Author: Alan

Review: Speck SmartFlex View Case (with Built-in Stand) for iPhone 5

Speck SmartFlex View for iPhone 5 back of case 1


Review Summary

Price: $20

Art of the iPhone’s Rating: ★★★☆☆
(3 stars out of 5)

Review Summary: The Speck SmartFlex View has a cleverly designed built-in stand that disappears when not in use. While the stand is great, the View’s thin plastic shell doesn’t offer much in the way of shock absorption. We place a premium on shock absorption and protection for our case ratings, but if you can get by without it, the View is an otherwise well-designed case.

The Speck SmartFlex View case ($20) for the iPhone 5 has one of the better designs for a built-in stand I’ve seen. I’ve reviewed iPhone case/stand combos before, and it’s surprising how useful the stand becomes—once, that is, you get used to the fact there’s always a stand there to use.

What’s so clever about the the SmartFlex View’s stand is that it retracts and disappears into the case when not in use—impressive because the SmartFlex is a slim case with very little room to hide a stand. When you want to use the stand, you simply pull it out like a retractable stick of gum. The stand can prop up the iPhone in both landscape or portrait orientation (it’s limited to a total of 3 angles).


Video Review

Protection. The SmartFlex is a thin, hard-plastic case, and as a slim-style case, the SmartFlex doesn’t offer much shock absorption, and thus it won’t do much to protect your iPhone 5 if you accidentally drop it. Its thin plastic means it’s mostly good for protecting against everyday wear and tear. I will point out, however, that the inside of the case lacks a soft lining, which could lead to the case itself scratching the iPhone through subtle abrasion over time.

The front of the case has a rim that sticks up about a half millimeter above the iPhone’s screen, which will prevent the screen from touching surfaces when laid down on its screen side—always a nice bonus, as the screen gets dirty enough as is.

Speck SmartFlex View for iPhone 5 stand landscape

Build quality. As mentioned, the Speck is made of thin hard plastic. While this type of common polycarbonate plastic has shown to be quite durable for use in iPhone cases in the past, it’s the retractable stand that worries me. It’s feels quite flimsy, and the hinge that allows it to function feels like it could be easily broken.

Fit & Feel. The SmartFlex View feels impressively solid and tight once it’s on the iPhone—there is no creakiness to the plastic—when on, it feels like it becomes one with the iPhone. The case is also pleasant to hold in the hand thanks to its smoothly rounded corners that make a nice break from the iPhone 5’s sharp edges. Overall, the iPhone 5 becomes more comfortable to hold in the hand with the case on than without. And because it’s a slim-style case, it adds very little bulk and weight to the superslim iPhone 5.

The SmartFlex is available in 4 different colors: black (which I am reviewing here), blue, gray, and purple.

Speck SmartFlex View for iPhone 5 lightning headphone port

Accessibility. The SmartFlex’s overall excellent design continues when it comes to making sure you can use all of the iPhone’s functions as expected. There are cutouts for both the lightning port and headphones on the bottom that allow them to be used without obstruction. The case covers the iPhone’s volume and sleep/wake buttons with its own simulated plastic buttons, but these buttons still work accurately when pressed, without the need for additional pressure. The only slight annoyance is that the ringer switch is a bit harder to flip, as you have to dig down with your finger tip to reach it. It’s a minor issue and not really a bother in real-life use.

Conclusion

Speck SmartFlex View’s distinguishing feature is a cleverly designed stand that retracts into the case and essentially disappears until needed again. It’s one of the better designed case/stand combos out there, bested only by the Zerochroma Teatro stand/cases. The SmartFlex View’s only flaw is its lack of protective qualities due to its thin, hard-plastic construction. If you’re looking for a slim-style case and you don’t care about shock absorption, the SmartFlex View, with its excellent stand, is an excellent choice.

Pros:

  • Retractable stand stays hidden when not in use.
  • Smooth feel with rounded corners.
  • Good accessibility to iPhone’s buttons and ports.

Cons:

  • Thin, hard plastic means no shock absorption.
  • No lining inside means the hard plastic can scratch the iPhone through subtle abrasion over time.

