WHERE, Inc. has released an update to their location-based app – WHERE to version 4.1.5.  Here’s what the official text says:

• Morris Visitor Publications editorial content integration, providing the best visitor content for travelers.
• Smart type ahead on the home page: suggests previous search terms, names of places near you and the best part: direct links to places that you’ve saved to your WHERE Lists.
• Faster log in experience.
• Fixed several crashes & bugs.

This update packs a punch when it comes to added useful features.  New content has been added allowing WHERE to give you the best experience in town from Morris Visitor Publications.  User experience has been enhanced with a “smart type ahead” feature that guesses what you’d like to do from previous experiences as well as a faster log in system.  This update would not be complete without several crashes and bug fixes.

You can find WHERE in the App Store here for the unbelievable price of Free.

Comcast’s app for the iPhone and iPad has recently updated to 1.5.1.  Here’s what the update text says:

Now watch movies and TV shows anytime, anywhere on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad using a WiFi connection.

The XFINITY TV app also now automatically gives you mobile access to the same TV channel lineup you have at  home.

It also lets you browse and tune to more of the On Demand TV shows and movies you expect.

The experience of returning to the application in search on iPhone has also been improved.

The selection of available content has been improved and a few bug fixes have been implemented.  One of the main fixes is when the app would crash upon launch.  If this still persists, simply delete the app and download it again.

XFINITY TV for iOS is available free on the app store.

With the service enabled, tap the AirPlay button on your iOS device to enable streaming.  Banana TV is available for $7.99 at http://bananatv.net/.

There has been some complaint of flickering displays on certain television sets when using the Apple TV. Our friends over at AppleInsider has been informed that Cupertino is planning to release a software fix to remedy the issue.

“An Apple support representative has confirmed that Apple is aware of the issues caused by the latest update to the Apple TV, software version 4.2, AppleInsider has learned. The Cupertino, Calif., company is said to be working on a fix that will address the screen flickering problems for a small number of users.”

Apple TV version 4.2, which is actually a version of iOS 4.3, was released a week prior to the iPad 2 launch. The issue seems to lie with television sets the try to transition from the 720p high definition resolution to a 1080i resolution. With the software just released, users a reporting that flickering and flashing is being witnessed directly through the HDMI output and the HDMI to DVI converter output. Additionally, users are also reporting that the video output setting has been toggles to “Automatic” with a 480p res option. The new software update that Apple is working on, or has already finished, will rectify the problem.

Tired of accessing your Google Voice account through your desktop?  Well, there’s a full-fledged app available for your mac that allows you to access Google Voice straight through your menu bar!  Say hello to BigPhone.

Google Voice is a service that allows you to unify all of your telephones with one number.  If someone calls your Google Voice number, it will ring whatever phones you have connected to it.  That means your cell phone, home phone, and work phone can all ring at the same time if you have your settings set to do so.  Google Voice also includes free voice mail which is transcribed for easy access, and texting.  Check out two of our previous articles on the Google Voice iOS app.

Setup is simple, once opened, BigPhone will prompt you to enter in your google account information.  This is your email address and password.  After that you’re ready to go!

BigPhone is centralized around its menu bar menu.  Click on it to go straight to your inbox, or quickly strike up a new conversation with its “New Text Message” menu item.  Further down the menu, BigPhone will also show you the last couple conversations or messages in your inbox for easy access.

Texting with BigPhone is very simple and is done in a familiar “iChat-esque” fashion.  If your Google Voice number gets a text, it automatically pops up on your screen.  You then can quickly reply and get back to work.

BigPhone does a good job of blending in with the rest of the OS.  It’s only there when you want it to be.  Although it looks like you can’t place any calls with the app, texting is a snap and is much easier to do with your mac’s keyboard.  To find out more and to see a quick screen cast of BigPhone in use, go to http://bigphoneapp.com/.  Or check it out in the Mac App Store here.  BigPhone is $3.99 USD.

A couple days ago Apple released FaceTime for out of beta for $0.99 on the Mac App Store.  This occurred just in time for the release of the new MacBook Pro’s with HD FaceTime cameras.  FaceTime for Mac allows you to video conference with a bunch of Apple’s devices whether that is another Mac, an iPhone, or the latest iPod Touch.  To find out more about  FaceTime for Mac, check out our preview here.

FaceTime for Mac comes free on every new MacBook Pro and is available to earlier machines on the Mac App Store for $0.99.  Click here to check it out here.

Have you ever been put into a situation where you’re watching a TV episode and you want to know who’s in it or what the name of the episode is?  Well now instead of trying to quickly decipher the credits at the end of the show you can use your iPone with IntoNow.

All you have to do is tap a button and IntoNow listens to the audio of whatever’s on TV to look up its information.  You then get a page filled with information including the series title, description, a cast list, a picture, a link to IMDB (International Movie Database) and even a link to iTunes for you to purchase or rent this episode to enjoy it again and again.

IntoNow is amazingly accurate.  It takes only a few seconds for it to listen and fetch information.  IntoNow works with DVDs and Pre-Recorded television media as well so it doesn’t have to be currently on the air waves.  In fact, I tried it during an NBA basketball game and it preformed flawlessly.

IntoNow also includes a small social network aspect.  Sign up for free and you can follow people which lets you keep up with what they’re watching.  People will also request to be your friend and follow what you’re watching.  You can also check out what is popular and what is currently playing on the air.

IntoNow is fre and available now on the App Store.  Click here to check it out!

As the culinary movement of the last 20 years shows no sign of slowing, this is the perfect app for those unfamiliar with a number of spices that you may stumble across in specialty and ethnic markets as well as your local farmer’s markets next spring.

Author Monica Bhide is a celebrity chef who has yet to enjoy the main street awareness that has blessed many a less talented chef. This app which combines history, videos, and recipes with out-the-pocket technology may prove to be her tipping point towards fame. While her work has appeared in hundreds of magazines and newspapers her easy approach to exotic ingredients should be given the credit it deserves.

Ms. Bhide promises a newer version of this app in January and she is excited to announce the collaborative nature of this hallmark application.

Have a spice/seasoning/herb that you love that is not featured? Write to me and I will add it in the next version. Have a recipe with a herb you love .. email me a link and I will add it. Or you can add it yourself in the comments section of each spice.

Are you a nutritionist? Would you like to enter information on the benefits of the spice? Share your expertise with us using the comments section on each spice. Would love to learn from your expertise!

Consider this: When the super talented folks at Leite’s Culinaria saw the application, they decided they would add links to their own recipes to several spices/herbs in this tiny app. So in the next version, we will be linking to over 100 recipes from Leite’s Culinaria!! I also heard from a national magazine whose staff will also add recipe links in the next version! I am over the MOON.

Thank you Monica.

