Travel Apps for You

Business Insider is one of the sources I use for all things technology based. I stumbled across one article that I thought was particularly interesting about some the best apps out there for your travel needs. Here are some of the ones I thought were the most useful.

1.     Airbnb

Airbnb is a very cool app in the sense that it can save you a lot of money for housing while you travel. How it works is you find a house, apartment or room for rent but the difference is that they are posted by everyday people like you and me, not big companies or hotels. It could be a whole house or maybe just a room, but the users post whatever they have available such as an empty room and offer them out to travelers, rather than having to stay in a hotel. You can find locations all over at varying costs per night.

The majority of the Airbnb rates are set by those that offer the accommodations and normally, depending on the location, the rates are cheaper or comparable to that of hotel rates. It also, in my opinion, feels a little more “homie” than that of your typical hotel room.

2.     BringFido

BringFido is an app for all of those out there who love their four legged friend. What this app does is it helps you find all the best places for your dog such as pet friendly hotels, beaches or restaurants. It basically makes it so you almost never have to be away from your furry pal. It also provides you with information as to where you can find pet supply shops and veterinarian services while you are on the go.

I have never personally used this app, but it sounds incredibly cool. I am absolutely going to look into this for my dog.

3. Flush Toilet Finder

It might sound funny but it is a pretty useful app. We have all been in that “we aren’t sure we’ll make it” situation and this helps rid you of that, no matter where you go. This app will tell you no matter where you are or how far you go, a restroom is within reach. It has a database of up to 100,000 bathrooms across the globe. This app is free for both Android and iOS users. You also are able to filter bathrooms near you based on if they have a fee for usage, a key or have disabled access.

This app is super useful, especially for the moms out there. We have all been in that situation when they didn’t need to go but five minutes later is a different story. This will help out in those situations for sure. Not to mention, it can be challenging to find a restroom when you aren’t familiar with the area. But, this now a problem of the past thanks to this nifty app.

4.  Cities Talking

This is another one of those apps that could save you money and make your travel experience unforgettable. What this app does is it has guided tours of all of the world’s most popular cities to visit. These tours are walking tours that provide voice overs by various artists. For example, Business Insider reported that the London tour has a voice over by Christopher Biggins. You have the ability to rewind, pause or fast forward the tour if you’d like as well. One of the best features is that you can skip over certain parts if you would like to bypass that tourist attraction. You can also take notes as you go if you learn something interesting or want to remember something about that attraction.

I think that this app would save you a lot of money on a trip for sight seeing. Obviously, you can always pay for a guided tour, but with this you can see the sights at your own pace rather than travel with a tour group. It uses GPS technology to run the guide when you reach the next place on the tour. However, wifi and data are not required so you can venture on your own as well. Cities Talking is also a free app for Android and iOS devices.

5. Foodspotting

For all of you foodies out there, this app is more than just reading a menu. It’s basically a visual guide to food in various restaurants all over the world. Launched in 2010, Foodspotting lets you read reviews and see recommended dishes for restaurants all over the globe. It also allows you to search based on the food you have in mind, such as pizza or sushi. You can also search for what is good to eat at certain restaurants, making it easier to chose what your want to eat or maybe what you don’t want.

This app could potentially be useful if you are in an area you have never been to and you are looking for a place to eat. It’s never fun blindly guessing what’s good to eat in different places, especially if you are kind of picky like I am. It also might help if you have a food allergy. Users could include information about foods offered for those with food allergies, making it easier to find places to eat in some situations.

No matter where you go or how far you go these apps can make traveling more about the experience and less about the stress that sometimes can come along with it. The original Business Insider article included several other apps that are good for travelers. If you are interested in check it out, here is the link to the article: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-travel-apps-2016-12/#accuweather-1.

10 apps for iPhone 6

If you have an Apple iPhone then you know that there are millions of apps out there for your phone. This is why knowing which apps to add to your phone is very important. Mr Phix, the screen replacement experts in Wilmington, NC found this article containing a list of the top 10 best apps for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus to help you sort out the best apps out there.

Choosing great apps can make your phone work much better and help speed it up as well since some apps can slow down your phone by using too many system resources.

For those of you that love puzzles or mind games, then one of the best puzzle apps out there is Threes! There is a free version and a paid one for $1.99.

The Netflix app is a great app to have since Netflix is one of the best subscription services out there for streaming TV and movies on your iPhone.

1Password maker is an essential app for your phone since there are so many cases of hacking and cyber attacks lately. This iPhone app can greatly make your device more secure.

