Posts tagged Mobile Devices

Apple’s WWDC 2014 – What To Expect

0
10 years
by in FastNews, Recent Posts, TechSpots

Every year, the tech world explodes with a gigantic amount of rumors and speculations and concepts of what might come out of this years WWDC. Apple’s big developer conference always brings something surprising and amazing to the table, despite all the attention it’s getting. Last year, iOS 7 was announced, the biggest change to iOS ever. That one change boosted along the flat design movement, and the expectations are high for what will happen this year. Of course, another complete redesign probably won’t happen, as it’s to soon to throw another curveball that the industry, so what changes they actually did do to warrant the title of iOS 8 is still a mystery.

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Now, before I start, I want to warn you of something. Don’t kill the messenger, but there is a tiny, tiny amount of information about any of Apple’s software updates, which will reportedly feature in this year’s WWDC. Apple is known for their incredibly strict ruling about these kinds of things, so correct leaks are very rare. But, there is a general idea of what will come out, so I make what I can with what’s out there.

iOS 8

For instance, something that we are sure that will come out is iOS 8. Pictures of a big “8” banner, with a watery background, were taken at the site of the conference in the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. As I said earlier, it’s way to early to redesign the system again, so the changes made will most likely by new features and improved specs.

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Speaking of new features, a pretty solid rumor has been going around about Apple’s delve into the health and fitness market, Healthbook. In a article by 9to5Mac, Healthbook was reported to have many functional abilities, such as heart rate, nutrition, blood sugar level and steps taken monitors. Because the iPhone M7 chip isn’t really capable of collecting all that information, (though a new chip they introduce theoretically could) it is assumed that Healthbook will be a hub for many other third-party applications and products.

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Besides that, there are some other smaller rumored features, such as iTunes Radio getting it’s own app, a Siri upgrade, a music recognition app in partnership with Shazam and a hinted at new mobile payment system. Other than the rumors that I’ve mentioned so far, Apple has kept it’s release pretty watertight. There are so many possibilities in this release, new features that could be added, it’s just the way Apple wanted it. A surprise to blow your brains out.

OS X 10.10

Along with iOS 8, we know that OS X 10.10 will also be released, in the same way we know iOS 8: a big “X” banner. Though unlike iOS 8, where the water backround doesn’t matter, OS X banners tend to relate to the name of the system. This year, the backround was of El Capitan, a gigantic rock formation in Yosemite, indicating OS X Yosemite or OS X El Cap.

Because of the last WWDC’s iOS overhaul, it’s expected that this year the OS X UI and design will get the attention. Most likely, the still slightly textured and skeumorphic OS X will look more like the flat iOS 7. Also, some of Apple’s own music and photo apps might get a redesign to match the overall flat design, but there is incredibly little known about OS X 10.10.

iWatch

I’m sorry to burst your bubble, Apple fans, but it’s looking like the hotly anticipated iWatch will not be released this WWDC. First of all, the WWDC is historically used for software, not hardware updates. Also, sources familiar with Apple’s general plans were reported to say that they will most likely not release the iWatch, just adding on to the already pessimistic attitude surrounding the release of the iWatch.

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An iWatch Concept

Even though the whole media industry is probably overdoing this whole thing, nobody can doubt the importance and excitement surrounding this release. After the software is sent out to the millions of developers out there, eager to get their hands on the new features and capabilities. The whole next year in tech may change drastically depending on what comes out of tomorrow’s keynote speech. On a completely separate note, make sure to check back here for the official Fast Forward WWDC 2014 keynote speech live blog at 10:00 to 12:00 AM PT!

FastNews: Anyone Can Now Buy Google Glass

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11 years
by in FastNews

Google Glass has been the talk of the town in the technology world since the announcement of it way back in June of 2013 at the Google I/O. Google Glass pretty much started the wearable wave, and was the inspiration for many smaller startups such as Recon Jet and others. Just the idea of having a always accessible computer on your face was astonishing in itself, not even taking into account the drawbacks. For instance, one of the biggest setbacks for many people is the design itself. Many internet-goers have maing to very clear how nerdy and uncool Glass looked. It was rumored that Google were designing complimentary regular glasses that were custom made to fit Glass, and that would be the logical thing to do. That turned out to be true, as we learned today.

