Price: $.99    Score: 8/10    By A. Papachristos

Anyone who owns one of Apple’s portable gadgets will tell you that its utmost convenience is the capability to connect with friends, family and the World Wide Web in the blink of an eye.  Sharing timely photos and the details of current happenings as they occur is one of the greatest aspects of today’s developing technology.

Tap ‘n Cap by Jeremy Brousseau utilizes such modern conveniences to bring users an intuitive and simple application that allows them to enhance their image sharing experience.  With Tap ‘n Cap, users may insert up to six lines of custom text, creating captions for photos attained via their device’s photo library or camera.

Upon startup, users will find the Help screen, which teaches them exactly which actions accomplish certain tasks.  A single tap of the empty screen will reveal the main task bar located at the bottom of the screen.  The buttons provided are as follows: Settings, Help, Get Pic, Clear, Caption, and Finished.

Under Settings, users can adjust the many features Tap ‘n Cap offers, such as Camera Options (save copy of original, iPhone 3G mode), Photo Options (auto-save on send, auto-crop photos) and Text Options (auto-correct, auto-capitalize, two-finger rotate, default font).  In fact, Tap ‘n Cap offers 20 font choices, the default being my favorite as it is reminiscent of the classic LOLCats typeface.  These fonts come in black and white, though the developers hope to soon add colors, shadow, opacity and strikethrough to the list of choice in an upcoming update.

To begin the process, users will first need a picture to caption.  Tapping the Get Pic button will prompt the question of whether you’d like to choose a photo from you library or take one with your camera (if your device has one).  Once you have selected your picture, the once empty space will now display your photo.  Conveniently, Tap ‘n Cap supports landscape mode for any type of photo.  If you do not like what you see, the Clear button will wipe everything away.  However, if you are happy with your image, hop right over to the Caption button to insert your witty words.  A box will appear on the screen in which you may begin typing your caption.  When you have finished writing, you may then use a single tap to drag your caption to any position on the image.  You may scale the caption by using a two-finer pinch.  Double tapping the caption will release its own tool bar, which allows you to rotate the words or change the font.

Once complete, tap the Finished button to either save your image to your device or email it to a friend.  In the future, the developers also hope to include the ability to upload your images to Facebook and other such social networking sites.

Unfortunately, only those with an iPhone (or the latest iPod Touch) will benefit from the spontaneity Tap ‘n Cap offers.  For all other users, the photo you caption must already exist in your photo library (unless you have the external camera attachment for the iPad, but that’s a hassle and probably won’t be attached during those ideal, caption-worthy photo moments), though the $.99 price tag won’t break the bank for those who want to experiment with what they have.  And, for those who can utilize Tap ‘n Cap to its fullest extent, the potential for laughter is endless, allowing you to create your own silly images with the tap of a finger, not computer necessary.

Tap ‘n Cap [iTunes Link] requires iPhone OS 3.1.3 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. A small expedite fee was paid by the developer to speed up the publication of this review.

We show you how to download and install new keyboards on the Motorola Milestone 2

So you’ve just bought a Motorola Milestone 2 but you’re not convinced with the stock keyboard? Well, fortunately, there’s plenty of choices for Android users – here’s our pick of the best and how to install them.

First, you’ve got to actually install some new keyboards. Follow these steps to do so:

There are many different options when it comes to Android keyboards. Play around with all of them and see which one fits you best.

Better Keyboard is an option that actually has countless skins available right from the Market. It will allow you to change and fine-tune the keyboard to make it your own.

SwiftKey is another option that provides impressive word prediction, including a feature that predicts the next word you haven’t even begun to type yet.

Now, you’re ready to switch:

1. Tap the applications launcher

2. Scroll over and tap Settings

3. In the settings menu, scroll down and tap Language & keyboard

If you have a custom keyboard installed, you will see an option to toggle it on and off with a check box. In order to have it appear as a selection, the box next to your desired keyboard must be checked.

