iPhone | Creative Juices Graphic Design Studio

Archive for iPhone

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.

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.

iPad iPhone Technology

28 Mar

Great iPhone Apps for Business

I love adding apps to my iPhone. Especially the free ones. And it’s always fun to get free updates. Here’s a list of my new (not necessarily free) favorites:

Accounts – Checkbook
- This is an easy way to keep track of all your checkbook accounts.
HootSuite
- Send a tweet from any Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn account, among others. You can also set the time the tweet should go out. Very convenient.
Facebook
- Keep track of your Facebook accounts wherever you are. Lots of goodies like News Feed, Friends, and Chat.
Analytics Pro
- It’s easy to keep track of all your Google analytics accounts.
Lynda.com
- Now you can watch videos about your favorite software wherever you are.
Barnes&Nobel eReader
- Buy a book and read it on the go. Great for the gym.
Amazon’s Kindle eReader
- Same as above only from Amazon. If you can’t sleep, reading in bed is a lot easier.
PayPal
- Keep track of your PayPal account. You can even arrange a transaction with another iPhone user by bumping phones together. Yikes.
WordPress
- Update or review your WordPress blogs anywhere. Convenient and fun.
1Password
- Store all your many passwords in one safe place.
Constant Contact QuickView
- Now you can keep track of all your email newsletter statistics.
GoDaddy
- Find a domain name or review your account. Another convenience I love.
Carbonite
- Back up your computer hard disk and view all your files on your iPhone. You must have a Carbonite account for about $50 a year.
Instapaper
- Save any website or newsfeed here and read it later in a format optimized for the iPhone.

My contract is up with AT&T in April. That means I’m eligible for a new phone at the usual discount price. Typically Apple introduces a new iPhone model in June or July. So far, no firm news, just some rumors about the next iPhone being an A+ upgrade. Possible multi-tasking, better 5 mp camera, flash, increased battery life. Maybe even video teleconferencing.

Whatever the next generation iPhone is, I’m all set to buy it. I’m holding off on the iPad until I see how things play out. Knowing Apple, if you wait several months there might either be a better price or more of something. Perhaps the 3G model will end up being the same price as the WiFi only model. Apple is tricky that way.

Helpful Hints iPhone

25 Feb

Lynda.com Training Courses are Now on Your iPhone!

Great news for those of you who have an iPhone. Lynda.com just released a new free app where you can watch any of their hundreds of software learning videos wherever you are. The only trick is that you have to have really good eyesight to see the tiny, tiny print. But it works great when you’re on the StairMaster at the gym and want to learn a new trick or two in Photoshop or even Facebook.

Lynda.com is always adding new courses and I find myself going back to it practically every day. I like the service so much I signed up to be an affiliate. The service costs only $25 a month and you get unlimited access.

Check it out for yourself by clicking on the ad. Here’s what lynda.com has to say about their new iPhone app:

“You’ve always been able to access the lynda.com Online Training Library® anytime, anywhere. Now you can access your learning on the go with the new, free lynda.com iPhone app, featuring high and low video quality for optimal streaming no matter what your connection.

“lynda.com members have access to their accounts just as you do on your computer. Just log in and start learning! Once logged in, you’ll see the most the most recent video you watched, whether you watched it on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or on your computer’s web browser. Just pick up where you last left off.

“Watch lynda.com for free before you sign up!
Try lynda.com content for free! Sample thousands of tutorials by tapping Try for Free on the Home screen.”

Business Practices Helpful Hints iPhone

22 Dec

Snapshots of your pet just got easier with PetSnap for iPhone.

PetSnap is a neat little application you can download on your iPhone. With it you can play a variety of sounds to get your pet’s attention before you snap a photo of them. There are all kinds of animal sounds, from cats in various states (angry, hungry, annoying, spoiled), dogs, birds, zoo animals, miscellaneous sounds like a door bell, knocking, paper tearing, crumbling paper or plastic bottle, squeeze toy or even a Space Lama.

Frames are included if you want to enhance your photos, but I don’t find them very attractive. Hopefully there will be a better variety with the next update.

So if you want to get your pet’s attention (though I’m not sure it would work with a turtle) without having to act foolish in public or take a picture of the back of their head, this is an easy way to go.

It costs only $1.99. I get no commission for this one. Pity.

Helpful Hints iPhone

25 Oct

Google Analytics Apps for iPhone have gone missing.

I discovered recently that both AnalyticsPro and myAnalytics no longer work on the iPhone. After a little research I’ve found they are both missing from the iPhone app store. Hmmm.

According to Analytics App Google has made changes in their authentication process. The people at Analytics App are working on this. I guess the other two apps have given up and disappeared.

I guess you never know when the app you’ve paid for will become worthless.

iPhone

09 Jun

How AT&T Saved Me $199

I want to thank AT&T for saving me from myself. After much media hype I was anxiously waiting for the release of a new iPhone 3G S. Prior to this big announcement I was perfectly happy with my current iPhone 3G. I love it and use it constantly. Perhaps I’m a little addicted to its many virtues. But it’s almost a year old. That’s like 7 human years. I just can’t resist a new iPhone with a 3 megapixel camera, auto focus, compass and video capabilities. I wanted it.

