The Pre Match Warm Up

It’s always good to get some practice in before the game, so when I am on the train traveling to the game I get a chance to play a few hands. Usually, I tend to play poker games online or use one of the many poker apps such as Party Poker, as found on the poker app guide site, however there are plenty to choose from, some use real money whereas other are just for fun.

Poker Time

As we start the game and reminisce about our previous wins, we start one of our ‘timer’ apps to keep track of the blinds, so we can all concentrate on the cards. Depending on whether we use my iPhone or Craig’s HTC our timers of choice are; Poker Timer by Birdsoft (for both iPad and iPhone) or the Ultimate Hold’em Timer for Android. Both have simple, minimal displays that allow you to get all the information you need from a simple glance.

Who Gets The Beers

Playing on a custom made poker table at Andy’s is a pretty cool experience, but playing in the Kitchen, a stones throw away from the fridge also has its advantages; namely, its close to the beer. When we are separated from our precious drinks we like to use an app to designate who will make the mammoth journey. For this we like to use Tea Round for the iPad. It might be themed around Tea but with its simple customization it is easily re-purposed.

Who’s Hungry

What better way to compliment beer and cards than with a few Pizzas. So when 10pm comes around we use the handy Dominos App to choose and order our pizzas without having to break the flow of the game.

Are You Taking Notes?

If like me you are constantly looking to up your game then you can take you poker playing to the next level by using taking notes on the other players. For this I recommend Poker Notes Live (for both IOS and Android). This free poker utility app is a useful tool that will help you remember the moves, style, patterns, and tells you notice about other players at your table. Very handy for the serious player and it can be used when playing online as well.

Win or lose we all have a fantastic time and eventually we will take our game to Las Vegas when Andy hits 40, where we hope to take part in one of many tournaments held at Caesars Palace. Can’t wait!

The post Essential Apps for the Ultimate Poker Night appeared first on AppTrawler.

Though the Android framework is not that complex, but its learning ropes might entangle you and trap you in the very beginning of your career. To reap the utmost benefits of Android app development, you need to work cautiously. You can avoid certain common mistakes and accomplish your project with ease.

Without any further ado, here is a list of few frequent mistakes that newbies generally make.

Avoid blocking requests on the User Interface-thread:

Isn’t it annoying and frustrating, when an application shutdowns or stop working while responding with an input? This could happen if the UI thread of the application is kept blocked for a longer period.

Every Mobile App Development Services provider uses various practices to develop an effective and user friendly mobile apps. Applications often initiate with a single thread that runs a message loop, and everything that is visible to the viewers, feedback that they receive, Activity onResume, drawing events, etc., all these are regulated via the message loops. If anything executing in this thread is consuming a lot of time, it will frustrate the users and force them to ultimately abandon that app.

You can use ThreadPoolExecutors and AsyncTasks to guard against blocking calls. It will toss these calls over worker threads. And for processing the results, you can implement callbacks and post messages in your message loop of the UI-thread, once the background tasks are accomplished.

Furthermore, you can enable “Strict mode” in your device to facilitate visual feedbacks to the users, while your app is running certain operations on the UI-thread.

Over commenting is a bad practice:

Indubitably, giving comments in between the chunks of code will make your program easy to comprehend in the future. But, adding extraneous or elongated comments is not a good practice, it can hamper your performance and make the code appear a bit clumsy and cluttered.

Avoid screwing up the programming format:

This has been observed quite often that newbie programmers screw up the formatting and make it rather hard to understand upon reading. It is that common that you can easily recognize a skilled programmer and a rookie one. Though, there are certain programming languages that demands formatting, but there are several others like JavaScript that do not.

Don’t forget the visuals – make it more interactive:

It has been observed that rookie developers often commit this mistake, but, it is quite simple to remedy this issue.

Creating an interactive application will add to its market success, thus it’s advisable to integrate certain functions to lend a positive feedback while the user interacts with the application. For instance, when users push a button, it must be highlighted before responding to the action.

With Android, you can assign StateListDrawable to your custom screen element and for this, you can build a drawable XML file featuring a state selector.

Read the Android documentation thoroughly beforehand:

Seeking guidance from the Android Developer website can help the beginners achieve their goal with ease. You will get a huge chunk of the documentation along with the SDK tools, which can also be downloaded online. This documentation not only epitomizes Javadoc API reference, but also includes tutorials, videos, etc., that can make Android app development a breeze.

Moreover, you can seek help from the Android Training for learning via resourceful tutorials that are well organized into several lessons and classes to assist the newbies and solve their doubts.

Efficient Java programming is required – Don’t be a lazy programmer:

Since, Java is a high end programming language featuring a virtual machine and demands high level skills; for developing using Java, you need to have your hands on the language prior to beginning the development process. It possesses standard programming guidelines. And, an inefficient and incorrect program can push your project into jeopardy; thus, it’s better to participate actively and work efficiently.

Maintain a regular backup of your work:

It is highly annoying when hours of hard work and efforts disappear in the end (or mid) due to certain stupid issues (either hardware or some other issue). Hence, it’s better to avoid such situations and take backup of your work at regular intervals while coding.

Integration with the OS:

There is a plethora of utile features that Android platform offers developers to easily and efficiently integrate their application with the other applications and systems. You can seek benefits of the intent handling, home screen widgets, and other useful functions, and ensure that your app is easily accessible over the mobile platforms and thus, can engage potential viewers with ease.

