Google Launches New Recorder App with Realtime Offline Transcription Support

After announcing the latest iteration of its flagship Android phone the Pixel 4 recently, Google introduces a new voice recorder app for Android with built-in offline speech recognition support. Well, thanks to AI.

The new Recorder app uses speech recognition and AI to transcribe lectures, meetings, interviews and more—and makes them easy for you to find later. (English only right now, with more languages to come.) #madebygoogle pic.twitter.com/fdKRItuS4b

— Google (@Google) October 15, 2019

The voice recorder app, as seen on the above demo, can transcribe audio recordings in real-time with utmost accuracy. And the best part: it works offline. You can transcribe whatever is being spoken during meetings, lectures or interviews even without internet connectivity.

YouTube Introduces AR Beauty Try-On, A Virtual Makeup Experience that Lets Viewers Try On Makeup Within YouTube App

Google’s newest voice recorder app is a massive upgrade from traditional audio recorder apps, which require decent internet connectivity to enable real-time transcription. And in most cases, the experience can be a bit clunky, unpleasant. That’s because your speech is being processed on a remote server before finally returning the transcribed text.

Search Parts of Recorded Audio by Sounds

The new voice recorder app comes with impressive search functionality too. Imagine you have this 2-hours long recorded lecture and wanted to re-visit that part of the lecture but all you can remember is a phrase or word? You can search by voice and the app will automatically highlight playback bar where those spoken phrases or words are mentioned. No more horizontal scrolling.

Google’s offline transcription technology is made possible by combining the power of real-time speech recognition and AI. And with the company’s unlimited resources being pumped in their Machine Learning department, we can expect a better and heaps clever AI-assisted voice processing in the future.

Google Maps Now Predicts Bus Traffic Delays and Crowdedness in 200+ Cities

So, next time you’re in a meeting or lecture, you can pretty much ditch writing notes and just intently listen to whoever is speaking. Let your Android phone do the note-taking.

Again, the app is initially being rolled out on the new Pixel 4, and the offline speech recognition is currently available in English. But with Google’s intention to reach as many users as possible, we can expect it to support other devices and other languages.

This No-Root Android App Can Hack Wifi Passwords in Minutes

Gaining entry to a password-protected wireless network is no longer an intricate technical process reserved for the gifted. Today, with the right mix of tools and apps, one can quickly gain entry to any WiFi networks using only an Android device by taking advantage of known WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) vulnerabilities.

One Android app that caught our attention is WiFi WPS WPA Tester, currently available on Play Store.

WiFi WPS WPA Tester, as the name suggests, is supposedly a network testing tool that helps you secure your own wireless access point from WPS vulnerabilities. Think you have the most secured wireless network because of your long, unbreakable wifi password? Think again.

How To: Disconnect Other Wifi Users in A Wireless Network Using Your Phone (Without Them Knowing)

The trouble with most access points, your entry-level access point included, is that they likely have WPS enabled by default. Access points have standard 7-digits WPS PIN, which was recently discovered to have serious design flaw: it can be brute-forced with surprising ease.

And that makes it possible for wifi password cracking Android apps like WiFi WPS WPA Tester to uncover your wireless network passwords. By scanning all available WPS-enabled wireless networks and sifting through AP details such as MAC addresses, it can quickly calculate WPS PINs and brute-force your network.

Okay, enough for the technical side. Just see how this app works:

Hack Wifi Network without Rooting Your Android Device

As shown in the video above, you can hack WiFi on Android even without rooting your device by:

• Download and installing WiFi WPS WPA Tester
• Launching the app
• Tapping on Connect Automatic PIN
• In Choose Method dialog, select No Root
• And wait for a few seconds until wifi password is revealed

WiFi WPS WPA Tester certainly isn't the first of its kind that can hack wifi on Android without root. This category of apps can be both helpful and a curse.

Protecting Your Own Wireless Network Against WPS PIN Attacks

Now you've learned how your network can be compromised even by a first-grader with an Android device, now is the time to revisit and beef up your wireless network security. You are strongly encouraged to follow below's actions to spare your wifi network from this type of attack:

1. Update your access point's firmware. This should be a pretty straight-forward process, normally available in access points Dashboard. All household access points comes with a manual showing how you to administer and update your firmwares. By updating your router's firmware, you get the latest protection including WPS vulnerability patches.
2. Disable WPS. Read your device's manual how it's done or go to your manufacturer's website to learn more. Please note that any Android device can hack your wifi if you have WPS enabled.
3. Set up MAC address filter. All network devices including laptops, iPhones and that offending Android phone are all identifiable with its unique MAC addresses. In your access point's dashboard, you can define access rules, allowing only certain MAC addresses to gain entry in your wireless network.

Few more network vulnerabilities may be sitting right there waiting to be discovered but it pays to take a proactive step to secure your network.

How To: Generate APK Files Straight from Google Play Store

Grabbing APK files from the Play Store may sound absurd, considering that you can just fire up the Play Store app and search your desired Android app and install. That's the de facto legal method of obtaining apps of your choice from the Play Store.

