Why ChromeOS

I look at why Google should dump development of ChromeOS and those devices

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/google-dump-chrome-os/

App Review: Lookout Security & Antivirus

Protect your phone from viruses and more.

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/lookout-security-antivirus/

App Review: AppSales

This app tracks paid apps to let you know what is on sale. This app is very helpful in terms of finding great deals.

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/app-sales/

App Review: Koi Pond Live Wallpaper

Check out my new favorite LWP

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/koi-pond-live-wallpaper/

App Review: Ingress, Did You Get The Invite?

Find out about the new game from Google

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/ingress-invite/

JellyBean 4.2 First Impressions

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/jellybean-42-impressions/

App Review: Extreme Call Blocker (Stealth)

If you need to block callers or people texting you, try Extreme Call Blocker (Stealth)

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/extreme-call-blocker-stealth/

Hyperion 3800 Extended Battery Review

My thoughts on a Hyperion Extended battery for the Verizon G-Nex

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/hyperion-3800mah-gnex-extended-battery/

Android tablet sales catching up

My latest article about Android tablets catching up to iPad sales..

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/android-tablets-catching-ipad/

App Review: Ski Safari

Check out my favorite new game.  It is so addicting, read the review and download the app!

http://www.theandroidvibe.com/ski-safari/

App Review: Ocean HD

Check out a rare review of a live wallpaper.  http://www.theandroidvibe.com/ocean-hd-live-wallpaper/

App Review: Granny Smith

I have a new review of Granny Smith.  Check it out at http://www.theandroidvibe.com/granny-smith/

A great time wasting game. Quick and fun.

So it has been a while...

So it has been a while since I have posted or been online for any length of time.  A lot has happened in the last few months.  I stopped writing Android posts on a regular basis because we were in the process of adopting 3 kids.  We are still in the process but we have custody and they are now living with us.  It has been the most rewarding thing we have done as a family ever.  It has changed all of our lives and I hope that it has a positive impact  for all of us. We have been blessed with finding 3 great kids (ages 13, 12 and 10) and we are happy that it has worked out that we can adopt them. My wife and I have 4 boys and 2 girls ages 20, 17, 14, 13, 12 and 10.  My mother-in-law lives with us also.  It is a full house!  Never is there a dull moment.

In late July my old Volvo was totaled while parked downtown by an old lady reaching for some crackers in her car while driving down the road.  Her insurance company (Horace Mann) fought me over $500 like it was the end of the world.  They canceled my rental car without proper notice and forced me to settle.  Even though their client admitted fault and I could prove what I had in the car for improvements, they refused to budge on price.  It was frustrating to say the least.  We had to have a second car so that we could transport all of us places, but they cut that off without the decency of allowing me to prove what I thought the car was worth.  I would tell you NEVER use Horace Mann and I hope that you never have to deal with them. They are shady (in my opinion) at best.

In mid August we had a kitchen fire that also changed our lives dramatically.  We were living in a rented home that we had been in for a year and a half and while cooking some grease on the stove, the pot caught fire and burned out of control.  For some reason, it took the fire department 30 minutes to arrive from the first 911 call.  To help prevent the fire from spreading, I used a garden hose to keep the roof from igniting.  It was the dumbest and most frightening thing I have been through in many years. However, it may have saved the house.  Since then, the landlord has not made any repairs.  I think that he may be letting the house go into foreclosure.   Regardless, we had to find a suitable home for us to live in.  We were blessed with the opportunity to live in what we would consider our dream home.  We moved an entire house (unpacked) in about 2-3 days.  I have never attempted such a crazy feat but it was done!  

The Realtor that was the representing agent for the house with the fire refused to call us back. We went 2 weeks without as much as a phone call to say….anything. We just wanted to know if we would have a home or not.  Since we had custody of the kids, we needed to provide a stable home or we could have lost custody.  I will tell you that it was so frustrating not knowing where you were going to live and if you were going to lose custody of your kids because of a horrible Realtor and home owner.  I will pursue complaints against the Realtor and his broker so I will not name them specifically here.  The worst part is that he still continues to blame us for everything. I know that this all will one day come back to haunt him, and I am ok with that.

We are now settled and starting to find out what normal for 9 of us!  I hope to get back to writing on a normal basis again.  I miss the Android community but obviously, life's circumstances have all taken center stage in my life.  It has been good to step away some and see what is important in life.  Having been through all of these changes recently, we have come together as a family.  It makes you see that having each other to depend on is crucial in life. 