Wrapping Up:

The above mentioned are some of the rookie mistakes that newbies often commit while developing their Android application. Get familiar with these common mistakes and avoid them to ensure an effective application at the very first attempt. However, it’s advisable to keep improving your skills and efforts and reap its incredible benefits while contributing to the Android community. Remember: “Practice makes a man perfect”.

The post 8 Most Common Blunders That Android Beginners Should Avoid appeared first on AppTrawler.

Dulux has joined the app generation and created a program that lets you virtually paint your walls, without a tester pot or even a brush required. Paint swatches and rooms that didn’t look the colour you expected after a fresh coat of paint may soon be a thing of the past if the new Dulux app has anything to do with it.

The international paint company is following the lead of every other industry and has created an app that is cross platform compatible, and lets you see what your rooms will look like when painted in different colours. It’s common knowledge that you can do everything via the app, so why shouldn’t you be able to virtually paint a wall before you commit to a colour change?

Dulux Visualizer is available for Apple and Android devices and it uses the camera on your mobile device to track and detect surfaces, edges and contour changes, mapping out the area of an image that needs to be painted. The app is able to tell the difference between furniture, wall space and fixtures and then paints around the contours in real-time, offering a realistic idea of what a colour might look like.

Dulux Colour App

With over 1,200 Dulux colours to choose from we all know how frustrating trying to find an exact shade can be. Choosing a colour at the touch of a button and then seeing exactly how it will look is a novel idea and a great addition to an industry that usually relies little on technological advancements.

The app is able to compute 2 tone effects and you can also choose multiple colours for multiple walls. It also excels at taking into account the light in the frame and adjusts the wall colour accordingly, making it easier for the user to see their chosen colour in an ambient setting.

On launch, the app allows for colour changes and multiple shades per room or space, but a spokesman for the company has also said that Dulux is looking into adding a virtual measurement feature that will tell the user how much paint they need to buy.

Dulux Visualizer is available free on Google Play and at the iTunes App Store.

Questions about The Dulux Visualizer App

1. What is the Dulux Visualizer app and how does it work?

The Dulux Visualizer app is a mobile app that allows users to preview how a room would look with different colors and finishes. The app uses augmented reality technology to superimpose different paint colors onto walls, allowing users to see how a room would look before making any actual changes.

2. Is the Dulux Visualizer app accurate in showing how a room will look with a particular paint color?

The Dulux Visualizer app is generally quite accurate in showing how a room will look with a particular paint color. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the app is only a digital representation and the actual appearance of a room may vary based on lighting conditions and other factors.

3. Can I use the Dulux Visualizer app to preview different colors and finishes for my walls, ceiling, and trim?

Yes, the Dulux Visualizer app allows users to preview different colors and finishes for walls, ceiling, and trim. Users can also experiment with different paint textures and effects to get a better idea of how a room will look.

4. Is the Dulux Visualizer app easy to use, or is there a learning curve involved?

The Dulux Visualizer app is generally quite easy to use, with a user-friendly interface and intuitive controls. However, some users may need to spend some time familiarizing themselves with the app and its features before using it effectively.

5. Can I save and share the images created using the Dulux Visualizer app with others?

Yes, the Dulux Visualizer app allows users to save and share images of their room visualizations with others. Users can also share their images on social media or send them via email.

6. Does the Dulux Visualizer app have a wide range of paint colors and finishes to choose from?

Yes, the Dulux Visualizer app has a wide range of paint colors and finishes to choose from. Users can browse through different color palettes and select from a variety of finishes, including matte, satin, and gloss.

7. Does the Dulux Visualizer app work well on different types of devices, such as smartphones and tablets?

Yes, the Dulux Visualizer app is designed to work well on different types of devices, including smartphones and tablets. The app is available for both iOS and Android platforms.

8. Is the Dulux Visualizer app free to use, or are there fees involved?

The Dulux Visualizer app is free to download and use. However, some features of the app may only be available to users who have registered for an account or purchased a particular product.

9. Can the Dulux Visualizer app be used to create a virtual reality (VR) experience of a painted room?

No, the Dulux Visualizer app does not currently support virtual reality (VR) experiences of painted rooms. However, users can use the app’s augmented reality features to preview how a room would look with different paint colors and finishes.

10. Are there any limitations to using the Dulux Visualizer app, such as only being able to use it for certain types of surfaces or paint products?

The Dulux Visualizer app is designed to work with a variety of different surfaces and paint products. However, there may be some limitations based on the specific product being used or the condition of the surface. It’s always a good idea to consult the app’s user guide or contact Dulux customer service if you have any questions or concerns about using the app.

The post Dulux Visualizer: An app that lets you paint your walls virtually appeared first on AppTrawler.

Some insights on Android TV

Android TV serves as a smart TV platform introduced by the web giant Google. Compatible with all Android enabled devices, Android TV creates an interactive television experience via a 10-foot user interface overlaid on existing television programming. Announced on June 25, 2014, this Android feature can be easily built into television sets as well as standalone set-top boxes. With Android TV, you can gain a quick access to the Google Play Store that serves as a hub for applications which allow you to cast media(photos, videos etc.) directly to your big-screen television. And that’s not all, Android TV also emphasizes on the usage of voice search feature which enables you to quickly find content as per your search criteria. Android TV’s interface is segregated into three sections viz: recommendations on the top, media apps in the middle and games towards the bottom. You can easily navigate through these sections via a remote control, a game controller or a renowned Android TV Mobile app.

