Pandora iPhone App Screenshot

Whether you’re looking to track your finances, plan a trip, find something to eat or listen to some tunes Apple has you covered when it comes to apps.  Since its set up to deliver music the iPhone is great when it comes to tune related apps.  It’s no wonder they are some of the most popular amongst the tens of thousands out there.

Using my extensive expertise and devoting weeks of my existence to the task, I have complied what me, people around me and the iPhone community in general think are the best music related apps out there.  They are in no particular order and there is no accounting for taste.  I make no guarantees and offer no assurances.  If you don’t like it you can leave a comment telling me how stupid I am but I have a blog and you don’t so you’re going read every damn word I have written about it!

1. Pandora: Pandora is a website that learns from your musical likes and dislikes and streams music it thinks you will dig right to your desktop.  You can organize music into channels and vote on new songs they throw your way to help refine their future selections.  Most of the time it’s dead on; except for that time it try to add Luther Vandross to my Foo Fighters channel.  Seriously, Pandora? But I digress; Pandora’s app is a must have for the music lover as you can stream music wherever you go.  Even on the Edge network it’s pretty responsive.  Now you can waste time away from work listening t music also.
2. Cleartune: I have zero, let me repeat that with emphasis zero, musical talent.  For those that do and need to tune their guitars, woodwinds, brass or string instruments Cleartune allows you to knock out some notes and see what you need to do to get that music maker in tune.  Pretty cool app if you’re into that kind of stuff; I’m not.
3. Voice Memo: I downloaded Voice Memo to, wait for it, record voice memos but I guess people use it to record themselves singing.  Please see the above and note that I would never punish myself or the world by recording me singing but I can see how people would like this.  You can also email or share your creations over MMS.  Next stop, American Idol.
4. Shazam: This was the first app my wife downloaded and she loves it.  Shazam lets you hold your iPhone up to any music source and the app will identify the music.  In a classic capitalistic move you will also be given the chance to buy that song from iTunes but this app is extremely helpful.  Sometimes not knowing what the song is called or who it is by drives you up the wall.  If you’re stuck in the middle of a radio block the DJ might not mention it.  I’ve had days of flirting with lunacy because I could not figure a song out.  Shazam is a life saver and something fun to play with.
5. Ocarina: You might be shocked by this, but I spent a lot time playing Zelda when I was younger.  I know, I know I just don’t fit the bill right?  Well my favorite version of the Zelda saga was “Ocarina of Time.”  Our elf hero, Link, had to play different songs on his Ocarina, a flute like instrument, to warp through time and solve puzzles.  So when I saw this app I had to give it a run.  It’s pretty cool and mildly entertaining even after owning it for a few days.  You take your iPhone and blow into the microphone like it’s a real instrument.  You then move your fingers on the screen to make different notes.  You can play set songs or come up with your own jams.
6. Sirius XM Premium Online: If you have a paid subscription to Sirius or XM then this app is worth it.  You can get your favorite music and talk radio shows beamed right to your iPhone with this app. This way you make sure to listen to the Oparah channel all day; yeah, that’s right I don’t buy that you got Sirius just for Howard Stern!
7. Shoutcast: Why pay for satellite radio when you can get free radio stations streamed from around the world with the Shoutcast app.  This radio-streaming app brings music and talk of every kind right to your iPhone.  It’s pretty cool and has a lot of imitators in the app store.  While I can’t intelligently say anything about the others I have always used Shoutcast and dig it the most.  Rock on.
8. I am T-Pain: Do you ever wonder how no talent ass clowns become pop music icons?  It’s not because of talent; I will guarantee you that.  It’s technology stupid.  A decent producer can find a pretty face or train wreck of the month, have some songs written for them, slap some professional musicians and back up singers behind them and smooth it all over with computers.  If Paris Hilton can cut a track I’m pretty sure anyone can.  I can’t say I know a lot about T-Pain or his music but just like me you will be able to pick out that synthesized voice he has become “famous” for.  Basically, it’s the voice Stephen Hawking would pick if he wanted to sound cooler.  Personally I would shoot for a Barry White computer voice. Oh yeah.  Well with this app you can record your voice and manipulate it to sound just like this dude.  You can then send it to your friends and they too can marvel how this guy is a millionaire.
9. Guitar Toolkit: If you’re looking to learn one of the over 500,000 guitar chord variations out there then this app will help you along the way.  Just make sure to thank Apple and the app maker when you accept your Grammy for best heavy metal album of the year.

