Stuff for mobile devices
Today Nokia announced the biggest kept non-secret in the phone world, the company’s first Android handset, the Nokia X. Alongside that announcement was another equally as important, which signals that the beleaguered giant could actually be setting out to fight back properly in the mobile phone wars.
We’re not exactly sure how much of a thing this is, but we’ve personally experienced one smartphone meltdown over the past few months due to some issue or another with charging. The symptom was waking up to a dead phone, which had been plugged in overnight to the mains microUSB charger cable. The back of the phone was very hot.
Yesterday’s announcement that Facebook is buying Whatsapp has got the pundits chattering, and with good reason. But for many users, it could be decision time if they don’t want their messaging connected to their Facebook lives or if they just don’t like Facebook at all.
![MTalk – new messaging service goes beyond Skype and Whatsapp offering free click to talk/text [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mtalk-1.jpg)
One of the things the phone services don’t like about Android is the fact that you can step outside of their walled garden and upgrade your phone whenever you like. Which means you can extend the life of your handset instead of opting for an upgrade, and enjoy a faster, more powerful phone without all the bloatware the service providers install. But until now upgrading has been a bit of a pain, because you need to have nerd knowledge to…
![CyanogenMod Installer – extend the life of your mobile phone with the click of a button [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cyanogenmod-1.jpg)
So we’re hearing a lot of talk about these ‘smart watches’ lately. About how they’re really going to change the way we do things around here. And stuff like that. But we’re still not hugely convinced that they’re actually that useful.
The cool thing about Android is the fun you can have customizing your phone to your heart’s delight, and nowhere is this more evident than in the availability of outlandish theme skins which transform your phone into an extension of your slightly weird personality.
![Steampunk Go Launcher – sometimes only analog will do for your phone [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/steampunktheme2.jpg)
During the course of a regular day, your smartphone is always handy when you get the urge to snap a few pictures, but the versatile iPhone usually has to be left behind when you hit the water because the folks at Apple never taught it how to swim. Well, it still doesn’t know how to swim – not even a doggy paddle – but now it can be suited up to brave the waves with you.
You could be like everyone else and get email notifications from your smartphone with a cute little tune or you could bask in the aroma of your favorite smells. Isn’t there enough noise in your life already?
There are a lot of great iPhone covers on the market but the vast majority sacrifice protection for convenience by allowing the touchscreen to remain exposed. This cover keeps things convenient while also keeping the screen covered.
How often has this happened? You stay up until the wee hours of the morning, working on an important assignment in MS Office. Later, when you’re out and about, you think of something new to add but your smartphone doesn’t have Office on it. What to do?
![Quickoffice for Android & iPhone – MS Office for your phone [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Quickoffice-for-Android-and-iPhone.jpg)
There’s a lot of talk about biometric fingerprint scanning on smartphones nowadays, spurred of course by Apple’s use of the technology on its flagship iPhone 5S. Well now Android users can feel biometrically enhanced as well, thanks to the introduction of a new free app from Alabama based DFT Inc.
![ICE Unlock Fingerprint Secure – real biometric security for your Android smartphone for free [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/iceunlockbiometricsecurity.jpg)
One of the big hassles with disparate people living together as roommates is the fact that communications aren’t easy, which makes organizing collective activities or chores…well a bit of a chore. The typical result is for everyone to rely on the iconic whiteboard, with scribbles and notes covering requests for rent share, shopping and cleaning etc.
![Homeslice – the free app that will guarantee your roommates love you [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/homeslice.jpg)
Regular readers will know how fanatical we are about LibreOffice as a great open source alternative to the grossly over-priced Microsoft Office products, which is hardly surprising since LibreOffice is a awesome. So imagine how pleased we are to announce the arrival of an Android office suite which promises all the same functionality for your tablet or smartphone.
![AndrOpen Office – world’s first port of the Open Office suite to Android…so close…. [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/andropenoffice6.jpg)
The days when Chinese Android smartphones lagged behind the big brand leaders are drawing to a close, as evidenced by the latest crop of budget handsets emerging from the mainland in 2014. One of the first of these is a gorgeous new handset from one of our favorite manufacturers, THL, who have produced something which manages to look fabulous as well as offer a top feature set and blistering performance.
![THL T100s – gorgeous budget octa-core super phone slashes the cost of ultra cool [Review]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/thlt100sc.jpg)
Not another messaging app, we hear you cry. But wait, this could actually be the best thing since sliced bread, especially as it’s fully open source and the developers have committed to never charging a penny or displaying nasty adverts. Ah…see…now you’re listening…
![Telegram – open source, ultra secure messaging service takes on WhatsApp and other proprietary products [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/telegram.jpg)
