Iphone life magazine 2013 05 06 by trainTelco

iOS

May/June 2013

Regular Departments 4 6 8 10 12 14 96

Editor's Message Meet the Writers iGallery Video Contest Winners iStats, News, and Other Tidbits Caption Contest iView: Vision, Luck, and Steve Jobs

WORK

Introducing iOS At Work

5 Top To-Do Apps Tackle to-do lists with these handy apps.

The Virtual Office Apps and accessories to keep you connected.

12 Must-Have Apps for Freelancers Apps to keep contractors organized and efficient.

Fearless Public Speaking 6 apps to help you prepare for presentations.

Tips and Tricks for iPhone and iPad

Bluetooth keyboards that work as hard as you do.

Practical tips for newbies and advanced users.

iDevice News 22

A Brand New Day

iPhone and iPad Rumor Roundup

A Mobile Transformation A look at how iDevices are changing the way we work.

CTIA 2013: The Mobile Marketplace

5 Great Card Readers Stay open for business wherever you go.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming down the Apple product pipeline?

Stellar Styluses A roundup of the best styluses on the market.

Insight into how Apple can fix its struggling brand.

Best Portable Business Keyboards

Covers With Class Top folio-style cases for iPhone and iPad.

Luxurious Leather Briefcases High-end briefcases to tote your iDevice in style.

Brighten Up the Office Fun gadgets and accessories to enliven your workspace.

An interview with Robert Mesirow of CTIA.

PEOPLE AT WORK:

Top Apps for Freelancers pages 42-44

i P hone L i f e M ay -June 2013

Dan Nainan, Comedian LaTanya White, Professor

Hilary Kennedy, TV Host Tyler J. Morrison, Realtor

Matt Kammerait, Product Manager April Patterson, Dentist

Sarah Blake, Therapist Tara Wilson, Attorney

Stephan Futeral, Attorney Caryn Antonini, Entrepreneur

Unique iPhone Cases pages 78-81

Waiting for the iWatch pages 70-72

iUsers 20 34 77 88

Nicole LaBonde Daniel Yuri Christopher Daniels Bruce Gray

Creating Great Gear 84

The OtterBox Empire An inside look at the company and its popular cases.

Great Gear 70

Waiting for the iWatch A roundup of the top iPhone-compatible watches.

Audio Gear from House of Marley Get jamminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with these stylish sound accessories.

Not Your Ordinary Case iPhone cases with neat extra features.

Sterling Speaker Systems First-rate speaker options for the home or office.

Best Apps 90

Best Business Keyboards pages 49-51

Beyond the Textbook 3 innovative apps for learners of all ages.

iLove it, iUse it 92

Apps Designed for Kids Exploring the world of apps for infants and children.

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

Editor's Message Does Productivity = Happiness? Like a lot of people, I’ve always wanted to be a productivity juggernaut. I want to produce an enormous amount of work and then sit back and marvel at its stunning quality—all while knowing that I got it done in a ﬂash. You’d think that this desire would motivate me to get clear and organized about what I need to do, but often it does just the opposite. The selfinﬂicted pressure to get more done usually creates more anxiety, which slows me down and affects the quality of my work. And I’m not alone. According to the American Institute of Stress, 46 percent of adult Americans identify a heavy workload as the main cause of stress in their lives. Another 20 percent cite family/work balance as their main source of stress. We all have a lot of balls in the air, and not enough hands to juggle them.

A Mobile Workforce Mobile devices are in the unique position to help us bridge work and family life, and ease some of the pressures that come with both. Work is always just a few taps away—but so are movies, family connections, and fun games. Mobile apps and accessories have turbo-charged what we can do from the palms of our hands, essentially giving us mere humans the power of automation. Want to make a quick appointment? Tell Siri. Want to peek your personal finances? Open up the Mint app. Need to take a credit card payment on the spot? The Square Card Reader has you covered. This issue is full of apps and gear to help make you more productive and keep you looking professional. There are apps to help you prepare for presentations, to-do apps to keep all your lists and appointments in order, sophisticated cases for your iPhone and iPad, and—just so you don’t work too hard—fun office gadgets to liven up your workspace. We also have profiles of everyday professionals—from stand-up comedians to real estate agents—sharing how their iDevices influence the way they do their jobs.

Editor in Chief

Does More Productivity Equal More Happiness?

iPhone Life magazine, alex@iphonelife.com

Today’s tools allow us to be more productive than ever, and the ultimate goal of technology has always been to make our lives better. Being more productive frees you up to spend more time and energy on the things you love. So, from that perspective, yes; more productivity can equal more happiness, but only if you are clear about your purpose, and why you’re doing what you’re doing. I think we have a tendency to fall into a productivity trap that makes us feel that the more efficient we are, the more we have to do. “How can I fill up that extra hour I saved from working more efficiently?” we think, then bury ourselves in the next task at hand. I encourage you to change that habit by deciding how productive you want to be—recognizing what exact tasks you need to accomplish—and stopping there. I know, I know—how dare I encourage you to stop working! And in our “At Work” issue, no less! Hear me out. The iPhone and iPad are here to help us, if we let them. We can use them to maintain a healthy work/life balance, which will in turn improve our attitude and lower our overall stress level. If we are happy, well-balanced workers, there’s no telling how much we can accomplish. Ѷ

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i P hone L i f e M ay-June 2013

Meet Our Writers Todd Bernhard

Adam Harvey

Phyllis Khare

Jacqui Lane

Aisha Langford

Founder, No Tie Software todd@toddbernhard.com Articles pages 70, 78

Director of Technology at GLAD WORKS adam@gladworks.com Article page 38

Social Media Strategist phylliskhare@gmail.com Article page 92

Tech Journalist jacqui.frye@gmail.com Articles pages 36, 42

Public Health Professional aishalangford@gmail.com Article page 46

Siva Om

Dan Rasmus

Rebecca Santiago

Mike Wewerka

Web Designer and Writer siva@iphonelife.com Article page 74

Strategist and Industry Analyst dwrasmus@danielwrasmus.com Articles pages 49, 52, 90

Editor in Chief Emeritus, The Tufts Daily santiago.rk@gmail.com Article page 66

Founder of TechHog.com mike@techhog.com Article page 59

iPhone Life Staff David Averbach

Nina Benjamin

Alex Cequea

Hal Goldstein

Jim Karpen

Publisher and CEO david@iphonelife.com Articles pages 22, 82

Associate Editor nina@iphonelife.com Article page 62

Editor in Chief alex@iphonelife.com Articles pages 16, 25, 56, 82, 84, 86

Senior Editor, Founder hal@thaddeus.com Article page 96

Online Editor/Columnist jim_karpen@iphonelife.com Article page 28

i P hone L i f e M ay-June 2013

User-submitted iPhone Photography

by Kim Dodge

by Matt Schubauer by Jeffers Insley

by Johnny Hagen by Brent P. Lavarias

by Julie Foster

by Marcos Alcantar

by Spencer Grant

by Tim Pratt

Submit your iPhone photography and get featured in the iGallery! Email your photos to iphotos@iphonelife.com by Joseph O'Brien

iPhone Life Video Contest We asked people to submit their best Apple announcement parodies, and called on you to vote for the best. To watch the top 3 contest winners, go to youtube.com/iphonelifemagazine.

Winner

2nd place

3rd place

iThrone Commercial: Sent in by Sac City Films

iCar: Sent in by Brandi Phillips

iPub & Grub: Sent in by Michael Gabel

Prizes Video Contest Winner received:

iharmonix Bluetooth Speakers ($149.95, qmadixonline.com)

Third Place received:

Jaybird BlueBuds X ($169.95, jaybirdgear.com)

Second Place received:

xPrint Server ($99.95, lantronix.com)

iPower Charging Case ($69.99, ipowerup.net)

C4 iCharger ($260, madsonline.com)

TopKase Screen Cleaning Case ($49.95, topkase.com/us)

2-Year Subscription to iPhone Life ($24.97, iphonelife.com)

Caricature from Photolamus ($5.99, app2.me/5977)

All top ten ďŹ nalists received:

NuGuard KX Case ($49.95, newertech.com/kx/)

Qmadix iPhone Case ($34.99, qmadixonline.com)

To participate in ongoing iPhone Life video, music, and photography contests, check out iPhonelife.com/contests. 10

i P hone L i f e M ay-June 2013

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And much more!

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iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

iStats News, Stats, Tidbits & more

Around the OfďŹ ce What Would Be Your Dream App to Use at Work? Tom Ad Sales Specialist â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want an iPhone that can ďŹ&#x201A;oat to my hand at my command, making me feel like a Jedi Master. That way I'll never have to worry about misplacing it. Show off in public, I will.â&#x20AC;?

According to in-ďŹ&#x201A;ight Wi-Fi provider Gogo, iOS devices account for roughly 84% of all in-ďŹ&#x201A;ight web surďŹ ng trafďŹ c. Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPhone accounted for 73% of all trafďŹ c coming from smartphones. As far as how people connect while in the air, Gogo reported that 35% of users connect from tablets, 33% from laptops, and 32% from smartphones. Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 84% in-ďŹ&#x201A;ight share is down from a couple of years ago, when they dominated 96.8% of all in-ďŹ&#x201A;ight web trafďŹ c. Android has had the biggest gain, going from a 3.2% share in 2011 to 16% in 2013.

Apple topped Fortune magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 50 World's Most Admired Companies list for the sixth year in a row, beating out Google and Amazon, who came in second and third place, respectively. 3,800 company directors and executives voted on the top companies, and despite a dip in Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock price and its ill-fated release of Apple Maps, the executives cited Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever-fanatical followers as the reason itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still ranked number one.

Meanwhile, On Twitterâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;You know you're old when a 4-year-old asks you what phone you have, and then asks why you don't have the iPhone 5 because â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;it's obviously faster.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;? From @IsabelCCarrero

................................................................. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How'd I go from 93% to 84% in 5 minutes? iPhone batteries are the devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children.â&#x20AC;? From @baylo15 Want to share your funny thoughts? Send them to us via Twitter @iPhonelife.

Raph Chief Technology OfďŹ cer â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would love to have an app that improves memory and attention span. It would help enhance your intelligence without any drugs. I would call it iNootropic.â&#x20AC;?

Nina Associate Editor â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I really need is an appcontrolled ofďŹ ce robot. Before I left the house every morning, I could program it to straighten up my desk, delete useless emails, and make me some tea, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be ready for business when I arrived.â&#x20AC;?

Tim Software Developer â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would like a hands-free activity tracker. It would gather data without my involvement and present it in useful ways so I could see exactly how much time I spend on certain tasks.â&#x20AC;&#x153;

QUICK NEWS News Corpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tablet to Challenge the iPad News Corporation, the parent company to Rupert Murdochâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media empire, is planning to mount a serious challenge to Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPad in the educational sector. According to the New York Times, News Corp will release an Android-powered tablet called Amplify in November, speciďŹ cally targeted for K-12 students. The selling price will be $299-$349 per unit, with schools having the option to purchase a $99-a-year Amplify curriculum feature on each device.

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CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Raphael Burnes t raphael@iphonelife.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF

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Forget What Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Heard: Apple Maps is the Best? According to a head-to-head driving test by PC Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s John C. Dvorak, Apple Maps may not be as bad as it seems. In fact, according to Dvorak, who took an extensive drive through the streets of California with Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze, Apple Maps seemed to give better directions than the others. The results made Dvorak, a long-time Apple critic whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d previously predicted the failure of the Mac and iPhone, to wonder what the dissatisfaction was with Apple Maps. Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mapping application became the butt of many jokes (including a few from us) when they replaced the default Google Maps app in iOS 6 with their own app that had distorted visuals, wrong directions, and mislabeled locations.

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MOM: Can you pick up some food on your way home? ME: Sure MOM: 10q ME: What? MOM: It means thank you MOM: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so hip! MOM: Just ďŹ gured out. Dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a visionary dancer. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been doing Gangnam style for years. MOM: What does it mean when the icons on my iPod are doing the Harlem Shake? More hilarious texts are available in the book When Parents Text ($10.95, amazon.com), and on whenparentstext.com. You can also download their new free app When Parents Text (free, whenparentstext.com).

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Carl Kopf & Associates 203-944-9466 iPhone Life (ISSN 1949-2014) is published bi-monthly, 6 times a year, Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec by Mango Life Media at 402 North B St. #108, Fairfield, IA 52556, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Fairfield, Iowa, and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates payable in U.S. dollars, checks drawn on a U.S. bank, or by credit cardâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one year: $15.97, two years: $24.97. Postage: United States free; Canada and Mexico add $6 per year; outside North America, add $18 per year. Please allow four to six weeks for receipt of first issue. Executive, Editorial, Circulation, Advertising, Marketing Offices: 402 North B St. #108, Fairfield, IA 52556. Telephone: 641-472-6330, Fax: 641-472-1879. ÂŠ Copyright 2013 , Mango Life Media, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Reasonable efforts are made to provide accurate and useful information, but the reader must make his or her own investigations and decisions; the Publisher and Editorial Staff cannot assume any responsibility or liability for the use of information contained herein. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to iPhone Life, Mango Life Media, 402 North B St. #108, Fairfield, IA 52556. Cover Stock Photos: Glasses: ÂŠiStockphoto.com/PLAINVIEW Coffee Mug: ÂŠiStockphoto.com/ALEAIMAGE

Illustration by Mikaila Maidment, mikailamaidmentart.blogspot.com

“Your caption here” Send us a clever caption for the cartoon above, and we’ll feature our favorite entries in the next issue. The winner will receive a $20 iTunes Gift Card! Send all captions to comics@iphonelife.com.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

March/April 2013 Caption Winner: “Sorry, I can't let you in until this Windows Tablet reboots” Submitted by Robert Ernst

Runners-Up: "You may have outsold every device behind you, but you're still too mini to ride!" Submitted by Ross U "Sorry kid, the mini rides are over that way." Submitted by Sloan Hawthorne Thanks to everyone who sent in their funny captions—we had a blast reading them all!

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

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Scroll Like a Master Scrolling may seem like a simple skillâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; but did you know there are three ways to scroll up and down web pages and documents? You can tap the very top of the screen for an ultrafast zip to the top of the page, you can drag the page up or down, or you can ďŹ&#x201A;ick it and let the natural momentum of the ďŹ&#x201A;ick continue until youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve reached your destination. If you want to stop the natural scroll, simply tap anywhere on the screen.

Using Dictation The convenience of dictating a quick note, text message, or email really brings home how indispensable our mobile tools are. There are two ways to dictate a message: One is to double-click the home button to bring up Siri, and then tell Siri what kind of message you want to create and what

i P h o n e L i f e M ay-June 201 3

ÂŠiStockphoto.com/mkurtbas

it should say. The other is to tap on the messaging app you wish to use, and when the keyboard comes up, click on the dictate button (see image). Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll hear a double-beep, prompting you to dictate your message, and when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re done (or when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pause in your speech), youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see your message being typed. If you wish to correct any errors or add punctuation, you can do so manually. Mind the NotiďŹ cations As you use your new iDevice more and more, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll notice red numbers popping up on the corner of some app icons. These numbers represent new notiďŹ cations speciďŹ c to that app. The Mail app will show how many unread messages you have, the Phone app will show how many missed calls or voicemails you have, the App Store will show how many updates are available for existing apps, and so on.

You have control over how you want these notiďŹ cations to show up. For example, you can get an on-screen alert, an unobtrusive banner along the top of the screen, or you can simply make the notiďŹ cation show up in the NotiďŹ cation Center, which is accessible by swiping down from the top of the screen from the home page. To change how you want each app to notify you, go to Settings>NotiďŹ cations.

Tap to Zoom Like scrolling, there are a couple of ways to zoom into and out of websites, pictures, and documents. You may be familiar with pinchto-zoom, where you take hold of the screen with your index ﬁnger and thumb, and do a pinching motion to zoom in and out. For an immediate zoom, you can also double-tap on the location you’ll like to magnify. Another quick double-tap will bring you back to normal view.

Printing From Your iDevice The easiest way to print pictures and documents from your iDevice is through an AirPrintenabled printer. If you have one, simply make sure it's on the same Wi-Fi network as your device, open an image, tap the action button, tap print, and choose your printer. If you don’t have an AirPrint printer, consider using a third-party adapter that works with all printers even if they are not wireless. The Lantronix xPrintServer ($99.95, store.lantronix.com) is a popular choice.

ing the home button, and when the multi-tasking bar shows up at the bottom, swipe the app icons from left to right until you see the volume controls and the AirPlay icon. Note that your iDevice and AirPlay-enabled screen must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Tap on the AirPlay icon (looks like a rectangle with a triangle pointing up), and choose the screen you’d like to project content to. You can also hard-wire your iDevice to pretty much any big-screen TV, provided you have the right cables and adapters. The most common way to connect the iDevice is using an HDMI cable with either an HDMI to Lightning adapter (for iPhone 5 and iPad mini owners), or an HDMI to 30-pin adapter (for all other older iDevices). Pairing with a Bluetooth Device Bluetooth devices such as external keyboards, headsets, headphones, or car kits help maximize the usability of your iDevice. To pair a Bluetooth device with your iPhone or iPad, turn on the Bluetooth device, go to Settings>Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad, and turn Bluetooth on. Your iDevice will discover the new Bluetooth device, and if there’s a password requirement, it’ll prompt you to enter it. Please note that turning Bluetooth on can drain the battery faster than normal, so when you’re done using the accessory, be sure to turn Bluetooth off.

Enabling Find My iPhone Find My iPhone has recovered more than a few lost and stolen iPhones, iPads, and even Macs. To turn it on, go to Settings>iCloud and slide the Find My iPhone setting towards On. As long as your iDevice is connected to the Internet, you’ll be able to see its location from icloud.com. From the browser window, you can also remotely lock the phone, wipe it clean of content, or make it play a loud beep, even if the device is on silent mode. Activate it now (you’ll thank me later).

Using AirPlay What’s the use of watching movies or looking at pics on your iDevice if you can’t share them with the people around you? With the iPhone and iPad, you can stream the content of your iDevice to a bigger screen. If you have an AirPlay-enabled TV or an Apple TV, as soon as you open up a picture, song, or video on your iDevice, you’ll have an option to either make the big screen the main screen, or to mirror what you see on your iDevice to the other screen, so that it shows up on both screens. You can access the AirPlay controls at any time by double-click-

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

Charging and Syncing There are a couple of ways to charge your iDevice. You can use the included cable and USB power adapter, or you can plug the charging cable directly into a USB port on your computer. When you do the latter, your iDevice will automatically launch iTunes on your computer, and it will ask for your permission to sync content such as new apps, music, or movies you may have purchased or downloaded. Since iOS 5, syncing is done via iCloud, so you can choose to ignore the automatic syncing, or manage your media via iTunes. Please note that if your iDevice runs completely out of power and automatically shuts down, it may take between 5 and 10 minutes of charging time to power it back on.

Using Another App While on a Call You can use other apps while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking on the phone, and depending on your carrier, you can simultaneously access the Internet. AT&T allows for Internet surďŹ ng while on a call, while Sprint and Verizon do not. To bring up another app while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on a call, simply press the home button, and tap the app you wish to launch. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a green bar along the top of the opened app that will take you back to the call at any time.

Manage What Shows Up on Your Calendar The Calendar app can get crowded very quickly if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to manage it. I found myself getting daily reminders, alerting me about every single one of my Facebook friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; birthdays. After adding accounts such as Gmail or a Microsoft Exchange account, you can manage what shows up in your calendar by going to Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendars and tapping on the speciďŹ c account you added. You have the option to sync events from any account to your default calendar. You can also change your default calendar by scrolling further down to the Calendar section, and tapping on Default Calendar. To change whether you want Facebook events and birthdays to show up on the Calendar, go to Settings>Facebook and swipe Calendar towards On or Off.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

Change Default Text Replies When a call comes in and you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t immediately accept it, you now have the option of sending a quick text reply to the caller by swiping up from the incoming call screen. The three default messages are: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll call you later,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m on my way,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up?â&#x20AC;? You can change the default messages to anything you want by opening Settings>Phone>Reply With Message.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Local Weather Like? You probably know that you can get a quick glance at the weather through the Weather app, accessible by either opening the app directly, or by tapping on the weather section of the NotiďŹ cation Center. If you travel a lot and would like to know the weather conditions for cities you visit frequently, then you can add them to the Weather app by tapping on the small â&#x20AC;&#x153;iâ&#x20AC;? at the bottom right of the screen. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also notice that cities in a time zone where there is still daylight will show up with a blue background, while cities at nighttime will show up with a purple background.

