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Alternative keyboards for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Matt Petch — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:28:56 +0000

If you search the internet for “iPhone keyboard” you will find an awful lot of people complaining. Many people find the touch screen keyboard of the iPhone and iPod Touch rather difficult to use and would rather have something more tactile and suitable for the larger thumb.

Whilst I can appreciate the difficulties that some people have I don’t really fall into this camp of thinking. Partly because I’m not the worlds fastest typer but also because I simply don’t have a problem using the touch keyboard. Occasionally I hit the wrong key but its not a big enough problem for me to want to sacrifice the benefits of the touch keyboard for a physical one.

Rather than concentrate on the apparent shortcomings of a feature such as the touch keyboard I prefer to look at the design of the iPhone and Touch in a more holistic way. The software keyboard, like the multi-touch technology itself allows for a great deal of versatility. It’s immediately there when its needed and disappears when its not, returning the full display back to you. It also adapts to the context in which it is being used, giving you a .com key for example when needed and a selection of alternatives when a key is held down. You also have the option of flipping your device on its side to access a larger, more spaced out keyboard.

That said, I haven’t really, yet felt comfortable writing lengthy articles or blog posts on the iPhone keyboard. I can see that in some situations an alternative keyboard may be useful but they are few and far between.

iType $100

Later this year, ION Audio will be bringing out iType; an almost full size QWERTY keyboard that cradles your iPhone in the upper portion of a keyboard that looks a lot like a ZX81 I still own. The iType has its own battery so it won’t drain your device and it is rumored that it may even be able to charge it. I don’t really know what I think about this. I can imagine it could be great if you want to do a lot of typing on your iPhone but I cant help thinking that if you are going to carry this keyboard around, you may as well carry a laptop around and be done with it. Having said that I can imagine myself using this and a laptop of course, costs a lot more than the expected price of $100 for the iType.

ION Audio website here
More images here

iTwinge $30

Perhaps size doesn’t matter. In which case the iTwinge may be the keyboard alternative for you. iTwinge is sleeve that plugs into your device and covers the lower half of your screen with a tactile keyboard making your iPhone look like a BlackBerry. If you really need a tactile keyboard when writing larger quantities of text this could be a good solution. I struggle however to see this as being a good replacement for the standard keyboard in general use. The fact that it permanently covers the lower half of the screen will present obvious problems. You also lose the ability to hold a key down for additional options and of course it wont work when the iphone is on its side.

Mobile Mechanics site here

4iThumbs $15 – $20

The lowest cost item is the 4iThumbs. This is a simple clear plastic overlay/screen protector with raised pips that provide a tactile separation to the touch keys which can be through it. It appears to be very easy to apply and adds hardly any bulk to your device. Unlike the iTwinge it does not obscure the screen and is available in landscape and portrait versions. When you are not using it slips out of its retaining flaps and attaches to the reverse of your device. I like the simplicity of this approach and prefer it to the iTwinge, but I still think my device is a better product without it. Perhaps if I really had a problem with the touch keyboard I may feel different.

4iThumbs site here

That’s it for now. Please let me know if you have tried any of these, or any other keyboards I haven’t mentioned.

A beautiful selection of quality iPhone and iPod Touch accessories

A new kind of App. Promised Land Of Heavy Metal.

Matt Petch — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:14:48 +0000

Promised Land Of Heavy Metal is an app that I have personally been involved in the creation of. That, however is not why I am writing about it here. I have been involved in a number of apps that have not made it to the pages of this web site.

Promised Land Of Heavy Metal (or PLOHM) is a little different to most, as at it’s heart is a full length, 52 minute documentary film which tells the story of Finnish Metal, Its history and it’s philosophy. A nice looking interface (yep, I did that bit) allows you to access the apps other sections which include A guide book to Finland (the Promised Land Of Heavy Metal), Photo Galleries, Links to travel information, festivals and Merchandise.

Finland is particularly significant in the Metal scene, as it is probably the only country in the world where Metal has become mainstream. As you will see in the film; the Finnish church has Metal Masses, Finland has had a winning entry into the Eurovision song contest with LORDI and even the Finnish President approves of its Metal connections. It is this bizarre and diverse nature of the film that makes it fascinating to watch for the non Metal fan as well as the true Metal enthusiast.

The Film is Narrated by Kimmo Kuusniemi, now a film maker and guitarist for the very influential band Sarcofagus but originally a forefather of Finnish Metal. It also features a plethora of famous faces and bands such as HIM, Killswitch Engage, Nightwish, Alice Cooper, Lordi, Apocalyptica, Blake and Iron Maiden to name just a few.

