Automatic Pro now offers free 3G service

When I read the post describing this product it really began to intrigue me. First, let me say that I wish it were free 4G but any “G” is better than none. This device plugs into your car’s OBD-II port, unlocks the data in your car’s on-board computer and connects it to the internet. While that is a concern to me as far as security, I’m planning on looking into the repercussions of adding this to a vehicle.

This is the same concern I would have for any of the IoT devices that are constantly showing up around us. There are an interesting list of things that this device will bring to the table that might be of interest to you though.

The primary reason this device was created was allow you to connect into the on board computer system of your car to allow you to also access the diagnostic information about your vehicle. The Pro version takes it one step further to actually connect the device through an internet connection to applications to make use of that data. Many other things become available to take advantage of once this has been unlocked.

Have you ever forgotten where you have parked your car? Now this device provides the ability to find it again. Tracking driving statistics is also an interesting feature. I need to provide my driving information for sales/service trips to the IRS every year so this device along with one of several available Apps can automatically log the exact mileage for these trips without me having to write it down.

Interesting enough this also works with IFTTT and the Amazon Echo. I am also playing with a Pebble watch right now and there is a an App available to connect that as well.

I sure you guessed that I am excited about this device, so I placed an order for one for my Jeep. I’ll get back to you later after I have put it through its paces.

Is the USB-C connection really that great?

According to Intel the addition of USB-C connector in your mobile device gives you a single connection type for every use. With Apple’s disclosure that they are not going to include a headphone jack in the next iPhone release we are going to need some method of connecting a headphone to your device. While wireless Bluetooth headset/buds are an alternative, a lower power consumption method is much desired. We don’t want to do anything to diminish our battery life at all.

The most obvious advantage, at least to devices manufacturers, is slimmer phones. Without needing to route analog circuitry, a phone maker could switch to digital audio and shave off precious millimeters from the device's body. With digital audio, Saunders added, software and device makers could help cheaper earbuds take advantage of features reserved for more expensive headphones, like noise cancelling and bass boosting.

Another benefit is the ability of this connection to handle multiple functions simultaneowusly through the single connection. This means, you could be charging your phone, streaming music or video and transferring files all simultaneously. So, One connector to rule them all!

Should Smart Watches like the Apple Watch be considered a handheld device?

Yesterday I posted an article about Smart Watches being distracting to drivers and today I found an article at Appleinsider.com that reports that an Apple Watch owner was just fined in Quebec for operating his new Apple Watch while in the driver’s seat (report from CTV Montreal). The driver stated that he was using the watch’s built in music app to control his iPhone that was connected to his car’s stereo.

The ticket cited Section 439.1 of the Quebec Highway Safety Code, which reads, "No person may, while driving a road vehicle, use a hand-held device that includes a telephone function." Use of Bluetooth accessories, like headsets and hands-free equipment, is allowed. A literal interpretation could find Macesin not technically in violation of the statute, as the "handheld device" in this equation — Macesin's iPhone — was stowed in a bag and therefore unreachable.

My belief is that it is as much of a handheld device as a phone, being in this case an screen extension of the phone control. Just glancing at the watch to see what time it is, is one thing, but actually going through the menus and choosing options is another. What do you think?

OWA available for iOS devices now

Take a quick look at the Exchange Team Blog entry announcing the availability of the new OWA App for both the iPhone and the iPad. It will show you setup and screenshots of the application but the one drawback is that you need to have an Office 365 account to get it.

See the article here.

Will Voice to Text and Voice Recognition be taking over all of your phone functions?

My use of voice to text recognition software goes in spurts.  I don't use it routinely just because I am very seldom in a quiet enough area to make a good environment for the voice to text recognition software work well.

On my Windows 7 machine I use the built in Windows 7 software for speech recognition.  It does pretty well, but I can't help but think that Dragon Naturally Speaking would do a much better job at this.  I sometimes use the Dragon app on my iPhone to create like texts that I send out.  But other than that, I don't use any of the boys search programs that are out there for my phone.

