A Bigger Apple

I hate when friends want to hold my iPhone to see a photo or a video. They usually want to get closer to the screen. Unfortunately, they sometimes lose my photos when they try to enlarge the image or they displace videos when they want to switch from one to another. I have been known to grab my iPhone after I see them trying to manipulate the screen. “Get your sticky fingers off my screen,” I sometimes say out loud or mumble to myself

Recently I found a solution to my dilemma that I want to share with you. It’s the new ultra-sleek 3M Projector Sleeve for the iPhone 4/4S. All you do is slip your iPhone into the case. The case allows you to project pictures and videos everywhere and anywhere. All of a sudden everyone can share together. While it hasn’t been publicly announced, 3M is going to shortly introduce a projector sleeve for the iPhone 5. 3M calls the sleeve “dock and go.” I love that because it is small and thin enough to go with you everywhere. You can slip it in the pocket of your jeans, your purse, or the pocket on your shirt.

The makers of the 3M Projector Sleeve claim that users are getting a kick out sharing their new favorite viral video from YouTube® or streaming the newest films from Netflix® on the wall, on the ceiling or on the side of a tent. Others are creating photo sharing nights with family and friends with special slide shows. The 3M Projector Sleeve allows for 100 minutes of projection time. It also has a rechargeable battery. It’s very simple to use. Just project, share and enjoy. It even works as a back-up charger for your phone with the press of a button.

I plan to use the 3M Projector Sleeve for client presentations, to review photos on my camera roll, and to show off interesting videos I took at concerts, musicals, and plays. I may also start my own human interest channel on YouTube and share the videos with friends when we all gather together.

Amazon has the 3M Projector Sleeve on sale for $165.98 through November. It usually sells for $229.00.

Below is a video demonstration.

Eliot, the iPhone Hero

Every night when we leave our office on 22nd and Broadway, NYC, I start complaining about taking the subway home. “Let’s take a taxi,” I usually bellow. We usually start walking half a block toward the subway entrance, but if I see a cab with its light on, I start waving my hand frantically. “Take me home. Take me home.”

Tonight there wasn’t a cab in sight. I was pacing on the sidewalk as Eliot started descending down the steps. He got half way down when all of a sudden a young woman on top of the steps started screaming “Stop that guy he has my iPhone. Stop him please.” Then like a flash of lightening some kid with an iPhone in his mouth goes flying down the steps. Eliot chases after him and prevents the guy from entering the platform by shoving him to the floor.

While this is going on the victim is still screaming “Get my phone. Get my phone.” I am half way down the stairs at this time frozen on the spot. Before I knew it, the thief breaks lose and starts running towards me in order to run up the steps and get away. By this time an army of woman barricade the exit above me and start chanting “Drop the phone. Drop the phone.”

Eliot trails the guy up the steps and one clobber later the guy drops the iPhone from his mouth on to the floor. The owner grabs her phone and starts screaming for joy. The women opened the gap to let the thief free. He turned out to be a kid and no one wanted to detain him.

Everyone started to applaud Eliot and the gal with the iPhone yelled out one big thank you to everyone and then added, “When you live in New York, everyone has your back.” Then Eliot came to retrieve me from my catatonic position. Next week Eliot and I are going to be married 33 years. I could only give him my most earnest reaction. “What the F… were you thinking? Don’t ever do that again.”

The Other Side Of Twitter

Most older folks often question the validity of Twitter. Many of my friends think it is a place where everyone goes to post what they ate for dinner, what movie they saw, and who their favorite rock star is. Au contraire! Twitter continues to be a social media platform where users report information as it develops and voice their opinions on current events

I want to show you what I mean. Crimson Hexagon, a social media research company, recently surveyed Twitter to see what Americans thought of Apple Maps Vs Google. Their results really give you the nitty gritty. Crimson Hexagon grabbed more than 50,000 tweets that mentioned the Maps app, which comes standard on the iPhone 5, over the last six days. Just 10% of those expressed interest, approval or excitement, such as this review from pastor Charlie Campbell: “I was a little nervous about losing Google maps but I must say I like Apple’s maps even better.”