I am not saying all of this for sympathy or help.  I just wanted to let you know where I have been and to let you all know I am glad to be back!  Trust me, I appreciate being able to be a part of a community where there is such passion over all things Android.  I know that it too brings us all together as a family.  We are bonded together because of our love of technology. I am glad to be getting back to that family also.  I hope that I can quickly pick up where I left off and be a contributing member once again. I have a few stories coming over on the Android Vibe.  I am going to try and get back to being the writing machine I once was.  I am knocking the rust off and getting ready to write with a passion once again.

Steve

Battle! iTap Remote vs. Remote RDP

Battle! iTap Remote vs. Remote RDP

http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/reviews/battle-itap-remote-vs-remote-rdp-r668

LiquidSmooth CDMA ROM Review

LiquidSmooth CDMA ROM Review

http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/roms/liquidsmooth-cdma-rom-review-r680

Samsung Updates U.S ICS Release List

Samsung Updates U.S ICS Release List

http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/general/samsung-updates-us-ics-release-list-r676

How to Track Your Kid's Texting

How To Track Your Kid's Texting

http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/apps/how-to-track-your-kids-texting-r669

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 Lineup - Underwhelming?

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 Lineup - Underwhelming?

http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/general/samsungs-galaxy-tab-2-lineup-underwhelming-r660

App Review: Lightning Bug

My Lightning Bug app review
http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/reviews/lightning-bug-r657

Review: Lightning Bug

The first RootzWiki article is up! My review of Lightning Bug.

http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/reviews/lightning-bug-r657

Changes to the blog coming...

As you may have noticed, the blog has copies of the stories I wrote from Android Activist.  I have moved copies here for the readers of my blog to view.  I plan on making some more changes soon.  Just stay posted for more info!

Opinion: Instagram Isn't The Best App After All

Obviously if you follow the news in the Android world you know that Instagram finally was released this week.  If you are unfamiliar, Instagram is the long time IOS app for taking photos with filters, a mobile website for viewing photos and supporting community.  Android users have been waiting for a long time for the app to be released on the platform.  But now that it is here I have already installed and uninstalled it. The reason I removed it is because I believe that there are already better offerings in the Play Store.

I have been using Camera Zoom FX by Androidslide for several months.  It is an app that allows you to take pictures and apply filters.  There are downloadable filters and even "buddies" that add famous people in to your pictures.  I think the interface is fairly simple.  There are tons of filters that you can selectively add.  Instagram doesn't seem to offer all of those filters. I have been very disappointed with the similar looking filters that Instagram has included with it.  However, it does allow you to post them to their site after taking the pictures and you can follow other Instagram users that will show up in your feed. For the Android users we have Google+ that automatically uploads your pictures. In Camera Zoom FX I can send the pictures to all of my social sites to share with the people I actually know. Heck, I can do that with any camera app in Android. I think that is the appeal to iPhone users. They cannot just share information like we can on our phones.  They don't get the share option we have all become accustomed to.  For us, we have always had an Instagram way to easily post photos.

There has also been some buzz about how Instagram users from the iPhone world were upset because the Android users would lower the quality of the pictures being submitted. First of all, I don't need the approval of the snotty Instagram community for my pictures.  Secondly, the throat bearded-hipster-iPhone users can continue to post touching pictures of the latest occupy protest, snap photos of them standing in line for the next mediocre iPhone release or share their Starbucks Iced Grande Americano's in artistic ways.  I am not a photographer but I like to snap pictures here and there.  I don't want or need their opinions.  I rarely want a filter but if I want to post photos, I can share it myself to social networks that my friends can all access.  Yes, having an app where I can apply filters is a nice tool to have but I want a more personalized app. Instagram isn't what I had hoped it would be.

I know that not all iPhone users are this way and I also know there are some great Android photographers.  I still think that there are much better apps to take these pictures and post them. I also know that several other readers have mentioned how they were underwhelmed with Instagram. What do you think?  Does it live up to the hype?

Hardware Review: Galaxy Nexus Extended Battery

The saying goes "You get what you pay for".  That is certainly true most of the time.  But when I saw a super cheap extended battery for the Galaxy Nexus, I couldn't resist.  In fact, I bought 2 just in case they worked better than I expected.  So after receiving my 3800mAh extended battery, am I still feeling like I got a good deal?

