Category: Reviews

There are times in life were we just need to try to understand why… why!… your WiFi connection on your Windows Phone is so slow.  It’s not your fault, usually, but it happens.  This is particularly true if you are out and about slurping up free WiFi from your coffee shop, hotel or other public locations because, let’s face it, you and everyone else are doing the exact same thing.  Enter Network Speed Test for Windows Phone.

Network Speed Test is a free app from Microsoft that allows you with a single tap of your Windows Phone screen to see what your download and upload throughput are to your device along with other important, if not more technical, tidbits of network information.  It’s quick, simple and will answer the mystery of why the Interwebs are a crawl at your favorite hangout.

Network Speed Test for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing several cases from Noreve over the course of the last couple of years and I’ve yet to be disappointed.  The Saint-Tropez company has advertised themselves as a true couture designer of cases for all types of devices and one touch of their cases and you will know that there is a large dose of truth in their statement.  Noreve cases are not on the low end of the scale in quality or in price.  However I would challenge you to find a higher quality constructed case out there that looks as good as their cases do on your devices.

I’ve had a good relationship with Noreve over the years at AlliOSNews and since coming back into the Windows Phone ranks, I’ve been looking for a quality case for my Lumia 1320.  The folks at Noreve have been kind enough to send me a case for review and having had it now for three weeks, it has yet to come off my phone.  It is stylish and functional, protecting your phone on all sides as you go throughout your day.

Weather, especially for those of us who live in England, is a constant source of discussion for many.  In fact here in England it is jokingly considered rude if you don’t ask someone their thoughts on the current weather conditions at the beginning of a conversation.  Jokes aside, knowing what the weather is going to do later in the day, tomorrow or the coming weekend is important for planning of events.  That makes a good weather app for your Windows Phone equally as important.

Amazing Weather HD for Windows Phone is arguably one of the most complete and comprehensive weather apps in the Windows Phone Store today.  It has continually updating weather information with support for both Live Tiles and your Lock Screen, forecasts, location awareness and of course current conditions.  The app also is beautifully done with animated screens as you look at the weather location for locations literally around the world.  While there are some limitations for those who don’t live in the United States – most notably weather radar support – this app provides outstanding weather information in a beautiful presentation.  In my opinion it is well worth the $1.99 price of admission.

Amazing Weather HD for Windows Phone – $1.99 – Download Now

I love wine but I fully admit that I’m a bit of a neanderthal when it comes to being able to pick a good wine from a not-so-good wine.  As I have discovered, price isn’t necessarily a reflection of a wine that is good and there is certainly an element of personal tastes that come into the picture.  Compounding my problem is when I go to my local grocer or “bottle store” (AKA Liquor Store), there is a dizzying number of wines of all times and all price ranges.  Regardless of your wine selecting skills, there is a great app that can help you find that perfect wine as you stand there looking at a wall of bottles.  The Vivino Wine Scanner app allows you to scan the label of any wine and instantly get peer ratings, price ranges and reviews of that wine.  It helps eliminate the guess work so you can find wines you like at a price that is right.

The Vivino Wine Scanner app is one of those apps that just makes life easier.  It works amazingly well and I’ve yet to find a bottle of wine that it didn’t recognise.  Literally all you do is snap a photo of the label of the wine bottle and it does all the work of giving you information about that wine.  It has become my favourite app to use while I’m stood in my grocer trying to find that bottle of wine that goes with that meal.

Vivino Wine Scanner – Free – Download Now

This weekend here in England will be the start of the 2014-2015 football season.  All the leagues, most notably the Premier League and the Champions League, start in earnest as do many of the European leagues across the continent.  Over the last few weeks I’ve been looking for a good app for Windows Phone to follow my favourite teams along with keeping up with news from around the various leagues.  I think I’ve found it in OneFootball for Windows Phone.

OneFootball for Windows Phone allows you to select your favourite team and follow them in detail as well as get push notifications during matches (when you can’t find your way to the pub to watch for some reason) and detailed information on each match and the season.  Further, you get a great news feed of all the information from across all the various national leagues and can even go into another league and setup notifications for a particular team.  All this in an app that is free.

Earlier this week I posted on the fact that the Windows Phone Store has over 300,000 apps and continues to improve and mature.  Here is another great example of that improvement.  Ubisoft, makers of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, has just released AC Pirates for Windows Phone.  This was one of my favourite games for iOS and when it dropped into the store yesterday, without hesitation I hit the Buy button.

And I don’t regret it for a second.

AC Pirates for Windows Phone has you play the role of Alonzo Batilla, a young pirate who is trying to make his way in the pirate world of the Caribbean.  He does this by challenging the establishment, forging alliances and of course doing piratey things like steal gold and find treasure.  The story line, graphics and game play are outstanding and yes I was up until the small hours playing – again.