Radical Liberation

Nice Improvements in iPhone 2.0/Apps

iPhone 2.0 Software

• Video playlist! I can queue up a bunch of short video podcast episodes in a playlist and the iPhone will play through them. This is a huge convenience for me as I tend to “watch” (mostly listen to really) WebbAlert, Tekzilla Daily Tips, Onion Video and other 1 to 5 minute segments on my way to work.
• Contacts searching. I’ve been keeping my contacts in my computer for nearly 20 years. I have 1,000+ listings in my Address Book. Search is essential.
• Improved multiple calendar support. I believe multiple calendars could be synced before, but now they are clearly distinguished by color.
• MobileMe Push syncing of mail, calendar, contacts. I no longer have to wait until my nightly iPhone sync to have new info everywhere.
• iPhone screenshots. You can now take a screenshot of whatever is on the iPhone by holding down the Home key and then hitting the power button on top. The screen will flash and the screenshot will be added to the “Camera Roll” album in Photos. Nice!

• Remote from Apple. So cool! This is a very practical app at our home where we have different music on my computer than what is on my wife’s computer. I am now tempted to get an Airport Express knowing that with AirTunes I would be able to pull out my iPhone and summon music from my Mac downstairs to play on our stereo upstairs. And what a joy the interface is! (I especially like the full screen album art.)
• Exposure. The “Near Me” feature which pulls down pictures that were geotagged as being nearby your current location is very cool. I hope people take pictures of great desserts so that I can serendipitously discover I am near a cafe I should try.
• Loopt. Another app that does fun stuff with locations. In this case it works a lot better as you have more friends that get on it. But I also like the integration of the camera. I describe in words where I am or what I’m doing and then take a picture to go along with it.
• PhoneSaber. Silly fun. Nice demo app.
• NetNewsWire. This is the one I’ve been waiting for. Designed for rapidly scanning headlines from the many news feeds I try to keep up on. Second to the iPod functionality, this is probably what I’ll be using my iPhone for the most.
• AIM. Once Apple provides notification support (promised for September I believe) this is going to be the way to avoid the crazy expensive SMS charges but still get texting functionality.
• Twitterific. I love Twitterific for the Mac. But Twitterific for the iPhone may be even better. It integrates with the location feature to update where I am. It makes it really simple to do replies and direct messages. Also integrates the browser nicely for quickly popping up links that are in people’s tweets. Need more of my St. Louis family and friends on Twitter!
• Pandora. Radio customized for you. They have some crazy algorithms that play music for you based on something you’ve told it you liked (an artist, an album, a song). It can be pretty good. I already bought a song by an artist I never heard of just playing with it for a minute. That kind of impulse purchase is really facilitated if you are on Wifi since it will bring you right to the track in the iTunes Music Store on the iPhone.
• Facebook. You can’t do a lot with this app, but you can do the basic stuff you want to be able to do on the go… Update your status, read & respond to mail and chat.

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