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One of the attractions of the new iPhone 4S is the sheer volume of applications that are available for download. We have discovered a new application called Hailo, a great new piece of software which performs a task that we haven’t seen any other application attempt to tackle.

Hailo for the iPhone 4S is a service that helps users in London locate a taxi. in London taxis are known as Black Cabs and there are 23 thousand registered drivers in the UK capital. At present anybody who requires one of these taxis would need to try and catch the attention of one that happens to be driving past. The new Hailo application makes this task a much simpler affair. Using the location based services that are offered by the iPhone the software shows your current location on a map and the location of the five cabs that are closest to you at that moment in time. All that is left for you to do is select the taxi that is closest to you and press the “Pick Me Up Here” button and your car will arrive within minutes. We tested this application several times in London and always found a taxi that was no further away than a minute from our location.

When you set up the Hailo application for the first time on the iPhone 4S you are given the option to enter your debit card details. This is particularly useful as when you request your taxi you are given the option to either pay by cash or pay by card using the details that you have already entered. By simply inputting your desired destination at this point the Hailo application calculates the exact cost of the journey with zero interest charges. If you like to tip your driver then you also have the option to add this to your total cost. At present this service is only working in London but their are plans to extend the service so that it covers cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Edinburgh. Consumers in the United States will also be able to use this service soon with a number of cities along the east coast being lined up. Although we looked at the software on the iPhone 4S it has now been launched for Android smartphones and Blackberry users can expect the application to be available very soon.

Hailo is an easy to use and innovative application that will make taking a taxi journey a simple affair for thousands of iPhone 4S users. The software uses a great interface and the number of locations where you can use the service is set to increase in the near future.

The iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 8GB are available now.

When Apple launched the iPhone 4S in 2011 many critics and consumers where a little underwhelmed by the device. Many of us were expecting a brand new design and a larger display however neither of these materialised. Despite the negativity that surrounded the launch of the device, the model has gone on to prove a massive success with the public.

Apple have just announced details of their sales figures for the first financial quarter of 2012. This may confuse many people as we have not even completed January but in financial terms the first quarter relates to the period of 1st October 2011 to December 31st 2011. In this period Apple managed to sell an astonishing 37 million iPhones. This number is includes the new iPhone 4S in addition to other models including the iPhone 4 and 3GS. The impressive thing about these figures is that they are the actual number of units sold by Apple and not just shipped. Many manufacturers publicise the number of units they have shipped which means the devices they have supplied to retail outlets. The actual figure that they have sold may actually be much lower than this. To put this figure into perspective Apple managed to sell 17 million units in the previous quarter which means these latest numbers represent a massive 117 per cent increase. Samsung have recently released details of their performance in the same quarter and reported that they shipped over 35 million units. Considering that Samsung offer a much larger range of devices it is encouraging that the figures achieved by the three Apple models are so high.

Apple themselves know that there are not many major differences between the new iPhone 4S and its predeccesor the iPhone 4 but the company have focused much media attention on the areas where there are big improvements. It is difficult to turn on the television or read a magazine without seeing an advertisement for the Siri voice recognition software that the model incorporates. This software turns the handsets into a truly hands free device by enabling you to instruct the phone with voice commands. Many smartphones do offer some form of voice recognition but none offer the level of functionality that Siri achieves. Camera features are another area that have seen a significant boost with the new model boasting an 8 mega pixel resolution together with 1080P video capture.

The sales figures that Apple have achieved in the last three months have surpassed all expectations. This success can be attributed to excellent features such as Siri that are incorporated on the iPhone 4S along with competitive prices that are now available on older models such as the iPhone 4.

The iPhone 4S and the White iPhone 4S are available now.

Thanks to the excellent connectivity options on modern smartphones the devices are capable of performing a variety of different tasks. One area where they are proving particularly useful is for saving users money with a selection of new applications. We take a look at two of these application that are available for the iPhone 4S and see how they benefit the user.

One of the newer applications for this model is named Poynt. This clever piece of software makes use of the location based services that are incorporated in the phone to give users information on the cheapest Petrol and Diesel prices in the area. The rise in fuel costs has made national news in the UK and it is a very sensitive subject for many car owners. The Poynt application is linked to the Whatgas internet service that offers up to date price information about over 8700 filling stations across the UK. The owner of the Whatgas service, Andrew Osis, has commented that users of this service can save between £5 and £10 by choosing the right station. The software is available for free from the iTunes App Store and is the first application of its kind in the United Kingdom. Poynt is not only great for finding fuel stations but also a host of other ammenities in the area around you including cinemas, restaurants and public houses.