Review: Ballistic Shell Gel SG Series Case for iPhone 5

Ballistic Shel Gel SG Series iPhone 5 case


Review Summary

Price: $35

Art of the iPhone’s Rating: ★★★★★
(5 stars out of 5)

Review Summary: All function—very little fashion, and there’s nothing wrong with that. This utilitarian case protects the iPhone 5 where it needs it most, without getting in the way of using the iPhone.

If you walk into any retail store that carries iPhone cases, the shelves will be lined with thin, cheaply made hard-plastic cases that lure customers in with bright fashionable patterns or other stylish visual gimmicks. These fashion-focused iPhone cases may mean high profit margins for manufacturers, but usually poor performance for iPhone owners. Then there are the thicker, more protective cases that lack the fashionable good looks, but perform well. They are the Saabs of the iPhone case worlds.

The Ballistic Shell Gel SG Series case for iPhone 5 ($35) is not what I’d called a “looker,” but it is a case that performs extremely well, providing excellent protection while not getting in the way of using the iPhone’s various features. In other words, it’s exactly our kind of case.


Protection. Even though Ballistic claims the Shell Gel is a “three-layer” case, a more accurate description would be two layers with some extra padding in its corners. The Shell Gel has a a soft polymer inner sleeve that wraps, somewhat loosely, around the iPhone, then a second outer player that is a hard plastic shell, which adds strength and rigidity. This mysterious “third layer” is actually the thickly padded corners, which bulge out from the rest of the case. These bulges are made from silicone rubber, a great material for shock absorption. These bulging corners protect what are essentially the iPhone’s impact points—the areas most likely to hit first during accidental drops. All of this translates into excellent protection for the iPhone 5 inside. The Shell Gel should protect your iPhone from most everyday drops and then some.

The Shell Gel has a rim that sticks up about a millimeter above the iPhone’s screen, preventing the glass from touching surfaces when lain on that side. Of course, as with all open-face cases, if the iPhone’s screen catches the corner of a table or the edge of a rock in just the right way, it will still shatter, case or no case.

Ballistic Shell Gel SG Series case for iPhone 5

Ballistic Shell Gel

Accessibility. An important question with any iPhone case is, can I still use all of the iPhone’s features with the case on? With the Ballistic Shell Gel, all of the iPhone’s buttons and ports work as expected with the case on. The Shell Gel uses simulated rubber buttons to cover up the iPhone’s own buttons, but these buttons work perfectly when pressed—no extra effort required. In fact, I kind of like the comfortable rubber feel of the case’s buttons over the iPhone’s own. There is only minor flaw with this case when it comes to accessibility, and it lies with the mute switch. The cases’s tight rim around the mute switch makes it slightly harder to flip—I had to dig in with my fingertip a bit to flip the switch. Not a deal breaker, but still a minor flaw worth noting.

The iPhone’s camera is likewise unobstructed, as the case leaves a good sized cutout area around it. The camera is set back a bit, which might have a slight effect on the amount of light reaching the lens, but if there is a noticeable effect, I didn’t see it in the photos I took with the case on.

Ballistic Shel Gel for iPhone 5 camera close up

Fit and Feel. When I first wrapped the soft inner layer of the case around the iPhone, I was surprised at the loose floppy fit—but once the hard-plastic outer layer went on, the case suddenly became a solid feeling case without creakiness. Sure, there is still a stretchiness to the case on the front bottom and top due to the soft polymer, but it’s not an issue and doesn’t detract from the case.

Overall, the case feels pleasant enough to hold in the hand. I especially like the dimpled texture of the back of the case, which helps increase grip. The case is a bit thick and adds a good deal of weight—I would compare the iPhone 5 with a Shell Gel on as slightly heavier than a case-less iPhone 4, and a tad bit thicker that that classic device. Still, that is the price you pay for the Shell Gel’s excellent protection, and it’s not that high of a price, at that.

Looks. The Shell Gel is a rugged-looking case. I reviewed the all-black version (as is my usual preference), but the case is also available in 6 other color schemes, in case you want to add a touch more color. Dozens of tiny dimples on the case’s back are the most visually distinguishing feature of the case, and they supply a utilitarian, almost sporty, look. Overall, I would describe the Shell Gel’s look at as functional, not fashionable.