Oh, the seemingly endless music apps out there just go to show that we can never get enough of music, ourselves and the combination of the two.  Check these out if you haven’t already!

Photo Credits: David Berkowitz

Originally posted 2009-12-17 03:44:43.

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iPhone

Suck on that Lenin!

After waiting for 26 hours to get his phone Hun Jin-suck was the first to get the iPhone in South Korea.  They had a giant celebration to release the phone and Hun was greeted by crowds, a light show and booming music as he got his.  He was the first among 850 to get the phone at the giant celebration thrown by Apple and KT corp., Apple’s local telecom partner.

KT and Apple reported that there have been more than 50,000 preorders for the phone, which is far more than any estimate experts originally had.  Many experts were thrown off by a lack luster Chinese launch that saw only 5,000 phones sold the first week and assumed that the South Korean launch may be similar.  South Korea is known for having tech savvy customers and very high penetrations of broadband and cell phone use.  It is also home to cell phone makers Samsung and LG so the domestic competition is very tough.

Yet there are many differences in the Chinese and South Korean launches.  While, yes, there many cell phone users in South Korea there is not a lot of smart phones.  Samsung and LG have limited smart phone options and other companies like Black Berry have just begun to break in.  Second, in China the local company, China Unicom, did not offer a straight up Apple iPhone.  Due to government interference they offered a version with no broadband and at a huge cost.  A mainland Chinese customer would end up paying over $1000 to get an iPhone that was not as good as one available around the world.  Between gray markets and Hong Kong distributors many Chinese opted to not go through Unicom to get their phone.

The South Korean iPhone comes in at a variety of prices but tops off at $350 depending on the phone you get and the plan you sign up with at KT corp.  Originally it was thought that both major telecom companies in the country would carry the iPhone but then only KT, the second largest, got them.  Apple had to jump through a series of regulatory nightmares to be allowed to sell their devices in the country because they have the ability to located you and pass that location on to the network.  That required a special license from the government and KT helped Apple get it.

So now that KT has the iPhone its larger rival, SK Telecom, is partnering with Samsung to offer some sort of smart phone alternative and stem the tide of an “iPhone invasion”.  SK and Samsung have kicked up subsidies for new and renewing users on the Samsung T-Omnia II, which is stacked with options but at nearly $800 was too expensive for many users.

It looks like Samsung and SK aren’t going to cede dominance in the market easily but it’s hard for many people to resist the lure of the almighty iPhone.  Only time will tell how it all shakes out, but with so many people looking to upgrade to smart phones the fight is far from over in South Korea.

Photo Credits: William Hook

Originally posted 2009-12-10 03:19:03.

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iPhone Apps that are a must.

Apple’s iPhone is more than just another cell phone; as millions of people have discovered.  The sky rocketing sales of the smart phone show that the device is more than just a fad or flash in the tech pan.  The iPhone combines style, functionality and a new level of technology never before seen in a phone configuration.  The iPhone has helped convert many non-believers into the Apple faithful and for good reason.

The iPhone has a laundry list of features that make it the best smart phone out there and that have sent its competitors back to the drawing board to crank out imitators to the crown.  Yet, the most impressive aspect of this new platform is the applications.  There are tens of thousands of apps out there covering anything and everything you could ever think of.  With more coming out everyday it’s hard to stay on top of what is worth your time installing and what should be passed up.  While Apple is great at many things searching for and finding new apps is not the easiest thing to do in their App Store.

