As we all know, the App Store is becoming increasingly saturated with photo-editing apps and as each week throws up a handful of new ones, it becomes increasingly difficult to care about it. If I am going to give any kind of attention to yet another photography app then it needs to have that special something that makes it stand out above what feels like millions of others. What does grab my attention is something that points out a feature of photography that I was previously aware of but oblivious to at the same time, but now I can put a name to the effect, the prospect of an app that can provide it suddenly becomes appealing. The effect in question is known as Bokeh and the app does an excellent job of reproducing it. Bokeh Lens is available now from the App Store for just $0.99.

Until now I was unaware of Bokeh and it never occurred to me that it was something photographers had a lot of control over. For those unfamiliar with it, Bokeh is the blurry effect applied to an area of a photo that is out of focus. In the right hands it can bring an artistic air of mystery and beauty to a photo, while highlighting the main subject of the photo. With Bokeh Lens anyone can achieve this effect with their iPhones and the effect is highly satisfying.

Bokeh Lens wisely sticks to this one effect and focuses on doing it well and so there are no other fancy features or filters here but it really doesn’t need them. As is the case with all the best photography apps, you can either choose an existing photo from your camera roll for editing or you can operate the camera within the app and take a new one specially. Initially the new photo you have taken will be completely blurry but this is merely the starting point and you can then get to work editing it the way you want. With the tools provided you can highlight the area that you wish to keep sharper and in focus at the front of the photograph. This tool provides a surprising amount of workability and with the help of a zoom feature you can very accurately select the area you wish to keep in the foreground.

The app is deceptively simple but far from limited. The next step allows you to adjust just how much Bokeh the background has but you can tweak it a number of ways and achieve a decent variety of results. Once your picture is complete you can save it and share it to all the usual locations, including Facebook and Instagram.

That’s all there is to Bokeh Lens but this is not a bad thing. It sticks to what it knows and allows you to create some real works of art. You may need to play around with it for a bit but it is easy to pick up and get the hang of. This is an interesting photography app with a unique function and well worth adding to your collection.

As we get older and the years fly by quicker, we often find that memories become a lot hazier and it is harder to pinpoint just when an event happened. Worse still, we tend to forget all the little individual things, which may not seem important, but if you allow the individual days to be lost to history, most of our memories blur into one non-specific day. We waste too much time worrying about the future and lamenting the past, without enjoying the present enough. This is why photography is so important because it preserves a moment forever, however insignificant it may be in the grand scheme of things. I make fun of people who post pictures of their meals on Facebook but I have no idea what I ate for dinner this time last week, it would be nice to at least remember.

Aging rants aside, there is yet another photography app in the App Store that does not offer so much in the way of editing tools, which is why I’m happy to write about it, but rather goes in a more emotional direction. Whether you have a great day visiting the Grand Canyon, or simply had a quiet, pleasant day watching TV while the cat sleeps on you, it is nice to preserve these memories, which is exactly what free app Timehop encourages you to do.

Forget your diary, or at least stop relying solely on it to record your day, because Timehop has a more visual approach. To start off you will need to sign into your Facebook account, before directing the app to your other feeds, as well as your camera roll. It is currently compatible with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram (of course) and Flickr although this list may grow in the near future.

With this all set up, Timehop will proceed to present a moment from one of your feeds every morning. It could be a photo taken one year ago or a Facebook status from three years ago. Whatever it is, you get a daily reminder of a random event as recorded by you from that same day a number of years ago. If you like what you see and feel the need to share it, you can do it through all the usual channels, as well as sharing it with other Timehop friends, or you can simply favourite it for your own benefit.

This is not a photography app as such since it relies on the photos you already have, but it certainly creates an incentive to take more, however mundane the subject matter may be. After experiencing the daily reminders, you will probably start to enjoy remembering all the little moments, as well as the big ones of course, and it may inspire you to snap more photos and be more vocal on your social networks.

Timehop is a simple idea expertly done and it is well worth a look for anyone who likes to appreciate all those little moments in life, or simply catch a glimpse at what they were doing at the same time one year ago. Whether you care nostalgic or just curious, it is a fun app to use.

