Android 5.0 - Key Lime Pie

Reading the title you may have thought you were going to read some type of recipe, unfortunately you’re not. Instead, Key Lime Pie is a codename that actually refers to the new Android 5.0 software development which is underway right now.

Those clever tech-heads over at Google have continually produced new software for their smartphones and tablets year after year and it’s not long until their newest release is due. The Android 5.0 is next in line to impress us and although there has not been an official released date as of yet, we can’t help but be interested.

There are so many rumours circulating the internet, so we are going to put a list together of some of the expected features we can hope for.

Earlier this year, we found out that Google is working with the Linux 3.8 kernel, so it is likely that this kernel could make it into the Android 5.0.  For those that are not sure what this means, in simpler terms, it means that we would be getting a much snappier phone and improved multitasking.

Another feature we could look forward to is Google Babel.  Babel was used by Google to explain their cross-platform service and app, with the aim of collectively combining their various chat services.  These include the likes of Talk, Voice, Messenger, Hangout, Chat on Google+ and Chat for Google Drive too.  A fairly credible Android source announced that Google Babel will be supported in devices running the Android 2.3 software and above, and on the 15th May this is what happened.  Although we thought it may be debuted on the Key Lime Pie, it will more than likely be a feature.

Although pure speculation, there have been many Tech Geeks requesting new features to be included.  Some wishing for a brighter interface compared to the latest 4.0 version, whereas many have been urging a bigger and better performance profile.  For example, a gaming mode for maximum power delivery or a minimal power mode for when we read.

Other requests include a better social networking support system and better apps (i.e. Video Chat app).  One thing is for sure though, we still have to wait a little longer to find out what we will get with the new Android 5.0.

The Birds Are In Full Song - Twitter #music

We’re not on about a real bird in this instance, we are on about social networking website, Twitter, who has launched its new music app.

Twitter has exploded in popularity over the last seven years and has now turned an ear to music by creating a ‘music-discovery’ app. This app is called ‘Twitter #music’, which is a fairly ordinary name but there is not much ordinary about its intentions.

Twitter #music claims to ‘change the way that people find their music’. Although this may seem like a very bold statement on the outset, they may have just done exactly that. The app, unlike many other music streaming websites, has narrowed their focus in order to create a simple and accessible platform.

The app allows the user to collect music from nowhere other than Twitter, which means that there are lists for more ‘Popular’ music as well as ‘Emerging Tracks’. This is not all; Twitter #music also allows you to see what other people are listening to with the #NowPlaying chart of songs that get tweeted by the user. And just like the normal platform of Twitter, where it suggests friends you might know, it also suggests artists that you may enjoy too.

The reason this app is destined for success is because Twitter acquired a company called We Are Hunted, who are known for their helping hands in other music sites like MySpace Music and, more recently, Spotify. So it has a good pedigree!

This means that this app was not just quickly thrown together over a couple of months, instead they have built a team of people that know exactly what they are doing and have created something quite exciting.

App’s are extremely convenient and this app is no different. By simply clicking on an artists’ profile you can easily follow them as well as be able to see exactly who they are following too, which means it has a great exploration aspect too.

Although, it may be worth knowing that as it has only recently been released, it is only available in selected countries. Thankfully, the UK, US, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand are all part of this list.

The NHS now has an App Store

The NHS has recently released their own App store of apps that are safe and trusted which aim to help people with any problems they have.

http://apps.nhs.uk/

The purpose of this App store is to make it more convenient for the general public to find health and care apps that will answer any questions they may have. The apps in this store aims to cover certain criteria in order to cater for the public and their problems.

This criteria of apps includes:

Informational – This is an app that will provide any general information about a particular topic. This will not be a personalised description though.

Monitoring – This type of app collects any information that is related to the health and care of the individual. These include things like weight, exercise and any data collected by near-patient devices.

Decision Support – This app provides personal information and guidance that has been accumulated by any data entered by the individual. This app will then create an automatic calculation or decision on what data has been entered to inform you of any problems.