This week Apple rolled out iLife 11, the new upgrade to the user-friendly multimedia software suite. iLife 11 incorporates some new features that make the software more powerful than its predecessor set.

iPhoto brings home the new influence of full-screen apps on the Mac OS X front, incorporating the elements from iOS. The full-screen view goes more in-depth than the previous experience adding new functionalities and features. Along with that, Apple also expanded on some features, more precisely, iPhotos social network integration. Facebook integration now includes updates and comments made on the photos posted on the users account. The app also includes an more elegant, simplistic, integrated method for emailing photos to recipients. You can now set up an email message with the photos cropped according into a variety of templets. Custom letterpress options are also now available in iPhoto. Letterpress is the process of printing from a hard, raised image under pressure, using a thick and consistent ink. Being that the theme of the event was creating a cycle between the iPhone/iPod, iPad and Mac, the new iPhoto also introduces a new iBooks-like shelf to hold all of your album creations.

iMovie receive the same treatment getting a bunch if new nifty features that make the software just easy and fun to use. To accompany the precision video editing of iMovie ’09, iMovie ’11 bring audio editing. From sound effects to music, you can manipulate the audio clip with a variety of sound effects in the iMovie toolbox. To make it easier to alter sound, iMovie presents content as color coded wavelengths so its easy to distinguish how much effect is being added. It also allows you to fade sound with a fade edge thats similar to the one in GarageBand. One-Step Effects enables users to apply many visual effects, such as slow motion and freeze frame, to their creations within one single function. Apple has made it simple as picking where you want the effect to take place, dragging where you want to the content to stop and then clicking the corresponding One-Step Effect button. The results are…honestly…very professional (much like you would expect from Apple). Taking a move from the iPhoto playbook, iMovie now incorporates a People Finder. People Finder allows you to find content of a certain person that you would like to use and add them in to your project instead of manually combing through material. Not only can you use it for people, but Apple has extended it to certain aspects of a project such as spotlighting all the close ups, wide angle, medium shots and group content, making it quick and easy for you drop content into place, which is ideal for the new Movie Trailer feature. Movie Trailers allows users to create professional looking, ready-made movie trailers, as the name of the feature implies. The feature entails custom made soundtracks composed by a famous British orchestra. It also includes recognizable trailer logos that users can implement into their creations. Social integration for Facebook, CNN iReport and Vimeo has been added to the already present YouTube and MobileMe selections.

GarageBand has received updates to it’s renditioning as well. To improve rhythm and feel to your compositions, Apple has added two new features: Flex Time and Groove Matching. These fix the timing and the groove of the music a user creates and makes them precisely even, resulting in a great end product. Cupertino also added additional amps and stomp box effects for your creation tool kit. With now an arsenal of 12, you can mix these sounds with the various stomp boxes to create numerous ways to create music. Apple didn’t forget about the beginners either. They add a “How Did I Play?” feature along with new lessons for starting piano and guitar players, 22 genre based lessons bringing the total lessons to 40. How Did I Play tests your skills in the lessons you have studied and helps hone your skill by listening, recording and monitoring your performance with a performance meter, colored notes and a progress bar, perfecting  your skills.

The new iLife is definitely a step above from the one of yesteryear. Apple has went the mile and added tons of features that really put high-grade professionalism in anyone’s project. iLife is available now for $49.99, and if you have just bought a Mac, you can grab it up for seven bucks. Definitely a well polished software suite. One of the many reasons why people are attracted to the Mac.

Well there has been plenty of news to come rolling out right at the beginning of the week. One of the latest developments is built around the new Apple TV (speculated to be rebranded as iTV). Founder of Digg, Kevin Rose, chimed in via his blog by saying that the new set top box from Apple is going to “change everything.”

“From what I hear we should expect to see the iTV launch in September.”

“With Apple’s iAds, content producers (eg. ABC/NBC/etc.) can directly monetize and distribute their content,” he said. “This will eventually destroy the television side of the cable and satellite industry, as your only requirement to access these on-demand stations will be an internet connection. Say goodbye to your monthly cable bill.”

In addition to that, he also stated that the new iTV was going to be priced at $99, which is the same amount that experts on the matter forecasted. The new Apple TV will also be losing the self-entitled software and adopting the revolutionary iOS platform. Owners will be able to access the App Store and run applications right in their living room. Speaking of iOS, Kevin also mentioned that Apple is also going to enable the iPad to be a choice of remote control for the new set-top box. User will be granted in-depth control with iPad including controlling applications and experiencing “interactive television” features. Rose gives the example of watching a football game a numerous angles all with a tap on your iPad.  A feature that will allow users to share their personal content “at the push of a button” will also be included in the software. Users will be given an update when new content it available for viewing. He didn’t go out of his way to mention Apple’s new competition in the market, more precisely Google, and their Google TV set-top box and integrated television service set to take off this fall.

“Also, keep an eye on GoogleTV – this is going to be a hot space in 2011.”

The space seems to be heating up indeed. Apple has been expected to debut their apparently revolutionary new development at their annual iPod-oriented event in September. Aside from the iTV spark, naturally, Apple is also expected to showcase another creation that the public is also waiting to see the new iPod touch. As far as these mentioning for the new Apple TV/iTV, we don’t know what to make of it. Kevin could actually have a source that’s giving him the beef and broccoli behind what’s going on in that department for Apple. He has rang in before about rumors of Apple’s plans to dazzle the world and they have been hit and misses. However, like we said, their has been some hits from him. We have to say that we are now really anxious to see what this is going to be about. We all won’t have to wait too long. September is just around the corner…

As if we didn’t see this coming. A patent submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office has been revealed showcasing Apple is working on developing a system to detect the use of unauthorized software (i.e. jail-breaking) on their collection of iOS devices.

The patent explains how the iOS software could determine unauthorized actions of a users and terminate functions of the device.  The device can even tell if the user is the primary owner of the device by detecting voice, facial and even heartbeat recognition (damn!). These can be used to help the Apple branded device determine whether or not to it should give access to a user of the device. The patent goes on to put into perspective how the technology can be used to disable access to secondary users from viewing or using applications that contain sensitive information. Furthermore, the aforementioned technologies can be used to identify a user and store their identity the next time they use the system (again, damn)

The patent coming to light also sparked some controversy. Some viewers of the patent amplified a certain portion that can enable Apple to disable certain activity that the company could also classify as unauthorized activity, more precisely, jail breaking, unlocking and SIM card exchange.

“Ignoring the possibility that a false positive in Apple’s proposed theft protection might activate the spy cam while the user is in the bath, or in the middle of some other intimate moment, this technology seems Orwellian for another reason: It gives Steve jobs and Co. the means to retaliate when iPhones aren’t being used in ways Cupertino doesn’t expressly permit.

But remember, it’s for your own good.”

There has also been an equal number of observers that state that Apple is completely thorough and transparent on what they will be using the tech for.  They inform readers that the opposing observers are overreacting.

“Just because Apple could shut down your iPhone if it’s “jailbroken” doesn’t mean Apple is trying to seize control of your digital life. In fact, if you want to keep control of it, you might actually want Apple to step in.

. . .it’s clear what Apple is really doing is scrambling to reassure those running corporate wireless programs – or just paying bills for the household wireless devices – that they’re going to be able to secure all those iPhones, iPads, and other gizmos if they get lost or stolen.”

While the patent is indeed very intriguing, are friends over at MacRumors point out a factor that we were thinking that can also weigh in debate. Apple’s history of applying most of their patents is pretty thin. Even though they have implemented patent ideas into product pipelines, the majority hasn’t taken part in Apple’s production. That being said, Apple really submits ideas to secure them so other players in the game won’t have a chance to use it in one of their own productions. Still though, it doesn’t mean Apple isn’t considering this to be apart of iOS, and for that matter, any software of their creation. It would seem likely being that Apple and their developers really don’t like people jail breaking iPhones, iPods and iPads. Other than pinching Apple’s pockets, JB-ing does indeed diminish the performance and efficiency that has become apart of the identity of Apple and their software. Not only that, your pinching devs’ pockets, both big and small. As the government says, however, it’s not their device. Do what you want with it. While it is legal, we would advise you to tread softly if you don’t know what you are doing, because Apple is definitely not fixing anything you mess up in the process.

