Flash Player On Your iDevice!

Yes, that is right, you can now install flash player on your iDevice. Note: You have to be jail broken for this.
Here are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Jailbreak your device, you can use jailbreakme.com and do it straight from your device.
2. Open Cydia. 
3. Tap Edit then Add
4. Add this source: repo.benm.at

5. Go to search and type in 'frash'.

6. And Thats It! Enjoy Flash video on your iDevice.

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iPad 3 Rumours

Already, rumours of the 'iPad 3' are surfacing. Now, there is no doubt that there will be a third iPad, but these rumours probably dont carry any credibility.

There are some things that have started floating around the internet. A thicker iPad, due to the retina display that is going to be added. Personally, I don’t see this happening. I feel that Apple may have prototypes that have a thicker back, or maybe a case that holds the iPad differently, but I doubt that Apple will go reverse and make a thicker device. The technology world at the moment is a race to the bottom as far as thickness and size of the devices. While screen size, or screen resolution may be the reverse, physical size of the devices, is a race to the bottom. Who can make the most powerful device that is the smallest size? I don’t see Apple going backwards in that respect. Having a thicker iPad would not be good looking, something that Apple wouldnt like.

Girl Stops Kidnapper using iPod

A brave 12 year old girl defended herself from kidnap - using her iPod Touch. The girl, from Stanton, Delaware, was told to 'get in the van' by a man in white van. She then pretended to dial some numbers on her iPod, and the kidnapper drove away, thinking she had dialled 911 on an iPhone. 

I think that this is quite a clever move, and it certainly saved her from harm. Her iPod touch may have saved her life!

iPhone v. Blackberry - Which is better?

The iPhone. The top selling smartphone in the world. A user friendly interface, and gorgeous touch controls.
The Blackberry. A great business smartphone. Customisable phone, and a QWERTY keypad.
But which is better? Both are selling millions of units a month, earning billions a year for their manufacturers. Both are modern designs, and run smoothly. But here is a detailed post on every aspect of both phones, starting.... Now.

Looks.

We have to start on, lets face it, the biggest part that people consider when purchasing a phone, is how it looks. As soon as we see something nice, we dont care how it works. As long as it looks good. (The iPhone I will be reviewing is the iPhone 4, The Blackberry is the Curve 8900)

Lets start with the iPhone. The iPhone is undoubtedly the best looking phone on the market. It is slick, smooth and shiny. It is little thicker than 1.5cm, and is as light as a feather. The screen is quite big, all though is not as big as an android screen; but it still does the job. With just the 2 buttons on the front, it looks simple and uncluttered. The silver frame is very good looking indeed, and adds the edge the phone needs. A lot of customers were complaining about the glass backing of the phone, and how it can smash if dropped just once.   The simple solution to this is - get a case.

The Blackberry is a phone that everyone associates the mobile keyboard with, so we all know what it looks like. It is smaller than the iPhone in terms of height, but is fatter and weighs about the same. The screen is very small; smaller than an iPhone screen when the keyboard is up. The keys are small, but are fine to type with (unless you have chubby fingers). The back of the phone can be taken off and replaced with a funkier, snazzier one.

I think the iPhone wins this one:
iPhone 5/5
Blackberry 3.5/5

Functionality.

Both phones are mainly used for business, and so need a fair few features, and good graphical quality. The iPhone is the one that people can play games on and music, and overall has a better functionality in terms of leisure. But is the Blackberry better for business use? No. The Blackberry is good, in its sense of e-mailing and its layout looks a lot more 'official'. But the iPhone has the best feature a phone can have - The App Store. There are literally thousands of business and utility apps, and each one offers something unique and different in their own way. That is why the iPhone outclasses the blackberry in this category.

The Blackberry still beats the iPhone in one way BBM. Blackberry Messenger is something almost every kid or teen in the country has - so it is no wonder that the Blackberry was the top selling smartphone in the festive season in Christmas 2010.

