All posts by Mufti

I am a professional Blogger with a passion for technology and tech related happenings. I am a gadget lover and I am always trying to explore new technologies may it be related to computing, networks or smartphones.
Internet

3 Websites to Show Photoshop Editing Skills and Win Prizes

Contests and challenges normally extract out the best of us in every regard, we often hear about photography contests or challenges but I guess most of us either overlook them or don’t pay attention. Photoshop is no doubt an amazing and a powerful photo editing tool that offers loads of features. Here I’m sharing couple of websites which let you show off your Photoshop editing skills and you can earn various prizes and cash.

A Photoshop professional knows inside out of this tool and usually know that how to interact with a photo. So if you happen to be a Photography enthusiast who loves to work on Photoshop then I have lined up some pretty sought out online challenges and Contests for you that will not only help you to learn but also give you a chance to compete with some of the best Photoshoppers out there:

Photoshop Editing Skills Websites:

Photoshop Contest

Photoshop Editing Skills

First up is Photoshop Contest, the website hosts number of contests offering prize money of $50 and more for each contest. If you have good Photoshop Editing Skills and want to rack up some money in your PayPal account then this is a perfect website to do so. You can choose from scores of online contests offered by the website and participate in anyone of it. Enter your Photoshoped images and see that whether it gets popular or not by other users.

MechaPixel

MechaPixel

The website has almost 5000+ members and a total of 2000+ contests are being hosted by the site till-date. Website basically runs sort of Graffiti contests that are held three days in a week i.e. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You have to make your entry by uploading an image and thereafter the members will vote. Weekly contests called as Slags are also being hosted by MechaPixel, they are quite competitive with members posting their masterpiece entries.

Photoshop Faceoff

Photoshop Faceoff

The working of Photoshop Faceoff is quite simple, all you need to do is launch the website and download the contest image on your computer. Photoshop that image to your liking and imagination and post it back on the website so that general public and members can view it. A Faceoff winner is decided daily solely by general public voting and the entire month’s leader get the top spot and prize money or gifts.

If you have participated in some kind of an online Photoshop Editing Skills contest recently then do share your experience with us.

Android

Top 3 Android App Review Sites

Android marketplace is no doubt booming but you will be surprised to see that you won’t be able to find quality Android Apps reviewing websites if compared with iOS ones. This lack of Android app reviewing portals is mainly because of the fact that most of the apps on Android marketplace are free, meaning that users can try out for themselves instead of reading the reviews. But if you happen to stumble upon a feature-rich Android app with a certain price tag then you will prefer to read some reviews before spending your dough. So today I am highlighting 3 pretty useful online resources for reviews of Android Apps:

Useful Android App Review Sites

Android AppStorm

Reviews Android.AppStorm

Part of AppStorm network, Android AppStorm is a very useful blog that give users with some quality contents that include stuff like general information about Android and How To’s.

You can access the android App reviews by browsing through categories, but the volume is limited in terms of amount of apps. The thing that I liked about it is that the reviews of all these apps are detailed having loads of photo illustrating in detail the working. The website is having user friendly interface and it also rounds-up best apps from categories.

Android Tapp

Android Tapp. Android App Reviews Android Apps News App Recommendations Interviews

If you enter a query of Android Apps review in Google search then the most likely result you will see is Android Tapp. Site also has news and reviews alongwith blog posts that are strongly related to Android. As many as 2-3 reviews are uploaded daily offering quite a deep insight of the app. Apart from that some of the reviews also have video footings that show how the apps work. Android Tapp also offers browsing through the categories.

Life of Android

Android app reviews Life of Android

This page is all about Android’s blogs and app reviews with a slight touch of news related to Android. The front page of the website contains big names from Android marketplace and it also provides a best-of apps list. The rating system is quite good, the review of each app is displayed in a miniature format alongwith a list of pros and cons. Life of Android provide users with the screenshots and on the average 1 review is uploaded daily.

All the Android App Review Sites I have mentioned are pretty good with some potential to them, if you are searching for some cool Android apps and want to read their reviews then do try out these Reviewing web platforms.

Android

Official Flickr App for Android Released, Offers Real-time Picture Sharing

Flickr applications for mobile platforms is not a new thing, developers in the past have been releasing loads of Flickr based apps for both the Apple and Google’s mobile operating system. But this time Yahoo Inc has jumped the Flickr mobile bandwagon by releasing its first official Flickr app for Android platform. This official app boasts some pretty cool features including the provision for users to quickly share the pictures in real-time with their family and friends.

The app was released during a press conference organized by Yahoo to chalk-out the salient’s of its mobile market strategy.

What’s new in Flickr for Android?