Without wishing to blow my own trumpet (or should that be play my own axe) This is a nice looking app containing a fascinating and well made film with some great reviews. Perhaps this is the first of a new breed of app which offer full length films with lots of additional media tied together with an interface that gives it a good DVD feel.

iTunes link: Promised Land Of Heavy Metal

Don’t forget that you are able to connect your device to your TV using one of the systems below, which I wrote about in my previous post “Ten Christmas Gifts For an iPod Touch or iPhone User“

The Klipsch iGroove SXT MFI iPod Speaker System which also provides an S-video output.

The Logic3 WIP040 Prodock

A beautiful selection of quality iPhone and iPod Touch accessories

Ten Christmas Gifts For an iPod Touch or iPhone User

Matt Petch — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:52:21 +0000

The array of accessories available for the iPod Touch and iPhone is huge. This gives you a lot of options if you are looking for a Christmas gift but it can be very time consuming to find the best products in the mass of available offerings. Fear not. I have done the work for you and compiled below, a list of Ten different accessories. In each case I have spent time selecting what I consider to be good options. I can’t promise that the products I have selected will definitely be the best but I have tried to make informed selections based on My own experiences, available reviews and ratings, products I already own and simply comparing features to decide which appear to be good value for money. In short I have done exactly what I would do if searching for products for my self. First up is my most used item, the speaker dock.

Speaker dock
A speaker dock is one of the most used accessories I have ever bought. The JBL On Stage IIIP is a highly rated unit with good sound quality. I own a JBL On Stage speaker and have found it to be well made, faultless and produce high sound quality. If you want the added ability to view your video and photos on a television screen you could consider the Klipsch iGroove SXT MFI iPod Speaker System which also provides an S-video output.

The JBL On Stage IIIP

Klipsch iGroove SXT MFI

Alarm Clock
If you are wanting to pair your device with your radio alarm clock; the Sony ICFC7IP Clock Radio for iPod looks like a choice that a lot of people are very happy with. It is a reasonable price and includes a full function remote control. The only thing that some people have highlighted as a problem is the display being too bright.

Sony ICFC7IP Clock Radio

Device stand
If you use your iPod or iPhone at your desk, as an alarm clock or like to watch a lot of video content you may find a stand useful. The Mobis Technology Xtand for iPod Touch 2G or iPhone is a well engineered solid aluminum king of stands.

Mobis Technology Xtand for iPod Touch 2G

Mobis Technology St-188 Xtand for iPhone 3g

iPod Touch microphone
The features of the iPod Touch can be extended considerably with the addition of a microphone. Adding a microphone allows you to make recordings, take voice notes and even use your Touch as a Skype phone. There are a few different microphones available but I feel the tiny ones are most useful. I would like to get a ThumbTack Micro-Microphone but it looks like the Mini Microphone is also a good option.

ThumbTack Micro-Microphone Black for iPod Touch 2g & iPod Nano 4G

Mini Microphone Mike & Speaker for ALL Apple iPod & iPhones

Stylus Pen
Yes I know what you’re thinking; Why would anybody need a stylus for an iPhone or Touch when you can just use your finger. I agree, in most cases your finger is fine but I have a few drawing app which I think could be easier to use with a stylus, as well as a couple of freehand writing apps. Its not easy writing with your finger. I also think if you wear gloves a lot a stylus could be particularly useful. It seems the stylus of the moment is the Pogo Stylus which also comes with a useful clip that keeps it attached to your device.

SELECT Pogo Stylus Pen for Apple iPhone 3G, 3G S (Black)

FM transmitter for the car
Perhaps the most useful FM transmitter is one that not only transmits your music to your car radio but also charges your device and provides a means to hold it. The Griffin RoadTrip 6195-RDTRPB with Smartscan seems to be a reasonable option as does the Cygnett GrooveTransmit. Both of these devices provide a cradle for your iPhone or Touch which is supported by a short flexible gooseneck with a cigarette plug on the end. If you feel you don’t need the charger or cradle you could try TeckNet MT-096 or Griffin iTrip

Griffin RoadTrip 6265-RDTRPB2 for iPhone and iPod

Cygnett GrooveTransmit FM Transmitter/Charger and Cradle for iPod and iPhone

TeckNet MT-096 Apple FM Transmitter For Apple iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S and other iPod Player

Car mount
If you don’t need an FM transmitter but just want to mount your device in your car, perhaps to use as a GPS you may want a simple car mount. The Kensington Car Mount seems to be a simple solution with good reviews. Alternatively the Sunwire – In Car Holder & Charger looks good and comes with a charger. The possible advantage of the Kensington option is it seems it will take a wider range of devices plus you don’t need to remove them from their cases. Macally make a mount that fits into your car cup holder. If your cup holder is rarely used the Macally mCup could be a great solution. Be aware that unless very thin you will probably need to remove your case with the Macally solution.

