Guide to Phone Apps - March 2013

www.beckett.com U.S. $9.99 March 2013 • Display until 04/16/13 Beckett Entertainment

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Ultimate App Buyer’s Guide HAPPY NEW YEAR! I’m sure most of you have thought about how fast 2012 flew by and what you did (and didn’t) accomplish. Obviously, now is the time when we all start planning and resolving to do better in 2013. To lend a hand—because that’s what we do—we’ve got an entire section of apps geared toward helping you meet your 2013 goals. Fitness, health, time management, organization … it’s all in here. Good luck! We know you can do it! Many of you have the goal of spending more time with the family. (Well, I guess that depends on your family, doesn’t it?) Not surprisingly, there are apps for that. In this issue, we introduce a new series that I’m very excited about: the Senior Tech Series. It’s designed to help you get your favorite senior citizens—or, as I like to call them, “Silver Surfers”—comfortable with the latest smartphone and tablet technology. Granted, it’s a daunting task, but we’ll make it much easier for you and for them. We promise. Soon they’ll be rocking out to internet radio and video chatting like pros. They might even teach YOU a thing or two! And finally, I’d like to present you with our magazine’s new look for the New Year. It’s mean, clean and streamlined, and we hope you like it as much as we do. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the growth and change in the app market over the past year, and the growth and change of our magazine as well. I look forward to a fun-filled 2013 with you!

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Health and Fitness in 2013 8 Manage Time & Organize Your Life 11 4 Steps to Keep Your Devices Sanitary 14 Organize Your Smartphone 16 5 Ways to Use the iCloud 19 Safely Back Up Your Phone’s Data 22 Get Your Brainpower On 25 New Year, New You 28 Get Control of Your Financial Planning

TECH GUIDE 32 34 38 68

Do You Need a Phablet? Tablet Showdown iPhone 5 Q&A Getting Grandpa on the Grid 74 Xbox SmartGlass Shines 85 How to Move to a New Smartphone

APPS FOR EVERYONE 72 76 79 82 88 91 94 96

The Top 5 Survival Apps 7 Apps for Car Enthusiasts The 10 Best Apps for Home Repair The 10 Best Apps for Babysitters The Hottest New Game Apps The Best Spring Gardening Apps Top 8 Apps to Rock Your Spring Break App Laughs

Margaret Kavanagh Editor

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42 Our 2013 Ultimate App Buyer’s Guide 300+ apps to kick off your year APPY NEW YEAR!

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Health and Fitness in 2013 Make it happen!

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Apps to Manage Your Time and Organize Your Life Get more done in the New Year

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Germ Warfare – You Won’t Believe What’s on Your Phone 4 steps to keep your devices sanitary

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Get Your Apps in Order Effective ways to organize your smartphone

Five Innovative Ways to Use the iCloud There’s so much more than synching your iTunes

Backup Guide for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phones Safely back up your phone’s data

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New Year, New You Time for a change

Get Control of Your Financial Planning Take charge of your money management

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Get Your Brainpower On Fun ways to sharpen your mind

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Do You Need a Phablet? Whether they’re worth your time and money

iPhone 5 Q&A

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Getting Grandpa on the Grid

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Xbox SmartGlass Shines

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How to Move Your Old Data to a Shiny New Smartphone

More masterful tips from our Apple guru Seniors and smartphones and tablets, oh my! Microsoft’s mobile maneuver

APPS FOR EVERYONE The Top 5 Survival Apps

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7 Apps that Car Enthusiasts Can’t Live Without

Don’t leave home without them!

Auto buffs have new tech tools to fuel their fun

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The 10 Best Apps for Home Repair

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The 10 Best Apps for Babysitters Keep kids safe, secure and sleeping tight

Beckett Media, LLC

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The Hottest New Game Apps

Nick Singh, SVP Newsstand & Operations Bridgett G. Hurley, VP Editorial & Subscriptions [email protected] Erin Masercola, Business Unit Editorial Director Jen Kahn, Circulation Director

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The Best Spring Gardening Apps

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Top 8 Apps to Rock Your Spring Break

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Letters the Editor, New Products or to Contribute a Story or Photo: [email protected]

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Who knew your smartphone could hold a toolbox?

Enjoy the best new games and new twists on old favorites

Must-have apps for your ultimate vacation

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No matter where you live or what you love to grow

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Beckett Guide to Phone Apps (ISSN 2158-608X) is a published quarterly, 4 times a year by Beckett Media, LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887. POSTMASTER, send address changes to Beckett Media, 5430 LBJ Freeway, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX 75240. © 2013 by Beckett Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

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EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway # 200 Yorba Linda, CA 92887 Ph: (800) 332-3330

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A look at the latest full-sized and mini tablets

OPERATIONS Gus Alonzo - Newsstand Sales Manager Amit Sharma- Newsstand & Production Analyst Celia Merriday - Newsstand Analyst Alberto Chavez - Senior Logistics & Facilities Manager

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Tablet Showdown

ADVERTISING Gabe Frimmel - Advertising Director [email protected] (714) 200-1930 Eric Gomez - Ad Traffic Coordinator John Cabral -Creative Graphic Designer

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EDITORIAL Erin Lang Masercola - Editorial Director Margaret Kavanagh - Editor William Bonin, Andy Broome, Becky Ermer Buczek, Sean Cooper, Simon Hill, Kara Hiltz, Bob Hulsy, Sean Kavanagh, Garrett Kim, Robert Kim, Torrey Kim, Carolyn Koh, Suzanne Leder, Sarah Terry - Contributing Writers Paul Graff - Art Director Eric Knagg - Cover Design

This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by Beckett Media, LLC as to the legality, completeness or technical accuracy. All characters and artwork shown in Beckett Guide to Phone Apps are trademark and copyright of their respective owners. This publication is not sponsored, endorsed by or otherwise affiliated with any of the featured companies. Cover images courtesy of Apple, Android and Thinkstock

App Laughs Enjoy a few giggles from Andy Broome Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

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APPY Make & Keep Your Resolutions with Apps The parties are over, it’s a brand new year, and you start thinking about all those things you

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want to accomplish over the next 365 days.

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This year, you really ARE going to lose weight and get healthy! And you’re going to start saving money for retirement and clean out your closets. Really! You’re even going to raise your IQ and raise your own vegetables. Really! And we’re going to help you.

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We’ve got pages and pages of apps to help

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you help yourself make and keep your resolutions this year.

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It’s the New Year and while we all make promises to ourselves to make some changes each time one of these rolls around, why not make this the year to make it happen? After all, there is no time like the present and with so many great tools out there to help, it looks like 2013 could be the year to set and reach those health and fitness goals that can only make you feel better.

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Daily Yoga (All-in-One) H E A L T H

Free, IMOBLIFE Co. Ltd #####

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Discover your inner yogi this year with the Daily Yoga (All-inOne) app. Through video and voice instruction, this app guides you through various durations and difficulty levels of 36 yoga sessions and over 300 poses. Relaxing yet effective, this app provides you with all you need to keep up weight loss, body toning and the therapeutic benefits that come from practicing yoga.

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Daily Ab Workout Free, Daniel Miller #####

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Strengthen and tone your abs in just 5 minutes a day! Does that sound too good to be true? Why not test it out with the Daily Ab Workout? This app offers 5- to 1 0minute abdominal routines for men and women that step you through 1 0 of the best ab-sculpting exercises out there. A certified personal trainer demonstrates the exercises to help you achieve that e b by six-pack in no time. BlackBerry users try: NickelBuddy LLC, $2.99.

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Glucose Buddy: Diabetes Log #####

If you could use a little help managing your diabetes, then check out Glucose Buddy: Diabetes Log. This app is a data storage utility for people with diabetes that allows users to log their blood glucose, carbs, medication, activities, A1 C, blood pressure and weight. It also provides great visuals such as graphs and calendars, as well as convenient reminders so you won’t forget to test. This tool is a by MobiDala, great way to take control of your diabetes and move on to better health. BlackBerry users try: G $3.99.

Instant Heart Rate Free, Azumio Inc. #####

Use this app to turn your phone into a heart rate monitor. By placing the tip of your index finger on the phone’s camera, your phone quickly and accurately registers your heart rate and a real-time chart shows your every heartbeat. Use it for optimizing your exercise, tracking progress and managing your stress levels... the fitter you get, the lower your heart rate will be.

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$1 .99, The Active Network, Inc. #####

If you are feeling like a couch potato and want to get up and get moving, try the Couch-to-5K app. This beginner program starts slow and lets you challenge yourself as you progress. You choose your own interactive coach who will motivate you and keep you on track. This training plan gives you all you need to get motivated and inspired, get connected with others and track your progress. It’s the perfect app for anyone looking to get into shape.

Vision Test Free, 3 Sided Cube Design Ltd #####

Sometimes you might find yourself pulling that paper a little closer or squinting to read a road sign, but you just haven’t made it to the eye doctor for whatever reason. If you are one of those people who haven’t had your eyes tested in a couple of years, this app could help you keep things in check. It contains a number of eye tests and questions to evaluate your eyes for a variety of things including visual acuity, astigmatism, and color tests. While it isn’t a replacement for an eye doctor visit, it certainly can be a good place to start.

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If you are looking for a way to make exercise fun, then look no further. By utilizing the addicting leveling system of games and combining it with your workouts, Fitocracy motivates and empowers you to succeed at fitness. Track your workouts, earn points, unlock achievements, beat quests, and slay the lazy dragon all while getting fit and healthy. An on-line community also offers the opportunity to get daily inspiration and join in on conversations with fellow users. The creators of this app had a mission to make exercise and fitness more addictive and accessible for everyone and they have succeeded!

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Fooducate Free, Fooducate Ltd. #####

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Want to learn more about what is going into your body and how to make better choices? This is an app that can do that for you. Fooducate grades your groceries on nutrition from an A to D, explains what’s really inside each product, and then suggests healthier alternatives. Use the barcode scanner to learn about a particular product, search for products from the library, or submit a new product for analysis. Fooducate is like a nutritionist at your fingertips and by utilizing this helpful information, you can lose weight, eat real food, and get healthy.

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Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker Free, MyFitnessPal. LLC #####

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Burn more calories than you take in… losing weight really comes down to that simple fact. The Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker helps with this task by making it fast and easy to obtain nutritional information for over 2 million foods in its database. This app allows for easy and fast food entry, it remembers your favorites, and it allows you to add foods and even save entire meals. In addition to tracking calories, you can also track exercise and customize your own goals. Overall, it’s a great app to help you keep things on track, and it’s available for most phones and tablets.

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LIVESTRONG MyQuitCoach – Dare to Quit Smoking Free, Demand Media, Inc. #####

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LIVESTRONG MyQuitCoach is there to help you drop the smoking habit. This physician-approved, interactive and easy-to-use app creates a personalized plan to help you quit smoking. Evaluate your current status, set attainable goals, and adjust preferences according to your needs. You have the option to choose to quit smoking right away or gradually decrease your nicotine intake— tracking the times you smoke and have nicotine cravings along the way. With the help of motivational tips, progress charts, and achievement badges, this app can help you reach your goal of being smoke free. BlackBerry users try: Q Sm r by Vimukti Technologies, $1 .99.

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If your New Year’s resolution is to get more organized or improve your time management, you’re not alone. And with the busy nature of the modern hustle-and-bustle lifestyle, staying on-task and getting everything done is a huge challenge. Although it may seem like an extra few hours added into the day is the only solution, you might be surprised at how these apps can enhance your organizational skills and help you accomplish more in your daily grind.

Things $9.99, Cultured Code #####

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Considered one of the top task-management apps, this app is easy-to-use and effective at helping you manage your time and stay organized. Sort your tasks between your Today list and other dates, and then check them off as you complete the tasks. You can organize your tasks by various categories, including Projects and Areas of Responsibility, as well as by tags to assign priorities and personal workflow. Add to-do items quickly and easily, and then store all your to-dos in the Things Cloud. The app is made for the iPhone, iPad and Mac, so you can use it on all your Apple devices.

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reQall Free, reQall Inc. #####

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Capture and organize all your tasks and to-do items in one place, compiling tasks and ideas from voice recordings and notes with integrated data from your Outlook or Google Calendar. Get reminders and alerts based on location and time. This app automatically organizes your to-do tasks by date, time, location and keywords. You can even make your own categories and tags in the app.

Toodledo $2.99, Toodledo #####

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Toodledo is a mobile to-do list on steroids. The app filters and prioritizes your most important tasks, creating an automatic smart list, analyzes your tasks to configure the best use of your time, and generates “alarms” for tasks that are due soon. Customize the many features of the app to match your productivity style, and sort your lists using various different fields like “Due Date,” “Goal,” or alphabetically. You can even upload and attach files to your tasks, create subtasks and share your tasks for collaborative projects or family tasks. More than 50 third-party tools make Toodledo compatible with Android, BlackBerry and other platforms (visit the Toodledo website for more info).

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Cozi Family Calendar & Lists Free, Cozi #####

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If there was ever an app that could make you into a Super Mom, this is the one. With the 2012 Appy Award for best family/parenting app, Cozi can whip your family organization into shape! Organize your calendar, grocery list and to-do lists, and much more in a shared format that the whole family can access and modify. The shared calendar, shopping lists, to-do lists and family journal syncs with all family members and generates timely reminders via text or email messages. You’ll never forget the toilet paper or a soccer practice again.

Family Organizer: Shared To-Do+Calendar+Grocery Lists

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This three-in-one app incorporates your grocery lists, to-do lists and calendar in one handy, shareable space. Create multiple grocery and to-do lists, get email reminders of pending tasks and calendar items, and even sync your lists with your calendar with pop-up reminders. Access your Family Organizer account from your computer or mobile device any time. Share lists and calendars with your family members, friends or roommates. The app even has a shared message board and offline back-up functions.

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Organize your daily life with simple to-do lists and basic task-management. You can add a task manually or directly from your email, collaborate with others to share your lists via email or social media, and synchronize your tasks on both your computer and mobile device. Drag and drop tasks to rearrange their order in a list or move them to a different list. Click on the star icon to track your most important tasks. Set reminders, add notes to your tasks, and enjoy high-level data protection and security.

Remember The Milk Free, Remember The Milk Inc. #####

One of the most popular task-management apps, Remember The Milk allows you to track, prioritize and check off tasks quickly and easily. You can set time estimates, deadlines, tags and a whole lot more. Back up your tasks and notes by synching with Remember The Milk online, and set up reminders via text, email or instant message. You won’t forget a thing—including the milk—ever again.

$9.99, Ilium Software #####

Employing high-level data security, eWallet is a one-stop app to organize and remember all your various passwords. Protect all your passwords—from online banking to personal identification (PIN) numbers to email passwords. This password manager helps you to remember all your passwords while keeping them safe and secure. Using eWallet, you can create stronger passwords, instead of resorting to easy-to-remember weak ones. The app even has a built-in password generator to help you create super strong passwords. Android and iOS users who don’t want to pay for this type of app can try the free c B x app by GEE! Technologies.

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eWallet

OmniFocus $19.99, The Omni Group #####

This fairly pricey but multifunctional app can make you into a timemanagement and organizational superstar, even when nothing else seems to work. One of the many great features is the ability to organize your tasks by different contexts, such as by goal instead of calendar date. You can plan out your errands using a map mode to save time. Break up large tasks or projects into smaller steps that you can track and check off individually. You can attach pictures, audio and notes to your tasks as well, so you can capture your thoughts and turn them into actionable to-do items. For iPhone, iPad and Mac.

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You won’t believe what’s on your phone— but we’ll tell you how to get it off. By Sarah Terry

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Your touchscreen could have more germs on it than a toilet seat. So the next time you’re down-and-out with a nasty stomach bug or home from work for a week with the flu, you can blame your illness on your smartphone or tablet. A 2010 Stanford University study published in the Journal of Microbiology found that a smartphone can carry more germs than a toilet in a subway bathroom. In fact, screens on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are so great at harboring and spreading germs that sharing the device is tantamount to sneezing in someone’s face, the study revealed. Why are these devices so particularly adept at harboring germs? Because they’re warm (microbes love warmth) and they come into contact with lots of surfaces—especially hands. Here are the best ways you can prevent your mobile devices from becoming hotbeds of germs:

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2. Keep It Close Your smartphone doesn’t pick up germs from only your hands—every time you set your device down on a surface, it’s picking up any bacteria or viruses that are on that surface. Keep your smartphone in your pocket, bag or purse when you’re not using it. And whatever you do, don’t set your phone down on any surface in a public restroom.

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1. Wash Your Hands! Most germs on your device’s surfaces come from your own hands. In fact, a 2009 study published in the Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials found that about 30% of the bacteria on smartphones ends up on your hands. Another study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology discovered that up to 30% of viruses can transfer from your fingertips to a touchscreen surface. You can prevent germs from getting onto your smartphone or tablet by washing your hands often, especially after using the bathroom. Wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and antibacterial soap, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever possible.

E. coli - Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

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Campylobacter - Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Samonella - Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Sharing your smartphone or tablet is also asking for trouble. If you want to show your friends a photo on your device, hold it yourself instead of handing it over.

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3. Clean It Effectively cleaning smartphones and tablets is like a high-wire balancing act—you need to kill as many germs as possible (preferably 100%), but at the same time you don’t want to damage your touchscreen or other device components. Although highly effective, alcohol isn’t an ideal cleaner for touchscreen devices and can seriously damage your screen over time. Apple warns against using alcohol, ammonia and other solvent-natured chemicals on touchscreens.

Staphylococcus aureus - U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

H1N1 Influenza - U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

HML Labs in Muncie, Indiana tested eight randomly chosen smartphones for how well general and coliform bacteria stood up to various cleaning methods. Swabbing with isopropyl alcohol was by far the most germ-destroying method, with 99.9% to 100% killing power. Windex killed up to 98.9% of germs, while Nice ‘N Clean Electronic Cleaning Wipes killed only 96% of germs at most. A wipe-down with water killed only 20%. Despite the multitude of smartphone and tablet cleaning products, very few actually provide any disinfecting power. But there are a few products on the market that may offer a comparable germ-killing power to alcohol:

What Exactly is on Your Mobile Device?

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Although most of the germs on your smartphone or tablet are relatively harmless and not extremely likely to cause illness, there are a specific few that are especially scary. In fact, the most dangerous bacteria are those that typically come from fecal matter. And according to a recent study by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary, University of London, there’s a lot of poop on your phone. The researchers discovered that of the swab samples from 390 smartphones, about 1 in 6 contained bacteria associated with fecal matter—specifically, E. coli. Here are some of the most prevalent types of germs found on mobile devices:

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• E. coli – This infectious bacterium is frighteningly common because it naturally lives in the intestinal tract of humans and animals. Certain types of E. coli are especially harmful and can be fatal. • Campylobacter – This bacterium causes the infectious disease called campylobacteriosis, which is among the most common diarrheal illnesses in the U.S. • Salmonella –Infants, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems can become hospitalized or even die from the infection caused by this bacterium.

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• Viruses – Numerous types of viruses can live on your touchscreen, including those that cause the flu and other illnesses. Novovirus is among the most common virus in the U.S. and most people who believe they have the “stomach flu” or “food poisoning” actually have this virus. • Staphylococcus aureus – About one-quarter of phones contained this bacterium, which commonly lives on the skin peacefully until it enters the bloodstream, where it can cause illness.

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4. Best Bet: Case It Protective cases are one of the best ways to protect your device’s delicate screen and other surfaces while still allowing total sanitation. Cases allow you to completely disinfect your device with more effective cleaners, such as alcohol or bleach-based solutions, which can eradicate all bacteria and viruses. OtterBox OtterBox makes cases for nearly every brand and model of smartphone, as well as most tablets. You can also choose from a range of different types of cases, such as the “Defender,” “Reflex” and “Commuter” Series. OtterBox makes cases for most types of tablets and e-readers, such as iPads, Kindles, Nooks and others.

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Case-Mate Case-Mate makes protective cases for iPhone 5, iPad Mini and Samsung Galaxy S III. The cases come in a wide range of colors, patterns and styles. You can even go on Case-Mate’s website to “Match-a-Case,” allowing you to connect your Facebook profile to find cases that match with your personal style or even your favorite outfit.

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Pexagon Pexagon makes custom cases for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Specifically, you can find cases for the iPhone, iPod and iPad, as well as cases for BlackBerry, HTC and Samsung smartphones. Pexagon even has custom cases for the Amazon Kindle.

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Fellowes Touch Screen Cleaning Sachets Interestingly, this particular product consists of antibacterial wet and dry cleaning sachets that do contain alcohol. But the product has just 1% alcohol content, yet still claims to kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria.

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ZAGGfoam Gadget Cleaning Kit Retailing for $9.99, this cleaning kit kills bacteria and other microorganisms on contact and is safe for touchscreens. The kit comes with a foam canister and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

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Monster CleanTouch Made by Sony and retailing for $19.99, Monster CleanTouch comes with a bottle of CleanTouch cleaning solution and a microfiber Clean Cloth. The product is made especially to clean and disinfect touchscreens. Sony boasts that this kit will remove fingerprints, smudges, dirt, grime and grease without harming the delicate screen. Also, the microfiber Clean Cloth purportedly eradicates bacteria, germs and other microbes using “antimicrobial AEGIS™ technology.”

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When a new year begins, many people get motivated to organize their lives. In fact, you may have already de-cluttered your home and cleaned out your car. Maybe you’ve even organized those thousands of pictures on your computer. But don’t overlook the area of your daily life that you probably touch on even more than your home, your car, and your computer—your smartphone. Here are a few tips for organizing your smartphone apps so that you can work faster and smarter.