Well first of all users will be able to instantly access their entire photos, contacts and album collections via this app. Users can view activity streams and can also see photos uploaded by friends and family.

flickr app android

Flickr have also integrated a camera experience within the app, there is a built-in viewfinder that ultimately allows users to select photo ratios and also allow them to add metadata.

flickr app android2

Photograph taken via this new app can be instantly uploaded to social networking hubs like Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook.

Photo Session Feature

flickr

Apart from this Android app, another notable feature that Flickr has released is Photo Sessions. Name it as a feature that somewhat replicates the way we show photos to our friends or family for real while sitting together. Photo Session means that users can show their photos in real-time to their relatives or pals regardless of their location. Working is simple, Photo Session generates a unique URL that is sharable with 10 faimly members or friends. Clicking on that URL will let you join group viewing of that photo or album.

URL generated by Photo Session will last for 24 hours and it works perfectly on iPads, computers and iPhone. This feature also enables group viewing participants to modify the photos they are viewing like drawing or writing on them, any modification done is seen in real-time by other session viewers.

So Android users, go on and hit the Marketplace and grab Flickr for your Android powered phone. Try it out and let us know about your experience.

iPhone Applications

Use Dialer To Open Apps on Your iPhone with AppDialer [Cydia Tweak]

It is quite normal with iPhone users that they pack their phones with scores of applications and therefore finding or launching an app becomes a prolonged process in some instances. So if we get hold of a tool that will facilitate us in opening apps whether they are placed on a Homescreen or Folder will surely be a great aid. Well recently I stumbled upon an application on Cydia Store that employs a new way to launch applications and perform functions.

What is AppDialer Tweak?

AppDialer Interface

It is a tweak available on Cydia that eventually allows users to dial any function or application on their iPhone to open it quickly. You just need to setup a gesture that will launch AppDialer tweak and preset numbers or number patterns that will enable you to open up the app easily.

How to Install AppDialer?

You can find AppDialer as a free download on Cydia App store. You will find it under the default repo meaning that you don’t need to discover it in some other out-of-the-box repo. Launch Cydia and enter “AppDialer” in the search bar. Once you will find it then just click on the install button and Cydia will automatically do the rest. After the installation you will have to re-spring your phone so that the tweak comes into action.

Setting Up AppDialer

Setting up procedure is also quite simple, open Settings on your iPhone and scroll down to the AppDialer settings.

AppDialer Tweak

 

Activation Method is to be selected that will eventually launch AppDialer. I prefer you choose shaking your iPhone device, but there are other activation methods as well. Next up is to choose that whether you want to enter some pattern or numbers combo to open the applications.

AppDialer-1.1

After doing this all you have to input a command that will trigger the application, Tap the Dial Settings option and it will prompt you to Add items, these items will be the apps or functions that you want AppDialer to open. There is an Activator Event option at the bottom as well that will facilitate users to add things of their choice, either an app or a function.

Initially you will think that this app sounds silly but I can bet that once you will install it, you are gonna love it. I will recommend this tweak for users who are fond of keeping loads of apps on their iPhone. Try it out and Let us know that whether you liked it or not?

If you are looking for more Cydia based apps for your iPhone, I would suggest you to check out:

 

 

Browsers

Select & Print WebPages Instantly with Print Plus Extension [Google Chrome]

It is a common notion that WebPages are ideally meant to be viewed on our computers or handheld devices and they are not to be printed on papers. But for scenarios in which printing a webpage is a must, we have to keep in mind this thing that a webpage that is fit enough on our screens might take 2-3 papers when printed. But for Google Chrome users, there is an extension on the Chrome Web store that will help you in saving printing ink and papers while printing a webpage. Get to know about this extension after the break!

Print Plus Extension

This particular Google Chrome extension allow users to select important sections and parts of a webpage for printing, in this way the unselected portion is not printed saving both the printing ink and the papers.

How To use Print Plus for Chrome?

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After installing the extension you will see a printer like icon appearing next to your Chrome’s URL bar. Just click the button and you will see a horizontal bar appearing on top of the Webpage displayed on the screen. Clicking on the Print button will send the print command.

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Selecting portions of webpage is also very simple, just mouse over any section of a webpage and you will see an orange outline appearing across different parts of the page. Print Plus extension by-design identifies the portion to select depending solely on the position of your mouse pointer.

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Now for the printing, you have to click any selection on the Webpage and you will see that it will be highlighted automatically with an orange box. This orange box basically represents the print area.

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After the selection, just click on the Print Button visible on the extension’s bar at the top and see your selection getting printed.