The iPhone is almost certainly the faster phone, offering an A4 Processor chip, and being able to run up to 100 apps at a time. It hardly ever crashes, and transitions are smooth between apps. The iPhone is packed with thousands of functions, and supports the deaf, visually impaired and physically disabled - something other phones cannot boast about. On the other hand, the Blackberry can often lag, and is about 3x slower than an iPhone. They crash a lot, and take about 2 minutes to turn on - compared to the 15 seconds of the Apple Smartphone.

The iPhone Wins Again;
iPhone 5/5
Blackberry 4/5

Summary.

The iPhone is surely the most expensive phone out of the two - costing £400 and up, and still the contract phones are only as cheap as £20. Blackberries come cheap - around £129 and as cheap as £15 a month.
But the iPhone is worth every penny, as you can see (or read about, in this case.)

iPhone 5/5
Blackberry 4/5

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How To Delete Photo Stream Photos

Photo stream is a new feature that came with iOS5. It allows you to take pictures on one of your iDevice, and for them to then be pushed to all your other device instantly. However, once they have uploaded, it is hard to delete them. Here is how:
1. On your computer (not your iDevice), log on to www.icloud.com
2. Type in your apple ID and password.
3. Click on your profile (Your name) in the top right hand corner.
4. Click 'advanced' then 'reset photo stream
5. It will come up with a warning. Click reset.
6. All done!

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Gangstar Rio: Review

My latest blog will be a review of the third game in the gangstar franchise. I also own the first two games, which i thouroughly enjoyed.

First of all, this game is the Grand Theft Auto of the iDevice; and it is just as good. The gameplay is virtually identical, with the same style of missions, and locations. There are over 60 missions availiable on the game, along with a wide range of free world environment that is amazingly well detailed. There are a good selection of vehicles and weapons; a quad bile has been added in the latest installment, along with an explosive american football. Yes, its fun.

The controls are easy to use, and havent realy changed much since the last two games. I personally prefer the steering wheel to the accelarometer controls, as it doesnt invole to much moving (lazy, right?). Weapons are easy to switch between, and each one involves a different finishing move.

Customization is a big factor in the game; something that has been long awaited is the ability to change the clothing of your character, which is a neat little feature. You also have your own safehouse, which is a modern apartment where you can change your weapons, clothes or even change the time cycle by going to sleep.

The game is an amazing take on grand theft auto, set in Rio De Janiero, you can explore favela, city and countryside; fly planes and helicopters, and have hours of fun.

I would give this app 5/5.
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What is personal hotspot?

Personal hotspot is a good, but unrecognized feature. Basically, it turns your iPhone into a wireless router, so that others can connect and use your 3G signal.

It is not very good. Personal hotspot eats all of your data, even if you have 'unlimited' internet (500MB), it is slow, and drops out quite often. Another thing is, it isnt free; you have to purchase a bolt on for contract sims.

I never use it and never will; it also eats your battery like crazy.

Flick Football - Game Review

Flick Football is one of the most basic yet addictive games on the market. It was one of the first games i bought when i got my iPhone in 2009. This is a review on that app.

The gameplay has a very simple concept. Flick the ball into the goal. It seems simple but can be difficult at time, like when you have to bend the ball around the wall. I must say that the controls are very pinpoint, and whatever you tap in, the game will do without a flaw. I could spend literally hours at a time playing it without getting bored.

The graphics are not the best, but are pretty good for a game worth £0.69. The goal keeper always dives in the same pose, and often the word 'saved' comes up when the keeper baltantly did not save it. The ball and the wall are well designed, and everything is in proportion. Overall the graphics are pretty good, but no the best.

The game is definitley worth the money, as it includes 3 game modes: Beat the clock, the big game and sudden death. The one you want to play is the big game, the main mode.


Overall, i would rate the app 4/5 as the game is great but the look could be included. Follow me on twitter using the button above, or mention me.

App Review - My Xbox Live

This is one app that all apple users have been waiting for - an official Xbox live app. This is a review of the latest app - how it runs, looks and sells. Remember this is the OFFICIAL app for Live. Woop. I love it.

User Interface

The UI of this app is very attractive; very modern, slick and keeps the theme of Xbox Live. Perfect, right? As you can see, it is easy to navigate, and the page transitions are delicate to the touch. You can view everything in one place, without it looking to cluttered or overlapping. Overall it is a beautiful app, with virtually no flaws in the design or layout of the app. Great.