Since the release of the Galaxy Nexus the biggest complaint I have with it (maybe the only one) is the horrid battery life.  I see people lying talking all of the time on the XDA forums about how they get 20 hours on their stock battery with moderate use. If they are really using it moderately throughout the day they are not getting more than 10-12 hours on a charge.  If they are getting that much then they really are not using it moderately but more like it is sitting idle most of the day. The other reason would be that they are turning off the antennas and what good is that?

I have had as little as 2.5 hours on my 2100mAh CDMA extended battery and as much as 16 hours.  I would say it averages 6 hours.  Obviously that is not sufficient.  Fortunately, I am able to charge my phone throughout the day in most cases.  There are rare times when I am not near my chargers and I need to be able to make it 8-10 hours on a charge.  The Samsung extended battery is just not a good option for me.

This no name replacement battery is a 3.7V 3800mAh lithium-ion battery.  It is about double the thickness of the stock or extended Samsung batteries.  It does require a special back cover and yes it is ugly.  However, I had a 2700mAh Momax extended battery for the Vibrant that was also ugly but it gave me 18-24 hours with extremely heavy use.  I could live with an ugly workhorse battery.  So far I am not sure if this battery is the workhorse I had hoped for. I see many people say they don't think the looks are worth a few extra hours of battery life. Obviously, those hipsters people do not care about what is important when carrying a smartphone....using it.

I will say in just the few days I have been using this battery I have seen the battery life just slightly increase.  I know that many of the aftermarket China produced batteries do not deliver the amount of battery life they claim.  My hope was that even if it could give me a realistic 2800mAh performance of battery life that I still would gain another 4-6 hours.  That would be plenty to get me through my day.  However, so far I have been seeing far less than the 18+ hours that the Momax battery gave me.

The first day with a full charge I went 10 hours before the phone completely died. I would consider the usage that day light to moderate.  I didn't watch videos or listen to music.  I did use navigational directions and the screen stayed on for 30 minutes for that.  Other than normal emails and texting it was a below average usage day.  It was the first full charge and discharge of the battery so I can forgive it for that.  The next day was a heavier usage day.  I watched video for almost 2 hours.  The screen was on more and the general usage was much heavier.  I was not on wifi all day.  I had it die after 6.5 hours.  The third day I charged the phone since I needed to use it unplugged that evening.  The performance was hard to determine due to the up and down fluctuations in charging.  The next day it was at 60% after 8 hours.  That was with the screen on checking emails but still connected to wifi most of the time. I also set a live wallpaper background to push it even further.

I have found that being on a solid wifi connection all day increases my battery life by as much as 4 hours.  Days when I am in a 3G or limited coverage area I have found it will decrease my battery life by the same amount.  I have been trying to replicate those types of days with the new battery to see if I can compare.  If I am not near a wifi connection and I turn off wifi completely I still see a significant drop in performance.  The LTE connectivity is both a blessing and a curse.  It is great to get the noticeably faster speeds but at the cost of shorter battery life, I am not positive that I need fast Internet on my phone that bad.

I had to find a way to test by taking the signaling out of the equation.  I set the phone in airplane mode and played videos.  The screen was on steady for the whole test and no background services were getting data.  The new battery lasted for 5 hours and 15 minutes.  The 2100mAh battery running the same test ran for 4 hours and 30 minutes.  Obviously the extended battery does not provide nearly the 3800mAh that it claims.

For a total of $26 for two batteries shipped I will likely be able to get through a long day on my phone under normal to heavy use.  If I could charge both batteries, I could easily last throughout the day.  I wonder if a portable charger would be a better solution.  I see 6000mAh and even 11200mAh chargers for reasonable prices.  Those would offer you the ability to use a smaller battery while still being able to keep your phone charged.  However, the one advantage of the 3800mAh batteries are that they definitely charge up faster than the Samsung battery. Knowing they all will die rather quickly, I think that the charge up time may be as important as the charge down factor.

What are your thoughts on batteries?  Do you care what it looks like if it performs or are you more concerned with keeping your phone's waistline down to a minimum? (if you are in this camp, sorry about that hipster comment)  Sound off below.

App Review: Glympse

A few weeks ago everyone discovered the app called Glympse after it won several Best Of awards for 2011.  There were people reviewing it on different sites and blogs everywhere even though it has been out for a few years.  I have been using the app and I thought I would give it a long term review.

Glympse Map View

For those of you unfamiliar with Glympse, it is a real-time location sharing app.  You start the app and put in an end point then share it with select people, Twitter, Facebook and a host of other communication and social sharing apps. The app sends out a link that will let the other people see your location and even the speed at which you are traveling.  There is a map to show where you are during the trip.  You share the trip for a specified amount of time.  Since I drive 45 minutes each way to and from work I normally share my Glympse trip for an hour to my wife.  You can select as little as 0 minutes which is just a check-in or up to 4 hours.  Obviously, this is not meant to be a full on tracking app because the time you share is limited.

