Blog Posts

What's On My iOS Home Screens: Pre-Summer 2014

5/25/2014

Summer is almost here and it's time for another installment of What's On My iOS Home Screens. There's been some changes in my iPhone home screen apps and the iPad has been updated to include applications for work purposes.

iPhone

1. GoodTask ($4.99 Universal) - A very clean UI that manages tasks and interfaces with native iOS Reminders. If you complete a task in GoodTask it will be marked as complete in Reminders and any other application that interfaces with the iOS Reminders database. Likewise, updates in other apps for reminders show up in GoodTask. GoodTask also shows a calendar view that allows you to select to display Calendar events as well, although in a read only mode. While I don't use GoodTask to enter reminders often (I primarily use Siri or use location based, more below), it does offer a better UI for task entry and updates than Apple's Reminders app.

2. Checkmark 2 ($5.99 iPhone) - Yet another task manager app for iOS. However, this particular one does something magnitudes better than Apple's Reminders or any other task manager app, location based reminders. By far the most accurate location based reminder app that I have used. In Checkmark, you can define various locations and set reminders to provide a push notification when you either arrive or depart the location. If you need to be reminded to do something based on a location, Checkmark 2 is the app to have.

3. Dark Sky ($3.99 - Universal) - The quintessential rain-alert weather app has finally landed a spot on my home screen, on the dock nonetheless! The precipitation push notifications and precise location identification have been spot on with when it will rain in the area I am located.

iPad

1. Good (Free - Universal) - The corporate email standard has finally made its way onto my iPad home screen. The larger iPad screen and split screen view within the application make email reading and composure a breeze.

2. GoodNotes 4 ($5.99 - Universal) - A very good and full-featured note taking application that specializes primarily on handwritten notes. GoodNotes is certified to work with the Jot Script stylus, which I have picked up to be my daily driver for note taking at work. The application works very smoothly with the Jot Script and takes note writing and digital whiteboarding to the next level on the iPad. Notes are saved to iCloud and can be backed up using DropBox.

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What's On My iOS Home Screens: Winter 2014

2/26/2014

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Winter is far from over, but there's been a couple of noticeable changes on my iOS iPhone and iPad home screens. Aside from my background color switch on the iPhone from red to blue and on the iPad from blue to red, there have been a couple of app changes.

iPhone

Twitterrific ($2.99 - Universal) - Now my Twitter client of choice on both the iPhone and the iPad.

P aper - Stories From Facebook (Free - iPhone) - This isn't your daddy's Facebook app. Well, if your daddy is your friend on Facebook then I guess it could be. The controversially named "Paper" is a wonderful new Facebook experience offering views of your timeline and curated news topics hand selected by Facebook staff. While the news categories are very basic now, there are sufficient news topics in my main feed to keep me abreast of the latest news in tech, sports, science, and politics. While Paper will not replace an app like Flipboard or Zite, the UI of Paper is a refreshing change from the vertical list view of the old Facebook app. I like Paper so much, I have deleted the old Facebook app from the iPhone. I look forward to an iPad version of Paper. Hmmmm. I might have to boycott the Paper app if the FB developers don't get an iPad version out. LOL.
Dark Sky ($3.99 - Universal) - While this app doesn't sit on my home screen, it is quickly accessible via Launch Center Pro on both my iPhone and iPad. I keep it installed mainly for the precipitation push notifications that tell me when it will snow or rain in the area I am located. I would like to see the UI on the iPhone show weekly forecast data on the first screen as opposed to having to swipe to the left two times. For quick weather data and a view into the week ahead, I am still keeping with the stock (Yahoo data) iOS 7 app.
Music - I replaced Groove with the stock music player as I find myself listening more and more to iTunes Radio. Now that I have AT&T's new 10GB family share plan, I have plenty of data to spare even with moderate listening.

iPad

Clock - Nothing to see here, as my iPad is now my primary alarm clock and the stock app works as advertised.

