Digital Bits | Steve Lomas

Introduction

So, yesterday was the the day... The day I referenced back in March...The day the Apple faithful have dreaded for some time...

Steve Jobs died yesterday, October 5, 2011.

1955-2011... I can't help thinking it could be me. We were the same age.

I haven't felt this way, since the murder of John Lennon. A feeling of tremendous loss. And while Jobs wasn't shot by a crazed gunman, that is little consolation. Ironically, both men were linked by the name, "Apple"...

Much has been said about Jobs' passion and all the cool technology he created. I have nothing to add, except to say, "Thank you!"

I had the good fortune of being present, onsite for many Steve Jobs keynotes. He always made it fun.

I also had the opportunity to meet him once. I was introduced by a mutual acquaintance, a former Apple employee. We had stopped at a little Palo Alto coffee shop, to grab some breakfast on our way to a meeting. Turns out, it was Steve's favorite morning spot, just blocks from his house. The guy I was with, said, "Oh, there's Steve. Would you like to meet him?" (This was shortly after Pixar's IPO -- it was Pixar, not Apple, that first made Jobs a billionaire.) And there he was, sitting at a little table by a window, minding his own business, reading the paper, and enjoying his coffee. What I remember most, was how Steve greeted my associate: warmly asking about his wife and children by name. It had been years since they had worked together.

Jobs was infamous for guarding his privacy; rarely speaking about himself and his personal life.That's why I think this video link to his 2005 Stanford University commencement address is a fitting memorial. He titled it, "How to Live Before You Die".

In it, he speaks of embracing mortality as a springboard to life.

Rest in peace, Steve.

This post is for anyone with lots of apps on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. who is having a hard time keeping track of them...

Background
Recently a friend of mine mentioned how he hates Apple's IOS navigation model of flipping through page after page of icons. I replied that I didn't have any trouble finding apps on my IOS devices. I have most of my apps organized into folders and everything is on one of two two pages. So, my friend, decided to put me to the test. "Do you have a webpage screen grabbing app on your iPad?", he asked. "I don't recall," I replied, "Let's see..." One swipe, one click, and three seconds later, "Yes: Webshot. It's in my utilities folder." 

"Wow! That's impressive", says my friend. He then went on to share that the real problem, was getting his head around the task of organizing hundreds of apps into folders. It just seemed like an endless time sink...

Sound familiar? Well I have a strategy for performing this task that makes it easy to organize your IOS screen life.

Get Organized!
Step by Step Folder Management

1) On your iPhone or iPad, navigate to your last page of icons. Click and hold on any icon, to enter edit mode (wiggling icons).

2) Drag all your apps off the lower tool bar and onto the last page, including the apple apps. If your last page is full, go to the next page.

3) With and empty tool bar navigate back to the first page (Home) -- pressing the round physical button will take you there directly.

4) Now reviewing the icons on your home page, drag any two similar icons onto each other; this will create a folder. For example: if your home page included Facebook, a Twitter client and the LinkedIn app, you could drag the Twitter app onto the Facebook app, which will create a folder called "Social". You can rename it if you like. Then drag the LinkedIn app onto the Social folder. This will result in three icons inthe single folder named, "Social". Repeat this process, creating folders for any other like categories, on the page.

5) Drag the folders you created from your home screen onto the empty tool bar. The iPhone will accommodate four; the iPad, six.

6) Now, with folders in tow, navigate to all the other pages (screens) of application icons, dragging appropriate apps into the folders on the toolbar.

7) When you get to the last page, and you have grabbed all the apps that fit the folders on your tool bar, drag these folders off the toolbar, and repeat the process.

This is a really easy way to organize your apps. The big idea here, is bringing the folders to the apps, instead of trying to drag the apps from screen to screen in search of folders -- you'll likely go mad, doing that!

Once you have everything organized by folder, you can use the toolbar to relocate your folders to whatever screen you desire. Most people prefer certain, "heavy use apps", to be free standing. My home page is a mixture of both icons and folders, and as I have already shared, all my apps fit on two screens!

IOS Folder Capacity
On the iPhone, you are allowed a maximum of eight screens; each screen can accommodate 16 folders or icons, plus the ubiquitous toolbar which can hold a combination of four icons or folders.Each folder can house a maximum of 12 apps. If every slot is dedicated to a folder, that means the iPhone has a maximum capacity of 1584 apps, or until you run out of memory.

