App Attack:

Microsoft’s SMARTGLASS app - for iOS, Windows Phone, and Android - lets Xbox One owners access additional content on their smartphones. You can use the free app to stream your own game footage, keep track of friends, and read messages.

It’s been a long time coming, but social photo app INSTAGRAM is finally available for Nokia Lumia devices in Ireland. Snap happy folk can grab pictures from their Photos Hub, choose a filter, then post the results to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Foursquare.

Most of our lives are spent struggling to find a Wi-Fi signal. A new Android app could be the answer to these Internet woes. BE-BOUND lets you access the internet anywhere in the world by using 2G, the same bandwidth for text messages. Be-Bound is free if there’s a data connection. Users buy prepaid messaging credits to use when there’s no connection.

Tech News

TECH’S MESSAGES
This Christmas, people will be spending as much time playing games on their smartphones as they will on next generation consoles. An estimated 87% of iPhone users play games on their device. Now Logitech is making mobile gaming a little handier. The gadget-maker has launched the Logitech PowerShell Controller and Battery, which turns iPhones into a handheld console, boosting battery life at the same time. The Powershell works with iPhone 5s, iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod touch devices running iOS 7. The accessory is up for grabs for €100 from Logitech.com, Apple Stores and other retailers.

GRAND DESIGNS
Samsung has lifted the lid on another giant. The Galaxy Grand 2 is cut from the same cloth as the Galaxy Note - the screen is a whopping 5.25”, cranking out 720p, although its specifications are not in the same league as the Note. The phone carries 8GB of storage, expandable to 64GB, a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, and a rear facing 8-megapixel camera. The battery amounts to an impressive 17 hours of talk time, but you’ll need deep pockets to carry this goliath. Samsung has yet to announce a launch date for Grand 2, which will come in white, black, and pink.

WRITE OF PASSAGE
The crowded tablet market has a new arrival. Toshiba Excite Write, equipped with a digital stylus, is something to write home about. This Android device packs a 2.8GHz quad-core CPU, 32GB storage and a 2,560 x 1,600 display. It has a front facing 1.2MP camera for video calls, and an 8MP camera on the back. Users can hook up a Bluetooth keyboard. On board, you’ll find the usual Google apps (Gmail, Maps, Chrome, etc) alongside proprietary Toshiba treats such as TruNote, which brings the stylus to life. Toshiba Media Player lets you stream music, videos and pictures, to wireless speakers, TVs or computers.