The Android community should definitely tread softly with what kind of applications they are downloading from the Android Marketplace. There has been a flurry of malicious software making its way to the Androids app purchasing medium that has been affecting millions of users of the software. The latest installment of the epidemic, according to Venture Beat, comes from an application that has disguised itself as a collection of wallpapers that Android users can use to change the background of their device.

When the application was examined, it was discovered that it was sending information about the end-users Internet browsing activity, phone numbers, passwords, subscriber identification, text messages along with other personal private information. The malicious software would then gather this information and then send it to select servers in China. It has been estimated that the app has effected more than four million people in the Android community.

It sends the data to a web site, www.imnet.us. That site is evidently owned by someone in Shenzhen, China. The app has been downloaded anywhere from 1.1 million to 4.6 million times. The exact number isnt known because the Android Market doesnt offer precise data.

While some applications often do access personal information of a users device, it can be rather confusing for the average user (in which Googles Android platform is purchased by almost entirely and is most of the mobile world user-base) to discern and understand what each and every disclaimer for different types of data access means. Because of this, consumers may give pass to certain data access requests in order to get started using the application. There is no personal pre-examination per se for the approval of an application on the Android platform (which is one of the main reasons why applications get posted to the Marketplace so quickly). Google does sandbox their apps and force them to inform the user of what it will be accessing, though. However, this leaves the user to decide which information an application can access, which, if not tech savvy (as most users arent), will result in the person just granting access to data for the application. Being that this is so on the Android platform, the disclaimer for data access is pretty much frivolous if not evaluated first by the user.

Applications on Apples App Store are examined by a team of individuals from Apple themselves. When an application is submitted to the App Store, it goes through an examination and approval process. The operation is completed within seven (7) days of the applications original submission date. During the examination, each and every application is screened both digitally and humanly in every aspect of their anatomy for malicious and suspicious activity, as well as defects in the software. If the application passes the inspection, Apple approves the app, notifies the developer and then places the software on the App Store for distribution. If the app does not pass the exam, the application is rejected back to the developer with an explanation providing reasoning for the apps denial into the App Store. In result of Apple taking responsibility of prescreening apps before they are published, common users (again, which is most of the mobile world user-base) are relieved of the task of having to identify what data requests are OK to grant for an application to access before installing the app. In addition, when applications request data access from a users device, the request is sandboxed and detected by Apples software in which Apple notifies the user, in “plain English”, that the application wants to use certain information from the device. The user can then deny or grant access to the data for the app until the user decides not to be prompted anymore.

Users of the Android platform are advised that due to the recent spike of suspicious activity, they should be cautious of what application they are installing. The best solution would be not to install apps that you arent sure of and only the ones from familiar and publicly trusted sources (Twitter, Facebook, Google, Microsoft). Quality comparisons were conducted of the two security implementations that Android and iOS use a while back among various security firms and experts, including world famous security consultant Charles Miller. It was concluded that both companies’ sandboxing method does a great job of informing the user of what data is being accessed with some more credit being given to Apple for their plain English notifications. However, the firms and consultants gave more praise to Apple being that they took responsibility of digitally and humanly inspecting software before distributing it to the public. Now, with the recent increase in hacking attempts on Android, tech savvy individuals and experts alike are now declaring that Apple’s method seems more secure.

Another compelling patent from Apple has shown its face in the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) today. In this particular software patent filing, Apple describes the ability to create a shopping list on the iPhone OS and the software permitting the user to check out electronically.

The patent, numbered 20100082447, explains and illustrates systems and methods for offering shopping information for a consumer. Continuing in the reading, the file discloses embodiments and functions of how the system (iPhone OS) would allow the user to create shopping lists by scanning products and supply different types of information on the product(s) such as product quality, consumer ratings, pricing information of the product in that store and price comparison of the product among several stores in the area. It also goes to state that the system could even allow the users to collect x amount of items into a list and then begin to check the items out themselves electronically, preventing the need for check-out stations. The individuals given credit for the production of the invention is Amir Mahmood aMikhak and Gloria Lin. In the patent, Apple states:

Certain aspects of embodiments disclosed herein by way of example are summarized below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms an invention disclosed and/or claimed herein might take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of any invention disclosed and/or claimed herein.

Indeed, any invention disclosed and/or claimed herein may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for executing various shopping related transactions on a mobile electronic device. For example, in some embodiments a mobile electronic device may be used to identify a product and obtain pricing information relevant to retailers of the product within a specified geographical location.

In another embodiment, a mobile electronic device may be used to acquire pricing information for a shopping list of products. Embodiments may also include a variety of features that make the shopping experience quick and efficient while allowing the consumer to hunt for a better bargain. Furthermore, several embodiments also allow the product manufacturers and/or retailers to distribute relevant product information to targeted consumers who are known to be, or who may be, interested in buying a particular product.

More details can be seen on Patently Apple

Download our FREE Barnes & Noble eReader app and put more than a million titles at your fingertips.  FREE samples of every book are just a touch away.  We’ve designed our BN eReader app specifically for the iPad to give you the fastest, most comfortable and customizable reading experience there is.

- iTunes Store Description

BN eReader features LendMe technology which allows you to share your books with other BN eReader users or Nook eBook reader users for 14 days.  This app also allows you to adjust the background, font, and text color to make your experience customizable and more enjoyable for you to read.  You can also make notes and sync them with the iPhone version of the app (as soon as they release their update for the iPhone).  There is also a built in Merriam-Webster’s pocket dictionary available for quick use.

If you have already purchased a bunch of Barnes and Noble eBooks and would like to read them on your iPad’s larger screen, then this is the app for you.  If it’s customizability that you are looking for and feel that there isn’t enough in Apple’s iBooks app, then check this one out.  Stay tuned to find out if Barnes & Noble’s entry into the iPad eBook reader niche is a hit or miss.  BN eReader is available for Free at the iTunes App Store.

]]> http://macapper.com/2010/05/30/barnes-and-noble-competes-with-bn-ereader-app-for-ipad/feed/ 6 http://macapper.com/2010/05/23/comcast-showcases-prototype-software-for-the-ipad/ http://macapper.com/2010/05/23/comcast-showcases-prototype-software-for-the-ipad/#comments Sun, 23 May 2010 18:34:04 +0000 Gizmoe http://macapper.com/?p=11282 Comcast, along with G4s Attack of the Show Kevin Perrier, were recently taped showing a prototype application that Comcast has in the works that is entitled the Xfinity Remote on the iPad.  Brian Roberts of Comcast demonstrates how the application can be used to search for TV shows and other content showcased on the Comcast network. He also presented how the app can change channels and programs the Comcast DVR or HD-DVR receiver box.

Read more on Comcast Showcases Prototype Software for the iPad…

Comcast, along with G4s Attack of the Show Kevin Perrier, were recently taped showing a prototype application that Comcast has in the works that is entitled the Xfinity Remote on the iPad.  Brian Roberts of Comcast demonstrates how the application can be used to search for TV shows and other content showcased on the Comcast network. He also presented how the app can change channels and programs the Comcast DVR or HD-DVR receiver box.

