Monthly Archives: August 2013

Top Five Free Apps on the Android Market

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Written by: Lisa Pearson

The iPhone is known to have some great apps, but what about those who have Android phones? Android devotees need not worry; phones on the ave equally fun and functional apps to help make life more interesting. Take a look at the list Android operating system Take a look at the list of top five free apps on Android market  and see if it compares to your top five list.The Android market has a plethora of applications available from games, music, books, and movies. Many of the games and books are available for free on the Android market while many of the apps available on the iPhone require a nominal fee. If you are one of the many people who love to play games or listen to music in their spare time, the cost of apps can add up fast. According to Distimo, which is an app store analytics company, in 2010 57 percent of Android apps were free compared to the 28 percent of free apps on the iPhone.
If you are new to Android phones and the market, take a look at the helpful video below which takes you step-by-step through downloading and uninstalling apps.

For those who are already well-versed in the Android market, consider adding these top five free apps to your arsenal of applications:
Pandora-Music lovers can create their own music stations with this handy app. If you love the sounds of Adele and create an Adele station; Pandora will also play other singers with similar style of singing such as Duffy or Amy Winehouse. The great thing about Pandora is that you have the opportunity to listen to other artists you might not have discovered on your own.

Google Currents-This app delivers magazine-quality articles that you can read offline on smartphones and tablets. There are a variety of magazines and websites to choose from and you can also share interesting stories through email or a social networking website.

Alfred -Meet your new drinking and dining helper. You can “teach” Alfred what your favorite bars and eateries are and he will make recommendations on new places to visit. The more you tell him about what you like, the better his recommendations will be. Everyone can use this clever app is a great tool to help navigate you to all the great hangouts.

MyFitnessPal – For anyone who is trying lose weight, exercise more, or just eat healthier; this app tracks all of these things and then some. You can set a weight loss goal for yourself and the app will calculate the number of calories you should consume per day in order to reach that goal. It also has a huge database of food, drinks and exercises so you can input all your meals, drinks, snacks and workouts throughout the day.

Llama-Does your phone always ring at inopportune times? Llama is a location aware mobile app. You can have your phone set to silent but still have calls from your boss or family come through. You can also set a timer for a specific profile so if you’re going to be on a conference call for the next hour you can set it to silent for 1 hour and then it’s back to normal.

Hopefully, you discovered some new things from the list of top five free apps on the Android market. Before you pay for any apps, always look at the list of free offerings. You will likely find a comparable free app to the paid version. Happy hunting!

Isn’t She Sexy? Apple Places Restrictions on Its Most Sexiest Apps

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Written By: Maureen Ahmed

Sex sells. That’s an understatement.

Apple started banning approximately 5,000 applications for its iPhone, especially those that feature sexually indicative material. Pictures of women in bikinis and lingerie and applications that can make a cartoon woman’s boobs bigger with the touch of the screen are now no longer available.

Or are they? Many application developers are confused about Apple’s screening process because apps from such conglomerates as Sports Illustrated and Playboy are still very much available for purchase. Other apps, such as “SlideHer,” a puzzle that allows iPhone owners to reassemble a photo of a scantily clad actress, and “Sexy Scratch Off,” where you can whisk away at a woman’s dress at the push of a finger, have been purged away. In a response to customer complaints, Apple started turning off the button on certain applications they deemed “inappropriate,” as reported by the New York Times.

But how do you define what’s “inappropriate?” Women have complained that the content has become too degrading and objectionable while parents are concerned that their children might turn on the screen on their iPod Touch and find a barely dressed woman on the screen. But how is Apple figuring out what to get rid of?

On its Web site, “Chillfresh” said that an Apple representative told the developer that the App Store policy will not tolerate applications that include the following: “images of women in bikinis, images of men in bikinis, images of skin, silhouettes indicating that the app includes sexual images, sexual connotations or innuendo, and sexually arousing content.” It was stated that no applications will be approved if they imply sexual content.