Manage Restrictions If you have little ones around the house, you can restrict access to certain apps or movies on your iDevice by going to Settings>General>Restrictions. From there, you can pick and choose which apps or actions to restrict access to. You can disable the ability to install or delete apps, restrict access to movies of a certain rating, or disable in-app purchases. The section under Restrictions is password-protected, to prevent little hands from disabling the restrictions.

Take Full Advantage of Notes Notes is an underrated app. At ﬁrst glance, it doesn’t look like much, but underneath the hood, there are nifty mechanisms at play that make it a powerful little tool. The notes you make on your iDevice can automatically sync to your Mac’s Notes program, or any other account that you have set to sync with Notes, such as Gmail. You can email, text, or print notes, and also create them on the ﬂy by using Siri. Just say “Siri, create a note that says…” You can also search through your notes by swiping down from the main Notes screen to reveal the search bar.

Remember Podcasts? Podcasts have had a place in the iTunes culture since last decade, and they never seemed to lose their popularity. There’s a whole world of podcasts you can subscribe to, ranging in topic from tech to religion to sports. Some of the best apps for downloading and subscribing to podcasts are Pocket Casts ($1.99, app2.me/5972), Instacast 3 ($4.99, app2. me/5973), and Downcast ($1.99, app2.me/5209).

Creating and Sharing Voice Memos Voice Memos, another underrated app, makes it easy to record on-the-ﬂy messages, interviews, meetings, or lectures. You can share the messages via email or text message, and trim the length of the recording through the app.

Sorting and Displaying Contacts Did you know that you can choose how your contacts are sorted and displayed in the Contacts app? If you go to Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendar and scroll down to the Contacts section, you’ll see the option to change the way contacts are sorted and displayed. You can sort them by ﬁrst or last name, and you can choose to display contact names in a different order (for example, you can make the last names show up before the ﬁrst name). No matter how the names are sorted, it won’t affect the ability to search through contacts. Ѷ

Alex Cequea is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Business, and he writes and speaks about mobile technology, authenticity and creating a more inter-connected world. He enjoys tennis, sustainability, public speaking, and climbing mango trees. You can contact him at alex@iphonelife.com.

Making the Most of Reminders Reminders, combined with Siri and a host of other features, is one of the most powerful built-in apps on your iDevice. Using Siri, you can create, cancel, and search through existing reminders. Simply say, “Siri, please remind me to call David today at 5.” Or, you can say, “Siri, cancel my reminders for today.” You can also set a priority level for each reminder by tapping on the reminder>Show more…>Priority. Lastly, you can use location-based reminders by telling Siri to remind you at a speciﬁc location (or “when I leave…” or “when I arrive…”), or by manually typing in the location under the speciﬁc reminder options.

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

Featured iUser: Location: Miami, FL One-line bio: Nicole is a choreographer, dancer, Pilates instructor, and musical theatre teacher for the Miami Children's Theater.

Evernote: I use this regularly for audition notes; I love to incorporate photos and videos.

Google Drive: This works well for spreadsheets and presentations. I also use it to store ofďŹ cial documents and cast lists with cast membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; email addresses.

Twitter: I use my Twitter account for promoting my work and maintaining professional connections.

Ballet Lite: This is a great free dictionary of ballet terms.

Squarespace: I use this app to update my blog, nicolelabonde.com. I write about dance, theatre, arts education, and Pilates.

Facebook: I moved to Miami six months ago, so Facebook is great for keeping in touch with in friends.

Pages: I use Pages to type up and promote my events and classes at the theater.

Merce 65: This app features an amazing collection of writings and videos from modern dancer Merce Cunningham.

Ballet Class Lite: This is my favorite app! It features free music for each ballet class exercise, and lets you adjust the tempo and length of each song.

Camera: I use this app the most. I regularly record rehearsals and upload them to YouTube and Facebook so the cast can review them and make notes. The video quality on the iPad is fantastic!

Netterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anatomy Atlas: This app is great for helping my Pilates students visualize their muscles and body connections.

i P hone L i f e M ay-June 2013

LeviSync: The iPad Docking Arm

($159, levisync.info) LeviSync, the accessory that we’ve all been waiting for, lets iMacs and iPads work together better than ever before. LeviSync is a docking arm that connects your iMac or Cinema display to your iPad, helping keep your desktop free of clutter and allowing you to take advantage of a second screen. LeviSync extends its arm out to either the left or the right of the iMac’s screen, where it gently cradles the iPad in an optimal location to view email, watch movies, control music, and much more. You can even play iPad audio through the iMac’s speakers by simply connecting LeviSync’s audio-out port to the iMac via an audio patch cable. This sturdy docking arm is crafted from solid, high-quality aluminum and steel, and features a 4-port integrated USB hub so you can connect even more USB-powered devices to your iMac. Priced competitively at $159, LeviSync offers a secure, practical, and affordable option for iPad users looking for the perfect docking solution. For more information, visit levisync.info.

Multi-Bay iChargers

(From $195, ichargers.net) Eliminate the mess of multiple power cords and separate chargers with a Madsonline multi-bay charging station. Each bay has 10 watts for simultaneous charging, making it perfect for the ofﬁce or home with multiple iDevices. Sync your data quickly using the internal USB 2.0 hub. It features LED lights that show charge status, plus changeable tips to accommodate both 30-pin and Lightning connector devices. Made in the USA, these solidly built charging stations are crafted from anodized aluminum and acrylic, and come with a 2-year warranty. C3- 3 bay Syncing charger $195 C4- 4 bay charger $230 C4SC Syncing Charger $300

To see your product featured in the Sponsored Content section, please e-mail marge.enright@iphonelife.com iPhone Li f e May -June 2 0 1 3

A Brand New Day How Apple Can Fix its Struggling Brand by David Averbach

It seems like every day, a new tech writer publishes an article predicting the inevitable downfall of Apple. While, for the most part, these articles are written because tech pundits love the sound of their own voices, and because any article written about Apple is guaranteed to get read, it is undeniable that Apple has lost a little bit of its swagger recently. In the last 6 months, Apple’s stock has gone from just over $700 a share to under $450 a share. Apple is still one of the most successful companies in the world, and is poised to remain that way for the foreseeable future, but it’s clear that Apple is struggling to maintain its amazing growth. I think that most of Apple’s struggles stem from branding problems. I know, I know—Apple is the number-one brand in the world, and one of the most successful marketing companies of all time. But Apple is transitioning as a company, and many of the marketing tactics it used to get to the top are no longer serving it now that it’s there. Apple is currently suffering from a perceived lack of innovation and a perceived lack of cool.

the MacBook, and the iPod have all followed. 12 years after its launch, the iPod now changes very little from year to year.

Apple’s stock hit a peak of over $700 a share in September of 2012.

Each time there’s a new iPhone or iPad announcement, though, we anticipate it with as much excitement as when the original products were launched. We expect Apple to blow us away every year with a complete overhaul of the device. This expectation doesn’t coincide with the natural evolution of a product, though. If our expectations are the same every year, yet Apple’s changes become more and more minor over time, we’ll become increasingly disappointed by Apple’s lack of innovation. Apple must ﬁnd a way to steer the public’s expectations in a more realistic direction, so they’re aligned with the natural evolution of a product.

A Lack of Innovation The ﬁrst branding challenge that Apple is facing, a perceived lack of innovation, doesn’t come from a shortage of creativity, but rather from Apple creating unrealistic expectations. When you revolutionize a product market, like Apple did for smartphones with the iPhone in 2008 and for tablets with the iPad in 2010, the possibility for innovation is almost unlimited. As the product matures, however, there becomes less and less room for innovation. With each new product generation, the changes become less of a complete overhaul and more of a gradual reﬁnement. This is the product cycle that the iMac,

The iPhone design has undergone incremental changes since its inception. (Photo by Yutaka Tsutano)

A Lack of Cool Apple’s second branding problem is that its products no longer seem as cool as they once did. Apple used to be the brand of intellectuals and artists, but it’s hard to keep up that image when everyone and their mom now has an Apple product. Apple’s famous 1984 Super Bowl commercial was one of the deﬁning moments for the company’s brand. The ad depicts a heroine attempting to free humanity from conformity (or, in this particular case, IBM computers). This is how Apple has always branded itself. From the “Think Different” campaign of the ’90s to the “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” campaign of the 2000s, Apple has always marketed itself as the brand of choice for the counterculture. It has always branded itself as David ﬁghting Goliath. Partly because of its amazing marketing, Apple is now the most successful company in the world. Apple is currently worth more than twice as much as Microsoft. The challenge that Apple now faces is how to handle going from thinking of itself (and marketing itself) as the underdog to accepting its assumed role as the industry leader. What happens when David becomes Goliath? In order to save its brand, Apple must convince people that even though it’s no longer the

company of the counterculture, its products are just as cool as ever. Ironically, Samsung has taken a page from Apple’s marketing playbook and has launched a full on assault on Apple. Samsung is attempting to paint Apple in much the same light as Apple used to paint IBM and Microsoft. Not surprisingly, Samsung’s campaign has been very effective and has helped the company continue to steal market share.

Getting Back on Track

Apple’s current commercials focus mostly on their devices’ features, and not enough on lifestyle.

Almost all of Apple’s recent marketing campaigns have focused entirely on new product features. The iPhone 5 commercials show off how light and thin the new model is, while the iPad mini commercials focus on the product’s portability. In the past, most of Apple’s successful campaigns focused on lifestyle, rather than on products. One of Steve Jobs’ great insights was that people don’t just buy a new product because they need its functionality; they buy it because they resonate with the company’s brand and they like the way the product makes them feel. From the hugely successful iPod commercials to the aforementioned “Think Different” campaign, in the past, Apple tended to put their company ﬁrst and their products second. They were able to get people to identify with their brand. In order to get back on track, Apple has to stop telling us why their products are so insanely great and re-convince us that buying their products will make us insanely great. Ѷ David Averbach is the CEO and Publisher of iPhone Life magazine. David has an obsession with all things Apple. He grew up on Macs and now has a MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and an Apple TV. David enjoys traveling and Ultimate Frisbee. He has been to over 20 countries. To contact David, email him at David@iphonelife.com.

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Counting Down the Latest Apple Rumors by Alex Cequea

pple is a notoriously secretive company, but lately they’ve been getting sloppy with their information—the leaks leading up to their last couple announcements have proven to be correct for the most part. Over the last few months there have been a variety of leaked images, analyst predictions, and supposed evidence of new products and features. Let’s take a look at the latest rumors surrounding new Apple products, and discuss how probable they really are.

Rumor #1: The Apple TV is Coming in 2013

Rumors about Apple building their own TV set started to pick up serious steam after Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs hit the shelves. In it, Isaacson quotes Jobs as saying that he had “ﬁnally cracked it," when talking about the current state of television. The rumors intensiﬁed when Apple CEO Tim Cook told NBC’s Brian Williams, "When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years. It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that." Apple’s success in the television industry hinges on the type of partnership they can create with major TV content providers. Steve Jobs was able to masterfully negotiate with music industry giants to create iTunes, but so far we haven’t seen that same type of skill from Tim Cook. I think Apple will have a tough time cracking this one. Probability: 50%

Rumor #2: Apple is Building an iWatch

An iTV concept created by artist Guilherme Martins Schasiepen.

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Fueled by a patent application discovered by AppleInsider (appleinsider.com), this rumor seems to have some meat to it. The patent application, filed in August of 2011, is for a "bistable spring with flexible display." The images accompanying the application do indeed make the product look like some sort of wristwatch. The application describes a wearable accessory device, similar to a slap bracelet, that can be worn on any body part—the wrist being the most obvious location. The proposed new gadget is essentially a flexible display and corresponding electronic components embedded into a slap bracelet. The application also mentions possible attachment mechanisms such as snaps and Velcro. An Apple iWatch could seamlessly integrate with the iPhone and iPad, not to mention iCloud and Siri, so it’s not that crazy of an idea. However, developing these unique components in secret would be a major challenge. Probability: 60%

Rumor #3: Apple’s Creating an iRadio?

5 (no surprises there), but he also predicted that the device would have a fingerprint reader built into the home button, which would reduce the need for passwords. Given that Apple bought AuthenTec last year, a maker of fingerprint-sensor technology, this rumor may have more truth to it than it seems. I doubt that Apple would roll this out, though, without first solving all the possible issues: What happens if your fingers are wet? What if someone needs to use your phone in an emergency? Questions aside, it would be cool to see the technology in action. Probability: 30%

We’d Like to See in iOS 7 Here are some useful features that many users would like to see in iOS 7. While they’re not technically rumors, if enough people demand them, perhaps they could sway what Apple does in future OS upgrades.

The folks at 9to5Mac (9to5mac.com) uncovered a little nugget in their teardown of iOS 6. When they jailbroke the iPad, they found PNG images in the iPad Music app that appear to be variations of a radio icon. The radio buttons are labeled “Buy,” which seemed to suggest that Apple could be building its own subscription-based, music-streaming service similar to Spotify and Pandora. In October of 2012, Bloomberg reported that Apple would get into the music-streaming business in 2013, and BTIG analyst Richard Greenﬁeld suggested a similar idea early in 2013. Apple certainly has the infrastructure to support a musicstreaming service. It makes sense from a brand perspective, and if their pricing were competitive, they could give Pandora and Spotify a serious run for their money.

More Icon Choices and Themes For long-time iDevice users, the same old home-screen design and app icons are getting tiresome. It’s time to give people some options!

An Easier Way to Close Apps To close an app, you have to double-click the home button, hold down the apps in the multi-tasking bar until they wiggle, and then tap on the red icon to close it. There’s got to be an easier way!

Probability: 70%

Rumor #4: The iPhone 5S Will Have a Fingerprint Reader KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a decent track record regarding Apple rumors, suggested that the next-generation iPhone will have one surprising new feature along with several expected upgrades. He said that the iPhone 5S would include a faster processor and camera than the iPhone ©iStockphoto.com/ScottTalent

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The Ability to Zoom While Recording Video You can zoom while taking pictures—why can’t you do it with video?

Easier Access to Manual Brightness Settings The auto-brightness setting is hit or miss; we need an easier way to manually change the brightness.

Rumor #6: Apple Will Release a Cheaper iPhone

A cheaper iPhone could come in several colors, similar to the iPod touch.

Ming-Chi Kuo also suggested that Apple may create a new entry-level iPhone for prepaid and emerging markets in 2013. It would look exactly like the iPhone 5, but with a plastic casing instead of metal, and would come in several colors, like the iPod touch. This rumor has swirled around for a while, and Apple has consistently taken a different route. Instead of releasing a scaledback version at a lower price, Apple has continued to keep the previous iPhone versions around at a reduced price. This strategy seems to be working well for Apple, as the risk of creating a “cheaper” device is a potential hit to their brand image. Steve Jobs created a legacy of striving to build superior products, and a cheaper iPhone just doesn’t ﬁt that vision. Probability: 10%

Rumor #7: Apple Will Release an “iPhone Plus” (A.K.A. an iPhablet) According to a note to Barclays Capital clients that was picked up by Barron’s, Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes said that Apple may release an iPhone with a 5-inch screen towards the end of 2013. This possible “iPhablet,” a hybrid of an iPhone and a tablet, Samsung’s Galaxy Note II is an example is meant to compete against of what many call a “Phablet.” similar devices from Samsung and others. The rationale for an iPhone of this size is that since people use their devices for much more than making phone calls, the phone function would cease to be a strong necessity and would take a backseat to surﬁng the web, navigation, texting, and more. I would argue that we already have an iPhablet—it’s called the iPad mini. Given Apple’s slant towards simplicity, I just can’t see them creating an iPhone that’s bigger than an iPhone 5, but smaller than an iPad mini. Probability: 5% Ѷ Alex Cequea is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Business, and he writes and speaks about mobile technology, authenticity and creating a more inter-connected world. He enjoys tennis, sustainability, public speaking, and climbing mango trees. You can contact him at alex@iphonelife.com.

©iStockp ockp ckph hoto.com o oto.co /vm

A MOBILE TRANSFORMATION How iPhones and iPads are Changing the Way We Work by Jim Karpen

s Hurricane Sandy approached the East Coast last fall, Tom deBettencourt, owner of a small business in Rockville, Maryland, realized the strength of the storm could not only affect his business’s communications, but also the ability of his 13 employees to make it to work. What to do? He knew that all his employees had iPads and iPhones, so he simply decided to switch from his company’s PBXs (desk phones) to cloud communications. He contacted 8x8, a service provider of software that lets callers use the Internet instead of a landline. It has all the

i P h o n e L i f e M ay-June 201 3

functionality of a traditional PBX, such as call forwarding, video chat, and fax service. It took a day to convert the services, set up passwords and forwarding, and download 8x8’s Virtual Ofﬁce on iPads and iPhones. Less than a week before the storm, his company, PCR Educator, was ready. As deBettencourt predicted, his employees weren’t able to make it to the ofﬁce when the storm hit. Instead, they worked from home through the worst of Sandy, using their iDevices to stay connected to their customers.

iPhones and iPads Invade the Office More and more, iDevices are becoming a fixture in the workplace, and in the process, they’re transforming the way we work. In some cases, as with the Hurricane Sandy example, it’s because they make it easy to operate from any location. In other cases, IT departments are realizing that employees would rather use their own devices in the office, and they’re finding it cost-effective to facilitate this use. Furthermore, some businesses are finding that mobile devices are allowing employees to do specialized tasks, such as monitoring floor conditions at manufacturing plants.

business analytics into attractive visuals and easy-to-digest dashboard reports.

iDevices are making it easy to work 24/7 from any location. ©iSt ©iS Sto toc to ock o ckp kpho hoto.c oto.com o.c /Erikona /Erik

Ritch's Virtual Office Ritch Blasi revels in having a virtual office. “I now have two offices—the table on my lanai in Florida and the deck at my home in New Jersey,” he says, then adds, “and sometimes my boat in Florida.” Ritch is a mobile technology consultant and senior VP of mobile and wireless for Comunicano, a West Coast firm. He’s worked virtually since 2007.

“If your office is always with you, the tendency may be to always be working.” “The ability to use my iPhone and iPad has almost made using my laptop obsolete—except for when I need to do word processing or presentations,” he says. “I rely solely on both devices for everything from making calls and using GoToMeeting (free, app2.me/5176) for conference calls, to researching client and competitive information, to almost anything else.” Ritch, who spent 14 years in the AT&T mobility group that launched the original iPhone, says that businesses that recognize and embrace this flexibility can actually increase employee productivity and reduce costs. “I can reallocate the time I spent commuting to and from the office

to doing business… and the company saves on real estate costs, too.” Of course, there can be a downside to the virtual office: if your office is always with you, the tendency may be to always be working. No problem, says Lex Hundsdorfer, whose company Infinite Public Relations bought each of its employees an iPad mini for Christmas. “Your work comes with you, and in the PR world, that's not a bad thing. We live for this kind of stuff—the thrill, the excitement. PR is a 24/7 job, and now we have iPad minis that keep up with us.”

Mobile Tools Everywhere The transformation of the workplace doesn’t just involve using new gadgets to do old things. From restaurant chains to manufacturing plants to airport lounges, iPhones and iPads are being used as new mobile tools in an amazing variety of ways.

Data Visualization In Restaurants Take, for example, the chain of family restaurants owned by the Spillers Group in the Dallas area. The problem co-founder Shane Spillers faced was that he had a lot of useful but complex operational information in his executive suite and needed a simple way to put data related to labor metrics in the hands of local managers so they could function more efﬁciently. He decided to try Roambi (roambi.com), a business application designed for the iPhone and iPad that turns big data and

Roambi is a business application that converts data into eye-catching visuals. The Spillers Group started their Roambi rollout with their executive team using labor metrics at one of their restaurants. Within two weeks of using Roambi, the restaurant’s labor costs had dropped over 10%, saving thousands of dollars every biweekly pay period. They’ve now extended their rollout to restaurant managers, and plan to expand to assistant managers soon. By consolidating data from key systems such as accounting and point of sale, and using customized Roambi import templates, key information now resides in the palms of those who need it: the managers.

