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!

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.

Panasonic are going to create a 3D lens for digital cameras based on the micro four thirds format. This is a format developed jointly by Panasonic and Olympus used in micro system cameras. These cameras are also known as hybrid cameras and even compact digital SLR cameras by some. Although the last variation is not technically correct, as a digital SLR has a classic mirrored view finder where as a micro system camera does not.

The aim is to have the lens ready for distribution to the public by the end of this year. The lens will work by recording two image paths, which it will then project on to the left and right of the cameras sensor. These separate images will then be combined later to create the 3D effect.

You can display these images using 3D compatible devices, such as 3D televisions that Panasonic also produce. After making some impressive progress into the 3D market following the release of other 3D devices Panasonic expects the trend to continue. Having already done well with their VIERA 3D televisions and 3D Blu-ray players Panasonic see’s the manufacture of devices that can record in 3D as the next step.

Of course many of the latest movies are available in 3D such as the hugely successful Avatar and Toy’s Story 3. With the demand for 3D so high Panasonic are hoping that they will become the forerunner in 3D technology. Whether this transpires remains to be seen but for now Panasonic seem to be making all the right moves.

Another of my favourites is desktop ping ping. Not much explanation needed here; the game uses sucker pads to attach the net onto almost any surface and away you go. I will say that this game takes quite a bit of skill to master due to the size of the paddles, so put that work down and get practising!

If your more in to your tech style gadgets then some nice little inventions that I have spotted include an iPhone solar battery charger, miniature vacuum cleaner for your keyword and the eco button. In particular the eco button is good for those of you who are jumping on the environmentally friendly band wagon. The eco button makes it really easy to save energy at the office, which I’m sure will please those dealing with the finances. It works by attaching to your computer through a USB cord, providing a large illuminated button one press will put your computer into energy saving mode which is great for when you have to rush off for lunch or are taking a phone call.

These are just a few of the office gadgets available there are plenty more for you to experiment with, which you can find using a quick search on the internet.

Air conditioning systems have proliferated into everyday life for many in recent years. It is now common place to units in many UK homes and even in the most basic of new cars. This phenomenon has been occurring gradually since commercial air con systems were made widely available back in the 1980s and they have grown in popularity ever since. Although air con is seen as somewhat of a luxury in this country, it is absolutely essential in the balmy Mediterranean climates of Spain, Italy or Greece where temperatures can exceed 40 degrees in the height of summer.

As global warming takes hold air con will become more and more of a necessity as the UK’s weather system becomes more like that of it’s continental cousins. Simple economics dictates that as demand increases, so will price, meaning now would be a great time to invest a unit for your home or office. Gone are the days when air con systems were cumbersome and consumed a whole room in the house. Today’s setups are much more streamlined and efficient.

There are numerous options now available to suit a range of different environments, portable air conditioners offer a huge degree of usability and are a great alternative to fixed systems such as window air conditioners for when you want to use air con seasonally or only in one room. The Air Curtains is a new product which encroaches even less on your personal space by hanging above a door frame and keeping cold air out of heated areas or hot air out of chilled spaces.

For a small initial outlay you can alleviate yourself of much of the grief and discomfort associated with being in a hot or stuffy environment. There is nothing worse than trying to work while drenched in sweat or not being able to sleep due to the heat. Commercial Air conditioners have come a long way since their inception and now come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. For you, all of this means you can enjoy the heat of the summer months whilst still being able to work rest and play in comfort.

At times like this it is wise for businesses to be as thrifty as possible. Investing in new technology is an excellent strategy for streamlining your operations. Although this may seem like another unnecessary outlay, the added financial benefits that new technology brings often outweigh the initial cost.

One area that most small business could focus on in the interests of driving down costs is their business telephone systems. Most SME owners are no doubt paying a premium for their traditional landline setup, a smooth effortless transition to a ‘voice over IP Phone’ system could save money and provide a whole host of other benefits.

Voice over IP, or ‘VoIP’ telephony has been around for some years now, most notably in the form of ‘Skype’, a piece of software which allows the user to make free calls to landline and mobile phones via an internet connection. This is already popular for home and recreational use but businesses are now starting to wake up to it’s advantages. The obvious benefits are the extremely low cost in comparison to a traditional system.

One important advantage to VoIP which many are still unaware of however is the ability to implement a unified communications setup. This means that Businesses can receive calls, emails, faxes and voicemail simultaneously through any device connected to the VoIP network, reducing clutter and saving time as well as money.

Video calling is another facet of VoIP, enabling video-conferences. The option to do this will eradicate geographical boundaries, potentially removing the need to travel long distances for face-to-face meetings. The possibilities with VoIP really are endless, any SME would be very wise to consider investing in this current climate.

Apple has a prestigious image, retaining a sense of exclusivity despite its widespread popularity. To some Apple products are a combination of aesthetic beauty and precise engineering, some see them as cool must-have gadgets, others will simply dismiss them as boys toys. Steve Jobs is regarded as somewhat of a messiah to the ‘Technorati’, the launch of his companies products are followed and reported tenaciously, rapidly becoming national news stories.

It is something of a surprise then, to find fault with something as highly regarded as an Apple product. Recent news stories have circulated about the iPhone 4’s loss of signal when held in a certain way. Reaction to the iPad has been largely positive but there is always a nagging sense that some wish to criticize Apple at every available opportunity. The truth is that Apple is so successful because of the quality of its products, but they are not without their niggles.

One criticism of the iPhone is its poor battery life, this can prove particularly troubling when out and about and in need of a juice boost. So much so in fact I sometimes think it would be quicker to attach a message to my treasured RC Helicopter and fly it out to my friends, homing pidgeon style than to go home and charge my phone!

Many companies have jumped on the back of this issue, producing in-car chargers and flashy docks. Perhaps most ground-breaking however is a portable charger, while these make great gifts for any iPhone owner, they are no gimmick.

Simply charge from a PC or Mac as you would your iPhone, then carry with you as a back-up battery pack with a full five hours of calls or 20 hours of music playback to hand. This is a godsend for anyone who carries their phone for long periods without access to a mains socket. While the iPhone may not be infallible this is just one quick fix which will no doubt contribute to Apple’s impending world-domination!

In terms of keeping a liquid in an area that is constantly being topped up there can be many problems indeed. The main one is of course that the liquid has the likelihood of overflowing and costing the company some serious money as well as potentially harming someone within the company itself.

This is where something like liquid level sensors come into it and these will go off whenever the liquid in a container is about to go over the top. These are very useful indeed for measurement level and they are the main gadgets used when it comes to checking things like this. Companies that use these often are of course dairy’s and brewery’s.

Other than this manual checks are carried out often because you can never really trust a gadget over a human being.. can you?

Laptops
Now this is surely the main one because it really does allow a person to just use it at work and then take it home for the same purposes. The great thing about this is that all of your work that you are doing at home is automatically saved on onto the drive of the laptop making access to the stuff very easy indeed!

Linking From Work

It would seem that this one is getting more and more popular as the years role by and bascially all this does is allows users to access all of the files that can be found on the work servers, from home. Naturally this is useful if you have children or are unwell but still need to do work but the problem comes when you look into file safety. It is much easier for a unfaithful employee to actually send out very important files to the wrong people.

So which one is the one you would go for after leaving those serviced offices Soho?