Eli the Computer Guy

Archive for the ‘iPhone’ Category

The Facebook iPhone App is a well designed, easy to use app that is perfect for Facebook users.  The interfaces are very easy to use, and Facebook was smart not to try to include all of the functionality of Facebook within the app.

The app allows you to easily view your wall, notifications, and most of the information about your friends.  They minimized the design to make it easy to understand and use. They left out some functions, but they did it in a way that you end up appreciating for its simplicity.

I most like the way you can get to your photos, or the photos of your friends very quickly.  And how well those pictures are displayed on the iPhone screen.

The only drawback I have found is that it has no push notification features even on the iPhone 3GS.  You have to open the app in order to receive your notifications and updates.  It would be nice if it would go check for updates every few minutes.

The Pandora iPhone App is a must have app for the IPhone.  It allows you to listen to commercial free radio that is tailored to your likes and dislikes.  The service if completely free, and the quality is great.

The app is a snap to install and setup, and is very easy to use.  Once you have setup the app it will ask you to name a musician that you like.  From this it will create a custom playlist of other artists that it thinks you will like.  You can vote either thumbs up or down as songs are played and it will use this information to play more music that you will appreciate.

I have been using the Pandora website (www.Pandora.com) for around 6 months and am very happy that I can get the same service on the iPhone.

Since I am now  a student, and not a businessman I bought the new iPhone 3GS for myself a few days ago. Let me say that it a wonderful device.  I’m not much of an Apple fan, but the new iPhone is one of the best computer devices that I have used.

What I Really Like:

• An incredibly accurate GPS system. I have been in the middle of a large office building and it has pin pointed my position.
• A very loud speaker so when I play music I can set the handset down on a counter or table and do other things.
• The camcorder, and ability to upload videos straight to Facebook is flawless.

What I really Dislike:

• AT&T

AT&T should be ashamed of themselves.  The service on the iPhone is pathetic compared to the Verizon smart phone I’ve used for two years.  In the two years I had Verizon I never worried about signal strength, never gave it much thought.  The iPhone loses signal regularly when I am in buildings.

After a week of having the phone I can honestly say that if I was still in business that I could not afford to have a phone where the service is so flaky. I would advise against the iPhone and AT&T for people who need reliable communication.

For those of us who just like a cool toy with some fancy features the iPhone fits the bill.  The iPhone works great.  The Apps are really fun and cool to use. And for me the GPS function is incredibly useful.

The Amazon Kindle iPhone app works very well.  It’s easy to install, easy to use and you can download any materials you have purchased in the blink of an eye.  Sadly I find that this high quality software fails due to the hardware that is running it.

As a Kindle lover I have read 40 plus digital books on my Kindle.  I feel about the Kindle the way most people feel about their iPods.  It’s a near perfect device in everyway, and I am happy to know that I will no longer have to clutter up my house with shelf upon shelf of discarded books.

But when you take the software that runs the Kindle and put it on a device with the screen size of a pack of cards, and then you have to stare into the bright white backlit page for any amount of time it loses all appeal for me.  I just hate it…

I find that the Digital Ink technology that the real Kindle incorporates is what really makes the device so easy to use.  Reading a book on a Digital Ink screen is near blissful.  Reading a book on an iPod screen is painful.

If you already own a Kindle I can see using the app if you are in a pinch and need to reference something.  If you have never used a Kindle please… PLEASE… do not base your opinion of digital books on this app.