sie
31
With endless queues and security checks at the airport, it is easy to forget that flying used to be seen as a glamorous activity. Now, it is less of an adventure and more of a chore.
One thing we do have in our favour are the airline apps for our smartphone devices, which can take some of the hassle out of flying. As well as checking the latest departure and arrival times, we can use them to check-in and even to select a seat.
There are nearly as many airline apps for your Nokia Lumia as there are airline carriers. I’m not brand loyal when it comes to airlines, I just want the best deal for flights that depart and arrive at a time that is convenient for me.
So, theoretically, I could be using a different app for different trips, depending on which airline I am flying with. With that in mind, it’s probably worth looking at a selection of the apps to see which ones have a smooth landing and which ones crash on departure.
Here’s an appraisal of the major international airline apps for your Nokia Lumia in the Windows Phone Marketplace. One thing they do have in common is that they are all free.
British Airways’ slogan used to proclaim itself as ‘the world’s favourite airline’ but is it the world’s favourite airline app?
To make the most of this app you need to register a BA.com account and become a member of their Executive Club (it’s free to join).
Once you’ve signed in with your account you can see your flight details, use your Lumia as a mobile boarding pass, which can be pinned as a live tile to your start screen and get live departure and gate information.
Even if you’re not travelling yourself, you can use the app to track departures and arrivals for any BA flight.
I’ll just come straight out and say it: I want to fly Delta just so that I can use this app for real. It claims to have a host of ‘industry leading’ features and it is easy to see why.
You can use the app to check in 24 hours before any flight, download your boarding pass, select or change your seat, there’s an interactive flight tracker, get the latest flight information and you can even track the location of your luggage.
Push notifications are also available so that you will always be told if there are any changes to your flight details. Delta Fly is a very impressive and comprehensive app.
Just like that of its North American rival Delta, American Airlines is an app that is also packed with generous features.
As well as your personal flight information, check in and notifications, this app can give you access to the American Airlines rewards programme or let you enrol in the service if you are not a member.
An extremely simple but useful function is the parking reminder. Take a photo and make a note of where you’ve parked your car at the airport.
It’s back to earth with a bump for the app of Dutch carrier, KLM.
In terms of features, it is adequate. There is the check-in, selecting seats, latest flight information and all of that stuff.
Where it falls down flat is that it’s not really an app, but instead feels and operates like a mobile version of a website. It doesn’t embrace any gestures of the Windows Phone interface, let alone offer advanced features such as live tiles. Very disappointing.
I can’t say that I have ever flown with Malaysia Airlines before, but I might in the future because the app has a very nice, simple to use, ‘book flight’ option. It’s a good idea because it makes the app useful for potential passengers rather than for people who have already booked flights.
There are other nice touches too, such as storing your passport details to save you from entering that information every time you make a new booking. The cost conscious will also like their ‘deals and offers’ screen.
It’s a social app as well, with a YouTube channel, Twitter and Facebook integration. As you could expect, it offers all the basics in the form of check-in, timetables and flight status.
Let’s stay in that part of the world, with a look at the Qantas app.
Unlike its Malaysian counterpart, this app is only useful if you are actually flying with Qantas. You can’t search for flights or check their timetables, although you can see the location of Qantas lounges in airports around the world.
However, if you are lucky enough to be flying Qantas, which was immortalised in Rain Man as the airline that never crashes, then you can login with your frequent flyer account and take advantage of many other features.
There’s checking in with the app, push notifications for flight updates, mobile boarding pass and pinning flights to your start screen. Uniquely, by enabling the app access to your location information, you can also get alerts for when you need to leave to make it on time for your flight, plus get directions to the airport.
It’s back to Europe with another of the continent’s flagship carriers, Air France.
Like the Malaysia Airlines app you can also search and buy flights for Air France and KLM on here. It’s also possible to modify or cancel bookings on your Lumia.
The app contains each of the key stages of that every airline app should have: Buying the flight, the ability to check-in, select a seat and get a boarding pass and then the ability to monitor flight information so that you are kept informed of changes to the flight times, departure gates and so on.
This being Air France, there is also a live flight section, so that you can be kept informed of any airport or airline strikes that could affect your schedule.
You can’t buy tickets with the app of the Italian national carrier, but you can check their timetables or check in if you’ve already got a flight booked.
As with most of these apps, it is more rewarding and easier to use if you are an existing member of its rewards programme. This makes it faster to check in and to maintain your profile for future use.
Even if you’re not flying, you can use this app to browse the airlines special offers. Also, whereas a couple of the earlier apps can remind you where you parked your car, with Alitalia you can reserve a parking space at one of its main Italian airports.