However, there are situations when you needed to bypass the app marketplace for some reasons. For instance:

(a) you may be fiddling around an Android simulator on your Windows or Mac and the only way to install an app is by loading its APK files.

(b) Or you desperately need to install an Android app not available in your country so you resort to bypass the Google Play Store country restriction and just grab its APK files.

(c) Or you've stumbled upon a controversial Android app and you know it's going to be removed soon so you create an APK file as a backup.

Whatever the motivation is, you can always grab a standalone Android Package Kit (APK) from an Android app published on Play Store.

Generate APK File from Google Play Store

The trick is easy.

1. Head to APK Download website (https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/)

2. Copy and paste the package name or Google Play URL (e.g. wifi.killl.com)

   

3. Click Generate Download Link button.

   

You're done.

Obtaining APK file may take a minute or so depending on an Android app's package size.

Long Commute? Get Power Naps and Get A Phone Call When You Arrive At Your Destination

The older we get, the less time is spent on quality slumber. Blame it to the corporate life' stress, household responsibilities, or maybe that's just how adulthood simply works?

That's why we always try to snatch that much-needed naps whenever we can, whether on a bus or a train.

So, if you're among those millions of nine-to-five warriors who commute your way to work, or you're a backpacker with long trips to the countryside, here's a neat trick how to sleep off your commute without worrying about missing your stop. Let your phone automatically alerts you when you're about to enter your destination just in time.

What you need

• IFTTT app (available on Android, iOS)
• Mobile data connection

For the uninitiated, IFTTT (short for If This, Then That) is a powerful web-based service that lets you perform actions based on user-defined triggers. We call these actions as “applets”. IFTTT works like Zapier but much easier to use.

Let Your Phone Alerts You When You Arrive At Your Destination

The goal here is to create an IFTTT applet that notifies you when you arrive at your destination. To do this, we'll use both Location and VoIP Calls services. Here's how to get started:

1. Install IFTTT app (iOS, Android), and sign-up.
2. Create your first applet by going to My Applets tab and click on + icon top right.
3. Now, you'll be asked to define the trigger and action, like this:

   

4. Tap on this and search for Location > You enter an area and specify the area you want to be notified.

   

5. Once done you'll be taken back to step 3 where you create an action. Just tap that and search for VoIP Calls service where you can fire Call my device action, as seen below:

   

6. Save your applet and ensure your IFTTT is running in the background. You're done.

   Use IFTTT As A Spy App: Secretly Copy, Collect iOS Photos on iPhone, iPad (No Jailbreak)

While Google Maps' previous update already has a push notification that alerts you when you're approaching your stop, I find it too unreliable to be honest. A VoIP call works better, ensuring you get off the bus or train just in time.

Listen Google Podcasts on Desktop Web Browser Without Google Podcasts App

Trying to get its share from the pie in a market dominated by Apple, Google Podcasts was launched back in 2018 exclusively for Android, allowing non-Apple users to discover and enjoys shows at their fingertips. Google Podcasts democratizes podcast discovery and consumption, allowing podcast creators to connect with millions of untapped Android users around the world.

The app uses Google's algorithm that recommends shows based on people's listening habits. It has all the features we are all familiar with as a podcast app.

In spite of being a Google technology, Google Podcasts sadly lacks the ability to be played on a desktop or in a web browser. One has to download the dedicated Android app so you can access and enjoy publicly available shows.

Easiest Way To Play YouTube in the Background on iPhone, iPad + Auto Play While Keeping Other Apps Opened

Now, if you're curious about how to listen to Google Podcasts on a desktop web browser, here's a neat trick.

Here's how to stream Google Podcasts on desktop web browsers

1. Obtain Google Podcasts episode feed URL. To do that, open the podcast episode on your Google Podcasts Android tap and then click the three-dot menu button in the top right corner, then click Share. Copy the URL or email it to a friend.

   

   The generated Google Podcasts feed URL normally look like this: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed={a-very-long-hashed-feed-url}

2. Rename the URL. Now, just rename the URL to https://podcasts.google.com?feed={a-very-long-hashed-feed-url} to make it playable straight in a web browser (no need for Android app).

See Google Podcasts in a web player in action.

Being able to play Google Podcasts on a desktop web player is prove useful if you want to share a podcast episode to a friend who doesn't have an Android device.

Do you find this entry useful? Share it to your friend or subscribe below.

Excel Gets OCR Support, Lets You Snap Tables and Convert Into Editable Spreadsheet

Microsoft just rolled out an update to their spreadsheet editing app Excel that allows you to point your phone's camera into printed tables and turn them into editable spreadsheets.

The update is made possible by artificial intelligence (AI) trained to recognize characters and detect datasets inside printed tables before finally importing them as spreadsheets. If you're familiar with how Google Translate app works that translates words in realtime when you point your camera to a foreign text, you can expect the same capability with this update but for printed tables.