Transactional – This type of app includes things like booking an appointment or requesting a prescription.

Appware are also proud to announce that the NHS has included an app created by ourselves in this store. This app is one of the first apps within the store and has been created to make the mundane task of cleaning teeth a lot more entertaining.

www.brushdj.com

The main feature of this app, named Brush DJ, has an inbuilt timer that will play two minutes of music, randomly selected from the user’s device, throughout the duration of you brushing your teeth. Not only does this make brushing teeth much more fun but it also makes sure that you brush your teeth for the correct amount of time.

Other features include a reminder that can be set to make sure that the user brushes their teeth at least two times a day, how often to change their toothbrush and when to visit the dentist.

If you think that you could do with an app similar to this then you can go and check the NHS App store and download any app that you feel can benefit you and your health.

The Mobile Phone: 40 Years On

It has been forty years since some clever so and so made sure that we never lose contact or be out of touch with the people we need to speak to.

That clever inventor was Martin Cooper, who brought us the Motorola DynaTac in 1973, when the first ever call on a mobile phone was made. Although this piece of technology was extremely ahead of the times and paved the way for all of our handsets today, it is now considered a ‘brick’.

That is because the original DynaTac was in fact 10 inches in length and weighed around 2.5 pounds. If we compare that to the slim and slender models of mobile phones we have today, which weighs between four and size ounces, we can see how far our handsets have come. It definitely makes a difference to our pockets!

The DynaTac contained 30 circuit boards, boasted a talk time of up to 35 minutes and took about ten hours to charge up fully. The size, weight and limitations of this device are classed as ‘laughable’ by today’s society but we can’t deny that it made history. When the DynaTac was first introduced, there were only a few people that used it. If we compare this again to today, mobile phones are everywhere, with around 6 billion people owning a handset. As technology continues to advance, this figure is only going to increase.

A decade later and games were beginning to be added to the handsets with an influx of Nokia’s introducing the phenomenon which was called ‘Snake’. This game required the player to control the snake around the screen collecting food and if the snake touched the wall, the game was over.

Forty years after the first phone call was made, we have phones with touchscreens, Bluetooth, Internet browsing, cameras and apps with HTC, Blackberry and the iPhone being just some of the main brands of mobile technology. Mobile phones of today also boast hours and hours of talk time, take only an hour or so to charge and definitely do not have 30 circuit boards.

As we sit here and celebrate the forty years of the mobile phone, we ask you … what was your first ever handset?

Spotify And Ford Join Forces

Spotify and Ford has put their heads together to create an app which means its users can listen to all of their favourite tracks whilst they drive.

The two branded big-wigs made the announcement official at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Ford originally launched its Ford Developer Program at CES 2013 in January which meant that its users could add commands to their smartphone so they could effectively have hands-free voice control whilst driving. This has attracted over 2,500 registered users since its release.

The Ford Sync AppLink has been created to let smartphone owners integrate their apps into the software which is something that Spotify is looking to do. The Ford Sync AppLink has already been used in over one million cars throughout the United States. With this success Ford are looking to focus their visions on the European market too.

Users will be able to control their smartphone, car systems and their music with this AppLink and Spotify which makes voice activation whilst driving much safe and more convenient.

Spotify is one of the largest music streaming services and provides a vast range of music from a number of major and independent record labels which includes other big names like Sony and Universal. This service has an estimated user base of around 20 million people.

This is the very first time Spotify has worked with an automotive manufacturer though, which makes this a great combination for Ford who is likely to benefit greatly from this venture. The Spotify service, online and on your smartphone, is a paid service which normally costs its users between £5 and £10 per month.

The introduction of Spotify into the AppLink is expected to hit the United States in the upcoming weeks and is likely to be a huge success. If this reaches it is predicted success in the US then it is likely to be released throughout Europe later on this year. If you are interested further in this Ford Sync AppLink , then keep your eyes and ears peeled for any emerging information on the release of the software in Europe.

Angry Birds For Free

One of the most profitable games in the world has become free for its users.