Kensington Car Mount for iPod and MP3 Players

Sunwire – In Car Holder & Charger – iPhone 3G/3GS

MCUP Adjustable Car cup holder mount for iphone and ipod

AV dock
There are a range of docks and cables that allow you to plug your device into sound systems and/or televisions. In my opinion a dock is a little more convenient than cables as it means you don’t have to fiddle about with…well…cables. The Logic3 WIP040 Prodock is a versatile dock with great reviews on Amazon. If you prefer cables you could try the Griffin HomeConnect – iPod audio / video cable. Please note that the video component of this cable does not work with the iPhone or Touch but does work with other video iPods that can send video through their headphone jacks.

Logic3 WIP040 Prodock for iPhone/iPod

Griffin HomeConnect – iPod audio / video cable (video does not work with iPod Touch or iPhone)

Protective case
I spent a lot of time looking for a case before I settled on the one I currently have. I was looking for one that was quick and easy to use, protected the whole device yet when in use covered the face as little as possible. It also had to look good. I didn’t want film covering the screen, case on the front of the device or the need to remove the device from a pouch to use it. What do you mean I’m fussy? My searching finally paid off when I found the Proporta Leather Style Protective Case. It is a very smart looking leather effect case with a flip up front cover. The iPhone or Touch is held to the back cover of the case by a couple of covered metal grips so when open your device is fully exposed. I have owned this case for almost a year now and still love it.

Proporta Leather Style Protective Case (Apple 2G iPod touch) – Black

Proporta Leather Style Protective Case for Apple 3G iPhone

Additional battery power
The battery on the iPhone or iPod Touch runs down quite quickly when being used for video, games and other graphic or processor intensive applications (See my post on extending battery life here). When traveling, this can become quite an issue. The solution is an additional battery and or solar charger. In a previous post I recommended the Freeloader Globe Trotter, a portable charger/battery system that can be charged by its solar panels. This appears to be a perfect solution but having owned it for a couple of months I find my self unable to recommend it again. If you’re away for long periods of time and unable to find regular charge points you may require a battery with a solar charger. The PowerMonkey Explorer’ Portable Charger has some very good reviews and is an incredible versatile device. If you don’t require the option to charge via the sun I would consider the Kensington Battery Pack And Charger or the mStation Mohpie Juice Pack- Case & Rechargeable 1800mA Battery. The advantage of the mStation option is it takes the form of a case which means you don’t have to worry about separate batteries and cables.

PowerMonkey Explorer’ Portable Charger – Yellow

Kensington Battery Pack And Charger For iPhone And iPod

mStation Mohpie Juice Pack- Case & Rechargeable 1800mA Battery for iPod Touch 2nd Gen

mStation Mohpie Juice Pack- Case & Rechargeable 1800mA Battery for iPhone 3G

There you go! Ten suggested Christmas gifts for the iPhone or iPod Touch user. I won’t be at all offended if you want to send me one of them

The links in the copy above are my Amazon affiliate links. I searched many many different sites for products I would want to buy and in every case the products I selected were available at Amazon and at a lower cost.

The Internet Marketers iPhone or iPod Touch.

Matt Petch — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:01:04 +0000

The iPhone is a wonderfully versatile pocket computer. Thanks to the tens of thousands of available app’s and the flexible way they can be arranged on your iphone or Touch, it is easy to set up individual screens to cater for specific workflows. Having more than a passing interest in internet marketing I thought I would set up a screen of app’s and links to serve my assorted internet marketing needs. This was the result: (Instructions for creating web links are at the bottom of the page.)

iPhone apps for internet marketing

1. iThoughts. A mind mapping application to plan your workflows and business models. Im currently using iThoughts but also give MindNode a look.

2. Shortcut to Google Keyword tool to help you select a niche and populate your pages with appropriate keywords so they can be found when people search for them.

3. DomainScout. A domain name search tool so you can check the availability of your preferred domain names. The thing I like about DomainScout is, as you discover various names you like you can add them to a favorites list. As names pop into your head during the day you can check their availability and add them to an ongoing list.

4. Go Daddy. Once you have found your domain name of choice you will need to buy it from a company such as Go Daddy. Yep there’s an app for that.

5. A shortcut to a hosting company such as HostGator will allow you to host and control your website via Cpanel, all via your iPhone or Touch.

6. WordPress for iPhone will allow you to add to and edit your WordPress Blog. Prefer TypePad? Well you may want to look at the TypePad app.

7. A shortcut to ClickBank. Search for products to promote and check your sales on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You may also want to look at the CB Stats app.