Become One with Your Phone

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dock at the bottom of your screen. These apps display no Before you begin the task of organizing your smartmatter what home screen you’re viewing, so they’re phone, take a few minutes to think about which apps you always available. Another option is to simply place these use at least two or three times a day. Those apps are the apps outside of a folder on your main home screen. ones that you’ll want to access quickly and easily without too much swiping or tapping. How you choose to keep these apps accessible depends on what kind of phone you have and the app’s functionality. d remember that widgets are a good way to view app data without having to launch an app. Keep widgets in mind as an option for frequently used apps. They won’t work for every app, but they minimize clutter while keeping apps at your fingertips. Shortcuts are another good way for Android users to organize their screens. Shortcuts are more specific than apps and can really get to the heart of what you do most frequently. For instance, you can add a shortcut to a specific person from your contacts or a bookmark from your browser. o e s you might want to keep frequently used apps in the Apps organized by category Apps organized by action

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Essentials Only

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The most common way to organize your phone’s apps is to group them by category. Depending on what kind of phone you have, these groups may be folders or home screens that you can scroll through. Put the ‘Act’ Back in ‘Action’ The key is that you’re lumping Categories are great, but another together apps with similar content. organization method may make more i , Your groups may include sense to some smartphone users. This ,S i l P d c i i , Fi method is based on the actions you N i , etc. take with your smartphone. What is For iPhone users, this process is your thought process when you select simplified by each app’s genre. an app to open? You want an end Basically, apps already have a “group” result: You want to read the news, play assigned to them. You can choose to music, connect with friends, or shop for use Apple’s groups or you can define gifts. These verbs might make better your own. The easiest way to get a groups than categories do. bird’s-eye look at all of your apps and Whether you’re sorting apps by their pre-assigned genres is to plug folder or by screen, try grouping them Sorting apps by category in iTunes your iPhone into your computer and based on what they can accomplish for do some organizing through iTunes. folder may you. For instance, a Not only can you see every app you’ve downloaded (even include your music apps and audiobooks. Whereas sorting by those you’ve deleted), but you can also sort them. category lumps audiobooks with other books and reading Viewing apps by genre can give you a head start on material, grouping apps by action puts them in the organizing your apps, and it can also show you what catefolder. And when you’re going out for your jog, you’ll have gories to scrap if they don’t make sense to you. For every option for listening in the same location. instance, I wouldn’t know what to put in a folder labeled Organizing apps by action may not work for everyone, i . You’ll also see which categories to break down but it’s a second option for those who get frustrated by catfurther. (You can only have 12 apps in a folder.) For instance, egories that seem to have some gray area. you may need two folders for games. You might use more and R i specific game categories, like W rd G Or you might organize them by who uses them, like There’s an App for That and . Kid’ G You’re probably shocked to learn that there are apps that To view apps by genre, select App in the left sidebar in can help streamline your smartphone’s organization. Android at the top. This view tells you iTunes, and then click P ,P r p, and users should check out m B , all of which can give you more home screen interface options. BlackBerry users may want to think about 2 to consolidate several social networkusing S c ing apps and save screen space. Organizing your smartphone is half science and half art. While you’re sorting apps, don’t be afraid to clean It’s extremely personal because everyone’s mind works a house at the same time. If you haven’t launched an app little differently. We’ve given you the tools to get started, in two months, odds are that you don’t need it on your but you should organize based on your own habits and phone. In cases where you want to keep an app around workflow. Need some inspiration? Check out firstand20.com even if you don’t use it often, it might be a good idea to for a collection of iPhone and iPad screens from designers, keep these “in case” apps in a separate folder or on developers, and tech writers. your last home screen. In short, tuck these apps away.

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exactly how many apps of each genre you own. You can also select your iPhone device in iTunes and click at the top to go to your organization screen. Sort your list of apps by category (the same as genre) to view specific apps.

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Viewing apps in iTunes

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INNOVATIVE WAYS TO USE THE

There’s so much more than synching your iTunes By Garrett Kim

5 I N N O VAT I V E WAY S T O U S E T H E I C LO U D

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You may know by now that Apple’s iCloud storage system can back up your files and store your music, but it has myriad other uses as well, many of which integrate seamlessly with your favorite apps. Check out our five inventive techniques to maximize the potential of your iCloud— you’ll be over the moon with all the possibilities.

1. GarageBand ($4.99, Apple Inc.) You may see yourself as a budding Jay-Z or Ne-Yo, mixing and editing music until you’ve added all of the sounds in your arsenal to create something original. Wondering what others might think of your creation? GarageBand allows you to do just that. As many longtime Mac users know, GarageBand gives you the ability to record your own music and mix it with your bandmates’ sounds to create a solid digital recording. However, because most people mix their GarageBand music directly on a desktop or laptop computer, it can be tough to share those tunes with friends. That’s where the iCloud comes in. When you create a song on your computer, you can upload it to the iCloud. Then when you run into a friend— or better yet, you happen to come across a music producer in a restaurant— you can access your account through your mobile device such as an iPod or iPhone, and play it out loud for them. Keep in mind that like all music, your own GarageBand songs take up space on your iCloud Forgot a friend’s mailing account, which you typically pay for based on how address but don’t have your phone much storage you’re using. So be sure to delete songs handy? Use your computer to sign into if you export them to a different format or you no longer need to access them on the iCloud account. the iCloud at www.iCloud.com, and view

HOT TIP:

all your contacts online. Super handy!

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2. Scanner Pro ($6.99, Readdle Inc.) You’re in the store trying to return a broken blender that you just bought the day before, but the clerk refuses to accept it without a receipt— and you don’t have it in your wallet. If you had scanned the receipt with Scanner Pro, you’d have access to it from iCloud. Scanner Pro allows you to scan documents by taking screenshots with your iPhone or iPad, then upload them to the iCloud and access them from your other devices. For instance, you can bring up your scanned documents using your iPad, even if you scanned them on your phone. The concept isn’t exclusively for receipts. I’ve used it to make copies of documents on my iPhone and bring them up later via the iCloud on my desktop at home.

3. Find My iPhone

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(Free, Apple Inc.) You may already be aware of the benefits of this amazing app, which allows you to pinpoint the exact location of your iPhone, iPod or iPad by accessing an app on a different device. What many people don’t realize, however, is that if you don’t have two devices (one that’s lost and another with a “Find My iPhone” app), you can still locate your phone using iCloud. To do so, just log into your account via the internet at www.icloud.com/#find and the site does the work for you. You’ll see the locations of all of your partner devices, marked by name. You can also tell the iCloud to play a sound on your lost device so you can locate it via sound if it’s nearby. The only caveat is that you must have location services turned to the “on” position on your devices, or the iCloud won’t be able to locate them. To do this, go to C oud, then toggle d My iP one to O . Se t

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HOT TIP: You can make the most of your iCloud storage

account by ensuring that you’re file sharing with family members when applicable, and accessing the iCloud every time you need it.

4. ToDo ($4.99, Appigo) You’ve got a to-do list, but you aren’t sure how to share the items on it with your family members, friends, and other people in your group. If you’re using the ToDo app, you can manage your lists and share them using the iCloud. Once you’re in the app, you’ll add tasks to your list or check off tasks you’ve completed, and then sync with the iCloud. That way, if other people who share the account go into the app, they’ll see which tasks you’ve revised. In addition, you’ll always have a backup of your running list in case anything should happen to your mobile device.

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($1 .99, SVT Software) Forget about collecting receipts from your family members a few times a week and manually entering them into the paper checkbook. Now each family member can update the checkbook in real-time using this app, and you can access each other’s data using the iCloud. You can see everything your fellow account users deposited into your account, what they spent, and updates to your balance. To use the feature, go to your app settings and select the iCloud Sync option. Interestingly, with the iCloud option you can also access all of your old data. That way, you can figure out what you spent at each location— useful at tax time or if you’re creating a budget.

What I S the iCloud, Exactly? Way back when, many iTunes users got a default iCloud account for free and then forgot about it. However, the accounts that offered 20 GB of free storage expired in October 2012, and users had to either upgrade to the paid version or downgrade to the free option. In other words, pay an annual fee or keep it to under 5 GB for free. But the benefit of iCloud goes beyond iPod backups. You can share documents with everyone who shares your iCloud account, and you can upload documents to the service that you don’t want on your device but you want to access later. Plus, thanks to iCloud’s storage capability, many people have been able to backup, restore, and re-access their documents after a crash. Basically, iCloud is a wireless data storage AND synchronization system that’s built into your Apple devices, and iTunes. Everything goes there, gets synchronized, and then gets shot back out to your devices. So, email, calendars, and contacts are synched across devices. To control what else is synched on your device, go to Settings > iCloud and toggle the listed items On or Off. Tip: Your backed up documents, data, mail and so on take up space in the iCloud, but stuff you purchase from the iTunes store doesn’t—it’s streamed to your other devices when needed.

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5. Accounts 2 Checkbook

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BACKUP GUIDE FOR ANDROID, BLACKBERRY AND WINDOWS PHONES

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FOR ANDROID, BLACKBERRY AND WINDOWS PHONES

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You don’t need an iPhone to safely back up your phone’s data By William Bonin

B L A C K B E R R Y

Vowing to back up your data on a regular basis is the second most frequently broken New Year’s Resolution, only edged out by pledges to lose weight. But backing up your smartphone’s data is a lot easier than losing weight, so there’s no reason for you to break that resolution this year. When it comes to automatic backup, Apple certainly spoiled its users with iCloud’s easy backup of settings, contacts, photos, messages and more. But what if you don’t use an iPhone? Worry not: options are available to you. We’re here to help you learn exactly how to safely back up your phone’s information so you’re always protected.

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Users of Windows Phone 7 (WP7) have long complained of the inadequacy of the built-in backup features. Backing up your WP7 is like a trip back to the dark ages of smartphones: you connect your phone to your home PC running Zune software (or a Mac running Windows 7 Phone Connector) and sync your data. Zune does allow for wireless sync, but only to your home PC via your home’s wireless network; no cloud-based backup functionality is included. Let’s face it: hooking up your phone to your PC is a drag. Something seems to go wrong half the time—the phone never stops saying “Do Not Disconnect” or the required syncing software crashes, your computer fails to ‘recognize’ your device—the list goes on and on. Even if you go through the process of connecting to your PC once a week to sync all your data, that still leaves at least six days of material on your phone that you could lose at any time. However, with the recently released Windows Phone 8, you finally have the kind of full-featured and automated cloud-based backup options that you’ve come to expect from other smartphones. With WP8, you’ll be able to automatically sync all your device settings, apps, photos, videos and even text messages to the cloud. By integrating SkyDrive into the Windows Phone 8, users can now safely back up all sorts of data directly to the cloud. No more synching with your PC required!

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BACKUP GUIDE FOR ANDROID, BLACKBERRY AND WINDOWS PHONES

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The Android doesn’t include much in the way of backup services. You can sync your device settings, WiFi passwords and app data to your Google account, but that leaves a lot of data exposed to danger. Not to

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For fans of the BlackBerry, docking the phone to a PC is the most common backup method. If you are using a BlackBerry in corporate surroundings with a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, wireless backup is also an available option. (Whether your system administrator is willing to enable the feature is a different story.) But with Research in Motion’s release of BlackBerry Protect, with cloud-based storage and “find my phone” features like that of Apple’s iCloud, backing up your BlackBerry is about to get a whole lot easier. Schedule your automatic backup of contacts, calendars and text messages to be performed daily or weekly. ‘Monthly’ is also an option but we did vow to start backing up regularly didn’t we? c If you’ve misplaced your phone, go to the portal and remotely lock your phone. That will prevent snoops from looking at your phone’s contents. If you think your phone is nearby, you can force it to ring loudly. If you suspect it may have been left in a bar or a taxi, you can use the BlackBerry Protect map tracking page to see your phone’s location. Should you sadly come to the conclusion that your BlackBerry has run away from home and is never coming back, you do have the ability to invoke a remote data wipe. The BlackBerry Protect portal also allows you to access your data backups via the internet. BlackBerry Protect is available for free on BlackBerry App World.

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BACKUP GUIDE FOR ANDROID, BLACKBERRY AND WINDOWS PHONES

B A C K U P

…And One for Everybody c is similar to Sprite Mobile in that it is a complete cloudbased backup and restore app. What makes MyBackup Pro so impressive is that it is available on all three platforms: Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone. As a result, you can back data up from one device to the cloud and then restore it to a device running on a different platform. Let’s say you’ve had enough of Windows Phone and have decided to take the plunge and purchase an Android Phone. Back your data up from your Windows Phone using MyBackup Pro and then restore all your data back down to your newly purchased Android device. Pretty slick! m e g e h check out our article “How to Move Your Old Data to a Shiny New Smartphone” on page 85 in this issue.

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mention that enabling the feature requires a trip to the menu d e. titled Reset? That’s a menu I think most people steer clear of when they’re not sure what they’re looking for. But what about your photos, video and text messages? For that you have to look at third-party c is a free apps. S app that syncs your text messages up to your Gmail account. Your archived text messages will appear in your Gmail account with the label SMS. If you’re looking at an “everything” solution, take a e c p from look at Sprite Mobile. At $4.95, Sprite Backup syncs everything on your phone—call logs, ringtones, photos, video, etc. and includes 2GB of storage space on Box.net or Dropbox. Naturally, automatic scheduling options are included.

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SMS Backup+

MyBackup Pro

$4.95, Sprite Mobile

Free, Jan Berkel

$4.99, RerWare, LLC

Automatic backup to Box.net or DropBox. Touted as the most popular mobile backup solution.

Back up your text messages to your Gmail account with this free app.

This highly praised app backs up *all* your data in one cloud-based location. Access all of your backed up data via MyBackup Pro’s web portal. Available on multiple smartphone platforms, this $5.00 app is the ultimate “set it and forget it” solution.

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POWER ON Fun ways to sharpen your mind in the New Year

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You walk into a room and forget what you went in there for, you’re introduced to someone and moments later you forget her name…all signs that the noggin might need to be sharpened up a bit. In this age of technology and gadgets that do everything for us, our brains have more opportunities to get a little lazy. Add the fact that the years are creeping up on us and it becomes downright necessary to figure out how to exercise our brains. Make this year the one to get that brain back in fighting shape and who knows, you may even find yourself calculating that tip with a plain old pencil and paper.

Math Workout Free, Brain Training

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Math Workout makes math fun and sharpens your brain all at once. This app is a set of daily brain training exercises and math drills designed to enhance mental arithmetic. Once you’ve mastered certain skills, you can unlock the next level so you really begin to see the improvement of your math capabilities. Fun and challenging for anyone who would like to build up math skills. BlackBerry users try: by Phone Funda, $0.99.

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70 Logic Games – Time Killers Free, Andrea Sabbatini

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Exercise your brain with these 70 logic games and you will be relaxed and challenged at the same time. Whether you choose to plant trees in a park, help campers with their tents, or try your hand at a maze of bricks, each of the games included is sure to get your brain working to figure out the correct solution. We’ve heard a few complaints about glitches in one or two games, but overall, the majority of the free 70 games are highly rated and enjoyable.

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No need to stay at home with all those puzzle pieces spread out on your dining room table. With this app you can bring them with you and work on them anytime you want. Use one of the 60 preloaded puzzles or turn one of your own photos into a jigsaw puzzle to solve. Puzzles can have up to 100 pieces that you can move and rotate in your quest to complete your project. Once you do complete it, you even have the 2 by option to share your handiwork with friends. Android users try: z G JeegSoft, Free.

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Memory Fun Free, Karmic Apps

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Memory Fun is a challenging and addictive game to train your memory capacity, focus and concentration. With an easy to use interface, multiple levels of difficulty, and a wide selection of card images, this app will keep you entertained and having fun while exercising your visual memory. Choose between the training, easy, or brainiac levels and stay attentive as concentration is key in this game.

Cogs P O W E R

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For a different type of puzzle challenge, try Cogs. Build increasingly complex machines using sliding tiles and 2D and 3D environments. Begin in Inventor mode where you’re introduced to the widgets used to build machines such as gears, pipes, and wheels, etc. Once a puzzle is finished there, you can advance to the more difficult Time Challenge Mode and Move Challenge Mode. Cogs is game that will really get those gears working.

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Flow Free Free, Big Duck Games LLC

Sometimes the simplest games are the most fun and addicting and Flow Free fits into this category. The basic premise of the game is to simply connect matching colors with pipe to create a flow. The challenge comes in when pipes cross or overlap, causing them to break. Whether you choose a simple and relaxed level or a frantic time trial mode, this game is sure to keep your brain engaged while you try to keep the flow going.

Word Search + Free, Sarah Pierce, Megafauna software #####

If you like traditional word searches, this app gives you that experience with a twist. This app provides you with 16 categories of words to search for and in addition, each word list is clickable so that you can learn more about the words. Learn about things such as food and wine all the way to science, sports, and geography. It’s the perfect way to learn some trivia while sharpening your word search skills. by Spice, Free. BlackBerry users try:

Words with Friends Free, Zynga Mobile/Nokia Corp. #####

If you are looking to expand your vocabulary and be social at the same time, then Words with Friends is a great choice. Based on a familiar format, Words with Friends starts with one player creating a word, then players take turns forming words horizontally or vertically sharing at least one tile with an existing word on the board. With this app you can play with friends or match-make instantly with a random opponent and the turn based design lets you play up to 20 games simultaneously. So get ready to start using that brain (and dictionary) to score i by RJ Softwares, Free. some points! BlackBerry users try: x

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Unblock Me Free Free, Kiragames Co., Ltd. #####

Fun for the whole family, Unblock Me is a game with the simple objective of getting the red block out of the board by sliding the other blocks out of the way. With four difficulty levels ranging from Beginner to Expert, there are a total of 4,200 puzzles to really keep your mind working. Depending on your mood, you can choose between Relax Mode or Challenge Mode to start moving those blocks while sharpening your mind.

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Time for a Change By Becky Ermer Buczek

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We all like the sense of things being “new” and each January we get a chance to reflect on our lives and try to find things that we can do to improve in the year to come. Whether it’s our looks, our health, our homes, or our attitude, there’s usually something we can do to take things up a notch and the following apps can help to get things started.

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Mary Kay Virtual Makeover Free, Mary Kay, Inc.

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If you want to try a new look, check out this app. With it, you can download your own photo or choose from a variety of models to try all different combinations of eye makeup, lip colors, hairstyles, hair colors, accessories and more. For a quicker and easier option, try the one-click makeovers for season-specific and special occasion makeovers. Once you’ve found a look that you like, you can shop on-line for the products and you can even share your new look with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, SMS, or email. Windows Phone users try: MagicMirror by Touch Multimedia, $2.49.

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Free, DDN Media Inc.

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Have you ever wished for an easy way to keep up with the clothes you have in your closet? Stylish Girl – Fashion Closet can help with that. This app allows you to photograph each piece of clothing that you own and catalog them so that your entire wardrobe becomes virtualized. You can then use the app to mix and match your own clothes into different outfits without ever having to try anything on. In addition, you can shop online at Shopstyle.com to see how something new might fit into your current collection. With the option to access celebrity fashion styles, selected blogs and magazines, you will not only be organized but you’ll have new sources of inspiration to try something new.

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Fashion Kaleidoscope Free, Inporia Inc

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If you would like a new look, this app can help you find it. You’ll see the latest fashion outfits from around the world through images from street style, fashion blogs, celebrities, fashion editors and runways. You can browse outfits, save your favorites, and then click on the image to see similar items, where to buy them, and even find items that are on sale and which stores offer the cheapest options. With hundreds of fashion ideas for clothing, shoes, accessories, and handbags, this app is sure to inspire your inner fashionista.

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Houzz Interior Design Ideas Free, Houzz Inc.

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If you are looking for interior or exterior design ideas, look no further than Houzz Interior Design Ideas. It has the largest database of home design ideas on the internet and has a database of over 700,000 photos. You can browse photos by style, room and location and save them to your virtual idea book, which you can then save and search. The app also helps you find local designers, contractors, and architects to help with your project and they can browse your idea book to see your ideas and how they can be implemented. Whether building a house, remodeling or just looking to redecorate, z by this app is a must have! Android users, take heart, there’s an app coming! Windows Phone users try: byteNine, Free.

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101 Relationship Tips Free, Pazacta

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Whether we know it or not, everyone could probably use a little boost in the area of relationships. Married or dating, relationships can be hard and in order to keep things on the right path, there needs to be patience, communication and a commitment to make things work. The 101 Relationship Tips app is a nice way to read about ideas to build, strengthen, and improve your relationship. While some may seem simple and easy, they will cause you to stop and reflect on how you might do things differently to help overcome obstacles and enhance your connection with your partner. Little steps taken every day can add up to big success.

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Secrets of Success $0.99, Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.

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Learn valuable tips from the top business motivation pros with this app that helps remind you why you started the job in the first place. Leadership tips right at your fingertips with 90 video clips to demonstrate the principles. Get a Daily Dose of Confidence from this “coach in your pocket” that can even help you work through departmental conflicts. Dale Carnegie & Assoc. puts its 100 years of experience behind Secrets of Success to help you work out those “people issues” that are bound to crop up from time to time. Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.