The original version, which was created four years ago, has just released 15 new levels, all of which are free for iOS devices. The game has been part of the top 80 highest grossing apps but has recently fallen out of this, which is the first time in three years.

The game originally cost downloaders $0.99 for the iPhone version and $2.99 for the iPad version. The previous free downloads of this game only included a few levels which you could complete before you were prompted to buy the full version. These free versions have since been removed from the app store all together.

Many people had spent hours playing this clever strategy game, but may have neglected it after completing it. Now is time to rekindle that flame and download the game again with 15 new adventures all at your fingertips.

Angry Birds was first released to iPhone and four years down the line has been downloaded around 500 million times. Being downloaded half a billion times most people will know this game well, for those that don’t the game involves using wingless birds and a slingshot in an attempt to destroy pigs and any structures to gain points per level.

The Angry Birds game was the leader of apps and began the revolution to all of the millions of apps available to us today. Although this game began life as an app it has now become a brand with merchandise being available to buy as well as a movie being released.

Rovio, the creators of this addictive app, have not officially come out and said that the app will be free for a certain amount of time, but my suggestion would be that if you haven’t already downloaded it, then get downloading it now whilst its free.

If the user base is boosted whilst the game is free then it is more than likely that the creators will put back up the paywall.

Have we all become App addicts?

A recent survey carried out on mobile App behaviour of members of the public showed that 82% of App users could not go without their Apps for a day.

You may be sitting there thinking, “wow, that’s a high percentage” but there are a such a large number of Apps that are available to us, that we rely on them. One of those Apps is an alarm clock. Every time we get woken up by our clever phone, we are using an App.

Emails and social networking are also common Apps that many of us use on a daily basis. Even one browse of your news feed and you have used your app for that day. Still not convinced that 82% of us use an app on a day-to-day basis? Well, here are some statistics that might change your mind:

• 53% of drivers that took part in the survey admitted to browsing an app whilst behind the wheel of their vehicle.
• 20% of people said they would not be able to find their way into work without the use of an app.
• 23% of those surveyed said they wouldn’t be able to feel happy unless they had used Apps for a day.
• 19% said that they would not even be able to maintain a relationship if it were not for their Apps.

The study also showed that Spain were the highest ranked country who were the most reliant on their Apps with a huge 93% of people saying they could not go a complete 24 hours without using one.

Convinced yet? These statistics show just how reliant we have become on our smartphone and more importantly our Apps. So, we have been woken up in the morning, set the route to work on our phone and have checked our Facebook timeline whilst driving all before 9 o’clock, which means we have already become a part of three of the previous statistics.

It is so easy to become a member of the 82% that used Apps every day without even realising. So my question to you is … Do you have an app addiction?

How Apps can help with customer support

With around 53% of the population owning a smartphone it is no wonder that people are turning to technology for quick and easy access through Apps.

There is more and more time being spent using smartphones which means Apps are becoming first choice over their normal mobile internet browser. There are a number of Apps for a number of different day-to-day tasks. Ever heard the saying, “there’s an App for that?” … well that’s because there probably is.

So, with this in mind it makes sense for companies and the public to turn to an App which will provide customer service needs. This sort of task would normally require a telephone call and perhaps, additional costs. With an App, accessibility and unlimited availability are right at your fingertips, which will mean the turn-around time is a lot quicker and cheaper.

On the outset, this seems like more of a convenience for the customer but in fact, this is just as beneficial for the business too. With decreased costs for deflected calls, a reduction in call resolution time and improved customer satisfaction the business can spend more time in other areas, which will of course improve efficiency.

The public shows no sign of giving up the use of Apps so delegating your App with a customer service feature will be an intelligent way to better the flow of business. Once the customer has downloaded the App, it is going to be present on their mobile device until they choose to delete it, but by keeping it they will always be reminded about your custom. This in itself is a great way to advertise. By implementing a customer service feature on your App as well will only increase the general usability of it.

There are always new and exciting ways to improve your business and right now an app is probably one of the best ways to do this. It is current, it is easy and for the most part it is accessible from pretty much anywhere.