8. TweetDeck is great, not just for checking and posting tweets but it also allows you to search and connect with people talking about things related to your niche.

9. Facebook app allows you to interact with your Facebook contacts and post happenings for all to see.

10. Analytics Agent. Having a good Google analytics app on your iPhone or iPod Touch will help you keep track of how well you are doing online as well as giving you an insight into what your potential customers are looking for. Analytics Agent has a nice interface and is easy to use but you may also want to take a look at Analytics App.

11. The PayPal App. Keep tabs on your ingoing and outgoing payments with the PayPal App. You may also want to look at Pay Mobile.

12. Documents To Go. A text editor so you can write articles or blog posts whilst away from the office. I’m still looking for a solution that enables me to edit the same documents regardless of whether im on the desktop machine or iPod. Many text editing App’s claim to sync with Google Doc’s but the ones I have looked at don’t really sync, they just allow me to upload and download documents. The best solution I have found to date is Documents To Go, and its desktop syncing app. With this you can make a change to a document on your iPhone and sync. When you open it on your desktop machine it will be updated. It works equally well going from desktop to iPhone as well.

13. iTimeZone allows you to see what time it will be in your location at a certain time in a different part of the world. This is very useful for making sure you don’t miss webinars and teleseminars by your favorite overseas marketing mentors.

14. Shortcut to Online Success Coach. I like to have a shortcut to the web page of my current online marketing training course or tutor. I am currently with the Online Success Incubator which is part of TechTamers. After many months of looking for the right assistance, I chose the Online Success Incubator because of its extensive archive of information, Step by step guidance through the whole marketing experience, affordability and general no hype approach. If you’re looking for help getting started in Online Marketing I would recommend Online Success Incubator. They do a good news letter here

15. Briefcase. Online marketing is a continuos learning experience and you will find that you will accumulate a quantity of training courses, ebooks, tutorials, videos and audio. Its very useful to be able to get this info onto your iPhone so you can learn whilst away from your computer. There is a large collection of apps available to help you do this but I rather like Briefcase. Briefcase allows you to easily browse all of the files on your computer and pick out the ones you would like transfered to your device. It also allows you to view or play back most media types.

16. Instapaper. There will often be times when you will come across articles and web pages online that you would like to read but don’t have the time. Instapaper allows you to easily mark any webpage to be read later. Your iPhone will then sync with your instapaper account and download the articles to your device allowing you to read them at any time, on or off line.

17. What Tasks. One way to ensure progress is to keep a short daily to do list. What Tasks is currently my favorite allowing me to manually arrange the order of to do items and keep multiple lists so I can create long term as well as daily lists of goals. It is also nice and easy to use unlike many full blown get things done app’s.

18. Fenix Notes. Its always useful to have a quick and easy note taking system. I have taken a liking to Fenix Notes largely because I can open it and take a note very quickly.

19. Safari. Where would an internet marketer be without a web browser…

20. Or email for that matter.

Incase you are wondering how to get shortcut links to websites onto your iphone or iPod Touch this is how you do it. Use Safari on your device to find the webpage you would like to save a link to. Tap the + (plus) icon in the menu bat at the bottom of the screen. Select the Add to Home Screen button.

I hope you have found this article useful. Please leave a comment if you know of other good internet marketing app’s or sites I could have added to this list.

Prey Invasion. Currently my Favorite iPhone Game.

Matt Petch — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:06:07 +0000

Im always on the look out for a good 3D adventure for my iPod Touch. I will be the first to admit that i’m not a very serious game player so this review is for us non pro’s. I love the idea of computer games, but rarely find one that holds my interest for any length of time. Prey Invasion is an exception to this and is currently my favorite game.

After crashing your pickup down a ravine you awake to find Earth is under attack from ferocious aliens. as you progress through the game you soon enter a strange temple and then venture further into an alien facility. It’s apparent these nasty beings are up no good and what’s more have your girlfriend.

Prey Invasion is a First person shooter with the pace of an action-adventure game. By this I mean; you have time to explore. Ive never been keen on games that require you to furiously pound the fire button until you die ten seconds later. On the subject of death; its something that doesn’t really happen in Prey Invasion. If you take too much damage you simply enter a spirit world where you can rejuvenate your strength by shooting a few ghost like creatures. You also have the option to cross over to the spirit world by choice; spirit walking allows you to briefly leave your physical body. This is useful, as there are certain things in the game that your physical body just cant do.

Controls for this type of game have always been a problem on the iPhone. The analogue D-pad thumb controls that are so common on this type of game don’t work in my opinion. Without having tactile feedback its difficult to know where you’re putting your thumb. Luckily Prey Invasion has very customisable controls including the option to select individual directional buttons, which I much prefer. Firing your gun simply requires tapping the screen and you can choose to use a cross hair target or simply tap the area of the screen you wish to target.