4. Tap on Input method

5. Find the name of the keyboard you want to activate, and tap on it.

6. Press the Home button

Your new keyboard is now active! If you want to test it to make sure it is activated, just press the Search key, and your keyboard will pop up like in the image above.

We show you how to set up a VPN on the Milestone 2

Adding a VPN (Virtual Private Network) has many benefits, we like using them and so should you.

If you don’t know how to set one up, here’s how to do it on your Milestone 2:

Add a new VPN connection:

• Press the Home icon, press Menu, and tap Settings (figure 1)
• Tap Wireless & networks

• Tap VPN settings (figure 2)

• Tap Add VPN (figure 3)

• Select the type of VPN to add (PPTP, L2TP, L2TP/IPSec PSK VPN, L2TP/IPsec CRT VPN) (figure 4)

• Fill in VPN details such as VPN name, VPN server, etc (the required settings will depend on type of VPN selected) (figure 5)

Connecting to the VPN:

• Press the Home icon, press Menu, and tap Settings (figure 1 above)
• Tap Wireless & networks
• Tap VPN settings (figure 2 above)
• The VPN connections you have added are now listed
• Tap the VPN you wish to connect to
• A dialog box will open asking for your credentials, enter them and touch connect

When connected to a VPN, you will see an ongoing notification in the Status bar on your Motorola DROID 2. If you should get disconnected, you will receive a notification and an option to go back to the VPN settings (figure 2) section.

Disconnecting from the VPN:

Simply open the notifications panel at the top of the screen on your Motorola DROID 2 and click on the VPN notification, then tap disconnect.

Click here for more Motorola DROID 2 guides

Click here for our full Motorola DROID 2 review

Bubbsy.com, a new entry to the Mobile Application market have just released the first new application called Auto Will. This is an application where you can write your Last Will and Testament for an amazingly low price of £2.99.(BUT ITS FREE ON SATURDAY 11th SEPTEMBER.)  Simply fill the input fields and send it to a PC to print it. The application allows multiple saves under different names and therefore is great for family and friends to use too.

The application is the only one of its type in the iTunes Store and is expected to be a huge seller because of its amazing convenience and price compared to the traditional, non reusable “do it yourself kits”. The application which is very simplistic to complete is only available on iPhone at the moment but is expected to launch on iPad in mid September.

Bubbsy also have a website to support the application, and to gain useful feedback for future free upgrades. “We are new to the App Market and listening to our customers is essential if we want to grow” said the developer, Steve Power.

The future applications that Bubbsy will release will include some administration related apps, a notifications app and a gambling simulator app. All of the Apps from Bubbsy will be innovative new material.

Steve Power said “Auto Will is the first app we have done and is a great way to enter the market as it is the only one of it’s type, and we can offer it at an amazingly low price of just £2.99 for an app that you can re-use time and time again.

Purchase

Other Apps you may be interested in:

1. Apple media event rumors to announce iTV
2. 21 Blackjack Party – NEW FREE APP!
3. Ready for Takeoff: FlightView’s Travel App Jets Into iPhone Market
4. New AppleTV on the horizon: rebranded as iTV
5. New iPod Touch rumors: Camera, FaceTime, Gyroscope

We show you how to set up call filtering on the Milestone 2

Everybody has that call that they wish they didn’t have to take – whether it’s your spouse, boss, colleague or all three if you’re really unlucky. Never fear though, there is a way to make sure you can avoid, dodge or edit exactly who can get through to you on a contact-to-contact basis.

To activate this magical feature, follow these steps:

1. Open your contact list
2. Scroll until you find the contact that you’d like to send straight to voicemail, and tap to open the contact
3. Near the bottom of the contact page, find and tap on the Send to voicemail option
   1. A pop-up will appear asking if you’re sure you want to enable this feature.
4. Tap OK

And you’re done! You can do this to as many contacts as you choose and now, only the people you want to be able to reach you directly will have that power.

Bonus tip: Do you have a pesky telemarketer who doesn’t get the hint? Save the number in your phone strictly for these purposes and cut stress in half!

