10 MUST have free android apps on your smartphone.

After getting mugged last December, and after almost six months of walking around with a non-internet enabled kabambe, I finally garnered enough courage to rejoin to the world of smartphones, hoping that this time I’ll get to hold on to my smartphone for a little bit longer than the last. Anyway, it’s now been two and a half months and my new wife... Madame Galaxy is still by my side and to my surprise; our love has reached a point where I can’t see myself surviving without her!! And I couldn’t help asking myself... WHY? The answer is simple… Apps!! Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of applications available for the android platform, smartphones now allow me to do practically anything and everything on my phone!! I’m sure even my laptop misses me now… hehe. Anyway, after sitting down and scrutinizing my wife, I have decided to put up a list of ten free android apps that I believe one CANNOT live without.

1. Data ON-OFF

Anybody using a smart phone will have realized one thing during the first few days of use, smart phones have the dumbest batteries, especially if you’re addicted to tweeting and surfing like I am. I can leave the house with a full battery in the morning and will have a dead phone by 2pm. Luckily I bumped into the Data ON-OFF app. It allows you to place a cool neon widget on your home screen allowing you to conveniently enable or disable mobile data settings. Using the app, the phone only connects to the internet when you want it to,and it will thus not waste half your battery life searching for network while it is in your pocket and believe you me, you gain a least 5 hours or more to your battery life.

Moreover, if you don’t have unlimited WiFi access, the Data ON-OFF App also helps you save MB’s by preventing your phone from constantly connecting to the internet and syncing with your online accounts!! #TrueStory

2. Opera Mini

 For those of us who use data bundles to surf, the stock Android HD web browser (and any other HD browser e.g Opera Mobile) has never been and will never be data friendly. 50MB’s of data can be cleared easily within an hour of normal use!! That’s where Opera Mini comes in, it may not be able to compare to HD browsers like Dolphin HD and Opera mobile in terms of web page quality. But it is Smooth, Fast (depending on the connection) and most importantly, it uses MUCH less Internet Data. This means that the cost of surfing using Opera Mini due to the efficient use of internet data is reduced by up to 90%!! That there, to be honest, is the only reason I use the App. It saves my Credit!! #NuffSaid

 3. WhatsApp

Now this is an app I can’t do without, WhatsApp messenger is basically the android equivalent of the blackberry’s BBM. It allows android users to send (and receive) messages, pictures, audio notes and video files with anybody that is on their phone book as long as they both have the App installed on their phone. I personally love WhatsApp because international texts and call rates can be very expensive... so WhatsApp allows me to keep in touch with all my family and friends outside Kenya at absolutely NO cost!! Al I need is an internet connection!! Need I say more?

4. Evernote

Some people have disconnected thoughts, ideas and random light bulb moments that are forgotten as fast as they are thought. Guess what? I unfortunately happen to be one of those people. I could be sitting in a Bar and the awesomest  idea pops into my head, unless I write it down, I WILL forget it. Enter Evernote..tatadadaaaa!!! This app literally turns your Android device into an extension of your brain( believe that!!). It helps one stay organized, improves productivity, save photos, make audio notes and best of all, it allows you to access these files from any device anywhere!!

5. Any.DO

The Any.Do app is in simple terms, a very very cool and fun to use task manager. This app will help you organize and remember the millions of things you have to do daily by allowing you to drag and drop to-do’s to your daily agendas, swiping and shaking away completed tasks!!

This is one of my favorite apps because I can now afford to forget stuff I have to do knowing my phone will remember everything for me.

6. Officesuite veiwer6 

Wonderful for viewing documents. I can download word documents, spreadsheets, PDF’s and PowerPoint presentations from my emails and read them on the go (or in class). I don’t think I have to explain how important this app is, especially if you move around a lot and need to stay in constant communication with the office. Unfortunately, the free version may allow you to view the documents but does not allow editing of documents.  

7. Foursquare

Foursquare allows you to save and share all your experiences and then share everywhere you go and everything you do with your friends. It also lets you check in to locations like clubs, restaurants, parks and basically anyplace you can think of and leave tips for your friends and anybody who might want to visit that place. In short, the foursquare app  helps you and your friends make the most of where you are, and is also fun to use:).

 

8. Angry Birds

If you don’t already know why you need this..then you don’t deserve to. No explanation needed.

9. Camcard Lite

CamCard is a professional business card reader and business card scanner. Simply take a picture of a business card, CamCard recognizes the business card and saves contact information in Card Holder or your Address Book. Then feel at ease to manage cards with CamCard - business card reader and business card scanner. More space for money in your wallet .

 10. Flashlight

This flashlight turns your LED flash and/ or screen into a torch. This is usually VERY useful when you find yourself in the dark (Thanks to KPLC, this are situations that unfortunately cannot be avoided in our beautiful country). It’s a super useful app.