Using Apps To Market Your Business

There are many ways to market your business but have you ever thought of promoting it through an app?

We live in a very technology-savvy society so marketing through an app seems like a no brainer. Here are some reasons why:

• They can make your job easier. By being conveniently located on your phone or the mobile device of a customer, you or they can access the app whenever and wherever they want.
• Word of mouth spreads. If you create an app that people enjoy, word will get out and more and more people will download your app. With the more people using the app, browsers will turn into buyers.
• Be creative. The app can be completely different to your website but still possess the same useful information, making it a better way of engaging customers. This can be a useful way of improving your audience or a way to target a new demographic completely.
• Credibility. When users or customers see that you have an app with positive reviews and a large number of people downloading it, you and your business gain credibility.
• Keep on top of statistics. When someone downloads an app, you know about it. When they give it a review, you know about it. This is a great way to know exactly how many people are interacting with your app and how well the marketing is doing.

Apps are everywhere. They are no longer restricted to just an iPhone and are easily accessible on Android, other mobile devices and tablets. There is such a large market to target, so promoting your business or product through an app is both innovative and beneficial.

There are more to apps than just flicking some birds into some pigs and with the right idea and some creativity, you’ll be onto a winner.

The Shift From Paid Apps to Freemium

For the last year then there has been a big shift away from paid apps to Freemium Apps in the App Stores. What does Freemium mean I hear you say! Freemium basically means that the App is free to initially download and use but that you then upgrade using in-app purchase. The best example of this is downloading a Freemium game that has 3 free levels and then you pay within the App to get the other 50. This has the big advantage for users as they are getting quality Apps for free and if the App proves itself to be decent it's only at that point that they part with any cash.

This model seems to really work commercially too as if you look in the Apple App store then most of the top grossing Apps now use this business model. Of the top 20 top grossing Apps today (25th January 2013) then 17 of them are Freemium Apps. That's a whopping 85%!

So if the end user is getting a great deal and only paying for Apps they try before they buy, and the developer is earning more money, then surely everyone wins? Well yes but with one caveat; there are Apps out there where a couple of in-App purchases just aren't enough. The best example of these are the strategy type games where you need to buy power ups to be successful or virtual currency. These things get used up within the game and then you need to buy more. There are cases where children have racked up huge bills on their parents phones on these kind of games by simply buying more and more within the App.

Our advice is to know exactly what you're downloading and if children are involved then make sure your phone settings are set to require a passcode to make any in-App purchase. Instructions on how to do so are below:

To turn off in-app purchasing, do the following:

1. From your home screen, tap on the Settings app
2. Tap on General
3. Scroll about halfway down the page and tap on Restrictions
4. Tap the Enable Restrictions button
5. You'll be asked to Set a Passcode. The Passcode is a password that locks certain functions of the iOS device.
6. Once the passcode is set, scroll down to the Allowed Content section. Slide the In-App Purchases slider to Off. This will prevent anyone who doesn't know your passcode from making in-app purchases.

TV on the Go

As TV and media channels become increasingly on-line many of us can claim we have not sat and watched the TV for months, when in fact we have watched TV programs but just on our laptops or mobiles. It is now possible for us to watch TV on the go, whether we are waiting for a bus, on a lunch break at work or tucked up in bed. It is now loads easier to stay entertained while you’re on the go.

There are mobile catch up services such as BBC iPlayer, Hulu and Xfinity TV that have Apps available for your iPhone so you can watch what you missed while you were at the pub with your mates. Then there are other services that can cost a couple of pounds a month and you get unlimited access to your favourite TV programs, past and present.

You can also stream live TV from your home signal to your mobile phone, wherever you can get signal. You can watch exactly the same thing on the train journey home that your wife is watching on TV while curled up on the sofa.

It’s not something you’d want to do all the time as it can become costly, but you can buy your favourite programs through iTunes. You can then watch them whenever you have an Apple device to hand. It’s similar to the idea behind a Kindle, but you’re building up a library of films, instead of books.

