Another reason to keep my iFinger clean at all times

First and foremost, let me tell you that I absolutely hate smartphone cases. I like to keep my phones sleek, sexy and naked (Can you tell I feel some kinda way?). I’m willing to gamble on the destruction of my device if it means I can stick my phone in my pants pockets without the bulge.

(Yes, that’s a smartphone in my pocket, and no, I am not happy to see you)

…and don’t get me started on those clips that hook your phone to your belt…Imma need you to step out of the 90′s and tuck that thing away somewhere.

But I do recognize that I need some sort of protection for my iPhone 4S that I paid full price for simply because I had to have it…contract or not. So I subscribe to taking the time to surgically apply those protective screens on my devices. Folks have been diggin’ my latest customized iPhone skin. So I might as well dish the dirt on how I created my own Skin with the help of a dope artist/designer (optional) and the ZAGG personalized gadget skins.

ZAGG has been known for making high-quality protective cases and screens for gadgets of all kinds. I have personally used them in the past on other devices. When I found out they offered the ability to upload images to personalize your skin, I had to give them another try. Now, I work with an awesome designer who does all my avatar, header work (if you’ve been following me for the past year or so on this blog and various social networking sites, you are familiar with his work). So in the process of doing a new header for my site (look up), I had him do a special version just for my iPhone skin.

The cool thing about the ZAGGskins service is that you now have the option upload images from your favorite social networks and image sites as well. So instead of being all special like me having a brand-spankin’ new image specifically for this purpose, you can save some time and effort by upload an image from Facebook, Flickr, Google+ or Picasa. If you don’t have the time to scour through the gobs of images you already own via the above services, you can browse Zagg’s library of images.

The process is pretty simple:

1. Select your device from the device library. Choose from iPods & .mp3 players, smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.

2. Select your media – upload your own, browse the Zagg library or find an image from select social network am image sharing sites.

3. Adjust your image for the right fit. Change the size, orientation, opacity, etc. to get exactly the look you want.

4. Save your current design, design another gadget, and/or proceed to checkout (this is where you can also choose the front Zagg skin for all around protection…which I did).

Now all there is to do is wait for your skin to come in the mail and apply it to your device. The package comes with all you need to do a dry install on the customized back & side skin, and a wet intall on the front screen protector (if applicable). Just be careful and take your time, you should be good. It may look suspect right after you apply the front skin, but after a couple of days, the film will adhere to the screen and push the remaining bubbles away.

Now, according to Zagg, they say their “customized, patented flagship product is tough. Created from a resilient film that was first used to protect U.S. Military helicopter blades from high-speed damage…” Though you won’t catch me rubbing my iPhone up against a helicopter. But i’m sure I can stick my phone in the same pocket as my keys or some loose change and not worry about my beautiful iPhone 4S glass getting scratched up.

the operation of my device is smooth as a result of the front screen protector. Now, I will admit, it’s not as fluid as a naked screen, but i’m a techie, so I can notice a teeny-tiny bit of lag, but to your average user won’t notice. Additionally, I get compliments whenever I whip out my phone, so it was worth the investment…which added up to about $35 bucks to cover the entire device, shipped to my door in a couple of days.

I’m pretty sure you can customize a wide range of devices, so check them out and let me know what you think.

(shout out to my main man, @ChaosToon for the design work)

A PCMag joint

There are many different tactics you can choose to deploy when you think you’ve lost your phone. Some include forcing it to beep loudly, activating GPS tracking, or remotely wiping the device completely. Most ignore the most easiest method: Adding your contact information to the lock screen.

It may not protect your data, but contrary to popular belief, most people are good. If they happen upon your phone, how will they be able to contact you if your phone completely locks itself off from the rest of the world? Lost Phone Screen app for Windows Phone, simply lets you stamp your favorite lock screen wallpaper with your basic contact information.

…And it’s developed by my main man Scott Hanselman

Read the entire story over on AppScout

BoxShot for Dropbox...Say that three times fast

A PCMag joint

The clock is still ticking on services like Dropbox to offer an official app for Windows Phone. In my humble opinion, Dropbox is one of those “top 25″ apps that Microsoft needs to persuade developers (read: give them a serious kickback) to develop for Windows Phone so it can be more of a player in the smartphone market. Hate it or love it, “Apps are in” and consumers don’t want to wait around while devs decide whether or not to create for their platform of choice, while other platform users (read: iOS) get all of the spoils on day one.

But that’s another post for another day. In the meantime, BoxShot is a really nice alternative app to getting Dropbox on your Windows Phone. BoxShot takes advantage of the Metro UI look as well as its functionality:

Read the entire story over on AppScout

At least you can do something with your PlayBook

In other BlackBerry news…

The Remote Desktop app for BlackBerry is an all-in-one solution for accessing personal or enterprise computers via your BlackBerry Playbook – No third-party software to download on your computers needed.

