iPhone | Creative Juices Graphic Design Studio

Archive for iPhone

How to get the most out of your iPhone in business.

6 Easy Steps to Creating iPhone and iPad Shortcut Buttons

All the book reading apps from Kobo, Kindle, Nook (Barnes & Noble) and Google were updated.

The result is that the “buy” buttons that linked to their web stores have been removed. This has been an ongoing controversy ever since Apple changed their policy about in-app purchases.

It turns out that all e-booksellers would rather delete the in-app purchase button rather than pay Apple 30% for each purchase.

An Easy Solution

There’s an easy and pain-free way to set up your own bookstore app button that’s at least as good as, if not better than, the button in each app.

Go to Safari and find the website for Kindle Books, Nook Books, Kobo Books, and Google Books. Of course you’re doing these one at a time.
When you get to the page you desire, click the “bookmark” button at the top of your iPad browser or the bottom of your iPhone browser. It is a little box with a curved arrow.
Select “Add to Home Screen”.
Edit what you want the icon to say and press “Add”.
An icon for the website will show up in your browser. Amazon’s icon looks the best.
Just place this icon next to the original reader app and you’re done.

You can read your books in the Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Google app as before. And when you want to buy a book, click on the new icon bookmark you created and you will instantly get to the same place the original in-app button sent you.

Update 8/10/11: Today Kindle released a “Cloud Reader”. It is an html5 version of their Kindle reader. You can go to Safari on your iPad and visit www.amazon.com/cloudreader. It works just like the Kindle app with the addition of a link to the Kindle eBookstore. Plus you can create an icon for your home screen. I assume an iPhone version will be coming soon. Also Nook is working on a similar “web app”.

23 May

What do you do with Apps that die?

Lighten your day with daily comics

Why aren’t there any newspaper comic strip apps that last on the iPhone or iPad?

Apps that die

I bought an app called “Comics” quite a while ago. It was a universal app for the iPhone and iPad, and although a bit clunky, it had most of the comics I wanted. Not all of them updated regularly. And you had to go back and forth between screens to advance to the next comic strip.

But “Comics” was rarely updated and soon disappeared from the app store. I still have it and it still sort of works. Unfortunately, one by one the comic strip links are breaking down.

Then came “The Funnies” by AFK Studios. This app was also universal and cost $4.99. I read the website info as well as the reviews and it seemed like a good app. It too was a bit clunky. The interface seemed odd and the background ugly. But it worked, was updated regularly and new strips added every once in a while.

But, alas, this app too disappeared from the app store as did their website. And now the app is pretty much non-functioning.

My question is, why is this happening? Is there an issue with copyright infringement? It’s frustrating paying $5 for an app that soon disappears and ceases to work. Just saying.

Buyer beware

Guess it’s just like anything else you buy. Stores go out of business and so do app developers. Even apps with great reviews can disappear. It takes a lot of time and money to design and develop applications. Then there’s promotion and updates. Sometimes the return may not be worth the effort.

So what do you do? Unfortunately you can’t take it back to the store to get your money back.

But you can delete the app and be more careful when buying a new one.

You can still find daily comic strips online

For online comics, check out the following sites:

comics.com Quite a big selection of comics here.

gocomics.com A large selection of comics, including 2 Cows and a Chicken!

ArcaMax Comics Daily comics from your newspaper.

If you’re using an iOS device you can bookmark these links and add it to your screen for easy access. Just click the curved arrow in Safari and “Add to Home Screen”.

Or you can buy a printed newspaper made out of paper with ink and stuff. They’re still available daily. And they deliver.

Apple Apps iPad iPhone

06 Dec

Setting Up Apple TV and MobileMe

MobileMe Account Setup

I was excited to learn that Apple TV includes MobileMe. I clicked on the menu and was asked to “Add a MobileMe Account”. The way to enter text using the Apple TV remote is tedious, at best. You use a click wheel and scan through the letters onscreen. It’s the same way with Verizon Fios TV, which is also a pain.

I attempted to enter my MobileMe account but was given a message saying it did not exist. After some research I learned that maybe if I changed my MobileMe password, Apple TV would recognize my account. I did this and received the same results.

Apple Tech Support to the Rescue

Out of frustration I called MobileMe support and learned that I had to have photos in the MobileMe gallery in order for it to work. I uploaded some photos and indeed it did work. Over the years I have found Apple tech support to be very helpful.

Photos Only for Apple TV and MobileMe

Apparently MobileMe on Apple TV is only for photos. You do not get access to your calendar, e-mails or any other content. This was disappointing. I wish I knew that from the beginning. It would have saved me a lot of trouble setting it up.

Overall I have been very pleased with Apple TV and especially Air Play. I can easily play audio from my iMac, MacBook as well as my iPhone and iPad through my Panasonic TV and speakers. Unfortunately it does not work with Sirius radio yet. I look forward to more functionality in the future.

Apps Computer Tech Support Helpful Hints iPad iPhone Software Technology

28 Sep

Todo is Now in the Clouds

Having just written about Appigo Sync version 1.2.0 I feel I must also talk a bit about today’s update to version 1.2.1.

