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.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 8 - TVCatchup

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 8
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

TVcatchup
Web address: http://www.tvcatchup.com/
Platforms: Just about everything!

In a nutshell
Watch live TV on your mobile

Description
Watch live UK TV on demand, with the convenience of an app. Select from a wide selection of freeview channels including, news, sports, movies, music, shopping, and children's TV. Use this app to watch TV on the move, on the bus, in a car, in the office, in your house, in your bed, in the kitchen or anywhere else or just use it to watch TV when somebody else is hogging the main screen.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 9 - TVGuide

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 9
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

TVGuide
Web address: http://www.tvguide.co.uk/
Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Phone

In a nutshell
TV listings at a glance

Description
TVguide.co.uk, the UK's number one TV listings website, brings you a FREE smart and sexy application that allows you to see what's on now and next, at one glance. If you prefer, there's also the option of a full day's listings on one screen. Check out programmes for all channels on Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, and Freesat.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 10 - Remotemouse

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 10
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Remotemouse
Web address: http://www.remotemouse.net/
Platforms: iOS and Android

In a nutshell
Turn your mobile phone or tablet into a wireless mouse and keyboard.

Description
Turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a wireless touchpad and keyboard now! You can take control of your PC or Mac from anywhere in the room.

Features:

1. Fully simulated functions of wireless mouse and keyboard. Main mouse functionalities featured, including click, double-click, right-click, scroll and drag.
2. Both portrait and landscape mode mouse touchpad supported.
3. iOS default keyboards integration with customized function keys.
4. Key Combos supported.
5. Voice-Recognition Input is supported on iPhone 4S.
6. Wireless control of your computer anywhere in your room. Works under WiFi and 3G Network.
7. Intuitive interface and easy to use
8. Compatible with Windows 7, XP, Vista.
9. Compatible with Mac OSX Lion/Snow leopard/Leopard.

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 11 - Metoffice

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 11
Our countdown from 12 to 1 of our favourite Apps of 2012.

Metoffice
Web address: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/iphone
Web address: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/android
Web address: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/wp8
Platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 8

In a nutshell
What’s the weather forecast?

Description
The app gives you three hourly forecasts for today and up to five days ahead. In addition to the likelihood of rain or snow, sunshine, cloud coverage and temperature, it gives the “feels-like” temperature - ideal if it's 10 °C but will actually feel like 3 °C when you account for the wind chill factor! Accurate, easy to read and simple to use, the app also updates automatically so it's always displaying the latest forecast information (reflecting the hourly updates behind the scenes).

The 12 Apps Of Christmas - Number 12 - Speedtest

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

Speedtest
Web address: http://www.speedtest.net/mobile.php
Platforms: iOS and Android

In a nutshell
Find out what speed your internet is.

Description
Are you getting the internet speed you pay for? Use Speedtest.net to view the speed that you’re getting for your mobile internet data. You can help too and join over 250 million others like you who want to test or troubleshoot their Internet connection. What's your Speed? You can also share and compare your speed results with friends quickly and easily.

iTunes 11: What’s New?

iTunes 11 arrived recently, but what makes it different from the previous iTunes? You don’t have to have an iPhone5 and can download iTunes 11 onto your Mac or Windows machine.

No longer does iTunes look clunky, it is now smooth, sleeker, smarter and more modern with the menu removed from the left side (you can re-enable it if you wish though) and the top bar now shrunk to make everything look so much better, slicker and a lot less fussy.

There is now an "expanded view" and this is said to be the most interesting of changes. You are able to click on a track or song and information will open up showing you the tracks that you can buy individually or as part of an album.

The store itself has grown and there are now lots more ways you can part with your hard earned cash, as more options open up with other songs you may like to purchase.

There is also an "Up Next" feature on iTunes 11, this makes it a lot easier to add tracks and click to see which song is coming up next. If you don’t like the next song then you can swap it around, add others in between or delete them off completely. The choice is yours.

iTunes 11 has also given the Mini Player a much required facelift, which is of much better styling then ever before. It gives you the search function to choose what songs you want to listen to and in which order.

You are also able to see your preview history; this means you can listen to a load of songs then you can backup and purchase them if you choose to. You can link back to them with ease. Preview history can work with films and TV as well as music.

iCloud has also been used with iTunes 11, allowing you to have any songs, film or TV you buy from the iTunes Store available on your Mac,PC, or iOS devices instantly!

