iPhone Life Magazine 2012-11-12
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Revista IPhone Life Novembro Desembro 2012.
Transcript of iPhone Life Magazine 2012-11-12
2 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
4 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Regular Departments
6 Editor's Message 8 Meet our Writers 10 iGallery 12 iStats, News and Other Tidbits14 iPhunnies Caption Contest96 iView: TouchFire iPad Keyboard
iDevice News16 Say Hello to iPhone 5
A breakdown of Apple’s latest announcement, including the sleek, redesigned iPhone 5.
18 The New iPhone: Should You Buy It?A closer look at the pros and cons of upgrading to the iPhone 5.
Top Tips
22 Top Tips and Tricks10 handy shortcuts for your iPhone and iPad.
76 Guide to Finding the Best Apps and GearWhere to look online for the best apps and ac-cessories.
November/December 2012 2012 Holiday Buyers' GuideA rollicking roundup of over 200 great apps.
Best Apps26 Our Top Five Apps
27 Games
29 Photo & Video
30 Productivity & Organization
32 Music
32 Social Media
34 Travel
34 In the Wild
35 Entertainment
36 News
36 Weather
37 Books
38 Food & Drink
38 Arts & Culture
39 Business & Finance
40 Home & Garden
40 Pets’ Paradise
41 Sports
42 Style & Beauty
42 Shopping & Deals
43 Party Time
44 Health & Fitness
44 Couples’ Corner
45 Education
46 Get Inspired
46 Get Creative
47 Home for the Holidays
Best iPhone Cases of the Year pages 48-49
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 5
iLove it, iUse it
80 Interview with Sprinter Michael JohnsonThe famed Olympian discusses his new apps, exercise habits, and more.
82 iOS in the StudioTwo top ballet dancers share how they use their iDe-vices to connect to audiences.
86 MyTunes: Maximize Your Sound A glimpse into the audio-enhancing music player app MyTunes Pro.
Best GearOver 85 top iPhone and iPad accessories, forhome, work, or on the road.
48 Best iPhone Cases of the YearThese bestselling cases protect your iPhone without fail.
50 Best Mid-Range iPhone Cases Eight great cases that keep your phone secure and in style.
52 Best iPad CasesA wide selection of protective outerwear for your iPad.
56 Best Bluetooth KeyboardsWhen the touch screen doesn’t cut it, connect to one of these top keyboards.
60 Best Speaker DocksDock your iDevice and let the music play.
62 Best Headphones and EarbudsAn in-depth review of audio-accessory faves—we’re all ears!
66 Holiday Gifts for EveryoneA witty gift guide with fab finds for everyone on your list.
70 Best Gaming Gear Take gaming to the next level with these awesome add-ons.
72 Road-Ready GeariPhone accessories to make any drive safe and smooth.
Cool Holiday Gifts
pages 66-69
Great Gaming Gear
pages 70-71
6 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Editor's Message
The other day I was looking for a specific type of app in the App Store, and I was having the hard-est time finding it. You would think that I, of all people, would have no problem finding apps, since it’s pretty much what I do on a daily basis. It made me realize just how valuable what we do really is. With over 700,000 apps available in the App Store, there’s an app for just about everything, but you have to know where to look. When I first got my iPhone, it was exciting to explore a brand new world of seemingly never-ending apps. Right off the bat, I set out to investigate why those infamous birds were so irate—I downloaded Angry Birds for iPhone and iPad, plus a few other “must-have” standards like Pandora, Camera+, and Skype. When I ran out of obvious choices, I needed some help discovering new apps. I pored over websites, asked friends, and browsed lists of bestselling apps. The whole process took some time, so I wish there had been one place that would've guided me to the very best.
If you don’t want to waste your time (and money), you need a guide that helps you sort out the fantastic from the mediocre. That’s where we come in. Our 2012 Holiday Buyers’ Guide is laser-focused on showcasing only the best of the best for the entire year. We handpicked the best apps and coolest gear, and organized them into nu-merous categories. Our goal was to ease the process of finding apps and accesso-ries; we don’t want you to have to struggle to find what you need, like I did.
This is always a fun issue to put together. We get to look through thousands of apps and accessories and pick out the very best, knowing that our readers will re-fer back to this guide throughout the year. If you have friends that recently bought iPhones or iPads, or if you recently bought one yourself, this is the best issue to browse through before customizing your device.
A word of warning, however: reading this issue from cover to cover may cre-ate a sense of expertise that others could find either impressive or annoying, depending on the type of friends you have. If they find it impressive, you should recommend they get an iPhone Life subscription. If they find it annoy-ing, give some thought to creating a new group of friends (there are plenty of apps to help you find new friends, just sayin’).
More and more people will continue to purchase iPhones and iPads over the holiday season, so we hope this issue will also serve as a gift guide. Every one of these products, especially the accessories, makes a fabulous gift.
We’re always open to your thoughts and ideas, and if there’s something you’d absolutely like to see covered over the next few issues, shoot me an email at [email protected]. We have some cool themes lined up for 2013 and beyond. For me, it’s always exciting to help you unleash the hidden power of your wonderful iDevice. So what are you waiting for? Read on!
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Creating the Issue
The Best of the Best
Looking Ahead
Alex CequeaEditor in Chief
iPhone Life [email protected]
8 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Senior Editor, [email protected]
Article page 96
Meet our Writers
iPhone Life Staff
Online Editor/[email protected] pages 16, 52, 60, 76
Hal Goldstein Jim Karpen
Associate [email protected]
Articles pages 26-47, 50, 82
Nina Benjamin
Editor in [email protected]
Articles pages 22, 26-48
Alex Cequea
Publisher and [email protected]
Articles pages 18, 62, 80
David Averbach
Obstetrician and mHealth [email protected]
Article page 86
Ed Zabrek
Founder of [email protected]
Article page 70
Mike Wewerka
Strategist and Industry [email protected]
Article page 56
Daniel W. Rasmus
Editor in Chief, The Tufts [email protected]
Article page 66
Rebecca Santiago
Award-Winning [email protected]
Article page 72
Cornelius Fortune
10 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
User-submittediPhone Photography
by Sam Tooker
by Benno Putuhena
by Lou Quattrini
by Fernando Bello
by Debra E. Hunt
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 11
Submit your iPhone photography and get
featured in the iGallery! Email your photos to
by Kim Schoning
by Eric DiBlasi Jr.
by Luis Mira
by Becca Ludlum by David Averbach
12 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
The Numbers $200
According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, Apple will likely reduce the unsubsidized price of an “existing iPhone” down to $200 by September of next year. The 8-gigabyte iPhone 3GS is currently the least expensive unsubsidized iPhone model, coming in at $375. According to Munster, this move will help Apple com-pete in the lower-end smartphone markets, where less expensive Android-based models reign.
15 MINUTES OR LESS
Delta Airlines, in partnership with airport-based food and beverage operator OTG, enacted a plan to deploy 4,500 iPads to restaurants at three of their airport hubs, in an effort to speed up the food and drink ordering process for travelers. The fi rst phase started in late August with 250 iPads set up at three restaurant locations inside the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The iPads feature intuitive visual menus that you can use to order customized meals. Travelers will also be able to check fl ight statuses and log into social media networks while at the table.
iStatsNews, Stats,
Tidbits, & more
DavidCEO and Publisher“I want Apple to introduce third-party apps for the Ap-ple TV, and a new iMac!”
What Tech Gift Are You Hoping to
Receive This Year?
Around the
Offi ce
RaphChief Technology Offi cer“A 3D printer, all the way. That way I could manufac-ture all of those obnoxious little screws or plastic parts of my gadgets that break so frequently.”
NinaAssociate Editor“I’d love to fi nd the Logi-tech S715i Speaker waiting for me under the Christmas tree. It’s gotten rave reviews for its superb sound quality, portability, and great price. Santa, are you listening?”
MargeAd Sales Manager“I am hoping my bosses will upgrade my iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 5.”
TomAd Sales Specialist“I’m hoping for a Thunder-bolt drive. I like to do fresh OS installs when they are released, and moving GBs of photos and movies through a traditional USB drive is anything but expedi-ent. It’s all about speed and reliability for me.”
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 13
QUICK NEWSDon’t Use That Kind of Language HereBack in August, Gizmodo published a leaked training manual for their in-store Apple Geniuses (specially trained employ-ees who man the Genius Bar in every Ap-ple Retail Store). The confi dential manual offers a glimpse into Apple’s unique ap-proach to customer service. Among the many interesting revelations was a list of “banned” and “preferred” words for Ge-
niuses to follow when describing a particular problem. Geniuses are encouraged to use the phrase “does not respond” instead of “crash,” and they are told to avoid calling a product “incompatible“; instead they should say it “does not work with” a particular program or accessory. A recent poll conducted by NPD Group found that almost 60 percent of Apple customers are more likely to purchase another product from Apple following an interaction with their technical support.
Dude, Where’s My iPhone? Using iCloud’s Find My iPhone feature, police in San Francisco tracked down two robbers who’d just stolen an iPhone from an individual in Ocean View. The confl ict led to a chase through a nearby church and elementary school, where police were able to apprehend additional suspects hiding in a car, along with other allegedly stolen smartphones. Apple’s Find My iPhone feature has led to the re-covery of many stolen iPhones and iPads, but the feature isn’t foolproof—if you turn the iPhone off, you can’t track it through GPS.
PUBLISHER AND CEODavid Averbach • [email protected]
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICERRaphael Burnes • [email protected]
EDITOR IN CHIEFAlex Cequea • [email protected]
SENIOR EDITOR AND FOUNDERHal Goldstein • [email protected]
ASSOCIATE EDITORNina Benjamin • [email protected]
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS & WRITERS See page 8
ART DIRECTORJaime Thatcher • [email protected]
COVER DESIGNGeorge Foster • [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATORMarge Enright • [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES SPECIALISTSJanet Joyce • [email protected] Moccia • [email protected]
MARKETING INTERNChris Younger • [email protected]
CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUBSCRIPTIONS For address changes or subscription questions, visit www.iphonelife.com/custom-erservice, email [email protected], or call 847-763-4940.
CONTRIBUTE To write for iPhone Life magazine or iphonelife.com, visit www.iphonelife.com/share.
ADVERTISETo advertise in iPhone Life, call 641-472-9962, fax 641-472-1879, or visit www.iphonelife.com/advertise.
PUBLICIZE YOUR PRODUCT Send press releases, join our vendor network, and submit products for review at www.iphonelife.com/getpublicity.
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NEWSSTAND COORDINATOR Carl Kopf & Associates 203-944-9466
iPhone Life (ISSN 1949-2014) is published bi-monthly, 6 times a year, Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec by Mango Life Media at 402 North B St. #108, Fairfield, IA 52556, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Fairfield, Iowa, and at additional mailing offices. Sub-scription rates payable in U.S. dollars, checks drawn on a U.S. bank, or by credit card—one year: $15.97, two years: $24.97. Postage: United States free; Canada and Mexico add $6 per year; outside North America, add $18 per year. Please allow four to six weeks for receipt of first issue. Executive, Editorial, Circulation, Advertising, Marketing Offices: 402 North B St. #108, Fairfield, IA 52556. Telephone: 641-472-6330, Fax: 641-472-1879. © Copyright 2012 , Mango Life Media, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Reasonable efforts are made to provide ac-curate and useful information, but the reader must make his or her own investigations and decisions; the Publisher and Editorial Staff cannot assume any responsibility or liability for the use of information contained herein.POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to iPhone Life, Mango Life Media, 402 North B St. #108, Fairfield, IA 52556.Cover Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/pepifoto
MOM: How’s the new digs?ME: Mom…digs? What does that even MEAN?MOM: How’s your new house?ME: But…what’s a digMOM: What, is that ANOTHER thing that no one says anymore?????
MOM: HiME: Hello! How’s your new phone?MOM: Love itME: What did you get?MOM: Smart phoneME: What kind?MOM: No clue
These and more hilarious texts are available in the book When Parents Text ($10.95, amazon.com), and on whenparentstext.com.
When Parents Text
©iStockphoto.com/EricHood
14 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Send us a clever caption for the iPhunnies cartoon above, and we’ll feature our favorite entries in the next issue. The winner will receive a small prize! Send all captions to
“Your caption here”
Illustration by Mikaila Maidment, mikailamaidmentart.blogspot.com
Say Hello to iPhone 5!Apple Announces New iPhone and iPod touch with iOS 6
by Jim Karpen
A fter months of frenzied anticipation, on September 12, Apple announced the iPhone 5, a new iPod touch, EarPods, and the availability of iOS 6 (see sidebar on p.17 for more info). As the date approached, market
analysts were saying that the iPhone 5 could end up being the largest consumer product launch in history, with 10-12 million units expected to be sold by the end of September.
The new phone has a 4-inch screen, is thinner and lighter, and has a new camera, speaker, and dock connector. Under the hood, it has a faster processor and 4G LTE data speeds, mean-ing a faster Internet connection.
The trend in smart-phones has been to-ward a larger size, so Apple opted to bump up its standard 3.5-inch screen to a gen-erous 4 inches. The larger screen makes the phone taller, but the width remains the same, so it’s still easy to hold in your hand. The result is a new 16:9 aspect ratio, the same as a high-defini-
tion TV and ideal for widescreen movies. The resolution is an impressive 1136 x 640. And the new display isn’t just larger: it has 44% more color saturation than the iPhone 4S and is less prone to glare.
The home screen can now accommodate an extra row of app icons, and all of Apple’s apps, including iLife, iWork, iPhoto, and GarageBand, have been rewritten to take advantage of the additional screen space.
But don’t fret—your third-party apps will work just fine on the new screen. Until developers tweak them to take advantage of the added real estate, they’ll simply have a small black border on the bottom and top of the app (or on the sides in landscape orientation).
The body of the phone is now thinner and lighter, with an aluminum back (slate-colored on the black model, silver on the white model) instead of glass. The touch sensors are now built into the display itself rather than being in a separate layer, mak-ing the display 33% thinner. At 7.6 mm thick and 112 grams, the iPhone 5 is 18% thinner and 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S.
The iPhone 5, like the new iPad with Retina display, has 4G LTE connectivity. That means that if you access the Internet when you’re out and about, email downloads and web access will be much faster. Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint are building 4G LTE net-works, and 4G LTE is already available in many cities nationwide.How fast is it? Speeds vary widely, but in general, it’s faster than your Wi-Fi at home. Download speeds can be as high as a blaz-ing 56 Mbps (according to PCWorld tests). Average download speeds range from 8–15 Mbps, which is still extremely fast.
The iPhone 5’s A6 processor offers twice the speed and double the graphics performance of the iPhone 4S.
The new phone has an 8-pin dock connector called Lightning that’s 80% smaller than the previous 30-pin connector. An in-teresting feature is that you can plug in your cable either side up, since the dock is orientation-independent.
iPhone 5: Larger Screen, Thinner, Faster, Lighter
4-Inch Screen
Thinner, Lighter Design & Aluminum Back
4G LTE Data Speeds
A6 Processor & Lightning Dock Connector
16 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Say Hello to iPhone 5!Apple Announces New iPhone and iPod touch with iOS 6
by Jim Karpen
What if you have accessories, such as a speaker dock, that are compatible with the previous 30-pin connector? Apple also announced a 30-pin-to-Lightning adapter for $29 that will be shipping in October.
The iPhone 5’s 8-megapixel iSight camera has some great new features. Dynamic Low Light Mode combines pixels in the dark so that your camera performs much better in low light. The phone also has a new signal processor in the A6 chip that improves low-light images and captures photos faster. Other camera features include precision lens adjustment and a Sapphire crystal.
An amazing new feature is the ability to take 28-megapixel panoramic photos simply by sweeping a scene. The camera takes the photos and stitches them together in real time.
The camera also takes 1080p video and now has improved stabilization. It includes face detection for up to 10 people. And you can take photos while shooting video.
The front camera is now also high definition at 720p, and you can do FaceTime over a 3G connection.
Even though features such as a larger screen and LTE con-nectivity take a lot more power, the iPhone 5 makes up for it with a longer battery life. You get 8 hours of talk time, 8 hours of LTE web browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video, 40 hours of music, and 225 hours on standby.
The iPhone 5 has three microphones: bottom, front, and back. The speaker takes up 20% less space, yet has been given a boost in power, with 5 magnets compared to the previous 2. It also has improved noise canceling and a feature called “widescreen audio” that makes voices sound more natural.
The iPhone 5 follows the pricing model of its predecessors: $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for
64GB, with a two-year contract. The 16 GB iPhone 4 will now be free and the 16 GB will start at $99 with a two-year contract.
Apple also an-nounced new iPods, including an iPod touch with a 4-inch, 1136-by-640-pixel screen just like its iPhone brethren. And it, too, is thinner and lighter than before. Unlike the iPhone, though, the touch has been spiffed up with a variety of new colors.
It also comes with the new Lightning dock connector, and now has a faster A5 processor, with graphics performance up to 7 times faster. It has a 5-megapixel camera and shoots 1080p video.
Best of all, the new iPod touch comes with Siri. Prices are $299 for the 32GB model and $399 for 64GB.
The iPhone 5 and new iPod touch will come with EarPods, a completely redesigned set of headphones. They fit better, have greatly improved sound quality, and feature an improved remote for adjusting volume and answering calls. �
Cameras
Longer Battery Life
Speakers & Microphones
iPod Touch
Price
Maps gives turn-by-turn directions out loud and has a 3D image of the road ahead. Flyover shows aerial 3D images of a city. Other features in-clude live traffic updates, rerouting around traffic, and Yelp integration.
Passbook conveniently gathers digital coupons, airline tickets, and other vouchers offered by third-party apps in one place.
Siri adds information related to sports, movies, and restau-rants, and posts directly to Facebook and Twitter.
Do Not Disturb in Settings suppresses incoming calls and notifications, or can let through calls from specific people.
When you receive a call, you can swipe to reveal two options:• Reply with Message automatically sends a text mes-sage to the caller.• Remind Me Later has options such as “In 1 hour” and “When I get home.”
iOS 6 Highlights
EarPods
Jim Karpen, Ph.D, is on faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. He has been writing about the revolutionary consequences of computer technol-ogy since 1994. His Ph.D dissertation anticipated the Internet revolution. His site, jimkarpen.com, contains selected regular columns written for The Iowa Source. [email protected].
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 17
18 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
iPhone 5: Should You Buy It? by David Averbach
T he most surprising element of Apple’s iPhone 5 announcement was the com-plete lack of surprise. Whether by de-
sign or negligence, the famously secretive Apple left little room for imagination. By the time the new iPhone rose from the floor of the Yerba Buena stage, everyone had already seen it in dozens of leaked photos.
Despite the lack of surprise that typically accompanies an iPhone announcement, the iPhone 5 is still a significant step forward for Apple. As Phil Schiller said in his keynote and Jony Ive drilled home in the promo video, the iPhone 5 is the best iPhone yet.
While the iPhone versus Android debate will be fought until the end of time, I feel that the iPhone 5 is exciting enough to keep those in the iPhone camp firmly rooted there. The thin-ner form factor and the brushed aluminum back are almost certainly sexy enough to sway those who are still on the fence. For those who drink the Apple Kool-Aid, the iPhone 5 is without a doubt the greatest smartphone in the world.
Apple has continued their practice of selling the previous-generation iPhone at a discount-ed rate. While the low sticker value is appeal-ing, I strongly advise spending the extra $100 for the iPhone 5. Considering it can cost over $1,000 per year for a phone plan, it’s worth the initial investment to have the latest and greatest technology. Also, the greater resale value of the newest phone actually makes it a better investment in the long run.
While picking between iPhone and Android is easier than picking your favorite Spice Girl (they were all so great!), deciding whether or not to upgrade from your 4S is little bit harder (if you still have a 3GS or even an iPhone 4, don’t walk—run to the nearest Apple store to pick up the iPhone 5.) It really depends on how you use your phone. For many, upgrading may not be worth the investment.
If you’re a power user who uses the phone all day, then upgrading is a no-brainer. The
increased battery life and the 4G LTE will definitely be worth it, as will the improved screen size and resolution. The iPhone 5 is also a must have for iPhone gamers; the A6 chip makes it twice as fast the iPhone 4S.
If you’re a casual user, the improved specs probably won’t make a huge difference. The biggest factors would be how you feel about a larger screen, and whether you live in an area with 4G. If you feel indifferent (or worse) about the larger screen and don’t live in an area with 4G, you’ll probably be just as happy sticking with your iPhone 4S. The improved specs are nice, but not a necessity.
While Apple will market the larger screen as a “revolutionary breakthrough,” many experts speculate that the shift was a design com-promise, rather than a feature upgrade. 4G components are larger than 3G components, so Apple may have been forced to make the screen larger in order to make them fit along-side a larger battery.