8 pages x 16 folders x 12 apps/folder + 4 potential toolbar folders x 12 apps each = 1584 apps

On the iPad, you are allowed a maximum of 11 screens; each screen can accommodate 20 folders or icons, plus the toolbar which can hold a combination of six additiional icons or folders. Each folder can house a maximum of 20 apps. If every slot is dedicated to a folder, that means the iPad has a  maximum capacity of 4520 apps, or until you run out of memory.

11 pages x 20 folders x 20 apps/folder + 6 potential toolbar folders x 20 apps each = 4520 apps

Folder Names 
Obviously, you can name your folders any way you chose, but here is a list of potential folder names that may be useful:

Apple Apps Social Business Productivity Entertainment Shopping News Travel Reference

Graphics Drawing Apps Paint Apps Photography Note-takers Utilities Bookmarks Games Kids

One last tip, to find an app gone AWOL...
Navigate to the the home screen and enter the find mode, by either swiping to the right or by pressing the round physical button at the bottom of your screen. Once on the find screen, type in the name of the app you are looking for. It won't take you to the app, but it will confirm it's presence and you can launch it, which is probably why you were looking for it in the first place. :-)

Now go forth and organize! 

Steve Lomas is an interactive media veteran, designer, entrepreneur and idea mechanic. He is the founder of MojoMediaPros, and CyberIsland Studios.

 

 

 

Forgive me if this offends anyone, but I'm gonna miss Steve Jobs if God calls him home anytime soon. Great to see him today leading Apple's iPad 2 shout out. Greatest marketer and inventor of our age...

I'm praying for you, Steve!

Steve Lomas
Web Consultant, Idea Mechanic

Traveling Light

As cool as it is, I couldn't justify an iPad, if it were only an entertainment device or media player. No, it has to hold its own as a productivity tool, in order to win my vote. I say that, but come to think of it, I did actually buy my first iPad (that's right, my "first" -- read on), sight unseen, hoping I could whip it into a useful productivity tool. I'm not looking for a a laptop replacement; just a good web and email machine with light duty authoring and editing capabilities.

I recently took my iPad to the CMS Expo in Chicago, and it was delightful to be able to leave my laptop and laptop bag back in the hotel room.

May The Best App Win...

So, with this goal in mind, my friends and I have probably spent way more money than any of us care to admit, purchasing, testing and replacing one app for another, trying to determine which apps rule; a Darwinian competition of sorts: Survival of the Fittest iPad Apps.

"Look, folks... No file system!"

As you may may or may not know, there is no file system on the iPad. So, the issue becomes how you get files onto the iPad, how to edit or author files on the iPad and then how to get them off the iPad to share them with the rest of the world. Support for cloud services, such as mobileMe, Dropbox and Google Apps, is key! Currently, most apps that can edit content don't support these and other cloud services, well or at all. And the apps that do, either can't edit or don't support your file formats, or if they do, they simply are not terribly robust. This will, of course, improve over time; but today, it's a reality.

One key app is GoodReader. This app seems to have the most robust email and cloud support and they provide their own pseudo file system. GoodReader recently opened their API to any app developer that wants to support it, so this could become a defacto standard -- why in the world didn't Apple make file sharing easier?

Another brilliant service is Dropbox. This app allows you to share a single desktop folder and it's contents with multiple PC's your iPhone and iPad. It works really well.

The combination of GoodReader and Dropbox is very powerful.

Projecting the Dots,,,

For you Microsoft office users, DocsToGo, can author and edit MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint docs, and they have just added support for cloud services.

Now, before you start thinking, "Great I will use my iPad to author and present projected PowerPoint presentations", you need to know that while Apple does offer a handy VGA adapter to connect your iPad to an external monitor or projector, only a select few apps are actually supported! I'm pretty sure the programmers at Apple had to go out of their way to create this unwelcome feature!

From my experience, Keynote and the built-in iPad Photo app are the only two apps that you can project. Oddly enough, Safari isn't even supported for VGA output. So, that means you cannot include any web content, (or for that matter, any Google apps content) projected from an iPad.

Keynote has its own shared desktop folder interface, for pushing files to the iPad, but keeping files synced, will likely pose challenges for some.

Another thing, that blows my mind is that you cannot organize photos, once they are on the iPad. You have to dock with your PC and re-sync.

I just bought the camera interface for the iPad ($29.00). It includes a USB dongle and SD card reader dongle. I'm hoping this hardware will mysteriously unlock some phantom functionality for organizing photo albums on the iPad. Probably not, but I can dream, right?