Conclusion

The Ballistic Shell Gel ($35) is purely in the business of protecting your iPhone 5, and it’s quite good at it. With its bulging, extra-thick padded corners, the case recognizes these impact points as the areas most likely to take the brunt of initial impact, and so it reinforces them. The Shell Gel is an all-around well-designed case that doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone on a daily basis. Sure, it adds a bit of bulk and weight, and it’s hardly a fashionable case, but for what’s really important in an iPhone 5 case, the Shell Gel gets it right.

Pros:

  • Extra padding for the iPhone’s impact points
  • Great all-around protection
  • Doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone’s various features, buttons, and ports

Cons:

  • Adds thickness and weight to the superslim iPhone 5
  • Not exactly a “pretty” case.

Basics: How to Rotate a Photo on the iPhone/iPad (Without Using a Third-Party App)

If you need to rotate and save a photo on the iPhone so that it’s in the correct orientation, you can do so inside the default Photos app, without using a third-party app. In fact, the Photos app includes a few basic photo editing tools, like crop, fix red-eye, auto-enhance, and rotate. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to use the rotate tool in the Photos app.

1. Open the Photos app:

Photos app icon

2. Find the photo you want to rotate (it will likely still be in the Camera Roll album if you took it recently):

Camera Roll inside Photos iPhone app

3. Tap Edit in the top right corner (if you don’t see Edit, tap the screen once to make menu options appear):

Tap Edit in top right corner of iPhone photos app

4. Tap the curved arrow in the bottom left of the screen to rotate the photo:

Tap Curved Arrow to rotate

5. Tap Save to save the changes to the photo:

Tap Save

And that’s it, you’ve rotated the photo and saved the changes. Now, whenever you, or anyone else you send the picture to, views the photo, it will be in that orientation.

Review: RHA MA450i iPhone-Compatible Earphones (with Video Review)

RHA MA450i eartips of iPhone friendly earphones


Review Summary

Price: $50

Art of the iPhone’s Rating: ★★☆☆☆
(2 stars out of 5)

Review Summary: The iPhone-compatible RHA MA450i are packaged like premium earphones with 7 different sized sets of eartips, a gold-plated jack, and an extra-long, fabric-covered, reinforced copper cord. Too bad sound quality doesn’t match up with the rest, with weak performance across the sound spectrum, and excessive cord noise ruining the listening experience.

When Apple introduced their excellent new earphones, the $29 EarPods, in 2012, they changed the dynamics of the iPhone earphone market. The EarPods sound so good for their price point, affordable earphone makers must find another way to compete. Premium build quality, comfort, and lots of accessories could be one way, and the RHA MA450i ($49.95) seem to follow that strategy, with seven(!) sizes of eartips to help find the perfect fit, an extra-long fabric-wrapped, reinforced copper cables, and gold-plated plugs—all at an affordable price point. The premium build quality and accessories of the MA450i’s seems like an incredible value…until you get to the sound quality, which disappointedly doesn’t match up with the rest.

As with all earphones, everything starts and ends with sound quality, and here the MA450i are severely lacking. They earphones produce a weak, thin sound across the sound spectrum, and the quality becomes harsh and unpleasantly sharp when the volume is cranked to compensate—there is nothing warm about the sound of these earphones. The MA450i’s advertise themselves as delivering “full bass,” but in fact, the bass performance is quite poor. In multiple hip hop songs I tested, there was almost no “thump” to the bass drums, and the overall bass wasn’t rounded. For songs in the rock music genre, power chords had no chunkiness. With Apple’s $29 EarPods, you’ll feel bass in your ear as well as hear it, with the MA450’s, you’ll barely even register it. This is less true when the iPhone’s equalization is changed to a bass heavy setting (which can be done in the iPhone Settings under the Music app), but even then, the bass performance is barely adequate, and the rest of the sound spectrum suffers for it.

The MA450i’s also lack the ability to deliver decent mid to high-range detail. With acoustic music, the intricate details that make the genre so human and pleasant sounding (the click of pressed piano keys, the chunk and reverberation of a plucked acoustic guitar string, etc) are completely lost with the MA450i’s. In describing the sound quality, I don’t want to go too far into the negative here, as the MA450i’s aren’t the worst sounding earphones I’ve heard—they are adequate enough for podcasts, audiobooks, and other audio, but you will not receive fully rounded sound quality, and it’s most noticeable with music, where performance is poorest.

