As we find ourselves in the middle of the year, it's a great time to reflect on the progress we've made towards our New Year's resolutions and goals. For many, the enthusiasm and motivation that fuelled us in January may have declined, leaving us in need of renewed focus and organisation. Thankfully, with the power of technology at our fingertips, there are numerous mobile apps available to help us stay on track and achieve our aspirations. In this article, we will explore the importance of embracing mid-year and offer three mobile apps that can assist in organizing your life and staying true to your goals.Mid-year check-inMid-year marks a crucial checkpoint in our journey toward our goals. It's an opportunity to reassess, recalibrate, and recommit to what we set out to achieve. Instead of viewing mid-year as a hurdle or a reminder of unfulfilled resolutions, let's embrace it as a chance for growth and self-reflection. Take the time to celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how smal

Introduction: As summer draws near, the great outdoors beckon, and what better way to enjoy the sunny weather than by hopping on a bicycle? In recent years, cycling has gained tremendous popularity in the UK, with more people embracing this eco-friendly and healthy mode of transportation. To help you make the most of this growing trend, we've rounded up three mobile apps that can assist you in finding exciting routes and navigating with ease. So dust off your bike, put on your helmet, and get ready to pedal into a fantastic summer adventure!Komoot:Your Ultimate Cycling CompanionOne of the most comprehensive cycling apps available, Komoot is perfect for both seasoned cyclists and those just starting their biking journey. With its user-friendly interface and vast database of routes, Komoot allows you to discover and plan exciting rides throughout the UK. Whether you're seeking a leisurely ride through picturesque countryside or a thrilling urban cycling adventure, Komoot has got you cove

With two new top foldable phones out, it’s a great time to be a foldable fan! Foldables give you the same kind of screen you’d usually see on a tablet, but with all your fave phone features too. That means you can watch movies and multitask before folding your phone away and popping it in your pocket. Pretty neat!Foldables have been developing at speed in the last few years and now Google and Samsung have taken foldable phones to the next level. But both of these big hitters are pretty similar in terms of price. So, which one should you part your folding money for? And what’ll give you the most bang for your buck? Don’t worry, we’ll help you decide…Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4Even more power, cameras, and screens. That’s the Galaxy Z Fold4 in a nutshell. While the standard 6.2-inch screen is already a good size, when you unfold the 7.6-inch main display, you’ve got even more options. If you want, you can have three different windows open at the same time. So, you could be video calling a fri

World Laughter Day is an annual event celebrated on the first Sunday of May. The day is dedicated to promoting laughter as a universal language of peace and understanding. Laughter has been scientifically proven to have numerous health benefits, both physically and mentally. It reduces stress, boosts the immune system, and improves mood. In addition, laughter is a great tool for bringing people together and breaking down barriers between different cultures and societies.The history of World Laughter DayThe idea of World Laughter Day was first proposed by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the Laughter Yoga movement. Laughter Yoga is a unique concept that combines yoga breathing techniques with intentional laughter to create a joyful and uplifting experience. The first World Laughter Day was celebrated in 1998 in Mumbai, India, and since then, it has become a global phenomenon.On World Laughter Day, people come together in public spaces to laugh, play games, and have fun. The day is celebrat

Inspired by Mental Health Awareness Week, the team at iD Mobile have been focussing a lot on their own mental well-being recently. Thinking about what matters most to us, we wanted to share some of our favourite apps that we’ve found to be great for mindfulness, meditation and clearing your head from stress:  HeadspaceiOS/Android It makes total sense to start with a no-brainer. Headspace is one of the best-known meditation apps out there, and from personal experience, it’s really effective. The app eases you into the essentials of meditation and mindfulness with a free 10-part basics course. Each of these sessions will come in three, five or 10-minute chunks, so you can pick a session based on how much time you have. The meditations are quite easy to follow, too. Once you’ve completed the free trial you’ll need to pay for further sessions – but whether you pay the £9.99 a month subscription or use it as an introduction into meditation, we’d highly recommend it. CalmiOS/AndroidAnother o