The new iPad is here! Sort of. In case you haven’t heard, Apple made an announcement on Tuesday about a new version of the fourth generation iPad with Retina Display that boasts twice as much storage capacity than before. The new model will provide a staggering 128GB capacity, making the 64GB version look like an entry-level model by comparison. If you have ever had trouble storing your content then you would be hard pressed to max out this model.

Of course, with a big storage capacity comes a big price and this iPad certainly does not come cheap. According to the Apple website, the suggested retail price of the iPad with Wi-Fi is $799, while the iPad with Wi-Fi and Cellular will set you back around $929. Naturally the pricing has attracted a lot of criticism and rightfully so. This is a lot of money to pay for a tablet and it might be better spent on a shiny new MacBook instead. But of course, your view on this will depend on how much you are willing to spend, how useful that space will be for you and what exactly you need from a device.

Is this really a wise move for Apple and does it say anything about its plans for future iPads? With some doubt at Wall Street over Apple’s prospects following a 12% drop in the value of its shares, it is a very risky move to release a new version of a product that may not exactly have the broadest appeal. On the one hand, it is actually good value since it doubles the storage capacity for a mere $100 extra but on the other hand, it is a lot to pay for one device and will only really appeal to those who absolutely cannot make do without all that space, as well as completists who have the money to burn.

Not everyone will be in a hurry to buy one since the fourth generation iPad is still in its infancy but there are plenty of iPad 3 owners who skipped it since the same still applies to their own, but it will be this crowd who will anticipate the iPad 5 more and a more powerful iPad 4 is unlikely to convert them. It is always good to provide customers with as many options as possible but who exactly is this version aimed at? As it turns out, it may just have its audience as Apple has hinted that it is good for enterprises. This could mean the company is attempting to appeal to businesses rather than the everyday consumer and it may find its home in offices across the world.

Strangely enough Microsoft has only just launched its Surface Pro Tablet with 128GB of memory. Apple has never been one to let other companies outdo it so it is only natural that a decision to at least equal it would be made. Apple has cited Tuesday February 5 as the release date for the new supersize iPad. Customers may not be lining up around the block for this one but it might just find its home.

You couldn’t make a story like this up and if you did, people would think it were the plot of a sitcom. But sure enough these things do happen in real life and they are no less ridiculous when they do. The story in general involves an everyday robbery, followed by another every robbery, followed by some incredibly stupid behaviour from the original criminal.

Every day iPhones and iPads get stolen and New York City is witness to quite a few of these thefts, whether they happen on the street, in the park or on the subway. If you think you are safe talking on your iPhone in a crowded area then think again because such an environment provides perfect cover for someone to sneak up and grab it from you. So common is this occurrence, it has boosted the number of overall thefts significantly and accounts for 14% of all crimes.

But it is not every day that the same iPhone gets stolen twice and it is even less likely that the victim of the second theft, the one who stole the iPhone in the first place, would notify the police. Nevertheless, a criminal did indeed make this mistake last year back in November last year. A 16 year-old girl was in Prospect Park when she encountered three boys around the same age as her. One of them managed to wrestle her iPhone 4S away from her and made off with it, prompting her to quickly report the theft to some police officers nearby. They drove around the park on the lookout but unfortunately the thief was nowhere to be seen.

However this thief ran into some bad luck of his own when he tried to sell the iPhone on Bedford Avenue. Sure enough, the man interested in buying the iPhone chose to snatch it away instead and ran away. The original thief should have left it there and accepted that he should never have had it in the first place, but instead he stopped a police car and reported the theft, in an attempt to pass himself off as the victim. The second thief was easily found and taken to the station, along with the first thief/second victim.

Meanwhile, the poor girl was still driving around with the police looking for the original thief when they decided to try calling the iPhone. Sure enough they did and another police officer at the station answered. After some confusion in which one cop pretended to be the victim and accused the other of being a thief, the two police officers figured out who was who and what had actually happened.

Sure enough, the girl was taken to the station where the boy, oblivious to the fact that the police know exactly what was going on, was still playing the victim. On turning up, the girl was able to identify him as the thief and prove the iPhone was hers by unlocking it, which the boy was unable to do. Both thieves were taken into custody, while the girl was reunited with her iPhone and learned to be a bit more careful from now on.