RHA MA450i eartips

The MA450i’s go out of their way to make sure you get the right size eartip, as 7 different sizes of silicone eartips are included, including one double-flanged set, which I found to be the most comfortable and best performing. The eartips come in a small plastic box, with each eartip getting its own slot, which makes it easy to pick out just the right size. Also included is a small cloth pouch for storing your earphones in.

The construction of the earphones is good and has a general feel of quality. Most impressive to me was the fabric-wrapped cord, which I found to be durable (the copper inside is reinforced) and good looking. The cord is extra long, being 59 inches (5 feet) in length (for comparison, Apple’s EarPods are about 3 feet in length). However, I did notice a lot of “cord noise,” meaning when the cord rubs against my shirt or jacket, I can hear it directly in my ear. It’s actually quite loud and can ruin a listening experience, especially when you’re doing an activity. I’ve experienced this in cheaper earphones as well, and it’s disappointing to find in the MA450i’s.

The earphones do come with an iPhone-compatible, three-button dongle, with volume controls, play/pause, call answer/decline, etc, functionality—basically, everything the default Apple earphones can do. While I like the smooth feel and slick looks of the MA450i’s dongle, I found it a little harder to press than Apple’s default earphones.

RHA MA450i dongle buttons

RHA also says the earphones are machined out of aluminum. To me, the earbuds feel and look like plastic. Still, I found the MA450i’s to be good-looking but definitely not in the realm of high fashion—just simple and tasteful, not flashy. The earphones are also available in white, too, if you want to maintain the Apple aesthetic.

Conclusion

The RHA MA450i ($50) are packaged like premium earphones, coming with 7 different-sized eartips, a carrying pouch, and a fabric-wrapped reinforced copper cable. But poor sound reproduction spoils the party—the earphones sound weak and tinny, and lack the ability to deliver thumping bass. Apple’s $30 EarPods easily outdo them in every aspect except perhaps fit, cord length, and looks.

Specifications:

  • Driver Size: 10 mm
  • Drivers: 2
  • Frequency Response: 16 Hz – 22,000 Hz
  • Impedance: 16 ohms
  • Driver Type: Diaphragm
  • Cable Length: 150 cm

Review: Incipio LGND Folio Case for iPhone 5 (with Video)

Incipio LGND Folio glamour shot iPhone 5


Review Summary

Price: $35

Art of the iPhone’s Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
(1 star out of 5)

Review Summary: The LGND Folio, with its floppy cover, poor fit, and lack of protection, is more trouble than its worth.

Upon a superficial glance, the Incipio LGND Folio for iPhone 5 ($35) is a slick-looking case, and its built-in flip cover offers some protection and privacy for your iPhone’s front screen. But that’s about the sum total of positive things I have to say about this case. The LGND Folio is simply one of the most frustrating iPhone cases I’ve ever used.

The multitude of problems I had with the LGND Folio start with the poor, sloppy design of the flip cover. The cover comes without a way to secure it in place—there is no latch or magnet. As you carry the iPhone, the folio cover flops and slides about, looking and feeling like it’s half broken. When you want to use the iPhone for, say, a phone call, the cover is awkward to deal with. If you bend it all the way back, the cover creates an uncomfortable wedge shape that is unpleasant to hold. Imagine holding a triangular wedge of cheese to your ear as your phone, and you’ll get the idea.

ncipio LGND Folio Case for iPhone 5

Another huge problem area is trying to take photos with the case on. Dealing with the case’s flapping cover trying to snap a photo is quite an adventure. You can’t pin the cover to the iPhone’s back because it blocks the camera. You can’t keep the cover closed on the front because it blocks the screen and you can’t view what you’re photographing. The only option is to let the cover flap awkwardly open, where you’ll have to maneuver it just so and finagle a way so it doesn’t interfere with the shot. The best option is to remove the entire case (or perhaps just not buy the case altogether, which is what I recommend).

The fit of this case is also one of the worst I’ve seen. The iPhone 5 slides in and out of the case easily…which is not a good thing. The fit is extremely loose—the iPhone is not held securely in place when in this case—and I constantly battle against the iPhone accidentally sliding out and smashing on the ground. Just what everyone needs, a case that increases the chances of your iPhone breaking.

