FaceTime Audio On iOS7 – Make Crystal Clear Voice Calls

The latest iOS update brings a series of improvements and a massive overhaul of the user interface. Beneath that shiny coat of paint is an unsung addition that could prove to be a game changer. It’s called FaceTime Audio, and brings astoundingly clear voice calls to all devices running iOS7.

While FaceTime has offered basic video calling, there was always the curious absence of the option to make voice-only calls. With the unveiling of FaceTime Audio, there may finally be an explanation for why it took so long to arrive. Don’t let the slightly odd name fool you, FaceTime Audio is an animal when it comes to call clarity. It takes full advantage of the latest HD voice technology to enable calls that blow everything else out of the water. You’ll have to try it for yourself to appreciate the difference but it makes grainy, scratchy, dropped cellphone calls seem beyond obsolete.

To initiate a FaceTime Audio call, you simply open the FaceTime app, choose the contact you’d like to call, and tap the new phone icon to invite the contact to a FaceTime Audio session. There are convenient mute and speakerphone options available as well. Once the contact accepts the invitation, you can start enjoying some vivid call quality.

Of course the one major downside to all of this is that FaceTime only works via WiFi. You’ll need to be connected to a WiFi network or hotspot in order to make and receive FaceTime Audio calls. With the number of iOS devices out there and availability of WiFi however, FaceTime Audio is often a viable alternative to cellphone calls. If FaceTime Audio gains enough momentum, it could put pressure on cell carriers to improve their coverage and call quality.

To use FaceTime Audio, you will need to upgrade to iOS7. Because they take place via WiFi, FaceTime Audio calls are completely free. The incredible clarity of voice calls is incentive enough to upgrade if you’ve been holding off.

6tag – The Full Instagram Experience Now On Windows Phone 8

Windows Phone 8 users may feel a little left out with the notable absence of an official Instagram app on their platform. Luckily, the unofficial but fully functional Instagram client 6tag has arrived to fill the gap. Now, Windows Phone 8 users can enjoy the complete Instagram experience on their devices.

6tag comes with nearly every conceivable feature that its official siblings have on the iOS and Android versions. Most importantly, you can take photos, apply filters and effects, annotate, comment and share them to Instagram and all popular social networks. If you’ve used Instagram before, 6tag is just as fast, seamless and the interface is fantastic. 6tag may be a bit late to the party, but it’s no slouch and has managed to integrate all current Instagram features, even including the new video sharing option. As with Instagram, short videos can be recorded and shared with minimal effort. You can choose to modify photos already stored on the phone or shoot new photos and videos to share. Actually taking photos and videos is a snap and the app even supports both front and rear facing cameras if your phone has them. Of course there is also support for browsing the latest photos and posts from your friends on Instagram as well as adding comments and liking their posts.

Not content to simply copy the official Instagram apps feature for feature, 6tag even adds a handy Live Tile that shows updates and notifications. Now you can see any Instagram updates at a glance. It’s a small but useful addition and one that even the official apps can’t duplicate yet.

6tag is available as a free download, though the free version has ads and limits you to one video upload. Separate in-app purchases can be made to remove the ads and unlock unlimited video uploads. If you’re a Windows Phone 8 user and have been itching for an Instagram app, 6tag is highly recommended.

 

SoundSeeder – Stream Music To Multiple Android Devices Over Wi-Fi

Samsung’s popular Galaxy S4 smartphone has a feature called ‘Group Play’ that enables it to stream music to other S4 devices on the same Wi-Fi network. It’s a fun way to share music with friends or spread the music around a room. By connecting the phone to a speaker or stereo, you can even use it to stream music throughout an entire venue or home. With SoundSeeder, you can accomplish the same feat with any Android device, not just an S4.

SoundSeeder requires two separate apps, SoundSeeder Speaker and SoundSeeder Player, which work as client and server respectively. You’ll need to download both before the process will work and it does take some time and patience to coordinate everything at first. You also will need to be on the same Wi-Fi network as all other paired devices and the process needs to be repeated if you ever change networks. Once you have both apps, you’ll need to select and set a group name for each app and on each device which will allow them to communicate and pair effectively. When you start the SoundSeeder Speaker client app, you’ll need to choose from available SoundSeeder Players that will be streaming the music. When everything has been set, the devices should begin communicating and you’re ready to begin streaming.

SoundSeeder Player functions as the streaming device, so you’ll want to choose the device that has the music files you want to play. The most common formats are supported, including mp3, mp4, m4a, aac, 3gp, ogg, and flac. Inside the Player app, you can view all connected client Speakers and choose which ones to stream to, connect/disconnect individual devices, manually set device output volume, stereo/mono, and stereo left and right levels. Finally, pick the track you want to play, hit play, and it should begin playing in sync on all connected devices! There is nothing fancy beyond the basic streaming of each track but with a little creativity and the right devices, you can accomplish a variety of music sharing tasks. It looks like more updates are on the way which should make things like playing multiple tracks or albums easier.

The free trial versions are available on Google Play and limit you to one connected device and 4 minutes of playback. In app purchases unlock up to 16 connected devices and unlimited playback time.