Now, some words about Google Cast

Do you want to enjoy a big screen experience for your content? If yes, then Google Cast is for you. It is a software technology that enables you to send and control content(audio, video etc.) from your small-screen computing device like smartphone, tablet, laptop etc. to a large display like a television. You need to have an Android OS-based device that runs an application which you may also avail via any reputed Android App Developing Company that uses the Google Cast API. This API will serve as a platform for discovering and communicating with the receiver application running on your big-screen device like television etc. You may even choose to customize the communication between sender and receiver applications for authentication. The best part of Google Cast is that it enables you to multi-task on your device while the content is being played on the television screen. For example, you can choose to search for a video on your phone’s YouTube application and directly send the video to your TV via the Google Cast application. Moreover, you can also choose to play, pause, seek and control volume using your phone itself.

Here are some interesting Google Cast apps that have become an instant hit among serious television viewers:

VideoStream

VideoStream is a wonderful app that allows you to stream local media to your Chromecast. It supports a wide range of formats including MKV and FLV in addition to subtitle files. This free app comes with support for ads, playlist etc.

CloudCaster

CloudCaster is a brilliant Android media player cum viewer app that allows you to stream the cloud-based media including photos, video and music tracks directly to the Chromecast. This app supports streaming from Dropbox, Bitcasa, Drive and many other online data storage platforms.

Netflix

Netflix is yet another Google Cast-ready app that allows subscribers to cast the most recent episodes of popular television shows straight from the cramped smartphone/desktop screen to the wide television screen. While the video is being played on the television, you can enjoy surfing the internet via your mobile device.

Summing it all up

Android TV and Google Cast are indeed the sweetest surprises for television lovers residing in different corners of the world. If you too are one, then don’t delay in experiencing the features available with these two services. Hope this blog would’ve helped you gain a good insight into the same.

Do drop in your views/opinions on the above post using the comments box below.

The post Small To Big Screen Casting- Possible Via Android TV And Google Cast appeared first on AppTrawler.

Astro file manager

This is one of the widely used app used to transfer as well as mange files, pictures, music, videos, documents across devices or clouds like that of Facebook, Dropbox, Google drive, Skydrive , etc. without the use of USB cables or wire connections. It comes with a dynamic search technology that can conduct explicit search actions across locations as per specifications. It is also powered with its unique cloud hopping feature that you can use to move files from one cloud to another in a single move without any necessity to download them before transferring to your target cloud location.

ES File explorer files manager

One of the most popular Android app and also a long running overall player for file management, the ES File explorer file manager is available in both paid as well as free avatars. The app allows Android users, irrespective of their location, to manage, peruse or access all of the available files from your mobile device, and share them with others free of cost. It supports Dropbox, Box.net, Sugarsync, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Amazon S3 etc. You can also use it to access your home PC through 3G, 4G, EDGE, or Wi-Fi.

WiFi file transfer

This Android app, designed by the team of smarter Droid, supports file transfer over wireless connection from phones or tablet without any USB cable connection. It has an effortless file manager interface and can transfer multiple files at one go. It also offers easy access to external SD cards and USB external devices. All it requires is that the two devices t involved in transfer belongs to the same LAN or WLAN network.

Data Sync

Data Sync, as its name implies, allows for effortless synchronizing between multiple Android powered devices. It is principally designed to connect through Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth but can as well synchronize to your cloud or to your other devices in their absence too.

WiFly

Without using Wi-fi or cloud access, WiFly is designed to transfer or fly files of all types like apps, documents, pictures, music, game data, videos etc., from one device to other provided both share the same local area network. Additionally it supports multiple file transfers through easy drag and drop in the WiFly interface, transferred files can be opened by using any android app available on the device. You can download full files to your PC, or browse through downloaded files and folders directly on your mobiles without any need for additional supportive applications.

Conclusion

Easy migration of files from one device to another is a very needful concept in the present scenario. Given this necessity, android players and designers are working round the clock on easier and more relevant apps with wider features. So a regular check on the Android store will keep you abreast with the new developments and help you locate the perfect one that fulfills your specific requirements better and more precisely. You can always try out the free trial versions to get a better feel around the software before you invest your penny on it.

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New updates for Google Play Games Services

Gaming is an enormous market for Google, and the lead product manager for Google Play Games said that they saw 2013 as a breakout year. The company has seen more than a billion Android devices activated, which is an enormous target market. They also say that 75 percent of Android users use their devices to play games. No wonder Google is taking the gaming market so seriously.

As part of their commitment to gaming, Google has just released new updates for Google Play Games Services, and also the Google Play Games app, which bring some exciting new abilities to the Android gaming world. The element that will be most appreciated by gamers is the ability to have cross-platform games. Currently, Android users cannot play games with their iPhone friends, and vice versa. It is a frustrating limitation, and users will be happy to see the end of it.

Multi-player gaming across iOS and Android

The new Games Services toolkit update gives game developers the ability to create multi-player games across both platforms. While it still depends on developers to make use of this feature, this could lead to a wider game play experience – one where you can play with all of your friends.

