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Apps to make your Valentine’s Day special 0

Just a couple of shopping days left until Valentine’s Day. You didn’t forget, did you?

So, what’s the plan for your beloved? Chocolates. A dozen long-stemmed roses (at a substantial markup). Or maybe one of those big stuffed animals from the convenience store with the corny “Be Mine” stitched in its chest.

How about a virtual card? Or poetry?

There are a number of apps out there for your iPhone or Android smartphone that can help make the occasion special, even unique, for you and your significant other. Here are a few that come to mind:

Flowers

Flowers.com, ProFlowers.com and FTD come to mind first, but there’s also The Bouqs. The online floral delivery startup launched a new app that allows customers to send flowers directly from their smartphone or tablet. The app runs on iOS and Android platforms, and provides “two click” sending of its farm-direct flowers to anyone you want.

Virtual Valentine’s card
valday2You can spend five bucks on a store card that rhymes. Or, you can download the Love Pic Booth app for Instagram and show an image of how you really feel. This camera photo app for iPhone and iPad lets you take photos, add frames, and create a romantic or poetic image for the background.

Romantic dinner

valday4Many restaurants are usually booked in advance for Valentine’s Day. Turn to iOs and Android apps like Open Table, NoWait and Zagat to Go ($9.99) to book a cozy restaurant for a romantic dinner for two.

Poetry
Nothing says romance like a few spoken, or tweeted, words of verse. There’s an app for that, too. “Love Quotes!” is an iTunes app of famous, beautiful and inspirational love quotes and sayings by famous authors.

Music
Valentine Radio is a downloadable app for iOs and Android devices. It’s easy listening mood music from a selection of 40 radio stations that you and your significant other will surely like.

 

 

‘Flappy Bird’ flies the coop 0

Dong Nguyen has pulled an intervention on his mobile gaming fans.

The Vietnamese developer is the creator of the wildly popular Flappy Bird game, which has so far been downloaded more than flapbird150 million times on Apple and Android devices since launching as a free app less than a year ago. So popular was Flappy Bird that it was earning Nguyen an estimated $50,000 a day from ad impression revenue.

Apparently Flappy Bird was just too popular for Nguyen, who this week sent fans into a panic by announcing he would stop making the game available for download. It’s become “an addictive product,” he tells Forbes.

We can’t help but wonder what the, well, flap was about. Flappy Bird’s popularity does read like something out of a “Star Trek” episode. But it had a long way to go before catching up with Candy Crush Saga, which has been downloaded onto mobile devices a half billion times since launching in 2012.

Nguyen tells Forbes he will continue to develop games. And Flappy Bird isn’t going away anytime soon; the game is still all over the web, in various forms.

 

 

 

 

The possibilities of Google Glass 0

So, you have Google Glass eyewear, probably equipped with prescription lenses. What do you do with it?

The wearable mobile technology has many practical uses, giving the owner the ability to record and share memories from their point of view, or accessing and uploading online information hands free. CNET’s Donald Bell has a few suggestions of his own here:

We see a few more possibilities for Google Glass:

At school: Teachers see huge potential in the classroom, from applications that allow students to take virtual field trips to the ability to document lab work from the student’s perspective. The availability of the devices to students may be limited, however.

In public safety: The New York Police Department is testing the devices as a crime fighting tool, allowing officers to instantly see a suspect’s arrest record, mugshot and other key information. They could also provide a record of an investigation from the officer’s point of view. An app under development could soon help firefighters by providing maps and floor plans of unfamiliar buildings, or diagrams for when firefighters need to safely remove civilians.

In medicine: Imagine a physician accessing your medical records, diagnostic information and potential treatment options without turning away from the patient. Google Glass could also become an essential resource in the operating room, allowing surgeons to transmit live video of the surgery, communicate with others and interact online using only voice commands.

HTC shifts focus to lower-price smartphones 0

HTC is looking to move a step down from the premium smartphone market.

After two years of focusing on fewer, higher-quality products, the company announced today that is going back to the lower end of the smartphone market. The Washington Post reports that likely means more phones at lower prices of around $150 to $200, rather than the $600 price tag of the Android HTC One.

The Taiwanese company has struggled to gain ground on smartphone heavyweights like Apple and Samsung.

Low-tech ways to protect your mobile device 0

California legislators are proposing a law that would be the first in the nation to require that all smartphones and tablets sold in the state have disabling technology installed that would render the smartphone or tablet inoperable if stolen.

As we said in a recent post, the proposed “kill switch” law could catch on nationwide as thefts of mobile devices continue to be a serious and dangerous issue. If passed, the law could go into effect as early as New Year’s Day.

tablets_artUntil then — or if you live somewhere other than California — here are a few low-tech ways to safeguard your mobile device from theft:

Don’t leave your device unattended. It only takes a moment for a thief to walk off with your $600 iPad or $400 smartphone when you’re at the coffee shop counter. Don’t leave it alone in public places.

Be aware of your surroundings. Avoid using it in areas that appear unsafe. Be wary of people who act suspiciously, and keep both hands on the device when using it in public.

Install a tracking app. This comes in handy in case someone does swipe your mobile device or takes it by force. Both Android smartphones and iPhones offer free tracking apps. You can log in to another device like a laptop or tablet to locate your missing device. Get help from law enforcement; don’t go after it yourself.

