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The most thrilling part of tech is when you get a glimpse of the future. You may have marveled at the technology shown in Minority Report, Star Trek or the Jetsons, but tech that’s here now is also amazing. These apps make challenging tasks easier. Most of the apps discussed below are available today but all of them seem as if they belong in the future.
Cycloramic App
The Cycloramic app may be the most brilliant use of iPhone hardware by an app. This app lets you take 360° panoramic videos by spinning the phone in a circle when you place it on a flat surface. You may not be impressed at this feat until you realize that the app actually moves the phone.
Here’s a video showing you the app moving the phone:
Cycloramic uses the vibration feature of the iPhone to spin the phone while capturing the video. This could be a very impressive party trick if you want to show off your new iPhone.
To use the app, set your phone to Vibrate on Silent (Settings => Sounds => Vibrate on Silent => On), then place your iPhone 5 on its bottom end on a flat, smooth surface, such as glass, granite, or polished wood. Open the app, then press Go. The app spins the phone as the video is being taken and then stops after the phone has traveled 360°.
The app can use the front or rear camera and saves the video to your Camera Roll. The developers say that the ability to take panoramic photos will be available in an update coming soon.
The app description says that it is compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, but the app instructions say that it works best with the iPhone 5.
If you’re hoping for a reason to upgrade to the iPhone 5, this app may be what pushes you over the edge.
Cycloramic is $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.
SnapTax
The end of the year means your attention will soon turn to filing your income taxes. If you wished filling out tax forms were easier, you’re not alone. SnapTax from the makers of TurboTax helps you file your taxes about as easily as possible. Download the app to your iPhone or Android phone, take a picture of your W-2, answer a few questions and file your tax return from the app. 
This app is designed for taxpayers who file the 1040EZ form and don’t own a home or have children (though a recent update to the app allows for childcare deductions, go figure), and have less than $100,000 in income, $120,000 if married.
SnapTax is available for:
- iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at the iTunes App Store
- Android devices at Google Play
- Android devices at the Amazon appstore
The app is free but filing your taxes with the app costs $24.99.
Park 4U Remote
Park 4U Remote is an app that will park your car for you. If you’ve ever struggled to get your car into a parking space, you may have wished for an app that will do the job automatically. A French company called Valeo has developed a parking system complete with an app that will park your car for you, whether you’re pulling in straight to a parking space or parallel parking next to a curb.
Here’s a video showing Park 4U Remote in action:
Imagine seeing a driverless car parking next to you.
The system uses sensors on the car to detect when an object is blocking the path of the car and then applies the brakes. The app controls the acceleration of the car while the system does the steering.
Don’t start searching for the app in the app store quite yet. Although certain VW, Audi, Ford and Lincoln cars are equipped with this technology, the app is still in development.
Many thanks to Adrienne Smith, friend and fellow blogger, for letting me know about Park 4U Remote.
Times Square Official New Year’s Eve Ball App – 2013
If you want to ring in the new year in Times Square, New York, but just can’t get there tonight, check out the Times Square Official New Year’s Eve Ball App – 2013.
This app comes complete with a countdown clock to let you know how much time is left until the ball drops in Times Square and the new year begins. You can watch a live stream of the action in a worldwide webcast. You can share photos of your celebration on the official Facebook page for Toshiba Vision, this year’s sponsor of the ball drop. You can also send ecards of your celebration or the Times Square festivities straight from the app.
This app is free for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch in the iTunes App Store and for Android devices at Google Play.
Bottom Line
Who knows what amazing tech 2013 will bring us? Stay tuned to The Wonder of Tech to find out what the future holds for technology in your life.
Have you ever wished for an app that could park your car for you? Would you trust an app to park your car? Would you like the convenience of an app to file your taxes? Would you trust an app to file your taxes? Are you ringing in the New Year with an app? Let us know in the Comments section below!
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For more Wonder of Tech, check out Interview With Carolyn Nicander Mohr From The Wonder Of Tech at SEOjus.
I would never ever trust an app to park my car! LOL! I don’t know why!
I got the iPad recently and I am so addicted to apps and I am glad I am getting to know some through your blog! Yes, I am installing one right now! 🙂
Hi Hajra, Yes, I think it would be very difficult to trust your car to an app that would park it. Some people don’t let valets park their car because they don’t trust anyone but themselves. It will be interesting to see who adopts this first and whether it becomes a standard feature in cars in the future.
Very exciting news about your iPad! I’m glad you’re discovering some good apps via The Wonder of Tech. Make sure you check out my previous article from Friday Getting Started with Your New Smartphone or Tablet.
Happy New Year, Hajra!
I will check it out. Missed many posts recently. Was too busy. Am doing blog catching up on the weekend!
You have a fun weekend in store for you, Hajra! 🙂
Hi Carolyn
Great apps shared. I think cycloramic application is really great, I could see its use for some new venture.