Are you looking for a date? Then Tinder is a wonderful app which allows users to connect with new people nearby with a simple swipe. You can swipe those you like or pass those who you do not.

You can read the entire list containing the top 10 apps for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus here

Remember that if your iPhone or Samsung phone has any problems, or your screen is shattered, damaged or needs to be replaced, Mr Phix can do it for you. We offer quality work at affordable prices. Mr Phix has 2 convenient locations in the Wilmington, NC area for those who have any problems with their cell phones.

When you ask me about cable I honestly cannot tell you much about it other than it can get pretty expensive to have all the channels you and your family like to watch. Personally, I don’t rely on cable for my entertainment but Netflix instead.

I like it because of how easy it is to find shows or movies you like at a much cheaper cost than the normal cable provider. I can pick what I want to watch and I can also watch more than one a day if I want to. Nothing is worse than getting really into a show and having to wait a whole week before the next episode. With Netflix, you can see what happens next anytime you want to.

Outside of Netflix and other entertainment applications like Hulu are other versions of what we know as cable television. Apple TV is one of the newer features being offered. However, it works a lot differently than your everyday cable.

If you head to www.apple.com/apple-tv/ you’ll find a sleek and interesting new way to engage in the world of entertainment. Apple TV offers you all of the channels you enjoy in a more customizable way.  You can still watch live sports and the news channels you like, without having to buy the channels you won’t watch.

In order to use this service, you must first buy the “box” and remote that Apple TV requires. What’s nice about these? They’re simple and small. So, instead of having a bulky remote with a bunch of buttons you have no idea what they do, you have a simple, easy t o use remote with endless possibilities. The  “box” itself is also compact, making it look less tacky and in your face than your everyday cable box. Here is a picture of what it looks like.

Thinking Apple TV

What really makes Apple TV stand out though is t he way it brings TV into your living room. You have the power to choose, and by choose I mean you can pick exactly what you watch. The whole system relies on apps to function. You can download apps like Hulu, HBO Now, ESPN and even iTunes to watch what you are looking for, without having to pay for those pesky cable packages. According to Apple’s website, you have over 1600 choices in video apps.

You also are able to watch all of the TV shows and movies you have purchased on iTunes. Siri also works for Apple TV and you can tell her specifically what you’d like. She’ll make it happen. You can tell Siri, “I want to watch The Blacklist” and just like that Siri will bring you right there. Not only can she do that, but she can bring up the music you’d like to listen to as well.

The cost of the box and remote are a one time expense starting at $149 according to Apple’s website. The applications can vary in price. Some have a nominal monthly fee for the ability to access the certain channel you are interested in. For example, according to Apple the Hulu app requires a monthly fee.

Technology of the Future

Technology has absolutely come a long way. We have moved from one thing to the next so quickly, it seems like every time you turn around something new is coming out. The first cell phone was released back in April of 1973 by Martin Cooper, a researcher for Motorola. However, since then computers, phones and devices of all kinds have completely changed in what they are able to do.

Forbes released an article yesterday talking about just that, how advanced technology has become. However, instead of predicting what would be a hit in ten or twenty years, they discussed what is potentially heading our way in five years. Here are some of the things Forbes feels you should look for in the coming years.

One thing Forbes talks about is driverless cars. Lately that has been all over the news. For example, Uber is paving the way in this latest transportation technology. According to an article on USA Today, this company has moved it’s testing for driverless cars to Arizona, due to restrictions in California. Along with Uber, Honda and Alphabet are looking to potentially partner in the experimentation and modeling of self-driving cars, reported The Wall Street Journal. Self-driving cars, much like electric vehicles, will change how we travel and maintain the health of our cars.

Forbes’ article also mentions the take off virtual reality in the coming years. We have already started to see this become increasingly popular with the release of VR headsets, made by various companies such as Samsung, Sony and Google, just to name a few. Virtual reality has a lot of potential to be used by business, sports and many industries to make more money in a new and innovative fashion. In short, this new technology has the ability to completely change everything we know today. We might not shop, play, or work in the way we did before.

Automation, is also mentioned in Forbes’ article. Similar to self-driving cars, the continued advancement of automation can change how we interact and work in the future. Many suspect that as automation changes and develops further that it will be more equip to handle more challenging tasks that are less repetitive, such as operating a moving car.

