Apple has released an app called Podcasts (free) into the App Store that is basically a standalone app for podcasts in iTunes. It’s been rumored that Apple will be breaking up the many-headed monster that is iTunes into smaller apps, and this seems like an early indication of that happening.
With the app, you can stream and/or subscribe to podcasts, and browse around using top lists and categories. There is also a cool radio-like feature where you swipe your finger across a simulated radio dial (which looks really cool, great design) to listen to the top podcasts for a variety of categories. The categories of podcasts (tech, video games, automotive, etc) serve as the “radio stations.” Another cool feature is that subscribed podcasts automatically download when they become available, essentially removing the need for iTunes desktop software for downloading podcasts. <
Podcasts is a universal app for iPhone and iPad.
App Description:
Podcasts app is the easiest way to discover, subscribe to and play your favorite podcasts on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Explore hundreds of thousands of free audio and video podcasts from the Podcasts Catalog, and play the most popular podcasts, organized for you by topic, with the all-new Top Stations feature.
Features:
• Enjoy all of your audio and video podcasts in a single app
• Explore hundreds of thousands of podcasts including shows in over 40 languages
• Try the innovative new Top Stations feature to find new podcast series in a variety of topics, including arts, business, comedy, music, news, sports, and more.
• Browse by Audio or Video podcasts, or see what’s most popular in Top Charts
• Tap subscribe for your favorites and automatically receive new episodes for free as they become available
• Stream episodes or download to listen while offline
• Skip forward and back using simple playback controls
• Turn on Sleep Timer to automatically stop playing a podcast while listening in bed
• Share your favorite episodes with friends using Twitter, Messages and Mail
• Optionally sync your favorite episodes from iTunes on your Mac or PC
• Sync your episode playback for seamless transition between devices
One of the reasons people still buy a Sunday newspaper is for the huge pile of weekly store circulars that come with it. Weekly for iPad (and iPhone) by Twicular gives you access to those circulars for over 100,000 stores with no need to toss them out when you’re finished. It’s a pretty sweet app that can save a lot of hassle.
I’ve been trying it out that past few weeks, and can report that Weekly had the updated weekly circulars for every store located near me, even my grocery store. Kohl’s, Target, K-Mart, Home Depot, Jewel (my grocery), etc, were all there. Another thing that impressed me is that app sometimes had multiple circulars that appeared in different local newspapers for the same week, but which had different info and formatting. The circulars also downloaded fairly quickly.
You can zoom in and out of the ads. The image resolution is fine for reading, but of course, the more you zoom in the blurrier they get (the text is still readable though). If you want to clarify the information for a product, you can tap on it and a pop-up will appear providing more data. It’s clear that the developers are working with a service that scans the circulars and adds info for the pop-ups.
The other great feature is that the app lets you use GPS to locate all the stores near you, so you don’t have to enter in an address, etc. You can save products as a shopping list and then email that shopping list to yourself to remember what to buy in the stores.
My only complaint about Weekly is that it doesn’t save the ads for offline viewing (although you can save specific items in the ads for offline viewing). But for the ads themselves, you have to download them each time you want to view them. Hopefully they’ll add offline viewing as a feature in the future.
As mentioned, they support over 100,000 stores, but here’s a list of a few stores from the app description: Macy’s, JCPenney, Best Buy, Sears, Kohl’s, Jo-Ann Stores, Dillard’s, Old Navy, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Pet Smart, Sports Authority, Staples, Aaron’s, Lowe’s, ACE Hardware, True Value Hardware, Home Depot, GNC, Wal-Mart, Target, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, Family Dollar, RadioShack, Save-A-Lot, Kmart, RiteAid, Aldi, Office Depot, Michaels, SAFEWAY, OfficeMax, Albertson’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Big 5 Sporting Goods etc.
If there’s been one complaint about the popular Mophie Juice Pack battery cases for the iPhone, it’s that they don’t offer much protection. The new Mophie Juice Pack Pro ($130) changes that. The Juice Pack Pro has an “an impact resistant design that exceeds military specifications (MIL-STD 810G),” according to the company.