He explained that the process is as simple as connecting an iPhone OS device to a Bluetooth device or accessory. You launch the application and pair the iPad with the Comcast cable box. Afterwards, you can search for content scheduled and/or playing currently on the network set for the program to be watched. You can also browse On Demand content and tap on a show, movie, etc., to instantly start watching the program.  They have implemented a really interesting feature where as you are watching content on TV, you can command the application to send an invitation to a friend of yours who is on the network. The other user of the Comcast application will receive the notification that they have been invited to watch the same program or movie that you are watching. By accepting the invitation, the users experience instantly changes the channel to the content you are enjoying.

The app is currently under construction and there is no exact date on when it will be made available to the App Store. There also isn’t any knowledge on whether the app will be made universal for iDevices running the iPhone OS, or exclusive for the iPad. We here at MacApper are keeping our ears close to this development as we are very interested in trying this one out for ourselves to see how it performs.

Even though this development is very intriguing, one should highlight that the satellite ultra-lords, Dish Network and DirecTV that is, have already developed similar applications for the customers of their service that have iPhone OS devices. Still, even though that Comcast is not the first to the party to implement this for their consumer base, they are certainly seeming like they are out to be the best with this feature. Just  Check out the footage on YouTube.

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What’s It Like

To give some background info on the official app for Twitter, it is actually the Twitter client “Tweetie” that was a paid application on the App Store that was receiving prominent reviews and ratings. Twitter was getting many inquires from the users of the social networking service as well as from the press on when they were planning to have an official mobile application. Twitter responded that it was in the works. Since that point in time, the group has (or was) been searching for an elite application. The group then fell upon Tweetie 2 and contacted Loren Brichter, creator of the app along with the first iteration, and began discussing purchase of the application. Long story short, Twitter and Loren closed the deal and behold, Tweetie became Twitter’s app.

We have been using the application all day and we are very impressed (as if we wouldn’t be) with Twitter’s pick. The app is so good that it could possibly completely replace the actual Twitter website! It hits all aspects of the social site and then some. At a glance, the application is just presented cleanly and elegantly. Animations and visual transitions really take advantage of our iPhone 3GS’s graphic processing capabilities. We also like how the software was written to emit lights  right off the edge of the iPhones display when new content is available (yes, we pay attention to the little things too. It’s what counts) The refreshing of content feature of the application is really neat. It requires you to pull down your content until the software rubber-bands it back into place. The app organizes your content in five different categories that you will be familiar with from the Twitter website such as updates from you and user you follow, tweets directed towards you and private messages sent to you as well as the ability to follow users who you prefer. The app also provides shortcuts that many Twitter members use. Shortcut options are presented right underneath the keyboard and includes functions such as link compression, hash-tags, geotagging, adding photos to a post, taking a photo and tweeting to specific users. The shortcut menu can be accessed by tapping the character counter. What we also really love is the translate feature that Twitter incorporates in both the site and now their official app. You can also save tweets that you haven’t finished in a draft folder. Multiple accounts can be managed from the application as well. The application even saves where you left off when you quit the app. The “Profile” selection in the “¢¢¢” option allows you to keep track of followers, people you are following, how many tweets you have posted in your lifetime, it even showcases your location and what number member you were when you signed up.

The Kinks

We haven’t noticed any bugs in the software under our use, if there are any. It performed without troubled and seems to be working just fine.

What’s Missing

This is one of the few applications that I myself can really say that I am completely satisfied with it’s current state. The app provides all the function of the browser-based Twitter service as well as providing some neato extras. With the use of Apple’s APIs, the application gives a real intimate experience that’s only available to the iPhone OS. We haven’t seen Twitter like this on any other mobile platform. If there is anything that we would want to see added to the Twitter app it would be push notifications for private message, tweets directed towards you and for new followers (a maybe on this one). Other than that single addition, the application is greatly polished!

In The End¦

Twitter came, they saw, and they acquired. The official application for Twitter is absolute fun to use. It provides all the same features and abilities that you can do on Twitter through a desktop browser while adding some new additional features that are all welcomed. The application is presented cleanly, neatly and elegantly packed full of smooth, delicious eye candy in the GUI. If you are an avid user of Twitter user of Twitter and you have an iPhone, you have to pick this up. Twitter for iPhone is totally free in the App Store and we definitely see you visiting Twitter on your Mac or PC much less when you start using it.

A little while back, MacApper found some information that Apple might be looking into integrating Facebook into the iPhone OS. Since then, sources have been looking for more clues in uncovering information about what Apples next plan is with their revolutionary mobile OS. We here at MacApper have discovered more information from a source that supports the Facebook integration tidbit.

Patently Apple, doing what they do best, uncovered a patent application that illustrates Apples idea for Facebook integration into the operating software. Apple describes the basis for the new addition to the software as a device-to-device workflow. The new function of the software would be able to synchronize action, activities, or information between multiple iPhone OS devices. Putting it in an instance, you and your spouse both have iPhone OS devices. You could set up your iPhone to transfer new information to your Mac and sync it with both her and your device, much like MobileMe does today, but this method completes that task without a web-based data connection. Another example is you could sync your information with a colleague and even select individual information for that person to receive.

The patent even goes as far as to illustrate the tech also being automatic and proximity based. The user could, for example, pair both their Mac and iPad to sync information. When they make a change on the iPad and get near their Mac, a connection would be automatically initiated in the background without the users command and instantly synchronize any new information that either one of the devices has “ specified by the user. Whether you select to have contact information, calendar events, or new photos in an album you have chosen to be synced between the devices, when you get in range of the partnering devices, the software will automatically check for any changes and instantly apply the changes to all devices in the background, without the user’s direct command whether the device is idle or in use. This, again, is all done without an Internet-based connection.

The mentioning of Facebook becomes known with an example of contact syncing in the patent. Christina Warren of Mashable gave an example of the tech in the reading stating if you have met someone new, you can initialize in adding the contact to your contact list on your iDevice like you would regularly do, by which your iDevice will gather vCard information from the individuals iDevice. You can then review if all the information is correct and commence to taking a photo of the person for you contacts book and then send a request to be friends on Facebook, given if the user has added his Facebook information to his iPhone, iPod or iPad database. The main idea of the software function is to do seemingly many actions in to one single action.

The tech is definitely intriguing and features much potential where Apple can apply this to many other things. Given the figures of the patent the directly depict Facebook integration within the iPhone OS, its clear that Apple has been wondering what if…

Facebook is undoubtedly one of the most used applications on all mobile platforms, let alone just iPhone and Android. Unlike the rest though, Facebook on iPhone is the most graphical. The pinching and flicking through pictures and the animations when leaving comments or uploading a photo definitely give the application a sense of intimacy that the actual Facebook doesn’t provide. But with the recent update, they really need to iron out some of the wrinkles they have in the app. Some of the bugs can be very very annoying.

For example, loading a saved image from Safari in the image uploader renders a black screen, like this…

Another issue is the menu in certain aspects of the app do not correspond to the orientation that the iPhone is in. Some of the buttons are only partially rendered

The photo in the background is in landscape with the menu presented in portrait with a red strip at the bottom which appears to be apart of the delete option.

Chat also produces some problems on Facebook. When on the iPhone, the application will crash for no apparent reason when you are chatting with a friend. Safari on the Mac hangs for a bit before the initial conversation is started. Some users of Internet Explorer on Windows have been giving some complaints that the browser completely crashes sometimes when the instant message is loading.

There are a few more bugs and kinks that can be worked out in the application. These though, have to be the most common issues that everyone is facing with Facebook (no pun intended). So on behalf of ever-growing Facebook population, call the maintenance department, it’s about that time again…

The idea behind Gas Cubby is fairly simple.  Every time you fill up your car, bring along your iPhone.  You’ll be prompted to enter a variety of information — your odometer reading, the price you’re paying for gas, how many gallons you’ve filled, etc..  As soon as you save that information into Gas Cubby, it will tell you the exactly how many miles per gallon you got on your last tank.

