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Filed under: iPhone

Filed under: News, Apple, iPhone, Mobile, Lists

5 ways to save money with an iPhone

On 12/28 I am eligible to switch phones and am rationalizing an iPhone purchase, which is all the more difficult as I just read David Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. The book advocates saving money and paring down expenses, so the $30 monthly data plan would definitely be in the con column. However, after reading 33 things you don't need if you buy an iPhone, I'm thinking I'll definitely come out ahead in the long run. Below are some of my favorite excuses reasons to purchase.

GPS- rather than purchasing a stand alone unit, like Tom Tom, there's several apps in the App Store that will help with turn by turn navigation.

Camera - since my husband borrowed and never returned my Canon PowerShot, I definitely "need" a good camera. And while the iPhone's camera is not like my SD850IS, it's a decent enough point and shoot. Plus, I'll be "saving" money and don't even get me started on the convenience of not having to carry multiple devices.

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Filed under: Office, Web services, Adobe, BlackBerry, iPhone, Mobile

Acrobat.com gets revamped and gets a mobile app

Adobe's Acrobat.com service is getting a big update tonight, followed closely by a new mobile app for iPhone and BlackBerry. The name "Acrobat" goes hand-in-hand with the PDF file format, and Acrobat.com allows you to convert documents to PDF and save, store and view PDF files. It also features some other applications, including the Adobe BuzzWord word processor, a web meeting service called ConnectNow, and storage space for docs, spreadsheets and images.

The new features include searching by filename (I'm still wrapping my head around how they didn't have this before), but not searching within documents. That feature is reportedly coming soon. Your files are also now displayed in a file organizer that lists everything you have stored on Adobe's webspace - I think this includes saved stuff from other web apps, including presentations.

The mobile app is reportedly going to be a pretty basic mobile front-end for Acrobat.com, with the ability to upload documents and send faxes (what's a "fax?") from your phone. It will come in both free and paid flavors, and the free version will allow a limited number of uploads and faxes per month.

[via CNET]

Filed under: Social Software, iPhone

Trillian brings impressive multi-network chat to the iPhone

Trillian, the excellent all-purpose chat app we've loved for years on the PC, just made the leap to the iPhone.

There are a lot of things to love about this pocket-sized version of Trillian, including its great-looking interface and its support for several different chat services. You'll need to sign up for a free Astra account if you don't already have one, but it's nice that Trilian's existing desktop users can just plug and play with no account setup required.

Little perks of Trillian on the iPhone include push notifications (yay!) and the ability to send photos. Managing contacts is also pretty easy. In fact, Trillian's the first iPhone chat app I've seen that has a straightforward way of moving contacts between groups.

I do have a couple of minor bones to pick with Trillian, though. First, no landscape keyboard? Seriously? IM is a typing-intensive activity, and the iPhone's small portrait keyboard doesn't cut it for fast and furious chats.

Second: it takes two clicks to close your current chat (the "more" button and then "end conversation"). Can't we just get a close button? These are minor issues with what's otherwise a great app, and a decent value at $4.99, especially if you use more than one chat service at a time.

[via CNET]

Filed under: Fun, Games, iPhone

Minim (now on iPhone): the game so nice we've reviewed it thrice

If you've been a Download Squad reader for a while, you've probably heard about the 3-D molecular puzzle game, Minim. I reviewed it back in May, and Jason reviewed it again in July (oops!). However, I've got my hands on the iPhone version now, and it's worlds better than the Flash one we played before.

The object of Minim is to match up various numbered molecules until you clear the board. When you combine two of the same number, they form a single molecule that's one number greater. Eventually, you'll wind up with just one left, and you've won the level. The thing is, Minim is a lot more fun when you can use the iPhone's gestures to rotate the game board to see what you're working with. Using the mouse in the web version was fine, but the sense of manipulating the puzzle with your fingers adds an extra element of awesome. Check out the trailer after the jump to see how it works.

Minim isn't fast-paced (although you do get time bonuses for quickly solving puzzles), so it's ideal for mobile play on the bus, in the subway, or at your desk. It's cool, we won't tell your boss. The game comes with 50 basic levels, and there appear to be another 40 mystery levels, if you make it that far. For 2 bucks, you're getting your money's worth if you're a puzzle fan.

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Filed under: Utilities, Google, iPhone

Google Earth for iPhone gets an update to 2.0

When Google brought its amazing global map application, Google Earth, to the iPhone, it was a match made in heaven. (Okay, it was match made on Earth, but bear with with me, here.) The pinching and rotating gestures on the iPhone made exploring the globe on a handheld device fun and easy. Well, now Google Earth is back with version 2.0, which introduces some of the useful features you've come to expect from Earth's sister project, Google Maps. You can grab it from the app store now.

Although it's nothing earth-shattering (ha!), Google Earth can now access your saved maps - and other people's public maps - by logging into your Google account and using the My Maps interface. Bringing Maps and Earth even closer together, Google has also made it easier to search businesses, photos and places in Earth, just like you can in Maps. Also, in a move that seems fitting for an app that maps the entire world, Earth 2.0 supports 31 languages, up from the original 18.

