Chip Chick » Software

Cover Up iPhone App Conceals The Sounds Of Your Poo

Chip Chick — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:32:18 +0000

Its all happened to us….you run to the bathroom in a club or restaurant after having a large helping of beans. You don’t want the ones around you to hear you go but you have to or you will bust. Well now there is an app for that too! Cover Up is an app that disguises any noises when nature calls. The app offers up five different noises to choose from, for instance playing running water or a hair dryer noise on your iPhone or iPod touch to cover up those embarrassing sounds. The app also comes styled to look like a makeup compact to really drive it home that this app is for the ladies. The Cover Up retails for $.99 and don’t forget to wash your hands after your done…

Britney Spears Announces iPhone App Y’all, App Store Shaves Head in Celebration

Ali — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:19:08 +0000

A Britney Spears iPhone App. Do I really need to say anything else? Oy…I could use all her songs to make up some grand ditty of how now you can make sure she finds Amy, or help her count to three, or prevent her from saying “Oops I did it again!” But I won’t, instead I’ll just let you know that Britney Spears has her very own iPhone app that can let you get exclusive messages from her, access to 100’s of images of Britney, follow her on Twitter, and lastly enjoy Sparkler. Basically its a concert companion when Britney does actually sing instead of lip syncing. You can hold up the Sparkler at her concert as she makes you feel all swoony and soft inside. This is certainly much safer than the real thing. The Britney Spears App will cost you $1.99.

How to Enable Three-Finger Middle Click for the Mac Trackpad (and Magic Mouse!)

Scott Schaen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:00:04 +0000

The Macbook multitouch trackpad on new Macbooks makes Internet browsing a treat. You can swipe back, swipe forward, pinch to zoom, two finger swipe to scroll…it has become a real pleasure to navigate the interwebs. But just when I thought the trackpad did it all, I discovered how useful middle click on a mouse is. Middle click allows links to be opened in new tabs or closes tabs with just one tap. Unfortunately, until Apple releases middle click functionality we’re stuck using cmd+click to achieve the middle click…or are we? MiddleClick (for Snow Leopard) brings us the three-tap middle click for our multitouch MacBooks and Magic Mice. If you’re a power browser, this app is for you! The three finger tap does not interfere with any other gestures, and works quite well. Just tap, don’t click, otherwise the click will register twice. It’s free and open source… Enjoy!

Wallace & Gromit Comics Make Their Way with Hilarity to the iPhone

Ali — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:08:25 +0000

Soon paper will be as extinct and go the way of the Betamax, as more and more books, magazines, and now even comics, make their way to our devices digitally. Wallace and Gromet are amongst the first to make their digital debut on the iPhone with their very own comic book app. The first batch of comics includes strips written by Dan Abnett (Legion, Nova, The Authority) and Simon Furman (Transformers, Terminator 2 comic), with more to be released in the following weeks! Wallace & Gromit comics are available from Apple’s App store and there are four comic stories to download including: ‘The W-Files’, ‘Parts & Labour’, ‘Big in Japan’ and ‘Where there’s Muck there’s Brass’ all for just £0.59 ($0.99) each!

Virgin Atlantic App Flying Without Fear will Help Those Who are Afraid to Fly

Ali — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:22:06 +0000

Scared of flying? There’s an app for that. Virgin Atlantic has created the Flying Without Fear Course app that reassures those who are afraid of airline travel. People scared of flying can now press a button on their iPhone to help them deal with their panic. The app will help people overcome fear from strange noises on a plane to fear of it losing control. The airline developed the app with Mental Workout, a company developing software to help people resolve issues and increase mental performance. The Flying Without Fear app also has an introduction by Branson, a video-based in-flight explanation of a flight, frequently asked questions, relaxation exercises and a fear attack button for emergencies with breathing exercises.The app retails for $4.99 and is available at the App Store on iTunes.

ABC News Says iPhone Apps are Addictive – Must be a Slow News Day

Chip Chick — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:51:52 +0000

I guess when broadcast news starts reporting that iPhone Apps are addictive – you know that it must be a slow news day. I caught this in a cab on Taxi TV while heading downtown and it was probably one of the dumbest things I have watching in a long time. This 2 minute news blurb on how iPhone Apps are addictive. I honestly couldn’t believe how staged this ‘news’ piece looked and how they could get some quack specialist to actually comment on such a topic. Then the media wants to know why they are slowly becoming irrelevant. Check out the video to see what I mean.

