are added to your Wattpad library, which appears whenever you launch the application.

What does it offer?

There are lots of features within Wattpad designed to assist your reading. You can set the background and text colors, change the font and its size, and flip between landscape and portrait mode. When reading you can tell Wattpad to auto-scroll through pages, flick through pages by tapping the left and right side of the screen, and move to a certain percentage of the book.

Unfortunately, there are no page numbers so it's impossible to browse to a specific page, which is quite annoying. Also, it's not possible to add bookmarks.

Wattpad uses your internet connection to access the library. You can choose to read an eBook online, or download it for offline viewing on your phone. Either way, it might end up costing you a lot of cash if you don't have a flat rate internet as part of your phone's data plan.

What's new in WattPadd (4.1 and) 4.2

Version 4.2

- New messaging UI
- Sharing reading lists/stories
- Delete/flag inappropriate comments
- Expanded notification centre
- Bug/crash fixes

Version 4.1

- Notification center: get notified for new followers, when someone votes or comments on your story, replies to comments and more
- Quote sharing: Share story quotes to your favorite image sharing network
- Message users you're not following from inbox
- Navigate easily between inline comments

Don't judge a book by its cover

Wattpad is a fantastic app to have on your phone if you're a keen reader. Although the user interface is rudimentary compared with iBooks or the Kindle, the range of books it offers for free is astonishing.


Download Wattpad 4.4.3

Friday 13 June 2014

Chemical Suite Free 1.0 - app

Chemical Suite is a useful study aid for Chemistry students featuring lots of slick visualizations and data charts.

Chemical Suite features a flashy looking Periodic Table with full detail of all the elements including a little blurb about their history and other interesting facts. Chemical Suite also has a Unit Converter, an Atomic weight calculator, Mass Calculator and Trend Graphs.

For Chemistry Students, Chemical Suite is a more interesting alternative to just a scientific calculator.

Google Translate 3.0.7 - app

Google Translate for Android brings all of the utility of Google’s online service to your mobile phone for instant translations when on the go.

The translation app for Android is really simple to use and if you have ever tried it online, you’ll have no problems at all. Google Translate supports the same languages as the original â€" over 64 in fact â€" so all you have to do is choose your language combination, write what you want to say and Google Translate will give you the translation immediately.

Depending on the language combination, Google Translate will also display some grammatical information and a text-to-speech feature which will read the translation out loud.

The Google Translate app also makes it very easy to copy and paste the translations. You’ll have access to past translations via the History option, while the SMS Translation feature will immediately offer you the ability to translate any of the messages in your inbox.

One of Google Translate’s coolest aspects, however, is Conversation Mode, a feature that lets you speak, translates what it hears and plays it back to the listener in their own language. It's not always perfect, but it's available in 17 languages and is fast and fun to use.

Google Translate is the perfect app for multilingual Android users.

PicsArt - Photo Studio 4.3.1 - app

PicsArt - Photo Studio is an excellent program for creating, discovering and sharing photos with your friends.

Packed with editing tools

Much like other photo editors for Android such as VSCO Cam or Photoshop Express, PicsArt Photo Studio lets you personalize the photos you take on your phone. 

The reason PicsArt - Photo Studio is such a stand-out program is due to the sheer number of options you have for customizing your photos. You can take pictures off your phone's traditional camera or else within the PicsArt - Photo Studio app itself. 

Once you've taken a picture or loaded one, you have a lot of different editing options to play around with. PicsArt - Photo Studio has lots of different effects to alter the feel of the picture you just took. You can also add clip art images to it, and give it a special message with different text fonts and colors.

You can apply effects to your photos with PicsArt, choosing from a range of preset filters, some of which can be tweaked. There's also a collage maker, where you can create impressive montages based on photos you've taken. 

By creating an account on PicsArt's website, you can share your images with other PicsArt - Photo Studio users, as well as browse photos taken by others. There's also the option to export and share your photos on social networks like Facebook, as well as other platforms like Tumblr, Dropbox and Flickr.

