All posts in: Apps

5 apps that make you more productive


Smartphone apps generally tend to serve as a distraction, but what about using tech to get motivated and achieve your goals? These apps promise to help you become more productive, whether you want to read more books, lose weight or tackle a project -- some in rather unconventional ways. Want more? Check out our hands-on test of the Astrid To-Do List app. Read more

Should you file your taxes on your smartphone?


Yes, you really can file your taxes on your smartphone. But should you?

TurboTax's SnapTax 2012 (*Est. $25 to e-file (free download)) promises to do your taxes in 10 minutes. Snap a photo of your W-2, answer a few simple questions -- you're done. H&R Block 1040EZ for Smartphone (Free download and e-file) works the same way.

"But how good are they?" asks Salvador Rodriguez at the L.A. Times. "Can users file their federal taxes with just a few taps on 4-inch screens?"

Let's take a look: Read more

Get money back: 3 top rebate programs


To save on everyday purchases and entice you to buy certain products or services, the latest shopping apps and web portals get right down to business. They give you rebates for buying everything from auto parts and groceries to clothes and appliances -- from your smartphone or computer -- or alert you to rebate deals as you shop so you can take advantage of the latest consumer incentive programs.

Bonus: You don't need to earn and redeem points. Your savings go right into your PayPal account or are sent to you in the form of cash or a pre-paid merchant or Visa gift card.

Want to get in on the action? Check out the latest rebate apps and websites. Read more

How to block calls and texts on your smartphone


Whether it's a former boyfriend, girlfriend or a persistent telemarketer, unwanted calls and texts can be a pain, and depending on your cellphone plan, an added expense. Thankfully, there are ways to block these calls or at least find out who is pestering you. The following apps and services will help limit the ringing of your cellphone. Availability may vary according to your cellphone model and carrier.  Read more

4 ways to send gifts right from your smartphone


Always shopping for gifts at the last minute? We've already covered the ways that you can order and send gifts via social media, but what could be easier than doing the same on your smartphone or tablet? Here are 4 apps that will help you get gifts on time, even if you procrastinate. Read more

Mobile money: 4 apps that pay back


Most people see their smartphones and tablets as another expense. But now, your beloved devices can actually help you make money. Whether it is by filling out surveys, taking product photos or signing up for a gig in your city, the following apps can put some change in your pocket. Read more

Navigating the world of mobile apps


If you recently acquired a new smartphone or tablet, but find yourself a bit lost as to which apps would be best to download, you aren't alone. "I love my new iPhone, but there are so many app choices that I didn't even know where to start at first," says Jen Conner, an iPhone owner from Indianapolis.

According to Apple, in 2012 nearly 20 billion apps were downloaded by their customers. "The revolutionary App Store offers more than 775,000 apps to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users in 155 countries around the world, with more than 300,000 native iPad apps available."

With so many different apps available, if you've never used a tablet before, then you may be unsure of which apps would be best to download. Since some apps cost money, and all apps take up space on your device, you don't want to just start downloading hundreds of apps without knowing which ones are best for beginners. Read more

The Super Bowl and social TV through the second screen


While it's common to get together with friends and family to take in the Super Bowl, you can also engage with others who aren't in the same room, or even the same state. You may have heard about the growing popularity of "second screen" viewing, meaning watching a game, program or other event on TV (first screen) and using another screened device (iPad, laptop, smart phone, etc.) for additional interaction. If you have never partaken in the second screen phenomenon, the Super Bowl is a great game to get started with. Perhaps you tweet out a cry of victory during the first touchdown of the game, or maybe you lament over the crazy antics of yet another halftime performer while engaging in a video chat with someone on the other side of the country. In some cases, networks are offering second screen apps so that you can view as many as four different camera angles at one time, ensuring you don't miss a second of the action.

When it comes to the Super Bowl, the second screen craze is hardly new. On Digiday, Jack Marshall points out that during the 2011 Super Bowl game, there were approximately 4,064 tweets per second posted during the game's high points. That number more than tripled in 2012, according to The Washington Post, with the tweets reaching 12,233 per second by the end of the game. Graphs.net estimates that 70 percent of tablet owners use their second screen while watching a live event. If you are looking for apps that integrate with the Super Bowl, this year brings a nice selection of choices. 

Read more

5 apps to help you out with your taxes


Now that New Years is behind us, chances are you're thinking about your taxes. Tax software has made our lives easier of course, but you can also use apps to file your taxes, check on your tax refund and even calculate sales tax on the go. You won't need to hunch over your computer and can do your taxes wherever you are. Read more

Calling all parents: Kids' mobile apps not so private


Kids and technology go together like chicken fingers and ketchup. Even babies can finger swipe these days. But a new Federal Trade Commission report on mobile apps for kids, "Mobile Apps for Kids: Disclosures Still Not Making the Grade," says many kids' apps aren't protecting your child's privacy like they're supposed to. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) regulates the privacy and safety online for children under age 13. According to COPPA, app developers must, for example, provide a link to a clear and prominent privacy policy about the kinds of personal information it collects from children who download the app.

The FTC's report, however, which analyzed and tested 200 apps each from the Apple and Google Play app stores, found that the majority of the kids' apps collected or transmitted information, including the device's I.D., without disclosing the app's privacy practices. A mobile device's ID is a short string of letters and/or numbers that can allow apps, developers and other companies such as ad networks to receive information about the user, such as the user's (your child's) name, phone number, e-mail address, friends list and geolocation. All mobile devices have an I.D. Read more

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