This new update occurred just a day or so after the previous update. This time I had no problems with duplicate content or the inability to sync. Everything worked fine.

Now that the iPhone update is optimized for iOS4, it remains open unless you close it in the multi-task bar. Because of this, it does not automatically sync after initially opening unless you manually press the sync button.

New Todo Online Service

For $19.99 per year, Appigo is offering Todo Online “Over-the-Air-Cloud-Sync”. What this does is sync your todos, projects, checklists, alerts, etc. with an online cloud service. This means you do not have to sync your Todo app with your computer and Appigo Sync. So you can sync your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and iCal with the online service, no matter where you are, and even view your todos on any computer. And it’s always up to date.

Of course, if you have daily access to your “base” computer with your iThings, and you’re the only one using your iStuff, I’m not sure what the benefit is over the free Appigo Sync software, other than having a (hopefully) reliable backup.

What is not clear yet, is if this new Todo Online service will sync up with the new iCal MobileMe when it comes out of beta. This is where iCal content is only stored online and not on your computer. We shall see.

Apps iPad iPhone Software Technology Uncategorized

01 Sep

10 Reasons an iPhone 4 is a Great Business Tool

Having used a Mac since desktop publishing took over the graphic design industry I am a big fan of all things Apple. I consider my iPhone more as a mini-computer than a phone because it’s so versatile.

These are just some of my favorite business related apps. If you’re on the go a lot, an iPhone is a great way to keep productive. It’s also great while sitting on the sofa in front of the TV.

E-mail: The iPhone syncs with your iCal and MobileMe account seamlessly.
Facebook: Stay in touch with all your friends and clients.
Twitter: Set up your favorite list and keep up to date.
Bam Analytics: Set up your Google analytics and keep track of how your websites are doing wherever you are.
Lynda.com: If you have a spare moment you can watch a video lesson on the latest software applications. Check out a FreePass today.
iBooks: A great way to catch up on your business reading. Even load up your own pdf files and e-books to keep up to date.
Go Daddy: Find and purchase a domain name or check your mobile mail.
Lucy Phone: Never wait on hold again. Find a company, call it up, and your phone will ring you when the call goes through.
NetNewsWire: Keep up with the latest news feeds. Syncs with Google Reader. It’s my favorite news reader as it is quick and there’s a convenient Mac app too. Great on the iPad and iPhone.
Instapaper: Save a web page or newsfeed and read it later in Instapaper. A great way to catch up when you have a spare moment.

There are many more useful business related iPhone and iPad apps, but these are my favorite, so far. What are yours?

Business Practices Helpful Hints iPad iPhone

18 Aug

6 Easy Steps to Add PDF Files to iBooks through iTunes

One of the many great things about your iPhone and iPad is that you can easily load up a pdf file for later reading. Then, whenever you have a spare moment, either while waiting on line at a supermarket or bank, waiting in an airport or doctor’s office, or just waiting for a TV commercial to end (assuming you did not DVR it to speed past commercials), you can click on your iThing and read your latest pdf file or e-book.

1. Open iTunes.

2. On the top menu click “File”. On the drop down menu click “Add to Library…”

3. Navigate to your e-book or pdf file and choose it.

4. In iTunes click on your iPhone or iPad in the side menu.

5. Choose the Books tab and you will see the file. Make sure it’s checked.

6. Sync your iPhone or iPad and your pdf file will appear in iBooks under the pdf tab.

See, it’s simple. There are other ways to get files onto your iPhone or iPad, including Dropbox, Air Sharing, Stanza and GoodReader apps but I’ll leave that for another post.

iPad iPhone Technology

02 Jul

Dropbox is a great way to sync a file

If you have an iPhone, iMac, iPad or any other iThingy, Dropbox is an incredibly easy way to sync a file from your computer to other computers or devices. It’s only a matter of opening an account with Dropbox online, adding an app to any of your iDevices and dropping a file or two or even more into the “box”. In an instant that file is available for viewing on all linked devices.

Dropbox allows you to view documents, spreadsheets, photos, videos and presentations. A neat feature is that you can snap a photo with your iPhone and save it to your Dropbox direct. You don’t even need a MobileMe account.

And the great thing is a Dropbox account is free and comes with 2 GB of storage space. For most people that’s quite a lot of space. If you have a lot of heavy duty files you can purchase a Pro plan up to 100GB. I am not an affiliate of Dropbox but I do find it worth looking into if you haven’t already installed it on your iStuff. Dropbox is also available for non-Apple-ites, who use Windows or Linux.

Business Practices Helpful Hints iPad iPhone Software Technology

25 Jun

iPhone 4 Conflicts with iSteps Pedometer

Does your screen suddenly stay locked in the portrait position? Does your “iSteps” pedometer app suddenly stop working? If you’re lucky enough to have the new iPhone 4 running iOS4 you may have noticed this new issue after starting and stopping iSteps.

Although I love my new iPhone I was disappointed that, for the moment, pedometer apps do not run in the background. At best you can play music in the background while using the pedometer app. My biggest issue, aside from the left-handed antenna glitch, was that after starting and then stopping my pedometer my phone was stuck in the portrait position and wouldn’t change to landscape unless I restarted. And the pedometer stopped working.

