After a year of promises Spotify has landed on Windows Phone 7 and thus is another app ticked off the list. But, after all that waiting, is it any good?

We’ve been listening to find out…

Spotify

Format

Windows Phone 7

Price

Free

Where

Marketplace

?

Before we look at Spotify, it is worth pointing out that it is up against Microsoft’s own Zune with its monthly unlimited pass, and Nokia’s Nokia Music which takes a very different approach of giving you selection of music to listen to each week. ?

The Spotify app, which is free but will require you to have a ?9.99 a month subscription, takes a different tack to both Microsoft and Nokia’s offerings and will be the most appealing to those already taking advantage of Spotify on their Sonos system or desktop without ads.

Load the app, sign in and you are presented with a sync of your playlists, play queue, people and settings to manage the app further. You can also search the entire catalogue.

Scrolling to the right gives you what’s new, and that’s basically albums that are hot or interesting at the moment. Then there is the feed from Spotify and others – you’ll mostly ignore it.

If you’ve subscribed to a stack of playlists or made your own, they are all present and correct and it is just a case of picking the one you want to listen to and then pressing play.

At the top of each playlist you get the option to download it to your phone and this means that if you are about to jump on a plane or are in a bad phone reception area you can still continue to listen.

We found that handy on our test train ride as otherwise you are left with silence.

On the play page you get simple play, pause, fast forward and rewind controls as well as a picture of the album you are playing. There is also shuffle and repeat. It’s pretty basic stuff, but then you are never wanting for more.

Moving to the next track simply involves a swipe in that direction.

Like the desktop app, where it starts to get fun is by tuning into what your friends are listening to. Here, you can see what their top music choices are and any playlists they have created, all at the press of a button.

Head into the settings panel and that’s where you get the main meat of the app. There is offline mode for when you travel so you don’t incur data charges, the ability to stream in high quality, as well as your 3G sync settings. Yes, you can stream over 3G.

Music quality is as good as the desktop version. Purists will no doubt whinge, but it will be fine for 99 per cent of listeners.

It goes without saying that everything has the ability to be run in the background, so you can check your emails or even play a game while listening to music, and the app taps into the WP7 audio controls.

While we like the Nokia Music approach of giving you music to just listen to without you really have to think too hard, Spotify gives you the ability to suddenly be in the mood for a certain track and 9 times out of 10 be able to listen to it.

For that reason, it is one that many WP7 users who already use the service elsewhere will love.

Music to our ears.?

Tags:
Audio Apps Windows Phone 7 apps Spotify Windows Phone 7 App of the day

APP OF THE DAY: Spotify review (Windows Phone 7) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Several things have become synonymous with smartphones: weather and stocks. With stock markets looking so depressing, perhaps your best use of time is sitting and watching the weather around the world.?

You probably already have the provision for weather on you phone. If you have one from any of the big manufacturers there is probably something to cover your weather needs, with HTC being the biggest proponent of weather that ever there was. But if you fancy something a little different, then this might just hit the mark.

Yahoo! Weather

Platform

Android

Price

Free

Where

Android Market

Yahoo! Weather has been around for a while, but recently updated. There are a number of interested parties involved in this particular app. The Weather Channel supplies the actual weather data, but it’s the involvement of Flickr that we find makes it all the more interesting.

Install the Yahoo! Weather app and like most modern apps, it will detect where you are and present the weather details for your location. You can assign different locations, with space for 10 on offer, perhaps places you travel regularly.

The app then pulls in the weather details, pretty much as standard, but then fills in the background using images from the Project Weather group on Flickr. This group has been setup by Yahoo to let people submit their weather photos for inclusion. If accepted, by meeting the criteria, the image will form part of the pool that then livens up the app.

?

It’s an interesting approach and more interesting that looking at the same weather animation or graphic each time you glance at your phone. The idea is that you not only get a photo of that specific location, but in the weather conditions as well.?

Clicking on the background will move the weather forecast aside so you can marvel at the photo, with a link through to the original image on Flickr if you want to see more of it, or more from that photographer.

The downside is that the supported locations are limited at the moment, so users in the UK will probably find a picture of London when their selected city is Bristol. But that said there are some stunning photographs and we like the community-sourced nature of them.

There is a widget available too, but it is rather small. This too will supply a background picture consistent with the app. If you want more weather information, turning the phone into landscape will give you more details.

It’s not a groundbreaking app by any measure, but if you’re bored of the same old weather symbols or animations, then it does give you something a little different.

Tags:
Apps Android apps Yahoo Flickr App of the day

APP OF THE DAY: Yahoo! Weather review (Android) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

I bought a car this weekend. “So what?!” you all cry, but if I told you the whole process, from casually driving past the dealership to signing and shaking on the deal took less than ninety minutes, would that surprise you?

In that time, I checked out the car’s history, read the reviews of owners of the same model, I checked to see if I was paying a fair price and I also sorted out the finance and insurance. All at 3.30pm on a Saturday afternoon.

