Best cases and covers for your brand-new iPhone 6S

Apple makes beautiful smartphones, but durability is not a major focus. Because the new iPhone 6S packs in more features than ever before, there’s no doubt it will sell like hot cakes, so if you want to preserve that elegant design then you really need to take some precautions. The case market has exploded in recent years, so you can get solid drop protection, find all sorts of stylish finishes, and even add some functionality very easily.
Updated on 11-2-2015 by Simon Hill: Added cases by Burkley, Adopted, Rhino Shield, iDeal, and Grovemade.
To help narrow down your choices, these are the best iPhone 6S cases we’ve seen so far.
Related: Best iPhone 6 cases

Burkley Walletcase ($34)

Here’s a hand-crafted wallet case in high quality leather that comes in a variety of different finishes. You’ll find a black, polycarbonate shell inside that your iPhone 6S snaps into. It’s minimalist, with cut-outs for all the buttons and ports. Around that, you have a leather folio with a diagonal flap that contains a magnetic closure. On the inside cover there are three card slots, and you can also fold the cover back to act as a landscape stand. There’s a cut-away on the back to enable normal camera use. If the eye-catching, limited edition, fiesta red isn’t to your tastes, check out the other finishes, including the gorgeous antique coffee.
Available at:
Amazon

Adopted Frame Case ($40)

This case has an expensive look and feel to it, but it’s really a bumper, or a frame, rather than a typical iPhone 6S case. The frame and the button covers are aluminum, and it has genuine, full-grain leather panels to provide contrast, comfort, and grip. There’s a latch at the bottom left corner, which makes it easy to put on and take off, and there are openings for the ports and the side switch. It extends beyond the iPhone body front and back to provide all-round protection. Even though it’s just a frame, it does add bulk; it almost squares off the rounded corners of your iPhone. We’re not sure about drop protection, but it certainly fits nicely with Apple’s design.
Available at:
Adopted

Rhino Shield PlayProof Case ($30)

It was the Crash Guard bumper ($25) that first brought Rhino Shield to our attention, and it’s still worth a look, but the case maker has now widened its line-up with the new PlayProof case. This is more of a traditional fitted case, blending a hard shell with a shock-absorbing hexagonal pattern on the inside that promises drop protection at up to 11.5 feet. The case is easy to fit, the cut-outs are generous for easy access to ports, and the button covers are pronounced, so you can find and use them easily without looking. It’s a lightweight, slim case, considering the level of protection, and you can get it in a wide variety of different finishes (plain color cases are $5 cheaper). The only thing we don’t like is the slippery back.
Available at:
Evolutive Labs

iDeal Swipe Wallet Case ($44)

The Swipe Wallet case for the iPhone 6S combines a number of really smart features. There’s a minimalist hard, plastic shell in black, which you can snap your iPhone 6S into. It has the full range of cut-outs and a textured finish that aids grip. It attaches to the fake leather (polyurethane) wallet portion via magnets, so you can take the jacket on and off as you like (iDeal also sell magnetic mounts). The wallet has two card slots on the back for easy access, a magnetic closure, and there’s a window in the front to display the time, incoming calls, or music controls. A series of four, shiny metal segments, near the bottom of the cover, enable you to answer and hang up calls without having to open the wallet. It can also double up as a landscape stand. You’ll enjoy the clever design and stylish feel of this iDeal case.
Available at:
iDeal

Grovemade Walnut Case ($100)

You can’t help falling in love with Grovemade’s wares, but they’re not cheap. Crafted from Oregon Claro Walnut, each case has a unique grain, and they’re all sanded and finished by hand in Portland, Oregon. The natural wood looks and feels fantastic, the button covers work well, and there are openings for the ports, camera, and side switch. Grovemade has struggled to produce wooden cases that don’t add a lot of bulk in the past, and its solution here is to offer a bumper and a separate back plate that adheres directly to the back of your iPhone 6S. It’s not all style over substance, this case will offer some protection for your iPhone, but it is thin wood at the end of the day, so the case may not survive a drop or bump unscathed.

Available at:
Grovemade

Nodus Shell Case ($61)

We loved the folio style Access Case by Nodus, so we were excited to hear about the new design for the Shell case. It’s crafted from the same full grain Italian leather, but this case is a slim, polycarbonate shell with a soft, microfiber lining that your iPhone 6S will fit snugly into. It’s very slim, has accurate cut-outs for your ports and the camera, and sports subtle button covers. There’s no distracting detail, just an embossed octopus logo on the back. The Shell case also comes with a small magnetic dock (a square of metal bearing that same stylish octopus logo) that you can stick wherever you want. It’s a handy way to keep your iPhone 6S safe while charging, or to use it hands-free.

Available at:
Nodus

Cover-Up Woodback Snap Case ($26)

Natural wood grain is always a pleasant look, and Cover-Up’s cases strike a nice balance between style and affordability. This a slim case that snaps onto the iPhone 6S. The main shell is black polycarbonate with openings for all of the buttons, ports, and the camera. The back panel comes in a wide variety of different natural wood finishes, including padauk, bamboo, and blackened ash. These cases aren’t going to provide rugged drop protection, but they’ll guard against scrapes and bumps. The wood is all sustainable, hand-sanded, and waxed, and each one looks unique.