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Dumping Tweetbot in Protest (Updated)

2/18/2014

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I have long been a fan of the Tweetbot application, a full featured and powerful Twitter client for the iOS platform. The application has basically everything I want in a twitter application: push notifications, position and message read status sync, mute filters, and UI that just won't quit. Well, that last part is really what is bothering me. The iPhone version of Tweetbot was given an iOS 7 redesign during the latter half of 2013. It is truly a sweet looking application. Unfortunately, Tapbots have been really lagging in getting the iPad version of the app up to iOS 7 standards. Since I use Tweetbot on the iPhone, iPad, and the Mac, I prefer the experience to be top notch on each device. I can excuse an updated UI on the Mac since I spend very little time using Twitter on the desktop. However on the iPad, which I do use daily, the old style iOS 6 design of Tweetbot is wearing on me. It's annoying enough that I will cease to use it on the iPhone and iPad and will be replaced with IconFactory's Twitterrific 5.

Waiting for that Tweetbot elusive iPad update.......

Update: Twitterrific has stopped working over LTE for me and I am unable to send or receive tweets. The app works when on wifi. I will have to delete this app on the iPhone until the Iconfactory has a solution to get it working again. I have tried force quitting the app and deleting and re-installing it.

Update 2: Finally figured it out. The cellular data setting was turned off for Twitterrific which was causing the app to not retrieve or send data over my LTE connection. Once I flipped the switch to enable data, the app worked like a charm.

Tweetbot for iOS ( iPhone (L), iPad (R) )

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iPhone Valentines and TechMusings Birthday

2/15/2014

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My wife knows me so well and gave me a little tech love in the form of an iPhone themed Valentines day card. Also, TechMusings turns 1 year old today, not bad for a little hobby of mine.

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Apple Fanboys

1/29/2014

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If you have ever wondered how Apple fanboys react during a typical Apple Keynote, here's a little video that shows the exuberance, wonder, amazement, and yes, even disappointment that every fanboy goes thru. Guilty as charged. Hilarious.

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Review: Caudabe The Veil (Frost) iPhone 5/S Case

1/3/2014

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If the worlds thinnest iPhone 5 case is what you are looking for, look no further than the Caudabe Veil. When I say it's thin, it's THIN (.35mm). Probably the thinnest case I have ever used on an iPhone. In fact, I would have to say that the Veil is so thin, it's more like applying a matte skin to the iPhone rather than a hardshell case. The products highlights on the product packaging are:

Introducing the worlds thinnest iPhone case. Protection so thin you can barely feel it.
Manufactured using advanced injection molding techniques, this Veil is razor thin and feather light.
Matte surface resists scratches and fingerprints much better than glossy alternatives.
Precision cutouts enable easy access to all ports and buttons.
Available in multiple gorgeous colors to accentuate your iPhone.

I would have to give an enthusiastic "check" to all of the points above, except the last one given that the only colors that are available are the Frost (for this review) and the Wisp, which is a darker matte more suitable for the steel gray iPhones. The Veil is a typical snap on case that offers no lay-on-the-table protection. The case attaches itself to the phone right on the chamfered edges. If you want to put your phone face down with this case on, I would suggest using some sort of screen protector.

The feel of the Veil is very similar to the Ghost Armor Matte skins that I have used in the past (review link). The matte plastic feels very nice and resists fingerprints which absolutely drive me batty when I constantly have to wipe down a case to remove them. There are specific cutouts for each volume button and the mute switch. I have always preferred cases that have individual button cutouts as I feel they add to the overall look of the case. The bottom of the Veil is completely open similar to most other snap on cases. However, the Veil differs a bit from other snap-ons by providing full protection, aside from a power button cutout, on the top of the phone.

What more is there to say? This is the absolute thinnest case you will find on the market. The Caudabe Veil is basically the un-case case. Obviously, the drop protection with the Veil is minimum to none, but will suffice in protecting your iPhone from scratching which is an accomplishment given how paper thin this case is. Full credit goes to Caudabe in getting their manufacturing process to produce such a high quality product for the iPhone.

Much thanks goes out to Caudabe for sending me a review sample! The Veil and the Wisp can be purchased on Caudabe's site for $14.99. When first released, there was so much demand for this case that Caudabe couldn't keep up. Apparently they are now back in stock. What are you waiting for? Go grab one and experience the magic of the Veil!

Pros

Thin, thin, thin! Did I say THIN?
Matte plastic repels fingerprints and feels great in the hand
Precision cutouts for volume, mute, and sleep buttons
The closest thing to not having a case on. Any thinner and it would be a skin!

