Android 4.4 KitKat | TecHnOLogy GaDgeTs - Review

As some of you will undoubtedly know, the source code for Android 4.4 KitKat has been officially released by Google, and a few ports from dev teams, like ParanoidAndroid, have made it possible for existing devices like the Nexus 4 to catch a peek. This is precisely what we'll be doing, waiting can go to hell.

Great New Theme !

The current Jelly Bean-esque Holo theme is gone. Android 4.4 KitKat takes onto a dark/white gray contrasting one, and we actually ended up liking it, despite it feeling a bit lifeless.Google has done a splendid job of integrating the new color scheme – it flows through the near entirety of Android 4.4 KitKat. One exception is perhaps the dialer, which still looks nearly unchanged, except in terms of its design, of course.
 
Some aspects of Android 4.4 KitKat seem to indicate that Google is going in the general direction of iOS. It feels simpler than ever and more intuitive in some regards, to the point of blatantly obvious. One such example is the slight redesign of the lockscreen, which now features an arrow on the very bottom, indicating the presence of Google Now, along with a camera shortcut icon for all the people that never realized that swiping left already does that.


Great New Features ! 

New features included in Android 4.4 KitKat include a new 'Home' menu that will allow you to better manage your different launchers, like Nova, Apex, Trebuchet and whatnot. We've also got a still mysterious Tap & Pay new menu in the settings, and though the overall idea is quite clear, we're a bit in the dark in terms of how Google plans to execute this one. Unfortunately, Tap & Pay does not work on our build, so we can't provide any particular insight, past the fact that only Google Wallet appears to be working with it for the time being. It's obvious that Google wants to streamline the process by allowing you to set a default mobile payments app, but we may be some time off having some actual competition there, seeing as Wallet is still riddled with limited availability.

Scrolling further down the menu, we've got the new Location and Printing menus. As far as the former is concerned, there's no new functionality, it's just more organized, intuitive and informative. Printing, on the other hand, is an altogether new feature, though we didn't manage to get it to detect any printer at the office whatsoever. Early builds are like that. Printing nevertheless appears to be well integrated into the core Android functionality, and you'll be able to quickly print a photo or a document by accessing the triple dot menu that you've come to recognize, though it's missing in obvious areas like E-mail.

 
The Great New Apps !

Google is including some new base-line apps with Android 4.4 KitKat, while also updating some of the existing ones. To start off, productivity suite QuickOffice (which Google bought earlier this year) is now installed by default – a more than welcome addition. Also 'new' is (Google+) Photos, which can automatically back up your snaps in the cloud, in addition to making them look better with Google's Auto-Awesome feature that some of you no doubt know all about.

The list of apps that have received some fine-tuning includes several. The Downloads app, for example, can now sort your downloaded content, and now has a grid or a list view option. Hangouts has also received a hefty update, and can now be made your default SMS app, though these are still separate from the IM chats. The Clock, too, has been refreshed, and is now ever so slightly more intuitive. Another interesting observation is that Google Earth appears to now be part of the baseline app cache for Android, meaning that you can get the so-called Flyover view of the world through Maps easily, in case you want a more dimensional understanding of a particular area. Last, but not least, the Dialer has also undergone some visual and design changes and now has a persistent search bar to help you sift through your contacts. A nice extra: you can voice search, without having to resort to the Voice Dialer (which, oddly enough, is still present in our build).

Dead Rising 3 | Xbox One | TecHnOLogy GaDgeTs - Game Review

Dead Rising 3 isn’t the best looking game to arrive on the Xbox One at launch, but it sure is the most fun to play.  And while it doesn’t have the cutting edge graphics of Forza 5 or Ryse: Son of Rome, Dead Rising 3 rings in the new generation by putting forth a game that equal to its launch peers, just wouldn’t be possible on the old hardware.

Dead Rising 3 is a survival “horror” game, much like its predecessors.  It couples the tension of the shuffling undead with the comedic relief that the series is known for.  It’s a game about crafting weapons to mow down hordes of the undead.  It’s about displaying hundreds of zombies on screen at one time, to an amazing effect.   Utilizing the power of the Xbox One, Capcom Vancouver delivers zombies by the boatload, the likes of which we’ve never seen before from a game like this, and something that truly gives you an appreciation for the next-gen.

Though as a Dead Rising game, it’s undergone some changes to the traditional formula. Dead Rising 3 is not nearly as constrictive as previous games in the series.  It’s got all the fun with none of the rules.  Capcom’s developers step aside and just let you wreak havok in this open world, with a wide ranging array of weapons to scavenge, craft, and deploy with swift justice.