Filed under: Social Software, iPhone, Mobile, Android

Bump for Android: slick contact-sharing app not iPhone-only anymore

Bump, the impressive iPhone app that lets you trade contact info and other data by physically bumping two phones together, isn't just an iPhone app anymore. Bump for Android has arrived (so sayeth TechCrunch, at any rate), and it covers Bump's biggest weakness: you had to have an iPhone to use it. Between iPhones and Android devices, Bump now has the potential to become a common way of swapping contact info.

In addition to the Android launch, Bump also polished up its iPhone app. The new version, which is in the app store now, taps into Facebook to compare address books with your bumping buddies and see whether you have any contacts in common. You can also send either a message or a newsfeed post to yourself via Facebook when you bump someone new, so you can remember to get in touch with them later. These features haven't made their way to the Android edition of Bump yet.

[via TechCrunch]

Filed under: Security, iPhone

iPhone Rickroll exploit gets nasty, can now steal personal data

What started out as a mostly harmless annoyance coded by a young Australian lad to mess with his friends has turned ugly [Insert your own Rick Astley joke here].

Intego reports that the exploit used by the ikee worm - which only swapped out users' iPhone wallpaper for a mugshot of the ginger king of the 80s - is being used to steal personal data from affected devices.

The worms are only a concern for those running jailbroken iPhone and iPod touches, of course. Still, even at Intego's estimate of 6-8% of those devices being jailbroken that puts the number at risk at well over 2 million.

It's simple enough to protect yourself - all you have to do is change your root password to something other than the default 'alpine.' Our friends at TUAW posted the following instructions:
Type: ssh root@(iPhone IP address)
When prompted for the password type: alpine
Now you're connected the phone...
type: passwd
It should then prompt your for a new password -- type one that you'll remember. There's no easy way to reset it if you forget it.
Turning off SSH is an option, too, but you should still change the password as well.

Filed under: Social Software, iPhone, Microblogging

Tweetdeck back in the iPhone app store with new features, fewer bugs

Twitter fanatics were disappointed when the hotly-anticipated update to Tweetdeck's iPhone app was pulled from the app store due to bugs, but it's available again today. The upgrade is a big one, including some of the most important features of the Tweetdeck desktop version. The biggest deal might be Facebook integration, a feature that keeps Tweetdeck competitive with its main desktop rival, Seesmic (which has Facebook support, but has yet to launch an iPhone app).

In addition, Tweetdeck for iPhone now has video uploading via 12Seconds.tv, taking advantage of the video capabilities of the iPhone 3GS. It also uses the device's GPS for a "nearby" feature that lets you read tweets from folks in your vicinity. Although I take every opportunity to bash Twitter's trending topics, fans of that aspect of the service will now find it in Tweetdeck. One feature I won't bash, though, is the address picker, which lets you choose a contact from list so your @replies are without typos.

Combine all those features with details like a landscape keyboard mode and the ability to save drafts, and you've got a pretty solid version 1.1. If you've been using and enjoying Tweetdeck, this update should be some sweet icing on the cake.

Filed under: Blogging, Commercial, Social Software, iPhone

Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style

For the last few weeks I've been looking for a suitable RSS reader application for my iPhone. I've found myself frustrated with long-time favourite NetNewsWire (which currently lacks any of the Google Reader sharing options) and the Google Reader web UI. Much like every Twitter client out there, I've bought my fair share of RSS readers for the iPhone and after much testing I have finally found a new favourite: Reeder.

Reeder [iTunes Link] has all the relevant sharing options I've craved in one place - and best of all is stylish as hell. There's plenty of applications with custom user interfaces on the iPhone - some more successful than others - but Reeder balances the familiar with custom elements, and as a result the interface looks great when browsing (and reading) content.

If I had any complaints about Reeder, it's that the application lacks the ability to view your friends' shared items within the application, but given the sheer style and speed of the application it's a small oversight. If you're looking to pick up a copy of Reeder, the developer has dropped the price to $0.99 until version 1.1 ships - and available now on the App Store.

Filed under: Security, iPhone

Jailbroken iPhones in Australia getting Rickrolled by a worm

If the possibility of having your jailbroken iPod Touch or iPhone held ransom for 5 Euros wasn't enough of a scare to make you change your root password, maybe this will. Users on an Australian forum site are reporting a new attack - one that's no stranger to love.

You guessed it, the newest attack on jailbroken devices is a wallpaper Rickroll. Along with Rick Astley's devilishly handsome headshot, the image also includes the message "ikee is never gonna give you up."

It's actually a pretty tame attack. There are no reports in the forum of sounds being replaced with that all-to-familiar opening verse or repeated, mind-numbing video assaults.

At least one variation has also popped up. In addition to Astley, one user commented that his image had been changed to a New England Patriots logo.

The moral of the story?

If you jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch, make sure you change the root password to something other than alpine so you can avoid the shenanigans.