Needs time and patience

The only noteworthy negative noticed during testing was some occasional lag time between clicking an effect and actually seeing it applied. It also takes a bit of time to get the hang of all of the features available to you just because of the sheer number to choose from. Otherwise, your options on PicsArt - Photo Studio are almost limitless.

The verdict

PicsArt - Photo Studio is an impressively comprehensive photo editing and sharing app


Download PicsArt - Photo Studio 4.3.1

Clean Master 5.5.1 - app


Download Clean Master 5.5.1

Traffic Racer 1.86 - app

Traffic Racer is an endless driving game in which you must weave in and out of traffic to travel as far as possible.

Traffic Racer offers a bit more variety than many other endless racers. It includes four game modes, four different scenes, and a range of different cars. You win money by getting as far as possible and this can be used for upgrades or new stuff. The 3D graphics in Traffic Racer look nice.

Although there's more to it than many game in the genre, Traffic Racer still gets repetitive.


Download Traffic Racer 1.86

Pou 1.4.43 - app

Pou is a virtual pet app for Android. Pou is a strange alien creature who you must feed, clean, and play with to raise strong and healthy.

A modern day Tamagotchi

Pou starts his life as a small blob. When you run your finger over the screen, Pou will follow it with his eyes. At the bottom of the screen you'll see your various inventory objects, and at the top, the statistics.

The first and most important thing to do is feed Pou. You simple drag food into his mouth to satisfy his hunger. You'll notice that this will improve his mood and reduce his appetite. However, at the same time it will get him dirty. To solve this problem you'll need to start visiting the rooms of the house.

House, you say? Yes, Pou lives in a house complete with kitchen, laboratory, games room, and a bedroom. In the kitchen, Pou gets his food; in the bedroom he sleeps; and the games room he plays, obviously. But what about the laboratory? Well, here is where you can clean Pou and make him better.

You can personalize Pou's appearance to suit your tastes, which requires you to buy objects from the store within the app. Some items cost more than others. You can accumulate game currency over time, but if you run out of patience you can buy stuff with real money.

After a few hours of playing, Pou will have passed its set level of development and will stop being a kid anymore. If you want to take a photo of him you can - or you can choose to send your Pou to visit your friends' Pous.

Owning a pet is never easy

One of the reasons for the huge success of Pou is its simplicity. The creature doesn't move and his eyes follow your finger around the screen. Washing, dressing and feeding Pou is simply a matter of dragging objects onto him.

The indicators help you to not lose sight of your pet's needs, and the two slide-out menus allow you to quickly change the wallpaper of a room or change the selected object.

In the mini games within Pou the controls are just as simple: sliding rows of colored Pous, jumping platforms, or collecting falling food just requires you to slide your finger in one direction or another.

If you haven't got the time to spend with Pou 24/7 don't worry because the app will display plenty of alerts in your Android notification bar. Pou will keep asking you for food, company, or to be cleaned.

Simple, small, and adorable

The first impression you get when you play Pou will probably be underwhelming, due to its basic colors and simple animations. It's fair to say that graphics aren't its strong point. 

After some minutes, however, it's easy to get used to the simple, almost Nintendo-like feel of Pou. In fact, the initial ugliness actually encourages to get to work on personalizing your virtual pet. 

In terms of sounds, Pou's "No" is becoming quite a catchphrase, and his chewing noises is catchy too. The developers searched for an endearing effect from the beginning - and they found one. Pou can repeat anything you say in a funny voice, just like you can do with apps like Talking Tom Cat.

The verdict

Like it or not, the success of Pou as a virtual pet is now rivalling that of the Tamagotchi. As with any real life pet, the novelty of playing with Pou wears off after a while but this Android game is adorable while it lasts.


Download Pou 1.4.43

Snapchat 5.0.23.1 - app

Snapchat is the instant photo-sharing app that lets you take photos and send them to friends, who can see them for a maximum of 10 seconds before they're gone! With no way to save the photos or view them for longer than the allotted time, Snapchat is the perfect way to share quick snaps with your friends!