Cons

No lay-on-table design
If you want any type of (major) drop protection, you might have to look elsewhere

Caudabe Veil - $14.99 (Link)

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Quick Look: Elago S5 Breathe Case for iPhone 5/S

12/29/2013

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Keeping the red theme going, I picked up an Elago S5 Breathe case for the iPhone. The snap on case is called Breathe due to the small holes around the case which gives it a distinct look. The case is a soft plastic with a special coating that Elago claims will resist dirt and smudges. The coating feels real nice in the hand and in combination with the holes gives the case a good grip.

As with most of the snap on cases there is full open access to the side buttons and mute switch as well as the top and bottom of the phone. The front of the case offers very minimal lay-on-the-table protection. You can put the phone face down and the edges of case will rest on the table. The camera cutout is large and does not have a black border like many cases for flash diffusion. I did not experience any problems with flash pictures most likely due to the large size of the cutout.

The Breathe comes in 12 different colors and can be purchased directly from the Elago site for $24.99. As with most cases, check Amazon for better pricing deals.

Elago S5 Breathe - Link

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A Couple of Nice Purchases - A Dock and Speaker

12/23/2013

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A couple of nice purchases that I am really enjoying.

Everdock Duo - $69.00 - A dual charging dock for mobile devices.
Bose Soundlink Mini - $199.95 Mini Bluetooth speaker with amazing sound.

Stay tuned for my further musings on these great products.

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Software Review: Simplenote by Codality

12/23/2013

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Simple notes. Sounds appealing? If it does, then read on. There are a plethora of note taking apps for iOS including the built in note application from Apple, which syncs via iCloud to your various other iOS devices as well as to and from a Mac. Simplenote, a basic note taking application that runs on iOS (universal) and Mac, offers the basic note functionality of the Apple Notes offering but adds a few extra features worthy of consideration for note taking needs.

Simplenote is a universal app which means it run in either a native phone or tablet app UI depending on the device it runs on. But wait, there’s more! There are also Mac, Android, Kindle, and a browser (web) client. Sorry PC owners, looks like you guys are stuck using the browser client. With all of these supported platforms, the ability to sync your data across all of these devices is critical. This is where Simplenote shines. Using the app on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac, the sync was almost intantaneous and flawless. Changes on any of my iDevices were automagically pushed to my Mac and vice versa.

Simple Note excels at entering in new notes quickly and easily. The add new note button (a “+” sign) is always available in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Once in the new note screen, you can type to your hearts content.
Notes are basic text, no fancy fonts or styles or markdown formatting, and no ability to insert or attach an image. However urls to websites are supported. The first paragraph of a note is set in boldface. Pressing return to start a new paragraph returns the text to normal (non-bold) font. At the bottom of the note entry screen is a freeform tag entry box. Tags assist in categorizing notes and multiple tags can be assigned to a single note. Tags can be added or deleted from the note.

While in the note create or review screen, pressing the information button (an “i” button) will bring up a slide-up-from-bottom menu that offers several choices: Send, History, Collaborate, and a trash can, which will place the note in the recoverable trash area. At the top center of the menu is an active word count. On the top right of the menu, there is a “pin to top” option button that when pressed will pin the note to the top of your note list. Pinned notes are marked with a circle with a dot inside prior to the note title. While writing this review using Simplenote on the iPad, I pinned the review to the top of my list and watched the change sync almost instanteously over to the iPhone sitting next to my iPad.

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Quick look: Incipio Feather Case for iPhone 5/S

12/13/2013

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After the Apple leather case debacle, I decided to keep the "red" theme going by picking up an Incipio Feather case for my iPhone 5S. The Feather case has always been one of the thinnest cases available for the iPhone line. The offering for the 5/S is no exception. The case is a typical snap on rear shell with open top, bottom, and control side for easy access to all jacks, openings, and buttons. The case feels extremely nice and is made of a "soft-touch" plastic. My experience with soft touch coatings in the past hasn't been very good as they tend to smudge and look horrible over time. Hopefully the Feather lasts a bit as I really do like the look and feel of the case. I picked one up in Crimson Red and is available in a total of 14 other colors. The Feather lists for $24.99 at the Incipio site, but search around and you can probably find it for much cheaper. I picked mine up at Amazon for under 10 bucks but prices do vary.

This case is a very nice choice for anyone looking to keep their iPhone slim and reasonably protected from daily bumps, bruises, and scratches.