Let the Jokes Begin...

Whenever a company releases a product with a funny name, you know it's going to cop a lot of crap (like the Wii). Funnily enough, this skit about an iPad was done many years ago before it was released!

iPad!!!!!!!!!!!!

After weeks of anticipation, Apple has finally released...the iPad!!! Think of it as a huge iPod Touch with an option for 3G data. Redesigned apple apps, full back catalogue support, and new SDK's on the way! Check out the video =]

iPhone used to survive Haiti Earthquake!

wow...simply amazing. A story I found on the net.

"Apple’s iPhone, along with the help of a medical application, has saved at least one life in the tragic Haiti earthquake. American film maker, Dan Woolley, found himself trapped in rubble when the Haitian earthquake struck, injuring his head and leg. With no other place to turn he used his trusty iPhone along with help from a unknown first-aid medical application. The app helped him diagnose his broken foot, make a tourniquet for his leg, and described the best way to bandage his head to stop the bleeding. He even set the alarm clock to go off every 20 minutes to make sure he stayed awake and alert.65 hours later he was rescued."

Best apps for your girlfriend/boyfriend

These apps have saved me so much phone credit that I just don't know why I need a $49 cap anymore!

Voice Calling - Skype
Best to use at home with a wifi connection. Prior to having iPhones, I had to sneak out and grab the phone and quickly answer it as soon as Yi rang me to avoid waking up the whole house. Quite the pain...otherwise we would just call each other on mobile and talk for awhile. With the phone my arm often got tired and I had to switch arms to stop them from going numb. With the mobile I had loudspeaker but it burned lots of credit.

Now since we both have iPhones, we just lie in bed, with our headsets on, and talk on Skype for virtually no cost! WIN!

Messaging - Ping
I've already done a post on this, but this app seriously saves you so much credit money. Yi and I havent texted each other via SMS since we started using Ping! It just uses a tiny tiny amount of your 3G data to send text messages. Even with my 250mb/month data plan it is more than enough to send at least 20 pings a day. WIN!

Now the only problem we're having is how to spend all this excess credit we're building up!!

iPhone's Everywhere!

In my daily commute on the train, I will undoubtedly notice at least a
few other iPhone users around me.

Now people will have mixed opinions on this. Some people say iPhone
users are all sheep. I believe they are ignorant. I agree to some
extent that people who get iPhones but have no idea how to use it
properly would indeed be classifed as a silly little sheep who just
got one to look cool. However, for the majority of iPhone users out
there,we have chosen it because we believed it was a far superior
product to anything else out there.

And to see the Apple phenomenon in full force everyday when going to
work makes me admire Apple that much more!

Sure, some people want to buck the trend and stand out of the crowd
and have a phone no one else does, but for me, I value the amazing
features of the iPhone much much more.

Sent from the gPhone! [Mobile Blog]

OMG ITS GTA !!!

Need I say more?

With better graphics and more awkward controls than the DS version, what are you waiting for? Available on the App Store for $13...or ...for those with AppSync click here for the game!

If you're lost on the road...

Man. The Maps app + a GPS app on your iPhone will mean you will never get lost again! Just the other day, me and some workmates were driving up to Gladesville for some indoor cricket. The driver got lost. Suddenly, a co-worker and I both whip out our iPhones and locate the directions in no time at all!

Later that day, I was meeting up with a bunch of friends to go to the Hooters at Parramatta. We were waiting at Westfields and were waiting for friends who was going to drive us up there . They were walking around too but we didn't know the area too well, but they said they were on Valentines St. We had no idea where that was...until once again, my iPhone saved the day! It's so handy when you're walking because the 3GS has an in-built compass and when you point it in whichever direction, the maps app will swing around to orientate you in the same bearing!

Oh and not to mention, I used my Tomtom app to help get them from Parramatta Station to Hooters! Hurray!

The Epicness of the App Store

You know it's the deal breaker when it comes to getting an iPhone - the apps. I've always thought of the iPhone as an empty shell of a swiss army knife which gets filled with a new instrument with each new app found. The app store was a revolutionary step forward in digital content content distribution. Whatever you want, you can get it, in a flash, from the internet to your iphone in less than a minute! Distribution was simply not that easy and fast a few years ago!

Here's an interesting little strip which describes the economics of the app store. After reading this, you'll be wanting to start learning how to develop apps!!

Anyone who's got an idea for an app and is interested in developing it...drop me a line xD

Data Plan Traps...ROAMING CHARGES with 3!!

Many of you who have data plans for your smart phones with a 3 postpaid contract will no doubt already know what I'm talking about. For those who don't, let me explain.

When your mobile can't find reception to it's own cell network, it will roam on another network's cell towers. This makes for a seamless way while calling and incurs no extra charges. 3 does this by piggybacking on Telstra's network.

With data downloading, it is a whole different story.

Normally, mobile carriers will charge you roaming rates for overseas data use. 3 however, charges even when it roams locally!!

Hence, if you're on the move and you lose 3's reception, and you're using an app which requires data usage, then you may well be incurring roaming charges! However small they may be, I'm sure none of you want to pay anymore than the amount you're already being charged monthly! With 3, roaming on Telstra's network costs' 50c/MB. Now that may not sound like much, but if left unchecked, may start to rack up significantly.

How can we avoid roaming charges? There is a solution, but it's not very robust. Here's how on an iPhone:

By default, roaming is on. So we simply have to turn it off.

Step 1:

Go to Settings>Carrier. You should see "Searching" and it may take a few minutes to search all the different carriers your SIM card can connect to.

Step 2:

Once it loads, you should see a list of Mobile Carriers. You should find you are by default, ticked on "Automatic" which pretty much means roaming. Then underneath you should see 3(3G), 3, ROAMING, and Telstra. Select 3(3G) and you're done!

Now your phone will only access the 3 network and avoid the Telstra network.

Advantages:

No roaming charges!!

Disadvantages:

> Constant messages saying "Network cannot be found" due to 3's spotty network coverage since it can no longer connect to Telstra (even for calling!) which are terribly distracting whilst playing games!

>If you're on a train or out and about you will get these messages quite frequently.

So in the end, you have a trade-off. Do you want to live easy and incur charges, or escape the charges and cop a bunch of needless warnings on 3's dodgy network?

I'd like to see what the roaming experience is like for iPhone users on other networks. Please tell me about it!

[App Review] Ping!

Time for another app review! My uncle came back from Macau today and told me to get this app called Ping! I went to the app store and downloaded the lite version for free. So technically any iPhone can get this app!

What it does is amazing. It lets you send a message to any other Ping! user.

Now you may be thinking, what's so special about that? I can do that with ebuddy! (or some other IM app)

Well this app is special.

> Firstly, there's no signing in/signing out hassle. No passwords to remember.

> Secondly, the messages you receive are pushed and so appear as if they were SMS's! Meaning Ping does not have to be open for you to receive messages!

Think about what would happen if everyone with an iPhone had Ping! Your SMS costs would go down like crazy!

It's also very simple to use. All you have to do is think of a Ping! ID...and you're ready to go! After that, simply send your message to another person's Ping! ID and that's it!

Advantages:

> Very slick way to send messages to other iphone users

> Simple to set up and use, hassle free

Disadvantages:

> May drain battery with push notifications enabled

> Requires 3G or wifi

> Some users will get stuck at "connecting" when they first open their app...

> Only effective if everyone uses it!! (or at least if your text buddy gets it)

So spread the word my fellow iPhoner's! Post in the comments your Ping! IDs and we can all connect!

My Ping! ID is gman98