It seems that Digital Video Broadcasts are soon to come to our phones, the theory being that you will be able to pick up ‘real’ TV broadcasts on your phone by using a built in antenna. Sadly Nokia are the only company to have introduced Digital TV Receivers into their handsets, but we are sure the rest are to follow.

TV is definitely now a lot easier to watch on the go!

Leave your wallet, just use your phone!

Do you remember years ago when a mobile phone was invented so you could phone people on the go, so you could be mobile but still keep in touch? Then you could text people as well, so you didn’t have to call them if you were in a rush. Then you could take photos on your phone, play games on it and surf the internet – now you can make payments for real items on your phone too.

You can now do your banking on the move, check your bank balance on the internet; you can download apps to buy things through your smartphone you can text to donate to your chosen charity, or, most excitingly, you can make contactless payments on your mobile phone.

There are now around nineteen million contactless bank cards in the form of credit cards and debit cards, these allow the phone owner to pay for products in the UK up to the value of £15 by simply holding the card over the reader, no pin or signature is required to authorise the payment.

The technology that has made this possible is called NFC (Near Field Communication) and it is now being incorporated into the latest smartphones.

Having the Near Field Communication in your mobile phone means that you do not need to have your actual credit or debit card, you just hold the phone over the reader in the shop and the payment is automatically taken from your account – as easy as that!

Currently it is just Orange and Barclay Card that are offering this technology and it’s only available on one phone, but experts have predicted that many more companies will be offering it over the next few years meaning that you never have the embarrassment of leaving your bank card at home and having no cash in your wallet.

The contactless security is built on exactly the same secure technology as Chip and Pin was. For the phone owners own security you are only able to make a certain number of contactless transactions before the phone owner is requested to enter their Pin Number at the terminal.

If your phone was to become stolen, as with your bank card, you would have legal protection from your bank. Exactly the same legal protection would be offered on your phone being stolen and payments being made, as to your credit card being stolen and payments being made.

Over 1.7 Billion Apps Downloaded Over Christmas

Mobile analytics firm Flurry have just published some stats from the week between Christmas and New Year's. It was the largest week for new device activations and app downloads in iOS and Android history!

Analyzing more than 260,000 apps running on the majority of iOS and Android devices, Flurry said that approximately 17.4 million iOS and Android devices were activated and 328 million apps were downloaded on Christmas Day alone. During the Christmas week, more than 50 million gadgets were activated and and 1.76 billion apps were downloaded, the firm estimated.

Last year people downloaded 1.2 billion iOS and Android apps in that same week so a 40% increase over last year shows just how much the market is still growing.

Flurry expects that in 2013, it will become the norm to see more than 1 billion App downloads per week, maybe even hitting 2 million by the fourth quarter of the year.

"Following a year where Google and Apple drove unprecedented adoption of mobile devices, Facebook declared itself a 'mobile' company, and Amazon and Microsoft both made significant investments into mobile computing, we look forward to continued record-breaking adoption of smart devices and applications," Peter Farago, VP of Flurry said.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 1 - Waze

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 1
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Waze
Web address: http://www.waze.com/
Platforms: iOS and Android

In a nutshell
Sat Nav with live traffic info

Description
Waze is a fun, community-based traffic & navigation app, 30 million strong. Join forces with other drivers nearby to outsmart traffic, save time & gas money, and improve everyone's daily commute.

With community-generated real-time traffic, you'll always get the best route to your destination. By simply driving around with Waze open, you're already contributing tons real-time traffic & road info to your local driving community. You can also actively report accidents, hazards, police and other events you see on the road, and get road alerts coming up on your route too. Find the cheapest gas station along your route with community-shared gas prices.

Now Waze makes it fun and simple to meet up and coordinate with friends on the road. Easily meet up, pick up friends, share your drive and ETA, and see who's headed to your destination too!

It's all about contributing to, and benefiting from, the 'common good' out there on the road, so hop on board, and get involved in your local driving community today!

