Tech Time Redux - Smart/iPhones

[Kieran Michael Brown]

Gentle Reader,

I'm typically an early adopter (seriously - I've got the Rio Diamond and Psion 5 to prove it)...except when it comes to phones. I just got a smart phone, so I'm eager for any and all advice about how to maximize this amazing little computer.

Anyone have any cool tips for smart/iPhones? I'm still figuring out which SaaS apps work well (e.g., Highrise - not so great; anything google touches - amazing). Naturally, I'm interested in hearing about any productivity apps, like TouchType for the iPhone, but I'm especially curious what apps and sites the CI crowd has found most useful in their day to day work.

[Roland Dobbins]

Which do you have - an iPhone, or some other type of smartphone (it sounds as if you've an iPhone, as you mention TouchType)? The applications are going to be platform-specific, it's difficult to have a meaningful/useful discussion without a focus on the specific type of phone, as so many apps aren't multi-platform.

[Kieran Michael Brown]

I have an iPhone, and I realize that, applications wise, that's a whole separate set of comments. So I'd love tips specific to the iPhone, but I thought it might be useful to open the discussion to include websites or multi-platform apps that Blackberries and other smart phones can use.

[Warren Collier]

The iPhone is awesome. You can go to just about any website with the browser. I find that it intuitive to use and integrates the contact book with not only the phone but e-mail and texting. As to Apps - I don't use them at the moment - but mostly create new buttons to go to frequently viewed web sites, etc.

[Arik Johnson]

Hi Warren - I also picked up an iPhone a couple of weeks ago (compelled by a combination of my brother Derek, Kieran Michael Brown [progenitor of this post] and August Jackson all raving about it) and I have to say, it's a rare game-changer... but only recently.

I still don't believe the iPhone 2.0 firmware was good enough, and didn't compel me to make the leap with tales of dropped calls, weak 3G and the like; but iPhone 2.1 raised the bar so high as to make me very eager to see how competitors will try to fight back.

Likewise, Apps have been great - mostly using the WordPress app for blogging and Fring for IMs (and Skype account access for VoIP-over-WiFi) I "tweeted" the better part of the SCIP Rome meeting last week using the hotel WiFi network powering my iPhone and little else. Alas, I seem to have become an Apple fanboy...

- Arik