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Inspirational Quotes Free, AppFlute

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Start your day off on the right foot with the Inspirational Quotes app. The thought-provoking quotes in this app can help you to keep moving forward, make an overdue change, or simply help you to live life to the fullest. Inspirational Quotes also offers the capability to share via Facebook, SMS or email so you can share with other people who may need encouragement, motivation, and inspiration. This app may just give you a new outlook on everyday things. BlackBerry by MetroFX, Free. users try: In pi Y ur

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PLANNING Take charge of your money management with these apps By Sean Cooper

Life is busy—we get it. Between driving the kids to soccer practice, working overtime and spending quality time with your spouse, managing your finances is probably the last thing on your mind. But don’t worry, we’ve got a host of investing, banking and retirement apps that make financial planning fun and easy (well maybe just the latter).

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StockTwits Free, StockTwits Inc.

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It seems like everyone, including your great aunt Florence, has a Facebook account these days. Companies have taken notice, creating Facebook and Twitter accounts of their own. Twitter may limit Tweet length to 140 characters, but it’s become a hot place for business news, and StockTwits is the place to connect. Find out which stocks are being tweeted about the most and trending worldwide. Connect with traders and join in the conversation. Tracking your top stocks is quick and painless—search for stocks by stock symbol and receive real-time stock prices.

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Free, Katherine Philip

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Retirement planning can be a real bore, but it doesn’t have to be! In just seconds, enter your financial data and assumptions, and be dazzled as your financial plan instantly appears before your very own eyes! This isn’t your average set of bank calculators with so many fields to complete you give up out of sheer frustration. Enter as much or as little information as you like and receive answers to your retirement questions. If you’re not on the right track, no worries—find out how much more money you’ll need to sock away to meet your retirement goal.

Easy Money Planner Free Free, In A Day Development

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Not a financial whiz? No problem. Easy Money is called “easy” for a good reason. Receive easy-to-understand answers to your financial questions, free from financial mumbo-jumbo. Do the terms “rate of return” and “amortization” cause a full blown panic attack? Not with this app. It spells out your financial plan every step of the way. Choose from 12 handy planners: calculate how much to save for retirement, your investment rate of return, and your loan payment amount instantly. Paid version available.

G E T CON T ROL OF YOU R F I NANCIAL P L AN NI NG

RetirePlan

GE T CON T ROL OF YOU R F I NANCIAL P L AN N I NG

Mortgage Calculator Free, Adonis Apps

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Mortgage Calculator is your one-stop shop for mortgage and loan repayment calculations! Looking to upsize to your dream house with a nice big garage and a white picket fence? Looking to drive away in style in your dream ride? Mortgage Calculator makes those dreams a reality! Finding out when your mortgage will be paid off is simple, just enter your property value, down payment, mortgage amount and loan terms to see useful amortization tables and charts. Get your financial priorities in order—find out which loan is most beneficial to pay off first. There’s also a paid version out there.

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Vanguard Free, The Vanguard Group, Inc.

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Vanguard is a must-have app for serious traders. Not only is it a cinch to keep track of your investments portfolio, instantly receive your latest account activity and market news so you’ll be the first to know! This isn’t just an excellent information source. You can trade investments, review your 401(k), and research stocks all from your smartphone. Viewing your investment performance is a snap thanks to the app’s easy-to-use interactive charts and graphs. Are you a financial advisor? Be sure to download Vanguard, Advisors, it’s an app specifically designed for you.

iTrade - Stock Market Simulator Free, Neon Surge

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If you’re tired of playing penny stocks or you’re eager to find out if you have what it takes to make it rich in the stock market but lack the funds to invest, read on. iTrade is a great way to increase your knowledge of the stock market without the fear of failing since you’re not actually risking “real” money. Manage your own virtual stock portfolio. Trade with real-time quotes and research stocks in a jiffy. Keen to find out how you match up against the competition? Rank up against traders worldwide or create your own private leaderboard exclusively for family and friends— it’s completely up to you! r e by Android users try: S MobileVirtualGames, Free.

CNBC Real-Time Free, NBC Universal, Inc.

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CNBC: First in Business Worldwide. Enough said. Instantly receive realtime quotes before, during and after market hours straight from the horse’s mouth—the NYSE and NASDAQ. Never miss a breaking news story again, receive the business news that matter most to you first. This is your allin-one stock market app that tracks major U.S. and World indexes, commodities, and currencies, all from the comfort of your smartphone. Tracking your favorite stocks is made easy with the “My Stocks” feature.

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SmartMoney Retirement Planner Free, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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The sad truth for some people is that their retirement plan consists of hoping to win it big in the lottery. For the rest of us, this app is the perfect financial planning tool for our golden years. If you worry about not having a large enough nest egg to retire, this handy retirement planner app helps puts your worries at ease and makes financial planning a breeze. Find out your Social Security entitlement, the effect inflation will have on your savings and how large your portfolio will grow to be.

Pageonce Money & Bills Free, Pageonce

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Never miss a bill payment or pay costly overdraft fees again. Pay bills, manage and track your cash, credit cards, bills and investment portfolio all in one app. Overview provides a bird’s-eye view of your personal finances, and you can click on each category to drill down deeper. Paying bills is quick and easy. For $0.30 (less than the price of a stamp), pay your bills in real-time. Get control of your finances, managing your debt and budgeting has never been so simple. Big banks like Bank of America, Capital One and Chase Bank are some of the many who support this great app.

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Chase Mobile Banking Free, JPMorgan Chase

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If you haven’t signed up for a Chase account yet, now’s a great time. Chase isn’t your average mobile banking app. It has two handy features to make your banking life a lot easier. Pay anyone with an email address instantly with Chase QuickPay (and they don’t even have to be a Chase customer). Tired of depositing checks the old-fashioned way? Snap a photo of your check and have it instantly deposited into your account with Chase QuickDeposit. Plus, you’ll find all the great features you’d expect—manage your account, make deposits, find the closest ATM and more.

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DO YOU NEED A PHABLET?

DO YOU NEED A What they are, the pros and cons, and whether they’re worth your time and money.

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There’s a new wave of mobile devices hitting the market—the phablets! We investigate their pros and cons, and pick out the best on the market just in case you decide you have to have one. (Once you find out what they are, that is.)

DO YOU NEED A PHABLET?

By Simon Hill

hat is a “phablet”? It’s a device that falls somewhere in the no man’s land between a tablet and a smartphone. The general trend in smartphones has been larger displays while tablets are getting smaller. Phablets give you some of the benefits of a tablet, but they also function as phones. The idea is that you get the best of both worlds. Generally, phablet displays are around the five-inch mark, sometimes a little bigger, but the range is five to seven inches. They come with contracts for mobile data and cellular service, just like smartphones.

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DO YOU NEED A PHABLET?

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Why Buy One? The latest phablets are like super-sized smartphones in every respect. They aren’t just physically bigger; they also have the latest cutting-edge hardware inside and a feature-set that surpasses most smartphones. That large screen is the biggest temptation. You’ve got plenty of real estate for movies and games. The displays are also big enough to make reading more comfortable, whether you’re surfing the web or immersed in a book. Phablets also tend to have stylus accessories and special apps that make them ideal for note taking and sketching on the go. If you find normal smartphones difficult to type on then you’ll also enjoy a much bigger touchscreen keyboard. Why Do Without? If you plan to use your phablet for calls then you might feel a bit silly. They are awkward to handle and they do look strange as phones. You can also forget about one-handed operation unless you happen to be a basketball player. Phablets are simply too big for most people to use without

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requiring both hands. Since phablets are so big you may find they won’t fit into your designer purse or slide into a jeans pocket comfortably like a smartphone would. When it comes to pricing, phablets are significantly more expensive than your average smartphone—but then they do deliver a lot more for your money.

Fabulous Phablets to Consider

The phone-tablet hybrid is still a relative newcomer on the scene, but some notable Android manufacturers have designed and released some delectable phablets. Check out the current cream of the crop:

• Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The original Galaxy Note was a surprise hit for Samsung and the follow up, the Galaxy Note 2, is available on all the major U.S. carriers. It has a crisp 5.5-inch display and offers lightning fast performance courtesy of a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor. It runs Android 4.1, also known as Jelly Bean, which is a highly polished version of Google’s mobile platform. It boasts all the latest features and connectivity, including support for 4G LTE and NFC. It also sports Samsung’s S-Pen which has a number of clever control features and a host of special apps to take full advantage of that huge display. Samsung has done a great job with this phablet so you’ll want to consider it. It’s around $300 for a two-year contract.

• LG Intuition

It doesn’t look quite as stylish as the Galaxy Note 2 with those squared edges, but the LG Intuition is a decent phablet option. You’ll find it on Verizon and it sports a 5inch display and a 1.5-GHz dual-core processor. It runs

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LG Intuition DO YOU NEED A PHABLET?

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 HTC Butterfly

• DO YOU NEED A PHABLET?

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the slightly older Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich. It also supports the latest 4G LTE network and boasts NFC functionality. Just like the Galaxy Note 2, the Intuition comes with a stylus and some dedicated apps for taking notes. It’s a solid device, but it doesn’t hit the high standards of Samsung’s offering and that’s reflected in the price tag. You can pick up the LG Intuition for $150 on a twoyear contract.

•

Other Options If you aren’t quite sure you want to dish out so much money, then G at a you might consider trying out the older price discount, now that there is a next-generation replacement. We also expect that by the time you are reading this there will be , a new phablet from HTC on the market. In fact the C sporting a stunning 5-inch display, has already been released in Japan. The Taiwanese manufacturer is well known for producing high quality products, so when it releases one in the U.S. it will definitely be worth a look. There are strong indications that Sony will be releasing a phablet device in the near future and it’s liable to be a real contender as well. As the market grows, and demand for this form factor is confirmed, we’ll likely see a number of manufacturers climbing aboard with new releases, so watch this space.

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A look at the latest full-sized and mini tablets By Sean Cooper

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The race is on. The tablet market caught fire and over 60 million were sold worldwide in 2011 according to reports from Gartner, Inc. and Strategy Analytics. With so many great tablets to choose from, what’s a consumer to do? Never fear! Here’s our showdown of the latest tablets worth adding to your collection.

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Google Nexus 10 Google’s contender in the

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full-sized tablet market provides a worthy tablet alternative to iPad. If Samsung Galaxy S3 recently topping iPhone as the world’s top-selling smartphone is any indication, Google Nexus 10 is sure to be smashing success. Nexus 10 is bar none the best 10-inch Android tablet to date. Its sleek, smooth design is ideal for resting comfortably in the palm of your hands. At 10.1 inches, the screen is slightly larger than the 9.7-inch display of iPad 4, and its high-resolution screen is just as impressive as the iPad 4’s retina display. With a screen resolution of 2560 x 1600 and 300-pixels per inch, Nexus 10’s screen is actually better than iPad 4’s. A dual-core processor is perfect for enjoying videos, surfing the web and playing games. While 700,000 apps are an impressive offering, only a select few have been optimized for Nexus 10, leaving something to be desired. Prices start at $399.

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iPad Mini Apple officially entered the pocket-sized

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tablet market with the release of the iPad Mini. Apple’s first foray into the 7-inch tablet domain is worth a serious look. It’s a perfect ess-expensive tablet for your kids to enjoy. The design is compact and sleek (as you’d expect from Apple). It’s half the size of the original iPad and boasts the same 7.9-inch screen as the iPad 2 (plus, better internal technology to boot). “Mini” doesn’t mean less—it offers almost the same experience as its bigger brother. One-hand use, typing in landscape mode and gaming are surprisingly made a lot easier. Although watching movies with your friends can be a challenge, daily tasks like emailing, web surfing and social media are a breeze. First-gen iPad owners receive an added bonus because the software is backwards-compatible. The price is the device’s only sticking point: $329 is a steep price to pay compared to Amazon and Google’s mini tablet offerings ($199).

T A B L E T S H O W D O W N

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT Surface isn’t your typical run-

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of-the-mill tablet. If you’re lookng for a family tablet with plenty of apps, stick with iPad 4 or Nexus 10. Designed as a laptop eplacement, Microsoft’s first ablet is ideal for improving productivity while you’re on the go. The line between tablet and lapop is blurred (perhaps we should coin a new phrase “lapblet”), as it comes equipped with a touch keyboard and built-in mouse pad. Although the touchscreen works great, mouse support is a nice touch. It comes bundled with all your favorite Microsoft Office programs—Word, Excel and PowerPoint—and Desktop Mode to manage your files just like your office PC. Surface’s major drawback is its steep price. At $519 for the 32 GB version, it’s $20 more expensive than the 16 GB iPad 4. That’s a high price to pay for a device offering less than the new iPad. If Windows software compatibility is important to you, it’s worth a serious look, although it might just be worth your while to wait for the Surface Pro (or simply go with your trusty laptop instead).

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Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

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At first glance, Samsung’s latest fullsized tablet looks like any other Android tablet, but with one major exception—a stylus. But can a stylus really make that much of a difference? Resoundingly, yes! Samsung’s S Pen offers a tablet experience like no other. It is, without a doubt, the best integrated stylus out there. It offers the fluidity and the precision the iPad stylus sorely lacks. Surf the web, take notes and check email simultaneously with relative ease. Its handwriting-recognition software makes writing a breeze (although it’s far from perfect—editing can be a real headache). There are some performance hiccups to note: the tablet occasionally lags when switching between apps and settings can be confusing. However, once you get used to the stylus it’s a decent tablet, just don’t expect it to be iPad 4. Priced at around $450 and up.

Kindle Fire HD Can’t get enough of the Amazon’s popular Kindle Fire?

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Then you’ll want to get your paws on Amazon’s newest tablet, the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD. Amazon’s latest version features a beautiful display with 254 pixels per inch (impressive for a tablet) and a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200 (a huge improvement over the 7-inch version’s display of 1280 x 800). Amazon’s goal was to create “the best tablet at any price” and they made a pretty good go at being “the Godfather” of tablets. The larger Fire HD sells for $299 (while the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD is $199). It’s a bargain compared to the iPad at $499. With Amazon’s online content at your fingertips—movies, TV shows, music and books—Kindle Fire HD might just be an offer you can’t refuse.

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i am a beauty that sounds like a beast. Turn up the volume of your living space with the iHome iD3. Dock your iPad, iPhone or iPod and hear the room come to life. With 50 watts of power and groundbreaking Bongiovi Acoustics DPS technology and a stylish design, the iD3 will let you get in touch with your more expressive side. www.ihomeaudio.com

ihome

ihome Apple Online Store

iHome is a registered trademark of SDI Technologies, Inc. iPad, iPhone and iPod are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Bongiovi Acoustics™, Digital Power Station™ and the DPS symbol are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bongiovi Acoustics, LLC. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

IPHONE 5 Q&A

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More masterful tips, troubleshooting and workarounds from our Apple guru By William Bonin

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Were you one of those people waiting in line in the rain to buy the new iPhone 5? And have you found that it’s everything you could ever want in a phone or, like others, have you discovered that Apple’s latest offering has a few quirks? Read on for advice on overcoming these obstacles and a few tips to help you get the most out of your new phone.

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Q: What happened to Google Maps?

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A: For my money, GPS-enabled mapping software is one of the best features ever included in smartphones. No longer do you need a big GPS device mounted on your windshield or to worry about whether it’s actually up to date— just enter your destination in your phone and you’re off! But with the release of the iPhone 5, M app has instead been replaced with “ p ,” Apple’s own navithe old gation software. I’ll let you decide how wise a decision that was, but you can figure that all is not well when Apple CEO Tim Cook says “We blew it with Maps” and fires the head of the Apple Maps division. Maps is pretty terrible, with reports of missing landmarks and business and just plain round-Robin-Hood’s-barn directions. Choices are: wait for to improve, or look for alternatives. One possibility is the online version of Google Maps through the iPhone’s browser. While this is a workable solution, you also lose some of the great features of the app version of Google Maps— like the integration of your contacts when enterX is ing a destination. M a good choice to eliminate your directional woes. Priced at $0.99 (with a $9 annual fee if you would like turn-by-turn voice navigation), it comes with all the functionality you’ve become accustomed to with Google Maps. In fact, the latest release includes many features never included in Google Maps, such as lane assist (to help you navigate through complex and confusing interchanges) and speed limit warnings that will gently inform you when you’re putting too much pedal to the metal.

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Q: What’s with this adapter?

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A: Over the summer, I had a new stereo installed in my car that provided an auxiliary input so I could listen to my iPhone and iPods in the car. The installation technician asked if I wanted the Apple connector installed or just a headphone jack. In a rare bit of good judgment, I went with the headphone adapter because I knew some day Apple would change the connection. Well, the future came sooner that I thought when the iPhone 5 was released with a little surprise: the 30-pin adapter that has been in use on every iPhone, iPod and iPad? Gone! Replaced with “Lightning”— a far smaller connection essential to meeting Apple’s goal of a thinner and slimmer phone. Yes, Apple will sell you an adapter for $30 so that you can connect your new iPhone to your old accessories— a Bose SoundDock system or your car stereo, for example— but quantities are currently in short supply. One frustrated customer reported that if he had to buy a new adapter for every Apple product accessory that he owns, it would cost him over $1 ,300! And many have found the adapter to be lacking. As a result of Apple’s tinkering, the “iPod Out” functionality is lost— meaning that if you used a Bose SoundDock that had iPod controls, those features no longer work. If you want to skip a song, you will have to pick up the iPod itself and go to the next song since the Bose remote would no longer work. Unless you want to replace old accessories with new Lightning adapter versions (And go through the whole process again a few years from now?), that might be something iPhone 5 users are going to have to live with. While connectors should be cheaper in the future as more third-party manufacturers ramp up production, the lost functionality will remain lost. A little tip: if you’re just looking for a connector to charge your iPhone, there’s Apple’s Lightning-to-USB cord which sells for $1 9. Plug it in to your computer or your existing car charger if it has a USB input and relax knowing that you at least won a small victory for aggrieved consumers everywhere.

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Q: Who left the lights on?

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A: Numerous reports have surfaced, particularly from white iPhone 5 users, of a light leak around the top of their phones. As a result, if you’re in a darkened area, it looks as if light is coming out of the phone. This problem plagued earlier iPhone releases and now seems to have resurfaced. Complainants report that Apple has replaced their phones, only to discover that the same problem appears on the replacement. If you decide to make the trip to the Genius Bar for a replacement, be sure to examine the new phone before you leave the store!

???????????????? Q: What’s the deal with this battery life?

A: The iPhone 5 touts improved battery life, but many users are finding that their mileage varies, often signifi-

cantly. Before you become alarmed about your battery plight, ask yourself if you’re just using the device more than in the past. It’s new and shiny and you’re using it a lot, right? Perhaps that’s why your battery life isn’t to your liking? If you’ve ruled out that possibility, consider these tips and troubleshooting steps. For starters, turn off the apps you aren’t using. This is widely unknown by iPhone users, but just because you stop using an app doesn’t mean the app stops running and continuing to drain the battery. To turn off apps that are running but aren’t in use, double-press the Home button to enter “multi-tasking mode.” All running apps will appear at the bottom of your screen in a list that can scroll though. When you see an app running that you’re not using (and you’ll be surprised how many there are), press and hold the icon until it appears “jumpy” and then press the red button that appears. This doesn’t delete the app from your phone; it only shuts the app down. If you’re still finding that battery life isn’t what you expected, considapp available on the iTunes store from AMP Lab. Install er the free C Carat and it will begin monitoring how your phone consumes battery power. Carat reports back to its server, and then compiles a report for you outlining which apps are just plain battery hogs and which apps might contain bugs that contribute to battery drain. It also tells you how your iPhone is performing compared to others. The best part is that the Carat app uses almost no battery itself, so you can rest assured that the cure isn’t worse than the disease!

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And Now the Good News!

Q & A

The iPhone 5 is by no means all bad; it’s slimmer, lighter and faster. In fact, thanks to its new iOS 6, it also includes some great new features that you might not be aware of.

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Do Not Disturb: Do you have friends who don’t seem to understand that you’re asleep at 11:00PM and don’t want to receive text messages and phone calls? The new “Do Not Disturb” feature that comes with iOS 6 will silence all notifications during the hours you set. Create a manual blackout period or schedule a recurring period. You can also set an exception for that certain someone you always want to talk to. Please note that the “Do Not Disturb” feature does not silence your alarm clock in the morning!

I P H O N E 5

Take Dictation Please: Typing on the iPhone’s keypad can be a bit of a challenge for the ham-handed so instead, just dictate to your iPhone and let it do the typing. When composing a text or email, just click on the microphone that appears on the keyboard and begin dictation. It’s a bit like a telegram though—you’ll have to speak the punctuation you want used, as in “I will see you next week period.”

Q & A •

Emoji-cons: “Emoji” is the new set of emoticons that you can use in both text and email messages. G yboa d boa d. Select mo and You can enable Emoji by going to then when you’re typing a message, press the Globe that appears on the keyboard. You switch to the set of emoticons (and there are many). When you’re done, press the Globe again to go back to the regular keyboard.

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Passbook: Passbook stores shopper loyalty cards, coupons, tickets and even boarding passes in one app, providing much needed relief to your overstuffed wallet and cluttered key ring. With Passbook, the next time you go to a concert or sporting event, you’ll no longer have to print your concert tickets—just present your phone at the gate and your ticket will be scanned. There are currently over 2,600 locations that accept Passbook tickets. Retail merchants such as Walgreens and Target will send coupons to your phone which can then be scanned at checkout. No more carrying the coupon binder!

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BUYER’S GUIDE Action Games

PAC-MAN $3.99, Namco Networks

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Doodle Jump $0.99, GameHouse

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Guide a jumping green creature equipped with springs, jet packs and other gear.

Bring the original video game hero to your smartphone today.

Plants vs. Zombies $2.99, Electronic Arts

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Jetpack Joyride Free, Halfbrick Studios

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Strap on a jetpack and navigate through countless fun-filled levels. Avoid obstacles like electricity fields, lasers and missiles, completing missions and collecting coins along the way.