If you are going away on holiday then there is a high chance that you will need to exchange some currency. The new What’s The Rate application for the iPhone 4S has been developed to help you get the best possible exchange rates for your chosen currency. This software gives you the current exchange rates available from Thomas Cook, the company who produce this application, and also a selection of other leading high street providers. This application should ensure that you get the best possible rates when it comes to exchanging your hard earned money. A nice feature that this software offers is the Ratewatch facility. With this feature you can set a desired exchange rate that you would like to buy your currency for. When this set rate is reached by any of the providers used by the application then you are alerted immediately, even if you are not using the software at that exact time. The What’s The Rate application also allows you to order currency and travellers cheques which can be collected from your local branch of Thomas Cook. If you have left this task until the last minute you can even opt to collect your currency from selected airports before you depart.

There are numerous applications available for the iPhone 4S that can help the user to save money and we have looked at two of the better ones available. With many people having to be careful with their money due to the current financial climate applications such as these should become very popular during 2012.

The iPhone 4S and the HTC Sensation XL are available now

Modern smartphones now offer a wealth of features that at one time you would not naturally associate with a mobile phone. Over the past year one area where we have seen a rapid increase in development is Television services that are offered on devices such as the iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy S2. Modern devices such as these now offer a host of video on demand services and many also enable video streaming from compatible devices. We take a look at some of the proposed updates that are expected for the Sky+ application in the UK.

Sky Television is one of the largest television broadcasters in the UK with an estimated 10 million subscribers. The Sky + application has been available for the iPhone 4S for many months and already offers some great features that can benefit consumers. Users with this application have the facility to set remote recordings from their handsets to their decoder box that is connected to a home network. In addition to this users can also view a full viewing schedule which lets them know what programmes are being broadcast and at what time. The new update will add some extra features that should see the iPhone become an integral part of the users viewing experience. When viewing the TV schedule additional content will be available such as cast members and reviews of the broadcast. A template of the Sky remote control will also be displayed on the phones screen that will allow users to control their viewing directly from their mobile handset.

Sky have combined with Zeebox to produce this latest update and this collaboration will see social networking sites become a major part of the software. Zeebox are a company that specialise in producing aggregated social network feeds from sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The new service will enable you to view Twitter feeds that relate to the broadcast that you are viewing and also allow you to post your own views on the site. The new Sky+ update for the iPhone 4S will also deliver product specific advertising to users. Rather than displaying random adverts that might catch the attention of the user this new service will advertise products that are directly related to the broadcast that they are viewing. If you are viewing a drama series the option to purchase the DVD box set may appear or official merchandise if you are viewing a documentary about your favourite music star. This will not only appeal to the user but it also gives the developers the potential to make additional revenue from the application.

We have recently seen social networking sites play an important part in many new applications including numerous games and the latest update to the Tom Tom satellite navigation system. The new Sky+ software for the iPhone 4S also intends to make full use of these services to leave the customer with an application that may become an important part of their everyday lives.

The iPhone 4S and the White iPhone 4S are available now.

Social networking facilities have been present on smartphones for quite some time and we are now seeing sites such as Facebook and Twitter being integrated into other applications and features. The Tom Tom application for the iPhone 4S is a great satellite navigation system and is about to recieve an update that makes quite extensive uses of social sites such as Facebook.

Recently we have seen a number of changes to traditional social networking websites that have enabled the user to perform many more tasks than were previously possible. One of the biggest changes on Facebook was the ability to “check in” to places that you visit. Initially this was designed as a method of informing friends and family of your current whereabouts but thanks to the excellent location services that many phones boast the service has become useful for applications such as Tom Tom. When using this application rather than typing in a street name or postcode of the destination that you wish to travel to the new service links with Facebook to give you numerous other options. If you have accepted an invitation to an event you can now simply click on this invitation on the iPhone 4S screen and the software will extract the address details and guide you to the correct location. Likewise if your friends have stored address details on their profile page you can simply click on their name and leave the software to take you to this location.

How effectively this new update works is quite dependent on how willing your Facebook friends are to leave their personal details on their page. In this modern age many members of the public are cautious about giving much information away but this new Tom Tom update certainly works well if the information needed is all present. Obviously this application for the iPhone 4S still boasts all of the features that were present before the social networking facilities were incorporated so if your contacts do keep their Facebook details to a minimum you are still sure to find your way to the location you require. The software allows you to search for an address by postcode or by street name and the service will then calculate the quickest route for you to travel. Maps can be updated on a daily basis meaning your phone always has the most up to date details available. One of the more impressive aspects of this software is that a mobile signal is not required for the system to work. This is perfect if you are travelling to a remote area that may traditionally struggle with mobile reception.

