You knew it already, your iPhone is amazing: a phone, a video iPod, a web browser. You’ve read the news on the bus, replied to email in line for a movie, taken pictures, made phone calls, and recently, even sent text messages to many friends at once.
But wait, there’s more! Now, thanks to Pettitte Mallette’s iPhone ruler, our Safari web app of the week, you can measure things with it too! (as long as the things you want to measure are somewhat small).
I haven’t actually used the ruler yet, but I like the idea enough that I’m keeping it on my home screen. Well, for now, on page 2 of my home screen.
If you haven’t guessed already, the iPhone ruler does only one thing - it puts a 2 1/2 inch (or 6 1/2 centimeter) ruler on your screen. The developers promise this is just the beginning:
In spring 2008 we will replace this ruler with a new one that will transform your iPhone or iPod Touch into an amazing device.
For me, the most exciting thing about the recent set of updates announced yesterday at MacWorld was that they were, in fact, updates! This never happened on my MotoRazr! If there are any lingering doubts, these announcements prove that the iPhone’s evolving feature set make it much more like your computer than a cellphone or portable music player. This set of updates, Apple’s future updates, plus the additions of third party development starting next month, will add up to one exciting year for the iPhone!
My favorite new features - WebClips, which will add quick access to any Safari Apps, and multiple recipient text-messaging, which will make it easier than ever before to bring people together at your favorite burrito shop.
What are your favorite updates? What are you looking forward to in future updates from Apple and third party developers?
The new Web apps directory at apple.com looks great! It currently lists over 200 web based iPhone friendly applications. I’m just getting started browsing the catalog, but my favorite so far is Tipr, a “specialized tup calculator [that] takes your check total and a specified tip percentage and generates a total that is a palindrome.” Wow!
What’s your favorite new Web app (palindromic, or otherwise)?
My iPhone is becoming the go-to gadget for the spaces between here and there. I love being able to get one or two things done on a walk between meetings, a short and crowded bus ride, or any other time I find myself away from my laptop with a few minutes to spare.
Google Reader’s mobile site is now often my first stop when I’m looking for a quick, out and about productivity fix. I sped through a slew of news feeds this morning during a quick bus ride, and was really impressed by Google Reader’s responsiveness, even over the Edge network. The site had some trouble switching into landscape view, but was otherwise great.
I’m really enjoying Leaflets, the suite of Safari applications that run fast and look great on an iPhone. Browsing NYTimes.com is much faster, they have handy integration with del.icio.us and flickr, and there’s a growing catalog of great reviews of Safari based iPhone applications. Very cool!
What’s your favorite Leaflet? Let us know in the comments!
But wait, there’s more! Now, thanks to Pettitte Mallette’s iPhone ruler, our Safari web app of the week, you can measure things with it too! (as long as the things you want to measure are somewhat small).