Google has come out with 6 different pairs of glasses: 3 frames, 3 shades. The three come in slightly different variations to the main category, and overall this is a big improvement from the geeky design they had previously. But don’t get me wrong, the geeky design is still in the top left corner of the glasses, but the well designed pair of regular glasses certainly dilutes the nerdiness.

One more big change has been made to Google’s Glass project. As of today, you can officially buy Google Glass, if you live in the US. It is still in beta, but they have released the Explorer Program to anyone who wants it. For $1,500. The price is also a setback, and many people will wait until it goes down, which it will eventually. Google hinted at this when they released a one day sale to get into the program a couple months back. The program is still held only in the US, and will undoubtable be later released into other countries. It will be interesting to see what changes they make from now to the final version, and also what the feedback will be from the many new Explorers that will join.

AOTW: The Fourth Dimension App Explains Everything 4D

0
11 years
by in AOTWs, Speculations

The human mind is amazingly complex, able to imagine anything we want in our “minds eye”. You can sort of see it, but the picture is not really complete, blurry and needs a lot of focus to complete. But you know this, you’re human. (hopefully) We can even imagine pictures that don’t exist. Especially that don’t exist. So, it would seem that we would have a fairly easy time imagining a fourth dimension. Like, what is it? I can’t even formulate any examples of guesses of the fourth dimension would look like. Our brains just can’t process this.

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To explain this problem, many people use the popular “Flatland” example. Imagine a place that only lives in 1 dimension. These people can only move up and down on a flat line. That’s it. They’re just points on a line. If you were one of these people, the possibility of going sideways would be impossible. They wouldn’t even know what “sideways would be. Now imagine a 2D world. Flatland. These people are shapes, who only know moving up, down, left and right. If we speculate what it would be like, such as in the 2007 animated movie “flatland”, people could only see lines. But they could move.

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They of course would think of a “3rd dimension” as a dumb theory that nobody would take seriously. It just wouldn’t be possible to them. This is the basis of the story, Flatland – A Romance Of Many Dimensions, by Erwin Abbott, set in Shapeland, or the 2D world. The narrator, named simply “the Square”, guides the reader through this victorian era like place, full of castles and kings. The Square eventually visits “Lineland” and “Spaceland”, the latter of which he couldn’t even imagine beforehand. This great novel was written in 1884, and still holds up logically true today.

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But back to the fourth dimension. There are some ways to imagine the fourth dimension, such as the shape of a tesseract. A tesseract is 4D shape, when translated into a 3D shape looks like a cube inside a cube, with lines connecting the corners. But what does it look like in the fourth dimension? Well, that’s where the app The Fourth Dimension app comes in. This app shows you the answer to this and more is an interactive and animated page by page story. The app thoroughly explains everything about the fourth dimension, and the whole thing takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, though totally worth it. With sprinkles of humor throughout, going through The Fourth Dimension app is a great learning and entertaining experience.

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TOTW: Top 5 Webby Award Winners

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11 years
by in TOTWs

Every year, since 1997, 1,000+ judges and millions of average people have participated in the annual Webby Awards. There are the Grammys, the Emmys, the Oscars and the Tonys, all for entertainment. Why not an award for everything related to the internet. Hosted by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), the Webbys has 100+ awards, ranging from games to social media to every type of advertisement there is. Since there are so many categories, really to much to look through them all, I have picked my 5 favorite winners. Here they are:

#1. Flat Vs Realism

Flat Vs Realism is a amazing web based story about the ongoing battle between flat design and realism. Basically iOS 67 vs iOS 7. Powered by inTacto, Flat Vs Realism won the award of Self Promotion/Portfolio, winning both the Webby Judges award and People’s Choice award. FVR is incredibly well done, balancing top class flat design with incredibly realism design depending on the timing in the story. I highly recommend you go here to experience the wonder of what good web designers can do.