I found this extension quite useful because it works with some email services like Gmail as well, meaning that you can print the body of the email only without caring for the other stuff over and below it. It is also useful for printing articles from webpage that is filled with flashy ads and junk. You can install the Print Plus extension from Google Chrome web store.

If you are using Google Chrome browser, you should check out following Chrome extensions too:

 

iPhone Applications

Decide-O-Tron App: Get iPhone Games Recommendations on Your iPhone

You will find Apple App store flooded with multitude of games ranging in categories. Angry Birds, Paper toss, Guitar Hero and Asphalt racing collection are some of the gaming gems that you are gonna find on App store. You can fill your smartphone gaming appetite once you indulge into the massive gaming galaxy that iTunes app store offers. But one evident drawback of this huge collection is that it takes substantial amount of time to discover a game that ideally matches your taste. But now there is a new app on the block that will surely help iOS users to get rid of this problem.

What is Decide-o-Tron?

Decide-o-Tron app

 Well Decide-o-Tron is basically an iOS application that automatically recommends games to users based on some pre-set criteria. The app will bear the headache of deciding that amongst the huge collection of games, what gaming titles suit you and for whom you should spend. Plus the app has a very detailed criteria settings, so you can expect optimal results from it.

The app also boasts a detail step-by-step tutorial, just go through it so that you can get to know about all the customization processes and features that this app offers. Even if you think that you are a geek and don’t need to go through the tutorial, I will recommend you to do the otherwise.

Using Decide-o-Tron

Once the tutorial is over, app will ask from you that what all gaming platforms you own or play. The platforms you will choose in this step will act as a filter, because whenever you are gonna search for games in future the app will only search for those titles that belong to the platforms you have selected.

The search feature of the app is quite powerful, I personally like the Bar code scanning option. First of all you will have to add games to app’s library so that the recommendation thing can work. It is not necessary that you only add those games in the library that you own, users can add any game they like in the Wish List.

Decide-o-tron App 2

Decide-o-Tron generates game recommendations based on the criteria values, these values include platform-Release date-Review score and most important of all, Genre.

Decide-o-Tron app3

I will definitely recommend this app as must download for all the iPhone/iPad users. The gaming recommendations are really very useful and it lessens the hassle of finding games by browsing app store manually.

Decide-o-Tron is available as a free download from Apple App store.

Do you use any such similar app which gives you gaming or general app recommendation?

Gaming

3 Best Angry Birds Look-Alike Games You Should Definitely Play

Who can deny the popularity of Angry Birds and the addiction it brings along with it. I believe that if you haven’t played Angry Birds then you haven’t experience the gaming pleasure. Since the day I started playing Angry Birds I fell in love with catapulting games that employ simple physics.

If you happen to be a lover of action-packed games then I guess you won’t be fascinated with the list of games that I have compiled for you guys today. But if you like slinging items to destroy enemies across a river or a field then do read on! Because the web-games that I have lined-up today will definitely rejuvenate the Angry Birds experience.

Ninja Dogs

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First up is the Ninja Dogs game, I found this game highly addictive and it is being played almost 600,000 times and is rated as a 5 star game on developers website. The goal is pretty simple, get the Ninja Dog Master free by launching dogs via canon targeting the cats. You will find a lot of resemblance between Ninja Dogs and Angry birds primarily because of the cartoon style characters. The animated dog characters are very much like birds in Angry Birds, huge bodies with tiny heads.

Siege Master

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Developed by Armor games, in this title you are in the possession of multitude of siege weapons and the goal is to conquer the kingdom. The game is based-on simple physics rules, you have to employ your weaponry like catapult to abolish your medieval times enemy. Fond of destructing structures, then you should give Siege Master a try.

Sieger

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This one is pretty special and I think you will find it more interesting and intriguing then Angry Birds. In this particular game you don’t have to shoot side-wise, rather it is very much like a FPS game in which the players shoots directly at the target. You have to hit the characters bearing an exclamation mark to keep your siege. Ammo is limited and you can’t hit your own troops, so you have to finish off the enemy with the limited resources. Sieger is a very interesting game with an addictive gameplay.

Do play these games and give us your Feedback that whether they were good then Angry Birds or not.

Browsers

Instantly Access Websites & Pages with Quick Links Extension

Bookmark bars are always useful because it provides us with the ability to save and access websites that are useful and important. Every internet browser provides us with the option of either turning ON/OFF the bookmark bar. Normally our bookmark lists is quite long and placing all of them on the browsers bookmark bar is not at all attractive. But Google Chrome has solved this love-hate problem with the bookmark bar with an introduction of a very useful extension. Here is a brief review of it:

What is Quick Links Extension?