How having an App can help your business

First of all, what is an App? An App (short for Application) is a program that runs on a smartphone in the same way as installed software runs on your computer. It allows the user to carry out tasks they want or need to do whilst on the move using their smartphone.

We’ve all heard the huge success stories of Apps like Angry Birds and used common Apps such as Ebay or Twitter but how can an App help your business, no matter what size it is? There are three main ways a smartphone App can be used to help:

1. Marketing
As part of your marketing effort Apps can be very powerful. As Apps are only just becoming mainstream then the first companies to have an App in their sector can generate a lot of PR around this. A client of ours (www.wetherbyortho.co.uk) has done exactly that by being the first orthodontist in the UK to have an App. Also, in the same way as your website gets found by Google, then with the right setup, people will find your App (and of course your business) through the various App stores.

2. Customer Service
We all want to serve our customers better in whichever field we work. Have you thought how you could help yours without them needing to be in the office sat in front of a computer? Mobile Apps allow you to do this! We practice what we preach at Appware so as well as using web based project management software in the office we also use the associated iPhone App for this. This means that if I’m sat with a client I can give an update of exactly where we are with their project in real time. I can also make notes or add new tasks as they are requested so my team can get to work on them before I’m even back in the office!

3. Direct Revenue Generation
The types of Apps above are usually given away for free. There is of course the option to actually generate direct revenue from an App. This can be done in a few ways; you could simply charge a flat fee for an App, give a limited version of an App for free but allow customers to pay to upgrade and unlock any limitations, or support the App through sponsorship or adverts. The cost of Apps to the end user is relatively small (starting at just 69 pence) but the worldwide market is huge. With a great idea and good marketing then the potential is massive. For example, the original version of Angry Birds has sold over 12 million copies!

I hope this gives you an insight into the world of Apps. Feel free to ask any questions by getting in touch at www.appware.co.uk

Why Is 4G for Me?

4G is out and we want to tell you why 4G may be the thing for you! Currently 4G is only available through Orange network (well, rebranded as EE) and isn't that cheap but it is said 4G will expand to other networks soon. Once that happens then expect prices to come down and the number of different deals to go up. You also need to have a phone capable of handling this speed and modern handsets like the iPhone5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 support it.

4G is five times quicker than 3G (the current fastest way to get data and browse the web across the mobile phone network) which makes it a superfast tool to have, it covers 11 cities so far with plans to have 16 cities 4G'd up by the end of the year.

4G allows you to check emails, download massive documents and complete video calling, all on the go, all unbelievably quickly. Along with downloading, with 4G you can also upload massive files to a website and complete video conferencing wherever you are.

If you are into multiplayer games and you can’t wait to get home in the evening to beat your friends then 4G can help you with brilliant live multiplayer games that you can play with anyone and everyone across the world.

To sum up, 4G can do everything that 3G does but it can do it a better quality and a lot faster! Anything 3G can do, 4G can do better!

Microsoft Surface – A Different Type of Tablet

Most of us have seen the trendy adverts on the TV. It shows people sat on a picnic bench with different colour ‘machines’ passing them from person to person, propping them up with the back case and sticking a keyboard on the front before holding them together to create a guy – This is the Microsoft Surface, the new tablet on the market available from just £399.

Microsoft claim that with surface you can see more, share more and do more – but does this make it better than other tablets? Let’s have a look at what’s on offer;

Microsoft states that the surface is not only a timeless and tough work of art but a feat of engineering too. It is said that after using it just briefly you will clearly be able to see the thoughtful design and craftsmanship perfection that, joined together, makes the Surface a joy to behold. The Surface also has a unique casing called VaporMg and this offers not only a high quality fit but it also gives the Surface an ultra light and durable finish.

To stand it up just use the integrated stand that flips out from the back of the tablet, allowing you to have hands-free entertainment. Whether you want to sit back and enjoy a video in HD or take some beautiful photos, just flip back the stand and it’s propped up for you. However if you want it back as an ordinary tablet the stand closes back in on itself and moulds into the casing, leaving it looking smooth and sleek.