Use the protection features installed on your device. Whether it is fingerprint technology, retinal displays or a password, use these features to render the phone or tablet or iPad useless to thieves.

Treat the device like your wallet. You make sure your wallet containing your cash, ATM card, personal photos and other sensitive items is secure from pickpockets. Your smartphone or tablet has sensitive data, passwords, mobile banking information, all of which can be a big payoff for thieves. Treat your mobile device like you would your wallet.

Calif. lawmakers consider ‘kill switches’ for mobile devices 0

California lawmakers have set their sights on thieves that target smartphones and tablets.

tablets_artA bill put before the state Legislature this week will require that all smartphones and tablets sold in California have disabling technology installed that would render the phone inoperable if stolen. If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in the United States.

The bill addresses a serious and dangerous issue confronting owners of smartphones, tablets and Apple devices. More than 50 percent of al robberies in San Francisco involve the theft of a mobile device, according to the San Francisco district attorney’s office. Thefts of smartphones in Los Angeles, police officials say, rose 12 percent in 2012. Many of the devices end up being sold on the black market.

State Sen. Mark Leno, who introduced the bill to the Legislature, says the addition of this “kill switch” would render the devices useless to thieves.

If enacted, other states might catch on in a bid to protect victimized consumers.

The California Legislature’s Senate Bill 962 explains it all in detail.

 

Follow the Winter Olympics action on these apps 0

The torch is lit, the competitions are on … the Games of the XXII Winter Olympiad are under way in Sochi, Russia.

If you’re big on figure skating, freestyle skiing or simply want to keep track of what country is leading the medal count, here are a few mobile apps to stay on top of the Winter Olympics action.

sochiart1_artSochi 2014 Guide: This mobile guide to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi is produced for the organizing committee. You’ll stay up to date with the schedule of competitions and other events, and use an interactive map to navigate sports venues and much more.

NBC Olympic Highlights, NBC Sports Live Extra: As the official broadcast partner of the Winter Olympics, NBC Universal boasts saturation coverage of Sochi, and that doesn’t leave out mobile devices. The NBC Sports Live Extra app provides a live stream of the games that covers all sports and medal events. Some live streaming content will only be available to authenticated cable and satellite customers. NBC Olympic Highlights doesn’t have live feeds, but does offer images and video highlights for those seeking a brief synopsis of the results.

BBC Sport:  BBC Sport’s app has been updated for the Sochi games. The app enables users to watch live action and highlights as well as keep up to date with other sports and news.

2014 Team USA Road to Sochi: The app by the U.S. Olympic Committee presents the athletes wearing the uniforms in competition for the USA. There are in-depth athlete bios, photo galleries and video clips of your favorite athletes.

sochiart2_artSochi 2014 Results: Another app created for the Sochi organizing committee, you can get quick and easy access to the competition schedule and results and follow the medal races in real time.

 

Sony, Kobo strike e-reader deal 0

The list of ebook platforms has just gotten smaller now that Sony is getting out of the e-reader business.

The company announced today that it is closing its Reader store for U.S. and Canadian customers and migrating its accounts to Kobo starting in late March. The Toronto-based company has a catalog of more than 4 million ebooks and publications, which would be available to Sony’s Reader and Xperia tablet and smartphone users. The deal will also see Kobo’s free app for Android pre-loaded on select Sony Xperia smartphones and tablets.

Sony’s move is not unexpected, according to Techcrunch. The company had clung to a small share of the e-reader market dominated by Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook. Sony now joins forces with one of the fastest growing platforms on the market, and gives Kobo a boost in audience reach.

More apps that can help you get through winter 0

We recently posted a link to a CNN Tech story from last year about apps that can help you get through the winter storms that keep raging every few days or so.

Well, the Midwest and New England are in the midst of yet another wintry event. With little relief in sight, we offer a few more apps here, available on iOs and Android and other devices, that could help people get through this cold mess:

WeatherBug_artWeatherBug (left)boasts slide navigation, interactive maps, severe weather alerts and other tools to help you prepare.

Available for Android and iOS operation systems as well as Windows and Blackberry, AccuWeather updates current weather conditions every 15 minutes or so.

EyeinSkyapp_artEye in the Sky (left) is a simple, yet effective and customizable app for reporting the weather in your location.

The Weather Channel’s app may be the most comprehensive: it’s available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry,  Windows phone devices, iPad and Kindle. You can get et weather information for any U.S. city or ZIP code via text message. Other alerts such as severe weather forecasts are also available.

 

 

 

Report looks at mobile’s impact on travel industry 0

The use of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices is dramatically changing our travel habits, Business Insider says in a new report.

The Internet has been a game-changer in the travel industry since consumers turned to online bookings in droves to find the best prices for flights, hotels and vacation packages, usually logging in to third-party sites for money-saving deals.

The BI Intelligence report released this week looks at where mobile devices stand when it comes to the travel market and what’s in store for the industry. The report is available through subscription, but BI Intelligence does summarize some key points:

  • Mobile devices have become essential tools for business and leisure travelers, allowing them to access information and services event before reaching their destination.
  • Tablets are emerging as the go-to device for booking travel plans.
  • Airlines, hotel chains, and online sites need to stay ahead of the  mobile computing curve.
  • Expect to see new travel-related apps and features tailored for wearable devices.