Once developers incorporate this capability into their games, it will be possible to play both real-time games and turn-by-turn games with all of your friends, whether they are Android lovers or iPhone fans. There are benefits for game developers, too. Widening people’s pool of friends to play with could mean they become more engaged with the game, and keep playing longer. It also could lead to more players in a game, as people get their friends to play, regardless of what platform they are on.

In-game gifting – an excellent strategy to draw in more players

There are other changes in the newly announced updates, as well. One thing is that developers can now add gifting capabilities into their games. The idea is that players could send an in-game gift to any of their friends who are playing the same game, as long as that person is in their Google+ circles. This could help new players discover the game, when they see their friends sending and receiving gifts. It can also increase engagement by encouraging that interaction with friends.

The Google Play Store is also being redesigned for games, with eighteen new categories meant to exceed the expectations of every avid gamer out there. The intention is to help people find games they would like more easily. The store previously had very broad game categories like “Casual”. When someone is looking for a role playing game, for example, it is a lot easier to find something they want if they can browse through a more descriptive category.

There is also a change to help game creators improve their monetization with better in-game advertising. Google is integrating AdMob (which is their platform for mobile advertising) with analytics. This could let game developers target specific players with ads for in-game purchases.

The post Cross-platform game support between Android and iOS- Google added a boost in-app gaming engagement appeared first on AppTrawler.

Who is Green Throttle Games?

Green Throttle Games produces a game controller that was designed to connect wirelessly to mobile devices by using Bluetooth technology. This can overcome the typical limitation of gaming on smart phones and tablets, by providing physical buttons for precision controls. Let’s hope that the Santa Clara Company that now belongs to Google will bring something new to the table sometime in the future.

Green Throttle Games came up with an Android app that demanded the use of its own “Atlas” controller, which by the way looked just like the Xbox 360 joystick, only it was connected to other Android phones via Bluetooth. The app was removed from Google Play at the end of 2013, and it looks like it only had a couple of thousands downloads. The company kept selling the Atlas controller in spite of the fact that gamers couldn’t download the app anymore. But all that is in the past right now.

This acquisition feeds industry speculation that Google is working on a TV set-top game box, which would enable customers to play Android games on the big screen. This is a hot technology area right now. Apple has a product on the market now, the Apple TV, and Amazon is expected to bring their set top box out within a month.

These big players became interested in this once they found how interested consumers are in their mobile games. In fact, both the iTunes store and Google Play have so many games on offer that they are virtual arcades. With sales like this, it is obvious the market is hot, and that the big companies are taking it seriously. Apple has their offering in position, and with Amazon hot on their heels, can Google be far behind?

We have high expectations from Google

Google has attempted similar products in the past, with little success, and industry insiders are speculating about what their next box will do. Their relatively new Chromecast dongle allows mobile content to be played on a television.

How will the new box operate? While it could be something as simple as a Chromecast-style connection to the internet, experts predict that it will be more capable than that, but still far short of the powerful mainstream gaming consoles that are already  on the market. Google does have money to invest, however, and they have proven their willingness to spend on new technologies before.

At the moment, it looks like the established consoles on the market, the Microsoft XBOX One and the Sony PS4 will retain their leadership positions. It doesn’t appear that the new boxes from Google, Apple, or Amazon will be powerful enough to take a bite out of their core market. However, this could be just the start. As hardware gets cheaper and cheaper every day, and cloud computing becomes more powerful, flexible, and integrated into our lives, things could change.

The public’s gaming tastes can and do shift, also. In a few years, these two powerhouses may be facing some serious competition. Years ago, people thought it was an odd choice for Microsoft to move into the gaming market from its traditional Windows and desktop software. They thought the same when Sony made their move into gaming consoles.

Google has some big advantages at this point – incredible financial clout and money to invest, teams of highly skilled engineers, and an Android platform with millions of users worldwide. They certainly have the potential to become a big player in this market, and the purchase of Green Throttle Games looks like a step in that direction.

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Smaller and Better

The ability to (phonetically) record an ambiance was once a technological marvel. Today, audio-visual recording devices are getting smaller and exceedingly advanced. Consider the proliferation of content on social media sites such as YouTube and FaceBook. Virtually any person handling a smart mobile device from anywhere can use software such YTD and may convert, create and upload content within a small timeframe. As devices get smaller and advanced (think Google Glass), a number of ethical questions come to the forefront.

Spyware?

The producers of the Narrative Clip urge consumers to search elsewhere if needing devices to spy on friends and loved ones. The clip is not very realistic in helping James Bond-types succeed in undercover missions. Though small, and not aesthetically revealing of its technological ability, the device is intended for hands free yet repeated recording of events. Such practical settings could include a child’s birthday party or a scientist’s lab slides.

The Autographer is more overt in serving as a camera, alerting those within sight of an oncoming shot via a blue light. Moreover, the devices fish-eye lens prevents wearers from taking head-on shots of others without making it blaringly obvious.

Privacy Protection

In theory, we act in public by a particular code of ethics and laws. Does it matter if someone takes a picture of you while strolling the bookstore or eating in a café? In theory, if we’re doing nothing wrong, maybe there’s nothing wrong with being recorded, yet no one can dismiss the uneasy feeling of privacy invasion.

