IPhone | Castellini on Computers - Computer help for beginners

Posts Tagged: iPhone

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
16
Sep 09

iPhone continues to amaze me

Actually, I should say the developers who use the tools made available by the iPhone technologies amaze me. I just returned from a short weekend trip with some golf buddies and downloaded a relatively new application called Golfshot from golfshot.com. The application combines the GPS and touch-screen capabilities of the iPhone into an incredibley easy and intuitive way to keep score on the course, plan shots, and make your way around a course. When playing golf on new courses, this technology helps quite a bit.

When GPS started to creep into golf carts and then into expensive handhelds, I was unsure of its place in the golf game. However, a friend of mine reminded me that on almost any course, you can purchase a yardage book. A yardage book gives a golfer a paper form of what a GPS does in digital form…yardages, elevations, and other information.

Golfshot catalouges a large a majority of the golf courses in the United States and is expanding quickly. When I arrived at our first Chicago golf course (again, I never played in Chicago before), all I did was turn the iPhone on, tap the Golfshot application and within seconds, the application found my location and showed me the golf courses nearest me from closest to furthest away. I tapped the course I was at and selected the tees I would be playing from and within a few more seconds, I was presented with the yardage, an aerial view and GPS distances of various landmarks for the first hole. GPS distances are achieved through special flags the golf course uses to transmit its location.

In addition to the yardage and landmark info, at the end of each hole, I can very quickly tap in my score, number of putts, which club I used on the tee, whether I hit the fairway, number of shots out of sand, and if I incurred any penalties. This can be done in literally 15-20 seconds because of the magnificent job the Golfshot programmers did on designing the interface.

As a statistic and tech junkie, I was blown away by the data and charts the program automatically tracks and tallies for me the more I use the program. The only problem I see with the progra is that it increases my desire to want to golf more often…requiring more time (and money) that I have at the moment. But for golfers who enjoy tracking their rounds and their golf games and receive on-course geographic assitance, this $30 application is nothing short of amazing.

Actually, I should say the developers who use the tools made available by the iPhone technologies amaze me.

I just returned from a short weekend trip with some golf buddies and had downloaded a relatively new application called Golfshot from golfshot.com for the trip. The application combines the GPS and touch-screen capabilities of the iPhone into an incredibley easy and intuitive way to keep score on the course, plan shots, and make your way around a course. When playing golf on new courses, this technology helps make the day a little more enjoyable by not being surprised to see a body of water or ravine or sand trap around a corner or over a hill. All things that caddies do for professional golfers and young caddies used to do for all golfers in yesteryear.

When GPS started to creep into golf carts and then into expensive handhelds, I was unsure of Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 Comments
16
Jun 09

My iPhone applications after 10 months

Click photo for full size view

From 1997 through August of 2008, I used only Palm based handheld organizers then the Visor Phone, Palm Treo 300, Treo 600, and Treo 755p. I purchased an iPhone in August of 2008 because the iPhone proved itself in its short year of existence to be a valuable product, added the ability to allow third party applications, and gained access to the faster cellular networks. With very few exceptions, I couldn’t be happier and haven’t missed my old Palm products.

I use my iPhone for many more functions than just the phone. So almost a year later, I took the following screen shot of the additional software I have added to the iPhone (some of it free, some of it purchased). I added 42 applications to my iPhone so far. Of these 42, I use maybe 8 of them regularly, and the rest sparingly.

After looking over this list, most of my apps are free ones. That could mean I’m either one cheap SOB or there are some excellent free applications out there. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.

Here’s the breakdown: Continue reading →

Hardware Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 16 Comments
2
Jun 09

Digital Readers and E-books

photo credit: pt

Amazon released their version of a digital reader, called the Kindle, in late 2007. It received a lot of attention at the time, but not as much as its new version released this spring. Amazon states that more than 285,000 books are available for download and purchase, 50,000 audio books, and there are many magazine and newspaper articles also available for download (including my blog). A full text book can be downloaded in about 60 seconds and most books cost around $9.99. For newspaper, magazine, and blog subscriptions, the Kindle automatically syncs the content to the Kindle over the air (no cables needed).

Currently, two Kindles are available for purchase; one holds up to 1500 books and the other up to 3500 books. Current Kindle users seem extremely happy with the device and the technology based on online reviews.

Intrigued by the buzz surrounding the Kindle, I downloaded Continue reading →

General Computer Tips — 4 Comments
10
Feb 09

How to add a web application to the iPhone home screen – Video Tip

Popular demand (among new iPhone users) prompted me to add this quick, yet helpful iPhone tip. Don’t worry non-iPhone users…there is a tip for you at the end of the article…keep reading or skip to the end!

