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10 must-have apps for the iPhone 5

Your iPhone 5 can be even more awesome if you get these 10 work and social apps, plus some fun games ones.
by Manik Kakra

So you got your shiny, new iPhone? It’s awesome, isn’t it? Well, you know what could make it even better – apps and games. Over the years, iOS has become a dominant player when it comes to mobile. Developers across the world want to develop their apps for iOS – because the platform is popular, used widely, and app quality is top notch. So, here is a list of 10 apps and a few games apps to get you started with your new Apple gadget:

1. Chrome

Most of us use Chrome on our PCs. By using Chrome on your iPhone, you can sync bookmarks between the devices without any hassle. Just sign in and you are good to go. While it doesn’t enjoy as much freedom as Safari does on iOS, the browser works smoothly and feels like home for PC Chrome users. 

An alternative? Opera Mini

2. Tweetbot

Are you on active on Twitter? If yes, then there’s no way you can’t have Tweetbot installed on your iPhone. This Twitter client is one of the best out there. No compromises – neat UI, feature-rich, and support from developers.

The alternative? Twitterrific

3. Camera+

The iPhone 5 (and 4S) has a great camera, and it can be put to even better use by using something like Camera+. This app allows you to snap photos as well as edit them – with borders, filters, exposure, and more.

The alternative? Paper Camera

4. Dropbox

Dropbox is a must-have app, regardless of what device you are carrying. It is a cross-platform cloud storage service, which allows you to sync your precious data across your devices. You can buy more storage as and when required, according to their plans.

The alternative? Box

5. Evernote

Evernote has, over the years, become a solid app for not only taking notes, but also to compile to-do lists. It synchronises them across devices, as it has a web version, too.

The alternative? Springpad

6. 1Password

As you use your phone or any other connected device, you keep signing up for a number of services, and, as a result, have to remember their respective passwords. 1Password is your one-stop app to stop worrying about having to remember so many passwords. The user doesn’t have to look up in the app as he/she will be signed in automatically.

The alternative? LastPass

7. Airport Utility

This free manager allows you to fully control your Airport stations. It lists all the devices connected, and gives you options to change settings you want.

8. Flipboard

This app is sort of a news-aggregator. You can choose which news sites you want it to combine, and then the app presents them in a beautiful manner, thus allowing you to have your very own virtual magazine.

The alternative? Zite

9. WhatsApp

Chances are that you might be using this app already on your phone. Right? No doubt it’s the most popular cross-platform messaging service today, well worth the money for chatting with your friends.

The alternative? Viber

10. 8Tracks

This is an Internet radio service that gives access to thousands of radio stations made specifically for people having a particular genre preference, created by like-minded people.

The alternative? Pandora

For games, check these out:

Subway Surfers

Angry Birds HD

Real Racing 2

Ruzzle

Did Manik miss any apps which are essential to start with your iPhone? Do let him know your favourite or worst app experiences in the comments section below this article.

(Picture courtesy engadget.com)

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This just in: Motorheadphones

A new range of headphones, designed in collaboration with rock band Motörhead, are targetted at rock and pop-loving music listeners.

They were launched in Europe very recently, and have now launched in India. The Motorheadphones, designed in collaboration with the rock band Motörhead by Krusell International, are meant to ‘deliver everything louder than everything else but with the sort of range, clarity and true rock reproduction one would expect from a rock performance on stage.’

The headphones, called Motorheadphones, have been rated amongst the top 5 out of the 10 best headphones in the market at present. The makers insist that these headphones will focus on the rock/pop audience, target groups that are critical listeners, and hence, the design and build go with the attitude that rock stands for.

What’s more, most models are said to be smartphone-ready while two of them will be equipped with the new developed microphone ‘Controlizer’, which the makers claim is one of the ‘most advanced remote controls on the market.’ The products will be available with leading CE and music retailers.

The headphones are available in the range Bomber, Ironfist, Motorizer, Overkill and Trigger range. Go to www.motorheadphones.com for details.

 

 

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Facebook announces ‘Home’ for Android smartphones

Announces the advent of the launcher, which will allow users to check their Facebook right from their phone’s home screen.
by Manik Kakra

Yesterday, Facebook held an event at its HQ, during which Mark Zuckerberg announced new paths for Facebook’s mobile users.

First of all, Facebook has launched ‘Home’. What is it? Basically, it is a launcher for your Android smartphone. But there are plenty of launchers available from the Play Store, so what’s so different about this one, you ask? Well, we haven’t yet got our hands on the launcher, as it’s going to arrive on April 12, but what is clear from the event is that, the launcher will allow users to check Facebook right from their phone’s home screen.

