Author: Alan

The 10 Most Useful iPhone/iPad Links of the Week

iCade Mobile for iPhone

1. Review: iCade Mobile

Andrew Podolsky of Slide to Play reviews the iCade Mobile ($69.99), an accessory that turns your iPhone into a Gameboy/PSP competitor (as if it wasn’t already) with hardware buttons and a directional pad. Andrew reviews the device with 8 different games and notes that, overall, there are a hundred or so games that are compatible with it. A hundred sounds like a lot, but it isn’t really. Anyways, Andrew seems to dig it. The iCade Mobile sounds awesome to me but limited in its usefulness. And will it work with the iPhone 5? That’s the 69-dollar question.

2. 4 iPad Writing Apps Compared

Jacqui Cheng of Ars Technica says to hold on to your butts as you read her review of 4 iPad writing apps. She picks Writing Kit ($4.99) as her top choice. She likes the app’s Dropbox support, diverse exporting formats, and Quick Research tool. Her second choice is the popular iA Writer ($0.99) for its Dropbox and iCloud support. Now that you have all the tools, its time to write Great American Novel, on the iPad.

3. iPhone Tip: Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Quickly Fill In Usernames and Passwords

Rob LeFebre has a sweet little tip over at Cult of Mac. He suggests using Keyboard Shortcuts to enter in usernames, passwords, addresses, etc, into web fields instead of repetitively typing them in. This would come in especially handy if you like to use the Private Browsing mode where login details aren’t saved.

4. Review of Mophie’s New Rugged Juice Pack Pro Battery Case for iPhone 4/4S

There are few accessories more useful than an iPhone battery case. The problem is that they usually aren’t very protective. The new Mophie Juice Pack Pro is a solution. The company brags that the Pro “exceeds military specification” for protection. Steven Sande of TUAW reviews the Juice Pack Pro and says don’t expect to stick the iPhone in your pocket with this thing on as it’s a monster (thankfully, it comes with a belt clip), but do expect your iPhone to be well protected. The Pro is also water resistant (but not water proof), and its rubberized surface improves grip.

5. Review of the TouchFire iPad Keyboard Accessory

Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac reviews the TouchFire ($49.99), a clear plastic overlay that attachs to the iPad’s screen and fits perfectly over the touchscreen keyboard’s keys, the idea being the TouchFire adds tactile feel to the touchscreen keys. Gurman recommends the accessory, saying it’s like “night and day” using the TouchFire than without, providing improved typing speed and accuracy. My opinion? Just buy an iPad bluetooth keyboard.

6. NBC’s Official 2012 Olympics App in App Store

The good news is that the NBC Olympics Live Extra app (free) lets you watch every event of the 2012 Summer Olympics. It also has full event replays, push notifications, and even freakin’ DVR capabilities for live events. This is one slick app. The bad news? You have to pay for cable in order to watch it. Just enter in your log-in details for your cable provider, and you’re good to go. A lot of streaming video apps are going this route these days.

7. Hungry? App Store Now Has a Food and Drink Section

Tired of searching high and low for food apps in the App Store? Me neither, but maybe the new Food and Drink section will come in handy for someone someday. Click here to peep an ugly browser view of the new section’s popular apps.

8. Next Issue App Offers All-You-Can Read Magazines (Free 30-Day Trial!)

Loius over at TouchMyApps shines his spotlight on Next Issue for iPad (free), an app that offers you unlimited access to 34 magazines for $9.99.There are some good ones like Esquire, GQ, Vanity Fair, Wired, Car and Driver, and Elle. If you toss in the more expensive weekly magazines like Entertainment Weekly, then its $14.99 a month. There is a free 30-day trial with the app. Not sure I dig the cost. $120 a year is a lot. You could subscribe to a lot of magazines yourself for that much, especially if you use some of these discount websites. I’ll pass.

9. Target Offering a $25 Gift Card When You Buy the New iPad

Hey, if you’re going to buy the New iPad, why not get a $25 gift card for free? That way you can also pick up the Michael Graves-designed shoe rack you’ve had your eye on as well. The deal starts July 15. And if you buy an iPhone? A $20 gift card. Enough for a Michael Graves garlic press.