Available at:
Cover-Up Amazon

MagBak Case ($39)

Here’s another iPhone 6S case with a magnetic touch. The MagBak, as the name suggests, has a magnetic strip inside it, and it ships with two MagSticks, which are small magnetic strips with adhesive backs that you can stick on the car dash or the kitchen tile for mounting your iPhone. The case itself comes in six different colors, feels malleable and soft to the touch, and has a black microfiber lining inside. There are cut-outs for the ports, switch, and camera, and subtle button covers. It’s very slim, so it may not provide much drop protection, but the magnetic docks are potentially very handy.
Available at:
MagBak

Encase Leather Wallet Case ($32)

This case is padded and covered with neatly stitched, genuine leather in black or brown. Open up the magnetic closure, and you’ll find a full wallet replacement inside, with three card slots and a larger money pouch at the back. Your iPhone 6S clips into a tough, polycarbonate frame with the full range of openings for access to controls and ports. It’s an unobtrusive case that won’t draw undue attention to your iPhone 6S, and it offers complete all-round protection from falls, bumps, and scratches.
Available at:
Mobile Fun

Trident Aegis Pro Case ($35)

You may think you’ve seen the Aegis before, but Trident has redesigned it for the iPhone 6S. It’s still a seriously tough case that meets military drop test standard 810G, by blending tough polycarbonate on the outside with a shock absorbent TPE inner. This case also features good button covers, plugs to protect the ports, and a raised lip to safeguard the screen. It has a lanyard loop, and it comes with a screen protector. There’s a texture on the back to aid grip, and it has a clever slide on design for an easy fit. It is definitely bulky, but it will also definitely protect your iPhone 6S if you drop it.
Available at:
Trident

Griffin Amazon

Caseology Envoy Series Case ($17)

You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of cash to get a case that looks expensive. Caseology is best known as a budget case manufacturer, but it brings plenty of style and a fashionable aesthetic to this minimalist line for the iPhone 6S. The Envoy Series combines a flexible TPU bumper case with a PU leather backing. There’s a raised lip on the front to protect the screen, rubberized button covers that are easy to find and press, and accurate openings for the ports and the camera. The frame has a metallic gold finish, but you can get a variety of different effects on the back including black or white carbon fiber, or a blue, brown, or gold faux leather.
Available at:
Caseology Amazon

X-Doria: Defense Lux Case ($60)

Can you have solid protection and style in the same case? X-Doria certainly thinks so. The Defense Lux has a soft rubber inner, an impact-resistant polycarbonate back, and an anodized aluminum frame. The whole package meets military drop test standard 810G, so it will survive falls from up to 6.6 feet. You can choose from a range of luxurious finishes on the back including carbon fiber, soft leather, and crocodile skin. There’s a lip on the front to safeguard the screen, and metallic covers to protect the buttons.
Available at:
X-Doria Amazon

Otterbox Strada Series Case ($50)

The Strada Series is something a little different for Otterbox, a company usually known for its highly protective cases. You still get a solid shell the iPhone 6S snaps into, that offers real drop protection, but there’s also a genuine leather cover and a metallic highlight bearing the Otterbox logo on the side for a classy look. The metal plate has a magnetic latch to keep the cover securely closed in your pocket or bag. The inside has a soft lining and a single slot for a business card or ID. The button covers and openings are precise. You can get this in classic black, or reddish brown.
Available at:
Otterbox Amazon

Skech Ice Case ($30)

Here’s a nice, practical case from Skech which isn’t too bulky. It features a classic combination of soft interior wrapped in a hard shell. The openings are large, so there’s no interference with the camera or ports. The button covers are easy to find and not too stiff. It’s a comfortable case to hold thanks to the soft touch finish. We also really like the protective rim, which extends to protect the screen should your phone land face down, and also covers the back to prevent scratches. This grippy case comes in six different colors.
Available at:
Skech

Silk Innovation: PureView Clear Case ($12)

The cheapest case on our list is a slim bumper with an internal tread that promises to absorb shock. It has a clear back to allow Apple’s iPhone 6S design to shine through. The button covers are quite large, and there are big openings for the ports and camera. It looks quite good for such a cheap case and should provide basic protection. You can pick it up in gold, black, transparent frost, or grey. It’s easy to customize this case by slipping a picture into the clear back section — there’s even a template provided so you can trim the picture for a perfect fit. You also get a screen protector in the box.
Available at:
Amazon

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-iphone-6s-cases/4/#ixzz3qQFLlL7Q

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Techniques to Empower Yourself to Live a More Productive, Happier Life

1. Accept that awful stuff happens.

The usual reaction to things not going your way is to resist and fight against them. By accepting things as they are, even though you don’t want them to be that way, you’ll develop a more peaceful state of mind. Saying a mantra will help – “I hate things being this way but I accept that this is my reality just now. I’ll work through this situation calmly and resolutely.” Slowly but surely, you will empower yourself.

2. Adopt a flexible attitude.

Being flexible means you can face daily changes without creating too great a stress reaction in your body. When something’s not working, be ready to consider other ideas. Changing your approach to meet the change in circumstances is essential for a happier and more successful future.

3. See challenges as opportunities for growth.

Ask yourself what you can learn from challenges as they arise. Is this a chance to become stronger? By turning these situations into positives, you’ll avoid resorting to overeating and other negative behaviors – the most usual ways of coping.

4. Use questions to empower you.

Instead of asking disempowering questions such as, “Why is this happening to me?” use a more positive question format. Questions that invite creative thinking are the best. An example might be, “What alternative actions could I take in these changing circumstances?”

5. Change negative thoughts to positive.

Negative thoughts that harbor unhelpful beliefs only hold you back from achieving. So monitor your thoughts. When you’re aware that they are negative, change them immediately into positive thoughts. You’ll be amazed at how much happier and confident you’ll feel.

6. Relish change.

Realize when it’s time to change direction. Often we think of change as negative. But change can be very exciting and positive. Embrace new thoughts, new opportunities and new ways of living. Even though change is difficult to initiate, sometimes it’s essential.

7. Calm yourself when you’re getting uptight.

When you’re calm, you are in control. You’ll think through the problem with more clarity. Make time to listen to relaxing music, or sit quietly and visualize a place where you’ve been that evokes calm and contentment. It will help you focus on what’s really important.

