Category Archives: iPhone

Jan 7 2012

WorldCard Mobile iOS [Review]

So there are a plethora of apps available for iOS which allow some sort of ‘Smart Scanning’ and I’ve used things like Evernote in the past for saving business cards, or taking quick snapshots of receipts and invoices but after using WorldCard Mobile for the last few weeks, I’ve gotta say it’s the app which I find works best.

WorldCard Mobile (developed by PenPower Tech) is one of the smartest and easiest business card reader/scanner I’ve ever used. You simply take a photo of the card and that’s it. WCM will recognise each part of the card, separate the fields and export into your Address Book.

As you can see above, once you scan a card you can specify parts that may have been missed. I’ve only experienced the app missing information on my own dodgy card! Using a professional card as below, it recognises every field and imports it perfectly! There’s even some image-stabilisation being used in the background because each snap I took was crystal clear and was read in a matter of seconds.

As well as being exported into your Address Book, each card is saved in the WorldCard Mobile app, the image and the exported information!

So if you meet a lot of new people or always find your pockets filling with business cards, then I’d suggest getting this app so you can record information with ease and not have to sit adding people’s contact information into your Address Book manually.

You’d expect there’d be more to write about this but it works so well, it really is that simple!!

WorldCard Mobile is available now for iOS (£4.99 UK / $6.99 US) and various other flavours including hardware at WorldCard.

Oct 4 2011

iPhone 4S – Everything You Need To Know

So unless you’ve been sleeping or living in a TARDIS recently, you’ll know that Apple have just finished announcing iPhone 4S. Outside the same, inside all different.

iPhone 4S

 

Now that Apple’s website is back online, you can watch some video and look at pretty pictures and see how great the iPhone 4S is going to be, but you came here for the lowdown. So here it is.

Essentially, if you have an iPhone 4, I’d say stick with it. If you have a 3G or 3GS (or heaven forbid a classic 2G!) then it’s worth the upgrade. Simples.
If you have an iPhone 4 and you use it a lot then I would recommend the 4S. It’s harder, better, faster and stronger. Here’s why:

  • A5 dual core processor. The same that’s used in iPad 2 making iPhone’s performance and graphics twice as fast!
  • 8MP Camera.  It ain’t about the MP, it’s about the quality. The sensor captures 60% more pixels for sharper and brighter images.
  • HD Video. Not the HD you’re used to. Full 1080p recorded with live image stabilisation to create stunning video.
  • Smart Twin Antenna’s. No more dropped calls and it doesn’t matter how you hold it.
  • Siri the Smart Assistant. Taking voice recognition to a new level allowing you to dictate messages and emails, discuss your calendar and create/change appointments and it literally answers you back. You have to see it to believe it.
  • Airplay Mirroring. Not just video out, wireless to your Apple TV you can stream everything on your iPhone. Video, web pages and more importantly, games. A wireless controller streaming your games to your TV in HD.
  • Find My Friend. OK, this is a general iOS 5 thing but this is gonna be awesome. Your friends share their location for brief periods of time and you can check in to see where they are. Perfect if you’re meeting up with friends on a night out or at a festival!!
The release date in the US and the UK is Friday October 14th at 8am. There are no prices confirmed for the UK networks as of yet but I’m sure they’ll follow in the next couple of days. The US prices are $199, $299 and $399 with a two-year contract for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models respectively. The 3GS will now be free with a contract and the 8GB 4 will be reduced to $99.
Apple have hinted at prices for the iPhone 4S in the UK starting at £499 but whether this is with a contract or not, I don’t know.
iPhone 4S Price
I could go on all night and talk about the pros and cons and whether you should get one if you already have an iPhone or if you’re a new user. There are 9 variations of iPhone available now. So the world is your oyster. Go and get one and have a play… iDid.
Jun 17 2011

iOS 5 – A Preview [Part 1]

I’m going to start dumping everything I know about iOS 5 here now. Over this weekend, I’ll share everything I’ve found with the iPhone’s latest software update beta.

I’ll start with the basics, the settings. The little tweaks you’ll find and the little changes which you’ll come to love.

Keyboard Shortcuts

The first is ‘Keyboard Shortcuts’ which is something like AutoCorrect but using your own commands or even sentences! The default pre-applied is ‘omw’ which instantly turns into ‘On my way!’ – It’s handy for quick replies or any frequently typed word or phrase.

I’ve found it best to put my usernames and email addresses in there, so filling in forms or logging into things is VERY quick and easy! Good little tip eh?

Next up, a handy little addition to the ‘General > Usage’ part of Settings. Previously, this section displayed your call time, data usage and little bits like that. Now, you get a breakdown of every app and the data that is being used by it. It’s a bit odd that it says ‘iPod’ even though the iPod app is missing (now being split into ‘Music’ and ‘Videos’ like the iPod Touch and iPad.)