Taking on the role of earnest mechanic Nick Ramos, you’ll find yourself in the fictional Southern Californian coastal city called Los Perdidos.  A zombie outbreak has the military looking to quarantine the city, and you’ve got a only a few days to evacuate the area.  Twists and turns aside, the objective in Dead Rising 3 is pretty simple.  Clear a path to your sanctuary, and that path will be littered with thousands and thousands of zombies, as well as survivors looking for your help.  The open world is a decent size, but it’s not the open world that’s impressive in Dead Rising 3 — It’s what’s in it.  Los Perdidos is packed to the brim with the walking dead.  There are far more zombies packed into the streets and buildings of the city than we’ve seen in previous games.  

So many, that a trip down the wrong alley or a weapon breaking at an inopportune moment can lead to instant death.  The size of these mobs are probably the most impressive thing about Dead Rising 3.  It’s certainly not the best looking game on the Xbox One, but just how much they manage to pack on the screen is an eye-opener when it comes to what the new console is capable of.  And it plays well.  Mashing through zombie hordes doesn’t fall prey to system sluggishness, it’s impressive and hopefully a good indicator of the types of things we’ll be seeing more of this generation.

It’s hard not to like the gameplay in Dead Rising 3.  There’s a ton of variety when it comes to how you choose to do battle with the zombie hordes.  There are countless weapons to pick up.  Melee weapons like swords, axes, and knives.  There are guns and grenades, molotav cocktails, and other launchables.  But true to Dead Rising, you can pick up anything to give you some breathing room.  A woman’s handbag, a planter, a gumball machine, it’s all fair game, but it won’t be very effective.  You can craft weapons too.  Blueprint schematics will allow you to craft some pretty imaginative machinery.  Where Dead Rising 2 made you craft at designated tables in the game, Dead Rising 3 lets you craft on the fly.  Like I said, it’s far less constrictive.  This blue print discovery system is a constant throughout the entire game, it makes exploring worthwhile, as that hard to reach shop just might have something worthwhile in it.

Dead Rising 3 lets you play the way you want.  It also lets you create your character to cater to that play style through the game’s leveling system.  Killing zombies and completing side missions will net you PP.  This PP goes towards leveling your character, and when you level up, you get points to spend.  You’ll customize Nick in a number of different areas, that have major impacts on the game.  Add points to your melee attacks, and your weapons will last longer and do more damage.  Add points to your life, and you’ll be able to fight longer against bigger hordes.  There are a number of different areas to add skill points to, it really depends on your personal preferences and play style.

The Dead Rising series has always been campy, and Dead Rising 3 is no different.  The story isn’t necessarily going to grab hold of you, but some of the characters found in the main storyline and psychopath side missions are truly funny.  These Psychopath bosses are just regular people who’ve lost their mental capacity in the zombie outbreak.  They fit into the mold loosely of what Dead Rising has offered in this capacity in the past, but aren’t quite as over the top as previous efforts.  They make more sense in the overall scope of the storyline, but remove some of the absurdity from the equation.   When compared to Dead Rising 2, this game has less tension in the overall scope of the storyline.  Each mission feels less important, as you were fighting for someone other than yourself in the previous game.  But it all boils down to the same dumb brand of fun anyway.   However, it’s worth noting that the save system in the regular mode of Dead Rising 3 is more liberal.  This new check pointing system takes the tension down a few levels.  Where some of the fun found in Dead Rising 2 was to barely make it to a save room, Dead Rising 3′s regular mode takes this almost completely out of the equation. 

Dead Rising 3′s campaign can be tackled with friends, or anyone for that matter, via Xbox Live.  The game features cooperative play that allows both players to roam freely across Los Perdidos.  This means that there’s no more zone requirements between co-op partners.  You can go anywhere and do anything in co-op mode.  You’ll need to finish a brief tutorial-like section to open up the co-op mode, and it can be somewhat confusing when trying to get a friend into your game.  It highlights some of the issues that we’ve seen with the new Xbox Live party system when trying to play together.  The story plays out exactly the same though.  Your co-op partner will assume the role of Dick, in the telling of Nick and Dick’s Zombie Killing Adventure.   It’s a more enjoyable experience with a friend or talkative co-op partner.  There are laughs to be had, and two swords are better than one.

There’s a lot to keep you busy in Dead Rising 3, and it’s a game that definitely offers some replay value when factoring in the online aspects.  In any given play through, you just might not see all there is to see.  Despite the world being not overly huge, there are a lot of areas to explore.  Shops to rummage through for equipment, houses to scavenge for parts and blueprints, there are areas of the game that you just get funneled away from due to the swarming hordes.  Utilizing the Xbox One’s Smart Glass features, and you’ll see even more content opened up to explore.  Missions and additional content will be pushed to your tablet or phone if using the dedicated companion app, it actually works pretty well on the iPad version that we tested.  All the side content, missions, and loot to find is in the name of killing more zombies or making you better at doing it.  Mileage will vary, but if you like the core gameplay of the game, it’ll be hard not to go hunting after all of the game’s secrets.  Checkpoint to checkpoint, Dead Rising 3 is kind of short, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied on the side.