Another technology that Forbes’ raves about is the Internet of Things, also known as IoT. For those that don’t know, The Internet of Things is basically a system of connected computing devices that have the ability to transfer data over a network without human to human or human to computer intercommunication. An example of this would be Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home, which allows you to connect to other devices in your home. You can ask them to do something simple such as turning on a light or something more specific like putting YouTube on your TV. Alexa is actually a device we use in our shop and she is able to stream music or search things for you, all by voice technology. There is no telling what else you will be able to do with that technology by 2022.

I have no doubts that technology will only continue to change and evolve as time goes on. Before we know it nothing will be done the way it is done today. If you are interested in reading further about these advancements or the news regarding anything mentioned in this post, I have linked the sources I used below.

Sources: 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#3bb15d256828

http://www.wsj.com/articles/honda-and-alphabet-talk-driverless-car-partnership-1482360369

http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2016/12/27/upcoming-technology-10-trends-to-watch-in-the-next-five-years/#11ef0d252291

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/12/22/uber-moves-self-driving-cars-pilot-to-arizona/95763516/

Mr Phix rescues screens

There’s an old saying that two things are certain in life, Death and Taxes. The same can be said about glass and screens; they will one day break. Whether you have a mobile device or a tablet, sadly, the time will come when it will either shatter, break, crack or become damaged. Fortunetely, when screens break, Mr Phix comes to the rescue of your device. None of us ever want our phones or tablets to break or become damaged. Most of us have tons of family photos and videos on our phones. We also have work related files and our personal information. Mobile devices have become our mobile offices or like an extension of our computers. When something so important like this is damaged, you cannot gamble and take it to a store or someone who will end up damaging your device even further. Another important issue when it comes to screen replacement is the parts being used. Many places end up using low quality parts which end up breaking in mere months, sometimes sooner. Mr Phix never ever chooses profit over quality. We only use the best certified parts when replacing your broken, shattered or cracked screens.
It is well known that Mr Phix, is the replacement screen expert with the highest customer ratings in the entire Wilmington, NC area. This is because the staff at Mr Phix puts the customers first. Our team also has years of experience in the screen replacement business. We are also the only ones that give you a lifetime guaranteed on any work we do on your screen. No one else does that. No other store has more positive reviews than Mr Phix. Unlike some places, our reviews are legitimate, from real customers. You can check our reviews at our Google + page or our Facebook page as well. So the next time your screen breaks, have no fear and don’t fret. Just take it to one of Mr Phix stores and Mr Phix will come to the rescue of your device. With a lifetime guaranteed behind it!

Screen Replacement Experts

Are you in the Wilmington, NC area and looking for a screen replacement for either your iPhone, Samsung, iPad or another mobile device? Then welcome to Mr Phix, the replacement screen experts with years of experience and one of the highest rated on the Internet. When it comes to screen replacement in Wilmington, NC, Mr Phix is the place to bring your electronic devices. Our expert staff has successfully replaced thousands of cracked, damaged, broken, shattered or destroyed screens. If your phone is damaged due to other issues then we can resolved that as well.

There may be others in Wilmington, NC offering similar services, however, only Mr Phix is willing to guaranteed their work and even take a loss to make sure you are completely satisfied. We are also the only ones that stand behind every screen replacement or repair with a guaranteed for life. This is because customer satisfaction is the most important factor for us. We also use the best parts available when making repairs to make sure your phone, iPad or electronic Device will work just like they were before the problem.

Everyone in our team of screen replacement experts knows and understands what it means to break, crack or shatter your screen. We know exactly how you feel when it happens because we have all experienced a broken or damaged screen at one time or another and we treat your devices as if they were our very own. The people here at Mr Phix have been in the screen replacement business for many years now. We also have several locations in the Wilmington, NC areas to make it easier for you to find a convenient location near you.

Mr Phix offers discounts to our brave service men and women since we appreciate, respect and honor their sacrifices and services to our country. This discount applies to both active and retired members.
So if you are in the Wilmington, NC area and you are looking for expert screen replacement for your iPhone, Samsung or iPads then come check out Mr Phix to see why we are number one.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Tips, Tricks and Hints

If you have a Samsung Galaxy S6 then you are very lucky as it is considered one of the best phones out there on the market right now. The staff here at Mr Phix, the replacement screen experts, have put together some of the best  to help get the most out of your new mobile device.
The reality is that most people who own smartphones such as the iPhone or Samsung can sometimes spend a long time using them without taking advantage of some of the cool features these devices offer them. From shortcuts to extra feautures, we will help you become a Samsung S6 master.

– Get That Theme
You can change the look of your phone instantly by changing its theme. Simply tap and hold any empty space on your S6 home screen to bring up the options. You will also be able to change the grid and screen size. Although only 3 themes come with the phone by default, you can always find tons of them by following the link to the store at the right side of the top of the themes page. You can even create your very own themes as well with a new theme tool.

