6 Mobile Apps and Desktop Programs to Help You Manage Your Budget

Managing your finances can definitely be challenging, especially if making numbers add up isn’t exactly among your greatest strengths. Thankfully, there are now mobile apps and computer software programs designed to make it easier for users to budget their money and track their expenses. 

Some of the following apps can be linked directly to your bank’s online facilities to help you stay on top of your bills and other payables. What’s even better is you can use these programs wherever you are because you can download them on your smartphone or mobile device. Check out some of the most highly recommended budget management apps below: 

Yodlee

Yodlee is more than just your average budgeting tool. One of the first online money management tools ever introduced, it is designed to help you track your financial status and net worth online. The app can give you a report on your assets and all your financial accounts such as brokerage, insurance, mortgages, etc. The app also comes with all the basics—you can create a budget, track your spending, monitor all your online financial accounts, and access analytics charts using Yodlee. You can also pay your bills, send payments to another user, and receive eBills. The app also allows you to share account details with your spouse, accountant, or financial planner. 

Mint

Mint is a free money management tool that can help you analyse your spending and saving habits. Primarily designed to help you budget and track cash flow, the app offers suggestions on how you can improve your financial life, as well as saving and credit card tips. A feature to to track investments has recently been added by developers. Mint can be downloaded to Android devices, iPad, and iPhones.

Budget Boss for iOS

Budget Boss is an easy-to-use iOS app that allows you to create and manage a budget to help you make informed financial decisions. Cash flow projections are presented through a graph, which you can export as an Excel sheet. Budget Boss is a paid app; it makes for a reliable tool if you are serious about setting your financial affairs in order.

Manilla for iOS

Manilla is a free app that can shows you your account balances and upcoming bills. It can also remind you about your travel rewards programs and subscriptions that you can avail. The mobile app is basically a handy organiser that keeps tabs on all  your documents, travel plans, budgeting goals, and household events—making it ideal for home managers and budget planners. 

BillGuard for i0S

Billguard is a good app to use if you would like to manage your credit card payments more efficiently. Using Billguard, you can easily access details about your transactions while ensuring the security of your card. The app also has a feature that flags merchants who make erroneous charges on your account. 

YNAB

YNAB (You Need A Budget) is a cloud-based management app that is available for Android and iOS. You can access your account via web or download the app on your desktop computer. YNAB can be used to record all your transactions—right at the counter—so you can keep better track of your spending and manage your bills.

These are definitely some of the most helpful and  user-friendly budget management apps you can start using. Remember though, that the most important thing you need to achieve financial independence is a healthy mindset about money and how it should be used. Make saving both a priority and a habit. Be responsible in paying your financial obligations to avoid sinking even deeper in the quicksand of debt. 

About the Author:

This article is contributed by Michael Vincent Money Hero, Hong Kong’s up and coming financial comparison website. You can compare a broad range of financial products - like comparing credit cards and choosing broadband plans.

Read More...

Must Have Apps for 2014 | Mailbox | Dolphine Broswer | Pocket | Waze | Mint

Unless you already know which app, or at least what kind of an app you need, browsing the app store for any of the major platforms can easily be frustrating, simply due to the overwhelming number of potentially interesting or useful apps, that you just don`t have the time to check out. That`s why we decided to make a list of apps that stand out in their particular categories, and that just about anyone could benefit from having.

Mailbox

A great, free app for iOS, Mailbox gives you a ton of control over how your emails are arranged. Apart from allowing you to sort them any way you like, which allows you to always have your most important emails at hand, you can also easily set up reminders for when you want to reply to a particular email, which is a more than welcome feature, that is not exactly all too common in apps of this type.

Dolphine Browser HD

While the default Android`s browser is by no means substandard, and does have some nice features of its own, Dolphin is simply more flexible, and probably closer to what most people need in a mobile browser. For one, you can create tabs, which has become a must have feature for most users, but it also allows you to use a number of handy plugins, sync with Google bookmarks and set up custom gestures. The app is completely free, so you should at least try it out.