CyberGlove II is Now Wireless and Would Still Put the Powerglove to Shame

Ali — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:37:58 +0000

The CyberGlove II may not make a fashion statement but it sure would shame the Powerglove. CyberGlove II is a wireless data glove that accurately captures the movement of a user’s fingers and hand, and, in conjunction with the software, maps the movement to a graphical hand on the computer screen, allowing users to “reach in and manipulate” digital objects as if they were physical objects. The CyberGlove II is made of stretch fabric for comfort and a mesh so your hand can breathe. The 18-sensor CyberGlove II also has open fingertips allowing you to easily type and write. You won’t find apps that works with this hand just in your average Best Buy. CyberGlove Systems offers virtual software that will bring the glove to life. Pricing is not publicly available so you will have to inquire if your interested.

mSpot Mobile Movies Launches Full Feature Movie Streaming for Cell Phones

Ali — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:58:40 +0000

Debuting today is mSpot Mobile Movies. This gives smartphone users the ability to stream full-length feature movies directly to their handsets. The service is now available on all four major U.S. carriers and is supported by the iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, and Windows Mobile phones. Initially this service was only available to those using Sprint and Bell Mobility. “In order to access this service, consumers go to m.mSpot.com on their phone, and use a credit card to purchase individual movies for $4.99 each (with a 48 to 72 hour rental period on average), or subscribe to a monthly Movie Club membership at $9.99, $12.99 or $15.99 per month.”

From there you can browse either comedy, drama, new releases, horror, and what’s hot. Then simply go to your phone’s web browser to access the movie instantly. From what we saw on their site, so far there isn’t that much to choose from yet in regards to decent movies. The Reader and the Curious Case of Benjamin Button are two big new releases available, there are some classics like Hamlet with Laurence Olivier, and there are plenty of B Movies too. However we expect that overtime the catalog will grow since at launch, mSpot has already made agreements with both Paramount Studios and The Weinstein Company. We tried watching a movie on our iPhone and the streaming quality was very impressive over Wi-Fi, and the movie started playing in about 15 seconds. You’re also able to automatically resume right where you left off if you stop watching a film in the middle of it playing. But ultimately your data connection’s speed and signal will have an impact on the quality of the stream while you watch.

Looking Ahead to Windows 7

Chip Chick — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:35:03 +0000

This week I met with Intel and Microsoft to discuss the upcoming Windows 7 launch. I’ve been testing out the latest release candidate for sometime now, and have been very impressed. Certainly, the new UI changes are spiffy, but what has impressed me most is how fast and responsive the OS feels – more so than my experiences with Vista, and even Windows XP. Granted, I am using a Core 2 Duo 3.06ghz system, which although already a year old, it is still considered to be a pretty fast processor.

At the meeting, Intel told me that they have worked very closely with Microsoft so that Windows 7 could maximize the potential out of Intel’s processors. Unlike in previous Windows Operating systems, Windows 7 truly knows how to utilize every single core in your system. There have been core kernel improvements made in Wind0ws 7 that increase the performance of apps running on multicore CPUs. Is this part of the reason why I’ve noticed that Windows 7 is snappier to use than Windows XP and Vista? Definitely.
Windows 7 also promises to be more energy efficient than its predecessors. An average of 10-20% in extended battery life has been reported on systems running Windows 7. Windows manages this by automatically turning off devices like graphics cards and storage devices that aren’t needed depending on the task.

For businesses or individuals who will be upgrading to Windows 7 Professional, they’ll be able to benefit from virtualization. In this case, they’ll specifically have the ability to run software in Windows XP mode. Running software in virtualization is great for security purposes, and of course having a virtualized XP mode available will make it less painful for those dependent on legacy software which is only compatible with XP.

At this point, we’re pretty confident that Windows 7 won’t be the bust that Vista was. Intel also told us that there will be a lot of new powerful processors unveiled at the Intel Developer Forum this week in San Francisco. We hate to say to wait when it comes to buying a PC, because there will always be something bigger and better that comes along. But between the launch of Windows 7 and the new processors coming out, it looks like the next few months are going to be exciting times for power users (geeks) and regular consumers alike, who are bound to benefit as well.