From BlackBerry App World: “Use your full Windows applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Internet Explorer along with the plethora of other applications for the Windows platform without sacrificing functionality from anywhere.”

Read the entire story over on AppScout

"Look ma, no hands"

Originally posted on BlackWeb2.0

I’m a gadget early-adopter. I’m also a advocate of Apple products (I’m too grown to be a fan-BOY). So I think it’s completely justifiable that I bought the iPhone 4S at full price with no uber differentiating factors from my iPhone 4 other than a dual-core processor, higher resolution camera…and the Siri voice assistant. Now with all the apps I have and regularly use, and the amount of things I can accomplish with my phone (I get it in), the dual-core processor helps out. The ability to take higher resolution photos stops me from dragging around my regular “point-and-shoot” everywhere for when my daughters do something adorable (as they often do).

Siri on the other hand…I don’t really use it. I think it’s because I habitually start typing instead of activating Siri to compose an sms, IM, email message, etc. Considering how much money I wasted invested in this device, I figure I might as well use one of Apple’s main selling points for the 4S. After doing some research, I found out you can dictate Twitter and Facebook updates using any smartphone.

Before I get into the specifics of how to accomplish this using any smartphone, there are some settings in both Twitter and Facebook that need to be set.

Twitter Settings

You need to add your phone to your Twitter account. Below is how to do it completely via text, but you can also activate your phone by going to your profile’s mobile settings via Twitter.com

- Send a text with the word “START” to 40404

- Twitter will send you a series of messages prompting you to reply with your username (handle without the @ symbol) and password (case sensitive).

- Twitter will ask “is you’re sure this what you want to do?” (I’m paraphrasing). reply with “OK”.

Since you probably already use another Twitter mobile app, I would suggest you go to your Twitter profile’s mobile settings, and turn OFF any text message notifications. You just want to send messages and not receive.

Facebook Settings

- Go to your Facebook account settings. Under mobile, click ”Register for Facebook Text Messages”.

- You will asked to choose your county and wireless carrier.

- Text the letter “F” to 32665

- Facebook will send you a text message with a verification code that you will have to enter on Facebook’s mobile settings.

Similar with Twitter, I would suggest that you turn off all text message notifications, so you don’t run up your text message bill or get multiple notifications from text and your Twitter app.

iPhone 4S

Even though iOS 5 has integrated several Twitter functions, using Siri wasn’t one of them. Since you can send a text message with Siri, and you can update Twitter and Facebook via text message. Loogically, you can use Siri to send a text message to Twitter and Facebook. Create one contact in your phone for Twitter and use your Twitter code (40404) as the mobile number. Create another contact for Facebook and use the FB code (32665). Call the contacts what you want, but for simplicity, just use “Twitter” and “Facebook”.

Activate Siri and say something like “Tell Twitter I’m sending this tweet with my voice using Siri”. Siri will show you the draft and ask you to verify the message. Say

“OK” and Siri will send the text and Twitter will convert the text to a tweet (tip: you can say, “number sign” to create hashtags). You can do the same with Facebook. Just make sure they are contacts in your phone or it won’t work.

Android

Google Voice Search/Actions for Android is similar to Siri in that it can do a number of tasks from voice commands, but update Twitter and Facebook wasn’t on the “to-do list”. The workaround is the same for Android. Follow the steps above for adding Twitter and Facebook contacts, and send text messages to those contacts to covert them to tweets and updates.

Windows Phone

Same setup as iPhone/Android – You have to create contacts first before you can use the built-in voice command function. The cool thing about Windows Phone is that it actually reads the message back to you so you can audibly verify before you send. That way you don’t have to look at your phone after you’ve activated the voice function.

BlackBerry

Sorry, there is no built-in voice command service, so you must download apps like Vlingo, that give you the ability dictate to social media networks just by logging in and authorizing the app. Honestly, RIM has bigger fish to fry than trying to keep up with Siri.

iPhone 4/3GS/3G

This is where apps like Dragon Dictation are pretty handy that can do this without all the setup. Just login to your accounts in the app, authorize the apps to post content on your behalf, and you’re done. The Voice Control function built into non 4S devices is pretty janky, and I would suggest opting for an app to do the heavy voice lifting. Just make sure you have the latest OS installed on your iPhone.

Feature Phones

…Sucks to be you. But it should be a little comforting to know that you still can get in on all the Twitter and Facebook action by adding your phone to your account. You will have to be picky in which text messages you choose to receive from these services.

With the latest iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone devices, you have to remember that standard text message rates apply. Be mindful of that before you sit on your phone composing tweets all day (I don’t want you blaming your high phone bill on me, instead of taking responsibility for your own [voice] actions).