The iPhone 5 is clearly old news already because the internet is already buzzing with excitement about the iPhone 6. While some are anticipating the larger iPhone Math, if it does indeed exist and that is its actual name, others are keeping their fingers firmly on the pulse of what they hope to be the iPhone 6 and one of the most notable rumours currently circulating about it is the inclusion of fingerprint detection technology.

Allegedly, Apple has done some dealing with security specialist AuthenTec, which happens to do a lot of work with fingerprint recognition, and many people are wondering if this could be for a new security feature Apple will be incorporating. It would certainly be a useful feature and a logical step for Apple’s devices. It wouldn’t have been unwelcome on the iPhone 5, which many will agree may have been a fine piece of hardware but was generally lacking in the innovations department.

But it seems this will not be the case with the iPhone 6, which will endure more of a technological overhaul to bring us something new. Rumours are coming from all corners of the internet, some more believable than others but the most plausible one that has me intrigued is the prospect of fingerprint detection. How many times has your iPhone fallen into the wrong hands, only for your Facebook wall to be spammed with abusive statuses apparently written by you? A visit to a bar with friends would suddenly be a lot safer. But of course there are more serious security issue than mischievous friends that would be helped greatly by this kind of technology. It would at least protect the contents of your iPhone if it were stolen, which is a common thing to happen unfortunately.

If the rumours are to be believed, and in this case they certainly have some credence, the fingerprint sensor is to be combined with the Home button so that only its owner can use it. What makes it so believable is the fact that Apple has recently acquired AuthenTec and, since the deal cost the company $356 million, there have to be some serious plans in the pipeline. AuthenTec is known for providing mobile security software and fingerprint technology, which some companies have already integrated into various phone apps, especially those that deal with online payments.

Another interesting point is the fact that AuthenTec informed its customers shortly after the acquisition that it would not continue to offer its services to them in 2013. It seems Apple calls the shots now and hopes to surpass its rivals by providing something they don’t have access to. But the fingerprint detection could go further than just reading prints as these can be copied. What it is said to be capable of is recognising certain properties in the owner’s finger skin so that even if someone else were to try and copy the prints, it would recognise them as fake and not grant access. This all sounds very futuristic and exactly the kind of innovation we want in an iPhone. Let’s hope the rumours are right.

It doesn’t matter how well we budget our money. We could calculate our upcoming bills right down to the penny and make sure it is all there in our bank accounts when the time comes to pay up but once in a while, somehow, we still go over. One of the reasons behind this is that we have a mobile data plan that we have unwittingly exceeded and we only find out when our mobile bill turns out to be bigger than planned. If you have unlimited data then you can stop reading now because there is nothing useful for you here, but if you do have a data plan and have a habit of going over it, there is an app that can help you stay on top of this. DataMan Next is available now from the App Store for just $0.99 and it could save you a lot of money.

Even if you do not often go over your data allowance, it is still worth keeping an eye on it and $0.99 is a small price to pay for the money you stand to save. DataMan Next is an app that provides a clear and up-to-date view of how much data you have used and how much you have remaining. It’s a simple idea but an effective one that will benefit many people.

When you launch the app initially you will need to enter the details of your data plan, such as billing date and the monthly cap. With everything ready, it then goes to work. It has an interesting way of presenting your remaining data by displaying it as a percentage, while the number of days remaining before it resets is displayed underneath. Based on these two values it generates a forecast of how safe you are with it and colour-codes the screen accordingly.

For example, if you have used 75% of your allowance but only have five days remaining, this is considered safe and the background remains green. This makes it much easier to check your condition quickly at a glance, while the numbers will provide a more specific look at your situation. If you see a red screen then you should take notice as it means you are approaching the end of your data allowance but at this point you can still stop and do something about it. the app does not waitin until it’s too late

In addition to this, it also analyses your previous activity to predict whether you are likely to stay within the limits of your data plan or not. This makes it much easier to ration your data more efficiently and make sure you don’t go over. Better still, you do not even have to launch the app as you can set up alerts that will notify you when you have reached thresholds of 50%, 70%, 90% and finally 100%. Basically there is no excuse for going over as you were aware of it every step of the way.

Over all this is a useful app to have and very simple. It keeps you updated on your data situation so you can plan around it and the layout and colours help make it more attractive to look at. This is one everyone on a data plan should consider.

