Top 5 iPhone 2.0 Apps

July 16, 2008

While the iPhone 3G offers some definite improvements over the previous version, the biggest upgrade (for me at least) was the iPhone 2.0 software upgrade. Specifically, I’m referring to the opening of the App Store - available through both the iPhone and in iTunes. My short and sweet assessment of the App Store is that it utilizes the iPhone as a software platform instead of just another phone, which is why I wanted one in the first place.

Here are my top 5 picks for iPhone apps (Note: links to apps open in iTunes):

5.    SportsTap: This app tracks scores and stats for all the professional (men’s) sports in real time. And, while I’m not a sports fanatic, by any means, it’s definitely nice having quick access to scores and rankings. The user interface is a bit clunky and could certainly make better use of the iPhone UI, but if it’s free it’s me, right.

SportsTap

4.    Texas Hold’Em: One thing that I’ve appreciated most about my iPhone over the past year is that I’ve never been stuck in a waiting room with nothing to do. This app provides good ole’ wholesome gambling when the going gets boring! And, while it does cost $9.99, it’s playability makes it well worth the money.

Texas Hold\'em

3.    Twitterific: Although I’m quite new to Twitter, this app has definitely helped me jump right in. In a nutshell, it lets you post and read “tweets” right from your iPhone. And, since I have committed myself to posting my tweets at the top of this blog, it will definitely get some use.

Twitterific

2.    NewNewsWire: I’ve been using NetNewsWire to handle my RSS subscriptions on my Mac for about a year now, so this free app definitely gets a lot of use on my phone. It works by downloading the freshest articles from any site that I’m currently following. The best part is that it keeps track of which articles I’ve read, regardless of whether I read them on my iMac, MacBook Pro, or iPhone. Priceless, really.

NetNewsWire

1.    Remote: This is, by far, a no contest winner for me. Remote lets you control iTunes and Apple TV through your iPhone. For a guy like me, this is a big deal. I have my home entertainment center connected to an Airport Express, which will stream music from my iMac to speakers throughout the whole house. With this app, I have access to my entire music collection, from any room in my house, on my phone. And, it’s free.

The jaw dropping moment for me was seeing it in action. So, I’ve made a little demonstration video showing Remote in action. (Be sure to watch the iTunes window in the background to get a feeling for this app’s responsiveness.)

YouTube apparently doesn’t yet let you embed high-quality versions of videos, so if the quality of the demo is too poor for your eyes, you can access the video directly using this link.

Refurbished iPhones Get Even Cheaper

September 5, 2007

iphoneOk, so I’m obsessed. So, shoot me. This recent price drop should mean that I can actually afford one now. I would have bought one anyway, just now it feels a little more justifiable (to those of you who do not read to every word spoken by Steve Jobs, the iPhone price was dropped $200 yesterday). This means that the refurbished iPhone price has dropped $250.

Yes friends, in October my Verizon contract runs out and I run to apple.com like a little girl getting her first Barbie. I don’t care if AT&T’s service map says I live in nowhere. I’ll try it anyway!

iPhone Hyjinks

July 13, 2007

I just came across this on YouTube: “iPhone: the Music Video” by David Pogue from The New York Times:

Then, I saw this one (also by David Pogue):

Then, while on LiveJournal, I witnessed this atrocity:

iPhone Hysteria Won’t Quit

June 26, 2007

So, the iPhone will officially go on sale at 6:00 this Friday, and already there are people waiting outside the Apple store to buy one.

Then, just a minute ago, I checked Digg one last time before bed, and learned that the first iPhones have reached U.S. soil.

Crazy part:

“Awaiting the freight at each location on Sunday were armored personnel, who were reportedly hired by Apple through its courier’s ground handling agent and then cleared by the Transportation Security Administration. Armed guards are extremely unusual for freight coming out of the Asian sector, those familiar with the matter explained, and are typically reserved for shipments containing riches such as gold and diamonds.”

I know. Who cares, right?

Check out this guy’s response to the above article’s ascension in the ranks of Digg popularity:

Upcoming headlines for the front page:

“iPhone shipments leave shipping dock”
“iPhone shipments on their way to Apple stores”
“iPhone shipments to arrive at Apple stores ‘any minute now’.
“iPhone shipments delayed”
“iPhone delays due to shipper stubbing toe”
“In depth interview with toe stubbing iPhone shipper”
“iPhone finally arrives at Apple Stores”
“Employees bring cases of iPhones into Apple stores”
“Employees unpack cases of iPhones at Apple stores”
“Employees put iPhone’s on shelves, close store”
“Employees of Apple stores, after stocking shelves with iPhones, have smoke break”
“Manager of New York Apple store takes dump before store opening (w/pics)”
“Apple store employees complain about odd smell in NY Apple store”
“Jobs declares, ‘Smell was manager, not iPhone.’ Manager fired.”…

Hilarious and appropriate if you ask me.

Apple’s 20-minute iPhone Tutorial

June 24, 2007

I just watched all 20 minutes of Apple’s newly released iPhone tutorial. I want one. That’s all I have to say about that.