May 09 10
BradiPad, iPhone iPhone, radio
Attention all public affairs and news junkies, there is a free iPhone app (which also works on iPad) called C-Span Radio, (iTunes link) which is great. It is a simple app that gives you access to a live stream from A. C-Span radio (I didn’t know this existed!), B. C-Span 1 (audio only), C. C-Span 2 (audio only.) In addition, you also get access to the C-Span podcasts.
Look, I have pretty much given up on getting anything meaningful out of CNN, Fox, or the other networks. Commercial radio is the pits, and that does not leave much else. The C-Span Radio app fills a niche, has no partisan ax to grind and – it’s FREE! *waves arms* Perfect for in the car. Go get it. 
Apr 30 10
BradiPhone iPhone
The news that Apple had bought Siri prompted me to try the Siri app. (Okay I had never heard of Siri before this hit the news, but I’m glad I did.)
Wow! This app really rocks, you just speak into it and it searches. With GPS awareness it finds what you want near you. Mainly I have been testing it for local search. The voice recognition is very good and there are always times, like in a car when typing is difficult so the speech recognition is handy. You can also type if you need to be quiet. For local search Siri, queries several local search directories: Yahoo Local, City Search, Yelp, Localeze, Allmenus and more. This give a much more comprehensive search than any one of these local search engines would alone.
Siri is great. Try it.
Apr 13 10
BradiPhone browser, opera
Let me start by saying I use the full blooded, Opera 10, browser on all my Apple computers, so I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Opera Mini browser (App store link) for the iPhone. Well this morning I tried Opera mini out, and I don’t find it as smooth as Safari. I also do not like that the only search engine in the search bar is Google – I like having choices.
Also, Opera mini seems inconsistent when it renders pages: some render very well and others don’t. I will say Opera mini is fast, especially when you are on the Edge network instead of 3G. There are a couple of places I go that I can barely get Edge so Opera mini will come in handy for me. And that is why I will keep Opera Mini on my iPhone – for those times when I have a slow data connection. For now it will not replace Safari.
I do like “Speed Dial” on Opera mini so I will set that up. Hopefully, Opera will continue to improve on the iPhone because I would like to use it.
I really would like to see some version of Opera for the iPad!
Bottom line: Opera Mini (which is free BTW) has a lot of potential and is handy if you are on the Edge (2G) data network a lot due to it’s better speed.
Apr 05 10
BradiPad, iPhone app, iPad, iPhone
The Dragon Dictation App for iPhone is just plain cool. It recognizes what you say, turns it into text and lets you email it or send it as a SMS text message. Even better it is free.
Look even if you only use it to send reminder notes to yourself by email while you are driving it is worth downloading this app. Much better than just, audio only, voice dictation.
Try it.
Mar 24 10
BradiPhone browser, opera, safari
I have been fairly pleased with Apple’s Safari browser on the iPhone. However on all my Mac computers I use Opera and while not perfect, I prefer it. So I have been watching the announcement that Opera was going to produce a version of their smartphone browser “Opera Mini” for the iPhone. Check out this video demo of Opera Mini running on an iPhone.
I really hope Apple will approve the Opera Mini Browser for iPhone app. I would like to try it and decide for myself which browser to use. I may not prefer it to Safari it in the long run but I think competition is good and having choices is good too.
Mar 11 10
BradBlogging and Social Media, iPhone blogging
A blog is a great platform for publishing serialized fiction (novels or stories) and even short stories on the web. (Here are some examples in the science fiction and fantasy genre.)
This got me thinking that it is better to use a blog platform that will display the story blog in a smartphone friendly format. If I was riding the train into work I would much prefer to read a story blog on my iPhone if it was actually formated for my phone. There is a lot less pinching, swipe-scrolling and resizing on a swaying train that way.
Here is a good example of what I mean: check out this link on your iPhone, Android OS phone or Blackberry touchscreen: Aboveground. See the difference? What would be easier for you to read?
Of course I think this applies to all blogs fiction or nonfiction, it is to your benefit to present your content in a manner that eliminates as many barriers to consumption of that content as possible.
As far as I know, right now, only the WordPress blog platform really supports a mobile friendly template so if you are going to consider starting a story blog.
Free WordPress hosts supporting smartphone formats: Blogetery, WordPress.com
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