Use a variety of weapons, including plants, to protect your home from the Zombie hoard.

Snail Mail $0.99, Sandlot Games

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Race Turbo Snail on an intergalactic runway picking up packages for him to deliver.

Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim $1 .99, HeroCraft LTD

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In Majesty: The Final Kingdom Sim, you rule your own fairytale kingdom, defeating enemies and conquering new lands in this new, exciting real-time strategy role playing game.

Ninjump

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You’re a strong and proud ninja.

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Stickman Golf Free, Noodlecake Studios

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You’ll be testing your golf skill levels by hitting the ball over mountains, bodies of water, down slopes, through trees and so much more.

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Tap Tap Revenge 4 Free, Tapulous

Traffic Rush $0.99, Donut Games

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Kids will enjoy helping Grandma in the garden as they match, color, and count vegetables.

Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss $3.99, Oceanhouse Media

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Children learn picture and word association as animated words are spoken when your child touches each picture of this classic Dr. Seuss tale.

When Balls Drop

Kids Numbers and Math

$1 .99, Joseph Neuman

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Bug Games by Busy Bee Studios #####

$1 .99, Knbmedia

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Features dinosaur-related activities and games that teach kids about dinosaurs and their habitats.

Your child will learn letters, spelling, shapes and colors, addition and subtraction, figure out puzzles and play memory games.

TallyTots $1 .99, Spinlight Studio

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Your kids will practice counting, receive positive verbal reinforcement, and encounter fun surprises along the way as they learn to count to 20.

Word Wagon - by Duck Duck Moose $1 .99, Duck Duck Moose

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Free, AZB Soft

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Zoo Train $1 .99, Busy Bee Studios

Monster Hunt – The Memory Game

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A simple and fun game that will appeal to your preschoolers as they learn to spell the names of familiar animals.

Spells words by placing the letters for each object shown in the correct order and earn stars to build animal-shaped constellations.

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First Words Animals Kids

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Free, Kevin Bradford

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$0.99, Busy Bee Studios

Preschool and Kindergarten Learning Games

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Preschool Educational Games

Keep your kids excited while learning about numbers.

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A mellow game that will keep you busy and glued to the screen as you try to get the bouncing ball in one of five different point slots.

$2.99, intellijoy

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Your goal is to get as many vehicles safely through the intersection without a collision as possible.

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U LT I M AT E

Tap Tap Revenge 4 is an addictive music game— follow the onscreen arrows, as you listen to your favorite artists and bands like Katy Perry, Linkin Park and Lady Gaga.

$0.99-$1 .99, Fairlady Media, Noodlecake Studios Inc

2 0 1 3

#####

Grandma’s Garden

Word building meets city building in this fun app.

G U I D E

Featuring bright little monsters that you search for, kids have so much fun they won’t even realize that they are sharpening their minds at the same time.

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

43

Puzzle Games Drop7

Cash Cow $0.99-$3.95, Plasmaworks LLC

#####

#####

A highly addictive game where you drop discs numbered 1 through 7 into a grid, forming a chain to nab bonuses and stay alive.

Free, Rovio Mobile

#####

U LT I M AT E 2 0 1 3

Free, Shiny Egg Studios

#####

Stack dominos and topple them over in 70 fun-filled levels— replay levels and try to beat your time.

Where’s My Water? Angry Birds Space Free, Rovio Mobile

$0.99, Disney

#####

#####

In this edition of Angry Birds, developer Rovio takes the classic pig bashing gameplay, mixing it with zero gravity action, new birds and new superpowers to deliver its best so far.

Swampy the Alligator wants to take a shower— too bad the other alligators have blocked his water!

Geared Free, PlayfulArt

#####

Quell $0.99, FallenTreeGames

#####

The object of this game is to line up four different sizes of gears and connect them to one another.

This has to be one of the most soothing games you’ll ever play.

• G U I D E S

Domino Run

Hurl birds and pigs through the air.

Jigsaw Mansion 2 $0.99, SGN

#####

Multi-touch controls, 360-degree piece rotation and more than 20 new, original paintings carved into challenging puzzles.

B U Y E R A P P U LT I M AT E 2 0 1 3

Touch a bunch of coins that equals five, 1 0 or 25 cents and then count up that bunch into a dollar.

Angry Birds

A P P

B U Y E R

S

G U I D E

$2.99, Zynga

Word Games Bird's the Word Free-$0.99, SGN

#####

Create words from random letters while birds swoop in and try to hinder your progress.

Relix $0.99, Mark Mengelt

#####

Tapping and sliding pieces to match tiles, with challenging features to make each of the 50 levels increasingly difficult.

Bookworm $2.99, PopCap

#####

Search for words in a grid of letters.

Sprinkle $1 .99, Mediocre

#####

Use your crane-mounted water cannon to put out fires, activate traps, and move boulders and ice blocks.

Draw Something Free Free, OMGPOP

#####

Puts your artistic skills to the real test. Draw something and your friend (or a random user from around the world) must guess what it is.

44

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

War of Words Free, Wolf Studios LLC

#####

Crossword puzzle-style game with bombs.

Wheel of Fortune $4.99, Sony Pictures Television

#####

2 0 1 3

Transports you into the world of the famous game show.

EDUCATION APPLICATIONS Educational Tools Blackboard Mobile Free, Blackboard INC

Word Genius

#####

$0.99, Catnip Media

Find as many words as you can in a letter scramble.

Word Seek Free, Idealix Inc

#####

Free, Optime Software LLC

#####

$4.99, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc

#####

With a wide range of subjects available Britannica Kids is brought to you with the outstanding quality that Encyclopaedia Britannica is known for.

Flashcards+ Free, Connor Zwick

#####

Word Trick Free Free, Outplay Entertainment LTD

#####

Free Graphing Calculator Free, William Jockusch

#####

G U I D E

When you’re getting ready for that important exam, you can make your own flashcards and study them while you’re on the go, thanks to this flashcard app.

S

With such a wide variety of choices, the whole family will be learning while having fun playing this classic game.

Britannica Kids

B U Y E R

Hangman Free

This app allows students and teachers to view course listings, grades, discussion forums, post announcements, and so on.

A P P

A race against the clock as you find words on a four by four grid of letters.

U LT I M AT E

####

•

Wordfeud Free, Bertheussen IT Play up to 30 games simultaneously, against

Math Pack Flashcards Free, Tititaa

eight million of your closest opponents.

wurdle $1 .99, Semi Secret Software LLC

#####

#####

Flashcards cover beginning skills like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division all the way to more difficult skills like geometry and algebra.

A P P

A fast-paced word game perfect for trips in the

Math Ref $0.99, Happy Maau Studios LLC

#####

This app functions as a math and physics formula study guide with figures, tips, graphs, and examples.

S

MiniMod Reading for Details $8.99, E Skills Learning LLC

Read a passage of text based on three different reading levels and answer questions to test your comprehension.

45

G U I D E

#####

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

B U Y E R

car or anytime your kids need a little mind-stimulating entertainment.

U LT I M AT E

#####

With over 1 00 math functions, the graphing calculator is a clone of the TI-83 that lets you input data and make graphs and matrices to your heart’s content.

2 0 1 3

Crossword style game with trick tiles to increase your score.

Molecules

Tic Tac Math

Free, Sunset Lake Software

$1 .99, IPMG Publishing

This app allows you to view and manipulate three-dimensional models of different molecules.

U LT I M AT E

Free, NASA

#####

Great for kids to explore all things space related.

Rocket Math $0.99, Dan Russell-Pinson

#####

Kids will have a blast while learning math with Rocket Math as they build their own rockets and fly them to the stars while learning and practicing math skills.

Solar System Explorer $1 .99, Neil Burlock

#####

•

2 0 1 3

$1 .99, Down-Shift INC

NASA App

Solar System Explorer allows you to take an interactive 3D trip through the Solar System.

B U Y E R

#####

Teaches kids all kinds of interesting facts by showing all of the major events that happened in history on that date.

College Research Apps All College Application Essays $4.99, All College Essays

#####

Select one of the 600 colleges listed and you’ll find out the application essay topic requirements, due date, and word length— updated with each application season.

Peterson’s College Guide Free, Peterson’s

#####

Jump directly to the colleges you want more information about, or enter your search criteria and let the app suggest schools for you.

College Confidential Free, Hobsons Inc.

#####

SparkNotes

S

G U I D E

Today in History

Track your classes and assignments with a calendar display and set up homework reminders.

#####

SparkNotes links you to the most popular study guides for literature, Shakespeare, poetry, philosophy, drama, and short stories.

Get the truth about a college by tapping in to this app’s 430,000 member community.

SAT Vocab Challenge by The Princeton Review $4.99, Modality Inc.

Spelling Bee

A P P U LT I M AT E

Combines the fun and familiar strategy game of Tic-Tac-Toe with solving math equations.

Free, Rodrigo Neri/instin LLC

Free, SparkNotes LLC

2 0 1 3

#####

myHomework #####

A P P

B U Y E R

S

G U I D E

#####

#####

$0.99, Socratica LLC

#####

Spelling Bee allows you to study a word, read the definition, hear it pronounced using text to speech and take a Spelling Bee Quiz to test your knowledge.

This app can help you with the vocab you need to know— and uses quick tips to help you remember what the words mean.

College Score Matcher Free, Rolzer

#####

Star Walk $2.99, Vito Technology INC

#####

This astral telescope adapts its view to wherever you’re pointing and highlights both constellations and planets.

46

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

Matches your student’s SAT scores with schools to which they qualify and saves you from checking each college’s site for requirements.

SAT Math

Chordbot

$4.99, honeHead

$4.99, Lars Careliusson

#####

Musical accompaniment app that allows you to create and play chord progressions.

Concert Vault

$1 .99, Jarcas Software

Free, Wolfgang's Vault

#####

Calculate your own GPA by entering your grades into the GradeWizard app.

$0.99, Dorm Mom LLC

#####

Quick Calendar #####

#####

MicDroid offers automatic pitch correction and on-the-fly pitch correction— simply hit “record,” sing into your phone and the app will correct the pitch.

Mobile Metronome Free, Gabriel Simões

G U I D E

Between college visits, essay deadlines, SAT testing, and senior year homework, a must-have for staying on top of your deadlines.

Free, intervigil

S

Free, Jim Blackler

MicDroid

B U Y E R

From the top colleges offering merit-based aid to those with the most students living on campus, this app is loaded with data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Wolfgang's Vault is home to legendary concert promoter Bill Graham's massive collection of live recordings and now offers a free app that allows you to listen to a wide range of streaming concerts.

A P P

iCollege Guide

#####

U LT I M AT E

GradeWizard

2 0 1 3

From flash cards to practice tests, SAT Math helps you thoroughly prepare.

#####

#####

An excellent free metronome for musicians of all levels.

•

Pandora

Free, Moblico

Free, Pandora

#####

#####

Create and listen to personalized radio stations.

Shazam

MEDIA APPLICATIONS Music Apps

#####

Music identification service— recognizes songs via your smartphone’s built-in microphone.

A P P

BandNamer

Free, Shazam Entertainment

$0.99, Handy Little Apps

#####

Spotify Free, Spotify

#####

B U Y E R

Select your band’s genre (Garage Rock, Emo, Hip-Hop, Metal/Hardcore, and Electro-Pop) and Band Name does the rest.

Streaming radio with a library of over 1 5 million songs.

Bloom $3.99, Opal Limited From ambient music legend Brian Eno, an app that

Free, cyandroid

#####

This basic, free piano app gives you a basic, 4-octave piano keyboard on your touchscreen Android phone.

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

47

G U I D E

lets you create your own soundscapes based on any of the 1 2 different available moods by tapping on different areas of the colored screen.

xPiano

S

#####

U LT I M AT E

Enter your criteria and take the app’s quizzes to discover which schools meet your needs.

2 0 1 3

My Majors

News & Magazine Apps #####

Turn personalized digital "pages" of your favorite publications and social media sites.

B U Y E R

PressReader

Perfect for students of any age, use this app to have narration synchronized with your text.

Kindle #####

Free, NewspaperDirect

#####

Access to 2,1 00 newspapers from 95 countries in 54 languages.

Kindle is the crème de la crème of all eReading apps.

Kobo Free, Kobo Inc.

A P P U LT I M AT E 2 0 1 3 •

#####

Free, Amazon Mobile LLC

The Week

#####

Free, The Week Publications, Inc.

#####

Commentary and analysis online from the popular print magazine.

Kobo goes the extra mile in adding social networking features to your eReading experience.

Nook Free, Barnes and Noble

US Newspapers

#####

Free, Baris Efe

#####

Barnes & Noble’s eReader with a more vibrant interface than others offer.

Read major US newspapers and news sites online.

eReader Apps

G U I D E S

Free, Appsessions LLC

Free, Flipboard Inc.

S

G U I D E

Flipboard

iScroll

Overdrive Media Console – Library eBooks and Audiobooks Free, OverDrive, Inc.

#####

Audible Free, Audible, Inc.

#####

Allows you to listen to your latest book-great for commuters.

On-the-go access to eBooks and audiobooks from your local library.

Wattpad

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

A P P

B U Y E R

Free, Wattpad.com

Audiobooks - 2,947 classics for free

#####

Free, Spreadsong, Inc.

#####

Thousands of public content classics for free with narration included.

Goodreads Free, Goodreads

#####

Goodreads connects you to your friends to see what they’re reading and what they recommend.

Discover an unlimited amount of FREE stories from new writers that you won’t find on Kindle or Nook.

Interactive Storybook Apps PBS Super WHY $2.99, PBS Kids and Out of the Blue Enterprises LLC

#####

Kids can play using each of the four main characters from the television program as they journey through a story line that kids control.

Google Play Books Free, Google Inc.

#####

Finding Nemo - My Puzzle Book $0.99, Disney

##### This is another eReader app that allows you access to your current titles while on the go.

48

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

Improve your child’s problem-solving skills by completing interactive puzzles while following the adorable Nemo through his undersea adventure.

The Lorax - Dr. Seuss

WatchESPN

$1 .99, Oceanhouse Media

Free, ESPN Inc.

#####

Live sports programming from ESPN on your mobile device. A cable subscription with ESPN included is required.

WNBA Center Court

U LT I M AT E

My Little Pony- Twilight Sparkle, Teacher for a Day

2 0 1 3

Start with an “Auto-Play” option that plays like a movie for younger kids, and progress to a read-it-aloud option that allows kids to record their own voices for playback.

#####

Free, National Basketball Association

#####

$3.99, Ruckus Media Group

#####

Whether your child is a “brony” or a female My Little Pony fan, this interactive app will keep them occupied for hours.

$0.99, Duck Duck Moose Design

You can read and sing along to the popular “Wheels on the Bus” song in five languages and even record you and your child singing so you can play it back later.

Free, ESPN Inc.

#####

#####

Watch your favorite ABC shows.

B-Movies Free, Bubble Pop Software

#####

B-Movies connects you to the Internet Archive, the home of free content on the World Wide Web, including such classics as The 39 Steps, The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, Plan 9 from Outer Space and Night of the Living Dead.

• 2 0 1 3

Instantly listen live to over 1 7 ESPN radio stations nationwide and 40 exclusive podcasts.

Free, ABC Digital

G U I D E

ESPN Radio

ABC Player

S

Sports Media Apps

TV, Video & Movie Apps

B U Y E R

#####

A P P

Wheels on the Bus

WNBA Center Court offers a host of fantastic features: watch live streaming games, view the latest scores, and check statistics, news and photos of your favorite team.

CNN Mobilez ESPN Scorecenter #####

Scores and news from TV’s leading sports network.

MLS MatchDay Free, MLS

#####

Free, NHL Interactive Cyberenterprises

#####

Fandango Movies Free, Fandango

#####

Pay a small fee to reserve movie theater tickets.

GetGlue Free, AdaptiveBlue

#####

This social network for movies, TV, music, and books allows you to see what your friends like and recommend, while adding in your own ratings.

G U I D E

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

S

The ultimate hockey fan’s dream app –watch live games and video highlights so you never miss a moment of the hard-hitting action.

Never miss breaking news again with the CNN Mobile app which offers breaking news notifications as well as CNN Radio.

B U Y E R

NHL GameCenter

#####

A P P

MatchDay brings the excitement of Major League Soccer (MLS) to your smartphone.

Free, CNN

U LT I M AT E

Free, ESPN Inc.

49

HBO Go

Run Pee

Free, Home Box Office, Inc.

Free, polyGeek

Watch HBO’s acclaimed series when you’re away from the house— so long as your satellite or cable network gives you access to this brand new app.

Hulu Plus by Hulu Free, Hulu

#####

Watch thousands of classic and current TV shows on your smartphone— Hulu Plus subscription required.

IMDB Free, IMDB

#####

Justin.TV $299-$4.99, Justin.TV

#####

The Justin.TV app allows you to view live video streams created by other users.

Movies by Flixster

SPB TV Free, SPB TV AG

#####

Watch over 1 50 live TV channels from over 20 countries around the world, including news and sports.

TV.com Free, CBS Interactive, Inc.

#####

Photography Apps LifePics Free, LifePics Photo App

#####

LifePics app allows users to upload photos and order prints from more than 1 3,000 specialty camera and photography stores.

Pocketbooth $0.99 - $1 .99, Project Box

S

Find theater times, watch trailers, and check out reviews from the critics and viewers.

B U Y E R

G U I D E

#####

NBC Free, NBC Universal, Inc.

#####

Watch your favorite NBC shows.

A P P U LT I M AT E

Run Pee will tell you when it’s safe to make a dash to the bathroom— as in, a “boring part” is coming up.

Your favorite shows wherever you go.

Free, Flixster

2 0 1 3

#####

Exhaustive collection of movie and TV information. Also includes theater times and trailers.

•

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

A P P

B U Y E R

S

G U I D E

#####

Netflix Free, Netflix, Inc.

#####

Search for movies, update your queue and watching streaming video on your smartphone with this free app.

Redbox Free, Redbox Automated Retail LLC

#####

Reserve tonight’s movie from your phone and pick it up at your local Redbox kiosk.

50

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

#####

Several apps try to re-create the feel of an old-fashioned photo booth, but Pocketbooth is the only one worth paying for.

PostalPix Free, Postal Pix

#####

When it comes to ordering standard or square prints on your iPhone, you can’t do much better than Postal Pix.

Snapfish Free, Hewlett Packard

#####

Upload photos to the website in a snap (heh), give access to others to view your online albums, and view friends’ albums on your phone.

AccuWeather

WeatherEye Free, The Weather Network

#####

WeatherEye provides detailed weather conditions, and shortterm, hourly and long-term forecasts as well as severe weather alerts.

#####

This app provides detailed hourly and 1 5-day forecasts. The Weather Alarms™ warn you of any potential snow, ice, rain, wind speed/gusts in your area.

Living Earth #####

$0.99, Little Apps

#####

This backpacking checklist/planner app comes pre-loaded with 250+ backpacking trip related items.

Cabela's Recon Hunt $4.99, Trimble Navigation

#####

For the serious hunter, this app contains topographical maps, waypoint marking, and journaling.

S

Outside - Visual Weather Forecast

Backpacking Planner Checklist

B U Y E R

Observe live sunrise and sunset borders around the world, observe the changing seasons throughout the year, view snow and ice coverage as well as other seasonal changes around the globe.

Camping & Hiking Apps

$2.99, Robocat

Knot Guide $1 .99, Winkpass Creations Inc.

When you just need to know the basics, this app’s weather conditions are color coded, giving you a quick read of what’s happening outside. Manual updates are available simply by shaking your phone.

#####

2 0 1 3

Radar Now! Free, USNaviguide LLC

#####

Leafsnap Free, Columbia University

#####

The Weather Channel Free, The Weather Channel

#####

Free-$1 .99, Earth Networks

#####

Free, MyFishingAdvisor.com

#####

Plug in a few details about your fishing trip and this app presents you with the strategy you need to land the big one.

MyNature Animal Tracks $4.99, MyNature Inc.

#####

For both hunters and animal lovers, this standalone reference guide identifies what's lurking in your neck of the woods.

S G U I D E

Now you can access real-time weather info from around the world using this app’s links to 1 0,000 weather stations in North America and thousands of other worldwide locations.

My Fishing Advisor

B U Y E R

WeatherBug/WeatherBug Elite

Identify tree species from photographs of their leaves.

Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder Free, American Park Network

#####

Enter your location and planned activities and instantly learn about every park nearby.

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

A P P

This hearty weather app has everything you need to stay steps ahead of the weather.

U LT I M AT E

The most current National Weather Service (NWS) enhanced radar base images along with current weather conditions and storm indicators

•

Hitch, lash and cinch your way through every rope-related task with clear photos in this easy-to-navigate reference of 90+ knots. Knot Guide tells you which knot is useful when.

G U I D E

#####

A P P

$0.99, Radiantlabs LLC

U LT I M AT E

Free, AccuWeather.com

2 0 1 3

OUTDOOR LIVING APPLICATIONS Weather Apps

51

Tiny Flashlight + LED Free, Nikolay Ananiev

Light up your life by using your phone's screen or its LED light. Built-in controls let you change brightness, color, and even display warning- and police-style lights.

Cycling Apps Bike Gears $1 .99, Bootstrap Apps

#####

This app gets down and dirty with bike gear ratios, gain ratios, sprockets, fixing skid patches, and more lingo for those in the know.

Bike Repair $3.99, Atomic Softwares

• G U I D E

#####

Hoot Suite Free, HootSuite

#####

Manage multiple social media sites from one convenient app.

