SugarSync now with a 2GB Free Account

Now that Sugar Sync has offered a free 2GB account, I decided to take the product for a spin. I have to say the first thing I noticed is when you send a photo from the iPhone or iPod it will sync instantaneous with the desktop. As soon and you click on the photo the desktop version shows a pending upload. I have not tested the same with my blackberry Curve yet but I am sure the same will apply. What is great about this product is you have the option to pick the folders on any of your computers to sync. You are not limited to default folders. Though I still use the Magic Briefcase folder primarily since I am only going to use the free 2GB account. The great part is when down the road when I decide to opt for more storage, and I want to sync those thousands of pics I have, I don't have to copy them to another folder and make duplicate files on my PC. Another little tip is that when you delete something it is still archived so it can be restored. Great option if you removed something on accident. The trash can and at the bottom of the desktop version in each folder a deleted file was in you can show the hidden deleted items and permanently delete. The folder I will use to sync my files is the Magic Briefcase folder stored in Documents on my PC. All of these files are automatically synced across all of the devices and no additional folders need to be created. If there is a folder on a device that you think you need to sync then once you select that folder under Manage Sync Folders in the desktop app, it will show up under that device. For instance on my Drew-notebook as pictured above I have a folder that has some files that I may need, I check that folder in the manager and when I use another PC or device that folder I selected on Drew-notebook will appear when I click on the Drew-notebook icon.

Sharing! The share option lets you email or copy a link that points directly to a folder with in you account. Since all these folders and files are also stored in the cloud anyone can view these and not have access directly to your device. This is one of the options that really sets this service apart from the others I have looked into using [Dropbox]. If you read my previous post on having a calendar that incorporates these features then you will understand why this feature really stands out to me. I can copy the URL and post it within the description of say a calendar and the end user can be copy the URL into a browser and view the contents. This gives me an option to set up a folder for the meeting and send out a shared link to those who need to view the contents or add and edit content. I can also setup a password so the contents of that folder are secured. The reason that this is such a great option is that I have plenty of time to prepare all of the contents of that folder leading up to the meeting on any device so I'm not tied down to my desk the whole time.

All in all with the 2GB free account I think I have finally found the cloud storage platform I have been looking for. For the time being anyway.

Click the image above for the link to the free SugarSync iPhone app in iTunes.

iPhone OS 3.0 + My Favs

After downloading my update this morning just a few minutes after 10:00 AM the very first thing I did was sync the bluetooth Motorola S805 DJ's. This and the copy and paste feature were the only features I was really looking for. All the other options are great but this made my day. I am only going to make a quick over view about the features. There are so many post online that give details right now that I not going to even worry the details.

1. SMS
2. iPod song scrub
3. YouTube account options
4. Voice Memo
5. More landscape mode in default apps
6. Copy/Cut/Paste
7. Spotlight search
8. Shake to undo
9. Sync notes
10. CalDAV and subscribed calendars
11. Bluetooth A2DP
12. Tethering
13. Updates to Mobile Safari
14. Parental Controls
15. Push Notifications with in apps
16. iPod shake to shuffle
17. iTunes Movies, TV Shows, and Videos
18. Better Calendars
19. Stocks update
20. Find My iPhone

TweetDeck for iPhone and Desktop now in the cloud.

TweetDeck has finally brought us the iPhone Twitter app [iTunes link] we have been looking for. I had posted a little while back about TweetStack. But I have to say that TweetDeck knows best about its own app. Having said that the new app has me even using my paid for premium apps alot less. Oh did I mention their app is free. The app and desktop version both sync in the cloud now. This is a great feature because if you check your tweets while away from your desktop you want have to worry about loading the desktop and seeing the same tweets not marked read. Which means no backtracking.

On the desktop version there are no more limits on the amount of columns you can create. So if you are the type of person who uses tags well these columns are just like tags. Plus you can filter each column to pin point the information you are looking for. If you want to view your Facebook updates then you can not only view those in a column you can also post from your Facebook account. Lots of great features. Must see for your self to enjoy the usability.

The iPhone app has most of the same features as the desktop version. All your desktop columns will be synced on the iPhone. Minus the Facebook, Recommended column, and column filtering. I'm sure there are a few others I will find as I use the app more, but for the most part gives you the full desktop feel. I have 10 columns, which is 2 more than TweetDecks recommendations, and have had only a few issues. One is that when the app crashes you lose all of your updates. This syncs back to the desktop also. The app has the option to set the update in seconds for each column so you can prioritize those 100 api requests. So for those columns you want to update often, like 60 seconds, will do so and the columns that are not the most important to you well just push the slider all the way to the end, 2000 seconds.

So over all some great news for the die hard tweet fans who like organization and mobility.