The question is, will people view the in-creased size as an added benefit? Or will they be frustrated by it? I’m a bit concerned about not being able to reach the whole screen with my thumb, and I’m not looking forward to hav-ing a larger phone in my pocket.
While the Apple announcement contained the usual marketing hyperbole, the event somehow lacked the exhilaration that earlier iPhone announcements had aroused. There are no surprises anymore—no “one more thing” tidbits to close the events with Apple-induced euphoria. I think it’s time to adjust our expectations, and start thinking about Apple like, well… every other company. That doesn’t make the iPhone 5 any less great, though. �
To Buy or Not to Buy?
David Averbach is the CEO and Publisher of iPhone Life magazine. David has an obsession with all things Ap-ple. He grew up on Macs and now has a MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and an Apple TV. David enjoys traveling and Ultimate Frisbee. He has been to over 20 countries. To contact David, email him at [email protected].
Should You Upgrade?
The Great Screen Debate
One More Thing
20 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 21
22 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
T he iPhone and iPad are incredible devices, but rarely do we get to experience their full range of power. Most people are content just knowing the basic functionality. Since you’re reading iPhone Life, I’m guessing you’re
not in that boat. Please enjoy this small collection of tips and tricks to help you unleash the hidden power of your iDevice.
Access Audio Con-trols from Locked ScreenIf you’re listening to music on your iPhone or iPad, you can ac-
cess the music controls from the locked screen if you double-click the home but-ton. The music controls will appear along the top of the screen, giving you easy access to music playback buttons such as volume, rewind, skip, or pause. The
controls work with the built-in Music app as well as with popular music players like Pandora and Spotify.
Don’t Lock Yet! Your iDevice auto-locks after one min-ute of inactivity. If this is too short for you, you can length-
en the amount of time it takes for your device to lock automatically. Simply go to Settings>General>Auto-Lock, and se-lect the length you prefer.
Forward Incoming CallsThere are a couple of ways to forward incom-ing calls to another number, depending on your carrier. If you’re a Verizon or Sprint user (CDMA), open the Phone app, enter *73 fol-lowed by the number you wish to forward
calls to, then tap Call. To turn off Call Forwarding, enter *73, then tap Call. If you’re an AT&T user, open Settings>Phone>Call Forwarding, turn on Call Forwarding, and on the “Forward to” screen, enter the number you wish to forward calls to.
Are You Using Bluetooth?When your device is paired with a Blue-tooth headset or key-board, a Bluetooth
icon will appear in the status bar along the top of the device. If the icon is a faded gray color, it means that Bluetooth is on, but the Bluetooth device is either out of range or turned off. Knowing this can save you some time if you’re having
trouble connecting. If Bluetooth is turned off, or if you’re not paired with any other device, no icon will appear.
Man, that’s a lot of contacts!I must admit that I discovered this by ac-cident. I was scrolling through my long list
of contacts, and it was taking me forever to scroll all the way to the end of the al-phabet. Then my finger slipped over the onscreen alphabet index, and I began to scroll super fast! It turns out that if you drag your finger over the alphabet index
inside Contacts, you will skip straight to the contacts at the be-ginning of each letter. This trick also works with songs and artists inside the Music app.
Search for Every-thingOnce you start ac-cumulating apps and music, it can be hard to find what
you’re looking for. To search your device for specific songs, app names, con-tacts, and more, swipe to the right or press the Home button from the Home Screen and the Spotlight Search feature will appear. Once you start typing the
name of the item you’re looking for, it’ll pop up underneath. Spotlight Search can also search through email subjects, notes,
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Tips + Tricks 10 Ways to Get the Most From Your iphone and ipad
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iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 23
reminders, messages, and more. To edit what Spotlight Search can access, open Settings>General>Spotlight Search, and un-check the sections you want to make unsearchable.
The Power of the Double-TapDouble-tapping is a forgotten trick that can come in handy when you’re browsing the web with Safari. If you visit a webpage and want to zoom in and out quickly, double-tap the page and you’ll instantly zoom. You can also double-tap words on the page to select them.
Add to the Reading ListIf you’re reading an article in Sa-fari and want to
save it for later, tap the action button (it looks like a rectangle with an arrow coming out), and tap “Add to Reading List.” The article will appear under Bookmarks>Reading List. If you wish to add a link, simply tap and hold the link until the option appears. Book-marks and reading lists are synced across devices through iCloud.
Customize iMes-sage SettingsYou can receive iMes-sages with a different email address than the one tied to your
Apple ID. To add another email address, open Settings>Messages>Receive at> Add Another Email. You can also choose whether you want your phone number or iMessage email address to show up in the recipient’s Caller ID.
Search Text MessagesIf you are looking for a specific detail inside a text message, it can be a chore to look through pages and pages of conversations. Thankfully, there’s a hidden search feature in the Messages app. From the main Messages
window, tap the top of the screen, and a search bar will appear. Every conversation containing the searched word will appear below, and tapping on a conversation will take you directly to the right place in the chat.
Check Out the Digital MagazinesLast year Apple introduced a new App Store category called Newsstand. They also cre-ated a special Newsstand icon on the Home Screen that makes it easy to access your magazine subscriptions. There are two ways
to access Newsstand: you can open the App Store and go to
the Newsstand category, or open the Newsstand icon from the Home Screen and tap on Store. Either way, you’ll see a large list of publications avail-able for download, including The New York Times, The Daily, and of course, iPhone Life magazine. All publications in Newsstand are free to download, but they require in-app subscriptions in or-der to read content. Subscription costs vary from publisher to publisher. Digital magazines are continually evolving to
take advantage of the latest technology. Happy reading! �
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Alex Cequea is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. He holds an MBA in Sus-tainable Business, and he writes and speaks about mobile technology, authenticity and creating a more inter-connected world. He enjoys tennis, sustainability, public speaking, and climbing mango trees. You can contact him at [email protected].
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iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 25
BEST
APPS
very year, we at iPhone Life take on the strenuous (but fun!) task of surveying tons of apps and accessories so that we can present the cream of the crop to you, our faithful readers. We scrutinize user reviews. We compare prices and popularity. We geek out over sales numbers. We test apps, cases, speakers, and headphones for hours on end. So here they are: the best of the best in over 35 different categories, handpicked specially for you.
Whether you’re an iOS newbie or have been fi ddling with iDevices for years, we hope that you’ll fi nd some fun and useful new tidbits in the following pages. e
2012 BUYERS' GUIDE
OUR TOP 5 APPS OF THE YEAR
At iPhone Life headquarters, we see a lot of apps. So when there’s one that we keep coming back to again and again, we take notice. Here are our top fi ve most-used, can’t-live-without, favorite apps of the year (in no particular order):
Instagram (Free, app2.me/3183) This mobile photography community of 80 million users made a big splash earlier in the year when it was acquired by Facebook. Use it to add cool fi lters to your photos, share them, and com-ment on your friends’ masterpieces.
Mint (Free, app2.me/2711) If you’re into per-sonal fi nance and don’t use Mint yet, then you’re in for a treat. Mint’s award-winning app, in combination with Mint.com, allows you to track expenses, create a budget, and manage your fi nances from the palm of your hand.
Clear ($2.99, app2.me/4968) Clear is possibly the most satisfying to-do list app in the App Store. Flick, swipe, and pinch your way through quick lists with this super-sleek, streamlined app.
Flipboard (Free, app2.me/3473) If you want a continuous stream of personalized news content, Flipboard is the way to go. It syncs with your Twit-ter and Facebook accounts and turns your news stream into a beautifully laid-out magazine.
Tiny Wings ($0.99, app2.me/3739) Long after its initial release, Tiny Wings continues to win us over. This simple, one-tap game will make the hours “fl y by” (is that the Pun Police at my house?), and it features different graphics every day that you play.
THE BEST APPS AND GEAR OF THE YEAR
26 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
GET YOUR GAME ON
Temple Run: Brave ($0.99, app2.me/5136) In this sequel to Temple Run, you can play as Meri-da, the title character from the Disney/Pixar movie Brave. Jump, slide, and shoot your way through an endless path and outrun that hungry bear!
Jetpack Joyride (Free, app2.me/4317) This action-packed game has incredibly simple con-trols. Tap to boost your jetpack, and try to capture coins while avoiding missiles and other obsta-cles. Score new jetpacks and other bonuses as the game progresses.
Where’s My Perry? ($0.99, app2.me/5138) This sequel to Where’s My Water? builds on the origi-nal water puzzler idea, but expands it to include different water states such as steam and ice.
Agent Dash (Free, app2.me/5148) Sprint your way through enemy bases and destroy what you can using your secret agent skills. Dodge, slide, and jump past hazards to stay alive.
Tiny Tower (Free, app2.me/4323) Build the tower of your dreams, and manage the day-to-day lives of the “bitizens” inhabiting it. You can also see what others are building through the Game Center.
The King of Fighters-i 2012. ($6.99, app2.me/5139) In the style of traditional arcade fi ghting games, King of Fighters features 32 characters, several single player options, and a Versus mode to play with others over a Wi-Fi connection.
Draw Something ($2.99, app2.me/4982) This turn-based drawing game brought back the fun of Pictionary to the masses. Get paired up with Facebook and Twitter friends, or fi nd random partners.
Words With Friends (Free, app2.me/2499) 20 million people can’t be wrong, right? Words With Friends is another turn-based game resembling the classic board game Scrabble. You can play up to 20 simultaneous games.
Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy ($4.99, app2.me/5140) Rule the skies in this second-to-none air combat game. You can play solo or invite your friends to participate in cooperative or competi-tive missions.
Cut the Rope: Experiments ($0.99, app2.me/4672) This offshoot of Cut The Rope has you feeding candy to Om Nom as part of a set of curi-ous experiments conducted by a science profes-sor. It’s as deliciously addictive as the original.
DragonVale (Free, app2.me/4746) Face it, you’ve always wanted to raise and care for an adorable dragon. Win prizes, build your dream island, and delight your visitors—just don’t turn it into Jurassic Park.
Spy vs Spy ($0.99, app2.me/5141) Based on the ’80s video game version, Spy vs Spy comes back as an updated favorite. Escape the embas-sy, avoid traps, and don’t let the time run out! Features online and local multiplayer support.
Crow ($2.99, app2.me/5151) Crow takes you to a faraway land where you can battle and ex-plore. A story-driven action game with stunning graphics, it’ll leave you awestruck and visually satisfi ed.
MUST HAVE!Angry Birds Space ($0.99, app2.me/5137) This follow-up to the successful Angry Birds series is out of this world, literally. New birds, new levels, zero-gravity trick shots, and more. If you only get one game, this should be it.
Where's My Water ($0.99, app2.me/4319) Disney’s physics-based puzzler debuted last year to much fanfare, and has remained a favorite among iPhone users. The goal is to fi ll Swampy’s bathtub with water, but that’s easier said than done.
Fruit Ninja ($0.99, app2.me/3013) Ready for kick-ass juicy fun? Slash and dash your way through lemons, watermelons, ap-ples, and more. This instant classic makes you realize how simple and fun iPhone and iPad games can be.
Tiny Wings ($0.99, app2.me/3739) Oh, the shame. He’s a bird, but he can’t fl y. Luckily, he’s got hills, and he’s got you to help. Get ready for addicting and challeng-ing fun.
BEST
APPS
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 27
BEST
APPSFlick Champions World Edition ($0.99, app2.me/5142) If you’re looking for simple, engaging fun, look no further. Flick your way to gold in Vol-leyball, Handball, Kayaking, or any of the other fi ve featured sports.
Shellrazer ($0.99, app2.me/5143) Taking a turtle through an annual global trek may not sound like much fun, but when you add goblin archers, massive guns, and mutant monsters to the mix, that changes things.
Walking Dead: The Game ($4.99, app2.me/5144) In this fi ve-part episodic game series, you are Lee Everett, a man trying to protect an orphaned girl in a world of zombies and chaos. A rich and complex gaming experience.
Fieldrunners 2 ($2.99, app2.me/5145) Follow-ing in the classic tradition of Tower Defense games, this sequel to Fieldrunners has you once again building epic mazes of weaponry to defend the world from invaders.
Offroad Legends ($0.99, app2.me/5146) This game features monster trucks, 4x4 off-roaders, and six-wheeled behemoths set in a vivid envi-ronment with impressive graphics. Try mastering all 56 tracks.
Scribblenauts Remix ($0.99, app2.me/4756) Think up and create objects, then use them to help Maxwell acquire the Starite. Let your imag-ination run wild; there are unlimited solutions with different outcomes for each puzzle!
Minecraft – Pocket Edition ($6.99, app2.me/5147) Although it can’t compare to its desktop counterpart, this mobile game packs a punch. Build anything you can imagine, and invite friends over a local Wi-Fi connection.
Doodle Jump ($0.99, app2.me/134) This one never seems to get old. Just help Doodle the Doodler land on springy platforms, and pick up jetpacks, rockets, and propeller hats as you pass other players’ high scores.
Infi nity Blade II ($2.99, app2.me/4320) In this award-winning game, you’ll fi nd yourself im-mersed in a fantastic story of champions and villains, fi ghting dynamic battles in a beautiful 3D world.
Tetris ($0.99, app2.me/5149) We love to see the classics reimagined. Play traditional modes, or explore One-Touch Marathon, Tetris Galaxy, Tetris Log, and Tetris Rank.
Beat Sneak Bandit ($2.99, app2.me/5150) Duke Clockface has stolen all the clocks in the world. Not only is this inconvenient, but now you have to steal them back. Everything in the games moves rhythmically, so choose your taps carefully.
Osmos ($2.99, app2.me/2729) This game can only be described as mesmerizingly awesome. Explore stunning and peculiar worlds as you try to grow by gobbling up smaller motes. Different environments call for different strategies.
World of Goo ($2.99, app2.me/4896) Another beautiful and well-crafted game, World of Goo oozes personality and innovation. Get to know the Goo Balls, and help them uncover the mys-teries of this world.
Carcassonne ($9.99, app2.me/3447) Build a medieval landscape one tile at a time, and play with up to fi ve friends on the same device. Play against nine different AI players or take turns with players online. �
The average number of hours per month spent playing games on an iPhone.
23% of tablet gamers pay for virtual goods, spending an average of $62 per year.
There are 101 million mobile gamers in the U.S., 69% of whom play on smart-phones and 21% on tablets.
MOBILE GAMING STATS
14.7 HOURS 101 MILLION$62
GET YOUR GAME ONFlick Champions World Edition me/5142fun, look no further. Flick your way to gold in Vol-
BEST
APPS
28 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
PHOTO AND VIDEO
8mm Vintage Camera ($1.99, app2.me/4618) Travel back in time to capture a nostalgic past. Add old fi lm lenses and effects, and create your own retro reel. The app supports 720P HD vid-eo recording.
Viddy (Free, app2.me/5155) Viddy is a video community reminiscent of the Instagram photo community. Record, edit, and share your videos, and explore videos from other users. The app features video, music, and transition effects.
Snapseed ($4.99, app2.me/4057) Snapseed is another amazing photo editing and sharing app. It features a vast array of cool fi lters and effects, plus the ability to auto-correct images with one tap.
SpacePaint ($0.99, app2.me/5152) SpacePaint adds magical light effects to your photos. You can control the specifi c type of effects and combinations. Create complex light refractions, bolts of electricity, and more.
InstaCollage Pro ($0.99, app2.me/5153) Choose from hundreds of features to make your picture collage stand out. You can add text and edit individual photos without leaving the app.
InstaPicFrame Pro ($0.99, app2.me/5154) Like InstaCollage Pro, This app lets you add text to images and features multiple framing options. In addition to easy sharing through Instagram, you can share through Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr.
Diptic ($0.99, app2.me/3462) With Diptic’s el-egant collage templates, you can add up to fi ve photos to one collage, and the editing features give you an insane amount of control over the tiniest frame or image details.
Pro HDR ($1.99, app2.me/4137) Pro HDR gives you gorgeous, full-resolution HDR images with one tap. It supports front and rear cameras, and also features a nifty set of fi lters for additional photo editing.
360 Panorama (Free, app2.me/3582) Turn your iDevice into an immersive panoramic camera with 360 Panorama. To use, simply pan the camera around, and watch as the app stiches the images together.
WordFoto ($1.99, app2.me/4218) WordFoto is overfl owing with artistic awesomeness. Turn any image into a collage of user-selected words. The app features several themes with pre-determined word fonts and styles.
Slow Shutter Cam ($0.99, app2.me/3600) This is a fun one to play with. With Slow Shutter Cam you can create mini time-lapse effects and cool visuals out of ordinary shots.
MUST HAVE!Camera+ ($0.99, app2.me/2583) Consis-tently one of the top-selling camera apps in the App Store, Camera+ features doz-ens of incredible effects, a photo stabi-lizer, standard cropping options, multiple frames, and much more.
Instagram (Free, app2.me/3183) This photo community of 80 million users shows no signs of slowing down. Upload your photos, edit with cool fi lters and ef-fects, and share. Then follow your friends’ and favorite celebrities’ photos!
iMovie ($4.99, app2.me/2551) This lite version of iMovie for Mac lets you cre-ate HD quality movies on the go. Choose from eight built-in themes; add photos, music, and sound effects; and publish di-rectly to YouTube or Vimeo.
BEST
APPS
DID YOU KNOW?There’s an app that will keep track of your iPhone photo stats and create beautiful infographics out of them. Perfect for stat geeks, PhotoStats ($0.99, photostatsapp.com) will record the time and location of your photos, along with your “most productive” photo-taking days, your preferred camera settings, and more.
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 29
PRODUCTIVITY & ORGANIZATION
Pages ($9.99, app2.me/2412) Specifi cally de-signed for the iPhone and iPad, Pages brings the full power of word processing into your pocket. Open and edit Microsoft Word fi les, export fi les as PDFs, and much more.
iStudiez Pro ($0.99, app2.me/129) iStudiez Pro helps you get organized in every aspect of the student lifestyle. Track your grades, GPA, home-work assignments, and more. The app features a robust built-in organizer and alerts.
iThoughts ($7.99, app2.me/2424; iPad version: $9.99, app2.me/3800) This mind-mapping tool is versatile and robust. You can import and ex-port maps from many desktop mind-mapping programs, and sync with Dropbox, Box.net, and others.
1Password Pro ($14.99, app2.me/2606) If you lead an active online lifestyle, you no doubt have plenty of passwords and usernames. 1Password Pro securely stores your passwords, and lets you sign into your various accounts with one tap.
Genius Scan+ ($2.99, app2.me/5161) This inge-nious app turns your iPhone into a portable scan-ner. Simply take a picture of a document—a form, receipt, book page, whiteboard, whatever!—and export it via email as a JPEG or PDF fi le.
Awesome Note ($3.99, app2.me/220) This re-cent Apple Store Hall of Fame inductee is an organizing powerhouse. This full-featured app keeps track of your calendar and to-do lists, and lets you quickly add notes.
Dragon Dictation (Free, app2.me/111) This voice-recognition app claims to be fi ve times faster than typing on a keyboard. Simply speak and this app will type emails, Twitter updates, notes, and more with incredible accuracy.
LogMeIn (Free, app2.me/5162) Need remote access to your Mac or PC? LogMeIn is the app for you. Get full access to your desktop or laptop through this secure app, and never lose connection to important fi les or docs.
Penultimate (iPad only: $0.99, app2.me/3212) Take handwritten notes, create original sketch-es, and more with this bestselling note-taking tool for the iPad. Integrates with Dropbox and Evernote, and exports notes as PDF fi les.
MUST HAVE!Clear ($2.99, app2.me/4968) When nearly half of iPhone Life magazine’s staff is us-ing the same app, that says something. Clear is an ultra-simple list app with a slick interface. Minimalism wins, big-time. Evernote (Free, app2.me/130) Evernote is a multi-faceted app that helps you re-member and organize pretty much ev-erything in your life. Save notes as audio, text, or images. Your data syncs across all device platforms.
Dropbox (Free, app2.me/127) Dropbox lets you store your documents, photos, and more across many devices and plat-forms. It also features offl ine viewing for easy access when you don’t have an on-line connection.
BEST
APPS
OUR TAKE“While I realize that the iPhone is primarily a communica-tions device, I’m always surprised at the number of people who don’t take advantage of its built-in productivity fea-tures. Reminders, Calendar, Camera, Notes, and Siri alone can whip you into super-productive shape.” -Alex, Editor in Chief
APPLE’S PRODUCTIVITY SUITEIf you want to take full advantage of mobile productivity and iCloud, check out Apple’s signature productivity apps. Along with Pages (featured above), Apple’s iWork suite of apps includes Numbers ($9.99, app2.me/2480), a robust spread-sheet program, and Keynote ($9.99, app2.me/2481), a presentation program. The two are comparable to Excel and PowerPoint on a Windows PC. In addition to letting you edit and create docs from your mobile device, these three programs sync with iCloud, so you can continue working on docs from your Mac or another iOS device.
