Removing Native Apps From Your iPhone Home Screen

Posted by admin in ipod news

Why can’t we delete icons for native apps from iPhone’s home screen? With any app from the App Store, you can tap it and hold and then hit the X to delete it, but not with the default iPhone apps.

There are apps in the App Store that might make some of your default iPhone apps unnecessary. These are just some examples:

• Maybe you prefer the Weather Channel app over iPhone’s overly-simplistic Weather app
• MagicPad might make the Notes app unnecessary for you
• The Todo app could make your Calendar app obsolete
• Personally, I don’t need the Contacts icon because I access my contacts through my phone

I simply don’t need some of the default iPhone apps so they just sit there taking up space on my screen. Why are the native apps undeletable? It’s MY iPhone, I should be able to customize it the way I want to.

Does this bother you as much as it bothers me?

Has a Firmware Update Stopped Safari from Crashing?

Posted by admin in ipod news

I wrote a post a year ago talking about my frustration with iPhone’s Safari app crashing. To my surprise, a lot of you were experiencing the same issue with the browser suddenly closing while loading a website.

Recently, though, a couple people left comments on that article saying Safari hasn’t crashed since the new firmware update 2.2.1. I’ve been paying attention, and I realize iPhone’s Safari app hasn’t crashed on me in a long time either.

Looking at the traffic reports for this site, the visitors to my original article on Safari crashing have decreased by half, probably because people aren’t searching for the problem on Google anymore.

Does Safari still crash on your iPhone?

How to Erase a Voicemail Recording You’re Not Happy With

Posted by admin in ipod news

Have you ever called someone, left them a voicemail and then regretted the way you said something, or just wished you could redo the recording for whatever reason? If it’s a good friend it’s no big deal if you sound incompetent, but with certain people you might care more about leaving a certain impression.

I had one of those moments today but then remembered a little trick I learned on how to erase or rerecord a voicemail you’re not satisfied with.

This trick is not iPhone-specific, but it works on AT&T enabled phones at least. (I’m not sure about other service providers.)

If you realize you’re unsatisfied with a voicemail you’ve just recorded:

1. Don’t hang up!
2. Go to your iPhone’s keypad.
3. Touch star (*)

Your message will be erased and you’ll be given the option to either rerecord it or hang up. That’s it. No more embarrassing voicemails.

How to Find an iPhone App Developer [iPhone Q & A]

Posted by admin in ipod news

This post is part of the iPhone Q & A series. If you have a question, send it over.

Catherine writes:

Are there app program developers that you would recommend? I have heard from a couple of them (one who wrote in on your blog) but I am not really sure (besides the fee and their resume) what I should be looking for to find a good developer at a fair price. Any ideas?

I have not worked with iPhone app developers myself, but here are 6 tips that might help you find a reputable iPhone app developer for your project:

1. Look in the App Store. A good way to find a talented developer is to see who designed the apps you like in the iPhone App Store. Look in the app description under “Company”. Sometimes this will not be the company that designed the application, but a lot of times it lists the websites of the developers themselves. If that’s the case, check out the developer’s website and shoot them an email asking if they would like to work with you.
2. Find professionals at a freelance jobs site. Post your iPhone app project to an online services marketplace, and developers will bid on your project. Check out these sites first:
   • GetAFreelancer
   • Elance
   • Guru.com
3. Start a dialog with prospective developers. If you find an available developer, talk about the details of your project and see how he/she responds. Do they reply in a timely manner to your emails? Do they sound like they know their craft? Ask to speak on the phone. Find out what programming languages they are familiar with and what kind of projects they like to work on.
4. Ask to see a portfolio. Find out if the developer you’re considering has made other iPhone apps. If not, what other development experience do they have? You should expect to see proof of experience — that is, completed projects — before you hire someone to work on your iPhone app. Consider the iPhone app you want developed and whether your prospective developer seems capable of completing it.
5. Choose a developer who’s worked on projects similar to yours. If your iPhone app will be graphics-intensive, look for a developer with graphics experience and an eye for aesthetics. If your app will be information-centered, look at how the developer organized data in their past work. Choose a developer who has a skillset that matches your needs.
6. Hire more than one developer. You may want to consider hiring more than one developer to design and code your iPhone app. Sometimes a developer is more comfortable with design, and another with code. Think about hiring a designer to conceptualize your iPhone app, and then finding someone else to code it.

If you’ve worked with iPhone app developers, tell us in the comments what your experience was like. iPhone app developers, feel free to let us know about your work and whether you’re available to work on new projects.

Have a question? Click to email me.

iPhone Xtand [Review]

Posted by admin in ipod news

JustMobile recently sent me their Xtand for iPhone to review.

iPhone Xtand features

According to JustMobile:

• All solid aluminum construction
• 360-degree rotation
• Adjustable viewing angle
• Cable management
• Non-slip feet

The verdict

I’ve found the Xtand to be most useful for hoisting my iPhone vertically on my desk so that I can access it easier as I work on my computer (see above photo). It rotates 360 degrees on an axis, which is essential for switching from landscape to vertical modes.

When the screw that holds the mount to the stand is screwed on tight, the iPhone is tilted back at about a 45-degree angle.