As more devices are produced and the number of individuals wearing them in public increases, lawmakers will need to contend with a new trove of ethical and legal implications. As it stands, technically, it is legal to wear such small recording devices in public, outside of public restrooms, strip clubs, casinos and other venues that prohibit such actions.

Etiquette vs. Value

Those who find value in new wearable gadgets will counter those who view such devices as added intrusions and nuisance. Like a number of products and services, the etiquette versus value issue may reside in behavior.

For example, Facebook is an incredible social tool used by people all over the world. One may use it for commerce, keeping in touch with relatives, or misuse it to bully classmates and spread falsehoods. Producers of wearable technology hope products are seen as valuable commodities rather than threats to privacy and standards of etiquette.

Wearable technology is here. If wearable tech is here to stay remains unanswered. In addition to clip-on cameras, expect to see Google Glass, virtual-reality headphones and more ‘wearable’ yet technologically advanced wearables in a public café, bookstore, or crowded city street near you.

Make sure you respect IP with video downloads.

The post Wearable Technology: Mapping Groovy Gadgets From Head to Toe appeared first on AppTrawler.

Because of this, many of the Android phones available are quite different, and it can be hard to sort through them all. Here is a list of the top rated Android phones, based on several professional and private users’ reviews. These are phones that consistently were rated at 4 stars and above, and are in no particular order.

Motorola Moto G

This phone shows up repeatedly as the best value Android on the market, period. It is available in two memory sizes 8GB (~ £135) and 16GB (~£159). Though it doesn’t look very fancy, for the price, its features can’t be matched.

The 4.5-inch 1280×720 pixel resolution is particularly impressive. As is the slick interface (4.4 compatible), sturdy sturdy build, strong performance and battery life.
The downsides include a poor camera that takes dark photos, low internal storage with no expandability, and no NFC or 4G capabilities.

HTC One

HTC is quickly gaining a reputation for phones that rival Samsung and Apple. Their latest flagship model certainly underscores these claims. Sleek in both engineering look and ease of use, the HTC One is thin, light and powerful.

The newly enhanced HTC Sense UI runs beautifully on the fully HD 4.7 inch display. The strong metal frame is durable and looks slick, but can scuff easily. It comes loaded with 32GB of storage, as well as top-end Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G and 4G LTE connections.

The £500 price tag may scare off some users, while others may be disappointed with the “innovative” camera.

Sony Xperia Z1

This sleek and powerful phone comes with the great feature of being water resistant. Its polished glass and metal finish comes with a protective band, to keep it safe from most phone-killing liquids.

Also, as a Sony product, it was built off the technology that created the Walkman, and it shows in both stunning sound and photo capability (20 Megapixels). It comes with a full HD, 5 inch display, which though beautiful, makes it a bit cumbersome.

Unfortunately, the stunning technology also comes with a stunning price – about £540 without a contract.

Google Nexus 5

Google teamed up with LG to release this great phone at an affordable price. Though it’s a bit pricier than the Moto G at £299 for the 16GB model, and £339 for the 32GB phone. That’s pretty reasonable – doubling the storage space for just £40. Unfortunately, the memory is not expandable.

And unlike the Moto G, the Nexus 5 comes with a 5 inch HD display, and the latest version of Android, Kit Kat 4.4. As a Google product, you can always be assured of getting the latest updates as soon as they are available. It also comes stuffed with a 2.3 GHz quad-processor backed by 2 GB of RAM.

Unfortunately, they cut some corners on the camera, and there can be some software issues.

Samsung Galaxy S4

This phone is often touted as the most powerful on the market. One of its most striking features is the full HD 5 inch display. The design fits it well in terms of the phone’s orientation, but does make for a slightly bigger phone, though it doesn’t come off as clumsy.

It comes with a 1.9 GHz quad-processor with 2GB of RAM that makes it not only possibly the fastest phone on the market, but even challenges some laptops.

Unfortunately, it comes with a £540 price tag, which isn’t reflected in the cheap feeling plastic case.

The post 5 Great Android Phones appeared first on AppTrawler.

SpiderOak

SpiderOak is an extremely famous data sync tool. Unlike some other similar software known as Dropbox, SpiderOak is everything but average. It makes BYOD a lot easier to handle due to its ground-breaking features and it supports the creation of unique syncing pairs athwart all devices linked to a single account, backs up data, and helps easy sharing. If you’re hunting for a multi-functional solution to help you make BYOD transitioning a lot easier, SpiderOak is exactly what you need.

Divide

The Android app allows users to separate personal data from business data. Divide has the ability to create a “launcher” or separate desktop that can only be used for business purposes. The workspace is not just separate, but also encrypted. The system is backed up by solid password protection, so in case your device gets lost or stolen, your business data is secure.

TrueCrypt

TrueCrypt permits users to build virtual disks or encrypted volumes that can be used to place work data. Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, the software allows you to encrypt volumes on average machines, or even use external and USB drives to attain your purposes. TrueCrypt makes use of a concept known as plausible deniability. It is a feature that allows a sole hidden volume to be shaped in another volume. If you’re using Windows, you can create hidden, encrypted files whose reality can easily be denied. TrueCrypt is an excellent software system to hide business information on BYOD.