The update is first available on Android, but iOS should expect the roll out in the coming days.

How Apple Watch's Fall Detection Saves One's Life and How It Can Save Yours

Excel is not the first app that gets AI treatment from Microsoft. A few weeks ago, Microsoft-owned Skype also gets AI-assisted background-blur support that smartly obscures your often messy, distracting background.

Satya Nadella's helm at Microsoft continues to deliver the much-needed disruptions and innovations. And with its billions of cash being pumped into their Machine Learning (ML) department, we can expect few more nifty advancements in AI in the next few years.

How To: Prevent WhatsApp from Automatically Downloading Photos, Videos

Unless you're on an unlimited data plan and your phone still has gigabytes of extra space at your disposal, you can skip this guide now. However, if you are a heavy WhatsApp user under a throttled, capped data plan and notice that sudden drop of available phone storage space, then, this guide is for you.

In this article, we will show you how you can save precious data and free up some space on your iPhone or Android by restricting WhatsApp from automatically downloading shared photos, videos, and documents on your phone. WhatsApp by default automatically downloads photos or videos being shared within the app so you get the best possible user experience. But if that UX feature means exhausting our data plan fast while shrinking our storage space, then, we don't want that.

Save Data and Space - Restrict WhatsApp from Automatically Downloading Photos and Videos

The process is easy, you just need to go to WhatsApp Settings tab and just fiddle around those toggles and checkboxes.

For Android:

• Navigate to Settings > Data and storage usage.

  

• Just scroll down and under Media auto-download, tap on When using mobile data. It should bring you a dialog. Just uncheck Photos, Audio, Videos, and Documents.

  

• Do the same process for When connected on Wi-Fi and When Roaming options.

For iOS

• Go to Settings > Data and Storage Usage

• Tap Photos and select Never option to stop downloading photos automatically

  

• Do the same for Audio, Videos, and Documents

You're done!

WhatsApp Web Now Lets You Watch Shared YouTube, Facebook Videos Within the App

Restricting WhatsApp from automatically downloading photos or videos is one simple action that can save you both space and data.

How To: Remotely Spy, Monitor SMS Text Messages on iPhone, Android (UPDATED)

WARNING! The SMS spy applications detailed below are intended to be used only for private and legal purposes. They cannot be used for violating anyone's rights, spying or other illegal purposes. User of any of these spying software takes all responsibility for using these applications in any illegal use cases.

Tired of cheating husband? Do you ever suspect your wife or girlfriend is making an affair? Do you suspect your kids are secretly buying stuff they're not supposedly getting? Ever wondered who's that someone trying to interact with your daughter? If yes, then, a remote SMS monitoring spy app for Android or iPhone is all you need.

Below are some of the best and free and paid SMS monitoring apps that you can install on your iPhone, Android and even Symbian and Blackberry device. These remote SMS monitoring mobile apps allow you to remotely spy and monitor text messages, SMS of your cheating husband, kids without their knowledge.

Use IFTTT As A Spy App: Secretly Collect iOS Photos Taken on iPhone, iPad (No Jailbreak)

Best & Free Remote SMS Monitoring App For Android, iPhone

1. SMS Replicator Android Secret Spy App - Spy, Read Someone's Inbox

   SMS Replicator, one of the most controversial applications for Android, does almost the same with SMS Monitor. It automatically forwards another copy of every successful text message, SMS sent. This SMS spy app works well with Android and can be used to spy on your girlfriend/boyfriend or kids or simply for fun. Simply grab the phone while they are taking bath. Download and install SMS Replicator for Android, configure it with your number. Once done, the app will run in the background and it will forward incoming messages to you.

   If successfully installed, this SMS remote spy app for Android has no icon so it is impossible to find on phone and will run on its own. The only way to reveal the app is to text the phone with your secret password. Just text "000" to the phone to open the secure settings and choose the forwarding number.

   In my test, it really worked like a charm and felt that uncomfortable feeling of guilt of being able to monitor whoever I want to track. So please use it at your own risk.

   SMS Replicator, being a controversial Android app, cannot be downloaded on PlayStore so you have to look for it on Google or other file hosting sites. I previously hosted it at 110mb.com but apparently the hosting site is already unavailable, and I don't have backup :( Sorry about that.

2. Mobile Spy - The most advanced, next generation remote SMS spying software for iPhone

   UPDATE: I originally wrote this article back in 2011 so I can no longer vouch if Mobile Spy still works for iPhone, considering the often-updated, walled ecosystem of iOS. However, you can go give it a try, request a demo and see if it's what you need.

   However, the closest alternative I can think of to somehow monitor your kids is to use IFTTT and track every single snap without them knowing (no Jailbreak required). Follow this guide how you can Use IFTTT as a spy app to secretly copy, collect iOS photos on iPhone, iPad.

   Mobile Spy is your ultimate solution for remote mobile spying needs. This is a subscription-based app, with great handset support, and comes with advanced remote monitoring functions.

