GeekSugar

iPhone Review: Forget The Phoney Talk

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:00:28 PDT

Yes, we attended the iPhone launch at the Apple Store in downtown San Francisco and a neighboring AT&T store. No, we did not buy one on launch day. At the time, waiting for the crowd to die down seemed like a good idea (two days spent interviewing the people in line turned out to be a real energy blaster). A few days later, I succumbed and joined the 40 percent of you that said you would be buying the iPhone this year and ordered it from the nearby AT&T store. While I half expected it to make my dinner and wash my hair, I am honestly more impressed with it than I am disappointed. Here is part one of a series of reviews I will be doing on the gadget of the moment.

Touchscreen: The rave reviews about the iPhone's multi-touch screen are all true. As soon as I began navigating my way around the menu and web browser, my finger effortlessly tapped its way through the screens. With two fingers I could shrink and expand web pages, as well as move the page around with one finger to zoom in on a particular spot. Even typing letters for messages and pressing numbers on the dial pad turned out to be easy.

Browser Speed/Edge Network: When connecting to the internet with the iPhone, I noticed that using a WiFi connection is much faster than using the EDGE network. Even when I couldn't pick up a wireless connection, using EDGE wasn't that painful - despite what all the critics say.

For the rest of the review,

Smudging: Either I have really greasy fingers or the iPhone's new screen is super shiny because after a few minutes of playing, the screen was covered with finger-prints and smudge marks. I'm guessing that the large 3.5-inch screen only contributes to the appearance of smudges. But then again, the screen on my BlackBerry Pearl is covered as well and I hardly touch that. My advice is to get yourself a soft screen cloth so you can keep your iPhone's screen looking brand new. My second piece of advice is to quit worrying about smudges because you won't be able to avoid them.

Blackberry Comparison: I'm a dedicated Blackberry Pearl user so I've been a little squeamish about the idea of a transition. Overall, my Pearl is much smaller and lighter than the Apple iPhone (the Pearl is 89 grams while the iPhone is a noticeably heavier 4.8 grams), but the iPhone's widescreen makes it much nicer for web browsing and watching videos, which was near impossible on the Pearl or my older 8700. In terms of loading time, the Blackberry and iPhone run on the same EDGE network and don't seem to have any obvious speed differences. The issue for me lies in the fact that the iPhone's e-mail is updated every 15 minutes, which is too infrequent for my liking. Conclusion: I like the iPhone, but that doesn't mean I'm dumping my Pearl.

iPod: When I first heard the iPhone would be controlled via a touchscreen and feature an iPod I was a bit baffled and wondered what it would be like to use an iPod without a traditional click wheel. I found there's no major difference, and the iPhone's touchscreen is so uber sensitive that it's a joy to play with the phone's iPod features. Of course, the iPhone does not have a click wheel and is controlled instead by an intuitive bar.

Complaints: I've found the iPhone's e-mail to be less than revolutionary. It does not update often enough for my "on the go" personality (it updates every 15 minutes) and I'm so used to my BlackBerry's reliability in that department that it's hard to compare. Of course, I'll have to use it for a few weeks to really get the hang of it.

How is your iPhone relationship working out? Share your reviews, tips and observations in the Geeky Things I Love group. To learn how to share, see list below.

I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Geeky Things I Love
Click "Create and Share!" on the left hand side
Choose "Blog"
Give your photo a Title
Leave the category as "general"
Change the channel to "technology and gadgets"
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this post was "museum, Lego")
Click on the "Add Image" link below the "body" box
A popup window will happen - click on "Browse" to find your image on your computer
Once you have the image chosen, click "Submit"
The popup will show you your image, choose size: "normal" - if you want, you can give it a title (which will show up as a caption)
Click "Insert" and the popup will go away
Your "body" box will now have some text in it. Leave it as is. If you want to add some text before the picture telling me why you love the download, do it before the code that has appeared.
Click Submit

So join the Geeky Things I Love and start sharing your observations. They might end up on the geeksugar homepage.

4 Ways to Play Battleship Online

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:47:43 PDT

Battleship hits theaters this Friday, and that has us eager to play the classic game. Whether you are looking to improve your strategic skills or indulge in a little nostalgia, we've listed four ways to digitally sink some battleships via iPhone apps, the Android Market, Facebook, and more. And for the serious players, check out this man's algorithm for the perfect Battleship game.

iPhone - Play the classic Battleship ($1) game on your for iPhone, or opt to play the Super Weapons mode to earn higher player rankings and to unlock new weapons. The app also has WiFi, Bluetooth, and Pass & Play capabilities, so you can play Battleship with another player. In honor of the film, you can also play the game with its new cinematic twist Battleship Alien Invaders (free). All the classic features, but now with play options as the human navy or the alien forces.
Facebook - The Facebook game Navy Battles: The Pacific Campaign is actually wildly addictive. Play is on a standard grid and includes bonus attack strategies like air attack, missile strikes, and guided torpedoes to help target the enemy's fleet.
Android Market - In the Android Market, Dragonplay brings you Sea Battle Live (free), an online game based on the classic Battleship. The app is a true winner - earning nearly five stars from 5,745 reviewers. Play against friends or online opponents.
Online - While you can't play Hasbro's official version of Battleship online, you can play a series of Battleship minigames, like "Quick Fire," a steer-and-shoot game.

