Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

Twitter for Mac gets a new look and features check it out. #Twitter #Social

Twitter has been busy lately rolling out new features and one key area was fighting abuse or trolls,Twitters native BLOCK feature is pretty useless and anyone can still see tweets from those who are blocked,You can be either sent links,see re-tweets,logout or just use another client which lacks functionality one such as echofone for example and you will see what I mean,this has been long known and if Twitter was to actually work on a decent block feature it would solve many issues…

Twitter has now given new looks to the Mac app which is good to see,however the official app on Android and Windows needs work, The official app on Android is a mess and especially when you get the latest droid the app fails to work,fails to allow you to set your preferences and notifications do not work,they do show an icon of your mentions be it 3/5/100 on your mention tab which is pointless when you are not notified plus you cant see who has quoted you either..COME ON LADS…..

Anyway onto the Mac app what is new…

• Inline video playback – You’ll see videos play directly in your feed.
• GIFs support – See animations without leaving your timeline.
• Group Direct Messages – Create and receive private notes with up to 50 people.
• Mute – Silence specific accounts so you no longer see them in your feed.
• Today Center Widget – Get your Twitter Highlights right on your desktop.
• Dark Theme – Now you can see the world in black or white.
• Updated design – Get the latest improvements to icons, buttons, and interactions.
• Quote Tweet – Add your two cents to any Retweet.

Download on Mac 

Source

Microsoft does it again..Launches an app on iOS. #MicrosoftSelfie.

Microsoft is on a roll of late….Launching apps for other platforms that is and not committing itself to close the huge app gap that continues to grow and leaving fans in hope that universal apps will save the day,Today they release another app on iOS which is making me wonder what exactly is going on in Microsoft…

The app is self explanatory anyway and here is what it says in the description…

Microsoft Selfie is a selfie and portrait enhancement application. The app takes age, gender, skin tone, lighting, and many other variables into account, applies different models automatically and finishes enhancement with just a single click. Users can transform average photos into more presentable portraits in seconds. Key features of this application are noise reduction, intelligent enhancement, automatic exposure and color theme.

Download on iOS   Source – WMPU

 

Viber messaging app takes on Snapchat with Viber Wink. #Viber

Popular app Viber has launched a new standalone app called Viber Wink which enables users to send messages that will dissappear, however you must be using the official Viber app itself too and you can send the wink within the Viber app..This is a nice addition to the app which already allows you make calls,videos and send messages of all sorts.

vwink

 

 

The app is simple to use and all that is needed to do is set a time limit,these limits are from 1 second to either 10 seconds or NO time-limit. You can also add text to the image or video in a similar way that is done on Snapchat and any pics you take with the camera within the app can be saved to your gallery..

Viber Wink is only available on Android and iOS for now and no word on Windows Phone yet which is to be expected.

 

 

 

Nokia Lumia 830 Gold edition unboxing and comparison. #Lumia

The Nokai Lumia 830 special edition has landed and there is nothing new about this device apart from that its hard to get and that the external colour is all thats changed,everything else has remained the same internally including its optics and,the packaging also has nothing extra either.So here is just a quick unboxing and comparison of the original 830 vs its Gold brother which looks rather well….

Below is a video and the we have some side by side images of both devices.Any questions just fire away…

 

OsmAnd+ Maps & Navigation now just 10 cent. #Maps #Navigtion

If you need or use maps this app has been reduced to just 10cent for the paid version which is a good price considered the original cost would set you back €6.49 with full support,Our preference of mapping alternatives is HERE maps which is FREE all the time and offers offline navigation,this requires you download maps prior your trip so you can also plan in advance,we do also like to test out the competition and see what the alternatives have to offer..

Some features include

Navigation
• Works online (fast) or offline (no roaming charges when you are abroad)
• Turn-by-turn voice guidance (recorded and synthesized voices)
• Optional lane guidance, street name display, and estimated time of arrival
• Supports intermediate points on your itinerary
• Automatic re-routing whenever you deviate from the route
• Search for places by address, by type (e.g.: restaurant, hotel, gas station, museum), or by geographical coordinates

Map Viewing
• Display your position and orientation
• Optionally align the picture according to compass or your direction of motion
• Save your most important places as Favorites
• Display POIs (point of interests) around you
• Display specialized online tiles, satellite view (from Bing), different overlays like touring/navigation GPX tracks and additional layers with customizable transparency
• Optionally display place names in English, local, or phonetic spelling

Safety Features
• Optional automated day/night view switching
• Optional speed limit display, with reminder if you exceed it
• Optional speed-dependent zooming
• Share your location so that your friends can find you