Taking the Control Room Onto the Plant Floor Another example is the iPad as an extension of a manufacturing plant control room. GE Intelligent Platforms recently introduced an iPad app that is allowing manufacturers and operations managers to take the control room with them onto the plant floor, increasing productivity and efficiency. Their ProficySCADA app (iPad only: free, app2.me/5397) allows plant engineers at GE Energy Storage, a manufacturer of industrial batteries, to monitor the control room and access data while being on the plant floor and out in the

iPhone Li f e May -June 2 0 1 3

For example, some are using FileMaker (ﬁlemaker.com), a database program, to create custom mobile solutions. West Paw Design in Bozeman, Montana, used it to build a manufacturing and inventory automation database.

Companies like GE are using iPads to help monitor manufacturing activity. ©iStockp © ©iStoc ©iStock iStockp kphoto.com kp pho hoto.com hoto.com o..com co ccom om m//a /asis /asi /asiseei /as asiseei asisee as siseei ssisee ssee t

ﬁeld. They can monitor machines and important speciﬁcations such as inside and outside temperatures so as to address potential issues immediately.

Extending the Storefront Yet another example of a mobile tool is the use of iPads by restaurants and retail stores at gate terminals to extend their storefront. OTG Management, which has restaurants and retail stores at the LaGuardia, JFK, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and Toronto airports, realized they could use iPads to let travelers order food and sundries from their seats as they waited for their ﬂights.

email, play games, and browse the web securely. It also allows them to place orders at the airport’s restaurants and retail stores and have them brought to their seats. This iPad-based system extends the reach of the restaurants and stores into hundreds of additional seats.

Automating Manufacturing In each instance above, the mobile tool allows a centralized operation—an executive suite, control room, or restaurant— to extend its reach. Also, in each instance the apps were professionally developed. However, some small businesses are taking a do-it-yourself approach and are creating their own mobile tools.

iPads are used to give mobile access to the database and have been particularly useful in helping to automate production. For example, on the production ﬂoor, raw materials advance from one station to the next in tote-bins or “kits” for sewing, injection molding, or further assembly. Inventory managers used to carry clipboards, tracking everything on paper for subsequent database re-entry. Today, as bins go through production, employees scan barcodes at each step using keyfob-sized Bluetooth scanners attached to their iPads. The iPads access the FileMaker database, which automatically deducts raw materials from inventory, advances kits to the next stage of production, and moves products into ﬁnished goods inventory.

Mobile Presentations The iPhone and iPad are also ﬁnding their way into the workplace as ideal tools for mobile presentations. Tom Edwards, VP of Digital Strategy & Innovation at Omnicom, uses his iPad for presentations to clients. He likes the “interoperability” of the iOS platform. He uses Keynote to build a presentation, then saves it to iCloud. He then downloads it to his iPad, and controls the

“Some small businesses are choosing to create their own mobile tools, instead of implementing apps already available to the public. ” They hired Control Group to build an interactive app that lets travelers check their ﬂight status, access Facebook and

i P h o n e L i f e M ay-June 201 3

The iPhone and iPad are ideal tools for workplace presentations. ©iStock © kp kphoto.com m/Neustockim mages

presentation on his iPad with his iPhone using the Keynote Remote app ($0.99, app2.me/2494). Another app that’s helping to change the workplace is SlideShark (slideshark. com), a cloud-based app that lets mobile business users view and present PowerPoint decks from the iPad and iPhone, with fonts, animations, graphics, and colors intact. The app also has features for distributing, tracking, and managing PowerPoint content in the cloud. The app has been adopted for some unusual purposes. For example, NASA used SlideShark last summer to conduct and manage PowerPoint-based training during a 12-day deep-sea expedition. The NASA team brought their iPads to a laboratory 62 feet below sea level as part of a program designed to determine the most efﬁcient way for humans to explore an asteroid. The PowerPoint presentations included training materials on mission scenarios, step-by-step instruction videos, and contingency scenarios.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Probably the most marked trend in the transformation of the workplace is BYOD. Simply put, people like their iOS devices and want to use them at work. Information Technology (IT) departments have always liked to have top-down control of the technology in an enterprise, but the insistence of employees has disrupted their traditional approach. And now they’re going with the ﬂow, ﬁguring out ways to

harness, and even capitalize on, this trend. One employee who complained was a sales rep for Henry Schein, a worldwide distributor of medical, dental, and veterinary supplies. He hated his company notebook, which he used to run a Windows application to prepare quotes and orders for more than 120,000 products from the Henry Schein catalog. He complained that his laptop was heavy, slow, and “very inconvenient, especially when I look at the things I can do with my iPad.” So the company hired Ci&T, a provider of mobile application services, to create an iOS app now used by thousands of sales representatives.

The Convergence of the Personal and Professional “The convergence of personal and professional has become very acceptable in the workplace today,” says Deepak Bharathan, IT strategy expert at PA Consulting Group. But BYOD raises lots of issues. When employees connect their devices to a company network, it creates security risks. “Loss of data is not taken lightly by any company,” he says. He also notes the challenge of dealing with a wide variety of devices. Plus, companies are ﬁnding that personal devices can seriously impede network performance. But he says that most of these problems have workable solutions, and gives the example of apps that create “ﬁrewalls” to separate corporate and personal data.

Bharathan says that the corporate uptake of iPhones and iPads started happening even before Apple made a serious push in the corporate space. “By the time Apple started focusing on this space, the momentum had already built up for wide adoption. User choice might have kicked off the trend, but businesses have latched on to it because they’ve ﬁgured adding great mobile platforms like iOS into their landscape will improve productivity.”

Solving Network Issues Caused by BYOD One CEO who experienced the invasion of iDevices is Jim Melvin of AppNeta, a Boston-based company with fewer than 100 employees. In fact, he found that the company network would start bogging down due to events like the Olympics or the World Series. Personal uses such as synchronizing music or photo libraries, or unknowingly running cloud backups while at the office, created serious problems. The network was needed for cloud-hosted voice calling, video conferencing, and various critical apps, such as finance and customer relationship management. His novel solution was to simply create two different networks. At AppNeta, the BYOD policy allows employees to bring their own device, but they are not allowed on the corporate network; they only can access the guest wireless network. The guest network speed is limited to 10 percent of the total (10Mbps out of 100Mbps), so that users get reasonable performance on their devices, but can't slow down production traffic.

Why IT Departments Prefer BYOD Not only do end-users want to choose which devices they use, but IT departments also increasingly want to get out of the “asset management” business, says Nils Bunger, CEO of MobileSpan. He says that BYOD is an opportunity for IT to move away from owning and managing hundreds or thousands of devices, towards providing a service to workers using any device—but only if it’s done right.

IT departments are adjusting to the fact that employees want to use their iDevices at work. ©iStockphoto.com/Tom ©iSto Tomm ommL

While BYOD was initially seen as a threat by IT, a study by Forrester found that 60% of enterprises currently have or

iPhone Li f e May -June 2 0 1 3

Married to My iPhone Our iDevices have essentially become an extension of our brain and senses. We constantly use them as tools throughout the day. It’s only natural that we would also want to use them at work.

60% of enterprises currently have, or are planning, BYOD programs for smartphones. ©iStockp ckphoto.co kph hoto.com hoto.co ot com/asiseeit

are planning BYOD programs for smartphones, and over 40% are looking to BYOD for tablets and laptops. MobileSpan (mobilespan.net) offers a “plug-in” solution for BYOD that extends existing enterprise systems to the devices that workers bring with them—all while maintaining data security. This allows employees to work from anywhere,

on any device. Tangoe (tangoe.com) is another company that has responded to the trend of BYOD, not only offering security by exclusively allowing certain apps and data, but also by tracking data usage to make sure that employees don’t exceed the usage threshold set by the carrier.

Sean Weller, a director at Blast Radius, a global digital strategy and advertising agency, describes how indispensible his iPhone is. “When I dropped and killed my phone halfway through a ﬁve-day trip to Chicago, panic set in—no more camera, phone, travel information. I quickly got to the Apple Store and within one hour I was back up and running on a new iPhone. And thanks to the magic of iCloud, I didn't lose a thing, including photos I took that day. Amazing!” Ѷ Jim Karpen, Ph.D, is on faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA. He has been writing about the revolutionary consequences of computer technology since 1994. His Ph.D dissertation anticipated the Internet revolution. His site, jimkarpen.com, contains selected regular columns written for The Iowa Source. jim_karpen@iphonelife.com.

Featured iUser: Age: 33 Location: Orange County, California and ViĂąa del Mar, Chile One-Line Bio: Creative Director and founder of an interactive design agency called iNova Studios (inovaagency.com/en/).

Notes is a handy app in which I keep everything from shopping lists to meeting notes. It's also a great way to conserve paper!

Skype is a necessary part of my business and family life. I use it to speak with my programmers and family when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m away on business.

Evernote helps me to stay organized no matter where I am or what device Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m using.

Clock is a very important app for me. I have to make sure I'm not calling my clients at 5 a.m. their time!

SendStuffNow is a ďŹ le-sharing app that allows me to share ďŹ les easily and quickly. I also did the art direction for the development of this app.

Teambox is a great, free project management platform that allows me to organize projects with my team.

Behance Network is another great app that helps me stay up to date with the newest design talents.

UFC.TV helps me to stay in the know about upcoming ďŹ ght nights. I practice jiu-jitsu and have been an avid follower of MMA for years.

Instagram is a fun way to keep up with friends, and it allows everyone to awaken their inner creative genius.

Fatify has become a hit at every family event I go to. Everyone around the dinner table wants to see what they'd look like, from my little brother to my grandmother!

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iOS he iPhone and iPad have undeniably changed the way we work, both as individuals and, on a grander scheme, as a society. iDevices are transforming the concept—and at times eliminating the necessity—of working in an office. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at how the use of iDevices is changing the work landscape, and share profiles of real-life iUsers that depend on their devices for every aspect of their job. For many of us iUsers, work is always just a few taps away. However, this also means that funny cat videos, the “gateway drug” of procrastination, are always within reach, tempting us to waste our precious few productive hours. While we don’t have an antidote to those addictive productivity suckers, we do have a robust roundup of apps and gear that can make you more productive in and out of the office. Over the next few pages, we’ll show you the best apps for working remotely, managing to-do lists, and preparing for presentations. We’ll also show you some handy styluses (no pun intended), folio cases and leather briefcases that’ll make heads turn at the office, and iPad keyboards that’ll help you type up those reports in a flash. Our mobile tools are here to stay. And, judging from these organizational apps, inventive accessories, and company and iUser profiles, work will never again be the same.

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WORK

©iStockphoto.com/Andresr

he classic to-do list hasn’t changed much since humanity first put pen to paper; we still write it all out, and check it off when we complete it. The biggest drawback of to-do lists is that they’re only useful if you remember to carry them with you—something that, despite my best intentions, I rarely manage to do. One thing I never forget, however, is my iPhone, and fortunately, the App Store overflows with organizational options light years ahead of the crumpled, handwritten lists that I used to make. These apps take advantage of nifty features like push notifications and location awareness to make sure every item on your list gets checked off. Remember the Milk (Free, Pro version $25/year, app2.me/293) Remember the Milk (RTM) is an ultra-accessible app for the multitasker. Like most to-do apps, RTM allows you to create tasks, organize them into different lists, and set priority levels. The killer feature is the multiplatform approach. In addition to directly entering tasks in the app itself, you can also add items via Siri, a browser bookmarklet, Google widgets, or even Twitter. Reminders are delivered via push notification, text message, email, and Twitter, ensuring that whether you’re on the go or at your computer, you’ll remember to check off the items on your list.

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Remember the Milk

Astrid Tasks

Astrid Tasks (Free, app2.me/5372) If your to-do list often involves other people, Astrid is the app for you. You can sync and share your Astrid list with other users, assign tasks to your contacts via email, and share

WORK them with Facebook and Twitter. One particularly neat feature is the integrated social component, which allows you to “friend” other people and track their progress on public tasks. The cloud sync feature automatically syncs your lists with Astrid.com, making them easily available from any device or computer.

down to the tiniest detail. The overview mode offers a clean, color-coded view of the important tasks you have scheduled over the upcoming week. Ѷ

30/30 (Free, app2. me/5373) 30/30 isn’t your typical to-do list. The first thing you’ll notice is its fluid, colorful interface; instead of a menu bar, all actions are controlled by gestures such as swiping, pinching, and doubletapping. 30/30 combines task scheduling with a timer—you create your to-do list for the day and set a time interval for each task. When you’re ready to begin, tap the timer icon at the top to begin your day. As you transition from one task to another, you will be alerted by a loud chime. If the app is running in the background, you will also receive a notification containing your next task.

After spending some time in college as a Management Information Systems (MIS) major, Jacqui realized she preferred words to numbers and ended up graduating with a journalism degree instead. Her love of all things geeky stayed with her, though, and she’s found a happy medium in her career as a tech journalist.

Any.DO (Free, app2. me/5350) Need a reminder to pick up bread when you leave work, or water your plants when you get home? Any.DO’s easy-to-use location-based reminders will make sure you don’t forget by popping up with a notification when the app senses your phone leaving or arriving at the specified destination. The only downside is that to activate this option, you’re asked to share the app with three friends (you can, however, cancel the message without sending and it will still unlock this feature). The uncluttered interface is gorgeous, and adding tasks is a breeze, thanks to excellent voice recognition and auto-complete suggestions. Todoist (Free, app2.me/5374) Todoist is available whenever you need it, wherever you need it, with automatic synchronization to your iPhone, desktop, Web browser, email client, and more. Tasks can be organized into projects, which can then be broken down into a nearly infinite number of sub-projects, allowing you to plan your projects

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Staying Connected By Adam Harvey y

s a business owner, I can never fully leave work. So when I do go somewhere, I have to take my ofﬁce with me. I’ve been rolling this way for years, so I’ve learned a few useful tips for setting up a virtual ofﬁce. Use these apps and accessories to keep things moving while you’re away on vacation, taking a business trip, or just working from home for the day.

The Apps LogMeIn (Free, app2.me/5162) I can’t live without LogMeIn, a free (and fast!) service that lets you access your computer remotely. All I have to do is log in from my

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iPhone or iPad, and boom—it’s like I’m suddenly sitting at my work computer. I can also use the app to edit ﬁles remotely, run applications, and even ﬁx computer problems. The best part is that it’s not complicated to set up. You just download the app from iTunes, create your account, log in at LogMeIn.com from the computer you wish to access remotely, install the software, and you’re good to go! I like it so much that I’m considering upgrading to the pro version, which is reasonably priced at $69.95 per year for one computer.

WORK imo messenger (Free, app2. me/4384) Part of the challenge of running a virtual ofﬁce is being able to communicate with everyone at work. One way I do this is through an app called imo, which I think is the best instant message (IM) client available right now. I love how easy it is to use, and I like that my imo account works with a variety of mobile apps. As an imo user, I can add access to Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk, Yahoo, Facebook Chat, AIM, Skype, and more on a single buddy list. Access to Skype is a big plus, as most other apps don’t support it. I can even call a meeting via group chat and pull my whole team together. When I’m away from my desktop, I can connect through imo from my iPhone or iPad. Yammer (Free, app2.me/4208) Yammer is a private social network for businesses. It doesn’t matter if your team consists of 10 or 100 people; you can use it to share and discuss documents, images, videos, and presentations. When you upload new ﬁle versions, you and everyone on your team will still have access to the older versions. You can even send those documents to people via email. I use this for a group and it works very well. It’s like having a private internal Facebook for your company.

©iStockphoto.com/Alkalyne

Skype (Free, app2. me/2378) Skype is another free app that I use a lot. It works over 3G and Wi-Fi, so I can use it no matter where I am. It’s good for meeting with clients and my team. I will admit to sometimes using it to call my wife when I’m at the grocery store and I want to make sure I’m getting the right thing. (Hey, it’s not work-related, but it shows how indispensable Skype is!)

iCloud (Free, icloud.com) Apple’s iCloud allows you to store apps, backups, bookmarks, contacts, documents, iBooks, notes, music, photos, and reminders. Additionally, it provides a front-end for Apple's email servers and calendar/scheduling applications.

For someone like me who’s often on the go, iCloud is perfect.

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WORK Not so long ago, if I wanted to travel, I had to take a laptop and all the ﬁles I would need with me. If I forgot something, trying to get a hold of it was a challenging proposition—and there was no guarantee that I would be able to get it.

a stand, and it provides months of use between charges. This elegant keyboard has never dropped its connection on me, and it makes banging out an email from anywhere a total breeze. I ﬁnd this Bluetooth keyboard to be absolutely essential when working remotely.

The Gear

Brookstone HDMI Pocket Projector ($299.99, brookstone.com) This little projector is one of my favorite tools. It connects to any device that can push images via HDMI. If you want to use it with an iPhone or iPad, you need an Apple Digital AV Adapter, which is sold separately.

Once I’ve gotten myself all sorted out in the connectivity department, I can pack all my toys—uh, I mean, “important equipment.” Of course my iPhone and iPad are a given; here are my favorite supporting accessories.

uNu ECOPAK Protective Snap-on Case & Extended Battery Case ($79.95, myunu.com) I live and die by my iPhone, so I frequently need more battery power. Back when I had my 4S, I loved my PhoneSuit charger case; however, since it doesn’t have a version for the iPhone 5 available yet, I had to search for a replacement. I like the uNu a lot. This lightweight, attractive case offers 360-degree protection and comes in several attractive colors. The best part is that you can attach and detach an external 2500mAh battery that charges quickly and more than doubles your phone’s battery power. There’s also a USB port built into the case, which allows for universal sharing between almost any USB-powered device.

The speakers are just loud enough for a small space with a few people in it. So, it’s not super loud, but there’s an audio port for extra speakers if you need it. The projection is nice and crisp, and it produces a 60-inch image on the wall or on a screen. I’ve brought this refreshingly compact projector to client meetings for presentations, but I’ve also used it to watch movies in hotel rooms. It can go for two hours on a single charge, so it’ll last through most movies and presentations. With the right tools, working outside the ofﬁce can turn from frustratingly unproductive to liberating and efﬁcient. Have fun staying connected! Ѷ With a background in systems architecture, database development, programming, e-commerce, search engine optimization, social media, mobile development and all things technical, Adam Harvey lives life on the edge of technology. He is at the forefront of his field as Principal and Technology Director at GLAD WORKS, a full-service creative agency located in Pawtucket, RI.

ZAGGkeys FLEX Tablet Keyboard & Stand ($69.99, zagg.com) The ZAGGkeys FLEX keyboard, which works with both the iPhone and the iPad, features a protective cover that doubles as

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Dan Nainan New York, NY Comedian & Actor comediandan.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? As a world-touring comedian, I live off my iPhone and iPad. After shows, I use an app on the iPad to create a big blinking banner that attracts people to my table, where I sell my CDs and DVDs. MapQuest (free, app2.me/2404) is invaluable for turn-by-turn directions, Gas Buddy (free, app2.me/4286) finds the closest and cheapest gas station, and FlightBoard ($3.99, app2.me/5035) shows me arrival and departure info at any airport in the world. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? They just make things so much more convenient. The fundamental difference is that I don't have to pull out my laptop when I'm on the road, which is a lot of the time—I fly 200,000 miles a year. Also, I used to lose so many CD/DVD sales because I had no convenient way to accept credit cards, but Square (free, app2.me/3735) changed all of that. Now I can also accept last-minute payment for my services instead of having to hope that I get paid by PayPal before the event. So my iPhone and iPad have actually paid for themselves many times over in increased income. What are your top 3 work apps? Kayak (free, app2.me/285), for finding airfares; TripIt (free, app2.me/287), which consolidates all of my travel details into an easy-toread schedule; and Glympse (free, app2.me/4343)—probably the most amazing app I've ever seen. To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Amp Kit (free, app2.me/5191). I plug in my guitar (with my iRig cable), dial up the effects, and wail—I sound like Eddie Van Halen! How do you feel when you think about life without your iPhone? Over my dead body! On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the most addicted), how addicted to your iDevice are you? Definitely a 10. I've heard that the average person looks at their smartphone over 150 times a day—that's me. I even have asked myself, “Why sleep?”

