Archive for the ‘Cell Phones’ Category
Just read over on Engadget that Apple is holding a preview event for iPhone OS 3.0 on March 17th. This is great news for all the developers out there, and hopefully means that the background push notification services are finally going to be ready for the device. Now don’t get your hopes up of updating your iPhone on the 17th, this is an early preview of what Apple is building. I for one can’t wait for the exciting changes to the OS.
Technorati Tags:
iPhone,
Apple
As some of you may know Apple announced a recall of it’s iPhone 3G power adapters.
Now this is no big deal, they’ve had to deal with other recalls before. This is the first one I have experienced first hand.
The process was simple I filled out an online form a couple of weeks ago. Since my wife also has an iPhone 3G I filled out the form twice since that was the instructions given by Apple.
Fast forward to today, and while at work I get an IM from my wife asking me if I was expecting a package from DHL, I said no because I forgot about the new power adapter. I told her to go ahead and open it up, and she then informed me it was the power adapter. I said cool, and asked if there was two, to which she replied no. I figured OK, no big deal maybe they are shipping them by serial number, not the most environmentally friendly way to do it, but OK. So I was shocked when two hours later it was like déjà vu when my wife informed me that FedEx had arrived with another package, and it looked exactly like the other. She proceeded to open it up and confirm that it was indeed the other power adapter.
Packages
Packages
Now let’s rewind a second. They shipped the power adapters at the same time, by two different carriers? This does not make financial, or environmental sense. Especially since Apple is trying to focus more on their environmentalism.
In my opinion Apple should have shipped the adapters together since I had to use my Apple ID to sign in and order them, and they were both going to the same address. They could have also shipped them via the same carrier as to not have to use the extra fuel.
This is just my little rant, it’s not like I’m a big environmentalist myself. I just figured that a company who is trying to be a friend to the environment could make a little bit of a more responsible decision with this large scale recall.
Technorati Tags: Apple, Environment, Fail, iPhone 3G, Packing, Power Adapter, Recall
Tags: Apple, Environment, Fail, iPhone 3G, Packing, Power Adapter, Recall
Last week I was looking for an app to make my grocery shopping a lot easier. I had read an article on TUAW taking a look at Grocery IQ
(Opens in iTunes).
After reading the review I decided that it was worth the $4.99 and purchased the app. If you are reading this review on Thursday October 9th you can get the app on-sale for only $1.99 that’s 60% off.
I decided to check out all the options, and see how the app worked. I found that it’s quite simple really. You search the database of 130,000 items to find the one you want, then click a button to add it to your list. You can also add the items to your favorites for easy retrieval later.
Grocery IQ Search
Grocery IQ Search
Grocery IQ List
Grocery IQ Favorites
The program will also give you a history of what you’ve purchased just in case you don’t remember if you bought something recently.
Grocery IQ History
You can also arrange the aisles list to represent the way your store is laid out. This helps you to make sure you get everything on your list in the most efficient manor.
Grocery IQ Aisles
You can also e-mail your list to someone in the settings menu. I think this feature is a little hidden, but I was able to uncover it after doing a little searching.
Grocery IQ Settings
Now I’m not saying this app is perfect. It is missing a few features that I would like to see. For all I know they could be working on a new version with these features.
Multiple Stores
Ability to enter prices and keep an average, so you know an approximate cost of your list.
A way for someone else to add an item to your list. Say my wife realizes we need milk and I’m at work, she could text or call me. But imagine if she could send an e-mail to a special address and add items to my list, kind of like how you can email photos to Flickr or twitpic with a special e-mail address.
I’m sure there are more things I will think of in the future, but so far I have to say that I am loving this program and use it daily. It has even taken a place on the coveted iPhone home screen.
One thing that I rely heavily on is my Google Calendar and I was none too happy when I couldn’t easily sync it with my iPhone or iPhone 3G.
So I stumbled across a nice site called nuevasync. The site says it’s in Beta, but I signed up and was granted immediate access. So it’s not the web 2.0 beta I was expecting where I would need an invite code.
Once I was signed up and read through the privacy policy I gave the access to my Google Calendar and proceeded to setup my iPhone via their instructions.
I then disabled my calendar syncing to Mobile Me and within seconds had all my information from Google Calendar in the native iPhone calendar app.
Now it is very basic syncing, I don’t have all the different colored calendars like I have in my Google Calendar so I can identify what everything is with a quick glance, but at least all the information is synced up with the iPhone so I don’t have to rely on Edge, 3G, or WiFi to check my calendar online.
It also looks like you should be able to setup this sync with any phone that supports Exchange.
Technorati Tags: Calendar, Google, HowTo, iPhone, Sync
Tags: Calendar, Google, HowTo, iPhone, Sync
iPhone 2.1 Software Update
iPhone version 2.1 contains many bug fixes and improvements, including the following:
• decrease in call set-up failures and call drops
• significantly improved battery life for most users
• dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes
• improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
• faster installation of 3rd party applications
• fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes if you have lots of 3rd party applications
• improved performance in text messaging
• faster loading and searching of contacts
• improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display
• repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
• option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
• Genius playlist creation
For feature descriptions and complete instructions, see the user guide for your iPhone at:
http://www.apple.com/support/manuals/iphone
For more information about iPhone, go to:
http://www.apple.com/iphone
To troubleshoot your iPhone, or to view additional support information go to:
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone
For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
I am downloading it right now, and will report back anything significant. I just can’t wait for my phone to be responsive again.
Technorati Tags: Apple, Firmware 2.1, iPhone
Tags: Apple, Firmware 2.1, iPhone
I had gotten a message on the blog yesterday inviting me to review a Nokia phone. I’ve got to admit that I was a little skeptical at first, but after doing my due diligence in research I found that the company is legit. So I sent in an e-mail yesterday to follow up on the request. I am happy to say I got an e-mail back from them today, and they will be providing me with a Nokia E66 for a two week review.
As soon as the device comes in I will start putting it through it’s paces and let all my loyal followers know about the phone. Don’t worry about any integrity issues either, if the phone sucks I won’t hold back on bashing it. Who knows, maybe this will turn into a more long term relationship with this company and I will get to try out a few other cool phones.
Technorati Tags: Cell Phone, E66, Nokia
Tags: Cell Phone, E66, Nokia