Functionality

This app functions very well. It has never crashed on me, and it loads up in around 10 seconds. The only problem i ever had was logging in when i very first downloaded the app; but this was because i hadn't updated my dashboard on the actual console. After that, it worked like a charm. It has 4.5/5 star reviews, and i haven't read of any cases of the app crashing.

Features

This is where it really excels. Anything you can do on your console, you can do right here on the app. Some functions include editing your avatar and sending messages to your friends. The avatar editor is excellent, you have access to all of your outfits, everything you have purchased and all of the option available on . Voice messaging isnt supported, which is the one problem, that i dont get. Everything else in the app is amazingly designed; it is flawless.

Summary

Overall i give this app 5/5 because of... well everything really. There are no problems at all with this, so get it now at the low price of... free.

Why you should buy an iPad - Not a netbook.

The iPad is the most popular tablet on the market. With Apple predicting sales of 81 million over the next year, it is clear to see that the iPad is making up ground at a rapid pace. It has been outselling all netbooks combined - and here are the reasons why:

1. Portability

The iPad is the lightest, most portable device out out of the two. The processor chip is faster than the intel core on many modern netbooks. You can carry it in your bag, or even by hand. Best of all, there is no need to log-on. Just unlock the iPad and youre ready to go. Simple as that.

2. Speed and Perfomance

The iPad is a lot faster than your average netbook. It performs to a high speed, and always responds perfectly. The iPad can process up to 100 apps at once - a netbook can process around 10 before slowing down.

3. Design and UI.

Apple OS is the most modern, sleekly designed operating system there is. It looks stunning on the hi-res screen of the iPad, and the transitions between apps are seamless. Windows 7 cannot compare to iOS; it is not as fast, and not as modern. The outside of the iPad looks amazing. Simple, shiny and two tone colour. Now it depends on what one you buy, but netbooks generally look quite cool.

4. Variety

The iPad is built for everything - everyday utilities, games, video and music. All PC's and Macs are built for word processing and internet access - something the iPad has no problem with. With over 100,000 apps on the app store, there is no end to your entertainment. iPad also specialises in social networking - having official Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogger apps.

I would definitely reccomend an apple iPad, as it is round abouts the same price, and is the better device.

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5 handy features that come with iOS5

With the release of iOS5, apple has kept some of its handiest tools under wraps, and a pretty undiscovered. Little things that got on our nerves, they have fixed, and made our experience a lot easier. Here are my top 5 new features:

5. Delete Songs

Something ive always wanted to was delete songs and album straight off my phone. Now with iOS5, you can delete them with a single swipe. Very handy.

4. Create Photo Albums

You can now create photo albums right on your device. Go into photos, edit and then tap 'add' you name your album and there you go.

3. Lock Screen Camera

A double-tap of the home button now lets you access a little camera button in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. Very quick and easy to access when you have to get that shot.

2. Volume button snapshot.

Taking a picture on your iPhone has never been easier. Use the '+' volume button on your phone and you can take a snap. A lot easier than moving your finger to the bottom central camera button.

1. In-app photo editing.

Something a lot of us have been waiting for. After taking a picture, tap edit and a choice of effects comes up. You can crop your photo, enhance it, remove the red eye or rotate it. The cropping tool is excellent, and the picture quality is never lost.

Honourable Mention:

Intergrated twitter access is very good. Tweet from safari, camera, youtube - anywhere. Smooth and fast transitioning.

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Soundhound V Shazam: Which is better?

This latest blog is a comparison review of the two mai listening apps on the app store: Soundhound, and shazam.

Im pretty sure all of us had shazam way before soundhound was released for iDevices, and it works very well. Excellent voice recognition, lyrics, tha ability to find out everything about the artist and where to buy their songs. It was a very good idea. Shazam ruled this market for a good year, getting steady review and a lot of downloads and traffic.

But then came soundhound. The recognition app that added the extra support we all wanted and needed. With soundhound, you can now SING into the mic. That right, if you had a song stuck in your head, you can hum or even sing into the mic, and soundhound will do everything shazam does and a whole lot more. The functionality is excellent. If you cant sing, then hum the tune - it works exactly the same.