If you’d rather not use the touch screen for the typing then why not turn your Surface into a laptop by using the Touch Cover which just clicks into place giving you a slim and spill-resistant keyboard that you can use to type away until your heart’s desire. You can make your Surface as personalised as you want it to be with lots of vibrant colours to choose from. Alternatively why not consider a Type Cover? This combines the comfort and speed of your everyday keyboard but it is lightweight and super thin making it ideal for extended usage at home or work.

It may look incredibly thin but do not despair – the Surface still features a full-size USB port, microSD card slot and HD Video out port meaning that you are able to transfer files easily and use numerous compatible accessories such as the charge up, plug in and show off.

The fact that the Surface is cloud-connected is an added bonus as it means you can use SkyDrive to access any files at any time from wherever they may be.

One of the biggest advantages however, is that it uses the same operating system that can run on your laptop, Windows 8. So this means that you can use all the same software that you're used to using on your desktop or laptop in exactly the same way. Only time will tell if Microsoft really have produced a true laptop replacement in tablet form...

Is your company mobile friendly?

The "normal" Appware website

It was stated in 2010 that mobile phones outnumbered computers four to one, yes, there are four times more mobile phones that there are computers, worrying thought? It should be if your website is not mobile friendly!

A survey showed that less than 1% of websites for small businesses work on mobile phones with small business owners just presuming they do and never checking to make sure they do. Why is this of concern? If for example you are a locksmith company, someone is stuck outside, their computer is in the house and they have a smartphone so they search on the internet for a local locksmith, it seems you are the nearest but then clicking on to your website and nothing... the website will not load so the customer that is stuck outside calls your competitor!

Of course this could happen in lots of other businesses to, a guy is sat on the train on the way to work when he suddenly remembers his wife’s anniversary, he pops onto the internet on his smartphone to find a local florist, the first one he spots on the search engine he clicks on and the website doesn’t work, so he goes to the next one. You’ve spent fortunes on SEO getting you to the top of the search engines and now this poor guy can’t even see your website!

With so many people owning smartphones (mainly iPhones, Android, Blackberry) can your business really afford not to have a mobile friendly website? Can your business afford to miss this many customers because you are missing a mobile friendly version of your website?

The mobile optimised Appware website

It is important to remember that a smartphone user may not be looking for the same in depth information as a user on the computer, they want to see everything, but not in depth, they don’t want to scroll and scroll and scroll to find what they are looking for, instead a mobile website version needs to be clear with snippets of information that they can click on to see more. Make sure your contact details are on there with the times you are open and your location. Make sure all the basics are covered clearly.

It was stated in 2010 by experts in the smartphone industry that the mobile web and app usage will overtake the desktop computer in less than 3 years, it is now 2012... You need to get a mobile version of your website quickly if you have not done so already.

If you are designing the mobile version of your website yourself you need to ensure that you avoid any video or high resolution images as this will slow down the speed in which the website loads and will tend to put customers off visiting your website, or staying and waiting while your website loads.

The most important things you need from the mobile version of your website is that your customers can go on it and be able to find you, be able to contact you, be able to refer you and be able to add you to their phone book. If they want more details than that it’s unlikely that will look on their smart phone anyway, instead they will look on their computer where they will have more time to research and browse your website and competitors websites.

The most important thing is that you need to get on your smartphone now and check that your website works on mobile phones, check that it is of a good usability standard and does not take too long to load up or find the essential details. If it does not you need to work on it, or call in an expert to work on it for you... hint, hint ;)

So in summary, your business NEEDS to have a mobile presence to improve the brand of your business and to keep up with the ever growing mobile audience.

iPad Mini - What Is So Cool About Small?

Apple has launched the new iPad Mini today, claiming that it is the whole package but in a smaller package. It’s looking pretty cool with a beautiful and clear display, powerful A5 chip, a HD Camera for FaceTime, an iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording, extra fast wireless internet access and it has access to over 275,000 apps ready and waiting to be downloaded. But what is the difference between the iPad and iPad mini? It’s smaller of course!

The screen is just 7.9 inches and has an LED backlit display meaning it looks just beautiful. You can scan through your pictures, search through websites and watch videos easily. It’s perfect size means that you can work with the hundreds of apps that are made for the iPad not just scaled up iPhone Apps.

