apple iphone 4s

The iPhone 4S is a phone capable of performing many task thanks to a variety of applications that can be downloaded. Over the last 12 months we have seen numerous banking institutions launch software that enables customers to manage their accounts directly from their handset. Barclays have now taken things a step further and unveiled their Pingit service which changes how users can send and receive funds.

The new Barclays Pingit application for the iPhone 4S is the first software that allows user to send money without needing to enter the banking details of the recipient. The service is available to anybody who is over 18 years of age and holds a Barclays Current account. The services links a UK mobile phone number to the users account details so that funds can be exchanged easily. Although users in the UK can only receive payments at this moment in time the service will be updated very soon to enable them to transfer funds. The service is ideal for consumers and small business users and the amounts that can be transferred are limited to between £1 and £300 per day. It is hoped that Pingit will prove perfect for small payments such as for window cleaners or paying back small loans from friends or family where the recipient will not have the facility to accept a card payment and may not want to hand out their account details. The system is very secure and all users are required to enter a 5 digit PIN number when logging into the application.

There are numerous banking applications available for the iPhone 4S that allow users to perform a number of functions directly from their phone. Major high street banks including Barclays, Natwest and Lloyds TSB all have applications that can perform a range of services. Mobile services such as these are perfect for simple tasks such as quickly checking your account balance or seeing if a payment has been deducted. The phone services also offer some useful features that help you manage your money more efficiently. An example of this can be found on the excellent Natwest application which sends users a notification when the account balance becomes close to going overdrawn. The application can also use the location based services on the 4S to help you find the nearest cash machine. If you happen to be running the iPhone 4S on a Pay As You Go tariff then credit can easily be added to the device directly from the application.

Barclays Pingit for the iPhone 4S is a superb new banking service that can revolutionise how we send and receive funds. it is just one of a number of superb applications available to help users have more control over their finances.

The iPhone 4S is available now and the iPhone 5 is coming soon.

When the new iPhone 4S was launched in 2011 the new model boasted a number of improvements over its predecessor. One of the big changes that attracted many users to this device was the integration of social networking site Twitter into the phones operating system. It now seems that more people than ever are picking up there mobile phone to send a Tweet or simply to check what is happening in the world around them.

Recently one of the biggest sporting events in the world was broadcast live on television. Millions of fans across the world tuned in to watch the New York Giants take on the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, American Footballs show piece event. What is even more surprising is that during this game Twitter achieved a new record for Tweets posted per second. During the final three minutes of this game there was an average of ten thousand Tweets per second. This is because many people now own device such as the iPhone 4S which allows people to quickly post data without needing to switch on a laptop computer or even leave their chair in front of the television. Recent statistics show that 43% of Twitter users regularly check their account form their smartphone. The excellent connectivity options boasted by models such as the 4S enables user to quickly check the opinions of their friends or post their own Tweets without really taking their eyes off the television.

It seems as though television broadcasters are very aware of the fact that many people now refer to sites such as Twitter before other forms of media such as newspapers and the internet. Viewers are encouraged to contact the broadcasters via the social networking site and numerous stars and celebrity’s have their own accounts to keep in touch with their followers. This boom in popularity grabbed the attention of Apple as well and they ensured that the new iPhone 4S featured more Twitter features than ever before. The new notifications system instantly informs users of alerts from the site and any locations that you are visiting can be instantly posted to your profile. The uploading of media has also been made easier by the phones camera feature enabling photographs and videos to be posted directly to your Twitter account.

The iPhone 4S is an incredibly popular model and the fact that it makes using a site like Twitter so easy adds to the appeal of the phone. It seems as though more users of this phone are using social networking facilities such as these instead of more traditional features such as SMS and e mail.

The iPhone 4S and the HTC Explorer are available now.