The graphics are rich and interesting. There are no real rendered reflections or shadows but the high quality of the texture maps makes up for this. I think it is unrealistic to expect an iPhone game of this type to compare to similar console versions but the makers have clearly tried to get as close as they currently can.

All up I think this is a great game and in my opinion there is little to compare with it at the moment in the app store. I would like the sound to be a little better and perhaps a little more variation to the environments and puzzles, but on the whole I think its good. The graphics are good, it’s nicely designed, the controls are ok and the general game play is a good one.

Make your iPod Touch or iPhone’s Battery Charge Last Longer

Matt Petch — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:03:43 +0000

Before I owned an iPod Touch I owned (and still do) an iPod Photo. The first thing I noticed about the Touch was that its battery appears to drain much quicker. Of course it doesn’t really if I only play music as I did with my old iPod. The touch can do so much more, but the price you pay for all the great energy sapping features of the iPod Touch or iPhone is a pretty short battery life. There are a few things you can do to maximise the battery life and I have tried to compile here a comprehensive list of ways in which you can squeeze as much time out of a single charge as possible. Of course the whole point of having an iPod or iPhone is to use and enjoy it but if you find your self in a situation where you wont be able to charge it for some time you may want to consider some of the following.

Keep it sleeping

Make it sleep quickly.
Obvious, I know but the longer your device is awake the more power it uses. You can help minimise awake time by making sure the Auto-Lock feature is set to put your device to sleep as quickly as possible. Go to Settings > General > Auto – Lock and set it to the default 1 Minute. Don’t forget that you can also manually put it to sleep by pressing the sleep button at the top of your device.

Avoid turning it off
Unless you intend not using your device for quite a long time it is probably best to avoid turning your device off completely. Restarting your iPod or iPhone is likely to use more power than you will save. When not in use for short periods of time just use the sleep mode.

Turn off features you don’t need.

Turn Off WiFi
If you’re not in range of WiFi or just don’t need to use it you could save a bit of juice by turning it off. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and switch it to off. Whilst there you could also turn off “Ask to join Networks”

Turn Off EQ
Having EQ turned on uses more of your devices processor and battery power. Turn off EQ by going to Settings > Music > EQ and selecting Off.

Turn Off Bluetooth
If this is something you dont use much make sure it is turned off. Go to Settings > General > Bluetooth and turn it off.

Turn off Location Services
Decide how often you use this feature and if its not very often, turn it off. Go to Settings > General > and flick the switch next to Location Services.

Minimise the number of times your device performs automatic tasks

Reduce how often your device fetches mail.
Applications such as Mail, fetch data automatically at pre set intervals. You can save a bit of battery life by reducing how often this happens. Go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data and select a longer period of time in the Fetch list. Even better set it to manually. Whilst here you could also turn off Push. Rather than emails constantly being pushed to your push mail accounts they will simply be received according to your Fetch settings.

Stop your iPhone from searching for a network
If you know you are in an area where there is a very weak or no mobile network it may be a good idea to turn on Airplane mode. This will stop your iPhone from constantly trying to find a connection. Go to Settings and switch on Airplane mode.

Turn Off 3G
If you don’t require the speed that 3G offers, you may be able to save a bit of energy by just using EDGE. Go to Settings > General > Network and set 3G to Off.

Avoid bright screens

Turn down the screen brightness
The display on the iPod Touch & iPhone is a major battery drain. When its bright and busy its using lots of pawer. You can minimise its effect on your battery by keeping the brightness down as low as possible. Go to Settings > Brightness and drag the slider to the left as far as you feel comfortable with. You can also make it even more efficient by switching on Auto-Brightness.

Minimise the use of third party app’s
Using app’s that keep the screen illuminated such as games will of course drain the battery. The more you can avoid using these the more your battery will thank you. The most efficient entertainment your device can provide is playing music.

Don’t use colourful wallpapers
If you really want to take this to a silly extreme you could also make sure you don’t use any bright wallpapers. A black background requires little energy.

Avoid excessive processor use

Minimise the use of complex games
Its good to be aware that running many of the third party app’s such as games not only cause lots of battery draining screen activity, but also make the iPods processor work harder. This of course drains the battery.

If all else fails

Use a mobile charger or battery pack.
If you just enjoy using your iPod or iPhone too much to consider many of the above options, or you just need to play high octane 3D video games on your travels; you could always consider carrying an additional battery pack with you. Some battery packs also come with solar panels so you need never be without your iPod or iPhone again. Freeloader make a good range of solar and battery charging combinations. By far the most versatile and acclaimed is the Freeloader Globe Trotter. Take a look at the Freeloader range by clicking below.