8. Believe you’re good enough.

It’s too easy to think you’re not good enough to get through difficult situations. Look at your abilities. Tell yourself that you are awesome and you can handle anything that can possibly be thrown at you. Believe in yourself.

9. Face reality.

Don’t try to hide from problems that present themselves. Come face to face with them and persevere no matter what. It’s a tough thing to do, that’s for sure. Look for solutions in unusual places.

10. Prepare yourself for busy times.

When weighed down by being too busy, prioritize your jobs until life becomes more manageable. Sticking to a plan will help you get back on track. Start each day with the most immediate job on your list.

11. Encourage and help others.

Take every opportunity to be a source of hope and encouragement to others. Looking outward instead of inward gives opportunity for you to contribute to the well-being of others. Your happiness and confidence levels will rise.

12. Make each day sparkle.

Instead of letting doubts, worries and fears about what might happen creep into your day, look for ways to make your day sparkle. Be positive about the fabulous things that lie ahead. You don’t know what those things might be, but that’s okay. You’ll move forward with excitement and courage. Shawn Achor’s TED Talk, How to Make the Present More Positive, includes some enjoyable ideas for staying positive and focused.

13. Be full of thanks.

Thinking about all those things that are going right in your life, keeps life in perspective. Be grateful for the now – for where you are at the present time. Now is the start of big things to come. Being grateful helps you see there is so much that usually is taken for granted. Gratitude improves productivity and leads to happiness.

14. Schedule play time.

For your body to remain in balance, you need to have work time and play time. Your brain and mind will benefit from varying what you do each day, particularly if you include some fun time in your schedule. Follow this with diligence and notice how you feel. There’ll be a spring in your step – even a lasting smile.

15. Get physical.

Spend some time outdoors every day. Being physical, through aerobic activities, gives you the energy to carry you through the difficult times. Exercise will help you reach your goals. You’ll be charged with enthusiasm for all things positive.

16. Take time out.

Take regular mental breaks such as mindfulness. Being mindful enables you to be more accepting of yourself. Sit somewhere quiet. Breathe in to energize your whole body. As you breathe out, believe that anxiety and tension are leaving your body.

17. Stay connected.

Spend time with people whose company you enjoy. It’s important to stay connected to friends and family, so you have people who can encourage you. You’ll appreciate their support.

18. Be an optimist.

Understand that life consists of hill and valley cycles. This doesn’t mean that you react positively to good days and feel down-in-the-dumps on the not-so-good days. It means being optimistic that the good days ahead will carry you through the very difficult days, without suffering excess stress.

19. Laugh often – and “live happily ever after”.

Laughing will help you cope better with any difficult situation. Of course it’s not easy to laugh when you’re going through a rough patch. But lightening up when you see a funny sign along the way, or smiling back at someone who is happy, can do wonders for you. You’ll have a bubble and sparkle that wasn’t there before.

Finally . . . . .

Let the stepping stones metaphor remind you that despite life’s inevitable missteps, many rewarding opportunities and moments lie ahead. The crucial thing is not what actually happens as you travel through life, but how you respond to what happens.

Choose to use some of these 19 stepping stones . . . . . and enjoy a happier, calmer and more productive life as you learn to empower yourself. 

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The Best-Paying Jobs You Can Do At Home

The trend of working from home has grown tremendously in the recent years. Long gone are the days when employment was thought of as a strict 9-5 day, travelling to the office in the morning and returning back home in the evening. With advanced technologies and changing trends in the economy, freelancing has become more common than ever before.
Don’t get home-based employment wrong as a mere part-time job that pays only in scanty sums. You can earn as much as you’d earn working at an office if you possess certain skills and capabilities.

Below, we have listed 10 of the best-paying jobs you can do at home. No more are jackpots and lotteries the only ways of getting rich sitting back at home, enjoying the comfort of the couch and closeness with your family.

comfort of the couch and closeness with your family.

1. Translator

Average Salary: $132,000
As a freelance translator, you translate texts from one language to another. It’s a perfect job for telecommuting. Translation is a pretty straightforward job and you can do it all by yourself at home.
You might need to revise your work at times but if you possess enough talent, you’ll be able to translate the words and also include the feel of the original work.
This job comes with its fair share of challenges. The work can seem quite monotonous at times, and time management is a skill you must have to succeed in this job.

2. Voice Actor

Average Salary: $75,000
All voice actors provide voiceovers, but the purposes for voice acting vary a lot. You can do freelance voice acting for audiobooks, animation works, games, websites, videos, and more.
Voice acting is fun work to do and pays plenty. However, you may need to condition and train your voice.
Voice acting is just like acting. You might have difficulty finding work as different businesses tend to search for a specific kind of voice only. And altering your voice is a pretty difficult thing to do.

3. Statistical Analyst

Average Salary: $69,000
As a statistical analyst, you have to interpret the quantitative data and also design statistical models for research problems. Maintaining databases and ensuring validity of data is also required in most of the cases.
Statistical analysis is a very broad field and you should work towards specializing in particular types of data. It will add great value if you specialize in marketing, health, economics, or engineering data.
This kind of work requires proper training, and in many cases, the employers require you to have formal college training as well. Certification of statistical training is asked for in almost all cases.

4. Infographic Designer

Average Salary: $76,000
Infographics are becoming more and more of a powerful tool to visualize detailed information. These days, no one really seems to have time to go through web articles thoroughly, scanning through each and every detail.
So as the demand for infographics is increasing, infographic designing has become a very rewarding vocation. However, you need to be good with data visualization tools and should be very careful to only use the correct data.
If you have a knack for designing visually appealing infographics, you can earn as much just sitting back at home as you’d earn if you worked at an office.

5. Software Engineer

Average Salary: $94,000
The demand for software engineers has been ever increasing. And freelance software engineering opportunities are aplenty in the market.
Virtually all businesses want to have a website and app of their own. Add to that the ever present demand for desktop applications, and the future of software engineers looks very bright.
If you have sufficient skills and experience under your belt, you do not even need to have a college degree to succeed in this field.

