Nothing says “professional” like a smooth and steady shot, which is by far the iPhone’s greatest weakness when it comes to capturing decent footage. Luckily the smartphone’s popularity has spawned a vast number of accessories and DIY solutions designed to improve video performance.

Google has updated its self-titled iOS search app to version 2.0, bringing with it a new simpler interface, improved image search and general speed and usability enhancements. The news follows the big Google+ iOS app redesign which landed earlier this month.

In addition to a cleaner UI, Google has sped up the search auto-completion which now instantly suggests keywords for every letter you type. Search results also load faster and appear differently, popping up in what Google calls a “slide-in panel” which is now toggled with a horizontal swipe gesture.

Rovio has taken its hugely popular pig-popping game to the next social level by launching Angry Birds Friends on Facebook. Players can now compete against their Facebook friends in weekly tournaments, earning new trophies and power-ups as they play.

The game launches with four new levels already available, with more due to be added on a weekly basis. Competitions run from Monday to Sunday and players with the highest scores can earn gold, silver and bronze trophies which are saved to their accounts forever.

Shooting a film on an iPhone might not seem like the smartest idea, but for many it’s a viable option for capturing decent HD quality video on the move. Monday’s Stuff to Watch featured a number of productions created using the iPhone, a few specialised apps and some extras which can really make the difference. Today we’ll be exploring the iPhone filmmakers’ toolbox.

Streaming music service Spotify is now available in Australia and New Zealand after launching on Tuesday morning, taking the total number of supported countries to 15. As is the case in other territories, there are three tiers of membership available: Free, Unlimited and Premium.

In addition to being a communication, entertainment and organisational god-send, the iPhone 4 and 4S are fairly capable video recorders. The iPhone Film Festival (IFF), a bi-annual celebration of handheld motion picture goodness, has taken this to the next level. If you’re considering shooting a short film, documentary or music video then you’ve probably already got a long list of equipment you’ll need to invest in.

Linux is the operating system of choice for those who decide to go their own way. The open source model means the building blocks are there for you if you decide that you need your very own operating system. This has resulted in more Linux distros than you could ever imagine.

Mobile phones have changed the way we live our lives and to many, the prospect of a world without voice calling, text messaging and mobile Internet access is an unsettling one. As we all know, mobile phones didn’t just happen overnight. They grew up, just like us.

Recently the British Council, an organization that focuses on educational and cultural importance, released a bounty of historical films produced during the Second World War for viewing online. These reels were produced to counter Nazi propaganda and convince the world that Britain was doing “just fine” despite the devastating effects of war.

There are a couple of good reasons you might want to trace the location of a mobile phone. Theft is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to smartphones, due to the amount of personal data being carried around in our pockets on a daily basis. Keeping track of friends and family is another potential use. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the options.