Free, Twitter INC

#####

#####

Fix a flat, bleed your brakes, or un-chink a chain with this invaluable app.

Cyclemeter GPS Cycling Computer $1 .99 - $4.99, Abvio Inc.

#####

Keep up with all the latest with this free app from the micro blogging service.

Dating Apps Call Faker Free, Rob Franz

##### Customizable audio feedback during your cycle trip fills you in on your stats, and tells you where your competition is when you're in a racing frame of mind.

Escape a bad date with this app— set your time for your phone to receive a fake call and then you can say, “I’m so sorry, but I really have to go. My roommate is locked out of the apartment.”

EveryTrail Free, GlobalMotion Media

#####

S B U Y E R A P P

Free, Facebook

Twitter

Conversation Starters Free, SusaSoftX

##### Find new biking trails right around the corner.

MapMyRide GPS Cycling Riding

You’ll have all sorts of intriguing conversation starters that will turn any dud of a date into something great.

Free, MapMyFitness Inc.

#####

Dating Ideas $0.99, Creative Glance

Set your workout goals and watch your progress as you select preplanned rides, or map your own.

Ride the City $1 .99 - $2.99, Ride the City

#####

Never struggle with romantic date ideas: input your zip code, and you get ideas involving cultural, outdoors, adventurous, romantic, and novel categories.

#####

FlirtMaps Maps the safest bike route while avoiding highways, busy streets, steep hills, and other dangers.

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

Facebook

Keep in touch with all your Facebook friends with this free app.

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

A P P

B U Y E R

S

G U I D E

#####

SOCIALIZING APPLICATIONS Social Networking Apps

Free, Neo Network

#####

With this free app you can find all available singles in your area displayed on a map.

52

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

Match.com Free, Match.com LLC

#####

Info-Sharing Apps Blurb Mobile Free, Blurb

This free app lets you arrange photos, videos and audio into small stories that you can share with others.

Free, Swiss Codemonkeys

#####

Burst Free, Burst.it LLC

This app displays pick-up lines, including the “All-Time Top” based on user votes.

Free, PlentyOfFish

This free app captures, stores, and organizes videos for you and lets share videos selectively— you even get to decide who can reshare a video.

#####

Path

Phone Call Blocking Apps

Free, Path Inc.

#####

Path has photo- and video-sharing capabilities but Path limits you to 1 50 social connections making it a more intimate network.

S

Bad Decision Blocker #####

NextCall

G U I D E

$0.99, John Genest

Free, Nazori

##### Prevents you from making outgoing calls that you might later regret.

•

You decide how often you want to call someone and NextCall sets up a schedule and reminders.

#####

2 0 1 3

BlackList Free, AntTek Inc.

Red Stamp Cards Free - $1 .99, Red Stamp Cards LLC

#####

U LT I M AT E

Create a blacklist to block unwanted calls and text messages.

Call Blocker

The go-to app for sending e-cards with 400 card designs with customizable features.

Free, embware

#####

Find My Friends Free, Apple Inc.

Block unwanted calls and text messages.

$5.99, GreyThinker

#####

Send a request to a friend or relative and once they accept the request, you can track their location and view it on a map.

B U Y E R

#####

Holiday Card Tracker Hangs up an unwanted call, sends it straight to voicemail or mutes the call so it will ring as normal for the caller and then goes to voicemail.

#####

Track when you send and receive cards from people in your phone's Contacts list, and view your card mailing history from past years.

G U I D E

$0.99, Smash Software LLC

$2.99, Hamburgers and Toast

#####

Touchnote Postcards Hide numbers that you don't want seen in your iPhone

$1 .49/printed postcard, Touchnote LTD

#####

Touchnote Postcards takes your digital image and turns it into a custom printed postcard that the app will send anywhere.

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

S

Hide a Caller

A P P

Extreme Call Blocker

B U Y E R

Join over 25-million users looking for their soul mate with this popular dating app.

A P P

PlentyOfFish

#####

U LT I M AT E

PickUp Lines

#####

2 0 1 3

This free application allows you to search for your match with relative ease.

53

Postagram $0.99/printed postcard, Sincerely Inc.

Postagram is similar to Touchnote Postcards in that you can create a printed postcard from images on your phone but each postcard is slightly less expensive.

S

$2.99 - $4.99/printed postcard, Apple Inc.

For those special occasions when quality matters, this app will create and mail letterpress greeting cards (not just postcards).

Free, Flipdog Solutions LLC

#####

Spellchecking, custom signatures, and a powerful search engine to quickly locate important email.

Free, Yahoo! Inc.

Text Messaging Apps GO SMS Pro Free, GO Dev Team

#####

Not only does it make texting more fun through the use of emoticons, GO SMS Pro can be fully integrated with social networking websites like Facebook, letting you chat instantly with friends through Facebook chat.

#####

Your Yahoo! Address Book, your phone contacts, and Yahoo! Messenger in one convenient app.

SHOPPING APPLICATIONS Digital Wallet Apps PayPal Mobile

Handcent SMS Free, Handcent

#####

• G U I D E

K-9 Mail is the kingpin of Android email and has all the features you’d ever want in an email.

Yahoo! Mail

Handcent offers Android users enhanced text messaging that lets you send and receive SMS and MMS in style.

Free, PayPal

#####

Make online purchases, instantly transfer money and locate nearby businesses that accept PayPal.

Google Wallet Tango Free, Tango

#####

S B U Y E R A P P U LT I M AT E

#####

#####

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

A P P

Cards

2 0 1 3

Free, K-9 Dog Walkers

MailDroid

B U Y E R

G U I D E

#####

K-9 Mail

Offers free text messaging, phone calls, and video chat between other Tango members.

Free, Google

#####

Keep all your credit cards, debit cards, offers, and rewards cards at your fingertips.

Pay with Square

Email Apps Gmail Free, Google Inc.

#####

Gmail’s convenience and robust design for the smartphone.

Free, Square

#####

Enter all your credit card information and you’re ready to go shopping.

LevelUp Free, SCVNGR

#####

iPriorityMail Free, Ahlquist Software

#####

Manage your incoming mail and social networking messages all from one convenient smartphone app.

Converts your credit card information to QR codes, which merchants scan with their own smartphones to accept payment.

Lemon Free, Lemon

#####

A different kind of digital wallet— not only does it keep track of the contents of your wallet, it also tracks your spending.

54

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

CardStar

Yoox.com

Free, CardStar

Free, Yoox.com

#####

2 0 1 3

This app allows you to store your reward card numbers and have cashiers scan your bar codes directly from your phone’s screen.

#####

An app to help you find and buy fashions for every family member.

Fashion & Clothing Apps eBay Fashion Free, eBay Inc.

#####

$0.99, MEDL Mobile

#####

$1 .99, Eighteen Twenty Consulting

#####

$2.99 - $3.24, Touch Multimedia

This app gives you the opportunity to find out how you’d look in a particular hairstyle before you plunk down your money.

The app can help you find your way around the shopping mall and even find parking.

Product & Gift Research Apps ESRB Rating Search App Free, Entertainment Software Rating Board

#####

Feel safe when giving video game gifts to children— snap a photo of the game package or enter the game title into the app, and ESRB Rating Search will give you the rating summaries you need.

GoodGuide Free, GoodGuide

#####

If you have eco-conscious people in your life, the GoodGuide mobile app will make gift-giving simpler by identifying, rating and reviewing products for eco-friendliness.

shopkick

Grocery IQ

Free, shopkick A very handy app for sale-savvy shoppers, shop-

Free, Coupons.com

Free, Sugar Inc.

#####

ShopSavvy Free, ShopSavvy Inc.

#####

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

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Scans barcodes, providing reviews and price comparisons among 20,000 different retailers as well as real-time pricing and availability among thousands of online merchants.

S

One-stop shopping for clothing, home decor, and kids & baby categories from over 300 of retailers.

Make grocery lists by keyboard, voice or barcode scans. App instantly organizes your list into aisles.

B U Y E R

ShopStyle

A P P

kick lets you get exclusive deals at your favorite stores.

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U LT I M AT E

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MagicMirror Hair Styler

Free, MindSmack LLC

•

Recommends particular looks based on your body type, and tells you when you shouldn’t waste your cash on an outfit that won’t flatter you.

FastMall

G U I D E

Fashion Sense

Zappos sells clothing, bags, beauty products and, of course, shoes.

S

Short for Fashion + Weather— use your location’s weather report to offer randomized outfit suggestions complete with links to buy.

#####

B U Y E R

Feather Report

Free, Zappos.com

A P P

Peruse designer trends and then tap an item to find similar listings on eBay.

U LT I M AT E

Zappos

SnapTell

BeerCloud

Free, SnapTell Inc.

Free, INsReady Inc.

Take a picture of the cover of a CD, DVD, book or video game, and the app will give you the product’s ratings, reviews and pricing.

GiftGen

S

G U I D E

#####

#####

The app allows you to select a price range, age range, gender and other details to search a huge database— gift ideas range from free to pricey, but always personalized and appropriate.

BeerCloud is the essential app for beer lovers.

Cor.kz $2.99, Applied Ambiguities LLC

#####

A smartphone sommelier.

Drinkspiration By Absolut Free, The Absolut Company

#####

Gift Ideas $0.99, Rosu Gabriel

#####

With a constantly growing database of gift ideas, this app offers you personalized presents for every occasion.

Drinkspiration provides drink recommendations using classifications such as weather, location, time and the type of bar.

Harvest - Select the Best Produce $1 .99, Sean Murphy

#####

El Gifto - Gift Ideas Guru Free, IBKR Analytics LLC

#####

Enter the gift recipient's personality type, their relationship to you and other details to get creative, appropriate gift ideas from this app.

Harvest contains extensive guidelines to help you select the best produce available.

How to Cook Everything $9.99, Culinate Inc.

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Free, BornToThink

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Giftmeister Free, Iron Horse Interactive

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Input the giftee’s age, gender, “lifestyle” and other demographic information, and Giftmeister suggests technology gifts based on the details you provided.

FOOD & PARTY APPLICATIONS Food & Drink Apps AG Wine $0.99, Approach Guides LLC

Contains over 2,000 recipes, menu ideas and how-to illustrations with built-in timers included in the recipe steps to guide you as you go.

Mise En Place $2.99, Derrick Schneider

#####

Plan your dinner party prepping and cooking tasks to the minute so you can make sure that your 6:00 p.m. dinner doesn't end up more like a 7:00 p.m. dinner.

Mixology™ Drink Recipes $0.99, Digital Outcrop

#####

#####

Your complete wine store companion.

Beer Match: Beer, Food and Cheese Pairings $0.99, StoneRaven LLC

#####

Beer Match pairs 31 beer styles with over 500 foods to help you select a beer that always complements your food.

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Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

The Mixology app claims it’s the “ultimate drink recipe and bartending guide” and with almost 8,000 drinks recipes and over 1 ,300 ingredients included, it’s hard to disagree.

Pair It $4.99, Bandar Interactive

#####

Comprehensive food and wine pairing guide.

Sushipedia

Party Planner

Free, Tokiolabs LLC

$0.99, PartyPlannerApp.com

#####

Enter basic information about the type of party, and the app tells you how much to purchase of each supply item— from ice and cups to garnishes.

Event Planning Tools 2.0

Free, Allrecipes.com

$0.99, Party Aficionado

#####

Camp Recipes! #####

Whatever you can think of to cook on a campfire, Camp Recipes! has 1 0 ways to cook it.

Bar & Restaurant Apps Citysearch Free, Citysearch Mobile

#####

Citysearch has local listings and reviews of restaurants, bars, and just about any other business you can think of.

B U Y E R

$1 .99, The App Sack

Packed with loads of useful functions, this app keeps your budget in check while planning your party’s design.

A P P

Click on what type of meal you’re making (dessert, main dish, etc.), the ingredients you have, and how much time you want to spend cooking, and the app will show you the matching recipes.

#####

U LT I M AT E

Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner

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Sushipedia contains an encyclopedia with over 200 sushi entries, including full color photographs and detailed descriptions.

#####

S

Evite

Drink Owl Free, Great Owl Technologies

#####

Free, Evite

#####

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LocalEats $0.99, Magellan Press Inc.

Phrase Party! (Catch It)

#####

Split your guests into two teams and play a game of hot potato. The team who has the phone when the time runs out loses.

Points you to the best local restaurants in over 50 major US cities, as well as other local favorites in smaller cities and towns. Over 1 5,000 restaurants included.

Goby SeatingPlanner+ $4.99, Gobee Labs

Free, Goby Technologies

#####

With more than 350 categories of things to do, and more than 6 million events across the U.S., the Goby goldfish will simply not allow you to be bored.

Happy Houred Free, Appsolute Media

Party Planning List

#####

#####

The search interface lets you look for nearby drink deals or search by picking your poison, whether it’s wine, beer, cocktails, or “pubs with grub.”

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G U I D E

The Party Planning List is pre-loaded with tasks that apply to virtually all types of parties, so you don’t have to type out every single task.

S

$0.99, Jimbl

B U Y E R

SeatingPlanner+ allows you to virtually plan your big party's table seating so that everyone has a place to park and those mortal enemies won't have to glare at each other from across the table.

A P P

#####

U LT I M AT E

$1 .99, iParty Mobile

#####

•

This popular website brings its invitation finesse to your smartphone so you can manage guest lists on the go.

DrinkOwl currently offers drink specials for 75 cities (and counting).

G U I D E

Party Planning Apps

Karaoke Loop

GasBuddy

Free, Entourage Entertainment

Free, GasBuddy Organization Inc.

G U I D E

#####

Find Karaoke shows in your area.

Thrillist Free, Thrillist

Thrillist brings you hand-picked local restaurants, bars, clubs, and stores in 1 4 US cities.

UrbanDaddy Free, UrbanDaddy

#####

A self-billed concierge app that lets users select which area of the city they prefer, the companion (clients, mistress), personality type (old and stodgy, from out of town) and the desired atmosphere (next to a fireplace, around hipsters).

Urbanspoon Free, Urbanspoon

#####

Urbanspoon is fantastic for folks who can’t make up their minds where to eat and the slot machine-style Shake feature is perfect for selecting restaurants at random.

Yelp Free, Yelp

##### The granddaddy of plan-making apps with super-detailed search and sorting categories and a massive reviewer network.

Find the cheapest gas prices wherever you happen to be. Beloved by cab drivers.

INRIX Traffic Free, INRIX Inc.

#####

INRIX Traffic gives you real time traffic conditions, complete with information on wrecks, construction and other delays.

iWrecked - Auto Accident Assistant Free, Vurgood Applications

#####

Record all crash information and add photos to create an accident report.

PhantomALERT Free + $29.99 for 1 Year Subscription, PhantomALERT Inc.

#####

With the use of driver generated databases, this app alerts you to red light cameras, speed traps and DUI checkpoints.

RepairPal: Auto Repair Expert Free, RepairPal

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Helps you get accurate repair estimates based on your location and includes customer reviews of repair shops in the area.

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Speedbump

TRAVEL & NAVIGATION APPLICATIONS Automobile Apps Car Locator

Free ($9.99 monthly subscription required), WirelessESP

#####

Monitor your teen’s driving habits and location and you’ll receive an email or text notification if the speed limits you set are exceeded.

$3.99, Edward Kim

#####

Photograph the location of your car when you park and when you return, look at a satellite image that shows your current location and your car’s location.

DriveSafe.ly Free, iSpeech Inc.

#####

Uses text-to-speech functionality so your incoming text messages and emails are read to you aloud while you drive.

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Navigation Apps Beat the Traffic Free, Triangle Software LLC

#####

View traffic maps and click on roads to see speeds and any incidents. Up to two hours of traffic predictions, weather information, and even traffic camera images in over 34 cities.

Garmin StreetPilot $0.99, Garmin

#####

Travel Apps

$59.99, Magellan

Free, Mobility Apps LLC

#####

Whether you’re looking for a hot meal, a memorable souvenir or the closest restroom, Gate Guru has you covered.

#####

FlightView The same turn-by-turn guidance as other navigation apps, but you’ll have three voice options, in-app music control, and connectivity to Yelp!

#####

Instant updates to your mobile device when there’s a flight delay, including a national map with up-to-date weather.

A P P

MotionX GPS Drive

Free, FlightView

$0.99, MotionX

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Airport Life

Developed by a seasoned pilot. Terminal maps provide directions to gates, services, shopping and restaurants in over 1 00 airports.

S

Navigon North America

#####

B U Y E R

Free, Airport Life LLC Simplified menu interface. You can also purchase a “Live Voice Guidance with real-time navigation” package for $9.99 (regularly $24.99).

U LT I M AT E

Magellan RoadMate North America

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Gate Guru Turn-by-turn directions spoken aloud and offline maps— you’ll also find 3D landscapes to help you orient yourself.

$59.99, Garmin

G U I D E

#####

AirportZoom Free, Conducive Technology

Precise spoken announcements, live traffic updates, and lane assistance— plus quarterly map updates for at least two years.

#####

Airport Guide–iFly

TomTom US & Mexico

Free, Red Cirrus LLC

#####

U LT I M AT E

How to get to your destination with vibrant maps, audio alerts, and even some bonuses such as Facebook check-ins, cheap gas searches, local restaurant locations and so on.

Information on over 700 airports worldwide with interactive maps, Wi-Fi access locations and ATMs.

$59.99, TomTom

#####

Airport Transit Guide $4.99, Salk International LLC

Plan your travel to and from airports effortlessly— provides rates, schedules and pickup locations.

B U Y E R

Maverick: GPS Navigation

#####

A P P

Unique to TomTom is the IQ Routes technology, which takes into account rush hour, traffic lights, and even shopping crowds.

Free, Code Sector

#####

My TSA Free, Transportation Security

Use Google, Bing and Open Street Maps to track where you're going and where you've been.

#####

$0.99, carmat

#####

Instead of standing in front of maps in the busy corridors like an obvious tourist, study the multi-colored lines ahead of time.

59

G U I D E

AllSubway

S

It’s easy to keep track of different airport security requirements and exactly what you can bring on a flight.

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Free, TeleNav INC

Receive flight alerts directly to your mobile device— updated flight cancellations, delays, confirmations and arrivals pushed directly to your smartphone.

•

TeleNav GPS Navigator

#####

FlightTrack $4.99, Mobiata

FlightTrack can not only show you— offline— the flight path to your destination but how much longer you have to go.

Globetipping

Free, Plum Amazing

#####

Medical conditions are presented in an easy-to-navigate A to Z format and include both natural and prescriptive remedies.

Before you pay too much or too little, turn to this helpful app.

Kayak Free, Kayak.com

A P P

B U Y E R

#####

#####

Compare flight, hotel, and car rentals from multiple sites in one app.

Packing Pro $2.99, Quinn Genzel

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You’ll never forget anything again with Packing Pro.

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Cures A-Z

$0.99, Ivan Karpan & Evgeniy Lebed

S

G U I D E

#####

HEALTH & FITNESS APPLICATIONS Medical Apps

SitOrSquat Free, P&G Productions

Free, Doximity

#####

Doximity’s free social networking software gives you the ability to connect with other medical professionals and colleagues.

iChemoDiary Free, Merck & Co

#####

With iChemoDiary, you can keep track of your treatment schedule and record your symptoms and side effects.

iHealthTrax $4.99, Winkpass Creations INC

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A traveler’s bathroom finder— SitOrSquat lists toilets by location and gives them user ratings.

Trip Journal $2.99, iQapps

#####

Document your vacation experiences and share them with friends and family.

TripAdvisor

U LT I M AT E 2 0 1 3

Give your doctor complete and accurate information with this calendar based iPhone application that stores your medical history.

iManage Migraine Free, Merck & Co

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Tracking and analysis features allow migraine sufferers to create journal entries documenting when their migraine occurred, the location of the pain, the severity of the pain as well as the type of pain.

Free, TripAdvisor

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B U Y E R

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•

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Doximity

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MedicalRadio Free, ReachMD

Reviews of hotels, restaurants, and attractions from real travelers.

TripIt Free, TripIt

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MedicalRadio delivers top-flight streaming content through their exclusive XM-Radio satellite channel as well as access to over 5,000 podcasts. Pandora Radio for Doctors!

#####

Prognosis: Your Diagnosis This app stores your itineraries and gives you the option of dialing numbers straight from these itineraries on your phone.

Free, Medical Joyworks

#####

This free app presents clinical cases in an interactive format that you investigate and diagnose.

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The Merck Manual - Home Edition

Stress Check

$9.99, Agile Partners

Free, Azumio

#####

$4.99, ANDESigned

#####

Designed to document multiple aspects of your child’s care and development.

$0.99, Concrete Software

#####

WebMD Mobile

#####

The app offers over 30 relaxing sounds that can help you get your beauty sleep and includes an alarm feature to ensure that you’re awake right on time.

Stress Tracker Free, AboveStress

#####

Created by leading clinical psychologists and researchers, this app uses cognitive behavioral therapy and Mindfulness principles to help you identify and manage your stress.

Free, WebMD LLC

S

#####

StressPile

Fitness Apps #####

iStress $0.99, PSI Apps

#####

iStress teaches you stress-management skills using humor and positive thinking to reduce stress and promote a relaxed lifestyle.

RunKeeper - GPS Track Run Walk Free, FitnessKeeper Inc.

#####

Anti-Stress Exercise Free, QUO?TE Developers

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Pocket Yoga $2.99, Rainfrog LLC

#####

SECURITY APPLICATIONS Home Security Apps Alarm.com

S

Pocket Yoga has detailed instructions for each yoga pose, including both audio and visual descriptions.