Other Accessories I Recommend:

An additional 10W power adapter($29.00). It comes with an AC power cord, which the power adapter that ships with the iPad does not include. This is the only way to get a 6' power cord, for the iPad. Believe it or not, the iPhone/iPad data cable that ships with the iPad is actually feels shorter than my iPhone data cable. Net/net: without the 6ft AC power cord, you havevto station your iPad within 30" of the AC outlet.

Speaking of power adapters, you may already know that you cannot charge an iPad from a computer USB port or from an iPhone power adapter.

You can however, safely charge an iPhone from an iPad power adapter, faster than it would otherwise charge from an iPhone power adapter.

Griffen has some of the best iPad accessories. I like their leather PadFolio ($49.95); much better IMHO than Apple's flocked cardboard version. I use this in combination with the Belkin clear rubberized plastic clam-shell back cover ($49.99).

When I'm at home I take off the leather PadFolio<, and just go with the clamshell, which gives the iPad a great "no-slip" feel, as you carry it around the house.

Griffen also offers an anti-glare screen film, ($29.99) which greatly reduces fingerprints. The combination of the Belkin shell and the Griffen screen film completely encloses and protects the iPad from scratches and dust; important for resale value.

The Griffen industrial aluminum desk stand for iPad ($49.99) is another great accessory; ultra rugged and versatile.

Of course, I have already mentioned the VGA adaptor($29.00); a must have.

One interesting point about any of the 3rd party protective covers, it that they are generally not compatible with the generic Apple accessories; i.e. any of the docking solutions. All you iPhone users, are already familiar with this issue. Personally, I don't recommend the Apple dock. It's not a great stand, and as I just stated, you can only dock a naked iPad. Some folks may not care about this, but something to be aware of, before you shell out the cash for these peripherals.

Another thing, I learned, is that most ear bud/headphone mini-adapters are not long enough to extend through a clamshell enclosure and still make proper contact in the headphone receptacle. The solution I found is an adapter made by Monster Labs, which I had previously purchased for my original iPhone, which had a similar problem.

I'll stop here, for now.Look for more about my favorite iPad apps in a future blog.

Footnote

Regarding that second iPad, I mentioned... I've come to the conclusion that for the iPad to be truly useful, it has to be reliable, and given the importance of cloud services, described above, that means reliable access to the Internet. So, I ordered my second iPad with 3GS and additional memory.

Turns out, this also solved a couple of other problems: I no longer have to wrestle my iPad away from my business major, college-graduating son... I gave him my original iPad as a college graduation gift ;-)

Please let me know if any of this was interesting or helpful. SL

Prologue

On a recent business trip, I found myself reflecting on the impact of recent technologies,to my everyday life; specifically the iPhone and Cloud computing. A few short years ago, a phone was just that: a phone. Now it is an indispensable personal productivity, entertainment and communication device. When I was a kid, Captain Kirk's communicator seemed pretty far-fetched. Not so much, any more. In fact, in many ways, Kirk's Starfleet communicator pales compared to my iPhone -- no worries Captain, you still have an edge, with that phaser! :-)

Let me list the ways...

So, cooling my heels between connecting flights, I decided to list all the ways I rely on my iPhone.

Lets's start with the obvious:

Email, Contacts and Calendars

I have five email addresses, and 4 calendars (including an exchange server and Gmail) mapped to my iPhone. Whenever I look at my calendar it is up to date, and any changes that happen are pushed to me, and I am alerted. I have instant access to approximately 2000 contacts! I can speak a name and my iPhone accurately retrieves that individual's contact info and ask me to clarifying questions to be sure it dials the right number. I know, someone is saying, my phone can do that... I'm just getting started.

The App Store

At last count the iPhone has over 180,000 apps in the App Store. Unless your phone is an iPhone, your phone can't beat that -- not even close.

Tripcase App

When I book a trip, all I need to do is enter the record-locator into my Tripcase app, and my entire itinerary is downloaded to my phone, in seconds. A couple of clicks and my itinerary is forwarded to my family and business colleagues. Should my flight plans change, everyone is updated automatically!

MMS Text

While waiting at the gate, I swap texts with my wife, to let her know I arrive safely at the airport. I include a cute picture to make her smile. This goes on throughout my trip, allowing me to keep in touch with family and friends, from anywhere.

Photography On Demand

Visit a great restaurant, or witness a glorious sunset? That's worth a picture. The iPhone has a great little camera. Snap a picture and moments later it can be uploaded to my blog, Twitter, Facebook -- or all of the above -- directly from my iPhone!