When you create a Glympse to share you are given the option of where to send the information.  There is Facebook, Twitter, email, SMS, a clipboard or share via the sharing link found in most Android context menus.  This would let you share it through Google Voice texting or Google+.  I know that this could be a privacy concern for many people so please think about who you are sharing this data with.  For instance, when I selected Google+ it does give the option of which circles I should share with, but you could easily share it publicly. I also have my Twitter account tied to my posts in Google+ and it would be shared there as well.  This is something to think about for sure.

The sharing is really extensive in this app.  It is also the most important piece.  You can share this to so many different sites and in unique ways.  They have added a "share to calendar" event option to share your locations with any meetings that are in your calendar in the next 24 hours. This way as you travel to your meeting it will be part of the meeting notes.  The other participants can click on the link to see where you are.  I like that anyone with permissions can see the links even if they don't have a smartphone or the Glympse app.

After you select who to share the Glympse with you need to pick a duration. You can also add a message for the Glympse and select a destination, though these fields are both optional.  Once everything has been filled out you send the Glympse and start on your way.  I shared my Glympse through Google Voice since I use that for all of my texting. Once I was finished setting everything up it opened the app and let me fill in the destination for the text message.  There was a link already in the message body for the recipient to click and open to view the map. I filled in the TO field and send the message.  It is really quite simple.

As you view the trip the data is updated real time until the time expires. At that point you can see the trip in its entirety.  There are many uses for this app.  Say you want to know where your teenage drivers are when they leave the house.  Glympse will not only let you see where they are but how fast they are driving.  As a parent of 2 teenage drivers I would like to know when they are leaving the house that they are being safe and responsible drivers.  Another possible use could be if you want to meet up with someone or a group of people.  You could each find one another and know when they arrive.  Since there is also a history option you could save your trips and keep track of them for expenses.

In my testing of the app I find that it works very well.  I have created shortcuts to Glympse's that I send frequently and put them on my phones desktop.  With one click I can send a 1 hour Glympse to my wife or share it with Facebook.  It is very convenient to be able to quickly send a Glympse.  As the sender you can see how many people viewed your trip.  All of the real-time reporting is very good.  I do notice that the speeds can be a little off at times but it is fairly accurate.  The maps also can show you traffic data.  Since they are using Google Maps, the traffic layer has been added in to show not only your speed and location but why you may be only going 15MPH on a highway.  You also can cancel a Glympse at any time. If you arrive early or change your mind about sharing the trip you can cancel it to control what people can see.

I like that this app allows me to share my trip information without having to answer calls of people wondering how far away I am.  I send out my Glympse before I leave and forget about it.  Since my family lives on Facebook I can send the information there and my kids can also check it.  I could also see this being a great tool for the perpetually late traveler. Never again would you have to wonder when they will get there.

Try out Glympse and see what you think.  It is a good mix of privacy and sharing data.

Glympse Send Screen

App Review: iTap Mobile

Being able to connect remotely to servers and computers on a daily basis is what many network admins out there do all day long.  Finding a good app to accomplish that job from a mobile device is not as simple as it sounds.  There are several apps that will remotely connect to servers and PC's but the ease of use and functionality of those apps can vary greatly. One that is full featured and more than capable is iTap Mobile by HLW Software Development.

Create a New RDP Connection

This unfortunately named app is one of the most robust remote desktop client apps on the market.  As you can guess by the name it came from the IOS world and was ported over to Android.  It features many of the options you would expect from a RDP app like automatic connections, the ability to store credentials and change port addresses. But it offers so many more features.  This is one of the few apps (if not the only one) to offer support for Terminal Server (TS) Gateway or RDP from Anywhere.  That is the feature where you connect to a Remote Desktop Gateway server and RDP to servers behind the firewall using https ports instead of just the RDP protocol on port 3389. For many admins this makes opening up RDP secure and easier since many companies already allow https traffic through their firewall.  Even though there is not a huge demand for this, it does support the feature and it works very well.

