Monday, November 26, 2012
Patch kicks off its holiday gadget gift guide with a look at the best headphones available.
Thanksgiving is over, the leftovers are dwindling and December is almost here. That means the holiday lights will start appearing, the Christmas music will be blasting through department stores for the next month and, most importantly, it's time to start shopping for gifts. Each Monday, Patch will be throwing some gadget gift recommendations your way. Your Gadget Gift Guide kicks off with a look at headphones. Best full-size headphones: The Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones are comfortable, sport a balanced sound and, at $105, are a bargain. CNET gives these headphones a four-star review (out of five). The only downside is there's no integrated microphone, so you can't use them to take calls on your cellphone. Best Bluetooth headphones: If…
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Apps to help you navigate and find the great deals on Black Friday.
Black Friday sales require a good strategy, comfortable shoes and a lot of coffee. There’s one more thing to add to the list: your iPhone or Smartphone. A variety of apps can turn your phone into a shopping tool that will help you navigate stores, get coupons and find the best prices. Wired reports more apps are being rolled out as retails “acknowledge the new reality of anytime, anywhere retail, a reality in which getting someone to tap an app on Black Friday is at least as important as getting them through the door.” A few recommendations from PCWorld.com includes: Google Maps Google Maps provides maps for stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom. This app can also be used to help you plan out your route and find items on store shelves. Google …
Monday, June 11, 2012
Helpful information for international travel with your AT&T iPhone and iPad.
Planning an overseas trip is exciting, but figuring out your AT&T iPhone/iPad connectivity can be challenging. Here’s what I’ve learned after experiencing this firsthand. Calling — If you’re traveling outside Canada and Mexico, you can sign up for the AT&T World Traveler plan for $5.99 per month to reduce your calling rates. Even if you don’t plan to make phone calls, consider this an insurance policy if you have to make an emergency call. For calling from Canada and Mexico, there is a $4.99 per month plan and reduced calling rates. Texting — There are separate messaging plans that start at 50 messages for $10 per month and include picture messages. Only outbound messages are counted against the 50, so you can receive an unlimited …
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Evernote's mobile app lets you record audio notes, photos and text.
I'm sure you've experienced it too: Someone recommends a time-saving mobile app to you. And life is busy, so you put off trying it out. But when you finally download it, you can't imagine life without it. That was my journey to Evernote, the all-in-one brain in your pocket. Now, as an editor for Patch and an (occasional) author, I'm always taking notes. I take photos of places I want to visit again, jot down memorable quotes and talk to myself on my audio recorder almost constantly. Before Evernote, I'd use the iPhone's built-in yellow pad Notes program or, most recently, Genius Scan (a very good scanner app) to keep track of my thoughts. Evernote (which is free for the iPhone and Android) made them both seem redundant very quickly, …
Sunday, February 26, 2012
This week's review includes a look into the TonePad and Songify apps.
I am not musically inclined. Or, rather, I'm not much anymore. When I was a teen, I played trumpet in a touring jazz band, but my ability to hit a high C has long since past. Which, I suspect, is why I'm in love with the free TonePad and Songify iPhone apps. With TonePad, there's no instrument to learn, or even music to read. You simply open the app up and run your finger across a field of dots--and voila, music! Now, it takes a little tinkering before you're making anything but pleasant-sounding noise (the simplicity of the program makes it difficult to create pure cacophony). But once you start lining up dots (aka, notes) in vertical lines, the player recognizes them as chords. You can build on the chords and the progressions to create…
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The apps Downtown Oak Park, HopStop and MetroPulse are reviewed.
This week: A couple of quick hits on Chicagoland apps, starting with… Downtown Oak Park: I don’t know why more suburbs don’t have their own apps. This one, released by Evanston-based SweetPerk, was commissioned by a downtown business group to offer shoppers events listings, attractions, deals and business listings. The good news: It’s simple to use and looks great. The bad: The content is underdeveloped. A few days ago, there were no events lists and thus far, only one attraction: The Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio. Given time, though, this could be a killer app. Right now, the architecture is there—but the app needs furniture. PS: SweetPerk also has released Passport for Downtown Evanston, with plans for similar apps for Naperville and…
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Starbucks' iPhone app is robust and useful — but in need of streamlining.
This job takes me to a ton of coffee shops. Mobile journalism means mobile offices, and for me, that mean local cafes and caffeine dens. Oftentimes, I find myself at Starbucks locations for hours on end, which is why I was excited to try out the Starbucks iPhone App. What does it do? For starters, the mapping function allows you to not only find the Starbucks near you, but also their hours, which is handy for us suburban nighthawks. You can also buy drinks by scanning your phone, which deducts money from gift cards you've stored in there. And you can keep a log on your phone of your favorite caffeine addictions (mine: chai latte — but does that even have caffeine?) Earlier: Free Audiobooks on Your iPhone...Sort Of Other features let you …
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Patch scours the many apps out there to find the most useful ones for Northbrook residents.
Throughout the world, ten billion apps have been downloaded through the iTunes store. With just the tap of a finger, these apps help people organize their day and even add a little entertainment. This milestone got Patch thinking about what apps would best serve Northbrook residents. So we compiled a list of the top apps that will help you with everyday life, from finding the cheapest gas to locating the best bottle of wine. Fuel Finder You’re heading home from Northbrook Court and the gas gauge light just went on. Where can you fill up nearby without maxing out your credit card? Fuel Finder has the answer. No matter where you are, this app will guide you to the nearest place with the least expensive gas. Open Table Yes, you can reserve …
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9:25 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Ferrari sealed second in the http://www.coachoutletonlinegg.com constructors' championship, holding off McLaren while Caterham overtook http://www.coachoutletonlineaol.net Marussia for the lucrative 10th place in constructors http://www.coachfactoryoutletwy.com when Vitaly Petrov overtook Charles Pic, who is http://www.coachoutletstorefc.com driving for Caterham next year, on lap 65. http://www.… more ›