It is with a sense of foreboding that I install any app that insists on full block capital for its whole name. Thankfully, you can always depend on the tasteful nature of Swiss design and this app is no different.
It is deceptively simple to use but also extremely effective. For instance, by clicking on ‘flight status’ you can search for your own (or a friend’s) flight number and also for all Swiss Air departure and arrivals in airports around the world. Click on a flight and it will tell you what type of aircraft is flying, gate number and other important information.
You can also book flights, check-in and select your seats. In terms of functionality, there is little to set it apart from the others but it is easy to use and very elegant.
Have you used one of these airline apps when you have been flying? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.
Image credit: egmTacahopeful
Tags: None
sie
31
Hot on the heels of Boc’s earlier post explaining how the Nokia 808 PureView beats a digital camera, I remembered seeing a couple of articles on how to create amazing long exposure shots.
The game changing Nokia 808 PureView takes mobile photography to a whole new level, and one of those embracing the change is Richard Dorman. He has posted a great guide to taking long exposure photographs with the 808 PureView, including a list of equipment you’ll need (no more than a tripod, a filter and a couple of rubber bands – less, in fact, than a photographer with a DLSR). He then explains how to best set up the camera on the tripod, where to position it, and what conditions show off the style best – flowing water, great light. An awesome guide, and these photos are just a small sample of what he has in his Flickr stream.
Another variant of the long exposure style are these pics snapped by another friend of Connects, James Whatley. Taking off on a plane recently, he sampled the lights of the runway and surrounding area on his Nokia 808 PureView a second or so at a time. This is my favourite:
Have you got any long exposure shots from your Nokia 808 PureView yet? Anything to rival Richard’s masterpieces or James’ ‘from the plane’ light show? Ping me a link on Twitter or leave me a comment below.
Tags: None
sie
31
eBuddy XMS is a web and mobile messaging service that works across many different platforms. This means that no matter what phone you or your friends own, you can send and receive messages for free using an Internet connection.
eBuddy itself isn’t a new app, but over at the Nokia Beta Labs you can download eBuddy XMS for practically any Nokia device; Nokia Asha, Nokia Anna and Belle and Series 60 devices. Include the fact that it’s also available for the Nokia N9 and Nokia Lumia shows the versatility of this messaging app. In total, eBuddy processes over 17 billion messages every month with 30 million unique monthly users.
With this app loaded onto your phone, you’ll be able to send text-based messages, as well as photos, to other eBuddy XMS friends. If you’ve got lots of friends on the service, you can send messages to large numbers of people at the same time. And, if you’re into using emoticons, eBuddy has loads for you to use; there’s one for every occasion.
Download the free eBuddy XMS from the Nokia Beta Labs today and get your friends to do it, too. If you’d like to give feedback to the Nokia Beta Labs team regarding this app, they’re always keen to hear what you have to say, so please do so.
Tags: None
sie
31
For those who are lamenting the end of summer, there’s one group who are just getting revved up. Those who love American football are filled with excitement, as the start of NFL season is about to kick off.
Regardless of your favorite team, there’s another group that is super excited; Fantasy Football players who love the thrill of the draft, building their teams and bragging to friends throughout the season.
For those unfamiliar, Fantasy Football is a virtual competition where individuals – aka team general managers – build virtual teams of football players and compete against one another each week. During the season, you start with the draft and go on to trade, add/drop players and change rosters as the season marches on.
Windows Phone Exclusive to Lumia
Today, we’re proud to announce that the best place for fantasy – ESPN Fantasy Football – is now available for Nokia Lumia.
The app is exclusive within the Windows Phone platform to the Nokia Lumia and brings the power of ESPN Fantasy Football to owners, making it possible to manage and track their teams’ performance all from the comfort of their trusted Nokia Lumia phone.
On the Windows Phone exclusive Lumia app, team owners can easily manage their multiple teams and leagues, plus add, drop and trade players or make waiver claims, all from your Lumia phone. Of course, you can also follow your teams on game day with real-time FantasyCast scores and news.
ESPN Fantasy Football is the perfect mobile extension of the website that fantasy footballers have known and loved for years.
Bring in the experts
Going beyond team management, fantasy footballers can view news, video highlights and even watch analysis from ESPN fantasy experts, to make sure you have the knowledge to manage your team with an experts’ eye.
ESPN Fantasy Football is exclusive within the Windows Phone platform to Nokia Lumia and can be found in the Nokia Collection inside Marketplace.
Important notice: there might be a publishing delay (1-2 days) on Windows Phone Marketplace. Just wait a bit until the Windows Phone Marketplace page updates. Thanks for your patience.
Photo credit: minds-eye
Tags: None
sie
31
Inspired by one of Jay’s excellent Lumiappaday videos, this week’s App News is brought to you by AppVegas. I’m spinning the wheel and taking a look at where the journey takes me.