Now you see me, now you don't

The concept of Snapchat is really simple: you take a photo with the in-app camera, add up to 40 characters of text or use the pencil to draw in the odd mustache or devil horns, choose how long you want your friends to see the photo (anywhere from 1 to 10 seconds), choose which friends you want to receive it, and hit send.

When you receive a snap, you press and hold the message to view the photo. The timer starts as soon as you click the message, and counts down on the screen even if you're not holding down to view the photo. 

Snapchat includes the option to share videos, as well as Snapchat Stories, which lets your friends view photos an unlimited number of times for up to 24 hours.

Be careful what you share

When you start Snapchat, you use your phone number as an ID and can add friends through your phone contacts or using your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The Snapchat home screen is the camera itself. You can navigate to your notification feed and your contact list by swiping your finger left or right respectively..You can access the settings through the notifications section. It's not obvious at first, but because there are so few options, it's easy to get the hang of quickly.

Snapchat keep images secure by deleting them (within the app) immediately, but there is no way of knowing if the images are archived somewhere else. There is also the danger of inappropriate images being shared (Snapchat has gotten the reputation of being the perfect 'sexting' app). You should probably avoid sending anything personal as there are now many apps which allow you to save Snapchat photos.

What's new: Live chat enhancements

Thanks to the latest update to SnapChat you can now chat smarter. Swipe on a friends' name and you'll pull out a chat window where you can tap out messages, which will then disappear when you exit the window.

An icon at the bottom of the home screen shows you how many of your buddies are currently on SnapChat and you can simply press and hold the capture button to start face-to-face video chatting.

A new social network?

What used to be considered a 'sexting' app is now evolving into a social network with its newest feature Snapchat Stories. Regardless, Snapchat is still a good app for sending quick photo messages to friends as a hybrid between a messaging app and a social network. 


Download Snapchat 5.0.23.1

Kindle for iPhone 4.3 - app

If you haven't got a Kindle and want to know what all the fuss is about - or if you have a Kindle and want to enjoy the books you've already purchased for it on your iPhone - then install the free Kindle for iPhone app.

Kindle for iPhone lets you read Kindle eBooks on your phone, through a simple interface that makes viewing pages a pleasure. First and foremost though, you need to have a copy of the eBook to read in the software. You can do this by buying them from Amazon using the link within the app, downloading a trial chapter, or grabbing one of the Kindle books you already own (these are automatically backed up by Amazon).

Once your eBook is installed on Kindle for iPhone simply tap on it to start reading. To flick through the pages you just need to swipe your finger left or right. Tap the screen and you'll get a bunch of other options that can enhance your reading pleasure. For instance, you can add bookmarks, change the font size, and alter the color of the text. The 'Go to' icon here aids navigation by allowing you to jump to the cover, the table of contents, the beginning or to a specific location or bookmark.

Just like the real Kindle device, Kindle for iPhone lets you add annotations and highlights to your books. To do this, you just need to hold your finger down on a word then choose 'Note' or 'Highlight'. Unfortunately, you can't select a whole phrase, so you're only able to annotate single words.

Although the Kindle for iPhone interface is nice and simple, I was really hankering after a pinch feature for quickly zooming in on text. You can do it with images, so I find it strange Amazon couldn't add the same function for writing.

It's not quite as advanced as the Amazon device itself, but Kindle for iPhone is, nevertheless, a great way to enjoy eBooks on your Apple phone.


Download Kindle for iPhone 4.3

GTA: San Andreas 1.0.0.1 - app

The 10-year-old Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas stands the test of time by delivering a complete and highly-enjoyable gaming experience in one of the best console ports to date.

Become the kingpin

This was the final installment in the Playstation 2 trilogy of Grand Theft Auto games. For those who are too young to remember or never played the original, GTA San Andreas was a milestone in sandbox gaming and the sheer scale of it was groundbreaking. The story is a rag-to-riches tale set in San Andreas (based on Los Angeles) in the early 90s. The protagonist, Carl Johnson (“CJ”), is back from the East Coast to help his gang, The Grove Street Family, rise to the top. The main story, which takes an estimated whopping 20-30 hours to beat, takes Carl on a journey facing off with various gangs in L.A., riding off road through rolling hills and up mountains, and pulling off heists in casinos in an area inspired by Las Vegas.