30 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 31
MUSIC
MUST HAVE!
Spotify (Free for 48 hours, $9.99 monthly subscription, spotify.com) I must admit I’ve only recently gotten hooked to this nifty music player. Access millions of songs and play them whenever and wherever you want.
Shazam (Free, app2.me/2812) You know when you hear a song you like, but you have no idea what it is? Shazam will tell you! After hearing the song for a few seconds, the app will magi-cally give you the name of the song, the artist, and even the lyrics.
Ultimate Guitar Tabs ($2.99, app2.me/2805) If you’re a guitar player, Ultimate Guitar Tabs is an indispensable tool. Get guitar, bass, and drums tabs for pretty much any song you’ve ever heard. The app also has an auto-scroll fea-ture for playing on the go, and additional pro features available as in-app purchases.
GarageBand ($4.99, app2.me/3798) There’s no better app for unleashing your musical creativ-ity, especially if you have no music experience whatsoever. The GarageBand app for iPhone and iPad is incredibly versatile and works well for experienced and novice musicians alike. Play dozens of instruments and create studio-quality songs and beats from the palm of your hand.
Djay ($0.99, app2.me/5163; iPad version: $19.99, app2.me/3481) Turn your iDevice into a virtual turntable. You can perform live, record mixes for later use, or use the Automix mode, which creates mixes from your favorite playlist automatically. Features mixer, tempo, and EQ controls; high-quality scratching; pitch-bend; and AirPlay integration.
Pandora (Free, app2.me/2410) Pandora has become the standard in free Inter-net radio. It’s the quickest way to get the music started, and the mobile app works great on road trips. Choose a genre or favorite artist, and let Pandora do the rest.
BEST
APPS
SOCIAL MEDIAStatus Shuffl e for Facebook ($0.99, app2.me/5164) Status Shuffl e saves you the headache (and anxiety) of coming up with memorable sta-tus updates to post on Facebook. Choose from a huge database of funny, sad, and crazy statuses and post directly from within the app.
Skype (Free, app2.me/2378; iPad version: app2.me/4076) If Pandora is the standard for free Internet radio, then Skype is the standard for video calling. Call or instant message any-one on Skype for free, and save your minutes. Skype for iPhone and iPad works over Wi-Fi and 3G networks.
Pinterest (Free, app2.me/4377) This online pin-board curator exploded in popularity in 2012. Pin and share your daily inspirations in every area of life, from places to visit around the world to songs stuck in your head. The app lets you follow other users and integrates with your iDe-vice’s camera for instant pinning gratifi cation.
WhatsApp Messenger ($0.99, app2.me/3427) With WhatsApp Messenger, you can send vid-eo, images, voice notes, and group texts to your contacts for free (they also need to download the app). It’s perfect for international communi-cation, and contacts already using the app will show up automatically in your list of favorites.
My Followers on Instagram ($0.99, app2.me/5165) Ever wonder who has unfollowed you on Instagram? Well, wonder no more. With its sleek, simple design, this app will tell you who has unfollowed you and who’s not following you back, and will let you track new Instagram followers.
Tumblr (Free, app2.me/4518) This micro-blog-ging site is fi lled with all sorts of random good-ness. Use the Tumblr app to create and edit posts, and manage several blogs at once. You can also view and reply to messages, and get offl ine access to your micro-blogs.
32 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 33
BEST
APPSTRAVEL
MotionX-GPS Drive ($0.99, app2.me/249) This consistently top-ranked navigation app will get you to your destination without a hitch. It’s packed with great features, including live traf-fi c maps and speed limit display.
TripAdvisor (Free, app2.me/4098) Featuring over 60 million user reviews of hotels, restau-rants, and attractions, TripAdvisor is a must-check before making reservations or taking a trip.
GateGuru (Free, app2.me/290) While GateGu-ru offers up-to-date fl ight status info and a place to view your TripIt and KAYAK itineraries, where it truly shines is as a resource for airport ameni-ties. Check out terminal maps and over 30,000 reviews, photos, and tips from other travelers to fi nd the perfect restaurant or shop to visit on your layover.
Packing Pro ($2.99, app2.me/2955) Ever gotten to your destination and realized you’d forgotten to pack a swimsuit? This handy app keeps emer-gency trips to the store to a minimum. Create customizable packing lists from a catalog of over 800 items and enjoy stress-free travel ahead.
RoadAhead Highway Exit Finder (Free, app2.me/5214) This awesome app takes the guess-work out of road-trip pit stops. Automatically lo-cating you on the highway, RoadAhead displays upcoming exits by distance, listing rest areas, gas stations, restaurants, and more.
IN THE WILDOh, Ranger! Park Finder (Free, app2.me/5216) The most comprehensive database of U.S. parks and forests (national, state, and local), Oh, Ranger! is an indispensable resource for lovers of the outdoors. Choose from 30 activity categories to fi nd the perfect locale, then check out the in-app maps, park overviews, and more.
Army Survival for iPad/iPhone ($1.99, app2.me/2327) For outdoor adventurers, preparation and safety is key. This fi eld manual by the U.S. Army is an authoritative reference guide on survival in every type of climate. It includes invaluable info on tools, shelters, poisonous plants, and much more.
MotionX-GPS ($0.99, app2.me/2821) Over 10 million users can’t be wrong. For cyclists, hik-ers, runners, and other outdoor sports enthusi-asts, this GPS app—featuring nine map choices, track recording, waypoints, location sharing, and more—is unmatched in its genre.
Audubon Guides ($19.99, app2.me/5217) This beautiful nature app combines four of Audubon’s popular fi eld guides by including information and photos on over 3,000 species of North American birds, mammals, trees, and wildfl owers.
DID YOU KNOW?“I often have to catch connecting fl ights in a short window of time, so I rely on FlightTrack to show me my arrival and departure gates and a map of the airport. I can dash to my connection without skipping a beat; I’ve literally made fl ights because of it.” -David, CEO and Publisher
MUST HAVE!KAYAK (Free, app2.me/285) From com-paring prices to making reservations and everything in between, the KAYAK app handles all your travel needs. This essen-tial app makes it a breeze to search for fl ight, hotel, and car rental deals; book hotel rooms; and much more.
FlightTrack ($4.99, app2.me/4092; Pro version: $9.99, app2.me/288) Stay on top of every aspect of air travel with Flight-Track. Features include real-time arrival and departure statuses, live fl ight maps with weather radar overlay, and more. Upgrade to the Pro version for push alerts, airport terminal maps, and weather forecasts.
BEST
APPS
34 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
ENTERTAINMENT
Pocket God ($0.99, app2.me/100) In this epi-sodic microgame, you’re a god who controls every living aspect of primitive islanders stuck on a remote island. You can hit them with light-ning, create life, alter gravity, and more. Playing god is always a fun way to pass the time.
Moron Test ($0.99, app2.me/2755) These seemingly simple puzzles will make your brain do acrobatics. This patience-testing app features fi ve puzzle sections and global leaderboards and achievements to track your progress.
Tom Loves Angela ($0.99, app2.me/5157) Back-talking character apps grew in popularity last year. In this app, Talking Tom, one of the most popular characters, has found a new friend. Tell Tom what to tell Angela to woo her—but choose your words carefully, because she talks back.
Palm Reading Booth ($0.99, app2.me/5158) I see this app in your future… Palm Reading Booth takes a picture of your palm, and reveals your personal traits. Are you a leader? How many kids will you have? and so forth. It’s a fun pastime, especially when you try it with friends to see what comes up.
Someecards ($0.99, app2.me/5159) If you spend any amount of time on Facebook, you’ve probably seen these old-style postcards with funny (if sometimes crass) captions. Browse through popular categories, and send and re-ceive postcards through the app.
MUST HAVE!Akinator the Genie ($1.99, app2.me/5156) Akinator is a genie who can guess what real or fi ctional character you’re thinking of with unnerving accuracy after asking a set of questions. The app lets you add names and pictures of people you know, and sup-ports several languages.
BEST
APPS
BEST
APPSNEWS
MUST HAVE!
Downcast ($1.99, app2.me/5209) Downcast lets you subscribe and listen to podcasts with-out having to sync with iTunes. The app features Airplay support for sound and video, plus the ability to download manually or automatically. Podcast subscriptions sync with iCloud.
Prismatic: Always Interesting (Free, app2.me/5233) Like Flipboard, Prismatic creates a personalized news feed and layout based on your preferences and social network accounts. This stylish app makes it easy to discover and share new content.
The Daily for iPhone (Free with in-app subscrip-tion, app2.me/5208) This digital-only publication features new content on a daily basis, and it’s beautifully laid out with articles, pics, and info-graphics. You can subscribe for $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year. It’s the sister publication of The Daily app for iPad (free, app2.me/4051).
NextDraft (Free, app2.me/5210) Internet news addict Dave Pell distills the day’s top 10 news stories into bite-sized nuggets written with wit and insight. Cleanly designed and easy to read, this app is a quick and easy way to stay informed (and entertained).
Flipboard (Free, app2.me/3473) The award-winning Flipboard app has become the standard in personalized magazines. Flip through a gorgeous arrangement of customized news categories, along with your Facebook, Google+, and Twit-ter feeds. The app also makes it easy to share articles with your social networks.
BEST
APPS
WEATHERThe Weather Channel (Free, app2.me/2898) Powered by over 200 meteorologists and their TruPoint forecasting technology, The Weather Channel app is your essential weather app. The app’s background image changes to refl ect lo-cal weather conditions, and badges alert you to severe conditions.
MyRadar Weather Radar (Free, app2.me/4116; Pro version: $1.99, app2.me/4117) If you like to see exactly what’s happening around you, then this is the app for you. MyRadar displays a radar with animated weather conditions as they hap-pen. The Pro version is ad-free.
Weather Underground (Free, app2.me/4979) Weather Underground’s advantage over other apps is its extensive local weather coverage. The app features an interactive “Wundermap,” and like the other weather apps, it features push notifi cation alerts for severe weather.
AccuWeather for iPhone (Free, app2.me/2373) In addition to hourly, daily, and weekly weather forecasts, AccuWeather integrates with your iDe-vice’s Calendar app, so you can see the 15-day forecast without leaving your calendar. The app also features animated radar and satellite pics.
NOAA Hi-Def Radar ($1.99, app2.me/5211) This smooth and interactive weather app dis-plays vivid animated radar videos. You can control the loop speed and frame rate of each animation. The app also displays U.S. drought and wildfi re maps.
Weather Live ($1.99, app2.me/5212) When you open this app, you’re greeted by animations showing real-time weather conditions outside. The current temperature is an icon badge, so you can see it without even opening the app. The app also features hourly and weekly weath-er conditions.
FIND YOUR STATIONMost major news networks have their own apps with news content optimized for your iDevice. Look for apps from CNN, USA Today, The New York Times, NPR, and the BBC. Having one-tap access to your favorite news source is easier than visiting the news organization’s web site on a daily basis.
36 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
BOOKS
MUST HAVE!
iBooks (Free, app2.me/2403) Apple’s iBooks is a beautiful app that connects to the built-in iBookstore. Although I’ve found books on the Kindle app to be better priced, the experience of reading a book with iBooks is undoubtedly Apple-esque: sleek, stunning, and smooth.
Goodreads (Free, app2.me/5220) This commu-nity of 10 million loves to read and share book recommendations. Use the barcode scanner to add books to your “to-read” shelf, and write book reviews for others to comment on.
Wattpad eBook Reader (Free, app2.me/4931) This community of readers and writers has mil-lions of members. It’s a free marketplace for original fi ction, where you can discover and share new stories across many different catego-ries. Some of the app’s reading features include customizable auto-scroll speeds and text sizes.
Audiobooks (Free, app2.me/2953) Audiobooks features over 5,000 free classics, plus a premi-um selection (available via in-app purchase) of professionally narrated modern bestsellers. The newest update features the ability to put the player to sleep after the end of a book chapter.
OverDrive Media Console (Free, app2.me/3685) This app lets you access the digital catalogs of over 18,000 public, school, and college libraries around the world. You can “borrow” titles just like you do from your lo-cal library (you’ll need a library card), and the books disappear from your reading list when the lending period expires.
Kindle (Free, app2.me/2482)If you’re an avid reader, downloading Amazon’s Kindle app is a no-brainer. It syncs your book pur-chases, page locations, highlights, and notes across devices, and features cus-tomizable settings to make reading more enjoyable in any environment.
BEST
APPS
BEST
APPSFOOD & DRINK
MUST HAVE!
foodgawker (Free, app2.me/4947) Call it food porn, call it drool-worthy, call it whatever you want—this guilty-pleasure app is a brilliant fi x for visually inspired foodies. This mobile companion to foodgawker.com features photos and recipes from the best food bloggers around the world.
Hello Vino (Free, app2.me/4917) It’s like having a sommelier in your pocket! Hello Vino offers wine recommendations, reviews, pairings, and more, helping wine beginners and oenophiles alike keep track of their favorite bottles.
Veg Travel Guide ($2.99, app2.me/5195) Veg-etarians and vegans, rejoice! This handy app points you to the best veg-friendly dining spots around the world, so that you can enjoy explor-ing new cities without having to compromise your dietary preferences.
Food Network In the Kitchen ($1.99, app2.me/4249) For Food Network fans, this cooking app is a super-fun way to expand your culinary horizons. Search thousands of recipes by ingre-dient or chef—Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri, and Bobby Flay are just a few—then save your favorites, create shopping lists, watch how-to videos, and peruse user reviews.
Open Table (Free, app2.me/2737) Make reser-vations right from your iDevice at over 20,000 Open Table-enabled restaurants in the U.S. and Canada with this essential app for diners. Specify date, time, and party size, and Open Table will show you available tables at nearby restaurants—priceless for travelers!
Mixologist Drink Recipes ($0.99, app2.me/2648) Play bartender at your next soirée with the help of Mixologist, a comprehensive drink-recipe app. Try the “Liquor Cabinet” fea-ture, wherein you enter all the liquor and mixers you have on hand to fi nd out which cocktails you can make. Bottoms up!
Local Eats ($0.99, app2.me/242) Looking for the real-deal favorites, the local (or perhaps super-secret) spots—anything but your typical chain restaurant? Try this dining guide, featuring curated lists of the best U.S. and international restaurants based on reviews by magazines, newspapers, and food bloggers.
Epicurious (Free, app2.me/2637) Featuring over 30,000 recipes from notable chefs, food magazines, and cookbooks, Epicuri-ous offers a great selection of culinary de-lights for established foodies and beginner cooks. Save your favorite recipes, create shopping lists, and share recipes or lists with friends via email, Facebook, or Twitter.
BEST
APPS
ARTS & CULTUREClassical Music I (Free with $4.99 in-app pur-chase for full songs, app2.me/5198) and Clas-sical Music II ($4.99, app2.me/5199) Treat your-self to an aural extravaganza by downloading the full version of Classical Music I, featuring 120 classical masterpieces from the world’s most famous composers, then double the en-joyment by adding Volume II. Both apps work offl ine without Wi-Fi, and feature stunning mu-sic visualizations.
American Ballet Theatre ($1.99, app2.me/5197) Balletomanes from NYC and around the world will fi nd something to twirl about with this well-designed app, featuring the latest company news, dancer bios, casting schedules, and more.
Smithsonian Mobile (Free, app2.me/5196) Whether planning a trip to D.C. or just jonesing for your next museum fi x, the Smithsonian app will provide you with all the info you need. Find out about current exhibitions, go on audio tours, listen to podcasts, and more with this handy mobile guide.
Art ($0.99, app2.me/5092) A portable collection of over 200 famous artists’ major works, the Art app lets you learn about and enjoy visual mas-terpieces, whether at home or on the road. You can take quizzes, watch slideshows, and save your favorite paintings in a personal gallery.
38 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
BUSINESS & FINANCE
MUST HAVE!
PayPal (Free, app2.me/2401) Paypal is perfect for sending and receiving payments. Take a pic-ture of a check to deposit money to your PayPal account for free. It also features a “local” fea-ture, where you can see merchants that accept PayPal payments.
Square Card Reader (Free, app2.me/3735) Paired with the Square Card Reader (available at Square.com), this app is a fantastic way to accept credit card payments on your iPhone or iPad. Customers can sign by using their fi nger, and receive receipts via email.
My Weekly Budget ($0.99, app2.me/5175) My Weekly Budget is a simple and powerful app with one goal: to keep you below your weekly spending target. Set a weekly budget, and eas-ily update the app as the week passes. The app also compiles weekly spending summaries.
GoToMeeting (Free, app2.me/5176) Attend GoToMeetings and GoToWebinars on the go. Join and view presentations with one tap, and see who else is present at the meeting. Works over Wi-Fi and 3G connections, and now allows live questions.
Mint.com ($3.99, app2.me/2711) Mint is the ultimate personal fi nance tool. It syncs with investment and bank accounts, and lets you track your balances and transac-tions, check your personal budgets, and receive bill payment reminders.
BEST
APPS
TIP"Look for your bank’s dedicated mobile app. Almost every mayor bank chain has their own app, and through it you can usually deposit checks, check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, and more. I especially like the ability to make deposits by taking a picture of a check!" -Alex, Editor in Chief
BEST
APPSHOME & GARDEN
MUST HAVE!
Handy Man DIY ($1.99, app2.me/5167) Take the headache out of home improvement proj-ects with this feature-packed app. Store room measurements, create task and shopping lists, calculate estimates, watch and read tutorials, and more!
Mark On Call HD (iPad only: $1.99, app2.me/5168; iPhone version: $1.99, app2.me/5169) Think of Mark as your virtual interior designer. Enter each room’s square footage and furniture dimensions, then arrange items accordingly. You can even take pictures of fl ooring and fab-rics to add to any item or surface in the room—pretty cool!
Houzz Interior Design Ideas (Free, app2.me/5171) Design junkies, watch out—you’ll be hooked on this beautiful app, featuring over 600,000 hi-res photos of inspiring interiors. Browse by room, location, and style, and save your favorites to a virtual idea book.
Remodelista ($2.99, app2.me/5170) Browse and bookmark gorgeous interiors, then use the Steal This Look feature to replicate your faves. This design app also includes stylish do-it-your-self projects for those who are so inclined.
Garden Tracker ($1.99, app2.me/5172) Plan and design garden plots with this helpful app, then track your progress with handy reference tools. It comes loaded with 50 common veg-gies and herbs, and also lets you add your own.
Landscaper’s Companion ($4.99, app2.me/5173; iPad version: $4.99, app2.me/5174) A rich resource for beginning gardeners and expe-rienced landscapers alike, this app features info on over 25,000 plants, including trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and more. Great search feature, too!
iHandy Level Free (Free, app2.me/5166) Anyone who’s ever tried hanging a paint-ing solo will appreciate this super-useful tool. Use it to align frames, measure an-gles and inclines, and much more.
BEST
APPS
PETS’ PARADISEPet First Aid ($3.99, app2.me/3852) When you’re facing a pet emergency, turn to Pet First Aid for quick and thorough assistance before heading to the vet. Featuring detailed articles, videos, and step-by-step illustrations on bites, burns, poison-ing, choking, and much more, this app could literally be a lifesaver for your canine and feline friends. It also lets you save vital medical info (vaccination history, allergies, etc.) for reference.
Petfi nder.com (Free, app2.me/5183) Look-ing to adopt a pet? Petfi nder lets you search over 350,000 animals from over 13,000 rescue groups and shelters in North America. Browse until you fi nd the perfect furry pal, and read the Happy Tails adoption stories for inspiration!
Klooff (Free, app2.me/5182) A social network for pet owners? Why not?! Create profi les of your pets, and earn badges or points when fol-lowers rate or comment on your pictures. Silly? Maybe. Fun? No question. Now go get posting!
iKibble Free (Free, app2.me/5180) Let the “Can I feed this to my dog?” guessing game end with the help of iKibble, a handy app that profi les hun-dreds of food types. Search for a specifi c food or browse by category or health rating. Features tips and a thorough description for each entry.
Dog Park Finder Plus ($1.99, app2.me/5179) Whether you’ve just moved to a new city or are trekking across the country with your pooch, this great resource will help you scout out thousands of dog parks and dog-friendly res-taurants, beaches, and rest areas.
Game for Cats (iPad only: Free, $1.99 for full version as in-app purchase, app2.me/5181) Who says iPads are only for humans? Tantalize your kitties with this engaging game, replete with laser pointers and squeaky mice. It’ll keep them entertained for hours!
40 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
SPORTS
MUST HAVE!
