Author: Benny Taylor

  • Who needs newspapers? Just use Flipboard

    In case you don’t know, Flipboard is a newsreader app. I’ve had it on my iPhone for some time now, loving the way that it pools together stories from a range of well-known media outlets and presents them to me using a “flip” interface that’s both intuitive and satisfying to use. When you first run […]

  • Review: My first week with the iPad Mini

    Even though I’m an “IT guy,” I’ve never been a believer in “technology for the sake of technology.” Before I buy a device, I have to understand how it’s going to fit in with my life and be sure I’m going to use it. I’ve seen far too many clients become hooked on buying shiny […]

  • Reading magazines on the iPad: A great, but confusing experience

    I love printed magazines, and I have since I was a teenager, when my magazines of choice included hip-hop journal The Source, and lots of geeky Atari ST mags, which always came with a demo-filled 3.5-inch “cover disk.” Much has changed since then, obviously. Easy software downloads have obliterated the last of the cover disks, […]

  • The Budget iPhone: A Risk for Apple?

    The Apple rumor mill is currently working overtime with reports and leaks related to a new low-cost iPhone. In recent weeks, various photos have emerged, including the rear view of a plastic iPhone in a range of colors, as well as a pile of plastic boxes for an “iPhone 5C.” While there’s nothing to guarantee that […]

  • Review: Traktor DJ, a professional music mixing app for iPhone and iPad

    I would never claim to be a bona fide DJ. At best, I am a hobby DJ who’s been given the occasional opportunity to do his thing at some bars and parties. Even so, I am passionate about playing and mixing music, and over the years I’ve invested in various software packages and items of […]

  • Google Search: More advertising leaves less room for organic results

    Google’s corporate motto is “don’t be evil.” When this was unveiled in 1999 / 2000 (attribution claims vary), it was seen as something of a dig at various large companies and the way they operate. Zooming forward to the present day, I find myself wondering if Google are beginning to lose sight of this ethos […]

  • New Super Luigi U is Nintendo’s first true DLC

    Nintendo has always been slightly behind the pack in terms of online offerings. While downloadable content (DLC) for existing games is something very familiar to users of Xboxes, PS3s and even iPhones, Nintendo’s forays into DLC have been cautious and, at times, rather shambolic. Yes, there were new “coin rush” packs for New Super Mario […]

  • iOS App Roundup: 3 apps that keep me glued to my phone

    According to a recent study, the average smartphone user has 41 apps on their device. It interests me to know how many of these are in regular use. While I have a small set of core apps that never move from my home screen, I tend to go through phases with others. Several things from […]

  • Skype is getting worse

    “Can you hear me now? “Is that any better?” “How about now?” In recent times, the above three phrases are heard frequently emanating from various rooms in our apartment, where my wife and I both work as full-time freelancers. Skype is an essential part of both of our respective businesses. We do work for clients […]

  • Your iPhone or iPad warranty: check the fine print!

    At Christmas, I bought my wife an iPhone as a gift. I live in Portugal, but purchased the device (unlocked and SIM-free) in a London Apple store during a work trip to the UK. There is an Apple store in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, but it is three hours drive from our home, so buying the […]