Gadgets Gizmos Gossip

The iPhone has become incredibly popular over the last few years, and offers one of the best mobile operating systems in existence (alongside Google’s Android OS). The number of applications available for the phone is now momumental; there are so many it can often be difficult to sort your way through them all looking for what you need.

So to try and help out a little bit, here’s the first in what will become a ‘Top App’ series. Here’s the top car-related applications for your iPhone:

1. AA Fuel Prices

This genius little app will find the cheapest fuel prices in your area, and will even direct you to the cheapest filling station closest to you. It’s £4.99 so it’s not the least expensive app you’ll ever come across, but it’s reliable and it will make you the money back in no time, just by saving you money on your petrol.

2. TomTom UK & Ireland

Satellite navigation systems have been increasingly popular over the last couple of years, but they can be quite expensive. So why waste the money on an expensive Sat Nav system when you get download one for your iPhone? Admittedly it’s not the cheapest app in the world at £49.99, but  it’s less expensive than buying a seperate sat nav machine and you don’t have to worry about carrying around an extra gadget.
The app features all UK and Ireland road maps, making it the perfect solution if you’re looking to find your way around the UK.

3. Free Parking

This application helps you locate free parking spaces, and costs just £1.79. Currently the app only works in London, but it’s extremely useful if you do find yourself regularly looking for parking spaces in the capital. If they roll out the same service for the whole of the UK however, this would be one of the most useful driving apps in existence.

4. RAC Traffic

This one does pretty much what you’d expect it to do; it warns you of particularly bad traffic problems and queues, allowing you to avoid them and get where you’re going quicker. The app itself works brilliantly, and it’s free, so you can’t really complain.

5. Car Spotter

Car Spotter costs just 49p, and allows you to find your car when you’ve forgotten where you left it. When you park you can leave video and voice memos, or simply log the position via GPS, then when you’re on your way back and have forgotten where you parked.

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Guest post by Steve; a freelance copywriter in his spare time, who’s day job is working for a company specialising in temporary car insurance, specifically dar car insurance.

In a response to a direct question about the potential release of a tablet device, HP’s Todd Bradley told a room full of analysts and shareholders that HP would release their HP tablet in 2011, after a huge amout of speculation surrouding the story.

You’ll see us with a Microsoft product out in the near future and a webOS-based product in early 2011

Bradley stated, also going on to suggest that tablets were always on the cards for the company after HP’s purchase of PALM.

I for one can’t wait for the release of the webOS tablet; the operating system is generally easier to use and far more intuitive than either the iPhoneOS or the current Android offering, and it should scale up extremely well to a larger tablet screen.Despite it’s lack of popularity in the smartphone market, the operating system genuinely is excellent and I can imagine it proving far more popular in this format.

I’d be surprised if the final version was anything other than excellent, as the company are by no means strangers to the tablet world. They’ve got the much anticipated Window 7 tablet coming on sale later this year, although this is far more likely to be designed to appeal to businesses, with the webOS tablet being the consumer targeted model.

HP have so far released no information regarding potential price or availability of either tablets, as they have so far simply intimated a rough period for scheduled release.

We shall be keeping a close eye on the progression of HP’s webOS tablet, and will release a review of the Windows 7 tablet just as soon as we can get our grubby little hands on one.

Image courtesy of SlashGear.com

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Guest post written by John, who’s a freelance copywriter by trade but is currently undergoing his Prince2 accreditation at London Prince2 so he can get a proper job!

There are loads of gadgets around for your car but which are the best and what do they do? One gadget that everyone will have heard of is satellite navigation. These are great little devices that can direct you to you destinations by just entering the name of where you want to go or a post code. Whether you have a lease car, rental car or maybe you even went for a van contract hire all these gadgets are sure to help you out in one situation or another.

However there are some other more exciting and fun gadgets around. One of my favourites is a portable fridge that can be powered from the lighter socket. These fridges are rather small but will be able to hold a few beers and some snacks as well, which is always handy when you go on a road trip.

For those of you keen to bring all your electronics along for the ride you can purchase a USB converter for your cigarette lighter. These devices are fairly inexpensive and allow you to charge any USB compatible devices such as you iPod whilst you are on the go.

For those clean freaks amongst you there is a portable vacuum cleaner that easily stores in your car. For just £7 ($10) you really can’t go wrong.

Rechargeable torches will also keep you prepared for any situation that should arise. That could be a punctured tyre or any other kind of night time expedition you may find yourself embarking upon. As with most things this also easily plugs into the cigarette lighter allowing you to always have a source of light to hand.