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LaTanya White Tallahassee, FL Entrepreneur & Professor of Management 71proof.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? In the classroom, I use my iPad to engage with the students and expose them to different apps that will help make them more productive in their academic and extracurricular activities. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? They are changing the way we work in academia by allowing us to truly connect with the students. In my case, it allows me to provide them with feedback almost in real time, because I can see and comment on their assignments as they complete them. Before apps like Dropbox (free, app2.me/127) existed, when students were given group work, it was more difficult to determine which group members were pulling their own weight; this changes the accountability of each student, because now everyone—including the professor—can see who is contributing to the assignments by looking at the timeline of events and at who has edited the files. What are your top 3 work apps? Evernote (free, app2.me/130), Dropbox, and Mashable (free, app2.me/5385). To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Netflix (free, app2.me/2968). How do you feel when you think about life without your iPhone? Happily disconnected!

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Must-Have Apps for Freelancers 12 Apps to Keep Contractors Organized & Efficient By Jacqui Lane

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ontrary to what many believe, freelancing for a living involves more than answering emails on the beach or waking up at noon and spending your days in pajamas. Contract workers are present in many different ﬁelds, including childcare, law, and art, but one thing they have in common is that they’re in charge of every facet of their business. When you work for yourself, you can’t farm out your invoices to accounts payable or depend on a secretary to handle your schedule; being able to deftly juggle all of these responsibilities is the key to succeeding as a freelancer. Fortunately, the App Store contains the tools you need to manage your work no matter where you are. Evernote (Free, app2.me/130) Keeping your notes organized is essential when you’re juggling multiple clients and projects. Evernote makes organization easy by allowing you to create notebooks for each project. You can use them to store relevant documents, notes, voice memos, and images. Notes are saved in the cloud, so your important documents are always within reach.

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Dropbox (Free, app2.me/127) Dropbox is a perennial favorite on lists like this, and for good reason: it’s the hands-down best solution when you need access to all types of ﬁles anytime, anywhere. The ability to invite other Dropbox users into a shared folder makes collaborating with remote team members effortless, and it’s easy to import documents into Evernote or share them via Facebook, Twitter, email, or text.

CardMunch (Free, app2.me/4289) Ditch the Rolodex and convert your business cards into a form you can actually use with CardMunch, a free app powered by LinkedIn. Just use the app to snap a photo of a card and it’s converted to an entry in your contacts. If you’re a LinkedIn user, the app also lets you view the contact’s LinkedIn information if you’d like to make a connection that way.

WORK JotNot Scanner Pro ($0.99, app2.me/2950) JotNot turns your iPhone into a portable scanner and fax machine. Make tax time less stressful by scanning and organizing all of your receipts, or use it to scan multi-page documents, whiteboards, business cards, and more. Scanned documents can be sorted and searched by tag or date, and easily exported to Evernote, Dropbox, Google Docs, and Box.net. You can also fax documents directly from the app to U.S. numbers for an additional fee.

ery minute (which also serves as motivation to keep working!). Your virtual time card can be exported in text or CSV format for your records, and in-app purchases add options for cloud backup and location awareness. Sum+it Billing Buddy (iPad only: $4.99, app2.me/5377) When you’re working within a client’s budget, it’s important to keep accurate and up-to-date records of every expense you incur. Sum+it offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy to quickly estimate the costs for a project, set a budget, and track individual expenses.

Bento ($4.99, app2.me/5375) Bento is the ultimate personal database app for the iPhone and iPad, capable of organizing every aspect of both your business and personal life into easily searchable libraries. Store contacts, customer lists, digital media, expenses, task lists, and more using the 25 included templates, or design a custom template to suit your needs.

FreshBooks (Free, app2.me/5376) FreshBooks is a comprehensive cloud accounting system that allows you to create and send invoices, track your time and expenses, estimate project costs, access client information, and view ﬁnancial reports based on your information. The iPhone interface is straightforward and user-friendly without sacriﬁcing functionality, and being cloud-based, anything you enter is also easily accessible from your computer, iPad, or other devices.

SalesVu (iPad only: Free, app2.me/5379) Accept credit card payments from clients and customers on the spot, no matter where you are, with SalesVu, the mobile payment and point-of-sale solution that ﬁts in your pocket. The application and card reader are both free, with no monthly fees; all you pay is a 2.7 percent transaction fee for every swipe. Along with giving clients a convenient way to pay, the beneﬁts include next-day delivery of payments and the ability to offer coupons to customers on Facebook. *For additional card readers, check out the article on page 56.

HoursTracker (Free, $4.99 for Pro version, app2.me/5378) If you bill clients on an hourly basis, accurate timekeeping is a must. HoursTracker allows you to create multiple projects at different pay rates and clock in and out with just a few taps. Earnings are computed in real time, displaying a running total that updates ev-

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WORK SignEasy (Free, app2.me/5380) When you do most of your work in the digital realm, stopping your workﬂow to print and sign a document, then scan or fax it, can be quite a time waster. Instead, import contracts and non-disclosure agreements—or any document that requires a signature—into SignEasy and use your ﬁnger to sign it. Signed documents can be emailed back to the recipient or exported to Dropbox or Box to e-fax later.

Repeat Timer Free (Free, app2.me/5381) The premise of the Pomodoro Technique is that you concentrate for 25 minutes on a single task, take a ﬁve-minute break, and repeat as often as necessary until the task is done. Repeat Timer, while not strictly a Pomodoro app, allows you to create your own interval timers, which can be repeated up to ﬁve times in the free version and 99 times in the Pro version.

It’s completely customizable, so you can tick to the classic 25/5 Pomodoro cycle or define a work/break cycle that works for you. Fantastical for iPhone ($4.99, app2.me/5382) Fantastical, the iPhone version of the popular Mac app, is a beautiful, user-friendly calendar app with a natural language approach to scheduling. Instead of fiddling with a bunch of menus, simply type or speak the details of your appointment—for example, “Meeting at Client Z’s office next Thursday at noon”—and the app automatically creates a calendar item with the information. The DayTicker, another innovative feature, shows you at a glance how busy each day is by displaying colored boxes representing the number of items you have scheduled within a five-day period at the top of the screen. Ѷ After spending some time in college as a Management Information Systems (MIS) major, Jacqui realized she preferred words to numbers and ended up graduating with a journalism degree instead. Her love of all things geeky stayed with her, though, and she’s found a happy medium in her career as a tech journalist.

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Hilary Kennedy Dallas, TX TV Host & Author hilarykennedy.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? I host a live, daily television show in Dallas, and both my iPhone and iPad are critical to the success of our show. I use the iPad for guest interviews and as an emergency reference in case the teleprompter goes down for any reason. I use my iPhone for live and satellite remotes when covering stories outside the studio; snapping photos with celebrity guests; and posting the latest news, photos, and contest winners to our Facebook page and Twitter. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? No more notecards, cue cards, or stacks of paper—the iPad and iPhone have streamlined the work of anchors and on-air talent. Recently, I typed my questions for an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Johnny Knoxville on my iPhone on the ﬂy! I can also use voice-recording apps to record the answers of my interviewees if I happen to catch a celebrity on the ﬂy. These devices have truly changed the process a journalist goes through, and I love it. What are your top 3 work apps? Instagram (free, app2.me/3183) is a favorite to capture moments on the red carpet and photo ops with celebrity guests. Fantastical ($4.99, app2.me/5382) is an awesome Mac calendar app that helps me keep track of every shoot, every deadline, and all the fun appointments in between. Twitter (free, app2.me/102) allows me to tweet my thanks to guests for coming on the show, and hope they re-tweet or tweet the link to their segment once the show airs. It also lets our viewers know what’s on the next episode To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? It's a little embarrassing to be so enamored with it, but the TMZ app (free, app2.me/5387). Who doesn't want up-to-the-minute info on celebrity mishaps? On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the most addicted), how addicted to your iDevice are you? I'm probably an 8. I know when it's time to put the device down and go for a walk, spend time writing a card to a friend, or just have a good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation.

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Tyler J. Morrison Philadelphia, PA Realtor philly-sales.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? As a real estate agent, I'm constantly on both my iPhone and my iPad—talking with clients, answering emails, checking properties, and so much more. My iPhone has more communication apps, while my iPad apps are more workbased: Salesforce (free, app2.me/3021), Dropbox (free, app2.me/127), Realtor.com (free, app2.me/3043), etc. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? They have not only helped me simplify the real estate sales process, but they have made me more efficient. Rather than shuffling through stacks of paper, I am able to find documents at the swipe of my fingertips—it’s great for green living as well. I practically have my office stored in the cloud, thanks to my iDevices. The only downside is their battery life—but thanks to Satechi’s iCel Battery Pack, I stay powered up 24/7. What are your top 3 work apps? RingCentral (free, app2.me/5386), my cloud phone service; Realtor.com, which lets me search properties on the go; and Apple's built-in Notes app, which helps me keep my head on straight with my various clients. To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Oddly enough, Realtor.com. My friends and family constantly remind me to sit back and relax, but I just live, sleep, and breathe real estate. In 3 words, describe your relationship with your iDevice: Inseparable by choice.

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FEARLESS PUBLIC SPEAKING 6 APPS TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR PRESENTATIONS

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he ability to communicate well is critical for professionals of all levels and ages. In today’s work climate, good ideas and great products alone do not guarantee success. You must be able to speak about your products and services clearly, conﬁdently, and logically. Despite its importance, public speaking can be challenging to master, and it’s one of the most commonly cited fears among American workers. The good news is that you can learn to deliver great presentations with practice and patience. The following apps will help get you started. Presenter Pro (Free, app2.me/3891) This app covers a variety of topics, like how to structure a speech and effectively use visual aids, as well as addressing details like word choice, voice issues, and gestures. It also gives you the option to rate other presenters (e.g., colleagues practicing an important speech). I especially like the Before You Start section, which asks key questions like, “Why are you are giving the presentation in the ﬁrst place? What is your purpose? What do you want to convince the participants of, or leave them thinking about?”

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The Frameworks section offers examples of different ways to structure a presentation. For example, the “topical” option arranges information using one single topic throughout the talk, while the “questions” model organizes information in a “who, what, where, when, why” format. Other useful sections include Introductions, which has tips for delivering effective intros, and Gestures, which covers issues related to body language—standing, pointing, eye contact, and cultural differences with regard to certain movements (e.g., giving your audience the thumbs up is a no-no in some parts of the world!). Simple Mind+ (Free, app2.me/2464) Half the battle in giving a good speech or presentation is having a clear idea of where you want to go and what you want to cover. That said, creating an outline or “mind map” before you start writing will help you focus your thoughts. Mind mapping is a tool that helps people learn, record information, and solve problems. Mind maps are also used for

WORK

brainstorming and presenting information in a structured, logical manner. SimpleMind+ helps you organize your thoughts into tree-like or spiderweb-like structures that begin with a central idea. From that central theme, you can branch out into other ideas. With SimpleMind+, you can create mind maps with various color schemes and save them to your iPhone or iPad. As you fine-tune the information, you can edit and rearrange the maps. With an upgrade to the full version (available as a $4.99 in-app purchase), you can print, save, and email your mind maps, as well as link them to a Dropbox account. Public Speech – Recorder and Speech Timer (Free, app2.me/5399) Listening to yourself practice your speeches is a great way to assess whether you’re talking too fast, rambling, or using too many unnecessary words. If you’ve never heard yourself speak, get ready for a shock— sadly, we don’t all sound like James Earl Jones. Public Speech allows you to record and archive speeches. The recorder has default settings for 3-, 5-, or 10-minute recordings (common lengths for invited speeches) in which the clock runs down. There is also a “practice mode” option in which you can start the timer and see how long your presentation lasts. The Public Speech interface is easy to use and has a large red “Start” button on the screen. Once you start recording, the app displays the time in large green numbers, with the word “Stop” and a pause button near the bottom. After you’re done recording, you can save the file with notes and details, including location and meeting purpose. Ah Counter ($0.99, app2.me/5400) Toastmasters International, a worldwide organization that helps people improve their public speaking skills, encourages club members to eliminate filler words like “ah,” “um,” and “er” when giving speeches. The Ah Counter app is great for Toastmasters members or for anyone seeking to improve their presentation skills. It allows you to track how often you use filler words and meaningless interjections, including “well,” “but,” “so,” “like,” and “you know.” Ah Counter also helps identify the repetitive phrases you use during a speech. These fillers, interjections, and repetitions during presentations can be distracting and annoying to listeners. You want people to focus

on your message, not your quirky mannerisms. Inspirational Quotes 5000 (Free, app2.me/5401) Many presenters like to include quotes in their speeches, especially if the goal is to motivate colleagues or consumers to take action. This app has more than 5000 quotes from world leaders, philanthropists, and philosophers. You can save your favorite quotes in the app or share them via text message, email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Presentation Clock ($0.99, app2.me/3884) Presentation Clock helps presenters pace themselves during a speech. It has a timer to signal when you can speak freely (green light), when you are nearing the middle or another designated part of your speech (yellow light), and when your time is up (red light). The large, colorful font means that you can place the iPhone or iPad at the back of the room and get a snapshot of your pacing at a glance. The app also allows you to create and save several timers ranging in length from a few seconds to 99 minutes. You can set the timers to vibrate or give a sound alert at selected times. If you’re presenting in a room where vibrations or sounds can distract you or your audience, then you can simply use the silent countdown feature. Ѷ Aisha Langford is a public health professional and freelance writer living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is the founder of 360 Health Media, LLC and is a doctoral student. She enjoys volunteering with Therapaws of Michigan and spending time with her Shih Tzu dogs Kirby and Treasure.

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Matt Kammerait New York, NY Product Manager qg.com/ips

How do you use your iDevices for work? I work in technology—speciﬁcally Augmented Reality, Near Field Communications, QR, and other similar technologies, so to say that my iPhone and iPad are integral to my work life would be a huge understatement. I use my iPhone to manage appointments, to-do lists, email, and other day-to-day productivity. In addition, it's one of the two primary platforms we develop for, so I use it for Quality Control, research, application development, and app submission (via iTunes Connect). I use it in tandem with my iPad, which is more for long-form content consumption, basic email workﬂow, and video (TED content, video podcasts, etc.). I also use the iPad as my primary presentation device. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? Without the iPhone and iPad, my job literally would not exist. The iOS platform sparked the device revolution that has put these devices not just in my hands, but in the hands of the end consumer that my customers are trying to reach (as publishers and marketers). What are your top 3 work apps? Evernote (free, app2.me/130), Pandora (free, app2.me/2410), and Actable (free, app2.me/5392). To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Drop7 (free, app2.me/5393). In 3 words, describe your relationship with your iDevice. Connected at hip.

April Patterson (aka Dr. Patty)

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East Fort Lauderdale, Florida Cosmetic Dentist drpattydental.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? Every day in my dental boutique, I use special dental apps with 3-D visuals on my iPad to illustrate dental diagnoses and procedures to my patients. I use the Monthly Prescribing Reference app (free, app2.me/5396) to check for interactions of drugs that clients have been prescribed by their physicians. I also use the iPad in the treatment and conference rooms to help clients apply for Care Credit financing, and in the reception area to electronically capture important client information, replacing cumbersome clipboards and forms while saving paper. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? They’ve made tasks much more streamlined. Files are easy to share with iCloud and AirDrop. Clients also appreciate the 24/7 accessibility. What are your top 3 work apps? DDS GP ($399.99, app2.me/5394), the Dental Demo Suite that allows me to present to my patients; American Express (free, app2.me/5395), for managing my professional and personal finances; and Facebook (free, app2.me/260), for managing my social life and my dental practice’s public image. To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Delectable Wine (free, bit.ly/14wxGaB) It's great for sourcing hard-to-find wines that I enjoyed at a dinner party or friend’s house. How do you feel when you think about life without your iPhone? Like I’m missing out on life. I’m plugged in 24/7—on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Foursquare, you name it. Without my iPhone, I might as well be stranded on a desert island.

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BEST PORTABLE BUSINESS KEYBOARDS ©iStockphoto.com m/Erikona

BY DAN RASMUS When evaluating keyboards for business purposes, one must answer a primary question: “Does the keyboard support a good typing experience?” Many manufacturers fail to start with this question, and thus end up creating cramped keyboards with some keys in the wrong place (the right shift key, for example). Follow-on attributes include size, weight, screen-view angle, portability, and battery life. But for anyone who types regularly, the typing experience overrides all other considerations. Luckily for the iOS community, there are several manufacturers that consistently do a superb job of designing keyboards that offer portability, wireless connectivity, and a great typing experience. Let’s take a look at their best business keyboards. Logitech (logitech.com) The best iOS keyboards come from Logitech, which isn’t sur-

prising, given their long-standing service to the PC, Macintosh, and, now, iOS and Android communities.

The Logitech Easy-Switch Keyboard is modeled after Apple’s backlit keyboards. Logitech’s Bluetooth® Easy-Switch Keyboard ($99.99) is the best keyboard I have seen. The keyboard style and backlit keys are derived from MacBook Pro and Air keyboards. The EasySwitch includes Bluetooth connectivity, great key arrangement, a rechargeable battery, and a slim proﬁle that weighs in at only 11.9 ounces. The Easy-Switch wins because it’s a great keyboard with a unique ability: it can switch between a Mac, iPhone, and iPad with one of three Bluetooth connectivity keys.

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The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard doubles as a cover for the iPad.

($49.95), which offers a full-sized typing experience and, unlike most of the keyboards here, comes complete with stand-alone protection. The smart cover, while it doesn’t control the unit’s power, does cover the keyboard completely for travel and closes shut with a magnetic ﬂap. The main cover folds back beneath the keyboard to create as much support for the iPad as Apple’s Smart Cover does.

Logitech also offers two other great business keyboards. The ﬁrst one is the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover For iPad ($99.99). It won our holiday roundup handily, with good key layout as well as the ability to act as a front cover for the iPad. Logitech also makes the Tablet Keyboard for iPad ($69.99), which slips into its own case that doubles as an iPad stand. Power for this very nice keyboard comes from two standard AA batteries. Logitech has also created a Keyboard Folio and a line of solarpowered keyboards for the iPad. While these keyboards are good, they aren’t as practical for business as the options listed above. Zagg (zagg.com) The ZAGGfolio ($64.99) ranked second in our holiday roundup and maintains that spot here. ZAGG consistently earns top marks, not just for its ZAGGfolio, but also for its ZAGGkeys Pro keyboards ($99.99; backlit version, $129.99). The ZAGGKeys Pro comes in backlit and non-backlit versions.

The 13” Smart Type Bluetooth Keyboard features a protective cover for easy travel.

Typing on this keyboard feels very comfortable. The only drawback is the machined metal edging that holds the iPad in place. Logitech and ZAGG make their keyboards’ iPad holding slots with plastic to increase stability and decrease the chance of scratches. The Smart Type’s metal edges probably won’t scratch the iPad, but I recommend keeping a screen protector on just in case. Other than that, this keyboard will make your ﬁngers feel right at home in the ofﬁce, at a coffee shop, or in your hotel room.

THE FUTURE OF KEYBOARDS Based on what I saw on the show ﬂoor at CES and in early release videos, there are several new keyboards that can challenge the perennial leaders, Logitech and ZAGG—but only if their quality matches their stylish designs.

ZAGG’s keyboards sport solid aluminum construction designed to complement the iPad’s design, and they offer a combination of good looks and iPad screen protection during travel. Like Logitech, ZAGG also offers a keyboard/stand combo, the ZAGGkeys Flex ($69.99). The new ZAGGkeys products also come in folio versions. iHome (ihomecases.com) While you may want the expansive feel of a full-sized Bluetooth keyboard, ﬁguring out how to carry one along with your iPad can be tricky. Thankfully, iHome solves that problem with their Smart Type 13” Bluetooth Keyboard with Smart Cover

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Belkin’s Ultimate Keyboard folds against the back of the iPad, with the keys facing the back plate.

WORK This batch of keyboard cases takes into account the duality of an iPad/keyboard combination. When I want to use the tablet simply as a tablet, I’m never sure what to do with the keyboard portion of the case. Some manufacturers have tried making the keyboard removable, but the removal process still feels awkward, and when you remove the keyboard, the case ceases to provide a seamless ﬁt. The ZAGGfolio is a good example of a case that illustrates this conundrum.

The ClamCase Pro makes your iPad look like a thicker MacBook Air.