Designer Windows Mobile Themes by Diane von Furstenberg and Vera Wang

Ali — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:25:37 +0000

We are half way through fashion week and what geeky fashionista wouldn’t love to dress up their Windows Mobile phone. Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang, Isaac Mizrahi, Rock & Republic, and Ron Arad have each made their own designer theme for your smartphone. Each one has a custom palette and wallpaper that will work on any Windows Mobile running 6.5. Download them all for free on October 6th from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

FlexiSPY Comes to iPhone 3G and 3GS

Ali — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:13:49 +0000

Sadly, gadgets got a bad wrap this week when good equipment was used for bad deeds with that whole Erin Andrews incident. However that won’t stop companies from coming out with more products aimed at tracking and invading people’s privacy, which could be used in the wrong way. Now FlexiSPY has released their already controversial software for the iPhone 3G/3G S. Remotely read SMS, see call logs, listen in on phone calls, and track the location of a person with their built in GPS tracker software. You can even log emails and remotely control the targeted phone with SMS commands. The person you have targeted will never know a thing. There are four plans available from basic all the way to pro. Each plan comes with yearly costs and the more you pay for, the more features you get. Consider this a public service announcement the next time you go and use your iPhone.

NAVIGON Introduces First Serious GPS Navigation App for iPhone for North America

Ali — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:43:26 +0000

Another awesome gift for iPhone 3G and 3G S users is the launch of the NAVIGON iPhone GPS Navigation App called MobileNavigator iPhone for North America. With the release of this software – your iPhone has truly been converted to a full fledged GPS navigation system. Tom Tom and MIO must be shaking in their boots right about now. There are no subscription fees but it will cost you $99.99 for this App – probably one of the more pricier ones out there, but understandably so. However until August 15th it will be available for a promotional price of $69.99. iPhone users will be able to zoom in and out, navigate saved contacts,switch between portrait and landscape mode, and alot more.

iSamurai Bluetooth App for iPhone and iPod Touch – No Wi-Fi Required

Ali — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:20:05 +0000

I’m not sure if this is a completely genius App or completely stupid one. The iSamurai App for those who didn’t know is a game that transforms your iPhone or iPod touch into a Wii like device over Wi-Fi that lets people cling and clang like if they were playing with real swords. With the latest update – iSamurai Bluetooth doesn’t require you or a bud to be connected via Wi-Fi in order to play but connect over bluetooth. “Using the iPhone’s new Bluetooth capabilities, developers can now make multiplayer games that don’t need a Wi-Fi connection,” said Robert Hogg, CEO and founder of Toy Kite Software. “And with iSamurai that means gamers can have a real life sword fight at the park, in line at the movies, or anywhere!” I can already see the iPhones flying out of hands and dying a horrible death in places unknown…. The iSamurai App with Bluetooth costs .99.

How to Use Microsoft Office for Mac to Get Organized

Chip Chick — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:04:43 +0000

Most Mac users own Microsoft Office, but most of us rarely break out of our normal routines to see what other tools Microsoft Office 2008 has to offer, other than the usual make a Word document, Excel spreadsheet or Powerpoint presentation. It turns out that Microsoft Office also offers a world of organizational capabilities. The Mactopia web site has a new video up with Peter Walsh, where he shows Office users how to utilize Office as a “digital organizational hub”. This is worth checking out if you’re looking to get the most for your money out of your Office for Mac purchase.

Celebrate Hello Kitty’s 35th Anniversary on Your iPhone

Chip Chick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:48:02 +0000

What better way to celebrate Hello Kitty’s 35th Anniversary then with an iPhone /iPod Touch App. Recently released are three new apps for all the Hello Kitty fans to love. The first App is the Hello Kitty Anniversary App which will countdown to when she turns 35 on November 1st 2009, profiles her friends, updates you on the latest Hello Kitty News, and offers a commemorative movie ‘Hello Kitty Colors”. The best part – this App is free! If you want to shell out $2.99 then there is the iHello Kitty Tokyo App and Hello Kitty Camera. The iHello App will let you dress Hello Kitty up in what’s hip in Japanese culture. Does Gothic or Harajuku Hello Kitty sound like fun? The ability is all there and if you want to make Hello Kitty move, just move your iPhone/iPod Touch and she will jump or stumble. Lastly there is the Hello Kitty Camera App which will let you immerse yourself into the Hello Kitty world by customizing your images with Hello Kitty herself, accessories, logos and more. If you didn’t put your iPhone or iPod Touch down already – you certainly won’t now.

