iPhone, Not Great at Everything..

Article first published as iPhone, Not Great at Everything... on Technorati.

IPhone is great, don't get me wrong. When coming back from our trip to Northern Jersey, we were glad to have it along. Even more so now that we have downloaded a new app only a couple of days before, Sigalert. This app shows current traffic patterns with very little delay. It was a great supplement to our Garmin GPS, which is an older model that does not have traffic updates. Sigalert also shows alternative routes or detours and keeps you informed of the speed around each entrance ramp, while taking a detour, indicating when the traffic has dissipated.
As great as some of the apps are and the newest features that have recently came out on an iPhone, there are some things that it cannot replace or duplicate...yet.
Reading on the small screen of most smartphones is not an easy task. You have to have great vision or a great pair of bifocals to be able to read the tiny font that appears on mobile versions of most sites. Even when reading basic text in an email or e-book, it is not optimal viewing.
And this is why Kindle and other similar e-readers have a place in persons hands and laps.
My wife have had her Kindle for awhile now and she has not gone to too many places without it. Recently, she upgraded her phone and got an iPhone. She loves it. It a great tool and a great travel sidekick. But as my wife stated, she would still prefer to have her Kindle along on commute or longer trips. It is simple to use, easy on the eyes, relatively light and with plenty of storage.
Do you watch a lot of videos on tour iPhone? If so, you have probably wished that the display was larger. While it has great graphics and it is easy to get videos or apps for streaming, the screen is tiny and has to be close to your face. Phone-holding elbow anyone?
Are you a gamer? iPad games blow iPhone games out of the water. Besides that, again, things are better on the big screen. That is why we shell out a lot more money to watch a movie on an iMax.
A couple of other things that I can think of that an iPhone cannot do are:

• Type on a full keyboard - though there is a gadget for that, Flip-Out Keyboard Case.
• Cook - there might be an app for that

What are some features you think that a smartphone does not have currently but might in the future? What about some that might be too futuristic?

Best Business Travel Gadgets

The Best Travel Gadgets and Accessories by Inc.com
- All the comforts you'll need on your flight and the luggage to carry them in.

Best Phone for Travel:
HTC Aria

Best Noise-Canceling Headphones:
Bowers & Wilkins P5


Best Portable Massager:
Soothera Wooden Ball Foot Massager & Therapeutic Slippers

Best Tablet:
iPad 2

Best Store for TSA-Friendly Toiletries:
AllTravelSizes.com



Best Bag for Traveling Light:
The Voyageur by Tumi

Best iPad Case:
Built NY

Best Bluetooth Keyboard for Your iPad:
Adonit Writer

For more business travel gadgets visit the Inc.com's Business Travel 50

Best Business Travel Apps:
FlightTrack Pro
MightyMeeting
Print n Share
Encamp - Project Management
mbPointer - for presentations
LinkedIn
Best Business Apps For Android

What travel gadgets you can’t leave your house without when traveling for business? Leave a Comment

There is a Travel App for That: Where To? - Discover your next destination

Where To? by FutureTap

This app enables you to locate almost anything nearby, including the nearest ATM, burger joint, medical provider, etc.

In some instances, while doing a search, you might not need to even type in what you are looking for as the app comes preset with 700 customizable categories and 2,400 brands. Just tap your way to various things nearby. You can search for recreational activities and categories ranging from medical, organization, emergency, entertainment, travel and attractions.
Where To? also has available Augmented Reality, which lets you explore a stunning new way of visualization (iPhone 4 or 3GS only; available via In-App-Purchase for only $0.99 for all devices under your iTunes account, free trial available). Your points of interest will be displayed on top of reality. It‘s more intuitive than ever to check out nearby locations.

Can't decide where to eat? This app can help there too. Shake your iPhone and it will pick a good restaurant for you to try. Keep shaking until you find a restaurant you would like to check out.

Video review of the Where To? app

Why good to have on a trip:
- Can be used to find local business nearby including, but not limited to, restaurants
- Able to get driving directions to any location chosen
- Available in 10 different languages, covering most of the world with locally optimized search
- Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Best App Ever Awards in the category “Best Travel App
- Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later
- Utilizes Google Maps

Available on iTunes: Where To?

Other cool travel apps:
MotionX GPS HD - all the maps and navigation instruments you need for your outdoor life: walking, hiking, sailing, off-roading, flying, geocaching, or exploring, anywhere in the world.

What app do you use to find things nearby? Leave a Comment

Newspapers = Obsolete? or Reborn?

Newspapers = Obsolete? or Reborn?

"I was on the train one morning. Alas without my Kindle. And as I looked around, I noticed that no one was carrying newspapers on my train. It seemed odd and interesting at the same time.
I took a closer look and saw just how many iPads and Kindles were bieng used and then how many of those users were looking at newspapers. Quite interesting. One person was on WSJ.com, another was on USA Today." - SG

Doing some research and looking on iPad as well as the Kindle store, it looks like while you can get free apps for most of the well known print publications, you would still need a subscription to get the newest version. If you enjoy reading it now, it is a good chance you would go with the digital subscription as well. There are still folks though that prefer, at least for the time being, to hold in their hands a print copy of a paperback or a newspaper. I think it would be at a sliding scale based on generation. For myself, while I like the accessibility and speed of digital publishing, once in awhile I like to have along a magazine rather than an expensive tech gadget that I have to be careful not leave or toss someplace.

Recently, Ziff Davis, one of the larger publishers, announced that they will be moving to all digital publication in 2012. It is more likely than not, that others will follow suit. Other large publishers also made news a few months back by putting up pay walls on the digital version of newspapers. While there was quite a bit of controversy regarding the move, it has been relativity successful for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Moreover, there are several applications that have been designed and have gained significant popularity as aggregators of news from well known newspapers and magazines. These apps are thriving since they are presenting articles from various publication within one easy to use interface. One such popular app is Flipboard, which is available for most mobile platforms.

So, are newspapers obsolete? I do not think so. Publishing is a very old industry that is meeting the new digital age. And as with most cycles there are always shakeouts. Some will survive and continue to thrive by being relative and providing great content and/or being reborn as digital publishers.

What do you think about the prospects of the newspapers?
How do you occupy your time during the commute? Leave a Comment

Did You Know?:
Letter to Our Readers: Times Begins Digital Subscriptions
How the Amazon Kindle Works