I could write an encyclopedia about all the apps out there but instead of devoting my life to that I have decided to narrow it down a bit.  I’m the type of dude that has got his mind on his money and his money on his mind.  It’s no surprise then that I’m all about apps that help me keep my money in check and are finance related.  Here’s a list of my favorite, most popular and arguably the best money apps available on the iPhone.

1. Mint: The Mint app, from (you guessed it) Mint.com, takes all of your financial data and complies it in one place.  You can look at your checking, savings, mortgage, credit card and investment balances all at once.  It gives you a complete overview of where you stand financially all in one app.  This is killer if you’re all about simplicity and ease of use; which I am!
2. ATM Hunter: I try not to carry cash all that often because if I have it I tend to spend it.  Therefore, when I find myself in need of paper currency it’s nice to know where I can access some funds quickly.  I can use the ol’ iPhone to search out my bank’s locations or I can hit up this bad boy.  If you travel a lot or are planning to be somewhere you don’t know know the lay of the land then this app is great.  It would be cooler if it told you what ATMs you are more likely to get robbed at though.
3. Bank of America / Wells Fargo Banking Apps: I’m going to go ahead and lump these two together.  I am a WF account holder so I use theirs all the time.  I was sitting in my chiropractor’s office and realized that I hadn’t paid my mortgage and it was due the next day.  Before you can say “PCs suck” I had signed in, checked my checking balance and paid the mortgage.  A confirmation email came through on my Gmail app and I was all set.  Most large banks have these now but these two are the biggest.  If you’re a customer and an iPhone owner why wouldn’t you use this?
4. Tip Tap: This app allows for people to calculate tip with the click of a button.  This is one of the most popular apps out there so I had to include it, but honestly I don’t get it.  As long as you don’t take the slow bus to school or wear a helmet when you leave the house you should be able to figure out tip on a meal.  If it takes you longer to figure how much 20% (come on your cheap skate) of your Denny’s bill is than to pull out your iPhone and open and use this app then you have problems my friend.
5. E*Trade Mobile: E*Trade made their name and formed their business around the “retail”, or amateur, investor.  Day traders could jump into the markets all on their own with low commissions and sophisticated trading software.  Now they have extended this to iPhone users.  Trading on the go has never been so easy.
6. TheStreet.com: If you don’t know who Jim Cramer is then you must have been living under a rock for the last 5 years.  Jim is the bald headed psycho of the financial world who brings you CNBC’s “Mad Money” every night.  He also is an owner and contributor to online finance news service TheStreet.com.  With this app you get quotes, news articles and columnist’s opinions on all of your stocks.
7. Bloomberg Mobile: I use this in conjunction with TheStreet.com’s app to round out my financial data needs.  Bloomberg brings in political news that has an effect on the markets and offers a more global perspective than others.  I dig their style and scope.  If you’re serious about finance this app is a must.
8. Pay Pal: If you’ve ever used this payment system for sending money to someone or paying for an Ebay purchase then setting up the app is a must.  Pay Pal allows you to buy and sell goods all over the world with unprecedented security and peace of mind.  There is nothing like having all of that in your pocket.
9. Daily Finance: A lot of people like this app but I have my investment apps bases covered.  I played with it one day and it does all that you need: charts, news quotes, portfolio tracking and what not.  I think it’s so popular because it’s free, easy to use and the app that is shown on the new iPhone commercial when they mention money apps.  That goes a long way in getting people to download it.
10. Quicken Online: I don’t use Quicken on my personal computer but I know a lot of people that do.  The couple that have iPhones have downloaded and gave this app a whirl and they love it.  You can sync the two through the online function so any budget, transaction history or anything else you have cooking.

