My First Apps (day 2)

Welcome to the second installment of great apps that I've tracked down over the past year. Today I'll get right into it.


Audio Flashlight for iPhone 4

The reason I have this is because it is by far the fastest rear LED light I've tested, and I tested about a dozen. When you're in the dark and need to see, you don't want to have to fumble around a few screens to get to your light. You just need it on, and that's where this app comes in handy. It's free so there's no issues there, and there's a bonus too. If you'll notice the name, it starts with audio. That's because this app will also function as a sound induced strobe light. That's kinda cool if you ask me. You could be hanging out with your friends and a really upbeat song comes on.. you get the idea. All in all it's fast, easy and has a nice little bonus tagged onto it.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flashlight-iphone-4-compatible/id380287000?mt=8

So now all of you folks out there with iPads, iPods and anything before the iPhone 4 are probably feeling left out of all the fun. So I have a little something for you.


Just Light Flashlight

Before I got my iPhone 4 I had to find something that got the job done and this one was it. There are no frills, nothing fancy, no secret features. Nope, there is nothing here but raw awe inspiring utility. The thing is just perfect at what it does. You tap, it turns your whole screen white. Works on any and all iDevices. And let me tell you, it's a heck of a light when used on the monster screen of an iPad.

The app store is absolutely flooded with flashlight apps that let you change colors, do flashes etc. But when you need a light and need it now and need it steady, just light is your app.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/just-light-flashlight/id302956392?mt=8

So there you have it, app number two of my home page. If you need a light, get one of those, you won't go wrong. Oh, side-note, neither one of them has ever crashed on me.

My first apps

Welcome fellow iDevice users. Today is the first day of my new series going through my home screens and first on my iPhone.

I'd like to start with all of the standard apps that I haven't stuck in a folder somewhere. Those first five are, the app store, calendar, messages, photos, and settings. Now I do have others that are in my dock, but those are a secret for now, we will get to those. Now however I'll go through the reasons for those five, and then get on to my first third party app.

App Store

Obviously, I love apps. And the best way to get them is through the app store. Now for all you jail breakers out there... If you wish to read and enjoy this, then fine. If not, then just go away and don't smear up my comments section with noise about how it's better to be unrestricted. If you do, then I will remind you of your freedom when a virus bricks your exposed phone. Ok, enough of my soap box.

The app store has some great features, the featured section has a lot of different areas, even one that has a small list of great free apps. I also like the genius feature. All in all it's nice, and it's always fun to explore the different categories and see what the top apps are.


Calendar

I don't have a lot of reasons for liking this one. Mostly it's the fact that it's a dynamic icon which means it changes to match the day. So if you have it on your home page, then you never have to go very far to see what day it is. Just hit your home button.


Messages

Who doesn't text these days?


Photos

Ok, I'm a doting father and I love to have pictures of my kids at the ready. I also have to travel for work fairly frequently and l like to see my wife too. So it's nice to be able to access those quickly. I also have an iPhone 4 so the display is a visual treat and the pictures are clearer than they are on my iPad.


Settings

I've always been a tinkerer. I like to constantly adjust things, and the main reason I have the setting on my home page and not foldered is because of being able to change the brightness, and access airplane mode. Now if you're wondering what airplane mode is, I'll tell you. Basically it turns all of the wireless antennae off. I like to do that because it also resets them when you are in a low speed coverage area right next to a high speed coverage area. It'll let you switch to 3G faster.


Ok, now finally, my first third party app is dragon dictation.

I LOVE this app. I've always been a voice activation guy ever since I used to watch star trek tng and captain Picard would just say, "computer" and rattle off a command. This is pretty darn close, and the vocal recognition is great. It doesn't care for loud areas too much but it's still very accurate. That however is just the surface. ( you can also throw in punctuation by the way by saying it. Ex. Hey Jimmy comma what's up question mark. It shows up like this: Hey Jimmy, what's up? )

From the app you can take your dictated text and email it, text it, facebook it, tweet it, or copy it ( for pasting elsewhere ). That's pretty cool if you ask me. I love it for when I'm driving and need to respond to a work email or something. ( I'll get into how I read the email in another post ). All I have to do is open, hit record, maybe make an edit and hit email. It opens an email draft where all you have to do is type two letters of the recipients name and it can populate for you ( thanks apple ). If you're in the city, you can hit a red light and open it up and start talking, then hit another one and send it. How's that for productivity? And the whole time you haven't had to take your eyes off the road except when stopped.

