To-do list apps are never that exciting – in fact, most of them simply rehash the same ideas. Different lists, and items you check off underneath each. But today a new app launched that has had a few user interface desginers very excited. You see, Clear does not follow any user interface guidelines which most good designers seem to agree with. Instead it uses an interface entirely devoid of buttons.

Users use a combination of pinches, drags and sweeps in order to create and complete tasks. In fact, the only familiar part of the interfaces is the occasional keyboard that pops up. Here is a basic guide to using the app:

- Pull down on a list to add an item

- Swipe an item right to complete it

- Swipe an item or list left to delete it

- Pinch apart two items to insert a new one between them

- Pinch vertically together to close the current list and show all the lists

Any items in your list has a colour associated with it, but you simply hold them and drag them to the prioroty you want. You might want to check out this hands on demo of the app:

(more…)

FNB has recently released a press release that states that as part of its ongoing attempt to provide its customers with convenient financial solutions and services, it has enabled 22seven limited access to its customers’ accounts but on a limited basis.

FNB, currently leading the way in innovation with its very own banking app and partnership with paypal for its withdrawal service, is now the first of the major banks to allow the personal money management startup to have access to its customers’ accounts. This is in contrast to Absa Bank, who recently blocked 22seven from accessing its own customers’ account information.

Lee-Anne van Zyl, CEO Online Banking at FNB says that “FNB has set a precedence of responding to our customer’s needs with innovative products and services. We are now providing a secure means to engage with 22seven in response to our customers’ need to learn more about their financial behaviour.”

FNB online customers can set up a secondary user on their online profile, already available on FNB Online Banking, that will require different username and password login details. This secondary user profile then enables users to select the accounts they wish to share, but offers limited functionality.

(more…)

Microsoft and LucasArts have collaborated to to announce “Kinect Star Wars” and the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Kinect Star Wars” console bundle. The new console bundle features a distinct Star Wars styling with a gold Xbox controller which will enchant Star Wars fans.   Star Wars fans of all ages will soon be able to bring the Star Wars universe home and become part of the films like never before with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360.

With five dynamic modes – Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Rancor Rampage, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate – “Kinect Star Wars” makes it possible for Star Warsfans of all ages to delve into immersive Star Wars experiences. In addition to the previously announced Jedi, Podracing and Rancor modes, Xbox 360 and LucasArts have today unveiled new additions to the game, including:

New experiences within Jedi Destiny Mode, including:

Space battles: As you travel the Galaxy to face an evil that threatens to undermine the fabric of the Republic, you’ll engage with forces of the Empire in intense space battles

Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders: Pilot iconic Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders on your epic journey

New duels: Battle opponents like Count Dooku and Darth Vader on your journey to become a Jedi

New Duels of Fate mode, a battle-by-battle experience to sharpen your Jedi skills against the Dark Side

New Galactic Dance Off mode loaded with Star Wars-themed pop tunes where those still honing their Jedi skills can take a break to battle Darth Vader on the dance floor or bust a move “Solo style.”

Additionally, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Kinect Star Wars” console bundle will feature an exclusive C-3PO unlockable for Dance Mode. With these new reveals and the ability to play in 3D, “Kinect Star Wars” adds to the growing popularity of the family-friendly gaming portfolio for Kinect for Xbox 360. Both will both be available on April 3, 2012 in South Africa for a recommended retail price of R399 and R 4699 respectively.

Related: See our review of the Xbox Kinect here.

Gigaom has reported that at the Goldman Sachs’ investor conference that took place on Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook shed some light on how he views himself as the iconic Steve Jobs’s successor as well as his views on the company’s $98 billion cash pile. Although Cook did not provide investors with a dividend, he did reveal some insight into his leadership style and priorities.

Cook spoke extensively about his views on the potential growth and future opportunities for the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Just as important for investors, who want to know the direction in which the company plans to go since the loss of Steve Jobs, Cook put them at ease by opening up on how he plans to make his own mark on Apple. While Jobs can in no way be replaced, especially by Cook who is reminded of this by the media and Wall Street on a daily basis, he certainly displays the same passion for Apple and is committed to its continuing innovation and ground breaking success as a leading technology company.  Throwing in an “incredible” and an “amazing” here and there as Steve Jobs did, is further evidence of his shared enthusiasm.