With Belkin’s Ultimate Keyboard Case ($99-129), you can fold the keyboard under the back of the iPad with the keyboard keys facing the back plate. ClamCase’s ClamCase Pro ($169) lets you fold the keyboard back, so the keys remain exposed, but as with previous ClamCase versions, it appears that the keys are slightly recessed to stay out of the way when you place the case in tablet or stand mode. The other keyboards just starting to arrive on the market will be available in miniature form for the iPad mini. Keep in mind, however, that any of the keyboards listed above that aren’t made to ﬁt directly on the iPad (like Logitech’s Easy-Switch and Tablet Keyboard) will work just ﬁne with the iPad mini. ZAGG is already shipping a couple of iPad mini-compatible keyboards— one with compact keys, and one with more standard spacing. Belkin, ClamCase, Luvvitt (luvvitt.com), and several other manufacturers will be shipping a wide range of keyboards for the iPad mini in the coming weeks and months. Ѷ Daniel W. Rasmus, author of Listening to the Future and Management by Design, is a strategist and industry analyst who helps clients put their future in context. Rasmus was the Director of Business Insights at Microsoft Corporation, and today is a consultant and internationally recognized speaker. He blogs for Fast Company and iphonelife. com. You can reach him at dwrasmus@danielwrasmus.com

New cases from Belkin (belkin.com) and ClamCase (clamcase.com) offer unique takes on how to deal with the keyboard.

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The Right Touch A Guide to the Best Styluses on the Market By Dan Rasmus pple did not envision a stylus for the iPhone or iPad. While Microsoft was marketing the now defunct Pocket PC with its stylus, Apple abandoned the stylus along with its ill-fated Newton—iOS was to be a pure touch experience. But touch has its drawbacks. First, it’s pretty imprecise. Second, the capacitance technologies selected by Apple don’t recognize pressure, a key ingredient in creating naturallooking artwork and other types of illustrations. And, of course, touch leaves irksome ﬁngerprints on your devices. Thus, styluses have become an integral part of the iOS accessory market.

I reviewed each stylus through the lens of usability, design, unique features, durability, and price. Because of the large number of stylus options available, this article only covers the top items in each category.

Best Overall Stylus

Ten One Design engineered the Pogo Connect around Apple’s stringent design constraints—as mentioned, iOS devices don’t inherently offer support for pressure-sensitive input devices. The Pogo Connect uses its Crescendo Sensor to transmit pressure and gestures from a user’s action against the display to the pen’s sensor and then onto the app. It uses Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to certain apps. If you aren’t using Paper (free, app2. me/5402), SketchBook Pro ($4.99, app2.me/3289), Procreate ($4.99, app2.me/4642), Noteshelf ($5.99, app2.me/3675), or another Pogo-compatible app, then the Pogo Connect becomes a standard capacitance stylus with no more functionality than any other stylus. In the right app, however, hundreds of levels of pressure create a very artful experience as the Pogo Connect’s strokes capture its owner’s inspired moments. I will add that I wish the Pogo Connect reﬂected more design ﬂair. Like most styluses, it is a barrel and a tip. The functionality of the Pogo Connect combined with the design of the M-Edge SuperStylus would be really great.

Best Precision Stylus Ten One Design Pogo Connect ($79.95, tenonedesign.com) The Pogo Connect currently offers the best stylus experience for sophisticated users, but it isn’t for everyone. Despite earning top marks, the Pogo Connect is the most expensive option, and its pressure-sensitive features appeal to a select audience—but innovation, utility, and features put it at the top of the list.

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WORK Adonit Jot Pro ($29.99, adonit.net) The Jot Pro mounts a small disc on the tip of a metal barrel to create a precision stylus that glides effortlessly and quietly over the screen. Its well-constructed pen barrel houses the unique stylus tip under a screw-off cap. Using the Jot Pro requires some intention, which, for me, takes away from the spontaneity of drawing. I really like it, however, for calligraphy and other work in the likes of Fifty Three’s Paper app. The Jot Pro’s ball-and-socket tip construction makes it feel more robust than others in this category, but the slim connection between barrel and tip still makes me uneasy.

Best Bulk Stylus

Best Stylus with Pen Stylus/pen combos offer the performance of a digital stylus with the convenience of a traditional ink pen tip, so you can draw on your tablet one minute and write on paper the next. I couldn’t make a single selection here; rather, I chose two products that are nearly identical, but include enough subtle differences to register as separate and highly worthy choices.

Studio Neat Cosmonaut ($25, studioneat.com) The Cosmonaut was designed like a dry-erase marker, rather than a pen. It is a big, fat stylus with a metal core and a cherry wood accent opposite the stylus tip. And, unlike most of these products, it’s not only designed in the U.S., but also manufactured here.

Wacom Bamboo Stylus duo ($39.95, wacom.com) The ﬁrst is the Bamboo Stylus duo from digitizing experts Wacom, makers of the Bamboo Paper app (free, app2.me/4207). Though it’s thicker and more expensive than the stylus below, it offered a better overall feel.

Arctic Emote ($29.99, thearcticstore.com) The runner-up was the Arctic Emote. Its narrower barrel and charming designs offer more aesthetic variety than the Bamboo Stylus duo, and it uses longer-lasting standard ink cartridges.

I personally find that the fatter styluses are most in tune with Apple’s iOS intent. Although zoom facilitates detail creation in many painting or photo retouching apps, the OS itself depends on broad strokes and sweeping gestures, and items like the Cosmonaut fill that bill better than more precise (and often more finicky) stylus designs.

M-Edge SuperStylus ($19.99, medgestore.com) To that end, readers should also be aware of the Super Stylus from M-Edge. Although it’s designed for children, it does a great job tapping out letters on the keyboard or manipulating the user interface.

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Best Stylus with a Brush

I thought it was important to highlight at least one basic stylus that placed a notch above its competitors. I selected the welldesigned Grip Touch Pen from Simplism.

Sensū Sensū Brush ($39.99, sensubrush.com) Many artists prefer to work with a brush, so intriguing brushlike accessories are starting to appear on the market as stylus alternatives. They offer little utility, however, because none of them transmit the position of bristles, nor the pressure of a paintbrush. They may, however, provide a more satisfying tactile experience for artists. Sensū manufactures the most utilitarian of iOS brushes. Unlike many metal or plastic styluses that are essentially tubes with tips, the Grip Touch Pen is a comfortably contoured plastic stylus with a soft grip and an innovative clip that hangs it easily inside a pocket or binder. The lightweight silicone construction and thin proﬁle where the stylus tip attaches to the stylus body permits writing at several angles, rather than just vertically.

A Final Point The Sensū Brush's elegantly tapered chrome barrel sports a traditional stylus on one end, so the brush doesn’t get frayed by tapping on the screen. The cap that protects the special brush end arrives with a note warning the user not to hurt the bristles when replacing it. Strong design differentiates the Sensū Brush from its competitors.

Best Basic Stylus

As I’ve pointed out, iOS was not designed for a stylus. That a stylus works in so many applications testifies to the innovative nature of iOS hardware and software developers. But just because a stylus works in some places doesn’t mean it will be a universal replacement for touching your iDevice with your fingers. No stylus can generate the five-finger pull gesture to go to the home screen, or the four-finger sweep to move between open apps. What a stylus can do is help keep some fingerprints off your device and help provide some precision when writing or drawing. Think of your stylus as a complement to your fingers, not a replacement. Ѷ Daniel W. Rasmus, author of Listening to the Future and Management by Design, is a strategist and industry analyst who helps clients put their future in context. Rasmus was the Director of Business Insights at Microsoft Corporation, and today is a consultant and internationally recognized speaker. He blogs for Fast Company and iphonelife. com. You can reach him at dwrasmus@danielwrasmus.com

Simplism Grip Touch Pen ($14.99, simplism.jp/en/) There are a lot of inexpensive styluses out there. When conducting this review, I originally ignored that entire product class. But

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Sarah Blake Columbia, MD Therapist blakepsychotherapy.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? I use my iPad and iPhone to communicate with clients about appointments when I’m outside the ofﬁce. My business voicemail is forwarded to my Gmail account, so I check my mail frequently to make sure I’m not missing important calls or emails coming in from patients. I use the iPad to write notes as I meet with each patient, and to look things up online that the patient asks about, giving them instantaneous answers. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? In the beginning of my therapy practice, I wrote notes on paper on a clipboard and would then type those notes into the computer. Using the iPad removed that extra step. With the program I use, Therapy Appointment (therapyappointment.com), I can write the patient’s note in their chart on the iPad and be done with the note when the session ends. In addition, now I have access to my voicemail messages 24/7, and patients can send me text messages and emails; this has allowed me to be in quicker contact with patients and prospective customers. The drawbacks? People begin to expect you to be available all the time. It has taken me time to learn to place appropriate boundaries on the use of this technology, and learn how to turn it off, so I can respond to family or my personal life instead. What are your top 3 work apps? Dropbox (free, app2.me/127), where I keep all of my documents; Kindle (free, app2.me/2482), which holds some of my business texts; and Amazon (free, app2.me/2645), which I use constantly to purchase things for the ofﬁce and for home. To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? RubyBlast ($0.99, app2.me/5388), though I’m embarrassed to admit it. A fun little game!

Tara Wilson

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Andover, MA & Washington, DC Attorney wilsonlf.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? I use the my iPhone and iPad to stay connected, efficient, and networked at all times, in and out of the office. This includes taking client calls while on my way to meetings, receiving appointment alerts, snapping photos of appointments to share on the firm’s Facebook page, signing up prospects for the firm’s newsletter, taking notes, scheduling meetings, and much more. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? They have given my firm three distinct advantages over the traditional way of practicing law: throwing away our yellow legal notepads, canceling our contract with Iron Mountain, and firing our secretaries! Well, that’s a little harsh, but you get the picture. Our iPhones and iPads have allowed us to: 1) go paperless, since we use the Notes app rather than real notepads; 2) eliminate a lot of the traditional secretarial functions, since we no longer need our paper notes transcribed and emailed to our team, and we use our Calendar app to schedule our own meetings; and 3) avoid having to search through old-fashioned legal accordion case files at a cold storage facility when an issue arises, because we can now perform an easy electronic search for the notes that can be critical to winning a case. What are your top 3 work apps? The built-in Calendar, Notes, and Newsstand apps are some of the basics, but I’m on them all day long to keep my work and home life on track and organized. To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Pinterest (free, app2.me/4377). In 3 words, describe your relationship with your iDevice: A healthy 8, maybe 9. My husband would probably say I’m a 10.

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OPEN FOR BUSINESS ©iStockp ©iStoc photo.com/R9_RoNa R9 9_Ro LdO

5 Great Card Readers for Your iDevice by Alex Cequea

eriously, who carries cash anymore? Today, 66% of in-store transactions are made with credit, debit, or pre-paid cards, and customers tend to spend more when they use credit cards over cash. If you conduct business on the go, you need to be able to accept credit cards. Luckily, there are several companies offering innovative solutions for accepting credit card payments through your mobile device—and their transaction rates are very reasonable. Here are some of the best. Square Card Reader ($275 per month or 2.75% per swipe; squareup.com) The Square Card Reader, which is free when you sign up for Square’s service,

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plugs into your iDevice’s headphone jack and securely encrypts every card swipe. Once you’ve received the card reader, you can download the Square Register app (free, app2.me/3735) and link it to your bank account. Funds from Square payments are deposited into your bank account within two business days.

With the Square Register app, you can create loyalty cards for repeat customers and send customized receipts by text or email. Your customers can buy or redeem Square gift cards to your business, leave a percentage tip with a simple tap, and, of course, sign their names with their ﬁngertips. PayPal Here (2.7% per swipe, paypal.com) PayPal surprised everyone when they jumped on the mobile card reader bandwagon in 2012. Since they already handle a huge amount of transactions, though, it makes perfect sense. In addition to accepting credit cards, the PayPal Here card reader pairs with the PayPal Here app (free, app2.me/5974)

WORK to accept PayPal payments and checks (the latter via the camera function on your iDevice).

Funds from swipes are available within minutes in your PayPal account, which you can access immediately if you have a PayPal debit card. Checks could take up to six days to clear. There’s only one fee—2.7% per swipe, which is similar to the transaction fee on PayPal payments. If you have several sales representatives, PayPal lets you connect multiple card readers to your account. Like with Square, PayPal will mail you a free card reader when you sign up for their service.

A distinct advantage of Intuit GoPayment is the ability to sync your transactions with QuickBooks. If you process a lot of mobile payments, the Intuit GoPayment card reader is a less expensive alternative in the long run than Square and Paypal Here. ROAMpay X ($0.38-$1.58 per swipe, roamdata.com) ROAMpay works in partnership with compatible merchant accounts—it does not sell a merchant accounts service like the other companies listed here. Through the company’s site, you can contact several merchant account providers that are compatible with ROAMpay, and they will set you up with a ROAMpay application. Like other card readers, the ROAMpay X plugs into the iDevice’s headphone jack. However, the additional plastic ﬂaps might create an awkward ﬁt, depending on the case you’re using.

Intuit GoPayment ($12.95 per month + 1.75% per swipe, or 2.75% per swipe; gopayment.com) The Intuit GoPayment card reader is also free, and works with the GoPayment app (free, app2.me/5975). You can add business logo and contact information to receipts, and the GoPayment app calculates sales tax based on your location.

don’t have to worry about setting up a merchant account. Flint uses the Flint Mobile Pay app (free, ﬂint.com) to accept payments, and it uses your iDevice’s camera to securely capture your customer’s credit card information. Some customers may feel unsafe letting you point your iPhone at their credit card as if you’re taking a picture, but they shouldn’t worry—no data or images are saved on the phone, and you have to enter card veriﬁcation info with every transaction.

Like with the other apps, you can also send customized email receipts with loyalty offers, and funds from mobile payments are deposited into your account within two business days. Flint also offers a secure online portal to void transactions, issue refunds, or look up customer information. Accepting credit cards has never been easier, and these top-notch card reader choices will keep your business running smoothly and looking professional. Ѷ

While you have to jump through more hoops to use ROAMpay than any of the other services listed here, the potential beneﬁt is signiﬁcantly lower transaction rates. Once you’re signed up, you can use the ROAMpay X app (free, app2.me/5976) to capture transactions, signatures, and customer data. You can also use the app to email receipts, track transactions, and transfer funds to your bank account.

Flint (1.95-2.95% + $0.20 per charge, ﬂint.com) Flint offers a unique solution to accepting payments from your mobile device. There are no card readers or dongles, and you

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Stephan Futeral Charleston, SC Attorney & Legal App Developer charlestonlaw.net

How do you use your iDevices for work? I use my iDevice for nearly every aspect of my law practice, including reading and annotating court documents, communicating with clients, selecting jurors, attending Online CLE seminars, using social media (my companies’ Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, and LinkedIn profile), blogging on our firm’s website, and booking travel. I also use it to design and test the iOS apps that my company, Bench & Bar, LLC (benchandbarllc.com), develops for lawyers. How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? I can respond much quicker to my clients’ emails and communicate regularly with my office even if I’m at the courthouse. Some of my clients are in other parts of the country or overseas; I am able to video conference with them through Facetime or Skype (free, app2.me/2378). I rarely need to remotely access my workstation, but I can do that on my iPad through LogMeIn (free, app2.me/5162). Recently, I argued a case before the South Carolina Supreme Court and I used my iPad exclusively to organize my record on appeal, the parties’ briefs, and all of my legal research. If there is any drawback, it’s that drafting long documents on an iPad can be challenging, although a Bluetooth keyboard helps. However, with Siri, I am able to dictate most of my correspondence and drafts of motions and pleadings. What are your top 3 work apps? That’s tough—I have 141 apps on my iPad, and I use many of them on a weekly basis. If I had to limit myself to 3, it would be Dropbox (free, app2.me/127), for accessing files across my devices; iAnnotate PDF ($9.99, app2.me/2921), for reviewing transcripts and marking up drafts; and JuryPad ($19.99, bit.ly/14qQfwb), for evaluating and selecting a jury. To kick back and relax after work, what’s your go-to app? Flipboard (free, app2.me/3473)—it customizes my news feed so I can read the stories that interest me most.

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Caryn Antonini Los Angeles, CA Entrepreneur & Business Owner earlylingo.com

How do you use your iDevices for work? As the founder of the award-winning Early Lingo DVD Series, a foreign language program for young children, I use my iPhone, iPad, and iPad mini for phone calls and texts, email, checking inventory, presentations, making notes, storing imagery and artwork for my business, checking time zones for international business, and much more. It's all quickly accessed and within reach! How have iDevices changed the way you do your job? I can work from anywhere and at any time without having to be in a traditional office. Being able to work first thing in the morning and last thing at night is especially handy when I'm wearing my mom hat and need to multitask in the odd hours. I essentially have all of my information on my iDevices and don't really need a computer, except to back up information and store very large files—but that's not necessary on a daily basis. The only drawback is that since I always have my devices with me, I have to learn to put them down! But with a start-up, I find that long hours are the name of game for a while, and it's a labor of love. My iDevices are part of that love. What are your top 3 work apps? I can't live without my Week Calendar ($1.99, app2.me/5383), Remember the Milk (free, app2.me/293), and my new favorite, ReQall (free, app2.me/5384). How do you feel when you think about life without your iPhone? Lost!

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the iPhone and iPad become more prevalent in business settings, users may ďŹ nd that simple cases for their iDevices are no longer sufďŹ cient. Folio cases, which ďŹ&#x201A;ip open like a book for easy access yet still offer all-over protection, are a stylish and practical solution. Often, they feature multiple pockets, so business-savvy iUsers can tote their ofďŹ ce essentialsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;pens, business cards, notepads, and moreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;alongside their iDevice in one smart package. There are hundreds of folio cases available for the iPhone and iPad, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve narrowed the ďŹ eld to the top three for each device. Some are sporty and casual, while others are sophisticated and distinctly professional. Check â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em out!

mophie workbook ($49.99, mophie.com) If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for an everyday folio case that offers excellent protection, check out the workbook by mophie. This faux leather folio with plush lining offers a pass-through design, allowing access to all of the iPadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ports and buttons. It also comes with four interchangeable elastic straps, so you can change the look of the folio depending on your mood.

Like Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Smart Cover, the workbook features magnetic integration, so when you open the case, your iPad turns on, then goes to sleep when you close it again. The workbookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s front cover can also be ďŹ&#x201A;ipped behind the iPad to create an adjustable stand with multiple angles for comfortable typing or media viewing. Overall, this is a great casual folio case that offers both protection and versatility. Twelve South BookBook for iPad ($79.99, twelvesouth.com) If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re willing to forego easy access to ports and buttons in favor of a little style, then you should consider Twelve Southâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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WORK BookBook case. Handmade from real leather, this hardback folio case for the iPad (2nd/3rd/4th generation) offers an authentic, aged-book look that no other case can boast. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of those rare cases that you have to see in order to truly admire its attention to detail.

and leather, the versatile ZAGGFolio is lined in durable, protective microďŹ ber.

The BookBook features a double-zipper enclosure, a high-quality suede interior, and an inner leather frame that offers access to your iPadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charging port, home button, and more. When the case is unzipped and open, people will have no clue youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re actually using your iPad. In fact, the BookBookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design has been known to help prevent theft, as thieves pass over the â&#x20AC;&#x153;old book,â&#x20AC;? not realizing itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually a valuable iDevice. Like many folios, the BookBook offers a built-in stand for easy typing. And while its price point is slightly higher than some cases, the BookBookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quality materials and inventive design help justify the cost.

Cygnett FlipWallet for iPhone 5 ($39.99, us.cygnett.com) If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to pare down the accessories you carry around every day in your back pocket or purse, pick up a FlipWallet from Cygnett. This folio-style case with economical design holds not only your iPhone 5, but also your cash, credit cards, business cards, and more. The FlipWallet is made from highgrade textile materials and oozes minimalistic sophistication, while offering great functionality and protection for your iPhone with its ďŹ&#x201A;ip-over cover. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be hard-pressed to ďŹ nd another case with such ďŹ ne craftsmanship for an equally affordable price.