So that's why dragon dictation by nuance has a spot on my homepage. Oh and one more thing... IT'S FREE. Link below.

http://www.dragonmobileapps.com/apple/dictation.html

Directional change

Ok, so I thought that I would start off a blog about apps by going through a series about my home screen. Every time I meet with someone who has an iDevice, we always start talking about apps. I was even dubbed the "app king" by someone. So where better to start than with the king's own castle. So we're going to go through my screens, iPhone and iPad one app at a time.

So if you love to find out about great apps, then stick around, as we go through my home screens, my most used apps one by one. Oh, and don't forget to tell all of your friends!

Oh and one other thing, if you would like me to review an app for you, then please send me a facebook mail letting me know what you are interested in. I will be setting up a pay pal account for donations if anyone wants to have a paid app reviewed. When I get enough to pay for the app, I will down load it and let you all know how it comes out.

So here goes, tomorrow I will have day one of my home screens. Welcome to iReview CNY.

The iPad. Consider yourself answered.

Last week Apple introduced the newest of their family to the world. Amongst rave reviews and biting criticisms, I have decided to answer the questions and concerns posed by my friends and relatives. With that in mind, hold on to your keyboards (physical and virtual) as we go through this...

The first point made by the opposition was versatility of the iPad for multiple formats.

"the ability of the product to read multiple formats and be a universal product"

To which I respond with a quote from the apple website:

"Viewable document types: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)"

"H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats"

"Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV"

That should take care of Document, Video, and Audio formats respectively. I'm not sure what other file types you intend to view on the iPad, but I'm fairly certain that this will cover a large portion of them. I also took the liberty to highlight all of the Microsoft specific files mentioned there...

The next volley was this:

"One had to buy all movies from able or convert movies to the apple format which takes a significant amount of time"

I'm not really sure what file types there are for movies, but I can't imagine that there are many. I know that there are codecs and whatnot out the yin-yang, but it seems to me that conversion isn't too much of a hassle. I honestly don't see how one would watch a whole movie unless going on a long trip at which point you would know well enough in advance to have already converted the desired movie(s).

Round Three:

"no stylus comes with this product"

I now direct your attention to the following product:

http://www.hdaccessory.com/servlet/the-1594/Silver-True-Touch-Aluminum/Detail

It's an iPhone Stylus pen. That means it will work with an iPad. It's currently $7.

Moving on:

"Currently no AutoCad app"

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cadtouch-r2/id298053937?mt=8

Who's next?

"It doesn't support T-Mobile's 3G spectrum, so unless you're willing to search at EDGE speeds, you're stuck on AT&T's network"

They do also have an option called wifi. And as a matter of fact, the iPad wifi goes all the way up to "802.11n" a,b, and g also included. I've heard rumored that there is also an opt in plan for a year that will allow you to join any AT&T wifi spot in the world for about $130 a year. (btw that's every McDonald's wifi and Starbucks wifi and a few others I'm sure) Now for the death knell... The t-mobile 3g coverage is significantly smaller than AT&T's. Please enjoy the link to the t-mobile coverage viewer.

http://coverage.t-mobile.com/Default.aspx

NEXT!

"No full OS on the machine"

I'm assuming you mean like windows 7 or OSX? If so then you got one, it's an upgraded iPhone OS, but isn't that kinda the point? If you want a full OS then you have to have the full computer, all of the hardware and everything. You see a full OS will run anything, and in a portable device it would completely fry the electronics because there is no cooling fan. If it was a full OS you could play all sorts of games and whatnot, but then you would kill it. I notice that my laptop heats up whenever I play a graphics intensive game. I suppose Apple could have put in a cooling fan and a few other things to run a full OS, but then it's not an iPad anymore. It's a touch screen computer, and an iPad was not designed to do that.

Fire away:

"Currently no connection to your full PC/Apple. This would be really cool to have remote PC/Apple."

From TUAW:

"The iPad, according to those checking out the SDK code, will also be able to share files with the desktop, and different apps on the iPad will even be able to identify themselves as owners for certain filetypes, which is another cool trick that Apple should teach the old iPhone dog."

Link to it: http://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/29/five-things-to-bring-back-from-the-ipad/

Also there are scores of apps designed to let the iPhone control your desktop and be used as a remote, so that answers that since everything the iPhone can run can also be run on an iPad. (I like VNC lite by mochasoft, it's free)

OK:

"No apps that have not been approved by Apple. By which I mean, you can't download your favorite apps off some web site somewhere. You are strictly limited to the app store."

If you can't find an app that you like in the over 140,000 that exist right now, then you probably won't find one elsewhere. And if you do some searching around with the namesake of my blog (jail-breakers) then you'll see why it's best that you let Apple review them. Most of the time it's because it will brick your machine in time. But it's censorship for them to not want you to have to spend another several hundred dollars with their company because you broke the first one you had...