I have written a lot of blog posts using the voice to text technology on my iPad, and more recently on my new Nexus 7.  On the iPad am using the Dragon app to create a note that I eventually will paste into another application to post up to my blog.  The Nexus 7 has a very similar voice to text recognition application that you can use inside multiple applications on the device.  This makes it a little more usable then the dragon app.

New wants is the software manufacturer of the Dragon series of software packages, and they are in constant development of their software to place it on as many devices that they can.  We're starting to see it on some smart TV use and even in cars.  They are hoping to have their software power in every application that you use.

They're placing a new software development kit so all iOS and Android app developers can use the same voice recognition technology in any app. This might be exciting for some of us that there is a scarier side to this coming to fruition.  They are also hoping to combine actual voice ID’ing to financial applications to access banking and payment functions.  Think about one click purchasing at Amazon being processed totally by voice control.

What is frightening is the possible loss of control as someone overhearing, recording your voice, or some other IP capture system to be able to take advantage of this voice function on devices and within applications that could hurt you financially.  The question is do you want to open this Pandora's Box or not?  Think about it.

Here’s a reasonable accessory for you iPhone or iPod Touch

Looking into the future, concept artists often equip their dream iPhones with built-in pico projectors. That feature probably isn't coming to an iPhone anytime soon, but Micron Technology's upcoming $99 Pop Video pico projector accessory may be the next best thing.

The key feature here is the 30-pin connector that allows you to dock your iPhone or iPod, forming one compact unit. The Pop Video is designed to be much more portable, fitting into a pocket when not in use.

There aren’t many specs being published yet but here is some preliminary information:

• Dimensions: 4.4 inches x 1.8 inches x .6 inch (HWD)
• Weight: 3.5 ounces (97g)
• Input: 30-pin dock connector
• Video Output: qHD (960 x 540 pixel resolution)
• Battery: Built-in Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
• Playtime: Up to two hours with full battery charge
• Charging: Micro-USB charging (1.2 compliant)
• Charge time: About 4 hours
• iOS version: 5.0 and greater
• Compatible with iPhone 4/4S and gen-3 and 4 iPod Touch
• Price: $99 (available for preorder now)

Take a look at the following video presentation…

Which Option should you choose for storing your music in the “CLOUD”

With Google relabeling its cloud storage system for movies, books and music, called Google Play, there is another option to choose for placing your music into a location that you devices can get to with multiple devices. If you have an IOS device or and Android device then you have a multitude of options at various costs.

For general storage there are a lot of choices with my favorite being Dropbox (2GB free), but you also have Google (10GB free), Microsoft (25GB free).

Microsoft SkyDrive provides 25GB’s of free space and is integrated well with Microsoft Office Applications and has some interesting things that it can do in regards to information sharing with OneNote.

iCloud (5GB free) and Amazon (not free). When it comes to your media files (mainly music oriented). It also integrates with a few document applications but this is solely an Apple based product for Apple products only.

Google allows up to 20,000 song titles. This service is primarily associated with Android Devices and desktops for access. It will now integrate with a central interface for accessing movies, eBooks, and music. It will be interesting to look at once it fully comes available. This is separate from Google Doc Storage which I talked about above.

Amazon Cloud Player for your music is limited to 5GB for free and all of you purchased MP3’s are stored for free.

Dropbox can also play back you media but unless buy into the large file storage levels and there isn’t a media player associated with it directly. But I like using it for everything that I throw at it for work, home and play. It is integrated with the largest number of application on your IOS and Android devices and that is one of the things that I am continually reaching for, high availability between applications and devices.

Another service that is out there that has a fairly close comparison with Dropbox is SugarSync. It provides a free 5GB account and reasonable larger accounts. It is more of a file share program that allows you to synchronizes between PC’s. Dropbox is pretty much limited to its file structure that syncs while SugarSync has more of a backup flair associated with it.