After several calls to Apple, trying to figure out why my phone would lock up in the portrait position, without manually turning this feature on, I was instructed to reinstall the operating system and load everything from scratch. And if this didn’t work I was going to have to bring the phone in to Apple for repair or replacement.

By this time I was fairly convinced that the iSteps pedometer app was causing the problem since it was not updated to iOS4. I backed up my iPhone, did the reinstall and lost all my folders, data and passwords.

Before I started the long process of reconfiguring everything and entering all my data, I ran the iSteps app and what do you know, my iPhone was stuck in the portrait position and the app no longer worked after I quit it and restarted it.

So I deleted the app, restarted the iPhone and no problem. So I restored my backup giving me everything I had before I wiped it clean. I found a new “All-In” Pedometer, and haven’t had a problem since.

The lesson here is, back up your iPhone regularly and if you have an iOS operating issue and suspect it’s related to an app, delete the app and check again for the problem.

Update: iSteps has recently updated their app to be iOS4 compatible.

Helpful Hints iPhone

05 May

Is IMAP Better Than POP?

Yes, yes it is. Especially if you have your own e-mail domain name.

IMAP vs. POP

With IMAP your e-mail is stored on your host’s server while with POP you download your e-mail to your own computer, which is then deleted from the main server (unless you tell it not to). Therefore IMAP is better if you are getting your e-mail from several computers or devices like an iPhone or iPad.

With IMAP your e-mail is in the same condition from wherever you get it. For instance, if you read your e-mail but didn’t delete it, it will still be on the server as already read, no matter where you are viewing it. But if you are using POP and you read your e-mail on your iPhone and then later checked your mail on your iMac, it will show up again as unread. How very annoying. UpperHost has a simple explanation of IMAP vs. POP.

It is best to start out with IMAP.

Switching from POP to IMAP can be quite a challenge. Here’s my tale.

I was using a local hosting company, then switched to GoDaddy. I always used POP because the local company didn’t want me storing e-mails on their server. One of the reasons I switched.

I read an article in MacWorld Magazine on The IMAP Advantage and decided to make the switch. At the time I had over 13,000 e-mails in my main e-mail account. It was suggested I save these in a folder on my computer. Sorting out 13,000 e-mails would take too much time so I tried dragging them to a generic folder and received an error message.

GoDaddy said they it would be okay to make the POP account inactive while activating the IMAP account. And this worked fine. But then something happened and a few days later all 13,000 plus e-mails became blank. They were missing. Yikes, I said to myself.

With frantic calls to Apple Support I managed to restore most of my old e-mail to my computer from my Time Machine backup. How ironic that the main reason I switched from POP to IMAP was to have a safe back up for my e-mails and in the process I lost (temporarily) all my old e-mail.

So always be sure to save your e-mail to your computer if you are switching from POP to IMAP. And have a backup plan. Hard drives do fail and e-mails do disappear.

Business Practices Computer Tech Support Helpful Hints iPad iPhone Technology

05 Apr

10 Reasons Why I’m Waiting to Buy a New iPad

As everyone around the world knows, the iPad is here and its received mostly positive reviews. I love all things Apple and I’m sure I would use the iPad all the time. I wanted to rush out and buy one immediately. Actually I wanted to order it the moment that it became available to order. But I didn’t. And here’s why.

I don’t have the available cash and don’t want to go into debt for a fun new gadget. At least not yet.
I love my iPhone and use it constantly. The iPad would duplicate most of the things I use the iPhone for. But is it really worth $500 plus to be able to read my news feeds on a larger screen while watching TV? Possibly.
WiFi only would be great at home, but what if I venture elsewhere?
3G would come in handy and will soon be available. But do I want to spend another $129 plus $15 – $30 a month in order to have that capability which is already built into my iPhone?
Apple is known to change things 3 to 6 months after the release of a new product. Depending on demand, I suspect prices will either go down by Xmas or else you will be able to get the WiFi 3G models for the same price as the WiFi models today. And possibly the WiFi only models will drop in price.
The apps are in flux. For now the pricing seems pricy. By the end of the year they may be cheaper, again depending upon demand. And I hate the thought of buying apps for the iPad which I already own on the iPhone.
I’m planning to buy the next generation iPhone. Did I mention I love my iPhone? The iPhone has built in GPS and I already pay for a 3G plan. And so far I can still read the little type on the screen.
I can take my iPhone to the gym and read books or RSS feeds or whatever while on the StairMaster. I’d hate to take an iPad to the gym and possibly damage it. Plus without 3G the iPad at the gym would be just an expensive ebook reader.
I don’t play games and I don’t subscribe to NetFlix.
The next generation iPad will be better, faster, cheaper and really, really cool. By then this original iPad will seem like old news and I’ll be able to get a shiny new toy without regretting already buying one a year earlier.

So unless I come into a lot of extra cash or win an iPad, I’ll probably be waiting for the next generation. It won’t be easy, but I’ll try to be strong.