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#2. Bob Dylan TV Mashup

This ingenious website is basically set up like a TV, where you can change the channels, and even turn up the volume the old fashioned way. There are about 15 actual channels you can flip through, all having real looking shows from that channel playing. But there is one difference. In the background, you can hear Bob Dylan’s song Like A Rolling Stone. But when you look at the people on TV, it looks like the people are actually singing the song. Of course, this website won Best Editing, and they deserved it. Great idea and very well executed.

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#3 Smart TXTBKS

Smart TXTBKS is not only a great idea, it is a very relevant idea and certainly will help people all over the world. Well, kids in Philippines, at least. In the Philippines, most people can’t afford a smartphone, and only have an old flip-phone, so their children still have to lug 100 pounds of textbooks to class everyday. This is getting to be a bigger problem, since some studies and news reports have shown that kids are even getting deformed by this task. Smart TXTBKS is a solution to that problem. The actual hardware of TXTBKS is a little sim card, which the kids can put into their old phones. On the sim cards are lots of different exercises and learning material for different subjects. This turns their phones into a textbook, letting them rest thier back for once. Smart TXTBKS won the Webby award for Education/Reference.

#4: Glasses.com App

Glasses.com is one of the biggest glasses shopping sites, and with the rise of high-tech advertisements, Glasses.com decided to ride the wave with their app, subsecuently named Glasses.com for iPhone. The app is basically a shopping tool, allowing you to look at all different types of glasses. Except for one thing. To win a Webby, which the Glasses.com app did in the Best Use Of A Camera category, you need to have some kind of gimmick or unusual or cool use of technoogy. The Glasses.com app actually lets you take a 3D picture of your face (by taking many puctures of you while you turn your head), then puts a 3D picture of the glasses they are selling on your face so you can try it on withput having to leave your house. This type of app is no doubt the future of shopping technology, and certainly deserves the Webby.

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#5 The Nike SB App

Last but certainly not least on this list is Nike’s SB app. Nike, as you probably know, is very integrated into sports equipment culture. All the time they are trying to branch off into different areas of sport, such as their recent development into smart watches, and their probable partnership with Apple for iWatch. Recently, Nike has delved into the giant sport of skateboarding. Skateboarding is a incredibly popular sport, with million and millions of tricks out there to learn. That’s why in Nike’s app, Nike SB, Nike brought together some of the best skateboarders out there to record and map out all the tricks known to mankind. The result is SB, an app where you can look through videos and demonstrations of how to do tons of different tricks in tons of different categories. This app won the Webby for Sports (handheld).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afeypAqwgng

Every year, the Webbys recognize many amazing projects and products that use the internet and technology to their advantage. I touched the surface of all the amazing Webby award winners, so if you would like to see them all for yourself, go right ahead here. I also found some interesting Webby award nominees that did not win, so here are my honorable mentions:

Google’s Project Loon

Kringl Proof Of Santa App

Virgin America’s Safety Video (must watch)

Urbanears Headphones

Google’s Talking Shoes

TOTW: The Best Way To Wake Up – Bacon

0
11 years
by in TOTWs

Over the years, the alarm clock has been the subject of hate, ridicule and more hate the past, well, century and anyone who has one knows why. The absolute worst feeling you can get is when you go to bet at 11 and are woken up at 6 by a beeping, coincidentally sounding like the bomb that just exploded in your mind. Many types of alternative alarms have been made, such as a clock that allows you to smash it, or one that imitates a coffee machine, but the best one by far has to be Oscar Mayer’s Wake Up And Smell The Bacon alarm. Just guess what it does.