10. Klipsch S4i iPhone Earphones Getting Ruggedized

The Klipsch Image S4i are probably the best value in iPhone earphones when it comes to sound quality vs price (says me and many others). But their main problem is, like most earphones, they’re flimsy. Well, Joe Pollicino of Engadget reports Klipsch is introducing a rugged version of of the S4i that are water resistant. The best news is that the new Image Rugged S4i are keeping the same 8.5mm dual-magnet micro-speakers inside as their un-ruggedized predecessor, so you’ll get the same beautifully rounded sound and thumping bass. Klipsch already makes the “Rugged” S5i, but they don’t sound as good as the S4i. You can read my S4i review here. $99, and they come in some kooky colors. Get your credit cards warmed up.

The 2 Killer Features of the Mr. Reader App That Made Me Switch From Reeder (Video)

I wasn’t looking for a new RSS reader for the iPad. But when Christine Chan over at App Advice, in her an awesome RSS-reader app roundup, recommended Mr. Reader ($3.99) as her top choice for iPad, and when I saw all the 5-star reviews it had in the App Store, I decided to give it a chance.

Mr. Reader is more complicated than my previous favorite RSS reader app, Reeder, and I like my apps simple. But digging into the app’s settings and customizations, I was blown away by all the features, some of which I didn’t even know I needed. The video below shows off 2 features that were the dealbreakers for me, but keep in mind there are dozens more that make Mr. Reader the best RSS reader for iPad:

The 2 Killer Features:

1. An Incredibly Clever and Simple Interface for Moving From Article to Article. Mr. Reader has an ingenious interface for navigating from article to article. It really must be seen (or used) to be understood (see the video above), but basically it involves sliding your finger from the edge of the iPad inward, which makes several buttons appear. To navigate to the next article, you simply lift your finger of the screen. If you want to go back to the previous article, slide your finger to the up-arrow button. To close the current view, slide your finger down to the X. It’s incredibly intuitive, easy, and addictive—I find myself trying to do the same motion in other apps as well. It’s also a much better interface than other RSS apps I’ve tried, which all rely on tapping tiny buttons or making dramatic full-screen swipes to move from article to article.

2. The Ability to Turn Partial Feeds Into Full Feeds. Partial RSS feeds are annoying. You only get a headline and maybe a sentence or two. Mr. Reader has a feature where you can lock a feed into a full-feed view. It does this by automatically loading the link of the feed into an in-app web browser or a service like Readability or Instapaper, all of which will show the full article. Never again will you have to suffer the tease that is a partial RSS feed.

Maintain a Single Grocery List Between Multiple iPhone Users With AnyList App

Here’s a cool feature of AnyList, a free grocery list app I came across while writing up our recent 5 Best Free Grocery Lists Apps article. AnyList allows multiple users to maintain a single master grocery list, which means an entire family with iPhones could add, change, and cross off items on a single grocery list that updates in real time.

Setting up the master list is pretty easy. First, each users must install the AnyList app on their iPhone and create a free account, which can be done in the app. One person then creates a grocery list and taps the share button at the bottom. That person then enters the email address(es) of the person(s) they want to share the grocery list with (the email addresses must match the one used to create the accounts of the other users). The shared grocery list will then appear under Shared in the app. Any changes will update in real-time (as long as there is an Internet connection). So in theory, you could watch your husband in the grocery store pick off items one-by-one in the app. Pretty cool.

I’ll be sticking with GroceryIQ as my favorite grocery-list app for now, but for families who share grocery-shopping duties, this could be a killer feature.

Basics: How to Activate Caps Lock on the iPhone and iPad

The iPhone’s keyboard has a Caps Lock feature, but you may have to first activate it in the iPhone’s Settings to use it. To test if Caps Lock activated, first try double tapping the shift key (the key with the up arrow, see image above) on the touchscreen keyboard—the key will turn blue to tell you Caps Lock is activated. If it doesn’t turn blue, you’ll need to go into the iPhone’s Settings to enable it. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Video Instructions:

Text:

1. Open Settings:

2. Tap General:

General in iPhone Settings

3. Scroll down and tap Keyboard:

4. Slide the tab for Enable Caps Lock to On:

Now, when you double tap the shift key on the iPhone/iPad’s keyboard (the key with the up arrow), Caps Lock will be activated. To turn off Caps Lock, tap the key again.

