Comments on: Letting iPhone apps run my life for a day

When his original plans one day in Seattle fall through, CNET News reporter Daniel Terdiman decides to test out some iPhone apps and put them in charge.

[Seaspray0]

"...let me recommend putting it in the safe care of iPhone applications." which is followed by "...and it worked. Sort of." which seems to be the theme of several of the apps the author tried. This is supposed to inspire me into believing the authors first comment?

[Fil0403]

I'd say the answer is "yes" if you are an Apple user, given (especially as of lately) things "sort of working" is the most an Apple user can expect from Apple products or Apple-compatible software.

[sbwinn]

Not sure how you missed AIM. It was one of the original apps demoed for the iPhone. Did you know it can do screenshots to avoid fingerprinted images?

http://www.macworld.com/article/134391/2008/07/iphone_screen_shots.html

[usualsuspect87]

pandora allows you to answer calls just the same as when you are listening to the standard iPod feature (aka fades out to your call, and when you're done it fades back in). Granted the homekey will turn your music off which sucks, but what can you do. Though i can see why they won't let you run the program when planning to run a 2nd third party app, but for the native apps like calendar and email, you'd think you could listen on....

Still lover pandora though! You can also set up new stations through the use of the app, your article doesn't really make that clear.

cheers

[patrickod]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for trying our Urbanspoon.

> The problem is there didn't seem to be any way to set those criteria myself.
> So I couldn't figure out how to pick where I wanted to go and what I wanted to eat.
> I suspect I was missing something fairly basic.

Actually, under each of the wheels (Neighborhood, Cuisine and price) there is a pad lock icon. Tapping those will lock the wheel above it.

Hope that helps,

Patrick

www.urbanspoon.com

[RiceCreek]

I also love the Pandora app, it's definitely one of the best apps available. I also tried LocalEats on a recent road trip to Atlanta - it pointed me to a great breakfast place, so I'm a fan.

[rootlesscosmo]

It would be nice if iConvert spelled "Celsius" correctly.

[Mr. Dee]

I wish America Movil (MiPhone) in Jamaica would move faster with their 3G network so I can be on the iPhone bandwagon too.

mmm, beths, i haven't been there in forever. i know what i'm doing for lunch!

[ooartist]

Daniel,

Wow... thanks for using LocalEats... our Seattle team was excited to see you eat at Beth's Cafe.

We have some new updates coming for LocalEats that are going to make it even better!

Byron

www.wherethelocalseat.com

[M C]

Have they managed to get the stale smoke smell out of the walls at Beth's yet?

[ralphdaily]

I love Urbanspoon because the staff has been so responsive about editing restaurant data when I submit an update or point out a deleted restaurant. The wheels are fun too. As someone else said, to lock a criteria on Urbanspoon you click the lock under it.

[edgedesign]

It didn't seem the author had really explored the available apps or their use thoroughly... but that's probably similar to many iPhone/Smartphone users. There are plenty of well-designed and useful apps out there. I've spent a decent amount of time exploring available apps and here's some I highly recommend checking out:

Utilities:
Units
Tip
Listomni
reQall
YPmobile
BoxOffice
myLite


Music:
Shazam
BeatMaker
Last.fm

Games:
HoldEm
Quordy
MotionX Poker
Scrabble
4 in a Row
2 Across

Still waiting for a flight check app similar to the OS X widget.

[pjhenry1216]

If you can't find settings for various programs, check the end of the Settings list in the Settings menu of the iPhone. Some settings for various applications are actually found at the end of the actual iPhone settings. However, thats not where Twitterific's settings are. It has a little wrench icon for login information, etc. You can change info there. Dunno if maybe thats inaccessible if you have incorrect login info or something though.

[forensicmeteoboy]

FYI about the weather app: Almost all observations of weather are taken by airports. Sure, some people have their own stations, but those aren't used typically for current and historical weathers obs... they are, however, often used in computer models.

....FYI. I'm a meteorology student. :)

[budfred]

About Aeroweather, its very easy to get temperature in F. Tap the "i" in the lower right, tap Format & Units, tap US, and you will probably also want to turn off Original station units on the same page. Great weather application.

[myles taylor]

Nice job. You've inspired me to write in my blog about how to spend a day with the iPod Touch Apps. You don't have to have an iPhone to have fun with the App store, believe me!

[itsaspork]

It's Twittelator - with an L -
not Twitterator, for those who are looking. Great app!

[cardfan1212]

This was one of the dumbest articles i've ever read on cnet. I own an iphone so it isn't more iphone coverage that made this dumb. Just the writer.

Twitter?? Tweet? You sound like you're 5 or so.. What on god's green earth are you talking about? Don't tell me it's another teeny bopper social website like myspace.

CNET, do me a favor and please never subject me to nonsense like this again...

[MrTunesAZ]

A) if you're in Seattle, Terdiman,I'm sure the local radio stations are playing grunge and rock by some great bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and AIC. So no need to go to Pandora-fed Portishead to escape the "blue collar" atmosphere....at least I hope your point was about radio stations when you used that reference. If you're suggesting "blue-collar" folks in Seattle or anywhere else can't appreciate Massive Attack and the others, then your elitist slip is showing.

B) This column is predicated on -which- applications the author chose for everyday use....and who is to say they are "the best"? You chose a weather app that supposedly beats the Apple app that came with the phone - and you couldn't get it to give you Fahrenheit? Great choices there, buddy. Try again.

[iPhonica]

*sigh* what is the date of this article, anyway? Mmm, August 22nd. Dan, what has happened to you, dude? You're the "Geek Gestalt", and you're PAID to write little articles for C-NET? Yikes.
I am a very busy guy (those who know an app or two will now be thinking, "ohh, poor guy, cue Tiny Violin app"), and still...it took you till August 22nd to download, much less write (very little) about,11 APPS? Like, do you really expect the peeps that frequent this website to be this amazed by your little discoveries like accuweather, check please, and AIM?! You must not even read your own site much. It's been telling us iPhone users that AIM is a good way to avoid going over our text message allotment for weeks now! There was nothing new, interesting, or remotely cool about anything you discussed in this article. See the comments...your readers are far more savvy at...oh, I dunno... realizing the "i" in the corner might be a good place to set some app preferences?! That's like an iPhone standard.
By the way, if 1/3 of your apps are going to be eating apps, you might want to look into FatWatch or Daily Count. I'm just sayin'.

[Seaspray0]

Please, lets get back to the real important issue in seattle. Like, which coffee is better. Starbucks or Seattle's Best?