✓ Live routing based on community-generated real-time traffic and road info
✓ Community-contributed road alerts including accidents, hazards, police traps, and more.
✓ Complete voice-guided navigation.
✓ Automatic re-routing as conditions on the road change.
✓ Learns your frequent destinations, commuting hours and preferred routes.
✓ Find the cheapest gas station on your route.
✓ Meet-up! Pick up friends, share your drive on a live map, see friends also on the way to your destination.
✓ Join or create groups to share info about your commute.
✓ Earn points and move up the ranks in your community as you contribute road info.
✓ Live maps, constantly updated by Waze community map editors.

Drive safe! Waze is hands-free and voice-operated.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 2 - Dropbox

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 2
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Dropbox
Web address: http://www.dropbox.com/mobile
Platforms: iOS, Android, and Blackberry

In a nutshell
Your life's work, wherever you are

Description
Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. This means that any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, phones and even the Dropbox website. Dropbox also makes it super easy to share with others, whether you're a student or professional, parent or grandparent. Even if you accidentally spill a latte on your laptop, have no fear! You can relax knowing that Dropbox always has you covered, and none of your stuff will ever be lost.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 3 - Evernote

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 3
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Evernote
Web address: http://evernote.com/evernote/
Platforms: Just about everything!

In a nutshell
Remember everything

Description
Capture anything; Save your ideas, things you like, things you hear, and things you see. Access anywhere; Evernote works with nearly every computer, phone and mobile device out there. Find things fast; Search by keyword, tag or even printed and handwritten text inside images.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 4 - Skype

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 4
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Skype
Web address: http://skype.com/mobile
Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Phone

In a nutshell
Calling, seeing, messaging and sharing with others – wherever they are.

Description
Experience Skype in the palm of your hand. Here’s just a few of the great things you can do with the Skype App:

Free face to face video calls and instant messaging over a 3G or WiFi connection.

Low cost calls and text messages to mobiles and landlines.

Smooth video calling with anti-shake technology.

Take Skype with you today.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 5 - Find My iPhone

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 5
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Find My iPhone
Web address: http://www.apple.com/iphone/icloud/#find
Platforms: iOS

In a nutshell
Find your iPhone wherever it is

Description
Don’t panic. If one of your Apple devices goes missing, iCloud can help you figure out where you left it. Just sign in at iCloud.com or use the Find My iPhone app to see your missing Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on a map. And iOS 6 and iCloud offer Lost Mode — making it even easier to find and protect a missing iOS device. With Lost Mode, you can immediately lock your device and send it a message with a contact number. Then whoever finds it can call you from the Lock screen without accessing the rest of the information on your device.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 6 - Hootsuite

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 6
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Hootsuite
Web address: http://hootsuite.com/mobile
Platforms: iOS, Android, Blackberry

In a nutshell
Social network management

Description
With HootSuite’s Twitter integration, you have all the tools needed to grow, nurture, and engage your audience. Use HootSuite to send and schedule Tweets, listen using search, list and keyword tracking streams, as well as monitor Mentions, Direct Messages, Sent Tweets, Favorited Tweets, and more in dedicated streams.

Simplify your social media with HootSuite's advanced Facebook functionality. Post updates, add images, monitor feeds, and more. Teams can manage complex campaigns – including Profiles, Pages, Events, Groups, and Search.

Connect with clients, broadcast news, amplify recruitment efforts, and monitor industry conversations with HootSuite’s LinkedIn management. HootSuite allows you to post directly to your Company Pages, Groups and Profiles, as well as create job search streams.

HootSuite’s Google+ Pages integration allow brands to use HootSuite's business-focused functionality for account management and publishing targeted messaging to circles. Share and comment on posts, search public posts and updates, see recent user activity, as well as view comments and +1s.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 7 - iPlayer

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 7
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

iPlayer
Web address: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/
Platforms: iOS and Android

In a nutshell
Catchup on BBC TV and radio

Description
Watch, listen live and catch up on the last 7 days of BBC TV and radio. Watch or listen over Wi-Fi and 3G networks. Scroll through and find Featured and Most Popular programmes. Browse through the schedule for upcoming programmes.