Pocket

An amazing app for people who are constantly missing out on good reads because they can`t remember where they`ve seen the article that seemed interesting. You often stumble upon great articles while you are browsing the web, but can`t always afford the time to read them immediately. You can easily save those articles for later with Pocket, and then read them at a more convenient time. The app is well integrated with different social networks, and works on all major platforms, including iOS, Android and Windows, which is to say that you can easily save the articles on your phone and then read them comfortably on the larger screen of your PC. Pocket is completely free.

Waze

One of the most transparent ways to illustrate just how useful this navigation app is would be to mention that Google decided to buy it for an amazing $1.3 billion, despite having their incredibly successful Google Maps. Basically, the app tries to provide you with the shortest route from one point to another, but it doesn't rely only on traffic reports and other conventional means for calculating the route. Instead, Waze rewards its users for any relevant information they provide regarding the current state of the roads, traffic, any possible accidents or other causes of congestion. Once you make enough reports, you can level up, which makes the app much more fun to use, and encourages users to provide as much information as they can.

Mint

This is a light weight finance management app that won`t let you make transactions or anything of the kind, but will give you a nice overview of your expenditures and profits for the current month. Naturally, since this information is what most people would consider highly sensitive, it comes with password protection that will keep prying eyes away from your data. The app is completely free, as well as very intuitive and easy to use.

About Author:

Dana Scott is a social media manager who is getting things done and stays organized thanks to her xperia neo smartphone which she carries all the time. If you want to connect with Dana you can find her on Twitter - @DanaSC32.

Read More...

Android VPN Vulnerability Exposed | Android OS Will Remain Vulnerable to This Exploit?

Android

For some time security researchers, including myself, have been encouraging Android users to avoid using public Wi-Fi hotspots as this type of internet connection is rife with data theft, this advice remains true. There were formerly two ways to provide a secure browsing experience in public: using your mobile data plan (3G, 4G, LTE), or using a mobile VPN (Virtual Private Network). However, researchers from Ben Gurion University have discovered a vulnerability that allows a malicious application to bypass the VPN settings and redirected user data to an alternate server. The researchers have notified Google of this vulnerably and have created a proof-of-concept application to demonstrate the malicious activity. The full details of the hack process have not yet been released and will not be released publicly until Google develops a patch.

The Cyber Security team from Ben Gurion University has published an article outlining the preliminary results of their research which includes a video demonstrating the VPN vulnerability in action. In the video the researchers activate the malicious proof-of-concept application, then correctly configure and activate a legitimate VPN service, and finally send an email from the device. In a normally functioning VPN the email would be sent encrypted to the VPN servers and then delivered to the destination address. In the video we see that malicious application exploits the vulnerability to capture the email in plaintext and forwards it to an alternate server (in this case a computer) running detection software where the email and its contents are captured. The article goes on to clarify that the vulnerability can also be used to capture data sent via SSL but in this case the captured data is encrypted.

The implications of this are very concerning, using this vulnerability cyber criminals can gain access to any sensitive information transmitted via VPN. This exploit defeats one of the most reliable ways to provide data security while using public Wi-Fi. Please be assured that this vulnerability is exclusive to Android and is not an exploit in the design of VPNs or even mobile VPNs. If you chose to access the internet through public Wi-Fi using any other device VPNs are still the best form of security to protect your private information. The use of a VPN remains essential.

Equally concerning is this exploit requires no VPN related permissions nor root access to the device suggesting that an application requesting very innocuous permissions may be capable of executing this malicious activity. This Android VPN exploit has been verified on Android 4.3 but research into this vulnerability on Android 4.4 is ongoing. Regardless of the exploit being verified on Android OS 4.4 any patch released by Google will not be retroactive. This means that all affected versions of the Android OS will remain vulnerable to this exploit. Android updates are never retroactive; this is why it is incredibly important for Android users to stay current with Android updates.

Once Google has released the patch for this vulnerability we anticipate that the researchers will publish the methodology of this hack. When the methodology becomes public we can expect cyber criminals quickly incorporate this vulnerability into new malware that is capable of stealing sensitive data sent via VPN connection. VPN use on Android devices is not particularly popular and as such we do not expect that malware exploiting this vulnerability will be widespread.