So if you ask me what I have, well, I have them all. Which do I use the most? Dropbox at this time. However, in reviewing these services I started thinking that SugarSync looks interesting and one that I didn’t even mention Box.com is something that I want to explore as well.

Let me know how you are using these types of services and let me know which one is your favorite and why.

New Release of the Pogo Sketch+

Boasting a new smoother operating tip the Pogo Sketch+ is still made from brightly colored anodized aluminum body that provides scratch protection to the barrel. It comes with a spring steel pocket clip that makes it easy to place in your pocket or on your case to have instant to it.

As much as Apple poo-poo’s using a stylus there are times that you need the accuracy and feel of a pen. Useful in signing documents, markup and just plain writing you will find it a very useful addition to you arsenal of gadgets.

The Sketch and Stylus differ in length, tip technology and loss-prevention mechanism (the Stylus comes with a clip to attach directly to the iPhone or iPod touch; the Sketch itself has a built-in pen clip). The Pogo Stylus comes with our soft durable classic tip, while the Pogo Sketch+ borrows tip technology from the most recent addition to our stylus line-up, Pogo Sketch Pro.

Priced at $14.95 they are a great product addition to you device list.

Chit Chat for Facebook

One of the things that I look at when I test out a new software is how well it is suited for its purpose and how easy it is to use. Ease of use entails two things for me, first, how intuitive is the interface and second, how clean the GUI is for the user. I have found that an uncluttered interface helps the end-user to easily see the information the program is presenting and allows you to use more efficiently.

For those of you that are active in Facebook and use the chat feature a good bit you may want to opt for a UK product called Chit Chat for Facebook. If you have a Mac computer you are currently out of luck but if you are Windows PC user, iPhone or Blackberry smart phone user you can download the app on these system. You can use it on your iPad as well but it has not been optimized for that device. If you have an Android device you are also currently out of luck.

This product has a simple streamlined interface and provides a smaller more specific screen footprint to allow you to continue working on your PC while trying to keep in touch with your Facebook IM. If this is something that you find you are doing a lot of, then this might be just the product for you.

Press Release

A few screen prints have been provided here: 
http://images.chitchat.org.uk/fbwebmessenger_screenprint3.png
http://images.chitchat.org.uk/fbwebmessenger_screenprint1.png
http://images.chitchat.org.uk/fbwebmessenger_screenprint2.png

Canon unveils two more AirPrint printers

Another printer manufacturer joins AirPrint crowd. Canon thinks you should print more from your iPad and is offer two choices of printers to allow you to do so.

Canon's offering up the Pixma MX512 and MX432, two all-in-one inkjets that offer up Apple AirPrint support, letting users wirelessly prints photos, docs and the like from their iPad, iPhone and iPod touches running iOS 4.2 or later. Canon also used the announcement to reaffirm its commitment to the technology, ensuring as before that it "will be available with the majority of Canon PIXMA Wireless All-In-One inkjet printers launched from this point forward."

AirPrint allows users to wirelessly print photos, emails, web pages and other documents without the need to install device drivers, saving time and making for a seamless user experience.

Airprint is also available on the PIXMA MG8220, MG6220 and MG5320 as well with the installation of the lastest firmware installed.

Intuit’s Mobile iOS Credit Card Processing System

Last year in Jude a wrote a quick post on Square’s updated Credit Card Processing System and now Intuit is adding its product into ring with less cost and a more substantial reading device.

They have an updated free app on iTunes for both the iPhone and the iPad that provides easy processing of credit card payments to your account.