The 9 Most Useful iPhone/iPad Links of the Week

1. The New Launch Center Pro App, Explained (Video)

There’s been much ado about the new Launch Center Pro app ($2.99), too bad it’s hard to understand just what exactly the app does or how you’ll benefit. App Advice’s lovable pixie Robin Rhys put together this nice video showing some nice examples of how to set it up and use it to save yourself some time (in a nutshell, it saves you lots of taps over time). I’m still not sure I’m sold, but it does seem like something Apple should build into the iPhone.

Here’s Robin’s tutorial video:

2. How to Properly Clean Your iPhone/iPad

Allyson Kazmucha of iMore tells you how to properly clean the screen, reiterating Apple’s own advice in saying to use a microfiber cloth or other gentle, non-abrasive material in order to protect the oleophobic coating. Never spray liquids directly onto the iPhone itself, and avoid liquids with ammonia, alcohol, or bleach.

3. The Best Browsers for the iPhone and iPad

Thorin Klosowski of LifeHacker compares 4 browser apps: Safari, Chrome, Dolphin, and Atomic. Safari wins by default (pun intended), but Thorin’s surprise pick is Atomic, which is by the far the most powerful browser app with the most options (even though it’s a little on the ugly side.) Atomic has Ad block, Dropbox support, ability to download files, easy switching to private browsing, etc. Atomic comes in a free version and a $1 verison.

4. Cool New App: Weather Neue, a Free, Minimalist Weather App

There have been a lot of interesting weather apps the past few weeks. This week’s is a free one. Aldrin Calimlim over at AppAdvice takes a brief look at Weather Neue (free), a minimalist weather app that I think would look great running on an old iPhone doubling as a desktop clock. Last week, there was the beautiful WTHR app ($0.99), similar in its stark beauty.

5. Waze Is Blowing Up!

Waze (free) is a great little app, and I’m so glad to hear it’s becoming more popular (it’s grown from 10 million to 20 million users in 6 months!) and thus more useful. It’s a free navigation and traffic app that relies on its users to supply useful info like traffic jams, speed cams, etc. It even recently added user-reported gas prices and gas discounts. Even Apple has taken notice, as it’s reportedly using some of Waze’s data in its upcoming Maps app refresh. Such a fun little app, just remember to keep your eyes on the road.

6. Five iPhone Apps for Better Photos and Video

Nina Frazier of Mashable has some good suggestions for iPhone camera apps. I admit sticking to the plain old Camera app when I really should teach myself to use one of these more powerful alternatives.

7. Free App Alert! 30/30, a Productivity App

30/30 (free) is a cool timer/productivity app with an incredibly easy-to-use interface. With a few taps, set up a list of timers like works like this: work 30 minutes, take a break for 10, back to work for 15, then yoga for 20. The app will alert you for each step and keep you on track. Perfect for anyone who tends to get lost in activities when they really should take a break. There are many alternative uses I can think of for the app, too, like using the multiple timers for cooking.

8. Pandora Is No Longer an Eyesore

Pandora has always been an eyesore in both its web and app versions. The most recent update brought a fresh new look and these changes:

• Visual refresh and design enhancements
• Full lyrics for the songs we play
• Artist biographies
• Detailed track features from the Music Genome Project
• Song history: rate, bookmark, or buy previously played tracks
• Explicit lyrics controls
• Start a new station directly from the Now Playing screen
• Simplified sign-in and registration screens
• Reduced battery usage

9. Check Out These Great New Free iPhone/iPad Games

With free iOS games being taken to the next level in quality, Nintendo’s Game Boy franchise really is dead. Check out the list below of recent new free games in the App Store. They are all freemium, but you don’t have to spend any money to play. The two new Temple Run clones are even better than the original (see the last 2 games on the list). Freemium maybe can’t support epic console-quality games, but it sure works for mobile.