Cook was very clear about how serious he is about taking care of Apple’s wellbeing and continuing Jobs’s vision. Cook said, “Apple is this unique company, unique culture that you can’t replicate. And I’m not going to witness or prevent the slow undoing of it — because I believe in it so deeply. Steve drilled in all of us over many years that the company should revolve around great products and we should stay extremely focused on a few things rather than so many that we did nothing well. And we should only go into markets where we can make a sigificant contribution to society, not just sell a lot of products. Along with keeping excellent as an expectation of everything at Apple, these are the things I focus on.”

(more…)

Google is celebrating Valentine’s Day today with one of its very special animated Google Doodles.

The Doodle follows the story of a love-struck boy who decides to use the search engine to find gifts to give to his crush with each attempt failing to attract both her attention and affection. From flowers and teddy bears to chocolates and balloons, nothing seems to work. But, we learn that not everything can be solved with the internet.

The animation, accompanied by Tony Bennett’s “Cold, Cold Heart” ends with a montage of images showing all kinds of love including that between a same-sex couple and the princess and the frog.

Watch the Doodle in the video below:

WeatherSA.co.za, the online hub of the South African Weather Service, has unveiled a brand new weather application for all iOS devices, including the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app is designed with South African users in mind, and supported by the South African Weather Service.

Several of the app features are a first for South Africa, such as storm warnings and push notifications, which are sent directly to the user’s device daily. Other highlights of the application include breaking news alerts, seven day tables of weather across the country, an outlook for various outdoor and sports activities, sunrise, sunset and moonrise times as well as hourly and weekly graphs covering rain, wind, temperature, pressure and humidity.

The WeatherSA app will be available as a free download and allows users to customise the weather notices sent to their device(s), from daily to weekly forecasts and local news to national warnings and provincial forecasts. The app can also predict the best time of day for outdoor activities such as cycling, swimming and going for a jog, making it the perfect lifestyle accessory.

One of the most novel features of the WeatherSA app is the ability for users to share alerts with their contacts via email, Twitter or Facebook, which links in perfectly with WeatherSA’s broad spectrum social media campaign. Their Facebook and Twitter pages will provide followers with daily updates, news and interesting information surrounding both the weather and lifestyle features.

(more…)

On Monday, U.S. and European regulators approved Google Inc’s purchase of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. for the price of $12.5 billion and have made it clear that they will be keeping a close watch on the search giant to ensure patents critical to the telecom industry would be licensed at fair prices. Reuters reports that this decision by the regulators was one of a number of approvals that underscored the scramble by technology companies to acquire big pools of patents.

Google’s move to buy Motorola Mobility came shortly after it tried and failed to buy bankrupt Canadian company Nortel Networks’ abundance of patents that was approved by the U.S. Justice Department as an Apple Inc-led consortium purchase.  The patents includes Research in Motion Ltd, Microsoft Corp, EMC Corp, Ericsson and Sony Corp, which agreed to pay $4.5 billion for 6,000 patents and patent applications in July of last year.

In August 2011, Google said that it would buy Motorola for its 17,000 patents and 7,500 patent applications, in order to compete with rivals such as Apple and defend itself and Android phone manufacturers in patent litigation. Antitrust enforcers on both sides of the Atlantic want to prevent companies from gouging rivals when they license patents which  is essential in ensuring that different competing firms’ communications devices work together.

EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia explained that ”This merger decision should not and will not mean that we are not concerned by the possibility that, once Google is the owner of this portfolio, Google can abuse these patents, linking some patents with its Android devices. This is our worry.”

(more…)

OK – lets start off with a tip. If you are planning to buy an iPad, you might want to wait a few weeks.

According to AllThingsD, Apple is planning to announce the iPad 3 in the first week of March 2012. In the past this meant that the device will land in US stores about a week after that, and other territories about 2 months later. In 2011 South Africa didn’t have to wait too long to get the iPad 2, so hopefully it will be the same with the iPad 3. Apple does not typically deviate from their release cycle when it comes to iOS devices (except with the iPhone 4S), so this is one rumour that will probably turn out to be true.

So what will be new in the iPad 3? Is it worth waiting for? Seeing as the iPad 2 was not a massive update from the iPad 1 (slightly faster, thinner and cameras added, see our review here), the iPad 3 might be a bigger update than expected. Also, Apple does not seem to increase prices with new models, so it might be well worth your while. Here are some of the changes you can expect: (more…)