ZAGGFolio for iPad ($64.99, zagg.com) For the on-the-go businessperson who needs a keyboard but would rather tote an iPad than a full-ďŹ&#x201A;edged laptop, the ZAGGfolio is a must. One of the coolest and toughest keyboard cases on the market, the ZAGGfolio houses the iPad and a Bluetooth keyboard together in a clasped, clamshell design that opens like a notebook computer for easy access wherever your job takes you. The keyboard has a built-in stand slot that lets you use your iPad in landscape or portrait orientation. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the keyboard, you can take it out and use the folio case itself as a stand. Available in several colors and in both faux carbon ďŹ ber

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BookBook for iPhone ($59.99, twelvesouth.com) Twelve South, the makers of the BookBook for the iPad, also make BookBook cases for the iPhone 4/4S and the iPhone 5â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just as awesome. Like the iPad version, the BookBook for iPhone features a hard-back design with vintage appeal, keeping your device safe, secure, and looking smart. But unlike its big brother, the BookBook for iPhone offers access to charging ports, the on/off button, and the camera when closed. It also

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Incipio LGND Premium Hard-Shell Folio ($34.99, incipio.com) The LGND Hard-Shell Folio is similar to mophie’s workbook, only it’s designed for the iPhone 5. While it lacks the cool elastic bands that keep the workbook closed, the LGND offers high-quality protection on both the outside and the inside, thanks to its rigid Plextonium™ frame and microsuede lining. It features a front ﬂap that you can use as a makeshift stand, allowing you to watch videos in landscape view. But perhaps one of the best features of the LGND that many folio cases lack is a small cutout on the front ﬂap that lets you use your iPhone even when the case is closed. The LGND offers total protection and peace of mind at a great price. Ѷ features an interior wallet, complete with credit card slots, an ID window, and a pocket for cash and miscellaneous notes or business cards. With the BookBook folio case, not only will you be carrying your iPhone in style, but you’ll also be eliminating the need for a bulky wallet on busy workdays.

Mike Wewerka is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning online tech site TechHog.com. Wewerka has been involved with technology for over 15 years, but his main area of expertise is mobile gadgetry, including Apple, Android, Windows Phone, and everything in between. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWewerka.

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L U X U RY In L E AT H E R C O M P I L E D BY N I N A B E N JA M I N

For work or play, in the office or out, tote your iPad in style with these high-end leather briefcases and bags.

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Bosca Stringer Bag ($495, bosca.com)

Lotuff 15" Folder Organizer and iPad Case ($445, lotufﬂeather.com)

You’ll be all business with this master organizer, crafted from hand-stained Italian leather. The Stringer Bag offers plenty of room for your iPad, laptop, work folders, and other ofﬁce essentials, and features a luggage tag and trolley strap for effortless travel.

Slip your iPad into this envelope-style case made of rich, vegetable-tanned leather, then stow it with your laptop and must-have ofﬁce ﬁles in the matching 15” case. You’ll be meeting-ready in no time!

Mancini SIGNATURE Collection Luxurious Italian Leather Classic Briefcase ($492, mancinileather.com)

Coronado Leather Oil-Tanned Bison Briefcase ($439, coronadoleather.com)

Featuring an elegant clasp-front design, detachable shoulder strap, and spacious interior, this top-grain Italian leather briefcase offers multiple compartments for your business needs, including a removable padded sleeve with security strap for your iPad.

The perfect blend of rugged and luxurious, this American Bison leather briefcase—boasting a padded pocket for the iPad, a detachable shoulder strap, and solid brass zippers and hardware throughout—is built to last.

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ClaireChase Sarita Briefcase ($399, clairechase.com)

Fossil City Estate Bag ($188, fossil.com)

Sleek, sophisticated, and ready for the boardroom, the Sarita briefcase, made from top-grain cowhide leather, has a special padded compartment for the iPad, in addition to a myriad of other pockets for ﬁle folders, business cards, pens, and more.

This lightweight leather bag with classic belt-strap details, ample storage space, and a padded iPad pocket will meet your business needs without breaking the bank. Add the comfortable shoulder strap, and you’ll be perfectly work-ready.

Saddleback Round Satchel (Medium) ($378-$418, saddlebackleather.com) Made of thick, full-grain leather, the hardy Medium Round Satchel holds your iPad, notepads, folders, and power cords with ease. Artfully crafted from only two pieces of leather, industrial thread, and sturdy hardware, this bag comes with a 100-year warranty. Also available in Small and Large.

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Samsonite Columbian Leather Flapover Briefcase ($169.99, shop.samsonite.com) This classic leather briefcase with organizational features galore safely totes your iPad, laptop, and tons of other work essentials from ofﬁce to home and back again. Featuring a top leather handle and detachable shoulder strap for easy carrying.

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Frank Clegg iPad Briefcase ($565, frankcleggleatherworks.com)

Tumi Slim Zip Top Crossbody for iPad ($195, tumi.com)

A serious bag with a smaller silhouette, this hand-crafted brief bag made of ﬁne, vegetable-tanned leather accommodates your iPad and other work items with class and timeless style. Featuring a removable padded shoulder strap.

Lightweight and slim, with a minimal design, this sleek leather cross-body bag is perfect for those who don’t need to lug more than their iPad and a few accessories to work and back.

Will Leather Goods Otto Crossbody ($330, willleathergoods.com)

Osgoode Marley Flat N/S Euro Messenger ($189, osgoodemarley.com)

Made of supple, vegetable-tanned leather, the Otto bag lends rich sophistication to your workday. The expandable, gusseted main compartment easily ﬁts your iPad, appointment book, and other work essentials, while the cross-body strap offers comfy carriage.

Smooth, supple leather and tons of organizational features make this lightweight messenger a boon to busy commuters. Stash your iPad, business cards, and other ofﬁce gear in this petite yet practical powerhouse. Ѷ

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By Rebecca Santiago

u 66

nless you’re a super famous rock star (in which case, call me), odds are your job involves some desk time, some tedious work, and, even if you really love what you do, the occasional feeling that your soul is dying. Well, lament no more! It’s really the little things that make even the worst workday bearable. But instead of grabbing ﬁstfuls of Reese’s Pieces from the communal candy jar (ick), check out this list of gadgets. They’re decidedly less fattening and just as likely to give you a midday pick-me-up.

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recharge Nothing can murder your mood or ruin your commute like a dead iPhone or iPad. Yes, you could just bring your normal charger to work, but we’re thinking fun here, people, and where’s the fun in that?

WORK Dexim Visible Green Smart Charge Cable ($19.99, amazon.com) All right, who’s ready to decorate their desk space? Can I get a little enthusiasm, please? I know this is just a cord, but it is a cord that lights up and looks like Christmas lights, and it will make you instantly happier! It will also connect your phone to your computer (with a 30-pin connector—you’ll need an adapter for Lightning connector devices), thus allowing you to charge your phone, but really, let’s focus on the pretty lights.

Oh, and they’re so much more than just pretty lights— you can see the charge surging through the cord. It’s kind of hard to give you a good visual in a still photo, but maybe imagine a light show at a rave, except inside of this cord. Basically, when you charge your device, you are watching electricity happen! In summation, this cord essentially turns you into some kind of mad scientist or mythological Greek god. There’s that enthusiasm I was looking for earlier, thank you.

hates you. Hear that? That high-pitched keening noise is the sound of a million cubicle-bound employees wailing for sunlight.

Speaking of sunlight, here is a very cool phone charger for you, my lucky duckling, and I had to work my way through a German-text website to ﬁnd it. Don’t fret, though—this solar charger, charmingly named the “solarladefenster” in its native tongue, ships to the U.S. Attach the solar panel to that coveted window of yours, plug your phone or tablet in, and feel good about yourself while your device charges. Although you probably already feel pretty great about yourself, because you work next to a window, for god’s sake. (Do I sound bitter?)

buckle down Oh, right, you’re at work, and that means you should probably be working. Here are some things that will help you do that, or at least help you look like you’re doing that.

XD Design Solar Window Charger ($68, www.design-3000.com/en/) Oh, so you’re one of those lucky people who has a window even remotely near your desk? That’s cool. You’ve got a good life, man. Also, everyone who sits at a cubicle in your ofﬁce probably

Moleskine iPad Cover + Volant Notebook ($89.95, moleskineus.com) Of course this exists. Maybe it’s my English major showing, but I’ve always thought a Moleskine notebook conveys composure. And, though you can pry my iPad out of my cold, dead

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WORK hands, sometimes I like to write with a pen, on actual paper. Plus, it looks a lot better to actually scribble notes at an important meeting, rather than tap them. It always looks so unprofessional to me when someone’s scrolling through their phone or tablet when someone else is talking. I mean, they could be on Twitter. I would be. You get the best of old and new with this gorgeous, très professional case, which maintains the Moleskine notebook’s classic design. An elastic band keeps the case closed and stops the paper inside from rumpling. If you’re a real Hemingway—who used a Moleskine, don’tcha know—and ﬁll the pad up quickly, you can order notebook reﬁlls online for about $17.99. Also, you are ten times more likely to catch the attention of that cute hipster girl at your local coffee shop before work, if that’s on your agenda. Hard Candy Stylus ($34.95, hardcandycases.com) One of you is surely saying, “but I thought you just said it was unprofessional to use your iPad during meetings,” looking quizzically as I give a stylus a thumbs-up. That is true. But this very sleek stylus has a few things going for it. Most excitingly for me —and for you, if you dug the Moleskine notebook/case duo—is that this stylus is a two-for-one. It’s also a pen! What I really like about this stylus is its “handfeel,” if there is such a thing. It just feels really nice to hold and write with, and for someone who tends to scrawl aggressively long paragraphs, that’s a perk. As far as styluses go, the sexy design and the two-for-one novelty drew me to it. It writes about the same as its competitors, but because of its round shape, it tends to roll if you place it down on a desk. Oh, well. It’s still really cool looking, and now you have an excuse to buy a really fun pen cup to plunk it into. *For more styluses, check out the article on page 52.

HAPPY HOUR Nothing helps your career like a little bonding with coworkers. Networking! It’s everything. Here are two fun gadgets that are ideal for celebrating the end of the day. Or whenever, really—it’s ﬁve o’clock somewhere. Arcadie Desktop Arcade ($24.99, thinkgeek.com) Hey, you know that ofﬁce candy jar I mentioned earlier? You know how everyone loves the person whose desk it’s on? And how they always stop by and chat for a minute because they’re kind of obliged to in order to eat candy? Well, I’ve discovered

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the inedible equivalent of that. This teensy, iPhone-compatible desktop arcade. It is adorable, and just so much fun. If you position it noticeably, you will become the new Candy Jar Guy! Your desk will be the favorite desk! People will want to chat with you on their way to the coffee pot, which is always a good thing.

It’s easy to set up: you download one of Arcadie’s free apps from the App Store, pop your phone into the back of the desktop arcade, and play away with a real joystick and two buttons. Very geek-chic, no? The only drawback is that it only works with the iPhone 3GS, 4, or 4S right now, so if you’re an iPhone 5 owner, at least keep this in mind for your cubicle-mate’s birthday.

Karaoke 2 Go ($99.99, ionaudio.com) Oh, yes. Nothing creates instant camaraderie in the workplace like three work-beers and belting out Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” with a coworker. Whether you whip this puppy out every Friday afternoon or save it for the company holiday party, this sweet karaoke machine—compatible with your iPhone or iPad— is guaranteed to make you the veritable prom king of your ofﬁce. A cable connects your device to the player and its speaker, and a quality microphone lets you channel your inner American Idol with reckless abandon. An app called Karaoke Cloud (free, app2.me/5398) provides the tunes, and while the app and the ﬁrst ten songs are free, you’ll have to pony up a little cash for a real karaoke experience. But it’s worth it, of course, because you’ll have the honor of getting the party started. Ѷ Rebecca Santiago is a senior at Tufts University majoring in English and minoring in Mass Communications and Media Studies. She is the editor-in-chief emeritus of The Tufts Daily and has interned at Glamour, Marie Claire, Boston, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Follow her on Twitter @rebsanti.

A Roundup of the Top Competitors By Todd Bernhard

ver since Apple introduced the square version of the iPod nano, I have been anticipating an iWatch. And recently, rumors about such a device, which would presumably tether to your iPhone or iPad and send you alerts and basic content, like emails, weather updates, and calendar notiﬁcations, have been swirling around the tech blogosphere with increasing fervor. While we wait to see if the rumored Apple iWatch will actually come to fruition, let’s take a look at some watch options that are already on the market. kubxlab iPod nano Watchstraps ($24.95-$99.95, kubxlab.com) I use a watchband from kubxlab to secure my iPod nano to my wrist—or at least I did until CES, when several vendors launched their smart watches. In September 2012, when Apple released the latest nano, which was no longer square, the market for accessories like these quickly vanished. If you still have a square nano, however, one

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of kubxlab’s many stylish designs could be right up your alley.

Pebble ($150, getpebble.com) One of the most popular iWatch models is Pebble, which began as a crowd-sourced project on Kickstarter and ended up receiving funding from over 60,000 backers. Pebble connects to your iPhone or iPod touch via Bluetooth to send you vibrating alerts that you can dismiss with a slight shake of the wrist. It uses e-paper technology, which is easily readable in direct

sunlight, and uses no power when the display is static. Pebble, unlike LCD watches, can display the time continuously without using up energy, and still achieve a battery life of about a week. The watch uses a magnetic charging cable similar to Apple's MagSafe adapter.

car, I didn't have to fumble to pair my GPS speakerphone; I was able to keep the conversation going after I left the car. Now that’s futuristic! The splash-resistant Martian Watch claims a battery life of up to seven days standby (two hours of talk time), and recharges via a microUSB port. It’s available in multiple styles and colors. There may be app opportunities for developers in the future, but since the watch’s screen space is limited, I'm not expecting too much. Still, it’s amazing what one can do with this watch. As a developer, I'm looking forward to how this new platform could be enhanced.

Lightweight and water resistant, Pebble comes in several colors and features a sleek watch face, an ambient light sensor, a magnetometer, and an accelerometer, which can trigger the backlight for nighttime viewing when you hold your wrist up. My primary reason for preordering the watch, however, was because as an app developer, I can write (and potentially sell) apps to customize Pebble’s features and appearance. But you don't need to be a programmer to customize Pebble. Through “If This Then That”-style programming, you can create alerts and actions for your Pebble using web services. Pebble’s mere three buttons and lack of a touch-screen interface make it difﬁcult to use as an input device, but that is the trade-off for having an otherwise quite useful little gadget. Martian Watches ($249-$299, martianwatches.com) Martian Watches, also originally funded via Kickstarter, offers traditional-looking analog watches that boast some hi-tech features, namely voice-command capabilities. Deceivingly ordinary in appearance, the Martian Watch makes a great everyday timepiece, but it goes way beyond its necessary watch duties.

I’m Watch ($449, imsmart.com/en) The i'm Watch, from Italy's i'm SpA, has a head start on these other newcomers. It was actually introduced at CES 2012, but, perhaps due to its high price tag, it hasn't appealed to the masses the way Pebble has. Unlike the other watches presented here, the i'm Watch has a color touch screen, and an actual Android-based operating system underneath the skin. As long as you have an iPhone or iPad with a tethering-compatible data plan, you can tether the i'm Watch to your iOS device via Bluetooth to access news, weather, stocks, and more.

First, it has an OLED scrolling display that shows caller ID, text messages, and more. It also has a Siri button, as well as a built-in microphone and speaker, so you can give Siri commands without having to ﬁsh for your iPhone. Not only can you ask Siri to read your text messages, check the weather, and more—all from your wrist—but you can even use Siri's dictation capabilities to send email and text replies. On top of that, you can use the Bluetooth-enabled Martian Watch as a speakerphone. Once, when I was in my upstairs ofﬁce and I heard my iPhone ring downstairs, I didn't have to make my normal mad dash to answer it; I just touched the button on my watch and took the call right there. Likewise, in the

This Italian-made watch comes in several vibrant colors. It’s big, bold, and not for the faint of heart. You’ll probably need an advanced degree to get all of the features working, which leaves a nice opportunity for Apple to make a simple yet power-

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ful smart watch. The out-of-the-box user experience of the i'm Watch is troublesome, and reminds me of the early days of the iPhone when you needed to sync with iTunes before you could really use it.

but rather more of an analog watch with alert capabilities. It pairs with the COOKOO Connected App (free, bit.ly/TCAgUZ), which lets you control the notiﬁcations you receive on the watch face. Different elements on the watch face light up when you receive calls and text messages, but you'll still need to use your iPhone to get the details. The COOKOO also has a programmable Command button, which you can use as a remote trigger for your iPhone’s camera, or to check in on Facebook, ﬁnd your phone, control your music, and more. The COOKOO is waterproof and has a standard watch battery that lasts up to nine months. Ѷ

Starfish ($169, getstarfish.com) is a promising new entry on the smartwatch market—in fact, it may be the closest thing to an official iWatch to date! It's not yet available, so its features may be subject to change, but its reasonable price and wealth of capabilities make it a tempting option. Unlike Pebble, Starfish has a full color display and is designed to mimic the iPhone screen (though it works with Android devices as well as iPhones and iPads). It provides alerts and updates for incoming calls, texts, emails, reminders, weather, news, and the stock market. In addition to answering calls directly on the watch, you should be able to open texts, read emails, and listen to music. Its built-in compass and G-sensor makes it ideal for bicyclists and runners, and it may even be able to run custom apps. Its battery life is expected to provide approximately 24 hours of active use.

COOKOO ($129.99-$249.99, cookoowatch.com) The COOKOO watch isn't exactly a full-ﬂedged smartwatch,

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Todd Bernhard is the founder of No Tie, LLC, developer of bestselling apps Auto Verbal Pro Talking Soundboard and Ringtones#, a text-to-speech ringtone creator. Mr. Bernhard has written for a number of our publications and has owned a variety of mobile devices. Today, an iPhone is almost always attached to his hip. Check out all of Todd’s apps at notiesoftware.com.

Audio gear from the house of marley

ouse of Marley is poised to become one of the leaders in audio gear in the years to come. With its commitment to beautifully crafted, high-quality gear, as well as sustainable business practices, charity, and social responsibility, House of Marley works tirelessly to embody Bob Marley’s vision of “One Love, One People, One Heart.”

the love is in the details by siva om their speakers and headphones, and a patented fabric called Rewind—crafted from hemp, cotton, and recycled plastic bottles— for their bags, headphones, and watches. And in terms of sound quality, House of Marley offers just what you’d expect from a family of musical superstars. Even their entry-level headphones would make any audiophile smile, not to mention their higherend audio gear, which delivers studio-quality precision and clarity.

House of Marley’s speakers, made of sustainable materials, boast simple, sleek aesthetics.

Sustainable meets stylish

Apple loyalists will appreciate the simple aesthetics of House of Marley’s designs, which boast sleek lines and wooden accents. In terms of color, there’s something for everyone—products with muted, natural tones for those who prefer a minimalistic look, as well as bolder designs, featuring the energetic red, yellow, and green of the Rasta ﬂag.

When it comes to producing top-quality, sustainable products, House of Marley excels in many ways. They use upcycled metals, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certiﬁed wood to construct

House of Marley also carries something for every budget, from the simple Smile Jamaica In-Ear Headphones ($29.99) to the top-of-the-line Legend In-Ear Headphones with an inte-

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grated mic ($199.99), which founder Rohan Marley, son of Bob, describes as “the baddest earbuds on the market.”

Rohan Marley shows off House of Marley’s Legend in-ear headphones.

inside the marley mind House of Marley’s patented Rewind fabric is a blend of hemp, cotton, and recycled plastic bottles.

While at CES in January, I got the opportunity to sit down with Rohan, his brother Stephen, and the great staff of House of Marley. Not only were they contagiously enthusiastic about their products, but they also gave me some insight into what makes House of Marley stand out from its competitors. It’s more than just a product or brand choice, I learned; it’s a lifestyle choice, a labor of love. “All these people here,” Rohan said, gesturing to the crowded room, “are emotionally connected to House of Marley. I love everyone here. They are so devoted. They live it.”

a peek at the collection Choosing just a few of House of Marley’s audio accessories to feature is tricky, since their collection is so extensive and chock-full of elegantly crafted items. Here are three products I just had to share with you.

Liberate On-Ear Headphones ($99.99)

Rohan shares his enthusiasm for the House of Marley brand.

We also talked about House of Marley’s patented Rewind fabric. “The love is in the details!” Rohan said enthusiastically. “We have turned water bottles, hemp, and cotton into fabric—our own fabric, can you imagine that? It's just exciting to know you can do something like that! There are no limitations.”