---FEATURES---

• Receive a free card reader compatible with your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
• Avoid start-up costs, a long-term contract, and cancellation fees
• 2.7% per card reader swiped transaction rate with pay-as-you-go pricing plan
• Customers sign with their finger and a receipt can be sent by text or e-mail, so you can be paperless
• Access your GoPayment account on your Mac or PC and accept, refund, and review credit card payments online
• All transactions are secure and encrypted, unlike some card readers
• Add up to 50 users to your account so multiple people can accept payments for your business
• We’ve made it easier for you to get started by not requiring bank account information. The money you make with GoPayment can be deposited into your Intuit GoPayment Prepaid Visa® Card account. You can conveniently access and manage your money online at www.gopayment.com, or use the GoPayment Card anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted – in stores, online, and at ATMs
• GoPayment integrates with QuickBooks, making it easier to manage your finances
• From Intuit, the makers of QuickBooks, Quicken, and TurboTax

The app will run on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later
*You can also sign up at www.gopayment.com. If you would like to sign up for the High volume plan, you must do so on the website.
**Intuit GoPayment offers 2 pricing plans with the following rates to meet your individual needs:
Pay-as-you-go:
Swipe: 2.7%
Key-enter and non-qualified: 3.7%
High volume (option to pay $12.95/month for lower per-transaction rates):
Swipe: 1.7%
Key-enter: 2.7%
Non-qualified rate: 3.7%

---GET STARTED---

• Download the Free GoPayment Credit Card Processing App
• Complete the in-app application*
• Check your email for your approval notification, and then start accepting payments!

Once you’re approved, you can start accepting credit cards right away by key entering credit card info into the app.
Your free card reader will ship the next business day.
If you want to see GoPayment in action before you sign up, select the Test Drive button.

If you decide that this product is for you, then one of the things that jumped out at me right away is that the quantities field only seems to accept whole numbers. This can be a problem especially if you are selling by weight or if you are like me you are selling time. Another problem that you might have is that it only accepts one sales tax field. So if you are in a county that requires you to collect both a state and county sales tax you will need to make some kind of adjustment for that. Of course if you are not roaming around this is not an issue. If you are moving around it might be hard to track who you need to send the tax you have collected to the correct entities.

Otherwise, the interface seems to be simple and straight forward and if you don’t have the concerns about the limitations I stated above then it might be a good fit for you. The charge rates for processing are a little lower then Square’s and Intuit is a big player in the entry level accounting industry.

Compatible Devices

See all devices

xPrintServer makes printers AirPrint-compatible

I like looking for new products that will make both my life easier as well as our clients. For those of you that have an iOS device and none of your printers are AirPrint compatible there will soon be a product that could make your printers AirPrint compatible. Lantronix is planning on releasing this January their xPrintServer product that allows printing from any iOS device to network-connected printers.

I have several printers in my house and at work that I would love to be able to print to without the convoluted methods I now employ from my iPad and iPhone devices. Whether it is to my beautiful Canon Pro 900 photo printer or my Lexmark MFC Pro901 I want to be able to whip off a quick printed page for friends or family. Also, at work it would be nice while I am sitting with a client discussing options for their network I would love to be able to share the information I have on my iPad as I am talking to them.

The current drawback of this device is that it will only work with Ethernet-networked printers only. This means it doesn't help with printers that are connected directly to your computer via an USB port. The device comes with just one network port and will need an available LAN port from your router or switch to work. It also require an external power source.

When you plug the device into you network it will auto-discover and auto-provision for your network printers which in turn allows your iOS device to print to them. There is no software or device drivers to load and no special Apps to purchase. I am looking forward to testing this out myself.

More information at Lantronix’s site

Supported Printer List

Evernote vs. OneNote

And the battle goes on. There have been some recent updates to both of these programs that have prompted me to take another look to see which one is better suited for what I need.

Evernote’s general capabilities are still not as rich on the PC/Desktop side as they are in OneNote but it still has a better overall feel and function between all of the different devices that you can bring it up on. I have listed a table below on some of the major features and how each product rates in respect to each other.