Incipio LGND Folio Case for iPhone 5 guts

Not everything about case was bad. The materials used for the cover were quite good. The inner lining is a microfiber cloth that cleans the iPhone’s screen when closed. The exterior is a silicone rubber with a modern, visually appealing texture with a subtle pattern of pentagons. Unfortunately, the rest of the case is not so good quality. It’s made out of thin hard plastic, which offers almost no shock absorption. Since hard plastic cases can scratch the very iPhone they are supposed to be protecting through subtle abrasive rubbing over time, combine that with how much your iPhone will slide around in this case, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

Incipio LGDN volume buttons

The LGND Folio can double as an iPhone stand of sorts. There is a groove built into the inner lining of the cover where you can prop up the edge of the iPhone, holding it up in landscape at about a 70-degree angle. Unfortunately, this process is frustrating, as it takes a delicate hand to get the iPhone propped up just right, usually after a bit too much fussing.

Conclusion

The LGND Folio for iPhone 5 ($35) is one of the most frustrating cases I’ve ever used. It feels like no thought went into designing the case’s folio cover; specifically, what to do with the cover when you’re actually using the iPhone. It flops about with no way to secure it in place, and the cover gets hopelessly in the way when trying to take photographs and when holding it up to your ear for phone calls. There may be a great folio case out there somewhere, but the LGND Folio shows all the issues that must be overcome when creating one.

Pros:

  • Superficially good looking.

Cons:

  • Floppy cover lacks a way to secure it in place
  • Makes taking photos extremely difficult.
  • Frustrating to take phone calls with the floppy cover
  • Very little shock absorption.
  • iPhone slides out of case easily, creating a danger to the iPhone itself.

Basics: How to Schedule Do Not Disturb Mode on the iPhone

Do Not Disturb mode is a useful feature of the iPhone and iPad that silences calls, ringtones, notifications, and alerts when turned on. You can turn on Do Not Disturb manually, or you can schedule it to turn on and off automatically during a certain period of the day, say, when you are sleeping or trying to go to sleep. For example, mine is set to turn on at 10 PM and turn off at 5:45 AM. Note that your iPhone’s screen also won’t light up from notifications when Do Not Disturb mode is turned on. Here’s how to schedule Do Not Disturb mode.

1. Open Settings:

iOS Settings Icon

2. Tap Notifications:

Tap Notifications in Settings

3. Now tap Do Not Disturb:

Tap Do Not Disturb in Notifications Settings

4. Slide Schedule to On:

Swipe Scheduled to On

5. Tap the time range below to set a range of time:

Tap time range below Schedule tab

6. Set a range of time by first tapping the From field to create a start time, then tap the To field to create an end time:

Tap From and To fields and set time using the slider below

And that’s it, Do Not Disturb mode will turn on/off automatically during this period of time. Now, you can do something else kind of neat. You may still want some important people to be able to ring your phone when Do Not Disturb mode is on. After all, who is going to bail Junior out of jail at 3 AM? Check out our instructions for How to Allow VIP Contacts to Call You When Do Not Disturb Mode is On, and also, How to Create Groups of Contacts.

iPhone & iPad Tip: Why You Shouldn’t Change Siri’s Speaking Voice in the Settings

Siri icon

One fun thing you can do with Siri’s voice is change her accent and even gender in the settings. You can do this by going into Settings –> General –> Siri –> Language, and choose from over a dozen new accents, even giving her a male British voice. It’s fun, but here’s the thing, you should always change Siri back to your native language…“native” meaning, if you’re American, set it to English (United States), not English (United Kingdom).

Why? Because Siri’s ability to understand you will diminish greatly if she’s set to anything but your native language. Siri is designed to understand a specific accent that is designated in your iPhone’s settings. So if she’s expecting to hear a British accent but you’re a speaking with an American accent, she will be confused and translate your words into crazy things. While it’s funny, it’s not very useful.

Review: Targus Wallet Case for iPhone 5 (With Video)

Targus Wallet case for iPhone 5


Every modern male knows the hassle of overstuffed pockets from carrying a smartphone, wallet, keys, and other necessary items. The Targus Wallet case for the iPhone 5 ($25) is designed to be a remedy of sorts, combining an iPhone case with a wallet. Where once there were two, now there is one.