6. Travel Agent

Average Salary: $56,000
Working as a home-based travel agent can be very exciting. You don’t actually need to have traveled to lots of places if you want to succeed in this field. However, you do need to understand travel well.
The internet has brought lots of changes to the traditional travel agent business. Even the most complicated trips can be arranged successfully at the click of a button.
As a freelance travel agent, you are involved in things like providing information to prospective visitors, driving traffic to a client’s website, and making arrangements for visitors.

7. Financial Manager

Average Salary: $103,000
Financial management is a highly paying job that you can do from home. In this vocation, you are responsible for providing proper financial support to the clients, helping them to make suitable business choices.
Common clients are financial corporations, retailers, charities, universities, and general businesses. Freelance financial managers are preferred by many clients for whom it is not suitable to hire a financial manager on a permanent basis.
However, to land this job, it’s necessary for you to have formal training and college education to establish your credentials.

8. Writer

Average Salary: $52,000
There are plenty of freelance writing opportunities available out there. You can write both for printed as well as online publishing media. With the growth of internet, online writing opportunities have always been on the rise.
Writing opportunities spread over multiple disciplines, from health, education, and career counselling to sports, music, and politics. If you can write, you’ll always find something that interests you.
This job pays significantly and you don’t even need to have formal education and college training. If you can show your adroitness with sample works and draft a solid cover letter, you are likely to land the job.

9. Graphic Designer

Average Salary: $52,000
The demand for freelance graphic designers is also increasing day by day. It’s a perfect home-based job opportunity as you’d like to be on your own while doing something creative.
Graphic designers are constantly wanted by corporations, advertisement agencies, newspapers, retailers, and websites. You can soon turn one client into many.
This is also a great opportunity that doesn’t require official training. Your creations speak for themselves, and if your clients fancy your work, you’ll land the job. Pretty simple!

10. Animator

Average Salary: $69,000
Freelance animator is a quite pleasing job to have, at least for those who really dig animation and don’t see it as work.
You need expensive resources in animation software, as well as computer hardware to be able to create swift animation. However, once you start getting clients, your initial investments will make far greater returns.

Animation is a quite challenging job, and often you’ll be working with a team of fellow animators rather than alone. You may find teamwork challenging or rather uplifting.

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Websites to Learn a New Skill For $1 Per Day

Learning a new skill need not be expensive.

Money used to be a big obstacle that got in the way of accomplishing our goals. Luckily, this is no longer the issue.

Whether it’s learning how to build your own website, speak a new language, or become a better entrepreneur, there are resources online available that you can get started with for $1 per day or less

The best part, all of these websites allow you to learn from the comfort of your own home (in your PJ’s).

Here are 7 websites to learn a new skill for $1 per day.

1. Skillshare

Price: Starting at $10/month (includes free trial)

Focus: Branding, Marketing, Design

Skillshare is a learning community where you can learn anything from anyone. While they have classes from experts such as Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, and Gary Vaynerchuk, the majority of the courses are from local experts like yourself who have useful knowledge to share. Learn everything from branding, SEO, audience building, and more from anyone.

They have a free community you can join and their premium plans start from $10/month.

2. CreativeLIVE

Price: Free Live Classes to ~$200 per class

Focus: Photography, Entrepreneurship, Business

CreativeLIVE brings a unique business model, as they provide free live classes that anyone can tune into. Then for those who are interested in keeping the course, they can purchase it.

Unlike SkillShare, CreativeLIVE focuses on solely bringing on top experts to share their knowledge. These include NYTimes Best Selling Authors such as Tim Ferriss, Pulitzer Prize winners, and more. Their topics are also heavily focused on creativity topics like photography, design, and branding.

3. KhanAcademy

Price: Free

Focus: Mathematics, Science, Engineering

KhanAcademy is one of my highly recommended sites for teenagers and college students. Khan’s ability to breakdown the most complex concepts down to simple components is powerful. The best part is, it’s free!

While their best courses are in mathematics, science, and engineering, they also cover a wide variety of topics including arts & humanities, business & finance, computing, and more.

4. Lynda

Price: Starting at $20/month (includes free trial)

Focus: Video, Design, Developer, Audio + Music

Lynda is one of the top leaders in the online learning industry, and was recently acquired by Linkedin.

Much like CreativeLIVE or Skillshare, Lynda provides video courses on everything from design, branding, photography, web development, and more. Given the length of time that Lynda has existed, they do have a wider variety of courses available versus CreativeLIVE or Skillshare.

5. Rype

Price: Starting at $35/month (includes free trial)

Focus: Languages (Spanish)

Rype is a language learning website offering the advantages of coaching into language learning. Rype is perfect for those who struggle with persistence when learning something new, or if you have quit learning a language before. Your membership includes one-on-one sessions with your personal coach, free live classes that are recorded for you, personalized feedback guides, accountability, and more to help you reach fluency faster.

You can try it free by signing up for Rype Club.

6. Coursera

Price: Free

Focus: Classes from top Universities

Coursera brings classes from the top Universities to your screen for free. With Universities like John Hopkins, Stanford, and Yale, you can receive the same education as the students in these Universities without paying hundreds of thousands of dollars.

7. OneMonth

Price: Starting at $49 per course

Focus: Web & Mobile app development

OneMonth has a compelling pitch: learn X in one month. Their main focus in this moment is web and mobile app development, but also provide courses on audience building, social media, and more.

While there are no guarantees that you’ll learn what they’re teaching in one month, it offers a convenient solution for individuals who want to learn skills faster.

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Best Calendar Apps For Android

The default calendar app that comes pre-installed on many android devices does not have the most exciting features and while it can perform most simple tasks, why limit yourself when there is a plethora of wonderful third-party calendar apps on the Google Play Store?