Every year there seems to be a handful of games launched on the iPhone 4S that go on to become a global sensation. In 2010/11 Angry Birds proved a worldwide hit with millions of users becoming addicted to the simple game play that the title offered. In 2012 it looks as though two equally as addictive titles are becoming a hit with mobile gamers everywhere. We take a look at Temple Run and GlassPong.

Recently Temple Run has become the top grossing game for the iPhone 4S. The title is a free game although users have the option to purchase additional coins which can be exchanged for power ups and character boosts. The principle of Temple Run is quite simple, guide your explorer character through a series of paths and collect coins along the way while trying to travel as far as you possibly can. There are obviously obstacles in your way which you will need to swerve, jump and slide under to avoid. These actions are performed by simply swiping on the screen of the phone or by tilting your handset. To make things a little more interesting there is a pack of hungry creatures chasing you meaning it is important to avoid the obstacles or they will catch up with you and the game will be over. The simple control mechanism helps make this title so appealing and the colourful graphics resemble a console based game rather than a mobile release. If you like to compete with your friends you have the option to post your scores on Twitter at the end of your game.

Another game available for the iPhone 4S that looks destined to be a huge success in 2012 is GlassPong. The idea behind this title is very simple indeed, you have one minute to bounce as many balls as you can into different glasses. An upward swipe on the screen of the 4S launches your ball while tilting the device to the sides enables you to control which direction they are travelling in. During the game occasionally you are presented with a yellow ball which is worth triple points if you can hit your target. Like Temple Run the game is very easy to play and each game only last 60 seconds which is perfect is you have a few minutes to spare. This game does not require any in game purchases with the developers relying on advertising to generate revenue.

Temple Run on the iPhone 4S looks like being the runaway success that Angry Birds was on the iPhone 4. The game looks great and provides hours of fun. GlassPong is a similarly addictive title and the fact that both titles are available for free means that they are easily accessible to all 4S users.

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

The iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus are two advanced mobile smartphones that are capable of picking up a HSPA+ mobile date signal. Unfortunately in the UK there are no mobile networks that currently support this type of system. This looks set to change however with network provider Three announcing plans to launch the service later in 2012.

At present iPhone 4S users in the UK can enjoy mobile data transfer speeds of 21Mbps which enables users to experience a satisfactory web browsing experience when they are on the move. This transfer speed is ample for uploading media to social networking sites and also for general web browsing. This speed however can be improved and the new HSPA+ service will double the current data transfer speed to 42Mbps to give users an even faster online experience. With Three making this announcement it is anticipated that other UK network providers such as O2 and Vodafone will launch services of their own so their customers can take advantage of these faster speeds. This improved service will benefit all areas of mobile internet use but it will be especially noticeable on sites that offer video content which is where many current devices may experience a delay when trying to view material.

The iPhone 4S offers a wealth of alternative connectivity options so that all users can experience a great online experience regardless of their location. At present the phone does offer HSPA on a 3G network for the fastest mobile speeds however 3G coverage does not reach every part of the country so it is pleasing to see some very capable alternatives in place. The model can connect to an EDGE network which offers speeds that are not at fast as 3G but still ample to provide a good service. If users have access to a WiFi network then this method will give you the fastest possible online speeds. The phone supports all three recognised speeds of WiFi including the new “N” standard. Obviously this method is only viable when you are within range of a recognised network but the phone does remember security details meaning that the device will always automatically connect to this network when within range without you needing to enter access keys and passwords.

The iPhone 4S features some advanced connectivity options to ensure users can enjoy browsing the internet at all times. The announcement that Three will be launching an HSPA+ service in the coming months will further enhance the excellent facilities already offered by this model.

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

Millions of iPhone 4S owners use their handset to access social networking sites. The majority of users will find themselves logging into the obvious sites such as Facebook and Twitter however there are a wealth of other sites available that could well become the next big thing. Here we take a look at some great alternatives to Facebook and Twitter for the iPhone.