And that’s just the main story.

Like GTA V, there are plenty of other ways to occupy your time in San Andreas. Carl’s appearance is almost totally customizable: not only is there a massive selection of clothes, haircuts, and tattoos to purchase, but he can bulk up or learn new fighting techniques at the gym. San Andreas also has a wide selection of 240 vehicles to choose from. It’s a diverse array that includes bicycles, speed boats, and fighter jets. Completing training missions, races and generally spending more time in or on each of these vehicles will improve your handling.

Other side missions and mini games include burglaries, going on dates, vintage arcade games,and rounding up a crew to fight rival gangs for turf. The game has so many other ways to spend time, that mentioning each one would simply would not fit in this review. To alleviate issues regarding saving progress, San Andreas has introduced a checkpoint system to prevent you from getting stuck at the beginning of a long mission.

What about the chaos?

One of the draws to the Grand Theft Auto series has been the freedom to go absolutely nuts. Plenty of folks play these games to sit down, blow off some steam, and wreak absolute havoc on a city. With a massive map, lots of characters, and a plethora of weapons, San Andreas has no problem giving you the guilty pleasure of entering the game and going on a classic GTA rampage.

How to play

San Andreas does its best to provide comfortable controls. It offers a few default settings and the game incorporates tilt control as well. The controls are also completely customizable: buttons can be dragged to the preferred part of the screen meaning that you could drag the fire button wherever you preferred. Overall, San Andreas is similar to other games that mimic having two joysticks; the game is meant to be played with your thumbs on the left and right side of the screen. It’s a good effort and definitely a step up from other sandbox games. All of that said, the controls still present problems.

Tricky driving missions or situations where manual aim while firing a gun is needed are more difficult than they are intended to be. As well as that, the controls are inherently more limited than their console or PC counterparts: e.g. holding two buttons at once, especially while driving, is incredibly difficult and doesn’t feel intuitive.

However, these problems would surely disappear with the use of a game controller, which San Andreas supports. The controls are the one issue that hold this game back from being perfect. They’re not bad enough to disrupt the gaming experience, but they’ll cause some minor frustration.

How it looks and sounds

The graphics in the game have beeng updated to make better use of colors, shadows, draw distance, and character models. That said, if you’re expecting it to be on par with it’s modern counterpart GTA 5, you’ll be disappointed. However given the size of the game, the graphics are serviceable enough and still look better than plenty of games in the app stores, which is even more impressive considering the game is 10-years-old.

GTA San Andreas probably has the best sound out of any game in the app stores. The game has a reported 861 voice actors in it. Some of these are celebrities including Samuel L Jackson, Axl Rose, and James Woods. The voice acting is superb and makes it feel much more like a movie rather than an app.

Music is a staple of the series. The soundtrack for the game rivals that of any other GTA. There are eleven different radio stations that play both talk radio and lots of different musical genres. Musically there’s something for everybody here with radio stations playing Dr Dre, Rage Against the Machine, and even Willie Nelson. Listening to the radio stations during missions makes driving considerably more enjoyable and less monotonous.

The Verdict: It's all good

Despite having some finicky controls, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is one of the most fun and engrossing games that new gamers and fans of the original will love.


Download GTA: San Andreas 1.0.0.1

Facebook 8.1.6.0 - app

The official Facebook app for Windows Phone 7 allows you to update your Facebook profile, check messages, follow your news feed, update your status and more.

The Windows Phone Facebook application offers a convenient way to stay in touch. You can perform many of the essential functions of the social network, such as posting your status, accessing and sending messages, reading friends' updates and more.

The user interface of Facebook for Windows Phone looks a lot more elegant than other mobile versions of the application, and lets you quickly thumb through the various Facebook features to interact with the site and view photos.

Facebook for Windows Phone 7 is far from perfect, though. Scrolling through updates is very jerky in the version we tried, and this takes lots of the enjoyment out of using the app. The application is also missing many Facebook features, such as chat, deleting friends, liking comments, accessing groups, and more. If you're a power user of Facebook, therefore, we suggest you try the mobile version of the site, rather than this more limited application version.