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Microsoft Windows 8 | Tips And Tricks

Windows 8 is dramatically different, in both look and user experience, from any PC interface that's come before it. The video above will give you a taste for the overall look and feel (it's the same on a desktop as it is on a tablet), as well as some of the core features and terms-Charms, Snap, and more-that we'll be dealing with below. You should also check out our full review for an overview.

Ready? Great. Here comes the deep dive that'll make your Windows 8 life a million times better.

 

New Apps for Music, Video, and More

A lot of the default apps in Windows 8 will shoot you into a Live app-and out of the desktop environment. To remedy this, you just have to right click on any file of the type you want, and mouse over the Open with option. From there, select Choose default program.... You'll be able to select whether any app opens in Windows 8 or desktop. You can do this for multiple file types at once by going to Programs > Default Programs.
If you set all your file types to desktop apps, you'll never get booted out of desktop for anything, and you can enjoy all of the other benefits of Windows 8, like its smaller footprint and better performance.

 

Multitasking with Live Apps

If you do choose to embrace Windows 8 in all its tiled goodness-and you really should-the first trouble you're going to run into is fluidly switching between apps. Your programs will now open full screen, which means going back and forth is more complicated than just clicking around. And Alt+Tab doesn't behave quite like you're used to any more. So here's how to get around:
Your New Most Used (But Kinda Clumsy) Gesture: You can zoom through Metro apps while multitasking easily enough just by swiping (or clicking in the top left corner, if you're on a mouse), but there's one problem: It can be a crap shoot which app you're going to get, since there's no visual reference point about what's coming up next, and in what order. The gesture to get around this isn't super obvious.
If you're using a touchscreen, pull from the left side of the screen, like you're going to yank an app over for that fast-change multitask, but then shove it back to the left. This brings up the Windows 8 app selector, where only Windows 8 apps are shown, with the desktop environment being a single app. As far as we can tell, this doesn't work on trackpads (at least the ones we've used). Once you used to it, though, it's actually a more natural way to access multitasking than iOS, and a little easier than Android since you don't have to reach for a button-it's just always on the left side of your screen.

Alt Tab vs. Start Tab: This is another big difference. In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, Start+Tab cycled you through your apps using the Aero view, with previews of each windows rather than the regular Alt+Tab. Now, though, Start+Tab accesses the same Windows 8 multitasking menu, while Alt+Tab is unchanged.
The difference between the two is that Alt+Tab has an icon for each of your Windows 8 apps, but also each of your desktop apps. So if you're just Alt+Tabbing around, you can get disoriented by zapping from full screen app to full screen app.

 

Keyboard Shortcuts

Start+C: Open charms
Start+Q: Search charm
Start+H: Share charm
Start+K: Devices charm
Start+I: Settings charm
Start+Q: Search apps
Start+W: Search settings
Start+F: Search files (It's easier to just type directly into the Start screen, but these take you directly to your desired search category.)
Start+,: Peek at desktop
Start+B: Back to desktop
Start+Enter: Open Windows Narrator
Start+X: Open system utility settings menu
For Live Apps
Start+.: Snap app left
Start+Shift+.: Snap app right
Start+Z: App options
Start+Tab: Cycle through app history
Start+F4: Close an app

 

Pin Apps to the Search Bar

You will probably be using the search bar a LOT to navigate your way around Windows 8. So while the defaults of Apps, Settings, and Files are good things to search in, the rest of your apps are in alphabetical order. That's not convenient for calling up frequently used apps-like, say, Music or Bing-in a hurry. Thankfully, there's a better way.
Just open the search bar through the Charms bar, or from the Start screen, and right click an app and select Pin. It will now remain just under the default three search categories, and you can drag your pinned apps around to rearrange their order.

 

Pin Desktop Apps to the Start Screen

If you like the new Start screen, but you just want to use it as a hub and do all the rest of your work in Desktop mode, you can use it as, basically, a fancy app launcher, widget hub (with Live Tiles), and favorites hub by yanking out all of the tiles that would open a separate Live app. You do this just by right-clicking a desktop app and selecting Pin to Start.
This is a good tip to use in conjunction with picking new default non-Modern apps. You can also keep just one or two Live apps there, and use them as your Snap apps. That will also have the added bonus of making the fast-swap gesture more usable since it would always be the same thing.

 

Google Apps and Search

A lot of people rely heavily on Google services for their PC life. Google's made it easy to maintain those services-and replace their default Microsoft equivalents in Windows 8-by making a landing page called getyourgoogleback.com. From there you can easily download the Google Search app and Chrome, and stick them on your Start screen.

