BBC Weather App For iOS and Android in the UK

For fans of a quick glance at the weather on the go, BBC has you covered with their new, slick weather app for smartphones on both iOS and Android platforms. The app is nothing revolutionary but it does a great job of presenting everything you’d want to know about your local weather in one eye pleasing format. When you first start the app, it uses your location to load current weather conditions from temperature, humidity, and wind speed to pollen counts and UV levels. BBC Weather offers up to a 5-day forecast for your area which is more than enough, especially if you check the app often.

The app continues the march of native apps that make accessing online data with a smartphone even easier. Yes, the same information is available on the BBC’s website which is optimized for phones, but the app produces a condensed and more attractive version without having to go through a browser.

BBC Weather looks great and is very straightforward to navigate and use. The iOS and Android versions look identical and the BBC has graciously released both versions simultaneously. The Android version has a widget feature for the homescreen and can share location with another Android device but besides that it is no different from the iOS version.

BBC Weather is available free for iOS and Android in the UK, check it out.

[Image Credit: Apple iTunes Store]

Bing Translator Now For Windows 8/RT

Bing Translator has arrived for Windows 8 and RT devices. Originally available on Windows Phone only, the app is a dedicated translation machine with pretty incredible augmented reality features. Bing translator can translate between 40 languages and offers downloadable language packs for translating without a data connection. This is useful for travelers who might find themselves without reliable internet access or who don’t have the time to set up their own connection while abroad. It’s also handy for cutting down on data usage if that is a problem.

There are a couple of ways to use Bing translator. The first is simply typing the text in the original language that you want to translate and then selecting the language that you want it to be translated to. You can choose default input and output languages or easily swap them on the fly. The other, very sleek feature is camera translation that features augmented reality overlays. You simply point the camera of your device at the text you want to translate and the app automatically overlays the translated text on top of it. Even if you change the orientation of the device, the app adjusts and shows the text exactly as it would appear in view. The competing translation app from Google forces you to manually highlight the text from a camera so this feature is a major advantage for Bing Translator.

Another great feature is using Bing Translator for text from other apps or the web. Bing Translator can be accessed using the Share menu and very easily provides translation for any Windows app that might need it.

Bing Translator is available on the Windows Store now. If you haven’t experienced the power of modern translation, you’re in for a pleasant shock.

Source: Bing Translator for Windows Phone

[Image Credit: Windows Phone Store]

Filedrop for iOS Makes Sharing Files Easy

Filedrop brings seamless file sharing between devices to iOS. The original Filedrop is an app to make sharing files between PCs and Macs hassle free. The service lets users share files between PCs, between Macs, or even from a Mac to PC and vice versa. For anyone who has ever had a headache with finicky USB devices or programs not wanting to talk to one another, Filedrop is a lifesaver.

Luckily for iOS users, the Filedrop app brings the service to all iOS devices. Now your iPhone or iPad can join in the file sharing fun. Files on the clipboard, camera roll, or that were previously shared via Filedrop can be shared with a PC, Mac, or other iOS device using Filedrop.

When the app first starts, it seamlessly scans via WiFi for other computers or mobile devices running Filedrop. Once it’s discovered all available devices, you simply choose which one you’d like to send a file to. If you’re receiving a file, you must tap a button to accept and from there you can monitor the progress of the download.

You can check download history and manage files you’ve sent and received by visiting the Downloads section of the app. There is even an option for quick file preview in case you’ve forgotten exactly what the file is. An extra convenience is the option to send and receive files directly from the Downloads area.

Give Filedrop a try if you want a great, simple file sharing app.

Source: Filedrop for iOS

[Image Credit: Apple iTunes Store]

Temple Run: Brave on Windows Phone 8

Temple Run: Brave is a blend of the popular Temple Run game and Disney’s Brave princess movie. For those who haven’t yet tried Temple Run, the game is an endless running challenge where the player must dodge various obstacles while running from vicious enemies. The game randomly adds jumps, turns, and barriers that you must duck under to survive. There are also bonus coins and jewels to collect for extra points that add some challenge and reward to the experience. Several powerups also randomly appear that let the princess attract coins or become invisible for a brief time.

In this updated version for Windows Phone 8, the heroine is the princess Merida from Disney’s Brave and you now have the ability to shoot arrows at targets that appear. The graphics have received a noticeable upgrade from previous versions and the controls are smooth and responsive. The levels look great with lush forests and mountains that match the Scottish setting of Brave.

Like many apps, there is a “store” where you can buy upgrades and enhancements for your character, either with coins earned in game or by buying coins with real world money. Temple Run: Brave is a great experience whether you’ve played previous Temple Run games or are a big fan of the Brave movie. Temple Run: Brave is now available for Windows Phone 8 on the Windows Store for 99 cents. Give it a try, just don’t let that evil bear Mor’du catch you.

Source: Temple Run Brave for Windows Phone

[Image Credit: Windows Phone Store]

 

Google Keyboard on Google Play Store Now

For those without the latest Android device, Google Keyboard is now available free on the Google Play Store for any Android device 4.0 or higher. As you might guess from the name, Google Keyboard is an official Google app that brings the very latest input technology to all Android devices, giving users of older devices the same slick experience.

One of the coolest features is called Gesture Typing, which allows you to input words simply by drawing lines across the keyboard instead of typing each individual character, much like the popular Swype app. You can quickly slide from key to key without lifting your finger and the app predicts what you’re trying to type. If you’ve gotten tired of tapping all day, Gesture Typing makes writing fast and easy.

If your hands are busy, Google also has you covered with Voice Typing. Like it sounds, Voice Typing lets you type simply by speaking into the microphone on your device and the speech recognition software does the rest. Google’s speech recognition accuracy is among the best around so there will be fewer frustrating moments when it doesn’t understand what you’ve said.

Google Keyboard also sports several prediction and correction features and will often know what you’re trying to say before you’ve even finished typing, swiping, or speaking. The app has support for numerous languages and keyboard layouts for special characters. Google Keyboard is a great addition to any Android user’s productivity and it’s fun to use.

 Source: Google Keyboard App for Android

[Image Credit: Google Play Store]

New MSN App Available for Windows Phone 8

Fans of Microsoft’s MSN will be pleased to know that an updated version of their official MSN app has been released for Windows Phone 8. For those who don’t use MSN services, the site provides a series of news, entertainment, and productivity outlets. The MSN app works a lot like the MSN site but claims to offer a faster and more streamlined experience for phone users.

Upon starting the MSN app, a view of the main news and entertainment sections appears which is easy to navigate. You can check subcategories by tapping each section or you can swipe across and view the top stories without leaving the starting view. An Outlook account can be merged with the app as well which makes viewing e-mail or calendar data a snap. Any story or video can be instantly shared with all the popular social networks.

One helpful addition is the new weather display which shows current weather data including conditions, temperature, humidity, etc. at a glance. A couple more taps on the weather tile brings you to a daily forecast for the entire week. The weather tile is simple but effective and makes the MSN app double as a minimalist weather app.

The MSN app does use a live tile so the latest stories and news will appear and update throughout the day. If you’re feeling especially lazy, a quick glance at the live tile will tell you what is currently trending on MSN.

Overall, the MSN app provides a more limited but slightly faster version of the MSN site experience you’d find using a browser. That’s not such a bad thing if you want to quickly explore MSN while mobile. The MSN app is available free on Windows Phone 8 only.

Source: MSN App for Windows Phone

[Image Credit: Windows Phone Store]