The case is water-tight and protects against drops, sand, dust, shock, vibrations, and other abuse you can throw at it. The case completely covers the iPhone, including the screen (similar to the Otterbox Defender), but still allows you to use all of the iPhone’s features. Even the speaker and microphones work with the case on. You can even plug in the iPhone to your computer and iTunes with the case still on for synching and charging. Oh yes, and the case can completely recharge your iPhone, too.
The Mophie Juice Pack Pro has a 2500 mAh battery and comes with a belt clip attachment, 4 LED lights that indicate battery status, side switch for standby mode, and a micro-USB charging cord.
Thinking about a prepaid iPhone? Brad Spirrison of Appolicious says while the price is right (as long as you don’t mind a higher upfront cost), Cricket and Virgin’s networks are generally inferior to the majors like AT&T and Verizon, so do your homework first. In fact, in some cities like Chicago, Cricket won’t even offer a prepaid iPhone because their network runs on a different frequency (however, an iPhone on Cricket can work in Chicago via roaming, but it costs Cricket too much to allow it for too long).
Did we mention that Cricket has actually started selling the iPhone now? Forget about contracts. But as mentioned, the worry is, does their network cover your city?
Here’s another reason to turn off your PC and relax on the couch with your iPad. The Associated Press’s Jonathan Fahey points out that a cup of Starbucks coffee costs more than it does to run an iPad for a year. A PC costs $28.21 in energy a year. A refrigerator $65.72. The iPhone only costs $0.38. The numbers seem a bit low to me, but who am I to question the great Associated Press!
The New York Times’ J.D. Biersdorfer explains that Apple recommends you use an email address you actually use for your Apple ID account. Why? Not only so they can send you those annoying iTunes promo emails but also important stuff like App Store receipts. You’ll want to know if someone is buying stuff using your account.
The iPhone 4 and 4S are serious cameras, and you can do some serious photography with them. Justin Balog of the iDownloadBlog take a look at advanced photography techniques using the Camera+ and Camera Awesome apps. Both apps provide extensive control of iPhone’s exposure and focus. You know what they say, the best camera is the one you have on you.
The Reeder app is my favorite RSS reader for iPhone and iPad, but Christine Chan of AppAdvice has at least one surprising piece of advice, she says Mr. Reader works better on the iPad (but Reeder is best on the iPhone). Will I change my favorite iPad RSS reader. Stay tuned.
Rob LeFebre over at 148Apps “reviews” the iHealth, an iPhone dock that comes with a blood pressure cuff and free app. The iHealth makes it easy for anyone to keep track of their blood pressure. You can even track multiple family members. LeFebre gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars (although he’s pretty scarce on details and doesn’t post real photos, which makes me wonder…). A $99.95 device.
Timer is an intriguing, if simple, app that has 12 buttons that start/stop 12 different timers, which can run down simultaneously. If you’re a chef doing a balancing act in the kitchen, this app could come in handy. The app also remembers your timers, so you don’t have to set them each time. TUAW’s Richard Gaywood does a brief review.
John Gruber of Daring Fireball explains, in his usual succinct manner, why he can recommend Dark Sky, an app that will alert you when it’s about to start raining.
I’m a fan of iOS pinball apps, and another good free one has appeared in the App Store. Pinball Arcade comes with one free table, Tales of the Arabian Nights.
Reader is one of my favorite and most-used features introduced in iOS 5. If you’re not familiar, Reader is a feature of the iPhone/iPad’s browser that strips aways ads from a web page, enlarges the text, and fills the entire screen with the article to make it easier to read on the iPhone/iPad. You activate it by tapping a button that appears in the browser’s address bar:
But there is one huge annoyance with Reader: the button doesn’t appear until after a web page stops loading. This means, if you’re waiting for an entire web page to load, you can often wait up to several minutes for the reader button to show up, even though you can see the text of the article has loaded. The solution is simple:
When you see the article’s text and images have loaded, simply tap the X in Safari’s address bar to stop the rest of the web page from loading. The Reader button will then appear:
It seems like an obvious solution, but I admit, it took me a while to figure it out.