Dynamic Keyboard For Android now Available Free

The concept behind Dynamic Keyboard is a unique twist on predictive keyboard technology. After typing the first letter of the word, the keys will resize themselves based on the letters most likely to be typed next. For example, if you type an ‘h’, all vowels will be enlarged. If you then type an ‘e’, the letter ‘L’ will be enlarged in anticipation of you wanting to type ‘Hello’. Other letters you’re most likely to enter will also be enlarged but Dynamic Keyboard tries to cover all bases and enlarge all likely choices. The app doesn’t stop with simply enlarging likely letter choices, but also actually shrinks letters that you’re least likely to choose next. In theory, this should minimize mistakes by making it much easier to hit the right key and make it less likely that you’ll hit the wrong one.

In practice however, the keyboard leaves a lot to be desired both in form and function. The graphics on the keyboard can appear pixelated and clunky and the general interface is not the prettiest. Dynamic Keyboard now supports auto-correct but there is no way to choose from a set of predicted words like many other keyboards. If you rely heavily on that feature, using this app will quickly become a chore. Typing can be bewildering at times as the keys constantly change size and flash between large and small when each new letter is entered. The app also supports a variety of Western keyboard layouts for different languages. For fans of split keyboards, there is an option for that as well.

While the idea is sound and interesting, Dynamic Keyboard still needs quite a bit of work before it realizes its potential. It is free on Google Play though a paid version for $0.99 unlocks HD fonts, more customization options, and the ability to set colors on the keyboard.

SickSky – A Minimalist Launcher For Android

SickSky Launcher aims to reduce your Android home screen to its core by eliminating all clutter. Usually, the home screen is filled with dozens of icons for each app you have installed unless you’ve manually organized all of them. If you want a clean home screen but still keep quick access to all of your apps, SickSky is a great choice.

SickSky Launcher is divided into three separate panels arranged in a column. The top panel is for displaying basic data like temperature, date and time. The middle panel is used as the main display and shows more detailed weather and calendar information or shows all available apps on the device. The bottom panel is for quickly accessing the calendar or your apps, with a calendar button on the bottom left and the app button on the bottom right. Tapping the calendar button brings up a quick view of your calendar app while tapping the apps button shows the apps which would otherwise populate your home screen. SickSky shows 16 apps at a time and you can swipe left or right to view the rest and tap to launch. You can also view more detailed weather data – including a 5-day forecast – by tapping the temperature area on the top left.

There are some very basic options to change units (for the weather section) or time format but besides that, customization is kept to a bare minimum. There is no support for widgets or app folders but that is part of the app’s philosophy of clean minimalism. The interface is fairly attractive and modern looking and the numbers are bright and easy to read. There is an interesting design choice with the time display and the hours are larger and brighter than the minutes which emphasizes the particular hour.

SickSky Launcher is available now on Google Play for free but note that it is still currently in beta. If you’d like to try a less cluttered home screen or basic launcher, give it a try.

The 5 Best Lock Screen Apps On Android

Your phone’s lock screen might seem like a boring piece of real estate that’s usually dismissed with a quick tap or swipe. Then again, it’s one of the things you’ll see most often, so why not personalize it or make it as useful as possible? These five free lock screen replacements for Android do just that. Some try to emulate the look and feel of other popular mobile platforms while others add new features on top.

Sparky Lock Screen Lite

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This is a collection of unique lock screen themes with a huge variety in layout but not much in terms of functionality. You’ll get your basic unlock, access to core phone features like camera or texts, and date and time displays but nothing beyond that. It also does not support security unlock features like PIN or gesture based unlocks. What it does do well is provide a wide range of very different themes to choose from so you can find one that suits you perfectly.

Go Locker

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One of the most popular lock screen apps, GO Locker has a huge number of themes to choose from and customize as well as support for secure unlock and quick access to frequently used phone functions. You can use the included themes to make your phone look almost identical to an iPhone, Windows Phone, or any flavor of Android. It even has a feature that closely mimics Windows live tiles for a constantly updating lock screen. With the sheer number of themes available, you’re sure to find one you’ll like.

iOS 7 Lockscreen Parallax HD

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If the name doesn’t give it away, this app emulates the popular iOS 7 parallax effect on your Android phone. The lockscreen can be customized with any wallpaper that will then respond to phone movement with a slick 3D effect. It also includes iOS 7 style icons for accessing phone functions.

Active Lockscreen

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Active Lockscreen focuses more on the productivity side of the lockscreen. You can still choose from many themes and customize their appearance of course. What’s notable is the inclusion of features that make it easier to jump right into calls, apps, photos, or social media updates. Other apps give you basic access to these areas but Active Lockscreen goes the extra step to get you one layer deeper. Instead of just jumping to the device camera or messaging, you can go right to Instagram or Skype directly from the lock screen.  You can even set it to stream current updates from your social media accounts or your favorite news sources.

Holo Locker

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Holo Locker is the Jelly Bean lock screen for all non-Jelly Bean Android devices. If you’re envious of the latest look and want it on your older Android device, this is a great way to get it. It’s a very good copy of the most current lock screen though it does have some differences and doesn’t have any lock sounds. You can also set your own custom wallpaper if you’d like.