Twitter

 Again, if you don’t know why..I will pray for you.

How to rock skinny jeans?

Skinny jeans are great for that casual weekend look on your days off work or as an everyday affair for those of us in campus. But sit down and over tuskers with most men in Kenya and ask them about skinny jeans and you will most likely get the same reply over and over again, skinny jeans are gay and straight men should NOT be wearing them. Are they right? Well yes, kind of… skinny jeans are very gay…but ONLY when they are super tight and they are worn wrongly. So how should you wear skinny jeans and still look like the alpha male you are?  Simple:

Have the right body type

Contrary to what most people who wear skinny jeans believe, the skinny jeans look is not for everybody. You don’t have to be super thin to be able to rock skinny’s, but you most definitely have to have a well proportioned body. This my gentle, non offensive way of saying you should never even dream of trying skinny’s on if are built like a pregnant lady. I’m not saying large dudes cannot rock skinny’s, cause believe you me, they can. I’m saying any dude, with a massive beer belly (aka pot) will not look good in skinny’s. As long as you have a well proportioned body with mostly reasonably straight lines, you most definitely can rock the skinny jeans look, and rock it you should.

Make sure they fit properly.

This is a very important part of wearing skinny jeans. I personally do not feel the skin tight skinny jeans I’ve seen some dudes rocking, it looks kind of gay to me ( but that’s my opinion, I might be wrong.. .and if I am please let me know). And the secret to making sure you don’t get yourself that ’skin tight’ look is  where fitting your jeans properly comes in. Skinny jeans on a man should not look like tights on a chick. Your proper size of skinny’s should be a little bit saggy or baggy when you put them put on and should be long enough to have a small pilling up effect on your shoes. This cool effect can be achieved easily by picking one or two sizes larger than your usual size. This way your jeans will be fitting, but they won’t be tight like sausage casings. This will also leave enough room for your legs and balls to move around freely and most importantly, you’ll be able to bend and sit without making a fool of yourself in ways I can’t discuss here.

Accessorize properly.

Accessorizing your skinny jeans is the final most important key to whether your look will be a success...or an epic fail. Slim flat shoes or converse sneakers will go best with skinny’s. Slim high cut sneakers, like the adidas top ten's shown here (actually any high cuts apart from supras), can also match well with skinny’s, although if you are over 20 years old I would advise you stick to slim, low cut, flat sneakers or converse for a more mature look. If you choose to wear high cuts, you should pick shoes made from non shiny, non plastic materials. Don’t choose shoes that are too big or clunky or you will walk around looking like you have Mickey mouse’s feet.  Big shoes and small skinny’s DO NOT go well together. As for your shirts, slim or well fitted t-shirts coupled with half coats or neat blazers will do. Checked or plain dark button down shirts can also work, especially if your going for a mature look. Be sure not to wear shirts and t-shirts that are too big compared to your jeans, you’ll end up looking like your favorite top heavy superhero cartoon character or worse.

So as you can see, as long as you fit your jeans well and avoid the skin tight jeans look, and you accessorize accordingly, there is no reason you can’t rock the skinny jeans look and still remain the macho, beer drinking, chest thumping man you already are.

TIPS AND WARNINGS

-Always buy your skinny jeans one or two sizes larger if you don’t want that gay looking, skin tight effect. This also helps since jeans shrink a bit after washing too.

-Please and this especially applies to you if you are over 20: Please stop wearing your pants below your butt!! Sagging is a phase we all have to go through, I understand (I used to sag as well), but if you are over 20 and you still wear your pants below your butt thinking you look cool like lil wayne or Chris brown let me break it to you since your boyz and your girlfriends wont, high school is over and now you just look very silly and very immature. I know you were probably lied to that chicks find it sexy, but the harsh reality is that they don’t… and those chicks who do still find over sagging sexy are still back in high school (either physically or in their heads), leave them alone. Moreover, you sagging with a belt is an oxymoron… pull those pants up. You’re an adult for God’s sake!!!!!

-And lastly, when wearing skinny’s, be sure to wear only male skinny’s. Yes, some money hungry business man can con you and sell you female skinny’s. Nobody wants to see you in your girlfriend’s jeans.

COMING SOON:

10 easy steps to improve your appearance and boost your sex appeal…

And many more, keep it locked.

What do the cloths you wear say about you..?

Think your appearance doesn’t matter? Then you are most likely missing out on jobs, money, and most importantly women.

