5 Best Travel Apps for the iPhone

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Aaron Dwyer

As everyone who owns an iPhone knows, the little machine is very useful, and this handiness can be expanded dramatically with all kinds of downloadable apps. Well, for those of us who travel a lot –whether it is to different cities, states, provinces or countries—some of these apps can be extremely useful for hitting the road. Let’s take a look at 5 of them.

Google Earth for Mobile

Google Earth would have been considered an absolute marvel less than 20 years ago and now it’s found on just about everyone’s home computer and laptop. Not only that, but you can download the mobile version to your iPhone. Google Earth mobile includes almost all the features found in its desktop version, as long as you can tolerate the much smaller screen size. This size aside, this is one useful travel tool.

Google Earth mobile provides navigation, 3d mapping and location finding services just like Google Earth desktop. With this app you can go ahead and perform a voice search in English, Japanese or Mandarin for your favorite bars, cafes, restaurants, or for any random street address and public location. The map location features also clearly point out places on the 3D satellite world map. Basically, if you’ve ever used Google Earth on a computer, you know what to expect.

Cost: Free

XE.com Mobile Currency App

XE.com is a well known currency tracking and FOREX trading website that has now come up with its own mobile app, available for iPhone and several other mobile devices. This XE currency tool is pretty straightforward and very useful for anyone travelling through different currency markets. It allows you to quickly and easily calculate the differing values of any two of dozens of currencies and get a real time up to the minute exchange rate. The handiness of something like this can’t be understated for all sorts of situations, and might just be a very useful tool for keeping you from getting ripped off on a regular basis.

Cost: Free

Kayak.com Mobile App for iPhone

The Kayak.com app doesn’t really do much more than find you the best flight deals available between different cities and countries, but what else could be more useful? This easy to use app is well designed for iPhones and other mobile devices to give you a simple yet powerful search tool that could end up saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on flight prices over the long run. Use the Kayak mobile app to choose from the standard flight options and seat classes to get the cheapest available booking for your destination.

Cost: Free

Tripit Mobile for iPhone

Tripit is an app that truly simplifies your entire travel planning experience into the easiest possible interface. This application is free, incredibly useful and without a doubt vital for anyone who’s serious about travelling. What Tripit does is take all the scattered travel itineraries, plans and online documents (such as flight booking emails and hotel reservation confirmations) that you send to your Tripit account and organizes them into a single central information display that is stored for easy use.  The app also allows you to add maps, weather reports, and travel directions to this same central itinerary. As an added bonus, you can also book restaurant reservations, theatre tickets and other recreational activities straight through your account with Tripit.

Cost: Free and pro versions available

Skype Mobile for iPhone

While you’re travelling, you probably want to keep in touch with both everyone back home and new friends and contacts you’ve met in the places you pass through. On the other hand, cellular roaming charges can quickly become insanely expensive and using Skype over a laptop can sometimes be impractical. The solution is in the Skype mobile app. With Skype mobile, you can talk for free with anyone else who has the same app on their own smart phone anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection. Even if your friends don’t have Skype on their mobile phones or if you want to call a landline, no problem; the Skype app gives you access to international dialing rates that are still going to be way, way cheaper than any roaming charges you’re likely to find.

Cost: Free with pay-as-you-go and monthly plan extras

Author: Jeff Fields writes for Island Trader, a site that sells beach gifts and tropical-themed art and merchandise.

Posted in Apps, Articles, iPhone | Tagged , | Comments Off on 5 Best Travel Apps for the iPhone

iOS 5 has been released

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Aaron Dwyer

iOS 5 Software Update has been released. Look at all the cool new features.

This update contains over 200 new features, including the following:

• Notifications
◦ Swipe from the top of any screen to view notifications in one place with Notification Center
◦ New notifications appear briefly at the top of the screen
◦ View notifications from lock screen
◦ Slide the notification app icon to the right on the lock screen to go directly to the app
• iMessage
◦ Send and receive unlimited text, photo, and video messages with other iOS 5 users
◦ Track messages with delivery and read receipts
◦ Group messaging and secure encryption
◦ Works over cellular network and Wi-Fi*
• Newsstand
◦ Automatically organizes magazine and newspaper subscriptions on Home Screen
◦ Displays the cover of the latest issue
◦ Background downloads of new issues
• Reminders for managing to do lists
◦ Syncs with iCloud, iCal and Outlook
◦ Location-based reminders when you leave or arrive at a location for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4
• Built-in support for Twitter
◦ Sign-in once in Settings and tweet directly from Camera, Photos, Maps, Safari and YouTube
◦ Add location to any tweet
◦ View twitter profile pictures and usernames in Contacts
• Camera improvements for devices with cameras
◦ Double click the home button when device is asleep to bring up a camera shortcut on iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch (4th generation)
◦ Volume Up button to take a picture
◦ Optional grid lines to line up shots
◦ Pinch to zoom in the preview screen
◦ Swipe to camera roll from preview screen
◦ Tap and hold to lock focus and exposure, iPad 2 and iPod touch (4th generation) only support exposure lock
• Photo improvements for devices with cameras
◦ Crop and rotate
◦ Red eye removal
◦ One tap enhance
◦ Organize photos into albums
• Mail improvements
◦ Format text using bold, italic, or underlined fonts
◦ Indentation control
◦ Drag to rearrange names in address fields
◦ Flag messages
◦ Mass mark messages as flagged, read or unread
◦ Customize mail alert sounds
◦ S/MIME
• Calendar improvements
◦ Year view on iPad and new Week view for iPhone and iPod touch
◦ Tap to create an event
◦ View and add event attachments
• Game Center improvements
◦ Use personal photos for your Game Center account
◦ Compare your overall achievement scores with your friends
◦ Find new Game Center friends with friend recommendations and friends of friends
◦ Discover new games with custom game recommendations
• AirPlay Mirroring for iPad 2 and iPhone 4S
• Multitasking Gestures for iPad
◦ Use four or five fingers to pinch to the Home Screen
◦ Swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar
◦ Swipe left or right to switch between apps
• On-device setup, activation and configuration with Setup Assistant
• Software updates available over the air without tethering
• iCloud support
◦ iTunes in the Cloud
◦ Photo Stream
◦ Documents in the Cloud
◦ Apps and Books automatic download and purchase history
◦ Backup
◦ Contacts, Calendar, and Mail
◦ Find My iPhone
• Redesigned Music app for iPad
• Hourly weather forecast
• Real-time stock quotes
• Wireless sync to iTunes
• Keyboard improvements
◦ Split keyboard for iPad
◦ Improved autocorrection accuracy
◦ Improved Chinese and Japanese input
◦ New Emoji keyboard
◦ Personal dictionary for autocorrection
◦ Optionally create keyboard short cuts for frequently used words
• Accessibility improvements
◦ Option to light LED flash on incoming calls and alerts for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4
◦ Custom vibration patterns for incoming calls on iPhone
◦ New interface for using iOS with mobility-impairment input devices
◦ Option to speak a selection of text
◦ Custom element labeling for VoiceOver
• Exchange ActiveSync improvements
◦ Wirelessly sync tasks
◦ Mark messages as flagged, read or unread
◦ Improved offline support
◦ Save a new contact from a GAL service
• More than 1,500 new developer APIs
• Bug fixes

Products compatible with this software update:
• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
• iPhone 3GS
• iPad 2
• iPad
• iPod touch (4th generation)
• iPod touch (3rd generation)

Posted in iOS, News | Tagged | Comments Off on iOS 5 has been released

Apple tipped to unveil iPhone 4GS next week

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Aaron Dwyer

Being able to buy spare parts for iPhone 4GS for the last month, the release of the iPhone 4GS is getting closer. Of course we will start to get replacement parts as soon as possible.

Apple has sent an invitation to journalists to attend an event at its Californian headquarters next week, sparking rumours it will unveil the next generation iPhone.

The iPhone 4GS will likely be revealed at the Tuesday 4 October event, after an invitation reading “Let’s talk iPhone” was sent to a number of journalists, according to Bloomberg.

Its predicted the new iPhone will feature a better camera, voice-recognition software and faster processor, as well as Apple’s new iOS 5 software, which was revealed during Steve Jobs’ last major Apple event. One of the key iOS 5 features is its updated text messaging and notification systems.

Jobs resigned as Apple CEO last month, and was immediately elected Chairman of the company board. Tim Cook has since been named CEO of Apple, and the 4 October event will likely be his first major announcement as head of the company.

Posted in News | Tagged | Comments Off on Apple tipped to unveil iPhone 4GS next week

How To Extend Your iPhone, iPod, iPad Battery Life

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Aaron Dwyer

iphone battery lifeWe have never been more empowered at the work place or in school until the birth of the Apple smart devices, iPhones, iPods, and iPads. With the offering of a variety of applications, they have become an indispensable part of many peoples lives. From calling loved ones, checking emails, connecting with friends on social networking sites, updating them with photos, getting organized with things-to-do-today, preparing for grocery shopping and engaging with some fun games. No wonder it wastes away its battery life easily!