The only way I was able to do any of it was on the internet, and it fully illustrates just how far we’ve come, and how dependent we are on Tim Berners-Lee’s gift to the world.

The web has evolved far beyond what even Sir Tim could have foreseen. Every aspect of our lives is intertwined with the online world and this graphical representation at evolutionofweb.appspot.com is a fascinating way to explore the history of one of mankind’s greatest leaps forward.

Tags:
WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Evolution of the Web originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Carphone Warehouse is expected to announce that it will be closing its 11 Best Buy superstores in the UK, following disappointing performance since they first started opening in 2010. The delayed start - they were first planned for 2009 - can’t have been good either.

The mobile phone retailer joined forces with the American retail giant to launch Best Buy Europe and the retail superstores opened in the UK only a year ago, but a tougher than expected marketplace and recession-torn Britain has proved too much for the venture, it seems.

The company had planned to launch some 200 stores across the Europe by 2013, before announcing plans to scale back that number to 100 in June. But it quickly stopped at just 11 in the UK.

“We always said we would open 11 stores and then conduct a strategy review. We are now conducting our evaluation with our partners and will provide an update in due course,” a Carphone Warehouse spokesperson said on Sunday. The company declined to comment further.

So far, the shops have racked up losses of ?83 million. A further half-year loss of ?35 million is expected to be announced this week.?

That’s despite good opening weekends from its store in Thurrock, which, in 2010, enjoyed the best opening weekend ever of any Best Buy around the world:

“I’m delighted to announce that the first three days of our opening weekend in Thurrock have been confirmed as the biggest ever opening weekend for a Best Buy store anywhere in the world by volume of sales”, Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Best Buy Branded Operations, said in May last year.? “Everyone on the Best Buy team is thrilled with the start of this new chapter in Best Buy’s story”.

According to the Sunday Times, “Negotiations continued this weekend, although sources said plans for the closure could be announced as early as Tuesday, when Carphone, chaired by Charles Dunstone, announces half-year results.”

However, the British newspaper says that it won’t be the end of the Best Buy brand in the UK with the company’s Carphone Warehouse stores being revamped to include “mini” Best Buy stores selling electrical goods.

Tags:
Biz Best Buy Carphone Warehouse

Carphone Warehouse to close Best Buy stores in UK originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:31:00 +0000

The Motorola Xoom 2s, the little and large tag-team made official by Moto this week, will launch with SwiftKey Tablet X pre-installed and fully integrated; the first tablets to officially do so.

In case you’re new to SwiftKey, allow us to fill you in on the popular keyboard-based app.?

SwiftKey X is described by its makers as a “social AI” keyboard. It packs a patented language prediction technology that uses artificial intelligence to accurately predict words and phrases and also adapts itself to a user’s personal writing style, meaning typing speeds can be increased by up to 50 per cent.

The latest version added a choice of new looks from the original, support for 22 languages, multilingual use and an entirely new artificial intelligence engine guessing what it is that you’re going to say next.

Perhaps the most interesting addition was that the app will now scan not just what’s on your phone but also your musings on Facebook, Gmail and Twitter too - so long as you give it permission to do so, so it should have no bother guessing names and swear words you use a lot.

SwiftKey X will be installed as an optional keyboard on the Motorola Xoom 2 and the Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition. Both tabs are due out this month.

Tags:
Apps Android apps Motorola Xoom 2 Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition Swiftkey X SwiftKey Tablet X Swiftkey

SwiftKey X to come pre-loaded on Motorola Xoom 2 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:57:00 +0000

It’s always the same, isn’t it? You stick your car in for a routine service and find out it needs thousands spent on it to stop it killing you and your family in an horrific fiery ball at the side of a motorway (at least I think that’s what the mechanic was telling me). Whatever the overpriced reason, the wheels have gotta go.

This triggered a frantic search for a car loan and?www.moneyfacts.co.uk?is one site I came across that gives solid, uncluttered financial guidance and as good comparison service as we’ve seen anywhere else.

If you’re into looking after your money, and I’m guessing most people are these days, what with the financial doom and gloom in the headlines, this is a good place to start.

From pensions to loans to mortgages and credit cards – every aspect of saving, borrowing and investing is covered in clear language and an easy to navigate set-up.

Tags:
WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Money Facts originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Real Racing has long been the smartphone’s answer to Gran Turismo. It has pushed the graphical prowess of whatever platform it has appeared on. Now it’s the iPhone 4S’s turn to get some Real Racing action, in the form of Real Racing 2 which underwent quite a significant update for the handset’s launch.?

We very much like the idea of having a full blown racer sat in our pockets, particularly one complete with an array of?licensed?vehicles that we can upgrade. iPhone 4S owners need wait no longer for an app that justifies the power of their purchase, Real Racing 2 has arrived

Real Racing 2

Format

iPhone

Price

?2.99

Where

iTunes

Once you have the fairly meaty download that is Real Racing 2 sitting comfortably on your iPhone 4S home screen you are going to want to get yourself fired up and straight into the single player. You might notice almost immediately, from the detail in the car that you purchase, that this game is graphically a stunner. That first car by the way, go for the Volkswagen, it sets you up better for things later on.

