New research by uSwitch has revealed that smartphones users in the UK pay for just 1 in 10 of the apps they download. The survey, which asked 1,700 people, also reported they each owned 29 apps, adding up to a total spend of just £8.94. Although the report clearly hasn’t covered a broad range of users, so may not be indicative of the whole country, it suggest that smartphone users are wary of parting with cash for apps.

Read the rest of this entry »

May is National Share-a- Story-Month, a time to get children interested in books and reading by spinning a few of your favourite yarns to a young audience. Anything that gets the wee stripling’s nose in a book or fires their imagination can only be a good thing. Of course, thanks to the advancement of technology in smartphones, tablets and apps, the humble children’s book has had an interactive transformation. Whippersnappers can now enjoy stories through touchscreens, complete with cool animation, educational mini games, sound effects and interactive flourishes. So to celebrate the art of storytelling and to encourage kids to read, we have hand-picked three of the most interactive and exciting Children’s Book apps available on the virtual book shelves.

The Cat In The Hat – Dr. Seuss

Undoubtedly one of the greatest children’s books ever, Dr. Seuss rhyme, rhythm and repetition-tastic tale is a great way for kids to learn to read – and be entertained in the process. The apps features are all geared for improving literacy – words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched while individual words can be highlighted and read aloud when tapped. But one of the coolest features is the ability to record your own storytelling voice and share it with other users of this app. But if you’re too self-conscious about dubbing your own narration you can still rely on pro actors to weave this catty tale.

Read the rest of this entry »

App audiences in the U.S. peak at 52 million during primetime (8-9pm) according to a new study by app analytic specialists Flurry. This is equivalent to audiences of three of the highest rated primetime TV shows in a good week and the joint circulation of the top 200 U.S. weekend newspapers.

The research centred on user’s monthly activity of the top 250 iOS and top 250 Android apps during February, plotting the hourly usage difference between weekdays and the weekend. Unsurprisingly audiences at the weekend were 25% greater between the 9am-5pm but perhaps what was less predictable was the audience number at primetime: both weekday and weekend users peaked at 52 million.

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s the May Day Bank Holiday and we’re all looking forward to spending our extra day off with friends and family. But how can you make the most out of that precious extra twenty four hours? We’ve got a few apps that we think will help you make this a bank holiday weekend worth celebrating!

Heads Up!

What do you get when you mix Articulate, Charades and super duper high tech smartphone gaming together? You get Heads Up, an awesome party game that’s bound to liven up any Bank Holiday gathering.

The game is really simple to play – you pick a category, hold your phone up next to your forehead and you have to work out what it is written on the screen as everyone in the room shouts hints at you. You only have a minute to guess as many names as you can so you have to be quick witted (and have helpful friends) to finish on top of the pile.

And, as a funny little twist, front camera on your iPhone records the action, meaning you can easily share your hilariously bad attempts at guessing “Ocean’s 11” with the rest of the world. Pretty good fun I must say!

So if you want to get your party started with a fun game for everyone to play (and you aren’t quite nerdy enough to get into Space Team), then Heads Up is a perfect way to keep a whole room happy.

Read the rest of this entry »

The impact of pets on our lives should never be underestimated. Whether you own a mangy mutt, a 14-foot python or a memory-challenged goldfish, pets are like members of the family. To make sure we continue to treasure our furry/scaly/slimy/feathered friends, a National Pet Month has been organised to promote responsible ownership, raise public awareness of professional pet services and celebrate all things pet-related. So to acknowledge the contribution our animal friends make to our lives, we have cherry picked the top three pet-themed apps for your enjoyment.

MapMyDogwalk

This is an app that you can enjoy with your four-legged friend. Walking your hound not only gives the canine a workout but it also keeps you fit as a fiddle. Connecting via your device’s built-in GPS, this app tracks and maps your dog walking jaunts and records the duration, distance elevation, pace and speed in real-time. It also analyses how many calories you burn and whether you need to step up the march. You can your route with an online account, share your progress with friends on social networks and upload geo-tagged pictures of your walk with Rover for posterity.

Read the rest of this entry »

Another month in the App World has passed so that means it is time for another episode of the App Show! And, boy do we have some top quality stuff lined up to pass by your ear buds.

We’re chatting to free to play consultant and general good egg Will Luton about whether freemium is here to stay. We caught up with Simon Read, developer of New Star Soccer, and Barry Meade, part of the studio behind The Room, to talk shop about their Bafta triumph. And we have Beth from MagicSolver reviewing three interesting infinite runners, as well as the news and Free App Magic chart.

You can listen to the show at 9pm tonight on Star Radio or, if you’re too busy watching the football, catch up with the podcast from tomorrow morning.

Enjoy!

George, App Show Presenter

Interested in learning more about the App Show? Then drop us an email at appshow@star107.co.uk

Snoring isn’t just an annoying reverberating noise that erupts from your partner come bedtime; according to the British Snoring and Sleep Apnea Association it’s a debilitating condition with long term effects on health. National Stop Snoring Week has been organised to raise awareness of this condition and show people persistent snoring can be treated. To help those suffering from ‘vibration of the respiratory structure’, we’ve come up with three top iOS apps that can aid snorers in getting a good night’s kip, learn more about fit after 50 for men.

Read the rest of this entry »

In honour of the 43^rd annual Earth Day we bring you our top three eco-friendly apps! These handy apps use great design and fun techy features to help you save money, conserve energy and most importantly, do your bit for the environment!

Read the rest of this entry »

Check out this in depth infographic about the rise of Indian as an app superpower and insatiable consumer apps. Created and commission by vserv.mobi, this rather lengthy graphic points out how the country is ranked top or near the top in major app stores around the world and how an app developer culture has emerged to fuel this climb to app top table. More interestingly it also delves deeper into the demographic of apps users and the type of consumers they are. Take a look below.

Read the rest of this entry »