We have selected 10 of the best android calendar apps, all of which are available for free! Even if you don’t like any of them, you can always go with Google’s calendar app which features a much more beautiful design and offers more functionality than the stock android calendar app.

Choose the best Calendar App for your Android

1. Sunrise Calendar

Sunrise calendar has been my go-to calendar app for a while now because of it’s excellent features that I just can’t do without. First, it syncs just fine with Google Calendar and Google Tasks, but you can also connect your Exchange or iCloud account with the app. In addition, Sunrise integrates with several apps and productivity tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Wunderlist, Todoist, Trello, Evernote and more so you can see all your important upcoming events from one place. Creating new events are a breeze and it’s Meet keyboard also helps to speed up the process of scheduling meetings and such stuff. Sunrise is also available on iOS and as a Chrome app so you can access your calendar no matter the device you use.
Developer – Microsoft Corporation
Compatibility – Requires Android 4.0 and up
Availability – Sunrise Calendar (Free) – Google Play Store (Also available for iOS, Chrome, Apple Watch).

2. Google Calendar

Google’s own calendar app is a great example of how material design should be and will be a delight to use for people who synchronize with Google Calendar. There are as many as five different views to select from such as the regular Weekly, Monthly and Daily views but you also get a schedule view which simply removes the empty spaces in each day and allows you to focus on only scheduled events day by day. Creating new entries is as easy as it gets and you can send invites to people as well as add notes and attachments from Google Drive for each unique calendar entry.
Developer – Google
Compatibility – Varies with device
Availability – Google Calendar (Free) – Google Play Store

3. aCalendar

aCalendar is another terrific app you should try out especially if you like it fast and smooth. It’s install size is only 1.8 Mb which makes it the lightest calendar app on this list but that doesn’t mean it lacks quality features as you will see. It helps you organise your events by providing up to 48 different colours as well as flexible re-occurrences for your events. There is a fine selection of widgets for the day, week and month views plus it uses the native android calendar function to synchronize events between apps and devices. There is also a pro version called aCalendar+ which offers additional features for $1.99.
Developer – Tapir Apps GmbH
Compatibility – Requiers Android 2.1 and later
Availability – aCalendar – Android Calendar (Free) – Google Play Store

4. Jorte Calendar and Organiser

Jorte Calendar is an intuitive calendar app that can run on any device running android 2.1 and up. In addition to regular features that most calendar apps offer such as multiple views and widget support, Jorte Calendar allows you to set different themes to customise the look of your calendar and even add stickers for important occasions or highlight them in red. There is a count-down feature which allows you to count-down the days to a big event. Jorte syncs with Google Calendar, Exchange and Yahoo but you can also export your events to a CSV file if you prefer.
Developer – Jorte Inc.
Compatibility – Requires Android 2.1 and later
Availability – Jorte Calendar and Organiser (Free) – Google Play Store

5. Business Calendar 2

Business Calendar 2 was built to succeed the hugely successful Business Calendar app which has since been abandoned. It is a powerful and easy to use app that includes task management and event planner as well as integrated weather reports in the pro version. It is highly customisable and offers various settings you can tweak to your personal tastes. It also syncs with Google Calendar and Exchange and there are no ads. It’s pro version (called Business calendar PRO) is available as an in-app purchase and costs $4.44.

Developer – Appgenix Software
Compatibiltiy – Requires android 4.1 and up
Avauilability – Business Calendar (Free) – Google Calendar

6. Cal

Cal is another app from the developers of the highly rated Any.do productivity app. If you’re using Any.do (like I am), you should try this app as it’s integration with Any.do is top notch so you can manage all your tasks and events in one place. Cal supports synchronization with Google Calendar and Microsoft Exchange so you can easily port your existing calendars here. It’s excellent integration with Facebook will make sure you never forget a friend’s birthday again and you can even purchase gifts for them from Amazon or

Gift.com.
Developer – Any.do
Compatibility – Requires Android 4.0 and up
Availability – Cal – Calendar Google/Exchange (Free) – Google Play Store

7. Digical Calendar

DigiCal calendar is one of the most beautifully designed calendar app on this list, and it’s highly customisable too! It syncs with Outlook, Exchange and Google Calendar but you can also create a local calendar that is only accessible on your local device. There are 6 widgets with different views and styles and a night mode which allows for better visibility in low-light conditions. It’s premium version, DigiCal+, offers extra customisation with up to 42 theme colours and a yearly view with heat maps for spotting free time.

Developer – Digbites
Compatibility – Varies with device
Availability – Digical Calendar (Free) / ($4.62) – Google Play Store

8. Sol Calendar

SolCalendar is another highly rated calendar app with a huge 4.5 average rating of over 1 million users. It synchronizes with Google Calendar, iCloud, Microsoft Exchange and Yahoo so you’re pretty much covered if you use any of those services. It has a clean and unique interface and supports Month, Week, To-do and Agenda views. It helps manage special events in a unique way by offering stickers to mark memorable events and also offers various repeat options for your tasks. Also, you get location-based weather forecast information through this app and plenty of widgets for your homescreen. All in all, it’s a solid calendar app worth checking out.

Developer – Kakao Corp.
Compatibility – Requires Android
Availability – SolCalendar – Calendar / To do (Free) – Google Play Store.

9. New Calendar

New Calendar is a decent app that works fine with Google Calendar. It supports most regular calendar functions and has support for daily, weekly, monthly and yearly views. There are up to 10 widgets to select from but perhaps it’s most outstanding feature is the voice reminders (using Text To Speech) which works brilliantly.

Developer – KF Software House
Compatibility – Requires Android 4.0.3 and up
Availability – New Calendar (Free)

10. Coletto Calendar

Now for something unique, Coletto Calendar is a colourful app that helps you manage your appointments, tasks, diaries and photos. Coletto appears to be targeted at girls and women only. You enter diary entries or memos from this app or even sensitive information such as the expected date of your next menstrual cycle and such stuff. It works with Google Calendar if you’re keen on syncing your stuff across various devices.