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You got it! As the name implies, the WUASTB (best acronym ever) wakes you up every morning with the smell of bacon. Bacon. Why not. Of all the smells in the world, the one that I personally would like to wake up to the most would be bacon, so all you people at Oscar Mayer at least have one customer. Along with the scent released by the machine, some smoke (real smoke, not liquid smoke) is emitted, to even more enhance the experience.

They even made a fanciful trailer for it, which is obviously overboard but who cares:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiWdF3u9C0w

If you haven’t already noticed, there has been a trend in products these days, which the WUASTB follows right along with. The trend is that most headlining products are either add-ons to a smartphone, like WUASTB, compatibilities to a smartphone like Pebble or Google Glass, or software for a smartphone, like Flappy Bird. Phone companies are basically the base and the life-support of almost all of the technology market today. Thankfully, phone companies are not going anywhere soon, but the on-trendness of the WUASTB is a good sign, and that feature could bring this device into every one in America. Just kidding, some of us are vegetarian.

 

 

AOTW/TOTW: Top 5 Most Frustrating Mobile Games

0
11 years
by in AOTWs, TOTWs

The app store, featuring billions of apps and hundreds of categories, has one category that is unfortunately addicting and seems to be a recent fad: frustrating games. Frustrating, but in a weird way good apps. These apps have been gaining followers, all who want to kill themselves every time they play the game. For those of you out there who haven’t experienced the mindless rage you get when playing these games, here is a list of the best games in the Frustrating category. (remember, this list is mostly consisting of the best, most frustrating game that I have played. These are my favorites. Though if you end up throwing your phone out the window, don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.)

#1. Duet

Duet is currently my favorite game (which changes often), but even that can’t stop me from feeling like a want take by phone and through it down a well, then haul it up and do it again. The way the game works is that there is two balls at the bottom of the screen, both rotating on opposite sides of a circle axis. if you press on the right side of the screen, the balls spin right, and vise versa for left. The screen then moves under the balls, bringing forth a maze of obstacles that you have to navigate without having the balls touch any of the obstacles. It is actually a  brilliant game, well thought out and well designed, but it is very frustrating, which is why it is numero uno on this list.

#2. Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird. How could that impossibly annoying bird not be on this list. Made by Dong Nguyen, this game has swept over the nation like a plague, infecting everyone on it’s way. All you do is tap. Over and over. And over. And over. Just to get a bird through some tubes. Yet every time you play, and you fail, you want to play again. For some odd reason. But it does have some good qualities, and the story behind the short life of the game is almost as odd as the game itself.

#3. The Impossible Road

The Impossible Road has got to be the most self-explanatory game ever on the app store. It is basically just a road. With a ball on it. You can turn the ball left and right. The point of the game is to stay on the road and get past as many checkpoints as possible. Which is almost impossible. Yet when you fall off, you just want to play again in frustration. Some people may be able to resist the frustration, since it is less than Flappy Bird or Duet, but it is still pretty strong.

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#4. Super ball juggling

Another, lesser known masterpiece of Dong Nguyen is Super Ball Juggling, fraternal twin of flappy bird. Just like Flappy Bird, all you is tap, but this time, it is to keep the ball in the air. You car a guy, juggling a soccer ball, and when you tap he kicks and hopefully hits the ball to make your streak continue. The problem is, there is a very short window of when you can hit the ball, you it is hard to get even over ten. Still, just like Flappy Bird, you want to try again, but in this case, the urge can be avoided after a couple tries.

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The Juggler

#5. BIT.TRIP RUN!

BIT.TRIP RUN! (yes, it is actually all caps and has a exclamation) is another runner game, yet instead of a floating cam behind the character, it is on the side, watching your player navigate through a course of obstacles and gaps in the platform. You can avoid them by flicking on the screen different ways to perform different moves, such as kicking, jumping and sliding. In this game, the frustration is on a different level, more like the urge to finish the level battling your abilities. Anyway, out of these apps, this is the least appealing, but still a good game.