 

Take the Time to Sync Up with a Microsoft Account

You can run a regular local account on Windows 8, but it's definitely worth your time to set up a Microsoft account. All that requires is a Hotmail, Live, Outlook, or other Microsoft email address.
To sign in systemwide, go to the Charms bar, and select Settings > Change PC Settings (this will send you to another window) > Users From there you can select Switch to a Microsoft account. From there, just enter your account email, or you'll be given the option of creating one. A new subhead will now appear in PC Settings called Sync your settings. You can pick out which kinds of settings you want to sync.
It's worth your while, especially since it'll save you the trouble of having to sign in each and every time you try to access Xbox Music, the Windows Store, etc.

 

Turn Off the Lock Screen

Windows 8 turns on the lock screen by default, which is probably for the best. But if you'd rather not deal with it, you can disable it, and launch right into the screen you left off at.
Type "netplwiz" into the start screen, and launch the app that comes up. Then select your user account, and uncheck Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer. You'll be prompted to enter your password twice. Now just restart and you're password-free. You can re-enable the lock just by doing this in reverse.

Basically: Burying your porn is no longer good enough. All the more reason to just keep that stuff in your browser, where it belongs.

 

Change the Boot Drive if Windows Boots Too Fast

Traditionally, when you're changing which drive or partition your computer boots from, you do it at startup. But Windows 8 boots really fast, so if you need to switch the drive and don't want to futz with timing your keystrokes, just go to PC Settings > General > Advanced startup options. From there, you can restart into a screen that will let you switch operating systems, troubleshoot, continue to Windows, or restart.

 

New Task Manager

Task Manager (Control + Alt + Delete) is one of the more boring parts of Windows, but it got a bit of a facelift in Windows 8, and there are some new features that can make your life easier.
The biggest advantage is the Startup feature, which doesn't just tell you which programs are set to load when you start your computer; it also tells you how much they're going to affect startup time. That ranges from None, to Low, Medium, and High. Some are Not Measured, but for the most part, this should let you more accurately pick which programs to launch at startup.

Other features include an updated Users tab that shows you a bunch of information about how many resources each logged-in user is sucking up, and how. You can also get at the App History tab, which tells you how much data each of your Live apps is sucking up. That's mostly for tablet users on a data plan, but still a nice peek under the hood for desktop users.

 

Easy Screenshots! Finally!

There's finally an easier way to take screenshots on Windows. Here's the keyboard shortcut, which will dump the screenshots into a Screenshots folder in your Pictures folder.
Start+PrntScrn: Take screenshot and save to Pictures

 

Try Out Xbox Music-But Know What You're Getting

Xbox Music is Microsoft's new streaming music service. It's activated by default if you've connected your Microsoft account to your Windows 8 install, meaning that you can just boot up Windows 8 for the first time and play free music in the Music app. Think of it as a built-in Spotify. And it took a while, but Xbox Music now how cross-platform support in the form of iOS and Android apps, as well as a browser player.

Know the Difference Between RT and Windows 8
Microsoft hasn't done a great job of explaining that Windows RT is not the same as Windows 8, even though they look very much alike. If you're buying one of the new computers made specifically for Windows 8, take a moment to figure out which version of Windows you want. Here's our full breakdown of what Windows RT can't do.

Sony Xperia Z | Sony Mobile | TecHnOLogy GaDgeTs - Review

The Sony Xperia Z is a touchscreen enabled Android high-end smartphone designed, developed and marketed by Sony Mobile.

The phone was announced by Sony at CES 2013 and was released on 9 February 2013 in Japan and 1 March 2013 in the UK. The Xperia Z runs the Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system. The smartphone has Ingress Protection Ratings of IP55 and IP57, making it dust protected, low pressure water jet protected, and waterproof, allowing immersion under 1 metre of water for up to 30 minutes, and features a 13.1 MP Exmor RS camera sensor as well as a full HD (1080p) display, encompassed in Sony's 'Omni-Balance' Design.

Overview

  
HDR video camera

Xperia Z features Exmor RS™ for mobile, the world’s first image sensor with HDR video for smartphones, so you can take beautiful stills and movies even against strong light.

13-megapixel camera

The 13 megapixel fast-capture camera and the next-generation Sony Exmor RS™ for mobile sensor makes Xperia Z the Android mobile that delivers crystal clear photos wherever, whenever.

Great in all light conditions

With Exmor RS™ for mobile and HDR, Xperia Z takes sharp photos and videos both in lowlight and strongly backlit conditions. The lowlight sensors on front and back make it the first dual Exmor R™ for mobile camera.

Superior Auto
Not a pro with settings? Superior Auto mode automatically activates HDR and noise reduction when they’re needed.