Click here for more Motorola DROID 2 guides

Click here for our full Motorola DROID 2 review

Opera Mini 5.1 has finally been released on the Windows Mobile platform

Opera Mini 5.1 has finally been released on the Windows Mobile platform, so now users rocking Windows Mobile versions 5 and 6 can now experience Opera-style browsing.

Opera Mini 5.1 has been out and about on BlackBerry, Java, Android and Symbian platforms for quite some time.

According to Opera, Mini 5.1 loads sports web pages faster, has support for high-resolution displays and auto-rotation, as well as, improved page layouts and font rendering.

Opera Mini product manager Philip Grønvold made the following statement regarding Opera Mini 5.1 on Windows Mobile:

“A lot of Windows Mobile phones do basic things very well, but web browsing not so much. We are hoping to breathe new life into phones by improving and enhancing their internet capabilities.”

If you’ve got a Windows Mobile (5 or 6 series) device and you like the sound of Opera, you can download it here. 

Chinatown Wars worked fine on the iPad, but like so many games with controls designed and optimized for play on the iPhone, it definitely needed some tweaking. Also, pixel doubling wasn't very kind on the game's graphics. Rockstar responded by releasing Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD [$9.99] which is the same game from a content perspective, with completely redone controls and graphics for the larger screen of the iPad. The in-game lighting has been improved, polygon counts have been increased, and explosions even look better.

If you own an iPad, and you've ever been remotely interested in Grand Theft Auto games, Chinatown Wars HD is a game you need on your device. There just isn't anything else like it on the App Store, the higher resolution graphics look great, the controls work well, and overall it's really hard to find anything to complain about other than this it its own app instead of a universal update to the existing Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the iPhone. However, with any luck, Rockstar might just roll these high resolution graphical assets in to a Retina Display update for the new iPod Touch and iPhone 4.

Price: $.99*    Score: 9/10    By A. Papachristos

Macs come equipped with a dictionary and thesaurus application directly on the dashboard, making it easy to find definitions, synonyms or antonyms as you read or write using your computer.  However, Apple seems to have forgotten to include such a convenience when designing their more portable devices.  Sure, we can monitor the stock market, or find our position using the compass, but we continue to lack the ability to quickly define words using an iPhone or iPod Touch.

Luckily, Terminology by Agile Tortoise provides users with an alternative to that reference tool they’ve always wanted.  Terminology, originally designed for the iPad, now comes to the iPhone and iPod Touch with the same clean, easy-to-use interface that makes browsing the English language a piece of cake.  (Yes, you can even define “piece of cake” by simply searching the entire phrase.)  Featuring both a dictionary and thesaurus, Terminology encompasses all the necessary tools for exploring words and phrases offline and via the Internet.

When you start up Terminology, you will find the main buttons in the bottom navigation bar.  The first button, all the way to the left, looks like a magnifying glass, which brings you to the search page and allows you to type in any word or phrase you wish.  Whether you desire a definition, a synonym, or the meaning of a phrase you just can’t make sense of, you are bound to find it within Terminology’s extensive collection of terms.  Those words you like or use frequently can then be starred and found using the star button to the right of the search tab.

Next to the star button, users will find an icon that resembles a clock.  This tab tracks your previously searched terms in a chronological list of most recently searched to the earliest.  All the way to the right of the navigation bar, users will find two more icons.  The icon resembling a gear allows you to filter bad words from your search, while the question mark icon tells you a bit about Terminology itself.

Each word or phrase entry appears clear and readable, presenting users with the terms part of speech, definition, synonyms and less specific terms that may be associated with the term in question.  Users may also link directly to online sites such as Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Wolfram Alpha and Google to learn more.  And, with all data based on the Princeton University WordNet project, users can be sure they are receiving top-notch information they would otherwise have to inconveniently use the Safari browser to look up when desperate.

*Price shown is available for a limited time only.  The iPad version is also currently on sale, available for $1.99.

Terminology [iTunes Link] requires iPhone OS 3.1 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. A small expedite fee was paid by the developer to speed up the publication of this review.