The Liberate on-ear headphones with in-line mic provide astonishing audio, especially considering that they are House of Marley’s entry-level headphones. They’re sure to surpass even the most discerning listener’s expectations of the kind of sound a $100 pair of headphones can deliver. The Liberate headphones have an upcycled aluminum headband with soft, fabric-covered padding underneath. The speaker housings incorporate the Rewind fabric on their exterior, while

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the ear pads feature plush leather covers. These headphones are lightweight, comfortable, and stylish, and come in a variety of colors.

Bag of Riddim Bluetooth Portable Audio System ($399.99) If you’re looking for a portable alternative, House of Marley offers an upgraded version of their original Bag of Riddim speaker dock, this time with Bluetooth. With its soft Rewind fabric carrying bag and natural wood face, the Bag of Riddim will almost make you forget that you’re toting a wonder of modern technology—until you crank it up, that is! This audio system is not to be underestimated; it could easily serve as a room-ﬁlling speaker for any small room, or as a perfect option for anyone with an active lifestyle that doesn't want to sacriﬁce audio output for portability or style.

it's in the bag House of Marley doesn't just make some of the world’s best audio equipment; they also craft iDevice-friendly backpacks and messenger bags, which are constructed of leather and the durable Rewind fabric, and come in a variety of styles and sizes.

One Foundation AirPlay Speaker Dock ($799.99) The One Foundation speaker dock is something I could imagine Steve Jobs and Bob Marley co-creating today, if they were still with us. It is a work of art, a statement of hi-tech modern simplicity. This superior sound system can shake the ﬂoor and make the walls tremble! The One Foundation’s 4 powerful speakers are embedded in a sleek panel of FSC-certiﬁed oak. This speaker dock is as glorious sounding as it is attractive, with thunderous bass tones, clear mid-ranges, and soaring, crystalline highs that all combine to pack quite an auditory punch. It comes with a remote control and multiple auxiliary ports on the back to connect everything from RCA cables to a subwoofer, and it allows for AirPlay wireless streaming from enabled devices. One of House of Marley’s most impressive creations, the One Foundation is sure to win a sweet spot in the heart of any audiophile.

Carry your iPad, laptop, and more in one of House of Marley’s durable bags.

House of Marley’s bags are relatively low-key in terms of color and design; you almost have to do a double-take to notice that the stitching incorporates the traditional red, yellow, and green accents. There is a military-inspired, urban stylishness to this line of bags, which ranges from the petite Lively Up Sling ($59.99) to the spacious Lively Up Overnighter ($249.99). For more information on House of Marley’s products and mission, visit thehouseofmarley.com. Ѷ My passion for the arts has pushed me to excel at many creative endeavors, including web design, award-winning tattooing (www.sacredfiretattoos.com), and journalism. Between writing for iPhone Life, creating websites (www.idoctechsupport.com), gardening, illustrating, and enjoying the wonders of nature with family, I manage to keep myself quite busy. You can reach me at Sivaom@iphonelife.com.

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Featured iUser: Location: Palmdale, CA One-line bio: Sometimes known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Fallen Angel,â&#x20AC;? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a professional wrestler for Impact Wrestling (Spike TV, 8 pm EST Thursday nights), a comic book aďŹ cionado, a world traveler, a pillar of society, an idol of millions, and the man with the rear that makes the girls cheer. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also uncommonly modest.

Marvel Comics, ComiXology, & DC Comics: I've been a comic book collector for more than 30 years, but recently I've been buying my comics digitally, so I can bring them on the road with me to read anytime. I keep my Marvel and DC purchases separate by app, even though ComiXology supports Marvel, DC, and independent comic book companies. Hurray for OCD!

TNA ON DEMAND: I can go back and watch anything that has aired on TNA Impact previously, like my old matches or interview segments.

NetďŹ&#x201A;ix, HBO GO, & VUDU: I spend a lot of nights in hotel rooms, traveling for work. If nothing's on TV, I use these apps to watch movies, HBO's original programming, or DVDs that I've purchased from VUDU.com.

Square Register: Sometimes at shows or personal appearances, we sell autographed merchandise. I use Square Register to take credit card payments from the fans.

Dice With Buddies: This game is basically Yahtzee for the iPad. I've initiated games with all of my arch nemeses, when I can't wait to antagonize them in the ring.

P90X & Workout Trainer.com: I spend a lot of time in the gym, and I can always look up new and different workouts on either one of these apps.

Echofon Pro for Twitter: Social mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially Twitterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;has become a signiďŹ cant tool for the Impact Wrestling roster to keep our fans informed of when we'll be on TV or in their town, and to keep them in the loop regarding all of our doings (and misdoings, for us villains!).

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

hard as it is to cover up our beautiful iPhones, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to protect them against damage and preserve their resale value, so buying a good case is a wise investment (not to mention a fashion statement). At this year's CES, it seemed that anyone who could fog a mirror was offering some sort of case. I was intrigued by the more unusual cases, especially the ones that offered more than just protection. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a look at some examples. E.K. Ekcessories i5 Dri Cat Neck It ($59.99, ekusa.com) The i5 Dri Cat Neck It case has two useful features. First, it offers extreme protectionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterproof, impact proof, dust proof, and sand proofâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;so you can take it with you while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re boating, swimming, or doing any sort of rugged outdoor activity. Second, it includes a breakaway lanyard that allows you to wear the encased iPhone around your neck. Sometimes carrying

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your iPhone in your pocket is cumbersome or simply not possible, so this is a welcomed solution. Like all of E.K.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products, the i5 Dri Cat Neck It is made in the USA. uNu Endliss iPhone 5 LED Battery Case (Price TBA, myunu.com) One of my favorite iPhone 4S cases was a battery pack case from uNu's EndlissTech division. When the iPhone 5 was released, uNu had to provide a temporary solution for those who upgraded, so they released an add-on case with a snap-on battery pack that ďŹ t the new Lightning connector. It was a bit of a kludge, but it worked. At this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CES, however, Endliss demoed their new LED Battery Case for iPhone 5, which has a built-in 1500mAh battery.

What makes this case unique is the multicolored LED display built into its exterior. The display interfaces with your iPhone via Bluetooth 4.0, so you can display custom alerts based on incoming phone calls, text messages, and push notiﬁcations. Since the display connects wirelessly, you can use it even while the phone is out of the case.

the French company Watt?. The NEON BOX is a relatively slim, glossy, soft-touch case with built-in LED lighting that reacts to incoming calls and alerts. You can also set it to Ambiance mode, just to watch any of the seven colors light up your phone for fun. It has its own rechargeable battery, so the iPhone's power isn't compromised. Corporate customers can even design a case around their logo.

Fotodiox camHoodie Lens Hood with gloCase ($29.95, fotodioxpro.com) The camHoodie Lens Hood with gloCase amplifies the iPhone's built-in LED so you can see alerts more easily. The whole perimeter of the case glows when an alert comes in, which can be very useful for people who are hard of hearing or who often silence their phones. The camHoodie also softens the built-in flash and minimizes the purplish lens flare that can happen when the camera is facing sunlight. It should be no surprise that this case is from Fotodiox, a company that specializes in high-quality photography equipment.

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet ($39, bullettrain.com) A popular trend nowadays is to replace your wallet with an iPhone case. It makes sense—most people wouldn't leave their house without their iPhone, so why not consolidate the two by creating an iPhone case with added space for cards and cash? The folks at BulletTrain have done just that with the SAFE Wallet, a slim iPhone case that can hold credit cards, business cards, and cash, and comes in ﬁve colors. The case also doubles as a stand, which is useful for FaceTime video chats and watching movies.

Watt? NEON BOX (Price upon request, watt1.com)

KAVAJ Dallas Case for iPhone 5 ($34.90, kavaj.com)

If you really want to stand out from the crowd—whether in the boardroom or a nightclub—check out the NEON BOX case from

For an elegant, slim case that also works as a wallet, KAVAJ presents the Dallas, a ﬁne-quality Turkish leather case with two

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

slots for credit cards, ID, or a hotel room key. The stylish Dallas case, which features magnets sewn into the lining to keep the ﬂap closed, is available in cognac brown or black leather. Jaymo PixCase ($20.99, jaymo.co) For an iPhone case with an appearance that mirrors your lifestyle, the Jaymo’s PixCase is ideal. On Jaymo’s website, you can upload a photo, add text, and trim it to ﬁt the case’s dimensions. Then you can print your insert locally and slip it into the case. The fact that you print the insert yourself means that you can customize your case at any time with photos and artwork that are close to your heart. XA Wireless Vortex Bamboo Cases ($44.29, xawireless.com) If you’re looking for a little harmony in your life, check out this series of inspirational iPhone cases. The Vortex cases are made with renewable bamboo, and are etched with motivational messages and intricate designs. I love the juxtaposition of high-tech practicality and natural, organic elements. The Vortex cases also do a nice job of protecting the iPhone’s glass screen, thanks to the decent lip on the front.

Nutcase Bamboo Cases ($59, gonutcase.com) Nutcase also offers a wide variety of bamboo cases for the iPhone, with beautiful designs ranging from sophisticated geometric patterns to nature-inspired drawings. The cases are lined with black velvet to help prevent scratches. Nutcase also offers a stylish selection of colorized, etched metal cases, but they’re currently only available for the iPhone 4/4S.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

Finders Key Purse Phone Pouch (Price TBA, ﬁnderskeypurse.com) The Phone Pouch is perfect for women that like to keep their iPhone in their purse with an extra layer of protection. It has a handy extension that grabs onto the rim of the purse, making sure that the phone is always within reach. A variety of decorations make this neoprene pouch a charming add-on, and as a bonus, it has a microﬁber lining that helps clean the screen each time you insert or remove your phone.

Whatever It Takes Cases (From $30, shop.whateverittakes.org) We get that you need a case, and you want it to be attractive and match your personality. But did you know that you can go a step further and support a charity with your case purchase? Whatever It Takes is the brainchild of philanthropist Charlotte di Vita and her former college roommate, actress Minnie Driver.

The organization works with over 650 celebrities and artists to turn their original artwork into cases for iPhones, iPads, and other devices. They have raised over $4 million for charities focused on poverty, HIV/AIDS, and the environment. It's a great way to support your favorite charities while giving your iDevice some celebrity-sponsored ďŹ&#x201A;air.

Cooper Mini, Fiat, Ferrari, and Vespa. I happen to have both a Fiat and a Vespa, so these cases particularly intrigued me. What better way to express your style than an iPhone that matches your ride? Pelican ProGear S145 Sport Tablet Backpack ($109.95, pelican.com) Once your iPhone is safely shielded, what do you put it in? On my trip to CES, I had a bunch of gadgets and gear to bring, so I trusted my Pelican ProGear backpack to carry it all. The backpack has lots of space for storage and is built with quality zippers, but what sets it apart is a dedicated crush-proof and waterproof compartment for your iPad. It features a quick-release mechanism so you can easily get to your tablet, plus plenty of room to carry a Bluetooth keyboard.

SoloMatrix Spike Keyboard Case (From $35, spikeyourphone.com) In what may be the ďŹ nal nail in the cofďŹ n for the BlackBerry product line, SoloMatrix has developed a compact, non-Bluetooth, non-battery-powered keyboard that does its job and gets the heck out of the way when you don't need it. The Spike is a both a case and a reversible keyboard. Now, you might be wondering how it works, since it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use Bluetooth or batteries. A sophisticated set of physical buttons, resting on a special backing, allows you to push through to the iPhoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s touch screen when you press on each button. It even works when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wearing gloves! You do give up some of the specialized keyboard buttons, like the â&#x20AC;&#x153;@â&#x20AC;? symbol when using the email keyboard, but a quick reversal of the physical keyboard exposes the touch screen as needed. This is a great solution for those who do a lot of text entry, as the moments when you need to expose the touch screen will be few and far between.

Pelican is known for their specialized crush-proof boxes, but their line of sport backpacks can be practical even for everyday use. As more kids go off to school with e-readers, iPhones, iPads, and other tech gear, Pelican bags make a lot of sense in terms of protection. They offer a wide variety of cases beyond the Sport Tablet Backpack, with different features, varying amounts of storage, and several color options, like black, olive, and orange.

Brian Burke from SellYourMac (sellyourmac.com) told me that cases can help retain the value of iOS devices. He advises people to choose a case carefully, explaining that â&#x20AC;&#x153;some cases will actually cause scratching or pitting from dust caught between the case and the back of the device. Choosing a case with protection on the glass screen will most likely keep it in 'like new' condition and earn you a 10% higher payout than one in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; condition!" A good case is an investment. And with the cases I showed you here, you can walk around knowing that in addition to providing your iPhone with great protection, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re giving it an extra boost in both functionality and style. *For more cool iPhone cases, check out the article on page 59. Ńś Todd Bernhard is the founder of No Tie, LLC, developer of bestselling apps Auto Verbal Pro Talking Soundboard and Ringtones#, a text-to-speech ringtone creator. Mr. Bernhard has written for a number of our publications and has owned a variety of mobile devices. Today, an iPhone is almost always attached to his hip. Check out all of Toddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apps at notiesoftware.com.

CG Mobile Branded Cases (Price TBA, cg-mobile.com) Want to advertise your car or scooter of choice as a fashion statement? CG Mobile offers cases that feature brands such as

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

STERLING SPEAKER SYSTEMS First-Rate Speaker Options for the Home or Office by Alex Cequea and David Averbach I

f you’re looking for a sound system that will get you the most bang for your buck, check out these two speaker systems—they pack a lot of power and quality for the price.

Orb Audio Classic One Stereo Speaker System ($549.00, orbaudio.com) These Orb Audio speakers are hand made in the U.S., and feature an understated elegance that’s not entirely obvious at first glance. The Classic One Speaker System features two Mod1 satellite speakers and a Super Eight long-throw subwoofer. The Mod1 speakers come in several colors and finishes: Metallic White Gloss, Pearl White Gloss, Hammered Earth, Hand-Polished Steel, Hand-Polished Bronze, and Hand-Polished Copper. The small Mod1 speaker units pack an enormous, rich sound that rivals that of many floor-standing speakers. The 200-watt Super Eight subwoofer features a super long-throw 8" woofer and a high-power magnet. It provides clean, deep bass tones and creates a complementary acoustic match to the Mod1 speakers. This speaker system offers superior sound quality for a fraction of the price of many of its competitors. Since the system isn’t AirPlay enabled, you’ll need an HDMI adapter to hook it up to your iPhone or iPad. Orb Audio also offers a large variety of configurable wall mounts and stands, so you can set up your speakers virtually anywhere.

Vanatoo Transparent One ($499 black on cherry finish, $549 natural cherry finish, vanatoo.com) Over five years in development, the Transparent One speakers are Vanatoo’s first foray into the speaker market. Vanatoo owners Rick Kernen and Gary Gesellchen are both engineers with a lifelong passion for speakers. They have created a quality stereo speaker system at an affordable price. The Transparent Ones have a clear and balanced sound, and while they’re certainly loud enough to fill a room, they lack the power of some other medium-sized speakers. The bass in particular is a little bit weak. The Transparent One speakers come in black or with a beautiful cherry veneer finish. One of the things that makes the Vanatoo speakers unique is their wide variety of input options. The speakers are compatible with the Sonos speaker system and Apple’s AirPlay system, and they also have an auxiliary input to connect directly to your iPhone. You can connect the speakers to AirPlay by plugging an Apple AirPort router into the back. While that flexibility makes it easy to fit the speakers into whatever system you are using, I would have loved to see the speakers come fully AirPlay enabled without needing an AirPort router.

Bottom Line The Classic One is an elegant sound system with a rich sound that’s worth many times its price. The conﬁgurable wall and ceiling mounts are a nice perk, offering a cost-effective way to embed the system into your home or ofﬁce.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

These Vanatoo speakers look great and offer several connectivity options. While the bass leaves a little to be desired, it’s hard to ﬁnd a higher quality stereo system for a better price. Ѷ

representatives. During their detailed tour of the building, they talked to me about their company culture, what goes into creating cases for Apple products, and what new products they’ve got in the pipeline. They even let me go down their in-ofﬁce slide!

THE OTTERBOX

EMPIRE An Inside Look at the Company and its Cases by Alex Cequea s I walk into an elegant ofﬁce building near downtown Fort Collins, CO, I’m struck by its modern design and luxurious feel. The smiling receptionist asks how she can help me, and when I tell her whom I’m there to see, she politely informs me that I’m actually in the wrong building. Surely the big OtterBox sign welcoming visitors meant that this was the company headquarters? Nope, I’m half a block from where I’m supposed to be.

You see, OtterBox (otterbox.com)—one of the leading manufacturers of mobile device cases—has exploded in size in the last 3 years, going from under 100 employees in 2010 to over 600 by early 2013. To house all of their new workers, they’ve had to create brand new buildings, and they’ve built them in close proximity to each other in order to simulate a college campus feel. I made my way towards the correct building and met a couple of OtterBox

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

THE EVOLUTION OF A COMPANY Founded in 1998 by Curt Richardson, OtterBox originally manufactured dry boxes that customers could use to keep their valuables, particularly small electronic devices, safe and dry. As PDAs began to gain popularity in the early 2000s, consumers repeatedly asked for ways to interact with their devices through the dry boxes. OtterBox responded with a line of custom cases for PDAs that featured a screen membrane that allowed access to the device’s controls. From there, it was a natural progression into cases for BlackBerrys and the original iPhone. Over the last couple of years, the record-breaking popularity of the iPhone has helped fuel the company’s fast-paced growth. In 2012, OtterBox was ranked number seven on Fortune magazine’s list of Great Places to Work (in the Best Small & Medium Workplaces category). The company’s headquarters are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, and the League of American Bicyclists recognizes OtterBox as a Silver-Level Bike Friendly Business. Their offices reminded me of a luxurious model home— beautiful, spacious, and OtterBox originally sold dry boxes that kept valuables safe and dry. homey. As I walked past their massage chairs, fully stocked gym, and bike storage room with work benches for employees who want to make quick bike repairs, I saw several flat-screen TVs—with one in particular ready to play Star Wars, providing a cluster of busy employees with light-saber-duel background noise.

CASES ON THE HORIZON OtterBox’s next case could be a big hit. Sometime later this year, OtterBox plans to release a Defender Series battery case with ION technology that will monitor the battery levels on both the battery case and the iPhone.

OtterBox’s bike storage area features a work bench for employees who want to make quick bike repairs.

OtterBox is aware of the importance of a welcoming and beautiful ofﬁce environment. When employees are happy, they’re more productive and make better products. Let’s take a look of some of OtterBox’s best-selling cases.

MOST POPULAR CASES Defender Series ($49.95-$59.95) OtterBox’s best-selling iPhone cases are part of the Defender Series, which feature a rugged case design with three layers of protection and a built-in screen protector. Cases from the Defender Series come in a large variety of colors, and you can mix and match color components— a feature people speciﬁcally asked for.

Armor Series ($99.95) Otterbox’s newest iPhone case, the Armor Series, is directly inspired by the dry boxes that built the company. Hailed as the toughest case they’ve ever built, the Armor Series is waterproof, drop proof, dust proof, and crush proof. This case is no joke—it feels like a tank—and if you don’t mind the additional bulk, you can rest easy, knowing that nothing can possibly harm your iPhone.

Reﬂex Series ($34.95) Another popular case, OtterBox’s Reﬂex Series, is less bulky than the Defender and Armor Series, and provides lightweight protection from everyday wear and tear. The case features a two-piece design and comes in a couple of different colors.

OtterBox’s next case will tackle battery management and consumption.

The case will integrate with a free app, and will monitor your energy usage to maximize your battery life. If your battery goes down to 60%, the app will send a signal to the battery case to start charging the iPhone, and it will stop charging when the iPhone is at 100%. The app will also be available as a stand-alone battery management portal. This case will come in at around $130, making it OtterBox’s most expensive case to date.

LOOKING FORWARD People all over the world are continuing to jump on the smartphone bandwagon, and OtterBox is positioning itself to take full advantage of this rapidly maturing market. With new ofﬁces in places like Hong Kong and Ireland, they’re strategically placing themselves near a large number of potential new customers. They’ll no doubt continue to make great cases, and they’ll do so with fun and style. Ѷ Alex Cequea is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Business, and he writes and speaks about mobile technology, authenticity and creating a more inter-connected world. He enjoys tennis, sustainability, public speaking, and climbing mango trees. You can contact him at alex@iphonelife.com.