Graphic Apps

Before uploading that image, I may want to color correct it, or straighten it, or crop and frame it; perhaps add a special effect. There's an app for that. In fact there are dozens. Some of the best include Photogene, PSmobile, PhotoFX, Brushes, ToonPaint, OldCamera, NightCamera, HDRCamera... I have to give a shout out, here, to Chipp Walters, for keeping me tight in this department!

Need video? No problem!

The iPhone has a built in video camera, and you can trim video clips right on your phone. That's come in handy more than once. You can even post the video directly to YouTube or simply text or email it to a friend...

Starbucks App Story

Still waiting at the airport, I decide to get a coffee. I check my Starbucks app to see that I have credit on my Starbuck card. I'm a little light so elect to transfer credit from my bank account to my bucks card, while I'm standing in line. Why? Rewards! I'm only a few point shy of a free drink. ;-) As I'm paying for my drink, I'm asked if I need my balance. "No thanks it's on my iPhone." I check the balance, and the debit has already posted before I could leave the counter. The barista and I take a moment to marvel at how quickly it updated. She's an iPhone user, too!

TripCase Saves the Day!

Heading back to my gate, I glance at TripCase again, and realize I have an update... My gate has been changed; it's now on the other side of the terminal; in the opposite direction. That saved me more than a few steps! If you have you ever made a connection at DFW, you know what I'm saying!!

AwesomeNotes App

I make it to the new gate with time to spare. So, I pull out my iPhone and open my Awesome Notes app to make some notes for this blog post, and I review some notes for my upcoming meeting. Insight App If you use BaseCamp, this is a great way to check-up on your projects while you are away from the office... And I do so.

NIV Bible App

I suddenly realize, in all my haste to get to the airport, and catch my flight, I hadn't had a chance to get into the Word, today. So, I open my NIV Bible app. Reading a particularly meaninful scripture, I copy it and email it to my wife. I also set it as a daily alert; a spiritual interuption in my day, to help me to stay focused on the big picture.

In-Flight Diversions - Dropbox in the Sky?

I've been known to watch movies, and TV shows, in flight on my iPhone, but on this trip, I put some business documents into the Dropbox folder on my desktop computer, so I could easily access them from the Dropbox app on my iPhone. I made each document a favorite, which notifies Dropbox to download a local copy to my iPhone. That way I can access them in-flight...

iPod App

How easy it is to take this app for granted, but let's not forget that it was the iPod and iTunes that turned Apple around... Listening to my iPod, also an app on my iPhone, I spent some mid-air quality time catching up on my business reading.

Alarm Clock and NPR News Apps

At night, I launch my Alarm Clock app; and set the alarm to wake me in the morning with my song of choice: Jimi Hendrix, All Along The Watchtower... In the morning, after listening to a few bars of Jimi, I roll out, and reach fo my Phone; launching the NPR News App: Morning Edition; feels like home. :-)

Dragon Dictation App

Throughout the day I continue to make notes, for this blog, by speaking them into my Dragon Dictation app which converts my words to text. It does a pretty good job.

TimeMaster App

I consult with several clients each day, so need to keep strict notes about my hours and expenses... Yup! There's an app for that; many, actually. The best one I've found, is TimeMaster. It's a little spendier than most iPhone Apps($9.99), but it's well worth it -- and it's fully iPad* aware as well. The cool thing about TimeMaster, is how easily can generate reports, and with the optional module upgrade (also $9.99) you can generate beautiful PDF invoices and email them to yourself or your client, all from the iPhone.

TurboScan App

We did some white board session on this trip, which we captured on our iPhones using the TurboScan app. What a gem! It allows you to correct any key-stoning (making the image rectilinear) and adjust the contrast. You can save the image or email it as a JPEG or PDF. The images are pretty high-rez, and they print reasonably well. My Favorite Apps, begin with "G" Everything I have mentioned thus far is pretty cool, but I have saved my favorite two apps for last: Google Search (voice activated, of course) Google maps and Google Earth. Whenever I'm planning s trip, or even if I just need to call ahead for information, I've gotten into the habit of search in the Google Maps app, first. Once the business destination is found, I immediately add it to my contacts AND I bookmark it, which makes getting directions to or from this location later, very easy. And Google Earth? It's just plain FuN!

Wrap up...

So, admittedly this post may have degraded into an iPhone commercial. I'm not trying to convince anyone to switch; I'm just going on record that I am a very satisfied customer, who is thankful for these technologies.

*The answer is, "yes" -- early adopter. More about the iPad in another post ;-)