Again with the photo obsession?
It’s quite well recognised that the iPhone’s camera isn’t much to write home about.
It’s a heck of a lot better than the one included on the iPad, though…
I’ll let that one sink in for a while. It may come to you, it may not. In the meantime, I’ve delved once again into the world of iPhone photo Apps with a look at Panorama stitching apps for PC Authority:
Amazing Apps For Your iPhone: Panorama Photos: “The iPhone’s camera is, as we’ve discussed before , not the greatest bit of optical equipment on the planet. With the right Apps, however, you can make an ordinary camera into something extraordinary.”
Solitary sister, is there still a part of you that wants to give?
Astonishing what iTunes throws up on random some days to make up my subject lines. Hadn’t thought about that song in years. I’m willing to bet you haven’t either…
And that’s as good a random segue as any into today’s articles. Firstly, online. At CNET.com.au I dip into notebook territory:
Asus UL50Vt: “The UL50Vt’s black style almost makes it look like an evil, but considerably cheaper MacBook Pro model…”
(nb: Those who prefer a more business-style spin (and advertising) with their notebook reviews can read the same thing here at ZDNet)
At PC Authority I’ve been doing some cooking with iPhones. Not that they get quite that hot, but anyway:
Amazing Apps for your iPhone: 6 apps to turn your iPhone into a recipe book: “No recipes that use Alcohol, Anchovies and Baking Powder? Fail.”
Then in the print world, there’s the January 2010 issue of Australian PC User.
Please don’t ask me to explain magazine cover dates; we’ll be here all day and everyone will still be confused. Anyway, this issue chalks up an impressive twenty years of PC User, and means that in my own case, I’ve had articles published in the 20 year anniversary issues of both PC User and Australian Personal Computer. Although APC’s 20th was quite some time ago — I was still on staff there in that case.
I wonder how many of the gold boxes there are still around?
Anyway, my contributions to this month’s issue encompass reviews of Amazon’s Kindle, Virgin Mobile’s WiFi Modem, Uniden’s TRAX 5000 GPS, Toshiba’s 22DV615Y DVD/TV Combo, Flip’s MinoHD Camcorder, Jabra’s HALO Bluetooth headset and finally EA’s Beatles Rock Band. Phew. That should keep them busy for, say.. 20 years?
No?
Oh well. Back to the word mill then.
Take the time to listen to the collective heartbeat…
It’s not just the growing of fancy Mo’s that I’ve been busy with this week. Oh no. I’ve been writing and testing and reviewing and writing and testing and reviewing and writing and…
You get the idea.
At CNET.com.au, there’s these two rather contrasting products:
WD My Passport Essential SE 1TB: “Western Digital’s 1TB Passport drive isn’t pretty or cheap, but its bland look belies the storage and backup goodies within.”
Withings WifiScale: “We can’t fault the technical genius of the Withings WifiScale, but at the same time you do pay a lot of money for a lot of gimmicks in a bathroom scale.”
The Passport’s fair enough, but I suspect the scale’s the strangest thing I’ve reviewed all year. Those who follow my twitter account will know what I mean…
Meanwhile, back in much more familiar territory, GadgetGuy.com.au has this:
Apple MacBook 13 inch: “The updated Macbook brings excellent battery life and otherwise solid performance in a stylish body. It’s not a complete re-imaginging of the Macbook concept, but it does bring the Macbook line more into line with the more expensive Pro models.”
And keeping with the Apple theme, PC Authority has not one, but two guides to iPhone Apps:
Amazing Apps for your iPhone: Fitness apps“It’s not that tough to turn your iPhone into your own personal gym and fitness instructor, however, and get your health and fitness back on track.”
Amazing Apps for your iPhone: Christmas Apps: “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on your iPhone. Here’s seven great Christmas-themed apps.”
Ordinary Heroes, there’s one on every street…
Mmm.. New Howard Jones album. That’ll make up a nice number of subject lines for the next couple of weeks, methinks. With my “showing off” cap, I’m even in the liner notes…. albeit via a patronage/bribe model, but still…
I’ve also been busy writing stuff. At PC Authority’s local Web site, I collected up as many iPhone Apps relating to holy texts as I could find:
Amazing Apps For Your iPhone: Religious Texts: “There’s a lot of Bibles in the App store. A whole lot. Want to follow your faith from the comfort of your phone? These apps make it easy.”
I’m also in the print edition of the current mag, covering off the home networking and connected family portions of the massive Christmas Gift Guide.
Meanwhile, at another publishing house, not so far away, I’m all over the current issue of Australian PC User Magazine. 
I put McAfee’s Family Protection under the microscope and discover a rather startling omission in its protection engine. Speaking of engines, I used one extensively for a roundup of 11 GPS units, an article I started writing back in July with a massive and lengthy road test that took me from Sydney to Adelaide to Melbourne and back again to Sydney. A whole lot of roads (and a huge quantity of spinal pain) later, and a GPS feature was born. I guess it’s true — you really do have to suffer for the art!
My regular roundups of the best mobiles covers off the snazzy Samsung HD ICON and the slightly schizophrenic DualSIM Mini phones, as well as standalone reviews of the Kogan Pro 26, Logitech S315I rechargeable iPod/iPhone Speaker dock and the very spiffy Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0.
He ran a four minute mile blindfolded with an engine block strapped to his back…
While I recover from the rigours of a nineteen hour day that included Byteside, a refurbished flour mill, a secret garden that somehow had a concrete floor and naturally enough nowhere near enough sleep, amuse yourself with today’s iPhone App guide at PC Authority:
Amazing Apps For Your Phone: What’s the weather like out there? “Spring is upon us, but the weather remains as variable as ever. Here’s the best iPhone Apps to keep you dry.”
Quick to the point, to the point no fakin’
Mmm.. bacon.
What a bizarre week, filled with unwell children, unco-operative chicken coops and difficult questions. And, naturally enough, yet more work published online. PC Authority covered off my thoughts on scoring cheaper iPhone apps:
Amazing Apps for your Phone: Here’s how to get cheap iPhone apps: “Pricing varies — and there is a lot of free content out there — but even if they were all only priced at the lowest local paid price, $1.19, you’d be looking at $77,350 to buy them all. And about forty iPhone 3GS units to hold them all, but we digress.”
Meanwhile, CNET.com.au published my review of Dell’s stylish iMac-a-like:
Dell Studio One 19: “It’s a fair guess that anyone buying a system from Dell will know who they’re buying it from. Dell’s not taking any chances however, and every single component of the system bears a prominent Dell logo.”