FourSquare is a location based social networking service which helps users meet one another face to face. The principle behind this application is that users can check into every location that they visit by using their iPhone 4S to send a GPS signal. Other users can discover where you are by checking out your profile. Alternatively you can opt to see which other users have checked into the location you are currently visiting. The application will then list everybody who is at that location giving you a much higher chance of meeting them face to face than you will ever get from sites such as Twitter. There are a number of other features available on this service including the chance to receive discount vouchers by checking into specified business premises. Gowalla is another application which is based around places that you visit. Unlike FourSquare the purpose of this application is to create a timeline of places that you have visited rather than informing users of your current whereabouts. This software allows you to record details and make comments on places that you visit. If your friend discovers a great Thai restaurant tucked away on a quiet street in London and logs their visit you can find this location and read what they have to say about it the next time you are in the area.

One new social networking site that could become a global hit is the excellent Pinterest. This iPhone 4S application does not focus on locations like the other software that we have looked at and concentrates on material that can be found on the internet. The principle behind Pinterest is for users to create their own virtual pinboard full of their favourite internet links. If people like the same kind of content as you they will follow you which means if they find something of interest you will be able to view the link that they post. The principle is very simple yet works very well indeed. We have wasted many hours finding gems form the world wide web that have been posted on this site. At present membership to the Pinterest service is invite only but all users are free to browse the public content that is available.

If you look beyond Twitter and Facebook there are some super social networking applications available for the iPhone 4S. Pinterest is our current favourite while services such as FourSquare and Gowalla boast some superb location based features.

The iPhone 4S and the Motorola Razr are available now.

The iPhone 4S is a mobile phone that incorporates a huge number of features including a superb music player and a high quality digital camera. Due to the technology that is used on the phone the devices are expensive to replace should you damage or break your handset. For this reason there is currently a huge market for protective cases to help consumers keep their phone in perfect condition. The Nissan Scratch Shield is scheduled to be released later this year and it is the first case that can actually repair itself if it is damaged.

Nissan are developing this exciting new protective case together with the University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc. The Scratch Shield is finished with a polyrotaxane paint to help protect your iPhone 4S against scratches and damage. This special paint has unique properties that enable it to detect any damage and then elastically return to its original shape. Although this self repair process is not instant it is reported that minor scratches can heal within one hour and more extensive damage within one week. This kind of technology has been used before by Nissan on a number of their automobiles but this is the first time that the special coating has been used on another product. The case is constructed from a plastic material named ABS which Nissan prefer to alternative plastics as it is very robust and is also easier to grip, two properties that make it perfect for use on a mobile device. Bob Laishley, the overseas programme director of Nissan quoted, “The Scratch Shield iPhone case is a great example of us taking a Nissan automotive technology that has had a huge impact for our customers, and then shifting the boundaries to apply it to another everyday product”.

Even without a protective case the iPhone 4S is one of the most durable phones currently available. The phone makes use of a chemically strengthened glass which has been used in the manufacture of high speed trains and helicopters. This type of glass is reportedly 20 times stronger than conventional glass which makes it a great choice for a devices such as the iPhone. Many people have complained about the extensive use of glass on this model but many seem to forget that we have been using mobile devices with glass screens for many years now. Apple are the first manufacturer to use a back panel constructed from this material but such is the strength of this toughened developed glass the phone is less likely to damage than other devices that use materials such as plastic. This does not mean that the iPhone 4S is immune from damage however so it is wise to invest in a protective case and the Nissan Scratch Shield is the very best that you will find.

The new iPhone 4S protective case from Nissan is the perfect accessory for anybody who owns one of these phones. The impressive coating means that the case will look great for many months and more importantly keep your precious phone safe from any damage.

The iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy S2 are available now.