ESPN ScoreCenter (Free, app2.me/2679, iPad version: Free, app2.me/4084) Get immediate ac-cess to scores, news, and rankings from sports leagues around the world. Create personalized scoreboards and live game details. The iPad ver-sion includes video highlights, live in-game stats, and game previews and recaps.
NFL Fantasy Cheat Sheet 2012 (iPad only: $2.99, app2.me/5177) The offi cial fantasy cheat sheet for the National Football League, this app keeps you in the loop with the latest news, injury reports, depth charts, keepers, and more.
Golfshot: Golf GPS ($29.99, app2.me/2684) This Apple Hall of Fame app is second to none. In addition to mapping over 38,000 golf courses, Golfshot analyzes your curb distances and ac-curacy, and features colorful personal statistics.
Topps Pennant Baseball ($0.99, app2.me/5178) Don’t you just hate boring, static stats? This app boasts an enormous amount of beautiful info-graphics based on play-by-play stats for over 17,000 baseball games since the 1950s. It’s the perfect app for baseball history buffs.
Team Stream (Free, app2.me/4091) Pick your favorite teams, and follow their lat-est moves with the Team Stream app by Bleacher Report. The app curates stories from local newspapers, blogs, Twitter, and other websites, so you’re always the fi rst to know the latest news.
BEST
APPS
BEST
APPSSTYLE & BEAUTY
MUST HAVE!
Trendabl (Free, app2.me/5114) Like Insta-gram for fashion! This fun photo-sharing app lets you follow designers like Michael Kors and post your own looks, tagging outfi ts with price, brand, and retail availability.
Style.com (Free, app2.me/5112) Can’t make it to Fashion Week? No problem—this app brings it to you, with coverage of all the runway shows and industry parties from NYC, Paris, Milan, and London.
Chicfeed+ ($0.99, app2.me/5111) Peruse pho-tos from the web’s fi nest style blogs, includ-ing the Sartorialist, with this sleek, ad-free app that lets you save your favorite looks. Pure eye candy for fashionistas.
Fashion Star Boutique (Free with in-app pur-chases available, app2.me/5233) Aspiring fash-ion designers will love this chic game, in which you design clothes, customize patterns, and run your own boutique (picky customers included).
Sephora to GO (Free, app2.me/5115) Every-one’s favorite cosmetics store is now in the palm of your hand. Shop for beauty products, read customer reviews, and watch how-to vid-eos with this handy app.
Total Beauty (Free, app2.me/5113) Not sure if you should splurge on that new moisturizer? Browse this vast collection of consumer reviews and ratings of over 45,000 cosmetics, skin care, and hair care products for unbiased advice.
Stylebook ($3.99, app2.me/4970) Orga-nizing your wardrobe is a snap with this feature-rich app that lets you plan your outfi ts, store your measurements and sizes, make packing lists, shop your fa-vorite brands, and more.
BEST
APPS
SHOPPING & DEALS
MUST HAVE!
CardStar (Free, app2.me/2331) Toss out those ever-accumulating rewards cards and import them into this convenient app—it makes check-out a breeze! Also includes special offers, sales announcements, and grocery coupons.
Amazon Mobile (Free, app2.me/2645) Shop Amazon’s millions of products from your iDe-vice, just as you would online. Quick searches, reviews, wish lists, order tracking—it’s all there!
The Coupons App (Free, app2.me/5117) Save big at retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, gas stations and more with this great coupon and promo code app, which updates throughout the day.
GoodGuide (Free, app2.me/4375) Wondering where a product falls on the social responsibility scale? GoodGuide has ratings for over 170,000 food, household, pet, and personal care prod-ucts based on the health and environmental is-sues that matter to you most.
ShopSavvy (Free, app2.me/3242) Ensure you’re getting the best deal possible with this comprehensive barcode scanner, which includes extra features like promo codes, local store stock info, and sharing with friends.
Groupon (Free, app2.me/2643) Find local deals (in over 500 cities!) for restaurants, recreation, retail stores, and more with this money-saving app that lets you re-deem the deals directly from your device.
DID YOU KNOW?While iPad users account for 68 percent of mobile shop-pers (!), the iPad drives a whopping 90 percent of all mo-bile revenue, according to the 2012 Q1 Shopping Insights Mobile Study.
42 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
PARTY TIME!Drinking Games (Free, app2.me/5228) Burp! This app features over 100 drinking games us-ing in-app cards, dice, or coins. You can also shake the app to bring up a random drinking game.
Portable Party ($0.99, app2.me/5229) This app is like the Swiss Army knife of party apps. Includes Truth or Dare, Spin the Bottle, Guess My Drawing, Would You Rather, and many other games. Also features a blood alcohol calculator.
Flashl ight (Free, app2.me/5227) This little fl ashlight app turns your iPhone’s LED light into a strobe light with adjustable modes. Among the many fl ashlight apps in the App Store, this one is reliable, simple, and easy to use.
Find My Friends (Free, app2.me/4254) When you’re out on the town partying, Find My Friends will help you keep track of your entou-rage. You can see the exact location of your friends, and even set it to share your location for specifi c periods of time.
StarMaker: Karaoke+ Auto Tune (Free, app2.me/5230) Belt out some tunes and see how you stack up against your friends. The app is constant-ly updating songs to include the newest hits. High scores unlock achievements and tokens.
Now. (Free, getnowapp.com) This slick app tells you what’s happening in your city on any given night. Using public Instagram data, it can determine what events are trending at the mo-ment. The app currently supports fi ve cities: New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and London.
Drinking GamesThis app features over 100 drinking games us-ing in-app cards, dice, or coins. You can also
BEST
APPS
BEST
APPSHEALTH & FITNESS MapMyRun+ ($1.99, app2.me/5207) This GPS running app has everything you need to go from beginner to pro. MapMyRun+ shows you a live route map and keeps track of your pace, distance, elevation, calories burned, and other stats. The app also features voice updates that track your run.
WomanLog Calendar (Free, app2.me/5203; Pro version: $1.99, app2.me/5204) This men-strual and fertility calendar for women includes ovulation and fertility forecasts, statistics, weight tracking, and much more. The Pro ver-sion includes a circular calendar, mood icons, and other features. Both versions support over a dozen languages.
iFitness Pro ($0.99, app2.me/5206) iFitness features pics, videos, and text instructions for hundreds of exercises. The app also tracks calo-ries for over 90,000 food items, comes with 20 built-in exercise routines, and includes the ability to track multiple users.
Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker (Free, app2.me/2793) Tracking calories is fast and easy with this app’s massive food database of over 1.5 million items. The app includes over 350 exer-cises, a barcode scanner, a recipe calculator, customized goals, and much more.
Pocket Yoga ($1.99, app2.me/5202) This fantas-tic yoga app features voice and video instruc-tions that guide you through a series of poses for each diffi culty level, duration, and practice. The app also tracks your progress and features 145 simple and beautiful illustrations. No inter-net connection is needed to use Pocket Yoga.
Cardiio—Touchless Camera Pulse Sensor ($4.99, app2.me/5205) This magical heart-rate monitor uses some interesting science and technology. Cardiio uses your device’s front-facing camera to determine the tiny changes in skin color and light refl ection caused by blood rushing to your face. Just hold it up to your face and get your heart rate!
DID YOU KNOW?Some health accessory manufacturers create app combos for their gear that enhance the value and practicality of their specifi c gadgets. Nike+ (nikeplus.nike.com), for ex-ample, has a whole line of fi tness accessories that syncs with their Nike+ apps. Likewise, iHealth (ihealth99.com) offers a range of health accessories that work with their own iPhone and iPad apps.
MapMyRun+ running app has everything you need to go from beginner to pro. MapMyRun+ shows you
BEST
APPS
COUPLES' CORNERPair (Free, app2.me/5134) A cute, easy way for couples to stay connected, Pair lets you share private messages, photos, and more with your sweetie—and even lets you “thumb-kiss” across the miles!
Icebreak for Couples (Free, app2.me/5132) Get to know your lover better by sharing sketches, photos, messages, and answers to icebreaker questions, then evaluate your relationship health by watching your “score” go up or down.
SimplyUs (Free, app2.me/5135) Though not super romantic, this über-functional app is a boon to busy couples, keeping them organized and reducing stress by allowing them to share Google calendars, to-do lists, and more.
Build-a-Card: Cupid Edition ($0.99, app2.me/5131) Personalize your next anniversary or Valentine’s Day card with a photo and sweet sen-timents, and send it to that special someone. Tons of cute customization options available!
TripLingo Romance Edition (Free, app2.me/5130) Turn up the charm on your next inter-national trip with this fun app that lets you fl irt in 10 different languages. Features easy-to-use navigation, fl ash cards, audio examples, and much more.
iWedding Deluxe – the Wedding Planner ($5.99, app2.me/5133) Packed with organizational features for guest lists, seating, budgeting, and more, this amazing app will save you countless headaches when you’re planning your big day.
44 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
EDUCATIONStack the States ($0.99, app2.me/3337) Stack the States features 5 kid-friendly puzzle games that make it fun to learn about the 50 U.S. states. Learn about state capitals, state shapes, abbreviations, state fl ags, nicknames, and more. New game modes are unlocked as you successfully complete levels.
Nick Jr Draw and Play ($6.99, app2.me/5221) Let your kids team up with their favorite Nick-elodeon characters to create cool artwork. The app features 8 color brushes for drawing and painting, guided-play activities, 60 animated stickers, and more.
Quizlet (Free, app2.me/5226) Quizlet makes it easy to study languages, vocabulary, or any-thing else (and it even works without an inter-net connection). The app syncs with your free quizlet.com account and offers access to over 13 million pre-made fl ashcard sets covering a vast range of subjects.
Solar Walk – 3D Solar System Model ($0.99, app2.me/2555) Solar Walk puts the entire gal-axy in the palm of your hand. This gorgeous app lets you travel through space and time to visit faraway planets and learn about their trajecto-ries, the history of exploration, and much more. It also works offl ine.
SAT Vocab – Mindsnacks (Free, app2.me/5223) This app is: A) Useful, B) Fun, C) Fea-ture-rich, D) Inexpensive, or E) All of the above. E is correct! Congratulations. This amusing app features 6 mini-games, 25 SAT lessons, 24 fun challenges, and much more.
Amazing Coloring Studio (Free, app2.me/5224; iPad version: app2.me/5225) Perfect for grooming the next Picasso, this app features a personalized studio with a collection of 48 colored crayons, pencils, markers, and brush-es. Save masterpieces to your photo album, or share them via email, Facebook, or Instagram.
Stack the StatesStack the States features 5 kid-friendly puzzle games that make it fun to learn about the 50
BEST
APPS
GET INSPIRED
MUST HAVE!
Simply Being ($0.99, app2.me/4005) Whether you’re wound up from work or having trouble falling asleep, Simply Being will soothe you with voice-guided meditations, relaxing music, or nature sounds for 5-20 minutes.
Gratitude Journal ($0.99, app2.me/4312) Use this charming app to list the things you’re grate-ful for each day, along with a photo and star rat-ing, and see what positivity unfolds in your life.
POETRY from The Poetry Foundation (Free, app2.me/5089) This comprehensive poetry collection will give Shakespeare mavens and Billy Collins fans alike something to delight in. Search by poet, subject, or mood, or shake your device for a random combo of subjects.
The Law of Attraction Cards ($3.99, app2.me/5126) Looking for clarity or trying to mani-fest your goals? Check out this app by Esther and Jerry Hicks, featuring 60 beautiful cards to summon your innermost desires.
TED (Free, app2.me/3154) Featuring over 1,100 inspiring and thought-provoking talks from educators, artists, CEOs, and more, this essential app offers access to worlds of knowledge—and you won't even have to spend a dime.
BEST
APPS
GET CREATIVE
MUST HAVE!
ComicBook! ($1.99 with in-app purchases, app2.me/5127) Star in your very own comic strip with this nifty app, featuring classic comic graphics and fonts, customizable captions, and more!
ScrapPad (iPad only: $4.99 with in-app pur-chases, app2.me/5128) If scrapbooking’s your gig, you won’t want to miss this awesome app, which boasts tons of great backgrounds and borders for your photos.
Sincerely Ink Cards (Free, app2.me/5046) Personalize and mail beautiful greeting cards directly from your device with the help of this app—it’s even got birthday reminders built in!
SketchBook Mobile ($1.99, app2.me/332; iPad Version: $1.99, app2.me/3289) Casual doodlers and professional artists alike will love produc-ing gorgeous digital art on SketchBook, which features a bevy of brushes, tools, and custom-ization options.
My Daily Journal ($1.99, app2.me/5129) Jot down your most private musings in this lovely journal app, featuring a variety of covers, back-grounds and fonts; password protection; and dictation support.
Pimp Your Screen ($0.99, app2.me/4020) Customize your device with slick back-grounds, app shelves, and icon skins with this bestselling app that allows you to preview each design without having to go back to your home screen.
OUR TAKE“Using the Gratitude Journal app inevitably helps bad days become brighter; it’s a great reminder to be thankful for the special moments in each day, however small they may seem. And adding a photo each day makes it fun to scroll back through past months. Try it out!“ -Nina, Associate Editor
46 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Holiday Recipes & Party Planning Guide ($2.99, app2.me/5123) This crisp, beautifully designed app will whip kitchen amateurs into master chefs in one holiday season. Tons of recipes, tips, and other features for every di-etary denomination.
Celebrate the Holidays with Better Homes and Gardens (iPad Only: $0.99, app2.me/5122) A festive and easy-to-use planner for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving feasts, casual cookouts, and more, featuring recipes, tips, and decorat-ing ideas. Great for families!
TripIt—Travel Organizer (Free, app2.me/287) Let this handy app ease the stress of holiday travel by keeping all your trip details and itinerar-ies in one spot—and share the info with family so you never get stranded at the airport.
Chai on Chanukah ($0.99, app2.me/5121) Fun for kids and parents alike, this colorful app fea-tures an interactive menorah and dreidel game, the story of Chanukah, and more, narrated by Sweetsie, an authentic Jewish grandmother.
Grinchmas ($0.99, app2.me/184) While you’re busy cooking or catching up with relatives, plop the kids down with this Grinchtastic game, in which they can throw snowballs or deliver pres-ents in a cool 3D backdrop.
BY THE NUMBERSAccording to Cult of Mac, on Black Friday 2011, Apple stores around the U.S. collectively sold 89 iPads per min-ute. Stacked together, all the iPads bought that day could have built a tower 900 feet taller than the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
MUST HAVE!No More Socks: The Christmas List Genius ($1.99, app2.me/5118) Not just for Christmas, this ingenious app lets you store gift ideas for any event or holiday. Create profi les for recipients, get birthday remind-ers, and even shop right from the app!
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48 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
The BestiphoNe CAses of The yeAr
by alex cequea’ve seen way too many cracked screens and dam-aged iPhones to risk using mine without a case. This is your iPhone’s first line of defense against inevitable drops, bumps, and spills. The selection of cases available varies tremendously in terms of style, protection, and price, but we’ve narrowed it down to some of the very best. You can’t go wrong with any of these cases.
LifeProof Case($79.99, lifeproof.com) We’ve covered the LifeProof case a lot throughout the year, and many of us use it as our standard, everyday case. LifeProof protects your device against snow, water, dirt, and waist-high drops. It adds a bit of bulk, but once you get used to it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. The ports are easily ac-cessible, although it helps to keep an eye on the headphone port lid; I’ve managed to lose it several times. If you’re bored of the standard black color, a new line of vibrant colors (with
either a black or gray border) has recently come out, including red, orange, purple, pink, teal, and blue.
Cygnett Workmate Pro ($19.99, us.cygnett.com) The Workmate Pro is a shock-resistant silicone case with an external hard shell that adds only minimum bulk while protect-ing your device from everyday wear and tear. It comes in two color combinations: black/gray and orange/gray. The ports are uncovered and easily accessible. For the amount of protection and style it offers, the $20 Workmate Pro is a bargain.
Note: If you’re looking for bare-minimum protection at almost no cost, you can find Apple Bumpers on Amazon.com for less than $1.
i
BesT overALL BesT Low-CosT
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 49
Twelve South BookBook Case & Wallet($59.99, twelvesouth.com) The BookBook for iPhone is a beautiful case in the style of a vintage book, and it doubles as a wallet. This conversation-piece case has an ID window and can hold a few credit cards, plus some folded bills and a couple of business cards. The only caveat is that there’s no hole for the iPhone camera, but it does include a little red strap that pulls your iPhone up about half an inch to expose the camera. This gorgeous case makes for a very nice gift.
Incipio feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case($39.99, incipio.com) Incipio’s feather Ultralight is a form-fitting case measuring 1mm in thickness. The $40 package comes with two cases, and there are a variety of color combinations to choose from. If you’re looking for colorful, low-profile protection against bumps and dings, this is it.
Speck CandyShell Card($39.95, speckproducts.com) This wallet case from Speck has a built-in rubberized slot that can hold up to 3 cards and folded bills. The little thumb release slot makes it easy to get the cards in and out, and the hard shell has a matte finish with just the right amount of grip to keep it from slipping out of your hands.
Mophie Juice Pack Air($79.95, mophie.com) The Mophie Juice Pack Air adds a 1500mAh battery to your iPhone without adding a whole lot of bulk. LEDs at the bottom of the case let you know how much power is left, and a standby switch lets you control when you want the iPhone to charge. You can also charge the case and the iPhone at the same time with the included USB cable.
There you have it: the best of the best. You can either add these top-of-the-line cases to your collection, or give them away as gifts. Either way, someone’s iPhone will be very happy. �
BesT desiGN
BesT MiNiMALisT CAse
BesT wALLeT CAse
Alex Cequea is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. He holds an MBA in Sus-tainable Business, and he writes and speaks about mobile technology, authenticity and creating a more inter-connected world. He enjoys tennis, sustainability, public speaking, and climbing mango trees. You can contact him at [email protected].
BesT BATTery CAse
50 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
hile some iPhone users are looking for the big-gest, baddest, boldest cases out there (you know, the ones that will keep your phone in-tact even after an 80-foot drop or a stampede of wildebeests), I am happy to tuck my magi-cal little wizard phone into a merely “protec-
tive enough” case. I shy away from rigid, snap-on shells, which offer little to no cushion, and gel skins, which can feel flimsy, but there is a solid middle ground between feather-light and monster-truck-rugged that suits me perfectly.
In this review, I’ll cover my top picks in that mid-range cat-egory. To compare the cases, I used the following criteria: feel and appearance (including bulkiness or lack thereof), ease of use, and protection. All of the cases I covered are perfectly practical for average day-to-day use, feature raised front bezels to protect from face-first drops, offer full access to your phone’s ports and camera unless otherwise mentioned, and come in a variety of cool colors. Happy shopping!
iFrogz Cocoon ($34.99, ifrogz.com)
One of my two favorites of the bunch, the Cocoon case is the perfect combination of fashion and function. Featuring a dura-ble polycarbonate exterior that’s coated with what iFrogz calls a “Luxe finish” for a wonderful feel that’s silky but not slippery, this case also has a pliable inte-rior layer that protects against im-pact. Luckily, it’s easy enough to slip your phone in and out without taking the two-piece case apart.
Though the Cocoon adds a tiny bit of bulk to your phone, it’s worth the extra heft—it feels secure in your
hands, has an amazing texture, and boasts a super-stylish, sporty design.
One thing to note: the color of the case I received was very different than pictured; mine was more of a deep rust than a bold red.
Speck CandyShell Satin ($34.95, speckproducts.com)
My other favorite case was the CandyShell Satin by Speck. Though it boasts a super-protective dual-layer construction (a polycarbonate shell with shock-absorbent rubber interior), it’s a one-piece design, so inserting and removing your phone is a breeze. I love, love, love this case’s velvety-smooth feel and matte coating, which provides great grip. Its perforated rubber lining adds a playful touch, and the solid button covers offer easy volume adjustment. I can’t find anything wrong with this case!
Case-Mate Pop! ($30, case-mate.com)
The first iPhone case I ever owned, the Case-Mate Pop! is a no-frills de-sign that remains one of my favor-ites. It’s relatively slim, so you still feel as though you’re holding your phone—as opposed to a huge hunk of plastic—in your hand. Made of lightweight plastic molded with soft rubber, the Pop! combines a sleek back with ample interior cushion-ing. My favorite features are the slip-free, sturdy rubber grips on each side and the solid, pronounced but-ton coverings, which make adjusting the volume and putting your phone to sleep effortless.
Eventually, my first Pop! case racked up a few scratches on the back and cracks in the thin divider between the bottom of the screen and the charging port, but that’s to be expected after four months of normal wear and tear. Overall, this simple, sleek case does the job quite well.