Guides you through breathing exercises to reduce your stress levels.

B U Y E R

Stress Relief Apps

A P P

Keep track of your runs and share with friends.

U LT I M AT E

Track times and GPS distances for running, cycling, swimming, hiking and even fitness walking.

2 0 1 3

Free, Endomondo.com

Rate your anxiety levels and add stressors to customizable categories and receive daily, weekly, monthly and yearly reports on your stress.

•

Endomondo Sports Tracker

#####

G U I D E

$0.99, StressPile The famous WebMD website is now available for smartphones.

B U Y E R

A simple and fun way to chart your weight loss goals and progress.

Free, Mizu Software Solutions

A P P

Track Your Weight

Relax and Sleep

U LT I M AT E

Total Baby

This high-tech app measures your heart rate through your smartphone’s camera and light features to determine your level of physical and mental stress.

2 0 1 3

Learn about medical conditions and procedures, medical terms, and how to handle emergency situations.

#####

#####

Arm and disarm your system, adjust your home’s temperature, and see live video feed from your home security cameras.

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G U I D E

Free, Alarm.com Inc.

Life360 Family Locator

ME911

Free, Life360

$2.99/mo., ME91 1

Use GPS to locate family members and includes a panic button that sends your location and a cry for help to everyone on your contact list.

Sex Offenders Search $3.99, LogSat Software LLC

#####

Updates every day with a list of names, addresses, and pictures of registered sex offenders nearby.

IP Cam Viewer #####

View any camera for which you have the IP address, including DVRs and web cams.

Guardian Watch Free, Guardian Watch LLC

#####

Free, Popvox LLC

#####

Real-time information about crimes based on your location, including the type of crime, where it occurred, and when it happened.

A P P

B U Y E R

S

•

Report an emergency quickly or stream video and audio to public officials using your smartphone to assist them with response efforts.

SpotCrime Lite

K9 Web Protection Browser Free, Blue Coat Systems INC

#####

A free iPhone or iPad browser that blocks inappropriate content, including material related to pornography, hate/violence, gambling, and drugs.

OnCall Defender – Advanced Mobile Protection Free (with paid subscription plan), AMP LLC

#####

Sends an emergency call to local public authorities on your behalf that provides critical information to first responders.

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

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One-stop access to your family’s medical and emergency contact information, including allergies, insurance information, and medications.

Smartphone Security Apps eyeD® Biometric Password Manager $1 7.99, Winkpass Creations Inc.

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Uses iris scanning based on a picture that you take of your eye to create an unbreakable password.

Free - $3.99, Robert Chou

G U I D E

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Kryptos Free ($1 0/month subscription required), Kryptos Communications

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Encrypts all of your phone calls with military-grade encryption to prevent unwanted eavesdropping.

NQ Mobile Security Free, NQ Mobile

#####

NetQin Mobile Security is a complete security solution with the ability to remotely locate, lock or erase a lost phone as well as real-time virus protection and scanning.

TouchDown for Smartphones Free, $1 9.99 license purchase required, NitroDesk

#####

TouchDown provides a full-featured email experience with all of the functionality you are accustomed to when using email on a PC.

BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS Writers’ Apps Dropbox Free, Dropbox Inc.

#####

The all-in-one file sharing app you’ve been looking for! Never worry about losing your files again.

FastPencil Free, FastPencil.com

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FastPencil helps make reading, writing and working on books a lot easier wherever you are.

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iA Writer

TaxACT Central

$0.99, Information Architects Inc.

Free, 2nd Story Software

#####

Free, Merriam-Webster Inc.

#####

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary app thousands of words and definitions at your fingertips and you can conveniently look up words with voice search.

Tax preparation, filing, and return status tracking in one app.

TaxCaster by TurboTax Free, Intuit Inc.

U LT I M AT E

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

2 0 1 3

Let the ideas flow freely onto the virtual pages with iA Writer without distractions: no spellchecking, auto-correction, toolbars… only concentrate on what matters, writing.

#####

#####

Enter some basic personal information and watch as your tax refund is instantly calculated.

TurboTax SnapTax

A P P

Free to try ($1 9.99 to file), Intuit Inc.

#####

Productivity Apps

B U Y E R

Tax prep app from the leader in tax prep software.

Dragon Dictation Free, Nuance Communications

#####

Free, Evernote

#####

All Pets Radio Free, Quick Bridge Solutions

#####

• This app streams an Internet radio station devoted completely to pets of all kinds and includes pet news, pet care tips, pet stories, and more.

Producteev Free, Producteev

ASPCA Action Free, BlueToad

##### To-do-list app that lets you mark priorities, set deadlines, and receive email reminders. With paid upgrade, this app becomes a project management system.

H&R Block Mobile App

HungryPet Free, OhmzTech

#####

A P P

Tax Preparation Apps

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) free quarterly magazine, ASPCA Action, on your iPhone.

HungryPet offers a database of "people" food and

Free, H&R Block details on whether these foods are safe for your dog or cat to eat.

B U Y E R

#####

An income tax encyclopedia from H&R Block.

IRS2Go #####

$1 .99 - $2.99, Jive Media Inc.

#####

Pet First Aid offers instructional videos and how-to's with illustrations for a variety of cat and dog first aid needs.

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G U I D E

Track the status of your income tax return.

Pet First Aid

S

Free, IRS

U LT I M AT E

#####

2 0 1 3

Archive text, photo, webpage and voice notes. Search for them later.

G U I D E

Evernote

S

Turn talk into type— from short text messages to longer email messages

HOME & LIFESTYLE APPLICATIONS Pets Apps

Pet Master

Makeover

$4.99, GF Media Apps

Free, ModiFace

Pet Master helps you keep track of all the maintenance that goes into your pets.

Petcentric Free, Purina

#####

Petcentric will find pet-friendly establishments for your animals, such as hotels, restaurants, and parks.

Petfinder.com: Adopt Pets Free, Phunware

#####

Petfinder.com has a mobile app that can put their expansive pet adoption database at your fingertips.

PetRescuers Free, HomeAgain PetRescuers

#####

PetRescuer lets mobile users search for local missing animals and will alert you when a pet has gone missing in your area so you can remain vigilant in helping to find the animal.

Lifestyle Apps Beauty Product Reviews

#####

Take a photo of yourself, and then use this app to see how you would look with a different hair style, a change in my makeup, tan, anti-aging procedures, plastic surgery.

Natural Beauty Recipe Free, Kiumiu Soft

#####

Shares beauty techniques using ingredients you have around the house.

Stylebook $3.99, left brain/right brain

#####

Log the clothes you have in your closet, and then create different looks in the outfit editor to test them out.

Trendstop.com Fashion Trendtracker Free, Amoja LTD

#####

Watch slideshows of the work from specific designers, view runway videos sorted by collection, or look through a series of hip street fashions.

TriMirror Fashion Closets Free, Quakeup Media Production INC

#####

Free, Total Beauty Media

#####

Beauty Product Reviews app shows you actual user feedback on various products, from anti-aging lotions to hair gel to bath salts.

Home Décor Apps 3D Room Design Udesignit

$1 .99, Nannek

#####

Set chores so they come up automatically every time they need someone to do them.

Clorox myStain Free, Clorox

#####

Look it up on myStain to find both on-the-go and at-home stainlifting solutions.

Hair Cast Free, Studio One

#####

This app will ease your hairstyling tension by telling you the temperature, level of humidity, chance of rain, and projected wind speed for your area.

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Post outfits to your social network for comments.

Chore Pad #####

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$4.99, HB Conception Virtuelle Inc.

This app gives you a 3D animated image of layout you customize— from the room’s size, paint and wallpaper, down to the materials and area rugs.

Budget Shopping Locator $2.99, MapMuse

#####

With this bargain locator, unearth consignment shops, flea markets, swap meets and thrift stores nearby, anywhere in the country.

Christie’s Free, Christie’s Inc.

#####

Participate in an auction to bid on an antique luxury armchair, 20th century chandelier, mahogany armoire or other extravagant furnishings— without stepping foot outside.

DécOrganizer

Photo Measures

$2.99, Aisling Apps

$4.99, Big Blue Pixel

#####

$0.99, Apalon

#####

$2.99, Remodelista LLC

#####

Explore the interiors of homes across the globe, while snuggled comfortable in yours.

Stylizimo

A P P

Leaf through hundreds of home décor photos, arranged by room type, color, style or what’s popular. They’re easy to upload, rate and share.

Remodelista

Free, Stylizimo

Fab

#####

The app version of Fab.com, the website that sells urban designer goods and art at an on-sale price tag.

#####

No need to purchase a leveling tool when you have this free app.

Atheist Pocket Debater $2.99, JAY-ROC Investments

#####

An app to assist you the next time you enter a religious debate.

G U I D E

Free, iHandySoft Inc.

Spiritual Apps

S

iHandy Level

This app will give you tons of ways to innovatively display items on an inexpensive budget with handy DIY projects.

B U Y E R

Free, Fab.com

#####

U LT I M AT E

Dream Home

Photo Measures easily stores your room’s measurements in an orderly fashion.

2 0 1 3

Now you can get organized by keeping track of furniture to purchase, favorite stores and websites, contacts, notes, prices, photos and a wish list— all in easy-to-file folders categorized by room.

#####

•

iQila Interior Design Community #####

Free, LifeChurch.tv

#####

This bible app includes over 1 00 versions, including the King James Version, the New American Bible, The Message, and more.

Mark On Call

Book of Shadows

$1 .99, M.O.C. Interior Designer LLC

#####

#####

Book of Shadows is a personal spell recipe book of sorts for pagans and features rituals, rites, spells, traditions, holidays and much more.

Daily Buddhist Prayers

$2.99, Enginy Studios

#####

#####

For the practicing or just-learning Buddhist, the app provides inspirational daily prayers. Free, Little i Apps LLC

Palettes

#####

Free, Rick Maddy

#####

Just take a picture, highlight a shade and you’ve got a whole color palette on your hands for endless design fun.

Billed as a series of digital devotions for modern Catholics" and includes images, videos, prayers and writings, plus push reminders for praying novenas.

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eVotions

S

Upload a photo and start finger-painting the walls (on your screen) so you can visualize what a color would look like in your house.

$1 .99, Buddhist Apps

B U Y E R

paintingWalls Pro

A P P

“Mark,” named after interior designer Mark Lewison, is your personal design assistant and shopping guide in the palm of your hand.

$3.99, Shadowink Designs Technology

U LT I M AT E

Are you searching for the perfect coffee table? Post pics or browse in a virtual interior design community that gives you feedback.

Bible

2 0 1 3

Free, Pyronyx LTD

G U I D E

Free, Mitchell Applications

The Mormon Church’s Gospel Library allows users to access lesson manuals, general conference addresses and scriptures from just about any phone platform.

S B U Y E R A P P

Tip Junkie

#####

Prayer Time PRO Free, NextWorldMobile

#####

Crafts Apps Blockfab Free, Mary Kay Podlecki

Ever found fabric that you just know would make a beautiful quilt but you have no idea how much to buy? This app will help you with that task.

Craftgawker Free, gawkerverse

Botany Buddy $9.99, AVAI Ventures

Use advanced search filters to describe unknown tree and plant appearances, and within seconds, likely candidates appear.

Bugs in the Garden $0.99, Justin Davidson

#####

This app lists many of the most common North American garden bugs— both detrimental and beneficial— with great pictures and easy-to-understand information.

$1 .58, Antony Cook

#####

#####

• G U I D E

Gardening Apps

ColdSnap! Frost Alarm

A photo gallery that allows you to visually search and discover handmade arts and crafts to inspire your own projects.

Crafty Gemini Free, Vanessa Wilson

#####

S B U Y E R A P P

Tutorials on how to make homemade gifts, holiday crafts, home décor, parties, delicious recipes and more.

#####

This app helps users learn about cooking, sewing, crafting and more through blog posts and video tutorials

Easy Stitch $2.99, Technical Made Easy LLC

#####

Tutorials with step-by- step instructions and pictures to get you started knitting, crocheting, or embroidering.

This set-it-and-forget-it app does one thing and one thing only— warns you when the temperature is forecasted to fall below the temperature you set.

Garden Buddy $2.99, Island Apps

#####

A "garden math" app that calculates your supply needs for you: compute cubic yards of gravel, how much fertilizer you need, or select materials for the perfect pond size.

iVeggieGarden $9.99, Moorit Software

#####

iVeggieGarden includes everything you'll need to plan, track, and troubleshoot your vegetable patch (or farm) from pre-seeding to post-harvest.

Knit Counter Lite Free, Cordless Dog

#####

Landscaper's Companion $4.99, Stevenson Software

##### Store stitch counters and project information for multiple knitting projects

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

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##### An app to calculate the correct prayer times and proper direction to face for Muslim worshippers.

2 0 1 3

U LT I M AT E

LDS Gospel Library Free, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

QuiltingCalc Free, Robert Kaufman Fabrics

#####

Numerous quilting calculations-- how much fabric is needed for backing, batting and borders, and many more.

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Great photos and an extensive search tool that lets you look for planting characteristics (like sun/shade) and ensure you'll find what you're looking for.

WHAT DO OUR ICONS MEAN? ICON

THIS APP IS FOR… iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch devices Android smartphones BlackBerry smartphones Windows smartphones Kindle Fire tablets (They use the Android OS) Nokia Symbian smartphones Palm OS devices

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G E T T I N G

G R A N D P A

O N

T H E

G R I D

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G E T T I N G

G R A N D P A

O N

T H E

G R I D

G E T T I NG G R AN DPA ON T H E G R I D

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G E T T I NG G R AN DPA ON T H E G R I D

G E T T I N G

GETTING

G R A N D P A

ON THE GRID

O N

Seniors and smartphones and tablets, oh my! By Carolyn Koh

T H E G R I D

So the family got together and bought grandma and grandpa a matching pair of smartphones for Christmas. First the excited grandkids confuse them with all the games. Next, you dutifully transfer all the phone numbers from their old cellphones and set up their security, but now what? How do you get them comfortable with the new phones? The latest mobile devices can be a convenience and a comfort when paired with the right apps and gadgets. However, new technology can be intimidating to those born many years before today’s digital natives (i.e., anyone under 30). The trick to getting grandpa on the grid is picking and introducing the right accessories and apps to him—apps he will actually use without getting overwhelmed. Stick to the old acronym “K.I.S.S.” and keep it simple. Get seniors familiar with the basics by introducing a few apps at a time until they are comfortable with using the mobile device. Here are our tricks and tips to help you get those silver surfers on their way.

• G E T T I N G G R A N D P A

iHome IC3

O N T H E G R I D

iHome ID7

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G E T T I NG G R AN DPA ON T H E G R I D

Read into it

First things first—you need to get your senior interested in using the device on her own. And one of the easiest ways is to load apps she can explore on her own time. Reading books and magazines on an electronic device is the perfect way to bridge the gap. Most newspapers and print magazines have mobile editions that subscribers can access through their apps. Start by loading apps for your senior’s favorite magazines. For instance, the AARP has several different apps available. Not only can seniors read the AARP The Magazine, but also subscribe to health bulletins and watch video clips from their library.

G R A N D P A

O N

T H E

G R I D

G E T T I NG G R AN DPA ON T H E G R I D

Bluefire Reader Free, Bluefire Productions

Aldiko Book Reader Free, Aldiko

AARP Bulletin App & Magazine App Free, AARP

Calibre Free www.calibre-ebook.com

Project Gutenberg

G R I D

•

G E T T I N G

Free www.gutenberg.org Speaking of reading, the beauty of eReader apps is the ability to adjust font sizes and change background lighting for better visibility. Forget your glasses? No problem! Just make the print larger. A real plus for aging eyes. comes with the Apple operating system, but installing a universal eReader app such as B i for iOS and iB ldi for Android can let you read books in many different formats. Show your folks how they can download books n and they’ll never have to read a two-year-old copy of People Magazine from linked databases such as P j at the dentist’s office again. Pair the apps up with an eBook management program like C ib for the Mac and PC and you can set up your own library and lending system for the whole family.

Dance the day away

G R A N D P A

O N

T H E

You’ll also want to introduce the golden ager in your life to internet radio. There are hundreds of stations on the web R . By plugging in just one song title or artist and letting the logarithm and they can be found with tools like R which remembers your find other similar songs, your senior creates a personalized radio station. Or try favorite stations and songs. These two apps are not just for the smartphone either, but can be installed on some eBook readers as well.

Pandora Radio

TuneIn Radio

Free, Pandora

Free- $0.99, TuneIn

N o c d o (N R) has not been slow in releasing an app for their news nor their music. There are apps for both and if dad or grandma enjoys the NPR station on their radio, they can tune in on their smartphones as well. The news app also allows users to search their web archives.

G E T T I N G

NPR News & NPR Music Free, NPR

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G E T T I NG G R AN DPA ON T H E G R I D

•

G E T T I NG G R AN DPA ON T H E G R I D

Skype

Fring

Free-$0.99

Free, Skype Communications S.a.r.l.

Free, Fringland

O N

FaceTime

G R A N D P A

Don’t forget that the smartphone is actually a phone! Many seniors are tickled pink by the ability to do video calls. And honestly, who among us isn’t? It’s so futuristic! It’s also a great way for you to share quality time between you, your kids and your parents when you can’t all be together. comes with Many newer tablets and all smartphones have cameras which allow users to use video call apps. c the iOS operating system, so it’s on most iPhones and iPads. Each person creates an account with an email address—enter that email addresses into the app and voilà, Grandma has instant video phone. or . Both are free, If the family has a mix of Apple and Android users, you might want to download and install g boasts the ability to handle conference calls, a feature which neither k e nor ce e support. but

G E T T I N G

Calling all generations

T H E G R I D

Recharge your batteries

Free-$1.99, Thomas Huntington

Alarm Clock Plus Free- $0.99, Binary Tactics, LLC

G R A N D P A

Easily one of the best looking alarm clocks around, this award winning app has built in auto-location weather and all the functionality you might want in an alarm clock including setting snooze length and multiple alarms.

G E T T I N G

Nightstand Central

•

Every smartphone or tablet needs recharging, so it’s a great way to end the day and make sure the phone is in a secure location. Make it a nightly ritual with a bedside charger that doubles as an alarm clock, as shown on page 69. for Android phone has a small footprint that will fit on the smallest bedside The sleek modern design of the ID will accommodate and hold any of your table and is surprisingly affordable ($39.99 from iHomeaudio.com). The i-devices (iPhone, iPad). This sleek device boasts four speakers for great sounding audio and is portable as well ($79.99 from iHomeaudio.com). Pair these with iHome’s sleep apps and you’ve got the perfect do-it-all nightstand companion. Or, try these alternative apps:

Easy to use, pleasant to look at and all the features you’d ever need in an alarm clock, including the weather, you can even set it to give you a mathematical puzzle when you dismiss an alarm, to make sure you are awake!

O N T H E

A final note

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

G R I D

Getting the folks to help themselves isn’t a bad idea, especially if you aren’t going to be available 24/7. Mobile devices come with web browsers. Bookmark a few favorites like the Help and Support sections of their favorite apps and the library’s eBook lending section for them. Make sure you show your favorite senior exactly how to access that help, probably more than once. But, be ready for that call, anyway.

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•

T O P 5 S U R V I VA L A P P S

•

T O P 5 S U R V I VA L A P P S

S U R V I VA L

A P P S

THE TOP 5

5

APPS

T O P

Don’t leave home without them! By Torrey Kim

A P P S

•

Whether you’re a survivalist or a camping fan, you’ll want to download these essential apps that could make the difference between having a warm and safe shelter and getting lost in a freezing cold forest.

AllTrails Hiking and Biking Free, AllTrails, Inc.

S U R V I VA L

#####

A P P S

•

T O P

5

A common misconception is that you shouldn’t bother with smartphone apps for wooded trails, since most phones lose their signals once you’re out in the wilderness. But with this app, “no signal” is no problem, since you can save a trail to your phone ahead of time and make your way safely through it even if your phone is in offline mode. Not only do you see all the features of the trails nearest you, you can also see photographs that other users have snapped so you know what to expect ahead of time. AllTrails shows you the nearest body of water for hydration, and you can check out user photos for food source locations along the way. Whether you’re hiking, biking, snowshoeing, or fishing, this app has everything you need. ck by SWM-Soft, $4.99 Windows Phone users try:

Army Survival $1.99, Double Dog Studios

S U R V I VA L

#####

T O P

5

Where can you find better survival tips than from the U.S. Army? You get all the tips from the U.S. Army Field Manual 21-76, including how to find water, make a shelter, survive in the heat, follow a compass, signal for help, and perform first aid. In addition, the app offers photographs with step-by-step instructions on such tasks as how to make your own fire and how to purify water. Hungry? The app helps you identify which insects, animals, and plants are safe to eat, and which you should avoid. u by USBMIS, $4.99 BlackBerry users try:

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T O P 5 S U R V I VA L A P P S

•

T O P 5 S U R V I VA L A P P S

•

T O P 5 S U R V I VA L A P P S T O P

The American Survivalist

5

Free, Failsafe Productions

#####

S U R V I VA L A P P S

Anyone new to the survivalist lifestyle will tell you that it can be overwhelming to determine how much food and water you need, what to pack in a bug-out bag, and how to get the latest news on which areas might be targeted by terrorists. This app packs all of that information neatly into one go-to guide. Featuring the latest survivalist news, from terrorist attacks to homeland security alerts, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to pack a survival bag, you’ll get all of the information you need to become a survivalist. Plus, convenient photos and videos will show you how to fish, hunt, and secure your weapons to keep you safe and confident that you are operating according to a set plan.