In addition, the app allows you to connect to large screen resolutions (up to 4096x2048) and pinch to zoom in and out for readability.  Navigation is made easy by offering three different mouse modes. There is scope mode, pointer mode and draw mode.  Each has their own way of controlling the pointer but combined, they offer a complete solution to navigating around a desktop.  Scope mode lets you jump around the screen. You tap the screen for left clicks and panning of the screen is done by dragging your finger around.  Pointer mode shows the pointer constantly and lets you tap the screen for clicks. Draw mode is a left click only mode. This mode gives you more manual control of windows and the screen.  Right clicking is done by pressing the screen then tapping anywhere on the screen with a second finger. The keyboard input can be set to automatic or manual modes. Using a three finger swipe you can also pull up a keyboard.

Connection Properties

Speaking of the swipe controls, iTap Mobile has several options that can be initiated just by using two or three fingered gestures.  Learning these gestures does take some time but remembering a few key ones can make using the app very simple.  Their website has a great manual online which shows all of the information you will ever need to use iTap.  There are a few key gestures that they have listed you should learn. After you master the controls the navigation is quick and easy.

The app does not lack options or controls. You can setup a connection to a Windows server or desktop computer and control many aspects of the experience.  In the setup screen there are name and port fields for setting up the connection. You have the gateway options for using the TS Gateway feature. There are system credentials for logging into the system. Screen settings allow you to configure the screen to fit your devices specific settings.

However, under Advanced is where this app shines.  You can connect directly to the console or mount your SD Card for allowing you to copy files to or from the card. Sound, performance, keyboard and mouse modes are also configured here. Varying security levels can be set in this area.  iTap offers NLA or Network Level Authentication as well as TLS security authentication.  There are 3G specific options to help optimize the experience while on a 3G connection.

You can specify normal RDP options on startup like a program to launch or specific working directory.  There are the previously mentioned mouse and keyboard modes in Advanced.  The final feature is a connection test. This will show an indicator if the remote connection is available.  If you use TS Gateway connections this feature does not work but normal RDP connections available from the web will work fine.  If you connect your device to a VPN before using a RDP client the testing feature works once you establish the VPN.  This makes finding desktops that are powered on and running much easier.

Setting up connections, or bookmarks as they are called in the app, has been made easier in recent versions with the cloning option.  Setup a few bookmarks manually then long press them to get the clone option.  Adding new connections is made faster once you have a few to copy.  There is a search feature on the main screen to help you find servers and desktops.

iTap Mobile is $14.99 in the Play Store.  This may seem expensive but most of the higher end remote desktop apps are similarly priced.  The functionality and features that iTap offers makes it well worth the price.  They offer a free trial version so that you can test it before you buy.  Nevertheless, If you are a network admin or support professional, you will find this tool indispensable.

App Review: Bank of America

I usually do reviews for software I like. I do that for a few reasons. First, I think it is worthwhile for you to read reviews of apps that are actually helpful. Next, I am an optimist and I see the good in almost everything. And last, I don't always see a need to slam every product.  My review of Bank of America's mobile app is none of these things!  However, even on positive reviews I usually add my opinion about features I would like to see added or that are blatantly missing just to balance out the review; so I am going to try and help them make this a better product for their customers.

Accounts in Bank of America

I know that banks are like cell phone carriers.  We all have one and we all normally hate them.  Banks are a necessary evil.  That being said, we all want a bank that offers us great customer service and doesn't cost us a fortune in fees.  I switched to Bank of America a few years ago because I liked the online banking experience they offered plus the account I chose didn't cost me much to maintain.  They have accounts designed for people like me that only want to do online banking.  Heck, they eventually added support on their website for Google Chrome Browsers!  But their mobile Android app is still lacking in some key features.

The app starts up quickly and once you have logged in and verified your credentials the first time, it will come up with your saved Online ID code. Click on that to get to their secondary authentication method, the passcode.  Upon entering the passcode you can have it drop you into the accounts section of the app.  From the accounts section you can drill down to the individual checking or savings accounts you may have.  If you open one of the accounts the app loads 25 items at a time. It will show the status of the transaction along with some details and the amount.  There is a search option at the top of the screen to help you find specific transactions.  It is very limited in what you can actually do here other than view transactions.

To get back to the accounts section you need to hit the back button. While this certainly works, the first thing I find annoying about the app is the navigation or lack thereof.  I don't find it intuitive or easy to navigate at all.  You go into sections then need to back up to go to other sections. I would like a universal menu to be available at all times to help with this problem.