Thanks for sharing this great piece of information.
Sapna
Hi Sapna, Yes, I am really impressed with how the developers of the Cycloramic app used the hardware capabilities of the phone with the app. Not only was the idea clever, but they way they executed it was clever as well. The only thing I wonder about is how they took a video of a double decker bus with the app!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us, Sapna. Best wishes for a wonderful 2013!
Wow, great finds Carolyn. I would have never thought of even searching for a New Years App. Already downloaded it. Has a countdown timer and all. I wonder if it is going to have streaming video though…?
Hi Justin, Yes, it’s supposed to have streaming video via a worldwide webcast. Enjoy the app and a very happy new year to you, Justin! 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
I think some cars will probably drive better if they aren’t controlled by humans. 😉
Excellent point, Jack. Perhaps the world will be a safer place when we all have driverless cars. Imagine a world with no automobile accidents. That would indeed be a wonderful world!
The panoramic view app looks pretty cool, maybe the 5 is in my future after all, huh?
Happy New Year, Bill! Yes, the iPhone 5 may be one of the many joys of 2013 for you. I hope there are many more in store for you this year. 🙂
I’ve never heard of ANY of these Carolyn. That Park 4 U app is ridiculous. I would be so nervous to use it! (not really an issue, since I drive an Acura). One of my daughters is always nervous to pull the car into the garage and park it (it’s a bit of a tight squeeze). The app would come in handy for her. I imagine it’s only a matter of time before this technology is available for all models of cars.
I hope you are enjoying New Years’ Day – wishing you all the best for 2013!
Hi Ruth, Yes, It certainly is a leap of faith to have an app park your car. But if you’re uncomfortable parking it yourself, then this app may be the one you use most!
Who knows our grandkids may one day never need to learn to drive because apps do it for them!
Happy 2013 to you too, Ruth!
Now those are really cool Carolyn and I see you put the car parking one in there. I couldn’t believe they actually came up with something like that and I have a feeling that many people aren’t going to trust that little app 100%. Jeez, sometimes we don’t do so good ourselves. lol…
Thought the spinning one was really cool though. My goodness, what will they come up with next.
Happy New Year Carolyn!
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Thank you very much for letting me know about the car parking app! That jewel is certainly an amazing app for the future. I would probably try it with my car in an empty parking lot first to make sure it worked. I wonder what insurance companies would think about this sort of app. Would they give you a discount if you had this app and used it or would they charge you more? They are the ones who calculate the risks the best. I guess it would depend on your driving record!
Happy New Year to you too, Adrienne! (*)
Hi Carolyn,
I saw that you are the most loyal visitor to Adrienne Smith’s blog and am curious in finding out what you share. WOW! What an eye opener for me, a low tech blogger!
That mobile app and car parking technology are really fascinating! I suggest a lot of people needed to know that our world is moving that fast!
Great sharing, Carolyn!
Hi Viola, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, I was honored to be named at the most loyal visitor to Adrienne’s site. She is the Engagement Superstar so has plenty of fans all over the world. She has been incredibly supportive of me both as a friend and here at The Wonder of Tech. She epitomizes the supportive spirit of the blogging community and I was very fortunate to have met her soon after I started The Wonder of Tech.
I am so glad you came over here from Adrienne’s site, Viola. I write for everyday people, not techies. I don’t use tech terms, I write in plain English so that everyone can understand fun and useful tech to be used in our lives.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I hope to see you back here at The Wonder of Tech soon!
I saw you mentioned my favorite app FastMall on another article but it should be here as well. Incredibly helpful!
Hi Aaradhya, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! You’re right, FastMall is an amazing app! I wrote about it in FastMall – Shopping Made Easy with Tech!.
Good point, FastMall and many others could be included here in this article. Apps have really transformed our lives and made the difficult tasks, such as parking, doing our taxes and even shopping much easier!
Hi Carolyn,
Actually, is that iPhone orrrrr me rotating? 😉 That’s wonderful. Wow… Who thinks about such wonderful solutions with Dev SDK to control its hardware efficiently? Very innovative 🙂 That’ would be really great for places worth taking 360° views and if it has a rotatable stand or something, don’t need to worry about surface too 🙂 Just wondering how much power it takes though.
I’ve seen Adrienne posting that video on your wall at that time 🙂 That’s wonderful too. Now I think we will be able to own a Knight Rider or Viper real soon to drive as we speak and safely without hands on steering wheel.