So why, oh why, do web pages seem to keep loading and loading sometimes? It often has nothing to do with the website you are visiting, but rather third-party advertisements that are attempting to contact other Internet services to pull in data. The good news is that websites are usually designed to load their own content first, and that’s why this tip works.
There’s a growing trend of people who are canceling cable TV and instead going with free over-the-air “antenna” TV. Maybe that’s why there is also a growing number of iOS apps that provide free full movies and TV shows in the App Store. Check out a list of some of the better ones below.
Crackle
Crackle is probably the premiere app when it comes to the quality of free movies and tv shows it provides. All movies and shows are free and uncut, although you do have to watch the occassional commercial. But hey, the content is free! The content changes every once in a while, but here’s a sample of what’s available right now:
Talladega Nights.
Panic Room.
Starship Troopers.
Resident Evil.
Baby Boy.
Deuce Bigalow: Eruopean Gigaloo.
Seinfeld.
And hundreds more.
Crackle is a universal app for iPhone and iPad.
Popcornflix
Popcornflix specializes in free movies. Hundreds of free movies, in fact. The service has some good gems in there, but there’s also some straight-to-DVD stuff. Here’s a sample of what’s available on the service right now:
Descent
Easy
Biggie and Tupac
Dead Tone
Lymelife
Battle in Seattle
American Affair
And hundreds more.
Popcornflix is a universal app for iPhone and iPad.
NBC
The NBC app offers full episodes of a limited number of shows. Besides full episodes, the app offers NBC’s schedule, games, and other stuff, but really, we only care about the free TV. Currently available content looks like this:
America’s Got Talent
Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Days of Our Lives
Love in the Wild
Saving Hope
NBC is a universal app for iPhone and iPad.
The CW Network
The CW Network provides you free full-length episodes, and there’s a lot of content in the app. You get the 5 latest episodes of everyone primetime show on the CW. Way to go C dub. The app streams shows like the Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, 90210, Hart of Dixie, America’s Next Top Model, and more.
PBS
The PBS app (iPhone, iPad) makes a lot of PBS’s best content available for streaming for free. The only problem I have with the app is it’s hard to find all the full-length content (you have to dig too deep into the app to find it). Here’s a sample of what’s currently available:
Frontline
NOVA
Nature
Antiques Roadshow
PBS Newshour
Zen (Masterpiece Theater)
And more.
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News offers full episodes of, what else, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (and others). You can also watch individual news segments and skip what doesn’t interest you. I use this one a lot if I need to catch up on the news.
NBC Nightly News is a universal app for iPhone and iPad.
Bloomberg TV+ for iPad
Bloomberg TV+ is a rare app in that it lets you watch the live broadcast of Bloomberg TV, a financial news network like CNBC. You can also access Bloomberg shows on-demand, like:
Bloomberg Rewind
Risk Takers
Bloomberg West
and more.
Bloomberg TV+ is iPad only.
WATCH Disney Channel
WATCH Disney Channel is one of those apps that requires you to log in to your cable provider (Comcast) to get the full content, but the app does offer several free full episodes of some of your favorite Disney Channel shows without signing in. There’s enough free content to keep your kids quiet for a few hours anyways. The available content rotates, but currently available are:
Jessie
Austin & Ally
Good Luck Charlie
Phineas and Ferb
Fish Hooks
Shake It Up
WATCH Disney Channel is a universal app for iPhone and iPad. There are also similar apps for Disney’s other sister channels as well.
NFB Films for iPad
NFB Films for iPad features over 2,000(!) free films, shows, and shorts. The content is all Canadian films you’ve (might) never heard of, but still, look around, there are some good documentaries and cartoon shorts for kids.
Cry of the Wild
Sexy Inc. Our Children Under Influence
Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows
William Shatner Sings O Canada
and tons more.
ABC Family
The ABC Family app lets you watch recent full episodes of ABC Family originals. The app even saves your place when you stop watching a video so you can start where you left off. Content rotates, but currently available are episodes for:
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
Bunheads
Jane By Design
Pretty Little Liars
Switched at Birth
Baby Daddy
and more.
ABC Family is a universal app for the iPhone and iPad.