The iPhone app world is awash in tens of thousands of apps.  Many of them are great while some are pointless.  It seems like every programmer out there is trying to make his name or a quick buck coming up with the next fad.  Money and the obsession of keeping track of your Benjamins will never go out of style though.  If you want to stay on top of your finance and out of the bread lines then check out these apps.

Photo Credits: marcopako 

Originally posted 2010-01-05 03:39:06.

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iPod Touch

I personally hate shopping and I loathe shopping during the holiday season.  I’d rather be buried up to my head next to an ant hill and have honey dumped on me than stand in line outside of a Wal-Mart to bust through the doors to save $20 bucks on a TV.  Like most things in my life I find procrastination helps a bit.  By waiting until about a week before Christmas, or sooner (my personal best was December 23^rd), I find that most of the bargain hunters and uber-shoppers are done.

This year I am prepared though.  Not only am I going to implement my standard shopping procrastination strategy but I am going to harness the awesome power of my iPhone to help me navigate this potential mine field.  While part of me doesn’t want to share with you my iPhone shopping secrets at the end of the day I’m a good person, and I need something to write about.  So here you go; the best holiday shopping iPhone apps:

1. Discounts Galore: Everyone and their brother is offering Black Friday, Cyber Monday and discounts throughout the shopping season.  In order to find the best check out apps like TGI Black Friday and Fat Wallet.  They will pipe the latest coupons and deals right to your phone.
2. Nearest: While this isn’t exactly shopping orientated it will help you locate needed essentials while shopping.  Helpful if you’re in a strange town visiting relatives and need to find the nearest coffee shop, bookstore or pharmacy because you’re little nephew decided to show off his tee ball skills on your groin (true story).
3. Park n Find: This app is killer if you’re shopping in a huge mega mall and easily get turned around while inside.  My sister is notorious for this as large shopping complexes make her lose all sense of direction.  With this app you use GPS to mark your parking spot and then can follow the map back.
4. $ Checkout: I can see why some people might need this app but simple arithmetic has never boggled my mind before so I don’t see the point.  It allows you to calculate your total bill with taxes and discounts included.  No matter how I feel though this one is pretty popular.
5. Shop Savvy: This is one is all kinds of sweet if you have some time to invest during your shopping.  In my opinion shopping should be quick and dirty, like sex.  But if you’re absolutely obsessed with finding the best deal then use this app to take a picture of an item’s bar code and it will search online retailers for the best deal.  It might end up saving you some cash on big ticket items, or at least give you something to do while your girl friend is punishing you with an hour long trip to the candle store.  Did you know they make candles that smell like the beach?  I do now!
6. Mall Maps: For the most part I am anti-paying for apps but this one is well worth the $2.99.  The Mall Maps app feeds you over 1,000 detailed floor plans of shopping centers all around the country.  I used this during a recent trip to a California Bay Area mega mall near my sister’s house.  I was able to see where the stores I was looking for were located before I even got there.  I parked accordingly and was in and out before I knew it.  I was like a shopping Ninja, a shopping Ninja with an Orange Julius in his happy hands!

Photo Credits: Mac Users Guide

Originally posted 2009-12-14 03:47:16.

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Screenshot of apprejections.com

Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch are some of the most popular tech gadgets in the world and a large part of that popularity is due to the wide range of applications available. Apple has over 100,000 apps available that pretty much cover just about anything you can think of, and even some stuff that you would never bother to think of!

Ranging from free to expensive, these apps are a giant force behind the wave of Apple sales that have swept most of the civilized world. Much to the chagrin of app developers though Apple has final say on what can and cannot be put on the devices. They have developed a strict review process that dictates what programs get approved for sale or free download through the app store.

This has made many app developers a little pissy. Many have been put off by what they see as Apple’s interference with their freedoms as developers. High profile programmers have abandoned iPhone projects in favor of other platforms that are not as tightly controlled. While I agree that there should not be restrictions placed on the creativity of developers and that interference is inherently wrong, there is something to be said for Apple’s level of control.