Now the looks. Shazam is simple, it has a matte finish and us a basic blue and black, unless you purchase the [RED™] edition for £2.99. It isnt the best looking app, but thats coming from me, and im all about design.

Soundhound, has a shiny, sleek, proffesional finish that makes it look the bees knees. It has a yellow and black glossy finish, with modern abstract designs. It runs smooth as silk, and it is no wonder that is top of the app charts. Best of all, its free.

Overall i would reccomend soundhound, because it is the best app to choose in this market.

Soundhound: 5/5
Shazam: 3.5/5

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Custom Vibrations + Alert Flash

A cool feature that came to iOS5 was the addition of custom vibration patterns. This is a very unknown feature, which is pretty cool.

To enable this feature, go to Settings. > General > Accesibility and turn on 'Custom Vibrations'

Then, go into sound and scroll to the very bottom. There is the option 'Vibration Patterns' There are 5 standard settings, along with a neat little custom pattern setting. This allows you to make your own alert patterns, for notifications.

Another cool addition is LED alerts. Every time you recieve an alert, the flash on your phone lights up (Note: This is only for iPhone 4 + 4S). Again, Settings > General > Acessability and turn 'LED Flash for Alerts' On.

These features are really cool, and are nifty little tools for your device.

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How to save battery life on your iDevice

My latest blog is on how to conserve battery life on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Now im sure a few of us are not content with the battery life on our devices - mine used to last little over 4 hours before it needed charging again. But with these easy steps, you can significantly increase the battery life of your iDevice.

Firstly, make sure you use Wi-Fi as often as you can; 3G and EDGE connection uses a lot of energy connecting to an access point.

A huge factor in battery life is the brightness of the screen. A lot of people reading this will have their brightness at the highest. This can drain your devices life a lot. Just leave the slider about halfway across, thus can help a lot.

Another thing is your mail. Obviously if you need to be up to date on your email a lot for your proffesion, leave it on push. There are many options for how often your device checks for mail. You can set this to every 15 minutes, every 30, every hour or manual. I have mine set on manual, because if i want to check my mail i simply tap the mail app. Having your data fetched from the server consumes your battery life.

A virtually unknown technique is full cycle charge. This means fully charging your device and then draining it to 20%. After this, you leave it to charge fully. This increases your battery life by around 15%.

Leaving apps running in the background requires a lot of energy. Closing them is simple. Double tap the home button and then hold the app until it wiggles. Then press the little red '-' sign on each app to close it. Now your device to not have to process requests so often; this helps conserve your battery.

I hope you have found this useful and will follow me on twitter using the sidebar for more helpful tips and reviews. Thanks!

iPhone app - Twitter Review

My latest blog is a review of the Twitter app for iPhone and iPod Touch. The app was updated on 8th December, to the dislike of many users. The unfamiliar UI was a change to its users, and as a result of this, the apps overall ratings were reduced to just 2/5 stars, from the beforehand 4.


UI


Lets start with the overall look of the app. The user interface was graphically updated, and now features 4 icons at the bottom; Home, Connect, Discover and Me. It is a slick black colour, with a rich blue heading. The design has been made a modern one; on which i personally love.


Does It Work Well?


As far as I am concerned, this app has never crashed, and always runs smoothly and efficiently. However, some users are complaining of the app crashing and then closing when they try to refresh their feed. This is easily solved. Delete the app and re-install it. This solves problems with many apps, and many users dont have a clue on how to work such a simple task. 


There have, however, been a few problems. When tapping the 'me' section of the app, your number of followers, following and tweets randomly changes. One day it will say, for example, '708' tweets, and on another, will revert back to another days number '702'. This is a problem for me, as i like to monitor my followers quite a lot. The only alternative to this is to log on to mobile.twitter.com; this shows the updated numbers.


Summary


Overall, the app looks sleek, smooth and is very responsive touch-wise. It works very well, and doesn't crash. The only problem being the 'me' section, but it is nothing to worry about. Overall I would rate it 4/5.