The Klipsch Image S4i ($55-$100) are one of the most recommended iPhone earphones out there because they offer the best value when it comes to sound quality for the price. The S4i’s are even a bigger value when you can find them for as low as $55, which is the low end of their fluctuating price range on Amazon (again, see CamelCamelCamel.com for price ranges). CNETgives them 4.5 out of 5 stars and says the “Klipsch Image S4i earphones offer up sound quality on par with and better than sets that cost many times as much.” PCMagrates them 4 out of 5 stars and compliments the S4i’s bass response for playing modern music. I’ve also reviewed the S4i for Art of the iPhone, giving them a 9.0 out of 10, highly recommended rating.
The S4i are stylish, good-looking headphones, available in Apple-friendly glossy white or glossy black, both with chrome accents. The main downside for the S4i is the same as that of almost all in-ear earphones: lack of durability. Don’t expect to shove these in your pocket on a daily basis and expect them to last forever. The S4i are currently $90 on Amazon as of the writing of this article.
2. Velodyne vPulse
Coming in a close second are the Velodyne vPulseB earphones ($70-$99). When it comes to bass, the vPulse are the best performing earphones on this list. CNET’s David Conroy says the vPulse “delivers impressive bass, so you’re in for a treat if that’s your pleasure.” Brent Butterworth of Sound and Vision Magazinesays, “No doubt about it, the vPulse is the IEM for bass freaks.” The reason I give the Klipsch S4i the edge is that S4i deliverer clear mids and highs and perform better at higher volumes.
The vPulse also don’t cut corners on design. They have a flat, linguine-like cord that helps prevent tangles, an L-shaped plug that prevents wear and tear, and come with 4-different sized silicone eartips to help get the right fit. The vPulse are rarely on sale, but have dipped as low as $70 on Amazon.com.
3. DiddyBeats In-Ear Earphones with ControlTalk
Is P-Diddy the next Steve Jobs? Uh, no. But his DiddyBeats In-Ears with ControlTalk ($60-$150), part of the Dr. Dre line of headphones, are one of the better earphones for listening to modern music, mostly because the bass thumps in the ear like a drum without sounding distorted or overbearing. We don’t recommend paying the full $150 for the Diddybeats, but they can be a good value when on sale, which they often are. They have been as cheap as $60 on Amazon (they are currently selling for $85 as of this writing).
CNETgives the Diddybeats 4 out of 5 stars, saying “The Diddybeats earphones offer a great balance of style, durability, features, and sound quality.” PCMag is a little less friendly, rating them a 3.5 out of 5 stars, noting that the love the bass response but deduct points for being “too expensive” (that’s why you get them on sale) and point out they might not fit everyone.
4. Klipsch Image S5i Rugged
The Klipsch Image S5i Rugged earphones ($50-$120) are designed to be durable enough for athletes to use but still sound good enough to please music lovers. The earphones are water-resistant, and the cables are tangle free and extra durable. If any earphone can survive being repeatedly stuffed in your pocket, it’s these.
Sound reproduction for the S5i is excellent but not quite as good as their older brother (and our no. 1 pick), the Klipsch S4i. CNETrates them 4 out of 5 stars, saying the earphones “provide thumping bass and solid overall audio.” Engadget gave them similar praise, saying the earphones had “rich reproduction of lows and mids with a noticeable emphasis on bass.” Amazon currently has the S5i at around $90 (regular price $120), but the price has fallen as low as $55.
5. V-Moda Remix Remote Headphones for iPhone
The VModa Remix Remote ($40-$80) are stylish earphones with a bass-heavy sound that really impressed at least one review site, iLounge, which went as far as to say that the Remix Remote are better sounding than even our #1 pick, the Klipsch S4i. They rated the VModa Remix a B+, recommended. CNET is a little less enthusiastic, rating them 3.5 stars out of 5, noting the earphones deliver excellent bass but also saying that overall sound reproduction was “not particularly clean or balanced.” But the Remix’s best attribute is perhaps is that they can be found at the lowest prices out of all the earphones on this list. For example, as of this writing, they’re currently available for only $40 on Amazon.com.