The Pixel 7a is here. It’s a smaller but still-powerful version of the flagship Pixel 7, and Google says its new Pixel 7a is “super fast, secure and full of essentials.” If you want to upgrade to a phone packed with the latest Google tech (including a great camera) at a less than premium price, it’s a great choice. Here’s all you need to know…Classic Google designAll phones in the Pixel 7 family share the same classic ‘Google’ design, with a horizontal camera shelf blending into the phone at the rear. This has a more metallic finish on the new Pixel 7a compared to the Pixel 6a, so it feels more premium. Plus, Google says the Pixel 7a is the most durable Pixel a-series phone yet, with enough water resistance to survive occasional splashes or even a drop in the sink.As for the screen on the front, the Pixel 7a features a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display. Exactly the same as the Pixel 6a. But there’s a real difference with refresh rate – the Pixel 7a has 90hz, compared with Pixel 6a’s modes

Most of us use our smartphones every single day, but it’s probably fair to say we don’t always get the most out of them. Or actually realise how to. There’s a ton of clever features tucked away just out of sight on iPhone and Android that you might not know about. From fun ones to the more practical, here are a few of our favourites that you’re definitely going to want to try out…Document scannerGot an important doc you need to scan and send for work? No worries. If you’ve got an iPhone, fire up your Notes app. Create a new note, and then tap the camera icon at the bottom of your screen. Hit ‘Scan Documents’ and position your camera over the document. It’ll then automatically snap it for you. But if you want some more control, hit ‘Auto’ in the top right corner. It’ll switch to ‘Manual’ mode, letting you scan it in the same way you’d take a photo. Then just crop the corners of your doc, and when you’re happy with it, hit save. Sorted.It's a bit different on Android. Open your camera ap

We’re proud to announce that iD Mobile have been recognised by Which? As a Great Value Network for our SIM only plans.Who are Which? And why does their opinion matter?Which? Are the largest Consumer body in the UK – With over 680,000 members that subscribe to their magazine, and over 335,000 online subscribers. Their aim is to protect consumers, with a goal to make life simpler, fairer, and safer for everyone.  Each year Which? carry out market research on the mobile and tech industry and the end result is a list of the best mobile phone and SIM only plans in the UK. This year they surveyed 3,400 customers from 18 of the biggest phone providers in the UK, and iD are proud to announce that we’ve been recognised for our great value SIM only plans.What did Which? Have to say about iD Mobile? Here’s the Which? Verdict on iD Mobile:‘iD Mobile offers incredible value for money, particularly for SIM-only deals, which we have given our Great Value endorsement as they are significantly cheaper

Frequently travel on the London Underground? Well, we’ve got some exciting news! iD Mobile customers can now use or our 4G and 5G network at various stations across the London Underground network, meaning you can now use your phone to browse your social media apps, contact friends or plan the rest of your journey, all while waiting for a train or travelling between connected stations.Our 4G and 5G network is available at and between the following stations: Archway Bermondsey Bond Street (Elizabeth line platforms) Canada Water Canary Wharf Canning Town Farringdon (Elizabeth line platforms) Holland Park Kentish Town Liverpool Street (Elizabeth line platforms) London Bridge North Greenwich Notting Hill Gate Queensway Southwark Tottenham Court Road (Elizabeth line platforms) Tufnell Park Waterloo Westminster It doesn’t stop there – by the end of 2024, we aim to have all London Underground stations and tunnels  covered by our 4G and 5G network. FAQsHow do I connect to the iD network when un

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been one of the most talked-about technological innovations of the past decade, and for good reason. It has the potential to revolutionize the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. In this article, we will discuss what AI is and suggest three apps that you can use to experience AI in actionWhat is AI?AI refers to computer systems that are designed to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, decision-making, and natural language processing. AI systems are built using a variety of technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.Machine learning is a branch of AI that involves training computer algorithms to learn from data. The algorithms can then use this learning to make predictions or decisions about new data they encounter. Deep learning is a subfield of machine learning that uses neural networks to learn from large amo