Freeloader solar chargers

Print Anything From Your iPod or iPhone

Matt Petch — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:29:24 +0000

01 Print from your iPod Touch or iPhone to any any computer via it’s mail application.

Wait, this isn’t what you think! This is so much better than just emailing a document to your computer and manually printing it from there. This method is automated and allows you to print anything that’s on your Touch or iPhone from any printer connected to any Mac anywhere in the world. Im sure there will be a Windows equivalent of this but im just going to cover the Mac method here.

Ok I admit, there is a bit of fiddling about to do up front but once done it works a treat. The idea here is to email the item to be printed to a Mac that has its email application running (in this case Apple’s Mail) and printer turned on. Mail then uses rules to automatically launch a script which prints the item it received. Credit for this method should be given to Martin Michel of macscripter.net who provides detailed instructions and has developed the AppleScript that makes it all work. I would suggest a minor change to the rule however.

a. Download the Pergamail AppleScript from here. This is the script that the Mail application runs to print what it receives from your device.

b. Create a custom rule in Mail by first going to the Mail menu item and selecting Preferences. Click the Rules icon and create a rule as shown below.

As you can see the action we are getting it to perform is to run an AppleScript under a certain condition. The AppleScript you need to choose here is the Pergamail one you have just downloaded. If Mail receives an email with the words “please print” in the subject line it will go ahead and print it. You can make the condition whatever you like as long as you remember to include it in the email you send from your iPhone.

Now whenever you send an email from your iPhone with the words “please print” (or whatever you set the trigger to be) it will automatically be printed… assuming you’ve remembered to turn your printer on.

What do you mean you can’t email an image from your favorite game?

You can actually email anything that appears on your iPhone’s screen. Here’s how you do it. When you have a screen that can’t be emailed simply press the home button and the power button together to take a snap shot of the screen. The snap shot will be stored in your photo library. Open your Photos App, Tap the “Saved Photo’s” library and you should see your screen grab. You can email any images in a library by tapping the share icon in the bottom left, selecting the image or images you wish to send then tap the share button again and select email. Don’t forget to include your trigger text in the subject line if you want it to automatically print.

02 Print from your iPod Touch or iPhone to any computer via a dedicated app.

You may prefer to buy one of the dedicated iPhone print applications available. There’s actually not that many to choose from. One of the more versatile ones seems to be Print & Share by EuroSmartz Ltd.

Print & Share comprises of two parts; an iPhone/Touch app and a desktop helper app. Once these have been installed and configured you can use the iPhone app to select and print files, emails, web pages, contact info or images from your photo albums or camera. The items you wish to print need to be selected via the app so you can’t simply print something interesting you come across whilst browsing the web or checking your mail. You would instead need to close the app you were using, open the Print & share app, then use it to locate the file you wish to print.

This works reasonable well but, in my opinion the limitation of having to select items through the app makes it less appealing than the first method I mentioned.

03 Print directly to your HP networked printer.

If you have a networked Hewlett-Packard inkjet printer you could stop all this messing about and print directly to that. You would need to download the HP iPrint Photo app from the app store which lets you print anything that is in your photo library. Of course much of what you will want to print wont be in your library but you can overcome this problem to some degree by taking screen grabs of anything you want to print. Pressing the power and home buttons together whisks a copy of your current screen off to your photo library, where it can be sent directly to your HP printer via the HP iPrint Photo app.

Upload Photo’s to Almost Any Sharing Site From Your Iphone or Touch.

Matt Petch — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:09:11 +0000

When I first decided to write this post, the intention was to review a collection of the better photo sharing app’s. After some initial research I realised that the list of available app’s was nearly as long as my To-Do list. To review and discuss them would have been an unenviable task and an even less enviable read.

What I have chosen to do instead, is recap on how you can upload your photo’s to your MobileMe gallery using only your default Photo app. I have then listed some other common photo sharing sites along with their corresponding upload applications. Because there are so many I have been a little selective and only included the more promising options.

To Share Your photo’s From the Default Photo App.

To do this you will need a MobileMe account: which is free for 60 days but then im afraid you have to pay for it. Before you dismiss it, it’s worth considering some of the many features you get with the service. Check it out here.

Assuming you have a MobileMe account, you first need to login to the service and create an album to upload your photo’s into. Do this on your computer beforehand. Make sure your album settings allow adding of photo’s via email or iPhone as shown below.