   Mobile Spy uses the Internet capabilities of your phone, records your text and call activities, and logs your GPS locations. All data are then quickly uploaded to your Mobile Spy account so that you can monitor the activity of your cheating husband or kids via web. To download, visit Mobile Spy website.

   Remotely Lock, Password-Protect Your Lost/Forgotten Phone Via SMS

   Your two timer husband is less likely to make the same crime again if you install SMS spying/monitoring app on his phone. If you manage a business, your employees are less likely to abuse their SMS privileges.

3. SMS Monitor - Get instant copy for every SMS, text message sent and received by your husband or kids

   This is one of my favourite apps back in Symbian days (Nokia) so if you have old Symbian device lying around, you can use below's app. Otherwise, you can skip this part.

   SMS Monitor is a powerful tool for remote sms-monitoring. It was purposely created for security audit and parental control. You'll be able to read every single text message/SMS being sent and received.

   SMS Monitor Key Features:

   - the app secretly sends incoming and outgoing SMS from mobile phone where it is installed to an admin number (you)

   - all messages would be sent in hidden mode

   - application is not shown in phone menu (there's no way for them to jon and uninstall)

   - the app does not keep copies of SMS in sent and reports folders

   - the app is not shown in Task List

   Free SMS Bombing Apps To Send Multiple Messages All At Once

   SMS Monitor perfectly works on any s60v3 and s60v5 Nokia Symbian handsets. Download, sign and install the app called SmsMonitor.v1.0.sis, just google it. Remember to install the app to your kid or husband's phone (of course, do it behind closed doors). After installation the application starts in hidden mode. To prepare it for work, just grab another phone -- your phone (not necessarily Symbian) and text "set admin" (without quotes) to your kid or husband's number. The message should be received and deleted automatically. If successfully installed, you should receive all inbound and outbound SMS/text messages being sent or received by your husband/kid.

If you know any other remote SMS spy app, please email me (or comment below) and I will update the list.

How To: Make Any Wired Speaker Into Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for Less than $7

As what ultra-minimalist Steve Jobs famously once said, we “improve by removing more”. That's one of the guiding maxims of Apple that helped propel its way to greatness in the techno-wizardry scene.

Now, if you're convinced with that guiding principle of Apple, why not apply that same ethos into how you consume your music and movies?

I'm talking about those classic wired surround speakers & subwoofer systems sitting on your desk right now and all its tangled wires glory. While this wired speaker system works just fine, why not free yourself from all these clutter and get that simple joy of wireless you deserve?

How To: Remotely Control Apple Music on Computer, Mac Using iPhone, iPad

If you have a good old non-wireless loudspeaker lying around in the corner, don't throw that just yet. The truth is you can make it "cool" again by repurposing and turning it into a wireless Bluetooth speaker so you can wirelessly fire up your favorite Spotify playlist from the comfort of your fingertips.

Play Music On Your Wired Speaker System Wirelessly from Your iPhone, Android

Step 1 Get your preferred Bluetooth Audio Receiver from your favorite shop like Amazon. I scored a decent Bluetooth Receiver from Lazada for only Php 330.00 ($7). Sweet.

Step 2 Do the one-time setup. These Bluetooth Stereo Receivers usually have this simple setup:

1. Plug in your speaker's 3.5mm stereo jack into the Bluetooth device
2. Pair your Bluetooth Audio Receiver with your iPhone, Android or any Bluetooth-enabled devices

You're done!

You can now listen to your favourite music from iTunes or Spotify while you can freely move around.

Image source: nerdtechy.com

Finally, Netflix Gets Offline Playback Support for iOS iPhone, iPad and Android

Call it an early Holiday treat!

After years of waiting, Netflix has finally heeded everyone's call and just rolled out an update on their iOS and Android apps which now lets you download Netflix movies and shows offline so you can watch them on your iPhone, iPad or Android even without an internet connection.

Netflix first broke the news on Twitter which must be making everyone excited, YES, me included!

Airplane mode. Road trip mode. Stuck-in-the-subway-for-20-minutes mode. Your favorite stories are now available for download any time. pic.twitter.com/g7QZA3TyE8

— Netflix US (@netflix) November 30, 2016

Netflix Now Lets You Download Movies, TV Shows To Watch Offline On iPhone, iPad, Android

So, starting today, you'll now be able to download select Netflix movies and TV shows so you can watch them on the go without mobile data. Of course, you need to update your app first to enjoy this Netflix offline playback support.

One big caveat though is that only select movies and TV shows are available for offline view, and it can vary region-to-region. But they do plan to expand their catalog as soon as the required licensing arrangements are made with its content partners.

How To: Send, Save Quora Answers In Pocket and Read Offline

While not all Netflix contents are available for download offline, it is still a welcome addition considering the pricey mobile data rate which could inflate your bill.