But just how can that single number be helpful?  If you’re like me, you’re probably looking for every way to save a penny that you can.  After every fill up I try some new tricks to improve my mileage.  Tire pressure, braking style, different brands of fuel..  the list goes on and on.  Gas Cubby gives me a perfect picture of how the changes I’ve made have impacted my car’s performance.

Gas Cubby also tracks other information that can help you figure out what’s what.  Remember my mentioning tire pressure and different brands of gas?  I can enter that into every fill-up record.  Different octanes and station locations too.  There’s even a separate function that will let me track services like oil-changes and whatnot.  It has all the bases covered.

The app will save all of this data entry after entry and display it both as a list and as a graph, giving you an at-a-glance impression of your vehicles performance.  Want to make your own graph?  No problem — Gas Cubby can export the data as a CSV.  Own more than one vehicle?  Gas Cubby supports that too.  It even offers a km/L option for Canadian drivers like myself.

The only real complaint we had here was that, while Gas Cubby provides a great tool to track your mileage, it doesn’t really offer any tips to improve it.  We would have loved to have seen something simple included — like 10 tips to improve mileage, or mileage improvement tips popping up every time you loaded — but there was nothing to be seen.  To use Gas Cubby to its fullest, you’re really going to have to do some googling to find mileage improvement tips that can work for you.  It seems like such an obvious thing to include — how did they miss that?

It also seemed a little strange that entering the data takes you through a 12 step process.  It’s quick to do, but the whole thing could have been streamlined much more effectively.  When you’re standing at a pump punching data into your iPhone, you’d like to get back in your car as quickly as possible so that other cars can come in.  Spending 30 seconds or so jumping from step to step can feel like forever under those circumstances.

There’s a paid version of Gas Cubby available for $6.99, but don’t be fooled — the free version offers all the same features.  The only difference is that the free one is ad-supported, and since the ads aren’t in any way obtrusive, it would be downright silly to shell out nearly $7 when you could have it for free.

After all — you wouldn’t be downloading Gas Cubby unless you were frugal-minded in the first place.

Simply Being, a paid application by Meditation Oasis helps you to relax in any setting, which is why it’s a great application to have on your iPhone. It features a calm, female speaker to guide you through your meditation and the option of music as well. The music is a great way to incorporate daily meditation in your commuting routine (provided you aren’t driving) and the volume controls for each allow you to determine how big of a role the music should play. The application costs $0.99 and is definitely worth the price. Many, according to their Web site and application, also use the longer meditation to fall asleep or unwind after a long day.

Here are some images:

As you can see, the volume can be changed for both the voice and music when the with music feature is selected. Additionally, the music will continue for a few seconds after the application has stopped the guided meditation in order to allow you to come out of your meditation slowly and safely.

The Web site also features a podcast that you can download and a course on meditation if you are interested. Additionally the podcast is available as it’s own paid application, for $2.99.

Today’s claim to fame is a feature which many iCal users have been looking for for quite a while. It’s a small application that lives in your menu bar, and with a click, brings up a small window displaying today’s (or another day of your choice) events from one, some, or all of your calendars. To-do’s are there, (but called Tasks in Today) as well as your major scheduled events. It’s great for two reasons. One, as I mentioned before, you don’t have to have iCal open all the time. I’d much rather have this little guy open than full-fledged iCal for simply viewing events and tasks. Two, sometimes seeing too much into the future can be counter-productive to your day. This single-day approach; seeing only what you need to be productive TODAY– is a great one for productivity-minded folk like myself.

Another one of Today’s major features is full support for actually creating new events and new tasks. New events and tasks created in Today are automatically added to iCal. There is full support for alarms and even saving new ones for frequent use, however the options for running a script or opening a file at a set time are absent. Today 2.0 also brings with it support for the popular iCal alternative BusyCal, giving you the same experience you get with iCal syncing.

In the settings department, you have a good amount of customization options. Tasks can be sorted by calendar, title, priority, and due date, and you can choose to see only tasks due today, or all tasks due in the next 3, 7, 14, or 30 days. A new feature in this, the second iteration of Today.app, is the ability to display tomorrow’s upcoming events underneath today’s. Window transparency can also be set- useful if you’ve enabled the option to keep Today’s window on top of all other windows.

Something I do yearn for in a future iteration of Today, is the ability to scale down the size of the window to a truly tiny size. In order to actually view all of my upcoming events in the app in one view on my 13″ MBP, the window takes up valuable real estate. That being said, it’s just as easy to close the window and reopen from the menu bar (you can also set keyboard shortcuts), but i’d love to be able to dedicate a smaller portion of my screen to it permanently. Also, it isn’t possible to display To-do’s from a certain calendar while not displaying that calendars events. It’s either all or nothing.

All in all though, the minute I tried Today, they had me. It’s the closest you’ll get to MyDay (Microsoft’s version for it’s software suite), and provides a very rich experience for such a small app. It has the “just works” simplicity you expect from a Mac app, without any overkill. Price sits at just $21.95 for a single user. 5-computer family packs are $34.95, and upgrade licenses start at $11.95. If you’d like to try it out, a complete 14-day trial is available for download along with the full version over at Second Gear Software. Requires Mac OS 10.5+

If you’re new to the GPS game, let me assure you that the Magellan Roadmate 2010 app offers all the bells and whistles that you’d find if you were to buy a standalone Magellan Roadmate device.  In fact, the software this is sporting more closely resembles what you’ll see in newer models of the Roadmate rather than the budget priced entry-level devices.  But unlike other GPS devices, this one has the added benefit of playing friendly with other aspects of your iPhone/iPod Touch.  Want to play music?  You can do so from in the app.  Is someone calling?  You can answer it and then go right back to driving.

The problem is that it doesn’t do any of these features incredibly well.  If you want to take a call it kicks you out of the app and then reboots, meaning if you’re on speakerphone while driving and expecting to hear “turn left in 800 metres,” you’re going to be sorely disappointed.  And if you’re expecting the convenience and music browsability that the iPod is known for, here too you’ll find yourself out of luck.  The Magellan app will only play playlists — not individually browsed tracks.  While you can build playlists in the app, the whole experience is miles away from the “OneTouch” mentality that RoadMate is famous for.

Still — everything we’ve mentioned so far is just bells and whistles.  At the end of the day the only thing that matters here is navigation, and here the performance can be a little hit and miss.  Unless your device has an uninterrupted view of the sky the GPS signal is going to drop in and out on an incredibly regular basis.  If you have a car mount kit, though, you’ll be near enough the front window that you shouldn’t have any problems maintaining a signal.  But if you’re planning on tossing your iPhone in the passenger seat while you drive?  Forget about it.

Performance from that point gets spotty at best.  While the device is almost always good at mapping out the quickest possible routes (we had a few tiny exceptions, but nothing really worth mentioning) it failed to keep up with our actual location and kept notifying us of turns 40 feet after we were supposed to make them.  It was a nightmare.

With an experience this bad, you must be wondering how we could dare describe the navigation as “a little hit and miss.”  What we’ve described so far was the miss.  What we experienced and quickly came to love was the hit.  That hit?  It has a name;  the Magellan Premium Car Kit.