The most secure way for Android users to access the internet is via their mobile data plans. Until this vulnerability has been patched and the update has been released to the public it is unsafe to use VPN services to connect to the internet. Android device manufacturers and mobile service carriers are well known for delaying the Android update process to incorporate additional applications and customize the Android OS. This means that when Google releases the update you may be waiting several months for the manufacturer of your device and your carrier to release the necessary update. Until your device has received the update it especially important to install and use Antivirus software to detect malicious applications that are designed to intercept and steal your sensitive data. 

About Author: James Green is a security researcher for Android antivirus company Armor for Android. James has worked in the Android security field for several years and provides privacy and security advice to Android users.

Read More...

Major benefits of using a smart phone spy software

Mobile phones have become an inevitable part of our life. In olden days, the modes of communication we used where, a messenger, letter writing, telegram etc. With the advent of telephone, communication process became easier. Then the mobile phone service came which is a real wonder and it interconnected the people in spite of where ever they are. Now the mobile phone prices have fallen down and a wide variety of handsets are available in the market having advanced features. Smart phone is the latest one and it is an android device.

          Like the two sides of a coin, smart phone too have its own positives and negatives. To make it clear, a misuse of this device can cause various problems in the society. Smart phone spy software is a specially designed one which helps to control the misuse of it and you can check the following link for more information about it: http://www.mspy.it/spia-telefoni-android.html

Uses of this software

·       A person who is ignorant of what is right and what is wrong is the one who often commits mistake. Children come under this category. Smart phone provides internet facility which is sometimes misused by children, mostly teen agers. They are eager to know more about the things from which they are prohibited and these smart phones serves as a platform which provide them access to explicit contents. Using the smart phone spy service, parents can monitor all the activities of children and can safeguard them from danger.

·       This software is a great bliss to employers. The laziness and unproductiveness of the employees are great problem which affects the running of any firms. It is difficult for the employer to strictly monitor all the employees. Today, it is a practice among the employees to spend more time in social networking sites by misusing the office time. This leads the employer to a great loss. With this spy service, the efficiency of the workers could be correctly managed by the head of the office.

·       Infidelity is a growing problem in the family circles. The advent of new technologies like smart phones is giving more privacy to the people and they feel that they won’t get caught if they cheat their partners. Texting and sharing of images and videos are made very easy by the smart phones and the safe internet usage helps the cheaters to keep an extra affair without their partner’s knowledge. But using this software, you can trap such cheaters. If you have any doubt about the genuineness of your lover, you can monitor them using this spy service.

·       No matter whether it is 90’s or 20’s, thieves are always in the street. Smart phones are of high cost and the thieves also set costly ones as their target. Some people who are not able to afford the cost of a smart phone may rob it or a professional thief also can do it. This spy software is a curse for them. Click on the following link to see how it works: http://www.mspy.it/spia-telefoni-android.html

Read More...

Forget the NSA: your technology gadgets are spying on you

The government has full rights to monitor your activities but did you know that it is not the only authority that’s keeping a spy on you? Advertisers and scammers are one good example. They use your information to earn money. From a smartphone to a game console, every gadget you are using is vulnerable to your personal information, may be the ones you are currently using too. Here are 6 of those daily-life gadgets that are rated the “most-vulnerable”:

#1: Smartphones

Smartphones are smart. And they are smart enough to track your information. GPS, NFC, Accelerometers, Internet Browsing and Wi-Fi antennas can give easy access to your information, while a spyware for iPhonecan do the trick too as it is especially meant for that purpose. According to a research, smartphones are now more vulnerable to “Remote Access Trojans” which were only found on computers. This malware can be used to steal your passwords and other sensitive data.

Moreover, smartphones are now vulnerable to other types of hacks and roots as well. As per recent studies, roots can now be used to activate a smartphone’s microphone to record your conversations behind the scene. And since you are on-the-move with your smartphone, GPStracking could also cause danger.

#2: Tablets

Just like smartphones, your tablet could also keep secretly spy you as they are configured in the same way your smartphones are. And just like any keylogger app, the TouchLogger app can detect each of your touch impressions which may then be used by scammers against you.

#3: Smart TVs

Smart TVs are also smart. They can be used by hackers to track sensitive data too. Hackers and scammers can easily get access to your history files and remote files, while they can also transfer malware through USBs connected to your Smart TV.

