Were you one of the 100 million Android users that downloaded the Brightest Flashlight Free app? Did you conscientiously click "no" when asked if you’d like to allow the app to track your location data? Well, too bad, suckers. Because not only has the FTC revealed that the popular, light-giving app was secretly selling data to third parties, but its "option" to refuse the data collection in the first place was one big, fat lie.
     |
If you’re into 3D printing as much as we are, then you’re probably aware 3D scanners are pretty expensive. We’ve seen the affordably-priced Sense 3D scanner, which retails for around $400, but a smartphone app can make 3D scanning even cheaper as you’ll be able to produce 3D scans straight from your device. (more…)
This App Can Turn Your Smartphone Into A 3D Scanner original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
Back in the day, people used to keep tabs of their daily lives through journals or diaries. It’s a great way for you to reflect on what you’ve done for the past couple of days, and is especially interesting to read through several years down the road. But if you’re like us, you just don’t have enough time in your day to actually keep a journal. A new application called Heyday is looking to help keep tabs on what you’ve done to create a journal of your life that completely writes itself. (more…)
Heyday App Creates A Journal Of Your Life Without Your Input original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
Spotify is probably one of the more popular music streaming services at the moment, and given that they have paid out $1 billion in royalties to date, that would certainly seem to be the case. Well the good news for mobile users is that if you wanted to enjoy Spotify on your phone for free, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a free version of Spotify will soon be headed onto mobile devices. At the moment Spotify can be streamed for free on desktop computers, with the catch being that there will be ads in between songs. For mobile users, there is a streaming option too although they will require to pay a monthly subscription fee of $9.99.
Assuming this is true, the WSJ reports that the mobile version of Spotify is expected to provide a more personalized experience, sort of like Pandora or iTunes Radio which will try to find songs that you might like. We can only assume that this also means that the free version will come with ads, and that there could be some form of limitation, such as the number of times you can skip a song and so on. The report also claims that Spotify has managed to secure deals with the major record labels like Sony, Universal and Warner, and it could be announced as soon as next week.
Free, Ad-Supported Spotify For Mobile Rumored To Launch Next Week original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
BlackBerry’s BBM app has always been pretty popular and we suppose its exclusiveness helped play a part back then, but now that it has made its way onto iOS and Android platforms, recent studies have found that the app still managed to retain its popularity, especially amongst certain Asia countries to the point where it seems that customer service for a particular company in the Middle East has turned to using BBM to help keep in touch with customers as well as address any problems or enquiries that they might have. This is according to a tweet by @shahriyarali who wrote on his Twitter account, “Middle East now running customer care service on BBM for stores.”
When it comes to customer service usually a hotline is provided, or an email address. Sometimes there are some websites which even have customer service representatives chatting with you live to address your queries, so be able to reach out via BBM is definitely a pretty uncommon sight! We’re not sure if this is such a good idea, especially since whoever is using the phone will have their hands full replying to customers all the time, but at the end of the day it’s like getting paid to chat at work which isn’t such a bad thing, right?
BBM Used For Customer Service In The Middle East original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
The Android version of the Google Music app has been updated this week to bring on several much-requested abilities to the masses. The first of these changes is the ability to download and save song files to your smartphone’s SD card. This does not mean that you’ll be able to pop the SD card out […]
Invites have been sent today to a collection of Instagram users and press alike, these invites containing a block of wood with an Instagram photo printed up front. These blocks are approximately 4-inches wide and 4-inches tall and have a hole at the back made for hanging. These blocks could very well mean that Instagram […]
The term “app” is being thrown around a lot these days, and while initially used to describe downloadable software for smartphones and tablets, it has started to apply to software running on computers as well. Technically it’s not far from the truth as “app” is an abbreviation for “application”, but it seems that Apple thinks that they have the right to the term because they feel that they were the ones who changed what it meant.
This is being challenged in Australia where Apple had lost the right to trademark the “App Store” name, which they have since tried to appeal but lost again, and now they have taken the case of the Australian Federal Court against the Registrar of Trademarks. According to Apple’s counsel, Rob Webb, “The fact that one of its components — app — was as a stand alone word, itself in something of a transition at the date of the filing of the application.” Webb went on to state, “We say that must reflect back to the filing date in 2008 and one can see that at that time, it had some layer of meaning that wasn’t purely application software.”
What do you guys think? In all honesty, whether you are an Apple critic or a fan, do you think that Apple was responsible to making the term popular, ultimately changing its definition?
Apple Believes They Changed The Definition Of “App” original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
If there was one peeve that I have with smartphones is that sometimes their integration could be a little bit better. For example if one were to do a search in their web browser and come across a Facebook page or profile, it should open up the Facebook app, as an example. Well the good news is that Google has announced an update to its Search feature where search results can yield the option of allowing the user to open up their results in an app. For example if you were to Google a name of a celebrity, instead of surfing to the IMDb website, you can choose the option to launch the app instead.
Google search has also been updated where searching for apps will allow users to directly launch the Google Play store, as you can see in the screenshot above. At the moment it seems that apps that support opening from Google search include IMDb, Newegg, OpenTable, and Wikipedia, as developers will have to include support for the “Open in app” function. Perhaps down the line we will start seeing more support, such as with Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, but in the meantime what do you guys think of this new feature? Pretty cool, huh?
Google Search Updated, Will Launch Apps From Search Results original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
Apple might not necessarily be known for their generosity when it comes to discounts and deals on their products, which is why it is a pleasant surprise to find out that Apple is actually giving away 8 songs as part of a Holiday Cheer playlist. This is not the first time that Apple has given away free content on iTunes before, and we doubt it will be the last, but we guess Apple is trying to get everyone into the holiday spirit! This free playlist will be available via the Apple Store iOS appand will be available for download until the 31st of December, after which we guess these songs might not necessarily be relevant anymore, at least until Christmas comes by again.
Some of the songs that Apple is giving away are from renowned artists. The playlist includes “Ave Maria” by Il Volo, “Children Go Where I Send Thee” by Nick Lowe, “Duck the Halls” by The Robertsons, “Joy to the World” by Celtic Woman, “Silent Night” by Kelly Clarkson, “The Christmas Song” by Kool and the Gang, “The First Noel” by Mary J. Blige, and “What Child Is This” by Marvin Sapp. So if you’re looking to get into the festive mood on your iOS device, hit up the iTunes App Store for the download!
Apple Giving Away 8 Free Songs From Its Holiday Cheer Playlist original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