Banking locations for Bank of America

You also have a Bill Pay tab (if you are signed up for that service) to allow you to pay bills while on the go.  Again, the navigation is like a bad 90's FrontPage site.  As you would expect in the Transfers section, you can transfer funds between accounts.  They allow you to schedule transfers at a later time and review scheduled transfers.  The final tab is the locations area.  This will let you find ATM's and banking centers near you.  The app will let you choose to use your location based on cell tower locations rather than GPS. When I load the app it never initiates the GPS signal so I am assuming that it just triangulates your location.  You can see the locations on a map or in a list view.

That is where the functionality ends. If you noticed there is no way to deposit checks through the app.  I asked about a year ago if that feature was going to be added and the bank employee was sure they would have it "soon".  I know that USAA and Chase both offer a feature where you can take pictures with your camera through the app to have the funds deposited.   I have been contemplating leaving Bank of America because of this missing piece. I don't ever need to go to the bank except to deposit checks.  If I could snap a picture on my phone and deposit it that way, I would likely need to go to the bank twice a year..max.  But since it isn't available I am led to believe that I will be going to the bank every week or two for eternity.

The app logs you out if there isn't any activity for a few minutes.  I feel that the security is strong enough to trust having it on my phone.  With the passcode ID that has to be entered every time I did eventually save the Online ID code.  It makes using the app easier but I could see this being a concern for the security minded or wealthy users. I am not either of those and the standard security is fine.  Bank of America does offer SafePass security for additional piece of mind. However, they don't tell you this unless you logout of the app and click on the Privacy and Security options.  This brings up a web page type screen that has an option listed as Security Solutions on the right side of the screen.  That takes you to a set of apps to aid you in being more secure.  Why is this not a front page option?  I don't get it.

If I could offer up some advice on how to improve this app it would be:

1. Fix the interface navigation. Allow me to be able to jump from one point to the other easily without using the back button.
2. Add deposits through the camera like Chase and USAA offers.
3. See #2, this is very important to me and it is 2012 after all! Seriously, they should stop whatever it is they are doing and work on this right now. I am not kidding.
4. Put additional security tools on the main login page or on my aforementioned navigation menu.

If you are a customer like I am your options are a) suffer with this app or b) change banks.  Changing banks isn't as easy as it sounds either.  I just hope that Bank of America updates some of these features soon.  What do you hate about your banking app? Let me know.

App Review: Stick It!

With smartphones and tablets today having better screens and faster processors, watching video has become a much better experience on the go.  The problem with watching videos is that they take up the whole screen and block your notification bar. I have finally found a video player that works in a windowed view to allow you to multitask while playing video, Stick It! by MBFG.

I was recently watching an episode of All About Android where Eileen Rivera had this app for her Android Arena pick.  Since I watch podcasts all of the time I thought I would give it a try.  Immediately I was impressed by how well the app works on an Android phone or tablet.

Stick It and Browsing

It opens up a video but allows you to still open apps and use your device while the video is still playing.  I can resize the window and move it around so that I can still work while watching.  They have also made the app so that you can minimize it to the notification bar but have the audio still play.  If you watch videos frequently on your phone you know that with most video players you cannot minimize the video app without killing the playback.  When you want to go back to the video in Stick It you open notifications and click it.  The video portion resumes playing without it skipping a beat.

Stick It is really like running a Windows app. It is a floating window with a video process running in it.  In fact, you can run multiple windows with videos, all at the same time.  I don't know why you would want to do that but it is possible.  It plays in the background when you have other apps open and supports streaming from HTTP and MMS sources.  I typically will be watching a video and can now open emails or text messages and respond all while I am still watching the playback. Before, I would be watching a video and hear the message notification come in but I had to stop playback to switch over.  Stick It eliminates that interruption.

I like that I can minimize the video to the notification bar and turn off the screen.  This is another big failure of most video player apps.  If you need to stop the video it is simply done by clicking on the screen where the video is playing.  Touch it again and playback resumes.  This is a great way to control the video.  However, I do wish it had easier scrub controls for the video playback.  On the phone, the bar to allow you to fast forward or backup the video sometimes is hard to grab.  I would also like to have a 30 second jump button.  I find those useful on podcasts especially when you want to jump ahead on news stories or ads.  Even having the progress scrub bar more easily controllable would be helpful.  I hope that they address that in future updates.

Stick It is $1.49 in the Google Play store.  If you watch two or more videos a week you need to download this app.  It works on Android 2.2 and higher devices.  On a tablet Stick It is a great app to have.  You can easily watch videos while doing other work.  They have a workaround that will let you stream YouTube videos through the app as well.  They support 3gp, avi, divx, mp4, mov and many more formats.  You are not compromising features to get the ability to multitask! It is a full featured video player.  The playback is better than many third party players I have tied.  In fact, I prefer it over the built in Doggcatcher video player for performance and quality.