You can watch movies in bed with your Xtand placed on your night stand. The thing is, you’ll want to tilt the iPhone down for a better viewing angle. You can turn the knob behind the mount to loosen the screw and adjust the viewing angle, but then the mount is flimsy because the screw is loose. I think JustMobile should rethink this part of the design.

Also, unfortunately you can only mount your iPhone without a case on, so if you have an iPhone case you’re going to have to remove it before using the Xtand.

If that’s not a bother for you then I’d recommend the Xtand. It’s sturdy and sleek looking and it serves its purpose. Oh, and the hole in the back for cable management, though not essential, is definitely appreciated.

Click to see the Xtand for iPhone on Amazon.

Google Reader for iPhone [Review]

Posted by admin in ipod news

I thought I’d take a few minutes to sing the praises of an Internet service I use on my iPhone all the time — Google Reader.

What is Google Reader?

Google reader is an RSS feed reader. It’s a free service you can use to view all your blog subscriptions in one place. To sign up, go to http://reader.google.com.

Then you need to add subscriptions. It’s so easy. I’ll guide you through it using my blog as an example.

1. Log in and click “Add subscription” on the left-hand sidebar. Enter the feed address: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AppleiPhoneReview
   

That’s it. You’re now subscribed and you can read all the articles I’ve ever written, plus all new ones at the moment they’re posted, by clicking “Apple iPhone Review” in your subscriptions list.

Do this with every blog you read and Google Reader becomes addictive.

Google Reader for iPhone

Google has worked tirelessly on Google Reader for the iPhone. I found the original mobile version of Google Reader useful, and the new one is even better.

With Google Reader on your iPhone you can literally carry all your blog subscriptions in your pocket. Try it. Get a Google Reader account and follow today’s Presidential Inauguration by subscribing to Google News.

Do you use Google Reader on your iPhone, or some other RSS feed reader?

25 Things You Don’t Know About Me & This Site

Posted by admin in ipod news

There’s this meme going around Facebook where you post 25 random things about yourself in a note and tag 25 of your friends, who are encouraged to write 25 random things about themselves and keep the ball rolling.

If you read this blog, you probably know very little about the person writing on the other side, me. So in the spirit of the Facebook meme, I thought I’d share 25 things about me and Apple iPhone Review that you may not know (nothing too personal). If you have your own blog I encourage you to also share 25 things about yourself, and send me a pingback if you want.

1. My name is Chris and I’m a University of Florida undergraduate senior, majoring in English and minoring in Sustainability.
2. Apple iPhone Review is a one-man operation run entirely by me.
3. When I’m not working on this site, I’m reading good books and working on campus sustainability issues at UF.
4. I didn’t care about iPods or cell phones before I got an iPhone.
5. I love having an iPhone now, but I’m realistic about its limitations.
6. This site was created over two years ago because I wanted to make an income from home, not because I had a passion for the iPhone.
7. Originally, I hoped to make some cash by selling the domain name appleiphonereview.com, but no one wanted to buy it because Cisco already made the iPhone and therefore Apple would never name their product that.
8. Since no one wanted to buy the name, I decided to just try blogging about the iPhone.
9. I’m lucky the iPhone actually came out, and that it’s a remarkable product, because I don’t know if I could have maintained enough interest to write so much about other things.
10. I’ve designed, coded and written everything on this website. I’ve put thousands of hours of work into Apple iPhone Review, and I am proud of it.
11. My “big break” for this site came on February 17, 2007, when I posted a leaked survey that asked consumers to respond to potential price points for the iPhone. Within minutes, big-name sites like Gizmodo, Engadget and ZDNet had linked to my article. I had 12,000 visitors that day, compared to 42 the day before.
12. Apple iPhone Review pays my rent, and then some.
13. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when someone tells me my site helped them in some way.
14. I check my site stats obsessively. I’m thrilled when I have new subscribers. *cough* are you subscribed yet?
15. I waited in line in Miami for over 6 hours on June 29, 2007 to buy the first iPhone.
16. I’ve owned six different iPhones prior to the 3G iPhone I own now.
17. I once made a sort of embarrassing video of myself dressed as a caveman to show off a Jailbreak software that I used on my old iPhone. The video is pretty popular on YouTube… but I wouldn’t recommend the software anymore, since the new version has given people a lot of trouble.
18. The most amusing comments on this site, by far, are in an article where I asked readers to share how iPhone’s SMS Preview feature has gotten them into trouble.
19. I stray away from iPhone news and gossip and try to write things to start discussions, help iPhone users or at least entertain.
20. I live with 7 other people.
21. I love getting free iPhone gear in the mail and reviewing it.
22. I love avocados.
23. This list is my 218^th post on Apple iPhone Review.
24. The 3 things I love most about my iPhone are 1) browsing the web, especially using Google Reader for iPhone, 2) the GPS feature and 3) third-party apps (some of my favorites: Todo, iFitness and Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D).
25. The 3 things I hate most about my iPhone are 1) the lack of copy & paste, 2) the SMS privacy issue and 3) its lack of a video camera.

If you’d like to know more, shoot me an email.