Posts tagged mobile life
Do It Tomorrow is a simple app available through the web for free or as an app for iPhone (free), Android (free) or iPad ($4.99). The look of the app is distinctively notebook-y which is what first attracted my attention. You can add a to-do item and then shoot over to tomorrow if you can’t get it done today. And that’s about it.
The iPad app will sync with iPhone and web allowing your simple 2-day-at-a-time planning to go with you wherever. While its limited functionality does not allow for long term planning, it can help keep track of just those things you need to do today. Of course, a pocket notebook will do the same thing.
Best Apps
Lifehacker has rounded up the best FREE Mac apps and a great collection of iPad apps (not all those are free). Don’t forget the recent round-ups they did on iPhone apps and Linux apps, Windows apps and Android apps. Pretty much just bookmark Lifehacker. You’ll thank me for it.
If money were no issue…
If money were no issue, both my closet and my office would be decked out in the finest from Kate Spade. I particular like Barrow Street laptop bag (with grosgrain bow and 14K gold hardware $338), the Rainspot iPad case ($50) and the On the Dot iPhone cover (silicone in Kelly green $35).
If money was no issue, what would you add to your office?
When bad things happen to good iPhones
Tuesday while I was walking to my car, precariously balancing a travel mug, my bag and trying to read Twitter all at the same time, my hand slipped and my precious communication device ended up flat on its back on the concrete parking lot floor. As it hit, I heard a distinctly crunchy sound. When I leaned to pick it up, I felt the results. Shattered. Crap.
So, I got in my car and drove directly to the Apple store. I did not pass go. I did not collect $200. When I got there, I was informed it would be a 30 minute wait before a “genius” could see me.
I looked at the bright-eyed young clerk and said, “Can you just give it to me straight? Can this be fixed and will it cost me $600?” She said, “Oh, yeah. it can be fixed while you wait and if everything is still working properly, replacing the back costs about $30.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll wait.”
About 15 minutes later, a young genius came over and asked me what I needed. I flipped my phone over. He said, “Okay. No problem.” He noodled with a couple settings and then disappered with my phone for 10 minutes. When he returned, I had a shiny new back and he even wiped all the dirt of the edge of my bumper. $28 plus tax and all was well in the world.
I was informed that, had I broken the front of the phone, the price would have been $150 to repair as all the delicate electronics are soldered to the touchscreen and the fonr glass. So, once again, dear readers, learn from my mistakes. If you don’t have a cover or some sort of protection on your phone, get some. Handle it gently or make sure you applied for the insurance policy. I managed to escape with the equivalent of the cost of dinner. I’d hate for you to suffer the same fate.
This stainless steel and enamel L4 iPhone plate gives your mobile phone the look of a stylish vintage camera while protecting it. $24 from Luxe Plates.
I had the good fortune of getting to attend the first-ever Spectrum Live art expo. While I was dazzled by the art and starstruck by the artists, I couldn’t help but peek at whatever tools each artist was using to doodle or autograph. Some made me shiver (really, a Bic ballpoint?!?! Your art deserves a better tool!), some made me boggle (What mechanical pencil is that??).
I met two lovely artists who were willing to share a peek inside their tool kits. Archer Dougherty and Chris Ryniak were kind enough to show me their favorite tools so without further ado…
Archer’s kit was a large zip pouch whose previous life may have been as a document case or iPad sleeve. She said she loved just throwing her tools into the bag with a book or sketchbook and not treating them as particularly precious. She was sitting quietly drawing with a simple lightweight Zebra mechanical pencil which she admitted to preferring when she was out and about because it did not require sharpening and always kept a sharp point.
In stark contrast Chris Ryniak carried his tools in a very organized pen roll. His favorite tool was a newly acquired matte Zebra Sharbo X LT3 in orange flame.
He praised his Pentel Twist-Erase 0.5 mechanical pencil for the large and wholly usable eraser, to which I can agree.
He also showed me his Zebra Hi-McKee markers which he liberated on his last trip to Japan and which he loves. It seems to be a marker comparable to a Sharpie though I have not found much additional information about it. Anyone have personal experience with these?
As both artists were busy fielding questions and comments from actual art-buying customers, I didn’t get to ask them all the questions I might have wanted but I am grateful for their time and generosity. Hope you enjoyed the peek into their kits as well!
The newest issue of Wired (June 2012, AKA 20.06) arrived in the mail this weekend and I immediately scoured the “Our Guide to Photography in the Instagram Age” article (this content is so fresh, its not even up on the Wired web site yet but I’ll link to the article as soon as it does).
What I can do though is provide a list of the favorite camera/photography apps featured in the special section that also included some short reviews of various mobile phones based on the quality of their cameras as well as recommendations for higher-end cameras too. So, here goes:
Recommended by Cole Rise who created several of the most frequently used Instagram filters:
- PhotoForge2 ($0.99)
- Average Camera Pro ($0.99)
- Photosynth (Free)
- LensFlare ($0.99)
Recommended by Doctor Popular of Objective Scenes:
- Camera+ ($0.99)
- AntiCrop ($0.99)
- Decim8 ($0.99)
- Filterstorm ($3.99)
And just to throw in my two cents, here are a few of my favorites:
Also mentioned in the article was a company called Taplayer that has created several apps that utilize a Kodak Brownie-like look as well as TtV (through the viewfinder)-style filters.
Go forth and phone-agraph!
While the iPhone, in general, is relatively idiot-proof, there are some nifty features that do require some explanation or reminders that they exist. Appstorm collected 40 such tips that can help you be more efficient and just generally do more with your iPhone. I feel so much smarter!
(via iPhone.AppStorm)
Cord-On-Board is an iPhone case that protects your phone while it stores a charging cable under the cover. Its currently a project on Kickstarter so hopefully it will get the necessary funding and be available soon.
(via welovephoneography and TechCrunch and Kickstarter)
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