5 (tie). Maximo IP-595
The Maximo IP-595 ($60-$80) are stylish earphones with polished-metal earbuds and a cloth-wrapped cord. And like all of our headphones listed here, they accentuate the lower bass end of the sound spectrum, perfect for lovers of modern music. MacWorldrates the earphones 4 out of 5 stars, noting the deep bassy sound and saying that the IP-595 are “a nice looking, impressive sounding headset at an excellent price that will please a broad range of users. ” Included with the IP-595’s are 3 sets of eartips (small, medium, large), shirt clip, and small carrying case. As of the writing of this article, the Maximo IP-595’s are around $60 on Amazon.com.
Perhaps the Case-Mate Egg for the iPhone 4 & 4S ($15) wasn’t designed to be a stress relief toy, but that’s exactly what the hundred or so rubber nodules that stick up from the back of the case remind me of. And while this “accidental” functionality is nice, what’s really important is that the Egg is an excellent all-around case that gets all of the basic design elements right while being one of the more affordable iPhone cases out there. Read on for both my video review and text review below.
Video Review
Text Review
Silicone Rubber. The affordable Case-Mate Egg is made entirely of silicone rubber. The elastic material makes the case a cinch to slip on and off. The case fits tight around the iPhone, hugging the corners with no looseness like that found in some other cheap, poorly designed rubber cases. Still, like any slip-on case, when the right amount of force is applied, a corner can still sometimes come undone. Fortunately with the Egg, such occurrences were rare.
The other downside of some silicone cases is the ability to attract lint when stored in pockets. I didn’t notice this problem with the Egg, but it could have been the light blue color of the case hiding the lint.
Protection. Silicone rubber is great for shock absorption, and the more of it, the more shock absorption. The Egg has about medium thickness when relatively compared to other silicone cases I’ve reviewed, and thus supplies about a “medium” amount shock absorption. I felt comfortable dropping the case from a normal waist-level height, but the Egg isn’t exactly a throw-it-against-the wall kind of case.
The Egg has a rim that sticks out above the iPhone’s screen about a millimeter. This provides some protection when the iPhone is laid face-down on a table, preventing the screen from coming into contact with surfaces. The case’s rim may also provide some shock absorption if dropped at the right angle. However, any iPhone case that does’t completely cover the iPhone’s front screen (as most cases don’t) creates a risk of the front screen shattering if the screen catches the edge of a rock or table corner.
Accessibility. The Egg is a well-designed case that doesn’t get in the way of everyday use of the iPhone. All of the iPhone’s ports and switches are accessible when you need them, the camera works fine with the case on, and all buttons work accurately when pressed. There is a large cutout area that leaves the dock connector and bottom speaker and microphone uncovered. Everything you need to plug in or press works with the case on.
Grip and Comfort. Another positive of silicone rubber is improved grip. The rubber material is a lot easier for fingers to hold on to than the iPhone 4’s double-glass sides. The raised nodules also supply added friction, improving grip even further.
In terms of comfort, the case and its rubber nodules remind me of a stress-relief massage toy, making the case quite relaxing to hold on to. I soon found myself running my fingers over the raised rubber nodules unconsciously in a soothing manner. I’m not sure that’s what Case-Mate intended them for, but it worked.
Style. With a bold design like the Egg’s, the beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. I liked the design, as it’s both functional and unique. The case is also well made, with nice smooth lines and rounded edges. No frayed edges from poor machine cutting here. Stylishly unique without being garrish is how I’d describe the Egg. It’s also available in several colors, including traditional black.
Weight & Thickness. The Egg is a lightweight case, although not the lightest I’ve seen. In terms of thickness and general added bulk, the Egg is of medium thickness relative to other cases I’ve reviewed.
Gallery
Review Summary
The Case-Mate Egg is an all-around well-designed case that doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone on a daily basis. The Egg has style too, with its raised rubber nodules and the 3D-rounded-bumps pattern on its back. Medium shock absorption, a good fit, and an affordable $15 price tag combine to make the Egg a case worthy of wrapping around the iPhone. We rate it an 8.5 out 10, highly recommended.
Pros:
All-around, well-designed case.
Doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone on a daily basis.
