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Dinner’s less a chore, thanks to apps 0

So, what’s for dinner?

There’s always takeout from the Chinese restaurant or your favorite pizzeria. You’ll find the menu from the last order, make a phone call, pickup in 20 minutes and dinner is ready to be served.

Technology can help out with this task. Dinnertime planning can be as easy as tapping the app of the mobile device in the palm of your hand.

Most popular restaurants offer apps as part of their overall customer engagement strategy. You can check a menu, download a coupon, share your experience on social media. A growing number also let you place an order for pickup without waiting in line.

If you’re looking for more variety in cuisine, if you’re looking for takeout or delivery options close to home, there are apps for that as well.

Apps for sites like Seamless, Eat24 and Grubhub list hundreds of restaurants that can be filtered by location, distance, cuisine, delivery charges and estimated pickup time.

You’ll find many of them in the App Store and Google Play store.

 

 

Tablet use for mobile commerce surges 0

We’re using  our tablets in growing numbers to buy merchandise, as tablet payments comprise almost half of all mobile commerce.

This comes out of a new study released this week by Javelin Strategy & Research on the mobile shopping market. The use of tablets for online purchasing and commerce is surging as overall mobile retail sales topped $60 billion last year, Pleasanton, Calif.-based Javelin says; tablets were responsible for $28.7 billion in mobile online commerce — purchases, payments and the like. It was slightly more than for smartphones. In 2012 tablets accounted for $5.1 billion in commerce.

Javelin says the devices are expected to become more dominant as a purchase channel as tablet device ownership grows. Tablet-optimized shopping experiences, such as apps, should be a top priority for merchants and businesses looking to capitalize on the growth of mobile online commerce.

You can read more about this here. Tell us what you think.

Hoarding your old phone? You have options 0

You’ve seen the TV ads from the wireless companies: trade in your smartphone and get an upgrade for the latest, coolest device. Or, from one of a growing number of companies offering top dollar for your old iPhone.

The chances are, though, that you’ve stashed your old smartphone is a drawer somewhere or tucked it away in some unmarked box. A new study says you have plenty of company.

Almost 50 percent of the people surveyed by the research group OnePoll say they keep their old smartphones. OnePoll, which did the poll for resale site SellCell.com, says that’s down from the 55 percent who were asked the same question a year earlier.

The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch estimates that the trade-in value of the stashed and hoarded handsets is about $47 billion, including $13 billion in old iPhones.

So what are your options?

The resale market for the devices continues to grow through companies like SellCell, NextWorth, iPhonesintocash.com and Gazelle. But it’s mostly for iPhones, less lucrative for Android or Blackberry devices.

Most wireless retailers, including Verizon, AT&T and Apple, collect old cellphones and smartphones for environmentally responsible recycling to keep them out of landfills.

Donating the phone to charity is also an option. Verizon uses the old phones it collects for its HopeLine program, which gives the devices to domestic violence prevention organizations. The organization 911CellphoneBank.org collects working, non-valued phones for donation to shelters and charities for use as 911 emergency phones.

Finally, before getting rid of that excess smartphone, follow these guidelines by the wireless industry trade group CTIA to remove your personal information.

Tell us: What do you do with old smartphone?

 

Tips to delete racy mobile content 0

The initial story was interesting enough: A youth group creates an app to educate students about expunging old juvenile offenses from their records.

But in bringing up the app for a Chicago TV news segment, the demonstrator inadvertently showed a link to a porn site on the mobile device’s browsing history. Some sharp-eyed viewers couldn’t resist bringing it up. And the adult-themed site has some advice for mobile users who want to keep their viewing history discreet.

The demo for WGN-TV’s segment on the student-created app, called Expunge.io, did not belong to any of the people interviewed or anyone from WGN, station news director Greg Caputo tells AOL Jobs.  The demonstrator’s typed search on the smartphone revealed links to the owner’s previously visited websites, among them an adult website called Pornhub.

A chastened WGN took the story down from its own site and off YouTube, though you can see the segment here on Mediaite.

Pornhub has taken notice and its tech team has some suggestions. Says company vice president Corey Price in a statement:

“We have had the pleasure of watching the WGN debacle make headlines around the country, and while we wholeheartedly appreciate the exposure as a result of the demo phone in question, we’d like to offer up a little help to users looking to hide their dirty laundry a bit better moving forward.

That said, we’ve had our tech team devise the following steps to give unbeknownst surfers some first-hand knowledge about how to delete their mobile browser history in the spirit of keeping things discreet, and perhaps a bit less embarrassing for mobile enthusiasts.”

For iPhones:

  • Ensure your phone is powered on – head into the “Settings” menu on the home screen
  • Scroll down and tap on “Safari”
  • Scroll down into the subsequent menu and you’ll find two options: “Clear History” and “Clear Cookies”
  • Tap on all of these to clear them out

For Android phones:

  • Ensure your phone is powered on – open the mobile browser
  • Press the “Menu” key, followed by “More”
  • Continue on to the ‘Setting’ button and scroll down to ‘Privacy Settings’
  • Click on “Clear History”
  • Press “OK” (repeat for “Cache,” “Cookie History” and “Form Data”)

 

 

 

 

 

Mikva Challenge decided to create an app to “educate young detainees and parents” and help them understand a process called expungement, under which juveniles can petition the courts to clear their records. The app is called Expunge.io.

Apps to make your Valentine’s Day special 0

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

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

How about a virtual card? Or poetry?

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

Flowers

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

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

Romantic dinner

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

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

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

 

 

The possibilities of Google Glass 0

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

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

We see a few more possibilities for Google Glass:

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

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

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

Low-tech ways to protect your mobile device 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow the Winter Olympics action on these apps 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

More apps that can help you get through winter 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

Physicians and their Mobile Devices 0

Gone are the days where you would see a hospital physician huddled in a report room somewhere madly fingering through volumes of texts and journals looking for information on a particular diagnosis or medication.

Today, you’re more likely to see a physician (not only in the hospital, but in the family doctor offices and dental offices) madly tapping away on an iPad or iPhone.

The availability and sheer number of medical apps in the various app stores have soared in the past few years, thanks to the popularity, portability and storage capacity of the smart mobile devices of today. A visit online to the Apple AppStore as an example will make this quite apparent as you browse through the “medical” category.

Not only are there numerous apps for keeping track of patient lists and all the valuable information required there, such as allergies and past medical history, but there’s also a fair number of popular diagnostic resources that have been created into an app.

A great example is the Merck Manual, which has been around in paper book form for well over 100 years. It’s an extremely popular resource for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals looking for information on health-related topics, specifically related to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

The Merck Manual is now an app, and a pretty good one for that matter.

For $35 you can download the universal app onto both your iPad and iPhone and you’re good to go. You instantly have access to this essential medical reference book right there on your iPhone. If you also download a medication reference app and an app for physiotherapy recommendations, you really can have an entire medical library for reference literally at your fingertips.

Just think of how beneficial this can be for medical students.

You can see how the popularity of mobile devices and app development has really changed the way healthcare professionals practice their work. It’s become a quick and trusted way to access information, track health records, save paper and make everyone more productive.

Link:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/merck-manual-professional/id331016312?mt=8