In a time before smartphones existed Nokia were the brand that undoubtedly produced the leading phone handsets. For years the company produced stunning mobile devices that were the very best that money could buy. The introduction of smartphones however saw a number of manufacturers overtake Nokia, partly due to the Finnish manufacturers reliance on the unpopular Symbian operating system. Nokia have had a resurgence lately thanks to their impressive Lumia range of devices running on the Windows operating system. We see how their flagship Lumia 900 model compares the the hugely popular iPhone 4S.

It really is difficult to fault the screen quality of the iPhone 4S. Apple have now used their famous Retina display on the last two generations of the iPhone and it remains the leading screen technology available. The 3.5 inch display may not be the largest but its relatively compact size together with the high 640 x 960 resolution means that the model can display a massive 330 pixels per inch. This level far exceeds what many rival phones can offer and it is actually beyond what the human eye can detect, hence the name of the screen. Responsiveness from the capacitive touch panel is superb and the screen always looks in top condition thanks to a special coating that helps to make it resistant to oily fingerprints. The Nokia Lumia 900 uses a much larger 4.3 inch screen that makes use of AMOLED technology. This type of screen always produces wonderfully vivid colours and great viewing angles however the resolution is much lower than the iPhone at 480 x 800 pixels. The resulting effect on pixel density is that the model can isplay just 217 pixels per inch, a number which compares favourably with many mid range models but falls short of what most premium devices can now offer. Despite its smaller size the iPhone 4S offers the higher quality screen thanks to the excellent pixel density and the high resolution that it is capable of displaying.

The iPhone 4S continues to outshine its rival when we take a look at the processing power that both models can offer. The model is the first phone from Apple to incorporate a dual core processor. This 1Ghz ARM Cortex A9 chip performs very well delivering great speeds and efficient power management. The processor chip is accompanied by a super graphics processing unit that make playing games titles on this model a satisfying experience. This PowerVR SGX543MP2 chip handles the most demanding games titles with ease and makes the model one of the best phones available for gaming. The Nokia Lumia 900 uses a larger 1.4Ghz Scorpion however the chip is only a single core affair. This means that day to day operation is still very fast but when performing multiple tasks the handset may run slightly slower. A superb gaming experience is possible on this model thanks to an Adreno 205GPU and the model incorporates 512MB of RAM memory which is exactly the same as what the 4S can offer.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is certainly a great mobile phone which combines a large screen with a very powerful processor however the iPhone 4S outshines the device in both of these departments.

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

Recently Apple announced some new services that they will be offering over the coming months. We previously took a look the new iTunes U service that has been introduced so now it is the turn of iBooks 2, the software which reinvents the traditional educational textbook.

Modern smartphones such as the iPhone 4S incorporate a huge amount of internal storage capacity along with large, high quality displays. This means that these devices are suitable for performing a number of tasks which would not have been possible on a mobile phone 3 years ago. A great example of one such task is the excellent iBooks service which Apple introduced when they launched the 4S phone. This feature enables customers to download a variety of books and publications to their device and read the contents on the phones screen. Apple have now unveiled iBooks 2 which takes this service to the next level. The whole purpose of this update is to benefit students by enabling a large number of textbooks to be downloaded to help them with their studies. Where these textbooks differ from the traditional kind that you would purchase from a book store is that they can incorporate a huge amount of additional interactive content. This content can take the form of a video clip that relates to the text or a multiple choice test which can be instantly assessed.

One area that impresses us with this new software for the iPhone 4S is how it allows the user to make their own notes directly onto the phones display. If you a reading a piece of text that you wish to make a note on you can simply highlight the sentence and then type your own notes which are automatically stored. All notes can be viewed in one location after you have finished reading the book which is a handy way of compiling revision cards. Digital textbooks such as these are a new idea and because of this it is expected that they will account for around 6% of education books sales this year. By 2020 it is predicted that this share will be around 50% of the market. The iBooks 2 software is not only perfect for people who wish to read material but it is also perfect for authors who are looking to publish their own content. For people who want to do this the iBook Author has also been released which provides authors with a simple platform to create their own material.

