The App Map

I was twenty when I got my first mobile phone.  (Whispers) eighteen years ago now.  I remember that it was a Nokia 3210 and I thought that it was the best thing since sliced bread.  Back then, you had calls, texts and the now famous Snake game.

Over the years phones got smaller and smaller, then larger and larger.  The technology improved until we have reached the point now that there is more technology on our phones than what was used to send us to the moon. 

These days, our phones are our worlds, holding everything in them that we hold dear.

We have reached the point where you can do anything on your phone. You can run your business from it, you can blog from it, you use it to capture all the moments of your life and share your thoughts with the world.

When it comes to the apps that we use, there are some that are staple needs like your email and a good camera app whilst others are tailored specifically to your needs.  Here are my go tos, with my beautiful Simba as a backdrop.  

I have my social apps like Twitter and Facebook, my email apps and my banking apps in top place.  Pixabay for my blogging is an essential as well as my music and the clock which wakes me in the morning with Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols.

Carphone Warehouse recently did a study of what apps people used on their phones across Britain, looking at ages, genders, incomes and where you live in the country.  

It is quite interesting to note as the statistics for the tops five apps for women do not include anything that I have on my phone.  For men, the top apps include Wifi Analyzer and Steam which is a gaming app.

Breaking the stats down into my age range of 35-44, the most popular apps are Kodi and CBeebies, whilst looking at my income bracket, that changes again to Facebook and a mobile banking app which looks more like me.

What does this study tell us?  That we are a diverse nation that uses mobile phones to tailor our lives to the way that we want them.  Surprisingly, for the people earning over 100k, one of the most popular apps is Farmville which is something that they share with the lowest earners in the East of England.

Check out the study on the link above, it is really interesting to note.

*Collaborative piece

How to Buy Future-proof Christmas Presents

Christmas presents can be stressful business anyway but in these times of fast fashions, fads and technology it can be even trickier to pick a present that will last longer in your loved one’s affections past New Year’s Day. Whether you are buying for a young gamer, conscientious student or mad music fan, here are some tips on what to buy this Christmas and ensure they are still enjoying their gift this time next year.

TVs

Television technology moves very quickly these days. It doesn’t seem long since we were all watching massive backed screens which took a forklift truck to install in our living rooms. Now, we are all reaping the benefits of sleek thin designs with quality picture and sound quality. Electronic suppliers such as www.electricshop.com stock mainly LED screens these days but there are more advanced models such as SMART TVs which link directly to the internet, 4K screen technology for superb quality pictures and curved screens which are set to be the neatest thing in 2015.

Console Games

Console gaming can be an expensive hobby and it is difficult to keep track of the latest games and when they will be updated. This Christmas there are two titles which will be flying off the shelves in places like Game. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the latest in this highly popular series of game and comes out in early November. Assassins Creed Unity is another high profile pre-Christmas release which will make most gamers’ festive period and hopefully give them hours of enjoyment until at least summertime.

Laptops

When thinking of purchasing future-proof laptops the best thing you can factor in is virus protection. Websites such as PCAdvisor are great for offering advice on the best antivirus software. It is also important to consider the laptop brands with the best reputations. If you can afford one, a Macbook is probably the safest option but if you are not a fan of Apple products or don’t fancy the hefty price tag, models such as the Sony Vaio AW, Panasonic Toughbook 74 make great purchases. Both offer quality screens as well as decent processors and RAM.

Fashion

For fashion advice it is best to bow to the established authorities. For 2014/15 Autumn-Winter Vogue recommend items such as polo necks, capes and other wraps like ponchos and cocooning coats.

Music

For the young pop fan in your life it is no longer good enough just to get that Christmas X Factor single. Releases from artists such as Calvin Harris, Ne-Yo and of course One Direction should be top of your pop picker’s list. If you are looking for something a bit edgier, albums from TV on the Radio, Eminem and The Voyeurs will provide a little more street cred.

Timesaving Tablets

When you have a busy life, as many of us do, it is important to utilise your day as best as possible.  In order to be able to have a little more relaxation time at the end of the day, I have been looking at ways in which I can make better use of the time I have available.

After getting an idea for a blog post I usually end up emailing myself with thoughts and ideas, texting myself when I have no Wi-Fi available or when I am really stuck, scribbling notes to myself and throwing them in my handbag (which invariably get lost!)  This is not a good use of my time as when I sit down to do my blog; I then have to try to collate all of these things together.

Whether I am having a brainstorming session whilst on the commute to work or taking a few minutes at lunch to jot notes down, I need something that I can work on that can sync with my all my devices.  What I need is a tablet. 

I went over to my local Tesco this week to pick up some things for the weekend and ended up having a look around the technology section.  On the upper end of the market, you have the Microsoft Tablet which has a 10.1 inch screen with a 256GB hard drive.  It also has a handy stylus, which is great if you quickly want to make notes on a document.

On the lower priced end of the market, you could also choose the Acer Iconia A1. This tablet is slightly smaller at 7.9 inches with a 16GB hard drive.  If you only intend to use the tablet as a bridge between your laptop and phone, the amount of storage should be fine, however it is extendable with the use of a micro SD card.

As our lives become busier and our free time is ever reduced, finding technology that can help you make the most of your day is always worth the investment.

*Written for Tesco.  

Tech Advice Required!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  In this particular case, technology related.

My previous laptop was unfortunately hit by a virus that managed to get through anti virus, security, virus software, everything.  Said laptop being in the technological equivalent of being in a coma, I was left without technology.

One can not simply go without technology for more than one week without going completely insane.  It is folly.

The problem was that at the time, and now if it comes down to it, I was short on cash.  I needed a replacement, sooner rather than later and I couldn't pay too much for it.  My choice in the end was a Samsung N145 Plus Netbook.

The netbook has served me well and is fine for what I need it for.  Browsing the internet, social networking, blogging and research all work well with a netbook.  Herein though lies the problem.  

A few months ago I decided to start a degree.  Whilst my netbook is fine for browsing and playing around, I doubt that it has the capacity to complete with a fully functioning laptop.  The smallest of the problems being the lack of size in the screen and keyboard.

The only solutions I have come up with thus far, being unable to fund a new laptop, are buying an external hard drive to extend the space and getting an external keyboard to help with the typing.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing but for now, I guess I have to work with what I have.

If anyone who happens to read this post has any ideas into how I can increase the capacity of my netbook, or indeed has a magic spell to increase the size of the screen, I'm all ears.  In the meantime, entering every laptop competition I can find!!