General Usage

However, it is handy if you’re running out of space and you’re looking to delete some apps.

Finally, are the new options in ‘Sounds’ which allow you to change the ringtone, not only for calls and texts, but voicemails, sending and receiving emails, and calendar alerts! There are a few new choices and an option to ‘Buy more ringtones’ which takes you to the iTunes Store!

 

Sounds

Also, notice the new slider buttons. They’re a little different to what you’re used to in iOS but work exactly the same. Anyway, that’s enough for tonight, but more to come!

Apr 10 2011

New App – Color – iOS

It’s only really now that an app like Color would work. Color is a social-photography app. You take photos and it shares and shows photos from other people in the same room. Now if you’re at a party, or a gig or some other social gathering, then this could be amazing.

I’ve tested the app and on my own, it doesn’t really do anything. I haven’t had the chance to test in a real world environment but after hearing more about the app, I don’t know if I want to.

So first off, you have to be literally in the same room! It doesn’t work via WiFi so it’s very sensitive and it knows if you’re in the same room… Here’s how it works.

The app uses your compass to know what direction you’re facing when taking photos. Now the next part is VERY clever. Color actually listens to the audio in the room… It opens up your microphone and listens to what you’re hearing. Now it doesn’t record audio, but it listens to take a fingerprint of the room you’re in, so it can match with other users who are in the same room!

They want to make it possible for a lot of people to be able to take photos, for example at a gig, know where the performer is (as everyone is facing the same way taking photos) and then you can see photos from the front row even if you’re at the back row!

It’s a bit worrying that Color has the ability to listen to my audio without my knowledge or consent. Color don’t actually state anywhere that it listens to audio and this is because it doesn’t listen to audio… It listens to the waveform of the audio and takes a digital fingerprint. There’s no audio file transmitted anywhere and if you could listen to it, it wouldn’t be audio, it would be white noise. So I guess it doesn’t really matter right?

Recently, the Grey’s Anatomy iPad app used the same technology in a different way. The app would open the microphone to hear the show you’re watching and figuring out what you’re seeing. Enabling it to give you precise information about what’s on your TV! I mean, this is kinda cool but I’d probably like to know… Wouldn’t you?

Anyway, go download the app now and next time you’re bored. Take a photo and see if anybody else is using it in the same room!

Feb 21 2011

Apple, Rumours Galore!

So there are a LOT of Apple rumours flying around the interwebs at the moment and just in case you’re getting bored or you’re lost in the sea of various rumours, patents and rumblings. Here’s a round up of what you need to know.

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro

A MacBook Pro refresh is imminent and I know of at least one person who’ll be gutted if the rumours are true and we see an updated product line being released next Thursday. I for one think it will happen but it will be a simple hardware refresh. Nothing too new or different, I think new processors and various bumps to make the machines that little bit quicker and better.

Apple have also been working on new batteries and more importantly new ways to hold charge and to improve battery life. Apple have been jumping forwards in leaps and bounds when it comes to laptop batteries and the more they tweak their own design, the more life we get out of our portable gadgets!

iPad 2

iPad Retina

Yada, yada, retina display, new ports and smaller screens. All the rumours for iPad 2/3 are the same ol’ same ol’ and really. Even if a new model comes out soon, I don’t think we’ll be seeing too much of a re-design. One new patent Apple have been granted has piqued my interest though.

Smart Bezel

A ‘Smart Bezel’ could mean the first tablet without any buttons. An iPad without a home button? What gives… Well Apple have designed a way to use the bezel surrounding the screen to include touch sensors, light emitters, pressure sensors and accelerometers. So you can control apps, and navigate your way to the homescreen by touching or squeezing the iPad’s frame.

The jury is out, so let’s see if anything comes of it.

iPhone 4.5 / 5

Everyone is expecting a new iPhone to be released later this year but what have we got instore for the iPhone 5?

Well first, let’s talk about the most recent rumours. The iPhone Nano.

Some rumours say that it will be physically smaller (literally like an iPhone Nano) but I think everyone is reading it wrong… Think more of a virtually smaller device. Similar to the New Apple TV, minimal storage and easy to use. I don’t know if this will come out in the interim before we get a whole new iPhone but it may be something released alongside the iPhone 5.

New iPhones?

An iPhone 4 design handset, however with only 8GB of storage. Apple will start to push users towards cloud storage and streaming capabilities. The iPhone ‘Nano’ (let’s just call it that just because it’s easy!) will be aimed towards those who are tempted with the iPhone but still consider it too expensive or complicated.

Then in addition to this ‘lite’ version, a full blown iPhone 5 will be released. Again, there are rumours of a larger screen size or iPhones which include an RFID chip and various other new tech which Apple would introduce to it’s userbase.

So lots of rumours, but that’s all they are. Rumours. So enjoy what you’ve got and look forward to what’s new!