Other than the control bar I really have no complaints about Stick It.  It is a great app and cool concept.  MBFG has several apps that all float like this including a browser that is windowed like Stick It.  If I wasn't so addicted to Chrome I would be running their browser too.  Go give this app a try.  If you need to multitask and watch videos this is the app for you.

Stick It multitaksing

Review: Invisible Shield by Zagg

Are you one of those people that likes to run around naked? I guess I am.  I wasn't always this way but since I bought my Samsung Vibrant a few years ago I have preferred to use my phones without a case, you know...naked. Since buying my Galaxy Nexus I have been concerned that the glass might get scratched if I drop it. I bought an OtterBox case but I ultimately didn't like the flaps or the additional size.  It also collected lint and dust like it was a magnet.  So I have bought an Invisible Shield by Zagg.

I know many people do not like to cover the glass with clear shields because most of them are anything but clear. I have used some horrible ones over the years. When I bought my Vibrant I had an Invisible Shield put on my screen and I loved it.  It is still on there today and now that my son is using it I am less worried about him destroying the screen. With my Galaxy Nexus I keep the phone in my pants pocket. I have trained myself not to put anything else in my left pocket to avoid scratches.  But there are times when even dirt might put that dreaded first scratch across the screen. I think the tricks to getting a good screen cover is buying a quality product and having the installation done right.

I have had both of my Invisible Shields put on at a kiosk in the mall.  The vendor I use is an authorized seller. They have fitted shields built for all types of phones and devices.  For the Galaxy Nexus they only had a screen shield in stock. I plan on getting a car battery an extended 3800mAh battery soon so I was fine with not covering the back of the phone.  For my Vibrant they also sell a complete case cover as well as a screen protector.  In fact, Zagg sells protection for many different types

SGS Epic 4G

of devices including phones, ebook readers, cameras and laptops.

Zagg offers a lifetime replacement warranty on their screen protectors.  However, the materials they use were developed originally for military helicopter blades so it is likely you will never need to have it fixed. The installer sprays a liquid lightly on the screen (ok, I freaked out a little the first time they did it) and they spray the shield. It is placed on the screen and the excess liquid is squeezed out. Once they are done you are told not to put it in a case or pocket for 24 hours. Unlike other products there are no hazing or clarity issues.  The Invisible shield does not hamper the screens like cheaper variants. Having it professionally installed means there should be no bubbles or dirt under the film for eternity.

SGS Galaxy Nexus

With the screen on in the sunlight the shield does not block the visibility. I can only tell that the protection is on there when the screen is off.  The surface is smooth and since the shields are fitted, they go to the edges very well. On my Vibrant I noticed it didn't fit all the way to the edge and some dirt would collect around it, though with a simple cleaning it would wipe away and the dirt did not get under the Invisible Shield.  With the Nexus, the film goes all the way to both sides. The only place where there is no protection is the area at the top where the speaker and front facing camera is located.  The area is so small I doubt it will be a problem. My Vibrant has the same type of coverage and the screen is not scratched where the shield does not cover because the edge of the phone is there to protect it.

The Invisible Shield installed on my phone cost only $21 plus tax.  My Vibrant was about the same price.  The full case for the Vibrant would have been $34 plus tax.  Still not bad considering that was to have it installed and warranted.  I would pay someone $20 just for me not to have to install it!  Having it done right is worth it.  Zagg sells many different Invisible Shield models and styles.  Check out their site to see if they have one to fit your device.  Even if you have a case but the screen is unprotected, you are risking your touch screen every day. I know that not everyone has a seller to put their Invisible Shield on, but the process seems simple enough. Zagg also has a support area on their site with help and videos.

In the last two years I have had scuff marks show up on the Invisible Shield but they all have wiped off.  I like knowing that I can take a towel or more abrasive cleaning cloth (like my shirt) to wipe the screen clean. I work on my cars and in the yard fairly often so my screen being dirty happens all of the time. Now I can wipe it off without fearing sand and dirt will etch the glass.

I know our own Derek De La Cruz loves phone cases and does a great job reviewing them all.  I have read the reviews of different cases he has done, but I know that personally I will not use a case for more than a few days before becoming frustrated with them.  I have decided to go the other route and not use cases, but it would be foolish not to protect my investment somehow.  I put the OtterBox case on my son's phone and used the Invisible Shield screen protector instead of the one that came with the OtterBox. I feel that even with a case, having a screen protector is a smart idea.  What do you think about cases and screen protection?  Sound off below.