Water-resistant

How can we be certain? In order to get the high IP55 & IP57 rating, we submerge Xperia Z under water for 30 minutes – and make sure it’s good as new when it comes out. It’s also resistant to water jets! 

Tough as metal

How solid does a precision engineered smartphone need to be? How about as solid as a car? Xperia Z’s frame is made from glass fibre polyamide, the same material that’s used as a metal substitute in automobile parts. 

Durable glass

The durable tempered glass on front and back is a lot stronger than conventional glass. And with anti-shatter film on the front and back, Xperia Z is anything but fragile. 

Dust-resistant

Since we can’t take every Android smartphone outdoors, we bring the dust tests to our labs. Before we label Xperia Z dust-resistant, we hang it in a dust-test chamber and make sure its operation is unaffected.

OmniBalance design 

The design is focused on creating balance and symmetry in all directions. Xperia Z has beautiful rounded edges and smooth, reflective surfaces on all sides, which are held together by an innovative skeleton frame.

One touch to entertainment

Discover the quick and easy way to wirelessly share music and photos from your smartphone. One-touch mirroring with NFC technology lets you easily see content on your phone, on your TV. Just touch your phone to your BRAVIA® remote control and watch your photo or music pop up on the TV screen. No cables, no buttons, no confusion.  

Entertainment audio

Xperia™ Z comes with a high quality stereo headset.
Sony MH-EX300AP headset has superior acoustic performance which helps realise sound true to the original recorded sound.

Get the most out of your music, games and films. An in-ear headset that’s designed for a premium comfort fit lets you enjoy quality entertainment audio. And when a call or message comes in, you’ll know. 

Specification

Weight

• 146 grams
• 5.15 oz

Dimensions

• 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm
• 5.47 x 2.79 x 0.31 inches

Battery

• Talk time (up to): Up to 11 hours [1]
• Standby time (up to): Up to 550 hours [1]

Display

• 5.0 inches TFT
• 16 million colours, 1920 x 1080 pixels

On the inside

• Google Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
• 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8064+MDM9215M Quad Core

Camera

• 13 megapixel Exmor RS camera with Auto focus and flash
• 2.2 MP, Exmor R, front facing camera (1080p)

Durability

• IPX5/7 (Water-resistant) & IP5X (Dust-proof) [2]

Nokia Lumia 1520 | Windows Phone | TecHnOLogy GaDgeTs - Review

Large Display

Nokia Lumia 1520 have a six-inch, super-sensitive, full HD display and great readability in sunlight, the Lumia is the perfect canvas to tell your story on. It is noticed that the phone have gorgeous 6-inch full HD 1080p screen—the biggest on any Windows Phone yet. One nice surprise: despite the 1520’s impressive size, it still fits easily in the pocket.



Capture PureView

The phone comes with a 20MP PureView camera that leverages many of the innovations found in the Lumia 102 including optical image stabilization, oversampling technology to capture more details, and great zooming ability. Four built-in microphones, meanwhile, provide directional stereo recording capability and clear, distortion-free sound for your HD videos. The Lumia 1520 also comes with an impressive roster of photo apps including the new Nokia Camera and Nokia Storyteller. More on those in a moment.


Reliable for your work

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is a powerhouse of productivity. Built-in Microsoft Office means you can view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files without losing any original formatting. Save documents to SkyDrive and return to them whenever it suits you. By this feature you may view and edit your documents over the internet (online application).

Photos and Audios

Tell a different story by re framing and re cropping high-resolution photos. Add captions and explore a whole range of creative effects and filters with exclusive photo editing tools. Capture a world of sound like never before with the Nokia Lumia 1520. With Nokia Rich Recording and 4 built-in microphones, you not only get distortion-free, immerse directional stereo recording, but also highly improved sound clarity for the sound you want to capture.

The Windows 8

The impressive windows 8 is the main feature with it. The Nokia Lumia 1520 comes with all the exclusive features of Windows Phone 8, like Live Tiles and People Hub. And they're all optimized for the big screen, making your Windows Phone 8 experience even better.

Best or Business

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is a formidable business smartphone with built-in Microsoft Office, respected business applications like Microsoft Exchange, Office 365 and Lync, as well as enterprise-level security to give you peace of mind. Lets grow your phone with windows phone.

Specifications

 
Display
Display size: 6 ''
Display technology: ClearBlack, IPS LCD
Display resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080)
Touch screen technology: Super sensitive touch
Photography
Main camera sensor: 20 MP, PureView
Flash type: Dual LED flash
Power management
Maximum talk time (2G): 27.4 h
Maximum talk time (3G): 25.1 h
Maximum music playback time: 124 h
Processor
Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800
Processor type: Quad-core 2.2 GHz

20 Essential iPhone Apps

Lucky for you, the best things in life are free. And that includes the crème de la crème of iPhone apps. We've compiled a nearly-perfect roundup of the best-rated, most popular, highly-praised apps, below. Most of which are available free of charge.