Developer – Yahoo! Japan Corp.
Compatibility – Requires android 2.3.5 and later

Availability – Coletto Calendar ~ Cute Diary (Free) – Google Play Store

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Great Windows 10 Themes

With the introduction of tons of new features, Windows 10 also came with many new themes in addition to the old ones in the store. You can download hundreds of themes right from the official Microsoft website for free! There are themes available of all types, like Animals, Natural Wonders, Art, and Games. All the themes are of high resolution with tons of wallpapers and a unique design. Each theme contains 5 to 25 wallpapers along with a unique window color and sounds. The window color is used for highlighting, dialog borders and settings of Windows 10.
Although there are many themes, but for this list, we have selected the best Windows 10 themes based on window color and amazing wallpapers. You will find the best theme from every category here, just choose the one you like and download it for free.

Best Windows 10 Themes

1. Aurora Borealis

This theme contains wallpapers of beautiful sceneries of Aurora over the different areas of Iceland and Norway creating an amazing view. It contains total 8 wallpapers, showing Aurora over the ice, sea and the mountains. The theme’s wallpapers are a bit dark as the pictures are taken at the night (Aurora can only be seen at night).

The window color is in sea green color, similar to the Aurora in the wallpapers. The theme will turn the background of Windows 10 settings into black with the content in sea green. The wallpapers will automatically replace after every 5 minutes or you can manually switch them from the context menu.

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2. Twilight and Starlight panoramic theme

This theme is a combination of different types of themes in a single bundle. The theme is specifically created for dual monitors where it will show the complete wallpaper. Although, it will still work on single monitors, but the results will not be as pleasing. The wallpapers are random like, galaxy, meadows, wind mills, stars and Railroad Bridge.

There is a separate window color for each wallpaper, for example, for the Railroad Bridge wallpaper, the window color is gray and for meadows wallpaper, it is orange. On a dual monitor, the wallpapers will auto adjust according to the resolutions of both monitors.

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3. Beautiful Birds theme

If you are a big fan of birds, then you really need to try out this beautiful theme. The theme consists of wallpapers of unique birds from all around the world in charming postures. You will find all sorts of birds wallpapers here, like Flamingos, Kingfisher, Swan, Peacocks and hummingbird.

The window color is light blue giving a mesmerizing touch to all the birds wallpapers. The theme consists of total 15 wallpapers and all wallpapers are of high resolution. It also contains some body parts of birds, like peacock feathers, so not all of the wallpapers are just plain pictures of birds.

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4. GTGraphics theme

This theme is completely based on galaxy and futuristic technology. The theme doesn’t contain any real imagery of our galaxy, instead it contains breathing taking designs by artists. You will find tons of images such as, sunrise in the galaxy, Planets being destroyed by a giant laser, a galactic city, mountains and meteor shower on Earth.

It contains total 16 wallpapers with astounding quality. Although, all the wallpapers have GTGraphics watermark on them, so it might be a bit teasing. The window color is orange that goes very well with the fiery wallpapers in this theme.

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5. Marbles theme

Marbles themes is another piece of art with clever imagery of colorful marbles. The artist has utilized light, shadows and colorful marbles to create simple but eye opening imagery. Most of the wallpapers contain colorful groups of marbles under light or in closure to give an attractive look. There are also some plain marbles with shadow cast to give a astounding look.

There are total 11 mesmerizing wallpapers of high quality. The window color is standard blue like many other themes, but still it goes well with some shadow based marble themes.

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6. Forza Motorsport 4 theme

This theme is based on the popular game Forza Motorsport 4, and its wallpapers are actually from the game itself. If you are Forza Motorsport 4 or even automotive fan, then this will definitely charm you. The theme contains wallpapers of amazing cars with different backgrounds or inside of a car. Some of the cars include, Koenigsegg Agera, Mercedes, Jaguar, Mclaren, BMW and Ferrari.

The window color is gray matching perfectly with wallpapers of the Forza Motorsport 4 theme. There are total 17 high resolution wallpapers and all of them have Forza Motorsport 4 written at the bottom.

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7. Child of Light theme

Another video game based Windows 10 theme, inspired by the popular game Child of Light by Ubisoft. As the game is based on watercolors, so you will find all the wallpaper pictures based on watercolors. There are total 19 wallpapers containing images of world of Lemuria. The images consists of haunting forests, city, a village, houses, bridge and indoor.

The window color of the theme is standard blue, and it goes well with some of the wallpapers in this theme. However, there is a Child of Light watermark on each of the wallpaper, located at the top right corner. If that is not annoying for you, then this could be a great fantasy theme for you.

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8. Morning theme

Morning theme is based on early morning when the sun rises and casts it rays over beauty of nature. The theme is a combination of nature and wildlife, which are somehow connected to the early morning. There are 8 wallpapers and all of them contain sunshine one way or another. There are images of, birds, insects, sun rays over river banks, plants and meadows.

The window color is in parrot green color, which goes exceptionally well with the greenery and sun rays based theme. All pictures are taken by photographer Popkov Alexandr who’s watermark can also be seen on each wallpaper.

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9. Frozen Formations theme

Frozen Formations theme for Windows 10, as the name suggests is a theme based on beautiful sceneries of ice creating breathtaking art. You will find wallpapers containing, Ice caves, beautiful yet deadly icicles, Sun rays over the ice, waterfall along with ice and beautiful icebergs.

There are 12 wallpapers of icy wonders and the window color is mist blue. With the bluish color of ice, this window color couples very well. The theme is a combination of both light and dark wallpapers, so you can easily choose the one according to your need.

