Here’s an awesome app called Cocktail Flow. We heard about this back at Nokia World from Edward Umana who shared this app with us during breakfast. You can get a trial/free version but it is completely worth it downloading the app as it’s very polished and rather impressive.

Anyway, Cocktail flow is a cocktail recipe app that is just brilliantly put together.  The app works wonders with the Metro panoramic style. This is just a great example of how to take advantage of Metro. In the first ‘page’ you can browse cocktails from the list, by category, a random cocktail and you can even download packages (for free) that contain themed cocktails, (e.g. non alcoholic, valentines, st patricks, Superbowl etc).

Swipe over to the right and you can browse based on what you have in your cabinet. You can click on ingredients which are grouped into spirits, liqueurs and mixers (and arranged as if they were on a cabinet). Tapping lights up the black and white ingredients into full colour. Swiping eventually leads you to ‘my bar’ which shows what you can make. There’s an indicator in the top right corner that tells you how many cocktails you can make.

I was actually at an event last week where we the cocktail was made with this app.

Now when you click on a cocktail you can see a picture not only of the cocktail so you know what to expect but the ingredients as well. Not only that, you can tilt the phone  and you’ll notice a kind of parallax movement as objects in the foreground move more than those at the back. It’s pretty cool. Under the name is the ingredients list, and swiping over tells you how to prepare it (with clear icons as well to reinforce the instruction). There’s even a neat community feature where you can see user submitted photos and reviews and submit your own.

Particularly useful is the ‘Similar’ section so if you like a certain drink, you have plenty more to try that you might also like.

Other things to mention include the shopping portion where you are recommended ingredients (which also quite conveniently has price tags on them). I didn’t show this in the video but to favourite a cocktail you just tap the star next to the name. You can then browse favourites in the favourites section. You can also pin cocktails as tiles.

This app doesn’t end there. It has a Guides section that gives you some tips on getting started, barware, and garnishes. The app has push notification options when you set it as a live tile. If there’s anything you’re not sure about, check the app guide.

Overall, a brilliant app. It’s the first I’m giving 10/10 to in all categories. It looks great, it’s really simple to use, it performs great and is so much value for money.

#85) Cocktail Flow 

Price: £2.29 (trial available)

Link: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-GB/apps/ddd1ad08-d9d5-df11-a844-00237de2db9e

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgCRJmcyE1s

 

Developer Blurb:

Happy Holidays with the Festive and New Years cocktail packages!

Browse, find and discover cocktails with a continously growing collection of drinks. The application features beautifully presented recipes and identifies cocktails that can be made from ingredients in your bar. It also gives suggestions on what ingredients to buy next to make additional delicious cocktails.

The application is regularly updated with new cocktail recipes, the latest ones added include several themed drinks.

Rating:

Design: 10

Usability: 10

Performance: 10

Price: 10

Here’s a great video from Nokia to tell their users about the Nokia Belle update. With the same phone you get a totally new experience with Belle. I have it, and I totally agree. Gone are most of the annoyances from S^3/Anna, for the most part, it’s really great to use.

I’ll give mine a day or two to settle in to give a full verdict.

Congrats to the team who made this video I like the bold, confident attitude coming across in the video. Clear, engaging, funny and memorable. Great job!

Cheers AmmAR for the tip!

by nokia

Anyone who’s searched for an online recipe before has definitely stumbled on Allrecipes.com which offers a great range of amazingly delicious recipes whether it’s a snack, dessert or lunch you’re looking for. Allrecipes gives you an extensive list of Lunches/Snacks/Dinners/Desserts each with it’s own detailed instructions/required ingredients, prep time, Nutritional information, user reviews & Ratings.

When searching for a dish you can specify specific classifications for the dish such as: Low fat, High Fiber, No wheat, No dairy, Vegan, Vegetarian and much more; which is extremely useful is your following a specific diet  or regimen. The coolest feature however is something called “Dinner Spinner” which lets you choose a course, main ingredient and prep time and will bring up the best results (Ex: Main Dish containing Chocolate that preps in less than 45 mins will give you Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Porridge, Chewy Granola Chocolate Chip Bars and Chocolate pancakes- Anyone willing to cook for me??)

Allrecipes is available free (with ads) in the marketplace, or if you don’t have a Lumia phone yet go to Allrecipes.com for the same taste cravings.