Keepass

Remembering a lot of passwords is never easy, and because you can’t risk writing them down, forgetting is inevitable. Entrusting your passwords to a piece of software like Keepass is an excellent choice. The program is safe and it highlights the following attributes: multiples user keys, strong security, portability, and the means to export .html, .txt, .xml, and .cvs. Furthermore, the app supports secure clipboard handling, easy database transfer, random password generator, searching and sorting, plug-in support, and did we mention Keepass is an open source?

LibreOffice

Some people just can’t afford the elevated price tag of Microsoft Office; ergo, if you’re looking for BYOD flexibility, LibreOffice can be an excellent second choice because it’s FREE. However, that doesn’t mean its quality is inferior; as a matter of fact, LibreOffice is an extremely convenient app, perfect for your BYOD needs. The open source suite features various useful programs you can employ for your business needs such as: slideshows, diagram and drawings, spreadsheets, word processing, database maintenance, and more.

BYOD is not going anywhere because it can help business operate more conveniently. The policy of allowing employee to bring their personal mobile devices to work doesn’t just save companies a lot of money, but it also improves work performance. Increasingly more organizations are allowing their staff to work on their personal laptops and tablets with the sole condition of ensuring that the information stored remain confidential and it not used for personal purposes in any way.

Related articles

• Bring Your Own Device: How it Evolved to be a new Business Standard
• BYOD use rises among businesses
• Is a Bring-Your-Own-Device Policy Right for Your Business?
• You can’t ignore BYOD and hope it will go away
• What To Look For In The Cloud In 2014

The post Make a BYOD new year by these apps appeared first on AppTrawler.

As we know, the android app market is flourishing. Though, there are various app development platforms in the market, yet android has occupied the top position with maximum number of users downloading apps made for android devices. Besides, even developers are preferring android the platform for developing the apps, as it is an open source platform and free, developers don’t need to buy software licenses during android app development.

Whether you belong to a business or a non-business community having an app has become the quintessential requirement for all. Android app development helps in creating several type of apps, be it an entrepreneur app or a game app etc. One highly useful app that can be used by individuals as well as business firms is Cal Calendar.  Let’s review what’ll does this app offers.

What is Cal Calendar

Cal calendar is a new app added to Google Play. Brought by Any.do this app is one of the best looking calendar apps till date. Without a doubt, things that are pretty appeal more to the consumers but what actually matters is the working of the application – whether or not it works the way we expected.

Functionality of Cal Calendar

Well, you might be looking to have answer to what does this app actually do? It’s really not that difficult to figure out, as it name itself clears that it’s a calendar app. This app comes with all the functionality that you’d find in any regular calendar. Also, like any calendar app it has all the same features like adding and editing events, syncing your calendars, and there is even a to-do list plugin that you can download from the Play Store.

That’s it! This is just another calendar app that has some really nice widgets available for phones as well as tablets and exactly does what you’ll expect from any other calendar app. What makes Cal Calendar different from the others is its good look and feel.

Pros and Cons

Going by the saying that “there are two sides to every coin”, same is what we can say about the Cal Calendar app.

Positives about the App

• The bright, colorful images add a nice look and feel to the app. Additionally, the modular GUI of the app makes navigating throughout the app easy and pleasurable.
• The subtleness of the app is the main highlight. It’s undoubtedly the most simple calendar app, wherein adding events requires you to simply select the boxes with almost no or little typing.

Negatives about the App

A lot of people have complained about the app slow performance, which sometimes requires to “force close” the app. These are the bugs that still need to be worked upon.

A Final Word

After going through aforesaid points, we can say that this app is justly good. It has few bugs, but leaving them aside there is nothing bad in this app. In fact, it’s a really beautiful calendar app and very simple to use. So, folks this app is definitely worth the download.

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This 70 level action platformer seems to have distilled down its console based parent into three simple actions, tap one side to jump, the other to hit and hold to fly. The four areas (with ten stages in each) are broken into actions so you learn how to jump in the first ten, fly in the second, wall run in the third and finally hit in the forth. Once you have nailed these skills then the final 30 levels see you running for your life away from what looks like angry old men and spikey plan life.

On each level you will be driven to collect navi-like ‘oms’ which are similar to glowing fairies. The amount you collect, coupled by the speed at which you complete the level is all totted up to give you a score at the end. It will ultimately be this score that will drive you to redo levels in order to improve on your last run and gain unlockables. Each of the wonderfully designed levels feel alive as platforms fall, plants weave and helping hands swing you across chasms. As you run around like a headless chicken you will notice little alleys, or alternative routes that, should you be inclined you can memorize for next time.

The graphics are lush with smooth and amusing animations coupled with an array of ditties and tunes that will make you smile. All of which culminate to create a heart pounding action platformer that will make you smile every time you play it. At first I was a little hesitate to pay the $2.99 price tag but I am happy that I did as I have well and truly got my moneys worth. This is a great game that is easy to pick and play in small bouts, but do not be surprised if you find yourself tackling some if the more difficult levels for longer than you planned.

The polish and amusement of this game has definitely spurred me on to try out its console counterparts.

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But not all apps are created equal. A large number of them are good for everyone from toddlers to teens, but many are inappropriate or blatantly unsafe for anyone but an adult. Whilst you can click here to check out the most popular apps that your child can use, ensure you review any app before your child downloads it so you know that it will entertain without harm.