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The BIT.TRIP Runner

(curated by FFtech)

AOTW: Ridiculous Fishing Is Really Ridiculous

0
11 years
by in TOTWs

Apps, especially game apps, should be slightly self-explanatory, and also funny or catchy for extra effect. The name of the game Ridiculous Fishing is certainly self-explanatory. The game, built in a modern/minimalistic sort of way is addicting, fun and quite ridiculous. And all you is fish.

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There are already some fishing games out there on the market, but RF takes it to a whole new perspective. Instead of making a realistic fishing app, where you flick the phone to cast the line, and spin your finger to reel it in. RF is more of a puzzle/strategy game like Candy Crush or Threes turned fishing. In a good way.

To play, all you do is tap the screen, and you cast the line down the screen, which is like a cross-section of a ocean. On the way down, you have to avoid odd-looking fish so you can get deeper. When you hit a fish, you hook it and start going upward. On the way up, you try to HIT the most fish, hooking them so you can sell them at the top.

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There is many ways in RF that keep you playing. To have a good game, you must have rewards or features that keep the game interesting. Otherwise, the gamer will lose interest and move on. There are exceptions, like Flappy Bird, but Ridiculous Fishing isn’t one of them. There is one way, when the deeper you get the species of fish get more divergent. When you hook a certain amount of fish, you can move on the next location. The second, lesser incentive is gaining more money to buy items.

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Everything about Ridiculous Fishing is well thought out and designed. It may sound like I’m just being paid to say this, but you’ll just have to trust me. The modern design really looks great with the game, everything from the fish, to the wood grain on the boat, to the numbers look great. It has everything a game needs, and nothing about it could really be pointed out, like “Ohhh, the programmers really forgot about that, that’s bad.” If you don’t like the game, it’s just not your type. But I like it. (even it’s website is well made)

TOTW: Muse, The Brain Sensing Headband

0
11 years
by in TOTWs

Brain sensing technology is definitely one of the most futuristic and long-awaited technology ever. People have been fantasizing of a time where you can control computers and robots with your mind, or police having the ability to read minds for a long time. These times are still yet to come, but with technology moving so fast, it can’t be too long. For now, we have minor brain sensing products, including Muse, a brain sensing stress tamer.

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The Headband

Muse, shown off at the CES 2014, is a headband. But not a normal headband, obviously. On the underside of the band, there are sensors that can take in your brainwaves, sort them out, and then diagnose whether you are relaxed, stressed focused and more. Just with this data, you can help yourself. But Muse wanted to make this a full experience, not just a data collector. So they paired their device with an app.

To start, the Muse app takes in your data and allows you to look at it in charts and other helpful ways. But, in a way you couldn’t do by yourself, it gives you mini-games, utilizing your Muse, that help strengthen your focus and relax you when you’re stressed. If you use these games, over time, you could work more efficiently and hopefully make your life better.

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A Sample App Screenshot

That is just a hope, though. Many products, especially new ones, don’t deliver like they’re supposed to. The software is too slow, it breaks, it’s ugly (in Pebbles case) or another problem like that. I know it’s not ugly, since we can see the close-to-final product, but the if the software or the sensibility is off, the whole thing could come crashing down. Still, it has worked at the demos and it worked at the CES, so I have high hopes for this one. We’ll just have to wait and see. Or think, for that matter. Wait and think.

TOTW: What To Come In 2014 For Technology

11 years
by in Speculations, TOTWs

2013 was a great year for technological breakthroughs. New iPhones, new iPads, curved screens and more are just some of the things that were developed in 2013. But there is one question that is still being asked: what does the new year hold for us? There have been many promises, leaks and hints throughout the end of last year, and we can only wait and see if they become true. But we can predict.

Happy-Horse-Year-2014

There are many things that are very likely to happen in 2014. One of which is the highly awaited public release of Google Glass. When Project Glass was released as a concept to developers back in Google I/O, the frenzy of publicity began. Everyone was completely memorized by the possibility of a computer on your glasses, and apps soon began popping up everywhere for every usage. These glasses and almost certainly being released on the early 2014 Google I/O. Of course, millions and billions of people will learn about these glasses and become intrigued enough to buy one, and Google Glasses will soon be seen everywhere. This will certainly cause some controversy, but will probably blow over soon enough.