At 7.2mm in depth it is 23% thinner than the iPad and weighing just 308g means it is over half (53%) lighter than the iPad. The iPad mini is pencil thin and light as a feather meaning that it can be held easily in the palm of your hand.

There are some brilliant apps available on the iPad mini including iPhoto which makes it easy for the user to view, edit and share their photos with the simplicity of Multi-Touch.

iMovie is an excellent app too making it possible for you to shoot 1080dp HD movies, turning the footage into Hollywood style trailers or mini feature films.

Then there’s the GarageBand app which allows you to play instruments on the iPad mini and they sound as good as if they were the real thing.

The Pages app is a superb addition to your iPad mini collection; this app allows you to use the pre-designed (by Apple) templates to create your own professional letters, flyers, invitations and more. However, if numbers are your things then the Numbers app is the app for you allowing you to make flexible tables and 3d charts.

With help from the Numbers App, the Keynote App available on iPad mini means that presentations never be boring again. This app can be used to create elegant presentations with themes and styles on offer.

The apps already built in to the iPad mini include Siri which allows you to find out what is going on where and the best place to go, use the maps to find your treasure, FaceTime to keep in touch with your nearest and dearest, read magazines or your favourite book, watch a film, check your emails or send a message.

The powerful A5 chip means that the iPad mini is fast and fluid in its performance allowing you to switch from page to page, app to app in a smooth and natural way.

The iPad also offers a battery life that is not to be laughed at – up to ten hours of usage without charge is really pretty impressive for such a small thing that can do so much.

FaceTime got more fun with the iPad mini, you can chat to your friends using the front facing camera, or show them what you can see using the iSight camera on the back, wherever you are your friends and family can feel close to you.

Being able to record in HD Video in full 1080p is a huge bonus for this mighty but small machine, meaning wherever you are, however unexpected the event, you can still capture it for a lifetime using your iPad mini.

The 5 megapixel iSight camera means that all your photos will come out great whether in low lighting or sat out in the sun, there is also a huge display meaning that you can compose your shot until it’s just right.

The iPad mini also has built in advanced wi-fi technology meaning that the wi-fi is at least twice as fast as any earlier iPad, download speeds can reach a whopping 150Mbps.

The iPad mini has iCloud built in so just turn it on and you have access to whatever document you require, whether it is on your iPad, iPhone, Mac or PC, you can locate and lock whatever you require, wherever you require.

Using AirPlay means that you can stream all your music, photos and videos to your HDTV and speakers with just the tap of a button, wirelessly. In the same way you can use AirPrint to print whatever you require, wirelessly, at just the touch of a button.

The iPad mini cover is a must have if you have decided that you want the iPad mini, with its magnetic technology the smart cover snaps into place perfectly to protect your screen, but then fold it over and you have a stand – all with no extra bulk, keeping the iPad mini small, slim and as sleek as ever.

As you can tell, we're big fans and managed to get one sent to the office today. If you'd like to have a play with one in the flash then get in touch and we'd be happy to let you.

The Rise of the Smartphone App

It is being said that there is no end on sight for the growth of the app market. Research shows that over 62% of Americans own a device which can use apps however only a quarter of these people had paid for their apps; others had only used free apps. One third of those that use apps on their smart phones and tablets have said they would use them more often in the future, and out of the ‘non’ app users, a third of those have said it is very likely they will download and use apps in the next six months. It seems word of mouth is the best selling tool for new apps though, with 52% of Americans saying that they tend to download an app onto their smart phone after a friend has recommended they do so. Experts are stating that the mobile apps market is growing very fast with innovation and strong businesses driving the majority of that growth, yet everyone is gaining from this ever expanding market. This huge and constant growth in the mobile app market had lead to better apps and better service for everyone, resulting in more businesses thriving in the mobile app market.

It seems that mobile apps are not just the next best thing, but the constant best thing for the future.

Most app users have said the apps they choose help them to get more out of the smart phone with 47% saying that they download the apps that make it easier for them than using their mobile browser. 46% of Americans have said they tend to download the apps that make their smart phone more entertaining and 44% of Americans said that they download apps that make it faster to get the information that they need.

With Apps, smart phone users are able to have more technology at their finger tips; in fact they can have as much technology at their finger tips as they want. The app options are pretty much endless.