To add a web page or application you frequently use to your iPhone home screen:

Start Safari
Navigate to the page you want to add
Tap the Add Bookmark button at the bottom of the screen (+ sign)
Tap Add to Home Screen
Type the name you want to attach to the bookmark or accept what is given
Tap Add in the upper right hand corner

That’s it, easy, but extremely handy!Watch the short video below to see this tip in action.

After six plus months with my iPhone, I barely remember my trusty old Treo. I still hope that Apple (or some enterprising programmer) adds universal search to it and copy and paste, but otherwise the iPhone has exceeded my expectations.

For you non-iPhone users, I recommend this classic tip:

10 Skills EVERY computer user should have (or learn)

Macintosh — 5 Comments
30
Dec 08

Customizing your iPhone home screen – Video Tip

This is a pretty specific tip for a relatively new device, but with WalMart now carrying iPhones more and more people will want and need to learn how to take advantage of their investment. The iPhone is a wonderful little tool…IF you learn how to use it and make it work for you.

One of the first things you can do with any piece of technology is customize it to fit your needs. With the iPhone, learning to customize the interface makes the unit more usable for you. This week, I show iPhone users how to customize the location of their icons on the iPhone launch screen or home screen.

Touch and hold your finger on any icon
When the icons start to jiggle, take your finger off the icon.
Now you can drag any icon to any position by touching and dragging it to a new location or even a new screen by dragging it to the left or right edge of the screen.
You can also drag the default icons off the toolbar at the bottom and drag the ones you use most often to the toolbar
When you are finished moving your icons to positions that work best for you, push the button at the bottom of your iPhone.

As always, these tips make more sense by watching the video! And even if you aren’t an iPhone user, I think you will find it interesting to see the kind of tech that can be found in a phone today.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 Comments
24
Oct 08

Treo, what Treo?

iPhone 3G Screen Shot After two solid months of using my iPhone 3G, I decided it was time for a short update. As many of you know, I used a Palm device for many years, ending with the Treo from 2003 through this August. When the first iPhone came out, I was intrigued, but thought Apple missed the boat, for me, by not utilizing the fastest cellular data network and not allowing 3rd party applications. When they announced the new iPhone last January and finally released it this summer, they had added the fast cellular network service and opened the system for third party development. It caught my attention in a big way this as it has 7 million other new iPhone 3G owners since its release in July.

Overall, the iPhone has performed wonderfully and with the exception of no cut, copy and paste (when Apple? when?) it has performed admirably. I have been able to duplicate all the functions I used the Treo for, and added many new capabilities. I use the phone the most…after all, it is a cell phone. The visual voice mail system that lets you pick which message to listen to first or have the ability to visually pause, rewind or fast forward voice mail is stunningly implemented and makes managing voice mail much easier.

For extra applications, I settled on SplashID to manage my passwords, Grocery Zen to create shopping lists (I get through the store in at least 25% less time now), Now Playing to look up movie times, Pandora for listening to music (don’t have much time to do this, but it works well), Woot On! to check the daily Woot, but especially helpful when there is a Woot Off, WeDict for a dictionary, Wikipanion for great mobile access to Wikipedia, SportsTap keeps me up to date on sports I follow, Units application for converting volume, length, weight, etc. I also downloaded and occasionally use Word Warp, Sudoku, Tris (tetris clone), reMovem, and Blocks Classic for quick games. For future travel, I downloaded the mobile versions of Yelp and Hotels.com.

The built-in email application works well, and I use it daily in addition to browsing the web. The iPhone truly has exceeded my expectations, and I have no regrets about moving from the Palm based Treo and over to the iPhone. Apple promises to add cut, copy, and paste to the iPhone at some point. I hope they make it quick!

If you happen to own an iPhone, leave a comment below and let me know what your experiences are with it. Also, let me know what applications you have added and which are your favorites.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 6 Comments
22
Aug 08

My pick for the best technology currently available

Editors note: Of course, I’m going to exempt smartphones (my current favorite is the iPhone 3G) because these are necessary to 21st century living.

Next to the smartphone, my vote for best technology currently available is the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). A DVR replaces the venerable VHS recorder for recording television programming. DVR’s use hard drives to record the programming digitally and require about a tenth of the knowledge necessary to program a VCR. The hard drives can record from 40 HD hours to almost 200 hours of programming. With DVR’s, there is never a tape to change or rewind, and the quality of the recording is flawless no matter how many times you watch it.