Available as a seperate purchase is Magellan’s Premium Car Kit, a $129 accessory that will boost the iPhone’s GPS signal exponentially, provide an in-car mount for your device, charge it, and provide an enhanced speaker as well.  In terms of turning your iPhone into a fully functional navigation system, this thing is a must-buy.  Our experience with the Magellan RoadMate 2010 before and after using the car kit was as different as night and day.  Once connected there was no doubt in our minds that RoadMate 2010 could easily keep up with the stiff competition from standalone GPS devices.

With the kit attached no turns were ever missed, no signal ever lost, and route recalculation would happen the moment I varied from the route.  It was fabulous.  Once we got used to it we quickly delved in to all of the other terrific features the app had to offer.  Entering new addresses is a snap, OneTouch menu options let you easily find the nearest gas stations and other points of interest.  You can even assign favorite locations to the One Touch menu in case you’re looking to make return trips.  RoadMate 2010 is a fully-featured device when compared to standalone units on the market, and with the car kit in place we couldn’t have been happier with the performance.

Still, there were a few things that we couldn’t help but nitpick about when it came to the car kit.  An enhanced speaker is nice, but what this kit really needed was an FM transmitter.  Newer cars might be built to incorporate an external audio source but those of us cruising around in 10 year old cars tend to send our audio across the airwaves.  And then there’s the price.  $129 wouldn’t seem so bad if it included a redemption code for RoadMate 2010, but it doesn’t.  You’ll have to buy both products separately to get them to work together, bringing your grand total to just under $220.  That’s about the price of a standalone mid-range GPS device.

It may sound like we’re dumping on the car kit, but nothing could be further from the truth.  It has a number of great features we’ve yet to mention.  For example, unlike most car mounts this one is designed to fit an iPhone in a protective case.  I keep my iPhone in an OtterBox case and had no problem getting it to fit.  The kit provides options for mounting to dash or window, allows you to pivot the device in any direction or position you might want, but most importantly; it boosts that GPS signal to an incredible degree.

When combined with the Magellan Premium Car Kit, Magellan RoadMate 2010 offers the same top notch performance as Magellan’s standalone RoadMate GPS device.  The two are comparable in price as well.  The only difference here is that Magellan RoadMate 2010 for the iPhone has the added bonus of simply being an iPhone.  It’s one less device to lose, it offers an enhanced speaker should anyone call, and you can play all of your music from inside the app.  It should also be noted that the Car Kit enhances the GPS of the device itself, and not just for RoadMate purposes.  If you need to check out other apps that utilize GPS the Premium Car Kit will make them infinitely more accurate.

While the Magellan RoadMate 2010 app can be purchased independent of the Car Kit, it’s not something we recommend.  On it’s own the app simply isn’t reliable enough to be counted on when trying to find your way in a strange city.  Still, it’s hard to blame Magellan.  The iPhone’s built-in GPS simply isn’t developed well enough to hand this sort of task.  Magellan saw this dilemma and came up with a solution, albeit at a price.

If you’re in the market for a new GPS device and prepared to spend what you’ll need to in the standalone marketplace, you’ll easily find Magellan’s RoadMate 2010 and Premium Car Kit to be a winning combination.  Just don’t expect satisfactory performance if you buy the app alone.

You can download Magellan RoadMate 2010 North America for $79.99 on  iTunes.  Check out magellangps.com for information on how to purchase the Magellan Premium Car Kit.

With features such as Piles and four walls and a floor to throw your stuff around on, BumpTop’s interface is a versatile workspace to organize your files. It isn’t a Finder replacement, but if you like to organize your stuff in plain sight, such as multiple files relating to a project, or a bunch of pictures, you can resize them and place them on any of BumpTop’s surfaces. It’s also easy to quickly jot a note and literally throw it up onto the wall in front of you, sticking there to remind you about your son’s soccer game in two hours.

It’s a nice interface to be sure. It’s pretty, smooth, and is more like a 3D Spaces iteration for the files on your desktop. You can customize the images on each wall, and even double click the background to get a traditional 2D view of your desktop.

There’s two versions, free and paid (obviously). The pro version is the one with the Multitouch Gestures, like pinching to resize items, and swiping through individual items in your Piles. You also get Find-As-You-Type, useful for locating lost items in a crowded desktop. After all, you’ve got 5 surfaces to store stuff on, and if you utilize them, you’ll need this feature for sure. BumpTop also stays out of the way when using Spaces, Exposé, and QuickLook, letting you use these awesome integrated OS X features without a hiccup.

As much as I was impressed with the smoothness of the transitions between surfaces, I found the interface to be a little congested when used on my 13-inch MacBook Pro. Shrinking the files helped, though I liked the preview of photos, and shrinking those too much sort of killed that experience.

Additionally, I’m an avid GeekTool user, and with files in stacks and piles and on walls and such, the text files I display on my desktop with GT are obscured to say the least, if not unreadable and unusable sometimes.

Overall, it’s a great experience for those who love to see their files in front of them and use their mouse or trackpad. Quicksilver lovers will no doubt be unimpressed, but those loving nice graphics and wanting something new to try out against their traditional Mac desktop will be glad they gave it a shot. BumpTop is free to use without the Multitouch and other features, and the all-inclusive Pro version will run you 29 bucks.

The paperless society is an interesting concept.  It’s been around long enough that we’ve all gotten used to it, but in the grand scheme of things it’s still a fairly modern invention.  10 years ago it was commonplace to visit an office that still posted paper memos on a bulletin board in the cafeteria or to have a boss that preferred using a fax machine to sending a quick email.  Those days, it would seem, are far behind us.

With the office conquered, paperless lifestyle choices have quickly invaded our personal lives.  We’ve gotten used to digital purchases on everything from books and music to comics and movies.  It was only a matter of time until someone decided to bring the print magazine boldly into the 21st century.  It turns out that GQ was that someone.

Beginning with the December 2009 issue, GQ now offers an iPhone edition of their monthly men’s magazine that includes every piece of content found in the print version.  In addition to everything you’d see at the newsstand, the iPhone edition of GQ has a number of positive traits going for it;

• exclusive audio, video and photo content not found in the print version
• better price: $2.99 iPhone, $4.50 newsstand
• back issues still available after new issues are published

The flipside, of course, is that unless Apple somehow creates a subscription model, regular readers won’t be able to save by committing to multiple issues with one purchase.  As well, there’s a massive download required once the app is purchased to take the issue around with you offline.

Small complaints aside, there’s a great deal of potential in making magazine’s available as digital downloads for the iPhone.  I can think of half a dozen or so print publications I’d love to buy digital edtions of (Wired, I’m looking in your direction).  What do you think?  Is GQ blazing a trail that other magazine publishers should follow?  Would you pay $2.99 for a digital version of your favorite print mag?  What would you like to see in a magazine app?

1.) Keep Track of Your Work and Responsibilities

If you’re a student, or just have a lot of projects to keep track of, make sure you check out our article on 5 Apps For Staying Productive At School, where you’ll find our recommendations for assignment wrangling. Having one of these apps is invaluable, no one can remember everything all of the time. For a more simplified to-do manager, check out Remember The Milk. It’s an internet-synced to-do manager that will sync with as many computers as you want. Just set up your account, install one of the many services RTM offers, and get organized.