How To: Disconnect Other Wifi Users in A Wireless Network Using Your Phone (Without Them Knowing)

Disclaimer: The purpose of this tutorial is to demonstrate just as how easy it is for anyone with a rooted Android phone to take control of the entire WiFi network you're currently on be it at home, cafes and school. While we believe that the tool and the method you are about to read can be an invaluable one if prudently used, we do not condone nor promote the idea of manipulating one's wireless network to your advantage. Please use this at your own risk.

Ever wondered why you're not connected to the internet even if you're connected to a shared WiFi network? Chances are you're deliberately getting blocked from accessing the internet not by the cafe owner but by a fellow regular who find joy in seeing you annoyed, disgruntled.

Due to the 'open' nature of Google-backed Android, developers have come up with ways to exploit the platform creating applications so clever that most of them don't even make its way to the Play Store.

One great example is the app you might have already heard called WiFiKill.

Sniff Internet Sessions, Hack Facebook Account with Ease Using Your Android Phone

WiFikill, as you can see in the disclaimer above, is one bad-ass, root-only Android app designed to do just that: block or restrict other users & devices to access the internet through shared wireless network. So if you're hanging out in a coffee shop hotspot and you notice the internet seems to be lagging a little more than you expect, then, you can take matters into your own hands. Disconnect, disable their internet connection.

Here's how to disable internet access for any device on a shared WiFi network

The process is no brainer, and even grade schoolers can do this. All you need is a compatible rooted Android phone and you're good to go.

Step 1 Download WiFiKill using WifiKill Downloader HERE. Two variants to choose from:

• FREE version — ads-supported and it shuts down after 5 minutes (more limitations are expected in the next updates)
• PRO version — requires you to make a donation through PayPal via WiFiKill Downloader

Or you can download the older version of WiFiKill v2.1.apk.

Step 2 Once installed, launch the app and grant whatever Superuser request it prompts.

Step 3 Tap the Play button beside the Refresh icon. It should start scanning for the entire WiFi network. Once done, it should show all devices connected to the wireless network as seen below:

(PRO TIP: enable Show Network Names in the Preferences to show the device' names)



Step 4 Here's the fun part. Choose the device you want to disconnect from the network and toggle the Grab slider. It should display the network usage as well as the website being accessed. Once you made that selection, just toggle the Kill slider.

And you're done. The target device should now be blocked and denied to access the internet even if they're connected to the WiFi network. And if you're really that evil, you can even disconnect all devices connected to the network.

Access Surveillance IP Cameras Anywhere In Real Time With Google

See, WiFiKill is one dangerous tool if it lands in the wrong hands.

The Good...

Despite its controversial nature, there are great use cases for this app too. You might want to use it against your kids to restrict access to the internet especially during bed time. Or you're in a coffee shop and you see someone's abusing the extra bandwidth juices for Justin Bieber clips on YouTube, then you can quickly kill their internet connection without them knowing. Yes, the targeted device still says connected to the WiFi network.

So, how you protect yourself?

As much as you can, avoid connecting to the publicly available WiFi network. Bring your own broadband or tether your iPhone or Android so you can browse the web in peace.



For more information about the app, go to WiFiKill official page.

Turn Your Laptop, PC Into Wi-Fi Hotspot Without Using Ad-Hoc -- Internet Sharing Made Easy

Must-Have: PushBullet Makes Your iOS, Android and Computer "Work" Together

Remember the Software Data Cable for Android I mentioned before? That was really a clever tiny piece of  app that every Android user should install. Why? Well, you better see my previous post about it here: How To: Transfer Files From PC To Android Phone Via Wi-Fi (And Vice Versa).

If you ever wished you could do almost the same thing on your iPhone or iPad and make your life a LOT easier, well, then, you've got to check out PushBullet.

PushBullet is your Swiss Army Knife for anything wireless

As a long-time Android user who just switched to iOS, I hate it when moving files & information from my computer to iPhone is such a difficult feat. The same frustration you get when you copy contents from your iPhone to your Mac or Windows PC. And that's the problem that PushBullet is trying to solve.

What is PushBullet

In a nutshell, PushBullet makes it really easy to send files, ebooks, links, and virtually any  media files from one device to another. Whether you're pushing files from your Windows computer to your iPhone, iPad or Android, the process is absolutely painless. All you have to do is to right-click the file or link and select the destination device and voila, you can instantly go right to that file/link by tapping on the notification you get on your Android or iDevice. And no, you don't have to be in the same wireless network to make PushBullet works.

Browse, Access Your Photos From Your iPhone, iPad To Your Computer Over Wi-Fi

And if you have an Android device, you can even automatically “push” all your calls and SMS alerts to your computer so you  won't miss important calls and text messages even if your phone is on silent mode or in another room. Unfortunately for iOS, PushBullet doesn't have this feature yet. But given the more open iOS8.0+ architecture, I believe this feature is currently in the works (check out the paid app Notifyr for iOS, it works almost the same).

Why is it useful?

PushBullet's homepage already has a detailed information on how it works and how it becomes so handy, but allow me to point it out here.