I know they are awesome Carolyn 🙂 However when it comes to parking we need to make sure there’s no any objects or people there, no? 🙂 If we can get much more details, like through a live camera view, that’d be more safe I guess 🙂 And when watching the video, I felt what if it’s rush hour or there were more vehicles waiting to park at the same time? 🙂
Happy 2013 Carolyn 🙂
Cheers…
Hi Mayura, You’re right, I wondered the same thing: who thinks of these things? What a brilliant idea to use the vibration of the phone to rotate it while taking pictures. It’s impressive also that the vibration doesn’t shake the camera to make the video blurry. I am excited to think about what this developer will do next!
You’re right about the parking app, though I think if I had cars like that I might park them very far away from others who may not have the advantage of this app to do the parking for them! :-0
Supposedly this app stops the car if the sensors detect any object within 22 inches of it, but I would want to test that first to be sure before trying it out in a parking lot.
That would be interesting if more than one car were vying for a parking space and both cars had this app. Then it would be like a video game, I guess! 😉
Thanks so much for all of your support this past year, Mayura! My best wishes for a wonderful 2013, my friend! (*)
Hi Carolyn,
A very happy new year to you.
I would love to use tax app, but I think the app will go crazy filing taxes :D. The tax laws here are really complicated.
I loved the cycloapp too. A real good show off 🙂
Hi Ashvini, Yes, the tax app is only for those with the simplest taxes. Even then, I might be a bit nervous about filing my taxes this way. I might wait a year to see if others are able to file successfully using this app. But if it works, what a great idea to get your taxes done for a relatively inexpensive price!
Yes, I would love to show off my phone with the Cycloramic, but alas, I have an iPhone 4S and the app doesn’t work very well with it. Not well enough to impress anyone at least!
Happy New Year to you too, Ashvini. I hope 2013 brings you only the best! (*)
Thanks for sharing such an amazing post.I just love using the Cycloramic App and i was really not aware of it though i am using an iPhone 5.The spinning thing of the phone using this app is quite fantastic and the best part is that it can capture some cool videos in this way.Also the Park 4U Remote app is quite awesome.
Hi Ryon, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you like these apps. The Cycloramic app is very cool and I’m glad you have an iPhone 5 to take advantage of it. Finding and sharing fun tech is the best part about writing for The Wonder of Tech.
I especially like the Cycloramic App Carolyn. It looks amazing. I probably won’t need an app to get parking space in Norway. We have lots of space in Norway and not that many cars 🙂
Hi Jens, Yes, I don’t even know what I need panoramic videos for, I would just love to see the iPhone spin though.
The parking app would be extra helpful in the UK. Parking there is tight! But I honed my skills in reversing into a parking space. I wasn’t very good at that when I moved over to the UK, but that skill is a necessity there. I am very happy to have learned that skill so well there!
I’m sorry you’re missing out on that experience, Jens, living in Norway with plenty of parking spaces everywhere. 😉
Wow! These apps look pretty awesome! I really like that Park4U app – I hate parallel parking!
Hi Carol, I’m so glad you like these apps. They’re all designed to make challenging tasks easier for you. Isn’t it great when tech can make life easier?
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us here. Best wishes for an amazing 2013!
Hi Carolyn, I really like Cycloramic app, The vibrating feature is awesome fun. Thanks for the info.
Hi Hemanth, How lovely to see you back here at The Wonder of Tech!
Yes, the developers did a great job of using the physical features of the iPhone 5 with the app to power the phone around in a circle. What’s equally amazing is that the vibration feature doesn’t make the video shake.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
I really liked the Cycloramic App, I see it more as an exercise app. Set it up for 10 revolutions, hit Start, & then run around the kitchen table, attempting to remain in the frame as your iPhone rotates. All Apps are really useful, thanks for sharing.
Hi Nelson, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Great idea, I like how you think! That would make for a fun video too! :-bd
Carolyn,
Technically I like the concept of Park4You. Sounds interesting and very intuitive. Also the Cycloramic looks interesting as well. Thanks for the update Carolyn.
Hi Manickam, Yes, you’re right, the technology behind these apps is truly amazing. Both apps control the movement of physical objects so we don’t have to. Who knows what new apps will control?
I quite like the Cycloramic app. Puts a twist (literally) to video cameras. I might just get the app on my iPhone and have a play.
Hi Greg, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Lol, you’re right, the app gives a new twist to taking videos with your iPhone. If you have an iPhone 5 and a flat surface, give it a go!
Enjoy your new app, Greg!
I can’t wait for the day cars can drive themselves. I think we can trust it completely, maybe even better than we can trust ourselves. I can understand people not trusting it though. I’m not so sure of the way they were showing it being done. Like dragging the car into place. What if you accidentally swipe your finger over. I know that could happen with me.
Hi Shelley, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, when and if that technology arrives, the world might be a much safer and less stressful place.
You’re right, I have accidentally tapped the wrong button on my phone before so that could be a disaster…except that this app automatically stops the car if it detects an object closer than 22 inches away from the vehicle. So the app would prevent you accidentally pressing the button and causing an accident.