Feature	Evernote	OneNote
Notebook –this feature allows you to group notes together to make them easier to access	Two Level-You can create a master Group and then have notebook containers listed within the master Group or container.	On the surface it appears that you only have two levels here as well however, you may have as many Notebooks that you want. The second level is called a section in OneNote but there are two types of sections that you can create, the first is a Section Group which can create one or more Sections or more Section Groups. A Section then is what actually is the container for your note pages.
Free Form Entries	You don’t have this with Evernote	You can place your entries anywhere you wish on the note. I really like this feature and I miss it with Evernote.
Text Style	The basics are here but they are very limited.	A much richer choice of controls to enhance your text styles. You can create a much richer end product here.
Web Versions	Very similar whether you use the Web Interface or the Desktop Interface.	The Web interface is poor at best not only to the desktop version but also to what Evernote provides. This is the one feature that is a tipping point for me to continue using Evernote as my primary note taking application.
iPad App	Again, this is very similar to the both the Web and Desktop Apps. This makes it much simpler to move from one device to another.	Ugh! The newly released app is ten time better than it was but it still is a poor cousin to anything else. Still not good enough. Evernote wins here as well.
Application Interfaces	Evernote is very strong when it comes to integrating on the iPad with other applications. It should since this is the world that it has mostly evolved in. More and more secondary apps that I use have tie ins to not only Evernote but also Dropbox that these features keep me coming back.	OneNote has very strong tie ins with other Office Applications that I use a lot. This makes it very hard for me to stop using it but in reality, other than the task management associated with Outlook many of the other features that I want can also be found in Evernote.

So, for me I still lean towards Evernote as my primary note program but I still find myself jumping into OneNote when I need that extra formatting or connection to Outlook.

Let me know your thoughts!

Microsoft reveals SkyDrive Apps for both Windows Phone, iPhone

In the if you can’t beat them, join them category…

Microsoft has release a new SkyDrive Apps that work with both the Windows Phone and the iPhone. With 25Gb’s of free space in the Cloud, this provides you with another easy method to share files easily between computers and mobile devices where ever you are.

As reported in TweakTown posting: 

As devices proliferate, having a great experience on the Web is only one piece of a pretty complex puzzle. People are choosing where to put their files based on how portable and accessible they are across the various devices they use; therefore, it's critical that we continue to extend the SkyDrive experience to the devices you use every day.

Windows Phone's latest update, Mango, has deep integration with SkyDrive through its hubs Pictures and Office, which allows sharing of text, e-mail or IM. Users, as always, wanted more. Torres adds:

Many still want the full SkyDrive experience from Windows Phone, including tasks like browsing their entire SkyDrive, sharing links to folders or files, deleting files, and creating folders.

If you're on an iOS-based device, hit up the App Store and download the SkyDrive app. Torres adds about the iOS version:

On the iPhone, we've taken the next step by making the new SkyDrive app for iPhone available in 32 languages worldwide. In addition to their OneNote notebooks, iPhone customers can now access all of their files in SkyDrive, create folders, delete files, and share links to folders and files directly using the Mail app.

Evernote has won me over from OneNote

Sorry Microsoft but as much as I love the interoperability between OneNote and Outlook, OneNote and IE and OneNote and Print Capture, Evernote has begun to win out as my go to app for note taking. Why you may ask. Well, let me tell you!

If you are a frequent reader of this blog you may notice that when I choose a program, I do so because of its breadth of access/use. What I mean by that is that if I am collecting information, which you are naturally doing in a note taking program, you want to have those notes available to you no matter what device it is that your have at hand. Evernote does this for me. Not only is it interoperable with all of the web browsers that I use, I also have the notes that I create available on all of my computers instantly, on anyone else’s computer via the web browser/login interface, on my phone, on my tablet, in other words everywhere that I work. I cannot say that about OneNote. Even though there is a web interface for the OneNote product, it loses most of its functionality when you use it in that environment. There is an iPhone version but not an Android, and there isn’t a native iPad version (you have to use the iPhone app). Not pretty, very low function and frankly, disappointing. On a Window’s PC I love OneNote. If this was the only place I used the product I would probably be staying with it. But the real world is much broader than just PC access to applications anymore and for a mobile guy like myself the OneNote application doesn’t have a wide enough usage model. Maybe this will change down the road and if it does I will rethink my position, but for now, Evernote has my vote.