#4:Cable Boxes

If your TV is not connected to the web, it might still be prone to hackers’ attack. Although it might be a far-lesser possibility, but it is still vulnerable. For example, a TV set top box with motion and audio sensors can track users every movement impression to customize their experience. The same functionality could be used for other purposes too.

#5: Gaming Consoles

Microsoft’s KinectXbox One -the upcoming iteration of the original Xbox introduced in 2010- is supposed to have cyborg-like functionalities which may cause harm to user privacy. So you see gaming consoles are also capable of spying you.

#6: Smart Meters

Apart from the gadgets mentioned above, smart meters which often come integrated with touchscreenrefrigerators, and while wireless electric meters are one good example of spying devices. A person who is capable of hacking a smart-meter can get through your secret information to use it for the intended purpose which may cause harm to you.

You are surrounded by these gadgets so as you are surrounded by spies in your life. You can’t really quit using these daily-life gadgets but precaution is always better than cure.

Read More...

Must Have Apps for Android Users | WhatsApp and More!

If you are one of the new Android users who still didn't have enough time to properly explore all the different applications in the sea of various apps available nowadays, this text is the thing you've been looking for. It will give you a rough direction which to move in when it comes to the apps you should have on your Android.

This article does not only tackles the new Android users but also the more experienced ones who did not really have enough time to roam around the Google Play store and see if there is something interesting for them.

There are literally millions of applications nowadays. You can't get to see and try out all of them in a lifetime – however there are few that became sort of 'standard' in their branch and are certainly worth of having on your Android.

E-books: Aldiko Book Reader

E-books skyrocketed with the popularity after the first Smartphone and tablets hit the market. If you are one of those who like to have all the favourite readings at one place – Aldiko Book Reader is the application you might want to have.

This application supports the EPUB, PDF and Adobe DRM encrypted e-books as well as the option to purchase the new literature from the integrated e-shop. Aldiko allows you to adjust the size and type of the font, margins, background, line spacing options and the intensity of the background light.

Business: Kingsoft Office

If you could use a completely free Office for your mobile device then the Kingsoft Office application is the way to go. It enables you to view and edit the 23 types of different files including DOC, DOCX, TXT, XLSX, XLS, PPT, PPTX and PDF.

It has integrated file manager and it supports the cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box.net etc. This is fairly powerful and completely free Office package that will meet the most of your business-related needs.

Communication: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is worldwide popular messenger not only for Android but for the other platforms as well. It makes for a great solution to remain in contact with your friends. Besides the text, you can send and receive photographs, video, video messages, share your location or send the information about the contacts found within your name book.

WhatsApp is the application that ‘ties’ to the mobile phone number thus it is easy to figure out who uses it on their Smartphone. This is definitely a must-have when it comes to chatting and staying in contact.

Movies: MX Player

This is one of the advanced solutions when it comes to watching movies and series on your Android-supporting device. MX Player supports the hardware acceleration while smoothly interpreting your video even on weaker devices.

It has pinch-to-zoom feature, translation scroll and it sports organized and neatly-implemented user interface. MX Player supports wide range of formats, video materials and subtitles what makes it one of the most popular apps.

The above listed applications are far from final of the must-have applications but they do cover certain areas. Some of the other popular areas like music, widgets and weather prognosis have whole lists of simple but efficient applications.

To find out more you’ll have to dig out through the store but it won’t be hard to recognize the ones worth of attention. Choose your apps carefully and keep the ones you use – get rid of the ones you don’t need. Enjoy your device and get on hold of wonderful possibilities technology offers us nowadays!

Read More...

Candy Crush – An overview to handling Level 65

Candy crush is a fun, colorful and interesting game which is taking the game world by storm.  It is available for downloading and playing across different platforms like Google Play, the Apple Store and even Amazon (play possible on the latest Kindle Fire).  Basically, the game consists of mixing and matching different kinds of candy in combinations of 3 or more, earn points and also get bonuses for completing a level.  Candy Crush Saga is a fun game which is so addictive that many people choose to play it on Facebook or their phones and switch between platforms to get to the next level and also improve their scores.