The iBooks 2 software for the iPhone 4S should revolutionise the textbook market and provide a fun way of learning for students of all ages. The 4S is the perfect device for viewing such material thanks to its incredible display and large storage capacity.

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

Apple have recently launched their new iTunes U service for the iPhone 4S device. This new educational software is available as an application and brings numerous benefits for tutors and teachers by enabling them to distribute material to pupils and students who are using the 4S or other Apple device.

The iTunes U software for the iPhone 4S allows educational material to be posted that can be easily accessed by students. Rather than relying on textbooks and more traditional material this software allows interactive content to be distributed which has many benefits for the user. Audio and video content is supported by the application meaning that text documents can be supplemented with relevant videos and attachments. The whole process of posting material is a relatively simple affair. To start with you need to create your own iTunes U site which uses a similar format to the Apple iTunes store. This means that layout and navigation is already familiar to anybody who has used an Apple product before. Once this site has been set up then material can then be posted. Even if you are a newcomer to using services such as this there are a number of templates available which make setting up your own site a very easy task.

Once material has been posted on your iTunes U site students and pupils can then access this with their iPhone 4S. Once material has been uploaded you can choose whether you want it to be accessed locally or internationally. If you chose the local option then information can only be accessed by students who are enrolled at your school or institution. The international option makes content available worldwide which will benefit users all over the world as well as help your school gain recognition if the material that has been uploaded is of a high standard. The iTunes U service also has numerous benefits for students with disabilities. The software works with Apples Voiceover software which translates everything that appears on screen into an audio format. Students with learning difficulties will also find this software very useful. The service really does take the classroom to the student meaning that they can learn at their own pace and the interactive content helps reinforce any information that may be written in the text.

The iTunes U service for the iPhone 4S shows that the device can be used for much more than the traditional games and applications that we associate with the phone. This excellent software is a great educational tool that can benefit millions of students worldwide.

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

Previously we took a look at applications that should be an essential purchase for anybody who owns an iPhone 4S. With such a huge choice of applications available it can often be confusing for consumers to know which software benefits them. Here we continue our look at some of the applications that every iPhone owner should download.

The iPhone 4S incorporates the excellent iMessage feature which is an easy method of communicating with other iPhone users free of charge. The problem with this system is that it does not enable you to message friends who may use a phone that runs on another platform such as Blackberry or Android. Whatsapp is an instant messaging services that overcomes this problem by enabling chat across different networks and operating systems. Not only can users send text messages for free but there is also the facility to attach photograph and video files. If you prefer to make a voice call rather than relying on text messages then the Viber application is perfect for you. This app takes advantage of an internet connection rather than a cellular data network to enable you make calls to other Viber users for free. You do not need to have the application running to receive a call as the iPhone will inform you of an incoming call with a notification on the home screen. Just like Whatsapp this service is not only restricted to iPhone users so you can also chat to friends who are using an Android device.

One of the updates that was introduced with the iPhone 4S was the integration of a Twitter client into the operating system. This enables you to directly post photographs and locations to the site but many users like the functionality that a dedicated Twitter application can offer. There are several of these apps available but the best that we have found is Tweetbot. Visually we found this software the best and it is also one of the easiest to use. When you are reading Tweets posted by other people tapping on the message will present you with options such as Reply and Retweet. If you hold your finger on the message then information about the person who posted it will be displayed. Despite this application costing £1.99 you can consider it great value if you are one of the millions of people who use Twitter regularly. If you prefer to use Facebook then the official application for this is available for free. This application offers nearly all of the functionality that you expect to find on the full site. Browse through status updates and photographs and post your own material quickly and easily to share with your Facebook friends.

There are thousands of great applications available for the iPhone 4S and we have highlighted some of our favourite ones here. Whatsapp and Viber provide a cheap method of communicating with friends while Tweetbot and Facebook are essential for social networking fans.

The iPhone 4S and the Blackberry Curve 9380 are available now.