Apple is running a business not trying to give software designers around the world a platform to show off their skills. They have to make sure that the apps provided to the growing legions of users are useful and serve some sort of purpose. Furthermore, these are our phones we’re talking about. If you download a bad piece of software you could be hit with anything from slowed performance to a total system meltdown. Imagine that on your phone!

Sure now you would have a great excuse why you don’t call your mom as often as she’d like but imagine the headaches. “Oh sorry I missed that important conference call today, see I downloaded a Girls of Hooters calendar app and the next thing I know my phone was calling 1-900 numbers in China. . .”

However, Adam White claims that the Apple has a “secret, undocumented, unquestionable, random process for deciding which applications to ‘allow’ onto the deck.” The process by which Apple allows apps to be included in their system has even raised eyebrows at the FCC. They are checking into Apple to make sure they are not engaged in monopolistic or unfair business practices by blocking potential competitors like Google from producing apps.

So what is a tech fan supposed to do?

Well some developers are focusing more on other platforms like the Google Android or Black Berry phones. These apparently have more of an open source type format and allow a lot more leeway when it comes to what is allowable.

If you’re not ready to part with your iPhone just yet, and quite honestly you’d be nuts to, there are other options. Some of the hardcore out there have turned to hacking their phones. These “jailbreak” phones can run any apps you can get your mitts on and also aren’t tied to the AT&T network.

I guess some people will do anything to get away from Ma Bell, no matter what Owen Wilson says.

Originally posted 2010-01-11 03:54:19.

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Mac OS X

While Pystar had only been able to sell 728 of these computers Apple came down like a ton of bricks to stop them dead in their tracks and make an example of them.  Just in case you think about bogarting Apple’s technology you might want to consider the legal costs and $2.1 million payment Pystar is going to have to dish out for the “damage” they did to the Apple brand.

Apple is notorious for keeping Stalin-like control over its patents and proprietary technology.  They develop their own hardware and software in house and only allow third party developers the honor of cranking out products after closely monitored review processes.

This has most recently reared its ugly head with iPhone app developers either walking away from projects or voicing their displeasure with the Apple approval process.  While Apple dominates the smart phone market with its iPhone and over 100,000 plus apps up and coming platforms like Google’s Android and the business go-to Black Berry are luring developers away.  Fearing a mass exodus Apple has offered some clarity into their review process, however many developers scoff at progress updates as significant progress.

While getting pissed off that your brand new fart sound-making app is being delayed by Apple is one thing, jacking their hardware and software technology is something completely different.  Pystar’s computers are basically bad knockoffs of Macs and Macbooks that come preloaded with Apple’s operating systems.  They use a lot of fancy technological footwork to install the operating systems and circumvent copyright laws and Apple’s own defense mechanisms.

In reaction to the California lawsuit Pystar filed their own lawsuit in Florida over the Snow Leopard issue.  Apple has struck back by saying that the second lawsuit should be dismissed or rolled into the first.  Apple’s stance is that they “should not be required to file a new lawsuit to stop Pystar from infringing Apple’s intellectual property each time Apple releases a new version of Mac OS X.”

What is most shocking about all of this is that this company only sold 728 machines in all of 2009.  While they projected to sell 470,000 this year and as many as 12 million in 2011 their sales fell drastically short of that.  While I do think Apple has every right to stop people from stealing their technology it seems like a huge reaction to a company that took a year to sell as many computers that they sell in 40 minutes!

Apple does need to defend their technology but at some point if they want to become as ubiquitous as PCs they need to open up hardware and software development to more third party developers.  If this means loosening the reigns and accepting less control over the process then that’s what they may have to do.

For the time being though don’t expect any big changes coming from Apple.  They are kings of the mountain and aren’t going to give anyone a shot at the crown any time soon.

Photo Credits: DeclanTM

Originally posted 2009-12-31 03:52:13.