#83) Allrecipes

Price: Free

Link: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/23828a51-5391-e011-986b-78e7d1fa76f8

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQpzKvj8-Y4

 

Developer Blurb:

Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner is a fun and useful recipe app from the world’s #1 food site, delivering thousands of our members’ favorite quick and easy recipes to your Windows Phone device.

It’s FREE! Thousands of top-rated recipes – each featuring photos and reviews from our community of millions of home cooks – right in the palm of your hand! Plus, time-saving recipe tips from Allrecipes.com Members and their ideas for recipe variations that help to eliminate any guesswork!

It’s EASY & FUN! Dinner Spinner lets you be a picky eater or come hungry for ideas:

• Choose by Dish: Appetizers, drinks, main dishes, side dishes, desserts—the list goes on!

• Choose by Ingredient: Search for what you have on hand or what you are looking to buy.

• Choose by Desired “Ready In” Time: from recipes in under 20 minutes to all-day slow cooker dishes.

SHARE RECIPES! Post to Facebook, tweet to Twitter, or email your favorite recipes to friends. Go ahead—give it a spin!

PIN the app to your home screen to get daily recipe push notifications.

Choose your favorite food category to get new recipes from that collection every day.

Pick your own background!

Visit us at www.allrecipes.com for more great recipes and helpful tools.

Rating:

Design: 9

Usability: 10

Performance: 10

Price: 10

__________________

Here’s an interesting video I saw last week.

Since there’s a growing meme that Nokias are invincible some kids decided to test that out by throwing a Nokia E63 from the second storey of their school building over the basket ball court and onto the oval. The E63 flies down recording all the action. Does it break? Crash? To their surprise it continues with the recording. ‘It’s still going!”

What super hero would your Nokia be?

Video by triggerhappyasian

Here’s another game that I recorded a while back but had not got around to publishing. This one is called Tanks classic and it’s a tribute of sorts to the classic Tank game (Nintendo’s Battle City?) that you guys really liked on S60 3rd edition. You can play their own arcade version or bring it back to the Battle City like appearance (as in the picture).

You control with the virtual Dpad and shoot button. Depending on the mode, you’ve got different tanks with different strengths, speed and armour. It’s a fun game and rather addictive.

#82) Tanks Classic 

Price: Free

Link: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-GB/apps/36e84fb9-5ef9-4c76-9954-cc1228af08f9

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HumbCWF-19Q

 

Developer Blurb:

Tanks Classic brings a retro gameplay with a few twists.

Tanks Classic tributes the classic tank battling games of the 80′s consoles. Enjoy lots of frenzy levels and different worlds. Control different tanks with the touch screen to fight and defeat the enemy army.

Features:

- Up to 50 levels in campaign mode

- 4 game modes

- 14 different tanks to choose

- Pixel style and lots of tributes

- Free

 

Note: The Paid version is the same as the Free one, but it has no advertising banners.

________________________

V1.2 Updates

Added Mango support. You can now take advantage of the multitasking and you won’t lose the game if you accidentally push the Windows or Search buttons.

V1.1 Updates

- Added new virtual pad control system

- New Arcade mode

Rating:

Design: 9

Usability: 9

Performance: 10

Price: 10

In case your more of a German Speaking person then THIS one is probably for you.

Hey folks, here’s another Nokia N9 App called Stack the Stuff. This is based on the very popular stacking theme and it’s brilliantly done on the Nokia N9.

You have a punch of stationary in a cartoon style and  you have to balance them on the board (As usual) and make sure they stay that way for the time set on the clock. There’s an added feature of having to get stars (I thought you have to get them all to pass but you don’t).

Collecting stars is a necessary part of the game in order to unlock more objects (game modes?). Passing the clock is enough to get the the next round.

It’s really fun, the game looks great, it’s very responsive, the music is very fitting to the style and there’s a cute pink mascot thing that cries if you get it wrong so it makes you want to get it right and not make that little pig thing cry.

Amazingly this game is free at Nokia Store:

Price:  Free

Link: http://store.ovi.com/content/217429

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urvMnuEHF8c

Developer Blurb:

Got bored while waiting for something? Or having a little break during stressful hours? A lot of stuff need to be stacked. You’ll find a stack of fun within this simple game! You just need to do as the title says : Stack the Stuff! Try to make them balanced while touching all the stars!

