Tech Tip Tuesday---Today is all about apps. Apps is what makes our smartphones and tablets. I am going to start with iPhone apps: 1. VSCO Cam(Free)---Take better pictures than ever on your iPhone, thanks to VSCO Cam. With the updated app for iOS 8, youll be able to manually tweak settings such as focus, shutter speed, white balance and exposure compensation. 2. Dark Sky($3.99)---Uses state-of-the-art weather forecasting to predict when it will rain or snow. Most weather apps provide an hourly breakdown, but Dark Sky takes that even further by making weather predictions down to the minute. The app also displays a real-time radar emission to show exactly where the storm is moving, and sends a notification alert just before its about to rain at your location. 3. Horizon($.99)---If vertical iPhone videos drive you crazy, Horizon ($0.99) is a must-download. This camera app allows you to record horizontal videos in portrait mode, using your iPhones gyroscope to keep your camera parallel to the ground at any angle. 4. Fleksy($.99) will not only add a refreshing new look to your type pad, but it will help you type faster than ever too. In addition to swipe typing and gesture shortcuts to add punctuation or special characters, Fleksys deck is also resizable to give you more screen space while you type. The keyboards next-word prediction and autocorrect engines are so accurate that you can even type without looking at the screen - your gibberish will be intuitively fixed. 5. WeChat(Free)--- The free WeChat app offers a sleek all-in-one portal for sending texts, making video and voice calls, leaving voice messages, and partaking in group chats. It doesnt end there, as WeChat packs loads of animated emoticons and a walkie-talkie feature that lets you tap to talk with up to 40 friends. WeChat uses your phones data plan, but you can enjoy all of its features for free over Wi-Fi. And now some for Android: 1. Accupedo(Free)---Use your phone’s accelerometer as a pedometer to determine when you’ve taken a step and then store that data, along with information you’ve entered about your weight and height, to determine how many calories you’ve burned. 2. Smart Remote(Free)---Ever lose your remote control for your TV? I can control every TV in my house with this app. It even lets me put in all my favorite shows and movies and with one touch, locates the show and changes the channel to it. 3. From shopping apps like Amazon to carrier-specific services like VZ Navigator, most Android phones come from the factory festooned with apps you dont need. A lot of these apps run in the background even if you never use them and, even worse, they cant be uninstalled under normal circumstances. Plus, they can chew up battery life. Fortunately, you can disable these preloaded parasites in the settings menu, putting them in a deep freeze. 4. If you dont like your phone or tablets default keyboard, Android makes it easy to install a better third-party alternative. Searching through the Google Play store, you can find over a dozen keyboards that offer superior predictive text, dedicated number rows and custom skins. You can even get different keyboard layouts and resizable keyboards. 5. Lettrs(Free)---Basically transforms your device into a personal writing desk, transcriber and postal service, letting you compose letters digitally while giving them an authentic handwriting feel. Additionally, you can type and even voice-dictate letters, and arrange for them to be posted by mail to anyone.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:20:09 +0000