With PushBullet, you can easily:

• Send files from your mobile device to your computer with one click (or the other way around)
• Receive calls, SMS and other phone notifications straight on your computer

And if you're on Android, there are whole lot more you can do with PushBullet like being able to reply text messages straight from your computer.

Final Verdict:

PushBullet is a simple yet powerful push notification service designed to make all your internet-connected devices “work” together. It's a godsend  web service that you will surely appreciate especially if you're dealing with multiple devices. PushBullet is currently available for iOS, Android and as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Opera. There's also an unofficial paid app PushPal for Mac users.

Transfer Large Files Between iPhone and Other iDevices Over Existing Wi-Fi Network

LINK: PushBullet

New Android App 'Party Player' Lets You Enqueue, Play Song Via SMS

Imagine you're chilling outside together with your friends, maybe on the veranda with beer, enjoying the night while your party playlist is humming in the background.

What if I told you there's an app that allows you or anyone to enqueue, play tracks by simply sending a text message to your phone?

Enqueue, Play Next Song By Title Through Text Message (link)

Well, that's basically the premise of this brand new app called “Party Player”, a free music app currently available for Android that allows your phone to receive and automatically play song requests through text messages. And no, it doesn't need an internet connection to work.

How it works?

The app works this simply: you or your friends will just have to send a text message "Play<space>Song Name" to your Android phone. Party Player will then automatically stop any currently playing song and look for and play the matching track found on your phone. When the song request finishes, the previously playing song will be continued.

How To: Remotely Lock, Password-Protect Your Lost/Forgotten Phone Thru SMS

Party Player is surprisingly smart; if a song request returns multiple results, the sender automatically gets a reply via SMS prompting them which song they want to play.

How cool is that?!

Of course, song requests can come from different sources, including song requests coming from non-Android devices. The app also comes with a simple “Blacklist” support so you can disallow certain contacts from requesting a song, useful if you have friends with poor music taste :D

It's creator, iamcamcamiam22, teased the app on Reddit yesterday, showing how the Party Player works. Here's the creator with his demo video:





Download: Party Player [Play Store]

Remotely Set Alarm Clock By SMS — Send SMS Text Message To Set Alarm Clock

How To: Enable, Make Spotify Web Player Working on iPhone, iPad, Android

I am one of those unhappy, broke and desperate fellow Asians who cannot fully enjoy Spotify Premium because I am in the other side of the world currently unsupported by Spotify. While Spotify Web Player & Spotify Radio are both accessible on my PC in my country using tools like Hola Unblocker, I can't still get through the day without it on my phone which I spent most of my time every day.

How To: Bypass, Remove Restriction On YouTube - Watch Blocked YouTube Videos Anywhere

To those asking why I can't get Spotify Premium, Spotify refused any payments made on any non-US credit cards & PayPal accounts. There's a way out though: purchase Spotify Premium coupons codes which you can redeem anytime,anywhere on Spotify. But the problem with these coupons is that they are priced as high as 150% to 200% from the original price. An that's a big NO way!

So last few days, I embarked into a mission trying to work out the famous Spotify Web Player on my iPhone as my last resort. And thankfully it was successful though I had to tossed $3.99 just to enable, make Spotify Web Player working on my iPhone.

How To Get Spotify Web Player Working on iPhone, iPad & Android

The method is simple: you have to hunt any decent, working mobile web browsers with great Flash support. For iOS, I highly recommend Photon Flash Player. The iPhone version will set you back $3.99 while the iPad version costs you $5.49. But I guess it's all worth your money as you have to make only one-time purchase for this functional app rather than paying Spotify monthly premium subscription.

THE BONUS:

• All Flash-based streaming sites like Hulu, Netflix & Pandora are supported with Photon (provided that you're in a country supported by these services)
• Flash-based games like that on Facebook are fully working!

How To: Stream, Play MP3 & Video Files Embedded On Non-HTML5 Websites From Your Mobile Browser

I hate telling people the good news without telling people the bad. So here's my problem so far with Photon for iPhone: No background playback support! You have to make your browser opened for continuous audio/video playback. I hope they can work it out soon.

How To: Stream, Play MP3 & Video Files Embedded On Non-HTML5 Websites From Your Mobile Browser

If you're wondering about how to activate and get Spotify Web Player working on your iPhone, iPad or Android device or even Hulu & Netflix, then, that should do the trick!

DOWNLOAD:
Photon Flash Player for iPhone (link)
Photon Flash Player for iPad (link)
Photon Flash Player for Android(link)

Groopic Solves The Group Picture Taking Woe — Includes Photographer In A Group Picture Too (iOS)

Groopic for iOS simply merges the photographer's image to the group picture. Put simply, the photographer gets included too in a group photo. No more setting up of external tripods, using timers and chairs, and no more asking help from a stranger.

Unfortunately, in most group photos, the photographer is always left out. Or, a group photo is never complete because two photographers have to switch so one or the other is always left out. Groopic solves this problem with an app that will show everybody in every group photo. No one needs to be left out.