Round, I dunno?

"No camera."

Version 2 I imagine, one of the parts distributors found the slot for it recently and stuck an isight cam in there. It fit.

Hit me!

"Microphone, but apparently... no voice calls."

I'm gonna go with Skype or Google voice. Both are legit for voice calls now.

Next!

"eBook reader only through iBookstore. No word about loading your own books/PDFs. Yes there are Apps available but not as good as they could be."

140K apps. You can find one you like, and if not, there are PDF readers that let you do exactly what you just said. I also like an app I have called "Classics" it's currently free.

What else?

"Network is GSM-based. That rules out Verizon for your choices."

Yup. Being an AT&T customer since day one I'm a little biased on that.

Scene 5, take 47... Action:

"No multitasking. This isn't OSX. It's not a laptop. Or a mini-laptop. Or even, apparently, a netbook. It's the stripped-down iPhone OS"

I don't see that as a problem. Again, it's designed for you to take out what you need for the day in a much more usable format than an iPhone and then bring it back at night and sync it up. Now I've had experience recently with nothing but an iPhone to work from. It's not easy (mostly because of screen size), but I can work without a laptop because I have access to everything I need on my iPhone. If i can do it on that, then I can do it five times faster on the large screen of an iPad. I have a laptop, and I don't intend to replace it with an iPad. In fact, most everyone I know who has a netbook also has a desktop at home where they keep most of their files etc.

Moving right along:

"16 GB for $500. 64 GB for $700. Some are complaining about the price because of the limited functionality."

The iPhone costs:

$499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB)

From the apple website. So it's smaller and has a bit less functionality as fas as processing speed, but it costs more. So when viewed from that perspective, the iPad is a great deal.

NEXT!

"No video out? Does that docking station allow video out, or is it just for the keyboard?"

From the apple site:

"Support for 1024 by 768 pixels with Dock Connector to VGA Adapter; 576p and 480p with Apple Component AV Cable; 576i and 480i with Apple Composite AV Cable"

There you go.

Getting close to the end here.

"the only netbook that's not a USB master (so no access to thumbdrives, etc from it)"

Tell the person who is giving you the thumb drive to hold on a sec, give you access to the wifi network he is on (or create an ad-hock one) and use one of the numerous wifi hard drive apps to just send it over.

Say what?

"Apple doesn't like to sell apps in the app store that duplicate apps it already has. So does that mean that Ray Kurzweil will NOT be able to run the Blio ereader software on this thing because it already has Apple's iBook?"

This is from the Blio website, that last one should answer your query.

The Blio reader will soon be available on the following platforms:

• Windows
• Mac
• Linux
• Android
• Symbian
• Windows Mobile
• iPhone

What else?

"Also it still does not do Flash :("

I'm gonna have to point back to the overheating issue. I've run some flash games and movies on my macbook, and, through the use of an app called iStat, I've been able to monitor my temperatures and fan speeds. Normally the fan runs at about 2k rpm. When I am running flash, it's at 5k. So why on earth would I want to run flash on a device that has no cooling fan? And if you are DESPERATE for flash, just run a remote desktop app and leave your computer up and running. It has a cooling fan and won't get fried due to the necessity of super high speed processing to make the dumb thing work because adobe won't fix their software...

And with that I close this chapter. All said, I believe I have answered every and all issues posed to me about the iPad. Please feel free to respond with any further questions or concerns and I will put them to bed as I have done to these. Thanks.

It's my hope that I can shed some light on these devices, because in truth, they are pretty amazing. I want to help people to get the most out of what they have technologically. Sometimes that means writing an article that combats someone else's opinion. I harbor no ill will, nor do I think less of the intelligence of my opponents. I hope that the people on the other side of this table feel the same way.

Adam

(you don't have to cheat to pass the test)

Bluetooth File Transfer

One of the complaints that I've had for a long time is the lack of accessibility for transferring files. I used to have some other phones that would allow me to do a bluetooth file transfer between my handset and my laptop. It was great for doing a fast transfer of pictures, videos, ring tones etc. Needless to say I was quite distressed when I purchased my iPhone and found out that this was not possible. So it's been an endless search for me to find some way to make this work.

After some pretty intensive search, a lot of trial and error, and probably some dumb luck, I have found a solution! Now while this is not quite the same as a bluetooth file transfer, it is a fantastic fill in. There is some setup for this trick, but it is very useful because this will allow you to open up so many more options on your iPhone that have this ability. What ability you ask? Wifi! Today instead of a bluetooth file transfer I will show you how to set up your own private wifi network from your wifi enabled computer.