Should You consider upgrading to the new iPhone 4S?

There have a lot of articles written in the past few weeks that would leave you to believe that the iPhone 4S is the best smartphone that has ever been made and for a person like myself that love new technology the twinge has started deep inside me to make the leap. I am still sitting on a iPhone 3GS and it still does the job it was designed for fairly well. In all honesty, I really only use the app side of the phone for very limited functions and routinely pull out one of my iPads to do most of the things that I use these types of devices for. The reason is quite simple, I like the bigger screen. In fact, if the iPad was available in a 12 or 13 inch screen I would probably jump on that before upgrading my phone.

So let’s get back to my question. If you are a heavy phone user and want the technology upgrades that the iPhone offers then you may be a candidate. My first question: What are you upgrading from? If you own an Android, haven’t you already made the commitment in that camp to continue with the apps you have purchased and the learning curve of using that particular interface? I would probably stay with Android because you probably are there for many reasons the IOS technology cannot give you. However, if you don’t have a smartphone yet, or have and earlier version of the iPhone, then you are probably a good candidate to make the upgrade except if you are an iPhone 4 owner.

I’m not sure the difference in technology between the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s is great enough to take the financial hit you will probably take jumping out of you current service agreement. And how will you feel when in 8-10 months from now the new iPhone 5 finally does come out with whatever wonder technology it will bring to the table. I would really be tempted to wait and see in that case.

If you are a proud owner of an iPhone 3GS or earlier then the differences between the devices is much greater. You will get a better camera (8 megapixel) with a better lens, and two cameras at that. MG Siegler noted in his October 11^th post for TechCrunch:

The camera is an even bigger deal to me. As I’ve been following for some time, and Apple noted last week, the iPhone has become the most popular camera in the world if you go by the images uploaded to Flickr. And it’s not even close. This new camera in the iPhone 4S goes above and beyond. And it’s going to push that lead even further.

If the point-and-shoot market wasn’t in trouble before, it will be now.

Much will be made about the upgrade from 5 megapixels to 8 megapixels with the iPhone 4S. But the bigger difference is the engineering behind the new camera. Apple notes with pride that their engineers were able to completely re-architect this tiny camera to produce images that are on par with the nicest point-and-shoots available. They credit five “precision elements” to record incoming light (versus four in the already excellent iPhone 4 camera) and the inclusion of a larger f/2.4 aperture to bring in more light.

Also great is that the iPhone 4S camera can shoot 1080p video for the first time. The iPhone 4 is limited to 720p. The 4S also features video stabilization, to ensure your home videos won’t make viewers want to vomit. Testing this out, it seems to work pretty well.

You will have a much faster processor so that those applications that you are running will run much more smoothly. There is even a big difference between the 4 and 4S which might make you iPhone 4 owners to make the leap anyway if speed is important to you.

You will get Siri, your own personal assistant, though it is in its beginning stages it is really kind of a neat application. In the coming months when Apple opens up the API to its army of third party programmers it will be interesting to see where they will take this part of the 4S. The limitations currently are that there only a few apps that it integrates with and they are all Apple applications. We need to see better integration with some business functions but it is really a fun and interesting start anyway. This one feature will probably be the tipping point for most new buyers and will be the ONE main competitive feature that other phones will need to compete against. The biggest downside with this technology is that it uses server side software to function and this means that you need to be connected to the internet for it to work.

So what do you think?

iPhone 4 owner – if you still have time on your contract this is a pricey upgrade. If the camera, speed and/or Siri are important to you then you may want to do this. If not you will need to wait out your contract and then take a look at what is out there at that time. You will get the IOS 5 upgrade anyway, just not with Siri.

iPhone 3GS or earlier or a new smartphone want-to-be’s – This will be a much easier decision. All of the features, including the IOS 5 will make a big difference in how you work with your phone. For me it’s an easy call. I have the 3GS, the camera will allow me to carry a much better point and shoot with me (I am a camera buff you know), I love faster and love Voice to Text Recognition functions (I use this a lot in my daily work when writing up long winded descriptions). So I will be one of those sitting in queue shortly to get my hands on this new device.