Basically this extension allows users to access upto 11 of their favorite and most-visited websites by just clicking a single button. Quick Links opens up a very compact panel that can be used to access all the favorite Chrome pages and other websites.

The extension has a full-fledge options page from where users can customize the actions of Quick Links.

ouick links

You can choose that which kind of websites will show whenever you click on the extension shortcut. All those Chrome pages that are highlighted in grey will appear on the Quick Links pop-up page whenever you click on the button.

Using The Quick Links Extension?

Similarly the websites that are added can also be edited anytime, just click on the web-address, it will turn green with the cursor in a blinking position prompting for edit. Just enter the new URL for the site you want to access quickly, the changes will be saved automatically.

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Using the extension is very simple, click on a greyed-out Logo of Google Chrome and you will see a neat looking pop-up listing all the websites and Chrome pages you have saved. You can open the page or website in either the current tab or next tab by left click or right click on the button.

Though it may sound that this extension is offering nothing unique but if you love shaving-off your browsing time then I can assure you that this extension will help you do it. You can install Quick Links extension from Chrome web store.

Android

4 Intriguing Live Wallpapers for Your Android Phone

I’ve always found Wallpapers to be refreshing, whether you have put up a physical wallpaper on your room’s wall or you have setup a virtual wallpaper on your computer or smartphone they always tend to express a bit about your mood and yourself. Though digital wallpapers are easy to manage because you can change them whenever you want as per your mood.

So recently I was exploring wallpapers on the internet and came across a new kind of category of wallpapers called as Live Wallpapers designed specifically for Google’s Android OS. Here is a list of 4 cool Live wallpapers that you will definitely like to have on your Android phone’s Homescreen.

aniPet Aquarium

aniPet aquarium

Live aquarium wallpapers always have a very special and refreshing feel and this one is designed solely to give users the pleasure of a digital aquarium. aniPet Aquarium wallpaper has both the paid and free version, on the free versions users do not have access to the settings and full features. aniPet Aquarium is available for download from Marketplace.

Photile

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I found this wallpaper to be a real fascinating one, it simply transforms any of your photo into a symmetrical grid of tiles that slide and float, plus these free floating slides also respond to users touch. Photile wallpaper also have a free and a PRO version, different tile arrangements and customizable themes are only unlocked in the PRO version.

Thunderstorm

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Heavy rain, lighting and dark clouds is all you are gonna get on your Android Homescreen with Thunderstorm live wallpaper. You can also tune it up with the settings like adjusting wind speed, ambient light shade or the frequency of lighting bolts. The full features though are only offered on Thunderstorm Donations, a paid version of the wallpaper.

Starlight

starlight live wallpaper

Starlight live wallpaper offers floating clouds and shimmering stars. In the paid version, you can toy around with features like shooting stars and the star density in the background. The full version also allows users to control cloud layer and real-time animations.

Have you setup a Live wallpaper on your Android, if you have then do share your Top list with us.

iPhone Applications

ShoutFlow: A Location-based Social Networking App for your iPhone

Social networking services have undoubtedly change the way we use internet these days, social networking hubs like Facebook or Twitter have become sort of addictions. Almost every person no matter which age group he/she belongs to prefer staying in touch with their family or friends or professional accomplices via Facebook or Twitter.

Though Facebook offers features using which users can look around to make new friends with people they don’t know but this feature is quite limited and not so versatile. Well today I will be introducing an app for iPhone users that will very much solve this problem by letting users discover like-minded people around them with just a click. Here is a brief review of this app.

ShoutFlow App for iOS

shoutflow app

Well ShoutFlow is a perfect app for social networking lovers who are always eager to make new friends. The app simply enable users to discover people that are near their present location, it not helps in discovering people rather it also enable users to connect with those people after getting a confirmation from both the parties.

The app has a built-in integration for Facebook, meaning that users don’t require a new account to login to ShoutFlow. I think this is a huge plus because services of this kind normally ask users to create a separate account. The app even before logging in shows the people who match your liking with respect to geographical location. You can view profile of any person by just logging in via your Facebook account within the app’s interface.

ShoutFlow User Interface & Features

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Just like Facebook, ShoutFlow on its homescreen asks users “Would You Hangout with this Person?” . Give a reply of YES and the app will wait for the consent of other party. There is a Near Me button too, click on that and the app will return names of people that are near you, having interests similar to you.

Another cool feature is Shoutout, it enable users to tell their friends and family about discoveries made on ShoutFlow app. Users can also invite their Facebook friends to use this app and discover people having similar tastes and activities.

So guys if you are not at all satisfied with your current social networking activity, then ShoutFlow is the right kind of app for you. It is available as a free download from iTunes app store.