Then Crimson Hexagon dug up 22% of the tweets expressing an outright hatred of the Apple app. But another 30% cracked jokes at the expense of Maps, such as this from entrepreneur Chris Eh Young: “If you ordered an iPhone 5, shipments are being delayed. Apple is forcing the delivery guys to use Apple Maps.”

Click on the Mashable story here written by Chris Taylor to learn more. It is quite fascinating.

A Smartphone Camera Tip

Steve Greenberg, the Innovation Insider, read my post the other day about how to take the best fireworks photos. Steve quickly called me to say that he has taken some great fireworks photos with his iPhone and wanted to offer a suggestion. I bet this holds true for Android as well.

“When taking a picture with an iPhone, it’s important to understand that the
shutter snaps the image when your finger is REMOVED from the button NOT when
you touch the button– so for the ultimate photo control, set up your
picture with your finger resting ON the shutter button– then when you see
that perfect picture in the view finder, REMOVE your finger from the
button– SNAP– you’ve got the perfect picture.”

Thank you Steve for sharing.

Spider-Like iPhone 5 Design ????

The famous tech blog site, Mashable, gives us a glimpse into “possible” future iPhone (and other smartphones) designs. Instead of a touchscreen slab that’s held in the palm of your hand, imagine the “iPhone 5 with a new curved design that’s actually worn on the back of your hand.

To see more click here

I Want My Drafts Whenever, Wherever

Let me be the first to tell you the problem with certain applications. Unless you use them a lot you wouldn’t know this.

Your work in “draft form” does not transfer from app to app. For example, I was writing this post on the WordPress app on my iPad.

The iPad’s battery was running low so I switched to WordPress on my iPhone.

I couldn’t finish the post I was working on because it was saved in draft form on my iPad. Drafts only reside where you create them. If I had posted it, I would be able to view it from any of my devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod, and even my laptop.

This is going to be true for any app that allows you to create. A draft is a draft and it stays on the unit you are working on.

If you understand technology you would understand why this all makes sense. I am not a true techie. All I can say is that I want my drafts to transfer this way so I can work in stages from any device.

A girl can only dream.

I Am In Bed, Where Are You?

I told Eliot the other day never to tell anyone where I write my DigiDame posts from. Now I am about to spill my guts out. I am still in bed, reading stories from about 20 different newspapers, magazines, websites, blog posts, and broadcast services. I am doing this all on my iPhone.

Yes, I own an iPad but I find it too heavy to hold when I am still flat on my back. I will use the iPad when I am ready to sit up and officially admit I am working. As long as I am lying down, I still feel relaxed and at ease.

Right now I am writing this post on my iPhone. I can’t write this way all the time because some of my posts require more research and funky layouts. Most of the time, I wake up and start reading the many periodicals I rely on everyday. Then I start my writing. I don’t know why some people find it amazing that I can write and read on the iPhone. Many people do it. I even have a friend who reads novels on both Android and iOS smartphones.

Mobile technology has allowed me to play and work hard. Tonight we are expecting around 50-plus people for a 4th of July party in our condo in South Beach, Fl. Desserts, wine and champagne. In the old days, I would have been frantically thinking about how to squeeze all of my responsibilities into the day before the guests arrive?

Today, I take my smartphone with me everywhere. I handle things on the fly.

Read this story from AllThingsD that gives you a deeper report into the lifestyle of the upwardly mobile.

Mobile Technology Frees Workers to Work Any 20 Hours a Day They Choose – Ina Fried – Mobile – AllThingsD

http://allthingsd.com/20120702/mobile-technology-frees-workers-to-work-any-20-hours-a-day-they-choose/?mod=ATD_iphone

My Handy Little Gadget

If I want to call attention to myself all I have to do is attach my Joby tripod to my iPhone. Everyone wants to know what that handy little gadget is. The truth is the Joby tripod is a genius contraption that allows me to hold my iPhone above a crowd for the best advantage in shooting stills and video.

I also can even create a video of myself by balancing the iPhone on the Joby tripod. People who own this accessory love it because it provides a tremendous amount of flexibility.

The miniature tripod comes with a special case that wraps around your iPhone. The space age looking tripod attaches to the case. It is all very easy to use. Joby sells tripods for most digital cameras as well.

The following are pictures of the Joby
unit and photos I took in Croatia while using the miniature tripod.

What a clever way to force you to look at some of my photos even before I arrive home.