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Email Delete on iPhone

The iPhone is a pretty intuitive machine.  Apple’s blend of style and technology was meant to be an easy to use smart phone.  If my mom can figure hers out then you know it had to be an easy learning curve.  By the time I figured out my iPhone I started getting into the new apps and all of the fun that has to offer.  So in the process I guess I missed some easy tips and tricks that can greatly increase the functionality of the iPhone.  You may know these and think I’m slow for even blogging about them but a lot of people probably don’t know about them.  While some of these may or may not be new to you it never hurts to review some basic shortcuts.

In no particular order here are some iPhone tips and tricks you should be using on a daily basis:

1. Scroll to the Top: If you’ve been looking at a long web page and need to get back to the top and don’t want to wear out your already tender finger muscles then just give a simple tap on the status bar at the top of your screen and it takes you right to the top.
2. Screenshots: If you want to take a screenshot on your phone press the home and sleep buttons at the same time.  You’ll hear a click and the screen will go white for a sec.  The screenshot will then appear in your photos section.
3. Saving a photo from Safari: If surfing the www and you come across a picture of that prudish girl in high school who apparently let her college boyfriend take some pictures that “no one else would ever see” simply press and hold on the pic until you are presented with the option to save it.  Now you can easily email it to all of your friends and let the hilarity ensue.
4. Fun with ear buds: This is a pretty easy one but if you don’t use the ear buds a lot then you might not know it.  The iPhone ear buds have a small microphone where the wires split and this little box can also control your phone.  Press it once to fire up the ol’ iPod, press it again o pause and press it twice to skip to the next song.  This allows you to easily control the flow of music without taking the iPhone out of your pocket or arm band holder.
5. Easy Email Delete: This is one I just learned and absolutely love!  When reading emails instead of deleting them the old fashion way simply swipe across the email (like you are crossing something off a list) and the red delete button will appear.  Pretty sweet, right?

There are some of my favorite tips and tricks for the iPhone.  What’s yours?

Photo Credits: Wesley Fryer

Originally posted 2010-01-04 03:48:21.

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Beware of Hackers

I get it; not everyone loves AT&T.  They overextended their network and underestimated the iPhone response so their network may not be all that great.  I also get that many people want the freedom to choose any app they want and not be told by Apple which ones are appropriate and which one’s aren’t.  There is no way you’d let Dell tell what software you could put on your computer, so I get that it can rub people the wrong way.  But to go through the process of hacking your iPhone is a little beyond me.

Just ask hacker turned iPhone app developer Ashley Towns.  Ashley made one of the first worms, a destructive program like a virus, for the iPhone.  The worm called “ikee” infected jailbroken iPhone only and replaced the wallpaper with a picture of Australian pop singer Rick Astley.  While he meant it as only a prank the worm and news of the vulnerability exploded around the world and soon his small prank was water cooler conversation for tech nerds around the world.

Ikee’s basic premise and structure was later used by another hacker who made “duh”, another worm.  This one though wasn’t so tongue and cheek as Towns’ and was able to hijack banking information from jailbroken phones.  Later a Dutch hacker made a worm that held iPhones hostage and in order to get control of your phone back you had to pay 5 GBP (Pounds)!  Can you imagine?  Like monthly service fees aren’t bad enough!

With all of the potential damage that can be done by hackers and their worms to jailbroken iPhones why would you bother?  While Apple may be a bit elitist and not exactly fair when it comes to what apps they allow into their system in the end they are doing it partially to maintain the integrity of the system.  Without these kinds of controls and just letting any developer crank any software they want for the iPhone and iPod Touch your phone would be under constant attack.

Not only would service outages be the norm but violation of your personal data, your bank account, your Face Book, your email and everything else you love your iPhone would be constant.  Part of the reason we all love Apple is because of their reputation for safety and reliability.  All of that would be thrown out of the window.

So I say if you’re willing to hack your phone to get at the apps you want then you run the risk of having it hacked again by shady developers out there.