Take a Group Picture that Includes the Photographer with Groopic (link)

Groopic gives you complete groupie pics in 3 easy steps: Simply take two pictures, use the app to mark the photographers, and the Groopic app does the rest. It automatically combines the two pictures into one complete group picture.

Here's How It Works:

Groopic is the creation of Eyedeus Labs, a company that develops computational photography solutions for smartphones, with over 30 years of experience in innovative imaging solutions. Eyedeus is based in Lahore, Pakistan.

New iPhone App 'Yinztagram' Lets You Add Some Pittsburgh To Your Photos

The Groopic app for iOS is available from the App Store for only a $1.99 download. So far, an Android version is in the making and may be made available soon.

New Jailbreak Tweak FaceHalt Adds Samsung's Smart Pause Feature To iPhone

The recent release of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 saw a number of unique software and app features. One that seemed to catch a lot of attention was an app with gaze detection technology called Smart Pause. It automatically pauses any video you’re viewing when you look away from the display or puts the smartphone down.

Apple iPhone owners can have this app on their device too with "FaceHalt."

FaceHalt Brings Galaxy S4's 'Smart Pause' Feature to iPhone, iPad

FaceHalt is a new copycat, Jailbreak tweak from Chris Simpson. It uses the same Samsung Smart Pause concept feature. Using the same front-facing camera of your iOS device, it can detect if you look away or put down your phone, and will automatically pause the video you’re watching.

How To: Automatically Switch Off Your Phone At Later Time

FaceHalt is compatible with Apple’s iPhone 4S and 5, and the iPad mini, iPad 2, 3, and 4, and even the 5th generation iPod Touch. It’s also compatible with most video applications except VLC.

Activating the tweak is easy. After downloading FaceHalt, go to Settings and just select from the enable or disable toggle button. You can even switch to manual control and double tap on the Pause button, and press Play to play the video again.

5 Essential Android Apps That We Wish Existed On The iPhone

Because the app is made by an independent developer for iOS users, it’s not free. But, FaceHalt is affordable at $1.99 from the BigBoss repo in the Cydia app store.

5 Essential Android Apps That We Wish Existed On The iPhone

If you're a long-time Android power user who just switched to iOS, you would want to warn everyone how hard it is to enjoy the kind of customizability and convenience that Android brings to the table. For sure iOS has the kind of mobile experience that's missing on the Android, and so does the Android to iOS. But if we are to weigh both based on the criterion of which one gives the best mobile experience, Android, well for me, is the real winner.

Remotely Lock, Password-Protect Your Lost/Forgotten Phone Thru SMS

The following 5 Android apps hopefully explains why Android is the best platform & why it can make your digital life a lot easier compared to iPhone:

1) Tasker (link)

Tasker is one of the Android apps that makes every iPhone user jealous. This $3.00 USD app makes your Smartphone extra smart by automatically executing certain actions based on the profile or criteria you created. You can define a set of instructions/actions which will be automatically performed by your phone in response to events such as location change, time of day, among others.

Example: you can automatically put your phone into silent mode when you're entering on your office, or you can automatically send an SMS to someone when you're leaving the house. There are myriad of automation options you can exploit with Tasker, making your Android experience utterly unforgettable.

2) Astro File Manager (link) & LCG X-Plore (link)

On the iPhone, it's cumbersome to do simple things like unzipping a file, view a PDF, view office files, and even do a simple job of organizing your files straight from your iOS device. Even sending email with multiple attachments & deleting multiple photos inside the iPhone's Gallery are impossible.

How To: Transfer Files From PC To Android Phone Via Wi-Fi (And Vice Versa)

I wish file managers like Astro and LCG X-Plore are available too on the iPhone. Both apps give you full access to your data on your mobile device. And the bonus: these apps have built-in viewer of office files and are bundled with cloud storage integration.

3) Wifi Kill (link)

Now, let's talk about evil: how many times have you wished you could disconnect other devices connecting on a congested wireless network so you can enjoy the extra bandwidth juices on that network? Yes, you can manage and "kill" other devices with this awesome root-only app: Wifi Kill.

4) AirDroid (link)

Your Android experience won't be complete without AirDroid. With AirDroid, you don’t even need to touch your phone in order to use it. The app allows you to access your device remotely by going to AirDroid website and scanning the QR code on the page. The free version of the app lets you do things like reply to text messages, organize your photos, and play music -- all from a web browser while the paid version lets you remotely access your camera and helps you locate a missing or stolen device.

5) SuperBeam (link)

SuperBeam makes transferring of large files as convenient and fast as it should have been. SuperBeam allows you to share large files between Android devices at a blazing speed using WiFi Direct. If WiFi Direct fails, you can even use existing WiFi network to move files from one device to another. Go check out SuperBeam at Play Store.