Overall, the Facebook app makes for a quick way to access basic functions, but it lacks in advanced options.


Download Facebook 8.1.6.0

Thursday 12 June 2014

avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus 3.0.7601 - app

avast! protects your Android from the dangers of the network with its Mobile Security & Antivirus system. It integrates an anti-malware scanner, great anti-theft capabilities and various features to protect your privacy.

Virus scanners, anti-theft, backup and much more

The antivirus scanner analyzes the apps on your device as well as doing it in real time for those you've just downloaded. In addition, it also switches so it can scan the entire contents of the SD card.

You can initiate scans on-demand or schedule them for a certain time. The antivirus software updates daily on an automatic basis.

The Web Protection module on avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus protects you in real-time while surfing the Internet, notifying you of any risks if you happen to access pages containing viruses or you seem to be at risk of phishing.

avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus also includes a firewall, but in order to use it, you have to have root privileges.

In Application manager you can see which apps take up more space, check how much of the system resources they use (memory, CPU, threads, services) and which permissions they use.

Talking of permissions, the Privacy Adviser should be mentioned. This provides an overview of the permissions required by the apps that are installed on your phone. You'll discover which ones can trace your location, which can access and read your texts and multimedia messages and your address book, and so on. It's therefore a useful tool to identify and possibly uninstall apps that are invading your privacy.

avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus also has an filter for SMS messages and calls, which is useful is you want to create a blacklist of unwanted numbers.

The anti-theft module allows you to create white lists of trusted SIMs (the only ones that can be used on the phone) as well as the option to perform remote operations that will safeguard your privacy. In the event of theft or loss, in fact, avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus allows you to use remote SMS commands to erase data, lock your smartphone, activate an alarm, get the GPS coordinates of where the phone is located, and much more.

The application also integrates with avast! Mobile Backup (to be installed separately) by creating a backup copy of the contacts/address book, call and text message log and photos.

For safety reasons and to avoid undesired changes in the settings, avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus allows you to set a password for accessing the suite.

Well-structured interface

The interface of the app is simple and elegant. The suite is packed with features, but is also well-organized and intuitive, even for the less experienced user.

Full suite to ensure the security of your Android device

avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus is an excellent product to ensure the security of your smartphone or tablet.

It's easy to use and configure, it offers an extensive set of features, ensures low consumption of resources and doesn't affect the battery life.

Users who want that little bit more, can also optionally subscribe to the premium version for a fee, which enables new features (Ad Detector, Geo-Fencing, Block applications, backups of audio, video and apps, and more).


Download avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus 3.0.7601

FIFA for iPad 2.1 - app

The official app from FIFA is back for the World Cup in Brazil. You'll get all the news on the largest international tournament, the competition schedule, results in real time and everything a soccer fan needs to follow the World Cup.

The World Cup on your device

With FIFA World Cup Brazil you can get an overview of the 32 teams taking part in the World Cup and their FIFA ranking, get to know the 23-man squad for each national team, read up-to-date news as well as biographies of every coach and all the players at the tournament.

The official FIFA app will show you in real time the results from all the matches. Not only that, you can set the program to notify you about changes to teams, goals, red cards, the result at the end of the first half, the final result, man of the match and so on.

Another feature is the World Cup calendar: you’ll see the date and time of each game, as well as the location for the match. FIFA World Cup Brazil also includes reports on the city and stadiums hosting the tournament, complete with photos.

And if all this wasn’t enough, the FIFA app also offers a section on the games themselves, in which you can, among other things, try and predict the outcome of every match.

Great design and usability

The official FIFA app has really impressed us with its strong visual impact. The images, especially in the news section, are really emphasized, in line with current trends in design.

This modern design also improves the usability and readability of content, both of which are clear and easy to read. Browsing the various sections of the app is simple, although in certain situations the reactivity of the menu is improved.

Please also keep in mind, that in the beginning you’ll need to spend a few minutes to set up the notifications you want to receive, to best suit your needs.