Generally there are two types of apps that allow you to transfer files between devices. One is the kind that allows you to explore the files within your iPad or iPhone and the other effectively transforms your device into a USB drive. This second one is usually compatible with iTunes using its file sharing feature but while this is all well and good, sometimes it would be more convenient if we could bypass this stage and simply utilise Wi-Fi for file transfers between iOS devices and Macs. Conveniently enough, this review is in fact for an application created for this very purpose and its name is FileXChange, although this in itself is nothing new, as it has been available on iOS devices for years. However it now has its Mac counterpart, making the whole process even more accessible and flexible. FileXChange is now available for the Mac for $7.99.

FileXChange has already enjoyed a few years as an iOS app that could be used to connect iPads and iPhones using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth as a quick and easy means to transfer files across them. A notable factor to consider however as that the app must be purchased individually for each device and the same goes for any you wish to connect with your Mac. While the Mac version has its price, you will need to pay an additional $4.99 for each device you wish to connect with so in order to do any kind of transfer you are looking at a minimum of $12.98.

However this is a minor flaw and chances are, if you transfer files you will already have it installed on your iOS devices. This new Mac version is a welcome addition that provides allows you to use your device as a virtual USB drive and connect it to your Mac via Wi-Fi, although an alternative option is to use a web browser and a dedicated URL, which will also allow non-iOS devices and PCs to connect and transfer to your Mac as well.

FileXChange has some pretty decent features to make file transfer as easy as possible. On receipt of an iOS-supported format, such as a PDF or iWork file, the app can open them, while it is also capable of zipping and unzipping multiple files, allowing for large transfers. If you wish you can put a password on the files for a safer transfer, while the app can also provide your Mac with access to the device’s camera roll. On top of all this, there is also direct support for various cloud services, which allows a smoother transfer between the app and such services as iCloud and Dropbox.

If there is a flaw, it is that the app looks slightly old-fashioned and out-of-date. This may be superficial but it can be slightly disconcerting and may bring the quality into doubt for some. But overall it does its job quickly and efficiently and is recommended for anyone who needs to perform such a task.

As we know all too well, the App Store is flooded with photo-editing apps and there are more popping up all the time. Some of them are rather good and allow you to do a lot with a little, but if you are serious about photography then you are going to need to invest in something a bit more professional, which will cost a little more than the average iOS app. The Mac has some great software for this very purpose and the latest one is geared towards correcting those flawed photos to unleash the masterpiece lurking behind them. Topaz Detail 3 is available now for $39.99.

Often the problem simply boils down to the fact that a poor quality camera was used to take the photo or the wrong settings were used on a good camera, resulting in the mess you have to work with but a decent piece of software can iron out the creases and salvage the picture’s full potential. Photoshop is all well and good but a more specialist application is required to really do it properly and Topaz fills that position very well, as its previous incarnations already have done.

As its name suggests, Topaz Detail focuses on correcting the details in a photo and it provides a huge range of presets that can be applied to the picture with varying results. These presets are collected together in five collections, which include Creative Detail, Highlight Detail, Shadow Detail, Smooth Detail and Stylised Detail. The one you need to use depends on what exactly is lacking from the photo but once you select the collection that applies to your situation, you will then be given a list of all the different presets relevant to it. You can preview what each one looks like in a thumbnail by rolling the mouse over it, while clicking one will give you a full screen look at it. If you prefer you can set it up to show the before and after pictures side by side for easy comparison.

Once a preset has been chosen, you can then play around with the parameters to fine-tune the image, which is quite an enjoyable process. The four parameters are Detail, Tone, Colour and Deblur. With Detail you can sharpen up the image and play around with other enhancements to see what works. Tone applies more to shadows and highlights, Colour is best suited for colour intensity and Deblur helps reduce any blurring the photo suffers from. Whichever options you use, it is all easy to control with sliders that provide instant results when they are adjusted.

Overall there is a surprising amount of flexibility here considering how simple the interface appears to be and you can try out endless combinations until you get the look you want for your photo. Topaz does not necessarily need to be used on errors either as it can also be used to make a good photo better. Topaz Detail 3 is an excellent editing application and, while it is not the most essential one out there, it is certainly worth a look and it gets the job done with flying colours.

