Monday, 28 February 2011

Whats app...


Well, this is probably one of the best apps that one should have after buying iPhone 4. If you are using Android phone like the one YenLeng is using in her HTC Aria, then you could actually download it for free. However, on iPhone, it will cost $0.99...not too expensive for an app that has 4.5 stars...that's how good people are rating it...and there are 89 ratings given the last time I check.

Anyway, I realized that it was really good for communication, especially if you have friends who are using smartphone and they are on data plan as well...I'm lucky to have quite a number of friends using Whats App Messenger. I could chat with people like my sister, Chiew Lian, Addie, Alicia Yap, Evon and many others....and to be honest, you wouldn't even notice it to be using your data plan...it seems like just another sms that you are receiving from your friend.


Here are some of the snapshots that I have taken:


This is the favourite menu, and from here, you could look at the people in your contacts who are using Whats App....no need to bother about adding them like how you do on MSN or other Messenger...Whats App Messenger will automatic detect the people on your contacts who are using this application, whether it is an Android phone or iPhone or even Blackberry.



It is simple to use and for those of you are using it for the first time, you might be required to fill in some details for registration but it won't really take too much of your time.



Now, just like any other Messenger, you could set a status so that others could see. If you are using it for the first time, your status will probably be like mine, informing others that you are using Whats App Messenger by saying "Hey there! I am using Whats App." Of course, you could easily change the status into some of the common ones as shown on the image above...you have an option to edit your own status, just like when you are using MSN Messenger.




The interface is easy for usage and you could easily read the messages on Whats App. When you receive any message, there will be a notification informing you of the message, just like when you use sms. The push notification is very good and it helps to connect with my friends easily.


Here is the setting for you. You could tell a friend about this application either by sms or email. In the chat settings, you could change the display name, the chat wallpaper as well as to determine if you want to allow preview to be available. You could also download the Emoji Free Emoticons...so that you could send cute emoticons to your friends. If you want to block your friends, it is also possible from the settings on the application.




Of course, I also love the application because it is so user friendly and it even allows you to choose to either broadcast the message or even have group chat. This is amazing especially for those of you who have a lot of common friends in different place. Addie is in Ipoh, Liang Hin is in Singapore, Alicia is in KL and I'm in between Ipoh and KL so it really does help by having group chat.

For those of you who are using iPod, I am sorry to say but you probably could not purchase the app from the Apple Store at this moment but if you are interested and keen on jailbreaking your iPod, it is possible for you to have the application as well although I strongly believe that jailbreaking is not as cool as purchasing the app.

Given that the social network has become so important in our community today, I believe Whats App Messenger is definitely one of the most relevant app in our community today. If you are interested in using other application to chat, you could also consider Nimbuzz, PingChat and many others. My brother has shared about Nimbuzz in his previous post so you probably can look at it again. Nevertheless, Whats App would be my number one app for now...something that I must have if I own the iPhone, which I do now...

Monday, 14 February 2011

Viber - Free Phone Calls for Iphone, Ipod Touch and Ipad




Viber is a free Iphone application that allows you to make free phone calls to another Iphone owner who has the application installed. This application is currently one of the most popular free VOIP applications that are available in the iTunes Store and Iphone users who have downloaded the application can call whenever there is Internet connection be it Wi-Fi or 3G.

Viber is not only works with Iphone but it is also compatible with other Apple products like Ipod Touch and Ipad which use iOS 4.0 or newer. For Ipod Touch 3rd generation and older, a headset with mic is required to make the phone call using Viber.


After downloading and installed Viber on the Apple device like Iphone or Ipod Touch, one will requires to setup the application by entering a mobile number so that Viber can send an activation code to the mobile number. For Iphone, the activation code will usually be send to the Iphone, while for those who are using Ipod Touch or Ipad, they will get the activation code on their mobile phone. After the activation, Viber is ready to go and one will be able to save a lot of phone call charges by calling family and friends using Viber. Extremely good when call oversea.


One of the thing that I like about Viber is I feel that the sound is better than regular phone call especially when I'm in a Wi-Fi zone where the Internet connection is fast - assuming the receiver's Internet connection is the same. In the latest version, Viber includes call quality indicator, which really do me a great deal of favour in finding the location with the strongest Wi-Fi signal.

Saturday, 5 February 2011

Call for Free Using Nimbuzz for iOS and Android




During this Chinese New Year break, I managed to play around with some of the applications for the iPod and Iphone. Well, one of the application that I found useful and more importantly there is an Android version of the application as well. This means that if you have a lot of friends using iPhone or even iPod Touch and Android smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Desire HD, then this application is suitable for you as well.


