Let's Talk Tech
Score a new Android over Black Friday? Looking to pick up a tablet this holiday season? Wondering what apps you should install first?
Google published their top Android app list for 2014, and it’s jammed pack with some winners. I’m happy to say that I’ve already snagged about half of these. Probably because I have excellent taste.
Did your favorite apps make the cut? Check out the list by hitting the link below!
I had the pleasure of working with Randy Mack and the Consumer Product Investigation team at KNBC. While those of us in the tech industry have a pretty nuanced understanding of what app permissions are and what risks we might be taking with our personal information, I really appreciate the approach taken here in introducing the concept of spyware without resorting to a “Sky is Falling”, panic inducing tone.
I’m happy to share this piece we produced, and if you have any tips or tricks for how you discuss privacy and data security with your family, drop a comment below!
It’s that time of year, where our kitchens get a work out. U-verse is partnering with The Food Network, to provide some recipe tools to the largest screen in your home.
To test the app, AT&T folks invited some fun folks over to a “Friendsgiving” house party, where the entire menu would be prepared off of recipes provided through the app.
The app is fairly easy to navigate, inspired by minimal tablet apps, with side-scrolling menu options. Tied into popular Food Network programs, you can search by recipe, ingredient, or scan through recipes recommended by various show hosts. I spent most of my time looking through Alton Brown’s recommendations. Because he is awesome. Truth.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to see a full fledged video editor on Windows Phone. Now with some of the best cameras ever bolted onto our smartphones, we now have the ability to cut up high resolution video directly from the phones that shot it. Best of all this app is cross platform for any Windows device with a touch screen.
Here’s our full review, feature walk through, and tutorial of Movie Creator on Windows Phone 8.1! Enjoy!
I WIN!!!
Ok. So I was never really concerned with privacy issues or permissions on the standalone messenger app Facebook forced users to install. The app’s notification settings and geo-location controls bothered me. Also the design, including the messenger icon in the Facebook app, which showed notifications, but then forcing a second app, was another nitpicky reason for me to fight it.
Since the switch, I’ve been replying to instant messages through my browser. Clumsy, but I could stick to my “first world problem” principles.
Well it seems that Facebook might be reversing course on the two app solution. On the newest update (version 21.0.0.23.12) if you clear out your data or reinstall the app, the messenger “Nag Screen” has changed back. You can now bypass that screen, and IM through the main FB app again. It’s unclear why Facebook might have made this 180, or if this is a permanent change.
VICTORY! How sweet it is…
The rumors of a Microsoft smartwatch are true!
Taking the wraps off of a new app and new hardware, the Microsoft Band will retail for $199. It features a 320×106 pixel capacitive touchscreen, built in GPS, a heart rate sensor, skin temperature sensor, Galvanic skin monitor, UV and Ambient light sensors, and a microphone. They’re only rating it as dust and splash resistant, so it might not be a good option for swimmers.
Interestingly enough, there are two 100 mAh batteries, about half the capacity of the new LG G Watch R, but Microsoft is estimating 48 hour battery life.
While it’s built around fitness tracking, it will also pair with phones over Bluetooth for the standard collection of notifications and alerts. Happily, Microsoft is making this watch cross platform, so it will work with Windows Phone, iOS, and Android, though only Windows Phone users will have access to Cortana from their wrist.
The Band is being launch alongside a new Health app, which is also cross platform for Windows Phone, iOS, and Android. While Health is designed to be a fitness tracking service, both the Band and the app will leverage cloud services and will work with other fitness services like RunKeeper and UP by Jawbone.
Are these the features you’ve been looking for in a smartwatch? Leave us a comment below!
Email is one of my biggest time wasters when it comes to getting my work done, and I’m pretty terrible at organizing it consistently. Any tools that can actually help me clean out my inbox are greatly appreciated, and that’s what Google is aiming to do with this new Inbox app. At the time this video was shot, it was an Invite only public BETA, so let’s take a look!
I have come across quite a few interesting games in the Windows Phone Store and today we are taking a look at one of the simplest yet fun games out there.
Square Me is a bare bones game which has no options nor does it have any setting to adjust game play. Square Me has one objective which is to find the tile that does not match and tap it so you can advance to the next level.
At the beginning of the game you start out at Level 1 which has four big tiles but as you advance the tiles become smaller and the color change of the mismatched tile become ever so slight. Believe me it can be a challenge as you advance in levels. Of course you also have a timer that counts down while hunting the mismatched color tile, adding to the tension. Good luck! Continue reading “Windows Phone Game Review: Square Me”