Candy Crush Saga Level 65

As with most games, each progressive level gets tougher to play and level 65 is the toughest one to get through.  It is quite infamous for being difficult and frustrating to get past – in the entire candy crush game.  Many people get stuck here for months and seriously consider quitting just because they don’t think they can make it.  Well, there are ways to get past this and there are websites where one can find tips and tricks to clearing this level.  Here are a few tips on getting over that hump.

Dealing with Level 65

Like any other game, players have to meet a few requirements and overcome hurdles to get to the next level.  On the face of it, clearing this level seems easy enough but it is not quite the case. One cannot assume that they can clear all the jellies and a few other candies and get 120000 points in the fewest number of moves.  It is not as easy as it appears – some players have had to work hard and get over 300,000 points to clear the level as compared to 120,000 for some others.  The number of points to be earned may depend on the device being used by the player.

·         The first tip to clear candy crush level 65 is to get rid of the chocolate candy as soon as possible.  This is a vital step in the process of succeeding at this level.

·         The next thing to keep in mind is ignore the center on the board. If the possibility of making a color bomb exists, then fine.  Otherwise, stick with getting rid of the chocolate.

·         Watch out for wrapped and striped combinations of candy to clear up the board.

·         If one is not working on chocolate, then time should be spent playing big combinations.  Keep in mind that 3 pairs and matches will not get a player much needed points.

·         The last and final word of caution is to try and work from the bottom up.  The reasoning is that a player can benefit from the cascade effect of clearing rows and the chance to keep playing as long as possible.

·         Other than chocolate, working on eliminating locked candy is important.  If this can be done efficiently, then one stands the chance of clearing candy crush level 65.

Read More...

Doctor On Demand Medical App: Healthcare Over the Internet

Sick or feeling ill and feeling like you need to take a trip to the doctor's office? There's no need to leave the house, just use the online Doctor on Demand app and receive medical advice from a licensed physican right over the Internet!

Chat & Talk to a Doctor Online with the Dr on Demand App

Remember the old days when you actually had to get in the car and leave your house and go to a hospital or clinic when you felt sick and like you needed medical attention? Well, thanks to the new "Doctor on Demand" app premiered recently on the NBC daytime talk show series Dr. Phil, you can get medical advice from a real doctor right from your internet-enabled mobile device (iPhone, iPad or Android) in the comfort of your own home. Sure beats sitting in a drafty waiting room for an hour sneezing and coughing, right?

Online Diagnosis: Ask a Real Doctor a Health Question, but It's not Free...

The new Doctor on Demand app is a commercial application that was recently advertised on the NBC talk show Dr. Phil. The mobile application is basically a video chat service that connects licensed U.S. physicians with patients for a video consultation via iPhone, Android or tablet. The service costs $40, which is actually quite reasonable when you consider that that amount is only slightly higher than most peoples' health insurance co-pays for a doctor visit and even lower in some cases. The Doctor on Demand medical app is available for download on iTunes.

Overseen by cofounder Dr. Pat Basu, M.D, a White House fellow and former Stanford physician, the San Francisco based technology company launched at the end of 2013 and already includes over 1,000 physicians in its national network. Basu calls the medical app "a solution... for the cost, access and capacity issues that currently plague our health care system." I agree with him in that the Doctor on Demand medical video app marks a new chapter in healthcare technology. Will medical video apps and online doctor consultations like these catch on and grow in popularity? Would you ever use a mobile app like Doctor on Demand instead of going to see a doctor in person?

Sponsored by Calera Internet Service. Calera provides high speed internet solutions to rural areas across the United States.

Read More...

Want To Ensure The Safety Of Your Kids? Mobile Apps That Help Keep Tabs On Them

Safety of Your Kids
Source: cc-by-3.0, morguefile

There is nothing more rewarding than being a parent and you need to be ready for the huge responsibility that comes along with it. Thinking how you can mold and prepare your children to face this world on their own can be scary, so you will need all the resources you can lay your hands on to help you ensure their safety and security. Fortunately, you have technology to help you out.

Mobile handsets and specially designed mobile apps can be used to help keep kids safe, communicate with them and more. Chances are that your children own mobile phones or similar devices, so aside from being a cool parent, you can also keep tabs on them for their own protection.