BT has launched a new free mobile application that will automatically connect customers to its network of 1.6 million Wi-Fi hotspots, giving them an even easier way to connect to the internet when they are on the move.

The free iPhone and Android application gives BT Total Broadband customers easy mobile access to free and unlimited Wi-Fi and includes a mapping service which is updated weekly so that customers can find their nearest hotspot.

Once BT customers have downloaded the app, all they need to do is input their btinternet email username and password, and choose to be automatically logged in whenever they are in a BT Wi-Fi area. The access is unlimited and free for BT Total Broadband customers, so there’s no chance of racking up extra costs on your mobile phone bill.

BT’s Wi-Fi network is the biggest in the UK – made up of BT Openzone and BT FON hotspots – and all BT Total Broadband customers have free and unlimited access either on the mobile phone or laptop when out and about.

iPhone users can download the application from the app store or through http://bit.ly/iPhoneBTFon.
Android users can download the application from the Android Market or through http://bit.ly/AndroidBTFon.

For further information visit www.bt.com/freewifi

Other Apps you may be interested in:

1. iPhone – iPod Security… Finally!
2. FlightView’s Fan Favorite iPhone and Android Apps Upgraded for Superior Functionality
3. iPHone App Turns Texting into Images
4. iPhone expense management software released by Access | Access UK
5. QuikAdd – Add Contacts and Check-In to Foursquare at the Same Time!

We show you how to take screen shots on your Motorola Milestone 2

You’d think taking screen shots on a device would be easy, right? Well, unfortunately it isn’t. But fear not, if you drastically want to snap a picture of your screen – for whatever reason – we have a guide to show you how to do it.

First, though, you’ll need to download the following programs you your PC:

1. The Android software development kit (SDK)
2. The Java SE software development kit (SDK)

Once your downloads are complete a few steps are required to get things ready.

On your computer:

1. Extract the Google Android SDK to a folder on your desktop
2. Install the the Java SE SDK

On the Motorola DROID 2:

1. Press the Home icon, press Menu and then tap Settings (figure 1)
2. Tap on Applications
3. Tap on Development
4. Check the box for USB debugging

Now you are ready to get started.

1. Plug your Motorola DROID 2 into your computer via USB and Windows will attempt to install all of the appropriate drivers; one of the drivers will not be found and thus you must proceed to Device Manager in your Control Panel and find the Motorola DROID 2 (there will be a yellow icon next to it)
2. Right-click on the Motorola DROID 2 entry and select properties; instruct Windows to update/install the driver for this device and when asked, simply browse to the usb_driver folder inside of the Android software development kit folder that you extracted to your desktop earlier — the device is recognized and the driver is installed
3. Browse to the Android SDK folder that you extracted to your desktop and run the SDK Setup.exe to start the program
4. Once the application has launched you will be presented with a window as shown in figure 2 above
5. Click on the Refresh button so that the application can update its list of operating system SDKs available from Google
6. Check off the section next to the URL that is shown in the application (figure 2); you are now presented with a list of Android SDKs and Google APIs you wish to install
7. It is recommended that you select select all available packages for maximum compatibility
8. Once the files have been downloaded simply close the application
9. Browse to the Tools folder inside the Android SDK folder you extracted to your desktop
10. Double click on DDMS.BAT to execute the Dalvik Debug Monitor
11. The application will launch with a DOS command window and eventually a Windows based application — your phone will be listed on the left hand side, and you should click on it to make sure it is selected
12. Click on the Device menu and select Screen Capture or use the CTRL-S key combo
13. The capture now appears on your screen, but there is one final undocumented step
14. We recommend that you click on the Copy button and paste the screenshot into your image editor of choice (Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, etc) — the reason for this is that there is a known bug that does not carry over the colors of the actual screenshot inside the capture utility

Voila! You now have a stunning screenshot from the display on your Motorola DROID 2. Repeat steps 12-14 to generate more screenshots.

Click here for more Motorola DROID 2 guides

Click here for our full Motorola DROID 2 review