The essential for following the World Cup

FIFA World Cup Brazil is a beautifully designed, well-crafted app, containing all the useful content fans need so they don’t miss a single second of the soccer World Cup.

Chrome Beta 36.0.1985.65 - app

Chrome Beta is a test version of the Chrome browser for Android.

Chrome Beta requires Android 4.0 and higher just like the official app. The app allows Google to test features and updates before they are pushed to the stable Chrome browser. Chrome Beta is slightly unstable and has bugs because of the experimental updates that are being tested.

Features

The newest features in Chrome Beta updates with saved passwords and autofill entries taken from your synced desktop browser. This update also includes "an experimental data compression feature" for bandwidth savings.

Quality

While you should be able to browse normally, Chrome Beta is not meant for normal use. When Google announces a new feature in Chrome Beta, you will be able to test it and help Google develop features in its official browser.

What's new

Our latest release contains stability and performance fixes. More information can be found on the Chrome Releases blog at http://goo.gl/CCPRW

Installation

Clicking the download button will take you to the Google Play Store, where you can download this app.

This app cannot be found through search on Google Play

Difference between versions

Chrome Beta is not a finished app, expect bugs and possible crashes.

SwiftKey Keyboard 4.4.6.275 - app

SwiftKey Keyboard helps you type quicker on your Android touchscreen phone by predicting what you want to say. It also features a gesture-based input system known as Swiftkey Flow, which makes typing even faster.

Setting up SwiftKey Keyboard is easily done, thanks to a handy start-up screen. You'll need to download a language module from a choice of nine (see below for the full list), and enable SwiftKey Keyboard as your default input method on your phone. Once you've done this you'll see a new on-screen keyboard whenever you send a message or enter text.

Keys are laid out in QWERTY format, though the default setting is a bit thin for our liking. Luckily, you can customize key sizes in SwiftKey Keyboard though, as well as setting the color and design of the keyboard by choosing a them.

SwiftKey Keyboard's predictive text engine is so powerful that it can generally guess the word you wanted within just two or three keystrokes. With every keystroke you make three possible words are suggested. You can select one by tapping or hit Space to go with the middle one, which is the one SwiftKey thinks is the most likely. SwiftKey Keyboard will even predict what the next word you want will be (and its accuracy here is impressive).

The SwiftKey Flow system, introduced in version 4 of SwiftKey allows you to enter words simply by drawing lines between letters on the keyboard, in much the same way that Swype does. Coupled with its powerful prediction and correction system, I would argue that writing in SwiftKey Keyboard is now even quicker than in Swype.

SwiftKey Flow is easy to pick up, though it can be a bit fiddly when all the letters you need for your word are in the same row on the keyboard.

To improve SwiftKey Keyboard's accuracy is you can tell it to look at the history of your SMS, Facebook and Twitter messages to learn about the kind of words you use and the way you construct sentences. Of course, there are privacy concerns here, but the app is designed to scan for text only, as opposed to context.

There's lots to explore in the SwiftKey Keyboard settings menu. It features more than 60 languages, of which you can enable three at a time; you can change the behavior of the space bar; access statistics about your SwiftKey Keyboard usage, and much more.

SwiftKey Keyboard lets you type on your phone much more quickly and is the best keyboard for Android replacement you'll find. Even if you're prone to making spelling mistakes, the app is great at detecting and correcting them automatically.


Download SwiftKey Keyboard 4.4.6.275

FIFA 2.1 - app

The official app from FIFA is back for the World Cup in Brazil. You'll get all the news on the largest international tournament, the competition schedule, results in real time and everything a soccer fan needs to follow the World Cup.

The World Cup on your device

With FIFA World Cup Brazil you can get an overview of the 32 teams taking part in the World Cup and their FIFA ranking, get to know the 23-man squad for each national team, read up-to-date news as well as biographies of every coach and all the players at the tournament.

The official FIFA app will show you in real time the results from all the matches. Not only that, you can set the program to notify you about changes to teams, goals, red cards, the result at the end of the first half, the final result, man of the match and so on.

Another feature is the World Cup calendar: you’ll see the date and time of each game, as well as the location for the match. FIFA World Cup Brazil also includes reports on the city and stadiums hosting the tournament, complete with photos.