Bicycle and Pedestrian Features
• Viewing foot, hiking, and bike paths, great for outdoor activities
• Special routing and display modes for bike and pedestrian
• Optional public transport stops (bus, tram, train) including line names
• Optional trip recording to local GPX file or online service
• Optional speed and altitude display
• Display of contour lines and hill-shading (via additional plugin)

Download FREE version Android /  Download Paid Version 10 cent Android / iOS

Hoverboards – Perhaps we should wait until next year? #Hoverboards

Hoverboards – Not really boards that hover but something you self balance on are the in thing these days and I must admit they look cool,cool as they may seem there is too many safety concerns now with them and perhaps people should wait a little longer until some more stringent testing is done to ensure they are fully safe and pass all standards..

Yes it may sound like a bit of a bah-humbug situation though the safety of your child and home is probably a bit more important right?

Up until now several have been banned and removed from stores and websites around the globe and its becoming more prevalent each day and amid safety concerns big retailers like Amazon and Argos have ceased to sell some models of the latest craze… Recently The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission have also seized some 1400 units amid safety concerns,these hover-boards are also not cheap standing at around €350 or thereabouts heading north model dependent..

Argos stated

“They take customer safety “extremely seriously” and have decided to undertake “additional testing” on the Nevaboard gadget.While we undertake these checks, we have temporarily withdrawn the Nevaboard from sale”

Argos also said if you have any fears or worriers people can get a refund immediately..

The issues to date seem to be plugs,flex,batteries internals whilst nothing specific, its something to think about as many folk would have purchased either online or via market and should be aware at least. This is not to say there are boards available without issues but the problem is there and a concern..

 

New designer watch faces arrive on Android wear. #Android #Smartwatch

Bored with your Android wear watch-face? Fear not there is some new designer faces just after landing for you to pick from,Android wear is now giving much more choice for the consumer and instead of boring plane faces there is some really cool options for you to try in the store… Some are free and some do cost a little but they are worth the spend..

New designs are…

  • Ted Baker: Reveal your sophisticated side with ten gorgeous designs.
  • Melissa Joy Manning: Rock a different birthstone for every month of the year.
  • Vivienne Tam: Watch Opera Girl twirl, take a selfie, and more.
  • Nicole Miller: Stay on track and in style with Nicole Miller’s pop art.
  • Y-3: Sport the styles of Yohji Yamamoto, inspired by the beauty of human movement.
  • Mango: Add instant chic to any outfit with this ready-to-wear watch face.
  • Zoe Jordan: Free your time of clutter with the clean lines of modern design.
  • Harajuku Kawaii!: Express your playful side with this adorable and vibrant watch face.
  • ASICS: Motivate yourself to stay active with the help of your fitness buddy.

You can download these watch faces today. Coming to iPhone in the coming days..

Source

Reality Editor App – Programme any object with Augmented Reality #IoT

If you have a house full of gadgets this app is made for you,its pretty dam cool and has a Minority Report touch to it if you will….

Over the next few years we will slowly see more connected devices enter our homes and this app will make them talk to each other,We do have some connected devices in our homes now and some perhaps do not realise it,Take Nest for example, a smartbulb TV or Fridge,though they cant really talk to each other,this is where this app comes in.This app is an  augmented reality app that lets you link the smart objects around you together, just by drawing connections with your finger between them.

The Reality Editor is a new kind of tool for empowering you to connect and manipulate the functionality of physical objects. Just point the camera of your smartphone at an object and its invisible capabilities will become visible for you to edit. Drag a virtual line from one object to another and create a new relationship between these objects. With this simplicity, you are able to master the entire scope of connected objects.

 

The Reality Editor is a result of three years of MIT research,it looks futuristic and cool and its available to download now,it maybe some time before we will need such an app as standard but its certainly the future,check out the full story below..

Source    Download on iOS

 

 

Myvouchers.ie lands on Android.Find deals and discounts #Apps #Irish

Myvouchers.ie has got an app which has landed on Android,If you have not heard of them what they do is unite customers with Deals & Discounts no matter where they travel in Ireland,this makes life simple and simplicity is a win for consumers.. Also to note there is no upfront payments required which again is a bonus.. The app is simple to use which allows you to search by county,location,category or just a general search..

App description

Myvouchers.ie are a website dedicated to uniting customers with Deals & Discounts wherever they are going. We have a simple process of selecting and saving. You don’t buy any of our Deals in Advance so there is no risk of a Deal expiring and you losing out as a result. All our Deals are Pay on Arrival.
The Deals / Discounts you see on screen are what you print off and there are never any hidden Terms & Conditions.

Download on Android