Gear Review: Nike+Armband For iPhone

Kristen Hawley — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:45:50 PST

Full disclosure: I am not a huge armband fan; I much prefer clipping a smaller iPod Nano or Shuffle to my shoulder during a run or other workout. But, after becoming addicted to music-streaming service Rdio, which requires a 3G or Internet connection to work, I decided to hit the treadmill with my new Nike+Armband for the iPhone ($34).

The arm band itself is extremely lightweight and made from nylon and spandex. It fits your phone very snugly; the only openings are for inserting the phone and attaching headphones. Volume and power buttons are covered by material but labeled appropriately. The front is made of a thin layer of plastic for access to the phone's screen and home button. The armband is thin and lined with velcro. Find out what I thought about it after the break.

Gear Review: Incase iPhone Armband and In-Ear Headphones

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:23:25 PST

If you have an iPhone 4S and need an armband, you can always make your own, or you can check out the Incase Sports Armband Deluxe ($45). Stylish and sleek, the Incase iPhone 4S armband offers everything you'd want in a fitness accessory: it's easy to use, comfortable, durable, and Iightweight. It also pairs perfectly with the Incase Capsule headphones ($50).

My favorite feature is that the iPhone is protected by a hard case, which has a clip attached to the back. Simply clip the case into the plastic slot on the armband to keep it secure. If you need to make a phone call or get a better look at your running app, the case can easily be detached from the armband by lifting it up and out of the slot. If you'd rather wear your iPhone on your waist, just clip the case onto your waistband or pocket and leave the armband at home. The case doesn't cover the screen, so you can easily skip songs or check the weather. Another awesome feature is that the armband is hand-washable, which is a necessity if you're exercising with it. It's also adjustable, fitting over multiple layers when Winter running, or on bare skin if you're using it at the gym.

Of course, if you're listening to music, you'll need a set of earbuds. Pair your armband with Incase Capsule headphones. They come with three different eartip sizes to offer a comfortable, stay-put, snug fit. Your tunes will be clear, and the remote control attached to the wire makes it easy to monitor the volume or pause a song. The best part is the microphone that allows you to answer phone calls midworkout. They come in four colors: black, white, gray, and bronze. I just love this kind of practical, no-nonsense fitness gear that does nothing but make a workout easier and more enjoyable.

LeapFrog to Introduce First iPhone App With Scout's ABC Garden

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:01:10 PDT

There are plenty of tot-friendly apps on the market claiming to be educational. And while some have research and educators backing it up, none have the power of the LeapFrog brand behind them – until now. With Scout's ABC Garden ($4), which hits the iTunes store on Thursday, the company brings its most iconic plush characters to life in the palm of lil one's hands (or on their mama's iPhone, iPad, or iTouch).

Similar to the company's highly-praised Leapster and Explorer units, the new app features interactive exercises designed to teach lil ones about letters and sounds. Scout and Violet (players can choose which character to use) can be personalized (just like their plush counterparts) to say up to three children's names, their favorite colors, food, and animals. Tots can then explore Scout's garden, pop bubbles, sprinkle seeds, play a whac-a-mole-like game, and listen to kid-friendly songs while practicing their letter skills. Each activity is offered three times before moving on to the next, under the belief that kids must be exposed to something three times before they've mastered it.

Keep reading to see what I thought of the app experience and if it is worth downloading!

Tech App-titude: 5 Free Apps For the Savvy Pet Owner

Sara Yoo — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:00:00 PST

If your iPhone is like another appendage, then you undoubtedly have apps to organize just about every aspect of your life: calendars, to-do lists, restaurant locators, pedometers, and diet monitors, to name a few. And these days, busy pets are just as lucky. We've rounded up our favorite free iPhone apps for safe and savvy pets and their companions, from medical references to dog-park finders to squeaky toys.

Map My Dog Walk: You and Fido conquered an awesome hike last Fall, but a few months later, it's tough to remember the route. This app allows you to log your walk routes, share them with friends, and even calculate calories burned!
Remind My Pet: For any pets on medication, this app keeps track of dosing schedules and emails or texts you when they are due for their next one.

For the rest of the list, keep reading

HotelTonight: Cool Rooms at Hot Prices

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:17:39 PDT

I love to travel, so if there's ever a way for me to take a last-minute jaunt away from home, I'm in. Thankfully there's a new app in town that can make booking a last-minute hotel room a breeze. Called HotelTonight (Free) this app offers up stylish hotel rooms at low prices. Booking right through the app, you won't have to call, email, or bust out any other gadgets to reserve your room. HotelTonight gifted me with $200 in credits to check out the app myself, and below, you'll learn more about how it works along with how my staycation went last weekend.

How It Works

The budget-minded staff at HotelTonight partner up with hip, classy, and affordable hotels in each available city to offer great rates for last-minute bookings. The app gives you three hotel options per night starting at 12 p.m., and you have until the offers close at 2 a.m. to book the room and secure the deal.