The 5 Best Free Grocery List Apps for iPhone

When it comes to grocery lists, some people may ask, why use a specially designed app instead of, say, the iPhone’s Notes app, or a good To-Do app, or even a piece of paper? Here are a few reasons:

  • A grocery list app will save you time, lots of time, typing in grocery items via autocompletion tools that pull from a special database of food names.
  • A history of old grocery lists stored in the app can help you remember what to buy.
  • List sharing via iCloud (such as maintaining a single master list between multiple people/devices) or email (“Honey, remember the milk!”)
  • You’re more likely to always have the iPhone on you to record spur-of-the-moment ideas.

I’ve sorted through 13 free grocery-list apps I found in the App Store, and below are the 5 best. All 5 will get the job done, but I’ve included 3 Editor’s Picks, each for a specific purpose.

1. Grocery IQ (Editor’s Pick for Best Overall)

Grocery IQ (free) is the most-popular and most-used grocery-list app, and my top choice for best all-around app. GroceryIQ has been around for a while and has added a lot of new bells and whistles along the way. It also has the largest food-name database, which is continually updated. Some of its features are:

  • A huge database of food names and brands to aid list creation.
  • Support for multiple lists.
  • A barcode scanner to scan foods you have in the fridge to quickly add to your list (I use this a lot).
  • Voice dictation in case you don’t want to type (works on older iPhones too)
  • The ability to sort items in list by the order of the aisle they are in at your local grocery (you can create aisles from your grocery store).
  • Share lists by email.
  • Sync a single list across multiple devices and users.
  • Coupons that you can email for printing or print out directly from iPhone via AirPrint.

GroceryIQ has it all, and it’s fast. If I have any complaints, it’s that it’s kind of ugly and it suffers a little from feature bloat. But GroceryIQ is the app I use to create grocery lists and has been for years. If you have a family with multiple people shopping for it, the fact that you can maintain and sync a single master grocery list across multiple iPhones and iPads is a huge plus.

2. GrocerEaze (Editor’s Choice for Tracking Costs)

GrocerEaze (free) is for the serious grocery shopper who wants to track costs and stick to a budget. The app’s best feature is the ability to add prices to items in the database and add up total costs for each list. And here’s the cool thing: you can have prices for different stores. For example, if steak costs $7.99 at Store A, and $6.99 at Store B, you can add both into the database and select a price depending on what store you’re shopping at. Features include:

  • Database of food names and drop-down list as you type for fast grocery list creation.
  • The ability to add new foods, prices, and photos to food database.
  • Budget and spend tracking (with ability to add tax rates for individual items!).
  • Multiple shopping lists.
  • The ability to create meal plans.
  • Browsing of recipes and ability to add ingredients to list.
  • Sharing of lists via email.

GrocerEaze is for the serious grocery shopper keeping a tight rein on food costs. To get the full benefit of this app, users should not mind tapping away at home and in the store to enter in data. Another cool feature is the email sharing that adds a twist. Not only can you email someone a basic grocery list you made, but the app also automatically attaches a file that can be opened and viewed by another GrocerEaze app. Slick!

3. GrocerySmart (Editor’s Choice for Easiest to Use)

Grocery Smart (free) is the best looking of the apps listed here, and its interface is the easiest to use. Here are the app’s features:

  • A database of food names to make list creation easier.
  • Support for multiple grocery lists.
  • Barcode scanner to scan foods in the fridge/cupboard for quick entry.
  • Built-in loyalty card support for a limited number of grocery stores (enter in your card’s number and it creates a scannable barcode that matches your loyalty card).
  • Ability to sync with an online account, create lists online, and sync back to iPhone.
  • Share lists by email.

Overall, Grocery Smart is fast and slick, with the easiest to use interface of all the apps listed here.

4. AnyList

AnyList (free) is another simple app, and its interface probably the least cluttered. The main annoyance with this app is that it requires you to set up an account to use. But it’s only a one-step process, and after that creating a grocery list is a breeze. Its features include:

  • Database of food names for quick list creation.
  • Support for multiple grocery lists.
  • Sync a single list across multiple devices and users
  • Recipe database and easier adding of the recipe’s ingredients to shopping list.

AnyList is a simple app, and quick and easy to use. My only two complaints are the forced account sign up, and that there’s too much spacing around each list item—only 3 list items fit on the screen at a time. But if you’re looking for a simple interface, AnyList is it.