Review Summary

Price: $25

Art of the iPhone’s Rating: ★★★☆☆
(3 stars out of 5)

Review Summary: The Targus Wallet case is useful and convenient as a wallet, but below average as a protective iPhone case.

As a wallet, the Targus works well, if, that is, you can get by with carrying only 2-3 credit cards and a few bills with you. The case has a built-in, faux-leather flap on its back with two slots inside that can barely fit 4 credit cards in total (3 cards is the best fit), or two cards and a few bills. This flap, when closed, completely conceals the cards/cash from view. “Conceals” is a key benefit of this case, as most other wallet-style cases don’t hide your cards/cash from view. If the iPhone is already an attractive target for thieves, just imagine cash and credit cards attached to it.

I was very impressed with the design of the wallet flap. It has a magnet inside that keeps it closed shut tight—I never experienced it accidentally flapping open. It actually takes a little bit of effort to open—a good thing, as it keeps the cards/money inside secure. When closed, the flap lies flat against the iPhone’s back…well, flat, as long as you don’t overstuff the wallet with cards and cash.

Targus Wallet Case for iPhone 5 inside with credit cards

Replacing my wallet with the Targus Wallet case really was liberating. Where before I had to remember both my iPhone and wallet–now it was just my iPhone, a small but big simplification of my life, as I carry both of these items on me at just about all times. And, at the cash register, I no longer had to check my pockets to see which had the wallet, and which had the iPhone. I just had to reach for my iPhone. Again, though, the key to this case is, can you get by with just 2-3 cards and a little bit of cash? At times, I wish I had more room for a few more cards.

As an iPhone Case, the Targus Wallet is flawed, but not fatally so. The case is incredibly bulky—it more than doubles the thickness of the iPhone. It feels like holding…well…a really thick wallet. And it’s not much of a protective case, despite its thickness.

Protection. The Targus Wallet is made of two different materials: thin hard plastic for the section that holds the iPhone, and faux leather for the wallet part. The problem is that, for the iPhone’s impact areas, which are the four corners most likely to hit the ground first, there is only this thin plastic section for protection. The thicker faux-leather wallet protects the flat back section of the case, but that section of the iPhone is unlikely to hit the ground initially after an accidental drop. In total, this is a poor case for shock absorption. There is no protective lining inside the hard-plastic case to separate it from the iPhone, which means the case itself could scratch the iPhone over time through subtle abrasion.

Targus Wallet Case for iPhone 5 volume buttons

Targus Wallet Case for iPhone 5 sleep and wake button

Targus Wallet Case for iPhone 5 bottom of case

The Targus also makes accessing some of the iPhone’s buttons a tad more difficult. Particularly problematic are the volume buttons. A rim around the volume buttons makes it so you have to dig in slightly with your fingertip to press the button. Similarly, the thickness of the back of the case makes it a bit more awkward to press the sleep/wake button, as your fingertip has to reach over the back rim and them down onto the button (see the video review to see a clarification of what I mean).

The iPhone’s headphone and lightning ports can be used as expected, as can the iPhone’s front and rear camera. The iPhone rear’s camera, however, is buried inside about a centimeter-long tunnel, which can effect the amount of light that reaches the lens.

Conclusion

If the Targus Wallet ($25) were merely an attempt at a protective iPhone case, I’d say, don’t bother. But its wallet functionality is so useful that I can give it my conditional recommendation, the condition being that you can get by with only carrying 2-3 cards and a little cash. As a wallet iPhone case, it’s really good. Sure the case has its annoyances—it’s incredibly thick and the iPhone’s volume and sleep/wake buttons are slightly harder to press—but the case’s wallet functionality more than makes up for those flaws.

Pros:

  • Simplifies your life by combining phone with wallet
  • Flap hides your cards and cash
  • Flap stays shut tight and won’t accidentally flop open

Cons:

  • Thick
  • Little to no shock absorption
  • Only holds a few cards or a little cash
  • iPhone buttons are slightly harder to press with the case on

Apple Officially Says Do Not Disturb Mode Will Be Broken From Jan 1 to Jan 7

Do Not Disturb Mode for iPhone

My iPhone is currently in Do Not Disturb mode, despite the fact that I scheduled it to turn off at 5:45 AM this morning. Why? Because of a bug in Apple’s iOS 6 software that breaks the feature and prevents it from turning on and off. The Mayans were right, the Mayans were right!