– Split Screen Enabling

One of the cool things the S6 offers is the abilty to view and use more than one app at the same time. By simply holding on to the multitaksing button at the bottom or the apps for a few seconds, you can enable split screen. The top half of the screen will display whatever you were originally on while the bottom half of the screen lets you choose the other. You can even resize the space of each screen.

– Navigation Streamline

Customizing your Samsung S6 to reflect what functions, shortcuts and features you want to have easy access to in your quick settings is one of the first things you should do with your phone. By pulling down the notification shade and tapping on Edit, you can get rid of the stuff you dont want and add what you need most. Tap done when you are satisfied with your new menu.

– Fingerprint Sensor

There is no easiest, quickest or more awesome way to secure and lock your S6 than by the fingerprint sensor. Simply go to Settings = Lock Screen and security = Screen lock type = Fingerprints. From here follow the instructions and secure your phone with your prints. It is best to use your thumb so you can easily unlock your phone with one hand. You can also add a password option.

– Please Do Not Disturb

Another great feauture is the do not disturb mode. In Settings = Do not disturb mode you can choose which calls to allow, no calls or only calls from a expecif person. You can even schedule the hours your phone will go in Do not disturb mode such as when you are at work.

– Keep Out

We all have some private photos or things on our phone we do not want nosy people looking at when they take hold of our phone. Simply go to Settings = Privacy and safety = Private mode and chose what people can see. Best of all, you can use your fingerprint to lock your private content.
– Samsung Gestures

You can control a few actions your Samsung S6 makes simply by using gestures. If you go to Settings = Motions and gestures you can find some really cool options such as:

• Flip your S6 over and you can quickly silence it.
• Use a palm swipe to capture a screen shot.
• If you missed a call or message, Smart alert will send you a vibration alert whenever you pick up your phone.
• Open a contact and simply lift your phone to your ear to call them with the Direct call gesture.

These are just a few of the many wonderful features that the Samsung Galaxy S6 offers its users. Check back with us as we are always updating and adding hints and tips guides for all of your mobile devices like the iPhone 5, 5S and 6 as well as iPads and Samsung devices.
Remember, in case you ever drop your phone or your screen shatters, breaks or cracks, we here at Mr Phix can replace it. Best of all we guarantee our work for the lifetime of your phone.

Nokia is making a Comeback

Does anyone remember the days before the iPhone? Does anyone remember what it was like without smartphones? It seems like forever ago that we all owned flip phones or thought that any cell phone with a keyboard was the coolest thing. Now, most people own smartphones and are waiting every year to see what new Device they can get their hands on.

Well, Nokia is providing a blast from the past. Nokia is trying to make a come back after falling down the ranks with the release of the iPhone in 2007. In order to compete with the big phone companies of the time, Nokia is releasing a new smartphone in China, potentially one of the biggest and most competitive markets for these devices, wrote CNN.

According to CNN, Nokia’s first smartphone for Android was unveiled at the CES tech show in Las Vegas over the weekend. This new phone is called the Nokia 6 and will be sold in China only.

Nokia once was one of the top phone companies in the world. In the 1990s it seemed like everyone was walking around with a Nokia phone. Ever since the rise of the iPhone, Nokia has struggled to compete with the continued innovation and changes made in the phone industry.

By releasing this new phone, Nokia is desperately trying to get back into the cell phone game. Nokia is attempting to do this by licensing out the use of the brand to another Finnish company named HMD Global, reported CNN.

This could be potentially a very bold move on Nokia’s part, given the specific market they are choosing to enter. Apple and Samsung are known world wide for dominating the cell phone world making it challenging for another company to break into the scene.

Nokia has one important advantage though compared to certain companies. Nokia has a history with phones and was once incredibly popular. This history makes them recognizable and many people claim to recognize Nokia right away. The question is, will this enough for Nokia to sell phones?

Time will only tell us if this new smartphone will be a success. Hopefully, if this phone is successful in China, Nokia can then explore other markets and opportunities. It’s one thing to have a great product, but another all together to get people to purchase it. Nokia will have quite a fight on their hands this year because we all know Apple and Samsung will not give up customers with ease.

For further reading, check out this article

http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/09/technology/nokia-china-smartphone/index.html

My Barista

Starbucks is revamping how customers can use their app. A new feature called MyStarbucks Barista allows customers to place their orders by simply saying “I want a latte”. Not only can you order your morning cup of Joe this way but you can also pay for it as well, grab your cup and keep rolling with your day.