Once you have done this you can start selecting and uploading photo’s from your iPod Touch or phone…

1. Launch the default Photo application that comes with your device and open an album.

2. Tap the share icon in the bottom left corner of the screen.

3. You can now tap any photo to select it. You can tell that it has been selected as the photo icon dims, and displays a small tick.

4. Tap the share button and you should get the options of emailing your selection or sending it to MobileMe. Click “Send to MobileMe”.

5. Give the image a name and select the gallery you want to upload the photo to. When you have done this, simply tap the Publish button in the top right and off it goes.

The only problem with this is you can only upload one photo at a time. Luckily you can email lots of photo’s in one go but you need to know your galleries email address.

1. Use your browser to go back to your MobileMe gallery on your computer.

2. Select your gallery and then click on the settings button at the top: The one that looks like a light switch.

3. Just below the checkbox that reads “Adding of photo’s via email or iPhone” will be an email address you can use to email photo’s to the gallery.

4. Now when you want to email some photo’s from your device you simply select photo’s as we did before but this time select multiple photo’s.

5. Tap the share button and select “Email”. Your chosen photo’s will immediately be transported to your mail app.

6. Enter that email address (perhaps save it in your address book)and shoot them off to your gallery.

Other Popular Photo Sharing Sites.

Even if you do have a mobile me account, it may not be where you want to send your photo’s. I have listed below all of the most promising photo uploading apps and grouped them by photo sharing and social media sites. Pick your preferred service, download one of the app’s and share away.

Flickr – http://www.flickr.com

Photobucket – http://photobucket.com

Photobucket for iPhone

Shutterfly – http://www.shutterfly.com

Shutterfly for iPhone

PixMatter

Picasa – http://picasa.google.com/intl/en_US/web/learn_more_picasa.html

Picassolino

Portfolio

Youtube – http://www.youtube.com

Lifecasting

Twitter – http://twitter.com

pic.im

Snap2Twitter

Gyazickr

Multiple services including Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Picassa, and tumblr

FTP

Ok well thats it for now. I hope you have found this post useful. Feel free to comment.

MobileMe is available via my link here

Google Analytics on your iTouch or iPhone

Matt Petch — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:58:57 +0000

There are few things in life as addictive as the need to check your various web stats. once you start creating a web presence; be it a web site, social media, internet marketing, or blogging you immediately adopt the patience of a child in the back of a car wanting to know if we are nearly there yet. Checking the numbers of visitors to your site can become quite compulsive stuff.

There have always been ways of tracking your visitor numbers but Google analytics has turned this service into an easy to use product providing detailed visitor statistics. This of course not only lets you know how well you are doing but gives you clues as to how you could make improvements.

The Google analytics web site doesn’t work on the iPhone or Touch due to their inability to handle Flash but if you really want to check your stat’s on the move you do have a few options.

Analytics App by AnalyticsApp.com

This is a comprehensive application with all of the features you would expect plus a few more. It is nicely designed, easy to use and has some very good user reviews. One key feature that makes this app really stand out is its “Today” report, Something that Google doesn’t even have on its website. This app is currently the most expensive of the group

Analytics Agent Pro by Global Agent

Analytics Agent Pro is another fully featured application with very good user reviews. In my opinion this application has some of the easiest to read and most attractive graphs and displays of the bunch. In use I found this app a little less intuitive than Analytics App.

Analytics Pro by Cart Hero, LLC

This app seems to work a little differently. Rather than interpreting the data in its own way it looks like you are viewing snapshots of the Google Analytics website pages. The pages are presented in a long list and It feels a little like you are viewing a pdf document.

BAM Analytics by Blast Advanced Media

At the time of writing this app was free. It doesn’t offer the extensive infomation of other apps but if all you want is a quick view of your basic visits, views and activity this app is quite good. Its simplicity makes it quick and easy to use.

Touchlytics by Newstreet Software

Another extensive, feature-rich application, easy to use application. It clearly presents its information and is the only one that supports landscape view.

Which one of the above you select will probably depend on your requirements and budget. Analytics App, Analytics Agent Pro and Touchlytics are all fully featured and competent apps. I think if your budget permits, the “Today” data you get with Analytics app gives it the edge. The best value for money app is almost certainly Analytics Agent Pro. If all you require is basic data then you can’t go far wrong with the free BAM Analytics.

iPod & iPhone Messengers Tested.

Matt Petch — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:58:42 +0000

Real time text based messengers are a convenient way to have impromptu discussions with friends, family and colleagues in much the same way as you might if you were in the same room. In addition to this services such as Skype offer free or very low cost, easy to use voice and video communication.

There are now a number of messenger app’s available for the iPod Touch and iPhone which allow you to keep in touch when you’re away from you computer. If you’re an iPod Touch user they can also turn your iPod into a low cost telephone. All you need is a internet connection and a mic.

