Category: Software and apps

How many app markets do we need?

The title says it all really. With the Amazon app market coming up soon, do we really need another app market? I know that some of these markets offer an alternative market for tablets that do not have market access, such as Archos using Appslib and there are some markets which let …

Coolsmartphone Recommended Android App – Triposo

Triposo Travel Guides have guides for various cities around the world. I first found out these guides in a post Andrew Fraser wrote about his trip to Italy. These travel guides all contain information and maps of the relevant cities that is stored on the device. You can …

Official eBay app receives update

A new version of the Official eBay application now brings barcode scanning, bid alerts on item view screen, improved performance, bug fixes and the ability to create, view, launch and delete Saved Searches. If you have Android 2.2 or above, you’ll also get instant push notifications and alerts. …

Coolsmartphone Recommended Android App – Cordy

Cordy is a fairly new game with incredible graphics. To quote the market description “Help Cordy power-up his mechanical planet! Use special powers, solve exciting puzzles and explore engaging environments. Cordy is FREE, with many thrilling updates coming soon. Download now and get ready to harness the power …

Coolsmartphone Recommended Android Apps – Clock Widgets Part 1

I have been looking at various different clock widgets trying to come up with one to recommend. This is an almost impossible task. There are so many different designs and styles out there. There are three main types of clock widgets “fully featured”, “minimal” and “ordinary”. I will …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – Plug In Launcher

Plug In Launcher is a neat little program that activates when you plug your charger in or when you plug your headset in. So when you plug your phone in to charge at night it can load your ebook reader, your desk clock, run angry birds or open …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – Wave Launcher

“Wave Launcher is a unique, gesture enabled quick action bar for Android. It resembles a well known and loved feature on WebOS phones like the Palm Pre” that is what the developers say about this app on the Android Market. What I say about it is “it is …

SPB Wireless Monitor For Android

I first used SPB apps many years ago on my T-Mobile Ameo. It came bundled with the original version of this app. In those days SPB were one of the premium app developers for windows mobile. In the last few months they have redesigned SPB Shell which is currently …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – Wifi Analyzer

Wifi Analyzer is an app that will graph out your wifi and your neighbours wifi. When it opens and scans your surroundings it will display a graph, the default graph is of Signal Strength and Wifi Channels which allows you to see if your network is clashing with …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – CircleLauncher Light

CircleLauncher is an app that gives you several shortcuts attached to one icon. Clicking on the icon brings up a circle on which the shortcuts sit. These shortcuts can be frequently used apps, contacts or bookmarks. There is a full version as well that costs £0.85 which allows …

LauncherPro – Android customisation done right

Ask any geek why Android is great and more often than not the answer will include the word open. One of Android’s biggest purported benefits is it’s openness, which we’re told leads to more innovation and greater customisability. Unfortunately, I’d argue that in practice it’s also a big …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – Dropbox

Dropbox is an easy way to synchronise files between your phone, your desktop computer, your laptop, your ipad, your iphone, your ipod touch or your blackberry, in fact most mobile devices or computers have software to suit. To sign up for an account is free, you get 2gb …

The Italian Job

What a trip!  Well, as I promised a little while ago here is a review of some apps that I used while trying to navigate around Rome and Florence on a fantastic sightseeing trip.  To make it easier (and shorter) I will list the apps and what I …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – DiskUsage

Keeping track of what is stored in our phones memory is at times a struggle. Newer phones like the Nexus S, Desire Z and Desire HD have a large internal memory and large memory cards. Keeping track of what is taking up space is becoming harder. I came …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – Swipepad

Swipepad is a fairly new app that allows you to hide up to 12 shortcuts behind your homescreen. You can add shortcuts to contacts, audio profiles, settings or apps. If used in conjunction with a program like folder organizer you can create many more custom shortcuts it also …

Coolsmartphone Recommended App – Gmote

I have read no end of “top ten android apps” type articles and they are all very similar. Google maps is usually their top app, followed by some sort of task killer! These articles are great for beginners though, they show new users what is possible with their new …

DivX at Mobile World Congress

We ran into the guys at DivX yesterday and they’ve certainly got a lot going on. Basically put, if you see a DivX certified phone (like the Galaxy Tab, Galaxy S or Galaxy Wave) then you’re guaranteed to be able to watch and enjoy high-quality content on your …

Androidify – New Google App

Google have released a new app. It allows you to create little android pictures. You can create little android versions of your friends for your contact photos, you can use them as twitter or facebook avatars as well. You could even go mental and use it as your …

A marriage made in heaven?