2.) Sync and Organize Your Digital Devices

iTunes is great for the iPods and iPhones in your life, but what about your other devices? You have a few options. Use the junkware that came with them to sync your music, photos, and movies, or take charge with a Mac application that makes its living from picking up where inadequate software leaves off. One answer lies in DoubleTwist (Mac OS X – Free). An open-source project that is still under heavy development, DoubleTwist supports Archos media players, the Palm Pre, Sony PSP, INQ1, G1 and Android phones, select Nokia, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson phones, as well as Blackberry, WinMo 5.0 and 6.0, as well as iPod and iPhone models! Just drag and drop for file and playlist transfer to your mobile device. New devices are being supported all the time, and you can request a feature or device in their forums.

3.) Get Access To Your Computers From Anywhere!

An important aspect of being organized is having easy access to all of your information and tools that you need to get things done. Several Mac apps make this idea easy to implement. Start with a solid VNC app for remote control of your computers from any corner of the globe. Try out the free apps JollysFastVNC or Chicken of the VNC, which we featured in our huge list of awesome Mac Freeware from last year (many applications in there are still very relevant today). Both will let you see and control your home or work computers from anywhere with an internet connection.

Also, grab an FTP client for easy transfer of files across your computers. I fully recommend downloading the free Cyberduck or the $28 YummyFTP, both of which work equally well in my own (and others) experiences, for file transfer to your website or personal machines.

4.) Back Up Your Files…twice.

If you aren’t doing this by now, get to it. Like, as soon as you’re done reading this paragraph. I cannot stress the importance of having multiple backups of your stuff. Having another copy of your data off-site (away from home, work, wherever) is equally important, and can save you in the case of a fire, Act of God, or robbery. In addition to Apple’s own Time Machine, there are many online services available, such as Dropbox (2GB Free; plus Paid tiers for more storage) and Mozy(2GB free as well as paid levels with more storage). Both do a great job of running silently from the menu bar, backing your stuff up to their servers as you go. So go get one! I think I hear a tornado coming…

5.) Keep your Mac up-to-date with AppFresh.

Spend less time keeping all your applications updated! Let AppFresh take care of it for you! AppFresh is a free indispensable utility that will index your applications and find their updates, all you have to do is click download and it installs them for you! Just run it once a week or so, and enjoy an quick update experience.

6.) Lock Down Your Finances

Whether or not you choose to do this completely digitally, there is something to be said for a software solution to one of human-kind’s most stressful topics – money. There are standalone apps to help you wrap your head around where you’re spending all that hard-earned dough (that thing you’re typing on, maybe?). For that, I recommend apps like SEE Finance($20), iCash($39.90), and even Quicken 2007($69.99) can help you get ahold of and track your finances. These apps serve their purpose well, and are all worth at the very least a look-see. From simple budgeting to keeping track of interest and investments, they’ll provide a good user experience and some allow you to download transactions from your bank’s website.

If you want to see up the minute updates with your current balances and lines of credit in an easy to see visual environment, I recommend Mint (free). Being able to have everything in front of you is invaluable. Mint provides you with complete breakdown of all your account activity over time, and gives you readouts of where you currently stand, all in a cross-platform web interface. It can’t get much easier than this, folks.

The UI is different, to put it simply. The default display is a CoverFlow-esque view of all your music in alphabetical order by artist then by album, just like in iTunes. To view tracks on a particular album, double click the album, and a track list slides out to the right.

I do appreciate what the developers tried to do with it, but it felt a little counter-intuitive at first. There is a slight learning curve associated with using the app to it’s fullest potential.

Also, there’s no way to view just a tracklist of all your music- your only option is the CoverFlow-like view. So if you rip your music from CD and don’t bother with the artwork, you might end up with something like this:

Full Screen mode could also use some improvement. Now, I realize this is a compact media player, so it’s not supposed to be ripe with features, but there’s a few that should be there to begin with. First of all in Full Screen, there’s no way to navigate your music other than scrolling through the album artwork. No quick-find, no search. If you have a lot of music, you’ll understand where this gets frustrating quickly. Also, within full-screen mode, there’s no way to do anything else, really- save navigating, sorting, playing and pausing. Along with a search box(at minimum), I’d like to see an on-screen volume slider, and a few control buttons: play/pause, forward and previous track.

One of Everplay’s biggest advantages is that it taps right into your iTunes library. No need to organize or reorganize your digital media files. If it’s the way you want it in iTunes, you’re all set. However, this could also be it’s biggest DIS-advantage, as there’s no way to add, delete, or reorganize media whatsoever. You can indeed play your movies and videos in Everplay, but be warned. There is no way to play DRM video content at all. This means any movies or TV shows you have in your iTunes library, you will have to play in iTunes. It’s something iTunes Store lovers will surely be a little disappointed about.

Another major plus in Everplay is its integrated Last.fm features. If you use Last.fm, you’ll be able to scrobble from right within the app, listen to radio, and find similar artists. Also, events from your Last.fm calendar can handily be sent right over to iCal.

Everplay has two modes for playing music, regular track order, and Jukebox Mode. Jukebox mode acts¦well like a jukebox. Any track that is double-clicked is put into a queue for immediate play after the currently playing track ends. Great for parties, it’s basically creating an on-the-go playlist, and you can view or clear the upcoming tracks in the Upcoming menu drop-down. Jukebox Mode, however, is Everplay’s only playlist creation tool, and won’t save when you exit the app. To create a new playlist to use in Everplay, you’d have to do it in iTunes.

To sum things up, this app, like most of its competition excluding iTunes, is a great idea, but its execution is lacking nearly everywhere. It’s compact for sure, but there’s just too much missing. Were some of the missing features implemented in further releases, I’d fully recommend this software, but for now, stick with iTunes. Everplay is free to try, and $19.95 for a license from Snarb.tk

1. Journlr – Mac OS X only- Free/$35

While development of Journlr has ceased, it is almost an essential note-taking app for your college courses. It combines the ability to type notes, record audio, video, and take photos simultaneously. All media can be incorporated into a single page of notes and organized in many ways. Smart folders let you keep track of classes, sections, chapters, or whatever you choose to organize by. Notes can then be exported to email, your blog, your iPod, or iWeb if you so choose. Additionally, audio recordings of lectures or discussions can be exported directly into a Journlr playlist in iTunes. Journlr is available for free, but a license can still be purchased from the website.

2. Schoolhouse 3 –  Mac OS X only – $14

We reviewed Schoolhouse earlier this year, and it only makes sense to feature it here again. Since our last review, it has been upgraded to version 3.1.2 from 2.2 in the last review, and it now features a slightly refined look and feel, as well as MobileMe syncing and an autosave feature. Most useful for keeping track of all your assignments and their due dates, you can also write notes, and its great for project organization utilizing the ability to add documents and other media to a project’s page. Other features include grade tracking and a multitude of customization options. Schoolhouse has now moved to a paid model that is set at a quite reasonable $14. You can try it for free with a limit of being able to input 20 assignments, but I highly recommend shelling out the 14 bucks and getting an incredibly useful organizational app. Schoolhouse is available from Logans Collins at their website.

3. iHomework – Mac- Free – iPhone/iPod Touch- $0.99

If you’re looking for an application that will wirelessly sync between your iPhone/iPod Touch and your Mac, look no further. This little app works great with just what you think…homework. While there are little to no note-taking abilities, iHomework allows you to enter all the class info you can think of, such as dates, times, instructors (mobile only), and places. The Add Work button is where you input all of your new assignments and their corresponding information like type of assignment, due date, course, and even lets you input your grade for a particular assignment. One of the great features of this app is the ability to send any and all events to iCal. The wireless syncing process is fairly straightforward, although it could use some adjustment, as the first time around is a little confusing. iHomework for OSX is free from their website, and the iHomework mobile version is just 99 cents from your friendly neighborhood App Store. Well worth it.