Just because I hardly ever use my current iPhone camera and I probably would never shoot video, I still wanted the new phone. Mainly because it’s newer and faster. How could any Apple geek refuse. The hard part was justifying spending another $199 to upgrade to the new iPhone when my current model was so new.

AT&T fixed all that. Because my 2 year contract is not up until next April I would have to pay at least $599 for a shiny new iPhone 3G S (16 gb) plus $18 upgrade fee. So now I really love my current iPhone even more.

And the best part is, by the time my contract is up next year, a newer, shinier, faster and better iPhone will most assuredly be in the works for summer 2010 release. Who knows, maybe by then Verizon will also offer the new iPhone. And that gives me more options to choose from!

So thank you AT&T. I look forward to next year.

iPhone

11 Apr

How Terrific is Twitter?

I’m just starting to delve into Twitter so that means something newer is about to take it’s place. Well maybe not really. But sometimes it takes a while for new ideas to take hold of my consciousness.

Twitter has become THE place to go to market your business. There are scores of books on just how to do this as well as tons of info online. Twitter is the latest in micro-blogging. What are you doing now in 140 words or less. Of course you can keep adding 140 word entries until you run out of things to say.

As far as a business marketing tool, from what I’ve learned so far, Twitter is used as a form of socializing. People getting to know each other, cyberly speaking. Not so much as a place to sell products or services directly. You can direct people to your website, offer specials, contests, tips, links to articles, websites and more.

It seems everybody is following someone. Or thousands of someones. And it could be overwhelming. Just how much information do you need to know in a day? I personally am suffering from information overload.

I admit I’m addicted to my iPhone. I now follow people I don’t know on Twitter. I’ve set up a page on Facebook, MySpace, Linked In, Merchant Circle, Plaxo, Ning, Xing, and others I have forgotten about and have no time to add content to. I’ve got this blog using WordPress and have set up one on Google’s Blogger too.

I follow all the news I need to know on my iPhone too. There’s AP Mobile News, USA Today, Yahoo, NY Times, CNN, Easy News, and of course a ton of RSS feeds including the LA Times, E! Online, CBS, KFWB and many, many tech news feeds.

I’m also reading Twitter Revolution on my iPhone Kindle App, Twilight from Iceburg, Murder List on my Stanza App and real hardcover books Twitter Power and a Doris Day biography.

Plus I read the antiquated LA Times and local Daily Breeze on real newsprint.

Yikes. It’s a wonder I can’t sleep at night. There’s just too much information to process.

As I grow with Twitter and other social networking sites I will keep you informed. And if you are looking for something to fill up your time, why not follow me on Twitter! @cjuices

Advertising Blogging to promote business. Business Practices iPhone Marketing 101

25 Nov

The iPhone 3G makes a great business tool.

I love my iPhone. I couldn’t wait to get it, not because I make a lot of phone calls, but because it’s like having a mini computer with me wherever I go.

Sure it has iTunes so you can listen to music or watch movies at the gym. But did you know you can check your Google analytics on the fly? How about downloading your files for reading later? Or checking your Facebook or MySpace accounts? Or your bank balances?

You can easily look up phone numbers, find directions to an appointment, access your calendar and contacts. Look up a meaning of a word. Add to your WordPress blog. The list is endless.

Sure, you can find many people to complain about the iPhone or compare it to the new Research in Motion “Storm”. But I find that the iPhone gives me a lot of ways to conduct business wherever I’m at and is well worth the money.

And speaking of lists, here are some of my favorite business applications so far:

Tasks (a great organization tool to help you get things done)
To Do (this is a simple way to list your tasks)
NetNewsWire (get all the news you can ever want with this RSS feed app)
LinkedIn (access your account and keep up to date)
Pageonce (add all your bank and stock accounts and watch your balances drop when you’re on the go)
WordPress (add to or edit your blog from any location)
myAnalytics (check on your web page hits)
Dictionaire (a free, but simple, dictionary)
WhitePages and YPmobile (an easy way to find a phone number or address)
Stanza (free books, newspapers and magazines you can download, read and bookmark. Tons of classics are available. If you can’t sleep at night, just turn on your iPhone and read in the dark. Even Gone With The Wind is available and fits easily in my iPhone)
eReader (another book reader, only this one lets you buy the latest books and download them to read at your leasure)
MobileFiles (access your Apple MobleMe account and download your files)
AirSharing (a great way to move your files from your PC to your iPhone)
MProfs (lots and lots of information on marketing, e-mail marketing, search engine optimization, Business to Business ideas and more)

If you have an iPhone, check out these applications. Most of them are FREE. If not, buy one. Unfortunately I get no commission from Apple, Inc.

Business Practices