And if all this wasn’t enough, the FIFA app also offers a section on the games themselves, in which you can, among other things, try and predict the outcome of every match.

Great design and usability

The official FIFA app has really impressed us with its strong visual impact. The images, especially in the news section, are really emphasized, in line with current trends in design.

This modern design also improves the usability and readability of content, both of which are clear and easy to read. Browsing the various sections of the app is simple, although in certain situations the reactivity of the menu is improved.

Please also keep in mind, that in the beginning you’ll need to spend a few minutes to set up the notifications you want to receive, to best suit your needs.

The essential for following the World Cup

FIFA World Cup Brazil is a beautifully designed, well-crafted app, containing all the useful content fans need so they don’t miss a single second of the soccer World Cup.


Download FIFA 2.1

MoliPlayer Pro 1.3.1.10 - app

MoliPlayer Pro is a multi-format audio and video player for Windows Phone. 

MoliPlayer Pro is able to play a range of audio and video formats, including MP4, AVI, MKV and FLV. You can access media from your camera roll or SD card, and transfer video from your PC or Mac via WiFi. There's an option for searching web video, including the option to download videos.

In lieu of a version of VLC Player for Windows Phone, MoliPlayer Pro is one of the best ways to play video files on your device.


Download MoliPlayer Pro 1.3.1.10

Wednesday 11 June 2014

ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries 4.0.13.1 - app

ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries is a translation app that gives you access to a huge range of dictionaries in a vast range of languages.

What makes it special?

So why use ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries over Google Translate?, you're probably thinking. For starters, the app has dictionary definitions for every word as well as the translations themselves. Unlike Google Translate, you don't need to be connected to the internet, as all dictionaries are available offline.

There are more than 250 dictionaries in 28 languages, with special editions for subjects like economics, business, and medicine. There are also pronunciation guides for certain languages.

ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries has some basic free dictionaries but you need to purchase and download most dictionaries through the app.

Another neat feature of ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries is the ability to capture 'photo translations' of words in print. You simply point your camera at a word, or upload a photo, and the app will give you the translation based on the to/from languages you've selected. The word recognition and translation works well, but it's much more limited than WordLens, which translates whole chunks of text, transforming what you're looking at before your very eyes.

ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries has a 'live translation' feature, too. You can tap any word you don't understand within a dictionary definition and you'll be shown a translation.

I found the verb tables and inflected forms in ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries very useful, giving you more of an insight into how a language works and helping you to better understand irregular forms.

The application could do with more audio pronunciation guides, as unfortunately, spoken words are not available in many of the dictionaries.

How does it work?

ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries is pretty comfortable to use. The main screen allows you to select source and destination languages from drop-down menus at the top of the screen. There's a button for reversing the direction of the translation, too.

The auto-suggest feature in ABBYY Lingvo's search box is very helpful. As you type it will suggest the word you're looking for, as well as popular expressions that contain that word. If you mis-spell a word the application will automatically display a list of words it thinks you might have meant. This function doesn't seem to work with all languages, however.
 

The final word

ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries is useful for people who require a more powerful alternative to free translation tools like Google Translate. It contains a huge amount of dictionaries, although some are less comprehensive than others.


Download ABBYY Lingvo Dictionaries 4.0.13.1

1Mobile Market 3.9.9.6 - app


Download 1Mobile Market 3.9.9.6

Twitter 5.13.1 - app

Twitter, the official Android app for the service, has moved into version 3, presenting some pretty major interface changes.

Probably the biggest change to Twitter for Android is the appearance. It's really grown up, losing the multi-access homepage and launching instead straight into your timeline. It looks more sophisticated too, with a streamlined user interface while still using the recognizable blue header and black and white layout.

As far as Twitter for Android goes in terms of features, it parallels the online site, but sticks to the basics. The standard areas exist like the main timeline, @mentions, and your profile, but Twitter added a hashtag "#Discover" feature allowing you to browse what is trending. Tapping on a tweet now shows the @reply, retweet, favorite, or share options and lists who has performed any of the options.