Here are some points to save your iPhone, iPod, or iPad battery life:

•    Turn off Bluetooth if you are not using it. If it’s on the device is working in the background to find other devices to pair with, consuming your devices power.
•    Turn off WiFi. When you are in a place where you are certain there is no WiFi connection, turn the feature off to decrease power use.
•    Turn off location services. Some applications have a geo-identifying element that automatically recognizes your whereabouts. They help some people, but many don’t require the it.
•    Turn off push notifications. At particular intervals, your iPhone fetches emails and other applications generate notifications for you, using battery life. Turn it off especially if the information is not urgent.
•    Turn off vibration and keypad tones. They not seem like they would use a lot of power, but if you  multiply it with the number of times used, it does add up.
•    Turn off customized music or radio equalizers. The default settings are good enough.
•    Turn off 3G feature. For places where there is a hopeless 3G connection, turn off 3G to stop your phone from switching from 2G to 3G constantly, thus reducing power consumption.
•    Turn on airplane mode when you are in places that have zero network access. It will keep your device from searching for networks.
•    Turn on auto-lock feature of your device. Keep it on the shortest wait time before it locks. This way, the device doesn’t need to wait long before the screen turns off.
•    Try not to leave your device charging for long periods of time. Once it’s the battery is full you should remove it from charging. Also schedule periodic full drainage of the battery. Once a month is a good schedule for you to completely empty your device battery, allowing it to regain the right run of cycles during the next charging.
•    Adjust brightness of your screen. If you don’t need it on the brightest setting you can save battery power with a dimmer screen.
•    Download apps only when your device is connected to computer and iTunes. Downloading apps over wireless connectivity consumes more power.
•    Use car chargers and battery packs. If you are always on the go, keep your device running at the same pace as you with these battery extenders.

If you think you’ll be away from a charging station for a while, do not use your device unnecessarily. Browsing the net, playing games or taking photos all consumes battery power. After a couple of years of sooner for some people depending on use, the battery life will be reduced, and you’ll get less out of it in between charges. They don’t last forever. You can then take your iPhone, iPod, iPad in to a repair center and they will replace the battery for you.

Posted in How To's | Tagged , , | Comments Off on How To Extend Your iPhone, iPod, iPad Battery Life

The Best Method of Cleaning Your iPhone, iPod, iPad

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Aaron Dwyer

iphone cleaning

The value of an iPhone, iPod, iPad is not only measured on its price tag but also on the amount of care you give it. Throughout this article I’ll refer to the iPhone, but the same information applies to the iPod and iPad as well. Since the iPhone is a much used device in your day to day living, it’s gets subjected to lots of different environments, some dirtier than others. To get longer life out of your iPhone and maintain it’s condition you must keep it clean.

You don’t actually need to be an expert or buy intricate gadgets or chemicals to clean your iPhone. You just need to be careful.

Before we get started we’re going to need these things:

  • Your iPhone (of course)
  • Microfiber or other similar lint-free cloth (usually one comes with the iPhone)
  • Old or New (very) soft (and dry) tooth brush
  • Cool water
  • Safe and quiet spot/area (for the cleaning)

Follow these steps:

  1. All cables must be disconnected. Don’t ever start while the iPhone is attached to a computer or any other device.
  2. Turn it off. This can be done by depressing the “sleep/wake” button at the top of the device. In about 3 to 4 seconds a red slider will appear on the screen. Drag the red slider across the screen with your finger. If you are having difficulty with this procedure, refer to your instruction manual.
  3. Moisten (not soak!) the corner of the soft microfiber cloth. It is preferable to use distilled water because it carries less impurities.(Never apply water or cleaning solutions directly to your iPhone)
  4. Gently wipe the iPhone (with the dampen corner of the cloth).  Pay special attention to the touch screen and avoid wiping the ports. Wiping should be in an up-and-down motion.  Do not wipe in circles because this can leave smudges behind that are unsightly when you turn on your iPhone.
  5. Use the dry portion of the cloth to remove any moisture that remains on your phone. Do this gently until you are satisfied with the cleaning results.
  6. Use a very soft tooth brush to clean out the speaker and microphone cavities. There are two speaker and microphone cavities at the bottom of the iPhone and one at the top, which usually collect lots of dust and grime. These need to be gently cleaned with the very soft (dry) tooth brush. Don’t use a lot of pressure, as you don’t want to damage the dust shields.
  7. Turn it on. When your iPhone is completely dry, it’s ready to switch on again. You can power it on by depressing the “sleep/wake” button. The “Apple” logo should then appear on the screen.
  8. Congratulations! We’re done. Try to do this regularly to keep your iPhone looking at and performing at its best.

And to wrap it all up, let me give you some significant tips and cautions:

  • You should purchase a case to house your iPhone in to reduce the amount of surface dirt that may come in contact with your iPhone. The housing also prevents oils from touches of your fingers which could leave prints on your iPhone. At the very least a clear touch screen protector, they are very cheap and available in most shopping centers and on eBay.
  • Avoid cleaning your iPhone with liquid or aerosol cleansers containing alcohol, ammonia or other abrasive ingredients. These regular household and window cleaners can harm the touch screen.
  • Be careful not to immerse your iPhone into water or use it in extremely wet places, such as the swimming pool. Moisture may cause damage the inner structure of the iPhone. You will need to take your device to an iPhone repair specialist if it is exposed to water.

 

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Best Method of Cleaning Your iPhone, iPod, iPad