4. EtreTask – Mac OS X only – Free

EtreTask is a dead-simple to do list for your Mac. There’s not much to say about it, but if you’re looking for a to-do list only, this is definitely the app for you. It’s lightweight, and couldn’t be more straightforward. Input a note, and check it off when it’s done! EtreTask is free from Etresoft.

5. Circus Ponies Notebook – Mac OS X only – $49.95

Regarded in the Mac community as one of the best note-taking/organizational applications out there, Notebook is a customizable, versatile masterpiece. Upon initial launch, you’re presented with a multitude of templates from which to get started. Want to get organized at college? Notebook sets up a notebook just for you, with tabs for each class, and a contents page to show you where to input your information. Want to write a novel? Plan a trip? Keep a journal? Keep track of recipes? There’s a template for that. Notebook is $49.95 from Circus Ponies for an individual license, an academic license (with valid academic credentials) is $29.95 and a family pack can be had for $99.95.

Airlock is very easy to set up, you just need to turn bluetooth on on your iPhone and follow the directions on your Mac. Once you select your device, you can change some preferences to make sure Airlock works just how you want it to. First, you can change the range of Airlock. This is done with a nice little radar. A little blip on the radar shows your device, and you can drag the “activation range” slider to make the activation area on the radar bigger, or smaller.

Airlock has some more advanced features too. You can have Airlock automatically launch items when you come into range, or leave range, of your computer. Airlock can also increase the rate in which it scans for a device. This can decrease the battery of your iPhone or iPod if you set it very high, but it will also make your screen lock, and unlock, quicker. If you do not have your iPhone with you, you can click the small lock in the corner of the lock screen to type in your password. When you do this Airlock will be deactivated until it detects your device again. Currently Airlock only works with an iPhone or an iPod Touch, but they plan on adding support for almost any bluetooth device in the future.

Airlock does come with a few issues. If you want to save your battery, and you lower the responsiveness of the app, it will take a longer time to lock or unlock your computer. This is where the manual unlock tool comes in useful, but it still might be frustrating for some users. If you do not make the activation range large enough, you might suddenly get locked out, even if your device is near your computer. Be sure to try out the demo of Airlock first, because the developer does report that some users with bluetooth mice and keyboards are having issues. They are currently working on a fix for this.

Airlock is an interesting application. It does have a few issues, but it’s a cool app that I think everyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch should try out. A trial is available and you can purchase Airlock for $7.77 on it’s website.

The way I see it, there are really three different types of desktops. One has the background picture as the focus, one has files as the focus, and one has data. My desktop has gone through all three of these stages over the years. Currently, it only has three icons my hard drive, a single folder, and my backup drive. Anything that shows up is automatically moved into that single folder through the magic of Hazel. The primary purpose of my desktop is to see my background picture (a shot from the Musée dOrsay in Paris). I also have a few tidbits of data put up in Geektool, which prints text directly on your desktop, such as what is playing on my iTunes, my battery charge, and IP address. Now, this is the set-up that works for me. I’m a messy person by nature, so I had to find a way to force myself to keep things clean. I used to have files all around, but now, with my increasing use of Spotlight or Quicksilver, I no longer have to see things to open them.

There is, of course, too much of a good thing. Using Geektool, in addition to what I have already mentioned, I also had five separate to-do lists, weather, and all manner of other interesting but unnecessary system statistics. This was great from a standpoint of being informed, but my desktop picture was completely obscured and this depressed me.

Other people I know integrate their desktop backgrounds with the data on them, hiding stats in graffiti, or subway message boards. Others go the complete opposite direction and have countless files that they find by knowing their relations to other files. Many productivity experts say that you should always have a clean desktop nothing to distract you, a clean slate to start from but I know for a fact that this doesn’t work for everyone; here’s an example from a tech support company in Norway:

The answer to the question I asked earlier is really trial and error, at least in my experience. There are countless tools available to make your deskop as customized as you want it to be extra wallpaper, built-in clocks, and so on. See how you work with no files. See how you work with a plain background, or if you really want to see places you’ve been, people you’ve met, then stick a photo or two up there. Data is helpful, but don’t go overboard. Try things out. Play around. After all, it’s a great way to procrastinate. Your desktop may end up being completely different than mine, but I can hope that I at least made you think about it, and set you on your road to your perfect screen.

I hate to gush about any app, but I love it.  As a Comcast user (who is not getting anything free from Comcast, other than this app, which is free to all), I was shocked and dismayed that just earlier this year, the web client to access my voice mail forced me to listen to the mail before deleting them.  No mass delete check boxes either.  Since then, Comcast rolled out comcast.net and now the iPhone app and has removed any doubts I had about Comcasts commitment to getting mobile right.

The app is extremely clean and sleek.  I honestly don’t think Apple could have done a better job designing this one.  Comcast turned to mPortal for the heavy lifting in coding the app and they’ve done an outstanding job.  Let’s take a look at the features of this instantly-essential (to me at least) application.

Digital Voice

This is the killer app of the, well, app.  See that button in the lower right-hand corner?  That one allows you to forward your number as you please.  Awesome.  Now, I can forward and unforward my number about as easy as playing a rousing game of Lexic.

Simply hit the Call Forwarding button, choose where you want to forward your number to and push the slider to turn it on.  Users can even label phone lines, like “work” so they can be recalled easier and faster.

In a very Android-like way, all your calls are shown in the “All” category.  Users ccan click on Outgoing, Missed or VM tabs to access just those calls.  If you feel that is too much info to look at, simply hit clear and you have an empty page.  Very soothing.

Access to call logs, both incoming and outgoing is there as is easy deletion of voicemails.  Everything you need, all within reach seems to be the design mantra here and it works.

SmartZone Address Book

Last year, Comcast bought Plaxo, the social networking site that sought to keep everyone’s contact information in one place.  Comcast integrates this great idea in their iPhone app.  By bringing your Plaxo address book into your iPhone you get contacts sync’d much like the Palm Pre does.  When one of your contact changes say a phone number, that change is pushed to Plaxo and thus into your Comcast SmartZone address book which can be sync’d with your iPhone address book.

Comcast bills this as a universal address book – the last one you’ll ever need.  The iPhone app also uses your on-iPhone contacts as well.  Handy.

If you are like me and keep your iPhone by your side while watching TV, there is a nifty guide that localizes based on your location to tell you what is on.   Not ground breaking but nice to have.

SmartZone Inbox

Most Comcast users are going to love this.  This feature combines your Comcast line phone data along with your Comcast email.  All in one place, organized by time and searchable.  Even your email folders are accessible through this app.

On Demand

Another nice to have feature, find out what is new from Comcast’s On Demand.  The app will display movie trailers broken down into categories or you can search for a specific title.

Settings

Good settings to me, are the tell tale mark of a well thought out application.  This app has just about every setting adjustment you could want.  Users can change the home screen from a list to Cover Flow  to a grid, alerts can be customized as can several other settings.  It is a nice touch.

Summary

Rarely am I this impressed with an iPhone app. About the only flaw I can see is the lack of push notifications, but that is a minor (and fixable in later versions) flaw.  The Comcast application is simple, easy to use and very detailed; exactly the type of application that makes the iPhone shine.

Learn more at: [Comcast] or [iTunes link]