Stories by James A. Martin

A few days ago, my Fitbit Force wristband finally threw in the towel. Not even the little Bitbelts I'd bought could keep the band attached to the activity-tracking device it once supported.

Dstrux, a new, free iOS app, wants to become the Snapchat of sensitive documents. It promises to let you share files with others and set a time for the files to "self-destruct." Unfortunately, in my tests, the only thing that self-destructed was Dstrux.

Ooloo is a new, free voice search app for iOS and Android, and it relies on actual humans to answer your questions 24/7. I tested the iOS app and compared the answers I received to answers from Apple's Siri and Google Now (on an Android smartphone).

I seriously considered tossing my iPhone and Android smartphones into the brown waters of the Thames. How liberating, if not exhilarating, it would have felt. But I took a deep breath, stepped away from the bridge railing, put both devices back into my pockets and continued along my confusing trajectory.

If you're an iPhone or iPad user, you probably know that iOS app icons dance around when you tap and hold a finger on them to move or remove one. They do a little jig, hoping to entertain you and thereby save themselves from deletion.

Lenovo recently discontinued its small Windows tablets in the United States, including the 8-inch IdeaTab Miix 2, due to lack of interest.

Is do-it-yourself (DIY) search engine optimization (SEO) possible if you lack SEO experience?

Apple's iTunes App Store and Google Play are a bit like Moroccan city marketplaces: There's a lot going on, and it's all a bit chaotic and overwhelming. Browsing by categories or searching by keyword helps. But not much.

These 14 iOS travel apps will make your iPhone, iPad touch or iPad a more valuable travel companion. They'll help you book your trip, plan your itinerary, navigate unfamiliar streets, convert foreign currencies and much more.

You know those cat pictures you keep sharing on social media sites? They may reveal more about you than your love of felines.

Yahoo wants to replace your current Android homescreen with Aviate, an "intelligent homescreen that simplifies your phone." The recently released app, which an invite-only beta release for months, is attractively designed, streamlined and easy to use, like many of Yahoo's latest mobile apps. Unfortunately, in its current incarnation, it's missing a few key features.

The Tempo calendar app isn't new; it's been around for about 18 months and was on my Spring 2013 "Best iOS and Android Apps" list. A new Tempo update brings some new features that make the app even better. I love Tempo for several reasons:

Kwoller is a new, free iPhone/iPod touch app designed to make it easy for women to speed-shop. The app accomplishes its mission, but you don't always get what you see.

All the recent Google algorithm updates -- Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird -- have turned what were once widely practiced SEO beliefs into myths. For instance, guest blog posting used to be a popular way to get quality links, but Google recently "stuck a fork" in the practice and proclaimed it "done."

LinkedIn is an invaluable social network for business. Just last week, I landed a new gig by simply congratulating a former client on his new position via LinkedIn.