So, having downloaded AppVegas, I was all set to go. Faced by the slot machine-inspired spinning wheels, I can see the following options on the third reel – ‘Paid, Trial, Free’ – and with the ability to lock down an option, I selected free, and got ready to spin (shake).
Gym PocketGuide
Cost: Free in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Simple guide to your gym program
First step of the journey is this handy little guide to your gym life. Not much more than a diary listing what exercises to do when, it’s well designed and seems to do exactly what it promises. I say seems because it is Day One, and I haven’t had a chance to test the results yet. Choose whether you are male or female and the aim of your gym visits (muscle building or fat loss), then follow the instructions. It has a clear, clean design and seems to be straightforward to follow.
A good start…time to spin the wheel again…
Basketball
Cost: Free in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Side show silliness
I won’t spend much time discussing this one. That game you play at the midway/side show where you shoot as many hoops as you can in a limited amount of time, and the machine spits tickets out? ‘Basketball’ is that. There is the chance to ‘level up’ as you pass the score set and the basket moves further away. But that’s about it as far as I could tell. Fun for a while and a definite time-filler. Get past Level 3 if you can!
Let’s call that not quite a miss, but a rimshot. Spinning for the final time…
Math Challenge
Cost: Free in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Brain training
With Junior, Senior and Genius settings, Math Challenge is a test of all things addition, subtraction and…you get the picture. You can practice for a while with easier questions to get used to the numerical input, then challenge the world in a variety of challenges. But be careful, incorrect answers incur time penalties (fat fingers beware!). This was kind of addictive, trying both to beat my own time in practice (who knew I knew so many square roots?), and then taking on the world. 1+1 thumbs up for this one.
So ends my AppVegas journey. It was fun, I discovered a couple of new things. I will say that the app isn’t perfect (I haven’t found a way to bypass foreign language apps, for example), but it’s a very neat way to discover something new if you have no ideas of your own. Have you used AppVegas? How do you find new apps? Let me know in the comments, or send me a tweet.
[Image credits: Gym PocketGuide - WMPowerUser forum
Basketball - Windows Gracias
Math Challenge - 1800 Pocket PC]
Tags: None
sie
31
When Neil Armstrong died on Saturday the world lost one of humanity’s genuine heroes. It wasn’t just that he was the first man to ever step on the moon, or that he did so in a spaceship that had less computing power than your smartphone. What really made Neil Armstrong so special was that despite his legendary status, he never let fame go to his head. Perhaps unsurprising in a man, who when asked about his moon walk, said, “I didn’t feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.” As a tribute to him and his life, we’ve unearthed ten rare photos of him doing what he loved best, being a flyer.
Tags: None
sie
31
With endless queues and security checks at the airport, it is easy to forget that flying used to be seen as a glamorous activity. Now, it is less of an adventure and more of a chore.
One thing we do have in our favour are the airline apps for our smartphone devices, which can take some of the hassle out of flying. As well as checking the latest departure and arrival times, we can use them to check-in and even to select a seat.
There are nearly as many airline apps for your Nokia Lumia as there are airline carriers. I’m not brand loyal when it comes to airlines, I just want the best deal for flights that depart and arrive at a time that is convenient for me.
So, theoretically, I could be using a different app for different trips, depending on which airline I am flying with. With that in mind, it’s probably worth looking at a selection of the apps to see which ones have a smooth landing and which ones crash on departure.
Here’s an appraisal of the major international airline apps for your Nokia Lumia in the Windows Phone Marketplace. One thing they do have in common is that they are all free.
British Airways’ slogan used to proclaim itself as ‘the world’s favourite airline’ but is it the world’s favourite airline app?
To make the most of this app you need to register a BA.com account and become a member of their Executive Club (it’s free to join).
Once you’ve signed in with your account you can see your flight details, use your Lumia as a mobile boarding pass, which can be pinned as a live tile to your start screen and get live departure and gate information.
Even if you’re not travelling yourself, you can use the app to track departures and arrivals for any BA flight.
I’ll just come straight out and say it: I want to fly Delta just so that I can use this app for real. It claims to have a host of ‘industry leading’ features and it is easy to see why.
You can use the app to check in 24 hours before any flight, download your boarding pass, select or change your seat, there’s an interactive flight tracker, get the latest flight information and you can even track the location of your luggage.
Push notifications are also available so that you will always be told if there are any changes to your flight details. Delta Fly is a very impressive and comprehensive app.
Just like that of its North American rival Delta, American Airlines is an app that is also packed with generous features.
As well as your personal flight information, check in and notifications, this app can give you access to the American Airlines rewards programme or let you enrol in the service if you are not a member.