It seems that the American public are happy with apps too with 57% of smart phone app users stating that app upgrades are a must and they place great value onto them, meanwhile 46% of Americans feel that apps are constantly getting better and that smart phone app users look forward to new updates to their apps.

Mobile App experts have said that there is a lot more to discover and lots more they can accomplish in the mobile app world, with some experts feeling that they have only just begun to scratch the surface of what mobile apps can really offer smart phone users.

It really does seem there is no end in sight for the growth of the apps market.

BrushDJ App shortlisted for an award

The Appsters Awards are like the glistening and much talked about Oscars, but of the App world. With the award winners chosen by a well chosen judging panel of independent experts, the best of the best apps will be competing for the 12 titles up for grabs. One of the titles is The Start-Up App 2012 and the designer of the BrushDJ App is delighted to be in the shortlist with six other competitors.

BrushDJ is a great idea for making sure that you brush your teeth for long enough, it does this by playing two minutes of music from your collectiom, encouraging you to brush your teeth for long enough. BrushDJ is also useful for setting reminders to brush your teeth twice a day, floss, use a mouthwash or when the user is next due to change their toothbrush or see their dentist or hygienist.

As well as being shortlisted for the award, the developers of BrushDJ were over the moon that the BrushDJ app that they built for their client had recently been featured on the BBC Newsite ‘BBC Click’ too.

But who were the makers that designed this fantastic, healthy and great fun app? It was AppWareof course.

Appware’s client (Dentist, Ben Underwood) felt that sometimes it’s hard to know when the two minutes is up so it’s great to have that timed by your favourite song, some electric toothbrushes have built in timers, but listening to the buzz can get a little boring. The BrushDJ makes brushing your teeth fun, and first thing in the morning, when you’re a little sleepy, the BrushDJ App will help wake you up with your favourite song and you can have a bop along while brushing your teeth.

If you want to find a more fun way to brush your teeth then download BrushDJ, the greatest app for brushing your teeth!

For more information on the App take a look at www.brushdj.com

The new iPhone5 – what’s new and should I upgrade?

The New iPhone is out, the iPhone5. You’ve seen it in the media, you’ve seen the waiting lists being offered in various mobile phone shops and you’ve heard the hype, but why should you upgrade to the iPhone5?

It’s a bigger screen, but it hasn’t just gone big for the sake of being big. It’s bigger so you can view more in your calendar, so you can have more apps available on the main page and you can see more of the website page that you are on too. With 44% more colour saturation and 18% more pixels, not only is the screen bigger it’s better too, and the colours stand out more and the pictures are clearer. The iPhone5 allows you to watch widescreen HD Video and TV in all its glory, as it should be.

It’s a faster internet service via LTE wireless technology (4G) which is well known for its speed, but it’s been done in such as way that it will not drain the battery life, meaning faster internet connection for you, but not a faster draining battery.

The new A6 chip also gives you everything twice as fast as the A5 chip did, so launching Apps, attaching emails and opening web pages can be done twice as quickly. However even with accelerated speed the iPhone5 battery has more than enough power to last throughout the day, including 8 hours browsing, 8 hours talk time and 10 hours video playback time.

The earphones are new and exciting too, better known as EarPods. Over one hundred different types have been tested on over 600 people, ensuring they work through sweat and water while staying in place in the hottest and coldest climates.

The camera is improved too with panoramic views being able to be taken and it’s also easier to take better low-light images with noise reduction. Siri has improved from the iPhone 4S as Siri now works with more languages and with more places, understanding you question in a better way, therefore giving you better answers.

The iPhone5 offers you maps designed by Apple that can be seen 3D as real images where you pan around and zoom in wherever you want. The maps also offer directions that speak to you turn by turn (powered by by market leaders TomTom) to help you get where you are going easier.

Should you upgrade? If you contract is up for renewal then it’s probably worth it, but if you already have the iPhone 4S then there are really no vast improvements that would urge a need for the upgrade, especially now that i0S6 is available for download for free.

iOS6 – What is it?

Most of us are waking up this morning and seeing that our iPhones, iPads or iPod Touches are offering the download of new software, which is iOS6, this is all well and good, but what is this new software and what extra things is it going to offer me?