Cashing in on E-Waste

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Written by Ian Bellamy

What do you do when your mobile phone dies? It’s a shame to simply throw it away, especially since it’s loaded with gold, silver, copper and other valuable raw materials.

Not to mention larger electronic devices, such as computers and tablets.

A German company, ALBA, has agreed to work with their national post office, who will collect any old electronic devices that will fit in an A4-sized envelop. The company will then harvest materials and reuse up to 80 percent of them.

Germany gets over 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, and has one the most developed recycling programs in the world.

There is, according to treehugger.com six categories of recyclables in place:

  • the yellow bin for packaging materials,
  • the brown bin for compostables,
  • the blue bin for paper,
  • the white glass bin,
  • the colored glass bin, and
  • the grey bin for the rest of the trash.

Recycling programs such as these are not unheard of. Cell for Cash (who is not currently accepting orders) was known to take old mobile phones and refurbish them for sale in developing countries. The Cash for Clunkers program in the U.S. would also scrap the old vehicles for the metal.

E-Waste is becoming a bigger problem day in and day out, as it accounts for 70 percent of overall toxic garbage.

According to Recyclebank, a company that encourages people to recycle, “The total annual global volume of e-waste is expected to reach about 40 million metric tons. In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that we generated 1.5 billion pounds of all kinds of e-waste in 2006. This includes an estimated 44 million computers and televisions.”

Of course, this is only going to increase in time as more people get cell phones and computers and the rate which technology is becoming updated.

It’s harmful to see retired cell phones as “waste,” because in fact it is a resource. A functional phone can be donated, and a broken one can be refurbished or recycled. With the amount of e-waste that is already present and the amount that we will produce in the future, it is inevitable that we will have to keep in mind our limited resources, especially with regard to rare-earth minerals that are found in everyday devices.

We can expect that as the problem of e-waste becomes more dire, we’ll see more programs and companies, and it appears that Germany is leading the way.

Arizona State Seeks Funding and Help for New Football Stadium

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Written by: Eric Forthun

Arizona State University has played in Sun Devil Stadium since 1958, yet they are now searching for a new means to make the stadium more viable. The current stadium, which consists of metal bleachers and older construction (only costing roughly $1 million at the time of build), has been home to professional teams like the Arizona Cardinals, and has hosted countless bowl games and sporting events.

The attempt to build a new stadium, though, could cost upwards of $300 million, a hefty amount for a new college stadium that would serve as an upgrade to the standing body. There is support amongst individuals in the community, particularly the school’s representatives, who see this as an option to not only earn money in the long run, but provide a memorable experience for students. Most do not care for the stadium’s older look and lack of accommodations, but the new upgrade could potentially allow for more amenities for students to search for during breaks.

Another major complaint about the current stadium is the lack of shade it provides, which is one of the largest factors in the new design. Large, wide-spread canopies would cover the stadium, or at least the bleachers, in hopes of providing viewers with more preferable situations. Officials hope that this will not only draw in more customers and students, but also allow for better viewing and more comfortable playing for the football players.

The cost, though, no matter how justifiable for the large upgrades planned, is still struggling to get support. While there are some who believe that the sporting events will draw in money, there are others who don’t see the cost as justifiable in the long run. Especially with the problems arising in public education right now, and the general lack of support amongst students for more ways to spend money that doesn’t go toward actual education, there isn’t enough of a claim by the university to warrant the cost.

The fight will persist, and the university hopes that the new stadium can shed light on the university as one of the top in the country. The new innovations, though, won’t be a complete remodeling, but a sign of rebirth as the college continues to thrive off of its widespread recognition. The football team, with a new coach and new hope for next year, wants there to be more public support for the team and the university itself, and the public may start to come around once the funding feels more opportune and appropriate.

As of now, though, the support isn’t substantial enough to mean anything, which will show the university what needs to be done to make the changes necessary.