Best Mid-Range iPhone Cases
Not Too Skimpy. Not Too Bulky. Just Right.
by Nina Benjamin
W
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 51
Casemate Pop! With Stand ($40, case-mate.com)
If you want a little more oomph, pick up the Pop! With Stand—it features the same practical mix of plastic and rubber as its predecessor (with a prettier pattern on the rubber sides), but has a little more heft to it, making you feel as though your pre-cious device is in very good hands. Though it offers great grip, the extra bulk is a bit too much for my taste. The kicker, though (no pun intended), is the built-in kickstand, which allows you to watch videos or play games hands-free, in either landscape or
portrait mode. Just like the Pop!, the Pop! With Stand is easy to get on and off, and features comfortable button coverings.
iFrogz Luxe Original ($29.99, ifrogz.com)
Just like the Cocoon, the lightweight Luxe Original from iFrogz features a
plush, silky feel that makes me oh-so happy. And this metallic polycarbon-
ate case looks as good as it feels! While it’s not as cushioned as some cases, it does have velvet inserts that offer some impact protection.
Though I’m normally not a fan of two-piece cases that require you to take
them apart when you want to insert or remove your phone (see iSkin fuze, below),
the Luxe Original makes it a breeze. Simply slide your phone into the top piece, then slide the bottom piece on until it snaps into the top half, and push the button to open it again—it’s quick and painless. The only drawbacks are that, since the buttons aren’t covered, the sleep button is hard to reach in and press, and the case doesn’t lie flat, due to the button on the back where the two halves meet. But overall, I love this case.
Switcheasy Capsule Rebel ($27.99, switcheasy.com)
While the Capsule Rebel isn’t my favorite, comfort-wise, it takes top marks for unique style, hands-down. It has a tough polycarbonate exterior with a spine-like textured back that Switcheasy claims is for “enhanced grip” (I disagree; while it ups the ba-dass factor, the raised back didn’t help me hang onto my phone) and a smooth polymer material on the inside to pro-tect your phone from impact. Overall, I love the look and functionality of this case, but its button covers were a bit wimpy, it doesn’t lie flat, and it’s nearly impossible to wrench your phone out
of (just keep it in there forever, and you’ll be a happy camper).
iSkin fuze ($49.99, iskin.com)
The fuze case from iSkin offers ample protec-tion from drops with its dual-layer design of polycarbonate on the outside and thermo-polymer lining, and it
has a nice, sleek look. It also features a small flap to cover
the charging port, protecting it from dust and dirt.
While it looks good, feels lightweight, and has decent grip, I find it inconvenient to have to take a case apart every time I want to insert or remove my phone. Another big issue for me was the feel of the button covers; they weren’t pronounced enough, so I had to press really hard to adjust the volume or put my phone to sleep. And while some may love the protection that the charging port cover affords, I prefer not to have to mess with a flap every time I want to charge my phone. If those things don’t irk you, this is a good choice!
Otterbox Commuter ($34.95, otterbox.com)
The Commuter Series case from Otter-box offers great protection from bumps and shocks without adding as much bulk as Otterbox’s rugged Defender Se-ries case. That said, this case is one of the heftiest of the bunch (about equal to the Pop! With Stand), so if you’re used to holding your iPhone without a case, it will feel very different with the Com-muter on. It’s comprised of a thick, du-rable silicone skin, which has a pleasingly foamy feel, and a hard polycarbonate outer shell, and features silicone plugs that protect the headphone and charger ports from dirt and dust.
My dislikes of this mostly great case include the port cover-ings, which don’t stay securely in place very well; the feel of the sleep button cover; and the extra heft—someone with small hands may have a hard time hanging onto it. �
Nina Benjamin is the Associate Editor of iPhone Life magazine. She holds a B.A. in Literature and Writing and has written and edited articles for several regional magazines, newspapers, and blogs. Once a professional ballet dancer, Nina now enjoys teaching ballet and singing.
52 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
The Best iPad Casesadd PorTabiliTy, FunCTionaliTy, and ProTeCTion To your iPad
ases are wildly popular among iPad users, as they serve a range of functions, including protection and portability. In this article we’ll look at a variety of cases, including folios, bags, shells, sleeves, and cases with an integrated Bluetooth keyboard.
Bear Motion Leather iPad Case
($26.89, bearmotioncase.com) This black, genuine top-grain leather folio case continues to be popular among iPad users because of its combination of quality and value. Like most folio cases, it not only gives your iPad padded protection, it also folds back as a stand in three different
positions. Also, the cutout portions let you access the function-ality of your iPad while it’s in the case. The Bear Motion case takes advantage of the Smart Cover technology so that your iPad automatically wakes up when you open the case and goes to sleep when you close it.
Targus Versavu
($63.99, targus.com) While folio cases usually double as stands, they are of-ten limited to landscape view. The popular Versavu case has that problem solved. You can leave your iPad in the case and
rotate it 360° to view at any angle and switch easily between portrait and landscape view. Note that there are distinct models designed for the iPad 2 and new iPad. The latter includes a stylus holder, magnetic cover, and three different viewing angles. The Versavu has a stain-resistant padded exterior and soft interior liner, and is available in multiple colors.
MoKo Slim-Fit Folio Stand Case
($19.99, amazon.com) The MoKo case is a good value, with a leather exterior and polyurethane finish, and soft microfiber interior. It has cutouts for in-case use of your iPad, and a magnetic on/off function. It has several viewing angles, and an interior hand strap for one-handed viewing and reading.
Ipevo Ultra-Slim Origami Folio Case
($39, amazon.com) This soft, stain-resistant microfi-ber case has a cover that folds in different ways to provide stands for
both portrait and landscape views. It’s slim and lightweight, but does afford some protection for your iPad. Includes magnetic on/off and cutouts for all iPad functions. Available in five different colors.
Incase Origami Stand Sleeve
($34.95, goincase.com) A sleeve provides minimal bulk while also giving some protec-tion. You typically need to re-move your iPad from the sleeve in order to use it. The form-fitting Incase Origami Sleeve has a du-
rable neoprene outer cover and faux-fur interior. You can also use it as a stand, with the origami feature serving up both portrait and landscape views. Works with both the iPad 2 and the new iPad.
rooCASE Super Bubble Neo-prene Sleeve
($21.85, amazon.com) The rooCASE sleeve has a
bubble-textured, shock-absorbing
by JiM KarPen
C besT Folio Cases
besT sleeves
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 53
foam interior and a Velcro pocket for items such as earbuds and charger. It’s available in dark blue, neon green, pink, orange, and red. It’s just the size of your iPad, but it can accommodate the Smart Cover.
Griffin Elan Sleeve
($19.99, store.griffintechnology.com) Fits all iPad models. You slide your iPad into the sleeve and then secure it with a tab, which also facilitates sliding it out of the case. It has a smooth, synthetic outer shell and microsuede interior.
Kensington KeyFolio Pro 2
($99.99, kensington.com) Folio cases with a built-in Bluetooth keyboard make your iPad resemble a
small laptop. The case props up your iPad while
you type. Some cases are also de-signed to offer solid
protection for both the front and back of your iPad
when you fold the keyboard into the case. The popular Kensington KeyFolio Pro 2, which works with both the iPad 2 and new iPad, has a removable keyboard. When closed, the case not only provides protection, but also gives access to the iPad’s controls and ports, including the front and back cameras.
New Trent IMP38B Airbender
($59.95, newtrent.com) The Airbender is a hard case that provides good
protection for your iPad. The keyboard has the same layout as the iPad’s on-screen key-
board. There are four different typing angles to choose from, and you can set the iPad
in either landscape or portrait orientation. It
also has the auto-matic sleep/wake function.
Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio
($129.99, logitech.com) The Logitech Solar Key-
board Folio case powers the keyboard via a small
solar panel that even charges with lamplight. It’s designed to work with both the iPad 2 and the new iPad, and has the common folio features of magnetic on/off and a multi-view stand.
STM Jacket for iPad
($25, stmbags.com) The STM Jacket, with its shoulder strap and durable water- and stain-
resistant material, is the perfect case if you tote your iPad everywhere you go. The bag is light and just the size of the iPad, so the bulk is minimal, and it provides a thin layer of high-density padding. There are two flat pockets on the front and a flat, open pouch in the back. The shoulder strap is removable, and there’s also a handle for carry-ing your iPad briefcase-style.
CaseCrown Vertical Multi-Pocket Messenger Bag
($37.95, casecrown.com)The CaseCrown bag has a padded compartment with Velcro closure tab to protect your iPad, but also nu-merous other internal and outside pockets. It’s lightweight and slim, and has a vertical orientation.
Incase Coated Canvas Field Bag
($24.99, amazon.com) This coated, durable, weather-resistant canvas iPad bag has a
bike messenger-style shoulder strap
that mounts the bag on your back. There’s a zippered pouch on the front, and the quilted cotton lining offers good protection for your iPad. You can use your iPad while it’s in the case.
besT Cases wiTh inTegraTed blueTooTh Keyboard
besT bags
54 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Otterbox Defender
($89.95, otterbox.com) While most cases pro-vide some protection, shells are engineered to be especially robust. The popular Otterbox Defender is made of durable silicone that absorbs impact. It of-fers three layers of hard protection, a built-in stand, and a protec-tive film for the screen. It has cutouts for iPad controls and ports so you can use your iPad
while it's in the case. It fits both the new iPad and iPad 2.
Griffin Survivor Extreme-Duty Military Case
($79.99, store.griffintechnology.com) This case is certified to meet U.S. and UK Department of Defense standards. It has been designed to protect your iPad from dirt, sand, rain, shock, vibration, and just about anything else. It has a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame covered with silicone to absorb shocks. It seals your display from the outside environment yet lets you use your iPad while in the case. It’s designed to work with both the new iPad and iPad 2. It includes a stand that clips on for landscape viewing. �
besT sleeves
Jim Karpen, Ph.D, is on faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. He has been writing about the revolutionary consequences of computer technol-ogy since 1994. His Ph.D dissertation anticipated the Internet revolution. His site, jimkarpen.com, contains selected regular columns written for The Iowa Source. [email protected].
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56 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
THE BESTBLUETOOTHKEYBOAR
DSBY
DAN W.RASMUS
lthough the iPad is a touch screen de-vice, everyone who owns one knows that typing on it—one of the most basic gestures in computing—doesn't work so well. The iPad isn't tactile, so you don't get physical feedback; the only feedback you get is a screen full of poorly mis-spelled words.
The remedy for typing, long-form or short, is a keyboard. There are many excellent keyboards on the market and I have evaluated the top nine for this buyers’ guide. Let’s take a look!
Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad($99.99, logitech.com) The iPad presents two major typing problems: typing on glass doesn’t work very well, and the typing surface is vulnerable to damage when ex-
A
Here are my evaluation criteria, biases, and some common denominators:
• AllofthekeyboardsareBluetooth.
• Allofthekeyboardspairedquicklyandeasily.
• Allofthekeyboardsdemonstratedgoodbatterylife.Charge any of them once a week, and you should be fine.
• Allkeyboardsneedafull-sizedshiftkeyontheright-hand side of the keyboard or it becomes too easy to hit the arrow keys, redirecting your typing to the wrong place in the document.
• Goodkeyboardshavespacesbetweenkeysandad-equate access to the spacebar.
• Goodkeyboardshaverealkeysthatgoupanddown,not projections, not rubber nibs, and not flat sensors without tactile feedback. All of these keyboards have real keys.
• Atpricesbetween$79and$149,pricedoesn’treallydifferentiate in terms of quality.
One final caveat: with the iPad, it is nearly impossible to create a keyboard that doesn’t detract from the ele-gance of the device itself. Every one of these keyboards introduces some level of discomfort for the end user: a separate unit, added bulk, or some annoying kludge. If you keep the iPad stationary, the top keyboards offer a well-conceived experience. As soon as you want to quickly switch between keyboard and tablet, every one of these products hinders that transition.
MY EVALUATION CRITERIA
WINNER
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 57
posed. That means all iPads need screen protection and most writers, jotters, and journalists need a keyboard. Fortunately, Logi-tech has delivered an elegant keyboard solution that also takes care of screen protection: the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover.
Many other keyboards make up part of a case, but this is the only one that is a case all by itself. Logitech has created the case that Apple should have made. Align the case’s magnetic clips to the edge of the iPad, and the keyboard becomes a perfect aesthetic match.
In order to use the keyboard, separate it from the iPad and then slip the iPad into the white, edge-protective slot that snugly holds it in place. You can't adjust the angle, but Logitech did a great job of optimizing the viewing position.
Of course, the keys themselves are the most important ele-ment of a Bluetooth keyboard. This keyboard’s well-spaced keys make touch-typing a pleasure. I can type at a good rate and I don’t ever miss the full-sized keys.
Using the iPad as a tablet means detaching the keyboard, and this is the primary downside of the Logitech case. As chic as it looks, the keyboard and the back of the iPad are both ex-posed to potential metal-on-metal clashes in disorganized bags. I highly recommend using a ZAGG invisibleSHIELD ($34.99, zagg.com) to protect the iPad's back.
I love this keyboard. Because it is Smart Cover compliant (in size and magnet placing), it also works with several other cases that Logitech didn't really have in mind. My M-Edge Recon ($49.99, medgestore.com; see my review at iPhonelife.com) easily accommodates the iPad and the Logitech keyboard, as does the Belkin Snap Shield ($29.99, belkin.com). Both provide additional protection with various degrees of bulk.
ZAGGfolio($99.99, Zagg.com) The ZAGGfolio is a very close second, and depending on how you use it, it could be your number one. A total case solu-tion, the ZAGGfolio doesn’t need back-panel protection (though screen protection is always recommended), and it gives you
a keyboard that almost looks like a MacBook Air's, with black Chiclet keys against a buffed aluminum tray.
The ZAGGfolio has excellent key placement and a nice feel, and the iPad slips easily into the strong, simulated carbon-fiber cover. No need to remove the iPad to type; just bend the bottom of the iPad forward and it fits neatly and quickly into the keyboard’s slot at a good working angle. ZAGG and Logitech worked together on an earlier keyboard case (reviewed towards the end of this article); this case is clearly an improved riff on that original design. For more flexibility and lightness, you can slip the keyboard out of the case, but the case doesn’t close as nicely, or snap shut as securely, as it does with the keyboard in tow.
Unlike the Logitech keyboard that uses function keys for iPad-specific functions, the ZAGGfolio includes a dedicated row of function keys for search, cut and paste, and photos, and includes controls for media playback and volume.
This case is an ideal gift for people who use the iPad as a laptop replacement.
ClamCase($149, clamcase.com) The ClamCase essentially turns your iPad into a netbook. Once the iPad snaps into the case, it’s completely enclosed and pro-tected. This case features a full-swing hinge that converts the case into a laptop, movie viewer, portrait display, and tablet, all without removing the iPad.
SECOND PLACE
THIRD PLACE
58 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
The protection comes at a price: with your iPad in place, the ClamCase weighs nearly as much as a netbook computer. The second area of compromise is the slightly recessed keyboard. It makes me feel like I’m reaching into the case to type. The typing experience is nowhere close to that of the Logitech or ZAGG keyboards, but it isn't horrible once you get used to it.If you travel a lot and worry about safely getting your iPad to your destination, this is the case and keyboard combo for you.
Adonit Writer Plus(Starting at $84.99, adonit.net/store) Based on other reviews and images in magazines and on the net, I re-ally thought I’d like this keyboard-case combination, but when compared to the ZAGGfolio and the Logitech, it feels flimsy and cramped. It just doesn't look like the Adonit design team focused on anything in particular. The nice metal keyboard hous-ing only offers an okay keyboard. The little nibs on the corners, meant to keep the iPad from pushing down on the keyboard, become annoying if you use the keyboard for any period of time. The bottom “on” switch requires a pen to flip it on (of course, the expectation is that you leave it on and it sleeps with the iPad, but that may not be useful if this isn't your only case). This case was engineered to be cool, but the engineers forgot that good design balances innovation, aesthetics, and functionality.
Qmadix Portfolio with Removable Bluetooth Keyboard($129.99, qmadixonline.com) I’ve reviewed the Qmadix Portfolio before (see Sept./Oct. 2012 issue). I still really like the style of the Portfolio, with its nice leather feel and smell,
and it’s the only case with a removable magnetic keyboard. The Portfolio, however,
with its nicely spaced polycarbonate keys, commits the sin of the small shift key. I spend way too much time typing in the wrong place, or touching the screen to return my cursor to the right place after hitting annoyingly placed arrow keys.
Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG($79.99, Logitech.com) As I said earlier, this case is a joint effort
between ZAGG and Logitech. The keyboard itself is
great, but the implementation makes it a runner-up. It sports the same great keyboard found in the ZAGG, but here it is placed inside a tray that I never really got comfortable with. Like the Ultrathin from Logitech, it is meant
to protect the screen during transport, but it leaves the rest of the iPad exposed. It’s also awkward to place the iPad precisely in the case.
The Belkin YourType Fo-lio + Keyboard ($99.99, belkin.com) Unfortunately, when
you place the YourType Folio + Keyboard next to the other cases, it looks cheap and under-designed. And at $100, it certainly isn't cheap.
The case employs modern, suede-like materi-
als, and does so in minimalist fashion. The keyboard itself is pretty
good, with adequate spacing and a good shift key that supports touch-typing with ease. However, unlike the high-end, glossy plastic and metal combos of other keyboards, this case is a dull black. The keyboard suffers from Velcro positioning that can take time to get right after removal. To adjust the viewing angle, the keyboard must be removed, which is awkward to do in cramped places like an airplane. Belkin has a nice keyboard, but they could design a better solution at this price.
Kensington KeyFolio Secure Keyboard Security Case & Lock ($129.99, kensington.com) If your gift recipient is a bit paranoid, or they travel extensively and stay in places without in-room safes, then the KeyFolio Se-cure Keyboard Security Case might make the ideal gift. Since this case is all about making sure your iPad is in your room when you return, it makes no promises of lightness or ease of use. The heavy plastic and metal back plate holds the iPad in place above a serviceable keyboard with a good shift key, but doesn’t offer enough room between the keys. The keyboard is removable and re-aligns with magnets. The back plate includes a slot where a key-based lock can be inserted. This lock, like all of those from Kensington, should be wrapped around something relatively immovable before being applied to the case. As a case, I rather like the rubbery material and elastic closure strap. This case sells at the high end of the price range, but its security features are
RUNNERS-UP
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 59
well worth the extra cost if you have any concerns about leaving your iPad alone in a dorm or hotel room.
KeyFolio Pro 2 Removable Keyboard, Case & Stand
($99.99, kensington.com) This Kensington case is at-
tractive and comes with an adequate keyboard. Although the shift key is small, it sits above the ar-row keys, instead of being buried in them. The case
holds the keyboard in place with magnets, which makes it easy to remove. Unique to this case is a Velcro fastener on the bot-tom of the iPad enclosure that securely holds the screen at your selected viewing angle. This feature leaves the Bluetooth keyboard with the freedom to wander.
To some, a keyboard for the iPad is an anathema. But for writ-ers and e-mailers, it is a necessity. Not only do keyboards make typing on the iPad more comfortable, but they also create more screen space by automatically hiding the on-screen keyboard. If you’re looking for a holiday gift that will please your parents, lover, or colleague, look to the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard or the ZAGGfolio. If the person already has an iPad, go with the Logitech, because it will likely work with their existing acces-sories. If they are receiving a new iPad, get them the ZAGG, as it’ll likely be the only case they need.
Note: All of the products reviewed here have iPad 2 and new iPad versions, or a single version that accommodates both. �
A GREAT GIFT
Daniel W. Rasmus, author of Listening to the Future and Management by Design, is a strategist and industry analyst who helps clients put their future in context. Rasmus was the Director of Business Insights at Microsoft Corporation, and today is a consul-tant and internationally recognized speaker. He blogs for Fast Company and iphonelife.com. You can reach him at [email protected]
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION
(Required by Title 39 U.S.C. 3526)
1. Publication Title: iPhone Life 2. Publication no.: 1949-2014
3. Date of filing: September 13, 2012
4. Issue frequency: Bi-Monthly
5. No. of issues published annually: 6
6. Annual subscription price: $15.97
7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 402 N. B St. #108, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
8. Complete mailing address of the headquarters of general business office of the publisher: 402 N. B St. #108, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher and editor: Publisher, David Averbach, 402 N. B St. #108, Fairfield, Iowa 52556. Editor, Alex Cequea, 402 N. B St. #108, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
10. Owners: Mango Life Media, Inc. 402 N. B St. #108, Fairfield, Iowa 52556; David Averbach, Alex Cequea, Raphael Burnes, Hal & Rita Goldstein.
13. Publication name: iPhone Life
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: Vol 4 No. 6, Nov-Dec 2012.