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We can’t forget Apple, though. At the 2014 WWDC, we can reasonably expect a new iPhone 6, which will probably be 50% percent lighter and 30% thinner. The retina will be better, and all the other stats will be much improved. The new Macbooks and iPads will most likely come at the later Apple conference, since at the last conference they were updated. After the release of the iPhone 5C, there is a chance that Apple will go down the color path with their other devices, especially the iPad Minis, which would definitely be a big surprise and a hit with the younger generation.

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iPad Mini “C” Concept Webpage

There has been one Apple product that I have been skirting around, but will now address. The iWatch. Samsung have already released their smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, but the early version was slightly disappointing. First of all, it is not a stand-alone product, but only works if paired to a Galaxy smartphone. The functions of the watch itself is limited to answering call, which you then have to get you phone out to answer, checking social and SMS notifications, and using Samsungs 70 third-party app like Path, Evernote, Runkeeper and more. The design is not fantastic and somewhat slow if you are used to Apple products, so we can hope that Apple improves on that. What Apple would do to make the iWatch significantly better is (1) make it faster and more reactive and (2) make it stand-alone from Apple’s other devices. If they do that, then it might justify Samsungs price of $300.

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A quite, may I say, interesting concept of what an iWatch may look like.

Smartglass will certainly take a leap in the new year. Transparent phones are already being prototyped without any software (so it’s useless for now), but it still has a few noticeable spots of chips, cameras and such visible. Since, as in Corning’s brilliant video, A Day Made Of Glass 1 and 2, smartglass will be everywhere in every shape and size in the future, we cannot hope too much for this coming trip around the sun. Although, significant progress will be made, and curved or curving glass will definitely be upgraded, almost to the point of public release.

A Day Made Of Glass 2, paused and explained by Corning

All in all 2014 is certainly going to be an interesting year. Breakthroughs will be made in not only technology, but science, physics, and almost any other field you can think of. The big events to look out for this year is the Google I/O, the Apple WWDC, the 2014 CES, Macworld/iWorld Expo, and more. Just as in 2013, at just these events thousands of products and concepts will be released and showcased, its amazing that all this could be accomplished in one year. But for now, all we have to do is wait and let the scientists and engineers work their magic.

Top 10 Apps Of The Year

0
11 years
by in Speculations, TOTWs

Top 10 Apps Of 2013

The time has finally come, when we at Fast Forward have to make the toughest decision of the year: the choice of the top 10 apps of the year. These apps that I have picked are my favorite apps from throughout the year, mixed in with the new, exciting, and most popular apps of 2013, year of the snake. Here they are:

#1: Waze

Maps and directional apps are becoming increasingly important in today’s society, especially since people are relying more than ever on smartphones rather than memorizing street names and how to get around. Waze definitely dominates, allowing users to post problems like bad traffic, police, fallen trees and more. This year, I have definitely used Waze more than even Google Maps, and was essential to living this year. All hail the Waze god!

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#2: QuizUp

QuizUp is truly the epitome of a great game. Trivia games don’t really have a high expectation, but with Quizup on the market, all the other apps have no chance at all. The very well designed and modern game allows users to play online users in a humongous variety topics, ranging from ancient history to dogs to Harry Potter. A social aspect allows you to thoroughly review your recent game, look at your stats and add friends which you can challenge. It’s so good, it would’ve done equally as good even if it was a paid app. This game certainly earns it’s spot in number 2.

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#3: Vine 

The Vine sensation has been sweeping the world, a social network dedicated to showing 6 second videos, which anyone can take right from their phone. This type of video has been popular for anyone to make a short film, topics ranging from art, experimental, cats, and most popular, comedy. Funny and incredible Vines have been topping the charts, such as a prank or someone throwing a basketball off a 60 story building and making it. The giant amount of users and videos makes what the app what it is, and it really is a great social network.