Additionally, you can protect your children from potentially dangerous situations by installing mobile apps that can monitor what they’re downloading and where they’re going on the internet as well as around town.

Safe Apps

These particular mobile apps are fun for every age group and contain no violent scenes or inappropriate material.

● Angry Birds – Help the birds fly in the right direction to knock down various targets. This is an addicting game that actually helps kids learn a little bit of how arcs and angles work.
● Cut The Rope – Here’s another app that works a basic understanding of physics into the fun. To get Om Nom his candy, you have to know how to swing the rope just the right way to get past obstacles and have the treat land in his mouth.
● AniMatch – This is an electronic memory match game that kids as young as two or three really enjoy–with no cards to put away when done.
● Drawing Pad – With this app, kids pull out their virtual crayons and draw just as they would on paper. Budding artists can save their completed work and then share it using email, Facebook and Twitter.
● Where’s My Water – If you child doesn’t like getting clean, this mobile app may change that. The goal is to help Swampy the Alligator stay clean which makes for good, clean fun.

Just this small sample should give you an idea of all the wonderful, safe mobile apps that both you and your kids will be happy to own.

Mobile Apps To Avoid

It’s critical to know what apps your child, particularly your teen, should avoid. Don’t take your child’s word that the app is safe because “all my friends have downloaded it.” It could result in disaster.

Omegle and Kik are two prime examples. These social apps let you chat with people based on a profile you create. Users are required to be 18, but most kids are savvy enough to get past that rule. Unfortunately this had led to teens viewing (and sometimes sharing) “graphic” photos which compromised their safety and their reputation. Remember that what’s posted online stays there forever.

Other Important Child Safety Apps

Parents can’t be with their kids 24/7, but luckily there are safety apps that can.

The Mobile Spy app records both phone activities and the GPS location where your child has been. Phone Sheriff lets you block chosen activities from running on your child’s phone. Net Nanny for Android has an app manager that keeps new apps from downloading until reviewed and approved by a parent. You can work these from any web browser so your child won’t be aware of the surveillance.

Even after you take these precautions, remember that parents are walking, talking safety apps. Learn which apps could be trouble and talk with your kids about what can happen if they download any of these to their devices. They might not want you to know it, but they will be listening.

Software Developers India works with both large and small organizations to help them develop and market their mobile app ideas for both children and adults. Their developers are experts on a variety of platforms including Android, iOS and Windows.

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More to the point, most of these games require a lot of time to enjoy and are the sorts of games you would only really play while relaxing at home. With that in mind, it makes far more sense to just play them on a PC or games console as they were intended. I soon realised that the sort of games that become fun and addictive to play on a phone are fairly simple in nature, use lots of quick levels, and have some sort of points system that are used to unlock later levels. They don’t necessarily have flashy graphics, but what they lack in visuals they more than make up for in playability.

I have found these to be the elements that make a smartphone game enjoyable and all of these elements are present in one of my favourite smartphone games available for Android and iOS: Blast Monkeys.

The concept is quite simple, even if it doesn’t really make much sense. You have a cannon which you use to fire a monkey called Moki up in the air. Once fired from the cannon you have no control over the monkey and have to rely on bouncing him off walls or platforms. Your objective is to capture three bananas on each level and then make your way to the finish point. Getting one or two bananas and reaching the end of the level is often fairly straightforward, while collecting all three bananas and making it to the finish point can very often be quite a challenge. Bananas are then used to unlock later levels, so if you don’t collect all of the bananas on each level you cannot fully complete that world.

The game is split into various worlds, each containing 25 levels and 5 “expert” levels which are more difficult. The worlds offer different themes, different graphics, and different challenges. For example, the snow world features levels that contain icicles which fall from above onto Moki and kill him, while the space world has strange vortexes that can transport you around the level in unpredictable ways.

Because of the short and quick nature of the levels and the fact that is can be so easy to almost complete a level perfectly and then cock the whole thing up, I have found this game to be extremely addictive and sometimes quite frustrating at the same time.

The short nature of the levels means this is the sort of game you can whip out and enjoy at any time. You could just have a minute or two spare while you are waiting for a bus, or for your drink at a coffee shop, but it is equally well suited to long stints while relaxing at home.

Levels often require you to act in stages. After firing Moki from the initial cannon to get the first banana you can often end up in a new cannon, a floating bubble (which you are able to pop at a desired altitude), or a block of ice that will move you to a new part of the level. It is this splitting of the levels into a few separate stages that makes the game addictive. The first stage may be quite difficult and require many attempts, but once you have managed to get the hang of it you are still not able to complete the level because the second or third stage results in your monkey dying. Not since playing Goldeneye on the N64 have I so much wanted to throw a game controller (in this case my phone) at a wall and sit in a corner rocking and back and forth.

This game is a couple of years old now and has already been enjoyed by over 12 million people on Android and iOS. Based on this success the developer behind Blast Monkeys, Yobonja, has released a sequel called Blast Monkeys Forever which comes with even more features and a new game concept called “infinite runner”.

Simon writes for UK money saving community Suppose.com

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There are 3 tables you can choose from, all based on 3 different war movies; Platoon, Missing In Action (with a Chuck Norris model and everything) and Navy Seals. Each board has its own style, some with multiple flippers, some with just the classic two. They all have their own goals and special bonus points and each takes some time to master. They feature music and sound effects from the movies themselves, which if you’ve seen any of them, adds to the fun.