5. Grocery Mate

Grocery Mate (free) is one of the more customizable apps on this list. And it’s pretty good-looking as long as you ignore the iAd at the bottom of the screen. It also offers cost-tracking features. If the previously mentioned GrocerEaze is too much for you, Grocery Mate is the simpler cost-tracking choice. Features include:

  • Database of grocery items and drop-down list that makes list creation quick and easy.
  • Create multiple lists.
  • Share lists via email.
  • Ability to add prices to food items.
  • Maintain history of grocery costs.
  • Create account, create lists on web, sync back to iPhone.
  • Customizable look: wood, metallic, leather (default)

My favorite features of Grocery Mate are the ability to get rid of the food categories in list view, which I feel visually clutters up the app, and the easy way to share lists via email in app. The customizable skins are also neat, although one of them (the wood skin) requires you to share via Facebook in order to unlock it (cheesy!).

11 Things You Can Do With Apple’s New Podcasts App You Couldn’t Before

The best thing about Apple’s new Podcasts app (free) is that it adds functionality to the iPhone that wasn’t there before. Managing podcasts was one of the last few things you still needed iTunes running on a computer to do. But no longer. Here are 11 things the Podcasts app lets you do on the iPhone and iPad that you couldn’t before.

1. Subscribe to podcasts on the iPhone/iPad

Previously you could browse, stream, and even download podcasts on the iPhone, but you couldn’t subscribe to a podcast. That had to be done using iTunes on a computer. But subscriptions can now be established on the iPhone. Subscribing, however, doesn’t mean your podcasts automatically download. That is a separate function you can also set up in the new app (see the next item in this list). Subscribing simply means the podcast will appear in your list of podcasts for quick and easy access, sort of like the Favorites feature in the iPhone’s Phone app.

2. Set up automatic podcast downloads on the iPhone/iPad

When a new episode of a podcast becomes available, it will automatically download in the background the next time you plug in your iPhone/iPad for charging.

3. View all your podcasts in an easy-to-browse tile view

The Podcasts app introduces a beautiful tile view that displays all your podcasts by album art. There is also a button to switch to a list view that not only lists all your podcasts, but displays the number of unplayed episodes for each podcast next to the name.

4. View a single chronological list of unplayed podcast episodes on the iPhone/iPad

This is one of my favorite new features. Going for a 5-hour drive and want to catch up on all your unlistened-to podcasts? Simple navigate to this list and hit the play button. Your unplayed podcasts will play one after another. Pressing the skip button skips to the next one.

5. Skip ahead 30 seconds to avoid commercials

Most podcasts these days rely on hosts reciting product pitches (“sign up for Audible and get a free audiobook!”) to pay the bills. Well, Podcasts’ new 30 seconds skip-ahead button is out to destroy that revenue model, muhaha! OK, it likely won’t do that no more than TiVO destroyed television commercials, but still, this is a nice feature for when those commercials become annoying or go on too long.

6. Skip backward 10 seconds

Previously, you could only skip backwards 30 seconds in podcasts. The Podcasts app changes that to 10 seconds. Which is better? I like 10 seconds because I usually tap this button to re-listen to something someone said a few seconds ago, not 30 seconds ago.

7. Play video podcasts at 1.5x, 2.0x, and 0.5x speeds

Previously, video podcasts had one viewing speed. Now, there are 4. That’s even 1 more than audio podcasts get (0.5x, 1x, 2x). I wouldn’t mind seeing that 1.5x speed for audio podcasts as well.

8. Set how many podcast episodes the iPhone/iPad keeps at a time

You likely don’t want an old podcast episode from 2009 taking up space on your iPhone. Podcasts lets you determine how many episodes are stored before they are automatically deleted.

9. Share a link to a podcast via Twitter or Text Message (and soon Facebook)

Previously you could share a link to a podcast only by email using the Music app. Now you can tweet your favorite podcasts using the Podcasts app. And I’m sure Facebook will appear with iOS 6.

10. Browse top podcasts with a swipe of your finger

The Podcasts app introduces a slick (but currently slow and buggy) radio-dial interface to browse the top podcasts in various categories. It’s cool looking but I have problems with it every time I use it. If you want to enjoy this app, I suggest avoiding using this feature.