Picture Credit: Zagg

App Review: Llama

I love apps that help me to accomplish something without having to think much about it and I love free apps.  I reviewed Timeriffic a few weeks ago which helps turn settings on and off based on times you designate. Certainly it accomplishes the goal of controlling sounds and settings without any intervention, but it is limited by your schedule. Llama by KebabApps is a free location based app that will turn a large selection of features on or off based on areas that you create.  It does not use your GPS but rather, it uses phone masts to determine your locations.

For many people, they are only at a few locations every day. You are at home, work or school. You may go to the store or out with friends but there are a few places where you spend the majority of your time.  With Llama your phone can learn the locations based on the networks that are around you and use those locations to turn on or off wifi, cell signal, sounds, or a wide host of other options.  Unlike some other apps in this genre, Llama stands out by offering you so much control. There are roughly 26 preset features you can control through Llama!

In addition to those controls, you can create event based actions to turn on or off those features.  For instance, you can create an event to run an app if you start charging your phone. Maybe you need to have the volumes turned up when you connect to your Bluetooth in the car; there are events that will trigger this. There are also startup and shutdown actions, battery level events and so much more. I have been setting up profiles and events to control the sounds and actions to allow me to control my phone for several days and I still have only hit a small portion of what this app can do.

The setup is slightly more involved than some of the other apps that I have tried.  But given the complexity in which this app can be programmed one would expect that.  The developer has made the startup and learning curve easier with helpful popup menus when you first launch the app.  As you open each tab there is a welcome screen explaining the function.  I like the fun ok button replacements such as Groovy and Okey doke! They made me read what I would have otherwise blown past.

When you start Llama I would suggest setting up the areas first.  Areas are your locations that you want the device to teach Llama.  It will use the areas to help your device know where the phone masts are that it will identify to locate your area.  It starts you off with Home and Work. If you are at home and open up Llama for the first time simply long press Home to get a menu. There you can tell your phone or tablet to start learning an area.  The app asks you how long you will be there.  You can select as short as a minute or up to several hours.  Once the time is set the app will start to listen to cell masts around you. Once the app knows where you are you will want to open the events and profiles tabs.

In Events, you start to fine tune what you want turned on and off. You can setup hours and locations or event triggers to customize your settings.  I modified the base settings so that while I was home my phone would go to the loud sound profile up until 11:00pm then go to a night profile that I created. The wifi would be on so that my podcasts and emails will all still download overnight but I will not hear the notifications or the vibration between 11pm and 6am. Creating an event is simple. There is a + sign at the bottom of the screen that you click then start adding in conditions and actions. You can enable and disable events here too.  There is a test button so that you can see if the event works as you think it should.  A simple interface but as you get into it you see how powerful this can be.

One thing I really like about the app using your location is that say I am out late one night and away from home. Instead of Llama turning off my sounds at 11:00pm like it would do when I am at home, it will use the event actions I have defined to realize I am not home so it will go to a loud volume and perhaps I could have it also turn off wifi. I would not have to do anything to change this. I did just this the other night. I was out past 11:00pm and I was away from home or work so instead of going silent at 11:00 like Timeriffic would have done, Llama kept my wifi off and turned the volume up to loud.  When I came home it switched back over to the home 11-6 setting.

After using the app for a week I feel like it might be the app I switch over to permanently.  I have been a big Timeriffic fan for a long time but I like the options I have in Llama.  I like the flexibility.  I do wish it allowed me to use GPS locations in addition to cell masts.  I live in an area where there are only a few cell antennas around and my home based area is larger than I would like it to be.  The develop does mention this could be a problem if your home and work are very close together.  Having GPS would let me lock it down tighter.  That aside, it does work very well for not using GPS. Another advantage is that phones without a good GPS antenna *cough* Samsung Vibrant *cough* could use this app without issues.  I understand why it would not depend on GPS.

The developer says that he is looking at adding SMS conditions and actions in the future. I like that he will do this as a release only on his blog. The reason is so that for those of you in tin foil hats that are concerned with privacy do not have to allow permissions to the Internet and SMS apps if you don't want that.  He also mentioned that he updates it about once a month. He updates the version on his blog first so be sure to look there.  The app is free in the market but there is also a donation version.  This app is developed by a guy just like us in his spare time and he has created a great app, so don't be cheap!  If you like the app and use it go spend the $1.30 to keep him going. You can donate within the app or in the Google Play Store.