Maps
Apple have designed a new maps system, so as well as the usual view you can see maps of the world for real, either at ground level looking up at the buildings (US only unfortunately) or sky level, looking down at the roof tops. The graphics are very detailed and allow you to zoom in and out, tilt and rotate. Turn by turn navigation is now available (powered by TomTom) along with real time traffic updates that routes you around jams.

Siri
Siri (only on 4S and 5) has been updated to talk and understand more languages and be able to work in more countries around the world, meaning you can get more done easily, wherever you are. Whether you want to find out what is on at the cinema and the reviews of what is on, or even open an app. Siri can do it for you with no tapping involved.

Facebook
It’s now even quicker and easier to get your stuff on Facebook, when you take a photo you can now upload straight to Facebook, you can tell Siri you status update, when friends change their contact details on Facebook, it can change in your contacts on your phone immediately and events and birthdays on your Facebook calendar can automatically go into your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

Shared Photo Streams
This allows you to share groups / streams of photos with the people you want to share them with, direct to their Apple handsets, if they haven’t got an apple handset then the photo stream can be seen on line. All recipients can like and comment on the photos.

Passbook
This is a very new and exciting part of the update, it stores all your coupons, shop discount cards, tickets and boarding cards in one place, meaning that when you need to use them you can just scan them. One of the most exciting parts is that if you scan in the boarding pass and your flight terminal changes, you iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch will tell you.

FaceTime
Facetime now works over the cellular network too, not just wifi and you can receive facetime calls from your iPad through your mobile number meaning you will never miss that important call again.

Phone
Things can get pretty hectic and sometimes you can’t take that call from a friend you haven’t spoken to in ages, well now things have changed. When you decline a call your iPhone will ask you if you want to set a reminder to call them later or if you want to send them a message, a selection of pre-written messages will then pop up. You can also set a ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature on your phone, and select which calls you will accept if things are getting really out of hand and you’re uber busy.

Mail
Your e-mail system has been updated allowing it to be easier to add photos and videos to your emails. There is also a VIP list where you can put all the important people whose emails you do not want to miss.

Safari
Browsing has now got better, the iCloud tabs keep track of which pages you have open and whatever apple device is handier at the time, the page you were on will come up. Safari now saves the pages, not just the links, on your reading page so if you’re busy you can stop and start as you please. And if you’re uploading photos on eBay, Gumtree, etc you can select photos from your camera roll without closing down Safari.

Accessibility
The iPhone and iPad have now been made easier for everyone to use, whether you are hard of hearing, have sight problems, or learning or mobility problems, iOS6 has features that can help you, VoiceOver, Assistive Touch and a built in hearing aid feature to name a few.

Camera with Panorama
The times of shouting at large groups and family to move in a bit at the left, and squeeze in at the right are long gone with this new update. The new feature (only on 4S and 5) means you can shoot up to 240 degrees, horizontally or vertically. Then the hardware and software work together in seconds to create a seamless, high-resolutions panoramic shot for you.

Find my iPhone
Sometimes we leave our iPhone, iPad or iPod touch in places when our minds on other things, now you are able to track where you left it and sent a message to the device, with your number and get it back.

Find My Friends
The friends and family who share their location with you will feature on your map, so when your mum is running late to see you, you’ll be able to see where she is and how long it will take for her to get there.

So in Summary
When you get the pop-up to say “iOS6 software download available” click on it quick, all these great updates and advances are waiting for you!

Can you run a business using just a mobile phone?

Next week I'll be seeing how powerful the modern smartphone has become by trying to run my entire business purely from my iPhone.

With the huge leaps in technology and software over the last couple of years then modern smartphones have become so much more than just a mobile phone. Most people now use their smartphone as a camera, for checking their email, and internet browsing as a minimum.

I'm going to be doing absolutely everything to run my business from mine next week and my laptop will be banned from use! This means that as well as the usual things I use it for I'll also be using it for diary management, satellite navigation for the car, project management, running our development team, invoicing, editing/printing documents, taking photo's, recording a video diary, and of course blogging and Tweeting may way through the week.

Just to make things even more challenging for me I'll also be out of the office for the first half of the week. I'll be heading from Yorkshire to meetings in Wales, Devon, the South coast, Essex, and then back up North.

If you'd like to see how I get on then I'll regularly be using the Twitter hastag #MobileBiz from my @richardjeaton Twitter account and will be blogging from here on the Appware blog :)

Wish me luck!

Richard