• T O P

Disaster Readiness

5

$1.99, Phoneflips

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S U R V I VA L A P P S

Maybe you know exactly what you would do if an earthquake hits your home, and you have a complete plan in place for that possibility. But have you considered other disasters? Fortunately, this app does that work for you by anticipating various events and showing you what you should do if they head your way. You’ll first want to check out the app’s Emergency Checklist so you know that you’ll be prepared for anything. Plus, the app guides you on how to shelter in place if you can’t leave your house, and evacuation procedure guidelines if you can. Want to know what to do in a landslide, wildfire, or blizzard? It’s all in here, with the knowledge of a survival encyclopedia right at your fingertips.

• T O P

SAS Survival Guide

5

$3.99, Trellisys

#####

S U R V I VA L A P P S

The SAS Survival Guide has long been perceived as the gold standard when it comes to staying alive in any situation, and now you can lighten your load by getting all of the guide’s information in one simple app. Based on the teachings of the Special Air Service (SAS), part of the UK’s Special Forces, this guide will show you how to survive on land, at sea, in the desert, or in the arctic. With how-to videos, several handy checklists, information on how to signal using Morse code, and a compass that can guide you using the sun as a benchmark, you’ll stay alive and find your way home with this essential app.

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X B O X

S M A R T G L A S S

S H I N E S

•

X B O X

S M A R T G L A S S

S H I N E S

S H I N E S

XBOX

S M A R T G L A S S

SHINES Microsoft’s mobile maneuver to become your living room media hub. By Sean Kavanagh

S H I N E S

•

X B O X

You may not think much about it, but chances are that when you sit down to relax with the TV, you’ve also got a mobile device within reach—and you’re using it. Smartphones and tablets make it easy to search for an elusive actor name during a TV show, check sports scores during a time-out, or find walkthroughs to overcome tricky segments in video games. The Xbox SmartGlass app transforms such activities by integrating mobile devices and the Xbox 360 game console to let you interact with games, media, and web content in a seamless multiscreen environment. Part remote control, part gaming peripheral, and part reference companion, the app is an elegant extension of the Xbox platform. The real beauty is that Xbox SmartGlass leverages the touchscreen devices you already have. Simply download the free app for your tablet or smartphone, log in with an Xbox Live account, and you’re good to go without having to buy new hardware or a dedicated controller. Plus, multiple devices can be wirelessly connected to an Xbox at once.

Music and Video

X B O X

S M A R T G L A S S

SmartGlass integration with Microsoft’s Bing search engine streamlines finding content on the game console along with matches in the Xbox Live Arcade store and supported media providers like Xbox Music, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and more. A quick tap is all it takes to launch the related content or service. As songs stream through the Xbox Music service, the SmartGlass app displays supporting information in real time through the Xbox Music Experience feature. When songs change, the appropriate song details, artist photo and performer bio pops up. You can also discover and play similar artists using the app’s suggestion list. The app’s Video Guide feature offers comparable functionality for Xbox Video streaming content, showing actor and movie details on mobile devices linked to a console. Although Amazon stole a bit of Microsoft’s thunder with Kindle Fire’s similar X-Ray for Movies feature, SmartGlass has the advantage of letting you browse the related information without requiring you to pause what you’re watching. Plus, the Video Guide information updates in sync with what you’re watching. As people enter and leave scenes, tiles appear with the

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actor and character information, letting you drill down to more details. In addition to Xbox Video, content providers including ESPN and HBO are incorporating SmartGlass functionality in unique ways. For instance, HBO’s sprawling and complex series Game of Thrones will use SmartGlass to display a dynamic map and interactive family tree that viewers can reference as they watch the show. SmartGlass is even being used to complement live events streamed over the Xbox 360, ranging from election night coverage to the Miss Teen USA pageant.

X B O X

S M A R T G L A S S

S H I N E S

•

X B O X

S M A R T G L A S S

S H I N E S X B O X X B O X

Web Browsing The usability and control benefits that a touchscreen provide are especially evident when using SmartGlass to control Internet Explorer on the Xbox 360. Microsoft may be late to the party, as Sony and Nintendo have offered console web browsing for years, but SmartGlass integration unquestionably provides the best TV web browsing experience. Familiar gesture controls like swipe scrolling and pinch-zooming, combined with the previously mentioned keyboard, make browsing feel like a natural activity instead of an irritating novelty.

S M A R T G L A S S

SmartGlass Smudges As you might expect, Windows 8/RT users enjoy the richest SmartGlass experience. For instance, web pages can be sent back and forth between an Xbox and Windows tablet like the Surface. However, iPad users can only receive web pages. Likewise, only Windows users can swap video and music playback between devices.

S H I N E S

SmartGlass offers simple media playback controls and is also fine for navigating menus or the Xbox 360 dashboard. The touchscreen is actually a natural fit, as the “Metro” interface introduced in late 201 1 was clearly meant as an early indoctrination to Windows 8’s new tablet-friendly style. However, many users may find the app’s behavior counterintuitive at first. When switching between SmartGlass app screens on a mobile device, everything works as expected— to see the page to the right of the current page, swipe right-to-

•

Remote Control

left. The opposite is true when you activate the app’s virtual controller and try to change dashboard screens on your TV. Instead, you must drag toward the right side of your device screen, mimicking how you’d press a game controller’s thumbstick. I initially found switching between app and controller activities in quick succession cumbersome, but eventually got to the point where I could switch gears without stumbling. Despite the occasionally kludgey controls, SmartGlass shines with its touchscreen keyboard that pops up when a user encounters text fields. Anyone who’s gone through the pain of entering information using a game controller will especially appreciate being able to fill in forms or write messages as if texting. Sometimes it’s impossible to access the keyboard at convenient times, such as when I placed an Xbox Live Points order during a paused game. It’s also annoying that it isn’t compatible with the YouTube and Netflix console apps, but for the most part it’s a great enhancement.

S H I N E S

Microsoft’s ultimate Xbox goal may be to shape how you consume media in the living room, but first and foremost the console is a game system. While SmartGlass initially seemed like a potential competitor to the Wii U’s touchpad controller, it’s better suited for serving companion content to the core game action taking place on the TV. For instance, racing game Forza Horizon turns your device into a virtual GPS, Halo 4 lets you browse stats on your phone, and the upcoming Ascend: New Gods turns your tablet into a dungeon map. Using a second screen gives gamers key information without disrupting the gameplay with annoying pauses and menu digging. Likewise, Dance Central 3 and Microsoft’s in-development karaoke game use SmartGlass to let players queue up songs while their friends are performing— a perfect way to keep the party going without missing a beat. Xbox SmartGlass also replaces Microsoft’s Xbox Companion app, absorbing its features. Players can manage their avatars, exchange messages with their Xbox Live friends, and check game achievements using any mobile device linked to the Xbox Live account.

S M A R T G L A S S

Video Games

Xbox SmartGlass Free, Microsoft Studios

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7

7 APPS CAR ENTHUSIASTS CAN T LIVE WITHOUT • 7 APPS CAR ENTHUSIASTS CAN T LIVE WITHOUT

7

A P P S

C A R

E N T H U S I A S T S

C A N ’ T

L I V E

W I T H O U T

APPS THAT CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT Auto buffs have new tech tools to fuel their fun By Robert Kim

True automotive fans who like to keep their engines at peak performance and their car finishes pristine usually go beyond the standard car apps like turn-by-turn direction guides or gas finders. Fortunately, there are apps for every type of car buff—but the following options are for the real hardcore car lovers.

Rev $39.99, DevToaster, LLC

#####

If your “check engine” light is on, Rev can give you the information you need before you see that greedy mechanic. The app monitors real-time vehicle data and can tell you vital details about how your car is operating, including your engine temperature and your actual speed and RPMs, revealing any inaccuracies in your instruments The app operates with a wireless or Bluetooth ODBII reader. All cars sold in the U.S. after 1996 are required to have the ODBII port, which allows you to plug in an ODBII reader to tell you how your engine vital functions are running. In most cases, your car’s computer uses Diagnostic Trouble Codes, which can be translated by apps like Rev. (A wide range of ODBII readers are available, and some are designed for specific smart phones, costing anywhere from $15 to several hundreds of dollars.) Although the Rev app is incredibly useful, it’s also pricey, so consider downloading the Lite version for free, and if you like it, purchase the full version.

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7

A P P S

C A R

E N T H U S I A S T S

C A N ’ T

L I V E

W I T H O U T 7 APPS CAR ENTHUSIASTS CAN T LIVE WITHOUT • 7 APPS CAR ENTHUSIASTS CAN T LIVE WITHOUT

Greatest Drive Free, SocialNav, LLC

#####

There’s nothing auto enthusiasts enjoy more than taking a scenic drive in their favorite car, and this app will help you do just that. Based on your location, it offers advice and recommendations from other Greatest Drive users, such as “Motorcyclists shouldn’t miss this mountain loop.” If you don’t like the route that Greatest Drive suggests, the app will ask for your review. This gives you plenty of user reviews to read, making certain that the route you pick is the best trek for the kind of driving you hope to do. The developers have included maps from the U.S., Canada, and 50+ other countries at no additional charge.

Harry’s Lap Timer $8.99, Harald Schlangmann

#####

Ideal for the automotive enthusiast who enjoys participating in autocross or track events, this app will give you great information on its own, including data on where you drove fastest, where you slowed down, and how quickly you completed your fastest lap. In addition, the app can be paired with an ODBII reader, which can give you even more information about your engine’s performance. Harry’s Lap Timer will also give you the option of recording the data you capture, either in a spreadsheet or in a video of your drive.

EZCare Free, MobileAppWerx

#####

If you’ve ever regretted missing the routine maintenance on your car, then you need EZCare. This handy app tells you when the recommended service intervals are for your specific make and model, including when to change your oil, when your brake pads should be evaluated, and how often you should have your air filters replaced. EZCare will also show you on a map where local service providers are located. The developers included phone numbers that you can call with a click to schedule your appointment.

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C A R

E N T H U S I A S T S

C A N ’ T

L I V E

AutoGeek Free, Autogeek.net

7 APPS CAR ENTHUSIASTS CAN T LIVE WITHOUT • 7 APPS CAR ENTHUSIASTS CAN T LIVE WITHOUT

#####

You may be the type of person who runs your car through the carwash once a month, or you may be the person who performs a hardcore detailing every weekend. Although useful for both types of car buffs, this app is absolutely essential for the latter. Autogeek is known for providing expert advice on its website (www.autogeek.net) about detailing your car inside and out, as well as the best products to use on your car’s paint, leather seats, wheels, and windows. The app takes it a step further, giving you the information you need to maintain your car’s finish, even when you’re on the go. Using this app, you can even sign up for classes where an enthusiast can teach you the proper way to use buffers, microfibers, cleaners and polishes. There are many varieties of cleaners and equipment that give you the best results, and AutoGeek takes the guesswork out of how to use them.

Waze Free, Waze, Inc.

#####

Waze is an improved variation on the standard GPS app. The developers have created an online community for people who want to know the best route, but also want to know where there are delays or road hazards along the way. In addition, Waze users are identified on your screen, and you can see where they are as you travel. Want to meet fellow travelers? Join a group that follows the same routes that you use, in case you want to communicate or set up a carpool. Customize routing on Waze to fit your personal preferences. Choose routes that eliminate the use of dirt roads if you’re worried about damaging your car’s finish. Link your Waze account to Facebook or Twitter so you can easily find your friends. If you need a gas station along your route, Waze can find it. Particularly helpful: Use voice commands to tell the app what you want to do so you can use it without tying up your hands.

CarBuzz Free, Wapit, Ltd.

#####

Any car enthusiast will tell you that they hear unsubstantiated rumors about the introduction of a new car model or news about a potential car recall—but it’s frustrating when you have no way to verify the information. That’s where CarBuzz comes into play. Download this app and you’ll get nonstop news about the latest in the automotive field. With previews of potential new models, a steady stream of news, photos of upcoming introductions, and technical specifications of various car styles, this app is quite addictive. But your time will be well-spent on CarBuzz, since it’s a one-stop-shop for all the information you’re seeking.

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W I T H O U T

T H E 1 0 B E S T A P P S F O R H O M E R E PA I R •

T H E 1 0 B E S T A P P S F O R H O M E R E PA I R

T H E 1 0

THE 10 BEST APPS FOR

B E ST AP PS FO R

Who knew your smartphone could hold a toolbox, a handyman, and a paint store? By Torrey Kim

H O M E R E PAI R

As you enter the New Year, it’s a good time to tackle those home improvement projects that you’ve repeatedly put on the back burner. If you need a little help with your amateur plumbing, cabinet making, or flooring installation, these apps can help you immeasurably, making you a home improvement specialist with just a few screen swipes.

iHandy Carpenter $1.99, iHandy, Inc.

•

#####

T H E 1 0

You may not have room for a toolbox in your pocket, but you probably have enough space for your smartphone—and that’s all you’ll need to measure any construction area, thanks to this handy app. With five great tools on board, including a plumb bob, a surface level, a steel protractor, a steel ruler, and my favorite—a bubble level bar—you can calibrate your measurements quickly and easily. I used this app to measure several angles in a room with a dormer so I could calculate the appropriate amount of wallpaper I’d need, and it worked like a charm. No more need to lug various tools around my house with me. e by Mobigloo, LLC, $4.99 BlackBerry users try: S

B E ST AP PS FO R

Handyman DIY $1.99, Wowzer Software

#####

H O M E R E PAI R

If you’ve ever found yourself in the home improvement store trying fruitlessly to remember your room’s measurements so you can buy paint, trim, or moulding, this app is for you. Input your room details, and the app stores that info for later. At the home store, tell the app how much a can of paint costs, and it will tell you exactly how much you’ll expect to spend. The video tutorials are great, because they give you instructions on home improvement projects and see what materials you need before you get started. You can even start a “honey-do” list on the app and check off items as you complete them. r e by Project Management Services, $0.99 BlackBerry users try: Y

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R E PAI R

Carpenter’s Helper Lite Free, My Pie

#####

AP PS

FO R

H O M E

Unless you’re a mathmetician, you’ve no doubt been stymied by the measurements for various home improvement projects, which often test the mettle of even the most confident word problem masters. Thanks to Carpenter’s Helper, you can calculate simple solutions like a room’s area, as well as tougher measurements such as roof pitch and stair rise. The app also keeps your measurements stored for later use, in case you ever need to decorate the same spot that you’ve already measured, saving time down the road. po by M Millenia, Free Windows Phone users try:

Benjamin Moore Color Capture Free, Benjamin Moore & Co.

B E ST

#####

R E PAI R

•

T H E

1 0

We’ve all been there. You visit a friend’s house and you fall in love with the paint color on her wall. You’re already planning to paint your living room the same color, but the friend can’t remember whether it’s periwinkle or violet-blue. Thanks to this app, you’ll know straight away. Just snap a photo of a particular paint color, and the app will tell you the color it matches in the company’s 3,300-plus paint spectrum. The app worked well on most of my colors, but it was off in matching one of them, so be sure to take your photos in natural light that isn’t too bright and isn’t too dim. That will give you the most accurate reading. by Sherwin-Williams, Free BlackBerry users try:

Smart Tools $2.50, Smart Tools Co.

H O M E

#####

AP PS

FO R

You can’t buy 15 individual tools—including a metal detector—for $2.50 at your local home improvement store, but you can with this app. Smart Tools’ ruler allows you to calculate length, angle, slope, level, and thread. Then its measurement tools give you a way to measure distance, height, width, and area. The Smart Compass feature offers a compass, metal detector, and GPS, which would be worth well over $2.50 alone. I found that the metal detector was accurate in helping me find studs in the wall so I could hang a picture. The app also has a Sound Meter capability, allowing you to measure vibrations and sound level, as well as a flashlight and magnifier in its Smart Light category. You won’t want to execute your next home improvement project without this fantastic buy.

B E ST

The Home Depot Free, The Home Depot, Inc.

1 0

#####

T H E

Yes, this app can show you where your nearest Home Depot is and how to get there, but it has a whole lot of other features that make it invaluable to the handyman. You can look up a product that you’re interested in buying, then find out which store has it and whether it’s available in the store inventory, saving you from making unnecessary trips. In addition, scan a barcode directly from your phone to find out more information or to read reviews from other users. Want to buy an item directly from the app? No problem. You can even purchase and deliver gift cards to your friends and family, straight from the app.

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T H E

Eden Garden Designer $1.99, Herbaceous Software, Inc.

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Those of us with a not-so-green thumb may need a bit of help in the landscaping department, and this app delivers. If you’re new to the gardening scene, you may want to click on the app’s pre-created gardens, to find exactly which plants are in it, how and when to sow the seeds, and where the plants are best acclimated to the weather. More advanced landscapers may want to browse through the app’s design solutions that go beyond flowers, allowing you to see different layouts of ponds, stones, and bushes. My only complaint was that the app crashed on me the first few times I used it, but after upgrading my iOS, it worked like a charm.

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HomeSavvy Free, Service Magic

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Homeowners, it can be daunting to keep up with the maintenance schedule and know when to service the furnace, replace the A/C filters, or clean the chimney. The HomeSavvy app allows you to keep track of your maintenance needs, and even alerts you if you’re overdue. The pre-screened directory of vendors is a great feature on this app. I wanted to get my lawn aerated but wasn’t sure who to call, so the HomeSavvy app led me in the right direction based on my zip code, and I was very happy with the pro who ended up doing the work for me.

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HGTV To Go Free, Scripps Networks, LLC

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Our favorite HGTV programs are inspiring, but the experts often move so quickly through a project that it’s hard to remember the products they used and the tips they offered. This app eliminates that issue, letting you recall your favorite episodes right from your phone. In addition to watching the full shows, you can also access photo galleries that offer tips and ideas for re-creating a design theme in your house. The app also shows you photo essays of simple ways to decorate that can help everyone from beginners to interior designers.

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Handy Construction Calculators $7.99, Sidetop Software

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R E PAI R

This app goes to calculators—and beyond. The average home improvement buff may only need to measure the area of a room, but the expert handyman will need to calculate everything from amps, watts, and volts to excavation and backfill. This app can perform all of those measurements, even helping you calculate rebar weight and volume. One of the things I love about it is an unadvertised feature. When I was redoing my attic, I had to calculate how much insulation I’d need, and the app quickly led the way. However, I wasn’t sure if I’d have room in my car for everything I’d need, and thanks to the app I was able to figure out the size of each roll and the number of rolls I required, letting me know that I had just the space in my car to get it home. U C cu o r c o by ConstructionKnowledge.net, $2.99 BlackBerry users try: C ver

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10 BEST APPS FOR BABYSITTERS

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Keep kids safe, secure and sleeping tight. By Garrett Kim

When you're taking care of young children, you shouldn't be spending much time on your mobile device, unless it's to use these helpful apps, which can make babysitting a breeze. If you’re a parent, you’ll want your sitter to have access to these essential guidance tools, and if you’re a babysitter, you won’t want to go a day without them either.

iSitter Free, Dorada Software

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You may have a video baby monitor set up in your child’s room, but what if baby falls asleep in his stroller or elsewhere? You can head to the kitchen to make lunch without worrying about whether he’s still asleep when you set up iSitter, a handy substitute for the baby monitor. Just place your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch near the baby, and then use a second device on your end so you can check on the child. Although the acoustics seemed to work fine on my iPod Touch, you’ll benefit from a speaker dock if you want better sound quality.

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Babysitting Guide $0.99, Phoneflips

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For new sitters, it’s the little things that can throw you off, and this app not only addresses those issues, but helps you overcome them. The app offers advice on what to do if a child gets upset when his mom leaves the house, how to swaddle a baby, what to expect during diaper changes, and much more. Would-be sitters get insight into how to find a babysitting job, how much money to charge, and when to call the parents home from their night out. You’ll find simple first aid tips and entertainment suggestions on how to keep the kids happy all evening long.

10 BEST APPS FOR BABYSITTERS

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$1.99, Paidotribo

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Nothing is scarier to a babysitter than having the child fall ill or get injured. This First Aid app is among the very best, leading you through any type of problem with simple, easy-to-follow instructions on how to treat everything from a burn to a seizure. Because the app has built-in features that aren’t locationdependent, you won’t be lost without a phone signal. Tip: Scroll through this app in your free time so you’ll be prepared for any emergency, before it happens.

Relax Melodies $2.99, Ipnos Software

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Baby Connect $4.99, Seacloud Software

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1 0 B E ST AP PS FOR BABYSI T T E RS

Baby Connect is as helpful for the parent as it is for the babysitter, giving it dualpurpose that benefits everyone. The old days of writing in a child’s activity journal are over—now you can log everything the child does in this simple app, which the parents can access in real-time anywhere, keeping close tabs on their child while the babysitter records it. The sitter can also upload photos of baby’s first tooth or first steps so parents can see the images immediately. Plus, it acts as a baby book, recording milestones, height, weight, and other important facts.

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This app may not be made especially for kids, but it sure can help get them into nap mode. Simply select one of the 46 included sounds and you’ll have an instant soundtrack to relax and calm your charges so they’re prepped and ready for sleep time. It also features a timer, so you can play it for a short period of time until the child falls asleep, and then the phone automatically stops playing. This saves your phone’s battery life and keeps you from having to sneak into the room—potentially waking a sleeping child—to retrieve it.

1 0 B E ST AP PS FOR BABYSI T T E RS

from other cultures.

