Instagram 5.1.7 - app

Instagram lets you take photos and videos with your Android device, apply a few special effects and share them with family friends on its own social network - or via other social networks.

What can you do with Instagram?

You take your pictures, add a customized filter, and post it to Instagram’s community or through Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare or Tumblr. Through the Instagram app, you can give “likes” and give or receive comments on your pictures.

Instagram has a Facebook-style feed, in which you can view all the photos uploaded by yourself and the people who you follow on Instagram.

The latest version of Instagram for Android allows you to tag people in the photos you upload, in much the same way as you would with Facebook. This will then show up in their Instagram feed. Instagram supports geo-tagging so you can add your location and see where others took their uploaded pictures.

The best thing about Instagram are the filters included in the program. There are many to choose from (Lomo-fi, Earlybird, Lily, Apollo, Nashville, 1977...) with different color, brightness and lighting effects. If chosen wisely, you can obtain really awesome results.

Instagram also includes support for videos, allowing you to capture up-to 15 seconds of footage to share via the Instagram network. As with photos, you can choose from a range of effects to apply to your videos to get them looking great.

Instagram includes a photo and video messaging feature called Instagram Direct. It allows you to capture images and video then share them with Instagram friends. You can send messages via Instagram Direct to up-to 15 of your contacts at once.

The service is very easy to use, and if you have many friends on Instagram it could be a more practical alternative to sending multimedia messages via other services like WhatsApp or Snapchat.

Is Instagram complicated?

The Instagram app is very easy to navigate. There are icons at the bottom of the interface which represent the different features of Instagram: the photo feed, photo/user search, photo capture, news feed (recent activity on the network from you and those you follow), and profile settings. When viewing pictures on your profile you can choose to display as a list or as a series of tiles for easy navigation.

The presentation of the photos themselves in the photo feed is very clear, and likes and comments are shown underneath each picture. You can like or comment on a photo with a single click of an icon. However, it's a shame you can't open images full screen (i.e. you can only ever see them within the feed).

Applying filters and retouching your photos in Instagram is very simple. You can snap an image through the app or choose one from your phone then view live previews of what each effect will look like. Cropping and editing effects are basic but easy to apply and preview. There's also a handy image straightening feature that lets you correct pictures that were taken at a jaunty angle.

Unforunatley there's no 'Undo' feature in Instagram's editor, so if you make a mistake you have to start right back from before you started editing.

Optimized for Android!

Instagram has released an update that allows for Instagram to run faster and smoother on Android phones. The profile screen now loads twice as fast and the required memory for Instagram has been cut in half.

Instagram also has had its layout simplified and optimized with less intrusive icons.

Get yourself on Instagram

The Instagram app makes it easy to apply fun effects to your photos and share them with your friends. Although it requires you to sign-up to share images, the possibilities of pictures are vast.

PicsArt - Photo Studio 4.2.1 - 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

Pou 1.4.36 - 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 1.4.36

Adobe Reader 11.2.1 - app

If you want to read PDFs on your Android device, Windows favorite Adobe Reader might just be able to come to the rescue.

Adobe Reader for Android is a PDF reader that focuses on simplicity and speed. This app can't do anything amazing, but it will let you read even the largest PDF documents with ease. Crucially, it's also got a great zoom function and quick search, essential for when you are trying to track things down on an- often tiny - mobile screen.

Organizing your documents with Adobe Reader is also a pleasant experience - it automatically detects PDFs on your phone and displays them when you hit the Open button located at the top bar that appears when you touch the screen, or via Adobe Reader's menu options. Your recently read documents will appear here too. It's also in Adobe Reader's top bar that you can share the document you are reading.

Adobe Reader offers you three viewing modes -Fit to screen, Continuous Scroll and Reflow text. Which is the most comfortable depends on the type of document you're reading, but you'll be able to switch easily via the View Mode option under menu. The Adobe Reader bottom bar will change according to what mode you've chosen, allowing you to easily move between pages, or or increase or decrease the size of the font.

Adobe Reader for Android is fast, clear and well-organized - just don't expect anything too fancy.

6tag 3.3.0.0 - app

Windows Phone doesn't have an official Instagram app but applications such as 6tag allow you to access your account, upload photos with filters and view the images your friends and other members of the Instagram community have published.

One of the most comprehensive apps available

 

6tag stands out for allowing most of the original Instagram functions.