Rubber nodules on the back are relaxing to touch.
Inexpensive.
Cons:
For protection-focused buyers, only medium shock absorption.
1. How to Make the iPhone’s LED Light Blink When You Receive a Call, Text Message, or Notification
The iPhone’s LED light can be more than just a flashlight or a flash for photos. It can blink when you receive text messages or other notifications. This is similar to the Blackberry’s popular red blinking light (but not quite as good because it’s on the iPhone’s back). Here are step-by-step instructions on setting it up.
2. Video Tip: A Better Way to Organize Lots of Apps at a Time
Do you cringe at the thought of organizing all of the apps on your iPhone into folders? Here’s a method that can make it a little easier:
3. How to Make an iPhone Ringtone From Your Own Music Using iTunes
Want to make your own ringtones from your own music and put it on the iPhone? We’ll walk you through it. Click here for our detailed step-by-step instructions. All it requires is iTunes! One of our most popular posts (it’s easier than it looks).
4. Quickly Add All Holidays to the iPhone’s Calendar
There’s no need to painstakingly add holidays into the iPhone’s Calendar one by one. Add them all at once! You can do it via the Subscribe feature in the iPhone’s Calendar app. Click here for step-by-instructions (you can also use this tip to pull down calendars for other events, foreign holidays, and even schedules of your favorite sports teams).
5. How to Sort Photos Into Albums on the iPhone
Do the photos on your iPhone need organizing? The built-in Photos app now lets you create albums. You can also do cool things with the albums like play them as an instant slide show and add music from your iPhone’s music library. Click here for the full tip.
6. How to Childproof Your iPhone
Image via Make.
What’s the simplest, cheapest way to childproof your iPhone? Launch an app, then put a binder clip over the home button. This will keep kids from quitting out of apps. There are also many accessories and even Settings on the iPhone to help childproof your iPhone. Check out the full tip here.
7. How to Quickly Share All of a Contact’s Details Using the iPhone’s Built-in vCard Feature
Sometimes you want to share more than a contact’s phone number. With the iPhone’s built-in vCard feature, you can share an entire iPhone contact’s details like email, postal address, etc, at the same time. The feature is built into the iPhone’s Contacts app, and the vCard can be sent via email or text message. All the recipient has to do is tap on the vCard and then add the contact. Easy! Here’s the fully illustrated details and instructions.
8. How to Quickly Launch Your Favorite Website Using the iPhone’s Spotlight Search
Is there a website that you go to several times a day? You can add it to your home screen via a web clip, then search for and launch it just like an app using the iPhone’s Spotlight Search. Check out our instructions.
9. How to Activate Emoji on the iPhone
You know about emoji, right? Whaat?! You need to activate them right now. They are cute little graphics you can send in text messages and emails. Everyone loves emoji. And they’re now easier than ever to activate. Here’s how to activate emoji.
10. Use Text Shortcuts to Quickly Insert Your Favorite Emoji
Now that you’ve activated your emoji, you may notice it’s no small chore to insert them into text. Well, here’s a sweet little tip, just use one of the iPhone’s powerful Text Shortcuts to quickly insert your favorite emoji. For example, you could assign the heart emoji to the letters “hrt”. When you type those three letters, they will instantly be replaced by the heart emoji. Here’s the full tip.
11. Label Your Folders With Emoji
Why reserve those cute little emoji for only SMS or email. Use them to label folders as well.
12. How to Add Words to the iPhone’s Dictionary (To Prevent Autocorrect From Annoying You!)
We all have words we use on a daily basis that aren’t found in any English dictionary. And it can be really annoying when the iPhone’s Autocorrect feature “fixes” them. To prevent this, simply add the word to the iPhone’s “dictionary” (ok, not really the dictionary, but it works just the same). Check out the full tip for more info.
13. How to Add a Pause to Telephone Numbers
It’s annoying having to maneuver your way through an automated telephone system. “For customer service, press 1 now.” Hate it. The iPhone can help you out by allowing you to add pauses in between numbers. This makes it possible to automatically type in pin codes after you dial the main number. To add a pause, simply hold your finger on the asterisk key, and it will place a comma into the number.