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation
a. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,721 95,162
b. Paid Circulation
(1) Paid Mail Subscriptions stated on PS form 3541 (includes Advertisers’ Proof Copies/ Exchange Copies) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,992 11,929
(3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales (not mailed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,058 32,223
c. Total Paid Circulation (Sum of 15b(1) and 15b(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,050 44,152
d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (by mail and outside the mail)
(4) Outside the Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,585 2,675
e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1) and (4)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,585 2,675
f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,635 46,827
g. Copies Not Distributed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,087 48,335
h. Total (Sum of 15f and 15g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,722 95,162
i. Percent Paid (15c/15f x 100) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92% 94%
16. This Statement of Ownership will be printed in the Vol.4. No.6 Nov-Dec 2012 issue of this publication.
17. Signed, David Averbach, CEO. September 13, 2012
Average Number Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months
Actual Number Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date
Digital Circulation:
The digital editions of iPhone Life are distributed through Apple Newsstand and the Zinio Digi-tal Newsstand as enhanced digital replicas of the print issues.
As of September 13, 2012, iPhone Life had a total of 32,580 digital subscriptions, with an ad-ditional 3,686 single issues sold.
The digital editions of iPhone Life are available in the Apple App Store, Zinio.com, and the Zinio Magazine Newsstand & Reader app. They can be read through any iOS device including all versions of the iPhone and iPad.
The BesT speAker doCksBy jiM kArpeN
After cases and headsets, speaker docks are one of the more popular iPhone and iPad accessories. Plopping your device in the dock simultaneously recharges it and redirects your
music or other audio to the dock’s built-in speakers.
Note, though, that all of the docks in this article have the 30-pin connector common on iOS devices up through the iPhone 4S and iPad with Retina display. But all new iOS devices are expected to have a 9-pin connector. Adaptors are expected to be available, but in many cases they won’t likely work with these docks. So if you have a device with a 9-pin connector, be sure to look for a new dock specifically for your device. As this is be-ing written, the newer docks weren’t yet available, but some of the most prolific manufacturers, such as Altec Lansing, Phillips, iHome, or iLuv, will likely have new versions out in an instant.
In this article we’ll look at a range of docks, from the more expensive models with sound quality suitable for audiophiles to inexpensive portable docks with solid sound. The first group consists of docks for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod, while the sec-ond group lists docks only for the iPhone and iPod touch. And I’ll also list a dock that’s only for the iPad.
For iPad, iPhone, and iPod touchJBL OnBeat Xtreme
($499.95, jbl.com) This stylish dock is a high-end
speaker system that accommo-dates the iPad as well as oth-er iOS devices. It includes Bluetooth wireless stream-ing and a speakerphone for answering calls while your
iPhone is docked. The ro-tating dock connector lets
you use your device in either landscape or portrait mode. The RF remote lets you control menus on your iPhone or iPad, iTunes songs, playlists, photos, and videos, as well as letting you change tracks and system settings. It comes with an auxiliary-in jack and composite video output for connecting the OnBeat Xtreme to a TV to display video content. A USB port lets you sync with your computer, and it includes a free app that lets you adjust the sound.
JBL OnBeat Air
($249.95, jbl.com) The OnBeat Air has great sound qual-
ity, with a range of features. While it of-fers both portrait and landscape modes for your iPhone and iPod touch, it’s
portrait-only for the iPad. It includes Wi-Fi networking and AirPlay for streaming music, composite vid-eo output for connecting to a TV, a USB port, and an IR remote for navigating your device.
iLuv ArtStation Pro iMM514
($149, amazon.com) The ArtStation Pro works well with
the iPad, with an arm that lets you rotate your iPad, iPhone, or iPod to both landscape and portrait mode.
It has good sound, and a free app turns your iPad or iPhone into a multi-featured alarm clock. It in-cludes an auxiliary-in jack and a remote that lets you adjust volume
and skip through tracks.
Satechi iFit-2
($29.99, satechi.net) The iFit-2 has surprisingly good sound for a speaker stand that can be purchased for under $30. It not only works
with the full range of iOS devices, but also phones and tablets from other manufacturers. Unlike the other devices listed here, it’s a stand rather than a dock: it doesn’t recharge your device. The speakers are powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts up to seven hours.
For iPhone and iPod touch Only
Audyssey Audio Dock
($399.99, audyssey.com) The Audyssey speaker dock has top sound quality, the sort that
60 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
you expect from high-quality speakers. But it also has a range of useful features, including Bluetooth streaming, a built-in speakerphone for answering calls, a compact form factor, a remote, an app for customized sound, and computer connectivity.
Bose SoundDock Series II
($249.95, bose.com) Bose is legendary for quality sound,
and the SoundDock maintains the tradition. This is one of the best sellers on the high-er end of speaker docks. It
comes with a remote that lets you control power and volume, as well as playlists and track-seek. An auxiliary port lets you use it as a speaker system for other devices.
Altec Lansing Mix BoomBox iMT810
($299.95, alteclansing.com) This dock has a retro boombox
style and a booming stereo sound to go with it. The Boom-Box comes with a digital FM
tuner and a remote that lets you toggle between all your music
sources, including the FM radio. It also lets you control the power,
volume, track-seek, EQ, and play/pause, as well as having four preset buttons. The dock has dual auxiliary-in jacks, and can run on battery or AC power. It auto-matically pauses the music when you get a call on your iPhone. A set of controls let you tailor the sound, and the LCD display gives information on what’s playing.
Soundfreaq Sound Platform SFQ-1
($179.99, soundfreaq.com) The Soundfreaq is another dock with good sound com-bined with useful features.
It includes Bluetooth wireless streaming, FM radio reception, an auxiliary-in jack, and an accompanying app that lets you use your iOS device as a remote.
Logitech S715i Rechargeable Speaker
($129.99, logitech.com) One of the bestselling speakers for the iPhone and iPod, the portable Logitech S715i includes a remote,
travel case, and rechargeable battery with an 8-hour life. Customers say the sound quality is excellent, making this unit a good value.
Sony ICF-CS15iP Speaker Dock with Alarm Clock and Radio
($89.99, sony.com) This Sony docking speaker has very good sound quality for the price. The many features include an alarm clock, LCD display,
sleep timer, and wireless remote with full menu control of your iPhone. This speaker also fea-tures Sony’s Mega Xpand and Mega Bass sound technologies, as well as an auxiliary-in jack.
Philips Fidelio DS3010
($89.99, usa.philips.com) The Phillips is a quality speaker dock on the lower end of the price range. Despite its small size, it has
good sound quality. Features include bass boost, USB for syncing with your computer, and a free app that lets you
adjust the sound, access over 7,000 radio stations, share music, and set alarms. Also, you can dock your iPhone without removing the case.
Altec Lansing InMotion Com-pact iMT325
($54.99, Amazon.com)One of the least expensive, the InMotion Compact por-table speaker system is a lightweight and basic dock
with good sound and a few features. It runs off AC or AA batteries and has a built-in carrying case that folds into a stand.
For iPad onlyLogitech Speaker Stand for iPad
($97.99, amazon.com) Designed exclusively for the iPad, this is a sturdy speaker stand that not only accom-modates both portrait and landscape mode
but also just about any viewing angle. And although it’s called a stand, it is in fact a dock to recharge your device. Plus, it in-cludes speakers, an auxiliary-in jack, and controls for power and volume. �
Jim Karpen, Ph.D, is on faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. He has been writing about the revolutionary consequences of computer technol-ogy since 1994. His Ph.D dissertation anticipated the Internet revolution. His site, jimkarpen.com, contains selected regular columns written for The Iowa Source. [email protected].
©iStockphoto.com/Nastco
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 61
62 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
THE BEST HEADPHONES AND EARBUDS FOR YOUR IPHONE AND IPAD
BY DAVID AVERBACH
smartphones become increasingly prevalent, more and more people are scrapping their iPods and burning their Zunes in favor of using their iPhone as their primary music player. The little white earbuds that come with the iPhone are great for casual use, but they don’t quite cut it when it comes to extended listening. Now
that iTunes Match loads your iPhone music at 256 kbps, the sound quality is just too good to use cheap
headphones.
There are so many options out there that it’s important to be clear on your needs when buying a new pair of headphones. You have to balance portability, sound quality, and, of course, price. There are three main types of headphones: in-ear, on-ear, and over-the-ear. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
In-ear headphones are the most portable style of headphones. The small earbuds fold up easily, allowing you to carry them comfortably in your pocket. In order to offer maximum portability, in-ear head-phones sacrifi ce sound quality and noise cancellation. In recent years, earbuds have made large improvements in sound qual-ity, closing the gap between earbuds and on-ear headphones.
Etymotics hf2 ($159, etymotic.com) The Etymotics sound great. They deliver clear, low-distortion audio, and look sleek
IN-EAR HEADPHONES (EARBUDS)
SURROUNDED BY SOUND
AS
©iStockphoto.com/miappv
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 63
doing it. They come with several different earpiece options and a convenient carrying pouch. The hf2s also have a built-in mic that allows you to control your music and talk on the phone.
The bass can sound a little weak, so if you listen to bass-heavy music such as hip-hop or electro, these may not be the earbuds for you. The long, slender earbud piece slides deeper into the ear canal than most headphones do. Most people fi nd the shape to be comfortable, but if you are sensitive to sticking things in your ears, or if you have a shallow ear canal, these headphones may feel a bit uncomfortable.
Klipsch Image S4i ($99.99, klipsch.com) Klipsch recently released a retooled and much improved ver-sion of their S4i earbuds. These headphones have exceptional sound quality for their price. They also have a convenient remote that is designed to work with all Apple products. All in all, they’re a great value.
On-ear headphones have small pads that press up against your ears. Many of them fold up, making them easier to travel with. With better sound quality than earbuds and better portabil-ity than over-the-ear headphones, they offer a happy medium.
Bowers & Wilkins P3 ($199; bowers-wilkins.com) Bowers & Wilkins has a reputation for making stylish prod-ucts, and the P3s are no exception. These headphones exude sexiness. I’ve always found on-ear headphones to be a bit un-comfortable, but the P3s feel great. The pads have a soft fabric that doesn’t apply too much pressure against your ears. The headphones fold up for travel and come with a hard plastic car-rying case. They also have a built-in mic and volume control that works great with Apple products. While the P3s still don’t
have the sound quality of over-ear head-phones, they sound great for this class. If you want high-quality headphones, but travel too much to get over-the-ear headphones, I strongly recommend the Bowers & Wilkins P3s.
Koss PortaPro ($49.99, koss.com) While the Bowers & Wilkins P3 looks retro chic, the Koss PortalPro just looks retro. Some people love their classic style, while others prefer a more mod-ern look. If you’re one of the people who likes the look (or just doesn’t care), these headphones offer great sound for a great price. The PortalPros also fold up for easy travel.
FOR THE AUDIOPHILE
ON-EAR HEADPHONES
Westone 4R ($499, westone.com) No, that price is not a typo. Westones are top-of-the-line earbuds. These bad boys have four symmetrically balanced armature drivers and a three-way crossover network. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, then you probably don’t need these headphones. But if all you care about is sound quality, then these are the ear-buds for you. Simply put, they sound amazing.
64 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Over-the-ear headphones cup your ears, allowing for better audio isolation, and their size allows for superior bass and vol-ume. Most people also fi nd over-the-ear headphones to be the most comfortable. While the sound quality of over-the-ear head-phones makes them sound undeniably better, the bulkiness makes them diffi cult to travel with. They also tend to be the most expensive type of headphones.
V-MODA Crossfade LP ($199, v-moda.com) After breaking a few pairs of headphones, DJ Val Kolton set out to create a pair that wouldn’t break. After several years of trial and error, he came up with the Crossfades. Not only are the headphones very sturdy, but they also look great. The Cross-fades come in a variety of colors, and you can engrave an image and text on the side for free. They were designed for DJs and have very heavy bass. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop or elec-tro, these headphones will sound great. If you listen to a wide range of genres, you may want to look for a more balanced set of headphones. I also found that they became uncomfortable after prolonged use.
Philips Fidelio L1 ($299.95, philips.com)
Generally I prefer boutique brands over large corpo-rate brands. However, for the Philips Fidelio L1s, I’ll make an exception. These headphones are beauti-fully crafted with brushed
metal and real leather. The memory foam pads provide a sealed fi t and good sound isolation, while applying a minimal amount of pres-sure. The semi-open back
allows for a fuller sound than closed-back headphones do. I found the sound to be rich and well balanced. All in all, this is a great pair of high-end headphones.
If you listen to music regularly, don’t settle for those little white Apple earbuds. That’s not how music was meant to be heard. A good pair of headphones allows you to appreciate the fi ner details of music. While you may not need the world’s greatest headphones, investing in quality is defi nitely worth it. �
OVER-THE-EAR HEADPHONES FOR THE AUDIOPHILE
Beyerdynamic T5p ($1,399, beyerdynamic.com) I know what you’re thinking: “For $1,400 I could buy a new iMac or three above-ground pools!” Audio perfection never comes cheap, my friends. The T5ps are on a whole other lev-el. Listening to them feels like listening to live music. The T5ps have amazing sound clarity; it almost feels like 3D quality. The headphones have a solid build that could easily last 10 to 15 years. My only knock on the T5ps is that they don’t fold up, making them hard to travel with. $1,400 is defi nitely a serious investment for a pair of headphones, but if you are a seri-ous audiophile or listen to headphones while you’re at work all day, the Beyerdynamic T5ps won’t let you down.
HAPPY LISTENING
David Averbach is the CEO and Publisher of iPhone Life magazine. David has an obsession with all things Apple. He grew up on Macs and now has a MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and an Apple TV. David enjoys traveling and Ultimate Frisbee. He has been to over 20 countries. To contact David, email him at [email protected].
66 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Holiday Gift GuideThe Perfect Presents for Friends (and Foes)by Rebecca Santiago
the holiday season is here, and unless you’re one of those irritatingly proac-tive holiday shoppers, you’ve probably got a little gift-getting to do. If that’s the case, you’re in luck—I’ve got you covered with this list of gotta-get-’em
gadgets for the most important people in your life (and even the less important ones). And, hey, if you want to stick a few items under the tree (or by the menorah) for yourself, you have my permission. Consider that my gift to you.
Is it your 18-year-old cousin who still finds mirror shots charm-ing, your pregnant sister who can’t stop documenting her baby bump, or your bored uncle who has developed an annoying af-finity for photographing his wife’s flower garden? Whoever it is, you are sick of their Instagram nonsense—but, at the very least, you could make sure their pictures are high quality.
The iPhone Lens Dial ($249, photojojo.com/store) First, this is just plain neat, even for non-photo nerds. This quirky lens dial is by Photojojo, the online king of fascinating photography gadgets, and it features three optical-quality coated glass lenses. Each of the lenses—Wide Angle (for sweeping
landscapes), Fisheye (for Instagram-y warping), and Telephoto (for zooming)—rotates around the camera lens of your phone, allowing you to transform the look and feel of your photos. The dial is affixed to an aluminum case, which doesn’t look like any-thing too special until you realize it includes two tripod mounts. Clearly, this is not a strictly amateur gizmo, and it’s pretty im-pressive for a pocket-sized device.
The Phocus for iPhone 4 and 4S (2 Lens Bundle) ($99.95, smartphocus.com/store) This case, complete with both lens and tripod mounts, is the stuff hipster dreams are made of. It comes with two lenses, one for wide-angle shots and one for macro. Even more impres-sively, the case also supports lenses manufactured by Nikon and Canon, so photographers can swap in and out even more mas-sive and high-quality lenses. This case might not slide sleekly into a pocket like the iPhone Lens Dial, but if you compare it to some of the bulkier DSLR models, it’s still pretty darn sleek.
Well,FOR THE RELATIVE YOU’RE
CONTEMPLATING UNFOLLOWING ON INSTAGRAM
©iStockphoto.com/ithinksky
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 67
Gismon iCA iPhone System($25, fourcornerstore.com) Your Instagram-obsessed relative is already giving their photos a vintage feel, so why not take it to the next level and retro-fy their iPhone? This durable polycarbonate case comes with a detachable tripod mount and two mock lenses that attach to the front. The best part, though, is the shutter button on top—it actually works. So much fun, right? You can also purchase different (real) lenses from the same company and snap
them into place over the iPhone’s camera lens. Admit it: your inner hipster is a little bit tempted right now.
Graduation day has come and gone, but it seems your former frat brother is still a tad bit immature. You don’t have to indulge his affinity for the keg stand this holiday season (there is a time and a place, and dude, it is over), but you could cater to some of his other kid-at-heart likes.
Phillips SB7200 Se-ries ShoqBox Wire-less Portable Speaker ($179.99, store.apple.com) There’s a lot to love about this fancy speak-er. The design is futur-istic and cool (it seems to channel Spider-Man a little, no?), and the speaker is sturdy enough to withstand a
little wear and tear. It’s splash- and drop-proof, meaning it’s built
to withstand spontaneous hiking trips, beer pong games gone horribly wrong, and everything in between. The speaker syncs with iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches, and you can unite two speakers for double the noise. The most fun part about this, though, is that you skip songs by swiping your hand above a censor—not on or across, but above, like a wizard. Magical!
Sanwa iPhone 3D You-Tube Viewer ($25, bit.ly/MBs0Ec) You’ll have to toil through a Japanese website to get your hands on this cool piece of technology, but it’s so much fun that it just might be worth it. Just tune in to a YouTube video, plop your phone into the slot on this goofy-looking
set of goggles, and enjoy as the screen comes to 3D life. Sure, it’s not the most practical purchase in the world, but as far as novelty gifts go, this is far better than a whoopee cushion.
Joystick for iPad ($19.99, logitech.com)
Pardon the bad pun, but he’ll jump for joy for this one. This thumb-stick-style joystick attaches easily to your iPad with suction cups that actually stay
put. It’s not too bulky, and it’s super-sensi-tive to the touch (which takes some
getting used to, but once you’re used to it, man, will you love the responsiveness). The joystick is mostly see-through, which keeps it from overwhelming the look of your device. There’s a reason we’re not using old-school Ataris anymore, you know?
I will level with you: this is basically my personal wish list. But I have excellent taste (I get all of my calories from fashion magazines), and I promise these are what a girl wants—case-wise, anyway.
iPad Envelope in Metallic Gold Embossed Python($145, graphicimage.com) Graphic Image makes some of the loveliest cases for iPads, and this En-velope is truly a game-changer. The leather envelope accommodates all iPad models, and though it comes in a variety of bright and metallic col-ors, the python is my favorite. This ac-cessory is prettier than most clutch
FOR YOUR MAN-CHILD COLLEGE BUDDY WHO JUST WANTS
TO CHILL, BRO
FOR THE LADY WHO HAS EVERYTHING (EXCEPT... THESE)
©iStockphoto.com/ithinksky
68 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
purses, and it transforms the iPad from “that vaguely cumbersome thing she reads magazines on” to a true statement piece.
Michael Kors Wallet Clutch for iPhone 4S ($79.95, store.apple.com) This leather wallet-clutch-case hybrid is al-most too pretty, and it comes in both gold and red-and-gold, which is just too seasonal to pass up. Seriously, my ideal Christmas tree would be filled with these instead of glass ornaments—
imagine them dangling off branches by the wrist-strap, looking holly-jolly as could be. Back to that wrist-strap for a minute: it’s the real draw for this particular case, because it means she doesn’t need to take anything else with her when she leaves the house. Save her from oversize bag woes. Save her stylishly.
New Yorker Logo iPhone 4 Case($39.95, condenaststore.com) A smart girl deserves a smart case for her phone, and what better way to say “I respect your brain” than by gifting this New Yorker-themed polycarbonate hard shell? This case has a number of nice features—a contour that shifts audio to-ward you instead of down for enhanced sound quality and the ability to stand up on its hind legs like a YouTube cat, to name a couple—but I mostly just love the design. Buy her a subscription to The New Yorker (and iPhone Life, too, while you’re at it), pop this in a bag with the
subscription confirmation, and watch her eyes light up.
Is your dad a big deal (or does he wish he were)? Help him really feel the part this December with two sleek cases and one fascinating gadget.
Universal iPad Sleeve in Traditional Leather($139, graphicimage.com)
Look, it is a basic truth that leather is an instant VIP-maker. It looks expensive, it’s classic, and it conveys that you have your act together. There is no easier way to look like you’re a big deal. This iPad case has a classic design, accommodates all iPad models, and is available in black and brown. You can have it personalized for a mere $7.50, which is perfect, because the only thing sharper than leather is monogrammed leather.
BookBook for iPhone 4/4S($59.99, twelvesouth.com) Lest you thought I wasn’t serious about the leather thing, here’s a gorgeous iPhone case that, as an added bonus, makes the carrier look literate. Sort of. It’s kind of hard to be stagger-ingly wowed by such a tiny faux-book, but it fits in well with a bookshelf of thicker tomes. The best part about this case is that it doubles as a wallet, with a flip cover that reveals pockets for credit cards and a pouch for money. Books. Money. What more do you need to impress?