Easter isn’t far off. But that doesn’t just mean it’s nearly time to stuff your face with chocolate. The iD Easter Event is here too! And we’ve got more phone deals than you can shake a basket of eggs at. A bunch of cutting-edge smartphones were released in 2022 – and you can pick one up for a great price right here.With our cracking line-up of offers, you can save up to £96 on selected handsets from the biggest names in the business. Or get up to 66% more data on selected SIM-only plans. Nice.So, here’s a small selection of some of the eggs-cellent deals you can get your hands on at iD Mobile this spring…Looking for the latest iPhone?  Apple made a splash in 2022 with the iPhone 14. Our iPhone 14 deals might make waves too… Get the iPhone 14 (128 GB) with up to £96 off or take things to the next level with £48 off an iPhone 14 Pro (128 GB).And you’ll want to bag these deals quick. Then you can get hands-on with all the fun new features exclusive to iPhone 14.The Dynamic island makes i

Here's everything you need to know about Samsung's best-selling series.The Samsung Galaxy A series are some of the best value mid-range smartphones around. These 5G phones come with the same type of specs that were previously only found on Samsung’s flagship S series, and they’re at a much more affordable price point. So, let’s take a look at the Galaxy A14 5G, Galaxy A34 5G and Galaxy A54 5G to see what they’ve got to offer.Samsung A14 5GThe entry-level Galaxy A14 5G is packed with loads of great features you usually won’t find on a phone at this low price-point. The 6.6-inch Full HD+ display is big and bright, with a 90Hz refresh rate that means the screen responds and refreshes quicker. It makes using your phone much more responsive and smoother.Elsewhere, the triple lens camera setup includes a 50MP main camera and 13MP front camera for detailed selfies. Plus, the high capacity 5,000mAh battery will keep you powered up all day long.Most phone manufacturers have done away with the 3

Off on holiday with the kids? Then you already know what to expect. Arguments between siblings. Hundreds of questions. Many, many stops for the bathroom.It’s safe to say you’ll want to keep them busy during those long car journeys and flights. And that’s exactly what these handy tablet and mobile apps are for. Load some onto their device and the shouts from the backseat of “are we there yet!?” will be a thing of the past.So, here’s a good mix of free and paid for apps to make travelling with the little ones a bit easier…Minecraft – Pocket Edition If you haven’t heard of Minecraft, where have you been? It’s now one of the most popular games on the planet. Minecraft is all about building. Whether that’s a basic house, a fantasy castle, or a towering skyscraper. Its only limitation is your child’s imagination. And with mining, crafting, exploration, and battles thrown into the mix, there’s plenty here for them to get stuck into.  Cost: £4.99 Platform: Android / iOSBBC iPlayer iPlayer is c

Each year, recycling saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions. And, did you know that recycled materials supplies 40% of the world’s raw material needs? Well good news, today is Global Recycling Day! Luckily there's alot we can do to play our part to make our tech footprint a bit smaller.Trade-in your old phoneWe all know that getting a new phone is exciting, but it’s also the perfect time to make sure that your old stuff doesn’t end up in the bin. By trading in your old phone with iD Mobile, your phone will live on as a refurbished device. If it’s in good nick, it could go on to be someone else’s phone. But if not, the parts can be recycled to create new phones.Last year, we traded in almost 20,000 phones (19,676 to be exact) – that’s a load of waste saved. And on average, those customers got back £112!Simply head to the iD Mobile trade-in page and search for your phone model. Then fill it a quick online form and you’ll receive a quote. If you’re happy with the amount of cash yo

Looking for a new smartphone that can do everything you need and more? We have some great Samsung Galaxy phones packed with innovative features. Here are a few videos to help bring it all to life! Samsung Galaxy S22 UltraIt boasts a 108MP Wide-angle Camera, and an extra telephoto lens that ups the digital zoom to a whopping 100x.The S22 Ultra also comes with a built-in S-Pen, giving you the power to work, create and multi-task more effectively. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4Small but mighty when folded, this phone is compact enough to fit in your palm, but leaves a big impression.It has a versatile camera phone that lets you capture life at any angle, including the option of a selfie right from the Cover Screen! Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4Lots of cool features packed into the folded 6.2 inch cover screen. Unfolded, the 7.6-inch Main Screen has pushed-back bezels for a breathtaking Infinity Flex Display.The front and rear panels are made of the strongest glass on a foldable device: Corning® Gorill

