Stuff for mobile devices
If you’ve got a passion for shooting hoops then you probably want to make it to the professional level. However, you can’t just aim for the top without proper training. You need a coach to teach you the ‘Ins and Outs’ of the game. But having a dedicated coach is really expensive, so why not use technology to your advantage?
The idea that you can only guarantee top quality smartphone quality from a big name brand is fast becoming an old concept. We’ve been tracking the rise and rise of the Chinese smartphone brands for a while now, and it’s clear that these ‘lesser’ brands are starting to produce handsets that are every bit as good as the major brands, but at a fraction of the price.
![THL W8S – solid, fast quad core budget phone makes the Galaxy S4 look a little over priced [Review]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/thlw8s2.jpg)
The new NFC (near field communication) tech is slowly worming its way into our lives and devices. Right now there aren’t that many phones which come with it as standard, but it’s definitely one of those technologies which is destined to become more ubiquitous as time goes by.
If you’re carrying one of the latest smartphones, chances are that it will be OTG compatible, which means the microUSB port will not only serve as the charging port, but also allow you to connect up external peripherals such as keyboards, mice and external drives.
Lovers of Android phones will know how easy and tempting it is to swap out your handset every few months, especially when you can get such good deals on SIM free handsets for a fraction of the price of locked in phones. But one big hassle is moving all your old favorite apps across from the old phone to the new one, without having to spend hours scrolling through the clunky Google Play interface.
![Android Primer #1 – how to quickly move multiple apps from your old Android phone to your new handset [How to]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/androapplink3.jpg)
Cities are huge places by definition, and if you’ve ever found yourself adrift in a big one you’ll know how frustrating and unsettling that can be. The problem is you don’t know the layout, the orientation and most especially the transport system. There’s a ton of city apps out there to help, but for the most part they’re pretty basic, offering train, bus and road guides in a simple form.
![CityMapper – the absolutely essential city transport guide for your phone [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/citymapper.jpg)
One of the many surprising things we’re learning about carrying around smartphones every day is just how useful they can be for interesting tasks. One of these ‘new generation‘ hobbies is capturing video of breaking events and local news. Now everyone can be a video citizen journalist, but why shouldn’t we also have a chance to earn money for our efforts?
![iFussss – turn your camera phone into a money making machine [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ifussss.jpg)
We’ve shown you a few handwarmers here but this one is a little special because it can keep your phone as happy as your hands, and light the way for you, too.
Everyone loves weather, especially when it’s nice. We’re not so fond of it when it’s surly and nasty, but hey, we’re only human, right? Up till now our relationship with the weather has also been hampered by a fairly random prediction system, but now the power of the smartphone is trying to change things for the better.
![WeatherSignal Personal Weather Station – crowdsource your weather report from your phone [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/personalweatherstation.jpg)
Yeah things have definitely gone crazy out there. We knew that tablet computers were heading into commodity product land, but boy we didn’t realize quite how fast things were moving. Of course the commodity products come with their own share of cheap tacky risk, but at this sort of price who really cares?
Hands up if you have at least one old Android cell phone lying around in a drawer somewhere in your home or office? Yep, we’re all guilty. But that’s a shame, because these old handsets can actually be put to really good use if you can be bothered to dig out some free software and set them up. Here’s our round up of the 12 most interesting and useful ways to recycle and re-purpose your old smartphones.
![12 Rather Cool Uses For Your Old Android Phone [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/phonecartoon2.jpg)
The 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who is right around the corner, so why not celebrate the famous Time Lord by transforming your iPhone into a sonic screwdriver?
There are few things worse than running out of battery power on your mobile phone just when you need it, which is why there’s a huge market in portable battery packs which you can use to top up or recharge your handset. The problem with these babies is they usually suffer from power leakage, which means you have to keep them charged up regularly too. It’s a bit of a vicious circle. But no longer.
There’s a ton of smartphone messaging apps out there, but they all need some sort of Internet or cellular network connection to work. Which is all fine and dandy, but as we’ve seen with emergency situations in the past, these networks quickly break down when too many people try to access them, or the infrastructure is swept away, as the recent horrible events at the Boston Marathon demonstrate.
![Tin-Can – ultra cool Android messaging app doesn’t need Internet or a cellular connection [Freeware]](https://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tincan1.jpg)
The secret to getting in shape has finally been discovered. Forget about things like improving your quality of life and being healthier, and focus instead on what’s really important – scoring enough points to beat your friends.