In this article I discuss four of the most promising free messenger app’s. First up is fring.

fring http://www.fring.com

Services it works with:

Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, Twitter, Yahoo! and AIM (& mobile me) and a range of SIP services.

Setup:

Set up is relatively straight forward. You first need to register with fring then select which services (Skype, MSN, Gtalk etc) you wish to add. If you don’t yet belong to any these you first need to register at their respective web sites to obtain login details.

In use:

The buddy list displays the various members of your selected networks as well as the entire contents of your address book. This allows you to contact people who do not belong to any of your networks, via email, SIP, Skype out, or iPhone call. If you have a mic for your iPod Touch SkypeOut effectively turns your iPod into a phone, as long as you have an internet connection. The only issue I have with the buddy list is its lack of service grouping and identity.

Tapping any of your contacts in the list allows you to type a message or make a call to that person. The message screen is clean and easy to read. Unfortunately there is no landscape keyboard option which makes typing a little more difficult than it need be. If you wish to make a SIP or Skype call to a standard telephone number, you can use the Dialer, which is essentially a full screen number pad.

Other than the lack of organisation in the buddy list I have few complaints about fring.

Nimbuzz http://www.nimbuzz.com

Services it works with:

Skype, Yahoo! IM, AIM (& mobile me), GTalk, MSN, ICQ, Jabber, Facebook, MySpace, StudiVZ, Gadu Gadu, Hyves and a selection of SIP accounts.

Setup:

Upon launch you are asked to enter your Nimbuzz login details or create a new account. Creating a new account takes a matter of seconds, then you can start adding your contacts by selecting the services you belong to from a list and typing in your login details for each.

In use:

When you return to your contacts list it will be populated with all of your contacts from the various services that you added. Contacts are listed in Alphabetical order but you can change this to “grouped by network” if you wish. Tapping a contact gives a choice of messaging, phoning or sending it’s own kind of mail message, depending on the service.

Sending messages with with Nimbuzz is nice and easy thanks to the fact that the keyboard works in landscape mode. Like the other app’s it has a nice large numeric keypad for dialing landlines. As an additional feature you’re also able to update your status across your various services.

Nimbuzz is good. Its nicely designed, easy to use and fully featured.

Skype http://www.skype.com

Services it works with:

Skype. Yep thats all. This is the official app for the Skype service.

Setup:

This is one of those “does one thing well” apps. It’s very easy to get started. You either enter your existing Skype details or create a new account.

In use:

Your contacts list is presented in a similar way to the iPhone’s built in address book with an alphabet index down the right hand side. Two buttons at the top allow you to view just your Skype contacts or your entire address book. This makes it easy to use SkypeOut to call standard land lines. Alternatively you could press the call button at the bottom to dial a number that is not in your address book. Skype text chat is nicely presented with icons and speech bubbles, but no landscape keyboard.

All in all Skype is a nicely finished, competent app. It’s ideal if you only want to use the Skype service or you want to use it for free or low cost calls.

Palringo http://www.palringo.com

Services it works with:

MSN, AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, iChat / MobileMe, QQ, Gadu-Gadu and Facebook Chat (Alpha)

Setup

As with other multi service messengers you are first required to set up an account which ties together the various services you may belong to. Setting up a new account is reasonably straight forward, though its done through web pages that don’t feel like they have been optimised for a mobile device. An additional screen then allows you to add optional, additional information. I just hit the save and done buttons and returned to the main application.

In use:

At first I was left wondering what to do next?. I had an empty buddy list and no obvious way of adding anyone apart from other Palringo contacts. I could hit the support button but instead opt for random button tapping until something looks familiar. I quickly find out how to add additional chat networks and return to my main contacts list.

Instant messages are sent in the usual way but again there is no landscape keyboard. Palringo say they have plans to implement this feature at some time in the future. Interestingly you can also send a voice message which can either be heard within the recipients Palringo app or via a web link. In addition to this you can send pictures, which is a nice feature that seems to be unique to this app.

Another unique feature of this app are its social groups. You can join a growing number of different groups each developed around a particular interest. If you can’t find the group you want, you can create one. I joined the itouch fans group. Once you have joined a group you have direct communication with all other members of that group.

Palringo isn’t quite as intuitive as the other messenger app’s but It does have some unique and interesting features.

To Conclude:

Its difficult to pick an app that really stands out above the rest. If I only wanted to use Skype or just wanted cheap calls I would probably go with the Skype app for its simplicity. Palringo is a fully featured app with some interesting functionality and a pro looking interface, but of the four, I feel most comfortable with Nimbuzz. It has a good feature set, is very easy to use and works with a large range of services.

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