Samsung and Apple are the biggest names in the smartphone world, and their latest flagships are things of beauty.The new iPhone 14 family features four phones - the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Meanwhile, the new Galaxy S23 family is made up of three phones - Galaxy 23, Galaxy S23 Plus, Galaxy S23 Ultra.Thinking of making one of these your next mobile? Not sure which to go for? Let’s compare them to help you decide… Design and displayFirst, let’s have a quick weigh in, and it’s more or less a perfect match. In fact, each iPhone 14 model is roughly the same weight and size as its S23 counterpart with one exception – the S23 Ultra is bigger and heavier than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Display size is 6.9-inches vs 6.7-inches.Both phone familes have the same OLED displays, but there’s a real difference in refresh rate. All the S23s boast a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, which is only found on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 and iPhon

Great news, Galaxy fans! Samsung has launched its new S23 series, with three models available: the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and high-end Galaxy S23 Ultra.These flagship phones are Samsung’s finest, which makes them - arguably - the best new phones of 2023. To help you decide if you need one in your life, let’s check them out. Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+These two phones share a lot of the same features, so we’ll talk about them first (and leave the best to last).Design and displayThe new S23 family sticks to Samsung’s classic design, as you’d probably expect – if it’s not broken, why fix it? That means familiar smooth rounded edges with a frosted glass back, and a gorgeous FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display to look at.The S23 has a 6.1-inch screen, so it’s perfect for those that prefer compact phones. If you want something bigger, the S23+ has a 6.6-inch screen. Both phones have adaptive outdoor visibility – a fancy way of seeing you’ll be able to game, stream and scrolling when you’re out in br

The 8th of March is known globally as International Woman’s Day, and to celebrate the occasion this year, we’re giving you an overview of just a few women that have had a significant impact to the world of tech, and as a result our daily lives. Did you know that the very first computer programmer was a woman? And without the work of some brilliant women, it’s unlikely that we’d have everything from Wi-Fi to men on the moon. So, to celebrate International Women’s Day and to give an overdue shout out to overlooked genius, here are 6 women who have totally changed tech.Telecommunications: Dr Shirley JacksonNot only was Jackson the first black woman to ever earn a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but her research into theoretical physics has led to some of the key things our modern world couldn’t function without. Whether it’s touch tone telephone, solar cells or fibre optic cables, Dr Jackson’s impact on the world of tech is hard to overstate.WiFi: Hedy LamarrMost

Think of a smartwatch as a phone on your wrist. At a glance, you can get all the information you need – just as long as it’s connected with your actual phone, of course…The exact method for doing this differs by brands, so let us take you through all the big names one by one. We’ve got instructions on connecting the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Garmin Watch or Huawei Watch to your smartphone…Connecting an Apple Watch to your iPhone These steps will help you pair any Apple Watch from Series 4 with iPhone 6s or later (as long as it's running the latest iOS version).1. Turn on your iPhone’s Bluetooth and make sure you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network.2. Turn on your Apple Watch and wait for it to boot up.3. When you see ‘Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch’, tap ‘Continue’. If you don’t see this message open the Apple Watch app and tap ‘Start Pairing’.4. Use your iPhone camera to centre the watch face, then wait for a message saying your Apple Watch is paired.5. Choose ‘Set up Apple W