Save Money on International Calls, Win a Skype Unlimited World Plan Voucher

Chip Chick — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:08:02 +0000

If you’re planning on traveling this summer – especially overseas, brace yourself. Renting a phone, using a hotel’s phone, or buying prepaid sim cards, all end up being very expensive. Likewise, if you have a loved one who will be traveling, you’re likely to rack up a big bill on all those long distance calls to them. That is where Skype’s Unlimited World plan comes in. For $12.95 a month, you can make unlimited calls to landlines in over 40 countries worldwide. Voicemail is also included with the plan. All you’ll need is an internet connection, and the easy to use Skype software to get up and running. We have Three Unlimited World Plan vouchers to give away – each with a three month plan, plus they each come with a snazzy Freetalk Wireless Stereo Headset. I’ve been using the Unlimited World Plan to call a friend overseas and the call quality is great. It has also been saving me a nice chunk of change, because I no longer have to use my cell phone to call my pal. And I can keep yacking as long as I want to, without feeling stressed about what my bill is going to be at the end of the month.
Want to win a three-month-long SkypeUnlimited World plan voucher? E-mail us a note about how or why you would use the service to speak to your friends or family internationally. Put “Skype Contest” in the subject line.

Permanently Delete Files Without Leaving a Trace Using SDelete

Chip Chick — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:00:44 +0000

When you delete a file, it never really disappears forever (except for when it’s your term paper, the night before the due date). So if you are a spy or a cheating spouse, how can you get rid of any incriminating files for good? Windows users can download and install SDelete, a free app that can overwrite the contents of free space on your disk in order to prevent deleted or encrypted files from being able to be recovered.
Once you’ve downloaded SDelete you’ll have to get down and dirty and run the following command:

sdelete -z C:

Wash Your Hands After Using the iPoop App on your iPhone

Ali — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:22:24 +0000

Whenever a new feature-packed computer or cellphone comes out I always ask “Does it go to the bathroom too?” Well with the iPoop, it sorta does. This new app will allow folks to evaluate their poo and determine whether they are on a healthy diet or not. You are encouraged to do number 2 and then stare at it and compare it to three categories: frequency, color and shape. Depending on your entry, the App will tell you if you should make any corrections to improve your health. I can picture many iPhones falling into toliet bowls after this App is installed.

Get a Makeover Using Your iPhone with the WeightMirror and ColorTry App

Ali — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:47:57 +0000

I guess there really is an App for everything, want to get a smokin’ bod and a killer new hair color well there are two iPhone Apps that should help you out. ColorTry and WeightMirror will both help you see before and after shots of what you would look like either slimmer or with a different hair color. ColorTry is an easy enough app that allows you to take a picture of yourself and then alter the color of your hair with the color hair palate. In a quick second you’ll get to see if blonds really do have more fun.

WeightMirror is a simple App that again lets you take a picture of yourself at your current weight and then depending on how much you want to loose, your face will alter as well. Both applications have before and after views so even if you never go through with any of these changes, you can atleast say you tried.

Instant Video Presenter Lets You Easily Produce Newsroom-style Video Podcasts

Chip Chick — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:03:45 +0000

If you’ve ever wanted to make your own video podcast with professional special effects, Instant Video Presenter is an easy way for average folks to go about it. The software lets you create newsroom-style videos without the hassle that would otherwise ordinarily be involved in such a production. The software is designed to take you through the process of recording your video and then it prepares it so that the video is immediately ready to be sent via email, uploaded to somewhere on the internet or burned to a CD. The software uses green screen technology to create “weatherman” style videos with cool backdrops. You can capture a presenter interacting with software applications, PowerPoint presentations, websites, or pictures.
The $259.95 Instant Video Presenter package even comes with an actual green screen for use. That isn’t exactly cheap, but when you look in to the cost of putting together something like this on your own, it can be overwhelming. The only other software we know of that is similar to Instant Video Presenter is Vlog It!. Vlog It! offers a similar feature set, and is much more affordable at just $29, however it hasn’t had a version update in quite a while and it doesn’t come packaged with a green screen either. We can’t help but wonder how Vlog It! and Instant Video Presenter would stack up against each other.