11. Set a sleep timer for podcasts without using the Clock app

The iPhone has always had a sleep timer buried in the Clock app, but now you no longer have to leave the app you’re in to set it. The Podcasts app’s sleep timer can be found in the the new retro reel-to-reel tape player view. To access it, swipe up on the album art while playing a podcast, the reel-to-reel tape player will appear along with a sleep timer button.

The 12 Most Useful iPhone/iPad Links of the Week

1. You Can Now Buy a Virgin Mobile Prepaid iPhone

Virgin Mobile joins Cricket in selling a prepaid iPhone. Virgin is the better deal, with cheaper plans and a better network, according to USA Today’s Rob Pegoraro. Prepaid carriers don’t require a credit check to buy the iPhone like Verizon and AT&T, so it opens things up for more customers. The Virgin iPhone is available direct from Virgin’s website and at Best Buy and Radioshack. Virgin is also opening 10 retail stores in Chicago to get back into the cell phone huckstering business.

2. The Top 10 Airline Apps

Brian Kelly at the awesome The Points Guy blog (a blog about stretching credit card reward points for super-cheap travel) lists and briefly reviews his top 10 apps from airlines. JetBlue’s app is his #1 because it offers a ton of features, including notifications for flight times, TV and radio schedules for in-flight entertainment, and just about everything else you’d want from an airline app. If you’re going to do some air travel soon, this is a good list to read through to get an idea of features. Also, can I plug our 50 Best Travel Apps list? Thank you.

3. Review: WTHR, a Beautiful New Weather App

Chris Herbert of MacStories likes the cool new WTHR ($0.99) app. The app offers a 7-day forecast and only two interface buttons to tap. Minimalist design geeks rejoice, even a sunny day can now be viewed in a Dieter Rams esque, stark, bleak but beautiful, function-as-form design aesthetic.

4. Griffin Introduces Kiosk for iPad

The Griffin Kiosk ($199, $299) is a new way to put the iPad on display in public. Businesses and marketers will likely love this, more so when Guided Access from iOS 6 arrives. The Griffin Kiosk locks down the iPad. You can even bolt the Kiosk to the floor or table. And a built-in power cord means the iPad won’t run out of juice.

5. Review: Wahoo Bluetooth 4.0 Heart Rate Sensor

If you’re a serious runner/athlete/nerd, you might want to check out the new Bluetooth 4.0 Wahoo Heart Rate monitor. I reviewed a Wahoo Heart Rate sensor for iPhone last year and thought it was pretty cool. This new Bluetooth 4.0 version uses less power but it’s only compatible with the iPhone 4S or newer devices. Nick Guy of iLounge says he couldn’t get it to work with the popular Runkeeper app (which it’s supposed to), but I’m sure that will be fixed pronto.

6. Review of Apple’s New PodCast App

Allyson Kazmucha of iMore says to ignore Apple’s new Podcasts app and instead use Instacast ($1.99) or other podcast-management apps (I personally prefer Stitcher Radio, a podcast management app that is free). Kazmucha rightly complains that Podcast doesn’t sync your subscriptions between your iPhone and iPad even though Apple is spending billions on iCloud. What’s up with that, Apple? Instacast offers synching and notifications for when new podcast episodes appear, and they don’t even have a $100 billion sitting in the bank.

7. Updated Gmail App Gets Notifications, Permanent Login, and Send From Alternate Email Address Features

The recent update to the official Google Gmail app (download) has it creeping closer to becoming a real alternative to the iPhone’s Mail app (the last feature lacking is support for multiple accounts). But if you only have one email and its Gmail, this app is could replace Mail. The latest update adds support for iOS notifications for when you receive an email (banners, alerts and lock screen options). They also made said notifications appear faster (they say 5 times faster, whatever that means). They also fixed the login so that you stay logged in until you sign out (this was the really annoying part about the app and why I didn’t use it).

8. Review: Martha Stewart Craft Studio app

Lisa Caplan of Appoliscious says to hurry up and grab the Martha Stewart CraftStudio iPad app (download) while it’s still free (regular $4.99). You can make really good-looking greeting cards, invitations and scrapbook pages digitally, and print them out via the Snapfish printing service if you so desire.