Apple has officially acknowledged the bug by releasing this official support document saying the problem will last from January 1 through January 7. Until then, you have to manually turn the mode on and off in the settings. The entire doc reads:

Products Affected:

iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

Symptoms:

After January 1st, 2013, Do Not Disturb mode stays on past its scheduled end time.

Resolution:

Do Not Disturb scheduling feature will resume normal functionality after January 7, 2013. Before this date, you should manually turn the Do Not Disturb feature on or off.

To turn off the scheduling feature, tap Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and switch Scheduled to Off.

This document will be updated as more information becomes available.

Do Not Disturb mode is one of my favorite features of iOS 6, as it stops all alerts, notifications, calls, etc, from ringing your iPhone and lighting up the screen during a period of time you set (best used for when you are sleeping or trying to go to sleep). You can still let important people call you during this time however (like family members, girlfriends, etc). Check out our instructions for setting it up.

My 20 Most-Used iPhone Apps of 2012

Agenda Calendar app icon

Way too often I fall for the hype over the latest and greatest iPhone apps—apps that make me go Wow, that’s the coolest thing ever!, and then…I never use them again. Their icons sit untouched, clogging up my home screen. That’s why the following is not a “best of iPhone in 2012 apps” list. This list is composed solely of the iPhone apps I used the most in 2012, and therefore have been the most useful to me. I’ve excluded some obvious apps, like Mail, Safari, etc.

1. MyFitnessPal (free). This calorie tracker is simply the most powerful iPhone app you can have to improve your overall health. A huge database of foods means you’ll always know exactly how many calories, grams of fat, etc, you are putting in your body. You can track calories burned from exercise, then see what your daily +/- for calorie intake is. Losing weight is simply burning more calories than you consume, and this app makes it easy to see that you are doing just that. I seldom use this app everyday (as I’m currently not overweight), but rather to check up on my eating habits over time and know when to scale back on the french fries.

2. RunKeeper (free). I’m a runner, and I’ve used this app for the past few years to track my runs. What’s cool about any of these run-tracker apps is that you can run unfamiliar routes and still know the exact mileage you’ve run. For example, I can go on a vacation in Hawaii, take a run along the beach in the morning, and still adhere to a training regimen where I need to run X number of miles.

3. GymBuddy ($2.99). This app makes it a snap to track how much weight you lifted in the gym, so the next time, you can try to do just a little bit better—the key to adding muscle. The app also has a built-in countdown timer that will start immediately after you enter in your weight/reps and make a dinging sound when it finishes, so you’ll know when you’ve rested enough to do your next set—this can be a huge timesaver as it prevents you from waiting too long between sets. I also love just having a list of exercises to do in the gym—without this app, I’d frequently forget to do certain ones. You can also add your own exercises into the app, and create different lifting routines, adding and subtracting new exercises. When you bring an old exercise back into your routine, you can see where you left off. I reviewed this app a few years ago, and, yes, it is ugly as sin and hasn’t been updated in years, but is still the best app I’ve seen for use in the gym.

4. Reeder ($2.99). This app lets me follow my favorite RSS feeds (I use it with my Google Reader account). While it has been replaced my Mr. Reader on my iPad, Reeder is still one of the better RSS readers for the iPhone. It’s easy to read, easy to use, and just works. What else do you need?

5. News360 (free). I’m a fan of Google News and its thousands of news sources, and this app is basically Google News, except better. This app lets you quickly browse through the day’s headlines from thousands of sources. You can customize the topics you see down to very specific things (like, news stories about knitting or the iPhone 5). It also has a ton of other subtle features, like a Reader view that strips away the ads. I also love the swipable image at the top of news stories that brings up more relevant images from other news sources.

6. Instapaper ($3.99). There is way, way too much interesting stuff to read on the Internet, and I often come across it at inopportune times where I can’t read more than just the headline. Instapaper is a way to save that stuff to read later. You come back later, and the articles are organized all in one place, stripped of ads and annoying formating, and placed in a highly readable format. Instapaper is a free service that you don’t necessarily need an iPhone/iPad app to use, but the app is where it really shines.