 

20. Shazam

You like music. We like music. Everyone likes music. But sometimes a song comes on and there's not one person around who can help you figure out its title or even the artist's name. That's where Shazam comes in. It's highly rated and found on the home screens of thousands of iPhones across the globe.
Shazam recognises music and media playing around you, and then it lets you explore and buy related music, if you so desire. It also serves up lyrics from LyricPlay, as well as YouTube videos, biographies, discographies, the list goes on. It's just an all around fun and useful app whether you're at a mall, bar, or just at home listening to a commercial jingle on TV.
Link: Shazam

19. Candy Crush Saga

You've probably seen a friend itching to play this game or a co-worker going on about it at lunch. It's an addictive app that stars an addictive food group, candy.
Candy Crush Saga features 400 levels of puzzles, challenges, unlocked achievements, boosters, charms, sync support for Facebook game of the same name, and in-game extras that sometimes cost additional money (though you can turn-off the payment feature by disabling in-app purchases in your device’s settings).
In a nutshell: If you like to spend hours grouping tasty candies and earning points, this game is ideal for you.
Link: Candy Crush Saga

18. Dropbox

Sure, there are plenty of cloud storage services available, but Dropbox definitely stands out among them all. It lets you save, view, access, and share all your photos, docs, files, and videos anywhere, including from your computers, iOS devices, and even the Dropbox website.
Best of all: You get 2GB of free space when you sign up, and there's opportunities to earn more free space like when you invite friends and they join.
Link: Dropbox

17. AirVideoHD

This video streaming app is a must-have for people who use their iPhone like a television. It'll download a movie for offline viewing, convert video formats, and even provide access to your history. It's mostly a great solution for watching AVI, DivX, MKV, and other videos, though.
Link: AirVideoHD

16. 1Password

It's a safe bet to say most people have a thousand passwords for a thousand different sites and services. With so many things to remember, it's easy to forget a password. Thankfully, password managers can help. 1Password is a password manager that'll remember all of your passwords and keep them safe by providing you with one master password.
Beyond passwords, 1Password will remember and protect information like credit cards, secure notes, passports, bank accounts, and much more.
Link: 1Password

15. Feedly

Feedly lets you read and share content across the web, such as news sites, RSS feeds, Tumblr blogs, and even YouTube channels. Feedly uses RSS to aggregate and deliver your content in an iPhone-optimised experience that kind of resembles pocket-sized cards. In addition, everything loads fast and is easy to use and browse.
Link: Feedly

14. Audible

The iPhone 5S may have a bigger screen than the iPhone 4S, but it's not quite an iPad. Thus - reading eBooks using just an iPhone will certainly strain the eyes. Why put yourself through that though, especially when you can just listen to an audiobook?
Amazon-owned Audible offers more than 150,000 audiobook titles, and you can access them from any iOS device or Audible.com. It's the perfect app for long trips on a plane or even a car ride. Just download a book, tap play, and listen away. No eye-strain necessary.
Link: Audible

13. Movies by Flixster

Do you just Google search for the nearest cinema when you want to see showtimes? Well, that process is simpler and more fun thanks to apps like Movies by Flixster. It offers showtimes, movie reviews, trailers, ratings, and the ability to buy tickets.
You can further use Flixster's app to watch movies at home. It'll view and manage your Netflix queue, and it has a catalogue of full-length movies available for streaming.
Link: Movies by Flixster

12. Tumblr

Tumblr - the popular site that lets you post and share photos, video, quotes, chats, links, text, etc - has an official app, and this is it. If you're a Tumblr addict or just want to spend hours getting lost in a world of memes and online jokes, this is the app for you.
Link: Tumblr

11. Minecraft - Pocket Edition

Minecraft is about "placing blocks to build things and going on adventures," according to the app's description. That might seem like a super simple concept, but the Pocked Edition version includes multiple modes, multiplayer action over local Wi-Fi, randomly generated worlds, and many other features.
This game is a popular favourite among mobile gamers, and it'll surely keep you busy while waiting at the doctor's office, in queue, etc.
Link: Minecraft - Pocket Edition

10. Angry Birds Star Wars

Take the Angry Birds gaming franchise, then sprinkle on some graphics, characters, and story lines from within the Star Wars Sci-Fi franchise, and you've got yourself an amazing mobile game. 'Nuff said.
Link: Angry Birds Star Wars