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

CTIA 2013: The Marketplace for Mobile Innovation Interview with Robert Mesirow, VP of Operations By Alex Cequea rganized by CTIA- The Wireless Association®, CTIA is the biggest annual trade show in the U.S. that’s completely focused on the mobile industry. This year, iPhone Life magazine is partnering with CTIA to sponsor workshops and presentations in the iZone, an 18,000-square-foot area devoted solely to iPhone and iPad gear and accessories.

I got a chance to talk to Robert Mesirow, Vice President of Operations at CTIA, and ask him about mobile trends, how the shows have changed over the years, and what we can look forward to in the mobile market. iPhone Life: You’ve been involved with the CTIA shows for 15 years. What has been the most surprising mobile trend you’ve seen? Robert: I think the biggest trend has been the “Internet of things.” I think it’s the connection beyond the person that has really been transformative, and maybe the most surprising development. I started in the paging market in the early days, and that was transformative in the sense that you could be reached anytime, anywhere. If you think back at who was wearing those pagers, it was doctors, and it gave them more mobility and improved the quality of life for all of us, because you could reach them at any time. So fast-forwarding all the way to the present, when you have not only humans being able to reach each other at any time, but also machines communicating to each other, that’s something I could not have predicted 15 or 20 years ago.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

CNBC conducts a live broadcast from the show ﬂoor of the 2011 CTIA.

iPhone Life: How have the CTIA shows changed over the last 15 years? Robert: When I ﬁrst started years ago, the show was essentially a shopping center for the wireless carriers to purchase infrastructure equipment. The early shows were not very large at all—maybe 30,000 to 40,000 square feet, versus now, at 400,000 square feet. Now the shows are a true mobile marketplace for anyone wanting to integrate wireless products and services into their work environment.

iPhone Life: CTIA advocates on behalf of wireless carriers, suppliers, and other CTIA members at all levels of government. What do you think is the healthiest relationship that the tech world and the government can have?

nouncements, holiday announcements, and even get ahead of the following year. We’re anticipating a very successful event right out of the gate in 2014.

Robert: I think it’s a win-win when government understands the needs of the industry, and the industry understands the needs of government. Our business is increasingly complex, and it’s difﬁcult to comprehend the rapid, disruptive changes taking place if you’re not in the industry. It takes an organization like CTIA to convey that complexity to people outside the industry—people in government—so they can regulate the industry in a way that supports growth.

The 2014 CTIA show will combine both biannual shows into one fall mega-show focused on mobility.

iPhone Life: What wireless and mobile trends are you looking forward to seeing in the next 5 years?

The 2013 CTIA show ﬂoor will be over 400,000 square feet.

Robert: I think we’re looking at a lot of consumer-driven revolutions in areas like health care and the automotive industry. People are starting to buy cars based on the technology that they’re used to interacting with. When your mobile apps can inﬂuence a car purchase, that’s when you see the end user inﬂuencing the market, and not the other way around. I can’t think of any other time is history when that’s really been the case.

iPhone Life: What can we expect to see at this year’s show? Robert: I think we’re going to see some interesting announcements and developments in the areas of mobile commerce and mobile health, which will continue to grow and be a big part of the show. The area of retail is also growing a lot—we’ve got the global head of mobility for Wal-Mart as one of our keynote speakers, so that will be really enlightening, since retailers represent 30% of our audience. Also, the area of mobile education, what we call “M-Learning,” has been growing.

CTIA 2013 will take place from May 21-23rd at Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Don’t forget to watch the keynotes and say hi to us at the iZone – Powered by iPhone Life. For more information about this year’s show, please visit CTIA2013.com. Ѷ Alex Cequea is the Editor in Chief of iPhone Life magazine. He holds an MBA in Sustainable Business, and he writes and speaks about mobile technology, authenticity and creating a more inter-connected world. He enjoys tennis, sustainability, public speaking, and climbing mango trees. You can contact him at alex@iphonelife.com.

iPhone Life: This year, CTIA announced plans to combine the spring and fall shows into a single mega-event starting in fall 2014. What led to that decision, and what is CTIA hoping to accomplish with the fall show? Robert: This has been several years in the making. The idea is that we’ll be bringing the new wireless ecosystem together for the ﬁrst time, and assembling all the right players in September of 2014. There are really no set buying cycles anymore, and product announcements are made when the chip set or software is available, so that was also one of the driving forces behind the decision. We talked to key industry players, did polling and market analysis, and came to the conclusion that we needed a large event focused on mobility in the second half of the year. With this show, we can also give people a platform for fall an-

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

Featured iUser: Age: 56 Location: Los Angeles, CA One-Line Bio: I’m a sculptor and artist working in diverse mediums such as abstract art, painting, kinetic art, giant objects, suspended magnet sculptures, public art, and rolling ball machines. My art has been featured at many museums, in dozens of books, and in many major movies. Camera: I use the camera for taking photos of the client’s home when they commission a project and for showing clients how the work is progressing. I also use it to record the position of sculpture parts if they need to be moved around for painting.

Clock: Since I’m constantly painting or dipping magnets in liquid rubber, the timer lets me know when it's ready for another coat. I also frequently use the alarm and stopwatch functions.

Sculpture: I have my sculpture website (brucegray.com) available for quick and easy access to show work to friends and clients. I can also check the sculpture’s dimensions and price here.

Shazam: One of my favorite apps! I am a music nut, and have it playing all day long. With Shazam I just grab a sample of the song and the song info captured for me to buy and enjoy. I love it!

IZON: This app operates a motion- and sound-sensitive video camera in my studio. I can check on my studio when I am away, or set the detectors to notify me if the sensors are disturbed.

inchCALC+: This is a great app that allows you to work in inches and feet easily, which is very handy for sculptures.

Square (Register): This app allows me to accept credit cards from my iPhone. For an infrequent credit card user like me, there is no hassle of a monthly fee. A lot of my artist friends use this.

TED: I got turned on to the amazing talks at the TED Convention when they asked me to exhibit one of my mobile sculptures in 2005. With this app, you can watch many of these fascinating and inspirational talks for free.

Remote: I can change the volume or song from my sculpture workshop without having to go into my living area to mess with the stereo. The app also comes in handy when I’m relaxing with friends in the garden.

Bebot: This app is one of the coolest synthesizers around. It's fun to play with, and I’ve even used it to play with a live band on several occasions.

Scribble: If I am out of my studio and someone asks about a sculpture commission, I can draw up a rough sketch for them on the spot with this app.

i P hone L i f e M ay-June 2013

Beyond the Textbook: Integrative Apps for Education by Daniel W. Rasmus

ooks are an endangered species, and they are suffering from habitat loss. Many of their once-familiar territories (Borders, Crown, Waldenbooks, etc.) are disappearing from strip malls like lush literary rain forests giving way to fertile soil. According to Publishers Weekly, there were 1,087 fewer chain bookstores in the U.S. in the fall of 2011 than in the spring of 1991. Technology is also intruding on the book market. According to BookStats, while overall book sales have fallen slightly in recent years, e-book sales have risen dramatically. Consumers no longer seek the comfort of paper, leather, and ink as they have in the past. Today’s consumers crave the instant gratiﬁcation of the download; they have replaced the physical with the virtual. The introduction of the tablet has created yet another obstacle to the book: a complete reimagining of the reading experience. Electronic readers like Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s iBook, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook seek to enhance our experience with features such as shared underlining or complementary audio. Other developers are more ambitious; they seek to turn the texts of books into interactive journeys. As we continue to innovate, the old, linear style of thinking and learning will give way to a future that is decidedly non-linear. Let’s take a look at some innovative literary apps that provide content beyond what a physical book or textbook can offer.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

The Sonnets by William Shakespeare (iPad only: $13.99, app2.me/5124) If you visit Shakespeare’s birthplace, read from a copy of his First Folio in the Folger Shakespeare Library, hear a great actor recite his poems, or attend a well-produced version of a Shakespearean play, then your relationship to the famed playwright and poet changes. Shakespeare is no longer just a dead poet, but a relevant voice. Unfortunately, most students don’t get to see these artifacts or visit these places. When you look at apps that reimagine classic works, as Touch Press’s The Sonnets does, it is clear why traditional books, especially classics, are under such pressure. From examining and interpreting original texts to exposing students to commentary from scholars, it’s all possible with the iPad. Students can explore all 154 sonnets with this app—they can hear all of them read by famous ac-

tors; they can access the Arden Notes, which represent arguably the best consolidated scholarship behind Shakespeare’s works; and they can see the Sonnets in facsimile, printed as they were in the 1609 Quarto edition. Students also have access to scholarly discussions, biographical information, and even tips on how to perform the sonnets. Some obscure references (like “ll” for lines) remain in the text as a bit of a quaint anachronism, but touching a reference sets the words aright. And rather than take the learner out of the text, the app lets you add notes beside those of the Arden scholars. As a lover of Shakespeare, I applaud the collaboration that created this wonderful work. I hope that Touch Press will continue to offer content updates and insight as studies of Shakespearean works reveal new material, or as institutions offer deeper access to their archives. Inkling (Free, app2.me/4698) If Touch Press has rethought the book as an app, Inkling has rethought the book as a platform. They have focused their considerable talents not on re-crafting great works of literature or providing colorful reference material, but on delivering a new experience to the textbook. Textbooks have traditionally been expensive compendiums of single-topic knowledge. You have your biology textbooks, sociology textbooks, economics textbooks—the list goes on. For hundreds of dollars, students also receive references, images, charts, and graphs that help illustrate the authors’ points. Textbooks today are less relevant than trade books or classics. For example, new trade books offer a certain immediacy. Each time a new volume of Twilight or Harry Potter was released, people waited for hours to get their hands on it. And classics seem to be relevant no matter what era we're in, so they’re not affected by the changing world around them (though as demonstrated by the Sonnets app, presenting them in new ways can create new interest and value). But textbooks are published amidst a whirl of uncertainty and change, and thus, they age quickly. By publishing within a platform like Inkling, various parts of the text can be updated without a whole rewrite or republication. And as interactive components like graphs, animations, and interviews improve, they, too, can be replaced with even better versions. Inkling represents a breakthrough in the textbook experience. Along with Apple’s iBook efforts and iTunes U, Inkling will produce new ways of learning, and additional access to learning, that will be highly distributive, cost effective, and accessible to more students.

Wordflex Touch Dictionary (iPad only: $11.99, app2.me/5125) While Touch Press and Inkling offer learning experiences, Wordflex adds an interactive element to the learning process. With the first two apps, the developers got the opportunity to play with words, but users don’t get the same opportunity—they get to read, not touch (well, except to highlight something). That’s not the case with Wordflex, which takes playing with words to a new level. Type in a word and it explodes with meaning on the screen. Parts of speech literally become parts. Derivations and pronunciations scatter like water droplets down a spider web. Synonyms and antonyms bounce around fluidly. And beneath the ocean of words sits the Oxford English Dictionary, the best source for powering this engaging interface. I wish I could describe Wordflex better, but it exists as wordplay beyond words. And there is little reason to slog through a dictionary if you own an iPad and this app; Wordflex makes the dictionary obsolete. Sure, for $11.99, you can buy several used dictionaries from a used bookstore, but this is so much more fun and so much more complete than the free services on the web or the built-in dictionary in Microsoft Word. Wordflex makes learning words fun. (Please note: Wordflex won’t help you select the best word to play in Words with Friends; that would just be unprincipled.)

Final Thoughts Books are not going away, but they will have a less ubiquitous, more specialized place in our lives. Just as my children never knew a house with a record player, their children may never know a house with stacks of books, except perhaps on a visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Parents will read, but they will read from some device that tallies their portfolios and organizes their e-mail while they concentrate on more important matters. This is the ﬁrst in a series of columns that will focus on iOS in education. Next up is a look at iOS in science education. I would love to get your suggestions on what products or product categories to cover. Just shoot me an email at dwrasmus@ danielwrasmus.com. I look forward to your thoughts. Ѷ Daniel W. Rasmus, author of Listening to the Future and Management by Design, is a strategist and industry analyst who helps clients put their future in context. Rasmus was the Director of Business Insights at Microsoft Corporation, and today is a consultant and internationally recognized speaker. He blogs for Fast Company and iphonelife. com. You can reach him at dwrasmus@danielwrasmus.com

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

# #! " " ÂŠiStockphoto.com/deucee_

his past year our family was blessed with two grandbabies: Prana and Archer. Watching them play, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gained some interesting insight that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to pass along to iOS developers.

Prana has enjoyed my iPad since she was three months old. Her ďŹ rst exposure was to OceanMediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dr. Seuss's ABC app ($3.99, app2.me/2345), which is still her favorite. This app consistently tops all the Best Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apps lists. She can listen to this long book from beginning to end over and over again; she never seems to tire of it. Strangely, the other Dr. Seuss books are not as charming to her. I think it has a lot to do with the voice talent on that particular book. Over time, she has learned to touch the characters for an extra layer of interaction.

My granddaughter Prana at 5Â˝ months, reading Dr. Seuss on the iPad.

i P h o n e L if e M ay-June 201 3

If you have iOS 6 on your iPad, you can adjust the settings to create your own makeshift â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kid Mode.â&#x20AC;? Simply open Settings>General>Accessibility and turn on Guided Access. This feature keeps the iPad locked in a single app via a password, and lets you choose which control features you want to enable (like touch or motion). When you open the app you want your child to use, triple-tap the home button to lock and unlock access to anything else. Unfortunately this option isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t available for the original iPad, and the solution isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perfect for kids who ďŹ gure out that triple-clicking the Home button unlocks the device.

Although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s app, iBird HD Lite keeps my granddaughter entertained.

Once Prana ďŹ gured out how to push the Home button, she decided that this was all she wanted to do. She sees how it makes things jump around on the screen, and when she eventually ends up on the Spotlight Search screen, she loves to type on the keyboard. We are still trying to ďŹ gure out what app â&#x20AC;&#x153;heo8ifbelhd786slâ&#x20AC;? is. We have to tape a quarter over the Home button to prevent this, which irritates the heck out of her. I wish there were a way to lock

the Home button just while using a speciďŹ c appâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the three-tap release of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kid Modeâ&#x20AC;? is a snap for her.

! iBird Lite HD (iPad only: free, app2.me/5362) This is Pranaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second-favorite app. Strange, right? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an app built for children, but Prana loves listening to the birds and is learning how to navigate the app. She can generally navigate through any scroll screens going up, down, or sideways. On a weird note, if we put on Angry Birds, she turns away and cries. Yes, cries like it is the end of the world! I was surprised by her reaction the ďŹ rst time, but she still has the same exact reaction every time it comes up. We havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ gured out what she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like: the music or those creepy pig sounds. All we know is that she prefers real birds to angry ones. Virtuoso Piano Free (Free, app2.me/5363) Virtuoso is the second app we introduced her to at three months old. She immediately liked it, and we have lots of videos of her banging away like Liszt. She still loves to play it, and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try to mimic how other people play. Bowls HD (iPad only: $1.99, app2.me/5365) This is another app not speciďŹ cally designed for children, but Prana loves the different sounds of the Tibetan singing bowls. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been trying hard to do the rim sound, but that hand skill is still a few months away.

ďŹ&#x201A;uidity HD (Free, app2.me/5368) Prana found this app a little scary at ďŹ rst, but now she enjoys painting dynamic masterpieces with the little dots of light.

" ! I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know which of these suggestions are possible and which are pie-in-the-sky, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to see some progress on these points: s Hidden menu icons, or more complicated ways to open menus, for those of us with children still enjoying the original iPad. s The ability to turn off the Home button while on the app. Maybe have a secret screen code to turn it on and off. s More interaction between the real world and the app screen. I would like to see an app where you have to go on a treasure hunt for real items that the children see on the screen. Please note that if you build this app, I expect full credit. Our children are growing up with amazing technology, but developers need to spend a little more time exploring the best ways to create child-friendly apps. There are some fantastic apps already, but as a tech-savvy grandparent, I see plenty of room for improvement. Ńś Phyllis Khare is a writer for iPhone Life, a social media author, and a consultant. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the author of Social Media Marketing eLearning for Dummies and co-author of Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies (currently being edited for its second printing!). Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the proud co-founder (along with Andrea Vahl) of Social Media Manager School (socialmediamanagerschool.com).

Relaxing Sounds of Nature ($1.99, app2.me/5369) Prana appreciates this app mostly for the bird sounds. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also nice to design a soundscape and leave it on while we play with â&#x20AC;&#x153;realâ&#x20AC;? toys.

Paint Sparkles Draw (Free, app2.me/5367) Prana (and just about everyone else in the family!) loves this coloring app. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like creating magical music with every brush stroke. The coolest thing about this app is the ability to take a picture and email it to a family member. I will never forget the excited tone in her dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice as he exclaimed, â&#x20AC;&#x153;She drew her own picture and took a picture of itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all by herself!â&#x20AC;? I turned the image into a Postagram (free, app2. me/5045) and sent it to family members. Archer is enjoying this app too. I bet weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up with a lot of app paintings before either child can hold a crayon.

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

iPhone Lif e May -June 2 0 1 3

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Hal, along with his wife Rita, founded iPhone Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original publishing company, Thaddeus Computing, in 1985. You can reach him at hal@thaddeus.com.

Vision, Luck, and Steve Jobs

'm preparing to teach an undergrad course called Entrepreneurship and Consciousness at Maharishi University of Management (mum.edu) here in FairďŹ eld, Iowa. In the course, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll share my story of starting Thaddeus Computing in 1985 to support mobile computing users. This magazine, iPhone Life, is a descendent of that launch. Currently, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m developing a series of 18 lectures in which I share fundamental, less tangible characteristics of entrepreneurial success (often citing Apple and Steve Jobs), two of which are vision and luck.

Vision Almost every successful entrepreneur Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met wanted to do something special, something unique, something extraordinary, whether it involved their product, their companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customer service, or their workplace. Such a vision gives work meaning; it gives you a reason to get up in the morning to face the inevitable daily challenges. Further, a vision provides criteria from which to make the decisions. A vision empowers and gives conďŹ dence. Recently, I came across a portion of an interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook on CNNMoney.com that captured this notion of an empowering vision. Cook said, "We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great productsâ&#x20AC;Ś We are constantly focusing on innovatingâ&#x20AC;ŚWe believe in saying no to thousands of projects, so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. And frankly, we don't settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we're wrong and the courage to change." Steve Jobs said it succinctly: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being the richest man in the cemetery doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done something wonderfulâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what matters to me.â&#x20AC;?

Another powerful way to increase luck, whether running a business or simply living life, is to habitually listen to and act upon what feels true inside. Doing so takes a kind of courage, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unconventional and can be unpopular, perhaps resulting in loss or preventing immediate gain. In his famous 2005 Stanford commencement speech, Jobs said, "Have the courage to follow your heart and your intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become." Time and again, Steve Jobs demonstrated that he listened to his inner compass even if an idea seemed counterintuitive. s !T 2EED #OLLEGE *OBS AUDITED AN IMPRACTICAL COURSE ON HAND calligraphy. 10 years later, Jobs designed the ďŹ rst Mac rich with font choice, setting a standard for the computer industry. s )N *OBS PARTNERED WITH !PPLE ARCH ENEMY "ILL 'ATES s 5NDER *OBS !PPLE #OMPUTER )NC EXPANDED BEYOND COMPUTers with the release of iTunes, MP3 players, iPhones, and iPads to become Apple Inc. s *OBS OPENED ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL RETAIL STORES AT A TIME when the retail computer industry and many other retail industries were dying. s *OBS HAD SAID THAT !PPLE HIRES MUSICIANS POETS ARTISTS ZOologists, and historians who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world. s !PPLE ENCOURAGES ITS PEOPLE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY WHICH STIMUlates innovation and reinvention.

Luck Luck is a seldom-discussed but inescapable part of business success. Luck shows up in countless ways, including bumping into the right person at the right time, hiring someone with unexpected talents, getting an unanticipated tax refund or inheritance, meeting what turns out to be a huge client at a dinner party you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to attend, and so on.

The question becomes, can you create your own luck? I say yes. However, I believe the ways are subtle and indirect, working from deeper, less concrete, underlying laws of nature. Personal examples of ways to increase luck include daily meditation, monthly donation of time and money, letting go of attachments and aversions to money, being grateful both when money comes in and when it goes out, reading about successful people, keeping your word, and behaving ethically.

i P h o n e L i f e May-June 2013

If you are interested in getting class notes, or seeing videos of lectures, drop me an email. Ńś