App Review: WriteRoom

If you like the super simple, clean interface of the Mac, I guarantee that you are going to enjoy the iPhone app WriteRoom. “Now why the heck am I going to spend $4.99 on a text editor?”, is what you might be asking. Well because it has got to be the best one available in my opinion. Obviously I blog, and I don’t have a lot of time in front of my desk besides work, and when I get home, thoughts just don’t pour out of me like a fountain of water. So I started looking for an app that would help me with my flow of ideas throughout the day. When I stumbled across WriteRoom, I knew I had found it. A clean and straight forward user interface was just what I needed. A no muss no fuss approach to jotting down random ideas or what have you. What sold me was the ability to type in landscape mode. Before the iPhone I had an HTC and I always loved the full keyboard. With this app, I get my typing speed back. Perfect. Well, it’s all good that I can scribble down notes on my iPhone but what about getting it from the phone to my computer. That’s where Bonjour steps in. Bonjour is a service that is available in Safari. Yes I know Safari isn’t Firefox, but you need it. On the main screen of WriteRoom, just click the share button on the top left side. Open up Safari and go the Bookmarks tab. There you will see Bonjour, select it. Tada! your WriteRoom documents are there for the picking. Just copy and paste into your favorite editor. *cough* WriteRoom *cough* So head over to HogBay Software and take a look at a really awesome app.

iTunes Link

iPhone Update 2.2 Released

So I guess the rumors were true, the newest iPhone update was released early this morning and like expected there are some really good features that have been added to this release (except Copy & Paste and MMS of course). Like usual, if you have a Jailbroken iPhone, don’t update until the Dev Team releases the newest version of Pwnage Tool, and for non-Jailbroken iPhone 3Gs that want the option of a ‘soft-unlock in the near future’ available but you want the new features of 2.2, you will be able to update to 2.2 using a PwnageTool created custom ipsw file that disables the baseband update. You will be able to do this using an updated version of PwnageTool that will be released sometime soon. Here’s a list from MacRumors of the known improvements with the 2.2 Update.

Enhancements to Maps
- Google Street View
- public transit and walking diretions
- display address of dropped pins
- share location via email
Enhancements to Mail
- resolved isolated issues with scheduled fetching of email
- improved formatting of wide HTML email
Improved stability and performance of Safari
Podcasts are now available for download in iTunes application (over Wi-Fi and cellular)
Decrease in call set-up failures and call drops
Improved sound quality of visual voicemail messages
Pressing the Home button from any Home screen takes you to the first Home screen
Preferences to turn on/off auto-correction in Keyboard settings

App Review: Meter Read

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Official MMS App Coming?

We all have to agree one of the biggest complaints of the iPhone is the lack of multimedia messaging support. Its obvious that Apple isn’t going to give it to us. For the daring, we’ve jailbroken our phones and used SwirlyMMS with mixed results. But what about those of us who haven’t? If TeliaSonnera has its way it will. The Swedish wireless carrier has been working on a multimedia application of its own that, will hopefully, be released in the next few months.  Telia’s goal is to attract more users in their customer base. I’m going out on a limb here, but if they get this working, I think they just might. One other rumor is, if it is a success, Telia just might release the application to other carriers. Here’s to hoping.

Want blank icons?

I’ve always wanted the option to have blank icons. To arrange the icons in any way I want. When I first upgraded to 1.1.3, I wanted my iTunes icon back on the right hand side. Well now, without any jailbreaking what so ever, this is possible. This will only work for people, like me, who don’t have a custom menu background. All you have to do is follow the simple instructions below, then you can just repeat this as many times needed. For example, all of my pages are laid out the same, so I have repeated this process 10 times, as I have 2 blank icons each side at the bottom (See Pic). Here’s the instructions:

1. Head over to blankspace.zendfree.com/
2. Click the “+” icon at the bottom of the iPhone safari window
3. Click on “Add to home screen”
4. Wait for the preview image (near the top left corner) to turn black.
5. Press cancel and repeat steps 1-3
6. As just as the screen changes to the page that gives you the option to name the Webclip, immediately press save, (top right corner) before it greys out.
7. IF all goes well, you now have a black icon on your screen. Simply hold down any icon, and you will see it with the black cross above it. Simply drag it to the desired position, then press the home button.

This may take you a few times to get it right, but I think for a free, un-jailbroken option, this really is great.

18 Months of iPhone Joy, Where will It Bring Us Next

It has been roughly 18 months since the iPhone was introduced and NPD Group announced that the iPhone is now ranked #1 in consumer phone sales for 3^rd Quarter 2008. The iPhone surpassed the Motorola Razr, which had been ranked #1 for the previous 12 quarters.

When I read this a few things ran through my mind; the 1^st was surprise was that the Razr had held the #1 spot for the previous 12 quarters. I would never have guessed, as the Razr (although innovator in the industry) has since become the giveaway phone of choice for most US carriers.

Then, I let the last 18 months run through my head-although rather quickly. Let’s put this in perspective. The Presidential campaigns had been in full swing for a full 6 months already, gas went sky high and has since come down, the Patriots had the biggest letdown in sports history when they lost the Super Bowl to the heavy underdog New York Giants, the Red Sox won another World series (and that pains me to write), then the Phillies of all teams won theirs. Eighteen months ago there were virtually zero true touch screen phones now, just off the top of my head, I count 5, and finally the United States of America elected it’s first African-American president. Now if you predicted that all those things would happen in 18 months you would be one rich person.

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Video Review #101: JustMobile Xstand iPhone Stand

Click here to view this video on your iPhone

Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Great dock replacement, looks awesome on your desk
Cons: Can’t use it with a case on your phone, unless its a tighly fitting case.
Verdict: If you’re a big apple fan then this is the perfect accessory for your iPhone.

You can purchase this product directly from MyGearStore starting at $39.99.
Use promo code “buymeaniphone” to receive 10% off

Video Review #100!!: Vaja Classic Retro Dockable

Click here to view this video on your iPhone

Rating: 10 out of 10
Pros: Excellent craftsmanship, custom choice of colors, built to order
Cons: Starts at $80, takes 20 days to produce
Verdict: If price isn’t a factor, and you’re looking for a nice leather case that fully protects your iPhone then your search is over, the Vaja Classic Retro Case is the case for you. I’m giving this case the Editors’ Choice award for it’s superior quality and craftsmanship.

You can purchase this product directly from Vaja starting at $80.

Quick Hit from the New Guy on the Block

Wow!!! My first post here on buymeaniphone.com and I am extremely excited. I had a deeper more profound post ready but I figured I would save that for another day this week. I really want to express my sincere excitement in joining the BMAi team and relay that to our supporters.

I have been following BMAi for quite some time now and have been impressed with the content and scope of the creator and writers. I look forward to working with our creator Omar C. and some other great people: Danny and Ryan our Senior Editors, Dara and Parker our Contributing Editors and App Reviewers, and finally some the manufactures of iPhone related products and developers who make the iPhone so versatile. I’m sure I will learn a lot not only about the iPhone and Apple related products but the industry in general.

I will have a very diverse column and will keep my scope wide to bring you great content and informative articles that will help you enjoy your iPhone even more than you do now, as if that’s possible.

Just to give you a little insight as to who I am:
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Review: Speck PixelSkin silicon case

Up next for review we have the Speck Pixel Skin. The Pixel skin is a silicone skin for the iPhone. The word “Pixel comes from the interesting design that Speck has chosen, which is a series of squares across the back and sides of the iPhone. The case also comes in “7 Tasty Colors” as speck likes to say. Read on after the break to check out the rest of the review.

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