Free, American Red Cross

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Sometimes, entertaining a child inside the house just isn’t enough to wear off the incredible amount of energy that kids have. That’s where this app comes in, allowing you to search based on the materials you have on-hand and the time you want to spend playing. I used this app to entertain 15 kindergarteners at the YMCA and we were able to find several games that entertained everyone. I’d highly recommend allowing the kids to pick the game’s country of origin—letting the children to call out the country name makes it more fun, and gives them an opportunity to discover games

First Aid

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225 Kid Outdoor Games

10 BEST APPS FOR BABYSITTERS

10 BEST APPS FOR BABYSITTERS

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1 0 B E ST AP PS FOR BABYSI T T E RS

NearMe Free, Yeerp, Inc.

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Another app that may not have specifically had babysitters in mind, NearMe definitely comes through for babysitters. You might need to find a grocery store to buy some emergency baby food, or just check out the local fast food joint to find a play place. This app can do all of that in minutes and even lead you there with directions. Hidden bonus: Locate scores of places with restrooms for those last-minute potty breaks that kids (and sometimes sitters) seem to often have.

Baby Food Diary $1.99, Evan L.

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When a baby starts solid foods, it can be daunting for a parent—so it’s understandable that the babysitter has trepidation. It’s tough to figure out what’s acceptable, what the baby has already tried, and what didn’t work well—but this app simplifies the process. You can track when a baby ate a certain food, if it caused a reaction, and how much of the food the baby wanted. That can help with future meal planning, and the “forbidden foods” list can be a real lifesaver.

Quick Homework Help

ScanAvert

Free, Brightstorm

$1.99, ScanAvert, Inc.

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You may struggle with helping kids with their homework, but this app doesn’t have any trouble at all. Bring up almost any subject and the app shows tips, videos, and sample problems to help lead students on their way to success. I found the tutorials very easy to follow and the app is incredibly handy. The only downside is that although the app is free, it requires a Brightstorm membership, which can cost over $20 per month. Many parents feel this is well worth it, much less expensive than a tutor, and more convenient. I’d recommend the free, three-day trial to help you decide whether you want to pay for the membership.

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If you’re sitting for a child with food allergies, any potential snack could result in an emergency. ScanAvert is a literal lifesaving tool, with the ability to preprogram a child’s dietary requirements, then scan the barcode of a food product to determine if the ingredients contain anything harmful. In addition, if you scan a product and it’s later recalled, the app lets you know immediately with an alert. If the child you’re watching has any dietary restrictions, you won’t want to go without this app. Although it includes a monthly charge, you’ll find it’s well worth it to keep children safe.

HOW TO

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By Suzanne Leder

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You’ve got your hands on a brand new smartphone—but now you realize, “Oh no. Now I have to move everything from my old phone to my new one.” Thankfully, technology has taken this issue into account. Check out our tips and we’ll help you get it done in just a few minutes.

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Scenario 1: From iPhone to iPhone

T O

Fortunately, Apple makes this process relatively painless. You can easily transfer saved messages, email accounts, photos, notes, and other personal settings to your brand new iPhone following a few simple steps.

A S H I N Y

Using iCloud: If both your iPhones have iOS 5 or later and you have an n o B ck . Switch C o iCloud account, then go to S p to O . iCloud backs up your device once a day. If your device needs to be backed up in S C S e k to before migrating, tap B ck Up view the status of your backup. Watch out: Don’t start the migration before you finish the backup to ensure you’ve got all your data saved. When the backup of your old device is finished, turn on your new device and complete the setup assistant. You’ll select your language and country, and then choose whether to enable Location Services. When prompted, choose your WiFi o C B c p, tap network. When prompted to set up, choose x , and enter your Apple ID and Password. o . Wait until the device Select the backup of your old device and tap has finished restoring from the backup. When the restore process is complete, your device will restart. Now you’re ready to use your new iPhone! Using iTunes: If your devices use an iOS earlier than iOS 5 or if you don’t have an iCloud account, you will use iTunes to transfer information from your old phone. First of all, make sure you have the latest iTunes version and your iOS is as up to date as possible. Transfer your data from your device to your computer, using iTunes. Turn on your new iPhone. Complete the Setup Assistant by selecting your language and country. When prompted, choose your WiFi network. Note: If you don’t . have a WiFi connection, you can also activate by tapping nn c

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When prompted to set up your device, select m c . Connect your new device to iTunes (on the same computer you used to back up your current iPhone). iTunes will ask whether you want to restore from backup or set up as new. Select the backup of your old device and choose .

Scenario 2: From Android to Android

Watch out: During the process of restoring your old backup to a new iPhone, you may see the iTunes progress bar pause. If this occurs, be sure to allow for additional time for the restore to complete, and don’t turn off your iPhone. When the restore process is complete, your device will restart. Your new iPhone is ready to use!

Google Store: Just log onto your Google account on your new phone, and you’re ready to continue where you left off. Just go to the Google Market, and grab everything you’ve already purchased, only this time, download it on your new phone.

When you have an Android phone, you’re required to have a Google Account, which is separate from your old phone and ready for your new one. This means transferring information from one phone to another is easy to accomplish.

SD card: Much of your data (music, pictures, and so on) are stored on your existing phone's SD card, which is easy to switch out. Copy data to a backup: If you want to copy data over to your new Android phone, the easiest and b x (Free by safest way is probably to use Dropbox, Inc.) to make backups. Once you have your new phone, retrieve data from the backup by installing Dropbox (or whichever backup app you used) on your new phone and using it to restore your information. n m ro n Check out our article “Backup Guide for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phones” on page19 of this issue.

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Before you start your transfer to a new phone, ensure that your device is connected to WiFi and connected to a power source. Remember, the time required to back up and restore from a backup depends on the data amount and your Internet connection speed.

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Scenario 3: From One Camp to Another

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If your device uses a SIM card, Use the SIM-extractor tool or a paper clip to remove the SIM from your old device and insert it into your new one. If your carrier provided you with a new SIM card, use that instead.

T O M O V E Y O U R

Data: When moving from Android to iPhone, be sure to have your Android data synched with your Google account, and then simply add the Gmail account to your iPhone. Select S C c C l d c o G l. Then, simply enter your Gmail information. Once you access Gmail on your iPhone, you can import your contacts or just use them through Gmail. Same goes for your Google calendar. When moving from iPhone to Android, the trick is to sync your iPhone account with your Google account using iTunes on your computer first, and then move it to your Android.

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Suppose you’ve been an iPhone or Android user for years, and now you’re making the switch to see how the other half lives. How do you transfer all your information?

SH I NY

Media: For media file transfer, the simplest method is to use iTunes. You can do that manually by connecting to your computer.

O L D

Apps: If you’ve already paid for an app on one operating system, then you can call customer service and explain you’ve already paid for this app once. Tell them, you don’t want to stop the using the app just because of a few dollars. If you are polite, then you may be in luck.

D A T A T O A S H I N Y N E W S M A R T P H O N E

Before You Switch to a New Phone The last thing you want to do is add a lot of unnecessary junk to from your old phone to your new one, so now’s the time to clean up your apps. If you have a few you used once or twice and never used again, then delete them. De-clutter all the things you don’t need, because that means setting up your new phone will be a lot faster. Also, do you have pictures or music you are afraid of accidentally deleting? Connect your phone to your computer or pop the micro SD card into an adapter. Then, copy your music, downloads, and whatever else you want over to the computer.

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THE HOTTEST NEW GAME APPS

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Enjoy the best new games and new twists on old favorites By Sean Cooper

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A new year brings a host of fantastic games to enjoy. Whether you’re a casual gamer looking for five minutes of enjoyment or a hardcore gamer ready to settle in for hours of gaming, there’s something for everyone. Here are our picks for the best new games on the market, as well as some great installments to older game favorites like the beloved Angry Birds series.

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Bad Piggies $0.99, Rovio Mobile Ltd. #####

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Poor little piggies. What did the ill-fated green pigs ever do to deserve the abuse by the Angry Birds? Now it’s time for the pigs to shine. Bad Piggies offers a fresh take on the Angry Bird franchise, while still delivering an addicting experience. Each puzzle is innovative and brilliant. You’ll rack your brains trying to solve over 87 fun-filled levels. The Bad Piggies are after their beloved eggs and need your help. Launch the pigs airborne, roll, spin or crash them, as long as they get their precious eggs. A great puzzler everyone can enjoy. Windows Phone version coming soon.

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Angry Birds Star Wars $0.99, Rovio Mobile Ltd.

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Star Wars fans will have a blast as the Angry Birds travel to a galaxy far, far away. Join the red birds and battle alongside the Force with Luke Skywalker. Or give in to the Dark Side and join the Galactic Empire beside Darth Vader. Have a hoot reliving your favorite moments from the iconic sci-fi series Angry Bird-style. There are over 80 challenges, packed with everything you’d expect from Star Wars—epic lightsaber battles, Pig Troopers and the Pig Star. Can you become a Jedi master and stop Darth Vader before it’s too late?

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Rayman Jungle

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“Welcome to the jungle we've got fun and games.” Guns N’ Roses couldn’t have said it any better. Rayman makes his long-awaited app debut in stunning fashion. Enjoy classic platforming action with some of the best looking graphics seen in any smartphone game. Rayman is fun for beginners, while offering plenty for longtime fans to enjoy. Explore new words, unlock new powers and battle new enemies on your way to victory. The smooth touch-based controls make gameplay a breeze. There’s plenty of replay value—unlock the Land of the Livid Dead levels and test your skills. o by Centurion Games LLC, $2.99. BlackBerry users enjoy:

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Punch Quest Free, Rocketcat Games #####

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Fans of classic beat ‘em up games are sure to have a blast in Punch Quest. This free app game is popular for a good reason: its simple, yet addictive gameplay has players going toe-to-toe with skeletons, zombies, cyclops and riding dinosaurs—yikes! RPG fans will feel at home. Upgrade attacks with in-game currency and by successfully accomplishing specific goals. The controls are easy to learn, but hard to master. Uppercut, jab and punch your way through many challenging dungeons. Customize your character and show it off to your friends on leaderboards.

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Prince of Persia Classic $0.99-$2.99, Ubisoft #####

The classic 1980’s sidescroller has been given a facelift and looks spectacular on your mobile device. Relive the adventures of a young Persian hero, who traverses castles and battles swordsmen, in search of the young princess. The controls are tight and easy to learn. Explore 14 levels of action and mazes. Combat is similar to the Legend of Zelda—action buttons appear in battle—attack, block and counter enemies. BlackBerry version by Gameloft Inc. Windows Phone users try: o by Cosmos Interactive Inc., $1.99.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II $6.99, SEGA of America #####

Sonic spins back into action and he’s not alone. Episode I was a great game, but it was empty without Sonic’s trusty sidekick, Tails. Tails makes his welcomed return this time and the gameplay is a major improvement. The controls are tighter, the zones are longer and more detailed, and the new co-op mode adds to replay value. Team with a friend as Sonic and Tails, and you’ll go toe-totoe with Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic. As an added bonus, downloading both episodes unlocks a very special scenario featuring Metal Sonic. Windows Phone users enjoy: S by SEGA, $4.99.

Wreck-it Ralph

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$0.99, Disney #####

Three games for the price of one, what a bargain! Based on the hit Disney movie, Wreck-it Ralph offers players three challenging arcade games to enjoy. In Fix-it Felix Jr., play as Felix and fix the destruction of Ralph. Achieve your highest score with your trusty magic hammer in hand. In Hero’s Duty, as Sergeant Calhoun you must grab various weapons to clear the cy-bugs in each level. In the third game, Sweet Climber, it’s Ralph’s time to shine. Reach new heights with his trusty jetpack and scale candy stalks, while avoiding weak branches. BlackBerry users enjoy: E i R b by BlackMoon Design, $0.99.

Nutty Fluffies $0.99, Ubisoft #####

Don’t let its cutesy graphics fool you. Nutty Fluffies is one tough puzzler! Your goal is simple—safely deliver a bunch of stuffed animals from the beginning to the end of a wild rollercoaster ride. This is especially challenging when you’re going at high speed around loops and down sudden drops. Strategy is key. Swipe the coaster to speed it up and collect hearts along the way. There are 26 coasters S ung to ride, each with its own unique powers. Windows Phone users enjoy: r d by Simon Johnson, Free.

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THE BEST SPRING GARDENING APPS

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THE BEST SPRING GARDENING APPS

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No matter where you live or what you love to grow, there’s a gardening app for you By Kara Hiltz

A P P S

The snow is piled high and your back is sore from shoveling. The kids just tracked mud on your clean floors. The car won’t start in the freezing cold temperatures. What better way to get through a dreary, gray winter than to start planning your spring garden? Imagine all of those beautiful spring flowers and yummy vegetables! It’s a surefire way to beat your winter blues. We’ve rounded up the best apps for planning your spring garden. As soon as that snow melts, you’ll be armed with a plan for your garden.

• T H E

Landscaper’s Companion $4.99-$5.99, AgileTrack/Stevenson Software LLC

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This is the kind of app that covers all of your bases. It includes a plant database specific to North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. You’ll find over 25,000 kinds of plants—everything from house plants to cacti to ornamental grasses and more—and the Landscaper’s Companion provides plant care information, pictures, cultivation information, and even common problems that gardeners experience. Mark your favorite plants, search for plants based on several criteria (USDA zone, water requirements, height, width, deer resistance, etc.), and even email your list of favorite plants to friends and family. For an extra fee, you can upgrade to the Pro version and add your own plants, pictures, and notes. BlackBerry users g try: G r c by Daniel Chukwuma Anyamene, $0.99.

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Home Outside Palette $1.99, Advanced Data Design, Inc.

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Gardening is often about aesthetics, a refuge, an escape from our hectic, plugged-in lives. Home Outside Palette offers you a blank canvas that you can use to build your dream landscape. The app includes 280 hand-drawn color elements that you can rearrange to create a blueprint for your springtime haven. Beyond trees and plants, the app also lets you design with hammocks, patios, driveways, sheds, and other outdoor elements so that you can truly create your outdoor area based on your existing landscaping. After you’ve created the perfect garden and landscape, share your dream with others through Twitter.

Gardenate $1.99, Hutchinson Software Pty Ltd.

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If you’re into eating what you grow, this app is for you. It gives you all of the information you need to plant and harvest your own vegetable garden. Choose the most popular plants for your area (covers North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa). The app offers detailed planting and care information for over 90 vegetables, herbs, and soft fruits. A planting calendar helps you get the most from your garden so you can sow and reap at the correct times. Gardenate also allows you to keep your own notes so that you can learn from your mistakes or just jot down your favorite plant varieties.

Grow Your Own Free, The Royal Horticultural Society

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If you would rather save your money for buying seeds rather than smartphone apps, this app might be a good option. It’s free and provides planting information for 20 popular fruits and vegetables. Besides just providing detailed information for its plants, Grow Your Own recommends plants based on your expertise level, and your available time and space. And while the app has a planting calendar based on your location, its alerts set it apart from other plant calendars. If you find the basic version helpful but want to expand your database, check out in-app content. For a few bucks you can add about 80 more plants, including some common herbs.

MyGardenApp Free, Trendsco bvba

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Who says that gardening is a solo hobby? MyGarden.org allows gardeners to connect with one another and share their failures and successes. Once you sign up for a free membership, this sister app offers a personalized planting calendar function, gardening social communities, and an encyclopedia of gardening and plant information. MyGardenApp is the mobile complement to the website. Members can use the app to send messages to other members, manage their personal gardens, look up plant information, search for other members, and customize their gardening to-do lists.

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Garden 360

B E S T

$2.49, ATU Software

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S P R I N G

Keeping your garden organized is a great way to learn from your gardening experiences. Garden 360 allows you to record and organize information about your plants. You can update your garden journal with both text and pictures. Find out more about the plants you’ve put in your garden using the app’s Plant Information Log. Finally, once you harvest your garden plants, record a rating in Garden 360 that will help you decide whether to plant the crop again in future years.

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Herbs+ $2.99, Daniel Wall

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Not everyone has the space to plant intricate gardens, and when space is at a premium, herbs are the solution. If herbs are your specialty, this app will make your day. This reference app provides pictures and information about 40 common herbs and spices. In addition to planting tips, this database also includes culinary ideas and medicinal uses for the herbs, along with a link to each herb’s Wikipedia website. An “Herb Garden” section offers everything you need to know about starting and maintaining an herb garden. As you expand your herb gardening prowess, take notes right in the app.

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The Gardeners Calendar $1.60, Deraign Solutions

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This comprehensive app gives vegetable gardeners of any expertise level valuable information. Not only will you find a database of plant information, but the app also provides useful gardening guides on composting, gardening techniques, fertilizer, crop rotation, and soil composition. What really sets it apart from other gardening apps is its Moon Planting Guide, which is updated daily. Moon planting techniques are said to help you time your sowing, planting, and harvesting to the best advantage.

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When to Plant $1.99, Growing Interactive Limited

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A P P S

Knowing when to plant is almost as important as knowing what to plant. Mother Earth News created an app appropriately called When to Plant that helps you set up a planting schedule based on your location and the plants that you want to cultivate. The app’s information is based on Zip code instead of USDA zones, which Mother Earth News claims is more accurate. When to Plant has a modest database of about 120 fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other plants. But you can sort plants by sowing month, which is helpful. You can also get advice on soil and sun requirements for your plants, troubleshooting tips, and cultivation and harvesting information.

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Must-have apps for your ultimate vacation By Sarah Terry

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Ah, Spring Break—the quintessential rite of passage for college kids everywhere. Whether you’re among the legions of collegiate partiers or enjoying Spring Break festivities at any age, you can live it up with the right tools at your fingertips. Planning to hit the beach, the ski slopes and/or the city nightlife? Here are the best apps to maximize your Spring Break fun and budget.

Happy Hour Finder Free, Noel Churchill

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You can rack up some serious beverage expenses during Spring Break, so why not get the inside scoop on the best drink deals wherever you are? Happy Hour Finder is a great app for finding all the details on happy hours happening close to your current location. Save your favorites, and get addresses and phone numbers of happy hour locations. You can even plan out your bar-hopping excursion with the interactive map feature.

Trip Splitter $1.99, DC Software Arts

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Y O U R

Are you traveling with friends for Spring Break? Expertly split all types of expenses for the trip—from the hotel room, gas or airfare, and even tips. You can add an unlimited number of participants, create even or uneven splits for each bill, categorize expenses, and even convert to different currencies if you’re traveling out of country. Also, track your daily and total expenses, as well as individual payments towards IOUs. Want to see IOUs instantly? Simply tilt your by Superwheel Software, Free. iPhone or iPad sideways! Android users try: Ex

R O C K

BlackBook City Guides Free, BlackBook Media Corp.

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A P P S

While you’re on Spring Break, you’re likely visiting a city that you’re not altogether familiar with. Covering all the major cities within the U.S. and abroad, this app helps you locate the best venues and hottest spots in your location. Search for listings by a wide range of search criteria and read acclaimed reviews on venues. Bookmark your favorite spots, and unlock “perks” and special offers. You can even check in via Foursquare without exiting the BlackBook app.

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Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

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Taxi Magic Free, RideCharge, Inc. #####

T O R O C K

Responsible Spring Break partying usually involves lots of designated drivers and taxi cabs. But if you really don’t want to slur your way through a phone conversation with the taxi dispatcher, try this app. You can literally do everything from your smartphone—from finding and booking a taxi to charging the ride to your credit card. If you’re anxious to ditch a lame party and get to the next hot one, you can track your taxi’s arrival via a map and dispatch updates. The app even offers you an e-receipt, just in case you’re expensing your excursion as a business trip.

Y O U R

GasBuddy Free, GasBuddy Organization, Inc.

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B R E A K

If your Spring Break involves a road trip, your best bet at saving a lot of dough is to keep your gas expenses in check. Find the cheapest gas prices in any given location along your route and save up to $0.20 or more on the gallon. You can also submit lower gas prices if you find them, earning points and awards. To top it all off, you’ll have a chance at winning $250 each week.

Spring Break Live $1.99, EarthCam, Inc.

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A P P S T O

From Miami to Maui to Cancun, check out what’s going on in all the Spring Break hot spots via live web cams. Watch all the festivities and beach bathing at the best venues and areas. Also check out this app developer’s Times Square cams, Mardi Gras cam and St. Patrick’s Day cams. Android for $0.99 (also a free version), which gives you a peek at a whole host of users can try e hot locations—from New Orleans to the Thanksgiving Day Parade to many famous city streets.

R O C K

Surfline Free, Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. #####

Y O U R S P R I N G

If you’re planning to spend your Spring Break riding the waves, Surfline will keep you up-to-date on the weather forecast and surf reports for thousands of the best surf spots worldwide. The app also boasts more than 100 live streaming HD cams at the most popular breaks across the U.S., including Hawaii. Save your favorite spots for instant weather and surf info, and get 5-day forecasts in one touch.

Ski & Snow Report Free, OnTheSnow #####

B R E A K

Planning to hit the slopes for Spring Break? Keep up with the snow reports and skiing and snowboarding stats, including 5-day forecasts and “Powder Points.” Find all the ski areas in your location and the slopes with the best snowfall. This app includes live ski cams and reports from skiers and snowboarders on the slopes. It covers more than 2,000 ski resorts worldwide. o h c n R po by The North Face, Free. BlackBerry users try:

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

95

APP LAUGHS By Andy Broome

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“How much to send a text?”

96

Beckett’s Guide to Phone Apps

Beckett

In Every Issue You Will Find… • The Latests on Apps for Smartphones, From Iphone to Droid to Blackberry • Smartphone Tips and Tricks to Make Your Life Easier • Hot Free Games and Apps • Product Reviews, Contests and Much More!

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