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#4: Duolingo

Duolingo has really sprouted into the big leagues in the past year, becoming the best and most popular language learning app. The unique social aspect of Duolingo’s approach to teaching sets it ahead of the rest, even the famous Rosetta Stone (the app, not the artifact). The app itself is also amazingly designed, allowing the user to surf through languages and lessons with ease. Learning languages has never been easier.

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#5: Candy Crush Saga

Candy Crush Saga. Who hasn’t heard of this sweet game that has taken over it’s category. The addictiveness of Candy Crush and it’s achievements, rewards, Facebook integration left everyone thinking “just one more level than I’ll go back to work”. Candy Crush is so immersive and addicting you could easily play for 10 minutes, then look up from the game and it turns out that it’s 2045. This is the ultimate game for wasting your life away, and has adults and kids global under it’s spell.

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#6: Snapchat

Taking pictures on the fly is really something phones excel at, and people (especially teenagers) like to take advantage of that by using Snapchat. Snapchat is essentially a social network that’s a mix of What’s App and Instagram. The great design lets you take a photo, then draw on it, add a caption to it and send it to another Snapchat user. But when it gets there, the other user holds their finger on it and only gets to look at it for 1-10 seconds, then it disappears forever, erasing the need to go back and delete texts or photos because of limited space. Snapchat is a very practical and fun social network, and it’s amount of downloads and users show that it’s idea is a success.

Snapchat_logo

#7: Clash Of Clans

It’s in our nature as a human being to want to control more and defeat our enemies. It’s called REVENGE. Clash of Clans is a village building strategy that lets us get the satisfaction of beating our opponents and stealing their gold. This multiplayer online game allows you to build up your village and grow in technology and land. The layout of the game makes it easy to run your village and at the same time chat with your Clan members in a social aspect. Tons of people all over the world are roughing it out with Clash Of Clans, and it has become very popular and a classic game.

ClashOfClans_header

#8: Plague Inc.

The strategy category of games have recently exploded with a bunch of great apps, one of which is Plague Inc. Plague Inc is a hyper realistic game where your goal is to, well, kill the world and everyone in it. You start out with a basic bacteria and your goal in a game it to spread to all the world and kill everyone, but not too fast or your hosts will die but not to slow or the cure will be discovered. Plague Inc brings out the villain in everyone, showing you a world, with amazingly realistic events in a newscast above, where you can collect DNA points and evolve your disease. Definitely the best strategy game of the year.

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#9: Drafts

Many productivity apps are only useful to the overworked and people in need of organization, but Drafts places its uses right in the perfect spot. Everyone could profit from using Draft’s easy interface and it’s ability to distribute information. All you have to do is customize the settings, and when you, say, need to send yourself a quick reminder or post something to Facebook and Twitter at the same time, Drafts is your solution. You can quickly type something into the top section, then send it to one of Drafts many options, such as markdown, Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Email, Text, Email to _____ (customizable), and many, many more. Drafts can serve you in many more ways than you could imagine, and is definitely a must need app.

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#10: Spotify

Pandora has been dominating the music services apps for years, now, but the time has come when a new option has arrived. Spotify. Spotify is a music app that you can download or play almost ANY song you could think of. There is also a radio, with no advertisements, unlike Pandora. You can make unlimited playlists and radios, but there is one small catch: it has a small monthly fee. Still, it is definitely worth it for those of us who spend ridiculously big amounts of money on iTunes, and is a very useful app for on the go music.

spotify-logo

 

And that’s it. If any of you don’t have any of these apps, I would highly recommend getting all of them. Below I have given out awards to three different apps; best design, Most Popular App, and Most Practical App. Watch out for my top tech and top app posts for 2014.

Best Design: QuizUp

Most Popular: Candy Crush Saga

Most Practical: Waze

 

 

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