9. Pandora Radio

There are lots of ways to stream music these days, but Pandora Radio is one of the originals. It lets you discover and hear artists, songs, genres, and composers. You can create up to 100 personalised stations that'll play only music you love, and it's all completely free. Sure, there are some ads thrown into the free experience. That's no big deal though, especially when you consider the hundreds of listening hours you'll get in return.
Link: Pandora Radio

8.WhatsApp Messenger

If you want to stay in touch with friends, you might as well download the most popular instant messenger in the world. With 400 million active monthly users, WhatsApp Messenger is the only app you should use to send and receive text messages.
WhatsApp relies on your 3G service or Wi-Fi connection to handle messages. You can therefore use it to switch from SMS. Beyond text messages, WhatsApp will send and receive pictures, audio notes, and video messages.
The first year of use is completely free, too. Every year after costs just 99 cents.
Link: WhatsApp Messenger

7. Tweetbot

Like Facebook, we know you have a Twitter problem as well. Unfortunately, Twitter's mobile website and app aren't exactly awesome. That's why we've recommended Tweetbot, an alternative, feature-rich client for Twitter. It's fast, well-designed, and iOS 7-optimised. Awesome.
Link: Tweetbot

6. Facebook

Don't deny your Facebook problem. We all have one. Bust resist the social networks' website on the iPhone - because the app is so much better. Less lag, less hiccups...and better optimised for the iPhone. What else is there to say?
Link: Facebook

5. Google Search

Google Search is for those people who are just as much lazy as they are geeks. Geeks for voice functionality, that is. You can use this app to say “Ok Google” and find things like nearby restaurants or the calories in cheesecake. It'll even serve up information like sports cards and traffic alerts. Google called Google Search "the best of Google in one app."
Link: Google Search

4. YouTube

Continuing with this online video trend, YouTube is the undisputed King of Internet videos. You could watch YouTube videos through your iPhone's browser, or you could watch them through Google's official YouTube app. It's optimised for the iPhone and works beautifully. It's definitely one of our most-used iPhone apps. In fact, our YouTube usage is almost verging on an addiction. And this app definitely isn't helping us break the habit.
Link: YouTube

3. Vine

Although Instagram offers 15-second-video-clip functionality, Twitter's Vine spearheaded the ability to create and share short videos. It also boasts a huge community of Viners who dedicate their daily lives to posting Vines. And they're hilarious. If you like to laugh and watch online videos, download Vine today.
Link: Vine

2. Instagram

Just like smartphones have replaced GPS units, they've also replaced point-and-shoot cameras. That's because they are powerful cameras that can fit into your pocket.
With the your new iPhone, you now have the ability to snap pics while on the go. You also have the ability to share photos, thanks to photo-sharing apps like Facebook's Instagram.
Beyond sharing, you can add filters, film 15-second-long videos, tag friends, and direct message others. It's a wildly entertaining app that deserved to be downloaded, ASAP.
Link: Instagram

1. Google Maps

Smartphones have basically replaced GPS units. We use them to look up directions, find places nearby, get traffic reports, and so much more. That's why it's important to download an app with a great maps experience.
Be warned: Apple Maps are meh; Google Maps are awesome.
With Google Maps, you get accurate maps in 200 countries, voice-guided GPS navigation for driving, biking, and walking, transit directions, live traffic and incident reports, Street View and indoor imagery for restaurants, museums, etc, and many other nifty features. Download it now and you won't be sorry (or lost).
Link: Google Maps


There are obviously many apps to consider downloading when you get a brand new iPhone, but these 20 should at least cover your bases, as well as keep you entertained, connected and informed. Have fun!

| Windows 8.1 | 10 Great New Features |

Windows 8.1 adds many improvements to the Windows 8 experience, both for classic PC users and users with hybrid devices or tablets. These 10 features will be appreciated by users with touch screens in Windows 8.1, so if you have a tablet or a hybrid device with Windows 8, here’s what’s exciting about Windows 8.1.

1.  Start screen & App tiles

The Start screen has received many improvements. First of all, you have a wider range of options for tile sizes than in Windows 8. This is great because you can make certain tiles much bigger and have them display more useful data, or make others much smaller. For example, you can set the Weather app tile to display more data for the locations that interest you or you can view more of your daily schedule displayed by the Calendar app tile. If you use also desktop apps on your tablet or hybrid device, you can make their shortcuts very small so that you don’t confuse them with the tiles used by modern apps. Also, using small tiles means you can add more of them to the Start screen.
The process for adding new tiles and shortcuts, grouping them and naming groups has also been improved. In Windows 8.1, it is much easier to pin shortcuts to the Start screen. For example, in Windows 8, pinning “PC Settings” to the Start screen wasn’t possible without using a weird workaround. In Windows 8.1 this is done with a few taps.
Last but not least, there are many more ways to configure the look of the Start screen. There are more wallpapers, and background and accent colors to choose from. Also, you can use a custom wallpaper by setting the Start screen to use the same wallpaper as the Desktop.