Reserving a Room

Grabbing a room couldn't be easier. Just fire up the app, take a tour of the three available hotels (hotel pages include parking, room service, and amenity info, along with a map and photos), and once you've made your decision just click the "Book a Room" button on your hotel of choice. If it's your first time, you'll be asked to put in your credit card information, and HotelTonight will automatically factor in any credits you've accumulated (you get $25 in credits just for signing up, and more if you refer a friend), and charge your card accordingly. I used it myself over the past weekend and found it super easy to book a room and I got two confirmations sent to me - one via email, and one stored inside the app.

Continue reading about my experience with HotelTonight (including a few hiccups I experienced along the way) after the break.

Easy Steps For First-Time Taxpayers

Kiplinger — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:08:06 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

If you got your first job last year, you may have been agitated every payday to see how much of your salary was going to the tax man. If you’re like most taxpayers, tax filing time is payback time. So don’t think of filling out your tax forms as a pain. Instead, think of it as sending a bill to the IRS, demanding a refund of the amount by which you overpaid your taxes in 2011. Every year, three out of four filers get refunds.

Do you have to file? That depends on your income in 2011 and whether or not your folks will claim you as a dependent on their return (as is often the case for the year you graduate from college). If you are a dependent, you have to file if your gross income was at least $5,800; if they don’t claim you, the threshold is higher: $9,500. But even if you don’t have to file, you’ll want to, in order to reclaim income tax withheld from your paycheck.

Don’t treat your tax return like a term paper . . . by leaving it until the last minute. The absolute due date this year is April 17 (it was pushed back because April 15 falls on a Sunday and the next day is a holiday in the District of Columbia). However, the earlier you file, the better, since you will receive the money faster.

What you need. If you’ve filed before, the best way to prep for tax season is to use last year’s tax return as a road map. You can find the federal and state forms you need online at irs.gov or through the website of the Federation of Tax Administrators. Also, keep an eye out for important tax documents that come in the mail, such as the W-2 form from your employer or 1099 forms if you did freelance work. Employers should have sent these forms out by January 31. If not, give them a call.

Start with the feds. Since state forms often ask for numbers from your federal return, you’ll want to do the federal form first. Most young taxpayers can file the 1040EZ, which is the easiest form and has no supplementary forms. To qualify, you cannot claim any dependents and your taxable income must be less than $100,000.

But don’t shy away from longer forms - the 1040A or the full-fledged 1040 - if one of them is your ticket to tax savings.

Read on for more.

Should You Buy a Generic Charger to Save Money?

Emily Co — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:03:53 PST

Chargers can get kind of pricey, especially if you have a tendency to lose them when you're traveling. For example, the Apple Store sells iPhone chargers for $20 to $30. It can be quite tempting to stray from the Original Equipment Manufacturing version when you see the generic chargers for just $1 on Amazon. Do nonbrand-name chargers work just as well as their OEM counterparts? We talk to Anthony Scarsella of Gazelle, a company that buys old gadgets from consumers and sells them on eBay, who gives us the lowdown on whether the risk is worth it.

Scarsella, the chief gadget officer, says he personally feels the risk of damaging a $500 device isn't worth saving $20 to $30. "Purchasing an OEM charger from the retailer or carrier is always the way to go," he says. But for those who insist on saving, other options are available. Customers can buy chargers from reputable brands such as Belkin and Griffin, which make highly rated chargers and products with good surge protection. As for Android gadgets, Scarsella says, "many Android devices, which use a standard micro-USB port, offer similar charging specs, and most of the time, moving from an HTC, Motorola, or Samsung should be fine. I would always just double-check to see if the power ratings match up between the chargers first." One shop he recommends (and which he has used in the past) for Android chargers is Shopandroid.com.

To the savers who want to get a charger for dirt cheap through eBay or Amazon, the CGO cautions them to do their homework. Do your best to make sure the generic charger has the same power rating as your OEM charger. "With a higher power rating, you can run the risk of damaging the device, and if it is too low, it will take days to complete a full charge," Scarsella says. And of course, read through all the reviews about the product, seller, and functions before adding the product to your online shopping cart.

If you have more lingering tech questions, reach out to Scarsella @gazellelab.

GoPano Lens For iPhone Turns Video Into a 360° Experience

Kelly Schwarze — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:16:15 PST

Let's admit it, we spend a fair amount of our online time watching videos of anything and everything the Internet has to offer. There's something missing in all these cuddly puppy videos and tours of friends' vacations - there's no level of interaction on the viewer's end. Enter the GoPano Micro Lens ($80), which attaches to an iPhone 4 or 4S to record interactive 360° videos.

The included custom-made iPhone case attaches to the lens, which uses its design of a curved mirror to gather light from all directions to reflect on a secondary mirror to reflect again into the iPhone's camera. Just how is the resulting video interactive? Once the completed video is uploaded to a website or Facebook, the viewer can click and drag through the video to the full 360° view.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for our review of the GoPano Micro Lens; hopefully it makes a perfect addition to our iPhone photography arsenal.