CES has come and gone for another year. But what is CES? Well, CES (or the Consumer Electronics Show) describe it as ‘the most influential tech event in the world’. And they’re not wrong. It’s where all the biggest and best tech brands come together to showcase their latest and greatest. From new gadgets, to futuristic, cutting-edge technology planned for release further down the line.And with all that, there’s plenty of fresh mobile tech to get your eyes around too. So, here’s just some of the most exciting features and phones announced at the show…The PhonesSamsung Galaxy A14 5G Want more bang for your buck? You’ll want to keep an eye on the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G then. It’s been pitched as an entry-level Galaxy, but with a spec that punches well above its potential price. Plus, there are loads of great features that you usually won’t find on a phone of this level.A 5000mAh battery will keep the phone going throughout the day, and everything looks great on the 6.6-inch screen. But pro

Whether you're celebrating Valentine's, Galentine's or Palentine's day, we want to share the love with you by giving you the chance to win a £200 Buyagift voucher to spend on an experience of your choice. To enter, simply head to the iD Mobile Facebook page and under the Valentine’s Day Competition tag who you'd take with you and why in the comments!Entries close on 20/02/23 at 23:59. T&C’s applyGood luck! 😊😍

Heading on your hols? Lucky you. Check out our tips to make the most of your phone. 1. Watch out for data roaming Though you’ll pay no data roaming charges in the EU, you most definitely will when travelling anywhere else in the world. And there are some real shock stories out there, like the woman who paid over £2,000 to download a Neil Diamond album while on holiday in South Africa. So, our advice… turn off your data roaming setting, and go hunting for Wi-Fi instead. 2. Wi-Fi to the rescue You may be surprised where you can pick up Wi-Fi these days. Even beachfront bars and the like tend to be connected. Do make sure the network you choose is protected by a password, just to be on the safe side. And if you’re using things like banking apps, it’s probably best that you’re familiar with the owner of the network. 3. Download your maps offline No-one wants to get lost when they’re on holiday, but using map apps on the go all adds to data drainage. So here’s a great idea

Do you know someone who you think might be feeling lonely? If so, here’s something that can really help – the Better Health: Every Mind Matters Loneliness campaign. It’s a government initiative from the DMCS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), so let’s dive in and see what it’s all about.What is the ‘Better Health: Every Mind Matters Loneliness’ campaign all about?Loneliness can have a huge impact on our wellbeing. That’s why the DCMS has created the Better Health: Every Mind Matters Loneliness campaign. Its main aim to get people to help others who feel lonely, by raising awareness and encouraging simple actions that can help ‘lift someone out of loneliness’. Because if we do this regularly, we can all help to lift each other up.What can you do to lift someone out of loneliness?If you’d like to help someone feeling lonely, here are some top tips from the campaign:Pay them a visit. Reaching out for a chat and cuppa with a family member or friend is the best way of makin

It's January. We're usually busy cracking on with our New Year’s resolutions and organising plans for the year ahead. But it can also be a bit of a sad time for many people. After the warm feelings of the festive period - spending time with those closest to us - January can feel like the celebrations are over.But there are little things you can do to add some positivity to your day. And we’ve got some brilliant suggestions to put a smile on your face. What is Blue Monday?‘Blue Monday’ (the day, not the New Order hit) was actually launched as a marketing scheme in 2005 by a travel company. They claimed to have calculated the most depressing day of the year. To work this out, they used factors like average temperature, days until the next bank holiday, hours of daylight and days since last payday.However, the psychologist that developed the concept later campaigned against it. Instead, he said that everyone should try and focus on the positives. If you’re setting new goals this year, tha

Whether it’s UberEats, Just Eat or Deliveroo, most of us have takeaway apps on our phones. But what about finding a really great restaurant or getting a table at that tapas bar that everyone’s talking about?The good news is that there are apps for that too. So, whether you’re wanting to wow your date on Valentine’s Day or you’re looking for a pub to take the family for an epic Sunday roast, dine out with some of the best apps around.The ForkGreat for: money off your billThe Fork is one of the most popular restaurant apps around. Start by selecting a location, a date and time and you’ll be shown all the restaurants that have a free table. You can then filter by ratings, type of food and whether you can make savings through the app – and these can be as much as 50% on your bill!The app gives you reviews from other users, a full menu, opening hours and pretty much everything else you need to know. Use the app regularly enough and you’ll soon rack up Yums – which can be used at restaurants