If you were lucky enough to receive a new iPhone 4S over the festive period or you have recently treated yourself to this impressive phone you may be wondering which applications you should download to take full advantage of the device. With over half a million apps available the choice can be quite daunting so we take a look at some of the better options that should be considered an essential download for your new phone.

The iPhone 4S is not only great for watching a wide variety of movies but also for finding a host of information about films that you have seen or that you would like to watch. The IMDB application is one of the most popular available for the iPhone and has access to a massive database that holds data about nearly every movie ever released. If you see an actor on television and cannot remember which movie you recognise him from then IMDB can find this information out for you. Lots of other data about film titles is also stored including cast, crew and trivia about the production. If you are trying to find a film to watch then the Top 250 list within the application is always on hand to give you some ideas. Flixster is another movie based application that lets you know which films are being shown at a cinema near to you. Another great aspect of this application is that it has trailers available for forthcoming movies so you can take a look to see which films you really want to see.

Many iPhone 4S user will have some kind of data allowance in their monthly contract from their service provider so it is vital to keep an eye on how much you are actually using. The Onavo application helps you in this area by not only monitoring the data that you are using but by helping you to reduce it. Any data that you request is compressed by the Onavo servers before being sent to your phone therefore reducing the total data amount that you use. The application is available for free and is a great piece of software for all users of this phone.

If you live in London you are likely to use the cities Tube network regularly so the Tube Map application is a great companion to have. Not only does this impressive software present you with a map showing all routes but it also contains lots of other useful information. By using the internet connections available on the iPhone 4S the software can keep you up to date with timetable information and delays. All London stations are covered by the application and if you cannot find the location that you are looking for a handy search option lets you type in the name and the application will find this location for you.

With so many applications to choose from it can be a struggle choosing the right one for you. The four iPhone 4S apps we have highlighted above are just some of the many that we believe to be among the most useful that are currently available.

The iPhone 4S is available now and the iPhone 5 is coming soon.

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

Mobile phone technology has made some huge leaps forward over the past two years with many handsets able to perform functions that we once never thought would be possible. One area where we will see a big increase in 2012 is the ability to pay for a variety of services with your mobile handset and the iPhone 4S is one of the first devices to boast an application that enables you do this.

International coffee chain Starbucks has been around for over 30 years with most towns and cities boasting at least one of their outlets. The company have recently launched a new application for the iPhone 4S in the UK that means customers can pay for their food and drinks with their phone. The application has actually been available in the US for nearly a year but this is the first time that UK users have had access to the service. Although the iPhone 4S does not offer NFC payments this new services works by linking Starbucks card holders details to the application. This in turn allows you to walk into any one of the 700 nationwide outlets and easily pay for the products that you purchase. In order for this to work you need to have credit on your account with the company then all you need to do is choose your order and simply scan your phone at the till. The amount of your purchase is then debited directly from your current balance. This is likely to be the first of many similar applications launched for the phone and it further adds to the appeal of an already impressive model.

The iPhone 4S is not the only handset that will enable UK customers to purchase goods with their mobile phone. The new Samsung Galaxy Nexus offers NFC technology which basically means that your bank details are stored on your phone and at selected retailers you can use your phone just like a debit card. The launch of this model coincides nicely with the London 2012 Olympics and organisers are keen to promote NFC during this period with millions of potential customers flocking to the UK to see the sporting action. Several major retailers will be offering NFC payment facilities during this period as a way of introducing the public to this innovative new method of payment. If the trial period is successful then by the end of the year many of our favourite shops and outlets may offer this service permanently. The Galaxy Nexus is just one of several new phones that incorporate NFC with many more due for launch throughout the year including the highly anticipated iPhone 5.

The new Starbucks application for the iPhone 4S is certainly an indication of how many retailers will work in the future whilst the 2012 Olympics gives further opportunity for UK smartphone users to pay for products with their mobile devices.

The iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus are available now.