Although I’m an Android user I’ve had a good play around with Windows Phone 7 and have been extremely impressed with Microsoft’s new OS. Sure it’s missing some features but overall it looks stylish, is easy to use and in general just works. I prefer Android for the …

Twitter for Android 2.0

Twitter have just released a big update to their Android app. Version 2.0 brings a significant overhaul to the UI. Gone is the previous homescreen with it’s six icons, replaced by a standard timeline with a tabbed interface. The compose screeen has also been refreshed with icons for …

New Valentine Box released for Cut the Rope

Fans of Chillingo’s iOS puzzler can rejoice as the plucky devs have today released a new set of levels for Cut the Rope. For those of you unfamiliar with this little Gem the aim, as you may have guessed, is to cut various ropes attached to a sweet …

iPlayer apps coming to iPad and Android this week

The BBC have announced today on their Internet Blog that their brand new iPlayer apps for Android and the iPad should available by the end of this week. While the iPad app has been long awaited, the news that the Android app will launch simultaneously has to be …

HTC Home, for your PC

We’re probably a little late to the party with this one but, for those who haven’t seen it, you can now stick some HTC goodness into your desktop PC. This is HTC Home for Windows and has all the familiar weather transitions, clouds, raindrops and sunshine that you’ve …

Android App Review – Colorize Widget

Colorize Widget is a selection of scrollable widgets. There are seven widgets for Facebook, Twitter, Agenda, Analog Clock, Messages, Contacts and Bookmarks. “Why do I need these” I hear you ask, certain home replacement apps and certain roms do not contain any extra widgets so people are left searching …

Google Maps 5.1, now with Check ins for Latitude

Google have just updated Google Maps for Android to version 5.1. The major updates all centre around Latitude, it’s location based service. Taking a leaf out of foursquare’s book, you can now check in to various locations to let your friends know exactly where you are. Google have …

Get Gingerbread on your HTC Desire now

If  you’ve gotten a bit tired of the usual wait for Android updates and are a bit more technically minded why not get your Desire running Gingerbread now. I’ve been using a great custom ROM for about a month now and have been enjoying the new features that …

Google spill the beans on Android 3.0 Platform Highlights

Google have released a few more details on Honeycomb and the new features it will bring to the party. The Platform Highlights page elaborates a little more on new UI additions like the new System Bar and Action Bar as well the improved task switcher for multitasking and …

Cloud printing from Google now on phones

Google have just released their new Cloud Printing solution to beta, which means we can all get it now. It’s not a platform feature, but actually a web app feature, and works from Google’s web apps Gmail and Google Docs. You can use it on any phone that …

ShootMe Android app updated

Today there has been an update released to the android market of the popular app “Shootme”. It is a screenshot app for android devices that have been rooted. What sets this one apart are some of the settings. For instance it will take screenshots if you shake the …

Microsoft disputes App Store trademark

Microsoft have started to dispute an Apple application to trademark the words “App Store”. The original submission was filed by Apple back in 2008 but it’s only now that Microsoft have filed a dispute. Windows Phones currently come with an App store called “Windows Marketplace” whilst Android handsets …

Android App Review – HeLauncher

In the last few weeks a new android home replacement app has arrived on the scene, it is called HeLauncher. What’s that I hear you say “not another one”, yes it is another one. But this one is so simple, uncluttered and easy to use. Especially when you …

The future of apps – websites?

Coolsmartphone.com covers several different mobile operating systems - Windows Mobile, Android, iOS - which highlights the diversity currently in the mobile world.  However, all these different OS use different SDK's and programming languages, an...

HTC Peep – The bird is back

In the last few minutes it seems that HTC Peep is starting to burst back into life. The HTC Twitter client, which packed up on September 1st, got apparently fixed by Twitter. However, after another "we've fixed some login issues" message from Twitter ...

HTC Peep login issues fixed?

OK. I need your help with this one. According to Twitter the HTC Peep issues were their fault and they've now fixed them. Strangely I still can't login with Peep. HTC have now followed up with this Tweet which states.. “Twitter is on the case! T...

HTC Acknowledge Peep problems

Earlier the HTC Twitter client, HTC Peep, ground to a halt after Twitter turned off their standard authentication system. The new OAuth system was announced by Twitter in December and the actual "go" date was pushed back as clients were updated to use...

Paid-for apps. What’s stopping you?

During my tired web-stumbling last night I found this comic from The Oatmeal. It's basically making fun of the people who spend a fortune on gadgets and phones, only to freak out at the fairly tiny price of apps. This, I'll admit, is me. Why? Well, I'...

TrueCaller adds new features in v1.30

TrueCaller is an app for Windows Mobile and Android that'll do quite a few interesting things. It can display the name and address of an unknown caller when possible, although it appears that the UK isn't supported yet. The app will also update Twitte...

Independent again – we chat to Astraware

At Mobile World Congress we hooked up with Astraware. Way back in January 2008 Astraware was acquired by Handmark. They worked together to expand and work together on delivering mobile apps and games to customers across the world. However, just last m...

PocketGear buys Handango

Woah. PocketGear has just bought Handango. The purhcase makes PocketGear the largest Cross Platform, Open App Store and supports over 2000 mobile devices. Jud Bowman, President and CEO of PocketGearm stated..etGear "Our vision is to facilitate an op...

Google Buzz – Can it conquer the social scene ?

Pah. Who needs Facebook ? Well, this is what Google are hoping you'll think following the launch of Google Buzz. It's a way to share your photos, videos and updates and it's already integrated into some Gmail accounts. It's also available for your pho...