14. Tips for Combatting Text Message Spam
The amount of text message spam sent every day seems to be growing. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely stop it short of turning off text messages all together. But there is a way where you don’t have to pay for each spam message and at the same time report spammers to the carriers. Click here for step-by-step instructions and full article.
15. How to Make the iPhone Beep More Than Once, Every Two Minutes, for Text Messages, In Case You Missed the First One
Have you ever missed an important text message because the iPhone was out of hearing? Well, the iPhone can repeat that text-message alert every two minutes up to ten times! Check out our step-by-step instructions for setting it up.
16. Turn on the iPhone’s Private Browsing Mode to Cover Your Tracks
We all visit websites that we don’t want other people to know we’ve visited, from medical sites to more, er, salacious content. The iPhone’s Private Browsing Mode leaves no trace on your iPhone of your web browsing activities. So go ahead, spend an hour looking at Anne Hathaway photos. Here’s how to turn on Private Browsing mode.
17. Clean Up the iPhone’s Spotlight Search So It Shows Only Apps (or Contacts, Songs, Etc)
Spotlight Search is one the iPhone’s most useful features. It can help sort through everything on your iPhone to help you quickly launch apps (or make a call, find an email, etc). But you may notice that, by default, Spotlight Search is cluttered with stuff you may not be searching for. You can tweak Spotlight Search to show whatever type of content you want, like just apps. Here’s how.
18. How to Turn Off the Unread Badge on the iPhone’s Mail App
If you’re like me, you probably have lots of unread email, mostly because it’s spam (or ham, as some people call the type of spam we voluntarily sign up for). And a red badge on the iPhone’s Mail app serves as an annoying constant reminder of all that unread email. Is it really useful to tell me 200+ unread messages are waiting? Here are instructions on how to turn it off.
19. How to Show Battery Percentage on the iPhone
It’s tough to tell how much of the iPhone’s battery is left using only the little green battery icon in the upper righthand corner, especially when the battery starts to get low. Having a number is way more accurate and useful. Click here for instructions on how to turn on the percentage battery indicator.
20. Need a Louder Ringtone? Try This One.
Is your iPhone ringtone not loud enough? Well, try this one. It sounds like a normal ringing cell phone, but trust me, once on the iPhone, it will be louder than your other ringtones:
Right click to save then drag it into Ringtones in the left sidebar of iTunes:
21. How to Remove the “Sent From My iPhone” Email Signature
The “Sent From My iPhone” signature that, by default, appears at the end of iPhone emails annoys many people. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to get rid of. Personally, I don’t mind it, as I think it gives email context, like saying, I sent this email while on the go so that’s why it’s short and to the point. But if you want to remove it, click here for step-by-step instructions for getting rid of that annoying signature.
22. Tip: What Does the iPhone’s Ringer Switch Mute and Not Mute? An Explanation
Did you know that if the iPhone’s ringer/mute switch is set to off, the iPhone will still make noise for certain functions? Save yourself some embarrassment and check out this tip.
23. How to Quickly Save Photos From the Web on the iPhone
If you see a picture on the web you’d like to save on your iPhone, maybe as a wallpaper or for something else, you can quickly and easily save it to your iPhone’s Photo Roll. Simply hold your finger on it until a pop-up menu appears, and tap Save Image. It’s that easy. Click here for the full explanation.
24. Get a Full Song Title By Holding Your Finger On It
Do you hate it when a long song title is truncated because of the iPhone’s small screen? Simply hold your finger on it and it will show the entire title.
25. How to Control the Volume for Ringtones and the iPhone’s General Audio Separately
The iPhone’s separate volume levels for ringtones and general audio is a little confusing. Basically, the iPhone’s volume buttons can change both the iPhone’s ringtone volume (for calls, text messages, etc) and general audio (music, video, etc) at different times. What? Exactly. Click here for an explanation of the whole confusing mess.
The last thing an iPhone owner wants to see is the iPhone’s pretty glass smashed and splintered. Drop it the wrong way, and that’s exactly what happens. For peace of mind against such damage, there are really only two options: you can buy a thick protection-focused case, or else you can shell out $99 for Apple’s insurance plan, AppleCare+ for iPhone.