 

2.    PC Settings , Control Panel

For Windows 8 touch users, the introduction of PC Settings was really important. The problem with it was that it did not include many settings and users had to go to the Control Panel, on the Desktop, quite often. That’s OK if you also have a mouse and keyboard but really frustrating when using touch. Fortunately, Microsoft has put a lot of effort into improving PC Settings. In Windows 8, this panel had only 12 categories of settings. In Windows 8.1, PC Settings has 43 subcategories of settings, split into 9 big categories. That means you can set the way Windows 8.1 works in a lot more detail, and you will need to get back to the Desktop a lot less often.

 

3.   Snap apps side by side

In Windows 8.1, depending on the size and the resolution used by your touch screen, you can snap two or more apps side by side, and in general, you can snap apps in many more ways than in Windows 8.
This makes it easier for Windows 8.1 tablet users to multitask.

 

4.    Many improved touch apps

In Windows 8.1, Microsoft took the most important apps they bundled with Windows 8 and improved them. For example, Mail has been completely redesigned and it has become a very friendly and easy app to use. The Internet Explorer app has received many improvements as well: it can now work with more than 10 tabs open at the same time, it has a much better download manager, a new “Reading View” for viewing web pages without ads and other distractions, and a better rendering engine that’s faster and has better compatibility with the specifications of the HTML5 standard.
The Windows Store has also been redesigned. In Windows 8.1 it is a lot easier to browse the Store and discover new apps. Its tile also displays live data about the new apps that are published in the Store. Therefore, you will receive useful app suggestions without having to open the Windows Store. Another thing I enjoy about it is that it analyzes the apps you install and it builds a personalized list of recommendations based on your app purchase history.
 
Other apps have also received improvements, including the Camera app that is better at taking pictures & recording video and has more editing features. The Xbox Music app has also been redesigned and the user experience is now better than it was in Windows 8. The list of improvements doesn’t stop here, though. The complete list of updated and improved apps is just too long to mention.

 

5.    New & useful touch apps

Windows 8.1 also introduces many new touch apps: Alarms, Calculator, Sound Recorder, Food & Drink, Health & Fitness, Reading List and Scan. As you can see, they are very diverse in what they do, but if there’s one thing they have in common, it’s that they are very useful.
They all are high quality apps that work well at what they do and can be useful to most tablet users.

 

6.    Search is faster and better

For me, this is one of the biggest new features in Windows 8.1 – search and its integration with Bing and other services. Not only can you perform faster searches in Windows 8.1, but the results are displayed in a beautiful manner. They include not only local files, shortcuts and apps but also information taken from the web and services like Xbox Music, Wikipedia, Freebase, the Windows Store and Bing.
Another improvement in Windows 8.1 is that there is a Search box in each new app. If you want to discover content from that app only, use the search box found in its user interface. There’s no need to bring up the charms and perform a search there. For most users, this is a more logical way of doing in-app searches.

 

7.   Typing improvements for touch screens

The touch keyboard in Windows 8.1 has also received attention from Microsoft. One of the new features I love is that you can press the key of a letter and keep it pressed. A menu is then shown with all the special characters based on that letter. This is very useful to users who need to write in more than one language, like myself. Another improvement is that if you see a number displayed on the top left corner of a letter, you can quickly drag up that letter and have that number typed.
Last but not least, you can choose from three types of keyboard layouts, so that you can type as fast as possible.

 

8.    Hands-Free mode

Hands-Free mode is a new feature that’s available for Windows 8.1 apps. This mode uses the camera on your tablet or hybrid device to scan your hands’ movements to navigate through the contents of an app. While this mode is on, you can use your right-hand to scroll to the left or your left-hand to scroll to the right, without touching the screen. Just move your hands in front of the camera, as shown in the tutorial for this mode.
One of the best uses for this mode can be found in the Bing Food & Drink app. You can load a recipe prior to the moment when you start cooking, and then scroll through it when cooking without touching the screen with your dirty hands.

 

9.    Taking pictures & recording videos from the lock screen

This is a small but nifty feature. Lock your tablet (do not sign out) and then, on the lock screen, place your finger on the top of the screen and drag downward. The Camera app is opened and you can use it to take quick pictures or record video, without signing into Windows 8.1. If you have a front camera, you can also switch between cameras with only a press of a button.

 

10. It is easier to get help when meeting Windows 8.1 for the first time

A big complaint about Windows 8 was that Microsoft did not offer much in terms of help for new users to learn the quirks of its new interface. Luckily, Windows 8.1 has fixed this problem by providing a new app named “Help+Tips”.
You can use it to quickly learn the basics about the Start screen, built-in apps, basic actions for navigating the operating system, customizing settings and more.