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10. Beautiful Queensland theme

This theme’s wallpapers contain pictures of the beautiful Queensland, a state of Australia. You will gain access to beautiful imagery from every corner of Queensland taken by photographer Tracie Louise. Wallpapers consist of images of Beach, fields, rivers and waterfalls. Most of the wallpapers are quite colorful, but there are some black and white too that are quite attractive as well.

There are total 19 beautiful wallpapers in high resolution. The window color is gray, which goes well with most of the colors, so you will find any awkwardness while navigating. Although, Tracie Louise watermark will be located at the lower left corner of each wallpaper.

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11. In Search of Incredible theme

This is a classic Windows 10 theme related to music and all wallpapers are black and white. The images are photographed by Don McCullin who has partnered with ASUS and Intel for such amazing pictures. There are pictures of musical instruments, hanging Microphone, an old record shop and a spinning record.

The window color is gray that obviously suits black and white color very well. Although there are only 7 wallpapers, but all of them are unique piece of art. However, each wallpaper has a ASUS and Intel watermark that might not be comfortable for some people.

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12. Beach Sunsets theme

As the name suggests, this theme contains wallpapers of sunset over different beaches. You will see pictures of popular beaches of California and Hawaii during the sunset. These beaches include Dillon Beach, Bodega Head, Kihei, LaHaina and Sonoma Coast.

All the pictures are taken by photographer Josh Sommers and you will find his signature on each wallpaper. The window color is light blue and blends in well with the water in the pictures. Furthermore, there are total 15 pictures and there are more than one picture of a particular beach.

Get the Theme

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Free Icon Packs to Customize Your Android

Even the least tech-savvy will sooner or later want to change the default wallpaper on their phones. If you take a step towards more advanced customization, you’ll learn it’s possible to completely transform your Android device with various launchers and widgets, cool fonts, lockscreen replacement apps, and icons.

With so many great Android icon packs out there it can be difficult to choose the right one for your phone. That’s why we’ve decided to help you save time – and money – by presenting some of the best free icon sets currently available from the Play Store.

Most of the icon packs listed here require you to install a launcher first. After that you can install the icon pack itself, and apply it through the launcher’s Settings dialog. Some icon packs come with their own setup utility, or a separate app that you can use to preview, update, and modify the icons. In both cases, the installation process is simple and you can change the default Android icons in just a few taps. The best part is that your device doesn’t have to be rooted in order to use these icon packs.

Best Free Android Icon Packs

Bleach Icons

With sharp symbols on muted, soft-colored backgrounds, Bleach is a perfect match for pastel wallpapers and retro-style themes. It comes with nearly 1500 icons and an option to request more. Bleach also offers 20 wallpapers that emphasize the beauty of this icon pack.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Smart Launcher, Nova Launcher, Go, ADW, Aviate, CyanogenMod Theme Engine

Developer: Vieuser Apps

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Adastra

Adastra is a colorful and detailed icon pack with 1180 icons in HD quality. The icons are optimized for XXXHDPI screens and you won’t notice any loss in quality when they’re resized. Adastra even works with older Android versions (from Gingerbread onwards) and offers a handful of wallpapers – what’s there not to like?

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Go, Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher, Holo, Action, Aviate, ADW

Developer: Tomy Cadus

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Quadra

Quadra is a bright and cheerful icon pack with flat-style, square icons that will grab your attention thanks to the colored border on each icon. It’s still in beta, which is why there are “only” 580 icons, but you’re welcome to send your icon requests and suggestions to the developer. Quadra is optimized for devices running Android 5 (Lollipop) and comes with its own dashboard app.

Supported launchers: Action Launcher, Apex Launcher, Nova Launcher, ADW, Atom, Holo, Smart Launcher and more, with support for Unicon (requires root)

Developer: Ryconography

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Voxel

Shadows combined with bright colors make Voxel icons stand out from the rest. This set gives you more than 1900 square icons to arrange on your home screen and achieve that neat tiled look. In case an app icon is missing from the set, Voxel will mask it to make it fit into the theme. Last but not least, Voxel comes with a dozen wallpapers and an icon request tool for your convenience.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher, ADW, Go, Holo, Aviate, Atom, Action Launcher, KitKat Launcher, and a few more

Developer: Benas Dzimidas

Price: Free on Google Play Store

VNYL

Whether you’re a music lover or a fan of all things vintage, VNYL will bring a smile to your face. This icon set is special because its round icons are designed to resemble vinyl records. VNYL contains more than 2400 icons with custom icons for activities.

Supported launchers: ADW, Atom, Aviate, Apex Launcher, Epic launcher, Holo, KitKat Launcher, Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher, CyanogenMod Theme Engine, Solo Launcher and more, with support for Unicon

Developer: starkeDEV

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Ikon

Behind a short, unassuming name you’ll find a rich set with round, badge-style icons. There are more than 1300 icons and new ones are added regularly. Some icons come with alternatives, including dark versions of icons. Ikon also offers you several wallpapers that go well with this colorful icon pack.

Supported launchers: Nova Launcher, Go, ADW, Holo, Action, Apex Launcher and more, plus support for Unicon

Developer: BladeX Designs

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Glim Icons

You might think Glim is yet another Material Design-inspired icon set, and I understand that a lot of people dislike the current trend of “flatness”. But do you really want to miss out on more than 1500 free icons and a bunch of high-quality wallpapers? For a small fee, you can get access to 2000 alternative icons – this means you can swap any icon with one of several alternatives for a unique customization experience. Not trying out Glim would really be a mistake.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Go, Holo, KitKat Launcher, Nova Launcher, Trebuchet, ADW, Atom, Epic Launcher, CyanogenMod Theme Engine and more, plus it works with Unicon

Developer: Maximilian Keppeler

Price: Free and paid ($1.57) on Google Play Store

Subtle Icons

True to their name, these icons are subtle in the sense that they don’t feature intense colors. Don’t jump to conclusions just yet – subtlety doesn’t mean they’re boring. On the contrary, the level of detail is so high that every icon feels like it’s telling a tiny story. Subtle icon pack gives you 1350 icons and a selection of HD wallpapers.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Nova Launcher, ADW

Developer: BA Designs

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Moka

Moka is a popular icon theme for Linux, so if you’re already using it with yourfavorite Linux distribution, here’s some good news: now you can use it on your mobile devices as well. More than 650 icons grace this pack, and they’re all designed with high resolution displays in mind. Moka includes the icon masking option for unthemed icons to ensure consistency.