Also stacked with stuffs like:

EASY DRAG-AND-DROP GAMEPLAY

PACKED WITH FUN MUSIC

UP TO 120 LEVELS AVAILABLE

LOTS OF EXTRA INTERACTIVITY

Lumiappaday #78 is a Periodic Table app called Periodic Table Pro. Not sure what the Pro is for since there’s no paid version (ad supported only). This is a panoramic Periodic Table of Elements, useful perhaps for those studying Chemistry or related subjects.

Clicking on the any element brings up a panoramic page of details and even pictures to which clicking will lead you to a browser page filled with more info.

Something extra special is a game mode that will help you learn what those element details are.

Periodic Table Pro is something my sister would find useful (if she had a WP) as it shows all the details she’ll need  to work out calculations she’s doing for her A-Levels (molecular weight, Mr, Ar etc) as well as just assistance with memorising names, symbols and atomic numbers with the game. And studying anywhere .

(Note there are other Periodic Table apps, this is just one I’ve tried).

#78) Periodic Table Pro 

Price: Free

Link: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-GB/apps/f0bf0635-bb1e-e011-9264-00237de2db9e

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nqxXNU731s

Ah for Steve Litchfield. Xenon on Nokia

Developer Blurb:

Periodic table in Panorama.

- Information of all elements.

- Photo of the elements.

- Game: Play and learn the names, symbols and atomic numbers.

- Instructions to understand any periodic table.

- Search engine.

——————————-

Update v.2.4:

- GUI improved.

-Optimized for Mango.

Update v.2.3:

- Performance improved.

Update v.2.2:

- Isotope info.

Update v.2.0:

- Minor bugs fixed.

- News languages: italiano (more coming soon).

Rating:

Design: 8

Usability: 9

Performance:10

Price: 10

Conclusion:

Dear MNB readers,

During CES 2012, we reported on Microsoft’s Smoked By A Windows Phone challenge (Link) where MS demonstrated WP7 Mango’s ability to perform everyday tasks quicker than most smartphones/OSes.

Well, those series of events inspired me to make a few videos of the things that I use my Lumia 710 for each day and to show how quickly I can do those using the Lumia 710. Bear in mind that I have neither the glitz, glam, lighting nor budget of CES/MS but hey….I hope the videos are clear enough to get the point across.

A little reasoning on the word “Done!” in the videos….I used to watch game shows (like Family Feud) on TV in the 80s where teams would compete and there was a buzzer/button/audible indicator to signal when a team was finished with the task…so I say “Done!”….maybe not a good idea Without further delay:

Get Directions:

GPS Lock:

Weather:

Launch Xbox Live Games:

Web Page Loading:

Power Cycle Device:

All videos were recorded (N8) a few weeks ago and I hope to have time to take requests and make more videos in better lighting conditions.

Please feel free to request any tasks that you would like to see added to the How Long Lumia Phone? series.

As always, thank you for visiting MyNokiaBlog.com and have a great day!

Hello MNB readers!

Adding to our Nokia Lumia coverage is my very first Unboxing video (ever) of the Lumia 710. The video itself isn’t anything special and was quickly put together but what is special is the value that the Lumia 710 provides, the build quality and access to content. There are some of us that still wish that Nokia would have chosen a different path to success but if we are honest with ourselves, the Lumia line has done more to re-establish the Nokia brand in a POSITIVE light and put Nokia phones into the hands of consumers recently than any other Nokia strategy/OS in recent memory.

It takes positive steps to reach a positive conclusion. I see people’s perception going from “Ewww, Nokia…don’t they make throwaway prepaid phones!?!?!?” To “Wait…that’s a Nokia! Wow, I didn’t know they made modern smartphones” Nokia needs those that would NOT buy a Symbian, Meego, Maemo device to buy a Nokia device and that is what is happening. As a long time Nokia fan, I am all in for Nokia’s success, no matter what “engine” powers Nokia’s smartphone car. WP7 Technical limitations (HDMI, OTG, SD access)? Yes, but that is why I still have my N8…and N900….and C7…..and 5230…wait…why do I still have the 5230..?

Note on the video: Yes, I dropped the phone!   Gorilla Glass is slippery man!

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4n2nCoQ5Vk

I hope that you enjoy the unboxing video!