Then it’s straight into the racing which is quite simply well … real. The iPhone 4S version benefits from an enhanced lighting engine and improved textures as well as the ability to run the game at 720p on a television via AirPlay. You can also go split screen against another three different players.?

You race against a different array of cars, initially small hot hatches but later on full blown supercars and racers. Control is done by the usual accelerometer input an a single screen tap to turn on the brake. You can switch things to a right side tap for accelerator and left for brake or if you prefer, go for full blown wheel sliding control.?

As the game goes on you get the ability to upgrade various aspects of your car, including things like suspension and the engine itself, for added speed or control. You will eventually gain access to a full 30 different race cars, interiors mapped and all. Then on top of that 15 different tracks to race on and 16 car races.?

The last thing worth mentioning about Real Racing 2 is its online multiplayer, which takes place seamlessly within the app and consists of up to 16 players racing at once. Nothing like that exists on iOS and it is quite a thing to manage on just a smartphone.

All in all then, Real Racing 2 is the gaming app you want to download if you own an iPhone 4S, it plays great, looks great and the best bit about it, costs just ?2.99

Related links:

• Feature - Best App 2011: 8th Pocket-lint Awards contenders

Tags:
Apps App of the day Real Racing 2

APP OF THE DAY: Real Racing 2 review (iPhone) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:43:00 +0000

As the nights draw in and the weather turns cooler, you might be tempted to hang up your cycle clips and park the bike back in its winter home at the back of the the shed until the Sun shows its face again. If that sounds like you, take a quick look at www.worldcyclechallenge.com and you might think again.

It’s a bike ride, but this is no London to Brighton Sunday afternoon leg-stretcher. This isn’t even a ten-day Lycra-clad jaunt from Lands End to John O’Groats.

This is described by Mark Beaumont, record-breaking round the world cyclist and the man fronting the challenge, as “the Everest of cycling.”

This is a trip around the world on two wheels.

Anyone can take part, assuming you’re up for an adventure, can spare a few quid to pay your way and can manage around a hundred miles a day in the saddle, six days a week.

This is a once in a lifetime chance for any keen cyclist, and all the information you need is here.

Tags:
WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: World Cycle Challenge originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Out of the many games that hit the App Store, there are many which show huge amounts of originality, highlighting the best that iPhone developers have to offer, involving a great deal of thought and, indeed, time.

Two such examples of this are Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds; both massive sellers in their own right. However, what would happen if you took a little slice of each and merged then into a single game, not to mention the naming reference to Cut the Rope?? Surely you’d have a massive hit on your hands, and a damn fine game to boot?

Maybe or maybe not, but that precise scenario has now happened with the Frankenstein’s monster-like birth of…

Cut the Birds

Format

iPad / iPhone / iPod touch

Price

Free

Where

iTunes

We’re going to cut to the chase with Cut the Birds: it’s a simple game, it’s fun and it’s free. The view in which all the action happens is pretty much the same as you get in Fruit Ninja, although to our knowledge you don’t get the option of unlocking any special backgrounds.

As you stare out into the wilderness a variety of different feathered creatures emerge out of the horizon aimed directly at your iPhone’s screen, hoping to smash their way through.

In order to stop the birds you must move your finger across the screen to create a virtual slash, each one being able to disable one or multiple assailants. As the time goes on, the birds become more numerous.

There are also bombs to reckon with, and these must be avoided at all costs otherwise it’s game over. Despite it being basic, and the fact that it’s likely you’re going to get bored of it pretty quick, it’s worth a download.

And if you really want to immerse yourself, you could always pretend you’re a lone samurai pig fighting a hopeless battle against the evil bird army - or maybe not…

Related links:

• Link - App of the day

Tags:
iPhone apps Apps Cut the Birds Gaming App of the day

APP OF THE DAY: Cut the Birds review (iPhone) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Apparently, money makes the world go round, but actually getting your hands on some can prove a bit tricky, particularly if it’s a loan you’re after.

The banks, who not long ago were throwing money at anybody who walked past their local branch, are now much more reluctant to hand out the readies.

It’s not much better if you’ve got a bit of cash you want to invest either. With interest rates at record lows, getting any kind of return is nigh on impossible.

At www.zopa.com, they can help out on both counts.

Zopa is a bit like a dating service for money: if you’re looking for a loan, they’ll find you somebody to lend it to you.

That’s a dramatically over simplified way of explaining it, but it’s pretty much all there is to it in principle.

Investors get a decent return on any spare cash they have (no, it’s not something I’m too familiar with either) and people who can’t borrow money anywhere else have a shot at getting their finances on track.

Win, win.

Tags:
WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online

WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Zopa originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000