Step one is to create your new network. Now this is probably a medium on the complicated scale so I'm going to include pictures for you. I have a mac and snow leopard, but this should work for any mac, and shouldn't be that hard on a PC either. I'll try to borrow someone's PC and post an update for that.

Open the airport utility at the top of your screen and click on "Create Network...":

Step two will pop up a window and you can name your network and add a password (recommended):

Now it's set up on your computer and all you have to do is connect to your new network from your iPhone. Now bear in mind, this will disconnect your computer from the internet, so don't try to access a webpage like your blog because it won't work (guilty) So on your iPhone, go to your wifi page and select your new network:

Then enter the password you set:

And finally, you're all set! Your iPhone is now connected to your computer and no internet connection is required by either! This makes this method attractive to iPod touch users also. The reason that I found this so great is because a bluetooth connection was something you could do without the internet, but WIFI never was, until I figured this out.

Now a great setup like this is only as good as the app you use with it. There are thousands of apps that have a wifi transfer set up with them already, so those can be taken advantage of. For me, however, it is the photo transfer. So I tracked down an app called "File Share" by hurryforward LTD.:

It costs a buck, but is well worth it. You can transfer anything from your camera roll, even video! You can also upload files of any type and use this as a wireless HD (and then bluetooth them to another iPhone or iPod) and you can share contacts. All in all it has all of the great features of a lot of the other file transfer apps have and a few more. The biggest thing for me is the access to your local pics and vids, and that you can transfer anything. Definitely worth the dollar to be able to move whatever you want.

In conclusion, it's possible to transfer files to and from your computer with and without internet connection, just like bluetooth (but quite a bit faster considering that WIFI is so much quicker than bluetooth) Chalk one up for the good guys!

Adam

(you don't have to cheat to pass the test)

Turn by turn GPS

Ok, so the first question I got was about turn by turn GPS. So let's take a look. There are currently about 40 apps in the store that show up when you type in "turn by turn GPS". So the short answer is that there is now an app for that. I do still have two things to say though...

The first is what I think is the best for the money. Hands down it is Motion X Drive. First of all, it's the cheapest at a grand total of $26 ($.99 for the app and $24.99 for the service for a year). Secondly, it's only 10 MB compared to the over 1 GB for the big three (Magellan, Tom Tom, Navigon), so that's a TON of storage space that it saves. The downside of that is that you have to have a signal for it to work so if you have poor reception then you better navigate only when you can muster a signal. However I live in a pretty rural area with spotty reception until I get nearer to a larger town. (oddly enough I live right between two huge 3g areas) Even still, I have no trouble with it getting me where I need to go. Thirdly, it does everything the other big guys do and then some. You can play your iPod and the music pauses when the voice speaks, and then resumes when she's done. It remembers your place after interruptions and starts right back up. Lastly, the maps are constantly updated because they are online. So, you don't have to buy new maps for it as the years go on like you do with the other big guys. (P.S. it's also the highest customer rated [1-2-10] Bonus!)

The second thing I want to talk about is pure speculation, but you can look back and see the history. Every time Apple updates the OS on anything, they always include great new features that make our life a little easier. So my prediction is that with the next iPhone OS update they will include turn by turn in the normal maps program. After all, I don't see Apple letting the competition have this up on them for long. (ref the droid's tbt gps). As such my advice to any of my iPhone brothers and sisters, just be patient. If you've been an Apple user for any length of time then you know they've already got a plan to do something similar or better, and that all we need to do is wait expectantly.

So, yes, there is an above board way to get turn by turn directions on a GPS. You do have to pay for it, but I think that's only a matter of time.

Adam

(you don't have to cheat to pass the test)

The Great Myth - Jail-Breaking your iPhone

Since this is my first blog, I'm going to keep the personal information to a minimum. My name is Adam, and no I'm not an Apple employee in secret. I'm a contractor by trade, and have little to no background in software. I've read a lot about how so many people think that it's impossible to maximize their iPhones without hacking it. So since I've always been one to buck against someone who says it can't be done, I decided to write this blog.

Please know that I have nothing against the developers who make the "forbidden" software, and I hope that maybe they too can learn from my experiences. My intent is only to empower those who (like me) are too nervous to jail-break, and to prove that the un-doable is in fact possible. Currently, "there really is an app for that" with over 100K in the app store. The problem facing us today is that now there are just too many to sift through to make things do what we want.

So, with all of that in mind, I've undertaken this task of assisting my fellow iPhone user to get the most out of their device. If you find yourself wishing for a feature that you just can't seem to nail down, then keep your browser tuned right here. So now I will attempt to put to rest the phrase, "You have to jailbreak it to make it do that."

Adam

(you don't have to cheat to pass the test)