obapp.com

Posted 10/04/2010 at 12:36pm | by Andrew Hayward Each new iPhone has offered fresh and fantastical ways to improve your daily life, but the epic tag-team of the iPhone 4 and iOS 4 deliver the greatest set of tools and features to date. With the introduction of FaceTime video calls, multitasking, and the high resolution Retina display, the iPhone 4 has moved even further away from being just a powerful phone and web-surfing device. Now more than ever, the iPhone is a true lifestyle-enhancing accessory. Between the built-in features and the hundreds of thousands of options in the App Store, not to mention a few key accessories, the iPhone 4 can be figuratively formed and changed to fit your daily needs, whether you’re planning your daily commute, knocking out items on your to-do list, or simply looking to try a new restaurant. With this wide-ranging versatility in mind, we’ve come up with 40 ways in which the iPhone 4 can improve--or help you break free from--your daily routine, whether you’re at home or work, or out enjoying the world around you. Wake up with the iPhone and your day will be "phenomenal. Magical." Standalone alarm clocks are a thing of the past! You can use the built-in Clock app on your iPhone to set multiple alarms and customize them to your needs and preferences. You can choose the sound (including any custom ringtone) and label the alarm, as well as decide whether you’ll be able to tap the screen for snooze and if the alarm should repeat on the same day each week. Nobody likes waking up, but at least you can do it on your own terms. Depending on where you call home, each new day can bring a meteorological surprise, so stepping outside without a quick check of the impending weather can yield painful results. The iPhone has a simple, built-in Weather app that offers localized results, but for a more in-depth forecast, you can grab The Weather Channel app (free, pictured), WeatherBug (free), or one of several regional-focused options. Don’t leave home without it! If you rely on public transit to get to and from work each weekday, you know the uncertain wait for trains and buses can be soul-draining. No more! Many transit systems have apps that offer time estimates on buses and/or trains, like Buster ($0.99, pictured) for Chicago or MuniApp 2 ($0.99) and BART Live Read More

The time for Macworld Expo 2010 is upon us and the handiest tool you’ll bring to San Francisco with you is, of course, your iPhone. What apps should you install on your phone to enhance your Macworld experience? The iMacworld is a handy guide for navigating the show floor and planning your day. iMacworld, featuring maps and a show directory, was just recently updated for 2010, so jump onboard. For those who don’t travel often, favorite airport amenities frequently change and may be difficult to find. You’ve got 30 minutes between flights and can’t play “Where’s Waldo” to find your favorite coffee dispensary. Did Peet’s moved to gate 12 from gate 18? Gate Guru can help. Additionally, the app has a review function so if you aren’t sure where to eat, let the wisdom of crowds guide you. The interface is a bit clunky as you can’t search by airport, only by terminal within the airport, but otherwise it is handy and accurate. Traveling requires corralling an endless stream of alpha-numeric confirmation codes and repeating the same information over and over again to family and friends. Setup a TripIt account and email TripIt your confirmations, and they’ll automatically put it all into an itinerary complete with additional hotel information and links that you can share with others. When the front desks says they have no record of your reservation, pull up your TripIt app and you’ll have all the data handy. Flight delays are a fact of life and getting accurate information is sometimes a challenge. Like many other apps, FlightTrack Pro will track flights for you. What’s special about this app is that it will also give you handy access to the airline’s phone number and provide push notifications. An indispensable feature is its ability to find alternate flights that match your planned itinerary should your flight be cancelled, as well as integrated access with TripIt. iCommute is similar to MuniApp and iBART, except that it also covers the AC Transit system which serves the East Bay. Utilizing Nextbus information, it offers real time and predictive information as to when the bus or train will arrive. It might be the best “jack of all trades” for general getting around, but the interface was a bit more cluttered the MuniApp’s UI. Still, with the more complete data, if you had to pick a single app, iCommute is probably the one. MuniApp focuses Read More