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Finding suitable applications for altering photos on a smartphone can be difficult. Photo Art Studio, while feature rich, fails to perform its functions and is difficult to use.

Download and installation of Photo Art Studio completed quickly and without any user intervention needed. The program started up seamlessly and did not require any sign-in information to use. The menu is well designed, although there are no tutorials or user instructions. Moving to the photo editing part of the program is easy to figure out due to the large main buttons. The next screen allows the user to select a layout … Read more

With the great multitude of camera applications available in the Google Play store, it is understandable when users become overwhelmed by the choices. Camera Plus claims to enhance the stock camera beyond its current capabilities. While it does supply the user with some effects that can be visually appealing, it unfortunately fails to deliver high-quality images.

Camera Plus downloads almost instantly due to the fact that it is only 2.5MB in size. Following an easy installation, the user is instantly prompted to accept the installation of a promotional search tool that will appear on the device's home screen. … Read more

At retailers, Apple's 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro has found a happy medium between a fire sale and Apple's official pricing.

Online retailers like MacMall and MacConnection are selling Apple's smallest Retina MacBook for $1,499 -- with a bonus.

That price gets you a 256GB solid-state drive -- a step up from the $1,499 model that Apple offers with a 128GB drive.

And that 128GB model is even cheaper at MacConnection, which now appears to have settled on a less drastic discount of $1,399 after practically fire-selling it earlier this month for $1,299.

Why … Read more

There is a huge volume of calendar and timekeeping apps on the App Store. The number seems to grow exponentially with each update of the App Store, making it nearly impossible to tell one from another. So it's rare to find an app like School Timetable HD that succinctly resolves the issues it was designed for without extraneous features, messy design, or buggy operation.

School Timetable HD is designed to keep track of your classes Monday through Friday, with notes for each class period and teacher. The app opens with a grid showing Monday through Friday and five rows. … Read more

Love a good guessing game? Guess Word, which tests your ability to match words to picture clues, is a simple but enjoyable little app. This game won't be terribly difficult for the average wordsmith, but it can be fun. If you like fast-paced guessing games, this easy app will probably tickle your fancy.

If you've ever played any Pictionary-like guessing game, Guess Word won't be too tough for you. The app greets you with four pictures that share a common theme. You'll get a pile of Scrabble-like letters to choose from that end up making the … Read more

Every now and then an app is released that is clearly going to be a big hit with children, while simultaneously finding a way to grate on the nerves of the parents who are brave enough to download it. Music Maker Lite comes dangerously close to being such an app, providing just enough features to make a whole lot of noise, but not nearly enough to do anything productive with those sounds.

When you start the app, Music Maker Lite shows one option -- start playing. Playing the game consists of tapping one of many instruments. After tapping an instrument, … Read more

We're happy to announce the return of our Always On tortured gadget sweepstakes! This time 'round, our severely beaten (but not entirely broken!) MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display is up for grabs.

While it's not exactly "usable" as it stands now, the thing is a champion. After trying our absolute hardest to destroy it (i.e. dropping it out of a bulldozer, giving it a nice fountain shower, and smothering it with a 1,400-pound boulder), the fact that it even turns on makes it deserving of a new home. Preferably somewhere that's nowhere … Read more

It's safe to say that upon our arrival at American Soil and Stone, we thought the MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display's fate was pretty much sealed. With so much equipment capable of tearing down a house around, the MacBook's chances of survival were slim to none. However, after an epic onslaught of perhaps the heaviest artillery we've ever thrown at a gadget, we were shocked at the computer's toughness.

While it's currently in the ICU, you guys will have the chance to give it some TLC, and hopefully nurse it back to health. … Read more

For years, when it came to basketball video games, the 2K series of NBA titles has been at the top. On consoles it has consistently ranked among the best sports games on the market, and now, with a full featured mobile edition of the game, it is taking on the tablet and phone space on the App Store. While NBA 2K13 cannot live up to the full potential of the series as realized on a living room gaming console, it is still very compelling and fun to play on a tablet or iPhone.

After installation, you'll notice most of … Read more