HELO TC Touch-Controlled Helicopter

Looking for a new toy for your enjoyment that allows you to use your IOS device as a control interface?

I have lately been acquiring different RC controlled helicopters and have had a lot of fun flying them around the house. Griffin has come out with this one that interfaces an infrared device with your IOS device so that you can control the helicopter in one of two methods:

• Touch Control: Use a virtual joystick on your Multi-Touch display to maneuver the chopper.
• Tilt to Steer: Tilt your iOS device to move the chopper forward, backward, and side to side.

Use the app to record and store up to three Flight Plans so you, or another pilot, can easily repeat a favorite flight pattern. Make up routes among the furniture, missions to fly, obstacles to avoid, goals to achieve, and replay them later with your friends.

Ready to Fly?

HELO TC comes complete with a precision twin-rotor remote-controlled helicopter and Flight Deck. The Flight Deck plugs into your iOS device's headphone jack and translates your commands into infrared signals that beam to the helicopter.

HELO TC's intuitive, easy-to-learn controls and twin-rotor design make for stable, controlled flight. And the HELO TC app provides features not available with other RC helicopters, such as Auto Land so you can bring HELO TC down for a safe landing with just a tap of the Multi-Touch display.

Download the free HELO TC app onto your iOS device, load your device into HELO TC's Flight Deck and you're ready to fly. Currently out of stock, this $49.95 device really looks neat. Griffin is well known for their mobile device add-on’s.

iPad-Paper Camera

Wow! It has been a while since last time I was so taken with a new program. I am really having a lot of fun with this application on my iPad taking different images with different filters to see what I can get out of them. So, what does this program do? This program will utilized the onboard cameras of your iPhone or iPad and create interesting “cartoon style images”. Priced at only $0.99 in the iTunes store, it is a great tool for adding another creative flair to your mobile equipment.

It is a bit tedious to do this after the fact in Photoshop but with a quick point and click you can create these fun images and share them from your device.

One of the uses that I am going to put the app through is to create images of people and products and give them a little flair by processing them through this application. The collection of filters include: cartoon/sketch/comic book/halfone/noir/neon and many other effects painted directly in your camera, no more boring post-effects, it's all real time, you simply won't stop wandering, wherever you are, having a look at things and cartoon-ize them!

You can import your existing photos into the program and apply different filters to them as well to give them a slightly different look. I put some examples below. For $.99 it’s hard to go wrong

Evernote News…

If you are using Evernote you probably have gotten this email notification from them. First off there is a new update available. To force an update on your desktop client click on the Help menu option and choose Check For Updates. You will be prompted to download and run the update if you don’t have the updated version already. While many of the changes are cosmetic, Evernote tells us that it should be more user-friendly to use.

What! You don’t have Evernote?

If you are running around with many different kinds of devices, you may want to consider looking at this program. This program has front end program interfaces for the iPad, iPhone/iPod Touch, Android, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry, Palm Pre, Palm Pixi, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is a great way to share notes between all of these devices. Start with the free version and see if it is a good fit for what you do. I think that you will.

And…

If you have an iPad 2 you might be interested in the new Evernote Peek. This learning application works in conjunction with an iPad 2 and a smart cover.

Connect Peek to your Evernote account and brush up on a language, make flashcards for a quiz or test your trivia knowledge, all by simply peeking under the Smart Cover.

Take a sneak peak at how it works:

GoPano micro - Capture 360º videos from an iPhone 4

love the KickStarter program that allows people to come up with new ideas and throw them out there to see if there is any interest. It allows for short run manufacturing so that these products can actually be built and delivered to those that are interested enough in owning them. The GoPano micro is just one of these projects. The goal of $20,000 was set to to initiate the project and it has been met. The go ahead date for the project is May 14th so it will move forward. So what is it?

Click to read more ...