An extremely simple but useful function is the parking reminder. Take a photo and make a note of where you’ve parked your car at the airport.
It’s back to earth with a bump for the app of Dutch carrier, KLM.
In terms of features, it is adequate. There is the check-in, selecting seats, latest flight information and all of that stuff.
Where it falls down flat is that it’s not really an app, but instead feels and operates like a mobile version of a website. It doesn’t embrace any gestures of the Windows Phone interface, let alone offer advanced features such as live tiles. Very disappointing.
I can’t say that I have ever flown with Malaysia Airlines before, but I might in the future because the app has a very nice, simple to use, ‘book flight’ option. It’s a good idea because it makes the app useful for potential passengers rather than for people who have already booked flights.
There are other nice touches too, such as storing your passport details to save you from entering that information every time you make a new booking. The cost conscious will also like their ‘deals and offers’ screen.
It’s a social app as well, with a YouTube channel, Twitter and Facebook integration. As you could expect, it offers all the basics in the form of check-in, timetables and flight status.
Let’s stay in that part of the world, with a look at the Qantas app.
Unlike its Malaysian counterpart, this app is only useful if you are actually flying with Qantas. You can’t search for flights or check their timetables, although you can see the location of Qantas lounges in airports around the world.
However, if you are lucky enough to be flying Qantas, which was immortalised in Rain Man as the airline that never crashes, then you can login with your frequent flyer account and take advantage of many other features.
There’s checking in with the app, push notifications for flight updates, mobile boarding pass and pinning flights to your start screen. Uniquely, by enabling the app access to your location information, you can also get alerts for when you need to leave to make it on time for your flight, plus get directions to the airport.
It’s back to Europe with another of the continent’s flagship carriers, Air France.
Like the Malaysia Airlines app you can also search and buy flights for Air France and KLM on here. It’s also possible to modify or cancel bookings on your Lumia.
The app contains each of the key stages of that every airline app should have: Buying the flight, the ability to check-in, select a seat and get a boarding pass and then the ability to monitor flight information so that you are kept informed of changes to the flight times, departure gates and so on.
This being Air France, there is also a live flight section, so that you can be kept informed of any airport or airline strikes that could affect your schedule.
You can’t buy tickets with the app of the Italian national carrier, but you can check their timetables or check in if you’ve already got a flight booked.
As with most of these apps, it is more rewarding and easier to use if you are an existing member of its rewards programme. This makes it faster to check in and to maintain your profile for future use.
Even if you’re not flying, you can use this app to browse the airlines special offers. Also, whereas a couple of the earlier apps can remind you where you parked your car, with Alitalia you can reserve a parking space at one of its main Italian airports.
It is with a sense of foreboding that I install any app that insists on full block capital for its whole name. Thankfully, you can always depend on the tasteful nature of Swiss design and this app is no different.
It is deceptively simple to use but also extremely effective. For instance, by clicking on ‘flight status’ you can search for your own (or a friend’s) flight number and also for all Swiss Air departure and arrivals in airports around the world. Click on a flight and it will tell you what type of aircraft is flying, gate number and other important information.
You can also book flights, check-in and select your seats. In terms of functionality, there is little to set it apart from the others but it is easy to use and very elegant.
Have you used one of these airline apps when you have been flying? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.
Image credit: egmTacahopeful
Tags: None
sie
31
Hot on the heels of Boc’s earlier post explaining how the Nokia 808 PureView beats a digital camera, I remembered seeing a couple of articles on how to create amazing long exposure shots.
The game changing Nokia 808 PureView takes mobile photography to a whole new level, and one of those embracing the change is Richard Dorman. He has posted a great guide to taking long exposure photographs with the 808 PureView, including a list of equipment you’ll need (no more than a tripod, a filter and a couple of rubber bands – less, in fact, than a photographer with a DLSR). He then explains how to best set up the camera on the tripod, where to position it, and what conditions show off the style best – flowing water, great light. An awesome guide, and these photos are just a small sample of what he has in his Flickr stream.
Another variant of the long exposure style are these pics snapped by another friend of Connects, James Whatley. Taking off on a plane recently, he sampled the lights of the runway and surrounding area on his Nokia 808 PureView a second or so at a time. This is my favourite:
Have you got any long exposure shots from your Nokia 808 PureView yet? Anything to rival Richard’s masterpieces or James’ ‘from the plane’ light show? Ping me a link on Twitter or leave me a comment below.
Tags: None
sie
29
Od jutra w ofercie podstawowej nowy model BlackBerry 
BlackBerry Curve 9220 Cennik
Tags: None
sie
29
Od jutra w ofercie podstawowej nowy model BlackBerry BlackBerry Curve 9220 Cennik
Tags: None