Nimbuzz is like a 2 in 1 application that allows registered users to make calls to other Nimbuzz users, as well as sending messages. In short, Nimbuzz is just another Skype that most of us are currently using.
(I will blog about the Skype application for iOS and Android in another post)

One of the feature in Nimbuzz that I like, as well as dislike is the integration with other messaging software like Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Facebook Chat and many other more. I really like this because you get to chat or call friends who are logged on to the PC while calling and texting for free with friends using smartphones like iPhone - of course they need to be registered users as well.

For iPod Touch users, you can also install this application and chat or call friends whenever you are in a WiFi connection - it is not that tough to find WiFi zone nowadays as there are just too many Starbucks or Old Town Kopitiam around us.

Thursday, 3 February 2011

iPhone 4

We all know about iPhone 4 but how many of us really know about what it can do? Well, I don't really know about it either until my sis bought hers...









When I was unboxing the iPhone 4, I was AWW!! haha!!



Well, to be honest, iPhone 4 is a good phone...user-friendly, smooth and it seems to be running so smoothly all the time. Then, you don't have to worry about closing applications like when you use Android or Windows Mobile (if you're still using it). 

The camera is fantastic....and my brother who previously said nothing good about iPhone seems to appreciate the camera in it and the ability of iPhone 4 to upload photos directly to social networks as well. The music is fantastic, the video is awesome...the internet browsing is simple, smooth and the pinch to zoom seems to be awesomely smooth. Although i felt that the battery life ain't as good as proclaimed by many...

Well, here are the specifications of the Iphone 4 for those of you who do not know...you could go the Apple website to look for it...I'm too lazy to write it down in my blog here... 

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Samsung Galaxy S

Samsung Galaxy S is one of the best Android smartphone available in the market and since I consider getting one, I look at some of the specifications and the power of this smartphone. 

This 4-inch, Super AMOLED, 800 x 480, IPS-killing display has been the screen that could amaze you even if the smartphone is subjected to bright sunshine flowing directly at it. This is probably one of the finest displays at the moment, very much comparable with the iPhone 4 retina display. 
The Hummingbird processor is powerful as well, making the pinch-to-zoom to be superbly smooth. 




The 720p video recording at a cool 30fps is on offer, along with a 5 megapixel imager on the back and a 1.3 megapixel one on the front. Both picture and video processing were done rapidly. 


On the software front, you've got TouchWiz 3.0 overlaid atop Android, though if you're keen on sticking to the stock Google-flavored Eclair, the good news is that Samsung's modifications don't really get in your way. 

Aside from the Social Hub -- which aggregates Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and other social networks into one stream, in a similar vein to what almost everyone else is doing lately -- they're mostly in-app changes and skinning tweaks that shouldn't have a negative impact on the user experience. 

The handling of contacts were amazing as you could swipe it to the right on a contact's name to automatically dial his phone number, whereas swiping left initiates a text message with him as the addressee. This is definitely smooth, and user-friendly...something that Samsung has been very good at lately.

Of course, there are much more free apps on the Android market in comparison to the Apple store...

GALAXY USER GUIDE
Network


HSUPA 900/1900/2100
EDGE/GPRS 850/ 900/1800/1900
Dimension

64.2 X 122.4 X 9.9 mm (119g)
Display

4.0” WVGA(480x800) 16M SUPER AMOLED
mDNIe(Mobile Digital Natural Image engine)
Samsung Android 2.1 (Eclair)

Upgrade to Android 2.2 (Froyo) is available
via Samsung Kies*

Samsung Apps / Android Market

Various applications downloadable
Social Hub

Integrates SNS, email, and calendar accounts

* Availability may vary depending on country and carrier
Android Samsung UI

Multiple Homescreens
Hybrid Widgets
Processor

1GHz CPU Speed
Battery (Standard) Li-pol, 1,500mAh

Talk time: 2G/803 min, 3G/393 min.
Standby time: 2G/750 hrs, 3G/576 hrs.
Camera

5.0 Megapixel AF camera
Self Shot, Action Shot, Add me, Cartoon Shot, Smile Shot
Video

HD Video Player & Recorder (1280 x 720) @ 30fps
codec: DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, VC-1
format: 3gp(mp4), AVI(divx), MKV, FLV, H.263Sorenson
Music

Music Player with SoundAlive
3.5mm Ear Jack
MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+/OGG/WMA/AMR-NB/AMR-WB/WAV/
MID/AC3/IMY/FLAC/XMF
Memory

16GB/8GB+ MicroSD(Up to 32GB)
Android Browser

Flash Lite3.1, RSS reader
Multi-touch zoom

Light sensor

Accelerometer sensor, Proximity Sensor, Digital Compass
Additional Features

Layar Reality Browser powered by Tele Atlas
Swype, Write & Go
ThinkFree
Aldiko e-book