Supported launchers: ADW, Apex Launcher, Go, Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher, Holo, Aviate, Action Launcher, and a few more

Developer: Moka Project

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Silhouette

Silhouette is an artistic icon pack that makes clever use of shadows, outlines, and color to give an impression of, well, a silhouette of an icon. With 800 icons included, this pack is among the smaller ones on the list, but it does offer icon masking for icons that are yet to be added. Silhouette also comes with its own dashboard app from which you can request new icons and manage existing ones.

Supported launchers: Use the Silhouette dashboard app to apply the icon pack

Developer: Onyxdev

Price: Free on Google Play Store

CandyCons

Most icon packs tend to be uniform and consistent when it comes to shapes and lines. CandyCons is different. It’s a fun set with 690 carefully crafted icons that come in various shapes and colors, giving your Android device a creative and exciting vibe. Some icons have alternatives, and switching them is as easy as simply holding down an icon and choosing a replacement from the popup dialog.

Supported launchers: ADW, Apex Launcher, Go, Holo, Epic Launcher, KitKat Launcher, Aviate, Atom, CyanogenMod Theme Engine and more (total of 27 launchers are supported according to official description)

Developer: Vukašin Anđelković

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Black & White

Whicons

This elegant monochrome icon pack is my favorite from this list. Whicons looks amazing with dark themes and backgrounds, and its 2732 icons should cover most of the apps you have installed. In case they don’t, Whicons offers an icon request option in its Dashboard app, where you can also download Whicons wallpapers, preview all icons, and set the icon pack as the default.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Nova Launcher, Smart, Launcher, ADW, Go, Aviate, Action, Solo, KitKat Launcher, Epic Launcher, and more

Developer: TomVer

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Gel Icons

Another classy, white icon pack. Gel icons work well both with dark and light wallpapers thanks to the transparent icon background. The icons are round, simple, and great if you want to channel your inner minimalist onto your Android home screen. There are 1000 icons in the pack with more to come.

Supported launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, Aviate, Action Launcher, Holo, Smart Launcher, ADW, LG stock launcher, CyanogenMod Theme Engine, and more

Developer: Fraom

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Stamped Black

Orange might be the new black, but nothing looks as great with white wallpapers and themes as a 100% dark icon pack. Stamped Black is one such set, and it features more than 1000 icons in two different styles.

Supported launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, ADW, Go, Action, and Lightning Launcher. Other launchers haven’t been officially tested, but they should be compatible

Developer: UPpack

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Glasklart

If Gel icons from this list caught your eye, but you don’t like round icons, you’re in luck – Glasklart icons are exactly what you need. Square icons with gently rounded corners and a delicately transparent background will look fantastic with any dark wallpaper. There are more than 1320 icons in this set, which should be enough to keep you happy.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, ADW, Smart Launcher, Aviate, Nova Launcher, Go, KitKat Launcher and more, with support for Unicon

Developer: Knxt

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Zeon Black

Many icon packs claim to be original and unique, but don’t exactly deliver on the promise. It doesn’t get much more original than handmade icons that look like they’ve just been sketched on your screen. Meet Zeon Black, an outstanding pack with more than 1600 icons that come in several colors in case you want to switch themes.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, ADW, Nova Launcher, Aviate, Go, Action Launcher, Solo, KitKat Launcher, Smart Launcher and more, with support for Unicon

Developer: RayphoDesign

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Vit Icons

Vit Icons are proof that white icons don’t mean your home screen will look plain and boring. These carefully designed icons will catch anyone’s eye with their level of detail, shadows, and rounded-corner shape. You’ll find more than 2000 icons in this pack.

Supported launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, Action, Aviate, Smart Launcher, KitKat Launcher, ADW, Holo, CyanogenMod 11 Theme Engine and more, with support for Unicon

Developer: Onyxdev

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Unique Shapes

Hexa Pulse

Hexa icons are simple, yet strikingly beautiful: the bold contrast between the dark border and the light background makes them pop out on your home screen. The best feature, however, is their hexagonal shape – something you don’t see often when it comes to Android icons. Sadly, this icon set currently contains only around 150 icons, but you can still use it, since the most popular apps and actions are represented.

Supported launchers: ADW, Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, Holo, Go, Action Launcher, and SSLauncher

Developer: Aeris Designs

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Leaf Icons

This small icon pack is obviously different from anything you’ve seen so far. The leaf shape will give your home screen a quirky, original touch. Leaf Icons currently offers more than 200 icons, which does sound modest, but the developers promise frequent updates.

Supported launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, ADW, Go, Action Launcher, Holo

Developer: Leaf Coders

Price: Free on Google Play Store

Matrix

If you wish to emulate Metro tiles from the new Windows interface on your Android device, Matrix icons are one of the best free options you have. Their uncommon shape – oblong instead of square – makes them suitable for this purpose. There are 500 high-quality icons in this pack, and Matrix also supports icon masking, so you don’t have to worry about unthemed icons sticking out like sore thumbs.

Supported launchers: Apex Launcher, Go, ADW, Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher, CyanogenMod Theme Engine, Aviate, KitKat Launcher, Solo, and more

Developer: Codyrock

Price: Free on Google Play Store

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