The MamaBear App

It is important to continue keeping tabs on your kids as they start to participate in more activities and meet new people. The MamaBear app allows you to keep an eye on your children without having to call or text. All kids have to do is check in a location and communicate with a press of a button, while you keep tabs on their activity.

The Family GPS Tracker App

Your children might already be riding their bikes to and from school or commute by bus. Sadly, this can make it easy for them to wander into unfamiliar places and get lost. However, the Family GPS Tracker can help parents set boundaries and receive notifications whenever kids wander too far. The app also features communication tools so you can help your kids find their way should they get lost.

The FBI Child ID App

No parent will want to think about the possibility of their child going missing, but considering how dangerous our world can be at times, it is best to be prepared. The FBI Child ID app allows you to store photos and crucial information about your children along with tips on how to keep them safe. Resources are also made available to you via this app.

The Sex Offenders Search App

Whether you like or not, there are dangerous people in the world, such as sex offenders. This app can help ensure that your children are protected from any potential predators. A map of the surroundings can be checked using the Sex Offenders Search app for any registered sex offenders and you can warn your children to never stray around such places to prevent them from having to interact with such people. Learn more on what you can do if a predator contacts any of your children.

The Life360 App

If you spend long hours at the office each day, you will want to be able to locate your children to put your mind at peace. The Life360 app allows you to communicate with one another, sharing locations and sending notifications to one another. This app is useful among parents of a group of friends.

The MobileKids App

Children are now able to have access to mobile phones due to convenience for parents and children. Sadly, this accessibility also opens up a lot of possibilities wherein some can harm them. The MobileKids app protects children by allowing parents to block certain apps and contacts, while tracking mobile usage and setting hours for usage.

About Author:

Valerie Jones is a freelance writer specializing in personal injury cases and other legal issues for individuals and businesses. She regularly provides information about product and business negligence, safe shopping and personal injury claims.

Read More...

The Google Apps Certification Program - Useful Information

The Certification program By Google for Android

The Google has launched the android technology which has become the most popular phenomenon of today. The users of android technology are increasing day by day because of the fun and interesting functions as well as apps offered by android platform. The Google has initiated a certification program for all its apps and one of them is the Google Apps Certification program for android. In this article we will focus on the Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist exam. The candidates can pass this exam for the very authentic verification of their skills regarding the deployment, configuration, and migration to the Google Apps for the business and education. The individuals can get themselves certify for the deployment of Google Android apps and can secure lot is important and promising job roles. This certification is regarded really very important for leading towards many secure designations.

The Eligibility criteria for the certification

The certification can be targeted by the individuals who possess a minimum 3 to 6 years of professional working experience in the IT field and they have to complete the minimum 3 of the Google Apps for business deployments. The certification can be taken to validate the android apps deployment skills as well as the other Google Apps deployment skills. But our main focus is on the android apps deployment skills and practices. The certification is quite difficult to attain as it includes a lot of technical aspects. In this respect the experience with the Google Apps Directory Sync as well as the Server side migration poles can be prove really very helpful for the candidates.

Nature and scope of the certification

As it has been already mention above that the popularity of the android technol9gy has reached to its maximum. In this condition, getting certified in the Google certification program the individuals can take the advantages on the professional and occupational level. By getting this certification the candidates can deploy the android apps and its related matters. They can definitely secure different secure and full for growth career option with this certification. This certification targets the individuals who are associated with the Google apps and its implementation and deployment. The certification is also widely accepted by the top employers of the world and can lead the professionals towards secure career options.

Getting the certification with accurate preparation

All the individuals who want to target this certification first have to get themselves prepared for the certification exam. The exam is quite technical to pass, but with the accurate and effective preparation the individuals can fulfill the objectives and criteria of this certification. The Selftest Training website is one such popular forum which is helping the individuals for preparing the certification exams in the best possible manner. The website provides effective and helpful sample questions with preparation guides so that they can prepare for the exam in an effective way. The candidates can take help from this source for getting themselves prepared for the Google Apps Certification program. 

About Author:

By Mary Desilva

The Author is well known blogger and writer, she is blogging from last 3 years, In her free time She loves to watch movies with her family, dancing and sometimes cooking.

Read More...