Blog

August 2011

Foodspotting – A Visual Guide To Good Food And Where To Find It

By Cheryl | Posted in Android, Apple, Social networking | August 18, 2011 – 12:10 pm

FoodspottingWe’ve all visited websites were we can view and recommend our favourite restaurants, but Foodspotting takes it to the next level.

Founded in 2009, the food photo social network app lets people post images and reviews of a meal, effectively allowing you to see the menu before you even get to the restaurant. Only food you liked can be posted and the app contains a straightforward rating system, simply clicking “Nom” if you like it.

Company founder, Alexa Andrzejewski, had the following to say:
“We really want it to be a celebration of local food, a food lense or food vision about wherever you go. It really shows something about the local culture in any area.”

Users

User numbers have steadily grown across the US, and now the app is starting to find a market in countries around the world, including the UK. Since the app was launched to the public in 2010, over 748,448 foods have been spotted around the globe.

 

Taken from the website, here are the great features of the app:-

As a foodseeker you can:

  • Explore your city or neighbourhood to see the nearest, latest and best foods around you
  • Look up a restaurant and see what’s good there
  • Find a particular dish that you’re craving
  • Bookmark foods you want to try by clicking (“Want it!”)
  • Vote up food you’ve tried and loved (“Nom it!”)
  • Access guides from experts like the Travel Channel to see the nearest recommendations to you
  • Follow people and guides that you trust, and places and foods that you love

As a foodspotter you can:

  • Share where to find a food you love by uploading a photo (“spotting it”), emailing it to food@foodspotting.com (you’ll need to add details from the website), or adding it to a guide
  • Complete guides, scavenger hunts and challenges to earn badges and recognition
  • Become a dish expert by spotting five or more foods of the same type
  • Earn virtual tips for making quality contributions to the Foodspotting community

 

The app is currently available on any iPhone, Windows Phone 7 and Android device, so what are you waiting for? Just beware; you’ll be feeling very hungry once you have visited!

www.foodspotting.com

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HTC Flyer

By Cheryl | Posted in Android, Google, Tablet PC | August 10, 2011 – 12:16 pm

htc flyerAre HTC on to a winner with their first tablet, the HTC Flyer?

Although aesthetically pleasing, the device fails to bring anything new to the table, but does that really matter? Well, maybe.

We’re used to HTC bringing out devices of style and quality, and this is no exception, but like most tablets you can’t help but think you should wait until their next release.

The first thing that drew me to the HTC Flyer was the design. It’s smooth and sleek lines make it look impressive but its the rear of the device, complete with aluminium and top and bottom white plastic bumpers, that make it really stand out.

The device features a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and 5 megapixel rear camera, both good, but lacking clarity. Video is also not of the greatest quality, and even though the camcorder keeps up with motion, it fails to pick up any sort of sharp resolution.

How does it compare to other tablets such as the iPad2 and Motorola Xoom? For me screen size is a one of the main things I look for, and unfortunately the Flyer posses the smallest screen of the three devices. Its 7-inch display dwarfs in comparison to the Xoom (10.1in) and iPad (9.7in), but this also makes it extra portable for those not consumed by the size.

Models

Wi-fi – 16GB storage
3G – 32GB storage

Specifications

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.5GHz
Screen: 7-inch LCD Touchscreen(1024 x 600)
Weight: 420g
Front Camera: 1.3 megapixels
Rear Camera: 5 megapixels
Flash support
No HDMI output
No video/TV output

Price

Compared to other tablets, is the HTC Flyer worth the price? A lot of consumers say no. Priced at around £450-599, depending on model, it may be a little pricey when compared to similar devices on the market.

Should you buy?

The HTC looks good and is good, but like anything, could use improvement. The size makes is ultra-portable, but may not be what everyone is looking for. The cost could also prove a sticking point, with many tablets on the market offering more competitive pricing.

There are rumours the company’s next offering, the HTC Puccini, could be out as soon as September and it may be worth waiting until then to make your decision.

 

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