Honestly, I thought I was “Tardy for the Pardy” on sending voice tweets and status updates. Recently, several people were amazed that I was testing the functionality out, so I though I would share. You don’t want to know how I was sending tweets while driving. Let’s just say I’m a safer person on the road now. If you have an idea for more ways to use voice commands on a smartphone, let us know in the comments section.

An AppScout Joint

Tired of the same ol’ filters that some of the other photo apps are hawking just to get you to use their app? Loom adds another spin on your photos by letting you quickly create mosaics from your phone’s camera roll for you to share.

Simply put, take a photo or add an existing photo from your camera roll as the basis of your image. Next, select the photos you want to use to create the mosaic. Finally, adjust the intensity of the mosaic to get the desired look and share it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and/or save the mosaic back to your camera roll for access later.

Read the entire story over on AppScout

A PCMag/AppScout Joint

I was just sending a Tweet using the line “there’s an app for everything” in regards to a sex toy that can be controlled by an iOS app (I know you want the link), when I stumbled upon another app that made me say “there’s an app for that too?”

The app is Crash Corsage and it gives you all the tools to successfully crash a local wedding.

Think of the movie “Wedding Crashers” but without all the research the characters had to do to actually blend in with the wedding crowd. Since the to-be bride and groom are all giddy & anxious to tell the world about their upcoming nuptials, chances are they used one of those free “create your very own wedding website” services to inform their guests of all the details. Crash Corsage digs through all the public profiles of all the major sites, and organizes it all on the app. Details lilke:

- Wedding/reception location, date & time
- Attire
- Background info on bride & groom (how they met, etc.)

When you build up enough courage to actually go through with the crash, you have instant access to all the details you need just in case you get challenged by a curious attendee.

Read the entire story over on AppScout.com

A Small Biz Go Mobile Joint

It looks like the Amazon Kindle Fire is getting a serious look from developers, as some of my favorite mobile apps are getting the Fire treatment. Next on list is the SugarSync cloud storage service that lets you choose which laptop/desktop folders you can sync to other devices and vice-versa.

I think apps like SugarSync being brought to the Kindle Fire is big because it can be looked at as more than just a “Kindle to read books on that can also access web”. Some of the same reasoning behind purchasing a more expensive iPad or native Android tablet (productivity) can possibly be achieved at almost half the cost by purchasing a Kindle Fire.

Read the entire story over on SmallBizGoMobile

A Small Biz Go Mobile Joint

The traditional way to make a Skype call if the number you wish to dial is not in your contact’s list would be to either enter the number directly or copy/paste from somewhere else like off the web or from another app. Click.to has added Skype which offers the ability to call a number found anywhere on your computer by just highlighting the phone number.

Before adding Skype, Click.to offered several options by just highlighting a group of text and pressing Control+C or Command+C depending on if you’re using a PC or MAC. For instance, highlight an email address and get the option to compose in Gmail, or highlight a word and initiate a Google Search, look it up in Wikipedia, or save it in Evernote.

Read entire story on SmallBizGoMobile

Did I keep you Waiting?

That’s right.

After months and months of speculation, leaked specs and images, and a couple of hands-on YouTube videos, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone, the 1st 4G LTE Android smartphone running OS 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” will be available online and in stores December 15th.

For $299 (on Contract) you can get your hands the coveted Google flagship device loaded with the latest mobile OS from Android.

You’ve seen all the specs already, but just so you hear it from me – The Galaxy Nexus sports a 4.65″ HD Super AMOLED Contour Display, Dual-Core 1.2 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM and 32 GB on-board memory, 5 megapixel rear camera with full 1080p HD recording & 1.3 megapixel front camera, NFC (Near-Field Communication), Bluetooth 3.0 technology, 4G LTE mobile hotspot capability for up to 10 devices, and a HTML5 Web browser.

Since this is a “sanctioned” Google device, you are guaranteed to get the latest and greatest updates before anybody else. What would’ve made this phone all kinds of Google awesome is if Google Wallet were available and a legit Chrome browser were also baked in. I will have to get my hands on one (hint, hint) to see how much that matters. From the images & videos i’ve seen, and other blogs drooling over this phone that i’ve read, methinks those feature won’t be missed at all.

To get folks in line for this device and other 4G phones, Verizon is offering new customers “double the data” – Sign up for a 4G smartphone data plan, and you will receive double the amount of data for the same monthly fee. For example, pay $30/month for the 2GB plan you will automatically get the 4GB data bump (for a limited time).

So there you have it, Google & Verizon Wireless have finally unleashed the Galaxy Nexus on us mere mortals. The question remains, will you be in line for one?

Full Press Release