Among Twitter’s nicer features is a cool tool to search your telephone contacts for Twitter users, and varied suggested users for you to add. You can also modify your profile pretty well from the app, while Twitter for Android also lets you create as many public and private lists as you want.

Twitter for Android supports multiple accounts, easily switchable from the taskbar. The configuration settings are still limited, especially in comparison to apps like Plume and Tweetcaster. Even so, if you’re a low-spec Twitter user who likes to keep things simple, the official Twitter app for Android might be right up your street.

Twitter for Android does its job very well, focusing on working like the online site.


Download Twitter 5.13.1

Firefox 30.0 - app

Firefox on Android is designed to provide a smoother web browsing experience on your phone.

How does Firefox look on a mobile?

The browser has a resemblance to Firefox for Windows, but it has an interface suited for mobile devices. For instance, pages can be opened simultaneously in the form of tabs, which you access by tapping the number icon next to the address bar. It's an intuitive way to control multiple tabs without filling the screen.

Like the desktop version, Firefox for Android also includes support for extensions, or Add-ons as they're known in this case. These allow you to power up the Android browser with more functionality.

What makes it different from other mobile browsers?

The variety of Add-ons is great to customize Firefox. Just like the desktop version, the variety of Add-ons can improve web browsing or add social media functions.

Other useful tools that are pre-built into Firefox for Android include a slick bookmarks manager and a start page that will show the top sites you have visited. Zooming in and out of pages has improved a lot since the early alpha release of Firefox. Now you can pinch to zoom, or double-tap for a quick in/out view, making page navigation effortless.

Another neat feature of Firefox for Android is its support for Firefox Sync. This grants you access to all the bookmarks, history and running tabs of the desktop version of Firefox, so you don’t have to worry about entering addresses manually.

What's new in Firefox 29

The latest version of Firefox for Android includes the ability to sync with your Firefox account, multiple quick share buttons, hide/default panel options, Bing plugins, and better integration for Open Web Apps. Firefox has also replaced the throbber with a progress bar and removed the ability to 'send tab' to remote devices.

Firefox also now supports South African English, Thai, Lithuanian, and Slovenian languages.

Simple and smooth browser


Firefox is a very good Android browser and it makes for a comfortable way to use the web on your phone.

Badoo 2.41.2 - app


Download Badoo 2.41.2

Clean Master 5.5.0 - app


Download Clean Master 5.5.0

Grand Theft Auto: iFruit 1.0.22.6 - app

Grand Theft Auto: iFruit is an app for Android that allows you to continue to advance in GTA V when the console is turned off.

Grand Theft Auto: iFruit offers two apps in one: the first lets you take care of Chop, Franklin's dog (like Nintendogs, but more trashy) while the second lets you customize your car and license plate. Both apps hook into the GVA V experience.

WPS Office (Kingsoft Office) 6.0.2 - app

Professional office for android software. It allows you enjoy true office mobility, if you are always on the go. You can create, view, edit and share Microsoft Office documents very conveniently. Support open and edit MS word files, and read MS excel and ppt files easily.

WPS Office for Android is closely integrated with E-mail application. You can view, edit and send attachments easily at anywhere and at anytime. You can also access Box.net and any other cloud storage services which support the WebDAV protocol. The two features mentioned above make WPS Office for Android very impressive to share your documents with others. Besides, WPS Office are rich-featured, you can set text style, size, color, boldness, italics, underline styles, text highlighting and so on.

WPS Office for Android takes up minimal space and resources enabling the device to run fastly and efficiently. It offers low level calls which makes it instantaneously to open and edit documents. WPS Office has a built-in file manager which utilizes an incredibly user-friendly interface, you can manage your files in your cell phone or tablet device easily. Such as: searching, adding, deleting, rename files or folders etc.

What's new about WPS Office for Android 2.0

1. New:Images and text boxes are now displayed when editing your files.
2. New:A more attractive and user friendly interface has been implemented.
3. Improved:Zooming in and searching for documents is now much easier.


Download WPS Office (Kingsoft Office) 6.0.2