Android – Iphone – Applications

I see QR codes springing up everywhere, and naturally, I wanted that functionality on my iPhone. There’s a free app in the App Store, ScanIt, that will allow you to use your iPhone’s camera to scan a QR code. Then depending on what type of information is contained within the code, it will launch the appropriate app.

An email address will launch the Contacts app while a URL will launch the website in Mobile Safari. This is a single-functionality app, so it will not scan barcodes. But for a free QR scanning app, this is a must have.

Here’s a cool way that I’ve integrated this into my life… Read More

written by zulu \\ tags: app store apps, code, codes-springing, Download, great-free, Iphone, iphone news, life, mobile, phone-download, phone-store, qr codes, will-launch

In the realm of product reviews, there is no better brand name than Consumer Reports. Many people wouldn’t be caught dead buying a vacuum cleaner or the like without making sure that it gets a “best buy” or a “recommended” Consumer Reports badge. As good as their reviews are, though, their mobile app lives and dies on two things: ease of use and organization.

As far as app navigation goes, Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper is a real winner. Its home screen is neatly organized into three panels. There is a large button for barcode scanning (provided by the popular Big In Japan), a scrollable category guide complete with snappy little pictures, and a search bar at the bottom.

Your success with the app really hinges on how you plan on using it. If you are simply going to a store to find the best vacuum cleaner that is on sale, the barcode scanner/ search feature will give you just what you need. After scanning an item, the app sends you straight to a separate page that shows you the Consumer Reports score, as well as a local/ online price quote and a link to other products in the brand line.

Where the app falls short is in the organization department. Let’s say that you aren’t simply scanning or searching for a particular model, but want to know what the highest rated vacuum cleaner of all is. Well now, that is a bit more difficult. After navigating through a handful of menus, (Appliances > Laundry & cleaning > Vacuum Cleaners > Vacuum Cleaner subcategory) you are presented with a list of items that are ranked by score. The highest scores don’t necessarily translate to “recommended” badges though, as they seem to be given at random. I know from personal experience that the ratings are given in price ranges, but that is in no way represented by the app. A simple 1-4 dollar sign rating next to the product would work wonders.

Fans of Consumer Reports ratings will certainly enjoy the mobile app translation, as well as the inclusion of the easy to use barcode scanner. The app really is perfect for people who want to buy the best of what is available at a particular store, and want their information from a trusted source. With the rise of free sites like Consumer Search, however, it’s hard for me to gulp down the $10 asking price, but the Consumer Reports brand does lend a sense of credibility that not many can match.

[ Consumer Reports Mobile Shopper Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by iieevvn \\ tags: consumer-search, Iphone, iphone apps and games, mobile, overall-rating, price, rating, ratings, shopper, utilities, vacuum-cleaner, vacuum-cleaners

Smartphones have become much smarter over the years with many devices of this day and age living up to their name more than ever. Not only can they make phone calls, send text messages and read emails but they can surf the “real web” and run a whole slew of third party applications. Thanks to these third party applications, modern day smartphones are more similar to a handheld computer than what we’ve come to know as a cell phone.

However, things aren’t always peachy. In order to benefit from many of the most popular mobile applications, a data plan is crucial. Luckily, just about every carrier in the United States offers such a plan with some costing more than others. If you’re an AT&T subscriber you’ll know that they’ve got a $20 per month data plan for use with devices like the iPhone 4 and Samsung Captivate that will net you 200MB per month. T-Mobile, on the other hand, has a data plan for $30 per month that gives consumers unlimited data – something that AT&T has long done away with.

While $20 per month is somewhat reasonable given the amount of features a mobile broadband connection brings, our sources tell us that T-Mobile will soon launch a $10 per month data plan that nets users 200MB per month. This is great for those who want to get down one some of T-Mobile’s greatest devices like the Samsung Vibrant but cannot afford the costly data plans.

Anyone looking to switch to the new $10 per month data plan?

via tmonews

Incoming search terms for this article:

• samsung vibrant froyo

written by spokoloko \\ tags: 200mb, article, broadband-plan, cell phones, increase-data, Iphone, media, mobile, offer-cheap, permanent-link, sprint, wireless

Those of you who have never heard of TED, then you should know about it.

It started out in 1984 as a conference to bring together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED). In the past 25 years, it has become bigger and now it has an iPad App.

The App brings all the info and even video to iPad users for those who desire it, and it is also free.

Source

written by iieevvn \\ tags: apple-media, design, entertainment, mobile, permanent-link, technology, ted talks ipad app

For those that are looking for another New York App might want to check out this one from Jeff Orlick.

It allows users to see the best pizza in the Big Apple, and where to find them. It looks like there is some “classic” pizza spots as well as some “under the radar” spots.

The App costs about $1 at the iTunes store.

Source

written by popol842 \\ tags: Apple, Application, downloaded, Iphone, launches-mobile, location-service, mobile, order-pizza, ordering, ordering-system, pizza, spots-as-well, under-the-radar