The new update for the Tom Tom application on the iPhone 4S makes excellent use of information that can be stored on modern sites such as Facebook. Although the application is not cheap at £49.99 when you compare it to the cost of a stand alone satellite navigation device this price is very competitive and could prove a wise investment for anybody who finds themselves travelling regularly.

The iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 8GB are available now.

The new iPhone 4S incorporates a clever pass code that means that after a period of inactivity the phone will lock itself until the correct pin number is entered. Many users of the phone however opt not to use this feature as it does increase the operation time when you want to perform a quick function. We take a look at the new My Secret Folder application, a clever piece of software designed to keep personal files safe even if your phone is not locked.

The principle idea behind this new application is to keep private photo and video files away from prying eyes. This can prove especially useful if you have your handset stolen or if you leave your phone unguarded around inquisitive friends. When you download this application any photographs or videos that you capture from the software are automatically stored behind a 4 digit password. Users have the option to also move existing material from their camera roll into the application but it is important to remember to delete the original media as this is not encrypted. The whole ideas sounds like a fairly basic data security system but the application includes some wonderful features to help keep your data even more secure. The first of these clever ideas is that the icon for the application is fairly well camouflaged so it is not obvious to anybody who happens to be looking at your home screen. The icon takes the form of a shortcut folder complete with smaller icons displayed inside it. When you look very closely this may look very obvious but when the symbol is mixed in with a variety of other icons it becomes very well hidden and inconspicuous.

The word “cunning” is not one that you would normally associate with applications for the iPhone 4S but My Secret Folder deserves this title. The software includes not one but two four digit passwords. The first one you enter is a decoy in case anybody happens to be watching what you type on screen. When this is entered a number of normal photographs are displayed but none that are locked within the software. These photographs can only be viewed when you enter the second password. Perhaps the most ingenious element of this software is how it reacts when the wrong password is typed on the phone. When this occurs the phone takes a photograph using the front facing camera which is stored in a log along with the geographical location of where it happened and the code that they attempted to input. This can be viewed by the user so they can see who was tampering with their phone and what numbers they tried to use. This is potentially useful when choosing future passwords and PIN numbers as it gives you an indication what other people expect the digits to be.

The My Secret Folder application for the iPhone 4S is much more than a basic secure folder. The app incorporates a number of features that should make it an essential download for anybody who wants to keep their photographs and video footage private.

The iPhone 4S and the White iPhone 4S are available now.

One of the key features of the iPhone 4S is the excellent Music feature which was previously known as iPod. Although every smartphone available boasts a music player none can match the excellent interface and functionality offered by this service. It now seems however that iOS users have the option of an impressive new music player in the shape of Shazam Player. We take a look to see what this new application has to offer.

Shazam was first launched on the iPhone platform back in 2008 as a way of identifying tracks that you were not familiar with. As the application increased in popularity we saw more features added by the developers including links with the Spotify application and the excellent LyricPlay mode which accesses lyrics of the song you are currently playing via an internet connection. The latest software released by the company is undoubtedly the best introduction yet and could replace the basic Music application for many iPhone 4S users. The Shazam Player allows you to perform all of the functions that you would expect from any standard player and a whole lot more. Users can search for specific tracks or browse their collection via a number of different methods. Consumers who like to use the iTunes store for purchasing tracks can also access this from within the application which seems a much more simple method than leaving the player facility to purchase tunes as you would have to do on the software that comes installed on the iPhone.

The basic functions that are present on the Shazam Music Player for the iPhone 4S do everything that you expect of them but it is some of the more unusual features that really stand out. The software allows you to view Youtube videos of the track you have chosen and information on the song can also be shared with friends over social networking sites such as Facebook. A rather clever idea is the ability to add song to a Good or Bad list. Songs that have been added to the Bad list are less likely to appear during random playback and songs on the Good list are likely to appear more frequently. This particular function is useful for consumers who like to download whole albums rather than individual tracks as it is very rare for somebody to like every song. The fun LyricPlay mode is also present and scans your music collection when you first install the application and highlights the tracks that have Karaoke style lyrics available.

Although the Shazam Music Player is slightly more complicated to use than the standard Music feature on the iPhone 4S many user will still opt to use this impressive new software. Some great features really benefit a music playback facility and the social networking connectivity will appeal to the younger audience.

The iPhone 4S and the White iPhone 4S are available now