ShaveTech USB Travel Shaver ($39.99, shavetech.com) Okay, this is the anoma-ly on my list, because it’s not actually iPhone gear, or iPad gear, or any kind of gear, really. I know, I know, for shame! But it looks like a smartphone, and honestly, this is te-chie heaven, so bear with
me. The ShaveTech is a light-as-a-feather electric razor that seri-ously looks like an iPhone and charges by means of a USB port. It’s remarkably flexible, guaranteeing a close shave, and it will make your dad feel like Don Draper every time. For a double-whammy gift, pop it into an iPhone sleeve.
First, it’s your coworker, so you don’t want to drop too much cash on their gift. Second, you want them to stop saying the word “cesspool” and you are sick of the scent of hand sanitizer wafting from their cubicle day in and day out. Maybe you can tone down the madness with the following products.
FOR YOUR GERMAPHOBIC CO-WORKER WHO TENDS TO SAY
THINGS LIKE, “THIS OFFICE IS A CESSPOOL!”
FOR YOUR BUSINESS MOGUL DAD WHO JUST WANTS TO LOOK
IMPORTANT
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 69
Original Touch-screen Gloves ($17.99, agloves.com) Yes, texting gloves are old news, but guess what? It’s winter, it’s cold out, and not nearly enough people are us-ing these suckers yet. Seriously, I don’t under-stand why any other
kind of glove even exists anymore, because it’s not like you’re going to just quit your technology for an entire season. Anyway, Agloves are America’s top-rated touchscreen gloves for accuracy, precision, and OCD co-workers, and this black-and-gray pair will match everything. These make great stocking stuffers, too.
The Stump ($24.95, stumpstore.com) It’s a fact that hands are germy, but unless you plan to walk around wearing swipe-friendly kid gloves your entire life, you can’t really avoid touching your iPhone. You can, however, mini-mize your hand-to-phone time without unplugging entirely. The
Stump stand is perfect for getting a little distance between your palm and your tech—just prop your phone or iPad up while you work, cook, chat on speakerphone, or listen to music. The stand is notched so you can position your tablet three different ways. Chuck it in a bag with some tissue paper and a bottle of hand sanitizer, and wham—germaphobe gift heaven.
iSkin solo for iPhone 4/4S($29.99, iskin.com) They do possess the same translucent sparkle as freshly washed wine glasses in a dishwashing de-tergent commercial, but otherwise, these
slim thermoplastic cases seem fairly ordinary. Take a closer look: iSkin embeds these cases with Microban, a leading antimicro-bial product protection. So even though it’s stretching the truth a little, you could totally tell your coworker that you just turned their cell phone into hand sanitizer, and it wouldn’t even be a to-tal lie. In all seriousness, that is some impressive technology. �
Rebecca Santiago is a senior at Tufts University majoring in English and minoring in Mass Communications and Media Studies. Currently, she is the editor-in-chief of The Tufts Daily and an editorial intern at Boston magazine. Her previous employers include Marie Claire and Glamour. Follow her on Twitter @rebsanti.
hen it comes to gaming on the iPhone and iPad, there’s no lack of cool accessories available. Be it cases, dongles, or props, there are plenty of gadgets
to take your experience to the next level. It’s impossible to list every single gaming accessory for the iPad and iPhone, so we’ve decided to narrow the list down to fi ve top picks, each of which will provide you with a completely unique gaming experience.
The iCade 8-Bitty ($24.99, thinkgeek.com)
If you’re a fan of the old-school 8-bit gaming generation that pro-duced classics like Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros, and Castlevania, but have diffi -culty playing them on an iPhone
because your thumbs cover up most of the display or the on-
screen buttons don’t offer the same level of sensitivity of a “real” controller,
you may enjoy the 8-Bitty.
Created by ThinkGeek, makers of the iCade, the 8-Bitty is a wireless tactile controller for your iPad and iPhone. It features a D-Pad, four face buttons, and start and select buttons. The 8-Bitty already supports hundreds of games on the App Store, and developers can create games with 8-Bitty support, free of charge, so the list of games should only grow.
JOYSTICK-IT ($8.99 for iPhone; $14.99 for iPad,
thinkgeek.com) If carrying around a controller in your pocket isn’t your style, but you still want that physical sen-sation when playing games on your iPhone or iPad, then Think-
Geek’s JOYSTICK-IT may be the solution. It safely adheres to your
device’s display via suction, and al-lows you to play thousands of games,
from old arcade titles to fi rst-person shooters. When you’re fi n-ished, simply pull up, and the JOYSTICK-IT pops right off. This handy
GEAR FOR GAMINGBY MIKE WEWERKA
W
Mike Wewerka is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning online tech site TechHog.com. Wewerka has been involved with technology for over 15 years, but his main area of expertise is mobile gadgetry, including Apple, Android, Win-dows Phone, and everything in between. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWewerka.
accessory works with any device that features a capacitive touch screen and is small enough to carry in your pocket.
Spin Master Appfi nity AppBlaster Toy Gun
($24.99, bestbuy.com) If you’re a fan of fi rst-person shooter games, you may really dig the AppBlaster by Spin Mas-ter. Simply lock your iPhone or iPod touch in place on the top of
the gun, download a few of the supported games, and start shoot-
ing. The AppBlaster utilizes not only the iPhone’s accelerometer, but also its
gyroscope, allowing you to physically control the game’s camera, turning left, right, up, and down. The only downside to the Ap-pBlaster is that it doesn’t work with every game in the App Store.
Atari Arcade for iPad($59.99, atari.com)
Much like the iCade by Think-Geek, the Atari Arcade allows users to dock their iPads (any generation) and play a massive collection of classic Atari games (like Asteroids, Centipede, and
Missile Command) by simply downloading the Atari’s Greatest
Hits app (free, app2.me/4844). The only downside to this acces-sory is that it really only works with Atari’s app, so unless you’re a die-hard nostalgic gamer, the $60 price tag may be a little too much.
Parrot AR. Drone 2.0 Quadricopter ($299, amazon.com)
One of the coolest gaming accessories out there is the AR. Drone 2.0 by Parrot. This Quadricopter takes fl ight and is controlled entirely by your iOS device. The Drone is well
built and features incredibly tight controls for accurate fl ying. It also
records 720p HD footage with a wide-angle lens while in fl ight, and you
can then share your video with the FreeFlight app (free, app2.me/5218). The hull of the device can even be changed with the fl ip of a button for indoor/outdoor use, and it can do awesome fl ips that’ll impress your friends. The price tag is a little steep, as this is no child’s toy, but it certainly promises a lot of fun for any game-and-gadget-loving adult. �
72 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Whether you’re driving to work or embarking on a six-hour road trip, the iPhone gear you bring
along can help ensure a smooth journey. It's all about comfort, convenience, and the feeling of being fully connected, even as you’re gaining traction on the highway.
Here’s a list of must-have iPhone acces-sories and apps to make your next trip easier, and with a little luck, more fun.
Car chargers have been around awhile, and are almost interchangeable, so choosing the right one for you might come down to size, speed of charge, and availability. Though it's always a good idea to charge your iPhone before head-ing out on the road, having a car charger offers the security of knowing that the infamous “20% of battery remaining” warning won't slow you down one bit. Chargers are all about peace of mind, and giving your phone a much-needed jolt.
Griffin PowerJolt($14.99, store.griffintechnology.com) The bestselling PowerJolt offers ev-erything you need from a car charger—namely, dependability—and it works with
a variety of Apple products. This versatile charger plugs into your car’s 12-volt power outlet and includes a detachable USB Type-A to 30-pin dock connector cable, making it compatible with your iPhone and all charge-by-USB iPod models. It also features a con-venient charging status light. And check out the price! You can’t beat that.
InCase Dual Car Charger($34.95, goincase.com) Not only will this handy dual charger from InCase charge your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, but it will also charge your GPS and other electronic devices. One nifty feature is that, thanks to its 2.1 Amp ca-pacity, it can take on two iPads at once! It features two USB ports and works with most 12-volt outlets.
There are a plethora of iPhone acces-sories available that are built to let you concentrate on keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. From enabling phone conversations to assisting with navigation, these gadgets help mini-mize distractions and eliminate scrambling for your iPhone when it’s sliding around the dashboard or buried in your purse. Going hands-free has never been easier!
Griffin iTrip Product Line(Starting at $49.99, griffintechnology.com/itrip) Griffin has a great line of products that give new meaning to the term “hands-free.” These music-playing accessories of-fer a lot of convenience with minimal fuss. The iTrip DA for the iPhone and iPod fea-tures Griffin’s FM transmitter technology so you can listen to your radio without an auxiliary line from your car, home stereo, or boombox. All you need is the iTrip Control-ler app (free, app2.me/5219) to get started.
Exogear Exomount($29.95, exogear.com)The Exomount features a patented suc-tion technology that holds your iPhone in place as you make calls or use your GPS. It’s basically a giant clamp, but the simple and sleek design with multi-angle rota-tion makes it easy to insert and remove
fuLLy charged
"Look ma, no hands!"
ROAD-READY GEARThe BesT iPhone car
accessories
By corneLius a. forTune
©iStockphoto.com/SimmiSimons
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 73
ROAD-READY GEAR
your iPhone, and use it at your preferred viewing angle.
Sure, you've got a data package, but if you're going the road-trip route, your passengers may want access to Wi-Fi as well. Some newer cars come preinstalled with mobile Wi-Fi; if you don't own one of these shiny new vehicles, this device is a nice alternative. Sometimes, being able to slide the Wi-Fi setting to the On position—and save on cell phone data charges—is its own reward.
Autonet Mobile KT-ANMRTR-01 Auto-motive Wi-Fi Router($299, amazon.com) This device literally turns your car into a
Wi-Fi hotspot. It works with phones, tab-lets, e-readers, and of course, laptops. It’s possible that even during the best road trips, your family might want to do separate tasks, together—the Autonet Mobile Router makes this possible.
Your “virtual” gear is almost as important as the physical stuff you take with you on the road. From radio to remote controls to GPS navigation, there’s a wealth of apps to get you through your trip. Here are a couple of choices to consider.
TuneIn Radio(Free, app2.me/4045)Satellite radio’s great, but if you want to for-go the monthly fees, the TuneIn Radio app
is the next best thing. You can find over 70,000 stations from all over the world, broken into categories like sports, talk ra-dio, and any genre of music you can imag-ine. What’s more, if you’re enjoying a radio station on your way through Kentucky and want to keep that listening experience, all you have to do is dial in on this app.
MapQuest(Free, app2.me/2404)MapQuest guided most of us before GPS became the in thing. Now, not only does
MapQuest have a free app, but it also offers the comforting turn-by-turn voice navigation that's become the standard of 21st century road trips. �
car mainTenance
GL1 Vehicle Diagnostics for iPhone/iPad($99.99, thinkgeek.com) Wondering how serious that “check engine” light might be? Get the GL1 Vehicle Diagnostics tool for iPhone—it works like your very own AutoZone representative. The GL1 plugs direct-ly into your car engine’s On Board Di-agnostics (OBD) data and shows you on your iPhone whether you’ll need to get it fixed ASAP, or wait for your mechanic to have a look.
hoTsPoT on The highWay
Cornelius A. Fortune is an award-winning jour-nalist who covers technology, TV, and popular culture. He is the author of the book Stories from Arlington, and has written for Yahoo News, The Advocate, Chess Life, the Detroit Metro Times, and others. He is also a Rhysling Award-nomi-
nated poet. Visit his website at corneliusfortune.com.
aPPs for The road
How Many Passwords Can You Remember?
ADveRToRiAL
15 years ago, life was much simpler. You only had to remem-ber 2 or 3 passwords—your debit card PIN number, computer login, and email account password—and that was pretty much it. Back then your greatest security risk was getting your house robbed or your car stolen. Today, with the advent of social me-dia, e-commerce, and online banking, you face a more severe security threat than ever before.
Let’s take a look at Mr. Smith, a man to whom we can all re-late. Between work and social commit-ments, Mr. Smith leads a very busy life. He keeps in touch with his friends over Skype and Face-Time, and shares his thoughts and photos
on Facebook and Twitter. He manages three personal banking ac-counts over the internet and does most of his shopping online. In total, he has more than 50 online accounts, and to make life easier (even though he’s aware it’s not the ideal thing to do), he uses the same password for most of his accounts.
One day Mr. Smith goes to a new shopping site and, as usual, he registers with the same password that he uses on most of his other online accounts. The site is then hacked, compromising his personal information not only on the online shopping site, as Mr. Smith would presume, but also on all the other online accounts where he uses the same password. Does this give hackers ac-cess to his email accounts? Or worse, his banking account?
Encryption standards and online security have significantly improved over time, claiming to provide the most comprehen-
sive protection possible. But all this technology is useless if your passwords are not strong and well protected, just as a house with strong walls isn’t safe if its locks are easy to pick.
Ready for the good news? It’s easy to dramatically improve your online security by applying some simple rules:•Neverreusethesamepassword •Useastrongpassword,meaningone that is8ormorecharacters and is alphanumerical (randomly generated is best)•NeverwriteyourpasswordsdownBut these steps are easier said than done. How do you manage over 50 different online accounts without writing your pass-words down?
oneSafe is an iOS application that allows you to store all your confidential information— IDs and passwords, internet ac-counts, bank details, confiden-tial documents, and personal photos—safely and easily on your iPhone and iPad. Using oneSafe’s password generator, you can create unique and strong pass-words, eliminating the need to write down your passwords ever again.
oneSafe Secures Them All
online Security, Then and Now
How Mr. Smith Paid the Price
Your Security is in Your Hands
3 Basic Security Practices to Remember
oneSafe – Secure Password Management
Act now!Make Your Life Safer and easierwith oneSafe
onesafe-apps.com
76 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
FindinG The besT Apps And Accessories
A Guide To The besT online resourcesbY JiM kArpen
apps available for the iPhone and over 200,000 de-signed specifically for the iPad, it can
be a real challenge to find the apps that best suit your needs. And you face a similar challenge when buying accessories. In this article I want to highlight some of the ways you can find the best apps and accessories.
App Store Quick Links is an easy way to access curated lists directly from Apple. You are likely quite familiar with the
App Store in the iTunes software, with its categorical listings and front-page highlights, including Editors’ Choice, New and Noteworthy, What’s Hot, and more. But be sure to also check out the Quick Links section at the top right. The Essentials link has an excellent collection of curated lists in major categories such as Live Sports Scores, Fashion, Music Discovery, and TV Time. The link Great Free Apps directs you to some of the best freebies. There’s also a link, Apple Apps, that directs you to all the apps created by Apple.
App Store on Facebook (facebook.com/appstore) is also a good way to discover new apps. It offers Free App of the Week picks, daily posts about apps, and more. The Collections link points you to lists of top apps in particular areas, such as Addictive Games, Hard-core Games, and Entertainment. Some posts elicit hundreds of comments, such as the post that asked, “What’s your go-to app?”
With over 700,000
App sTore opTions
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 77
App Store Preview (http://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/ios/id36) is a basic outline view of the apps in the App Store, sorted by popu-larity. Clicking on any app name brings up the web-based version of the App Store entry for that app. One nice feature is that when you access the information for a particular app, at the bottom you’ll see an Amazon-like “Customers Also Bought” list of similar apps.
There are a number of websites that index most or all of the apps available in the App Store. But unlike the App Store, they offer greater flexibility for filtering search results as well as giving other modes of discovery. For example, let’s say you need a weather app. Search for that term in the App Store, and you get a page of results, but no way to see just the free apps. A site like the ones below will typically let you filter by price, rating, and more.
Appolicious (appolicious.com) gives you an amazing variety of ways to find apps, including search, a directory, recommen-dations by your friends or Appolicious staff members, lists of specialized apps, an App Library Builder, and more.
The directory may be especially useful. Its main categories are similar to the App Store’s, but unlike the App Store, it also offers extensive subcategories. Click on Books, and you’ll see subcategories for Audio Books, Children’s Books, Classics, E-books, and E-readers. The Business & Finance category has some 30 subcategories.
The Lists area of the site offers over 4,000 curated lists of apps on many different topics. There’s a search box that lets you search just their collection of lists. A search on “weather” returns 108 app lists related to the weather. Appolicious also has
a very helpful selection of Best Apps lists, such as “Best Free iPad Games of All Time,” as well as a section of video reviews.
Macworld AppGuide (macworld.com/appguide) has a strong search capability that lets you filter search results in a variety of ways, including by price, age restriction, and which iOS devices the apps are compatible with. You can sort them by Macworld’s rating, user rating, whether the apps are on sale, and more. You can also limit your search to a particular category.
The Browse feature of the AppGuide lets you cross-filter by category. If, for example, you want to browse the Reference category looking for apps that relate to music, you can select Reference in the Browse menu and then click on Music in the same menu. (Note that if you then want to browse a different top-level category, such as Photography, you’ll first need to de-select the first category.)
The Essential Collections section (macworld.com/appguide/collections.html) may be the site’s best feature. It lists the top apps for a few hundred specific topics (e.g., Train Games, Task Masters, Stand-Up Comics, American History, etc.).
iPhone Application List (iphoneapplicationlist.com) takes an excellent approach to organizing search results. If you search for “weather,” the site not only returns a listing of apps, but also returns lists of video reviews, text reviews, and Twitter mentions related to weather apps, as well as lists of reviews, blog posts, and forum posts from their own website.
The site also lets you view the App Store categories of apps
WebsiTes For FindinG Apps
78 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
and sort or filter them in a variety of ways, including Top Apps, Most Discussed, and Price. You can also view just the iPad or iPhone apps. The area of their site labeled On Sale shows all of the apps that have just come down in price. You can also filter that, such that you can see, for example, only those apps whose price has dropped to free.
AppShopper (appshopper.com) has a row of buttons across the top that conveniently let you filter the app listings by device type, category, popularity, price, and more. The site also has some helpful Top 200 lists for free, paid, and top-grossing apps that you can filter by device type and category.
AppAdvice (appadvice.com), like Appolicious, has quite a number of excellent lists of apps in two sections of their site: AppLists and AppGuides. The AppLists seem to be more topical, such as St. Patrick’s Day Apps, whereas the AppGuides section is more general, giving you lists of best apps in categories simi-lar to those in the App Store. The Entertainment category, for example, offers lists of best apps on topics such as Alternative Video Players, Movie Showtime Finders, and Animation Apps for the iPad. Each list identifies the top two apps, followed by notable apps, and then “decent apps.” Another area of the site is called Appisodes, which features daily app-related videos.
appSmitten (appsmitten.com) offers lists of best apps in nearly 100 categories. They also have a weekly email newsletter with their latest recommended apps for the iPhone or iPad. Plus, they offer a large number of topical lists, such as Best Apps for 20-Year-Olds and Best Apps for a Long Plane Ride.
iLounge (ilounge.com/index.php/accessories) has a huge collection of reviews and information on iPhone and iPad ac-cessories. It rates all of the accessories it reviews, and divides them into over 80 categories that make it easier to find the type of accessory you’re interested in. See also their iLounge iPad Accessory Gallery (ilounge.com/index.php/accessories/ipad), a helpful collection of iPad accessories. And check out their free downloadable Buyers’ Guides and eBooks (ilounge.com/index.php/library), which have extensive information on the best apps and accessories.
iMore (imore.com/accessories) has a large number of reviews of accessories, as well as lists of best iPhone and iPad cases. The site also has a well-organized categorical listing.
WebsiTes For FindinG Accessories
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 79
iPhone Accessories (iphoneaccessories.com) offers a large database of both iPhone and iPad accessories. Shipping is free on orders over $19.95, and you get a 30-day money-back guar-antee on all items. The site also includes an outlet area that offers clearance items.
CableWholesale (cablewholesale.com/buy/iphoneipad-ac-cessories.htm) is an online reseller that offers a wide range of inexpensive cables, chargers, and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. �
Jim Karpen, Ph.D, is on faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. He has been writing about the revolutionary consequences of computer technol-ogy since 1994. His Ph.D dissertation anticipated the Internet revolution. His site, jimkarpen.com, contains selected regular columns written for The Iowa Source. [email protected].
80 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
exclusive interview with legendary sprinter Michael Johnson
l ong before Usain Bolt sprinted into the history books, Michael Johnson was widely considered to be the world’s fastest man.
His 200-meter world record, unique up-right running style, and iconic gold shoes made him an Olympic legend. Since retir-ing from competitive track, Michael has remained busy. In addition to training run-ners and appearing on NBC’s The Celeb-rity Apprentice, Michael recently worked as a commentator for the London Olym-pics, and also found time to release two new apps. I talked with Michael while he was in London to discuss his new apps, as well as what it’s like to be a retired Olympian.