Quick iUpdate on iPhone 3.0 OS + iPhone 3G S

Finally we get a release date on the much awaited 3.0 OS. June 17th is the official word from WWDC 2009. To top it off announced was the new iPhone 3G S. Much of the rumors in rumor ville have been proved false such as the front facing camera. What was said about the new iPhone was the new speed hence the S. Camera upgrade, video support, and voice command are the most appealing new features. The question that still remains is will the 3.0 OS unlock bluetooth for iPod touch users. Nothing has been confirmed on this matter. The price for the original iPhone 3G has dropped to $99 for the 8Gb model. So affordability is also another option for those holding out because of price. AT&T has put off MMS until later this summer. To sum up some of the key features in OS 3.0 are landscape keyboard options in email, notes, and messages. Spotlight search to search within calendars, email, notes, and messages. iTunes store will have the option to rent and buy Movies, TV shows, and Music videos. Parental controls are now an option. Tethering has been thrown in for those die hard mobile users. Safari upgrades include auto fill, media streaming, and big performance increase. The most valuable feature shown was the Find My iPhone app. This feature requires a MobileMe subscription but is certainly a great security feature. If you would like a great recap on today's WWDC 2009 Keynote follow the read to see what went down on Gizmodo's liveblog of the event.

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Tired of RSS use Ohpan!

I was digging around on the web today when I happened to come across this site. I have not found a whole lot of information about the site because it seems to be still in beta. But I must say I like the direction it is taking. You have to filter your own content at start. As you do so the web app starts filtering in content that pertains to your needs. Strike content you don't want to see and star content you like. Though still a little buggy they have also put out an iPhone app. Follow the two links below to read a little more into it and click the image to test it out for you self.

ReadWriteWeb

March 5, 2009

atype studios

March 5, 2009

Brushes for iPhone

After reading some headlines about Brushes I decided to give the app a shot. I must say the art you can put out with this app is very surprising. After watching Mike Miller's video and two hours of painting I was able to accomplish this piece. Though the drawing looks very similar I made sure the artist's work was not copied verbatim. I have not put pencil to paper in years and I must say that this app may get me back in the mood. If you love to paint or draw give the app a whirl. You want be disappointing. Kudos Mike if you read this. It was your piece that really sold me on the app.

Not in my infrastructure you don't!

Should Apple and the iPhone integrate with the business world more like Blackberry? My answer is no. Here's why. I have been in the I.T. field for over ten years. 90% of today's I.T. departments are understaffed in today's work place. With all of the technology we are forced to introduce, adopting another platform just does not aid in increased productivity. Companies are pushing their I.T. departments to the limits. "Hey let's incorporate this into our business model and quick!" has been the attitude lately. So why not put the iPhone in? It is just not built around the business environment. Don't get me wrong it has many business functions but it is not the core functionality. Blackberry has a business infrastructure behind it that can give you control and security strong enough for government use. Until Apple builds such a model I say to the CEO's of the world "Yeah Apple has great products but I don't want it in my infrastructure until we can have full control over it!" "Yes we will push your email and can even make our website iPhone friendly but no I will not support it on my secure network."

Blog Press and Byline continued...

[Blog Press] I have to say that I am really liking this app. For 2.99 you really can't beat the functionality this app offers to Blogger fans and some select other blog domains. This app is a great app to post, edit, add photos, and blog offline. Though I do not have multiple accounts I am sure the option to send to your multiple accounts at the same time is a plus. I have only encountered one issue during use. When I edited a post and added more photos, when checking the post the images were off centered. By that I mean they were completely outside of the post merging with the previous post. Was not a huge problem I just corrected the issue once in Blogger but non the less was not thrilled when I saw the post. Though I do believe the problem may have been more of a page design flaw on my blog. Once you get use to using the app it really puts a joy into mobile blogging. I think my favorite feature is the offline option to save as a draft and post later. That to me seems to be the most productive tool a blogger can have. Beside lugging around a notebook and finding a place to blog. So I give this app 5 out of 5.


[Byline] This app on the other hand has good quality but lacks a feature that I would really like. That is the ability to choose which folders you would like to update. For those who do not know this app allows you to view your Google Reader offline. The problem I have is that I get so many feeds that before it finishes loading I am ready to close the app. Some feeds I subscribe to I really don't want to check the content every thirty minutes or so and I go in and mark them all as read later. It just makes it easier to weed through all the info and find what you are really wanting to know about at that moment. No one has the time to go through over a thousand feeds in a day unless that is your soul job. I don't get paid for so its not my thing. Though I will continue to use the app I would really like to see this option in a future update. My rating for this app is 3 out of 5. The reason is I have ti sift though and wait while the app loads the feeds. This also causes problems when you are trying to scroll to a feed and data keeps moving your screen while you are getting ready to tap on a interesting feed.

Testing the waters with BlogPress

After reading many reviews I finaly decided to go with BlogPress over iBlogger for the iPhone. I also downloaded byline to get my Google Reader feeds and view them off line. Will post my thoughts on the app in the coming days!

Screenshots

Favorite Mashable of the day! Tweetstack

Tweetstack for iPhone. If your into twitter, love using Tweetdeck, and own an iPhone or iPod Touch then check out the new app in iTunes Store. Follow the read over at Mashable to get the details.

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