This means you don’t have to go into any particular app to browse through your Facebook feed. You will also get notifications, messages, photo updates, etc. right on your home screen.

 

Chat Head is another feature of Facebook’s new launcher for Android; with chat heads you will get to see instant message on top of whatever app you’ve currently opened on your phone. Home is where you will have all the apps from the launcher, and it will be a unified hub for Facebook on your Android smartphone. So, this Cover Feed tries to make a deeper Facebook integration in your smartphone.

Next, Facebook and HTC announced HTC First It’s a new Android smartphone, which comes pre-loaded with Facebook Home. There are no official statements about the hardware specifications or Android version that power the phone.

The HTC first sports a 4.3-inch 720p screen, and is powered by Qualcomm’s 1.4 GHz dual-core Snapdragone 400 processor, along with 1 GB of RAM. The phone comes in black, white, light blue, and RWhat’s know and will go on sale on April 12.  It costs $99.99 (approx Rs 5,485.50, on the US’s AT&T network). Zuckerberg also announced that Facebook has signed with, apart from HTC and AT&T, Sony, and Samsung. This new launcher will be supported for HTC One X, One X+, One Samsung Galaxy SIII, Note II at the launch.

There is no news about the global launch of any device that comes preloaded with Home.

We can’t say how good or bad the launcher or its implementation is, but one bad thing is that it will soon have ads. Yes. Ads right on your home screen. Let’s see how the launcher cops up in day-to-day use.

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Book your next holiday at a kiosk

MTDC to install touch screen kiosks to help users book holidays at MTDC resorts; first one installed at Marine Drive.

It is summer time and everyone’s heading for a holiday. To make the process of booking accomodation for your holiday easier, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has hit upon the idea of installing touch screen kiosks at various spots in Mumbai and the State.

To this end, the first such kiosk was installed a couple of days ago at Mumbai’s Marine Drive. The kiosk and others like it will enable users to get information about tourist destinations in Maharashtra, in both Marathi and English. Plus, once you browse the information and make a destination choice, you can book your stay at an MTDC resort in that destination, as well as book train tickets to get there.

As per a release from MTDC, the plan is to “set up 300 such kiosks at various tourist destinations in Maharashtra, at Government offices, railway stations and airports. Within Mumbai, the kiosks will be put at CST, Dadar, domestic and international airports, Sanjay Gandhi National Park etc.”

(Picture courtesy MTDC. Image shows Jayant Kumar Banthia. Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and Dr Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC, inaugurating the kiosk at Marine Drive)

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Google starts rental movie service for India

You can buy and rent movies, TV shows from Google’s Play Store. But the Hindi film collection isn’t too exciting.
by Manik Kakra

Here’s some good news for you Android users out there. Google has started its movie rental service on the Play Store. Users in India can now buy and rent movies and TV shows from Google’s Play Store.

To start off, you have to download the Google Play Movies and TV app on your Android device. Then, search for the required movie, and hit buy or rent.

Use it: If you rent a movie, you can watch it within a month, and for the next 48 hours once you start watching it. If you download a movie or a TV show, you can enjoy it on five devices, but rented movies can only be watched on a single device.

Pay for it: If you are not aware of the payment system, this is how it works: a user has to add his credit or debit card information on Google Wallet, in order to buy apps, games, e-books, movies, and more from the Google Play Store.

What we didn’t like: The movie collection right now isn’t too extensive. Hindi movie lovers won’t have a very good time browsing through the new catalogue. Movies start Rs 50 onwards, and go up to Rs 590, available in SD and HD options. Some of the Hindi titles available as of now are Ta Ra Rum Pum, Ek Tha Tiger, etc., but a lot of good films are missing. Meanwhile, the English collection looks much better, with The Hobbit, 21 Jump Street, Seven Pounds, and so on included.

A few days ago, Google started selling the Nexus 7 (16 GB WiFi) on its Play Store for Indian users, priced at Rs 15,999. A few weeks back, Google introduced e-books for Indian users. Back in December, Apple opened its iTunes store for India. Looking at these developments, it is sure that Google and Apple are becoming serious about the Indian market, especially on the content side. Though we have services like hungama.com and saavn.com for music and movies, brands like Google and Apple can really work the magic to bring better content to India, quality and quantity-wise.

I hope Google and Apple start bringing their devices quicker to Indian shores. We have a lot of users here, waiting for the devices and content, while their US and Europe friends enjoy it way before. Here’s hoping this start doesn’t disappoint, and companies have many more goodies in store for its users.

(Picture courtesy gogi.in)

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