Can the iPhone 5 really be decreasing in popularity already? That certainly seems to be the case this quarter as number of orders received for the latest iPhone model has seen a sharp decrease since the last quarter and as a result, Apple has ordered fewer components to meet the demands.

Just a few short months ago the iPhone was a must-have item that flew off the shelves and sold out during its first weekend. But it seems in the wake of the holiday season, demand has decreased significantly for the iPhone 5. For this reason, Apple has only ordered half of the amount of iPhone 5 screens that was originally intended for the January-March quarter of 2013. There are also reports that Apple has cut its orders for other components too. Apple allegedly notified its suppliers last month that the order would be cut and it certainly seems that the Christmas rush has satisfied the majority of those without the iPhone 5.

This is not a convenient time for Apple’s customers to lose interest as the company has already been facing stiff competition from Samsung, Google and other rival smartphone manufacturers. Apple may have dominated the smartphone market initially with the original release of the iPhone in 2007 but the popularity of the technology giant seems to be waning in favour of other electronics suppliers. In terms of market share, Samsung has already overtaken Apple as the world’s largest smartphone supplier, while there is now more demand for cheaper smartphones from Chinese manufacturers than before.

Apple’s share of the worldwide smartphone shipments peaked at 23% in the October-December quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. However, by the third quarter of 2012, this number dropped to 14.6%, while Samsung’s share rose to an all-time high of 31.3% during the same period. Samsung has had a hugely successful year and it also expects to reach another high in the fourth quarter of 2012, beating its own profit record. The Samsung Galaxy line has been overwhelmingly successful and is expected to have garnered an operating profit of between $8.1 billion and $8.5 billion in the final quarter. Apple will report its earnings for the same period later on this month.

In its own right the iPhone 5 has been hugely successful so far and it has been a strong contender in the increasingly competitive smartphone market, with such features as its longer four-inch screen. However it looks as if these screens are not enough to draw in the crowds as rival brands are easily holding their own against the iPhone’s success.

Initially the primary concern was the Apple’s suppliers would be unable to manufacture the components and handsets quickly enough to meet customer demand and that was indeed the case for a while as factories struggled to meet deadlines. This was only exacerbated by the release of the iPad Mini just weeks afterwards but now demand is moving in the other direction and while there is less pressure to meet demands, the primary concern now seems to be that Apple may not sell enough. This drop could also affect the component manufacturers as until now, Apple has been a primary customer of theirs and if they are supplying less to the company, they will need to find alternative buyers as soon as possible.

If you are working on some big projects and need something a little more complex than a to-do list then you may be interested in Beesy. This is a very detailed app aimed towards those who have a lot to do and need an effective way to manage their projects but it is not for the casual user as it really does go into detail and requires some time to get used to. If you need to become more productive and require a serious app to help you get the job done then this may be for you. Beesy is available now from the App Store for $5.99 and is exclusive to the iPad.

Beesy does what it does very well and it has been expertly designed. While it may not be the most attractive app out there it really doesn’t need to be as the focus here is on productivity and it provides all the tools you could need for your project and more. The layout includes two columns, which contain different parts of your project; each one designated a place based on where you are, how you spend your time and what you can get done now. Along the bottom of the screen is the menu bar that contains all the primary functions of Beesy, as well as a toolbar that has even more tools and functions. This app is certainly not light on tools and while there is a huge amount to take in, it all comes together in the completion of your project. This app is certainly not for everyone and the sheer scope of it could scare some people off but others will wonder how they ever got by without it.

Beesy really is one of the best project management apps money can buy, provided you are dedicated enough to put the time and effort into it. it will certainly take a lot of your time to work through all the different functions and piece your project plan together but if you stick with it, it is highly rewarding. Fortunately there are tutorials included and they are more or less a necessity so you might not want to skip over them. Beesy is the kind of app that gives back what you put into it.

A useful function is the ability to sync your tasks with your calendar and Evernote for increased productivity. With your project nicely synced to your desktop you can continue to work on it on your Mac without the need to buy or download any additional programs. If you are managing a task with a team then you can also incorporate your team members as part of the planning. Beesy can assign tasks and various other things to the different users and it is all nice and easy to navigate so you never lose track of who is doing what and when. Beesy is a first-rate piece of software that is worth the money for the results it yields, provided you are prepared to put the effort in.