If there is one thing that every man in Nairobi knows, it is the fact that the people you encounter on a daily basis, your friends, your classmates, your colleagues, random new people you meet react to you differently depending to what you are wearing. In Nairobi, what you wear can be the deciding factor in the image people will have of you, the amount of money you earn… and most importantly… your success with women. Nairobi is one of the few cities where a beautiful woman you just met will give agree to give you her number simply because you are dressed like a million bucks. Judging someone solely based on his outfit may sound wrong and very unfair. I mean, I am the same person whether I am wearing Gucci or an outfit I picked up in kikomba, right?  And I will still love my tusker with nyam chom and ugali on the side regardless of what I’m wearing, right? That is all true… but the fact still remains, looks ARE important!!!! And, there’s no reason we can’t use that ‘importance’ to our advantage. Which is where I come in… my aim is to show you why picking the right outfit in the morning before heading to work or to class is important, and then show you HOW to pick the right outfits. But first things first, why should you care about fashion? And why should you think twice before grabbing and putting on the first articles of clothing you see lying around the room before heading out? Let’s find out..

Clothes affect your success with women.

I’m sure I do not have to explain how this works, but for the sake of those of us who may not yet have witnessed the power of the Kenyan woman’s all seeing eye, here goes. Firstly, there is one very important fact any man should understand, first impressions go a long way… especially with women. After meeting you for the first time it usually only takes about five minutes (if not much less) for a woman to decide whether or not she is going to ‘let you get to know her better’. I’m sure most of you already know this, but have you ever asked yourself how they come to these very quick decisions of theirs? What criteria do they use to judge whether you are in fact worthy of their oh-so-precious time? Your personality? Your charm? I highly doubt considering it will take a lot more than five minutes to notice those particular qualities. What then? Simple, your attire… your outfit… your clad. Most women usually start with the shoes, yes..the shoes (women for some weird reason have this amazing capability that allows them to sum up a man’s worth just by looking at his shoes. Imagine that??? Your whole life’s worth and women use your SHOE to sum it all up??? Insulting, I swear!!…but its life, we accept and we move on). Anyway, you usually won’t spot her looking at them, but believe you me; she will be analyzing them thoroughly. And it is worth noting, the shoes are only to begin with, your entire outfit and grooming will be scrutinized closely. Your hair, your clothes your accessories..Everything!!!

Studies have shown that women look for a symbol of status and success in a man’s clothing and grooming, and in the case of a young man, they look for the “potential for success”: they like because it suggests a good provider. So does this make all women gold diggers, of course not!!!!(not all of them at least). Women just have the ability to spot signs on men that point to prosperity. In simpler English, women can tell if a man is well dressed and well groomed. For this reason, when you’re about to leave the house and you’re not sure if you’re looking fresh, ask your sister… NOT your brother. (Chances are you both have the same taste in clothes, and if you’re doubting yourself it’s probably not a good one.)

The best thing is, you do not have 10 million shillings in the bank to look like it, dressing smart is not expensive. And I will show you how.

Clothes affect how much you earn

Of course appearances are not everything; you have to perform well to succeed. But in a competitive world it pays to understand the importance of your clothing and grooming. Investing the proper recourses into your personal presentation will multiply your ability to succeed. (Antonio Centeno)

Have you ever heard the saying “It pays to dress well”, well guess what? It actually does. An American Poll carried out by Michigan State University (of course our universities cant waste money and time carrying out such useless polls in Kenya… so forgive me for using American stats..) found that ‘good looking people’ earned up to 8% more than average looking ones who in turn earned 5% more than ‘plain looking’ ones. Of course, it is worth noting that clothing and grooming play a considerable role in looks. Dressing smart allows you to command a certain degree of respect from co workers in the workplace and it also allows you to instill a little more charm in the boardroom. You’re heightened sense of style and confidence will get you noticed and ultimately earn you more cash in your career.

Clothes affect how people treat you.

Compare the time you went out, picked your best outfit and matched everything perfectly. Your confidence soaring as you entered clubs in westy and hurllingam (or wherever it is you got o relieve stress and meet people). Like a celeb, or like a glorious bolt of lightning… you were struck by unmistakable glances of lust from women as you entered clubs who would walk directly up to YOU and start small talk… by themselves. Now compare that with the time you woke up late for work/class… grabbed the nearest cloths you could get your hands on, no shower, no grooming, and you rushed out the door wearing bright clashing colors. To make it worse, you bump into a beautiful mama for the first time. And you can’t even dare talk to her cause your dressed like clown (not that she’d take you seriously even if you talked to her: seeing how your dressed and all…)!!! Remember that day? Plain proof that clothes say a lot about you.

Let’s face it, we live in a world where people are often judged entirely by what they are wearing at the time and are in turn treated accordingly. It is an unfair practice, but it happens on a daily basis and you have most likely witnessed it taking place more than a few times. Why then, should you not take advantage? Keep it locked on Nairobi fashion for the latest fashion tips and style guides to help you improve your appearance and boost your success.