Tweet: 17 Month Old Can Use IPhone

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Seven Interesting iphone Apps

For several reasons, I have honestly managed to avoid the iphone craze that is sweeping the country. I have even been somewhat amused at the obvious iphone envy expressed by some. Since I have been researching the iphone a bit though, I am starting to understand why so many people are so impressed with it. Maybe someday I’ll be able to jump on the iphone bandwagon. By that time, there will probably be something new on the market.

Anyway, for you fortunate iphone users out there, I thought I would list a few of the more interesting apps I have run across lately. All of these are for the iphone but some of them have versions for other platforms as well. Read more

Link Love

Reading blogs has been a part of my daily diet for quite some time. When I found Google reader I was elated because now I could indulge myself without anything falling off my plate. There have been a few blogs added to my plate since joining the internship.

I would like to share a few of them with you.

• Scott Beale is a social genius in my mind. He mixes the utterly ridiculous in with the completely earth shattering. One of his latest post over at Laughing Squid is on the Bionic Eye app for the iPhone.

• Gizmodo has numerous writers and would be a technology newspaper 20 years ago. I love this blog for all that’s tech. Check out this new series on the hot topic driving while texting.

• Foodscanner is a new app on the iPhone highlighted on Lifehacker. This app is so cool it scans the bar code and keeps track of the calories.

There are a plethora of tech blogs and wading through them can be overwhelming. These 3 are few I have found to be consistently worth the read.

iPhone Texting Apps

idk w@ yr rsAyn?= I don’t know what you are saying? Reading text messages can get confusing. There are iPhone apps available to translate English in to Text lingo. You can either sound cool or decode a message.

• Text message Translator gives you the key to remember which texting phrases have which meanings. It costs $0.99 and is updated from time to time with new abbreviations. The 2 page version may be a little difficult to read for some.

• Networds SMS and IM dictionary is a handy translator to over 1800 terms that kids and teenagers are texting. Did you know that “420″ refers to marijuana or “POS” is parent over shoulder?  These and other current slang texting phrases are included in this app.

• Sky Text is a scrolling texting tool. It allows you to scroll what you want to text. Now you can be the cool texter. Know more will you be shown up by your teenager and there is no mistake in what  your are texting because the tool tells you. it also makes it easier for you text by scrolling as opposed to typing.

hu knw txtn cud B so fun?

Is The iPhone Kid Friendly?

The iPhone is definitely a kid friendly phone. There are apps for doodling, games and the like.

The question would be is the iPhone right for your child?

• Has your child lost or damaged a phone? The iPhone cannot be insured through AT&T.
• Do you want your child to have 24/7 access to the internet? The iPhone can access the internet from anywhere.
• Has texting been a problem? The iPhone saves text messages indefinitely, unless cleared.
• Do you want to pay for the iPhone package? This package is not optional if you have an iPhone and is a $30 a month charge for 3G and 3GS phones, $20 a month for the original iPhone.

The iPhone is a great phone and has amazing features. You decide if it is right for your child.

I Spy My Kids On The iPhone?

Have you ever wondered what your son or daughter was texting on their iPhone? Are you concerned about what their friends might send them? There is a service that allows parents to view what their kids are texting.

Mobile Spy allows parents to view a log of when, where and what their kids are texting on the iPhone. No more accidental deletes, the log is reviewed on your Mobile Spy Account on your home computer. This software also uploads a GPS location every 30 minutes.

Concerned your child may access something via the internet on their iPhone that may not be age appropriate? There are ways to limit access on the iPhone to make the experience PG. Here are a few of the options to choose from:

• Mobicip browser works like Safari but blocks access  to Web sites containing sexually explicit material, graphic violence, Web-based chat clients, e-commerce, social networks and games.

• I Wonder surf allows parents to block and unblock sites at their leisure. Parents can see the profiles on sites such as Myspace that their children have visited.

• Safe eyes mobile much like it’s desktop brother, tracks Web history and sends email notifications when restricted websites are trying to be accessed.

The choice to limit your child’s internet or follow their text messaging is yours.

Where’s My Bible? On My iPhone!

It’s Sunday morning, I woke up late and I am supposed to volunteer in Sunday School in 15 minutes. The kids are moving slower than they do on any other day. Finally, we are in the car on our way to church, whew. I made it to church on time all kids are deposited into their classes, I have volunteered and now time to hear the pastor. Where’s my Bible?

Countless times this has happened to me and has caused me utter frustration. Life Church released a free app, You Version for anyone to download for their iPhone. It is the complete Bible and you choose from one of the many versions to use. In one of the recent upgrades, You Version now allows iPhone users to download the Bible directly to their phones. I love this upgrade because there are times when I am  in a location without cell service, such as on an airplane, where I would like to read my Bible. Read more

Link Love: Twitter Apps

Signing up for Twitter can be the best thing you’ve ever done until your cell phone bill arrives and you realize you forgot to change your plan to unlimited text messaging. No worries with the iPhone because there are many Twitter apps to choose from and you choose when you check your account.

When a new Twitter app is released, I read what others are saying about it and decide if it is worth a test drive. There are a few that have been worthy of a drive around the block. Some I have kept on driving until the next model has been released.

• Olly Farshi on Appleblog.com gives a comprehensive list of twelve Twitter apps used on the iPhone. There is even a comparison chart.
• Viralogy guest blogger Yukai Chou compares Tweetie to Tweetdeck. Guess which one he chooses?
• Scott Beale over at Laughing Squid shows an example of Birdfeed and gives a thorough review.
• One Hit Wonders, Freebies, and Best in Show are a few of the ways Jennifer Van Grove categorizes 29 Twitter apps at Mashable.

Let me know if any of these reviews helped you choose your Twitter app or make the needed switch.

Free App Friday

How many pizza delivery cars drive in and out of neighborhoods each Friday night? Pizza seems to be an easy choice, but sometimes my family wants something different. When we can’t seem to decide  it’s time to get out the iPhone.

Urbanspoon is a FREE  restaurant selector App.

You choose the dollar amount range, the style of cuisine, and the city, and Urbanspoon randomly selects restaurants in your area. It is so easy all you do is “shake” the iPhone and a  selection appears. If you don’t like that selection, then “shake” it again.

Many Calendars In One

Juggling multiple schedules in a family can be overwhelming. There have been times when I have shown up late or missed an event all together because of calendar conflict. I have tried different ways to make this happen smoothly for my family.

One year I had a huge calendar the size of Texas on the side of the refrigerator. I placed everyones events on the calendar faithfully, for about two weeks. Another time I tried a calendar on the computer that my husband and I updated separately. This helped us out, but the problem with both of these calendars was they were not convenient and I couldn’t keep them with me.

I have found a way on the iPhone to keep multiple calendars and view them ALL. If my husband updates his calendar then it live updates on my calendar in my iPhone. The other party who you want to follow their calendar doesn’t need to have an iPhone just a Google calendar.

I use Nuevasync to keep all my calendars flowing smoothly. It is free to sign up and you can keep up to 11 calendars at one time. I don’t miss events any more.

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