9. Johnny Carson: King of Late Night Documentary free to watch in PBS iPad app

John Gruber of Daring Fireball recommends people watch the new documentary Johnny Carson: King of Late Night, which is $9.99 in iTunes but free for a limited in the PBS for iPad app (free). It can be found in American Masters in the app. Man, I love the PBS app, I mentioned it in my recent list of Apps that Stream Free TV Shows and Movies. It’s amazing how much great free content is out there if you don’t insist in watching the latest and greatest thing. Anyway, Johnny Carson is great, and I’m just old enough to have watched him as a kid. Best late-night talk-show host ever. Easily the most likable.

10. Review: Spotify vs Pandora

Spotify now mimics Pandora by offering free personalized radio stations where you can like or dislike songs and the app learns your musical tastes. So should you switch from Pandora? Of course not. Michael Gowan of TechHive compares and contrasts both apps and decides that Pandora wins easily. I agree, Pandora’s interface is singularly designed for this purpose. The Spotify app buries its radio functionality. Still, if you already subscribe to Spotify, the radio stations are a great music-discovery tool.

11. New York Times Subscribers Can Now Read Using Flipboard

Is this a hint at the future of newspapers? Will general all-purpose reading apps like Flipboard become the Comcasts and Time Warners of print media? Pay $20 a month and get all the newspapers and magazines in the US! I’m in.

12. Free Stereophile iPad App Recommends High-End Audio Equipment

Mel Martin of TUAW points to a new app frm Stereophile (download). I guess Stereophile is some kind of bible for audiophiles. The app lists and rates 700 pieces of stereo equipment and links to reviews. The design of the app is not so great (no landscape view, for example), but it has great information, for free. Man, I love information.

4 Reasons Why I Sadly Won’t Be Using the Chrome Browser App on the iPhone/iPad

I love and use the desktop computer version of the Google Chrome browser on a daily basis, so I was really excited to see the iPhone/iPad version appear in the App Store. The Google Chrome app (free) is currently #1 in downloads and averages 4.5 stars in user reviews. But like so many alternative iOS browsers before it, I’ve quickly abandoned it, and no matter how longingly I stare at Chrome’s universal search/address bar, I just can’t come to love the Chrome app. Here are the four main reasons why:

1. No Reader button. If I’m reading an article on the web nowadays, I’m tapping Safari’s Reader button to optimize the page for reading on the iPhone/iPad. Sadly, there is nothing like the Reader feature for Chrome. Double tap to zoom? Reverse pinch? Never again!

2. Links from apps won’t open in the Chrome app. It’s not Chrome’s fault, but Apple has crossed its arms and won’t let any other browser be the default. So any web link inside an app that gives you the option to “launch in browser” will always launch Safari, not Chrome. This makes bookmarking and other personal link management a chore. What am I supposed to do, switch between Safari and Chrome each time I want to bookmark something? Ain’t gonna happen, friends.

3. Web clips on the iPhone’s home screen won’t open in Chrome. I’ve got a few websites bookmarked to my home screen, like ESPN.com. And I use the iPhone’s Spotlight search to quickly launch those websites. But where do they launch? In Safari.

4. It’s slower. Chrome renders javascript slower because Apple won’t let other apps access its special Nitro Javascript engine, the fastest gun in the West when it comes to loading javascript, partner. On a desktop computer, I wouldn’t care so much, but on a smartphone, speed matters.

Basics: How to Make the iPhone Vibrate in Silent Mode

The iPhone can vibrate when you receive a phone call, text message, or notification even if the iPhone is in silent mode (when the ringer switch is set to mute). Turning on vibrate is simple and is done in the iPhone’s Settings. Below are step-by-step instructions for how to turn on vibrate in silent mode in both video and text format:

Video:

Text:

1. Tap the Settings icon:

2. Tap Sounds:

3. Under Silent, swipe Vibrate tab to On:

And that’s it. The iPhone should now vibrate to let you know there is a call, text message, and notification when the ringer switch is set to off.

Note there is a second Vibrate option further down in the Sound settings. Turning on this option will make the iPhone vibrate alongside playing the ringtone (in other words, when the iPhone’s ringer switch is set to on and a ringtone plays when you receive a call or text message). It will cause quite a racket, but it is also more likely to get your attention when a call comes in.