This new feature offered on the Starbucks app was announced on Monday, according to CNN. For now, MyStarbucks Barista is only available to 1,000 people across the globe when it comes out this summer for iOS devices. However, don’t worry Android users, a version of MyStarbucks Barista will be heading your way after the release of the iOS version, CNN reported.

However, Starbucks isn’t stopping there. They are also rolling out a new voice-ordering tool for Amazon’s Alexa. In order to get your caffeine fill all you have to do is say “Alexa, order my Starbucks” and it will place your order for you via the Starbucks app.

The hope of this new feature is to reduce the number of people waiting in line to pick up their coffee, which the app was original making a bigger problem, which of course discourages people from using it. However, the company hopes more people will be interested in the app with the introduction of the MyStarbucks Barista feature.

iphone 6 and 6 Plus Problems and Solutions List

The Apple iPhone 6 and 6 plus are finally here much to the chagrin of faithful iPhone users and general public. However, the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, combined with the IOS 8 have also brought with them many problems causing users concern and frustration. From issues to not being able to hear during calls, Red & blue Screens, Home button not working and several others, they are enough to drive anyone using one of these phones mad. We here at Mr Phix, the replacement screen experts, understand your frustrations which is why we have put together this list detailing each problem and their solutions.

– Rapid Battery Drain = Although Apple has had issues in the past with other previous versions of the iPhone cel losing battery life too quickly, the iPhone 6 sometimes goes through some real sudden battery drops in battery life or drain. This can be due to the fact that this phone has a higher and larger resolution display as well faster processors and many other added battery draining features.

Fix = There could be an app causing the battery to drain really fast.
Go to Settings > General > Usage > Battery Usage – Here you can take a look
at exactly what apps are using most of your battery and draining it. You can either
disable the app or try un-installing it. Also, you should lower the brightness on your screen display.

– No SIM card error Glitch = Although this problem is not as rampant as others, there are still a few people who have reported their iPhone 6 suddenly complaining that there s “No SIM card installed” or “Invalid SIM”

Fix = Try restarting your phone by turning it on and off again.
You can also try toggling the Airplane mode by switching it on and off a few times to see if that resolves the issue.
Try making sure that your current software is up to date as well.
Remove current SIM card and try it on another device similar to yours or you can also try a different SIM card on your phone also.
There could be a chance that your SIM card is dirty or damaged. Remove the SIM card, use a pencil eraser to clean the gold contacts. You should then blow away or remove any debris left over before inserting the SIM card back to your phone.
If, after trying all of these steps the phone still does not recognizes your SIM card, then contact your local carrier or Apple.
– iOS 8 bugs = Even though all softwares experience bugs at the beginning, the iOS 8 bugs appear to be more frequent than other previous versions. From Safari crashing randomly, phone rebooting on its own and several other issues, the bugs in iOS 8 are enough to annoy and frustrate many users.

Fix = Other than waiting on Apple and apps to update in order to fix their bugs, there is really no solution users can perform on their own. As before, make sure your phone is always updated to the latest version.

Problem: Red Screen = Several iPhone 6 and 6 plus users have complained about their phone’s screens going red. While most times the Red screen problem appears to resolve itself, others have had issues where it refused to turn off at all.

Fix = You can try simultaneously holding down the Home & the Sleep/Wake buttons for at least 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo. However, while the phone may restart normally, some users complain about the problem coming back. If this is the case then if could be a software glitch issue such as a corrupted backup or file. The solution for this would be restoring your phone through iTunes.
It can also be a hardware failure on the phone itself whereas you should contact Apple and arrange to have your iPhone 6 or 6 plus replaced altogether.
– Issue: Cracked screen = Too many users are complaining that their iPhone 6 and 6 plus screens are easily damaged when dropped or hit. Nevertheless, very few users are able to have a phone without ever experiencing the dreaded cracked screen. Whether it may be by dropping your phone or some other way, this is one of the worst and most expensive problems that can happen to your phone. One of the best ways to protect your phone is by investing in a good protective cover or case. If, however, you have a broken screen, then Mr Phix, the screen replacement experts can change it for you. We have repaired hundreds of cracked screens. From Cell phones to iPads, we will gladly fix any issues relating to cracked screens or others you may have with your devices.

There are many other problems affecting iPhone 6 and 6 plus users including phone bending, No service or touch iD working to several others. You can read the entire list here of all other issues or problems you may experience with your iPhone 6 or 6 plus.