The game plays smoothly and the more you play, the more you’ll get a feel for each board. The Platoon board seems to be the most difficult; Navy Seals is easy to get a high score on and Missing in Action is somewhere in between.

The only downfall is that there does seem to be a split second lag when tapping the screen to flip your flippers; it doesn’t change no matter how well my phone was running, which meant I had to compensate for it to hit the ball exactly where I wanted. Also, it is a bit gimmicky, linking you to the Amazon.com pages of the movies so you can buy the DVDs. Easily avoidable, but still kind of off putting.

Still, overall, it’s the most fun pinball game I’ve experienced on a smart phone and I find myself going back to it on commutes and even just sitting at home. for $1.99, it’s totally worth the purchase.

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The objectives remain the same as the original, which is that players can build whatever reality they’d like, dealing with mobs of zombies, creepers, skeletons, pigs, cows and more. Worlds are finite like the Classic version, but there isn’t infinite water at the corners, which makes things a little more difficult. Otherwise, most of it is near the same, often being updated which is a plus to any mobile game.

Of course, the 3D game environment really drains the phone battery, so unless you are running on full charge or are plugged in, you might find your phone dying fairly quickly. For some, that’s enough to quit playing altogether instead of always compromising their phones uses.

Multiplayer is also an option and is cross platform from the Androis to iOS, but not between the demo and the full version. The cross platform ability is a huge pull, as it expands who you can play with to a better degree and lets you play with friends no matter what kind of phone they, or you, own.

Minecraft Pocket Edition is great for those who want to sculpt and create on the go. It is always being updated, which is more than can be said for most apps, and it is worth it for those who want to dabble before trying out the full PC or console games, or to whet fans’ appetites on the go.

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Well, it’s not that easy. The game randomizes platforms, so as you start it’s easy to get yourself up there but the further you go, the more spaced out they are. Or they might collapse when you jump on them, or move back and forth, making it harder to aim. Your jumper is always in jumping motion; it takes a tilt of your smart phone to move him back and forth. The more extreme the tilt, the faster he’ll travel in that direction. The sensitivity can be changed, which is a good thing, as it really is all about how you work with your phone’s accelerometer.

You’ll also run into enemies along the way, which emit a sound that you can hear before they appear on screen. The downside is if you choose to play with sound off, you have no idea they are coming up. It’s very easy to run into one with no warning, making it hard to play this game in a public place where you might not want to disturb others.

Another downside is particular to the Android version; you don’t have the option for upgrades like the iPhone version does, making the game a lot more basic and overall much harder. It isn’t certain whether they will implement those options for Android users in the future, but it would be nice.

Your goal is only to beat your high score; there is literally no end game. This can make for an engrossing game, so it’s best not to start if you might have to abruptly finish!

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The Tamagotchi L.I.F.E is a true to the original port. In fact, you can even view the app within one of the many original shells the Tamagotchis used to come in, if you want to be truly old school. Still, there’s nothing about it that’s a surprise; you feed and play with your Tamagotchi to keep its hunger levels and happiness levels up, clean up the area when you can and generally keep him from getting sick. Depending on how well you take care of your Tamagotchi, it will evolve into different kinds, all of which can last a variety of life-spans. And of course, they suffer just as much as they used to, easily being forgotten and left to starve.

Except the app has a feature that could be either great or considered torture; the ability to turn on notifications. Your phone will get notifications any time your Tamagotchi needs to be fed, cleaned, or isn’t happy enough. Turning this on turns into an onslaught of notifications that, if you aren’t really playing it for any reason that nostalgia, can quickly get annoying. But if you really need to have the best evolved little guy, then that’s the way to go.

You also get to unlock little features, like being able to change your shell or background. It’s not much, but it’s something more than the originals offered, isn’t it?

The app is free, so there’s really no reason to check it out if you loved those little guys on your keychain when you were a kid. You might find caring for it though is more than you bargained for.

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The post Review: Tamagotchi L.I.F.E appeared first on AppTrawler.

Plague Inc. is a strategy game where the goal is to infect and wipe out every human being on the planet. You must do so before a cure is created and administered. You can choose from only one disease when you start out, bacteria. Once you beat the game with bacteria, you can unlock others; virus, fungus and parasite are just a couple, all of which spread differently and provide different challenges to the player.

The game works from a top down view of the world; you name your disease (providing endless, hilarious possibilities) and then tap a country to infect someone. Choosing your starting country is the first major important decision, and depending on the type of disease, your choice will change. From there, you gain DNA points you can use to manipulate your disease.

You do this a variety of ways; you can influence how it transmits, whether by air, sea, injection or even insects. You can also choose its symptoms, which also have the ability to mutate on their own. Sometimes, you’ll want to de-evolve these symptoms to keep your disease under wraps. Other times, you’ll embrace them so they can kill off thousands.

Lastly, each type of disease can be manipulated to resist research as well as added benefits that change depending on the type you are working with. It creates a huge dynamic in the game, as each one needs a very different strategy to beat. And even if you get through them all, brutal mode will up the challenge even more.

Plague Inc has won a ton of accolades and it is easy to see why. It’s easily one of the most infectious, pun intended, mobile games available. You can get Plague Inc on both Android and iPhone.

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