Backup, Save SMS Text Messages To Gmail All At Once (Android)

Those are my shortlist of 5 essential Android apps that hopefully will make their way to iOS!

uSlide Transforms Your Android, iPhone Into a Wireless Presentation Remote Control

You might have already heard about PowerPoint Keynote Remote, a free mobile app that transforms your Android and iOS device into a remote control. The app works by installing the app to your mobile device and the tiny PC server and connect both your laptop and phone to the same Wi-Fi network. And you're good to go!

Now a new FREE web service wants to make that process extra simple: by allowing you to point your phone to your computer so you can instantly do your keynote!

uSlide Turns Your Smartphone Into A Wireless Presentation Remote (link)

Say goodbye to tiring, stressful, and tedious setting up of laptops and heavy projectors. No more having to search for lost USB drives since your phone is always with you.

Here's basically how it works:

1 Sign up at the Uslide website http://uslide.net/register/. Once signed up to the site, you can now upload your presentation files like PPT, PDF, DOC, XLS, etc.

2 When you’re finished uploading, just bring your smartphone, and you’re off to your presentation.

3 When you need to get connected, simply look for the presentation computer, go to http://uslide.net/ and scan the QR code on the front page using your smartphone.

It only takes a few seconds to get "set up."

4 Login on your smartphone and press "Start". Your presentation will automatically load to the computer you're connected to.

New QR Tagging Service Helps You Find Your Lost Stuff

You can use the "Share" feature so your live presentation can be viewed by anyone. You can share the link to your presentation to anyone even outside the country. You can therefore give your presentation to clients in other countries via conference call.

Uslide makes your presentations as easy as Sign Up, Connect, and Present.

(Note: your smartphone needs a QR code app to scan. In its absence, the recommended alternative is Scan for iPhone or Google Goggles for Android)

WIN Remote Is Your Swiss Army Knife In Remote Controlling Your PC With An Android Phone

I do have a chance to try nearly almost every remote-controlling app for the Android, but none of them seemed to surpass the feature-filled power of WIN Remote.

WIN Remote is a free, fun, and easy-to-use app that turns your Android phone into a PC remote control. So wherever you are in your house, you can control your Windows PC with a tap or flick of a finger.

Phone As Spy Camera - Turn Your Phone Into Remote Surveillance Camera With Motion Detection

WIN Remote has been designed to perfectly work with the Windows 7, giving you new ways to operate your computer.

WIN Remote can remotely control the following PC operations:

• The Browser
• The Task Manager
• Various Video and Audio Players such as VLC, Windows Media Player
• Image Viewers
• Windows Media Center
• PowerPoint
• Open Office, etc.
• Power on and off, Reboot, or Hibernate the PC

To start everything rolling, you need to download and install WIN Remote on both your mobile phone and your desktop. Both apps are different so don’t interchange them when downloading and installing. The desktop app is the necessary app service for remote input while the mobile app will allow you to enter, transmit, and remotely control your computer.

1 Download WIN Remote for Android HERE

2 Download & install Server (Windows Remote service) for Windows and start it. Download it from http://www.banamalon.net

3 Select 'Change Server' from HomeScreen. A list of the Servers should appear otherwise press the refresh button.

4 And that's it!

Screenshots: 

The WIN Remote homepage.

Remote file management. You can browse through  your Desktop files through your Android phone.

You can remotely browse/open your files.

The Windows Media Player, controllable thru your phone

The Task Manager.

Yes, WIN Remote can remotely snooze off your PC.

In addition to the PC operations mentioned above, you can even control volume, play next/previous track, and refresh a current web page.

DokRemote: Remotely Control Your iPhone, iPod Music Player Via Web Browser

WIN Remote is free to download and also ad-supported. As an alternative, you can download an ad-free donate version if you prefer.

Download: WIN Remote [Google Play link]

ThrowMeApp Brutally Makes Your Android Device Useful Again

The title says it all. Yes, anything is possible with technology these days, even if it does border on the somewhat risky or foolish.

ThrowMeApp (pun is intended to catch people’s attention, get it?) is used to take aerial pictures of you and your friends. This is a new aspect of app photography you can explore so long as you are willing to take the risk.

Recover, Restore All Deleted/Lost Photos On Your Android Device

All you need to do is to throw your Android compatible device (such as the new Samsung Galaxy series of phones) up in the air and catch it when it comes down.

ThrowMeApp Takes Aerial Pictures When You Throw Your Android Device in the Air (link)

Here's how ThrowMeApp goes:

• Turn on the app and throw your Android phone up in the air. It will take a photo at the highest point and when facing down.
• The app needs lots of light for good pictures. So the app works best outdoors on a clear day.
• The key to taking good pictures is throwing the phone in such a way that the screen is facing upward.
• ThrowMeApp adapts to the way you throw and will eventually improve timing after a few throws in the same manner.
• No professional ever gets it right the first time, so you need to practice your throws.

Warning: The user alone is responsible for the phone and preventing it from breaking or hitting people.

What makes ThrowMeApp amazing is that it takes really clear pictures without the usual motion blurs associated with high speeds.