Best iPhone apps (and how to make it even better)
Instapaper - free & pro
The Good: like the web counterpart, you save pages you wanna read for later.
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The Bad: the UI is weird… Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok, but the webversion is so ridiculously simple (clicking a link means you read it) so why complicate?
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The Suggestion:
- when I reach the end of the page, treats it as read, ok?
- keep images & text, but strips all the rest - I don’t care about sidebar or menu.
- if I turn tilt scrolling on, keep it on!
Twinkle - free
The Good: Cozy interface for my twitter friends. Heck, I check twinkle even when I’m on my computer. It’s more intimate, I dunno. Picture and GPS location too.
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The Bad: the pictures take too long to send, and it’s buggy to send, overall.
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The Suggestion:
- Thanks for hosting my pictures, but I already have a service and it’s flickr. Would you mind to create a bridge between the two? I post a twitter pic, it links to flickr, and the other way around?
- It… takes… too… long… to… post… I usually photograph water glasses, while waiting for the food and I’m bored. But guess what? the food comes before I can post it.
- The message tab shows only direct messages…. Can my @ messages be there too?
- Clicking on the twit gives me… the twit. again. What about the entire friend feed?
- The landscape "what’s up with the world is supper cool"… Can you make it 3D? this map is sooo ugly! Can I narrow it to my friends? Or whatever else?
Comic Viewer - jailbroken only
The Good: you can read comics on the iPhone
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The Bad: Oh, a lot. It’s hard to install. It gives you no clues on where to put the .cbz files (hint: it’s root/var/mobile/Media/Comic). It doesn’t offer you a way to add new files (use netatalk for that, also jailbroken). Hell, it doesn’t even show you the buttons! But you can read comics on the iPhone.
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The Suggestion:
- What about a manual? in english?
- Can I sync?
- Can it be a legit app?
Evernote - free, signin required, here
The Good: consolidate all your notes on the cloud, and check it anywhere.
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The Bad: Not much, really. Evernote is great! Ah, yeah: If I create a not on the desktop version with rich text (bold, italic, etc) I can’t edit it on the iPhone. Can you warn me before? Also, I can’t add checkboxes on the iPhone version, just check existing ones.
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The Suggestion:
- Let iPhone app create & edit checkboxes & tables, also
- Is there a way to share notebooks? not public, more like a small group?
Netatalk - jailbroken only
The Good: Automatically adds your iPhone on the desktop devices list.
The Bad: Nothing. Thanks for the app, a life saver and a must have for jailbroken files.
The Sugestion: It is a must have for jailbroken iPhones, can you make it as a default instalation?
PdaNet - jailbroken only
The Good: Use your iPhone as a modem.
The Bad: It sucks the battery: Make sure your iPhone is connected on a power source.
The Suggestion:
- Battery warning?
- A way to conceal my traffic as something legit? I don’t want AT&T banging on my door.
Cycorder - jailbroken only
The Good: video recorder on the iPhone.
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The Bad: it’s jailbroken only. That means, your iPhone can record video, but somehow apple doesn’t allow it. go figure.
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The Suggestion:
- Automatic sync? with my imovie or whatever other video editor?
- Can you be legit?
- Can I do minor editing? I know, I’m asking too much.
FileMagnet - $4.99
The Good: PDF reader for the iPhone (among other files). There are plenty on the market but FileMAgnet has a well resolved interface so it won me over.
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The Bad: it coughs on medium to big files.
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The Suggestion:
- Can I read .cbz files? It’s just a zip file with images on it… Be the first legit comics reader on the iPhone, please.
- I wanna use FileMagnet to read my ever growing PDF collection… Can you warn me (by email, twiter) if I stop reading a file, let’s say, after a week? nag me!
- Can I have 3 lists: One for ongoing files (on top), other for unread, and another for read files?
- Can I add notes? Can I email my friends my file, with notes?
Byline - $4.99
The Good: If you use google reader, byline is the app for you: sweet interface, offline reading, youtube integration…
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The Bad: it crashes. the notes & share features are worse than google’s originals.
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The Suggestion:
- Better shared readers integration: group, avatar, name.
- does Notes work? I’ve seen on my google shared items page, it seems it breaks the post…
- fix the Email Post feature… Original google reader sends the entire post (good) thru my gmail account (bad), iphone optimized page sends through my email (good) just the link (bad). Byline sends just the link, not customizable, and after that I have to climb all the way back to my position. It breaks the flow.
- can you please fix your icon? I always mistake the orange fee/coffee circular image for a warning.
Still waiting for…
A camera fix: hold home button, opens camera (overriding code). release home button, shoots. USB connect, automatic iphoto sync. Only jailbroken, huh?