Another plus with DVR’s is their advanced fast forward feature. All DVR’s have a skip button on the remote that skips 30-60 seconds in one push. Does that time period sound familiar? Yes, it’s the length of a commercial. When watching a sitcom, most commercial breaks last about 3 to 4 minutes…a few quick presses of the DVR’s skip button and you are watching the next segment. A 30 minute program can be finished in about 19 minutes…I’ll take 11 minutes wherever I can get them. And a one hour crime drama can be over in about 40 minutes!

Sorry Oprah and Dr. Phil fans, daytime talk shows cannot be recorded with a DVR.*

Right now my family is recording nearly 18 hours of Olympic programming every day, but we can watch all that in about 4 hours or so by using the variable speed of the DVR’s fast forward feature. Very helpful to skip through boring soccer matches or 50 KM race walking at 300X speed. But because the recordings are digital, you can actually keep track of the action and score as the speed is increased and pause for the last 2 minutes of the Poland vs. Latvia women’s water polo match.

The first commercially successful DVR was the TiVo. TiVo actually became the word associated with this technology used often as a verb like Google is as well. One might hear the phrase, “Did you TiVo the game last night?” at a water cooler or coffee shop. Today, DVR’s are built into the set-top boxes of all major cable companies and satellite companies.

Do you currently own a DVR or have owned one? If so, leave a comment below with your opinions about DVR’s or what you think the best current technology available is in your world.

*Just kidding daytime talk show fans.

Hardware Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 4 Comments
4
Aug 08

What I learned in the first 4 days of my iPhone 3G

I picked up my new iPhone late on Thursday night, worked with it on Friday, then left with it for a quick trip to see my brother and my first and only nephew. Prior to this phone, I have used some sort of smartphone since 2000…all Palm software based. Prior to that I used Palm handheld computers since about 1997.

I decided to move to the iPhone because I felt that the Palm innovation had stagnated…about 5 years ago. Plus, with all the innovation and development happening around the iPhone, I knew it was a great opportunity to take my smartphone usage even further than the Palm based systems had. A real quick word about any smartphone; they aren’t met for every cell phone user. Smartphones are designed for people who want to check email, lookup information on the web, get maps, send text messages, add specialty programs like conversion programs, time trackers and much more to their phone.

Enough blabber, here are some of my thoughts about the iPhone after only four days of use:

The screen is absolutely stunning…clear, bright, and responsive.
I really miss being able to select text and use copy and paste.
I thought that visual voice mail was a gimmick…until I tried it. Voice mail on the iPhone is a sheer pleasure and saves a lot of time. Visual voice mail allows users to listen to voice mail in any order, rewind pause, and fast forward messages easily, and more.
Now I know why Treo users were/are upset that Palm never added Wifi to their phones. The ability to use a Wifi connection is awesome and makes the web function very quick…even though the 3G network from AT&T works well too.
The mapping and integrated GPS and searchable maps make traveling and looking for addresses and places to eat or get a coffee a snap.
The third party iPhone application developers and web application developers are innovating in this space like no other. In a year, I think the iPhone might actually be able to cook and drive my car! Most of the applications are quick, useful, and joy to use.

These are just a few of my initial observations, but so far, the iPhone has not disappointed at all and has in fact exceeded my expectations for how I would use it and how it would function. The screenshot above is an actual capture of one of my iPhone launch screens and shows some of the programs that I’ve added to the iPhone already.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 2 Comments
30
Jul 08

My iPhone 3G is on its way

Finally, after an almost 4 week wait (between working with my current provider and ordering the new phone), my new iPhone 3G is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Last year when the first generation iPhone appeared on the scene, I spoke up and said that the iPhone was too expensive, too slow, and not expandable (lack of add-on applications).

Being a long time Palm user, then the Palm smartphone series user, I saw that the first iPhone, though compelling, lacked some features to justify its high price ($599 last year). I made the move this year because Apple and AT&T added the high speed 3G network, add-on application support, and reduced the price to $199 and $299.

Adding the omissions from the first generation to the new iPhone 3G made me decide to abandon my long time Palm relationship. I do so with some hesitation and a little fear, but also with eager anticipation as well. In the year since Apple released the iPhone, many web sites have cropped up that are optimized for use on the iPhone and now with 3rd party applications, the device becomes a true computing platform that made the Palm devices so successful.

I will report my trials and successes with the iPhone, but I need help from you too. If you are an iPhone user already, I would love to hear your tips and tricks on making the iPhone experience a positive one. Leave a comment below with any great iPhone apps, web sites, and/or tricks you have learned since you had yours.