Tell me about your new apps.
I just released two new apps in July:
Michael Johnson Motiv8 ($2.99, app2.me/5184) and Michael Johnson’s Fun Run (free, app2.me/5185). The Motiv8 app helps recreational runners chart their paths on a map, and helps them keep up with their running regimen. The Fun Run app is a game for teaching kids about good nutrition. It motivates kids to eat healthy and stay active.
I’m a casual runner and have tested out a lot of run-
ning apps. What makes Motiv8 different?
Well, as far as motiva-tion, I can probably do
a better job motivating runners based on
my experience. The app uses a lot of the same motivation techniques that I used for myself when I was competing as an ath-lete to stay consistent and try to get the best performance out of myself every day.
What would you say was the best technique you
used in order to stay focused as runner?
A few things, actu-ally. You want to set a
goal every day as to what you’re going to achieve during that training session. Once you set a goal on the app, then I’m able to help remind you of that goal and remind you why you’re out there train-ing each day. And then, of course, being consistent is extremely important for an athlete, so I continue to remind the run-ner of that and remind them of how that consistency will make the following day that much easier.
Do you use the app when you go on runs?
Yeah, I do, actually. I used it when we had
the trial version, just to make sure that I liked everything about it, and to make sure
I liked the way my voice sounded. I actually re-recorded some things, because when you’re trying to motivate someone it has to sound right. I use the final version to track where I run and to see how far I’ve run.
Do you still run regularly?
Yeah, but it’s a little different than most
people think. When I was a sprinter I didn’t actually go for 2-mile runs, or that sort of thing, because that doesn’t really help a sprinter. I didn’t actually start going for runs until I retired. People think that when you’ve been an athlete that you always want to go out and exercise. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s much more difficult for me to motivate myself now than when I was an athlete, because now I don’t get a gold metal when I go out there. I found that motivation was a little bit difficult. So that’s another reason why doing this app was really cool, because I’ve struggled with motivation myself.
Your second app, Michael Johnson’s Fun Run, focus-
es on healthy eating. Why do you think this is such an important message?
by david Averbach
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MichAel:
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“People think that when you’ve been an ath-lete that you always want to go out and exer-cise. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
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iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 81
Childhood obesity is a huge issue right
now in the U.S. and around the world. It’s something that we’ve got to address. Kids are going to play games, we already know that, so I want to give them some-thing they can play that will hopefully in-spire them to get up and be active and that also teaches them about the ben-efits of staying healthy and the perils of eating an unhealthy diet.
You own an iPhone—what are some of your favorite
apps, other than the ones you created?
I travel a lot, so I’ve got a translation app
and a weather app, and, of course, Twit-ter. I tweet from here [London] and post Facebook updates from here as well.
What are you looking for-ward to in these Olympics?
Of course track and field. All eyes will be
on the men’s 100 meter; that’s always the signature event. I will be watching Usain Bolt’s events. All of the track and field events are always exciting. It’s the Olympic Games, so you’ve got the best athletes here, competing at their best. There’s always high drama.
To find out more about Michael John-son’s apps, please visit appshen.com/mj-motiv8/ and appshen.com/mjfunrun/ �
MichAel:
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David Averbach is the CEO and Publisher of iPhone Life magazine. David has an obsession with all things Apple. He grew up on Macs and now has a MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and an Apple TV. David enjoys traveling and Ultimate Frisbee. He has been to over 20 countries. To
contact David, email him at [email protected].
82 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
ome things about a ballet studio never change: the wall-length mirrors the danc-ers rely on to check every angle, hone each position, and catch every misstep; the rows of wooden barres along the perimeter, used to support the dancers during the first half of every class; the endless hours of rehearsing, pushing past what seems humanly possible in order to achieve the
unachievable yet ever-sought-after goal of perfection. It’s an art steeped in tradition, one of centuries-old stories and classroom etiquette, not likely to be changed anytime soon.
Yet modernity creeps in. Set against the timeless backdrop are unmistakable elements of change—cutting-edge technological advances, to be precise—and with them, a glimpse into a world that was once shrouded in mystery. More and more dancers are using iOS devices, inside the studio and out, not only to help them organize their professional lives, but also to connect with their audiences in a way that was never before possible.
Daniil Simkin is considered by many to have led the way in the “social media meets dance” movement. A soloist with American Ballet Theatre, one of the top companies in the United States, the Russian-born Simkin has made it a personal mis-sion to reach out to audiences in a fresh new way. He explains, “Dance has so much potential to appeal to a wider audience and I find it a pity that, especially in the U.S., it tends to have an image of unapproachable mystique.”
He continues, “Ballet tends to have this stale, untouchable, and elitist image, which I am trying to soften. Nowadays, many people would like to attain information about our lives and routines as dancers and artists, which I am willing to give to them, to a certain degree. In [these] times of transparency and openness, I find it essential to provide the audience with interesting information and shots, not only to refresh the image of the dance world, but also to attract new audience members to the art form.”
s The Faces of Change
ios in the studioapple devices Make the leap into the ballet world
by nina benjamin©iStockphoto.com/vasiliki
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 83
Through Twitter and Instagram, Simkin is doing just that—and he’s not the only one; dancers from major companies all across the country are hopping on the social media bandwagon in an effort to shed some light on their elusive art. Wendy Whelan and Ashley Bouder of New York City Ballet, Maria Kochetkova of San Francisco Ballet, and Marcelo Gomes of American Ballet Theatre, all principal dancers with their respective companies, are avid Instagrammers, as is Drew Jacoby, who recently joined Nederlands Dans Theater, a highly acclaimed contemporary ballet company in Europe.
Jacoby, dubbed the “It Girl” by Dance Magazine in 2006, made her way into the spotlight by joining Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet at age 17, after training at the acclaimed Pacific Northwest Ballet School. After four years with LINES, Jacoby pursued a freelance career—traditionally a difficult path for a dancer—and earned accolades for her impossibly long, supple lines, strength, and stylistic versatility, eliciting the title “guest dance goddess” from Ballet-Dance Magazine.
She then went on to form a successful touring duo with fel-low former Complexions dancer Rubinald Pronk called Jacoby and Pronk, which she’s been focused on for the last five years. Jacoby also created a website with her husband during that period called Dance Pulp (dancepulp.com), which features video interviews with leading players in the dance world. “The idea was to be sort of like Inside the Actors Studio for dance, but with more of a peer-to-peer feel,” she says. “When I’m talking to these people, they’re really relaxed. It’s not your typical inter-view; it’s more of a candid conversation with two professionals.”
She, like Simkin, makes an effort to connect with fans and potential audience members via social media. “I think it’s really important, because it’s free publicity,” Jacoby explains. “I have 2,000 dance fans as friends on Facebook, so I have a whole market right there. Also, because I travel so much, I’ll tweet where I’m performing and then I’ll get people [coming to the show that wouldn’t have otherwise]. It’s like I have a dialogue with all these fans and friends from all over.”
Just as Jacoby didn’t follow the conventional dance career path, Simkin didn’t move up the ballet ranks in the typical fash-ion, either. Rather than training at a company-associated ballet school or conservatory, he was coached privately by his mother for 10 years, attending a regular academic school all the while. He then gained exposure by winning medals in international bal-let competitions and posting videos of his dancing on YouTube, garnering followers from around the world, including nearly 13,000 fans on Facebook. He is revered for his youthful exu-berance, brilliant technique, and charismatic stage presence that transcends his slight build, and has drawn frequent comparisons to the legendary Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Using social media apps on his iPhone to promote himself and shed light on the ballet world came naturally to Simkin, who has had a particular interest in technology since childhood. “I’ve always felt drawn towards the combination of aesthetics and technology,” Simkin relates. “I get satisfaction from utilizing aes-thetically pleasing and, most importantly, functioning devices. The iPhone changed the way a phone works for me.”
“dancers are using ios devices to connect with audiences in a
way that was never before possible.”
84 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
Simkin, with his iPhone 4 and iPad 2, and Jacoby, with her iPhone 4S, do more than just post Instagram photos depicting the behind-the-scenes world of dancers’ lives; they both rely heavily on their iDevices for a wide spectrum of daily tasks, from recording rehearsals to organizing their schedules.
“It definitely makes my life easier,” Jacoby says of her iPhone, then laughs and confesses that she’s obsessed with Siri. “[When I first got my phone,] I was like, this is going to change my life! I can say ‘put this in my calendar’ and I don’t have to open up my calendar… I mean, it’s not like it’s that inconvenient to open it up and type it in, but [it’s] so amazing just to tell [Siri] to open up my calendar and put in an appointment.”
Jacoby also uses her iPhone during the rehearsal process, by docking it to a speaker to play music, or to film rehearsals so she can watch the footage for corrections or send it to the choreographer for feedback. “Sometimes we’ll [use my phone to] go on YouTube in the middle of rehearsal and watch ourselves to remember choreography,” she adds.
Simkin uses his phone similarly. “The camera of the iPhone 4 was a revelation for me,” he confides. “Besides the immediate feedback of a teacher in the studio and the mirror in front of you, it is essential to have the feedback from watching yourself on camera.” He bought a wide-angle lens from Photojojo ($20, photojojo.com/store) and a GorillaMobile tripod mount ($39.95, joby.com) to film himself dancing in the studio. “The wide-angle lens allows me to see the full studio, and I can analyze my danc-
ing on the big screen in HD on my computer later on,” Simkin explains. He also uses his iPad to learn choreography, watching video that he’s encoded from DVDs on his computer into an iPad-compatible format.
“I am addicted to the constant flow of information,” Simkin ad-mits, “[so] my iPhone tends to be always on me.” Apps that he uses regularly, besides Instagram (free, app2.me/3183), Face-book (free, app2.me/260), and Twitter (free, app2.me/102), are Snapseed ($4.99, app2.me/4057), for photo corrections; Instapaper ($2.99, app2.me/117), for reading material while he’s on the subway; Evernote (free, app2.me/130); and Draw Something ($2.99, app2.me/4982).
Jacoby calls her iPhone “a one-stop shop for my tech, social media, and promotion needs.” Her favorite app of all? Instagram. “I love it so much,” she shares, “and there are a lot of dancers who use it, so it's fun to see where my friends and colleagues are and what they're up to.” Besides Twitter and Facebook, Ja-coby also regularly uses Pose (free, app2.me/5110), a fashion trends app, and Scrabble ($1.99, app2.me/402); in fact, she confesses to being “a hard-core Scrabble player,” having played it all the time on her 40-minute commute from Brooklyn to Man-hattan before moving to the Netherlands. She also frequently uses the Maps app (free, built-in) “to get directions to castings, auditions, and venues.”
For these dancers and others, offering a glimpse into the ballet world through social media isn’t just about branding themselves
“It definitely makes my life easier.”
a Peek behind the Curtain
Tools of the Trade
iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012 85
or gaining followers; it’s a way of boosting the awareness of a seasoned art form in a fresh and appealing way. As Simkin sees it, “Providing a glimpse of my life and the things I do is my way of giving back to an audience that comes to see us dancers do our job… I find that every ticket sold for a ballet performance through exposure of social media does not only benefit me, but the art form in general.”
He continues, “I grew up in a ballet family… sometimes, I tend to take my life for granted. Providing people a virtual backstage tour refreshes my view the same way it does when I [give a tour] in real life. When I take [my friends] around the theater, their eyes glow and it makes me notice the little, mundane things that make my life so special once again in full light.” �
Nina Benjamin is the Associate Editor of iPhone Life magazine. She holds a B.A. in Literature and Writing and has written and edited articles for several regional magazines, newspapers, and blogs. Once a professional ballet dancer, Nina now enjoys teaching ballet and singing.
Daniil simkin
website: daniilsimkin.com instagram: daniilTwitter: @daniilFacebook: facebook.com/daniilsimkinfansyouTube: youtube.com/daniils
Drew Jacobs
website: drewjacoby.com, ja-cobypronk.com, dancepulp.com instagram: drewjacobyTwitter: @iamdrewjacobyTumblr: thedailydrew.comFacebook: facebook.com/pag-es/drew-Jacoby/379817775113
Photo Creditsp.83, L-R: Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of ABT; Sara Forrest for Capezio
p.84, L-R: Chad Riley; Gene Schiavone
p.85, clockwise from top left: Bill Cooper; ©ABT; Nick Onk-en; Kenny Johnson for Eleve Dancewear
86 iPhone Life Buyers Guide 2012
MyTunes Unleashes incredible SoundBy edward Zabrek, M.D.
if you’re an audiophile, like I am, then you probably know by now that our dearly loved iPhones and iPads, while incredibly powerful and versatile machines, lack drastically in the audio performance department.
Case in point: I, and other iPhone 4S users, have experienced questionable stereo audio quality when playing music through the device’s integrated speakers. Specifically, on the iPhone 4S, it seems that the sound on the right speaker plays at a volume that is two to three times higher than that on the left speaker. The result, of course, is a distorted and mostly unintelligible soundstage and an overall poor-quality audio experience.
Fortunately, there is an answer to this problem: MyTunes Pro HD (iPad only: free, full features available via in-app purchase, app2.me/5014), an advanced audio-enhancing music player ap-plication developed for the iPad, and the accompanying My-
Tunes Pro (free, full fea-tures available via in-app purchase, app2.me/5015). Both are from SRS Labs, the consumer electronics industry’s go-to source for audio technologies that make TVs, PCs, tab-lets, and smartphones de-liver bigger, better sound. SRS Labs is also behind the popular iWOW 3D ($59.99, srslabs.com) au-dio-enhancement adaptor for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod that iPhone Life re-viewed last year.
According to SRS, both MyTunes Pro HD and My-
Tunes Pro were designed to enhance any iDevice’s ability to play lossless and compressed digital music, so it would sound truer to the studio recording. The apps seamlessly pull music, podcasts, and audio book files from your iTunes music library, but what
these apps do with those files is what makes them remarkably different from other music players that I’ve tried before.
MyTunes Pro addresses the iPhone’s audio qual-ity by working in a host of SRS Labs’ proprietary audio signal process-ing technologies, most notably WOW HD. The company claims their technology retrieves au-dio information that gets lost in the recording and compression processes, resulting in music that sounds far more natu-ral. SRS states that the technology restores the natural tonality and spa-tial characteristics of re-
cordings, making music sound as if you’re in the same room as the artist. By turning this feature on within the app, I immediately heard a noticeable improvement in quality and didn’t even have to work the advanced settings. While the presets worked well, SRS also gives audiophiles the option to precisely control their listening experience with advanced controls that no other music players have, such as spatial control, psychoacoustic bass en-hancement, definition control, and vocal level.
Getting started with this app couldn’t be easier. It takes a few seconds to boot on the first launch since it has to populate the music library, but once it’s loaded, it works very quickly. The second you pop in your headphones, a small window appears, asking you what kind of device was just plugged in. Each setting has a different sound, so for my application, I selected over-the-ear headphones. When listening to music with the WOW HD feature on, I could notice the improved clarity, higher highs, and lower lows, but additionally, I could hear the soundstage expand far beyond my headphones. When using my iPad’s built-in speaker with WOW HD on, the sound quality was greatly im-
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proved across the entire frequency range, and the music didn’t sound so glued to the device.
In addition to the audio-processing technology, the app features several other bells and whistles, including a fully adjust-able 10-band EQ with presets and a simple three-knob tone control system (both of which of-fer further personalization of audio playback). It also has volume normalization, which maintains a consis-tent listening volume, re-gardless of the music be-ing played. I appreciated the ability to tweak the various frequency levels in the EQ in order to give
my music a little stronger bass and more pronounced highs—this is something that I think most of us who listen to music on our iPhones, iPods, and iPads have wanted since the begin-ning, and now with MyTunes, we finally have it. Additionally, the volume normalization feature was highly effective at keeping all of my music at the same playback level. Amazingly, when go-ing from classical music with a large dynamic range to modern pop, which is optimized for loudness, there was no noticeable difference in perceived loudness between the tracks, so I never had to adjust the volume level.
Beyond their sound-improvement technologies, MyTunes Pro HD and MyTunes Pro also feature a mix of advanced audio-processing technologies designed to allow users to personalize and customize their listening experience to match their moods, settings, or activities. For example, the app has a workout mode that allows users to simply set their workout intensity level. Then the app automatically adjusts their playlist and songs’ speed to fit the intensity of their workout. Similarly, there is a party mode that allows users to select their playlist and party type; the app then reorganizes the playlist to fit the selected party style. The app also provides the experience of having a DJ mix your music—no hired DJ required—thanks to the app’s built-in intelligent DJ transitions.
Another cool feature is the speed control setting. According to SRS, this technology was intended for use with tracks featuring only spoken words, like podcasts and audio books, not music. If you do use it with your music, it may sound a little weird. This feature allows you to increase or decrease the speed of your podcasts and audio books with no detrimental effect on the pitch and tone of the person’s voice, and, I must say, it works well! I was able to get through The Hunger Games audio book much faster than I could have without it.
Though the MyTunes apps are available to download for free, you can only use their fully functioning music players with ad-vanced features for 10 minutes a day. If you like what you hear, you can unlock the apps’ advanced features via a one-time, in-app purchase (iPhone/iPod version: $4.99; iPad version: $7.99). Overall, I was impressed with the functionality and advanced features of MyTunes Pro HD and felt that what it did for my iPad’s music collection and sound capabilities made it well worth the $7.99 unlock price. There are very few music player apps out there that trump Apple’s built-in music player, but the array of playback features included in the MyTunes apps, combined with their uncanny ability to improve the overall sound quality on any iDevice, make MyTunes Pro HD and MyTunes Pro must-have apps for any music lover. �
ADDiTioNAL feATUReS
THe fiNAL veRDiCT
Edward M. Zabrek, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician practicing high-risk obstetrics at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley, CA. As an international consultant in mHealth and mobile medical software applications, he has an ambitious dream to “evolutionize” the practice of patient care using mobility and digital wireless devices. He can be reached via email at [email protected].
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Hal, along with his wife Rita, founded iPhone Life’s original publishing company, Thaddeus Computing, in 1985. You can reach him at [email protected].
Touchfire: An iPad Keyboard funded by 3,146 end-Users
S uppose you have a great idea for an iPhone or iPad product, but no funding. Or suppose someone describes a product
that you really want, but it does not yet exist. Would you be willing to put up, say, the retail cost of the product and be first in line when the product ships? That’s what I did, and it’s how I got my new iPad keyboard.
Funding Products Through Kickstarter
Kickstarter (kickstarter.com) offers a venue for product creators to raise funds from end-users in exchange for a small percent-age of the money raised. Creators set a funding amount and a deadline. No money changes hands if a project is not fully funded by the deadline.
Go to kickstarter.com and search for “iPad,” “iPhone,” or “iOS.” You’ll find hundreds of listings of fully and partially funded app and accessory product proposals. A few examples include an amplifying iPad case, an iOS app development course, a de-tachable iPad gamepad, a snowflakes physics learning app, and “Kitty Karaoke.”
I was introduced to my current iPad screen-top keyboard, TouchFire, through Kickstarter. The TouchFire proposal was listed in October 2011, and had been funded many times over by the time I pledged $45 for it in December. The Touch-
Fire “pledge summary” confirmation email estimated delivery later in December.
Actually, I finally received TouchFire in July, after receiving a number of emails chronicling delays. Touchfire is now available at touchfire.com for $49.99.
What is TouchFire?
TouchFire works with all three versions of the iPad. The ultra-thin silicon rubber, less-than-an-ounce TouchFire fits right over the iPad’s on-screen keyboard and it’s completely transparent, so you can see the iPad keyboard characters underneath it. TouchFire is supple, yet stiff enough to let you rest your fingers on the home row keys without accidentally triggering the touch screen. When you type, TouchFire responds with resistance and spring-back that feels like a responsive keyboard. I find it significantly better to touch-type with TouchFire than on the iPad screen.
If you want TouchFire out of the way, fold it down; corner magnets keep it folded below the iPad screen. Flip it back up when you want to type again. TouchFire
comes with a pair of cover clips, which help secure it mag-netically to the iPad’s cover when not in use. TouchFire was designed for the Apple Smart Cover and the iPad 1 black Apple case, but it also works with many other cases. Since TouchFire attaches to my Smart Cover, it is always available. I use it of-ten, particularly with email. I find that I use external Bluetooth keyboards only when I know I will be in one place and have a lot of typing to do.
The strengths of the TouchFire—portability and typability—also point to its limitations. The combination of the iPad, TouchFire, and a Smart Cov-er is ever so slightly bulky. Also, I find myself fumbling with the TouchFire more than I would like. In addition, typing isn’t always smooth, especially if TouchFire and the iPad keyboard are
misaligned. Still, TouchFire will definitely stay in my iPad arsenal for the foreseeable future. �
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