For one, you can take photos and apply the popular Instagram original image filters. The same goes for videos. And you can also tag photos, add the location, etc.

After installing the application, you can log into your account or register as a new user. From then on, you'll also have an option to mark which photos you like or add comments.

Whatever you need, you have

 

Although it isn't the official application, 6tag works without problems at the moment. Navigation is easy and don't forget options such as using the front camera. It also lets you share photos on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr and Foursquare.

The Share, Like or comment functions are always easily accessible, as are the main options of the application.

Instagram outside Instagram

 

Barring any stability problem, 6tag works pretty well. It's full of options and comes with an attractive design - basically it's a good solution for Windows Phone users looking for Instagram.

While we wait for the official app...

 

6tag is a great way to use Instagram from a Windows Phone. As long as Instagram doesn't make any problems for unofficial apps, 6tag is an excellent alternative to get into the world of Instagram.

Download 6tag 3.3.0.0

KMPlayer 1.0.5 - app

KMPlayer is a video player for Android that supports a wide range of different file formats. The application, from the team who brought us KMPlayer for PC, allows you to watch movies and series on your device through a simple interface.

Why use KMPlayer for Android?

The main advantage KMPlayer has over the stock video player that comes with Android is that it supports more file formats and codecs. This means you'll be able to play video in formats such as divx, mov, mkv, as well as a host of others that aren't compatible with the stock player.

KMPlayer has a number of helpful features that make life easier for you as a viewer. Its media library feature auto-detects video files, as well as allowing you to explore files on your internal or external memory. You can edit file extensions and folder names from within the application.

When playing video, KMPlayer gives you a number of ways to control what you're watching. You can lock/unlock the screen, fast forward and adjust the volume using gestures, and change the video speed to slow it down or speed it up. Video can be played from where you last got up to.

How easy is it to use?

KMPlayer supports touch gestures, allowing you to control the volume by swiping up and down, or swipe through a video by sliding your finger from left to right. The media browser is very clearly laid out too, making it easy to browse through folders.

While it's easy to use, I would argue that KMPlayer is still some way behind other third-party video players for Android. MX Player, for example, offers a wider range of touch gestures, has more playback settings, and reproduces certain formats more seamlessly than KMPlayer, where quality is sometimes cracked or distorted.

VLC for Android is another good media player, which can handle vast amounts of formats and is lighter on resources. VLC is still in beta, however, so KMPlayer is a more stable option.

Good, but not the best

KMPlayer is easy to use and supports pretty much every video format you'll come across. However, it lacks some of the features and settings of other players, and playback performance is erratic.

Twitter 4.5.0.11 - app

The official Twitter app for BlackBerry is designed to let you tweet quickly and easily as you move around.

How does the app look?

The Twitter app is neat and compact in its design. A toolbar across the top of the interface provides shortcuts to various things you might like to do on Twitter. There are icons linking to: Home (the timeline), Mentions, Lists, Profile, Messages, Find People, Twitter Search and Trends.

All in all, each of these various sections of Twitter for BlackBerry are well implemented and easy to use. However, the timeline feels like it still needs a bit of work to make it more usable. By default you can only view three or four tweets on screen at a time, and there's no scroll bar to indicate how far down the timeline you are. Scrolling all the way back up can become a painful and irritating process. It would be nice if there were a button to jump straight back to the top.

Tweeting with Twitter for BlackBerry

Tweeting from the official BlackBerry Twitter client is a user friendly experience. You can type your tweet directly into the tweet box on the home page and add photos by clicking on the icon below this box. Photos are automatically uploaded to YFrog. Automatic URL shortening is included by default in Twitter for BlackBerry.

Twitter for BlackBerry integrates with your phone's messages inbox, allowing you to receive notifications of replies and mentions without having to open the app. The Twitter app also pipes into BlackBerry Messenger, allowing you to share your latest tweet as your BBM personal message, and even access your contacts' Twitter accounts from their BlackBerry Messenger profiles.

There are plenty of options to tinker with in the Twitter BlackBerry client. You can play around with the fonts, set geo-tagging onto your tweets, change the number of tweets per refresh, alter the refresh rate, and more.

On the whole, the official BlackBerry Twitter client makes for a simple and reliable way to follow and tweet from your device.

Download Twitter 4.5.0.11