Skype hits the App Store

I know many people out there use Skype to talk to friends and family worldwide for free or VERY cheaply compared to normal phones, so this news is for them. Those of you who don’t know, Skype allows you to make free VoIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol) calls to your Skype contacts, and also allows you to make and receive really cheap calls to landlines and mobile phones, provided that you have credit in your account.

The Skype app however, does have it’s glitches, so don’t think you can just forget about paying your contract, and use this to make all the cheap or free phone calls you want. When Apple first released the SDK, they clearly stated, VoIP calls may only be made over WiFi, so providing you have a WiFi connection, you are set to be able to use Skype as much as you want. Skype chat  does however work over any cellular network you are connected to, so you can still be in contact with your friends for free via text chat. iPod Touch owners with a microphone can also take advantage of the VOIP calling. We should have a video review of Skype on the iPhone very soon.

Download Skype for iPhone/iPod Touch here

Video Review: Scosche IDR400m earphones

Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Comes with a nice pouch, and 2 different style tips in 3 sizes. Includes mic for answering phone calls and the button for controlling music.
Cons: Sounds quality is about average. They slipped out of my ears frequently.
Overall: I hate being negative about products, especially when they are from great companies like Scosche, but I wasn’t very impressed with these headphones. The sound quality was OK, and I couldn’t find a comfortable fit. They are still a good alternative to the Apple earphones that come with your iPhone. Stay tuned for the 600 series earphones from Scosche which are much nicer than the 400 series in my opinion.

You can buy this product directly from Scosche for $79.99

Video App Review: FlightTrack

Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Provides all sorts of flight info including delays, cancellations, gate changes and weather for both departure and arrival cities. Sync your itineraries via Tripit.com, in-flight tracking of flights, shake to track random flights.
Cons: Maps could have a bit more detail or graphical excitement.  Expensive at $9.99 and although the lighter version that does not sync with Tripit.com is $4.99 I still think its a bit higher than I would pay.
Overall: This App is great for the Road Warrior and just plain cool to see in flight status of airplanes around the world.  Unfortunately I don’t think that coolness is worth $4.99-$9.99.  If you travel a lot then this is definitely the app for you and will be well worth the $10.

You can buy FlightTrack Pro from the App store for $9.99.

Mac Monday: Spire Endo Messenger Bag

Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Comes with additional waist strap, lightweight, durable, tons of pockets,  fits a 15″ laptop.
Cons: It feels a bit flimsy and thin.
Overall: Although it does feel really lightweight and thin, I think that this bag would last you a long time and that you would be able to fit anything and everything that you would need for school or work.

You can purchase this product directly from Spire for $89.

New Editor on BMAi: Martin B.

If you guys remember our last big contest for January and February, then you probably remember our grand prize winner Martin B. who blew us away with his awesome reviews and tip videos, so much so that we decided to add him to the BMAi line-up. So Martin will be another reviewer that you’ll see from time to time on BMAi. He’s actually the person responsible for our new awesome video intros on our video reviews. Here’s a brief bio about Martin:

He’s a 24 year old engineer from Poland. This year he will be receiving his masters in science. He studies at the Warsaw University of Technology focusing on the faculty of power and aeronautical engineering (feel free to visit the site of his university ).  As of right now he doesn’t have a full time job, but is working as a Graphic freelancer; which is one of his hobbies as well as video editing and making custom video effects. He’s a gadget lover and is into all the new technologies.

Keep stopping by to see Martin’s, as well as all the other reviews here on BMAi.

Mac Monday: Rickshaw Bagworks

Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Pros: Innovative design elements that are also functional, fantastic protective laptop compartment, soft yet very different inside padding, a plethora of pockets, eco-friendly (portions are made out of recycled water bottles).
Cons: The only thing that I can come up with is I would like to see a few more color selections.
Verdict: Let’s start here: I have used this bag for 2 solid weeks virtually everyday and while writing this review I actually had to think for about 15 minutes on what I would put down as a negative. This is a quality bag with a thought out design and is stylish as well as ultra functional. Designed and  made in San Francisco, Rickshaw Bagworks goes far beyond a simple bag company, they are also giving back to the community with involvement in many different non-profit causes.  There is much, much more I can say about this company but go to their website and read WAY more about them than I can cover here.  With their dedication to quality workmanship and accomplishing a near perfect bag I am awarding the “Small Bottles to Bags Commuter Messenger” the Editor’s Choice Award.

You can purchase the Small Bottles to Bags Commuter Messenger from their website for $160 or visit them at their store in San Francisco at 904 22nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, I’m sure they will be happy to greet you, tell them Tom from BuyMeAniPhone.com sent you.

BMAi New Review Intro Annoucement

Apple News Recap

This week in apple news we cover:

- Apple Announced Dates for WWDC
-New iTunes Pricing
- Microsoft Anti Apple Ads

Video App Review: ColorSplash

Let me start by saying that I had never been a big picture guy, I mean in high school and college I was not touting a camera to capture the memories.  I was a strictly “live in the moment” type of guy.  Now if you follow me here on BMAi, Twitter or YouTube you know that since I’ve had kids I have learned a new appreciation for photography and basically saving the memories of my kids childhood for us all to enjoy down the road.

Although I love the basic point and click photos every now and then I want to do something a little different with some of my photos.  ColorSplash is a means to that end.  Whether you take photos with your iPhone or take them with a camera and upload them to your iPhone you can turn your photo black and white then select certain details to keep in color.  This technique is called “cutout” or “selective desaturation” and adds a wow factor to your photos by highlighting a certain portion of the photo keeping it in color.  While using this App it really feels as if you are creating a piece of art instead of just taking some color out of a photo.  At $1.99 in the App store it is much cheaper than purchasing a special computer program to achieve these results.  So pony up the two bucks and make your memories pop with a bit of “selective desaturation”.

Joy of Tech cartoon – The new 3.0 update