One choice for a protective case you might consider is the G-Form X-Protect for iPhone 4 & 4S. The X-Protect is composed of a mushy foam material called Poron XRD that can absorp up to 94% of impact energy from accidental drops. This material is soft to the touch and squeezable, but upon impact, it compresses and stiffens up, eating up the impact’s energy.
While shock absorption is nice, there are many other elements that go into making an excellent iPhone case. Below are my video and text reviews for the G-Form X-Protect Case.
Video Review
Text Review
Protection. In the area of shock absorption, the X-Protect really is one of the better protective cases out there. The foam material is thick, and it’s thick in the right places. A bit of clever design places chunky pads in the iPhone’s four corners, known as the impact points (see below).
If there is one flaw for this case in the area of protection, it’s that it just barely protects the iPhone’s front screen with a raised rim, which sticks out a millimeter high above the screen. The rim is thick and high enough that it takes on some absorption should you drop the iPhone completely flat on that side, but the rim is not made out of the same shock-absorping material. And really, the sad truth of almost all iPhone cases is that if you drop your iPhone’s front screen on a well-placed stone or corner of a coffee table, it’s bye-bye screen. (One exception is the Otterbox Defender, which provides protection for the screen as well).
Design. The X-Protect is composed of two sections of case that interlock with each other to form the whole. One section is the shock-absorbing foam, and the other is a rigid plastic frame that the foam locks into. The frame is made of a slightly bendable plastic and has intersecting, X-shaped bands that provide the case’s unique look. The foam sticks out through these bands, creating unique 3D contours like something from the Aliens movies.
Inner lining. A nice subtle feature of the X-Protect is a soft fabric inner lining that prevents the case itself from scratching the iPhone. Case makers often ignore the inner part of the case when, in fact, the case itself can be a danger to scratching the iPhone.
Accessibility. The X-Protect provides excellent accessibility to all the iPhone’s buttons, switches, and ports. All of the iPhone’s buttons work as expected when pressed, despite being covered up by the X-Protect’s simulated rubber buttons. The iPhone’s camera is likewise unencumbered, as there is a nice large cutout area around the iPhone’s camera to provide plenty of clearance for the flash to do its job (but who uses the iPhone’s flash anyways?). The iPhone’s dock-connector USB cord plugs in with no problem, and the iPhone’s speaker and microphones are uncovered to allow sound to pass through. The only negative in accessibility is that you can’t use a dock with this case.
Weight & Size. While the X-Protect is lightweight, it is quite bulky in size. It nearly doubles the iPhone’s thickness and adds a few millimeters to its width as well. Despite its bulkiness, it was still pocketable in my loose jeans, but wearers of tight jeans might not able to slip this one into their pockets.
Grip & Feel. One of the benefits of the X-Protect’s unique contours is that it dramatically improves grip. It is also a comfortable case to hold once you get used to the mushiness of the foam. And the mushiness does take a little getting used to. At first, it’s like holding a squeezable stress toy. That could be a plus, depending on your stress levels. While the feel is unusual compared with most other cases, I quickly got used it.
Looks. Although the X-Protect’s masculine sci-fi look is love it or leave it, I do have a complaint about its aesthetic construction. The frame around the iPhone’s screen, which ideally would be a perfect rectangle, has a crooked look because it’s made out of bendy hard plastic. It gives the case somewhat of a cheap look when the iPhone is laid on its back.
Image Gallery:
Review Summary
If you’re looking for a unique and highly protective case, the G-Form X-Protect is one of the better protective cases out there thanks to its high-tech foam. Its main downside is its bulk, but the case is otherwise well designed, allowing you to use all the iPhone’s features without obstruction. Thanks to its foam material, the case’s overall mushy feel takes some getting used to, but if you would like to lovably squeeze your iPhone instead of feeling its cold edges dig into your palm, you can get used to it. Rating: 8.5 out of 10.0.
Pros:
Excellent shock absorption thanks to its high-tech “Poron XRD” foam.
Good accessibility to all of the iPhone’s buttons and ports.