7. Grocery IQ (free) is simply the best way to maintain a grocery list. It makes creating a list a snap through autocompletion tools and maintaining a history of past items. It also has “cloud” sharing where you can maintain a single master grocery list amongst several people (perfect for husband/wife shared grocery lists).

8. TV Guide Mobile (free). Quick and easy TV listings. Simply enter in your local TV provider (cable, satellite, over-the-air) and it will show you what’s on now and later. It has some other tools, like push notifications for your favorite shows, but I mainly use it to for the quick-and-easy TV listings.

9. The Weather Channel (free). It seems like every other week there is some new fancy weather app with a sparse interface or other tricks. This app has been my main weather app since forever, and I’ve never seen a reason to change.

10. Agenda Calendar ($0.99). Sometimes an app that’s best on the iPhone isn’t necessarily the best on an iPad. Agenda Calendar is my favorite calendar app for the iPhone. What I like about Agenda is that it has the quickest and easiest user interface for browsing through a long range of dates on your calendar. The weekly view is my favorite. Swipe up or down for a superfast, scrolling, 7-day view of your calendar. You can quickly maneuver between month, week, and day view by swiping right or left.

11. McTube Pro ($1.99). This app saves YouTube videos to the iPhone/iPad for offline viewing. Initially, I used it for music videos, but then I found all sorts of uses. For example, saving how-to videos for cooking, weight-lifting, and other odds and ends. Why re-stream a video every time you want to view it (especially if you want to view Gangnam Style 15 times)? The app lets you stream saved videos via AirPlay and to the AppleTV.

12. Brownees ($1.99). Here’s another app that saves YouTube videos to the iPhone, but this one saves only the audio from videos. Brownees focuses on collecting music—basically, it’s a way to collect tons of free music from YouTube as audio files for offline playback. Download songs for free and play them back almost as if you bought them from iTunes. I bet Apple and the music industry love that! Ah, who cares.

13. Figure ($0.99). I dabble in making music, and Figure is my favorite iPhone app to whip out a quick tune on the go (for the iPad, I like more complicated apps like Animoog and GarageBand). You can quickly create a beat, bass line, and lead melody, and save it or export it to flesh it out in another app. Figure is more of a music idea app that a way to create full songs, but it’s a lot of fun and simple enough that anyone can use it.

14. MLB At Bat (free). I’m a Cincinnati Reds baseball fan who lives in Chicago, so in order to follow my favorite team, I subscribe to MLB.tv. While I usually watch streaming video of baseball games on my AppleTV, I use this app to listen to the radio coverage when I’m not at home (the MLB.tv subscriptions comes with access to radio coverage of every MLB game. Basically, this app is indispensible for baseball fans who no longer live where their favorite team plays.

15. Spotify (free) recently added Pandora-like radio functionality to this app where you can vote songs thumbs up or thumbs down, and the station learns your tastes over time and plays more of the type of music you like. The audio quality of Spotify is second to none (make sure you choose higher quality audio in the settings), and it has an impressive song list. Spotify is known for its premium all-you-can-eat music service that costs about $10 a month, but I mainly use it for the free customizable radio.

16. Pandora (free) is the popular free radio service that customizes its music streams to your tastes. Not many people know that it also offers comedy, my current favorite use for the app.

17. TuneIn Radio Pro ($0.99). Simply the best radio app for local radio stations on the iPhone. I use it to listen to some local Chicago stations (specifically, ESPN Chicago). The Pro version of the app lets you record live radio, but the free version works just fine as well.

18. TripIt (free). This app puts all your travel details in one central place. It will really revolutionize your traveling (and save you tons of stress). You simply forward any travel-related confirmation emails (flights, Priceline wins, hotel arrangements) to your special TripIt email address, and the info will be stripped out and gathered in once central place for easy and quick viewing. TripIt is an indispensible, powerful tool for any modern traveler. This is what the iPhone is all about, people!

19. TripAdvisor (free) is a review site for travelers, but it’s not just reviews of hotels. It includes restaurants, sightseeing tours, etc. I even use it when I’m not traveling, as I find the reviews better than Yelp.

20. ScoreCenter from ESPN (free). This app was recently did an update that leaves it with an average 1.5-star review, basically because it dramatically changed the interface. I don’t think it’s that bad, and I continue to use it. The update added a better way to read ESPN news inside the app as well.