Filed under: Fun, Social Software, iPhone

Balloons: launch a balloon from your iPhone, see who finds it

If you ever let a helium balloon float away when you were a kid and wondered where it eventually ended up, you already know what Balloons for the iPhone is all about. This cute little app lets you launch a virtual balloon with a message and a photo attached. Anyone with the app installed call pull down balloons near them -- Balloons uses the iPhone's location services -- and read messages.

I grabbed a few balloons to see what it was all about, and it was more addictive than I expected. My first balloon was an ad, launched by some marketer near my city (Boo! Hiss!), but then things started getting interesting. I caught a balloon that had drifted from London to Texas to Arizona, picking up new notes along the way. Balloons reminds me of the message-in-a-bottle feeling of the early days of the Internet -- "Hey, who else is out there?"

I tested the Lite version of Balloons, which is free. There's also a $2.99 version that adds the ability to track your balloons, in case you get really serious. TUAW interviewed the developer at this year's WWDC.

Filed under: Social Software, iPhone

BeeJive iPhone app gets AIM chatroom support, sort of

I once called BeeJive the best chat client for the iPhone, and for good reason: it supports several different chat services, offers push notifications, and has a user interface that makes chatting on the iPhone about as easy as it can feasibly be. BeeJIve just keeps getting better, too. The latest version, 3.1, now supports group chats in AIM ... almost.

Group chats are a great feature that I'm sure Beejive will fully implement soon, but I'm not a fan of the way they work now. To start a group chat, just click the plus button and add multiple contacts. So far, so good, but here's where things get sticky: the only option is a private chatroom. You have to invite contacts to allow them in.

There's also no control over the name of the room. It's just Beejive plus a random string. Also, you'll want to turn notifications off if your room is very active, because having your phone beep or buzz for every message in a fast and furious chat is a wee bit obnoxious.

I know these are all minor quibbles, but it would be great to have a separate "start group chat" button, with the ability to create and name a public room. For now, though, I'm not complaining too much when an already-excellent chat client adds a useful feature it didn't have before.

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Photo, Video, News, P2P, Social Software, iPhone, Mobile, Web

Now finally available - ubiquitous media sharing with Orb for Mac


It was pretty exciting news at Download Squad to hear Orb, the "sort of software version of Slingbox," was available for Mac. Orb allows you to broadcast your media to any device that has a web browser. After downloading Orb to your "always on" Mac with a high speed internet connection, you can access all your photos, songs, TV shows, and videos from any device with a browser and media player.

After downloading the app, Orb indexes your media and then prompts you to either log in to mycast.orb.com, or create a log in if you don't have an account. After you log in you can see your dashboard and all your media goodies.



Though my songs appeared immediately, my photos did not. There are various feed settings you can play with and channels to explore. Also, with a simple drag drop interface you can share your media with your friends via email, SMS, widget on your blog, or a public URL.



Checking it out from my home computer is one thing, but would it work on other devices? Success! I was able to access my media from my Dell PC.

A note for iPhone owners: The esteemed and indefatigable Jay Hathaway noted that he received errors when he tried to download the free version of OrbLive for the iPhone, which he tried from both his iPhone and his iTunes account on his Mac. There are 3 flavors of Orb available for the iPhone: OrbLive free, OrbMedia ($4.99) and OrbLive ($9.99)

Note to Orb: Please update your landing page to include PC and Mac, ok?

Filed under: Social Software, iPhone

Waveboard: Google Wave client now available for iPhone

You may have already figured out that you can use Google Wave in Safari on the iPhone, but now there's a better alternative. Waveboard, one of the early attempts at a desktop Wave client, now has an iPhone app. The Waveboard app will run you 99 cents, but it's a much faster way to check your Waves than loading them up in the built-in browser.

Waveboard basically gives you the same thing you get on the mobile web version of Wave, but also adds some additional features. You can shake your device to logout and reload your Waves, and push notifications are apparently coming soon. It sounds like right now is the time to jump on Waveboard, in case future features come with a higher price.

If you have 40 seconds to kill, and you want to see Waveboard in action, check out the demo video after the jump.

[via TechCrunch]

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Filed under: Finance, Kids, iPhone

Don't forget to feed your kids during the economic downturn -- use this iPhone app!!

I'm not a parent, nor am I kid -- but that doesn't prevent me from appreciating a totally neat iPhone app called 'Kids Eat For' (I guess the domain with 'free' on the end was already taken?)

Basically -- and this is about as basic as apps get -- this app just shows you where the nearest restaurant with a kids-eat-for-free deal. The developers say that the database is kept up to date, with new deals added daily and expired deals removed -- so you don't have to have one of those embarrassing moments when it comes to paying the bill... and you actually have to pay for your kids. Oops.

I guess you'd be able to trade in your iPhone to pay the bill, if it came to that.

Or, wait a second... if you didn't splurge and buy an iPhone in the first place, maybe you could afford to feed your kids proper home-cooked food instead, rather than going out and gorging on crappy ribs and all-you-can-eat wings at the local Armadillo Willy's (what on earth is that?)

At just $3 -- and yes, this is sadly only for restaurants in the USA (at the moment!) -- Kids Eat For must surely be a must-have for all parents. Well, parents with iPhones.

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