But it’s not all bad news.  Ashley Towns was tracked down by some journalists and after admitting what he did was offered an iPhone developer’s job with a major Australian development firm.

Photo Credits: William Hook

Originally posted 2010-01-07 03:24:57.

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iPhone Bump

The Good and Bad?

The very nice news about the Bump app is the price…free! You can find it at iTunes in their App store. The down side is the leeriness some security minded data gatekeepers have about any program that performs the sort of functions that this one does.

Bump Technologies’ response to those concerns is that all the communications between a user’s iPhone and their servers is encrypted and sent using https which is the same as you see with online banking. They also point out that the user is in control of deciding who to share information with and when. No one should be able to exchange information, unless the phones are bumped together. Bump also states they never share a user’s personal information with third parties.

Bump is also available for use on Google’s Android, and can share photos, link Facebook friends, and compare friends as well as exchange contact information.

How to do the Bump

Locate the app on iTunes App store and install it on your iPhone.

Even if you do not intend to use it immediately open the application and read through the “Terms of Service”. You will need to select “agree” to complete the installation and be allowed use of the application. Once the application is running it will be able to detect your location.

You can now open Bump and choose My Profile. If you haven’t created a profile on your iPhone you can scroll to the bottom and choose the red “I Can’t Find My Name” button. A contact form will open up so you can fill it out. Since you will be sharing this you might want to keep it to only information you want others to see. Select “Done” when you are completed.

When you meet someone else who is also using the application then both of you will need to open the Bump app. Hold the iPhone in your hand with your fingers and hand protecting it from the other user’s iPhone. Gently bump or tap your fist to the other user’s hand. This should initiate the transfer of information. It is a good idea to check and make sure the transfer worked especially the first few times you try using the application.

Some have speculated that if applications like Bump catch on, they might eliminate the use of business cards, or at least badly scribbled impossible to read notes will no longer be necessary. At least, for the time being with this free application the price is right, and it is easy to use.

Photo Credits: Sorgatron

Originally posted 2010-05-13 03:28:49.

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An estimated 1 million iPhones were sold by Verizon following the release of the Apple product to its network.  Some preliminary reviews of the Verizon iPhone release assume the upcoming release of iPhone 5 has caused some buyers to hold out for a couple of months, since they expect the new model to be available this summer.

Both AT&T and Verizon are selling the iPhone for the same rates. The 16 GB version is $199 and the 32GB sells for $299. That’s “an incredible deal” compared to the iPhone’s original price, said Ben Stein from LaptopReviews.com.

Stein added: “I think the price point is an indication of how serious Verizon is at competing long-term to attract disgruntled AT&T subscribers to their service.”

The phones for both carriers have the same features, including FaceTime video calling capabilities, HD video recording and a 5-megapixel camera. There is a software feature difference between the two carriers. Verizon offers a $20 per month “Personal Hotspot” feature, which allows the user to sync up 5 devices to the phone’s 3G network. While AT&T’s tethering feature only allows one computer to plug into the network for the same price. Physically the phones are pretty much the same except the mute button on the Verizon model is placed slightly lower than on the AT&T version. This may cause a problem fitting an old case on the newer version. All of the iPhone 4 accessories are compatible with iPhones on both networks.

AT&T uses GSM technology for their wireless network, while Verizon uses CDMA. Now, while AT&T’s network can be used in more countries across the globe, Verizon has more coverage in the U.S. Now, people in North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana can purchase an iPhone with Verizon, whereas they couldn’t with AT&T’s network.

You can transfer your current telephone number to Verizon’s plan, but don’t turn off your old phone until the number is confirmed transferred. Verizon customers can keep their current voice plans, but must purchase a data plan with iPhone. The cheapest plan with Verizon that has the lowest amount of minutes, data, and texts will still cost you around $75, whereas if you purchase an unlimited talk, text, and data plan you’ll be paying around $140 per month.

Originally posted 2011-02-15 15:58:13.

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